Fred K. Boadu

Research Themes

Computational Mechanics & Scientific Computing, Environmental Health Engineering, Geomechanics & Geophysics for Energy and the Environment

Research Interests

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.

Bio

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

Education

• Ph.D. Georgia Institute of Technology, 1994

Positions

• Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Director of Masters Studies in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Associate Research Professor of Global Health

Awards, Honors, and Distinctions

• Junior Faculty Enhancement Award-Applied Science Category. Oak Ridge Associated Universities. 1997

Courses Taught

• CEE 643: Environmental and Engineering Geophysics
• CEE 525: Wave Propagation in Elastic and Poroelastic Media
• CEE 302L: Introduction to Soil Mechanics

Publications

• Boateng KA, Tuffour YA, Agyeman S, Boadu F. Potential improvements in montmorillonite-nanoclay-modified Cold-Mix Asphalt. Case Studies in Construction Materials. 2022 Dec 1;17.
• Ampadu SIK, Arthur TD, Ackah P, Boadu F. Construction and Monitoring of the Short-Term Strength Development of a Cement-Stabilized Lateritic Pavement Layer Under Tropical Climatic Conditions. In: Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering. 2022. p. 727–41.
• Pratson LF, Stroujkova A, Herrick D, Boadu F, Malin P. Predicting seismic velocity and other rock properties from clay content only. GEOPHYSICS. 2021 Jan 1;68(6):1847–56.
• Boadu FK. A support vector regression approach to predict geotechnical properties of soils from electrical spectra based on Jonscher parameterization. Geophysics. 2020 May 1;85(3):EN39–48.
• Owusu-Nimo F, Boadu FK. Evaluating effective stress conditions in soils using non-invasive electrical measurements – Laboratory studies. Journal of Applied Geophysics. 2020 Mar 1;174.
• Boadu FK, Ampadu S. Assessing Relations between Electrical and Geotechnical Properties of Sand-Clay Mixtures Using Jonscher Fractal Power Law Model. Journal of Environmental and Engineering Geophysics. 2019 Mar 1;24(1):77–85.
• Ampadu SIK, Ayeh FFJ, Boadu F. Deriving SPT N-Values from DCP Test Results: The Case of Foundation Design in a Tropical Environment. Geotechnical and Geological Engineering. 2018 Aug 1;36(4):2517–31.
• Boadu FK. Regression Models to Estimate Critical Porosity of Soils from Basic Soil Properties Based on Percolation Theory. Geotechnical and Geological Engineering. 2018 Apr 1;36(2):1207–16.
• Ampadu SIK, Ackah P, Nimo FO, Boadu F. A laboratory study of horizontal confinement effect on the dynamic cone penetration index of a lateritic soil. Transportation Geotechnics. 2017 Mar 1;10:47–61.
• Momayez M, Boadu F, Cassidy N, Jongmans D. Introduction to the JEEG-NSG geotechnical assessment and geo-environmental engineering geophysics special issue. Journal of Environmental and Engineering Geophysics. 2013 Dec 1;18(4):201–3.
• Boadu FK, Owusu-Nimo F, Achampong F, Ampadu SIK. Artificial neural network and statistical models for predicting the basic geotechnical properties of soils from electrical measurements. Near Surface Geophysics. 2013 Jan 1;11(6):599–612.
• Momayez M, Boadu F, Cassidy N, Jongmans D. Introduction to the JEEG - NSG geotechnical assessment and geo-environmental engineering geophysics special issue. Near Surface Geophysics. 2013 Jan 1;11(6):589–90.
• Boadu FK, Owusu-Nimo F. Exploring the linkages between geotechnical properties and electrical responses of sand-clay mixtures under varying effective stress levels. Journal of Environmental and Engineering Geophysics. 2011 Jun 1;16(2):73–83.
• Boadu FK. Predicting the engineering and transport properties of soils using fractal equivalent circuit model: Laboratory experiments. Geophysics. 2011 Jan 1;76(5).
• Boadu F, Owusu-Nimo F. On the use of a fractal equivalent circuit model to predict the geotechnical properties of soils. In: Society of Exploration Geophysicists International Exposition and 80th Annual Meeting 2010, SEG 2010. 2010. p. 1944–9.
• Boadu FK, Owusu-Nimo F. Influence of petrophysical and geotechnical engineering properties on the electrical response of unconsolidated earth materials. Geophysics. 2010 Jan 1;75(3).
• Boadu FK, Gyamfi J, Owusu E. Reply to the discussion. Geophysics. 2009 Jan 1;74(3).
• Owusu-Nimo F, Boadu FK, Menyeh A. Geotechnical parameters from integrated geophysical methods: Laboratory measurements and regression models. Environmental and Engineering Geophysical Society - 21st Symposium on the Application of Geophysics to Engineering and Environmental Problems 2008. 2008 Dec 1;1:204–14.
• Boadu FK, Owusu-Nimo F, Menyeh A. Exploring the linkages between geotechnical properties and geophysical responses of unconsolidated materials - Laboratory measurements. Environmental and Engineering Geophysical Society - 21st Symposium on the Application of Geophysics to Engineering and Environmental Problems 2008. 2008 Dec 1;1:25–35.
• Skokan C, Boadu F. Humanitarian geophysics. Environmental and Engineering Geophysical Society - 21st Symposium on the Application of Geophysics to Engineering and Environmental Problems 2008. 2008 Dec 1;1:20–4.
• Boadu FK, Owusu-Nimo F, Menyeh A. Nitrate contamination in groundwater at farmlands in Nsawam, Ghana: The role of fractures from azimuthal resistivity surveys. Journal of Environmental and Engineering Geophysics. 2008 Mar 1;13(1):27–32.
• Boadu FK, Seabrook BC. Effects of clay content and salinity on the spectral electrical response of soils. Journal of Environmental and Engineering Geophysics. 2006 Sep 1;11(3):161–70.
• Boadu FK, Gyamfi J, Owusu E. Determining subsurface fracture characteristics from azimuthal resistivity surveys: A case study at Nsawam, Ghana. Geophysics. 2005 Jan 1;70(5).
• Boadu FK. Use of multifractal seismic waveform parameters to characterize the hydraulic properties of fractured media: Numerical experiments. Geophysical Journal International. 2003 Nov 1;155(2):557–66.
• Brian S, Boadu, K F. Relating Electrical Response and Petrophysical Properites of Sands Subjected to Stress Changes. Journal of Environmental and Engineering geophysics. 2002;7:88–100.
• Boadu FK. Chapter 11 Permeability estimation with an RBF network and Levenberg-Marquardt learning. Handbook of Geophysical Exploration: Seismic Exploration. 2001 Dec 1;30:171–86.
• Boadu FK. Predicting oil saturation from velocities using petrophysical models and artificial neural networks. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering. 2001 Sep 1;30(3–4):143–54.
• Boadu FK. Petrophysical Parameters Affecting NMR Relaxation Time and Cementation Factor: Artificial Neural Network Analysis. J of Engineering & Environmental Geophysics. 2001;
• Boadu FK. Using Artificial Neural Networks to Predict Oil Saturation from Velocities Based on Petrophysical Models. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering. 2001;30:143–54.
• Boadu FK. Predicting the transport properties of fractured rocks from seismic information: Numerical experiments. Journal of Applied Geophysics. 2000 May 1;44(2–3):103–13.
• Boadu FK. Wave propagation in fluid-saturated media: Waveform and spectral analysis. Geophysical Journal International. 2000 Apr 1;141(1):227–40.
• Boadu FK. Neural inversion for oil saturation from seismic velocities. SEG Technical Program Expanded Abstracts. 2000 Jan 1;19(1):1417–21.
• Boadu FK. Hydraulic conductivity of soils from grain-size distribution: New models. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering. 2000;126(8):739–46.
• Boadu FK. Neural inversion for oil saturation from seismic velocities. In: 2000 SEG Annual Meeting. 2000.
• Boadu FK, Seabrook B. Estimating Hydraulic Conductivity and Porosity of Soils from Spectral Electrical Response Measurements. J of Engineering & Environmental Geophysics. 2000;5(4):1–9.
• Boadu FK. Inversion of fracture density from field seismic velocities using artificial neural networks. Geophysics. 1998 Jan 1;63(2):534–45.
• Boadu FK. Rock properties and seismic attenuation: Neural network analysis. Pure and Applied Geophysics. 1997 Jan 1;149(3):507–24.
• Boadu FK. Fractured rock mass characterization parameters and seismic properties: Analytical studies. Journal of Applied Geophysics. 1997 Jan 1;37(1):1–19.
• Boadu FK. Relating the hydraulic properties of a fractured rock mass to seismic attributes: Theory and numerical experiments. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences. 1997 Jan 1;34(6):885–95.
• Boadu FK, Long LT. Effects of fractures on seismic-wave velocity and attenuation. Geophysical Journal International. 1996 Jan 1;127(1):86–110.
• Debrah SK, Sanogo D, Boadu FO. On-Farm Experiments with Sorghum to Assess the Acceptability of New Varieties and Herbicide Treatments. Electroanalysis. 1996;82(2):219.
• Boadu FK, Long LT. Statistical distribution of natural fractures and the possible physical generating mechanism. Pure and Applied Geophysics PAGEOPH. 1994 Jun 1;142(2):273–93.
• Boadu FK, Long LT. The fractal character of fracture spacing and RQD. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences and. 1994 Jan 1;31(2):127–34.
• Boadu Fred O. Policy on private water sales in rural Ghana. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management. 1994;120(6):944–61.
• Boadu Fred O. Law and natural-resource development. Case of water in Lesotho. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management. 1991;117(6):698–710.