Civil Engineering Commons^™

Dynamic Flood Management At The Watershed Scale, Linlong S. Bian

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Floods have threatened people’s lives and property for all of human history. Consequently, developing and implementing effective flood mitigation strategies is a constant necessity to protect against the damage caused by floods. This dissertation proposes a dynamic water storage management strategy for flood mitigation at the watershed scale. This strategy aims to release water in a coordinated manner from water storage units before a rainfall event, leading to the entire watershed becoming more effective for flood mitigation.

Three main contributions were developed to achieve this strategy. First, a Deterministic Topographic Wetland Index (DTWI) was developed for rapidly identifying the existing …

Investigating The Impacts Of Sea Level Rise-Induced High Groundwater Table On Florida Flexible Pavement Structural Performance, Mehmet Goksel Gocmez

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis evaluates the impacts of sea-level rise-induced high groundwater table on the structural performance of typical Florida interstate, arterial, and local flexible pavements. Pavement longevity was determined under rising groundwater table level conditions using two analytical methods; the mechanistic-empirical (ME) analysis software and the current Florida empirical analysis practice. Moreover, ABAQUS and KENLAYER software were utilized to analyze the impacts of stress-dependent material nonlinearity on pavement structural performance.

Analysis results estimated that the pavement service life in Florida was reduced by as much as 77 percent with the effects of rising groundwater levels. The empirical method predicted higher rates …

Epoxy Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastic Dowel Splice For Prestressed Precast Concrete Pile, Saman Farhangdoust

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Due to limitations in operation, shipping difficulties, and unforeseen soil conditions, it often happens that splicing of precast-prestressed concrete pile (PPCP) segments has to be performed at the construction site to achieve longer lengths. In order to splice PPCPs, Glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP), Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP), and Stainless Steel (SS) dowels can be used as corrosion-resistant bars. In addition to their durability and superb mechanical performance, GFRP bars show cost advantage when compared to other corrosion-resistant materials. The objective of this study is to investigate the flexural behavior and effectiveness of the GFRP dowel and compare its …

Full-Scale Experimental Modeling To Study Wind-Induced Vibrations, Wind Driven Rain And Their Effects On Curtainwall Window Systems, Krishna Sai Vutukuru

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lewis Fry Richardson famously summarized turbulence as big whirls have little whirls, that feed on their velocity and little whirls have lesser whirls, and so on to viscosity. Big whirls/eddies typically affect the whole building structure whereas small eddies cause local area pressures causing damage to building components. Oncoming wind may carry high energy content due to these small eddies in the high-frequency range and sometimes these frequencies fall in the range of natural frequency of building components. These small eddies may cause response amplification due to this resonance, which is currently not considered in design codes such as ASCE …

Enhancing Serviceability And Resiliency Of Transportation Networks Based On Topological Credentials And Systematic Design Interventions, Md Ashraf Ahmed

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recent advancements in network science showed that the topological credentials (i.e., rank of relative importance) of network components (such as nodes and links), carry significant implications as it is critical to know which components contribute the most to the overall network performance. For transportation networks, critical components (roads, bridges) may become inaccessible for adjacent traffic due to day-to-day congestion or external disruptions (i.e., man-made or natural hazards) that significantly reduce the level of service. Hence, topological credentials of critical network components based on their connectivity need to be assessed to enhance the serviceability, i.e., improved travel time experience as well …

Development Of An Ultra-High Performance Concrete Joint Detail For Short-Span Bridges, Francisco De Jesus Chitty Gozalo

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Slab beam superstructures have been used for short-span bridges since prestressed concrete began to be used in the US. Poor joint performance of these superstructures led to recent revisions to design standards; one example being the Florida Slab Beam (FSB). The FSB and other similar slab beam systems include a composite cast-in-place (CIP) reinforced concrete deck and joint between adjacent beams. An optimized joint design has been developed to accelerate the construction times and eliminate the need for a CIP deck by using ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) in the longitudinal closure pour to connect the precast members.

The optimized joint …

Improving The Long-Term Performance Of Full-Depth Precast Concrete (Fdpc) Deck Panels Using Non-Proprietary Uhpc, Esmail Shahrokhinasab

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Full-depth precast concrete (FDPC) deck panels are a type of prefabricated bridge element used in accelerated bridge construction (ABC) that have been used in bridge construction since the 1960’s as an alternative to conventional CIP decks. The main purpose of using the prefabricated elements is to accelerate the construction and increase the long-term performance. FDPC deck panels itself offers superior durability and performance, but the connection between these elements still have shown some long-term issues like cracking. Ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) is an innovative and commercially available material that has been used to address concerns related to connection between precast elements. …

Low-Cost And Reliable Integrated Hardware And Software Framework For Remotely Operated Water Release From Storage Units, Vivek Verma

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The main contribution of this research is towards the broader area of water management that can be used for multiple purposes. For instance, floods can be mitigated using a novel approach based on the integrated dynamic management of water storage units such as reservoirs, wetlands, and ponds. This approach will enable adaptive water release from storage units hours or days ahead of rainfall events, thereby maximizing storage capacity and minimizing flooding.

This approach can be implemented by retrofitting water storage units using siphon hydraulic systems and are remotely controlled in an integrated manner using the decision support system. To make …

The Adoption Of Automated Vehicles: Accounting For Attitudes And Heterogeneity, Alireza Rahimi

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The interest in Automated Vehicles (AVs) among transportation researchers stems from the potential benefits in improving traffic congestion, reducing roadway accidents, and providing a viable mobility option that lessens transportation barriers. While AVs are anticipated to provide substantial benefits to society and travelers, the actual impacts need to be estimated before the emergence of this technology so policymakers can better plan the transportation system. A major challenge in measuring this impact originates from the lack of a clear understanding about people’s inclination to adopt this mobility option and their perception of this technology.

This dissertation presented a comprehensive analysis of …

Estimation Of The Mobility Benefits Of Ramp Metering, Henrick Joseph Haule

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Transportation agencies are implementing traffic management strategies to improve mobility and safety on freeways. Ramp metering is a traffic management strategy deployed to mitigate congestion on freeways using traffic signals installed at entrance ramps to control and regulate vehicle entry onto the freeway mainline. Estimating the mobility benefits of ramp metering is critical to determine the strategy's effectiveness and inform the decision-making process regarding its deployment.

However, the extent of the impact of ramp metering on recurrent congestion varies across studies. Among the reasons for the inconsistencies are the limitations of conventional methods for evaluating benefits, including the before-and-after approach, …

An Integrated Software And Hardware Architecture For Gravity-Driven And Remotely-Operated Water Release, Dogukan Ozecik

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study proposes an integrated real-time hardware and software architecture for gravity-driven and remotely-operated water release from storage units such as detention ponds, reservoirs, and wetlands using a siphon and conventional drainage pipe system. The hardware involves a communication component, a control function component, and a hydraulics component. The communication component consists of a Virtual Private Network (VPN) router that collects the Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) data and sends it to the remote center. The hydraulics hardware consists of an actuated butterfly valve, water level sensor, bilge pump, and air vent. Multiple flow release tests were carried out at …

Alternative Connections For Accelerated Construction Of Simple For Dead Load And Continuous For Live Load Steel Bridge System, Amir Sadeghnejad

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The simple for dead load and continuous for live load (SDCL) steel bridge system has been implemented in non-seismic areas with desirable field performance. However, in seismic areas, the application of the SDCL steel bridge system has not been implemented due to a lack of verified seismic details. A connection for the steel girders over an intermediate pier using a concrete diaphragm suitable for seismic areas was developed using numerical analysis. The field application of the developed connection required experimental verification and validation.

One of the main objectives of this study was experimental verification of the developed detail under seismic …

Evaluation Of Parametric And Nonparametric Statistical Models In Wrong-Way Driving Crash Severity Prediction, Sajidur Rahman Nafis

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Wrong-way driving (WWD) crashes result in more fatalities per crash, involve more vehicles, and cause extended road closures compared to other types of crashes. Although crashes involving wrong-way drivers are relatively few, they often lead to fatalities and serious injuries. Researchers have been using parametric statistical models to identify factors that affect WWD crash severity. However, these parametric models are generally based on several assumptions, and the results could generate numerous errors and become questionable when these assumptions are violated. On the other hand, nonparametric methods such as data mining or machine learning techniques do not use a predetermined functional …

Evaluating The Sustainability Of Infrastructure Projects During Front-End Planning Phase, Valentina Ferrer Rivero

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Front-End Planning (FEP) for Sustainable Infrastructure (SI) projects is a promising process that can support addressing multiple challenges in infrastructure projects (i.e. cost overruns, schedule delays, and poor sustainability). This study aims to investigate synergies between sustainability and FEP tools for infrastructures through stakeholders’ surveys, multiple case-study analyses, and a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) activity with students. The PBL activity enhanced students’ knowledge on FEP for SI projects, and, together with other analyses, it helped in defining three different frameworks that correlate sustainability and FEP tools for infrastructure projects. The findings of this thesis contribute to the infrastructure, engineering and construction …

Experimental Investigations Of The Aerodynamics And Wind Loading Of Buildings With Balconies, Lisette Ludena

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Balconies constitute an important element of the building design, especially in areas with a mild climate where they represent a characteristic component of the local architecture and provide the occupants an easy access to the environment. Nevertheless, in parallel with the aesthetics and functionality, balconies have an effect on the wind loading of buildings and if poorly designed it could bring catastrophic accidents. Failure of balcony glass handrail panels has been a frequent occurrence during past windstorms. Such failure poses safety concerns for the building residents and generates wind-borne debris affecting other structures downwind. The current methodology for establishing the …