Sarah L. Gassman, Ph.D., P.E.

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

University of South Carolina

300 Main Street; Columbia, SC  29208

Tel:  (803) 777-8160; Fax: (803) 777-0670

E-mail: gassman@engr.sc.edu

 

Education       

 

Ph.D.    Civil Engineering (geotechnical): Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, December 1997.

            Dissertation:  “Impulse Response Evaluation of Inaccessible Foundations.” Advisor: R.J. Finno.

 

M.S.     Civil Engineering (geotechnical): Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, June 1994.

            Thesis:  “Undrained Steady State Shear Strength and Instabilities of Fine Sands.” Advisor: R.J. Finno.

 

B.S.      Civil Engineering: Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, May 1992.

            Magna Cum Laude, Minor in Mathematics.

 

 

Academic Experience

 

Associate Professor: University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, August 2003-present

 

Assistant Professor: University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, August 1997-2003         

 

Research/Teaching Assistant, Lecturer: Northwestern University, 1992-1997

 

Research Affiliate: Infrastructure Technology Institute, Northwestern University, 1993-1997

 

 

Honors and Awards

 

·         USC COE&IT Research Progress Award (2004)

·         Highlighted Researcher, USC’s Carolinian Magazine, April 2003

·         Outstanding New Teacher Award, ASEE Southeastern Section (2000)

·         Chi Epsilon (2000)

·         NSF CAREER Award (1999)

·         USC Technology Transfer Award (1999)

·         Illinois Section of ASCE Geotechnical Division Scholarship (1994)

·         Walter P. Murphy Graduate Fellowship, Northwestern University (1992-1993)

·         Graduate Research Assistantship, Northwestern University (1993-1997)

·         E.H. Flath Award in Engineering, Southern Methodist University (1992)

·         Ellisor & Tanner Award in Civil Engineering, Southern Methodist University (1992)

·         Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honorary (1990)

·         School of Engineering and Applied Science Honor Scholarship, SMU (1989-1992)

·         University Scholarship, Southern Methodist University (1988-1992)

·         Dallas Technical Club Freshman Prize (1989)

 

Professional Affiliation

 

·         American Society of Civil Engineers

·         Geo-Institute

·         United States Universities Council on Geotechnical Engineering Research (USUCGER)

·         United States National Society/International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineers

·         The American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT)

·         The International Association of Foundation Drilling (ADSC) Technical Affiliate

·         American Society for Engineering Education

·         Licensed Professional Engineer, South Carolina #24724

Teaching Experience

 

·         ECIV 220 – Solid Mechanics

·         ECIV 330 – Introduction to Geotechnical Engineering

·         ECIV 533 – Environmental Geotechnics: Landfill Design and Geosynthetics

·         ECIV 730 – Advanced Soil Mechanics 

·         ECIV 731 – Advanced Slope Stability and Earth Structures

·         ECIV 737 – Advanced Foundation Design

 

Research Experience

 

  • “Characterization of the Liquefaction Resistance of Aged Soils,” National Science Foundation, with R. D. Andrus (Clemson), P. Talwani (USC), and W. M. Camp (S&ME), 2006-2009, $450,000.

 

  • “Performance and Quality Control of Corrugated Pipe Manufactured with Recycled Polyethylene Content, NCHRP Project No. 4-32, with R. W. Thomas (PI), S. Allen  and J. Sprague (TRI Environmental), 2006-2008, $249,819.

 

  • “Increasing Ph.D.s for Underrepresented Minorities in Civil And Environmental Engineering,” A.P. Sloan Foundation, with A.T. Cooper (PI), M.H. Chaudhry, and K.A. Harries, 2002-2007, $150,000.

 

·          “Improving the Safety of South Carolina’s Bridge Infrastructure through Non-Destructive Evaluation of Unknown Bridge Foundations subjected to Extreme Events” SCSU University Transportation Center, with H. Naseri-Neshat (Co-PI), 2005-2006, $77,631.

 

·         “Specifications for Culvert Pipe used in SCDOT Highway Applications” South Carolina Department of Transportation, 2001-2006, $148,662.

 

·          “Nondestructive Evaluation for Stone Interiors” USC Center for Manufacturing and Technology, 2005, $20,000.

 

·         “CAREER: Extending Non-Destructive Infrastructure Assessment Techniques to Micropile Foundations” National Science Foundation, 1999-2004, $347,500 (includes $100,000 in industry matching funds and $37,500 in REU supplements).

 

·         “Improving the Safety of South Carolina’s Bridge Infrastructure through Non-Destructive Evaluation of Unknown Bridge Foundations” SCSU Transportation Center, with H. Naseri-Neshat (Co-PI), 2004-2005, $70,713.

 

  • “CFRP Grid Splice Freeze Thaw Testing,” Carbon Cast Manufacturers Association, with K.A. Harries (PI), 2004, $7,525.

 

·          “Five Points Storm Water Culvert, NDT/NDE Investigation,” Wilbur Smith Associates, 2003-2004, $8500.

 

·         “Workshop to Foster Academic Development of Women in Geotechnical Engineering” National Science Foundation, 2003-2004, $25,149.

 

  • “Field and Laboratory Assessment of Flowable Fill Performance “South Carolina Department of Transportation, with C.E. Pierce (PI), 2001-2003, $88,483.

 

  •  “Load Tests of Reinforced Concrete Catch Basins,” Clark Schwebel Tech Fab, with K.A. Harries (PI), 2002-2003, $5,945.

 

  •  “Magnitudes of Prehistoric Earthquakes from a Study of Paleoliquefaction Features” U.S. Geological Survey/NEHRP, with P. Talwani (PI), 2000-2002, $64,379.
  •  
  •  “Performance Evaluation of Existing High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Pipe” South Carolina Department of Transportation, with R.P. Ray (co-PI), 1999-2000, $50,000.

 

  • “Acquisition of an Automated Triaxial Testing System for Education and Research” National Science Foundation, with C.E. Pierce (Co-PI), 1999-2000, $20,000.

 

  • “A Non-Destructive Technique for Assessing the Integrity of Micropile Foundations,” USC Research and Productive Scholarship Grant Program, Category I, 1998-1999, $10,000.

 

  • “Field Performance of Fill Materials and Structures of the F and H Areas,” Savannah River Site – SCUREF, with R.P. Ray (PI), 1998, $75,000.

 

 

 

Publications

 

Refereed Publications

 

Gassman, S. L., Kommireddi, C.R., Tawhed, W.F. and Zein, A.S. “Non-Destructive Assessment of an Aged Concrete Arch Culvert,” Proceedings of the 86th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C. Jan 21-25, 2007, 13 pp.

 

Laefer, D., Gassman S. and Luke, B. “Fostering Development of Women Faculty in Geotechnical Engineering,” Proceedings of the Geo-Denver 2007 Congress, Denver, Colorado, February 18-21, 2007, 9 pp.

 

Leon, E. Gassman, S.L. and Talwani, P. “Accounting for Soil Age when Assessing Liquefaction Potential,” Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, American Society of Civil Engineers, Vol. 132, No. 3, March, 2006, pp. 363-377.

 

Leon, E., Gassman, S.L. and Talwani, P. “Effect of Soil Aging on Assessing Magnitudes and Accelerations of Prehistoric Earthquakes,” Earthquake Spectra, Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, Vol. 21, No. 3, Aug, 2005, pp. 737-759.

 

Gassman, S.L., Schroeder, A.J. and Ray, R.P. “Field Performance of HDPE Culvert Pipe,” Journal of Transportation Engineering, American Society of Civil Engineers, Vol. 131, No. 2, February, 2005, pp.160-167.

 

Kommireddi, C.R. and Gassman, S.L. “Impact Echo Evaluation of Thin Walled Concrete Pipes” Pipelines 2004, ASCE, San Diego, CA, Aug 1-4, 2004.

 

Gassman, S.L. and Tawhed, W.F. “Detecting Damage in Concrete Bridge Decks Using Impact-Echo Method,” Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities, American Society of Civil Engineers, Vol. 18, No. 4, Nov 2004, pp. 220-231.

 

Tripathi, H., Pierce, C.E., Gassman, S.L. and Brown, T.W.  “Methods for Field and Laboratory Measurement of Flowability and Setting Time of Controlled Low Strength Material,” Journal of ASTM International, Vol. 1, No. 6, June 2004, 15 pp. and  ASTM STP 1459, J. L. Hitch, A. K. Howard and W. P. Bass, Eds., ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2004.

 

Baxter, S.C., Islam, O. and Gassman, S.L. “Impulse Response Evaluation of Drilled Columns with Pile Caps: Modeling and Experiment,” Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering, Vol. 31, No. 2, April 2004, pp. 169-177.

 

Hu, K., Gassman, S.L., and Talwani P. “In-situ Properties of Soils at Paleoliquefaction Sites in the South Carolina Coastal Plain,” Seismological Research Letters, Seismological Society of America, Vol. 73, No. 6, Nov/Dec 2002, pp. 964-978. 

 

Hu, K., Gassman, S.L., and Talwani P. “Magnitudes of Prehistoric Earthquakes in the South Carolina Coastal Plain from Geotechnical Data,” Seismological Research Letters, Seismological Society of America, Vol. 73, No. 6, Nov/Dec 2002, pp. 979-991.

 

Tawhed, W.F. and Gassman, S.L.  “Damage Assessment of Concrete Bridge Decks Using Impact Echo,” ACI Materials Journal, Vol 99, No. 3, May-June, 2002, pp. 273-281.

 

Gassman, S.L., Schroeder, A.J. and Ray, R.P. “Field Performance of HDPE Culvert Pipe,” Journal of Transportation Engineering, American Society of Civil Engineers, 2004 [in press].

 

Pierce, C.E., Gassman, S.L. and Richards, T.M. “Long-term Strength Development of Controlled Low Strength Material,” ACI Materials Journal, Vol 99, No. 2, March-April, 2002, pp. 157-164.

 

Finno, R.J., Chou, H-C, Gassman, S.L. and Zhou, P.  “Non-destructive Evaluation of Drilled Shafts at the Amherst NGES Test Section,” Proceedings of the International Deep Foundations Congress 2002, ASCE Geotechnical Special Publication No. 116, American Society of Civil Engineers, Feb, 2002, pp. 883-897.

 

Mpesha, W., Chaudhry, M.H. and Gassman, S.L. “Leak Detection in Pipes by Frequency Response Method Using a Step Excitation,” Journal of Hydraulic Research, International Association for Hydraulic Research, Vol. 40, No. 1, 2002, pp. 55-62.

 

Gassman. S.L., Schroeder, A.J. and Ray, R.P. “Performance Evaluation of High Density Polyethylene Culvert Pipe,” Proceedings of the 81st Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., Jan 13-17, 2002, pp. 1-26. and  Journal of the Transportation Research Board, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, No. 1814, Design of Structures, 2002, pp. 171-178.

 

Gassman. S.L., Ray, R.P., Quinton, M.A. and Schroeder, A.J.  “Performance of HDPE Pipe:  Maintenance Engineers Perspective,” Proceedings of the 81st Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., Jan 13-17, 2002, pp. 1-24.

 

Gassman, S.L., Pierce, C.E., Schroeder, A.J. “Effects of Prolonged Mixing and Retempering on Properties of CLSM,” ACI Materials Journal, V. 98. No. 2, March-April 2001, pp. 194-199.

 

Mpesha, W., Gassman, S.L., and Chaudhry, M.H.  “Leak Detection in Pipes by Frequency Response Method,” Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, American Society of Civil Engineers, Vol. 127, No. 2, 2001, pp. 134-147.

 

Gassman, S.L. and Finno, R.J. “Anomaly Identification in Drilled Shafts,” Geotechnical Special Publication No. 93, American Society of Civil Engineers, April 2000, pp. 221-234.

 

Finno, R.J., Gassman, S.L., and Calvello, M.  “The NGES at Northwestern University,” Geotechnical Special Publication No. 93, American Society of Civil Engineers, April 2000, pp. 130-159.

 

Gassman, S.L. and Finno, R.J.  "Cutoff Frequencies for Impulse Response Tests of Existing Foundations," Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities, American Society of Civil Engineers, VOL. 14, NO. 1, February 2000, pp. 11-21. [Nominated for the “Outstanding Paper” award for the 2000 volume of the ASCE Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities]

 

Gassman, S.L. and Finno, R.J.  "Impulse Response Evaluation of Foundations Using Multiple Geophones," Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities, American Society of Civil Engineers, VOL 13, NO 2, May 1999, pp. 82-89. [Nominated for the “Outstanding Paper” award for the 1999 volume of the ASCE Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities]

 

Finno, R.J. & Gassman, S.L. "Impulse Response Testing of Drilled Shafts," Journal of Geotechnical & Geoenvironmental Engineering, American Society of Civil Engineers, VOL. 124, NO. 10, Oct. 1998, pp. 965-975.

 

Finno, R.J., Gassman, S.L. & Prommer, P.J.  "Effects of Intervening Structure on Impulse Response Signals," Proceedings, Fifth International Conference on the Application of Stress-Wave Theory to Piles, Florida, September 1996, pp. 708-720.

 

Conference Proceedings (Non-Refereed)

 

Zein, A.S. and Gassman, S.L. “Use of Apparent P-wave Velocity Measurements to Estimate the Bending Stiffness of a Concrete Bridge Girder,” The 7th Structural Materials Technology (SMT): NDE/NDT for Highways and Bridges and the 6th International Symposium on NDT in Civil Engineering (NDT-CE), St. Louis, MO, August 14-18, 2006, 1-8.

 

Gassman, S.L. and Zein, A. “Condition Assessment of Concrete Bridge T-shaped Girders under Fatigue Loading,” Structural Materials Technology (SMT): NDE/NDT for Highways and Bridges, Buffalo, NY, Sept. 14-17, 2004.

 

Gassman, S.L., Leon, E. and Talwani, P. “A Method to Assess the Liquefaction Potential of Aged Sediments,” 13th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering, Vancouver, BC, Canada, Aug 1-6, 2004, 12 pp. [accepted for publication and presentation].

 

Talwani, P, Gassman, S.L., Hu, K., and Leon, L.  “Using In situ Geotechnical Data to Assess the Magnitudes and Acceleration of Prehistoric Earthquakes,”  proceedings of the Indo-US workshop entitled ‘Seismicity and Geodynamics’ with special emphasis on Kutch seismicity, sponsored by the Indo-US Science and Technology Forum, Hyderabad, India, October 6-10, 2003, 2 pp.

 

Gassman, S.L. and Tawhed, W.F. “Condition Assessment of Concrete Bridge Decks,” Proceedings: Structural Materials Technology: NDE/NDT for Highways and Bridges Topical Conference, Cincinnati, OH, Sept. 10-13, 2002.

 

Schroeder, A.J., Gassman, S.L. and Pierce, C.E. “Effects of Prolonged Agitation and Water Delay on the Fluid and Hardened State Properties of CLSM,” Proceedings of the ACAA’s 14th International Symposium on Management and Use of Coal Combustion Products, EPRI, January 22-26, 2001, pp. 39:1-15.

 

Gassman, S.L. “Non Destructive Evaluation of Deep Foundations,” Proceedings of the International Young Geotechnical Engineers Conference, Southampton, UK, September 8-13, 2000, pp. 63-64.

 

Finno, R.J. & Gassman, S.L., "Limitations of Impulse Response Testing of Drilled Shafts," Proceedings, Sixth Great Lakes Geotechnical / Geoenvironmental Conference, Indianapolis, Indiana, May 1998, pp. 1-20.

 

Finno, R.J. & Gassman, S.L., “Evaluation of Bridge Foundations by Impulse Response Methods,” Proceedings, Structural Materials Technology Non-Destructive Testing Conference, San Antonio, Texas, March 1998, pp. 32-43.

 

Finno, R.J., Gassman, S.L., & Osborn, P.W.  "Shear and Compressive Wave Velocities at the NGES at Northwestern University." Proceedings, Fifth Great Lakes Geotechnical/Geoenvironmental Conference: Site Characterization for Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Problems, Ann Arbor, Michigan, May 1997, pp. 69-87.

 

Gassman, S.L. & Finno, R.J.  "Impulse Response Evaluation of Drilled Shafts at the NGES Test Section at Northwestern University," Proceedings, Structural Materials Technology Non-Destructive Testing Conference, San Diego, California, February 1996, pp. 98-103.

 

Finno, R.J., Prommer, P.J. & Gassman, S.L. "Non-destructive Evaluation of Existing Deep Foundations," Proceedings, US/Taiwan Geotechnical Engineering Collaboration Workshop, Taipei, Taiwan, Jan. 1995,  pp. 1-11.

 

Abstracts

 

Hu, K., Gassman, S.L. and Talwani, P. “In-situ Properties of Soils at Paleoliquefaction Sites in the South Carolina Coastal Plain,” Seismological Research Letters, Seismological Society of America, VOL 73, NO 3, May/June 2002, p. 422.

 

Hu, K. Gassman, S.L. and Talwani, P. “Magnitudes of Prehistoric Earthquakes in the South Carolina Coastal Plain from Geotechnical Data,” Seismological Research Letters, Seismological Society of America, VOL 73, NO 3, May/June 2002, p. 422.

 

Hu, K., Gassman, S.L., and Talwani P. “Magnitudes of Prehistoric Earthquakes from a Study of Paleoliquefaction Features,” Seismological Research Letters, Seismological Society of America, VOL 72, NO 1, Jan/Feb 2001, pp. 129-130.

 

Gassman, S.L.  “Detection of Anomalies in Drilled Shafts using NDE,” Proceedings of the Society of Engineering Science 37th Annual Technical Meeting, Columbia, SC, Oct 23-25, 2000.

Osborne, P.W. and Gassman, S.L. “Non-destructive Evaluation of Deep Foundations,”  Proceedings of the Twenty-ninth Annual Southeast Transportation Geotechnical Engineering Conference, Federal Highway Administration, B. Berkovitz, Ed., Chattanooga, TN, October 27-31, 1997.

 

Gassman, S.L. “Impulse Response Evaluation of Inaccessible Foundations,” NSF Civil and Mechanical Systems Workshop for the Advancement and Retention of Under-represented and Minority Engineering Educators, A. Flatau, Ed., Arlington, VA, September 24-26, 1997.

 

Technical Reports

 

Gassman, S.L. “Specifications for Culvert Pipe used in SCDOT Highway Applications,” Final Research Report for SPR 625 to South Carolina Department of Transportation, October 2005, 87 p.

 

Gassman, S.L. and Leon, E. “Specifications for Culvert Pipe used in SCDOT Highway Applications,” an Interim Research Report for SPR 625 to South Carolina Department of Transportation, May 2002, 100 p.

 

Gassman, S.L., Schroeder, A.J., and Ray, R.P. “Performance Evaluation of Existing High-Density Polyethylene Pipe,” a Final Research Report to South Carolina Department of Transportation, FHWA-SC-00-08, December 2000, 244 p.

 

Talwani, P. and Gassman, S.  “Magnitudes of Prehistoric Earthquakes from a Study of Paleoliquefaction Features” report submitted to USGS, November 1, 2000, 7 p.

 

Gassman, S.L. and Schroeder, A.J. “The Effect of Variations in Mixing Time and Mix Water Content on Controlled-Low Strength Materials (CLSM) at Savannah River Site“ a Final Research Report to Bechtel, Savannah River Site, March 1999, 66 p.

 

Finno, R.J., Gassman, S.L., & Osborn, P.W.  "Non-Destructive Evaluation of a Deep Foundation Test Section at the Northwestern University National Geotechnical Experimentation Site," prepared for Mr. Al DiMillio, Federal Highway Administration, Washington, D.C., June 1997, 362 p.