Dr. Wei Yuan | Geotechnical engineering | Best Researcher Award
School of Transportation, Southeast University China
Wei Yuan is a dedicated PhD candidate at Southeast University’s Institute of Geotechnical Engineering, focusing on soil improvement and sustainable engineering solutions. Born and educated in China, Wei is currently engaged in advanced research to enhance ground stabilization and soil behavior under changing geological environments. In 2024–2025, he is a visiting PhD student at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, further expanding his expertise. With a strong academic background and multiple published articles in top journals, Wei actively contributes to national and international projects related to soil modification, waste reuse, and disaster mitigation. He is recognized for his technical leadership and collaboration in interdisciplinary engineering research aimed at improving infrastructure resilience and environmental sustainability.
Profile
Education
Wei Yuan began his academic journey with a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Jilin Architecture University (2013–2017). He then earned a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering from North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power (2018–2021), specializing in geotechnical engineering. Since September 2021, Wei has been pursuing his PhD at Southeast University, focusing on ground improvement and soil behavior. During 2024–2025, he is a visiting PhD student at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, broadening his research scope. His education has been deeply rooted in civil and geotechnical engineering, complemented by hands-on research experience and involvement in key projects addressing soil reinforcement and sustainable engineering materials.
Experience
Wei Yuan’s experience includes major roles in several prestigious research projects, such as the National Key R&D Program on disaster evolution simulation beneath urban roads (2022–2024), and leading soil improvement projects for Zhuhai Hegang Expressway and Tianjin Eco-Environmental Design Institute (2021–2025). He specializes in vacuum preloading, degradable drainage boards, and phase-change preloading technologies for soft ground reinforcement. Wei has actively participated in China Geological Survey projects on land subsidence and ground fissures. He is also an academic reviewer for several civil engineering journals, demonstrating expertise and peer recognition. His work blends theoretical research with practical engineering applications to address complex geotechnical challenges.
Awards & Honors
While specific awards are not listed, Wei Yuan’s honors include serving as a technical lead on multiple high-profile research projects funded by national and international agencies such as the National Key R&D Program of China and Singapore’s Ministry of Education Academic Research Fund. His scholarly contributions are recognized by invitations to review for prestigious journals like Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment and Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering. His academic journey is marked by competitive selections for visiting scholar programs and leadership in innovation-driven engineering projects, underscoring his reputation as a rising expert in geotechnical engineering.
Research Focus
Wei Yuan’s research focuses on ground improvement and soil modification, emphasizing sustainable engineering solutions using industrial waste and geosynthetic materials. His work investigates soil behavior under evolving geological environments and the development of novel testing and application techniques for biodegradable drainage boards and vacuum preloading methods. He studies mechanisms to mitigate land subsidence and enhance soft ground consolidation, contributing to infrastructure safety. His projects involve innovative technologies such as phase-change vacuum preloading and eco-friendly sediment reinforcement. Wei’s research advances practical and ecological approaches to geotechnical challenges, particularly for urban infrastructure and coastal protection applications.
Conclusion
Wei Yuan is a highly deserving candidate for the Best Researcher Award given his outstanding research achievements, leadership in cutting-edge projects, and dedication to advancing geotechnical engineering through innovative and sustainable solutions. With continued growth in research dissemination and leadership, he has the potential to become a global authority in his field. His current trajectory clearly reflects excellence and promise worthy of this prestigious recognition.
Publication
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Dewatering mechanisms of heating-assisted vacuum preloading of river/lake dredged sediments
Year: 2025-06
Authors: Wei Yuan, Qi Feng, Hongkai Huang, Kai Cao, Zi Ying, Yongfeng Deng
DOI: 10.1016/j.enggeo.2025.108128
Journal: Engineering Geology -
Engineering properties of biodegradable vertical drains for soft ground improvement
Year: 2024-12-19
Authors: Wei Yuan, Zi Ying, Yinqiang Su, Qiong Wang, Sheng Chen, Yongfeng Deng
DOI: 10.1680/jgein.24.00110
Journal: Geosynthetics International -
Performance of deep soft ground improved by straight-line vacuum combined with surcharge preloading: Case study
Year: 2024-08-27
Authors: Wei Yuan, Yinqiang Su, Zi Ying, Yongfeng Deng, Qian Yang, Sheng Chen
DOI: 10.1080/1064119X.2024.2391879
Journal: Marine Georesources & Geotechnology -
Degradation of straw-based wick drain and its effect on consolidation
Year: 2024-05
Authors: Wei Yuan, Yongfeng Deng, Zi Ying, Qian Yang, Yinqiang Su, Zhenshun Hong
DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.142182
Journal: Journal of Cleaner Production -
Laboratory degradation test and field application of straw drainage board
Year: 2024-04-22
Authors: Wei Yuan, Yongfeng Deng, Xiaobing Chen, Yinqing Su
Journal: Journal of Southeast University (Natural Science Edition) -
Settlement prediction method for staged preloading on soft clay ground
Year: 2024-03-03
Authors: Wei Yuan, Rubtian Zhu, Yinqiang Su, Qi Feng, Yongfeng Deng
Journal: Journal of Southeast University (English Edition) -
One-Dimensional Consolidation Properties of Soft Clay under Multi-Stage Loading
Year: 2023-09-15
Authors: Jiangfeng Wang, Wei Yuan, Xuexuan Yin, Wenjie Li, Xinya Li
DOI: 10.3390/app131810340
Journal: Applied Sciences -
Performance evaluation of light-weighted cement-stabilized-clay columns for soft ground improvement using the centrifuge model test
Year: 2023-07
Authors: Zhenping Zhao, Zi Ying, Wei Yuan, Yongfeng Deng, Xiaoqiang Liu, Chengfu Chu, Xingwen Gu
DOI: 10.1016/j.trgeo.2023.101034
Journal: Transportation Geotechnics -
Evaluation of the Laboratory Degradation Performance of a Straw Drainage Board
Year: 2022-12-07
Authors: Runtian Zhu, Yinqiang Su, Cankun Wu, Wei Yuan, Yongfeng Deng
DOI: 10.3390/su142416365
Journal: Sustainability -
One-Dimensional Consolidation Analysis of Saturated Soft Clay Based on Water Content Variation
Year: 2021-01-09
Authors: Wei Yuan, Jiangfeng Wang
DOI: 10.1007/s12205-020-0789-4
Journal: KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering
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Influence of Stress History on Consolidation Coefficient of Saturated Soft Soil
Year: 2020-12
Authors: Jiangfeng Wang, Wei Yuan
Journal: Earth Science
