Alessandro Leonardi

Dr. Alessandro Leonardi is a Senior Lecturer in Geomechanics at the University of Sheffield's Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, within the School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering. He holds a PhD from ETH Zurich, completed with support from a Marie Curie Fellowship, and previously served as a postdoctoral fellow at Politecnico di Torino where he led software development for mountain hazard assessment.

His research focuses on:

• Numerical modelling of multiphase particle-fluid interactions using DEM-LBM coupling
• Geohazard prediction including landslides, debris flows, and submarine mass movements
• Climate-resilient infrastructure through physical modeling and smart mitigation structures

Recent publications demonstrate strong emphasis on multiscale simulation frameworks, geotechnical centrifuges, and barrier interaction dynamics, with consistent applications to climate adaptation challenges. His HYBIRD simulation tool development represents significant innovation in multiphase flow analysis.

Awards:
Marie Curie Fellowship for doctoral research at ETH Zurich

Research Leadership:
Leads the HYBIRD simulation tool development initiative and supervises PhD candidates including Hanpeng Chen and Hannah Nichols. Collaborates extensively with the Geotechnical Engineering Group and Geotechnical Centrifuge facility.