Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Seismic Performance And Retrofit Evaluation Of Hollow-Core Composite Bridge Columns, Mohanad M. Abdulazeez, Ahmed Gheni, Nicholas Colbert, Mohamed Elgawady

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper presents the seismic behavior of large-scale hollow-core fiber-reinforced polymerconcrete-steel (HC-FCS) bridge column. The HC-FCS column consists of a concrete wall sandwiched between an outer fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) tube and an inner thin-walled steel tube. The width-to-diameter ratio for the steel tube was 147. The column had an outer diameter of 24 inches and a height-to-diameter ratio of 4.0. The steel tube was embedded into reinforced concrete footing with an embedded length of 1.25 times the steel tube diameter, while the FRP tube only confined the concrete wall thickness and curtail at the top of the footing level. The …

Identification Of Transportation Infrastructure At Risk Due To Sea Level Rise And Subsidence Of Land In Coastal Louisiana, Sanjay Tewari, Wesley Palmer

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The coast of Louisiana is under threat because of sea level rise and land subsidence. Sea water is encroaching deeper inland and as a result Louisiana is losing at an alarming rate. The combined effect of sea level rise and land subsidence is variable spatially. This paper focuses on this combined effect in identifying the transportation infrastructure that is at risk of getting affected by the sea-water inundation of the land.

This paper is an attempt of taking account of land elevation data monitored continuously at various locations along the coast of Louisiana and combining it with local sea level …

A 3d Model For Earthquake-Induced Liquefaction Triggering And Post-Liquefaction Response, Arash Khosravifar, Ahmed Elgamal, Jinchi Lu, John Li

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

A constitutive soil model that was originally developed to model liquefaction and cyclic mobility has been updated to comply with the established guidelines on the dependence of liquefaction triggering to the number of loading cycles, effective overburden stress (Kσ), and static shear stress (Kα). The model has been improved with new flow rules to better capture contraction and dilation in sands and has been implemented as PDMY03 in different computational platforms such as OpenSees finite-element, and FLAC and FLAC3D finite-difference frameworks. This paper presents the new modified framework of analysis and describes a guideline to calibrate the input parameters of …

Non-Linear Deformation Analysis Of An Embankment Dam, Silas T. Sanderson

Civil and Environmental Engineering Master's Project Reports

Non-linear deformation analysis (NDA) of embankment dams is becoming more common as geotechnical engineers seek to better understand how critical infrastructure will perform under high seismic loading. In order to perform this type of analysis, site specific ground motions and engineering properties of the embankment dam are required. The NDA modeling effort consists of a static and seepage analysis to establish an initial stress state followed by a dynamic analysis to simulate the embankment response to ground motions. Using this approach, a two dimensional NDA was performed on an embankment dam using the NDA program FLAC. This report discusses the …

A Nonlinear Crack Model For Concrete Structure Based On An Extended Scaled Boundary Finite Element Method, Jian-Bo Li, Xin Gao, Xing-An Fu, Chenglin Wu, Gao Lin

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Fracture mechanics is one of the most important approaches to structural safety analysis. Modeling the fracture process zone (FPZ) is critical to understand the nonlinear cracking behavior of heterogeneous quasi-brittle materials such as concrete. In this work, a nonlinear extended scaled boundary finite element method (X-SBFEM) was developed incorporating the cohesive fracture behavior of concrete. This newly developed model consists of an iterative procedure to accurately model the traction distribution within the FPZ accounting for the cohesive interactions between crack surfaces. Numerical validations were conducted on both of the concrete beam and dam structures with various loading conditions. The results …

Inelastic Response Evaluation Of Precast Composite Columns Under Seismic Loads, Mohanad M. Abdulazeez, Mohamed Elgawady

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper presents a non-linear finite element analysis of large-scale hollow-core fiber-reinforced polymer-concrete-thin walled steel (HC-FCS) precast columns under reversed cyclic loading. The HC-FCS columns provide an economical and efficient alternative to conventional concrete bridge columns. The precast HC-FCS column consists of a concrete shell sandwiched between an outer fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) tube and an inner thin-walled steel tube. The steel tube diameter-to thickness (D_i/t_s) ratio was 254. The proposed FEA model was developed using LS_DYNA multipurpose software and was verified by experimental results performed in this study. The FE model was used to investigate some …

Microstructural Characterization Of Shear Transformation Zones And Modeling Indentation Size Effect In Amorphous Polymers, Leila Malekmotiei

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The first aim of this work is developing a procedure for experimental and analytical characterization of nano-scale microstructures which mediate large scale deformation in amorphous polymers. Glassy polymers are extensively used as high impact resistant, low density, and clear materials in industries. Nevertheless, their response under severe loading conditions is yet to be appropriately unraveled. Due to the lack of long-range order in the microstructures of glassy solids, their plastic deformation is different from that in crystalline solids. Shear Transformation Zones (STZs) are believed to be the main plasticity carriers in amorphous solids and defined as the localized atomic or …

Climbing Robots For Steel Bridge Inspection And Evaluation, Hung La

INSPIRE Archived Webinars

Steel structures and steel bridges, constituting a major part in civil infrastructure, require adequate maintenance and health monitoring. In the U.S., more than 50,000 steel bridges are either deficient or functionally obsolete, which likely presents a growing threat to people's safety. The collapse of numerous bridges recorded over the past 16 years has shown significant impact on the safety of all travelers.

In this presentation, the design and implementation of two different climbing robots for steel structure inspection are reported. Based on the magnetic wheel design, the robot can climb on different steel surface structures (i.e., flat, cylinder, cube). The …

Investigation Into The Behavior Of An Open Web Steel Joist Bridge, Zahra Andalib, Piero Caputo, Sattar Dorafshan, Marc Maguire, William Collins

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Open web steel joists (OWSJ) have been extensively used in the building industry due to numerous advantages when compared with other structural systems. They are lighter than comparable rolled steel shapes, allowing for faster and less costly construction, in addition to their reduced material costs. However, OWSJ are rarely used for bridge structures. This paper examines the behavior of an OWSJ system in a bridge located at the Nucor plant in Brigham City, Utah.

Ccfss Special Edition Technical Bulletin Summer 2018, Wei-Wen Yu Center For Cold-Formed Steel Structures

CCFSS Technical Bulletins (1993 - 2020)

No abstract provided.

An Integrated Decision Support Framework For Life-Cycle Building Asset Management, Maha Reda Alkasisbeh

Dissertations

Building assets are essential to the economic, cultural, and historical growth of any nation. Examples of buildings include shelters, entertainment facilities, living spaces, teaching facilities, civil offices, parking structures, police buildings, libraries, and service areas used to accommodate human activity. Deterioration of building assets, inadequate renewal budgets, climbing deficits, and increasing demand levels are difficulties that face owners when managing building assets. The role of asset management has recently become significant in municipal governments for strategic, operational, and financial reasons. The main functions of an asset management system include assessment of the current condition, prediction of future deterioration, asset prioritization, …

Structural Analysis Of The High Bay Steel Reaction Frames, Jerry Hue Truong Luong, Garrett Michael Brown

Architectural Engineering

No abstract provided.

3-D Reconstructions And Numerical Simulations Of Precarious Rocks In Southern California, Christine E. Wittich, Tara C. Hutchinson, J. Desanto, D. Sandwell

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Reliable estimates of seismic hazard are essential for the development of resilient communities; however, estimates of rare, yet high intensity earthquakes are highly uncertain due to a lack of observations and recordings. Lacking this data, seismic hazard analyses may be based on extrapolations from earthquakes with more moderate return periods, which can lead to physically unrealistic earthquake scenarios. However, the existence of certain precariously balanced rocks (PBRs) has been identified as an indicator of an upper bound ground motion, which precludes toppling of the balanced rock, over its lifetime. To this end, a survey of PBRs was conducted in proximity …

Risk Assessment Of Concrete Gravity Dams Under Earthquake Loads, Ufuk Sen

LSU Master's Theses

Dams are important structures to supply water for irrigation or drinking, to control flood, and to generate electricity. In seismic regions, the structural safety of concrete gravity dams is important due to the high potential of life and economic loss if they fail. Therefore, the seismic analysis of existing dams in seismically active regions is very crucial to predict responses of dams to ground motions. In this thesis, earthquake response of concrete gravity dams is investigated using the finite element (FE) method. The selected dam is the Pine Flat Dam which is located in the Central Valley of Fresno County, …

Bridge Inspection: Human Performance, Unmanned Aerial Systems And Automation, Sattar Dorafshan, Marc Maguire

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Unmanned aerial systems (UASs) have become of considerable private and commercial interest for a variety of jobs and entertainment in the past 10 years. This paper is a literature review of the state of practice for the United States bridge inspection programs and outlines how automated and unmanned bridge inspections can be made suitable for present and future needs. At its best, current technology limits UAS use to an assistive tool for the inspector to perform a bridge inspection faster, safer, and without traffic closure. The major challenges for UASs are satisfying restrictive Federal Aviation Administration regulations, control issues in …

Solar And Rain Catching Canopy. Urban Oasis, Afolabi Ibitoye, Langston Clark, Elena Zimareva, Evan Banks, Alexander Aptekar

Publications and Research

The Urban Oasis is designed to work within existing “pocket parks” in New York City as a combined rainwater collector, personal electronics charging station and resting designation for New Yorkers. Intended to not only lessen the demand on the city power grid by using renewable energy to charge devices, the urban oasis is also intended to mitigate grey water overfill in New York’s combined sewer system and, in general, serve as a model for responsible environmental stewardship in urban areas.

The important technical aspects of the canopy specifically analyzed were:

a) how much rainwater could the canopy be expected to …

Flexural Rigidity Evaluation Of Seismic Performance Of Hollow-Core Composite Bridge Columns, Mohanad M. Abdulazeez, Mohamed Elgawady

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper investigates experimentally the seismic behavior of two hollow-core fiber-reinforced polymer-concrete-steel HC-FCS columns under cyclic loading as a cantilever. The typical precast HC-FCS member consists of a concrete wall sandwiched between an outer fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) tube and an inner steel tube. The FRP tube provides continuous confinement for the concrete wall along the height of the column. Five large-scale HC-FCS columns were investigated during this study to estimate the effective flexural (which is an important factor to define the buckling capacity and deflection of such columns) and the effective structural stiffness of the composite columns. These columns have …

Effects Of Tension On Resonant Frequencies Of Strings, Blake Burnett

Senior Theses

This project tests and explores resonance of strings. Since all materials and mechanisms are affected by vibrations, it is important to know the frequencies at which resonance occurs. To explore this subject, strings were used as a model material to test the effect tension has on resonance. The fundamental frequencies and the corresponding modes of resonance were used to analyze the data. The results of this experiment show that increasing tension on a string increases its resonance frequency. Understanding the physics behind resonance frequency allows systems to be designed to take advantage of resonance properties, or to avoid resonance where …

Liquefaction-Induced Dragload And/Or Downdrag On Deep Foundations Within The New Madrid Seismic Zone, Ishimwe Elvis

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Deep foundation elements are typically used to transfer structural loads for multi-story buildings and large-span bridges to a competent soil layer when 1) the soil close to the ground surface has no sufficient bearing capacity, and when 2) liquefiable soils are encountered. The majority of the bridges constructed within seismic zones rely upon the stability of earthen embankments and deep foundation that are installed above or within liquefiable soil deposits. Despite large factor of safety values or different load and resistance factors being used to adequately design deep foundations within seismic areas, soil liquefaction may cause extensive damage to the …

Effects Of Short-Term Strains On Concrete Bulb-Tee Bridge Girders And Analysis Of The Practicality Of Using Three-Dimensional Models Based On Drone Imagery To Aid In Bridge Inspections, Justin M. Pace

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The University Transportation Center at Utah State University sponsors research through the Federal Highway Administration’s University Transportation Center Program. The purpose of this research is to advance technology and expertise in transportation-related fields. This includes research pertaining to bridge design, monitoring, and inspection (the focus of this research).

The first focus area of this research monitored short-term strains at the bottom of girders in a concrete bulb-tee girder bridge. The strains were caused by traffic loading and recorded using strain transducers attached to the bottom of each bridge girder. Patterns in the strain loading were monitored to draw conclusions about …

Corrosion Resistance Of Pipeline Steel With Damaged Enamel Coating And Cathodic Protection, Liang Fan, Signo Tadeu Dos Reis, Genda Chen, Michael L. Koenigstein

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper presents the first report on the corrosion resistance of pipeline steel with damaged enamel coating and cathodic protection in 3.5 wt % NaCl solution. In particular, dual cells are set up to separate the solution in contact with the damaged and intact enamel coating areas, to produce a local corrosion resistance measurement for the first time. Enamel-coated steel samples, with two levels of cathodic protection, are tested to investigate their impedance by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and their cathodic current demand by a potentiostatic test. Due to its glass transition temperature, the enamel-coated pipeline can be operated on …

Examination Of Steel Pin And Hanger Assembly Performance: Retrofit To Replacement, Chandana Chickamagalur Balakrishna

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

A number of steel, multi-beam bridges exist in the United States that contain pin and hanger assemblies. Pin and hanger assemblies are fracture critical members whose failure would result in collapse of the bridge or render it unable to perform its expected functions. As these bridges continue to age, many assemblies have deteriorated to a point where retrofit or replacement has to be considered and performed to maintain intended safety and performance. States have taken various approaches to address the pin and hanger assembly retrofit and replacement options. However, there is no single document that summarizes these approaches.

This research …

Optimized Health Monitoring Plans For A Steel, Double-Track Railway Bridge, Ahmed Rageh

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Railway bridges are an essential component of any modern society and play a significant transportation role. During the 19^th and early 20^th centuries steel truss and plate girder bridges were commonly used railway designs, with most of the trusses constructed using pin and eyebar systems and most other load carrying members being riveted, built-up sections.

Many of these bridges are still in use and are subjected to increased railway traffic intensity, loads and speeds. The current practice for evaluating the integrity of bridges in the United States, irrespective of use, is primarily via visual inspection, with those inspections …

Program Progress Performance Report #2, Missouri University Of Science And Technology. Inspire - University Transportation Center

Semi-Annual Progress Reports

No abstract provided.

Aircraft Hangar Demolition And Reconstruction, Anthony Feeney, Stephen Luppino, Michael Simeone, Tony Carlino

STEM Student Research Symposium Posters

Reconstruction of Hangar Q, located at the Millville Airport in New Jersey, required structural design improvements and cost estimation. The DRBA, Delaware River and Bay Authority, is seeking assistance with this project and has asked Rowan University to provide design recommendations. Steel reinforcing plates were designed to support structurally deficient members of the roof truss, while reinforced concrete piers were designed for the overall structure. The structural frame of Aircraft Hangar Q at Millville Airport is made up of nine steel trusses. Each three hinged-arch steel truss consists of two double-arc half trusses of 23 panels. Originally, Hangar Q had …

Introduction To Infrastructure - The Influence Of Natural Disasters On Infrastructure, Tri Tam Nguyen, Sean M. Raday, Daniel Leverick

STEM Student Research Symposium Posters

In this paper, three major hurricanes in 2017 were examined to determine the damage these hurricanes have done to the infrastructure. Infrastructure has an important role in the nation’s sustained economic development. Infrastructure consists of two main types which are “hard” infrastructure and “soft” infrastructure. Hard infrastructure is the physical networks which include transportation, power, etc. while soft infrastructure is institutions and human capital. Inadequate and inefficient performance of “hard” or “soft” infrastructure would prevent economy from achieving full growth. In the past decades, a significant increase in the number of natural disasters has had great impact on infrastructure systems. …

Mechanical Characterization Of Polysilicon Mems: A Hybrid Tmcmc/Pod-Kriging Approach, Ramin Mirzazadeh, Saeed Eftekhar Azam, Stefano Mariani

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Microscale uncertainties related to the geometry and morphology of polycrystalline silicon films, constituting the movable structures of micro electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), were investigated through a joint numerical/experimental approach. An on-chip testing device was designed and fabricated to deform a compliant polysilicon beam. In previous studies, we showed that the scattering in the input–output characteristics of the device can be properly described only if statistical features related to the morphology of the columnar polysilicon film and to the etching process adopted to release the movable structure are taken into account. In this work, a high fidelity finite element model of the …

Multi-Point Vibration Measurement And Mode Magnification Of Civil Structures Using Video-Based Motion Processing, Zhexiong Shang, Zhigang Shen

Department of Construction Engineering and Management: Faculty Publications

Image-based vibration measurement has gained increased attentions in civil and construction communities. A recent video-based motion magnification method was developed to measure and visualize small structure motions. This new approach presents a potential for low-cost vibration measurement and mode shape identification. Pilot studies using this approach on simple rigid body structures were reported. Its validity on complex outdoor structures has not been investigated. In this study, a non-contact video-based approach for multi-point vibration measurement and mode magnification is introduced. The proposed approach can output a full-field vibration map that increases the efficiency of the current structural health monitoring (SHM) practice. …

Over-Height Vehicle Impact Reduction On Bridges: A Case Study, Marc Alexander Hoffmann

LSU Master's Theses

Over-height vehicle collisions are a growing concern as commercial vehicles, as well as their cargo, become taller. Engineers recognize the dangers of over-weight vehicles traveling on our bridges and are able to adequately predict the behavior of a bridge subjected to increased live loads. However, bridges are becoming more vulnerable to collisions from over-height vehicles. Not only are the time and place of over-height vehicle collisions difficult to predict, but also the exact response of the bridge subjected to the lateral impact force is difficult to predict.

Most states use early warning detection systems to alert over-height vehicles and/or crash …

Mechanical And Physical Properties Of Fluorogypsum-Cement-Fly Ash Blends For Artificial Reef And Coastal Protection Structures, Yasser Bigdeli

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The State of Louisiana faces severe soil erosion along its coastlines. Coastal protection structures most commonly are made of limestone and concrete. However, in Louisiana, these materials are not widely available, which makes it significantly expensive to protect the coastlines and marine life. This study proposes to use locally available materials that have lower cost and lower density than limestone and concrete to reduce the economic burden of protecting and enhancing coastlines.

This study presents an extensive investigation of strength and durability properties of a low-cost concrete-like composite material made of pH-adjusted fluorogypsum (FG), class C fly ash (FA), and …