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Curriculum Vitae



Rudolph Bonaparte

Professor of the Practice
Geosystems Engineering
Mason 2247
404.307.2684
rudy.bonaparte@ce.gatech.edu

BIOGRAPHY

  • Ph.D., Geotechnical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, 1981
  • M.S., Geotechnical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, 1978
  • B.S., Civil Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, 1977

Dr. Rudolph Bonaparte is Chairman and a Senior Principal at Geosyntec Consultants, Inc. in Atlanta, Georgia. Prior to assuming his current position in August 2016, he served as President and CEO of the firm for 20 years. Under his leadership, Geosyntec grew to 1,200 employees in more than 60 offices practicing in seven countries. The firm is today widely recognized as a technical leader in the areas of environmental, water resources, geotechnical, and structural engineering, and in the earth and environmental sciences.

In August 2016, Dr. Bonaparte was appointed a Professor of the Practice (part time) in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. At Georgia Tech, he participates in the School's Global Engineering Leadership Minor program, co-teaching the program’s foundational course in Global Engineering Leadership, and as a member of the School’s Geosystems Engineering Faculty. His teaching and research interests focus on the development of leadership skills and attributes in students, and geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering.

In his professional practice, he has served as engineer-of-record and/or project manager for many noteworthy projects in the areas of: geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering; contaminated site and waterway assessment and remediation system design; and solid, hazardous, and radioactive waste disposal facility design, permitting, and performance evaluation. He is a registered professional engineer in 17 states. He is the author or co-author of more than 50 peer-reviewed technical papers, several book chapters, and seven reports published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Navy, and NASA on geoengineering-related topics. He has served on the editorial boards of the ASCE Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, the journal Geosynthetics International, and the on-line International Journal of Geoengineering Case Histories.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

  • Engineering Leadership and Management
  • Pedagogical Methods for Leadership Development
  • Geotechnical Engineering
  • Geoenvironmental Engineering
  • Municipal, Hazardous, and Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility Design and Performance
  • Ground Improvement
  • Earth Retaining Structures
  • Shear Strength and Slope Stability
  • Embankments, Dams, and Levees

HONORS & AWARDS

  • American Society of Civil Engineers, OPAL Lifetime Achievement Award in Design (2016)
  • American Society of Civil Engineers, Fellow (2015)
  • University of California, Berkeley – CEE Academy of Distinguished Alumni, Charter Member, (2012)
  • Academy of Geo-Professionals (ASCE) – Diplomate, Geotechnical Engineering, by Invitation (2009)
  • American Academy of Environmental Engineers – Board Certification, by Eminence (2008)
  • National Academy of Engineering – Elected to Membership (2007)
  • Georgia Engineering Alliance – Grand Project Award (2007)
  • University of Texas at Austin – CAEE Academy of Distinguished Alumni (2006)
  • Georgia Engineering Alliance – Georgia Engineer of the Year (2004)
  • American Society of Civil Engineers – James R. Croes Medal (2000)
  • International Geosynthetics Society – IGS Award (1994)
  • North American Geosynthetics Society – Award of Excellence (1991)
  • International Geosynthetics Society – Special Finalists Award (1990)
  • National Science Foundation – Graduate Research Fellow (1977-1980)
  • University of Texas at Austin, Outstanding Graduate Award (1977)
  • Academic Honor Societies (Phi Kappa Phi, Tau Beta Pi, Chi Epsilon)

RECENT PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS

ARTICLES
  • Sabatini, P.J., Griffin, L.M., Bonaparte, R., Espinoza, R.D., and Giroud, J.P., “Reliability of State of Practice for Selection of Shear Strength Parameters for Waste Containment System Stability Analyses,” Geotextiles and Geomembranes, Vol. 20, pp. 241-262, 2002.
  • Daniel, D.E., Koerner, R.M., Bonaparte, R., Landreth, R.E., Carson, D.A., and Scranton, H.B., “Slope Stability of Geosynthetic Clay Liner Test Plots,” ASCE Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, Vol. 124, No. 7, pp. 628-637.
  • Giroud, J.P., Bachus, R.C., and Bonaparte, R., “Influence of Water Flow on the Stability of Geosynthetic- Soil Layered Systems on Slopes,” Geosynthetics International, Vol. 2, No. 6, 1995, pp. 1149-1180.
  • Giroud, J.P. and Bonaparte, R., “Leakage Through Liners Constructed with Geomembranes. Part II: Composite Liners,” Geotextiles and Geomembranes, Vol. 8, No. 2, 1989, pp. 77-111.
  • Giroud, J.P. and Bonaparte, R., “Leakage Through Liners Constructed with Geomembranes. Part I: Geomembrane Liners,” Geotextiles and Geomembranes, Vol. 8, No. 1, 1989, pp. 27-67.
BOOKS
  • Bonaparte, R. and Yanful, E. “Chapter 27: Waste Cover Systems,” in Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering Handbook, R.K. Rowe, ed., Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2001, pp. 825-878.
  • Giroud, J.P. and Bonaparte, R., “Chapter 26: Geosynthetics in Liquid Containing Structures,” in Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering Handbook, R.K. Rowe, ed., Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2001, pp.789-824.
  • Bonaparte, R. and Giroud, J.P., “Waste Containment Systems for Pollution Control: Part II-Hydraulic Design and Performance,” Proceedings, NATO Advanced Study Institute Series, Recent Advances in Ground-Water Pollution Control and Remediation, Kluwer Academic Publishers, The Netherlands, 1996, pp. 437-478.
  • Bonaparte, R., ed., “Waste Containment Systems: Construction, Regulation, and Performance,” Proceedings of a Symposium Sponsored by the American Society of Civil Engineers, ASCE Geotechnical Special Publication No. 26, San Francisco, Nov 1990, 266 p.
PROCEEDINGS
  • Bonaparte, R., Islam, Z.M., Damasceno, V.M., Fountain, S.A., Othman, M.A., and Beech, J.F.,“Geomembrane-Leachate Compatibility for U.S. Department of Energy CERCLA Waste Disposal Facilities”, Geo-Chicago 2016, ASCE Geotechnical Special Publication No. 275, Geosynthetics, Forging a Path to Bona Fide Engineering Materials: Honoring Robert M. Koener, pp. 183-207.
  • Bonaparte, R., Gross, B.A., Brown, A., Goulding, L., and Gupta, R., “Evaluation of Liquids Management Data for Double-Lined Mixed Low-Level Radioactive Waste Landfills”, Geo-Chicago 2016, ASCE Geotechnical Special Publication No. 274, Geoenvironmental Engineering: Honoring David E. Daniel, pp. 1-22.
  • Bonaparte, R., “The Business of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering.” Proceedings, GeoCongress 2012, State of the Art and Practice in Geotechnical Engineering, ASCE Geotechnical Special Publication No. 226., pp. 464-518.
  • Bonaparte, R., Beech, J.F., Griffin, L.M., Phillips, D., Kumthekar, U., and J. Reising, “Design and Performance of a Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility.” Proceedings, 6th International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering, Washington, D.C., August, 22 p.
  • Giroud, J.P. and Bonaparte, R., “Geosynthetics in Dam Rehabilitation,” Proceedings of the Specialty Conference on Geotechnical Practice in Dam Rehabilitation, ASCE Geotechnical Special Publication No. 35, 1993, pp. 1043-1074.
REPORTS
  • Bonaparte, R., Gross, B.A., Koerner, R.M., Daniel, D.E., and Dwyer, S., Technical Guidance for RCRA/ CERCLA Final Cover Systems, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, 2005.
  • Bonaparte, R., Koerner, R.M., and Daniel, D.E., Assessment and Recommendations for Improving the Performance of Waste Containment Systems, research report published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, EPA/600/R-02/099, December 2002.
  • Sabatini, P.J., Elias, V., Schmertmann, G.R., and Bonaparte, R., “Earth Retaining Systems,” Geotechnical Circular No. 2, Publication No. FHWA-SA-96-038, Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, D.C., 1997, 161 p.
  • Singh, R.D., Bonaparte, R., and Gardner, W.S., Laboratory Characterization of Soil Properties, final report, Contract No. DOT-FH-11-9627, Office of Research and Development, Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington D.C., 1982.
  • Bonaparte, R. and Mitchell, J.K., Development of Experimental Concepts for Investigating the Strength Behavior of Fine Grained Cohesive Soils in the Spacelab/Space Shuttle Zero-G Environment, NASA Contract Report 3365, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, 1980.
PRESENTATIONS
  • American Society of Civil Engineers, Geo-Chicago 2016 Conference – “The Interface of Professional Practice, Research, and Education” (2016)
  • Georgia Institute of Technology and ASCE Georgia Section, 19th George F. Sowers Distinguished Lecturer (2016)
  • University of Minnesota, Keynote Speaker, 61st Minnesota Geotechnical Conference (2013)
  • American Society of Civil Engineers, GeoCongress 2012 Conference – “The Business of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering – State of Practice” (2012)
  • Texas A&M University – 19th Spencer J. Buchanan Annual Distinguished Lecture (2011)