CAREER: Modeling 3D Flow and Soil Structure Interaction Using Optical Tomography

该职业奖支持测量土壤连续体内的三维变形模式和流动特性的研究。这种测量通常受到土壤传感器不能提供所测量的连续统的连续图像的事实的限制。此外，土壤传感器表现出与周围土壤不同的静态和动态特性，因此可以改变测量的连续体的响应。如果可以使用非侵入性光学可视化技术测量模型透明连续体的响应，那么使用具有与自然土壤的岩土特性密切相关的性质的透明材料进行的测试可能会避开这些实验问题。首席调查员已经建立了生产和定制透明合成土壤的方法，该方法将在强度、变形和渗透性方面满足模型试验要求。该项目将开发在土壤连续层内进行光学层析成像的技术(设备和方法)。透明土体的横截面将用激光照明，线扫描相机将用来捕捉反射光。基于计算机的数字图像处理将被用来分析反射光，并构建透明模型土体内空间变形模式和流动路径的连续图像。这项新技术将导致：对三维土壤结构相互作用和多相流进行更好的分析和提高可靠性；试验结果可用于三维数值分析程序的困难验证。该项目还将包括开发先进的教育实验，以可视化基础设施和环境项目的表现。这些低成本的实验也可以用来促进高中生进入土木工程专业的招聘工作。

This CAREER award supports research on measurement of three-dimensional deformation patterns and flow characteristics within a soil continuum. Such measurements are usually limited by the fact that soil sensors do not provide a continuous image of the measured continuum. Additionally, soil sensors exhibit static and dynamic characteristics that are different form those of the surrounding soils, and therefore can change the response of the measured continuum. Tests conducted with a transparent material which has properties that closely model the geotechnical properties of natural soils can potentially circumvent these experimental problems if the response of a model transparent continuum can be measured using non-intrusive optical visualization techniques. The Principal Investigator has established methods for production and customization of a transparent synthetic soil that will meet model test requirements in terms of strength, deformation, and permeability. This project will develop the technology (equipment and methodology) for performing optical tomography within soil continua. Cross sections of the transparent soil mass will be illuminated using laser light and line scan cameras will be used to capture the reflected light. Computer based digital image processing will be used to analyze the reflected light and construct continuous images of the spatial deformation patterns and flow paths within the transparent model soil mass. This new technology will result in: better analyses and improved reliability of three-dimensional soil structure interaction and multiphase flow; and test results that can be used for the difficult validation of three-dimensional numerical analysis codes. The project will also include development of advanced educational experiments to visualize the performance of infrastructure and environmental projects. These low cost experiments can also be used to vitalize recruitment efforts of high school students into civil engineering programs.