Research Vision

 

 The world population is rising by 12% per decade, and living space and global energy demand are increasing accordingly. Our group nurtures future leaders with expertise in subsurface utilisation for the energy transition. Our current research focuses on the following areas:

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• Experimental Rock Mechanics (failure of anisotropic rock, fracture mechanics)

• Subsurface Engineering (geothermal energy extraction, energy storage, geological disposal of radioactive wastes)

• Discrete Element Method (3D Particle Flow Code)

 

Our research has been funded by UKRI (EPSRC and NERC), the Royal Society, and the European Commission.  

Research Projects

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• Diamond Light Source AP38 Call: Deformation and Sealing Behaviour of Veined Mercia mudstone, PI, 2025-2026

• Diamond Light Source: Synchrotron X-ray imaging. Co-I, 2024

• EPSRC IAA: Rock dowel testing. Co-I, 2024

• EPSRC (New Investigator Award): INFORM - Influence of fracture heterogeneity on rock deformation and failure: a mechanics-based multi-scale framework for radioactive waste disposal. PI, 2023-2026, £404k

• Royal Society: Clogging of rock fractures, PI, 2022-2024, £12k

• NERC: Digging deep Earth for heat to promote environmental sustainability (DEEPHEAT), PI, 2021-2023, £88k (incl £17k allocated to SUERC Glasgow) 

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Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

 

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