ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank sincerely my advisor, Dr. Sanjaya Senadheera for his valuable advice, time, and support in this project. I also thank the other member of my thesis committee. Dr. Shabbir Hossain for his encouragement and helpful review of my thesis. Shome Dey and Aruna in the Department of Civil Engmeering at Texas Tech University and Mary Catherine Hastert at Texas Tech Health Sciences Center provided limitless support in sample preparations and testing. I would like to especially thank my wife Montasheema and my son Mahdi for their love, support, and encouragement throughout the course of this research. At the end I would like to submit my sincere and himible gratitude to Almighty God for allowing m