Wei Wu

Wei Wu is a Full Professor and Head of the Institute of Geotechnical Engineering at BOKU University, within the Department of Structural Engineering and Natural Hazards. He leads research in geomechanics, numerical modeling, and AI applications in geotechnical engineering.

• Doctor of Engineering (Dr.-Ing.), Karlsruhe University, Germany (1986–1993)
• MSc in Geotechnical Engineering, Xian University of Technology, China (1982–1985)
• Bachelor in Civil Engineering, Wuhan University, China (1978–1982)

Professor Wu's research focuses on geomechanics, granular materials, constitutive modeling, and numerical simulations for landslides, debris flows, and tunneling. His work integrates SPH, DEM, and hypoplastic models to simulate complex soil behavior. He also explores soil bioengineering and AI applications in geotechnics. His recent publications emphasize failure mechanisms, uncertainty analysis, and large deformation modeling using advanced computational methods.

His recent articles highlight a strong trend in developing and applying hypoplastic constitutive models combined with meshfree methods (SPH, DEM) for simulating granular flows, landslides, and soil-structure interaction. Research spans from micro-scale particle behavior to macro-scale geohazard modeling, with increasing integration of machine learning and probabilistic frameworks.

• Advanced Grant, European Research Council, 2024
• Gold medal, Technical University of Brno, Czech Republic, 2024

Professor Wu has supervised over 30 PhD and 100 MSc theses. He leads major research projects funded by the European Research Council (ERC), European Commission, and Austrian Science Foundation, including the €2.5M ERC Advanced Grant 'Modeling transient granular flow' (2024–2029). He serves as founding Editor-in-Chief of Acta Geotechnica and leads the Otto Pregl Foundation for Fundamental Geotechnical Research.

He heads the Institute of Geotechnical Engineering at BOKU and co-leads research on AI in Geotechnical Engineering. His team conducts advanced numerical simulations and experimental validations, particularly in landslide dynamics, tunnel stability, and root-reinforced slopes.