For more than 35 years, the Building Envelope Materials Research (BEMR) Group within the Buildings and Transportation Science Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has been using its expertise in heat, air, and moisture transport to develop and evaluate new building envelope materials and assemblies that reduce energy use, enhance occupant comfort, are moisture durable, and provide grid services. To this end, BEMR collaborates with ORNL researchers, research institutions, and industry partners from numerous fields.
BEMR is seeking for a Postdoctoral Research Associate who will work in two main projects:
Building materials knowledge system (MKS): expert knowledge and direct evidence of building material composition at varying levels of specificity and for various geographies will be identified and codified to develop mathematical models to predict building taxonomies globally using a Bayesian framework. Taxonomies will be based on inter-related properties of material composition as well as other information including the number of floors, height, purpose, and geography. All collected data will be from open source avenues; creation of experimental data may be required to design, build, and test the MKS at various stages of development.
Building envelope retrofits: structural components for prefabricated overclad panels will be designed, and prototypes will be assembled, tested, and optimized. Frame components and connections will be designed based on building code requirements and transportation loads. Structural materials will include standard construction materials as well as tailored fiber reinforced composites.
Major Duties/Responsibilities
Gather and organize data for the building materials knowledge system using expert knowledge, open source databases, building codes, and other sources.
Support the development of building material taxonomies.
Collaborate with researchers to develop a Bayesian framework for the MKS.
Generate finite element simulation models and perform simulations to design, develop and optimize frame components and connections for overclad retrofit panels.
Collaborate with researchers on the design and optimization of fiber reinforced composites that will be used in overclad retrofit panels.
Assist with proposals.
Publish research outcomes in peer-reviewed journals and technical reports.
Ensure compliance with environment, safety, health, and quality program requirements.
Maintain a strong commitment to the implementation and perpetuation of values and ethics.
Qualifications
PhD in structural engineering or related discipline.
Ability to interpret national, state, and local building and design codes (e.g., IBC, ASCE 7) and use this information to design structural components.
Experience with the structural design of residential and commercial construction using various building materials (e.g., concrete, steel, wood, masonry).
Knowledge of different residential and commercial construction practices (e.g., connections, installation, material layouts).
Experience with architectural and structural drawings.
Experience with processing and/or analyzing large datasets pertaining to building materials and other related information.
Proficiency with finite element simulation software such as ABAQUS, ANSYS, and/or COMSOL.
Experience with performing laboratory evaluations of structural components. This includes test setup and data collection.
Experience conducting parametric modeling and generative design using Fusion 360 and/or SolidWorks is a plus.
Experience with advanced building construction techniques and/or reducing the embodied energy of construction materials is beneficial.
Internal Number: 5319
About Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Oak Ridge National Laboratory is the largest US Department of Energy science and energy laboratory, conducting basic and applied research to deliver transformative solutions to compelling problems in energy and security.
ORNL’s diverse capabilities span a broad range of scientific and engineering disciplines, enabling the Laboratory to explore fundamental science challenges and to carry out the research needed to accelerate the delivery of solutions to the marketplace. ORNL supports DOE’s national missions of:
Scientific discovery—We assemble teams of experts from diverse backgrounds, equip them with powerful instruments and research facilities, and address compelling national problems;
Clean energy—We deliver energy technology solutions for energy-efficient buildings, transportation, and manufacturing, and we study biological, environmental, and climate systems in order to develop new biofuels and bioproducts and to explore the impacts of climate change;
Security—We develop and deploy “first-of-a-kind” science-based security technologies to make the world a safer place.
ORNL supports these missions through leadership in four major areas of science and technology:
Neutr...ons—We operate two of the world’s leading neutron sources, which enable scientists and engineers to gain new insights into materials and biological systems;
Computing—We accelerate scientific discovery through modeling and simulation on powerful supercomputers, advance data-intensive science, and sustain US leadership in high-performance computing;
Materials—We integrate basic and applied research to develop advanced materials for energy applications;
Nuclear—We advance the scientific basis for 21st century nuclear fission and fusion technologies and systems, and we produce isotopes for research, industry, and medicine.
