Jiwoo AhnGeotechnical Engineer LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)

About me

Jiwoo Ahn

Senior Geotechnical Engineer

Encompass Mining

I’m a geotechnical engineer with nearly a decade of experience across the civil and mining sectors, in both consulting and operational roles. My experience spans surface and underground projects and a range of commodities.

I graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours), completing a dual major in Civil and Geotechnical Engineering with Class I Honours.

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Jiwoo Ahn
An engineer in high-visibility workwear on mining equipment overlooking an open-cut mine.
Underground excavation around a central rock pillar, with shotcrete and construction equipment.

My time at Rocscience, a geotechnical engineering software provider, strengthened my expertise in advanced numerical modelling and efficient analysis workflows. I now bring that experience to Encompass Mining, helping clients solve challenging project problems and develop practical solutions.

Alongside my engineering work, I develop geotechnical analysis tools through JW Geotech.

Professional registration

MIEAust
Member, Engineers Australia
NER
National Engineering Register
RPEQ
Board of Professional Engineers Queensland

Education

University of Queensland

Bachelor of Engineering
Civil and Geotechnical

Honours Class I 2016–2019

Career

Work experience

Mining, consulting, and geotechnical software.

Encompass Mining

Current

  • Senior Geotechnical Engineer

    – Present

Rocscience

  • Principal Geotechnical Engineer

    –

  • Senior Geotechnical Engineer

    –

BHP

  • Senior Geotechnical Engineer

    –

  • Geotechnical Engineer

    –

Pells Sullivan Meynink (PSM)

  • Geotechnical Engineer

    –

  • Geotechnical Engineering Assistant

    –

University of Queensland

  • TutorMINE3121 · Mining Geomechanics

  • Undergraduate Research AssistantACARP C25040

    –

Research & practice

Publications

Journal articles, conference papers, and technical presentations.

2026

  1. Accepted

    Considerations for Rockfall Analysis in Open Pit Mine Slopes

    Ahn, J., McQuillan, A., Thomas, D., Pano, K. (2026).

    Slope Stability 2026. Peru: Peruvian Society of Geoengineering.

  2. Accepted

    Spatial Variability Effects on Rock Fill Dump Stability

    McQuillan, A., Ahn, J., Bar, N. (2026).

    Slope Stability 2026. Peru: Peruvian Society of Geoengineering.

2025

  1. Back-analysis of the hydraulic conductivity of mine spoil to ensure lowwall stability during dewatering (opens in a new tab)

    Ahn, J. (2025).

    NZGS Symposium 2025. Auckland: New Zealand Geomechanics Society.

  2. Design and Construction of the AS1 Shaft of the Cross River Rail Albert Street Cavern

    Rogan, A., Swinn, B., Clarke, S., Ahn, J. (2025).

    19th Australasian Tunnelling Conference. Perth: Australian Tunnelling Society.

  3. Dragline bench stability in open cut coal mining (opens in a new tab)

    Ahn, J., Young, K., Li, J. (2025).

    Rocscience International Conference 2025. Sydney: Rocscience.

  4. Using 3D Slope Stability Analysis in an Open-cut Strip Mine – A Case Study (opens in a new tab)

    Ahn, J. (2025).

    Rocscience International Conference 2025. Sydney: Rocscience.

2024

  1. Numerical analysis of the Albert Street station rock pillar (opens in a new tab)

    Ahn, J. (2024).

    Journal of the Australian & New Zealand Tunnelling Societies, Issue 11. Presented at ITA-AITES World Tunnel Congress 2024.

2023

  1. Application of volumetric runout methods for structurally controlled highwall failures (opens in a new tab)

    Ahn, J. (2023).

    Australian Geomechanics Journal, 58(4).

  2. Probabilistic assessment of rock loads for tunnel support design (opens in a new tab)

    Ahn, J., Karlovsek, J., & Smith, A. (2023).

    15th International ISRM Congress 2023 & 72nd Geomechanics Colloquium - Challenges in Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering. Salzburg: ISRM.

  3. Experience with inflatable friction rock bolts on the Cross River project (opens in a new tab)

    Clarke, S. J., Stosic, M., Ahn, J., Shen, B., & Hargreaves, A. (2023).

    18th Australasian Tunnelling Conference. Auckland: New Zealand Tunnelling Society.

  4. Geotechnical Characterization and dump design of historic clay-rich coal mine spoil (opens in a new tab)

    Ahn, J., & Young, K. (2023).

    Mine Waste and Tailings. Brisbane: Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.

2021

  1. Technical presentation

    Numerical modelling of the Sharaan Desert Resort (PDF, opens in a new tab)

    (2021). Young members technical session, Australian Tunnelling Society.

2018

  1. Accelerated degradation and modified slake durability testing of clay mineral-rich coal mine spoil (opens in a new tab)

    Vangsness, T. A., Williams, D. J., Ahn, J., & Miles, B. (2018).

    Mine Waste and Tailings. Melbourne: Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.

Engineering applications

JW Geotech

Tools I develop for geotechnical analysis.

Slope stability & rockfall

JW Slope

2D limit equilibrium slope stability and rockfall analysis.

slope.jiwoo.techOpens in a new tab

2D runout

JW Runout

2D slope runout simulation using physics and volume-based methods.

runout.jiwoo.techOpens in a new tab

Failure criteria

JW Lab

Failure criterion calibration for rock and soils from laboratory testing.

lab.jiwoo.techOpens in a new tab

Kinematic analysis

JW Stereonet

Stereographic projection and kinematic analysis of rock discontinuities.

stereonet.jiwoo.techOpens in a new tab

Block stability

JW Wedge

Simple rock block stability analysis for surface and underground excavations.

wedge.jiwoo.techOpens in a new tab

3D stability & runout

JW Block3D

3D block stability and voxel-based runout analysis.

block3d.jiwoo.techOpens in a new tab