Overview
Background
Professor David John Williams is the Director of the Geotechnical Engineering Centre within the School of Civil Engineering at The University of Queensland, an industry-funded centre that has attracted AUD10 million in funding over the last 15 years. He also manages the industry-sponsored Large Open Pit Project, involving 10 global mining company sponsors, with current funding of USD1 million per year. He has over 40 years of teaching, research and consulting experience, and is internationally recognised for his expertise and experience in mine waste management and mine closure, pertaining to tailings dams in particular. He was a member of Expert Panel investigating technical causes of Brumadinho tailings dam failure and is on a number of Tailings Independent Technical Review Boards, including for Escondida. He authored in 2009 and 2016 Tailings Management Handbook, as part of the Commonwealth Leading Practice Sustainable Development Program for the Mining Industry. He is on Working Party for the Australian National Committee for Large Dams Guidelines on Tailings Dams – Planning, Design, Construction, Operation and Closure, published in 2012, with an Addendum in 2019.
David received his BE (Hons I) in Civil Engineering from Monash University in 1975 and his PhD in Soil Mechanics from the University of Cambridge in 1979. His research interests include:
- Physical characterisation of mine tailings deposition, including beaching, hydraulic sorting, sedimentation, consolidation, desiccation and loading
- Store and release cover systems for potentially acid forming mine wastes
- Co-disposal of mine tailings and coarse-grained mine wastes
- Dewatering and densification of mine tailings
- Dewatering of mineral products
- Moisture movement within mine wastes
- Settlement of coarse-grained mine wastes
- Strength of coarse-grained mine wastes
- Engineered rehabilitation of mine sites
- Risk assessment and cost-effectiveness analysis of mine site rehabilitation and closure
- Long-term seepage and runoff from mine tailings storages
- Characterisation of potentially acid forming waste rock dumps
- Application of high-resolution digital stereo-photography to monitoring erosion from mine waste slopes
- Mined landform evolution and design
Availability
- Professor David Williams is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours) of Engineering, Monash University
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Cambridge
Research impacts
Professor Williams' research on mine tailings continues to be applied to improve the dewatering and densification of tailings deposited as a slurry. He developed the store and release cover system for potentially acid forming mine wastes for application in semi-arid and seasonally dry climates, which has been applied worldwide. He characterised the deposit formed on the pumped co-disposal of coal mine washery wastes; a method that has been widely adopted in the coalfields of eastern Australia and Indonesia. The co-disposal of coarse-grained mine wastes and tailings is also being applied. His research on the wetting-up of mine waste rock dumps has contributed to understanding of rainfall infiltration into and seepage from waste rock dumps.
The shear strength and settlement of coarse-grained mine wastes have become important as the scale of waste rock dumps and spoil piles increases. Professor Williams has been a pioneer in the application of risk assessment and cost-effectiveness analysis to mine site rehabilitation and closure. In addition, he applied high-resolution digital stereo-photography to monitoring erosion from mine waste slopes. He has pioneered mined landform evolution and design.
Shortlisted Media and Video Outputs
- ABC News Channel Interview of Professor David Williams from UQ: Government commits billions to critical mining over next decade | ABC News
- A Career Measured by Mining Geomechanics - Professor David Williams
- Ask the Experts #1 - Challenging Geotechnical Perceptions
- High-definition UQ-branded Internationally-partnered Video Abstract #3
- High-definition UQ-branded Video Abstract #2
- High-definition UQ-branded Video Abstract #1
- NSW Resources Regulator: Leading practice tailings management
- NSW Resources Regulator: Key life-cycle tailings management risks
- Settling and Dewatering of Slurries of Commercial Clays and Clay-Rich Tailings
Works
Search Professor David Williams’s works on UQ eSpace
1988
Journal Article
Potential engineering risks in the earthquake hazard to the east coast of Queensland
Williams, David J. (1988). Potential engineering risks in the earthquake hazard to the east coast of Queensland. IEAust, Civil Engineering Transactions, CE30 (5), 307-317.
1988
Conference Publication
Properties of slurried coal tailings
Williams, David J. and Morris, Peter H. (1988). Properties of slurried coal tailings. ASCE Geotechnical Specialty Conference on Hydraulic Fill Structures, Denver, USA, August 1988. Publ by ASCE.
1987
Journal Article
Engineering implications of the linear regression of geotechnical data
Morris, Peter H., RYNN, J.M.W. and Williams, David J. (1987). Engineering implications of the linear regression of geotechnical data. IEAust, Civil Engineering Transactions, CE29 (4), 239-247.
1986
Journal Article
Reply to Discussion: Laboratory and field strength of mine waste rock
Williams, David J. (1986). Reply to Discussion: Laboratory and field strength of mine waste rock. IEAust, Civil Engineering Transactions, CE28 (1), 126-127.
1986
Conference Publication
EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT SOIL TESTS FOR DETERMINING DESIGN PARAMETERS.
Williams D.J. (1986). EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT SOIL TESTS FOR DETERMINING DESIGN PARAMETERS.. Speciality Geomechanics Symposium: Interpretation of Field Testing for Design Parameters., Adolaide, Aust, Inst of Engineers.
1985
Journal Article
LABORATORY AND FIELD STRENGTH OF MINE WASTE ROCK
Williams, D. J. and Walker, L. K. (1985). LABORATORY AND FIELD STRENGTH OF MINE WASTE ROCK. Civil engineering transactions, 27 (3), 299-304.
1985
Journal Article
EXPERIMENTALLY DETERMINED DISTRIBUTION OF STRESS AROUND A HORIZONTALLY LOADED MODEL PILE IN DENSE SAND
Williams, D. J. and Parry, R. H G (1985). EXPERIMENTALLY DETERMINED DISTRIBUTION OF STRESS AROUND A HORIZONTALLY LOADED MODEL PILE IN DENSE SAND. Civil engineering transactions, 27 (3), 263-268.
1985
Journal Article
Experimentally determined distribution of stress around a horizontally loaded model pile in dense sand
Williams, David J. and Parry, R. H. G. (1985). Experimentally determined distribution of stress around a horizontally loaded model pile in dense sand. IEAust, Civil Engineering Transactions, CE27 (3), 263-268.
1985
Journal Article
Laboratory and field strength of mine waste rock
Williams, David J. and Walker, L. K. (1985). Laboratory and field strength of mine waste rock. IEAust, Civil Engineering Transactions, CE27 (3), 299-305.
1984
Conference Publication
EXPERIMENTALLY DETERMINED DISTRIBUTION OF STRESS AROUND A HORIZONTALLY LOADED MODEL PILE IN DENSE SAND
Williams, D. J. and Parry, R. H.G. (1984). EXPERIMENTALLY DETERMINED DISTRIBUTION OF STRESS AROUND A HORIZONTALLY LOADED MODEL PILE IN DENSE SAND. Inst of Engineers.
1984
Conference Publication
LABORATORY AND FIELD STRENGTH OF MINE WASTE ROCK
Williams, D. J. and Walker, L. K. (1984). LABORATORY AND FIELD STRENGTH OF MINE WASTE ROCK. Inst of Engineers.
1983
Book
Laboratory and field strength of mine waste rock
Williams, D. J. (David J.) and Walker, L. K. (1983). Laboratory and field strength of mine waste rock. St. Lucia: Dept. of Civil Engineering, University of Queensland.
1983
Book
Experimental determined distribution of stress around a horizontally loaded model pile in dense sand
Williams, D. J. (David J.) and Parry, R. H. G. (1983). Experimental determined distribution of stress around a horizontally loaded model pile in dense sand. St. Lucia: Dept. of Civil Engineering, University of Queensland.
1981
Journal Article
MODEL PILE TESTS IN DENSE NORMALLY CONSOLIDATED SAND
Williams, D. J. and Parry, R. H.G. (1981). MODEL PILE TESTS IN DENSE NORMALLY CONSOLIDATED SAND. Technical Report - CSIRO, Division of Mechanical Engineering, 281-287.
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor David Williams is:
- Available for supervision
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Available projects
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Risk Assessment and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Rehabilitating Open Cut Coal Mine Spoil Areas
Risk assessment and cost-effectiveness analysis techniques are becoming an essential tool in defending the choice of rehabilitation strategy for open cut mines. An existing risk assessment and cost-effectiveness analysis tool developed for the rehabilitation of open cut coal mine spoil areas will be applied to a number of typical spoil areas, and the cost-effectiveness of different rehabilitation strategies assessed.
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Optimising the Earthworks Involved in Reshaping Open Strip Coal Mine Spoil Piles
Surface coal mining by dragline leaves a legacy of surface disturbance in the form of spoil piles. The rehabilitation of spoil pile areas involves substantial earthworks, which constitute the major cost of rehabilitation. Minimising the amount of earthworks required minimises the cost of rehabilitation. Typically, spoil piles are reshaped from the angle of repose of the spoil (about 37 degrees) to a constant angle of less than 10 degrees. An alternative strategy would be to reproduce, as closely as possible, the pre-mining distribution of slope angles and lengths, which can be determined from pre-mining topographic plans. By comparing the pre-mining and post-mining topographic plans, it is possible to determine the minimum earthworks required to mimic the general pre-mining landform.
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Laboratory Testing of Waste Rock and Tailings Mixtures to Assess Their Suitability as Cover Materials
The requirements of a cover material for potentially contaminating materials, whether they be sulphidic or saline mine wastes, industrial, or domestic wastes, is that the material can achieve a low hydraulic conductivity, preferably hold saturation, be resistant to desiccation and erosion, and possibly be suitable as a growth medium. There is potential for mixtures of inert, durable waste rock and tailings to satisfy these requirements. A range of waste rock and tailings mixtures will be assessed for their suitability in the laboratory.
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Laboratory Testing of Coal Washery Wastes to Assess the Applicability of Pumped Co-Disposal
Coal washing is carried out in order to produce a product that meets market specifications. The waste products from washing coal are coarse reject, typically in the size range from 50 mm down to 0.5 mm and tailings typically passing 0.5 mm. Conventionally, the two waste streams are disposed of separately, the coarse reject to surface dumps and the tailings as an aqueous slurry to a surface storage facility. A number of mines dispose of the two waste streams together by pumping. The applicability of the pumped co-disposal of coal washery wastes depends on a number of parameters, which can be assessed by laboratory testing and field trials. The focus of the thesis will be laboratory testing for suitability to pumped co-disposal.
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Laboratory Leachate Column Testing of Potentially Acid Forming Waste Rock
Laboratory leachate columns are used to simulate the leachate likely to be generated under field conditions. However, the columns are typically put through regular cycles of air-flow and flooding, during which leachate samples are collected for analysis. The Australian climate is anything but regular. A number of columns will be filled with potentially acid forming waste rock, and each subjected to a different sequence of air-flow and flooding, ranging from a regular sequence of events to replicating actual climatic conditions, and the resulting leachate quality and quantity compared.
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Instrumented Laboratory Column Experiment on Mine Tailings
Mine tailings are conventionally disposed of as an aqueous slurry to a surface storage facility. During the operation of the facility, water is decanted from the tailings and recycled to the processing plant. Incident rainfall must also be accommodated, with water lost to evaporation, seepage and entrainment within the tailings. On closure of the facility, the water balance includes incident rainfall, infiltration, evaporation and seepage. The laboratory column experiment will impose various aqueous boundary conditions on a 2 m high column of tailings, which will be instrumented to determine the moisture and suction profiles of the tailings and hence the direction and magnitude of any flow.
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Erosion Measurement Using High-Resolution Digital Stereo-Photographs
Erosion off disturbed slopes, such as mined land, is difficult to measure. Conventionally, sediment traps are constructed at the toe of the slope to collect both bed load and suspended sediment. However, these systems are difficult and expensive to maintain. An alternative method is the use of high-resolution digital stereo-photographs, from which a three-dimensional image of the slope can be constructed using specialised software. The three-dimensional image highlights erosion gullies and sediment plumes, and allows the erosion loss and downstream sedimentation to be calculated digitally. The surface texture of the slope can also be estimated digitally from close-up digital photographs. This technique will be applied to mine slopes in the Ipswich Coalfields, which were studied 12 months earlier, allowing an accurate picture to be obtained of the erosion loss over the 12 month period.
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Settling, consolidation and desiccation of mine tailings slurry
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Chenming Zhang
-
Doctor Philosophy
Analytical model for the setup of driven piles
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Chenming Zhang
-
Doctor Philosophy
Utilisation of Mining Wastes as Backfill Material for Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Walls
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Partha Narayan Mishra
-
Doctor Philosophy
The tailings dam design process: Design parameters and assessment methodologies
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Chenming Zhang
-
Doctor Philosophy
Measuring the deformation of mine waste facilities
Principal Advisor
-
Doctor Philosophy
Behaviour of railway expansive soil subgrade under wetting and drying cycles
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Chenming Zhang
-
Doctor Philosophy
Utilisation of Mining Wastes as Backfill Material for Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) Walls
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Partha Narayan Mishra
-
Doctor Philosophy
Engineering Behaviour of Clay-sized Tailings Relevant to Their Disposal and Utilisation
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Chenming Zhang
-
Doctor Philosophy
Engineering Behaviour of Clay-sized Tailings Relevant to Their Disposal and Utilisation
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Chenming Zhang
-
Doctor Philosophy
Improved consolidation and shear strength of soft soil based on a novel ground improvement technique
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Thierry Bore, Professor Alexander Scheuermann
-
Doctor Philosophy
Biocementation for Dispersive Soil Stabilization: Optimization and Up-scaling
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Mehdi Serati
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Doctor Philosophy
Thermo-Mechanics of Asphalt Mixes with Crushed Waste Glass Aggregates
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Mehdi Serati
-
Doctor Philosophy
Thermo-Mechanics of Asphalt Mixes with Crushed Waste Glass Aggregates
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Mehdi Serati
-
Doctor Philosophy
Farming method and assessment of its application in bauxite residue using scaled laboratory model
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Chenming Zhang
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Doctor Philosophy
Assessment of hydrological and geotechnical behaviour of bauxite residue after filter pressing and repulping
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Chenming Zhang
-
Doctor Philosophy
Continuous analysis of the timeseries data to predict early TARP for a closed Tailings storage facility using data driven methods.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Chenming Zhang
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Doctor Philosophy
Tunnelling related topic - Water mitigation
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jurij Karlovsek
-
Doctor Philosophy
The Value of Geotechnical Information as a Public or Private Asset
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jurij Karlovsek
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Doctor Philosophy
Catastrophic rock and concrete brittle failures
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Mehdi Serati
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Master Philosophy
Preventing fatalities tailings facilities failures: Pathways to action
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jill Harris, Professor Deanna Kemp
-
Doctor Philosophy
Investigating the Crack Growth and Failure Mechanisms in Sprayed Concrete (Shotcrete) under Cyclic Loading
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Zhongwei Chen, Dr Mehdi Serati
Completed supervision
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Weather-induced Tailings Desiccation and Salt Uptake
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Chenming Zhang
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Geotechnical Behaviour of Soil Reinforced with Granular Columns Backfilled with Alternative Sand Sources
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Mehdi Serati
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Shallow geothermal testing methods and ground-source heat pump operation
Principal Advisor
-
2021
Doctor Philosophy
Sustainable Tailings Management: Improvement of Tailings Geotechnical Behaviour Using Bio-additives
Principal Advisor
-
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2020
Master Philosophy
Assessment of a farming method applied to bauxite residue using a laboratory model
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Chenming Zhang
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2020
Master Philosophy
Unsealed road pavement management: Surface condition deterioration and sustainability modelling
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Mehdi Serati
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Characterisation of Mine Tailings Using a Slurry Consolidometer
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Chenming Zhang
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Shear strength characterisation of in-pit mud to ensure lowwall stability
Principal Advisor
-
2020
Doctor Philosophy
Bayesian methods to treat geotechnical uncertainty in risk based design of open pit slopes
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Alan Huang
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
Statistical Methods and Their Applications to Rock Mechanics Problems at Scale: Factor of Safety and Probability of Failure
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Alan Huang
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2018
Doctor Philosophy
Interface and Composite Behaviour of Geosynthetic-Reinforced Soils
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Mehdi Serati
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2017
Master Philosophy
Alumina Refinery Inputs and Processes Affecting Sedimentation, Consolidation and Desiccation of Seawater Neutralised Bauxite Residue
Principal Advisor
-
2017
Doctor Philosophy
Experimental Study of Geotechnical Behaviour and Parameters of Coal Washery Wastes
Principal Advisor
-
2016
Doctor Philosophy
Assessment of some engineering properties and testing methods of residual soil and highly weathered rock materials in QLD, Australia
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Alexander Scheuermann
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
Bulking and Subsequent Self-Weight and Saturation Settlements, and Geotechnical Stability of High Coal Mine Spoil Piles
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Dorival Pedroso
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2014
Doctor Philosophy
'Behaviour of stiff, fine-grained soil during the installation of screw auger displacement piles'
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Alexander Scheuermann
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2014
Doctor Philosophy
Non-Destructive Testing of Tunnel Integrity using Ground Penetrating Radar
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Alexander Scheuermann
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2014
Doctor Philosophy
ESTIMATION OF TAILINGS SURFACE FLUXES AS PART OF CLOSURE COVER DESIGN
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Dorival Pedroso
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2014
Doctor Philosophy
Effectiveness of Natural Clay, Compacted Clay and Geomembranes in Limiting Infiltration from Coal Seam Gas Water Ponds
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Alexander Scheuermann
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2011
Doctor Philosophy
Static and Cyclic Laboratory Testing of Brisbane Rocks
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Dorival Pedroso
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2011
Doctor Philosophy
Study of Liquid and Solid States of Treated Geomaterials Used as Liners
Principal Advisor
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2009
Doctor Philosophy
Instrumentation and Monitoring of a Large-Scale, Potentially Contaminating Trial Waste Rock Dump
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor William Clarke
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2006
Master Philosophy
RISK ASSESSMENT FOR UNBOUND GRANULAR MATERIAL PERFORMANCE IN RURAL QUEENSLAND PAVEMENTS USING SEMI-QUANTITATIVE FAULT TREE ANALYSIS
Principal Advisor
-
2006
Doctor Philosophy
REHABILITATION STUDIES ON TAILINGS STORAGE FACILITIES IN AN ARID HYPERSALINE REGION
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor David Lockington
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2004
Master Philosophy
INVESTIGATING THE GEOCHEMISTRY OF ACID GENERATING MINE WASTE ROCK DUMPS AIMED AT IMPROVED DUMP CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION
Principal Advisor
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2002
Master Engineering Sc
RISK ASSESSMENT OF TRANSMISSION LINE LATTICE TOWER FOUNDATIONS
Principal Advisor
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
Improved consolidation and shear strength of soft soil based on a novel ground improvement technique
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Thierry Bore, Professor Alexander Scheuermann
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Physical Modelling of Spalling Failure in Underground Structures
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Mehdi Serati
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2018
Doctor Philosophy
Hydro-micromechanical aspects of fracture propagation in brittle material
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Alexander Scheuermann
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2017
Doctor Philosophy
IMPROVEMENT OF A PAVEMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM INCORPORATING FLOODING
Associate Advisor
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2017
Doctor Philosophy
Micromechanical and Microstructural Aspects Affecting Rock Damage, Fracture and Cutting Mechanisms
Associate Advisor
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2017
Doctor Philosophy
A new approach in Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics to simulate hydraulically induced deformation processes in Geomechanics
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Alexander Scheuermann
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2017
Master Philosophy
Micromechanical study of granular assemblies by true triaxial test simulations
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Dorival Pedroso
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
Mechanical, hydraulic, and dielectric characterisation of fine-grained soils during densification.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Alexander Scheuermann
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2015
Doctor Philosophy
Suffusion potential assessment by self-filtration criteria
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Alexander Scheuermann
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2014
Doctor Philosophy
Stiffness and Strength of Rock Cutting and Drilling Tools - Drag Bit and Roller Disc Cutters
Associate Advisor
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2010
Master Philosophy
Linear Programming for Scheduling Waste Rock Dumping from Surface Mines
Associate Advisor
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Media
Enquiries
Contact Professor David Williams directly for media enquiries about:
- Dumps - mine waste
- Earthquakes - engineering
- Engineering - earthquake
- Engineering - geotechnical
- Foundations - engineering
- Geomechanics - mines
- Geotechnical engineering
- Landform design - mining
- Mine rehabilitation
- Mine waste disposal
- Rehabilitation - mine sites
- Slope stability - mining
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