Theses authorised for defence

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

• FERNANDEZ-MOSCOSO LOPEZ-DURAN, EDUARDO: La sustitución como recurso de proyecto. Hormigón armado y madera en la última etapa del Movimiento Moderno
  
  Author: FERNANDEZ-MOSCOSO LOPEZ-DURAN, EDUARDO
  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 DESIGN
  Department: Department of Architectural Design (PA)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 26/09/2025
  Reading date: 18/12/2025
  Reading time: 12:15
  Reading place: ETSAB (Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Barcelona) - Planta Baja - Sala de GradosAv. Diagonal, 649-651 - 08028 - Barcelona
  Thesis director: PEÑIN LLOBELL, ALBERTO | FERRATER ARQUER, BORJA
  Thesis abstract: The thesis begins with a critical observation: the substitution of materials in architecture without altering the original constructive logic, as seen in Doric temples rebuilt in stone or in Sverre Fehn’s Nordic Pavilion. This practice challenges the idea that each material must be used strictly according to its physical properties. The author proposes a critical suspension of this paradigm, inspired by Husserl, in order to open architectural design to a more experimental and symbolic logic.From an interdisciplinary perspective that combines technique, history, theory, and philosophy, the thesis argues that technique is not only functional but also narrative. Concepts such as *design hysteresis* or *formwork as material memory* show how technical operations can also be interpretative. Moreover, the use of contemporary materials like CLT (Cross Laminated Timber) allows substitution to be approached from a sustainability perspective.Four historical milestones are analyzed: Greek temples, Norwegian stave churches, the Ironbridge, and the Hennebique system. In all of these cases, substitution not only preserved the architectural form but also opened up new technical and expressive possibilities. The analysis of authors such as Vitruvius, Wright, Nervi, and Arup reveals that even the most normative discourses have allowed for adjustments and material reinterpretations.The second part of the thesis examines three contemporary case studies. In the Tremaine House, Neutra replaces wood with concrete to redefine the relationship between house and landscape. In the Kagawa Prefectural Offices, Tange substitutes traditional wooden structures with reinforced concrete while preserving the formal logic of Japanese architecture. In the Nordic Pavilion, Fehn uses concrete as if it were wood, creating a hybrid architecture between tradition and modernity.The thesis concludes that substitution is a valid architectural operation capable of enriching the project from technical, symbolic, and cultural standpoints. Introducing alternative materials does not weaken a work; rather, it expands its meaning. Furthermore, it is proposed that technique should be understood as an open and narrative process, and that substituting materials is not a denial of their origin but a projection of new interpretations.Finally, the thesis invites further exploration of substitution involving other material pairings, prefabrication processes, and even immaterial elements such as typologies or programs, thereby opening new lines of research within contemporary architectural design.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN ARCHITECTURAL, BUILDING CONSTRUCTION AND URBANISM TECHNOLOGY

• REZK, JOSEPHIN: Sustainability assessment model for post-war reconstruction of blast-damaged RC buildings without structural collapse risk: A multi-criteria decision-making framework applied to the tourism sector in Damascus, Syria
  
  Author: REZK, JOSEPHIN
  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: 26/09/2025
  Reading date: 11/12/2025
  Reading time: 11:00
  Reading place: ETSAB (Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Barcelona) - Planta Baja - Sala de Grados Av. Diagonal, 649-651 - 08028 - Barcelona
  Thesis director: PONS VALLADARES, ORIOL | MUÑOZ BLANC, CARLOS
  Thesis abstract: Post-war reconstruction presents a series of complex challenges that go beyond restoring physical structures. In conflict-affected regions, decisions regarding the reconstruction of damaged buildings must be made under conditions of extreme resource limitations, infrastructural disruption, and socio-cultural fragility. However, most existing sustainability assessment frameworks are not suited to these conditions. They typically lack the adaptability and practicality required to support decision-making for individual buildings in post-conflict settings. This doctoral thesis addresses this gap through the development of a new decision-support model for assessing the sustainability of reconstruction strategies for reinforced concrete buildings damaged by external blasts but confirmed to be structurally stable.The thesis proposes a novel methodology that integrates the Integrated Value Model for Sustainable Assessment (MIVES) with the Delphi method, forming a multi-criteria decision-making framework capable of evaluating four reconstruction alternatives: refurbishment, demolition, reconstruction with retained identity, and preservation for future work. A key contribution of the thesis is the development of a specialized technical assessment form designed specifically for use in resource-constrained conflict zones. This form facilitates the classification of damage using visual inspection and expert consultation, offering a practical and accessible alternative to laboratory-based evaluations. It serves as an essential tool for determining a building’s eligibility for further sustainability-based assessment using the proposed model.To validate the MIVES-Delphi model, the thesis applies it to three real-world case studies involving reinforced concrete buildings used in the tourism sector in Damascus, Syria. Two of the buildings are located within protected historical areas, while the third is situated in a major tourism corridor. All buildings were confirmed by engineering reports to pose no risk of structural collapse. The results demonstrate that no single reconstruction alternative is universally optimal. In one case, refurbishment proved to be the most sustainable option in economic and social terms, while in another, preservation emerged as the most favorable from an environmental perspective. These outcomes highlight the model’s ability to adapt to contextual variables and support balanced, evidence-based reconstruction decisions.This thesis concludes that the newly developed decision-support model and technical assessment form together provide a transparent, replicable, and context-sensitive framework for guiding sustainable reconstruction in post-war environments. Although the model was validated through case studies in Syria, it is designed to be applicable across a wide range of conflict-affected regions. The work contributes significantly to the advancement of sustainable post-conflict recovery by offering practical tools for stakeholders seeking to align immediate reconstruction efforts with long-term resilience and development goals.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

• FERRANDO MONSONÍS, JAVIER: Interpretability in Natural Language Processing and Machine Translation
  
  Author: FERRANDO MONSONÍS, JAVIER
  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 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
  Department: Department of Computer Science (CS)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 13/11/2025
  Reading date: pending
  Reading time: pending
  Reading place: pending
  Thesis director: RUIZ COSTA-JUSSA, MARTA
  Thesis abstract: This thesis presents a set of methods and analyses designed to improve our understanding of the internal mechanisms of Transformer-based models in natural language processing and machine translation.This work first investigates the role of attention weights in encoder-decoder Transformers, showing that while they do not provide accurate word alignments, they nonetheless help explain model predictions and contribute to a deeper understanding of translation quality.A central contribution of the dissertation is the development of ALTI and its extensions, which offer a new approach to input attribution. These methods challenge prior assumptions about the explanatory power of attention mechanisms and reveal how information propagates between encoder and decoder components. In doing so, they also shed light on sources of hallucinations in translation systems.Further, the thesis introduces techniques to attribute predictions to individual components and positions, enabling contrastive explanations of linguistic behavior. These explanations clarify how language models represent and solve different linguistic phenomena.The dissertation also proposes a methodology for tracking information flow during inference, offering insight into how various components contribute to model predictions. This allows for the identification of domain-specialized components and a better understanding of how representations are transformed across layers.Lastly, the analysis of cross-lingual circuit similarities reveals shared structural patterns in how models handle different languages. These findings point to potential universal mechanisms in language models.Collectively, this thesis advances the interpretability of Transformer models by providing tools and frameworks for probing, attributing, and understanding the behavior of complex NLP systems.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN AUTOMATIC CONTROL, ROBOTICS AND VISION

• SHEIKHSAMAD, MOHAMMAD: Learning Methods in Planning and Control for Autonomous Vehicles and Robotic Manipulation
  
  Author: SHEIKHSAMAD, MOHAMMAD
  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 Industrial and Control Engineering (IOC)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 11/11/2025
  Reading date: 09/12/2025
  Reading time: 12:00
  Reading place: Aula 28.8, Escola Tècnica Superior d'Enginyeria Industrial de Barcelona (ETSEIB), Av. Diagonal, 647, Planta 0, Pavelló G, 08028 Barcelona
  Thesis director: SUAREZ FEIJOO, RAUL | ROSELL GRATACOS, JOAN
  Thesis abstract: This thesis deals with the application of machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) techniques to enhance planning and control tasks across different fields, particularly on autonomous vehicles and robotic hands. Specifically, it addresses the learning-based development of a robust trajectory-tracking controller for autonomous vehicles, an adaptive path planner for robotic hands enabling dexterous manipulation, and a human-in-the-loop controller for myoelectric robotic hands to ensure precise grasp force regulation.In the field of autonomous vehicles, the thesis develops a Takagi–Sugeno (TS) controller using the Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) as a learning-based approach to infer a control strategy from input–output data of an existing controller. The closed-loop stability of the system is analyzed using Lyapunov theory and Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMIs). The proposed controller eliminates the need for online optimization, significantly reduces computational cost, and enhances real-time performance. Its effectiveness is validated through simulations on a small-scale autonomous vehicle.In the field of robotic dexterous manipulation, the thesis introduces three learning-based path planners using ANFIS and Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) to learn heuristics from an analytical planner and self-tune their parameters based on prior experience. This approach enables robots to manipulate objects of varying shapes, sizes, and material properties. The proposed planners are validated through real-world experiments using an Allegro robotic hand, demonstrating robustness against sensor noise and environmental disturbances.In the field of robotic grasping, the thesis presents a myocontrolled human-in-the-loop (HITL) system for precise grasp strength regulation. The system integrates both DNN-based and fuzzy-based force controllers. The fuzzy-based controller leverages fuzzy logic, with parameter optimization guided by user preferences collected through a graphical user interface (GUI) using Global Learning of Input–Output Strategies from Pairwise Preferences (GLISp). These controllers are compared against heuristic model-based controllers, and the system is validated through real-world experiments using the AR10 robotic hand, showing enhanced adaptability and fine-grained force regulation capabilities.The findings of this research contribute to the advancement of intelligent planning and control systems across multiple application areas, paving the way for more efficient, adaptive, and stable automation in real-world scenarios.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING

• LÓPEZ GÓMEZ, PATRICIA VICTORIA: Multifunctional hydrogels for advanced regenerative therapies
  
  Author: LÓPEZ GÓMEZ, PATRICIA VICTORIA
  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 BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Materials Science and Engineering (CEM)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 19/09/2025
  Reading date: 11/12/2025
  Reading time: 10:30
  Reading place: Aula A1.13, Edifici A, Escola d'Enginyeria de Barcelona Est (EEBE), Av. d'Eduard Maristany, 16, 08019 Barcelona
  Thesis director: MAS MORUNO, CARLOS | MEHWISH, NABILA
  Thesis abstract: Implant-associated infections remain one of the most critical challenges in the biomedical field. Despite advances in aseptic surgical techniques and antibiotic therapies, the persistence of bacterial colonization on implant surfaces -often involving biofilm formation- continues to compromise clinical outcomes. Conventional treatment strategies, including the systemic administration of antibiotics, local drug delivery systems, and surgical debridement, often fail to effectively eradicate biofilms, particularly those formed by pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Concurrently, the field of tissue engineering demands implantable materials that not only support tissue regeneration but also provide active defense against infection. However, most currently available materials fall short of achieving this dual function. In contaminated or high-risk environments, this shortcoming becomes especially critical. To address these limitations, there has been a growing focus on developing next-generation biomaterials that are no longer passive scaffolds but bioactive and dynamic systems capable of interacting with the biological milieu in real time. In this context, biofunctionalization has emerged as a powerful strategy to enhance both regenerative and antimicrobial properties of biomaterials. Among the different bioactive tools available, peptides have shown considerable promise due to their tunable chemistry, modular architecture, and high specificity. This thesis focuses on two peptide motifs with complementary bioactivities: RGD, which promotes cell adhesion, and hLf1-11, a broad-spectrum antimicrobial peptide derived from human lactoferrin. Together, these peptides represent a rational platform for engineering multifunctional materials that address the dual challenge of infection control and tissue integration. Specifically, the present work investigates the integration of RGD and hLf1-11 peptides into three hydrogel-based material systems, each representing a distinct level of biofunctionality and design complexity: • Chapter I examines the modification of alginate, a naturally derived but bioinert polymer, with RGD-hLf1-11 to evaluate stem cell behavior and antimicrobial activity. • Chapter II explores a fully synthetic PEG-based hydrogel system functionalised with these peptides and incorporating a protease-sensitive crosslinker to enable bioactivity and controlled degradation. • Chapter III focuses on self-assembling peptide hydrogels, where both structural assembly and biological function are encoded at the molecular level, enabling the formation of intrinsically bioactive materials without further modification. Collectively, these platforms offer a comparative and progressive approach toward the design of multifunctional hydrogels. This work not only demonstrates the feasibility of dual viii biofunctionalization but also highlights the critical roles of molecular architecture, crosslinking strategy, and material origin in shaping biological responses. Ultimately, this thesis contributes to the development of smart biomaterials that are both cell-instructive and antibacterial, aligning with the growing clinical need for adaptable, multifunctional solutions in regenerative medicine and infection-prone environments.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN CHEMICAL PROCESS ENGINEERING

• ESPEJO DELGADO, VICENÇ: Analysis and modelling of explosions in gas-fired combustion chambers
  
  Author: ESPEJO DELGADO, VICENÇ
  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 CHEMICAL PROCESS ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Chemical Engineering (EQ)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 28/10/2025
  Reading date: 17/12/2025
  Reading time: 11:30
  Reading place: Escola d'Enginyeria de Barcelona Est (EEBE) Edifici A - Aula A0.02 Campus Diagonal-Besòs (CDB) https://eebe.upc.edu/ca/lescola/com-arribar
  Thesis director: CASAL FABREGA, JOAQUIM | PLANAS CUCHI, EULALIA
  Thesis abstract: Combustion chambers are a common equipment widely used in many industries to retrieve heat from fuels (such as in boilers, furnaces, and other fired heaters). Despite the well-documented explosion hazards associated with this equipment, accidents continue to be reported periodically in the industry. The consequences of such events can be catastrophic, leading to severe damages to the equipment, surrounding structures or other equipment, as well as injuries or fatalities.This thesis focusses on the study combustion chamber gas-fired explosion scenarios as a result of the accumulation of unburned gas inside the firebox until flammable conditions are reached, and ignition occurs. As an initial step, a historical analysis of accidents was conducted to typical accident sequences and to highlight the importance of different contributing causes. The main objective of the work is therefore to study these scenarios and provide insights that may improve safety protection design, risk assessments and engineering practices for gas-fired combustion chambers in industrial applications.Some experimental work was found during bibliographic research for similar geometry enclosures, but limited in size, up to 64 m3. However, industrial combustion chambers can reach volumes of thousands of cubic meters. Full-scale experimentation on such equipment would be costly and would require extensive infrastructure to contain, isolate and monitor the explosions. As an alternative, this research employs simulations with FLACS, a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software widely validated for explosion scenarios, to study the considered explosion cases.The effects of explosions and their dependence on combustion chamber geometry characteristics were evaluated taking special attention on the influence of explosion panels, internal elements, chamber size, as well as the fuel used in explosion development and maximum peak pressures reached. To assess the external effects on the surroundings, an adaptation of the TNT-equivalency model was developed, providing a method to adjust the model yield factor to the combustion chamber explosion consequences.Finally, fuel dispersion inside the chamber was simulated to characterize how unburned fuel evolves over time when introduced through burners. These scenarios were related with the explosion sequences identified in the historical accident analysis. The influence of furnace duty, fuel premixing with air, and burner configuration (single vs. multiple burners) was investigated. Ignition of the accumulated fuel at different dispersion times resulted in explosions with different fuel amounts and concentrations and was also assessed to capture the impact of explosion onset at different stages of scenario evolution. The outcomes of this thesis highlight the effect of key combustion chambers characteristics on explosion phenomena. The evolution of the scenarios identified a critical “trend shift” period, that corresponded to the the timeframe to reach hazardous concentrations. Sensitivity analyses considering different fuels, air pre-mixing, burner configurations or maximum duty per chamber volume revealed general trends applicable to other combustion chamber designs. Overall, the findings provide valuable insights into explosion phenomena in combustion chambers, and offer practical guidance for safer systems design, as well as safeguards effectiveness criteria to be considered in risk assessments.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN COMPUTATIONAL AND APPLIED PHYSICS

• CONESA ORTEGA, DAVID: Empirical and Structural Mathematical Models for Biological Systems: Case Studies in COVID-19 and Cardiac Dynamics
  
  Author: CONESA ORTEGA, DAVID
  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 COMPUTATIONAL AND APPLIED PHYSICS
  Department: Department of Physics (FIS)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 21/10/2025
  Reading date: 18/12/2025
  Reading time: 11:00
  Reading place: Sala de graus de l'EPSEB
  Thesis director: ALVAREZ LACALLE, ENRIQUE
  Thesis abstract: In the diverse and complex world we live in, we ask ourselves how everything that surround us works. We aim to understand what, how, why, when, and, in this context, scientists started to use mathematical language to model and explain the events of this world. Biology encompasses many different topics, with multiple scales, and the types of models used for their study vary from one to the other.In this thesis we elaborate empirical and predictive mathematical models, mechanistic models as well, to study and analyze two branches of biology: epidemiology, in the context of a pandemic like COVID-19, and cardiac dynamics.To start, we develop predictive, Gompertz-like models to predict two weeks in advance the increase of the incidence of COVID-19, based on country-level reported data from WHO. In this chapter, we analyze the reliability and accuracy of such models with different processing to correct certain patterns due to possible inconsistencies in the daily reports during the most tense times of the pandemic.Continuing with epidemiology, in this thesis we also perform a study of correlation between incidence of COVID-19 in the Spanish society, province by province, and mobility data from different sources: the Spanish Ministry of Transport and Mobility and Facebook Data For Good. Using tools like the Principal Component Analysis, we determine what data correlate the most with incidence, either workdays or weekends mobility, or temperature or humidity. Results indicate that mobility is either directly causal or it is highly, directly correlated with other measures that affect propagation, whereas meteorological patterns seem less relevant by themselves.Turning to cardiac dynamics, this thesis has a focus on the development of computational models aiming to study calcium dynamics in cardiomyocytes for its future analysis in relationship to cardiac diseases. On the one hand, we develop a model of rabbit atria mixing two models: one developed previously by the same author focused on the spatial dynamics of calcium, and one developed by Holmes focused on ionic currents in the membrane. During the process, using a population-of-models approach, we determine some unknown parameters for the RyR2, NCX and SERCA currents that give rise to models behaving like experimental data usually observed. Moreover, during the process, we get diverse groups of models with different behaviors between them, useful to study cells in conditions more susceptible to disease.Last but not least, we develop another model at submicron scale to analyze how calcium waves originate and what type. In particular, we study scenarios where calsequestrin is either colocalized or it is not with RyR2, or how inactivation of RyR2 by calmodulin affects wave propagation. The study unveils that colocalization is key and vital for wave propagation. Inactivation of RyR2 by calmodulin allows the wave to travel more rapidly and hinders the appearance of another equilibrium state with an excessive calcium in the cytosol and low calcium load in the sarcoplasmic reticulum.To conclude, this thesis contributes to the study of two completely different fields in biology from the point of view of different mathematical models, always with the aim to understand and prevent causes leading to disease.
  
• MIRZAY SHAHIM, MAAHIN: Catalytic Properties of Amorphous Alloys
  
  Author: MIRZAY SHAHIM, MAAHIN
  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 COMPUTATIONAL AND APPLIED PHYSICS
  Department: Department of Physics (FIS)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 17/11/2025
  Reading date: 16/12/2025
  Reading time: 15:00
  Reading place: Sala Polivalent, Edifici I planta 0, espai I.0.1, EEBE Campus Besós
  Thesis director: PINEDA SOLER, ELOY | SOLER TURU, LLUIS
  Thesis abstract: This thesis explores the catalytic potential of metallic glasses (MGs) and their combination with cerium oxide (CeO₂) for low-temperature carbon monoxide (CO) oxidation and CO preferential oxidation (COPrOx) reactions. Metallic glasses, due to their non-crystalline structure and tunable composition, offer a promising platform for catalytic applications when appropriately engineered. The study focuses on three primary MG systems: Ce65Al35, Pd77Si16.5Cu6.5, and Cu48Zr48Al4, examining their structural characteristics, and catalytic behavior. The results showed that the Ce65Al35 metallic glass has limited catalytic activity, even after various activation treatments such as ball milling, calcination, or combination with CeO2. However, doping the binary Ce-Al system with Pd (Ce61Al35Pd4) markedly improved performance, achieving 100% CO conversion at 300°C when ball milled. Interestingly, mixing this ternary MG with CeO₂ did not provide further enhancement, indicating that Pd’s role is dominant and not synergistic with ceria. The Pd77Si16.5Cu6.5 MG emerged as the most effective standalone catalyst, delivering full CO conversion at only 240°C. Which could be attributed to Pd and its optimized distribution in the amorphous matrix. Control experiments with binary alloys (Pd77Si23 and Cu6Si94) highlighted the importance of both composition and structural processing, particularly the necessity of melt spinning and ball milling to generate active, fine-particle structures.Another major contribution of this work is the development and detailed characterization of Cu-based MG/CeO2 composites, especially Cu48Zr48Al4.These systems showed strong activity and stability in both CO and COPrOx reactions, with performance enhanced through ball milling. Structural and operando analyses (XPS, EXAFS, NEXAFS, and XRD) confirmed that the catalysts undergo surface rearrangement during reaction, stabilizing catalytically active Cu(I) atoms. A spontaneous aging phenomenon and a similar change under hydrogen pre-reduction pointed to the dynamic evolution of active sites during real operation conditions. This study demonstrates that mechanochemical synthesis and careful structural design of MG/CeO₂ composites enable the development of efficient, low-cost, and stable oxidation catalysts. These findings offer new strategies for creating highly active materials for pollution control and hydrogen purification technologies, opening the path to use amorphous metals for heterogeneous catalysis.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE

• ALLKA, XHENSILDA: Enhancing Data Quality in IoT Monitoring Sensor Networks
  
  Author: ALLKA, XHENSILDA
  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 COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE
  Department: Department of Computer Architecture (DAC)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 31/10/2025
  Reading date: 30/01/2026
  Reading time: 11:00
  Reading place: Sala C6-E101
  Thesis director: BARCELÓ ORDINAS, JOSE MARIA | GARCÍA VIDAL, JORGE
  Thesis abstract: In recent years, technological development and an increased number of cars among other factors, have influenced air pollution levels. This increase in levels has also increased the need to monitor them, as they are directly related to human health and the economy. To monitor air pollution, the government has deployed precise monitoring stations, which are expensive to deploy and maintain. Due to their cost, they are not widely distributed. However, since air pollution can change over short distances, the distribution of these stations can be insufficient. Recently, a solution has emerged: the use of low-cost sensors (LCSs), which provide broader coverage at a much lower cost. However, these LCSs have one drawback: the quality of the data they provide is poor.Current research in this field has employed machine learning (ML) models to calibrate these LCSs, thereby enhancing the quality of the data they provide. In an Internet of Things (IoT) monitoring network, the quality of data is closely associated with decision-making processes. This thesis focuses on enhancing the data quality provided by the LCSs from two perspectives: improving calibration performance and detecting anomalies and outliers. The objective of both of these perspectives is to ensure data accuracy and reliability.The first part of the thesis focuses on the improvement of the calibrated data provided by the LCSs and the detection of the concept drift and the update of the parameters of the current calibration model such that it adapts to the new conditions. We are enhancing the quality of the calibrated data by implementing a model pattern-based approach. Our proposed methods, Temporal Pattern Based Denoising (TPB-D) and Temporal Pattern Based Calibration (TPB-C), improve the quality of the calibrated data. Given that environmental conditions are subject to change over time, it is essential to update the parameters of the calibration model. We proposed Window-based Uncertainty Drift Detection and Recalibration (W-UDDR), a system capable of detecting the presence of concept drift (i.e., environmental changes).The second part of the thesis focuses on the reliability of the data. Sensors, regardless of their cost, are often prone to irregularities such as outliers, anomalies, or drift, which can be caused by various factors. It is critical to identify these irregularities, as the data will be incorporated into the training of the model related to other tasks. In this thesis, three distinct scenarios were examined. The first one is related to the detection of outliers in the edge. In this case, we proposed the Edge Streaming Outlier Detection (ESOD) framework. ESOD is a simple and lightweight framework that can identify outliers in the edge with a limited amount of memory. The system offers two approaches: real-time and near real-time. The near real-time approach involves minor delays in decision-making. The second approach is related to the detection of more complex irregularities, such as anomalies in a given sensor. This scenario is distinct from the first one in that it offers offline anomaly detection capabilities. We proposed spatiotemporal correlation recurrent autoencoder anomaly detection (STC-RAAD), which demonstrated satisfactory performance in detecting anomalies in a given sensor. It is worth noting that the third scenario pertains to the detection and localization of anomalies in a network of sensors. This is of particular relevance in scenarios where the identification and precise location of the source of an anomaly are crucial. We hereby propose a pattern-based attention recurrent autoencoder anomaly detection (PARAAD) method. This method is designed to detect and localize anomalies in sensors.
  
• BANCHELLI GRACIA, FABIO FRANCISCO: Evaluation and methods to increase efficiency of HPC systems with different maturity levels
  
  Author: BANCHELLI GRACIA, FABIO FRANCISCO
  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 COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE
  Department: Department of Computer Architecture (DAC)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 12/11/2025
  Reading date: 18/12/2025
  Reading time: 10:00
  Reading place: C6-E106
  Thesis director: MANTOVANI, FILIPPO | GARCIA GASULLA, MARTA
  Thesis abstract: High-Performance Computing (HPC) has entered an era of increasing architectural diversity and complexity, with systems ranging from experimental prototypes to large-scale production machines. This evolution presents a fundamental challenge: how to consistently evaluate performance, scalability, and efficiency across platforms with varying levels of technological maturity. Traditional benchmarking methods, while effective for fully deployed systems, often fall short when applied to early-stage prototypes where software stacks are incomplete or hardware is still under development.This thesis proposes and develops a comprehensive evaluation methodology capable of addressing these challenges. The approach gives a multi-layered perspective on performance, and it is structured around three complementary levels: micro-benchmarks, standard HPC benchmarks, and full scientific applications. Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) are introduced as a guiding concept, allowing the methodology to be adapted according to the maturity of the system under study. At high TRL, the methodology enables comparative assessments of production supercomputers, while at low TRL, it helps identify bottlenecks and optimization opportunities early in the design cycle.The thesis contributes both conceptual and practical tools. It formalizes performance and efficiency models (including Roofline, Top-Down, and efficiency metrics) and demonstrates their use across multiple architectures. It further extends tracing and monitoring capabilities for emerging processors, introduces methods to access and interpret hardware counters on novel architectures such as \riscv, and evaluates the integration of experimental hardware through Software Development Vehicles (SDVs) and FPGA-based emulation. These tools are validated through case studies on production systems, such as the MareNostrum 5 supercomputer and other HPC clusters deployed at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), as well as on prototypes from European projects, such as EPAC.Results show that the proposed methodology provides actionable insights at all maturity levels: from guiding hardware-software co-design in early-stage processors to enabling reproducible performance comparisons across pre-exascale systems. Beyond benchmarking, it provides valuable feedback for hardware architects, system software developers, and application scientists alike. By bridging the gap between low-TRL prototypes and production-ready HPC systems, this work contributes to building a consistent framework for evaluating and improving the efficiency of future European and global supercomputers.
  
• BARRERA HERRERA, JAVIER ENRIQUE: Improving Time Predictability and Code Coverage of Embedded GPUs for Real-Time Systems
  
  Author: BARRERA HERRERA, JAVIER ENRIQUE
  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 COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE
  Department: Department of Computer Architecture (DAC)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 07/11/2025
  Reading date: 23/01/2026
  Reading time: 11:00
  Reading place: C6-E101
  Thesis director: CAZORLA ALMEIDA, FRANCISCO JAVIER | KOSMIDIS, LEONIDAS
  Thesis abstract: This dissertation addresses challenges that the adoption of GPUs in Critical Embedded Systems (CES) faces, namely, Time Predictability and Code Coverage. Different domains that deploy CES are constantly adding Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based features, such as autonomous driving, that demand high performance levels. Multi-Processors Sytem-on-Chip (MPSoCs) are widely used to provide said performance levels, as they are equipped with accelerators, among which, Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) are a common choice. However, CES must undergo a rigorous Verification and Validation (V&V) process, in which a certain level of Execution Time Determinism (ETD) must be guaranteed. The use of several tasks to increase the overall utilization introduces contention in shared resources, which induces time variability. To provide the ETD guarantees, the time variability must be either mitigated or tracked and controlled. Another challenge for the adoption of GPUs in CES, is that the V&V process demands evidence of the thoroughness of the testing phase, for which Code Coverage is used as a test quality indicator. However, Code Coverage, as traditionally understood for sequential CES does not cover all possible scenarios in which a GPU thread might execute.For low-criticality and mixed-criticality CES, we contend that we can allow tasks to share the Last Level Cache (LLC) if hardware support for contention tracking is provided. Providing a clear understanding on how tasks contend with each other enables CES developers to balance performance and time predictability. For high-criticality CES, it is a common practice to implement LLC partitioning as it allows tasks to access LLC without suffering from inter-kernel contention, however, tasks may experience a performance loss due to lack of resources. In this Thesis, we propose Demotion Counters, a novel technique that tightly tracks how much each task has been demoted towards eviction in the LLC, thus, effectively quantifying their impact in CES. Additionally, we also assess the use of NVIDIA’s Multi-Instance GPU (MIG) feature as means to improve ETD in high-criticality CES.Code Coverage is used as a test quality indicator to provide evidence of the thoroughness of the testing, as required by the V&V process. However, if applied as traditionally understood, it will ignore the threading dimension of GPUs. Threads have private regions of memory, as well as shared regions at different granularities. This means that errors that are innocuous to one thread are potentially harmful for another, hence, it does not cover all possible cases under which GPU threads might execute. In this Thesis, we propose the use of Per-Thread Statement Coverage (PTSC), which tracks the Code Coverage at thread granularity. In order to mitigate the overheads caused by PTSC, several variants that apply different orthogonal optimizations are also proposed. Finally, we also evaluate the potential benefits of using hardware support for PTSC, mitigating the memory consumption of PTSC, as well as the execution time impact at deployment.Summarizing, this Thesis advances the state of the art in the adoption of GPUs in CES. The proposal of hardware contention tracking support and assessment of NVIDIA’s MIG, as means to improve ETD, effectively tackles the Time Predictability challenge in shared LLC. The proposal of software PTSC allows providing CES designers with the whole picture of the execution in commercially available GPUs. The use of hardware support for PTSC mitigates the overheads of software PTSC in deployment, while the different compression techniques reduce the volume of information during testing phase without losing data. Therefore, this Thesis provides means to face the Time Predictability and Code Coverage challenges of GPUs in CES.
  
• KHABBAZAN, BAHAREH: Improving Memory-centric Architectures for Accelerating Cognitive Computing Workloads
  
  Author: KHABBAZAN, BAHAREH
  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 COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE
  Department: Department of Computer Architecture (DAC)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 31/10/2025
  Reading date: 10/12/2025
  Reading time: 15:00
  Reading place: Sala d'actes - Edif. B6 – Planta 0
  Thesis director: RIERA VILLANUEVA, MARC | GONZÁLEZ COLÁS, ANTONIO MARIA
  Thesis abstract: The rapid advancements in deep neural networks (DNNs) have led to increasingly complex and memory-intensive workloads, posing significant challenges for traditional computing architectures. Excessive data movement, computational inefficiencies, and energy constraints limit the scalability of DNN accelerators. This thesis addresses these challenges by proposing memory-centric approaches to optimize DNN execution through efficient quantization, in-memory processing, and data movement reduction.We first introduce DNA-TEQ, an adaptive exponential quantization scheme that minimizes memory footprint and eliminates the need for conventional multipliers, significantly enhancing energy efficiency. Experimental results show that DNA-TEQ reduces the memory footprint by 40% on average compared to the 8-bit integer baseline. The hardware processing-near-memory (PnM) accelerator designed to benefit from DNA-TEQ further improves inference latency by 1.5× while maintaining accuracy comparable to full-precision models.Next, we present QeiHaN, a PnM accelerator that employs base-2 exponential quantization and an implicit bit-shifting technique to reduce redundant memory accesses and optimize DNN inference. Our evaluations demonstrate that QeiHaN reduces memory movement by 67%, leading to a 4.2× speedup in execution time and a 3.5× reduction in energy consumption compared to conventional baseline architectures.Lastly, we propose Lama, a lightweight memory access mechanism that enhances lookup table (LUT)-based processing-in-memory (PuM) architectures by enabling parallel, column-independent accesses within DRAM mats, supporting up to 8-bit integer SIMD operations for large-scale models. The experimental results show that Lama significantly reduces memory commands for SIMD operations compared to the state-of-the-art PuM techniques. We further leverage Lama to design LamaAccel, an HBM-based large language model (LLM) accelerator that executes efficiently without modifying DRAM timing parameters. LamaAccel outperforms GPUs by up to 19×, achieving substantial energy savings in low-precision layers.The proposed techniques collectively reduce data movement, optimize memory utilization, and improve computational efficiency. Our findings demonstrate that memory-centric approaches can significantly enhance DNN acceleration, offering scalable and energy-efficient solutions for next-generation AI systems.
  
• SABRI ABREBEKOH, MOHAMMAD: Improving Efficiency of ReRAM-Based Accelerators for Cognitive Computing Workloads
  
  Author: SABRI ABREBEKOH, MOHAMMAD
  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 COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE
  Department: Department of Computer Architecture (DAC)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 07/11/2025
  Reading date: 09/12/2025
  Reading time: 16:00
  Reading place: Sala d'Actes Edif. B6 - Planta baixa
  Thesis director: GONZÁLEZ COLÁS, ANTONIO MARIA | RIERA VILLANUEVA, MARC
  Thesis abstract: Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) have achieved remarkable success across a wide range of applications. The main operation in DNNs is the dot product between quantized input activations and weights. Previous works have proposed memory-centric architectures based on the Processing-in-Memory (PuM) paradigm. ReRAM technology is especially appealing for PuM-based DNN accelerators because of its high density for weight storage, low leakage energy, low read latency, and high-performance capabilities to perform DNN dot products massively in parallel within ReRAM crossbars. However, there are three main bottlenecks in ReRAM-based accelerators.First, the energy-hungry Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) required for in-ReRAM analog computations, which undermines the efficiency and performance benefits of PuM. To improve energy efficiency, we present ReDy, a hardware accelerator that implements a novel ReRAM-centric dynamic quantization scheme, leveraging bit-serial streaming and processing of activations. The energy consumption of ReRAM-based DNN accelerators is directly proportional to the numerical precision of input activations in each layer. ReDy exploits the fact that activations in convolutional layers are often grouped according to filter sizes and crossbar dimensions. It quantizes each group of activations on-the-fly with different precision levels, based on a heuristic that considers the statistical distribution of each group. Overall, ReDy significantly reduces ReRAM crossbar activity and the number of A/D conversions compared to static 8-bit uniform quantization. Evaluated on a set of modern CNNs, ReDy achieves on average 13% energy savings over an ISAAC-like accelerator, with negligible area overhead.Second, the costly writing process of ReRAM cells has led to accelerators designed with enough crossbar capacity to store entire DNN models. Given the continuous growth of DNN model sizes, this approach is infeasible for some networks and inefficient due to huge hardware requirements. These accelerators lack flexibility and face an adaptability challenge. To address this, we introduce ARAS, a cost-effective ReRAM-based accelerator that uses a smart scheduler to adapt various DNNs to resource-limited hardware. ARAS also overlaps computation of one layer with weight writing of others to mitigate high ReRAM write latency. Furthermore, ARAS introduces optimizations to reduce the energy overhead of ReRAM writes, including re-encoding weights to increase similarity across layers and reduce energy when overwriting cells. Overall, ARAS significantly reduces ReRAM write activity. Evaluated on multiple DNN models, ARAS delivers up to 2.2× speedup and 45% energy savings compared to a baseline PuM accelerator without optimizations, and up to 1.5× speedup and 62% energy savings compared to a TPU-like accelerator.Third, ReRAM cells suffer from limited endurance due to wear-out caused by repeated updates during inference, reducing the lifespan of ReRAM-based accelerators. Overcoming this endurance limitation is essential for making such accelerators viable in long-term, high-performance DNN inference. To address this, we propose Hamun, an approximate computing method designed to extend the lifespan of ReRAM-based accelerators through multiple optimizations. Hamun introduces a mechanism to detect and retire faulty cells caused by wear-out, preventing them from degrading accuracy. It also applies wear-leveling techniques across different abstraction levels and introduces a batch execution scheme to maximize cell utilization across inferences. Additionally, Hamun leverages the fault-tolerance of DNNs with a new approximation method that delays cell retirement, reducing the performance penalty and further extending lifespan. Evaluated on a set of DNNs, Hamun improves lifespan by 13.2× over a state-of-the-art baseline, with its main contributions coming from fault handling (4.6×) and batch execution (2.6×).
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING

• DEL POZO MARTÍN, JORGE: Estudio estadístico del control de calidad del hormigón
  
  Author: DEL POZO MARTÍN, JORGE
  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 CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (DECA)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 18/11/2025
  Reading date: 11/12/2025
  Reading time: 10:00
  Reading place: C1-002
  Thesis director: AGUADO DE CEA, ANTONIO | PIALARISSI CAVALARO, SERGIO HENRIQUE
  Thesis abstract: This doctoral thesis addresses a critical analysis of the structural concrete quality control system in Spain. Currently, national regulations establish a dual control system: one for production, executed by the manufacturer at the plant, and another for reception, carried out on-site upon receipt of the concrete. This duplication generates operational, technical, and economic conflicts, as well as potential inconsistencies in test results, which raises a debate about its suitability and effectiveness.The general objective of the first part of this thesis is to evaluate the efficiency and reliability of the dual control system, in order to subsequently propose an optimized model that simplifies the process without compromising structural safety or concrete quality. The aim is to move toward a more rational control adapted to the technological reality and European regulations.The second line of research focuses on the statistical basis on which the regulatory criteria for the acceptance or rejection of a batch of concrete are based. Currently, Spanish regulations assume that compression test results follow a normal (Gaussian) distribution. However, this hypothesis lacks solid theoretical justification and has limitations such as the possibility of obtaining negative values and a symmetry that does not always fit the real data. Therefore, other distribution functions are explored, such as the log-normal and Weibull distribution functions, which could better fit the actual results obtained in tests.Throughout the document, a methodology based on the analysis of large volumes of test data from real-life construction projects is presented. Different distribution functions are contrasted using goodness-of-fit tests, and the differences in the estimate of the 5% percentile, which defines the characteristic strength of concrete, are quantified. The results indicate that the normal function is not the most appropriate distribution function to best fit the data.Based on the findings obtained, the thesis proposes a review of the current quality control model, opting for a system based primarily on production control—with the possibility of receiving control using other types of tests that provide information about the finished structure—provided that traceability and quality are guaranteed through strict procedures and certifications. Likewise, it is suggested that normative statistical models be updated, incorporating distribution functions that more accurately represent the actual behavior of concrete.In conclusion, this research proposes a significant improvement in the way structural concrete quality is controlled in Spain. It provides technical, regulatory, and statistical foundations that justify a shift toward a more efficient model, free of redundancies, aligned with European guidelines, and supported by more robust statistical analysis, which could represent
  
• POSADA CÁRCAMO, HÉCTOR JOSÉ: Digital Twins for Concrete Building Construction Processes
  
  Author: POSADA CÁRCAMO, HÉCTOR JOSÉ
  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 CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (DECA)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 12/11/2025
  Reading date: 12/12/2025
  Reading time: 11:00
  Reading place: C1-002
  Thesis director: CHACÓN FLORES, ROLANDO ANTONIO
  Thesis abstract: This dissertation primarily investigates the use of Digital Twin (DT) technology to enhance construction management in concrete buildings, offering an end-to-end analysis of related workflows, tools, and frameworks. It contributes to the academic field by addressing identified research challenges and supporting the advancement of DT technology both theoretically and practically.The dissertation explores the foundational concepts underpinning DTs, providing a review of their conceptual development and evolution in recent years within the construction industry. It identifies and elaborates on key technological enablers crucial to this research: i) OpenBIM (IFC standard), ii) Computational Design, iii) Internet of Things (IoT), iv) knowledge graph databases, and v) human-twin interfaces (DT platforms). Particular attention is given to the current state and challenges of integrating structural analysis into DT frameworks. A real-world case study anchors the research: the construction of a concrete office building. Through this empirical approach, six twinning information pipelines were developed, aiming to establish data flow from construction site measurements to actionable insights. These pipelines were crucial for identifying four research challenges addressed in this research: A) How can multi-layered information related to concrete construction be generated, prepared, and streamlined while ensuring accuracy and interoperability for DTs? B) What roles and workflows should stakeholders adopt to enable coordinated DT implementation? C) How can structural analysis be effectively integrated into DT systems in a scalable and interoperable manner? D) What kind of system architecture can unify diverse data layers and information pipelines to support right-time, data-driven decision-making?Research challenge A is addressed through a software development: MatchFEM. Conceived as a plugin within a computational design tool, MatchFEM streamlines the often fragmented processes of 4D IFC-BIM modeling, IoT data integration, and structural analysis by unifying them within a single parametric environment. The plugin follows a visual programming paradigm, thus simplifying the generation and preparation of DT data.The second research challenge encompasses a general mind map and two complementary workflows. They delineate the essential job roles involved in the creation and operation of DTs during building construction. Moreover, a conceptual framework for the emerging role of the DT Manager is proposed, highlighting their importance in coordinating and overseeing all DT-related activities.Furthermore, to bridge the gap between structural analysis and DT ecosystems, research challenge C, two novel data models are introduced: O-SAM (Open Structural Analysis Models), a JSON schema for encoding and transferring structural simulation data via web-based platforms, and SSO (Structural Simulation Ontology), an ontology designed to represent O-SAM data as a graph, enabling its integration within knowledge graph-based DTs.To knit all these proposals, a comprehensive DT system connected to real-time structural simulations during concrete construction is presented. This system addresses research challenge D and consolidates the knowledge, tools, and frameworks developed throughout the dissertation. The implementation of knowledge graphs as a central linking framework is emphasized, alongside the development of a human-twin interface that delivers Performance Indicators to Construction Managers. The system is validated through a prototype implementation, which incorporates an exemplary construction management workflow: the Maturity Method for concrete slabs.The dissertation concludes by reflecting on findings and contributions to the field, discussing limitations encountered, and outlining avenues for future research, envisioning DTs as data-driven assistants that enhance productivity and sustainability in the construction sector.
  
• RAMIREZ PEREZ, ALEXIS JOHARIV: Comportamiento a flexión y cortante de un tablero continuo de vigas pretensadas con tendones de polímeros reforzados con fibras (FRP)
  
  Author: RAMIREZ PEREZ, ALEXIS JOHARIV
  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 CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (DECA)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 22/10/2025
  Reading date: 12/01/2026
  Reading time: 11:00
  Reading place: C1-002
  Thesis director: OLLER IBARS, EVA MARIA | MARI BERNAT, ANTONIO RICARDO
  Thesis abstract: The durability of reinforced concrete structures is mainly compromised by steel corrosion, which generates high maintenance costs and reduces structural safety. Fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP) represent an alternative of great interest, as they provide high specific strength and are not susceptible to corrosion. However, their application as active reinforcement in continuous prestressed members is still very limited, due to the scarce experimental research on their structural performance and the absence of specific design guidelines.The main objective of this dissertation is to analyze the flexural and shear behavior of a two-span continuous bridge at 1/3 scale, built with precast prestressed girders and a cast in situ reinforced concrete slab, using carbon carbon fiber composite cables “CFCC” tendons as active reinforcement. The research was organized into three phases: (1) characterization of carbon fiber (CFRP) bars, glass fiber (GFRP) bars, and CFCC tendons, with the latter selected for prestressing due to their suitability; (2) a flexural test on span 1, with a concentrated load applied at midspan, to study the global flexural behavior at the serviceability and ultimate limit states; and (3) a shear test on span 2, with a concentrated load applied 1.6 m from the end support, to evaluate shear strength, effectiveness of GFRP stirrups, and the influence of CFCC prestressing. The results were compared with numerical simulations using the CONS program and with the CCCM analytical model adapted to FRP tendons. The experimental tests showed that CFCC tendons reached 62–76% of their ultimate strength without anchorage slip in the flexural test, confirming their reliability as active reinforcement. Failure was governed by shear-off at the girder–slab interface. In shear, failure occurred after a characteristic diagonal cracking pattern and progressive redistribution of stresses between spans, while shear-off failure was avoided through a reinforcement added after the flexural test.The overall contribution of this dissertation lies in providing the first comprehensive experimental, analytical, and numerical evidence on a continuous bridge prestressed with CFCC tendons. The findings strengthen confidence in the use of FRP in concrete structures, and open new research avenues aimed at optimizing transverse reinforcement and moving towards the codification of this technology.
  
• TUGORES GARCIAS, JUAN: Adaptive optimization of ventilation in educational buildings using grey box models
  
  Author: TUGORES GARCIAS, JUAN
  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 CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (DECA)
  Mode: Article-based thesis
  Deposit date: 19/11/2025
  Reading date: pending
  Reading time: pending
  Reading place: pending
  Thesis director: MACARULLA MARTÍ, MARCEL | GANGOLELLS SOLANELLAS, MARTA
  Thesis abstract: Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a fundamental determinant of healthy and productive indoor environments, particularly in educational buildings where poor ventilation can impair cognitive performance, increase absenteeism and elevate the risk of airborne disease transmission. In Mediterranean regions, most schools still rely on natural ventilation owing to mild climates and historically low energy demands. However, its effectiveness is strongly influenced by occupant behaviour and weather variability, often leading to inconsistent airflow and thermal discomfort. Conversely, conventional heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems ensure stable IAQ and thermal conditions but consume between 40 to 60% of total building energy, posing a persistent challenge in balancing health protection, comfort, and energy efficiency.This doctoral research addresses this challenge by developing an integrated methodology that combines long-term field monitoring, grey box modelling and adaptive model predictive control (MPC). The overarching goal is to optimize ventilation systems that maintain adequate IAQ and thermal comfort, minimise energy use and mitigate airborne infection risks in educational buildings. The research follows a structured four-stage approach: (i) empirical characterisation of IAQ dynamics, (ii) dynamic airborne infection risk assessment, (iii) coupled IAQ–thermal grey box modelling and (iv) implementation of an adaptive MPC algorithm for multi-objective optimisation.A large-scale monitoring campaign conducted in 32 classrooms across Catalonia provided the empirical foundation to estimate children’s CO₂ generation rates and natural ventilation airflows. Grey box models successfully reproduced indoor CO₂ dynamics in 72% of the studied classrooms, capturing behavioural variability in window operation and enabling realistic estimation of emission and airflow parameters. Embedding these models into a dynamic Wells–Riley formulation enabled time-resolved airborne infection risk assessment, revealing that transient ventilation absences could increase accumulative infection probability by up to 26% compared with steady-state assumptions, highlighting the need for dynamic, health-centred building management.Subsequently, a hybrid grey box model coupling IAQ and thermal dynamics was developed by explicitly incorporating ventilation-driven convective heat fluxes. This approach reduced indoor temperature and prediction CO₂ errors and stabilised thermal parameter estimation, providing a computationally efficient framework suitable for real-time HVAC control. Finally, an adaptive MPC algorithm integrating the coupled model was tested in a living-lab setting. Compared with conventional rule-based control, the MPC reduced HVAC energy demand by 38%, maintained IAQ and thermal comfort within recommended thresholds, and kept infection-risk probability below 1% for extended periods during high-incidence scenarios.The results highlight the limitations of natural ventilation and support the transition toward hybrid or mechanically assisted systems. By combining cost-effective sensing with hybrid grey box modelling, buildings can establish digital twins for continuous monitoring and real-time adaptation, ensuring consistent IAQ, thermal comfort and occupant safety. Overall, this thesis provides methodological and operational advances in building performance modelling, establishing a validated framework for low-carbon, adaptive, and post-pandemic-ready educational environments that can inform both facility management and policymaking.
  
• VALVERDE BURNEO, DAVID ENRIQUE: Desarrollo de nuevos materiales cementicios multifuncionales
  
  Author: VALVERDE BURNEO, DAVID ENRIQUE
  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 CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (DECA)
  Mode: Article-based thesis
  Deposit date: 10/10/2025
  Reading date: 19/01/2026
  Reading time: 11:00
  Reading place: C1-002
  Thesis director: SEGURA PEREZ, IGNACIO | GARCIA TRONCOSO, NATIVIDAD LEONOR
  Thesis abstract: This doctoral thesis focuses on the development of multifunctional cementitious materials, combining structural strength with self-sensing capabilities through piezoresistivity, as well as integrating deformation energy dissipation through auxetic structures. The research explores the integration of conductive and structural fibers in cementitious matrices, coupled with the use of advanced manufacturing techniques such as 3D printing and the use of flexible silicones to obtain molds with complex architectures. The objective is to obtain cementitious materials that in addition to possessing structural capacity, have added function capabilities. It is expected that these materials can be used in buildings with self-monitoring, damage prevention, stress sensing pavements, structural elements with higher impact resistance and energy dissipation capabilities. The research begins with an exhaustive bibliographic review, from which the most promising materials have been selected to achieve the proposed objectives. The experimental campaign and data treatment/analysis have been defined. The work continues with the realization of the planned experiments, the analysis of the results, the optimization of the composition and properties of the new cementitious materials, the development of prototypes testing the potential applications.From the achievements obtained in this doctoral thesis we have the following: the research and publication of a cementitious composite reinforced with recycled carbon fibers to obtain a piezoresistive conductive concrete, which presents a variation of the electrical conductivity with respect to the unitary deformation quite evident when the fiber addition contents are around 1% in volume. This makes it an ideal sustainable cementitious material for strain and/or stress detection. This publication can be found in the journal Construction and Building Materials.Another research focuses on the mechanical characterization of cellular auxetic cementitious cementitious composites (which achieve their auxeticity through the presence of ellipsoidal holes in their structure) reinforced with recycled steel fibers. This research successfully characterizes the influence of fiber content on the mechanical response to compression and deformation energy dissipation, while demonstrating the feasibility of using recycled resources. Within this same publication, a family of functions was presented that successfully fit the mechanical response curves (stress-strain, energy dissipated by deformation) that were obtained experimentally. This publication can be found in the Journal of Building Engineering.A third article achieved in this thesis deals with the development of a new type of piezoresistive concrete with auxetic capacity. This material, obtained by combining cellular auxetic cementitious cementitious composites and recycled carbon fibers, is capable of detecting deformations from very low to high levels. Its potential applications in structural monitoring are promising, and the results of this research have been published in Case Studies in Construction Materials.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN EARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING AND STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS

• WANG, FUMIN: A Simplified Approach for the Seismic Analysis of Compliant Soil Slopes
  
  Author: WANG, FUMIN
  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 EARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING AND STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS
  Department: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (DECA)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 07/11/2025
  Reading date: 11/12/2025
  Reading time: 11:00
  Reading place: ETSECCPB.UPC, Campus NordEdifici: C2. Aula: 212C/Jordi Girona, 1-308034 Barcelona
  Thesis director: LEDESMA VILLALBA, ALBERTO
  Thesis abstract: Over the past few decades, post-earthquake investigations have revealed extensive damage to both natural and engineered slopes, including landslides, slope collapses, and other forms of instability. These observations highlight the urgent need to improve our understanding of slope behavior under seismic loading and to refine analytical approaches for stability assessment. This thesis develops simplified yet robust methods for evaluating the seismic stability and dynamic performance of slopes, balancing physical insight with analytical efficiency.Chapter 2 reviews existing analytical frameworks —including the traditional Newmark rigid block, decoupled, and coupled analyses— used to estimate slope stability and dynamic responses under earthquake excitation. It compares their performance, identifies limitations, and outlines research needs.Chapter 3 proposes an extremely simplified and computationally efficient formulation for estimating the Factor of Safety (FS) of co-seismic compliant slopes, explicitly accounting for soil slope, ground motion direction, and groundwater effects. The method clarifies the differences between coupled and Newmark-type analyses and introduces a modified yield acceleration for compliant slopes. Validation through experimental, numerical, and field data confirms its simplicity and accuracy.Chapter 4 presents, as well, a coupled linear analysis based on a simplified two-block flexible model subjected to harmonic seismic excitation. Analytical and numerical solutions are derived and verified, and sensitivity analyses reveal the influence of ground motion direction, amplitude of input motion, damping ratio, and slope properties. Simplified upper bounds for maximum acceleration and displacement for the first cycle of rigid and compliant slopes are proposed, demonstrating the model’s predictive capability despite its simplicity.Chapter 5 examines the performance of classical discrete lumped-mass models against continuous wave-equation-based formulations under sinusoidal seismic loading without sliding. Both approaches yield consistent results for relative displacement and shear stress. It also shows that both models predict similar failure patterns, with cohesion playing a key role in shifting the critical sliding surface from the surface to deep depth. Incorporating Maxwell-type damping into the continuous model proves valid as an alternative to the traditional Kelvin-Voigt model in linear analysis.As a summary, this thesis extends and generalizes the simplified traditional methods for seismic analysis of soil slopes, including the stiffness of the sliding material. The proposed methodologies, validated through published experiments and real cases, provide an efficient and reliable framework for seismic slope stability assessment and offer valuable guidance for future research and engineering practice.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

• BUSTO ABADIA, JAIME: Estudio y mejora del flujo armónico de cargas
  
  Author: BUSTO ABADIA, JAIME
  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 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Electrical Engineering (DEE)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 18/11/2025
  Reading date: pending
  Reading time: pending
  Reading place: pending
  Thesis director: MESAS GARCIA, JUAN JOSE | SAINZ SAPERA, LUIS
  Thesis abstract: The presence of voltage and current harmonics in electrical installations is a long-standing challenge in the field of power quality, a challenge that remains relevant today due to the continuous increase in nonlinear loads connected to these installations, the growing sensitivity of electrical devices to disturbances, and the need to predict and prevent problems arising from all the above factors. To address this, both standards that evaluate and quantify the tolerable limits of harmonic distortion for the electrical system and the loads connected to it have been developed, as well as various tools based on the formulation and numerical solution of the system of equations posed in harmonic load flow analysis. In addition, procedures to mitigate the harmonic problem have been studied. In this context, the development of the harmonic load flow formulation has always aimed to study the problem using the smallest possible number of equations that still yield correct results, thereby reducing the numerical problems involved in its mathematical solution without sacrificing accuracy. Although this formulation has already been extensively studied, researchers continue to propose improvements to it that allow the aforementioned objectives to be better achieved.Considering all the above, the objectives established in the thesis, which have ultimately been achieved, are:1.- Development and programming of a new harmonic load flow formulation that improves the convergence properties of current formulations.2.- Harmonic sensitivity analysis of the four most common types of nonlinear loads in electrical installations (single-phase and three-phase rectifiers with capacitive filters, three-phase 6-pulse rectifiers, and discharge lamps), and incorporation of the results into the new formulation.3.- Validation of the new formulation against those existing in the literature using a 3-bus academic network and an IEEE 14-bus network expanded to 23 buses.4.- Study of the harmonic cancellation phenomenon using the new formulation and the IEEE 14-bus network expanded to 23 buses.The following methodology was employed to achieve these goals:In the first part of the thesis, the state of the art of existing harmonic load flow formulations found in the literature was analysed, along with the treatment of variables, equations, and the problems they present. Then, the four common types of nonlinear loads in electrical installations were described, along with their modelling and their voltage and current responses to harmonic excitations.Subsequently, the new formulation was presented, including the theoretical foundations it is based on, the calculation stages it is divided into, as well as the data used and the unknowns to be calculated. The harmonic sensitivity analysis of nonlinear loads was also shown, which determines the differentiated treatment each will receive in the new formulation.Next, two application examples were presented to validate the results obtained. The new formulation was applied to two networks of different complexity, analysing the results and comparing them with those obtained using other existing formulations, both with single and aggregated loads.The final part addressed the study of harmonic cancellation in several groups of aggregated nonlinear loads, calculating the harmonic cancellation rate in each case using the new formulation developed.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING

• DAWI, MALIK ALI A: Process-Based Numerical Models to Assess Hydrogeochemical Effects of Microbial Biofilms in Porous Media
  
  Author: DAWI, MALIK ALI A
  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: 16/10/2025
  Reading date: 19/12/2025
  Reading time: 10:00
  Reading place: ETSECCPB. UPC, Campus Nord Building C1. Classroom: 002C/Jordi Girona, 1-308034 Barcelona
  Thesis director: SANCHEZ VILA, FRANCISCO JAVIER | STARNONI, MICHELE
  Thesis abstract: Microorganism presence and spatial distribution over time in natural porous media, such as soils, sediments, and aquifers, play critical roles in mediating geochemical processes, influencing contaminant fate, and maintaining ecosystem functionality. In particular, microbial communities in the form of biofilms mediate complex biotransformation reactions, significantly altering the hydraulic properties of the host porous system. These dynamics, coupled with multiscale physical and chemical interactions, present major challenges for the predictive modeling of microbial processes in porous media. This thesis aims at developing a suite of computational models that integrate microbial growth and activity within flow and transport frameworks. The work is structured around three main contributions. First, a hybrid pore-scale model is developed which couples a micro-continuum representation of biofilms with a particle-based transport solver, enabling detailed analysis of how biofilm morphology and structure influence conservative solute transport. Second, this framework is extended to simulate the dynamic biofilm development and its interaction with groundwater flow, introducing a cohesive microporous model for biofilms that incorporates growth, attachment, spreading, and flow-induced detachment. A novel dimensionless number is introduced to characterize the interplay between hydrodynamic forces and biofilm cohesion. Third, we revisit Monod kinetics by proposing a mechanistic two-step reaction scheme that linearizes the growth rate expression, facilitating its integration into particle-based reactive transport models. This formulation is validated against batch experiments and applied to simulate microbial degradation in porous media. Finally, the thesis synthesizes these findings and outlines future directions for model development and experimental integration. By combining theoretical insights with computational advances, this work contributes to a deeper understanding of microbially mediated processes in porous media and provides modeling tools to support both hypothesis testing and experimental research in environmental and engineered systems.
  
• SAYAD NOGHRETAB, BABAK: HYDRO-MECHANICAL MODELING OF GAS FLOW THROUGH CLAY-BASED ENGINEERED ISOLATION BARRIERS
  
  Author: SAYAD NOGHRETAB, BABAK
  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: 16/10/2025
  Reading date: 15/01/2026
  Reading time: 10:00
  Reading place: ETSECCPB.UPC, Campus NordBuilding C1. Classroom: 002C/Jordi Girona, 1-308034 Barcelona
  Thesis director: PUIG DAMIANS, IVAN | OLIVELLA PASTALLE, SEBASTIAN
  Thesis abstract: Safe management of high-level radioactive waste (HLRW) requires durable isolation from the biosphere over geologic time. Deep geological repositories (DGRs) rely on engineered and natural barriers, with bentonite as a key buffer and backfill material because it seals fractures, sorbs radionuclides, and develops swelling pressure during hydration. During operation and early post closure, resaturation and corrosion generate gas, so predicting system behavior requires coupled hydro gas mechanical models that represent double porosity, heterogeneity, and preferential pathways. This Thesis addresses that need by integrating explicit pathway mechanics in compacted buffers, double porosity constitutive laws for pellet/powder mixtures, and image-based statistics linked to finite element simulations in CODE_BRIGHT.First, a three-dimensional coupled hydro gas mechanical model of the large-scale gas injection test (LASGIT) is formulated with heterogeneous initial permeability, embedded fractures with dilatancy, and explicit gap closure states at the canister–buffer interface and is exercised through targeted sensitivity analyses. Second, the BENTOGAZ laboratory mixture of equal parts pellets and MX-80 powder is modeled with the Barcelona Expansive Model to couple microstructure and macrostructure; systematic parameter studies are complemented by a handmade heterogeneity setup that assigns distinct properties to randomly distributed pellet and powder domains. Third, an image to model workflow for SEALEX links micro-CT analysis to simulation: binarized slices yield macroporosity maps, directional variograms quantify anisotropy and correlation lengths, and the fitted statistics generate anisotropic porosity fields that enable automatic heterogeneity on the finite element mesh.Together, these methodologies constitute a set of methods that couple explicit fractures with dilatancy, dual structure behavior, and image informed spatial heterogeneity for repository relevant assessment of gas entry, resaturation, and sealing performance.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN NUCLEAR AND IONISING RADIATION ENGINEERING

• AL AWAD, ABDULRAHMAN: Multiscale Multiphysics Investigation of Helium Bubble Formation and Dynamics in Liquid Lead-Lithium Eutectic
  
  Author: AL AWAD, ABDULRAHMAN
  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 NUCLEAR AND IONISING RADIATION ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Physics (FIS)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 03/11/2025
  Reading date: 16/12/2025
  Reading time: 11:00
  Reading place: Aula C4 (porta 31.07) Secció d'Enginyeria Nuclear, pavelló C, ETSEIB (Campus Sud)
  Thesis director: BATET MIRACLE, LLUIS | SEDANO MIGUEL, LUIS ANGEL
  Thesis abstract: Liquid metals (LMs) and their alloys are characterized with excellent thermophysical and dynamic properties for heat transport purposes, thus rendering them as promising candidates in advanced energy-production technologies such as the nuclear fusion energy. Liquid lead-lithium eutectic (LLE) alloy remains a key medium of the various breeding blanket (BB) concepts of the EU DEMO design. In LLE-BBs, helium (He) is produced in a mole-to-mole ratio with tritium by nuclear reactions, and technical concerns regarding the state of He in liquid LLE alloy have been raised since the 1990s. Gas-bubble nucleation in weak liquid–gas solutions has been a challenging topic in theory, experimentation, and computer simulations, especially given the expected very low solubility of He in LMs and the scarcity of experimental data. Despite the continuous efforts, the He nucleation issue still lacks conclusive findings and robust estimations of relevant parameters, and the main objective of this thesis is to exploit ab initio (AIMD) and classical molecular dynamics (CMD) simulations in order to shed light on the underlying physics and theory, and to estimate the thermodynamic and kinetic conditions required for He bubbles to nucleate and grow in a manner that facilitates the integration of results and findings into macroscopic models, e.g., CFD models, for engineering design and nuclear safety purposes. Additionally, it aims to pave the way and generally contextualize the use of atomistic simulations in the field. In the first part of this thesis, the invaluable AIMD methods using SIESTA code are utilized to support and justify the selection and construction of classical interatomic potentials, where liquid Li, Pb and LLE alloy are systematically investigated. In the second part, a classical potential of the embedded-atom-method class is parametrized for liquid Li using mechanical and non-mechanical properties. A mixing scheme is introduced to reproduce properties of liquid LLE alloy. To minimize the arbitrariness of functional forms, the parametrization schemes address the uniqueness problem. CMD simulations with LAMMPS code are performed to extensively investigate and estimate static and dynamic properties of pure LM and He/LM systems, both bulk and interfacial properties. In the third part, in analogy with recent advances in crystallization and droplet formation studies, the diffusive-shielding stabilization, the thermodynamic irreversibility of bulk nanobubbles (bNBs) mechanisms and the mean-first passage times theory are revisited and deployed to characterize the stability of He-bNBs in liquid LLE alloy, as inspired from bubble stability theories and experiments in closed and finite-volume systems. Namely, an analytical perturbation approach with an appropriate equation-of-state of He-bNBs and a stochastic and kinetic approach via forward CMD simulations are established, and the consistency and equivalency of both is demonstrated and thoroughly discussed. Most importantly, the underlying theoretical bases, assumptions, limitations and their computational counterparts are extensively described and illustrated. The overall proposed framework resolves ambiguities about the influence of the simulation domain and time on the observed bNBs in CMD simulations. Essentially, it provides a novel and plausible explanation for helium-bNBs existence and persistence by carefully assessing and estimating the thermodynamic equilibrium conditions; hence, their stability and longevity are shown not to be in violation of the fundamental laws of solubility and diffusivity, at least in CMD simulations and given the relatively high supersaturation levels. Lastly, thermodynamic and kinetic conditions required for the helium nucleation phenomena to take place at LLE-BBs operating conditions are inferred, based on the various investigated theories and performed computations, and coherently, macroscopic modelling suggestions and recommendations are provided.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN PHOTONICS

• CHIEN, YING-HAO: Revealing Ultrafast Dynamics in Hexagonal Boron Nitride with Attosecond X-ray Absorption Fine-structure Spectroscopy
  
  Author: CHIEN, YING-HAO
  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 PHOTONICS
  Department: Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 16/10/2025
  Reading date: 27/01/2026
  Reading time: 10:00
  Reading place: ICFO Auditorium
  Thesis director: BIEGERT, JENS
  Thesis abstract: Since the invention of the integrated circuit (IC) in the 1950s, modern civilization has been built upon its foundation. As ICs continue to scale down and operate at higher speeds, managing heat dissipation and energy transfer process is critical to overcoming performance limitations and enabling the development of next-generation ICs. In classical models, electrons and phonons are treated as independent systems to simplify calculations. This approximation successfully describes electronic band structures, charge transport, and optical responses in many materials under equilibrium conditions. However, it neglects the critical role of electron-phonon coupling, a fundamental many-body interaction that governs non-equilibrium energy exchange between electronic and lattice degrees of freedom. Recent advances in attosecond X-ray absorption fine structure (atto-XAFS) spectroscopy offer an unprecedented opportunity to observe electron-phonon coupling dynamics with both attosecond temporal and element-specific resolution. Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), a widely studied prototypical material with diverse applications, still presents unresolved questions regarding its ultrafast dynamics. In this work, we investigate the coupled electron and phonon dynamics in bulk hBN using atto-XAFS. By employing different excitation conditions and exploiting different temporal resolutions, we disentangle the respective contributions of electrons and phonons to the transient response, demonstrating the unique capability of atto-XAFS to probe many-body dynamics in real-time. To enable further studies of novel materials, we upgraded our titanium-doped sapphire (Ti:sapphire) chirped pulse amplification (CPA) laser system, integrated a new commercial TOPAS optical parametric amplifier, designed a novel microfluidics gas target combined with a piezo pulse valve system aimed at reducing helium consumption for high harmonic generation (HHG), implemented a cryogenic sample mount for temperature-dependent measurements, and replaced the diffraction grating in the soft X-ray spectrograph with high diffraction efficiency and high resolving power reflection zone plates. We demonstrate the enhanced performance of the upgraded system for future advanced atto-XAFS experiments.
  
• KOKABEE, OMID: High-power ultrafast optical parametric oscillators from the visible to mid-infrared
  
  Author: KOKABEE, OMID
  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 PHOTONICS
  Department: Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 09/07/2025
  Reading date: 17/12/2025
  Reading time: 10:00
  Reading place: Elements Room
  Thesis director: EBRAHIM-ZADEH, MAJID
  Thesis abstract: The introduction of electric lighting in Architecture marked a profound transformation in its design conception, establishing artificial light as a fundamental element in the configuration of space. Unlike other artistic and architectural disciplines, artificial architectural lighting lacks a formalised Art History. Existing specialist literature remains largely focused on technical and quantitative aspects, frequently relegating the qualitative dimensions of light in space to a secondary status. Consequently, there is a notable absence of a specific vocabulary capable of accurately describing the qualitative effects of lighting in architecture. This lexical gap hampers the effective communication of lighting-related spatial concepts, ultimately to the detriment of architectural practice. In light of these challenges, and with the aim of improving both design and pedagogical methodologies, this research advocates for the establishment of a dedicated vocabulary for qualitative architectural lighting. It is predicated on the hypothesis that it is feasible to construct a consensual glossary that enables the precise articulation of the formal and spatial attributes of lighting effects within architectural environments. To substantiate this hypothesis, the research sets out two principal objectives: first, to identify the parameters that define the qualitative aspects of lighting and to compile the associated terminological corpus; second, to develop a lexical and visual dictionary in which each term is clearly defined and illustrated, thereby facilitating its comprehension and application in both academic and professional contexts, and contributing to the standardisation of a specific and practical language.The study adopts a qualitative methodological framework, centred on the linguistic analysis of texts describing architectural lighting projects, which have been published in specialised Spanish-language media. A rigorous, systematic, and replicable terminology methodology has been employed, drawing upon established principles from the field of Terminology studies and related research on lighting perception. The process integrates automated term extraction methods, enabling efficient handling of large data sets, and applies linguistic techniques adapted to the visual domain. The research identifies the principal parameters defining the formal qualities of architectural lighting as direction, colour, and distribution, followed by quantity, luminance, sources, informational content, perceptual effects, and others. Among these, the distribution parameter emerges as the most frequently cited and, thus, the most critical for both configuring and describing architectural lighting. Accordingly, the dictionary focuses on the most recurrent terms related to distribution, listed alphabetically as follows: accent lighting, ambient lighting, composed lighting, diffuse lighting, direct lighting, directed lighting, dispersed lighting, focalized lighting, general lighting, grazing lighting, homogeneous lighting, horizontal lighting, indirect lighting, integrated lighting, precise lighting, projected lighting, reflected lighting, uniform lighting, and vertical lighting. It has been demonstrated that each of these terms can be defined in a manner that supports clear, precise, and intelligible communication within architectural lighting discourse. Furthermore, it is feasible to identify corresponding visual representations that exemplify each definition, reinforcing their pedagogical and practical applicability. In conclusion, this research affirms the viability of developing a consensual glossary of terms to imporve the communication of the formal and spatial characteristics of lighting effects within architectural practice, which constitutes a foundational step toward the recognition and standardisation of qualitative lighting vocabulary in the discipline.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN POLYMERS AND BIOPOLYMERS

• CASADO GÓMEZ, JAIME: 3D Printable Hybrid Acrylate-Epoxy Vitrimer Resins with Improved Compatibility and Reprocessability
  
  Author: CASADO GÓMEZ, JAIME
  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 POLYMERS AND BIOPOLYMERS
  Department: Department of Chemical Engineering (EQ)
  Mode: Article-based thesis
  Deposit date: 21/10/2025
  Reading date: 12/12/2025
  Reading time: 11:00
  Reading place: Escola Tècnica Superior d'Enginyeria Industrial de Barcelona (ETSEIB)Campus Diagonal SudAv. Diagonal, 647 08028Edifici I, Planta 1Aula 28.8
  Thesis director: FERNANDEZ FRANCOS, XAVIER | KONURAY, ALI OSMAN
  Thesis abstract: The Covalent Adaptable Networks (CANs) made of polymeric materials that use dynamic covalent chemistry, allowing bonds to break and reform when stimulated, combine the mechanical properties of thermoset polymers with the ability to be reprocessed and recycled. The integration of 3D printing technology with CANs represents a significant advancement in the field of manufacturing polymer components. This innovative process offers the functional benefits of a thermoset along with the recycling advantages of a thermoplastic, making it a highly sustainable solution.In the following collection of articles, a group of novel dual-curing thermosetting materials have been designed, optimised and improved regarding their compatibility and reprocessability. In the first article, we successfully crafted four genuine resins and explored how their behaviour and properties were influenced by the unique combinations and proportions of their formulation ingredients. The original dual-curing system was performed by means of homogenously mixing an epoxy resin with a di-acrylate monomer rich in β-hydroxy ester and hydroxyls, a dicarboxylic acid and a coupling agent in a fixed proportion. The use of different transesterification catalysts in varying proportions, a methacrylate monomer and a photoinitiator round off the formulation. The combination of these chemicals results in the formation of a hybrid network, which is capable of undergoing transesterifications reactions. The 3D-printed and fully-cured parts from these four innovative resins have proven that their thermo-mechanical properties are in line with the designed specifications. Their repair and recycle capabilities are facilitated by a CAN structure.In the second article, we have optimised the formulations of 3D printable vitrimer resins with the objective of enhancing their processing, mechanical properties, and repairability/reprocessability. An improvement of the formulation was achieved through the determination of the optimal quantities of acrylates and coupling agent. A selection of epoxy resins was also made with the aim of identifying the best performing option. The resins developed in this part of the research have offered a more suitable viscosity for handling in the 3D printer. It has been demonstrated as well that parts printed from these improved resins and subsequently double-cured have shown an enhancement in their thermo-mechanical behaviour.In the third article, we have advanced our research in two key areas. Firstly, we have taken a further step in the facilitation of the Vitrimer formulation elaboration by improving the mixability of the chemical compounds. This improvement involved replacing a powder carboxylic acid with a taylor-made liquid coupling agent.Secondly, an evaluation of the thermo-mechanical behaviour of the fully cured resin was carried out, depending on the sequence of thermal and UV curing stages. The materials developed in this study have demonstrated efficacy in the effective relaxation of internal stresses, attributable to the high dynamic β-hydroxyester groups content. Consequently, processes such as reshaping, repairing, or complete recycling are enabled. Furthermore, modifications made to the resin formulations enabled the production of thermosets with customised mechanical properties. All these properties offer new possibilities for the production of parts using techniques such as 3D printing and thermal post-curing, providing a viable, sustainable and more convenient alternative for the thermosetting materials industry.
  
• HASSANKALHORI, MAHDI: From Ion Channels to Industrial Enzymes: Modeling and Modulating Protein Functional Properties
  
  Author: HASSANKALHORI, MAHDI
  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 POLYMERS AND BIOPOLYMERS
  Department: Department of Chemical Engineering (EQ)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 19/11/2025
  Reading date: pending
  Reading time: pending
  Reading place: pending
  Thesis director: TORRAS COSTA, JUAN | LUCAS, MARIA FÁTIMA ASSUNÇAO
  Thesis abstract: Recent advances in computational molecular modeling have significantly enhanced our understanding of protein structure and function, enabling the design and optimization of biomolecules for diverse applications, for instance in biosensing and industrial biocatalysis. This thesis aimed to leverage integration of innovative computational methodologies to investigate and modulate the functional properties of four distinct protein targets from two protein families: ion channels, specifically human acid-sensing ion channels (hASIC1a and hASIC3), and enzymes, including an artificial enzyme based on the Lactococcal Multidrug Resistance Regulator (LmrR) protein scaffold and thermophilic Streptomyces sclerotialus Tyrosine Hydroxylase (SsTyrH). Depending on the case and objectives, we employed an integration of computational protein structure prediction, molecular dynamics simulations, protein residue network analysis, an specialized ion binding site prediction tool and a machine learning-based model for functional site prediction to identify key positions involved in protein function, regulation and other relevant properties. Our findings include the discovery of novel functional regulatory sites in hASIC1a and the design of mutations that confer sustained currents in hASIC1a, the prediction of the potential calcium binding sites in hASIC3 for guiding the experimental identification and functional characterization of such regulatory positions. Furthermore, integrative computational approaches successfully led to the prediction of functional distal hotspots and improved variants in the LmrR-based enzymatic system and SsTyrH, all validated by experimental characterization. This research demonstrates the efficacy of integrating computational methodologies to engineer proteins with tailored functional properties, providing valuable insights for the development of optimized ion channels for biotechnological applications and industrial biocatalysts, as well as advancing our understanding of protein structure-function relationships.
  
• MINGOT BEJAR, JULIA: Applications of Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-based Hydrogels in Chemical Engineering
  
  Author: MINGOT BEJAR, JULIA
  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 POLYMERS AND BIOPOLYMERS
  Department: Department of Chemical Engineering (EQ)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 21/11/2025
  Reading date: pending
  Reading time: pending
  Reading place: pending
  Thesis director: ARMELIN DIGGROC, ELAINE APARECIDA | LANZALACO, SONIA
  Thesis abstract: This doctoral thesis explores the multifunctionality of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm)-based hydrogels as a platform for biomedical and environmental applications. By exploiting the thermoresponsive properties of PNIPAAm and its copolymers, the research demonstrates how this material can be engineered to perform in distinct technological domains.In the biomedical field, inert polypropylene surgical meshes, commonly used for hernia repair, were functionalised with gold nanoparticles and a Raman reporter, converting their surface into a SERS-active platform. Covalent grafting of PNIPAAm-based copolymers onto the plasmonic substrate imparted thermoresponsive behaviour, resulting in an implantable device capable of simultaneous SERS detection and thermal response. In vitro assays with fibroblast cells confirmed the biocompatibility and stability of the device, highlighting its potential for minimally invasive diagnostics and post-surgical monitoring.A complementary theranostic approach was applied to the modification of 3D polyurethane sponges, used in endoluminal vacuum-assisted therapies, with PNIPAAm hydrogel and metallic nanoparticles. Functionalisation with gold and silver nanoparticles, stabilised by biopolymer shells, endowed the modified sponges with antibacterial properties. Photothermal activation under Raman laser irradiation resulted in significant antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, offering new prospects for infection detection and treatment in implantable devices.In the environmental section, the thermoresponsive behaviour of PNIPAAm hydrogels was exploited for solar-driven water desalination and sustainable energy generation. A PNIPAAm-alginate-PEDOT:PSS system exhibited enhanced water evaporation rates potentiated by the consecutive surface contraction of the hydrogel (“pudding effect”). Further developments involved PNIPAAm-gelatine hydrogels incorporating carbon black as photothermal absorber, achieving stable desalination performances under real conditions (outdoor sunlight), with demonstrated durability and reusability.Finally, PNIPAAm-based matrices were employed to fabricate hydrogel thermal electricity generators. This combination of PNIPAAm with doped conductive polymers enabled photothermal-to-electric energy conversion driven by ionic transport within the hydrogel network upon exposure to solar light.Overall, this thesis establishes PNIPAAm hydrogels as a highly adaptable material platform. Their thermoresponsive behaviour, combined with plasmonic or photothermal functionalities, offers potential solutions to challenges in healthcare and resources sustainability.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN SIGNAL THEORY AND COMMUNICATIONS

• IRAWAN, AMIR MUSTOFA: Explainable Artificial Intelligence Applied to Geoscience and Remote Sensing: Development and Application to Wild Fire Forecasting Related to Climate Change
  
  Author: IRAWAN, AMIR MUSTOFA
  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 SIGNAL THEORY AND COMMUNICATIONS
  Department: Department of Signal Theory and Communications (TSC)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 17/11/2025
  Reading date: 20/01/2026
  Reading time: 11:30
  Reading place: Aula de Teleensenyament, Edifici B3, Campus Nord UPC, Barcelona
  Thesis director: VALL-LLOSSERA FERRAN, MERCEDES MAGDALENA | LOPEZ MARTINEZ, CARLOS
  Thesis abstract: this thesis presents a progressive exploration of wildfire prediction by integrating process-based understanding with machine learning and causal inference frameworks. Chapter 3 focuses on variable importance and sensitivity by applying perturbation-based interventions, altering key drivers such as vapour pressure deficit (VPD), soil moisture (SM), and jet stream metrics by up to ±25% to simulate intensified environmental conditions and assess their impact on burned area. In contrast, Chapter 4 employs formal causal inference through do-calculus, enabling targeted counterfactual analysis within a structural causal model (SCM). Unlike the continuous perturbation-based interventions in Chapter 3, the intervention scenarios here are implemented by bootstrapping input variables and setting them to the 25th, 50th, 75th, and 100th percentiles. This allows the model to simulate the impact of each variable across a range of conditions, from typical to extreme (worst-case), and to quantify both direct and indirect effects on burned area, particularly for key drivers such as ∆Z500 and v300. Chapter 5 extends the causal reasoning to a global scale by using PCMCI-derived graphs as structural priors within a deep learning framework. It introduces regime-specific directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) generated through spatial clustering using the DBSCAN algorithm, enabling the identification of region-specific land–atmosphere interactions. These causal graphs are then embedded into Graph Attention Networks (GATs), allowing the model to learn weighted connections informed by causal structure, thereby enhancing both predictive performance and physical interpretability. Finally, Chapter 6 synthesizes these advances by embedding causal graphs within a GAT to simulate complex, multiscale interventions. It incorporates explicit counterfactual scenarios simulating intensified El Niño (via doubled negative SOI) and jet stream ridging (via increased positive ∆Z500, v300, and jet core), revealing spatially distinct fire responses. The use of different intervention strategies across chapters reflects the evolving methodological focus, from assessing input sensitivity (Chapter 3), to inferring causal mechanisms (Chapter 4), validating causal structures across regions (Chapter 5), and finally quantifying scenario-based outcomes (Chapter 6). Building on this foundation, Chapter 6 introduces a causal GAT capable of predicting global burned area by integrating physically grounded causal graphs derived from PCMCI. This approach enables the model to follow meaningful land–atmosphere interactions, improving interpretability and aligning predictions with known physical processes. The results show that the causal GAT outperforms models using fully connected graphs. Excessive or non-informative edges in fully connected structures can lead to over-smoothing, a common issue in Graph Neural Networks, where repeated message passing across redundant links blurs key distinctions among node representations. This can obscure critical predictive features and degrade overall model accuracy. By pruning spurious or weakly informative connections, the causal GAT preserves sharper, more meaningful node embeddings and avoids the performance loss typically associated with over-parameterized graph structures. Collectively, these advances underscore that correlation-based models fail to capture the complex, non-linear interactions among ignition sources, vegetation dynamics, and climate feedbacks. They advocate for a shift toward process-based and machine learning models that can better represent the multifaceted mechanisms governing wildfire regimes in a warming world.
  
• TRULLENQUE ORTIZ, MARTÍN: A Cross-Layer Perspective on Radio Resource Management and User Quality of Experience in V2X-Enabled 5G Networks.
  
  Author: TRULLENQUE ORTIZ, MARTÍN
  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 SIGNAL THEORY AND COMMUNICATIONS
  Department: Department of Signal Theory and Communications (TSC)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 31/10/2025
  Reading date: 15/12/2025
  Reading time: 11:00
  Reading place: Aula de Teleensenyament. Edifici B3, Campus Nord
  Thesis director: SALLENT ROIG, JOSE ORIOL | CAMPS MUR, DANIEL
  Thesis abstract: Vehicular communications are expected to be among the main verticals benefiting from the massive rollout of 5G. The millisecond latencies enabled by 5G, combined with network slicing and the global coverage offered by public cellular networks, leverage the conditions to adopt public cellular networks for vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications. This vertical will introduce new services that generate additional traffic demands on existing radio infrastructure, posing distinct challenges for mobile network operators. From a service perspective, V2X services require both low latency and high reliability. For example, under a periodic exchange position information between vehicles, a single dropped packet can increase the position error estimate and jeopardize road safety. From a network perspective, vehicular services will demand resources differently from generic Internet users, often creating high user densities along highways, where user density is typically [MT1.1]low and radio deployment is not dense. Moreover, vehicle mobility can lead to long periods during which cells serve very few users, followed by periods of high demand that may compromise resource availability, especially during traffic congestion. To this end, this thesis investigates solutions for cell overloads caused by traffic jams when V2X services run over public cellular networks.The first contribution of this work is an in-depth analysis of vehicular mobility based on a dataset of realistic traces, aimed at understanding how traffic congestion drains radio resources. Studying vehicle flows across cells reveals user concentrations at specific road locations, providing opportunities for congestion control mechanisms. The second contribution examines the repeatability of high-load situations in a real 5G deployment. Measurements over a 5G NSA network show that congestion exhibits consistent daily patterns, duration, and load characteristics, motivating deterministic congestion control strategies.Building on these insights, this thesis proposes and implements two complementary approaches: a network-layer mobility load balancing algorithm that diverts vehicles at cell edges to neighbouring cells during traffic jams, and an application-layer mechanism that manages service degradation to control packet loss under overload. Combining both approaches, this thesis has conceived, designed, implemented and evaluated FOM-5G, a framework capable to derive the best congestion control strategy for each cell overload. The framework leverages the use of historical information data to optimize cell congestion responses through experience. Beyond its design and evaluation, the thesis also proposes an architectural integration of FOM-5G within the O-RAN architecture and network exposure API defined in the 5G core. Finally, the framework is validated through simulations using diverse vehicular traces that capture urban congestion scenarios. Results confirm FOM-5G’s ability to distinguish between different congestion events and select the optimal mitigation strategy, demonstrating its effectiveness in ensuring reliable V2X communications over public cellular networks.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN STATISTICS AND OPERATIONS RESEARCH

• GROTTO, ANDREA: Optimal transition towards zero tailpipe emission mobility in urban and suburban areas
  
  Author: GROTTO, ANDREA
  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 STATISTICS AND OPERATIONS RESEARCH
  Department: Department of Statistics and Operations Research (EIO)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 01/10/2025
  Reading date: 18/12/2025
  Reading time: 11:00
  Reading place: FIB Sala d'actes Manuel Martí Recober B6-planta 0
  Thesis director: FONSECA CASAS, PAU | ZUBARYEVA, ALYONA
  Thesis abstract: This doctoral research presents an innovative methodological framework for developing Urban Mobility Digital Twins through formalization using the Specification and Description Language (SDL). The study addresses the challenges of urban mobility management in the context of digital transformation and Society 5.0 principles, where technology serves human needs rather than the opposite.The research combines SUMO with its integrated SAGA module, formalized through SDL to enable conceptual model validation by stakeholders. This methodology enables continuous validation of digital twin models through real-time data integration from Internet of Things sensors and traffic monitoring systems distributed throughout urban networks.The conceptual model is demonstrated through a proof-of-concept implementation in Bolzano City. In this implementation, the BSc block integrates activity-based modelling with microscopic traffic simulation, with multi-objective optimization across energy consumption, CO2 emissions, and urban traffic congestion criteria. As an example, the implementation focuses on electric vehicle adoption optimization scenarios.The research is conducted in collaboration with Urban Resilience, a company developing SUMOSU sustainable mobility hubs that integrate electric charging infrastructure, shared vehicles, and photovoltaic renewable energy systems. This collaboration demonstrates the framework's practical applicability in evaluating integrated and sustainable mobility solutions.Additionally, comprehensive validation protocols are developed and formalized through SDL, including specific procedures for data validation, operational validation, experimental validation based on Design of Experiments methodology, and solution validation. These protocols ensure systematic and reproducible validation processes across different environmental and seasonal conditions.Main contributions include: development of a conceptual model for Urban Mobility Digital Twins facilitating stakeholder communication regardless of technical background; establishment of continuous validation protocols distinguishing true Digital Twins from static simulation models; integration of mobility and energy systems within a unified framework supporting sustainability evaluations; alignment with Society 5.0 principles by transforming complex technical systems into accessible decision-making tools.The research establishes methodological foundations for connecting Urban Mobility Digital Twins with other urban digital twins or models through common formalization approaches. This enables analysis of complex urban interactions while maintaining human-centered technological development through the conceptual model that expresses what is contained within the Digital Master of the Digital Twin.Results demonstrate that the formalization successfully creates a common language for urban mobility stakeholders, enabling effective collaboration between diverse professional domains and facilitating the adoption of sustainable technologies in urban contexts.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN SUSTAINABILITY

• ADAMO, ANGELA: Contribution to the decarbonisation of energy intensive industries in the path of the European Union objectives. Application to the case study of SEAT
  
  Author: ADAMO, ANGELA
  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 SUSTAINABILITY
  Department: University Research Institute for Sustainability Science and Technology (IS.UPC)
  Mode: Article-based thesis
  Deposit date: 18/11/2025
  Reading date: 12/01/2026
  Reading time: 16:00
  Reading place: TBD
  Thesis director: MARTIN CAÑADAS, MARIA ELENA | DE LA HOZ CASAS, JORGE
  Thesis abstract: The urgent need to address climate change is intensifying global efforts to decarbonize all sectors, especially the industrial sector, which remains one of the most challenging due to its high-temperature demands and complex operations. Among the most promising solutions is electrification through High Temperature Heat Pumps (HTHPs), potentially combined with electric boilers.This thesis assesses the decarbonization potential of HTHPs in industrial cogeneration systems, using a real case study: the Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant at SEAT’s automotive factory in Martorell, Spain. Currently powered by natural gas, the plant provides superheated water (SHW) and is a major source of the site’s CO₂ emissions, while facing increasing environmental and regulatory pressure.Unlike prior studies that use simplified or idealized models, this work develops a high-fidelity hybrid thermodynamic model of the CHP system, based on one year of operational data and realistic constraints of electrification technologies. Two modeling approaches were explored—a purely thermodynamic model and a hybrid model integrating empirical data to compensate for sensor inaccuracies. The hybrid model, with lower error margins, was chosen for further analysis.The model includes all major components: gas and steam turbines, post-combustion heat recovery boiler (HRB), absorption chillers, air coolers, and auxiliary boilers, enabling accurate simulation of the plant under real conditions. The technical and economic viability of replacing gas-based heat production with HTHPs and electric boilers was assessed, considering performance limitations (e.g., efficiency loss at high temperatures), availability of low-temperature heat sources, and electricity market dynamics.A key contribution is the evaluation of how current regulatory and market conditions—especially incentives favoring gas-based CHP—impact the competitiveness of electrified solutions. The thesis concludes by analyzing optimal HTHP sizing under various scenarios, considering CO₂ pricing, thermal demand, and plant dynamics.Findings suggest that, although technically feasible, electrification is significantly influenced by regulatory and economic frameworks. The study highlights the importance of detailed modeling, realistic assumptions, and strategic alignment. It also reveals a broader issue: many industrial players lack the data infrastructure and planning needed to implement deep decarbonization. This work provides a replicable methodology and valuable insights for engineers, operators, and policymakers committed to reducing industrial carbon emissions.
  
• URIOSTE DAZA, SERGIO ALEJANDRO: Advancing Reform of European Union Plant Variety Registration: Institutional, Empirical, and Policy Insights for Sustainable Agri-Food Governance
  
  Author: URIOSTE DAZA, SERGIO ALEJANDRO
  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 SUSTAINABILITY
  Department: University Research Institute for Sustainability Science and Technology (IS.UPC)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 29/09/2025
  Reading date: 12/12/2025
  Reading time: 12:00
  Reading place: Sala de Grados de la ESAB
  Thesis director: TAGHOUTI, IBTISSEM | GIL ROIG, JOSE MARIA
  Thesis abstract: Plant variety registration is a critical regulatory gatekeeper between the breeding of improved varieties and their farm-level adoption. In the European Union, however, this system is being outpaced by technological advances and sustainability challenges. Legislative reform is now underway to address these shortcomings, aiming to improve the system’s efficiency by integrating new technologies and sustainability criteria into variety testing and fostering greater harmonisation across Member States. Although these reforms are broadly welcomed, diverging positions among stakeholder groups and EU institutions remain unresolved.Bridging these differences will require robust evidence to inform the ongoing negotiations. This thesis responds to this demand by providing an evidence-based assessment of the current system’s inefficiencies and by proposing realistic reform pathways to help reconcile core tensions between regulatory drag and productivity, divergent stakeholder interests, and the gap between policy goals and farm-level realities. To achieve these objectives, this research presents an integrated framework that engages all key actors in variety testing and combines econometric analysis, decision-analytic modelling, and qualitative analysis.Using a large panel dataset on crop registration and productivity, a fixed-effects analysis provides evidence of regulatory drag on productivity gains, particularly for crops subject to Value for Cultivation and Use testing. Evidence gathered from stakeholders explores into the factors behind these regulatory delays and identifies pathways to overcome systemic inefficiencies, including the uptake of enabling technologies and the harmonisation of testing processes.Subsequently, an analysis of contested policy alternatives is conducted using a replicable framework that integrates expert judgment with public input through multi-criteria decision methods and complementary weighting techniques. The results reveal a clear consensus on prioritising the adoption of technological advancements to improve the system's efficiency and accuracy. However, the analysis also exposes disagreements over efforts to harmonise the system and include sustainability criteria in testing procedures, revealing significant heterogeneity among stakeholder groups.To further investigate the contested issue of adding sustainability criteria in variety testing, a farm-level study is presented to elicit the preferences of apple growers in Spain. Using a Discrete Choice Experiment, farmers' preferences for sustainability traits in new apple varieties were elicited and examined in relation to risk behaviours. The results show a positive but heterogeneous demand for sustainability-related traits, with willingness-to-pay shaped by farm characteristics rather than by measured risk attitudes.Together, these findings demonstrate how data-driven and stakeholder-informed reforms can reduce institutional friction by establishing common ground for negotiation on key aspects of the regulation. Both stakeholder priorities and farmers’ demands point toward the need to prioritise technological uptake and design mechanisms that facilitate the delivery of climate-resilient and resource-efficient varieties. Effective stakeholder involvement and continuous evidence generation are essential for the regulatory path forward. By integrating evidence across institutional, technological, and behavioural layers, this research advances the goals of the European Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy and provides a transferable framework for future assessments of agricultural policy and innovation.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN URBANISM

• CRIOLLO ALIENDRES, CRUZ ARMANDO: Caracas Cinética: La transformación del paisaje urbano a partir de la inserción de obras de arte en los edificios públicos y privados, en los espacios públicos, la infraestructura vial y los sistemas masivos de transporte 1950-2012.
  
  Author: CRIOLLO ALIENDRES, CRUZ ARMANDO
  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 URBANISM
  Department: Department of Urbanism, Territory and Landscape (DUTP)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 29/09/2025
  Reading date: 11/12/2025
  Reading time: 15:30
  Reading place: ETSAB (Esc. Técnica Sup. Arquit. Bcn)-Pl.Baja-Sala GradosAv. Diagonal, 649-651-08028-BCN(Videoconfencia: https://meet.google.com/ckz-quih-zjk-15:00)
  Thesis director: RUBERT DE VENTOS, MARIA
  Thesis abstract: This thesis analyzes the role of public art in the symbolic and social transformation of urban space in Caracas, with special emphasis on its transformative potential in environments marked by spatial fragmentation and a lack of public space. It is based on the premise that public art—particularly murals, sculptures, visual interventions, and ephemeral installations—intervenes in the relationships between citizens, territory, and collective memory.The research is based on a dual quantitative and qualitative approach, which articulates urban history, the cataloging and study of unique cases located in different urban environments (buildings, road infrastructure, the Metro, and the street), as well as an urban analysis from the 1950s to 2010. Emblematic cases are analyzed, such as works of art integrated into architecture, interventions linked to the network of avenues and highways, and monumental works such as those by Gego, Carlos Cruz Diez, Jesús Soto, and Alejandro Otero.The findings reveal that public art in Caracas serves multiple functions: it redefines urban spaces, reinforces local and metropolitan identities, and democratizes access to culture. The research identifies how the recurring practice of integrating art, architecture, and the city has evolved into an urban tradition that continues to this day, in an environment that poses tensions between visual art, urban policies, and the processes of appropriation of public space. Thus, art located in urban spaces plays a connecting role between institutional programs and social actors.Finally, the thesis compiles and organizes a section of the city's urban evolution, in which public art served as a catalyst for a more just, plural, and participatory city.
  
• MARTÍ ELÍAS, JOAN MARIA: Hidrografies urbanes. Cicle de l’aigua, forma urbana i estructura territorial al la Vall Baixa i al Delta del Llobregat
  
  Author: MARTÍ ELÍAS, JOAN MARIA
  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 URBANISM
  Department: Department of Urbanism, Territory and Landscape (DUTP)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 31/10/2025
  Reading date: 15/12/2025
  Reading time: 17:00
  Reading place: ETSAB (Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Barcelona) - Planta Baja - Sala de GradosAv. Diagonal, 649-651 - 08028 - Barcelona
  Thesis director: CROSAS ARMENGOL, CARLES
  Thesis abstract: The research dives in the relationship between urban morphology and water cycle from an ecosystemic perspective that integrates physical, territorial, and infrastructural components. The objective is to demonstrate that urban morphology is directly related with hydrological dynamics and that, therefore, it can become a key tool for redefining water management strategies in metropolitan contexts.This dissertation is grounded in the intensive exploration of a specific territory (la Vall Baixa and the Delta del Llobregat) through five successive approaches, addressing the territory from the metropolitan scale down to local urban fabrics. This process constructs a multi-scalar reading that relates the physical, infrastructural, and morphological conditions of the city to its hydrological dynamics.The territorial approach is enriched by a historical and conceptual dimension that reconstructs a genealogy of urban thought in an ecosystem perspective, based on figures and projects that conceived the city as a living system, dependent on its exchanges with the territory. The research also revisits nineteenth-century projects that, with a hygienist outlook, anticipated “proto-ecological” visions. In this regard, Garcia Fària’s proposal for the sanitation of the Eixample and the diversion of the river Llobregat constitutes a paradigmatic case that anticipates an integrated territorial interpretation, establishing a valuable precedent for contemporary urban planning practice.On this basis, the final stretch of the river Llobregat is studied, revealing the complexity of a hybrid morphology resulting from the superimposition of natural and anthropic logics. The river is presented as an ecological and productive infrastructure, a space where the persistence of hydraulic and agricultural traces coexists with metropolitan urbanization pressures. From here, the research turns to the underground dimension, analyzing the delta aquifer as a key element for environmental balance. Infiltration dynamics, alterations derived from urbanization, and opportunities for the reconversion of industrial and logistical spaces based on hydrogeological criteria are examined. The three-dimensional reading of the territory makes it possible to link surface and subsoil and to propose infiltration and regulation devices that restore natural functions.In the central part of the dissertation, these criteria are applied at an intermediate analytical scale, proposing the sub-basin as a functional unit of analysis and design, due to its capacity to integrate topographical continuities, road structures, and open spaces. On this basis, a parametric methodology is developed, articulated into six actions (capture, consumption, treatment, infiltration, retention, and reuse) applied to multiple metropolitan fabrics. A multi-scalar analysis makes it possible to identify hydromorphological indicators that guide design decisions according to context and urban structure. The result is an operative atlas that proposes ranges of intervention and adaptive criteria for urban transformation guided by hydrological principles.Finally, the research advances a paradigm shift: water becomes a design vector, not merely a technical constraint. Public space, the road network, and urban voids are recognized as multifunctional water devices, while the underground dimension is considered an active and inseparable layer of the urban system. This three-dimensional and complex vision relates metabolism and form, while articulating both regional scale and urban project.Overall, the dissertation contributes to creating a culture of urban design that integrates water as a vector of intelligibility and ordering, where the term “hidrografia” is not understood in the traditional sense of describing river courses, but rather as a critical instrument for mapping the presence, movement, and structuring capacity of water in all its forms.