UTC 2022 Funding - Cycle 1 Research Projects

Project No.: CY1-LTU-03
Title: Assessment of Wave Impacts on Highway Embankments due to Hurricanes/Tropical Storms in Coastal Louisiana
Performing Institution: Louisiana Tech University
Principal Investigator: Jay X. Wang
Start and Anticipated Completed Dates: 11/01/2023-10/31/2024
Project Description: Geosynthetic-reinforced highway embankments are often built on expansive clays along the Louisiana shorelines. An embankment is often reinforced using articulating concrete mats and geosynthetic separator fabrics, consisting of planar reinforcements arranged in horizontal planes in the fill to resist outward movements of the fill. Facing treatments ranging from vegetation to flexible armor systems are applied to prevent unraveling and sloughing of the face. These embankments are different from regular levees or embankments in the sense that they are subjected to high current and large wave pressures, as well as pore water pressure conditions, especially under extreme weather events such as hurricanes and tropical storms. This one-year study will only focus on the analysis of wave pressure analyses and the development of wave pressure envelopes that can be used for the design of coastal embankments as well as for assessing the vulnerability of existing embankments to hurricanes.
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