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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. 

Research Gate

Campus Address

Ellison Building ELB117



  • Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
  • 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
  • Comparison of high capacity tensiometer designs for long-term suction measurements, Mendes, J., Gallipoli, D. 1 Feb 2020, In: Physics and Chemistry of the Earth
  • Correction to: A microstructural insight into the hygro-mechanical behaviour of a stabilised hypercompacted earth (Materials and Structures, (2018), 51, 1, (32), 10.1617/s11527-018-1160-9), Bruno, A., Perlot, C., Mendes, J., Gallipoli, D. 1 Apr 2019, In: Materials and Structures/Materiaux et Constructions

Armin Jamali Durability in concrete: understanding the influence of capillary pressures for controlling shrinkage and cracking in early age concrete Start Date: 18/01/2021

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


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