Dr Alessandro Leonardi

School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering

Senior Lecturer in Geomechanics

Staff photo of Alessandro Leonardi
Profile picture of Staff photo of Alessandro Leonardi
a.leonardi@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 5782

Full contact details

Dr Alessandro Leonardi
School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering
Room E105
Sir Frederick Mappin Building (Broad Lane Building)
Mappin Street
Sheffield
S1 3JD
Profile

From hillsides to seabeds, this research helps anticipate geohazards and guide climate-resilient design.

Dr Alessandro Leonardi


Dr Alessandro Leonardi (he/him) is a lecturer in Geomechanics at the University of Sheffield. He specialises in numerical modelling and physical experimentation to study geohazards, including landslides, debris flows, and submarine mass movements. His research aims to improve hazard prediction and develop mitigation strategies that enhance the resilience of both natural and built environments.

Dr Leonardi earned his PhD from ETH Zurich, supported by a Marie Curie fellowship, where he advanced debris flow modelling by integrating geotechnical and hydraulic engineering approaches. He then served as a postdoctoral fellow at Politecnico di Torino, leading software development for hazard assessment in mountainous regions.

At Sheffield, he leads the development of HYBIRD, a multiphase simulation tool for particle-fluid interactions.  His work supports a range of applications involving complex ground conditions, from slope stability to offshore infrastructure and seasonally frozen soils, contributing to safer design and climate adaptation in both natural and engineered settings.

Research interests

Numerical Modelling

 • Multiphase modelling for geotechnical applications

 • Discrete Element Method (DEM) and Lattice-Boltzmann Method (LBM)

• Coupling continuum and discrete approaches for hazard simulation

• Back-analysis of real-world geohazard events

Geohazards

 • Landslides, debris flows, and rockfall dynamics

 • Nature-based solutions for slope stability

• Submarine geohazards and their impact on offshore infrastructure

• Climate change and its influence on geohazard frequency

 Development of Smart Technologies

• Physical modelling using landslide flumes and geotechnical centrifuge

• Design of smart, resilient mitigation structures

 • Use of advanced sensors and monitoring systems for hazard detection

Publications

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Journal articles

Conference proceedings papers

  • Chen H & Leonardi A (2023) The application of intermittent freezing operation for improving the cost-effectiveness of artificial ground freezing projects. Proceedings of the 11th International Symposium on Ground Freezing (pp 293-302). London, UK, 10 October 2023 - 10 October 2023. View this article in WRRO RIS download Bibtex download

All publications

Journal articles

Conference proceedings papers

  • Chen H & Leonardi A (2023) The application of intermittent freezing operation for improving the cost-effectiveness of artificial ground freezing projects. Proceedings of the 11th International Symposium on Ground Freezing (pp 293-302). London, UK, 10 October 2023 - 10 October 2023. View this article in WRRO RIS download Bibtex download
Research group

Geotechnics

Grants

View all research projects

Potential PhD offerings

If you're interested in a PhD project, please contact Alessandro at the above email. Current PhD opportunities in the department can be viewed here.

Current PhD Students

Hanpeng Chen

Hannah Nichols