02 June 2020
Next month, the 16th International Conference of IACMAG was supposed to be held. Sadly, the COVID-19 situation has forced the organisation to postpone the conference to May 2021. I was supposed to present my paper there on the application of local and global optimization algorithms for parameter fitting of 1D EVP modelling. I have posted a preprint on researchgate and made part of the code available here.
As part of my work to make consolidation modelling more practical and objective, I have benchmarked a range of optimization algorithms. Once a good (and fast!) model is set up, this can be done quite concisely thanks to the lmfit package. To ensure optimal performance, it is really important to get some insight about the shape of your (expected) loss function such as the simple example below.
30 March 2020
I wrote down some thoughts on the spread of COVID-19 with a prediction based on a simple growth model and fitting with Markov Chain Monte Carlo to map the uncertainty of the fit. See the post here.
28 December 2018
For the TTP1 project, the foundation of the caisson quay walls consists of a compacted rockmound. To establish the bearing capacity and stiffness of this rockmound, a new submerged plate load test was invented, that serves as an extension of the submerged CPT unit, Manta-200.
Patent information can be found here.
Abstract
Described are a device and method for determining the mechanical properties of an underwater bottom. The device comprises a support frame which provides a fixed support relative to an underwater bottom; and also means for carrying the support frame onto the underwater bottom. Accommodated in the support frame are a pressure plate and pressing means for pressing the pressure plate against the underwater bottom with a force; means for measuring the displacement of the pressure plate during pressing; and computing means allow mechanical properties of the underwater bottom to be determined from the measured displacement and the force.