Geomechanics & Groundwater Expert

Contact this Expert Witness

  • Phone: 1(720) 768-0339
  • Cell: 720-768-0339

Specialties & Experience of this Expert Witness

General Specialties:

Mining and Geotechnical Engineering

Keywords/Search Terms:

Hydrogeology, Hydrology, Geological Engineering, Groundwater, Geology, Water Resources Engineering, Remediation Design, Hazardous Waste Management, Site Investigations, Mining Engineering, Tunnel Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering

Education:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) - Mining and Earth Systems Engineering, Colorado School of Mines - Golden, Colorado; Master of Engineering (ME) - Engineer of Mines, Colorado School of Mines - Golden, Colorado; B.S./M.E. (Geological Engineer), Colorado School of Mines - Golden, Colorado; Bachelor of Science - Geological Sciences, Rutgers University - New Brunswick, New Jersey

Years in Practice:

35+

Number of Times Deposed/Testified in Last 4 Yrs:

3

Additional Information

I am a licensed Professional Engineer in mining, civil and geological engineering. I have over 35 years of experience in subsurface and surface analyses. I am an independent practitioner and Senior Subject Matter Expert for the US Department of Energy at the Carlsbad Field Office's (CBFO) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in Carlsbad, New Mexico. I provide senior technical advice and recommendations to the CBFO Manager, Assistant Manager and Director, Facility Engineering Division, on matters pertaining to mining engineering, ground control, mine safety, geology/groundwater engineering, underground mine construction and drift, back and ribs maintenance, mine shaft and hoist construction and maintenance, surface mining facilities, and systems construction and maintenance, and input and coordinates with other CBFO staff. I graduated with degrees in mining and geological engineering from the Colorado School of Mines which is ranked #1 in the world in mining and mineral engineering by QS World University Rankings since 2016. I have supervised office and field personnel to complete feasibility studies and engineering designs and drawings for the production of base metals, oil and gas and water. I have worked in the United States, Germany, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Kurdistan-Iraq, Bolivia and Peru. Licensed Professional Engineer (PE - Civil) (1996-Pres.) – NM licensed in Mining, Civil and Geological engineering (PE#27955), Nevada (Mining, Civil, & Geological); CO, PA, SD, and NJ (Civil); USA. Model Law Engineer (MLE) - NCEES Record. Approved Licensed Professional Geologist (PG) (1992-Pres.) – PA, KY, IL, and WY; USA Board Certified Environmental Engineer (BCEE, 2002) – American Academy of Environmental Engineers & Scientists (AAEES) Diplomate, Water Resources Engineer (D. WRE, 2009) – American Academy of Water Resources Engineers (ASCE affiliate) OSHA HAZWOPER 40-hour operator and 8-hour supervisor level training certification MSHA 5000-23 40-hour Underground Training - June 16, 2022 MSHA 5000-23 8-hour Refresher Training - May 5, 2024 MSHA Surface Mining Certification (renewed 2016) American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) – Fellow (#342191) Society of Mining, Metallurgical and Exploration (SME-AIME) - Member Certified Professional Hydrogeologist (1995-2008) - American Institute of Hydrology (Institute no longer certified Prof. Hydrogeologist after 2008) American Academy of Environmental Engineers & Scientists (AAEES) - Member Published Papers: • Vanarelli, Mark J., 2008. Statistical Determinations of Steady-State, Groundwater Inflow in Rock Tunnels for the Radial Flow Condition. ASCE/EWRI, Proceedings of the World Environmental & Water Resources Congress 2008, Honolulu, Hawaii; Ahupua’a: Sustainability from the Mountains to the Sea. https://doi.org/10.1061/40976(316)637 • Vanarelli M.J., 2020. A Geostatistical Solution to Estimating Groundwater Inflows in Deep Rock Tunnels with Validation through Case Studies. Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration 38:347-357. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42461-020-00321-7 • Vanarelli M.J., 2022. Validation of a Semi-empirical Procedure for Estimating Steady-State, Groundwater Inflows in Shallow Rock Tunnels through Case Study Analyses. Journal of Transportation Infrastructure Geotechnology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40515-022-00262-2; https://rdcu.be/cYvgk • Sissakian V.K., Vanarelli M.J., Jassim H.M., Omar H.O and Hamoodi D.A., 2020. Chert Deposit Used in Cement Production as a Quartz-sand Alternative in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region: An Assessment Study. Journal of Geotechnical and Geological Engineering 39: 1451–1464. https://doi.org10.1007/s10706-020-01568-z • Jassim H.M., Vanarelli M.J., Ahmed F.R., Sissakian V.K. and Omar, H.O, 2019. Portal Landslide Analysis of the New Haibat Sultan Tunnels in Koya, Kurdistan Region, Iraq, 14th International Conference Underground Construction Prague, Czech Republic, June 3-5, 2019. See www.researchgate.net Orcid ID: 0000000314736791