Improvements in Silt Fence Installations Determined Through Full-Scale Testing

Dr. Wesley Zech is currently a Professor and Interim Chair in the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering and also serves as the Director of Civil Engineering Construction Management. Prior to his appointment with the University of Alabama Birmingham, he was the Brasfield and Gorrie Professor of Construction Engineering and Management at Auburn University. He earned a B.S. (1999), M.E. (2000), and a Ph.D. (2004) from the University at Buffalo in Western, NY. He was employed at Auburn University since 2004 and has conducted external research in collaboration with the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) that led to the development of the Auburn University Stormwater Research Facility. His research has focused on the evaluation of silt fence tieback practices, the use of polyacrylamide as an erosion and sediment control measure, the performance evaluation of various hydromulches, performance evaluation of various ditch checks and inlet protection measures, assessing the in-field performance characteristics of sediment basins constructed in Alabama, and characterizing post construction runoff control from construction. Many of the research results from these efforts have been adopted as standard erosion and sediment control practices used on highway construction projects in the state of Alabama.