A PhD on the Road (Back Home)

It was running the year of 1994 when i first knew about DMT, in the entrance hall of Industrial de Sondeos in Madrid. At the time, I was a young engineer in the beginning of a professional career with a lot of dreams to fulfill, desperately looking for modern forms of testing and I was touched by the simplicity and versatility of the test. As a consequence, one DMT unit was bought by LGMC of CICCOPN, the first quality controlled laboratory of mechanical testing in Portugal, which gave rise to a long run after its applicability in residual soils. One year later, at the end of 1995, the first MSc dissertation on DMT in portuguese soils was concluded, which included already a first attempt to introduce it in residual soils. Since then, the portuguese experience gave rise to 30 publications crossing a wide range of problems related with DMT in residual soils.

My PhD thesis is the result of this long run, but it is much more than one man’s work. In fact, this was produced by a lot of fantastic people that worked with me as team mates in LGMC, later in MOTA-ENGIL to where I moved in 2003 and also Aveiro University. They gave me the pleasure of walking along with me, proving that friendhip and a good mood can really take us far. Let me introduce all of them, singing a song with a great meaning for portuguese (Traz um amigo também – Resistência) that is my tribute to their capacity of always bringing a friend along with them...

José Manuel Carvalho - The first DMT operator (1994) and a long journey companion in the hardest early times

Fernando Gomes – Development of first calculation sheets which allowed storing important data basis since the earlier begin (1995). Fantastic job mounting exactly what i needed (and i didn´t know i needed)

Sonia Inês Figueiredo – The first global data treatment of combined testing programs, which included 15 sedimentary and 7 residual experimental sites (2000). My Soninha. Quite short the time we had been together, but so full of empaty. And a great job that became a huge step forward towards the work i´m trying desperately to finish.

Jorge Cruz – Development of DMT multi-testing campaigns. This work gave rise to Geotechnical Engineering degree final work, awarded with Lisoarte Gomes Prize (2003) and a MSc thesis (2008). The best engineer i´ve ever work with. Either in friendship and teamwork

Jorge Ribeiro – Geotechnical Engineering final work based in LGMC experimental site, (2004), closing an important stage on residual soil characterization. We learn about triaxial testing together, with efficiency and companionhip

Ricardo Rocha – Introduction of geophysics in combination with mechanical testing (2005). A great future is expected in geophysics. He deserve it. Clearly

Eduardo Neves – MSc thesis in artificially cemented soils which gave important impulse to the main experience of actual work (2007). So many things together, maybe the one who lived more different stages with me. And we climbed together to the top of Pacaia to see magma coming out from the earth.

Manuel Cruz – Development of advanced mathmatics & engineering interfaces (2007), co-supervising the research works on propagation errors of results. Don´t tell anyone this secret, but he is my bro.

Carin Mateus – MSC thesis on error propagation of DMT results, departing from measurement errors (2007). My day-to-day help, support and fuel to go on.

João Branco working together with me in rock mechanics (so important its understanding to understand residual soils). Maybe the one who worked with me in the most difficult conditions. And he gave everything. Fantastic job, fantastic friendship

Patricia Vieira & Luis Machado – Same kind of previous work applied to SCPTU and PMT, closing the pack of the main in situ tests for a proper residual soil characterization (2008). Together with Fernando Paiva and Denise Silva, they make a younger and promising generation of team mates. Let´s walk towards something useful, together.

Carlos Rodrigues – Determinant contribution on the main research program related to the present work, and more than that, the arm-to-arm he always gave me, no matter the circunstances. About this i would just say... he taught me a different meaning for friendship

Mike Lopes, David Felizardo & Catarina Lemos - They taught me how far a team can go, always with a beautiful shining smile

My Friends, this work is the result of what we were able to do together, and I sincerely hope you can feel proud of it. Thank you all for your contribution. It has been a pleasure to walk with you.

The Long Run from nunocruz on Vimeo.

Uma ode à amizade e à entrega em torno de um bom objectivo. Um prazer trabalhar com gente tão boa. Fica a mensagem...

Traz um amigo também (Zeca Afonso, cantado por Resistência).

Está fácil de lêr em inglês. Logo, logo traduzo.

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