Lecture Titled: Recent Developments of Soft Ground Improvements Using Prefabricated Vertical Drains (PVD) and Deep Cement Mixing (DCM)
Prof. Bergado obtained his B.S. in Civil Engineering Degree from MSU in 1974, Master in Soil Engineering from the Asian Institute of Technology in 1976 and Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from Utah State University in 1982. Prof. Bergado started his research on probabilistic and reliability analyses of geotechnical properties and structures. Subsequently, he branched out to Ground Improvement and Geosynthetics. He established the Asian Center for Soil Improvement and Geosynthetics (ACSIG) Research Center including the first geosynthetics testing and research laboratory in Thailand. He pioneered the use of prefabricated vertical drain (PVD) to improve the soft Bangkok clay in subsiding ground environment with subsequent combinations of vacuum and heat preloading with notable application in the Second Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) International Airport as well as Motorways and Highways in Bangkok. He also did sustainable research work on recycled and lightweight geomaterials such as rubber tire chips mixed with sand for reinforced embankment construction on soft Bangkok clay. Subsequently, his research projects involved new and creative ideas regarding deep cement mixing method (DMM) such as optimum cement contents and fundamental parameters as well as reinforced DMM called SDCM piles. His research works just before retirement consisted of full scale performance of metallic and polymer geogrids as well as sustainable mitigation of rain-triggered landslides and control of soil erosions using roots of vegetations combined with limited life geosynthetics (LLGs) made of natural fibers. Prof. Bergado taught courses in Soil Mechanics, Foundation Engineering, Soil Improvement Techniques, Geosynthetics Engineering, Probabilistic and Risk Assessment in Geotechnical Engineering. Prof. Bergado published 2 Books, 7 Chapters in Books, 22 Edited Books, 5 Guest Editorships of Journals, 150 Journal Articles, 300 Conference/Invited Papers, 73 Invited/Keynote Lectures, 34 Sponsored Research Projects, and advised 17 Doctoral Graduates, 160 Masters Graduates with 2329 SCOPUS Science Citations (H-Index=27) as of 2015.
