Research Studentship in Geotechnical Engineering

3.5-year D.Phil. studentship 

Project: Nature-based and biomimetic foundation systems

Supervisors: Professor Jonathan Knappett and Professor Chris Martin

The root systems of trees provide ‘foundations’ that develop in response to the loads applied to the tree. For example, trees subjected to high winds (inducing large moments) develop roots that prioritise lateral spread rather than depth to maximise overturning resistance and can provide capacities comparable to conventional foundation systems for a significantly lower volume of material embedded within the soil. Trees located on steep slopes develop roots preferentially upslope to provide anchorage against horizontal soil sliding. Greater understanding of how root system architecture and geometry provide resistance to different combinations of applied loading can suggest new biomimetic foundation concepts that harness similar mechanisms and potentially use significantly less material than conventional solutions.

This studentship will begin by exploring how different tree root system architectures behave under different combinations of vertical (V), horizontal (H) and moment (M) loading. This will be achieved using a recently developed, efficient numerical modelling approach for simulating root-soil interaction, coupled with physical model testing to determine root-soil interaction parameters. The results of this phase of the project will have direct application to hazard assessment of trees subject to windthrow in extreme storms and the use of trees in nature-based solutions (e.g. tsunami protection by mangroves). 

The results of the first phase will then inform the development and evaluation of biomimetic foundation concepts that can be scaled-up in size and optimised in configuration for a variety of applications applying different load cases analogous to those where trees perform well. Such systems can potentially minimise embodied carbon through efficient geotechnical performance and minimise installation plant requirements by being assembled from multiple smaller/lighter elements. This could make them suitable for a range of applications that could include: (i) line-side cantilever gantries for railway electrification; (ii) transmission tower and solar farm foundations; (iii) anchorage systems for floating offshore renewable energy systems; or (iv) low-rise building foundations in remote areas.

Eligibility

This studentship is funded through the Department of Engineering Science and is open to home and overseas students (full award – fees plus stipend).

Award Value

Course fees are covered at the level set for home or overseas students, as applicable. The stipend (tax-free maintenance grant) is provided at c. £20,780 p.a. for the first year, and at least this amount for a further two and a half years.

Candidate Requirements

Prospective candidates will be judged according to how well they meet the following criteria:

• A first class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours (or equivalent) in Engineering, Applied Mathematics or Physics
• Excellent English written and spoken communication skills

The following skills are desirable but not essential: 

• Previous study in Geotechnical Engineering or Structural Engineering
• Ability to program in Matlab or Python
• Previous experience in Finite Element Analysis

Application Procedure

Informal enquiries are encouraged and should be addressed in the first instance to Professor Chris Martin (chris.martin@eng.ox.ac.uk).

Candidates must submit a graduate application form and are expected to meet the graduate admissions criteria. Details are available on the course page of the University website.

Please quote 25ENGCI_JK in all correspondence and in your graduate application.

Application deadline: noon on 3 March 2026 (In line with the University admissions deadline set by the University)

Start date: October 2026