Civil & Environmental Engineering

College of Engineering

Research

Mien Jao, Ph.D.
Professor

jao

Research Interests

  • Foundation Design and Analysis
  • Numerical Modeling in Geotechnical Engineering
  • Soil Testing/Evaluation/Improvement
  • Slope Stability Analysis

Soil Evaluation/Improvement

Soil Property Investigation for Wake Wash problem along the Sabin-Neches Waterway:
  • Co-PI: “Wake Wash in Sabine-Neches Waterway”, Phase _II, Sabine-Neches Waterway Navigation District10/01/2017-9/30/2018, $99,742, PI: V. Zaloom.
Stabilization of Dredged Spoils:
  • Co-PI: “Finding an Efficient Solution to Managing Dredge Waste in Ports and Waterways”, Center for Advances in Port Management (CAPM), Lamar University, 02/01/2021 -08/30/2021, $33,000, with Thuy Minh Nguyen, Zhe Luo, XianChang Li, Qin Qian and Paul Bernazzani.
  • Co-PI: “Evaluation and Remediation of Water Contaminants Originating from Dredge Waste“, CAWAQ Grant Program, Lamar University, 03/01/2016 – 05/30/2017, $25,000, PI: Dr. T. Thuy Minh Nguyen.
  • T. Thuy Minh Nguyen, Saeed Rabbanifar, Nicholas A. Brake, Qin Qian, Kyle Kibodeaux, Harold E. Crochet, Soheil Oruji, Remington Whitt, Joshua Farrow, Brandon Blaire, Paul Bernazzani, and Mien Jao, “Stabilization of Silty Clayey Dredged Material” Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, ASCE, Vol 30, Issue 9, September 2018.
  • Saeed Rabbanifar, T. Thu-Minh Nguyen, Qin Qian, Paul Bernazzani, and Mien Jao, “Physical Properties of Enzymatically Stabilized Dredged Material” poster presentation in the Joint Spring 2016 Meeting of the Texas Sections of APS, AAPT, and Zone 13 of SPS, April 1, 2016.
  • Kyle Kibodeauxa, Brandon Belairea, Harold Crocheta, Joshua Farrowa, Remington Whitta, T. Thu-Minh Nguyen, Qin Qian, Paul Bernazzani, and Mien Jao, “Stabilization of Expansive Clays and Silts using Bio-Enzymes” poster presentation in the 2016 Undergraduate Research Expo, Lamar University (April 20, 2016).

 Stabilized/Compressed Soil Bricks - Energy Efficient Building Material:

  • Saeed Rabbanifar, T. Thuy Minh Nguyen, Chun-Wei Yao, Qin Qian, Paul Bernazzani, Mien Jao, “Adding Value to Dredged Material Using Lime and Ash Products” Proceedings, Recent Trends in Geotechnical Geo-Environmental Engineering and Education RTG2EE International Conference, Online, ISBN-13: 978-0-6489449-0-4, pp. 94-98, Brisbane, Australia, 10-11, September 2020. 
  • LaDonna M. Waters, Paul Bernazzani, and Mien Jao, “Optimal Proportioning, Tempering, and Testing of Adobe Brick, Compressed Stabilized Earthen Block, and Rammed Earth for Low-Cost, Sustainable Construction:  A Literature Review” poster presentation in the Joint Spring 2016 Meeting of the Texas Sections of APS, AAPT, and Zone 13 of SPS, April 1, 2016.

Numerical Analysis in Geotechnical Engineering

Bank Slope Stability along the Sabin-Neches Waterway:
  • Co-PI: “Wake Wash in Sabine-Neches Waterway”, Sabine-Neches Waterway Navigation District, 11/01/2015-06/30/2017, $99,742, PI: V. Zaloom.

 Interaction between Pile-walls and adjacent Footings: Funded Projects/Publications:

  • Ghassan Sudani, Nicholas Brake, and Mien Jao, “Stability of Footings Adjacent to Pile Walls”, International Journal of Geomechanics, ASCE, Vol. 15, No.2, December, 2015 (11 pages).
  • Jao, F. Ahamed, G. Sudani, T.T.M. Nguyen, and M. C. Wang, “Interaction between Strip Footings and Sheetpile Walls”, Electronic Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, Bundle 6, 2017, http://www.ejge.com/2017/Ppr2017.0160ma.pdf

Funded Research Projects

  • Co-PI: “Finding an Efficient Solution to Managing Dredge Waste in Ports and Waterways”, Center for Advances in Port Management (CAPM), Lamar University, 02/01/2021 -08/30/2021, $33,000, with Thuy Minh Nguyen, Zhe Luo, XianChang Li, Qin Qian and Paul Bernazzani.
  • Co-PI:” Chemical Decontamination and Stabilization of Texas Dredge Materials”, Texas Hazardous Waste Research Center, 04/01/2020 – 06/30/2021, $16,250 with Thuy Minh Nguyen, Zhe Luo, and Paul Bernazzani.
  • Co-PI:” Modeling and Experimental Study on the Transport of Natural Gas in Southeast Texas Soil from the Underground Pipeline Leak”, Center for Midstream Management and Science, Lamar University, 06/01/2020 – 08/30/2021, $30,000 with Drs. Ping He and Clayton Jeffryes.
  • Co-PI: “Development of Sustainable and Energy Efficient Soil Bricks using Dredge Spoils”, Lamar REG, 09/01/2019 -08/30/2020, $5,000.
  • Co-PI : “Wake Wash in Sabine-Neches Waterway”, Phase _II, Sabine-Neches Waterway Navigation District10/01/2017-9/30/2018, $99,742, PI: Dr. V. Zaloom.
  • Co-PI: “Evaluation and Remediation of Water Contaminants Originating from Dredge Waste“, CAWAQ Grant Program, Lamar University, 03/01/2016 – 05/30/2017, $25,000, PI: Dr. T. Thuy Minh Nguyen.
  • Co-PI: “Wake Wash in Sabine-Neches Waterway”, Sabine-Neches Waterway Navigation District, 11/01/2015-06/30/2017, $99,742, PI: Dr. V. Zaloom.
  • Co-PI: “Undergraduate Research/Creative Activity in Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering Using EM2 Geomodel, Presidential Faculty Fellowship in Support of Undergraduate Research/Creative Activity, 09/01/2014-08/31/2015, $15000, PI: Dr. Qin Qian.
  • PI: “Effect of Biomaterials on the Behavior of Expansive Soils”, funded by Lamar Research Enhancement Grant, 09/1/12-08/31/13, $5,000.
  • Co-PI: “Evaluation of Superheavy Load Criteria for Bridges”, Texas Department of Transportation, 09/01/09-08/31/11, $181,189/$110,395, PI: Dr. Mark Bourland.
  • Co-PI: “Pavement Repair Strategies for 2R and Routine Maintenance Project”, Texas Department of Transportation, 09/01/09-08/31/10, $135,000/$30,000, with Dr. Mark Bourland.
  • PI: “Correlation of Texas Cone Penetrometer Test Values and Shear Strength of Texas Soils ”, Texas Department of Transportation, 09/01/04-08/30/06, $25,000/$175,000.
  • Co-PI: “A Combination of Thermal and Chemical Stabilization of Expansive Soils”, funded by Lamar Research Enhancement Grant, 09/1/04-08/31/05, $5,000.
  • Co-PI: “Development of a Mechanical Model to Predict Strength Parameters of Soils”, funded by Lamar Research Enhancement Grant, 09/1/04-08/31/05, $5,000.
  • Co-PI: “Comprehensive Water Quality Monitoring, Simulation, and Management Plan for Reservoirs in Rio Grande Basin”, TSUS, $26,250, 9/1/04-8/31/05.
  • Co-PI: “Field Investigation of Effluent Quality of Placement Areas along Sabine-Neches Waterway”, funded by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 02/01/03-12/31/03, Dr. V. Zaloom (PD), $20,000.
  • PI: “Jefferson County Highway 87 Shore Protection - Clay Sediment Characterization”, funded by Jefferson County, Texas/ Pacific International Engineering, 02/15/03-08/15/03, Dr. V. Zaloom (PD), $10,000.
  • PI: “Performance of Shallow Foundations adjacent to Vertical Retaining Walls” funded by Lamar Research Enhancement Grant, 11/15/02-08/31/03, $5,000.
  • PI: “Sabine-Neches Waterway Feasibility Study – Pipeline/Facilities Relocation and Removals” funded by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, $38,771, Dr. V. Zaloom (PD), 9/1/01-8/31/02.
  • Co-PI: “Design of Confined Placement Areas for Sabine-Neches Waterway Dredged Spoils ” funded by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, $53,631, Dr. V. Zaloom (PD), 9/1/02-8/31/03.
  • PI: "Interaction between Shallow Foundations and Concrete Box Culverts", funded by Lamar University Research Enhancement Grant, $5,000, 9/1/01-08/31/02 (completed).
  • PI: “Chemical stabilization of Beaumont Clay”, Gill Young Investigator Award $2,000, Gill Foundation/College of Engineering, Lamar University.
  • PI: "Stability of Shallow Foundations on Top of a Slope", funded by Lamar University Research Enhancement Grant, 09/01/99-8/31/00, $5,000.