Mahdi TaiebatView profile
Professor
Dr. Mahdi Taiebat is a Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of British Columbia (UBC), affiliated with the Faculty of Applied Science. He specializes in theoretical and computational geomechanics, constitutive modeling, granular materials mechanics, and geotechnical earthquake engineering. His research addresses challenges at the intersection of engineering, physics, and applied mathematics. He leads the Theoretical & Applied Geomechanics (TAG) research group and has co-authored over 150 scientific papers. Educations: B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Civil Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Iran (2001, 2003) Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, University of California, Davis, USA (2008) Research Interests: Theoretical and computational geomechanics Constitutive modeling of engineering materials Physics and mechanics of granular materials Geotechnical earthquake engineering Static and dynamic soil-structure interaction Awards & Honors: Norman Medal (ASCE, 2012) Discovery Accelerator Supplement (NSERC, 2015) Professor Appreciation Award (UBC Civil Engineering Undergraduate Student Club, 2011) Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (2008-2009) His work includes advising graduate students on geomechanics and geotechnical earthquake engineering, with emphasis on programming skills (C++, Fortran, Python) and competency in solid/fluid mechanics. The TAG group focuses on advanced numerical methods and experimental validation, collaborating internationally on projects like the LEAP initiative. His research spans constitutive model development (e.g., SANISAND/SANICLAY), seismic site response analysis, and liquefaction mitigation strategies.











