Malek Smadi's Research

Lateral Deformation and Associated Settlement resulting from Embankment Loading of soft Clay and Silt Deposits

Developing an empirical procedure for predicting undrained shear deformations and settlement in soft clay deposits beneath embankments, storage tanks and yards. Field measurements of horizontal deformation of soft clay and silt deposits during construction of embankments and storage facilities have been collected throughout the world, covering 180 case histories. The research includes:

•	Predicting settlement resulting from lateral deformation.
•	Using lateral deformation as a measure of undrained stability.
•	Examining time-dependant deformation of soil subjected to general state of stress and drainage boundary conditions.
•	Examining limitations of one-dimensional settlement analysis for magnitude of settlement and rate of consolidation.
•	Superimposing undrained deformation including creep and drained three-dimensional consolidation e.g. keeping track of effective stress increase and updating E and n as a function of consolidation and yielding at any point in soil and with time.

Potential Consequences of Earthquakes to Mid-America Waterfront Structures

Investigating the potential consequences of earthquakes to Mid- America waterfront structures, which can cause extensive damage to coastal as well as inland port facilities and could have great impact on the economy. The research includes:

•	Damage to port and harbor facilities during past earthquakes, and lessons learned from damage observations.
•	Current design of port and harbor facilities to resist earthquakes, and the merits and limitations of these design procedures.
•	Current dynamic analysis procedures used to design port and harbor facilities against earthquake ground shaking effects.
•	Future analytical developments to improve our understanding of the behavior of port and harbor facilities during earthquakes, as well as our current seismic design capabilities.

Geostatic Stress in Granular Soils Subjected to Vibration

Laboratory measurements of horizontal pressure in sand specimens that are densified by different impulse or steady vibration methods; intended for a better interpretation of post-densification penetration resistance and earthquake effects on granular ground. The research includes:

•	Changes in K_o of sand due to the vibration effect in the laboratory test.
•	Influence of stress history (loading and unloading) on response of sand to vibration.
•	Studying the parameters of sand that control K_o value.
•	Semi-empirical correlation of K_o value with soil properties and stress history.
•	Interpretation of the result of in-situ penetration tests in granular soils improved by dynamic methods and comparing with the laboratory results.
•	In-situ treatment procedures for granular soils to increase resistance against liquefaction and settlement.