Saj Salam, Ph.D., P.E. - Senior Engineer - Civil Engineering

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Academic Credentials

Ph.D., Civil Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, 2020
M.S., Civil Engineering, Southern Illinois University, 2017
B.S., Civil Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Iran, 2014

Licenses & Certifications

Professional Engineer Civil, California, #94829
Professional Engineer Civil, Texas, #137804

Academic Appointments

Adjunct Faculty, Construction, SIUE, 2017
Instructor, Civil Engineering, PSU, 2018

Professional Honors

2020: Harry G. Miller Fellowship in college of engineering, University Park, PA.
2019: International Association of Foundation Drilling (ADSC) Endowed Civil Engineering Award
2019-2020: Itasca Education Partnership (IEP)
2018-2019: CEE Mark E. and Claire L. Alpert Fellowship in Civil Engineering, University Park, PA.
2018-2019: Leo P. Russell Graduate Fellowship in Civil Engineering, University Park, PA.
2017-2018: The Pennsylvania State University Distinguished Graduate Fellowship, University Park, PA.
2016: Outstanding Civil Engineering Graduate Student, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, IL.

Professional Affiliations

American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
Deep Foundation Institute (DFI)

Languages

English
Persian

Dr. Salam specializes in computational geomechanics , numerical analysis of the geosystems, and big data analysis. He has over 5 years of experience assessing civil and geotechnical engineering applications. He earned a minor in Statistics during his PhD and has used statistical and data science tools in his studies.

Dr. Salam has broad experience on the evaluation of sustainability and serviceability of geo-structures under extreme events such as earthquakes. His experience includes liquefaction assessment, failure probability analysis, risk assessment, seismic stability of tailings dams, underground mine stability, settlement analysis and mine subsidence, foundation assessment, slope stability, retaining wall design and performance, seepage analysis, soil erosion, and quality aggregate selection. Dr. Salam also has extensive experience with advanced laboratory testing and physical modeling of geotechnical materials under static and dynamic conditions.

Dr. Salam performed research on the effect of soil index properties on the strength of unbound aggregates. He also conducted research on the stability of slurry backfilled underground mines in the Illinois Basin. He was appointed as adjunct faculty at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) and taught an undergraduate engineering class. Dr. Salam worked on the evaluation of mine subsidence prediction, mine subsidence mitigation, and sheet pile stability analysis.

Dr. Salam's doctoral research focused on the cyclic behavior of tailings and seismic stability of tailings dams under extreme events such as earthquakes and blasts. He conducted shake table testing to study the cyclic behavior of tailings during a sequence of shaking events and adopted advanced and innovative numerical modeling tools in his research. Dr. Salam studies and research included a minor in statistics and use of big data and machine learning tools. Dr. Salam was appointed as the instructor of Civil Engineering Materials Laboratory during his doctoral study at Pennsylvania State University (PSU).

Namjoo, A. M., Baniasadi, M., Jafari, K., Salam, S., Toufigh, M. M., & Toufigh, V. (2022). Studying effects of interface surface roughness, mean particle size, and particle shape on the shear behavior of sand-coated CFRP interface. Transportation Geotechnics, 37, 100841.
Ismail, H., Xiao, M., Salam, S., Scholl, B., & Liu, X. (2021). Infill Mobility through Engineered Synthetic Turf on Steep Slopes. Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, 147(8), 04021023.
Salam, S., Xiao, M., Khosravifar, A., Ziotopoulou, K., (2021). "Seismic Stability of Coal Tailings Dams with Spatially Variable and Liquefiable Coal Tailings Using Pore Pressure Plasticity Models." Computers and Geotechnics, Volume 132.
Salam, S., Xiao, M., Evans, J., (2020). "Strain History and Aging Effects on the Strength and Cyclic Response of Fine-Grained Coal Refuse." Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0002364.
Wang, J., Salam, S., Xiao, (2020). "Evaluation the Effect of Shaking History on Liquefaction and Cone Penetration Resistance Using Shake Table Tests." Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soildyn.2019.106025.
Salam, S., Xiao, M., Khosravifar, A., Liew, M., Liu, S., Rostami, J. (2019). "Characterizations of Static and Dynamic Geotechnical Properties and Behaviors of Fine Coal Refuse." Canadian Geotechnical Journal. https://doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2018-0630.
Wang, J., Xiao, M., Evans, J.C., Qiu, T., Salam, S. (2019). "Time-Dependent Cone Penetration Resistance of a Post-Liquefaction Sand Deposit at Shallow Depth." Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 145(6), 04019021-1 to 04019021-12. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0002049.
Salam, S., Osouli, A., Tutumluer, E. (2018). "Crushed Limestone Aggregate Strength Influenced by Gradation, Fines Content, and Dust Ratio." Journal of Transportation Engineering, Part B: Pavements, ASCE, 144(1), 04018002. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1061/JPEODX.0000032.
Osouli, A., Salam, S., Tutumluer, E., Beshears, S. (2017). "Fines Inclusion in Crushed Limestone Unbound Aggregates with 25.4 mm (1 in) Maximum Particle Size." Transportation Geotechnics, 10, 96-108. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trgeo.2017.02.001.
Osouli, A., Salam, S., Othmanawny, G., Tutumluer, E., Beshears, S., Shoup, H., Eck, M. (2017). "Results of Soaked and Unsoaked CBR Tests on Unbound Aggregates with Varying Amounts of Fines Content and Dust Ratio." Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, (2655), 13-19. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3141%2F2655-02.
Chaulagai, R., Osouli, A., Salam, S., Tutumluer, E., Beshears, S., Shoup, H., Bay, M. (2017). "Influence of Maximum Particle Size, Fines Content, and Dust Ratio on the Behavior of Base and Subbase Coarse Aggregates." Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, (2655), 20-26. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3141%2F2655-04.
Osouli, A., Salam, S., Tutumluer, E. (2016). "Effect of Plasticity Index and Dust ratio on Moisture-Density and Strength Characteristics of Aggregates." Transportation Geotechnics, 9, 69-79. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trgeo.2016.07.005.
Khosravi, A., Salam, S., McCartney, J. S. Dadashi, A. (2015). "Suction-induced Hardening Effects on The Shear Modulus of Unsaturated Silt." International Journal of Geomechanics, ASCE, 16(6), D4016007. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0000614.
Salam, S., Xiao, M., Wang, J. (2020). "Physical Modeling of Fine Coal Refuse Using Shake Table Testing." GeoCongress 2020, Geotechnical Special Publication, (GSP 318), 114-122. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784482810.013.
Salam, S., Xiao, M., Khosravifar, A., Wang, J. (2019). "Cyclic Behavior and Liquefaction Resistance of Fine Coal Refuse — Experimental and Numerical Modeling." GeoCongress 2019, Geotechnical Special Publication, (GSP 308), 229-238. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784482100.024.
Wang, J., Salam, S., Xiao, M. (2019). "The Effect of Shaking History on Liquefaction Resistance of Sand Deposit Using Shake Table Testing." GeoCongress 2019, Geotechnical Special Publication, (GSP 308), 285-293. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784482100.029.
Osouli, A., Salam, S., Flynn, S. (2016). "Effect of Dust Ratios on the Strength of Aggregates with Low Plasticity Fines." In Geo-Chicago, Chicago, IL, pp. 253-265. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784480151.026.
Zamiran, S., Salam, S., Osouli, A., Ostadhassan, M. (2015). "Floor and Pillar Stability Considerations for Underground Disposal of Fine Coal Waste." In 49th US American Rock Mechanics Association (ARMA) Geomechanics Symposium, San Francisco, CA.
Presentations
1. ASCE G-I Meeting, Illinois Section. Presentation title: "Case History of Collapsible Soils in Coastal Venezuela." (2021)
2. 3rd Earthquake Engineering and Soil Dynamic (EESD) G-I Web-Conference. Presentation title: "Strain History and Short-Period Aging Effects on the Strength and Liquefaction Behavior of Fine-Grained Coal Refuse." (2019)
3. Eighth International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering, GeoCongress 2019, Philadelphia, PA. Presentation title: "Cyclic Behavior and Liquefaction Resistance of Fine Coal Refuse — Experimental and Numerical Modeling." (2019)
4. 95th Annual Meeting, Transportation Research Board (TRB), Washington, D.C. Presentation title: "Effect of Plasticity Index and Dust ratio on Moisture-Density and Strength Characteristics of Aggregates." (2016)
5. ASCE G-I Case History Night, St. Louis, MO. Presentation title: "Improvement of Specifications Regarding Unbound Aggregate Used in Base and Subbase Construction." (2016)
6. 49th US American Rock Mechanics Association (ARMA) Symposium, San Francisco, CA. Presentation title: "Floor and Pillar Stability Considerations for Underground Disposal of Fine Coal Waste." (2015)

Saj Salam

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