PhD student position in Characterisation of the Micromechanics of Quick Clays at Chalmers

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We are looking for a PhD candidate fascinated by the response of quick clays that can change from solid to liquid with small environmental perturbations. The aim is to unravel the mechanisms, and time scales involved at particle scale, for the formation and failure of quick clays. A novel combination of miniaturised thermal-hydro-mechanical experiments and particle level modelling will be pursued to unravel the unique mechanisms that make quick clays so hazardous and at the same time so special. The originality of the experiments is in the combination of X-ray based scattering and imaging methods to monitor the changes at the particle scale during testing.

For application process and details, see
https://www.chalmers.se/en/about-chalmers/work-with-us/vacancies/?rmpage=job&rmjob=14061&rmlang=UK

For further information, see the attached [PDF].

PhD student position in Modelling Erosion in Sensitive Clay Slopes at Chalmers in Sweden

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We are looking for a PhD candidate fascinated in modelling erosion processes in sensitive clay slopes. The highly sensitive clays, called quick clays, can change from solid to liquid with small environmental perturbations. We want to be able to understand how a changing environment will accelerate toe erosion thus affecting the stability of sensitive clay slopes, probably triggering catastrophic failures. We offer access to unique experimental data and computational tools developed by our research team for addressing a timely societally relevant problem.

For details, see:
https://www.chalmers.se/en/about-chalmers/work-with-us/vacancies/?rmpage=job&rmjob=14057&rmlang=UK

For further information, see the attached [PDF].

Course on Modeling of Localized Inelastic Deformation, Prague, 4-6 and 8-10 September 2025

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Starting from 2025, this traditional course taught by Milan Jirasek will be split in two parts that can be attended independently.

The first part (Sep 4-6) provides an overview of modeling approaches used in the mechanics of inelastic materials and structures, in particular in plasticity and damage mechanics, with brief comments on fracture mechanics.

The second part (Sep 8-10) focuses on the objective description of highly localized deformation modes such as cracks or shear bands, using regularized models (e.g., nonlocal, gradient-enriched, phase-field, micromorphic).

The course is intended for graduate students at the doctoral level, but it can be equally useful to motivated master students, post-doctoral researchers, or senior researchers who are not specialists in this field.

For further details see https://mech.fsv.cvut.cz/~milan/course2025.html

For further information, see the attached [PDF].

International Workshop RootS25 – Soil-Vegetation-Atmosphere Interaction: DEADLINE EXTENSION 20/07

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Dear all,

We are pleased to inform you that the deadline for abstract submission for the 3rd International Workshop RootS25 – Soil-Vegetation-Atmosphere Interaction has been extended to 20 July 2025.
We encourage all interested participants to take advantage of this opportunity to join us at the Politecnico di Bari from 6th to 8th November 2025.
All details regarding the workshop, including the updated deadline and submission guidelines, are available in the Bulletin (attached) and on the Call for Contribution page at www.roots-25.com.
For any questions, feel free to contact us at workshop.roots25@gmail.com, and don’t forget to follow us on Instagram @workshop.roots25 for updates.
We look forward to receiving your abstracts and to welcoming you in Bari!

On behalf of the Scientific Committee of RootS25

For further information, see the attached [PDF].

New ALERT Geomaterials Announcement Submission Form

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ALERT Geomaterials has launched a new Announcement Submission Form to make it easier for our community to share relevant updates.

You can now submit announcements for:

  • Events – such as conferences, workshops, and seminars
  • Academic positions – including PhD openings, postdoctoral opportunities, faculty roles etc

Once approved, announcements will be:

  • Published on the ALERT Geomaterials website
  • Distributed via our mailing list
  • Shared on our LinkedIn page

📌 Please note: All submissions are subject to moderation by the ALERT team before publication.

📬 Submit your announcement here.

Thank you for contributing to the ALERT community!

ALERT Poster Session 2025

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The ALERT Poster session will be held on Monday September 29th during the ALERT Workshop.

To participate to the poster session, please submit your abstracts (both word/openoffice and pdf files are required) by email to the coordinators Nadia Benahmed (nadia.benahmed@inrae.fr) and Antoine Wautier (antoine.wautier@inrae.fr) using the attached abstract form (Template).

This year we are innovating by adding some poster lightning sessions in the course of the three days of the workshop. All posters will be given a 1min (mandatory) slot before the coffee breaks to advertise for their poster.

As last years, PhD candidates that have not yet defended their PhD at the time of the poster session can participate to the poster prize competition (€500) (all rules here). For those wishing to participate to the poster prize competition, please send your poster (in pdf format) at the same time as your abstract. For further details regarding poster prize rules please refere to: https://alertgeomaterials.eu/data/poster_prize/poster%20prize%20rules.pdf

The deadline for the submission of the abstract is the September 1st, 2025. The slots for the lightning session will be attributed on a “first submitted first served” principle, so don’t wait for the last minute to submit your abstract.

For the lightning sessions, you can send a single slide to support your speech. Creativity is welcome, and overcrowded slides should be avoided !

Registration for the ALERT Workshop and School 2025 is OPEN!

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Dear ALERT Community,

We are pleased to announce that registration is now open for the 2025 ALERT Geomaterials Workshop and Doctoral School! Registration deadline: September 1st, 2025.

You can find the preliminary programme for both the Workshop and the Doctoral School [here].

In line with last year’s edition, we are once again offering a remote participation option for the Doctoral School, priced the same as on-site attendance. Please note that this option allows passive attendance only—participants will be able to watch the presentations but will not be able to ask questions.

As decided by the ALERT Bureau, the following participants are eligible for one free night of accommodation (in a double room):

  • PhD students attending the Doctoral School from ALERT member institutions
  • Retired researchers attending the Workshop from ALERT member institutions

Please carefully read the instructions in the registration form. Once you fill in the form and click the “Register” button, a pop-up will prompt you to save your invoice as a PDF—please make sure to save it for your records. You will also receive a confirmation email with your registration details. If you are affiliated with an ALERT member institution, your institutional representative will receive a copy of your registration as well.

👉Click here to register for the ALERT Workshop and Doctoral School 2025

Please note that accommodation at the CNRS Centre Paul Langevin in Aussois will be allocated in the order of registration. As the number of rooms is limited, we encourage you to register early.

For travel details, please refer to the instructions on how to get to Aussois.

If you need to modify or cancel your registration, please contact ioannis.stefanou@ensta.fr and Mathilde.Flechon@caes.cnrs.fr with your invoice number at least one week before the event.

Please note that participants who fail to attend without cancellation will be invoiced for the cost of the reserved room and meals.

We look forward to welcoming you in Aussois!

DOCTORAL SCHOOLEURAD2 WP ANCHORS27 August – 29 August 2025, Liège (BE)

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THMC behaviour of bentonite and bentonite mixture:
From the experimental investigation to the numerical modelling.

OVERVIEW

We are happy to invite you to the ANCHORS training course, which will be held in Liege between 27 August and 29 August 2025.

This school is organized within the framework of EURAD2 – European Joint programme on Radioactive waste management (grant agreement No 101166718) – whose one of its objectives is to develop, maintain and consolidate the scientific and technical basis of radioactive waste management. This doctoral school focuses on the ANCHORS Work Package of the EURAD2 Joint Programme.

The main objective of the WP ANCHORS is to increase the optimisation potential of bentonite barrier systems: buffer, backfill and seals, and the Safety Case resilience. The activities of the WP are twofold:

1) qualifying the Hydro-Mechanical (HM) behaviour of various kinds of bentonite types and mixtures through laboratory experimental programme focused on heterogeneity, chemical effects and friction at different scales

2) improving the numerical tools that are necessary to carry out performance assessment of bentonite barriers in a Thermo Hydro Mechanical Chemical (Gas) (THMC(G)) repository environment.

Geomechanics plays a significant role in the understanding of the relevant thermo-hydro²-chemio-mechanical couplings taking place around the disposal. The objectives of the school is therefore to provide the state-of-the-art on basic concepts related to the THMC(G) couplings, the experimental investigation of complex hydro-mechanical behaviour of various bentonite types and mixtures, and the numerical modelling of the multiphysical phenomena.

For further information, see attached PDF.

International Workshop RootS25 Announcement

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Dear Colleagues,

we are pleased to invite you to participate to the 3rd International Workshop RootS25 – Soil-Vegetation-Atmosphere Interaction will take place at the Politecnico di Bari, Italy, from 6th to 8th November 2025, with a pre-conference lecture on the afternoon of 5th November.

The bulletin of RootS is now available.

You can browse the digital flipbook [here], or, if you prefer, download and print the attached PDF version. The bulletin outlines the workshop objectives, the agenda, the invited keynote lecturers and details of the proposed Sessions covering the key topics of RootS25.

We are also delighted to announce that Prof. Lidija Zdravkovic from Imperial College London will deliver a special lecture entitled “Geotechnical Engineering for a Sustainable Society” on the afternoon of 5th November (in the Aula Magna “Domus Sapientiae”, Politecnico di Bari).

We invite you to participate in RootS25 and to submit a written contribution.

All relevant information is provided in the bulletin and also in the “Call for Contribution” page of roots-25.com.

Please note: the deadline for abstract submission is 30th June 2025 (see the “Important Dates” section in the bulletin). Don’t miss it!

After abstract acceptance, the authors are required to submit a 4-page paper for peer review and publication in the ISSMGE open-access proceedings. Following RootS25, a selection of high-quality papers will be invited to submit an extended version (full-size journal paper) for peer-reviewed publication in a special issue of an international scientific journal.

For any inquiries, feel free to contact us at workshop.roots25@gmail.com, visit our website (www.roots-25.com), or follow us on Instagram @workshop.roots25.

Best regards,
On behalf of the Scientific Committee of RootS25

Full time Research Assistant in Mining Engineering at the University of Mons

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This position involves pedagogical (50%) and research (50%) work in the field of mining engineering. It covers a 2-year period (starting on 15 Sep. 2025), renewable twice, in order to achieve a PhD in Applied Sciences.

The topic of the thesis, to be defined in collaboration with the candidate and the supervisor, will concern one of the research areas of the unit. Geomechanics is an area of particular interest, with topics such as constitutive laws for geomaterials, the stability of structures, the destructibility of rocks and the relationship between geology and geomechanics. The thesis could focus on rock destruction mechanisms, particularly in crushing processes, combining experimental and numerical approaches. A better understanding of the energy aspects linked to fragmentation positions this work at the core of current concerns in terms of sustainable development.

More details : Un assistant sous mandat (f/h/x) à temps plein au sein du Service Génie Minier / A full time mandate assistant (f/m/x) in the Mining Engineering Unit – Université de Mons