Joseph Labuz's research area is experimental geomechanics, dealing with fluid-rock interactions related to mineral carbon storage, fracture and damage of rock associated with size effects, and development of novel experimental apparatus including acoustic emission monitoring. He has applied the resilient modulus test to describe the mechanical behavior of granular materials and he has studied low temperature cracking of asphalt pavements, a major form of distress in cold climates.
Labuz is a professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering at the University of Minnesota. He joined faculty at the U in 1987. Labuz holds PhD and MS degrees in civil engineering from Northwestern University and a BS in civil engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology. His awards include best papers (Giovanni Barla Best Paper, Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, 2022) and honorary chair (Department of Civil and Construction Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, 2016). He is a fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the American Rock Mechanics Association.