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Benjamin Cerfontaine

Lecturer in Geotechnical Engineering, University of Southampton

I obtained my PhD in Geotechnical Engineering at the University of Liège (Belgium) in 2014. I moved to the University of Dundee (UK) with an EU-funded MSCA fellowship in 2017 and became lecturer at the University of Southampton (UK) in 2020.

My work mainly focuses on anchors and foundations used to deploy offshore renewable energy devices, such as wind turbines or waver energy converters. I used a combination of advanced numerical methods and experimental techniques to develop innovative solutions, which are more cost-efficient and sustaianble than the current practice.

Experience

  • –present
    Lecturer, University of Southampton
  • 2017–2020
    Postdoctoral research fellow, University of Dundee
  • 2014–2017
    Postdoctoral research associate, University of Liège

Education

  • 2014 
    University of Liège, PhD in Geotechnical Engineeirng
  • 2010 
    University of Liège, MSc in Civil Engineering

Publications

  • 2023
    Control of screw pile installation to optimise performance for offshore energy applications, Géotechnique
  • 2022
    Optimised screw pile design for offshore jacket foundations in medium–dense sand, G´éotechnique Letters
  • 2021
    DEM study of particle scale and penetration rate on the installation of screw piles in sand, Computers and geotechnics
  • 2021
    Optimised design of screw anchors in tension in sand for renewable energy applications, Ocean Engineering
  • 2020
    A Finite Element approach for determining the full load-displacement relationship of axially-loaded screw anchors, incorporating installation effects, Canadian Geotechnical Journal

Grants and Contracts

  • 2017
    MSCA individual fellowship
    Role:
    753156
    Funding Source:
    EU