Geotechnical Engineering Commons^™

Temporal Lidar Scanning In Quantifying Cumulative Rockfall Volume And Hazard Assessment: A Case Study At Southwestern Saudi Arabia, Abdullah A. Alotaibi, Norbert H. Maerz, Kenneth J. Boyko, Ahmed M. Youssef, Biswajeet Pradhan

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Rockfalls and unstable slopes pose a serious threat to people and property along roads/highways in the southwestern mountainous regions of Saudi Arabia. In this study, the application of terrestrial light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology was applied aiming to propose a strategy to analyze and accurately depict the detection of rockfall changes, calculation of rockfall volume, and evaluate rockfall hazards along the Habs Road, Jazan Region, Saudi Arabia. A series of temporal LiDAR scans were acquired at three selected sites. Our results show that these three sites have different degrees of hazard due to their geological differences. The mean ...

Comparing Actively Managed Mutual Fund Categories To Index Funds Using Linear Regression Forecasting And Portfolio Optimization, Luke Weiner

Industrial Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The global investment industry offers a wide variety of investment products especially for individual investors. One such product, index funds, which are younger than actively managed mutual funds, have typically outperformed managed funds. Despite this phenomenon, investors have displayed a tendency to continue investing in actively managed funds. Although only a small percentage of actively managed funds outperform index funds, the costs of actively managed funds are significantly higher. Also, managed fund performances are most often determined by their fund category such as growth or real estate. I wanted to answer the following question for individual investors: can we forecast ...

Fine Sand Stabilization Using Metakaolin And Bentonite, Tasneem Moner Foda Eng

Delta University Scientific Journal

Soil improvement techniques by adding different materials, such as bitumen, bentonite, lime, etc. are considered to be effective methods to improve soil properties. Soil stabilization methods are now being utilized to overcome the problems of the soil erosion that causes failures at soil structure. Metakaolin is considered to be a promising supplementary construction material which can be used to improve soil properties. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of mixing Gamasa sand with Metakaolin and Bentonite, Separately. Different mass percentages of materials (0%, 1%, 2%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%) by dry weight of soil were ...

Investigation Of Groundwater Depletion And Leveel Underseepage With Unstructured-Grid Modeling Approach, Ye-Hong Chen

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Unstructured grid is a tessellation of geometric shapes in irregular patterns that provides flexibility in grid design for groundwater modeling. However, groundwater modeling is mostly developed with uniform grid tessellation and layer, which could simplify model structure or cause expensive computational costs in high-resolution simulations. Unstructured grid incorporates non-uniform horizontal and non-uniform vertical discretizations providing the capability to replicate complex hydrostratigraphy, capture geologic features that are crucial for groundwater flow simulation, and reduce computational costs while maintaining a high resolution for areas of interest. This study contains three parts to investigate unstructured-grid approach on constructing high-fidelity groundwater models, comparisons with ...

Development Of A Decision-Making Tool For Prediction Of Rainfall-Induced Landslides, Faisal Shakib Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

Landslides are frequently observed in mountainous places following prolonged periods of rain, frequently resulting in substantial topography changes. They pose a significant risk to human lives and the built environment globally, particularly in areas prone to excessive rainfall. While slope failures can occur because of human-caused factors such as slope loading or toe cutting for construction purposes, many failures occur because of rainfall penetrating an otherwise stable slope. A greater understanding of the characteristics and mechanics of landslides is consequently critical for geotechnical research, particularly in evaluating prospective mitigation strategies. The potential of slope failure is a primary consideration when ...

Characterization Of Shear Strength And Cracking Resistance Of A Chemically Stabilized Clayey Soil, Abdulaziz Alhawiti

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Improving the engineering properties of the subgrade soil by means of chemical stabilization is known to enhance the construction conditions in plastic soils and result in a reduction in design thickness requirements of the base, subbase, and wearing course in a layered pavement structure. This can also potentially lead to an increase in pavement life. This study was undertaken to study the effect of hydrated lime and Portland cement used as a stabilizing agents on the strength properties and the cracking resistance of a clayey soil collected from South Dakota. Hydrated lime was mixed with the collected soil by 2 ...

Comparative Analysis Of Bridge Abutment Types, David Fell

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project was developed to serve as a brief overview of design practices and considerations in the selection of highway bridge abutment types. This involved a review of literature in the form of reviewing national design guides and department of transportation (DOT) requirements from both US DOTs and international DOTs. The abutment types covered in this research included conventional reinforced concrete abutments with bearings, integral abutments, and semi-integral abutments. This research focused solely on highway bridge abutments, particularly on Ohio Department of Transportation design requirements due to their extensive use of semi-integral abutments. Superstructure elements and geometric requirements are primary ...

Non-Destructive Characterization Of Bio-Cemented Soils Via Seismic Wave Measurement, Kyle Best

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The final outcome of this project is to examine the mechanical and resulting physical properties of bio-treated soil through microbial activity via non-destructive testing by seismic waves. The proposed bio-treatment strategy is through supplying specific nutrients for indigenous microbes within a soil specimen which in return produce calcium carbonates. The bio-minerals produced during these biogeochemical activities will improve the mechanical properties of soil by making cementation between soil grains. Additionally, a theoretical laboratory experimentational description will be provided to explain any associative effects on a specimen's water permeability or mechanical strength due to bio-mineralization within the samples. The characterization ...

Investigation Of Casting Methods Of Photoelastic Particles To Study The Geomechanics Of Granular Media, Daniel Schullek

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The research being conducted within this project is to observe force chains in different samples of soil media with varying shapes. The method for observing the force chains is a process called photoelasticity. Photoelasticity uses two polarizing sheets, with the clear media being tested placed between, and light is directed through the sheets to observe how the light is refracted as force is applied to the tested media. Through our research, we are coming up with a method of casting soil particles through the utilization of resin, silicone, and 3D printing. Once the clear particles have been cast, we will ...

Investigating The Mechanical Properties Of Frozen Soil Using Non-Destructive Seismic Wave Measurements, Sean Mach

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This proposed project will be dealing with investigating the mechanical properties of soil under frozen conditions. This will be done by an innovative non-destructive technology measuring the propagation of seismic waves through the frozen soils from multiple piezoelectric sensors. For the duration of this research, a freezing cell must be constructed to carry out the experimental testing. Multiple levels of saturation will be tested under the given freezing conditions. This should highlight the effect that the level of saturation will have on the propagation of seismic waves throughout the soil. Piezo-electric sensors will be placed in each layer of soil ...

Seismic Response Of Driven And Helical Piles In Non-Liquefiable And Liquefiable Soils, Ahmed Fouad Hussein

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The thesis investigates the nonlinear soil-pile-structure interaction through three-dimensional nonlinear finite element models (FEM) employing the OpenSees platform. The FEMs were validated with the results of large-scale shaking table tests of model pile groups-superstructure systems in dry and saturated sand and large-scale field tests on single piles installed in cohesive soil. The numerical models correctly predicted the different pile deformation modes that were exhibited in the experiments. The results illustrated that the inertial interaction contributed to the bending moments at the pile top, while the kinematic interaction contributed to the bending moment at the layers interface. In addition, the excess ...

Towards Modeling Projectile Penetration In Dry And Multiphase Granular Materials, Mohmad Mohsin Thakur

Doctoral Dissertations

The present work aims at developing and validating numerical modeling strategies in granular materials impacted by a projectile. The focus is on two regions: (a) near-field: region near the tip and along the path of a projectile where comminution of grains is significant, (b) intermediate-field: region far from the projectile where grain-scale interactions are important but stresses are not high enough to cause crushing of the grains.

A novel framework has been introduced and validated wherein particle shape captured using X-ray CT imaging was incorporated in FEM simulations using shell elements for simulating triaxial boundary value problems. The results indicate ...

Measuring Foundation Course Modulus Using Falling Weight Deflectometer, Light Weight Deflectometer, And Dynamic Cone Penetration, Bruce Barrett, Kellie Troxel, Brady Dresselhaus, David Hansen

Nebraska Department of Transportation Research Reports

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the feasibility of measuring bituminous foundation course modulus under concrete roadways by comparing testing results derived before and after paving using FWD, Light Weight Deflectometer (LWD), and Dynamic Cone Penetrometer (DCP). The foundation course modulus was determined using FWD data and Darwin design software (‘93 AASHTO). Results from Phase I data collection, which occurred prior to pavement placement, provided a baseline for comparison. The maximum modulus was 398,000 PSI and the minimum was 85,000 PSI, yielding a range of 315,000 PSI and an average modulus of 123,000 PSI ...

Additive Manufacturing Of Soil Using Bio-Cementation, Christina Childress

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Microbially Induced Calcite Precipitation (MICP) is an emerging soil treatment technique that is proven to increase strength, decrease erosion, reduce liquefaction risk, enhance slope stability, decrease compressibility, decrease swelling potential, and overall create a more competent soil. The benefits and applications of MICP are broad, and this research seeks to broaden them further by developing a single-phase additive manufacturing application with no treatment time delay. This is done by analyzing layering behaviors of five USCS soil classifications (100 % Ottawa sand, sand clay mixtures, and 100% lean clay) which provides insight into process variables such as the solution volume and layer ...

Gap Study For The Impact Of Braced Deep Excavation On The Behavior Of Excavation Bed, Abdelrahman E. Aboelela, Ahmed M. Ebid, Ayman L. Fayed

Future Engineering Journal

Two geotechnical topics were investigated in this research; shored deep excavation and modulus of subgrade reaction. Both topics were extensively studied by many earlier researchers. The aim of this study is to answer the following question, "Is deep excavation effects on excavation bed behavior of sufficiently investigated? Or there still un-studied gaps should be fulfilled?”. Litterateurs were collected, reviewed and classified for both topics especially in the interaction zone between the two topics, and it is concluded that deep excavation effect on the modulus of subgrade reaction values and distribution at excavation bed level is not sufficiently addressed especially the ...

Density State And Shear Behavior Of Granular Soils With Influence Of Particle Size Distribution, Yibing Deng

Doctoral Dissertations

Heterogeneous granular soils are ubiquitous in nature and man-made deposits. Heterogeneity of soil is characterized by its particle size distribution (or fines content for gap-graded soils). The particle size distribution of soil is the main factor that affects its mechanical properties. However, in soil mechanics, the influence of particle size distribution on mechanical properties is only considered in an empirical manner. There are few analytical methods that can explicitly account for the effect of particle size distribution. In this study, there are two purposes: 1) to develop a particle packing theory for modeling the effect of particle size distribution on ...

Geological Origin As An Input Variable In Reliability-Based Designs: For An Accurate Exploration In Geotechnical Engineering, Juan Camilo Viviescas, Juan Pablo Osorio

Conference papers

Soil is one of the most difficult materials to characterize realistically, which partly explains the uncertainty between the designs and the geostructures real behavior. Different recommendations have arisen with respect to carrying out field investigations in order to reduce the uncertainties inherent to the soil. However, the field exploration and the implementation of sophisticated geotechnical models have proven to be insufficient to mitigate the geotechnical uncertainty. Therefore, Reliability-Based Designs (RBD) emerge as a decision-making tool through the definition of the probability of failure in conjunction with the typical Factors of Safety. RBD requires a previous understanding of the most appropriate ...

Development Of A New Electro-Osmotic Consolidation Apparatus, Yenni Mariana Ramírez-Mazo, Juan Pablo Osorio, Sergio Agudelo

Conference papers

Electro-osmotic consolidation is a ground improvement technique in which a DC voltage is applied to the soil via electrodes, in order to drain the water contained in the pores increasing the effective stress, and thus improving the geotechnical properties of the soil. The technique increases the shear strength, reduces the compressibility, and changes the chemical composition of the saturated soft clayey and silty soils to which it can be applied. Electro-osmotic consolidation has been successfully applied in different projects worldwide. This paper presents the development of a new electro-osmotic consolidation apparatus built at Universidad de Antioquia. Tests were carried on ...

An Exploration Of Lean And Bim Synergies With A Focus On Smes In Construction, Barry Mcauley, Marina Andreou, Alan V. Hore, Avril Behan

Conference papers

Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) account for 99.7% of the Irish Construction Industry and contribute to 68% of all employment in the sector. These organisations now find themselves facing the challenge of returning to productive business post the Covid 19 shutdown. More than ever, SMEs must modernise and adapt their business models to embrace new ways of working, such as Lean Construction and Building Information Modelling (BIM), in the absence of clear business incentives. It has proved difficult to persuade SMEs to change their ways of working due to limited finances, internal resources and above all, the cultural shift ...

Lateral Spreading And Stability Of Embankments Supported On Fractured Unreinforced High-Modulus Columns, Aaron P. Gallant, Danilo Botero Lopez

Student Work

Construction of column-supported embankments (CSEs) with unreinforced high-modulus elements is now common practice to accelerate fill placement. These brittle columns are susceptible to column fracturing and CSE designs often limit the degree of lateral spreading such that tensile rupture will not occur, which stems from salient concerns that fracturing may trigger uncontrolled lateral spreading and/or the cessation of intended vertical load transfer. However, tensile rupture is unlikely to coincide with full mobilization of available passive resistance at the toe. Thus, it is disputed in industry whether some degree of column fracturing is tolerable. The objective of this study is ...