Staff Profile

Introduction

I am a Research Associate in Computational Geomechanics, with a background and industrial experience in civil engineering. My research is focused on advanced computational and experimental approaches in energy geomechanics, aiming to help the transition towards a net-zero future. I was awarded a PhD in 2018 for the development of probabilistic methods for analysis and design in offshore geotechnical engineering. I am currently working on a range of subsurface energy technologies as part of the Northern Energy Geomechanics Group (NE2G), including geothermal, CCS and nuclear waste storage.

Qualifications

PhD Civil Engineering, Newcastle University (2018)

Title: Development of probabilistic methods for analysis and design in offshore geotechnical engineering  

Supervisors: Dr. M. Rouainia and Prof. R. Dawson

Funding: EPSRC CASE studentship with Atkins

MEng (1^st Class Hons) Civil Engineering, Newcastle University (2012)

Dissertation title: Numerical simulation of the dynamic response of rubble mound breakwaters using discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA)

Previous positions

Graduate Engineer (Bridges and Civil Structures), Arup (2018-2019)

Postgraduate Demonstrator, Newcastle University (2013-2018)

Memberships

Graduate member of Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)

Northern Geotechnical Group (NGG)

British Geotechnical Association (BGA)

International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE)

International Society for Rock Mechanics (ISRM)

Research Interests

My research interests cover a range of topics concerning the engineering of geomaterials for energy applications, including:

• Numerical analysis
• Constitutive modelling (development and application)
• Uncertainty quantification
• Multiscale mechanical testing (atomic force microscopy, nanoindentation, triaxial) 
• Micromechanics
• Geomechanics

I am a member of the Northern Energy Geomechanics Group (NE2G), led by Dr Mohamed Rouainia.

Research profiles:

ResearchGate

Google Scholar

Current Projects

Geothermal development scenarios for Newcastle and Gateshead

Funding: Newcastle City Council

Net Zero Geothermal Research for District Infrastructure Engineering (NetZero GeoRDIE)

Funding: EPSRC (grant number EP/T022825/1)

Impact of hydraulic fracturing in the overburden of shale resource plays: Process-based evaluation (SHAPE-UK)

Funding: NERC (grant number NE/R017840/1)

• Articles

  • Charlton TS, Rouainia M, Aplin AC, Fisher QJ, Bowen L. Nanoindentation of Horn River Basin Shales: The Micromechanical Contrast Between Overburden and Reservoir Formations. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth 2023, 128(3), e2022JB025957.
  • Graham SP, Rouainia M, Aplin AC, Ireland MT, Charlton TS, Armitage PJ. New Micromechanical Data and Modelling Framework for the Elastic Response of Calcareous Mudstones. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences 2022, 158, 105181.
  • Charlton TS, Rouainia M. Geotechnical fragility analysis of monopile foundations for offshore wind turbines in extreme storms. Renewable Energy 2022, 182, 1126-1140.
  • Charlton TS, Goodarzi M, Rouainia M, Aplin AC, Cubillas P. Effect of Diagenesis on Geomechanical Properties of Organic-Rich Calcareous Shale: A Multiscale Investigation. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth 2021, 126(7), e2020JB021365.
  • Charlton TS, Rouainia M. Cyclic performance of a monopile in spatially variable clay using an advanced constitutive model. Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering 2021, 140, 106437.
  • Charlton TS, Rouainia M. Uncertainty quantification of offshore anchoring systems in spatially variable soil using sparse polynomial chaos expansions. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering 2019, 120(6), 748-767.
  • Charlton TS, Rouainia M. Probabilistic analysis of the uplift resistance of buried pipelines in clay. Ocean Engineering 2019, 186, 105891.
  • Charlton TS, Rouainia M, Dawson RJ. Control Variate Approach for Efficient Stochastic Finite-Element Analysis of Geotechnical Problems. ASCE-ASME Journal of Risk and Uncertainty in Engineering Systems, Part A: Civil Engineering 2018, 4(3).
  • Charlton TS, Rouainia M. A probabilistic approach to the ultimate capacity of skirted foundations in spatially variable clay. Structural Safety 2017, 65, 126-136.
  • Charlton TS, Rouainia M. Probabilistic capacity analysis of suction caissons in spatially variable clay. Computers and Geotechnics 2016, 80, 226–236.
  • Charlton TS, Rouainia M, Gens A. Numerical analysis of suction embedded plate anchors in structured clay. Applied Ocean Research 2016, 61, 156-166.

• Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstracts)

  • Charlton TS, Rouainia M, Aplin AC, Fisher QJ, Bowen L. Micromechanical characterisation of overburden shales in the Horn River Basin through nanoindentation. In: Eurock 2022 Rock and Fracture Mechanics in Rock Engineering and Mining. 2022, Helsinki, Finland: Institute of Physics.
  • Rouainia M, Goodarzi M, Charlton T, Aplin A, Cubillas P. Assessment of the elastic response of shale using multiscale mechanical testing and homogenisation. In: 2nd International Conference on Energy Geotechnics (ICEGT 2020). 2020, La Jolla, California: EDP Sciences.
  • Charlton T, Rouainia M. The Effect of the Spatial Variability of Clay Structure on Pipeline Uplift Capacity. In: Geo-Risk 2017. 2017, Denver, Colorado: ASCE.
  • Charlton T, Rouainia M. The uplift capacity of horizontal plate anchors in spatially variable clay using sparse polynomial chaos expansions. In: ECCOMAS Congress 2016 - Proceedings of the 7th European Congress on Computational Methods in Applied Sciences and Engineering. 2016, Crete Island, Greece: National Technical University of Athens.
  • Charlton TS, Rouainia M. Probabilistic VHM Failure Envelopes for Skirted Foundations in Spatially Variable Normally Consolidated Clay. In: Geotechnical Risk and Safety V. 2015, Rotterdam: IOS Press.