Catherine O'Sullivan

Prof. O'Sullivan has been a professor in the Geotechnics Section of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Imperial College since September 2017. She joined the Dept. in 2004 as a lecturer, following a two-year period at University College Dublin. She completed her PhD studies at the University of California, Berkeley in 2002.

Catherine's main research interest is in particulate soil mechanics. Her research uses discrete element modelling (DEM) as well as experimental techniques including micro-computed tomography (μCT). Catherine has been applying these techniques to look at fundamental sand behaviour, behaviour of reservoir sandstones, internal erosion and interpretation of laboratory tests. Recognition for her research includes the 2015 Geotechnique lecture and the 2016 Shamsher Prakash Research Award.

Catherine is very happy to support prospective students who are interested in applying for scholarships for PhD research in the area of particulate soil behaviour. A list of scholarships for studying at Imperial College is here. If you are interested please contact Catherine who can support you through the application process. Catherine is also happy to discuss post-doctoral fellowship opportunities with interested researchers.

Most of Catherine's students have had a background in civil engineering, but her group has included physicists, mathematicians and mechanical engineers.On two occasions her PhD students have nominated her for an Imperial College London Student Choice Supervision Award. The 2014 nomination video is here . In 2021 Catherine was presented with an Imperial College London President’s Awards for Teaching Innovation.

Details of Catherine's book on Particulate Discrete Element Modelling can be found at: Particulate DEM: A geomechanics perspective. A Japanese language edition of Catherine's book on Particulate Discrete Element Modelling has been translated by Kiichi Suzuki.

Areas of Expertise:

Discrete element modelling, laboratory validation of discrete element models, development of discrete element analysis tools, micromechanics of granular material response, micro-computed tomography, characterisation of granular materials.

Education

• University of California, Berkeley (1997 — 2002)
• University College Cork

Guest Lectures

Plenary Lecture Particles 2019, CIMNE, Barcelona, 2019

Keynote Lecture DEM8, University of Twente, Twente, Netherlands, 2019

Theme Lecture: IS-Glasgow 2019 7th International Symposium on Deformation Characteristics of Geomaterials, University of Strathclyde, 2019

Plenary Lecture IS-Atlanta 2018 — Geo-Mechanics from Micro to Macro in Research & Practice, Georgia Institute of TEchnology, 2018

Plenary Lecture International Symposium on Geomechanics from Micro to Macro (IS-Cambridge 2014), 2014