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Geotechnical Research Group (GRG)

Phone: (514) 340-4711 Ext. 2408 (Li) / 4503 (Silvestri) Room: A-354 (Li) ou B-338 (Silvestri)

Research areas description

The Geotechnical Research Group (GRG) is composed of professors and researchers working in various sectors of geotechnical engineering, including mining, infrastructure and environmental. The research activities include fundamental and applied aspects in these domains:

  • The characterisation and hydro-geotechnical behavior of soil, rock, mine wastes (tailings and waste rock), and backfill (civil and mining).

  • Soil-structure interaction, including backfilled mine openings.

  • Site improvement using chemical injection or bio-calcification.

  • The dynamic behavior of soil and mine wastes and the seismic response of earthfill structures such as dams and tailings impoundments.

  • The design and performance of shallow and deep foundations (including off-shore piles).

  • The behavior of earthfill structures on problematic soils, e.g. soft clay, sensitive clay and organic soils.

  • The behavior of rockfill dams during construction, impounding, operations, and seismic events.

  • Design and optimisation of permeable reactive barriers for the treatment of contaminated groundwater.

  • Numerical modelling of soft soils' behaviour under dynamic or cyclic loading.

Research staff

Professors / researchers (7)
Number of graduate students: 30
Number of postdoctoral fellows :1
Number of research agents: 6

Specialized equipment

Standard equipment for measuring the physical, mechanical, and hydraulic properties of soil, backfill and rock in three laboratories:

  • Soil Mechanic

  • Rock mechanics

  • Hydrogeology, Mining and Environment

Press review about Geotechnical Research Group (GRG)

May 8, 2019, Radio-Canada, Gravel le matin - Actualités avec Maxime Coutié Digue permanente pour protéger les résidents des innondations dans l'arrondissement Ahuntsic-Cartierville : l'avis de Vincenzo Silvestri, professeur titulaire au Département des génies civil, géologique et des mines de Polytechnique Montréal (1:59).