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Fred K. Boadu, Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Fred K. Boadu

Please note: Fred has left the "Center for African and African American Research" group at Duke University; some info here might not be up to date.

Fred Boadu received his B.S. (Hons) in geological engineering from the University of Science and Technology, Ghana, a Post-Graduate Diploma in applied geophysics from McGill University, an M.S. in geophysics from the University of Calgary, and his Ph.D. from Georgia Institute of Technology in 1994. He was an Assistant Lecturer at the University of Science and Technology, School of Mines (Tarkwa, Ghana) from 1982 to 1984. Since 1986, he has worked for several oil companies (Chevron, Amoco, and Mobil) during the summer months on a variety of research projects. He is also a consultant for Texaco, Inc. and Ghana National Petroleum Corporation.

Dr. Boadu’s research focuses on the areas of exploration, engineering and environmental geophysics. Current research involves characterizing the transport and storage properties of porous media such as fractured rocks, soils and human tissue. The work involves modeling, laboratory and field experiments. Fractal concepts and neural networks are used to interpret results. Recently, Dr. Boadu has been involved in research regarding nitrate contamination in groundwater, and as well, in education and awareness campaign of the implications in potential health hazards in Ghana

Contact Info:
Office Location:  163 Hudson Hall, Box 90287, Durham, NC 27708
Office Phone:  (919) 660-5432
Email Address: send me a message
Web Page:  http://applied-geophysics.cee.duke.edu

Teaching (Spring 2024):

  • CEE 302L.001, INTRO SOIL MECHANICS Synopsis
    Hudson 139, TuTh 11:45 AM-01:00 PM
  • CEE 302L.01L, INTRO SOIL MECHANICS Synopsis
    Hudson 010, Tu 01:25 PM-02:40 PM
  • CEE 302L.02L, INTRO SOIL MECHANICS Synopsis
    Hudson 010, W 01:25 PM-02:40 PM
  • CEE 302L.03L, INTRO SOIL MECHANICS Synopsis
    Hudson 010, Th 01:25 PM-02:40 PM
Teaching (Fall 2024):

  • CEE 525.01, WAVE PROP ELASTIC MEDIA Synopsis
    Fitzpatrk 1411, WF 11:45 AM-01:00 PM
Education:

Ph.D.Georgia Institute of Technology1994
MScUniversity of Calgary
Post-graduate DiplomaMcGill University
BSc(Hon)University of Science and Technology
Specialties:

hydrology
Geophysics
soil science
Hydrology
solid earth processes
Water, Resources and Treatment
Research Interests:

Current projects: Nitrate Contamination in groundwater, Petrophysical modeling - Integrated electrical and seismics methodologies, Characterization of fractured media, Neural Network and petrophysical properties of uncosolidated media

My research seek to develop an understanding of how the engineering, environmental and petrophysical properties of porous media (soils, fractured rock, biological tissues) affect measurable geophysical responses, and subsequently develop methodologies by which these properties can be obtained from non-invasive geophysical measurements. These goals are pursued by developing basic theoretical models, then increasing their order of complexity I perform laboratory and field measurements, and compare these data to the outputs of the theoretical models. This pursuit will lead to the integration of theory and laboratory or field data for reliable and accurate prediction of subsurface (porous medium) properties and saturation conditions from geophysical information. The same approach is used to assess the stability and strength of geo-materials in the subsurface - mudslides, landslides, liquefaction etc. Bio-materials, for example, biologically contaminated soils or tissues essentially can be considered as multi-phase fluid saturated porous system. Changes in the biochemical and physiological conditions of these materials induce frequency dependent spectral responses which can be quantified. Such quantification can lead to characterization and monitoring of their engineering and environmental behavior over time. Research in methods to explore for hydrocarbons by development of petrophysical models, and extraction reservoir properties using fractal and neural network concepts is also undertaken

Areas of Interest:

Stability of Geo-materials
Petrophysics
Neural Networks

Keywords:

Fractals • Information Dissemination • Information Theory • Marketing • Mathematical models • Strategic planning

Representative Publications   (More Publications)

  1. Boadu, FK; Seabrook, BC, Effects of clay content and salinity on the spectral electrical response of soils, Journal of Environmental & Engineering Geophysics, vol. 11 no. 3 (September, 2006), pp. 161-170, ISSN 1083-1363 [doi]  [abs]
  2. F.K. Boadu, Permeability Estimation with RBF Network and Levenberg-Marquardt Learning, in Computational Neural Networks for Geophysical Data Processing (2000), pp. 185-200, Elsevier
  3. Boadu, FK; Gyamfi, J; Owusu, E, Determining subsurface fracture characteristics from azimuthal resistivity surveys: A case study at Nsawam, Ghana, Geophysics, vol. 70 no. 5 (January, 2005), pp. B35-B42, Society of Exploration Geophysicists, ISSN 0016-8033 [1.2073888], [doi]  [abs]
  4. Boadu, FK, Use of multifractal seismic waveform parameters to characterize the hydraulic properties of fractured media: Numerical experiments, Geophysical Journal International, vol. 155 no. 2 (November, 2003), pp. 557-566, Oxford University Press (OUP), ISSN 0956-540X [x], [doi]  [abs]
  5. Pratson, LF; Stroujkova, A; Herrick, D; Boadu, F; Malin, P, Predicting seismic velocity and other rock properties from clay content only, Geophysics, vol. 68 no. 6 (January, 2021), pp. 1847-1856, Society of Exploration Geophysicists [1.1635037], [doi]  [abs]
  6. Brian, S; Boadu, ; K, F, Relating Electrical Response and Petrophysical Properites of Sands Subjected to Stress Changes, Journal of Environmental and Engineering Geophysics, vol. 7 (2002), pp. 88-100
  7. Boadu, FK, Predicting oil saturation from velocities using petrophysical models and artificial neural networks, Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, vol. 30 no. 3-4 (September, 2001), pp. 143-154, Elsevier BV, ISSN 0920-4105 [S0920-4105(01)00110-3], [doi]  [abs]
  8. Boadu, FK, Petrophysical Parameters Affecting NMR Relaxation Time and Cementation Factor: Artificial Neural Network Analysis, J. of Engineering. & Environmental. Geophysics (2001)
  9. Boadu, FK, Using Artificial Neural Networks to Predict Oil Saturation from Velocities Based on Petrophysical Models, Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, vol. 30 (2001), pp. 143-154
  10. Boadu, FK, Predicting the transport properties of fractured rocks from seismic information: Numerical experiments, Journal of Applied Geophysics, vol. 44 no. 2-3 (May, 2000), pp. 103-113, Elsevier BV [S0926-9851(99)00020-8], [doi]  [abs]
  11. Boadu, FK, Hydraulic conductivity of soils from grain-size distribution: New models, Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, vol. 126 no. 8 (2000), pp. 739-746, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) [(ASCE)1090-0241(2000)126:8(739)], [doi]  [abs]
  12. Boadu, FK; Seabrook, B, Estimating Hydraulic Conductivity and Porosity of Soils from Spectral Electrical Response Measurements, J. of Engineering. & Environmental. Geophysics, vol. 5 no. 4 (2000), pp. 1-9
  13. F.K. Boadu, Wave Propagation in Fluid Saturated Media: Waveform and Spectral Analysis, Geophysical Journal International, vol. 141 (2000), pp. 227-240
  14. F.K. Boadu, Predicting the Transport Properties of Fractured Rocks from Seismic Information: Numerical Experiments, Journal of Applied Geophysics, vol. 44 (2000), pp. 103-113
  15. Boadu, FK, Wave propagation in fluid-saturated media: Waveform and spectral analysis, Geophysical Journal International, vol. 141 no. 1 (April, 2000), pp. 227-240, Oxford University Press (OUP), ISSN 0956-540X [x], [doi]  [abs]
  16. Boadu, FK, Inversion of fracture density from field seismic velocities using artificial neural networks, Geophysics, vol. 63 no. 2 (January, 1998), pp. 534-545, Society of Exploration Geophysicists [1.1444354], [doi]  [abs]

Honors and Awards

  • Oak Ridge Associated Universities Junior Faculty Enhancement Award (1997 Winner in the Applied Science Category).
  • Member of External Advisory Committee on - Initiative for transforming and sustaining science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (ITSSTEM) at North Carolina Central University (2004-Present)
  • Associate Editor, Journal of Engineering and Environmental Geophysics

Professional and Service Activities

  • Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) - Active Member. I serve as member of SEG Research Committee charged with developing research initiatives, strategies and directions for the Society of over 23,000 members world-wide. In addition, I am a member of the Global affairs committee serving as the Regional Coordinator for Africa.
  • American Geophysical Union- Regular Member
  • Canadian Society of Exploration Geophysicists-Member
        Association of Geoscientists for International Development-Member
  • National Society of Black Engineers- Member
        National Association of Black Geologists and Geophysicists- Member
  • American Society of Civil Engineers (Member of Geophysical Committee)
  • Environmental and Engineering Geophysical Society-Member of Board of Directors

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