Northern Energy Geomechanics Group

NE2G is a group of researchers, engineers and scientists in the North East of England led by Prof. Mohamed Rouainia (Professor of Computational Geomechanics at Newcastle University).

We have a wide-range of experience and expertise in computational and experimental energy geomechanics from nano to macroscale. NE2G works with many of the leading universities in the UK and several major energy companies.

Focus

Geomechanics is a core discipline in any engineering application involving the ground. We have been involved in a range of projects focusing on surface and subsurface energy applications. Our research areas include:

  • Offshore geotechnical engineering
  • Energy piles and ground source heat pumps
  • Deep geothermal power
  • Hydraulic fracturing
  • Carbon capture and storage
  • Energy storage

 

Shared anchors for floating offshore wind turbines

New paper on seismic performance of shared anchors

Stanford Geothermal Workshop

Presentation of NetZero GeoRDIE research at Stanford

Conference season

NE2G researchers attending upcoming conferences

New paper in JGR Solid Earth

New publication investigating the micromechanical differences between overburden and reservoir shales

Fragility analysis of offshore wind turbines

New publication in Renewable Energy

ARMA 2021

Presentation on high temperature nanoindentation of shale at ARMA 2021

Publication in JGR Solid Earth

New paper on linking diagenesis and geomechanical properties of shales from nano to core-scale.

Success at Micro Materials workshop

Sam Graham awarded best poster prize at Micro Materials workshop and conference on high temperature nanomechanical measurements.

GeoPOP4

NE2G gains funding from BP and Petrobras

NetZero GeoRDIE

NE2G involved in new EPSRC project Net Zero Geothermal Research for District Infrastructure Engineering (NetZero GeoRDIE)

Congratulations to Sam Graham

Congratulations to Sam Graham on his successful viva

Computational geomechanics

Computational Geomechanics

NE2G has a strong track record in the development of multi-surface plasticity models for soils and rocks and their use in practical surface and subsurface energy applications.

Our researchers use a range of advanced software packages including coupled hydro-geomechanical finite element codes with adaptive remeshing. We have access to HPC resources for analysis of large-scale models.

Experimental geomechanics

Experimental Geomechanics

Multiscale mechanical characterisation of geomaterials from soft clays to clastic sedimentary rocks. Homogenisation methods can link geomechanical properties from nano to core scale.

We use a range of techniques including atomic force microscopy, nanoindentation, triaxial cells and geotechnical centrifuge modelling.