J. Carlos Santamarina

Professor of Energy Resources and Petroleum Engineering and Associate Director of Ali I. Al-Naimi Petroleum Engineering Research Center

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Research Interests

Prof. Santamarina explores the scientific foundations of geomaterial behavior and subsurface processes using particle-level and pore-scale experiments, combined with numerical methods and high-resolution process monitoring systems. This conceptual and experimental framework is advancing the study of phenomena and the development of solutions in energy geotechnology with contributions to: resource recovery (petroleum, methane hydrates), energy geo-storage, efficiency and conservation, and energy waste (carbon geological storage, fly ash and nuclear waste).

Selected Publications

  • Methane hydrate-bearing sediments: Pore habit and implications. Terzariol, M., Park, J., Castro, G. M., & Santamarina, J. C. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 116, (2020). 
  • Carbonate rocks: Matrix permeability estimation. Cardona, A., & Santamarina, J. C. AAPG Bulletin, 104(1), 131-144, (2020).
  • Characterization and engineering properties of dry and ponded class-F fly ash. Bachus, R. C., Terzariol, M., Pasten, C., Chong, S. H., Dai, S., Cha, M. S., ...Santamarina, J. C. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 145(3), (2019). 
  • Physical properties of fine-grained sediments with segregated hydrate lenses. Lei, L., & Santamarina, J. C. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 109, 899-911, (2019).
  • Sand response to a large number of loading cycles under zero-lateral-strain conditions: Evolution of void ratio and small-strain stiffness. Park, J., & Santamarina, J. C. Geotechnique, 69(6), 501-513, (2019).
  • Why coal ash and tailings dam disasters occur. Santamarina, J. C., Torres-Cruz, L. A., & Bachus, R. C. Science, 364(6440), 526-528, (2019).
  • The hydraulic conductivity of sediments: A pore size perspective. Ren, X. W., & Santamarina, J. C. Engineering Geology, 233, 48-54, (2018). 

Education

  • PhD, Geotechnical Engineering, Purdue University, 1987.
  • M.Sc. Geotechnical Engineering, University of Maryland, 1984.
  • Civil Engineering, Universidad Nacional de Cordoba, Argentina, 1982.

Professional Profile

  • 2015-Present: Adjunct Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, USA
  • 1996-2015: Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, USA
  • 1992-1995: Associate Professor of Civil Engineering, University of Waterloo, Canada
  • 1987-1991: Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering, Polytechnic Institute of New York University, USA

KAUST Affiliations

  • Ali I. Al-Naimi Petroleum Engineering Research Center (ANPERC)
  • Division of Physical Science and Engineering (PSE)
  • Energy Resources and Petroleum Engineering Program