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Post-doc position in France (Paris and Clermont) in the framework of the ANR RiskNat "Laharisk" project
From: Jean-Claude Thouret <J.C.Thouret@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
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Post- doctorate position under the framework of the ANR RiskNat “Laharisk” Project at Cnam Paris and Polytech Clermont-Ferrand:
Rheology of lahar material. Modeling impact on housing -
Application to the case study of the city of Arequipa and El Misti Volcano, south Peru.
In the frame of the LAHARISK project funded by the French ANR RiskNat (2010-2012), a post-doctorate position is offered for a year (12 months, starting 1st June 2010) on the topic “physical impacts of lahars on housing and infrastructure in urban environment”. This post-doc research project will be supervised by two professors and researcher-engineers based at Cnam (Conservatoire des Arts et Métiers) in Paris and at Polytech in Clermont-Ferrand (University Blaise Pascal), in collaboration with other project partners such as Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans in Clermont-Ferrand, Cemagref in Grenoble and Lameta in Montpellier.
Framework:
A lahar is a mixture of sediment and water, which flows rapidly on the flanks of a volcano. This term includes two types of flows, from debris flows to hyperconcentrated streamflows whose behaviour is distinct but remains poorly understood. Lahars are amongst the most destructive phenomena linked to volcanic eruptions, heavy rainstorms or landslides. Between the XVIIth and XIXth centuries, lahars claimed at least 20% of casualties attributed to volcanic eruptions worldwide. During the XXth century alone, as many as 40% of the victims attributed to lahars occurred in the aftermath of the 1985 eruption of Nevado del Ruiz in Colombia (23,000 victims) and to the 1919 eruption of Kelud in Java (5000 casualties). The city of Arequipa in south Peru (1 million inhabitants) located on the ring plain between 9 and 17 km from the El Misti volcano summit (5820 masl.) is at risk and threatened by lahars and associated flash floods.
Objective:
Scientific interest for lahars has arisen after the Mount St. Helens eruption in 1980. However, the triggering factors of lahars, the rheology of lahar material, and their effects along the valley channels that convey flows and on the housing remain poorly understoood. Using other dynamic phenomena linked to better studied flows such as avalanches, rock falls and non volcanic debris flows, this research project will pursue modeling of interactions between in situ flow or rapid landsliding and structure (housing material, transport infrastructure, lifelines, etc.). The case study will be based on lahars and floods that occurred in the recent past and that will threaten the city of Arequipa in the near future.
Research setting:
The candidate will be hired for a period of 12 months starting on 1st June. He/she will work under the joint supervising by Denis FABRE (Cnam - Chaire de Géotechnique, Paris) and Jean-Pierre MUZEAU (Polytech’Clermont). A field campaign of 2 to 3 months will take place in Arequipa during the next summer 2010. The candidate will be hosted in the LAMI Laboratory (Laboratoire d’Ingéniérie et Mécanique) at the Université Blaise Pascal - Polytech in Clermont-Ferrand. Several trips to missions Cnam-Paris and one trip to Grenoble at Cemagref (project partner) will also be proposed for laboratory tests and for fostering discussions with rheologists and geotechnicians.
Tasks:
- Review of adequate geo-engineering literature and of geotechnical tests in comparable cities at risk such as Naples ; Review on rheology of material from hyperconcentrated flows and debris flows
- Comparison with effects exerted by non-volcanic debris flows, rapid landslides and avalanches.
- Study of the impact of dynamics effects on housing and on categorization of housing material and structure in Arequipa, with two goals:
- geotechnical analysis : characterize lahar materials, essentially with respect to materials from non volcanic debris flows (comparison to be undertaken with debris flows material in the French Alps) ;
- civil engineering: characterize protective works (dikes and land fill) and housing (material for construction, structures, spatial distribution) that are exposed to debris flows in Arequipa
- focus geotechnical and engineering tests on deposits and material in two key areas in order to contribute to hazard zoning (Rio Chili and Quebrada Huarangal). Samples will be analysed in Clermont but some tests can be carried out in Lima.
The research project aims to modeling physical impacts on housing and to contribute to a combined and thorough assessment of lahar and flood hazard and risk in urban environment.
Profile of the candidate:
Solid knowledge in civil engineering (computing skills on structures) and in geotechnics and soil or rock mechanics is required. Basic knowledge of Spanish will also be appreciated.
Submission and addresses:
Submission deadline 1st of May 2010.
Proposal to be sent to:
- Mr. Denis FABRE, professeur, Cnam-Géotechnique, CP 341, 2 rue Conté, 75141 Paris Cédex 03, France. Email : denis.fabre@xxxxxxx
- Mr. Jean-Pierre MUZEAU, professeur, LaMI Polytech'Clermont-Ferrand, BP 206, 63174 Aubière Cedex, France. Email: J-Pierre.MUZEAU@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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