Professor Jie Li
Details
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Department: School of Engineering
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Campus: City Campus Australia
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jie.li@rmit.edu.au
Open to
- Masters Research or PhD student supervision
- Media enquiries
About
Prof. Jie Li is a recognised expert in geotechnical engineering and construction materials, with over 10 years of professional experience as a consulting engineer, project manager, and professional officer. He has been awarded more than 20 research grants exceeding $10 million, including ARC LP, DP and ITTC funding.
Prof. Li has a strong track record of translating research into impactful, real-world industry solutions, e.g., the world’s first coffee biochar concrete pavement. Part of his research into the characterisation of expansive soils and their interaction with footings has been incorporated into the Australian Standard AS2870 - Residential Slabs and Footings.
His research has been published in top-ranked international journals and featured in over 4,800 mainstream and industry-focused media outlets, including Reuters, CNN, Washington Post, New York Times, Xinhua (China), La Repubblica (Italy), The Times of India, Gizmodo Brazil, World Economic Forum, ASCE Civil Engineering Magazine, Engineers Australia Magazine, and TV news segments on ABC, SBS, Nine, and 10.
Awards and Recognitions
2024 Shaping Australia Awards (Problem Solver category), presented by the Hon. Jason Clare MP, Minister for Education, at Parliament House on 25/2/25
A finalist for Australia’s Waste Innovation & Recycling Awards (2023)
RMIT Award for Research Impact and Collaboration – Team (2022)
RMIT/STEM College Media Star Award (2021)
Inaugural School of Engineering Staff Awards - Leadership Award (2018)
School of Engineering - Outstanding Contribution to Student Belonging Award (2018)
STEM College Students’ Choice Teaching Award (based on the number of student nominations received across a number of courses, one of five winners in 2018, 2016, 2015, 2009, 2008 (discontinued after 2019)
STEM College Students’ Choice Teaching Award - Notable High Archives (2014, 2013)
College/School Top Performing Course Recognition (2022, 2021, 2020, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2011, 2010)
KPMG Acclaimed Educator Award - Ranked 2nd in 2014, which provided students the opportunity to nominate the most inspiring educator they encountered during their first semester across RMIT
UniJobs Lecturer of the Year Award (which was based on the number of student nominations received from RMIT and discontinued after 2014) - 2014 (1st place from RMIT Nominations), 2013 (2nd place), 2012 (one of the top 10), 2011 (2nd place), 2009 (one of the top 10) (discontinued after 2014
RMIT Nominee (one of ten) for a National Teaching Award - ALTC citation (2009)
RMIT University Teaching Award (2008)
Research fields
- 400502 Civil geotechnical engineering
- 400505 Construction materials
- 401902 Geomechanics and resources geotechnical engineering
- 401102 Environmentally sustainable engineering
- 401106 Waste management, reduction, reuse and recycling
- 400510 Structural engineering
UN sustainable development goals
- 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
- 13 Climate Action
- 12 Responsible Consumption and Production
- 9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
- 7 Affordable and Clean Energy
- 17 Partnerships for the Goals
- 3 Good Health and Well Being
Academic positions
- Professor
- RMIT University
- Civil and Infrastructure Engineering
- Melbourne, Australia
- 1 Jan 2020 – Present
- Associate Professor
- RMIT University
- Civil and Infrastructure Engineering
- Melbourne, Australia
- 1 Jan 2017 – 31 Dec 2019
- Senior Lecturer
- RMIT University
- Civil and Infrastructure Engineering
- Melbourne, Australia
- Jan 2010 – Dec 2016
- Lecturer
- RMIT University
- Civil and Infrastructure Engineering
- Melbourne, Australia
- Oct 2007 – Dec 2009
Non-academic positions
- Discipline Leader - Geomechanics and Transport
- RMIT University
- Civil & Infrastructure Eng
- Melbourne, Australia
- Apr 2024 – Present
- Assistant Associate Dean
- RMIT University
- Civil & Infrastructure Eng
- Melbourne, Australia
- 2 Aug 2021 – 31 Mar 2024
- Acting Assistant Associate Dean
- RMIT University
- Civil & Infrastructure Eng
- Melbourne, Australia
- Mar 2021 – Aug 2021
- Discipline Leader - Civil Structure and Materials
- RMIT University
- Civil and Infrastructure Engineering
- Melbourne, Australia
- Mar 2019 – Nov 2020
- Program Manager
- RMIT University
- Civil and Infrastructure Engineering
- Melbourne, Australia
- Jan 2016 – Jan 2020
- Assistant Discipline Head
- RMIT University
- Civil and Infrastructure Engineering
- Melbourne, Australia
- 2012 – 2016
Supervisor projects
- Application of ash materials for mix asphalt
- 21 Feb 2025
- An innovative concrete slab and flexible pavement system
- 13 Mar 2024
- Concrete products integrating upcycled cellulose Biochar from non-treated Timber waste
- 8 Mar 2024
- Development of Low carbon concrete using, industrial by products and waste materials.
- 15 Jan 2024
- Settlement Response of Ground and Building Considering Staged Tunnelling
- 20 Dec 2023
- Development of eco-friendly low-carbon pavements using waste materials, low-carbon binders and a nonopolymer admixture
- 21 Aug 2023
- Development of Innovative low-carbon pavement using recycled waste materials
- 3 Aug 2023
- Pile foundation in expansive soils
- 23 May 2023
- Assessment of soil underground structure interaction under dynamic conditions
- 28 Apr 2023
- Utilisation of e-waste as an aggregate replacement in concrete used in civil engineering projects.
- 9 Jan 2023
- development of high performance SFRC and its application in structural member under shear
- 18 Nov 2022
- Use of recycled materials for the stabilization of unsuitable soils and sub-grades
- 10 Nov 2022
- Optimization of fiber enhanced composite
- 28 Mar 2022
- Use of recycled materials for the stabilization of unsuitable soils and sub-grades
- 11 Aug 2021
- Geological Features Identification Methods for Shield Tunnelling in Soil-Rock Mixed Ground
- 16 Jul 2021
- Evidence of Viscoelastic Deformation and Slow Stress Waves from Time-Series Extensometer Data Within Mine Shaft
- 24 Mar 2021
- Use of Recycled Materials for the Stabilisation of Pavement Layers
- 25 Jan 2021
- Experimental Study of the Clay Activation Methods to Develop Geopolymer Binder
- 31 Jan 2020
- Use of recycled materials for the stabilization of unsuitable soils and sub-grades
- 22 Jan 2020
- An Innovative Study on Lightweight Concrete for the Complete Replacement of Conventional Coarse Aggregates by Waste Tire Rubber Particles
- 27 Nov 2019
- Study on Shear Behaviours of Reinforced High-Performance SFRC Beams
- 2 Sep 2019
- A Sustainable Approach to the Utilisation of Non-Clinical Medical Waste and Food Waste in Concrete Applications
- 10 Apr 2019
- Novel Capping Layer for Foundations in Expansive Soils Using Sustainable Materials
- 20 Mar 2019
- Hybrid Machine Learning Algorithms and Optimisation Techniques as New Solution for Geotechnical Problems
- 1 Oct 2018
- Stabilisation of High and Low Reactive Clays Utilising Glass Waste and Polymer for Application in Road Pavement Subgrade
- 1 Mar 2018
- Sustainable Planting of Trees in Suburban Environments on Shrinkable Clays
- 1 Feb 2018
- Experimental Study of Recycled Waste Material and Polymer-based Materials for Expansive Clay Stabilisation in Road Pavement Subgrade
- 1 Sep 2017
- Numerical Modelling of Micro and Macroscopic Hydromechanical Behaviour of Unsaturated Soils
- 1 Aug 2017
- Monitoring of Soil Movement due to Deep Excavation Works using Time Lapse Ground Penetrating Radar (TLGPR)
- 7 Mar 2017
- Application of Recycled Waste Materials for Making a New and Green Pavement Base/Subbase
- 27 Feb 2017
- Modified Soil Suction Models to Enhance the Predictions of Seasonal Surface Movement in Expansive Soils
- 11 Mar 2015
- Rate Dependent Behaviour of Unsaturated Soil with Different Over-Consolidation Ratios & its Constitutive Modelling
- 2 Mar 2015
Teaching interests
- Program development for BH077/BH088.
- Courseware development for CIVE1159 Goetechnical Engineering 3 (undergraduate), CIVE1244 Advanced Geotechnical Design and Construction (postgraduate), CIVE1155 Sustainable Infrastructure Design (undergraduate) and CIVE1165 Introduction to Civil and Infrastructure Engineering (undergraduate).
Research interests
Sustainable Geotechnics
Construction Materials
Expansive Soils;
Recycling and reuse of waste materials;
Ground Improvement;
Soil Stabilisation;
Pavement;
Influence of Trees on Ground Movement and Infrastructure.
