Construction Engineering and Management Commons^™

Performance Comparison Of A Roundabout Versus Two-Way Stop Controlled (Twsc) Intersections, Deogratias Eustace

Deogratias Eustace

The superior safety record of modern roundabouts is well known in Western Europe, Australia and in most British-influenced countries around the world. The experience from a single modern roundabout installed in the City of Manhattan, Kansas, some three years ago, also shares the same experience. A major study of the performance of Manhattan, Kansas, modern roundabout was conducted at Kansas State University (KSU) and was co-sponsored by Mac-Blackwell National Rural Transportation Study Center, Kansas State University, and the City of Manhattan. The study examined three intersections, one modern roundabout and two Two-Way Stop Controlled (TWSC) intersections with similar traffic conditions. …

A Simplified Method For Analyzing Factors Contributing To Motorcyclists’ Fatal Injuries In Ohio, Deogratias Eustace, Vamsi Krishna Indupuru

Deogratias Eustace

The aim of this paper was to analyze traffic crash data by using a simplified method in determining significant factors that increase the risk of a motorcyclist being fatally injured once involved in a motorcycle crash in Ohio. The concept of overrepresentation, which is similar to relative risk, was used in identifying significant variables associated with the elevated risk of a motorcycle crash resulting into a fatality. The overrepresentation factor (ORF) was calculated for each variable of interest. The ORF offers a simple but powerful procedure of determining whether a certain factor significantly occurs more or less frequently in one …

Application Of Polyurethane Products In Accelerated Construction Of Innovative Noise Barrier, Bahman Daee

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Noise barriers (sound walls) are usually constructed along roadways to mitigate the airborne noise emanating from vehicles. They are currently built using various materials including precast concrete panels, masonry, wood and transparent sheets. The main challenge in roadside construction is the obstruction of roadways during the construction, which may result in traffic congestion, public dissatisfaction, car collision and subsequently fatalities. In order to decrease the risk of roadside construction, accelerated and non-obstructive methods are highly preferred by transportation authorities.

An innovative wall system comprised of polyurethane products is proposed, developed and investigated for application in accelerated construction of noise barriers. …

Cleveland Sidewalk Studies: Plan For Blythe Avenue Area Sidewalk Extension To 20th Street Se And Plan For Neighborhood Connector Sidewalks To Wildwood Avenue, Thuy Trieu, Kelly Nicholas, Scott Rice, Michael Williams, Heath Sain, Jonathan Reagan

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

State Of Accelerated Bridge Construction (Abc) In The United States, Mike Ofili

Honors College Theses

The purpose of this project is to develop a toolkit for the design and construction of bridges using prefabricated materials primarily to reduce the closure time and on-site construction time of newly constructed bridges or bridges undergoing renovation. The research focuses specifically on short span bridges in Georgia (40,60,80, and 120ft spans).

Areas of primary concern for this project were design, constructability, structural analysis, the use of concrete and steel girders, cost efficiency, and industry surveys. In this particular portion of the study, the surveys proved to be most effective when combined with information obtained existing research as well as …

Deformation-Based Excavation Support System Design Method, Sekyi K. Intsiful

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

Development in urban areas around the world has steadily increased in recent years. This rapid development has not been matched by the ever decreasing open space commonly associated with urban centers. Vertical construction, thus, lends itself a very useful solution to this problem. Deep excavation is often required for urban construction. Unfortunately, the ground movements associated with deep excavation can result in damage to adjacent buildings. Thus, it is critically important to accurately predict the damage potential of nearby deep excavations and designing adequate support systems.

A new design method is proposed, as an attempt, to address the problem. The …

Evaluating The Impact Of Bridge Deck Removal Method On The Performance Of Precast/Prestressed Concrete I-Girders, Shaddi Assad

Department of Construction Engineering and Management: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Wide flange precast/prestressed concrete I-girders have been widely used by several State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) in the last two decades. These girders have many advantages over standard AASHTO I-girders. Their wide and thick bottom flange accommodates a large number of prestressing strands and their wide and thin top flange provides a shorter deck span, reduced girder weight, greater stability in construction, and adequate platform for workers. Despite these advantages, the wide and thin top flange might be disadvantageous when it comes to deck removal, as it is more susceptible to damage. Therefore there is a need to investigate the …

Effects Of Stirrups On Bond Behavior Between Concrete And Corroded Steel Bars, Hongwei Lin, Yuxi Zhao, Ming Sun

International Conference on Durability of Concrete Structures

Steel corrosion leads to the deterioration of bond between concrete and steel bars. The serviceability and ultimate strength of concrete elements within RC structures are hence affected. Many researchers have studied the bond behavior of corroded steel bars. However, very few studies have investigated the effects of confinements on the degradation of bond strength. The present paper proposed a new kind of beam specimen based on which the effects of stirrups on degradation of bond were investigated. The test results proved that stirrups can effectively increase the bond strength between concrete and corroded steel bars.

No Admixture, Sustainable, Self-Consolidating Grout, Craig V. Baltimore Dr

Craig V. Baltimore

ABSTRACT: The consolidation of grout in concrete masonry unit (CMU) walls is labor-intensive. Also, the grout’s Portland cement content has a high embodied energy demand – a non-sustainable characteristic. For the labor-intensive issue, chemical admixture self-consolidating grouts have been used in walls 12.67 ft. (3.86 m) tall, however the chemical additive can impose new limitations on the grout (non-robust characteristics). No admixture self-consolidating grout with high percentage Portland cement replacement have potential for robust and sustainable application.

This paper reports on the consolidation of no admixture self-consolidating grout made by substituting high percentages of Portland cement with Type-F fly ash …

Seismic Response Of A Tall Building To Recorded And Simulated Ground Motions, Nenad Bijelic, Ting Lin, Gregory Deierlein

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Seismological modeling technologies are advancing to the stage of enabling fundamental simulation of earthquake fault ruptures, which offer new opportunities to simulate extreme ground motions for collapse safety assessment and earthquake scenarios for community resilience studies. With the goal toward establishing the reliability of simulated ground motions for performance-based engineering, this paper examines the response of a 20-story concrete moment frame building analyzed by nonlinear dynamic analysis under corresponding sets of recorded and simulated ground motions. The simulated ground motions were obtained through a larger validation study via the Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC) Broadband Platform (BBP) that simulates magnitude …

Behaviour Of Reinforced Concrete Conical Tanks Under Hydrostatic Loading, Tareq M. Azabi

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Reinforced concrete conical tanks are used in municipalities and industrial applications as liquid containing vessels. Such tanks can be ground supported tanks or elevated on a supporting shaft. Although most design codes provide guidelines for rectangular and cylindrical tanks, no guidance is provided in such codes for conical tanks. Therefore, this thesis is motivated to study the behaviour and design of this type of tanks. In the current study, the accuracy of a design approach based on the provisions of Portland Cement Association (PCA-CCTWP) code for cylindrical tanks combined with an equivalent cylindrical approach provided by the American Water Works …

Making Bridges Outlast Rising Waters, Daniel Cox

TREC Project Briefs

During Hurricanes Ivan in 2004 and Katrina in 2005, at least 11 highway and railroad bridges along the U.S. Gulf Coast were damaged by wave forces. The spans of these bridges typically rested on bent column supports, and were attached to the supports by a variety of connection methods. Failure of these connections caused bridge spans to be washed away when the water rose high enough to lift them off. To build bridges that can withstand such forces, engineers must be able to estimate the effects the forces will have.

Investigator Daniel Cox of Oregon State University has conducted wave …

Testing And Analysis Of An Alternative Connection Method In Closed Panel Timber Frame Domestic Construction, Brendan Towey

Masters

Construction practices continue to evolve in tandem with the requirements for more energy efficient buildings, materials and construction methods. This steady and progressive move towards the development of the industry and its products comes, not in leaps and bounds, but in incremental advances across all areas of construction. The research detailed in this project is one such advancement. Timber frame construction has been in existence for centuries and its tried and tested methods have been utilised worldwide in both domestic and industrial building. In recent times, standard open panel timber frame construction has been enhanced by the development of closed …

Implementing Green Roofs On Movie Theaters And Shopping Centers: Business Cases In Profitable Sustainability, Ryan J. Miller

Pomona Senior Theses

This thesis presents the business case for installing green roofs on movie theaters and shopping centers. These businesses can then derive increased profits from the environmental benefits of reduced energy use and increased stormwater retention. After presenting the basic design and benefits of a green roof, the thesis develops stand-alone business plans for a movie theater and shopping center. The author finds that green roofs are a profitable sustainability solution for the commercial enterprise.

Mechanical And Transport Properties Of Alkali-Activated Natural Pozzolans As Sustainable Binders, Brittany Radke

Calvert Undergraduate Research Awards

OPC production accounts for 5 to 7% of the global carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, contributing to global warming. The desire to reduce CO₂ emissions and produce more durable concrete has given impetus to search for new binders. It is suggested that alkali-activated natural pozzolans have the potential for use as a sustainable replacement for OPC in concrete.

The current study presented herein evaluated fresh, mechanical, and transport properties of alkali-activated natural pozzolan mortars containing various concentrations of sodium hydroxide solutions as an alkaline activator. To this aim, alkali-activated natural pozzolan mortars were made with concentrations of sodium …

In-Plane Loading Of Brick Veneer Over Wood Shear Walls, Elias Anis Toubia, James M. Lintz

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Engineering Mechanics Faculty Publications

In the design of wood stud walls with brick veneer, current design building codes specify that the wood stud wall should resist all in-plane and out-of-plane loads (IBC 2009). For out-of-plane loads, this assumption is entirely justified as the brittle brick veneer will crack and lose its capacity to resist bending. For in-plane loads, the brick veneer is significantly stiffer than the wood shear wall, and the veneer is unlikely to crack before the wood shear wall reaches its allowable capacity. The assumption that the wood shear wall resists the entire load is based on the further assumption that the …

Compression Testing And Failure Modes Of Steel-Concrete Composite (Sc) Structures For Nuclear Containment, Patrick Michael Wanamaker, Amit H. Varma

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Although being able to provide much cleaner power than burning coal and other fossil fuels, nuclear power plants are still a tough sell to the general public due to their history of being spontaneously dangerous. The containment structures surrounding these nuclear plants, however, can play a huge role in reducing the risks associated with them. Relatively new designs for these containment assemblies, known as SC (steel-concrete composite) structures, aim to increase the strength and durability of the containment facilities while keeping costs down. By varying the spacing between shear studs, the ratio of concrete to steel, and the ratio of …

Precast Concrete Insulated Wall Panel Corbels Without Thermal Bridging, Mohamed Elkady

Department of Construction Engineering and Management: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The common practice in corbel design is to block out the insulation in order to provide a solid concrete area at the corbel location. This connection practice results in thermal bridging, which significantly reduces the energy performance of the panel. For example, the PCI Design Handbook indicates that the reduction in thermal resistance caused by a solid part with an area equal to 9% of the total panel surface area is as high as 42%. This paper presents a discussion of a new concept for corbel design of insulated wall panels with the thermal break totally preserved. Two different designs …

Bringing To Life The World’S Tallest Structure, Jonathan Weigand

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

Intended as the centerpiece of constructional developments in Dubai, the Burj Khalifa now stands as the tallest building ever constructed. The uniquely designed foundation consists of a concrete raft supported by a cast-in-place pile system protected by waterproofing membrane to inhibit corrosion. The structural design integrates high-performance reinforced concrete and steel and incorporates an engineered “Y” shape that limits the lateral wind pressure on the building. Engineers applied the latest advancements in high-rise technology to develop an optimized construction plan that consisted of segmented tasks that promoted the staff to work at a quick yet manageable pace. This article details …

A Model For Continuous Measurement Of Drilled Shaft Diameter During Construction, Masood Hajali

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) of deep foundations has become an integral part of the industry’s standard manufacturing processes. It is not unusual for the evaluation of the integrity of the concrete to include the measurement of ultrasonic wave speeds. Numerous methods have been proposed that use the propagation speed of ultrasonic waves to check the integrity of concrete for drilled shaft foundations. All such methods evaluate the integrity of the concrete inside the cage and between the access tubes. The integrity of the concrete outside the cage remains to be considered to determine the location of the border between the concrete …

Multi Geophysical Parameters For Earthquake Forecasting, Ramesh P. Singh

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

This article focuses on the importance of keeping the public aware of earthquake forecasting. This article also encourages proper seismic codes to design buildings in the seismic-prone regions because such practice can save lives and property associated with an earthquake.

Dynamic Vulnerability Assessment Of Highway And Railway Bridges, Mehdi Mohseni

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Dynamic loads can cause severe damage to bridges, and lead to malfunction of transportation networks. A comprehensive understanding of the nature of the dynamic loads and the structural response of bridges can prevent undesired failures while keeping the cost-safety balance. Dissimilar to the static behavior, the dynamic response of bridges depends on several structural parameters such as material properties, damping and mode shapes. Furthermore, dynamic load characteristics can significantly change the structural response. In most cases, complexity and involvement of numerous parameters require the designer to investigate the bridge response via a massive numerical study.

This dissertation targets three main …

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 …

Laboratory Performance Of Highway Bridge Girder Anchorages Under Simulated Hurricane-Induced Wave Loading, Jora Lehrman, Christopher Higgins, Daniel Cox

TREC Final Reports

Many bridges along the Gulf Coast of the United States were damaged by recent hurricanes, and many more are susceptible to similar damage. This research examines the structural performance of common connection details used to anchor prestressed concrete girders to the substructure. Full-scale specimens were fabricated and tested under static and dynamic cyclic load histories. Dynamic load histories were developed from previously conducted hydraulic tests of a 1/5 scale model of a highway bridge under hurricane wave loads. The load effects considered included the pseudo-statically applied vertical uplift force, horizontal force, combined horizontal and vertical forces, and dynamically applied combined …

Slope Stability Monitoring Using Remote Sensing Techniques, Omar Alberto Conte Robles

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

During the past six years the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) has spent over nine million dollars repairing slope failures that have occurred in the state of Arkansas. Specifically, higher than average precipitation in 2004 and 2008 led to large quantities of slides, all of which were repaired. Two highways, within the state of Arkansas, with known historical movements along or across the highways are being monitored using traditional surveying techniques and advanced remote sensing techniques. These slides, both of which are located in fill slopes. One a 500-foot long slide located north of Chester, Arkansas, within the …

Efficient Precast/Prestressed Floor System For Building Construction, Eliya Henin

Department of Construction Engineering and Management: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Precast floor systems provide a rapidly constructed solution to multi-story buildings that is economical, high quality, fire-resistant, and with excellent deflection and vibration characteristics. Conventional precast concrete floor system cannot compete with cast-in-place post tensioning flat slab floor systems when high span-to-depth ratio and flat soffit are required. This is due to the significant depth of standard precast beams, and use of column corbels and beam ledges. This research presents the development of a new precast concrete floor system that eliminates the limitations of conventional precast floor system and provides a competitive precast alternative to cast-in-place flat slab floor systems. …

Central Philippines Earthquake, February 06, 2012, Md. Nurul Alam

Md. Nurul Alam

No abstract provided.

Interfacial Strength Between Prestressed Hollow Core Slabs And Cast-In-Place Concrete Toppings, Ryan M. Mones

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

The horizontal shear strength of the interface between prestressed concrete hollow core slabs and cast-in-place concrete topping slabs was evaluated through a set of 24 push-off experiments. The push-off test specimens featured segments of dry-mix and wet-mix hollow core slabs with a variety of surface treatments including machine finished, sandblasted, broom roughened, rake roughened and grouted. A cast-in-place slab was poured on top of the hollow core specimens to form a 15 inch by 15 inch interface between the two materials. Results indicate the average horizontal shear strength of the push-off specimens was 227 psi. Higher shear strength and slip …

Application Of Gis In Seismic Risk Assessment For The City Of Kelowna, Md. Nurul Alam

Md. Nurul Alam

No abstract provided.

State Dependent Properties Of Rail Pads, Sakdirat Kaewunruen, Alexander Remennikov

Alex Remennikov

Rail pad is one of the main components in ballasted railway track systems. It is inserted between the rail and the sleeper to attenuate dynamic wheel/rail interaction forces, preventing the underlying railway track components from excessive stresses. Generally, the dynamic design of tracks relies on the available data, which are mostly focused on the structural condition at a specific toe load. Recent findings show that track irregularities could significantly amplify the loads on railway tracks. This phenomenon gives rise to a concern that the rail pads may experience higher deterioration rate than anticipated in the past. On this ground, an …