MSCA postdoctoral fellowship at AGH University

Buried flexible steel (BFS) has gained on popularity in Northern, Central, and Eastern Europe as it is a great alternative to traditional bridge and tunnel solutions. Unfortunately, in seismically active regions of Europe the technology is almost absent due to the lack of research on the topic as well as design guidelines.

The project by Dr Piotr Kowalczyk is called “Dynamic response of buried flexible steel structures to earthquakes”. Its aim is to develop a complex characteristic of dynamic BFS structures and their response to seismic loads.

The researcher will perform experiments using geotechnical centrifuge modelling in the Center for Infrastructure, Energy, and Space Testing at the University of Colorado Boulder, the project’s partner. He will also conduct field monitoring of an existing BFS construction located in an earthquake-prone area. For his calculations, he will refer to numerical modelling. Such an integrated approach will allow him to establish key parameters and determine how such structures interact with the ground when subject to loads. His research will result in the development of simplified design guidelines for the safe introduction of BFS construction technology in seismically active regions of Europe. It should be noted that the cost of such structures is lower compared to traditional technologies used in the construction of bridges and tunnels.

For said project, Dr Piotr Kowalczyk shall receive a grant of EUR 381,000. The researcher used to work at the University of Trento, Italy, as well as at the University of Strathclyde and the University of Glasgow in the UK.

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Maria Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowships are individual research fellowships financed under Horizon Europe. They are addressed at researchers with a doctoral degree who want to conduct research projects in Europe and beyond, develop their career internationally, as well as gain new skills and expand their cooperation network.

In the Postdoctoral Fellowship 2025 call, there were 17,066 applications, of which 16,836 met the qualification criteria and were evaluated. Ultimately, 1,610 projects were selected and granted funding. The European Commission has allocated EUR 404.3 million for the call. The selected applicants represent nearly 80 nationalities. They will work in 45 countries around the world.

Polish institutions submitted 166 applications. Five of them were on the main funding list.