PhD in Civil Engineering – Predicting ground movement due to underpinning for basement excavation

Start Date: October 2025

The School of Engineering of the University of Glasgow is seeking a highly motivated graduate to undertake an exciting 3.5-year PhD project entitled “Predicting ground movement due to underpinning for basement excavation”. With the dense spacing of housing in populated cities, excavating basements underneath existing buildings has become a popular method for expanding living spaces without increasing the property’s footprint. However, this trend has raised concerns about the potential impact of basement excavations on adjacent properties. As a result, accurately predicting ground movements around excavation sites is crucial to mitigate risks and minimise potential impacts on nearby structures. “Underpinning” is a widely used technique for extending existing shallow foundations to facilitate basement construction beneath buildings, particularly in areas like London. Despite its widespread use, there is currently a lack of specific theoretical methods for predicting ground movement associated with basement construction using this method. The aim of this project is to evaluate basement construction using underpinning, with the goal of developing a deeper understanding of the key factors influencing ground movements during such works. The project seeks to develop an analytical model capable of accurately predicting ground movements in these projects, thereby enhancing safety margins and optimising design parameters and construction methodologies.  

As part of this project, you will have access to extensive data from basement construction projects in London, including site investigation reports, design details, construction records, and monitoring data. For selected case studies, you will develop numerical models (e.g., Finite Element Model) to simulate basement construction and predict the associated ground movements. These predictions will be validated by comparing them with in-situ monitoring data. The project will also focus on identifying and assessing the factors contributing to both short-term and long-term ground movements, such as construction methodology, temporary works, construction duration and stress relief – relaxation. The findings of this project could lead to the development of more precise guidance for predicting ground movements during basement construction, addressing the limitations of existing empirical methods when underpinning techniques are employed. 

This project, based in the James Watt School of Engineering at the University of Glasgow, aligns with the research themes of the Environment and Infrastructure Research Division and the Geotechnics Group. 

The deadline for application is end of January 2025, and a second round in May 2025. Please refer to the following website for details on how to apply: Link 

Please note that this application is to gain admission to our PGR programme, and an offer of admission may be issued before a decision on this Scholarship is made. Candidates applying for this Scholarship will most likely have an interview/discussion with the supervisor before any decision is made. 

For informal enquiries, please contact the first supervisor arash.azizi@glasgow.ac.uk