Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Assessment Of Public Perception Of User-Based Fees And Tolls To Finance Transportation Infrastructure Improvements, Anurag Pande, Cornelius Nuworsoo, Adrianna Jordan, Reuben Juster, Carmeron Hunter Shew, Joe Yu

Civil and Environmental Engineering

With aging infrastructure and declining purchasing power of tax receipts new mechanisms of financing transportation alternatives are gaining increasing interest. Fuel taxes are and have been for some time the primary source of transportation finance in United States. Fuel taxes are fixed amounts that rarely change and which lose purchasing power over time as prices escalate. In addition, improvements in fuel economy can further erode the revenue stream from the gas tax. This study explores the public’s attitude about user based fees collected through tolls that are directed at specific infrastructure projects using the Inland Empire region of California as …

Development Of An Integrated Project-Based Course: A Jobsite Management Class Case Study, Philip L. Barlow

Construction Management

At universities offering professional degrees, such as construction management, some programs are moving towards and exploring alternative delivery methods for achieving the curriculum’s goals and objectives. This paper describes a curriculum integrated course founded in a project-based learning environment applied to a jobsite construction management undergraduate course being taught at a major university. A course overview describing the various delivery methods used (such as lectures, reading assignments, supplemental materials, guest lecturers, lab assignments, technology, and a jobsite visit) is presented. The benefits of course integration in a construction management undergraduate curriculum are emphasized and more fully explained. The unique student …

Retesting Of Liquefaction/Nonliquefaction Case Histories From The 1976 Tangshan Earthquake, R. E.S. Moss, R. E. Kayen, L-Y Tong, S-Y Liu, G-J Cai, J. Wu

Civil and Environmental Engineering

A field investigation was carried out to retest liquefaction and nonliquefaction sites from the 1976 Tangshan Earthquake in China. These sites were carefully investigated in 1978/1979 using standard penetration test (SPT) and cone penetration test (CPT) equipment, however the CPT measurements are obsolete because of the now nonstandard cone that was used at the time. In 2007 a modern cone was mobilized to retest 18 select sites that are particularly valuable because; of the intense ground shaking, high fines content, and/or the site did. Of the sites reinvestigated and carefully processed, 13 are considered accurate representative case histories. Two of …

Assessment Of State Composting Regulations In The United States, Nazli Yesiller, Samuel A. Vigil, James L. Hanson

Civil and Environmental Engineering

This investigation was conducted to identify the current "status of state composting regulations in the U.S. using an extensive survey administered to regulators from all 50 states. Questions were included regarding: background information on composting: status of regulations: regulatory details including feedstock specific provisions and regulatory framework with respect to MSW regulations: details regarding type, properties, and amount of materials handled by composting activities; outgoing materials and storage of materials; type of composting facilities: initial development of the regulations; level of rigor of regulations: enforcement and reporting requirements; efficiency and level of satisfaction with regulations: permitting fees; and modifications to …

Green Building Policy And School Performance, S. Kelting, M. Montoya

Construction Management

The movement to construct high performance “green” buildings has had unprecedented market growth and continues to become a mainstream practice for constructing schools in the United States. This paper will consider how the results of government requirements for higher performance school buildings may affect the health and performance of students. The research focuses on educational leaders’ perceptions of how they would prioritize green building strategies based on recent governmental policy that requires building green schools. There is clear and compelling evidence that schools currently built to specific green standards of indoor environmental quality, specifically lighting, result in healthier and more …

Seismic Response Of Peaty Organic Soils As A Levee Foundation Material, Robb E.S. Moss, Justin C. Hollenback

Civil and Environmental Engineering

The dynamic response of peaty organic soils is not well understood but its poor competency as an engineering material is well known. Its use as a foundation material is generally avoided through careful selection of project location, or removal and replacement with more suitable material. In certain situations peaty organic soils are unavoidable because of prior land use and subsequent development of infrastructure. In a delta environment levees are often found to be overlying peaty organic deposits, the California Bay Delta and New Orleans levee systems are two important examples. The Bay Delta is in a seismically active area and …

Shake Table Testing Of Seismic Soil-Foundation-Structure-Interaction, Robb E.S. Moss, Steven Kuo, Victor Crosariol

Civil and Environmental Engineering

This research involves shake table testing of 1g scale models that mimic the coupled seismic response of a structure on a shallow mat foundation and the foundation soil (termed soil‐foundation‐structure‐interaction or SFSI). In previous research, SFSI effects have been quantified through analytical models, numerical analyses, and limited field data. This research is working towards increasing the amount of empirical data through scale model shake table testing. A suite of earthquake times histories are considered in evaluating a 10^th scale soil‐structure model using a flexible wall barrel on a 1‐D shake table. San Francisco Young Bay Mud (YBM) is used …

Development And Delivery Of An Integrated Project-Based Jobsite Management Undergraduate Course, Philip L. Barlow

Construction Management

At universities offering professional degrees, such as construction management, some programs are moving towards and exploring alternative delivery methods for achieving the curriculum's goals and objectives. This article describes an integrated and project-based learning Jobsite Construction Management course being taught at a major university. A course overview describing the various delivery methods used (such as lectures, reading assignments, supplemental materials, guest lecturers, lab assignments, technology, and jobsite visits) is presented. The benefits of vertical and horizontal course integration in a project-based learning environment are emphasized and more fully explained. A class survey was conducted over two quarters to assess the …

Investigation Of The Behavior Of Free-Standing Gabions In Seismic Regions, Amy Ransom

Master's Theses

This thesis investigates the behavior of free-standing gabion walls in areas of mild seismicity. To investigate this behavior, three walls of varying internal cable patterns were constructed at a quarter-scale. These walls were tested with a mass shaker, and mode shapes, tone extractions, and damping ratios were calculated. A modal analysis was conducted using design spectra created from a suite of seven earthquakes from countries bordering Kenya. The corresponding lateral forces to these spectral displacements were found, and the restoring eccentricities from the soil restoring force were backed out through a summation of moments. All analysis was experimentally done due …

Asce 7–05 Design Rule For Relative Strength In A Tall Buckling-Restrained Braced Frame Dual System, Lisa J. Aukeman

Master's Theses

In mid- to high-rise structures, dual systems (DS) enable a structural designer to satisfy the stringent drift limitations of current codes without compromising ductility. Currently, ASCE 7-05 permits a variety of structural systems to be used in combination as a dual system yet the design requirements are limited to the following statement: Moment frames must be capable of resisting 25% of the seismic forces while the moment frames and braced frames or shear walls must be capable of resisting the entire seismic forces in proportion to their relative rigidities.

This thesis assesses the significance of the 25% design requirement for …

Optimization Of Point-Of-Use Water Treatment Device For Disaster Relief, Margaret June Herzog

Master's Theses

Point-of-use (POU) drinking water treatment is a common method of providing drinking water in disaster relief situations when critical water infrastructure is damaged. In these cases, POU treatment devices can be used to treat local water until relief organizations set up more permanent water provision methods. One such POU technology is PŪR^® Purifier of Water, a combined coagulation/flocculation and disinfection chemical treatment sachet produced by Procter & Gamble. PŪR^® has been shown to treat contaminated water to meet water quality standards and guidelines set by the U.S. EPA for water purifiers and by the World Health Organization and …

Water And Air Quality Performance Of A Reciprocating Biofilter Treating Dairy Wastewater, Seppi Matthew Henneman

Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

Water and Air Quality Performance of a Reciprocating

Biofilter Treating Dairy Wastewater

Seppi Matthew Henneman

Agricultural non-point source pollution is the leading water quality problem in surface water and the second leading problem in ground water in the US.  Among the contaminants, nutrients (such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) can be transported from agricultural fields when cropland is not managed properly.  In California, dairy manure application to cropland has become tightly regulated with the goal of decreasing such nutrient pollution.  Dairies unable to balance their manure nutrient supply with cropland application area may benefit from a nitrogen removal technology.  One …

Probabilistic Fault Displacement Hazard Analysis For Reverse Faults And Surface Rupture Scale Invariance, Zachary E. Ross

Master's Theses

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A methodology is presented for evaluating the potential surface fault displacement on reverse faults in a probabilistic manner. This methodology follows the procedures put forth for Probabilistic Fault Displacement Hazard Analysis (PFDHA). Empirical probability distributions that are central to performing a PFDHA are derived from field investigations of reverse faulting events. Statistical analyses are used to test previously assumed properties of scale invariance with respect to magnitude for normalized displacement. It is found that normalized displacement is statistically invariant with respect to magnitude and focal mechanism, allowing for the …

Mitigating Moisture Susceptibility In Hot-Mix Asphalt Concrete, Tom P. Nguyen

Master's Theses

Moisture damage in asphalt pavement has always been a problem for drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate moisture susceptibility of Hot-Mix Asphalt (HMA) and to investigate mitigation techniques using different antistripping agents. Three types of antistripping agents were used in this research investigation. Two of which are chemical based and the other is hydrated lime. The two types of liquid antistripping agents used in this study include Arr Maz CC LOF-6500 and Arr Maz CC XL-9000. These two liquid antistripping agents were tested at 0.25%, 0.50%, and 0.75%. Hydrated Lime was tested at …

Influence Of Nozzle Pressure, Standoff Distance, And Reinforcing Steel Cage On Water Jetting Of Cidh Pile Anomalies, Matthew Jason Schaffer

Master's Theses

The effectiveness of removing anomalous material from cast-in-drilled-hole (CIDH) piles by water jetting was examined.  The primary objectives of this research were to examine how reinforcing steel influences water jetting and to evaluate how jetting pressures and standoff distance from the material surface affect water jetting of concrete type materials and PVC tubing.  The experimental work consisted of water blasting submerged test specimens using rotary jets, nozzles, pumping equipment, and testing procedures currently used in construction practice.  The concrete test specimens were comprised of ring- and cylinder-shaped samples, containing materials with compressive strengths of approximately 160 and 3,600 psi.  Typical …

A Microsimulation Of Traffic, Parking, And Emissions At California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo, Steven Michael Kilbert

Master's Theses

Traffic and parking congestion are significant issues at many universities nationwide. The delays experienced result in wasted time, money, and fuel for students, faculty and staff, not to mention the negative contributions to the environment. This paper quantifies the amount of vehicle emissions generated during an average morning peak hour in the university environment. Using VISSIM and CMEM microsimulation packages, a model is created for California Polytechnic State University- San Luis Obispo to aggregate the collective transportation behaviors and practices of the campus and recognize the implications these behaviors pose on the transportation network as a whole. Reasonable estimates are …

Real-Time Crash Risk Estimation: Are All Freeways Created Equal?, Anurag Pande, Abhishek Das, Mohamed A. Abdel-Aty, Hany Hassan

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Underground loop detectors have been recently used by many researchers to investigate the links with real-time crash risk and the traffic data. An issue that has been raised but not explicitly addressed in these studies is how the results from one freeway might transfer to another. This study attempts to look at the relationship between crash risk and real-time traffic variables from a freeway corridor (I4 eastbound in Orlando, FL) and attempts to apply the models to three other freeway corridors (I-4 westbound, and I-95 north and southbound). Traffic data used in the study were collected using loop as well …

Traffic Engineering In A Hybrid Format: More Learning With Less Meeting, Anurag Pande, Joe Grimes

Civil and Environmental Engineering

In the Civil Engineering curriculum at Cal Poly, CE 421 (Traffic Engineering) course is intended to provide students with details of driver behavior, traffic characteristics, and design considerations for addressing traffic problems. In fall 2008, this class was taught in traditional Face-to-Face (f2f) lecture format. Based on the student feedback received at the end of the quarter and success in achieving learning outcomes, it was determined that the course should be more student-centered and there should be a 2-way feedback mechanism between students and instructor throughout the quarter. Based on this evaluation, the course was redesigned and taught in the …

Effects Of Liquefaction-Induced Ground Failure On Bridges, Roads, Railroads And Lifeline Systems, Christian Ledezma, Scott Ashford, Tara Hutchinson, Robb E.S. Moss, Pedro Arduino, Robert Kayen, Scott Olson

Civil and Environmental Engineering

No abstract provided.

Landfill Temperatures Under Variable Decomposition Conditions, Nazli Yesiller, James L. Hanson, H. Yoshida

Civil and Environmental Engineering

This study was conducted to evaluate temperature, gas, and leachate data at two landfills in similar climatic regions (Detroit, Michigan, USA and Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan) to determine the interrelations between heat production and resulting waste temperatures and gas and leachate levels in landfills under variable decomposition conditions. Significant temperature increases occurred under long-term anaerobic conditions. Stable elevated temperatures under anaerobic conditions were observed for wastes at central locations. Seasonal fluctuations in both temperature and gas existed at shallow depths and near perimeter locations. Placement of an overfill of fresh wastes over old wastes affected temperatures, yet did not significantly influence …

Variability And Accuracy Of Target Displacement From Nonlinear Static Procedures, Rakesh K. Goel

Civil and Environmental Engineering

This paper compares the target displacement estimate from four current nonlinear static procedures—FEMA-356 CM, ASCE41 CM, ATC-40 CSM, and FEMA-440 CSM—with the value derived from recorded motions of five strongly shaken reinforced concrete buildings.This comparison provides useful insight into two important questions: (1) how much does the target displacement vary among the four nonlinear static procedures? and (2) can the engineering profession “accurately” predict the response of a real building during an earthquake event using currently available modeling techniques and pushover analysis procedures? It is shown that these procedures may lead to significantly different estimates of the target displacement, particularly …

Comparison Of Base Shears Estimated From Floor Accelerations And Column Shears, Rakesh K. Goel

Civil and Environmental Engineering

This paper compares base shears computed from floor accelerations (inertial base shear) and column shears (structural base shear) for two mid-rise, multistory buildings due to a suite of 30 earthquake ground motions. The presented results demonstrate that the inertial base shear exceeds the structural base shear in the median by 10% to 20% and may exceed the structural base shear by as much as 70% for individual ground motions. Therefore, it is concluded that the inertial base shear computed from strong motion records should be used with caution to estimate the structural base shear.

Bond Behavior Of Fiber Reinforced Polymer Bars Under Hinged Beam Conditions, Ryan James Sandstrom

Master's Theses

The research provided in this report examines the behavior of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) reinforcing bars, embedded in normal weight concrete (NWC) hinged beam-end specimens, tested in accordance with two laboratory conditions. Reinforcing bars of different diameter, material configuration, and finished surface preparation were tested for bond strength parameters determined in accordance with ACI Committee Report 440.3. Bond strength parameters under the first condition were tested within NWC beams at a relatively low compressive strength and minimum embedment length; the second condition allowed testing within NWC beams at twice the design compressive strength of the first condition and moderate embedment …

Investigating Wood Welding Parameters Using A Prototype Welding Machine, Timothy R. Melin

Master's Theses

Understanding how different processing variables influence wood welded bonds is vital if the technique will ever be used to create engineered lumber without using adhesives. A variation of vibration welding, wood welding uses pressure and friction to bond materials together. During welding, heat causes a softening in the wood, a naturally occurring composite material. This softening leads to fiber entanglement and a bond forms upon cooling.

The goal of this research was to investigate several processing aspects of the wood welding procedure. A prototype wood welding machine, designed and fabricated from the ground up, was used to investigate the effects …

An Investigation Of Initially Delaminated Composite Sandwich With Delamination Arrest Mechanism Under Buckling Loading, Tony D. Tran

Master's Theses

This thesis involves the development of a fiberglass-foam composite sandwich structure with the introduction of delamination arrestment keys; therefore, a study of an initially delaminated composite sandwich structure was the experimental analysis on multiple configurations in how the arrestment keys are placed.

The first part of this thesis research was to the experimental design and manufacturing of the composite sandwich plates. These plates were later cut down to the specific test dimensions and manufacturing processes for the composite sandwich plates and test specimens were created. The composite sandwich plates were manufactured using a vacuum resin infusion process. The dimensions of …

Anaerobic Co-Digestion Of Wastewater Treatment Pond Algae With Wastewater Sludge, Daniel Eric Heimel

Master's Theses

Microalgae harvested from wastewater treatment ponds can be anaerobically digested to produce biogas, a renewable fuel resource. However, past experiments have shown some limitations of algae digestion. Algal cell walls are thought to be resistant to digestion, and the high protein content of algae can lead to ammonia toxicity in digesters. Co-digestion of algae with substrates containing higher C:N ratios (e.g., waste paper) can be used to maintain non-inhibitory ammonia concentrations and increase methane production. However, high carbon waste co-substrates have become costly or are not readily available in many communities. Although domestic wastewater sludge has only a marginally higher …

An Investigation Of The Influence Of Diaphragm Flexibility On Building Design Through A Comparison Of Forced Vibration Testing And Computational Analysis, Blake Alan Roskelley

Master's Theses

An assessment of the validity of idealizing a concrete diaphragm as rigid was performed through the modal analysis of three existing buildings. Modal analysis was performed both by physical experimentation and computational analysis. Experimental determination of the mode shapes shows that two of the three buildings’ diaphragms exhibited flexible behavior. The experimental results were compared to computational analysis results and were shown to be similar, confirming that that the two building diaphragms are not rigid. As a standard, diaphragms with aspect ratios less than three are permitted to be idealized as rigid per ASCE 7-05. To determine the effect of …

Assessment Of State Recycling Regulations In The United States, Nazli Yesiller, James L. Hanson, Samuel A. Vigil

Civil and Environmental Engineering

This investigation was conducted to identify the current status of state recycling regulations in U.S. using an extensive survey. Questions were included regarding: baseline waste generation and recycling trends; recycling regulatory trends; quantitative thresholds; integration of science, engineering, and economic principles; material properties; and legislative status of regulations. The majority of the surveyed states had regulations for recycling activities, which were less strict than solid waste regulations, and required permits for operation of recycling facilities. A low percentage of the states regulated generators, transporters, and handlers and a high percentage regulated recyclers. In general, transfer stations and recycling centers were …

A Realistic Technology And Engineering Assessment Of Algae Biofuel Production, T. J. Lundquist, I. C. Woertz, N. W. T. Quinn, J. R. Benemann

Civil and Environmental Engineering

This report assesses the economics of microalgae biofuels production through an analysis of five production scenarios. These scenarios, or cases, are based on technologies that currently exist or are expected to become available in the near-term, including raceway ponds for microalgae cultivation, bioflocculation for algae harvesting, and hexane for extraction of algae oil. Process flow diagrams, facility site layouts, and estimates for the capital and operations costs of each case were developed de novo. This report also reviews current and developing microalgae biofuel technologies for both oil and biogas production, provides an initial assessment of the US and California …

A Classification Tree Based Modeling Approach For Segment Related Crashes On Multilane Highways, Anurag Pande, Mohamed Abdel-Aty, Abhishek Das

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Introduction: This study presents a classification tree based alternative to crash frequency analysis for analyzing crashes on mid-block segments of multilane arterials.

Method: The traditional approach of modeling counts of crashes that occur over a period of time works well for intersection crashes where each intersection itself provides a well-defined unit over which to aggregate the crash data. However, in the case of mid-block segments the crash frequency based approach requires segmentation of the arterial corridor into segments of arbitrary lengths. In this study we have used random samples of time, day of week, and location (i.e., milepost) …