ASCE Gainesville Branch February 2026 Lunch & Learn

Presentation Description- Unanticipated site conditions, such as buried voids and soft soils, pose significant challenges during and after infrastructure construction. These conditions can lead to structural failures, resulting in property damage and even fatalities. One of the most promising techniques for subsurface imaging is 3D seismic full-waveform inversion (FWI). This presentation highlights advanced active and passive 3D FWI methods for high-resolution site characterization. These methods leverage the full information content of measured seismic wavefields to create detailed subsurface profiles with meter-scale resolution down to a depth of 50 meters. Field experiments will demonstrate the use of surface-based and SPT-seismic wavefields, as well as ambient noise recordings, to image voids embedded within limestone bedrock at depths ranging from 5 to 35 meters. To validate the seismic imaging results, complementary techniques such as standard penetration tests (SPT) and sonar imaging are included.

Presenter's Bio- Dr. Khiem Tran is a professor at the University of Florida. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering in Vietnam, followed by his Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in civil engineering from the University of Florida. Dr. Tran’s research specializes in geophysical and nondestructive testing methods for material characterization across a wide range of scales, from millimeters to hundreds of meters. Over the years, his work has received support from prestigious organizations such as the National Science Foundation, the Federal Highway Administration, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, numerous State Departments of Transportation, and industry partners. To date, Dr. Tran has authored over 50 publications in leading academic journals.

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