William Likos

William Likos is a Professor in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He specializes in unsaturated soil mechanics and has made significant contributions to the understanding of expansive clays, soil characterization, and the use of recycled materials in geotechnical applications.

Education:

• PhD (2000) – Colorado School of Mines
• MS (1996) – Tulane University
• BS (1994) – Tulane University

Research Interests:

His research spans a wide range of topics in geotechnical and environmental engineering, with a primary focus on unsaturated soil mechanics. This includes laboratory and field investigation of soil hydraulic, mechanical, and thermal behavior, pore-scale imaging, and the beneficial reuse of industrial by-products and recycled materials. He also explores expansive soil behavior and its implications for infrastructure.

Publications Overview:

His recent publications (2023–2025) reflect a strong emphasis on unsaturated soil mechanics, environmental geotechnics, and sustainable infrastructure. Topics include soil freezing behavior, recycled materials in MSE walls, expansive soil classification, and pore-scale modeling of soil properties. These works highlight his interdisciplinary approach combining laboratory experimentation, theoretical modeling, and field validation.

Awards and Honors:

• Vilas Associates Award (2024)
• Editor’s Choice Award, ASCE (2024)
• Superior Paper Award, WM2024 (2024)
• Best Paper Award, Transportation Research Board (2023)
• Norman Medal, ASCE (2014, 2007)
• Walter L. Huber Civil Engineering Research Prize (2014)
• Arthur Casagrande Award, ASCE (2005)
• And over 15 other national and institutional honors

Teaching and Advising:

He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses including Soil Mechanics, Slope Stability, and Unsaturated Soil Geoengineering. He also advises master's and PhD students through research seminars and thesis supervision.

Labs and Teams:

While specific lab names are not mentioned, his research heavily involves advanced soil characterization, pore-scale imaging, and field instrumentation, likely supported by UW-Madison’s geotechnical and environmental engineering labs.