Project Grant 2237332

The Regents of the University of Colorado, doing business as the University of Colorado, has been awarded a $599,873 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation under the NSF Engineering program (CFDA 47.041). This 5-year grant will support the University's research to improve the fundamental understanding of grain-size evolution in granular soils under severe loadings and develop new methodologies for assessing the stability and serviceability of critical geotechnical structures like embankments and dams. The project aims to identify principles governing collective grain breakage, model the spatial and temporal evolution of soil gradation, and assess the potential safety risks posed by slow soil degradation in tall earthen structures. The research outcomes are expected to benefit a broad range of geotechnical and geoscience applications involving grain-size changes, such as pile driving, railway ballast degradation, and debris flow formation.