Prof. YAGIZ holds a PhD from Colorado School of Mines, USA. Authored over 150 publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals, proceedings, books, and industrial reports. Recognized reviewer of numerious prestigious journals and an Editor of Tunnelling & Underground Space Tech., (TUST, 2019-2021) and also an editorial board member of TUST (2021-2025). First paper he published (in TUST, 2008) is awarded by Int Association of Engineering Geologists as the best paper of the year. One of the authors of first manuscript published (in Enginering Geology, 2017) with the affiliation of School of Mining and Geosciences (SMG) of Nazarbayev University (NU). Also, he is the author of the Book "Advancements in Underground Infrastructures, 2025" published first and only book with the affiliation of SMG.

Prof. YAGIZ is a chair of teaching & learning committee and coordinator of Mining Engineering program of the SMG (2018-2021). Representative member of teaching & learning and academic quality committees of the SMG at NU (2018-2022). Awarded with Nazarbayev University, Senate Service Award (2020), due to outstanding contribution to the SMG and NU.

Prof. YAGIZ is in the list of the top 2% world most widely cited scientists for the sixth consecutive year (2020-2026). Recognized by Scopus Elsevier Research Excellence Award (2022). He awarded with the Medal of the National Sciences and Higher Education Councel of Kazakhstan (2025). A professional member of the Int Society for Rock Mechanics & Rock Engineering (ISRM).

MINE302-Geomechanics (BSc Level)

MINE310-Rock Breakage (BSc Level)

MINE502-Geology for Civil & Mining Engineers (MSc Level)

SMG520-Research Methods & Ethics (MSc Level)

MINE507-Rock Excavation Methods (MSc Level)

MINE605-Mechanised Excavation & Tunnelling (MSc Level)

MINE801-Advanced Mechanized Excavation & Tunnelling (PhD Level)

MINE/CVL-Rock Mechanics & Engineering Practices (BSc-MSc Levels)

GEOL604-Engineering Geology & Geotechnics (MSc-PhD Level)

Geotechnical Engineering; Geomechanics; Rock Mechanics for Mining and Civil Engineering; Mechanized Excavation & Tunnelling; Excavators; Geotechnical Site Investigation & Testing; Rock Mass Characterization; Infrastructures

• Books & Chapters (International Press)

Advancements in Underground Infrastructures (2025) with Khandelwal M., Armaghani D.J., Bhatawdekar R.M., Samui P., YAGIZ S. Taylor and Fransis Group. CRC, ISBN: 978-1-032-37337-9.

AI-based TBM Performance Models to Predict the Rate of Penetration: An Overview and Perspective. Chapter 13 in Advancement in Underground Infrastructures (2025) with Ghorbani E., Adoko A.C., and YAGIZ S.

Disc Cutter Wear Consumption Prediction based on Rock Properties: An Overview and Perspective. Chapter 14 in Advancement in Underground Infrastructres (2025) with Ghorbani E., Adoko A.C., and YAGIZ S.

Modified CSM Model for Predicting TBM Performance in Rock Mass. 252p. (2014) https://www.amazon.com/Modified-Model-Predicting-Performance-Rock/dp/3659598569 by YAGIZ S.

• Selected Recent Manuscripts in High Prestigious Journals

Hosseini S., YAGIZ S. Explainable ensemble machine learning for predicting the drilling rate of diamond core drillers using SHAP and integrated graphic user interface (2027) Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, X(x), pp. xx-xx. DOI:10.1007/s00603-026-055573-1. Article

Wan Z., Lai J., Song Z., Shi X., Zhang Y., Qui J., YAGIZ S. Influence of leakage-induced particle loss on tunnel instability in pebble formations (2027) Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, 179 (1): 108065.  DOI:10.1016/j.tust.2026.108065. Article

Cao Z., Xie Q., Song Z., Luo H., YAGIZ S. Experimental investigation on erosion characteristics in double-layer soil-rock mixtures considering seepage direction and layer-specific fine particle contents (2026) Engineering Geology, 371:108898. DOI: 10.1016/j.enggeo.2026.108898. Article

Ghorbani E., YAGIZ S. Comprehensive models for estimating drag force of conical picks using relieved small-scale LCM tests data (2026) Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, 59; 7033-7062. DOI: 10.1007/s00603-025-04967-x. Article

Olaiya D.T., YAGIZ S., Adoko A.C. TBM penetration rate estimation using Rock Mass Rating (RMR) and machine specifications (2026) Rock Mechanics Bulletin, 5(3):100328. DOI: 10.1016/j.rockmb.2026.100328. Article

Zhou P., Wang J., Song Z., Tian X., Zhang Y., Xiao W., YAGIZ S. Theoretical prediction method for settlement of existing tunnel induced by undercrossing (2026) Transportation Geotechnics, 62:102111. DOI: 10.1016/j.trgeo.2026.102111. Article

Yazitova A., Adoko A.C., Hassanpour J., YAGIZ S. Empirical models for estimating penetration rate of tunnel boring machines in rock mass (2025) Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment, 84 (1), art. no. 55. DOI: 10.1007/s10064-024-04062-5. Article

Jamshidi A., YAGIZ S. Limestone deterioration under freeze–thaw and acid attack: a critical geotechnical problem for the stability of a structure foundation (A case from Lorestan Province, Iran) (2025) Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, 58 (6), pp. 7129 – 7148. DOI: 10.1007/s00603-025-04429-4. Article

Yazitova A., YAGIZ S. Performance analysis of drilling machines based on rock properties and machine’s specifications (2024) Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment, 83 (1), art. no. 37. DOI: 10.1007/s10064-023-03499-4. Article

Ghorbani E., YAGIZ S. Estimating the penetration rate of tunnel boring machines via gradient boosting algorithms (2024) Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence, 136, art. no. 108985. DOI: 10.1016/j.engappai.2024.108985. Article

Ghorbani E., YAGIZ S. Predicting disc cutter wear using two optimized machine learning techniques (2024) Archives of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, 24, art. no. 106, Cited 9 times. DOI: 10.1007/s43452-024-00911-y. Article

• Selected Recent Papers in Prestigious Proceedings

YAGIZ S., Yazitova, A., Hassanpour, J. A model for estimating the penetration of hard rock tunnel boring machine in practice (2026) ISRM Regional Symposium- EUROCK 2026: Risk Management in Rock Engineering-Macedonian Association for Geotechnics 15-19 September Skopje, North Macedonia

Olaiya TD., YAGIZ S., Song, Z., Zhillin, C., Guo, D. Data analysis for the assessment of roadheader performance in carbonate rocks (2026) ISRM Regional Symposium-EUROCK 2026: Risk Management in Rock Engineering-Macedonian Association for Geotechnics 15-19 September Skopje, North Macedonia

Smirnov G.,Olaiya, T.D., YAGIZ, S., Ozdemir, L. Preliminary modelling of TBM penetration in metamorphic rocks using integrated rock and machine parameters (2026) ISRM International Symposium-ARMS14: The 14th Asian Rock Mechanics Symposium: Rock Mechanics for the Next Generation-Innovations, Sustainability and Resilience-Japanese Society for Rock Mechanics. ISBN 978-4-907430-06-1

YAGIZ S., Olaiya, T.D., Copur, H., Ozfirat, M.K., Comakli, R., Su, O., Bilgin, N. Roadheader performance assessment via rock properties and machine specifications (2026) ISRM International Symposium-ARMS14: The 14th Asian Rock Mechanics Symposium: Rock Mechanics for the Next Generation-Innovations, Sustainability and Resilience-Japanese Society for Rock Mechanics. ISBN 978-4-907430-06-1

YAGIZ S., Hassanpour J., Rostami J. Introducing the concept of fracture index for performance prediction of hard rock TBMs (2024) New Challenges in Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering - Proceedings of the ISRM Rock Mechanics Symposium, EUROCK 2024, pp. 1513 - 1519. DOI: 10.1201/9781003429234-233. Conference Paper

YAGIZ S., Yazitova A., Smirnov G., Thyagarajan Vinayak M., Hassanpour J. Appraisal of boreability characteristics of rocks to estimate the TBM advancement (2024) 58th US Rock Mechanics / Geomechanics Symposium (2024), ARMA 2024, art. no. ARMA 24-0982. DOI: 10.56952/ARMA-2024-0982. Conference Paper

• Scientific Discussions in Prestigious Journals

YAGIZ S. Comments on: The effects of density and porosity on the correlation between uniaxial compressive strength and P-wave velocity by Amin Jamshidi, Hasan Zamanian, Reza Zarei Sahamieh, Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering (2018) 51:1279–1286 (2019) Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, 52 (2), pp. 635 – 638. DOI: 10.1007/s00603-018-1678-8. Note

YAGIZ S. Comment on "Point load test on meta-sedimentary rocks and correlation to UCS and BTS" by Diyuan Li and Lous Ngai Yuen Wong, RockMechanics and Rock Engineering, DOI: 10.1007/s00603-012-0299-x (2013) Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, 46 (4), pp. 909 - 912. DOI: 10.1007/s00603-013-0417-4. Note

YAGIZ S. Comments on "Determination of strength parameters and quality assessment of Denizli travertines (SW Turkey)" Ibrahim Cobanoglu and Sefer Beran Celik, 129-130 (2012) 38-47 (2012) Engineering Geology, 147-148, pp. 149 - 150. DOI: 10.1016/j.enggeo.2012.07.012. Note

YAGIZ S. Comments on the article "Performance prediction of hard rock TBM using rock mass rating (RMR) system" by J.K. Hamidi et al. [Tunneling and Underground Space Technology 25 (2010) 333-345] (2011) Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, 26 (5), pp. 649 - 650. DOI: 10.1016/j.tust.2011.04.001. Note

YAGIZ S. Comments on the article "Multifactorial fuzzy approach to the penetrability classification of TBM in hard rock conditions" by R. Mikaeil, M.Z. Naghadehi and F. Sereshki [Tunneling and Underground Space Technology, 24 (2009) 500-505] (2010) Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, 25 (1), pp. 95 – 96. DOI: 10.1016/j.tust.2009.09.001. Note

YAGIZ S. Discussion on the paper entitled "Indentation hardness test to estimate the sawability of carbonate rocks" by S. Kahraman and O. Gunaydin. Bull Eng Geol and Environ 67(2008): 507-511. DOI: 10.1007/ s10064-008-0162-1 (2009) Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment, 68 (3), pp. 437 – 439. DOI: 10.1007/s10064-009-0196-z. Note

YAGIZ S. Discussion on the article ‘‘Influence of rock brittleness on TBM penetration rate in Singapore granite” by Q.M. Gong and J. Zhao [Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology 22 (2007) 317–324] and ‘‘Response by the authors to R.M. Goktan discussion to the paper ‘‘Influence of rock brittleness on TBM penetration rate in Singapore granite” by Q.M. Gong and J. Zhao [Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology 23 (2008) 217–218] (2009) Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, 24 (1), pp. 115 – 116. DOI: 10.1016/j.tust.2008.05.002. Note

• Recent Projects: International Collobrations

Arman H., YAGIZ S. Utilizing Geological Strength Index to development of Bearing Capacity Chart for jointed weak carbonate rocks, Al Ain city, Abu Dhabi Emirate. (125000 USD), Asian Universities Alliance Joint Project, (UAEU-AUA), PI/Co-PI, (150,000 USD) (2025-2027)

YAGIZ S., Rostami J., Copur H. A Model Development for the Estimation of Roadheader Performance in Mining and Civil Construction. Faculty Development Competitive Research Grant. Grant No: 201223FD8837, (150,000 USD) PI,  (2024-2026) Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan

YAGIZ S., Adoko A.C, Rostami J., Hassanpour J. Hard Rock Tunnelling: A Generalized Model for Estimating TBM Penetration and Disc Cutter Weariness. Grant No: 021220FD5151, (150,000 USD), Faculty Development Competitive Research Grant, NU. Principle Investigator, (2021-2023)

Wang L., Hazlett R., YAGIZ S., Zhang D., Ismailova J., Teklu T., Bekbauov B., Kneafsey T.. Wu Y. Development of Cryogenic Fracturing Technology for Coalbed Methane Production in Karaganda Coal Basin, Kazakhstan. Grant No: 021220CRP2022 (449,945 USD), Collaborative Research Program Grant, NU. Co-Principle Investigator (2021-2023)

Madani N., YAGIZ S., Sabanov S. Multivariate Mapping of Geo-metallurgical Variables with Complex Cross-Correlation Characteristics. Grand No: 090118FD5336, (132,975 USD), Faculty Development Competitive Research Grant, NU. Co-Principle Investigator, (2017-2020)

Adoko A.C., Sabanov S., YAGIZ S. Empirical Stope Design in Kazakhstan Underground Mines: Improving of the Mathews Stability Graph Method. Grand No: 090118FD5338, (118,038 USD), Faculty Development Competitive Research Grant, NU. Co-Principle Inv., (2017-2020)

• Contact & More Info:

https://research.nu.edu.kz/admin/workspace/personal/overview/