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Michael Harbottle

Dr Michael Harbottle

Director of Recruitment and Admissions

School of Engineering

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Media commentator
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Available for postgraduate supervision

Overview

Prospective research students and postdoctoral researchers I am happy to consider applications for PhD study from high quality applicants with existing funding, or those intending to apply for an external scholarship, in areas which correspond to my fields of expertise, described below. Please contact me via email. Any funded studentships or postdoctoral research positions that become available will be advertised on jobs.ac.uk, findaphd.com or the School of Engineering`s webpages.

Current Interests My research interests lie broadly in the field of nature-based and nature-inspired solutions applied to infrastructure, environmental protection and the circular economy, spanning the environmental sciences and civil and environmental engineering. My group aims to develop engineering solutions which contribute to solving current grand challenges including environmental deterioration, space for nature, urban development and others. Specific areas of interest include:

  • Interactions between geoenvironmental and geotechnical engineering and biology (‘biogeotechnics’), using plants and microorganisms to engineer soil structure and properties, and blue-green infrastructure engineering. 
  • Biological and chemical energy storage in the ground. We are using microbial fuel cells and in-ground fuel generation and supply to explore energy storage and extraction from soils and sediments.
  • Pollution management, including engineering aspects of contaminated land remediation (particularly electrokinetics, bioremediation, phytoremediation) and emerging pollutants (e.g. plastics, wet wipes). 
  • Resource recovery from waste and pollution. Waste and pollution are resources in the wrong place where their recovery has been considered uneconomic or not feasible (or both) but novel, nature-based and nature-inspired solutions can address this. 

Publication

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2001

Articles

Book sections

  • Kanellopoulos, A., Theodoridou, M., Harbottle, M., Lourenco, S. and Norambuena-Contreras, J. 2022. Self-adaptive construction materials: future directions. In: Kanellopoulos, A. and Norambuena-Contreras, J. eds. Self-Healing Construction Materials: Fundamentals, Monitoring and Large Scale Applications. Engineering Materials and Processes Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, pp. 215-226., (10.1007/978-3-030-86880-2_8)
  • Harbottle, M. 2016. Engineering successful bioremediation. In: Lear, G. ed. Biofilms in Bioremediation. Caister Academic Press, pp. 3-22.
  • Al-Tabbaa, A., Harbottle, M. J. and Evans, C. W. 2007. Robust sustainable technical solutions. In: Dixon, T. et al. eds. Sustainable Brownfield Regeneration: Liveable Places from Problem Spaces. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 203-232.
  • Ouki, S. K., van Herwijnen, R., Harbottle, M. J., Hutchings, T. R., Al-Tabbaa, A., Johns, M. L. and Moffat, A. J. 2007. Novel special-purpose composts for sustainable remediation. In: Dixon, T. et al. eds. Sustainable Brownfield Regeneration: Liveable Places from Problem Spaces. Oxford: Wiley- Blackwell, pp. 177 -202.

Conferences

Monographs

Research

Current interests

My research interests lie broadly in the field of nature-based and nature-inspired solutions applied to infrastructure, environmental protection and the circular economy, spanning the environmental sciences and civil and environmental engineering. My group aims to develop engineering solutions which contribute to solving current grand challenges including environmental deterioration, space for nature, urban development and others. Specific areas of interest include:

  • Interactions between geoenvironmental and geotechnical engineering and biology (‘biogeotechnics’), using plants and microorganisms to engineer soil structure and properties, and blue-green infrastructure engineering. 
  • Biological and chemical energy storage in the ground. We are using microbial fuel cells and in-ground fuel generation and supply to explore energy storage and extraction from soils and sediments.
  • Pollution management, including engineering aspects of contaminated land remediation (particularly electrokinetics, bioremediation, phytoremediation) and emerging pollutants (e.g. plastics, wet wipes). 
  • Resource recovery from waste and pollution. Waste and pollution are resources in the wrong place where their recovery has been considered uneconomic or not feasible (or both) but novel, nature-based and nature-inspired solutions can address this. 

Contracts

Title People Sponsor Value Duration
GESPERR - Geobatteries: energy storage in the pedosphere to support the renewables revolution Harbottle, M, Sapsford, D, Cleall, P, Weightman, A, Ugalde-Loo, C EPSRC 201583 01/12/2022 - 31/5/2024
ASPIRE - Accelerated Supergene Processes in Repository Engineering Sapsford, D, Cleall, P,  Harbottle, M, Owen, N, Weightman, A EPSRC 592345 01/03/2021 - 29/02/2024
Self-healing Multifunctional Advanced Repair Technologies IN Cementitious Systems (SMARTINCS) Jefferson, A, Gardner, D, Harbottle, M, Davies, R, Mihai, I Commission of the European Communities 241185 01/12/2019 - 30/11/2023
Resilient materials for life (RM4L) Jefferson, A, Gardner, D, Harbottle, M, Davies, R, Mihai, I, Paul, A EPSRC 1668484 03/04/2017 - 02/10/2022
Environmental plastics pollution from Vietnamese plastic recycling craft villages Harbottle, M Universities Wales 1970 01/06/2020 - 30/11/2021
Landfill mining: Feasibility of reuse of aged municipal solid waste in geotechnical applications Harbottle, M British Council 6200 01/03/2020 - 31/01/2021
GEOHEAL - Self-healing geological construction materials & structures Harbottle, M Commission of the European Communities 131684 22/1/2018 - 21/1/2020
INSPIRE - In situ recovery of resources from waste repositories Sapsford D, Harbottle M, Cleall P, Mahdi T, Weightman A (BIOSI) NERC 671454 02/06/2014 - 01/06/2017
Self-healing geotechnical structures through microbiological action Harbottle M, Gardner D BRE 60000 01/10/2013 - 30/09/2016
Materials for life (M4L): Biomimetic multi-scale damage immunity for construction materials Lark R, Gardner D, Jefferson A, Harbottle M EPSRC 1672025 01/04/2013 - 31/03/2016
In Situ Recovery of Resources from Waste Repositories Sapsford D, Griffiths A, Harbottle M, Mahdi T, Cleall P NERC 56803 01/04/2013 - 30/09/2013
Response of pollutant chemistry, pathways and mobility to Short Rotation Forestry on brownfield Sites Dr PJ Cleall, DR MJ Harbottle Forest Research 27500 01/10/2010 - 30/09/2013
To develop Ford's capacity in resource efficiency and environmental performance through improvements in waste management and effluent treatment Sapsford D, Harbottle M KTP and Ford Motor Company Ltd 125710 01/09/2010 - 31/08/2012
Developing the sustainable laboratory - Waste Brennan P, Gregory C, Whitmarsh L, Cullen-Unswa, Harbottle M HEFCW 8999 01/11/2011 - 31/07/2012
Combined chemical/biological healing of cementitous materials Harbottle, M Institution of Structural Engineers 300 01/01/2012 - 31/01/2012
Biological reactors as replacement to activated carbon filters for the treatment of contaminated groundwater Harbottle M, Sapsford D, Mahdi T Celtic Technologies 25000 01/11/2010 - 31/10/2011
Investigation into Tar Contamination in the Blaenaovon mine water treatment scheme Sapsford D, Harbottle M The Coal Authority 2090 01/03/2011 - 31/08/2011

 

Supervised Students

Current research students

Name Topic Dates Other information
Khaled Alshehri Resource recovery from waste repositories in a circular economy 2021-  
Eve Tarring Assessing the risks to freshwater ecosystems from water-soluble polymers 2021- Supported by the NERC Centre of Doctoral Training in Ecotoxicological Risk Assessment Towards Sustainable Chemical Use (ECORISC)
Zhenghui Gao Enhanced methanogenesis in municipal solid waste landfill through breakdown of lignocellulosic wastes 2021- Supported by Cardiff-Huazhong Agricultural University International Centre for Doctoral Training on Biomedical and Bioenergy Engineering
Tom Allison Identification, Occurrence, Transport, and Environmental Fate of Cellulose-Based Wet Wipes through the Wastewater Pathway 2021-  
Hang Qian Soil-based microbial fuel cells to supply energy for low power underground processes 2022- Supported by Cardiff-Huazhong Agricultural University International Centre for Doctoral Training on Biomedical and Bioenergy Engineering
Liu Tong Microbially induced carbonate precipitation in limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) concrete 2024- Supported by Cardiff-Huazhong Agricultural University International Centre for Doctoral Training on Biomedical and Bioenergy Engineering

 

Completed PhD projects

Name Topic Dates Other information
Muaaz Wright-Syed Enhanced Biodegradation of Model Lignocellulosic Wastes in Laboratory-Scale Bioreactors & Landfills 2017-2021 Supported by an Environmental Research and Education Foundation Doctoral Scholarship
Steven Warwick A study of landfill content and its chemical evolution using historical, geographic and site monitoring data 2014-2021  
Sunday Oniosun Phytoremediation of LNAPLs and Residual Oils in the Vadose Zone and Capillary Fringe 2012-2019  
Chen Chunhui The effect of plant roots and plant & microbial exudates in biogeotechnical stabilization of soils 2016-2018 Visiting student supported by the China Scholarship Council
Khabeer Al-Awad The effect of biological exudates on the mechanical properties of granular soil 2014-2018  
Stefani Botusharova Self-healing geotechnical structures via microbial action 2013-2017 Supported by BRE, as part of the EPSRC-funded ‘Materials for Life’ project
Ahmed Mugwar Bioprecipitation of Heavy Metals and Radionuclides with Calcium Carbonate in Aqueous Solutions and Particulate Media 2011-2016  
Paris Alshiblawi Investigation of bioclogging in homogenous and heterogenous uncontaminated and contaminated sands 2011-2016  
Richard Gill Electrokinetic-enhanced migration of solutes for improved bioremediation in heterogeneous granular porous media 2011-2015 EPSRC CASE Studentship at the University of Sheffield, co-supervised with Dr S Thornton and Prof J Smith (Shell)
Katherine Page Use of Recycled Organic Wastes as nutrient sources to aid the growth of energy crops on brownfield sites 2010-2014 Supported by Forest Research
Ziad Milad An Experimental Investigation of Landfill Leachate Impact on Surrounding Soil. A Study of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Aspects 2009-2014  

 

 



Teaching

I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. My current teaching is as follows:

Materials & Construction (1st year)

Professional Studies & Construction (2nd year)

Environmental Geotechnics (3rd year)

Environmental Geotechnics (MSc)

Major projects (3rd year)

Case study & dissertation (MSc)

Biography

I have been a lecturer and now senior lecturer in geoenvironmental engineering at Cardiff University School of Engineering since September 2006. Following a Masters in Engineering at Oxford University, I joined Fugro Limited (UK), working on offshore and onshore site investigation and engineering. I then returned to Oxford University as a doctoral student working with the NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (Oxford). Postdoctoral work at Cambridge University Engineering Department followed, with the SUBR:IM (Sustainable Urban Brownfield Regeneration: Integrated Management) consortium. Whilst in Cambridge, I was elected Fellow of Robinson College.

Honours and awards

2024 Telford Premium award for the paper 'Circular economy landfills for temporary storage and treatment of mineral-rich wastes' in Proceeding of the Institution of Civil Engineers: Waste & Resources Management.

Professional memberships

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Academic positions

2006-2015 Lecturer, Cardiff University, UK

2003-2006 Postdoctoral research associate, Cambridge University, UK

2000-2003 Research assistant / DPhil student, University of Oxford, UK

Committees and reviewing

Member of EPSRC Peer Review College (2017 onwards)

Institution of Civil Engineers Wales Ground Engineering Group - Chair (2015-17), vice chair (2014-15)

Institution of Civil Engineers Education Policy Panel (2012-2018)

Editorial Panel for Proceeding of the Institution of Civil Engineers: Ground Improvement (2016 onwards)

Editorial Panel for Geotechnique (2013-2016)

Supervisions

I am interested in supervising PhD students in the areas of:

  • Biogeotechnics and blue-green infrastructure engineering
  • Soil/sediment microbial fuel cells / plant microbial fuel cells
  • Geoenvironmental waste & pollution management

Current supervision

Eve Tarring

Eve Tarring

Graduate Demonstrator

Hang Qian

Hang Qian

Research student

Khaled Alshehri

Khaled Alshehri

Research student

Tong Liu

Tong Liu

Research student

Past projects

Completed PhD projects

Name Topic Dates Other information
Muaaz Wright-Syed Enhanced Biodegradation of Model Lignocellulosic Wastes in Laboratory-Scale Bioreactors & Landfills 2017-2021 Supported by an Environmental Research and Education Foundation Doctoral Scholarship
Steven Warwick A study of landfill content and its chemical evolution using historical, geographic and site monitoring data 2014-2021  
Sunday Oniosun Phytoremediation of LNAPLs and Residual Oils in the Vadose Zone and Capillary Fringe 2012-2019  
Chen Chunhui The effect of plant roots and plant & microbial exudates in biogeotechnical stabilization of soils 2016-2018 Visiting student supported by the China Scholarship Council
Khabeer Al-Awad The effect of biological exudates on the mechanical properties of granular soil 2014-2018  
Stefani Botusharova Self-healing geotechnical structures via microbial action 2013-2017 Supported by BRE, as part of the EPSRC-funded ‘Materials for Life’ project
Ahmed Mugwar Bioprecipitation of Heavy Metals and Radionuclides with Calcium Carbonate in Aqueous Solutions and Particulate Media 2011-2016  
Paris Alshiblawi Investigation of bioclogging in homogenous and heterogenous uncontaminated and contaminated sands 2011-2016  
Richard Gill Electrokinetic-enhanced migration of solutes for improved bioremediation in heterogeneous granular porous media 2011-2015 EPSRC CASE Studentship at the University of Sheffield, co-supervised with Dr S Thornton and Prof J Smith (Shell)
Katherine Page Use of Recycled Organic Wastes as nutrient sources to aid the growth of energy crops on brownfield sites 2010-2014 Supported by Forest Research
Ziad Milad An Experimental Investigation of Landfill Leachate Impact on Surrounding Soil. A Study of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Aspects 2009-2014  

 

 

Contact Details

Email HarbottleM@cardiff.ac.uk
Telephone +44 29208 75759
Campuses Queen's Buildings - West Building, Room W/2.33, 5 The Parade, Newport Road, Cardiff, CF24 3AA

Specialisms

  • Geoenvironmental
  • Environmental engineering
  • Pollution and contamination
  • Biogeotechnics
  • Geological Energy Storage