Dr Alessandro Leonardi
Department of Civil and Structural Engineering
Lecturer in Geomechanics
+44 114 222 5782
Full contact details
Department of Civil and Structural Engineering
Room E103a
Sir Frederick Mappin Building (Broad Lane Building)
Mappin Street
Sheffield
S1 3JD
- Profile
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My research uses advanced methods and technology to improve prediction and preparation for natural disasters caused by climate change, making communities safer and more resilient
Dr Alessandro Leonardi
Dr Alessandro Leonardi (he/him) is a scholar in the field of geohazard research, with a PhD from ETH Zurich in Switzerland, which was supported by the prestigious Marie Curie fellowship. His pioneering work is focused on the complex numerical simulation of debris flows, a phenomenon that the conventional separation of geotechnical and hydraulic engineering.
After honing his skills as a consultant in CFD, Alessandro spent four years as a postdoctoral fellow at Politecnico di Torino in Italy, where he led the development of software for assessing hazards in mountainous terrains. His expertise in geohazards, such as landslides, debris flows, and rockfall, has earned him a reputation as one of the foremost experts in his field. In 2021, Alessandro joined our department, where he is leveraging his vast knowledge and experience to improve the reliability of numerical models for geohazards. His ground-breaking research is centred on the development of in-house codes, back-analysis of past events, and the creation of digital twins for monitored sites, using a unique methodology that combines the use of continuum and discrete approaches.
Geohazards are natural events that can pose a significant threat to human life and infrastructure. Unfortunately, the frequency and severity of geohazards are increasing worldwide, and this trend is largely attributed to climate change. With the rise in global temperatures, the UK has been experiencing extreme rainfall events, which can trigger landslides, floods, and other hazardous phenomena. These trends are problematic for the UK as they can cause significant damage to infrastructure, disrupt transportation networks, and lead to loss of life. Dr Leonardi is dedicated to confronting these challenges head-on by working towards mitigating the adverse effects of climate change and increasing the resilience of our communities
- Research interests
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- Rainfall-induced slope instabilities
- Runout of landslides, mudflows and debris flows
- Collapse of tailing dams
- Centrifuge modelling of granular flows
- Design and standardisation of debris-flow barriers
- Development of multiphase models for particle-fluid mixtures
- Tsunami waves generated by landslides
- Mechanical behaviour of frozen soils
- Sediment transport across scales
- Publications
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Show: Featured publications All publications
Featured publications
Journal articles
- Impact of debris flows on filter barriers : analysis based on site monitoring data. Environmental and Engineering Geoscience, 27(2), 195-212. View this article in WRRO
- Coriolis-induced instabilities in centrifuge modeling of granular flow. Granular Matter, 23(2). View this article in WRRO
- Granular flow simulation in a centrifugal acceleration field. Géotechnique, 70(10), 894-905. View this article in WRRO
- Numerical and experimental investigation of saturated granular column collapse in air. Soils and Foundations, 60(3), 683-696. View this article in WRRO
- On the efficiency of slit-check dams in retaining granular flows. Géotechnique, 70(3), 226-237. View this article in WRRO
- Analysis of the load exerted by debris flows on filter barriers : comparison between numerical results and field measurements. Computers and Geotechnics, 118. View this article in WRRO
- The force exerted by granular flows on slit dams. Acta Geotechnica, 14(6), 1949-1963. View this article in WRRO
- Surface and subsurface contributions to the build-up of forces on bed particles. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 851, 558-572. View this article in WRRO
- Large Eddy Simulations of sediment entrainment induced by a lock-exchange gravity current. Advances in Water Resources, 114, 102-118.
- Particle-Fluid-Structure Interaction for Debris Flow Impact on Flexible Barriers. Computer-Aided Civil and Infrastructure Engineering, 31(5), 323-333. View this article in WRRO
- Lattice-Boltzmann Method for Geophysical Plastic Flows, 131-140.
- Coupled DEM-LBM method for the free-surface simulation of heterogeneous suspensions. Computational Particle Mechanics, 1(1), 3-13.
- Granular-front formation in free-surface flow of concentrated suspensions. Physical Review E, 92(5). View this article in WRRO
All publications
Books
- Recent Advances in Modeling Landslides and Debris Flows. Springer International Publishing.
Journal articles
- The impact of debris flow on mitigation structures: a novel depth-averaged and three-dimensional coupled model for the flow dynamic simulation .
- Performance and limits of a geotechnical centrifuge: DEM-LBM simulations of saturated granular column collapse. Granular Matter, 26(2).
- Triggering-runout modelling of rainfall-triggered debris flows: A case study in the Campania region, Italy. E3S Web of Conferences, 415, 01012-01012.
- Coupling Depth-Averaged and 3D numerical models to study debris flow: Saint-Vincent event. E3S Web of Conferences, 415, 02015-02015.
- Debris flow: Simulating the mitigation properties of vegetation. E3S Web of Conferences, 415, 04008-04008.
- Numerical modelling of mudflows impacting settlements: a case study.
- A Physical and Numerical Investigation of Flow–Barrier Interaction for the Design of a Multiple-Barrier System. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 149(1).
- Coupling Depth-Averaged and 3D numerical models for the simulation of granular flows. Computers and Geotechnics, 149, 104879-104879.
- Impact of debris flows on filter barriers : analysis based on site monitoring data. Environmental and Engineering Geoscience, 27(2), 195-212. View this article in WRRO
- Coriolis-induced instabilities in centrifuge modeling of granular flow. Granular Matter, 23(2). View this article in WRRO
- Granular flow simulation in a centrifugal acceleration field. Géotechnique, 70(10), 894-905. View this article in WRRO
- Numerical and experimental investigation of saturated granular column collapse in air. Soils and Foundations, 60(3), 683-696. View this article in WRRO
- On the efficiency of slit-check dams in retaining granular flows. Géotechnique, 70(3), 226-237. View this article in WRRO
- Analysis of the load exerted by debris flows on filter barriers : comparison between numerical results and field measurements. Computers and Geotechnics, 118. View this article in WRRO
- The force exerted by granular flows on slit dams. Acta Geotechnica, 14(6), 1949-1963. View this article in WRRO
- Surface and subsurface contributions to the build-up of forces on bed particles. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 851, 558-572. View this article in WRRO
- The clogging mechanism of debris-flow material in the multiple outlets of sectional barriers. Geoingegneria Ambientale e Mineraria, 153(1), 78-85.
- Large Eddy Simulations of sediment entrainment induced by a lock-exchange gravity current. Advances in Water Resources, 114, 102-118.
- Particle-Fluid-Structure Interaction for Debris Flow Impact on Flexible Barriers. Computer-Aided Civil and Infrastructure Engineering, 31(5), 323-333. View this article in WRRO
- Lattice-Boltzmann Method for Geophysical Plastic Flows, 131-140.
- Coupled DEM-LBM method for the free-surface simulation of heterogeneous suspensions. Computational Particle Mechanics, 1(1), 3-13.
- Time-resolved triggering and runout analysis of rainfall-induced shallow landslides. Acta Geotechnica.
- Granular-front formation in free-surface flow of concentrated suspensions. Physical Review E, 92(5). View this article in WRRO
- Clogging mechanisms of filter barriers against debris-flow hazard.
- Coupling Depth-Averaged and 3D models for debris flow: a multi-domain strategy .
- Debris flow interaction with structures: challenges to traditional load models.
Conference proceedings papers
- Preface. E3S Web of Conferences, Vol. 415
- A Comparative Assessment of Rheological Laws for Mud Flows. Proceedings of the IAHR World Congress (pp 6843-6847)
- Rainfall-triggered debris flows : triggering-propagation modelling and application to an event in Southern Italy. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, Vol. 833(1). Turin, Italy, 20 September 2021 - 25 September 2021. View this article in WRRO
- Comparison of depth-averaged and 3D models for dense granular flows. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, Vol. 833(1). Turin, Italy, 20 September 2021 - 25 September 2021. View this article in WRRO
- Spatial averaging over a variable volume and its implications for simulation of open channel flows over permeable beds. River Flow 2020 - Proceedings of the 10th Conference on Fluvial Hydraulics (pp 13-21)
- Impact load estimation on retention structures with the discrete element method. Debris-Flow Hazards Mitigation: Mechanics, Monitoring, Modeling, and Assessment - Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Debris-Flow Hazards Mitigation (pp 354-360)
- Review of the mechanisms of debris-flow impact against barriers. Debris-Flow Hazards Mitigation: Mechanics, Monitoring, Modeling, and Assessment - Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Debris-Flow Hazards Mitigation (pp 1027-1034)
- Numerical study of debris flows in presence of obstacles and retaining structures: A case study in the Italian Alps. Debris-Flow Hazards Mitigation: Mechanics, Monitoring, Modeling, and Assessment - Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Debris-Flow Hazards Mitigation (pp 1012-1018)
- From depth-averaging to fully three-dimensional modelling of debris-flow dynamics. 17th European Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, ECSMGE 2019 - Proceedings
- Numerical analysis of debris-flow interaction with open barriers. 5th International Conference on Particle-Based Methods - Fundamentals and Applications, PARTICLES 2017 (pp 837-848)
- Coupling of large eddy simulations with the level-set method for flow with moving boundaries. RIVER SEDIMENTATION (pp 267-267)
- Coupling of large eddy simulations with the level-set method for flow with moving boundaries (pp 1315-1321)
- Efficient coupling between a turbulent flow and mobile bed by means of the level-set method and immersed boundaries. Proceedings of the International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference, Vol. 2016-January (pp 1261-1266)
- Multiphase debris flow simulations with the discrete element method coupled with a lattice-boltzmann fluid. Particle-Based Methods III: Fundamentals and Applications - Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Particle-based MethodsFundamentals and Applications, Particles 2013 (pp 276-287)
- Multi-scale numerical modelling of debris flow: coupling 2D and 3D simulation strategies
Preprints
- DEM-LBM insights into unsteady grain-fluid collapses on a geotechnical centrifuge, Research Square Platform LLC.
- Lattice-Boltzmann Method for Geophysical Plastic Flows, arXiv.
- Granular front formation in free-surface flow of concentrated suspensions, arXiv.
- Particle-fluid-structure interaction for debris flow impact on flexible barriers, arXiv.
- Research group
- Grants
- Potential PhD offerings
If you're interested in a PhD project, please contact Alessandro at the above email. Current PhD opportunities in the department can be viewed here.