Maria A Nikolinakou works in the interface of Engineering and Geosciences, and provides geomechanical insights to exploration and drilling problems.
Her research topics include: Modeling of stresses and pore pressures in sediments bounding salt bodies; Coupling velocities with geomechanical modeling to predict pressure; Prediction of stresses and pore pressures at the crest of dipping structures; Borehole stability; Poromechanical modeling of basin sediments, including transient pore pressure dissipation; Numerical modeling in salt tectonics.
Maria is part of both the AGL and GeoFluids consortia. She is a Civil/Geotechnical Engineer, with a Science Doctorate on Theoretical Soil Mechanics from MIT, a M.Sc. in Geotechnical Engineering from MIT and a Civil Engineering degree from NTUA, Greece.
Research Interests
Geomechanics and Salt Tectonics
Constitutive modeling of earth materials
Numerical modeling of oil reservoirs
Education
ScD, Geotechnical Engineering; 2008, MIT, USA.
MSc, Geotechnical Engineering; 2001, MIT, USA.
Diploma, Civil Engineering; 1999, NTUA, Greece.
Professional History
Postdoctoral Associate, Civil Engineering, MIT, USA (08-09)
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Shell IEP, Houston (08-09)
Selected Publications
Nikolinakou, M.A., Luo, G., Hudec, M. R., Flemings, P.B. (2011): "Geomechanical Modeling of Stresses Adjacent to Salt Bodies: 2. Poro-Elasto-Plasticity and Coupled Overpressures", in review, AAPG Bulletin.
Nikolinakou, M.A., Whittle, A.J., Savidis, S., Schran, U. (2011): "Prediction and interpretation of the performance of a deep excavation in Berlin Sand", accepted; Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, ASCE
Nikolinakou, M.A., Whittle, A.J. (2009): "Modeling the compression behavior of a tropical soil: Old Alluvium, PR", Journal paper in review.
Nikolinakou, M.A., Whittle, A.J. & Savidis, S. (2004): "Selection of MIT-S1 parameters for Berlin sand," Proc. Geotechnical Innovations, Eds. R.B.J. Brinkgreve, H, Schad, H.F. Schweiger, & E. Willand, Verlag Glückauf, pp599-608.
Pestana, J.M., Nikolinakou, M.A., Whittle, A.J. (2005): "Selection of material parameters for sands using the MIT-S1 model", Proceedings of Geofrontiers 2005, ASCE, Austin, TX.
Zhang G., Whittle A. J., Germaine J. T., and Nikolinakou M. A. (2006): "Characterization and Engineering Properties of The Old Alluvium in Puerto Rico", 2nd Int. Workshop on Characterization and Engineering Properties of natural soils, Singapore, 4, pp2557-2590
Nikolinakou, M.A., Tallon, A.J., Ochsendorf, J.A. (2005): "Structure and Form of Early Gothic Flying Buttresses", Revue Européenne de Génie Civil, vol. 9, no 9-10, pp1191-1217.
Nikolinakou, M.A., Tallon, A.J. (2006): "New Research in Early Gothic Flying Buttresses", Proc., 2nd International Congress on Construction History, Cambridge University, U.K., vol III, pp2347-2361
Awards
Vergottis MIT Fellowship (2005/06, 2006/07)
Edmund K. Turner CEE Research Fellowship (2002)
MIT Presidential Fellowship (1999)
ERASMUS Fellowship (1996, 1997)
Various Awards from National Technical University of Athens, Greece
Various Awards from the Hellenic Foundation of Government Fellowships
Various Awards from the Technical Chamber of Greece
