Dr Zhiwei Gao

Senior Lecturer (Infrastructure & Environment)

telephone: 0141-330-3927
email: Zhiwei.Gao@glasgow.ac.uk

Room 735, Rankine Building, Oakfield Avenue, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8LT

Biography

I am a Senior Lecturer in Geotechnical Engineering at the James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow. I am also a member of the Glasgow Computational Engineering Centre (GCEC) funded by the EPSRC.

Academic Qualifications

2009 - 2012: PhD in Civil Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong SAR, China
2006 - 2008: Master (Research) in Civil Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China
2002 - 2006: Bachelor in Civil Engineering with first honours, Beihang University, Beijing, China

Employment

August 2020 - present: Senior Lecturer in Geotechnical Engineering, Infrastructure and Environment Research Division, James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow
July 2013 - August 2020: Lecturer in Geotechnical Engineering, Infrastructure and Environment Research Division, James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow
September 2012 - June 2013: Post-doc Research Assistant, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Research interests

Constitutive modelling of soils and mechanics of granular materials:

I have developed constitutive models for sand anisotropy and used them in finite element modelling of practical boundary value problems. Our research has shown that anisotropy can cause strain localisation, and anisotropy should be reasonably considered when calculating the bearing capacity of shallow foundations.

I have developed a new composite method for the constitutive modelling of fine-grained soils containing discrete gas bubbles (gassy clay). Papers have been published in the Canadian Geotechnical Journal and the International Journal for Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics. One publication was the 2022 Can Geotech J editor's choice paper. We are currently developing novel numerical methods for modelling the gas migration process in fine-grained soils, which is of importance for submarine landslides and offshore foundation installations.

I have proposed a novel method for modelling the anisotropic stress-strain relationship of fibre-reinforced sand under multiaxial loading conditions. The work has been published in Geotechnique. Based on this work, I have proposed new methods for modelling the mechanical behaviour of rooted soils through collaboration with Dr Anthony Leung's team at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. We have published two papers on rooted soil in Geotechnique.

Rock catch fences and reinforced earth walls:

I have collaborated with QTS to develop a design for lightweight rock catch fences, with funding from the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) of Innovate UK. We have also designed a new remote monitoring system with the support of the Construction Scotland Innovation Centre (currently Built Environment – Smarter Transformation). Both the new catch fence and monitoring system have been deployed by QTS in railway projects in the UK.

With the support of the Royal Society, we are working with Dr Liang Lu at Chongqing University on large deformation modelling of reinforced earth walls. We have published a paper on numerical modelling of reinforced earth walls under repeated impact loading.

Offshore geotechnics:

I have worked with Geowynd on finite element modelling of offshore wind turbine foundations in sand. The project was funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering Industrial Fellowship. A new method for modelling the cyclic response of monopiles has been developed and published in Computers and Geotechnics.

I am currently working with Subsea 7 on numerical modelling of suction caissons and pipelines with the support of the Royal Academy of Engineering Industrial Fellowship. We have proposed a practical anisotropic undrained clay model that can be used in designing offshore foundations, especially suction caissons. Meanwhile, we are developing a new constitutive model for large deformation modelling of soil-pipeline interaction.

Coastal erosion:

We are now running an EU project on coastal erosion: An InTelligEnt PlatfoRm for IntegRating ClimAte Services - TERRA. We are leading a work package that aims to develop a digital twin for coastal erosion in Scotland using AI and Copernicus satellite data.

Publications

List by: Type | Date

Jump to: 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010

Number of items: 74.

2025

Karimzadeh, Ali Akbar, Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 and Leung, Anthony Kwan (2025) Anisotropic constitutive modelling of rooted soils. Geotechnique, (Accepted for Publication)

Lu, Dechun, Jin, Haoran, Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855, Zhou, Xin and Du, Xiuli (2025) Stress probing investigation of the yield and plastic flow of sand. Geotechnique, (doi: 10.1680/jgeot.24.01222) (Early Online Publication)

Liu, Shiyi, Li, Ming and Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 (2025) Stability analysis of slopes in anisotropic and heterogeneous clay by LSM-based SRFEM. Acta Geotechnica, (Accepted for Publication)

Li, Xin, Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 and Lu, Liang (2025) Numerical investigation on the response of ground-reinforced embankments under repeated impact. Engineering Geology, 345, 107875. (doi: 10.1016/j.enggeo.2024.107875)

2024

Kootahi, Karim, Kwan Leung, Anthony, Jiang, Zhenliang, Liu, Jianbin, Qi, Rui, Lourenço, Sérgio D.N., Lai, Zhengshou and Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 (2024) Evaluation of the methods of particle morphology characterization: CT scanning, digital imaging and light microscopy. Computers and Geotechnics, 174, 106648. (doi: 10.1016/j.compgeo.2024.106648)

Li, Xin and Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 (2024) Evaluation of three weight functions for nonlocal regularisation of sand models. International Journal of Geomechanics, 24(7), 04024125. (doi: 10.1061/IJGNAI.GMENG-9192)

Hong, Yi, Wang, Xuetao, Wang, Lizhong, Kang, Guozheng and Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 (2024) High-cycle shakedown, ratcheting and liquefaction behavior of anisotropic granular material with fabric evolution: experiments and constitutive modelling. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, 187, 105638. (doi: 10.1016/j.jmps.2024.105638)

Karimzadeh, Aki Akbar, Leung, Anthony Kwan and Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 (2024) Maximum shear modulus anisotropy of rooted soils. Geotechnique, (doi: 10.1680/jgeot.23.00496) (Early Online Publication)

2023

Lu, Dechun, Meng, Fanping, Zhou, Xin, Zhuo, Yuhang, Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 and Du, Xiuli (2023) A dynamic elastoplastic model of concrete based on a modeling method with environmental factors as constitutive variables. Journal of Engineering Mechanics, 149(12), (doi: 10.1061/JENMDT.EMENG-7206)

Cai, Hongjian, Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855, Hong, Yi and Zhang, Jianfeng (2023) A bounding surface model for gassy clay. Computers and Geotechnics, 161, 105565. (doi: 10.1016/j.compgeo.2023.105565)

Liu, Shiyi ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7853-8837, Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 and Li, Ming (2023) Effect of strength anisotropy on strain localization in natural clay. Acta Geotechnica, 18, pp. 4615-4632. (doi: 10.1007/s11440-023-01853-0)

Al-Budairi, Hassan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3832-9840, Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 and Steel, Andrew (2023) Numerical modelling of double-twisted wire mesh for low-energy rockfall catch fences. Geosciences, 13(6), 180. (doi: 10.3390/geosciences13060180)

Gao, Z. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 and Whyte, S. (2023) Finite Element Modelling of Long-term Cyclic Response of Monopiles in Sand Using a Stiffness Degradation Approach. In: 9th International SUT OSIG Conference “Innovative Geotechnologies for Energy Transition”, London, UK, 12-14 Sep 2023, (Accepted for Publication)

Yao, Hui, Zhao, Shibo, Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855, Xue, Zhongjun, Song, Bo, Li, Feng, Li, Ji, Liu, Yue, Hou, Yue and Wang, Linbing (2023) Data-driven analysis on the subbase strain prediction: a deep data augmentation-based study. Transportation Geotechnics, 40, 100957. (doi: 10.1016/j.trgeo.2023.100957)

Lu, Dechun, Zhang, Yaning, Zhou, Xin, Su, Cancan, Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 and Du, Xiuli (2023) A robust stress update algorithm for elastoplastic models without analytical derivation of the consistent tangent operator and loading/unloading estimation. International Journal for Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics, 47(6), pp. 1022-1050. (doi: 10.1002/nag.3503)

Essayah, A., Gao, Z. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855, Shire, T. and Guo, N. (2023) Discrete Element Modelling of Energy Dissipation and Stored Plastic Work in Granular Materials. In: 10th European Conference on Numerical Methods in Geotechnical Engineering (NUMGE 2023), London, UK, 26-28 June 2023, (Accepted for Publication)

Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855, Lu, Dechun, Hou, Yue and Li, Xin (2023) Constitutive modelling of fabric effect on sand liquefaction. Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, 15(4), pp. 926-936. (doi: 10.1016/j.jrmge.2022.06.002)

Lu, Dechun, Dong, Hongyu, Lin, Qingtao, Gui, Caixia, Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 and Du, Xiuli (2023) A method for characterizing the deformation localization in granular materials using the relative particle motion. Computers and Geotechnics, 156, 105262. (doi: 10.1016/j.compgeo.2023.105262)

Li, Xin and Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 (2023) Evaluation of Nonlocal Regularisation Methods for Sand Models. In: UK Association for Computational Mechanics 2023 (UKACM 2023), The University of Warwick, Coventry, UK, 19-21 April 2023, (Accepted for Publication)

Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855, Yan, Luoyi and Whyte, Scott (2023) B-SDM: a bounding surface stiffness degradation method for modelling the long-term ratcheting response of offshore wind turbine foundations. Computers and Geotechnics, 154, 105157. (doi: 10.1016/j.compgeo.2022.105157)

Liu, Zhuo, Pan, Shuo, Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855, Chen, Ning, Li, Feng, Wang, Linbing and Hou, Yue (2023) Automatic intelligent recognition of pavement distresses with limited dataset using generative adversarial networks. Automation in Construction, 146, 104674. (doi: 10.1016/j.autcon.2022.104674)

Cai, Hongjian, Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855, Hong, Yi, Zhang, Jianfeng and Lu, Dechun (2023) Constitutive Modelling of Overconsolidated Gassy Clay. In: 9th International SUT OSIG Conference “Innovative Geotechnologies for Energy Transition”, London, UK, 12-14 Sep 2023, pp. 924-931. ISBN 9780906940600

Gao, Z. W. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855, Li, X. and Lu, D.C. (2023) Nonlocal Regularization of an Anisotropic Critical State Model for Sand. In: 10th European Conference on Numerical Methods in Geotechnical Engineering, London, 26-28 June 2023, (doi: 10.53243/NUMGE2023-123)

2022

Liu, Shiyi ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7853-8837, Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 and Li, Ming (2022) A closed-form logarithmic spiral method for seismic passive earth pressure in anisotropic sand. Computers and Geotechnics, 152, 105052. (doi: 10.1016/j.compgeo.2022.105052)

Essayah, Abdurrahim, Shire, Thomas ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8005-5057 and Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 (2022) The relationship between contact network and energy dissipation in granular materials. Granular Matter, 24(4), 100. (doi: 10.1007/s10035-022-01255-1)

Karimzadeh, Ali Akbar, Leung, Anthony Kwan and Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 (2022) Shear strength anisotropy of rooted soils. Geotechnique, (doi: 10.1680/jgeot.22.00103) (Early Online Publication)

de Klerk, David N., Shire, Thomas ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8005-5057, Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855, McBride, Andrew T. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7153-3777, Pearce, Christopher J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1570-2190 and Steinmann, Paul ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1490-947X (2022) A variational integrator for the discrete element method. Journal of Computational Physics, 462, 111253. (doi: 10.1016/j.jcp.2022.111253)

Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855, Cai, Hongjian, Hong, Yi and Lu, Dechun (2022) A constitutive model for gassy clay. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 59(6), pp. 1033-1045. (doi: 10.1139/cgj-2020-0754)

Chen, Ning, Zhao, Shibo, Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855, Wang, Dawei, Liu, Pengfei, Oeser, Markus, Hou, Yue and Wang, Linbing (2022) Virtual mix design: prediction of compressive strength of concrete with industrial wastes using deep data augmentation. Construction and Building Materials, 323, 126580. (doi: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2022.126580)

Zhou, Xin, Lu, Dechun, Su, Cancan, Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 and Du, Xiuli (2022) An unconstrained stress updating algorithm with the line search method for elastoplastic soil models. Computers and Geotechnics, 143, 104592. (doi: 10.1016/j.compgeo.2021.104592)

Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855, Li, Xin and Lu, Dechun (2022) Nonlocal regularization of an anisotropic critical state model for sand. Acta Geotechnica, 17(2), pp. 427-439. (doi: 10.1007/s11440-021-01236-3)

Liang, Jingyu, Lu, Dechun, Du, Xiuli, Ma, Chao, Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 and Han, Jiayue (2022) A 3D non-orthogonal elastoplastic constitutive model for transversely isotropic soil. Acta Geotechnica, 17(1), pp. 19-36. (doi: 10.1007/s11440-020-01095-4)

2021

Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 and Cai, Hongjian (2021) Effect of total stress path and gas volume change on undrained shear strength of gassy clay. International Journal of Geomechanics, 21(11), (doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0002198)

Lin, Qingtao, Tian, Yu, Lu, Dechun, Gong, Qiuming, Du, Xiuli and Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 (2021) A prediction method of ground volume loss variation with depth induced by tunnel excavation. Acta Geotechnica, 16(11), pp. 3689-3707. (doi: 10.1007/s11440-021-01295-6)

Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855, Zhao, Jidong and Li, Xin (2021) The deformation and failure of strip footings on anisotropic cohesionless sloping grounds. International Journal for Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics, 45(10), pp. 1526-1545. (doi: 10.1002/nag.3212)

Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 and Diambra, Andrea (2021) A multiaxial constitutive model for fibre-reinforced sand. Geotechnique, 71(6), pp. 548-560. (doi: 10.1680/jgeot.19.P.250)

Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 and Huang, Mian (2021) Effect of sample preparation method on mechanical behaviour of fibre-reinforced sand. Computers and Geotechnics, 133, 104007. (doi: 10.1016/j.compgeo.2021.104007)

Jiang, N.-J. et al. (2021) Geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering education during the pandemic. Environmental Geotechnics, 8(3), pp. 233-243. (doi: 10.1680/jenge.20.00086)

Fu, Yukai, Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855, Hong, Yi, Li, Tonglu and Garg, Akhil (2021) Destructuration of saturated natural loess: from experiments to constitutive modelling. International Journal of Damage Mechanics, 30(4), pp. 575-594. (doi: 10.1177/1056789520939300)

Hong, Yi, Wang, Xuetao, Wang, Lizhong and Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 (2021) A state-dependent constitutive model for coarse-grained gassy soil and its application in slope instability modelling. Computers and Geotechnics, 129, 103847. (doi: 10.1016/j.compgeo.2020.103847)

2020

Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855, Lu, Dechun and Huang, Mian (2020) Effective skeleton stress and void ratio for constitutive modelling of fiber-reinforced sand. Acta Geotechnica, 15, pp. 2797-2811. (doi: 10.1007/s11440-020-00986-w)

Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855, Hong, Yi and Wang, Lizhong (2020) Constitutive modelling of fine‐grained gassy soil: a composite approach. International Journal for Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics, 44(9), pp. 1350-1368. (doi: 10.1002/nag.3065)

Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855, Lu, Dechun and Du, Xiuli (2020) Bearing capacity and failure mechanism of strip footings on anisotropic sand. Journal of Engineering Mechanics, 146(8), 04020081. (doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)EM.1943-7889.0001814)

Hong, Yi, Wang, Lizhong, Zhang, Jianfeng and Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 (2020) 3D elastoplastic model for fine-grained gassy soil considering the gas-dependent yield surface shape and stress-dilatancy. Journal of Engineering Mechanics, 146(5), 04020037. (doi: 10.1061/(asce)em.1943-7889.0001760)

Wan, Zheng, Yao, Yangping and Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 (2020) Comparison study of constitutive models for overconsolidated clays. Acta Mechanica Solida Sinica, 33, pp. 98-120. (doi: 10.1007/s10338-019-00110-w)

2019

Lu, Dechun, Liang, Jingyu, Du, Xiuli, Ma, Chao and Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 (2019) Fractional elastoplastic constitutive model for soils based on a novel 3D fractional plastic flow rule. Computers and Geotechnics, 105, pp. 277-290. (doi: 10.1016/j.compgeo.2018.10.004)

2018

Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855, Al-Budairi, Hassan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3832-9840 and Steel, Andrew (2018) Experimental testing of low energy rockfall catch fence meshes. Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, 10(4), pp. 798-804. (doi: 10.1016/j.jrmge.2018.01.004)

2017

Al-Budairi, Hassan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3832-9840, Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855, Steel, Andrew, Davies, Trevor and Wheeler, Simon ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1493-2434 (2017) Improving Protection Against Rockfall Accidents on Railway Networks. KTP Associates Conference 2017, Birmingham, UK, 21 Jun 2017. (Unpublished)

Al-Budairi, Hassan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3832-9840, Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855, Steel, Andrew, Davies, Trevor and Wheeler, Simon ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1493-2434 (2017) Condition Monitoring System for Rockfall Catch Fences. In: 6th Interdisciplinary Workshop on Rockfall Protection, Barcelona, Spain, 22-24 May 2017, pp. 67-70. ISBN 9788494690945

Al-Budairi, Hassan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3832-9840, Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855, Steel, Andrew, Davies, Trevor and Wheeler, Simon ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1493-2434 (2017) Improving the Design of Low-Energy Rockfall Catch Fences. In: 6th Interdisciplinary Workshop on Rockfall Protection, Barcelona, Spain, 22-24 May 2017, pp. 139-141. ISBN 9788494690945

Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855, Zhao, Jidong and Yin, Zhen-Yu (2017) Dilatancy relation for overconsolidated clay. International Journal of Geomechanics, 17(5), (doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0000793)

Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 and Zhao, Jidong (2017) A non-coaxial critical-state model for sand accounting for fabric anisotropy and fabric evolution. International Journal of Solids and Structures, 106-07, pp. 200-212. (doi: 10.1016/j.ijsolstr.2016.11.019)

Yao, Y., Tian, Y. and Gao, Z. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 (2017) Anisotropic UH model for soils based on a simple transformed stress method. International Journal for Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics, 41(1), pp. 54-78. (doi: 10.1002/nag.2545)

2016

Al-Budairi, Hassan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3832-9840, Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855, Steel, Andrew, Wheeler, Simon ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1493-2434 and Davies, Trevor (2016) Modelling and Optimising of a Light-Weight Rockfall Catch Fence System. In: NAFEMS UK Conference 2016, Telford, UK, 15-16 June 2016, pp. 129-132.

Al-Budairi, Hassan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3832-9840 and Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 (2016) A Robust and Cost-Efficient Design of Lightweight Rockfall Catch Fences for Railways. KTP Associates Conference, Coventry, UK, 26 May 2016. (Unpublished)

Zhao, Jidong and Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 (2016) Unified anisotropic elastoplastic model for sand. Journal of Engineering Mechanics, 142(1), 04015056. (doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)EM.1943-7889.0000962)

2015

Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 and Zhao, Jidong (2015) Cyclic Loading and Fabric Evolution in Sand: A Constitutive Investigation. In: XVI European Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Edinburgh, Scotland, 13-17 Sep 2015,

Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 (2015) Discussion of ‘experimental investigation of shear strength of sands with inherent fabric anisotropy’ by Tong et al. (doi:10.1007/s11440-014-0303-6). Acta Geotechnica, 10(4), pp. 547-550. (doi: 10.1007/s11440-015-0383-y)

Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 and Zhao, Jidong (2015) Constitutive modeling of anisotropic sand behavior in monotonic and cyclic loading. Journal of Engineering Mechanics, 141(8), 04015017. (doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)EM.1943-7889.0000907)

2014

Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 and Zhao, Jidong (2014) How Evolving Fabric Affects Shear Banding in Sand? In: 10th International Workshop on Bifurcation and Degradation in Geomaterials, Hong Kong, China, 28-30 May 2014, pp. 21-26. ISBN 9783319135069

Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855, Zhao, Jidong, Li, Xiang-Song and Dafalias, Yannis F. (2014) A critical state sand plasticity model accounting for fabric evolution. International Journal for Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics, 38(4), pp. 370-390. (doi: 10.1002/nag.2211)

Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855, Zhao, Jidong, Li, Xiangsong and Dafalias, Yannis F. (2014) Constitutive Modelling of Fabric Anisotropy in Sand. In: IS-Cambridge, Cambridge, England, 1-3 Sep 2014,

Zhao, Jidong and Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 (2014) Modelling Non-coaxiality and Strain Localisation in Sand: the Role of Fabric and Its Evolution. In: 14th International Conference of the International Association for Computer Methods and Advances in Geomechanics (14IACMAG), Kyoto, Japan, 22-25 Sep 2014,

2013

Gao, Z. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 and Zhao, J. (2013) Strain localization and fabric evolution in sand. International Journal of Solids and Structures, 50(22-23), pp. 3634-3648. (doi: 10.1016/j.ijsolstr.2013.07.005)

Gao, Z. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 and Zhao, J. (2013) Evaluation on failure of fiber-reinforced sand. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 139(1), pp. 95-106. (doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0000737)

Gao, Z. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 and Zhao, J. (2013) Modeling the dilatancy of overconsolidated clay. In: Yang, Q., Zhang, J.-M., Zheng, H. and Yao, Y. (eds.) Constitutive Modeling of Geomaterials: Advances and New Applications. Series: Springer Series in Geomechanics and Geoengineering. Springer Heidelberg: Berlin, Germany, pp. 541-545. ISBN 9783642328138 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-32814-5_73)

Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 and Zhao, Jidong (2013) Constitutive Modeling of Dilatancy for Overconsolidated Clay. In: The Second International Symposium on Constitutive Modelling of Geomaterials: Advances and New Applications, Beijing, China, 15-16 Oct 2012, pp. 541-545. ISBN 9783642328138 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-32814-5_73)

2012

Gao, Z. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 and Zhao, J. (2012) Efficient approach to characterize strength anisotropy in soils. Journal of Engineering Mechanics, 138(12), pp. 1447-1456. (doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)EM.1943-7889.0000451)

Yao, Y., Gao, Z. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855, Zhao, J. and Wan, Z. (2012) Modified UH model: constitutive modeling of overconsolidated clays based on a parabolic hvorslev envelope. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 138(7), pp. 860-868. (doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0000649)

Gao, Z. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 and Zhao, J. (2012) Constitutive modeling of artificially cemented sand by considering fabric anisotropy. Computers and Geotechnics, 41, pp. 57-69. (doi: 10.1016/j.compgeo.2011.10.007)

Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 and Zhao, Jidong (2012) Characterization of Strength Anisotropy of Fibre-Reinforced Sand. In: 16th Annual Conference of Hong Kong Society of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (HKSTAM), Hong Kong, China, 17 Mar 2012,

2011

Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 and zhao, jidong (2011) Constitutive Characterization of Strength and Deformation for Natural Clay and Cemented Sand. In: 14th Asian Regional Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Hong Kong, 23-27 May 2011,

Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855 and Zhao, Jidong (2011) The Strength and Constitutive Behaviour of Geomaterials with Cross Anisotropy. In: 15th Annual Conference of Hong Kong Society of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (HKSTAM), Hong Kong, China, 11-12 Mar 2011,

2010

Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855, Zhao, Jidong and Yao, Yangping (2010) A generalized anisotropic failure criterion for geomaterials. International Journal of Solids and Structures, 47(22-23), pp. 3166-3185. (doi: 10.1016/j.ijsolstr.2010.07.016)

This list was generated on Wed Jul 9 21:41:58 2025 BST.

Jump to: Articles | Book Sections | Conference or Workshop Item | Conference Proceedings

Number of items: 74.

Articles

Jiang, N.-J. et al. (2021) Geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering education during the pandemic. Environmental Geotechnics, 8(3), pp. 233-243. (doi: 10.1680/jenge.20.00086)

Book Sections

Conference or Workshop Item

Conference Proceedings

Al-Budairi, Hassan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3832-9840, Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855, Steel, Andrew, Davies, Trevor and Wheeler, Simon ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1493-2434 (2017) Condition Monitoring System for Rockfall Catch Fences. In: 6th Interdisciplinary Workshop on Rockfall Protection, Barcelona, Spain, 22-24 May 2017, pp. 67-70. ISBN 9788494690945

Al-Budairi, Hassan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3832-9840, Gao, Zhiwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5501-9855, Steel, Andrew, Davies, Trevor and Wheeler, Simon ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1493-2434 (2017) Improving the Design of Low-Energy Rockfall Catch Fences. In: 6th Interdisciplinary Workshop on Rockfall Protection, Barcelona, Spain, 22-24 May 2017, pp. 139-141. ISBN 9788494690945

This list was generated on Wed Jul 9 21:41:58 2025 BST.

Grants

2025-2028: SAFARI-Solid and Fluid Regime Transition of Granular Materials. Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Staff Exchange 2025 call. €1.8m. 14 Organisations with the University of Glasgow as lead.
2025-2027: An InTelligEnt PlatfoRm for IntegRating ClimAte Services - TERRA. EU HORIZON-CL4-2024-SPACE-01-35 Call (Copernicus for Land and Water). €2.0m. Project website: TERRA Horizon
2024-2026: Pipeline design using stAte-of-the-art Large-deformation Modelling (PALM). Royal Academy of Engineering Industrial Fellowships with Subsea 7. £71k.
2024: Rock dowel testing. The EPSRC Impact Acceleration Account. £7k.
2023-2026: Modelling-assisted design and artificial intelligence for geotechnical engineering. The Royal Academy of Engineering Visiting Professors with Mr Sangeet Patra at Subsea 7. £10.2k.
2023-2025: Rockfall hazard mitigation using reinforced earth walls made from local soils. The Royal Society International Exchanges 2022 Cost Share (NSFC). £12k.
2023: Turing Network for AI in offshore wind geotechnics. Turing Network Development Award. The Alan Turing Institute and EPSRC Impact Acceleration Account. £10k.
2021-2022: Offshore-foundation design using state-of-the-art Constitutive models: Embedding Advanced Numerical approaches (OCEAN). Royal Academy of Engineering Industrial Fellowships with Geowynd. £33k.
2021-2022: Multiphysics modelling of gas migration in fine-grained marine soils. The Royal Society International Exchanges with Dr Nabil Sultan at Ifremer France. £5k.
2018: Mechanical response of rock catch fence wires under high strain-rate loading. University of Glasgow Knowledge Exchange Fund. £8k.
2017-2018: Smart development of a condition monitoring system (CMS) for rockfall catch fences. Funded by Construction Scotland Innovation Centre and QTS Group Ltd. £90k.
2015-2017: Development of a more robust and cost-efficient rockfall catch fence design. Funded by Knowledge Transfer Partnership of Innovate UK and QTS Group Ltd (https://www.qtsgroup.com/). £170k.

Supervision

PhD students:

I am always looking for highly motivated graduate students to undertake research on computational geomechanics, with a focus on gassy soils, climate change and offshore wind turbine foundations. Some of the projects (offshore geotechnics, constitutive modelling of soils and AI) can be found here. You are also welcome to bring your proposals. If you are interested, please get in touch with me via email. Some of the scholarships available include:

EPSRC and School funded scholarships (including CSC fee waiver)
Commonwealth Scholarship
The Carnegie PhD Scholarships
British Council scholarships for women in STEM
British Council's scholarship
Scotland's Saltire Scholarships
Chevening Scholarships

If you need any help in applying for these scholarships, please get in touch with me and I am very happy to help.

Postdoctoral researchers:

I am also happy to support excellent postdoctoral researchers. You can apply for the fellowships below. I am happy to help you develop the research proposals:

Newton International Fellowships (for non-UK citizens)
Marie Sklodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships
EPSRC Fellowships
Royal Academy of Engineering Fellowships
Science and Technology Facilities Council fellowships
The Leverhulme Trust Fellowships
Lord Kelvin Adam Smith Fellowships
RSE Saltire Early Career Fellowships

Chen, Qianxu
Physics-constrained data-driven modelling of anisotropic sand behaviour
Sungurtekin, Turkay
Data-driven modelling of sand behaviour under cyclic loading

PhD students (completed):

Dr Mian Huang (1st supervisor): Mian has worked on constitutive modelling of fibre-reinforced sand. He has published two journal papers (Comput Geotech & Acta Geotech). He has been awarded PhD degree. PhD thesis title: Constitutive modelling of fibre-reinforced sand based on the concept of effective skeleton stress and void ratio. He is now a Lecturer at the Nanning College for Vocational Technology in China.
Dr Hongjian Cai (1st supervisor): Hongjian has worked on constitutive modelling of gassy clay. He has published two journal papers (Int J Geomech & Can Geotech J). He was awarded the PhD degree in 2023. PhD thesis: Constitutive modelling of fine-grained soils containing gas bubbles. He is now a Lecturer at the Zhengzhou University in China.
Dr Abdurrahim Mohsen Essayah (1st supervisor): Abdurrahim's research was on discrete element modelling energy dissipation in granular materials. One journal paper has been published in Granular Matter. He was awarded the PhD degree in 2023. PhD thesis: A micromechanical investigation on the mechanism of energy dissipation in granular materials.
Dr Paverean Mudcharoen (2nd supervisor). Paverean's research has focused on the development of a simplified design method for capillary barrier systems on slopes validated by thermo-hydraulic numerical modelling. First supervisor: Prof. Simon Wheeler. PhD thesis: Capillary barriers on slopes subjected to rainfall: numerical modelling and development of simplified methods of analysis.
Dr Xin Li (1st supervisor): Xin was awarded the PhD degree in June 2024. PhD thesis: Nonlocal regularisation of anisotropic sand models.

PhD students (current):

Mr Yuan Shen Chua (2nd supervisor). Yuan Shen's research is on the development of optimum energy harvesters from roadways in Singapore.

Postdoctoral and visiting researchers:

Dr Hassan Al-Budairi (PDRA): Research and Development Engineer at QTS Group.
Dr David de Klerk (PDRA): University of Edinburgh
Dr Shiyi Liu: Lecturer at Northeastern University, China.
Dr Yang Xu: Lecturer at Jinling Institute of Technology

Teaching

ENG5284: Advanced Soil Mechanics 5: This is a course for MEng and MSc students. The course covers basic principles of constitutive modelling, critical state theory and the Cam-Clay models.
ENG4070: Geotechnical Engineering 4: This is a course for BEng, MEng and MSc students. I was the course convenor for one year. This course has included content site investigation, ground improvement and pile foundations.
ENG4072: Ground Engineering 4: This is a course for BEng, MEng and MSc students. The main content includes finite element modelling in ground engineering, time-dependent soil response and basic knowledge of unsaturated soil mechanics.
ENG4188: Geotechnical Design Project 4: This design project is for MEng students. It is based on a brief for a road embankment and bridge abutments on soft clay, with the embankment height varying across the site, ground conditions based on real-site investigation data and various other site constraints. Students work in groups and consider the behaviour of the embankment firstly with no ground improvement and secondly with various forms of ground improvement, to develop a design for the embankment and the bridge abutments.
ENG3086: Transportation Engineering 3: This is a course for BEng, MEng and MSc students on transportation design. It includes the inclusivity of transportation networks, and design for walking, cycling and motorways.
ENG3073: Geotechnical Engineering 3: This course is for BEng, MEng and MSc students. Content includes the consolidation, drained/undrained analysis, soil behaviour in shear and critical state soil mechanics.
ENG3076: Civil Design Projects 3: This is a design project for Year 3 students. I am delivering the second part related to geotechnical engineering. Students are required to carry out a geotechnical design for a railway platform extension and embankment stabilisation using their knowledge learnt in Geotechnical Engineering 3.

Additional information

Google Scholar: ‪Zhiwei Gao‬ - ‪Google Scholar‬
Publons: Gao, Zhiwei - Web of Science Core Collection
Linkdin: Zhiwei Gao | LinkedIn

Awards and recognitions:

The Excellent Scientific Editor Award 2024 of the Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering.
Editor's choice paper of Canadian Geotechnical Journal 2022: A critical state constitutive model for gassy clay.
Scott Sloan Best Paper Award 2022: Fractional elastoplastic constitutive model for soils based on a novel 3D fractional plastic flow rule.
Wiley Top Downloaded Article 2014 in NAG: A critical state sand plasticity model accounting for fabric evolution - Gao - 2014 - International Journal for Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics - Wiley Online Library.
Wiley Top Downloaded Article 2021 in NAG: The deformation and failure of strip footings on anisotropic cohesionless sloping grounds - Gao - 2021 - International Journal for Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics - Wiley Online Library.

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