Projects per year
Personal profile
Personal Statement
Dr El Mountassir is a Senior Lecturer in Geotechnical Engineering and Director for Research in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Her research focuses on developing novel technologies using biological and biochemical processes that can alter the hydraulic and mechanical behaviour of soils and rocks. Over the last ten year the team at Strathclyde have been developing microbially induced calcite precipitation as a technique for rock grouting, soil stabiliation, well sealing and concrete repair. More recently she has been leading investigations into the potential use of fungi and their hyphal networks in ground improvement applications.
Teaching Interests
I teach CL217 Soil mechanics and the Graduate Apprenticship module EO206 (Soils & Water 2), both to second year students.
Research Interests
My research is largely experimental and focuses on understanding the hydraulic and mechanical behaviour of soils and rocks. I am particularly interested in the potential use of biological processes in geotechnical engineering. I am currently developing novel grouting technologies including microbially induced calcite precipitation as a technique for sealing fine aperture fractures and silica sol as a low viscosity grout. I am also investigating the possible deployment of fungi within ground engineering applications.
Education/Academic qualification
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Strathclyde
Award Date: 1 Jan 2011
Master of Engineering, University of Strathclyde
Award Date: 1 Jan 2005
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Network
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UKRI FLF - Soil-mycelia systems for slope stabilisation
MRC (Medical Research Council)
1/10/21 → 30/09/25
Project: Research Fellowship
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Doctoral Training Partnership 2020-2021 University of Strathclyde | Brittain, Rory
Dobson, K., El Mountassir, G., Pytharouli, S. & Brittain, R.
EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council)
1/02/21 → 1/08/24
Project: Research Studentship - Internally Allocated
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Performance of colloidal silica grout at elevated temperatures and pressures for cement fracture sealing at depth
Pagano, A. G., El Mountassir, G. & Lunn, R. J., 31 Jan 2022, In: Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering. 208, Part E, 33 p., 109782.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Field validation of a detectable, magnetic, cementitious grout for rock fracture grouting
Corson, L., Reid, C., Lunn, R. J., El Mountassir, G., Henderson, A. E., Henderson, K., Pagano, A. G. & Kremer, Y., 4 Jul 2021, (Accepted/In press) In: International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences. 38 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile
Datasets
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Data for: "Hydraulic behaviour of fungal treated sand"
Salifu, E. (Creator), El Mountassir, G. (Creator), Minto, J. (Creator) & Tarantino, A. (Creator), University of Strathclyde, 26 May 2021
DOI: 10.15129/39b39651-8cc6-4c77-9fba-34d426121b95
Dataset
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Data for: "Microscale analysis of fractured rock sealed with microbially induced CaCO3 precipitation: influence on hydraulic and mechanical performance"
Tobler, D. J. (Creator), Minto, J. (Creator), El Mountassir, G. (Contributor), Lunn, R. (Contributor) & Phoenix, V. (Contributor), University of Strathclyde, 4 Oct 2018
DOI: 10.15129/0f92623e-df99-4caf-9734-61cacb235913, https://doi.org/10.1029/2018WR023032
Dataset
Prizes
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Nomination for Strathclyde Teaching Excellence Award
El Mountassir, Grainne (Recipient), 2015
Prize: Other distinction
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Nomination for Strathclyde Teaching Excellence Award
El Mountassir, Grainne (Recipient), 2014
Prize: Other distinction
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Calcite Biomineralisation for the Repair of Damaged Concrete
Ronnie Turner (Speaker), James Minto (Contributor), Grainne El Mountassir (Contributor) & Rebecca Lunn (Contributor)
20 Sep 2021Activity: Talk or presentation types › Oral presentation
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Invited seminar on 'Microbial processes in geotechnical engineering'
Grainne El Mountassir (Invited speaker)
19 Apr 2018Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk