Ugur Ozbay

Education

• PhD and MSc, Mining Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
• BSc, Mining Engineering, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

Academic Appointment and Responsibilities

1998 – 2020: Colorado School of Mines
Department of Mining Engineering Professor

Courses taught on a year round basis included:

• MNGN321 – Introduction to Rock Mechanics
• MNGN445/545 – Rock Slope Engineering
• MNGN418/508 – Advanced Rock Mechanics

1997 – 1998: University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Professor, Centennial Chair of Rock Mechanics, Department of Mining Engineering

1991 – 1997: University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor, Department of Mining Engineering

Research Projects

1. Numerical Modeling Methodologies for Assessing Burst Potential in Coal Mines.
2. Stability Considerations in Deep Open Pit Slopes.
3. Evaluating the Effects of Earthquakes on Open Pit Mines. 

Professional Experience

• 1991 – 2014: Consulting in Mining Rock Mechanics in Americas and Africa
• 1981 – 1991: Chamber of Mines Research Organization, Johannesburg, S.A.
  Project Manager, Principal Engineer, Chief Engineer, Senior Engineer.
• 1980-1981: Westrand Gold Mine, Randfontain, S. A.
  Project Engineer
• 1977 – 1980: Mineral Research and Exploration Institute, Ankara, Turkey
  Mining Engineer

Professional Certifications

• Registered Professional Engineer, ECSA (Engineering Council of South Africa)

Honors and Awards

• CSMAA Alumni Teaching Award, 2004
• Outstanding Faculty Member, Fall 2004, Spring 2004, Fall 2003, Spring 2003, Spring 2002, Fall 2001.
• Silver Medal awards from the Journal of the South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy for best papers in 1991, 1995, 1995, 1995, 1999.
• Salamon Prize awarded by the South African National Group on Rock Mechanics for best paper in 1991.

Professional Organization Memberships

• Fellow Member of South African Institution of Mining and Metallurgy
• Member, Society of Mining Engineers (SME), Denver, Colorado.
• Member, American Rock Mechanics Association

Professional Publications (2012-2014)

• Gu, R. and Ozbay, U (2015). Numerical investigation of unstable rock failure in underground mining condition. Computers and Geotechnics 63, 171-182
• Gu, R, Ozbay U (2014) Distinct element model analysis of unstable shear failure of rock discontinuities in underground mining conditions. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences 68, 44-54
• Gu, R, Ozbay U. (2014) Analyses of De-confinement Mechanisms of Unstable Failures in Underground Mining Conditions. The 33rd International Conference on Ground Control in Mining, Morgantown.
• Kusaka, A., Garvey, R., Isago, N. and Ozbay, U.( 2013). A Numerical Modeling Study of Unstable Failure During Tunnel Excavation. Journal of Japan Society of Civil Engineers, Ser.F1, Vol.69, No.3, pp.I_11-I_19.
• Gu, R and Ozbay, U.  Numerical Analyses of Discontinuity Failure Stability under Different Stress Fields. 6th Int. Symp. on In-Situ Rock Stress, 20-22 August 2013, Sendai, Japan.
• Kusaka, A., Nobuharu, I., Garvey, R. and Ozbay, U. (2013) Effect of post-peak behavior on Rock Strength for Underground Excavation. 6th Int. Symp. In-Situ Rock Stress, 20-22 August 2013, Sendai, Japan.
• Gu, R., Mustoe, G., and Ozbay U. (2013) Evaluation of two Discrete Element Models For Studying Unstable Rock Failure In Compression, 6th International Conference on Discrete Element Methods (DEM6). Colorado School of Mines.
• Gu, R, Ozbay U. (2013) Distinct Element Analysis Of Unstable Failure In Underground Mines, 6th International Conference on Discrete Element Methods (DEM6), Colorado School of Mines.
• Garvey R, Ozbay U. (2013) Assessing Coal Bumps from Excess Energy in Finite Difference Models. The 32nd International Conference on Ground Control in Mining, Morgantown.
• Gu R, Ozbay, U. (2013)  Distinct Element Analysis of Discontinuity Stable and Unstable Shear Failure, The 47th US Rock Mechanics / Geomechanics Symposium, San Francisco, CA, USA, 23-26 June.
• Kusaka, A., Garvey, R. and Ozbay, U. (2013)  A Study of the Influence of Tunnel Shape on Rockburst Proneness Using Numerical Modeling. The 47th US Rock Mechanics / Geomechanics Symposium, San Francisco, CA, USA, 23-26 June.
• Gu, R and Ozbay, U. (2013) Distinct Element Analysis of Discontinuity Stable and Unstable Shear Failure.  The 47th US Rock Mechanics / Geomechanics Symposium, San Francisco, CA, USA, 23-26 June.
• Kias, E. M. C. and Ozbay, U. (2013)  Modeling unstable failure of coal pillars in underground mining using the discrete element method. The 47th US Rock Mechanics / Geomechanics Symposium, San Francisco, CA, USA, 23-26 June.
• Gu, R. and Ozbay, U.  2012.  Distinct Element Model Analysis of Unstable Failure of Rock Discontinuities. The 46th US Rock Mechanics / Geomechanics Symposium, Chicago, IL, USA, 24-27 June 2012.
• Garvey, R. and Ozbay, U., 2011.  Identifying Unstable Failure in Brittle Rock using the Finite Difference Method.  The 46th US Rock Mechanics / Geomechanics Symposium, Chicago, IL, USA, 24-27 June 2012.
• Worrall, D., Wachel, E., Ozbay, U., Munoz, D., and Grubb, J. 2012.  Computational Fluid Dynamic Modeling of A Sealed Longwall Gob in an Underground Coal Mine 14th North American Mine Ventilation Symposium, June 18, Salt Lake City, Utah.
• Gu R, Ozbay U: [2012] Distinct Element Analysis of Unstable Failure and Consideration of Local Mine Shear Stiffness. Topical Issues of Rational Use of Natural Resources, St. Petersburg State Mining University, April 25-27, 2012