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Profile
I first came to Cambridge from Bradford as an undergraduate studying Engineering at Trinity College and stayed to do a PhD on the liquefaction of soils during earthquakes.
From 2002-2008 I was a research fellow at Girton College working on a succession of Earthquake Engineering research projects.
I returned to Trinity College in 2008 since when I have been involved in a wide range of Engineering research including the seismic design of lock gates for the Panama Canal and utilising bio-cementation to prevent potholes in roads.
I am currently Emoluments Secretary and Tutor for Side J and will be Senior tutor from September 2025.
Teaching
I teach across the 4 years of the Engineering Tripos, lecturing Structural engineering to First Year Engineers and more specialist Civil Engineering courses to third and fourth years.
I also supervise all the First year Engineers in Trinity for Mechanics and Structures.
Research
My research covers a wide range of topics within Geotechnical Engineering, ranging from laboratory testing to scale model testing using a 10m diameter centrifuge which can accelerate a 1 tonne model to 100g.
My research includes simulating bacteria to turn soil into stone, preventing pothole formation in roads, modelling the effects of tunnelling on existing structures and modifying concrete to allow self-sensing of damage within its structure.
Selected Publications
Fu, T.Z., Haigh, S.K. & Cao, B. (2025) Application of biocementation to improve a well-graded granular material against cyclic loading. Geotechnique doi:10.1680/jgeot.24.01288
Fu, T. & Haigh, S.K. (2024) Biocementation of a Well-Graded Gravelly Soil and Macromechanical Characterization. ASCE Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering. 150(8) doi: 10.1061/JGGEFK.GTENG-12091
Wang, X., Al-Tabbaa, A. & Haigh, S.K. (2023) Measurement techniques for self-sensing cementitious composites under flexure. Cement and Concrete Composites 142 105215. doi: 10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2023.105215
Bowman, A & Haigh, S.K. (2019) Subsurface deformation mechanisms beneath a flexible pavement using image correlation. Geotechnique 69(7) 627-637 doi: 10.1680/jgeot.18.P.092
Haigh, S.K., Vardanega, P.J. & Bolton, M.D. (2013) The plastic limit of clays. Geotechnique 63(6) 435-440 doi:10.1680/geot.11.P.123