Unsaturated Soils Mechanics for Engineering Practice (UnsatPractice)

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This partnership programme involves collaboration between Durham University UK and five universities in South Africa (the University of Pretoria, the Central University of Technology, Free State, the University of Kwazulu Natal, the University of Cape Town and Stellenbosch University) on a project entitled "Unsaturated Soils Mechanics for Engineering Practice (UnsatPractice)". The unsaturated characteristics of soils give rise to many geotechnical problems in the UK and in South Africa including collapse of foundations due to inadequate bearing capacity, structural damage due to excessive ground heave, sinkhole formation, slope instability both in terms of natural slopes and man-made embankments, as well as road and railway formation failure. The network comprises 13 academic staff and will train 20 PhD students. The research activities within the network are divided into three strands: laboratory and in-situ testing of unsaturated soils, development of numerical models and applications to engineering problems. The network partners will generate significant follow-on projects by seeking new research funding from national and international research councils and agencies and will establishing formal long-term sandwich PhD programmes before the end the award period.