January 15, 2026
On 15 January 2026, at the invitation of Prof. De-Chun Lu and Dr. Xin Zhou, Jidu gave an online invited talk to faculty and students of the Institute of Geotechnical Engineering at Beijing University of Technology (BJUT), titled “Multiphysics and multiscale large-deformation modeling of geomaterials: taking frozen soils and hydrate-bearing soils as examples”.
The talk addressed the challenge of coupled multiphysics and multiscale behavior in geotechnical engineering under extreme climatic and geological conditions. Using frozen soils and hydrate-bearing soils as examples, Jidu presented a cross-scale numerical framework built on the material point method (MPM), in which a fully coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical (THMC) large-deformation model enables simulation of freeze-thaw cycles and of landslides triggered by hydrate dissociation.
He further showed how grain-scale discrete element models capture phase-change-induced cementation and are coupled two-way with the macroscale MPM, forming a multiscale framework that links microstructural evolution to macroscopic deformation. This work clarifies the coupled mechanisms behind phenomena such as frost heave, thaw settlement and shear localization, and provides new theoretical and numerical tools for predicting the instability of geomaterials in extreme environments.
Jidu thanks Prof. Lu, Dr. Zhou and the BJUT geotechnical group for the kind invitation and the lively discussion.
