Kevin Mclain | Teaching Assistant Professor
Ph.D. - Iowa State University
Civil Engineering/Construction Engineering/Project Management
M.S. - Iowa State University
Civil Engineering/Construction Engineering/Project Management
M.S. - Kansas State University
Civil Engineering/Geotechnical Engineering
B.S. - Kansas State University
Civil Engineering
Contact information
2137 Fiedler Hall
mclain88@k-state.edu
Professional experience
Kevin McLain received his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Kansas State University in 1988. Kevin worked as a structural engineer from 1989 to 1991in the Bridge Division of the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) in Jefferson City He then transferred to the Geotechnical Section where he worked in the field and wrote recommendations for foundations of bridges and retaining walls. Kevin also directed drilling and repair operations for landslide resolutions. He became a licensed professional engineer in 1995 licensed in Missouri. Kevin is also licensed as a Registered Geologist in Missouri (1996).
Kevin went back to Kansas State University via distance learning, where he earned his master’s degree in 2003 and second masters in 2010. Kevin became the State Geotechnical Director for MoDOT in 2013. He then pursued his doctorate at Iowa State and gained his PhD in 2015. Kevin Started teaching at the Missouri University of Science and Technology (MS&T) in Rolla as an adjunct professor. Kevin retired from MoDOT in 2020 so he could teach full time at MS&T. Kevin returned to K-State in the spring semester of 2024 as an Assistant Teaching Professor.
Teaching
McLain’s teaching centers on Geotechnical Engineering and Construction Engineering and Project Management. He has taught classes in Soil Mechanics, Advanced Soil Mechanics, In-situ Testing, Geosynthetic Engineering, Construction Methods, Scheduling Strategies and Construction Fundamentals.
Research
Mclain is mainly involved in teaching but his research interest includes Soil Compaction Testing Methods, Intelligent Compaction, Cone Penetration Testing, and Alternative Contracting Methods.
National/International Engineering Activities
Member of FHWA, AASHTO and TRB scanning team, June 2002 which investigated Innovative Technologies for Accelerated Construction of Bridge and Embankment Foundations in Europe.
Panel member of NCHRP Project 20-5, Synthesis of Highway Practice 37-14, Cone Penetration Test Design and Methodologies.
Member of FHWA Peer Review Panel for Review of Foundation Testing Branch of the California Department of Transportation, September – November 2012.
Member of National Transportation Evaluation Program (NTPEP) -Technical Committee on Geotextiles and Geosynthetics.
Recipient of the Kanas State Engineering Professional Progress in Engineering Award in Civil Engineering, October 21, 2006.