
Overview
Background
Dr Jurij Karlovšek is a recognised expert in Geotechnical and Underground Engineering, known for driving innovation through research, fostering industry collaboration, and mentoring the next generation of engineers. His work bridges technical excellence with strategic leadership across academia and industry, positioning him as a key contributor to infrastructure transformation.
He leads multidisciplinary research and teaching initiatives with deep expertise across three core domains. In the area of infrastructure innovation, Dr Karlovšek is at the forefront of sustainable infrastructure development and geotechnical resilience, contributing to the advancement of resilient urban systems and underground space utilisation. He brings specialist knowledge in tunnelling and constructability, particularly in the design and delivery of large-scale underground infrastructure projects.
In digital engineering and information modelling, he is internationally recognised for his pioneering contributions to Building Information Modelling (BIM) in tunnelling, with a strong focus on bored and mechanised tunnelling methods. His research advances the integration of digital workflows, sustainability principles, and life-cycle asset management, positioning him as a thought leader in the digitalisation of infrastructure systems.
In the field of advanced non-destructive and spatial technologies, Dr Karlovšek applies cutting-edge non-destructive testing (NDT) and spatial analysis techniques to evaluate infrastructure integrity and subsurface conditions. He leverages technologies such as Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), SLAM, LiDAR, and InSAR to support precise monitoring, localisation, and long-term performance assessment of critical assets.
Dr Karlovsek is an EAIT Faculty Lead and Director at the Sustainable Infrastructure Research Hub, collaborating closely with the BEL Faculty. Additionally, he is the co-founder and area lead at the Infrastructure CoLab.
Within the School of Civil Engineering (SoCE), Dr Karlovsek serves as the course coordinator for key subjects:
- CIVL2210 - Soil Mechanics
- CIVL4525 - Sustainable Infrastructure Design
- CIVL6250 - Underground Structures
At the corporate level, Dr Karlovsek is actively involved in community engagement through the creation and implementation of associations. Currently, he holds the position of Vice-President of the National Committee of the Australian Tunnelling Society (ATS) and serves as the Past Animator (Chair) of the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association (ITA) Working Group 22 – Information Modelling in Tunnelling (BIM in Tunnelling). Locally, Dr Karlovsek contributes to committees at BrisBIM – Digital Community Group Queensland, Planning Institute of Australia Technical Group (PlanTech), Australasian BIM Advisory Board (ABAB) and the Australian Shotcrete Society National Committee.
Beyond his organizational roles, Dr Karlovsek is deeply committed to mentorship, actively guiding undergraduate and postgraduate students. He supports their research endeavors, industry engagement activities, and overall ensures a enriching and profitable educational experience for each student under his mentorship.
Availability
- Dr Jurij Karlovsek is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Research impacts
Awards and Memberships:
- UQ SIRH - Co-Director - Sustainable Infrastructure Research Hub (EAIT Faculty Lead)
- SoCE - Director Engagement
- ATS - Vice-President at National Committee (Australian Tunnelling Society)
- Infrastructure CoLab - Co-Founder and Area Lead
- ABAB – Australian BIM Advisory Board - Industry Lead / Infrastructure (Tunnels)
- BrisBIM – Digital Construction Industry Queensland - Committee Member
- PlanTech - Planing Institute Australia (PIA) Technical Group - Member
- ITA Animateur of Working Group 22 – Information Modelling in Tunnelling (Past Chair 2016 - 2023)
- AuSS (Australian Shotcrete Society) National Committee Member
- QGD Website - Website Co-Owner
- Industry Advisory Board Member (Civil Engineering), UQ (2020 - 2022)
- Academic Advisor - Civil Geotechnical Engineering Major (2020 - 2022)
- ITA Young Members Group (ITAYM Founder and Chair) – 2014-2016
- International Tunnelling and Underground Space Awards 2015 (ITA-AITES Awards): ITA Young Tunneller of the Year 2015
- ATS Young Professional Representative (ATSYM Founder and Chair) – 2012-2016
- David Sudgen Award 2012; ATS Award - Young Professional Engineers, Sydney - 2012
- Vice-Chair & Founder of UQ APS (Association of Postgraduate Students), UQ - 2011
- President of PRESS (Postgraduate Research in Engineering Student Society), UQ – 2010
Works
Search Professor Jurij Karlovsek’s works on UQ eSpace
2021
Journal Article
Application of superposition method to study the mechanical behaviour of overlying strata in longwall mining
Ji, Songtao, He, Hu and Karlovšek, Jurij (2021). Application of superposition method to study the mechanical behaviour of overlying strata in longwall mining. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 146 104874, 1-15. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrmms.2021.104874
2021
Journal Article
Analytical study of subcritical crack growth under mode I loading to estimate the roof durability in underground excavation
Ji, Songtao, Wang, Zeng and Karlovšek, Jurij (2021). Analytical study of subcritical crack growth under mode I loading to estimate the roof durability in underground excavation. International Journal of Mining Science and Technology, 32 (2), 375-385. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmst.2021.08.006
2021
Other Outputs
Optimized Differential Evolution Algorithm for Solving DEM Material Calibration Problem
Ji, Songtao and Karlovšek, Jurij (2021). Optimized Differential Evolution Algorithm for Solving DEM Material Calibration Problem. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.14264/ca1267d
2021
Conference Publication
Failure of hard roof strata in underground mining and its control factors: an analytical model study
Ji, Songtao and Karlovšek, Jurij (2021). Failure of hard roof strata in underground mining and its control factors: an analytical model study. 55th U.S. Rock Mechanics/Geomechanics Symposium, Online, 18-25 June 2021. Richardson, TX, United States: American Rock Mechanics Association (ARMA).
2020
Conference Publication
Failure Mode of Concrete Under Polyaxial Stresses
Serati, Mehdi , El-Amin, Mutaz , Williams, David J., Quintero Olaya, Sebastian , Karlovsek, Jurij and Hanzic, Lucija (2020). Failure Mode of Concrete Under Polyaxial Stresses. 54th US Rock Mechanics/Geomechanics Symposium, Golden, CO United States, 28 June – 1 July 2020. Alexandria, VA United States: ARMA.
2020
Conference Publication
WIP: Using a teamwork model to manage large teams in a large lecture
Murzi, Homero, Karlovsek, Jurij, Ruiz, Bianey, Virguez, Lilianny and Perez, Omar (2020). WIP: Using a teamwork model to manage large teams in a large lecture. 2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference, Online, 22 - 26 June, 2020. Washington, DC United States: ASEE Conferences. doi: 10.18260/1-2--29133
2020
Journal Article
Local Acceleration Monitoring and its application in physical modelling of underground mining
Ji, Songtao, Zhang, Jie, Pan, Ruikai and Karlovšek, Jurij (2020). Local Acceleration Monitoring and its application in physical modelling of underground mining. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 128 104282, 104282. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrmms.2020.104282
2020
Journal Article
Working in large teams: measuring the impact of a teamwork model to facilitate teamwork development in engineering students working in a real project
Murzi, Homero G., Chowdhury, Tahsin M., Karlovsek, Jurij and Ruiz Ulloa, Bianey C. (2020). Working in large teams: measuring the impact of a teamwork model to facilitate teamwork development in engineering students working in a real project. International Journal of Engineering Education, 36 (1), 274-295.
2020
Conference Publication
Toughness of polypropylene fibre-reinforced sprayed geopolymer concrete
Xu, Z., Hanžič, L. and Karlovšek, J. (2020). Toughness of polypropylene fibre-reinforced sprayed geopolymer concrete. ACMSM25, Brisbane, Australia, 4-7 December, 2018. Singapore: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-981-13-7603-0_47
2019
Journal Article
Void detection in two-component annulus grout behind a pre-cast segmental tunnel liner using Ground Penetrating Radar
Kravitz, Brett, Mooney, Michael, Karlovsek, Jurij, Danielson, Ian and Hedayat, Ahmadreza (2019). Void detection in two-component annulus grout behind a pre-cast segmental tunnel liner using Ground Penetrating Radar. Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, 83, 381-392. doi: 10.1016/j.tust.2018.09.032
2017
Journal Article
Experimental investigation of the dielectric properties of soil under hydraulic loading
Bittner, Tilman, Bore, Thierry, Wagner, Norman, Karlovsek, Jurij and Scheuermann, Alexander (2017). Experimental investigation of the dielectric properties of soil under hydraulic loading. Measurement Science and Technology, 28 (4) 044001, 044001. doi: 10.1088/1361-6501/aa5442
2017
Conference Publication
WIP: Using a teamwork model to manage large teams in a large lecture
Murzi, Homero, Karlovsek, Jurij, Ruiz, Bianey and Virguez, Lilianny (2017). WIP: Using a teamwork model to manage large teams in a large lecture. 2017 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Columbus, OH, United States, 24-28 June 2017. Washington, DC, United States: American Society for Engineering Education.
2016
Journal Article
Experimental evaluation of the heat flux induced by tunnel fires
Shaw, Timothy, Gibson, Timothy, Karlovsek, Jurij, Emberley, Richard and Torero, José L. (2016). Experimental evaluation of the heat flux induced by tunnel fires. Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, 60, 49-55. doi: 10.1016/j.tust.2016.07.015
2016
Journal Article
Dielectric measurement method for real-time monitoring of initial hardening of backfill materials used for underground construction
Karlovsek, Jurij, Schwing, Moritz, Chen, Zhen, Wagner, Norman, Williams, David J. and Scheuermann, Alexander (2016). Dielectric measurement method for real-time monitoring of initial hardening of backfill materials used for underground construction. Journal of Geophysics and Engineering, 13 (2) S19, S19-S27. doi: 10.1088/1742-2132/13/2/S19
2016
Journal Article
Radio to microwave dielectric characterisation of constitutive electromagnetic soil properties using vector network analyses
Schwing, M., Wagner, N., Karlovsek, J., Chen, Z., Williams, D. J. and Scheuermann, A. (2016). Radio to microwave dielectric characterisation of constitutive electromagnetic soil properties using vector network analyses. Journal of Geophysics and Engineering, 13 (2) S28, S28-S38. doi: 10.1088/1742-2132/13/2/S28
2016
Conference Publication
Tunnel information modelling in most recent form: applying BIM technologies and procedures in tunnelling environment
Žibert, Marko, Keniston, Scott and Karlovšek, Jurij (2016). Tunnel information modelling in most recent form: applying BIM technologies and procedures in tunnelling environment. ITA-AITES World Tunnel Congress 2016, WTC 2016, San Francisco, CA, United States, 22-28 April 2016. Englewood, CO, United States: Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration.
2016
Conference Publication
Experimental quantification of tunnel fire heat flux
Gibson, Timothy, Shaw, Timothy, Karlovsek, Jurij, Emberley, Richard and Torero, José L. (2016). Experimental quantification of tunnel fire heat flux. ITA-AITES World Tunnel Congress 2016, WTC 2016, San Francisco, CA USA, 22-28 April 2016. Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration.
2014
Other Outputs
Non-destructive testing of tunnel integrity using ground penetrating radar
Karlovsek, Jurij (2014). Non-destructive testing of tunnel integrity using ground penetrating radar. PhD Thesis, School of Civil Engineering, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/uql.2015.206
2014
Journal Article
Broadband dielectric measurement methods for soft geomaterials: coaxial transmission line cell and open-ended coaxial probe
Chen, Z., Schwing, M., Karlovšek, J., Wagner, N. and Scheuermann, A. (2014). Broadband dielectric measurement methods for soft geomaterials: coaxial transmission line cell and open-ended coaxial probe. International Journal of Engineering and Technology, 6 (5), 373-380. doi: 10.7763/IJET.2014.V6.728
2014
Conference Publication
Road infrastructure security assessment and measures selection methodology using SecMan - tunnel example
Miha Hafner, Elea iC, Karlovšek, Jurij and Marko Zibert, Elea iC (2014). Road infrastructure security assessment and measures selection methodology using SecMan - tunnel example. 15th Australasian Tunnelling Conference 2014, Sydney, NSW, Australia, 17-19 Spetember 2014. Barton, ACT, Australia: Engineers Australia and Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Jurij Karlovsek is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
How wide can a rock reinforced cavern be opened?
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Mojtaba Rajabi
-
Doctor Philosophy
The Value of Geotechnical Information as a Public or Private Asset
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor David Williams
-
Doctor Philosophy
Large Ring Test for Restrained Shrinkage Cracking in Shotcrete Tunnel Lining
Principal Advisor
-
Doctor Philosophy
Tunnelling related topic - Water mitigation
Principal Advisor
-
Doctor Philosophy
Resilience of Underground Infrastructure Use of Digital Engineering
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Cristyn Meath, Associate Professor David Lange
Completed supervision
-
2025
Doctor Philosophy
The Observational Method in Tunnelling: Integrating Structural Safety and Economic Optimisation
Principal Advisor
-
2022
Doctor Philosophy
Failure of the Hard Roof and the Impact on Coal Burst Occurrence
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Joan Esterle
-
2024
Doctor Philosophy
BUILDING INFORMATION MODELLING BASED LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT: An Early Design Stage Decision-Making Framework Focused on Building's End-of-Life Stage
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr SangHyung Ahn
-
2024
Doctor Philosophy
Development of a risk management framework for enhancing tunnel safety operation
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Jiwon Kim, Associate Professor David Lange
Media
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