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Articles 841 - 870 of 1183

Full-Text Articles in Civil and Environmental Engineering

Deep Dynamic Compaction Of Collapsible Soils, Ryan J. Olsen, Dr. Kyle Rollins Feb 2014

Deep Dynamic Compaction Of Collapsible Soils, Ryan J. Olsen, Dr. Kyle Rollins

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Collapsible soils, in their natural state, are stiff and strong. However, when they become wet these soils lose their strength and settle significantly. This settlement can damage highways and structures built over these collapsible soils. Deep dynamic compaction (DDC) is a method used for improving soil conditions by repeatedly dropping a very large tamper onto the ground from heights typically ranging from 50 to 100 ft. DDC has been shown to significantly increase the strength and stiffness of collapsible soils. However, vibrations caused by dynamic compaction may affect surrounding buildings.

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Torsion Testing Of The Isotruss, Jeff Brimhall, Dr. David W. Jensen Feb 2014

Torsion Testing Of The Isotruss, Jeff Brimhall, Dr. David W. Jensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The IsoTruss is an innovative structural member made up of a unique geometric configuration and composite material that has tremendous potential for use in civil infrastructure, aerospace and other applications. This unique geometric configuration, which uses minimal material, yet maintains a very high strength. This greatly reduces the weight of the structure and causes the strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratios to skyrocket.

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Evaporation Losses In The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Krey H. Price Feb 2014

Evaporation Losses In The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Krey H. Price

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge has long been an important haven for migrating waterfowl in North America. During the wet years of 1983-84, however, the refuge was inundated and closed. The refuge has since reopened, but reconstruction of water control structures continues. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has requested an evaporation study as a part of the refuge’s water budget to enable more accurate calibration of inflows to and outflows from the individual ponds in the refuge. This study applied computer modeling to estimate evaporation losses from the refuge’s ponds and marshes.

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Limitations Of One-Dimensional Surface Water Models, Todd J. Strong, Dr. Alan K. Zundel Feb 2014

Limitations Of One-Dimensional Surface Water Models, Todd J. Strong, Dr. Alan K. Zundel

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Using the Surface Water Modeling System (SMS), models were generated to reflect the situation of bridge abutments being placed in the flow path of a river. Two types of models were generated, a one-dimensional (1D) model and a two-dimensional (2D) mesh. To analyze the models, the 1D program WSPRO and the 2D program FESWMS were used. The 2D models contain more properties of the system, allowing them to be much more characteristic of the actual river, and provide more accurate results. However, 2D models take much more time to generate, edit and analyze. In our tests, the average time to …

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Monotonic And Cyclic Response Of Fiber Reinforced Polymer Panels Fastened To Wood Framing, John P. Judd, Dr. Fernando S. Fonseca Jan 2014

Monotonic And Cyclic Response Of Fiber Reinforced Polymer Panels Fastened To Wood Framing, John P. Judd, Dr. Fernando S. Fonseca

Journal of Undergraduate Research

This paper summarizes the results of a research project to determine the response of Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) panels fastened to wood framing, under two different loading schemes: monotonic and repeated cyclic loading. The results of the monotonic testing phase of the project were published and presented at the International Conference on Composites Engineering [2].

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Simulation Of Groundwater Flow In The Vicinity Of Trojan Corporation Near Mapleton And Spanish Fork, Utah Using Gms And Femwater, Jonathan Bailey, Dr. Wayne Downs Jan 2014

Simulation Of Groundwater Flow In The Vicinity Of Trojan Corporation Near Mapleton And Spanish Fork, Utah Using Gms And Femwater, Jonathan Bailey, Dr. Wayne Downs

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Groundwater is a valuable resource. It accounts for over 99% of the earth’s available freshwater. Recognition of the value of groundwater has led to the passing of a number of laws to protect, preserve and when needed require remediation of groundwater that has been contaminated by industrial pollutants. An integral component of groundwater remediation and contaminated site management is the development of a numerical groundwater model that describes the direction and rate of flow of the groundwater. Numerical modeling of groundwater flow requires a synthesis of experience and intuition with fundamental scientific and mathematical principles.

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Seismic Timber Connection, Mathew Fielding, Dr. Fernando Fonseca Jan 2014

Seismic Timber Connection, Mathew Fielding, Dr. Fernando Fonseca

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Three light gauge aluminum connections were designed, constructed and tested to determine the possibility of resisting an applied moment in timber beams and columns. A timber column 3 inches by 5.5 inches was axially compressed with 1000 lb. while the attached beam (3 inches by 3.5 inches) was loaded to determine the moment resisting capacity of the system. Fracture of the connection occurred at an average of 1550 ft-lb; this corresponded to a deflection of .4 inches. Actual failure of the joint occurred at an average of 1950 ft-lb. with an average deflection of .58 inches.

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Static Strength And Durability Testing Of Biomass Fly Ash In Concrete, John Hema, Dr. Fernando Fonseca Jan 2014

Static Strength And Durability Testing Of Biomass Fly Ash In Concrete, John Hema, Dr. Fernando Fonseca

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Fossil fuels are used in modern power plants throughout the world to produce electrical energy. This process increases air pollution and generates millions of tons of a by-product known as fly ash. Fly ash is the inorganic residue that remains after pulverized coal is burned. This residue rapidly accumulates and is often disposed of in landfills, filling them to capacity. One solution to reducing the amount of waste has been to use fly ash in concrete.

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Ground Water Modeling For Deseret Ranch In Deer Park, Florida, James Halgren, Dr. Wayne Downs Jan 2014

Ground Water Modeling For Deseret Ranch In Deer Park, Florida, James Halgren, Dr. Wayne Downs

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The original intent of this project was to create a groundwater model of the Deseret Ranch in Deer Park, Florida, in order to predict the possible detrimental effects of a 3,000-acre landfill planned for the area. Shortly after the acceptance of the proposal, the landfill plans were cancelled and the project had to be reconsidered. Sufficient issues with ranch hydrogeology exist to justify eventual creation of a model, so I changed my focus to collection of the pertinent data to accurately formulate such a model.

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Water Vapor Movement In Freezing Aggregate Base Materials, Maile Anne Rogers Dec 2013

Water Vapor Movement In Freezing Aggregate Base Materials, Maile Anne Rogers

Theses and Dissertations

The objectives of this research were to 1) measure the extent to which water vapor movement results in water accumulation in freezing base materials; 2) evaluate the effect of soil stabilization on water vapor movement in freezing base materials; 3) determine if the corresponding changes in water content are sufficient to cause frost heave during winter; 4) determine if the corresponding changes in water content are sufficient to cause reductions in stiffness during spring; 5) evaluate relationships between selected material properties, freezing conditions, and the occurrence and impact of water vapor movement; and 6) numerically simulate heat and water movement …

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Condition Assessment Of Decommissioned Bridge Decks Treated With Waterproofing Membranes And Asphalt Overlays, Eric Scott Sumsion Dec 2013

Condition Assessment Of Decommissioned Bridge Decks Treated With Waterproofing Membranes And Asphalt Overlays, Eric Scott Sumsion

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this research was to assess the condition of four decommissioned bridge decks treated with waterproofing membranes and asphalt overlays following the completion of their service lives. Large samples were cut from each of the bridge decks immediately prior to demolition and taken to the Brigham Young University Highway Materials Laboratory, where extensive sampling and testing was performed. Methods used to evaluate the condition of the bridge deck samples included visual inspection, hammer sounding, Schmidt rebound hammer testing, resistivity testing, half-cell potential testing, linear polarization testing, cover depth measurement, and chloride concentration measurement. The samples were removed from …

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Developing Guidelines For Including Mobility-Based Performance Specifications In Highway Construction Contracts, Shawn J. Larson Dec 2013

Developing Guidelines For Including Mobility-Based Performance Specifications In Highway Construction Contracts, Shawn J. Larson

Theses and Dissertations

Construction zones can greatly affect the traffic flow on roadways, especially when lane closures are required. Traditionally, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has used traffic management specifications that only allow lane closures and road work to be done during predetermined hours or specifications that require a certain number of lanes to be open at all times. Recently, mobility-based work-zone traffic flow maintenance has been considered. This method requires continuous monitoring of mobility-based performance data and a mechanism to send alerts to the contractors when the mobility data does not meet the standards set by the specifications. UDOT recently tested …

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Frost Susceptibility Of Base Materials Treated With Asphalt Emulsion, Noelle Anderson Dec 2013

Frost Susceptibility Of Base Materials Treated With Asphalt Emulsion, Noelle Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this research was to investigate emulsion-treated base (ETB) frost susceptibility in terms of both freeze-thaw cycling and frost heave. The research performed in this study involved laboratory testing of ETB materials sampled from both the Redwood Road and 7800 South reconstruction projects in northern Utah. The effects of freeze-thaw cycling were evaluated by comparing the stiffness and strength of tested specimens to the same properties of control specimens not subjected to freeze-thaw cycling. Frost heave testing enabled evaluation of the effects of emulsion content and degree of curing on the volumetric stability of ETB materials during sustained …

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The Performance Of Risk Management And Innovation In Construction Manager/General Contractor Delivery In Civil Construction Applications, Rebecca M. Owens Dec 2013

The Performance Of Risk Management And Innovation In Construction Manager/General Contractor Delivery In Civil Construction Applications, Rebecca M. Owens

Theses and Dissertations

Project teams that deliver high risk, complex projects in the civil construction industry need tools to enable successful delivery. Construction Manager/General Contractor (CM/GC) is an innovative alternate delivery method, providing one such a tool. CM/GC furnishes public agencies with an attractive option for delivering projects in a less adversarial and more constructive manner by involving the contractor during design. The sophisticated public owner does not have to relinquish control of the details of the design in order to accelerate the schedule or see the benefits of real-time cost estimating data. There are also significant cost and schedule benefits with not …

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Introducing The Vuepod: Development And Testing Of A Low-Cost Large-Scale Stereoscopic Immersive System Using 3d Lcd Televisions, Shane Makana Hayden Dec 2013

Introducing The Vuepod: Development And Testing Of A Low-Cost Large-Scale Stereoscopic Immersive System Using 3d Lcd Televisions, Shane Makana Hayden

Theses and Dissertations

3D immersive visualization systems, or CAVEs™, have found wide adoption for use in geosciences, planetary science, medical research, and computer science. However, much of the potential for such systems in practical civil and environmental engineering settings has been severely limited due to 1) extreme costs in both hardware and software; 2) immobility due to calibration and darkroom requirements; and 3) extensive and expensive manpower requirements for both operation and maintenance. This thesis presents the development and testing of a new mobile low-cost immersive stereo visualization system -- the "VuePod" -- that attempts to address these challenges through the use of …

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Structural Analysis And Optimization Of Skyscrapers Connected With Skybridges And Atria, Amy Jean Taylor Mccall Dec 2013

Structural Analysis And Optimization Of Skyscrapers Connected With Skybridges And Atria, Amy Jean Taylor Mccall

Theses and Dissertations

Skybridges and atria between buildings are becoming more and more popular. Most current skybridge connections are either roller or rigid-connections. This dissertation presents an investigation of the structural analysis and optimization of skyscraper systems with hinge-connected skybridges, and compares the results to skyscraper systems with roller-connected skybridges and to skyscraper systems without skybridges altogether. Also presented is an investigation of the structural analysis and optimization of skyscrapers both with and without atria between the buildings. It was assumed that the atria envelope was constructed with cushions made from lightweight, transparent, and flexible Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE). A simplified skyscraper skybridge model …

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Second-Order Perturbation Analysis Of The St. Venant Equations In Relation To Bed-Load Transport And Equilibrium Scour Hole Development, Frans Joseph Lambrechtsen Dec 2013

Second-Order Perturbation Analysis Of The St. Venant Equations In Relation To Bed-Load Transport And Equilibrium Scour Hole Development, Frans Joseph Lambrechtsen

Theses and Dissertations

This analysis is an expansion of research done by Rollin Hotchkiss during his Ph.D work. The research uses fluid flow, sediment transport, and perturbation theory to predict where scour will occur in a variable-width channel. The resulting equations also determine equilibrium scour depth based upon the stream bed elevation derived from a dimensionless bed slope equation. Hotchkiss perturbed the width of the channel using a second order Taylor Series perturbation but neglected second order terms. The present work follows the same procedures as Hotchkiss but maintains the second order terms. The primary purpose is to examine how the additional terms …

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Deicer Usage On Concrete And Asphalt Pavements In Utah, Chase David Thomas Dec 2013

Deicer Usage On Concrete And Asphalt Pavements In Utah, Chase David Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

The objectives of this research were to 1) compile winter maintenance data for the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) to directly compare concrete and asphalt pavements with regards to deicer usage and 2) determine if there is a statistical difference in deicer usage on concrete and asphalt pavements. To this end, three data sources were consulted for this research: Material Maintenance Quality Assurance (MMQA) database, UDOT road database, and Google Maps. The final compiled data set prepared for analysis in this research contained deicer quantities by deicer type, pavement surface areas by pavement material type, traffic, longitude, latitude, and elevation …

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Hot Spot Identification And Analysis Methodology, Jacob S. Farnsworth Nov 2013

Hot Spot Identification And Analysis Methodology, Jacob S. Farnsworth

Theses and Dissertations

The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) Traffic and Safety Division continues to advance the safety of roadway sections throughout the state. To aid UDOT in meeting their goal the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Brigham Young University (BYU) has worked with the Statistics Department in developing analysis tools for safety. The most recent of these tools has been the development of a hierarchical Bayesian Poisson Mixture Model (PMM) statistical model of traffic crashes and safety on UDOT roadways statewide and the integration of the results of this model in a Geographic Information System (GIS) framework. This research focuses …

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The Dam Truths Of Glen Canyon, Jeffrey D. Bennion, Dr. M. Brett Borup Nov 2013

The Dam Truths Of Glen Canyon, Jeffrey D. Bennion, Dr. M. Brett Borup

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The Glen Canyon Dam was completed by the Bureau of Reclamation in 1963 as the main feature of the Colorado River Storage Project. The purposes of the dam were to regulate the flow of the Colorado River, store water for consumptive use, provide for the reclamation of arid and semi-arid land, control floods, and generate hydroelectric power (U.S. Department of the Interior, 1995). Since the dam was completed prior to enactment of the National Environmental Act, no environmental impact statement was filed regarding its construction and operation. Many environmentalist groups, most recently the Sierra Club, have lobbied for the removal …

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The Integration Of Small Diameter Isotrussô Structures To A Bicycle Frame, Rodney B. Boynton, Dr. David W. Jensen Oct 2013

The Integration Of Small Diameter Isotrussô Structures To A Bicycle Frame, Rodney B. Boynton, Dr. David W. Jensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In order to fully explore the capabilities of the IsoTrussÔ Structure in a light weight application it was decided to replace not only the main tubes of a bicycle frame, but the rear tubing as well. Several of the initially proposed steps to this process have been completed and show good sign of meeting the performance requirements necessary of a high end, light weight mountain bike frame.

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The Graftsweep Tool: A Multi-Axis Multi-Sweep Tool For Creating An All-Hexahedral Finite Element Mesh, Matthew Earp, Dr. Stephen E. Benzley Oct 2013

The Graftsweep Tool: A Multi-Axis Multi-Sweep Tool For Creating An All-Hexahedral Finite Element Mesh, Matthew Earp, Dr. Stephen E. Benzley

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is a method of performing mathematical analysis on complex geometry used extensively by both scientists and engineers. An important step in performing the analysis is the mesh generation process. This is the process of dividing a volume into small individual elements (finite elements). Currently there are two common shapes for these elements: tetrahedrons and hexahedrons. Due to the fact that tetrahedrons are a much simpler geometric shape, many robust tetrahedral meshing algorithms have been produced and find a wide range of uses. For solid modeling problems however, hexahedrons are the element of choice. Unfortunately there has …

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Investigation Of Pavement Patch Rehabilitation Bond Strength, Keith Woffinden, Dr. W. Spencer Guthrie Oct 2013

Investigation Of Pavement Patch Rehabilitation Bond Strength, Keith Woffinden, Dr. W. Spencer Guthrie

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The traditional construction method for asphalt removal and replacement uses a high-power saw to separate the damaged asphalt from the existing pavement. The remaining material is broken and removed from the site in a time-consuming and laborious process. The saw-cut leaves a smooth, vertical edge on the asphalt surface that can lead to poor mechanical interlock between the old and new pavement materials, a major catalyst for accelerated pavement deterioration.

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Bradford Singley, Bradfor Singley Sep 2013

Bradford Singley, Bradfor Singley

Journal of Undergraduate Research

I am writing to thank you for the generous scholarship. I cannot express my gratitude for this endowment. My wife is having a baby in three weeks, so this truly is a blessing in our lives. This scholarship will help us to make ends meet while allowing me to finish my bachelor’s degree.

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Xmdf To Gis, Eric Jones, Dr. Jim Nelson Sep 2013

Xmdf To Gis, Eric Jones, Dr. Jim Nelson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

My project is to convert the file system of the program WMS (Watershed Modeling System) from an ASCII text file format to an updated HDF5, or XMDF file format.

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Using Computer Simulation To Overcome Shortcomings In Laboratory Relative Density Tests For Soils, Amy L. Cook, Dr. Travis Gerber Sep 2013

Using Computer Simulation To Overcome Shortcomings In Laboratory Relative Density Tests For Soils, Amy L. Cook, Dr. Travis Gerber

Journal of Undergraduate Research

An important soil parameter in geotechnical engineering is relative density. Relative density is a measure of the compactness of a cohesionless soil when compared to the loosest and densest state of the soil.

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Preliminary Liquefaction Hazard Analysis For Bridge Sites Along The 1-15 Corridor Salt Lake County, Utah, Samuel Gilstrap, Dr. T. Leslie Youd Sep 2013

Preliminary Liquefaction Hazard Analysis For Bridge Sites Along The 1-15 Corridor Salt Lake County, Utah, Samuel Gilstrap, Dr. T. Leslie Youd

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The term liquefaction refers to the loss of strength in soils during earthquake shaking. Generally, liquefaction occurs in loose sandy soils which lie beneath the water table. Liquefaction-induced ground failures have been major causes of bridge damage during past earthquakes. My research was to apply state-of-the-art methods for evaluating liquefaction hazard to the bridge sites along the 1-15 corridor in Salt Lake County, Utah. This section of interstate is to be reconstructed over the next 4 years and is one of the largest construction projects ever initiated in Utah. This segment of the highway lies generally parallel to the Salt …

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Air/Polymer Diffraction Grating Coupler, Josh Kvavle Sep 2013

Air/Polymer Diffraction Grating Coupler, Josh Kvavle

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of my research was to fabricate air/dielectric interface diffraction grating couplers. This report will explain the obstacles that I encountered, and the resulting direction that my research took. In summary, soon after I began my research, a very expensive laser that I depended on for this research was sent away for repairs, so I began doing characterization of a polymer.

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Coarsening Algorithm For Tetrahedral Meshes, Eve S. Crow, Dr. Steven Benzley Sep 2013

Coarsening Algorithm For Tetrahedral Meshes, Eve S. Crow, Dr. Steven Benzley

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In Finite Element Analysis (FEA), there are often times when the mesh on the model needs to be more dense or less dense in a certain region. Refinement and coarsening are the tools used to achieve the desired density of a mesh. The CUBIT toolkit has a coarsening algorithm for triangle surface meshes, but the algorithm for coarsening tetrahedral meshes has not been implemented. I have done some research and have a plan for how it could be implemented.

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Parametric Investigation Of The Isotruss® Panel, Gregory J. Larson Sep 2013

Parametric Investigation Of The Isotruss® Panel, Gregory J. Larson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The IsoTruss Panel is a three dimensional composite grid structure, evolving from the IsoTruss®. The IsoTruss® implements a revolutionary idea of utilizing the very strong unidirectional characteristics in composite materials in a three dimensional manner. The IsoTruss® is utilized in pole-type applications. The IsoTruss Panel is based on similar principles but is designed for use in plate and wall type structures as well as curved applications.

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