Civil Engineering Commons^™

Case Methods In Civil Engineering Teaching, Timothy A. Newson, Norbert J. Delatte

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

English: There have been significant changes in undergraduate civil engineering curricula in the last two decades. Key issues for university curriculum committees are selection and transference of appropriate skills and attributes for students to succeed in the industry. Despite significant changes occurring in teaching theories, civil engineering education still relies heavily on deductive instruction. Case-based teaching is one of the most widespread forms of inductive learning and this paper describes the differences between two of the most familiar types: 'case-histories' and 'case-studies'. These methods are presented using the Kansas City Hyatt Regency walkway collapse as an exemplar. The benefits of …

Bs News September/October

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Implementing A Long-Term Bridge Monitoring Strategy For A Composite Steel Girder Bridge, Shelley Plude

Master's Theses

The University of Connecticut and the Connecticut Department of Transportation have established a long-term bridge health monitoring system to monitor critical vulnerabilities in a group of bridges throughout the state. This research focuses on a three-span, simply supported composite steel girder bridge carrying three lanes of highway traffic. It has been a part of the University of Connecticut and Connecticut Department of Transportation monitoring network since 2004 and is fitted with 20 strain gauges located at midspan at the top and bottom of the web of each girder.

To monitor the critical vulnerabilities of the bridge, it is important to …

Development Of A High Strain-Rate Constitutive Model For Sands And Its Application In Finite Element Analysis Of Tunnels Subjected To Blast, William T. Higgins Iv

Master's Theses

This thesis describes the development of a constitutive model for simulating the high strain-rate behavior of sands and demonstrates the use of the model by analyzing underground tunnels subjected to blast. The constitutive model is based on the concepts of the critical state soil mechanics and bounding surface plasticity theory. The model captures the behavior of sand under multi-axial loading conditions and predicts both drained and undrained behavior at small and large strains. Perzyna’s overstress theory is incorporated in the model to simulate the viscoplastic behavior of sand under high strain rate. The model follows a nonassociated flow rule.

The …

Anaerobic Processes For Waste Treatment And Energy Generation, Melanie L. Sattler

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications - Archive

No abstract provided.

An Investigation Of Concrete Properties In Support Of International Testing Standards, Justine Barnes

Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE)

Fresh and hardened concrete testing is an important aspect in evaluating the quality of ready mixed concrete. The testing process requires many standards to ensure repeatable results. The research being conducted examines two particular standards ASTM C143-The Slump of Hydraulic Concrete and ASTM 496-Split Tension Testing of Hardened Concrete. The first test compares the slump on a flat and level surface with the slump when tested on a surface which slopes up to 8%. For each batch of concrete created, 30 slump tests are conducted and three 4x8 cylinders were created for compression testing. The second test examines whether the …

Constitutive Model For Rate Dependent Behavior Of Clay Internal Geotechnical Report 2011-3, Harry Martindale, Dipanjan Basu

Technical Reports

This report presents a strain-rate dependent plastic constitutive model for clays. Based on the concepts of critical-state soil mechanics and bounding surface plasticity theory, the model reproduces the mechanical response of clays under multi-axial loading conditions and predicts both the drained and undrained behavior. The model parameters are determined for Boston Blue Clay, London Clay and Kaolin Clay, and the performance of the model in simulating the mechanical response of these clays is demonstrated for low to medium strain rates. The sensitivity of each model parameter is checked by perturbing the calibrated values by ±20%. Subsequently, a probabilistic analysis using …

A High Strain-Rate Constitutive Model For Sand With Application In Finite Element Analysis Internal Geotechnical Report 2011-4, William Higgins, Dipanjan Basu

Technical Reports

The report presents a constitutive model for simulating the high strain-rate behavior of sands. Based on the concepts of critical-state soil mechanics, the bounding surface plasticity theory and the overstress theory of viscoplasticity, the constitutive model simulates the high strain-rate behavior of sands under uniaxial, triaxial and multiaxial loading conditions. The model parameters are determined for Ottawa and Fontainebleau sands, and the performance of the model under extreme transient loading conditions is demonstrated through simulations of split Hopkinson pressure bar tests up to a strain rate of 2000/sec. The constitutive model is implemented in a finite element analysis software to …

Laboratory Evaluation Of Dynamic Characterization Methods For Rapid Condition Assessment Of Bridges, Jason Kyle Herrman

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this thesis was to devise and refine Structural Health Monitoring methods and the associated quantitative characterization methods with the specific goal of enabling rapid and reliable safety evaluations of bridges following natural or manmade hazards. Presently, the safety and serviceability of these transportation infrastructure assets for use in emergency response and recovery operations are evaluated through on-site visual inspections of individual structures by teams of specially trained engineers or technicians; a process that is manpower-intensive, subjective, and slow. Specifically, the researcher was able to identify and evaluate strategies and procedures for using dynamic testing methods to rapidly …

Evaluation Of Safe Routes To School Programs: Qualitative And Quantitative Analysis Of Parental Decision-Making, Lynn Weigand, Noreen Mcdonald

TREC Final Reports

In the United States, walking to school declined from 42% of 5-18 year olds in 1969 to 16% in 20011. The US Department of Transportation has responded to this dramatic decrease by funding the Safe Routes to School program for $612 million in SAFETEA-LU. The program’s funding emphasize infrastructure improvements such as completing sidewalks and adding crosswalks by requiring between 70% and 90% of funding be allocated toward infrastructure. However, recent research shows that 2 of 3 children who currently are driven to school, but live close enough to walk, do so because it is more convenient for parents. Currently, …

A Three-Dimensional Hydro-Environmental Model Of Dublin Bay, Zeinab Bedri, Michael Buen, Aodh Dowley

Articles

This paper compares a 3-dimensional hydro-ecological model with a 2-dimensional model simulating the distribution and fate of Escherichia Coli (E.Coli) discharges from a sewage treatment plant discharging into Dublin Bay, Ireland. Before being discharged, the effluent from the sewage treatment plant is mixed with cooling water from a thermal generation plant resulting in a warm buoyant sewage plume that can be 7 − 9oC higher than the ambient water in the Bay. The mixing of the stratified plume is complicated by the tidal currents which transport the plume into and out of the estuary. These processes have a direct impact …

Structural Health Monitoring Of Historic Masonry Monuments, Saurabh Prabhu

All Theses

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) is a well-accepted diagnostic technique being used to evaluate modern structures. This method involves monitoring the vibration response of a structure to detect changes in its structural state. The primary intention of this thesis is to address two practical and technical difficulties encountered in deploying SHM on historic masonry monuments: (i) the selection of suitable low dimensional vibration response features that are highly sensitive to the presence and extent of damage, while having low sensitivity to extraneous noise and (ii) the selection of optimal sensor locations for efficient system identification applied to Gothic Cathedrals. Both of …

Retrofit Solutions For Sealed Pervious Concrete Pavements, Gregory Bunting

All Theses

The goal of this research was to design, implement, and evaluate several retrofit solutions for sealed pervious concrete. Properly functioning pervious concrete pavements allow water to drain through the structure, eliminating the need for traditional drainage infrastructure. A recent study of South Carolina porous pavements (Putman 2010) revealed that some pervious concrete pavements are not properly draining, either because of sealing at the surface. Sealed pavements are generally a result of construction processes, and sealed pavements cannot be fixed with sediment removal techniques such as vacuuming and pressure washing. This study investigates a technique to increase infiltration of sealed pervious …

Comparison Of Design-Build And Design-Bid-Build Performance Of Public University Projects, James David Fernane

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

With an unsure market and scarce work, owners across the United States, especially universities, are finding themselves in situations where they are unable to complete their projects within cost and schedule using the traditional delivery method: Design-Bid-Build (DBB). Under the DBB project delivery method, many competent contractors are electing to send low bids on projects just to keep work on their books, with plans to receive change orders once the project is underway; this practice is leading to cost and schedule overruns. Public universities across the United States are beginning to elect to use Design-Build (DB) as an alternate project …

Sensitivity Analysis Of Load Distribution In Light-Framed Wood Roof System Due To Typical Modeling Parameters, Ranjith Shivarudrappa

All Theses

Since failure of roof systems in past high wind events have demonstrated the consequences of not maintaining a continuous load path from the roof to the foundation, many studies have been conducted to better understand this load path, including how loads are distributed in the system. The present study looks to add to the current knowledge of the vertical load path by focusing on uplift loads and by considering the sensitivity of different modeling parameters. This is done by developing and assessing load influence coefficients for various roof-to-wall (RTW) connections. An analytical model of a light-framed wood structure using finite …

Evaluation Of Warm Mix Open Graded Friction Course Mixtures, James Wurst

All Theses

The goal of this study was to evaluate EvothermTM (a chemical package) and foaming (a water-injection method) warm mix asphalt (WMA) technologies to determine their effectiveness in producing high quality open graded friction course (OGFC) mixes. Specifically, this study focused on the effect of the removal of stabilizing additives (fibers and polymers) on the optimum binder content and performance of WMA OGFC mixtures. By focusing on additive removal, this study attempted to evaluate practical production concerns and the possible benefits of WMA technologies combined with OGFC.
The EvothermTM WMA and foaming WMA mixes were compared to traditional HMA OGFC by …

Behavior Of The Next-D Beam Shear Key: A Finite Element Approach, Armando Flores

All Theses

State Departments of Transportation have been using adjacent precast bridges for many years. A vital component of this type of bridges is the connection between the members, which is typically done with a grouted shear key. Shear keys have changed through time to adapt to the requirements of bridge design. An assessment of the Northeast Extreme Tee with integral deck (NEXT-D) was performed for the SCDOT as a development possibility for short span bridges. This research focuses on the finite element analysis study of the NEXT-D's specific shear key configuration.
A review of shear key configurations used by different DOTs …

An Experimental And Computational Study Of Windborne Debris In Severe Storms, Arash Karimpour

All Dissertations

Abstract
This research focuses on an experimental and theoretical investigation of windborne debris emanating from loose gravel on built-up roofs. During severe storms, windborne debris can cause considerable physical harm and property damage. One of the major sources of flying debris in large commercial areas is loose gravel on built-up roofs. Such loose gravel can be responsible loss of life and significant property damage. Despite the high risk of windborne debris, their flight mechanics are poorly understood. To better understand windborne debris flight, a series of experiments were conducted in the Clemson University Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel. These experiments were …

Social Sustainability Considerations During Planning And Design: A Framework Of Processes For Construction Projects, Rodolfo Valdes Vasquez

All Dissertations

With increased awareness of issues such as global resource shortages and climate change, sustainability efforts are becoming more common in the construction industry. While these efforts often consider economic and environmental factors, a truly sustainable construction project also needs to include such social considerations as its impact on the surrounding community and the safety, health, and education of the workforce. For the construction industry, social sustainability requires integrating processes for improving safety, health and well-being over the project life cycle. However, an empirical and comprehensive framework defining these social sustainability processes in construction projects has yet to be clearly delineated. …

Investigation Into The Role Of Airfield Pavement Deicer In Concrete Pavement Deterioration, David Wingard

All Dissertations

Premature deterioration of concrete due to materials-related distresses has been observed with increased frequency in airfield pavements across the United States in the past two decades. The use of a new breed of deicing chemicals based on alkali-acetates and alkali-formates, starting in the early 1990s, has been suspected to be one of the significant reasons for the increase in the observed deterioration. Previous laboratory-based studies have found that the early-age deterioration in concrete is associated with exposure to deicers causing acceleration of the Alkali Silica Reaction (ASR) deterioration mechanism and consequent failure. However, no systematic forensic studies on the impact …