Professor David Healy
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Professor David Healy
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- About
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School of Geosciences King's College University of Aberdeen Aberdeen AB24 3UE United Kingdom
Biography
- Personal Chair, University of Aberdeen, UK (2021 – )
- Visiting Academic, University of Manchester, UK (2020 –)
- Reader, University of Aberdeen, UK (2016 – 2021)
- Senior Lecturer, University of Aberdeen, UK (2011 – 2016)
- Lecturer, University of Aberdeen, UK (2009 – 2011)
- Research Fellow, Curtin University, Perth, Australia (2007 – 2009)
- Fixed-Term Lecturer, Durham University, UK (2006 – 2007)
- NERC-funded Postdoctoral Research Associate, Liverpool University, UK (2004 – 2006)
- PhD student (& EPSRC-funded Postgraduate Research Assistant), Liverpool University, UK (2000 – 2004)
- Independent software consultant (1988 – 2000)
- Analyst/Programmer (1987 – 1988)
- Technical Assistant (1985 – 1987)
Memberships and Affiliations
- Internal Memberships
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- Personal Tutor
- Module coordinator, GL3520 Igneous & Metamorphic Petrology
- Rock Physics & Geomechanics Laboratory manager
- Internal Examiner (MRes and PhD)
- NERC demand management sift panel
- Chair of School IT working group
- External Memberships
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- Topical Editor, EGU Solid Earth, 2018-
- NERC Peer Review College, 2012-
- NERC Large Grants Panel, 2020-
- NERC Standard Grants Panel, 2021-
- Research Assessor for Carnegie Trust, 2014-
- Treasurer of Tectonic Studies Group, Geological Society of London, 2012-2014
- External Examiner (MRes, PhD; Strathclyde, Glasgow, Leeds, Cardiff, Bristol, Liverpool, Monash)
- Journal reviewer for JGR, JSG, Geology, EPSL, JVGR, JGSL, GRL
Latest Publications
A new anisotropic poroelasticity model to describe damage accumulation during cyclic triaxial loading of rock
Geophysical Journal International, vol. 230, no. 1, pp. 179-201Contributions to Journals: ArticlesDe-risking the energy transition by quantifying the uncertainties in fault stability
Solid earth, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 15-39Contributions to Journals: ArticlesLaboratory measurements of zeta potential in fractured Lewisian gneiss: implications for the characterization of flow in fractured crystalline bedrock
Applied Sciences, vol. 12, no. 1, 180Contributions to Journals: ArticlesSegment tip geometry of sheet intrusions, I: Theory and numerical models for the role of tip shape in controlling propagation pathways
Volcanica, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 189–201Contributions to Journals: ArticlesSegment tip geometry of sheet intrusions, II: Field observations of tip geometries and a model for evolving emplacement mechanisms
Volcanica, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 203–225Contributions to Journals: Articles
- Research
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Research Overview
I am fascinated by deformed and deforming rocks. I enjoy fundamental research designed to understand, and then explain, deformation through quantitative, physical models. And I enjoy applying theory to applied problems in renewables and subsurface storage. My research interests span structural geology, rock physics and geomechanics with a focus on fluid flow in fractured rocks. I use probabilistic approaches and data science methods to constrain risks and rewards.
I tackle problems through field work, laboratory experiments, theoretical analysis and numerical modelling. I use numerical models to integrate observations with, and explore the consequences of, physical theory. I strongly believe that models should be directed at investigation rather than simulation – i.e. based on a rigorous simplification of the physical processes involved to focus on the heart of the problem.
I use my commercial experience of software development to build robust and tested open source code.
Collaborations
- University of Manchester - Prof Cathy Hollis, Dr Julian Mecklenburgh, Prof Ernie Rutter
- Curtin University, Australia - Dr Nick Timms, Prof Chris Clark
- University College London - Prof Tom Mitchell, Prof Phil Meredith
- Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile - Dr John Browning, Dr Gloria Arancibia, Prof Jose Cembrano
- University of Portsmouth - Dr Phil Benson
- University of Strasbourg, France - Prof Mike Heap
Funding and Grants
- International Partner – Fluid flow in a variably fractured system – FONDECYT Regular (Chile); £250k
- PI – Listening to the Sound of the City – NERC Discipline Hopping; £10k
- PI – Quantifying the Anisotropy of Poroelasticity in Stressed Rock – NERC (UK); £354k (Aberdeen; £814k total with UCL)
- PI – Quantifying fracture stiffness in basement reservoirs – BP; £8.5k
- PI – Quantifying fracture patterns in basement reservoir analogues – Petrolia NOCO; £11.5k
- Co-I – Assessment of Mesozoic sandstone units as possible reservoirs in the Mandawa Basin, Tanzania – EU Capacity Building Grant; €15k
- International Partner – Subsurface Fluid Flow Through Fractures in Sedimentary Basins – ARC (Australia); AU$230k
- PI – Quantifying the Anisotropy of Permeability in Stressed Rock – NERC (UK); £358k (Aberdeen; £834k total with UCL)
- PI – Volcanic Petrophysics: Reservoirs, Seals and Drilling – VBPR (Oslo); £15k
- PI – HP/HT Rock Deformation Apparatus – OGIC (SFC, UK); £587k
- PI – Improving the Odds in Geomechanics – Wintershall (PhD for Sarah Weihmann); £120k
- PI – Integrated Geological and Geophysical Characterisation of Fracture Zones – Hurricane Energy; £36k
- PI – Quantifying Fault Stability – Total E&P UK (PhD for Natalie Farrell); £162k
- PI – Petrophysics of Fractured Carbonates (Co-I Dr Joyce Neilson) – Total E&P UK and BG International, brokered by ITF (PhDs for Emma Michie, Tom Haines); £255k
- PI – Quantifying Patterns of Brittle Damage in Fractured Rock – NERC New Investigator; £60k
- PI – Petrophysics of Fractured Basement – UoA COPS Postgraduate studentship (PhD for Roberto Rizzo); £60k
- PI – Petrophysical Properties of Fractured and Altered Granites - Lundin Petroleum; £13k
- PI – Fluid-saturated Ultrasonic Velocity Measurements on Core Plugs - AFES; £9k
- Co-I – Predicting fracture patterns in sandstones in fold-thrust belts - NERC Open CASE PhD award, with Midland Valley (PhD for Hannah Watkins); £67k
- Co-I – Building 3D Fracture Patterns from 1D Data – Ministry of Higher Education & Research, Kurdistan (PhD for Abdullah Awdal); £100k
- Co-I – Imaging and Characterisation of Salt Diapir Flanks – National Board of Science and Technology & Ministry of Energy, Mexico (PhD for Liliana Vargas Meleza); £85k
- Co-I – The Influence of Carbonate Depositional and Diagenetic Textures on Faulting in Carbonates – UoA COPS Postgraduate studentship (PhD for Tom Haines); £60k
- Teaching
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Teaching Responsibilities
- GL2511 Introduction to Geophysics
- GL3520 Igneous & Metamorphic Petrology
- GL3525 Field Techniques 2
- GL4023 Geological Mapping Project
- Publications
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Page 1 of 9 Results 1 to 10 of 86
A new anisotropic poroelasticity model to describe damage accumulation during cyclic triaxial loading of rock
Geophysical Journal International, vol. 230, no. 1, pp. 179-201Contributions to Journals: ArticlesDe-risking the energy transition by quantifying the uncertainties in fault stability
Solid earth, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 15-39Contributions to Journals: ArticlesLaboratory measurements of zeta potential in fractured Lewisian gneiss: implications for the characterization of flow in fractured crystalline bedrock
Applied Sciences, vol. 12, no. 1, 180Contributions to Journals: ArticlesSegment tip geometry of sheet intrusions, I: Theory and numerical models for the role of tip shape in controlling propagation pathways
Volcanica, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 189–201Contributions to Journals: ArticlesSegment tip geometry of sheet intrusions, II: Field observations of tip geometries and a model for evolving emplacement mechanisms
Volcanica, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 203–225Contributions to Journals: ArticlesROCK PHYSICS ANALYSIS OF VOLCANIC LAVA FLOWS AND HYALOCLASTITES
Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Conference Proceedings- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.3997/2214-4609.202010499
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
The Effect of Authigenic Clays on Fault Zone Permeability
Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, vol. 126, no. 10, e2021JB022615Contributions to Journals: ArticlesMapping fracture flow anisotropy using the Self Potential method: field and laboratory experiments
Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Conference Proceedings- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.3997/2214-4609.202120126
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Investigating the evolution of fractures in clay–based ceramics during repeated freeze-thawing cycles using micro X-ray computed tomography and image analysis
Materials Characterization, vol. 177, 111185Contributions to Journals: ArticlesObservations of reservoir quality alteration in proximity to igneous intrusions for two distinct sandstones units in Scotland
Marine and Petroleum Geology, vol. 129, 105071Contributions to Journals: Articles