Dr Joao Mendes

Assistant Professor

Department: Mechanical and Construction Engineering

My research interests are primarily related to the understanding of the hydro-mechanical behaviour of unsaturated soils through laboratory and field experiments.

On one hand, understanding the impact of future climate and its effects on the stability and serviceability of earth structures (e.g. embankments); and, on the other, in the development and optimisation of new and existing methodologies for the study of unsaturated soils in laboratory (e.g. development of double cell triaxial cells) or as means of monitoring the water retention behaviour in earth infrastructure (e.g. in the improvement of high capacity tensiometers or HCTs). On the latter, I have a particular interest in understanding and how to prevent/minimise cavitation in HCTs.

Other research interests are related to the development of eco-friendly construction materials and to the capillary pressure build up in early age concrete.

Campus Address

Ellison Building ELB117

Email Joao

Key Publications

Micro computed tomography images of capillary actions in rough and irregular granular materials, Nadimi, S., Mendes, J., López-Carresi, A., Schröer, L., Manoorkar, S., Ellman, S., Cnudde, V., Bruno, A. 16 Jan 2024, In: Scientific data
Novel multi-scale experimental approach and deep learning model to optimize capillary pressure evolution in early age concrete, Jamali, A., Marani, A., Railton, J., Nehdi, M., Nagaratnam, B., Lim, M., Mendes, J. 1 Jun 2024, In: Cement and Concrete Research
Evaluating innovative direct and indirect soil suction and volumetric measurement techniques for the determination of soil water retention curves following drying and wetting paths, Najdi, A., Encalada, D., Mendes, J., Prat, P., Ledesma, A. 5 Sep 2023, In: Engineering Geology
High Capacity Tensiometers: performance and behaviours, Mendes, J., Jamali, A., Najdi, A., Bruno, A., Prat, P., Buzzi, O., Gallipoli, D., Ledesma, A., Toll, D. 24 Apr 2023, In: E3S Web of Conferences
Influence of compaction on the soil shrinkage and swelling curves, Encalada, D., Najdi, A., Mendes, J., Prat, P., Ledesma, A. 24 Apr 2023, In: E3S Web of Conferences
A new four stage model of capillary pressure in early age concrete: Insights from high capacity tensiometers, Jamali, A., Mendes, J., Nagaratnam, B., Lim, M. 1 Nov 2022, In: Cement and Concrete Research
Hydromechanical behaviour of two unsaturated silts: laboratory data and model predictions, Bruno, A., Gallipoli, D., Mendes, J. 1 Jun 2022, In: Canadian Geotechnical Journal
Testing and Monitoring of Earth Structures, Cardoso, R., Ramon-Tarragona, A., Lourenco, S., Mendes, J., Caruso, M., Jommi, C. 18 Aug 2022, Advances on Testing and Experimentation in Civil Engineering, Cham, Switzerland, Springer
Towards the development on new high capacity tensiometers capable of measuring soil matric suction beyond 3MPa, Mendes, J., Najdi, A., Encalada, D., Prat, P., Ledesma, A. 1 Sep 2022, In: Canadian Geotechnical Journal
A comparative study of high capacity tensiometer designs, Mendes, J., Gallipoli, D., Boeck, F., Tarantino, A. 1 Dec 2020, In: Physics and Chemistry of the Earth

Qualifications

Civil Engineering PhD June 30 2011
Engineering Other Qualification June 21 2005

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