Mark R Muszynski, Ph.D., P.E.

Chair & Associate Professor, Civil Engineering

Mark Muszynski has eight years of full-time experience in civil and geotechnical engineering, and has been involved in engineering consulting for an additional decade since. He has worked on projects and sites for all types of clients including industrial,...

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Mark Muszynski

Contact Information

Education & Curriculum Vitae

Ph.D. Civil/Geotechnical Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2013 

M.S. Civil/Geotechnical Engineering, Michigan Technological University, 2000

B.S. Civil/Structural Engineering, Michigan Technological University, 1998

Courses Taught

CENG 225 Engineering Geology

CENG 331 Soil Mechanics

Past Semesters

CENG 331L Soil Mechanics Lab

CENG 391 Civil Eng Design & Practice

CENG 464 Ground Behavior for Structures

ENSC 481 Construction Management

Mark Muszynski has eight years of full-time experience in civil and geotechnical engineering, and has been involved in engineering consulting for an additional decade since. He has worked on projects and sites for all types of clients including industrial, commercial, municipal, and residential, and has personally evaluated ground conditions and provided engineering recommendations on over 500 sites. Mark is a licensed professional engineer in the states of Washington and Michigan.

He has participated in engineering conferences as a speaker, and has authored and co-authored numerous journal articles and conference proceedings. Much of his early personal research, conducted while still in full-time practice, focused on increasing the quality of engineering parameters for foundation design simply by incorporating some additional observations from conventional soil testing.

Additional research interests include soft ground behavior, shearing/micromechanics modeling of granular materials, in situ (in place) soil testing, effects of earthquakes on foundation elements related to transportation infrastructure and lifelines, and professional practice issues.

Professor Muszynski's teaching philosophy includes bringing his experience to the classroom to promote high levels of interest in the subjects taught, while presenting the material in a way that nurtures the natural desire of the student with regards to gaining a solid understanding of the important engineering concepts.

Refereed Journals

  • Discussion of “Particle Roundness and Sphericity from Images of Assemblies by Chart Estimates and Computer Methods” By: Roman D. Hryciw, Junxing Zheng, and Kristen Shetler, ASCE Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0001485 by Mark R. Muszynski and Stanley J. Vitton (in press)
  • Muszynski, M.R. and Prince, R. (2017). “Geotechnical Perspectives of Project Success Concerning Residential Client on Challenging Building Sites,”ASCE Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities, DOI 10.1061/(ASCE)CF.1943-5509.0000972.
  • Olson, Scott M., Hashash, Youssef M. A., Muszynski, Mark R., and Phillips, Camilo, (2017).“Passive Wedge Formation and Lateral Loads on Large Foundations during Lateral Spreading,”ASCE Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, DOI:10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.00001663.
  • Muszynski, Mark R., Olson, Scott M., Hashash, Youssef M. A., and Phillips, Camilo, (2016). Earth Pressure Measurements Using Tactile Pressure Sensors in a Saturated Sand during Static and Dynamic Centrifuge Testing,” ASTM Geotechnical Testing Journal, 39(3), pp. 371-390. DOI: 10.1520/GTJ20150049.
  • Muszynski, Mark R., Olson, Scott M., Hashash, Youssef M. A., and Phillips, Camilo, (2014). “Repeatability of Centrifuge Tests Containing a Large, Rigid Foundation Subjected to Lateral Spreading,” ASTM Geotechnical Testing Journal, 37(6), 1002-1015, doi:10.1520/GTJ20130093. ISSN 0149-6115.
  • Muszynski, M.R. and Vitton, S.J. (2012). “Particle Shape Estimates of Uniform Sands: Visual and Automated Methods Comparison,” ASCE Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, 24(2), 194-206. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0000351
  • Phillips, C., Hashash, Y.M.A., Olson, S.M., and Muszynski, M.R. (2012). “Significance of Small Strain Damping and Dilation Parameters in Numerical Modeling of Free-Field Lateral Spreading Centrifuge Tests,” Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering 42, 161–176. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.soildyn.2012.06.001
  • Muszynski, M.R. (2009). “Incorporating Reliability Methods in Geotechnical Engineering,” ASCE Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities, 23(3), 130-131, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CF.1943-5509.0000035.
  • Muszynski, M.R. (2008). “Effects of Particle Shape and Gradation on Miniature DCP Tests in Sand,” ASTM Geotechnical Testing Journal, 31(6), 531-539. DOI: 10.1520/GTJ101575.
  • Muszynski, M.R. (2006). “Determination of Maximum and Minimum Densities of Poorly Graded Sands using a Simplified Method,” ASTM Geotechnical Testing Journal, 29(3), 263-272, https://doi.org/10.1520/GTJ12591. ISSN 0149-6115.

Conference Proceedings

  • Muszynski, M.R. (2017). “Dynamic Cone Penetrometer and Relative Density Relationships for Uniformly-Graded Sands” U. of Minnesota Geotechnical Conference, February 24, 2017, Minneapolis, MN
  • Niezgoda, S.L., Muszynski, M.R., and Navickis-Brasch, A., (2016). A Critical Review of Permeable Asphalt Behavior and Performance to Guide Application to Arterial Streets in Cold Climates, Conference: World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2016, DOI:10.1061/9780784479865.008.
  • Muszynski, M.R. and Hodek, R.J. (2014). “Change in Local Void Ratio Distribution of Sand as a Function of Aging Time,” 8th International Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics 2014 (ICPMG 2014), Perth, Australia, 14-17 January 2014, pp. 1267–1272, ISBN: 978-1-138-00152-7, DOI: 10.1201/b16200-182.
  • Vitton, Stanley J. and Muszynski, Mark R. (2013). “Strength and Creep Properties of a Frozen Coastal Sand in Saltwater,” Mechanical Properties of Frozen Soils, STP 1568, Hannele Zubeck and Zhaohui Yang, Eds., pp. 153–166, doi:10.1520/STP156820130034. ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, ASTM Symposium on Mechanical Properties of Frozen Soils on January 31, 2013 in Jacksonville, FL. DOI: 10.1520/STP156820130034.
  • Olson, S.M., Muszynski, M.R., Hashash, Y.M.A., and Phillips, C. (2013). “Downslope Ground Movements during Liquefaction-Induced Lateral Spreading in Centrifuge Testing, Geo-Congress2013: Stability and Performance of Slopes and Embankments III. http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/9780784412787.095
  • Olson, S.M., Hashash, Y.M.A., Muszynski, M.R., Phillips, C., and Polito, C. (2010). “Using Tactile Pressure Sensors to Measure Lateral Spreading-Induced Earth Pressures against a Large, Rigid Foundation,” Fifth Int’l Conf. on Recent Advances in Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering and Soil Dynamics, S. Prakash (Ed.), (10pp). San Diego, CA

Electronic Journals and magazines

  • Jafari, N., Muszynski, M., and Anderson, A., (2012). “Lessons Learned from Geo-Legends: Clyde N. Baker, Jr., P.E., S.E.”, Geo-Institute Geostrata Magazine, (2012 March/April), 2(16), 10-12. ftp://gsd.asce.org/MAR.APR.GEO.pdf
  • Muszynski, M.R. and Brumbaugh, C.D. (2009). “Friction Pile Capacity in Soft, Fine-Grained Soils: Two Case Studies,” Electronic Journal of Geotechnical Engineering (EJGE), 14, Bundle B. http://www.ejge.com/2009/Ppr0921/Abs0921.htm
  • Muszynski, M.R. and Brumbaugh, C.D. (2007). “Geotechnical Characteristics of Soft Lake Marl with Preload Test Results,” Electronic Journal of Geotechnical Eng. (EJGE), 12, Bundle A. http://www.ejge.com/2007/Ppr0721/Abs0721.htm