Elena Zabolotnii

Assistant Professor in Civil & Geotechnical Engineering

• B.A.Sc., (University of Regina), M.Eng., Ph.D. (University of Alberta), P.Eng.
• 4532 Mackenzie, Carleton University
• 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6
• Email Elena Zabolotnii

Prof. Zabolotnii’s mailbox is located in room 3432 C.J. Mackenzie Building, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6 Canada

Education

Doctor of Philosophy, Geotechnical Engineering, 2020, University of Alberta. Thesis Title: “Three-dimensional slope stability effects in the failure at the Mount Polley Tailings Storage Facility” (supervisors: N.R. Morgenstern, G.W. Wilson)

Master of Engineering, Geoenvironmental Engineering, 2016, University of Alberta (supervisor: G.W.Wilson)

Teaching Assignments 2024-2025

• CIVE 5209 Geotechnical Case Studies
• ENVE 4002/5201 Geo-Environmental Engineering
• CIVE 4400 Construction/Project Management

Previous Teaching Assignments

• ECOR 1055 Intro to Engineering Discipline
• CIVE 5209 Geotechnical Case Studies
• ENVE 4002/5201 Geo-Environmental Engineering
• CIVE 4918 Design Project
• CIVE 4400 Construction/Project Management

Research Interests:

• Performance-based design:
  • Monitoring of slopes using fiberoptics
  • Machine learning applications for monitoring data from fiberoptics equipment
  • Computational geomechanics
• Pit slope stability
• 3D effects in slope stability, including seismic slope stability

Awards

• Teaching Achievement Award 2023, Carleton University
• Vanier Scholar 2017-2020, Rank 13/179 in category
• NSERC PGS-D 2017, Rank 1 in category, declined
• President’s Doctoral Prize of Distinction, 2016

Publications

Journal

1. Tarik Dirikolu, Elena Zabolotnii, Jeeva Subramaniam Kumar, John Read and Julian Venter. The applicability of 3D effects to New Zealand’s new standards for seismic analysis of slope stability. Under review.
2. Zabolotnii, E., N.R. Morgenstern, and G.W. Wilson. (2023). Reply to the Discussion submitted by Reid, et al. of our paper entitled “Mechanism of failure of the Mount Polley Tailings Storage Facility”. Can. Geot. J., DOI: 10.1139/cgj-2023-0014.
3. Zabolotnii, E., N.R. Morgenstern, and G.W. Wilson. (2022). Asynchronous mobilization of shear resistance in slope failures. ISSMGE’s Intl. J. Geoengineering Case Histories 6(3): 54-72.
4. Zabolotnii, E., N.R. Morgenstern, and G.W. Wilson (2022). Mechanism of failure of the Mount Polley Tailings Storage Facility. Can. Geot. J. 59(8). DOI: 10.1139/cgj-2021-0036.
5. Zabolotnii, E., N.R. Morgenstern, and G.W. Wilson (2021). Mesh sensitivity in numerical models of strain-weakening systems. Computers and Geotechnics vol. 136, No. 104253.

Keynotes & invited speaker

1. Zabolotnii, E. Performance based design: an alternative to conventional slope stability analysis. Ottawa Geotechnical Society, May 10 2023. Invited speaker.
2. E. Zabolotnii. Charting a path for geo-professionals toward a constructive engagement with Indigenous communities. GeoCalgary, 3-6 Oct. 2022, Calgary AB Canada. Invited speaker.
3. Zabolotnii, Elena (2019). The anatomy of a progressive failure: the Mount Polley case study.” Edmonton Geotechnical Society Annual Mixer Event, 15 October.
4. Zabolotnii, Elena (2015). Notes on long term stability in Regina clay embankments. Edmonton Geotechnical Society Wine and Cheese Event, 16 September.

Conference

1. Tarik Dirikolu, Elena Zabolotnii, Jeeva Subramaniam Kumar, John Read and Julian Venter. Notes On The Selection of 3D Pseudo-Static Inputs to Meet Regulations. Submitted, Dam World 2025, Portugal.
2. Elena Zabolotnii, Julian Venter, Ashley Creighton and Jeeva Subramaniam Kumar (2023). Evaluation of slope stability methods for large pit slopes: an LOP III Project. In proceedings, Slope Stability 2024, Minas Jerais Brazil April 2024.
3. Zahra Esfandiari, Louai Alshafti, Paul Simms and Elena Zabolotnii. Simulation of failure initiation in centrifuge and 1-g flume tests on soft clay deposits in 3D: role of constitutive model and post-peak behaviour. Submitted to GeoMontreal 2024, Feb. 2024.
4. Zabolotnii, E., J. Read, T. Dirikolu and S. Sivathayalan. Notes on the application of New Zealand’s 2022 NSHM in slope stability. In proceedings, Slope Stability 2024, Minas Gerais Brazil April 2024.
5. Saeedi, A., Esfandiari, Z., Xia, X., Zabolotnii, E. Martinelli, M., Beier, N.A., Zambrano, G and Simms, P. 2023. Multi-model Analyses of Physical Simulations of Tailings Impoundment Failure and Runout: Part II. In Proceedings of Tailings and Mine Waste 2023. Vancouver, Canada, 5-8 November, pp. 297-308.
6. Zabolotnii, E., N.R. Morgenstern, G.W. Wilson and P. Simms. Pre-failure stability of the Mount Polley TSF embankment: Conventional vs. performance-based evaluations. In Proc. Tailings and Mine Waste, Nov. 6-10, 2022, Denver CO.
7. Armin Saeedi, Xuexin Xia, Zahra Esfandiari, Elena Zabolotnii, Paul Simms. Multi-model assessment of dam failure and runout. In Proc. Tailings and Mine Waste, Nov. 6-10, 2022, Denver CO.
8. Zabolotnii, E., R.N. Morgenstern, and G.W. Wilson. Non-linear straining of foundation soils in the progressive failure of the Mount Polley TSF embankment. In Proc. 5^th Intl. Itasca Symposium, February Vienna, Austria February 17-21, 2020.

Contributions resulting from participation in industrially relevant R&D activities

1. Zabolotnii, E. and S. Khosravi (2023). Evaluation of large scale pit slope stability methods – phase I report. Report to Large Open Pit II (LOP II), 85 p., https://www.lopproject.com/large-scale-pit-slope-stability-methods/
2. Zabolotnii, Elena and Paul Hunt (2009). The 2008-2009 Saskatchewan Black Spot Screening Project. Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure, Govt. of Saskatchewan (project lead, R&D, work-related).
3. Zabolotnii, Elena (2007). Development of Traffic Accident Information System Inquiry Application (TAISIA). Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure, Govt. of Saskatchewan (project lead, R&D, work-related).

Interviews / media

1. E. Zabolotnii. Behind the scenes with Brian Episode 95: A conversation with Elena Zabolotnii. Podcast Interview, https://anchor.fm/bryan-ulrich/episodes/Episode-95-A-conversation-with-Elena-Zabolotnii-e1gb4t9. Published April 2022.

Other peer-reviewed

1. Zabolotnii, Elena. Three-dimensional slope stability effects in the failure at the Mount Polley Tailings Storage Facility. PhD Thesis. University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, 2020 (580 pages).
2. Zabolotnii, Elena (2016). Roadmap to finalizing the 30-year settlement column experiments. University of Alberta (35 pages, MEng report)

Current status

Actively searching for PhD students with geotechnical and computational backgrounds for one of the two projects:

1. Machine learning applications in slope monitoring.
2. Dynamic modelling of geotechnical experiments.