Yahya Nazhat

BSc MSc MIEAust CPEng
Postgraduate Research Student
Centre for Geotechnical Research



School of Civil Engineering, Room 101
Phone: +61 2 9351 2145
Fax: +61 2 9351 3343
Email: ynaz6048@usyd.edu.au

Research project - Dynamic effects in soil – Dynamic compaction

Supervisor: A/Prof David Airey

Soil-improvement by dynamic compaction technique has become a well-established method due to its simplicity and cost-effectiveness. The main goal of most soil improvement techniques used for reducing liquefaction hazards is to avoid large increases in pore water pressure during earthquake shaking. This can be achieved by densification of the soil. The success of dynamic compaction depends on soil type, moisture content, impact energy but the depth and extent of the soil improvement is often difficult to predict or yet not very well understood.

This project is to provide new experimental data of the mechanics of the compaction process using PIV photographic techniques and other instrumentation. Results of experiments will be compared with the predictions of dynamic, large displacement finite element analysis.

Selected publications

• Al-Omari, R.R., Al-Dobaissi, H.H., Nazhat, Y.N. and Wadood, B.A. Sheer Strength of Geomesh Reinforced Clay. International Journal of Geotextiles and Geomembranes, 8(1989), pp. 325-336.
• Sirwan, K., Al-Omari, R.R., & Nazhat, Y.N. Sheer Behaviour of Gypsiferous Soils: Proceeding of the 2nd International Symposium on Environmental Geotechnology, Shanghai, China. Envo Publishing Co., Inc., Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA (1989), pp. 124-135.
• Al-Omari, R.R., Nazhat, Y.N. and Al-Dobaissi, H.H. Effect of Stiffness and Amount of Reinforcement on the Strength of Sand. The Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology. 28(1995), pp. 363 - 367.
• Slav Tchepak, Yahya Nazhat. Cast insitu piling for King's Wharf Project, Sydney, Australia. NYC2000 International Conference & Exposition. Deep Foundation Institute, N.Y. 2000, USA.