Valentine Bioremediation - Many organic compounds, such as petroleum hydrocarbons and chlorinated solvents, are ubiquitous groundwater pollutants that constitute a significant health risk and an unacceptable burden on the environment. Bioremediation, which involves the stimulation of microorganisms to degrade the target contaminants within the aquifer, is receiving increasing attention due to its potential cost-effectiveness. Specific research topics include the effect of geochemical factors and engineered manipulations on microbial activity and diversity, biodegradation kinetics, enhanced reductive biotransformations with zero-valent metals and microbial adaptation, and the use of elemental iron to enhance anaerobic bioremediation. This area encompasses mathematically and numerically modeling the mechanical behavior of engineering materials. Both phenomenological models and micro-mechanics are being investigated.
Materials currently being studied include metals, soils, composites, concrete, and masonry.
Wu , Swan , Bhatti Design of Drop Structures - The perpetual flooding in many metropolitan cities has necessitated the use do drop structures for stormwater diversion to underground storage tunnels. Several types of drop structures have been developed and designed for cities in the United States and Japan. Current research interests include further optimization of drop-structure designs and development of theoretical models to predict their hydraulic performance. Jain Design Simulation - Dynamic simulation techniques are developed to model interaction between highway structures and vehicles. Use of simulation techniques for developing public policy related to longer combination vehicles is being explored.