Research in geotechnical engineering is focused on constitutive modeling of geomaterials, numerical methods in geomechanics, pile foundations, testing of soils, soil behavior, environmental geotechnics, soil reinforcement, electrokinetic remediation, geotechnics of recyclable materials, development of self-compacting concrete, object-oriented programming for reinforced concrete applications, and numerical simulation of cone penetrometers and tunnel boring in clay soils.
Recent research projects in the structures area include experimental studies of heat straightening of damaged steel bridge members, structural identification, design and analysis of articulated glulam timber members, residual stresses in timber structural elements, hurricane shelter design, and wind effects on industrial and petrochemical facilities. Research in the mechanics area is in damage characterization of metals and metal matrix composites with emphasis on macromechanical/micromechanical constitutive modeling, experimental procedure of quantification of crack densities, inelastic behavior, fatigue, interfaces, and numerical simulation of damage.
Current research in the environmental engineering area emphasizes biological waste treatment, phytoremediation, air pollution control, water quality, image processing, and waste management and includes studies involving lake restoration, aquaculture, hazardous substance fate and transport, flood modeling, and coastal zone impact studies.
Research areas in water resources include surface hydrology, subsurface hydrology, stochastic hydrology, groundwater hydrology, water quality hydrology, open channel flow, hydraulics, sediment transport, and irrigation.
Current topics of research are stresses free-boundary problems, mathematical and stochastic modeling of hydrologic systems, entropy theory, infiltration modeling, saltwater intrusion, river morphology, surface and groundwater conjunctive use, experimental and theoretical studies of transport processes, ocean measurements and modeling, high-performance groundwater flow, and transport modeling.
Research in transportation engineering is focused on pavement performance design and management, materials characterization, maintenance and rehabilitation, travel demand modeling, travel survey methods, state-wide transportation planning, air quality analysis, GIS and GPS applications, and land-use and transportation modeling integration. Remote-sensing projects include the detection and mapping of hazardous waste, hydrologic systems, land use, flooding, coastal processes, geologic features, and geographic database development. New research funding received during the 1999-2000 fiscal year for all departmental program areas exceeded $3 million.