Mehdi Kadivar graduated in 2019, with a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering (Geotechnical Engineering major), from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Delaware. His dissertation is titled “Bounding Surface Plasticity-Based Hyperelastic Constitutive Model for Unsaturated Granular Soils”. In addition, Mehdi investigated the mechanical properties of a Mid-Atlantic native transitional silty sand, in the laboratory. He used the laboratory obtained data to calibrate and assess the performance of his constitutive model. In addition, he evaluated the sensitivity of the model to changes in the functional forms of some key components (e.g., critical void ratio, SWCC, effective stress) of the model.
Other research interests: Numerical investigation of geo-structural systems, applications of nanotechnology in Geotechnical engineering, frozen ground engineering.
Ms. Renee Lamprinakos was a master’s student in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Delaware, until she graduated in spring 2019. She also graduated from the University of Delaware in 2017 with a Bachelor of Engineering in civil engineering and a minor in sustainable infrastructure. Ms. Lamprinakos researched the potentials of Biochar, as an innovative construction material, in geo-environmental applications. Specifically Renee worked on an experimental research that evaluated the hydro-mechanical properties of soil-biochar mixtures. Her Master’s thesis is titled: “Evaluation of the geotechnical engineering properties of soil-biochar mixtures”. Ms. Lamprinakos is a member of American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
Ms. Christy Bugher was a master’s student in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Delaware, until she graduated in spring 2019. Christy also graduated from the University of Delaware in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering and a minor in sustainable infrastructure. Ms. Bugher’s current research dealt with the numerical assessment of geo-structural systems. She performed 3-D parametric analysis, on a load-asphalt-stone-soil-culvert system, by varying fill depth, culvert span length, soil’s Young’s Modulus, and asphalt thickness to determine their influence on live load amplification in culverts. For the 3-D static and dynamic models were developed and analyzed, Christy used Abaqus. Christy’s thesis is titled: “A parametric study of dynamic amplification factors for reinforced concrete box culverts using “. Ms. Bugher is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).
Mr. Andrew Wells worked on the field and numerical investigation of dynamic load amplification in buried culverts. Mr. Wells conducted field instrumentation and load rating tests on selected sites that involved asphalt-soil-culvert systems. He performed 2-D parametric study, with the aid of the FEA software package-Abaqus, by changing asphalt rigidity, fill depth, soil’s young modulus, slab thickness, and culvert span length. Andrew graduated from UD in 2016.
Andrew’s thesis title is: ” Analytical and experimental investigation of dynamic amplification factor for the load rating of reinforced concrete box culverts”.
Mr. Mohammad worked on the analysis and design optimization of Mechanically Stabilized Earth Walls. He also has published works on the implementation of Artificial Intelligence in geotechnical applications such as the assessment of seismic behavior and soil classification of sites. Mr. Motalleb Nejad graduated from UD in 2017.
Mohammad’s Thesis title is : ” Design optimization of geosynthetic reinforced earth walls using harmony search algorithm”.
Mr. Kokeb Abera worked on the microstructural investigation of saturated and unsaturated granular media. He developed software programs that can be used to quantify physical properties of interest to Getotechnical Engineering from X-ray CT digital images. Mr. Abera graduated from UD in 2017.
Kokeb’s Thesis is titled: ” Global image segmentation for two-phase snd multiphase geomaterial characterization”.