Engineering Commons^™

The Progressive Failure Analysis Of Cut Slope In Anisotropic Strain Softening Soils, Jong Woon Choi

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The failure phenomena in earth structures such as slopes and embankments on clay foundations are a consequence of the formation of failure surfaces.

A finite difference computer code, FLAC (Itasca Consulting Group, 1993), with the isotropic Mohr-Coulomb plasticity model, is used to analyze the undrained progressive failure of a strain softening soil during a slope excavation process. The focus of the study is on the short-term stability of slopes. In the first series of analyses, which are aimed at the evaluation of anisotropic strength effect on slope stability, the isotropic Mohr-Coulomb plasticity model is slightly modified to implement the anisotropic …

Bs News

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

A Receiving Water Quality Model For Dissolved Metal Runoff From A Floating Drydock, Thomas O. Fenn

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

A methodology for modeling the water quality mixing zone of dissolved metal bearing storm water runoff is presented with specific application to floating drydocks in a tidal estuary. The method relies upon a solution of the mass balance equation as contained in the computer program, Water Quality Analysis Simulation Program (WASPS), an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) model. Separate applications are presented for dissolved metal and solid settling to optimize the WASPS program capabilities.

WASPS provides the capability to evaluate the mass balance equation in a finite difference scheme applied over a large number of small volume segments. The program may …

Bs News

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Bs News

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Anaerobic Digestion And Acid Hydrolysis Of Nitrocellulose, Fong-Jung Tai

Dissertations

In this investigation, studies were conducted to evaluate the biodegradation of nitrocellulose in anaerobic batch reactors with and without the supplemental carbon inducers, such as cellulose, cellobiose, and lactose. Results from the anaerobic study show that degradation of nitrocellulose alone is difficult and that nitrocellulose degradative enzymes could be induced by the three inducers tested. As high as 48.91% conversion could be obtained at Cellulose/Nitrocellulose ratio of 1 to I. Studies also indicated that type 20 and 50 celluloses would be more effective and optimum pH was about 6.4 in biodegradation of nitrocellulose. Three testing systems, namely, single-stage, two-stage, and …

Nondestructive Dynamic Load Testing Of Bridges Using Strain Sensors, Suzanne Boland

Theses

This thesis investigates the use of nondestructive bridge load testing utilizing strain sensing equipment. Nondestructive bridge load testing has not been used extensively due to lack of expertise and perceived high cost. It can, however, play a key role when an existing bridge needs to be evaluated. Since most evaluation techniques tend to be conservative, the results from such an evaluation may not represent the real properties of the structural members. The true properties of an existing bridge can be identified using the results from nondestructive static and dynamic load testing. The procedures used to identify a structure with the …

Threaded-Nail Fasteners - Research And Standardization Needs, B L. Wills, S G. Winistorfer, D A. Bender, David Pollock

Faculty Publications - Biomedical, Mechanical, and Civil Engineering

Threaded nail fasteners are commonly used in agricultural and commercial post-frame structures, yet there has been insufficient research to fully understand the effect of threads on withdrawal and lateral load resistance. The objective of this article is to review technical information on threaded nail fasteners and to identify problems facing manufacturers, designers, and users of threaded nail fasteners for engineering applications. Recommendations are given concerning research and standardization needs.

Seismic Performance Of Confined Sill Plate Connections, Joseph M. Bracci, Rebecca F. Stromatt, David Pollock

Faculty Publications - Biomedical, Mechanical, and Civil Engineering

In the aftermath of the 1994 Northridge earthquake, extensive field investigations revealed damage in wood frame construction in the form of splitting of the 2 X 4 or 2 X 6 wood sill plates along the line of anchor bolts that typically connect shear walls to the masonry or concrete foundation. Due to the severity of such brittle failures, the city of Los Angeles has recently restricted the use of 2X dimension lumber in sill plates and requires the use of 3X dimension lumber. This paper presents an experimental investigation of the performance of 2X dimension lumber sill plate connections …

Development Of A Tl-3 F-Shape Temporary Concrete Median Barrier, Ronald K. Faller, John R. Rohde, Barry T. Rosson, Richard P. Smith, Kenneth H. Addink

Mid-America Transportation Center: Final Reports and Technical Briefs

A temporary concrete median barrier (CMB) was designed and tested for compliance under the Test Level 3 (TL-3) guidelines specified in the Recommended Procedures for the Safety Performance Evaluation of Highway Features, National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report No. 350. The barrier is built to the new metric standards and has a traditional pin and loop configuration for interconnection. The objective of this research project was to develop and evaluate a standardized, temporary concrete barrier design while addressing the concerns for safety, economy, structural integrity, constructability, ease of installation, and maintenance. The resulting F-shape barrier segment is 3,800-mm …

An Electronic Surveillance And Control System For The Management Of Traffic On The Borman Expressway, Part Ii: Calibrating A Simulation Model, Mu-Han Wang, Michael J. Cassidy

JTRP Technical Reports

The purpose of this project was to calibrate a freeway simulation model to emulate traffic operating conditions on the Borman Expressway in Northwest Indiana. To replicate Borman operating conditions, the project adopted Integrated Traffic Simulation (INTRAS), a microscopic, stochastic freeway simulation model. Appropriate input data were developed on geometric, traffic and driver behavior information, based on physical measurements and other available data. The model was calibrated and statistical analysis were conducted to validate the accuracy of the results.

Automation Of Overweight Truck Permit Process For Michigan Trains, Robert K. Whitford, David P. Moffett

JTRP Technical Reports

Technical guidance was provided by Purdue University to the Indiana Department of Transportation regarding specific issues around automation of permit issuance for overweight and oversized vehicles on a specific piece of highway in Northwest Indiana. Supporting this guidance were four commentaries which were: 1. Functional Specification for Automation of Michigan Trains 2. Draft Commentary on Touch ToneTM/Voice Response System Security for Michigan Trains 3. Draft Commentary on Touch ToneTM/Voice Response System Vendor for Michigan Trains 4. Draft Commentary on Touch ToneTM/Voice Response System Auditability for Michigan Trains These are included as appendices to this report.

Bioremediation Treatability Studies For Soils Containing Herbicides, Chemicals, And Petroleum Products, Loring F. Nies, Matthew B. Mesarch

JTRP Technical Reports

Leaking underground storage tanks are widespread throughout the United States. It is estimated that there are 1.4 million underground gasoline storage tanks in the United States, with as many as 75,000 to 100,000 that may be leaking. In Indiana alone, more than 3,500 of the 15,000 registered underground storage tank facilities have reported leaks. Conventional remediation methods often involve pump-and-treat schemes for contaminated water, and excavation and burial of contaminated soil in hazardous waste landfills. These methods increase the risk of exposure to pollutants for workers and local residents. Furthermore, these methods merely involve the transfer of pollutants from one …

Analysis And Load Testing Of Two Steel Through Truss Bridges In Indiana, Brian Joseph Malone, Mark A. Heffron, J. A. Ramirez, Donald W. White

JTRP Technical Reports

Results of the load tests of two steel through truss bridges were used to evaluate the assumptions used by BARS for the rating of this type of bridge. Based on the results from this study it is recommended that the Indiana Department of Transportation use the load distribution factors in the 1994 LRFD Specifications in the rating of these bridges. This will imply replacing the load distribution factors currently in BARS. The implementation of the new distribution factors will result in a less conservative rating of the longitudinal beams in this type of bridge. The increase in the allowed moments …

Effective Scheduling Of Road And Bridge Closures: Phase 2, Kumares C. Sinha, Mithilesh K. Jha

JTRP Technical Reports

This research provides a study on work zone impact analysis. In case of multiple road closures, the network approach is used to find an effective scheduling such that the total user delay is reduced. A dynamic model for analyzing the work zone impact during the period when network is in transition state is also developed. A salient feature of the dynamic model is drives’ perception updating model, which incorporates availability and the quality of information as perceived by drivers.

Impact Analysis Of Vehicles On Ozone Generation In The Indianapolis Metropolitan Statistical Area, Robert Bertram Jacko, Ouattara Fatogoma

JTRP Technical Reports

Motor vehicles are one of the largest emitters of ground-level ozone precursors – volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NO1) – into the atmosphere. Consequently, the Clean Air Act Amendment of 1990 requires the implementation of transportation control measures in order to reduce ground-level ozone precursor emissions and alleviate the ozone air quality problems. This research investigates the relative effects of motor vehicle emissions of VOCs and NO1 on hourly average concentrations of ground level ozone in the Indiana Airshed Model (UAM-IV). The findings of the research study are presented. This includes the results of the data analyses leading …

Indot Constructability Multimedia System Working Module, Bob G. Mccullouch

JTRP Technical Reports

Constructability can be defined as incorporating knowledge into the design product or designing so it is easier to construct. Transportation facilities have suffered from this problem, with INDOT no exception. The most important feature of any constructability program is capturing field examples, commonly referred to as “lessons learned,” and archiving and retrieving them into future projects that are either similar or have similar conditions in order to eliminate or prevent the same mistakes from occurring again. A mechanism or tool that can perform this task would be a valuable asset for INDOT. A previous JHRP project title “An INDOT Lessons …

Laboratory Study On The Use Of Tire Shreds And Rubber-Sand In Backfilled And Reinforced Soil Applications, Andres Bernal, C. W. Lovell, Rodrigo Salgado

JTRP Technical Reports

Millions of scrap tires are discarded annually in the United States, the bulk of which are currently landfilled or stockpiled. This consumes valuable landfill space, or, if improperly disposed, creates a fire hazard and provides a prolific breeding ground for rats and mosquitoes. The use of tire shreds as lightweight fill material can sharply reduce the tire disposal problem. The present study, based on laboratory testing and numerical modeling examines the feasibility of incorporating tire shreds and rubber-sand mixtures as lightweight geomaterial in embankments and backfills. The growing interest in utilizing waste materials in civil engineering applications has opened the …

Borman Expressway Atms Equipment Evaluation, J. V. Krogmeier, Kumares C. Sinha, Michael P. Fitz, Srinivas Peeta, Shimon Y. Nof

JTRP Technical Reports

An Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) is under development in northern Indiana by the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) in conjunction with Hughes Transportation Management Systems. The study area comprises a sixteen mile segment of the heavily used Borman Expressway and its associated corridor; beginning at the Indiana/Illinois border and stretching east to the Indiana Toll Road interchange. The most important operational problem on the Borman is non-recurrent congestion, arising primarily through accidents and stalled vehicles. In order to mitigate the significant bottleneck delay problems due to non-recurrent congestion, INDOT is developing an ATMS for real-time incident detection and response …

Estimating Statewide Trip Tables From Vehicle Classification Counts, James Yang, Jon D. Fricker

JTRP Technical Reports

Although a statewide trip table is an important ingredient in the statewide planning process, such information is difficult to obtain. The study described in this report investigated the applicability to the state-level problem of existing software developed to estimate trip tables in urban areas (or smaller) from link counts. Criteria that would form the basis for determining the applicability of any particular software package were developed. Packages such as The Highway Emulator (THE), PC-LINKOD, and Fast Matrix Calibration (FMC) were tested using small and medium sized networks. Because FMC performed the best on these tests, it was applied to the …

Environmental Bioassay Evaluation Of Foundry Waste Residuals, Kenneth Chad Bastian, James E. Alleman

JTRP Technical Reports

Although the constructive reuse of foundry residuals represents a decidedly beneficial goal with distinct economic and environmental benefits, potential end-users are nonetheless reluctant to use these residuals, given an inherent concern about potential unforeseen environmental liabilities. Results of foundry residual leachate characterization to date strongly suggest that many ferrous foundries are discarding sands whose quality is fully amenable to their future use with embankment construction and related high-volume highway development activities. In order to provide additional assurance as to the environmental impact of foundry residual reuse, the MicrotoxTM bioassay has been used to quantify the response of living organisms (e.g., …

Remediation Of Hazardous Effluent Emitted From Beneath Newly Constructed Road Systems And Clogging Of Underdrain Systems, Ronald Fred Wukasch, Adil Siddiqui

JTRP Technical Reports

The Indiana Department of Transportation uses recycled concrete pavement as aggregate for the construction of highways. The effluent from these pavements has a high pH. The high pH effluent can cause clogging of drains and vegetative kill around the outlet. This project looks into the source of the effluent water, its chemical composition and the approximate duration the problem can be expected to persist. The project also investigates possible methods for reduction of the problem in future installation. The approximate additional cost of these solutions and the problems associated with them are discussed as well.

Development Of A Procedure To Identify Aggregates For Bituminous Surfaces In Indiana, Douglas W. Bruner, Jung Chan Choi, Terry R. West

JTRP Technical Reports

Adequate friction resistance is needed to prevent pavement slipperiness and to allow vehicles to stop in a reasonable distance. In stone mastic asphalt surfaces, friction resistance is mainly a function of the interaction between the aggregates exposed at the road surface and the vehicle tires. Performance of the aggregate is reduced over time by wear and polishing as a consequence of vehicular traffic. In this research a method to investigate aggregate performance based on physical, chemical and petrographic factors has been evaluated. The objective was to develop a laboratory method to test Indiana dolomite, limestone, sandstone, and gravel aggregates to …

Using Pyrolized Carbon Black (Pcb) From Waste Tires In Asphalt Pavement (Part 2, Asphalt Binder), Yongdong Zeng, C. W. Lovell

JTRP Technical Reports

Scrap tires derived from automobiles have become a large environmental problem in the United States. In this study, research is carried out to investigate the potential use of tire-derived pyrolyzed carbon black from scrap tires as an asphalt cement modifier. The asphalt cements used in this research were AC10 and AC20. Penetration and softening point tests were performed to obtain the consistency of the asphalt cements. The pyrolyzed carbon black, as provided by Wolf Industries, was combined with the asphalt cement in the following percentages; 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%. Penetration, softening point and ductility tests were performed to determine …

Sources, Measurements, And Effects Of Segregated Hot Mix Asphalt Pavement, Ronald. Christopher Williams, Gary R. Duncan, Thomas D. White

JTRP Technical Reports

There are several factors that lead to segregation. Segregation can occur during stockpiling and handling of aggregate and during mixing, storage, transport and lay down of the asphalt mixture. Sometimes segregation may result from a single source or from a combination of sources. Nondestructive test methods have been examined to determine their effectiveness in detecting segregation. These methods include thermal imaging, air penneability, nuclear moisture (asphalt) and density, and permittivity. Based on the effective of these technologies in a laboratory environment, the standard moisture/density nuclear gauge technology was field tested with a high degree of success. Use of four minute …

Use Of Coal Combustion Residues And Foundry Sands In Flowable Fill, Subnahmanya T. Bhat, C. W. Lovell

JTRP Technical Reports

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the use of waste foundry sand in flowable fill. However, the concepts developed are applicable to flowable fills containing any type of sand. Even though the flowable fill is presently popular as a trench filling material, this study addresses a much broader perspective in order to be able to develop uses of this material in geotechnical applications. In this research, only green sands were taken. The fly ash used was class F type. Flowability, hardening characteristics and 28-day unconfined compressive strength are studied. A rational approach the mix design of flowable …

Wildflowers For Indiana Highways, Michael N. Dana, Ricky Darrell Kemery, Brian S. Boszor

JTRP Technical Reports

Questions concerning wildflower usage on Indiana highway rights-of-way were investigated. Native prairie wildflower seed quality was found to be highly variable among supply companies, species, and years. Less variability was found among “garden” wildflower species and suppliers. Direct seeding was found to be successful with six species of native prairie forbs: Butterfly Milkweed Asclepiads tuberose, Wild Bergamot Monarda fistulosa, New England Aster Aster novae-angliae, Pale-purple Coneflower Echinacea pallida, Gray-headed Coneflower Ratibido pinnota, Ironweed Vernonia fasciculosa. Five species of “garden” wildflowers performed well: Common Cosmos Cosmos bipinnatus, Yellow Cosmos Cosmos sulphureus, Cornflower Centaurea cyanus, Goldenwave Coreopsis sincioria, Black-eyed Susan Rudbeckia hiria. …

Performance Evaluation Of Highway Embankment Constructed Using Coal Ash, James E. Alleman, Patrick J. Fox, Daniel J. Debattista

JTRP Technical Reports

The objective of this project was to assess the environmental and geotechnical performance of two highway embankments constructed using coal combustion fly ash. The environmental work focused on characterizing monitoring well water samples from the site before, during, and after construction. In addition, a number in in-situ lysimeter water samples were also tested during and after construction. In each case, water samplers were evaluated in terms of their constitutive organic and metal concentrations, as well as their relative bioassay response using a MicrotoxTM protocol. The geotechnical work included monitoring of ash water content and unit weight during placement, settlement analysis, …

Bs News

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Seismic Evaluation Of Highway Bridges - Phase 1, J. A. Ramirez, Austin D. Pan, Frank Thompson Mwakasisi

JTRP Technical Reports

The primary objective of the study was to establish the guidelines for screening, assessing, and ranking Indiana bridges for seismic upgrade. The outcome of the study is a complete strategy for the detailed structural assessment of Indiana highway bridges subjected to seismic forces. The structural evaluation is conducted using a nonlinear time-history analysis of the bridge for simulated or actual records. The specific soil conditions at the site are accounted in terms of the ground motion. From the time history analysis the maximum structural response including displacements, bending moments, shear and axial forces are computed. A weighted evaluation of the …