Two PhD positions on creep behaviour of rock salt and application to salt caverns (1.0 FTE)

Two PhD positions on creep behaviour of rock salt and application to salt caverns (1.0 FTE)
Two PhD positions on creep behaviour of rock salt and application to salt caverns (1.0 FTE)

Published	Deadline	Location
today	1 Nov	Utrecht

Utrecht University is looking for two PhD candidates on creep behaviour of rock salt and application to salt caverns. Interested? Read on!
Job description
The Department of Earth Sciences of Utrecht University, group Experimental Rock Deformation, invites applications from highly motivated candidates for two PhD positions (preferably) starting on January 1st 2023, within a collaborative research programme titled Multi-scale validation of constitutive models for rock salt creep behaviour and application to field-scale numerical models.
This programme aims to advance the fundamental understanding of rock salt creep behaviour in salt production and salt cavern energy storage applications. The programme is a research collaboration between Utrecht University (UU) and the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO).
Salt caverns created for brine production or energy storage tend to converge due to salt creep, which may lead to potential induced seismicity, loss of cavern stability and integrity of the rocks surrounding the caverns and surface subsidence. However, the amount of cavern convergence and subsidence, particularly on the long-term, cannot at present be predicted with confidence, hindering the full assessment of surface effects. 
Two PhD positions are available. One is intended to carry out a laboratory-based study to quantify salt creep behaviour at in-situ conditions and derive mechanism-based constitutive laws. The other one is intended for a numerical modeling study focusing on upscaling of experimental results and applying constitutive laws to investigate cavern- and field-scale behaviour in the context of salt production and storage applications.
PhD position 1: Experimental Rock Mechanics and Microphysics Supervisors: S.J.T. Hangx (UU), J.H. ter Heege (TNO), J.H.P. de Bresser (UU, promotor). 
The aim of this 4-year PhD project is to:

• experimentally determine the low-stress deformation processes operating in natural rock salt under realistic in-situ conditions, including dynamic recrystallisation and transient creep;
• test existing and new theoretical models for these processes; and
• upscale the results obtained to provide deformation laws (constitutive models) for Dutch Zechstein salt that can be applied in cavern (abandonment) and subsidence modelling via the associated PhD position 2. The approach will involve conventional mm-/cm-scale triaxial deformation experiments, potentially coupled to real-time CT-imaging.

PhD position 2: Numerical Modelling of salt caverns 
Supervisors: B.B.T. Wassing (TNO), J.H.P. de Bresser (UU, promotor)
The aim of this 4-year PhD project is to:

• develop 3D numerical modelling tools for single- and multi-cavern systems implementing the (upscaled) constitutive laws developed;
• evaluate model forecasts against field observations; and
• apply the models to field cases and simulate different operational, cavern abandonment and shut-in strategies for both brine production and energy storage caverns. The approach will involve expanding on existing single-cavern numerical models. Field data from salt caverns in the Netherlands will be made available by TNO or cavern operators and used for model evaluation and simulations that include sensitivity analyses and operational scenarios.

Throughout the programme, there will be a close collaboration between the two PhD candidates and the team of researchers and supervisors involved from UU and TNO. The results obtained will be directly usable, by providing the physical basis and numerical tools for realistic, cavern-scale modelling. The main aim is to obtain more accurate predictions of long-term cavern behaviour and associated surface effects. All phases of a cavern life-cycle will be considered, from creation to shut-in and long-term abandonment. The programme contributes towards a safer and more sustainable way of operating production and storage caverns in salt by reducing risks of cavern operations. In a broader context, reducing risks and increasing efficiency of salt cavern usage for energy buffering systems based on hydrogen and compressed air energy storage contributes directly to a transition from high-carbon fossil fuels, such as oil and coal, towards cleaner energy production.
This UU-TNO research collaboration is funded in part by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate (EZK) and TNO. We offer guaranteed funding for each project and a personalised training programme, which reflects the candidates' training needs and career objectives. About 20% of both candidates' time will be dedicated to this training component, which includes training on the job in assisting in the BSc and MSc teaching programmes of the Earth Sciences department at Utrecht University.
Specifications

• 36—40 hours per week
• €2541—€3247 per month
• Utrecht View on Google Maps

Utrecht University

Requirements
For each of the PhD positions, applicants:
• must hold a Master's degree in Earth Sciences, Physics, or Material Science, and must have good quantitative and programming skills;
• must have excellent written and spoken English skills and be highly motivated to work in an international team; 
• already holding a PhD degree cannot be considered.
In addition, candidates for PhD position 1 (Experimental Rock Mechanics and Microphysics):
• must have knowledge of or experience in Earth Materials research, ideally in rock mechanics or rock physics;
• preferably have knowledge of high resolution analytical techniques (electron microscopy, CT imaging, etc.), as well as chemistry.
Candidates for PhD position 2 (Numerical Modelling of salt caverns):
• must have experience using Python;
• must have knowledge of or experience with numerical modelling software packages.
Conditions of employment
You will be offered a temporary position (1.0 FTE), initially for one year with an extension to a total of four years upon a successful assessment in the first year, and with the specific intent that it results in a doctorate within this period. The gross salary ranges between €2,541 in the first year and €3,247 in the fourth year of employment (scale P according to the Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities) per month for a full-time employment. Salaries are supplemented with a holiday bonus of 8% and a year-end bonus of 8.3% per year. 
In addition, Utrecht University offers excellent secondary conditions , including an attractive retirement scheme, (partly paid) parental leave and flexible employment conditions (multiple choice model). For more information, please visit working at Utrecht University .
Employer
A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University , the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major societal themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Sustainability.
Utrecht University's Faculty of Geosciences studies the Earth: from the Earth's core to its surface, including man's spatial and material utilisation of the Earth - always with a focus on sustainability and innovation. With 3,400 students (BSc and MSc) and 720 staff, the Faculty is a strong and challenging organisation. The Faculty of Geosciences is organised in four Departments: Earth Sciences, Human Geography & Spatial Planning, Physical Geography, and Sustainable Development.
The Department of Earth Sciences conducts teaching and research across the full range of the solid Earth and environmental Earth sciences, with activities in almost all areas of geology, geochemistry, geophysics, biogeology and hydrogeology. The department hosts a highly international tenured staff of over 50 scientists and more than 110 PhD students and postdoctoral researchers. Our research programme spans four intertwined themes: Climate & Life, Earth interior, Earth materials, and Environmental Earth Sciences. We house or have access to a wide variety of world-class laboratories. In addition, there is a rich history of collaboration between Utrecht University and the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), notably the Applied Geosciences group, which is also located at the Utrecht University campus. 
The city of Utrecht is the fourth largest city in the Netherlands and forms a hub in the middle of the country. Its historic city centre and its modern central station can easily be reached from the Utrecht Science Park by public transport or by a 15 minute bicycle ride. Utrecht boasts beautiful canals with extraordinary wharf cellars housing cafés and terraces by the water, as well as a broad variety of shops and boutiques. 
Additional information
For more information about this position, please contact Prof. Dr. Hans de Bresser (head of Experimental Rock Deformation group) via [email protected].
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Application procedure
Everyone deserves to feel at home at our university. We welcome employees with a wide variety of backgrounds and perspectives.
To apply, please send your curriculum vitae, including a letter of motivation via the 'apply' button.
Each application should include the following:

• The candidate’s CV, including any courses taken that are relevant for the position;
• Academic credentials (mark sheets and degree statements);
• A motivation letter clearly stating:
  • which of the two positions you are applying for;
  • why you would like this position; and
  • what makes you a suitable candidate, referring to the skills you have or how easy/difficult it would be for you to acquire the required skills.

The deadline for applications is November 1st, 2022. Both positions must start as soon as possible and preferably before/on January 1st, 2023. However, note that international candidates needing a visa/work permit for the Netherlands require at least four months processing time after selection and acceptance. This will be arranged with help of the International Service Desk (ISD) of our university. Finding appropriate housing in or near Utrecht is your own responsibility but the ISD may be able to advise you therewith. For general questions that you might have about working and living in The Netherlands, please consult the Dutch Mobility Portal where much information can be found.
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