Engineering Commons^™

3d Numerical Modelling Of Micropiles Interaction With Soil & Rock, Audai Kamal Theinat

Masters Theses

"A 5-span bridge along the Foothills Parkway of the Great Smoky Mountains, TN, was recently completed. Two out of the four piers were instrumented to measure the load transfer in the foundations. The foundations consisted of twenty 10-inch micropiles under the pile cap for each pier. Strain gages were installed and monitored at the different stages of construction. The objective of this research is to examine the interaction between the ground and micropiles using the field data performance and numerical modelling. The 3D computer model consists of the micropile foundation within the steep rock bedding planes and overburden soils. The …

An Investigation Of Shear-Friction Of Lightweight Aggregate Concretes, Kristian Krc

Masters Theses

"This thesis reports the results of research initiated to evaluate the influence of lightweight aggregate type and casting procedure on shear transfer across an interface of concretes cast at different times. The topic of shear transfer has been evaluated and revisited in recent PCI Design Handbooks. In this test program, a series of cold joint as well as monolithic specimens are evaluated. The peak shear strength and post peak behavior are examined. The experimental matrix included 28 push-off specimens that were either cast monolithically or cast at different times creating the condition referred to as a cold joint. The variables …

Shear-Friction Of Sand-Lightweight Clay And Slate Aggregate Concretes With Varied Reinforcement Ratios, Samantha Lynn Wermager

Masters Theses

"This thesis focuses on the structural properties of sand-lightweight aggregate concrete in terms of shear transfer strength at cold-joint interfaces. This type of interface is common for precast concrete connections which are typically designed using the shear-friction concept. This testing program was meant to expand the shear-friction database and evaluate the appropriateness of current shear-friction design provisions with respect to sand-lightweight concrete. This study builds on the work done by Shaw (2013) who studied lightweight expanded shale aggregate concrete. The current study included thirty-two push-off specimens constructed from sand-lightweight concrete with a target compressive strength of 5,000 psi. Either expanded …

Determination Of Setting Times By Shear Wave Velocity Evolution In Fresh Mortar Using Bender Element Method, Jianfeng Zhu

Masters Theses

This study aims at using modified bender element (BE) method to monitor the shear wave velocity (V_s) of mortar at early-age and determine initial and final setting times with the V_s method. Modifications of the traditional BE method have been made to overcome the aggressive cementitious environment and eliminate electromagnetic coupling. BE has been successfully employed in mortar samples with and without admixtures to evaluate the evolution of V_s during the early age (first 24 hrs) of hydration. An energy approach method of determining the first arrival time of S-wave has been proposed. Pulse wave velocity …

A Direct Demand Model Of Departure Time And Mode For Intercity Passenger Trips, Fatemeh Nazari, Seyedehsan Seyedabrishami, Amir Reza Mamdoohi

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Travel demand is well announced as a crucial component of transportation planning. This paper aims to develop a direct demand model, denoting a more acceptable abstraction of reality, for intercity passengers in daily work and leisure trips in Tehran province. The model utilizes combined estimation across the data source, collected in 2011, of travelers originating from the city of Tehran and heading toward two destination clusters: intra-province and inter-province. The paper sketches a way to predict simultaneous choice of departure time and travel mode under the influence of zonal (origin, destination, and residence), individual and household socio-demographic, and trip-related variables. …

Effects Of Posttensioning Slippage On 2-Way Spanning Concrete Slabs, Niall Holmes, Eoin Byrne

Articles

This paper investigates the effect of improper posttensioning of a 2-way spanning concrete slab subject to a central point load. Due to plate slippage alone, the support conditions only offered a 1-way spanning action which could have led to premature failure with dangerous consequences. Posttensioning can strengthen a flat slab against punching shear by controlling deflections and cracking under service loads compared with traditional punching shear reinforcing methods leading to more slender structures and economic solutions for longer spans. However, if the method is not properly applied, these thinner floor plates can fail in a brittle and sudden manner by …

A Review Of Probabilistic Methods Of Assessment Of Load Effects In Bridges, Eugene J. Obrien, F Schmidt, Donya Hajializadeh, X-Y Zhou, Bernard Enright, Colin C. Caprani, Simon Wilson, Emma Sheils

Articles

This paper reviews a range of statistical approaches to illustrate the influence of data quality and quantity on the probabilistic modelling of traffic load effects. It also aims to demonstrate the importance of long-run simulations in calculating characteristic traffic load effects. The popular methods of Peaks Over Threshold and Generalized Extreme Value are considered but also other methods including the Box-Cox approach, fitting to a Normal distribution and the Rice formula. For these five methods, curves are fitted to the tails of the daily maximum data. Bayesian Updating and Predictive Likelihood are also assessed, which require the entire data for …

Nonlinear Analysis Of Isotropic Slab Bridges Under Extreme Traffic Loading, Donya Hajializadeh, A. Salam Al-Sabah, Eugene J. Obrien, Debra F. Laefer, Bernard Enright

Articles

Probabilistic analysis of traffic loading on a bridge traditionally involves an extrapolation from measured or simulated load effects to a characteristic maximum value. In recent years, Long Run Simulation, whereby thousands of years of traffic are simulated, has allowed researchers to gain new insights into the nature of the traffic scenarios that govern at the limit state. For example, mobile cranes and low-loaders, sometimes accompanied by a common articulated truck, have been shown to govern in most cases. In this paper, the extreme loading scenarios identified in the Long Run Simulation are applied to a non-linear, two-dimensional (2D) plate finite …

Evaluation Of Oxidization Of Crumb Rubber-Modified Asphalt During Short-Term Aging, Amir Ghavibazoo, Magdy Abdelrahman, Mohyeldin Ragab

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Asphalt binder is subjected to aging during the construction process and service life of pavement. Aging substantially changes the chemical composition and physical properties of asphalt and leads to premature distresses on pavement. It is speculated that crumb rubber modifier (CRM) reduces the susceptibility of asphalt to aging, but its mechanism is not fully understood. Also, the impact of interaction parameters and exchange of components on the aging behavior of a crumb rubber-modified binder is not fully understood. In this study, the effect of CRM on the short-term aging of asphalt was investigated through an analysis of the distinctions between …

Effect Of Used Motor Oil On The Macro And Micromechanical Properties Of Crumb Rubber Modified Asphalt, Magdy Abdelrahman, Mohyeldin Ragab, Daniel Bergerson

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The need to be more environmentally conscious has recently shifted toward the forefront of society. With this new focus on environmentally responsible behavior comes the practice of using recycled materials in construction when possible. Used motor oil (UMO) is an example of waste materials that can be utilized in numerous applications to alleviate its environmental disposal burden. In the current work, the effect of UMO on the internal structure of crumb rubber modified asphalt is investigated. This is carried out by employing rheological analysis including dynamic shear rheometer and microindentation testing. Rheological analysis was employed to determine the change in …

Numerical Simulation Of Prestressed Precast Concrete Bridge Deck Panels Using Damage Plasticity Model, Wei Ren, Lesley Sneed, Yang Yang, Ruili He

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

A Microsimulation Of Novel Intersection Designs, Aman Kinfemichael Woldetinsae

Civil and Environmental Engineering Master's Project Reports

The focus of this project is to see how a turbo roundabout and a protected intersection designs behave when they are applied on two study sites in Portland, OR. PTV VISSM is used to model, analyze and compare the performances of these designs with the existing intersection. In addition, the best features of the protected intersection and the turbo roundabout were combined to create a new intersection design that is safer for the bicyclists and also performs better than the existing intersection.

The analysis is conducted for five different volume scenarios for both the study sites. The results of the …

Adjusting Ite’S Trip Generation Handbook For Urban Context, Kelly J. Clifton, Kristina Marie Currans, Christopher D. Muhs

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study examines the ways in which urban context affects vehicle trip generation rates across three land uses. An intercept travel survey was administered at 78 establishments (high-turnover restaurants, convenience markets, and drinking places) in the Portland, Oregon, region during 2011. This approach was developed to adjust the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Trip Generation Handbook vehicle trip rates based on built environment characteristics where the establishments were located. A number of policy-relevant built environment measures were used to estimate a set of nine models predicting an adjustment to ITE trip rates. Each model was estimated as a single measure: …

Does The Bicycle Detector Symbol Change Cyclist Queuing Position At Signalized Intersections?, Stefan W. Bussey, Christopher M. Monsere, Peter Koonce

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Manual of Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) includes a bicycle detector pavement marking (Section 9C-05) and accompanying explanatory sign (R10-22) which may encourage cyclists to position themselves over detection at traffic signals. This paper presents the results of an observational and survey- based study evaluating the bicycle detector marking. Three minor actuated approaches at signalized intersections with significant bicycle volumes and without bicycle detector markings were selected for treatment. Three configurations were compared: 1) bicycle detector marking only 2) bicycle detector marking with the R10-22 explanatory sign, and 3) an alternative bicycle detector installed over a contrasting green rectangle. Analysis …

Exploring Thresholds For Timing Strategies On A Pedestrian Active Corridor, Sirisha Murthy Kothuri, Peter Koonce, Christopher M. Monsere, Titus Reynolds

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Traditional signal timing policies have typically prioritized vehicles over pedestrians at intersections, leading to undesirable consequences such as large delays and risky crossing behaviors. The objective of this paper is to explore signal timing control strategies to reduce pedestrian delay at signalized intersections. The impacts of change in signal controller mode of operation (coordinated vs. free) at intersections were studied using the micro-simulation software VISSIM. A base model was developed and calibrated for an existing pedestrian active corridor. A hypothetical network of three intersections was used to explore the effects of mode of operation and measures of delay for pedestrians …

Dynamic Ventilation And Power Output Of Urban Bicyclists, Alexander Y. Bigazzi, Miguel A. Figliozzi

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Bicyclist intake of air pollutants is linked to physical exertion levels, ventilation rates, and exposure concentrations. Whereas exposure concentrations have been widely studied in transportation environments, there is relatively scant research linking on-road ventilation with travel conditions and exertion levels. This paper investigates relationships among power output, heart rate, and ventilation rate for urban bicyclists. Heart rate and ventilation rate were measured on-road and combined with power output estimates from a bicycle power model. Dynamic ventilation rates increased by 0.4-0.8% per watt of power output, with a mean lag of 0.8 minutes. The use of physiology (ventilation) monitoring straps and …

Evolution And Usage Of The Portal Data Archive: 10-Year Retrospective, Kristin A. Tufte, Robert Bertini, Morgan Harvey

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Portal transportation data archive (http://portal.its.pdx.edu/) was begun in June 2004 in collaboration with the Oregon Department of Transportation, with a single data source: freeway loop detector data. In 10 years, Portal has grown to contain approximately 3 TB of transportation-related data from a wide variety of systems and sources, including freeway data, arterial signal data, travel times from Bluetooth detection systems, transit data, and bicycle count data. Over its 10-year existence, Portal has expanded both in the type of data that it receives and in the geographic regions from which it gets data. This paper discusses the …

Properties Of Boards Made From Rice Husk And Portland Cement As Binders And Reinforced With Sisal Fibres, Alex Mrema

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

A research study demonstrated that rice husks can be used to manufacture boards which can be used in low cost housing if bound by Portland limestone cement (CEM II/A-L/ 32.5R) and reinforced with sisal fibers to cater for their brittle behavior and that such boards can provide a substitute for wood panels. Boards made of rice husks and cement in the ratios of 1/3.3, 1/ 3.6 and 1/4 and with sisal fiber reinforcement contents of 0%, 0.4%, 0.5% and 0.8% were prepared and tested for their physical and mechanical properties. The results were compared with standard requirements for boards made …

Assessment Of Quality Stability Of Composite Flours Produced By Dar Es Salaam Smes, Leonard Rweyemamu

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

A study was conducted to assess quality stability of cereal flours processed by food processing SMEs in Dar es Salaam. This product is obtained by mixing various cereal grains and is considered as of higher nutritional values in Tanzania. The shelf-life was predicted by determining water activity (aw) and moisture content (MC) levels and plotting the water sorption isotherms (MSI). Ninety per cent of investigated samples (N=78) were found packaged in the materials of various quality conditions. It was found that the packaging materials mostly used is plastic films (63%), paper packets/bags (26%), hard papers (3%), plastic jars (1%) and …

Application Of Trip Generation Models For Urban Transport Planning In A Data Scarce Developing Country City: The Case Of Dar Es Salaam, Hannibal Bwire

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

With the increase in travel demand and traffic management problems in many developing countries cities, travel demand forecasting models are being employed increasingly to make informed decisions about the operational improvements to the existing transportation system and the design and performance of future transportation systems. The main advantage of using travel demand forecasting models for such purposes is that they are capable of capturing the interactive effects of different components of the system under study. However, for some time now there have been concerns about the application of transport planning models in developing countries. The concerns have been mainly in …

Environmental Study Of The Release Of Btex From Asphalt Modified With Used Motor Oil And Crumb Rubber Modifier, Daniel Bergerson, Magdy Abdelrahman, Mohyeldin Ragab

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The need to be more environmentally conscious has recently shifted toward the forefront of society. With this new focus on environmentally responsible behavior comes the practice of using recycled materials in construction when possible. Therefore it is necessary to carefully evaluate the safety of any recycled materials being used in pavement materials. Under this study, a reference of testing is presented and implemented to test leachate of samples of two different asphalt binder types containing used motor oil (UMO) and/or crumb rubber modifier (CRM) for the presence of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX). Alongside batch leaching tests, air testing …

Electrochemical Disinfection Of Municipal Wastewater Using Alternating Current, Xavier A. Chavez Reyes

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This research focused on chlorine-free disinfection of wastewater by complying with today's regulations. The equipment used was a continuous flow electrochemical reactor connected to an alternating current (AC) power supply. The electrodes used were made out of titanium coated with iridium oxide. To determine the inactivation of Escherichia Coli, a bacterial count method based on the USEPA method 1603 was used.

After several experiments it was determined that electrochemical disinfection using AC was not efficient and economic enough to be classified as a viable alternative to chlorine disinfection. It was demonstrated that chlorine can be produced by electrolysis using AC …

2014 Fall Engr333 Project Final Report, John Sherwood, Jonathan Crow, Nicolaas Ourensma, Zak Devries, Andy Frandsen, Jack Kregel, Ryan Rhodes, Connor Vandongen, Schieffer Kwong, Jee Myung Kim, Matthew Deyoung, Jeff Demaagd, Tyler Devries, Doug Faber, Garrick Hershberger, Jake Derooy, Dustin Brouwer, David Evenhouse, Patrick Anderson, Thomas Brown, Ed Smit, Joel Smith, Thane Symens, Kaitlyn Weinstein, Seth Koetje, Nick Memmelaar, Austin Juza, Matt Ramaker, Ryan Demeester, Jordan Newhof, Wes Richards, Josh Vanderbyl

ENGR 333

The net-zero homes project that this class worked on throughout the semester was designed to determine what it would take to bring a home in Grand Rapids, Michigan to the status of net-zero and whether or not it is feasible to do so. The idea behind a net-zero home is to reduce the energy usage in the home, whether it is by lifestyle changes, insulation additions, or by appliance upgrades, and then produce the remaining energy deficit from renewable sources, so that the homeowner has a net usage of zero at the end of the year. This report details the …

Functionalized Graphitic Nanoreinforcement For Cement Composites, Nima Zohhadi

Theses and Dissertations

Physical and mechanical properties of graphitic nanomaterials, in particular multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and graphene nano-platelets (GNPs) make them promising candidates for nanoreinforcement of cement composites. The two key challenges associated with the incorporation of MWCNTs and GNPs are to attain uniform dispersion and interfacial bonding within the composite matrix. The effects of three main-stream dispersion techniques (namely, ultrasonication, acid-etching, and surfactant-coating) on the mechanical properties and microstructure of MWCNT- and GNP-cement composites were experimentally studied. Compressive strength tests and different characterization techniques including dynamic light scattering, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission …

Context-Sensitive Seismic Strengthening And Repair Of Substandard Confined Masonry, Rahim Ghorbani

Theses and Dissertations

Confined masonry (CM) is a construction system consisting of load-bearing masonry panels that are confined with cast-in-place reinforced concrete tie columns and beams. Due to satisfactory seismic performance, CM has become the predominant low-rise residential construction system in several areas around the world. However, in developing regions, the use of substandard materials, details and construction practices may result in inadequate performance as highlighted in the 2010 earthquakes in Haiti and Chile. In the aftermath of an earthquake, households are often reluctant to reoccupy their dwellings due to concerns about safety of structures. If feasible, preventive (pre-hazard) strengthening or structural repair …

Scheduling Of Container Handling Equipment In Marine Container Terminals, Narges Kaveshgar

Theses and Dissertations

To improve the competitiveness of marine container terminals, it is critical to minimize the makespan of a container vessel. The makespan is defined as the latest completion time among all handling tasks of the container vessel. Lower makespan (i.e. lower vessel turn time) can be achieved through better scheduling of the container handling equipment during vessel operations. The scheduling of terminal equipment is an operational problem, and a detailed schedule for each type of equipment operating in the terminal is necessary. Several studies have applied operations research techniques to optimize the processes of equipment in a terminal. This dissertation investigates …

An Engineering Approach For The Design Of Archaeological Reburial Systems, Angel Ari Perez Mejia

Theses and Dissertations

Archaeological sites are a non-renewable resource which is often our only link to the past. However, sites are under constant threat of destruction due to construction activities. Civil engineers and archaeologists must the work together to ensure both the continued survival of archaeological sites while allowing for development to continue. Reburial systems, when properly designed and constructed, allow for the protection of archaeological sites while allowing the continued use of the land. However, because reburial as an intentional conservation technique is relatively modern, practice is fragmented and there are no universally accepted guidelines. Current reburial system design relies on prescriptive …

Seismic Performance Of Precast Girder-To-Cap Beam Connections Designed For Abc, Sri Sritharan, Justin Vander Werff, Robert Peggar, Ron Bromenschenkel

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

The behavior of critical connections between prefabricated elements in bridges utilizing accelerated bridge construction (ABC) methods continues to be of utmost interest. Some of these connections will experience excessively high demand in regions that are susceptible to high seismic load. This paper presents a large-scale experimental study that investigated seismic performance of the connection between precast concrete I-shaped girders and a concrete inverted-tee cap beam using two different details. The ability of the girder-to-cap connection to successfully resist positive moment and the corresponding shear under combined gravity and seismic effects was of particular interest. The effect of vertical seismic acceleration …

Design Of Gan-Based Low-Loss Y-Branch Power Splitter, Retno Wigajatri Purnamaningsih, Irma Saraswati, Nji Raden Poespawati, Elhadj Dogheche

Makara Journal of Technology

We present a Y-branch power splitter design with a multimode section using GaN on Sapphire at telecommunication wavelength. The GaN sample optical properties were also investigated, resulting in a refractive index for the GaN layers nTE=2.289±0.001 and nTM=2.324±0.00. Optimization of the structure parameters for this structure was conducted accurately using BPM methods. The results demonstrated the possibility of realizing a GaN-based Y-branch power splitter for various applications.

Ultra-Wideband Notched Characteristic Fed By Coplanar Waveguide, Rastanto Hadinegoro, Yuli Kurnia Ningsih, Indra Surjati

Makara Journal of Technology

In this paper, a novel Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) notch patch antenna with co-planar waveguide (CPW) fed is presented. This antenna only used one layer and the patch antenna is constructed on the first layer and back to back with CPW fed and bottom part is ground plane. The width notch is used to achieve the UWB characteristic. The results shown that the impedance bandwidth is 1130 MHz (1.662–2.792 GHz) or about 50.7% for VSWR <2.