PhD student Structural Mechanics - Model Order Reduction KU Leuven in Belgium

This PhD position at KU Leuven focuses on structural mechanics and model order reduction techniques for fast prediction of railway-induced vibration in the built environment. The research is part of a project funded by the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO) and is situated within the Structural Mechanics Section of the Department of Civil Engineering. The department is renowned for its research in static and dynamic analysis of structures, with expertise in vibration assessment, structural monitoring, building acoustics, computational structural engineering, and human-induced vibration of civil engineering structures.

The PhD thesis will address vibration assessment in the built environment and computational structural engineering, specifically developing model order reduction methods such as Proper Generalized Decomposition (PGD) for parametric studies and vibration mitigation in buildings. The research aims to solve the curse of dimensionality in numerical modeling for railway vibration prediction, enabling efficient parametric and stochastic analysis techniques that have broader applications in structural dynamics.

Supervision will be provided by Professor Geert Degrande and Professor Stijn François, both experienced in guiding PhD students. The department offers an international research environment, located near the historic Arenberg Castle on Campus Arenberg, close to Leuven’s city center. KU Leuven is the largest university in Belgium in terms of research funding and is highly ranked globally and in Europe for its research excellence and innovation.

Applicants should hold a MSc degree in Civil or Computational Engineering, obtained not earlier than 2023, and possess a strong background in structural dynamics, dynamic-soil structure interaction, elastodynamics, or computational mechanics. Candidates must demonstrate proficiency in English, with a TOEFL ibt score of at least 94 (no section below 22) or an IELTS score of at least 7.0 (no band below 6.5). Depending on their academic background, candidates may need to complete a pre-doctoral test involving selected courses and research work before entering the PhD program.

The position offers a competitive PhD grant of approximately 2485 EUR per month net, with funding for three years and a possible nine-month extension. The start date is as soon as possible, preferably no later than 1 September 2026. KU Leuven is committed to diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity, providing a supportive environment for all researchers.

Interested candidates should submit their application online as a single PDF file before 15 March 2026, including a motivation letter, CV, list of publications, transcripts, diplomas, proof of English proficiency, and contact details of three referees. Pre-selected candidates will be invited for a Skype interview with the supervisors. For further information, contact Prof. dr. ir. Geert Degrande at [email protected]. Additional details about the PhD program and living in Leuven can be found at the provided KU Leuven links.