academic staff profiles - university of western australia

The University of Western Australia | 15

Academic Staff Profiles

Dr Britta BienenARC Postdoctoral Fellow, LRF Associate Professor

ÌÌ Development of foundation–soil interaction modelsÌÌ Offshore foundations under combined loadingÌÌ Mobile jack-up platforms and their spudcan foundationsÌÌ Foundations for offshore wind energy installations

Britta’s current research projects include investigation of jack-up foundation behaviour in different types of soils, deeply penetrated footings under combined loading, jack-up leg extraction, consolidation effects, novel foundation concepts, and laterally loaded piles.

Key PublicationsÌÌ Pucker, T., Bienen, B., Henke, S. (2013). CPT based

prediction of foundation penetration in siliceous sand. Applied Ocean Research, doi 10.1016/j.apor.2013.01.005.

ÌÌ Gaudin, C., Bienen, B., Cassidy M.J. (2011). Investigation of the potential of bottom water jetting to ease spudcan extraction in soft clay. Géotechnique, Vol. 61, No. 12, pp. 1043–1054, doi: 10.1680/geot.8.P.152.

ÌÌ Gaudin, C., Cassidy M.J., Bienen, B., Hossain, M.S. (2011). A review of the recent contribution made by geotechnical centrifuge modelling to the understanding of jack-up spudcan behaviour. Ocean Engineering, Vol. 38, pp. 900–914, doi:10.1016/j.oceaneng.2010.12.001.

ÌÌ Bienen, B., Byrne, B., Houlsby, G.T., Cassidy, M.J. (2006). Investigating six degree-of-freedom loading of shallow foundations on sand. Géotechnique, Vol. 56, No. 6, pp. 367-379.

Dr Nathalie BoukpetiResearch Assistant Professor

Academic Staff Profiles

Biography Britta Bienen first joined COFS in 2001 while completing her Master’s thesis on jack-up modelling, before returning to Germany to defend her thesis and graduated as a ‘Diplom-Ingenieurin’ in 2002 from the University of Technology (RWTH) in Aachen. She was also awarded a Bachelor of Engineering with Distinction from Napier University in Edinburgh, UK. Britta worked at the Geotechnical Centre of the University of Technology in Munich for a year before returning to COFS in 2003. Britta completed her PhD on ‘Three-dimensional physical and numerical modelling of jack-up structures on sand’ in 2007. In January 2008, she returned as an Assistant Professor after a short stint in consultancy with Golder Associates. Britta was appointed LRF Associate Professor in 2010 and has been an Australian Research Council (ARC) Postdoctoral Fellow since 2011. Britta collaborates internationally, is a member of the International Standards Organisation committee and was part of the team that developed the international guideline that originated from the InSafeJIP. The Géotechnique paper on spudcan jetting Britta co-authored with colleagues at COFS was awarded the 2012 Geotechnical Research Medal from the Institution of Civil Engineers.

Research Interests Britta’s research focuses on various geotechnical issues related to mobile offshore drilling rigs, offshore wind energy and other foundations under combined loading, such as those for subsea structures. Her research interests include the following areas:ÌÌ Offshore geotechnicsÌÌ Centrifuge modellingÌÌ Numerical modellingÌÌ Soil–structure–fluid interaction

BiographyNathalie Boukpeti started her appointment at COFS in July 2007 as a Research Assistant Professor. Her work has been dedicated mostly to research in the field of soil characterisation. She has contributed to the teaching of Geomechanics as well as assisting in COFS Geotechnical Laboratory. Since July 2012, Nathalie has taken on an important managerial and leadership role, managing COFS’ Geotechnical Laboratory.

16 | cofs.uwa.edu.au

Before joining COFS, Nathalie held two successive post-doctoral research positions in Belgium, first at the Université de Liège, and then at the Université Catholique de Louvain. After spending five years in Minneapolis, USA, to earn her MSc and PhD she attempted to live closer to France, where she grew up and studied for her Engineering Diploma (at the INSA, in Lyon). However the adventure itch came back stronger than ever, bringing her to the Perth-fect city.

Research InterestsNathalie Boukpeti has expertise and interest in the following areas:ÌÌ Soil characterisationÌÌ Laboratory and field testingÌÌ Constitutive modelsÌÌ Numerical modellingÌÌ Cyclic behaviour of offshore sedimentsÌÌ Characterisation of residual soils

Key PublicationsÌÌ Boukpeti N., White D. and Randolph M. (2012) Analytical

modelling of the steady flow of a submarine slide and consequent loading on a pipeline, Géotechnique 62(2), 137-146.

ÌÌ Boukpeti N., White D., Randolph M. and Low H.E. (2012) Strength of fine-grained soils at the solid-fluid transition. Géotechnique 62(3), 213-226.

ÌÌ Boukpeti N. (2008) One-dimensional analysis of a poroelastic medium during freezing. Int. J. Numer. Anal. Meth. Geomech. 32: 1661-1691.

ÌÌ Boukpeti, N., Mróz Z., and Drescher A. (2002) A model for static liquefaction in triaxial compression and extension. Can. Geotech. J. 39(6), 1243-1253.

Professor Antonio CarraroOffshore Sediments Team Leader, Soils Lab Academic Supervisor

sands. A couple of days after completing his PhD, he was on a plane to the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and served on the faculty of Colorado State University for over seven years, first as an Assistant Professor (2004-2010) and later as a tenured Associate Professor (2010-2012). He was offered a Professor position at COFS in 2012 and has joined UWA since then. Antonio is a member of the ASCE Soil Properties and Modelling Committee and serves as the new Academic Supervisor of the UWA Soils Lab as well as the Team Leader of the Offshore Sediments research stream at COFS.

Research InterestsÌÌ Geomaterials scienceÌÌ Advanced experimental methodsÌÌ Fundamental behaviour and constitutive modelling

of geomaterialsÌÌ Principal stress rotation and intermediate principal

stress effectsÌÌ Particle breakage and inter-particle bondingÌÌ Offshore sediments and intermediate soils

Key PublicationsÌÌ Carraro, J.A.H.; Prezzi, M.; Salgado, R. 2009 ‘Shear

Strength and Stiffness of Sands Containing Plastic or Nonplastic Fines’ Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Eng., ASCE, 135(9), 1167-1178.

ÌÌ Murthy, T.G.; Loukidis, D.; Carraro, J.A.H.; Prezzi, M.; Salgado, R. 2007 ‘Undrained Monotonic Response of Clean and Silty Sands’ Géotechnique, Thomas Telford, 57(3), 273-288.

ÌÌ Carraro, J.A.H.; P. Bandini; R. Salgado 2003 ‘Liquefaction Resistance of Clean and Non-Plastic Silty Sands Based on Cone Penetration Resistance’ Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Eng., ASCE, 129(11), 965-976.

ÌÌ Consoli, N.C.; P.D.M. Prietto; Carraro, J.A.H.; K.S. Heineck 2001 ‘Behaviour of Compacted Soil-Fly Ash-Carbide Lime Mixtures’ Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Eng., ASCE, 127(9), 774-782.

BiographyAntonio earned two degrees in Engenharia Civil (BSc-1994 and MSc-1997) at Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), in Brazil. In 2004, he received his PhD in Civil Engineering from Purdue University, in the United States, after conducting research on the fundamental behaviour of intermediate soils such as silty and clayey


Winthrop Professor Mark CassidyDirector / Lloyds Register Foundation Chair / ARC Future Fellow

ÌÌ Youssef, B.S., Tian, Y., Cassidy, M.J. (2013). Centrifuge modelling of an on-bottom pipeline under equivalent wave and current loading. Applied Ocean Research, Vol. 40, pp. 14-25.

Santiram ChatterjeeResearch Associate

BiographySince taking over as director in January 2006, Mark Cassidy has been instrumental in growing our connections, funding and collaborations. In 2009, he was made an ARC Future Fellow, and in 2010, he was appointed the Lloyd’s Register Educational Trust Chair of Offshore Foundations (now the Lloyd’s Register Foundation Chair). During 2011 Mark helped lead the bid for the ARC Centre of Excellence in Geotechnical Science and Engineering, where he is now founding Deputy Director. Mark graduated in Civil Engineering from the University of Queensland in 1994, and as a Rhodes Scholar, attained a doctorate in Engineering Science from the University of Oxford in 1999. He is a fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering and Engineers Australia.

Research InterestsMark’s research interests are in offshore geotechnics and engineering, predominantly developing wave-structure-soil interaction models for the analysis of oil and gas platforms, mobile drilling rigs, anchors and pipelines.

Key PublicationsÌÌ Zhang, Y., Bienen, B., Cassidy, M.J., Gourvenec, S.

(2012). Undrained bearing capacity of deeply buried flat circular foundations under general loading. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, ASCE. Vol., 138, No. 3, pp. 385-397.

ÌÌ Cassidy, M.J., Gaudin, C., Randolph, M.F., Wong, P.C., Wang, D., Tian, Y. (2012). A plasticity model to assess the keying behaviour and performance of plate anchors. Géotechnique, Vol. 62, No. 9, pp. 825-836.

ÌÌ Cassidy, M.J., Uzielli, M., Tian, Y. (2013). Probabilistic combined loading failure envelopes of a strip footing on spatially variable soil. Computers and Geotechnics. Vol. 49, pp. 191-205.

BiographySantiram Chatterjee did his Masters’ degree in Geotechnical engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, India. After that, Santiram joined the Centre for Offshore Foundation Systems to carry out his PhD under the supervision of David White and Mark Randolph. During his PhD, Santiram worked on numerical modelling of pipe-soil interactions. After submission of his thesis in September 2012, Santiram has been working as a Research Associate at COFS. He is currently working on pipeline geotechnics as well as offshore site investigation at shallow depths.

Key Research Interests ÌÌ Offshore pipeline geotechnicsÌÌ Offshore site characterisationÌÌ Shallow foundationsÌÌ Numerical modelling

Key PublicationsÌÌ Chatterjee, S., Randolph, M.F. and White, D.J. (2012).

The effects of penetration rate and strain softening on the vertical penetration resistance of seabed pipelines. Géotechnique, 62(7): 573-582.

ÌÌ Chatterjee, S., White, D.J. and Randolph, M.F. (2012). Numerical simulations of pipe-soil interaction during large lateral movements on clay. Géotechnique, 62(8): 693-705.

ÌÌ Chatterjee, S., Yan, Y., Randolph, M.F. and White, D.J. (2012). Elastoplastic consolidation beneath shallowly embedded offshore pipelines. Géotechnique Letters, 2: 73-79.

ÌÌ Chatterjee, S., Randolph, M.F. and White, D.J. (2013). A parkable piezoprobe for measuring cv at shallow depths for offshore design. Géotechnique (submitted in February 2013).


Dr Scott DraperLRF Assistant Professor

ÌÌ Adcock, T.A.A., Draper, S., Houlsby, G.T. and Borthwick A.G.L. (2012), ‘On the tidal resource of the Pentland Firth.’ 4th International Conference on Ocean Energy, 17th October, Dublin.

Dr Xiaowei FengLRF Lecturer

BiographyScott joined COFS in November 2010 following reading for a DPhil (PhD) in Engineering Science at the University of Oxford. His DPhil thesis was on ‘Tidal Stream Energy Extraction in Coastal Basins’, and addressed how much energy can be extracted for human use from fast moving tidal currents – a topic currently receiving significant academic and commercial attention in the UK. His work at COFS now focuses on two aspects of offshore engineering science: marine renewable energy and sediment transport/scour.

Scott graduated with first class honours in Engineering (Civil) and a bachelor degree in Commerce (Finance) from the University of Western Australia in 2005. His undergraduate honours thesis was concerned with numerical simulation of seepage flow using a novel semi-analytical numerical method.

Research Interests ÌÌ Sediment transport, morphodynamics and scourÌÌ Marine energy resource assessment (wave and tidal)ÌÌ Shallow water flowsÌÌ Finite element / finite volume numerical methods

Key PublicationsÌÌ Draper, S., Borthwick, A.G.L., and Houlsby, G.T. (2013)

‘Energy Potential of a tidal fence deployed near a coastal headland’, Phil. Trans. Royal Society A, 371:20120176

ÌÌ Draper, S., Houlsby, G.T., Oldfield, M.L.G. and Borthwick, A.G.L (2010). ‘Modelling Tidal Energy Extraction in a Depth Averaged Domain.’ IET Journal Renew. Powr. Gen., Vol. 4, pp.545-554.

ÌÌ Epstein, R., Draper, S. and Cheng, L. (2013) Backfill of narrow subsea trenches: From experiments to depth-averaged models to advanced numerical models, 23rd International Ocean and Polar Engineering Conference, Anchorage, Alaska.

BiographyXiaowei first joined COFS in May 2010 as a visiting student following his three years study for his DPhil (PhD) degree in Geotechnical Engineering at Tianjin University, China. He was then recruited as a lecturer in 2011. His current research is mainly on optimisation of subsea mudmat foundations.

Research InterestsÌÌ Undrained capacities of shallow foundations under

fully three-dimensional, six degree-of-freedom loading conditions, including, for example, the effect of soil profile, foundation geometry, embedment and critical number of internal shear keys.

ÌÌ Development of failure envelopes to predict undrained limit states of shallow foundations.

ÌÌ Flexibility analysis on offshore riser systems.

Key PublicationsÌÌ S.Yan, X.Feng, J.Hou and W.Li. Deduction and

application of strength parameters of soft clay by use of vane strength. Chinese Journal of Geotechnique Engineering. 2009, 31(12): 1805-1810.

ÌÌ S.Yan, X.Feng, F.Song and Z.Fan. Research on dynamic forces acting on the retainer during pipe shipping. Engineering Mechanics, 2010, 27(3):198-203.

ÌÌ S.Yan and X.Feng. Test on strength cyclic softening of Tianjin harbor soft clay and its application. Journal of Tianjin University, 2010, 43(11):943-948.


Professorial Fellow (Research) Christophe GaudinDeputy Director

Key PublicationsÌÌ Gaudin C., Bienen B., Cassidy M.J. (2011). Investigation

of the potential of bottom water jetting to ease spudcan extraction in soft clay. Géotechnique. 61(12): 1043-1054. ICE Geotechnical Research “Bishop” Medal 2012.

ÌÌ Gaudin C., Cassidy M.J., Bienen B., Hossain M.S. (2011). A review of the contribution made by geotechnical centrifuge modelling to the understanding of jack-up spudcan behaviour. Ocean Engineering. 38(7): 900-914.

ÌÌ Gaudin C., White D.J., Boylan N. Breen J., Brown T.A., De Catania S., Hortin P. (2009). A wireless data acquisition system for centrifuge model testing. Measurement Science and Technology. 20: 095709.

ÌÌ Gaudin C., Cluckey E.C., Garnier J., Phillips R. (2010). New frontiers for centrifuge modelling in offshore geotechnics. Invited Keynote Lecture. Proceedings of the 2nd International Symposium on Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics, Perth, Australia: 155-188.

Professor Susan GourvenecBiographyChristophe graduated with a Doctorate in Engineering Science from the Ecole Centrale de Nantes in November 2002. He joined COFS in July 2003 and was appointed as Manager of the UWA centrifuge facilities. He was promoted toi Research Professorial Fellow in 2009, and has been Deputy Director of COFS since that time.

Christophe has authored more than 100 papers in international journals and conferences, including three award winning papers and 5 invited conference keynotes, as well as more than 60 research report related to research industry projects. He is the Chair of the Technical Committee for Physical Modelling on Geotechnics (TC104) of the International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE) for 2010-2014, and the Chair of the 8th International Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics to be held in Perth in 2014.

Research Interests Christophe’s research interests encompass offshore anchoring systems and shallow foundations, pipeline-soil interaction and similitude principles associated with centrifuge modelling. As manager of the UWA centrifuge facilities for nearly 10 years, Christophe has also a particular interest in all aspects of centrifuge modelling technology and its application to practical geotechnical problems. He has built a strong relationship with the offshore industry, via a close involvement in many of the industry research projects undertaken over the years with the centrifuge facilities.

Early 2015, Christophe and colleagues at COFS will be establishing a new 10 m in diameter beam centrifuge, making COFS the only centre in the world with three operational centrifuges.

Biography Susan joined the Centre for Offshore Foundation Systems at UWA in 2001 from Cambridge University following award of her PhD from Southampton University, UK and undergraduate Honours degree from London University, UK.

She has authored more than 70 international scientific papers, and her research has led to awards from the International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, the Australian and New Zealand Geomechanics Society and the American Society of Civil Engineers.

She has been chair and co-editor of the proceedings of the International Symposia on Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics and is co-author of the recent book “Offshore Geotechnical Engineering”. She leads the delivery of specialist courses on offshore geomechanics as part of the University curriculum and as short courses for industry.

Susan interfaces with industry through research-based collaborations at COFS, as a part-time Principal Engineer


Mr James V HengeshProfessional Geologist, Research Fellow

with Perth-based specialist geotechnical consultancy Advanced Geomechanics and through her work with the Shallow Foundations sub-committee of ISO 19901-4.

Research InterestsSusan specialises in offshore geotechnical engineering with particular interests in foundation and pipeline solutions for offshore oil and gas developments. Her research employs state-of-the-art physical modelling and numerical analysis to address safe and efficient seabed engineering for the offshore oil and gas sector.

Current research projects include: ÌÌ Short term and long term response of skirted

foundations to upliftÌÌ Development of gap arrestors for mitigating effects of

gapping for shallow skirted foundationsÌÌ Multi-directional (6 dof) loading of subsea mat

foundationsÌÌ Development of design methodology for novel hybrid

subsea foundation ÌÌ Consolidation effects on foundation and anchor

performanceÌÌ Development of design basis for dynamic subsea

infrastructureÌÌ Break out resistance of deepwater pipelines

Key PublicationsÌÌ Randolph, M.F. and Gourvenec, S. (2011) Offshore

Geotechnical Engineering. Spon Press / Taylor & Francis. pp. 528. ISBN: 978-0-415-47744-4.

ÌÌ Krost, K., Gourvenec, S. and White, D. (2011) Consolidation around partially embedded submarine pipelines. Géotechnique, 61(2): 167-173.

ÌÌ Gourvenec, S., Acosta-Martinez, H.E. and Randolph, M.F. (2009) Experimental study of uplift resistance of shallow skirted foundations in clay under concentric transient and sustained loading. Géotechnique, 59(6): 525-537.

ÌÌ Gourvenec, S. (2007) Failure envelopes for offshore shallow foundation under general loading. Géotechnique, 57(9): 715-727.

BiographyJames Hengesh completed Bachelors and Master’s degrees at Humboldt State University and Idaho State University in the U.S. He currently is pursuing his PhD from UWA. He has 25 years experience in consulting and also served as a Senior Scientist at the Institute for Geological & Nuclear Sciences in Wellington, New Zealand. He has worked for COFS since 2008 and during this time has assisted industry in a number of research projects related to geological hazards on the North West Shelf of Australia.

Research InterestsJames is interested in investigations related to active tectonics, seismic hazards, and marine geohazards. He has worked in 30 different countries and assessed hazards from the site specific to continental scales. His project experience and research interests include:ÌÌ Marine engineering geomorphologyÌÌ Hazard morphology and terrain analysisÌÌ Neotectonics and paleoseismologyÌÌ Seismic source characterisation for seismic

hazard analysisÌÌ Characterisation of geological hazards, including surface

fault rupture, strong ground shaking, liquefaction, slope stability, and tsunami.

Key PublicationsÌÌ Hengesh, J., Dirstein, J.K., Stanley, A.J., 2012. Seafloor

Geomorphology and Submarine Landslide Hazards along the Continental Slope in the Carnarvon Basin, Exmouth Plateau, North West Shelf, Australia, APPEA Journal 2012, pp. 493-512.

ÌÌ Hengesh, J.V., Wyrwoll, K.H., and B.B. Whitney, 2011. Neotectonic deformation of northwestern Australia and implications for oil and gas development. Proc. 2nd International Symposium on Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics (ISFOG), Perth, Western Australia, Ed. Gourvenec & White, Taylor & Francis.

ÌÌ Hengesh, J.V., Whitney, B.B., and Rovere, A., 2011, A tectonic influence on seafloor stability along Australia’s


Research InterestsÌÌ Physical and numerical modelling of dynamically

penetrating anchorsÌÌ Suction caisson anchors in calcareous and

layered sedimentsÌÌ Bucket foundations subjected to V-H-M loadingÌÌ Innovative spudcans and perforation drilling for

mitigating punch-through and spudcan-footprint interaction issues

ÌÌ Direct PCPT-, T-bar- and ball-based design approachesÌÌ Stability of foundations on sand embankment over

mine tailingsÌÌ Centrifuge modellingÌÌ Large deformation finite element analysis

Key PublicationsÌÌ Hossain, M.S., Hu, Y., Randolph, M F. and White, D.J.

(2005). Limiting cavity depth for spudcan foundations penetrating clay. Géotechnique, 55(9), 679-690.

ÌÌ Hossain, M.S. and Randolph, M.F. (2010). Deep-penetrating spudcan foundations on layered clays: centrifuge tests. Géotechnique, 60(3), 157-170.

ÌÌ Hossain, M.S. and Randolph, M.F. (2010). Deep-penetrating spudcan foundations on layered clays: numerical analysis. Géotechnique, 60(3), 171-184.

ÌÌ Hossain, M.S., Lehane, B.M., Hu, Y. and Gao, Y. (2012). Soil flow mechanisms around and between stiffeners of caissons during installation in clay.

Dr Mehrdad KimiaeiAssistant Professor

North West Shelf, Conference Proceedings ISOPE, Maui, 2011.

ÌÌ Hengesh, J.V., and Lettis, W.R., 2005, Active Tectonic Environments and Seismic Hazards, in P.G. Fookes, E.M. Lee, and G. Milligan, eds., Geomorphology for Engineers, p. 851.

Dr Muhammad Shazzad HossainResearch Associate Professor

Biography Shazzad completed his Bachelor of Science in Engineering (Civil) from Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET), Bangladesh in 1999. Following graduation he served as a Lecturer in the Department of Civil Engineering at CUET for two years. In 2002, he flew to Australia and completed a Master of Engineering (Civil) by research from Curtin University of Technology, Australia. He then worked as a Research Associate in the Department of Civil Engineering at Curtin University of Technology, Australia for six months.

Shazzad joined COFS as a Research Associate in 2008 immediately after the completion of his PhD. He was promoted to Research Assistant Professor and Research Associate Professor in 2010 and 2012, respectively.

His awards include:ÌÌ ASCE Best Civil Engineering Paper Award for 2012 by

ASCE, USAÌÌ David Hislop Award for 2010 by The Institution of Civil

Engineers (ICE), UKÌÌ D. H. Trollope Medal for 2010 by The Australian

Geomechanics Society (AGS)ÌÌ 2005 BGA Prize by ICE, UKÌÌ 2007-2008 Offshore Mechanics Scholarship for

Outstanding Students by The International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers (ISOPE)

ÌÌ Institute Gold Medal by The Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh

Biography Mehrdad completed his Bachelor of Science in civil engineering and then Master of Science in Structural Engineering in 1989 and 1993 respectively. He joined COFS in 2006 after completion of his PhD in 2005 at IUST (Iran University of Science and Technology) on ”nonlinear seismic response of fixed offshore platforms considering pile-soil interaction effects”. Since 1993 Mehrdad has worked in consultancy for oil and gas industry (with overseas and Perth-based companies) in engineering, fabrication and installation of fixed, floating and subsea facilities. In 2008


Associate Professor Conleth O’LoughlinCentrifuge Manager

he established two new units in the UWA School of Civil and Resource engineering: “introductions to offshore engineering” and “design of offshore systems”. Since then more than 1300 undergraduate and postgraduate students have taken those units.

Research Interests ÌÌ Cyclic and seismic soil-structure interactionÌÌ Numerical modelling in nonlinear and dynamic response

of offshore facilitiesÌÌ fluid-soil-structure interaction in dynamic response of

subsea risersÌÌ Ultimate strength and pushover analysis of fixed and jack

up platformsÌÌ Extreme wave loading and probabilistic response of fixed

and jack up platformsÌÌ Subsea installation engineering in deep watersÌÌ Brown field engineering, assessment and reliability of

existing offshore platformsÌÌ Fatigue design of fixed, floating and subsea facilities

Key PublicationsÌÌ Mirzadehniasar, J., Kimiaei, M., Cassidy, M.J. 2012.

Nonlinear dynamic analysis of jack-up platforms exposed to extreme random waves. 31st International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Brazil, OMAE83786.

ÌÌ Memarpour, M. M., Kimiaei, M., Shayanfar, M., Khanzadi, M. 2012. Cyclic lateral response of pile foundations in offshore platforms, Journal of Computers and Geotechnics, 42: 180–192.

ÌÌ Quéau, L. M., Kimiaei, M., Randolph, M. F. 2011. Dynamic amplification factors for response analysis of steel catenary risers at touch down areas. 21st International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference (ISOPE 2011), Maui, Hawaii, USA

ÌÌ El Naggar, M.H., Shayanfar, M.A., Kimiaei, M., Aghakouchak, A.A. 2005. Simplified BNWF model for nonlinear seismic response analysis of offshore piles with nonlinear input ground motion analysis, Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 42: 365-380.

Biography Conleth’s primary degree is from The Queen’s University of Belfast (1997) and his PhD is from Trinity College Dublin (2002). He first joined COFS in 2002, leaving in 2006 to work in industry and then to establish a geotechnical centrifuge facility in Ireland. Conleth rejoined COFS in early 2012 as the deputy centrifuge manager. In this role he is responsible for managing the centrifuge team, supporting centrifuge users, developing the centrifuge facilities and looking after industry centrifuge projects.

Research Interests ÌÌ Installation and capacity of dynamically installed

‘torpedo’ anchorsÌÌ Plate anchor behavior in sand and clayÌÌ Dynamic penetration of rigid bodies in clayÌÌ Measuring shear strength and consolidation properties

of soil using a piezoball penetrometer

Key PublicationsÌÌ O’Loughlin, C.D., Richardson, M., Randolph, M.F. and

Gaudin, C. (2013). Dynamic anchor embedment in clay, Géotechnique, in press.

ÌÌ Lehane, B.M., O’Loughlin, C.D., Gaudin, C. and Randolph, M.F. (2009). Rate effects on penetrometer resistance in kaolin. Géotechnique, 59 (1), 41-52.

ÌÌ Richardson, M., O’Loughlin, C.D., Randolph, M.F. and Gaudin, C. (2009). Setup following Installation of dynamic anchors in normally consolidated clay. ASCE Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 135 (4), 487-496.

ÌÌ Gaudin, C., O’Loughlin, C.D., Randolph, M.F. and Lowmass, A. (2006). Influence of the installation process on the performance of Suction Embedded Plate Anchors. Géotechnique, 56 (6), 389-391.


Research Interests ÌÌ Piled foundations: solutions for operational stiffness

of single piles and pile groups; design and settlement analysis of piled rafts; axial cyclic loading of piles; dynamics of pile driving and interpretation of dynamic tests

ÌÌ Centrifuge modelling of geotechnical problemsÌÌ Large deformation finite element analysis for deep

penetration problems and anchorsÌÌ Full-flow penetrometers: T-bar, ball and piezoballÌÌ Spudcan penetration in clay and multi-layer soilsÌÌ Anchoring and mooring systemsÌÌ Pipeline and riser interaction with the seabedÌÌ Submarine landslidesÌÌ Mat and hybrid (piled mat) foundations under full

3D loading conditions

Key PublicationsÌÌ Fleming, W.K., Weltman, A.J., Randolph, M.F. and Elson,

W.K. (2009). Piling Engineering, 3rd Edition, Taylor and Francis, London.

ÌÌ Randolph, M.F. and Gourvenec, S.M. (2011). Offshore Geotechnical Engineering, Taylor and Francis, London.

ÌÌ Randolph, M.F., Gaudin, C., Gourvenec, S.M., White, D.J., Boylan, N. and Cassidy, M.J. (2011). Recent advances in offshore geotechnics for deepwater oil and gas developments. Invited state-of-the-art paper, Ocean Engineering, 38(7), 818–834.

ÌÌ Randolph, M.F., White, D.J. and Yan, Y. (2012). Modelling the axial soil resistance on deep water pipelines. Géotechnique, 62(9), 837-846.

Dr Sam StanierResearch Associate

Winthrop Professor Mark Randolph

Biography Mark graduated from Oxford University in 1973 and received a PhD from Cambridge University in 1978. After eight years as a Lecturer at Cambridge, he moved to UWA in 1986. In 1997, he became the founding Director of COFS and he founded the consultancy company, Advanced Geomechanics, in 1994.

His research interests are currently focused on offshore developments in deep water, especially soil characterisation and the estimation of limiting loads for foundation, pipeline and anchoring systems through a combination of centrifuge model tests, numerical analysis and plasticity solutions. He has co-authored two books, including the recent “Offshore Geotechnical Engineering”, and over 200 journal articles. He interacts closely with the offshore industry, both in research and through his role as a founding Director of specialist geotechnical consultants, Advanced Geomechanics. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society, the Australian Academy of Science, the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, and the Royal Academy of Engineering.

Career HighlightsÌÌ EH Davis Lecturer (1997)ÌÌ Rankine Lecturer (2003)ÌÌ ARC Federation Fellow (2005-10)ÌÌ Fellow of: Australian Academy of Technological Sciences

and Engineering (1993ÌÌ Australian Academy of Science (2000)ÌÌ Royal Academy of Engineering (2002)ÌÌ Royal Society (2011)

Biography Sam completed his doctorate in Geotechnical Engineering at the University of Sheffield prior to joining COFS in August 2011 as a Research Associate. His thesis was on the use of transparent synthetic soils to model helical screw pile behavior. Since joining COFS, Sam has been involved with the development of new PIV apparatus for the


drum centrifuge, which has been used to experimentally investigate the mechanisms of spudcan punch-through on multi-layered soils and the impact of consolidation on shallow skirted foundation performance. Sam has also developed new ROV mounted apparatus for measuring seabed-structure interface friction, which will be deployed offshore in 2013. Further research has also begun on using Large Deformation Finite Element (LDFE) techniques to model the behaviour of shallow seabed penetrometers that may also be deployed on ROV’s to measure shallow seabed characteristics.

Research Interests ÌÌ Centrifuge modelling and technologyÌÌ Jack-up foundationsÌÌ Shallow foundation performanceÌÌ Shallow seabed characterisationÌÌ LDFE analysisÌÌ Transparent soilsÌÌ Limit analysisÌÌ Unsaturated soil mechanics

Key PublicationsÌÌ Stanier, S.A., Black, J.A. & Hird, C.C. (2012). Enhancing

accuracy and precision of transparent synthetic soil modelling. International Journal of Physical Modelling in Geotechnics, 12, No. 4, p162-175.

ÌÌ Stanier, S.A. & Tarantino, A. (Accepted). An application of the bound theorems of plasticity to predicting stability of vertical cuts in ‘cohesionlesss’ soils. Journal of Engineering Geology.

ÌÌ Hu. P., Stanier, S.A. & Cassidy, M.J. (2012). Calibration of a model to predict the peak punch-through penetration resistance of a spudcan on sand overlying clay. Proceedings of Eurofuge 2012, Delft, Netherlands.

ÌÌ Hird. C.C. & Stanier, S.A. (2010). Modelling helical screw piles in clay using transparent soil. Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics, Zurich, Switzerland.

Professor Boris TarasovHead of Rock Mechanics Studies at COFS

BiographyBoris graduated as a mechanical engineer with a particular interest in rocket engine technology (Russia, 1974). Since 1976 he has worked in rock mechanics, spending 22 years working for the Geomechanical Institute (VNIMI) and Mining University (Mining Institute) in Saint Petersburg, Russia. He received his PhD in 1983, and his highest doctoral degree in 1992. Since 2000 Boris has been a Professor at The University of Western Australia.

Research InterestsHis professional interests lie in experimental physics and rock mechanics, especially hard rock behaviour at conditions of great depth. He has designed many unique testing apparatus to study this subject. He explored a paradoxical phenomenon of super brittle rock behaviour at highly confined conditions related to deep sited earthquakes and rockbursts both experimentally and theoretically. Boris identified a new shear rupture mechanism creating “negative friction” in hard rocks at highly confined conditions. Along with superbrittleness, this mechanism provides hitherto unknown rock properties and the possibility to create new faults in intact rock mass at stress levels significantly below the frictional strength. These findings offer an alternative concept of lithospheric strength and earthquake mechanism which can explain a number of unresolved earthquake problems.

Key PublicationsBoris has about 100 publications including two books and 20 patents. ÌÌ Stavrogin A.N. and Tarasov B.G. Experimental physics

and rock mechanics. 2001. Balkema.ÌÌ Tarasov B.G. Superbrittleness of rocks at high confining

pressure. Keynote Address in Fifth International Seminar on Deep and High Stress Mining, Santiago, Chile, 2010, 119-133.

ÌÌ Tarasov B.G. and Randolph M.F. Superbrittleness of rocks and earthquake activity. International Journal


of Rock Mechanics and Mining Science. 2011, 48: 888-898.

ÌÌ Tarasov B.G. and Potvin Y. 2013. Universal criteria for rock brittleness estimation under triaxial compression. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Science, 59, 57-69.

Dr Yinghui TianResearch Assistant Professor

Biography Yinghui Tian graduated from Dalian University of Technology, China with his Bachelor Degree in 1998. After working at the CCCC First Harbour Consultants Ltd for 3 years, he achieved his Masters and PhD degrees in Geotechnical Engineering at Tianjin University in 2007. He joined COFS in the same year and currently works as a Research Assistant Professor.

Research Interests Tian’s research interests mainly focus on the numerical study of offshore foundation and soil interaction with the assistance with centrifuge modelling. His current study topics include:ÌÌ Pipe-soil-hydrodynamic interaction ÌÌ Plate anchor designÌÌ Random Finite Element modellingÌÌ Mudmat lift capacity

Key PublicationsÌÌ Tian, Y., Gaudin, C., Cassidy, M. J. and Randolph, M.

F. (2013). “Considerations on the Design of Keying Flap of Plate Anchors.” Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering ASCE, doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0000776

ÌÌ Cassidy, M.J., Uzielli, M. and Tian, Y. (2013) “Probabilistic Combined Loading Failure Envelopes of a Strip Footing on Spatially Variable Soil.” Computers and Geotechnics. 49, 191-205

ÌÌ Tian, Y., Cassidy, M. J. and Gaudin, C. (2010). “Advancing Pipe-Soil Interaction Models through

Geotechnical Centrifuge Testing in Calcareous Sand.” Applied Ocean Research 32(3): 294-297.

ÌÌ Tian, Y. and Cassidy, M. J. (2011). “A Pipe-Soil Interaction Model Incorporating Large Lateral Displacements in Calcareous Sand.” Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering ASCE 137(3): 279-287.

Dr Cristina VulpeResearch Associate

Biography Before joining COFS at the beginning of 2012 as a Research Associate, Cristina studied and worked in Romania, Italy and France.

She graduated as a Master of Science in Civil Engineering in Romania. The “etudes approfondies” thesis was a collaboration between her university in Bucharest (TUCEB) and Universita di Pisa (Italy). Then, after working for a year as a Teaching Assistant at TUCEB, she moved to LCPC in Paris to work on her PhD thesis. All her studies revolved around different areas of Geotechnical Engineering.

Currently, she is investigating the effect of consolidation on offshore structures using both centrifuge and numerical modelling. She is also involved in collaborative work with the Offshore industry through the Soil Mechanics Laboratory.

Research Interests ÌÌ Offshore shallow foundation systemsÌÌ Consolidation around foundationsÌÌ Numerical modellingÌÌ Centrifuge modellingÌÌ Seabed characterisation and mechanical behaviour

Key PublicationsÌÌ Vulpe, C., Bienen, B., Gaudin, C. Predicting the

undrained capacity of skirted spudcan under combined loading. Submitted to Ocean Engineering.

ÌÌ Vulpe, C., Gaudin, C. Uniaxial bearing capacity factors and failure mechanisms for skirted spudcans. Submitted to OMAE2013.


Key PublicationsÌÌ Wang, D., Hu, Y., and Randolph, M.F. (2010). Three-

dimensional large deformation analysis of plate anchors in uniform clay. Journal of Geotechechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 136(2), 355-365.

ÌÌ Wang, D., White, D.J., and Randolph, M.F. (2010). Large deformation finite element analysis of pipe penetration and large-amplitude lateral displacement. Can. Geotechnical Journal, 47, 842-856.

ÌÌ Wang, D., Hu, Y., and Randolph, M.F. (2011). Keying of rectangular plate anchors in normally consolidated clays. Journal of Geotechechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 137(12), 1244-1253.

ÌÌ Wang, D., Gaudin, C., Randolph, M.F. (2013). Large deformation finite element analysis investigating the performance of anchor keying flap. Ocean Engineering Journal, 59(1), 107-116.

Winthrop Professor David WhiteShell EMI Chair of Offshore Engineering, ARC Future Fellow

ÌÌ Vulpe, C., Droniuc, N., Bourgeois, E., Mestat, Ph. (2010). Simple quality indicators for FE analysis based on stress maps for Gauss points. 7th European Conference on Numerical Methods in Geotechnical Engineering (NUMGE, 2010), Trondheim, Norway: 187-193.

ÌÌ Vulpe, C., Droniuc, N., Bourgeois, E., Mestat, Ph. (2010). Simple quality indicators for FE analysis based on stress maps for Gauss points. 7th European Conference on Numerical Methods in Geotechnical Engineering (NUMGE, 2010), Trondheim, Norway: 187-193.

Dr Dong WangResearch Assistant Professor

BiographyDong received his PhD from Dalian University of Technology, China, and continued on as a lecturer from 2002 to 2007. He joined COFS in 2007, as Research Assistant Professor in geotechnical engineering.

Research Interests ÌÌ Finite element analysis in geotechnical engineering.

Developed ABAQUS-based large deformation approach for 2D and 3D problems. It is expanded from static to dynamic analysis, from total stress formula to coupled analysis. Recent applications include large-amplitude penetration and dissipation of piezocones and piezoballs, lateral buckling of pipeline and long-distance landsliding.

ÌÌ Suction embedded plate anchors, including keying installation and pull-out capacity. The findings are also used to predict the uplift capacity of helical anchors.

ÌÌ New anchorage systems, such as penetration installation of torpedo anchors and pull-out capacity of dynamically embedded plate anchors

ÌÌ Spudcan for jack-up rigs, punch-through failure in multi-layer soil and bearing capacity.

ÌÌ Submarine landslide and its impact on pipelines ÌÌ Advanced numerical approaches, such as Material Point

Method and Coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian method

Biography David White studied engineering at Cambridge, taking Bachelors, Masters and PhD degrees before being elected to a Research Fellowship at St John’s College. He was then appointed to a University Lectureship at Cambridge in 2003, which he held until taking up a Professorship at UWA in 2007. He was awarded a Future Fellowship by the Australian Research Council in 2009 and at the end of 2012 was appointed to the Shell EMI Chair of Offshore Engineering.

David has authored >160 publications, including 6 prize-winning papers and 8 invited conference keynotes, as well as book chapters on piled foundations and pipeline geotechnics. Personal awards include the 2010 Anton Hales Medal by the Australian Academy of Science and the 2011 Western Australia Tall Poppy Science Award. He was the 2011 Western Australian Early Career Scientist of the Year and his research projects have been awarded four


industry prizes including the 2012 Subsea Energy Australia Innovation Award and the 2012 WA Engineers Australia Research and Innovation Award.

Research Interests David’s research has encompassed many aspects of offshore geotechnics and soil behavior, using a blend of physical modelling (particularly using UWA’s centrifuge and O-Tube facilities), numerical modelling and field observations. Specific research areas include:ÌÌ Seabed characterisation: novel penetrometry and

laboratory testingÌÌ Soil modelling: particularly across wide strain and

strength rangesÌÌ Pipeline geotechnics: for stability, buckling and walkingÌÌ Foundation behavior: piles, shallow foundations,

spudcansÌÌ Geohazard analysis: submarine slides, seabed mobilityÌÌ Image analysis applications in geotechnics

David has always worked closely with industry and leads the geotechnical streams of the SAFEBUCK and STABLEpipe Joint Industry Projects. He also supports offshore projects directly, acting as a consultant for current developments in Australian waters and elsewhere in the world.

David has served as secretary of the ISSMGE Technical Committee TC104 (Physical modelling in geotechnics) since 2005, fostering this worldwide research network. The image analysis software developed during his PhD with A/Prof Andy Take (Queens Univ., Canada) has been used in geotechnical research at more than 60 institutes worldwide.

Key PublicationsÌÌ White D.J. and Boylan N.P. 2012. Offshore geotechnics:

Research and practice beyond the boundaries of traditional soil mechanics. Bridging research and practice – the VLA experience. Volume 2. Ed. V. Li. Centre for Research and Professional Development, Hong Kong. ISBN : 978-988-99028-7-2.

ÌÌ White D.J., & Cathie D.N. 2010. Geotechnics for subsea pipelines. Proc. 2nd International Symposium on Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics. Perth. 87-123.

ÌÌ White D.J., Take W.A. & Bolton M.D. 2003. Soil deformation measurement using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and photogrammetry. Géotechnique 53(7):619-631.


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