Doctoral School

Reading date: 24/09/2026

• ACEVEDO ROCHA, ALFONSO DARÍO: Modelo de gestión para la restauración del suelo dedicados a la actividad ganadera en el departamento de Córdoba, Colombia. Un aporte de la ganadería regenerativa al desarrollo sostenible del territorio- estudios de casos comparativos
  
  Author: ACEVEDO ROCHA, ALFONSO DARÍO
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN SUSTAINABILITY
  Department: University Research Institute for Sustainability Science and Technology (IS.UPC)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 04/06/2026
  Reading date: 24/09/2026
  Reading time: 16:00
  Reading place: Sala de Conferències, Campus ESEIAAT C/ Colom 1. Edifici TR1 Planta 0 Porta 085. 08222. Terrassa.
  Thesis director: MORATO FARRERAS, JORDI
  Thesis abstract: The impact of livestock farming on soil degradation has been widely discussed, with cattle production being attributed a significant impact both globally and locally. This research, entitled "Management model for the restoration of land used for livestock farming in the department of Córdoba, Colombia. A contribution of regenerative livestock farming to the sustainable development of the territory - Comparative case studies," analyzes the evolution of regenerative livestock farming, especially in Latin America, and adapts a methodology to evaluate the efficiency of this model on the soil using biological and spatial indicators, comparing it with a conventional model on farms in Córdoba. It also evaluates the contribution of these models to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and proposes a conceptual model for the sustainable management and restoration of livestock soils.An analysis was carried out on the progress of regenerative livestock farming worldwide and in Latin America, finding a significant increase in its adoption since 2018, especially in 2019, when the preservation of biodiversity, water, and soil health began to be valued.Macro indicators of soil condition were defined and 12 farms were selected to analyze conventional and regenerative production models. Edaphic macro and mesofauna were evaluated, satellite images were analyzed, and information on vegetation cover was collected, using biological and spatial indicators to measure the restorative capacity of the models. A SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis was also conducted, concluding that the regenerative model is more efficient in grazing practices, profitability, and biodiversity, allowing for passive restoration of the ecosystem.A methodology was developed to analyze the efficiency of regenerative livestock farming, establishing methods for collecting biotic and spatial data, which facilitates continuous soil diagnosis and monitoring. The study area, the duration of the analysis, the phases of the process, the indicators, and the multitemporal analysis of the plant component were defined using remote sensing and GIS technologies, providing the necessary data for a detailed analysis. It was concluded that regenerative livestock farming is an economical and sustainable low-cost model that improves productivity without agrochemicals and prevents erosion, promoting soil restoration through sustainable practices.This model also contributes to the fulfillment of the SDGs, especially in food security, climate action, and ecosystem restoration, promoting greater biological biodiversity and vegetation cover in the study areas. The results show a positive impact on soil health, vegetation development, and macrofauna, with notable root growth and no degraded soils. Regenerative livestock farming works in harmony with nature, improving the living conditions and health of livestock.Regenerative livestock farming is presented as a key tool for addressing the environmental, social, and productive challenges of livestock farming, restoring soils and ecosystems, and reversing the damage caused by overgrazing and the use of agrochemicals in conventional models. It restores soil fertility, promotes a natural cycle of regeneration, and facilitates the recovery of native species of flora and fauna, increasing the ecosystem's resistance to external disturbances.In terms of species abundance, a total of 763 individuals were quantified between both systems, distributed across 19 taxonomic orders, with 630 individuals in the regenerative model and 133 in the conventional model. The Shannon-Wiener Index (H') under the regenerative model was 2.06, reflecting high biological diversity and efficiency in restoration and long-term sustainability.
  

Reading date: 25/09/2026

• FARAHPOOR, MOHAMMADALI: Secure and Auditable Data Management for IoT-Driven Smart Transportation
  
  Author: FARAHPOOR, MOHAMMADALI
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN NETWORK ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Network Engineering (ENTEL)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 28/07/2026
  Reading date: 25/09/2026
  Reading time: 11:00
  Reading place: Aula de Teleensenyament, edifici B3, campus nordhttps://meet.google.com/spx-zvbe-tbw
  Thesis director: ESPARZA MARTIN, OSCAR
  Thesis abstract: The increasing adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT) in industrial transportation has enabled continuous monitoring, predictive maintenance, and data-driven decision-making in environments such as mining, construction, and other heavy-duty operations. However, the same systems also generate large volumes of critical data whose value extends beyond real-time use. Once these data are shared among multiple stakeholders, challenges related to trust, integrity, confidentiality, recoverability, and auditability become central. This thesis addresses that problem through two connected research directions.First, it presents TrackTruck, an IoT-driven fleet-management infrastructure for industrial vehicles. TrackTruck demonstrates how embedded sensing, flexible communication, cloud-based analytics, and operational decision support can be integrated into a practical smart-transportation platform for heterogeneous fleets in demanding field conditions. The results show that such an architecture can improve operational visibility, maintenance support, dispatching efficiency, and overall productivity.Second, this thesis presents FileTrust, a blockchain-based auditable backup framework designed for low-trust multi-stakeholder IoT environments. FileTrust combines an Information Dispersal Algorithm (IDA), the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS), blockchain smart contracts, verifiable secret sharing, distributed key generation, and threshold encryption to protect access-enabling metadata and support verifiable, policy-driven recovery of critical data. Its design preserves off-chain storage efficiency while adding on-chain auditability and threshold-governed access control.Taken together, these contributions show that trustworthy industrial IoT requires more than efficient telemetry and analytics. It also requires secure long-term data governance. This thesis therefore proposes a broader perspective in which IoT-driven smart transportation is studied as a complete data lifecycle, spanning generation, transmission, operational use, preservation, controlled access, and recovery. The results provide both an applied industrial IoT case study and a secure decentralized backup framework, establishing a foundation for future trustworthy smart-transportation architectures.
  

• SOLER CAMPRECIÓS, JORDI: AVALUACIÓ DELS REQUERIMENTS REPRODUCTIUS I DEL CONTROL QUÍMIC DE L’AILANT (AILANTHUS ALTISSIMA), COM A ESPÈCIE INVASORA D’ESPAIS NATURALS
  
  Author: SOLER CAMPRECIÓS, JORDI
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN AGRI-FOOD TECHNOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
  Department: Department of Agri-Food Engineering and Biotechnology (DEAB)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 13/07/2026
  Reading date: 25/09/2026
  Reading time: 10:00
  Reading place: Sala Syngenta de l'EEABB. Edifici D4, Campus del Baix Llobregat de la UPC. C. Esteve Terradas 8, Castelldefels
  Thesis director: IZQUIERDO FIGAROLA, JORDI
  Thesis abstract: Invasive plants, such as Ailanthus altissima, cause damage to biodiversity due to their high capacity for expansion and establishment. A thorough understanding of the reproductive traits of this species is essential to define eradication strategies based on effective control methods.During the literature review, insufficient information was found regarding chemical methods to break seed dormancy, resulting in low germination rates. Conversely, other studies have shown that alternating temperature regimes promote germination. However, this method involves temperature accumulation that is not compatible with base temperature experiments. The base temperature for seeds or roots has never been determined, and only a few studies have addressed the base water potential of seeds, all conducted outside our region. From the base temperature, predictive germination models can be developed—a task we included in this study to create tools that assist in planning future management actions for this invasive species.The results showed a low response in dormancy release across different treatments, with the best germination achieved through cold stratification at 10 °C for 21 days. The base temperature for seeds and roots was very similar, and under water stress conditions, both seed germination and root sprouting decreased.We focused on evaluating the effectiveness of commercially available herbicides at the time of this study. Different application periods, herbicides, and techniques were tested. Herbicide application provided better control compared to untreated trees. The most effective technique was cut-stump injection, and the most efficient herbicides were triclopyr combined with 2,4-D and/or aminopyralid. The effect of flazasulfuron on Ailanthus altissima was evaluated for the first time, showing satisfactory results.We also identified, for the first time in Catalonia, the eriophyid mite Aculus taihagensis, a species already reported in other countries as a potential biological control agent.In conclusion, Ailanthus altissima can be eradicated if the correct methods are used, while predictive models will assist managers in the management of eradication efforts.
  

Reading date: 28/09/2026

• FREIRE SILVA, MARÍA JOSÉ: Trazando la ciudad más allá del damero. Estudio histórico-morfológico de las ciudadelas o nuevos barrios en la primera expansión urbana de Quito (1908 - 1942)
  
  Author: FREIRE SILVA, MARÍA JOSÉ
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN URBANISM
  Department: Department of Urbanism, Territory and Landscape (DUTP)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 20/07/2026
  Reading date: 28/09/2026
  Reading time: 16:00
  Reading place: ETSAB (Esc.Téc.Sup.Arquit.Bcn)-Pl. Baja-Sala GradosAv. Diagonal, 649Enlace a videoconferencia: https://meet.google.com/uyr-iion-imtConnexión 15:30h
  Thesis director: MARTI CASANOVAS, MIQUEL | PESOA MARCILLA, MELISA
  Thesis abstract: Between the 19th century and the early decades of the 20th century, the first manifestations of Latin American modernity drove a process of urban expansion that profoundly transformed the structure of many cities. Whilst this phenomenon has been extensively studied from a socio-cultural perspective, analysis of its spatial and morphological dimensions has received less attention, particularly in the case of Andean cities. This study examines the case of Quito (Ecuador) with the aim of analysing how the first urban subdivision projects, known locally as “ciudadelas” (citadels), contributed to the city’s expansion during the first half of the 20th century.The research is based on a systematic review of historical archives and newspaper sources relating to these land-parcelling projects. The information gathered was georeferenced and analysed in relation to the physical environment (topography and hydrography) and its pre-existing features (roads and buildings). Based on this, a morphological analysis was carried out of the urban layouts and their components (streets, blocks, plots, buildings, public spaces and facilities), taking into account their shape, dimensions and organisation. In parallel, the promotional material for these projects was examined through a semiotic study of the promotional discourse found in the press of the time, with the aim of identifying the actors and urban imaginaries associated with this process of urban expansion. The results show that the geographical conditions of the Andean valley in which Quito was established had a significant influence on the layout of the first neighbourhoods to emerge during the city’s expansion, leading to specific adaptations in the street plans and the resulting organisation of the land parcels. Furthermore, they demonstrate that the citadels constituted an important form of urban growth through the parcelling and subdivision of land, the promotion of which was underpinned by urban imaginaries associated with modernity, exclusivity, hygiene and proximity to the countryside and nature. These findings help us understand how Quito’s urban expansion was not solely driven by social or economic dynamics, but also by the interplay between territorial conditions, urbanisation strategies and discourses legitimising the new peripheries.The research proposes a methodological approach that integrates a historical-morphological study through spatial analysis and the examination of promotional discourses, offering replicable tools for the comparative analysis of urban expansion processes in other Andean or Latin American cities that have experienced expansion in a similar territory with fragmented characteristics.
  

Reading date: 30/09/2026

• DURÁN CABALLERO, DIEGO ENRIQUE: Applications of the Geotechnical Particle Finite Element Method to CPTu and Statnamic Pile Load test interpretation
  
  Author: DURÁN CABALLERO, DIEGO ENRIQUE
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (DECA)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 04/09/2026
  Reading date: 30/09/2026
  Reading time: 11:00
  Reading place: ETSECCPB.UPC, Campus NordBuilding C1. Classroom: 002C/Jordi Girona, 1-308034 Barcelona
  Thesis director: ARROYO ALVAREZ DE TOLEDO, MARCOS | MONFORTE VILA, LLUÍS
  Thesis abstract: This thesis exploits and extends the Geotechnical Particle Finite Element Method (G-PFEM) to model complex coupled problems in geotechnical engineering, particularly those involving the insertion of solid objects into soil, such as cone penetration testing (CPTu) or pile installation. The insertion of solid objects into soil is the operating principle of several in-situ tests, whose measurements are used later to infer geotechnical design parameters. These inference methods remain largely empirical and carry significant uncertainty, particularly when they are applied beyond the conditions for which they were originally developed. This uncertainty is transferred directly to geotechnical design and may, in some cases, lead to unsafe designs. Part of it arises from the complexity of the insertion process itself, which mobilises several soil mechanisms simultaneously and is therefore only partially represented by the simplified analyses underlying existing correlations.This problem is addressed by reproducing the full mechanics of two in-situ tests: CPTu and the Statnamic pile load test. The tests are analysed across different soil types, drainage conditions and loading rates. In each application, the constitutive model is selected according to the features governing the response: SCLAY-1 is used to represent fabric anisotropy in clay, CASM and SIMSAND to describe the critical-state behaviour of sands and silty sands, and CASM-Visco to capture the viscous response mobilised during rapid loading.For undrained cone penetration in clay, the study identifies the shearing mode governing the response beneath the cone tip and determines which undrained shear strength should be used as the reference for normalising cone resistance. It also evaluates how fabric anisotropy affects the resulting cone factors. For Statnamic testing, the experimental programme carried out at the University of Sheffield is back-analysed reproducing complex sequences of pile penetration, consolidation and rapid loading, providing further insight into the mechanisms governing the measured response. For CPTu in sands, the study examines how the use of a log-linear representation of the critical state line affects the inference of the state parameter. For silty sands, the influence of partial drainage and fines content on the cone response is investigated by mapping their effects onto the constitutive behaviour of a reference clean sand.Overall, the thesis extends the application of G-PFEM to the interpretation of CPTu and Statnamic pile load tests under different governing conditions. The results clarify the soil mechanisms controlling the measured response and contribute to the assessment and development of more accurate test interpretation procedures.