vPREP Research Associate
This position is part of the National Institute of Standards (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program. NIST recognizes that its research staff may wish to collaborate with researchers at academic institutions on specific projects of mutual interest, and thus requires that such institutions must be the recipient of a PREP award. The PREP program requires staff from a wide range of backgrounds to work on scientific research in many areas. Employees in this position will perform technical work that underpins the scientific research of the collaboration.
Research Title:
Postdoctoral Research Associate: Evaluating the wind performance of asphalt shingle roof coverings
Overview:
The Infrastructure Materials Group at the Engineering Laboratory of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is seeking qualified persons (U.S. Citizens preferred) to develop test and material standards to assess the long-term wind resistance of asphalt shingles through accelerated weathering, multi-scale mechanical testing, and finite-element strength modeling.
The work will entail:
This postdoctoral researcher should have knowledge of evaluating the wind performance of asphalt shingle roof coverings and expertise in the following areas: polymer degradation characterization, instrumented mechanical testing for strain evolution, structural health monitoring, and material damage analysis or modeling. The researcher should also have a working knowledge of current building codes used in the United States and, preferably, an Engineer in Training (EIT) license.
If selected, you will play a significant role in the Disaster and Failures Studies (DFS) Program's Hurricane Ian Study program for roofing material evaluation, which includes working with NIST staff and external partners on planning and executing experimental research to study the effects of Hurricane Ian's wind hazards on roofing material, including asphalt shingles. These findings, if warranted, will lead to proposing guidance, codes, and/or standards provisions for improved resilience of coastal communities.
US citizens preferred
Key responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:
- Design and implement an experimental program to investigate factors that affect the wind performance of asphalt shingles. The program should examine the effects of weathering, installation, and material properties, and evaluate existing standard test methods.
- Characterize the effect of laboratory weathering on the long-term wind capacity of asphalt shingles.
- Develop new methods, if warranted, for accelerated aging of roofing materials.
- Develop new test methods, if warranted, to evaluate wind uplift resistance of asphalt shingles, including hip and ridge shingles.
- Develop and validate non-linear finite element models to assess the strength of asphalt shingles and the sealants used in shingle installation using a fracture mechanics-based approach.
- Develop sensitivity and service life prediction models for asphalt shingle roof cover materials based on simulated and experimental data.
- Disseminate research results through presentations at conferences, codes and/or standards meetings, and publication of authoritative journal papers and reports.
- Form working connections with various roofing stakeholders, including trade associations and standard development committees.
- Provide technical leadership on the failure mechanisms for roofing materials based on field work and/or laboratory studies.
Salary Range
The referenced salary range represents the minimum and maximum salaries for this position and is based on Johns Hopkins University's good faith belief at the time of posting. Not all candidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range. The actual compensation offered to the selected candidate may vary and will ultimately depend on multiple factors, which may include the successful candidate's geographic location, skills, work experience, internal equity, market conditions, education/training and other factors, as reasonably determined by the University.
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