PhD scholarship in Coastal Engineering (Wave-Vegetation Interaction) - DTU Construct

How can coastal vegetation help protect our coastlines from waves and flooding? Understanding how waves interact with vegetation is key to exploring its potential for coastal protection and climate adaptation. Are you interested in combining fluid mechanics, mathematical analysis and numerical modelling to help answer this question. Then join us for a 3-year PhD fellowship in coastal engineering at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, Section for Fluid Mechanics, Coastal and Maritime Engineering. Your PhD research will play an integral part in the project “Marine advection and dissipation in the vegetated coastal environment”, financed by the Independent Research Fund Denmark. You will collaborate with researchers at DTU and DHI in Denmark, as well as at University College Dublin, Ireland and Northeastern University, USA.Responsibilities Your primary tasks will be to develop analytical and numerical models for waves interacting with coastal vegetation. Particular emphasis will be placed on the wave-averaged flow generated by surface waves and on the changes introduced by vegetation canopies. The research will include:

• Development and validation of models for wave-induced mean velocity profiles over vegetated beds under regular waves.
• Extension of these models to irregular wave fields, including derivation of wave-averaged shear-stress distributions and mean velocity profiles.
• Investigation of undertow and circulation currents above vegetated beds in the surf zone under breaking waves.
• Development of a cross-shore momentum balance describing wave-induced changes in mean water level and the potential reduction of storm-surge flooding by coastal vegetation.
• Numerical simulations using computational fluid dynamics
• Application of advanced turbulence models for surface-wave flows, modified to account for vegetation.
• Validation of the developed models against existing high-quality laboratory datasets.
• Development of practical parameterizations suitable for implementation in larger-scale coastal and hydrodynamic models.

The project combines fundamental fluid mechanics with applications directly relevant to coastal protection and climate adaptation. A major scientific objective is to move beyond conventional empirical vegetation models and instead explicitly account for the modification of the wave-induced velocity field within and above vegetation canopies.Qualifications We are looking for candidates with a strong background in one or more of the following areas:

• Coastal or ocean engineering
• Fluid mechanics or hydrodynamics
• Computational fluid dynamics
• Environmental hydraulics
• Applied mathematics or a closely related field

• A letter motivating the application (cover letter)
• Curriculum vitae
• Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma (in English) including official description of grading scale

You may apply prior to obtaining your master's degree but cannot begin before having received it. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered. All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply. As DTU works with research in critical technology, which is subject to special rules for security and export control, open-source background checks may be conducted on qualified candidates for the position.DTU Civil and Mechanical Engineering develops and utilises science and technical knowledge for the benefit of society and the sustainable development. We undertake research, education, innovation, and scientific advice of the highest quality within building design and processes, building construction and safety, building energy and technical services, solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, coastal and maritime engineering, materials technology, manufacturing engineering, engineering systems design, design for sustainability, and thermal energy.DTU – For the benefit of society since 1829DTU is one of Europe's leading elite technical universities. Through research and education at an international top level, we create solutions to the major societal challenges of our time and help secure Europe's global leadership in sustainable technological development. Since Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU almost 200 years ago, our mission has remained the same: We develop and create value through the natural and technical sciences for the benefit of society. DTU has 13,800 students, 1,600 PhD students, and 6,500 employees. We work in an international environment and have an inclusive, stimulating, and informal work culture. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland and collaborates with the best universities around the world.