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2014

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Full-Text Articles in Civil Engineering

Optimal Planning For Traffic Signal Alternative Power Sources In Signal Network, Mo Zhao, Anuj Sharma Mar 2016

Optimal Planning For Traffic Signal Alternative Power Sources In Signal Network, Mo Zhao, Anuj Sharma

Mo Zhao

Dark signals and flash operation during traffic signal malfunction can degrade the efficiency and safety at an intersection warranting a signalized control. Alternative power sources, such as an uninterruptable power supply system, can provide power protection as well as power back-up to the traffic control systems. The policy makers, with limited budgets and unlimited demands, need a tool to choose signalized intersections that can be provided with backup power. They also need to decide the battery capacity at these intersections. At present, there exists no such tool that can help to make an optimal choice for capacity and installation of …


Environmental Study Of The Release Of Btex From Asphalt Modified With Used Motor Oil And Crumb Rubber Modifier, Daniel Bergerson, Magdy Abdelrahman, Mohyeldin Ragab Dec 2014

Environmental Study Of The Release Of Btex From Asphalt Modified With Used Motor Oil And Crumb Rubber Modifier, Daniel Bergerson, Magdy Abdelrahman, Mohyeldin Ragab

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The need to be more environmentally conscious has recently shifted toward the forefront of society. With this new focus on environmentally responsible behavior comes the practice of using recycled materials in construction when possible. Therefore it is necessary to carefully evaluate the safety of any recycled materials being used in pavement materials. Under this study, a reference of testing is presented and implemented to test leachate of samples of two different asphalt binder types containing used motor oil (UMO) and/or crumb rubber modifier (CRM) for the presence of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX). Alongside batch leaching tests, air testing …


Electrochemical Disinfection Of Municipal Wastewater Using Alternating Current, Xavier A. Chavez Reyes Dec 2014

Electrochemical Disinfection Of Municipal Wastewater Using Alternating Current, Xavier A. Chavez Reyes

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This research focused on chlorine-free disinfection of wastewater by complying with today's regulations. The equipment used was a continuous flow electrochemical reactor connected to an alternating current (AC) power supply. The electrodes used were made out of titanium coated with iridium oxide. To determine the inactivation of Escherichia Coli, a bacterial count method based on the USEPA method 1603 was used.

After several experiments it was determined that electrochemical disinfection using AC was not efficient and economic enough to be classified as a viable alternative to chlorine disinfection. It was demonstrated that chlorine can be produced by electrolysis using AC …


Wind And Thermal Effects On Ground Mounted Photovoltaic (Pv) Panels, Chowdhury Mohammad Jubayer Dec 2014

Wind And Thermal Effects On Ground Mounted Photovoltaic (Pv) Panels, Chowdhury Mohammad Jubayer

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

A combination of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations and wind tunnel experiments are carried out to investigate the effects of wind on the aerodynamic loading and heat transfer of a ground mounted stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) panel with tilt angle of 25o in open country atmospheric boundary layer. Several azimuthal wind directions are considered: Southern 0o, Southwest 45o, Northwest 135o and Northern 180o. Three dimensional Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) approaches with an unsteady solver using Shear Stress Transport (SST) k-ω turbulence closure are employed for the CFD simulations, whereas Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and …


Context-Sensitive Seismic Strengthening And Repair Of Substandard Confined Masonry, Rahim Ghorbani Dec 2014

Context-Sensitive Seismic Strengthening And Repair Of Substandard Confined Masonry, Rahim Ghorbani

Theses and Dissertations

Confined masonry (CM) is a construction system consisting of load-bearing masonry panels that are confined with cast-in-place reinforced concrete tie columns and beams. Due to satisfactory seismic performance, CM has become the predominant low-rise residential construction system in several areas around the world. However, in developing regions, the use of substandard materials, details and construction practices may result in inadequate performance as highlighted in the 2010 earthquakes in Haiti and Chile. In the aftermath of an earthquake, households are often reluctant to reoccupy their dwellings due to concerns about safety of structures. If feasible, preventive (pre-hazard) strengthening or structural repair …


An Engineering Approach For The Design Of Archaeological Reburial Systems, Angel Ari Perez Mejia Dec 2014

An Engineering Approach For The Design Of Archaeological Reburial Systems, Angel Ari Perez Mejia

Theses and Dissertations

Archaeological sites are a non-renewable resource which is often our only link to the past. However, sites are under constant threat of destruction due to construction activities. Civil engineers and archaeologists must the work together to ensure both the continued survival of archaeological sites while allowing for development to continue. Reburial systems, when properly designed and constructed, allow for the protection of archaeological sites while allowing the continued use of the land. However, because reburial as an intentional conservation technique is relatively modern, practice is fragmented and there are no universally accepted guidelines. Current reburial system design relies on prescriptive …


Functionalized Graphitic Nanoreinforcement For Cement Composites, Nima Zohhadi Dec 2014

Functionalized Graphitic Nanoreinforcement For Cement Composites, Nima Zohhadi

Theses and Dissertations

Physical and mechanical properties of graphitic nanomaterials, in particular multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and graphene nano-platelets (GNPs) make them promising candidates for nanoreinforcement of cement composites. The two key challenges associated with the incorporation of MWCNTs and GNPs are to attain uniform dispersion and interfacial bonding within the composite matrix. The effects of three main-stream dispersion techniques (namely, ultrasonication, acid-etching, and surfactant-coating) on the mechanical properties and microstructure of MWCNT- and GNP-cement composites were experimentally studied. Compressive strength tests and different characterization techniques including dynamic light scattering, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission …


Scheduling Of Container Handling Equipment In Marine Container Terminals, Narges Kaveshgar Dec 2014

Scheduling Of Container Handling Equipment In Marine Container Terminals, Narges Kaveshgar

Theses and Dissertations

To improve the competitiveness of marine container terminals, it is critical to minimize the makespan of a container vessel. The makespan is defined as the latest completion time among all handling tasks of the container vessel. Lower makespan (i.e. lower vessel turn time) can be achieved through better scheduling of the container handling equipment during vessel operations. The scheduling of terminal equipment is an operational problem, and a detailed schedule for each type of equipment operating in the terminal is necessary. Several studies have applied operations research techniques to optimize the processes of equipment in a terminal. This dissertation investigates …


Experimental And Analytical Methodologies For Predicting Peak Loads On Building Envelopes And Roofing Systems, Maryam Asghari Mooneghi Dec 2014

Experimental And Analytical Methodologies For Predicting Peak Loads On Building Envelopes And Roofing Systems, Maryam Asghari Mooneghi

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The performance of building envelopes and roofing systems significantly depends on accurate knowledge of wind loads and the response of envelope components under realistic wind conditions. Wind tunnel testing is a well-established practice to determine wind loads on structures. For small structures much larger model scales are needed than for large structures, to maintain modeling accuracy and minimize Reynolds number effects. In these circumstances the ability to obtain a large enough turbulence integral scale is usually compromised by the limited dimensions of the wind tunnel meaning that it is not possible to simulate the low frequency end of the turbulence …


Seismic Performance Of Precast Girder-To-Cap Beam Connections Designed For Abc, Sri Sritharan, Justin Vander Werff, Robert Peggar, Ron Bromenschenkel Dec 2014

Seismic Performance Of Precast Girder-To-Cap Beam Connections Designed For Abc, Sri Sritharan, Justin Vander Werff, Robert Peggar, Ron Bromenschenkel

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

The behavior of critical connections between prefabricated elements in bridges utilizing accelerated bridge construction (ABC) methods continues to be of utmost interest. Some of these connections will experience excessively high demand in regions that are susceptible to high seismic load. This paper presents a large-scale experimental study that investigated seismic performance of the connection between precast concrete I-shaped girders and a concrete inverted-tee cap beam using two different details. The ability of the girder-to-cap connection to successfully resist positive moment and the corresponding shear under combined gravity and seismic effects was of particular interest. The effect of vertical seismic acceleration …


Design Of Gan-Based Low-Loss Y-Branch Power Splitter, Retno Wigajatri Purnamaningsih, Irma Saraswati, Nji Raden Poespawati, Elhadj Dogheche Dec 2014

Design Of Gan-Based Low-Loss Y-Branch Power Splitter, Retno Wigajatri Purnamaningsih, Irma Saraswati, Nji Raden Poespawati, Elhadj Dogheche

Makara Journal of Technology

We present a Y-branch power splitter design with a multimode section using GaN on Sapphire at telecommunication wavelength. The GaN sample optical properties were also investigated, resulting in a refractive index for the GaN layers nTE=2.289±0.001 and nTM=2.324±0.00. Optimization of the structure parameters for this structure was conducted accurately using BPM methods. The results demonstrated the possibility of realizing a GaN-based Y-branch power splitter for various applications.


Development Of The Soekarno–Hatta International Airport Rail Link Project Using The Value Engineering Method: Creating Value For Money, Mohammed Ali Berawi, Bambang Susantono, Suyono Dikun, Tommy Ilyas, Herawati Zetha Rahman, Abdur Rohim Boy Berawi, Teuku Yuri Zagloel, Perdana Miraj, Jade Sjafrecia Petroceany Dec 2014

Development Of The Soekarno–Hatta International Airport Rail Link Project Using The Value Engineering Method: Creating Value For Money, Mohammed Ali Berawi, Bambang Susantono, Suyono Dikun, Tommy Ilyas, Herawati Zetha Rahman, Abdur Rohim Boy Berawi, Teuku Yuri Zagloel, Perdana Miraj, Jade Sjafrecia Petroceany

Makara Journal of Technology

Soekarno–Hatta Airport is the main gateway for international flights to Greater Jakarta. Its accessibility depends on the inter-city and Sedyatmo toll roads, which causes congestion in peak hours, leading to uncertainty about travel times. The Soekarno–Hatta International Airport Rail Link (SHIARL) is proposed as an alternative mass transportation project, which is expected to provide accessibility and mobility for people and goods to and from the airport. Previously, the project was unattractive to private investors as it was technically and financially unfeasible. Therefore, this research aims to improve the feasibility of the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport Rail Link (SHIARL) by using a …


Endoscopic Application Of A Compact Compound-Eye Camera, Keiichiro Kagawa, Shoji Kawahito Dec 2014

Endoscopic Application Of A Compact Compound-Eye Camera, Keiichiro Kagawa, Shoji Kawahito

Makara Journal of Technology

A multi-functional compound-eye endoscope enabling multi-spectral imaging and variable field-of-view is presented, which is based on a compact compound-eye camera called TOMBO (thin observation module by bound optics). Narrow-band filters attached to some lenses provide snap-shot multi-band images. Fixed and movable mirrors are introduced to control the field of view, which realizes several observation modes such as three-dimensional shape measurement, wide field-of-view, and close-up observation.


Lateral Load Resistance Of Laminated Veneer Lumber Sengonwooden Joints With Wooden Dowels, Niken Palaeowati, Ali Awaludin, Suprapto Siswosukarto Dec 2014

Lateral Load Resistance Of Laminated Veneer Lumber Sengonwooden Joints With Wooden Dowels, Niken Palaeowati, Ali Awaludin, Suprapto Siswosukarto

Makara Journal of Technology

Analytical models for wooden-doweled joints need to be developed. The objective of this research is to determine whether the strength of wooden-doweled joints can be well predicted by equations developed for steel-doweled joints. In this experiment, various connection parameters, such as dowel diameter, species of the wooden dowel, and angle of joints, are studied. The joint specimens are loaded in a quasi-static state with four replications each. A5% offset diameter method is used to determine the lateral load resistance of the tested joints, while the predictions are evaluated by equations given in Indonesian National Standard (SNI) 7973-2013 and the European …


Ultra-Wideband Notched Characteristic Fed By Coplanar Waveguide, Rastanto Hadinegoro, Yuli Kurnia Ningsih, Indra Surjati Dec 2014

Ultra-Wideband Notched Characteristic Fed By Coplanar Waveguide, Rastanto Hadinegoro, Yuli Kurnia Ningsih, Indra Surjati

Makara Journal of Technology

In this paper, a novel Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) notch patch antenna with co-planar waveguide (CPW) fed is presented. This antenna only used one layer and the patch antenna is constructed on the first layer and back to back with CPW fed and bottom part is ground plane. The width notch is used to achieve the UWB characteristic. The results shown that the impedance bandwidth is 1130 MHz (1.662–2.792 GHz) or about 50.7% for VSWR <2.


Analysis Of Vibration Generated By The Rubbing Of Flat Surfaces, Zahrul Fuadi Dec 2014

Analysis Of Vibration Generated By The Rubbing Of Flat Surfaces, Zahrul Fuadi

Makara Journal of Technology

Among the phenomena that occur as a result of contact between two surfaces is friction sound, in which surface roughness is of great importance. In this study, the parameter of contact stiffness is used to explain the frequency characteristic of vibration generated by the rubbing of flat surfaces under a small load. A 3-disk configuration rubbing method was used, which provides a unique characteristic of the system's frequency response function containing specific information about the rubbing vibrations. It is shown that the peak frequency of the rubbing vibration can be explained by using a two-degrees-of-freedom model incorporating the parameter of …


The Mechanical And Tribology Properties Of Sputtered Titanium Aluminum Nitride Coating On The Tungsten Carbide Insert Tool In The Dry Turning Of Tool Steel, Esmar Budi, Mohd. Razali Bin Muhamad, Md. Nizam Bin Abdul Rahman Dec 2014

The Mechanical And Tribology Properties Of Sputtered Titanium Aluminum Nitride Coating On The Tungsten Carbide Insert Tool In The Dry Turning Of Tool Steel, Esmar Budi, Mohd. Razali Bin Muhamad, Md. Nizam Bin Abdul Rahman

Makara Journal of Technology

The effect of the sputtering parameters on the mechanical tribology properties of Titanium Aluminum Nitride coating on the tungsten cabide insert tool in the dry turning of tool steel has been investigated. The coating was deposited using a Direct Current magnetron sputtering system with various substrate biases (-79 to -221 V) and nitrogen flow rates (30 to 72 sccm). The dry turning test was carried out on a Computer Numeric Code machine using an optimum cutting parameter setting. The results show that the lowest flank wear (~0.4 mm) was achieved using a Titanium Aluminum Nitride-coated tool that was deposited at …


Modified Design Of Pin-On-Ring Tribometer For Hip Joint Prostheses Measurement; Case Study On Salat Activity, Muhammad Khafidh, Jamari Jamari, Sulardjaka Sulardjaka, Mohamad Tauviqirrahman, Emile Van Der Heide Dec 2014

Modified Design Of Pin-On-Ring Tribometer For Hip Joint Prostheses Measurement; Case Study On Salat Activity, Muhammad Khafidh, Jamari Jamari, Sulardjaka Sulardjaka, Mohamad Tauviqirrahman, Emile Van Der Heide

Makara Journal of Technology

Total hip replacement (THR) is one of the most successful orthopedic surgical procedures for replacing a broken hip joint. In THR, wear may occur at the articulating surface of the acetabular cup and the femoral head. In Indonesia, the country with the largest Muslim population in the world, most of the inhabitants do salat (praying) every day. THR users are banned from doing salat for fear it will damage the hip joint prostheses. The previous wear calculation methods on the hip joint prostheses use the gravimetric, coordinate measuring machine (CMM), profiler, and geometric method. The disadvantages of the previous methods …


Continuous Production Of Nanotubes And Carbon Clusters By Use Of The Revolver-Injection-Type Arc Jet Producer, Tetsu Mieno, Naoki Matsumoto, Takahashi Tomie, H. Inoue Dec 2014

Continuous Production Of Nanotubes And Carbon Clusters By Use Of The Revolver-Injection-Type Arc Jet Producer, Tetsu Mieno, Naoki Matsumoto, Takahashi Tomie, H. Inoue

Makara Journal of Technology

Efficient and continuous production of fullerenes, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), and carbon nano-particles has been developed by the JxB arc jet method, where the Lorentz force of magnetic field jets out gaseous carbon particles to the JxB direction. In order to realize continuous mass production of these carbon clusters, the revolverinjection- type arc jet producer (RIT-AJP) has been developed. Production of fullerenes, endohedral metallo-fullerenes, SWNTs, metal-encapsulated carbon nano particles has been examined.


Influence Of Water Chemistry Parameters On The Dissolution Rate Of The Lead (Ii) Carbonate Hydrocerussite, Caitlin Se Kushnir Dec 2014

Influence Of Water Chemistry Parameters On The Dissolution Rate Of The Lead (Ii) Carbonate Hydrocerussite, Caitlin Se Kushnir

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This work has focused on the kinetic dissolution of the lead (II) carbonate hydrocerussite (Pb3(CO3)2(OH)2) under four pH conditions (7.5, 8, 9, 10), three dissolved inorganic concentrations (DIC; 10, 20, 50 mg C/L), and three initial hydrocerussite concentrations (10, 20, 50 mg/L) in batch experiments. Experiments were performed in at least duplicate to determine total dissolved lead dissolution curves at short time scales (hr.). All equilibrium dissolved lead concentrations were achieved in 40 minutes or less, and matched trends from previous studies; pH 7.5 and pH 10 corresponding to the highest and …


Transportation Security Framework For A Medium-Sized City, Ryan Fries, Mashrur Chowdhury, Anne Dunning Dec 2014

Transportation Security Framework For A Medium-Sized City, Ryan Fries, Mashrur Chowdhury, Anne Dunning

Mashrur Chowdhury

Terrorist attacks have made security preparedness unquestionably necessary in all cities. While major metropolitan areas have long recognized that their global visibility has required strong security operations, many medium-sized cities, specifically those of the U.S. and European Union, now face the need to establish transportation security frameworks for the first time. This paper assesses the resources available to help medium-sized cities begin the task of creating such systems. This assessment presents infrastructure risk assessment tools, identifies infrastructure and funding resources, and creates a process for developing a security framework to connect agencies responsible for transportation security in these metropolitan areas. …


Using Gis-Based, Hitchcock Algorithm To Optimize Parking Allocations For Special Events, Wayne A. Sarasua, Prashant Malisetty, Mashrur Chowdhury Dec 2014

Using Gis-Based, Hitchcock Algorithm To Optimize Parking Allocations For Special Events, Wayne A. Sarasua, Prashant Malisetty, Mashrur Chowdhury

Mashrur Chowdhury

Clemson, a small college town in South Carolina, deals with a massive over-saturation of its transportation system during special events, especially during home football games, resulting in total system failure. This research has developed a methodology to optimize parking, using a Geographic Information System (GIS)-based transshipment algorithm, and it has produced great time savings compared with the individual, “manual” efforts of thousands of drivers attempting to find spaces where available. As such, this research constitutes an effective implementation of the Hitchcock Transportation Algorithm for solving a transshipment problem applied to parking lot distribution. Because the Hitchcock Algorithm considers the network …


Determination Of Area Of Fire Origin Through Examination Of Structural Failure And Deformation, Andrew Thomas Tinsley Dec 2014

Determination Of Area Of Fire Origin Through Examination Of Structural Failure And Deformation, Andrew Thomas Tinsley

Doctoral Dissertations

The effects of fire on steel have long been noted and studied. However, a scientific connection between the area of origin for a fire and the amount of steel deformation observed at the scene has never been established. The development and implementation of this type of analysis has the potential to decrease investigation times significantly as the types of structures to which this method would be applicable are typically large, expansive structures. In order to investigate the relationship between structural steel deformations and a fire’s origin, a series of six tests were performed in a smaller size portal frame steel …


Mechanical Properties Of Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer Bars After Exposure To Elevated Temperatures, Mohammed Abdulqader Jalil Alsalihi Dec 2014

Mechanical Properties Of Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer Bars After Exposure To Elevated Temperatures, Mohammed Abdulqader Jalil Alsalihi

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF GLASS FIBER REINFORCED POLYMER BARS AFTER EXPOSURE TO ELEVATED TEMPERATURES

by

Mohammed A. J. Alsalihi

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2014

Under the Supervision of Professor Habib Tabatabai

In the past few decades, the use of composite materials has become more widespread in different fields and industries. Part of this increase comes as an answer to the corrosion issues that ordinary steel faces. Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRP)s offer a number of advantages that make them an adequate solution to challenges in the rapidly developing construction industry. However, the behaviors of these materials at elevated temperatures and their …


Reliability-Based Design And Acceptance Protocol For Driven Piles, Joseph Jabo Dec 2014

Reliability-Based Design And Acceptance Protocol For Driven Piles, Joseph Jabo

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The current use of the Arkansas Standard Specifications for Highway Construction Manuals (2003, 2014) for driven pile foundations faces various limitations which result in designs of questionable reliability. These specifications are based on the Allowable Stress Design method (ASD), cover a wide range of uncertainties, do not take into account pile and soil types, and were developed for general use. To overcome these challenges it is deemed necessary to develop a new design and acceptance protocol for driven piles. This new protocol incorporates locally calibrated RLFD resistance factors for accounting for local design and construction experiences and practices, as well …


Microbial Community Shifts Caused By Changes In The Primary Oxidant At A Drinking Water Treatment Plant, Connie Marie Moloney Dec 2014

Microbial Community Shifts Caused By Changes In The Primary Oxidant At A Drinking Water Treatment Plant, Connie Marie Moloney

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Microbial communities resistant to common oxidants can cause concerns for water treatment plants (WTPs). If a bacterium is not fully oxidized during disinfection, these species can impede upon filtration processes or seed biofilms in the distribution system. In an effort to minimize disinfection by-products (DBP's) that result from the reaction of chlorine (Cl2) with natural organic matter, water treatment plants have the option to change their primary oxidant to chlorine dioxide (ClO2). The following study examines the change in microbial communities during the sedimentation process under differing oxidation regimes, specifically chlorine (Cl2) and ClO2 at the local water treatment plant …


Electrokinetic Geotextile Stabilization Of Embankment Slopes, Innovative Research Publications Irp India, Mumtaz M., Dr. M. S. Girish Dec 2014

Electrokinetic Geotextile Stabilization Of Embankment Slopes, Innovative Research Publications Irp India, Mumtaz M., Dr. M. S. Girish

Innovative Research Publications IRP India

The choice of repair of slope depends on site conditions and cost. This includes reducing the slope, installing horizontal drains, soil nailing and providing stability by structural methods. All these methods have their limitations and some are very costly. Another alternative is the electrokinetic stabilization of slopes. EKG reinforcement or soil nails not only provide reinforcement, but also increase the shear strength of the soil in which they are placed as well as improving soil-reinforcement bond. The development of EKG materials offers slope stabilisation of embankments and cuttings in fine grained soils, which will significantly increase the factor of safety …


Performance Of Frp-Retrofitted Concrete Bridge Columns Under Blast Loading, R. Zheng, P. Zohrevand, H. Erdogan, Amir Mirmiran Dec 2014

Performance Of Frp-Retrofitted Concrete Bridge Columns Under Blast Loading, R. Zheng, P. Zohrevand, H. Erdogan, Amir Mirmiran

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Contrary to military or essential government buildings, most bridges are designed without any consideration for blast resistance. Fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs) can provide an effective means for strengthening of critical bridges against such loading. This study has focused on the effectiveness of FRP retrofitting in the dynamic response of reinforced concrete bridge columns under blast loading. Using a simplified equivalent I-section with a virtual material lumped at the two flanges; a lightly meshed uniaxial finite element model was developed and successfully validated against previous studies. The proposed model was then used for a thorough parametric study on the blast resistance of …


Economic Analysis Of Michigan Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Strategies, Randy José Jorge Díaz Dec 2014

Economic Analysis Of Michigan Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Strategies, Randy José Jorge Díaz

Masters Theses

Transportation infrastructure is an essential component of a nation’s success as it allows efficient transportation of goods to all economic markets, providing economic stability and ensuring trade competiveness. Nearly 70 percent of all of Michigan’s freight is shipped by truck and Michigan is ranked eighth in the USA in terms of the value of its exports with $50 billion per year. Unfortunately, commercial vehicles also contribute to the deterioration of pavement, reducing air quality and potentially influencing road safety. To enforce commercial vehicle laws and regulations, most states utilize fixed weigh stations supplemented with other enforcement strategies. Although fixed weigh …


Robust Design Of Shield Tunnels ‒ Considering The Longitudinal Variation Of Input Parameters, Wenping Gong Dec 2014

Robust Design Of Shield Tunnels ‒ Considering The Longitudinal Variation Of Input Parameters, Wenping Gong

All Dissertations

This dissertation, aimed at developing an improved design methodology for shield tunnels that explicitly considers design robustness against longitudinal variation of input parameters (such as soil parameters). To this end, a new solution model for shield tunnel performance analysis was first developed. In this new model, the random field concept was employed to model the longitudinal variation of input parameters. The input parameters (in the longitudinal domain) that had been generated with Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) were used as inputs for the tunnel longitudinal behavior analysis. Here, the finite element method (FEM) based upon Winkler elastic foundation theory was employed. …