The project will deliver a refractory-specific Digital Product Passport data model covering composition, processing history, performance indicators and provenance. It will also provide interoperability rules aligned with plant systems and digital twins, a demonstrator populated with real recycling and sorting data, integration guidelines, and a roadmap for deployment and standardisation. This will provide the project with a common digital traceability backbone for circular refractory value chains.

PhD01 interacts closely with PhD02, PhD03 and PhD04, as it provides the traceability backbone that connects environmental assessment, cloud-based data integration and automated quality control. It also receives materials-related information from the refractory development projects and operational performance information from the digital modelling and optimisation projects, helping create a common digital record across the full refractory life cycle.

Short stay (1 week) at Siemens to acquire an in-depth understanding of the database architecture developed in PhD03 and the data structures required to process the input data generated in PhD01.

Period 1 and period 3 – ULIEGE, Liège, Belgium (9 months months per period) Period 2 – RHI MAGNESITA, Leoben, Austria (18 months)

Master’s level in Materials Science and/or Computer Science or Big Data Engineering. Candidates should be excellent in their skills for developing an innovative DPP demonstrator including information coming from several fields along the value chain. Oral and written communication skills (English) are also required. Some experiences in Python and/or C++ programming will be appreciated.

ULIEGE
Prof. Angélique LEONARD – 
Dr. Sylvie GROSLAMBERT – 

RHI MAGNESITA 
Michael JOOS – 
Dr. Thomas DRNEK – 

Some examples of recent publications:

• Leitner, A., Neuhold, S., Heid, S., Gavagnin, D., Meschik, P.M., Stastny, R., Zocratto, B. and Naves Moraes, M. (2024) ‘Enhancing refractory recycling: The role of automated sensor-based sorting systems’, RHI Magnesita Bulletin, pp. 41–46. Available at: https://www.rhimagnesita.com/the-bulletin-blog/enhancing-refractory-recycling/.
• Psarommatis, F. and May, G. (2024) ‘Digital Product Passport: A pathway to circularity and sustainability in modern manufacturing’, Sustainability, 16(1), p. 396. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/su16010396.
• Demmler, D., Krupka, D. and Federrath, H. (2022) ‘Requirements for a Digital Product Passport to boost the circular economy’, INFORMATIK 2022, Lecture Notes in Informatics (LNI), pp. 1–10. Available at: https://doi.org/10.18420/inf2022_127.
• Badioli, S., Dargaud, M. and Léonard, A. (2025) LCA of recycling processes of refractory materials, with ecodesign recommendations. Deliverable 1.3. Available at: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17150998
• Carminati, L., Arioli, V., Sala, S., Pirola, F. and Pezzota, G. (2026) ‘Towards effective implementation of digital product passports: stakeholders involved and data requirements’, in Mizumaya, H., Morinaga, E., Nonaka, T., Kaihara, T., von Cieminski, G. and Romero, D. (eds.) Advances in Production Management Systems: Cyber-Physical-Human Production Systems: Human-AI Collaboration and Beyond. APMS 2025. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology, vol. 766. Cham: Springer. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-03538-7_38

The project will deliver full environmental profiles for reference ladle lining solutions, criticality and supply-risk analyses for key raw materials, and ecodesign recommendations for reducing environmental hotspots. It will also provide guidance for end-users and regulators, as well as harmonised data models that support digital traceability and future regulatory compliance. ​

PhD02 works in close connection with PhD01 and PhD04, using Digital Product Passport data and quality-control information to build robust environmental assessments. It also interacts with the materials development projects and the operational modelling projects, since their results help quantify use-phase impacts, compare design options and evaluate end-of-life scenarios from an environmental perspective.

• Short stay (1 week) at RHIM/MIRECO to visit a refractory recycling plant and understand recycling operations, feedstock characteristics and sampling procedures. • Short stay (1 week) at Laser Analytical Systems & Automation to gain knowledge of automated refractory sorting systems and how they can support circular recycling routes. • Short stay (1 week) at Elkem to establish additional case studies, such as the impact of improved sorting quality on the use of secondary raw materials, through optimisation trials.

Period 1 and period 3 – ULIEGE, Liège, Belgique (9 months per period)​ Period 2 – VESUVIUS, Ghlin, Belgium (18 months)

Master’s level in Materials Science and/or Chemical or Environmental Science Engineering. Candidates should be excellent in their skills for developing LCA studies in the above mentioned topic. Oral and written communication skills (English) are also required. Some experiences in using Simapro, OpenLCA or Brightway will be appreciated.

ULIEGE, Liège, Belgium Prof. Angélique LEONARD,  Dr. Sylvie GROSLAMBERT,  VESUVIUS, Ghlin, Belgium Severine ROMERO BAIVIER,  Jean-Charles LOUIN, 

Some examples of recent publications:

• Badioli, S., Jubayed, Md., Dargaud, M., Siebring, R. and Léonard, A. (2025) ‘Environmental performance of refractories: A state-of-the-art review on current methodological practices and future directions’, Environmental and Sustainability Indicators, 27, 100868. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indic.2025.100868.
• Boenzi, F. (2022) ‘Possible ecological advantages from use of carbonless magnesia refractory bricks in secondary steelmaking: A framework LCA perspective’, International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 19, pp. 5877–5896. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-021-03553-2.
• Ferreira, G., López-Sabirón, A.M., Aranda, J., Mainar-Toledo, M.D. and Aranda-Usón, A. (2015) ‘Environmental analysis for identifying challenges to recover used reinforced refractories in industrial furnaces’, Journal of Cleaner Production, 88, pp. 242–253. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.04.087.
• Badioli, S., Léonard, A. and Dargaud, M. (2025) LCA of recycling processes of refractory materials, with eco-design recommendations. Deliverable D1.3, CESAREF MSCA DN ID. Available at: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17150999.
• Muñoz, I., Soto, A., Maza, D. and Bayón, F. (2020) ‘Life cycle assessment of refractory waste management in a Spanish steel works’, Waste Management, 111, pp. 1–9. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2020.05.023

The project will deliver a cloud platform that integrates the main data streams generated across the refractory life cycle, a curated database of by-products and secondary raw materials, and validated predictive and visualisation tools. It will also provide governance and deployment guidelines to support industrial uptake and long-term use.

PhD03 is strongly connected to PhD01, PhD02 and PhD04, as it integrates Digital Product Passport information, environmental indicators and automated sorting data into a common cloud-based platform. It also links with the materials and operations projects by making their data interoperable and accessible through dashboards, interfaces and predictive digital tools.

• Short stay (1 week) at RHI Magnesita to visit a recycling plant and understand recycling operations, feedstock characteristics, sampling procedures and data availability. • Short stay (1 week) at Tata Steel to evaluate on site the requirements for integrating the digital twin environment into the project database.

Period 1 – TUL, Leoben, Austria (18 months) Period 2 – SIEMENS, Graz, Austria (18 months)

Master’s level in Computer Science, Physics, Mechanics, Robotics, or a related field. Oral and written communication skills (English) are a prerequisite. Strong programming skills. AI background and interest.

Technical University of Leoben (TUL – CPS) Prof. Dr. Elmar RUECKERT –  Dr. Christian RAUCH –  SIEMENS Dr. Barbara MAYER – Dr. Daniel SCHALL –

Some examples of recent publications:

• Leitner, A., Neuhold, S., Heid, S., Gavagnin, S., Meschik, P., Stastny, R., Zocratto, B. and Naves Moraes, M. (2024) ‘Enhancing refractory recycling: The role of automated sensor-based sorting systems’, RHI Magnesita Bulletin, pp. 41–46. Available at: https://www.rhimagnesita.com/the-bulletin-blog/enhancing-refractory-recycling/.
• Hoosain, M.S., Paul, B.S., Kass, S. and Ramakrishna, S. (2023) ‘Tools towards the sustainability and circularity of data centers’, Circular Economy and Sustainability, 3(1), pp. 173–197. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s43615-022-00191-9.
• Neubauer, M., Özdenizci, O., Piater, J. and Rueckert, E. (2025) ‘Sparsifying instance segmentation models for efficient vision-based industrial recycling’, in Machine Learning and Knowledge Discovery in Databases. Applied Data Science Track and Demo Track. ECML PKDD 2025. Cham: Springer, pp. 21–37. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-06129-4_2.
• Rueckert, E., Nakatenus, M., Tosatto, S. and Peters, J. (2017) ‘Learning inverse dynamics models in O(n) time with LSTM networks’, in 2017 IEEE-RAS 17th International Conference on Humanoid Robotics (Humanoids). IEEE, pp. 811–816. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1109/HUMANOIDS.2017.8246965.
• Dave, V., Özdenizci, O. and Rueckert, E. (2025) ‘Learning robust representations for visual reinforcement learning via task-relevant mask sampling’, Transactions on Machine Learning Research, 2025-September, article 4857. Available at: https://openreview.net/forum?id=2rxNDxHwtn.

The project will deliver multi-sensor classification models, robust sampling and quality-assurance methods, and a demonstrator linking industrial feedstocks to certified secondary raw-material lots. These outputs will make fine refractory fractions traceable, measurable and reusable at industrial scale.

PhD04 interacts directly with PhD01, PhD02 and PhD03, since the quality and risk information it generates for recycled fine fractions feeds the Digital Product Passport, environmental assessment and cloud platform activities. It also supports the materials development projects by helping define impurity limits and recycled-material quality requirements for new refractory formulations.

• Short stay (1 week) at Siemens to understand the database architecture developed in PhD03 and the data structures required to process the input data generated in PhD04. • Short stay (1 week) at Elkem to understand the requirements for the effective use of secondary raw materials in the refractory recipes studied in PhD06 and to adjust automated sorting techniques accordingly. • Secondment period (6 months) at Laser Analytical Systems & Automation to evaluate and implement advanced artificial-intelligence-based methods for Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy spectra cleaning, region-of-interest selection, classification and sorting decisions.

Period 1 – USN, Porsgrunn, Norway (18 months) Period 2 – RHI MAGNESITA, Leoben, Austria (18 months)

Master’s level in Materials Science and/or Mechanical, Chemical Engineering. Masters level background in materials science, especially in powders & particulate materials with strong skills in laboratory characterisation is advantageous. Oral and written communication skills (English) are a prerequisite.

USN Prof. Chandana RATNAYAKE – RHI MAGNESITA Dr. Simone SEDLAZECK –

Some examples of recent publications:

The project will produce optimised castable formulations with high recycled content, fracture and creep datasets suitable for simulation work, validated thermochemical models for relevant refractory and slag systems, and design recommendations that balance cost, wear, energy use and emissions.

PhD05 is closely linked to PhD06, PhD13 and PhD14. It complements the binder-development work by focusing on high-recycled-content castables, and it provides fracture, creep and corrosion data that are essential for wear modelling, finite element simulations and digital twin development. It also supports the sustainability and traceability projects by helping define acceptable quality windows for recycled raw materials.

• Secondment period (2 months) at Vesuvius to perform thermochemical simulations and corrosion tests on newly developed refractory materials containing recycled inputs.

Period 1 – ELKEM, Kristiansand, Norway (18 months) Period 2 – TUL, Leoben, Austria (18 months)

Master’s level in Materials Science and/or Mechanical Engineering. Masters level background in materials science, ceramics or mechanical engineering with strong skills in laboratory characterisation of refractories including fracture testing is advantageous. Oral and written communication skills (English) are a prerequisite.

TUL Ass. Prof. Dietmar GRUBER –  ELKEM Dr. Izak CAMERON –  Dr. Hong PENG – 

Some examples of recent publications:

• Moritz, K., Brachhold, N., Hubálková, J., Schmidt, G. and Aneziris, C.G. (2023) ‘Utilization of recycled material for producing magnesia-carbon refractories’, Ceramics, 6(1), pp. 30–42. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/ceramics6010003.
• Moritz, K., Dudczig, S., Endres, H.G., Herzog, D., Schwarz, M., Schöttler, L., Veres, D. and Aneziris, C.G. (2022) ‘Magnesia-carbon refractories from recycled materials’, International Journal of Ceramic Engineering & Science, 4(1), pp. 53–58. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/ces2.10115.
• Ludwig, M., Śnieżek, E., Jastrzębska, I., Prorok, R., Sułkowski, M., Goławski, C., Fischer, C., Wojteczko, K. and Szczerba, J. (2021) ‘Recycled magnesia-carbon aggregate as the component of new type of MgO-C refractories’, Construction and Building Materials, 272, article 121912. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.121912.
• Silva, W.M., Aneziris, C.G. and Brito, M. (2011) ‘Effect of alumina and silica on the hydration behaviour of magnesia-based refractory castables’, Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 94(12), pp. 4218–4225. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1551-2916.2011.04788.x.
• Silva, W.M. (2011) Microsilica-bonded magnesia-based refractory castables: Bonding mechanism and control of damage due to magnesia hydration. PhD thesis. Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg. Available at: https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:bsz:105-qucosa-77492.

The project will deliver optimised cement-free binder systems, a better understanding of their chemistry and thermal evolution, and datasets linking processing, microstructure and performance. It will also provide design guidance for recyclable, low-carbon castables that can be integrated into digital traceability and sustainability frameworks.

PhD06 interacts particularly with PhD02, PhD05 and PhD11. Its development of low-carbon cement-free binders supports environmental assessment and ecodesign, complements the castable optimisation work of PhD05, and provides input for dry-out and early-age modelling in PhD11. More broadly, its datasets also support predictive modelling and digital traceability across the project.

• Short stays (2 weeks + 2 weeks) at the Chair of Ceramics, Technical University of Leoben to perform mechanical testing, including fracture energy and creep resistance measurements, and to support finite element modelling. • Short stays (2 weeks + 2 weeks) at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility to carry out high-temperature synchrotron X-ray diffraction and nano-holotomography for in situ analysis.

Period 1 – ELKEM, Kristiansand, Norway (18 months) Period 2 – IRCER, Limoges, France (18 months)

Master’s degree in Materials Science, Ceramics Engineering, or a closely related discipline, with strong fundamentals in inorganic materials and a clear interest in microstructural engineering and cement‑free binder systems. Oral and written communication skills (English) are a prerequisite.

IRCER Prof. Cécile PAGNOUX –  Prof. Marc HUGER –  ELKEM Dr. Hong PENG –  Dr. Izak CAMERON – 

Some examples of recent publications:

• Nouri-Khezrabad, M., Braulio, M.A.L., Pandolfelli, V.C., Golestani-Fard, F. and Rezaie, H.R. (2013) ‘Nano-bonded refractory castables’, Ceramics International, 39(4), pp. 3479–3497. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2012.11.028.
• Peng, H. (2023) ‘Recent progress in microsilica-gel bonded no-cement castables’, Ceramics International, 49(14, Part B), pp. 24566–24571. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2022.12.187.
• Peng, H., Liu, J., Wang, Q. and Li, Y. (2020) ‘Improvement in slag resistance of no-cement refractory castables by matrix design’, Ceramics, 3(1), pp. 31–39. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/ceramics3010004.
• Luz, A.P., Lopes, S.J.S., Gomes, D.T. and Pandolfelli, V.C. (2018) ‘High-alumina refractory castables bonded with novel alumina-silica-based powdered binders’, Ceramics International, 44(8), pp. 9159–9167. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2018.02.124.
• Stadtmüller, T.M.J., Storti, E., Brachhold, N., Lauermannová, A.-M., Jankovský, O., Schemmel, T., Hubálková, J., Gehre, P. and Aneziris, C.G. (2023) ‘MgO–C refractories based on refractory recyclates and environmentally friendly binders’, Open Ceramics, 16, article 100469. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceram.2023.100469.

The project will deliver a calibrated virtual laboratory able to generate realistic microstructures, simulate microcrack formation and support optimisation studies for thermal-shock-resistant refractory design. The final output will be a usable digital design tool supported by experimental validation.

PhD07 is strongly connected to the other materials-design projects in Work Package 2, especially PhD05, PhD06, PhD08 and PhD09. Its virtual laboratory approach provides predictive modelling tools that complement experimental characterisation, helping translate microstructural observations into design rules for improved thermal-shock resistance and durability.

• Secondment period (1 month) at the Chair of Ceramics, Technical University of Leoben to study the applicability of an energy-based microcrack nucleation and propagation criterion for use in discrete-element simulations.

Period 1 – IRCER, Limoges, France (18 months) Period 2 – IMERYS, Lyon, France (18 months)

Master’s level in Materials Science and/or Computational Methods in Mechanical Engineering. Excellent skills for numerical method applied to mechanics. A good knowledge in material science and their associated experimental characterisation technics is also expected. Oral and written communication skills (English) are also required. Some experiences in Python and/or C++ programming will be appreciated.

IRCER Dr. Damien ANDRÉ –  Prof. Marc HUGER –  IMERYS Dr. Ratana SOTH –  Dr. Christoph WÖHRMEYER – 

Some examples of recent publications:

• Andreev, K., Yin, Y., Luchini, B. and Sabirov, I. (2021) ‘Failure of refractory masonry material under monotonic and cyclic loading: Crack propagation analysis’, Construction and Building Materials, 299, article 124203. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.124203.
• Grigoriev, A.S., Zabolotskiy, A.V., Shilko, E.V., Dmitriev, A.I. and Andreev, K. (2021) ‘Analysis of the quasi-static and dynamic fracture of the silica refractory using the mesoscale discrete element modelling’, Materials, 14(23), article 7376. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14237376.
• Ranganathan, H., André, D., Mouiya, M., Huger, M., Soth, R. and Wöhrmeyer, C. (2025) ‘A multiscale discrete element thermomechanical modeling approach of microcracking generated at high temperature by anisotropic thermal expansion in an elastic brittle polycrystalline ceramic material’, Engineering Fracture Mechanics, 320, article 111088. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engfracmech.2025.111088.
• Gong, Z., Guan, K., Rao, P., Zeng, Q., Liu, J. and Feng, Z. (2021) ‘Numerical study of thermal shock damage mechanism of polycrystalline ceramics’, Frontiers in Materials, 8, article 724377. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmats.2021.724377.
• Longchamp, V., Girardot, J., André, D., Malaise, F., Quet, A., Carles, P. and Iordanoff, I. (2024) ‘Discrete 3D modeling of porous-cracked ceramic at the microstructure scale’, Journal of the European Ceramic Society, 44(4), pp. 2522–2536. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2023.11.026.

The project will produce quantitative relationships between microstructural features and thermal-shock behaviour, validated finite element models of spalling and fatigue, and recommendations for improved formulations and more representative testing protocols under severe service conditions.

PhD08 interacts closely with PhD07, PhD09 and PhD10. Its experimental work on thermal shock, spalling and fatigue complements the discrete-element and finite-element modelling activities, while also providing insight that can be transferred to other refractory systems, including ceramic shell moulds for investment casting.

• Short stay (1 week) at IRCER / CNRS to perform thermal-shock resistance measurements with the ATHORNA device and complementary microstructural investigations using high-temperature ultrasonic and acoustic-emission techniques. • Secondment period (1 month) at the Chair of Ceramics, Technical University of Leoben to perform mechanical testing, including fracture energy and creep resistance measurements, and to support finite element modelling.

Period 1 – FGF, Höhr-Grenzhausen, Koblenz area, Germany (18 months) Period 2 – IMERYS, Vaulx-Milieu, Lyon area, France (18 months)

Master’s level in Materials Science, Geosciences, or Mineralogy. Candidates should have strong experimental and analytical skills in mineralogy and/or material science. A solid background in microstructure evaluation and thermomechanical analysis is expected. Excellent oral and written communication skills in English are required. Experience with laboratory techniques and numerical simulation is a plus.

FGF Dr. Christian DANNERT –  Dr. Erwan BROCHEN –  IMERYS Dr. C. WÖHRMEYER –  Dr. J.-M. AUVRAY – 

Some examples of recent publications:

• Cannio, M., Boccaccini, D.N. and Romagnoli, M. (2014) ‘New methods for the assessment of thermal shock resistance in refractory materials’, in Hetnarski, R.B. (ed.) Encyclopedia of Thermal Stresses. Dordrecht: Springer, pp. 3293–3307. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-2739-7_34
• Kaczmarek, R., Teixeira, L., Mouiya, M., Dupré, J.-C., Doumalin, P., Pop, O., Tessier-Doyen, N. and Huger, M. (2025) ‘Study of thermomechanical behaviour of refractory materials under thermal gradient. Part II—Experimental and numerical analysis on the example of a shaped alumina spinel refractory’, Experimental Mechanics, 65, pp. 351–364. Available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11340-024-01116-1
• Loison, L., Sassi, M., Tonnesen, T., de Bilbao, E., Telle, R. and Poirier, J. (2020) ‘Differences in the corrosive spalling behavior of alumina-rich castables: Microstructural and crystallographic considerations of alumina and calcium aluminate matrices’, Ceramics, 3(2), pp. 223–234. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/ceramics3020020

The project will establish a platform for in situ multi-physics characterisation, generate high-quality datasets under severe thermal gradients, and improve the validation of advanced non-linear finite element and discrete element models. It will also provide transferable thermomechanical characterisation protocols for industry.

PhD09 is particularly linked to PhD08 and PhD10, as all three projects investigate refractory behaviour under severe thermal gradients and thermal shock. PhD09 contributes advanced in situ multi-physics measurements that support the validation of the modelling approaches developed in the other projects and help bridge laboratory-scale investigation with real industrial conditions.

• Short stay (1 week) at Forschungs-Gemeinschaft Feuerfest to perform thermal-shock measurements using its practice-oriented testing system. • Short stay (2 weeks) at an industrial client of Ceraquitaine to observe refractory materials in real applications and compare laboratory results with operational conditions.

Period 1 – CERAQUITAINE, Saint-Aulaye, France (9 months) Period 2 – IRCER, Limoges, France (18 months) Period 3 – CERAQUITAINE, Saint-Aulaye, France (9 months)

Master’s level in Materials Science and/or Instrumentation in Physics/Mechanical Engineering. Candidates should have an excellent basis in materials science (especially, an experience concerning ceramic materials is appreciated) and/or instrumentation for developing and performing thermomechanical characterisation techniques. Knowledge in Digital Image Correlation (DIC) and/or numerical modelling of materials by FEM or DEM could be advantageous. Oral and written communication skills (English) are also required.

IRCER Prof. Marc HUGER –  Dr. Nicolas TESSIER-DOYEN –  CERAQUITAINE Gilles POUTEAU, 

Some examples of recent publications:

The project will identify critical thermal-gradient thresholds, propose improved shell and cluster architectures, and deliver validated design rules and digital tools that support industrial transfer to turbine-blade casting.

PhD10 interacts mainly with PhD08 and PhD09, sharing experimental and modelling approaches related to thermal-shock resistance and crack development. It extends these concepts to the specific case of ceramic shell moulds for turbine-blade casting, thereby broadening the industrial relevance of the project’s materials and modelling framework.

• Short stay (1 week) at Forschungs-Gemeinschaft Feuerfest to perform thermal-shock tests using its application-oriented testing system. • Short stay (1 week) at the Chair of Ceramics, Technical University of Leoben to carry out mechanical testing, including fracture energy and creep resistance measurements, and to support finite element modelling.

Period 1 – SAFRAN, Colombes, France (18 months) Period 2 – IRCER, Limoges, France (18 months)

Master’s level in Materials Science and/or Computational Methods in Mechanical Engineering. Candidates should be excellent in their skills for numerical method applied to thermo-mechanics, with some experiences. Familiarity with software such as Abaqus would be an advantage. Knowledge in material science, associated experimental characterisation techniques is also expected (experience with ceramic materials is appreciated). Oral and written communication skills (English) are also needed (experience with Finite Element Method software(s) is appreciated).

IRCER
Dr. Damien ANDRÉ – 
Prof. Marc HUGER – 

SAFRAN
Dr. A. AGNE – 
Dr. A. PINTO MORA –   

Some examples of recent publications:
Tu, J.S., Foran, R.K., Hines, A.M. and Aimone, P.R. (1995) ‘An integrated procedure for modeling investment castings’, JOM, 47(10), pp. 64–68. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03221290. Greco, C.S., Paolillo, G., Contino, M., Caramiello, C., Di Foggia, M. and Cardone, G. (2020) ‘3D temperature mapping of a ceramic shell mould in investment casting process via infrared thermography’, Quantitative InfraRed Thermography Journal, 17(1), pp. 40–62. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/17686733.2019.1608083. Xu, M., Lekakh, S.N. and Von Richards, L. (2016) ‘Thermal property database for investment casting shells’, International Journal of Metalcasting, 10(3), pp. 342–347. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40962-016-0052-4. Yang, S. and Leu, M.C. (1999) ‘Analysis of shell cracking in investment casting with laser stereolithography patterns’, Rapid Prototyping Journal, 5(1), pp. 12–20. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1108/13552549910251837. Chen, X., Li, D., Wu, H., Tang, Y. and Zhao, L. (2011) ‘Analysis of ceramic shell cracking in stereolithography-based rapid casting of turbine blade’, The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 55(5–8), pp. 447–455. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-010-3064-x. Deaton, J.D. and Grandhi, R.V. (2016) ‘Stress-based design of thermal structures via topology optimization’, Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization, 53(2), pp. 253–270. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00158-015-1331-z. Behera, M.M., Pattnaik, S. and Sutar, M.K. (2019) ‘Thermo-mechanical analysis of investment casting ceramic shell: A case study’, Measurement, 147, article 106805. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.measurement.2019.07.033. Everhart, W.A. (2011) Crack formation in investment casting ceramic shells. Master’s thesis. Missouri University of Science and Technology. Available at: https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/masters_theses/4475.

The project will deliver validated dry-out models, instrumented experimental datasets and guidance on the trade-off between energy consumption, process duration and durability. It will also compare the dry-out behaviour of castable and brick lining concepts under equivalent conditions.

PhD11 is closely connected to PhD06, PhD14 and PhD15. Its thermo-hygro-mechanical modelling of dry-out and early-age behaviour provides inputs for digital twin development and operational decision support, while also benefiting from materials knowledge on binder systems and castable design. Its results are also relevant for sustainability and traceability by contributing drying-phase performance indicators.

• Secondment period (6 months) at Tata Steel to develop and carry out experimental campaigns on the three-dimensional pilot ladle, with a focus on the dry-out and early-age behaviour of castable linings.

Period 1 – UMINHO, Guimarães, Portugal (18 months) Period 2 – RHIM, Leoben, Austria (18 months)

Master’s level in Engineering or similar field. Candidates should have strong understanding of constitutive modelling and numerical skills in multiphysics environments. A solid background in programming in object-oriented languages such as python or others. Excellent oral and written communication skills in English are required.

UMINHO Dr. João M. PEREIRA –  Dr. Miguel AZENHA –  RHIM, Dr. Ulrich MARSCHALL –  Dr. Aidong HOU – 

Some examples of recent publications:

• Kudžma, A., Antonovič, V., Stonys, R. and Gribniak, V. (2025) ‘Refractory castables cured at low temperatures—Spalling risks and testing’, Case Studies in Construction Materials, 22, article e04701. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscm.2025.e04701.
• Sun, L., Ding, D., Xiao, G., Chen, J., Li, Y., Kang, J., Chong, X., Lei, C., Luo, J. and Zheng, X. (2023) ‘Gas permeability of alumina-spinel refractory castables bonded with hydratable magnesium carboxylate’, Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 106(12), pp. 7618–7631. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/jace.19363.
• Juárez Trujillo, J., Castro, J.A., Innocentini, M.D.M. and Vernilli, F. (2023) ‘Combined transient 3D simulation and experimental methods to assess a slow heat-up curve used to dry a refractory concrete’, International Journal of Thermal Sciences, 185, article 108063. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2022.108063.
• Sciumè, G., Moreira, M.H. and Dal Pont, S. (2024) ‘Thermo-hygro-chemical model of concrete: from curing to high temperature behavior’, Materials and Structures, 57, article 186. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-024-02454-3.
• Dal Pont, S., Sciumè, G. and Moreira, M.H. (2025) ‘From curing to fire accident: A novel, comprehensive model for concrete’s fire resistance’, in Pichler, B.L.A., Hellmich, Ch. and Preinstorfer, P. (eds.) Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Fracture Mechanics of Concrete and Concrete Structures (FraMCoS XII), Vienna, Austria. Available at: https://doi.org/10.21012/FC12.1153.
• Sardelli, J.A.P., Borges, O.H., Pagliosa Neto, C. and Pandolfelli, V.C. (2023) ‘Is the in-situ ZnAl2O4 formation an alternative for magnesia-alumina spinel zero-carbon shaped refractories?’, Ceramics International, 49(17, Part B), pp. 28643–28650. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2023.06.119.
• Schnabel, M., Buhr, A., Exenberger, R. and Rampitsch, C. (2010) ‘Spinel: In situ versus preformed – Clearing the myth’, refractories WORLDFORUM, 2(2), pp. 87–93. Available at: https://www.almatis.com/sites/default/files/technical_papers/media/ixvb5jn2/spinel-in-situ-versus-preformed-clearing-the-myth.pdf.

The project will deliver robust creep characterisation data, validated constitutive laws and guidance for more credible finite element simulations and digital twin applications. These results will support improved lining design and maintenance planning.

PhD12 interacts directly with PhD13 and PhD14, since the creep laws and thermomechanical parameters it identifies are essential for finite element wear modelling and for the physics-based core of the digital twin. It also complements PhD11 by contributing to a better understanding of refractory behaviour under realistic thermal and mechanical cycles.

• Short stay (2 weeks) at RHI Magnesita to perform biaxial press tests. • Secondment period (18 months) at Tata Steel to validate creep models against plant observations and measurements under realistic operating conditions. • Secondment period (2 months) at the University of Orléans to support the development of advanced creep models.

Period 1 – TATA Steel IJmuiden, the Netherlands (18 months) Period 2 – TUL, Leoben, Austria (18 months)

Master’s level in Materials Science and/or Computational Methods in Mechanical Engineering. Masters level background in materials science, ceramics or mechanical engineering with skills in mechanical characterisation of refractories and FE-simulation is advantageous. Oral and written communication skills (English) are a prerequisite.

TUL Ass. Prof. Dietmar GRUBER –  TATA Steel Dr. Paul VAN BEURDEN –  Frank VAN SIKKELERUS – 

Some examples of recent publications:

• Akbari, B., Gruber, D., Jin, S. and Harmuth, H. (2023) ‘Creep strain recovery of an in situ spinel-forming refractory castable under loading/unloading compressive creep conditions’, Ceramics International, 49(15), pp. 25225–25231. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2023.05.055.
• Schachner, S., Jin, S., Gruber, D. and Harmuth, H. (2019) ‘Three stage creep behavior of MgO containing ordinary refractories in tension and compression’, Ceramics International, 45(7), pp. 9483–9490. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2018.09.124.
• Gajjar, P.N., Put, P., Pereira, J.M., Luchini, B., Sinnema, S. and Lourenço, P.B. (2024) ‘Development and experimental characterization of the thermomechanical behavior of a scaled steel ladle’, International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology, 21(5), pp. 3660–3677. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/ijac.14783.
• Samadi, S., Jin, S., Gruber, D. and Harmuth, H. (2022) ‘Thermomechanical finite element modeling of steel ladle containing alumina spinel refractory lining’, Finite Elements in Analysis and Design, 206, article 103762. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.finel.2022.103762.
• Akbari, B., Gruber, D., Jin, S. and Harmuth, H. (2022) ‘Investigation of three-stage compressive creep of a spinel forming refractory castable containing 8% MgO’, Ceramics International, 48(3), pp. 3287–3292. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2021.10.103.

The project will deliver two validated thermo-mechanical models for brick and monolithic ladle linings, as well as a reduced model suitable for topology optimisation and digital twin workflows. It will also provide guidance linking lining design choices to value-in-use and environmental performance.

PhD13 is one of the key linking projects between materials characterisation and operational optimisation. It uses constitutive data from PhD11 and PhD12, and in turn provides simulation outputs and reduced-order models to PhD14 and PhD15 for digital twin development and decision support. It therefore plays a central role in translating material behaviour into operational modelling.

• Secondment period (18 months) at Tata Steel to validate the wear models using plant observations and measurements. • Secondment period (1 month) at Stahl-Holding-Saar to transfer numerical results to PhD14 and support the data-driven modelling activities.

Period 1 – UORL – LaMé, Orléans, France (18 months) Period 2 – TATASTEEL, IJmuiden, The Netherlands (18 months)

Master’s level in Mechanics and/or Computational Methods in Mechanical Engineering. Candidates should be excellent in their skills for numerical method (finite element method) applied to mechanics, with some experiences. Oral and written communication skills (English) are also required.

UORL – LaMé Pr. Alain GASSER –  Dr. Thomas SAYET – Dr. Lukas JAKABCIN –  TATASTEEL Dr. Paul VAN BEURDEN –  Frank van SIKKELERUS – 

Some examples of recent publications:

Huo, Y., Gu, H., Yang, J., Huang, A. and Ma, Z. (2022) ‘Thickness monitoring and discontinuous degradation mechanism of wear lining refractories for refining ladle’, Journal of Iron and Steel Research International, 29(7), pp. 1110–1118. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42243-021-00731-x. Johansen, S.T., Løvfall, B.T. and Rodriguez Duran, T. (2024) ‘A pragmatical physics-based model for predicting ladle lifetime’, Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 124(3), pp. 93–110. Available at: https://doi.org/10.17159/2411-9717/2680/2024. Maj, M., Tatzgern, F., Rojacz, H., Adam, K. and Varga, M. (2025) ‘Wear progress monitoring in torpedo ladles in steel industry’, Wear, 580–581, article 206297. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wear.2025.206297. Liao, C., Li, G., Wei, L., Ji, W. and Yi, Z. (2024) ‘A novel temperature dynamic prediction model for erosion risk mitigation of ladle’, International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer, 156, article 107612. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icheatmasstransfer.2024.107612. Yilmaz, S. (2003) ‘Thermomechanical modelling for refractory lining of a steel ladle lifted by crane’, Steel Research International, 74(8), pp. 485–490. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/srin.200300221. Ali, M., Sayet, T., Gasser, A. and Blond, E. (2020) ‘Transient thermo-mechanical analysis of steel ladle refractory linings using mechanical homogenization approach’, Ceramics, 3(2), pp. 171–188. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/ceramics3020016. Verrelle, D., Boulanger, P. and Peruzzi, S. (2003) ‘Optimization of steel ladle refractories with a view to increasing ladle capacity’, Metallurgical Research & Technology, 100(10), pp. 961–975. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1051/metal:2003115. Rong, Z., Yi, J., Li, F., Liu, Y. and Eckert, J. (2022) ‘Thermal stress analysis and structural optimization of ladle nozzle based on finite element simulation’, Materials Research Express, 9, article 045601. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1088/2053-1591/ac648c. Klopf, M., Hou, A., Jin, S. and Gruber, D. (2024) ‘Steel ladle slag zone lining optimization considering irreversible material behavior’, Steel Research International, 95(7), article 2300557. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/srin.202300557. Ruela, V., van Beurden, P., Luchini, B., Hofmann, R. and Birkelbach, F. (2024) ‘Optimizing the steel ladle thermal management: Toward a sustainable and cost-effective ladle fleet logistics’, Steel Research International, article 2400616. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/srin.202400616. Sun, Y., Huang, P., Cao, Y., Jiang, G., Yuan, Z., Bai, D. and Liu, X. (2022) ‘Multi-objective optimization design of ladle refractory lining based on genetic algorithm’, Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 10, article 900655. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2022.900655.

The project will deliver an end-to-end data pipeline, a web dashboard showing condition labels and wear maps, and hybrid reduced-order and machine-learning models with uncertainty quantification and explainability. The digital twin will be validated through retrospective studies and an industrial demonstration campaign.

PhD14 integrates results from several other projects, especially PhD11, PhD12, PhD13 and PhD15. It uses dry-out, creep and wear models to build a physics-informed digital twin and also connects with the data-platform and traceability activities so that operational information can be fed back into environmental assessment and digital product record.

• Secondment period (1 month) at Tata Steel to acquire first-hand knowledge of in situ operational data and plant monitoring practices. • Secondment period (1 month) at Tata Steel to conduct an industrial demonstration campaign on a production ladle.

Period 1 – SHS, Völklingen, Germany (18 months) Period 2 – UMINHO, Guimarães, Portugal (18 months)

Master’s level in Materials Science, Engineering or similar field. Candidates should have strong analytical skills in engineering. A solid background in thermomechanical analysis is expected. Excellent oral and written communication skills in English are required.

UMINHO Dr. João M. PEREIRA –  Dr. Joaquim TINOCO –  SHS Dr. Ulrike FALTINGS –  Dr. Michael SCHÄFER – 

Some examples of recent publications:

• Fu, T., Liu, S. and Li, P. (2025) ‘Digital twin-driven smelting process management method for converter steelmaking’, Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing, 36, pp. 2749–2765. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10845-024-02366-7.
• Ponsard, C., De Landtsheer, R. and Palm, B. (2018) ‘Accurate reasoning using imperfect digital twins: A steel industry case study’, ERCIM News, 115. Available at: https://ercim-news.ercim.eu/en115/special/accurate-reasoning-using-imperfect-digital-twins-a-steel-industry-case-study.
• Vannucci, M., Colla, V., Chini, M., Gaspardo, D. and Palm, B. (2022) ‘Artificial intelligence approaches for the ladle predictive maintenance in electric steel plant’, IFAC-PapersOnLine, 55(2), pp. 331–336. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifacol.2022.04.215.
• Jančar, D., Machů, M., Velička, M., Tvardek, P., Kocián, L. and Vlček, J. (2022) ‘Use of neural networks for lifetime analysis of teeming ladles’, Materials, 15(22), article 8234. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15228234.
• Kim, M., Wen, T., Lee, K. and Choi, Y. (2024) ‘Physics-informed reduced order model with conditional neural fields’, arXiv [Preprint]. Available at: https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2412.05233.
• Sun, Y., Huang, P., Cao, Y., Jiang, G., Yuan, Z., Bai, D. and Liu, X. (2022) ‘Multi-objective optimization design of ladle refractory lining based on genetic algorithm’, Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 10, article 900655. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2022.900655.
• Sztangret, Ł., Regulski, K., Pernach, M. and Rauch, Ł. (2023) ‘Prediction of temperature of liquid steel in ladle using machine learning techniques’, Coatings, 13(9), article 1504. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings13091504.
• Sado, S., Jastrzębska, I., Zelik, W. and Szczerba, J. (2023) ‘Current state of application of machine learning for investigation of MgO-C refractories: A review’, Materials, 16(23), article 7396. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16237396.

The project will deliver a pilot-ready decision-support system validated on historical and simulated industrial campaigns, together with operator-facing visualisations and performance indicators related to downtime, energy use, emissions and ladle utilisation.

PhD15 works especially closely with PhD13 and PhD14, converting predictive modelling outputs and digital twin information into operational recommendations for ladle management. It also links back to the sustainability, traceability and data-platform activities by returning key operational indicators that can support ecodesign, circularity assessment and long-term digital integration across the project.

• Secondment period (1 month) at Tata Steel to understand the practical melt shop environment, observe operator behaviour and acquire the first datasets needed to build a realistic virtual melt shop model. • Secondment period (1 month) at Tata Steel to compare the developed model with real plant practice, identify missing details, discuss implementation and gather any additional data required.

Period 1 – FESIOS, Gmunden, Austria (18 months) Period 2 – TUW, Vienna, Austria (18 months)

Master’s level in Industrial Engineering, Operations Research, Computer Science, or related field. Candidates should have strong interest in optimisation methods and simulation, preferably with some programming experience (Python). Knowledge of industrial production environments and an interest in sustainability are an asset. Good oral and written communication skills in English are required.

TUW Prof. René HOFMANN –  Dr. Florian MÜLLER –  FESIOS DI Paul UHL-HÄDICKE –  DI Alexander KÖNIG – 

Some examples of recent publications:

V. Ruela, P. van Beurden, B. Luchini, R. Hofmann, and F. Birkelbach, “Optimizing the Steel Ladle Thermal Management: Toward a Sustainable and Cost-Effective Ladle Fleet Logistics,” Steel Res Int, vol. 96, no. 2, Feb. 2025, doi: 10.1002/srin.202400616. V. Ruela, P. Van Beurden, S. Sinnema, R. Hofmann, and F. Birkelbach, “A Global Solution Approach to the Energy-Efficient Ladle Dispatching Problem With Refractory Temperature Control,” IEEE Access, vol. 11, pp. 137718–137733, 2023, doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2023.3339392. M. Lee, K. Moon, K. Lee, J. Hong, and M. Pinedo, “A critical review of planning and scheduling in steel-making and continuous casting in the steel industry,” Journal of the Operational Research Society, vol. 75, no. 8, pp. 1421–1455, 2024, doi: 10.1080/01605682.2023.2265416. ​J. Yang et al., “Fine description of multi-process operation behavior in steelmaking-continuous casting process by a simulation model with crane non-collision constraint,” Metals (Basel), vol. 9, no. 10, Oct. 2019, doi: 10.3390/met9101078. ​M. Holmström, D. Sundberg, N. E. Perez, A. Arteaga Ayarza, H. Köchner, and B. Glaser, “Numerical Modeling of Direct Current Plasma Versus Natural Gas-Heated Steelmaking Ladles: Validation via Full-Scale Industrial Measurements,” Steel Res Int, Aug. 2024, doi: 10.1002/srin.202400510. V. Ruela, (2026). Enhancing the Sustainability of Steelmaking through the Optimization of Ladle Operations [Dissertation, Technische Universität Wien]. reposiTUm. https://doi.org/10.34726/hss.2026.123322