Faculty Directory
James Hambleton

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Contact

2145 Sheridan Road
Tech A122
Evanston, IL 60208-3109

Email James Hambleton

Website

Research Group Website

Departments

Civil and Environmental Engineering

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Education

PhD in Civil Engineering (Geomechanics), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA, June 2010

MS in Civil Engineering (Geomechanics), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA, December 2006

Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Structural Engineering), University of Minnesota, USA, August 2005


Biography

Originally from rural Wisconsin, Dr. Hambleton was educated at the University of Minnesota, where he completed B.C.E., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Civil Engineering. His involvement in research started at a young age with an appointment as an Undergraduate Research Assistant in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Minnesota. Between his undergraduate and graduate studies, he also completed an internship at Barr Engineering Company in Minneapolis. After being awarded his Ph.D. in 2010, he joined the Centre for Geotechnical and Materials Modelling at The University of Newcastle, Australia, first as a Post-doctoral Research Associate (Lecturer) and then as a Research Academic (Senior Lecturer). In the latter role, he was a key member and collaborator within the ARC Centre of Excellence for Geotechnical Science and Engineering (CGSE), a joint initiative between The University of Newcastle, The University of Western Australia, the University of Wollongong, and various industry partners. He joined the Faculty in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Northwestern University in October 2016.

Research Interests

My main research interests are in computational plasticity, geotechnical analysis, contact mechanics, soil-machine interaction, and the analysis of problems involving unsteady plastic flow. I have broad interests ranging from fundamental research (e.g., mechanics of geomaterials) to applications (e.g., foundation design and in situ testing). A major focal point of my work over the coming years is to advance the understanding of how soils are moved and shaped through interaction with man-made objects and machinery. The overarching goal of these activities is to develop rigorous, mechanics-based models for predicting soil deformation and the corresponding force requirements or reactions. From a theoretical perspective, problems involving soil-machine interaction pose a tremendous challenge due to the confluence of unsteady plastic flow, potentially three-dimensional deformation, contact interaction, material instabilities, and rate effects from inertial forces and hydromechanical coupling (for saturated or partially saturated soils). This work endeavors to discover new modelling paradigms to help establish accurate, robust, and efficient computational methods. From a practical viewpoint, the scale of operations involving soil-machine interaction across the face of the Earth is difficult to fathom. For housing excavations, mineral production, and road building alone, each individual moves several tons of earth each year when distributed evenly across the world’s population. Breakthroughs in understanding will therefore have profound long-term effects with respect to reducing costs and production times, as well as mitigating consumption and pollution.


Significant Recognition

  • 2015, Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Early Career Researcher Award
  • 2014, New Faces of Civil Engineering Honoree, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
  • 2014, Excellent Paper Award, International Association for Computer Methods and Advances in Geomechanics
  • 2010, Neville G. W. Cook Award for Innovative Research in Geomechanics
  • 2005, Simon and Claire Benson Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Achievement

Significant Professional Service

  • 2016, National Committee Member, Australian Geomechanics Society
  • 2014 - 2016, Elected Member, Faculty Board, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, The University of Newcastle
  • 2014 - 2015, Chair, Australian Geomechanics Society Newcastle Chapter
  • 2010 - 2013, Young Geotechnical Professional Representative, Australian Geomechanics Society Newcastle Chapter
  • 2007 - 2009, Committee Member, Classroom Advisory Subcommittee, University Senate, University of Minnesota

Selected Publications

E1.     Hambleton, J. P., Makhnenko, R., & Budge, A. S. (Eds.). (2020). Geo-Congress 2020: Foundations, Soil Improvement, and Erosion. GSP 315. Reston, VA: ASCE.

https://ascelibrary.org/doi/book/10.1061/9780784482780

E2.     Hambleton, J. P., Makhnenko, R., & Budge, A. S. (Eds.). (2020). Geo-Congress 2020: Engineering, Monitoring, and Management of Geotechnical Infrastructure. GSP 316. Reston, VA: ASCE.

https://ascelibrary.org/doi/book/10.1061/9780784482797

E3.     Hambleton, J. P., Makhnenko, R., & Budge, A. S. (Eds.). (2020). Geo-Congress 2020: Modeling, Geomaterials, and Site Characterization. GSP 317. Reston, VA: ASCE.

https://ascelibrary.org/doi/book/10.1061/9780784482803

E4.     Hambleton, J. P., Makhnenko, R., & Budge, A. S. (Eds.). (2020). Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering and Special Topics. GSP 318. Reston, VA: ASCE.

https://ascelibrary.org/doi/book/10.1061/9780784482810

E5.     Hambleton, J. P., Makhnenko, R., & Budge, A. S. (Eds.). (2020). Geo-Congress 2020: Geo-Systems, Sustainability, Geoenvironmental Engineering, and Unsaturated Soil Mechanics. GSP 319. Reston, VA: ASCE.

https://ascelibrary.org/doi/book/10.1061/9780784482827

E6.     Kavazanjian, E., Hambleton, J. P., Makhnenko, R., & Budge, A. S. (Eds.). (2020). Geo-Congress 2020: Biogeotechnics. GSP 320. Reston, VA: ASCE.

https://ascelibrary.org/doi/book/10.1061/9780784482834

E7.     Labuz, J. F., Theroux, B. A., Hambleton, J. P., Makhnenko, R., & Budge, A. S. (Eds.). (2020).

Geo-Congress 2020: University of Minnesota 68th Annual Geotechnical Engineering Conference. GSP 321. Reston, VA: ASCE. https://ascelibrary.org/doi/book/10.1061/9780784482841


B1.      Munoz, J. J., Hambleton, J. P., & Sloan, S. W. (2018). R-adaptivity in limit analysis. In O. Barrera, A. Cocks & A. Ponter (Eds.), Advances in Direct Methods for Materials and Structures (pp. 73-84). New York: Springer.


J1.       Shi, Z., Huang, M., & Hambleton, J. P. (2021). Possibilities and limitations of the sequential kinematic method for simulating evolutionary plasticity problems. Computers and Geotechnics, 140, 104449.

J2.       Shi, Z., Muir Wood, D., Huang, M., & Hambleton, J. P. (2021). Tay Creep: A multi-mechanism model for rate-dependent deformation of soils. Géotechnique, (accepted). https://doi.org/10.1680/jgeot.21.00084

J3.       Martinez, A., DeJong, J., Akin, I., Aleali, A., Arson, C., Atkinson, J., Bandini, P., Baser, T., Borela, R., Boulanger, R., Burrall, M., Chen, Y., Collins, C., Cortes, D., Dai, S., DeJong, T., Del Dottore, E., Dorgan, K., Fragaszy, R., Frost, J. D., Full, R., Ghayoomi, M., Goldman, D, Gravish, N., Guzman, I., Hambleton, J., Hawkes, E., Helms, M., Hu, D., Huang, L., Huang, S., Hunt, C., Irschick, D., Lin, H., Lingwall, B., Marr, A., Mazzolai, B., McInroe, B., Murthy, T., O'Hara, K., Porter, M., Sadek, S., Sanchez, M., Santamarina, C., Shao, L., Sharp, J., Stuart, H., Henning Stutz, H., Summers, A., Tao, J., Tolley, M., Treers, L., Turnbull, K., Valdes, R., van Passen, L., Viggiani, G., Wilson, D., Wu, W., Yu, X., Zheng, J. (2021). Bio-inspired geotechnical engineering: Principles, current work, opportunities and challenges. Géotechnique, (accepted). https://doi.org/10.1680/jgeot.20.P.170

J4.       Shi, Z., & Hambleton, J. P. (2020). An r-h adaptive kinematic approach for 3D limit analysis. Computers and Geotechnics, 124, 103531.

J5.       Shi, Z., Hambleton, J. P., & Buscarnera, G. (2019). Bounding surface elasto-viscoplasticity: A general constitutive framework for rate-dependent geomaterials. Journal of Engineering Mechanics, 145(3), 04019002. (Editor’s Choice)

J6.       Zhao, L., Gaudin, C., O’Loughlin, C. D., Hambleton, J. P., Cassidy, M. J., & Herduin, M. (2019). Suction caisson capacity in sand under inclined loading. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 145(2), 04018107.

J7.       Jin, Z., Li, W., Jin, C., Hambleton, J. P., & Cusatis, G. (2018). Anisotropic elastic, strength, and fracture properties of Marcellus shale. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 109, 124-137.

J8.       Hambleton, J. P., & Stanier, S. A. (2017). Predicting wheel forces using bearing capacity theory for general planar loads. International Journal of Vehicle Performance, 3(1), 71-88. (Invited for special issue on “Mobility of Off-Road Vehicles”)

J9.       Stanier, S. A., Dijkstra, J., Leśniewska, D., Hambleton, J. P., White, D. J., & Muir Wood, D. (2016). Vermiculate artefacts in image analysis of granular materials. Computers and Geotechnics, 72, 100-113.

J10.    Hambleton, J. P., Sloan, S. W. (2016). A simplified kinematic method for 3D limit analysis. Applied Mechanics and Materials, 846, 342-347.

J11.    Suchowerska, A. M., Carter, J. P., & Hambleton, J. P. (2016). Geomechanics of subsidence above single and multi-seam coal mining. Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, 8(3), 304-313.

J12.    Yu, S. B., Hambleton, J. P., & Sloan, S. W. (2015). Undrained uplift capacity of deeply embedded strip anchors in non-uniform soil. Computers and Geotechnics, 70, 41-49.

J13.    Hambleton, J. P., Stanier, S. A., White, D. J., & Sloan, S. W. (2014). Modelling ploughing and cutting processes in soils. Australian Geomechanics, 49(4), 147-156.

J14.    Hambleton, J. P., Stanier, S. A., Gaudin, C., & Todeshkejoei, K. (2014). Analysis of installation forces for helical piles in clay. Australian Geomechanics, 49(4), 73-79.

J15.    Gaudin, C., O’Loughlin, C. D., Randolph, M. F., Cassidy, M. J., Wang, D., Tian, Y., Hambleton, J. P., & Merifield, R. S. (2014). Advances in offshore and onshore anchoring solutions. Australian Geomechanics, 49(4), 59-71.

J16.    Yu, S. B., Hambleton, J. P., & Sloan, S. W. (2014). Analysis of inclined strip anchors in sand based on the block set mechanism. Applied Mechanics and Materials, 553, 422-427.

J17.    Hambleton, J. P., & Sloan, S. W. (2013). A perturbation method for optimization of rigid block mechanisms in the kinematic method of limit analysis. Computers and Geotechnics, 48, 260-271.

J18.    Hambleton, J. P., Buzzi, O., Giacomini, A., Spadari, M., & Sloan, S. W. (2013). Perforation of flexible rockfall barriers by normal block impact. Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, 46(3), 515-526. (Invited paper, 1 of 14, 46th US Rock Mechanics/Geomechanics Symposium)

J19.    Hambleton, J. P., & Drescher, A. (2012). Approximate model for blunt objects indenting cohesive-frictional materials. International Journal for Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics, 36(3), 249-271. (Excellent Paper Award, International Association for Computer Methods and Advances in Geomechanics)

J20.    Spadari, M., Giacomini, A., Buzzi, O., & Hambleton, J. P. (2012). Prediction of the bullet effect for rockfall barriers: a scaling approach. Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, 45(2), 131-144.

J21.    Abbo, A. J., Lyamin, A. V., Sloan, S. W., & Hambleton, J. P. (2011). A C2 continuous approximation to the Mohr–Coulomb yield surface. International Journal of Solids and Structures, 48(21), 3001-3010.

J22.    Hambleton, J. P., & Drescher, A. (2009). On modeling a rolling wheel in the presence of plastic deformation as a three- or two-dimensional process. International Journal of Mechanical Sciences, 51(11-12), 846-855.

J23.    Hambleton, J. P., & Drescher, A. (2009). Modeling wheel-induced rutting in soils: Rolling. Journal of Terramechanics, 46(2), 35-47.

J24.    Hambleton, J. P., & Drescher, A. (2008). Modeling wheel-induced rutting in soils: Indentation. Journal of Terramechanics, 45(6), 201-211.


C1.     Nally, A., Hambleton, J. P., & Küçükyavuz, S. (2022). Optimal test methods for determining material parameters. Proc. 20th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Sydney, Australia, May 1-5, 2022, (accepted).

C2.     Lee, H., Ponkshe, N., Hambleton, J. P., & Van de Ven, J. D. (2022). Characterization of mechanical properties of a synthetic modeling clay used as a substitute for natural soils. Proc. Geo-Congress 2022, Charlotte, NC, USA, March 20-23, (accepted).

C3.     Yang, Q., & Hambleton, J. P. (2021). Data-driven modeling of granular column collapse. Proc. Geo-Extreme 2021, Savannah, GA, USA, November 7-10, pp. 79-88.

C4.     Hambleton, J. P., & Stanier, S. A. (2019). Linking the installation response of screw piles to soil strength and ultimate capacity. Proc. 44th Annual Conference on Deep Foundations, Chicago, October 15-18, pp. 638-647.

C5.     Nally, A., & Hambleton, J. P. (2019). Assessment of analysis techniques for multi-plate anchors in sand. Proc. 44th Annual Conference on Deep Foundations, Chicago, October 15-18, pp. 341-350.

C6.     Nally, A., Shi, Z., & Hambleton, J. P. (2019). Optimal deformation modes for estimating soils properties. Proc. GeoCongress 2019, Philadelphia, USA, March 24-27, pp. 541-550.

C7.     Jin, Z., & Hambleton, J. P. (2019). Simulation of the cutting process in softening and hardening soils. Proc. GeoCongress 2019, Philadelphia, USA, March 24-27, pp. 11-19.

C8.     Hambleton, J. P. (2017). Earthmoving through the lens of geotechnical engineering. Proc. 6th International Young Geotechnical Engineers’ Conference (iYGEC6), Seoul, Korea, Sept. 17-22, pp. 88-89. (iYGEC6 Best Paper Award)

C9.     Graham, D., Shi, Z., Hambleton, J. P., & Kouretzis, G. K. (2017). Limit loads for pipelines and cylinders partially embedded in frictional materials, Proc. 51st US Rock Mechanics/Geomechanics Symposium, San Francisco, USA, June 25-28. Paper No. ARMA-2017-0897.

C10.  Herduin, M., Gaudin, C., Cassidy, M., O'Loughlin, C., & Hambleton, J. P. (2016). Multi-directional load cases on shared anchors for arrays of floating structures, Proc. 3rd Asian Wave and Tidal Energy Conference, Singapore, Oct. 24-28.

C11.  Todeshkejoei, C,. Hambleton, J. P., Stanier, S. A., & Gaudin, C. (2014). Modelling installation of helical anchors in clay. Proc. 14th International Conference of the International Association for Computer Methods and Advances in Geomechanics, Kyoto, Japan, Sept. 22-25, pp. 917-922.

C12.  Kashizadeh, E., Hambleton, J. P., & Stanier, S. A. (2014). A numerical approach for modelling the ploughing process in sands. Proc. 14th International Conference of the International Association for Computer Methods and Advances in Geomechanics, Kyoto, Japan, Sept. 22-25, pp. 159-164.

C13.  Suchowerska, A. M., Carter, J. P., & Hambleton, J. P. (2014). Prediction of roof collapse for rectangular underground openings. Proc. AusRock 2014: Third Australasian Ground Control in Mining Conference, Sydney, Australia, Nov. 5-6, pp. 367-374.

C14.  Suchowerska, A. M., Carter, J. P., Hambleton, J. P., & Merifield, R. M. (2014). Effect of constitutive behaviour of strata on the prediction of subsidence above single-seam and multi-seam supercritical longwall panels. Proc. 9th Triennial Conference on Mine Subsidence, Pokolbin, Australia, May 11-13, Vol. 1, pp. 149-168.

C15.  Hambleton, J. P., Buzzi, O., Giacomini, A., Spadari, M., & Sloan, S. W. (2012). Perforation of rockfall protection barriers by normal block impact. Proc. 46th US Rock Mechanics/Geomechanics Symposium, Chicago, USA, June 24-27, Vol. 2, pp. 1413-1419.

C16.  Hambleton, J.P., & Sloan, S.W. (2011). Coordinate perturbation method for upper bound limit analysis. Proc. 2nd International Symposium on Computational Geomechanics, Cavtat-Dubrovnik, Croatia, Apr. 27-29, pp. 373-384.

C17.  Hambleton, J. P., Sloan, S. W., Pyatigorets, A. V., & Voller, V. R. (2011). Lower bound limit analysis using the Control Volume Finite Element Method. Proc. 13th International Conference of the International Association for Computer Methods and Advances in Geomechanics, Melbourne, Australia, May 9-11, Vol. 1, pp. 88-93.

C18.  Drescher, A., & Hambleton, J. P. (2010). Geotechnics and Terramechanics. Proc. UMN 58th Annual Geotechnical Engineering Conference, St. Paul, USA, Feb. 26, pp. 23-31.

C19.  Hambleton, J. P., & Drescher, A. (2009). Asymptotics in soil-wheel interaction. Proc. International Symposium on Computational Geomechanics, Juan-les-Pin, France, Apr. 29-May 1, pp. 967-976.

C20.  Hambleton, J. P., & Drescher, A. (2008). Soil damage models for off-road vehicles. Proc. Geocongress 2008, Geosustainability and Geohazard Mitigation, New Orleans, USA, Mar. 9-12, ASCE Geotechnical Special Publication No. 178, pp. 562-569.

C21.  Hambleton, J. P., & Drescher, A. (2008). Mechanistic approach for relating test roller penetration to mechanical properties of bases and subgrades. Transportation Research Board 87th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers, Washington, D.C., USA, Jan. 13-17.

C22.  Hambleton, J. P., & Drescher, A. (2007). Modeling test rolling on cohesive subgrades. Proc. International Conference on Advanced Characterisation of Pavement and Soil Engineering Materials, Athens, Greece, June 20-22, Vol. 1, pp. 359-368.

C23.  Eggen, M., Hambleton, J. P., Mantell, S. C., & Davidson, J. H. (2005). Mechanical behavior of random fiber composite perforated plates. Proc. American Society for Composites 20th Technical Conference, Philadelphia, USA, Sept. 7-9, pp. 84-96.