Sophie Messerklinger

Sophie Messerklinger is an FH-Professor at the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, affiliated with the Research Center Wels Center of Excellence Energy. She holds a PhD from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich) in Civil Engineering, specializing in deformation behavior of soft clays. Her expertise includes Geotechnical Engineering, Dam Engineering, and Sustainable Infrastructure. She is a member of the Austrian Staubeckenkommission, focusing on dam safety and geotechnical standards.

Her research interests span geotechnical testing, dam engineering, heat storage in underground structures, and environmental sustainability. Notable contributions include studies on heat storage in rock caverns, spiral tunnel economics, and failure analysis of geomembrane dams. She has been recognized with the Young Researcher Fellowship Award in 2003 for computational mechanics research.

Messerklinger actively participates in consultancy (e.g., Verladebahnhof Vorchdorf project) and international conferences, addressing topics like floods, erosion in dam materials, and underground engineering innovations. Her work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals related to infrastructure and climate action.