Charles Heron

Contact

• workRoom B63 Coates
  University Park
  Nottingham
  NG7 2RD
  UK
• work0115 74 84850
• Charles.Heron@nottingham.ac.uk

Biography

Dr Charles Heron completed his undergraduate and PhD studies at the University of Cambridge. Although Charles' PhD focused on the dynamic soil-structure response of shallow foundations located on dry sand layers, he worked in a multitude of different project throughout his time in Cambridge. Through these projects he saw the spectrum of challenges and opportunities for research in soil mechanics and geotechnical engineering.

In 2014 Charles took up an Assistant Professor position at the University of Nottingham - based within the Department of Civil Engineering and as a member of the Nottingham Centre for Geomechanics (NCG) research group. In 2020 Charles was promoted to Associate Professor and continues to contribute to the teaching work of the department and the research work of NCG.

Expertise Summary

With a background in experimental research, Charles' expertise are focused on centrifuge modelling and element scale testing - especially developing novel testing apparatus. Charles has used these tools to investigate a range of problems during his research career, with the key topics including:

• The dynamic response of shallow foundations located on dry sand beds (PhD work)
• The cyclic response of axially loaded pipelines (Post Doctoral work)
• The cyclic response of monopolies (supervised PhD students)
• The transmission of vibrations through soil layers (supervised PhD students)
• The behaviour of soil-structure interfaces (key research area and supervised PhD students)

The primary focus of Charles' research is on better understanding the behaviour at soil-structure interfaces. This research currently focuses on the element and micro-mechanical scale. Once the element scale behaviour is understood and characterised, then the knowledge can be extended to understand the impact of the soil-structure interface on the global response of soil-structure systems, such as monopiles, suction caissons, and pipelines.

Teaching Summary

Dr Charles Heron teaches soil mechanics to Year 1 and Year 4 students. The focus of the Year 1 course is on an introduction to basic soil mechanics principles (phase relationships etc) and then… read more

Research Summary

Charles' research priority is on better understanding the behaviour at soil-structure interfaces. This research currently focuses on the element and micro-mechanical scale. Once the element scale… read more

Recent Publications

• WEBB, W., HERON, C. and TURNBULL, B., 2023. Inertial effects in just-saturated axisymmetric column collapses: Granular Matter Granular Matter. 25(2),
• FAIZI, K., FARAMARZI, A., DIRAR, S., CHAPMAN, D., CUI, G., HERON, C. M. and MARSHALL, A. M., 2023. Assessing the performance of winged caisson foundations for offshore wind turbines: Marine Georesources and Geotechnology Marine Georesources and Geotechnology.
• PETTEY, A. and HERON, C. M., 2023. The role of abrasion in cyclically sheared soil-structure interfaces: Geotechnique Geotechnique.
• CUI, G., HERON, C. and MARSHALL, A., 2022. Effect of Duxseal on Horizontal Stress and Soil Stiffness in Small-Amplitude Dynamic Centrifuge Models: Geotechnical Testing Journal Geotechnical Testing Journal. 45(3),

• View all publications

Dr Charles Heron teaches soil mechanics to Year 1 and Year 4 students. The focus of the Year 1 course is on an introduction to basic soil mechanics principles (phase relationships etc) and then extends to the principle of effective stress and Mohr circle analysis of stress.

For Year 4 students, Charles introduces them to the practical side of triaxial element testing. In the first part of this module (taught by Professor Glenn McDowell) the students learn about critical state soil mechanics and Modified Cam Clay. The students then undertake some triaxial testing (under the supervision of Dr Charles Heron) and compare the results against the modified cam clay analytical predictions. In the final part of the module, delivered by Professor Alec Marshall, students use a finite element package to model the triaxial tests and compare the results to the laboratory data they collected.

Charles also supervises a range of undergraduate individual and group projects and co-manages to 'Portfolio of Civil Engineering Skills' modules.

From an administrative perspective, Charles is the National Student Survey lead for the department, Year 2 Senior Tutor, a member of the Department Management Board, and a member of the Department Health and Safety committee. He also leads in the organisation and delivery of open and offer-holder day for the department.

Current Research

Charles' research priority is on better understanding the behaviour at soil-structure interfaces. This research currently focuses on the element and micro-mechanical scale. Once the element scale behaviour is understood and characterised, then the knowledge can be extended to understand the impact of the soil-structure interface on the global response of soil-structure systems, such as monopiles, suction caissons, and pipelines.

Future Research

I welcome enquiries from potential PhD candidates from Home, EU and international countries who are interested in the following research areas: Behaviour of soil-structure interfaces; Geotechnical centrifuge testing; Element testing.

• WEBB, W., HERON, C. and TURNBULL, B., 2023. Inertial effects in just-saturated axisymmetric column collapses: Granular Matter Granular Matter. 25(2),
• FAIZI, K., FARAMARZI, A., DIRAR, S., CHAPMAN, D., CUI, G., HERON, C. M. and MARSHALL, A. M., 2023. Assessing the performance of winged caisson foundations for offshore wind turbines: Marine Georesources and Geotechnology Marine Georesources and Geotechnology.
• PETTEY, A. and HERON, C. M., 2023. The role of abrasion in cyclically sheared soil-structure interfaces: Geotechnique Geotechnique.
• CUI, G., HERON, C. and MARSHALL, A., 2022. Effect of Duxseal on Horizontal Stress and Soil Stiffness in Small-Amplitude Dynamic Centrifuge Models: Geotechnical Testing Journal Geotechnical Testing Journal. 45(3),
• SONG, G. Y., XU, J. M., HERON, C. M., MARSHALL, A. M., CORREIA, R. and KORPOSH, S., 2022. Centrifuge application of fibre Bragg gratings: pile axial loads and wall bending moments: International Journal of Physical Modelling in Geotechnics International Journal of Physical Modelling in Geotechnics. 22(4), 192-207
• GUTIÉRREZ-CH, J. G., SONG, G., HERON, C. M., MARSHALL, A. and JIMENEZ, R., 2021. Centrifuge Tests on Rock-Socketed Piles: Effect of Socket Roughness on Shaft Resistance: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering. 147(11),
• SONG, G., MARSHALL, A. M. and HERON, C. M., 2021. The use of protective structures to reduce tunnelling induced damage to buildings
• TASALLOTI, A., MARSHALL, A. M., HERON, C. M. and HASHEMI, M. A., 2020. Geocellular railway drainage systems: Physical and numerical modelling: Transportation Geotechnics Transportation Geotechnics. 22,
• HASHEMI, M. A. and HERON, C. M., 2019. Analysis of particle contact using frustrated total internal reflection: Meccanica Meccanica.
• IDINYANG, S., FRANZA, A., HERON, C. M. and MARSHALL, A. M., 2019. Real-time data coupling for hybrid testing in a geotechnical centrifuge: International Journal of Physical Modelling in Geotechnics International Journal of Physical Modelling in Geotechnics. 19(4), 208-220
• MASOUDIAN, M. S., ZEVGOLIS, I. E., DELIVERIS, A. V., MARSHALL, A. M., HERON, C. M. and KOUKOUZAS, N. C., 2019. Stability and characterisation of spoil heaps in European surface lignite mines: a state-of-the-art review in light of new data: Environmental Earth Sciences Environmental Earth Sciences. 78(16),
• NSAIF, M. H., HERON, C. and MARSHALL, A. M., 2019. Design of a freeze-thaw system for laboratory soil testing
• SONG, G., MARSHALL, A. M. and HERON, C. M., 2018. A mechanical displacement control model tunnel for simulating eccentric ground loss in the centrifuge
• CUI, G., HERON, C. M. and MARSHALL, A. M., 2018. Ground-borne vibrations from piles: Testing within a geotechnical centrifuge
• CUI, G., HERON, C. M. and MARSHALL, A. M., 2018. Shear wave velocity: Comparison between centrifuge and triaxial based measurements
• IDINYANG, S., FRANZA, A., HERON, C. M. and MARSHALL, A. M., 2018. Millisecond interfacing of physical models with ABAQUS
• CUI, G., HERON, C. M. and MARSHALL, A. M., 2018. Shear wave velocity: Comparison between centrifuge and triaxial based measurements
• HASHEMI, A. and HERON, C.M., 2017. Development of a soil-interface device for cyclic and large deformation shearing In: 19th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering.
• MATZIARIS, V., MASOUDIAN, M.S., MARSHALL, A.M. and HERON, C.M., 2017. Centrifuge modelling of rainfall-induced slope instability in sand and silty sand In: 19th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering.
• TSINIDIS G, HERON C, MADABHUSHI G and PITILAKIS K, 2016. Calibration of Strain Gauged Square Tunnels for Centrifuge Testing Geotechnical and Geological Engineering. 34(3), 911-921
• FRANZA, A., IDINYANG, S., HERON, C.M. and MARSHALL, A.M., 2016. Development of a coupled centrifuge-numerical model to study soil-structure interaction problems In: 3rd European Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics.
• MATZIARIS, V., HERON, C.M., MARSHALL, A.M. and YU, H-S, 2016. Retained water content of granular soils under elevated gravitational acceleration In: 3rd European Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics.
• CORREIA, R., JAMES, S.W., MARSHALL, A.M., HERON, C.M. and KORPOSH, S., 2016. Interrogation of fibre Bragg gratings through a fibre optic rotary joint on a geotechnical centrifuge In: Sixth European Workshop on Optical Fibre Sensors.
• MATZIARIS, V., MARSHALL, A. M., HERON, C. M., YU, H. S. and IOP,, 2015. Centrifuge model study of thresholds for rainfall-induced landslides in sandy slopes. In: International Symposium on Geohazards and Geomechanics 26. Iop Publishing Ltd.
• HERON C.M., HAIGH S.K. and MADABHUSHI S.P.G., 2015. A new macro-element model encapsulating the dynamic moment–rotation behaviour of raft foundations Geotechnique.
• TSINIDIS G, PITILAKIS K, MADABHUSHI G and HERON C, 2015. Dynamic response of flexible square tunnels: Centrifuge testing and validation of existing design methodologies Geotechnique.
• TSINIDIS, G., PITILAKIS, K., MADABHUSHI, G. and HERON, C., 2015. On the seismic response of shallow rectangular tunnels in soft soils In: XVI European Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering.
• TSINIDIS, G., HERON, C.M., PITILAKIS, K and MADABHUSHI, S.P.G., 2015. Centrifuge Modelling of the Dynamic Behavior of Square Tunnels in Sand. In: Experimental Research in Earthquake Engineering: EU-SERIES Concluding Workshop 35. Springer International Publishing. 509-523
• HERON, C.M., HAIGH, S.K. and MADABHUSHI, S.P.G>, 2014. Susceptibility of Shallow Foundations to Rocking and Sliding Movements during Seismic Loading. In: ILKI, A. and FARDIS, M.N., eds., Seismic Evaluation and Rehabilitation of Structures 26. Springer International Publishing. 407-424
• TSINIDIS G, HERON C, PITILAKIS K and MADABHUSHI G, 2014. Physical modeling for the evaluation of the seismic behavior of square tunnels Geotechnical, Geological and Earthquake Engineering. Volume 26, 2014, Pages 389-406,
• HERON C.M., HAIGH S.K. and MADABHUSHI S.P.G., 2014. Isolating shallow foundations from seismic loading In: Physical Modelling in Geotechnics - Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics.
• HERON, C.M., LAM, A., HAIGH, S.K. and MADABHUSHI, S.P.G., 2013. Imaging the Failure of a Rock-fill Dam Following Liquefaction Dams and Reservoirs. 23(1), 15-24
• TSINIDIS, G., PITILAKIS, K, HERON, C.M. and MADABHUSHI, S.P.G., 2013. Experimental and numerical investigation of the seismic behavior of rectangular tunnels in soft soils In: 4th International Conference on Computational Methods in Structural Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, COMPDYN. 1152-1174
• CILINGIR, U., HAIGH, S.K., HERON, C.M., MADABHUSHI, S.P.G., CHAZELAS, J-L. and ESCOFFIER, S., 2012. Cross-Facility Validation of Dynamic Centrifuge Testing. In: FARDIS, M.N. and RAKICEVIC, Z.T., eds., Role of Seismic Testing Facilities in Performance-Based Earthquake Engineering: SERIES Workshop 22. Springer Netherlands. 83-98
• HAIGH, S.K., HERON, C.M., CILINGIR, U. and MADABHUSHI, S.P.G., 2011. Dynamic Soil-Structure-Interaction of Shallow Foundations on Dry Sand – A Centrifuge Based Study In: 8th International Conference on Urban Earthquake Engineering. Tokyo, Japan.
• STRINGER, M. E., HERON, C. M. and MADABHUSHI, S. P. G., 2010. Experience using MEMS-based accelerometers in dynamic testing PHYSICAL MODELLING IN GEOTECHNICS, VOLS. 1 AND 2. 389-394