Consultants

Civotec LLC specializes in geotechnical engineering, pavement design, and material testing services to support infrastructure development, construction quality, and long-term performance. Our expertise includes the investigation, testing, and design of foundations, slopes, retaining structures, and pavement systems.

We provide comprehensive laboratory and field testing of soils, aggregates, concrete, and asphalt to support engineering decisions and ensure material compliance. Our capabilities extend to advanced geomechanics modeling, numerical simulations, and subsurface characterization to guide safe, efficient, and resilient designs.

Civotec also offers professional training and develops specialized tools and software to enhance engineering workflows and promote technical excellence. We are committed to precision, innovation, and delivering cost-effective, performance-driven solutions across a wide range of infrastructure projects.

Our Team of Consultants

Nima Shiehbeiki, P.E.

Mr. Shiehbeiki is a structural engineer with extensive experience of structural analysis and design of residential and commercial buildings. He is a licensed professional engineer in CA, TX, LA, KY, and MI. His areas of expertise include structural assessments, foundation design, structural engineering, and drafting in a wide range of buildings, from renovation and modernization of existing buildings to design of new structures, component design, and connection design for conventional steel framing. His team has designed and provided construction packages for hundreds of buildings in residential, commercial, storage, industrial, oil & gas, education, science & technology, and healthcare sectors.

Rifat Bulut, Ph.D.

Dr. Bulut obtained his doctoral degree in civil engineering from Texas A&M University and his master’s degree from Texas Tech University. Dr. Bulut’s main areas of expertise include unsaturated soils, expansive soils, residential and light commercial building foundations on expansive soils, soil stabilization, and soil-structure interaction. He has extensive experience in the field of soil suction measurements, behavior of expansive soils, interaction of various chemical additives with expansive soils, and numerical modeling of slabs on expansive soil foundations. Dr. Bulut has published widely in reputed journals and conference proceedings.

Amin Barari, Ph.D.

Dr. Amin Barari completed his PhD in the area of geotechnical engineering at the Aalborg University in 2012 where he was subsequently employed as postdoctoral researcher at offshore foundations research group. He also took up Postdoc position at Virginia Tech after visiting research associate position at the Technical University of Denmark, in 2015. His expertise is in the areas of geotechnical engineering, offshore geotechnics, seismic response of earth systems, soil-structure interaction, and consequences of soil liquefaction.

Dennis C. Duru, P.E., CEG, R.G.

Mr. Duru provides geotechnical, engineering geologic and near surface geophysics services. He has extensive experience in geohazard evaluation, deep and shallow foundations, retaining walls, engineered slopes, problematic soil and rock, site-specific seismic, steep slope, and laboratory testing services. He believes in optimized geotechnical investigation and data collection to provide site and project specific recommendation. Mr. Duru is licensed as a professional engineer (PE), and as a certified engineering geologist (CEG) and registered geologist (RG).

Jay N. Meegoda, Ph.D., P.E., ASCE Fellow

Dr. Meegoda received his BS (Honors) from University of Sri Lanka and his M.S. and his Ph.D. from the University of California at Davis. He has been working as educator, consultant and researcher in engineering for over 42 years. He utilizes scientific concepts and engineering technologies in his areas of expertise to provide solutions to real world problems. Dr. Meegoda has worked with state and local governments, and foreign governments to provide technical input for broad range of problems.

Meron Alebachew

Mrs. Meron is a geotechnical engineer with experience in industry and academia, specializing in geotechnics and civil engineering disciplines. She has expertise in construction monitoring, inspection, and structural and foundation design assessments for residential, commercial, healthcare, and highway projects. Her areas of interests include construction inspection and monitoring, structural evaluations, optimized geotechnical investigations, seismic hazard analysis, liquefiable soils, computational geotechnics, soil-structure interaction, and the seismic response of earth systems and geotechnical structures sp. piles.

Ash Zamiran, Ph.D., P.E.

Dr. Zamiran is a geotechnical and structural consultant with over than 15 years of industry and academic experience in different civil engineering disciplines. Currently, Dr. Zamiran is a civil engineering consultant and Senior Lecturer at University of Houston. He has extensive experiences in geotechnical investigations and failure analysis of structures, pavements, and geo-systems. Dr. Zamiran is a member of ASCE Geo-Institute Computational Geotechnics Committee. He was the winner of national ASCE Edmund Friedman Award in 2019 and ASCE St. Louis Young Engineer Award in 2018.

Our Mission

At Civotec, our mission is to deliver technically sound, independent, and forward-thinking geotechnical engineering solutions that support safe, resilient, and sustainable infrastructure. We specialize in subsurface investigations, foundation design, pavement evaluation, and soil and material testing for both public and private sector projects. Our team is dedicated to providing clear, defensible analyses and expert guidance that drive better decisions in construction, design, and risk management. Through advanced testing methods, innovative modeling, and engineering consultation, we help clients build with confidence—above and below ground.

Our Core Values

Scientific Integrity – Every geotechnical assessment and testing service is driven by evidence-based methods, technical accuracy, and ethical responsibility to ensure objective, data-backed conclusions.
Reliability & Objectivity – Our work is grounded in engineering standards and independent analysis, delivering trustworthy insights for design decisions, risk management, and regulatory compliance.
Sustainability & Innovation – We apply efficient design practices, non-destructive testing, and advanced modeling to reduce environmental impact and enhance the resilience of infrastructure systems.
Commitment to Safety – Safety is integral to every investigation and recommendation, from fieldwork to construction support, ensuring regulatory compliance and stakeholder protection.

Health and Safety

At Civotec, health and safety are foundational to every geotechnical investigation and testing operation. Our work often involves active construction sites, unstable ground conditions, heavy equipment, and field testing in complex environments—demanding strict adherence to safety protocols and risk management strategies.
We prioritize safe practices by employing non-destructive testing methods, real-time monitoring technologies, and full compliance with OSHA and industry safety standards. Whether performing site investigations, material testing, or foundation evaluations, our team follows rigorous procedures to safeguard our personnel, clients, and the surrounding environment.
Safety is not just a standard—it’s a responsibility we uphold in every project we undertake.

Sustainability

At Civotec, sustainability is embedded in our geotechnical engineering and testing practices—ensuring that our solutions support long-term performance while minimizing environmental impact.
Through the use of non-destructive testing, efficient site investigation methods, and responsible material evaluation, we reduce waste and promote resource-efficient construction. Our recommendations often include ground improvement strategies, foundation optimization, and environmentally conscious remediation techniques.
By integrating scientific integrity, innovation, and environmental stewardship into every project, we contribute to a more resilient and sustainable built environment.

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