Namgwon Kim, University of Strathclyde, EGU 2025, Vienna

I am very grateful to TSG for providing me with a “Student travel bursary”, which enabled my attendance at the EGU General Assembly 2025 in Vienna, Austria. At EGU, I presented a poster titled “Deciphering Heterogeneous Mechanical Stability in an Exhumed Fault Zone through a Structural-Geotechnical Approach: A Case Study from the Great Glen Fault, Scotland.” This study focuses on understanding how the internal architecture influences the heterogeneous mechanical stability of the fault zone. My case study site, the Torcastle block, a fault-bounded sliver within the fault core of the Great Glen Fault, contains variably oriented faults, micaceous shear zones, and intruded dykes showing heterogeneous fracture patterns. Using a combined approach of detailed structural and geotechnical mapping (e.g., structural domaining, fracture categorization, topological analysis, and Q-value mapping), I aim to understand how geological heterogeneity governs mechanical variability distribution. My findings show that zones with low Q-values, indicative of mechanical weakness, correlate strongly with structural complexity, especially near major faults, rotated blocks, and dyke-influenced domains.

The bursary allowed me to present this work at EGU to an international and multidisciplinary audience, gain valuable feedback, and connect with researchers in structural geology, geotechnical engineering, and rock mechanics. The comments I received, particularly on the methods of integrating structural and engineering datasets, were highly constructive and will guide the further development of my project. The experience was especially beneficial as I began to explore how my findings may apply to geotechnical risk mitigation in infrastructure projects and subsurface engineering.

As my PhD funding does not include conference travel support, the TSG bursary was essential to making this experience possible. Attending EGU 2025 was a significant milestone in my academic journey to strengthen my research and broaden my network. Sincere thanks to TSG.