Our researchers have expertise in a range of different disciplines, including:
- ground barrier technologies
- experimental geomechanics
- geotechnical engineering
- geophysics
- site investigation
- structural geology
- hydrogeology
- constitutive & numerical modelling of geomaterials
Our researchers lead a number of national and international research consortia.
Head of Centre
The Head of the Centre for Ground Engineering & Energy Geosciences is:
Main areas of research
Ground barrier technologies
The Centre has over £2million of research funding supporting the development of novel technologies for ground barriers and ground improvement. Technologies under development include:
- barriers formed by microbially mediated mineral precipitation
- colloidal-silica based barriers
- detectable cementitious barriers
- bentonite barriers for nuclear waste disposal
- permeable reactive barriers
Advanced materials science & applications
Materials science is broadly defined as the science and understanding of both man-made and naturally occurring materials. These can range from spiders' web silk, to printed circuit boards and from polymers to minerals formed under high pressure in oil wells.
The subject is vast and uses techniques and methods from every branch of science to understand, create and control substances and materials in our everyday lives.
Faults & fluid flow (FAFF)
FAFF is a research programme led by Professor Zoe Shipton and Professor Becky Lunn. Research expertise includes:
- field characterisation of fault zone architectures
- numerical modelling of hydro-mechanical fault zone development
- the statistical characterisation of fluid flow through fault zones
Hydro-mechanical behaviour of geomaterials
Our geomechanics research focus is on the hydro-mechanical behaviour of geomaterials across a wide range of scales, including:
- microscale (grain or aggregate level)
- mesoscale (‘continuum’ level)
- macroscale (geotechnical, and geological systems)
Industrial challenges
Key features of our research are working with industry and international partnerships. Industrial partnerships include consultants (eg Donaldson Associates), contractors (eg Keller Ground Engineering) and public bodies (eg Environment Agency).
Non-intrusive geo-physical ground investigation
This research focuses on the development and implementation of non-invasive monitoring methods which enable an enhanced understanding of the subsurface.
