Usama El Shamy, Ph.D., P.E.

Experimental methods, analytical modeling, and computer simulations for micromechanics of granular materials; Development and application of new numerical simulation techniques for multi-phase flow and heat transfer in deforming porous media with applications to saturated and unsaturated water flow. Multi-scale multi-physics modeling of the static and dynamic response of soil systems; Computational Geomechanics using Discrete Element Method and Finite Element Method; Numerical modeling of flood-induced failure of levee systems; Static and dynamic soil-foundation-structure interaction.

Selected Recent Publications

1.      Elmekati, A., and El Shamy, U. (2009). “A Practical Co-Simulation Approach for Multi-Scale Analysis of Geotechnical Systems,” Computers and Geotechnics, In Press.

2.      El Shamy, U., Zeghal, M., Dobry, R., Thevanayagam, S., Elgamal, A., Abdoun, T., Medina, C., Bethapudi, R., and Bennett, V. ( 2009). “Micromechanical Aspects of Liquefaction-Induced Lateral Spreading,” International Journal of Geomechanics, ASCE, In Press.

3.      Thevanayagam, S., Kanagalingam, T., Reinhorn, A., Tharmendhira, R., Dobry, R., Pitman, M., Abdoun, T., Elgamal, A., Zeghal, M., Ecemis, N., and El Shamy, U. (2009). “Laminar Box System for 1-g Physical Modeling of Liquefaction and Lateral Spreading,”  Geotechnical Testing Journal, ASTM, 32(5), pp. 1-12.

4.       El Shamy, U. and Aydin, F. (2008). “Multi-Scale Modeling of Flood-Induced Piping in River Levees,” Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, ASCE, 134(9), pp. 1385-1398.

5.       El Shamy, U. and Gröger, T. (2008).“Micro-Mechanical Aspects of the Shear Strength of Wet Granular Soils,” International Journal for Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics, 32, pp. 1763-1790.

6.      Zeghal, M. and  El Shamy, U. (2008). “Liquefaction of Saturated Loose and Cemented Granular Soils,” Powder Technology, Discrete Element Modelling of Fluidised Beds (Special Issue: Dedicated to Professor Yutaka Tsuji), 184(2), pp. 254-265.

7.       El Shamy, U. and Zeghal, M. (2007). “A Micro-Mechanical Investigation of the Dynamic Response and Liquefaction of Saturated Granular Soils,” Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, 27, pp. 712-729.

Recent Conference Publications

1.      El Shamy, U., Zeghal, M., Dobry, R., Abdoun, T., Thevanayagam, S., and Elgamal, A. (2009). “DEM Simulation of Liquefaction-Induced Lateral Spreading,” Proceedings, Fifth International Conference on recent Advances in Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering and Soil Dynamics and Symposium in Honor of Professor I.M. Idriss, San Diego, CA, May 24-29, Accepted.

2.      El Shamy, U., and Denissen, C. (2009). “Microscale Characterization of Energy Dissipation Mechanisms during Liquefaction,” Proceedings, Fifth International Conference on recent Advances in Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering and Soil Dynamics and Symposium in Honor of Professor I.M. Idriss, San Diego, CA, May 24-29, Accepted.

3.      El Shamy (2009). “Multiscale Simulation of Flood-Induced Failure of Geosystems,” Proceedings, the 17th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Alexandria, Egypt, October 5-9, pp. 2103-2106.

4.      El Shamy, U., and Zamani, N. (2009). “Microscale Numerical Modeling of the Tensile Strength of Wet Granular Soils,” Proceedings, the Fourth Biot Conference on Poromechanics, Columbia University, NY, June 9-10.

5.      Elmekati, A., and El Shamy, U. (2009). “ DEM/FEM Multiscale Technique for Soil-Structure Interaction Problems,” Proceedings, the Fourth Biot Conference on Poromechanics, Columbia University, NY, June 9-10.

6.      El Shamy, U. (2009). “Microscale Modeling of the Dynamic Response of Shallow Foundations,” International Foundation Congress and Equipment Expo ’09, ASCE (Geo-Institute), Orlando, FL, March 15-19.

7.      El Shamy, U., and Elmekati, A. (2009). “An Efficient Combined DEM/FEM Technique for Soil-Structure Interaction Problems,” International Foundation Congress and Equipment Expo ’09, ASCE (Geo-Institute), Orlando, FL, March 15-19.

8.      El Shamy, U. (2008). “DEM Modeling of the Effect of Hydraulic Hysteresis on the Shear Strength of Unsaturated Granular Soils,” Geo-Congress 2008, ASCE (Geo-Institute), New Orleans, LA, March 9-12.

9.      El Shamy, U. and Aydin, F. (2008). “Simulation of Flood-Induced Piping Including Soil-Fluid-Structure Interaction,” Geo-Congress 2008, ASCE (Geo-Institute), New Orleans, LA, March 9-12.

10.  El Shamy, U. (2008). “DEM Simulation of the Seismic Response of Shallow Foundation on Liquefiable Soil, ” Proceedings, Fourth International Conference on Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering and Soil Dynamics (GEESD IV), Sacramento, CA, May 18-22.

• Best of Session Award, ASCE Texas Section 2008 Fall Meeting for the paper “Micromechanical Model for Ultimate Side Resistance of Piles in Rock,” Proc. the ASCE Fall Meeting, Dallas, TX, October 1-4, 2008.
• ExCEEd Fellowship Award, ASCE, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, July 13-18, 2008.
• Recipient of the Bedford Prize for Outstanding Research in Civil Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, May 2005.
• Master TA Nominee, Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, May 2004.
• Academic honors: Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt, June 1991.
• Registered Professional Engineer, Louisiana 32150 Civil Engineer (Jan. 2006-present).
• Registered Professional Engineer, Texas PE 104165 (Sep. 2009-present).