Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Construction Superintendent Skill Sets, David E. Gunderson, Philip Barlow, Allan J. Hauck

Construction Management

This is the first of a series of articles reviewing the results of an ongoing qualitative research project designed to document construction superintendent skill sets and develop postsecondary curricula to support superintendent education. Varying views of the role of the superintendent and an historical perspective are presented in a review of literature. The research methodology for the entire project, as well as this first phase, is presented. Data have been coded and analyzed from the interviews with seven superintendents to date and the results of these analyses are provided. Themes that emerged in these interviews include people skills, understanding the …

Bs News

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Behaviour Of Reinforced Self-Consolidating Concrete Frames, Aly Said, Moncef Nehdi

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

Multi-storey reinforced concrete (RC) structural frames represent some of the most congested structural elements. Placing and consolidating concrete in such structural frames imposes substantial challenges. This offers a unique area of application for self-consolidating concrete (SCC) because of its inherent ability to flow under its own weight and fill congested sections, complicated formwork and hard-to-reach areas. Research is, however, needed to demonstrate the ability of SCC structural frames adequately to resist vertical and lateral loads. In the present study, full-scale 3 m high beam-column joints reinforced as per the Canadian Standards CSA A23·3-94 and ACI-352R-02 were made with normal concrete …

Objective Test Methods For Waveguide Audio Synthesis, Steven Gregory Wood

Theses and Dissertations

Acoustic Physical Modeling has emerged as a newer musical synthesis technique. The most common form of physical modeling synthesis in both industry and academia is digital waveguide synthesis. Commercially available for the past thirteen years, the top synthesizer manufacturers have chosen to include physical modeling synthesis in their top of the line models. In the area of audio quality testing, the most common tests have traditionally been group listening tests. While these tests are subjective and can be expensive and time-consuming, the results are validated by the groups' proper quality standards. Research has been conducted to evaluate objective testing procedures …

Lifetime Testing Of Wire-Grid Polarizers With Selected Over-Coatings, Steven J. Malone

Theses and Dissertations

Wire-grid polarizers (WGPs) offer superior extinction, durability, angle of incidence, and heat resistance when compared to traditional organic polarizers. WGPs are found in applications such as high lumen lighting, laser devices, high lumen digital cinema projectors, LED packaging, and other integrated optical applications and are driving the need for over-coatings. Over-coating a WGP has been found to increase lifetime and durability. This research provides lifetime data on coated and uncoated WGPs. WGPs over-coated with 100nm of SiO2, 300nm of MgF2, and with no over-coating were heated to temperatures of 450 ºC, 500 ºC, and 550 ºC and timed until they …

Significant Trade Contractor Performance Characteristics As Evaluated By Big-D Construction, Conrad C. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to determine which aspects, other than price, of trade contractor performance are the most important to the general contractor, Big-D Construction. The impression a trade contractor leaves on the project manager and superintendent provides an indication of their performance. To determine what tasks trade contractors perform that most greatly impact overall perception of the general contractor's project manager and superintendent, hundreds of trade contractors were evaluated in ten separate categories and were then given an overall rating. The correlation between each category and the overall rating was found. The categories were then sorted from …

Rapid Runway Repair (Rrr): An Optimization For Minimum Operating Strip (Mos) Selection, David J. Duncan

Theses and Dissertations

Minimum Operating Strip (MOS) selection determines the exact placement of the MOS on the damaged runway, and therefore, the amount of munitions that need to be neutralized and the amount of damage that will need to be repaired. MOS selection, in essence, is the key determinant of the time required to attain an operational takeoff and recovery surface. Since the MOS selection stage determines the events and scope of work for all of the Rapid Runway Repair (RRR) stages that follow, it could be argued that this is the most important stage in the entire RRR process. The primary purpose …

A Qualitative Study Of Selected Quality Knowledge And Practices In Guangdong Province, China, Tyler R. Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

The manufacturing industry has become very competitive in today's global market environment. Many US companies are faced with the choice of keeping their manufacturing domestic or looking to low cost off-shore countries to take advantage of the labor costs differences. To gain an understanding of the state of manufacturing in China, a major focus in the manufacturing world today, this thesis was undertaken. This thesis presents the findings of research conducted in Guangdong Province, China in June - July, 2005. This research addressed customer focus, leadership and general manufacturing and quality knowledge and practices of small, medium and large sized …

Decision Analysis With Value Focused Thinking As A Methodology To Select Building For Deconstruction, Erika E. Maiorano

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to examine the reuse and recycling of building materials on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. There are a variety of conflicting factors concerning the removal of a building and the model quantitatively evaluates alternatives with respect to the decision maker’s values. The research questions were addressed with both a comprehensive literature review as well as the implementation of the value focused thinking methodology. The model found that the temporary living facilities are the alternatives that achieve the highest value. The result of this research effort was a value model that aids decision makers in identifying …

Spot Friction Welding Of Ultra High-Strength Automotive Sheet Steel, Jack H. Sederstrom

Theses and Dissertations

Spot friction welding (SFW) was performed on ultra high strength steel (UHSS) steel sheet commonly used in automobile manufacturing. Alloys studied included DP780, DP780EG, DP980, and DF140T sheet steel of varying thickness from 1.2 mm to 1.4 mm. Welding was accomplished using a PCBN standard tool. Weld strengths were then compared to a proposed AWS standard. Initial hardness readings were taken in cross sectioned samples. Grain structure in a SFW is presented. Resistance spot welds were created in three steels. This study focuses on the strength of SFW joints as compared to traditional resistance spot welding (RSW) in welding like …

A Decision Model For Selecting Energy Efficient Technologies For Low -Sloping Roof Tops Using Value-Focused Thinking, Michael J. Mccourt

Theses and Dissertations

The Air Force has a large inventory of low-sloping built up roofs (BURs) and millions of dollars are spent each year retrofitting these systems. The DOD has been directed to reduce non-renewable energy consumption by using energy-efficient technologies. These two details present a great opportunity to use the open roof space to install energy-efficient roofing technologies. The purpose of this research is to provide Air Force decision makers with a tool to assist them in deciding what roofing technologies should be installed on facilities. Value Focused-Thinking is the methodology used to construct the model, in which values were used, instead …

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Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

A Value-Focused Thinking Model For The Selection Of The Best Rigid Pavement, Partial-Depth Spall Repair Material, Benjamin G. Speer

Theses and Dissertations

Concrete spalls on airfield pavements generate foreign object debris (FOD) that is damaging to aircraft engines, and may damage landing gear by roughening of the pavement surface. Repairing spalled concrete on aging and deteriorating airfields is essential for its safe operational use. Picking the best repair material from many products on the commercial market is difficult. There is wide variation on material properties, and good performance on certain criteria is critical to constructing long lasting repairs. Since there is currently no procedure for Air Force decision-makers to select the best rigid-pavement repair material, a model was created using Value-Focused Thinking …

Using Neural Networks For The Diagnosis And Repair Of Corroded Steel In Reinforced Concrete Structures, Youssef Ibrahim Fayez

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Bs News

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Increasing Effectiveness Of Public Private Partnerships In The Irish Construction Industry, Louis Gunnigan

Doctoral

By 2003 the first Irish Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects had reached the operational stage. Media reports were emerging of significant differences in the effectiveness of these projects.

This research set out to find a means by which effectiveness of PPPs could be increased and to develop a model that would assist PPP practitioners with this task in the future. Through a literature review, the Irish PPP process was mapped, the changes encountered in the introduction of PPP were investigated and a conceptual model – based on a traditional process model - was proposed. The model was tested by examining …

Computer-Aided Weld Inspection By Fuzzy Modeling With Selected Features, Sean Najm Ghazavi

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis develops a computer-aided weld inspection methodology based on fuzzy modeling with selected features. The proposed methodology employs several filter feature selection methods for selecting input variables and then builds fuzzy models with the selected features. Our fuzzy modeling method is based on a fuzzy c-means (FCM) variant for the generation of fuzzy terms sets. The implemented FCM variant differs from the original FCM method in two aspects: (1) the two end terms take the maximum and minimum domain values as their centers, and (2) all fuzzy terms are forced to be convex. The optimal number of terms and …

Study Of Ranking Irregularities When Evaluating Alternatives By Using Some Electre Methods And A Proposed New Mcdm Method Based On Regret And Rejoicing, Xiaoting Wang

LSU Master's Theses

Multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) is one of the most widely used decision methodologies in the sciences, business, and engineering worlds. MCDM methods aim at improving the quality of decisions by making the process more explicit, rational, and efficient. One intriguing problem is that oftentimes different methods may yield different answers to the same decision problem. Thus, the issue of evaluating the relative performance of different MCDM methods is raised. One evaluating procedure is to examine the stability of an MCDM method’s mathematical process by checking the validity of its proposed rankings. The ELECTRE II and III methods are two well-known MCDM …

Automated Composite Column Wrapping, Purdue Ect Team

ECT Fact Sheets Archive

The Automated Composite Column Wrapping is performed by a patented machine known as Robo-Wrapper. Currently there are three versions of the machine available for bridge retrofit work depending on the size of the columns being wrapped. Composite column retrofit jacket systems can be structurally just as effective as conventional steel jacketing in improving the seismic response characteristics of substandard reinforced concrete columns.

New Structural Material - Fiber Reinforced Plastics, Purdue Ect Team

ECT Fact Sheets Archive

Traditional structural materials are heavy and require a great deal of maintenance. If a new breed of structural material could be produced that was lighter, stronger and more resistant to corrosion, impacts, parasites and chemicals, it could be a good substitute for steel, concrete, masonry and wood. One new material that has the potential to meet these demands is starting to show up on the construction industry market, it is Fiber Reinforced Plastics (FRP). Some technologies that have been developed using FRP materials within the last few years are: structural shapes, concrete reinforcing, prestressing and post-tensioning tendons and pre-engineered structural …

Post-Tensioned Steel Structure, Purdue Ect Team

ECT Fact Sheets Archive

Welded steel Moment-Resisting Frames (MRFs) were long considered as one the most earthquake-resistant types of structures. Recently, the idea of applying the post-tensioning technology to achieve moment resistant structural systems has been investigated at the University of California, San Diego. Since 1996, moment-resisting connections using post-tensioning concepts have been developed and tested for precast concrete beam-to-column connections, and concrete shear walls.

Precast Hybrid Moment Resistant Frames, Purdue Ect Team

ECT Fact Sheets Archive

The recent disasters from earthquakes in Northridge, California and Kobe, Japan, demands a structural design that will provide integrity of the structure and protection of the investment against seismic activity. Charles Pankow builders developed a new frame that absorbs seismic energy independent of the integrity of the structural members and that delivers superior post elastic response. The Precast Hybrid Moment Resisting Frame (PHMRF) involves a column/beam connection utilizing both elastic and inelastic action at the joint for Precast Moment Resistant Frames.

Spraywall, Cured-In-Placed Method For Manhole Rehabilitation, Purdue Ect Team

ECT Fact Sheets Archive

Manholes and other underground structures commonly account for 25-30 % of infiltration and up to 70% of inflow in sanitary sewer collection systems. These will cause sewer overflow and endanger the nearby environment. SprayWall is a spray-applied, cured-in-place method of construction and is primarily used in manholes. It uses urethane material that provides excellent corrosion resistance. SprayWall is structural and can withstand ground water loads on a long-term basis.

Welding Clamps, Purdue Ect Team

ECT Fact Sheets Archive

While welding technology has advanced in recent years, methods of fitting pipe remained primitive. Chain Clamps are versatile: each clamp can fit-up elbows, tees, flanges, and other pipe fittings. All carbon steel Chain Clamps are zinc plated to resist spatter and corrosion. On the average, one Chain Clamp costs about 40% less and weighs about 77% less than the required number of cage clamps to cover the same range of pipe diameter.

Decision Aid For Electronic Simulation In Construction, Purdue Ect Team

ECT Fact Sheets Archive

The Decision Aid for Electronic Simulation in Construction is an output of the research “Electronic Simulation in Construction” sponsored by CII (Construction Industry Institute). The Web-based Decision Aid was developed to assist a decision-maker in utilizing the results of this research. This system along with the database allows the user to (i) establish the need for electronic simulation, (ii) ascertain specific needs with respect to application domain, product features, and operating system requirements, and (iii) identify products and suppliers that support the need and requirements established in the previous steps.

T.O.C.S. : Hydrogen Sulfide Remission System, Purdue Ect Team

ECT Fact Sheets Archive

BioEnviroTech, Inc., (BET) developed Toxicity Odor Corrosion Sulfides (T.O.C.S.) Remission System for hydrogen sulfide reduction in municipal and industrial wastewater sewer, lift stations and force mains. This safe and cost effective biotreatment technology uses safe and natural bacteria to interrupt sulfide generation.

Mobile Bricklaying Robot, Purdue Ect Team

ECT Fact Sheets Archive

Bricklaying is a highly repetitive and physically exhaustive task. The tasks of the construction site bricklaying robot include removing bricks or blocks from prepared pallets, the application of bonding material and the erection of brickwork at a high level of accuracy and quality. Prototype realization of the bricklaying robot, which is based on a commercial construction machine, has been done by two research institutes in close cooperation with ten industrial partners.

3m Personal Air Monitoring Systems, Purdue Ect Team

ECT Fact Sheets Archive

3M monitors are made to allow sample desorption directly in the monitor itself. The monitor comes with a snap-on elution cap that permits the desorbing solvent to be injected into the monitor. The solution is then poured into sample vials for analysis. 3M monitors use standard analytical methods: gas chromatography for the organic vapor monitor and ethylene oxide monitor, and colorimetry for the formaldehyde monitor.

Ehydraulic Pneumatic Fracturing, Purdue Ect Team

ECT Fact Sheets Archive

The technology is an enhancement process designed for integration with primary in-situ treatment technologies such as vapor extraction, bioremediation, thermal treatment, and 'pump and treat'. Fractures in dense soils are created, using hydraulic or pneumatic methods, making existing fractures larger to get at contaminants and allowing a more effective distribution of the extractive air throughout the soil. Pneumatic Fracturing was jointly developed by Accutech Remedial Systems Inc. and the New Jersey Institute of Technology. It involves the injection of air (or another gas) into a contaminated geologic formation at sufficient pressure and flow rate to create artificial fractures or to …

Electro Osmotic Pulse Technology For Prevention Of Water Intrusion In Concrete Structure, Purdue Ect Team

ECT Fact Sheets Archive

Groundwater intrusion into a building can cause serious structural degradation, corrosion of expensive mechanical equipment. ElectroOsmotic Pulse (EOP) technology is based on the concept of electroosmosis; the movement of an electrically charged ion in a liquid under the influence of an external electric field. EOP not only eliminates water-seepage problems from the interior of the structure without excavation, but it further mitigates corrosion damage to mechanical equipment and reduces the interior relative humidity of the basements.