Speaker: Basil Abualshar
When: Tuesday, May 20th, 1:00PM
Where: KH A549
Zoom: https://unl.zoom.us/j/94398283797?pwd=aGKueCiaoNXBKhCyYQrdWRabXuOblM.1
Title: Enhanced Understanding of Erosion Resistance of Highway Shoulders Considering Test Results and Computational Fluid Dynamics Analyses
Abstract: Highway shoulder gravels are increasingly vulnerable to erosion due to extreme rainfall and flooding events intensified by climate change. Despite the significance of this issue, current methods for evaluating their erosion resistance remain limited. This study introduces a new large-scale testing apparatus—the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Erosion Testing Bed (UNLETB) developed to evaluate the erosion resistance of highway shoulder gravels under controlled conditions. Experimental investigations examined various gravel gradations and assessed the influence of compaction, particle angularity, and surface treatments using different binding agents. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analyses were conducted alongside testing to explore the hydrodynamic behavior and identify erosion-related parameters. The combined experimental and numerical approach offers improved insight into erosion mechanisms and supports advancements in resilient highway design.