Construction Engineering and Management Commons^™

Risk Management In Motorway Ppp Projects: Empirical-Based Guidelines, Nunzia Carbonara, Nicola Costantino, Louis Gunnigan, Roberta Pellegrino

Articles

This paper deals with the topic of risk management in Public–Private Partnership (PPP). The analysis of the related literature reveals that risks must be analyzed and managed on a context-specific approach, and that there is a lack of a comprehensive study on the appropriate risk mitigation strategies for each risk embedded in PPP projects. Focusing on the transport sector, based on the results of a Delphi survey, the paper provides guidelines for both public and private parties in defining a list of significant risks in PPP motorway projects, and identifying for them both the effective allocation and the suitable mitigation …

Structural Properties Of Concrete Materials Containing Roadcem, Niall Holmes

Articles

This paper presents findings from a preliminary study to assess the structural and material properties of a nonstandard, concrete type mix containing RoadCem, a traditional soil stabilising additive. Two different mixes determined the effect of adding RoadCem in terms of compressive and flexural strengths, breaking strain, thermal expansion and contraction behaviour, permeability using a falling head, and Young’s modulus. RoadCem is a fine powder containing alkali metals and synthetic zeolites which are complemented with a complex activator. RoadCem modifies the dynamics and chemistry of cement hydration by enhancing the crystallisation process and forming longer needle crystalline structures. It reduces the …

Bs News January/February

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

The Applicability Of Western Management In The Middle East, Zamaan Al-Shabbani

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

The Middle Eastern construction industry is still suffering from cost overruns, delays, and disputes. Inefficient management practices and lack of management are frequently reported reasons for such problems. Researchers attribute such problems to the traditional management practices that are utilized in the Middle East. However, International companies who practice their best management strategies are still suffering from the same problems. These issues become more significant in joint ventures when two different management styles work together. Therefore, it becomes crucial to understand the characteristics of Middle Eastern construction environment in terms of the management practices and regulations that are used and …

Color Removal From Pulp Mill Effluent Using Coal Ash Produced From Georgia Power Coal Combustion Plants, Christopher B. Willett

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Two environmental concerns currently face Georgia: coal fly ash (CFA) waste from coal power plants, and the effluent generated by pulp mills. Pulp mill effluent discolors surface waters into which it is discharged, and has been proven to negatively impact the dissolved oxygen and carbon necessary for aquatic life. The proposed solution is a cost-effective adsorption treatment using an inexpensive but abundantly available waste material: CFA. CFA possesses beneficial properties that allow it to effectively remove contaminants, and is available at significantly reduced cost. The primary research objective was to define treatment parameters that would result in the maximum removal …

Effects Of Posttensioning Slippage On 2-Way Spanning Concrete Slabs, Niall Holmes, Eoin Byrne

Articles

This paper investigates the effect of improper posttensioning of a 2-way spanning concrete slab subject to a central point load. Due to plate slippage alone, the support conditions only offered a 1-way spanning action which could have led to premature failure with dangerous consequences. Posttensioning can strengthen a flat slab against punching shear by controlling deflections and cracking under service loads compared with traditional punching shear reinforcing methods leading to more slender structures and economic solutions for longer spans. However, if the method is not properly applied, these thinner floor plates can fail in a brittle and sudden manner by …

The Design Of A Modelling, Monitoring And Validation Method For A Solid Wall Structure, Timothy O'Leary, Gillian Menzies, Aidan Duffy

Conference Papers

Hygrothermal assessment is the combined analysis of heat, air and moisture transfer through the building fabric. The two approaches are covered by conventions known as the IS EN 5250:2011 (Glaser method) and IS EN 15026:2007 which differs from Glaser by solving the equations numerically using computer software. Results for hygrothermal analysis provide valuable information for surface and interstitial condensation risk assessment and the impact of energy upgrades. For traditional solid walled structures, conditions such as wind driven rain (WDR) and rising ground water can have a significant impact on the environmental behaviour and in particular the moisture behaviour of the …

First Steps In Developing Cement-Based Batteries To Power Cathodic Protection Of Embedded Steel In Concrete, Niall Holmes, Aimee Byrne, Brian Norton

Articles

This paper presents the first steps in developing innovative cement-based batteries to power cathodic protection in reinforced concrete structures. Initial electrical outputs of 1.55V and 23mA have been found to be sufficient to polarise prescribed corrosion currents of 20mA per m2 of embedded steel. Cathodic protection is a well-developed and powerful technique to limit the effects of steel reinforcement corrosion. However, as it requires an electrical supply day and night, it is often powered by non-environmentally friendly diesel generators or connected to the electrical grid. This paper focuses on increasing the ionic conductivity of the solution in the cement pores, …

The Engagement Of Expert Opinions In The Modeling Of Multi-Attribute Decision Making For The Selection Of Project Delivery Methods In Building Construction, Issam H. Algraiw

Doctoral Dissertations

"Choosing the most appropriate project delivery method (PDM) available is acknowledged as a crucial issue in the construction industry. Both the choice and application of an unsuitable PDM can result in project failure. Likewise, the selection of a suitable PDM can increase the chance for project success. A method of selecting from among the seven PDMs recognized by the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) was created in an attempt to address this issue.

This research was comprised of three objectives. The first objective was to determine the influential factors needed to select the appropriate PDMs available to the US construction industry. …

Using Simulated Virtual Interactivity In Construction Education, Saeed Rokooei, James D. Goedert

Department of Construction Engineering and Management: Faculty Publications

This paper briefly illustrates the design procedure, implementation and findings of a three year research project. Virtual Interactive Construction Education (VICE) is a project-based pedagogical model that uses a simulated environment to alter traditional subject-based lectures into virtual project-based interactive learning methods in construction education. For this purpose, the context of construction engineering and management curricula were aggregated into six construction project prototypes. VICE-Bridge is the first of these six prototypes that exposes players to experiential problem solving activities toward achieving a goal situation (construct the bridge) from an initial situation (start of construction). It was designed for students with …

A Study Of Uplift Capacity Of Pipeline In Soils, Khamnoy Kounlavong

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This thesis aims to analyze the uplift capacity of a burial pipeline in two types of soil namely cohesionless soils and cohesive-frictional soils. Finite element analysis with two dimensional plain strain condition were employed to model and determine the limit load of this problem. Cohesionless and cohesive-frictional soils were model as Mohr-coulomb materials in the drained condition while a pipeline was modeled as plate element with an elastic material with high axial and bending stiffness to ensure its rigid behavior. Parametric studies of cohesionless soils and cohesive-frictional soils were performed to study effects of dimensionless variables, including 1) embedment depth …

Numerical And Experimental Studies Of Undercut Slopesinclined Along A Bedding Plane, Rithy Ouch

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Slope failures along a bedding plane were critical issues and mostly happened in an open pit mining project such as the Mae Moh Mine, Thailand. The prediction of maximum width to which the slope remains stable after an excavation process is required. The aim of this research is to investigate the stability and failure mechanisms of undercut slopes with and without shear pins resting on a bedding plane by means of physical and numerical models. Physical models of slip tests and undercut slopes were made of the humid silica sand No. 6 with 10% of water content and rested on …

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 …

Interfacial Bond Between Reinforcing Fibers And Calcium Sulfoaluminate Cements: Fiber Pullout Characteristics, Robert B. Jewell, Kamyar C. Mahboub, Thomas L. Robl, Arne C. Bathke

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

The results of an experimental investigation on the influence of the interfacial bond of reinforcing fibers embedded in a calcium sulfoaluminate matrix on the fiber-pullout peak load and energy consumption are presented. Bonding at the fiber-matrix interface plays an important role in controlling the mechanical performance of cementitious composites—in particular, composites formed from sulfate-based systems (calcium sulfoaluminate [CSA] cements), as opposed to the silicate systems found in portland cement. Various types of fibers were selected, including polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polypropylene, and copper-coated steel. The fibers were embedded in three different matrixes: two sulfate-based cements including one commercially available CSA cement …

The Role Of Shrinkage Strains Causing Early-Age Cracking In Cast-In-Place Concrete Bridge Decks, Tayyebeh Mohammadi, Baolin Wan, Christopher M. Foley

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Early-age cracking in cast-in-place reinforced concrete bridge decks is occurring more frequently now than three decades ago and principle factors that lead to early-age deck cracking are not fully understood. A finite element (FE) simulation methodology for assessing the role of shrinkage-induced strains in generating early-age bridge deck cracking is described. The simulations conducted indicate that drying shrinkage appears to be capable of causing transverse (and possibly longitudinal) bridge deck cracks as early as 9 to II days after bridge deck placement. The drying-shrinkage induced stresses would result in transverse cracking over interior pier supports in a typical bridge superstructure …

Construction Claims: Impact Of Defective Construction On Long-Term Facility Maintenance Costs, Khalid Siddiqi, Alejuandro Hunt

Faculty Articles

The industry is becoming one of the leaders in producing and implementing sustainable building metrics by promoting the use of renewables, Green Building, Lean Building and LEED Construction. The newly introduced changes present challenges to sustainable construction and has led to more companies and stakeholders promoting integration of all construction phases. This study was conducted to quantify the impact on defective construction procedures and methods on sustainable construction projects' recurring facility maintenance costs. The research data was collected from public school facilities constructed under a sustainable construction program. These projects have been completed in the past 10 years and with …

Sustainable Material Solution For Flexible Pavements; Performance Evaluation And Impact Assessment Of Utilizing Multiple Recycled Materials In Hma, Behnam Golestani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The demand for pollution-free and recyclable engineering materials has been increased as the cost of energy and environmental concerns have risen. Green material design can lead to better environmental quality and sustainability of civil infrastructure. Road construction is one of the largest consumers of natural resources. Beneficial utilization of recycled materials can result in an important opportunity to save the mining and use of virgin materials, to preserve energy, and to save landfill space. Two main research questions addressed in this study are: (1) How much pollution, energy, natural resources, time and money can be salvaged by applying recycling materials …

Micro-Encapsulation Of Asphalt Rejuvenators Using Melamine-Formaldehyde, Max Abelardo Aguirre Deras

LSU Master's Theses

Self-healing microencapsulation in asphalt concrete is an emerging technology that would allow this particular material to resist cracking damage caused by vehicular and environmental loading. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of an asphalt rejuvenator on asphalt binder in reversing the aging process and to develop a synthesis procedure for the production of microencapsulation of asphalt rejuvenators. Production parameters such as agitation rate, heating temperature and EMA concentration were varied to determine the effect on microcapsules properties such as size, shell thickness and morphology. Based on the results of the experimental program, it was concluded that …

Lateral Torsional Buckling Response In Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composite Beams And Comparison With Ansys Modeling & Design Equations, Santosh Vangala

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites have the potential to replace the existing conventional materials in Civil Engineering like steel and concrete. Such potential can be attributed to the numerous advantages GFRP composites have over conventional materials. Some of the advantages are: high strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance, low life cycle cost and maintenance, nonmagnetic and electronic transparency. As the application of GFRP is on the rise, the need for developing accurate design equations for these materials has been imperative. The GFRP composites are manufactured through pultrusion and although they have numerous advantages they are less stiff than similar profiles made …

Early-Age Hydration Studies Of Portland Cement, Fengjuan Liu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Our current knowledge on cement hydration during setting is based on the discrete observation of hydrated paste. An advanced micro/nano-level technique which can perform the in-situ observation on the continuous hydration of cement paste is demanded. In this study, Raman spectroscopy (RS) was chosen as such a method to continuously investigate wet pastes. The objective of this research is to explore the hydration process and microstructural development of fresh pastes with this technique. This research was conducted in three phases. First, the RS analysis was used to continuously observe the cement hydration from 20 minutes after mixing to 9 hours. …