Research
Geotechnical Research
Academic and research staff research interests
Geotechnics Academic and Teaching Staff A-Z
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Antonio CarraroSenior Lecturer, PhD, MSc, BScFundamental soil mechanics; Advanced laboratory testing of soils; Sustainable geomaterials; Intermediate soils; Offshore sediments. |
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Richard JardineProfessor of Geomechanics, FREng, MSc, DIC, PhD, FICE, FCGIDeputy Head of Civil and Environmental Engineering Department Soil mechanics; Constitutive behaviour; Laboratory and field experiments; Instrumentation; Geotechnical design; Soft Ground engineering; Deep foundations; Offshore geotechnics; Geohazards; Cold region geotechnics. |
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Stavroula KontoeReader in Soil Dynamics, MSc, DIC, PhD, CEng, MICEDirector of the MSc Programme in Civil and Environmental Engineering Computational geomechanics; Earthquake engineering; Site response; Dynamic behaviour of soils and earth structures. |
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James LawrenceSenior Lecturer, PhDUndergraduate Year 1 Coordinator Upper cretaceous carbonates (Chalk); Geological disposal of radioactive waste; Geomechanics; Structural geology; Petroleum reservoir characterisation; Modelling slope instability; Coastal recession related to the impact of climate change and weathering of rock. |
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Truong LeLecturer, PhDSoil properties, advanced laboratory testing, soil characterisation, soft and stiff clayey soils, geotechnical instrumentation. Email Truong |
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Catherine O'SullivanProfessor of Particulate Soil Mechanics, PhD, MIEIChair of the Equality, Diversity and Departmental Culture (EDDC) committee Discrete element modelling; Particulate soil mechanics; Micro-computed tomography; Internal erosion; Stress wave propagation; Cyclic soil response; Validation of discrete element models (DEM). |
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Dave PottsGCG Professor of Geotechnical Engineering, PhD, FREng, CEng, FICEApplication of FEM to geotechnical problems; Geotechnical numerical analysis; Constitutive modelling; Soil-structure interaction. |
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Jamie StandingProfessor of Ground Engineering, PhD, CEng, MICEChair of the Undergraduate Exam Board Soil-structure interaction; Tunnelling and deep excavations; Field monitoring; Piles; Model testing; Partly saturated soils and residual soils. |
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David TabordaSenior Lecturer, DIC, PhDDepartment ICT Representative Computational geomechanics; Constitutive modelling of soils; Soil dynamics; Cyclic soil behaviour; Soil-Structure interaction; Geothermal energy systems; Thermo-hydro-mechanical behaviour of soils; Optimisation algorithms. |
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Katerina TsiampousiSenior Lecturer, PhDDirector of MSc in Soil Mechanics THM modelling of geo-materials; Behaviour of partially saturated media in deep nuclear repositories; Reliability and risk of geotechnical structures (excavations, tunnels, slopes, foundations); Behaviour of railway embankments under seasonal changes in suction. |
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Ken VinckLecturer, PhD |
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Lidija ZdravkovicProfessor of Computational Geomechanics, DIC, PhDHead of Geotechnics Section Development and application of FEM in geotechnical engineering; Constitutive modelling; Unsaturated soils; THM modelling of geomaterials; Soil-structure interaction; Laboratory testing of soils. |
| Geotechnics Academics A-Z | |
Download our Departmental Research Brochure
Geotechnics Research Staff A-Z
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Ritesh KumarMarie Curie Research FellowEmail Ritesh |
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Ryan Yin Wai LiuResearch Associate, PhDEmail Ryan |
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Julia (Kika) MollerResearch AssistantEmail Julia |
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Tokio MorimotoResearch AssistantA DEM analysis of thermal effects on micromechanics of packed granular beds Email Tokio |
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Marina Schnaider BortolottoResearch AssistantInvestigation on the thermal behaviour of granular materials Email Marina |
| Geotechnics Research Staff A-Z | |
An overview of our research outputs and measures of esteem
Award Winning Research Papers and Research Awards
2020 Telford Gold Medal + BGA Medal (2020) - Best paper overall: This medal was awarded by the Institution of Civil Engineers for the paper "Pore water pressure and total horizontal stress response to EPBM tunnelling in London Clay" authored by M. S. P. Wan, J. R. Standing, D. M. Potts, J. B. Burland Géotechnique (2019): https://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/doi/10.1680/jgeot.17.P.309
2019 David Hislop Award: The David Hislop Award (also known as the Offshore award) for best paper on offshore matters was awareded to Ageing and cyclic behaviour of axially loaded piles driven in chalk; R. M. Buckley, R. J. Jardine, S. Kontoe, D. Parker and F. C. Schroeder: Géotechnique (2018): https://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/doi/full/10.1680/jgeot.17.P.012
2019 R. M. Quigley Award: This award is given to the best paper published in the Canadian Geotechnical Journal in the preceding year.“Undrained behaviour of intact soft clay under cyclic paths that match vehicle loading conditions” (Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 2018, 55(1): 90-106, https://doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2016-0636
2018 Soils and Foundations Best Paper Award: This was awarded in May 2019 for Experimental and DEM assessment of the stress-dependency of surface roughness effects on shear modulus Otsubo, M. and O'Sullivan, C. Soils and Foundations. Volume 58, Issue 3, June 2018, Pages 602-614 : https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0038080618300349
2018 Telford Gold Medal: Wan, M.S.P., Standing, J.R., Potts, D.M. and Burland, J.B. (2017). Measured short-term subsurface ground displacements from EPBM tunnelling in London Clay. Géotechnique, Vol. 67, No. 9, pp. 748-779.
2017 Soils and Foundations Best Paper Award: HF Taylor, C O'Sullivan, WW Sim, SJ Carr (2017) Sub-particle-scale investigation of seepage in sands Soils and Foundations 57 (3), 439-452
Canadian Geotechnical Journal Editor's Choice recognition: A paper co-authored by Prof. Richard Jardine has been selected as one of the “Editor’s Choice” papers for 2018 by the Canadian Geotechnical Journal in recognition of its high caliber and topical importance. The paper authored by Cai et al. (2018) is entitled "Undrained behaviour of intact soft clay under cyclic paths that match vehicle loading conditions". doi:10.1139/cgj-2016-0636 (Spiral http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/45598).
2017 BGA Fleming Award
The PISA Project was awarded the BGA Fleming Award in Dec. 2017.
2016 Geotechnical Research Medal
Avgerinos, V. Potts D. M. & Standing, J. R. (2016) The use of kinematic hardening models for predicting tunnelling-induced ground movements in London Clay Géotechnique 66(2) 106-120
2013 Outstanding Paper International Journal of Geo-Engineering Case Histories
Burland, J.B., Jamiolkowski, M.B., Viggiani, C. (2012) Leaning Tower of Pisa: Behaviour after Stabilization Operation International Journal of Geoengineering Case Histories Vol. 1, No. 3, Paper # IJGCH_1_3_2
2012 Geotechnical Research Medal
Puzrin, A.M, Burland, J.B., Standing, J. R. (2012) Simple approach to predicting ground displacements caused by tunnelling in undrained anisotropic elastic soil Géotechnique 62(4), 341 –352
2012 BGA Medal
Potts D. M. & Zdravkovic L. (2012), Accounting for partial material factors in numerical analysis Geotechnique 62 (12): 1053-1065.
2010 Manby Prize
S. Nishimura, C. J. Martin, R. J. Jardine and C. H. Fenton (2009) A new approach for assessing geothermal response to climate change in permafrost regions Geotechnique 59(12): 213-227
2010 BGA Medal
Potts, V. J. and Zdravkovic, L. (2010) Finite-element study of arching behaviour in reinforced fills Proc. ICE - Ground Improvement 163, Issue GI4, 217–229
2008 BGA medal
Kontoe S, Zdravkovic L, Potts DM, Menkiti C.O. (2008) Case study on seismic tunnel response, Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 2008, Vol:45, Pages:1743-1764.
2008 ICE Geotechnical Research Medal
Hight, D.W., Gasparre, A., Nishimura, S., Anh-Minh, N., Jardine, R.J. & Coop, M.R. (2007) Characteristics of the London clay from the Terminal 5 site at Heathrow Airport. Symposium in Print on Stiff Sedimentary Clays Geotechnique, 57(2), pp 3-18.
2008 ICE Bill Curtin Medal for innovation
Bourne-Webb P.J., Potts D.M. & Rowbottom D.(2007) Plastic bending of steel sheet piles, Geotechnical Engineering 160, Issue GE3, 2007, 129-140.
2008 IACMAG Outstanding Contributions Award
Awarded to Prof. David Potts for contributions throughout his career by the Int. Assoc. for Computer Methods and Advances in Geomechanics.
Funded Research Projects
EPSRC Grants
(2021-2024) Sustainable, Flexible and Efficient Ground-source heating and cooling systems (SaFEGround) D. Taborda (PI)
(2017-2021) Climate Adaptation Control Technologies for Urban Spaces (CACTUS) D. Potts, L.Zdravkovic, K.Tsiampousi
(2017-2019) ALPACA: Axial-Lateral Chalk Analysis for Piles Applying multi-scale field and laboratory testing R. Jardine (PI) S. Kontoe (CI)
(2017-2020) Particle-scale investigation of seepage induced geotechnical instabilities. C. O'Sullivan (PI)
(2015-2016) Effect of time on the evolution of soil behaviour: new advanced triaxial creep cell experimentsW.W. Sim (PI)
(2010-2014) Assessing ground interaction effects and potential damage on existing tunnels before and after new excavation works JR Standing (PI), J. Burland (CI), D.M. Potts (CI), R. Vollum (CI) Link to project website.
(2009-2013) Micromechanics of seismic wave propagation in granular materials C. O'Sullivan (PI), P. Kelly (CI)
(2007-2010) The Properties and Structure of British Stiff Clays and Mudrocks R. Jardine (PI), C. Fenton (CI), M. Coop
(2006-2011) Platform Grant for Laboratory Soil Mechanics Research R. Jardine (PI), D.M. Potts (CI), M. Coop
(2006-2009) Using blinding as struts in cut and cover excavations R. Vollum (PI), B. Izzuddin (CI), D.M. Potts (CI)
NERC Grants
(2020-2023) Rapid deployment of multi-functional modular sensing systems in the soil C. O'Sullivan (PI)
Horizon 2020
(2019-2022) MATHEGRAM Marie Curie ITN (led by the University of Surrey) C. O'Sullivan, D. Taborda
(2017-2021) BEACON (Bentonite Mechanical Evolution Prof. Lidija Zdravkovic, Prof. David Potts, Dr. Aikaterini Tsiampousi, Dr. Jamie Standing
Institution of Civil Engineers
2021 Ground and existing tunnel response to building demolition, excavation and new construction. J. Standing (PI)
Leverhulme Trust
2017-2021 Fundamental analysis of the influence of structure on clay behaviour C. O'Sullivan (PI)
Invited Prestige Lectures
2016 British Geotechnical Association Rankine Lecture, London
Prof. Richard Jardine
2015 British Geotechnical Association Géotechnique Lecture, London
Dr. Catherine O'Sullivan
2014 17th Sowers Lecture, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Prof. Richard Jardine
2013 British Geotechnical Association Géotechnique Lecture, London
Prof. Lidija Zdravkovic
2013 Bishop Lecture - International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Paris
Prof. Richard Jardine
2012 The Lymon C. Reese Distinguished Lecture at University of Texas, Austin
Prof. John Burland
2012 The Jennings Memorial Lecture tour, South Africa
Prof. John Burland
2012 Zeevarat Lecture, Mexico
Prof. David Potts 2011
28th Manuel Rocha Lecture, Lisbon, 2011
Prof. John Burland
2010 Liddiard Lecture of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining
Prof. John Burland
2009 British Geotechnical Association Géotechnique Lecture, London
Dr. Jamie Standing
2008 7th Lovell Lecture, USA
Prof. David Potts
2008 Sixth Athenian Geotechnical Lecture, Athens
Prof. John Burland
Recorded lectures
Members of staff in the section are often invited to deliver invited lectures, some of which are recorded for subsequent broadcasting. Links to these lectures are given here:
2021
On March 11 2021 Prof. Catherine O'Sullivan presented a Granular Matter Webinar: Polydispersity – implications for granular material behaviour and modelling challenges
2019
On Feb 20 2021 Prof. Catherine O'Sullivan presented her inaugural lecture: Engineering sand: From the micro- to the macro-scale
2016
On March 16 2016 Prof. Richard Jardine delivered the BGA Rankine lecture Energy & Geotechnics
2015
On Nov 17 2015 Prof. Catherine O'Sullivan delivered the BGA Géotechnique lecture "A Particulate Perspective on Soil Mechanics"
On June 25 2015 Prof. Lidija Zdravkovic delivered her inaugural lecture "Advanced geomechanics: hot, dehydrated and shaken"
2014
Expedition Workshed have recorded Prof. Burland giving an Introduction to Soil Mechanics.
On 19th February Prof. Burland spoke at a BGA Young Career Group Meeting: The title was "Good practice for young geo-engineers: Boots, computers and engineering judgement." The recording is available here.
2013
On 13th November Prof. Lidija Zdravkovic delivered the BGA Geotechnique Lecture Dr Lidija Zdravkovic. The title was: Geotechnical numerical analysis: a road map. The recording is available here.
Spin out company
Geotechnical Observations
A company formed by Professor Vaughan and Doctors Dineen and Ridley, previous members of the academic staff here, specialising in the measurement and monitoring of soil suctions using the Imperial College Suction Probe.
Completed PhD Research
Geotechnics Alumni 2020-2022
2022
| Name | Title and supervisor |
|---|---|
| Bandera, Sara | Fundamental analysis of the influence of structure on clay behaviour Supervised by: O'Sullivan, C.; Angioletti-Uberti, S.; Tangney, P. |
| Chen, Sihua | Thermo-hydro-mechanical characterisation of London clay Supervised by: Zdravkovic, L.; Carraro, JAH. |
| Dominguez Quintans, Camelia | Static and cyclic characterisation of sandy and silty soils deposited underwater Supervised by: Carraro, JAH.; Zdravkovic, L. |
| Edgar, Justyna | Addressing infrastructure challenges posed by the Harwich Formation through understanding its geological origins As part of the CDT in Sustainable Civil Engineering Supervised by: Lawrence, J.A; Ghail, R.C. |
| Elhusain, Luai | Experimental study of collapse mechanisms in gravelly soils Supervised by: Standing, J.R. |
| Guo, Benjamin Wei Li | Reuse and sustainability of flood defences As part of the CDT in Sustainable Civil Engineering Supervised by: Zdravkovic, L.; Tsiampousi, A.; Onof, C. |
| Liu, Ryan Yin Wai | Numerical modelling of complex thermo-hydro-mechanical interactions in thermo-active pile foundations Supervised by: Taborda, D. |
| Mider, Malgorzata | Understanding geological evolution of chalk cliffs and coastal processes using InSAR As part of the CDT in Sustainable Civil Engineering Supervised by: Lawrence, J.A.; Ghail, R.C. |
| Quinteros Araujo, Vicente Santiago | On the initial fabric and triaxial behaviour of an undisturbed and reconstituted fluvial sand Supervised by: Jardine, R. |
| Zhou, Ding | Numerical analysis of Double-O-Tube shield tunnelling Supervised by: Zdravkovic, L. |
2021
| Name | Title and supervisor |
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| Kirkham, Andrew | Development of a new temperature-controlled oedometer Supervised by: Tsiampousi, A.; Potts, D.M. |
| Morgan, Tom | Major faulting in London: Relating tectonic-scale processes to site-scale engineering geology As part of the CDT in Sustainable Civil Engineering Supervised by: Lawrence, J.A.; Ghail, R.C. |
| Scoular, Jennifer | Using InSAR to identify potential geotechnical hazards for Tideway East and other tunnelling projects in London As part of the CDT in Sustainable Civil Engineering Supervised by: Lawrence, J.A |
| Vinck, Ken | Advanced geotechnical characterisation to support driven pile design at chalk sites As part of the CDT in Sustainable Civil Engineering Supervised by: Jardine, R. |
2020
| Name | Title and supervisor |
|---|---|
| Ghiadistri, Giulia Marianna | Numerical study of bentonite buffers homogenisation upon re-saturation Supervised by: Zdravkovic, L.; Potts, D.M.; Tsiampousi, A. |
| Nguyen, Hoang | Micromechanics of shear wave propagation and non-linear stiffness of granular materials Supervised by: O’Sullivan C. |
| Sailer, Eleonora | Numerical modelling of thermo-active retaining walls Supervised by: Taborda, D.; Zdravkovic, L. |
| Salim, Hendarto | Assessing local and global displacements from tunnelling and water extraction in Jakarta Supervised by: Standing, J.R. |
Geotechnics 2008-2009
2009
| Name | Title and supervisor |
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| Abela, J | Blinding struts in cut & cover excavations Supervised by: Professor D. Potts/Dr R. Vollum/Professor B. A. Izzuddin |
| Aldama Bustos, G | An exploratory study of parameter sensitivity, representation of results and extensions of PSHA: Case Study - United Arab Emirates Supervised by: Professor J. Bommer |
| Barreto Gonzalez, D | Numerical and experimental investigation into the behaviour of granular materials under generalised stress states. Supervised by: Dr C. O'Sullivan/Dr L. Zdravkovic |
| Cavarretta, I | The Influence of Particle Characteristics on the Engineering Behaviour of Granular Materials Supervised by: Professor M. Coop; Dr C. O'Sullivan |
| Zolghadr Zadeh Jahromi, H | Nonlinear Soil-Structure Interaction Supervised by: Professor B. A. Izzuddin; Dr L. Zdravkovic |
2008
| Name | Title and supervisor |
|---|---|
| Bodas Freitas, T M | Numerical Modelling of the Time Dependent Behaviour of Clays Supervised by: Professor D. Potts |
| Zabidi, H | Studies of karst in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Supervised by: Dr M. de Freitas |
Pre-2008 Information about completed PhD research prior to 2009 may be available from the section but is only available to registered members of the Department. Please contact Sue Feller.