Enhancing Construction Safety Through Interactive Wind Modelling for Scaffolding

Entry requirements

Please use this Research Proposal, Personal statement and CV writing guide when preparing an application.

Months of entry

Anytime

Course content

This PhD project aims to improve safety in construction sites by developing an interactive wind modelling tool that informs scaffolding design and operation. Scaffolding is a crucial but vulnerable structure, highly exposed to wind forces that pose risks to workers and the surrounding area. While current design standards focus on ensuring structural stability in high winds, they do not address the hazards faced by workers operating in dynamic, gusty environments.

Research on the effects of wind variability and wind gusts on scaffolding is scarce due to high computational costs and challenges in obtaining accurate experimental data. Moreover, applying wind effects to scaffolding design requires a fast-turnaround simulation tool that can adapt to changes in the scaffolding configuration without significant waiting time. This project will tackle these challenges by developing an interactive wind modelling tool to inform scaffolding design and operation. The wind, cityscape and scaffolding will be modelled using a Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM), GPU-accelerated computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software, which is able to produce accurate results at a fraction of the computing cost of traditional CFD solvers.

Key objectives:

· Develop and validate a real-time LBM-based wind simulation tool for urban environments and scaffolding structures.

· Investigate and validate methods to model scaffolding within the CFD tool.

· Explore coupling with traditional CFD solvers to enhance accuracy while maintaining efficiency.

· Collaborate with industry partners and policymakers to integrate findings into practical applications.

Candidate Requirements:

We welcome applicants with a 1st or 2:1 class undergraduate or Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science or a related discipline.

Candidates with experience in fluid mechanics, CFD and/or programming (e.g., Python, C++, CUDA, or parallel computing) are particularly encouraged to apply. However, strong motivation and willingness to develop these skills during the PhD will also be considered.

Opportunities & Benefits:

· Work on cutting-edge GPU-accelerated interactive CFD research.

· Opportunity to collaborate with industry partners and policymakers to maximize real-world impact.

· Engage with the researchers at other academic institutions by attending events and conferences.

· Enjoy the facilities and research environment at the University of Salford Peel Park Campus, a green space in the heart of the city.

Fees and funding

This programme is self-funded.

To enquire about University of Salford funding schemes – including the Widening Participation Scholarship – visit this website.