School of Earth and Environment
Untitled Document

James Lawrence Dr James Lawrence

Lecturer: Engineering and Petroleum Geology; Deputy Head of Earth Surface Science Institute

Telephone number: +44(0) 113 34 35233
Email address: j.a.lawrence@leeds.ac.uk
Room: 10.17h

Research Interests

I have several research threads specializing in Upper Cretaceous carbonate geology, large landslides, cliff instability, geo-environmental coastal processes and management, climate change resilience and petroleum engineering. In the last three years at the University of Leeds I am or have been involved in funded research projects investigating:

  • Physical-numerical predictive modeling of coastal erosion and the impact of changing climates;
  • Numerical analysis of rainfall induced landslides;
  • The landslides and recession of the Holderness Coast, Yorkshire, UK;
  • Most recently I have been awarded two grants investigating formation and reservoir evaluation of Cretaceous and Miocene sedimentary rocks in Northern Iraq.

This work has included the supervision of several PhD. students. This research spans the EU, India, Malaysia and the Middle East.

Teaching Interests

As a lecturer at the University of Leeds and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy I have developed a research/industry demand led teaching philosophy. I teach on the postgraduate Engineering Geology MSc. and also contribute to the Hydrogeology MSc. Over the last 18 months I have been heavily involved in the curriculum re-design of much of the Engineering Geology MSc. to make it more relevant to student and employer markets. The core of my teaching responsibilities are on the new postgraduate modules:

  • Rock Engineering (Module Convenor);
  • Laboratory and Field Skills (Module Convenor);
  • Hazard, Resilience and Sustainable Engineering;
  • Geological Models and Ground Investigation.

My undergraduate teaching contributions comprise of students from Geological Sciences, Geography, Environmental Sciences, Civil Engineering, Petroleum Engineering and Geophysics courses. My principle undergraduate teaching contributions are:

  • Engineering Geology (Module Convenor);
  • 3rd Year Geological Sciences Field Class (Petroleum Engineering);
  • Drilling and Production Technology.

Other management and academic responsibilities include Manager of Geo-environment engineering Laboratory, Learning and Teaching representative, International student coordination and CiPEG (Centre for integrated Petroleum Engineering and Geoscience) representative.

Publications

  • Lawrence J.A. 2011. Soil and Rock Description in Engineering Practice, D. Norbury: Book review. International Journal of Rock Mechanics & Mining Sciences. 48, 1381-1382.
  • Stavrou, A., Lawrence, J. A., Mortimore, R. N., and Murphy, W. 2011. A geotechnical and GIS based method for evaluating risk exposition along coastal cliff environments: a case study of the chalk cliffs of southern England, Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 11, 2997-3011, doi:10.5194/nhess-11-2997-2011.
  • Stavrou, A., Lawrence, J. A., Murphy, W. and Mortimore, R. N., 2011. New method of predicting present and future risk assessment for rocky cliffs using GIS and geotechnical hazard identification methods: A case study of the chalk cliffs of southern England International Conference, 15th Joint Geomorphological Meeting, 1-4 June, Athens, Greece, Abstract book, 117.
  • Quinn, J.D., Rosser, N.J., Murphy, W. & Lawrence, J.A. 2010. Identifying the behavioural characteristics of clay cliffs through intensive monitoring and geotechnical numerical modelling. Geomorphology. Volume 120, Issues 3-4, 107-122. (2 Cites)
  • Lawrence J.A. 2010. Informing chalk cliff recession management decisions. Civil Engineering Year Book 2010, Ten Alps Publishing, 17-18.
  • Senfaute, G., Duperret, A & Lawrence, J.A. 2009. Micro-seismic precursory cracks to rock-fall on coastal chalk cliffs: a case study at Mensil-Val, Normandie, NW France. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences., In T. Glade and J. Birkmann (eds) 2009. Assessment of different dimensions of vulnerability to natural hazards and climate change. 9, 1625-1641. (8 Cites)
  • Quinn, J.D., Murphy, W., West, L.J. & Lawrence, J.A. 2008. The use of terrestrial laser scanning, differential GPS surveying and panoramic photography to characterise the landslides and recession of the Holderness Coast, Yorkshire, England. GeoEdmonton 2008. 61st Canadian Geotechnical Conference and 9th Joint CSG/IAH-CNC Groundwater Conference. Edmonton, Canadian Geotechnical Society, International Association of Hydrogeologists-CNC, Geotechnical Society of Edmonton. 411-418.
  • Lawrence, J.A., Mortimore, R.N., Eade, M. & Duperret, A. 2007. Developing a strategy for coastal monitoring and management. In McInnes, R. Jakeways, J. Fairbank, H. & Mathie, E. (eds) 2007. Landslides and Climate Change - Challenges and Solutions, Taylor & Francis Group. 81-90.
  • Busby, J.P., Lawrence, J.A., Senfaute, G., Mortimore, R.N., Pederson, S.A.S. & Gourry, J.C. 2004. PRediction Of The Erosion of Cliffed Terrains "PROTECT": Technical Report. British Geological Survey. Internal Report IR/04/142, 62pp.
  • Busby, J.P., Senfaute, G., Gourry, J.C., Lawrence, J.A., Pederson, S.A.S. & Mortimore, R.N. 2004. Developing tools for the prediction of catastrophic coastal cliff collapse. In: Littoral 2004, 596-601.
  • Mortimore, R.N., Lawrence, J.A., Pope, D., Duperret, A. & Genter, A. 2004. Coastal cliff geohazards in weak rock: the UK chalk cliffs of Sussex. In: Mortimore, R.N. & Duperret, A. (eds.) 2004. Coastal Chalk Cliff Instability. Geological Society, London, Engineering Geology Special Publication, 20, 3-31.
  • Mortimore, R.N., Stone, K.J., Lawrence, J.A. & Duperret, A. 2004. Chalk physical properties and cliff instability. In: Mortimore, R.N. & Duperret, A. (eds.) 2004. Coastal Chalk Cliff Instability. Geological Society, London, Engineering Geology Special Publication, 20, 75-88.
  • Lawrence, J.A., Stone, K & Mortimore, R.N. 2003 Stress path testing for chalk cliff slope stability analysis. Poster abstracts for ELOISE conference, European Conference of Coastal Zone Research, Gdansk.
  • Duperret, A., Matinez, A., Genter, A., Mortimore, R.N. & Lawrence, J.A. 2001 Recent collapses along the coastal chalk cliffs of the English Channel: The role of lithology and fractures on the rupture type. Poster abstract for the European Rock Coasts Conference, Brighton, UK.

Consultancy and other

  • Lawrence, J.A. 2011 Permeability testing of soils in relation to waste water outfall. Monmouthshire Council County Planning Department Report. 3pp.
  • Mortimore R.N & Lawrence, J.A. 2009 Coastal Cliff Management. Walk-over Survey from Black Rock, Brighton Marina to Saltdean. Report No. 7: September 2009. 142pp.
  • Mortimore R.N & Lawrence, J.A. 2008 Coastal Cliff Management. Walk-over Survey from Black Rock, Brighton Marina to Saltdean. Report No. 5: May 2008. 8pp
  • Mortimore R.N & Lawrence, J.A. 2007 Coastal Cliff Management. Walk-over Survey from Black Rock, Brighton Marina to Saltdean. Report No. 4: November 2007. 8pp
  • Mortimore R.N & Lawrence, J.A. 2007 Coastal Cliff Management. Walk-over Survey from Black Rock, Brighton Marina to Saltdean. Report No. 3: May 2007. 8pp
  • Mortimore R.N & Lawrence, J.A. 2007 Coastal Cliff Management. Walk-over Survey from Black Rock, Brighton Marina to Saltdean. Report No. 2: February 2007. 7pp
  • Mortimore, R.N. Lawrence, J.A. & Ray, S. 2006 Margate and Broadstairs urban wastewater treatment scheme. Review of the Geology recorded during construction of the connecting pipeline. December 2006. 46pp.
  • Mortimore, R.N. & Lawrence, J.A. 2006 INFORM PROJECT (INformation FOr cliff Recession Management). Long-term monitoring programme for the cliffs between Black Rock and Saltdean. June 2006. 49pp.
  • Mortimore R.N & Lawrence, J.A. 2006 Coastal Cliff Management. Walk-over Survey from Black Rock, Brighton Marina to Saltdean. Report No. 1: October 2006. 39pp
  • Mortimore, R.N., Lawrence, J.A. & Pope, D. 2001. Risk Of Cliff Collapse "ROCC" Geohazards on the UK Chalk Cliffs of Sussex. INTERREG II. Espace Rives-Manche. 108pp.
  • Mortimore, R.N. & Lawrence, J.A. 2001. Collapse of chalk coastal cliffs below Peacehaven 500m west of Peacehaven Steps. For Lewes District Council. January 2001.
  • Mortimore, R.N. & Lawrence, J.A. 2001. Depressions adjacent to the cliff top, behind numbers 9 and 11 Neville road. For Lewes District Council. January 2001.
  • Mortimore, R.N. & Lawrence, J.A. 2001. Peacehaven cliff collapse 6th January 2001: saturated moisture content and natural moisture content test results. For Lewes District Council. January 2001.

Research project Awarded:

  • 2011 - 2014 Reservoir characterization of the Miocene Euphrates and Jeribe Formations at selected wells in KornMor, Jambour, Pulkhana, and Qumar oil fields. Project funded by Kurdistan Regional Government-Iraq, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. Including research student supervision.
  • 2011 - 2014 Formation Evaluation of the Cretaceous Kometan Formation at selected wells in the Zagros Basin, North East Iraq. Project funded by Kurdistan Regional Government-Iraq, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. Including research student supervision.
  • 2011 The INFORM (INformation FOr cliff Recession Management) Project. Advancing understanding and management strategies of the chalk coastal environment in relate to climate change impact. The most recent element of this project is to establish the impact of sea salt water weakening on chalk cliffs and predict how this will affect the stability of the rocks over time with likely impact of sea level rise and climate change.
  • 2010 Doctoral Training Grant (DTG) with the Department of Applied Mathematics and Numerical Methods, Technical University of Madrid, Spain. The research is investigating coastal erosion risk assessment by creating a physical-numerical predictive model for the evolution of coastal shores. The project aims to develop a program capable of solving time-space models coupled with diverse phenomena such as sea level rising, coastal processes, stratified differential geology and variable geotechnical conditions to analyse recession rates.
  • 2008 - 2011 Scholarship from Government of Malaysia, Doctoral Training Grant (DTG): 3 year DTG investigating numerical analysis of rainfall induced landslides.
  • 2007 - 2010 Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC), Doctoral Training Grant: