Geotechnical Engineering Center
ECJ 9.227 (C1792)
Austin, Texas 78712-1076
512-471-4929
512-471-6548 fax
Dr. Kenneth H. Stokoe, Director
Department of Civil, Architectural &
Environmental Engineering
Overview
The Geotechnical Engineering Center was established in 1979 to study soil and rock structures, and to improve understanding of soil and rock as related to the design of foundations.
The Center serves government, industry and other academic institutions by arranging special lectures, seminars and short courses, by conducting specialized tests, and by serving as an information source on the behavior of soil and rock for government officials and others. In addition, the Center maintains and disseminates computer programs and research reports regarding geotechnical engineering. It also provides a focus for interaction between the geotechnical faculty in civil engineering and faculty in closely related disciplines such as engineering mechanics, petroleum engineering and geology. Finally, the Center develops financial resources to support and enhance the geotechnical engineering program at The University.
Areas of Research
- Fate and transport of contaminants in soils and geosynthetics
- Risk management and data analysis for geotechnical systems
- Investigation of potential applications of geophysical engineering techniques to tunnel and waste disposal projects in the Austin area
- Axial load behavior of driven piles and suction caissons
- Development of nonintrusive methods of in-situ material characterization using surface-wave technology
- Application of numerical techniques to evaluate performance of earth slopes and embankments