PhD Positions in Maintenance Planning of Rail Networks

In the DESTRAIL project, researchers aim to provide solutions for a number of problems faced by EU rail infrastructure managers. Novel techniques for identifying, analysing and remediating critical rail infrastructure will be developed. These solutions will be implemented using a decision support tool, which allows rail infrastructure managers to make rational investment choices, based on reliable data. At present infrastructure managers make safety critical investment decisions based on poor data and an overreliance on visual assessment. As a consequence, their estimates of risk are, therefore, highly questionable and large scale failures are happening with increasingly regularity. As the European rail infrastructure network ages, investment becomes more challenging. As a result reliability and safety are reduced, users’ perception of these is negative and the policy move to increased use of rail transport is unsuccessful. The objective of this project (safer, reliable and efficient rail infrastructure) will be achieved through a holistic management tool based on the FACT (Find, Analyse, Classify, Treat) principle. The work on the DESTRAIL project will be conducted in collaboration with the other members of our international research team, and will build on other work being done at the Institute of Construction and Infrastructure Management on network risk analysis and the determination of work programs for network infrastructure.

PhD position 1 will involve the development of a methodology to evaluate the risk associated with objects within a rail network. This methodology will be developed for all objects in the rail network and will give appropriate consideration to the types of failure, the amount of time required to restore service levels, the deviations in trains if specific failure level happen and the role of the object in the network. The methodology is also required to take into consideration the restoration processes to be used if a failure occurs. The successful candidate for PhD position 1 will have a Master’s degree in civil engineering, systems engineering or related field, and will have a keen interest in the evaluation of both behaviour of infrastructure objects and networks under extreme loading and in the use of reliability theory to estimate risk, as well as the management of infrastructure. A good grasp of probability theory is essential. A good grasp of risk assessment and familiarity with GIS are beneficial.

PhD position 2 will involve the development of a methodology to determine optimal work programs for railway network. This work will require consideration of the spatial distribution of the objects in the network as well as their roles in the network. Special attention will be required to ensure that the information on the object level e.g. a power line, a bridge, or a track section is collected and generated in ways that are compatible with the network level analysis. The developed work programs will be those to reduce risk associated with the rail network, in particular but not limited to the risk associated with natural hazards. Risk will be quantified taking into consideration both temporal and spatial aspects. The work programs will be multi-time period work programs. The successful candidate for PhD position 2 will have a Master’s degree in civil engineering, systems engineering or a related field, and will have a keen interest in operations research methods, as well as the management of infrastructure. A good grasp of probability theory, risk assessment, and GIS is beneficial.

The successful candidates for both positions will be expected to work closely together, as a successful DESTRAIL project can only be achieved when the work of both is successful and compatible. As DESTRAIL is an internationally funded project the successful candidates must be able to work in English. The preferred start date is June 1, 2015 although others are possible.