Access profile

Given the multidisciplinary nature of the scientific field of the programme, there are a wide range of degrees that qualify applicants for admission. For the near future, the applicants considered most suitable for admission to the doctoral programme in Civil Engineering will be bachelor’s degree holders with a scientific and technological background who have completed a master's degree in Civil Engineering or one related to the scientific field of the programme (i.e. in structural engineering and construction, geotechnical and earthquake engineering, water and environmental engineering, maritime engineering, transport engineering and regional planning, environmental engineering and sustainability, or computational engineering).

In addition to having suitable academic qualifications, it is considered important that applicants have certain personal characteristics—namely, an interest in the research projects carried out within the framework of the programme; critical and analytical skills; initiative, perseverance and persistence in their academic work; the ability to work in a team; and the ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.

Therefore, to gain admission to the doctoral programme in Civil Engineering for the research period of their studies, applicants must submit:
• An official master’s degree in the field of Civil Engineering. Exceptionally, applicants with a master’s degree in a related field may be considered for admission.
• A degree equivalent to a master’s degree, issued by an EHEA member country.*
• A degree issued by a country outside the EHEA (after its equivalence has been verified).*

* The degree held by an applicant must qualify them for admission to postgraduate studies in their country of origin.

Output profile

Doctoral candidates who complete a doctoral degree will have acquired the following competencies, which are needed to carry out quality research (Royal Decree 99/2011, of 28 January, which regulates official doctoral studies):

a) A systematic understanding of the field of study and a mastery of the research skills and methods related to the field.
b) An ability to conceive, design or create, put into practice and adopt a substantial process of research or creation.
c) An ability to contribute to pushing back the frontiers of knowledge through original research.
d) A capacity for critical analysis and an ability to assess and summarise new and complex ideas.
e) An ability to communicate with the academic and scientific community and with society in general as regards their fields of knowledge in the manner and languages that are typical of the international scientific community to which they belong.
f) An ability to foster scientific, technological, social, artistic and cultural progress in academic and professional contexts within a knowledge-based society.

The award of a doctoral degree must equip the graduate for work in a variety of settings, especially those requiring creativity and innovation. Doctoral graduates must have at least acquired the personal skills needed to:

a) Develop in contexts in which there is little specific information.
b) Find the key questions that must be answered to solve a complex problem.
c) Design, create, develop and undertake original, innovative projects in their field.
d) Work as part of a team and independently in an international or multidisciplinary context.
e) Integrate knowledge, deal with complexity and make judgements with limited information.
f) Offer criticism on and intellectually defend solutions.

a) have acquired advanced knowledge at the frontier of their discipline and demonstrated, in the context of internationally recognised scientific research, a deep, detailed and well-grounded understanding of theoretical and practical issues and scientific methodology in one or more research fields;
b) have made an original and significant contribution to scientific research in their field of expertise that has been recognised as such by the international scientific community;
c) have demonstrated that they are capable of designing a research project that serves as a framework for carrying out a critical analysis and assessment of imprecise situations, in which they are able to apply their contributions, expertise and working method to synthesise new and complex ideas that yield a deeper knowledge of the research context in which they work;
d) have developed sufficient autonomy to set up, manage and lead innovative research teams and projects and scientific collaborations (both national and international) within their subject area, in multidisciplinary contexts and, where appropriate, with a substantial element of knowledge transfer;
e) have demonstrated that they are able to carry out their research activity in a socially responsible manner and with scientific integrity;
f) have demonstrated that they are able to participate in scientific discussions at the international level in their field of expertise and disseminate the results of their research activity to audiences of all kinds;
g) have demonstrated, within their specific scientific context, that they are able to make cultural, social or technological advances and promote innovation in all areas within a knowledge-based society.

Number of places

15

Duration of studies and dedication regime

Duration
The maximum period of study for full-time doctoral studies is three years, counted from the date of admission to the programme to the date of submission of the doctoral thesis. The academic committee of the doctoral programme may authorise a doctoral candidate to pursue doctoral studies on a part-time basis. In this case, the maximum period of study is five years, counting from the date of admission to the programme to the date of submission of the doctoral thesis. For calculating these periods, the date of admission is considered to be the date of the first enrolment for tutorials, and the date of submission the moment in which the Doctoral School officially deposits the doctoral thesis.

For full-time doctoral candidates, the minimum period of study is two years, counted from the date of an applicant's admission to the programme until the date on which the doctoral thesis is deposited; for part-time doctoral candidates it is four years. When there are justified grounds for doing so, and the thesis supervisor and academic tutor have given their authorisation, doctoral candidates may request that the academic committee of their doctoral programme exempt them from the minimum period of study requirement.

The calculation of periods of study will not include periods of absence due to illness, pregnancy or any other reason provided for in the regulations in force. Students who find themselves in any of these circumstances must notify the academic committee of the doctoral programme, which, where appropriate, must inform the Doctoral School. Doctoral candidates may also temporarily withdraw from the programme for up to one year, and this period may be extended for an additional year. Doctoral candidates who wish to interrupt their studies must submit a justified request to the academic committee of the doctoral programme, which will decide whether or not to approve the request. Each programme will establish conditions for readmission to doctoral studies.

Extension
If full-time doctoral candidates have not applied to deposit their thesis by the end of the three-year period of study, the academic committee of the programme may authorise an extension of up to one year. In exceptional circumstances, a further one-year extension may be granted, subject to the conditions established by the corresponding doctoral programme. In the case of part-time doctoral candidates, an extension of two years may be authorised. In both cases, in exceptional circumstances a further one-year extension may be granted by the Doctoral School's Standing Committee, upon the submission of a reasoned application by the academic committee of the doctoral programme.

Dismissal from the doctoral programme
A doctoral candidate may be dismissed from a doctoral programme for the following reasons:

• The doctoral candidate submitting a justified application to withdraw from the programme.
• The maximum period of study and of extensions thereof ending.
• The doctoral candidate not having enrolled every academic year (unless he or she has been authorised to temporarily withdraw).
• The doctoral candidate failing two consecutive assessments.
• The doctoral candidate having disciplinary proceedings filed against him or her that rule that he or she must be dismissed from the UPC.

Dismissal from the programme implies that doctoral candidates cannot continue studying at the UPC and the closing of their academic record. This notwithstanding, they may apply to the academic committee of the programme for readmission and the committee must reevaluate them in accordance with the criteria established in the regulations.

Organization

• Cervera Ruiz, Miguel

• Casas Rius, Joan Ramon
• Cervera Ruiz, Miguel
• Chiumenti, Michele
• Jimenez Quintana, Jose Antonio
• Ledesma Villalba, Alberto
• Robuste Anton, Robus
• Rodriguez Ferran, Antonio

• Barcelona School of Civil Engineering (PROMOTORA)
• Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Office 202 – Building C2 (North Campus)
Tel.: 934 017 094
E-mail: doctorat.ec.camins@upc.edu

Agreements with other institutions

Research centres

Several high-level applied research centres and laboratories renowned for their excellence also carry out research and technology transfer in the field of civil engineering and the environment:

- International Centre for Numerical Methods in Engineering (CIMNE)
- Centre for Innovation in Transport (CENIT)
- International Centre for Coastal Resources Research (CIIRC)

Access profile

Given the multidisciplinary nature of the scientific field of the programme, there are a wide range of degrees that qualify applicants for admission. For the near future, the applicants considered most suitable for admission to the doctoral programme in Civil Engineering will be bachelor’s degree holders with a scientific and technological background who have completed a master's degree in Civil Engineering or one related to the scientific field of the programme (i.e. in structural engineering and construction, geotechnical and earthquake engineering, water and environmental engineering, maritime engineering, transport engineering and regional planning, environmental engineering and sustainability, or computational engineering).

In addition to having suitable academic qualifications, it is considered important that applicants have certain personal characteristics—namely, an interest in the research projects carried out within the framework of the programme; critical and analytical skills; initiative, perseverance and persistence in their academic work; the ability to work in a team; and the ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.

Therefore, to gain admission to the doctoral programme in Civil Engineering for the research period of their studies, applicants must submit:
• An official master’s degree in the field of Civil Engineering. Exceptionally, applicants with a master’s degree in a related field may be considered for admission.
• A degree equivalent to a master’s degree, issued by an EHEA member country.*
• A degree issued by a country outside the EHEA (after its equivalence has been verified).*

* The degree held by an applicant must qualify them for admission to postgraduate studies in their country of origin.

Access requirements

Applicants must hold a Spanish bachelor’s degree or equivalent and a Spanish master’s degree or equivalent, provided they have completed a minimum of 300 ECTS credits on the two degrees (Royal Decree 43/2015, of 2 February)

In addition, the following may apply:

• Holders of an official degree awarded by a university in Spain or any other country in the European Higher Education Area, pursuant to the provisions of Article 16 of Royal Decree 1393/2007, of 29 October, which establishes official university course regulations, who have completed a minimum of 300 ECTS credits on official university degrees, of which at least 60 must be at the master's degree level.
• Holders of an official Spanish bachelor’s degree comprising at least 300 credits, as provided for by EU regulations. Holder of degrees of this kind must complete bridging courses unless the curriculum of the bachelor’s degree in question included research training credits equivalent in value to those which would be earned on a master's degree.
• Holders of an official university qualification who, having passed the entrance examination for specialised medical training, have completed at least two years of a training course leading to an official degree in a health-sciences specialisation.
• Holders of a degree issued under a foreign education system. In these cases, homologation is not required, but the UPC must verify that the degree certifies a level of training equivalent to an official Spanish master's degree and qualifies the holder for admission to doctoral studies in the country where it was issued. Admission on this basis does not imply homologation of the foreign degree or its recognition for any purpose other than admission to doctoral studies.
• Holders of a Spanish doctoral qualification issued under previous university regulations.

Note 1: Doctoral studies entrance regulations for holders of an undergraduate degree awarded before the introduction of the EHEA (CG 47/02 2014)

Note 2: Governing Council Decision 64/2014, which approves the procedure and criteria for assessing the fulfilment of academic admission requirements for doctoral studies by holders of non-homologated foreign degrees (CG 25/03 2014)

Admission criteria and merits assessment

The Doctoral Programme Committee is responsible for deciding which students are admitted to the doctoral programme in Civil Engineering based on each applicant’s curriculum vitae and how well their thesis proposal aligns with the research areas of the programme. Students may be admitted on the condition that they complete bridging courses (determined on a case-by-case basis) offered within the framework of the official postgraduate programme or other official programmes.

Before presenting their doctoral thesis, students must successfully complete any bridging courses specified as a condition for admission.

Students admitted to the doctoral programme in Civil Engineering will be attached to one of the research areas for the programme and assigned a thesis supervisor.

Admission decisions will be made based on each applicant’s curriculum vitae (with particular consideration to their academic record during the training period, ability to work in a team, and participation in research projects, conferences and publications), the degree of alignment between their doctoral thesis proposal and the research areas of the programme, and the extent to which a research group has made a commitment to fund the applicant’s work on their thesis.

All procedures related to academic administration will be governed by the UPC’s General Academic Regulations for Doctoral Studies, approved by the Office of the Vice-Rector for Research.

Admission criteria and weighting
Degrees that qualify applicants for direct admission (no bridging courses required):
• Master's degree in Civil Engineering
 • A master's degree related to the scientific field of the programme

Degrees that qualify applicants for admission subject to successful completion of bridging courses:
There is no group of degrees for which it is possible to define specific bridging courses. If the Doctoral Programme Committee decides to admit an applicant with a master's degree that is not one of those which qualify applicants for direct admission, it will specify the bridging courses that the student must complete.

In general, the Committee will base its decisions on the following criteria:
• Academic record (weighting of 60%)
• Motivation (20%)
• Knowledge of languages (10%)
• Research experience (10%)

Training complements

Enrolment period for new doctoral students

Ordinary enrolment: September and October

Extraordinary enrolment: February

More information at the registration section for new doctoral students

Enrolment period

September and October

More information at the general registration section

Procedure for the preparation and defense of the research plan

Doctoral candidates must submit a research plan, which will be included in their doctoral student activity report, before the end of the first year. The plan may be improved over the course of the doctoral degree. It must be endorsed by the tutor and the supervisor, and it must include the method that is to be followed and the aims of the research.

At least one of these annual assessments will include a public presentation and defence of the research plan and work done before a committee composed of three doctoral degree holders, which will be conducted in the manner determined by each academic committee. The examination committee awards a Pass or Fail mark. A Pass mark is a prerequisite for continuing on the doctoral programme. Doctoral candidates awarded a Fail mark must submit a new research plan for assessment by the academic committee of the doctoral programme within six months.

The committee assesses the research plan every year, in addition to all of the other activities in the doctoral student activity report. Doctoral candidates who are awarded two consecutive Fail marks for the research plan will be obliged to definitely withdraw from the programme.

If they change the subject of their thesis, they must submit a new research plan.

Formation activities

Activity: Tutorial.
Hours: 288.
Type: compulsory.

Activity: Courses and seminars (organised within each research group, weekly).
Hours: 30.
Type: optional.

Activity: Workshops (linked to the research projects that are the framework for the doctoral student’s activity; average of one per year).
Hours: 60.
Type: optional.

Activity: Publications (by the time a doctoral student finishes their degree, it is recommended that they have three papers published in journals with impact factors).
Hours: 120.
Type: optional.

Activity: Mobility.
Hours: 480.
Type: optional.

Activity: Research plan, document preparation, preparation of public defence.
Hours: 40.
Type: compulsory.

Activity: Research methodology.
Hours: 12.
Type: optional.

Activity: Language and communication skills.
Hours: 18.
Type: optional.

Activity: Assessment based on doctoral student activity report (DAD) and research plan.
Hours: 4.
Type: compulsory.

Procedure for assignment of tutor and thesis director

The academic committee of the doctoral programme assigns a thesis supervisor to each doctoral candidate when they are admitted or enrol for the first time, taking account of the thesis supervision commitment referred to in the admission decision.

The thesis supervisor will ensure that training activities carried out by the doctoral candidate are coherent and suitable, and that the topic of the candidate’s doctoral thesis will have an impact and make a novel contribution to knowledge in the relevant field. The thesis supervisor will also guide the doctoral candidate in planning the thesis and, if necessary, tailoring it to any other projects or activities undertaken. The thesis supervisor will generally be a UPC professor or researcher who holds a doctoral degree and has documented research experience. This includes PhD-holding staff at associated schools (as determined by the Governing Council) and UPC-affiliated research institutes (in accordance with corresponding collaboration and affiliation agreements). When thesis supervisors are UPC staff members, they also act as the doctoral candidate’s tutor.

PhD holders who do not meet these criteria (as a result of their contractual relationship or the nature of the institution to which they are attached) must be approved by the UPC Doctoral School's Standing Committee in order to participate in a doctoral programme as researchers with documented research experience.

The academic committee of the doctoral programme may approve the appointment of a PhD-holding expert who is not a UPC staff member as a candidate’s thesis supervisor. In such cases, the prior authorisation of the UPC Doctoral School's Standing Committee is required. A UPC staff member who holds a doctoral degree and has documented research experience must also be proposed to act as a co-supervisor, or as the doctoral candidate’s tutor if one has not been assigned.

A thesis supervisor may step down from this role if there are justified reasons (recognised as valid by the committee) for doing so. If this occurs, the academic committee of the doctoral programme will assign the doctoral candidate a new thesis supervisor.

Provided there are justified reasons for doing so, and after hearing any relevant input from the doctoral candidate, the academic committee of the doctoral programme may assign a new thesis supervisor at any time during the period of doctoral study.

If there are academic reasons for doing so (an interdisciplinary topic, joint or international programmes, etc.) and the academic committee of the programme gives its approval, an additional thesis supervisor may be assigned. Supervisors and co-supervisors have the same responsibilities and academic recognition.

The maximum number of supervisors of a doctoral thesis is two: a supervisor and a co-supervisor.

For theses carried out under a cotutelle agreement or as part of an Industrial Doctorate, if necessary and if the agreement foresees it this maximum number of supervisors may not apply. This notwithstanding, the maximum number of supervisors belonging to the UPC is two.

More information at the PhD theses section

Permanence

The academic committee of the programme may authorise an extension of up to one year for full-time doctoral candidates who have not applied to deposit their thesis by the end of the three-year period of study, in the terms outlined in the Academic Regulations for Doctoral Studies of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. In the case of part-time candidates, an extension of two years may be authorised. In both cases, in exceptional circumstances a further one-year extension may be granted by the Doctoral School's Standing Committee, upon the submission of a reasoned application by the academic committee of the doctoral programme.

A doctoral candidate may be dismissed from a doctoral programme for the following reasons:

• The doctoral candidate submitting a justified application to withdraw from the programme.
• The maximum period of study and of extensions thereof ending.
• The doctoral candidate not having enrolled every academic year (unless he or she has been authorised to temporarily withdraw).
• The doctoral candidate failing two consecutive assessments.
• The doctoral candidate having disciplinary proceedings filed against him or her that rule that he or she must be dismissed from the UPC.

Dismissal from the programme implies that doctoral candidates cannot continue studying at the UPC and the closing of their academic record. This notwithstanding, they may apply to the academic committee of the programme for readmission and the committee must reevaluate them in accordance with the criteria established in the regulations.

International Mention

The doctoral degree certificate may include International Doctorate mention. In this case, the doctoral candidate must meet the following requirements:

a) During the period of study leading to the award of the doctoral degree, the doctoral candidate must have spent at least three months at a respected higher education institution or research centre outside Spain to complete courses or do research work. The stays and activities carried out must be endorsed by the thesis supervisor and authorised by the academic committee of the programme. The candidate must provide a certifying document issued by the person responsible for the research group of the body or bodies where the stay or activity was completed. This information will be added to the doctoral student’s activity report.
b) Part of the thesis (at least the summary and conclusions) must be written and presented in one of the languages commonly used for science communication in the relevant field of knowledge, which must not be an official language of Spain. This rule does not apply to stays and reports in Spanish or to experts from Spanish-speaking countries.
c) At least two PhD-holding experts belonging to a higher education institution or research centre outside Spain must have issued officially certified reports on the thesis.
d) The thesis examination committee must have included at least one PhD-holding expert from a higher education or research institution outside Spain who was not responsible for the candidate’s stay abroad (point a) above).
e) The thesis defence must have taken place on UPC premises or, in the case of joint programmes, at the location specified in the collaboration agreement.

List of authorized thesis for defense

• LARRIVA VILLARREAL, HERNÁN: SEDIMENTACIÓN FINA Y CORRIENTES DE TURBIEDAD EN EMBALSES. CASO DE ESTUDIO: EMBALSE AMALUZA (ECUADOR)
  
  Author: LARRIVA VILLARREAL, HERNÁN
  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 CIVIL ENGINEERING
  Department: (DECA)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 13/09/2023
  Reading date: pending
  Reading time: pending
  Reading place: pending
  Thesis director: SANCHEZ JUNY, MARTI
  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: PUERTAS AGUDO, JERÓNIMO
       SECRETARI: BLADE CASTELLET, ERNEST
       VOCAL NO PRESENCIAL: BERMÚDEZ PITA, MARÍA
  Thesis abstract: Turbidity currents in reservoirs are of strong scientific interest because they can be responsible for the contribution of large amounts of fine sediments that can cause early sediment filling. The case study corresponds to the Amaluza reservoir in Ecuador of 120 Hm3 and which generates 1100 MW, this reservoir is considered one of the most important about the country.This study is presented in three main blocks. Initially, the fundamental conceptual aspects of turbidity currents and their numerical modeling are characterized. The following aspects about this are described: the hydrodynamics of turbidity currents, the main types of numerical models used to simulate delta displacements and turbidity currents, as well as specific aspects of the modeling and theoretical considerations about shear stress on the bed ¿b.The case study of the Amaluza reservoir in Ecuador is described in the following section of this doctoral thesis. Its fluvial forms are characterized and the available field information that allows the analysis of its morphodynamic behavior is described (fluvial forms, delta formation and delta displacement, etc.).The study continues by fine-tuning the hydrodynamic model of the Amaluza reservoir, proceeding to its calibration, initially without considering sediment transport, so the computational model is built with its respective structured mesh considering its aspect ratio, mesh orthogonality, mesh smoothness and the appropriate ¿t time step is determined. It is modeled under three scenarios: a uniform steady state, a non-uniform steady state, and a non-uniform and non-steady state. In these three scenarios, the velocities and shear stresses on the bed ¿b are calculated in the most relevant areas of the Amaluza reservoir. Once the model has been calibrated, it is ready for the next stage of sedimentological modeling. Thus, the main sedimentological parameters are established; this information will serve as the starting point for the computational model. Thus, are determined the grain size scale, the fall velocity in still water (ws,0), the suspended sediment size, the final fall velocity of particles (ws) and flocculation, its bulk density, and the calculation of the critical shear stress (¿cr) for weakly consolidated thinbeds in agreement with soil mechanical perspective.Finally, the turbidity current is simulated and calibrated for a measured event in 1984 for different scenarios and bathymetries, obtaining the concentration profiles and the main hydraulic parameters of the turbidity current. Once this simulation has been adjusted, the turbidity current removal efficiencies were analyzed under different scenarios (opening of bottom drains, load intakes, etc.).
  
• MORELL VILLALONGA, MARIANO NICOLÁS: NOVEL TOOLS FOR PORT ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
  
  Author: MORELL VILLALONGA, MARIANO NICOLÁS
  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 CIVIL ENGINEERING
  Department: (DECA)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 12/09/2023
  Reading date: pending
  Reading time: pending
  Reading place: pending
  Thesis director: GRIFOLL COLLS, MANUEL | ESPINO INFANTES, MANUEL
  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: PIERA FERNANDEZ, JAIME
       SECRETARI: MÖSSO ARANDA, OCTAVIO CESAR
       VOCAL: FERRER RODRÍGUEZ, LUIS
  Thesis abstract: This thesis addresses the development and evaluation of novel tools and strategies for Environmental Management Systems (EMS) implementation in ports for water quality. Integrating computer vision-based systems with meteorological and hydrodynamic operational models, the research aims to provide efficient and tailored tools for pollution monitoring and management. Three case studies are presented, exploring the feasibility of using meteo-oceanographic operational services as SAMOA, in conjunction with Monte Carlo experiments, for environmental risk analysis; developing robust computer vision systems for spill and waste monitoring; and assessing computer vision systems reliability under different operating conditions. The findings demonstrate the potential of meteo-oceanographic operational services and computer vision for marine pollution monitoring tasks and highlight the significance of progressive implementation in port EMS, leveraging early data collection and adopting an adaptive approach. The research supports sustainable and environmentally conscious practices in port management to protect coastal waters and marine ecosystems.
  

Last update: 04/10/2023 04:45:29.

List of lodged theses

• AIASH, AHMAD: Urban Mobility Safety in Barcelona: An evaluation of risk factors and techniques to achieve Vision Zero
  
  Author: AIASH, AHMAD
  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 CIVIL ENGINEERING
  Department: (DECA)
  Mode: Article-based thesis
  Deposit date: 20/09/2023
  Reading date: pending
  Reading time: pending
  Reading place: pending
  Thesis director: ROBUSTÉ ANTÓN, FRANCESC
  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: STUDER, LUCA
       SECRETARI: MARTÍNEZ DÍAZ, MARGARITA
       VOCAL: PÉREZ ZURIAGA, ANA MARÍA
  Thesis abstract: In order to converge towards Vision Zero concept in road safety, traffic crashes need great study and analysis. This thesis is aimed at this goal, applied to the urban and metropolitan environment of Barcelona. The thesis is organized as a compendium of eight papers, each dealing with a specific safety risk factor. We use different techniques according to the objectives and data: traditional statistical models, time series analysis, and machine learning techniques. Random Utility Models such as Binary Probit Model, Chi-square Automatic Interaction Detector, Bayesian networks such as Tree Augmented Naïve tree, and Kohonen clustering. The methodology is generic and can be extrapolated to other cities, regions/countries, and datasets. When searching for risk factors of severe or fatal injuries, with the data of 47,153 traffic accidents that occurred in Barcelona between 2016 and 2019, we found the worst injured odds for males and 65 years (and older) persons, pedestrians and drivers (higher probabilities compared to passengers), weekends, afternoon, and night timings. Working hours timing and season (summer) have also influence in the number of severe crashes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, all levels of injuries that resulted from traffic crashes have shown approximately 39% (slight), 30% (severe), and 36% (fatal) injuries reduction. City areas surrounded by higher noise levels, may lead to more traffic crashes as a potential distraction factor, but further research is needed (noise and traffic levels are correlated). Barcelona had a total population of 1,636,762 inhabitants in 2019, distributed on 10 districts. Eixample (literally, ¿broadening¿ of the city, planned by civil engineer Ildefons Cerdà in 1856), which is the district that has the highest population, highest usage of private transport mode, and highest density of passenger cars/km2 compared to all other districts, has the highest risk of having all types of injuries resulting from traffic crashes.Elderly pedestrians are more likely to have severe or fatal injuries, especially during the morning period. When evaluating bicycle lanes and stations safety, the most vulnerable age category for cycling is 26 to 50 years old people during morning and evening timing. Of course, bicycle lanes and bicycle stations in zones that have a restricted speed limit of 30 km/h, showed a lower crash injury ratio. Finally, motorcycle crash injuries have worrying high values in Barcelona, a motorcycle-city. Alcoholism and pavement in poor condition can indeed increase the probability of having different levels of injuries. Young motorcyclists (25-40 years old) have higher odds for crash injuries, unlike elderly users who are less likely to be involved in motorcycle crashes. After analyzing all these factors in detail with the proper methodologies and available data, this document concludes with recommendations and future research lines.
  
• JIMÉNEZ MEROÑO, ENRIQUE: Design, management, and simulation of vehicle-sharing systems
  
  Author: JIMÉNEZ MEROÑO, 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 CIVIL ENGINEERING
  Department: (DECA)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 02/10/2023
  Reading date: pending
  Reading time: pending
  Reading place: pending
  Thesis director: SORIGUERA MARTÍ, FRANCESC
  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: TIRACHINI HERNÁNDEZ, ALEJANDRO ANDRÉS
       SECRETARI: MARTÍNEZ DÍAZ, MARGARITA
       VOCAL: DURAN RODAS, DAVID TELMO
  Thesis abstract: This thesis provides tools, based on mathematical modelling, for the analysis, optimization and simulation, of vehicle-sharing systems. The thesis addresses various implementation levels of such systems, from their planning and design to their operational management.Specifically, the problems addressed can be grouped into two blocks. The first block focuses on the strategical design of vehicle-sharing systems. This is, the long-term planning and the sizing of the fundamental elements of the system, namely: the fleet size, the required infrastructure, and the personnel. The second block, analyzes the day-to-day operational problems of systems already in operation and whose main design characteristics are known. Specifically, the optimization problem in the repositioning task assignment, is addressed.The thesis develops solutions for the aforementioned problems trying to find an adequate balance between the mathematical complexity of the models and the level of detail and accuracy of the solutions. Parsimonious solutions are sought, aiming at facilitating its implementation in real systems with limited resources. Parsimonious models require modelling simplifications. This is the price to pay when modelling complex and advanced systems. This modelling philosophy has guided the most significant contribution of this thesis: the design and optimization models depicting mixed vehicle-sharing systems, with both free-floating and station-based layouts working simultaneously and complementing each other. The modelling of such systems represents an important milestone in the research on the strategical planning of vehicle-sharing systems.For the strategical design problem, simplification has been achieved by using the method of continuous approximations. This allows the estimation of the costs and the causal effects of the decision variables in the system, without the need to solve computationally costly models. This simplification has provided sufficiently accurate and robust results, and has also allowed the development of a hitherto unexplored model for mixed vehicle-sharing systems, in which free-floating and vehicles in stations are used indistinctly. The optimization of this model and its subsequent analysis of results tells us under which circumstances it is more convenient to opt for a free-floating configuration, for a station-based one, or for a mixed system.Regarding the day-to-day operational problems in the second block of the thesis, simplification is achieved by avoiding the common optimal routing solutions, based on mixed integer linear programming models. The proposed approach in the thesis is based on the optimal real-time pairwise matching of tasks to resources. The idea is to obtain a strategy less dependent on demand forecasts, since the assignment occurs in real time. This avoids the estimation of the future vehicle inventory level at stations. Results obtained by simulation show that the real-time optimal pairwise assignment strategy generally works better, unless the accuracy of the predictions is extremely high, which typically is unlikely. These results have been obtained thanks to the ad-hoc development of an agent-based simulator for vehicle-sharing systems, able to emulate the complex operation of mixed systems, with vehicles both free-floating and in stations, including the possibility of using electric vehicles. The simulator also allows to establish different priority levels for repositioning operations (e.g. recharging and relocation). The development of this simulator culminates the second block of the thesis.With all this, the thesis presents a complete framework of tools which will help in the optimal design and operation of mixed vehicle-sharing systems, being the first time that this kind of systems are addressed at this level in the academic literature.
  
• MELENDEZ LANDAVERDE, ERIKA ROXANA: A Methodology for the Design, Implementation and Evaluation of Community and Impact-based Flood Warnings
  
  Author: MELENDEZ LANDAVERDE, ERIKA ROXANA
  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 CIVIL ENGINEERING
  Department: (DECA)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 02/10/2023
  Reading date: pending
  Reading time: pending
  Reading place: pending
  Thesis director: SEMPERE TORRES, DANIEL
  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: SPEIGHT, LINDA
       SECRETARI: BERENGUER FERRER, MARC
       VOCAL: RODRÍGUEZ GIRALT, ISRAEL
  Thesis abstract: The present thesis focuses on developing, implementing, and evaluating a comprehensive community and impact-based early warning system (EWS) framework to support the protection actions of authorities and citizens at specific vulnerable locations during flood emergencies. For this purpose, this research delves into various aspects of people-centred impact-based early warning systems, such as meteorological monitoring and forecasting, hazard assessment, impact analysis, warning dissemination tools, mobile crisis apps and the crucial role of community engagement. By integrating these components, the ¿Site-Specific EWS¿ (SS-EWS) framework aims to provide locally relevant emergency information to empower individuals and communities to take appropriate self-protection actions based on their response capabilities and local impacts. A significant portion of the thesis is devoted to evaluating the framework, its components and the mobile app developed for warning dissemination (A4alerts) by employing a wide range of strategies. From analyzing the impact-based warnings triggered vs the impacts observed, the usefulness of the A4alerts and its functionalities, the content of the warning messages and their influence on risk perception, these strategies aimed to provide an all-encompassing understanding of the local effectiveness and utility of the SS-EWS. Furthermore, to identify the difficulties, success areas and future improvements, this research presents the social and technical experiences from implementing the community and impact-based driven SS-EWS framework within the selected case-study areas in Catalonia, Spain.The findings of this thesis contribute to the existing knowledge on impact-based EWS by providing innovative methodologies and practical recommendations for their development and implementation within a community context. Ultimately, the work presented in this study and its outcomes can pave the way for expanding the SS-EWS and impact-based driven strategies to vulnerable communities needing guidance and support to enhance their response capacity to mitigate the impacts caused by flood emergencies.
  

Last update: 04/10/2023 04:30:30.

List of defended theses by year

• CABRERA VÉLEZ, ESTEBAN: Metodología para estimación del daño sísmico en edificios en base a modelos numéricos avanzados y a monitorizaciones RAR
  
  Author: CABRERA VÉLEZ, ESTEBAN
  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 CIVIL ENGINEERING
  Department: (DECA)
  Mode: Normal
  Reading date: 16/02/2023
  Thesis director: GONZALEZ DRIGO, JOSE RAMON | LUZI, GUIDO
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: ROCA ADROVER, ANTONI
       SECRETARI: PUJADES BENEIT, LUIS GONZAGA
       VOCAL: NAVARRO BERNAL, MANUEL
  Thesis abstract: In post-seismic scenarios, the rapid and safe evaluation of structural damage is essential to develop an effective response during the recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction stages. The development of new inspection tools based on the use of remote sensors that make access to the interior of damaged buildings unnecessary, thus safeguarding the lives of technicians, is promising. This thesis work investigates the feasibility of using natural vibrations to detect the structural health status of buildings, in order to distinguish structurally unsafe or unstable states from safe configurations. The theoretical basis underlying the research is that the modal properties of buildings change with damage accumulation. Three axes structure the proposal to develop new safe and rapidly applicable inspection tools: i) Advanced numerical modelling of buildings in three dimensions (3D); ii) The application of advanced methodologies for assessing the vulnerability, fragility and seismic damage of structures: iii) The use of original and novel technology based on microwave interferometry and using a real aperture radar (RAR), for the remote measurement of vibrations in structures excited by ambient noise. The object of study has been medium-rise housing constructions belonging to one of the most common construction typologies in Spain, such as reinforced concrete buildings with waffle or unidirectional slabs and with an inner wall system built with hollow ceramic brick masonry. As case studies, two buildings affected by the earthquake (Mw 5.1), which occurred in Lorca on May 11, 2011, and an operational building located in Barcelona have been selected. The methodology used to estimate the vulnerability and damage states observed in these buildings are those considered as standards in advanced seismic risk analysis programs. The necessary calculations to evaluate the modal behaviour, as well as the structural performance against specific seismic demands, are the capacity spectrum method and the incremental dynamic analyses applied using advanced numerical models of the buildings and taking into account the directionality of the seismic action. Based on the structure analysis software used, an original and practical methodology is proposed to obtain the damage index of the structure that can be evaluated at each step of the incremental lateral pushover analysis. This methodology obtains a damage index based on the results stored by the calculation software at each stage of the pushover analysis. The results of this proposal have been satisfactorily compared with the damage indices obtained using other advanced methodologies. Other remarkable results have been obtained studying the variation of the modal parameters with the accumulation of damage. The variations of the fundamental periods have proven to be a good indicator of the accumulation of damage. The variation of mass participation factors with increasing damage has also been explored. Numerical models of the same building having different accumulations of earthquake damage have been generated. This has made it possible to compare the damage configurations with the configuration of the healthy operational building and to identify and quantify the contribution of the non-structural inner walls in the dynamic behaviour and the resistance capacity of the building. A general conclusion is that RAR technology, non-invasive and remote, can contribute to substantially reduce inspection times and mitigate the risk for inspectors and technical teams during the evaluations of buildings in post-seismic scenarios or damaged by other natural or anthropogenic causes.
  

• CASTAÑAR PÉREZ, INOCENCIO: Topology optimization of incompressible structures for fluid-structure interaction problems
  
  Author: CASTAÑAR PÉREZ, INOCENCIO
  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 CIVIL ENGINEERING
  Department: (DECA)
  Mode: Normal
  Reading date: 24/07/2023
  Thesis director: BAIGES AZNAR, JOAN | CODINA ROVIRA, RAMON
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT NO PRESENCIAL: HACHEM, ELIE
       SECRETARI: BONET CARBONELL, JAVIER
       VOCAL NO PRESENCIAL: ORTIGOSA MARTÍNEZ, ROGELIO
  Thesis abstract: Topology optimization of incompressible structures, in which the loads on the structure come from the stresses exerted by a surrounding fluid, is a highly complex problem. This work presents a compilation of the research conducted to reproduce such complex phenomena.Firstly, two stabilized mixed finite element methods for finite strain solid dynamics are developed. These stabilized methods are stable for any interpolation spaces of the unknowns. On the one hand, a two-field mixed displacement/pressure formulation capable of dealing with nearly and fully incompressible hyperelastic material behavior is presented. On the other hand, so as to be able to tackle the incompressible limit and at the same time, to obtain a higher accuracy in the computation of stresses, a three-field mixed displacement/pressure/deviatoric stress formulation is proposed. Stability, mesh convergence analysis and nonlinear iteration convergence analysis are performed together with several numerical examples for both formulations. It is shown that both formulations appropriately deal with the incompressibility constraint, but the three-field formulation exhibits higher accuracy in the stress field, even for very coarse meshes.Secondly, we develop algorithms for topology optimization problems based on the topological derivative concept. To deal with incompressible materials, mixed formulations must be considered, but also a new decomposition of the well-known Polarization tensor is required for linear elastic materials. In the finite strain hyperelasticity assumption, an approximation of the topological derivative in combination with the mixed formulations previously presented is considered to deal with incompressibility. Several numerical examples are presented and discussed to assess the robustness of the proposed algorithms and their applicability to topology optimization problems for incompressible elastic solids. Then, we analyze the numerical simulation of the interaction between viscoelastic fluid flows and hyperelastic solids. The fluid-structure interaction problem is solved sequentially. Flow equations are approximated using two stabilized three-field finite element formulations. To address flows with dominant elasticity, a log-conformation reformulation of the constitutive equation is employed. Several numerical examples are presented and discussed to assess the robustness of the proposed scheme and its applicability to problems with viscoelastic fluids, in which elasticity dominates the interaction with hyperelastic solids.Finally, all numerical tools are combined to reproduce the topology optimization problem of incompressible structures subjected to the interaction with a surrounding fluid.
  

• MARÍN ESTEVE, BLANCA: Experimental velocity profile distribution characterization of mountain rivers
  
  Author: MARÍN ESTEVE, BLANCA
  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 CIVIL ENGINEERING
  Department: (DECA)
  Mode: Normal
  Reading date: 18/05/2023
  Thesis director: BATEMAN PINZON, ALLEN
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: SOLÉ, AURELIA
       SECRETARI: DE MEDINA IGLESIAS, VICENTE CÉSAR
       VOCAL: LA ROCCA, MICHELE
  Thesis abstract: The aim of this thesis is to improve our understanding of the behaviour of mountain rivers and to predict their morphological functioning under conditions of low relative submergence. Mountain rivers have received less attention in the field of river hydraulics, which has generally relied on information that is more relevant to rivers with a lower gradient, leading to inconsistencies in the analysis of steep streams. This thesis aims to address this gap by investigating to what extent and in what ways the log-law equation can describe the velocity profile distribution across steep channels with porous beds. Specifically, we seek to determine which parameters of the velocity profile distribution are influenced by channel slope, relative submergence and interstitial discharge. To conduct this study, experiments were performed in a rectangular flume using a 14.5 mm median diameter gravel bed under a threshold of movement conditions. Several flow discharges were performed for each of the flume slopes considered, which ranged from 2%¿10%, with relative submergences between 0.7¿3.7. Velocity measurements were taken with an Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter and complemented with the Particle Tracking Velocimetry technique to measure velocities in the near-bed region. Using the general normalised least squares regression approach, we analysed several parameters in the construction of a velocity profile. The results of our study demonstrated that the experimental dimensionless velocity profiles collapsed to the log-law formulation once the optimization procedures were applied to the proposed objective functions. We found that the reference datum definition is an essential variable to consider and should be located below the crests of the roughness elements and then moved deeper as the channel slope increases. The Von Karman parameter remained constant at 0.4 regardless of the channel slope, discharge and relative submergence. We found that the minimum velocity of the profile, which is nonzero at the bed structure given interstitial discharge, depends on the channel slope but not on relative submergence.The Karman¿Prandtl logarithmic velocity profile is validated for velocity profiles in hydraulically rough flows under low relative submergence conditions, given a well-defined reference level. The significance of our study lies in its contribution to the theoretical understanding of the prediction of flow resistance by focusing on velocity distribution across steep channels, thereby reducing uncertainties in flood hazard mapping in mountainous regions and contributing to the development of a baseline for the analysis of mountain rivers. Our findings have important implications for the analysis and management of mountain rivers, which are essential for improving the conservation of these critical ecosystems.
  

• MUÑOZ LA RIVERA, FELIPE: Framework for an eXtended Reality (XR) solution for holistic safety management in construction
  
  Author: MUÑOZ LA RIVERA, FELIPE
  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 CIVIL ENGINEERING
  Department: (DECA)
  Mode: Article-based thesis
  Reading date: 28/03/2023
  Thesis director: OÑATE IBAÑEZ DE NAVARRA, EUGENIO | MORA SERRANO, FRANCISCO JAVIER
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: GONZÁLEZ GARCÍA, MARÍA DE LAS NIEVES
       SECRETARI: FORCADA MATHEU, NURIA
       VOCAL: FONSECA ESCUDERO, DAVID
  Thesis abstract: Cycles in the construction sector and economy disguise what appears to advance in occupational risk prevention when, unfortunately, the AECO sector maintains very high accident rates. The zero accident target is the most important indicator of robust implementation of accident safety. This objective implies that organisations and workers cover the whole spectrum of circumstances, from reactive measures to proactive design practices and developing a culture of prevention. The technological and methodological renewal of the industry through paradigms such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) and the deployment of Construction 4.0 represents a unique opportunity to work on occupational safety in depth, as a key dimension integrated into the construction process and not as a complementary annexe to the project and the execution of the work.Extended Reality (XR), understood as the technology that provides the user interface for the visualisation, immersion and interaction with the digital content of construction projects, is a central element in covering training, design and monitoring solutions for the new generation of workers who must use Construction 4.0 technologies. Some developments, both academic and commercial, show the potential of using XR experiences for construction safety. However, the adoption processes of the technologies require a reflection and technological framework to facilitate their use and massification, designing flexible and automatable workflows that allow the agile generation of XR content to deploy the culture above and design for prevention.The purpose of this doctoral thesis is to develop a framework for the generation of extended reality solutions for the holistic management of safety in construction, including both technological features interoperable with BIM information, data and dimensions, and methodological ones, incorporating essential narrative structures to provide solutions with the cultural and human dimension. This objective is broken down into four other specific objectives: (a) To identify the methodological-technological context of the sector; (b) To identify and characterise the factors that affect safety in construction; (c) To analyse the XR mechanisms to address them; (d) To propose a technological and functional framework for an extended reality (XR) solution for safety in construction and to demonstrate the proposed framework through implementation examples.As a result, it presents: (a) A methodological-technological reference framework for Construction 4.0 with some fifty associated technologies, components and challenges; (b) The identification, description and classification of a hundred factors that influence the safety of construction projects (fSCPs), as well as their link with precedents of XR experiences that consider them. It highlights the low integration with BIM and an arbitrary treatment to cover the needs given by the fSCPs; (c) a framework for the generation of extended reality solutions with the fundamentals for holistic construction safety management, considering the precedents in (a) and (b); (d) an analysis of the factors for the automation of VR experiences for construction safety; and (e) three examples of specific XR content developments on such a framework to evaluate and demonstrate their applicability.Keywords: Construction safety management, extended reality, virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality, Building information modelling, Construction 4.0, Storytelling.
  

• PARADA BUSTELO, SAMUEL: Development of fractional step methods for compressible flow solvers using Variational Multi-Scale finite element formulations
  
  Author: PARADA BUSTELO, SAMUEL
  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 CIVIL ENGINEERING
  Department: (DECA)
  Mode: Normal
  Reading date: 27/01/2023
  Thesis director: CODINA ROVIRA, RAMON | BAIGES AZNAR, JOAN
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: PEIRÓ, JOAQUÍN
       SECRETARI: PRINCIPE RUBIO, RICARDO JAVIER
       VOCAL: HAUKE BERNARDOS, GUILLERMO
  Thesis abstract: This thesis deals with finite element methods to solve compressible flow problems, an important branch of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) whose applications are widespread in many areas of engineering and science. In spite of the increasing amount of computational resources made available for the scientific and engineering research communities, the numerical simulation of complex compressible phenomena in many practical applications is still a challenge. These type of flow problems are extremely demanding in what concerns numerical computations and memory requirements.In particular, in this thesis we investigate the possibility to solve the underlying algebraic systems in a decoupled manner, a technique usually called fractional step or segregation method. Although segregation techniques have been broadly studied and analyzed for the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations, allowing for the separate resolution of velocity and pressure unkonwns, much less has been explored for compressible problems. The interest on this type of technique not only comes from the fact that it permits a segregated calculation of the problem unkonwns (usually leading to better conditioned systems) but from the associated reduction of the computational cost. We study three different problems inside the compressible CFD research branch in separated chapters: the isentropic Navier-Stokes equations, the Navier-Stokes problem written in primitive variables (velocity, pressure and temperature), and the navier-Stokes problem written in the classical formulation with conservative variables (momentum, density, total energy). For each of these problems, first we propose a finite element stabilized formulation framed within the Variational MultiScale concept, which allows to use equal interpolation spaces for all the variables in play. Second, and once space and time discretizations are selected, we derive fractional step methods up to second order in time. Finally, all the schemes are implemented in a parallel multiphysics code and representative simulations are carried out in order to analyze the performance of the proposed techniques.
  

• SALEHI SIAVASHANI, NAFISEH: Assessment of groundwater hydrology of the Quaternary aquifer of Lake Chad Basin
  
  Author: SALEHI SIAVASHANI, NAFISEH
  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 CIVIL ENGINEERING
  Department: (DECA)
  Mode: Normal
  Reading date: 07/07/2023
  Thesis director: CANDELA LLEDO, LUCILA CARLOTA CONCEPCION | GOMEZ VALENTIN, MANUEL
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: MOLINA GONZÁLEZ, JOSÉ LUIS
       SECRETARI: SANCHEZ JUNY, MARTI
       VOCAL NO PRESENCIAL: CABRERA SANTANA, MARIA DEL CARMEN
  Thesis abstract: This thesis aims to enhance the conceptual model of the Lake Chad Basin's quaternary aquifer by gathering updated hydrological, geological, meteorological, and groundwater data. Objectives include analyzing natural recharge-discharge and surface-groundwater interactions and constructing a hydro-stratigraphic-based conceptual model using a water budget approach.The Chad Aquifer Formation (CAF) is one of the world's largest transboundary aquifers, spanning the entire basin, covering 2,381,000 km² in West-Central Africa. The basin consists of the Quaternary, Lower Pliocene, and Continental Terminal aquifer systems, underlain by Precambrian crystalline basement and formations of Late Cretaceous, Tertiary, and Quaternary sandy or sandstone. The quaternary aquifer, is crucial for the basin's water balance and socio-economic development.The research comprises data gathering, storage of new geo-hydrological information, and analysis of collected data using scientific publications, ground data, remote sensing, and digital files from national and international institutions. Limited data availability in the arid and semi-arid Lake Chad Basin makes this study significant.The methodology involves storing new geo-hydrological information, utilizing 430 lithological well logs to update the basin geometry, and generating a 3D description using the RockWare code. Hydro-stratigraphic units are established based on the collected data at the basin scale. Daily natural groundwater recharge in the Quaternary aquifer for the period of 2005-2014 is quantified using a numerical model (Visual Balan). The study discusses the methods and tools employed for analyzing climatic data, estimating recharge, and modeling the unsaturated zone in the Chari-Baguirmi groundwater depression. Various hydrological and geological data sources, including remote sensing platforms, are utilized.The CAF aquifer in the basin consists of different hydrogeological layers, including the upper phreatic aquifer, Upper Pliocene aquitard, and the deep confined or unconfined aquifer of the Continental Terminal. The hydrogeological system encompasses both deep confined-unconfined aquifers and a Quaternary shallow aquifer with varying hydraulic parameters. Hydraulic connectivity exists between the aquifers in the southern part and with the main rivers. The basin boundaries primarily comprise crystalline rocks.During the 2008-2011 period, the potentiometric surface indicates regional groundwater flow towards the central and northern zones of the basin. Limited data is available for the deep confined aquifer (LPli-CT), restricting the display of groundwater contours in the southern part. The groundwater level generally declines towards Lake Chad and the upper northern basin. Groundwater recharge in the Lake Chad Basin is primarily influenced by precipitation, accounting for 0% to 13% of total precipitation in the southern part and dune systems in the north. Surface water-groundwater interactions occur during flood periods in the Komadougou-Yobe and Chari Logone River systems. Discharge primarily occurs through pumping wells, with the Quaternary aquifer supplying surface water. Lake Chad operates as an in-transit hydrologically open system, removing dissolved salts. However, exchanges between the lake and the Quaternary aquifer are limited due to hydraulic aquifer connection constraints.Unsaturated zone modeling in the Chari Baguirmi depression indicates low aquifer recharge primarily affecting the upper soil layers. The research contributes to an updated conceptual model of the Chad Aquifer Formation, enhancing understanding of hydrogeology in arid and semi-arid regions with limited data. The findings have implications for groundwater management, water balance, and flow systems, benefiting decision-makers, stakeholders, and water resource managers in the Lake Chad Basin to ensure sustainable use and management of groundwater resources.
  

• WU, HAIQING: Quick assessment through analytical solutions of induced seismicity in geo-energy applications
  
  Author: WU, HAIQING
  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 CIVIL ENGINEERING
  Department: (DECA)
  Mode: Normal
  Reading date: 28/07/2023
  Thesis director: VILARRASA RIAÑO, VÍCTOR
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: SANTILLÁN SÁNCHEZ, DAVID
       SECRETARI: LEDESMA VILLALBA, ALBERTO
       VOCAL: SPIERS, CHRISTOPHER JAMES
  Thesis abstract: Understanding the triggering mechanisms of induced seismicity remains one of the most critical challenges in geo-energy applications. This Thesis aims at assessing (1) fault stability and induced seismicity potential under various geological settings in the framework of poromechanics, and (2) poromechanical effects on the earthquake nucleation process. We propose two closed-form solutions for poromechanical stress and displacement due to pore pressure changes in the reservoir with the inclusion theory and Green¿s function. The solutions are valid for various fault offsets, dip angles, reservoir lengths, and permeable and impermeable faults. Induced seismicity potential of impermeable faults is always larger than that of permeable faults. Ground displacement increases with fault dip and decreases with increasing fault offset, in contrast, reservoir geometry shows a stronger effect than fault geometry. Applying the analytical solutions to the Pohang Mw5.5 earthquake achieves both deterministic and stochastic poromechanical analyses, providing a consistent triggering mechanism of the mainshock. Results also show that a small overpressure can trigger a damaging earthquake when preexisting faults are initially critically stressed. Incorporating the analytical stress solution into the interfacial slip model reveals that including poroelasticity drastically affects the nucleation process, finding new slip regimes and reducing the magnitude of induced seismicity in some regimes. Analyzing the slip regime map and earthquake magnitude map finds the favorable and unfavorable conditions as a function of rock properties, background stress, and injection parameters for deploying geo-energy projects. Neglecting poroelastic effects cannot recognize many of such conditions.
  

Last update: 04/10/2023 05:01:11.

Research groups

• (MC)2-UPC-Computational continuum mechanics
• ANiComp-Numerical analysis and scientific computation
• ATEM-Structural and Materials Technology
• BIT-Barcelona Innovative Transportation
• CRAHI-Center of Applied Research in Hydrometeorology
• EC-Construction Engineering
• EGEO-Geomatics Engineering
• EnGeoModels-Monitoring and Modelling in Engineering Geology
• EScGD-Engineering Sciences and Global Development
• FLUMEN-River Dynamics and Hydrological Engineering
• GEMMA-Group of Environmental Engineering and Microbiology
• GHS-Hydrogeology Group
• GIES-Geophysics and Earthquake Engineering
• GMNE-Numerical Methods in Engineering Group
• LACAN - UPC-Numerical Methods for Applied Sciences and Engineering
• LESEC-Laboratori d'Estudis Socials de l'Enginyeria Civil
• LIM/UPC-Maritime Engineering Laboratory
• MATCAR-Construction Materials and Roads
• MECMAT-Mechanics of Materials
• MSR-Soil and Rock Mechanics
• RMEE-Strength of Materials and Structural Engineering Research Group

Teachers

• Aguado de Cea, Antonio
• Alarcon Fernandez, Daniel
• Arias Vicente, Irene
• Arroyo Balaguer, Marino
• Bateman Pinzon, Allen
• Blade Castellet, Ernest
• Casas Rius, Joan Ramon
• Cervera Ruiz, Miguel
• Chiumenti, Michele
• Codina Rovira, Ramon
• Diez Mejia, Pedro
• Espino Infantes, Manolo
• Estrada Romeu, Miquel
• Fernandez Garcia, Daniel
• Garcia Gonzalez, Alberto
• Gens Sole, Antonio
• Gomez Valentin, Manuel
• Grifoll Colls, Manuel
• Jimenez Quintana, Jose Antonio
• Ledesma Villalba, Alberto
• Martin Vide, Juan Pedro
• Molins Borrell, Climent
• Mujica Delgado, Luis Eduardo
• Olivella Pastalle, Sebastià
• Oñate Ibañez de Navarra, Eugenio
• Perez Foguet, Agusti
• Poblet Puig, Jordi
• Prat Catalan, Pere
• Robuste Anton, Robus
• Rodellar Benede, Jose
• Rodriguez Ferran, Antonio
• Rossi, Riccardo
• Sanchez Juny, Marti
• Sanchez Vila, Xavier
• Sanchez-Arcilla Conejo, Agustin
• Sarrate Ramos, Jose
• Sempere Torres, Daniel
• Soriguera Marti, Francesc
• Zlotnik Martinez, Sergio

• Badia Rodriguez, Santiago
• Baiges Aznar, Joan
• Berenguer Ferrer, Marc
• Campos Cacheda, Magin
• Candela Lledo, Lucila
• Carreño Tibaduiza, Martha Liliana
• Dadvand, Pooyan
• de Medina Iglesias, Vicente Cesar
• de Pouplana Sarda, Ignasi
• Folch Sancho, Albert
• Garcia Espinosa, Julio
• Garcia Gonzalez, Alberto
• Giacomini, Matteo
• Gironella i Cobos, Xavi
• Gomez Soberon, Jose Manuel
• Gracia Garcia, Vicente
• Hurlimann Ziegler, Marcel
• Lantada Zarzosa, Nieves
• Martinez Reguero, Adriana
• Mora Serrano, Francisco Javier
• Mora Serrano, Javier
• Mösso Aranda, Cesar
• Principe Rubio, Ricardo Javier
• Pujadas Alvarez, Pablo
• Romero Morales, Enrique
• Russo, Beniamino
• Saaltink, Maarten W.
• Sauri Marchan, Sergi
• Sierra Pedrico, Juan Pablo
• Soudah Prieto, Eduardo
• Trubat Casal, Pau
• Turro Calvet, Mateu
• Ubach de Fuentes, Pere Andreu
• Vaunat, Jean
• Vazquez, Mariano
• Zarate Araiza, Jose Francisco