Craig H. Benson Professor Address/E-mail Program Affiliations Education Fields of Interest Awards & Honors Summary

Contact Information

2214 Engineering Hall 1415 Engineering Drive Madison, WI 53706

Tel: 608/262-7242 E-mail: benson@engr.wisc.edu

Program Affiliations

• Civil and Environmental Engineering

• Consortium for Fly Ash Use in Geotechnical Applications
• Geological Engineering Program

Education

• BS, Lehigh University
• MS, University of Texas at Austin
• PhD, University of Texas at Austin

Fields of Interests

• geo-environmental engineering
• landfill design and construction
• remediation of hazardous waste sites
• field testing and performance evaluation
• transport of groundwater pollutants
• statistical construction quality control
• stochastic modeling of flow and transport
• data sufficiency

Selected Awards, Honors and Societies

• American Society for Testing and Materials
• International Solid Waste Association
• Presidential Young Investigator - National Science Foundation
• Environmental Restoration/Waste Management Young Faculty Award - U.S. Dept. of Energy
• Polygon Outstanding Instructor Award - UW-Madison College of Engineering

Summary

My research interests focus on the rapidly growing field of environmental geotechnics. It is a blend of the geotechnical, environmental, and water resources disciplines. Currently, my research activities are primarily in designing, analyzing, and testing geotechnical components of landfills and other waste containment structures. Research projects conducted by my group of students include experimental studies in the field and the lab and modeling studies performed on the computer. My group's research activities are sponsored by a variety of sources including waste disposal companies as well as state and federal agencies. Ordinarily, my students are involved in state-of-the-art projects that have an immediate impact on geoenvironmental practice and regulatory policies.

Recently, field experiments have comprised a large segment of the research activity in my group. Projects have been conducted to determine the effect of freeze-thaw on the integrity of clay landfill liners and to evaluate the hydrologic performance of covers used to close landfills. A large field study also is being conducted to evaluate methods to assess the performance of landfill liners using various testing techniques. In each of these projects, students have conducted experiments at actual landfills and hazardous waste sites and have used state-of-the-art instrumentation.

My students also have been involved in computer modeling. In several studies, they have evaluated how the quantity and type of data available to the engineer affect the uncertainty in the performance of a waste containment structure or the success of a clean up technique. In one study, a student is evaluating how the quality and quantity of information describing the subsurface affects predictions of the movement of groundwater pollutants. In another study, statistical process control techniques are being developed for use in construction of clay landfill liners.

My students also are involved in georecycling projects. In these studies, new methods to use waste material in geotechnical projects are being evaluated and developed. Recent studies have included characterization of geomechanical properties of composted municipal solid waste and the use of waste plastics as soil reinforcement.

The work of my student's has the potential to affect geotechnical practice and helps to protect the environment. As a result, the students not only enhance their professional skills, but also have the opportunity to make a difference in the environment.