Geosystems Engineering

Aligning human interaction with the earth and water environments.

Overview

The Geosystems Engineering postgraduate research program focuses on geotechnical and geoenvironmental solutions through collaborative efforts of multi-disciplinary faculty in five interdependent and mutually reinforcing areas:

soil structure interaction
geophysical testing and nondestructive evaluation
computational poro-geomechanics
smart waste management
beneficial use of waste materials

Our inclusive and multi-disciplinary graduate curriculum offers a dynamic transformational point of view that leverages geotechnical and geoenvironmental technologies for environmental, economical, and social sustainability.

About

Geosystems Engineering is a cross-disciplinary program team of faculty, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and staff dedicated to innovation in geotechnical and geoenvironmental technology for sustainable geo-infrastructure development.

Vision

The graduate curriculum integrates in-depth training in a core engineering discipline into cross-disciplinary understanding of Geosystems Engineering. The comprehensive knowledge base of our graduates allow them to excel in her/his chosen specialization, adequately addressing the changing need in the global workforces of resilient geo-infrastructure.

Facilities

384 NPUs (64-bit 2.7 GHz) 20 RSU (8 TB) cluster
Experimental laboratories for environmental pollutants
A 2.5-m geotechnical centrifuge
A 10-m testing chamber
Seismic and ultrasonic test systems
GPR testing system

Research Focus

Strength Envelopes for Florida Rock and Intermediate Geomaterials, Multiscale (mm to km) Material Imaging and Characterization, Dynamic Testing for Foundation Capacity and Integrity, Mechanical Wave Simulation and Inversion, Computational Modeling of Multiscale Multiphysics Problems, Theoretical and Numerical Modeling of Instability/Failure of Multiphase Geomaterials, Determining Bearing Resistance of Cantilever Sheet Piles, Discrete Particle Dynamics and Contact Mechanics, Impact and Ground Penetration, Bridge Foundation Engineering, Waste Management and Beneficial Reuse, Computational Mechanics, and Hydro(geo)chemical Processes.

Careers

Our graduates are in demand by various professions such as infrastructure/energy industries, R&D laboratories, academic institutions, and local and federal government agencies. An example of such is seen in established, professional relationships with state government agencies and major design firms both in the U.S. and world-wide.

Graduate Courses

Graduate courses are offered in traditional geotechnical engineering, environmental engineering with a focus on solid and hazardous waste management; geophysicochemical processes; beneficial reuse of waste materials, and computer-aided geosystems analysis.