Structural Engineering Commons^™

Creation Of The 2-Way Cross Laminated Timber Subroutine For Computing Dynamic Analysis Parameters, Joseph Freitas

Architectural Engineering

This document will describe the inputs, methodology, and outputs for the CLT 2-way subroutine for cases with and without openings recently added to a proprietary structural analysis software. For the sake of simplicity, most of the discussion will be focused on cases without openings from here on out, as the verification process for a novel method for cases with openings is still in progress. The CLT 2-way module calculates multi-point resistance functions for panels without openings by automating the procedure outlined in an industry-standard structural design manual. The subroutine also finds the appropriate dynamic response factors, kinetic load multipliers, mass, …

Impact Of Femalized Kinesthetic Learning Model On African American Middle School Girls’ Career Interest, Mercy F. Fash, Andrea Ofori-Boadu

Journal of Global Education and Research

Engaging African American middle school girls in out-of-school-time (OST) Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) programs can boost interest in male-dominated AEC careers. This study adopts Lent’s Social Cognitive Career Theory to evaluate the impact of an OST feminized AEC kinesthetic learning model (fAEC-KLM) on the career interests of this demographic. Through a qualitative research approach, fourteen (14) African American middle school girls from Guilford County, NC, completed pre- and post-interviews on how fAEC-KLM interactions influenced their AEC career interests. Inductive thematic analysis was carried out on transcribed interviews. Results show that effective components, such as lectures on AEC, bridge construction …

Development Of A Novel Innovative Umbrella Falsework System For Concrete Slabs, Abdelazem Hashim

Theses and Dissertations

Formwork is one of the major elements that contribute to the cost and duration of concrete building projects. This is why optimizing such an element can lead to huge savings to all parties involved in the construction projects. With contractors facing huge challenges in such a competitive industry and employers seeking the least price and least duration for their projects, contractors are constantly under the obligations of finding the best alternatives to deliver their projects in terms of both time and money. Therefore, the main aim of this research project is to develop a falsework system, where the falsework system …

Comparative Evaluation Of Conventional And Sustainable Concrete Protective Coatings: Performance, Economic, And Environmental, Andro Ebrahim

Theses and Dissertations

Concrete structures are highly susceptible to deterioration from environmental, chemical, and mechanical factors, making protective coatings essential for ensuring durability and reducing maintenance demands. This study aims to compare and evaluate conventional and innovative coating systems for concrete protection across three dimensions—technical performance, environmental sustainability, and life cycle cost efficiency—and to assess whether coatings often regarded or marketed as sustainable genuinely achieve sustainability across these three pillars. Four representative coatings were selected for assessment: epoxy solvent-based, epoxy solvent-free, acrylic water-based, and cementitious. Technical performance was examined through laboratory testing, expert interviews, and multiple real project cases, providing a comprehensive understanding …

Advances And Challenges In Nano-Modified Cementitious Composites: Mechanisms, Dispersion Strategies, And Impact On Mechanical Properties, Fatemeh Mohammadi Ghahsareh, Pengwei Guo, Nusrath Jaha, Yi Bao, Kamal H. Khayat, Weina Meng

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Nanomaterials are increasingly utilized to enhance the mechanical properties, durability, and functionality of concrete materials but face challenges such as agglomeration and uneven dispersion in cementitious systems, which can offset the intended improvements. This paper reviews the advances and challenges associated with nano-modified cementitious composites, elucidating fundamental mechanisms and highlighting strategies for overcoming the challenges through experimental and computing techniques. The reviewed contents include (1) the classification of nanomaterials commonly used in cementitious systems and the mechanisms through which they enhance the mechanical properties of cementitious composites; (2) challenges of nanomaterials such as agglomeration in water, re-agglomeration in cementitious systems, …

Tip Penetration Test For Rapid In-Line Assessment Of Static Yield Stress During 3d Concrete Printing Process, Ali Fasihi, Nicolas A. Libre

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The static yield stress of printable cementitious materials is a critical parameter governing the shape stability and buildability of 3D printed concrete structures. Among various testing techniques, the penetration test has emerged as a promising method for in-situ measurement of static yield stress during printing process. However, the applicability of the penetration test for in-line monitoring of static yield stress remains limited due to the necessity for substantial material thickness. To address this challenge, this study proposes a novel tip penetration test, which enables static yield stress determination without the requirement for full cone submergence, thereby facilitating assessment of thin …

Energetics Analysis Of Solitary Waves Using A Multi-Layer Model, Hunter Boswell, Frank D. Han, Guirong Yan, Wouter Mostert

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study investigates the performance of a vertically-Lagrangian multi-layer model on numerically simulating shoaling and breaking two-dimensional solitary waves during both the breaking and post-breaking processes. The energy dissipation of the breaking event for the multi-layer waves is analyzed and compared to prior direct numerical simulation work with the same bathymetric and wave cases. It shows very similar data collapse to shallow-water inertial theory. For post-breaking behavior, bore characteristics are compared to an experimental study of bores formed from breaking solitary waves and similar results are found. While the multi-layer method was not found to behave sufficiently well for direct …

Data-Driven Prediction Of Concrete Bridge Deck Corrosion Using Ground Penetrating Radar (Gpr), Nafisa Shafiullah

Civil Engineering Theses

Corrosion detection remains a crucial factor in the proper maintenance of Reinforced Concrete (RC) structures. While several studies have used Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) for corrosion detection, quantitative models for prediction are still limited. This study presents an approach for the quantitative prediction of rebar corrosion in concrete using GPR data obtained from a prior experimental program involving accelerated corrosion. A total of 36 RC samples were cast, varying in cover depth, rebar diameter, and concrete porosity. The samples were subjected to an impressed current of 0.65 A in a 5% NaCl solution over three phases: 10, 20, and 30 …

Data Set, R Scripts And Script Outputs For Manuscript: Manufacturing Systems: Characteristics And Dynamics, Alan J. Fitzmorris

Graduate Research Data

This file repository contains fifteen computer-generated datasets, two naturally occurring datasets, nineteen shipbuilding shop datasets, and sixty-one concrete plant datasets.  Each data set contains subdirectories associated with various aspects of the data analysis, including stationarity analysis, dynamic system analysis, and complexity analysis.  In each case, applicable R scripts are included.  The text file entitled “Directory_and_File_Names” depicts the directory structure and associated file names for a total of 225 directories encompassing 8008 files.

Biaxial Bending Response Of Prestressed Concrete Girders Subjected To Accidental Asymmetric Prestressing Strand Loss, Haitham Abdelmalek, Mohanad Abdulazeez, Ahmed Ibrahim, Mohamed Elgawady

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Bridge prestressed concrete girders are vulnerable to sudden rupture of prestressing strands caused by accidental collisions with over-height trucks. These incidents often result in the asymmetric loss of prestressing strands and concrete sections, generating a biaxial bending moment caused by the combined effects of lateral bending and existing service loads. The induced lateral bending moment reduces the flexural resistance of prestressed concrete (PC) girders. However, the current AASHTO LRFD (load and resistance factor design) provisions for flexural resistance in PC members do not explicitly address the complexities introduced by biaxial bending, leaving the extent of strength reduction uncertain. This paper …

Proposed Design Approach Of Bolted Cruciform Stiffened End-Plate Connections And Bolted Circular Flange Plate Connections Under Combined Loading For Enhanced Economy And Performance, Cesar E. Aguirre

Civil Engineering Dissertations

This research will deliver a substantive contribution to the advancement of design practice for bolted circular flange connections and cruciform stiffened end-plate connections — critically evaluating existing approaches, identifying their limitations, and proposing evidence-based design frameworks that enhance structural performance, predictability, and safety across relevant engineering applications.In addition provide economical benefits.

Isotropic Shrinkage Of Patterned Vacancies Enables Three-Dimensional Nanoprecise Metastructures For Visible Light Applications, Quansan Yang, Gaojie Yang, Takahiro Nambara, Hiroyuki Kusaka, Yuichiro Kunai, Alex C. Matlock, Corban Swain, Brett Pryor, Yannick Salamin, Daniel Oran, Hasindu Kariyawasam, Ramith Hettiarachchi, Dushan Wadduwage, Marin Soljačić, Peter T. C. Soflaei, Edward S. Boyden

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Three-dimensional metastructures with nanoscale feature sizes exhibit unique properties compared with structures with larger feature sizes, but are difficult to fabricate. Here we introduce implosion carving (ImpCarv), a method for photopatterning vacancies of complex geometry throughout materials, followed by isotropic shrinkage (>10-fold). ImpCarv works by photoactivating sensitizers to generate reactive oxygen species that cleave a swollen hydrogel at defined points, followed by controlled shrinkage via dehydration. ImpCarv creates three-dimensional metastructures where the refractive index of each point throughout a material can be specified with nanoscale precision via material presence or absence. By leveraging refractive index programmability for precise phase …

Multi-User Collaboration In Augmented Reality For Beyond-Visual-Line-Of-Sight Bridge Inspection, Joel Murithi Runji, Genda Chen

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Bridge inspection traditionally relies on scaffolds, snooper trucks, and aerial robots for hard-to-reach areas beyond the visual line of sight of inspectors. This study automates the collaborative inspection workflow for multiple users when inspecting hard-to-reach bridge sections by interfacing low-cost multimodal sensors mounted on a magnetically wheeled climbing robot with augmented reality devices in a cyber-physical system. Non-destructive and visual sensors provide near real-time information of automated steel thickness measurements and visual observations of corrosive regions, respectively. The visual sensors also support robot teleoperation. The cyber-physical system is evaluated for its user-friendliness and performance. The system performance is quantified by …

Exploring Aggregate Morphological Characteristics Under Laboratory Polishing For Enhanced Pavement Skid Resistance, Ahmed S. El-Ashwah, Magdy Abdelrahman

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

As the use of recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) in pavement construction grows for sustainable development, it becomes essential to investigate potential frictional deterioration over time. This study evaluated the friction properties of recovered RAP material aggregates compared with raw aggregates across various polishing cycles. The micro-Deval test was employed to simulate aggregate loss of texture, while morphological and friction properties were measured using an aggregate imaging measurement system (AIMS-II), along with a British pendulum tester (BPT) and dynamic friction tester (DFT). Additionally, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was employed to assess its potential in determining the origin and composition of …

Evaluation And Design Of A Footing Hybrid Connection For Innovative Hollow-Core Fiber-Reinforced Polymer–Concrete–Steel Composite Columns, Mohanad M. Abdulazeez, Mohamed A. Elgawady

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

To support the advancement of accelerated bridge construction in high-seismic regions, this study investigates a novel prefabricated column-to-footing connection designed for improved resiliency, constructability, and cost efficiency. The socket connection utilizes hollow-core fiber-reinforced polymer–concrete–steel (HC-FCS) columns with embedded corrugated steel pipes (CSPs). The composite HC-FCS column consists of a concrete shell sandwiched between an outer fiber-reinforced polymer tube and an inner steel tube. The inner steel tube is embedded into the footing connection of the HC-FCS column. The same authors tested the innovative socket connection on a large HC-FCS column under seismic loads, showing high ductility, strong moment and drift …

Buckling Analysis Of Auxetic Composite Laminates And Optimal Design Using Lamination Parameters And Machine Learning, Hans Bendon Maria Tamil Selvan

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Theses

Composite materials are widely used as structural panels in aerospace, automotive, and civil engineering applications, where buckling is often a critical failure mode. This thesis focuses on the analysis and design of composite laminates that maximize buckling performance under prescribed stiffness and thickness constraints.

The first part of the study investigates the buckling behavior of auxetic laminates, which exhibit a negative Poisson's ratio. While previous studies suggest that auxetic laminates can achieve higher critical buckling loads than non-auxetic laminates under simply supported boundary conditions with lateral restraint, the influence of other boundary conditions and plate aspect ratios has not been …

Impact Of Natural Disasters On Construction And Engineering Solutions, Karima Ao Damson

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This Honors Research Project seeks to research and explain the impact of natural disasters on the construction and reconstruction of infrastructure in countries with the highest risk of natural disasters and compare them to the requirements in the United States in the states most prone to natural disasters. The objectives are to identify the countries most prone to natural disasters, describe the environmental impacts of the natural disasters, describe the impacts on construction and reconstruction requirements, and research whether construction and civil engineering solutions currently applied to the individual countries could be improved or reproduced in other countries exposed to …

Shm For Incipient Buckling Detection In Overloaded Structures Using Nonlinear System Identification Algorithms On Redundant Data Sets, Padmanabh Shridhar Desai

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Structural health monitoring (SHM) detects and characterizes damage to predict failure, but failures such as buckling, which are not predicated on traditional damage modalities, are harder to detect. Direct load measurements are costly and difficult to implement (especially for dead loads) as they require copious numbers of sensors, which must be installed before loading is present. Vibration-based detection is a good alternative because it can infer global structural characteristics with relatively few sensors. This dissertation presents an SHM approach for detecting incipient buckling in structures under excessive loads based on non-linear models fit from measurements of small lateral vibrations due …

Enhancing Health And Safety Practices In Construction Site In Developing Nations Through Technology Advancement In South Western Nigeria, Mubaraq Lawal, Abba Mahmud, Ismail Gbolahan Dere, Thankgod Agbo Owoicho

CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development

The construction sector plays a critical role in urban development and economic growth, yet it continues to face major challenges that threaten worker health and safety. Traditional safety measures are not always sufficient for the complex conditions found on construction sites, which creates a need for technology‑based solutions. This study investigates the relationship between technology adoption and health and safety practices in the construction industry in Lagos, Nigeria. The study identifies the major causes of site accidents, examines the level of technology use on construction sites, and reviews existing literature through both primary and secondary data. Primary data were collected …

The Use Of Local Materials For The Interior Quality Of Swahili Building Design In Tanzania, Luiana Makundi, Jacob Lutta

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Swahili architecture in Tanzania is recognized by spatial capacity to adapt environmental changes. This research explores the role of locally available materials in shaping the interior quality by focusing on functional, aesthetic appeal and supporting sustainable environment. A mixed-methods approach was applied which, involves field surveys, case study and interviews with different local professionals in building industry. Dar-es-Salaam was used as a case study area that was critically analysed to identify construction practices and applications of local materials in building interior spaces. A particular focus was placed on materials durability, aesthetic, ecological, environmental balance and thermal efficiency which seems to …