Binod Tiwari, Ph.D.

Civil and Environmental Engineering Areas of Research

Research on the mitigation of earthquake induced landslides
California State University Fullerton (CSUF) has state-of-the-art facility to conduct field survey, measure strength and index properties of soil, model different slopes for different magnitudes of earthquake, and conduct various types of slope stability analysis using state-of-the-art software. The faculty members are internationally recognized for such types of researches. Our faculty can teach and train the counterpart students and faculty members in the other end. We can conduct a collaborative research on this area by selecting a model study site in the collaboration institution and a site in California. The counterpart institution is responsible to identify the study area, conduct field survey with CSUF team, collect the soil from the site and run the preliminary tests. CSUF is responsible for the detailed set up the research, run a model study site in California, conduct data analysis and conduct model test at the shake table. At the end, we will develop landslide and liquefaction hazard maps in the area for seismic loading.

Research on the establishment of geotechnical database
CSUF has state-of-the-art geotechnical and engineering surveying lab. We can identify some model research area in the proximate location of the counterpart institution and in the Orange County. We collect the available underground soil information (basically on the geotechnical properties) from existing soil exploration information available from existing engineering projects and literature. We visit those sites with GPS equipment to get the geographic location of pertinent locations. We input all those information into GIS map to get the geo-spatial information on the underground geotechnical situation of the area in a GIS format. This information will be helpful to help engineers in identifying and designing civil engineering projects that include but not limited to the design of foundation for building, dams, bridges, highways, tunnels, retaining walls, etc. This map will be updated frequently. After several years of continuous work, we will have enough information about the underground profile of the area to get GIS based interactive map for geotechnical data base – which will be similar to the one we get in “Google map” for the roads and buildings.