Dr Abbas Taheri

Biography/ Background

Dr Abbas Taheri has over ten years of industry, research and teaching experience in the field of mining engineering, rock mechanics and geotechnical engineering.

Abbas earned his bachelor and MSc degrees in mining engineering (1999) and rock mechanics engineering (2002) from Amir-Kabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnics). Since 2002, he was engaged in several mining development and civil engineering projects in Iran as a consulting engineer for more than 3 years.

In 2005 Abbas obtained a scholarship from Japan government (Monbukagakusho) and earned a Ph.D. in geotechnical engineering from Yokohama National University in 2008. As his Ph.D research work he studied on shear strength and deformability properties of rock masses. He successfully developed an in-situ triaxial testing system. Abbas's PhD research work has been awarded a runner up certificate of "Rocha Medal 2010" from International Society of Rock Mechanics (ISRM).

In 2008 he awarded a postdoctoral fellowship from Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and joined Tokyo University of Science. Abbas undertook a comprehensive research on properties of geomaterials using some advanced laboratory testing methods and simulation techniques. In November 2011 he joined the University of Adelaide as a lecturer.

Education

• PhD (Civil - Geotechnical Engineering) - Yokohama National University, Japan (2008)
• MSc (Rock Mechanics) - Amir Kabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnics), Iran (2002)
• BSc (Mining Engineering) - Amir Kabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnics), Iran (1999)

Employment history

• 2011-present          Lecturer, The University of Adelaide
• 2008-2011              Postdoctoral Fellow, Tokyo University of Science
• 2005-2008              PhD Candidate, Yokohama National University
• 2003-2005              Geotechnical Engineer, ZAFA Consulting Engineers
• 2001-2003              Rock Mechanics Engineer, Iran Itok Consulting Engineers

Awards & Achievements

• Runner-up certificate award for the PhD Thesis from International Society for Rock Mechanics (2010) (click here)
• Postdoctoral fellowship award from Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) (2008-2010)
• PhD scholarship from Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Monbukagakusho) of Japan (2005-2008)
• Top student with highest honors in MSc (2002)
• The third rank in M.Sc. entrance exam in Iran (1999)
• The Second rank student in BSc (1999)

Teaching Interests

• MINING 3072 Mining Geomechanics
• MINING 4102 Mine Geotechnical Engineering
• MINING 3069 Rock Breakage
• MINING 4112 Advanced Mine Geotechnical Engineering

Research Interests

• Laboratory Testing Methods for Geomaterials,
• Drilling Performance in Deep Drilling,
• Advanced Field Testing Methods,
• Rock Mass Characterization,
• Site Investigation,
• Soil Improvement Methods,
• Slope Stability and Design,
• Underground Opening stability and Design,
• Mechanized Tunnelling.

Research Funding

2011-2013: University of Adelaide Grant; $10,000; A. Taheri; Study on shear strength, deformability and drillability properties of rock mass by site investigations and laboratory testing.

2008-2010: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Grant; $150,000; A. Taheri, F. Tatsuoka; Study on time-dependant properties of soft rocks for deep underground repositories and openings.

Publications

Journal Papers

Taheri A, Tani K. Developing a damage model to simulate multiple-step loading triaxial compression test in rocks. Geotechnical and Geological Engineering, 2013, 31(2) 541-556 (click here).

Taheri A, Tatsuoka F. Primary stress-strain relations inferred from multiple-step triaxial compression test results. Soils and Foundations, 2012, 52(4) 748-766 (click here).

Taheri A, Sasaki Y, Tatsuoka F, Watanabe, K. Strength and deformation characteristics of cemented-mixed gravelly soil in multiple-step triaxial compression. Soils and Foundations, 2012, 52(1): 126-145 (click here).

Taheri A, Tani K. Assessment of the Stability of rock slopes by the slope stability rating classification system. Rock Mech & Rock Eng, 2010, 43, pp 321-333 (click here).

Taheri A, Tani K. Characterization of a sedimentary soft rock by a small in-situ triaxial test. Geotechnical and Geological Engineering, 2010, 28, pp 241-249 (click here).

Taheri A, Tani K. Use of down-hole triaxial testing apparatus to estimate the mechanical properties of heterogeneous mudstone. Int J Rock Mech & Min Sci, 2008, 45(8), pp 1390-1402 (click here).

Taheri A, Tani K. Developing of an apparatus for down-hole triaxial tests in a rock mass. Int J Rock Mech & Min Sci, 2008, 45(5), pp 800-806 (click here).

 

Refereed Conference Papers

Taheri A, Chanda E. Effects of cyclic loading on pre-peak and post-peak behaviour of a brittle rock, First International Conference on Rock Dynamics and Applications, 2013 [in press]

Taheri A, Design of rock slopes using SSR classification system. International Conference on Ground Improvement and Ground Control, (ICGI 2012), 1409-1414.

Taheri A, Tatsuoka F. Effect of apparatus response on small-strain stiffness of a cement-treated soil. 11th Australia - New Zealand Conference on Geomechanics, 2012, 889-894.

Taheri A, Tatsuoka F. Study on variations of stiffness during multiple-step loading test on a cement-mixed gravel. 11th Australia - New Zealand Conference on Geomechanics, 2012, 1455-1460.

Taheri Ali, Taheri Abbas. Study on gypsum distribution in alluvial deposits in Esfahan city region, central Iran, 5th Asian-Pacific Conference on Unsaturated Soils, Thailand, 2012, 6p.

Taheri A, Sasaki Y, Tatsuoka F. Effects of cyclic pre-shearing on the stress-strain behaviour of cemented-mixed gravel. 5th International Symposium for Deformation of Geomaterials, South Korea, 2011, 334-341.

Taheri A, Tatsuoka F. Damage on the stress-strain behaviour of cement-mixed gravel by unloading. 46th Japan Geotechnical Society Conference (JGS), 2011, 623-624.

Ezaoui A, Tatsuoka F, Taheri A, Sasaki Y, Furusawa S, Arakawa K. Size effects on the strength properties of low cement-mixed granular soils. 46th Japan Geotechnical Society Conference (JGS), 2011, 629-630.

Taheri A, Tani K. In-situ triaxial test procedure for rock masses - Apparatus description and testing procedure. The 3rd International Conference on Geotechnical Engineering for disaster mitigation and rehabilitation, Indonesia, 2011, 475-480.

Taheri A, Sasaki Y, Tatsuoka F. Effect of stress history on mechanical properties of an artificial rock in multiple-step loading test. 6th Asian Rock Mechanics Symposium, India, 2010, 9p.

Taheri A, Sasaki Y, Maeda Y, Tatsuoka F. Small strain-stiffness of cement-mixed gravel during various loading histories. 45th Japan Geotechnical Society Conference (JGS), 2010, 413-414.

Sasaki Y, Taguchi Y, Higawara M, Maeda Y, Ezoui A, Taheri A, Kiyota T, Tatsuoka F. Effect of the amount of added cement on the development of quasi-elastic stress area of cement-mixed gravelly soil. 45th Japan Geotechnical Society Conference (JGS), 2010, 417-418.

Tani K, Taheri A. Applicability of multiple-step loading triaxial compression test evaluated by numerical simulation using a new damage model. 39th Japan National Symposium on Rock Mechanics, 2010, 6p (in Japanese).

Taheri A, Tani K. Developing a generalized multiple-step loading damage model to predict rock behaviour during multiple-step loading triaxial compression test. 17th International Conference on Soil Mechanics & Geotechnical Engineering, Egypt, 2009, 429-432.

Taheri A. Stability analyses of earth cuts for cut & cover tunnels - limit analysis versus limit equilibrium method. 44th Japan Geotechnical Society Conference (JGS), 2009, 793-794.

Taheri A, Tani K. Simulation of multiple-step loading triaxial compression test on a mudstone by a new damage model. International Symposium on Rock Mechanics, SINOROCK 2009, Hong Kong, 298-305.

Taheri A, Tani K. Proposal of a new multiple-step loading triaxial compression testing method. 5th Asian Rock Mechanics Symposium, Iran, 2008, 517-524.

Taheri A, Tani K. Study on stiffness of a mudstone in multiple-step loading triaxial compression test. 43rd Japan Geotechnical Society Conference (JGS), 2008, 491-492.

Taheri A, Tani K. Characterization of a mudstone in a deep underground cavern - comparison of full-scale behaviour and field and laboratory tests. 3rd International Site Characterization Conference, Taiwan, 2008, 529-535.

Tani K, Taheri A, Okada T. In-situ triaxial test method in shallow and deep ground, 4th International Symposium on Deformation Characteristics of Geomaterials, IS-Atlanta 2008, Vol.2, 869-874.

Taheri A, Tani K. Characterization of sedimentary soft rock by small down-hole triaxial test. 1st Sri Lankan Geotechnical Society International Conference, Sri Lanka, 2007, 8p.

Taheri A, Tani K. Rock slope design using slope stability rating (SSR) - Application and field verification. 1st Canada-U.S. Rock Mechanics Symposium, Canada, 2007, 215-221.

Taheri A, Tani K. Improvements in down-hole triaxial testing system. 42nd Japan Geotechnical Society Conference (JGS), 2007, 942-943.

Taheri Abbas, Taheri Ali, Tani K. Characterization and stabilization of an unstable railway cut slope in marl- A case study. 1st North American Landslide Conference, 2007, USA, 1879-1887.

Ikenoya T, Taheri A, Kaneko S, Tani K. Application of small in-situ triaxial test equipment on a homogeneous sedimentary soft rock. 36th Japan National Symposium on Rock Mechanics, 2007, 407-412 (In Japanese).

Taheri Abbas, Taheri Ali, Tani K. A modified rock mass classification system for preliminary design of rock slopes. 4th Asian Rock Mechanics Symposium, Singapore, 2006, 8p.

Taheri Abbas, Taheri Ali. A rating system for preliminary design of rock slopes. 41st Japan Geotechnical Society Conference (JGS), 2006, 2245-2246.

Taheri A, Shamsi H. Estimation the advance rate of TBM in Dashte-Zahab tunnel project. 4th Iranian Conference on Engineering Geology and the Environment. 2006, 687-699 (in Persian).

Taheri Abbas, Taheri Ali, Rafia F, Najm K. A rock mass classification System for design of rock slopes in Iran. 4th Iranian Conference on Engineering Geology and the Environment. 2006, 74-89 (in Persian).

Taheri Abbas, Taheri Ali. Stability analysis of cut & cover tunnels in Esfahan city region. 3rd Iranian Conference of engineering geology and environment, 2003, 282 -289 (in Persian).

Taheri Abbas, Taheri Ali. Determination of discontinuity surfaces shear strength parameters by back analysis method in Gole-Gohar mine. 1st Iranian Conference of Mining Engineering Students, 1999, 150-157, (in Persian).

 

Book Chapter

Taheri A, “Design of Rock Slopes Using Classification Systems” in “Advances in Engineering Research, Volume 2” Nova Science Publishers, Inc. 2012 pp.453-488 (click here) [In press]

 

Miscellaneous Sientific Activities

Advance method in rock mass testing & characterization-In-situ triaxial test on rock mass. Scientific Seminar for Iranian Society of Rock Mechanics, (2006)

Member of the Scientific Committee of rock slope design regulations for open pit mines in Iran, (2004-2005)

Member of the Scientific and Executive Committee of 3rd Iranian Mining Engineering Students Conference, Amir Kabir University of Technology, (2002)

Taheri Abbas, Taheri Ali. Shield tunnelling and criteria for selecting shield tunnelling systems, Workshop on Mechanical Excavation, Tunneling & Microtunneling, 5th Iranian Tunneling Conference, 2001, Oct.27-28th.

Research-Assistant of Geotechnical Engineering Lecture (Undergraduate Level), other educational classes and short seminars, (1999-2001)

 

Experiences as a Consulting Engineer:

Mining projects (13 open-pit mines):

Geotechnical investigations and design for 13 open pit mines, including:

• Reviewing of the Geotechnical investigation plan, allocation of borings, logging the cores, sample selection for rock mechanics testing,
• Development of test procedures for rock mechanic testing,
• Analysis of laboratory and field tests and joint study results for different geotechnical zones,
• Geotechnical interpretation and analysis,
• Preparation of the Geotechnical reports,
• Slope design study including structurally geotechnical review, kinematic and rock mass analysis and propose stable excavation angles for each open pit mine,
• Back analysis and remedial design for slope failures.

Tunnel engineering projects (3 long tunnels):

• Feasibility study for construction methodology,
• Geotechnical investigation and analyses,
• Selection of TBMs and Shield machines and propose machine specifications,
• Design TBM starting and disassembling chamber,
• Design of earth cuts and temporary support for tunnels using rock bolts, shotcrete and steel ribs,
• Design of instrumentation and monitoring system during excavation,
• Design and specification of tunnelling method, preparation of the construction methodology, and excavation and support sequences,
• Analysis of tunnelling machines performance and advance rates.

Subway construction projects (2 projects):

• Geotechnical analysis of the ground conditions, including preparation of profiles and study of soil and rock mass properties,
• Method selection between cut and cover versus mined tunnels,
• Selection of the soft ground machines suitable to the type of soil encountered at the site and sizing of the tunnels (single VS double tube),
• Analysis of machine performance and advance rates as well as support design,
• Geotechnical investigations and designs for two open cut stations.

A hydropower construction project:

• Geotechnical investigations,
• Back analysis of a failed slope and design of support system.

A highway construction project:

• Review and approval of geotechnical investigations,
• Designs of the earth cuts.

Building construction projects (4 projects):

• Field testing and analyzing of results,
• Core logging,
• Stability analysis and design of earth cuts.

Entry last updated: Sunday, 14 Apr 2013