About

Dr Xian-Lei Fu is currently an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at Institute of Geomechanics and Geotechnical Engineering and Institute of Geoecology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Germany. He obtained his PhD from Southeast University, China and was a visiting scholar at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. His research encompasses geoenvironmental engineering, biogeotechnics, and sustainable solid-waste reuse. He has authored more than 60 peer-reviewed journal papers and is named on 16 patents filed in China, the Netherlands, Australia, and South Africa.

Research Interests

  • Geoenvironmental Engineering: (1) Enhanced (polymerized) bentonites for chemical containment barriers; (2) Sustainable gas barrier; (3) Contaminant transport model.
  • Biogeotechnics: (1) Bio-technology for soil erosion control; (2) Soil bioremediation techniques for contaminated grounds.
  • Solid Waste Reuse: (1) Characterization and engineering applications of waste/recycled materials; (2) Waste/recycled material reuse for road base and surface.

Academia Experience

Alexander von Humboldt Fellow

2025.8 - Present

Technische Universität Braunschweig, Germany

Postdoctoral Researcher

2025.1 - 2025.6

Southeast University, China

Visiting Scholar

2022.5 - 2023.5

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Visiting Scholar

2017.1 - 2017.6

Belgian Nuclear Research Centre | SCK CEN, Belgium

News

2026

  • New Article-6/17/2026: Dr. Fu published a paper in the Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy.

    Jia-Ming Wen, Xiu-Zhu Su, Yuliang Guo, Xian-Lei Fu*. (2026). Sustainable valorization of mine-derived solid wastes into cementitious pavement materials: Mechanical performance and microstructural insights. Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy, 52: 102476. (Q1, IF = 6.7)

  • Award-5/18/2026: Dr. Fu’s doctoral dissertation, entitled “Containment of aggressive contaminated liquids using composite polymer amended bentonite based engineered barriers at solid waste disposal sites: Mechanisms and performance [复配聚合物改性膨润土基屏障阻隔固废场地污染物的机理与性能研究]”, was awarded the Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award of Southeast University, China.
  • New Article-4/7/2026: Dr. Fu published a paper in the Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering.

    Jia-Ming Wen, Wei Tan, Yanqing Yi, Yuliang Guo, Xian-Lei Fu*, Yan-Jun Du**. (2026). Screening green and low-carbon paste backfilling materials: Framework development and field application at an abandoned copper mine. Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering. Advance online publication. (Q1, IF = 10.2)

  • New Article-3/17/2026: Dr. Fu published a paper in the International Journal of Geo-Engineering.

    Tianxing Ma, Hao Ni, Xinyi Luo, Mingzhi Zhang, Liangxu Shen, Cui-Gang Chen, Kun Luo, Shijie Xie, Zhixing Yang, Yun Lin, Hang Lin, Kang Peng, Xian-Lei Fu, Zhe-Yuan Jiang*. (2026). Application of swarm intelligence optimization techniques and explainable data-driven methods in predicting the shear strength of serrated jointed rock masses. International Journal of Geo-Engineering, 17: 9. (Q1, IF = 7.1)

  • New Article-3/5/2026: Dr. Fu published a paper in the Geo-Congress 2026.

    Min Wang, Xian-Lei Fu, Yan-Jun Du*. (2026). Swelling ratio of a hydrophilic seal and flow rates of the interlocking system in composite geomembrane cutoff walls exposed to metal-rich solutions. Geo-Congress 2026. At: Salt Lake City, Utah.

  • New Article-2/19/2026: Dr. Fu published a paper in the Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy.

    Yu-Zhang Bi, Xin-Po Sun, Chun-Ying Wang, Tianxing Ma, Xian-Lei Fu, Zhe-Yuan Jiang*. (2026). Sustainable valorization of shield tunneling spoil via silane-coupled recycled mask fibers: Interfacial enhancement and engineering performance. Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy, 50: 102357. (Q1, IF = 5.8)

  • Interview-2/2/2026: Dr. Fu accepted an interview invitation from Technische Universität Braunschweig regarding his research work. https://magazin.tu-braunschweig.de/en/m-post/sustainable-strategies-for-stable-soil-slopes/
  • New Article-1/19/2026: Dr. Fu published a paper in the Construction and Building Materials.

    Yu-Zhang Bi, Jiang-Can Su, De-Mei Yu**, Yu-Da Chen, Xian-Lei Fu*. (2026). Recycled shield muck modified via physicochemical synergy: Towards eco-friendly and sustainable applications. Construction and Building Materials, 511: 145307. (Q1, IF = 8.0)

  • New Article-1/6/2026: Dr. Fu published a paper in the Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering.

    Heng Zhuang, Ying-Zhen Li, Kuo Tian, Xian-Lei Fu, Yan-Jun Du*. (2026). Composite low-carbon biopolymer-amended bentonite in geosynthetic clay liners for containing acid mine drainage leachate. Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering. Advance online publication. (Q1, IF = 10.2)

2025

  • New Article-12/30/2025: Dr. Fu published a paper in the Chinese Journal of Geotechnical Engineering [岩土工程学报].

    Ying-Zhen Li, Qing Zhang, Xian-Lei Fu, Min Wang, Zhe-Yuan Jiang, Jia-Lei Wan, Chi Che, Jing-Wen Li, Yan-Jun Du*. (2025). Construction of biopolymer-amended silty clay based cover barriers and evaluation of barrier performance of controlling migration of volatile organic compounds gases in soils [基于生物聚合物改性粉质黏土的覆盖屏障建造与土体气态污染物阻隔性能研究]. Chinese Journal of Geotechnical Engineering [岩土工程学报]. Advance online publication. (EI)

  • New Article-12/2/2025: Dr. Fu published a paper in the Waste Management.

    Yu-Zhang Bi, Xin-Po Sun, Qi Zhou, Zhe-Yuan Jiang, Xian-Lei Fu*. (2026). Contaminant migration in vadose zone beneath unregulated landfills with damaged geomembranes. Waste Management, 211: 115269. (Q1, IF = 7.1)

  • New Article-11/13/2025: Dr. Fu published a paper in the Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering.

    Min Wang, Hao Ni, Krishna R. Reddy, Xian-Lei Fu, Zhe-Yuan Jiang, Heng Zhuang, Mei Li, Jing-Wen Li, Zhong-Yuan Li, Yan-Jun Du*. (2026). Field construction of novel biopolymer-amended soil-bentonite backfill cutoff wall: Evaluation of in-situ stresses, hydraulic conductivity, and chemical compatibility. Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering. Advance online publication. (Q1, IF = 10.2)

  • New Article-11/3/2025: Dr. Fu published a paper in the Acta Geotechnica.

    Heng Zhuang, Cheng-Zhu Kou, Xian-Lei Fu, Zhe-Yuan Jiang, Min Wang, Chen-Yang Yu, Yan-Jun Du*. (2025). GGBS-fly ash geopolymer for in situ mixed vertical cutoff walls in containing acid mine drainage leachate-contaminated groundwater: Unconfined compressive strength, hydraulic conductivity and microstructure. Acta Geotechnica. Advance online publication. (Q1, IF = 5.7)

  • New Appointment-11/1/2025: Dr. Fu started Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at TU Braunschweig, Germany.
  • New Article-10/31/2025: Dr. Fu published a paper in the Geomechanics and Geophysics for Geo-Energy and Geo-Resources.

    Hao Lin, Wei-Sheng Lin, Xin-Yi Lin, Xin-Po Sun, Yu-Zhang Bi, Min Wang**, Xian-Lei Fu*. (2025). Novel polymer and slag amended soil-cement-bentonite backfill in cutoff walls for acid mine drainage containment. Geomechanics and Geophysics for Geo-Energy and Geo-Resources, 11(1): 125. (Q1, IF = 4.2)

  • New Article-10/9/2025: Dr. Fu published a paper in the Environmental Earth Sciences.

    Chi Che, Yu-Zhang Bi, Xin-Po Sun, Zhen Feng, Tianxing Ma, Zhe-Yuan Jiang, Xian-Lei Fu*. (2025). Hydraulic performance of polymer-amended bentonite for containment of zinc-contaminated groundwater. Environmental Earth Sciences, 84(20): 565. (Q2, IF = 2.8)

  • New Article-9/27/2025: Dr. Fu published a paper in the Environmental Research.

    Heng Zhuang, Xian-Lei Fu, Hao Ni, Yan-Jun Du*. (2025). Prediction and interpretability analysis of hydraulic conductivity for polymer-amended soil-bentonite cutoff wall backfills using machine learning methods. Environmental Research, 286: 122960. (Q1, IF = 7.7)

  • New Article-8/6/2025: Dr. Fu published a paper in the Environmental Research.

    Jia-Ming Wen, Xiu-Zhu Su, Yuliang Guo, Xian-Lei Fu*. (2025). Polymer-GGBS-cement amended reused blasting slag: Towards eco-friendly and resilient open-pit road surface. Environmental Research, 285: 122541. (Q1, IF = 7.7)

  • New Appointment-8/3/2025: Dr. Fu started German class at did deutsch-institut, Germany.
  • New Article-8/2/2025: Dr. Fu published a paper in the Environmental Technology & Innovation.

    Wei-Sheng Lin, Chi Che, Xin-Yi Lin, Yu-Zhang Bi, Ze-Hao Ding, Hao Lin**, Xian-Lei Fu*. (2025). Gas diffusion and hydraulic performance of zeolite/sodium polyacrylate amended compacted clay as gas barrier material under multiple wet-dry cycles. Environmental Technology & Innovation, 40: 104428. (Q1, IF = 7.1)

  • New Article-6/24/2025: Dr. Fu published a paper in the Journal of Hazardous Materials.

    Zhe-Yuan Jiang, Xian-Lei Fu, Yu-Ling Yang, Wei-Yi Xia, Min Wang, Heng Zhuang, Zi-Han Lu, Yan-Jun Du*. (2025). Pressure makes diamonds: Enhanced permeation resistance to petroleum hydrocarbons of a novel in-situ mixed wall material. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 495: 139011. (Q1, IF = 11.3)

  • New Article-6/15/2025: Dr. Fu published a paper in the Engineering Geology.

    Xian-Lei Fu, Zhe-Yuan Jiang, Min Wang, Hao Ni, Yan-Jun Du*. (2025). Enhancing containment performance of geosynthetic clay liner to bauxite liquor via composite polymer amendment. Engineering Geology, 354: 108189. (Q1, IF = 8.4)

  • New Article-3/28/2025: Dr. Fu published a paper in the Construction and Building Materials.

    Min Wang, Wei-Yi Xia, Xian-Lei Fu, Ji-Ying Fan, Zi-Han Lu, Yan-Jun Du*. (2026). Swelling behavior and microscopic characteristics of a hydrophilic seal in composite geomembrane cutoff walls exposed to various metal-rich solutions. Construction and Building Materials, 473: 140972. (Q1, IF = 8.0)

  • Award-3/18/2025: Dr. Fu was awarded the Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship from Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Germany.
  • New Article-3/18/2025: Dr. Fu published a paper in the Journal of Hazardous Materials.

    Zhe-Yuan Jiang, Xian-Lei Fu, Fei Jin, Chi Che, Zhong-Yuan Li, Guo-Jun Cai, Yan-Jun Du*. (2025). SEBS-amended in-situ mixed wall material for diesel-contaminated groundwater management. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 491: 137966. (Q1, IF = 11.3)

  • New Article-3/3/2025: Dr. Fu published a paper in the Geomechanics and Geophysics for Geo-Energy and Geo-Resources.

    Yu-Zhang Bi, Xin-Po Sun, Min Chen, Ze-Hao Ding, Zhe-Yuan Jiang, Chi Che, Tianxing Ma, Xian-Lei Fu*. (2026). Amended compacted clay liner for containment of copper-laden leachate in tailings reservoirs. Geomechanics and Geophysics for Geo-Energy and Geo-Resources, 11(1): 22. (Q1, IF = 4.2)

  • New Article-2/24/2025: Dr. Fu published a paper in the Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering.

    Yuliang Guo, Budi Zhao, Qianhong She, Xian-Lei Fu, Xunchang Fei*. (2025). Transport mechanisms of microplastics in clean sand under cyclic hydraulic gradients. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 151(5): 04025021. (Q1, IF = 4.4)

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