We are thrilled to announce three recent journal publications from our research group over the past two months! Our team has been hard at work investigating resilient infrastructure solutions.
Sopharith Chou has published two impactful papers focusing on lime sludge and calcium-based stabilization of expansive soils.
“Experimental study on engineering and microstructural behavior of lime sludge stabilized expansive soils under cyclic environmental stressors” in Engineering Geology, along with his co-authors Anand Puppala, Jianxin (Jason) Huang, Balaji Lakkimsetti, Kyle Parr, and Bora Cetin. This study explores the use of lime sludge as a co-additive to hydrated lime. By examining both conventional and coupled durability conditioning, the findings offer new insights into how chemically treated subgrades respond to cyclic environmental stressors.
Read open access: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2026.108690
“Insights into the Influence of Environmental Stressors on Expansive Subgrades Stabilized with Different Calcium-Based Stabilizers for Resilient Transportation Infrastructure” in Transportation Research Record (TRR) along with his co-authors Anand Puppala, Jianxin (Jason) Huang, Balaji Lakkimsetti, and Raul Velasquez. This research compares lime, cement, and lime sludge under moisture and temperature fluctuations. A key takeaway is the need for a more unified durability-testing framework, as existing methods vary in how they evaluate different stabilizers.
Read open access: https://doi.org/10.1177/03611981261423467
Shanmukha Sai Avinash Gonnabathula, E.I.T., published his research on “Evaluating the Drainage Performance of Wicking Geotextile Under Freeze–Thaw Conditions below Pavement Infrastructure,” along with his co-authors Anand Puppala, Nripojyoti Biswas, Krishneswar Ramineni, Md Fyaz Sadiq, Bora Cetin, and Raul Velasquez, which has also been published in Transportation Research Record (TRR). This study addresses the damaging effects of cyclic frost heaving and thawing. Through large-scale laboratory testing, the research demonstrates that wicking geotextiles significantly reduce moisture content in both subbase and subgrade layers, effectively mitigating water-related damage compared to unreinforced sections.
Read open access: https://doi.org/10.1177/03611981261427737
A special thanks to the Minnesota Department of Transportation for the financial support that made these critical studies possible.
