Context: The IRGAK project, supported by the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME), aims to develop a soil treatment solution based on water and dissolved potassium sulfate to prevent soil shrinkage and swelling near buildings. It relies in particular on laboratory tests to establish a treatment protocol that takes into account local geological, geotechnical, and meteorological characteristics. In this context, an environmental assessment of the research practices implemented is carried out throughout the project in collaboration with the new support and research unit UTOPII, created in 2025 to assess and reduce the environmental impacts of engineering research.

Objectives: This work aims to propose an environmental assessment protocol for laboratory tests, based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), including the scope definition and data collection (measurement methods, infrastructure, samples, consumables, etc.).

Methodology: LCA is a multi-criteria, multi-stage method for assessing various impact indicators throughout a product’s entire life cycle, i.e., from extraction to end of life. Based on this method, the work will consist of:

• Identifying existing studies and databases on the life cycle of laboratory equipment and infrastructure;
• Comparing process-based (physical flows) and input-output-based (economic flows) LCA approaches for this type of application;
• Proposing and testing a protocol on a specific case, which can then be generalized, particularly within the framework of the IRGAK project.

This work will be carried out in close collaboration with the experimental PhD works conducted at ENPC and ESTP as part of the IRGAK project.

Profile:
• Master of Science with knowldedge in Life Cycle Assessment.
• Skills in Python programming would be appreciated.

Location: Navier Laboratory (ENPC, Champs-sur-Marne, France)

Duration: 4-6 months.

Salary: Gratification. 550€/month.

Interested candidates should send their CV and motivation letter to camille.chateau@enpc.fr and myriam.saade@cnrs.fr