Engineering Commons^™

Structural And Environmental Impact Of New-Generation Wide-Base Tires In New Brunswick, Canada, Izak M. Said, Jaime Hernandez, Seunggu Kang, Imad L. Al-Qadi

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

The loading and environmental impacts of new-generation wide-base tires (NG-WBT) and dual tire assemblies (DTA) on typical asphalt concrete (AC) pavement sections of New Brunswick, Canada were evaluated using finite element method (FEM) analysis and life-cycle assessment. The impact of steering wheel was not considered in this study. The analysis considered realistic material models and loading conditions (i.e. AC viscoelastic characteristics and measured three-dimensional nonuniform tire–pavement contact loads). Predicted critical pavement responses were used in transfer functions to determine potential pavement damage. The NG-WBT loading resulted in greater critical pavement responses compared to that of DTA, especially near the surface …

Evaluating The Polishing Of Skid Aggregates In Asphalt Using The British Pendulum Tester, Allison Nicole Givens

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

To ensure the pavements in West Virginia have adequate skid resistance the Division of Highways evaluates and approves skid resistant aggregate sources for all wearing courses on roads with an ADT of 3,000 or greater. Unfortunately, the supply of skid aggregates in West Virginia is depleting quickly. To find a potential alternative to using skid resistant aggregates, laboratory polishing of asphalt samples was performed using a Circular Track Polishing Machine, and friction was tested using a British Pendulum Tester. The experiment was designed to investigate how a specific aggregate type provides skid resistance to a hot asphalt mixture.

The objective …

Lagrangian Relaxation Method For Integrated Vehicles And Drones Routing Model, Perawit Charoenwut

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Nowadays, e-commerce increases parcel transportation demand year by year. Many companies are seeking the way to improve performance of delivery service and cost-efficiency. One among many solutions is using a drone attached with a truck for the last mile delivery. A drone can be launched from either depot or truck and returned to the depot or wait for the truck to take them back from the docking station around the delivery area. The vehicle routing problem with drones considers truck- and drone-route simultaneously. It is an enormous problem that cannot be solved by a normal linear programming method. This research …

Tracing Sources Of Natural Organic Matter, Trihalomethanes And Metals In Groundwater From A Karst Region, Connie O'Driscoll, Eoin Mcgillicuddy, Peter Croot, Pamela Bartley, John Mcmyler, Jerome Sheahan, Liam Morrison

Articles

Groundwater offers an important source for drinking water around the world; however, groundwater quality is under increasing pressure and is particularly vulnerable in karst areas. Total organic carbon (TOC) is significantly related to groundwater quality and when not removed by water treatment processes can give rise to the formation of disinfection by-products trihalomethanes (THMs) above the level of compliance. This study investigated the source of organic matter giving rise to the THM exceedances in a groundwater supply in a karst area. Results highlighted that source water for this groundwater supply was prone to surface water infiltration linked to rainfall events; …

A New Type Of Crumb Rubber Asphalt Mixture: A Dry Process Design And Performance Evaluation, Feng Ma, Jiasheng Dai, Zhen Fu, Jenny Liu, Wenhao Dong, Zhen Huang

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

To obtain a crumb rubber asphalt mixture with excellent performance, this study combined trans-polyoctenamer rubber (TOR), crumb rubber, and other additives to establish a new type of crumb rubber (CRT). The objective of this study was to design and evaluate the road performance of the new type of crumb rubber asphalt mixture (CRTAM) with a skeleton dense texture through a dry process. First, the skeleton intrusion compact volume method was used to optimize the grading of coarse and fine aggregates, and the design of the CRTAM gradation was carried out through the same and unequal volume replacement grading method. Then, …

Seismic Performance Of Mechanically Spliced Bridge Columns Through Analytical Studies, Mathew Ray Lavoy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Reinforcement continuity in concrete members is traditionally achieved through lap splicing. Mechanical bar splices are an alternative to traditional lap splices. Mechanical bar splices utilize mechanical devices known as bar coupler to connect the ends of reinforcing bars. Bar couplers are common in accelerated bridge construction applications at non-critical members but are not allowed in the plastic hinge region of bridge columns probably due to a lack of knowledge on how they affect seismic performance of columns. A comprehensive analytical study was carried out to determine how bar couplers used at the base of bridge columns affect: 1) column lateral …

Prevention Of Harmful Algal Blooms By The Mitigation Of Phosphorus Nutrient Loading Via Filtration By Steel Wool And Activated Carbon, Samantha Zidd, Sara Kidd, Ronald Simpson

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) are a devastating ecological and economic consequence of the abundance of nutrient-rich agricultural runoff entering aquatic ecosystems (Baker et al. 2014). Bioavailable phosphorus from synthetic fertilizers is one of the major nutrients contributing to this global issue. Preliminary studies indicate that dissolved phosphorus can be removed from an aqueous environment when passed through a composite mixture of granular steel wool particles and activated carbon (Erickson, Gulliver, and Weiss (2007). Further research was conducted using higher quality concentration measurements to determine what grades of steel wool (0000, 000, 00) and types of activated carbon (GAC, PAC, EAC) …

Implementation Of Real-Time Decision Support Technology At Akron Water Reclamation Facility, Hunter Durbin

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Advances in computer science, data analytics, hardware, and software are changing the way that sewer collection systems are able to operate. By combining these technologies into something called a Real-Time Decision Support System (RTDSS), operators of sewer collection systems can make operational decisions supported by data being recorded throughout the sewer system in real-time. A RTDSS has the potential to optimize the available capacity of a sewer collection system at a lower cost compared to traditional construction solutions. The City of Akron is in the process of implementing a RTDSS in their sewer collection system. This report analyzes how the …

The Future Of Roundabouts In Northeast Ohio, Bret Baker

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

For my honors project, I plan on doing a formal analysis of the type of intersection known as roundabouts. I want to approach the general topic of roundabouts and then focus on local roundabouts in Northeast Ohio. My analysis would include roundabouts currently in use, in the process of being constructed, as well as roundabout projects currently in design and future projects. I want to answer the questions, "What does the future of roundabouts look like in Northeast Ohio? Will there be more? Are they better than the traditional signalized or traffic sign intersections?" I will be using this information …

Water Condensation Collection For Disaster Relief, Tyler Gaydosh

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Numerous populations experience sudden, unexpected circumstances where drinking water supply may be compromised. Current leading response strategies include the delivery of disposable water bottles, a simple and effective way of meeting the demand of fresh drinking water. The lack of reusability results in problems with waste and cost. Any response to provide drinking water to a population in these circumstances must consider a prolonged crisis and these limitations: minimal delivery opportunities, power supply, and waste management (e.g., aftereffects of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico). A review of alternatives for water collection was done to determine a viable collection method that …

Comparision Of Fillet-Welded Base Plate Fatigue Design For Highway Support Structures With Laboratory Research Tests, William Shea

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

There are many types of vertical structures along highways that serve unique purposes. These structures include traffic signs for directing, warning, or regulating traffic, luminaires for distributing and directing light, traffic signals supporting equipment such as traffic lights, and combination structures including any combination of the aforementioned structures. Highway support structures are typically fabricated from steel or aluminum and are designed to the guidelines and specifications of the AASHTO Standard Specifications for Structural Supports for Highway Signs, Luminaires, and Traffic Signals. The structures are connected to a foundation by anchor bolts through a welded base plate. Often a cause …

Applications Of Ultra-High Performance Concrete, Zachary Plevny

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The main objective of this research paper is to determine the current applications of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC). A second objective is to determine the reason UHPC is used in various applications. More than 17 bridges in the United States have been built with UHPC components. A handful of state departments of transportation have deployed UHPC components within their infrastructure, and many more are actively doing research and considering the use of UHPC. So, this is a relatively new material that is becoming more widely used. The following seven projects, which include UHPC components are discussed in detail: Mars Hill …

Evaluation And Modeling Of Electrodialysis For High-Recovery Brackish Water Desalination, Shahrouz Jafarzade Ghadimi

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This research investigates the feasibility of desalination of brackish water with electrodialysis (ED), using laboratory testing and mathematical modeling. Several experiments were performed to characterize ion-specific transport and to evaluate tradeoffs between salinity removal and specific energy consumption. A 200 cm2 Ameridia ED stack was used to perform desalination experiments with real brackish groundwater from the Kay Bailey Hutchison desalination plant in El Paso, Texas, and the results showed limiting current density of 160 A/m2 for 5 cm/s. A higher conductivity reduction was observed for flow velocity of 5 cm/s compared to 13 cm/s. Ion transport selectivity (based on relative …

A Survey Of Education In Civil Engineering, Tyler Fuller

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This paper provides an overview of the current education requirements in the field of civil engineering. This is achieved through means of an anonymous survey sent to civil engineering academics and data gathered from the published curricula of ten existing civil engineering programs. These ten programs were selected by means of a random number generator from the list of institutions the survey was sent to. Such an overview is important for gauging the effectiveness of civil engineering education for current and future students.

Steel Bridge Truss Analysis, Alastair Seed

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this project is to conduct a study comparing the effectiveness of different cross frame orientations in lowering the deflection of the main stringers of a bridge. Three different orientations of cross frames were researched; vertical, angled with the superstructure webbing, and halfway-angled. All of these were studied when the stringers were placed directly under the superstructure and when the superstructure was placed outside of the stringers. Analysis was performed in a program called SAP 2000 to find the deflections along the stringers under different loading conditions. The results showed that when the superstructure was oriented over the …

Bs News January/February

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Can The Integration Of Bim And Gis Enhance Information Management For Large Scale Linear Infrastructure Projects?, Bim Tudublin, Brendan Kennedy

Capstone Reports

The integration of BIM and GIS is the subject of considerable research, particularly as the two coalesce for the purpose of information management. Large scale infrastructure projects require best practice in terms of how information is managed given the volume of information generated throughout the project lifecycle and the numerous parties requiring access to project content. This paper investigates whether the integration of BIM and GIS can enhance information management on large scale linear infrastructure projects. The research comprised a literature review and interviews with a number of BIM/GIS professionals actively working on linear infrastructure projects across the world. Some …

Three-Dimensional Finite Element Analyses For Optimal Ground Improvement For Tunnel Cross Passage In Bangkok Subsoils, Mengly Seng

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Jet grouting is a common technic for improving the stability during the construction of tunnel cross-passages in soft grounds. In this study, the optimal soil-cement mass for a cross-passage from a tunnel to an intervention shaft in Bangkok subsoils was determined using three-dimensional finite element analyses. The soil-cement mass was assumed to be octagonal prism along the route of the cross-passage which has the radius of 2.25m. The result showed that the factor of safety increases linearly with the improvement radius. The improvement radius of 3.60m was selected since it is satisfied with the FS more than 1.4 and the …

Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation Of Rain-Wind-Induced Vibration Of Stay Cables, Hongfan Wang

Dissertations and Theses

Due to the large amplitude, frequent occurrence and severe consequences, the rain-wind induced vibration (RWIV) of stay cables in cable-stayed bridges has been investigated extensively by researchers around the world. However, the underlying excitation mechanism is still unclear. Recently, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation has been widely applied in the research on structure vibrations due to dynamic wind loads, with great potential as an alternative tool for wind tunnel testing. It has also been adopted to investigate the RWIV, but only a few studies have been conducted so far. Furthermore, most of the CFD simulations reported in literatures are two-dimensional, …

Using Statistical Learning Approaches To Understand Trends And Variability Of Tornadoes Across The Continental United States, Niloufar Nouri

Dissertations and Theses

The annual frequency of tornadoes during 1950-2018 across the major tornado-impacted states were examined and modeled using anthropogenic and large-scale climate covariates in a hierarchical Bayesian inference framework. Anthropogenic factors include increases in population density and better detection systems since the mid-1990s. Large-scale climate variables include El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), Arctic Oscillation (AO), and Atlantic Multi-decadal Oscillation (AMO). The model provides a robust way of estimating the response coefficients by considering pooling of information across groups of states that belong to Tornado Alley, Dixie Alley, and Other …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Carbon Sequestering Calcium Carbonate Cement, Mohammad Jobaer Uddin

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The cement industry is the second-largest manufacturing emitter of CO₂, and the manufacture and placement of concrete accounts for 7-8% of anthropogenic CO2 emissions. There is increasing pressure on the cement industry to develop a sustainable cement to support rapid global urban development without the associated emissions of cement production. The calcination reaction required to manufacture Portland cement is the prime source of emissions, so eliminating the release of CO₂ liberated during calcination of limestone provides an excellent opportunity to produce a more sustainable cement. Calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) cement is a novel alternative, which can …

Seismic Response Mitigation Of Base-Isolated Buildings, Mohammad Hamayoun Stanikzai, Said Elias, Rajesh Rupakhety

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Earthquake response mitigation of a base-isolated (BI) building equipped with (i) a single tuned mass damper at the top of the building, (ii) multiple tuned mass dampers (MTMDs) at the top of the building, and (iii) MTMDs distributed on different floors of the building (d-MTMDs) is studied. The shear-type buildings are modeled by considering only one lateral degree of freedom (DOF) at the floor level. Numerical approach of Newmark's integration is adopted for solving the coupled, governing differential equations of motion of 5- and 10-story BI buildings with and without TMD schemes. A set of 40 earthquake ground motions, scaled …

Assessment Of Different Seismic Retrofit Systems Of Rc Buildings For Earthquake Risk Mitigation, Aya Ragab Mohamed Abou Ei-Hamd

Theses

Many existing Reinforced Concrete (RC) structures were designed and constructed at a time when design codes were insufficient according to current standards. This class of structures is at risk of damage when subjected to strong earthquake loading. Therefore, several seismic retrofit techniques have been investigated experimentally to increase the earthquake resistance and damage-control potential of pre-seismic code structures using different methods such as quasi-static and pseudo-dynamic testing. However, a limited number of studies have focused on investigating the overall seismic performance of retrofitted RC structures using shake table testing. The first task of this study assesses analytically and experimentally the …

Ethiopian Construction Project Management Maturity Model Determination And Correlational Prediction Of Project Success, Hailemeskel T. Hailemarkos

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Ethiopia, although the construction industry is booming, the practice of effective project delivery in time, cost, and quality remains a challenge. Construction project success comes through the application of knowledge-based, critically essential factors. The industry's effectiveness is dictated by the level of project management knowledge built in each company. The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to evaluate project management maturity level of construction industry and the predictability of project success from project management knowledge maturity of 193 project managers working in contractors, consultants, and clients. The study, which was informed by the project management body of knowledge …

Investigation Of Expedient, Cost Effective And Sustainable Soil Stabilization For Tactical Vehicles Using Surfactant-Induced Soil Stabilization (Siss), Joshua Sasser

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Surfactant-induced soil stabilization (SISS) is a new method for soil stabilization whereby anionic surfactants and alkaline earth metals are introduced to a soil matrix. This research served as a preliminary study into SISS’ suitability as a temporary soil stabilization method that could be used to improve wheeled vehicle traction during amphibious type naval operations conducted on a beach head.

Beach sand specimens were treated with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS; aka sodium lauryl sulfate) and calcium chloride using two methods: hand mixing in testing cylinders and surface percolation in bench scale sandboxes. Treated cylinders were tested for unconfined compressive strength (UCS) …

Preliminary Design And Analysis Of A Wave Energy Converter With Electromagnetic Induction, Laura Fernandez De Valderrama

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As the energy demand increases with the constantly increasing population, as well as the effort to replace conventional fossil fuels with cleaner sources of energy, ocean energy has emerged as a potential global resource. The ocean contains an enormous amount of energy that has not been exploited yet, although efforts have augmented during the past decades.

The overall purpose of this research is to design, model, and analyze, a wave energy converter (WEC) prototype to contribute to the current research in this field. This particular work represents the first stage of the research process in which the ultimate goal is …

Studying The Effects Of Various Process Parameters On Early Age Hydration Of Single- And Multi-Phase Cementitious Systems, Rachel Cook

Doctoral Dissertations

”The hydration of multi-phase ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and its pure phase derivatives, such as tricalcium silicate (C₃S) and belite (ß-C₂S), are studied in the context varying process parameters -- for instance, variable water content, water activity, superplasticizer structure and dose, and mineral additive type and particle size. These parameters are studied by means of physical experiments and numerical/computational techniques, such as: thermodynamic estimations; numerical kinetic-based modelling; and artificial intelligence techniques like machine learning (ML) models. In the past decade, numerical kinetic modeling has greatly improved in terms of fitting experimental, isothermal calorimetry to kinetic-based modelling …

Seismic Behavior Of Composite Bridge Columns, Mohanad M. Abdulazeez

Doctoral Dissertations

“This study investigates experimentally and numerically the seismic behavior of large-scale hollow-core fiber-reinforced polymer-concrete-steel (HC-FCS) innovative bridge columns as a sustainable approach to endure and rapidly recover from natural disasters such as earthquakes. The HC-FCS column consisted of a concrete shell sandwiched between an outer fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) tube and an inner steel tube to provided continuous confinement for the concrete shell along with the height of the column. The columns have a slender inner steel tube with diameter-to-thickness (D_s/t_s) ratios ranged between 85 to 254. Each steel tube was embedded into the footing, while the …

Minimizing The Negative Effect Of Pumping On Scc Freeze-Thaw Durability, Daniel Galvez-Moreno

Doctoral Dissertations

“The durability of concrete must be ensured to reduce the carbon footprint of the production of portland cement. If concrete is properly designed to preserve its integrity under adverse exposure conditions, the service life of the material can be extended with minimum maintenance. Nevertheless, bad handling, placing, finishing or curing practices can abate the durability potential and service life of even the best mix design. Pumping concrete is a very efficient placing technique that offers significant cost reduction and versatility at the jobsite, but it also has the potential of altering the air void system parameters, which are key to …

Complexities Observed During The Development Of A Rheological Testing Procedure For Small Cement Paste Samples, Aida Margarita Ley-Hernandez

Doctoral Dissertations

“Rheology has been widely used to describe the flow properties of fresh cement-based suspensions. The use of a rheometer to characterize these properties is not a straightforward task due to the dependency to different preparation conditions, mixing processes, testing procedures and measuring instruments employed. In addition, shear and time dependency of the material which undergoes chemical and physical particle bonding, caused by hydration of cement and flocculation. Nevertheless, the characterization and understanding of the rheological behavior of cement-based materials have become essential with the recent introduction of novel applications like digital construction in the field of civil engineering, among others. …