Centrifuge modelling in the undergraduate curriculum—a 5 year reflection

A summary overview of 5 years working with a small-scale educational centrifuge at the University of Sheffield is presented. Various geotechnical design problems have been successfully performed throughout this period, including slope stability, bearing capacity failure and tunnelling. The opportunity to experimentally explore the theoretical content taught in lectures has had a positive impact on student learning in the undergraduate curriculum. The authors advocate there is an immediate need for greater adoption of experimental based observation/demonstration, either conducted at 1 g or Ng, to be embedded within the geotechnical undergraduate curriculum to enrich and deepen the student learning experience of geotechnical system performance.