Researcher Summary
Mark obtained his PhD from the University of Cambridge, following research on the axial load distributions on piled foundations in liquefiable soils using a geotechnical centrifuge.
Since joining the department at the University of Canterbury, Mark has been involved in a series of element testing projects on New Zealand soils, including the silty soils around Christchurch and more recently, the pumice-rich deposits of the North Island. As a core part of this work, Mark has been trialling the use of the innovative gel-push samplers developed by Kiso-Jiban consultants in Japan.
Mark is currently a co-supervisor of Ross Waters, who is building a true-triaxial device to investigate the potential for hydraulic fracturing in dam core materials.