The Geomechanics and Environmental Geotechnics Research Group at Southampton is one of the largest and most dynamic in the Europe, with a 20 year record of leadership and innovation in the application of scientific geomechanics principles to difficult materials and problems ranging from landfilled wastes through methane gas hydrates to ballasted railway track. We have strong links with industry, and nearly all of our research projects have some degree of practical focus and active user engagement.
Overview
Our principal areas of research are
Environmental Geotechnics
Fundamental Geomechanics
Infrastructure
We currently hold over £5.5M in research funding, supporting over 30 researchers. We are one of the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council's (EPSRC's) most highly funded groups in ground and environmental engineering, and draw in significant industry support from Network Rail, Veolia, the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), the Environment Agency, and National Grid. Research results are consistently disseminated to industry through authorship of guidance documents and reports, and articles in the professional and trade press.
We have contributed to fundamental knowledge in the areas of groundwater control, retaining wall performance, landfill engineering, soil behaviour, field and laboratory instrumentation, geotechnical numerical modelling, railway geotechnical engineering and the use of pile foundations as heat exchangers for ground source heat pump energy systems.
We have international research links with institutions in China, Hong Kong, Italy, Germany, Kazakhstan, Korea, Netherlands, Singapore, South Africa and Australia.
We currently hold over £5.5M in research funding, supporting over 30 researchers. We are one of the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council's (EPSRC's) most highly funded groups in ground and environmental engineering, and draw in significant industry support from Network Rail, Veolia, the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), the Environment Agency, and National Grid. Research results are consistently disseminated to industry through authorship of guidance documents and reports, and articles in the professional and trade press.
We have contributed to fundamental knowledge in the areas of groundwater control, retaining wall performance, landfill engineering, soil behaviour, field and laboratory instrumentation, geotechnical numerical modelling, railway geotechnical engineering and the use of pile foundations as heat exchangers for ground source heat pump energy systems.
We have international research links with institutions in China, Hong Kong, Italy, Germany, Kazakhstan, Korea, Netherlands, Singapore, South Africa and Australia.
Infrastructure laboratory including Southampton Railway Testing Facility; Instron; Geomechanics laboratory including hollow cylinder apparatus, cyclic simple shear apparatus, low temperature/high pressure rig for triaxial testing of gas hydrate bearing sediments; resonant column apparatus; cyclic triaxials; advanced image analysis for strain measurement.
Postgraduate opportunities
If you are interested in joining us either to study or to become part of our research team please select the relevant link below for further information.
