Sustainability in Geotechnical Engineering.26795531

8/12/2019 Sustainability in Geotechnical Engineering.26795531

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Sustainability in Geotechnical Engineering:Current and future trends in Research, Education & Professional Practice

Louisiana Civil Engineering Conference and Show 2012Pontchartrain Center

Kenner, Louisiana

September 20, 2012

Malay Ghose Hajra, Ph.D., P.E.

Assistant Professor

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

The University of New Orleans

2000 Lakeshore DriveNew Orleans, Louisiana 70148

504-280-7062 (office)

[email protected](email)

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mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Outline of todays discussion -

1. Importance of Sustainable Development

2. Sustainability in Geotechnical EngineeringCurrent Trends

3. Sustainability in Geotechnical EngineeringFuture opportunities

4. New Sustainability Rating SystemEnVision5. Conclusions

6. Questions


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2009 Report Card for Americas Infrastructure

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The Facts

Leaking water pipes lose 7

billion gallons a day

Billions of gallons of untreated

wastewater are discharged eachyear from aging systems

U.S. produces 254 million tons

of solid waste a year

188 cities with brownfields sites

awaiting

cleanup/redevelopment

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More than 4 billion

hours a year stuck intraffic; cost = $78 billion

1 in 4 bridgesstructurally deficient or

functionally obsolete

Electricity demand has

grown by 25% since

1990

The Facts

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ResultsInterstate 35

Minneapolis, MN

Waterline break

Bethesda, MD

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Natural Disastershurricane, tsunamis, earthquake etc.

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2008 Living Planet Report

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Engineering design and construction has been dominated by one-dimensional view of

technological efficiency assuming that nature is an infinite supplier of resources,

perpetually regenerative, with an indefinite capacity to absorb all waste


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Opportunities for Civil engineers

A. Design for the future

Interconnection of society, economics, technology, and environment came

under scrutiny during energy crisis of 1970s

The philosophy of one-dimensional view of technological efficiency needs

to incorporate the effects on society and environment.

B. Better Management of our assets Prolonging asset life and aiding in rehabilitation, repair and replacement

decisions through efficient and focused operations and maintenance

Meeting consumer demands with a focus on system sustainability

Budgeting focused on activities critical to sustained performance

Meeting service expectations and regulatory requirements

Reducing overall costs for both operations and capital expenditures

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Sustainable Design and Development


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Sustainable Development is defined as any development thatmeets the needs of the present without compromising the ability

of future generations to meet their own needs.

(Brutland Commissions Report, 1987)

Sustainability definition by Brutland Commission

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ASCE Definition of Sustainability

Sustainability is a set of environmental, economic and social

conditions in which all of society has the capacity and

opportunity to maintain and improve its quality of lifeindefinitely without degrading the quantity, quality or

availability of natural resources and ecosystems.

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Indicators of Sustainability

Traditional Indicators Sustainability Indicators Emphasis of Sustainability Indicators

Size of the economyas measured by GNP

and GDP

Wages paid in the local economythat are spent in the local economy

Local financial resilience

Dollars spent in the local economy

which pay for local labor and local

natural resources

Percent of local economy based on

renewable local resources

Tons of solid waste

generated

Percent of products produced which

are durable, repairable, or readily

recyclable or compostable

Conservative and cyclical use of

materials

Source: George F. Crozier(Dauphin Island Sea Lab) and Scott Douglass(U. of South Alabama)12


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Sustainability and Geotechnical Engineering

1. Geotechnical Engineering is one of the most resource intensive disciplines

within Civil Engineering

2. Consume vast amount of resources

3. Consumes vast amount of energy

4. Changes landscape

5. Interferes with many social, environmental, and economic issues

1. Geotechnical profession is often dominated by financial motivations

2. Inadequate knowledge of geotechnical processes on ecological balance of

surrounding areas

3. Absence of geotechnical sustainability reference framework

Challenges

Facts

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1. Improving sustainability of geotechnical processes is important

2. Geotechnical profession has huge potential to improve sustainability of civil

engineering projects due to its early position in the construction process

Opportunities


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Sustainability and Geotechnical Engineering

Geotechnical sustainability means:

1. Robust design and construction that involves minimal financial burden and

inconveniences to the society

2. Minimal use of resources and energy in planning, design, construction and

maintenance of geotechnical facilities

3. Use of materials and methods that cause minimal negative impact on the

ecology and environment

4. Maximum reuse of existing geotechnical facilities/components to minimize

waste

Opportunities

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1. Energy Geotechniques

2. Material Reuse and Recycle

3. Foundation Rehabilitation and Reuse

4. Use of underground space

5. Sustainable Ground Improvement

6. Sustainability in Coastal Geotechniques


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Current Challenges

Main sources of energy worldwide: Petroleum (34%), coal (26.5%), Natural gas (20.9%), Combustible

renewables and waste (9.8%), nuclear power (5.9%), hydroelectric (2.2%), wind & solar (0.7%)

[source: International Energy Agency, 2009]

High increase in energy demand in the next 25 years (17% increase if consumption and population

growth continue at current rates; 66% increase if consumption in underdeveloped world increases to

levels required to attain proper quality of life)

This situation will exacerbate current issues caused by the dependency on fossil fuels, its

environmental consequences, and the international implications due to the mismatch between the

geographic distributions of supply and demand of fossil fuels.

A sustainable worldwide energy system will require proper long term national policies within a global

approach, strategic pricing that takes into consideration production costs and life-cycle waste

processing, reduced population growth rates, and efficiency and conservation with associated

changes in cultural patterns.

Role of Geotechnical Engineers

1. Geological investigation related to increased fossil fuel production

2. Geotechnology in Oil Production

3. Estimation of subsidence due to extraction of oil

4. Theory of mixed fluid flow

5. Estimation of Fines migration and clogging

Energy Geotechnology

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h l


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1. Optimal design and sustainable operation of geothermal systems require:

Knowledge of thermal properties of geomaterials

Efficient subsurface characterization technology

Assessment of ground water flow conditions

Ability to analyze hydro-thermo-chemo-mechanical coupled processes to predict short and longterm performance changes in the reservoir

Geothermal pump systemsthermal properties of soil and backfill material, groundwater

regime information

Advancement in concurrent drilling and trenching during site investigation would reduce cost

and increase the competitiveness and long term savings of the systems

Energy Pilescyclic heating and cooling of piles may affect skin resistance of the pile and

potentially cause settlement.

Deep geothermal energy systems extract heat from hot rock formations (temperatures often exceed

3500C) to produce steam that can be used directly to provide heating or to generate electricity.

Except for the construction of the power plant itself, CO2emission from geothermal power plants

are virtually zero.

Extractable thermal energy in the USA alone is estimated to be about 200,000 EJ, which is over 1000

times the annual consumption of primary energy in the USA

Geothermal EnergyFacts and trends

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Foundation rehabitation and reuse


Embodied energy consumed in reusing foundations is nearly half of that consumed

in installing new foundations (Butcher et al, 2006)

Foundations designed for reuse has much less Whole Life Cost (WLC) than

foundations designed without the reuse option

The cost of removal of an old deep foundation is estimated to be about 4 times that of

constructing a new foundation

Removal of old foundation disturbs the soil and adjacent structures

Removal of old foundation causes voids

Facts

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Use of Underground Space for Energy Storage


1. Response of the host rock to large amplitude cycles in pore fluid pressure (e.g.

stiffness, strength, strains)

2. Thermal fluctuations associated to gas compression and decompression

3. Moisture changes and mineral solubility

4. Evolution and long term performance of the underground cavern

Solar, tidal, and wind energy are inherently intermittent with continual fluctuations in

electricity production. Therefore, large scale energy storage systems are needed to

efficiently use generated renewable energy.

Salt caverns formed by solution mining, underground rock caverns created by

excavating rock formations such as abandoned limestone or coal mines, and porous

rock formations can be used for compressed air storage.

Facts

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R di i W S


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1. Knowledge during mining operations (excavation and handling of tailings)

2. Foundation of nuclear plants (static and seismic design, heat absorption for new generation

systems, design for decommissioning)

3. Design of Spent Fuel pools and waste repositories (design for decommissioning, geophysical

monitoring and leak detection, bio-remediation)

Radioactive Waste Storage

Nuclear power generation embodies very low CO2emission. Fewer than 500 nuclear plant have

been built and operated around the world since 1951

An additional 2400 nuclear plant (1 GW plant capacity) will be required to produce the 2.4 TW

increase predicted in the next 25 years

There is no nuclear waste repository in operation in the world and the waste fuel is kept in pools.

The building of new nuclear power plants and use of existing nuclear reactors will demand

development of long-term radioactive waste repositories

Facts

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C b S i G l i l F i


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Carbon Storage in Geological Formations


1. Robust technology is available to inject CO2 into the ground. However, significant geotechnical

uncertainties remain related to geological storage including: identification and characterization of

suitable formations, continuity and long-term stability of sealing layers, long-term performance of

grouts and well plugs, subsurface plume tracing and leak detection and monitoring, chemo-hydro-

mechanical coupled processes in the reservoir

2. Geotechnical input is required related to the risk of CO2 leakage, seismic risk to nuclear powerplants, and the potential for induced seismicity in geothermal projects

Significant reduction in CO2 emissions can be realized by implementing Carbon Capture and

Storage (CCS).

Long term geotechnical implications of CO2geological storage are less explored

Principal target formations for CO2injection include: Deep saline aquifers

Petroleum and gas reservoirs

Low-grade and unminable coal seams

Deep ocean sediments to form CO2hydrate

CH4hydrate-bearing sediments to replace CH4with CO2

Facts

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R f W t M t i l i G t h i l E i i


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Reuse of Waste Materials in Geotechnical Engineering


1. Increasing the efficient use of natural resources, recycling, more use of virgin materials, and

energy efficiency

2. Reducing volume extraction and waste

3. Engineering waste reuse for long term performance and chemical stability

4. Developing engineered waste containment facilities for increasingly unsuitable environments andunder increasingly demanding performance/monitoring requirements.

Facts

1. Wastesolid waste, hazardous waste, radioactive waste, and medical waste

2. Geo-related materials such as mine waste, energy-related waste, and dredges sediments are the

primary components in the solid waste stream in the United States

3. Mining The bulk of material excavated in mining operations is waste, requires large storageareas, leaches hazardous chemicals into groundwater

4. Coal combustion products Fly ash and bottom ash from coal combustion contribute

approximately 91 million tons to US waste stream every year.

5. Dredging Generates 200 to 300 million tons of material each year in the US alone. Dredging

takes place along rivers and ports; however, only 30% of dredged material is put to beneficial use.

Current Trends1. Beneficial use of coal and fly ash in geotechnical constructions

2. Use of pulverized asphalt pavement as base for new pavement

3. Shredded scrap tires as a light-weight fill material

4. Pulverizes fly ash to improve thermal properties of energy piles

5. Bioengineered slope

6. Recycled mixed glass and plastic for segmental retaining wall units

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Eff t f Cli t Ch G t


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Effects of Climate Change on Geosystems

1. Climate change has significant impact on the built environment

2. Extreme weather conditions and associated geohazards

3. Global warmingmagnification of issues associated with high urban temperatures

4. Melting of permafrost and icecapspermafrost is the most vulnerable carbon pool of the earth, its

melting will lead to the release of large amounts of biogenic methane

5. Sea level rise


1. Flooding and erosion control for coastal areas and along river margins2. Engineering hydrogeology to prevent salt-water intrusion and the contamination of fresh water

reservoirs

3. Instability of geosystems associated with the melting of the permafrost and snow caps

4. Knowledge of unsaturation and pore pressure generation during gas release

5. Building of more resilient infrastructure (levees, hurricane reduction systems)

6. Enhanced microbial activity in sediments

7. Evolution of physical properties of soils as a function of changing weather conditions

Facts

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G i t l E i i Bi l i l P


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Geoenvironmental Engineering: Biological Processes


1. Use of low embodied energy bio-engineered soils in many geotechnical applications,

such as liquefaction mitigation, structural support, and excavation retention

2. Significant reductions in energy and material use might result if, reinforced concrete

foundations can be reduced in size by increasing the strength and stiffness of

foundation soils by biological activity3. Challenges minimum pore size to accommodate life, upscaling of laboratory

techniques to field conditions, thermodynamic equilibrium and long-term durability of

biological treatments

1. Biological activity started 2 billion years ago

2. Microorganisms change atmosphere from reducing to oxdizing and determinecomposition of most minerals that form todayssoils and rocks

Facts

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G d I t i G t h i l E i i


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Ground Improvement in Geotechnical Engineering


1. Evaluation of in-situ ground improvement techniques in lieu of deep foundations

2. Increasing the strength and stiffness of foundation soils by biological activity

3. Change in hydraulic properties of soil by bio-remediation of soil

Current Trends

1. Use of solar powered prefabricated vertical drains

2. Improvement of mechanical and hydraulic properties of soil using in-situ soil bacteria

3. Dynamic compaction versus excavation and fill

4. Cement-bentonite vs. soil-bentonite ground improvement

5. Vibro-replacement stone columns vs. deep foundations

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Geotechnical Hazards due to Discontinuties


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Geotechnical Hazards due to Discontinuties


1. Geological investigation related to presence of discontinuity

2. Estimation of subsidence due to discontinuity

1. Discontinuities in geological formation act as weak zones, change the macroscalemechanical response, limit stability, and define the deformation field

2. Discontinuities affect fluid transport through sediments, give rise to fluid migration,

determine geological storability of water, oil, gas, or CO23. However, engineered discontinuities can be used to enhance resource recovery

(hydrocarbons and geothermal) and facilitate waste injection

Facts

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Sustainable Geotechnical design against multiple Hazards


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Sustainable Geotechnical design against multiple Hazards

Role of Geotechnical Engineers1. Dynamic and long-term static soil-pile interaction effects for energy piles

2. Time varying soil properties over repeated cycles of ground temperature changes and

implications on the response of the foundation to extreme loading

3. Dynamic soil-structure interaction effects for wind-turbine foundations subjected

simultaneously to earthquake loading and dynamic cyclic loading from the

superstructure

4. Assessment and re-use of existing foundation elements in view of multiple anticipated

hazards

5. Assessment and retrofitting of waterfront protection systems against rising sea level and

potential increase in the occurrence of tsunamis, hurricanes, and earthquakes

New environmentally friendly materials, enhanced structural components developed to

satisfy sustainability requirements, and unprecedented loading conditions that could

result from climate change require re-evaluation of established performance-based design

criteria for resilient, sustainable infrastructure.

Facts

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Sustainability and Coastal Geotechniques


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Sustainability and Coastal Geotechniques

1. Beneficial use of dredged sediments for marsh nourishment projects

2. Proper characterization of dredged sediments and foundation soils

3. Sea level rise rates and storm waves be considered in the planning and design of coastal

highways and infrastructures


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Education in Geo sustainability


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Energy geotechnology and sustainability invoke scientific principles and engineering concepts that

will extend and profoundly change geotechnical engineering analysis and design

These changes will require renewed engineering curriculum, adapted continuing education

programs for practitioners, and increased public awareness and expectations for civil engineeringinfrastructure

Modify geotechnical curriculum to cover the fundamental scientific principles involved in

geomaterials subjected to hydro-chemo-thermo-bio-mechanical loading

Include in the curriculum case-histories of sustainable design with proper Life Cycle Cost Analysis

Training to provide the development of multiple alternative sustainable options as part of

decision making and optimization

Focus on implementation, accountability, and integration with other disciplines Encourage proactive involvement of professional societies such as ASCE in sustainability

education.

Education in Geo-sustainability

New curriculum for Undergraduate/Graduate Geotechnical Engineering course:

1. Mechanical properties (allowable stress and deformation)

2. Hydraulic properties and fluid transport (hydraulic conductivity and pressure diffusionconsolidation)

3. Biological processes in soil (bioremediation of contaminated site, biogenic methane production in

sediments)

4. Chemical processes (mass balance, reaction kinetics, mineral dissolution, reactive transport)

5. Thermal characteristics (heat capacity, heat transformation, conduction, diffusion)

6. Electrical characteristics (resistivity, permitivity, geophysical site investigation)

7. Optimal use of natural resources ( recycled waste materials for construction) 28

Sustainability in Geotechnical Engineering:


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Geotechnical Engineers play a vital role in mitigating global crisis related tosustainability, with a focus on energy, global climate change, use of natural resources,

and solid waste generation/management.

The geotechnical engineering profession needs to meet these challenges acting now in

a coordinated and determined manner, from individual engineers to professional

societies, fully aware of the significant role we can play in the development of a

sustainable, energy viable society

Scientific and engineering research should include non-standard issues such as the

response of geomaterials to extreme conditions, coupled processes, biological

phenomena, spatial variability, emergent phenomena and the role of discontinuities.

The challenges facing geotechnical engineering in the future will require a much

broader knowledge base than is currently included in educational programs. It must

address the changing needs of a profession that will increasingly be engaged in

sustainable design, energy geotechnology, enhanced/efficient use of natural resources,

waste management, underground utilization, and alternative/renewable energy.

Summary:

WHAT IS ENVISION?


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Envision is a tool, which itself is part of a larger system, developed to help evaluate the

sustainability of civil infrastructure.

This system includes:

A self assessment checklist The Envision Rating Tool

A credential program for individuals

A Project Evaluation and Verification Program

A Recognition Program for Sustainable Infrastructure

PHASE TOOLKITS

COMPANION TOOLS

WHAT ISENVISION?

Envision, a sustainable infrastructure rating system, was developed by Zofnass Program for

Sustainable Infrastructure at Harvard Graduate School of Design and the Institute of

Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI)

Institute of Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) is a non-profit education and research

organization founded by ASCE, APWA, and ACEC

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What Infrastructure Categories Does the Rating System Assess?


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What Infrastructure Categories Does the Rating System Assess?

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http://sustainableinfrastructure.org/index.cfm


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L l f A hi t b E i i
http://sustainableinfrastructure.org/index.cfmhttp://sustainableinfrastructure.org/index.cfm


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Levels of Achievement by Envision

Improved

Slightly above conventional

Enhanced

Performance is on the right track

Superior

Noteworthy, but falls slightly short of conserving

Conserving

Essentially zero impact

Restorative

Performance that restores natural or community systems

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C d i l b I i f S i bl I f (ISI)


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Credentials by Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI)

Sustainability Professional Provisional

ENV (PV)

Envision Sustainable Rating System Verifiers

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y g gCurrent and future trends in Research, Education & Professional Practice

Summary:

Sustainability is a multidimensional concept that requires a balance of Economic, Social, and Environmental

equities of development

Geotechnical Engineering warrants a sustainability study as it uses vast amount of resources and releases

pollutants to the environment

Balance can be achieved by ensuring efficiency in resource use and reducing the environmental impact

without ignoring the technical, technological, and financial concerns related to the process

Further research studies on sustainability-related issues in Geotechnical Engineering should be performed inthe areas of:

a. Application of alternative materials

b. Material reuse and recycling

c. Environment friendly ground modification techniques

d. efficient use of underground space

e. reuse of foundations

f. energy geotechniques

Further research should be performed to develop clearly defined framework (sustainability rating system for

geotechnical engineering application) to evaluate and quantify the relative sustainability alternative

practices in geotechnical engineering.

Geotechnical Engineering curriculum must address sustainable design, energy geotechnology, enhanced

use of natural resources, waste management, underground utilization and alternative/renewable energy.35


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Acknowledgements

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American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)

Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI)

Richard J. Fragaszy (at NSF) Dipanjan Basu (Univ. of Connecticut)

ASCENew Orleans branch Geotechnical committee

Google images



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Questions?

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