Daniel Barreto

Daniel Barreto is a Professor at Edinburgh Napier University, specializing in Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulations and soil mechanics. His research emphasizes particle shape and size distribution effects on granular material behavior, with applications in permeability estimation, liquefaction mitigation, and nature-inspired ground engineering.

• Education: PhD in Soil Mechanics (Imperial College London, 2010), MSc in Soil Mechanics and Engineering Seismology (Imperial, 2005), Civil Engineering (Universidad de los Andes, 2003).
• Research: Focuses on DEM, grading entropy theory, and particle-scale interactions in sand-rubber mixtures, with implications for seismic isolation and sustainable soil stabilization.
• Awards:
  • Royal Academy of Engineering Leverhulme Trust Fellowship
  • COST Action Chair for Open Network on DEM Simulations (ON-DEM)
  • Emeritus Member of Royal Society of Edinburgh Young Academy of Scotland
• Publications: Pioneering studies on DEM-based critical state behavior, particle breakage quantification, and permeability models for granular soils, with a 2023 Transportation Geotechnics paper on hydraulic radius applications.
• Collaborations: Leads ON-DEM, a global network advancing open-source DEM tools, and contributes to interdisciplinary projects involving synthetic root mimics and microbial soil interactions.