School of Civil Engineering

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH PROGRAMMES

CONTENTS
03 THE SCHOOL 04 FACILITIES 05 OUR RESEARCH DEGREES 06 RESEARCH ACTIVITY 06 Institute for Resilient Infrastructure 13 Pathogen Control Engineering Institute 20 ENTRY REQUIREMENTS 20 FEES AND SCHOLARSHIPS 20 THE APPLICATION PROCESS 21 THE UNIVERSITY 22 THE CITY

SCHOOL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

As one of the largest Civil Engineering schools in the UK we have an established track record in the eld.
With 40 academic and research staff and nearly 700 students we are a major player in the eld of civil engineering, educating students in the areas of civil, structural and environmental engineering, architectural technology, project management, infrastructure and asset management and waste management. Research activity takes place across many different countries and we have a strong reputation for our pioneering work in developing countries - ranging from the treatment of waste and wastewater in tropical climates and the development of energy centres in India, to the design of low-cost housing in Malaysia and Brazil. Research is funded by government departments, international and national organisations and industry. We have also championed the development of interdisciplinary research with, for example, the School of Chemistry, the Faculty of Biological Sciences, the School of Process, Environmental and Materials Engineering, the Institute for Transport Studies (ITS) and the School of Earth and Environment. All academic staff are research active and have extensive knowledge and expertise accumulated over time, many of whom are leading experts in their chosen elds of specialisation. There are currently over 60 research students within the School. The School is one of ve schools which make up the Faculty of Engineering. The Faculty is ranked 7th in the UK for the quality of its research in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise with an impressive 75% of the Facultys research activity rated as internationally excellent or world leading. This means you will be supervised by world-class academics at the cutting edge of their discipline who will challenge, encourage and support you. We have long established links with industry and other international organisations, both in the UK and overseas. Staff have conducted research in the UK with, for example, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC); the Department of Health, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and internationally with the Department for International Development; and for a number of the Directorates of the European Union.

I decided to undertake a PhD  as the idea of carrying out research into an area of global concern appealed to me. I had previously completed my undergraduate degree at the university so I knew it was a good place to study. I also enjoy living in Leeds and the fact the university is part of the Russell Group lled me with more condence that it was the right choice.
Sarah

PhD title: Sustainable building technologies

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FIRST CLASS FACILITIES

As would be expected of a top rated UK Research School with over 60 postgraduate research students from around the world, facilities to support study are of the highest standard.
The School has a wide range of modern experimental facilities to support postgraduate research projects. We have a new suite of Public Health laboratories with separate areas for solid waste, water and wastewater, a class II microbiology lab and clean room for molecular biology work including PCR techniques. Specialist facilities also include a class II aerobiology chamber that can be used for room-scale bioaerosol experiments, a wide range of bioaerosol sampling equipment for lab and site-based studies and in-house waste respirometers to measure process reaction rates. We also have bench-top tests to look at the fundamental behaviour of materials and soils and testing rigs for full-scale structures built of construction materials including recycled materials and composite materials. This allows research programmes to focus on characterisation, modelling and application thus having a direct impact on industry. Specialist facilities include research laboratories to investigate the behaviour of soils in various environments, advanced techniques to study the micro behaviour of cementitious materials, full-scale eld monitoring of structures and building services. With research in the School increasingly focusing on numerical modelling, we have also invested in excellent computational facilities including our own in-house provision as well as access to highperformance computing for particularly intensive analytical work. Software includes industry-standard CFD, structural and geotechnical modelling and Building Information Modelling packages as well as a range of bespoke tools developed within research groups. The laboratories and computational research facilities are backed-up by recently refurbished research student ofces, a dedicated graduate team to handle the administrative side of your study, an extensive network of cross-campus PCs, excellent University library facilities and access to technical and professional training to both facilitate your studies and develop your wider career.

OUR RESEARCH DEGREES

Our international reputation for research makes this an ideal place to pursue a research degree, whether as preparation for a research career in industry or as the start of an academic career.
We offer three types of research degree, all of which are project based: Research degree Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Master of Philosophy (MPhil) Master of Science by Research (MSc) A PhD is the most internationally recognised research qualication, and as such is the most commonly pursued research degree at Leeds. In all cases you are expected to carry out a programme of research in a particular area under the supervision of a primary supervisor and one or more co-supervisors. Supervisors are usually staff within the school however co-supervisors may be from another discipline, another institution or even industry depending on the project and funding source.
A micrograph of water activated 70% White Portland cement and 30% y ash taken on a Philips CM20 TEM

I chose the University of Leeds  because of the supervisors within the School of Civil Engineering as they have excellent expertise and knowledge in their elds.
Norshuhaila

Length of study period 3 years full-time or 5 years part-time (split-site) 2 years full-time or 4 years part-time 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time You are assessed internally towards the end of your rst year (second year for part-time students) through a report and oral examination; successful completion enables progression into the remaining years. At the end of the programme you will prepare a thesis which describes your research and your original contribution to knowledge which is assessed by oral examination. Once registered you are given the opportunity to discuss your research topic with your supervisor(s). Specic training needs will be identied and suitable courses recommended. During the later stages of your study you will be expected to give seminars and write papers for scientic journals and conferences.

PhD title: Biological treatment of waste

I learnt about the University  of Leeds from the Internet. The research environment and facilities within the School of Civil Engineering appealed to me.
Yemtsa

PhD title: Financing of hydropower projects in developing countries

Research activity within the school is organised into two research institutes The Institute for Resilient Infrastructure The Pathogen Control Engineering Institute

Undertaking a PhD has helped  me academically to improve my research leadership, planning and execution skills for future research in my eld.
Shanmugam

PhD title: Biohydrogen and methane generation from the codigested Leather eshings waste with MSW using two stage CSTR

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RESEARCH ACTIVITY
INSTITUTE FOR RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE (iRI)
Physical infrastructure is vital for continued national and international economic, social and environmental development and prosperity. Resilience is the ability of a system to withstand threats and continue to function, and is related to continuity, durability and performance to expected standards over time. Resilient Infrastructure is therefore, those systems of physical assets that will be able to survive and perform well in an increasingly uncertain future. The challenge is that existing and new physical assets will have to become more adaptable; and, be created, designed, built, operated, and/or, disposed of in the light of current as well as new and emergent futures. The scope of the Institute is interdisciplinary; embracing the interactions and impact of disciplines drawn from the Engineering, Environmental, Economic, Community / Societal and Political domains on the whole life performance of physical assets. The time frames of the Institutes research agenda cover the short, medium and long term requirements for meeting the physical infrastructure challenges now facing society, and encompasses fundamental, applied and policy-oriented research. Physical infrastructure takes many forms, and our remit includes sectors dealing with civil-engineering structures, for example, roads, railways, airports, ood defences, ports and harbours, water treatments plants, oil, gas and power plants and the utilities distribution infrastructures. We also cover sectors associated with buildingengineering structures for example, schools, healthcare facilities, manufacturing plants, retail and industrial outlets, commercial ofces, housing developments, and different types of government buildings. We encourage both multidisciplinary team research and facilitate the development of independent researchers within the institute. Multidisciplinary research themes that are currently of interest include: T  he impact of moving to a low carbon economy on physical infrastructure; Designing for resilience; T  he role of engineering in event management and the interdependency of infrastructure systems along a continuum of normal to crisis events; T  he impact of climate change on infrastructure and the engineering and policy responses. The institute is led by Dr Phil Purnell and currently comprises of twenty-one academic staff and 33 PhD students. For further information visit:

STRUCTURES RESEARCH
We are involved in research encompassing steel, concrete, masonry and composite structures, numerical methods, information modelling, structural and computational mechanics.
The projects range from those dealing with the development and application of new and recycled materials in construction; the development of design codes based on full scale testing; the inuence of the environment on structures; the performance of composite and complex structures; and the application of numerical optimisation to structural engineering problems. Much of this work is carried out in a heavy structures laboratory with a variety of loading frames to allow structural elements and full scale structures to be tested to destruction. Masonry research is undertaken in collaboration with the Materials unit and currently includes investigating horizontal and vertical restraint factors in clay brick and concrete block masonry; retrotting of traditional clay masonry in world regions subjected to earthquake or blast loading; the development of a masonry unit composed entirely of recycled and waste material; and long-term movements of masonry, incorporating the inuence of cryptouorescence and the effect this has on the denition of creep as well as climate impacts on heritage structures. Studies are carried out into the mechanics and computer modelling of structures made of various materials ranging from steel reinforced concrete, carbon bre reinforced concrete, laminated composites and biological composites. Research currently includes damage assessment of laminated composites with matrix cracks, stress and material discontinuities in bre reinforced laminates, composite joints and mechanical-thermoelectric properties of biological composites. This means that it is possible to study structural behaviour from the microscopic level to the macroscopic level both experimentally and numerically. Since the research is carried out in a multidisciplinary School it means that innovative, interdisciplinary research is possible which has led to commercialisation of new materials and development of new concepts.

www.engineering.leeds.ac.uk/resilience

Detailed below are a range of engineering research areas that are being drawn together to provide the enhanced capability required to meet the challenges facing physical infrastructure over the coming decades. Research funding to support these activities is secured from the Research Councils, Government, industrial organisations and the European Union.

Research areas  Structures: evaluation and simulation of products and complex structures Materials: sustainable and intelligent construction materials Geotechnics: processes, environmental performance, characterisation of soils and wastes Architectural Engineering and Building Science: Adaptive, responsive or phmre architectural systems Whole life performance of assets and risk management Development of the sustainable urban environment and future cities

Research group members Dr Xianghe Dai Dr John Forth Professor Steve Garrity Dr Dennis Lam Dr Andrey Polynkin Dr Yong Sheng Professor Vassili Toropov Dr Alastair Watson Dr Jianqiao Ye

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MATERIALS RESEARCH
We are primarily interested in helping the construction industry to become more sustainable by intelligent use of materials.
One of the most important construction materials is Portland cement, 2.6 billion tonnes of which is made every year, contributing around 5% of the worlds CO2 emissions. Reducing the CO2 emissions associated with cement manufacture is not simply a process of becoming more energy efcient; the chemistry of the process means that the emissions are intrinsic to cement manufacture. Reducing these emissions signicantly involves changing the chemistry of cementation by using, for example:  novel binders based on e.g. replacing calcium and/or silicon with magnesium and/or aluminium;  increasing amounts of low-impact byproducts such as y ash, metal rening slags and pollution control residues; a  ctive carbonation to recombine some of the CO2 emitted during manufacture into stable products. The use of such non-Portland cements in structural concrete poses a number of technical challenges. For example; how will they react to chlorides or carbonation? What is the hydration chemistry and microstructure of these cements? How do these things change with time and service environment? What will be the effect of these new cements on the long-term behaviour of reinforcement? Other, systemsbased approaches include exploiting the thermal inertia of large concrete structures to reduce heating and air con loads, improving predictions of service lives for concrete structures to enable prolonged life through more efcient management, and designing concrete structural components beams, columns, etc so they can be re-used after demolition. All these approaches need to be properly costed in terms of cash, energy use and CO2 emissions over the whole life of a structure; from mining, through construction, operation and decommissioning, to disposal and/or recycling. This involves using techniques such as Life Cycle Assessment to properly quantify the impacts of design decisions on the sustainability of given approaches to avoid popular assumptions and misconceptions about what constitutes green construction.

GEOTECHNICS RESEARCH
This is a wide ranging research area covering the characteristics of soils and waste materials, the environmental impact on soils, geotechnical processes and the ground as a resource.
Characterisation includes an understanding of the stress strain behaviour of soils subject to both monotonic and cyclic loads and the electrical, thermal and hydraulic conductivity of soils. The work is carried out in a dedicated research laboratory that is equipped for elemental tests. The performance of stabilised soils and wastes as construction materials and the use of modied soils as environmental barriers demonstrate examples of the innovative use of soil. The need to realise the benets of the ground as a resource have led to studies into the thermal properties for geothermal energy, the electrical properties as a sustainable ground treatment technology and the development of environmental barriers to treat contaminated soils and groundwater. A study of geotechnical processes brings together expertise from other disciplines in order to minimise the environmental impact and maximise the benets of the ground. The application of knowledge management techniques to ground processes, the use of reactive material to stabilise and modify ground properties for structural and environmental reasons and the processing of geotechnical waste are examples of this approach. Therefore links to other groups in the School, Faculty and University are a feature of the research programmes.

Current projects include: T  he nature of the C-S-H glue of the concrete part of the Built Environment, particularly using TEM and NMR analysis; N  anostructural models for the main binding phase in Portland cement-based cements and concrete; A  dvances in understanding the microstructure, microchemistry and degradation of cementitious materials; Carbonation of wasteform grout and NRVB; V  alorisation of wastes in cementitious building materials - environmental assessment and contaminant release mechanisms; T  he characterisation of C-S-H in early and late age cement systems containing additives; Characterisation of effects of super-critical carbonation on the composition and properties of cement composites and related calcareous materials; U  se of waste materials / industrial by-products / construction and demolition waste as alternative sources of aggregate, manufactured aggregate or binder enhancement for concrete; T  he inuence of hot weather conditions and elevated temperature more generally on the curing and properties of concrete.

Research group members Dr Leon Black Dr Phil Purnell Professor Ian Richardson

Research group members Professor Barry Clarke Dr Terry Cousens Dr Doug Stewart

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ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING AND BUILDING SCIENCE RESEARCH

This area integrates the disciplines of Architecture, Structures and Building Services.
This holistic approach takes into account several different issues. First, it considers the necessity to combine Beauty and Functionality in the built environment; such attempt is testied by numerous examples, from the Pantheon in Rome to the Gherkin in London. Secondly is the recognition that an adaptive and responsive built environment is becoming increasingly important for a contemporary and sustainable society, with resilient and durable buildings essential for our future. Finally, research considers the need to create the professional interface between architects and engineers: our graduates are capable to act as interpreters in the complicated and fragmented world of construction. Such a skill is highly appreciated by large and prestigious companies such as ARUP and BURO HAPPOLD. The subject of Architecture has been an important part of the training of civil engineering students at the University of Leeds for over twenty-ve years. Research principally focuses on the area of Architectural Humanities and involves both modern and contemporary Architectural/ Structural Engineering history; Research includes works on modern engineers (Pier Luigi Nervi) and Structural Icons (London 1948-2012: An Olympic Story). Research in building services engineering mainly concentrates on energy efcient design of the built environment and the provision of thermal comfort and improved air quality in buildings. One focus of the research is in developing countries and current projects include the design of low-income housing and energy efcient building design in Malaysia. New initiatives include the development of building materials in developing countries using local sustainable materials. European based research has a particular interest in the general area of energy efcient building design including projects in Finland and Greece as well as the UK. In recent years this has included the use of bre optics in natural lighting design, performance of induction based mechanical ventilation systems and monitoring the real-life performance of energy efcient buildings. Research in building services also has a strong link with the PaCE Institute with projects on healthcare design considering both infection and energy perspectives.

THE WHOLE LIFE VALUE AND PERFORMANCE OF ASSETS IN AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE

Research addresses the whole range of activities in the asset and construction cycles. General areas range from Asset Management, Programme and Project Management, through to Project Appraisal, Maintenance Management, and Value and Risk Management.
Particular interests include Engineering Project Management, Risk Management, Value Management, Project Financing, Investment Appraisal, Total Quality Management, Best Practice and Business Process Re-engineering. Recent work in the area of asset management has also included studies for the Environment Agency, the Ofce of Government Commerce and also the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment. Research topics have included a major review of the use of the Private Finance Initiative to provide transportation infrastructure. This work involves construction companies changing their traditional working environments and participating in project nancing, marketing, operation and maintenance management and becoming committed over a much longer period of time in order to remain competitive. Research funded by the European Union, entitled Reasonable Access has investigated from a multistakeholder perspective, the responsiveness of buildings to persons with a disability, the output from the research study being a layered decision framework to test accessibility from differing perspectives. A key feature of our research continues to be the contribution to Uncertainty Management, including Value Management and Risk Management procedures. Recent developments, including some engineering disasters such as the Paddington Rail Crash, have provided a need for a greater corporate understanding and management of the mitigation of risk and the exploration of opportunities. Work and practices for sectors outside construction have been considered in the identication of best practice, the group is also active in industrial consulting in this area. Complementing the Institutes capabilities in asset performance and structural engineering is an international reputation for leading work on product model based interoperability. This strand of Computer-Aided Engineering is concerned with the cohesive application of information and communications technologies to the engineering processes over the life-cycle of all types of infrastructure. Such research spans collaborative tools, information management and knowledge-based systems with a particular interest in the opportunities created by interoperability and Building Information Modelling (BIM) software and concepts. Increasingly these technologies are facilitating holistic multi-faceted approaches to design while also providing support for adopting a more appropriate whole life-cycle sustainable approach to the design and the management to resilient infrastructure. Topics for research students with interests in CAE are developed on an individual basis (see www.engineering.leeds.ac.uk/civil/ research/cae for further information).

Research group members Dr Manuel Cresciani Professor Steve Garrity Dr Catherine Noakes Dr John Tinker

Research group members Dr Bernard Aritua Professor Denise Bower Professor Steve Male Mr Krisen Moodley Professor Nigel Smith Dr Apollo Tutesigensi Dr Alastair Watson

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DEVELOPMENT OF THE SUSTAINABLE URBAN ENVIRONMENT AND FUTURE CITIES

In 2006 a major milestone was reached: the proportion of the worlds population living in urban areas reached 50%. According to UN forecasts this gure will reach 80% by 2050.
In other words the vast majority of people on this planet will live in towns or cities. This rate of urbanisation implies that the equivalent of a city the size of Lima, Peru needs to be built every 24 days. Of course this will not happen: in practice existing cities will get bigger. In 1970 there were only three cities in the world with a population of more than 10 million. Now there are 30. Cities are the foci of economic activity, capital accumulation and wealth creation. They are also the places where societys biggest challenges are faced: deprivation, crime, congestion, pollution, waste disposal, health inequalities, housing to name but a few. Given the growth in urbanisation it is reasonable to assume these challenges will intensify. This provides a fertile arena for research across the social, natural and physical sciences as well as in areas such as the arts and humanities, but importantly for integrating research across these areas. (M Clarke, 2009) The iRI is at the core of Future Cities which is generating many cross-sector research projects.

RESEARCH ACTIVITY
PATHOGEN CONTROL ENGINEERING INSTITUTE (PaCE)
Control of pathogens is a major worldwide public health challenge with over 7.8 million deaths annually (WHO) that are directly linked to infectious diseases and the environment in which people live.
Despite advances in science 900 million people in the world are still without safe drinking water, 2500 million without adequate sanitation and there are no gures on those without effective waste management systems. Respiratory diseases are responsible for almost 10% of all deaths worldwide, with tuberculosis a major contributor. The health of a population inuences social, economic and political stability and is seen as a key measure in dening the status of a nation in the eyes of the world. Even in high-income countries pathogen control is a signicant issue. Hospitalacquired infections affect up to 10% of all patients in UK hospitals and while disease associated with water supply and sanitation is rare in the developed world, the design of engineering processes for water, wastewater and solid waste treatment must all comply with stringent safety codes to minimise disease transmission. Beyond the control of disease, engineering processes are increasingly looking to new techniques to address a wide range of problems and develop a safer and more sustainable environment. Understanding the interaction of microorganisms with the natural environment and engineering processes presents a key opportunity for both optimising process efciency and providing new strategies for controlling hazards. The design of processes that control pathogens in our water and waste industries has a direct inuence on the energy consumption and carbon emissions of such processes. Designing systems that use natural biological processes can help us to maximise energy and resource recovery in these systems. Contaminated land and groundwater offers another exciting area of application where the controlled introduction of bacteria could present a safe and economic strategy for cleaning up the toxins left by years of industrial process. PaCE research spans a wide range of interests from the microbiology of wastewater treatment to the simulation of indoor airow that is focused around address these major challenges. Much of our work is multidisciplinary and currently includes funded projects from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the Department of Health, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), as well as collaborative research with overseas organisations including the UN, World Health Organization, World Bank and academic institutions in Columbia and Brazil. The institute is led by Professor Edward Stentiford and currently comprises nine academic staff, four postdoctoral researchers and 18 PhD students. There is active collaboration across the Institute and a programme of regular seminars and events is organised to share knowledge and expertise as well as to provide networking opportunities for academic and industrial research partners and sponsors.

www.engineering.leeds.ac.uk/pace

For further information visit:

Research areas Water Supply and Sanitation in Developing Countries Aerobiology and Infection Control Solid Waste Management Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Numerical Modelling for Water Engineering Contaminated Land and Groundwater
Research group members Professor Barry Clarke Mrs Barbara Evans Professor Steve Male Professor Nigel Smith Dr John Tinker Dr Apollo Tutesigensi Professor Nigel Wright

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WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

We have an international reputation for our work in low-income countries on the appropriate delivery of water supply and sanitation services.
Using a multidisciplinary team approach with interests in the design, delivery and operation of services for people living in low-income and/or unplanned communities in rural and urban areas. Research is carried out in partnership with other universities, UN bodies, governments and civil society organisations of, or those working in, countries of the global South. Current research areas include: L  ow-cost wastewater treatment and reuse; Low-cost sewerage;  Appropriate and sustainable provision of water supplies and sanitation systems for low-income rural and periurban communities; T  he use of treated wastewater in agriculture and aquaculture (including the use of quantitative microbial risk analyses to assess the risks to human and animal health); P  lanning and operation of services for slums and unplanned communities; F  inancing of water and sanitation goods and services; M  anagement and safe treatment of faecally contaminated wastes.

AEROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION CONTROL

Research in this area focuses on the use of engineering and environmental measures to control the spread of infection, both in clinical and non-clinical settings.
This is important work which tackles the world-wide problem of the airborne and contact spread of disease. The complex nature of this work demands a multidisciplinary approach we therefore combine microbiological and clinical expertise with engineering and mathematical modelling to produce a team uniquely suited for infection control work. In addition, we have close links with the Department of Health, the NHS and organisations involved in the design of healthcare buildings and devices to control infection. Our research includes work on airborne diseases tuberculosis, inuenza, SARS and anthrax. We have considerable experience in sampling, generating and modelling bioaerosols, particularly with reference to tuberculosis and cystic brosis-associated pathogens, and have also produced epidemiological models and CFD simulations to predict the transmission of airborne diseases in conned spaces. We have a 32m3 bioaerosol test chamber, in which temperature, humidity and ventilation can all be controlled. This facility enables researchers to mimic clinical environments, perform a wide variety of experiments involving aerosols doped with microorganisms, and evaluate the performance of infection-control devices.

Research group members Dr Miller Camargo-Valero Mrs Barbara Evans Dr Louise Fletcher Professor Duncan Mara Dr Andrew Sleigh Professor Edward Stentiford

Current research areas include: The application of ultraviolet light to reduce airborne pathogens in hospitals; T  he dissemination of pathogens in hospital wards, including Clostridium difcile, MRSA and Aspergillus;  Design of hospital-ward ventilation for energy performance, comfort and infection control; Infection risk modelling for airborne diseases in conned spaces; CFD simulation of indoor air and transport of pathogens.

Research group members Dr Miller Camargo-Valero Dr Carl Gilkeson Dr Louise Fletcher Dr Catherine Noakes Dr Andrew Sleigh Professor Edward Stentiford

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SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

The Institute has a long-established track record in waste management both in developed and developing countries.
Many of the wastes generated by society are potential sources of disease and their management is central to maintaining a healthy community. PaCE focuses on the ways in which we can intervene to prevent the potential pathogens in these wastes from causing infections. The Institutes current research ranges from laboratory studies, such as developing rapid PCR techniques to improve the methods of identifying and enumerating pathogens in waste derived composts to work at full scale with research sites at composting plants, anaerobic digestion facilities and thermal treatment plants. The emphasis of much of PaCEs work is on pathogen control but it is also concerned with wider aspects of waste and resource management which include issues such as urban sustainability and using LCA for the selection of treatment and management systems. The funding for the research comes primarily from the EPSRC, EU, UK government, NGOs and industry.

WASTEWATER TREATMENT AND REUSE

We have world leading expertise in wastewater treatment from large plant design for European cities to low-cost treatment using stabilisation ponds.

We have skills in the design and operation of large wastewater treatment plants for European cities and have worked on the plants for: Athens, Jersey, Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds and Shefeld.

Our developing countries focus includes waste stabilisation ponds, low-cost sewer systems and pond effuent reuse in agriculture and aquaculture. We have worked in several developing countries in Africa, Asia and South America.

Our key research themes are: Large treatment plant design: Design, operation and control of large activated sludge plants; Nutrient removal systems; Sludge foaming and bulking; Resource recovery (methane, hydrogen, nitrogen and phosphorus) from wastewaters. Waste stabilisation ponds and wastewater reuse: Waste Stabilisation Ponds; Wastewater use in agriculture and aquaculture; Quantitative microbial risk analysis. Research group members Mrs Barbara Evans Dr Louise Fletcher Dr Nigel Horan Professor Duncan Mara Dr Andrew Sleigh Professor Edward Stentiford

My research involves the design and construction of a lter that  can be used to treat wastewater and specically remove nitrogen compounds to comply with EU discharge consents. The NovFlo pilot-plant has been constructed at Esholt wastewater treatment plant near Bradford where raw sewage can be directed straight into the lter for treatment. The novelty of the lter lies in its conguration and energy requirements. It is designed to be a low-cost, low-energy solution which would be particularly applicable at smaller wastewater treatment works and on-site treatments systems in rural areas where currently few facilities exist for the removal of nitrogen. I enjoy my research as I learn something new almost every day. I also like the real-world aspect of my work and can clearly see how my research can be applied at wastewater treatment plants.
PhD title: Design and optimisation of a novel lter device for the removal of nitrogen from wastewater

Research group members Mr John Barton Dr Leon Black Dr Louise Fletcher Professor Duncan Mara Dr Andrew Sleigh Professor Edward Stentiford Current research areas include: Waste composting both at laboratory- and full-scale; Sustainability of waste management systems; Anaerobic digestion and energy recovery; Novel systems for identifying and enumerating pathogens in waste; Control of airborne microorganisms in waste management facilities; Waste minimisation and resource recovery; Evaluating stabilisation and sanitisation in waste treatment systems; Process kinetics in composting and anaerobic digestion.

Hannah

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NUMERICAL MODELLING FOR WATER ENGINEERING

Development of CFD and other numerical models is a core activity across the Institute with particular expertise relating to water as well as application in airborne infection control.
Research considers ow dynamics and interaction between uids and solids as well as linking in chemical and biological processes. Funding has included grants from the EPSRC as well as industry partnerships such as the KTP scheme and researchers have good collaborative links outside the School. Research relating to water and wastewater also involves signicant collaboration, the water@leeds institute, with projects potentially involving cross-discipline research and co-supervision with academic staff in other Schools. Research group members Dr Miller Camargo-Valero Dr Carl Gilkeson Professor Duncan Mara Dr Catherine Noakes Dr Andrew Sleigh Professor Nigel Wright Current research areas include: A  ssessing the risk of infection through consumption of wastewater irrigated crops using QMRA; Modelling tools for design and management of wastewater systems; Simplied sewerage design; R  esilience and risk of failure of water distribution systems through novel Complex Network Analysis; Hydraulic performance of water-supply structures, including wells, distribution networks and reservoirs; Dam break simulation in one and two dimensions; Computational Fluid Dynamics simulations including Waste Stabilisation Ponds and Biogas reactors; Simulation of river ows for ood risk management.

CONTAMINATED LAND AND GROUNDWATER

We are applying technologies of the post-genomics revolution to Civil Engineering to produce sustainable solutions for Society.

Technologies from the post-genomics revolution are being used to bring brand new insight into the role of bacterial processes in shaping the world in which we live: P  olymerase chain reaction (PCR) is being used to amplify bacterial DNA in environmental samples for the analysis of bacterial populations Cloning and DNA sequencing are used to identify bacteria  Metabolomics techniques are used to identify the specic metabolic processes that bacteria are undertaking. These techniques are being used to develop new sustainable solutions to important Civil Engineering problems. Our research is focused in investing small amounts of embedded energy to control bacterial populations to produce a specic engineering outcome. We are interested in how the natural metabolic processes of endogenous soil bacteria can be harnessed to achieve engineering objectives. Applications of our work include: Stabilisation of mine tailing The clean-up of contaminated soil and groundwater The treatment of industrials wastes The development of new construction materials

Current research includes: M  icrobial processes in contaminated soil & groundwater; I n-situ treatment of contaminated groundwater; S  ensor systems for environmental monitoring; S  tability and settlement characteristics of ashes and tailings. Research group members Mr John Barton Dr Doug Stewart

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THE APPLICATION PROCESS

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
We normally require applicants to have a minimum qualication level of a UK upper second class honours degree (2:1) or equivalent. If English is not your rst language we will require evidence of your English language ability.

THE UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS

VISIT US
You are welcome to visit us, please contact the Graduate School Ofce on +44 (0)113 343 8000.

CONTACT US
If you have any queries regarding the application process please contact: Graduate School Ofce Faculty of Engineering University of Leeds LS2 9JT UK t: +44 (0)113 343 8000 f: +44 (0)113 343 8001 e: phd@engineering.leeds.ac.uk w:  www.engineering.leeds.ac.uk /pg/research For further information about our research please contact: Institute for Resilient Infrastructure (iRI) Dr Phil Purnell e: p.purnell@leeds.ac.uk w:  www.engineering.leeds.ac.uk/resilience Pathogen Control Engineering Institute (PaCE) Professor Edward Stentiford e: e.i.stentiford@leeds.ac.uk w:  www.engineering.leeds.ac.uk/pace

The University of Leeds is one of the UKs top universities. Established in 1904, we are part of the prestigious Russell Group the 20 leading research universities in the UK, and are well known throughout the world for our quality of teaching and research.
In fact, last year students came to us from over 130 countries. Our degrees are also well respected by employers and universities world-wide, and in the latest World University League Tables, published in October 2009, our employer review score was 99 out of 100. Our single site campus is one of largest in the UK, and our size brings many benets. It means there are a wide range of amenities on campus, including sports facilities, an opticians, supermarket and an excellent Students Union. However students are taught within smaller Schools, enabling us to be friendly, supportive and accessible. Some key facts about our university:  One of the original six civic red-brick universities  A thriving students union one of the most active in the UK with over 260 clubs and societies  A founder member of the World Universities Network combining our intellectual repower with 18 other worldleading universities to tackle research of global importance  We have 15 national teaching fellows more than any other English university reecting the excellence of our teaching A 360m investment in new buildings and facilities will include a 9.7m swimming pool with an adjustable depth. You will benet from the diverse community of cultures studying and working within the University. We are committed to providing an excellent level of service and support for all our students and for international students we have extensive academic support services including a Language Centre and a Skills Centre. An active International Centre brings together the international student community, and is a source of information, guidance and support, as well as a great place to make new friends. We also offer a wide range of student welfare services, including immigration advice, a medical centre and counselling. International students have a guaranteed place in University accommodation throughout their studies, provided that a completed application form and deposit reaches us before the summer deadlines.* For further information visit: www.leeds.ac.uk/international
* This guarantee applies to all single students from outside the EU who apply by the relevant deadlines.

FEES & SCHOLARSHIPS

We offer a number of scholarships and bursaries for postgraduate study and we have a range of studentships available for the study of specic projects. For the latest information on fees and scholarships please visit our website or contact us.

HOW TO APPLY
Application for postgraduate study must be made on the appropriate form and should be accompanied by references and a CV. Application packs and further information can be obtained on-line from our website or by contacting the Graduate School Ofce.

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THE CITY OF LEEDS

Leeds is a multi-cultural and cosmopolitan student friendly city with over 200,000 students, all enjoying the safe, friendly environment.
The city boasts a lively arts and entertainment scene, and hosts a wide variety of shopping facilities. The central position of Leeds, midway between Edinburgh and London, in the UK means that it is an ideal place from which to visit other parts of the country. Leeds can be reached easily by train from any part of the UK, and is served by Leeds/ Bradford International Airport, with train connections from Manchester and London International Airports. Leeds is one of the most cost effective places to study in Britain, according to NatWests Student Living Index 2008. Living accommodation close to the University is plentiful, with substantial amounts of University as well as private sector accommodation. Further details about accommodation can be obtained from the Accommodation Ofce. t: +44 (0)8701 200189 e: accom@leeds.ac.uk w:  www.leeds.ac.uk/accommodation

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SCHOOL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING 23

Whilst the University endeavours to ensure that the information contained in this brochure is accurate at the date of publication, it does not accept liability for any inaccuracies. Where matters arise outside of the reasonable control of the University it reserves the right to change or cancel its courses or services at any time without liability even after students have registered at the University. The Universitys contract with its students does not confer third party benets for the purposes of the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999. Copyright The University of Leeds 2007. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is forbidden without the permission of the publishers.

Graduate School Ofce Faculty of Engineering University of Leeds Leeds LS2 9JT, UK t: +44 (0)113 343 8000 f: +44 (0)113 343 8001 e: phd@engineering.leeds.ac.uk w: www.engineering.leeds.ac.uk/civil