Physics-Informed Digital Twin for Coupled Mechanical–Moisture–Carbonation Behaviour in Biochar-Enhanced Low-Carbon Concrete

Ready to engineer a greener future? Working closely with a major industry partner , you'll build a state-of-the-art Digital Twin to unlock the carbon-capturing power of biochar-enhanced concrete. Mix materials science with advanced computational modelling to solve crucial Net Zero challenges in the real world!

The Challenge: Decarbonising Construction

The construction sector faces an urgent mandate to achieve Net Zero, making the development of sustainable materials a critical national challenge. Biochar-enhanced concrete is stepping up as a highly promising, low-carbon alternative for structural applications. By incorporating biochar aggregates, we can significantly reduce the embodied carbon of structures while simultaneously enabling potential CO₂ uptake during the material's service life. However, a major hurdle remains, we currently have a poor understanding of how biochar influences coupled moisture transport, carbonation kinetics, and long-term mechanical degradation. Existing structural design methods are fragmented, treating durability, mechanical strength, and carbon uptake as completely independent factors.

The Project: Pioneering a Digital Twin

To overcome these limitations, this PhD project aims to develop and thoroughly validate a multi-scale, physics-informed Digital Twin. You will establish a groundbreaking, integrated reactive-transport–mechanical framework designed to forecast the service life, structural reliability, and net carbon balance of biochar-enhanced concrete over a lifespan of 50+ years under variable environmental exposures. This tool will directly address the critical need for durability-informed decarbonisation within the built environment, ensuring both long-term structural safety and unprecedented longevity.

Your Role and Methodology

This project offers a thrilling mix of hands-on experimental work and advanced computational modelling. Your research will be highly dynamic, driven by the following core objectives:

• Microstructural Analysis: You will utilize cutting-edge Micro-CT imaging to precisely quantify the topology of biochar-induced pore networks. Through advanced homogenisation techniques, you will model and derive effective transport parameters, specifically focusing on moisture and CO₂ diffusivity.
• Advanced Predictive Modelling: You will construct a coupled reactive transport model using a system of partial differential equations to capture moisture diffusion, CO₂ ingress, and humidity-dependent carbonation kinetics. Furthermore, you will integrate a hygro-mechanical damage model utilizing continuum damage mechanics to predict shrinkage-induced microcracking and evaluate its ongoing feedback loop on material permeability.
• Rigorous Experimental Validation: You will bring your digital models into the real world by validating them through comprehensive laboratory testing. This includes utilizing controlled carbonation chambers, measuring sorption isotherms, conducting gas permeability testing, and monitoring compressive strength evolution.
• Smart Sensor Data Integration: To make the Digital Twin truly responsive, you will implement data assimilation using embedded relative humidity (RH) and strain sensors. By incorporating Bayesian updating, you will enable real-time model updates, drastically reducing prediction uncertainty under changing environmental conditions.

Research Environment and Industry Impact

This cross-disciplinary project sits at the forefront of Sustainable Engineering, Advanced Materials, and Digital Engineering. It perfectly aligns with major EPSRC strategic themes and priorities, specifically Engineering Net Zero and Digital Twins for Infrastructure. You will strengthen integration between materials science, computational modelling, and environmental systems engineering. You will be guided by an expert supervisory team comprising Dr Muhammad Imran, Dr Abed Alaswad, and Prof. Mujib Rahman. Crucially, the project will be implemented in close collaboration with a major industry partner. They will provide vital trial data for their biochar-enhanced concrete and aggregates, along with invaluable technical advice and support from an industrial implementation perspective, ensuring your research has immediate, real-world impact.

Candidates should have been awarded, or expect to achieve, EITHER:

a] a First or Upper Second Class award in their undergraduate degree, in a relevant subject.

OR

b] a First or Upper Second Class award in their undergraduate degree, and a Merit or Distinction in a Masters degree, both in a relevant subject.

Qualifications from overseas institutions will be considered, but performance must be equivalent to that described above, and the University reserves the right to ascertain this equivalence according to its own criteria.

Desirable / Essential Skills or Experience 

• Academic Background: Undergraduate or Master’s degree in Civil/Structural Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Applied Mathematics, or a closely related discipline.
• Computational Aptitude: Demonstrable experience with programming languages (such as Python, MATLAB, C++) or numerical simulation software (e.g., COMSOL, Abaqus, or similar finite element/finite volume tools).
• Communication & Collaboration: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team and engage confidently with industry partners.

This project is open to Home students ONLY, covers all tuition fees and includes a stipend at current UKRI rates. The project also includes a generous Research Training and Support Grant.

Please note that the successful candidate will be responsible for any expenses related to moving to Birmingham and/or visiting the Aston campus. 

Further information can be found here: Financial Requirements | Aston University

We can only consider applications that are complete and have all supporting documents. Applications that do not provide all the relevant documents will be automatically rejected. Your application must include: 

1.  English language copies of the transcripts and certificates for all your higher education degrees, including any Bachelor degrees.
2. A Research Statement detailing your understanding of the research area, how you would approach the project, and a brief review of relevant literature. Be sure to use the title of the research project you are applying for. There is no set format or word count. 
3. A personal statement which outlines any further information which you think is relevant to your application, such as your personal suitability for research, career aspirations, possible future research interests, and further description of relevant employment experience. 
4. A Curriculum Vitae (Resume) which details your education and work history. 
5. Two academic referees who can discuss your suitability for independent research. References must be on headed paper, signed and dated no more than 2 years old. At least one reference should be from your most recent University. You can submit your references at a later date if necessary. 
6. Evidence that you meet the English Language requirements. If you do not currently meet the language requirements, you can submit this at a later stage. 
7. A copy of your passport. Where relevant, include evidence of settled or pre-settled status.

If you require further information about the application process, please contact the Postgraduate Admissions team at pgr_admissions@aston.ac.uk.

Research Group*               (EPS) Mechanical Engineering  *This is necessary for the application

International Applicants 

International applicants NOT eligible to apply for this position. 

Interviews 

Interviews will be conducted online via Microsoft Teams. If you are shortlisted, you will be contacted directly with details of the interview.  
 

Studying a PhD is great route into academia and industries that are centred on research and innovation. Areas with a demand for very high level and specialised research skills often demand PhDs.

In addition to this specialist knowledge, PhD education will help you to develop a set of valuable transferrable skills. The very nature of studying an intensive research degree will enable you to become a team player, develop problem-solving skills, analytical thinking, and advanced presentation and communication skills.

The variety of PhD project topics at Aston means that the destinations of our graduates vary substantially. Some choose to continue into academia, at either Aston or other leading institutions, while others go onto use their newly acquired skills in a range of research, healthcare, industry or charitable fields. When selecting your chosen PhD path at Aston, your supervisor will be able to provide you with relevant career opportunities that could be available to you in your specialist area.