The project will design innovative advanced processes to manage the natural occurrences of asbestos and fibrous minerals during the design and realization of a large road infrastructure that supports sustainable mobility in an urban context. This doctoral project will directly contribute to the reduction of the carbon footprint linked to the realization of the large road infrastructure “Gronda di Genova” through the development of advanced and innovative technological processes for the mitigation of the risk from asbestos and other natural mineral fibres and the related impact on the community, with a view to minimizing the environmental footprint of the work. The project has two phases: 1) the PhD candidate will develop high TRL methods and technologies for maximizing the reuse of excavation materials and bentonite fluidifiers (Na and Ca-bentonite) which will be used in the executive phase of the project. The project will assure sustainability of the proposed production processes, integrating the recycling and regeneration activities of materials in a zero-waste process. In phase 2, the candidate will aim at the development of new technologies for reducing the impact generated by the excavated rocks which are contaminated with asbestos and other mineral fibres, pursuing a high-risk, high-gain research objectives at a lower TRL. The candidate will take advantage of the strong commitment of the industrial partner (ASPI) in producing technologies and methodologies in civil engineering, road safety and environmental sustainability.

Field work and laboratory skills; fundamentals of inorganic chemistry and petrological sciences; environmental engineering; elements of sampling methodology; excellent English is mandatory; Master’s degree in Chemistry, Geology, Environmental Engineering or similar academic degrees. Experience in optical and electron microscopy is a plus.

The PhD candidate will be supported by researchers from the Interdepartmental Centre for Studies on Asbestos and Other Toxic Particulate of the University of Turin - Italy; https://www.centroscansetti.unito.it. The research team has a highly multidisciplinary composition and maintains strong global connections with academic and industrial partners. The strong support from Autostrade per l’Italia SpA (ASPI), where the candidate will spend at least 6 months, contributes to the project’s effectiveness and implementation. Several external partners are involved, including the Pittsburgh Mining Research Division of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (US NIOSH), the Institute of Geosciences and Earth Resources (IGG) of the National Research Council of Italy (CNR).