Hannah Keese is a doctoral candidate at the Institute of Geotechnics. As part of her research project, she spent four weeks at the Department of Civil Engineering at Aalto University in Espoo, Finland, in 2024.

Your research topic briefly explained: What is it about and what makes it so exciting for you?

I am doing my doctorate in geotechnical engineering at the Professorship for Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering. In order to make bank protections on federal waterways more environmentally friendly in the future, there are considerations to use plants instead of the previous stone layers. Since the plants offer little stability and load in the beginning, the soil will behave differently than under the previous structures, and we want to understand how. The Federal Waterways Engineering and Research Institute (BAW) has conducted pilot-scale experiments to gain a better understanding of the liquefaction process. This process involves a phase change, and the soil then behaves fluid-like instead of solid-like. The aim of my doctorate is to develop a physical-mathematical model that is capable of describing this phase change and the experiments carried out. By combining different components, we understand what is important for the process and at the same time make the process accessible in a computer model.

What did your stay abroad bring to your PhD project?

During my four-week stay in Finland, the focus was on the question whether the soil in the model could be simplified as a monodisperse structure (a single particle size) or whether the actual particle size distribution had to be represented. I used my stay to carry out numerical investigations, study literature und discuss with the professor, postdocs and doctoral students on site. I particularly remember these discussions– when you move away from your familiar surroundings, you can gain completely new insights. The researchers on site approached my question in different ways and asked me questions from perspectives I had not previously considered.

What did you gain personally?

It can be so easy to get in touch! When I was considering going to Finland for a research stay, I simply wrote an email to the professor on site and he replied within two days. Less than two weeks later, we had an online meeting with my professor here and afterwards the plan was set. I was surprised that it was so straightforward! I originally wanted to go to Finland for four months and applied for a scholarship. Unfortunately, I received a rejection at such short notice that the trip had to be cancelled. However, after consulting with the professor at Aalto University and our International Office, an opportunity arose through Erasmus for a one-month stay. It was worth not giving up right away! Even though the stay was shorter than originally planned, I wouldn’t want to have missed out on the experience!