LORC Research Associate Dr Marina Schnaider Bortolotto has been awarded the prestigious BGA Cooling Prize for her work on polymer support fluids permeating sands to enable more sustainable piling excavations.
Dr Bortolotto’s research focuses on advancing low-carbon and more efficient ground engineering methods, with particular expertise in the behaviour of support fluids and soil–fluid interaction. Her award-winning work demonstrates how improved understanding of polymer fluid permeation can support safer and more sustainable excavation practices in piling operations, with clear implications for industry adoption.
The annual competition, organised by the British Geotechnical Association, is one of the most respected early-career honours in UK geotechnics. It recognises outstanding research or practice presented by emerging professionals, with finalists delivering judged presentations to a national audience of experts. Winners are typically invited to publish their work in Ground Engineering, further highlighting the research's technical significance and practical impact.
This achievement marks the team's second consecutive Cooling Prize win and underscores the continued strength and growing impact of LORC’s geotechnics research.