Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Combined Behavioral And Engineering Approach To Preventing Highway Fatalities, Benjamin Blandford, Reginald Souleyrette, Caitlin N. Pope, Tony Fields, Erin Lammers-Staats

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Traditional, single-discipline highway safety approaches can be augmented through multidisciplinary approaches that consider both engineering and behavioral interventions (e.g., education, enforcement, public outreach campaigns). Leveraging a systems-based conceptual framework of roadway safety, multiple forms of statistical and geospatial analysis, and SPF modeling and network screening, this report proposes and demonstrates methods for unpacking the influence of behavioral-related factors on crash occurrences and outcomes. The primary focus is on behaviors targeted in the Strategic Highway Safety Plan — aggressive driving, distracted driving, impaired driving, and driving without proper restraint (i.e., seatbelts). Based on application of these methods, the report highlights areas …

Prediction Of Compressive Strength And Evaluation Of Different Theoretical Standards And Proposed Models Of Brick Columns Confined With Frp, Frcm, Or Srg System, Zuhair Al-Jaberi, John J. Myers

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Strength Capacity of Confined Masonry Column is One of the Topics that Need to Be Studied. in This Study, the Efficiency of using Different Types of Advanced Composite (Non-Corrosive Materials) Such as Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP), Fiber Reinforced Cementitious Matrix (FRCM), or Steel Reinforced Grout (SRG) in Confining Masonry Columns is Investigated. a Wide Range of Experimental Database of Masonry Column Specimens Has Been Collected from the Results that Available in Scientific Literatures. Different Theoretical Standards and Proposed Models that Used to Predict the Capacity of Masonry Columns Confined with FRP and FRCM Are Evaluated based on Collected Experimental …

A Case Study Of The Comparison Between Rubberized And Polymer Modified Asphalt On Heavy Traffic Pavement In Wet And Freeze Environment, Dongzhao Jin, Kwadwo Ampadu Boateng, Dongdong Ge, Tiankai Che, Lei Yin, Wayne Harrall, Zhanping You

Michigan Tech Publications

Ground tire rubber (GTR) usage in asphalt pavement with the dry process has gained more prominence in recent times. The objective of this work is to investigate the pavement performance of GTR-modified asphalt pavement and polymer-modified asphalt pavement on heavy volume of traffic conditions in Michigan's wet and freeze environment. A suite of laboratory tests was done to evaluate the pavement performance of GTR-modified and polymer-modified asphalt mixtures. To reveal the strain and stress relationship under different frequencies and temperatures, the dynamic modulus test was applied. The Hamburg wheel tracking device (HWTD) was used to assess the high-temperature deformation resistance. …

Rejuvenation Effect Of Aged Sbs-Modified Asphalt Utilizing Molecule Analysis, Ke Shi, Feng Ma, Jenny Liu, Zhen Fu, Ruimeng Song, Dongdong Yuan, Chen Li

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Performance of Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene Modified Asphalt (SBSMA) is Significantly Impacted by its Aging and Regeneration. in This Research, the Molecular Dynamics Simulation Was Utilized to Investigate the Rejuvenation Effect of Active Reagents on Aged SBS Modified Asphalt through the Following Tasks: 1) Verifying the Accuracy of the Asphalt Model by Density and Solubility Parameters; 2) Assessing the Changes in the Rejuvenated Asphalt Model's Energetic Parameters and Volume Parameters, 3) Studying the Interaction Energy between SBS Molecules and Asphalt Molecule Models, and 4) Evaluating the Relative Concentration, Interfacial Interaction Energy, and Diffusion Effect of the Asphalt-Asphalt Models. the Results Indicated that …

Field Implementation And Performance Of Fiber-Reinforced Low-Shrinkage Concrete For Bridge Deck Construction, Ahmed Abdelrazik, Kamal Khayat

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This Paper Reports on the Field Implementation of Fiber-Reinforced Concrete (FRC) Used for Redecking the Two-Span overpass Bridge in Missouri. the Spans Measured 38.4 and 35.05 M in Length. Modeling of the Structural Behavior of the Bridge Replacement Deck Indicated Significantly High Tensile Stresses at Midspan (Up to 45 MPa) Due to the Continuity of the Deck over the Four Precast Main Girders. Redecking of the Bridge and Casting of the Central Diaphragm Were Carried Out Continuously and Necessitated 40 Concrete Truck Deliveries of 252 M3 of FRC. Six Sensor Towers Were Installed in the Bridge Deck to Monitor Variations …

Automated Detection And Characterization Of Cracks On Concrete Using Laser Scanning, Yunfeng Ge, Jenny Liu, Xiong Zhang, Huiming Tang, Xiaolong Xia

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Accurate crack detection and characterization on concrete are essential for the maintenance, safety, and serviceability of various infrastructures. In this paper, an innovative approach was developed to automatically measure the cracks from 3D point clouds collected by a phase-shift terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) (FARO Focus3D S120). The approach integrates several techniques to characterize the cracks, which include the deviation on point normal determined using k-nearest neighbor (kNN) and principal components analysis (PCA) algorithms to identify the cracks, and principal axes and curve skeletons of cracks to determine the projected and real dimensions of cracks, respectively. The coordinate transformation was then …

Development Of A Unified Personal And Commercial Residential Hurricane Vulnerability Model Including Sensitivity And Uncertainty Studies, Roberto Vicente Silva De Abreu

Theses and Dissertations

As the population and properties in the state of Florida increase, there is an increase in hurricane losses. Hurricane winds and debris can impact the exterior components of a building envelope. The envelope breaches and defects of these components provide a pathway to hurricane wind-driven rain into the building, which causes interior and contents damage. Loss models, such as the Florida Public Hurricane Loss Model (FPHLM), estimate hurricane insured losses for portfolios of buildings. The vulnerability component of the FPHLM has a personal residential module (PR), for single family homes, and a commercial residential module (CR-LR), for apartment buildings. They …

Preferences Toward Augmented Reality Technologies For Pedestrian Navigation, Victoria Alejandra Diaz Mejia

Theses and Dissertations

This research investigates the demand for pedestrian navigation supported by augmented reality (AR) via headset and mobile technologies by evaluating factors specific to each technology and the decision makers. Recent advances in digital engineering systems, e.g., digital twins and smart cities, are enabling new services like AR-supported wayfinding for pedestrians. Still, it is unknown whether American pedestrians would use AR, the type devices and feature that add value to their navigation, the demographic profiles more inclined to AR wayfinding, and the sensitivity of such demand to software and hardware cost. As the first investigation addressing the demand for AR pedestrian …

Improved Sustainability And Efficiency Of Partial Depth Concrete Bridge Deck Repair, Israi I. H. Abu Shanab

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recently, significant advances have been made in the development of rapid setting cementitious materials for partial depth bridge deck repair. The rapid set times of these materials allow for traffic to be re-opened onto the bridge deck in several hours versus days once the material has been placed. While this is a substantial improvement in reducing the traffic closure time, a large amount of time is still spent on the removal of damaged and deteriorated bridge deck and in preparing the concrete cutouts for placement of the rapid set material. Partial deck removal is a much more delicate process than …

Predicting The Friction Coefficient Of High-Friction Surface Treatment Application Aggregates Using The Aggregates' Characteristics, Ahmed S. El-Ashwah, Korrenn Broaddus, Magdy Abdelrahman

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Providing Sufficient Pavement Surface Friction (I.e., Skid Resistance) between Vehicle Tires and Pavement Surface throughout the Pavement Service Life is Considered to Be One of the Main Objectives of Highway Design. Moreover, Vehicle Safety, the Amount of Consumed Fuel, and the Wearing Rate of Vehicle Tires Generally Are Influenced by Pavement Surface Friction. in This Study, a Comprehensive Experimental Testing Program Was Conducted on Different Aggregate Sources, Including Calcined Bauxite and Five Alternative Local Sources, to Assess their Friction Characteristics. the Testing Program Included a British Pendulum Tester (BPT) and a Dynamic Friction Tester (DFT), Which Were Used to Evaluate …

Reducing The Vulnerability Of Electric Power Infrastructure Against Natural Disasters By Promoting Distributed Generation, Gasser G. Ali, Islam H. El-Adaway, Charles Sims, J. Scott Holladay, Chien Fei Chen

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Natural disasters cause significant damage to the electrical power infrastructure every year. Therefore, there is a crucial need to reduce the vulnerability of the electric power grid against natural disasters. Distributed generation (DG) represents small-scale decentralized power generation that can help reduce the vulnerability of the grid, among many other benefits. Examples of DG include small-scale photo-voltaic (PV) systems. Accordingly, the goal of this paper is to investigate the benefits of DG in reducing the vulnerability of the electric power infrastructure by mitigating against the impact of natural disasters on transmission lines. This was achieved by developing a complex system-of-systems …

Comparing 1d, 2d, And 3d Hydraulic Models In Urban Flooding Applications, Taylor Kesler

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Floods have been a hazard to people since people first started building near rivers. Predicting floods can be very beneficial to save lives and property. Computers have made it possible to solve fluid dynamics equations in a fast and efficient manner. Computer programs have been designed to solve these equations and create digital models of floods.

This study compares three different methods of computer modeling and explores their advantages and disadvantages. One-dimensional models solve fluid equations by setting up a series of cross sections. Two-dimensional models use a grid-like mesh to solve fluid equations from one cell to the next. …

Groundwater-Surface Water Interaction To Increase Groundwater Availability, Saeid Masoudiashtiani

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study develops procedures for using surface water to increase groundwater availability and sustainable yield, and for evaluating impacts on surface water. Increasing sustainable groundwater yield requires reducing the gap between the volumes of discharge from versus recharge to an aquifer. The study presents procedure for water user(s) to help increase groundwater availability. Toward that end, this study simulates and evaluates: a) aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) of water diverted from Red Butte Creek in Salt Lake Valley, Utah for subsequent turf irrigation; b) ASR injection of residential runoff from daily rainfall for subsequent extraction to irrigate turf; and c) …

Estimating Seasonal Crop Water Consumption In Irrigated Lands Using Soil Moisture And Reference Evapotranspiration, Oliver Henry Hargreaves

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The increase in population and the megadrought that the American west has been experiencing for the past two decades and for the foreseeable future are the cause of great stress on the region’s water resources. In an effort to mitigate the worst effects of water shortages many public and private agencies have been pursuing ways to reduce water use while maintaining the current status quo of living standards, industrial productivity, and agricultural yield. This project aims to study water use in irrigated lands dedicated to agriculture with the objective of quantifying crop water use, often referred to as evapotranspiration (ET), …

Laboratory Modelling Of The Various Components Of Backward Erosion Piping Behavior Due To Converging Flow With Different Constricted Outlets, Ibrahim Ahmed Abdelmotelb Ibrahim

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Backward Erosion Piping (BEP) is an internal erosion mechanism which occurs at the down stream of dams or levees. Two conditions needed for this failure to occur: 1) head of water in the upstream of the dam or the levee to drive the seepage forces, and 2) crack in the roof or the blanket layer of the cohesionless material in the downstream of the dam or a levee. Numerous researches were performed in the past in an attempt to predict the critical gradient for BEP to initiate. Some researches are too conservative and other researches are under predicting the critical …

Understanding The Bond Strength Of Bcsa Cement Repair Concrete To Portland Cement Concrete, Brenden Simmons

Civil Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Concrete structures deteriorate over time, and there is an increasing demand for quick repair solutions. Belitic calcium sulfoaluminate (BCSA) cement, a type of rapid setting cement, is thought to be a more sustainable and convenient alternative to portland cement in repair concrete applications. Indicated by the name, rapid setting concrete can set up quicker than traditional portland cement concrete. Because of this, there has been a lot of research about the properties of rapid setting concrete mixes. One of the most popular topics is the strength of the concrete itself. However, there is a need for more research to understand …

Physical Model Of Rainwater Along Roadway Filter Strip, Ryan C. Eberhard

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to investigate infiltration rates of rainwater into a roadside filter strip. The findings of this study were intended to be used by the Utah Department of Transportation in their design of stormwater retention. A testing apparatus was designed and constructed to simulate rainfall and infiltration on an inclined slope during the 80^th percentile 24-hour rainstorm event in Utah. The model was used to test six different surface soil configurations at three slope inclinations. Each test was subjected to a simulated storm event of ½ inch of rain over a 2-hour period. The variation …

Minimise Cost Overrun Using Sustainable Construction Materials In Sri Lankan Construction Industry, Iddamalgoda Pathiranage Tharindu Sandaruwan, Jayasinghe Aarachchige Bihara Janardana, Kesavan Manoharan Mr.

International Journal of Advanced Technology in Civil Engineering

A successful construction project is determined when it is completed within the expected budget and time, ensuring the required levels of quality and safety. For a project to be successful, it is essential to plan properly and have a reliable monitoring system in place. Furthermore, the building construction sector has a negative impact on the environment by generating waste, increasing carbon emissions, polluting the air and water, and accelerating climate change. This study intends to investigate cost overrun prevention strategies in Sri Lanka using sustainable building materials. Accordingly, a mixed-method research approach was selected, and an e-based closed-ended questionnaire survey …

Stress Management And Coping Strategies For Quantity Surveyors In Sri Lanka In The 21st Century, Kavindu Theekshana Gunasekara, W.M.C.L.K Wijekoon, Chanuri Kalugala

International Journal of Advanced Technology in Civil Engineering

The construction industry is one of the most traditional fields which has a much higher competitiveness and complexity. These factors promote several unhealthy work practices and procedures. Quantity Surveyors are considered one of the most important stakeholders in the construction industry. Due to their duties and responsibilities associated throughout the entire life cycle of the construction project they are suffering from more work stresses than the other professionals in the industry. There are previous studies that are conducted regarding the factors affecting the work balance, and job satisfaction of Quantity Surveyors and various types of workplace-related stress, stress-causing factors and …

Strategies To Improve The Quality Parameter Of Building Construction Projects In Sri Lanka, Asiri Hasantha Ranasinghe, Iddamalgoda Pathiranage Tharindu Sandaruwan, Jayasinghe Aarachchige Bihara Janardana, Manoharan Kesavan

International Journal of Advanced Technology in Civil Engineering

Construction industry is a booming industry in Sri Lanka. Influence by the construction industry to the society in terms of both socially and economically cannot be underestimated since its contribution is high. Since this is a highly widening industry lots of beginners are coming to the industry as both investors and contractors. Every contractor is keen on increasing their market share. So, maintain the quality of these project is highly important in the current market. Poor quality in construction affects its every stakeholder. Safety issues, losing the strength of the structure, not enhancing the required appearance and additional cost for …