Engineering Commons^™

Analysis Of Loading Rate, Fiber Orientation And Material Composition Through Image Processing And Digital Volume Correlation In High Performance Concrete, Aidan R. Carlson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC) and High Performance concrete (HPC) is characterized by high compressive strength and high toughness. This is achieved through maximizing the particle packing density in the matrix and the use of fibers to reinforce the matrix, increasing the materials toughness. The interactions of fibers and the matrix during loading is quite complex and involves several different energy dissipation mechanisms. The goal of this work and this thesis is to investigate these interactions and identify any changes in material response, and hope that these changes may be useful for the design of UHPC moving forward.

In this …

Examining The Impact Of Centerline Rumble-Strip Installation In Prevention Of Head-On And Opposite Sideswipe Collisions In Maine, Jhan Kevin Gil Marin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Among all traffic collisions, lane departure crashes are the leading type of serious traffic crashes in Maine, comprising 72% of state-wide traffic fatalities. To reduce these crashes, Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) installed shoulder and centerline rumble strips on roadways to prevent lane departure crashes in Maine. With a total installed length of 1503 miles of rumble strips, specifically 511 miles of centerline rumble strips in bidirectional and undivided rural two-lane roadways, there is a need to understand the impact of rumble strips in reducing lane departure crashes. In this thesis, observational before-after studies with two methods: comparison group, and …

Investigating The Effect Of Bead Geometry On Fiber Orientation And Thermomechanical Properties For Large-Format Extrusion-Based Additive Manufacturing, Joanna F. Keaton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In large-format extrusion-based additive manufacturing of polymer composites, the relationship between material properties and processing parameters requires further investigation. This thesis focuses on the relationship between fiber orientation and thermomechanical properties for short fiber-filled thermoplastic polymer systems manufactured by extrusion-based additive manufacturing. Fiber orientation is particularly important in determining the thermomechanical properties of the composite material as properties in the direction of deposition are expected to be higher for highly aligned fibers than randomly aligned fibers. Fiber orientation distribution, which is related to processing parameters and deposition conditions, can be efficiently represented by the orientation tensor. The orientation tensor can …

Experimental Study On The Behaviour Of A Magnetorheological (Mr) Damper And Evaluation Of Numerical Models, Shelair Sinjari

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

MR dampers are smart dampers that improve structural performance through vibration control. Vibration of tall or flexible structures and structural elements induced by dynamic loads such as wind and earthquakes can cause severe damage to the structure and discomfort for individuals. Therefore, dampers are commonly installed to increase the energy dissipation capacity and mitigate large amplitude vibrations. MR dampers are gaining recognition because of the unique rheological properties offered by the magnetically sensitive MR fluid. Changes to the current level, along with the frequency and amplitude of vibration, affect the force-displacement and force-velocity hysteresis relationship and thus the amount of …

Mechanics And Mechanisms Of Fracture For An Eastern Spruce Subject To Transverse Loading Using Acoustic Emission, Parinaz Belalpour Dastjerdi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Due to its excellent structural qualities and accessibility, wood is among the most often utilized structural materials. Despite its ubiquity, wood poses numerous challenges. It is heterogeneous and anisotropic. It has a complex hierarchical ultrastructure, and the properties can have wide variation within a species, and indeed within an individual tree. This work aims to improve our understanding of the strength and fracture behavior of spruce-pine-fir (south) (SPFs), particularly in cross-grain direction. This study’s primary goal is to examine the relationship between crack propagation and cross grain morphology under the following loading configurations: compact tension, compression, and rolling shear. The …

Enzymatic Removal Of Sulfonated Azo Dyes From Synthetic Textile Effluents Using Soybean Peroxidase, Temidayo Oyelere

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The textile industry and other colour-oriented industries utilize azo dyes in extensive amounts. Dye effluents are recalcitrant to natural biodegradation, hence, causing toxic effects on the environment. Physiochemical treatment generates sludge which requires secondary disposal; advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are cost and energy intensive; biological methods like anaerobic treatment via bacteria generate aromatic amines which are mutagenic and carcinogenic. A promising alternative that has shown great success in the treatment of wastewater is the enzymatic method. This thesis reports the enzymatic degradation of Reactive Black 5 (RB5), Acid Orange 7 (AO7), and Acid Orange 20 (AO20) from synthetic textile effluents …

Multiscale Evaluation Of The Effect Of Deicing Agents And Environmental Conditions On The Performance Of Asphalt Pavements In Cold Regions, Maryam Mihandoust

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

More than 70% of the United States' roadway network is located in regions subjected to severe winters, resulting in icy pavements that pose safety risks. Winter maintenance operations involving chloride-based deicers such as NaCl, CaCl2, and MgCl2 are essential for ensuring the safety, mobility, and functionality of roads. However, these deicers can lead to diminished pavement durability due to moisture-induced damage. This study examined the effects of these deicers on adhesion evolution and moisture-induced damage mechanisms of asphalt binder-aggregate systems at the macro-, centi-, micro-, and nanoscales. Macro-scale performance characteristics of PG 58-34 hot mix asphalt (HMA) specimens, including rutting, …

An Analysis Of The Effect Of Temperature On Asphalt Paving In South Dakota, S M Rahat Rashedi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Temperature is an important parameter to consider for asphalt paving since this work is generally susceptible to weather due to outdoor construction. The South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) developed working day weather charts in 1998 to address the expected adverse weather days. This thesis investigated the effect of temperature on adverse weather days for asphalt paving and compared them to the value reported in the 1998 SDDOT study. Moreover, the thesis also examined how closely the maximum temperature data from project sites' weekly progress reports (WPR) matched the data from the closest weather stations. When the maximum temperature (TMAX) …

Electrospun Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate Microfibers As An Asphalt Mix Additive, Debbrata Datta

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In recent decades, the use of different types of fibers in asphalt has become increasingly popular. Fibers are used in an asphalt mix to improve its durability and resistance against distresses such as rutting and cracking due to repetitive vehicle loading at high temperatures, and low-temperature contraction. Consequently, accurate rheological and performance characterization of asphalt binders and mixes containing fibers is of vital importance. With increased concerns over the environmental disruptions as a result of disposing end-of-life plastics in landfills and the need for improving sustainability of the construction materials, incorporating plastic in construction materials has always been an important …

Nondestructive Evaluation Of Structural Defects In Concrete Slabs, Ehsanul Kabir

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nondestructive testing (NDT) is a reliable method for determining the structural integrity of new and old construction and understanding the condition of structural defects. It is widely acknowledged that the interpretation of nondestructive evaluation (NDE) has a significant impact on the reliability and consistency of this technology. However, NDT data acquisition remains subjective and heavily dependent on the operator’s knowledge and expertise. As a result, there are still issues to be resolved regarding the imaging and diagnostic procedures for NDT-based concrete inspection. NDT methods such as ground penetrating radar (GPR), and impact-echo (IE), have been extensively used to inspect concrete …

Implementation Of Ground Penetrating Radar (Gpr) And Complementary Non-Destructive Testing On Concrete Structures, Macy Spears

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzes the application and practicality of different non-destructive testing (NDT) methods for the inspection of reinforced concrete. There are two studies discussed in this paper. The first one is a laboratory investigation, utilizing ground penetrating radar (GPR) on concrete slabs that consisted of simulated defects to mimic those found in real concrete structures. This served as a preliminary experiment to verify the GPR data with the design of the slabs. The following study describes a field investigation on an old bridge deck, which involved multiple testing methods. The techniques used were GPR, impact echo (IE), ultrasonic pulse echo …

Predictions Of The Dynamic Complex Modulus Of Non-Conventional Asphalt Concrete Using Machine Learning Techniques, Annie Benson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The complex dynamic modulus (|E*|) is a characterization property that defines the stiffness of an asphalt mixture. The dynamic modulus can be found through lab testing or predictions. Since lab testing can be time-consuming and expensive, the prediction method can be used as an alternative method. While a statistical method has been traditionally used for the |E*| prediction such as the Witczak’s predictive equations, machine learning (ML) is recently emerging as an alternative way that |E*| predictions can be made. This research attempted to predict the |E*| using several ML techniques including linear regression, support vector machines (SVM), decision trees, …

Accessing The Relative Sustainability Of Point-Of-Use Water Disinfection Technologies Through Costs And Environmental Impacts, Bright C. Elijah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

According to the World Health Organization, 785 million people lack access to basic drinking water facilities, and 144 million people rely on surface water which is prone to microbial contamination. Point-of-use (POU) water disinfection technologies can be adopted to help address these issues by treating water at the household level; however, navigating various POU disinfection technologies for a given water source or location can be difficult. While numerous conventional POU technologies exist (e.g., boiling water, POU chlorination), new emerging POU technologies (e.g., using novel materials or advanced processes) have been coined by developers to be lower cost with higher treatment …

Anthropogenic Effects On Tidal Distortion In A Tidal River, Matthew D. Fischer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Tidal rivers are landward portions of estuarine systems constituting the union between coastal, tidally controlled settings and rivers, where fluvial processes dominate. In these reaches, river discharge (mean flow) and tides are the two most important mechanisms in controlling geophysical flows. The processes governing water levels and current amplitudes in tidal rivers are highly nonlinear and modulated by external forcings- thus requiring sophisticated techniques for accurate prediction and forecasting. Physical oceanographers and estuarine physicists tend to limit their study area to the maximum extent of the horizontal tide (salinity intrusion), not the most landward point influenced by tidal water levels. …

Optimization Of A Lightweight Floating Offshore Wind Turbine With Water-Ballast Motion Mitigation Technology, William Ramsay

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Floating offshore wind turbines are a promising technology to address energy needs utilizing wind resources offshore. The current state of the art is based on heavy, expensive platforms to survive the ocean environment. Typical design techniques do not involve optimization because of the computationally expensive time-domain solvers used to model motions and loads in the ocean environment. However, this project uses an efficient frequency domain solver with a genetic algorithm to rapidly optimize the design of a novel floating wind turbine concept. The concept utilizes liquid ballast mass to mitigate motions on a lightweight post-tensioned concrete platform, with a target …

Development Of Ultra High Performance Composite Impact Panels Using Emaa, Jeffrey Hollstein

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

UHPC with the addition of fibers is recognized for its increased impact resistance compared to typical strength concrete. To further increase the resilience, recent studies have been conducted to reinforce the UHPC with CFRTP on the front and rear face to create sandwich panels. These studies used PETg/E-glass CFRTP bonded to the UHPC using EMAA (Surlyn) in a stamp thermoforming process. Impact tests conducted on these panels have shown that delamination has been the initial and detrimental failure to the sandwich composite. Increasing the composites resistance to debonding will increase the impact energy required to debond the composite. In this …

On The Application Of Dynamical Measures Of Hydrologic Response To Prediction And Similarity Assessment In Watersheds, Prashanta Bajracharya

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Prediction in Ungauged Basins (PUB) initiative set out to improve the understanding of hydrological processes with an aim of improving hydrologic models for application in ungauged basins. With a majority of basins around the world essentially ungauged, this suggests the need to shift from calibration-based models that rely on observed streamflow data to models based on process understanding. This is especially important in natural infrastructure planning projects such as investments in the conservation of wetlands across the watershed, where the lack of streamflow data hinders the quantification of their benefits (such as flood attenuation), resulting in a difficulty in …

Road Salt Use Analysis In The Context Of Changing Winter Weather Conditions, Dikshya Parajuli

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The research is inspired by the past and current patterns of road salt use, changing weather patterns, and management strategies in Maine. The historical road salt application has led to long-term impacts on the environment pressing the need for strategic use of road salt. Winter Severity Indices (WSIs) find their application in the field by aiding in interpreting weather forecasts and planning for strategic salt application. This study uses existing indices: Accumulated Winter Season Severity Index (AWSSI), Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP) index, Illinois Salt days index, and Accumulated Freezing Degree Days to quantify long-term changes in winter weather conditions. …

Statistical Analysis Of Frequency And Severity Of Lane Departure Crashes In Maine, Alainie A. Sawtelle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lane departure crashes account for approximately 34% of all roadway crashes, and over 70% of all roadway fatalities in Maine. Despite an 18% decrease in average daily traffic volume during the half of the year with colder weather, the months of November to April comprise over 64% of the yearly lane departure crashes. The majority of roadways and roadway crashes in Maine are in rural regions. Moreover, Maine has aging infrastructure, houses the oldest population in the United States, has diverse terrain and land use, and experiences several extreme weather events. The combination of these factors impacts the frequency and …

Non-Destructive Evaluation Of Concrete Using Electrical Resistivity And Ultrasonic Wave Propagation, Justin Harris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With the intent to investigate the relationship between concrete physical properties and non-destructive evaluation techniques (NDE), several experiments were performed. Specimens were made at varying geometries using a range of different concrete mixes under several different curing conditions. These specimens were subjected to a combination of electrical resistivity and ultrasonic wave propagation measurements. One part of this study investigated determining the orientation of steel fibers using electrical resistivity. This resulted in the fabrication of a four-probe square device with the potential capabilities of determining fiber orientation. The other part of this research applied ultrasonic wave propagation via through-transmission along with …

Development Of Thermoplastic Composite External Reinforcing Of Concrete Decking System, Jackman A. Mickiewicz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The use of reinforced concrete is very common in the construction of a wide variety of structures. In buildings it is used for floors, beams, columns, and walls. It can also be used in infrastructure as parts of bridges, dams, pavements, etc. Typically, concrete is reinforced with steel, primarily rebar, to carry tensile stresses.

Like every other industry, construction is always looking at ways to advance its technology. The work outlined in this thesis looks to assist in that goal, primarily by looking at options for using a different material than the traditional steel reinforcements to create a reinforced concrete …

Developing Takeover Request Warning System To Improve Takeover Time And Post-Takeover Performance In Level 3 Automated Drivin, Niloy Talukder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The automotive industry is shifting towards partial (level 3) or fully automated vehicles. An important research question in level 3 automated driving is how quickly drivers can take over the vehicle control in response to a critical event. In this regard, this study develops an integrated takeover request (TOR) system which provides visual and auditorial TOR warning in both vehicle interface and personal portable device (e.g., tablet). The study also evaluated the effectiveness of the integrated TOR system in reducing the takeover time and improving post-takeover performance. For these purposes, 44 drivers participated in the driving simulator experiment where they …

The Role Of Pier Shape And Aspect Ratio On Local Scour With And Without Sacrificial Piles, Mohamed Kharbeche

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The complexity of the scour process around bridge piers leads to uneconomical pier design and unnecessary costs. This is due to the current scour estimation methods, which over-predict scour depth. Several aspects of scour have not been fully considered in pier design and require further investigation, such as the pier shape and aspect ratio. Further, scour countermeasures are used to protect the pier and reduce the scour depth. The first objective of the present investigation is to study the combined effects of pier nose shape and aspect ratio on scour geometry. The second objective is to better understand the effect …

A New Car-Following Model With Incorporation Of Markkula’S Framework Of Sensorimotor Control In Sustained Motion Tasks, Umair Durrani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The main aim of this research is to develop a new car-following model that realistically predicts the trajectories of speed, acceleration, jerk and spacing in congested and uncongested freeway conditions. The research has three objectives. First, the start time of driver reaction was investigated in various car-following conditions. Specifically, the assumption of a constant reaction time of the existing car-following models was investigated using the observed driver behaviour data collected from a driving simulator. Moreover, the perception limits and the process that drivers use to start reaction were also studied. Second, a new car-following model was developed to reproduce the …

Application Of Artificial Neural Networks To Predict Local Bridge Pier Scour, Mia Marrocco

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Accurate equilibrium scour depth and width estimations are essential to both safe and economic designs of bridge foundations. Review of current scour estimation methods demonstrate that the empirical equations produce scour values that are overestimated, resulting in uneconomical designs. In the current investigation, artificial neural networks (ANNs) were optimized and applied to scour data under laboratory conditions, field conditions, and a combination of the two conditions. Additionally, physics-based parameters – in place of empirical parameters (e.g., shape factors) – and parameters incorporating blockage effects were introduced as input parameters to the ANNs in an attempt to improve scour predictions. Finally, …

Analysis Of Aggressive Driving Using A Driving Simulator, Ahmad Hassan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As aggressive driving mainly caused speed-related crashes, aggressive driving must be prevented to improve road safety by identifying aggressive drivers and understand their characteristics and external factors associated with their behaviours. Thus, it is important to investigate relationships among aggressive driving, driver characteristics, and driving performance measures. The factors affecting aggressive driving are driving experience, self-estimation of driving skill, and willingness of taking risk while driving, and interactions with different drivers, not only driver’s own intention. To establish a framework for the analysis of aggressive driving, previous literature indicated driving performance measures and/or self-reported measures to be effective measures of …

Sustainability And Performance Improvement Of Engineered Cementitious Composites, Adeyemi Adesina

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Engineered cementitious composites (ECCs) are special types of fibre-reinforced cementitious composites (FRCC) with higher strain capacity which can be achieved with low fibre volume as low as 2% and total elimination of coarse aggregates. Due to the outstanding performance of ECCs, they are suitable for various construction and repair applications. However, in order for ECCs to achieve their properties; a high amount of binder which is primarily composed of Portland cement (PC) is used alongside a special type of ultrafine silica sand (USS) which is different from the conventional natural fine aggregates. The production of PC is known to be …

Modeling Freight Network Robustness And Criticality In Ontario, Canada, Georgiana Vani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores criticalities that arise in a freight transportation network for the multi-regional economically active province of Ontario, Canada. A significant economic contributor and generator of freight trips, Ontario relies on its transportation system for the movement of goods. A combination of network performance and economically driven measures are used to evaluate the impacts of link disruptions, identify criticalities in the network, and produce a more holistic view of freight transportation activities. The Network Robustness Index (NRI) is applied to capture the impacts of travel conditions on the network due to link disruptions. A methodology is introduced for estimating …

Modelling Cross-Border Rail Intermodality In The Windsor-Essex Context, Christopher Aspila

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Shipment by truck dominates the cross-border flow of commodities in both directions between Canada and the United States (Anderson and Coates, 2010; Anderson, 2012; Anderson and Brown, 2012; and Aspila and Maoh, 2014). An individual truck typically pulling one or two trailers is an inefficient way to move goods over long distances (Eom et al., 2012) when freight trains with three or more 4400 horsepower diesel-electric locomotives pull over two-hundred intermodal containers loaded on rail cars throughout North America every day.

Windsor, Ontario is an example of a border community in Canada and hosts the busiest border crossing between Canada …

Analysis Of Spatial Discrepancies Between 76-Foot Close Range Photogrammetric And Terrestrial-Lidar Models, Abdoul K. Ouangre

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study presents an analysis of the accuracy of a 3D model generated by two different methods. In the first method, the 3D model is generated via Laser Scanning. In the second method, the 3D model is generated via Close-range Photogrammetry from a drone flying at 76 feet above the ground. Photogrammetry is a photo-based technique that uses images to generate 3D models of objects where distances could be extracted from. Close-range photogrammetry is the approach of generating a 3D model from a camera placed anywhere between 1 foot and 1000 feet relative to the object. Terrestrial LiDAR is the …