Climate Resilience of Infrastructure to Storms

As climate change drives more frequent and severe storm events, structures face higher wind loading and aerodynamic uplift than they were originally designed to withstand, raising the risk of damage or collapse. This theme investigates aeroelastic instability, including flutter, in slender and flexible structures such as bridges and towers, where wind and structural motion interact in complex and potentially dangerous ways. It also examines how storms generate increased coastal wave action, placing additional stress on coastal and marine infrastructure, and how high winds threaten the integrity of transmission lines and towers that are critical to energy supply. Climate change projections are used throughout this theme to anticipate future storm conditions and inform the design of infrastructure capable of withstanding tomorrow's extreme events, not just historical ones. Research within this theme supports the development of storm resilient and adaptive infrastructure, helping to protect critical systems as storm hazards intensify. This theme suits candidates interested in combining structural and wind engineering with climate science and infrastructure resilience.

<h3 dir="ltr">Detailed description</h3> <p dir="ltr">Storms represent one of the most damaging natural hazards facing civil infrastructure, and their frequency and intensity are projected to increase under a changing climate. This research theme investigates how elevated wind speeds and gustiness associated with more intense storms translate into increased structural loading and aerodynamic uplift on buildings, bridges, towers and other exposed structures. Understanding these loading mechanisms is essential for ensuring that infrastructure remains safe as design conditions shift beyond historical norms.</p> <p dir="ltr">A particular focus of this theme is aeroelastic instability, including flutter, where the interaction between wind flow and structural motion can lead to self excited oscillations and, in severe cases, catastrophic failure. This phenomenon is especially relevant to long span bridges, tall and slender towers, and other flexible structures where dynamic wind structure interaction cannot be ignored. Research also extends to the coastal environment, where storms generate increased wave action that places additional hydrodynamic loading on coastal and marine infrastructure, compounding risks already associated with sea level rise. Transmission lines and towers form a further area of interest, given their vulnerability to high wind loading and the severe economic and social consequences of energy network failure during storm events. Throughout this theme, climate change projections are used to characterise future storm hazards, supporting the design of infrastructure and adaptation strategies that remain resilient under evolving and uncertain climate conditions.</p> <h3 dir="ltr">Why this research is important</h3> <p dir="ltr">Storms cause some of the most severe and sudden damage to civil infrastructure, with consequences ranging from structural failure to widespread disruption of transport, energy and communication networks. As climate change increases the frequency and intensity of storm events, infrastructure designed under historical wind and loading assumptions faces growing risk of exceeding its intended performance limits. Aeroelastic instability in particular can lead to structural failure, making its accurate prediction and mitigation critical for the safety of bridges, towers and other flexible structures. Transmission line and tower failures during storms can cause widespread power outages with significant economic and societal impact, while increased coastal wave action compounds existing pressures on already vulnerable coastal defences. Incorporating climate change projections into infrastructure design and adaptation planning allows engineers to move beyond historical design assumptions, ensuring that critical infrastructure remains safe, reliable and resilient as storm hazards intensify in the coming decades.</p> <h3 dir="ltr">Example PhD research topics</h3> <ul dir="ltr"> <li>Modelling increased wind loading on structures under future storm scenarios</li> <li>Aeroelastic instability and flutter analysis of long span bridges</li> <li>Aerodynamic uplift and wind loading on tall and slender structures</li> <li>Storm driven wave loading on coastal and marine infrastructure</li> <li>Resilience assessment of transmission lines and towers under extreme wind</li> <li>Incorporating climate change projections into wind loading design standards</li> <li>Adaptive design strategies for storm resilient infrastructure</li> <li>Structural health monitoring of wind sensitive structures during storm events</li> </ul> <h3 dir="ltr">Methods and techniques</h3> <ul dir="ltr"> <li>Computational fluid dynamics and wind engineering analysis</li> <li>Aeroelastic and structural dynamics modelling</li> <li>Climate change projection analysis and downscaling</li> <li>Structural reliability and risk analysis</li> <li>Coastal and wave loading modelling</li> <li>Sensor based structural health monitoring</li> </ul> <h3 dir="ltr">Suitable academic backgrounds</h3> <p dir="ltr">Suitable candidates will hold an academic background in civil engineering, structural engineering, wind engineering, climate science, applied mathematics, mechanical engineering or a closely related engineering or scientific discipline.</p> <h3 dir="ltr">FAQ</h3> <ol dir="ltr"> <li>Can I propose my own PhD topic? Yes, the themes above are a guide only.</li> <li>Can I bring my own funding? Yes, I welcome applicants who are funded through government scholarships, employers or self funding.</li> <li>Do I need funding before contacting you? You should have at least identified your planned funder and commenced your application.</li> <li>Can I study interdisciplinary topics? Yes. Many of my current research interests combine multiple disciplines.</li> <li>When can I start? Start dates are in spring and autumn. Full details dates are available elsewhere on the University website.</li> </ol> <h3 dir="ltr">Join an International Research Group</h3> <p dir="ltr">My research group includes PhD students and researchers from a range of countries working across Artificial Intelligence, climate resilience, satellite monitoring, transport engineering and geotechnical engineering. Although every student develops their own specialist project, many topics overlap, creating opportunities to exchange ideas, collaborate and learn from one another. You will also become part of the wider Civil Engineering postgraduate research community at the University of Leeds.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong data-index-in-node="0" data-path-to-node="14">Useful links</strong></p> <ul data-path-to-node="15"> <li> <p data-path-to-node="15,0,0"><a href="https://eps.leeds.ac.uk/civil-engineering/staff/1204/prof-david-p-connolly">University Profile</a></p> </li> <li> <p data-path-to-node="15,1,0"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidconnolly/">LinkedIn</a></p> </li> <li> <p data-path-to-node="15,2,0"><a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=jzkpu9IAAAAJ&hl=en">Google Scholar</a></p> </li> <li> <p data-path-to-node="15,3,0"><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/David-Connolly-7">ResearchGate</a></p> </li> <li> <p data-path-to-node="15,4,0"><a href="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3950-8704">ORCID</a></p> </li> <li> <p data-path-to-node="15,5,0"><a href="https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=35098220800">Scopus</a></p> </li> </ul>

<p>To apply for this project you will need to make a formal application for research degree study through the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/research-applying/doc/applying-research-degrees">University's website</a>. You will need to create a login ID with a username and PIN. </p> <p>•    For <strong>‘Appli</strong><strong>cation type’</strong> please select <strong>‘Research Degrees – Research Postgraduate’</strong>. <br /> •    The <strong>admission year</strong> for this project is <strong>2027/28 Academic Year</strong>. <br /> •    You will need to select your <strong>‘Planned Course of Study’</strong> from a drop-down menu. For this project, scroll down and select ‘<strong>PhD Civil Engineering FT</strong>’. <br /> •    The <strong>project start date</strong> for this project is<strong> </strong>from<strong> 1 October 2027</strong>, please use this as your <strong>Proposed Start Date of Research</strong>. <br /> •    Please state clearly in the research information section that the research degree you wish to be considered for is <strong>Climate Resilience of Infrastructure to Storms</strong> as well as <a href="https://eps.leeds.ac.uk/civil-engineering/staff/1204/dr-david-p-connolly">Professor David Connolly</a><strong> </strong>as your proposed supervisor.</p> <p>We will assess applications continuously as we receive them. We welcome and strongly encourage any potential applicants to contact the supervisor(s) for an informal discussion, prior to applying, and recommend submitting your application early. </p> <p><strong>Please note that you must provide the following documents in support of your application at the point you submit your application:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Full transcripts of all degree study or if in final year of study, full transcripts to date including grading scheme</li> <li>CV</li> <li>A personal statement outlining your interest in the project, why you have chosen it and how your skills map onto the requirements of the project.</li> </ul> <p>If English is not your first language, you must provide evidence that you meet the University's minimum English language requirements (below).</p> <p><em>As an international research-intensive university, we welcome students from all walks of life and from across the world. We foster an inclusive environment where all can flourish and prosper, and we are proud of our strong commitment to student education. Across all Faculties we are dedicated to diversifying our community and we welcome the unique contributions that individuals can bring, and particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to Black, Asian, people who belong to a minority ethnic community, people who identify as LGBT+ and people with disabilities. Applicants will always be selected based on merit and ability.</em></p>

Applicants to research degree programmes should normally have at least a first class or an upper second class British Bachelors Honours degree (or equivalent) in an appropriate discipline. The criteria for entry for some research degrees may be higher, for example, several faculties, also require a Masters degree. Applicants are advised to check with the relevant School prior to making an application. Applicants who are uncertain about the requirements for a particular research degree are advised to contact the School or Graduate School prior to making an application.

The minimum English language entry requirement for research postgraduate research study is an IELTS of 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in each component (reading, writing, listening and speaking) or equivalent. The test must be dated within two years of the start date of the course in order to be valid. Some schools and faculties have a higher requirement.

<p>This is a non funded PhD project. Applicants are expected to be self funded or to secure external funding.</p> <p>You can find out more about our Funding Opportunities on our <a href="https://phd.leeds.ac.uk/">Postgraduate Research Opportunities</a> website.</p> <p><strong>Important</strong>: Please note that all costs associated with your arrival at Leeds (visa, Immigration Health Surcharge, flights etc) would have to be met by yourself, or you will need to find an alternative funding source.</p> <p>Please refer to the <a href="https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/">UKCISA</a> website for information regarding Fee Status for Non-UK Nationals.</p>

<p>For further information about your application, please contact PGR Admissions by email to <a href="mailto:phd@engineering.leeds.ac.uk">phd@engineering.leeds.ac.uk</a></p> <p>For further information about this project, please contact Professor David Connolly by email to <a href="mailto:D.Connolly@leeds.ac.uk">D.Connolly@leeds.ac.uk</a></p>