Engineering Commons^™

Impact Of A Kinesthetic Learning Model On Architecture, Engineering, And Construction (Aec) Knowledge In African American Middle School Girls, Mercy F. Fash, Andrea A.N Ofori-Boadu

Journal of Research Initiatives

This study examines the impact of a femalized Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Kinesthetic Learning Model (fAEC-KLM) intervention on the AEC knowledge of African American middle school girls. Fourteen (14) middle school girls completed both pre- and post-surveys and tests that assessed their knowledge of AEC concepts, including roles and responsibilities, gender and racial diversity, and salary benefits. Paired-sample t-tests were utilized to evaluate statistically significant differences in knowledge before and after fAEC-KLM intervention. Results showed notable improvements in students' knowledge of AEC salary and benefits, as well as the underrepresentation of females, particularly African American females, and AEC roles and …

Phosphorus Recovery From Synthetic Stormwater Using Iron- And Slag-Amended Green Infrastructure Soils, Colin B. Wilson, Anthony J. Parolari, Brooke Mayer, Kaushik Venkiteshwaran

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

The demand for phosphorus (P), fueled by the need for fertilizers to increase food production due to the ever-increasing population, is increasing P in the environment and diminishing global reserves of this nonrenewable resource. Stormwater runoff transports land-applied P into surrounding waterbodies. Green infrastructure (GI) soils are being engineered to target P removal from stormwater runoff. This research investigates the potential to recover P from engineered GI soils traditionally developed to remove P, contributing to the circular P economy by considering GI as a source of recoverable P. Batch experiments were conducted to determine the P removal performance of iron- …

Effect Of Shrinkage-Mitigating Materials, Fiber Type, And Repair Thickness On Flexural Behavior Of Beams Repaired With Fiber-Reinforced Self-Consolidating Concrete, Jingjie Wei, Kamal H. Khayat

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

While self-consolidating concrete (SCC) has emerged as a highly effective approach for the repair of concrete structures, there have been few investigations regarding the effect of the combination of different fiber and shrinkage-mitigating material types (shrinkage-reducing admixture, SRA; superabsorbent polymer, SAP; and expansive agent, EA) on the flexural behavior of repaired structures. This study aims to explore the influence of three different shrinkage-mitigating materials (1.25%–2.5 % SRA, 4%–8% EA, and 0.2%–0.4 % SAP), four fiber types (two macro synthetic fibers, MSFA and MSFB; 5D hooked steel fibers, 5D; a combination of 80 % 3D hooked steel +20 % short steel …

Characterizing Phosphorus Removal And Recovery Performance Of A 3d Printed Iron-Embedded Polylactic Acid Composite, Colin B. Wilson, Anthony J. Parolari, Andrew Hiestand, Brooke K. Mayer, Allison Murray

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Green infrastructure (GI) has been heralded as a solution for reducing phosphorus (P) pollution through increasing stormwater runoff infiltration and improving water quality. Despite its global implementation, GI struggles to improve the effluent water quality discharged from these systems consistently. This research evaluates the P removal performance and recovery potential of iron-embedded polylactic acid (PLA) composites through a novel application of three-dimensional (3D) printed representative unit cells (RUC) that could be used to improve effluent quality in GI. The RUC required chemical oxidation to convert the embedded iron to hematite (Fe₂⁢O₃) to facilitate P adsorption. Batch …

Construction Of Electrically Heated Pavement Using Recycled Waste Rubber Tires, Islam M. Radwan, Mohamed Abdel-Raheem

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Accumulated snow on roads presents a dual risk of accidents and financial losses. Conventional de-icing methods, which rely on chemicals, salt, and heavy machinery, are unsustainable and detrimental to both the environment and infrastructure. Furthermore, they demand significant labor and pose hazards in densely populated areas. In response, heated pavement systems such as hydronic and electrically conductive concrete (ECON) have gained traction for mitigating snow accumulation on roads. However, the use of carbon fiber and carbon black in ECON raises costs and depletes valuable resources. This research introduces an inventive and sustainable approach to address snow accumulation on rigid pavements …

Condition Assessment Of Bolted Connections In Steel Structures Using Deep Learning, Faezeh Jafari, Sattar Dorafshan

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Steel structure connections are prone to bolt loosening and subsequent loss of strength or stability if not inspected periodically. Use of noncontact sensing and artificial intelligence can substantially increase the safety and efficiency of these inspections; however, the existing defect detection models do not account for variability of defects in both missing and loosened bolt connections. Furthermore, the performance of available deep learning models can be substantially diminished due to the presence of background noise in images of real structures. Finding these defects could be even more difficult in highway steel structures due to the complex and continuously changing nature …

Structural Earthquake Resiliency Of Rocking Core Systems With Floor Enabled Recentering, S. Taban Hajimirza

Dissertations and Theses

The growing need for structural earthquake resiliency, coupled with increasing demands for environmentally sustainable construction, has driven architects and engineers to emphasize the importance of earthquake-resistant mass timber multistory construction in regions prone to high seismic activity. With advancements in building technologies, cross-laminated timber (CLT) has emerged at the forefront of this movement by unlocking new potentials for urban development.

Motivated by the aforementioned demands, this PhD dissertation investigated lateral behavior and earthquake response of a novel lateral force-resisting structural system, known as Floor Recentering Rocking Core (FLR-ROCR). FLR-ROCR is a low-damage recentering mass-timber system that leverages restoring interactions between …

Spatiotemporal Impact Analysis Of Land Surface Temperature Variations: A Case Study Of The Northeastern Part Of Baghdad Province, Iraq (2000-2024), Basheer S. Jasim

Al-Bahir

Land Surface Temperature maps are handy tools in a wide variety of scientific and practical fields. Monitoring climate change, researching the consequences of global warming, and evaluating the health of ecosystems are some of the applications that are used extensively. In addition, they have uses in agriculture, such as determining the amount of water that vegetation needs and monitoring agricultural regions that are experiencing drought. This study utilized a remote sensing approach to estimate land surface temperature with Landsat imagery from two periods, respectively, 2000 and 2024. The Landsat user's guide provided the algorithm to convert the images from DN …

Modeling, Design, And Laboratory Testing Of A Passive Friction Seismic Metamaterial Base Isolator (Pfsmbi), Shayan Khosravi, Mohsen Amjadian

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper focuses on the theoretical and analytical modeling of a novel seismic isolator termed the Passive Friction Mechanical Metamaterial Seismic Isolator (PFSMBI) system, which is designed for seismic hazard mitigation in multi-story buildings. The PFSMBI system consists of a lattice structure composed of a series of identical small cells interconnected by layers made of viscoelastic materials. The main function of the lattice is to shift the fundamental natural frequency of the building away from the dominant frequency of earthquake excitations by creating low-frequency bandgaps (FBGs) below 20 Hz. In this configuration, each unit cell contains an inner resonator that …

Preliminary Spectral Matching Analysis Of The Rod El-Farag Region In Cairo, Egypt, Ahmed F. Youssef, Amr Z. Elkady, Ayman A. Seleemah

Journal of Engineering Research

Abstract: Earthquake engineering assessments are essential for evaluating the seismic response of structures. Nonlinear dynamic analysis is a highly effective method for evaluating seismic re-sponse, considering the complex, three-dimensional, and dynamic behaviour of structures during earthquakes. The complexity of seismic damage assessment arises from ground motion and struc-tural modelling parameters. Spectral matching is a key method in seismic codes and aids in selecting earthquake accelerograms for performance- and force-based designs. Spectrum-matched data is increasingly used to estimate nonlinear structural responses. Spec-tral matching utilizes the wavelet adjustments introduced by Abra-hamson (1992) and refined by Hancock et al. (2006) to adjust earth-quake …

Challenges Of Sustainable Infrastructure In Egypt For Contractors, Consultants, And Owners, Abdelrahman Ali Gaber Eng., Mohammed Elsayed Elsharkawy Assis. Prof., Adel Ibrahim Eldosouky Prof.

Journal of Engineering Research

This research investigates the multifaceted challenges and opportunities for implementing sustainable infrastructure in Egypt from the perspectives of key stakeholders—contractors, consultants, and owners. It uses structured questionnaires to draw on a comprehensive literature review and a field study. These questionnaires were distributed to experts across three vital sectors: roads and bridges, water and sewage networks, and ports and shore protection. A total of 95 participants completed the survey, surpassing the statistically required sample size of 61, calculated using Kish's 1965 formula, thereby enhancing the robustness of the findings. Key barriers identified include high initial costs, insufficient operational funding, lack of …

Evaluating Lidar Technology In Iphone Mobiles For 2d Mapping Applications, Nasr Mohammady Saba, Salem Salama Saleh

Journal of Engineering Research

Abstract- LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology has revolutionized mapping applications, offering enhanced precision and accuracy in spatial data collection. The integration of LiDAR technology in the latest iPhone models, beginning with the iPhone 12 Pro, has introduced new capabilities for 2D data measurement and plan creation directly on the mobile device. The iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max models support LiDAR techniques within their mobile phone cameras, enhancing the performance of various applications such as Measurements and Photos. LiDAR operates by emitting pulsed light waves into the surrounding space, which bounce off nearby objects and return to the …

Review On State Of Art Of Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics Method And Its Advances In Solid Dynamics, Harold J. Mtyana

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

The world is witnessing continued collapse of both buildings and other structures during earthquakes, which is an example of a dynamic effect. One cause of such disasters may be inadequacies of techniques for modeling of these structures during analysis and design as compared to their actual responses during dynamic events. Also, techniques for numerical modeling and analysis of structures in place are meshed methods which do not accurately capture the actual behavior of structural elements especially under high dynamic actions due to the assumption that mesh geometry is unchanged geometry tend to change with respect to time step of such …

Assessment Of Adaptation And Diffusion Of Biogas Technology A Case Study Of Dar Es Salaam City, Tanzania, Doreen L. Tarimo

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

This study investigated the adaptation and diffusion of biogas technology in Dar es Salaam, driven by the increasing need for sustainable energy solutions. The study’s is rooted in addressing urban energy challenges and providing an eco-friendly waste management alternative. Various factors, including socioeconomic variables, technical efficiencies, and community-level acceptability, were examined to assess the technology’s adaptability and diffusion. Data collection methods and techniques included lab analysis using American public health association (APHA) standard methods, interviews, questionnaire administration the data analysis was undertaken using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) with a sample size comprising 100 household heads from Mburahati, …

Use Of Activated Palm Kernel Shells On Adsorption Of Heavy Metals (Cu2+ And Pb2+) From Contaminated Wastewater, Edwin N. Richard

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

This research aimed to evaluate the adsorption capacity of low-cost agricultural waste adsorbent-activated palm kernel shells (APKS) for the removal of Pb2+ and Cu2+ ions from synthetic wastewater that had the concentration of copper and lead ions comparable to that of waste produced in Tanzanian research and teaching laboratories. This study was carried out in batch and continuous column adsorption reactors. The study examined the influence of particle size (0.71 mm–2.36 mm), pH (4.5–8.6), adsorbent dose (5–20 mg/L) and initial concentration Ci (1.93– 4 mg/l) on APKS adsorption removal efficiency. The batch results indicated that under alkali conditions (pH 8.4 …

Mitigating The Impacts Of Future Climate Change On Urban Infrastructure In Alabama Through Updating Precipitation Intensity-Duration-Frequency (Idf) Curves, Kofi Ntow Opare

All ETDs from UAB

Climate change is set to profoundly impact urban infrastructure, causing increased flooding and storm damage, necessitating the reevaluation and adaptation of design methodologies to account for increasing precipitation extremes. This dissertation aims to enhance the resilience of urban infrastructure in Alabama by updating Precipitation Intensity-Duration-Frequency (IDF) curves, which are crucial for designing stormwater management systems, drainage networks, and flood control structures. Traditional IDF curves, derived from historical rainfall data, operate under the assumption of stationarity, an assumption increasingly invalidated by climate change. This research employs the Generalized Extreme Value (GEV) distribution and compares the efficacy of L-moments and Generalized Maximum …

Pfas In Landfill Leachate: Practical Considerations For Treatment And Characterization, Fabrizio Sabba, Christian Kassar, Teng Zeng, Synthia P. Mallick, Leon Downing, Patrick J. Mcnamara

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely used in consumer products and are particularly high in landfill leachate. The practice of sending leachate to wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is an issue for utilities that have biosolids land application limits based on PFAS concentrations. Moreover, landfills may face their own effluent limit guidelines for PFAS. The purpose of this review is to understand the most appropriate treatment technology combinations for mitigating PFAS in landfill leachate. The first objective is to understand the unique chemical characteristics of landfill leachate. The second objective is to establish the role and importance of known and …

Performance And Economic Evaluation Of Asphalt-Based High Friction Surface Treatment (Hfst) Applications, Alireza Roshan, Magdy Abdelrahman

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

High Friction Surface Treatments (HFSTs) are recognized for enhancing friction between tires and road surfaces, with reduced road accidents being a key benefit. Epoxy-based HFSTs, though widely used, come with challenges like compatibility issues with existing pavements, higher installation and removal costs, and reduced durability tied to substrate quality. Recently, state agencies have increasingly focused on developing asphalt-based alternative binders for HFST applications as highlighted in the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) RFP #NCHRP 10-145. This study introduces asphalt-based HFSTs as an alternative to traditional epoxy-based treatments. Various aggregate types were examined for friction performance and the effect of …

Class-Wise Histogram Matching-Based Domain Adaptation In Deep Learning-Based Bridge Element Segmentation, Tarutal Ghosh Mondal, Zhenhua Shi, Haibin Zhang, Genda Chen

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study focused on the problem of domain shift in deep learning-based bridge element segmentation. The impracticability of accounting for all possible variabilities vis-à-vis structural shape, size, color, texture, illumination, and other operational conditions in the training process leads to the deterioration in the model performance when applied to test data from novel unseen domains. In such situations, rebuilding the model with labeled training data from the target domain becomes prohibitively expensive and time-consuming in many practical cases. Recent advancements in unsupervised domain adaptation techniques are known to provide viable solutions to this problem. However, it was observed in this …

Aqueous Carbonation Of Steel Slags: A Comparative Study On Mechanisms, Nannan Zhang, Gao Deng, Wenyu Liao, Hongyan Ma, Chuanlin Hu

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study investigated the aqueous carbonation mechanisms of three typical steel slags: ladle metallurgy furnace (LMF) slag containing high Al content, electric arc furnace (EAF) slag featuring high Si content and relatively low Al content, and ladle-arc fusion (LAF) slag with medium-Al content. It was found that the carbonation kinetics of the three slags were similar and followed the surface coverage model within the first 6 h of carbonation. Initially, the carbonation process was primarily governed by the reaction product precipitation. After 3 h of carbonation, the process was dominated by mineral dissolution, controlled by the uncovered reactive sites. The …

Integrating Off-Spec Scms Into Plc Blends, George A. Qubty

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

Off-spec supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) remain underutilized due to variability in reactivity and non-conformance with existing standards. This study evaluates the hydration behavior and fresh-state and mechanical performance of these materials in Portland limestone cement (PLC) systems. One Class F fly ash (FA), one bottom ash (BA), and two calcined clays (HACC and LACC) were evaluated as 20 % replacements to PLC. Hydration behavior was characterized using isothermal calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), while fresh-state and mechanical performance were assessed through flow table, Vicat setting time, load–crack mouth opening displacement (CMOD) flexural testing, and compressive strength testing. HACC increased compressive …

Implementation And Performance Evaluation Of Plastic Road Mix Design In Parking Lot, Ishraq Faruk

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

The uncontrolled proliferation of plastic waste has emerged as a global environmental crisis, with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) constituting a substantial fraction of the waste stream due to its extensive use in packaging and its resistance to degradation. In parallel, asphalt pavements particularly in urban infrastructure such as parking lots experience accelerated deterioration from raveling, rutting, and cracking as a result of thermal cycling, repetitive loading, and inadequate drainage. These converging challenges present an opportunity for innovative, circular-economy-based sustainable pavement technologies that simultaneously improve surface durability and mitigate plastic waste accumulation.

This research investigates the full-scale implementation and monitoring of HDPE …

Citizen-Centric Building Energy Retrofits: Understanding And Supporting Citizens As Occupants, Participants, Decision-Makers, And Learners In Home Energy Retrofits, Nikhil Singh Yaduvanshi

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Residential building retrofits remain significantly under-adopted despite substantial technological advances, economic incentives, and policy efforts, creating a critical gap between technical potential and actual implementation in achieving climate goals. Assessment of citizen involvement in building retrofit processes plays a critical role in formulating effective home retrofit program designs to ensure maximum adoption rates and avoid energy waste. Although, existing retrofit programs and decision-making models recognize the importance of citizen involvement, the extent of citizen capabilities and the effects of citizen-centered approaches on retrofit adoption and building performance has not been comprehensively examined. The adoption and success of retrofit programs depends …

The Development Of Sustainable Synthetic Fiber Reinforced Concrete Mix Design With Low Maintenance Cost, Kentesha L. High

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

This dissertation presents the mix design of polypropylene SYN-FRC as an alternative to traditional concrete mixtures in construction roadways. The primary scope of work was to develop and implement a pavement system at The University of Texas at Arlington, specifically designed for the Dallas area, to minimize long-term maintenance. Additionally, the project aimed for expeditious construction to avoid traffic closure during new construction and maintenance. It also involved evaluating the pavement performance, providing the City of Dallas with specifications for the mix design of SYN-FRC. The sustainability of the synthetic fiber mix design for concrete roadways, compared to traditional concrete, …

Assessment Of Long Term Durability Of Prefabricated Frp Strip Systems For The Rehabilitation Of Concrete, Karunya Kanagavel

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites provide an extremely effective means of rehabilitating deteriorating and understrength concrete elements due to their characteristics of high specific strength and stiffness, corrosion resistance, and potential long-term durability, lightweight nature, and ease of placement in the field. Despite significant use of these materials, there is still a lack of long-term durability data. With this in mind, the current study investigates the impact of environmental exposure and aging on 3 commercially available prefabricated carbon fiber reinforced composite strips and their recommended adhesives used in externally bonded rehabilitation with the aim of providing a comprehensive set of …

A Framework For Ai Implementation In Construction: Use Cases, Challenges, And Benefits For Contractors, Jaqueline De Aquino Leite Gomes

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

The construction industry is one of the most important sectors that contribute to the economy worldwide, but it has been very slow in adopting digital transformation. Artificial Intelligence is the backbone of digital innovation, and it can help solve inefficiencies, improve safety, and enhance decision-making in construction. This thesis reviews 85 academic papers, identifies 354 AI use-cases, 180 benefits, and 173 challenges. Key findings have looked at the role of AI in safety monitoring, design optimization, and operational efficiency, while barriers involve data scarcity, high costs, and readiness of the workforce.

All of these challenges have one very handy framework …

Flexural Post-Cracking Performance Of Macro Synthetic Fiber Reinforced Super Workable Concrete Influenced By Shrinkage-Reducing Admixture, Jingjie Wei, Nima Farzadnia, Kamal H. Khayat

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Most literature has focused on the effect of shrinkage-reducing admixture (SRA) in shrinkage mitigation resistance of concrete. This study aims to examine the impact of SRA on the efficiency of macro synthetic fibers (MSF) in enhancing the flexural post-cracking behavior of fiber-reinforced super workable concrete (FR-SWC). A comparative analysis of the influence of fiber combinations on the flexural post-cracking behavior of beams is also included. Results showed that a higher dosage of SRA, particularly at 5 % by mass of binder, had a noticeable negative impact on flexural post-cracking performance of beams while exhibiting positive effect on workability and shrinkage …

Seasonal Variation Of The Stream’S Autogenic Sediment Transport Regime, Melissa Beckman

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

This thesis investigates the autogenic sediment transport regime in a low-gradient stream system in the inner bluegrass region of central Kentucky, USA The seasonality of sediment transport seasonality was not well addressed in prior research for baseflow and low flow periods, to our knowledge, due to the assumption that low flows do not account for considerable fluid transport capacity to move sediment. The hypothesis is that during the autogenic regime the sediment transport in the low-gradient system is being driven by geophysical, biogeochemical, and biological processes. We hypothesize that crayfish are one mechanical driver of sediment transport during these periods. …

Bond Behavior Of Magnesium Potassium Phosphate Cement (Mkpc) Coating For Steel Reinforcement, Eric Williams

Masters Theses

"This research investigates the bond behavior of magnesium potassium phosphate cement (MKPC) coated mild steel deformed bars in conventional concrete and concrete repair materials. For typical steel reinforcement in concrete, a thin “passive layer” develops around the reinforcement, which protects the reinforcement from corrosion. The concrete carbonates over time, reducing the protection of the passive layer and allowing chlorides, which corrode the reinforcement, to penetrate at an increasing rate. In some cases, to combat this corrosion, a protective layer is added to the reinforcement prior to installation. Common protective layers include epoxy coatings or zinc galvanization. MKPC is a novel …

System Design For Highly Accurate And Efficient Target Detection In Triaxial Testing, Qingqing Fu

Masters Theses

Accurate and automated recognition of coded targets is crucial for high-precision photogrammetry-based measurements in triaxial testing. Traditional recognition methods, including those based on deep learning and table decoding, often struggle with issues such as perspective distortion, rotation, and variable lighting, leading to unreliable results. While deep learning approaches offer some improvements, they remain computationally intensive and sensitive to environmental factors.

This thesis introduces an innovative system that replaces deep learning algorithms with a blob analysis-based method for efficient and robust recognition of coded targets. The system also employs newly designed solid points of varying sizes and patterns, eliminating the need …