1 GEOTECNIA Universidade de BrasíliaUniversidade de Brasília
Civil Engineering Dept. of University of Brasília
Overall information of Programs
Renato P. Cunha
Civil Engineer, Ph.D., Associate Professor
University of Brasília, Dept. of Civil & Env. Engineering
Geotechnical Post-Graduation Program
University of Applied Sciences
Munich, May 2015
Special Lecture
City of Brasília & Region
Univ of Brasília & Department
Geotechnical Post Grad Program
Personal Research Group
Final Summary
LAYOUT
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Brazil & Germany
Area Brazil 24 x Area Germany
Population Brazil 2.5 x Pop. Germany
(approximate relative dimensions)
Data from: Main Indicators. Central Bureau of
Statistics homepage (2015). Wikipedia
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Central Region of Brazil
3 states + Federal Dist.
19% Brz total area
(4.5 x Germany)
13,270,000 inhabitants
7% Brz total inhab.
8.8% GNP
(3.7% for Fed. District)
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Federal District
BRASIL N
a
Federal District Area = 5822 km2
Population = 2.6 millions inhabitants
2 x inhabitants, 18.7 x Area of Munich
~50 km
~30 km
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UnB & Brasília City
~15 km
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Architecture and Landscape Brasília
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Architecture and Landscape Brasília
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Architecture and Landscape Brasília
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Architecture and Landscape Brasília
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Architecture and Landscape Brasília
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Architecture and Landscape Brasília
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University of Brasília
MAIN CAMPUS: Darcy Ribeiro – North Wing of
Brasília Pilot Plan
Photo
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2,445 Professors
2,630 Technicians
28,570 Grad Students
6,304 Post Grad Students
26 Institutes & Faculties
21 Research Centers
109 Graduation Courses
147 Post Graduation Courses
22 Latu Sensu Specializations
4 Campi (Main one Darcy Ribeiro)
Statistics from the University of Brasília
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5 Years Program
~ 1200 undergrad + postgrad students
~ 70 professors (full time + temporary)
entrance of ~ 160 students per year
Department of Civil and Env. Engineering
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Structures and Construction
Geotechnics
Transportation
Hydraulics
and Environmental
Resources
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Geotechnical Post-Graduation Program
www.geotecnia.unb.br
Statistics 12 Professors
51 MSc students
57 DSc students
•MSc Program since 1989 and
DSc since 1996
•Defended +80 DSc and +200
MSc Theses (all downloaded)
•Entrance: 16 MSc and 8 DSc
per year
• Scholarships: 37 MSc-31 DSc
2 Years Program
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1990/1991
B
1992/1993
B+
1994/1995
A
1996/1997
6
1998/2000
6
2004/2006
6
Start of DSc Program
2001/2003
6
2007/2009
6
2010/2012
6
Geotechnical Post-Graduation Program
Evaluation by Ministry of Education
Maximum Grade = 7
2013/2015
6
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Course Structure – MSc. Level (4 Semesters)
1. Selection and enrolment
2. Two Semesters of classes in the 1st year
(mandatory, optionals and electives = 26 credits)
3. Definition of MSc thesis topics and supervisors
4. Research Project presentation – 1st Seminar @ 1st Semester
5. Development of research thesis
6. MSc. Thesis oral defence (2 examiners + supervisor)
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Course Structure – DSc. Level (8 Semesters)
1. Selection and enrolment
2. Definition of research themes
3. Classes – Free choice – decided with supervisor
(Mandatory, optionals or electives = 30 credits)
4. Research Project presentation – 1st Seminar @ 2nd Semester
5. Research development
6. Outside 1year max. “sandwich” doctorate stage (optional)
7. Qualifying Exam (up to the 5th semester)
8. Research development
9. PhD. Thesis oral defence (4 examiners + supervisor)
MSc & DSc Theses can be written in english
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Compulsory Courses for MSc Students
Optional for DSc Students
Engineering Geology
Elasticity and Plasticity Theories
Shear Strength of Soils
Seepage
Consolidation
Laboratory Testing in Geotechnics
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Dams Unsaturated Soil Mechanics
Geotechnical Mapping Numerical Methods in Geotechnics
Slope Stability and Retaining Walls Constitutive Models in Geotechnics
Foundations Statistical Methods
Environmental Geotechnics Underground Works
Tropical Soils Geotechnics Pavements
Field and Laboratory Instrumentation Site Investigation
Rock Mechanics Contaminant Flow in Soils
Geosynthetics in Geotechnics and
Geoenvironment
Soil Improvement
Optional for MSc and DSc Students
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N0 Name Doctorate Sabbatical Leave
1 André Pacheco de Assis, PhD University of Alberta,
Canadá
USA, Switzerland
2 André Luís Brasil Cavalcante UnB UT-Austin (USA)
3 Ennio Marques Palmeira, PhD University of Oxford, UK UBC (Canada)
4 Gregório Luís Silva Araújo UnB Planned to 2016*
5 Hernán E. M. Carvajal, DSc UnB Planned to 2017
6 José Camapum de Carvalho, PhD INPC, France Laval (Canada)
7 Juan Felix Rebolledo, DSc UNAM, Mexico Planned to 2018
8 Luís Fernando Martins, DSc UnB UPC (Spain)
9 Manoel Porfírio C. Neto, DSc UnB Stratclyde (RU)
10 Márcio Muniz de Farias, PhD University of Wales, UK NIT (Japan)
11 Newton Moreira de Souza, DSc USP-EESC Germany, Portugal
12 Renato Pinto da Cunha, PhD U.B.C., Canada Australia
Permanent Full time
Professors of the Geotechnical Program
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University of Alberta (CANADA) University of Britsh Columbia
(CANADÁ)
University of Wollongong
(Australia)
University of Nevada (USA) University of Praga (Rep. Checa) Politécnico de Turim (Itália)
Heriot-Watt University (UK) Univesity of Sidney (AUSTRÁLIA) UFG, UFOP, UFMG, UFPE
Nova de Lisboa University
(Portugal)
Univ. Polit. da Catalunia (Espanha) École Polytechnique de
Montreal (Canada)
Nagoya Technlological Institute
(Japan)
University of Strathclyde (U.K.) Royal Military College
(Canada)
FURNAS Samarco Mining Co. University of Sydney
(Australia)
EMBRE ENGENHARIA Rio Paracatu Mining Co. University of North Carolina
(USA)
Second University of Nápoles -
Italia
Queens University (Canada) UNAM (Mexico)
JICA (CEFTRU/INFRALAB) Lausanne Politechnical University
(Switzerland)
CESI (Italia)
ENPC (France) COPPE/UFRJ, UFPA, UEL, UFRR IHE – Delft, Holanda
Czech Technical University of
Praga (Rep. Checa)
CEFET – Ouro Preto – MG, CEFET -
Palmas – TO, CEFET Natal- RN
UCLV (Cuba)
UNAL (Colombia) UNIANDES (Colombia) Grenoble University (France)
Consolidated Research Agreements
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Research Areas of the Geotechnical Group Environmental geotechnics and landfills
Geosynthetics
Geotechnical cartography and geoprocessing
Foundation and in situ tests
Engineering geology
Tropical soils
Mining geotechnics and tunnels
Rock mechanics and underground works
Soil reinforcement and stabilization
Numerical methods in geomechanics
Earth and rock works
Retaining structures and slope stability
Pavement and road geotechnics
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26
GPFees Group – Brief Introduction
Personal Homepage
www.geotecnia.unb.br/gpfees
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+ 20 extension courses in institutions outside UnB, either Brazil or abroad;
+ 80 total supervised students in several levels, with 20 Final Projects, 20 MSc
Dissertations and 12 DSc Theses approved and defended;
+ 230 total papers published in congresses and journals from Brazil or abroad;
+ 15 foreign Prof. and Students have already visited the group in exchange programs
for medium periods of time (1 to 6 months):
• Prof. Pat Stewart, Canada
• Prof. Pavel Kuklík, Czech Republic
• Prof. Mandolini, Italy
• Prof. Buddhima, Australia
• Prof. Cobelo, Cuba
• Prof. Eduardo Beira, Cuba
• Prof. Sotolongo, Cuba
• Prof. Ibañez, Cuba
3
S
Some Few Accomplishments by the Group
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• Student Sarah Lydie, France
• Student Adrien Treguer, France
• Student Mathieu Velle, France
• Student Miroslav Broucek, CZ Rep.
• Student Jakub Veverka, CZ Rep.
• Student Tomas Yanda, CZ Rep.
• Student Serguey Figueredo, Cuba
• Student Yudiel Gomez, Cuba
Research Lines
Foundations and In Situ Testing
• Site behavior of real scale isolated foundations as well as groups and
piled rafts;
• Design and simulation of deep foundations via in situ and laboratory
tests coupled with numerical or analytical techniques;
• Simulation of standard pile groups and piled raft foundations under
small scale model conditions (1g and centrifuged);
• Use of site investigation techniques to obtain geotechnical
parameters in tropical soils, to enhance geo-environmental designs;
• Instrumentation of foundation systems at real or small scale sizes;
• Influence of defective piles and the reinforcement system in the
behavior of foundation groups and piled rafts;
• Soil-superstructure interaction;
• Special foundations for dynamic wind power generators;
• Energy foundations for heat transfer with the geotechnical medium.
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Research Lines
Soil Stabilization via Retaining Structures
• Site behavior and design of real scale retaining structures;
• Use of field and laboratory tests to design and simulate retaining
structures founded on tropical soil;
• Assessment of numerical and analytical techniques to forecast the
behavior of retaining structures;
• Instrumentation of retaining structures in terms of loads, pressures
and displacements during and after construction;
• Influence of external and internal factors as weather seasonality,
geotechnical parameters, suction etc. on the behavior of such
structures;
• Study of soil nailing and active anchors.
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On Going Research Work
6 DSc
3 MSc
1 Final
Project
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Large Effort to form Researchers and
Engineers to Gather Knowledge
Extensive Support by both Brazilian
Government Ministry and Agencies
Collaborative Work is welcome!
Scholarships are available
Summary 31/32
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THANK YOU – VIELEN DANK
