Basic Information

Affiliated programs (koza)

• Graduate School of Engineering, 社会基盤工学専攻計算科学講座, 助教

Email Address

• Email Address

  ali.usman.6jkyoto-u.ac.jp

Academic Degree

• 17 Sep. 2021

  横浜国立大学修士（工学）
• 25 Mar. 2024

  横浜国立大学博士（工学）

Academic Resume (Undergraduate School/Majors)

• University of Engineering and Technology，Lahore, Faculty of Civil Engineering，Department of Transportation Engineering, 卒業

Research History

• From Apr. 2026, To Present

  Kyoto University, Academic Center for Computing and Media Studies, Assistant Professor
• From Sep. 2024, To Mar. 2026

  Yokohama National University, Department of Civil Engineering, JSPS Postdoctoral Fellow
• From Apr. 2024, To Aug. 2024

  Yokohama National University, Department of Civil Engineering, Postdoctoral Researcher

ID,URL

• J-Global ID

  202601011451974604

• Researcher number

  21038672

researchmap URL

• https://researchmap.jp/ali_usman

Research

Research Interests

• Soil mechanics
• Computational geomechanics
• Granular media
• Numerical analysis
• Discrete element method

Research Areas

• Informatics, Computational science, Image analysis, Computational Granular Mechanics
• Social infrastructure (civil Engineering, architecture, disaster prevention), Disaster prevention engineering, Landslides, Slope stability, Granular flows
• Social infrastructure (civil Engineering, architecture, disaster prevention), Geotechnical engineering, Soil Mechanics, Computational Geomechanics, Discrete Element Method

Papers

• Beyond gradation: effect of crushing-induced roundness evolution on the critical states of granular media

  Usman Ali; Mamoru Kikumoto

  Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 01 Sep. 2026, Peer-reviewed, Lead author

  
• Experimental micro–macromechanics: shear-induced fabric evolution can make denser assemblies less stiff

  Pongsapak Kanjanatanalert; Usman Ali; Ying Cui; Mamoru Kikumoto

  Géotechnique, 20 Aug. 2026, Peer-reviewed

  
• Sustainable improvement of highly plastic clay using magnetized water

  Mohammad O. Taamneh; Umair Ali; Mubashir Aziz; Usman Ali

  Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering, 09 Jun. 2026, Peer-reviewed, Last author

  
• Crushing-induced angularity governs critical state strength in granular soils

  Usman Ali; Mamoru Kikumoto

  Acta Geotechnica, 09 Jun. 2026, Peer-reviewed, Lead author

  
• Exploring the relationship between critical state friction angle and angle of repose using the discrete element method

  Usman Ali; Umair Ali

  Powder Technology, Jun. 2026, Peer-reviewed, Lead author, Corresponding author

  
• Rolling resistance as a surrogate for angularity in DEM: Macromechanical potentials and micromechanical limitations

  Usman Ali; Mamoru Kikumoto

  Computers and Geotechnics, Apr. 2026, Peer-reviewed, Lead author

  
• Trapdoor configuration effects on stress-redistribution and arching of granular media through DEM

  Umair Ali; Usman Ali; Aaqib Ali; Masahide Otsubo; Mubashir Aziz; Mamoru Kikumoto

  Results in Engineering, Mar. 2026, Peer-reviewed

  
• Significance of Rolling Resistance: When is it Required?

  Usman Ali; Mamoru Kikumoto; Matteo Ciantia; Ying Cui

  IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 01 Apr. 2025, Peer-reviewed, Lead author

  
• Role of particle shape in sheared granular media: roundness and elongation

  Usman Ali; Mamoru Kikumoto

  Powder Technology, Jan. 2025, Peer-reviewed, Lead author

  
• Experimental Micro-Macromechanics: Critical States of Round/Angular Granular Mixtures

  Usman Ali; Mamoru Kikumoto

  Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, Dec. 2024, Peer-reviewed, Lead author

  
• Experimental micro–macromechanics: particle shape effect on the biaxial shear response of particulate systems

  Usman Ali; Mamoru Kikumoto; Matteo Ciantia; Marco Previtali; Ying Cui

  Géotechnique, 01 Dec. 2024, Peer-reviewed, Lead author

  
• Combined effect of particle roundness and aspect ratio on mechanical responses of granular soils

  Oct. 2024, Lead author

  
• Why Modeling Particle Shape Matters: Significance of Particle-Scale Modeling in Describing Global and Local Granular Responses

  Usman Ali; Mamoru Kikumoto; Matteo Oryem Ciantia; Ying Cui; Marco Previtali

  Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, Sep. 2024, Peer-reviewed, Lead author

  
• Micromechanical observation of kinematics of sheared circular discs

  Usman Ali; Mamoru Kikumoto; Ying Cui; Matteo Ciantia; Marco Previtali

  E3S Web of Conferences, 02 Jul. 2024, Peer-reviewed, Lead author

  
• Impact of particle elongation on the behavior of round and angular granular media: Consequences of particle rotation and force chain development

  Usman Ali; Mamoru Kikumoto; Matteo Ciantia

  Computers and Geotechnics, Jan. 2024, Peer-reviewed, Lead author

  
• Systematic effect of particle roundness/angularity on macro- and microscopic behavior of granular materials

  Usman Ali; Mamoru Kikumoto; Matteo Ciantia; Ying Cui; Marco Previtali

  Granular Matter, 28 Jun. 2023, Peer-reviewed, Lead author

  
• Role of particle rotation in sheared granular media

  Usman Ali; Mamoru Kikumoto; Ying Cui; Matteo Ciantia; Marco Previtali

  Acta Geotechnica, 20 Mar. 2023, Peer-reviewed, Lead author

  
• Importance of Periodic Boundaries or Frictionless Walls in Simulating Elementary Response of Angular Particles

  Usman Ali; Mamoru Kikumoto; Matteo Ciantia; Marco Prevatali; Ying Cui

  VIII International Conference on Particle-Based Methods, 2023, Peer-reviewed, Lead author

  
• Validation of DEM using macroscopic stress-strain behavior and microscopic particle motion in sheared granular assemblies

  Usman Ali; Mamoru Kikumoto; Matteo Ciantia; Ying Cui

  15th World Congress on Computational Mechanics (WCCM-XV) and 8th Asian Pacific Congress on Computational Mechanics (APCOM-VIII), 2022, Peer-reviewed, Lead author

  
• Direct observation of particle kinematics in biaxial shearing test

  Usman Ali; Mamoru Kikumoto; Matteo Ciantia; Ying Cui

  16 Dec. 2021, Peer-reviewed, Lead author

  

Presentations

• Effect of particle shape on micro-macromechanics of granular materials

  Usman Ali

  King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia., 26 Jan. 2026, Invited

  
• Influence of particle elongation and interparticle friction on the mechanical behavior of granular media

  Usman Ali; Mamoru Kikumoto

  The 36th KKHTCNN Symposium on Civil Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong., 03 Dec. 2025

  
• Crushing-induced size and shape evolution effect on critical states of soils

  Usman Ali; Mamoru Kikumoto

  The 10th International Conference on Discrete Element Methods (DEM10), Himeji, Japan., 04 Jul. 2025

  
• Significance of rolling resistance: when is it required ?

  Usman Ali; Mamoru Kikumoto; Matteo Ciantia; Ying Cui

  International Symposium on Geomechanics from Micro to Macro, 23 Sep. 2024

  
• Combined effect of particle roundness and aspect ratio on mechanical responses of granular soils

  Usman Ali; Mamoru Kikumoto

  The 67th National Congress of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, Yokohama, Japan., 03 Sep. 2024

  
• Calibrating rolling resistance to imitate stress-strain response of angular particles: potential and limitations.

  Usman Ali, Mamoru Kikumoto, Matteo Ciantia

  26th International Congress of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (ICTAM), Daegu, South Korea., 29 Aug. 2024

  
• Crushing-induced size and shape evolution effect on critical states of soils

  Usman Ali; Mamoru Kikumoto

  Geomechanics Alliance In Asia (GAIA) - First Workshop, Atami, Japan., 2024

  
• Confirming the effect of particle shape across various boundary conditions and specimen dimensions

  Usman Ali; Mamoru Kikumoto; Matteo Ciantia; Marco Previtali; Ying Cui

  VIII International Conference on Particle-Based Methods (PARTICLES-2023), Milan, Italy., 11 Sep. 2023

  
• Micromechanical observation of the kinematics of sheared circular discs

  Usman Ali; Mamoru Kikumoto; Ying Cui; Matteo Ciantia; Marco Previtali

  8th International Symposium on Deformation Characteristics of Geomaterials (ISDCG), Porto, Portugal., 04 Sep. 2023

  
• Validation of DEM models considering complete macro- and microscopic experimental data

  Usman Ali, Mamoru Kikumoto, Matteo Oryem Ciantia, Ying Cui

  15th World Congress on Computational Mechanics & 18th Asian Pacific Congress on Computational Mechanics (WCCM-APCOM), 03 Aug. 2022

  
• Application of particle kinematics data observed in the biaxial shear test

  Usman Ali; Mamoru Kikumoto; Matteo Ciantia; Ying Cui

  18th UK Travelling Workshop – GeoMechanics: from Micro to Macro (GM3), Dundee, UK., 17 Dec. 2021

  

Awards

• 31 Aug. 2017

  GoldMedalforBestPerformanceinthefinalyearsubjectsofB.Sc.Program（UET Lahore）
• 25 Mar. 2024

  Dean's Excellent Student Award（横浜国立大学）
• 25 Mar. 2024

  President's Award for Outstanding Doctoral Student（横浜国立大学）
• 31 Aug. 2017

  Gold Medal for Best Overall Performance in B.Sc. Examinations（UET Lahore）

External funds: Kakenhi

• Beyond grading: effect of particle shape evolution on cone penetration in crushable soils

  Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up

  0303:Civil engineering, social systems engineering, safety engineering, disaster prevention engineering, and related fields

  Kyoto University

  ALI USMAN

  From 31 Jul. 2026, To 31 Mar. 2028, Granted

  Particle crushing;Particle shape;Cone penetration;Granular materials;Discrete element method

  https://kaken.nii.ac.jp/grant/KAKENHI-PROJECT-26K24650/

Administration

Faculty management (title, position)

• From 01 Apr. 2026, To 31 Mar. 2027

  学術情報メディアセンター企画・広報委員会委員