Staff profile

Gustavo is an Assistant Professor in X-Ray Computed Tomography with Environmental Applications in the Department of Engineering at Durham University, where he is a member of the SMART (Soil Microbiome Augmentation and Restoration Technologies) Soils team. He obtained Engineering Diplomas in Mechanical Engineering and Civil Engineering from Universidad de los Andes (Colombia) in 2017, followed by an MSc in Geotechnical Engineering in 2019 from the same institution. He completed his PhD in 2022 at Université Grenoble Alpes (France). His research career has focused on the mechanics of materials, with particular emphasis on advanced material characterisation using X-ray Computed Tomography (XCT). He has worked at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, gaining extensive experience in XCT imaging across a broad range of materials. Since 2019, he has also been a core developer of the open-source spam software, a Python-based tool for quantitative analysis of 2D images and 3D volumes for mechanics applications built around X-ray and neutron tomography.

• His research interests focus on the use of X-ray Computed Tomography (XCT) for the mechanical characterisation of materials across multiple length scales, enabling detailed insight into internal structure–property relationships. He has a strong interest in Digital Volume Correlation (DVC) and other advanced image analysis techniques to quantify microstructure, strain localisation, and damage evolution in complex materials.
• His work also explores soil–root interactions, combining imaging and mechanics to better understand how biological systems influence soil structure and behaviour. More broadly, he is interested in the development of bio-engineering solutions aimed at improving soil health, resilience, and water retention through the integration of biological, mechanical, and environmental processes.

Journal Article

• Quantitative 3D microstructure characterization via the three-dimensional autocorrelation function
  
  Pinzon, G., & Wills, J. (2026). Quantitative 3D microstructure characterization via the three-dimensional autocorrelation function. Materials Letters, 406, Article 140006. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matlet.2025.140006
• 3D particle aggregation in consolidated clay systems: Insights from phase-contrast nano-holo-tomography
  
  Casarella, A., Pinzón, G., Sadasivan, V., Stamati, O., Villanova, J., Lukić, B., & Dijkstra, J. (2026). 3D particle aggregation in consolidated clay systems: Insights from phase-contrast nano-holo-tomography. Particuology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.partic.2026.02.002
• Evolution of fabric anisotropy of granular soils: x-ray tomography measurements and theoretical modelling
  
  Zhao, C., Pinzón, G., Wiebicke, M., Andò, E., Kruyt, N. P., & Viggiani, G. (2026). Evolution of fabric anisotropy of granular soils: x-ray tomography measurements and theoretical modelling. Computers and Geotechnics, 133, Article 104046. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2021.104046
• Lessons learned from matching 3D DEM and experiments at macro, meso and fabric scales for triaxial compression tests on lentils
  
  Pan, J., Pinzón, G., Wang, R., Andò, E., Viggiani, G., & Zhang, J. (2026). Lessons learned from matching 3D DEM and experiments at macro, meso and fabric scales for triaxial compression tests on lentils. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, 183, Article 105494. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmps.2023.105494
• Does fabric evolution in granular materials depend on particle shape? An experimental study using X-ray tomography
  
  Pinzón, G., Andò, E., Tengattini, A., & Viggiani, G. (2025). Does fabric evolution in granular materials depend on particle shape? An experimental study using X-ray tomography. Acta Geotechnica, 20(12), 6289-6299. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-025-02759-9
• Fabric evolution and strain localisation in inherently anisotropic specimens of anisometric particles (lentils) under triaxial compression
  
  Pinzón, G., Andò, E., Desrues, J., & Viggiani, G. (2023). Fabric evolution and strain localisation in inherently anisotropic specimens of anisometric particles (lentils) under triaxial compression. Granular Matter, 25(1), Article 15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10035-022-01305-8
• Modeling Combined Fabric Evolution in an Anisometric Granular Material Driven by Particle-Scale X-Ray Measurements
  
  Wang, R., Pinzón, G., Andò, E., & Viggiani, G. (2022). Modeling Combined Fabric Evolution in an Anisometric Granular Material Driven by Particle-Scale X-Ray Measurements. Journal of Engineering Mechanics, 148(1). https://doi.org/10.1061/%28asce%29em.1943-7889.0002032