PI: Claudia Reis
Co-PI: Ian Hodgson
University: Lehigh University
Industry partners: Bowman, AECOM, and Simpson Gumpertz Heger
In civil engineering, the dynamics of the natural and built environments in fluvial and maritime regions represent one of the greatest modeling challenges. In nature, the system integrates multiphysics phenomena governed by the mechanics of fluids, solids, and soils. Current modeling approaches that aim at leveraging the understanding of these complex fluid-soil-foundation-structure interactions (FSFSI) often disaggregate the system, neglecting the synergy of multi-way interactions and resulting in under- or over-designed infrastructure. The only way to reduce the uncertainty of FSFSI systems is by advancing modeling techniques.
If funded, this project will enable the acquisition of a modern wave-generator system, a critical component for the new hydrodynamics testing capacity being built at the Advanced Technology for Large Structural Systems (ATLSS) Engineering Research Center. The wave-generator represents the initial boundary condition to conduct FSFSI tests at the flume—the more powerful the generator is, the more variables it can model and the higher the fidelity of the data it can generate. Therefore, investing in this asset will enable standalone or physical-computational simulations capable of generating uniquely high-fidelity data to characterize nonlinear behaviors of FSFSI systems under regular and extreme hydrodynamic loads.
Academic and industrial partners have recognized the value of leveraging the understanding of FSFSI systems to allow engineers to account for the interplay between the natural and the built environments. Accurate models of hydrodynamic effects exceeding the threshold resistance of integrated infra- and superstructure systems yield efficient, cost-effective design solutions, lead to resilient communities, and significantly contribute toward the sustainable development of Pennsylvania’s strategic plans.