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Amanda Cox, Ph.D., P.E.

Associate Professor of Civil Engineering

Education

Ph.D. Civil Engineering, Hydraulics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
M.S. Civil Engineering, Hydraulics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
B.S. in Civil Engineering, University of Missouri-Columbia

Research Interests

Research Website

Cox has been conducting hydraulic engineering research for more than ten years and has completed over 45 research projects. Her experience includes physical hydraulic modeling of river systems, channel rehabilitation structures, bridge pier scour, and outlet works. Additionally, Cox has extensive research experience with erosion control countermeasures including riprap revetment, articulated concrete block revetment systems, rock-filled gabions mattresses, concrete-filled cellular systems, and vegetated and non-vegetated turf reinforcement mats. Her dissertation was entitled “Moment stability analysis method for determining safety factors for articulated concrete blocks” and provided a design method for articulated concrete block systems. Cox’s broad experience relating to hydraulic modeling includes studies of in-stream rehabilitation structures funded by the Bureau of Reclamation. Her Master’s thesis was on evaluating hydraulics of cross-vane, w-weir, and bendway weir in-stream flow control structures including energy losses, scour and structure stability in a mobile-bed channel. Additional river engineering studies of interest by Dr. Cox include a physical modeling study funded by the Army Corps of Engineers that evaluated artificial substrate for White Sturgeon spawning habitat in the Kootenai River, a large-scale physical model study of sloped-rock weirs to evaluate rock sizing, and two physical model studies to evaluate sedimentation near a pump intake on the Sacramento River. In addition to river engineering studies, Cox has researched stormwater hydraulic structures including curb and gutter drainage inlets, highway median drainage inlets, and an ellipse-shaped detention-pond weir outlet. She also evaluated hydraulics associated with stormwater roof-drain water-quality treatment systems and permeable pavers, conducted water-quality tests of rolled sediment retention devices for stormwater runoff, and collaborated with the U.S. Geological Survey to conduct laboratory testing of a new stormwater sampling device.

  • River Engineering Structures – Hybrid hydraulic modeling, which couples physical modeling with numerical simulations, is being used to evaluate the influence of varying design parameters for in-stream rock structures on flow velocity and turbulence fields where flow conditions are highly three-dimensional. Collaborating with the Bureau of Reclamation Albuquerque Area Office and Colorado State University, computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations are being calibrated with large-scale physical modeling data. Once calibrated, the numerical models will be used to evaluate the influence of varying structure design parameters, such as structure height, length, and orientation.
  • Urban Drainage Hydraulic Structures – An innovative detention-pond outlet structure was designed by the Urban Drainage and Flood Control District (UDFCD) to address discharge, pollution, and maintenance concerns. The elliptical sharp-crested weir was developed for the purpose of decreasing time and cost associated with clearing debris following storm events. This research is focused on developing a rating equation (relates the volume of flow through the structure as a function of the water-surface elevation at the structure) for the new structure and evaluating the behavior of varying types of urban debris as they pass through the structure.
  • Erosion Control Technologies – Many human impacts disturb the natural protection of land from stormwater-induced erosion such as urbanization and farming. Several technologies are available to provide protection from this erosion. Geotextiles are commonly used for temporary protection at construction sites or permanent protection for stormwater ephemeral drainage ways. Articulated concrete block (ACB) revetment systems are used for lining channels and earthen dam spillways and levees. Research in this area focuses on evaluating flow hydraulics related to the level of erosion protection to ultimately be used for design purposes.

Publications and Media Placements

Printed Archival Peer-Reviewed Journals
Abt, S.R., Scurlock, S.M., Thornton, C.I., Cox, A.L., and Holste, N.J. (2016). “Bendway Weir Riprap Sizing Criteria.” ASCE Journal of Hydraulic Engineering. DOI.org/10.1061/(ASCE)HY.1943-7900.0001209.

Andes, L.C. and Cox, A.L. (In Review). “Rectilinear Inverse Distance Weighting Methodology for Bathymetric Cross-section Interpolation along the Mississippi River.” Submitted to the ASCE Journal of Hydrologic Engineering, submitted August 11, 2016.

Cox, A.L., Thornton, C.I., and Abt, S.R. (2014). “Articulated Concrete Block Stability Analysis for Embankment Overtopping Conditions.” ASCE Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, 140(5). DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)HY.1943-7900.0000844

Cox, A.L., Kullberg, E.G., MacKenzie, K.A., and Thornton, C.I. (2014). “Stage-discharge Rating Equation for an Elliptical Sharp-crested Weir.” ASCE Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, 140(6). DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)IR.1943-4774.0000730

Cox, A.L., Saadat, S., MacKenzie, K.A., and Thornton, C.I. (2015). “Effect of Urban Debris on Hydraulic Efficiency of an Elliptical Sharp-Crested Weir.” ASCE Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)IR.1943-4774.0000837.

Cox, A.L., C.I. Thornton, and S.R. Abt (February 2013). “Supercritical flow measurement using large Parshall flumes.” ASCE Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, 139(8):655-662. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)IR.1943-4774.0000605

Selbig, W.R., Cox, A.L., and Bannerman, R.T. (2012). “Verification of a Depth-Integrated Sample Arm as a Means to Reduce Solids Stratification Bias in Urban Stormwater Sampling.” Journal of Environmental Monitoring. Vol. 14(4): 1137-1143. DOI: 10.1039/c2em10999a

Conference Papers
Andes, L.C. and Cox, A.L. (2016). “Long-term morphologic analysis of the Mississippi River-Big Muddy River Confluence.” Eighth International Conference on Fluvial Hydraulics, River Flow 2016, July 12-15, St. Louis, MO.

Mustafa, M.T., Cox, A.L., Davinroy, R.D., Krischel, B.J., and Nguyen, I.H. (2016). “Form- and grain-roughness components of Shields-parameter similitude for an HSR physical model.” Eighth International Conference on Fluvial Hydraulics, River Flow 2016, July 12-15, St. Louis, MO.

Scurlock, S.M., Cox, A.L., Baird, D.C., Thornton, C.I., and Abt, S.R. (2015). “Hybrid Hydraulic Modeling of River-training Structures in Sinuous Channels.” 3rd Joint Federal Interagency Conference on Sedimentation and Hydrologic Modeling (SEDHYD), April 19-23, Reno, NV.

Healy, K.M., Cox, A.L., Hanes, D.M., and Chambers, L.G. (2015). “State of the Practice of Sediment Management in Reservoirs: Minimizing Sedimentation and Removing Deposits.” 3rd Joint Federal Interagency Conference on Sedimentation and Hydrologic Modeling (SEDHYD), April 19-23, Reno, NV.

Cox, A.L., Biedenharn, D.S., Watson, C.C., and Martin, M. (2015). “POTAMOD – Mobile-bed Sediment-transport Modeling Application for Use with SIAM and HEC-RAS.” 3rd Joint Federal Interagency Conference on Sedimentation and Hydrologic Modeling (SEDHYD), April 19-23, Reno, NV.

Andes, L.C., and Cox, A.L. (2015). “Middle Mississippi River Sedimentation Analysis at Tributary Junctions.” 3rd Joint Federal Interagency Conference on Sedimentation and Hydrologic Modeling (SEDHYD), April 19-23, Reno, NV.

Cox, A.L., Thornton, C.I., Woidt, J.L., MacKenzie, K.A., and Mommandi, A. (2012). “Physical Modeling and Evaluation of Hydraulic Efficiencies for Colorado Department of Transportation Type C and D Median Inlets.” Presented at the North American Surface Water Quality Conference and Exposition StormCon 2012, August 20-22, Denver, CO.

Selbig, W.R. and Cox, A.L. (2012). “Improving Sediment Measurements in Stormwater through an Automated Depth-Integrated Sample Arm.” Presented at the ASCE EWRI Hydraulic Measurement & Experimental Methods Conference, August 12-15, Snowbird, UT.


Scurlock, M.S., Cox, A.L., Thornton, C.I., and Baird, D.C. (2012). “Maximum Velocity Effects from Vane-Dike Installations in Channel Bends.” Presented at the ASCE World Environmental & Water Resources Congress 2012, May 20-24, Albuquerque, NM.

Scurlock, M.S., Cox, A.L., Thornton, C.I., and Baird, D.C. (2011). “Maximum Outer-bank Velocity Reduction for Vane-dike Fields Installed in Channel Bends.” Presented at AGU Hydrology Days 2011, March 21-23, Fort Collins, CO.

Turner, M.D., Cox, A.L., and Thornton, C.I. (2011). “Development of Transition Mat Scour Protection Design Methodology and Comparison to the State-of-the-practice.” Presented at AGU Hydrology Days 2011, March 21-23, Fort Collins, CO.

Woidt, J.L., Cox, A.L., and Thornton, C.I. (2011). “Evaluation of Sedimentation and Erosion Trends in the Sacramento River near the M&T/Llano Seco Pump Station.” Presented at AGU Hydrology Days 2011, March 21-23, Fort Collins, CO.

Cox, A.L., Turner, M.D., and Thornton, C.I. (2011). “New Scour Protection Technology – How does it Stack Up?” Presented at International Erosion Control Association Environmental Connection 2011 Conference, February 22-24, Orlando, FL.

Cox, A.L., Thornton, C.I., and Eriksen, K.W. (2008). “Effectiveness of Artificial Substrate in Capturing and Retaining Sturgeon Eggs.” Presented at the ASCE World Environmental & Water Resources Congress 2008, May 12-16, Honolulu, HI.

Eriksen, K.W., Coburn, A.A., Cox, A.L., and Thornton, C.I. (2008). “The Use of Physical Modeling to Design Kootenai River White Sturgeon Spawning Habitat.” Presented at the ASCE World Environmental & Water Resources Congress 2008, May 12-16, Honolulu, HI.

Cox, A.L., and Carpenter, T. (2008). “Performance of Scourstop Transition Mat® for Channelized Hydraulic Conditions.” Presented at International Erosion Control Association Environmental Connection 2008 Conference, February 19-21, Orlando, FL.

Cox, A.L., and Thornton, C.I. (2006). “Overtopping Analysis – The State of the Practice.” Proc. of the 2006 Association of State Dam Safety Officials Annual Conference, September 11-14, Boston, MA.

Lui, H., Kosugi, S., Foster, A., and Lee, A.J. (2002). “Cost Analysis of Freight Transport by a LIM-Driven Pneumatic Capsule Pipeline.” ISUFT-2002, September 19-20, Bochum, Germany.

Other Peer-reviewed Papers
Komiskey, M.J., Stuntebeck, T.D., Cox, A.L., and Frame, D.R, 2013, Implications of flume slope on discharge estimates from 0.762-meter H flumes used in edge-of-field monitoring: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2013–1082, 11 p.

Conference Posters
Cox, A.L., Biedenharn, D.S., Watson, C.C., and Martin, M. (2015). “POTAMOD – Mobile-bed Sediment-transport Modeling Application for Use with SIAM and HEC-RAS.” 3rd Joint Federal Interagency Conference on Sedimentation and Hydrologic Modeling (SEDHYD), April 19-23, Reno, NV.

Professional Organizations and Associations

  • Professional Engineer, State of Missouri (No. 2014007263)
  • Professional Engineer, State of Colorado (No. 42663)
  • Member, Missouri Water Resources Research Center Advisory (MWRRC)
  • Board Member, Subcommittee on Sedimentation (SOS) of the Advisory Committee on Water Information (ACWI)
  • Chair for 2014 and 2015, Vice Chair for 2012 and 2013 Member, Transportation Research Board (TRB) Committee on Hydrology, Hydraulics and Water Quality (AFB60)
  • Member, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
  • Member, American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
  • Member, Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI) Member
  • Technical Committee on Hydraulic Measurements and Experimentation of EWRI