Dr To has research expertise in numerical simulation, geotechnical and dam engineering. His focused topics are soil (surface and internal) erosion, slope stability, consolidation, ground improvement, and soil contamination. He is the author of a new suffusion assessment method, which is also applicable for contact erosion. This research received the first prize of a global research competition, the Golder Foundation Awards.

Dr To also has professional experience as a dam designer and design inspector in Vietnam. He is an author of a book for site engineers employing the Vacuum Consolidation Method.

 Dr To received his BSc and MSc at St. Petersburg State Polytechnical University, Russia, and his PhD in Civil Engineering from the University of Queensland.  He was a postdoctoral researcher in Mathematical Sciences at Queensland University of Technology before joining JCU in 2016.

Teaching

• CS3002: Soil Mechanics and Geology (Level 3; TSV)
• CS4001: Foundation Engineering and Rock Mechanics (Level 4; TSV)
• CS4010: Finite Element Analysis and Structural Dynamics (Level 4; TSV)
• EG1000: Engineering 1 (Level 1; TSV)

Interests

Professional

• Any topics related to geotechnical engineering and hydraulic engineering.

Research

• Numerical methods in Geotechnical Engineering
• Ground Improvement methods
• Slope Stability. Slope scanning device. Geospatial engineering.
• Geotechnical sensors. Wireless interface for sensors. GPR, TDR technologies.
• Soil erosion and contamination.

Experience

• 2017 - Calibration Academic, Innovative Research Universities

Research Disciplines

• Civil engineering (4005)
• Resources engineering and extractive metallurgy (4019)

Awards

• 2015 - Winner - Golder Foundation Award.
• 2014 - UQ Future Leader
• 2013 - 3 Minute Thesis - Winner and People Choice Award, School of Civil Engineering
• 2014 to 2015 - Best Journal Paper, School of Civil Engineering

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles

• To P (2019) A prototype of a self-assembly slope-stability scanner for small slopes. Australian Geomechanics, 54 (4), pp. 99-105.
• To P, Scheuermann A and Williams D (2018) Quick assessment on susceptibility to suffusion of continuously graded soils by curvature of particle size distribution. Acta Geotechnica, 13 (5), pp. 1241-1248, DOI:10.1007/s11440-017-0611-8.
• To H, Galindo-Torres S and Scheuermann A (2016) Sequential sphere packing by trilateration equations. Granular Matter, 18 (70), pp. 1-14, DOI:10.1007/s10035-016-0666-5.
• To H, Scheuermann A and Galindo-Torres S (2016) Probability of transportation of loose particles in suffusion assessment by self-filtration criteria. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 142 (2), Article: 04015078, pp. 1-10, DOI:10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0001403.
• To H, Galindo Torres S and Scheuermann A (2015) Primary fabric fraction analysis of granular soils. Acta Geotechnica, 10 (3), pp. 375-387, DOI:10.1007/s11440-014-0353-9.
• To H, Galindo-Torres S and Scheuermann A (2014) A numerical approach for the determination of the primary fabric of granular soils. Applied Mechanics and Materials, 553, pp. 489-494, DOI:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.553.489.

Book Chapters

• Scheuermann A, Muehlhaus H, Galindo-Torres S, Harshani H, Aminpour M, Bittner T, To P, Gholami-Korzani M, Pedroso D, Li L and Gross L (2017) Physical and mathematical modeling of erosion processes across the scales. In: Bifurcation and Degradation of Geomaterials with Engineering Applications. Springer Series in Geomechanics and Geoengineering. Springer, Cham, Switzerland, pp. 585-591

Conference Papers

• To P and Tuladhar R (2018) A heutagogical approach for teaching a numerical analysis subject in engineering. Proceedings of the Australasian Association for Engineering Education Conference. In: AAEE 2018: 29th Australasian Association for Engineering Education Conference, 9-12 December 2018, Hamilton, New Zealand
• To P and Sivakugan N (2018) Boundary stress distribution in silos filled with granular material. Numerical Methods in Geotechnical Engineering. In: NUMGE 2018: 9th European Conference on Numerical Methods in Geotechnical Engineering, 25-27 June 2018, Porto, Portugal
• To P and Sivakugan N (2018) Arching of granular flow under loading in silos. Numerical Methods in Geotechnical Engineering. In: NUMGE 2018: 9th European Conference on Numerical Methods in Geotechnical Engineering, 25-27 June 2018, Porto, Portugal
• To H and Scheuermann A (2014) Separation of grain size distribution for application of self-filtration criteria in suffusion assessment. Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Scour and Erosion. In: ICSE 2014: 7th International Conference on Scour and Erosion, 2-4 December 2014, Perth, WA, Australia
• To H, Scheuermann A and Williams D (2012) A new simple model for the determination of the pore constriction size distribution. Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Scour and Erosion. In: ICSE-6: 6th International Conference on Scour and Erosion, 27-31 August 2012, Paris, France

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 13+ research outputs authored by Dr Peter To from 2012 onwards.

Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current

• Loadings on the Mine Fill Barricades (PhD , Secondary Advisor)

Completed

• Electrokinetic dewatering and consolidation of dredged marine sediments (2017, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Cemented paste backfill modification using different types of binders and insight into its mechanical, micro-structure, and flow properties (2018, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Sedimentation and consolidation behaviour of fly ash-based geopolymer stabilised dredged mud (2019, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Method of fragments (MoF) solutions for double-walled, circular and rectangular cofferdam seepage problems (2019, PhD , Secondary Advisor)