Engineering Commons^™

Input Parameters In Discrete Element Modeling, Seyedali Yousefi

Civil Engineering ETDs

The discrete element method (DEM) is employed to study complex behaviors of particulate media. Input parameters may greatly affect the response of DEM models and should therefore be selected carefully. Scaling techniques are employed to enlarge prohibitively small time-steps. To study these techniques, dimensionless input parameters were defined. Responses of models in the dimensionless scale were invariant with choice of density, elastic modulus, and characteristic length if the dimensionless parameters were kept constant. Hence, density scaling is equivalent to use of a higher strain-rate, and stiffness scaling results in a higher strain-rate and an elevated stress state in the dimensionless …

Solar Urban Planning: Addressing Barriers And Conflicts Specific To Renewable Energy Policy And The Current Field And Practice Of Urban Planning Within The Context Of A Changing Climate, Toryl P. Hanna

Capstone Collection

The world is in a period of rapid urbanization while experiencing unprecedented rise in global temperature as a result of climate change. Questions have been raised as to how strategies for urbanization will be able to address the fetish for energy, while halting carbon emissions produced by traditional energy sources for urban inhabitants around the world. First, this paper seeks to look to cities, at the intersection of solar energy and the field of urban planning, looking into the opportunities and challenges that are currently surfacing. Conflicts and barriers in traditional urban land use patterns emerge as a topic of …

Investigation Of Grouted Dowel Connection For Precast Concrete Wall Construction, Douglas J. Provost-Smith

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The grouted dowel connection is a simple and cost-effective connection used in many precast concrete structural systems. The required dowel length is currently designed as a regular bar in reinforced concrete, which underestimates the bond strength, thus resulting in excessive connection lengths. Furthermore, precast wall construction continues throughout cold weather, where in-situ heating of the grout used in the grouted dowel connections is usually conducted for short periods of time. Hence, early-age exposure to subfreezing conditions may affect the quality of the grout and subsequently the bond strength of the connection, which can compromise structural integrity.

In this thesis, full-scale …

The Impact Of Project Delivery Methods On Dispute Occurrence In Public Highway Projects, Samaneh Nasrollahi, Ghada M. Gad, Alan Atalah

Master of Technology Management Plan II Graduate Projects

The construction industry is a complex and competitive industry in which different participants with different expertise, talents, and levels of knowledge work together to achieve their objectives and complete a project. Sine different participants with different interest involve in a construction project, therefore, conflicts arise and become inevitable. Conflicts in projects will cause an adversarial environment which result to disputes. Hence, if conflicts are not well managed and resolved in a timely manner, they quickly turn into disputes, which prevent the successful completion of the construction project, in terms of cost and time, and increasing the potential for poor project …

Hydraulic And Hydrologic Properties Of The Sabine River, Annie L. Bryant

Civil Engineering Theses

The Sabine River is located in Northeast Texas and is home to many threatened and endangered species as well as a growing human population. It is important to understand channel properties and flow characteristics of rivers in order better manage these important natural resources. The Sabine was monitored for hydraulic and hydrological properties as this is a poorly understood river at this point in time.

Hydraulic modeling was conducted to determine channel velocities and shear stresses during different storm frequencies. It was found that velocity and shear stress had a direct relationship at lower velocities. A comparison of existing Geographic …

Total Bridge Replacement Of M-13 Over Cheboyganing Creek, Daniel Burns

Honors Theses

The Michigan Department of Transportation sought a proposal consisting of design and construction engineering services for the total bridge replacement of M-13 over Cheboyganing Creek. The M-13 Bridge Project is located on M-13 over Cheboyganing Creek on the Saginaw River in Portsmouth Township, Bay County, Michigan.

Several components of the existing bridge have been rated in poor or serious condition on the National Bridge Inventory rating scale. A total bridge replacement is required and aligns with MDOT strategies to address critical infrastructure needs in the state as well as the Bay Region's five-year plan for managing bridge and culvert infrastructure. …

I-94 Advanced Bridge Replacement, Saleem Alsharari

Honors Theses

The Michigan Department of Transportation has always felt the need of improving and increasing the capacity of the most critical highway in the state of Michigan, I-94. Part of the improvement plan is to increase the capacity of a 6-mile segment along a corridor of I-94 from French Avenue to Trumbull Avenue which is in a suburban neighborhood of Detroit. There are eight bridges built in the 1950’s that need to be re-constructed for a capacity increase. Vehicular and non-motorized traffic must be accounted for in the design of these bridges. The project is intended to increase the service life …

Microstructural Analysis Of Thermoelastic Response, Nonlinear Creep, And Pervasive Cracking In Heterogeneous Materials, Alden C. Cook

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is concerned with the development of robust numerical solution procedures for the generalized micromechanical analysis of linear and nonlinear constitutive behavior in heterogeneous materials. Although the methods developed are applicable in many engineering, geological, and materials science fields, three main areas are explored in this work. First, a numerical methodology is presented for the thermomechanical analysis of heterogeneous materials with a special focus on real polycrystalline microstructures obtained using electron backscatter diffraction techniques. Asymptotic expansion homogenization and finite element analysis are employed for micromechanical analysis of polycrystalline materials. Effective thermoelastic properties of polycrystalline materials are determined and compared …

Soil Moduli Obtained From A Back Pressure Constant Rate Of Strain Bender Element Consolidation Apparatus, Yi Zhao

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A back-pressure saturated, constant-rate-of-strain consolidation device was modified to incorporate bender elements (BP-CRS-BE) and thus allowed for shear wave measurements during consolidation tests. This newly fabricated system has many advantages over other previous or current devices: 1) it can be utilized not only for laboratory prepared soil samples but also for field sampled soils such as Shelby tube samples, and 2) continuous compression curves, and continuous values of vertical hydraulic conductivity and coefficient of consolidation can be acquired with a significant reduction in testing time. Soil modulus values such as shear modulus and constrained modulus are also able to be …

Influence Of Concrete Compressive Strength On Transfer And Development Lengths Of Prestressed Concrete, Alberto Teodoro Ramirez-Garcia

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research examines the relationship between concrete compressive strength and strand bond. The goal of this research was to develop an equation that relates strand bond to concrete compressive strength at strand release (approximately 1 day of age) and at 28 days of age, and those equations are presented in this investigation. Strand bond is assessed by measuring the transfer length and development length for prestressed beams cast in the laboratory. In the U.S., strand bond is predicted using transfer length and development length equations provided by the American Concrete Institute (ACI-318) Building Code and American Association of State and …

Seismic Analysis Of Geosynthetic-Reinforced Soil (Grs) Bridge Abutments With Modular Block Facing, Roonak Ghaderi

Theses and Dissertations

The response of Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil (GRS) bridge abutments to earthquake loading remains a concern despite their great success under static loads. In order to advance and implement this new technology, especially in seismically active regions, this study was undertaken to examine the performance of GRS bridge abutments under seismic loads in a rational and critical manner.

This research is focused on single span, simply supported bridges. The current seismic design methods, including pseudo-static and displacement methods, are not specifically developed for GRS bridge abutments where the foundation of the bridge superstructure is placed on the top surface of the …

Fea Methodology For System-Level Redundancy Evaluation: Application To Non-Composite Steel Bridges, Francisco Javier Bonachera Martin

Open Access Dissertations

Currently, all steel bridges with members designated as Fracture Critical Members (FCMs) are required to undergo hands-on inspections every 24 months. A FCM is a primary steel tension member (or portion of) which failure results in collapse or loss of serviceability of a bridge. However, presently, there are no codified procedures used to evaluate system-level redundancy in steel bridges. In this dissertation, finite element analysis (FEA) procedures, techniques and inputs were researched in order to develop bridge models that account for the mechanisms that lead to redundant capacity after the failure of a primary steel member. These mechanisms include partial …

The Effects Of Chloride-Based Deicing Chemicals On Degradation Of Portland Cement Mortars With Alkali Reactive Aggregate, Charles Yicheng Chiu

Open Access Dissertations

The assessment of the influence of deicing chemicals on alkali reactivity of aggregates is still an area of active research, particularly with respect to the combined effects of long-term exposure to deicers, freezing and thawing cycles, and wetting and drying cycles. In order to develop a more comprehensive view of these topics, the present study was conducted in three phases. The focus of the first phase was on studying the effects of the chloride-based deicers on the alkali silica reaction (ASR) using accelerated test methods (i.e. the test was performed at high temperature (80 °C) as per modified ASTM C1260). …

Policy Design Tool For Managing Indoor Residential Water Demand In Water-Scarce Regions, Mujahed M. Thneibat

Open Access Dissertations

In view of population growth; climate change; and economic evolution, water resources in numerous parts of the world have reached their natural capacities. Consequently, the ability of many countries to grow; meet the basic needs of inhabitants; and protect the environment will be endangered like never before unless water resources are smartly handled and managed. ^ In the past few decades, many developed and developing countries have suffered from water scarcity, and more are certain to follow. The water security dilemma is much more challenging in developing countries. Water utilities have had to follow regulatory plans to manage demand on …

Fracture Analysis In Biomimetic Bouligand Architectures, Nobphadon Suksanqpanya

Open Access Dissertations

The Bouligand structure, which is found in many biological materials, is a hierarchical architecture that features uniaxial fiber layers assembled periodically into a helicoidal pattern. Many studies have highlighted the high damage-resistant performance of Bouligand structures and its biomimetic materials. One of the outstanding species with the Bouligand structures is the smashing Mantis Shrimp, Odontodactylus Scyllarus, (or stomatopod) due to its capability of generating high speed, high acceleration blows using its raptorial appendage to defeat highly armored preys. The load-bearing part of this appendage, the dactyl club, contains an interior region, which is mainly characterized by the Bouligand structure. This …

Computer Vision-Based Structural Assessment Exploiting Large Volumes Of Images, Chul Min Yeum

Open Access Dissertations

Visual assessment is a process to understand the state of a structure based on evaluations originating from visual information. Recent advances in computer vision to explore new sensors, sensing platforms and high-performance computing have shed light on the potential for vision-based visual assessment in civil engineering structures. The use of low-cost, high-resolution visual sensors in conjunction with mobile and aerial platforms can overcome spatial and temporal limitations typically associated with other forms of sensing in civil structures. Also, GPU-accelerated and parallel computing offer unprecedented speed and performance, accelerating processing the collected visual data. However, despite the enormous endeavor in past …

Multimedia Techniques For Construction Education And Training, Wayne A. Bunnell

Open Access Theses

The current profession of civil engineering often focuses education and training on code compliance rather than constructability and construction techniques. Also, it is well accepted that it takes a decade or more for engineers to develop a high-level project construction understanding and many state departments of transportation rely on in-field training for entry-level inspectors, with little or no education provisions for contractors. This research investigated the use of time-lapse photography to develop training and education material that will improve the understanding of project construction and crucial quality control specifications of an entry-level engineer, contractor, or inspector. Overall, the project team …

New Screening Method For Overweight Vehicles, Goran Veljko Milutinovic

Open Access Theses

Throughout the U.S., state agencies are issuing an increasingly large number of permits for overweight vehicles every year. There are various methods used by state agencies to process permit requests; the Indiana Department of Transportation employs a screening process that consists of the Tennessee Formula (allowable weight is determined and checked, for every axle group) in combination with the Gross Vehicle Weight limit. If a permit truck satisfies these two screening criteria, it is permitted; otherwise, it is further processed with refined analyses. The Tennessee Formula is based on Allowable Stress Design. However, most design and evaluation conducted today is …

Integration Of Bim And Utility Sensor Data For Facilities Management, Kamal Suprabhas

Open Access Theses

Building information modelling represents a building as a database of coordinated, consistent and computable information in construction (Sabol, 2008). There has been a recent trend to study the usage of BIM for post-construction facility management. Recently, attempts are also being made to link a BIM model with smart sensing technology or building automation systems (BAC). This thesis aims to investigate the feasibility of using sensor data from mote based light sensors tied to a BIM model, to be used for maintenance based facility management. More specifically, a prototype will be developed that integrates lighting sensor data collected using a mote …

The Influence Of Alkalinity Of Portland Cement On The Absorption Characteristics Of Superabsorbent Polymers (Sap) For Use In Internally Cured Concrete, Juan D. Tabares Tamayo

Open Access Theses

The concrete industry increasingly emphasizes advances in novel materials that promote construction of more resilient infrastructure. Due to its potential to improve concrete durability, internal curing (IC) of concrete by means of superabsorbent polymers (SAP) has been identified as one of the most promising technologies of the 21st century. The addition of superabsorbent polymers into a cementitious system promotes further hydration of cement by providing internal moisture during the hardening and strength development periods, and thus limits self-desiccation, shrinkage, and cracking.

This thesis presents the work performed on the series of cement pastes with varying alkalinity of their pore solutions …

Building Exposure Study In The State Of Florida And Application To The Florida Public Hurricane Loss Model, Joshua Michalski

Theses and Dissertations

Modeling hurricane events with models such as the Florida Public Hurricane Loss Model (FPHLM) is essential for insurance and reinsurance companies to estimate projected losses. Additionally, the models can be used by public officials to estimate and mitigate damages while also developing public safety policies to reduce the amount of damage and loss of life during a catastrophic event. The FPHLM combines hurricane event simulation and building vulnerability models to predict insurance portfolios losses. Before vulnerability functions are applied to insurance portfolios to determine total losses, these functions are weighted based upon building characteristics statistics representative of a given building …

Bridge Maintenance To Enhance Corrosion Resistance And Performance Of Steel Girder Bridges, Luis M. Moran Yanez

Open Access Dissertations

The integrity and efficiency of any national highway system relies on the condition of the various components. Bridges are fundamental elements of a highway system, representing an important investment and a strategic link that facilitates the transport of persons and goods. The cost to rehabilitate or replace a highway bridge represents an important expenditure to the owner, who needs to evaluate the correct time to assume that cost. Among the several factors that affect the condition of steel highway bridges, corrosion is identified as the main problem. In the USA corrosion is the primary cause of structurally deficient steel bridges. …

Geometric Accuracy Evaluation Of Mobile Terrestrial Lidar Surveys With Supporting Algorithms, Chisaphat Supunyachotsakul

Open Access Dissertations

Mobile Mapping System (MMS) technology is widely used for many applications, hence quantifying its accuracy is a very important and essential task and is a primary focus of this research. In general, to perfrom geometric accuracy evaluation of MMS data, validation points/features are needed. A method is needed to capture a point feature off the roadway in a position where a target on the ground surface would not be visible to the scanner. In this study, eight sphere targets with 14" diameter were placed on the shoulder of the roadway over validation points on the ground. The sphere targets were …

Quantifying Asphalt Emulsion-Based Chip Seal Curing Times Using Electrical Resistance Measurements, Miguel A. Montoya Rodriguez

Open Access Theses

Chip seals are among the most cost-effective surface treatments available for asphalt pavement preventive maintenance. Chip sealing typically consists of covering a pavement surface with asphalt emulsion into which aggregate chips are embedded. The asphalt emulsion cures through the evaporation of water, which helps to provide mechanical strength for the chip seal. Ultimately, the curing process enables the emulsion to adhere to the pavement while keeping the aggregate chips in place. The curing time for the chip seal depends on many factors, such as the asphalt emulsion and aggregate types, aggregate moisture content, emulsion and aggregate application rates, and environmental …

Effect Of Temperature On Deep Lined Circular Tunnels In Isotropic And Transversely Anisotropic Elastic Ground, Fei Tao

Open Access Theses

A tunnel is a passageway constructed through soil or rock. It is one of the most important underground structures and has been widely used in transportation. Much research has been done on tunnel performance and on the interaction between ground, excavation, liner installation and support. The work has provided a better understanding of the interplay that exists between deformations and stresses transferred from the ground to the support. Significant insight into the problem has been provided by closed-form analytical solutions. A number of analytical formulations have been obtained for underground openings and lined tunnels under different scenarios, namely shallow or …

Evaluating The Effects Of Major Assumptions In Layered Elastic Theory On Railroad Track Response Prediction Through The Development Of An Improved Track Analysis Software, Sadichchha Sharma

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Railway transportation has been recently gaining popularity due to its efficiency and environmental-friendly technology which has led to its increased usage for both passenger and freight transport. For railway transport to be a sustainable component of the transportation infrastructure in the United States, adequate structural and functional design of track components is essential. This is primarily dependent on thorough understanding of track mechanics and track structural response under loading, and can be accomplished through mechanistic analysis of railway track structure response under loading. Considering the need for a mechanistic track analysis program that can serve as a link between the …

Evaluating The Suitability Of Microbial Induced Calcite Precipitation Technique For Stabilizing Expansive Soils, Sikha Neupane

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Expansive soils, also known as swell-shrink soils have been a problem for civil infrastructures including roads and foundations from ancient times. The use of chemical additives such as cement and lime to stabilize expansive soils is a common practice among geotechnical engineers especially for lightly loaded structures. However, several occurrences of subgrade failures were observed after stabilizing with chemical additives hence engineers are in search of sustainable stabilization alternatives. Microbial Induced Calcite Precipitation (MICP) is gaining attention as an environmental friendly soil improvement technique. Several researchers have successfully tested its feasibility in mitigating liquefaction induced problems in sandy soils. This …

Durability Of Mechanically Loaded, Freeze Thawed Concrete Determined By Water Absorption, Brian Daniel Mitchell

Theses and Dissertations

The design of concrete bridges is primarily focused on strength characteristics. However, it is often the case that durability characteristics, specifically early deterioration of the bridge deck, requires expensive repairs before the designed service life of the bridge can come to term. Lin et al. (2012) identified the development of microcracks as a possible source of this early deterioration. He proposed that these microcracks propagated due to high local compressive stress induced by overweight trucks. The resulting permeability increase caused by the propagation of these microcracks is not significant enough to cause the kind of early deterioration of bridge deck …

Analyzing Transportation Services For Older Adults In Southeastern Wisconsin, Elizabeth Jean Saunderson

Theses and Dissertations

Older adults are important users to consider in the evaluation of transportation services. Many older non-drivers take fewer trips than their driving peers. It is important that transportation services meet the needs of older adults to provide greater access to this subset of the population. This thesis applies the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to evaluate the thirty-one non-private transportation services that exist in southeastern Wisconsin. The AHP structure uses multiple criteria to evaluate and rank several alternatives based on a stated goal. An optimization model using the LINGO solver introduces a fuzzy scale level to the AHP and assigns weights …

Developing Sampling Strategies And Predicting Freeway Travel Time Using Bluetooth Data, Hasan Md Moonam

Theses and Dissertations

Accurate, reliable, and timely travel time is critical to monitor transportation system performance and assist motorists with trip-making decisions. Travel time is estimated using the data from various sources like cellular technology, automatic vehicle identification (AVI) systems. Irrespective of sources, data have characteristics in terms of accuracy and reliability shaped by the sampling rate along with other factors. As a probe based AVI technology, Bluetooth data is not immune to the sampling issue that directly affects the accuracy and reliability of the information it provides. The sampling rate can be affected by the stochastic nature of traffic state varying by …