Engineering Commons^™

Elastomer Reclaiming Composition And Method, Michael W. Rouse, Victor M. Deeb, Morgan L. White, Magdy Abdelrahman

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The present invention relates to elastomeric compositions and methods including compositions and methods involving the use of aromatic alcohols. The present invention further relates to elastomeric compositions that can include ground reclaimed elastomeric particles. Compositions of the present invention are usable in numerous elastomeric applications including interior and exterior vehicle parts, roofing, asphalt, and any other applications that employ an elastomer as an ingredient thereof, particularly those utilizing rubber or a similar elastomer.

The present invention further is directed to asphalt compositions and their methods of manufacture and use.

Comprehensive Evaluation Of Animated Instructional Software For Mechanics Of Materials, Timothy A. Philpot, Richard H. Hall

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

During the past three years, the Basic Engineering Department at the University of Missouri--Rolla has been developing a second-generation suite of instructional software called MecMovies for the mechanics of materials course. In the Fall 2003 semester, MecMovies was integrated into assignments throughout the entire semester for one of the six UMR mechanics of materials sections. This paper presents a comparison of student performance in the experimental section with student performance in five control sections along with discussion of student qualitative ratings and comments.

Deformation Analysis Of Missouri Bridge Approach Embankments, Jonathan L. Robison, Ronaldo Luna

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Missouri has recently experienced below expectation performance or "the bump-at-the-end of the bridge" phenomena at bridge approach slab transitions. Information on approach slab performance was collected state wide to assess if the problem was limited to regional or geological distribution. Finite element analysis was then used to explore the soil embankment-bridge structure differential settlement in two Missouri bridges; MoDOT Bridge A6031 in Livingston County, and MoDOT Bridge A5834 in Pulaski County. These two cases are indicative of the types of soil conditions encountered in the Northern Glaciated Plains region (deeper compressible foundation soils) and the Southern Ozarks region (shallow rocky …

An Improved Optimal Elemental Method For Updating Finite Element Models, Zhongdong Duan, B. F. Spencer, Guirong Yan, Jinping Ou

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Optimal Matrix Method and Optimal Elemental Method Used to Update Finite Element Models May Not Provide Accurate Results. This Situation Occurs When the Test Modal Model is Incomplete, as is Often the Case in Practice. an Improved Optimal Elemental Method is Presented that Defines a New Objective Function, and as a Byproduct, Circumvents the Need for Mass Normalized Modal Shapes, Which Are Also Not Readily Available in Practice. to Solve the Group of Nonlinear Equations Created by the Improved Optimal Method, the Lagrange Multiplier Method and Matlab Function Fmincon Are Employed. to Deal with Actual Complex Structures, the Float-Encoding …