DOCTORAL DEGREE IN AEROSPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• SHAHBAZI, SAEEDEH: Differential Deformation Maps Using EGMS Data
  
  Author: SHAHBAZI, SAEEDEH
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN AEROSPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
  Department: Department of Physics (FIS)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 22/06/2026
  Reading date: 23/07/2026
  Reading time: 11:00
  Reading place: Parc Mediterrani de la Tecnologia, Castelldefels, sala C4-001PG.
  Thesis director: CROSETTO, MICHELE | BARRA, ANNA
  Thesis abstract: Investigating building deformation due to differential settlements is a challenging task, particularly over large areas; however, with the advancement of remote sensing techniques, such investigations have now become feasible. The European Ground Motion Service (EGMS), a component of the Copernicus Land Monitoring Service, represents the largest wide-area Interferometric SAR (InSAR) service ever developed that provides a fully open and free-access data availability. In order to exploit the EGMS results, the challenge lies in finding appropriate methodologies and tools to effectively utilize this wealth of information and create easy-to-read and interpretable maps for building damage assessment and urban risk mitigation procedures. This PhD thesis proposes a methodology and a novel software tool that transform InSAR-based displacement data into comprehensive geospatial maps through a building-scale spatial differential deformation analysis, enabling the identification and classification of urban buildings susceptible to damage due to differential movements. We focus on spatial differential deformation (i.e., the spatial gradient of deformation) for individual buildings, because most of the significant damage to man-made structures/infrastructures is associated with spatial differential deformation. The final output of the proposed methodology is the so-called “Building Differential Deformation Map” (BDD). This methodology is novel because it provides the advantage of enabling wide-area mapping while keeping the building-level details. The procedure requires two input data: InSAR-derived displacement maps, regardless of the data source, as well as a vector map of building footprints.This research illustrates the use of EGMS Basic products to perform a multi-scale analysis, including the metropolitan area of Barcelona, the Catalonia region, and ultimately the Spanish nationwide BDD map. This latter map identifies 2,958 buildings vulnerable to damage due to differential settlements. Given the large spatial extent of the Spanish BDD map, a web-based platform has been developed to facilitate visualization and enhance the accessibility of relevant information for all users. In a further step, to enhance the analysis, additional data have been considered. The BDD map has been combined with deformation velocity, building age, considered as an indicator of vulnerability, and population data to provide an initial assessment of the potential impact on residents. This integration has led to the development of a so-called “Potential Impact Map,” which identifies areas that need prioritized attention and resources for risk mitigation. The robustness of the proposed methodology has been evaluated through a dedicated assessment procedure. This assessment has examined the methodology and its results across different acquisition geometries, demonstrating that the spatial deformation gradient is independent of geometry and across varying time spans. Similarly, validation has been conducted through field surveys to assess building damage, focusing on indicators of differential deformation, such as cracks and fractures in walls and around windows.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN ARCHITECTURAL, BUILDING CONSTRUCTION AND URBANISM TECHNOLOGY

• CASTILLO DE LEON DE ROMERO, ROSNERY NAYARITH: Desarrollo de un módulo de celosía para envolvente en clima húmedo tropical (Panamá), mediante hormigón con árido de reciclado de Residuo mixto de la Construcción y Demolición (RCD) y Neumáticos Fuera de Uso (NFU).
  
  Author: CASTILLO DE LEON DE ROMERO, ROSNERY NAYARITH
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN ARCHITECTURAL, BUILDING CONSTRUCTION AND URBANISM TECHNOLOGY
  Department: Department of Architectural Technology (TA)
  Mode: Article-based thesis
  Deposit date: 22/06/2026
  Reading date: 21/07/2026
  Reading time: 11:00
  Reading place: ETSAB (Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Barcelona) - Planta Baja - Sala de GradosAv. Diagonal, 649-651 - 08028 - Barcelona
  Thesis director: BOSCH GONZÁLEZ, MONTSERRAT | PARIS VIVIANA, ORIOL
  Thesis abstract: This doctoral thesis investigates the development of a latticework for building envelopes in humid tropical climates. The module is made from microconcrete that incorporates recycled aggregates derived from mixed Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) and End-of-Life Tires (ELT), in the form of granulated Crumb Rubber (CR). The study addresses two complementary lines of research: 1) the development and characterization of a microconcrete incorporating recycled aggregate from CDW and ELT, with potential application in small-format latticework facade modules; and 2) the analysis and development of the latticework module and system as a passive envelope strategy.The methodology includes a bibliometric and systematic review of the use of ELT in the development of concretes; two experimental campaigns to characterize the physical, mechanical, thermal, and fire-reaction properties of the material; the development of a taxonomy for parameterizing latticework systems in building energy modeling (BEM) tools; a study of the thermal performance of latticework systems in Panama through on-site monitoring and dynamic simulation; and, finally, the evaluation of a small-scale latticework system manufactured with the developed micro-concrete, verifying its thermal performance.The findings of this study suggest that mixtures incorporating recycled aggregates can be used in building envelopes through self-supporting systems. In the case of the lattice, the mixture that exhibited the most favorable performance among the results obtained was selected. The findings also show thatthe thermal performance of the latticework is influenced by multiple factors, including its intrinsic material characteristics, geometry, percentage of openings, building envelope configuration, and the natural ventilation of the space between the two skins.The thesis concludes that it is possible to advance toward more sustainable façade solutions from a circular economy perspective by integrating high percentages of waste with the design of climate-adapted passive components.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN ARCHITECTURE, ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT

• SANCLEMENTE CANIZALES, HOLVER: Vivienda y clima en el trópico húmedo: análisis tipológico-bioclimático en Buenaventura
  
  Author: SANCLEMENTE CANIZALES, HOLVER
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN ARCHITECTURE, ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT
  Department: Department of Architectural Technology (TA)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 03/06/2026
  Reading date: 20/07/2026
  Reading time: 11:00
  Reading place: ETSAB (Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Barcelona) - Planta Baja - Sala de GradosAv. Diagonal, 649-651 - 08028 - Barcelona
  Thesis director: LÓPEZ BESORA, JUDIT | COCH ROURA, HELENA
  Thesis abstract: This thesis addresses the critical issue of housing adaptation to the humid tropical climate of Buenaventura, Colombia, a region facing heightened housing challenges due to unsuitable construction models and climate change. Through an approach that transcends simple architectural description, the research focuses on understanding and systematizing spatial housing typologies from a bioclimatic perspective, validating ancestral knowledge against contemporary vulnerabilities.An exhaustive recovery and systematization of 471 housing cases in Buenaventura was conducted, providing an unprecedented empirical body for bioclimatic analysis in the region. The methodology was articulated around the identification and analysis of key passive strategies: natural ventilation (cross and vertical), solar protection (porches and overhangs), and humidity management potential (patios).The main findings establish a robust bioclimatic typological classification that reveals three distinct performance realities. On one hand, the corner house stands out for its inherent potential for cross-ventilation, although it requires optimization of solar control and roof ventilation to achieve comfort. On the other hand, the terraced house with an exterior courtyard validates the efficacy of traditional architecture, confirming the courtyard as a climatic engine or "bioclimatic siphon" essential for hot air suction and central circulation. In contrast, the terraced house without a courtyard is identified as the most bioclimatic vulnerable typology, requiring the forced introduction of an interior "lung" (courtyard or void) to restore ventilation and the chimney effect.The conclusion is compelling: The sustainable and resilient solution for thermal comfort lies in the rigorous validation and optimization of local architectural knowledge. A Bioclimatic Foundation is established, demanding the structural compensation of the high thermal inertia of contemporary materials through High Albedo (white facades) and Structural Solar Control (overhangs/porches). A new paradigm of passive design is proposed that integrates the Double Thermal Action (cross-ventilation + roof convection) and the redefinition of the void space, setting the typology-differentiated design guidelines for future housing in Buenaventura that are efficient, healthy, and culturally relevant.Keywords Humid Tropics, Bioclimatic Design, Natural Ventilation, Housing Typology, Buenaventura, Climate Resilience, Passive Architecture.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN AUTOMATIC CONTROL, ROBOTICS AND VISION

• HAUBENSAK, LUKAS: Optimization and control of multiple fuel cell systems
  
  Author: HAUBENSAK, LUKAS
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN AUTOMATIC CONTROL, ROBOTICS AND VISION
  Department: Department of Automatic Control (ESAII)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 28/05/2026
  Reading date: 21/07/2026
  Reading time: 12:00
  Reading place: Aula Capella, Escola Tècnica Superior d'Enginyeria Industrial de Barcelona (ETSEIB),Planta Baixa, Av. Diagonal, 647 08028 Barcelona
  Thesis director: COSTA CASTELLO, RAMON | STRAHL, STEPHAN
  Thesis abstract: Decarbonizing heavy-duty transportation is a pressing challenge in mitigating climate change. Fuel cell electric vehicles offer a promising zero-emission solution that combines the extended range of chemical fuels with the rapid refueling capabilities required by the freight industry. Commercial trucks increasingly adopt multi-stack fuel cell systems to meet power and redundancy demands. However, the commercial viability of these vehicles depends on minimizing the total cost of ownership. This economic metric directly reflects hydrogen fuel consumption and the degradation of all fuel cell stacks and the traction battery.Minimizing this total cost of ownership requires optimal control strategies that balance fuel economy against component longevity. This control problem is challenging due to stiff system dynamics with widely distributed time scales. Conventional rule-based control strategies react to present conditions and fail to anticipate future loads. Consequently, they schedule start-stop transitions poorly, struggle to prevent thermal derating, and cannot adapt to a declining state-of-health.To overcome these limitations, this dissertation develops a computationally tractable and lifetime-adaptive hierarchical model predictive control framework. A Planning Layer solves a multi-horizon mixed-integer problem to optimize the inter-stack power split, start-stop scheduling, and thermal management over the remaining driving route. Simultaneously, a fast-sampled Operational Layer manages constrained air-system dynamics to satisfy power demands while balancing fuel efficiency against electrochemical surface area loss. A closed-loop estimation scheme monitors stack degradation and automatically refits the internal prediction models to maintain controller accuracy.Simulations on standardized driving cycles demonstrate that this hierarchical controller approximates the global optimum. It consumes only 1.3% more hydrogen than an in-hindsight benchmark while maintaining real-time feasibility. Integrated thermal and energy management preconditions the cooling circuit to prevent thermal derating and enables less conservative component sizing. Furthermore, the proposed adaptive controller shifts its operating strategy over the fuel cell stack's lifetime. At the Begin-of-Life, the controller minimizes fuel cell degradation and reduces electrochemical surface area loss by up to 96.8% As the stack ages and voltage sensitivities decrease, the strategy transitions toward minimizing hydrogen consumption.This framework translates physical degradation mechanisms directly into an economic control objective, integrating electrochemical state-of-health into system-level powertrain management. It shows that predictive and integrated control of thermal, fluid, and power dynamics is a prerequisite to exploit the full hardware potential of hybrid multi-stack powertrains. Resolving these conflicts between fuel economy, component longevity, and computational limits lowers the economic barriers to widespread fuel cell electric vehicle adoption.
  
• URBANIAK, DOMINIK: Autonomous and Collaborative Robotic Systems in 5G Smart Factories
  
  Author: URBANIAK, DOMINIK
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN AUTOMATIC CONTROL, ROBOTICS AND VISION
  Department: Institute of Industrial and Control Engineering (IOC)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 23/06/2026
  Reading date: 22/07/2026
  Reading time: 11:00
  Reading place: Aula 28.8 de l'Escola Tècnica Superior d'Enginyeria Industrial de Barcelona (ETSEIB)Campus Diagonal Sud, Av. Diagonal, 647, 08028 Barcelona
  Thesis director: ROSELL GRATACOS, JOAN | SUAREZ FEIJOO, RAUL | ROSELL GRATACOS, JOAN | SUAREZ FEIJOO, RAUL | SUPPA, MICHAEL
  Thesis abstract: Autonomous and collaborative mobile manipulators are expected to play a central role in future Smart Factories by enabling flexible, human-centered production. Achieving this vision requires robotic systems that can safely react to dynamic human behavior while efficiently executing complex manipulation tasks. These requirements impose high computational demands on perception, planning, and control, which can exceed the capabilities of mobile robotic platforms. Distributed control architectures leveraging edge computing and wireless communication offer a promising solution by enabling computational offloading. However, their effectiveness depends on tightly coupled and interdisciplinary factors spanning communication, computer vision, and control. Beyond computational offloading, distributed control systems also enable distributed perception by integrating external visual sensors, extending the robot’s perceptual field beyond onboard sensing limitations.This thesis investigates how distributed control architectures for autonomous and collaborative mobile manipulators can be designed to safely and efficiently exploit wireless communication and edge computing in industrial environments. Two complementary architectures are developed and evaluated, differing fundamentally in perception placement, control strategy, and the role of communication latency.The first architecture, an Edge-Enabled system, targets safety-critical collaborative scenarios using onboard RGB-D sensing with optional edge offloading. A complete distributed perception-control loop is implemented over private 5G networks, integrating wireless communication, edge-based image processing, and closed-loop Cartesian velocity control. Extensive simulated and real experiments analyze how sensing rate, image resolution and compression, computation latency, communication technology, and quality-of-service settings jointly affect end-to-end reaction time. The results show that edge computing reduces latency only under specific conditions and that robust safety behavior requires explicit mechanisms to handle jitter and perception failures.The second architecture, an Edge-Dependent system, addresses deliberative manipulation under fixed distributed constraints, where perception and planning are performed externally. A learning-based motion planning framework is introduced that generates smooth, near-optimal, collision-free 3D trajectories with low online computation time using external visual data. Simulation and real-robot experiments demonstrate generalization across obstacle configurations and competitive performance compared to established planning baselines.Together, these contributions clarify when wireless edge computing enhances robotic performance and when it introduces fundamental constraints, providing practical system designs and conceptual insights for distributed robotic control in next-generation industrial environments.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN CIVIL ENGINEERING

• GARCIA RIVERA, JUAN PABLO: ESTUDIO EXPERIMENTAL DE LA CONFLUENCIA DE LOS RÍOS TOLTÉN Y ALLIPÉN (CHILE): RESULTADOS HIDRODINÁMICOS
  
  Author: GARCIA RIVERA, JUAN PABLO
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN CIVIL ENGINEERING
  Department: Barcelona School of Civil Engineering (ETSECCPB)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 20/05/2026
  Reading date: 28/07/2026
  Reading time: 10:30
  Reading place: UPC Campus Nord, ETSECCPB, C/ Jordi Girona 1-3, edificio C1, Sala 002, Barcelona
  Thesis director: MARTÍN VIDE, JUAN PEDRO | FERRER BOIX, CARLES
  Thesis abstract: This thesis was motivated by the need to understand the hydrodynamic behavior of the confluence of the Toltén and Allipén rivers (Chile), where a bedload measurement campaign was conducted over 90 days in 2013 using a Helley-Smith sampler. During this campaign, gravel and sand transport was recorded with a non-uniform transverse spatial distribution in the measurement section (transect), referred to in this thesis as section 9. However, the lack of simultaneous hydrodynamic measurements prevented the establishment of cause-and-effect relationships between flow and sediment transport distribution.During the field campaign, individual and total flow rates were also recorded, with values ​​between 180 and 900 m³/s. This information served as the basis for developing experimental scenarios in the physical model.The overall objective of this thesis was to understand the hydrodynamic behavior (three-dimensional velocity field) of this confluence in order to identify patterns that can be generalized to confluences with similar characteristics. The physical model was constructed in the Hydraulics Laboratory of the University of Piura (Peru), with a geometric scale of 1:57.9 defined, conditioned by spatial constraints of the model site. The range of flow rates tested in the model varied between 7.7 and 32.8 l/s.The experiments were designed considering different flow combinations, characterized by a Q_tributary/Q_main flow ratio, whose values ​​ranged between 0.33 and 3.97.The experimental campaign included the calibration of triangular weirs for flow control and the definition of boundary conditions through one-dimensional modeling, using information from the prototype.Sixteen cross-sections were measured, with special emphasis on sections 6, 8, 9, and 11, near the reference transect. A total of 1641 three-dimensional velocity measurements (u, v, w) were taken, recorded at 25 Hz for 120 seconds per point, generating more than 3000 data points per measurement.Data processing was performed in Matlab using proprietary algorithms that included correlation and noise filtering (AADV and CADV), application of the Space-Phase Thresholding method, and Wavelet decomposition. The latter allowed the signal to be separated into low-frequency components (pulsations) and high-frequency components (turbulent fluctuations), facilitating a more in-depth analysis of the flow's temporal structure.Additionally, low-frequency pulsations were identified in each measurement; over a 2-minute period, these pulsations were observed to repeat 6 times. The application of dyes visually confirmed these periodic mixing patterns.From the three-dimensional velocity field, different stress components were estimated: Reynolds stress, low-frequency stress, total stress, cross stresses, and near-bottom stresses. The stresses obtained were compared with the critical stress at the onset of movement for a dimensionless Shields parameter of 0.03 (sands and gravels), allowing the identification of potential bed mobilization zones.Finally, the main contribution of this thesis lies in the detailed experimental characterization of the three-dimensional hydrodynamic field at a confluence with morphological unconformity, through the direct measurement of the three instantaneous velocity components and the analysis of their fluctuations. The results obtained provide physical and methodological criteria transferable to the study of river confluences with similar geometric and hydraulic characteristics.
  
• MONTERO VEGA, MARIANA: Joint Operations of Autonomous Delivery Robots and Mobile Micro Hubs: A Continuous-Approximation and Game-Theoretic Assessment for Urban E-Commerce Logistics
  
  Author: MONTERO VEGA, MARIANA
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN CIVIL ENGINEERING
  Department: Barcelona School of Civil Engineering (ETSECCPB)
  Mode: Article-based thesis
  Deposit date: 03/07/2026
  Reading date: pending
  Reading time: pending
  Reading place: pending
  Thesis director: ESTRADA ROMEU, MIGUEL ANGEL
  Thesis abstract: Last-mile logistics is one of the most resource-intensive and externality-generating segments of urban freight systems, yet market forces consistently fail to align private incentives with social objectives. This thesis investigates the conditions under which Autonomous Delivery Robots can serve as a catalyst for a more sustainable and equitable urban logistics paradigm, examining the problem through the Desirability-Feasibility-Viability framework across four interconnected studies.On the desirability side, a global survey of 1,344 e-commerce users across Europe, Asia, and North America reveals that acceptance of ADRs is real but structurally uneven. Socio-demographic factors, particularly gender, age, and urbanity shapes delivery preferences in ways that have direct implications for infrastructure design and deployment strategy. Parcel lockers emerge as the most preferred delivery modality globally, a finding that motivates their inclusion as a full market participant in the subsequent viability analysis. A multi-regional acceptance study combining structural equation models with an ordered logit model identifies perceived competence as the central mediating variable driving behavioral intention across all regions, while revealing that risk sensitivity and price barriers are significant only in markets where ADRs have not yet achieved commercial deployment. On the feasibility side, the moving micro hub (MMH) concept, a two-echelon system combining Autonomous Hub Vehicles with ADRs is introduced and evaluated through a continuous approximation model across multiple urban demand scenarios. The system reduces delivery costs by 40–55% relative to business-as-usual (BaU) while significantly lowering global warming potential, with ADR body capacity emerging as the dominant cost lever and operational speed as essentially irrelevant. User-derived design constraints from the desirability studies including robot height preferences, multi-compartment design, and off-peak delivery windows are incorporated directly as operational parameters, establishing a quantitative link between stated user preferences and system cost structure.On the viability side, a two-stage game-theoretic model demonstrates that cooperation among business-as-usual, moving micro hub, and parcel locker operators never emerges endogenously under market conditions: the ε-core is strictly positive across all Monte Carlo simulations when there is little to no taxation , establishing that public subsidy is a structural necessity rather than a transitional feature. A Stackelberg regulatory layer shows that Pigovian and diversified tax schemes achieve near-subsidy-free coalition stability at substantially lower fiscal effort than flat entry tolls, while producing fairer profit distributions and maintaining the viability of all three operators. Critically, the minimum subsidy required is shown to be substantially smaller than the monetized externality savings generated by the demand shift toward cleaner technologies, reframing public investment in coalition support as a fiscally efficient instrument for urban sustainability rather than a transfer to private operators. Taken together, the findings establish that the future of last-mile logistics will not be decided by technology alone. ADRs are operationally viable and environmentally beneficial, but their transformative potential depends on the willingness of regulators to price externalities, of system designers to align operational parameters with real user needs, and of policymakers to accept that stable cooperation among heterogeneous operators is a governance achievement, not a market outcome.
  
• MOODE, SESHADRI NAIK: Platooning of Connected Autonomous Vehicles on Freeways: Microscopic Modelling and Management Strategies
  
  Author: MOODE, SESHADRI NAIK
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN CIVIL ENGINEERING
  Department: Barcelona School of Civil Engineering (ETSECCPB)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 03/07/2026
  Reading date: pending
  Reading time: pending
  Reading place: pending
  Thesis director: SORIGUERA MARTÍ, FRANCESC
  Thesis abstract: Platooning Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) via V2X communications is a transformative freeway strategy. Coordinated road trains with short space-gaps increase capacity, harmonize traffic, and reduce emissions. Realizing these benefits in mixed traffic requires integrating microscopic platoon dynamics with macroscopic corridor management. This thesis develops novel vehicle-level models and freeway management strategies to address this.Microscopically, the thesis introduces Platoon Adaptive Cruise Control (PACC), a safe space-gap car-following framework. PACC optimizes efficiency, stability, and safety, maintaining asymptotic stability across diverse contexts. Under severe incidents, its emergency braking averts collisions for instantaneous decelerations up to 1g. In extreme scenarios, residual collisions are strictly localized to immediate followers, proving PACC substantially improves safety over human driving.Macroscopically, four lane-management policies for CAV platoons in mixed traffic (0–75% penetration) are evaluated: strict left-lane dedication (D1), left-lane shared (S1), hybrid dedicated-plus-shared (D1S1), and two-lane shared (S2). Using a hybrid PACC/CACC architecture, throughput benefits prove policy-dependent. Dedicated control (D1) achieves highest peak flows but induces cross-lane imbalance, bursty platoons, staggered breakdown, and turbulence. Shared policies (S1, S2) yield compact, predictable traffic. The hybrid policy (D1S1) balances capacity and stability at intermediate penetrations but exhibits erratic platooning at high penetrations, requiring stage-specific tuning.Environmental impacts are assessed using a physics-based tractive power and VT-Micro chain. Normalizing against 0% CAV baselines to isolate automation effects, the thesis proves environmental benefits depend on actual local platoon formation (r = -0.92 for energy versus platoon rate), not nominal corridor penetration. Broad two-lane sharing (S2) delivers robust reductions up to 14.6% in energy/CO2 and 68.3% in NOx. Conversely, strict dedication (D1) amplifies aggressive catch-up maneuvers; occupying 3–6% of distance, they contribute up to 43% of NOx emissions, yielding an 8.6% energy benefit and a 1.8% NOx increase.For dynamic CAV integration, a hierarchical optimal control framework for discretionary lane-changing in non-cooperative mixed traffic is proposed. The tactical layer uses a physics-informed Dynamic Programming (DP) planner, penalizing incipient shockwaves and speed mismatches. The operational layer employs a longitudinal Optimal Control Problem (OCP) with adaptive uncertainty buffers, alongside a continuous-time Control Barrier Function (CBF) safety filter. Operating without V2V negotiation, this DP+OCP+CBF architecture maximizes throughput and minimizes shockwaves. Though computationally viable online, metrics reveal an efficiency-comfort trade-off.Overall, the thesis demonstrates that systemic CAV platooning benefits depend fundamentally on the joint design of robust vehicle control, adaptive lane policies, and local CAV sorting, not just market penetration. These frameworks provide a blueprint for safe, sustainable CAV deployment.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN COMPUTATIONAL AND APPLIED PHYSICS

• ALVAREZ GALERA, EDGAR: HELIUM NUCLEATION IN LIQUID ALKALI METALS AND LEAD–LITHIUM ALLOYS
  
  Author: ALVAREZ GALERA, EDGAR
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN COMPUTATIONAL AND APPLIED PHYSICS
  Department: Department of Physics (FIS)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 25/06/2026
  Reading date: 22/07/2026
  Reading time: 09:00
  Reading place: Sala de Juntes de la FIB, Edifici B6, planta 1, Campus Nord UPC
  Thesis director: MARTÍ RABASSA, JORDI | BATET MIRACLE, LLUIS
  Thesis abstract: In this thesis, the mixing of helium with liquid metals is studied from atomistic and computational perspectives using classical molecular dynamics methods. The main objective is to understand the microscopic mechanisms governing helium nucleation in various liquid metals, with particular emphasis on the lead--lithium eutectic.The obtained results contribute to a better understanding of processes occurring in metal--gas systems, with applications in materials science and nuclear engineering. These mixtures are relatively exotic and have been scarcely studied due to the experimental difficulties associated with handling them. The work compiled in this thesis was motivated by the need to characterize tritium breeding blankets in future nuclear fusion reactors, where free neutrons interact with lithium atoms present in the lead--lithium eutectic alloy. In this process, not only is tritium produced, but helium is also released as a by-product. The reportedly low solubility of helium in various liquid metals suggests a strong tendency towards nanobubble formation within breeder modules. Consequently, understanding the underlying microscopic mechanisms governing helium dissolution, transport, and aggregation is essential for improving the efficiency, reliability, safety, and long-term sustainability of fusion energy conversion systems.Interactions between helium and metal atoms, as well as the physical mechanisms governing noble-gas segregation, were analysed through numerical simulations. Throughout this thesis, the effects induced by thermodynamic conditions (temperature and solvent composition) were investigated. Although the main focus was placed on the lead--lithium eutectic system, the study was not restricted to this composition: various lead/lithium ratios and other pure liquid alkali solvents were also investigated.In the first part of the thesis, interaction models for liquid metals and their mixtures with helium were proposed. At this stage, the effects of tritium on the nucleation process were neglected as a first approximation. Force fields describing all interactions within the mixtures were adapted from interatomic potentials available in the literature. The liquid-metal models incorporated the effective contribution of electron clouds, and the evaluation of thermodynamic, structural, and volumetric properties was used to assess their performance. Additionally, helium was treated, as a second approximation, without explicit electronic contributions. We successfully reproduced many thermophysical properties, thereby partially validating the proposed model. Consequently, the resulting force fields relied on the assumed transferability of interatomic potentials to the thermodynamic conditions investigated in this work.In the second part of the thesis, the most innovative studies are presented. These correspond to the analysis of helium solubilities (Henry’s law constants) in alkali metals and lead--lithium alloys, as well as interfacial tensions and pressure inhomogeneities at their dividing surfaces. Under the assumption that these processes are governed by classical nucleation theory, these two sets of studies allow the determination of the volumetric and interfacial contributions involved in the work of bubble formation. The former is determined by the degree of supersaturation in a mixture in which helium is initially dissolved and is intrinsically linked to solubility. The latter is proportional to the area of the dividing surface, with interfacial tension acting as a multiplicative factor.Finally, for completeness and to obtain a more accurate representation of the mixtures, tritium was included through potential models developed in this work in order to predict the effects of the hydrogen isotope on the previous results.
  
• GANCIO VAZQUEZ, JUAN: Characterizing and detecting changes in complex multidimensional data with permutation entropy
  
  Author: GANCIO VAZQUEZ, JUAN
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN COMPUTATIONAL AND APPLIED PHYSICS
  Department: Department of Physics (FIS)
  Mode: Article-based thesis
  Deposit date: 25/06/2026
  Reading date: 30/07/2026
  Reading time: 11:00
  Reading place: Sala de conferencias, Edificio TR5, puerta 1.41, Campus Terrassa
  Thesis director:
  Thesis abstract: The analysis of signals obtained from complex dynamical systems is very important, not only from the point of view of many practical and interdisciplinary applications, but also, from the point of view of fundamental science, for elucidating the underlying mechanisms that generate complex behaviors. On one side, large amounts of data are currently used for purposes that have significant impact on society, for example, the detection and prediction of epidemic spreads, the analysis of trends in mobility and transportation networks, weather forecasting, to name a few. On the other side, many of the most challenging scientific endeavors intend to untangle many of these complex systems, such as the global climate and the human brain, and rely on the analysis of the signals that can be extracted from them. The analysis of these signals, even using modern approaches like machine learning and artificial intelligence, is based on the extraction of features that encode the relevant information that one needs for the specific end. One of the possible techniques used to extract features is ordinal analysis, which was proposed more than 20 years ago and looks at the relative ordering of data points to determine different aspects of the systems, like how predictable, complex, or efficient they are. Although it has been extensively applied to a wide variety of systems, and generalized to include additional aspects of the data, as well to extract temporal and spatial features, there are still aspects of its implementation to be addressed. The main goal of this thesis is to demonstrate new applications of ordinal pattern analysis for uncovering temporal and spatial structures in real world complex data. Specifically, I analyze experimental recordings obtained during the turn-on of a complex multimode laser; I analyze EEG signals recorded from healthy subjects in different conditions (eyes open or eyes open) and I analyze and compare sea surface temperature anomalies of two well-known climate datasets, in two important geography regions (El Niño and Gulf Stream). In the first chapter of the results section, I present the experimental analysis of a long cavity semiconductor laser in order to anticipate and identify the threshold bifurcation that occurs during its turn on. In the second chapter of the results section, I present the analysis of brain data obtained from electroencephalograms (EEG): recordings of the brains electrical activity obtained from the scalp in two conditions, the subjects having their eyes open (EO) or their eyes closed (EC). Here I show how the temporal and spatial features perform in the classification between the EO and EC states, and how, for the spatial features, evaluating the correlations with specific orientations can improve this performance. Finally, in the final chapter of the results section, I analyze two datasets of sea surface temperature anomaly, and I show how the spatial features allow the detection of transitions caused by changes in the acquisition and processing methodology of these datasets, showing also how their agreement improves with time. Taken together, the studies carried out in this thesis demonstrate that ordinal analysis offers great flexibility, allowing the selection of different time scales, different spatial scales, or different shapes and orientations of patterns, which allows to obtain relevant features that encapsulate complementary information to characterize complex spatio-temporal data.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE

• ÁLVAREZ ROBERT, DAVID: On the co-design of runtimes, systems and programming interfaces for HPC
  
  Author: ÁLVAREZ ROBERT, DAVID
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE
  Department: Department of Computer Architecture (DAC)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 25/06/2026
  Reading date: 28/07/2026
  Reading time: 11:30
  Reading place: Sala d'Actes de la FIB, Edifici B6, planta 0, Campus Nord UPC
  Thesis director: BELTRAN QUEROL, VICENÇ
  Thesis abstract: High-performance computing (HPC) platforms are evolving towards increasingly complex architectures: many-core CPUs with multi-level NUMA hierarchies, heterogeneity with multiple classes of accelerators and higher-capacity interconnects. The increasing complexity and variety of resources in these machines make it harder for application programmers to use them efficiently and effectively. As a result, many resources in modern HPC clusters remain underutilized, limiting energy efficiency and the potential throughput of the machine.This thesis argues that addressing these challenges requires co-design across the software stack, from runtime mechanisms and programming interfaces to system-level policies. We first study task-based runtimes and identify opportunities to reduce overheads and improve scalability on many-core machines, introducing novel scheduling and dependency-management techniques that maintain throughput under extreme concurrency. We then tackle programmability and performance in heterogeneous systems, proposing runtime and interface support to better overlap data movement, accelerator offloading, and CPU computation.We also make a case for the effective co-design of applications and programming models through the study of an increasingly common application class: iterative data-flow computations, commonly used in simulations, iterative solvers, and AI. Through this study, we propose specific optimizations for this application class, showing how holistic co-design approaches can lead to significant speedups.Finally, we present the nOS-V library with the goal of improving system-wide utilization through application co-scheduling, and we later apply the same methodology to obtain truly interoperable programming models, enabling multiple runtimes and parallel libraries to coexist within a single application with reduced mutual interference.Overall, the contributions of this thesis provide a set of runtime techniques, programming abstractions, and system mechanisms that jointly improve throughput, efficiency, and composability on next-generation HPC systems.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING

• KOMARIZADEH ASL, SEYED MAHYAD: Real-Time Temperature-Compensated Atmospheric Corrosion Monitoring at Low Cost: The CORTEX System and a Validated IoT Framework for Structural Health Monitoring
  
  Author: KOMARIZADEH ASL, SEYED MAHYAD
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (DECA)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 01/07/2026
  Reading date: pending
  Reading time: pending
  Reading place: pending
  Thesis director: TOSIC, NIKOLA | TURMO CODERQUE, JOSE
  Thesis abstract: Civil infrastructure forms the physical substrate of contemporary economic activity, yet the metallic components of its load-bearing skeleton are continuously deteriorating under atmospheric attack at an annual cost approaching 3 to 4 percent of gross domestic product in every industrialized economy. Despite this scale, approximately 98 percent of the global bridge inventory is currently assessed exclusively through periodic visual inspection rather than continuous instrumented monitoring. Electrical resistance (ER) measurement has been the proven standard for service-condition corrosion monitoring in the petroleum industry for decades, but its adaptation to civil infrastructure has been obstructed by the cost of the dedicated commercial data-acquisition systems required to interrogate the probes, priced between 1,800 and 11,700 US dollars per channel.This dissertation develops and validates a low-cost open-source alternative. The Low-cost Electrical Resistance Ohm analYzer (LEROY), developed in the early phase of the doctoral program, achieved 7 to 30 microohm practical resolution on Arduino-class hardware and was validated against gravimetric mass loss within 3.31 percent over a 125-day accelerated test. The LEROY testing program also quantified why basic Arduino-class hardware cannot handle the temperature dependence of resistance under continuous field conditions and confined such hardware to static readings.Virtually every commercial ACM instrument addresses the temperature problem in hardware, by adding a coated reference probe. The strategy is structurally fragile because the reference probe's thermal mass and surface heat-transfer characteristics differ from those of the exposed active probe, producing phase-dependent compensation errors precisely when temperature is changing most rapidly. The central scientific decision was to address the temperature problem algorithmically: to eliminate the reference probe entirely and reformulate compensation as a real-time firmware operation grounded in the solid-state physics of metallic resistivity. This led to the CORrosion Temperature EXpert (CORTEX) system, the central technical contribution of the dissertation and the subject of European Patent Application EP25382628.CORTEX integrates an 18-bit delta-sigma ADC co-designed with a 156.23 mA precision current source so that one least significant bit corresponds to 0.1 milliohm, a four-wire Kelvin signal path, and an SHT35 digital temperature sensor co-located with the probe. A 12-stage autonomous firmware pipeline executes a real-time temperature compensation algorithm derived from first principles and validated across a 30-test program spanning laboratory, field, and isothermal regimes. The temperature coefficient was confirmed as a stable AISI 1010 material property (mean 0.448 plus or minus 0.007 percent per degree Celsius); the thermal lag was shown to be environment-dependent. Allan deviation analysis per IEEE Std 952-1997 established a field detection limit of 0.038 ± 0.009 μm (3σ). The platform completed 22.4 days of autonomous IoT-enabled field deployment in Barcelona with energy neutrality maintained by a 100 W solar panel.The dissertation closes with an accelerated wet-and-dry cycling campaign per ASTM G44 over 11 days, in which AISI 1010 probes were subjected to alternating immersion in 3.5 weight-percent NaCl electrolyte. The corrosion-progression measurement obtained from the temperature compensation algorithm, after correction for partial-immersion geometry and time-of-wetness scaling, reconciled with the independent ASTM G1 gravimetric mass-loss measurement to within 2.0 percent under ISO 9223 Category CX exposure. The work supports the central claim that a low-cost open-source framework can deliver commercial-grade quantitative atmospheric corrosion monitoring of metallic civil infrastructure.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

• MONTALÀ PALAU, MONTSERRAT: Resilience in Power Systems: From Technology to System-Level Perspectives
  
  Author: MONTALÀ PALAU, MONTSERRAT
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Electrical Engineering (DEE)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 17/06/2026
  Reading date: 28/07/2026
  Reading time: 10:00
  Reading place: Aula Capella - ETSEIB-UPC
  Thesis director: GOMIS BELLMUNT, ORIOL | CHEAH MAÑÉ, MARC
  Thesis abstract: This thesis is structured around a concept that has recently been linked to electrical systems: resilience. These systems have become fundamental for the functioning of modern societies, and, for this reason, it is necessary to continue transforming them while ensuring their proper operation. This thesis addresses the concept of resilience in electrical systems from two complementary perspectives. The first focuses on the development of a methodology, implemented in an open-source tool, that allows the assessment of the power system resilience and the analysis of how the deployment of different technologies can modify it. The second focuses on specific technologies and is articulated around the concept of ramp rate limit. Regarding the first part, the concept of resilience in electrical systems is relatively recent and has emerged to overcome the limitations of the traditional concept of reliability. Resilience aims to consider a wide range of events that may affect the electrical system, including those with low probability but high impact, and to quantify their consequences in energy, social, and economic terms. Although the concept of resilience has been incorporated into new policies, roadmaps, and technological developments, its measurement and quantification remain a challenge.In this context, the development of resilient electrical systems requires both the collection of data on current systems and the identification of possible future events that may affect them. This makes it necessary to have methodologies capable of integrating and evaluating this information in a coordinated manner. To address this challenge, the thesis proposes a methodology that combines traditional tools for the analysis of electrical systems, such as Optimal Power Flows (OPF), with Geographic Information Systems (GIS). In this approach, resilience is quantified in terms of the total energy at risk in a given power system when exposed to specific hazards. This methodology has been implemented in a tool whose objective is to facilitate its use with basic electrical knowledge, so that it can be used by a wide range of users. As for the second part, the ramp rate limit, adopted by several countries, is defined as a strategy to control the speed of variations in the rate of change of active power from generation plants, mainly wind and photovoltaic solar plants. In addition, since renewable plants may operate without dedicated voltage control and at constant power factor, limiting active power variations also slows down reactive power changes, giving the system additional time to activate alternative voltage control resources.Despite its relevance, the implementation of ramp rate limits continues to represent a challenge for the different agents of the electrical system. In this sense, the thesis proposes a methodology that allows system operators to determine the required ramp rate limit based on system parameters such as inertia, damping, and response time constants. Likewise, a methodology is presented for renewable energy plant developers to design installations that comply with these requirements. Since this often involves the incorporation of energy storage systems, the proposed methodology is flexible and allows the exploration of the use of different storage technologies.Each section includes case studies that have allowed for the validation of the robustness of the developed methodologies and tools, showing how different strategies and technologies affect the resilience and stability of the electrical system.Overall, this doctoral thesis makes a significant contribution to the development of resilient electrical systems, aiming to ensure their proper functioning and, in doing so, to support life and essential activities in contemporary societies.
  
• MOSHARI MAMAGHANI, VAHID: Grid-forming converter control for modern high-voltage transmission networks
  
  Author: MOSHARI MAMAGHANI, VAHID
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Electrical Engineering (DEE)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 17/06/2026
  Reading date: 27/07/2026
  Reading time: 10:00
  Reading place: Aula 28.8 Sala de Conferències. ETSEIB-UPC
  Thesis director: GOMIS BELLMUNT, ORIOL | PRIETO ARAUJO, EDUARDO
  Thesis abstract: The voltage source converter (VSC) operating in grid-forming (GFM) mode is one of the promising control approaches for the integration of renewable energy sources in future power systems. GFM technology offers numerous advantages due to its inherent voltage-source behavior, enabling improved system stability as well as support for grid restoration services. Technologies capable of providing GFM functionalities include high voltage direct current (HVDC) systems, flexible alternating current transmission systems (FACTS), power park modules (PPMs), and battery energy storage systems (BESS).In recent years, the GFM control concept has gained significant attention due to its potential benefits in grid stabilization and auxiliary services. Several manufacturers are already offering assets with GFM control capabilities; however, the associated control strategies, limitations, and system-level interactions have yet to be comprehensively addressed in the literature. This work focuses on the application of GFM control to HVDC system and static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) integrated with energy storage.First, detailed electromagnetic transient (EMT) models and control implementations of STATCOMs operating in both GFM and grid-following (GFL) modes are presented, along with a generic synchronous condenser model for comparison. Different configurations of voltage and current control loops are analyzed. A complete converter control scheme, including grid-side and internal energy controllers for the MMC topology, is developed and tuned according to TransnetBW GFM requirements, including AC current and DC voltage limiting functions.The system-level performance is evaluated using a developed 9-bus benchmark grid based on the TransnetBW network. Initial time-domain simulations are conducted to improve and refine the GFM-STATCOM control. The impact of different fault locations on the fault ride-through (FRT) performance of the GFM-STATCOM is analyzed and compared using both time-domain simulations and scanning methods.Finally, based on the experience and results obtained from PSCAD modeling, control tuning, and development of the 9-bus benchmark, a set of conformity tests for GFM-STATCOMs is proposed.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING

• BATET XAUS, GERARD: Contributions to Acoustic Biotelemetry Technologies for Tracking Underwater Species
  
  Author: BATET XAUS, GERARD
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Electronic Engineering (EEL)
  Mode: Article-based thesis
  Deposit date: 29/06/2026
  Reading date: 24/07/2026
  Reading time: 10:30
  Reading place: aula VGE202 - Sala Polivalent ( Neàpolis)
  Thesis director: DEL RIO FERNANDEZ, JOAQUIN | MASMITJÀ RUSIÑOL, IVAN
  Thesis abstract: Due to the increasing impacts of climate change and human activities, Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been established as high-value zones that require continuous monitoring to preserve marine habitats and evaluate ecological shifts.To accurately assess the state of conservation within these MPAs, there is a critical need for tracking marine species and observing their behaviours. However, current state-of-the-art acoustic tagging systems face operational limitations, as they are traditionally restricted to simple detection mechanisms that only provide basic data on the absence or presence of a species within a targeted area.Currently, determining the precise positions of these tagged species relies heavily on the deployment of large receiver arrays and extensive, fixed infrastructure. Implementing a bidirectional system ensures an easier and more accurate position calculation process. When combined with different state-of-the-art receiving technologies, the tracking of a bidirectional acoustic tag (BTAG) becomes highly dynamic and can be achieved with a significantly smaller infrastructure footprint.To address the identified gaps in current monitoring frameworks, this thesis proposes a novel BTAG system. The contribution presents both the design of the tag's electronic topology and its firmware architecture, focused on ultra-low power. Furthermore, the proposed system is designed to maximise interoperability, ensuring full compliance and functional integration with existing state-of-the-art commercial acoustic telemetry equipment.Finally, to validate the usability and operational reliability of the proposed BTAG system, comprehensive evaluations are conducted. The device and its communication capabilities are tested through controlled laboratory experiments, operational field trials, and oceanographic campaigns where autonomous vehicles are introduced, successfully demonstrating the BTAG viability for modern marine biotelemetry.
  
• GAMEL, MANSUR MOHAMMED ALI: Development of Epitaxial-free c-Ge Thermophotovoltaic Devices: from Double-Side Towards Interdigitated Back Contacted Structures
  
  Author: GAMEL, MANSUR MOHAMMED ALI
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Electronic Engineering (EEL)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 22/06/2026
  Reading date: 23/07/2026
  Reading time: 11:00
  Reading place: Aula de Teleensenyament, edifici B3
  Thesis director: MARTIN GARCIA, ISIDRO | GARIN ESCRIVA, MOISES
  Thesis abstract: Meeting global electricity demand while mitigating climate change requires technologies that overcome renewable intermittency. Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) conversion is a promising solid-state solution for applications including thermal storage and waste heat recovery. Recent TPV devices exceed 40% efficiency, rivaling Stirling and Brayton engines, but they rely on expensive III–V semiconductors and epitaxial growth, limiting economic viability.This thesis focuses on crystalline germanium (c-Ge) as a low-cost alternative absorber and develops non-epitaxial fabrication methods (PECVD, ALD, laser processing) for Ge TPV cells, progressing from double-side contacts to interdigitated back contact (IBC) structures.First, selective contacts for p-type c-Ge are developed. For hole-selective contact, a novel ohmic contact uses a dielectric passivation stack (a-SiCₓ/Al₂O₃/a-SiC) with UV laser processing (355 nm), achieving a spot radius of ~6 µm, recombination velocity 1.7×10³ cm/s, contact resistivity 0.057 mΩ·cm², and >90% sub-bandgap reflectance. For electron-selective contact, we develop n-type nanocrystalline silicon layers (nc-Si(n)) on c-Ge(p) exhibits high conductivity (42 Ω⁻¹ cm⁻¹), low activation energy (0.013 eV), and doping ~1×10²⁰ cm⁻³. A thin amorphous silicon interfacial layer improves passivation but severely impedes carrier transport; thus, nc-Si(n) without this layer is chosen for device integration.Following the development and characterization of the electron- and hole-selective contacts, the second part of this thesis is focused on fabricating c-Ge-based TPV devices. In a systematic study comparing c-Ge substrates with high (2 × 10¹⁶ cm⁻³) and medium (2 × 10¹⁵ cm⁻³) doping levels, each integrated with either a full rear contacted (FRC) or a passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC) architecture. The electrical and optical performance of each design is characterized and the results demonstrate that high substrate doping is essential for minimizing series resistance. However, photon recycling enabled by the PERC architecture emerged as the dominant factor for efficiency enhancement, with the high-doped PERC cell achieving a peak estimated conversion efficiency of 8.41% at an emitter temperature of 1500 K. Finally, a compatible fabrication process was designed, and the first batch of IBC structures was produced with promising results. To improve IBC TPV devices, we propose to incorporate nanotextured black germanium (b-Ge) at the front surface. To do so, we resolve the critical passivation challenge for b-Ge on highly doped substrates, enabling its integration into IBC TPV cells. While standard Al₂O₃ passivation degrades at the required doping levels (>10¹⁵ cm⁻³), an a-SiCₓ(i)/Al₂O₃ stack successfully provides both chemical and field passivation, achieving surface recombination velocities well below 100 cm/s for b-Ge. Device simulations incorporating the passivated b-Ge front surface indicate a superior output power density, surpassing that of state-of-the-art of TPV c-Ge cells.Overall, the results obtained in this thesis demonstrate the first c-Ge-based TPV cell with a non-epitaxial heterojunction, contributing significantly to the advancement of cost-effective TPV technology.
  
• GARCÍA LIMÓN, JOSÉ ALBERTO: Diseño e implementación de un sistema de medida no invasiva de parámetros cardiovasculares en calzado
  
  Author: GARCÍA LIMÓN, JOSÉ ALBERTO
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Electronic Engineering (EEL)
  Mode: Change of supervisor
  Deposit date: 29/06/2026
  Reading date: pending
  Reading time: pending
  Reading place: pending
  Thesis director: CASANELLA ALONSO, RAMON | ALVARADO SERRANO, CARLOS
  Thesis abstract: Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of mortality worldwide, driving the development of technologies for continuous monitoring. Among the most relevant biomarkers are heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), and pulse transit time (PTT), which is closely related to arterial stiffness and blood pressure. However, accurate estimation of PTT in wearable devices remains a challenge, mainly due to the difficulty of obtaining proximal references unaffected by the cardiac pre-ejection period (PEP).This thesis proposes a novel approach for cardiovascular monitoring based on plantar acquisition of physiological signals through sensors integrated into a shoe insole. A measurement system based on a piezoelectric sensor in the heel region was developed to capture the ballistocardiogram (BCG), a mechanical signal associated with blood ejection. Widely accepted physiological models relate its morphology to pressure gradients in the aorta, enabling the extraction of both proximal and distal information along the aortic segment. The proposed system was validated against the standard weighing scale BCG and employed to estimate several cardiovascular parameters.In addition, a continuous wavelet transform (CWT)-based algorithm was validated for robust J-wave detection in BCG signals. Evaluated using multiple datasets with different sensors, body positions, and mechanical interfaces, it yielded the following sensitivity (Se) and positive predictive value (P+): chair (99.87% and 98.48%), bed (99.64% and 97.60%), and weighing scale (99% and 88%) over a total of 9,266 heartbeats, demonstrating robust performance for HR estimation. This behavior was also observed using the proposed plantar BCG system, achieving P+ and Se values of (97.07% and 84.85%) and (98.20% and 93.42%) during standing and seated conditions, respectively, with coverage factors above 95%. Furthermore, robust estimation of temporal HRV parameters was achieved in the seated position, and a significant correlation (r = 0.8, p < 0.001) was observed between the plantar BCG I–J interval and carotid–femoral pulse transit time, suggesting its potential as an indirect marker of arterial stiffness.As a complementary approach, this work explored impedance plethysmography (IPG) for distal pulse arrival time (PAT) detection at the foot. Results showed that, although photoplethysmography generally provides higher signal quality, its performance is more sensitive to sensor contact pressure and peripheral vasoconstriction. In contrast, the IPG enabled robust pulse detection under realistic operating conditions, including the presence of textile layers, making it particularly suitable for footwear-based systems.Finally, combining BCG and IPG signals enabled the estimation of whole-body pulse transit time (wb-PTT), showing a significant correlation (r = 0.72, p = 0.001) with the reference system based on carotid tonometry and photoplethysmography. This approach overcomes the limitations of conventional wearable devices based on short arterial paths and enables continuous, non-invasive cardiovascular monitoring compatible with daily activities. Overall, the results demonstrate the feasibility of a new generation of smart insoles. Integrating BCG and IPG into a single platform enables a comprehensive characterization of cardiovascular status and opens new opportunities for applications in digital health, preventive medicine, and remote clinical monitoring.
  
• VILELLA VEGA, MANEL: Enhanced modulation strategies for a high-efficiency energy conversion system for electric vehicles
  
  Author: VILELLA VEGA, MANEL
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Electronic Engineering (EEL)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 22/04/2026
  Reading date: 28/07/2026
  Reading time: 11:00
  Reading place: Sala de Conferències (TR1-085), campus de Terrassa
  Thesis director: ZARAGOZA BERTOMEU, JORDI | BERBEL ARTAL, NÉSTOR
  Thesis abstract: The global transition toward electric vehicles (EVs) has intensified the demand for high-efficiency power electronics. On-Board chargers (OBCs) and bidirectional energy conversion systems are essential to manage the flow between the grid and the vehicle battery. These systems must be compact, lightweight, and capable of high-power density to satisfy modern automotive requirements. In this context, isolated bidirectional DC-DC conversion, specifically the Dual Active Bridge (DAB) converter, has emerged as a key technology due to its inherent galvanic isolation and high performance. To achieve high power density and efficiency, this research utilizes WBG semiconductors, specifically GaN devices, which allow for higher switching frequencies compared to traditional silicon.The primary objective of this doctoral work is to optimise control and modulation techniques to exploit the full potential of GaN semiconductors while mitigating high-frequency operation challenges, such as parasitic effects, thermal management, and EMI. The research is structured around four main contributions.First, the thesis experimentally evaluates a GaN-based non-resonant DAB converter, analysing the trade-offs between switching frequency, efficiency, and EMI. It demonstrates that increasing the switching frequency up to 200 kHz maintains high efficiency while enabling a significant reduction in the size of passive components without compromising electromagnetic compatibility.Secondly, a mathematical quantification of the steady-state DC current in non-resonant DAB converters is introduced. The formulation, which accounts for semiconductor resistance variations and timing mismatches, is validated experimentally and coupled with a closed-loop voltage compensation control strategy to effectively mitigate these parasitic DC currents.Thirdly, a variable frequency modulation is developed to reduce transient surge currents during start-up and load variations. Finally, the thesis explores the modular series-parallel connection of converters to scale the system for different EV battery voltages.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

• COLLADO CIPRÉS, VERÓNICA: Hot deformation behaviour of WC–Co cemented carbides
  
  Author: COLLADO CIPRÉS, VERÓNICA
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Materials Science and Engineering (CEM)
  Mode: Article-based thesis
  Deposit date: 03/06/2026
  Reading date: 10/09/2026
  Reading time: 11:30
  Reading place: ESCOLA D'ENGINYERIA BARCELONA ESTC/Eduard Maristany, 16 (08019 Barcelona)EDIFICI A planta 0, SALA D'ACTEShttps://meet.google.com/pcm-czdv-rxr
  Thesis director: LLANES PITARCH, LUIS MIGUEL | GARCÍA, JOSÉ LUIS
  Thesis abstract: This PhD thesis presents a systematic approach to describe, model, and understand the hot deformation behaviour of cemented carbides—composite materials based on tungsten carbide (WC) and cobalt (Co), commonly known as hardmetals—under service-like conditions. The work aims to bridge the gap between traditional room-temperature studies and the complex mechanical demands encountered at elevated temperatures.Hardmetals are used in applications requiring extreme mechanical performance, such as cutting tools, mining equipment, and forming dies. Historically, research has concentrated on their room-temperature properties, mainly hardness and fracture toughness. However, such studies do not capture the complex mechanical behaviour at elevated temperatures, where plastic deformation becomes a dominant wear mechanism.Previous investigations into high-temperature deformation have primarily relied on creep testing, which is conducted under very low strain rates and constant stress. While these studies have helped to identify deformation regimes and mechanisms such as grain boundary sliding and binder infiltration, they do not reflect the dynamic, high-strain-rate conditions experienced during actual service, such as in machining operations. Similarly, research on hot hardness has shown that fine-grained WC structures tend to retain higher hardness at lower temperatures but may soften more rapidly at elevated temperatures—highlighting the need for a deeper understanding of microstructural effects under thermal stress.This thesis addresses these critical knowledge gaps by systematically studying the hot deformation behaviour of WC–Co cemented carbides under service-like conditions, with strain rates ranging from 0.0005 to 0.1 s⁻¹ and temperatures from 700 °C up to 1000 °C. The research unfolds in three interconnected stages. The first study investigates sintered cobalt, the binder phase in WC–Co. Through hot compression testing, the deformation mechanisms were characterised, revealing a creep exponent of n = 5 and an activation energy consistent with self-diffusion in face-centered cubic Co. These findings indicate that deformation is governed by dislocation glide and climb.A physically based constitutive equation was developed to describe the peak stress in WC–Co as the sum of three components: stress carried by the binder, stress accommodated by the WC, and stress arising from the interaction between the two phases. The WC phase exhibited an activation energy of 585 kJ/mol, attributed to W pipe diffusion, and a high stress exponent (n = 19), indicating minimal sensitivity to temperature and strain rate—typical of ceramic materials. The interaction term was modelled using the binder mean free path and carbide skeleton stiffness, revealing its significant influence on overall mechanical resistance.The final study incorporated WC grain size into the constitutive model. Experimental results demonstrated that fine-grained WC structures exhibit higher resistance to plastic deformation at lower temperatures due to grain boundary strengthening. However, this advantage diminishes rapidly at elevated temperatures, where grain boundary sliding and binder infiltration become dominant deformation mechanisms. Coarser WC grains, while less resistant at room temperature, maintain structural integrity more effectively under thermal stress. Microstructural analysis via electron back-scattered diffraction confirmed these trends, highlighting the role of grain boundaries, phase transformations, and interface behaviour.These studies provide a framework for understanding and optimizing the high-temperature mechanical behaviour of WC–Co cemented carbides. By bridging the gap between microstructural characterisation and physical modelling, this thesis advances the field beyond traditional room-temperature and creep-based analyses, offering practical tools for designing hardmetals capable of withstanding extreme service conditions.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN MECHANICAL, FLUIDS AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING

• CHÁVEZ PEREDA, ERICK DAVID: Study and identification of mechanical parameters while cutting tissues with vibrating hypodermic needles
  
  Author: CHÁVEZ PEREDA, ERICK DAVID
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN MECHANICAL, FLUIDS AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Mechanical Engineering (EM)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 10/06/2026
  Reading date: 21/07/2026
  Reading time: 11:00
  Reading place: Biblioteca del Museu Víctor Balaguer de Vilanova i la Geltrú.
  Thesis director: SÁNCHEZ EGEA, ANTONIO JOSÉ
  Thesis abstract: Robot-assisted needle insertion is currently under active development for minimally invasive percutaneous procedures due to its potential for high precision and repeatability. However, despite these advantages, the interaction between the needle and soft tissue inherently causes tissue damage, which can compromise targeting accuracy and overall performance. Friction at the needle–tissue interface is the main factor influencing the degree of damage. Therefore, this thesis investigates and models the role of friction in needle–tissue interaction to identify insertion conditions that minimize tissue damage.The factors influencing friction and tissue damage considered in this study were the needle insertion speed and the vibratory relative motion of the needle. To evaluate their effects in ex vivo turkey breast, selected as the tissue model, two tissue damage criteria were employed: the hole size remaining in the tissue after needle withdrawal and the friction force measured during needle withdrawal. A dynamic friction model of the needle–tissue interaction, based on the Dahl model, was developed using these criteria. First, the influence of insertion speed on tissue damage was investigated through controlled experiments at constant speeds. The model parameters were identified from experimental data using the least-squares method. Subsequently, a model-based optimization was performed to determine the insertion speed that minimizes tissue damage, obtaining an optimal value of 4.4 mm/s. Second, the effect of vibration-assisted insertion on tissue damage was analyzed using the same two damage criteria. A custom-designed vibratory actuator was developed to generate axial oscillations during needle insertion. The dynamic friction model was extended to account for the vibratory relative motion, and the corresponding parameters were identified using the least-squares method. A model-based optimization of the extended model was then carried out to determine the optimal vibration frequency, resulting in an optimal range of 800–1100 Hz. This optimization was performed while keeping the optimal insertion speed fixed. Overall, the combination of an insertion speed of 4.4 mm/s and a vibration frequency of 800–1100 Hz was identified as the optimal condition for minimizing tissue damage in ex vivo turkey breast.This thesis proposes a methodology for optimizing needle insertion parameters in soft tissues, based on fundamental principles of needle–tissue interaction. The developed dynamic friction model can be extended to other soft tissues by applying the same experimental procedure to identify the corresponding interaction parameters. This enables the use of a model-based optimization framework to determine optimal insertion conditions in different case studies.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE ENVIRONMENT

• MULERO JIMÉNEZ, LORENA: Bosc i Sostenibilitat: proposta educativa a l’entorn dels serveis ecosistèmics del bosc i els ODS amb pedagogia de ciència oberta a secundària
  
  Author: MULERO JIMÉNEZ, LORENA
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE ENVIRONMENT
  Department: Department of Mining, Industrial and ICT Engineering (EMIT)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 18/06/2026
  Reading date: 03/09/2026
  Reading time: 12:00
  Reading place: Sala de Juntes de l'EPSEM
  Thesis director:
  Thesis abstract: We live in a society that normalizes crises. These crises affect the very pillars of civilization, and education is the engine that moves the world. Furthermore, what would become of society and the education of new generations without caring for the environment and nature?This thesis develops a series of actions related to forests and their contribution to sustainability through their connection with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This is a process of raising awareness among secondary school students regarding their essential role in the journey toward a sustainable and respectful society. Likewise, it analyzes the impact of implementing the "Forest and Sustainability Project," applying the innovative teaching methodology known as Open Science Schooling. The study focuses on how this approach fosters students' awareness of their role as key agents in changing society and steering it toward sustainability.A case study is conducted using teaching materials created and developed within this thesis. The activities are implemented in secondary schools across Catalonia. Additionally, activities are carried out within the framework of the Exploratori dels Recursos de la Natura that aims to promote science and technology among youth and conducts activities addressed to both secondary school teachers and students.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN NUCLEAR AND IONISING RADIATION ENGINEERING

• TOBAJAS ASENSIO, LUIS MIGUEL: ANÁLISIS DE LA INFORMACIÓN INSTITUCIONAL Y EL TRATAMIENTO DE LA PRENSA DE LOS INCIDENTES NUCLEARES ESPAÑOLES (1989-2009)
  
  Author: TOBAJAS ASENSIO, LUIS MIGUEL
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN NUCLEAR AND IONISING RADIATION ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Physics (FIS)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 17/06/2026
  Reading date: 18/09/2026
  Reading time: 11:30
  Reading place: Aula I 28.8 de l'Escola Tècnica Superior d'Enginyeria Industrial de Barcelona, ETSEIB
  Thesis director: REVENTOS PUIGJANER, FRANCESC-JOSEP | PONT SORRIBES, CARLES
  Thesis abstract: The general objective of this research is to analyze the safety of the nuclear power plants in Spain during the period between 1989 and 2009, through a comprehensive analysis of institutional information and press coverage of nuclear incidents.The methodology employed includes a mixed qualitative and quantitative model. Scientific production on nuclear incidents has been analysed through technical information databases, academic databases (Wos and Scopus), and newspaper archives.The newspapers ABC, La Vanguardia, and El País were selected based on the criterion of being among the most widely followed newspapers in Spain during the period studied, considering the press as the best means of monitoring incidents at the end of the 1980s.In 1990, following the Chernobyl accident, the INES Scale was introduced, created by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Nuclear Energy Agency, with the aim of facilitating international communication to the public and the media. This study analyses incidents classified as level two or higher according to IAEA criteria. The results of this work consider the use of the INES Scale in institutional information and in the media.The conclusions allow for a deeper understanding of the treatment of information provided to the public and the media coverage of nuclear incidents. The analysis of lessons learned from the four incidents studied and their follow-up makes it possible to conclude that there have been advances in nuclear safety and in institutional and public information, with the consolidation of the INES Scale in nuclear communication in Spain. However, it is determined that the completion of corrective actions does not reach public opinion despite its relevance.The research provides proposals for improvement with the aim of promoting better communication in the future, including the participation of experts. Communication is one of the most relevant issues in nuclear crises and must be clear, timely, accurate, transparent, and proactive.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN OPTICAL ENGINEERING

• GALDÓN FLORES, ALBA: Estudio de la evolución del error refractivo y su asociación con factores protectores y de riesgo en una cohorte infantil (CISViT).
  
  Author: GALDÓN FLORES, ALBA
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN OPTICAL ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Optics and Optometry (OO)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 30/06/2026
  Reading date: 24/07/2026
  Reading time: 11:00
  Reading place: Auditorio del Centro Universitario de la Visión (CUV). Paseo 22 de Julio, 660. 08222 TerrassaMEET: meet.google.com/vnf-vxhz-tev
  Thesis director: VILA VIDAL, NÚRIA | GUISASOLA VALENCIA, LAURA
  Thesis abstract: This longitudinal study followed a cohort of 1,189 schoolchildren aged 8–9 years in Terrassa (Barcelona) over one and three years to analyze the evolution of refractive errors, the incidence and progression of myopia, as well as risk factors and socioeconomic inequalities in visual health. The results show a progressive increase in myopia with age, rising from 12.3% at baseline to 28.7% at age 11–12, accompanied by a decrease in emmetropia and hyperopia, with no significant sex differences in prevalence.The annual incidence of myopia was 5.4%, reaching 15.8% after three years. The progression of spherical equivalent was not linear but accelerated with age, especially from age 9–10 onward, with a mean slope of −0.29 diopters per year. Children who were myopic from the outset showed continuous progression, whereas non-myopic children remained stable at early ages and later tended toward myopia. The identification of an inflection point at +0.75 diopters allowed a better understanding of the emmetropization process and highlighted the clinical relevance of premyopia as a risk phase prior to the development of myopia.Among the risk factors, parental myopia, particularly maternal, stood out as the most powerful predictor, along with conditions such as lower socioeconomic status, lower maternal education level, non-Caucasian ethnicity, and distance esotropia. In contrast, increased time spent outdoors and longer sleep duration were confirmed as the main modifiable protective factors against myopia. No significant associations were found between near vision activities and myopic progression or incidence.Refractive astigmatism was common but unstable, while corneal astigmatism was more prevalent and stable, reflecting its anatomical basis. Anisometropia had low prevalence, although it was associated with high refractive errors. The study also evidenced socioeconomic inequalities, as children from more disadvantaged backgrounds presented worse corrected visual acuity, especially girls, suggesting barriers to accessing or using optical correction. Overall, the findings indicate that childhood myopia in Spain is increasing and that the age range between 8 and 10 years constitutes a key window for prevention, particularly through interventions aimed at increasing time outdoors and detecting premyopia early.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN PHOTONICS

• MORENO ABAJO, ÁLVARO: Optical investigation of 2D materials with in-plane engineering: exciton confinement and chirality sensing
  
  Author: MORENO ABAJO, ÁLVARO
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN PHOTONICS
  Department: Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 11/05/2026
  Reading date: pending
  Reading time: pending
  Reading place: pending
  Thesis director: KOPPENS, FRANK | RESERBAT-PLANTEY, ANTOINE
  Thesis abstract: Two-dimensional (2D) materials provide a powerful platform for nanoscale engineering and control of geometry and energy landscapes without directly modifying the material, owing to their interfacial nature. This thesis explores how we can harness this potential by introducing in-plane engineering in van der Waals heterostructures. We present two case studies: in one, the exciton dimensionality is reduced using a designed 1D electrostatic trap; in the other, twisting two monolayers yields a chiral configuration that modifies the interaction with other chiral systems. Together, these two parts demonstrate how inplane symmetry breaking (translational and mirror symmetry, respectively) in 2D material platforms enables new modalities of control and sensing.In the first part, we investigate electrostatically defined confinement of intralayer excitons in MoSe2. A p–i–n junction is induced in the monolayer by asymmetric gating, creating a tight 1D potential with an effective exciton confinement length down to 10nm. Combining photoluminescence and reflectance-contrast spectroscopy, we resolve a discrete spectrum of localized states arising from center-of-mass quantization, with linear polarization aligned with the trap geometry, consistent with confinement-enhanced valley-exchange interactions. Importantly for the development of this technique, we show that the confinement potential cannot be understood as a purely electrostatic effect. Illumination reshapes device operation by inducing dissociation-driven photo-doping and Auger-assisted charge extraction, thereby stabilizing a working p–i–n configuration. We resolve photoinduced carrier-redistribution dynamics on the scale of seconds and demonstrate that their dependence on excitation position produces sharp switching between confined and unconfined excitonic responses. A rate-equation description captures the competition between dissociation and Auger processes, highlighting a route to nonlocal optical control of carrier density and, consequently, of the confinement potential. Programmable excitonic potentials that reach the 0D limit could enable quantum technologies such as single-photon sources or optically addressable qubits, and open a route toward strong exciton–exciton interactions and Bose–Hubbard physics.In the second part, we leverage the structural chirality of twisted bilayer graphene (TBG) to realize a novel enantiomeric sensing strategy based on chirality-dependent non-radiative energy transfer. In the presence of TBG, the decay rate of chiral fluorophores is modified depending on handedness matching between molecule and substrate, which we read out by measuring the fluorescence lifetime in time-resolved photoluminescence experiments. The observed asymmetry is statistically tested by spatially resolving the enantioselective contrast, observing a sign reversal upon inversion of the TBG handedness, and exploring the role of the twist angle as a control parameter. We quantify the effect of chirality through a lifetime-based dissymmetry factor that reaches the 1 – 10% level, implying an enhancement of several orders of magnitude compared with the natural optical circular dichroism of both the molecule and TBG. The presented approach is conceptually distinct from schemes that rely on electromagnetic field engineering, and achieves sensitivities down to the single-molecule layer without requiring surface functionalization. This opens the door to developing a platform with tunable, strong chiral light–matter interactions with implications in optics, sensing, and chemistry, including chiral catalysis and homochiral synthesis.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN POLYMERS AND BIOPOLYMERS

• HARO GUTIERREZ, PILAR ADRIANA: CONDUCTIVE AND INTERACTIVE MULTIFUNCTIONAL PLATFORMS FOR BIOMEDICAL APPLICATIONS
  
  Author: HARO GUTIERREZ, PILAR ADRIANA
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN POLYMERS AND BIOPOLYMERS
  Department: Department of Chemical Engineering (EQ)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 23/06/2026
  Reading date: 27/07/2026
  Reading time: 10:30
  Reading place: Barcelona East School of Engineering (EEBE)C/ Eduard Maristany, 16 (08019 Barcelona)(Aula Polivalent del edifici A (A0.03)
  Thesis director: ALEMAN LLANSO, CARLOS ENRIQUE | PÉREZ MADRIGAL, MARIA DEL MAR
  Thesis abstract: Despite recent advances in the development of smart biomaterials for tissue engineering and controlled drug delivery, significant limitations still remain regarding the integration of electroactive properties, responsiveness to external stimuli, and adequate biocompatibility within biodegradable and structurally stable platforms. In this context, this doctoral thesis focused on the development and characterization of electroactive and electrosensitive biomaterials based on biodegradable polymers, mainly polylactic acid (PLA), hyaluronic acid (HA), and polycaprolactone (PCL), aimed at applications in tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and controlled drug delivery systems. Multifunctional scaffolds and membranes capable of responding to external electrical stimuli were designed and fabricated to modulate the sustained release of bioactive compounds, such as lactate and chloramphenicol, with potential applications in cardiac regeneration and wound healing. The developed materials incorporated conductive polymers and hybrid magnetic particles, enabling the production of biocompatible structures with enhanced electroactive, magnetic, and mechanical properties suitable for interacting with biological tissues and dynamically responding to external stimuli.To optimize the performance of these systems, structural and surface modifications were implemented, including plasma treatments, enzyme immobilization, and PCL coatings, which enabled regulation of material degradation, modification of porosity, and adjustment of the release profiles of therapeutic compounds. In particular, the developed scaffolds demonstrated the ability to release lactate in a sustained manner over prolonged periods, reaching different concentrations depending on the temperature and electrostimulation conditions applied. Likewise, chloramphenicol-loaded membranes enabled both passive and electrically induced release while preserving the antimicrobial activity of the antibiotic against bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.The obtained results demonstrated that the application of electrical stimuli promotes the controlled, progressive, and prolonged release of bioactive molecules, while the integration of conductive and magnetic components improves the functionality and versatility of the biomaterials. Overall, this work demonstrates that the combination of multifunctional materials, structural modification strategies, and electrosensitive systems constitutes an innovative and promising approach for the development of smart platforms capable of responding precisely to specific therapeutic requirements, thereby opening new opportunities for the design of advanced biomedical devices in regenerative medicine and localized drug delivery.As future perspectives, the studies developed in this thesis open the possibility of exploring new electroactive stimulation strategies using more complex and dynamic electrical signals, as well as further advancing the biological validation of the materials through advanced cellular models and even in vivo studies. Furthermore, it may be of interest to evaluate the scalability and reproducibility of some of the most promising systems with a view toward their technological transfer and the development of clinical prototypes.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN SIGNAL THEORY AND COMMUNICATIONS

• TSIAMAS, IOANNIS: Robust and Data-Efficient End-to-End Speech Translation: Segmentation, Cross-Modal Alignment, and Prosody-Aware Evaluation
  
  Author: TSIAMAS, IOANNIS
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN SIGNAL THEORY AND COMMUNICATIONS
  Department: Department of Signal Theory and Communications (TSC)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 15/05/2026
  Reading date: 18/09/2026
  Reading time: 15:00
  Reading place: Aula MERIT D5010, Campus Nord UPC, Barcelona
  Thesis director: RODRIGUEZ FONOLLOSA, JOSE ADRIAN | RUIZ COSTA-JUSSA, MARTA
  Thesis abstract: End-to-end (E2E) Speech Translation (ST) offers a streamlined alternative to traditional cascaded systems, promising lower latency and reduced error propagation. However, its adoption in real-world scenarios is currently hindered by three critical bottlenecks: input processing challenges (mismatch between static data and continuous audio), training data scarcity, and evaluation limitations regarding paralinguistic information.This dissertation addresses these limitations through a cohesive set of methodological and architectural innovations. First, we tackle the segmentation and input processing challenge. We introduce Supervised Hybrid Audio Segmentation (SHAS), a method that effectively bridges the gap between manual training segmentation and automatic inference segmentation, allowing E2E models to process continuous audio streams with minimal performance loss. Building on this, we propose SEGAUGMENT, a data augmentation strategy that utilizes training data re-segmentation to maximize the utility of existing datasets, significantly improving performance in low-resource settings.Second, we tackle data scarcity by developing methods for zero-shot speech translation through cross-modal alignment. We introduce ZEROSWOT, which leverages Optimal Transport to align speech encoders with massively multilingual machine translation models at the subword level, enabling translation without paired ST data. We further refine this approach with CHARSONAR, demonstrating that character-level modeling significantly improves cross-lingual and cross-modal transfer, achieving state-of-the-art results, despite being a zero-shot method.Finally, we investigate the semantic richness of E2E translations. We present a focused evaluation on prosody, revealing that while current E2E architectures possess the internal capacity to represent paralinguistic features like intonation and stress, they often fail to manifest these in the final translation.Collectively, these contributions advance the state of the art by creating E2E ST systems that are more robust to unsegmented inputs and more data-efficient, while also providing insights into the limitations of current E2E systems in preserving the nuances of spoken communication.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS

• GONÇALVES JUNIOR, LUIS ANTONIO: Modeling the influence of manufacturing processes on the fatigue behavior of metallic materials through a continuum damage-based constitutive framework
  
  Author: GONÇALVES JUNIOR, LUIS ANTONIO
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS
  Department: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (DECA)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 29/06/2026
  Reading date: 07/09/2026
  Reading time: 14:00
  Reading place: Sala Zienkiewich (CIMNE) Building C1, UPC - Campus North Gran Capitan S/N 08034 Barcelona
  Thesis director: BARBU, LUCIA GRATIELA | OLLER MARTINEZ, SERGIO HORACIO
  Thesis abstract: Since the mid-19th century, the study of fatigue in metals has become a major field of interest for materials scientists and structural engineers because fatigue represents one of the principal failure mechanisms in metallic engineering structures. Initially based on empirical approaches such as the stress amplitude–life (S–N) curves derived from Wöhler’s pioneering studies, fatigue prediction capabilities have evolved significantly, leading to sophisticated numerical models capable of predicting not only fatigue life but also the progressive degradation of material properties associated with the fatigue phenomenon, including crack initiation and propagation up to the complete failure of the component.Despite these advances, the systematic incorporation of manufacturing process effects —such as machining, forming, trimming, and punching— into fatigue formulations remains limited. Most existing approaches still rely on simple modifications of S–N curves through reduction factors, restricting their applicability mainly to coupon-level specimens and preventing the accurate prediction of crack initiation and propagation patterns.In this context, the present thesis proposes a constitutive framework to incorporate manufacturing-induced effects into the fatigue response of metals in the high-cycle regime. The model is formulated in a general manner, allowing different manufacturing processes to be considered through suitable specializations based on relevant process-related data, such as residual stresses, surface roughness, porosity, and defect volume fraction.To develop this framework, several fatigue modeling approaches are reviewed, with particular emphasis on fracture mechanics, continuum damage mechanics, and phase-field formulations, commonly implemented using numerical methods such as the finite element method and the extended finite element method. Among them, a continuum damage mechanics-based high-cycle fatigue model is selected as the baseline framework due to its high computational efficiency and its ability to model complex stress–strain states throughout the material degradation process, from the intact condition to complete failure.The constitutive framework is first enhanced through the introduction of a novel hardening–softening stress–strain curve for damage. In addition, a methodology to convert average-based S–N data obtained from standardized fatigue tests into local material-point information is proposed to ensure a consistent calibration of the fatigue parameters with the local nature of the formulation. The enhanced model is validated against experimental data from stiffness-based rapid fatigue tests and durability tests performed on real automotive components, demonstrating strong predictive capabilities at both coupon and component levels while maintaining high computational efficiency.Finally, the framework is extended to explicitly account for manufacturing-induced effects. A residual stress relaxation model and a formulation to account for notch effects associated with manufacturing operations are introduced. The resulting model is specialized for shear-cutting operations, such as trimming and punching, using residual stresses obtained from process simulations and measured surface roughness as process-related inputs. The formulation is validated against uniaxial fatigue tests performed on trimmed and punched complex-phase steel specimens, demonstrating its ability to accurately predict fatigue life and crack initiation locations.
  
• GUO, ZHIMING: Study on HTPB propellant passivation, mixing, casting and curing processes by experiment and simulation
  
  Author: GUO, ZHIMING
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS
  Department: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (DECA)
  Mode: Article-based thesis
  Deposit date: 11/05/2026
  Reading date: 04/09/2026
  Reading time: 12:00
  Reading place: UPC Campus Nord, ETSECCPB, C/ Jordi Girona 1-3, edificio C1, Sala 002, Barcelona
  Thesis director: ROSSI BERNECOLI, RICCARDO | FU, XIAOLONG
  Thesis abstract: This study investigates the key physical issues involved in the four propellant production steps (passivation, kneading, casting, and curing) through a combination of experimental and numerical simulations.In this experimental study using HTPB propellant ingredients as raw materials, we first investigate the passivation and dehydration (similar to reduced pressure micro-boiling) of this raw material (N-butylnitroxyethylnitramine (BuNENA)). Next, we add other materials (including liquids and granules) to the passivated raw material and mix them in a vertical kneader. The resulting propellant slurry is then cast into a specific mold. Finally, we investigated the solidification of the propellant samples formed in the mold.In this numerical simulation study, First, the passivation process (bubble generation and movement) of the BuNENA material was studied through numerical simulation. Next, the mixing process of the propellant in a vertical kneader was investigated. The uniformity and flow characteristics of the HTPB propellant material were studied under stirring conditions.Finally, the slurry casting process was simulated, and finally, the curing of the cast propellant model was simulated.This paper contains the following research contents:(1) A passivation experimental device was established and experiments were carried out using a principle similar to reduced pressure micro-boiling; in the fluid dynamics simulation model, the Lagrangian framework was applied to track the formation and movement of bubbles, and the bubbles themselves were modeled as rigid spheres subjected to buoyancy and viscous forces. The Euler framework based on variational multiscale (VMS) was used to simulate the fluid around the bubbles. The bubble movement was analyzed. By combining experimental and simulation methods, the passivation process of BuNENA was analyzed in detail, which is of substantial significance in the field of passivation of composite solid propellants.(2) A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method was used to establish a digital simulation model of the mixing process of the vertical kneader. Changes in various flow field related characteristics of the vertical kneader were analyzed. The mixing performance of the propellant slurry in the kneader was studied by establishing a mixing uniformity index analysis method. The accuracy of the simulation results was verified by real kneading experiments, SEM-EDS and density experiments. (3) The vacuum casting process was optimized by combining experiments and numerical simulations. First, the shear thinning behavior was revealed through rheological tests, and the Herschel-Bulkley model parameters confirmed non-Newtonian fluid characteristics. The variational multi-scale finite element method was used to simulate and analyze the vacuum casting process of HTPB propellant slurry. Second, the flow rate and impact force of droplets under different vacuum pressures were studied by combining real-time image recognition with machine vision and Kalman filtering. (4) Finally, the curing reaction kinetic model of HTPB propellant was studied by the non-isothermal DSC method. The distribution and evolution of the internal temperature and temperature degree of the propellant during the molding process were analyzed using a thermochemical model. The temperature gradient and curing time variation of the propellant curing process were explored by the thermocouple-integrated method.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN THEORY AND HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE

• BRAU, GRAZIANO: Alejandro Zohn: Vivienda colectiva como proyecto urbano. Valores arquitectónicos en la construcción de lo social
  
  Author: BRAU, GRAZIANO
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN THEORY AND HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE
  Department: Department of History and Theory of Architecture and Communication Techniques (THATC)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 26/06/2026
  Reading date: 27/07/2026
  Reading time: 12:00
  Reading place: ETSAB (Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Barcelona) - Planta Baja - Sala de GradosAv. Diagonal, 649-651 - 08028 - Barcelona
  Thesis director: HERNÁNDEZ FALAGÁN, DAVID | MONTANER MARTORELL, JOSE MARIA
  Thesis abstract: The main objective of this research work is to analyze the contribution of the Mexican architect Alejandro Zohn Rosenthal to the field of collective housing. Through the study of his projects, the architectural, urban, and social values present in his housing production are identified.In a contemporary context characterized by mass production disconnected from its urban environment and from the needs of its inhabitants, this research recovers a series of design criteria present in Zohn’s work, whose relevance makes it possible to reconsider alternatives for the construction of more integrated, equitable, and inclusive urban environments.The thesis is structured into five major parts that make it possible to reconstruct, analyze, and critically project the thought and work of Alejandro Zohn in relation to collective housing:The first part corresponds to the methodological introduction, in which the object of study, resources, multiscalar approach, and expected results are established, thus defining the conceptual and operational foundations of the work.The second part constructs the historical, biographical, and disciplinary framework of the research, addressing the architect’s trajectory, the AZA office, and the context of collective housing across different scales and periods.The third part delves into the intellectual and operational dimensions of Zohn’s production through the analysis of projects, writings, and actions related to social housing and theoretical dissemination.The fourth part constitutes the analytical core, where the comparative study of six housing complexes is developed, making it possible to identify design strategies and modes of inhabitation.Finally, the thesis concludes with a synthesis of the results obtained and a critical reflection on the research process and its future projections.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN AGRI-FOOD TECHNOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY

• SOLER CAMPRECIÓS, JORDI: AVALUACIÓ DELS REQUERIMENTS REPRODUCTIUS I DEL CONTROL QUÍMIC DE L’AILANT (AILANTHUS ALTISSIMA), COM A ESPÈCIE INVASORA D’ESPAIS NATURALS
  
  Author: SOLER CAMPRECIÓS, JORDI
  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 AGRI-FOOD TECHNOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
  Department: Department of Agri-Food Engineering and Biotechnology (DEAB)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 13/07/2026
  Deposit END date: 24/07/2026
  Thesis director: IZQUIERDO FIGAROLA, JORDI
  Thesis abstract: Invasive plants, such as Ailanthus altissima, cause damage to biodiversity due to their high capacity for expansion and establishment. A thorough understanding of the reproductive traits of this species is essential to define eradication strategies based on effective control methods.During the literature review, insufficient information was found regarding chemical methods to break seed dormancy, resulting in low germination rates. Conversely, other studies have shown that alternating temperature regimes promote germination. However, this method involves temperature accumulation that is not compatible with base temperature experiments. The base temperature for seeds or roots has never been determined, and only a few studies have addressed the base water potential of seeds, all conducted outside our region. From the base temperature, predictive germination models can be developed—a task we included in this study to create tools that assist in planning future management actions for this invasive species.The results showed a low response in dormancy release across different treatments, with the best germination achieved through cold stratification at 10 °C for 21 days. The base temperature for seeds and roots was very similar, and under water stress conditions, both seed germination and root sprouting decreased.We focused on evaluating the effectiveness of commercially available herbicides at the time of this study. Different application periods, herbicides, and techniques were tested. Herbicide application provided better control compared to untreated trees. The most effective technique was cut-stump injection, and the most efficient herbicides were triclopyr combined with 2,4-D and/or aminopyralid. The effect of flazasulfuron on Ailanthus altissima was evaluated for the first time, showing satisfactory results.We also identified, for the first time in Catalonia, the eriophyid mite Aculus taihagensis, a species already reported in other countries as a potential biological control agent.In conclusion, Ailanthus altissima can be eradicated if the correct methods are used, while predictive models will assist managers in the management of eradication efforts.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN APPLIED MATHEMATICS

• FACCIOTTI, BENEDETTA: Groupoids of local systems and decorated representations on marked bordered surfaces
  
  Author: FACCIOTTI, BENEDETTA
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN APPLIED MATHEMATICS
  Department: School of Mathematics and Statistics (FME)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 13/07/2026
  Deposit END date: 24/07/2026
  Thesis director: MAZZOCCO, MARTA | NIKOLAEV, NIKITA
  Thesis abstract: This thesis studies representations of fundamental groupoids of surfaces $\Sigma$ with boundaries, with values in $G:=\operatorname{GL}_n(\mathbb C)$, up to isomorphism. When no marked points are present on the boundary, the corresponding objects admit several equivalent descriptions: as linear local systems on $\Sigma$, as representations of the fundamental groupoid $\Pi_1 (\Sigma)$, as monodromy data, and as points of the associated character variety. The introduction of marked points on the boundary, motivated by the need to encode irregular singularities of meromorphic connections, has led to several generalizations of this Betti-type description in the literature. Although these approaches are generally understood to describe essentially the same mathematical objects, the precise relation between them has not yet been been formulated explicitly. Motivated by the broader programme of establishing a precise and conceptually coherent relationship between the existing approaches to the representation-theoretic description of irregular singularities of meromorphic connections, in this thesis we develop a categorical framework for the definition of decorated Betti objects associated with marked bordered surfaces encoding higher-order poles, in a form designed to specialize to the different points of view encountered in the literature.
  
• ORTEGA SÁNCHEZ COLOMER, MIQUEL: Arithmetic patterns in unstructured sets
  
  Author: ORTEGA SÁNCHEZ COLOMER, MIQUEL
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN APPLIED MATHEMATICS
  Department: School of Mathematics and Statistics (FME)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 17/07/2026
  Deposit END date: 30/07/2026
  Thesis director: SERRA ALBO, ORIOL | RUE PERNA, JUAN JOSÉ
  Thesis abstract: The main goal of this thesis is to present a number of extremal results in additive combinatorics. In lay terms, we study questions related to the appearance of a certain arithmetic pattern in a set based on its size. We focus on two patterns, products and arithmetic progressions. In the first case, we solve the density problem for product-free sets in the free group, and study several quantitative questions regarding a multiplicative analogue of Schur's theorem. In the second case, we prove a canonical van der Waerden theorem in random sets of integers, and improve existing counting results for the number of sets of integers free of arithmetic progressions of a given length. Two recurrent themes are the use of probabilistic arguments and the hypergraph container method.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

• BELLAFIORE, GASPARE: Résidence Le Parc à Meudon-la-Forêt. Tectónica y decoro urbano en la obra de Fernand Pouillon.
  
  Author: BELLAFIORE, GASPARE
  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: 13/07/2026
  Deposit END date: 24/07/2026
  Thesis director: PEÑIN LLOBELL, ALBERTO
  Thesis abstract: This research examines the relationship between compositional procedures and construction methods in the architecture of Fernand Pouillon, taking the complex of Résidence Le Parc in Meudon-la-Forêt (1959-1962) as a paradigmatic case study. The study begins with a diagnosis of the condition of contemporary architecture, marked by a growing fracture between the act of designing and the act of building. It notes a drift toward a production that entrusts its expressiveness to the image, the authorial gesture, or technical sophistication rather than to the internal reasons of the work. Faced with this displacement, the research recovers the concept of tectonics—not as a stylistic category or a synonym for technicality, but as the syntax through which construction becomes architectural language. It argues that Pouillon's work in Meudon-la-Forêt constitutes a privileged material verification of this hypothesis. The theoretical framework articulates two critical traditions often treated separately: Anglo-Germanic tectonic analysis (Bötticher, Semper, Sekler, Frampton) and the Latin theory of analogical decorum developed in France by Quatremère de Quincy and Julien Guadet. The research argues that a conjunction of both is necessary to read Pouillon's work, reconstructing the genealogy of French constructive rationalism—from Philibert de l'Orme to Auguste Perret—as the cultural horizon that makes his choices intelligible. In this reading, Pouillon emerges not as an exception within post-war modernity, but as a "transformative continuator": an architect who reactivates the French classical tradition and translates it to the operational conditions of reconstruction and mass social housing. The work is structured into three parts. The first reconstructs the theoretical framework of tectonics. The second traces the cultural genealogy of Pouillon's thought and analyses the operational context of post-war Paris. The third part develops a multiscalar analysis of Résidence Le Parc, covering the problems of the framed wall, stone as a tectonic and ethical core, the travée as a device of order. The study reaches four main theses:First: The hybrid construction system of Meudon—load-bearing Fontvieille stone articulated with reinforced concrete slabs—is not a technical compromise, but a new tectonic synthesis that reactivates the logic of load-bearing mass under conditions of industrial prefabrication. Second: The travée functions in Meudon as a "total operator" of the project, simultaneously coordinating construction logic, facade composition, and interior spatial organization, extending to the urban scale as the rhythm of public space. Third: Decorum in Pouillon does not respond to the strict truth of the Perretian frame, but to a "lithic verisimilitude" (vraisemblance)—an expressive adequacy between form, construction, and civic character—that reformulates Quatremère’s principle of analogical decorum for modern conditions. Fourth: The civic dimension of the work is not an ethical supplement added to formal decisions, but the direct effect of the construction grammar itself assumed as a shared language. The research is based on specialized critical bibliography (Lucan, Bonillo, Ferlenga, Sayen), primary sources from Pouillon’s archives, heritage documentation from the French Ministry of Culture, and direct measurements taken in the municipal archives of Meudon-la-Forêt. Its main contribution consists of articulating tectonic analysis and the theory of decorum within a single analytical device, proposing a systematic reading of the travée as the syntactic atom of the project, and defending the relevance of Pouillon’s lithic lesson for the contemporary debate on civic architecture and collective housing.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING

• RIVERA TORRES, PEDRO JUAN: Complex Engineering Systems: Expanding the Bioengineering Toolset with Biomimetic and Complexity Science-Based Solutions to Engineering Problems.
  
  Author: RIVERA TORRES, PEDRO 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 BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Automatic Control (ESAII)
  Mode: Article-based thesis
  Deposit date: 13/07/2026
  Deposit END date: 24/07/2026
  Thesis director: KANAAN IZQUIERDO, SAMIR
  Thesis abstract: This dissertation will seek to expand the toolset available for the solution of problems in engineering using probabilistic Boolean networks (PBN), a modeling methodology used mainly for analyzing Gene Regulatory Networks (GRN). Its purpose is validating their benefits as mechanisms of problem solving in engineering; general machine learning, reinforcement learning and fault detection and isolation in generation and transmission/distribution of electrical power and in manufacturing systems. The use of PBNs has been validated before as a mechanism of modeling of manufacturing processes and smart power. Modeling of systems using PBNs allows to construct models of multiple systems, know their respective failure modes, and incrementing their robustness using reinforcement learning to predictively react to faults and failures. We present the use of PBNs as a model constructing mechanism to determine the reliability of engineered systems and processes, and control of their evolution using machine learning. These models will enable us to study the mechanics of failure in engineered systems, making them more robust. We also present a Learning Probabilistic Boolean Network model of a manufacturing system and a Smart-grid system that can learn to preserve a healthy system state, in a way inspired by Artificial Neural Networks, but without the training that these systems require, and allowing the system to avoid faults and failures.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN COMPUTATIONAL AND APPLIED PHYSICS

• GARÍ GALÍNDEZ, JON: Developing Artificial Intelligence Strategies to Accelerate Scientific Research: Application to Thin-Film Photovoltaic Technologies
  
  Author: GARÍ GALÍNDEZ, JON
  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: Article-based thesis
  Deposit date: 13/07/2026
  Deposit END date: 24/07/2026
  Thesis director: IZQUIERDO ROCA, VICTOR | GUC, MAXIM
  Thesis abstract: The development cycle of new materials-based technologies typically spans 15-25 years due to the constantly increasing complexity of experimental research processes. Accelerating this process is essential to enable large-scale implementation of sustainable technologies that support the green energy transition and secure the electrification of society. Photovoltaics (PV) play a central role in this transition, particularly novel thin-film photovoltaic (TFPV) technologies, which promise to significantly broaden the application of solar modules in everyday life. Therefore, accelerating their development and transfer is key to achieving this goal. In this context, recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI), explainable artificial intelligence (XAI), robotics, and automation have enabled a new paradigm: the data-driven materials science, capable of accelerating materials discovery and optimization. However, despite the increasing use of machine learning (ML) in materials science, the application of XAI approaches to real experimental characterization datasets remains limited, and the translation of ML model outputs into physically meaningful insights is still a major challenge.The present work addresses this challenge by exploring and developing AI-driven strategies for the analysis and interpretation of experimental characterization data, following a proposed interpretability framework aimed at both accelerating research and enhancing explainability of ML models. The work begins by implementing and optimizing different training strategies for restricted Boltzmann machines (RBMs) using benchmark datasets. This study is aligned with the first level of the interpretability framework (Level 1: Using AI) and establishes the basis for the implementation of ML algorithms in experimental characterization datasets. Subsequently, an initial approach to XAI-driven strategies for extracting valuable information from experimental characterization data of kesterite-based TFPV devices is developed (Level 2: Using XAI), demonstrating the potential of interpretable ML models for identifying correlations between the physicochemical properties of materials and the PV performance of devices.Finally, building on this progression, an integrated XAI-driven methodology is implemented to analyze multimodal datasets obtained from holistic characterization of kesterite-based solar cells. It integrates the entire research cycle, from synthesis and characterization to data analysis, interpretation, and extraction of valuable feedback for further technology optimization. Particular emphasis is placed on interpretability, where the combination of intrinsic XAI models with post-hoc XAI techniques enables the identification of the physicochemical properties that govern device performance and reproducibility, linking the relevant spectral zones with the corresponding physical properties. This strategy reaches the third level of the interpretability framework (Level 3: Using XAI+) and provides meaningful feedback to guide subsequent research cycles. This feedback is validated through modified fabrication processes, resulting in improved device performance. Furthermore, it substantially reduces research cycle times, accelerating material optimization from timescales exceeding one year to less than a week. These results contribute to the development of self-driving laboratory (SDL) approaches and the advancement of data-driven materials research, ultimately supporting the green energy transition.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING

• HUSSAIN, TAUSEEF: Metamaterial-inspired Flexible Microwave Resonant Structures for RFID Sensing and Shielding
  
  Author: HUSSAIN, TAUSEEF
  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 ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Electronic Engineering (EEL)
  Mode: Article-based thesis
  Deposit date: 20/07/2026
  Deposit END date: 31/07/2026
  Thesis director: GIL GALI, IGNACIO | FERNANDEZ GARCIA, RAUL
  Thesis abstract: Metamaterials are artificially engineered electromagnetic structures that enable wave–matter interactions beyond those achievable with natural materials. When implemented in flexible and textile-compatible forms, metamaterial-inspired resonant structures offer unique advantages for wearable technologies, including conformability, lightweight construction, and tunable electromagnetic responses. These characteristics make them particularly attractive for wearable radio-frequency identification (RFID) sensing platforms, where sensitivity, robustness, and user safety must be addressed simultaneously. This thesis investigates the design and integration of metamaterial-inspired flexible resonant structures with RFID systems to enable sensors with enhanced performance and improved electromagnetic safety.Conventional RFID-based sensors typically rely on antenna deformation or substrate perturbation alone to transduce physical or biochemical stimuli. While effective in controlled environments, these approaches exhibit limited sensitivity and strong dependence on environmental loading in wearable scenarios. At ultra-high-frequency (UHF) bands, proximity to the human body causes impedance detuning and reduced read range reliability, whereas at microwave frequencies, increased absorption in biological tissue raises specific absorption rate (SAR) concerns. These limitations motivate the use of engineered resonant structures that offer enhanced field confinement and improved control over antenna–environment interactions.This thesis first investigates resonator-assisted passive UHF RFID sensing for biomechanical and biochemical monitoring. Electromagnetic coupling between printed UHF RFID tag antennas and compact resonant elements is exploited to enhance sensitivity beyond conventional antenna-based sensing. Meander-line resonators are integrated with RFID tags to enable displacement sensing, demonstrating reliable respiration and knee-flexion monitoring. The coupling approach is further extended to biochemical sensing through the integration of a capacitively coupled complementary split-ring resonator (CSRR) with an H-slot RFID antenna, enabling passive wireless monitoring of glucose concentration via read-range modulation.Subsequently, the thesis addresses electromagnetic stability and user safety at microwave RFID frequencies, where shorter wavelengths enable compact resonator arrays to be realized as metasurfaces. A breathable ground-grid artificial magnetic conductor (GG-AMC) is developed to mitigate body-induced detuning, suppress backward radiation, and significantly reduce SAR while preserving wearer comfort. In addition, near-field coupled metamaterial absorbers are introduced as dual-function structures that simultaneously provide electromagnetic shielding and strain-sensitive resonance modulation, enabling respiration monitoring at microwave frequencies. The core scientific contributions of this research are documented in five JCR-indexed journal articles and two peer-reviewed IEEE conference publications, and the thesis is presented as a compendium of articles.Keywords – RFID sensing, wearable sensors, microwave resonators, metasurfaces, biomechanical monitoring, biochemical sensing, artificial magnetic conductor, metamaterial absorber, electromagnetic shielding.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN MARINE SCIENCES

• MURILLO GOMEZ, NELSON: COASTAL HAZARDS, RISKS AND ADAPTATION IN THE BARRA DE SALAMANCA (COLOMBIA)
  
  Author: MURILLO GOMEZ, NELSON
  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 MARINE SCIENCES
  Department: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (DECA)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 16/07/2026
  Deposit END date: 29/07/2026
  Thesis director: JIMENEZ QUINTANA, JOSE ANTONIO
  Thesis abstract: Coastal sandbars are generally elongated landforms that provide protection to environmental, socioeconomic, and infrastructural ecosystems from extreme events, but are highly sensitive to morphodynamic changes driven by natural and anthropogenic processes. This is further complicated by the uncertainty Surrounding the expected sea-level rise in the coming years. These dynamics generate pressures and motivate land managers to understand the genesis of their morphological evolution, the physical agents that modulate it, the risks associated with the diversity of their exposed ecosystems within a tolerance limit, and to propose sustainable adaptation measures for the future.This research reconstructs the morphological evolution of the Salamanca coastal sandbar (Colombia), located within a national and international conservation park, over the last 40 years, the physical agents present at decadal and episodic scales, and the assessment of threats associated with erosion and flooding. Understanding the past and considering sea level rise projections to 2050, a projected area susceptible to damage was identified. Within this area, the exposure and vulnerability of the exposed elements were assessed, and this, when integrated with the threats, allowed for the estimation of environmental, physical, and socioeconomic risks. Recognizing that risk cannot be eliminated because it is intrinsic to coastal development, we have proposed a model of tolerable risk levels and a list of adaptation measures grouped into strategies according to their implications for the coastal zone. The results showed that the sandbar is decreasing its sediment transport rates, indicating a search for morphological equilibrium. However, erosion rates of around -20 m/a at the most critical points are deteriorating environmental services. This, combined with storm impacts and the increasing construction of hard infrastructure, has worsened and increased the exposure of the main land-based infrastructure connecting the region's most important towns with the interior of the country. This is putting commercial and tourism activities at risk. The communities located in these areas are in highly vulnerable socioeconomic conditions, generating pressure on the coastline that requires urgent intervention. The tolerable risk for environmental, physical infrastructure, and socioeconomic factors was established according to the degree of impact on the exposed element, its loss of natural value, and the resulting repercussions on the quality of life of the inhabitants. This criterion facilitates a balance of sustainable development between the inhabitants and their environment. The risk reduction strategies demonstrated that acting alone does not achieve tolerable risks, and only a comprehensive strategy allows us to approach the proposed objectives. Prompt action is needed to reduce uncertainty and increase objectivity about the expected future. We conclude that the methodology developed allowed us to understand what has happened, why, under what conditions the threats have evolved, the morphological evolution, the risk typologies, what could happen, and how to reduce the probability of the expected changes. We believe this methodological process can be replicated and adapted to any coastal area with the specific characteristics required. keywords: morphology, risks, adaptation measures.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN MECHANICAL, FLUIDS AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING

• BANDARRINHA MONTEIRO, CARLOS ALEXANDRE: Pseudo-Boiling Wall-Bounded Turbulence in Supercritical Flows: Direct Numerical Simulation & Flow Physics
  
  Author: BANDARRINHA MONTEIRO, CARLOS ALEXANDRE
  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 MECHANICAL, FLUIDS AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Mechanical Engineering (EM)
  Mode: Article-based thesis
  Deposit date: 14/07/2026
  Deposit END date: 27/07/2026
  Thesis director: JOFRE CRUANYES, LLUÍS
  Thesis abstract: This thesis presents the development and application of a high-fidelity computational framework for the direct numerical simulation (DNS) of high-pressure transcritical turbulent flows. These flows, characterized by strong thermophysical property variations in the vicinity of the pseudo-boiling region, exhibit complex interactions between turbulence, thermodynamics, and transport processes that cannot be accurately captured using classical modeling approaches. The primary objective of this work is to advance both the numerical simulation tool and the physical understanding required to reliably simulate and analyze such regimes. To this end, the multiphysics flow solver, RHEA (Reproducible Hybrid-architecture flow solver Engineered for Academia), is redesigned into a GPU-resident version, RHEA-X. The solver combines low-dissipation spatial discretizations with strong-stability-preserving Runge–Kutta time integration and advanced thermodynamic and transport models, including real-fluid equations of state. Its modular, object-oriented design enables the treatment of compressible, high-pressure transcritical, particle-laden, and immersed-boundary flows within a unified framework. The implementation leverages MPI and OpenACC to achieve persistent GPU data residency and direct inter-device communication, enabling efficient execution on modern heterogeneous high-performance computing systems. Performance analyses demonstrate near-ideal strong and weak scaling and substantial reductions in time-to-solution relative to CPU-based implementations up to a large GPU count. Using this framework, the thesis first investigates the grid resolution requirements for DNS of high-pressure transcritical wall-bounded turbulence. It is shown that classical resolution criteria, developed for incompressible flows, are insufficient in the presence of strong thermophysical gradients. In particular, the pseudo-boiling region induces localized amplification of turbulence intensity and energy dissipation, requiring refined resolution to accurately capture up to second-order statistics. New resolution guidelines are proposed based on hydrodynamic and thermodynamic scaling arguments. The physical behavior of transcritical flows is then examined in microconfined square-duct configurations spanning subcritical to supercritical regimes. The results reveal that, under transcritical conditions, flows can transition from laminar to turbulence-like states without changes in geometry or bulk velocity scales, driven by strong density gradients associated with the pseudo-boiling region. This leads to significant amplification of velocity fluctuations, intensified secondary motions, and substantial enhancement of heat transfer. Finally, the role of buoyancy is analyzed in transcritical turbulent square-duct flows. It is demonstrated that buoyancy influences the flow primarily through the modulation of secondary motions, which act as the dominant mechanism for redistributing momentum and restructuring turbulence. The case-dependent interaction between buoyancy, thermophysical gradients, and secondary flows leads to strong spatial heterogeneity, non-equilibrium turbulence behavior, and, consequently pronounced variations in wall shear stress and transport processes.
  
• HARBA, MOHANAD: Musculoskeletal simulations Integrating a smooth knee contact pressure model
  
  Author: HARBA, MOHANAD
  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 MECHANICAL, FLUIDS AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Mechanical Engineering (EM)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 07/07/2026
  Deposit END date: 20/07/2026
  Thesis director: SERRANCOLÍ MASFERRER, GIL
  Thesis abstract: Knee osteoarthritis is one of the most common musculoskeletal conditions in the world, affecting hundreds of millions of people and causing chronic pain, reduced mobility, and disability. Understanding how mechanical forces are distributed across the knee joint during activities like walking is key for better diagnosis, treatment planning, and implant design. However, directly measuring these forces in a clinical setting is not possible, and existing computational models often cannot estimate the full spatial distribution of contact pressure across the joint surface, instead they estimate the resultant forces and moment at the knee joint.This thesis addresses these limitations through three studies. The first study developed a method to reduce the complexity of muscle-tendon length and moment arm parameterizations in musculoskeletal simulations. By applying an error-threshold approach to remove redundant polynomial coefficients, the method reduced the number of required parameters by approximately 50 % for muscles spanning the knee and ankle, while preserving accuracy in joint kinematics and knee contact force tracking. This led to a 15.6 % reduction in average computation time.The second study developed and validated a smooth, mesh-based knee contact pressure model included in a full body movement simulation. The model computes contact pressure at each triangular face of the tibial surface at every time step of the simulation, using smoothed penetration detection and a linear elastic foundation relationship. A sensitivity analysis was carried out to evaluate the influence of key model parameters on computation time, convergence, and tracking accuracy. The model was validated on eight gait trials from the Grand Challenge to predict in ivo knee loads dataset, and was also used in a predictive simulation, demonstrating its ability to generate new movement patterns while accounting for joint contact mechanics.The third study investigated the spatial relationship between tibiofemoral contact pressure and tibial cartilage composition, assessed using quantitative MRI T₂ relaxation time mapping, in a group of 23 subjects including 5 healthy individuals and 18 patients with early osteoarthritis. In healthy subjects, no consistent relationship was found between contact pressure and T₂ values. In the early osteoarthritis group, however, the most heavily loaded cartilage regions tended to show above-average T₂ values, suggesting that early compositional changes in cartilage are spatially linked to mechanical loading. This finding was consistent across all pressure thresholds tested. Together, this work shows that it is possible to estimate how contact pressure is distributed across the knee during walking within a computationally efficient simulation framework. The smooth contact model developed here removes a key barrier that has long prevented pressure estimation from being integrated into full-body movement simulations. These findings bring us one step closer to bridging the gap between computational biomechanics and clinical practice, where understanding the link between joint loading and cartilage health could ultimately inform more targeted strategies for osteoarthritis prevention and management.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN PHOTONICS

• PINILLA SANCHEZ, ADRIAN: Advanced Catalytic Interface Analysis Through In Situ Studies and Automated Experimental Platforms
  
  Author: PINILLA SANCHEZ, ADRIAN
  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: 08/07/2026
  Deposit END date: 21/07/2026
  Thesis director: GARCÍA DE ARQUER, FRANCISCO PELAYO
  Thesis abstract: Electrochemical technologies offer a route to decarbonize key industries, such as energy, chemical and fertilizer manufacturing, by converting abundant chemicals like carbon dioxide (CO₂) and nitrate into fuels and feedstocks using renewable electricity. Realizing this potential requires electrocatalytic systems that achieve technoeconomic viability, which is linked to performance metrics such as activity, selectivity, and stability. Their deployment is constrained by two coupled challenges: incomplete mechanistic understanding of dynamic electrochemical interfaces and slow manual workflows that cannot efficiently explore the high-dimensional design spaces of catalysts, electrolytes, and operating parameters. In electrochemical reactions, performance across its many dimensions emerges from the evolving interplay of catalyst structure and local reaction environment at polarized interfaces. Advancing electrocatalytic performance therefore requires tools that can both reveal and enable control over the evolving catalyst-electrolyte interface during operation. This thesis addresses these challenges by combining operando surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), automated data-analysis frameworks, and self-driving laboratory approaches to accelerate electrocatalyst development under technologically relevant conditions for CO₂ and nitrate electroreduction reactions.Operando SERS probes acidic CO₂ electroreduction on copper-based gas diffusion electrodes up to 0.2 A cm⁻², showing how interfacial species like sulfate, hydroxide, carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon-containing intermediates evolve with potential and pH. Our findings suggest that strongly adsorbed sulfate blocks active sites and delays CO₂E onset at low overpotentials, while co-adsorbed hydroxide and carbon on reconstructed copper surfaces stabilize *CO coverages that favor C-C coupling and multicarbon product formation. These results identify electrolyte anions and local alkalization as key levers for tuning the onset potential, intermediate stabilization, and selectivity in acidic CO₂ electroreduction, opening new strategies for rational system-level design of catalysts and electrolytes.To handle the complexity of operando experiments, the thesis introduces SERSFlow, a modular framework for structured operando SERS data and reusable analysis pipelines. Implemented as a local-first Python service with a web interface, it combines preprocessing, feature extraction, and multivariate analysis in deterministic workflows that reproduce expert trends while reducing analysis time from hours to minutes. Benchmarking shows that baseline subtraction alone can shift fitted peak areas by 40–100% for weak or overlapping bands, and spatiotemporal mapping reveals micron-scale heterogeneity in adsorbate populations and double-layer structure.Finally, the Autoammonia platform—a distributed self-driving laboratory for nitrate-to-ammonia reduction—is developed with two active nodes in different institutions. It integrates in situ catalyst electrodeposition, flow-cell nitrate electroreduction, and automated ammonia quantification within a closed-loop workflow managed by orchestration, planning, and safety software. Autonomous campaigns with copper-based catalysts show that self-driving experimentation is feasible in realistic flow-cell architectures and complex electrolytes using accessible hardware and open-source software.Collectively, the thesis shows that mechanistic operando characterization, reproducible data workflows, and autonomous experimentation are mutually reinforcing components of a coherent strategy for advancing electrocatalysis. The concepts and tools developed here provide a foundation for more systematic, data-rich, and scalable approaches to the design and optimization of electrocatalysts and electrochemical interfaces for sustainable, electrified chemical production.
  
• PRELAT, LEILA ROCIO: Free-electron interaction with nanophotonic excitations
  
  Author: PRELAT, LEILA ROCIO
  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: 07/07/2026
  Deposit END date: 20/07/2026
  Thesis director: GARCÍA DE ABAJO, JAVIER
  Thesis abstract: Free electrons provide a powerful platform to control optical excitations at the nanoscale because they carry electromagnetic fields that are tightly localized and contain large evanescent wave-vector components inaccessible to propagating light. Although this property makes electron beams uniquely suited to address confined optical modes, their full potential for technological applications is still being actively developed. This Thesis aims to contribute to this effort by exploring novel phenomena that arise when electron beams are incorporated into different optical systems.As an introduction to the main concepts underlying this Thesis, Chapter 1 summarizes the theoretical frameworks used to describe electromagnetic excitations, with emphasis on linear and nonlinear optical phenomena, surface waves such as polaritons and waveguide modes, and electron beams.Chapter 2 explores electron-driven excitation of surface polaritons through resonant scatterers placed near polariton-supporting materials. The passing electron polarizes a small resonant particle, which then launches surface modes with a spectrum determined by the particle’s response. Our semi-analytical model reveals an optimum scatterer-surface separation that maximizes polariton emission. This approach is extended to periodic arrays of scatterers, leading to a polaritonic analog of the Smith-Purcell effect, in which surface polaritons are emitted directionally into diffraction orders controlled by the array period, electron velocity, and polariton dispersion relation. Hexagonal boron nitride nanodisks coupled to graphene plasmons are identified as a realistic mid-infrared implementation for small resonant scatterers, with efficiency comparable to resonant lossless particles.In Chapter 3, we introduce wave-mixing cathodoluminescence as a nonlinear spectromicroscopy technique for detecting low-frequency excitations through visible-range optical readout. In this mechanism, the evanescent field of a swift electron mixes with an external optical pump through the second-order nonlinear response of a specimen, generating sum- and difference-frequency photons. The method up-converts far-infrared spectral fingerprints into the visible range, avoiding the need for low-frequency light sources or detectors. Calculations for retinal-coated silver nanorods show that molecular vibrational signatures can be accessed with nanometer-scale spatial resolution under external illumination and visible-range detection.Chapter 4 explores electrostatic control of electron trajectories as a means of tuning coupling to guided modes in silicon waveguides. By deflecting electrons into grazing trajectories using a static electron-repulsive field, the minimum electron-waveguide separation becomes a controllable parameter that governs both coupling strength and modal selectivity. In particular, we consider three doped silicon waveguides placed on a sapphire substrate, with the two side elements acting as lateral gating structures. Including image-force effects and collision thresholds, the analysis predicts voltage-tunable photon yields reaching several photons per electron in realistic integrated photonic geometries.In Chapter 5 cylindrical waveguides are studied as mediators between free electrons and nanoscale absorbers. A gate-controlled grazing electron launches a guided wave packet that subsequently drives a nearby resonant particle. This waveguide-mediated channel concentrates the broadband electron field spectrally and spatially, producing strong absorption enhancements relative to direct bare-electron excitation.In summary, this Thesis establishes free-electron-nanophotonic interactions as a versatile platform for nanoscale excitation, spectroscopy, and control of optical, polaritonic, and guided modes, with potential applications in integrated photonics, molecular sensing, and quantum nanophotonics.
  
• RUÍZ GONZÁLEZ, JOSÉ JAVIER: Development of computational tools and pipelines for enhanced interpretation of Raman spectroscopy in biomedical applications
  
  Author: RUÍZ GONZÁLEZ, JOSÉ 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 PHOTONICS
  Department: Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 07/07/2026
  Deposit END date: 20/07/2026
  Thesis director: LOZA ALVAREZ, PABLO
  Thesis abstract: Raman spectroscopy has gained increasing attention over the last few decades due to its ability to non-destructively extract chemical information from samples. However, despite advances in instrumentation, it has not yet become standard practice in the biomedical field. One of the main reasons is the difficulty in interpreting and extracting the chemical information encoded in Raman signal, so as to validate the technique using complementary, well established techniques.Considering this, the aim of this Thesis is to develop tools and analytical pipelines that enhance the biochemical interpretation of Raman spectra, and to demonstrate its usefulness in two relevant biomedical research lines: breast cancer resistance to neoadjuvant treatments and the diagnosis of choroidal melanoma.Firstly, we developed and validated RamanBiolib, an open-source Raman spectral library accompanied by search algorithms, aimed at providing rapid and objective identification of biomolecules. Secondly, we used RamanBiolib after spectral unmixing to identify and quantify cytochrome c molecule in breast cancer cells resistant to neoadjuvant treatments. This revealed a shift towards its reduced state to avoid apoptosis and acquire drug resistance. Then we also characterized lipid droplets in triple-negative breast cancer cells, highlighting the relevance of variable importance analysis in classification models. This approach allows for the biochemical interpretation of their classification performance and assessing possible background contributions to their accuracy. By doing so, significant changes in lipid unsaturation were detected. Furthermore, we developed RamanTF, a transformer-based algorithm that automatically quantifies key biomolecules from raw spectra.Finally, to study melanin-rich samples, we defined a pre-processing and analysis workflow to correct instrumental interferences that were observed in previous studies, but not corrected yet. With this established workflow, key melanin properties were identified, such as melanin structural disorder or defects abundance, which can be used as biomarkers to diagnose choroidal melanomas. Overall, the tools, discussions, and results presented in this Thesis advance Raman spectroscopy towards clinical application and provide a basis for its widespread adoption as a routine technique in biomedical and diagnostic research.
  

DOCTORAL DEGREE IN URBANISM

• FREIRE SILVA, MARÍA JOSÉ: Trazando la ciudad más allá del damero. Estudio histórico-morfológico de las ciudadelas o nuevos barrios en la primera expansión urbana de Quito (1908 - 1942)
  
  Author: FREIRE SILVA, MARÍA JOSÉ
  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: 20/07/2026
  Deposit END date: 31/07/2026
  Thesis director: MARTI CASANOVAS, MIQUEL | PESOA MARCILLA, MELISA
  Thesis abstract: Between the 19th century and the early decades of the 20th century, the first manifestations of Latin American modernity drove a process of urban expansion that profoundly transformed the structure of many cities. Whilst this phenomenon has been extensively studied from a socio-cultural perspective, analysis of its spatial and morphological dimensions has received less attention, particularly in the case of Andean cities. This study examines the case of Quito (Ecuador) with the aim of analysing how the first urban subdivision projects, known locally as “ciudadelas” (citadels), contributed to the city’s expansion during the first half of the 20th century.The research is based on a systematic review of historical archives and newspaper sources relating to these land-parcelling projects. The information gathered was georeferenced and analysed in relation to the physical environment (topography and hydrography) and its pre-existing features (roads and buildings). Based on this, a morphological analysis was carried out of the urban layouts and their components (streets, blocks, plots, buildings, public spaces and facilities), taking into account their shape, dimensions and organisation. In parallel, the promotional material for these projects was examined through a semiotic study of the promotional discourse found in the press of the time, with the aim of identifying the actors and urban imaginaries associated with this process of urban expansion. The results show that the geographical conditions of the Andean valley in which Quito was established had a significant influence on the layout of the first neighbourhoods to emerge during the city’s expansion, leading to specific adaptations in the street plans and the resulting organisation of the land parcels. Furthermore, they demonstrate that the citadels constituted an important form of urban growth through the parcelling and subdivision of land, the promotion of which was underpinned by urban imaginaries associated with modernity, exclusivity, hygiene and proximity to the countryside and nature. These findings help us understand how Quito’s urban expansion was not solely driven by social or economic dynamics, but also by the interplay between territorial conditions, urbanisation strategies and discourses legitimising the new peripheries.The research proposes a methodological approach that integrates a historical-morphological study through spatial analysis and the examination of promotional discourses, offering replicable tools for the comparative analysis of urban expansion processes in other Andean or Latin American cities that have experienced expansion in a similar territory with fragmented characteristics.