PhD in ARCHITETTURA, INGEGNERIA DELLE COSTRUZIONI E ... · questions and to apply critical...

PhD in ARCHITETTURA, INGEGNERIA DELLE

COSTRUZIONI E AMBIENTE COSTRUITO /

ARCHITECTURE, BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND

CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING - 35th cycle

Number of scholarship offered 12

DepartmentDIPARTIMENTO DI ARCHITETTURA, INGEGNERIADELLE COSTRUZIONI E AMBIENTE COSTRUITO

Description of the PhD Programme

The ABC-PhD has been established in 2012, following a complete reorganization of the area inthree complementary departments (ABC, DAStU and DICA), based on the experience of fourindependent PhD Programs that trained about 400 PhD holders in 30 years.Today, ABC-PhD is one of the most multidisciplinary PhD program in Italy (it refers to 16 differentscientific sectors) and trains about one hundred PhD Candidates (1/3 new ones each year). Its main aim is to train researchers and experts for the extensive field of Architecture, BuiltEnvironment and Construction Engineering. Our Candidates are trained to face complex questions, to develop in-depth analysis and reliablemodels (theories) of complex (physical, economic, environmental or social) systems and toinnovate.Their natural passion and their attitude toward innovation works as an active transmission systemand activate a two way knowledge transfer between the Academy and its stakeholders.After their training, ABC-PhD Doctors are expected to be endowed not only with a high-levelscientific knowledge and a significant experience in Research and Development (R&D) activities,but also with proven communication and management skills, and to become self-sufficient,independent "actors".For the sake of simplicity, we have organized their topics in eight -interacting and reciprocally empowering - strategic research lines:

Advanced Construction Materials and Innovative Building Technologies1.

Energy and Environmental Efficient Buildings (E3B)2.

Risk prevention and emergency management3.

Architectural and Urban Design4.

Complex Buildings5.

Preservation and Enhancement of Built Heritage6.

ICT and Smart Construction7.

Built Environment Economy and Management8.Stampato il 08/04/2019 1 / 2

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Research Field: 3DKNIT - PERFORMATIVE 3D KNITTED SPACER FABRIC

Monthly net income of PhDscholarship (max 36 months)

€ 1132.72In case of a change of the welfare rates during the three-year period, the amount could be modified.

Context of the research activity

Motivation and objectives of the researchin this field

Interdisciplinary PhD Grant The PhD research will be carried out in collaboration withresearch groups of the PhD programme in "Design".See http://www.dottorato.polimi.it/index.php?id=242&L=1for further information.

This research presents an experimental investigation,either computational either fabricated, on the behavior ofSpacer Fabrics that are 3D warp-knitted with volumetricstructure ¿ 3DKNIT. Together with the capacity todifferentially stretch and shrink, these materials allowthree dimensional configurations that are specific tocustom design. Today the challenge in developing newmaterials has been significantly aided by steadyimprovements in technology, primarily computersimulation and digital manufacturing.This researchproposes a computational design and digital knittedfabrication methodology that enables the generation ofshape based on its material characteristics and materialmanipulations on both micro and macro scale. Theproposed process allows the generation of functionalsurface articulations and the development of spatial textilegeometries. The performance of this technology will beassessed not just according to physical tests and virtualsimulations but also respect to data gathered by

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physiological and psychological effects to users. Thesedata will be used in the loop of design optimization.

Methods and techniques that will bedeveloped and used to carry out theresearch

Firstly, the Candidate will analyse the state-of-the-art incharacterising occupant behaviour with a focus onbuilding energy simulation programs, from the collectionof tailored, reliable input data through monitoring andsurveys to the evaluation of simulation results. Acomputational phase ¿ quite complex for knitting - theresearch will focus on specific performances following twopaths: on one side the development of 3d knitted spacerfor fashion and extreme environments, and anothercomplementary side, the deepen of acousticperformances of this types of textiles for interiorapplications. Methodology for interdisciplinary research(MIR) framework will be specifically constructed tofacilitate the design of interdisciplinary scientific research,in order to apply a computational and fabrication processto design at cross disciplinary level. The project providesa first basic research on the potentiality of theperformative design and the material system that can becross-disciplinary and will work across the KNITLAB atFashion DESIGN Department and SAPERLAB at ABC.This methodology will provide then the development ofcriteria and targets that allow to choose the most suitableconfiguration among a catalogue of infinite virtualsolutions according a specific case study. The researchrequires phase of material science and mechanicalengineering to understand deeply how design spacerfabrics acoustic fabrics controlling geometry respect to theperformance. The fabrication process is also central in theprocess in order to achieve a good fabricability of complexpattern using the advanced knitting methods and trying todevelop an industrial customized process to manufacturespecific products for the market.

Educational objectives

Job opportunities

The PhD has a multidisciplinary field of research that canlead to different sectors.Moreover, this specific doctoralprogram will provide the candidate with good theoreticaland practical background to collaborate in interdisciplinaryteams and energy flexible building projects. Job

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opportunities are available with profit and non-profitcompanies, NGOs, public institutions as well asinternational institutions involved in cooperation projectsand university teaching, in the following sectors:

- Digital knitting;- Acoustic;- Indoor environmental quality;- Interiors sector;- Information and communication technology; - Policy-maker sector;- R&D sector;- Psychoacoustic;- Environmental consultancy;- Manufacturing 4.0

Composition of the research group

0 Full Professors2 Associated Professors1 Assistant Professors4 PhD Students

Name of the research directors Profs. Ingrid Paoletti and Giovanni Conti

Contacts

Prof. Ingrid Paolettiemail: [email protected]

Additional support - Financial aid per PhD student per year (gross amount)

Housing - Foreign Students --

Housing - Out-of-town residents(more than 80Km out of Milano) --

Additional information: educational activity, teaching assistantship, computer availability, desk availability,any other information

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Research Field: ARCHITECTURE, BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND CONSTRUCTION

ENGINEERING





Our mission is to train PhD Holders able to reachoutstanding positions at an international level not onlyasscientist or intellectuals but also as professionals orentrepreneurs in one of the eight research fields ofthedepartment. Our PhD Program is working to become -in few years from its start - the Italian Point of Referencefor training the highest experts in all the most criticalsubjects related to the sustainable transformation andmanagement of the Built Environment (environmental,economic, social and cultural sustainability).


ABC-PhD Candidates will be trained for research throughresearch itself, with a personally tailored training plan,embodied in ABC Department's research activities, underan individual supervision.ABCPhD Candidates will schedule a progressive work,starting with Courses needed to complete and to refinetheir skills, moving to the participation to researchactivities in the chosen field within the Department and itsjoint foreign institutions, ending with the Doctoral Thesis.Their work will be reviewed two times a year, in differentDEEP REVIEW meetings where members of the PhDBoard and external experts will analyse and assessCandidates' research products and projects and tune

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them up with the most updated advancements andresults.


ABC-PhD Candidates are expected to produce knowledgeadvancements in their scientific field. Moreover, they areraised to be resilient, not frightened by the uncertainty andfailure risks of innovations, trained in communication,management, networking and other transferrable skills,that are fundamental for doing research in this complexworld. They are taught to cooperate in a competitiveenvironment and to exploit their creativity to reach theirgoal, going beyond the limits of one scientific discipline,interacting and learning from other researchers andcolleagues. Eventually, they are pushed to find out (and tonetwork with) the possible stakeholders of their work. Wepurport that the best value for the Candidate and for theProgram itself is the reward given by the chance of apractical application of the knowledge advancementsrealized.

Job opportunities

The holder of an ABC-Phd will be endowed with high-levelscientific knowledge, significant experience and provenmanagement skills, in R&D activities. This, together withthe habit of communicating and working in English,acquired interacting with colleague at a global scale,during visits and stays abroad, and a deep knowledge ofthe academic world qualifies the Doctorate for positionsoffered by the best international universities and researchcentres.ABC-PhD experience, nevertheless, offer the bestoccupational opportunities also for employments inarchitectural and engineering design enterprises, in publicbodies and wherever highly qualified personnel (at aninternational level), specific competencies at the highestlevel, the attitudes and the network of a researcher isacknowledged. The more the Candidate, during the threePhD years, has taken the opportunities to stay in touchwith the stakeholders of actual (or future!) societal needsand to operate real knowledge transfer, the more thiscomes true.ABC-PhD holders, in fact, are problem-setters, trained tomodel complex environments, to understand complex

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questions and to apply critical thinking, and problemsolvers, trained to turn uncertainty in methodology anddoubts in reliable solutions.For this, ABC-PhD Doctors are expected to be able toshoulder the responsibilities of R&D activities, to plan andto manage control tasks, to help the development and thecritical optimization of policies and projects, to innovate:whenever it is requested, in particular, in the many sectorsof Architecture, Built Environment and ConstructionEngineering.



Name of the research directors Marco Scaioni

Contacts

PhD Programme: Architecture, Built Environment and Construction Engineering (ABC-PhD)PhD Programme campus: Milano LeonardoWebsites:¿ http://www.dottorato.polimi.it/ (PhD School)¿ http://www.abc.polimi.it/didattica/dottorato/ (Department)¿ https://beep.metid.polimi.it/web/abcphd (Forum, Blog and basic info)ABC PhD Program OfficeContact: [email protected] of ABC-PhD: prof. Marco Scaioni: [email protected]





To support the attainment of the general training aims and the specific objectives of eachCandidate, the ABC-PhD Program will organize, together with the PhD School, a wide set oftraining activities and research opportunities. These activities are, usually, in English, exceptwhen indicated otherwise. Candidates may include courses offered by other PhD Programs andSchools, to complete their skills and knowledge. It is possible to fund (partially or totally) theparticipation to external training activities, workshops and conferences, prior authorization. PhDstudents will be encouraged to take part in these activities, within the limits allowed by the

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regulations.Moreover, the ABC-PhD Program and its Candidates may have the support of all theLaboratories of Politecnico di Milano and other Department's facilities. The involvement of theCandidate in the activities of these facilities, as well as other needs will be analysed andconsidered in the first phase of the PhD program and defined in his/her Training and ResearchPlan, following the available resources.

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Research Field: BLOCKCHAIN IMPLEMENTATION IN AEC SECTOR: SMART CONTRACT

USE FOR STIPULATION, EXECUTION AND CONCLUSION OF PUBLIC PROCUREMENT

CONTRACTS





Public contracts are often accused of ambiguity andcorruption, due to the complexity and delicacy of theirdynamics (from the selection phase of the contractor up todelivery and management). In this context, the adoption ofthe Blockchain technology can change the managementprocedures of public contracts, reducing the currentanomalies related to a lack of transparency and control ofthe tendering and execution phases. The main criticalissues arise during the performance of a traditionalcontract can be solved by using the Blockchaintechnology and in particular one of its protocols, the SmartContract. This research will explain and understand howto integrate new technologies in public procurements tomanage improved performance, impartiality andtransparency.The main aims of the research project aretherefore the following:

- Analyse the execution phases of contracts, investigatingtheir characteristics and issues;- Understand the way in which each phase is carried outin order to integrate and implement the Blockchaintechnology and the Smart Contract, showing the potentialbenefits offered by their adoption;

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- Investigate the current Public Procurement Code tounderstand if regulations can support the integration ofBlockchain technology during the execution of thecontract.


The research will involve a combination of digitalconstruction tools (e.g. BIM) and information technologyrelated tools (defining Smart Contracts and Blockchain),developed as following:

1. Scope definition and contextualization of the Blockchaintechnology, explanation of its adoption in AEC sector(State of the Art);2. Analysis of the structure and functioning of SmartContract, illustration of its implementation in AEC sector;3. Technology integration in construction process,definition of advantages and critical points in: - Design phase: integration of BIM methodology andBlockchain technology to a shared, transparent andimmutable database for collaborative process betweenthe parties; - Tender phase: definition of a database shared amongthe operators, and execution of a transparent and fairtendering process where the participants can beeffectively competitive. - Construction phase: project progress control. - Management phase.

4.Case study application, validation of the proposedframework and legislative integration.


The objective of this research is the training of researcherwith a solid foundational base, provided by a deepanalysis of literature and current practice, a good scientificmethod developed through detailed methodology, andbroad technical and applicative knowledge, derived fromthe application to case study.The proposed research willgive the Candidate the ability to manage constructionprocesses including Blockchain and Smart Contractsintegration, implying the development of solid InformationTechnology skills combined with a deep knowledge ofAEC current processes.

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Job opportunities

Researcher in R&D division of large and mediumcompanies / Consultant for private and public entities /Consultant for building contractors



Name of the research directors Giuseppe Martino di Giuda

Contacts

Prof. Giuseppe Martino Di Giudaemail: [email protected]





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Research Field: COLLABORATIVE SPACES FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION





Interdisciplinary PhD GrantThe PhD research will be carried out in collaboration withresearch groups of the PhD programme in "ManagementEngineering".See http://www.dottorato.polimi.it/index.php?id=242&L=1for further information.The present project intends to study how collaborativespaces can boost entrepreneurship and innovation ofindividuals and organizations through interactions withincollaborative spaces. Expected results should answer thefollowing research questions:

How do collaborative spaces help in fostering innovation

and entrepreneurship by stimulating individuals?

knowledge sharing, innovation, and creativity?

•

How does the creation of collaborative spaces affect

organizational design? What are the implications for

firms?, accelerators?, and incubators? organizational

structures, managerial practices and style, decision-

making processes, and coordination?

•

New research processes are witnessing a resurge of

importance of the physical interactions among

researchers. Specifically, universities and research

•

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centers are more and more redesigning their spaces to

facilitate interactions among researchers studying

diverse fields. Do collaborative spaces help fostering the

generation of new research processes and

breakthrough innovations involving knowledge from

diverse discipline?

How does individual wellbeing increase in collaborative

spaces?

•

Are individuals comfortable in open spaces where

everybody can observe their work? How does this

transparency affect individuals, behavior and

performance? How do collaborative spaces affect

employees motivation and satisfaction?

•

Do collaborative spaces favor integration and inclusion

of minority groups, such as women or foreign people?

For instance, do collaborative spaces help organizations

in achieving gender parity in entrepreneurship and

innovation? Are women working in collaborative spaces

keener on taking on entrepreneurial and innovation

opportunities, two activities in which they are

traditionally at disadvantage?

•

Provided that collaborative spaces may have positive

effects on organizations, should policymakers design

schemes for stimulating their creation? How should

these schemes work?

•

What are the impacts of collaborative spaces on the

contexts in which the organizations operate (local areas,

cities, ecosystems)?

•

Do the alleged benefits of collaborative spaces spill over

to these contexts, for instance by stimulating

interactions between individuals and shareholders

inside and outside the organizations?

•


Firstly, the Candidate will analyse the state-of-the-art oncollaborative spaces with a focus on the organizationaland spatial impacts following their implementation. Thenext step is to identify the most suitable research

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context(s), either firms, co-workingspaces/accelerators/incubators, or universities. Anappropriate methodology to address the previouslymentioned research questions will be developed based onliterature review and exploratory analysis with theindustry. Both quantitative (e.g. surveys and data logsanalysis) and qualitative methods (e.g. interviews,observations) will be applied.The research development will benefit from theinvolvement of interdisciplinary research groups formedby architects, who have competences on ¿space design¿,and scholars in entrepreneurship, innovation, andorganization who can contribute to the understanding ofthe economics and managerial implications ofcollaborative spaces.Likewise, this research area would benefit from innovativemethodologies in the area of data analytics (for instance,to keep track of interactions among individuals intocollaborative spaces using Big Data, e.g. from socialmedia).


The learning objectives of the PhD Candidate are thefollowing:

To acquire the fundamental research skills, a deep

understanding of quantitative and deductive methods

and qualitative and inductive ones, a critical thinking

attitude and experience working in an interdisciplinary

research group

•

To obtain a deep understanding about spatial and

organizational needs and requirements

•

To master the design and organizational processes that

lead to the creation of collaborative spaces

•

To mature a sound scientific writing attitude,

demonstrated by a publication record in recognized

international journals and conferences

•

To learn how to interact with both international scholars

and experts in the field, and the industry and several

potential R&D stakeholders

•

To develop collaborative, communication, and•

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management skills, demonstrated in international multi-

disciplinary R&D projects

Job opportunities

The PhD has the likelihood of leading to a staff memberposition in real estate companies or to an academicposition within the areas ofarchitecture/engineering/design oreconomics/management/organizational studies.Moreover, this specific doctoral program will provide thecandidate with good theoretical and practical backgroundto collaborate in interdisciplinary teams and integratedbuilding and organizational projects. Job opportunities areavailable with a range of public institutions as well asinternational institutions and university teaching, in thefollowing sectors:

Entrepreneurship;•

Innovation in organizations;•

Architectural and built environment design;•

Real estate industry;•

Consulting companies in both the organizational and

design areas.

•



Name of the research directors Profs. Andrea Ciaramella and Massimo G. Colombo

Contacts

Prof. Gianandrea Ciaramella (DABC)email: [email protected]





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Research Field: COMPUTATIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR PUBLIC TENDERING





Public authorities are the main actors in the constructionprocess. The only subject with the ability to start theprocess does not have the skills, methods and tools todefine and manage the construction process incomputational terms. The deficit causes numerous andsensitive information asymmetries. Public clients do notdefine the design object in numerical terms from the earlystages of the process, which leads to difficulties inevaluating the best offer and in managing the gapbetween expected and actual quality. Public client throughmethods of Project and Information Management:

- Could reduce the quality gap between expected andactual quality- Could reduce the information asymmetry- Numerically evaluate the correspondence betweenexpressed needs and the project offer- Numerically and digitally manage the constructionprocess


The proposed research aims at setting computationalrequirements for public tenders, by means of thenumerical translation of the Documento diIndirizzoProgettuale(DIP), in the context of a data drivenprocess to make the entire process computable and

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digitally manageable.The research will be developed asfollowing:

- State of the Art at national and international level relatedto digital commissioning and computational demand andscope definition;- Development of methods and tools ofcomputationallinguisticsto read and analysedocuments;- Integration of Machine Learning toautomatecomputationaltranslation and interpretation;- BIM integration- Application of the proposed methodology to a case study


The objective of this research is the training of researcherwith a solid foundational base, provided by a deepanalysis of literature and current practice, a good scientificmethod developed through detailed methodology, andbroad technical and applicative knowledge, derived fromthe application to case study. The proposed research willgive the Candidate the ability to manage innovativemethods such as computational linguistics and Machineand Deep Learning tools, applied to documentationrelated with AEC processes, and in particular with Information Management.

Job opportunities

Researcher in R&D division of large and mediumcompanies / Consultant for private and public entities/Consultant for building contractors / Data manager




Contacts




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Research Field: POST-OCCUPANCY EVALUATION AND MACHINE LEARNING FOR

DECISION SUPPORT OF BUILT ASSET MANAGEMENT





The research project aims to investigate and develop adecision support system (DSS) for planning of usagemodels and supplies management of a building to ensurefunctionality and efficiency. Post-occupancy Evaluations(POE) and IoT techniques will be the basis for thedevelopment of a new method. Machine learning methodswill support the analysis and classification of IoT sensorsdata. Information from Post-occupancy Evaluations will beused to optimize this phase of the life process of thebuilding.The aim of the research project is to bridge thegap in the digitalization process of this phase of thebuilding management. To date, research in this area hasfocused primarily on the energy performance of a building:

- Development of a database of Post-occupancyEvaluations data, defining the usage models of a buildingand the real behaviour of the users.- Digitization of the building management process,through the use of data supporting decision-makingprocesses for the management phase.- Optimization of the planning processes of the usagemodels.- Punctual response to identified needs, ensuring greateroccupants¿ satisfaction.

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The research project will define a Decision SupportSystem based on Post-occupancy Evaluations data. Thismethod will start from the analysis of the evaluations datacollected in an existing building and their interpretationthrough machine learning techniques. The methoddeveloped will support the definition of predictive actionsfor the optimization of supply planning and space use. The research will be developed as following:

- Analysis of the state of the art at national andinternational level on Post-occupancy Evaluations, on thetraditional decision-making process of supplies planning,on the current fields and uses of IoT technologies andmachine learning techniques.- Define and develop a method to apply Post-occupancyEvaluations to the management process. It includes proand cons analyses of POE. It will provide the identificationof limitations and methods of IoT sensors technologiesimplementation.- Definition of a method to manage IoT sensors data bymeans of machine learning techniques and evaluation ofissues arising from their use.- Application to a case study. The first step will be thedefinition of the most critical and expensive environments,namely the spaces where the application of the method will be more effective. Post-occupancy Evaluations will beperformed in these spaces, using IoT sensorstechnologies for a defined period of time. In a second stepis possible to structure and define the collected data set.Using machine learning techniques will be possible toobtain predictive information aiming the optimization ofsupplies and usage models management of the building.


The objective of this research is the training of researcherwith a solid foundational base, provided by a deepanalysis of literature and current practice, a good scientificmethod developed through detailed methodology, andbroad technical and applicative knowledge, derived fromthe application to case study.The proposed research willgive the Candidate the ability to manage innovativemethods such as IoT, Machine Learning, and Post-

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Evaluation tools for the setting of a decision support tool.

Job opportunities

Researcher in R&D division of large and mediumcompanies / Consultant for private and public entities /Consultant for building contractors / Data manager /Facility Manager




Contacts






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