Program Overview

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Overview

The research centre will address the topical grand challenges in civil engineering field, building on existing and developing new international collaborations. Financial support to meet these challenges will be acquired through both internal University initiatives (for enhanced infrastructure and facilities) and external funding from government grants, charities and direct industrial support.

Research will address the grand challenges of energy, carbon, clean water, infrastructure; exploring extremes and defining new limits. Key research areas include:

Marine renewable energy

Groundwater and environmental systems

Geotechnics

Intelligent infrastructure and high performance structures

Energy efficient materials

Mode of study / duration

Registration is on a full-time or part-time basis, under the direction of a supervisory team appointed by the University. You will be expected to submit your thesis at the end of three years of full-time registration for PhD, or two years for MPhil (or part-time equivalent).

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Subject Summary

Civil Engineering at Queens is in the Top 200 in the World (Academic Ranking of World Universities, 2021). Your research will advance knowledge in the civil engineering field, building on existing and developing new international collaborations. Your work will help to address the challenges of energy, carbon, clean water, infrastructure; exploring extremes and defining new limits. Our key research areas include marine renewable energy, groundwater and environmental systems, geotechnics, intelligent infrastructure and high-performance structures, energy efficient materials and construction and project management.

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Civil Engineering Highlights

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Global Opportunities

Civil Engineering brings together researchers from spatial planning, architecture, geography, paleoecology and civil engineering to tackle some of the world's most pressing urban and environmental challenges.

https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/NBE/Research/

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Industry Links

Civil Engineering is led by a Head of Discipline supported by team leaders with responsibility for maintaining excellence in its research groups. One of these, the Intelligent and Sustainable Infrastructure Group (ISIG - including low carbon structural materials) has several joint projects with international Centres of Excellence. Further information about our research groups can be found on the School website.

https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/NBE/Disciplines/civil-and-structural-engineering/

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World Class Facilities

The School of Natural and Built Environment has a range of state-of-the-art facilities to support our outstanding students and staff conducting leading-edge research and teaching. These include a heavy structures laboratory, rheology laboratory, the Belfast Wave Flume and the Portaferry coastal wave basin.

https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/NBE/Research/facilities-infrastructure/

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Student Experience

Postgraduates form an intrinsic part of our research community and are actively involved in the School's cross-disciplinary Research Groups, enabling the creation of synergies in areas such as sustainability, infrastructure, culture, design and heritage. The School is engaged with major research themes such as urbanism, community, heritage, population and climate change which contributes to the development of policy and practice both locally and globally. Visit our School website and read about the exciting research being undertaken by our current PhD students:

https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/NBE/Study/PostgraduateResearch/

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Key Facts

Civil Engineering at Queens is in the Top 200 in the World QS Rankings (2022).

Civil Engineering is ranked 20th in the UK (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022).

Visit our School website and read about the exciting research being undertaken by our current PhD students.

Apply now

Register your interest