Transportation Engineering Commons^™

A Study Of Multimodal Accessibility Equity And Spatio-Temporal Relationships Between Transit, Job Density And Modal Split, Seyedsoheil Sharifiasl

Planning Dissertations - Archive

In North American cities, the land use and transportation systems are associated with low-density, suburban-type urban development, where the built environment contributes to a mobility pattern that is extremely reliant on automobiles. Several studies in the past decades have documented noticeable and concerning patterns of unjust and unsustainable transportation in this context. As a result, for those population groups with limited access to private transportation, this form of urban structure is equivalent to limited access to opportunities, leading to various environmental and social problems. These problems exacerbate inequities in access to transportation, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities. From a sustainable development …

Evaluation Of Hydrophobic Materials For Stabilizing Expansive Soils, Suman Shrestha

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

The swelling and shrinkage of the expansive soil as a response to moisture change is one of the significant challenges posed to infrastructure projects. The significant economic damage that is caused by the expansive soil, as well as its abundance in nature, has prompted various scientists and engineers all around the world to actively search for new and improved methods for stabilizing it. Various traditional methods, such as lime and cement treatment, have been used extensively to stabilize expansive soils and mitigate their harmful effects on the infrastructure. Although these methods are quite often effective and various studies have been …

Improvement In Benefit-Cost Analysis Of Bridges Through Assessment Of Secondary Benefits And Defect Based Maintenance Cost, Shadman Sakib

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

Benefit-cost Analysis (BCA) is conducted prior to federal grant allocation for bridge replacement and enhancement projects to prioritize decision-making. Benefits are measured based on total bridge closures, requiring vehicles to take alternate detour paths. Primary benefits are the direct user costs such as travel time saving or emission costs. However, there are more secondary benefits that are intangible and hard to monetize, but United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) guidelines suggest considering them wherever possible. There are lack of US based data and research also no set guideline by authority.

Apart from calculating primary benefits for a 95 sample of …

A 3-Step, Open-Data, Ride-Hailing Ridership Model With Pricing Applications, Richard A. Mucci

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

Researchers and practitioners studied the effects ride-hailing had in cities before the covid-19 pandemic. Previous research found ride-hailing to produce negative externalities, such as reducing transit ridership and increasing congestion in various cities. Since the pandemic, ride-hailing ridership has nearly recovered to pre-pandemic levels in Chicago. Ride-hailing ridership has grown steadily since the pandemic while a rider’s willingness to share their trip stagnated. Ride-hailing ridership nearly recovering to pre-covid levels in Chicago suggests that transportation planners, and policy makers, will need to continue assessing the impacts ride-hailing trips have in their cities.

Pickup and drop off locations in the Chicago …

Development Of A Real-Time Warning System For Bridge Icing Using Time Domain Reflectometry, Taryn Dilorenzo

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Treacherous driving conditions are a safety concern during the winter season where icing on roadways and bridges is of particular concern. The use of sensors to detect the presence or potential of surface ice formation is essential for efficient and effective winter road maintenance. However, there is a lack of ice detection systems that combine robust sensors, active warning signs and an ice detection algorithm that is reliable and economical. This study presents an innovative sensor that uses dielectric sensing to detect the onset of ice formation on a bridge deck. The sensor combines an automatic algorithm for ice detection …

Streamlining Public Engagement In Transportation Projects Using Text Analytics, Alireza Shamshiri

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Infrastructure projects impact a broad range of stakeholders, particularly local communities, whose engagement is critical for successful outcomes. Despite the importance of public engagement in these projects, traditional methods of capturing and analyzing public opinion often fail to fully represent the diverse, genuine perspectives involved. This has led to conflicts between community members and project sponsors. On the other hand, despite advancements in text analytics, including natural language processing (NLP) and its subfields such as topic modeling, sentiment analysis, and neural networks, their functionalities and effectiveness in analyzing public opinion in the domain of infrastructure projects have not been fully …

Development And Application Of Teems (Telecommuting Expectation Models): Predicting Post-Pandemic Telecommuting Choice And Frequency Using Machine Learning Models, Aiswarya Acharath Mohanakrishnan

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Telecommuting, increasingly prevalent in today's workforce, has gained significant momentum amid the pandemic-induced shift towards remote work. It altered the travel behavior of workers and their travel patterns. This evolution prompts a reevaluation of worker travel behavior, necessitating adjustments in travel demand modeling to optimize transportation planning and service provision. Using the commuter’s data from a typical pre-pandemic workday to model the travel demand of weeks or years in the future is outdated. In designing transportation systems for the future, Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) will thus need to account for change in work trips due to telecommuting, and how this …

Environmental Friendly Applications Of Ground Tire Rubber (Gtr) In Producing Concrete, Zahid Hossain, Ashraf Elsayed, Abu Sayed Mohammad Akid

Publications

Millions of waste automobile tires are generated yearly, an ever-growing issue for solid waste management authorities in Arkansas. Using waste tires as fuel generates toxic gases or dumping them in landfills is not sustainable. Hence, it is crucial to minimize the issues of managing and disposing of waste tires and incorporate them into concrete as construction material. This study aimed to investigate the fresh, mechanical, and durability properties of concrete incorporating waste ground tire rubber (GTR) as a replacement for sand and micronized rubber powder (MRP) as a replacement for cement. A total of eight concrete mixtures were prepared using …

Design Of 3d Printable Eco-Concrete By Utilizing Rheology Modifiers For Sustainable Infrastructure, Maryam Hojati, Muhammad Saeed Zafar

Data

In recent years, 3D printing technology has gained significant momentum across various industries within the construction sector, 3D printing has emerged as a promising technique; however, there are challenges associated with designing suitable construction materials and adjusting their properties for the 3D printing process. One of the key considerations in this regard is the rheological properties, encompassing parameters such as viscosity, yield stress, and thixotropy. These properties play a pivotal role in shaping the characteristics of 3D-printed concrete, both in its fresh and hardened states, including buildability, extrudability, and mechanical performance. Researchers have traditionally relied on chemical admixtures, such as …

Bridge Inspection Training And Enhanced Operations Using Augmented Reality, Fernando Moreu, Ali Mohammadkhorasani, Kaveh Malek

Data

This research project focused on the innovative application of Augmented Reality (AR) headsets to enhance bridge inspection processes and inspection training. The study encompassed the visualization of 3D point cloud data, utilized the Eye-Tracking features of AR headsets for inspection quantification, evaluate the applicability of AR in the bridge inspection training and instruction of an AR virtual menu for the in-field bridge inspection. The primary tasks included establishing a database connection for AR headset, designing an AR menu tailored for bridge inspection, devising an evaluation method based on Eye-Tracking capabilities, and integrating AR into bridge inspection training. Once the technical …

Countermeasures To Improve Pedestrian Safety On Arterials, Nicholas Ferenchak

Data

This work analyzed the pedestrian safety and overall traffic safety impacts – in terms of both motor vehicle speeds and crash outcomes – of several countermeasures applied to the Central Avenue arterial corridor in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Findings suggest that the infrastructure changes associated with a bus rapid transit (BRT) system improved traffic safety by reducing vehicle 85^th percentile speeds by 11.5% and reducing serious and fatal injuries by 60.0%. While pedestrian safety outcomes were more variable, pedestrians generally fared better on BRT segments than on control segments. The mechanism behind these improvements was traffic calming through the BRT’s …

Environmental Friendly Applications Of Ground Tire Rubber (Gtr) In Producing Concrete, Zahid Hossain, Ashraf Elsayed, Abu Sayed Mohammad Akid

Data

Millions of waste automobile tires are generated yearly, an ever-growing issue for solid waste management authorities in Arkansas. Using waste tires as fuel generates toxic gases or dumping them in landfills is not sustainable. Hence, it is crucial to minimize the issues of managing and disposing of waste tires and incorporate them into concrete as construction material. This study aimed to investigate the fresh, mechanical, and durability properties of concrete incorporating waste ground tire rubber (GTR) as a replacement for sand and micronized rubber powder (MRP) as a replacement for cement. A total of eight concrete mixtures were prepared using …

Prediction Of Moisture Resistance Of Polymeric Asphalt Binders Through The Atomic Force Microscopy (Afm) Technique, Zahid Hossain, Ashraf Elsayed, Khaja Sameer Sadat

Data

Moisture damage is a significant concern for state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and other agencies due to its adverse impact on pavement performance as well as longevity. The main focus of the current study project is to quantify, at the molecular level, the interaction between binder and aggregate at the interface level in the form of adhesion forces between bitumen samples and minerals of various chemical compositions. First of all, A thorough review of the literature on moisture degradation in asphalts was conducted. Based on the literature review, a comprehensive project plan and test matrix were created. Binder samples from …

Smart3pm: Smart Pavement Monitoring, Management, And Maintenance, Damien Stephens, Mena Souliman, Mukul Shirvaikar, Samer Dessouky

Data

An application specific multi-platform smartphone application can utilize on-board accelerometer, gyroscope, and GPS sensors, along with software derived signals from the same sensors, to sample vibrational and geolocation datasets to capture pavement distresses such as potholes when mounted in a standardized configuration in a vehicle. Several observations were made with regard to the signals obtained from the accelerometer, gyroscope, and GPS sensors, and it was determined that the raw sensor outputs are capable of sampling statistically significant datasets which can be used to distinguish pavement distress from normal driving conditions. Furthermore, an approximate sensor noise margin is established, and a …

Green Mobility In Texas: Comparative Environmental Impacts And Lifecycle Cost Analysis Of Hybrid, Electric, And Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cars, Raghava R. Kommalapati, Hongbo Du, Md Jobair Bin Alam

Data

Compared to gasoline/diesel cars and battery electric cars (BECs), hydrogen fuel cell cars (HFCCs) are relatively new. Two main advantages of HFCCs over electric vehicles are no special requirements for heavy batteries and long charging time. There is no HFCC in Texas; thus, exploring the use of electricity or hydrogen produced from renewable energies for personal cars and mitigating vehicle emissions is critical for sustaining a long-term decarburization strategy for megacities like Houston and Dallas. This project addressed this critical gap and developed environmental impacts and cost assessments for hybrid gasoline cars, BECs, and HFCCs in Texas under several possible …

Climate Change Impacts On Asset Management Of Texas Concrete Bridges, Muhammad Ali, Jiannan Cai, Ao Du

Publications

This study investigates the interplay of climate-induced deterioration factors impacting concrete bridges in Texas, focusing on chloride and carbonation-induced corrosion. It integrates Fick’s second law to model chloride diffusion and employs empirical equations to predict corrosion initiation and severe crack damage. Sensitivity studies across representative Texas cities (Houston, Dallas, and Amarillo) shows varying deterioration risks due to climate change. Results highlight chloride-induced corrosion as more prominent, particularly affecting coastal bridges in Houston, while carbonation corrosion is negligible due to favorable concrete cover. Condition rating mapping simulations incorporating crack width effects, traffic impact, and maintenance interventions are calibrated against recorded National …

Motorcycle Crash Analysis, Hatim Sharif, Samer Dessouky

Data

The Fatality Analysis Reporting System database shows that, in stark contrast to the 34 percent decline in non-motorcyclist crash–related fatalities, motorcyclist crash–related fatalities were up 86 percent with only three year-to-year declines since 1997, while non-motorcyclist crash–related fatalities had 13 year-to-year declines since 1997. At the national level, the rate of motorcyclist fatalities per vehicle mile traveled is 29 times higher than the rate among passenger car occupants, with overall injury rates approximately five times higher among motorcyclists than passenger car occupants. Given the frequency of motorcycle crashes and their staggering toll in terms of loss of life and economic …

The Effect Of Covid-19 Lockdown On Traffic Crashes In Texas., Hatim Sharif, Samer Dessouky

Data

An analysis of traffic patterns during COVID-19 has identified that reduction in the miles traveled has a significant negative correlation with COVID-19 cases and deaths across the USA. Preliminary statistics in the US suggest an increase in fatal crashes over the period of the lockdown in comparison to the same period in previous years. Moreover, while total crashes are down, motor vehicle crashes involving non-motorists became more prevalent. At the same time, non-motorist traffic has increased while motor vehicle traffic and crashes have shifted to the local systems. The main goal of this research is to perform a comprehensive evaluation …

Identifying Wrong-Way Driving Entry Points On Interstate Highways Using Land-Use Impact Assessment And 911 Calls, Farman Mia, Samer Dessouky

Data

The research aims to provide insight into the initiation event of Wrong-way Driving (WWD) on highways. The intense severity of a WWD accident is encouraging the authorities to install mitigation systems that will ensure safety for motorists on highways. The WWD events are mostly resulting of intoxicated driving, where the unconscious driver takes the wrong way to enter the highway and place other motorists into life-threatening danger. This research attempted to explore from basic knowledge of WWD occurrence to examine the origin and driving philosophy of intoxicated drivers from land-use impact and mathematical modeling point of views. To identify the …

Framework Of Internal Damage Identification In Inhomogeneous Medium Interweaving Wave Scattering Model And Deep Learning, Suyun Ham, Stefan Romanoschi, Yin Chao Wu, Dafnik Saril Kumar David

Data

The primary objective of this project is to investigate the framework of internal damage identification in inhomogeneous media (IHM) using deep learning techniques and wave scattering. The study focuses on two main steps: 1) analyzing the wave response pattern in homogeneous media (HM) and 2) characterizing the wave response variation (WRV) in IHM with different aggregate sizes and random distributions. The WRV patterns are then classified and used to predict internal damage using a convolutional neural network (CNN). The accuracy of the finite element (FE) model is verified using laboratory tests with artificial internal crack models of varying depths. The …