University of Leeds
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PhD in Railway Circular Economy University of Leeds in United Kingdom
Degree Level
PhD
Field of study
Environmental Science
Funding
This is a non-funded PhD project. Applicants are expected to be self-funded or secure external funding. Costs associated with arrival at Leeds, including visa, Immigration Health Surcharge, and flights, must be met by the applicant or alternative funding source.
Deadline
Apr 30, 2027
Country
United Kingdom
University
University of Leeds
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About this position
PhD in Railway Circular Economy at the University of Leeds (School of Civil Engineering).
This PhD project explores sustainable solutions for railway track infrastructure through the principles of a circular economy. The research focuses on the scalable reprocessing of ballast, sleepers, rails, and other track components to convert network waste into high-quality secondary commercial materials.
Possible research directions include: scalable reprocessing for spent railway ballast; structural performance of alternative sleepers made from recycled composite materials; life cycle carbon tracking of reprocessed track components; mechanical characterization and stabilization of secondary materials for rail embankments; automated sorting and quality control systems for track asset waste streams; and durability of recycled railway components under cyclic loading.
Methods may include laboratory testing, finite element modeling, life cycle assessment, microstructural analysis, mechanical testing under cyclic and fatigue loading, and discrete element modeling of ballast behavior.
Suitable backgrounds include Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Materials Science, Environmental Engineering, Sustainability Science, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Applied Chemistry, and Chemical Engineering.
This is a non-funded PhD. Applicants should be self-funded or have external sponsorship. International applicants are welcome, and the project is open to all nationalities, including the UK.
Deadline: 30 April 2027. Start date: 1 October 2027.
Apply via the University of Leeds research degree application portal. Select the specified course option, enter the proposed start date, and mention the project title and Professor David Connolly as proposed supervisor. Contact [email protected] for project-specific questions or [email protected] for admissions queries.
Funding details
This is a non-funded PhD project. Applicants are expected to be self-funded or secure external funding. Costs associated with arrival at Leeds, including visa, Immigration Health Surcharge, and flights, must be met by the applicant or alternative funding source.
What's required
Applicants should normally hold at least a first-class or upper second-class British Bachelors Honours degree (or equivalent) in an appropriate discipline; some research degrees may require a Masters degree. Suitable backgrounds include Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Materials Science, Environmental Engineering, Sustainability Science, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Applied Chemistry, or Chemical Engineering. Applicants should have identified planned funding or be self-funded/external-sponsored. If English is not the first language, evidence of the University's minimum English language requirement is needed: IELTS 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in each component or equivalent, valid within two years of the start date.
How to apply
Apply through the University of Leeds website for Research Degrees – Research Postgraduate. Select PHP Civil Engineering Full Time, use 1 October 2027 as the proposed start date, and state 'PhD in Railway Circular Economy' and Professor David Connolly as proposed supervisor. Submit early and contact the supervisor for an informal discussion if desired.
More information can be found here
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