Brendan Scott

Dr Brendan Scott

Lecturer

School of Architecture and Civil Engineering

Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.


Lecturer in Geotechnical Engineering at the School of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering at the University of Adelaide.

Formerly, Manager of EngTest, the commercial arm of the School of Civil, Environmental & Mining Engineering at The University of Adelaide that conducts commercial testing, consulting and contract research. Prior to working at The University of Adelaide, 8 years of consulting engineering experience gained in a variety of engineering projects in several Australian States in the commercial, residential and industrial sectors. Experience includes multi-storey buildings, major earthworks, slope stability, transmission towers, wind farms, environmental impact statements, railways and large-scale residential projects.

Research interests include ground improvement (in particular impact compaction), unsaturated & expansive soils and in situ testing. Member of the Australian Geomechanics Society and the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering.

My research

PhD thesis 'The Impact of Rolling Dynamic Compaction'

This research has quantified the effectiveness of the 8-tonne 4-sided impact roller in terms of towing speed, depth of influence, energy delivered to the ground and soil response measured in real-time using bespoke instrumentation in full-scale field trials. Equations have been developed from this research to allow practitioners to predict the depths that can be improved for the two major applications: improving ground in situ and compacting soil in thick layers. This research will enable rolling dynamic compaction to be used and applied with greater confidence and reduce instances where the predicted ground improvement does not occur.

Rolling Dynamic Compaction
Impact roller used to densify a soil to increase load carrying capacity

 

The design of retaining structures in unsaturated soils
An expansive soil swells with the addition of moisture, and shrinks with the removal of moisture.  Expansive (reactive) soils are a worldwide phenomenon, but are of particular importance to geotechnical engineering in South Australia, as Adelaide's soils are amongst the most reactive in the world. There is a need to understand the expansive properties of Adelaide's unsaturated clay soils as changes in soil moisture content and suction can signficantly affect the design of retaining structures (shown below) and other infrastructure.  Research is being undertaken to further understand the behaviour and properties of Adelaide clays and how they affect retaining wall design.     
Retaining Wall in Unsaturated soils
Pile retaining wall in unsaturated clay

 

  • Appointments

    Date Position Institution name
    2014 - ongoing Lecturer, full-time The University of Adelaide
    2009 - 2014 Manager, EngTest The University of Adelaide
    2007 - 2020 PhD Candidate (part-time) The University of Adelaide
    2007 - 2009 Senior Geotechnical Engineer (part-time) URS Australia
    2004 - 2007 Senior Geotechnical Engineer URS Australia
    2000 - 2004 Geotechnical / Structural Engineer Parsons Brinckerhoff (formerly PPK Environment & Infrastructure)
  • Awards and Achievements

    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2019 Award 2019 ECMS Prize for Excellence in Learning and Teaching The University of Adelaide Australia -
    2018 Teaching Award Student Led Teaching Award The University of Adelaide Australia -
    2007 Scholarship Divisional Scholarship for post-graduate study The University of Adelaide Australia -
    2007 Scholarship Supplementary Scholarship for post graduate study - - -
    2003 Award Parsons Brinckerhoff Technical Excellence Award Parsons Brinckerhoff Australia -
    2003 Award Young Geotechnical Professionals Award Australian Geomechanics Society - SA/NT Chapter Australia -
    2002 Award Rotary, Pride of Workmanship Award Rotary Club of Adelaide Parks Australia -
    2002 Award Parsons Brinckerhoff Outstanding Team Award Parsons Brinckerhoff Australia -
    2002 Award Parsons Brinckerhoff Superior Service Award Parsons Brinckerhoff Australia -
    1999 Award Young Geotechnical Engineers Prize for South Australia Australian Geomechanics Society, SA/NT Chapter Australia -
  • Education

    Date Institution name Country Title
    2007 - 2020 The University of Adelaide Australia Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
    1996 - 1999 The University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Civil Engineering, 1st Class Honours
  • Research Interests

Infrastructure and Equipment Funding Schemes

Date Project/No. Investigators Funding Body Amount
2014 Researchers in Business Grant Brendan Scott, Mark Jaksa Australian Government $50 k

Consultancies

Date I have worked on sites at the following locations undertaking testing and helping to solve compaction issues in a technical review role:
2017-18 Townsville, QLD
2015 Townsville, QLD.
2014 Pelican Point, SA; Pine Creek, NT; Darwin, NT; Dysart, QLD.
2013 Thebarton, SA; Botany, NSW.
2012 Onslow, WA; Adelaide, SA.
2011 Whyalla, SA; Kununurra, WA; Moranbah, QLD.

 

Various I have also provided desktop technical review of compaction projects in Australia, France, Holland, Kuwait and New Zealand

Lecturing

Year Course Title Institution Course Level / Code URL
2021 Transportation Engineering and Survey The University of Adelaide Level 2 Undergraduate CEME 2005 https://www.adelaide.edu.au/course-outlines/109869/1/sem-2/2021/
2021 Intro to Geo-Engineering (part) The University of Adelaide Level 2 Undergraduate CEME 2004 https://www.adelaide.edu.au/course-outlines/109955/1/sem-1/2021/
2019 Engineering Mechanics - Statics The University of Adelaide Level 1 Undergraduate CEME 1004 and CEME 1004UAC https://www.adelaide.edu.au/course-outlines/109875/1/sem-1/2019/
2019 Introduction to Engineering The University of Adelaide Level 1 Undergraduate ENG 1001 and ENG 1001UAC https://www.adelaide.edu.au/course-outlines/109596/1/sem-2/2019/
2012 to 2016, 2018, 2019 Geotechnical Engineering Design III The University of Adelaide Level 3 Undergraduate C&ENVENG 3012 and Masters by Coursework C&ENVENG 7069 https://www.adelaide.edu.au/course-outlines/003127/1/sem-2/2019/
2016 to 2019 Construction, Management & Surveying The University of Adelaide Level 2 Undergraduate C&ENVENG 2067 https://www.adelaide.edu.au/course-outlines/104396/1/sem-2/2019/
2017 to 2018 Engineering Mechanics - Statics The University of Adelaide Level 1 Undergraduate C&ENVENG 1010 and C&ENVENG 1010UAC https://www.adelaide.edu.au/course-outlines/103963/1/sem-1/2018/
2015 to 2016 Civil and Environmental Engineering 1 (part) The University of Adelaide Level 1 Undergraduate C&ENVENG 1009 and C&ENVENG 1009BR http://www.adelaide.edu.au/course-outlines/103964/1/sem-2/2016/
2013 to 2015, 2021 Advanced Civil Geotechnical Engineering The University of Adelaide Level 4 Undergraduate C&ENVENG 4112 and Masters by Coursework C&ENVENG 7112 https://www.adelaide.edu.au/course-outlines/106932/1/sem-1/2015/
2010 Geotechnical Engineering IIA (part) The University of Adelaide Level 2 Undergraduate C&ENVENG 2069 https://www.adelaide.edu.au/course-outlines/104398/1/sem-2/2015/
2010 to 2012 Civil and Environmental Engineering 1A (part) The University of Adelaide Level 1 Undergraduate C&ENVENG 1009 and C&ENVENG 1009BR https://www.adelaide.edu.au/course-outlines/103964/1/sem-2/2015/
2009 to 2010 Geotechnical Engineering Design III The University of Adelaide Level 3 Undergraduate C&ENVENG 3012 and Masters by Coursework C&ENVENG 7069 https://www.adelaide.edu.au/course-outlines/003127/1/sem-2/2015/

Tutoring

Year Course Title Institution Course Level / Code URL
2012 to 2016, 2018, 2019 Geotechnical Engineering Design III - Design Project Tutor The University of Adelaide Level 3 Undergraduate C&ENVENG 3012 and Masters by Coursework C&ENVENG 7069 https://www.adelaide.edu.au/course-outlines/003127/1/sem-2/2019/
2008 to 2010 Geotechnical Engineering Design III - Design Project Tutor The University of Adelaide Level 3 Undergraduate C&ENVENG 3012 and Masters by Coursework C&ENVENG 7069 https://www.adelaide.edu.au/course-outlines/003127/1/sem-2/2015/
2008 Geotechnical Engineering IIA - Tutor The University of Adelaide Level 2 Undergraduate C&ENVENG 2069 https://www.adelaide.edu.au/course-outlines/104398/1/sem-2/2015/
2006 to 2007 Building Structures and Geomechancis 2 - External Tutor (Geomechanics) University of South Australia Post graduate CIVE 5031 http://programs.unisa.edu.au/public/pcms/course.aspx?pageid=005470
2006 to 2007 Building Structures 6 - External Tutor (Substructures) University of South Australia Post graduate BUIL 5009 http://programs.unisa.edu.au/public/pcms/course.aspx?pageid=002602

Demonstrating

Year Course Title Institution Course Level / Code URL
2010 Expansive Soils and Footing Design - Practical Demonstrator The University of Adelaide Level 4 Undergraduate C&ENVENG 4081 and Masters by Coursework C&ENVENG 7035 -
2008 Expansive Soils and Footing Design - Practical Demonstrator The University of Adelaide Level 4 Undergraduate C&ENVENG 4081 and Masters by Coursework C&ENVENG 7035 -
2007 to 2008 Geotechnical Engineering Design III - Practical Demonstrator The University of Adelaide Level 3 Undergraduate C&ENVENG 3012 and Masters by Coursework C&ENVENG 7069 https://www.adelaide.edu.au/course-outlines/003127/1/sem-2/2015/
2007 to 2008 Geotechnical Engineering IIA - Practical Demonstrator The University of Adelaide Level 2 Undergraduate C&ENVENG 2069 https://www.adelaide.edu.au/course-outlines/104398/1/sem-2/2015/
2007 to 2008 Construction, Management and Surveying - Practical Demonstrator The University of Adelaide Level 2 Undergraduate C&ENVENG 2067 https://www.adelaide.edu.au/course-outlines/104396/1/sem-2/2015/
1999 Geotechnical Engineering IIA - Practical Demonstrator The University of Adelaide Level 2 Undergraduate C&ENVENG 2069 https://www.adelaide.edu.au/course-outlines/104398/1/sem-2/2015/
  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2023 Principal Supervisor Surveying the geotechnical properties of the lunar surface and subsurface using penetrometers and seismic methods. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Karlis Slumba
    2022 Principal Supervisor Site Preparation and Ground Improvement on the Moon Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Akshay Kumar Agarwal
    2020 Co-Supervisor Experimental investigation and constitutive modelling of reactive soils subject to osmotic (or solute) and matric suction alterations Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Richard Anton Herraman
  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2021 - 2022 Co-Supervisor Experimental and Numerical Analysis of Rolling Dynamic Compaction Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Yue Chen
  • Other Supervision Activities

    Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
    2019 - 2020 Principal Supervisor Piled retaining walls in unsaturated soils The University of Adelaide Bachelor of Engineering Honours Full Time Thomas Allwright, Matthew Elliot, William Grounds, Chris Newman
    2019 - 2020 Principal Supervisor Revetment wall in unsaturated soils The University of Adelaide Bachelor of Engineering Honours Full Time Shahira Hairudin, Xinyu Liu, Zhan Liu, Wendy Mwiti
    2018 - 2019 Principal Supervisor Investigating unsaturated behaviour of Adelaide's Hindmarsh clay The University of Adelaide Bachelor of Engineering Honours Full Time Nicholas Hayes, Harrison Lewis, Toby Sorokin, Lucas van Woensel
    2018 - 2019 Co-Supervisor Virtual reality in geotechnical engineering education The University of Adelaide Bachelor of Engineering Honours Full Time Brady Coutts, Harrison Grigg, Patrick Royle, William Robinson
    2018 - 2019 Co-Supervisor Quantifying soil water characteristics and unsaturated permeability due to changes in void ratio The University of Adelaide Bachelor of Engineering Honours Full Time Courtney Barnett, Samuel Morton, Gemma Rossi, Vanja Todorovic
    2017 - 2018 Principal Supervisor Inferring soil water characteristics for Adelaide clay The University of Adelaide Summer Scholarship Other Full Time Sachit Desa
    2017 - 2018 Principal Supervisor Quantifying the effects of solute suction on shear strength The University of Adelaide BE Civil Honours Full Time Yuxiang Liu, Ann Quach, Davor Arar, Tomislav Arar
    2017 - 2018 Principal Supervisor Determining unsaturated soil properties for Adelaide clay The University of Adelaide BE Civil Honours Full Time Quangvinh Dang, Hanxuan Li, Meng-Hsin Wang, Yidan Zhao
    2017 - 2017 Principal Supervisor Comparing the results from both full-size and scale-model impact rollers The University of Adelaide Summer Scholarship Other Full Time Tom Muecke
    2016 - 2017 Principal Supervisor The influence of solute suction on the shear strength of unsaturated clayey soils The University of Adelaide Bachelor of Engineering Honours Full Time Jercee Callado, David Ewers, Corey Kirkham, Ashkan Moghaddas
    2016 - 2017 Principal Supervisor The effects of soil suction on the swelling properties of unsaturated Hindmarsh clay The University of Adelaide Bachelor of Engineering Honours Full Time Nicholas Bartetzko, Tom Blake, Ryan Fitzgerald, Liam Holland
    2016 - 2017 Principal Supervisor Field comparisons between impact and conventional circular drum rollers The University of Adelaide Bachelor of Engineering Honours Full Time Benjamin Chau, Zixi Deng, Chi To Lai, Yuhao Yan
    2015 - 2016 Principal Supervisor Investigating the effectiveness of one of the impact roller's key physical characteristics; the mass of the roller The University of Adelaide Bachelor of Engineering Honours Full Time Thomas Muecke, Keegan Steele, Samuel Brown, Dan Nguyen
    2015 - 2016 Principal Supervisor The seismic dilatometer compared with other in situ testing methods The University of Adelaide Bachelor of Engineering Honours Full Time Andrew Brummitt, Philip Cutting, Brendan Hiscock, Alan Stoate
    2015 - 2016 Principal Supervisor Retaining structures in unsaturated soils The University of Adelaide Bachelor of Engineering Honours Full Time Casey Janssen, Joanthon Tozer, Joshua Troup, Gabriella Zaccari
    2015 - 2015 Principal Supervisor Development and analysis of a 4-sided scale model impact roller The University of Adelaide Bachelor of Engineering Honours Full Time Mark Haywood, Gerard Peters, Samuel O'Dea, Thomas Schwarz
    2015 - 2015 Principal Supervisor Investigation of the properties of unsaturated clays and their application to retaining wall design The University of Adelaide Bachelor of Engineering Honours Full Time Justin Bonney, Sachit Desa, Henry Jensen, Caillin Millar
    2015 - 2015 Principal Supervisor A field based comparison of 3- and 4-sided impact rollers The University of Adelaide Bachelor of Engineering Honours Full Time Stefan Chenoweth, Jordan Colbert, Julianne Saw, Ross Vince
    2014 - 2014 Co-Supervisor Research, development and characterisation of the hydraulic performance of the Ecosol Cartridge Filter The University of Adelaide Bachelor of Engineering Honours Full Time Lachlan Hammond, Madeline Walkington, Bradley Winn, Jason Winter
    2014 - 2014 Principal Supervisor Quantifying the effectiveness of the 4-sided impact roller with operating speed The University of Adelaide Bachelor of Engineering Honours Full Time Gianfranco Canala, Christopher Gauro, Jackson March, Richard Strapps
    2014 - 2014 Principal Supervisor Determining swelling pressure and shear strength relationships for the South Road corridor in Adelaide The University of Adelaide Bachelor of Engineering Honours Full Time Allan McManus, Peter Button, Jake Elphick, Phuong Nguyen
    2012 - 2012 Principal Supervisor Effectiveness of the impact roller The University of Adelaide Bachelor of Engineering Honours Full Time Dapeng Liu, Christopher Smith
    2011 - 2011 Principal Supervisor Effectiveness of the impact roller The University of Adelaide Bachelor of Engineering Honours Full Time Nicole Mentha, Simon Pointon, Aidan Symons, Penelope Wrightson
    2010 - 2010 Principal Supervisor The influence zone of the impact roller The University of Adelaide Bachelor of Engineering Honours Full Time Thomas Bierbaum, Robert Lane, Jessica Piotto, Thomas Treloar
  • Position: Lecturer
  • Phone: 83132034
  • Email: brendan.scott@adelaide.edu.au
  • Fax: 83134359
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: Engineering North, floor 1
  • Org Unit: Civil Engineering

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