Tarek Abdoun, Ph.D.

Education

1. Ph.D., Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Geotechnical Engineering, May ’97
2. M.S., Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Geotechnical Engineering, May ’94
3. B.S., Cairo University, Structural Engineering, June ’91

Academic/Professional Experience

2009–Present	Interim Department Head; Thomas Iovino Chair Professor; Technical Director, RPI’s NEES Geo-Centrifuge Research Center
2006–2009	Associate Professor & Associate Director, RPI’s NEES Geotechnical Centrifuge Research Center
2004–2005	Assistant Professor & Associate Director, RPI’s NEES Geotechnical Centrifuge Research Center
1998–2004	Research Assistant Professor & Manager, RPI’s Geotechnical Centrifuge Research Center
1997–1998	Post Doctoral Research Associate & Technical Manager, Geotechnical Centrifuge Research Center at RPI

Honors/State-of-the-Art Presentations

1. Recipient of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Walter L. Huber Civil Engineering Research Prize for 2009. The award is in recognition of the significant contributions to the study of soil and soil-structure systems subjected to extreme events using centrifuge modeling and advanced instrumentation as well as his innovative and highly creative research.
2. Winner of the international competition for predicting levees response that included over forty competitors. The competition was organized by Deltares, Netherlands as part of the Project De IJkdijk (The Calibration Dike) funded by EU to enhance levees design and monitoring in Europe.
3. Recipient of RPI’s School of Engineering Excellence in Teaching Award for 2008. The award recognizes faculty for outstanding teaching performance and contributions.
4. Recipient of RPI’s School of Engineering Excellence in Collaborative Research Award for 2007 & 2008.
5. Recipient of RPI’s School of Engineering Recognition for Excellence in supporting undergraduate research. The award recognizes faculty effort for encouraging undergraduate student participation in advanced research.
6. Recipient of “Commander’s Award for Public Service with accompanying medal.” This medal is the highest awards given by the US Army to Civilians who provided outstanding services to the US Army. This award is in appreciation for his support of the New Orleans Recovery through efforts with the Evaluation Task Force of the Hurricane Katrina Interagency Performance (IPET).
7. Recipient of “Certificate of Recognition” on behalf of the Project Director, Technical Director, and Team Leads. This award is in recognition of the leadership and dedication provided to the IPET effort.
8. Recipient of 2007 Shamsher Prakash International Research Award for young engineers, scientists and researchers. The award is given to specialists who have significant independent contributions and showed promise of excellence in Geotechnical Engineering and/or Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering.

Relevant Publications

• Bennett, V., M. Zeghal, T. Abdoun and L. Danisch, (2007), “A Wireless Shape-Acceleration Array System for Local Identification of Soil and Soil-Structure Systems.” Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, Soil Mechanics 2007, No. 2004, pp. 60-66.
• Choo, Y.W., Abdoun, T., O’Rourke, M.J., and Ha, D., (2007), “Remediation for Buried Pipeline Systems Under Permanent Ground Deformation,” Soils Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, Vol. 27, pp. 1043-1055.
• Abdoun, T. and González, L., (2007), “Physical Modeling of Soil-Structure Systems Response to Earthquake Loading,” 10th Anniversary of EESK Special Issue of Journal of Earthquake Engineering Society at Korea (EESK), pp. 43-51.
• Ubilla, J., Abdoun, T., Sasanakul, I., Sharp, M., Steedman, S, and Vanadit-Ellis, W., (2008), “New Orleans Levee System Performance during Hurricane Katrina: London Avenue and Orleans Canal South,” ASCE Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering. Special Issue on the Performance of Geo-Systems during Hurricane Katrina, Vol. 134, Issue 5, May, pp. 668-680.
• Sasanakul, I., Vanadit-Ellis, W., Sharp, M.K., Abdoun, T.H., Ubilla, J.O., Steedman, R.S., Stone, K.J.L. (2008), “New Orleans Levee System Performance during Hurricane Katrina: 17th Street Canal and Orleans Canal North,” ASCE Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering. Special Issue on the Performance of Geo-Systems during Hurricane Katrina, Vol. 134, Issue 5, May, pp. 657-667.
• Ha, D., Abdoun, T., O’Rourke, M. J., Symans, M. D., O’Rourke, T. D., Palmer, M.C., and Stewart, H.E., (2008), “Centrifuge Modeling of Permanent Ground Deformation Effects on Buried HDPE Pipelines.” ASCE Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, Vol. 134, Issue 10, 2008, pp. 1501-1515.
• Ha, D., Abdoun, T., O’Rourke, M. J., Symans, M. D., O’Rourke, T. D., Palmer, M. and Stewart, H. E., (2008), “Factors Influencing the Behavior of Buried Pipelines Subjected to Ground Faulting,” Soils Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering (in print, available online).
• Ha, D., Abdoun, T., O’Rourke, M. J., Symans, M. D., O’Rourke, T.D., and Stewart, H.E., (2008), “Case History and centrifuge Study of Earthquake Faulting Effects on Buried Pipelines”, International Journal of Physical Modeling and Geotechnics (accepted Dec. 2008 issue).
• González, L., Abdoun, T. and Dobry, R., (2009), “Effect of Soil Permeability on Centrifuge Modeling of Pile Response to Lateral Spreading.” ASCE Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering (in print to appear in January).
• Abdoun, T., D. Ha and M. O'Rourke, (2008). “Behavior of Moderately Buried HDPE Pipelines Subject Strike-Slip Faulting”, Keynote Theme Paper, Proc. of the 12th International Conference of International Association for Computer Methods and Advances in Geomechanics (IACMAG), Goa, India, October 1-6.
• T. Abdoun, (2009), “Physical Modeling of Soil-Structure Systems” State-of-the-art in Geotechnical Engineering, Electronic Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, Special Volume on the State-of-the-Art in Geotechnical Engineering.

Student Thesis Supervision

Master’s

Y. Wang, L. Gonzalez, G. Dale, J. Ubilla, M. Sausville, J. Levett, A. Tessari, N. Jalali, P. Kasantikul.

Doctoral

R. Ramos, A. Pamuk, L. Gonzalez, D. Ha, J. Ubilla, M. Gonzalez, V. Bennett, A. Tessari, D. Lucas, H. Elganini, V. Mercado.