Avinash Unnikrishnan

Avinash Unnikrishnan is a Professor and Chair in the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). He holds a B.Tech. from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, an M.S. from Vanderbilt University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Texas, all in civil engineering fields. His research focuses on optimizing urban mobility networks, resilient infrastructure systems, and the intersection of transportation with public health and pedagogy. He has contributed to studies on EV charging equity, disaster-related pathogen assessments, and drone-integrated logistics systems.

Unnikrishnan's work spans transportation policy, infrastructure resilience under extreme events, and sustainable urban systems. His recent research includes analyses of post-pandemic shopping behavior in New Delhi, risk-based asset management for bridges, and the impact of truck platooning on bridge loading. He has also explored the implications of home deliveries during and post-COVID-19 lockdowns, emphasizing equity and environmental justice.

He has advised several research projects funded by state and federal agencies, including studies on speed zoning methodologies, freight flow prediction using weigh-in-motion data, and motor carrier safety in Oregon. His expertise in interdisciplinary methods has led to innovations in transportation modeling, logistics optimization, and infrastructure durability assessment.

Labs/Teams: While specific lab names aren’t mentioned, his research involves collaborations with state transportation departments (e.g., ODOT) and interdisciplinary teams focusing on urban systems, environmental health, and infrastructure resilience.