Principle Investigator
Xinbao (Paul) Yu, Ph.D., PE
Professor, Geotechnical Engineering
Department of Civil Engineering
The University of Texas at Arlington
429 Nedderman Hall Building
416 Yates St., Box 19308
Arlington, TX 76019
Tel: 817-272-1243, Fax: 817-272-2630
Email: xinbao@uta.edu
EDUCATION
Ph.D., Civil Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 2009
M.S., Civil Engineering, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY 2005
M.S.E., Geotechnical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China 2003
B.S., Civil Engineering, Chang’an University, Xi’an, China 2000
PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION
Licensed Professional Engineer, TX (2011- )
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Dr. Yu’s group focuses on interdisciplinary aspects of geotechnical engineering, sensor technology, and advanced numerical simulation. The long term research goal is to better characterize and understand the multi-phase porous soil media through the development of new sensing techniques and advanced numerical simulations. Specific research areas include time domain reflectometry (TDR) technology, geothermal energy, reliability and risk based geotechnical design, and numerical simulations.
Postdoctoral Researchers
Mehran Azizian, Ph.D.
Email: Mxa5876@mavs.uta.edu
EDUCATION
Ph.D. in Geotechnical Engineering (University of Texas at Arlington, 2021-2024)
M.Sc. in Civil Engineering (K.N. Toosi University of Technology, 2014-2017)
B.Sc. in Civil Engineering-Surveying (University of Tehran, 2009-2013)
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Buried Pipelines; Geosynthetics, Experimental Tests, Slope Stabilization, FEM
BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT
Mehran Azizian holds a Ph.D. in Civil-Geotechnical Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington. His research focuses on riverbank slope stabilization using Percussion-Driven Earth Anchors (PDEAs), involving advanced numerical modeling, field instrumentation, and collaboration with TxDOT on geotechnical applications (Links: Google Scholar, LinkedIn).
Ph.D. Students
Alireza Fakhrabadi
Email: axf9066@mavs.uta.edu
EDUCATION
Ph.D. Student in Geotechnical Engineering (University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), 2023- present)
M.Sc. in Civil Engineering (Babol Noshirvani University of Technology (BNUT), 2020)
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Soil Stabilization; Geothermal Bridge Deicing
BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT
Alireza Fakhrabadi is a Ph.D. student in Geotechnical Engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington. He received his master’s degree in civil engineering from BNUT. He is currently conducting research with Dr. Xinbao Yu on the Geothermal Bridge Deicing (Links: Google Scholar, LinkedIn)
Aashish Pokhrel
Email: axp8401@mavs.uta.edu
EDUCATION
Ph.D. Student in Geotechnical Engineering (University of Texas at Arlington, 2024-present)
B.Sc. In Civil Engineering (Pulchowk Campus, Tribhuvan University, 2022)
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Temperature-induced Moisture Flow, Temperature Effect on Soil’s Properties
BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT
Aashish is a Ph.D. student in Geotechnical Engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington. He received his bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Pulchowk Campus, Tribhuvan University, Lalitpur, Nepal. He is currently working with Dr. Xinbao Yu on laboratory tests and numerical modeling of thermally induced moisture flow and temperature effects on the properties of unsaturated soil using one-dimensional heating cells. He enjoys playing table tennis and listening to music in his spare time.
Ruoyu Zheng
Email: rxz2318@mavs.uta.edu
EDUCATION
Ph.D. Student in Geotechnical Engineering (University of Texas at Arlington, 2024- present)
M.S. Student in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (Northeastern University, 2021)
B.S. in Civil Engineering, University of Evansville (2017)
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Finite Elements Analysis, foundations
BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT
Ruoyu Zheng is a Ph.D. student in Geotechnical Engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington. He received his Master’s Degree in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering from Northeastern University and his Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Evansville.
Tingkai Wang
Email: txw8200@mavs.uta.edu
EDUCATION
Ph.D. Student in Geotechnical Engineering (The University of Texas at Arlington, 2024- present)
M.S. in Civil Engineering, (Hebei University of Technology, 2024)
B.S. in Road, Bridge and River-crossing Engineering, and Engineering Cost (Dual Degree) (Shandong Jianzhu University, 2020)
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Computer Vision and Artificial Intelligence for Civil Engineering
BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT
Tingkai Wang is a Ph.D. student in Geotechnical Engineering at The University of Texas at Arlington. He received his Bachelor Degree and Master Degree in China, and he is currently conducting research with Dr. Xinbao Yu on AI-assisted Construction Activity Detection and Classification for Environmental Impact Assessment (Links: LinkedIn)
M.S. Student
Suman Shrestha
Email: sxs7561@mavs.uta.edu
EDUCATION
M.Sc. Student in Geotechnical Engineering (University of Texas at Arlington, 2023- present)
B.S in Civil Engineering (Pulchowk Campus, Tribhuvan University, 2022)
RESEARCH TOPICS
Stabilization of Expansive Soil using environment-friendly chemical
BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT
Suman Shrestha is an M.Sc. student in Geotechnical Engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington. He received his bachelor’s in civil engineering from Pulchowk Campus, Tribhuvan University, Pulchowk, Nepal. He is currently conducting research with Dr. Xinbao Yu on the stabilization of expansive soil using sustainable chemicals.
Kushal Sharma
Email: kxs1868@xxw0262
EDUCATION
M.Sc. Student in Geotechnical Engineering (The University of Texas at Arlington, 2024- present)
B.E in Civil Engineering (Pulchowk Campus, Tribhuvan University, 2023)
RESEARCH TOPICS
Reconstitution of Clay, Expansive Soils
BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT
Kushal Sharma is an M.Sc. student in Geotechnical Engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington. He received his bachelor’s in civil engineering from Pulchowk Campus, Tribhuvan University, Lalitpur, Nepal in 2023. He is currently conducting research with Dr. Xinbao Yu on the reconstitution of clay samples.
Ethan Rogers
Email: exr0920@mavs.uta.edu
EDUCATION
Masters Student in Geotechnical Engineering (The University of Texas at Arlington, 2024- present)
B.S. in Geological Engineering (University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi, 2022)
RESEARCH TOPICS
Embankment slope failure and repair methods; Geosynthetics; Expansive clay properties
BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT
Ethan Rogers is a Masters student in Geotechnical Engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Geological Engineering from the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi. He is currently conducting research with Dr. Xinbao Yu on embankment slope failure and repair methods (Links: LinkedIn).
Former Group Members
Nice Kaneza, Ph.D.
Ph.D. in Geotechnical Engineering (University of Texas at Arlington, 2020-2023)
Current Position: Associate Consultant, Geotechnical Engineer at WSP.
Dissertation Title: Experimental and Numerical Analyses of Coupled Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical Behavior of Unsaturated Soil under One-Dimensional Heat Transfer
Natnael Asfaw, Ph.D.
Ph.D. in Geotechnical Engineering (University of Texas at Arlington, 2018-2023)
Dissertation Title: Performance Of Percussion Driven Earth Anchors for Riverbank Slope Stabilization: Comprehensive Laboratory And Field Studies
Current Position: TxDOT Brownwood Area Engineer
Gang Lei, Ph.D.
Ph.D. in Geotechnical Engineering (University of Texas at Arlington, 2017-2022)
Dissertation Title: Thermal and Hydraulic Properties of Soils in Relation to Their Wettability
Omid Habibzadeh Bigdarvish, Ph.D.
Ph.D. in Geotechnical Engineering (University of Texas at Arlington, 2017-2021)
Dissertation Title: A New Geothermal Bridge Deicing System with Attached Hydronic Heating Loops: Field Study, Numerical Modeling, and Economical Assessment
Current Position: Associate Consultant, Geotechnical Engineer at WSP.
Xuelin Wang, Ph.D.
Ph.D. in Geotechnical Engineering (University of Texas at Arlington, 2015-2020)
Dissertation Title: Laboratory test and numerical model of geothermally heated bridge deck with attached hydronic loop
Current Position: Project Manager at Geotech Engineering and Testing
Teng Li, Ph.D.
Ph.D. in Geotechnical Engineering (University of Texas at Arlington, 2016-2020)
Dissertation Title: Use of time-domain Reflectometry to Characterize Thermal and Hydraulic Properties of Unsaturated Sands
Current Position: Project Manager at Geotech Engineering and TestingGeotechnical Project Manager at ECS Limited
Aminollah Ghorbanpourbabakandi, Ph.D.
Ph.D. in Geotechnical Engineering (University of Texas at Arlington, 2016-2019)
Dissertation Title: Mine Tailings Amended by Fly Ash
Current Position: Project Engineer at W. W. WHEELER & Associates, Inc.
Rakib Hasan, Ph.D.
Ph.D. in Geotechnical Engineering (University of Texas at Arlington, 2015-2019)
Dissertation Title: Reliability-based Deep Foundation Design
Current Position: Geotechnical Engineer at Alpha Testing
Elmira Riahi, Ph.D.
Ph.D. in Geotechnical Engineering (University of Texas at Arlington, 2012-2016)
Dissertation Title: Behavior of Epoxy-Coated Concrete and Its Application in Buried Concrete Members
Current Position: Geotechnical Engineer at Alpha Testing
Nan Zhang, Ph.D.
Ph.D. in Geotechnical Engineering (University of Texas at Arlington, 2012-2015)
Dissertation Title: Development And Validation Of TDR Based Sensors For Thermal Conductivity And Soil Suction Measurements
Current Position: Geotechnical Design Engineer at Ferrovial
Asheesh Pradhan, Ph.D.
Ph.D. in Geotechnical Engineering (University of Texas at Arlington, 2011-2015)
Dissertation Title: Development And Validation Of TDR Based Sensors For Thermal Conductivity And Soil Suction Measurements
Current Position: Transportation Engineer (TE-Civil)/ Geotechnical Services at Caltrans
M.S. Student
- Ayoub Mohammadi (2022-2023, Sensor control and GIS applications)
- Arjan Poudel (2021-2023, Application Of Photogrammetry For Monitoring Soil Surface Movement)
- Hussein Senejani (2020-2021, An experimental study on icephobicity and hydrophobicity of concrete surface with Dual crystallization Engineered topical treatment)
- Subhas Kandel (2020-2021)
- Taryn DiLorenzo (2020-2021, Pavement Temperature Response to Cold Fronts: A Model Column Study in a Freezer Box)
- Mandakini Chowdhury (2018-2020)
- Nice Kaneza (2018-2020, Soil Thermal Cell Test of Unsaturated Soils)
- Samrat Raut (2018-2020, FEM modeling of CMP Repaired with Liners)
- Hiramani Chimauriya (2017-2019, Soil Box Test of CMP Repaired with Liners)
- Mark Hurley (2017-2019, Geothermal Bridge Deicing)
- Sandesh Gautam (2017-2018, laboratory and field study of a liquid ionic soil stabilizer)
- Saurav Sinha (2015-2016)
- Yujie Hu (2014-2016)
- Prasanna Kumar (2013-2015)
- Esmat Tavakol (2015)
- Karthik Bolla (2015)
- Brett DeVries (2012-2013)
M.E. Students
- Seokwoon Kim, M.E. student (Spring 2012 – Spring 2015)
- Yonas Tanga, M.E. student (2012-2013)
- Sree roop Ravipat, M.E., (Spring 2014 – Spring 2016)
- Mohammad Saifuddin Ahamed, M.E. (Fall 2015 – Fall 2016)
- Saldana, Carlos, ME (Fall 2015)
- Kartheek Tummala, M.E. (Spring 2015 – Fall 2016)
- Chad Bullard, ME. (Fall 2015 – Spring 2017)
- Kothari,Vishal, M.E., GRA (Fall 2020 – Spring 2021)
- Maedot Abebe, M.E., GRA (Fall 2020 –Spring 2021)
- Sarah Alshamali, ME (Fall 2022-Spring 2023)
- Siddartha Dandamudi, ME, GRA (Fall 2022)
Visiting Scholars
Lina Ma, Ph.D.
Email: lina.ma@uta.edu
EDUCATION
Ph.D. Student in Geology Engineering (Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IGGCAS), 2021)
B.S. in Geology Engineering (College of Disaster Prevention Science and Technology, 2015)
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Geological disasters, Engineering geomechanics
BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT
Lina Ma is a postdoctoral research associate in geology engineering at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IGGCAS). She received her Doctor’s Degree in Geology Engineering from IGGCAS and her Bachelor’s in Geology Engineering from the College of Disaster Prevention Science and Technology. She is currently conducting research with Dr. Xinbao Yu on the microstructure of rock and soil mass as a visiting scholar at the University of Texas at Arlington.
Group Photo
