People

We are always looking for students with strong physics and mechanics background to join my multidisciplinary research group. Students can choose to study either in the Geotechnical Engineering and Geomechanics track or the Engineering Science track in the CEAE department. The former focus more on applying geomechanics to geotechnical and energy geotech problems. The Engineering Science track focus more on the physics of porous and granular materials with the goal of advancing fundamental science. Alternatively, students can be enrolled through the Geophysics and Materials Science and Engineering programs. Those interested can send their detailed resume to Yida.Zhang@Colorado.edu. The email should include a brief description of research background and interests. The deadline for graduate student applications is typically in early December. More information on the graduate student application process can be found on the Department website.

GAANN fellowship (starting 2025): The CEAE department is just awarded a Department of Education GAANN project. This project supports around 10 GAANN fellowships who pursue a PhD degree in the department of civil engineering. Please refer to the project website https://www.colorado.edu/gaann-infrastructure/ for eligibility, how to apply, and project details. If you are eligible and interested, please reach out to Prof. Zhang (Yida.Zhang@Colorado.edu) for further details.

NSF and DOE fellowships: Eligible PhD applicants may consider apply for external fellowships, such as those available from National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program and Department of Energy’s Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) program.

Principal Investigator

Yida Zhang, Ph.D

Associate Professor, Geotechnical Engineering and Geomechanics

Material Science and Engineering Program

Geophysics Program

Email: yida.zhang@colorado.edu Tel: +1 303-492-0962

Current graduate students

Yazeed Kokash

Doctoral student, July. 2022 - Current

Thermo-mechanical testing of plastic-bonded granular materials
Breakage mechanics modeling of plastic-bonded granular materials

Hooman Dadras

Doctoral student, Jan. 2023 - Current

Surface-force based fracture theory for calcite cracking and healing
Chemomechanical instability of carbonate rocks

Mohammadali Behboodi

Doctoral student, Aug. 2023 - Current

Unsaturated surface poromechanics theory considering capillary condensation
Adsorption-induced damage and plasticity of nanoporous materials

Past group members

Wanqi Yu

Master student, May. 2022 - Dec. 2023

DEM investigation of cyclic ratcheting of granular soils
Image analysis of post-creep tailings sand

Mehdi Eskandari-Ghadi

Postdoctoral Research Associate, Jan. 2022 - Dec. 2022

Ph.D., June. 2019 - Dec. 2021.

Mechanics of adsorption-deformation coupling in microporous solids;
Role of surface forces in subcritical fracture propagation

Yuxuan Wen

Doctoral student, Aug. 2018 - Dec. 2022

Critical fabric theory for the quasi-static mechanical behavior of granular materials
Critical fabric surface in pre- and post- liquefaction regime of granular soils

Andrea Tyrrell

M.S., Jan. 2021 - July 2022

Thermo-triaxial testing on Mancos Shale
Damage mechanics modeling of the stress-strain behavior of Mancos Shale

Mitul Sisodiya

Ph.D., Aug. 2017 - Dec. 2021

Caisson drilling fluid interaction with clay-bearing bedrocks
Directional microcrack damage theory for brittle rocks under THMC loading

Xiang Zhou

Ph.D., Aug. 2016 - June. 2021

Effect of grain breakage on the hydromechanical performance of rockfill dams
THMC modeling of underground nuclear waste repositories
Finite element implementation of adsorption-deformation coupling in fractured coals