Graduate instruction and research in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Syracuse University are focused on three main areas: Environmental, geotechnical and structural engineering. We offer a variety of courses that address the theoretical and practical aspects of these disciplines. M.S. and Ph.D. students work closely with their faculty advisors to engage in projects such as

Environmental Engineering:

• Determining the effect of natural and anthropogenic disturbances on the structure and function of northern hardwood forest ecosystems (part of the Hubbard Brook Long-term Ecological Research project).
• Comparing the performance of aluminum and iron salt coagulants in the removal of natural organic material by water treatment systems.
• Determining how the processing of soil organic matter affects the biogeochemical cycling of elements in a forest ecosystem.
• Improving organic carbon removal in slow sand filtration by coating glass resins with metal oxides/hydroxides.
• Developing methods for improving inter-instrument agreement by particle counters.
• Long-term biogeochemical field studies to evaluate trends in atmospheric deposition, stream water chemistry, and cycling of nutrient elements in a forest ecosystem.
• Mercury cycling in wetland and watershed ecosystems emphasizing the question of how mercury concentrations in fish change in response to changes in the atmospheric deposition of mercury.
• Studying the factors that control nitrate loss from northeastern U.S. watersheds.
• Studying the concentrations and speciation of mercury in Onondaga Lake in Syracuse .
• Studying weathering rates of minerals in forest ecosystems.
• Using computer simulation to predict the accumulation of organic carbon in soil and soil solution chemistry.
• Using molecular biological techniques to assess the diversity and function of soil microbes.
• Evaluation of controls on the water quality of embayments of Lake Ontario .
• Using computer models to predict the response of forest ecosystems to changes in air pollution, climate, and land disturbance.
• Studying the microbial degradation of solvents.
• Using microbial indicators to assess ecosystem stress from acidic deposition.
• Studying the effects of trace metal speciation on enzyme-mediated degradation.
• Studying the chemical and biological response to soil and soil solutions freezing events.

Geotechnical Engineering:

• Numerical and experimental study of geofoam used in civil engineering construction.
• Studying the microstructure of hydraulic properties of non-woven geotextiles under field conditions.
• Characterization of the structure of geotextiles using bubble point and image processing techniques.
• Laboratory and field studies of the use of man-made and natural materials for erosion control
• Application of geotechnical engineering to design and construction of anchor systems for pipelines and tower structures.

Structural Engineering:

• Practical application of linear and nonlinear structural theories to study the static and dynamic responses of buildings and bridges.
• Computer aided analysis and design of nonlinear and inelastic structures.
• Analytical, numerical and experimental studies and modeling of steel, concrete and composite structures.
• Studying the effect of earthquakes on buildings and bridges.
• Non-destructive damage detection in structures.
• Seismic design using the performance based concept.
• Numerical and experimental studies of composite materials (e.g., FRP) for use in structural rehabilitation.
• Studying the impact behavior of fiber-reinforced composite materials and structures used in roadside safety applications. 

See samples of research projects and selected M.S. and Ph.D. theses.