Thursday, November 14, 2024     [ login ]

research

Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence (2019-2023) under the grant CEX2018-000797-S funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 [+]

RESEARCH CHALLENGE 2: ADVANCED NUMERICAL METHODS FOR A MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY AND SAFER PLANET

RESEARCH CHALLENGE 2.1: NUMERICAL METHODS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

RELEVANCE AND NOVELTY

The environment faces a number of challenging problems that span many spatial and temporal scales. Process understanding based on experimental efforts at the laboratory and the field leads to model conceptualization of complex phenomena in the field of WATER RESOURCES that need to be addressed by new computing tools.

New technologies for WATER TREATMENT take advantage of natural processes. Microorganisms are most efficient to remove pollution from water bodies. NM face the challenge of reproducing microorganism metabolism, while at the same time reproducing the effect of co-metabolization of organic compounds, where bacteria take the role of catalysts. NM can also be used in remediation processes such as bioestimulation of bioaugmentation of biofilms to control the flow of nutrients.

GOALS OF RESEARCH CHALLENGE 2.1

Development of new numerical methods for:

  1. Analysis of nutrients & microorganisms that are moving/colonizing the environment;
  2. Designing remediation methods that involve the formation of metabolites of heavy pollutants under different redox conditions in wetlands or aquifers and
  3. Evaluate the fate of new organic compounds, mostly recalcitrant and detected in most water bodies, in the atmosphere, and very recently in animals and plants.


The research outputs will help in the design of wetlands for wastewater treatment, biological drinking water filters & advanced subsurface reactive barriers for reducing the risk of organic compounds to human health and ecosystems.

Research in this field will be carried out mainly through the following RTD Groups of CIMNE:

RESEARCH CHALLENGE 2.2. ADVANCED NUMERICAL METHODS FOR THE PREDICTIVE IMPACT OF HAZARDS ON THE BUILT INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT

RELEVANCE AND NOVELTY

The numerical prediction of the effect of hazards on the built infrastructure is a challenge of paramount interest. The goal is the enhanced design of existing and new constructions to protect human beings and the landscape under hazards. This topic is a priority of the ENVIRONMENT and SAFETY programs of H2020 and the future Horizon Europe program.

GOALS OF RESEARCH CHALLENGE 2.2

Development of new numerical methods, fed with information from satellites, drones and monitoring devices at the small scale, adequately processed via Big Data techniques, for studying:

  • The effect of water hazards on constructions and the landscape.
  • The effect of earthquakes on the built environment.
  • The motion of pedestrians in hazards.
  • Air pollution in cities.
  • The effect of explosions and fire on structures.
  • The creep-like motion and evolution of landslides.
  • The vulnerability and resilience of transport networks in hazards.

Research in this field will be carried out through the following RTD Groups of CIMNE: