Dr. N. (Ravi) Ravichandran

Associate Professor of Civil Engineering

Research Website

Areas of Interest:
Statics and Dynamics of Saturated and Unsaturated Soils
Centrifuge Testing
Finite Element Modeling of Multiphase Porous Media
Computational Modeling of Tire-Pavement Interaction
Dynamics of Retaining Walls Backfilled with Light Weight Materials
High Performance Computing
Constitutive Modeling of Multiphase Porous Media

Education:
B.S.C.E, 1997, University of Peradeniya
M.Eng., Civil Engineering, 2000, University of Tokyo
Ph.D., Civil Engineering, 2005, University of Oklahoma

Classes typically taught:
Finite Element Analysis
Geotechnical Engineering Design
Earth Slopes and Retaining Structures
Geotechnical Engineering
Soil Structure Interaction Modeling
Mechanics of Materials

Professional Society Membership:
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
Geo-Institute (GI)
Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES)

Sample Publications:



• Ravichandran, N., Shrestha, S., and Piratla, K. (2018). “Geotechnical Design and Robust Optimization of Piled-Raft Foundations for Tall Wind Turbines in Clayey and Sandy Soils,” Journal of Soils and Foundations-Accepted.
• Rahbari, P., Ravichandran, N., and Juang, H. (2017). “Seismic Geotechnical Robust Design of Cantilever Retaining Wall Using Response Surface Approach,” Journal of GeoEngineering-Accepted.
• Ravichandran, N. and Shrestha, S. (2017). “Performance and Cost Based Robust Design Optimization Procedure for Typical Foundations for Wind Turbine International Journal of Geotechnical Engineering,” International Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, https://doi.org/10.1080/19386362.2018.1428387.
• Pei, B., Pang, W., Testik, F. Y., Ravichandran, N., Liu, F. (2017) “Selection of Hazard-Consistent Hurricane Scenarios for Regional Combined Hurricane Wind and Flood Loss Estimation,” Natural Hazards, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-017-3149-z.
• Shrestha, S., and Ravichandran, N. (2017). “Geotechnical Design and Design Optimization of Pile-Raft Foundation for Tall Onshore Wind Turbines in Multi-Layered Clay,” International Journal of Geomechanics, Vol 18, No 2, pp. .
• Ravichandran, N., Mahmoudabadi, V., and Shrestha, S. (2017) “Analysis of the Bearing Capacity of a Shallow Foundation in Unsaturated Soil Using Monte-Carlo Simulation,” Journal of Geoscience, Vol.8 No.10, pp.1231-1250.
• Ravichandran, N., Mishra, A., Shrestha, S., and Rahbari, P. (2017) “Influence of Hydrologic Information on Shallow Foundation Design and Analysis in Arid Climates,” Journal of Sustainable Civil Infrastructure.
• Livingston, B. and Ravichandran, N. (2017) “Properties of shredded roof membrane–sand mixture and its application as retaining wall backfill under static and earthquake loads,” Recycling, Vol 2, No 8.
• Shrestha, S., Ravichandran, N., Raveendra, M., and Attenhofer, J. A.(2016) “Design and Analysis of Retaining Wall Backfilled with Shredded Tire and Subjected to Earthquake Shaking.” Journal of Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, 90, pp. 227–239
• Kyser, D. and Ravichandran, N. (2016) “Properties of chipped rubber roofing membrane and sand mixtures for civil engineering applications,” ASCE Journal of Building Engineering, 7, 103–113
• Ravichandran, N., Krishnapillai, H., Bhuiyan, MD., and Huggins, E., “A Simplified Finite Element Model for Site Response Analysis of Unsaturated Soil Profiles,” ASCE Journal of Geomechanics, Vol 16, No.1, pp (2016)
• Ravichandran, N., Muraleetharan, K.K., Taylor, L.M., and Mish, K. D., “Uniform Gradient Element Formulation with Hourglass Control for Coupled Simulation of Saturated Soils,” Journal of Geomechanics (2015) – DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0000490.
• Aboye, S., Andrus, R. D., Ravichandran, N., Bhuiyan, A. H., and Harman, N. “Seismic Site Factors and Design Response Spectra for Charleston, South Carolina,” Earthquake Spectra, Vol. 31, No. 2, pp. 723-744 (2015).
• Aboye, S., Andrus, R. D., Ravichandran, N., Bhuiyan, A. H., Martin II, J. R., and Harman, N. “A New Seismic Site Coefficient Model Based on Conditions in the South Carolina Coastal Plain,” Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, Vol. 104, No. 6, doi: 10.1785/0120140005 (2014).
• Pei, B., Pang, W., Testik, F., and Ravichandran, N., “Mapping of Joint Hurricane Wind and Storm Surge Hazards for Charleston County, South Carolina,” Natural Hazards, DOI 10.1007/s11069-014-1185-5 (2014).
• Juang, C. H, Wang, L., Ravichandran, N., Huang, H., and Zhang, J., “Reliability-Based Robust Geotechnical Design of Drilled Shaft in Sand – A New Design Perspective,” Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering,doi:10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0000956 (2013).
• Ravichandran, N., and Huggins, E. L., “Seismic Response of Gravity-Cantilever Retaining Wall Backfilled with Shredded Tire,” Geotechnical Engineering Journal of the SEAGS & AGSSEA, 44 (3), pp. 14-24, (2013).
• Ravichandran, N., and Krishnapillai, H., “Effect of Suction in Deformation Behavior of Unsaturated Fine-Grained Soils Using Simplified Finite Element Model with Bishop’s Effective Stress Equation,” ASCE-International Journal of Geomechanics, 13 (5), pp. 483-495 (2013).
• Ravichandran, N., Krishnapillai, H., and Machmer, B., “A Novel Procedure for Physical Modeling of Unsaturated Soil-Pile System Using Geotechnical Centrifuge,” Journal of Earth Sciences and Geotechnical Engineering, 3(1) pp. 119-134 (2013).
• Pei, B., Pang, W., Testik, F., Ravichandran, N., “Uncertainty Quantification for Hurricane Storm Surge Predictions along the U.S. Eastern Coast and Gulf of Mexico”, Natural Hazards Review, v 14, n 2, 79-88 (2013).
• Johnson, E., Testik, F. Y., Ravichandran, N., and Schooler, J., “Levee Scour from Overtopping Storm Waves and Scour Counter Measures,” Ocean Engineering, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2012.09.006 (2012).
• Wang, L., Ravichandran, N., and Juang, C. H, “Bayesian Calibration of Model Uncertainty for Prediction of Maximum Ground Settlement in Braced Excavations Using Centrifuge Test,” Computers and Geotechnics, 4, pp. 1-8 (2012).
• Krishnapillai, H., and Ravichandran, N., “New Soil-Water Characteristic Curve and Its Performance in the Finite Element Simulation of Unsaturated Soils,” ASCE-International Journal of Geomechanics, 10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0000132 (2011).
• Krishnapillai, H., and Ravichandran, N., “Improving Predictive Capability of Popular SWCCs by Incorporating Maximum Possible Suction,” Journal of Geosciences, v2, n4 (2011).
• Ravichandran, N., and Krishnapillai, H., “A Statistical Model for the Relative Hydraulic Conductivity of Water Phase in Unsaturated Soils,” Journal of Geosciences, v2, n4 (2011).
• Ravichandran, N., and Krishnapillai, H., “A Flexible Model for Moisture-Suction Relationship for Unsaturated Soils and Its Application,” Journal of Geosciences, v 2, n3 (2011).
• Ravichandran, N., Machmer, B., Krishnapillai, H., and Meguro, K.,  “Micro-scale modeling of saturated sandy soil behavior subjected to cyclic loading,” Journal of Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, v30, p 1212-1225 (2010).

Sample Conference Proceedings (Reviewed)

• Vahidreza Arani, and Ravichandran, N. (2017) “A Coupled Geotechnical-Hydrological Model for Computing Bearing Capacity and Settlement of Shallow Foundation,” Pan-Am UNSAT 2017: Unsaturated Soil Mechanics for Sustainable Geotechnics
• Shrestha, S., Ravichandran, N., and Rahbari, R. (2017) “Design Optimization of Piled-raft Foundation for Tall Wind Turbine on Clayey Soil,” GeoRisk 2017; GSP 283, pp. 403-412, Denver, CO (June 4-7, 2017)
• Shrestha, S., Ravichandran, N., and Rahbari, P. (2017). “Geotechnical Design and Optimization of Piled-raft Foundation for Tall Onshore Wind Turbines,” Geotechnical Frontiers 2017; GSP 279, pp. 204-213, Orlando, FL (March 12-15, 2017)
• Rahbari, P., and Ravichandran, N.(2017). “Reliability-based Robust Geotechnical Design of Retaining Wall Subjected to Earthquake Load,” Geotechnical Frontiers 2017; GSP 278, pp. 149-158, Orlando, FL (March 12-15, 2017)
• Bhuiyan, M. H., Ravichandran, N., Andrus, R. D., and Aboye, S. A. (2017) “Effect of Sudden Shear Wave Velocity Contrast at Shallow Layer Interfaces on Seismic Site Response for Charleston, SC,” Geotechnical Frontiers 2017; GSP 281, pp. 182-191, Orlando, FL (March 12-15, 2017)
• Esposito III, M. P., Andrus, R. D., Ravichandran, N. (2017) “Modeling the Response of a Pleistocene Sand During In Situ Liquefaction Testing,” Geotechnical Frontiers 2017; GSP 281, pp. 309-320 Orlando, FL (March 12-15, 2017)
• Shrestha, S., and Ravichandran, N. (2016). “Design and Analysis of Foundations for Onshore Tall Wind Turbines,” Geo-Chicago 2016: GSP 270, pp. 217-226. doi: 10.1061/9780784480137.022.
• Ravichandran, N., and Huggins, E. L., “Applicability of Shredded Tire Chips as a Light Weight Retaining Wall Backfill in Seismic Regions,”Geocongress2014, Atlanta, GA (February 2014)
• Bhuiyan, M. H., Ravichandran, N., Andrus, R. D., and Aboye, S. A, “Comparison of nonlinear one-dimensional and two-dimensional site response analysis tools for Charleston, SC,”Geocongress2013, San Diego, CA (March 2013)
• Pei, B., Pang, W., Testik, F.Y., and Ravichandran, N., “Joint Distributions of Hurricane Wind and Storm Surge for the City of Charleston in South Carolina,” ATC-SEI Advanced in Hurricane Engineering Conference, Miami, FL (Oct 2012)
• Aboye, S., and Ravichandran, N., “A Numerical Approach of Failure Mechanism of Transversely Isotropic Rocks,” 46th U.S. Rock Mechanics / Geomechanics Symposium: Chicago 2012-To appear June 2012.
• Ravichandran, N., Krishnapillai, S. K., and Machmer, B., “Centrifuge Modeling of Unsaturated Soil-Pile System,” Geo-Congress 2012, Oakland, CA (March 25-29, 2012).
• Ravichandran, N., Bhuiyan, A., and Huggins, E. L., “Dynamic Analysis of Unsaturated Soil-Pile System Using Improved Simplified Finite Element Formulation,” Geo-Congress 2012, Oakland, CA (March 25-29, 2012).