Geotechnical and geo-environmental engineering

Geo-energy engineering and materials

Our research in geo-energy and materials for building subsurface infrastructure encompasses areas of geological disposal of nuclear waste, geothermal energy and ground source systems, carbon sequestration and energy storage.

We develop novel cementitious composites for demanding hydrothermal conditions, tailored for geo-energy infrastructure in well-cementing and plugging of geothermal systems, carbon sequestration, deep wells and investigation boreholes.

We are actively involved in international effort related to engineered barrier systems and host rock in deep geological disposal of high level radioactive waste.

Geohazards and climate resilience

Our research, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG) of Sustainable Cities and Communities, Climate Action, and Life on Land, involves modelling and quantifying the impact of climate change on geo-infrastructure, developing resilient subsurface engineering, and environmental sustainability to reduce carbon emissions.

Recent developments include creating artificially weathered soils in laboratory conditions, modelling climate change-induced internal erosion in earthen structures. We also develop methodologies for assessing the integrity of retaining structures and tunnels subject to the hazards of earthquake and blast loads and developing a probabilistic seismic hazard framework for carrying out seismic risk analysis of dams.

Geotechnical sensing and monitoring

We develop and deploy advanced instrumentation to enhance the resilience and safety of civil infrastructure, including railway cuttings, tunnels, embankments, pipelines, and offshore structures.

We utilise fibre optic sensing technologies capable of measuring strain, temperature, acoustic emissions, and shape deformation in real time to detect early signs of instability or failure under operational and extreme conditions.

We also explore wireless sensor networks for monitoring hard-to-access or climate-vulnerable assets. These ultra-low-power systems support scalable, multi-modal data collection for predictive maintenance and early warning.

Recent applications include slope stability monitoring, buried pipe assessment, subway station instrumentation, and integration with digital twins for infrastructure lifecycle optimisation.

Multiphysics, multiscale modelling

Our research involves developing novel computational models; each tailored to address engineering and environmental challenges that we work on. The problems that we handle are highly multiphysical and mutiscale in their nature. We have developed a range of cutting edge models to study thermal, hydraulic, chemical and mechanical processes in porous materials via different frameworks ranging from finite element, lattice element, discrete element, non-local approach of peridynamics to physics-informed AI and Monte Carlo techniques.

Our computational modelling research covers investigations of problems at different length and time scales from molecular level to global scale simulations of geotechnical and geo-environmental systems via physics-informed AI.

Tackling emerging contaminants

We study emerging contaminants in water and soil environments and develop solutions to contain and remediate them. These include microplastic, PFAS, antibiotics and other persistent emerging contaminants.

A key area of our research in this area is porous materials engineering for managing emerging contaminants in water and soil. The developments include novel composites of biochar, clay, metal-organic framework (MOF) and engineered nanoparticles.