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Rock Mechanics | 

Geotechnical Engineering |

Geomaterials | Geo-Energy

The Geomechanics for Geo-Engineering and Sustainability (GGES) Lab Group is a vibrant research group actively pushing the frontiers of knowledge at the intersection of rock mechanics, geotechnical engineering, and geosystems engineering.

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​Our integrated research group aims to develop a fundamental understanding and predict the multiscale mechanical behavior and physical attributes of earth materials (rocks and soils). This knowledge helps address challenges related to natural and built infrastructure, earth systems, energy, and hazard mitigation. We also investigate how earth materials respond mechanically to biologically induced processes, applying our findings to mitigating failure and collapse, post-hazard remediation, and energy resources.

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Building on our cutting-edge experimental evidence, we employ an innovative numerical approach to understand and predict risks triggered by natural or man-made causes, ultimately showing the impact of these processes across scales (nano, micro, meso, and macro scales) in geosystems. 

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Recent News

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  • 03/2025: Manuscript accepted for journal publication in Sustainable Cities and Society.

  • 03/2025: Manuscript accepted for journal publication in Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering.

  • 03/2025: Dr. Kolawole has been reappointed for another term to the Committee on Geological and Geotechnical Engineering (COGGE) at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine [Link].

  • 03/2025: Manuscript accepted for journal publication in Progress in Engineering Science.

  • 03/2025: GGES Lab team attended the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Geotechnical Frontiers 2025, Louisville, Kentucky.

  • 02/2025: GGES Lab team attended the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME) 2025 SME Annual Conference & Expo, Denver, Colorado.

  • 01/2025: Manuscript accepted for journal publication in Journal of Energy Storage.

  • 12/2024: Manuscript accepted for journal publication in Discover Civil Engineering.

  • 12/2024: Our lab group's work was assigned a podium presentation in the "Earth Retaining Structures" session at the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Geotechnical Frontiers 2025 conference.

  • 11/2024: Dr. Kolawole gave an invited Seminar Talk at the Civil and Environmental Engineering, Case Western Reserve University [Link].

  • 11/2024: Manuscript accepted for journal publication in Results in Engineering.

  • 11/2024: Mary Ngoma received the "Cutting Edge Scholarship" from The Underground Construction Association (UCA) [Link].

  • 10/2024: Dr. Kolawole participated in the NASEM Committee on Geological and Geotechnical Engineering (COGGE)'s Fall 2024 meeting on "Engineering Across Faults"  in Washington DC [Link].

  • 10/2024: Dr. Kolawole attended the NHERI University of California at Davis (UC Davis) Center for Geotechnical Modeling Users' Workshop in Davis, California [Link].

  • 09/2024: GGES Lab welcomes new PhD students to our team [Link].

  • 08/2024: Manuscript accepted for journal publication in Progress in Engineering Science.

  • 08/2024: Dr. Kolawole received a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) - Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E).

  • 07/2024: Dr. Kolawole has joined Springer Nature's Discover Civil Engineering journal as an Editorial Board Member.

  • 07/2024: Manuscript accepted for journal publication in Frontiers in Built Environment.

  • 06/2024: Dr. Kolawole was an invited panelist on “Inclusive Mentorship in Rock Mechanics” at the 58th U.S. Rock Mechanics Symposium in Golden, Colorado. 

  • 06/2024: GGES Lab team attended the 58th U.S. Rock Mechanics Symposium in Golden, Colorado. 

  • 05/2024: Manuscript accepted for journal publication in Biogeotechnics.

  • 05/2024: Manuscript accepted for journal publication in Deep Underground Science and Engineering.

  • 04/2024: Mary Ngoma passed her PhD Dissertation Proposal Exam.

  • 04/2024: Manuscript accepted for journal publication in Rock Mechanics Bulletin.

  • 04/2024: Dr. Kolawole received a grant from the NSF-funded NJIT Center for Translational Research (CTR).

  • 04/2024: Manuscript accepted for journal publication in Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects.

  • 03/2024: Dr. Kolawole gave a guest lecture during his visit to the Department of Geological Engineering, University of Mines and Technology, Ghana.

  • 02/2024: Dr. Kolawole attended the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Geo-Congress 2024, Vancouver, Canada.

  • 01/2024: Dr. Kolawole's interview was published in a recent AAPG Explorer Magazine article on the challenges of CO2 Sequestration.

  • 01/2024: Manuscript accepted for journal publication in Rock Mechanics Bulletin.

  • 12/2023: Manuscript accepted for journal publication in Arabian Journal of Geosciences.

  • 11/2023: Dr. Kolawole attended the Committee on Geological and Geotechnical Engineering (COGGE)'s meeting on Geotechnical Data Management for Enhanced Accessibility and Reusability in Washington DC.

  • 10/2023: Dr. Kolawole attended the 7th International Conference on Engineering Geophysics (ICEG) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

  • 09/2023: Manuscript accepted for journal publication in Greenhouse Gases: Science and Technology.

  • 07/2023: Dr. Kolawole received a research grant from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) as a Co-PI.

  • 07/2023: Manuscript accepted for journal publication in Geoenergy Science and Engineering.

  • 07/2023: Manuscript accepted for journal publication in Rock Mechanics Bulletin.

  • 06/2023: Dr. Kolawole attended the 57th U.S. Rock Mechanics/Geomechanics Symposium in Atlanta, Georgia. 

  • 06/2023: Manuscript accepted for journal publication in Biogeotechnics.

  • 06/2023: Dr. Kolawole attended the Deep Foundations Institute (DFI) SuperPile 2023 Conference in Atlanta, Georgia.

  • 05/2023: Dr. Kolawole gave an invited webinar talk at the American Rock Mechanics Association (ARMA) Future Leaders Webinar Series.

  • 05/2023: Manuscript accepted for journal publication in Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering.

  • 05/2023: Manuscript accepted for journal publication in Case Studies in Construction Materials.

  • 05/2023: GGES Lab member (Larissa Cavalcante) was awarded the NJIT Honors College Langan Grant in Civil and Environmental Engineering.

  • 04/2023: GGES Lab Member (Saad Rehmatullah) was awarded the NJIT Provost Undergraduate Research and Innovation (URI) Summer Fellowship.

  • 04/2023: Dr. Kolawole attended the Carbon, Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) 2023 Conference in Houston, Texas.

  • 04/2023: Manuscript accepted for journal publication in Geoenergy Science and Engineering.

  • 04/2023: Dr. Kolawole attended the 35th Symposium on the Application of Geophysics to Engineering & Environmental Problems (SAGEEP) in New Orleans, Louisiana.

  • 03/2023: Dr. Kolawole and the GGES lab group received a grant from NSF I-Corps.

  • 03/2023: Dr. Kolawole attended the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Geo-Congress 2023, Los Angeles, California.

  • 02/2023: Manuscript accepted for journal publication in Environmental Science: Advances.

  • 02/2023: Dr. Kolawole gave an invited Seminar Talk at the Department of Earth and Environmental Science, Rutgers University - Newark, New Jersey.

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Our research sponsors include:

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Contact Information:
Oladoyin Kolawole
John A. Reif, Jr. Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering

New Jersey Institute of Technology

University Heights, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
E-mail: oladoyin.kolawole@njit.edu

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Copyright ©2025. Geomechanics for Geo-Engineering and Sustainability (GGES) Lab Group

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