Doctoral School

Reading date: 27/03/2026

• GONZALEZ HERNANDEZ, LAURA: On families of prime ideals with an unbounded minimal number of generators in a three-dimensional power series ring
  
  Author: GONZALEZ HERNANDEZ, LAURA
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN APPLIED MATHEMATICS
  Department: School of Mathematics and Statistics (FME)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 27/01/2026
  Reading date: 27/03/2026
  Reading time: 16:00
  Reading place: Sala d'Actes de l'FME, Edifici U, Campus Sud
  Thesis director: PLANAS VILANOVA, FRANCESC D'ASSIS
  Thesis abstract: This thesis deals with the existence of families of prime ideals in the power series ring k[[x,y,z]] with an unbounded minimal number of generators.We begin by studying in-depth the related results of Moh on the area. We reprove and generalize a result of Moh which gives a lower bound on the minimal number of generators of an ideal in k[[x,y,z]]. In doing so, we demonstrate that the minimal number of generators of Moh’s prime P3 might decrease depending on the characteristic of the field k. This result contradicts a previous statement made by Sally and leaves as an open problem finding families of prime ideals in k[[x,y,z]] with an unbounded minimal number of generators, when the characteristic of k is different from zero. The main result of this thesis is the construction of a new family of prime ideals in k[[x,y,z]] with an unbounded minimal number of generators, explicitly described, up to constant coefficients, which improves all the former results. The construction and analysis of these families rely on the theory of numerical semigroups and the study of binomial matrices.We first study the numerical semigroup S spanned by three consecutive natural numbers, a,a+1,a+2. We define and characterize the set of elements whose factorizations have all the same length, ULF(S), We provide an explicit description of their factorization sets and a natural partition based on the length and the denumerant. Moreover, by using Apéry sets and Betti elements, we are able to extend some of these results to any general numerical semigroup G. These findings link the structural properties of S directly to the defining ideals of the semigroup rings k[t^a,t^b,t^c], providing a bridge between factorization theory and the minimal generating sets of the corresponding prime ideals.In addition to our particular study of the numerical semigroup S, we need to work with binomial matrices. We derive closed formulae for binomial determinants and calculate bases to left nullspaces of some special binomial matrices. Additionally, we provide an alternative proof for the positivity of binomial determinants, originally shown by Gessel and Viennot. Finally, we display our new family of prime ideals with unbounded minimal number of generators in k[[x,y,z]], where k is a field of characteristic zero. These primes are obtained as the kernel of a quasi-monomial algebra homomorphism. Up to constant coefficients, we give a description of their minimal generating polynomial sets. The advantage of our family with respect to some previous work is the explicit description of the minimal generating sets and the simplicity of the exponents of the monomial presentation.
  

• GONZÁLEZ SÁNCHEZ, BELÉN: Pavimentos de yeso: de la tradición al presente
  
  Author: GONZÁLEZ SÁNCHEZ, BELÉN
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN ARCHITECTURAL, BUILDING CONSTRUCTION AND URBANISM TECHNOLOGY
  Department: Department of Architectural Technology (TA)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 27/01/2026
  Reading date: 27/03/2026
  Reading time: 12:30
  Reading place: EPSEB (Escuela Politécnica Superior de Edificación BCN) - Sala de GradosAv. Doctor Marañón, 44-50 - 08028 - Barcelona
  Thesis director: ROSELL AMIGÓ, JUAN RAMON | NAVARRO EZQUERRA, MARIA ANTONIA
  Thesis abstract: Traditional architecture is characterised by construction techniques that are adapted to the geographical environment and use locally sourced materials. In the eastern half of the Iberian Peninsula, gypsum is one of the most abundant and versatile materials used in the development of the region's heritage. It comes in many forms and has many uses, giving rise to simple yet nuanced architecture. Despite gypsum's humble status as a traditional material, its adaptability has enabled it to be employed in various construction systems, including the creation of vaulted ceilings, interior staircases, walls, interior and exterior cladding, pavements, decorations, cornice mouldings, etc. However, in 20th-century and early 21st-century construction, there seems to be no place for this important building tradition, and its use has taken a back seat to new construction systems and industrialised materials. Currently, the most widespread use of gypsum, as a binder, is linked to the production of prefabricated elements and the creation of interior cladding and decorations. Of all the traditional construction systems where the use of gypsum as a binder has been documented, continuous or discontinuous pavements are the least documented or recognized. Throughout history, there are few references to the use of gypsum pavements, some of them vague, which show its use over the centuries and across civilizations, but without representing a finding of great importance within the monumental complex.This doctoral thesis aims to deepen our understanding of how traditional gypsum is obtained by studying the process of transforming gypsum stone through calcination both theoretically and practically. The aim is to propose a constructive solution that is compatible with traditional systems for the continuous production of gypsum pavements. The methodology is based on an extensive literature review covering the transformation and production of traditional gypsum binders from gypsum stone, the addition of additives to gypsum binders and their use in paving. The review also covers the characteristics and performance requirements currently demanded of continuous pavements. Two experimental campaigns have been carried out based on this documentary research. The first, which was conducted in the field, provided a better understanding of the processes involved in transforming stone into a binder in real-life situations by monitoring four experimental gypsum kilns in Catalonia and Aragon. This work has demonstrated that stone is fired at temperatures ranging from 800 to 1000°C, although these values may occasionally be exceeded. The second campaign, which was developed in a laboratory, has made it possible to produce a continuous gypsum pavement using an experimental prototype. This pavement is compatible with traditional systems, constructively viable with commercial materials, and compliant with current regulatory requirements.
  

• MORALES FLAUZÍN, GERARDO ABEL: Advances in geotechnical experimental techniques for unsaturated and liquefactable soils and tailings under different gravity accelerations (1g-Ng)
  
  Author: MORALES FLAUZÍN, GERARDO ABEL
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (DECA)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 16/02/2026
  Reading date: 27/03/2026
  Reading time: 15:00
  Reading place: ETSECCPB.UPC, Campus NordBuilding C1. Classroom: 002C/Jordi Girona, 1-308034 Barcelona
  Thesis director: PINYOL PUIGMARTI, NURIA MERCE | OLIVELLA PASTALLE, SEBASTIAN
  Thesis abstract: Flow liquefaction in contractive granular materials represents one of the most complex and hazardous failure mechanisms in geotechnical engineering, particularly in tailings dams. It is characterised by a sudden loss of shear strength under undrained conditions and by the rapid mobilisation of large volumes of material. Despite its practical relevance and the many documented failures, a detailed understanding of the internal processes governing the transition from sliding to flow remains limited, mainly due to the difficulty of obtaining experimental evidence during large deformations and post-failure stages.This doctoral thesis addresses the experimental study of post-failure behaviour, including strain localisation, retrogressive failure and flow liquefaction, through the development and application of non-invasive image-based measurement techniques. The main objective is to improve the observation, quantification and interpretation of deformation mechanisms and hydro-mechanical processes under large deformation conditions, and to apply these tools to the study of tailings failures.From a methodological perspective, the thesis refines the Eulerian–Lagrangian PIV-NP method. Its main limitations are systematically analysed, with particular emphasis on border-related errors, and specific correction strategies are proposed to enhance robustness and accuracy. These developments are validated using synthetic cases involving rigid motion and controlled deformation. In addition, PIV-NP is integrated with short-wave infrared (SWIR) imaging to allow non-intrusive measurement of surface moisture and degree of saturation in moving soils. This combined methodology, referred to as PIV-NP-Sr, is based on homographic transformations ensuring accurate spatial correspondence between visual and infrared images.The proposed techniques are first applied to a 1g test involving wetting-induced failure of a sand dam. Subsequently, a comprehensive experimental programme based on geotechnical centrifuge modelling is presented, conducted within the Geolab–SLIDAM project. This programme includes the characterisation of a mine tailing and seven small-scale centrifuge models tested under different acceleration levels, saturation conditions and failure activation mechanisms. Conventional instrumentation was deliberately minimised in favour of non-invasive imaging, allowing the full evolution of failure to be captured without disturbing material behaviour.The results enable detailed interpretation of shear band development, volumetric strain evolution and the progressive transition from sliding to flow-type behaviour. A novel observation is the occurrence of surface eruptions during post-failure stages, resembling miniature volcanoes. These events are shown to be preferentially located in zones of concentrated extensional strain. Based on the tracking of individual gas bubbles and their correlation with deformation fields, a preliminary interpretation involving gas entrapment, migration and pressurisation within the saturated granular medium is proposed.
  

• ROGER GONCE, JOAN: “El barrio que (nos) construimos” Creixement i desenvolupament urbà del barri de Roquetes de Barcelona, a través del Padró Municipal d’Habitants (1940-1978)
  
  Author: ROGER GONCE, JOAN
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN THEORY AND HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE
  Department: Department of History and Theory of Architecture and Communication Techniques (THATC)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 13/01/2026
  Reading date: 27/03/2026
  Reading time: 11:00
  Reading place: ETSAB (Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Barcelona) - Planta Baja - Sala de GradosAv. Diagonal, 649-651 - 08028 - Barcelona
  Thesis director: ROSSELLO NICOLAU, MARÍA ISABEL | OYON BAÑALES, JOSE LUIS
  Thesis abstract: This study addresses the urban history of the Roquetes neighborhood of Barcelona during the Franco period, with the aim of analyzing its formation, consolidation and transformation over the course of more than forty years of dictatorship. The work aims to provide data and a critical reflection on the social, economic and urban processes that shaped this working-class and markedly immigrant neighborhood, in a context of accelerated growth, precarious infrastructure and territorial inequalities.The meticulous analysis of the municipal population register, systematically cross-referenced with other demographic, labor and urban sources, has allowed us to delve deeper into key issues for understanding the neighborhood's trajectory: the migratory networks and chains that sustained its growth; the forms of work and the opportunities —or limits— of social mobility for its residents; the housing conditions and models of urban production; and, finally, the construction of the neighborhood as a space for coexistence, identity and sociability in a framework of institutional abandonment and neighborhood responses.Through this combination of perspectives and sources, the research provides an integrated look at Roquetes that contributes to the broader debate on urban peripheries, Franco's socialist regime and the everyday experiences of popular sectors in 20th-century Barcelona.
  

Reading date: 01/04/2026

• AGUILAR PLAZAOLA, JOSÉ AGUSTÍN: DATA-DRIVEN MODELLING, STATE ESTIMATION, CELL CONTROL AND MOTION PLANNING FOR PEM FUEL CELL-POWERED VEHICLES
  
  Author: AGUILAR PLAZAOLA, JOSÉ AGUSTÍN
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN AUTOMATIC CONTROL, ROBOTICS AND VISION
  Department: Institute of Robotics and Industrial Informatics (IRI)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 05/03/2026
  Reading date: pending
  Reading time: pending
  Reading place: pending
  Thesis director: HUSAR, ATTILA PETER | ANDRADE CETTO, JUAN
  Thesis abstract: This doctoral thesis presents novel advances in the areas of modeling, state estimation, path planning, and control to improve energy efficiency and durability of the powertrain of autonomous robots and electric vehicles driven by proton exchange membrane fuel cells. The main objective of the present work is to design and implement algorithms that, based on a thorough knowledge of the systems in question, improve the characteristics and outperform the state-of-the-art methods. Special emphasis is placed on testing the developed algorithms, as much as possible, with dynamic experimental profile dataIn the area of proton-exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell modelling, a computationally efficient physical model is proposed. Next, a model with a structure based on neural networks, built exclusively from data, is developed and validated. This model is framed within a new paradigm of machine learning, the computation by reservoirs. Subsequently, a hybrid model is built, combining both the physical model and the data-driven model by means of a fusion algorithm based on radial basis functions. The three models are tested with a set of dynamic experimental data, and it is shown how the proposed hybrid structure outperforms each of the individual models.In the area of state estimation, a particle filter is developed with the objective of estimating internal states (or parameters) of the fuel cell, taking into account the nonlinearity of the system and the uncertainty in its model. The algorithm is capable of estimating the internal variables of a nonlinear system with non-Gaussian probabilistic distribution. The algorithm is implemented to estimate the exchange current density of a fuel cell and is tested with two sets of experimental data, outperforming two state-of-the-art estimation algorithms. The exchange current density estimation is then used to fit an auto-regressive model and predict the evolution of the stack voltage in a durability experiment.In the area of PEM fuel cell control, an architecture composed of a high-level controller is proposed, which is in charge of calculating optimal temperature values with the objective of minimizing the degradation of the catalyst layer of the PEM fuel cell and at the same time maximizing its performance. These optimum values are then sent to the local controller of the fuel cell temperature regulation system. The proposed controller is based on the model predictive control paradigm; for this, a multiobjective cost function is designed, based on state-of-the-art models of the platinum degradation process that occurs during stack operation. The controller is validated in simulation tests and shown how it can adapt the temperature according to load conditions, optimizing the performance of the catalyst layer and minimizing its degradation.In the area of path planning, a new planning algorithm is developed taking into consideration the degradation mechanisms in the catalyst caused by the cell voltage profile. The developed algorithm is an extension of the A* algorithm, including new cost and heuristic functions based on the latest degradation models available in the literature. These functions incorporate penalties related to the expected voltage profile in the routes that are more detrimental to the catalyst integrity. Simulation tests are performed with different scenarios and the performance of the developed path planner is compared with the conventional A* algorithm.In the area of energy efficiency control, a controller is developed with the objective of including energy optimization in an adaptive cruise control module. Each part of the controller is designed, including the system model, the cost function, and the constraints. A series of simulation tests are performed to compare the performance between the energy-optimized adaptive cruise controller and the conventional one.