Structural Engineering Commons^™

Enhancing Bridge Resilience And Overheight Vehicle Mitigation Through Innovative Sacrificial Cushion Systems, Aly Mousaad Aly, Marc Hoffmann

Faculty Publications

Transportation departments have made significant strides in addressing the challenges posed by the increasing weights of trucks on bridges. While there is a growing awareness of overheight vehicle collisions with bridges, implementing effective countermeasures remains limited. The susceptibility of bridges to damage from such collisions is on the rise, further exacerbated by unpredictable lateral impact forces. This study employs nonlinear impact analysis to assess the response of an unprotected vehicle-girder model, yielding realistic deformation outcomes comparable to observed impacts on the US-61 bridge. Predictions for a truck traveling at 112.65 km/h indicate deformations of 0.229 m, 0.161 m, and 0.271 …

A Vehicle-Bridge Interaction Model Considering Contact Patch Size And Vehicle Self-Generated Excitation – A Theoretical Study, Zhenhua Shi, Yahya M. Mohammed, Nasim Uddin, Genda Chen

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper presents an improved theoretical damped single-axle vehicle-bridge dynamic interaction model to consider the effect of the contact patch size and motor-induced vehicle excitation. The contact patch issue is critical as it determines the minimum time step for simulation and maximum identifiable frequency, while the inclusion of the motor-induced vehicle excitation benefits the design of autonomous self-driven rather than towed vehicles. Estimations of the contact patch size for both the pneumatic tire and solid wheel scenarios are discussed. The contact patch responses, which degenerate into contact point responses when the contact patch size is assumed to be infinitely small, …

Performance Of Smart Shear Keys In Concrete Bridges Under Tsunami Loading: An Experimental Study, Haibin Zhang, Xinzhe Yuan, Genda Chen, Pedro Lomonaco

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Bridges have recently been exposed to an increasing number of natural hazards such as earthquakes and tsunamis. These extreme events have resulted in transverse offsets, overturning moments, and even dropping-off of superstructures due to their weak connection to substructures. These outcomes are potentially prevented or mitigated by developing and deploying sliding, modular, adaptive, replaceable, and two-dimensional (SMART) shear keys as fuse elements between superstructures and substructures. The novelty of SMART shear keys is to enable an adaptive control of both the force and displacement of bridges under different types of loads. In this study, the performance of SMART shear keys …

Behavior Of Concrete Mixes Using Recycled Aggregate Confined With Steel Sections, Latifa Sobhi Kassem, Adnan El-Masri, Nour Webhi

BAU Journal - Science and Technology

Recycled Concrete Aggregate (RAC) is a form of recycled concrete that has been studied for green building for the past 50 years. It can be used to create strong structures, such as seismic retrofitting of earthquake-prone structures. Studies have attempted to experimentally study the effect of using recycled aggregate in concrete, but the literature lacks the use of recycled concrete aggregate rapped with steel rings. This study examines the behavior of circular concrete columns with different percentages of recycled aggregate. It examines the behavior of a column with different percentages of recycled aggregate, one without jacketing, one with partial jacketing, …

Isolation And Characterization Of Caffeine-Degrading Bacteria From Coffee Plantation Areas In Malaysia, Elvina Clarie Dullah, Mohd Fazli Farida Asras

Makara Journal of Technology

Decaffeination by microbial degradation is currently the most optimal and low-cost approach, involving only microbial cells and/or their enzymes. The bacterium was characterized using a series of biochemical tests. Positive results were obtained from carbohydrate fermentation, citrate utilization, and catalase tests, while negative results were obtained from Voges-Proskauer (VP) and indole tests. Three different caffeine concentrations of 0.25%, 0.4%, and 2% were tested and measured through Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrophotometry (GC-MS) analysis. The highest caffeine reduction (89.25%) was found when 0.25% caffeine was used in the media. Only a small amount of caffeine was reduced to 0.4% and 2%, with 34.78% …

Optimization Of The Building Envelope And Roof Shading To Reduce The Energy Consumption Of College Low-Rise Buildings In Indonesia, Nasruddin Nasruddin, Azimil Gani Alam, Mohammad Imroz Sohel

Makara Journal of Technology

Energy consumption in buildings is a crucial concern globally, prompting researchers to explore innovative solutions to mitigate its impact. This study investigates the optimization of building envelopes and roof shading systems of existing buildings in Indonesia to realize notable energy savings. Multiple scenarios were explored, with modifications to building envelopes and roof shading, highlighting the overall thermal transfer value as a key parameter. Using EnergyPlus simulations, the efficacy of natural ventilation in corridors and roof shading modifications was assessed in reducing energy consumption. The findings revealed that renovating existing buildings by optimization of the building envelope and roof shading by …

Effect Of Lime Content, Curing Temperature, And Aging Condition On Low-Alkaline Concrete, Mahdi Parsa Pour, Reza Shaban Sharghi, Faezeh Nejati, Elmira Khaksar Najafi

Makara Journal of Technology

This study determines how curing temperatures, aging condition, and hydrated lime contents affect the unconfined compressive strength (UCS), modulus of elasticity, and workability of low-alkaline concrete. Samples were prepared in two different groups to determine the optimum hydrated lime content and aging conditions to assess the mutual effect of NaOH molarity and curing temperature, that is, 70 °C for 48 h or room temperature, on samples with and without lime. The results showed that the increase in hydrated lime content affected alkali concentration. The samples with lime exhibited a clear peak in UCS (6 M NaOH) compared with the continuous …

Climate Change Impact On Bridge Scour Risk In Ny State: A Gis-Based Risk Analysis Model, Muhammad Hassan Butt

Publications and Research

Bridge scour, the primary cause of bridge failure in the United States, escalates post-severe storms, necessitating effective mitigation. This study employs a GIS-based risk analysis model to assess climate change's impact on bridge scour and associated risks in New York State. Data from the National Bridge Inventory, climate hazard maps, and geospatial data are integrated.

Barriers To Use Of Cross-Laminated Timber In Maine, Shane R. O'Neill

Forest Resources Faculty Scholarship

To increase understanding of both the adoption rate and in-state manufacturing of mass timber In Maine, the 131^st Legislature and Governor Mills passed LD 881, a resolve directing a study of the barriers facing cross-laminated timber In Maine and provide recommendations to promote their use in construction. This study was developed in response to the resolve. The study engaged 108 unique participants to define available training, education, and experiences across the stakeholders throughout the building lifecycle process in the state.

From this information, the following five recommendations are proposed:

1. Understand the policies and initiatives of other states to develop …

Modular Composite Sandwich Structures For Thermal And Structural Retrofitting Of Existing Buildings, Marc Al Ghazal

Masters Theses

Around 40% of global energy consumption and 30% of worldwide carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are attributed to buildings. Most of this consumption is dedicated to ensuring thermal comfort. The goal of this research was to develop and field validate retrofit solutions to improve the energy efficiency of buildings. Exterior cladding panels were designed and tested to ensure adequate thermal and structural performance. Sandwich panels (glass fibers reinforced polymer (GFRP) skins and polymeric foam cores) were fabricated using the vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) process. Extruded polystyrene (XPS) and polyurethane (PU) foams were compared as core materials through a series …

Bridge Deck Overhang Design: Effective Vehicle Impact Loads, Ultimate Strength, And Implications On Bridge Rail Performance, Andrew Eric Loken

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

When an errant vehicle strikes a bridge railing on a typical girder bridge, impact loads are transmitted downward through the railing and inward through the deck overhang to the primary superstructure elements. In this research effort, design demands for deck overhangs supporting concrete railings were characterized using physical testing and complementary modeling in LS-DYNA. Physical test and modeling results were also used to better characterize the ultimate strength of overhangs supporting post-and-beam railings. Ultimately, a novel design methodology for deck overhangs was developed and proposed for adoption to the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications (BDS).

For overhangs with solid concrete …

Functional Cementitious Composites With Micro-Sized Particulate Fillers For Additive Construction And Energy-Efficient Buildings, Adam Brooks

Doctoral Dissertations

With a growing energy demand, the development of sustainable and energy efficient building materials is growing rapidly. Numerous researches have focused on low carbon footprint construction materials, high-performance thermal insulations, high-performance façade, and thermal energy storage. Among these, the development of functional cementitious composites has attracted significant attention due to its potential utilities in building energy reduction and decarbonatization efforts. For example, fly ash cenospheres have been used as micro-size lightweight fillers to achieve low density and thermal conductivity. The use of phase change materials (PCM) in concrete has been studied to answer energy demands. While their inclusion into concrete …

Improvement Of Rotation Capacity Of Composite Beam-To-Hss Column Connections Using External Horizontal Stiffeners, Mahdi Afshar Arjmand

Master's Theses

Improvement of Rotation Capacity of Composite Beam-to-HSS Column Connections Using External Horizontal Stiffeners

Mahdi Afshar Arjmand

This thesis focuses on the analysis of out-of-plane deformation (OOP) in column flange located in the panel zone of composite beam-to-column steel connection, as a critical aspect of steel structural engineering. This type of connection is an integral component of steel structures, and understanding their behavior is essential for ensuring safety and performance. The investigation involves examining the causes, factors influencing, and potential mitigation strategies for out-of-plane deformation of HSS flange column in these connections. Beam-to-column connections play a vital role in transferring loads …

Effect Of Latex Modified Concrete Overlays With Reduced Surface Preparation On The Load Distribution And Flexural Strength Of Channel Girders, Samuel Dodd

All Theses

This thesis investigates the use of a Latex Modified Concrete (LMC) overlay to increase the strength of prestressed channel girders and enhance their ability to distribute load. The research conducted in this thesis involved material testing of several different LMC mixes and flexural testing of an LMC overlay and girder system. The material testing was used to determine a reasonable LMC mix design and surface preparation method to be used for the overlay. Based on material testing it was concluded that a rapid-set mix and pressure washing of the girder surfaces were a reasonable mix design and surface preparation for …

International Information Management And Bim Best Practice Report, Ted Mckenna, Davitt Lamon

Reports

In order to inform the Digital Leadership and Cultural Change pillar of the Build Digital, a study of international best practice in digital adoption within the built environment sector globally was undertaken and is presented here-in. In order to identify key learnings for Ireland in the context of digital transformation, eight countries were included in this study, namely, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Germany, United Kingdom (UK), New Zealand, Australia and Singapore. These countries were selected for various reasons, including the level of digital maturity, the scale of the built environment sector and geographic spread. Key data for each country is included …

Digital Construction Annual Survey 2022 Report, Davitt Lamon, Ted Mckenna

Reports

The Annual Survey 2022 was conducted to assess the state of digital transformation in the Irish construction and built environment sector. This report presents the analysis of survey data, with a focus on implications for the Build Digital project and Build Digital’s five pillars: Digital Leadership & Cultural Change, Digital Standards, Digital Education & Training, Digital Procurement, and Sustainability & Circular Economy. Key findings from the survey indicated that a significant number of organisations have started their digital transformation journey, with many identifying themselves as proactive and possessing a clear business-focused strategy. However, a considerable cohort of respondents are keen …

Sustainability And Circular Economy Horizon Scan And Needs Analysis, Sadaf Dalirazar, Mark Kelly, Derek Sinnott, James O'Donnell

Reports

The construction industry plays a crucial role in addressing the climate crisis as it is the largest global consumer of raw materials and contributes significantly to global energy consumption and emissions. Considering the world’s continuous population growth and the imperative to address infrastructure and housing demands the construction sector needs to adopt further sustainable strategies in its activities to reduce the pressure on natural resources. In addition, the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) sector is responsible for generating substantial amount of waste known as Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW), which is projected to increase due to the future construction developments. …

Information Management And Bim Standards And Supports Inventory, Ryan Dempsey, Barry Mcauley, David Burke

Tools

The Digital Standards pillar consists of industry experts who champion the benefits of common rules, guidelines, and workflows that facilitate the improvement of information flow and information management across asset life cycles. Digital standards provide a common language that can be translated to technical specifications enabling clients, designers, contractors, and facilities managers, irrespective of their preferred tools, to communicate efficiently and reduce cost, rework, and disputes. Working closely with the Digital Procurement and Digital Education and Training pillars, this pillar is developing and delivering Irish Information Management/BIM (Digital Construction) guidelines for the sector.

This report summarises existing digital construction standards, …

Steel Deck Diaphragms: Characterizing The Hysteretic Behavior Of Light Gage Steel, Screw-Fastened, Support And Sidelap Connections And The Influence Of Support Connections On The Stability Behavior Of Panels, Divyansh Kapoor

Doctoral Dissertations

Steel deck diaphragms are planar structures that serve as critical components of a metal building’s lateral force-resisting system. These can be found in walls, floors, and roofs of metal buildings and aid with the lateral stability of the structure. The diaphragm design process involves the selection of materials, deck geometry, connections, and connection detailing across the steel panels. The American Iron and Steel Institute’s AISI S310 and Steel Deck Institutes DDM04 both provide design guidance on the selection and detailing of materials and fasteners for the applicable limit states of connections and stability of the panels. Both design codes provide …

Performance Assessment And Development Of Prescriptive Design Standards For Wood-Frame Residential Structures Under Extreme Wind Loads, Sarah A. Stevenson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

High-wind events cause significant damage to structures and property; in particular, light-frame wood homes are abundant and especially vulnerable. Canadian homes are built to prescriptive standards that are based on historical construction methods and have remained relatively unchanged structurally across several decades. While recent work is contributing to improving building codes and providing voluntary standards for improving wind resilience of houses in Canada, there exists a gap in understanding of structural behaviour of light-frame buildings. Such an understanding would help to bridge the difference between conservative, fully-engineered solutions and slowly-evolving prescriptive solutions which are based on observed performance of houses …