Faculty Profile

Dr. Yan Yu is presently a Professor in the School of Civil Engineering at Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu China. He was awarded a BEng (Major in Civil Engineering and Minor in Computer Science) in 2003 from Tongji University, Shanghai China. Dr. Yu worked as a Research Assistant Engineer (2003-2006) in China prior to moving to Canada in 2006, and was awarded a PhD in 2012 from Queen’s University, Kingston Canada. Before returning to China, he was a Postdoctoral Fellow from 2012-2018 at the GeoEngineering Centre at Queen’s-RMC. Dr. Yu started his academic career at Tongji University as an Associate Professor in 2018 and moved to Southwest Jiaotong University as a Professor in 2019. He has published 33 refereed journal papers and 19 full conference papers. His research has been in the areas of geosynthetics, landfill design, soil and groundwater remediation, probabilistic environmental assessment, and mechanically stabilized earth structures. Dr. Yu’s research has been recognized by many awards including the 2013 Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE) Thomas C. Keefer Medal (Honourable Mention), the 2014 CSCE Donald R. Stanley Award, the 2014 International Congress on Environmental Geotechnics Best Paper Award, the 2019 CSCE Donald R. Stanley Award, the 2021 Geotextiles and Geomembranes Best Paper Award (Honourable Mention), and the 2023 International Geosynthetic Society IGS Award. Dr. Yu is serving on the editorial board of Geotextiles and Geomembranes (IF = 5.2; Associate Editor), Canadian Geotechnical Journal (IF = 3.6; Board Member), and Geosynthetics International (IF = 4.5; Board Member). Dr. Yu is a member of the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, International Geosynthetics Society, Chinese Chapter of the International Geosynthetics Society, and Canadian Geotechnical Society.

Representative Journal Papers (*Corresponding Author):

Yu, Y. and Rowe, R.K.* 2021. Numerical modeling of clogging of landfill leachate collection systems with co-disposal of MSW and incinerator ash. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 58(1): 83–96.

Yu, Y. and Rowe, R.K.* 2020. Geosynthetic liner integrity and stability analysis for a waste containment facility with a preferential slip plane within the liner system. Geotextiles and Geomembranes, 48(5): 634–646. (Best Paper Award Honourable Mention)

Rowe, R.K.* and Yu, Y. 2019. Magnitude and significance of tensile strains in geomembrane landfill liners. Geotextiles and Geomembranes, 47(3): 439–458.

Yu, Y. and Rowe, R.K.* 2018. Modelling deformation and strains induced by waste settlement in a centrifuge test. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 55(8): 1116–1129. (Donald R. Stanley Award from the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering)

Yu, Y., Bathurst, R.J.*, and Allen, T.M. 2017. Numerical modelling of two full-scale reinforced soil wrapped-face walls. Geotextiles and Geomembranes, 45(4): 237–249.

Yu, Y.* and Bathurst, R.J. 2017. Modelling of geosynthetic-reinforced column-supported embankments using 2D full-width model and modified unit cell approach. Geotextiles and Geomembranes, 45(2): 103–120.

Yu, Y., Bathurst, R.J.*, Allen, T.M., and Nelson, R. 2016. Physical and numerical modelling of a geogrid reinforced incremental concrete panel retaining wall. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 53(12): 1883–1901.

Yu, Y., Bathurst, R.J.*, and Allen, T.M. 2016. Numerical modelling of the SR-18 geogrid reinforced modular block retaining walls. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering. 142(5): 04016003.

Rowe, R.K.* and Yu, Y. 2013. A practical technique for estimating service life of MSW leachate collection systems. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 50(2): 165–178. (Donald R. Stanley Award from the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering)

Yu, Y. and Rowe, R.K.* 2012. Modelling leachate-induced clogging of porous media. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 49(8): 877–890. (Thomas C. Keefer Medal Honourable Mention from the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering)