CONTEXT In today's rapidly urbanizing world, the need for innovative, sustainable, and efficient infrastructure solutions has never been greater. Underground construction presents a promising avenue to address this challenge, providing the means to expand vital transportation networks, utility systems, and storage facilities while minimizing surface disruption. As urban populations continue to grow, the demand for underground infrastructure will surge, requiring novel approaches that can deliver resilient, cost-effective, and environmentally conscious solutions. This fellowship seeks to harness the power of advanced digital technologies to transform underground construction, aligning with the ongoing global push for smarter, more efficient infrastructure development. CHALLENGE & APPLICATION Underground construction offers immense potential, but it also comes with significant hurdles. The complexity of soil-fluid-structure interactions (SFS) poses challenges that impact construction processes, project timelines, and costs. Traditional methods often struggle to accurately model and simulate these interactions, leading to uncertainties and suboptimal designs. This fellowship addresses this challenge by integrating cutting-edge digital tools, including Building Information Modeling (BIM), digital twins, and advanced data analytics. By doing so, it aims to revolutionize how we approach underground construction, enabling accurate prediction of SFS interactions and optimizing construction methodologies. AIMS & OBJECTIVES The primary aim of this fellowship is to reshape the landscape of underground construction by seamlessly integrating digital technologies. The project's objectives are: 1. Develop advanced digital modeling techniques that accurately predict complex SFS interactions in underground construction scenarios. 2. Create a comprehensive digital twin that integrates real-time data, enabling continuous monitoring and predictive maintenance of underground construction processes. 3. Identify and deploy optimal real-time monitoring technologies to gather data for improving the accuracy of the digital twin. 4. Apply advanced data analytics to optimize construction processes, enabling what-if scenario forecasting and predictive maintenance models. 5. Facilitate knowledge transfer and dissemination of research outcomes to industry professionals, policymakers, and stakeholders, driving the adoption of digital technologies in underground construction.

Civil infrastructure is the key to unlocking net zero. To achieve the ambitious UK targets of net zero by 2050, we require innovative approaches to design, construction, and operation that prioritise energy efficiency, renewable resources, and low-carbon materials. Meeting net zero carbon emissions will require not only significant investment and planning, but also a radical shift in how we approach the design and management of our civil infrastructure. Reliable low carbon infrastructure sector solutions that meet real user needs are essential to ensure a smooth and safe transition to a net zero future. To address these challenges, the UK must develop highly skilled infrastructure professionals who can champion this urgent, complex, interconnected and cross-disciplinary transition to net zero infrastructure. This EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Future Infrastructure and Built Environment: Unlocking Net Zero (FIBE3 CDT) aims to lead this transformation by co-developing and co-delivering an inspirational doctoral training programme with industry partners. FIBE3 will focus on meeting the user needs of the construction and infrastructure sector in its pursuit of net zero. Our goal is to equip emerging talents from diverse academic and social backgrounds with the skills, knowledge and qualities to engineer the infrastructure needed to unlock net zero, including technological, environmental, economic, social and demographic challenges. Achievable outcomes will include a dynamic roadmap for the infrastructure that unlocks net zero, cohort-based doctoral student training with immersive industry experience, a CDT which is firmly embedded within existing net zero research initiatives, and expanded networks and outward-facing education. These outcomes will be centred around four thematic enablers: (1) existing and disruptive/new technologies, (2) radical circularity and whole life approach, (3) AI-driven digitalisation and data, and (4) risk-based systems thinking and connectivity. FIBE3 doctoral students will be trained to unlock net zero by evolving the MRes year to include intimate industry engagement through the novel introduction of a fourth dimension to our successful 'T-shaped' training model and designing the PhD with regular outward-facing deliverables. We have leveraged industry-borne ideas to align theory and practice, streamline business and research needs, and provide both academic-led and industry-led training activities. Cohort-based training in technical, commercial, transferable and personal skills will be provided for our graduates to become skilled professionals and leaders in delivering net zero infrastructure. FIBE3's alignment with real industry needs is backed by a 31 strong consortium, including owners, consultants, contractors, technology providers and knowledge transfer partners, who actively seek engagement for solutions and will support the CDT with substantial cash (£2.56M) and in-kind (£8.88M) contributions. At Cambridge, the FIBE3 CDT will be embedded within an inspirational research and training environment, a culture of academic excellence and within a department with strategic cross-cutting research themes that have net zero ambitions at their core. This is exemplified by Cambridge's portfolio of over £60M current aligned research grant funding and our internationally renowned centres and initiatives including the Digital Roads of the Future Initiative, the Centre for Smart Infrastructure and Construction, Cambridge Zero and Cambridge Centres for Climate Repair and Carbon Credits, as well as our strong partnerships with UK universities and leading academic centres across the globe. Our proposed vision, training structure and deliverables are exciting and challenging; we are confident that we have the right team to deliver a highly successful FIBE3 CDT and to continue to develop outstanding PhD graduates who will be net zero infrastructure champions of the future.