Digital Commons Network^™

Modular Composite Sandwich Structures For Thermal And Structural Retrofitting Of Existing Buildings, Marc Al Ghazal

Masters Theses

Around 40% of global energy consumption and 30% of worldwide carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are attributed to buildings. Most of this consumption is dedicated to ensuring thermal comfort. The goal of this research was to develop and field validate retrofit solutions to improve the energy efficiency of buildings. Exterior cladding panels were designed and tested to ensure adequate thermal and structural performance. Sandwich panels (glass fibers reinforced polymer (GFRP) skins and polymeric foam cores) were fabricated using the vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) process. Extruded polystyrene (XPS) and polyurethane (PU) foams were compared as core materials through a series …

Joint Failure Probability Of Dams Based On Probabilistic Flood Hazard Analysis, Matthew G. Montgomery

Masters Theses

Probabilistic risk methods are becoming increasingly accepted as a means of carrying out risk-informed decision making regarding the design and operation of structures such as dams. Probabilistic risk calculations require the quantification of epistemic and aleatory uncertainties not investigated through deterministic methodologies. In this hydrological study, a stochastic sampling methodology is employed to investigate the joint failure probability of three dams in adjacent, similarly sized watersheds within the same Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) 6 basin. A Probabilistic Flood Hazard Analysis (PFHA) framework is used to simulate the hydrologic loading of a wide range of extreme precipitation events across the combined …

Performance Evaluation Of Sediment Basin Designs For Highway Construction Sites In Tennessee, Jeffery Cole Emmett Jr

Masters Theses

Performance of three sediment basin designs were tested; they were: 1) the TDEC standard design with a forebay, 2) the TDOT design with an inlet check dam, and 3) the TDOT standard design that does not include an inlet check dam. An 1/17 of an acre scaled physical model sediment basin, was constructed next to an elevated outdoor open flume used to mix known water volumes and sediment mass routed by gravity-flow into the basin. The measurement for performance was simply the percent sediment mass retained in the basin from the total input per experimental run (percent sediment removal). Three …

Effect Of Radiation On Bond Behavior Between Concrete And Steel Bar: Development Of Experimental Protocol, Mohammed Abdelrahman

Masters Theses

There is a need to assess the effect of radiation on the behavior of bond strength between steel reinforcement and concrete. However, there is geometrical constraints in the cylindrical capsule which limit the size of concrete samples. Thus, developing a protocol to produce pullout sample and a test setup is needed.

A protocol for fabricating high-precision concrete samples with embedded \#2 steel bar has been developed based on the results of an experimental program. A pullout system has also been developed to investigate the bond activity of concrete and steel. This research looks at two different aggregate sizes 3/8 inch …

Fracture Behavior Of Single Mason Sand Particles Under Uniaxial Compression, Thuy Thanh Trieu

Masters Theses

Tensile strength of granular materials under one-dimensional (1D) compression is often examined because granular materials fracture in many applications where the soil mass experience high compression stresses. Through methods such as 1D compression, three-dimensional (3-D) imaging, and discrete element modeling, researchers had determined that the Weibull distribution is a good model to represent the tensile strengths of granular material and the fracturing strength of granular materials is dependent on mineralogy, morphology, grain-size, loading rate, gradation, coordination number, and moisture content. Uniaxial compression experiments were performed on Mason sand particles retained between US sieve #10 (2 mm) and #20 (0.84 mm) …

Particle Morphology And Its Influence On Friction And Dilatancy Of Sands, Karen Carmen Lee

Masters Theses

Particle morphology outlines the general analytical method used to describe soil particles’ structure and shape. The characteristics defining this term include sphericity, roundness, and surface texture. Particle morphology has a significant influence on sand behavior and consequently affects dilatancy and friction. Understanding the relationship between shear strength parameters and particle morphology answers fundamental questions about the mechanics of granular materials in general and has the potential to enhance the development of advanced constitutive models that describe granular materials’ behavior.

Many researchers have reported measurements for sphericity, roundness, and surface texture using both two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) images to analyze …

Evaluation Of The Hot Mix Asphalt Compactability Utilizing The Impact Compaction Method, Pawel Andrzej Polaczyk

Masters Theses

This study investigates possibility of utilizing an accelerometer to evaluate compactability of Hot Mix Asphalt compacted with an impact hammer. For over 50 years Marshall Asphalt Mix Design has been the principal choice for asphalt mix designers around the world. Although the United States has almost entirely moved to Superpave Mix Design, the rest of the world nations still choose the Marshall Method. The investigation was conducted with the accelerometer placed on the falling mass of the Marshall Hammer and acceleration data was stored and analyzed. Data obtained from the accelerometer was filtered and the asphalt mix response after each …

Kinematic Behavior Of Sheared Sand With Emphasis On Particle To Particle Interaction Using Computed Tomography, Maha Fawaz Jarrar

Masters Theses

Granular materials are a three-phase mixture of solid, liquid, and gas that exhibit complex engineering properties. They have a heterogeneous composition in nature and consist of many discrete particles with complex interactions. Granular materials are commonly used in many civil engineering construction projects, therefore, a better understanding of behavior of granular materials may result in safe and economical design. This thesis is a compilation of two related topics. A 3D systematic experimental study that investigates the influence of particle morphology, confining pressure, and specimen density on the failure mode of sheared sand is presented. Three uniform sand specimens with different …

Bankfull Geomorphic Relationships And Hec-Ras Assessment In Small Catchments Of The Cumberland Plateau Ecoregion, Ryan Lee Hodges

Masters Theses

There is a great need for state governments to have effective watershed restoration and mitigation efforts to return degraded ecosystems to a stable, healthy condition. Given the growing investment in stream restoration efforts, there is an urgent need for tools to assess and improve the effectiveness of restoration efforts at local, state, and nationwide scales. In 2000 there was less than ten stream restoration permits provided by the state of Tennessee and has increased each year with almost forty permits issued in 2013. To better achieve successful stream restoration, appropriate channel designs must be used that reflect the hydraulic conditions …

Modeling Water Quality For Switchgrass Crop Production: Implications For Bioenergy Sustainability In East Tennessee, Zachariah Tzvi Seiden

Masters Theses

With passing of the US Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007, there has been considerable research conducted on the sustainability of bioenergy crop production in the United States; switchgrass has shown particular potential for bioenergy production in East Tennessee. Many studies evaluating the environmental impact switchgrass has on runoff and water quality use the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) for watershed modeling. Because SWAT is a lumped watershed model, it evaluates the result of hydrological processes for each hydrologic response unit (HRU), without accounting for the physical interactions between these HRUs. The Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) …

Laboratory Investigation Of Type I And Type Ii Hardened Cement Emulsified Asphalt Mortar, Tyler E. Rutherford

Masters Theses

The research presented in this thesis investigated the mechanical and viscoelastic properties of a relatively new construction building material that has been given a lot of attention in the past decade. Cement emulsified asphalt mortar (CEAM) has unique properties that differ from concrete and asphalt binder alone as this hybrid material combines the high strength of portland cement composites and the flexibility of asphalt materials. Functioning as a damping material for ballastless high-speed rail track bed, CEAM has the potential to be utilized in other areas of construction.

The work presented in this thesis is broken down into two studies, …

Long-Term Evaluation Of Norris Reservoir Operation Under Climate Change, Joseph Patton Rungee Ii

Masters Theses

This study aimed to address the potential long-term effects of future climate change on the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA’s) operation policy for Norris Reservoir. The Community Earth System Model 1.0 (CESM1.0), a general circulation model (GCM) accessible through the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC’s) Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5), with the Representative Concentration Pathway 4.5 (RCP4.5) was used to obtain projected precipitation and temperature data for three future climate scenarios, 2030’s, 2050’s, and 2070’s. Three hydrologic models were individually calibrated on 30 years of observed runoff data and combined utilizing linear programming to consider the strengths of …

A Spatial Analysis Of Streambank Heterogeneity And Its Contribution To Bank Stability, Paul Vanterpool Simmons

Masters Theses

Streambank erosion is a function of fluvial detachment and geotechnical failure mechanisms working in combination to cause bank retreat. It is generally agreed that bank stability is dependent on both types of erosion; however, few studies have attempted to correlate the driving and resisting forces between the two. It has been proposed that: (1) streambanks possess a spatial structure and dependence of non-erodible resistant structures such as root masses and rocks; (2) streambanks naturally “armor” themselves from fluvial erosion with a combination of hard points and resistive soil; and (3) the stability of the streambank can be predicted by the …

A Framework To Predict High Risk Roadways For Pedestrians In Tennessee, Zane Hunter Pannell

Masters Theses

Pedestrians and bicyclists are a class of vulnerable road users that are often over-represented in incapacitating injury or fatal crash statistics. Because non-motorized trips are vital to many urban and rural residents for utility or recreation and exercise, it is essential to identify safety deficiencies in our existing transportation infrastructure to address rising injuries and fatalities among this group of road users. As the economy continues to struggle and fuel prices remain high, many cities and rural transportation agencies are seeing large increases in bicycling, walking, and transit ridership. While passenger car fatalities have shown sharp declines in the last …

An Automated Finite Element Analysis Framework For The Probabilistic Evaluation Of Composite Lamina Properties, Jonathan Phillips Weigand

Masters Theses

This thesis outlines the development of computational modeling tools used to predict the elastic properties of composite lamina from representative volume elements (RVE) using numerical methods. The homogenization approach involves the use of Gauss’s Theorem to simply the average volumetric strain integral into a surface integral containing which is defined by surface displacements and their direction. Simulations of RVEs under specific loading conditions (longitudinal tension or shear and transverse tension or shear) are then performed in the software package ABAQUS to obtain the surface displacements. It was found that obtaining quality meshes and applying periodic boundary conditions for each RVE …

Driver Behavior At Railway-Highway Grade Crossings With Passive Traffic Control: A Driving Simulator Study, Bryan Andre Bartnik

Masters Theses

Research to evaluate driver behavior at railway-highway grade crossings with passive traffic control attempts to find an answer to a much debated subject. This study examines the difference in driver behavior and safety at several different types of passive traffic control at grade crossings utilizing a driving simulator. This project utilized the University of Tennessee’s high fidelity driving simulator to perform a study on passive highway-railway grade crossings. Although the crash rates at grade crossings have decreased in recent years, there is still more work to be done. Safety improvements can be made to both passive and active grade crossings. …

Strength And Deformation Of “Tunable” Clay-Polymer Composites, Matthew David Bishop

Masters Theses

There are many different types of clay that exist throughout the world, and many are characterized by undesirable engineering properties. Soil improvement techniques are often implemented on these soils such as solidification, reinforcement, etc. However, these solutions are a “static” approach, as the soil’s properties cannot be modified over time. The development of the specific clay-polymer composites used in this study was motivated by the idea of creating a geomaterial that could be modified over time by adjusting its fabric, namely in the form of controlling interparticle and interlayer spacings. Therefore, the composites that are used in this study are …

Application Of Highway Capacity Manual 2010 Level-Of-Service Methodologies For Planning Deficiency Analysis, James Oliver Ensley

Masters Theses

Influence on investment in the infrastructure is critical for decision-making by State planning departments. Judgments which are made for funding purposes and are based on limited data analysis by states can results in economic disasters for the state and nation. The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) uses the Evaluation of Roadway Efficiency (EVE) database to prioritize the importance of roadway projects in the state. In addition, EVE is also used as a method to provide deficiency analysis results for roadways in the state. This study will add support to the methodology of the current decision-making process in regards to Tennessee …

Efficacy Of A Ternary Blend In Improving Bridge Deck Concrete Durability In Tennessee, Robert Clark Nidiffer

Masters Theses

A study related to the durability of bridge deck concrete in the state of Tennessee has been ongoing at the University of Tennessee (UT) for the past decade. The most recent phase of this research was begun in the fall of 2009 with a focus on developing assessment criteria and methodology to assess the durability of bridge deck concrete in the state of Tennessee. The methodology that was used to assess the durability of Tennessee bridge deck concrete was to determine the concrete’s resistance to chloride ion penetration by way of two test methods, the Surface Resistivity (SR) test and …

A Benefit Cost Model For Traffic Incident Management, Sam Dallas Moss

Masters Theses

Every day, non-recurring incidents cause delay on major roadways and cost the public valuable time and, hence, money. Some public agencies have systems that help them to identify and mitigate the problems associated with incidents such as delay. These systems are referred to as Traffic Incident Management systems. Many different agencies have searched for a way to quantify the benefits that these programs provide. This thesis details how a model was developed to help these agencies easily quantify the benefits that can be derived from saving delay through efficient incident management. This model uses real traffic data collected by roadway …

Potential Impacts Of Climate Change On Water Resources And Water Quality Of Norris Lake, Tennessee, Yong-Gil Choi

Masters Theses

This study assessed the potential impacts of climate change on hydrology, water resources operation, and water quality of the Norris Lake area in Tennessee. To project future climate conditions, the simulation outputs for 2030s, 2050s, and 2070s from six general circulation models (GCMs) were extracted under two Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) greenhouse gases emissions scenarios (A2 and B1 for high and low emissions, respectively) to consider the range of uncertainty. The outputs of the six GCMs were weighted by considering their accuracy to simulate the climate conditions observed from 1961 to 1990 to suggest an ensemble average. A …

Comparison Of Two Methods For The Assessment Of Chloride Ion Penetration In Concrete: A Field Study, Eric William Ryan

Masters Theses

The currently accepted method for assessing the resistance of concrete to penetration of chloride ions is ASTM C1202, commonly known as the “Rapid Chloride Permeability (RCP) Test.” The test is time-consuming, laborious, has rather high variability, and, is to a degree, user sensitive, making it problematic for inclusion in a performance-based specification. A potential alternative to the RCP test is the “Surface Resistivity (SR) Test”, a method which is dramatically easier, faster, and has less variability than the RCP test. The research reported herein was directed toward determining a correlation between RCP and SR test measurements for Tennessee bridge deck …

Bankfull Geomorphic Relationships And Reference Reach Assessment Of The Ridge And Valley Physiographic Province Of East Tennessee, James Brady Mcpherson

Masters Theses

Waterways have been geomorphically altered or disturbed by development, mining, agriculture and other human activities for many years. Section 404 of the Clean Water Act determined that these impacts to our waterways must be mitigated for channel alterations. Stream restoration has been one method to mitigate for these impacts to our water resources. Stream restoration is considered to be a measurable improvement to the channel stability, water quality, habitat or overall function of a degraded stream system. Practices of stream restoration have changed in the last 10 to 20 years with the introduction of natural channel design methods. Natural channel …

Seismic Analysis Of Integral Abutment Bridges Considering Soil Structure Interaction, Reza Vasheghani Farahani

Masters Theses

Integral abutment bridges are jointless bridges in which the deck is continuous and connected monolithically with the abutment walls supported typically by a single row of piles. This thesis focuses on the effects of two major parameters on the seismic behavior of an integral abutment bridge in Tennessee by considering soil-structure interaction around the piles and in back of the abutments: (1) clay stiffness (medium vs. hard) around the piles, and (2) level of sand compaction (loose vs. dense) of the abutment wall backfilling. Modal and nonlinear time history analyses are performed on a three dimensional detailed bridge model using …

Evaluation Of Moisture Damage In Warm Mix Asphalt Containing Recycled Asphalt Pavement, Emily D. Shrum

Masters Theses

Warm mix asphalt (WMA) has been used worldwide for many years, primarily in Europe. The National Asphalt Pavement Association first brought WMA to the United States in 2002. By using warm mix technology, the temperature of an asphalt mixture during production, transportation, and compaction decreases dramatically. Several concerns about WMA arise due to the reduced mixing temperature. One of the primary concerns in asphalt pavement is the moisture damage. The lower mixing temperature may not be high enough to vaporize all the moisture absorbed in the aggregate, and part of the moisture may be entrapped in the pavements during compaction. …

The Characteristics Of Underground Utility Repairs Made In Asphaltic Roadways – Comparing The Use Of Grade D Aggregate As A Viable Backfill Option, Susan Gail Deland

Masters Theses

Abstract

Given that most utilities are located beneath public right of ways, it is difficult to perform repairs to the utility without significantly disturbing the existing roadway. Currently there are several standard orders of procedure that deal with small-scale repairs on asphaltic surfaces. This study investigates the use of Grade D Aggregate as a backfill during a utility repair versus the condition of the repair. Five East Tennessee utilities provided a total of 60 utility repair locations over three years of age; 30 of which incorporated Grade D Aggregate and 30 incorporated #57 Stone.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation specifies …

Dynamic Characteristics Of An Frp Deck Bridge, Jing Song

Masters Theses

Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) deck has some significant advantages compared to concrete deck in use of bridges, such as light self-weight, high stiffness and strength, good durability and easy to install. FRP deck has already been used in some bridge rehabilitation and short span bridges. But for widely used in bridges, FRP deck bridges still need further research. Currently many research efforts focus on the filed tests of FRP deck bridges. Compared to field tests, Finite element analysis also has great advantages, such as low cost and convenient to conduct. Therefore, in this thesis finite element analysis is conducted by …

Structural Behavior Of A Pile Framed Tie Back Retaining Wall, Mieah Dee Turner

Masters Theses

The objective of this research study is to analyze the preliminary structural behavior of a pile framed tie back retaining wall concept created by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT). Instrumentation is used to measure the forces and moments on the steel piles, loads on the anchors, and the pressure and displacement of the retained soil over time. Data collection for steel pile analysis consisted of the comparison of strain gage readings. Stress values were calculated from the readings and reduced down to an axial and bending force along the pile. Soil pressures that built up behind the wall were …

Impact Of Larger Diameter Strands On Aashto/Pci Bulb-Tees, Jayaprakash Vadivelu

Masters Theses

This thesis consists of the analytical study and the experimental investigation of larger diameter strands in AASHTO Type I girders. The main purpose of this study was to verify that the 2 inch minimum spacing recommended by ACI 318-08 and AASHTO (2008) can be used for 0.7 inch diameter strands by comparing various effects in girders using 0.7 and 0.6 inch diameter strands. Based on the parametric analysis it was concluded that by using 0.7 inch strands there was a considerable saving in the material. For example, an AASHTO BT-72 with 0.6 inch strand could be replaced with AASHTO BT-54 …

Experimental Investigation Of Precast Bridge Deck Joints With U-Bar And Headed Bar Joint Details, Samuel Lewis

Masters Theses

This thesis presents the experimental investigation of two joint details for use in precast bridge deck systems. U-bar and headed bar joint details were developed for use in accelerated construction applications. Both details, in practice, would consist of staggered protruding reinforcement that would allow for the anchorage of the precast deck component into the joint. Six specimens containing the joint details were constructed and tested. Three specimens were tested in flexure to simulate the forces that would be experienced in a longitudinal deck joint, and three specimens were tested in tension to simulate the forces that would be experienced in …