PhD: Upscaling pore-scale behaviour of clay-interfaces

The Department of Earth Sciences seeks a highly motivated PhD candidate with an MSc background in Earth Sciences, Hydrogeology, Physics, Environmental Engineering, or related fields. You will work on the project 'Upscaling pore-scale behaviour of clay-interfaces in shallow groundwater systems, enabling sustainable subsurface utilisation’.

Your job

Aquitards (low-permeability clay and peat layers) are among the protection layers for our groundwater systems. They seal and compartmentalise aquifers, protecting drinking-water reservoirs from contamination, separating different groundwater compositions, and confining heat in geothermal and energy‑storage systems. In coastal urban areas, these shallow aquitards also interact with foundations, tunnels, and other critical infrastructure. As we increasingly rely on the subsurface to address societal challenges (from sustainable energy storage to climate adaptation), we are putting unprecedented pressure on these aquitards. Understanding their behaviour under changing environmental conditions is essential for sustainable subsurface utilisation.

What you will do

In this four-year study, you will develop an innovative, integrated approach that combines cutting‑edge microfluidic experiments with advanced numerical modeling. Your work will enable upscaling from pore‑to‑column‑scale clay behaviour under real‑world conditions relevant to sustainable subsurface use.

You will design and conduct microfluidic experiments to investigate clay behaviour under environmental stressors, including temperature fluctuations, pressure gradients, salinity changes, and wet‑dry cycles. Using state‑of‑the‑art monitoring techniques you will track changes in permeability, particle mobilisation (turbidity), and volume and visualise flow pathways in real time.

By integrating your experimental observations with numerical modeling, you will develop and test constitutive equations that capture fundamental clay behaviour, including the development of leakage paths, micro‑fracturing, and internal erosion. Subsequent column‑scale experiments and modeling will validate your pore‑scale findings and enable extrapolation to field‑scale conditions. Experiments will be conducted at the Porous Media Lab facilities, part of the Utrecht GeoLab.

Among the key research questions you will address are:

• How do changing environmental conditions weaken clay‑substrate interfaces?
• How do pore‑scale processes like swelling and shrinkage generate microfractures and facilitate clay particle movement?
• Can we develop robust upscaling approaches from pore to field scale that enable reliable predictions?

Finding answers to these fundamental questions will directly support decision‑making in sustainable subsurface engineering, protect drinking‑water resources, enhance subsurface energy storage, and ensure the long‑term resilience of coastal and urban infrastructure.

Your development

A personalized training programme will be established, tailored to your training needs and career objectives. Approximately 20% of your time will be dedicated to professional development, including specialised courses and workshops, as well as teaching experience in the department's Bachelor's and Master's programmes. Through interactions with scientists, government, and industry partners, you will be exposed to diverse career paths in both academia and the applied sector, helping you shape your professional future.

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