Gregory Darren Mc Donald acquired his undergraduate Civil Engineering degree from the University of Pretoria in 2020. His undergraduate research involved the study of the effect of changing the relative density of a cohesionless material on the lateral load response of a monopile foundation. By using first order mathematical models, a prediction of lateral displacement was computed and compared to the results of a 1G experiment at model scale.
Figure 1: The loose density test result & corresponding calculated load deflection plots
Gregory is currently involved in the geotechnical centrifuge laboratory and is developing a modelled piled raft foundation which will be analysed against conventional raft in clay for a PhD student from University of Kassel. The centrifuge model was developed and calibrated in the geotechnical laboratory where calibration of the model piled raft foundation was undertaken as well as the construction, calibration and installation of pore pressure instrumentation.
Figure 2: The Kassel clay piled raft experiment
Furthermore, his interests in the field of electronics, instrumentation and full-scale data acquisition have been refined to industry specification. Instrumentation of full-scale pile foundations was undertaken for the WindAfrica project. The maintenance of suction monitoring systems situated in gold and platinum tailings dams was undertaken throughout the course of 2021 and 2022.
Figure 3: Site data acquisition installations and monitoring
Gregory is currently working towards obtaining his MEng degree in Geotechnical Engineering (2022) under his supervisor Professor SW Jacobsz. His research interest involves the development of a tube sampling methodology for tailings. The current procedure involves analysing the pore pressure response of the material due to the tube being inserted and extracted in the tailings.
Figure 4: MEng testing - sampling study
A further scope of the project involves the analysis of the local strain displacement fields of the sampler in the material by means of a digital image correlation study conducted with Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technology.
Current duties
Fields of Interest
Publications
Mc Donald, GD. 2020. The behaviour of a laterally loaded pile subjected to monotonic loading in a cohesionless material. Unpublished BEng research project report. University of Pretoria, Pretoria. Available at: GD Mc Donald – Skripsie report
Contact
Email : [email protected]
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