Lehigh University Student Receives Philadelphia STLE Scholarship

Left to Right: Section Chair Eirini Spilioti, STLE Member Bill Tuszynski, Scholarship Winner Shen Wang, Professor Natasha Vermaak

The Philadelphia section of the STLE is pleased to award a $1,250 Scholarship to Shen Wang, a fourth-year graduate student at Lehigh University. Wang is currently pursuing a PhD in Mechanical Engineering under the direction of Prof. Natasha Vermaak.

Shen is pioneering the first application of topology optimization, a structural design approach, to identify soil-structure interfaces with optimal anisotropic frictional response for geotechnical applications such as the foundations supporting offshore wind turbines. By studying the directional friction response of architected surfaces in contact with cohesive soils, Shen seeks to optimize frictional soil-structure interactions under axial loading. The soil-structure interface friction is affected by many factors such as the soil type, lubrication, soil history, and structural material. It can also be influenced by the topology or architecture at the soil-structure interface. The soil response in terms of its stress and volume change behavior is the result of interparticle friction and the rearrangement of soil particles. In this work, the soil interparticle friction and the tribological design of the soil-structure interface are investigated both experimentally and numerically, to improve the installation and operational performance of geo-structural elements.

Within his research work, Shen is described as having shown great motivation, thirst for knowledge, and perseverance in teaching himself several theoretical and computational tools. He is a rare mechanician who is equally adept at experimental and numerical work. Shen has published three journal articles so far with another two in preparation.