research

The GEST Group is at the core of the Civil Engineering discipline dealing as it does with the fundamental concepts of material behaviour, construction and design technology. Our research reflects these core aspects of the subject while linking with the theme of Earth Systems Science Engineering and Management through the concepts of sustainability in construction and climate change effects in civil engineering.

The GEST Group’s work is concentrated on three specific themes: numerical simulation, material description, and laboratory and field testing. While we have expertise in each of these distinct areas our emerging specialism is in the interaction of these areas such that solutions to problems are founded on high quality input and output at all levels, from the acquisition of material test data, to constitutive models and material laws, through to the development of numerical models, and finally to simulation and full-scale validation.

In practice, this means that we are able to:

develop state-of-the-art mathematical models for structural analysis, geo-materials and composites through concurrent advances in numerical and testing technologies

• carry out full-scale testing and demonstration of novel material designs through the collaborative development of expertise in laboratory and field testing
  
• carry out validated simulation of improved geotechnical and structural designs through the combination of numerical analysis and field observation

Key themes

• Numerical Simulation
  • Multi-Phase Flow and Coupled Multi-Field Analysis
    
  • Seismic Engineering and Extreme Loadings
    
  • Slope Stability
    
  • Structural Optimisation and Reliability
    
  • Structural Textiles and Polymeric Composites
• Material Description
  • Multi-Phase Flow and Coupled Multi-Field Analysis
  • Soil Modelling
  • Slope Stability
  • Structural Textiles and Polymeric Composites
  • Structural Optimisation and Reliability
  • Waste Minimisation and Reuse
• Laboratory and Field Testing
• Multi-Phase Flow and Coupled Multi-Field Analysis
  
• Ground Improvement
  
• Site Characterisation
  
• Slope Stability
  
• Waste Minimisation and Reuse
  
• Structural Textiles and Polymeric Composites
  
• Seismic Engineering and Extreme Loadings
• Facilities
  • Materials Testing Laboratories
  • Soil Mechanics Laboratories
  • Structural Engineering Laboratory
  • Earth Systems Laboratory (Full Scale Embankment)
  • Workshop
  • Computational facilities