Graduate
Programs
The Department of Civil Engineering and Geological Sciences is home
to a diverse group of faculty and students - enrolling approximately
50 graduate students per year. Our goal is to educate the next generation
of engineers, professionals who are independent thinkers capable of addressing
a wide range of problems. The multidisciplinary nature of the program
prepares candidates for a variety of careers, from civil to environmental
engineering. We offer course work, research opportunities, and experience
in world-class facilities, which lead to the Master of Science in Civil
Engineering, the Master of Science in Environmental Engineering, the
Master of Science in Geological Sciences, and the Doctor of Philosophy.
Bioengineering
Bioengineering integrates engineering and biology in order to develop
new and innovative biotechnologies for environmental protection and restoration.
Applying engineering principles to natural systems, it attempts to optimize
intrinsic processes for the (bio)remediation of hazardous and non-hazardous
contaminants found in water, wastewater, soils, and
gases. Current research emphasizes the application of microbial
ecology techniques to predict and assess the potential biodegradation
capability of polluted media. Special emphasis is placed on consortia
present in periodically operated aerobic and anaerobic suspended growth
and fixed film systems using genetic tools for microbial analysis. Studies
focus on the use of indigenous and/or genetically engineered micro-organisms
to advance the degradation capabilities of activated sludge, soil slurry,
land farming, biosparging, biofilm, and biofilter systems that treat
water, solid, and gas phase contaminants.
Environmental Engineering
Combining engineering and science, environmental engineering examines
the release, fate, transport, toxicity, and remediation of pollutants
in the environment. Research efforts include water chemistry, hydrology,
water supply and wastewater
treatment — including systems for rural U.S. and developing nations,
and remediation. Central to this program is the study of physical, chemical,
and biological processes that influence the treatment of contaminants
in soil, sediment, surface water, groundwater, and air. Innovative laboratory
and field techniques are developed and integrated into projects where
fundamental engineering and design
principles are applied. Special emphasis is placed on understanding the
scale-up transition from the flask to the field. Focus areas include
the modification of computer-aided design programs to include environmental
effects during manufacturing processes; the development of new methods
of production that use less hazardous materials, produce less waste,
or result in products that are easily recycled after their useful lives;
and the development of wastewater treatment systems.
Environmental Geochemistry and Biogeochemistry
Many of the reactions that control the mobility and distribution of elements
in the environment occur at interfaces between water, minerals, and bacteria.
Such biogeochemical reactions influence the environmental fate of various
elements, including heavy metals and radionuclides, the bioavailability
of nutrients, and the global carbon cycle. Using a combination of experimental,
theoretical, and field approaches, faculty and students are investigating
the importance of bacteria and natural organic matter in water-rock systems,
from the nano-scale to the scale of entire watersheds. Current research
integrates thermodynamic (equilibrium) and kinetic (rate) approaches
to quantify bacteria- and organic-mineral-water interactions.
Environmental Mineralogy and Nuclear Waste
Management
The environmental mineralogy research group is studying the structures,
chemistries, stabilities, and occurrences of low-temperature minerals.
This work is targeted toward developing a general
theory relating mineral structures and mineral paragenesis. Much of the
research is applied to environmentally pressing issues such as radionuclide
contamination and the disposal of nuclear waste in geological repositories.
Studies of natural occurrences, synthesis of mineral analogues, X-ray
diffraction studies, and theoretical approaches form the basis of this
research. Current research is focused on the mineralogy of uranium, lead,
mercury, selenium, boron, and transition metals.
Petrology and Geochemistry
The petrology and geochemistry group studies the environment, materials,
and surface processes from both regional and planetary perspectives.
Research is currently being conducted on Large Igneous Provinces (LIPs)
like the Kerguelen and Ontong Java Plateaus, the origin of plumes at
the core-mantle boundary, and the effects these have on the evolution
of the Earth and its surficial environment. Additional investigations
include studies of the Moon, Mars, and the origin of the solar system
through the study of chondritic meteorites and orbiter and lander spacecraft
data. Applied research includes studies of the environmental effects
of platinum group element (PGE) pollution from automotive catalytic
converters. The cornerstone of this research are the ICP-MS and EMP
labs.
Environmental Hydrology
This
program concentrates on theoretical — numerical and analytical — and
experimental studies in areas such as groundwater contamination,
surface and subsurface hydrology, geochemical characterization
of hydrologic systems, and water quality modeling. Basic and
applied research includes laboratory and field studies involving
groundwater
flow and transport, surface water/groundwater interaction, water
source protection, computational models of flow and transport,
and
tide and hurricane studies in the coastal ocean. This program
emphasizes applications in both industrialized settings and in
rural settings
in developing countries. Recently, our efforts have included
prediction of hurricane tidal surges in the gulf coast region
of the United States, monitoring of microbial transport in groundwater
systems, and characterization of water resources in Benin, Africa.
Structural/Geotechnical/Materials Engineering
Structural engineering provides the basis for designing, analyzing, and
constructing buildings, bridges, towers, and other civil structures so
they safely resist the forces to which they may be subjected. Through
the analysis and testing of structures and their components, structural
engineers advance the understanding of structural response to seismic,
wind, gravity, and other loads, and thereby design more functional and
economical structures.
Geotechnical engineering is concerned with the use of soil and rock as
engineering materials. Soil mechanics and foundation design are key elements
of the discipline, providing methods for quantification of the properties
of these materials,
the design of
foundation elements (piles, piers, etc.), and the interaction
of soil or rock with foundation elements. Geotechnical engineering
also studies
the effect of natural hazards, such as earthquakes and landslides,
on the properties of soil, rock, and foundation elements.
The fundamental tie among system and component behaviors in structural
and geotechnical engineering is the understanding of material
behavior, from the nanometer scale to the meter scale. Research in civil
engineering materials
at Notre Dame
focuses on two major aspects: the effect of fire on concrete
and the use of industrial waste products as cement replacement
materials. These
areas are based on developing fundamental knowledge of both mechanics
and chemistry by using techniques such as thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction,
as well as conventional techniques such as uniaxial
compression testing.
The structural/geotechnical/materials engineering graduate program
incorporates computational and experimental approaches to problems
on the behavior
of structures (e.g., buildings, bridges, and offshore platforms)
under service loads (e.g., traffic) and environmental loads (e.g., wind,
earthquake, fire, and waves); materials characterization and durability;
soil-structure interaction; and behavior of soils
in static and dynamic conditions. Faculty, students, and staff
work together
to create and sustain a quality culture of learning, discovery,
and creativity. The faculty are committed to developing in their
students the skills needed to identify and solve real-world engineering
problems.
The program’s academic and research activities have attained an
international reputation for excellence in areas such as earthquake
engineering, structural dynamics and control, wind engineering and structural
aerodynamics,
full-scale monitoring, behavior of structural systems, dynamics
of offshore structures, structural analysis and design, smart structures,
and structural reliability and risk analysis. Numerous opportunities
exist for students to become involved in research activities
that promote multidisciplinary
solutions to civil engineering problems of national and international
importance. Overseas research experiences are also available.
Center for Environmental Science and Technology
Notre Dame’s Center for Environmental Science and Technology
(CEST) is a cooperative effort between the College of Engineering
and the College
of Science. It provides educational and basic research opportunities
for the development of innovative solutions to environmental problems
facing the world today. This interdisciplinary facility was established
in 1987 and
continues to serve as
a focal point for research in pollution control. Among the areas of research
represented in CEST are: bioremediation of contaminated soil, catalysis for
emission control, genetic and chemical manipulation of enzymes, groundwater
hydrology,
and the radiolytic and photolytic destruction
of hazardous organic compounds. (For more information about the center click
here)
Environmental
Molecular Science Institute
The Department of Civil Engineering and Geological Sciences is
the home department for the Environmental Molecular Science Institute.
The institute
blends the environmental science and engineering expertise and facilities
of the University with those of Argonne, Sandia, and Oak Ridge National
Laboratories. The scientific mission of the institute is to determine
the effects of nano- and micro-particles (e.g., bacteria, natural organic
matter, and mineral aggregates) on heavy metal and actinide transport
in geologic systems. Students in the institute experience a highly
interdisciplinary
research environment and are encouraged to participate in the internship
program, which enables graduate students to conduct research with our
national laboratory and industry partners. (For more information about
the institute click
here)