Taeseo Ku

Dr. KU, Taeseo joined the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the National University of Singapore as an assistant professor in 2013. His research interests are on the related areas of in-situ geotechnics and geophysical site investigations.

Prior to joining NUS, Dr. Ku was a senior researcher at Korea Railroad Research Institute (KRRI). He was also a postdoctoral researcher at the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology where he received his PhD. He earned a M.S. in GeoEngineering from University of California-Berkeley and his B.S. from Yonsei University in South Korea.

He has focused on comprehensive geocharacterizations with both analytical geotechnical solutions and empirical approaches based on advanced data analysis techniques. For instance, he has attempted to develop consistent, rational, and practical unified geotechnical interpretation frameworks for evaluating soil parameters based on in-situ, geophysical, and laboratory tests. Recently, one of focused areas centers on the measurement, evaluation, and application of elastic waves (e.g., shear wave velocity and the related small-strain stiffness in soils), with particular interests related to geotechnical site characterization.

Qualifications

• Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology, U.S., 2012
• M.S., University of California-Berkeley, U.S., 2008
• B.S., Yonsei University, Korea, 2004

Career History

• Assistant Professor, National University of Singapore (2013 – present)
• Senior Researcher, Korea Railroad Research Institute (2013)
• Postdoctoral researcher, Georgia Institute of Technology (2012-2013)
• Researcher, Korea Institute of Construction Technology (2008)
• Civil Engineer, Samsung Engineering & Construction (2003-2005)

Honours & Awards

• Canadian Geotechnical Journal – Editor’s Choice, April 2013
• DOE Travel Grant, ASCE GeoCongress 2012 & AEG Annual Meeting 2010
• Yonsei University Scholarship, 1997,2001-2003

Teaching Areas

• Geotechnical Engineering
• Soil Mechanics
• Pile Foundations
• Geotechnical Investigation and Monitoring
• Analytical and Numerical Methods in Foundation Engineering
• Final Year Integrated Design Project

Research Interests

• Geotechnical Site Characterization
• Near Surface Geophysics & In-Situ Testing
• Seismic Wave-based GeoCharacterization
• Sustainable Ground Improvement – Cement-stabilized Soil/Geomaterials
• Underground Construction
• Dynamic Soil Behavior

Selected Publications

• Wei, X. and Ku, T.* (2019). “New design chart for geotechnical ground improvement: characterizing cement stabilized sand.” Acta Geotechnica, 10.1007/s11440-019-00838-2.
• Lee, C., Nam, H., Lee, W., Choo, H.*, and Ku, T. (2019). “Estimating UCS of cement-grouted sand using characteristics of sand and UCS of pure grout.” Geomechanics and Engineering, An International Journal, Vol. 19, No. 4, 343-352, https://doi.org/10.12989/gae.2019.19.4.000.
• Moon, S.W., Subramaniam, P., Zhang, Y., Vinoth, G., and Ku, T.* (2019). “Bedrock Depth Evaluation Using Microtremor Measurement: Empirical Guidelines at Weathered Granite Formation in Singapore.” Journal of Applied Geophysics, Vol. 171, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jappgeo.2019.103866.
• Zhang, Y., Li, Y., and Ku, T.* (2019). “Geotechnical site investigation for tunneling and underground works by advanced passive surface wave survey.” Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, Vol. 90, 319-329, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tust.2019.05.003.
• Subramaniam, P., Banerjee, S., and Ku, T.* (2019). “Shear modulus and damping ratio model for cement treated clay.” International Journal of Geomechanics, ASCE, Vol. 19, No. 7, 10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0001448.
• Subramanian, S., Khan, Q., and Ku, T.* (2019). “Strength development and prediction of calcium sulfoaluminate treated sand with optimized gypsum for replacing OPC in ground improvement.” Construction and Building Materials, Vol. 202, 308-318. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2018.12.121.
• Zhang, Y., Li, Y., Zhang, H., and Ku, T.* (2019). “Near-surface site investigation by seismic interferometry using urban traffic noise in Singapore.” Geophysics, SEG, Vol. 84, No. 2, P. B169-B180, 10.1190/GEO2017-0798.1
• Subramaniam, P., Zhang, Y., and Ku, T.* (2019). “Underground survey to locate weathered bedrock depth using noninvasive microtremor measurements in Jurong sedimentary formation, Singapore.” Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, Vol. 86, 10-21, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tust.2019.01.005
• Khan, Q., Subramanian, S., Wong, D.Y.C., and Ku, T.* (2019). “Bender elements in stiff cemented clay: shear wave velocity correction by applying wavelength considerations.” Canadian Geotechnical Journal, Vol. 56, No. 7, 1034-1041, https://doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2018-0153.
• Subramanian, S., Moon, S.W., Moon, J. and Ku, T.* (2018). “CSA treated sand for ground improvement: Microstructure analysis and rapid strength development.” Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, ASCE, Vol. 30, No. 12, 10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0002523.
• Vinoth, G., Moon, S.W., Moon, J. and Ku, T.* (2018). “Early strength development in cement-treated sand using low-carbon rapid-hardening cements.” Soils and Foundations, Vol. 58, No. 5, 1200-1211, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sandf.2018.07.001.
• Moon, S.W., Ng, Y.C.H., and Ku, T.* (2018). “Global semi-empirical relationships for correlating soil unit weight with shear wave velocity by void-ratio function.” Canadian Geotechnical Journal, Vol. 55, No. 8, 1193–1199, 10.1139/cgj-2017-0226.
• Moon, S.W. and Ku, T.* (2018). “Undrained shear strength in cohesive soils estimated by directional modes of in-situ shear wave velocity.” Geotechnical and Geological Engineering, Vol. 36, No. 5, 2851-2868, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-018-0508-9.
• Moon, S.W. and Ku, T.* (2017). “Reply to the discussion by Danziger F.A.B and Jannuzzi G.M.F on Development of global correlation models between in-situ stress-normalized shear wave velocity and soil unit weight for plastic soils.” Canadian Geotechnical Journal, Vol. 54, No. 12, 1790–1792 10.1139/cgj-2017-0239 [open access].
• Moon, S.W., Hayashi, K., and Ku, T.* (2017). “Estimating spatial variations in bedrock depth and weathering degree in decomposed granite from surface waves.” Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, ASCE, Vol. 143, No.7, 10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0001679, Article Number: 04017020.
• Jung, J.W., Ku, T., and Ahn, J.* (2017). “Small strain stiffness of unsaturated sands containing a polyacrylamide solution.” Materials, 10(4), 401; doi:10.3390/ma10040401.
• Ku, T.*, Subramanian, S., Moon, S.W., and Jung, J.W. (2017). “Stress dependency of shear wave velocity measurements in soils.” Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, ASCE, Vol. 143, No.2, 10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0001592.