PhD : Urban sprawl and the cost of fire risk: an assessment by simulation and artificial intelligence

Updated: 30 days ago
Location: Corte, CORSE
Job Type: FullTime
Deadline: 19 Apr 2024

28 Mar 2024
Job Information
Organisation/Company

CNRS - Sciences pour l'environnement
Research Field

Geography » Economic geography
Computer science » Modelling tools
Mathematics » Applied mathematics
Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)
Country

France
Application Deadline

19 Apr 2024 - 22:00 (Europe/Paris)
Type of Contract

Temporary
Job Status

Full-time
Hours Per Week

35
Offer Starting Date

1 Sep 2024
Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by an EU programme
Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

Come and Work for a 3 years Phd Position in Corsica ! Multidisciplinary research Open for master students in Geography or Economics or Applied Mathematics or environmental science or Couter Science.

The objective is to capitalize on a transdisciplinary simulation/artificial intelligence/economics approach already developed as part of a previous (FireCaster) program in order to study the impact of urban sprawl on the cost of fires. Urban sprawl increases the costs of fires, but can constitute a barrier to their progression. The thesis will endeavor to quantify these different impacts according to the scale and form taken by the sprawl.

The purpose of the thesis will be to study the impact of choices made in terms of land use on the importance of fire risk. The effects of urban sprawl have been the subject of abundant literature in urban economics since the 1990s. But the link between urban sprawl and fire risk does not appear central in this literature. However, episodes of endangerment and destruction of homes are increasing. When homes are not destroyed, their simple proximity to fire zones forces intervention forces to deploy means to protect human lives, contributing at least indirectly to the cost of fires.

The proximity of housing can have contradictory effects on the economic impact of a fire. On the one hand, inhabited areas are generally less rich in fuels, and can constitute a barrier against fire. On the other hand, they considerably increase the cost per hectare burned in the event of combustion.

In order to quantify these impacts, the doctoral student will rely on the simulation tools developed as part of the FireCaster program (see PhD of Frederic Allaire https://theses.fr/2021SORUS037 ). These tools, which revolve around the ForeFire fire simulator , make it possible to simulate costs associated with forest fires in Corsica. They also integrate an uncertainty quantification module based on drawings of calibrated sets of parameters as input to the simulation model. The very large number of simulations necessary for a fine mesh of the territory is carried out thanks to a simulation emulator using deep learning techniques in artificial intelligence. It is important to note that although most of these tools have already been developed and tested, they still need to be adapted to the context of urban sprawl. The technical feasibility of the subject is thus almost assured.

The assessment of the impact of urban sprawl on fire risk will have two dimensions: the first will concern the extent of urban sprawl, the second will concern the particular forms taken by this sprawl. The first dimension will be addressed by simply comparing the fire risk of sensitive urban and peri-urban areas with a counterfactual based on land use prior to urban sprawl. The second will have to integrate alternative scenarios concerning the urban forms taken by recent residential areas (compact, dispersed, fragmented, etc.)

Although the tools developed within the framework of FireCaster have been configured for the Corsican terrain, they are naturally transposable, and will allow the doctoral student to study contexts of urban sprawl concerning agglomerations of larger dimensions than island agglomerations.

The doctoral student will have to put the results of his simulations into perspective, so as to provide public decision-makers with information on the foreseeable consequences of future urban development projects on fire risk.

Director: Jean-Baptiste Filippi - CR CNRS UMR SPE (HDR)
[email protected]
tel 04 95 45 01 58
 
Co- Director: Antoine Belgodere - MCF UMR LISA (non-HDR)
tel 04 95 45 00 38
[email protected]

Don't hesitate to contact us

 

 


Requirements
Research Field
Geography » Economic geography
Education Level
Master Degree or equivalent

Research Field
Economics
Education Level
Master Degree or equivalent

Research Field
Computer science
Education Level
Master Degree or equivalent

Research Field
Environmental science
Education Level
Master Degree or equivalent

Research Field
Mathematics
Education Level
Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Economy , geography, numerical calculation, statistics, heat transfers.

Master Applied Economics , Master Info or Master Risks


Internal Application form(s) needed
ECOFIREPhD.pdf
English
(139.14 KB - PDF)
Download
ECOFEUFrench.pdf
English
(141.72 KB - PDF)
Download
Additional Information
Benefits

1700 eur / mont, student status, possibility to give lectures with additional remuneration


Selection process

Selections made by end of June by a jury, send an email to :
Director: Jean-Baptiste Filippi - CR CNRS UMR SPE (HDR)
[email protected]

and 
Co- Director: Antoine Belgodere - MCF UMR LISA (non-HDR)
[email protected]

As first. Full file will require to have your Master grades for last semester.
 


Website for additional job details

https://ecole-doctorale.universita.corsica

Work Location(s)
Number of offers available
1
Company/Institute
CNRS/SPE/Università di Corsica
Country
France
State/Province
Corsica
City
Corte
Postal Code
20250
Street
campus grimaldi
Geofield


Where to apply
E-mail

[email protected]

Contact
State/Province

Corsica
City

Corte
Website

https://spe.universita.corsica/
Street

Sciences, BP 52
Postal Code

20250
E-Mail

[email protected]
Phone

+33495450158
Mobile Phone

+33685207351

STATUS: EXPIRED