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| ASCE Student Chapter Habitat for Humanity Build Day | 10/14/2009 | On September 26, 2009, the LSU student chapter of ASCE volunteered for a Habitat for Humanity Build Day. The project was located at the Chinn Street build, near Southern University. First, participating members cut siding to fit the front and sides of the house. The next step was to nail the siding to the house. All who attended were very enthusiastic about the project and enjoyed working on such a practical engineering project. The ASCE group involved in the project were excited to involve freshmen in this service project.
| | Dr. Voyiadjis To Participate In a WCU Project, the Largest Grant in Korean History | 9/29/2009 |
Dr. Voyiadjis to participate in a World Class University (WCU) Project from KOSEF (Korea), one of the largest grants in the history of Korea.
This is the only WCU project that was funded by Korean government in the area of civil and architectural engineering. This project addresses the challenge of the topic of nano-fusion in civil engineering. He was one of only two individuals who were selected as the only foreign scholars working on this project. This project clearly shows that the international colleagues also regard nanotechnology as an important future direction in engineering, and Dr. Voyiadjis was already recognized as one of the leaders of his generation in that area.
This proposal is a five year project for $3.5 million and is on the "Development of multiscale simulation methods for nano fusion technologies in construction materials for sustainable infrastructures." The funding agency is the Korean Science Engineering Foundation (KOSEF) and is the only proposal funded in Korea in Civil and Architectural Engineering. It is a unique opportunity for LSU to create ties with Hanyang University and Korea in general.
| | CEE Graduate Students and Engineers Without Borders | 9/29/2009 |
CEE Graduate Students Kimberly Bowman and Martin Chorkey (both MCE), through the BR Chapter of Engineers Without Borders, worked in The Cambia, West Africa this summer on a water contamination project.
In June, the group spent 10 days in Mbollet, which is a small village in West Africa, working on a project focused on improving the drinking water quality and sanitation practices. This multi-phase project began with the group spending time observing the village and it’s practices, taking measurements and documenting their observations. The villagers live in extreme poverty and are farm on land that is almost entirely deleted of any soil quality. They lack fertilizers and the proper tools to improve their soil quality and farming methods and the lack of water supply and sanitation problems make life even more difficult for this struggling village. The group hopes that with their effort to improve and expand on the current water supply, that the overall quality of life for this village will greatly improve.
The EWB Chapter worked closely with an in-country non-government organization named GLOVE (Gambian Longevity through Village Enterprise). The top corporate sponsors of this project include ABMB Engineers, CDM and C-K Associates. The group also held fundraisers for the project. But the 10 day trip this summer depleted much of their raised funds and therefore more must be raised to send the team of eight people back to the village for the next step of the process.
Engineers Without Borders (EWB) is a non-profit organization dedicated to working with developing communities throughout the world on sustainable engineering projects. For more information about the Baton Rouge chapter of EWB, visit their website http://www.ewb-brp.org | | CEE Announces Announces Pollution Control and Environmental Sustainability Laboratories | 9/21/2009 |
The LSU College of Engineering is committed to transforming lives through research and education in the areas of environmental sustainability and pollution control. To partner in this effort, Walmart has chosen a philanthropic investment opportunity through the LSU Forever LSU Campaign to sponsor two LSU Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering (CEE) laboratories and physically improve these laboratories, giving LSU students and faculty the tools they need to excel. Recently approved by the LSU Board of Supervisors, the Walmart Laboratory for the Study of Pollution Control and the Sam’s Club Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability will be used for instruction and research in the designated areas of environmental sustainability and pollution control.
“These laboratories offer the College of Engineering the mechanism to engage students and faculty in discovering new approaches toward environmental protection and preservation of natural resources,” said College of Engineering Dean Richard Koubek. “In addition, LSU engineering students will have an opportunity to investigate more options for renewable energy and zero waste capabilities.”
Mr. Patrick Hamilton, a 1984 LSU Civil Engineering alumnus and Vice President of Construction for Walmart is responsible for the construction of Walmart and Sam’s Club facilities throughout the United States. Hamilton is a staunch advocate of LSU and particularly the CEE Department.
According to Hamilton, “The Walmart Construction and Stormwater Compliance Divisions have recently made several donations to organizations and projects related to the improvement of water quality. In evaluating opportunities to donate, we consider the project’s impact on such things as education, diversity, water quality and benefit to the communities that we serve through our Wal-Mart stores and Sam's Clubs. We were excited about the opportunity to work with LSU on these projects as they satisfied several of these criteria. We look forward to hearing about the learning experiences of LSU students in the Walmart Laboratory for the Study of Pollution Control and the Sam’s Club Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability.”
George Z. Voyiadjis, Boyd Professor and CEE Department Chair explained the importance of this gift, “The laboratory, housed within LSU's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, will be used for undergraduate and graduate classroom demonstrations and laboratory classes. When not used for classes, the laboratory will be used for student and faculty research involving control of environmental pollutants. The equipment will markedly expand the Department's capacity for students to perform hands-on experiments as an important part of their formal coursework. The infrastructure will also allow students and faculty to perform meaningful research in the area of pollution control and environmental sustainability.”
In 2008, Walmart and its Foundation gave more than $66 million to fund continued support of students and opportunities in post-secondary education. Through its scholarship programs alone, the Walmart Foundation awarded more than $8 million in scholarship funding in 2008. By supporting education, the Walmart Foundation ensures that the leaders of tomorrow have access to the quality education opportunities they need to be successful today.
Support for LSU CEE, like that shown by Walmart and Sam’s Club, helps the College of Engineering move closer to its Forever LSU campaign goal of attaining $100 million in support for the college. Forever LSU has an overall goal of attaining more than $750 million for the university by the end of 2010. To find out how to become involved with the campaign for LSU’s future, visit www.eng.lsu.edu/alumni/contribute.html or www.foreverlsu.org.
Article by Mimi LaValle, director of Communications, LSU College of Engineering, 225-578-5706, mlavall@lsu.edu | | ASCE Supports LSU’s Coastal Engineering Program | 9/18/2009 |
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) showed their support for the LSU College of Engineering's Coastal Engineering program by presenting a check to the LSU Foundation for $20,000. LSU's Coastal Engineering program in the Department of Civil Engineering was created to supply new coastal scientists/engineers that Louisiana will need to care for the coastline.
To read the full article, go here
| | ASCE 2009 Student Chapter Happenings | 9/4/2009 |
Over this past spring semester, the ASCE student chapter at LSU actively prepared for and participated in the concrete canoe and steel bridge competitions. Both teams would like to thank all of the sponsors for their support and generous contributions, including the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Baton Rouge Branch of the ASCE.
LSU steel bridge team placed 5th in display while receiving 40th overall. Though they did not place as high as they may have hoped, the national competition was a great learning opportunity for the young aspiring engineers. Team captain Brad Adams said, “It was tough for us to compete with the more experienced teams, but we will take what we learned this year to improve and be a stronger competitor next year.” Most of the team will be returning to compete again next year, eager to put the knowledge they gained to use. The team would like to thank all of the sponsors for their support and generous contributions, including the LSU Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Baton Rouge Branch of the ASCE. The team would like to thank the following sponsors:
SJB Group - ABMB Engineers, Inc. - CDM - CSRS, Inc. - Engensus, LLC
Evans-Graves, Inc. - Fabricated Steel Products - Michael Baker Jr., Inc. - Sigma Consulting Group - URS - CH2M-Hill - Structural Preservation Systems - Pelican Energy Consultants - Manson Construction - Picciola & Associates - FLUOR
This year's concrete canoe team met the challenge of creating a strong, lightweight concrete mix. The team hopes, pending the 2010 rule changes, to keep this mix as a base for next year's canoe. Using this mix design, the team will focus attention on building a more aesthetically pleasing canoe. This will include the use of a female mold as opposed to the male mold that was used this year. The team may also consider using inlaid designs and stained concrete. Next semester, the concrete canoe team will have the unique challenge of finding a new place on campus to build the canoe, since the old annex will be undergoing renovations for the foreseeable future.
This fall, ASCE student chapter of LSU will be holding meetings at 6:30 pm in the Germano Center. The dates for the meetings include September 3rd, September 17th, October 8th, October 22nd, November 5th, November 19th, and December 4th (End of semester party). At each meeting an engineering firm is invited to speak to the student chapter. One meeting during the fall semester is always reserved for our Annual ASCE at LSU career fair. This year’s career fair will be held on November 5th. The other main event that the chapter will be hosting this semester is to have members volunteer to help build a home with Habitat for Humanity on September 26th. We are looking forward to the upcoming semester! | | Drs. Marc Levitan and Carol Friedland Project in Collaboration with AIR-Worldwide | 9/4/2009 |
Drs. Marc Levitan and Carol Friedland (who recently joined the LSU Construction Management faculty after completing her PhD in CE from LSU ) have a new $28.5K project, in collaboration with AIR-Worldwide, to assist the Mississippi Insurance Department in modeling the costs and benefits of hurricane mitigation measures. The ultimate goal is to provide estimates of the amount of expected hurricane damage under different storm scenarios and how much it can be reduced through mitigation measures such as installation of impact-resistant shutters, hurricane straps, improved roof deck attachment, etc. This information can then be used to assist insurers in developing actuarially correct discounts for homes and businesses that have taken steps to improve the wind hazard resistance of their buildings. Several CEE undergraduate and graduate students assisted with field data collection and analysis of building construction types, methods, and materials for coastal Mississippi, including Stuart Adams, Josh Porter, Blain Fuselier, and Alex Herbin
| | Marc Levitan Coauthored a New Book | 9/4/2009 | Marc Levitan coauthored a new book, entitled Health Care and Disaster Planning: Understanding the Impacts of Disasters on the Medical Community, published by the Louisiana State Medical Society (LSMS). The book and accompanying training materials are the keystones of a planned national campaign geared at educating physicians and other health professionals about disasters, their impacts on the physical infrastructure, and how this translates into impacts on health care. The book and other educational materials were developed for a $200K joint project between the School of Social Work and the LSU Hurricane Center, coordinated by LSMS, and funded by The Physicians' Foundation for Health Systems Excellence.
| | Drs. Levitan and van Heerden: Project to develope hurricane track and intensity models | 9/4/2009 | Associate Professors Marc Levitan and Ivor van Heerden are lead investigators on a $52K project, sponsored by industry, to develop hurricane track and intensity models for the northeast United States. These models will be used for assessment of hurricane hazards and risk for coastal facilities.
| | Dr. Marc Levitan co-organized and co-chaired workshop | 9/4/2009 | In a joint effort with the Applied Technology Council (Redwood City, California) and Technical University of Delft (The Netherlands), Marc Levitan co-organized and co-chaired a binational, multihazards reliability workshop in mid July, 2009. This event, the US/Netherlands Workshop on Risk and Reliability for MultiHazard Engineering, was attended by over 40 engineers, about half from each country.
The goals of the workshop were to:
· Explore state-of-the-art/state-of-the-practice methods and policies in multihazard risk and reliability
· Open a binational dialogue on multihazard engineering research and practice
- Identify potential technologies and partners for future risk assessment and hazard mitigation technology transfer projects
| | ASCE Collingwood Prize Awarded to Dr. Cai's Former Student | 9/4/2009 |
The following paper, co-authored by Drs. Suren Chen and C.S. “Steve” Cai, has been selected for the “Collingwood Prize”, by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).
Dr. Chen is Dr. Cai’s former Ph.D. student at LSU. Dr. Chen is currently an assistant professor at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado. The certificate will go only to Dr. Chen, 35 years of age or younger junior author, according to the award criteria. The ceremony will be held in the 139th ASCE annual conference in October 2009 at Kansas City.
Chen, S.R. and Cai, C. S. (2007) “Equivalent wheel load approach for slender cable-stayed bridge fatigue assessment under traffic and wind: feasibility study” Journal of Bridge Engineering, ASCE, 12(6) 755-764.
The Collingwood Prize was instituted and endowed in 1894 by Francis Collingwood. It may be awarded annually to the author or authors of a paper published by one of the ASCE journals (1) describing an engineering work with which the author(s) have been directly connected, or (2) recording investigations contributing to engineering knowledge to which the author(s) have contributed some essential part, and (3) containing a rational digest of results. Any mathematical treatment must show immediate adaptability to professional practice. | | National Evacuation Conference Feb. 3-5, 2010 | 9/4/2009 |
The National Evacuation Conference will be held February 3-5, 2010 in New Orleans, LA. This conference will bring together the fields of transportation and emergency management to discuss evacuation planning to accommodate the needs of all people before, during and after a major disaster.
The purpose of the conference is to foster an interdisciplinary exchange of ideas surrounding a broad range of evacuation issues, particularly mass evacuations prompted by disasters.
The conference will bring together professional, academics, nonprofit and for-profit organizations, consultants, emergency managers, and transportation planners to discuss evacuation planning for cities and regions across the United States. Special topics of discussion include national evacuation policy development and addressing the challenges faced by special needs populations during disasters. In addition, they will discuss improvements in evacuation planning and modeling.
This conference will be relevant to both academics and professionals with an interest in the development and modeling of comprehensive evacuation plans. The conference will offer a venue for dialogue between the academy and practice, as well as between the private and public sector. Participants will contribute to an important step towards more efficient and effective evacuation planning.
The conference will be held in New Orleans, LA at the JW Marriott just steps from the famous French Quarter. The hotel is offering special Mardi Gras weekend packages for those who wish to stay and enjoy one of the world’s most famous destination events!
For more information about the conference, visit www.nationalevacuationconference.org | | NASA Funds LSU CEE Department for Restoring Coastal Louisiana Beaches | 9/4/2009 |
Drs. Zhi-Qiang Deng and Kelly A. Rusch received an award of $400,000 from National Aeronautics and Space Administration for “Development of Sensor Assisted Water Quality Nowcasting and Forecasting Environment for Coastal Beaches.” The project will identify bacterial source areas in the watersheds of Cameron Parish beaches and develop water quality nowcasting and forecasting models for the coastal beaches in collaboration with Louisianan Department of Health and Hospitals and Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. The project will also provide research training opportunities for 3 graduate students and 2 postdoctoral researchers.
| | Dr. Ivor van Heerden Receives Certificate of Recognition | 9/4/2009 | Dr. Ivor van Heerden, Associate Professor of Research, was presented with a "Certificate of Recognition" from the New Orleans Planning Commission. This group is made up of the parish President of New Orleans, Plaquemines, Jefferson and St Tammany Parishes and is responsible for developing plans of the Greater New Orleans. The Comission presented Dr. van Heerden with this certificate in appreciation of his research efforts over the last few years.
| | Dr. Steve Cai Receives Funds from NSF | 9/4/2009 | Dr. Steve Cai, Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Department has recently received a fund ($180k) from the National Science Foundation. The project, titled “Investigation and Damage Mitigation of Low-lying Coastal Bridges under Hurricane-induced Wind and Wave Actions”, is to conduct fundamental research on the wind, surge, and wave loads on bridge decks, and to investigate mitigation countermeasures for coastal bridges. Part of this research will be conducted through international collaborations by using the unique wind and wave generating facilities in China. | | CSRS, Inc. Pledges $180,000 to Benefit Civil & Environmental Engineering | 9/4/2009 |
The Forever LSU campaign and the LSU College of Engineering recently announced a pledge of $180,000 from CSRS, Inc., a Baton Rouge-based engineering, architectural, and program management firm, to establish and fund an endowed distinguished professorship in Coastal Engineering in the LSU Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering (CEE).
The CSRS Distinguished Professorship in Coastal Engineering is the first gift established to support faculty for the new Coastal Engineering program at LSU. Coastal engineering is an essential component of efforts to preserve and restore the coastal areas of Louisiana and beyond.
“This professorship marks a progressive step of paramount importance for the LSU Coastal Engineering program and our efforts to provide research and development of engineering systems and processes for estuarine-based coastlines,” said College of Engineering Dean Richard Koubek. “I commend CSRS for its gracious financial contribution to the enhancement of our university and the quality of education our students will experience.”
With an expected match of $120,000 from the Louisiana Board of Regents, this professorship will help LSU faculty address the continuous threat of coastal flooding, the erosion of Louisiana’s barrier islands and the loss of coastal wetlands.
“As first-hand observers to the very real challenge of protecting and restoring Louisiana’s coastline, CSRS is committed to helping LSU initiate this unique and promising program aimed at the development of engineering systems and processes for coastal restoration,” said CSRS principal Ronald Rodi, P.E. “While this gift is the first of its kind, it is our hope that our gift will encourage others in the community to similarly show their support for this program.”
The Coastal Engineering program at LSU was developed in response to the increased emphasis placed statewide on addressing the crisis of Louisiana’s deteriorating coastline. The program provides a unique opportunity for those choosing to pursue a career in coastal protection and restoration engineering.
“This gift will be a tremendous asset in helping us to retain top quality faculty for our new Coastal Engineering program,” stated George Z. Voyiadjis, Boyd Professor and CEE Department Chair. “We are very appreciative to the CSRS partners, including LSU Engineering alumni Michael Songy and Ron Rodi for their generous support of this vital effort. We also applaud Mr. Rodi for his continued leadership as Chairman of our Civil & Environmental Engineering External Advisory Board as well as our Forever LSU Campaign Steering Committee.”
Article by Mimi LaValle, College of Engineering, 225-578-5706, mlavall@lsu.edu and Scott Madere, LSU Foundation Public Relations Director, 225-578-3826, smadere@lsufoundation.org | | MCE Student Receives Award for Paper | 6/12/2009 |
Mr. Patel Nachiketa, a graduate student in the CEE masters program, won first place for his presentation titled "Interface Shear Strength Characteristics of Emulsified Tack Coats" at the 2009 Area 2 Highway Engineering Exchange Program (HEEP) conference held in Baton Rouge, June 7-10, 2009. Area 2 includes Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Mr. Nachiketa will move on to compete at the International HEEP conference to be held in San Antonio, Texas, September 27 - October 1, 2009. | | Janet Labatut Receives Career Achievement Award | 5/20/2009 |
Janet Labatut, Administrative Program Specialist for the CEE Undergraduate Office, was presented with a 2009 Career Service Contribution Award at a faculty meeting held on Monday, May 4th. Mrs. Labatut has been working at LSU for 24 years and joined the department in 1988. This award was bestowed upon Mrs. Labatut for her career-long contributions to the Department. Her notable effort over the years have provided essential support to Louisiana State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, it’s faculty, and it’s students. Mrs. Labatut has contributed enormously towards the coordination and management of undergraduate and administrative affairs within the department. She has also provided guidance, support, and encouragement for scores of LSU CEE students over the course of her career. Please join us in congratulating Mrs. Labatut on receiving this award. | | Tenure and Promotion | 5/20/2009 |
Drs. Okeil and Tsai were Tenured and Promoted to Associate Professors in CEE to the Board of the LSU System. Drs. Chen and Sharma were also Tenured in CEE. Drs. Wilmot and Wolshon were promoted to Full Professors in CEE. Please join the department in congratulating them for these major accomplishments in their professional development. | | Annual Faculty Awards | 5/20/2009 |
At the 2009 CE Hall of Distinction Banquet, Dr. Q. Jim Chen, Associate Professor, was presented with an annual Faculty Research Achievement Award which recognizes significant achievements in research. Dr. Donald Dean Adrian was also presented with a Career Achievement Award. He is currently the Rubicon Professor of Engineering, Effie C. and Donald M. Hardy Professor in Engineering and Graduate Advisor. | | CEE Fall 2008 Commencement | 5/20/2009 |
Catherine Taylor Persac graduated Summa Cum Laude, an honor bestowed upon students who graduate with a grade point average between 3.9 and 4.0. Allison Marie Vinson graduated Cum Laude, an honor bestowed upon students who graduate with a grade point average between 3.70 and 3.79.
Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering: James Allen Ball Jr., Steven Craig Berniard, Travis Benjamin Byland, Rudy Michael Crnko, Jarrod Raymond Ferran, Jason Daniel Field, Tye Ellis Fitzgerald, Toby F. Garcia, Benjamin Alan Goodner, Ryan Christopher Gunnell, Amanda Leigh Hamlin, Caleb Thomas Harper, Alexander Henry Herbin, Wesley Paul Juneau, Frank Robert Kolwe III, Michael Prescott Laughlin, Mark Edward Hoa LeBlanc, David Alan Martin, Brandt Jameson Meyer, Jason Wayne Miles, Matthew Killeen Morales, Mai Xuan Nguyen, Vi Khanh Nguyen, Brandon Joseph Nissing, Catherine Taylor Persac, Robert Egli Rousset, Timothy Andrew Sears, David Samuel Underwood, James Paul Vincent, Allison Marie Vinson
Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering: Samuel Taylor Best
Master of Science in Civil Engineering: Ananth Bukkapatnam Tirumala, Samuel Booth Cooper Jr., Hoonshin Jung, Gerald Maksim Pekmezi, Changjiang Shen, Bharath Kumar Sridhar
Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering:
Haibo Cao “Fate and Transport of Microorganisms in Coastal Subsurface-Experiment and Modeling” (Formosa Plastics Corporation Endowed Professor Kelly A. Rusch and Assistant Professor Frank Tsai)
Xiaobao Li "Bayesian Model Averaging on Hydraulic Conductivity Estimation and Groundwater Head Prediction" (Assistant Professor Frank Tsai)
Stephen Emmanuel Mbuligwe “Optimization of Treatment of Chlorinated Volatile Organic Compound Mixtures in Constructed Wetlands: Vegetarian and Substrate Effects” (Elizabeth Howell Stewart Endowed Professor John H. Pardue)
Borja Servan Camas “Lattice Boltzmann Modeling for Mass Transport Equations in Porous Media” (Assistant Professor Frank Tsai)
| | Drs. Louay Mohammad and Mostafa Elseifi Receive NCHRP Award | 5/20/2009 |
The National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) awarded Dr. Louay Mohammad and Dr. Mostafa Elseifi $500,000 for their proposal titled Field versus Laboratory Volumetrics and Mechanical Properties. The objectives of this study are (1.) quantify sources and causes of variability in the measurements of volumetric and mechanical properties of dense-graded asphalt mixtures for three types of specimens that may be encountered in QA and mix design activities (laboratory mixed and compacted, plant mixed and laboratory compacted, and plant mixed and field compacted, and (2.) develop a recommended practice for state DOTs to incorporate these results in specifications and criteria for (a) quality assurance; (b) mix design and verification or validation, and (c) structural design and forensic studies.
| | CEE Hall of Distinction Inductees | 5/20/2009 |
On April 17, 2009 at the Sheraton Hotel in Baton Rouge, the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering held their annual Hall of Distinction and Faculty Awards banquet. In addition to current and past inductees, attendees included Dr. George Voyiadjis (Department Chair), Dr. Astrid Merget (Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost), Dr. Richard Koubek (incoming Dean of the College of Engineering) and Dr. David Constant (Interim Dean of the College of Engineering). The 2008 Hall of Distinction inductees are Robert A. “Bob” Deason and the late Dr. Frank J. Germano. The 2009 inductees are John A. Graves and Dr. Mehmet T. Tümay. It is our great pleasure to welcome these four outstanding gentlemen to our Hall of Distinction. Including the four recent inductees, the CEE Hall of Distinction is now comprised of 20 members.
| | Open position for a Graduate Student Researcher: | 1/27/2009 |
Position Title: Graduate Research Assistant
Salary: $25,000-30,000 per year (commensurate to student qualifications and dependent on funding availability). Tuition fees are waived.
Duration: 4 years (Fall 2009-Summer 2013)
Location: Louisiana State University and A&M College, Baton Rouge, LA
Starting date: August 2009
Advisors: Drs. Barbato Michele (primary advisor) and Marc Levitan (co-advisor)
A Graduate Research Assistant position is open for a Ph.D. in Structural Engineering, at the Louisiana State University and A&M College, under supervision of Dr. Michele Barbato (primary advisor) and Dr. Marc Levitan (co-advisor).
If interested please send a complete CV and/or contact Dr. Barbato (mbarbato@lsu.edu) for further information. The complete advertisement can be found at:
http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/mbarbato/Lists/Announcements/DispForm.aspx?ID=1&Source=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecee%2Elsu%2Eedu%2Fpeople%2Fmbarbato%2Fdefault%2Easpx
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until a student is selected. | | Gordon Boutwell Passes Away: | 9/23/2008 | We regretfully announce that Gordon Boutwell, long time member of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department External Advisory Board, passed away on September 2, 2008. Boutwell was President of Soil Testing Engineers, Inc., located in Baton Rouge. In addition to the many positive contributions he made through his business, he also volunteered in numerous technical capacities. He was most active with the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) in a variety of ways over the years, most recently as a key member of the ASCE Levee Assessment Team in the greater New Orleans area following Hurricane Katrina. His candid but courteous observations and recommendations will help to safeguard many lives in the future if they are followed. | | Dr. Dipak Roy Passes Away: | 9/23/2008 |
We are deeply saddened to announce the passing away of former CEE faculty member and CEE Hall of Distinction member Dr. Dipak Roy, after a long illness. Dr. Roy joined the university in the 1979 and served as a Faculty member in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. He was one of the architects and initiators of the Environmental Engineering program in our Department. Dr. Roy was also inducted into the CEE Hall of Distinction in 2002. He was a notable and innovative scholar in his field of Environmental Engineering and will be missed by his family, friends and colleagues. | | New Graduate Program in Coastal and Ecological Engineering: | 7/29/2008 |
The CEE department has released a fact sheet concerning a new graduate program in Coastal and Ecological Engineering. See attached file for full details. | | Deep South Conference 2008 Results: | 4/17/2008 | The department would like to congratulate all who participated in the 2008 Deep South Conference, held here at the LSU campus April 3-5th.
The LSU Student Steel Bridge team won 2nd place overall and has been invited to compete in the 2008 National Student Steel Bridge Competition hosted by The University of Florida. In the Surveying event the LSU team took 2nd place and in the Concrete Canoe event placed in three race events and took 4th place overall. In the Concrete Frisbee event, the LSU team placed 3rd.
The LSU ASCE Student Chapter did an oustanding job hosting this event, which would not have been possible without the generous sponsors: Flour, Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc., Engensus Engineering and Consultants, and ABMB Engineers, Inc.
We thank all of you who contributed to the success of this conference.
| | CEE Ranks 57th in the 2008 US NEWS & World Report: | 4/17/2008 | We are pleased to announce that the LSU Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering ranked 57th with a 2.7 average assesment in the 2008 US News and World Report's listing of Civil Engineering programs. Last year, the department ranked 60th with an average assesment of 2.6.
The department would like to thank all of those who contributed to this success. | | 2008 Department Faculty Achievement Awards: | 4/17/2008 |
The department would like to congratulate the following CEE faculty members who are receipents of the 2008 department Faculty Achievement Awards:
Dr. Khalid A. Alshibli
Dr. Brian Wolshon
Dr. Guoping Zhang
These outstanding faculty members were recognized at the annual CEE Hall of Distinction Banquet, held on April 10, 2008 and were each presented with an engraved plaque. | | Dr. Frank T-C Tsai to Receive Tiger Athletic Foundation Undergraduate Teaching Award: | 4/17/2008 | The CEE Department would like to congratulate Dr. Frank T-C. Tsai, recipient of an LSU 2008 Tiger Athletic Foundation Undergraduate Teaching Award.
The 2008 LSU Distinquished Faculty Awards will be honored at a reception to be held on May 6, 2008 at the Lod Cook Alumni Center. | | Dr. Michele Barbato Receives Grants: | 4/17/2008 |
Dr. Michele Barbato of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering has received a grant of $75,000 for his proposal entitled Performance evaluation of buried pipe installation from the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LA DOTD) through the Louisiana Transportation Research Center (LTRC). The LA DOTD is in the process of revising the current specifications to obtain a more cost-efficient design and installation of buried pipes for highway infrastructure. Pipes of various materials will simultaneously be evaluated for their performance considering the impact of various bedding, backfill, and fill cover height requirements so that a process of alternate bidding and alternate construction can be developed for buried pipes installation. The research project aims at determining the effects of geometric and mechanical parameters (e.g., pipe ring stiffness, natural soil surrounding the trench, bedding thickness, and fill cover height) characterizing the soil-structure interaction developed in a buried pipe installation.
Dr. Barbato has also received a grant of $10,000 for his proposal entitled Probabilistic demand analysis of dynamically-excited uncertain structural systems through the Pilot Funding for New Research (Pfund) program as part of the Louisiana Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the Louisiana Board of Regents. This research project proposes to develop new analytical and numerical tools for probabilistic demand analysis (PDA) of structural systems rigorously accounting for material, geometric and inertia parameter uncertainties. The developed tools will find application in several Civil Engineering fields (e.g., Earthquake Engineering, Wind Engineering, Hurricane Engineering, Blast Engineering, Offshore Engineering, and Coastal Engineering). This research could have a significant impact on the advancement of a probabilistic Performance-Based design philosophy in Civil Engineering, and will form the groundwork for future proposals to NSF and other Federal Agencies with interests in Hazard Mitigation of structural and infrastructural systems.
| | Dr. George Z. Voyiadjis Receives 2008 Nathan M. Newmark Medal: | 3/24/2008 |
The Structural Engineering Institute and the Engineering Mechanics Institute have chosen Dr. George Z. Voyiadjis to receive the prestigious 2008 Nathan M. Newmark Medal for his "outstanding" contributions to the fields of structural mechanics and geomechanics, his fundamental research in constitutive modeling and characterization of damage mechanisms in metals, composites, and soils, and his pioneering contributions in multi-scale modeling and localization problems." The selection committee particularly noted Voyiadjis' development of a number of widely used nonlinear constitutive models for steel as well as ceramics and composite materials.
Former students of Nathan M. Newmark, Hon.M.ASCE, established this award in 1975 for the superior education they received while studying under Newmark at the University of Illinois and for his important contributions in structural engineering and mechanics. | | Dr. Ayman Okeil and Dr. Steve Cai Receive Grant: | 3/24/2008 |
Dr. Ayman Okeil (PI) and Dr. Steve Cai (Co-PI) received a grant of $249,578 for his proposal entitled Evaluation of Continuity Detail for Precast Prestressed Girders. The projects involves designing, acquiring, and installing a long-term monitoring system on one of the bridges in the John James Audubon project crossing the Mississippi River. The system will employ internal (embedded) as well as external sensors to collect data related to creep, shrinkage, and temperature effects. Data from the monitoring system will be used to assess the performance of the continuity detail recommended by NCHRP 519. The data will be remotely collected for a two-year period duration of the project. | | Dr. Michele Barbato and Dr. Ayman Okeil Receive Grants: | 3/24/2008 |
Dr. Michele Barbato received a grant of $20,000 for his proposal entitled A probabilistic performance-based approach for wind-borne debris hazard mitigation. This project aims at developing a general and novel probabilistic performance-based framework for mitigation of wind-borne debris impact hazard relative to structures located in hurricane and/or tornado prone regions. The integration of probabilistic hazard analysis, probabilistic demand analysis, probabilistic capacity analysis and probabilistic loss analysis will supply a rational basis for new performance-based design guidelines which will lead to more economical and safer structures for wind-borne debris impact hazard.
Dr. Ayman Okeil received a grant of $20,000 in collaboration with Dr. Hsiao-Chun Wu (EE) for his proposal entitled Nondestructive Imaging Of Highly-Stressed Zones Using Phased Array Ultrasonic Signals. The proposal aims to explore a novel nondestructive testing method for thin-walled steel infrastructure systems. At the core of the proposal is a two-dimensional scanning device capable of acquiring ultrasonic signals from a thin steel specimens. Algorithms by which the acquired digital signals are to be processed will be developed to capture unique features related to the state of stress in the tested specimens and help classify them accordingly. Presenting these algorithms in the form of contour plots showing yielded zones will help detect overstressed regions such as the gusset plate that has now been identified as the cause of the failure of the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis, MN, last August.
These grants are given through the Fund for Innovation in Engineering Research from the Longwell Family Foundation. | | Dr. Steve Cai Receives Best Paper Award: | 3/24/2008 |
The paper entitled Monitoring of FRP-repair debonding using OTDR Techniques co-authored by Hou, S., Cai, C. S., and Ou, J.P. is elected as the Best Paper of the Intelligent Sensor and Actuator Symposium as recommended by the Best Paper Award Committee at the ASCE Earth and Space Conference 2008. Debonding failure has been reported as the dominant failure mode for FRP strengthening in flexure. This paper explores a novel debonding monitoring method for FRP strengthened structures by means of OTDR-based fiber optic technology. | | Dr. Brian Wolshon Receives Award: | 3/24/2008 |
Dr. Brian Wolshon, Associate Professor in the CEE Department, received the 2008 James M. Todd Technical Accomplishment Medal from the Louisiana Engineering Society. This medal is awarded for distinguished service by an engineer for technological advancement or discoveries that have contributed advancements in engineering.
Dr. Wolshon specializes in the field of highway design and traffic engineering. His research in the operational traffic conditions associated with emergency evacuation has enabled him to measure traffic flow conditions under contraflow operation, information used by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development to plan and design emergency evacuations plans for the southern Louisiana. This plan was implemented during Hurricane Katrina and enabled DOTD to greatly reduce the evacuation time from New Orleans. Now, due to the outstanding success of this model, it is being used throughout the United States. | | Dr. Kelly A. Rusch and Dr. Barbara C. Benson Receive Award: | 3/24/2008 |
Dr. Kelly A. Rusch and her former student Dr. Barbara C. Benson received the 2006 Superior Paper Award by the Aquacultural Engineering Society for their paper Investigation of the light dynamics and their impact on algal growth rate in a hydraulically integrated serial turbidostat algal reactor (HISTAR). (Aquacultural Engineering 35(2), 122-134). The award was presented at Aquaculture America 2008, February 11th, 2008. | | The Department Welcomes New Hall of Distinction Inductees: | 3/24/2008 |
It is our pleasure to formally welcome four new inductees to the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Hall of Distinction: John “Jack” Donahue, Jr. (2006), Ronald Rodi (2006), J. Tinsley Oden (2007), and Recep Yilmaz (2007). The new inductees will be recognized at the department’s annual Hall of Distinction Banquet, to be held on April 10 at the Lod Cook Alumni Center.
The Civil and Environmental Engineering Department established a Hall of Distinction to recognize individuals who have made stalwart contributions to the profession. Candidates are carefully selected based on distinguished professional achievement and service to Civil and Environmental Engineering. Inductees will have made substantial impact in their field and/or to the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. In honoring these individuals, the Department intends through them to recognize all those who contributed to Engineering excellence.
For a complete list of all of the CEE Hall of Distinction inductees, please visit http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/AllItems.aspx
| | CEBA Building Renamed Patrick F. Taylor Hall: | 8/27/2007 | LSU has renamed the CEBA buildling in honor of Patrick F. Taylor, known as the "father of TOPS". The new name of the buildling is Patrick F. Taylor Hall.
The new name of the buildling now appears on course offerings, students' schedules, etc. | | Student Organizations to pay tribute to Virginia Tech Victims: | 7/24/2007 |
Chi Epsilon, Tau Beta Pi, and ASCE will host eight students and one professor from Virginia Tech during the LSU-Virginia Tech Football weekend...
Click here for details | | CEE New Faculty Members: | 7/23/2007 |
The CEE department is pleased to announce the addition of 3 new faculty members: Michele Barbato, Mostafa Elseifi and Heather Smith. Michele Barbato is joining the department as an Assistant Professor, specializing in finite element methods for response and response sensitivity analyses and computational reliability analysis of structural and geotechnical systems. He joins us from the University of California at San Diego. Mostafa Elseifi is joining the department from Bradley University. Dr. Elseifi’s research expertise focuses on pavement design and evaluation using analytical methods such as the finite element method, fracture behavior of HMA, and modeling of binder and asphalt mixtures performance. Heather Smith is joining the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at LSU as an Assistant Professor, specializing in sediment transport, fluid-structure-sediment interactions, and coastal engineering. Heather is completing her doctoral work in civil engineering at Ohio State University. The Civil and Environmental Engineering department welcomes these new faculty members. For more information on these new faculty members, please see page 7 of the Summer 2007 newsletter. | | CEE Department Added to LSU's "Foundation of Excellence": | 7/3/2007 |
LSU Interim Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Harold Silverman has announced the addition of four academic departments to LSU’s prestigious Foundations of Excellence. This addition expands the Foundations of Excellence program from seven departments to 11. The Departments of Civil & Environmental Engineering, History, French Studies and Mechanical Engineering have joined seven other departments that were previously named Foundations of Excellence in the spring of 2005. Those seven departments are biological sciences, chemistry, English, mass communication, mathematics, music and physics & astronomy and will all remain Foundations of Excellence units. The Foundations of Excellence are those programs on which LSU students and faculty are building to make the university a leading center of learning and research for the 21st century. They are the programs that have exhibited the strength to advance to the most competitive level, thereby heightening LSU’s reputation as a top public research institution, nationally and internationally. Each of these departments is eligible to receive extra resources to help recruit and retain the very best faculty and graduate students. The addition of the four programs comes after Silverman invited all university departments not already on the list to apply for the designation. Departments were required to submit proposals that demonstrated: national excellence, recent achievements, outcomes of recent program reviews and accreditation reports, faculty and program changes since 1999, strategic plans and department culture and contributions to the university’s mission and reputation. Based on the written proposals and additional presentations by departments heads, the University Planning Council – made up of top faculty and senior administrators from across campus – selected the four units to receive the designation. “The designation of four additional departments as Foundations of Excellence is proof positive of our remarkable progress in reaching Flagship Agenda goals,” LSU Chancellor Sean O’Keefe said. “It is evident that these units have made significant progress in their quest for national and international prominence. I am very pleased that this level of distinction was reached by French studies, given the Cajun influence on a large portion of our state, and by civil & environmental engineering, a department that is developing strong coastal efforts for Louisiana.” “Many excellent proposals were submitted and this was a difficult decision for the UPC, so the departments selected should be proud of this accomplishment,” Silverman said. “The UPC was committed to selecting the best of the best to become Foundations of Excellence, and the group did a very thorough and commendable job. I appreciate the efforts of everyone on the UPC who worked tirelessly to make this important decision, and I want to thank all the departments that applied. My heartfelt congratulations go to the four newest Foundations of Excellence. It is my hope that they will help lead LSU into a position of national prominence.” The Foundations of Excellence program originally began in 2000 when the university designated 12 departments as Foundations. In 2005, O’Keefe requested that the UPC come up with a new, peer-review process for the selection of the Foundations. This new process leaves the selection up to a group of eminent university leaders who examine an exhaustive list of criteria to determine which programs should be named Foundations of Excellence. It was based on this new criteria that the seven programs in 2005 were selected. At the time, O’Keefe and the UPC promised departments that did not make the list a chance to be reevaluated in 2007. For more information on the Foundations of Excellence, please visit www.lsu.edu/foundations/. | | Voyiadjis & Kattan Receive 2005 Dean's Book Award: | 6/1/2007 |
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Drs. George Z. Voyiadjis and Peter I. Kattan, of the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering were awarded the 2005 Dean’s Book Award for two books they co-authored titled Mechanics of Composite Materials with MATLAB and Damage Mechanics, both of which have been published by Springer-Verlag.
Mechanics of Composite Materials with MATLAB makes use of the popular computer program MATLAB as the major computer tool to study mechanics of composite materials. It is written specifically for students in engineering and materials science examining step-by-step solutions of composite material mechanics problems using MATLAB. Each of the 12 chapters includes a summary of the basic equations, MATLAB functions used in the chapter, solved examples, and practice problems. The main emphasis of the textbook is on learning the composite material mechanics computations and on understanding the underlying concepts. It includes an appendix with solutions to most of the problems, an accompanying CD-ROM with a set of 44 MATLAB functions, and a detailed solutions manual.
Their other book, Damage Mechanics, was developed and tested during the past four years at LSU. The book is presented in a consistent manner and developed around a well-supported theory, limited to metals and homogenous materials, complete with the necessary mathematical preliminaries. It also includes reviews of the theories of elasticity and plasticity, making the book extremely self-sufficient.
The book award and $1,000 check, sponsored by the College of Engineering, is presented to the author while he or she is a current member of the College of Engineering; however, the award stipend is prorated if the book has multiple authors who are members of the LSU College of Engineering. While book chapters and edited books are not eligible, new editions may be entered, as long as each book only qualifies once. Highlighting the importance of these honored books, one autographed copy is retained for the College’s collection.
I am excited about the publication of these books, in that their systematic approach allows the latest research to be presented in an interactive manner, in which the books become self-sufficient,” said Voyiadjis. |
Pictured above: Dr. George Voyiadjis, Dean Zaki Bassiouni and Dr. Peter Kattan | | | | ASCE Competition: | 5/2/2007 | | | First Project Completed: | 5/1/2007 |
LSU's chapter of Engineers Without Borders complete first project: the joint design-build of a drinking water system for the village of Nyamilu Kenya. Many CEE students worked on the project as did CEE professor Bill Moe and CEE staff person Al Pawlowski. A little over $11,000 in donated funds, and materials, were raised by students for the project and LSU EWB gratefully thanks all those who contributed.
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