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Effect Of Recycled Concrete Aggregates On The Long-Term, Elastic, Total Deflection And Strength Of Precast Prestressed Hollow Core Concrete Slabs, Lizeth Marisol Gomez Santana

Civil Engineering Theses

Concrete constitutes the largest portion of construction and demolition waste generated each year in the United States. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that the total production of construction and demolition of concrete waste during 2015 was 381.8 million tons. In order to reduce the economic and environmental effects of waste concrete, researchers have begun to incorporate it into concrete mixtures. However, the inherent variability in mechanical properties between RCA sources makes it difficult to quantify the maximum permissible replacement of natural aggregate and the end-result properties of concrete. This project investigates the use of recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) obtained …

Experimental Investigation Of Utilizing Steel Fiber As Concrete Reinforcement In Bridge Decks, Samed Al Khafaji

Civil Engineering Theses

Research on utilizing steel fiber vs concrete reinforcement in bridge deck to replace more traditional reinforcing bars is sparse, therefore a research into this topic is interesting to identity opportunities for speeding up of construction by avoiding laying and tying reinforcement and verifying clear cover to reinforcing bars which is one of the most time-consuming processes involved in construction. This study investigates the efforts of steel fiber on the bridge deck from the strength and economical implementation. Four concrete mix design with vary steel fiber dosages of 0.0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5% used in this study. The physical properties of …

Physical Characterization And Evaluation Of Energy Potential For Mined Waste From Irving Landfill, Vijay Kakara

Civil Engineering Theses

Historically landfills have been seen as the ultimate solution for storing waste at minimum cost. But, now it is a well-known fact that these deposits have numerous implications such as long term methane emissions, local pollution and many space-related issues etc. In most parts of the world, however, landfilling is the most common method to dispose waste. Even developed countries with recycling and waste treatment facilities have been no exception in landfilling. Therefore over the years, several old and operating landfills have been accumulated with an enormous amount of obsolete materials and products. To address such issues related to waste …

Effect Of Sewage Sludge And Wastewater Recirculation On The Degradation Of Municipal Solid Waste In Bioreactors, Afroza Ayub

Civil Engineering Theses

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) management is the major environmental and economical concern for the world. Among all the MSW management alternatives, sustainable Bioreactor has potential to solve environmental and economic concerns related to organic waste. This potential of Sustainable Bioreactor can be enhanced by accelerated decomposition of waste. Accelerated decomposition of organic fraction of MSW can be achieved by the addition of nitrogen rich, macro and micro nutrients such as sludge and manures. Several studies have been conducted by using sludge as inoculum for degrading organic fraction of MSW in the anaerobic digester. However, this study is to compare the …

Driveability Of Recycled Plastic Pin (Rpp) In North Texas, Arif Mohammad Aziz

Civil Engineering Theses

The Recycled Plastic Pins (RPP) have been extensively used as an alternative to the conventional slope stabilization methods in stabilizing shallows slope failure in Texas, Missouri, Kansas, and Idaho in the United States. The RPP provides additional resistance along the potential slip surface when it is driven into the slope and increases the factor of safety. RPPs are fabricated from recycled plastics and waste materials (i.e. polymers, sawdust, and fly ash), and is nondegradable in nature. It is found to be very useful and beneficial engineering materials for civil engineering infrastructure projects. The cost-effectiveness of using any engineering material largely …

Effect Of Chicken Manure On Methane Production From Msw In Lab Scale Anaerobic Reactors, Md Tauhidul Islam

Civil Engineering Theses

One of the major problems of urbanization is the production of a huge amount of Municipal Solid Waste. The cities and metropolitan areas are generating more and more solid waste and these wastes are filling up the landfill rapidly. Creating new landfills after a few years is not a solution as there is not much space in urban areas. Moreover, making the landfills far away from cities is not economically viable as longer hauling distance increases the cost. In this scenario, Bioreactor landfill is a viable solution to this problem. Bioreactor landfills can save a lot of space and it …

Impacts Of Construction Material Delay In Iraq, Omar Raad Abdullah

Civil Engineering Theses

The construction industry is considered one of the most important industries in Iraq. It is well known that most construction projects in this country can experience missed deadlines and cost overruns or both. The main objectives of this study are to evaluate the impact of construction material shortages and to determine the most important problems causing these shortages in Iraq. Above objectives are achieved through a literature review and a survey, which include a questionnaire used to assess the perceptions of the main participants involved in the construction of different types of projects, such as infrastructure, residential, highways and medical …

Remaining Service Life Estimation And Probabilistic Analysis Of Reinforced Concrete Sewer Pipeline Systems, Pardis Moamaei

Civil Engineering Theses

The serviceability and structural performance of reinforced concrete pipes could deteriorate for many reasons. The loss in structural capacity and other structural operations may drastically affect the surrounding environment, public health and the economy. This research is directed towards the estimation of remaining service life, and to evaluate the level of risk of failure of reinforced concrete sewer pipes (RCSP) that are subjected to continuing corrosion due to sulfide attack that in turn leads to loss of pipe thickness caused by excessive deterioration along the pipe’s interior wall. In order to estimate the remaining service life, reliability theory is used …

Laboratory Testing And Finite Element Modeling Of Invert Removed Corrugated Metal Culvert Buried Under Shallow Cover, Hiramani Raj Chimauriya

Civil Engineering Theses

Ever since their advent in the 1800s, corrugated metal pipes (CMPs) have played a vital role in this nation’s infrastructure. The wide range of options on diameter and span have made these culverts more preferable over traditional concrete culverts. However, compared to concrete culverts, CMPs have a shorter design life and are only expected to last 10 to 30 years even under ideal conditions. Over the course of years, different open-cut and trenchless methods have been used to rehabilitate existing old and damaged culverts. In recent years, trenchless methods like sliplining, CIPP, spray-applied pipe linings, etc. have been gaining popularity …

Analytical And Numerical Modeling Of Externally Heated Geothermal Bridge Deck, Mandakini Chowdhury

Civil Engineering Theses

Bridge icing is a severe safety concern for travel during winter months in the United States. Ice on bridges form quicker than roads, as the bridge is exposed to wind on all its surfaces. The underlying problem of bridge icing is loss of friction between the vehicle wheel and the pavement surface due to slippery nature of ice. Hence, the solution is to increase the friction between the above-mentioned surfaces. The most commonly adopted solution is application of sand, salt or other granular materials on the roadway. However, due to corrosive nature of the salts, the durability of the infrastructure …

User Syndication Using Speech Rhythm, Faisal Z H Alnahhas

Civil Engineering Theses

In recent years we have seen a variety of approaches to increase security on computers and mobile devices including fingerprint, and facial recognition. Such techniques while effective are very expensive. Voice biometrics, specifically speech rhythm, is a method that has been drawing attention and growing in recent years. Unlike other methods, it requires little to no additional hardware installed on a device for it to work accurately. Speech rhythm utilizes the device's built-in microphone, and analyzes speakers based on features of their speech. In this work we leverage the existing hardware and simply add an efficient layer of software to …

Experimental Investigation Of Whitmore Section And Block Shear Failures In Steel Gusset Plates Using Digital Image Correlation, Prajwal Pokhrel

Civil Engineering Theses

Gusset plates are necessary for transferring loads from one structural member to another. During load transfer gussets can undergo shear, net section rupture and gross section yielding. Gusset design is a complex process and there is still a lack of knowledge regarding the stress and strain distribution in gusset plates. Current design practices which use Whitmore method, may not be sufficient to accurately predict the capacity of a gusset plate. An experimental study was conducted at The University of Texas at Tyler to understand the failure mechanism of gusset plates under uniaxial tensile loading. Variables considered for the experiment are …

In-Situ Field Monitoring Of A Uhpc And Hpc Bridge Superstructure Under Diagnostic Load Testing Using Digital Image Correlation, Prajwol Sharma

Civil Engineering Theses

New innovative methods of bridge design are being sought to increase the service life of these structure. High Performance Concrete (HPC) and Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) utilizes a mix of high strength concrete with steel fibers to create a strong and ductile reinforced concrete mix. While not new to civil engineering construction, this material still has some uncertainty of its performance both long and short term. As a result, in-situ experimental monitoring is important to verify methods of design and the suitability of the materials. A two-span pre-stressed UHPC and HPC reinforced concrete bridge superstructure was designed at New Mexico State …

Experimental Investigation Of Adobe Structures With Digital Image Correlation, Ashmita Wasti

Civil Engineering Theses

Adobe brick (or Mudbrick) is commonly used as a construction material for residential structures in the Southwest portion of the United States. Adobe bricks are formed from mud that is composed of sand, silt, clay and water that is further mixed with straw then allowed to dry in the open environment. The straw aids in providing reinforcement for the brick and helping the brick dry more evenly which in turn reduces the amount of shrinkage cracks. The final product is a strong, durable, heavy brick used in the construction of homes. While this practice of adobe brick construction has been …

Experimental Investigation Of Concrete Breakout Strength Of Anchors In Shear Within Fiber Reinforced Concrete, Mohammad Akram Khanfar

Civil Engineering Theses

This study investigates the effects of Polypropylene fibers on the concrete breakout strength of cast in place anchors in shear under different loading rates. The steel headed anchors were cast within concrete specimens of different amounts of Polypropylene fibers. Four differing mixtures were produced using, 0, 0.5, 1, and 1.5% fibers by volume of the mixture. Their physical properties were calculated through testing at the Civil Engineering Laboratory Building. In total, 16 cylindrical specimens, 4” in diameter and 8” in height, and 6 beam specimens, 6”x6”x20” were produced and tested. After 28 days of curing, the specimens were tested for …

Long Term Performance Monitoring Of Shallow Slope Stabilization Utilizing Recycled Plastic Pins, Cory Alan Rauss

Civil Engineering Theses

Shallow slope failures are prevalent within the North Texas region. As highway slopes are underlain with high plastic clayey soils that experience cyclic shrinking and swelling, the soils shear strength generally decreases as the soil softens, making the soil more susceptible to sloughing and landslides. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) generally executes a rapid repair method as an economical option for repairing the slope. This method includes the failed soil removal, replacement, and recompaction to rectify the slope surface. While economical initially, this rapid repair technique may potentially prove to be costly with repeated repairs as the method does …

Identification Of The Manageable Construction Rework Indicators And Related Successful Strategies, Piyush Taneja

Civil Engineering Theses

In construction projects whether small or large scale, in the design and construction phases, contractors and owners face numerous reworks which finally leads to schedule delays and cost overruns. Although studying the causes of the rework has been of interest of many scholars and researchers, they have mainly focused on identifying the entity-based rework indicators. It is pivotal to identify the key project, organizational, and human factors that lead to the rework. Therefore, this study investigated, identified, and prioritized the human, organization, and project-based manageable indicators of rework. In addition, successful strategies which lead to overcoming rework challenges were evaluated. …

Experimental Investigation Of Concrete Breakout Strength Of Anchor In Tension Within Fiber Reinforced Concrete, Karthik Vidyaranya

Civil Engineering Theses

This research investigates the effects of steel fibers on the concrete breakout of the cast-in-place headed stud anchors in tension. High strength anchors (F1554 G105) is used in this study for varying steel fiber dosage of 0.0%, 0.5% and 1.0% by volume fraction of concrete. The physical properties of steel fiber reinforced concrete were calculated through various test at the Civil Engineering laboratory Building. In total, 9-cylinder specimens of 4” diameter and 8” height, and 9 beam specimens, 6”x6”x20” were made and tested. After 28 days of curing, the specimens were tested for their compressive strength and modulus of rupture, …

Evaluation Of Best Practices For Implementation Of Slope Repair Methods In Texas, Milad Nabaei

Civil Engineering Theses

Embankment slope failures occur frequently in areas with extreme weather (frequent wetting and drying periods) and unstable soil conditions (high swelling potential clay) such as state of Texas. Despite all progresses in the geotechnical knowledge and the advancement of slope repair methods, still, many repaired slopes fail again after a period of time. The primary objectives of this study are to (1) Review and evaluate existing repair methods for shallow slope failures from the construction perspective, and (2) Recommend appropriate implementation procedures for successful implementation of slope repair methods. The research approach which has been followed to achieve the project …

Performance Of Concrete Slabs With Embedded Hydronic Loops For Geothermally Based Bridge De-Icing Applications, Mark Hurley

Civil Engineering Theses

Geothermal energy has always been available as a renewable thermal reserve, however, only recently has it been unlocked as a potential source of energy to de-ice bridges and roadways. The ability to efficiently extract the geothermal reserves has been accomplished with the advent of new technology. Each progressing year, the refinement of technology has led to a reduction in the input required to achieve a desired output. For the case of bridge de-icing, the extracted input of thermal energy must exceed the required demands to permit de-icing. The conventional approach to de-icing (using chemicals, salt, and sand) works as a …

Use Of Ultra-High-Performance Fiber-Reinforced Concrete (Uhp-Frc) For Fast And Sustainable Repair Of Pavement And A New Sustainable Structural Member With Ultra-High-Performance Fiber-Reinforced Concrete (Uhp-Frc) And Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (Frp) Reinforcement, Ashish Karmacharya

Civil Engineering Theses

The first part of this research presents a new methodology, which enables streets, roads, highways, bridges, and airfields to use an advanced fiber-reinforced concrete material, which can delay or prevent the deterioration of these transportation infrastructure when subjected to traffic and environmental loadings. The major problem of concrete is its considerable deterioration and limited service life due to its brittleness and limited durability. As a result, it requires frequent repair and eventual replacement, which consumes more natural resources. Ultra-high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete (UHP-FRC) introduces significant enhancement in the sustainability of concrete structures due to its dense microstructure and damage-tolerance characteristics. These …

Investigation Of Gas- And Liquid-Phase Sewer Environmental Factors Leading To Microbially-Induced Concrete Corrosion, Aiswarya Acharath Mohanakrishnan

Civil Engineering Theses

Sewer systems are a principal element of infrastructure in modern cities, accounting for massive amounts of public investments made over many decades and can be considered as an asset of the nation. Many concrete manholes in the sewer system are deteriorating due to the attack of sulfuric acid produced by microorganisms in a process termed as Microbial Induced Concrete Corrosion (MICC). The life span of concrete sewer elements significantly reduces from 100 years to 30–50 years, in extreme cases even down to 10 years. The primary aim of this study is to enhance the understanding of the correlation between gas-phase …

Flexural Behavior Of Preflex Sfrc-Encased Steel Joist Composite Beams, Nancy Thazhampallatu Varughese

Civil Engineering Theses

This research investigates the behavior of encased steel composite beams within steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC) in straight and preflex beams, using nonlinear analysis. ABAQUS FEA software has been adopted. Composite steel beams encased in fiber reinforced concrete are analyzed and a comparison is made with available experimental results. Good agreement with the experimental results is observed. Upwards camber of the steel section is introduced on the steel joist. It’s found that the preflex section can increase the ultimate load capacity by 10% and decrease midspan displacement by 13% of the same beams without the preflex steel section. Steel fiber …

Identification Of Legal And Policy Barriers To Timely Post-Disaster Reconstruction And Strategy Development For Effective Recovery Processes In United States, Vaibhav Dhamangaonkar

Civil Engineering Theses

Communities resilient to disasters have the ability to return to the normal state quickly and with the least possible delay; however, the causes of delays in the post-disaster recovery phase remain an important concern. Yet, different scholars have studied the long-term post disaster recovery process, barriers in the long-term disaster reconstruction have been studied rarely. This study fills the major gap in the research by identifying barriers in post disaster reconstruction and best practice to increase the speed of the recovery. In this regard, an in-depth review of more than one-hundred scholarly papers in this area was performed, policies and …

Service Life Prediction And Risk Analysis Of Reinforced Concrete Gravity Flow Pipes Using Reliability Theory, Khaled Saleh Abuhishmeh

Civil Engineering Theses

Reinforced concrete pipes are susceptible to different types of deteriorations that threaten their structural capacity and serviceability. Failure of these structures or losing parts of their operational capabilities may cause undesirable consequences that affect the surrounding environment, public health and the economy. The main objectives of this research are to estimate the service life, and to evaluate the level of risk of reinforced concrete sewer pipes (RCP) that are under persistent chemical deterioration caused by the sulfide attack that leads to excessive erosion along the pipe’s interior wall. In order to estimate the service life, reliability theory is used by …

Seismic Performance Of Earth Slopes Subjected To Earthquake Mainshock – Aftershock Sequences, Alisha Khanal

Civil Engineering Theses

Mainshocks are usually followed by aftershocks. Aftershocks continue over a period of time with a decreasing frequency and there is not sufficient time for repair and retrofit between a mainshock – aftershock sequence. Typically, aftershocks are smaller in magnitude; however, aftershock ground motion characteristics such as the intensity and duration can be greater than the mainshock due to the changes in the earthquake mechanism and location with respect to the site. The seismic performance of slopes is typically evaluated based on the sliding displacement predicted to occur along a critical sliding surface. Various empirical models are available that predict sliding …

Laboratory Evaluation And Neural Network Modeling For Rotational Viscosity Of Reacted And Activated Rubber Modified Binders, Mayzan Isied

Civil Engineering Theses

Crumb rubber surface activation and pretreatment are considered as one of the promising newly introduced methods for asphalt rubber production. Reacted and Activated Rubber (RAR) is an elastomeric asphalt extender produced by the hot blending and activation of crumb rubber with asphalt and Activated Mineral Binder Stabilizer (AMBS). Besides RAR ability in enhancing the performance of asphaltic mixtures, its dry granulate industrial form enabled its addition directly into the mixture utilizing pugmill or the dryer drum with very minimal to no modification required on the plant level.

This study aims to evaluate the rotational viscosity of RAR modified binders and …