Key aims and expertise
The key aims of GEL-KHU are to continue to undertake nationally and internationally leading researches in the areas of geotechnical engineering and materials, pavement engineering, lifeline design and protection, and marine geotechnical engineering; to provide high quality academic supervision of PhD and MSc research students; and to offer specialized testing and consultancy services to industry. These aims are achieved through the recognized expertise of the academic members and laboratory staffs of GEL-KHU and the excellent laboratory and research facilities present within GEL-KHU.
Sectors and facilities
Kharazmi Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory has extensive experience with index soil tests, geosynthetic-reinforced soil, cemented soils, sand-gravel mixtures and rockfill materials, thermo-mechanical behavior of clays, contaminated soils, dynamic compaction modeling, use of recycled materials and assessment, etc. This Laboratory has 4 sectors: Soils Index tests Permeability tests,maximum and minimum density molds, Proctor compaction molds and hammers, California bearing ratio test, Oedometers, Atterberg limit apparatus, specific gravity apparatus, sieves, shakers, hydrometer apparatus and a vibrating table, large and standard direct shear devices, Triaxial shear devices.   Physical modeling Large-scale and small geotechnical boxes, static and dynamic data acquisition systems, etc.   Geo-environmental engineering Bio-cementation technique as a soil improvement method, Electrokinetic method for removal of heavy metal contamination, Phytoremediation for organic pollution control in soils, Investigation of the consolidation and shear strength characteristics of tailing's slime and paste, Large and small scale modeling of geosynthetic applications in soil barriers and retaining structures, Investigation of the thermo-mechanical behavior of clays, Investigation of the mechanical behavior of contaminated soils. Transportation geotechnics Pavement test facilities such as large pit, hydraulic jacks and high-capacity load cells, impact loading systems, plate load test, etc.