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Dr Arya Assadi Langroudi

Programme Leader and  Senior Lecturer in Geotechnical Engineering

Architecture, Computing and Engineering (ACE), Engineering

I am Leader for the Civil Engineering BSc Hons degree programme, Senior Lecturer in Geotechnical Engineering and fellow of the Royal Society (BS MSc PhD GMICE FGS AFHE >20 papers, >80 citation, >£150kgrants). I lead the UG Geotechnical residential field courses, am Academic Lead for Soil Mechanics laboratories and Learning & Teaching Champion for Innovative Practices. My mainstream research is centred around implications of micro-mechanics in understanding emerging geohazards (aging, fatigue,saltation, silicatization and mineral dissolution), with a vision to develop decision-support systems (what-if-analysis) and multifunctional ground improvement techniques. I am Principal Investigator for DST-NRF NewtonSAFE (2017-18) and the RAE Industry Academia Partnership TASMIP projects (2018-20).

Students on mountain

    I am a graduate of the University of Birmingham, bringing >5 years of consultancy experience predominantly gained in tunnel/deep-basement design. I was granted a PhD in 2014 for research on the micromechanics of collapse in loess. My research led to a 2-year secondment at Atkins, in 2012, where I worked towards the engineering of calcareous collapsing soils into embankments within the scopes of CEN/TC 396. This led to my joining Newcastle University as a research associate and then lecturer where I researched into urban ground improvement decision-support systems and led the Ground Improvement Technologies block CPD/MSc course. I joined the University of East London in 2015. I have published on micromechanics (mineral dissolution, clastic/fractal properties of particles, inter-particle forces, structure-based constitutive models and double-porosity concept). I have also published on computer-aided analysis of excavations (RSFEM, DE-FD programming) and cavity stability. I sit on the editorial board for a number of journals and Engineering Framework Review panel of a number of UK universities.



    Editor:  Newsletter for Commission 18 IAEG - Collapsing Soils Communiqué (2013-present)
    Editor:  Modares Civil Engineering Journal ISSN 2476-6763 (2017-present)
    Editor:  Nanoscience and Nanotechnology ISSN 2529-7775 (2017-present)
    Reviewer: Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology (2012-present)
    Reviewer: The Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment, Springer (2012-present)
    Reviewer: Engineering Geology, Elsevier (2013-present)
    Reviewer:  ICE Engineering Sustainability (2016-present)
    Reviewer: Environmental Earth Sciences, Springer (2017-present)
    External consultancy: International steering technical committee: Tehran Underground Line 7 (2014-2019)
    External Reviewer: BEng Tech (Hons) Engineering Framework – University of Teesside 

     

    BS MSc PhD GMICE FGS AFHE
    • BS Civil Engineering
    • MSc Geotechnical Engineering
    • PhD Geotechnical Engineering
    • Fellow of the Geological Society London
    • Graduate member of Institute of Civil Engineers ICE - London
    • Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy



    Overview

    The Emerging Urban Geohazards (EUG)

    The past 10 years have seen a steep rise in the number of fatalities and extent of economic losses stemmed from emerging ground-related hazards (e.g. sinkholes) particularly in urban areas. Geo-hazards are interconnected, continuously and globally strike cities on a worryingly escalating scale, claim lives, and demolish infrastructure.
    My research is centred on such modern hazards (e.g. aging and fatigue in soil, urban aerosols and air pollution, urban sinkholes and ground collapse and extreme climates), their interconnectivity and mechanisms of occurrence, methods for effective early detection and preventive/corrective measures. Primarily this is achieved through studying the mechanisms of hazards at micro-scale and developing macro-scale cross-disciplinary solutions (e.g. biologically inspired self-healing technologies). The research offers the earthwork and construction industry tools to detect early cases of hazards, offers simple decision-support useful in the less-developed slimly-resourced far flung, and alternative preventive/corrective measures tailored to problem and location.  

           
         
           
           
         
     

    Collaborators

    Research

    Selected Journal Publications:

    Culshaw, M.G., Northmore, K.J., Jefferson, I., Assadi-Langroudi, A., and Fall, F.G. In Press. Collapsible soils in the UK. in Engineering Geology Special Publication, Geohazards, the Geological Society.

    Ghadr, S., and Assadi-Langroudi, A. 2018. Structure-based Hydro-Mechanical Properties of Sand-bentonite Composites. Engineering Geology. 235, 53-63.

    Assadi-Langroudi, A., Ng'ambi S., and Smalley, I. 2017. Loess as a collapsible soil: some basic particle packing aspects. Quaternary International, special issue on Aeolian Symposium Beijing. In Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2016.09.058

    Ardeshiri-Lajimi, S., Yazdani, M., and Assadi-Langroudi, A. 2016. A study on the liquefaction risk in seismic design of foundations. Geomechanics and Engineering 11(6), 805-820, doi 10.12989/gae.201.11.6.

    Assadi-Langroudi, A., Jefferson, I. 2016. The response of reworked aerosols to climate through estimation of inter-particle forces. International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology 13(4), 1159-1168. doi 10.1007/s13762-016-0958-7

    Ardeshiri-Lajimi, S. Yazdani, M., Assadi Langroudi, A. 2015. Control of fault lay-out on seismic design of large underground caverns. Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology. 50: 305-316. doi:10.1016/j.tust.2015.07.002

    Assadi-Langroudi, A and Jefferson, I. 2015. Constraints in using site-won calcareous clayey silt (loam) as fill materials. Geotechnical Engineering for Infrastructure and Development (ISBN: 978-0-7277-6067-8), In: Slopes and Geohazards, Eds.: Winter, M.G., Smith, D.M., Eldred. P.J.L., and Toll, D.G.  71: 1947-1952. doi:10.1680/ecsmge.60678.vol4.293

    Assadi-Langroudi, A, Jefferson, I, O’Hara-Dhand K, and Smalley, I. 2014. Micromechanics of quartz sand breakage in a fractal context. Geomorphology. 211:1-10. doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2013.12.016

    Assadi-Langroudi, A. 2014. Shear Strength in Terms of Coulomb C-Intercept. Journal of Geotechnical Geology (ISSN  2383-0875). 9(4): 283-292.

    Assadi-Langroudi, A. 2014. Discussion: Quantitative Evaluation of Microstructure Characteristics of Cement Consolidated Soil. Bulletin of Engineering Geology and Environment. 73(1): 203-204.  doi 10.1007/s10064-013-0558-4

    Assadi-Langroudi, A., and Jefferson, I. 2013. Collapsibility in calcareous clayey loess: a factor of stress-hydraulic history. International Journal of Geomate. 5(1): 620-627.  

    Assadi-Langroudi, A, Yasrobi SS. 2012. Drainage Controlled Uniaxial Swelling Cell. ICE Proceedings Geotechnical Engineering, 166(4), 357-364.

    Assadi-Langroudi A, Yasrobi SS. 2010. Microfabric transformation of Teleqan white clay under constant volume swelling condition. Engineering Geology, 116(3-4), 207-217.

    Assadi-Langroudi A, Yasrobi SS. 2009. A micro-mechanical approach to swelling behavior of unsaturated expansive clays under controlled drainage conditions. Applied Clay Science, 45(1-2), 8-19.

    Assadi-Langroudi A, Momtazi A. 2004. Revisiting the Current Design Practice for FRP Reinforced Concrete Structures. The Bulletin of Concrete Society. 14, 32-42 [in Farsi].


    Soon to Appear:

    Yazdani, M., Yazdani, S., Assadi-Langroudi, A., and Ghadr, S. 2018. Hydro-mechanical Behaviour of Rock Abutments for Arch Dams: A Parametric Study. Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering

    Theron, E., Assadi-Langroudi, A., Smalley, I., and O’Hara-Dhand, K. 2018. Soil pH Signatures in Collapsible Calcareous Urban Soils. Acta Geotechnica.

    Assadi-Langroudi, A. 2018.  PTD Modelling and Application for Loess/Loess-like Deposits of England. Proceedings of the Geologists' Association.

    Ghadr, S, Mirsalehi, S., and Assadi-Langroudi, A. 2018. Compacted Expansive Elastic Silt and Tyre Powder Waste. Journal of Cleaner Production.


    Conference Papers:  

    Assadi-Langroudi A, O'Hara-Dhand K, Smalley I., Ciupala, M.A., and Theron, E. 2016. Stiffness degradation patterns in loess: lessons for building the High Speed rail 2 on Undisturbed Devensian loams. Eds. Markovic, S.B. In: 19th Loess2M: Modelling and Mapping. 2016, University of Novi Sad, Serbia. ISBN 978-86-7031-408-5.

    Assadi-Langroudi, A. 2014. A Proposed Form of the Principle of Effective Stress for Unsaturated Hardening Soils. GEST Seminar Series, Newcastle University.

    Assadi-Langroudi A, O'Hara-Dhand K, Jefferson I, Smalley I. 2013. The Control of Loess Grain Shape on Size Distribution Data. In: 19th Windy Day: UK aeolian research community meeting. 2013, Southampton, UK: University of Southampton.

    Assadi-Langroudi A, Jefferson I. 2013. The Loess Genome Project. In: INQUALoess2013: Loess & Dust: Geography-Geology-Archaeology. Leicester, UK: University of Leicester: Print Services.

    Assadi-Langroudi A, Yasrobi SS, Nasrollahi N. 2009. A Comparison between the Lateral Deformation Monitoring Data and the Output of the FEM Predicting Models of Soil Nailed Walls based on Case Study. In: 62th Canadian Geotechnical Conference and 10th Joint CGS/IAH-CNC Groundwater Conference. 2009, Halifax, Canada.

    Assadi-Langroudi, A. 2009. Performance based design. Vortragsreihe Geotechnik an der Technischen Universität Graz. Montag.

    Assadi-Langroudi A, Yasrobi SS. 2007. Effect of Acidic-Alkaline Pollution Intrusion into an Unsaturated Expansive Soil Mass on Swelling Pressure Parameter. In: 60th Canadian Geotechnical Conference and 8th Joint CGS/IAH-CNC Groundwater Conference. Ontario, Canada.

    Assadi-Langroudi A, Momtazi A. 2003. Properties of FRP Reinforced Concrete Structures, the 5th Student Conference of Civil Engineering, Polytechnique Tehran University [in Farsi].

     
    Media Interviews:

    https://www.uel.ac.uk/news/2017/12/sinkhole-research-fellowship

    Invited Lectures:

    “Performance based design”, Vortragsreihe Geotechnik an der Technischen Universität Graz. Montag 19 Oktober 2009.

    “A Proposed Form of the Principle of Effective Stress for Unsaturated Hardening Soils”, GEST Seminar Series, Newcastle
    University. 15 December 2014.

    Publications

    Current funding:

    2018 - 2020

    PI: £72,000.00 - TASMIP Industry Academia Partnership Programme IAPP1R2\100195
    Royal Academy of Engineering
     
    PI: R220,000.00 - SAFE2: DST-NRF Fellowships NFPF170627245562
    Royal Society-DST-NRF


    2017
    PI: R22,910.00 - SAFE: Visiting Scholar: NRF Institutional Research Grant
    NRF

    2015
    Co-I: €12,000.00 – SAFE Project: EU-SATURN KH121218 Action 2 Lot 16b
    EU Commission - EACEA Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency


    2010
    PI: £3,000.00 - T1 Lot                                            
    University of Birmingham - BP

    Funding

    Leading

    • EG6121 - Final Year BSc (Hons) - Geotechnical Design (15 credits)
    • EG5102 -Year 2 BEng (Hons) - Geotechnical and Material Analysis (30 credits)
    • EG5118 - Year 2 BSc (Hons) - Geotechnical properties (30 credits)
    • Engineering Geology Residential Field Courses EG5118 and EG5102

    Contributing to

    • EG6110 - Research Dissertation at BSc(Hons) level
    • EG6104 - Research Dissertation at BEng(Hons) level
    • EG7011 - Research Dissertation at MSc level

    Previous teaching leadership:

    • Ground Improvement Technologies (leader) – Newcastle University


    > Personal tutor for first year students on the BEng Civil Engineering programme

    > Member of Civil Engineering & Construction Recruitment working group

    > Member of Civil Engineering & Construction Outreach working group

    Teaching