Phillip S.K. Ooi

Phillip S. K. Ooi

Chair and Professor of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering
Arthur N.L. Chiu Distinguished Professor
Office: Holmes Hall 384
Phone: (808) 956-8512
E-mail: ooi@hawaii.edu

Areas of Specialty and Research Interest

Geotechnical engineering and soil-structure interaction.

Education

  • Ph.D., Civil Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, Blacksburg, VA, 1991
  • M.S. Civil Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 1984
  • B.Sc. Civil Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, U.K., 1983

Professional Registration

  • Registered Professional Engineer (P.E.) in Geotechnical Engineering since 1992

Experience

  • Professor of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, August 2011 – Present
  • Researcher, FHWA, Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center, McLean, VA July 2011 – December 2011
  • Associate Professor of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, August 2003 – July 2011
  • Assistant Professor of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, January 1999 – July 2003
  • Senior Geotechnical Engineer, GEI Consultants, Inc., Winchester, MA, February 1991 – December 1998
  • Geotechnical Engineer, Drainage and Irrigation Department, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, February 1984 – August 1987

Courses Taught (in the last 5 years)

  • CEE270: Applied Mechanics I
  • CEE355: Geotechnical Engineering I (F’20, F’21, S’22, S’23)
  • CEE455: Geotechnical Engineering II (F’19, S’21, F’23)
  • CEE651: Deep Foundations (F’19, S’21, F’23)
  • CEE658: Earth Pressures (F’22)
  • CEE696: Numerical Methods in Geotechnical Engineering (S’20, F’22)

Awards

  • Fulbright Research Grant – summers of 2019 and 2022
  • Hi Chang Chai Excellence in Teaching Award – 2008, 2014 and 2024

Research Grants

  1. Ooi, P.S.K. (P.I.) “Use of InSAR to Track Historical Slope Movements,” funded by State of Hawaii Department of Transportation and FHWA, 5/22 – 4/24
  2. Ooi, P.S.K. (P.I.) “Forensic Investigation of the North-South Road Concrete Pavement Distress,” funded by State of Hawaii Department of Transportation and FHWA, 4/20 – 12/24
  3. Ooi, P.S.K. (P.I.)  “Analyses of a GRS-IBS at the Kauaula Stream Bridge in Maui, Hawaii,” funded by State of Hawaii Department of Transportation and FHWA, 4/18 -4/20.
  4. Ooi, P.S.K. (P.I.) “Slope Instrumentation and Development of a Landslide Warning System,” funded by State of Hawaii Department of Transportation and FHWA, 1/14 – 12/17
  5. Ooi, P.S.K. (P.I.) “Structural Health Monitoring of a GRS-IBS at the Kauaula Stream Bridge in Maui, Hawaii,” funded by Federal Highway Administration’s Innovative Bridge Research and Deployment Program, 1-12 – 7/16.
  6. Ooi, P.S.K. (P.I.) “Laboratory Investigation of Natural Cementation Road Surfacing for Corrosion Control of Aluminum on Army Vehicles,” funded by U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, 9/10 – 10/12.
  7. Ooi, P.S.K. (P.I.) “Evaluation of the New SRICOS-EFA Method for Predicting Scour in Hawaiian Rivers,” funded by State of Hawaii Department of Transportation and FHWA, 6/10 – 5/13.
  8. Ooi, P.S.K. (P.I.) “Use of Recycled Materials in Highway Applications,” funded by State of Hawaii Department of Transportation and FHWA, 2/06 – 1/09.
  9. Archilla, A.R. and Ooi, P.S.K.  (co-PI)  “Update of the State Pavement Management System and Calibration of the 2002 Design Guide for Hawaiian Conditions,” funded by State of Hawaii Department of Transportation and FHWA, 8/05 – 7/10.
  10. Ooi, P.S.K.  (P.I.)  “Integral Abutment Bridges when the Abutments are Supported on Concrete Deep Foundation Elements,” funded by State of Hawaii Department of Transportation and FHWA through KSF, Inc., 5/04 – 5/07.
  11. Ooi, P.S.K. (P.I.) “Correlation of Resilient Modulus, Mr, of Fine-Grained Soils with Common Soil Parameters for Use in Design of Flexible Pavements,” funded by Federal Highway Administration and State of Hawaii Department of Transportation, 5/00 – 5/03.
  12. Ooi, P.S.K. (P.I.) “Correlation of Resistance Value (R-Value) with California Bearing Ratio (CBR) for Use in Design of Flexible Pavements,” funded by Federal Highway Administration and State of Hawaii Department of Transportation, 8/00 – 8/02.
  13. Ooi, P.S.K. (P.I.) “Estimation of the modulus of subgrade reaction for design of braced excavations in clays,” funded by Research and Training Revolving Fund Award, University Research Council, University of Hawaii, 8/00 – 8/01.

Selected Publications

  1. Hendrix, R. and Ooi, P.S.K. (2023). Comparison of InSAR vs inclinometer ground surface deformations at an active landslide. Transportation Research Record, Journal of the Transportation Research Board. Sage Journals. https://doi.org/10.1177/03611981231158319
  2. Londynsky, E.N. and Ooi, P.S.K. (2022). Use of low-activity nuclear density gauge in iron oxide-rich soils. Transportation Research Record, Journal of the Transportation Research Board. Sage Journals. https://doi.org/10.1177/03611981221075628
  3. Ooi, P.S.K. (2021). Incorporating load cycle number and shear stress ratio in a simple permanent deformation model for unbound material. Transportation Geotechnics. September, Vol. 30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trgeo.2021.100598
  4. Taeb, A. and Ooi, P.S.K. (2020). Comparison of field behavior with results from numerical analysis of a geosynthetic reinforced soil integrated bridge system subject to thermal effects. Transportation Research Record, Journal of the Transportation Research Board. Sage Journals. https://doi.org/10.1177/0361198119899043
  5. Ooi, P.S.K., Adams, M.T. and Lawrence, J.B. (2019). Long-term behavior of a geosynthetic reinforced soil integrated bridge system in Hawaii. Transportation Research Record, Journal of the Transportation Research Board. Sage Journals. https://doi.org/10.1177/0361198119827913
  6. Galacgac, J.A, and Ooi, P.S.K. (2018). Use of a laser diffractometer to obtain the particle size distribution of fine-grained soils. Transportation Research Record, Journal of the Transportation Research Board. Sage Journals. https://doi.org/10.1177/0361198118755712
  7. Rahimnejad, R. and Ooi, P.S.K. (2017). A model for the erosion rate curve of cohesive soils. Transportation Research Record 2657, Journal of the Transportation Research Board. Vol. 3:19-28.
  8. Rahimnejad, R. and Ooi, P.S.K. (2016). Factors affecting the critical shear stress of scour of cohesive soil beds. Transportation Research Record 2578, Journal of the Transportation Research Board, Vol. 1: 72-80.
  9. Iwamoto, M.K., Ooi, P.S.K., Adams and M.T. Nicks, J.E. (2015). Composite properties from instrumented load tests on mini-piers reinforced with geotextiles. Geotechnical Testing J., American Society of Testing and Materials. 38(4): 397-408.
  10. Wu, J.T.H. and Ooi, P.S.K.  (2015).  Synthesis of Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil Design Topics.  FHWA Report No. FHWA-HRT-14-094.  McLean, VA.
  11. Adams, M.T., Ooi, P.S.K. and Nicks, J.E.  (2014).  Mini-pier testing to estimate performance of full-scale geosynthetic reinforced soil bridge abutments.  Geotechnical Testing J., American Society of Testing and Materials.  37(5): 884-894.
  12. Iwamoto, M.K., Ooi, P.S.K., Nicks, J.E. and Adams, M.T. (2014). Use of fully softened versus peak strength to predict the capacity of footings on geosynthetic reinforced soil.  International J. of GEOMATE, Vol. 6, No. 1 (Sl. No. 11), March: 771-778.
  13. Nicks, J.E., Adams, M.T., Ooi, P.S.K. and Stabile, T.  (2013). Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil Performance Testing Axial-Load Deformation Relationships.  FHWA Report No. FHWA-HRT-13-066.  McLean, VA.
  14. Ooi, P.S.K., Rajabipour, F., Shafaatian, A. and Joo, S.  (2011). Forensic investigation of a distress in a pavement supported on a base course containing recycled concrete aggregate. Transportation Research Record 2253, J. of the Transportation Research Board: 10-21.
  15. Sagario, M.L.Q. and Ooi, P.S.K.  (2011). Assessing the compactability of recycled concrete aggregate.  Transportation Research Record 2253, J. of the Transportation Research Board: 22-31.
  16. Song, Y., Ooi, P.S.K., Hellebrand, E. and Muenow, D.W.  (2011).  Potential for Tufa Precipitation with Crushed Concrete Containing Coarse Basaltic and Fine Coralline Sand Aggregates.  Environmental and Engineering Geoscience J., Association of Engineering Geologists, 17(1): 53-66.
  17. Song, Y. and Ooi, P.S.K.  (2010).  Interpretation of the shakedown limit from multi-stage permanent deformation tests.  Transportation Research Record 2167, J. of the Transportation Research Board: 72-82.
  18. Ooi, P.S.K., Lin, X. and Hamada, H.S.  (2010).  Field behavior of an integral abutment bridge supported on drilled shafts.  ASCE, J. of Bridge Engineering, 15(1): 4-18.
  19. Ooi, P.S.K., Lin, X. and Hamada, H.S.  (2010).  Numerical study of an integral abutment bridge supported on drilled shafts.  ASCE, J. of Bridge Engineering, 15(1): 19-31.
  20. Ooi, P.S.K., Li, M.M.W., Sagario, M.L.Q. and Song, Y.  (2008).  Shear strength characteristics of recycled glass.  Transportation Research Record 2059, J. of the Transportation Research Board: 52-62.
  21. Archilla, A.R., Ooi, P.S.K.,and Sandefur, K.G.  (2007). Estimation of a resilient modulus model for cohesive soils using joint estimation and mixed effects.  ASCE, J. Geotech. and GeoEnv. Engrg., ASCE, 133(8): 984-994.
  22. Ooi, P.S.K., Chang, B.K.F and Wang, S.  (2004).  Simplified lateral load analysis of fixed-head piles.  ASCE, J. Geotech. and GeoEnv. Engrg., 130(11): 1140-1151.
  23. Ooi, P.S.K.,Archilla, A.R. and Sandefur, K.G.  (2004). Resilient modulus models for compacted cohesive soils.  Transportation Research Record 1874, J. of the Transportation Research Board: 115-124.
  24. Ooi, P.S.K., Chang, B.K.F. and Seki, G.W.  (2004).  Examination of proof test extrapolation for drilled shafts.  Geotech. Testing J., American Society of Testing and Materials.  27(2): 123-133.
  25. Ooi, P.S.K. and Pu, J.  (2003).  Use of stiffness for evaluating compactness of pavement geomaterials.  Transportation Research Record 1849, J. of the Transportation Research Board: 11-19.
  26. Ooi, P.S.K. and Ramsey, L.T.  (2003).  Curvature and bending moments from inclinometer data.  Int. J. of Geomechanics, American Society of Civil Engineers. 3(1): 64-74.
  27. Ooi, P.S.K. and Frederick, L.L.  (2003).  An innovative method of load testing deep foundations.  Geotech. Testing J., American Society of Testing and Materials.  26(2): 210-218.
  28. Ooi, P.S.K., Walker, M.P. and Smith, J.D.  (2002).  Performance of a single-propped wall during excavation and during freezing of the retained soil.  Computers and Geotechnics.  29(5): 387-409.
  29. Ooi, P.S.K. and Lum, W.B. (2001).  A graphical technique for analysis of slopes in c-Φ soils. Indian Geotechnical J., April, 92-108.
  30. Duncan, J.M., Evans Jr., L.T. and Ooi, P.S.K.  (1994).  Lateral load analysis of single piles and drilled shafts.  ASCE, J. Geotech. Engrg., 120(6), 1018-1033.
  31. Ooi, P.S.K. and Duncan, J.M.  (1994).  Lateral load analysis of groups of piles and drilled shafts.  ASCE, J. Geotech. Engrg., 120(6), 1034-1050.
  32. Barker, R.M., Duncan, J.M., Rojiani, K.B., Ooi, P.S.K., Tan, C.K. and Kim, S.G. (1991).  Manuals for the Design of Bridge Foundations.  Report 343, National Cooperative Highway Research Program.

 

 

Back To Top