Prof. Scott Sloan

Biography

Scott Sloan works in the broad area of computational geomechanics, with a particular interest in geotechnical stability analysis. He is currently the Director of an ARC Centre of Excellence on Geotechnical Science and Engineering and an ARC Laureate Fellow. He also holds the title of Laureate Professor at the University of Newcastle, one of three in the Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment.

Qualifications

• PhD, University of Cambridge - UK
• Bachelor of Engineering, Monash University
• Master of Engineering Science, Monash University
• Master of Philosophy, University of Cambridge - UK, 1982

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Research

Research keywords

• Collapse of Earth Structures
• Embankments
• Geotechnical Engineering
• Retaining Walls
• Soil Anchors
• Tunnels

Research expertise

Broad area of geotechnical engineering, with a special emphasis on computational methods. Expertise in nonlinear finite element analysis, computational limit and shakedown analysis, linear and nonlinear optimisation methods, constitutive modelling of geomaterials, unsaturated soils, plasticity theory, and contaminant migration in soils.

Collaboration

• Limit analysis
• Shakedown analysis
• Nonlinear finite element analysis
• Geotechnical analysis
• Unsaturated soil mechanics
• Contact mechanics and applications in geotechnics
• Georemediation

Fields of Research

Code	Description	Percentage
090501	Civil Geotechnical Engineering	90
010299	Applied Mathematics Not Elsewhere Classified	5
091599	Interdisciplinary Engineering Not Elsewhere Classified	5

Centres and Groups

Centre

• ARC Centre of Excellence for Geotechnical Science and Engineering
• PRC - Priority Research Centre for Geotechnical and Materials Modelling

Memberships

Body relevant to professional practice.

• Fellow - Engineers Australia

Committee/Associations (relevant to research).

• Fellow - International Association for Computational Mechanics

Editorial Board.

• Editor - Computers and Geotechnics (Elsevier)
• Editorial Board - Computers and Structures (Elsevier)
• Editorial Board - International Journal for Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics (Wiley)
• Editorial Board - Computational Mechanics (Springer)
• Editorial Board - Optimization and Engineering (Springer)
• Editorial Board - Engineering Computations (Emerald)

Learned Academy.

• Fellow - Australian Academy of Science, 2007 (Australian Academy of Science)
• Fellow - Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, 2000 (Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering)

Appointments

Director ARC Centre of Excellence on Geotechnical Science and Engineering (Australia)	01/06/2011
Fellowship Australian Research Council (Australia)	01/12/2009
Laureate Professor University of Newcastle (Australia)	01/12/2008
Director Priority Research Centre for Geotechnical and Materials Modelling (Australia)	01/01/2007
President Australian Association for Computational Mechanics (Australia)	01/01/2007 - 01/12/2010
Core Member European Technical Committee on Numerical Methods in Geotechnical Engineering	01/07/2006
Federation Fellowship ARC (Australia)	01/01/2004 - 01/12/2009
Deputy Head School of Engineering, University of Newcastle (Australia)	01/01/2004
Distinguished Visiting Professor (funded by Spanish Research Council) Technical University of Catalonia (UPC), Barcelona (Spain)	01/01/2002 - 01/07/2002
Board Member International Association for Computer Methods and Advances in Geomechanics (United States)	01/01/2001
Member Australian Research Council, Engineering Panel (Australia)	01/01/1998 - 01/12/2001
Visiting Professor Technical University of Catalonia (UPC), Barcelona (Spain)	01/01/1998 - 01/06/1998
National Committee Member Australian Geomechanics Society (Australia)	01/01/1994
Visiting Professor MIT (United States)	01/01/1992 - 01/07/1992

Awards

Distinction.

2011	51st Rankine Lecture Institution of Civil Engineers, London (United Kingdom) The highest accolade available to a researcher in geotechnical engineering
2011	C W Lovell Distinguished Lecture Purdue University (United States) Invited by Purdue University, USA
2008	Laureate Professor University of Newcastle (Australia) Outstanding research performance

Recognition.

2008	Booker Medal International Association for Computer Methods and Advances in Geomechanics (United States) For contributions to stability analysis
2007	Telford Premium Institution of Civil Engineers, London (United Kingdom) One per year for best paper on applied mechanics
2005	Thomas A Middlebrooks Award American Society of Civil Engineers (United States) The Thomas A Middlebrooks Award is given the American Society of Civil Engineers for a paper of special merit in geotechnical engineering. One award is given annually, provided a paper of sufficient merit can be identified.
2005	Alumnus of the Year Award Monash University Civil Engineering Department (Australia) For distinguished contributions to geotechnical education and research.
2005	Desai Medal International Association for Computer Methods and Advances in Geomechanics (United States) For outstanding contributions to computational geomechanics, with particular reference to numerical limit analysis and nonlinear finite element algorithms.
2003	E H Davis Memorial Lecture Australian Geomechanics Society (Australia) The E H Davis Memorial Lecture is in recognition of outstanding contributions to geomechanics theory and practice. It is a national lecture tour and the speaker is invited by the Australian Geomechanics Society.
2003	Centenary Medal Prime Minister of Australia (Australia) For service to Australian society in civil and geotechnical engineering.
2000	Telford Medal Institution of Civil Engineers London (United Kingdom) The Telford Medal is the highest award for a paper that is given by the Institution of Civil Engineers London. One medal is given annually, provided a paper of sufficient merit can be identified.

Research Award.

2011	Centre of Excellence for Geotechnical Science and Engineering - Director Australian Research Council (Australia) Centres of Excellence Program, worth $23M over 7 years
2009	Australian Laureate Fellowship Australian Research Council (Australia) One of 15 awarded in 2009 across all areas
2004	Federation Fellow Australian Research Council (Australia) One of 10 awarded to Australian residents across all areas in 2004. There are just 3 Federation Fellows in Civil Engineering in Australia.
1982	W W Spooner Research Fellowship New College, Oxford (United Kingdom) One awarded annually across all areas.
1981	Rouse Ball Fellowship Trinity College, Cambridge (United Kingdom) One awarded across all areas.

Invitations

51st Rankine Lecture Institution of Civil Engineers, London, United Kingdom (Distinguished Lecture)	2011
13th International Conference of the International Association for Computer Methods and Advances in Geomechanics, Melbourne International Association for Computer Methods and Advances in Geomechanics , Australia (Keynote lecture)	2011
9th World Congress on Computational Mechanics International Association for Computational Mechanics, Australia (Plenary Lecture)	2010
12th International Conference of the International Association for Computer Methods and Advances in Geomechanics, Goa International Association for Computer Methods and Advances in Geomechanics, India (Invited Lecture)	2008
8th World Congress on Computational Mechanics, Venice International Association for Computational Mechanics, Italy (Semi-Plenary Lecture)	2008
Finite element limit analysis in geomechanics 11th International Conference of the International Association for Computer Methods and Advances in Geomechanics (IACMAG 2005), Torino, Italy (Plenary Lecture)	2005
Geotechnical stability analysis: new methods for an old problem Australian Geomechanics Society, Australia (E H Davis Memorial Lecture Tour)	2004
Limit analysis using finite elements and nonlinear programming. 1st MIT Conference on Computational Solid and Fluid Mechanics, Boston, United States (Keynote Lecture)	2001
Collapse analysis of square tunnels in cohesive-frictional soils 1st Asian-Pacific Congress on Computational Mechanics (APCOM 01), Sydney, Australia (Invited Lecture)	2001
Stability of a plane strain circular tunnel in a cohesive-frictional soil J. R. Booker Memorial Symposium, Sydney, Australia (Invited Lecture)	2000
Consolidation analysis with automatic time stepping and error control. European Congress on Computational Methods in Applied Sciences and Engineering (ECCOMAS 2000), Barcelona, Spain (Invited Lecture)	2000
Lower bound limit analysis using nonlinear programming European Congress on Computational Methods in Applied Sciences and Engineering (ECCOMAS 2000), Barcelona, Spain (Invited Lecture)	2000
Computational limit analysis Geotechnics in the new millenium, United Kingdom (Keynote Lecture)	1999
Accelerated initial stiffness schemes for elastoplasticity. 5th International Conference on Computational Plasticity: Fundamentals and Applications (COMPLAS 5), Barcelona, Spain (Invited Lecture)	1997
Geotechnical modelling: session report. 7th Australia-New Zealand Conference on Geomechanics, Adelaide, Australia (Invited Lecture)	1996
An elastoplastic load incrementation strategy. 4th International Conference on Computational Plasticity: Fundamentals and Applications (COMPLAS 4), Barcelona, Spain (Invited Lecture)	1995
Limit analysis in geotechnical engineering Ian Boyd Donald Symposium on Modern Developments in Geomechanics, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia (Keynote Lecture)	1995
Backward Euler and subincrementation schemes in computational plasticity 2nd Asian-Pacific Conference on Computational Mechanics (APCOM 93), Sydney, Australia (Invited Lecture)	1993
The stability of tunnels in soft ground. Peter Wroth Memorial Symposium, Oxford, United Kingdom (Invited Lecture)	1992

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Administrative

Administrative expertise

Director, PRC for Geotechnical and Materials Modelling

Deputy Head, School of Engineering

ARC Panel Member, Engineering, 1998-2001.

Member, University of Newcastle Research Committee

Member, Faculty of Engineering Research Committee

Member, Faculty of Engineering Promotions Committee

President, Australian Association for Computational Mechanics

Core Member, European Technical Committee on Numerical Methods in Engineering

Member, National Committee for Australian Geomechanics Society

Member, Local Committee for Australian Geomechanics Society

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Teaching

Teaching keywords

• Geotechnical Engineering

Teaching expertise

Geotechnical engineering, numerical methods, computational mechanics.