Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Applied Mechanics Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 2 of 2

Full-Text Articles in Applied Mechanics

Life-Cycle Cost Analysis Of Alternative Reinforcement Materials For Bridge Superstructures Considering Cost And Maintenance Uncertainties, Christopher D. Eamon, Elin A. Jensen, Nabil F. Grace, Xiuwei Shi Mar 2012

Life-Cycle Cost Analysis Of Alternative Reinforcement Materials For Bridge Superstructures Considering Cost And Maintenance Uncertainties, Christopher D. Eamon, Elin A. Jensen, Nabil F. Grace, Xiuwei Shi

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research Publications

A life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) was conducted on prestressed concrete bridges using carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) bars and strands. Traditional reinforcement materials of uncoated steel with cathodic protection and epoxy-coated steel were also considered for comparison. A series of deterministic LCCAs were first conducted to identify a range of expected cost outcomes for different bridge spans and traffic volumes. Then, a probabilistic LCCA was conducted on selected structures that included activity timing and cost random variables. It was found that although more expensive initially, the use of CFRP reinforcement has the potential to achieve significant reductions in life …


Semi-Active Damping For An Intelligent Adaptive Ankle Prosthesis, Andrew K. Lapre Jan 2012

Semi-Active Damping For An Intelligent Adaptive Ankle Prosthesis, Andrew K. Lapre

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

Modern lower limb prostheses are devices that replace missing limbs, making it possible for lower limb amputees to walk again. Most commercially available prosthetic limbs lack intelligence and passive adaptive capabilities, and none available can adapt on a step by step basis. Often, amputees experience a loss of terrain adaptability as well as stability, leaving the amputee with a severely altered gait. This work is focused on the development of a semi-active damping system for use in intelligent terrain adaptive ankle prostheses. The system designed consists of an optimized hydraulic cylinder with an electronic servo valve which throttles the hydraulic …