Youngguk Seo
Associate Professor of Civil Engineering
Degrees and Appointments
B.S. (Civil Engineering), University of Seoul, 1993; M.S.(Civil Engineering - Structural),
Seoul National University, 1996; Ph.D (Civil Engineering - Transportation Materials),
North Carolina State University, 2003. Researcher (1996 - 2006) and Deputy Research
Director (2006 - 2013) at Expressway and Transportation Research Institute (ETRI)
of Korea Expressway Corporation (KEC), Korea; Pavement Engineer at Turner Fairbank
Highway Research Center (TFHRC) of Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), 2013 - 2014;
Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering, 2014 - 2020; Director of Georgia Pavement
and Transportation Research Center (GPTRC website), 2019 - 2022; Associate Professor of Civil Engineering, 2020 - present
Research Overview
Dr. Youngguk Seo specializes in the study of multi-phased transportation materials, including asphalt concrete and cement concrete mixtures, which exhibit elastic, plastic, viscoelastic, and viscoplastic behaviors under combined mechanical and environmental stresses. His work emphasizes key performance indicators for road infrastructure, leading to the development of models, guidelines, and pavement management systems. Since 2004, Dr. Seo has conducted extensive full-scale field experiments and spearheaded multiple national projects at the Korea Expressway Corporation Test Road (KECTR)—a 7.7-kilometer highway test facility in South Korea. These field studies have been instrumental in calibrating and validating mechanistic-empirical pavement design methods. From 2013 to 2014, Dr. Seo served as a pavement engineer at the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC) of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). There, he conducted a performance ranking study of recycled materials, such as Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP) and Recycled Asphalt Shingles (RAS), utilizing Accelerated Loading Facilities (ALF). Dr. Seo's research interests also extend to sustainable infrastructure design, including quantifying greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during highway construction and operation, and exploring innovative snow-melting technologies using renewable energy sources. For more information, please visit research website.
Research Keywords
Transportation materials; full-scale testing; sustainability; road policy and specifications;
geothermal energy
Experience
Pavement Engineer, TFHRC of FHWA, SES Group, 02.2013 – 08.2014
Deputy Research Director, KEC, 02.2006 – 02.2013
Researcher, KEC, Korea 02.1996 – 02.2006
Brain Pool Scholar, Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies, Korea,
05.2015 – 08.2015
Visiting Scholar, Korea Institute of Construction Technology, Korea,10.2015 – 03.2016
Visiting Scholar, Korea Institute of Construction Technology, Korea, 01.2007 – 02.2007
Civil Engineer, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 10.1997 – 12.1997
Selected Publications
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Kim, J.H., Kwon, O.S., Cho, W.Y., Kim, K., and Seo, Y. Introducing the rubber plate impact method: A versatile alternative to close proximity test for tire-pavement noise characterization on highways, Discover Civil Engineering http://doi.org/10.1007/s44290-024-00074-y, ISSN 2948-1546 (09.2024)
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Kwon, J., Seo, Y., Kaplan, A. Assessment of full-depth reclamation (FDR) pavement performance: A case study in Georgia, Case Studies in Construction Materials, Volume 20, e02910, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscm.2024.e02910., ISSN 2214-5095 (07.2024)
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Seo, Y. and U.J. Seo. Ground source heat pump (GSHP) systems for horticulture greenhouses adjacent to highway interchanges: A case study in South Korea, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2020.110194 (01.2021)
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Seo, Y., J.H. Kim, and U.J. Seo. Eco-friendly snow melting systems developed for modern expressways, ASTM Journal of Testing and Evaluation 47(5): 3432–3447 (10.2019)
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Seo, Y., U.J. Seo, and J.H. Kim. Economic feasibility of ground source heat pump system deployed in expressway service area. Geothermics 76: 220-230 (07.2018)
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H.J. Oh, Y.K. Cho, Seo, Y., and S.M. Kim. Experimental evaluation of longitudinal behavior of continuously reinforced concrete pavement depending on base type, Construction and Building Materials 114: 374-382 (07.2016)
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Seo, Y. and S.M. Kim. Estimation of greenhouse gas emissions from road traffic: A case study in Korea. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 28: 777-787 (12.2013)
Selecte Research Grants
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Assessment of Durability and Functionality of Highway Porous Pavements, PI, KEC/KCL, 2024-2026
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Optimizing Winter Roadway Treatment for Georgia Pavements, PI, GDOT RP 18-28 (subcontract to Georgia Southern University), 2019 - 2020
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Best Policies and Regulations for the Performance Enhancement of Highway Pavement in Korea, PI, Korea Expressway Corporation, Korea, 2016 - 2017
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Development of Materials and Construction Technology for Cool and Porous Pavement, PI, Seoul Metropolitan Government, Korea, 2015 - 2016
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Energy Harvesting Technologies for Road Pavement, PI (Brain Pool Scholar at KICT), Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies, 05.2015 - 08.2015
Honors and Awards
- Distinguished Scholarship Award, SPCEET, KSU, 02.2022
- Outstanding Early Career Faculty Award. KSU Foundation, 11.2018
- Brain Pool Program Award, KOFST, 05.2015
- KSCE Award, Korean Society of Civil Engineers, No. 2010-257, 01.2011
- Best Paper Award, Korean Society of Civil Engineers, No. 2008-120, 10.2008
- Best Paper Award, Korean Society of Road Engineers, No. 08-20, 10.2008
- Best Young Researcher Award, Korean Society of Civil Engineers, No. 346, 01.2007
- Best Researcher Award, Ministry of Construction and Transportation, 04.2006
- Ward K. Parr/Association of Asphalt Paving Technologists Scholarship, 07.2002
- Summa Cum Laude, University of Seoul, 02.1993
Curriculum Vitae
