Feb 03, 2021ELR Ohio Welcome Dr. Khaled Al-Ahkras to our staff!

ELR welcomes Khaled Al-Ahkras, Ph.D., P.E. to the team. Mr. Al-Ahkras has a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Akron with a focus in geotechnical engineering and he is a registered engineer in Ohio since 2004. Khaled has worked all around the world including in Iraq, Jordan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United States. Khaled’s experience and publications are listed below.

Khaled enjoys fishing, hiking, reading, and camping.

Geotechnical:

• Extensive experience in developing, managing and monitoring subsurface investigation programs for different projects across the U.S.
• Subsurface investigations and recommendations for many projects (highway and structures) throughout the world.
• Preparing and reviewing structure foundation design recommendation reports for 18 walls and bridges for roadway projects in Columbus, Ohio.
• Geotechnical design review for Abu-Hamour drainage tunnel phase I, Doha, Qatar.
• Reviewed the geotechnical investigations & recommendations for DC WASA CSO tunnels Project, Washington DC.
• Handled the contractor technical requests and troubleshooting for different construction projects in Ohio.
• Reviewed and commented on more than 18 pavement selection packages for major highway projects for ODOT.
• Design concept for Abu-Hamour Drainage Tunnel Phase II, Doha, Qatar
• Managing the Geotechnical team at the Infrastructure Planning Department - Qatar.
• Leading the Qatar Geological Mapping Project, Qatar.
• Managing the environmental assessment process for two WWTPs and geological/geotechnical expert for the $36 million water/wastewater infrastructure project for the USAID in Jordan.
• Masterplan and feasibility study for water/wastewater infrastructure project.
• O&M and management evaluation for a USAID project in Jordan
• Embankment and slope stability analyses
• Dewatering design review and developing geotechnical investigation program for Jeddah dewatering project in Saudi Arabia.
• Developed the technical specifications for a dredging project in New Jersey.
• Geocomposite membrane design for a landfill project in Surinam.
• Prepared and reviewed the design drawings for a geo-environmental dredging project in New Jersey.
• Construction monitoring and construction quality assurance (CQA) for collection trenches for a geo-environmental project in New York.
• Project manager for South Amman Wastewater Collection System in Al-Qwesmeah region in southern Amman, Jordan.
• Lagoon berm design for Mia Milia/Haspolat WWTP, Northern Cyprus project.
• Designed and monitored the construction of Augered Cast-In-Place Piles and micropiles projects in Pennsylvania.
• Developed and monitored geotechnical investigation program for a soil nail wall project in West Virginia. Also, developed the geotechnical and structural design & plans for the same project.
• Performed the calculations for anchoring the geomembrane on a landfill project in New Jersey.
• Sized rip rap for roadways and drainage structures in Pennsylvania.
• Non-destructive testing and measurement methods for structures and deep foundations.
• Developed dewatering specifications for pump station projects in Pennsylvania.
• Bearing capacity, settlement and slope stability analyses for structural projects in Iraq and Virginia.
• Temporary excavation support analyses, bearing capacity and settlement analyses for a water in-take project in Algeria.
• Full scale testing of deep foundations (drilled shafts & driven piles) under vertical and lateral loadings.
• Slope monitoring using inclinometers and stability analysis for projects in Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
• Reviewed the field daily reports for the construction of a ground water reservoir in Pennsylvania.
• Experience in roadway and civil design for a design-build project for the USACE in Missouri.

Transportation:

• Member of Qatar Highway Design Manual team.
• Utility conflict management and approvals for highway mega projects in Qatar.
• Reviewed multiple packages of roadway concept design packages in Qatar.
• Roadway design for different projects in Jordan and USA.
• Developed budgets, schedules and plans for the various transportation projects.
• Subsurface investigations for pavements in Ohio.
• Active member of ODOT’s Specifications Committee from 2004 to 2006.
• Provided technical roadway design and traffic analysis for many projects in Ohio.
• Reviewed the field daily reports for the construction of roadways /pavements in Missouri for a design-build project for the USACE in Missouri.
• Non-Destructive testing for roadways and structures in Ohio.
• Conducted a comprehensive research program on pavement/subgrade stiffness in Ohio.
• Monitored the construction of transportation projects in Ohio for OCCA’s members.
• Helped in managing the ODOT funded project: Evaluation of Drainable Bases under Asphalt Pavements.
• Participated in the following research project funded by ODOT: Polymer Modified Asphalt Binder Test and Effect of Moisture on Asphalt Concrete Paving Mixtures
• Pavement instrumentation and monitoring for two ODOT projects in Ohio.
• Projects record management, inventory control and maintenance.
• Roadway safety studies in Jordan.
• Expert in developing research and technical proposals.
• Roadway field inspection and evaluation.
• Reviewing bridge shop drawings and checking of reinforcement lists.
• Bridge inspection and preparing the required drawings to estimate the repair cost.
• Teaching Transportation courses: Surveying, Surveying lab, HWY Geometric Design, Pavement Maintenance, Engineering Economics for civil engineers & asphalt lab.

Marketing:

• Member of the Qatar National Development Strategy (2017-2022)
• Presenting seminars at many universities in Ohio and Jordan.
• Directed the planning and implementations of promotional activities and demonstrations for non-government agencies in Ohio.
• Represented the Ohio Concrete Construction Association (OCCA) in public relations, promotional and technical writing activities, and to various industry groups such as American Concrete Pavement Association, local engineering organizations, TRB, and others.
• Acted as Liaison with governmental and regulatory agencies.
• Coordinated and monitored educational and research programs with the educational institutions.
• Directed efforts with state DOT oriented pavement programs.
• Writing organizational newsletters and other publications.
• Teaching assistant for Highway Design and Advanced Soil Mechanics courses.

Publications

1. Krupansky, J.T., Knight, M.A., Orndorff, R.C., Al-Akhras, K.M., Mouradian, A. G., and Saleh, A.F., “The Value of Data—The Qatar Geologic Mapping Project”, Eighth International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering, March 24–27, 2019, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA , Published online: March 21, 2019 https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784482162.002
2. Orndorff, R.C., Knight, M.A., Krupansky, J.T., Al-Akhras, K.M., Stamm, R.G., Abdul Samad, U.S., and Ahmed, E. (2018), “Linking geology and geotechnical engineering in karst – The Qatar geologic mapping project”, Sasowsky, I.D., Byle, M.J., and Land, Lewis, eds., Proceedings of the 15th Multidisciplinary Conference on Sinkholes and the Engineering and Environmental Impacts of Karst, and the 3rd Appalachian Karst Symposium: National Cave and Karst Research Institute Symposium 7: 383-391 (DOI:10.5038/9780991000982.1015)
3. Al-Akhras, K.M. and Al-Meraikhi, Abdulla (2015) “ Case Study: Geotechnical Studies for Qatar Roadways”, Proceedings of the 15th Pan-American Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, ISBN 978-1-61499-602-6 (print), pp. 130-137. (DOI:10.3233/978-1-61499-603-3-130)
4. Bashar H. Al-Omari and Khaled M. Al-Akhras (2014) “Delay Model for U-Turn Movement at Median Openings on Multilane Highways” ITE Journal, ISSN:01628178, pp. 42-47.
5. Al-Akhras N M, Al-Akhras K M and Attom M F (2008) "Thermal Cycling of Wheat Straw Ash Concrete," Construction Materials Journal, ISSN:1747650X, Vol. 161, Thomas Telford, United Kingdom.
6. Al-Akhras, N., Attom, M., Al-Akhras, K. M, and Malkawi, A. (2008) "Influence of Fibers on Swelling Properties of Clayey Soil”, ISSN:10726349, Geosynthetics International Journal, Vol. 15, No. 4, pp. 304-309.
7. Al-Akhras, N, Al-Akhras, K. M., and Attom, M. (2007), “Effect of Wheat Straw Ash on Resistance of Concrete to Elevated Temperatures,” Proceedings of the First International Conference in Recent Advances in Concrete Technology, Washington DC, USA, pp. 557-564.
8. Liang, R., Al-Akhras, K. M., and Rabab’ah, S. (2006), “Performance Monitoring of Drainable Bases Under Asphalt Pavement,” ISBN: 0-7844-0803-3, ASCE 2006 Geocongress, Atlanta, Georgia, pp. 1-6 (DOI:10.1061/40803 187 53).
9. Liang, R., Al-Akhras, K. M., and Rabab’ah, S. (2006), “Field Monitoring of Moisture Variations Under Flexible Pavement,” ISSN: 0361-1981, Transportation Research Record No. 1967, Washington, D.C, pp 160-172.
10. Liang, R., Rababa’ah, S. and Al-Akhras, K. M. (2006), “Validation of Enhanced Integrated Climatic Model Prediction over Different Drainable Base Materials”, Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C.
11. Liang, R., Al-Akhras, K. M., Rabab’ah, S., Ashteyat, A., and Varri, A. (2006), “Evaluation of Drainable Base Materials under Asphalt Pavement”, GeoShanghai Conference, Shangahi, China (DOI:10.1061/40866 198 18)