Dr Ana Heitor is an mid career researcher focused on the research of geotechnical engineering topics, with particular emphasis on the study of the stress strain behaviour of unsaturated compacted materials in the context of transport infrastructure applications (e.g. roads, rail, ports and airports).
Her research achievements have been recognised by a number of awards, including the Australian Geomechanics NSW Research Award and more recently University of Wollongong Women of Impact, IACMAG John Carter Award for young professionals and Churchill Fellowship.
Research interests
She can divide her research into four distinct topics all contributing to the overarching theme of compacted materials behaviour:
1) Impact of climate change in geostrutures with particular reference to transport infrastructure This includes the study of the role of compaction state in the transport substruture materials behaviour and associated performance post-compaction drying and wetting cycles
2) Soil stabilization applied to transport infrastructure for enhancing performance/resiliency against climate change. This includes the use of waste materials such as lignosulfunate and fly ash but also use of bio-mediation and geopolymers as low carbon alternative to more established binders (e.g. lime and cement) and vegetation.
3) Behaviour of compacted waste materials to be used as synthetic fill materials. This includes but not limited to waste materials such as steel slag, coal wash, rubber, fly ash, incineration ash, calcium carbonate waste.
4) Geoenvironmental applications This includes strategies for management of soil acidity (e.g. permeable reactive barriers) and carbon sequestration in soils
She has published more than 60 journal and international conference papers related to the behaviour of compacted materials.
Moreover, She has worked in Construction Industry for 2+ years as a Site Engineer. She has solid experience in quality control/assurance procedures applied to the construction of roads and related structures (e.g. bored piles, embankments, subgrade, pavement, drains, culverts).
