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Graduate Research Assistantships available for highly motivated, research-oriented students

Openings are immediately available for RAs, particularly for those who want to pursue a PhD degree. Annual stipend can be as high as $35,000, depending on qualifications and academic performance. If interested, please email me at gzhang@lsu.edu.

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Education

Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2002

Minor in Materials Science

M.S., Tsinghua University, 1994

B.S., Hydraulic (Civil) Engineerng, Tsinghua University, 1991

B.S., Mechanical Eng., Tsinghua University, 1991

 

Research Interests

Bioinspired and bioengineered coastal sediment stabilization and restoration

Nanofabrication and nanomechanical testing of nanostructured multialyers

Micro/nano characterization and micro/nano mechanics for geomaterials

Behavior of natural soils, especially soft clays and residual soils

Laboratory testing and equipment development

 

Sponsors

ORAU, LSU CoR, La-BoR, LSU Graduate School, NSF EPSCoR (La-BoR)

CREST (Coastal Restoration & Enhancement Through Science and Technology)

DHS, LADOTD

 

Selected Honors and Awards

2008       Faculty Achievement Award, LSU CEE Department

2007       Donald W. Clayton Mentor Award, LSU College of Engineering

2006       Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award, Oak Ridge Associated Universities

American Society of Civil Engineers

The Clay Minerals Society

 

Professional Experience

2005 – present Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, LSU

2004 Summer       Visiting scholar, MIT

 2002 – 2005        Lecturer, School of Civil Engineering, University of Nottingham, UK

 1996 – 2002        Graduate Research Assistant, Dept. of Civil & Environmental Engineering, MIT

 1994 – 1996        Research Engineer, Chinese Academy of Building Research, China

 

Courses Taught

CE 3300 Geotechnical Engineering I

CE 3350 Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory I

CE 4300 Shallow Foundations

CE 7300 Advanced Soil Mechanics

CE 7335 Soil Improvement and stabilization

CE 7315 Principles of Soil Behavior

 

Selected Journal Publications

Zhang, G., Wei, Z., and Ferrell, R.E. (2009). Elastic modulus and hardness of muscovite and rectorite determined by nanoindentation. Applied Clay Science 43, 271-281.

Wei, Z., Zhang, G., Chen, H., Luo, J., Liu, R. and Guo, S. (2009). A simple method for evaluating elastic modulus of thin films by nanoindentation. Journal of Materials Research 24 (3), 777-791.

Chen, H., Zhang, G., Richardson, K., and Luo, J. (2008). Synthesis of nanostructured nanoclay-zirconia multilayers: a feasibility study. Journal of Nanomaterials 2008, doi:10.1155/2008/749508.

Zhang, G., Germaine, J.T. and Whittle, A.J. (2005). An evaluation of the mechanical and chemical dispersion methods for a tropical old alluvium, ASTM Geotechnical Testing Journal, Vol. 28, No. 2, 123-132.

Yu, H., Khong, C.D., Wang, J. and Zhang, G. (2005). Experimental evaluation and extension of a simple critical state model for sand. Granular Matter.

Hau, K.W., McDowell, G.R., Zhang, G. and Brown, S.F. (2005). The application of a three-surface kinematic hardening model to repeated loading of thinly surfaced pavements. Granular Matter 7, No. 2-3, 145-156.

Zhang, G., Germaine, J.T., Whittle, A.J. and Ladd, C.C. (2004). Index properties of a highly weathered old alluvium, Géotechnique, 54, No. 7, 441-451.

Zhang, G., Germaine, J.T., Whittle, A.J. and Ladd, C.C. (2004). Soil structure of a highly weathered old alluvium. Géotechnique, 54, No. 7, 453-466.

Zhang, G., Germaine, J.T., and Whittle, A.J. (2003). Effects of Fe-oxides cementation on the deformation characteristics of a highly weathered old alluvium in San Juan, PR. Soils and Foundations, 43, No. 4, 119-130.

Zhang, G., Germaine, J.T., Martin, R.T., and Whittle, A.J. (2003). A simple sample mounting method for random powder X-ray diffraction. Clays and Clay Minerals, 51(2), 219-226.

Wang, H., Zhang, G. and Zhou, K. (1996). Effects of inherent and induced anisotropy on the strength and deformation characteristics of a compacted clay. Chinese Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, 18(3), 1-10.