Research Interests
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Fundamental thermo-hydro-mechanical behaviour of unsaturated soils and soil-structure interfaces, such as small strain stiffness, cyclic behaviour, thermal and suction effects
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Constitutive modelling of soils and interfaces
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Climate change adaptation of slopes and pavements
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Energy geostructures
Awards and Honors
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Top Cited Article Award 2022-2023, Vadose Zone Journal, 2024
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Huang Wenxi - Chen Zongji Geomechanics Youth Award, Technical Committee of Geomechanics, Chinese Society of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, 2023
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Outstanding Reviewer Award, Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 2023
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Dean's Award for Outstanding Achievement in Research Funding, Faculty of Construction and Environment, PolyU, 2022
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Top Reviewer Award, Computers and Geotechnics, 2022
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Tsui Tack Kong Young Scholar in Civil Engineering, Endowed Young Scholars Scheme of PolyU, 2021-2026
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Top Reviewer Award, Computers and Geotechnics, 2021
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Dean’s Awards for Outstanding Young Researchers, Faculty of Construction and Environment, PolyU, 2021
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State Natural Science Award (only 44 for all disciplines in China), State Council of the People’s Republic of China, 2020
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Excellent Young Scientist (only 25 for all disciplines in Hong Kong and Macau), NSFC, 2020
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Bright Spark Lecture Award, technical committee on unsaturated soils, ISSMGE, 2018
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Keynote Paper Award, the 2nd International Conference on Geotechnique, Construction Materials and Environment, Malaysia, 2012
Externally Funded Research Projects
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PI: Anisotropic hydro-mechanical behaviour of unsaturated and structured loess, funded by the General Research Fund (GRF) of Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC).
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PI: Unsaturated soils and problematic soils, funded by the Excellent Young Scientists Fund of National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) 優秀青年科學基金(港澳).
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PI: Three-dimensional thermo-mechanical behaviour of unsaturated soils and interfaces with reference to energy piles, funded by the General Research Fund (GRF) of Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC).
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PI: Dissociation-induced deformation and instability of methane hydrate-bearing soils with various micro-structures, funded by the General Research Fund (GRF) of Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC).
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PI: Hydro-mechanical behaviour of fine-grained soil contaminated by liquid hydrocarbon, funded by the General Research Fund (GRF) of Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC).
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PI: Anisotropic stiffness of unsaturated soil under cyclic thermo-hydro-mechanical loads with principal stress rotations, funded by the General Research Fund (GRF) of Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC).
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PI: Cyclic thermo-mechanical behaviour of clay and sand with reference to energy piles, funded by the General Research Fund (GRF) of Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC).
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PI: Experimental study and constitutive modelling of monotonic and cyclic behaviour of unsaturated loess at different temperatures, funded by the Young Scientists Fund of National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC).
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Co-I: Centrifuge modelling of the fatigue behaviour of an SCR in the touchdown zone under combined three-dimensional motions, funded by the General Research Fund (GRF) of Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC).
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Co-I: Center for slope safety, funded by the Areas of Excellence (AoE) Scheme of Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC).
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Co-I: Performance of unsaturated earthen embankments subject to climate change: centrifuge and numerical modelling, funded by the General Research Fund (GRF) of Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC).
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Co-I: Performance of floating energy piled foundations in clay subjected to thermal cycles: three-dimensional centrifuge and numerical modelling, funded by the General Research Fund (GRF) of Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC).
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Co-I: Investigation and development of vegetated landfill cover using construction waste, funded by the General Programme of National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC).