Dr Elisabeth Bowman
School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering
Reader in Geomechanics
e.bowman@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 5747
+44 114 222 5747
Room C109d, Sir Frederick Mappin Building (Broad Lane Building)
Full contact details
Dr Elisabeth Bowman
School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering
Room C109d
Sir Frederick Mappin Building (Broad Lane Building)
Mappin Street
Sheffield
S1 3JD
School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering
Room C109d
Sir Frederick Mappin Building (Broad Lane Building)
Mappin Street
Sheffield
S1 3JD
- Profile
-
My research is aimed at understanding fundamental physical processes in geotechnical systems in order to improve the resilience of infrastructure such as embankment dams and subsurface pipe networks and to reduce the risk of geotechnical hazards such as landslides.
Dr Elisabeth (Lis) Bowman
I am a Chartered geotechnical engineer (CEng MICE) and researcher working at the interface of geotechnical engineering, geology, granular physics and fluid mechanics.I took my Bachelors degree at the University of Cambridge, then worked for four years as a civil engineer for consultants Gifford in Southampton and London before returning to study for a PhD in geotechnical engineering at Cambridge, focused on the ageing of granular soils and “set up” of displacement piles. I was subsequently awarded a Royal Academy of Engineering Postdoctoral Fellowship to study the mechanics of rapid landslides at Cambridge, then spent eight years at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand experiencing geology in real time (read: landslides and earthquakes) before returning to the UK to the University of Sheffield.
My research is focused on understanding, thereby mitigating, processes that destabilise soil and enhancing processes that improve soil behaviour, thereby reducing risk for subsurface and near-surface civil infrastructure. Example applications include: measuring and modelling internal erosion in embankment dams and under pipe leakage, quantifying the particulate processes that lead to rapid landslides and developing new models for complex processes such as soil creep and ageing that affect the behaviour of buried infrastructure.
Such diverse problems follow a central theme of investigating the localization of soil constitutive behaviour through material change at the fluid-particle level, informed by experiments and observation at the field scale. Investigative methods include advanced element testing and development of new equipment, physical modelling (via the geotechnical centrifuge and using 1g models) with novel imaging techniques, and field mapping. An important aspect of this approach is assembling and working in multidisciplinary technical teams to tackle problems from a diversity of perspectives – particulate, fluid and structural. My group have developed a number of experimental innovations including:
- transparent soil (refractive index matching) experimental techniques to examine internal erosion and debris flow mechanisms towards improved model outcomes
- centrifuge methods to handle high speed motion (Coriolis effects) to develop new understanding of rock avalanche and debris flow motion
- a stress path permeameter and centrifuge permeameter to examine seepage related problems under complex stress states
I currently teach the final year Meng / MSc “Geotechnical Infrastructure” module – focused on putting soil mechanics into practice for design and appraisal of dams, levees and tunnels. I previously taught the second year geotechnical module, for which I received the 2022 Vice-Chancellor's Award for Teaching Practice in the Faculty of Engineering.
- Research interests
-
Resilient Infrastructure
- Climate change effects on geotechnical infrastructure
- Slopes, embankment dams, flood defences etc.
- Subsurface pipe networks
- Displacement piles & anchor
Geohazards
- Debris flows
- Rock avalanches
- Sinkholes in gypsiferous soils
Experimental Techniques
- Physical modelling using geotechnical centrifuge (hypergravity) techniques
- Transparent soils (refractive index matching) and non-intrusive physical modelling
- Flume modelling and scaling for debris flows
- Rigid and flexible walls permeameter development for internal erosion
- Hole Erosion Test development
Current research:
Hole Erosion Test for UK Soil (15th Feb 2024 to 15th Feb 2025)
- Publications
-
Journal articles
- Effective Stress and Suffusion Onset at Local and Global Scales in Centrifuge Permeameter Tests. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 151(2).
- Fatigue failure analysis of grey cast iron water pipes accounting for fatigue strength variation. Engineering Failure Analysis, 165. View this article in WRRO
- Proactive pipe management: multiaxial fatigue of water pipe grey cast iron. Engineering Integrity – Journal of the Engineering Integrity Society, 56, 12-17. View this article in WRRO
- Granular-fluid avalanches: the role of vertical structure and velocity shear. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 980.
- Fluid effects in model granular flows. Granular Matter, 26(1).
- Multiaxial fatigue of water pipe grey cast iron. International Journal of Fatigue, 178. View this article in WRRO
- Resolving tsunami wave dynamics: integrating sedimentology and numerical modelling. The Depositional Record.
- Influence of pore fluid on grain‐scale interactions and mobility of granular flows of differing volume. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface.
- The influence of image analysis methodology on the calculation of granular temperature for granular flows. Granular Matter, 23(4).
- Particle-scale observation of seepage flow in granular soils using PIV and CFD. Géotechnique. View this article in WRRO
- Experimental investigation on the impact dynamics of saturated granular flows on rigid barriers. Environmental and Engineering Geoscience, 27(1), 127-138. View this article in WRRO
- Editorial: Physical modelling of landslides. International Journal of Physical Modelling in Geotechnics, 20(4), 175-176.
- Engineering behaviour and mechanical - empirical relationships for a problematic New Zealand tropical residual soil. Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology. View this article in WRRO
- Analysis of the Fabric of Undisturbed and Pluviated Silty Sand under Load over Time. European Journal of Environmental and Civil Engineering. View this article in WRRO
- Visualisation of seepage-induced suffusion and suffosion within internally erodible granular media. Géotechnique, 68(10), 918-930. View this article in WRRO
- Extended kinetic theory applied to inclined granular flows: role of boundaries. Granular Matter, 19. View this article in WRRO
- Performance of PIV and PTV for granular flow measurements. Granular Matter, 19. View this article in WRRO
- Visualization of dominant stress-transfer mechanisms in experimental debris flows of different particle-size distribution. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 54(2), 258-269. View this article in WRRO
- Stability evaluation and prediction of the Dongla reactivated ancient landslide as well as emergency mitigation for the Dongla Bridge. Landslides, 1-16. View this article in WRRO
- Using PIV to measure granular temperature in saturated unsteady polydisperse granular flows. Granular Matter, 18(3). View this article in WRRO
- Debris flows: Experiments and modelling. Comptes Rendus Physique, 16(1), 86-96.
- Observations of grain-scale interactions and simulation of dry granular flows in a large-scale flume. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 52(5), 638-655.
- Physical and numerical modelling of dry granular flows under Coriolis conditions. Geotechnique, 65(3), 188-200.
- The runout of chalk cliff collapses in England and France-case studies and physical model experiments. Landslides.
- Seismic testing of model-scale geosynthetic reinforced soil walls. Bulletin of the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering, 45(4).
- Internal imaging of saturated granular free-surface flows. International Journal of Physical Modelling in Geotechnics, 12(4), 129-142. View this article in WRRO
- Dynamic fragmentation of rock clasts under normal compression in sturzstrom. Geotechnique Letters, 2(7-9), 167-172. View this article in WRRO
- Physical models of rock avalanche spreading behaviour with dynamic fragmentation. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 49(4), 460-476.
- Evidence of earthquake-induced liquefaction obtained from GeoEye-1 images. Geotechnique Letters, 2(4-6), 49-53. View this article in WRRO
- Progressive failure and shear band development within model-scale reinforced soil walls subject to seismic shaking. Geotechnique Letters, 1(3), 53-57.
- Quantifying and modeling post-failure sediment yields from laboratory-scale soil erosion and shallow landslide experiments with silty loess. Geomorphology, 129(1-2), 49-58.
- Modelling debris flow processes with a geotechnical centrifuge. Italian Journal of Engineering Geology and Environment, 13(International Conference on Debris-Flow Hazards Mitigation: Mechanics, Prediction, and Assessment, Proceedings), 339-349.
- Experimental measurements of velocity through granular-liquid flows. Italian Journal of Engineering Geology and Environment, 13(International Conference on Debris-Flow Hazards Mitigation: Mechanics, Prediction, and Assessment, Proceedings), 375-384.
- Geotechnical reconnaissance of the 2010 Darfield (Canterbury) earthquake. Bulletin of the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering, 43(4), 243-320. View this article in WRRO
- Experimental modelling of debris flow behaviour using a geotechnical centrifuge. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 47(7), 742-762.
- The influence of shallow landslides on sediment supply: A flume-based investigation using sandy soil. Engineering Geology, 109(3-4), 161-169.
- Debris flows - entrainment, deposition and travel distance. Geotechnical News, 25(4), 43-46.
- Mechanisms of setup of displacement piles in sand: Laboratory creep tests. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 42(5), 1391-1407.
- Creep, ageing and microstructural change in dense granular materials. Soils and Foundations, 43(4), 107-117.
- Particle shape characterisation using Fourier descriptor analysis. Geotechnique, 51(6), 545-554.
- Particle shape characterisation using Fourier descriptor analysis. Géotechnique, 51(6), 545-554.
- Evaluation of laboratory methods to quantify particle size segregation using image analysis in landslide flume tests. Landslides.
- Deep Learning Assisted Particle Identification of Photoelastic Images of Granular Flows. Granular Matter. View this article in WRRO
- Dynamic rock fragmentation: thresholds for long runout rock avalanches. Frattura ed Integrità Strutturale, 8(30), 7-13.
- Dilation and flow resistance of granular flows in a rotating drum.
Chapters
- Small landslides – frequent, costly and manageable, Landslide Hazards, Risks, and Disasters (pp. 439-477). Elsevier
- The Role of Seepage Flow Rate and Deviatoric Stress on the Onset and Progression of Internal Stability in a Gap-Graded Soil, Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering (pp. 50-59). Springer International Publishing
- Influences of strain rate and shear rate on the propagation of large scale rock avalanches, Landslides and Engineered Slopes. Experience, Theory and Practice (pp. 1707-1714). CRC Press
- TXT-tool 3.044-1.1: The Runout of Chalk Cliff Collapses—Case Studies and Physical Model Experiments, Landslide Dynamics: ISDR-ICL Landslide Interactive Teaching Tools (pp. 297-314). Springer International Publishing
- Small Landslides—Frequent, Costly, and Manageable, Landslide Hazards, Risks and Disasters (pp. 405-439). Elsevier
- Contributors, Landslide Hazards, Risks and Disasters (pp. ix-ix). Elsevier
- Small Landslides-Frequent, Costly, and Manageable, Landslide Hazards, Risks, and Disasters (pp. 405-439).
- Optical investigation through a flowing saturated granular material, Physical Modelling in Geotechnics, Two Volume Set (pp. 1303-1308). CRC Press
- Effects of non-plastic fines on liquefaction resistance of sandy soils In Garevski M & Ansal A (Ed.), Earthquake Engineering in Europe. Geotechnical, Geological and Earthquake Engineering (pp. 125-144). London & New York: Springer
Conference proceedings papers
- Experimental validation of a model for predicting the bending fatigue strength of corroded grey cast iron water pipes. Proceedings of the 9th Engineering Integrity Society International Conference on Durability & Fatigue, Vol. 2 (pp 482-493). Cambridge, UK, 19 July 2024 - 19 July 2024. View this article in WRRO
- The Rosetta Stone Project – Integrating experimental results on debris flow mechanics across the scales: first results. 13th International Symposium on Landslides
- The Rosetta Stone Project – Integrating experimental results on debris flow mechanics across the scales: first results. 13th Landslides and Engineered Slopes. Experience, Theory and Practice, ISL
- Interpretation of internal erosion susceptibility in a New Zealand canal embankment. ANCOLD Website 2019 Proceedings. https://www.ancold.org.au/?product=2019-interpretation-of-internal-erosion-susceptibility-in-a-new-z, 9 October 2019 - 12 October 2019.
- Small scale impact on rigid barrier using transparent debris-flow models. Debris-Flow Hazards Mitigation: Mechanics, Monitoring, Modeling, and Assessment - Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Debris-Flow Hazards Mitigation (pp 1035-1042)
- Experimental investigation of granular flow erosion via photoelastic method. 17th European Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, ECSMGE 2019 - Proceedings, Vol. 2019-September
- Viewing Fluid Flow Inside a Granular Medium. proceedings of the 26th Annual Meeting of the European Working Group on Internal Erosion (EWG‐IE), Vol. 1(1) (pp 91-97), 10 September 2018 - 13 September 2018. View this article in WRRO
- Capturing of the internal mechanics of liquid-granular flows comprised of polydisperse spherical particles. EPJ Web of Conferences, Vol. 140 (pp 14006-14006) View this article in WRRO
- Observation of microstructure of silty sand obtained from gelpush sampler and reconstituted sample. EPJ Web of Conferences, Vol. 140 (pp 12017-12017) View this article in WRRO
- General report: Slope stability in engineering practice. ICSMGE 2017 - 19th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Vol. 2017-September (pp 2083-2086)
- Influences of strain rate and shear rate on the propagation of large scale rock avalanches (pp 1707-1714) View this article in WRRO
- Granular temperature measurements of uniform granular flows. DEFORMATION CHARACTERISTICS OF GEOMATERIALS, Vol. 6 (pp 647-654) View this article in WRRO
- The influence of surcharging on deformation of 1g models of GRS walls under seismic excitation. Proceedings of 6th International Conference on Earthquake Geotechnical Engineering, 1 November 2015 - 4 November 2015. View this article in WRRO
- Visualisation of internal erosion of a granular material via a new transparent soil permeameter. Geotechnical Engineering for Infrastructure and Development - Proceedings of the XVI European Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, ECSMGE 2015, Vol. 4 (pp 1965-1970)
- Methods for the physical measurement of collisional particle flows. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, Vol. 26(1)
- Towards measurement of “granular temperature” inside a flowing unsteady saturated granular medium (pp 1553-1558)
- The Theory of Critical Distances to Model the Short- to Long-crack Transition in Geological Materials Subjected to Mode I Static Loading. Procedia Materials Science, Vol. 3 (pp 562-567)
- Looking inside a debris flow. Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 16 (pp EGU2014-12056). Vienna, 28 April 2014 - 2 May 2014.
- Mechanisms of large rock avalanche propagation. Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 16 (pp EGU2014-12282). Vienna, 28 April 2014 - 2 May 2014.
- A comparison of internal and external flow behaviour of laboratory-scale debris flows. Physical Modelling in Geotechnics - Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics 2014, ICPMG 2014, Vol. 2 (pp 1171-1177). Perth, 14 January 2014 - 17 January 2014.
- Measurement and change in microstructure of loose silty sand due to ageing. 18th Southeast Asia Geotechnical Conference (18SEAGC) “Challenges in Sustainable Geotechnical Infras. Singapore, 29 May 2013 - 31 May 2013.
- General report of TC 208: Slope stability in engineering practice. 18th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering: Challenges and Innovations in Geotechnics, ICSMGE 2013, Vol. 3 (pp 2137-2144)
- Quantification of time-dependent microstructural change of a silty sand under load. AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1542 (pp 293-296)
- Modelling the shearing behaviour of sturzstrom. Landslides and Engineered Slopes: Protecting Society through Improved Understanding - Proceedings of the 11th International and 2nd North American Symposium on Landslides and Engineered Slopes, 2012 (pp 883-888)
- Case study of a road embankment failure mitigated using deep soil mixing. Geotechnical Special Publication(228 GSP) (pp 471-482)
- Two dimensional numerical modelling of landslide stabilizing deep soil mixed columns. Landslides and Engineered Slopes: Protecting Society through Improved Understanding - Proceedings of the 11th International and 2nd North American Symposium on Landslides and Engineered Slopes, 2012, Vol. 2 (pp 1653-1758)
- GEOTECHNICAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE M 7.1 AND M 6.3 CANTERBURY EARTHQUAKES OF 4 SEPTEMBER 2010 AND 22 FEBRUARY 2011. Geotechnical Engineering for Disaster Mitigation and Rehabilitation and Highway Engineering 2011
- Removing the Coriolis effect from centrifuge model data of high-speed rock avalanche spreading. Computer Methods for Geomechanics: Frontiers and New Applications, Vol. 1 (pp 483-488)
- Field investigation of small debris flow events in New Zealand mountain catchments. Auckland: CRC Press.. Geologically Active: Proceedings of the 11th IAEG Congress. Auckland, New Zealand, 5 September 2010 - 10 September 2010.
- Physical modelling of natural hazards. PHYSICAL MODELLING IN GEOTECHNICS, VOLS. 1 AND 2 (pp 3-22)
- Optical investigation through a flowing saturated granular material. PHYSICAL MODELLING IN GEOTECHNICS, VOLS 1 AND 2 (pp 1277-1282)
- Physical modelling of natural hazards. Physical Modelling in Geotechnics - Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics 2010, ICPMG 2010, Vol. 1 (pp 3-22)
- Dynamic fragmentation in rock avalanches: A numerical model of micromechanical behaviour. Numerical Methods in Geotechnical Engineering - Proceedings of the 7th European Conference on Numerical Methods in Geotechnical Engineering (pp 435-440)
- Optical investigation through a flowing saturated granular material. Physical Modelling in Geotechnics - Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics 2010, ICPMG 2010, Vol. 2 (pp 1279-1284)
- The role of particle size in the flow behaviour of saturated granular materials. Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering: The Academia and Practice of Geotechnical Engineering, Vol. 1 (pp 470-473)
- The recognition and identification of debris flow hazards for proposed development sites in New Zealand. Proceedings of the 18 NZGS Geotechnical Symposium on Soil-Structure Interaction. Auckland, 4 September 2008 - 6 September 2008. View this article in WRRO
- Geotechnical centrifuge modelling of debris flows. International Conference on Debris-Flow Hazards Mitigation: Mechanics, Prediction, and Assessment, Proceedings (pp 229-239)
- Debris flows in a geotechnical centrifuge. Physical Modelling in Geotechnics, 6th ICPMG'06 - Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics, Vol. 1-2 (pp 311-316)
- A note on the micromechanics of long runout rock avalanches. Proceedings of the International Symposium on Geomechanics and Geotechnics of Particulate Media - Geomechanics and Geotechnics of Particulate Media (pp 409-414)
- Factors influencing granular debris flow behaviour: An experimental investigation. Physical Modelling in Geotechnics, 6th ICPMG'06 - Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics, Vol. 1-2 (pp 379-384)
- The influence of particle shape on the stress-strain and creep response of a fine silica sand. Powders and Grains 2005 - Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Micromechanics of Granular Media, Vol. 2 (pp 1325-1328)
- Time effects in creep of sands. Constitutive and Centrifuge Modelling: Two Extremes (pp 259-265)
- The observation of soil microstructure under load. Powders and Grains 2001 (pp 69-72)
- Experimental Investigation of the Fatigue Strength and Leakage Failure Mode of Corroded Cast Iron Water Pipes. The 3rd International Joint Conference on Water Distribution Systems Analysis & Computing and Control for the Water Industry (WDSA/CCWI 2024), Vol. 128–129 (pp 20-20)
- Investigating an alternative to exhumed grey cast iron water pipes for small-scale fatigue tests. Proceedings - 2nd International Join Conference on Water Distribution System Analysis (WDSA)& Computing and Control in the Water Industry (CCWI), 18 July 2022 - 22 July 2022.
- Integrating monitoring techniques for a buried sinkhole in an urban environment. Proceedings Of The 16th Multidisciplinary Conference On Sinkholes And The Engineering And Environmental Impacts Of Karst, 12 April 2021 - 16 April 2021.
- Effects of viscosity in granular flows simulated in a centrifugal acceleration field (pp 1075-1080)
- A new apparatus to examine the role of seepage flow on internal instability of model soil (pp 377-382)
Other
- Estimating the hydrograph of a debris flow event through low-cost field camera monitoring and Digital Particle Image Velocimetry.
- Assessing Experimental Methods for the Quantification of Particle Size Segregation in Large Scale Flume Tests using Image Analysis.
- A method to determine the dissolution and erosion rates of marly gypsum samples from Ripon, UK.
Preprints
- Effective Stress and Suffusion Onset at Local and Global Scales in Centrifuge Permeameter Tests. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 151(2).
- Research group
-
Earthquake Engineering Group
- Grants
-
Past Grants
Particle-Scale Investigation of Seepage Induced Geotechnical Instablility
Awareness is growing that seepage forces imparted on individual particles can preferentially erode the smaller particles in sandy soils. There can be significant internal erosion of the soil under scenarios that are considered safe according to the classical continuum calculations used in engineering practice; this phenomenon is called internal instability.
The Rosetta Stone Network: Physical testing towards a common unstanding of debris flow
This project aims to create a “Rosetta Stone” of communication between the disciplines through physical tests undertaken with common material characteristics, informed by monitored field events, leading to improved numerical models.
- PhD opportunities
If you're interested a PhD project, please contact Lis at the above email. Current PhD opportunities in the department can be viewed here.