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Articles 31 - 60 of 1183

Full-Text Articles in Civil and Environmental Engineering

Relationship Between Compressive Strength Of Different Shape And Thickness Specimens Of Type S Mortar, Theodore James Moffett Dec 2018

Relationship Between Compressive Strength Of Different Shape And Thickness Specimens Of Type S Mortar, Theodore James Moffett

Theses and Dissertations

Mortar is the cementitious binding material placed between masonry blocks to create a composite system. The American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM), along with other organizations, have established the testing of prismatic mortar specimens for evaluating mechanical properties, like compressive strength. Mortar joints, however, possess vastly different characteristics compared to prismatic specimens, especially in terms of geometry and water content. These differences prevent a direct comparison of compressive strength between prismatic specimens and actual mortar joints in the assembly. The objective of this study was to analyze Type S mortar joints, with particular emphasis on specimen shape and water …


Experimental Evaluation Of Replaceable Shear Fuse Moment Connections, Shannon Shun Oh Dec 2018

Experimental Evaluation Of Replaceable Shear Fuse Moment Connections, Shannon Shun Oh

Theses and Dissertations

Steel special moment frames (SMFs) are known to be highly ductile seismic force- resisting systems. The performance of an SMF relies on the ability of the connections to accommodate large inelastic deformations. After the brittle failure of some steel moment frame connections during the 1994 Northridge Earthquake, experimental tests were used to investigate the ductility and strength of these connections. An experimental study was performed to investigate the seismic performance a new connection called the Replaceable Shear Fuse (RSF) connection. The RSF connection uses shear-yielding fuse plates to prevent beam and column yielding. A total of 7 test specimens with …


A Flexible Service-Oriented Approach To Address Hydroinformatic Challenges In Large-Scale Hydrologic Predictions, Michael Antonio Souffront Alcantara Dec 2018

A Flexible Service-Oriented Approach To Address Hydroinformatic Challenges In Large-Scale Hydrologic Predictions, Michael Antonio Souffront Alcantara

Theses and Dissertations

Water security is defined as a combination of water for achieving our goals as a society, and an acceptable level of water-related risks. Hydrologic modeling can be used to predict streamflow and aid in the decision-making process with the goal of attaining water security. Developed countries usually have their own hydrologic models; however, developing countries often lack hydrologic models due to factors such as the maintenance, computational costs, and technical capacity needed to run models. A global streamflow prediction system (GSPS) would help decrease vulnerabilities in developing countries and fill gaps in areas where no local models exist by providing …


Swat Online: Development Of A Web-Based Decision Support System For The Soil And Water Assessment Tool, Spencer Dean Mcdonald Dec 2018

Swat Online: Development Of A Web-Based Decision Support System For The Soil And Water Assessment Tool, Spencer Dean Mcdonald

Theses and Dissertations

As satellite and climate modelling technology continues to improve and as climatological disasters and issues continue to impact the global community, climate data will increase in size and relevance. With this new influx of information, it is becoming more and more important for scientists to simply and concisely communicate their findings to both decision makers in governments and disaster preparedness organizations and also to the general public. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) is a powerful modelling tool that allows scientists to simulate essentially all of the physical processes involved in the water cycle. The data that SWAT produces …


Development Of A Simplified Analysis Approach For Predicting Pile Deflections Of Piers Subjected To Lateral Spread Displacements And Application To A Pier Damaged During The 2010 Maule, Chile, M8.8 Earthquake, Logan Matthew Palmer Dec 2018

Development Of A Simplified Analysis Approach For Predicting Pile Deflections Of Piers Subjected To Lateral Spread Displacements And Application To A Pier Damaged During The 2010 Maule, Chile, M8.8 Earthquake, Logan Matthew Palmer

Theses and Dissertations

The 2010, moment magnitude 8.8 earthquake that occurred near Maule, Chile caused major damages to several piers in the Port of Coronel located approximately 160 kilometers (100 miles) to the South of the earthquake epicenter. One of the piers, the North Pier, experienced significant lateral spreading that was caused from liquefaction of the soils at the approach zone of the pier. Damages from lateral spreading and liquefaction effects consisted of sheet pile welding ruptures of the cross-support beams, stiffener buckling, pile displacements, pile rotations, and pier deck displacement. Researchers analyzed the North Pier after the earthquake and documented in detail …


Thermal Bridging In Concrete Sandwich Walls, Taylor J. Sorensen, Robert J. Thomas, Sattar Dorafshan, Marc Maguire Oct 2018

Thermal Bridging In Concrete Sandwich Walls, Taylor J. Sorensen, Robert J. Thomas, Sattar Dorafshan, Marc Maguire

Faculty Publications

Energy efficiency requires continuity of the insulation system in structural and architectural details.


Analysis Of Isotruss Joints, Robert Thompson, Dr. David Jensen Sep 2018

Analysis Of Isotruss Joints, Robert Thompson, Dr. David Jensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of this project was to identify how different winding patterns of composite tow affects the strength of interwoven joints, like those that exist in IsoTruss and other composite lattice structures. Three different winding configurations were analyzed to compare and determine how the pattern of carbon fiber strand layup would affect the strength of the joints on an IsoTruss member.


Dynamic Cone Penetration Tests For Liquefaction Evaluation Of Gravelly Soils, Michael H. Talbot Aug 2018

Dynamic Cone Penetration Tests For Liquefaction Evaluation Of Gravelly Soils, Michael H. Talbot

Theses and Dissertations

Dynamic Cone Penetration Tests for LiquefactionEvaluation of Gravelly SoilsMichael H. TalbotDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, BYUDoctor of PhilosophyIn North American practice, the Becker Penetration Test (BPT) has become the primary field test used to measure penetration resistance of gravelly soils. However, this test is expensive and uncertainties exist regarding correlations and corrections for rod friction. As an alternative, the dynamic penetration test (DPT) developed in China has recently been correlated with liquefaction resistance in gravelly soils. The DPT equipment consists of a 74 mm diameter cone tip driven by a 120 kg hammer with a free fall height of …


Crash Severity Distributions For Life-Cycle Benefit-Cost Analysis Of Safety-Related Improvements On Utah Roadways, Conor Judd Seat Jun 2018

Crash Severity Distributions For Life-Cycle Benefit-Cost Analysis Of Safety-Related Improvements On Utah Roadways, Conor Judd Seat

Theses and Dissertations

The Utah Department of Transportation developed life-cycle benefit-cost analysis spreadsheets that allow engineers and analysts to evaluate multiple safety countermeasures. The spreadsheets have included the functionality to evaluate a roadway based on the 11 facility types from the Highway Safety Manual (HSM) with the use of crash severity distributions. The HSM suggests that local agencies develop crash severity distributions based on their local crash data. The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Brigham Young University worked with the Statistics Department to develop crash severity distributions for the facility types from the HSM.The primary objective of this research was to …


Intersection Safety Analysis Methodology For Utah Roadways, Joshua Daniel Gibbons May 2018

Intersection Safety Analysis Methodology For Utah Roadways, Joshua Daniel Gibbons

Theses and Dissertations

Roadway safety continues to be a priority for the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) Traffic and Safety Division. UDOT has participated in and managed several research projects in recent years to determine the roadway segments of highest safety concern in the state. This research has provided UDOT with more tools to assist in safety project prioritization. Researchers in Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Brigham Young University (BYU) have worked with UDOT and the Statistics Department at BYU to create two network screening statistical tools called the Utah Crash Prediction Model (UCPM) and the Utah Crash Severity Model (UCSM) …


Large-Scale Strength Testing Of High-Speed Railway Bridge Embankments: Effects Of Cement Treatment And Skew Under Passive Loading, Daniel Ethan Schwicht Apr 2018

Large-Scale Strength Testing Of High-Speed Railway Bridge Embankments: Effects Of Cement Treatment And Skew Under Passive Loading, Daniel Ethan Schwicht

Theses and Dissertations

To investigate the passive force-displacement relationships provided by a transitional zoned backfill consisting of cement treated aggregate (CTA) and compacted gravel, a series of full-scale lateral abutment load tests were performed. The transitional zoned backfill was designed to minimize differential settlement adjacent to bridge abutments for the California High Speed Rail project. Tests were performed with a 2-D or plane strain backfill geometry to simulate a wide abutment. To investigate the effect of skew angle on the passive force, lateral abutment load tests were also performed with a simulated abutment with skew angles of 30º and 45º. The peak passive …


Reinforcing Bar Splice Performance In Masonry With Self-Consolidating Grout, Aaron Brent Roper Apr 2018

Reinforcing Bar Splice Performance In Masonry With Self-Consolidating Grout, Aaron Brent Roper

Theses and Dissertations

The use of self-consolidating grout in reinforced masonry construction provides various advantages such as reduced labor, faster construction, decreased noise pollution and better structural response. This is a relatively new building material however, and little research on self-consolidating grout's structural properties has been conducted. The purpose of this study was to analyze the performance or bond capacity of steel reinforcing bar splices in masonry with self-consolidating grout. Twelve masonry panels approximately 40 in. wide and 32 in. tall consisting of Type S mortar and concrete masonry units grouted with self-consolidating grout and No. 5 steel reinforcing bars were constructed with …


An Analysis Of Using Error Metrics To Determine The Accuracy Of Modeled Historical Streamflow On A Global Scale, Elise Katherine Jackson Apr 2018

An Analysis Of Using Error Metrics To Determine The Accuracy Of Modeled Historical Streamflow On A Global Scale, Elise Katherine Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

Streamflow data is used throughout the world in applications such as flooding, agriculture, and urban planning. Understanding daily and seasonal patterns in streamflow is important for decision makers, so that they can accurately predict and react to seasonal changes in streamflow for the region. This understanding of daily and seasonal patterns has historically been achieved through interpretation of observed historical data at stream reaches throughout the individual regions. Developing countries have limited and sporadic observed stream and rain gage data, making it difficult for stakeholders to manage their water resources to their fullest potential. In areas where observed historical data …


Effects Of Surface Treatments On National Bridge Inventory Condition Ratings For Concrete Bridge Decks In Utah, John Taani De Leon Apr 2018

Effects Of Surface Treatments On National Bridge Inventory Condition Ratings For Concrete Bridge Decks In Utah, John Taani De Leon

Theses and Dissertations

Although the application of surface treatments on bridge decks is expected to positively impact bridge deck condition, the effectiveness of specific surface treatments on extending bridge deck life has not yet been quantified on Utah bridge decks. Therefore, the objectives of this research were to develop and analyze deterioration curves for bare concrete bridge decks and decks with specific treatments commonly used in Utah. The scope of this study was determined by the types and extent of electronically available data, including selected static inventory information; maintenance, rehabilitation, and reconstruction histories; and National Bridge Inventory (NBI) condition ratings for the bridge …


Measuring And Calculating Current Atmospheric Phosphorous And Nitrogen Loadings On Utah Lake Using Field Samples, Laboratory Methods, And Statistical Analysis: Implication For Water Quality Issues, Jacob Milton Olsen Apr 2018

Measuring And Calculating Current Atmospheric Phosphorous And Nitrogen Loadings On Utah Lake Using Field Samples, Laboratory Methods, And Statistical Analysis: Implication For Water Quality Issues, Jacob Milton Olsen

Theses and Dissertations

Atmospheric nutrient loading and transport though precipitation and dry deposition is one of the least understood yet one of the most important pathways of nutrient transport into many lakes. These nutrients, phosphorus and nitrogen, are essential for aquatic life and often play major roles in algae blooms that occur in lakes and reservoirs. Often heavy algal growth intensifies a variety of water quality problems. Utah Lake may be even more susceptible to atmospheric deposition due to its large surface area to volume ratio and proximity to Great Basin dust sources. In this study, eight months of atmospheric deposition data were …


Chloride Concentration And Blow-Through Analysis For Concrete Bridge Decks Rehabilitated Using Hydro-Demolition, Elizabeth Ashleigh Roper Apr 2018

Chloride Concentration And Blow-Through Analysis For Concrete Bridge Decks Rehabilitated Using Hydro-Demolition, Elizabeth Ashleigh Roper

Theses and Dissertations

The objectives of this research were 1) to investigate the effects of hydrodemolition treatment timing on chloride concentration profiles in concrete bridge decks for depths of concrete removal below the top mat of reinforcing steel and 2) to investigate factors that influence the occurrence of blow-throughs in concrete bridge decks when hydrodemolition is used. The research results are intended to provide engineers with guidance about the latest timing of hydrodemolition that can maintain a chloride concentration level below 2.0 lb of chloride per cubic yard of concrete at the levels of both the top and bottom mats of reinforcing steel, …


Effect Of Inclined Loading On Passive Force-Deflection Curves And Skew Adjustment Factors, Joshua Rex Curtis Apr 2018

Effect Of Inclined Loading On Passive Force-Deflection Curves And Skew Adjustment Factors, Joshua Rex Curtis

Theses and Dissertations

Skewed bridges have exhibited poorer performance during lateral earthquake loading in comparison to non-skewed bridges (Apirakvorapinit et al. 2012; Elnashai et al. 2010). Results from numerical modeling by Shamsabadi et al. (2006), small-scale laboratory tests by Rollins and Jessee (2012), and several large-scale tests performed by Rollins et al. at Brigham Young University (Franke 2013; Marsh 2013; Palmer 2013; Smith 2014; Frederickson 2015) led to the proposal of a reduction curve used to determine a passive force skew reduction factor depending on abutment skew angle (Shamsabadi and Rollins 2014). In all previous tests, a uniform longitudinal load has been applied …


Mechanical Properties Of Inconel 718 Processed Using Electron Beam Free Form Fabrication (Ebf3), Brent R. Waters Mar 2018

Mechanical Properties Of Inconel 718 Processed Using Electron Beam Free Form Fabrication (Ebf3), Brent R. Waters

Theses and Dissertations

Electron beam freeform fabrication (EBF3) is a rapid metal deposition process that works efficiently with the wieldable alloy Inconel 718 (IN 718). EBF3 is a developing additive manufacturing (AM) process that can manufacture IN 718 parts directly from computer aided design (CAD) data. EBF3 can produce parts significantly faster and more energy efficient than competing IN 718 AM technologies. The EBF3 process utilizes metal wire feedstock which is induced into a molten pool using a focused electron beam in a vacuum environment. This allows parts to be built layer by layer, creating intricate shapes that …


Rotational Stiffness Models For Shallow Embedded Column-To-Footing Connections, Ashley Lauren Sadler Mar 2018

Rotational Stiffness Models For Shallow Embedded Column-To-Footing Connections, Ashley Lauren Sadler

Theses and Dissertations

Shallow embedded steel column connections are widely used in steel buildings; however, there is insufficient research about this connection type to understand the actual rotational stiffness that the connection provides. Shallow embedded steel columns are when a steel column is anchored to the foundation slab and then unreinforced concrete is poured around the base plate and the base of the column. This thesis seeks to further quantify the rotational stiffness available in this type of connection due to the added concrete and improve an existing model in order to represent the rotational stiffness. Existing data from two series of experiments …


The Use Of Evidence-Based Design In Hospital Renovation Projects, David S. Whitaker Mar 2018

The Use Of Evidence-Based Design In Hospital Renovation Projects, David S. Whitaker

Theses and Dissertations

Since the 1960s, researchers have been exploring how the design of the built environment impacts the health and well-being of occupants and users. By the 1980s, further research began to focus on healthcare facilities in particular and how design could influence patient healing and medical staff performance (Alfonsi, 2014). Evidence-Based Design (EBD) is "the process of basing decisions about the built environment on credible research to achieve the best possible outcomes" (CHD, 2016). The desired outcomes of Evidence-Based Design recommendations include improvements in the following: patient healing, patient experience and comfort, medical staff performance, and medical staff job satisfaction (CHD, …


Project Management: Skills, Tools, And Knowledge Construction Professionals Consider Important For Keeping Projects On Schedule, Lyle Scott Davies Dec 2017

Project Management: Skills, Tools, And Knowledge Construction Professionals Consider Important For Keeping Projects On Schedule, Lyle Scott Davies

Theses and Dissertations

Project managers have a major role in the construction and completion of projects. Much of their work consists of reviewing, clarifying, and coordinating information required by the field management and subcontractors performing the work on the job site. The assistance they give with the transfer of information helps with successfully completing projects. For many people, the largest indicator that a project was successful is that construction activities were completed on schedule. While finishing on schedule may be the primary focus of those involved with construction activities, projects still struggle to finish on time. The purpose of this study is to …


Analysis Of Safety Impacts Of Access Management Alternatives Using The Surrogate Safety Assessment Model, Kyung Min Kim Dec 2017

Analysis Of Safety Impacts Of Access Management Alternatives Using The Surrogate Safety Assessment Model, Kyung Min Kim

Theses and Dissertations

In a traditional safety impact analysis, it is necessary to have crash data on existing roadway conditions in the field and a few years must pass before accumulating reliable crash data. This is a time-consuming approach and there remains uncertainty in the crash data due to the random nature of crash occurrences. The Surrogate Safety Assessment Model (SSAM) was developed for resolving these issues. With SSAM, a conflict analysis is performed in a simulated environment. A planned improvement alternative under study is modeled and no physical installation of the alternative is needed. Hence, the method using a simulation software along …


Current State Of Practice Associated With The Use Of Building Information Modeling (Bim) In The Custom Home Building Industry, William Noble Smith Dec 2017

Current State Of Practice Associated With The Use Of Building Information Modeling (Bim) In The Custom Home Building Industry, William Noble Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Building Information Modeling (BIM) has entered the construction industry and has permeated the commercial sector. Research is continually performed to expand the capabilities and applications within the industry. However, research has historically been mostly limited to the commercial sector and has seen little expansion to other sectors of the industry including the residential sector. The potential cause for this may be the limited number of industry professionals who utilize the software to the benefit of their companies. The focus of this study was specifically the custom home building sector of residential construction in the United States because of the unique …


Reliability Of Feqdrain For Modeling Performance Of Sand Treated With Large-Diameter Prefabricated Drains For Liquefaction Mitigation, Travis Hatch Meservy Dec 2017

Reliability Of Feqdrain For Modeling Performance Of Sand Treated With Large-Diameter Prefabricated Drains For Liquefaction Mitigation, Travis Hatch Meservy

Theses and Dissertations

Finite element modeling of laminar shear box testing that consisted of loose sand treated with large diameter prefabricated vertical drains (PVDs), was performed. The objective of the modeling was to evaluate the reliability of the computer program FEQDrain for predicting excess pore pressure ratios (Ru) at sites treated with prefabricated drains. FEQDrain was found to be capable of successfully modeling measured excess pore pressure ratio time histories from the laminar shear box experiment, as long as an appropriate combination of €˜number of equivalent cycles and €˜shaking duration was chosen, and sensitive parameters were in the range of measured values. Hydraulic …


Pull-Out Strength Of Fiberglass/Epoxy Composite Rebarfabricated On A Three-Dimensional Braiding Machine, Tarisai Machanzi Nov 2017

Pull-Out Strength Of Fiberglass/Epoxy Composite Rebarfabricated On A Three-Dimensional Braiding Machine, Tarisai Machanzi

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this research was to explore and demonstrate the production andperformance of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) rebar manufactured on a continuous threedimensionalbraiding machine for use as reinforcement in concrete structures. Differentconfigurations of fiberglass/epoxy composite cylindrical rebar rods were manufactured,embedded in concrete, and tested in axial tension to identify the relationships betweenmanufacturing parameters and tensile pull-out strength of the rebar. The strength of the bondbetween concrete and FRP rebar was investigated using the pull-out test detailed by ACI 440.3R-12. The rebar was a No. 4 size and produced by combining multiple tows of fiberglass/epoxyprepreg to form the core of cylindrical …


The State Of Bim-Based Quantity Take-Off Implementation Among Commercial General Contractors, Morgan Christian Tagg Nov 2017

The State Of Bim-Based Quantity Take-Off Implementation Among Commercial General Contractors, Morgan Christian Tagg

Theses and Dissertations

Building Information Modeling (BIM) plays an important role in today's construction industry. Models are tools that help stakeholders communicate, visualize building geometry, perform trade coordination and clash detection among others. A less popular aspect of BIM that shows high potential is the quantity take-off (QTO) feature. Yet, its implementation among commercial general contractors (GC) has not received as much attention. The purpose of this study was to identify how the BIM QTO features were being implemented among commercial general contractors, what challenges they faced and how they worked to overcome those challenges. Through a three-step process including semi structured interviews …


Development Of A Performance-Based Procedure For Assessment Of Liquefaction-Induced Lateral Spread Displacements Using The Cone Penetration Test, Tyler Blaine Coutu Oct 2017

Development Of A Performance-Based Procedure For Assessment Of Liquefaction-Induced Lateral Spread Displacements Using The Cone Penetration Test, Tyler Blaine Coutu

Theses and Dissertations

Liquefaction-induced lateral spread displacements cause severe damage to infrastructure, resulting in large economic losses in affected regions. Predicting lateral spread displacements is an important aspect in any seismic analysis and design, and many different methods have been developed to accurately estimate these displacements. However, the inherent uncertainty in predicting seismic events, including the extent of liquefaction and its effects, makes it difficult to accurately estimate lateral spread displacements. Current conventional methods of predicting lateral spread displacements do not completely account for uncertainty, unlike a performance-based earthquake engineering (PBEE) approach that accounts for the all inherent uncertainty in seismic design. The …


An Investigation Into Isogeometric Blended Shells, David Scott Willoughby Oct 2017

An Investigation Into Isogeometric Blended Shells, David Scott Willoughby

Theses and Dissertations

Improvements to isogeometric blended shells are introduced which blend traditional Reissner-Mindlin shells, and Kirchhoff-Love shells, with an exact interpolation of the shell director increment. A gradient extraction operator is introduced which allows derivatives of basis functions to be exactly expressed as a linear combination of the basis functions themselves. Several benchmarks are investigated and the new blended shell is compared with different shell elements in ABAQUS and NASTRAN. In addition, the effect of different quadrature schemes is included in the comparisons. The new isogeometric blended shell performs comparably in some benchmarks, and even outperforms commercial shell finite elements in some …


Large-Scale Testing Of Low-Strength Cellular Concrete For Skewed Bridge Abutments, Tyler Kirk Remund Sep 2017

Large-Scale Testing Of Low-Strength Cellular Concrete For Skewed Bridge Abutments, Tyler Kirk Remund

Theses and Dissertations

Low-strength cellular concrete consists of a cement slurry that is aerated prior to placement. It remains a largely untested material with properties somewhere between those of soil, geofoam, and typical controlled low-strength material (CLSM). The benefits of using this material include its low density, ease of placement, and ability to self-compact. Although the basic laboratory properties of this material have been investigated, little information exists about the performance of this material in the field, much less the passive resistance behavior of this material in the field.In order to evaluate the use of cellular concrete as a backfill material behind bridge …


Crack Healing In 304l Stainless Steel Using Additive Manufacturing And Friction Stir Processing (Fsp), Cameron Scott Gygi Aug 2017

Crack Healing In 304l Stainless Steel Using Additive Manufacturing And Friction Stir Processing (Fsp), Cameron Scott Gygi

Theses and Dissertations

Continuing an investigation on using FSP to heal stress corrosion cracks (SCC) in welds on nuclear reactors, this study seeks to use AM in addition to FSP to aid crack repair. Previous studies address that current repair technology on nuclear reactors involves the use of TIG welding which can allow helium atoms to aggregate and form voids at the grain boundaries. This weakens the material and renders the repair ineffective. Another previous study evaluated the effectiveness of FSP alone in repairing SCC which did have defects depending on the parameters used during FSP. This study evaluated the use of AM …