PhD Fellowship in Railway Sleepers Using Ultra High-Performance Concrete (UHPC)
Develop innovative UHPC railway sleepers to enhance durability and sustainability in cold-climate railway infrastructure.
Best for:Best for civil engineering graduates with expertise in structural engineering, materials science, or construction engineering, passionate about experimental research, durability testing, and sustainable infrastructure solutions.
Overview
This PhD position at Oslo Metropolitan University focuses on advancing railway infrastructure by designing, fabricating, and testing ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) sleepers. The project aims to address critical challenges in conventional sleepers, such as fatigue cracking, freeze-thaw damage, and reduced service life, particularly in cold climates. The candidate will collaborate with OsloMet, Iowa State University, and the Norwegian Railway Directorate to conduct material optimization, durability testing, full-scale structural assessments, numerical modeling, lifecycle analysis, and pilot studies under real operating conditions. The role includes 25% career development duties, such as teaching and supervision, and a mandatory research stay at Iowa State University.
What you'll do
- Design and optimize UHPC formulations for railway sleepers to enhance durability and structural performance.
- Conduct experimental testing under harsh environmental conditions, including freeze-thaw cycles and cyclic loading.
- Fabricate and perform full-scale structural testing of UHPC sleepers to validate performance and durability.
- Develop numerical models to simulate material behavior and structural response under various loading conditions.
- Assess lifecycle and sustainability impacts of UHPC sleepers compared to conventional materials.
- Collaborate with Iowa State University and the Norwegian Railway Directorate on pilot studies and field investigations.
- Undertake a research stay at Iowa State University as part of the project.
- Participate in teaching and supervision duties (25% of the position).
Requirements
Degree required: Master's degree in civil engineering, structural engineering, materials engineering, construction engineering, or an equivalent relevant discipline with at least 120 ECTS credits. Applicants with fewer than 120 ECTS must provide documentation proving their degree qualifies for doctoral studies in their home country.
Degree offered: PhD
Language: Written and oral proficiency in English (equivalent to IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 90).
Instruction: English
- Proven academic background in civil engineering, structural engineering, or materials science.
- Experience with experimental testing, particularly in durability and structural performance of construction materials.
- Familiarity with numerical modeling and simulation tools for structural analysis.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to conduct research independently and collaboratively in an interdisciplinary setting.
- Admission to the PhD programme PENG at the Faculty of Technology, Art and Design is required.
- Application for admission to the PhD programme must be submitted within three months of the start date.
- Minimum average grade B on subjects included in the master's degree.
- Minimum grade B on the master's thesis.
- Minimum average grade C on subjects included in the bachelor's degree (or equivalent for integrated master's degrees).
Funding & terms
How to apply
Deadline: 2026-10-15
Applicants must submit their application through Oslo Metropolitan University’s electronic recruitment system. Required documents include an application letter describing motivation, CV, reference letters, master’s thesis, scientific works (if applicable), a list of publications, and preferably two references with contact information. All documents must be in English or a Scandinavian language and uploaded as part of the application.
- Application letter describing motivation
- CV
- Reference letters
- Master’s thesis
- Scientific works or links to full articles (if relevant)
- List of publications and presentations at international seminars/conferences (if relevant)
- Two references with contact information
Contact
Marit Sandvik· Research Leader
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