Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering

Research Areas

Environmental Engineering

Building on strengths and priorities established within WSU, environmental research will be one pillar of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department’s research portfolio. Growing populations and economies will continue to stress finite natural resources, meaning that creative solutions are needed to promote “greener” technologies, environmental restoration and protection, and waste reutilization. Understanding complex interactions of processes at multiple scales, from the microscopic level to the global scale, will be necessary to fully advance future development. Furthermore, sustainability is a multifaceted concept based on the necessity for society to take steps to minimize, eliminate, and reverse anthropogenic impacts that adversely affect the planet. Tomorrow’s solutions will thus require multifaceted approaches where scientific answers incorporate human behavior, ecological response, economic analysis, and societal values. Strong ties to CEREO, and LAR research centers help promote multidisciplinary solutions. Specific areas of research within the Environmental Engineering Program include:

Geotechnical & Transportation Engineering

Geotechnical and transportation engineering research programs at Washington State University merges geotechnics and pavement mechanics to provide solution to infrastructure problems. The geotechnical engineering research program encompasses both traditional and emerging topics in the fields of geomechanics and geology and focuses on the behavior of natural materials in engineered systems. This active program involves fundamental and applied research using analytical, numerical, and experimental methods.

The pavement engineering research program focuses on developing innovative, economical, and reliable technologies for highway and airport pavements. It involves characterizing and modeling the entire pavement structure from surface to base course and incorporating various paving materials including asphalt material, concrete material, aggregates, recycled materials, and subgrade soils. Emphasis is given to both fundamental theories and practical applications in design, construction, and rehabilitation of the transportation infrastructure.

Geotechnical and transportation engineering research programs have been supported by funds from the National Science Foundation, US Geological Survey, US Department of Transportation (DOT), Washington State DOT, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP), US Department of Energy, and private industries.

Faculty in the Geotechnical and Transportation programs are leaders in these areas with extensive national and international collaboration. Graduate students in the Geotechnical-Transportation program may select a suite of graduate course offerings jointly offered by the University of Idaho and engage in research using state-of-art laboratories including: the AASHTO certified Washington Center for Asphalt Technology (WCAT) and the Washington State X-ray Computed Tomography (WAXCT). Teaching and graduate assistantships are provided for qualified students to assist with their program of study and professional development and social activities.

Specific areas of research in Geotechnical/Transportation include:

Hydraulic & Water Resources

Worldwide there is a call for new technologies, materials and practices to reduce human-induced carbon footprints that cause global climate change and to adapt to projected climate change. One of the systems likely affected by global climate change and population growth is water resources. The Water Resources Program investigates all aspects of the complex interactions between climate variability and change, ecosystem processes, and increased demand from human activities. In the semi-arid regions of the northwestern U.S., water availability during drought periods has already reached crisis levels and the problems are expected to intensify as the effects of global climate change and population growth continue to alter the supply and demand patterns. A long-standing relationship with the SWWRC helps expand our research capabilities. Specific areas of research within the Hydraulics and Water Resources Program include:

See Dr. Jennifer Adam's hydrology group website for more information...http://hydro.cee.wsu.edu/index.htm

Structural Engineering and Materials

The Structural Engineering and Materials Program offers a broad range of educational and research opportunities. Much of the research effort is in collaboration with the College's Composite Materials & Engineering Center. The materials program is centered on the development of bio-based materials in particular polymers, composites, and nanomaterials. Bio-based materials are researched from various angles including chemistry, processing, and mechanics. An interdisciplinary graduate curriculum in polymers and composites complements the materials research program. Structural engineering research includes both numerical modeling and experimental testing to understand and improve structural performance. Specific areas of research emphasis within the Structural Engineering and Materials Program include:

 

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