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Qinghai-Tibet Railway, China And The Solutions To Its Major Geotechnical Problems For Construction, Lanmin Wang, Zhijian Wu, Junjie Sun, Luxin Zhang

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

The Qinghai-Tibet Railway (QTR) is the highest-elevation one for passenger trains in the world and the first railway to connect central China to Tibet. Construction of this railway starting in 2001 had to contend with major geotechnical challenges, such as permafrost, environmental protection and seismic hazards. Its completion in 2006 is a remarkable feat in the world’s railway construction history and crystallization of wisdom of human beings. In this paper, the planning and preparing history and the construction project of QTR are introduced. The major three thorny problems, permafrost, lack of oxygen and environmental frangibility for the construction and their …

Soil Dynamics Course Schedule, Ahmed Elgamal, Shamsher Prakash

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Past Proceedings: Sixth International Conference On Case Histories In Geotechnical Engineering, Arlington (2008), Multiple Authors

International Conferences on Recent Advances in Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering and Soil Dynamics

No abstract provided.

Conference Schedule, Multiple Authors

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Using New Signal Processing Techniques In Analyzing Masjed Soleyman Embankment Dam's Explosion Records, M. Davoodi, M. K. Jafari, M. Amel Sakhi

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Blasting test studies have one drawback with regard to earthquake studies; they are concerned with vibrations of much smaller amplitude than those normally encountered in earthquakes. Consequently, blasting studies can be used to calibrate dam behavior in a linear elastic range. Accuracy of numerical models should be improved by full scale tests and in situ earthquake records. In this research, first of all a short review of different classical and modern signal processing methods is presented. As it is known, classical signal processing methods, such as FFT and PSD, have many limitations in non- stationary random vibration analysis. Blasting records …

Investigating Failure Of A Geosynthetic-Reinforced Soil Wall In Black Hawk, Colorado, Jonathan T. H. Wu, Kanop Ketchart

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Approximately 18 months after construction, an 11-m high rock faced Geosynthetic-Reinforced Soil (GRS) wall was found to suffer from subsidence of about 100 mm on the crest, along with rocks being dislodged from the wall face from time to time. In the ensuing three months after these signs of problems were first detected, the subsidence on the crest of the wall increased to about 250 mm with significant lateral bulging on the wall face. The wall comprised two sides. The problems occurred primarily on one side of the wall; while the other side showed little distress. The entire wall eventually …

Geotechnical Failures: An Excellent Tool To Teach Geotechnical Engineering, Sanjeev Kumar

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

It is well understood that geotechnical engineering is a branch of civil engineering that requires most engineering judgment. However, the question remains, how to effectively convey this to the students who are used to learn from typical lectures, using textbook approach, i.e., explanation of basic concepts by the course instructor, solution of a lot of example problems with assumed parameters having straight forward steps and definite answers, solution of additional similar problems by students as a part homework assignments, and traditional exams. Case histories of geotechnical failures could play an invaluable role in training the geotechnical engineers for 21st century. …

Recent Geotechnical Developments In Geospatial Information Systems Technology, Ronaldo Luna, J. David Rogers

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Geotechnical engineering projects in current research and practice are increasingly undergoing geospatial analysis based on geologic and geotechnical data collected. The explosion of spatial data that is available for surface features, particularly from the raster based products, heavily used by commercial and available to the public, present only one dimension of site characterization. Geotechnical engineers are more interested in data with depth immediately below their project site retrieve from drilled and imaged subsurface surveys. The ability to optimize the use of new and existing subsurface data continues to be undermined by the lack of a common and agreed data format …

Risk Analysis In Geotechnical And Earthquake Engineering: State-Of-The-Art And Practice For Embankment Dams, D. N. D. Hartford

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

The nature of risk analysis as applied to earthfill dams for the purpose of safety assessment is examined with particular reference to the matter of demonstrating the scientific validity of risk constructs used to inform important dam safety decisions. The qualities and attributes of what would be considered to be transparent, credible and defensible risk analyses for dam safety decision-making are outlined. A conceptual approach to addressing the problem of quantifying internal erosion risk that combines critical state soil mechanics theory and dynamic event tree analysis is proposed. Finally, an experiment aimed at assessing contemporary capability to detect the “changes …

The Indispensable Role Of Case Histories In Landfill Engineering, Edward Kavazanjian Jr.

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Documented case histories are perhaps even more essential to the practice of landfill engineering than to other aspects of geotechnical practice. Case histories are particularly important to landfill engineering because of difficulties in sampling and testing representative materials and the non-homogeneous nature of many landfills. Case histories play an essential role in the evaluation of static and dynamic properties of waste, in identifying potential performance problems and failure mechanisms, and in demonstrating that laboratory interface shear testing can be relied upon to predict field behavior of liner and cover systems. Case histories have proven to be essential in establishing appropriate …

General Report — Session 11: Application Of Case Histories In Education And Practice, Sanjeev Kumar

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Geotechnical engineers frequently use information about subsurface conditions from other projects in the area to design new projects in the vicinity. However, this information is used more in a surfacial manner rather than an integral part of project design. This session on application of case histories in education and practice has been introduced for the first time in this conference to initiate formalization of the use case histories in engineering design and training of civil engineering students. This report summarizes the papers submitted by various civil engineering educators and professional practitioners. The readers are encouraged to review the complete papers …

Lessons Learned From Slope And Trench Failures In Japan, Yasuo Toyosawa, Sahaphol Timpong, Kazuya Itoh

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

This paper presents case histories of slope and trench failure accidents in Japan during the period of 1989 to 2001 based on the database from construction industrial labor accident reports. The major risk factors of the failures are identified by considering the location of slope and trench failures, types of construction, slope and trench geometries, scale of slope failure, time of occurrence and characteristics of worker involved in the failures. It was found that it is necessary to improve the safety standards and provide more safety education and training especially in the small construction projects to prevent the slope and …

Crumb Rubber As A Sorption Medium For Ethylbenzene In Aqueous Solution, Carmen Grayson

All Theses

Scrap tires have always been an environmental concern. In 2005, more than 299 million scrap tires were generated in the U.S., 259 million of which were utilized in the end-use scrap tire markets such as: tire-derived fuel generation, civil engineering applications, and ground rubber applications. The different applications and usages in the scrap tire market have helped utilize up to 87% of annually generated scrap tires in the U.S. Sixteen percent of the scrap tires were utilized in civil engineering applications in 2005 because of their beneficial properties for vibration and sound control, lightweight fill, drainage and collection for underground …

Image-Guided Raman Spectroscopic Recovery Of Canine Cortical Bone Contrast In Situ, Subhadra Srinivasan, Matthew Schulmerich, Jacqueline H. Cole, Kathryn Dooley, Jaclynn M. Kreider, Brian W. Pogue

Dartmouth Scholarship

Raman scattering provides valuable biochemical and molecular markers for studying bone tissue composition with use in predicting fracture risk in osteoporosis. Raman tomography can image through a few centimeters of tissue but is limited by low spatial resolution. X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging can provide high-resolution image-guidance of the Raman spectroscopic characterization, which enhances the quantitative recovery of the Raman signals, and this technique provides additional information to standard imaging methods. This hypothesis was tested in data measured from Teflon tissue phantoms and from a canine limb. Image-guided Raman spectroscopy (IG-RS) of the canine limb using CT images of the …

Towards A More Adequate Use Of Interval-Valued Fuzzy Techniques In Intelligent Control: A Fuzzy Analogue Of Unimodality, Van Nam Huynh, Vladik Kreinovich

Departmental Technical Reports (CS)

It is known that interval-valued fuzzy sets provide a more adequate description of expert uncertainty than the more traditional "type-1" (number-valued) fuzzy techniques. In the current approaches for using interval-valued fuzzy techniques, it is usually assumed that all fuzzy sets m(x) from the interval [l(x),u(x)] are possible. In this paper, we show that it is reasonable to restrict ourselves only to fuzzy numbers m(x), i.e., "unimodal" fuzzy sets. We also describe feasible algorithms for implementing thus modified intelligent control.

Department Of Biological Systems Engineering Newsletter, Volume 4, Number 1, August 2008

BSE Department Magazine

Contents:
New Biomedical Lab Makes Debut
From the Department Head
The Dean's List
Meet the Faculty
Alumni News
Student News
UCARE
Graduates
John Miller: A Success Story
Discover Your Career: Mechanized Systems Management
Alumnus Profile
Faculty and Staff News
Comings and Goings
Spreading the word about No-till

A Nonlinear Finite Element Model Of Cartilage Growth, Andrew Davol, Michael S. Bingham, Robert L. Sah, Stephen M. Klisch

Mechanical Engineering

The long range objective of this work is to develop a cartilage growth finite element model (CGFEM), based on the theories of growing mixtures that has the capability to depict the evolution of the anisotropic and inhomogeneous mechanical properties, residual stresses, and nonhomogeneities that are attained by native adult cartilage. The CGFEM developed here simulates isotropic in vitro growth of cartilage with and without mechanical stimulation. To accomplish this analysis a commercial finite element code (ABAQUS) is combined with an external program (MATLAB) to solve an incremental equilibrium boundary value problem representing one increment of growth. This procedure is repeated …

Performance And Analysis Of Transfer Control Protocol Over Voice Over Wireless Local Area Network, Rajendra Patil

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Science and Technology at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree Master of Science by Rajendra Patil in August of 2008.

Hypothesis Testing With Interval Data: Case Of Regulatory Constraints, Sa-Aat Niwitpong, Hung T. Nguyen, Ingo Neumann, Vladik Kreinovich

Departmental Technical Reports (CS)

In many practical situations, there exist regulatory thresholds: e.g., a concentration of certain chemicals in the car exhaust cannot exceed a certain level, etc. If we know the exact value of the corresponding quantity, then we can immediately tell whether, e.g., a car design resulting in this value is acceptable (below the threshold) or not acceptable (above the threshold). In practice, however, the value of the desired quantity comes from measurements or from expert estimates; in both cases, the resulting estimates are not 100% accurate. It is therefore necessary to make an accept/reject decision based on this estimate, i.e., based …

Development Of The Soil Moisture Index To Quantify Agricultural Drought And Its “User Friendliness” In Severity-Area-Duration Assessment, Venkataramana Sridhar, Kenneth G. Hubbard, Jinsheng You, Eric D. Hunt

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper examines the role of soil moisture in quantifying drought through the development of a drought index using observed and modeled soil moisture. In Nebraska, rainfall is received primarily during the crop-growing season and the supply of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico determines if the impending crop year is either normal or anomalous and any deficit of rain leads to a lack of soil moisture storage. Using observed soil moisture from the Automated Weather Data Network (AWDN), the actual available water content for plants is calculated as the difference between observed or modeled soil moisture and wilting point, …

Computing Degrees Of Subsethood And Similarity For Interval-Valued Fuzzy Sets: Fast Algorithms, Hung T. Nguyen, Vladik Kreinovich

Departmental Technical Reports (CS)

We propose fast algorithms for computing degrees of subsethood and similarity for interval-valued fuzzy sets.

Choquet Integrals And Owa Criteria As A Natural (And Optimal) Next Step After Linear Aggregation: A New General Justification, Francois Modave, Martine Ceberio, Vladik Kreinovich

Departmental Technical Reports (CS)

In multi-criteria decision making, it is necessary to aggregate (combine) utility values corresponding to several criteria (parameters). The simplest way to combine these values is to use linear aggregation. In many practical situations, however, linear aggregation does not fully adequately describe the actual decision making process, so non-linear aggregation is needed.

From the purely mathematical viewpoint, the next natural step after linear functions is the use of quadratic functions. However, in decision making, a different type of non-linearities are usually more adequate than quadratic ones: non-linearities like OWA or Choquet integral that use min and max in addition to linear …

Microfluidic Flow Cytometer For High Throughput Label Free Cell Analysis, Sajal Chirvi

Bioengineering Theses - Archive

Microfluidic flow cytometer for high throughput label free cell analysis is proposed. Detection of cell morphology plays an important role in determination of state of health and diagnosis of many diseases such as sickle cell anemia, cancer, urine analysis, blood analysis etc. The platform proposed integrates label free cell analysis, microfluidic platform and high throughput imaging. Label free analysis helps in analyzing cells without altering cell/protein of interest and also allows biophysical characterization of living cells. Microfluidic platform used is fabricated from soft lithography. It mimics biological environment due to its channel confinement and is biocompatible. Being optically clear (PDMS), …

Investigating Isolated Neuromuscular Control Contributions To Non-Contact Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Risk Via Computer Simulation Methods, Scott G. Mclean, Xuemei Huang, Antonie J. Van Den Bogert

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

Background

Despite the ongoing evolution of anterior cruciate ligament injury prevention methods, injury rates and the associated sex-disparity remain. Strategies capable of successfully countering key control parameters existent within the injury mechanism thus remain elusive. Forward dynamics model simulations afford an expedited means to study realistic injury causing scenarios, while controlling all facets of the movement control strategy. Utilizing these methods, the current study examined the potential for perturbations in key initial contact neuromuscular parameters to injure the anterior cruciate ligament during the stance phase of sidestep cutting maneuvers.

Methods

Controlled experiments were performed on optimized and validated subject-specific forward …

Study Of Nirs Based Motor Cortex Activation Patterns In Cerebral Palsy Affected Kids Using Image Based Metrics, Nayan Jaikrishna Asanani

Bioengineering Theses - Archive

In recent years the National Institutes of Health has placed great emphasis on addressing the emergent need to accelerate translation of laboratory discoveries into clinical practice. The proposed study is very much aligned with this NIH emphasis, targeting on the translation of near infrared (NIR) brain imaging to clinical assessment for children with cerebral palsy. Over ten million Americans are affected by central nervous system disorders that result in motor deficits. Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common motor disorder of central origin in childhood and affects at least 2 children per 1000 live births every year . One of …

Architecture For Intelligent Power Systems Management, Optimization, And Storage., J. Chris Foreman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The management of power and the optimization of systems generating and using power are critical technologies. A new architecture is developed to advance the current state of the art by providing an intelligent and autonomous solution for power systems management. The architecture is two-layered and implements a decentralized approach by defining software objects, similar to software agents, which provide for local optimization of power devices such as power generating, storage, and load devices. These software device objects also provide an interface to a higher level of optimization. This higher level of optimization implements the second layer in a centralized approach …

Studies Of Polymers In Fouling Release Coating Science, Haoran Chen

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

In chapter one, we describe our studies of the solubility properties of two biocides in F127 aqueous solutions. One is zinc omadine and the other is C9211. The partition coefficients of these two biocides were also determined from the analytical results.

In chapter two, we conducted phase related studies of a triblock copolymer, PEO400- PBO55-PEO400 in aqueous solution. The phase diagram features of PEO400-PBO55-PEO400 in water are compared with those of F127. We believe the lack of a lower gel to liquid transition boundary in this system is because of the relatively longer PEO segments relative to the PBO segment. …

Spatial Variability Of Radionuclide Distribution Coefficients At The Savannah River Site And The Sub-Surface Transport Implications, Kelly Grogan

All Theses

Distribution coefficients, Kd, were measured for a suite of gamma-emitting radionuclides in uncontaminated soils from the E-Area burial grounds at the Savannah River Site. The objectives of the study were to (1) characterize the spatial variability of Kd, (2) evaluate the effect of spatial variability on vadose zone transport, and (3) develop statistical models for predicting Kd from physical or chemical characteristics.
Equilibrium batch sorption tests were performed on 27 soil samples collected from depths ranging from 11 ft to 100 ft from the BGO-3A core with 241Am, 109Cd, 139Ce, 137Cs, 57Co, 60Co, 203Hg, 85Sr, and 88Y. Distribution coefficients were …

Sources Of Variability In Reflectance Measurements On Normal Cadaver Ears, Susan E. Voss, Nicholas J. Horton, Rebecca R. Woodbury, Kathryn N. Sheffield

Engineering: Faculty Publications

Objectives:

The development of acoustic reflectance measurements may lead to noninvasive tests that provide information currently unavailable from standard audiometric testing. One factor limiting the development of these tests is that normal-hearing human ears show substantial intersubject variations. This work examines intersubject variability that results from measurement location within the ear canal, estimates of ear-canal area, and variations in middle-ear cavity volume.

Design:

Energy reflectance (ER) measurements were made on nine human-cadaver ears to study three variables. (1) ER was measured at multiple ear-canal locations. (2) The ear-canal area at each measurement location was measured and the ER was calculated …

Laboratory Evaluation Of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Biodegradation At A Former Tar Plant Site, Mihika Baruah

All Theses

A former tar plant site in the southeastern
U.S. is one of hundreds across the country that is contaminated with polycyclic
aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The 2007
CERCLA Priority List of Hazardous Substances ranks PAHs as the eighth most
prominent hazardous substance at National Priority List sites. However, benzo(a)pyrene
is the only PAH that is regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act, with a maximum
contaminant level of 0.2 µg/l. As with most sites, monitored natural
attenuation was the preferred bioremediation approach for this site, assuming
it could be shown that the PAHs were undergoing biodegradation. Field data from the site …