Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Rework Prediction On A Construction Site Through Bim & Ann Integration, Raghda Attia

Theses and Dissertations

Construction Rework is a common and widespread issue in the construction industry that has a detrimental impact on the project performance, whether in terms of schedule delay or cost overrun. Developments in Building Information Modelling (BIM) have aided in the resolution of coordination issues, which are thought to be one of the leading sources of rework particularly during the construction stage. Nevertheless, the majority of research has focused on resolving coordination issues during the design stage with minimum regard to the coordination issues that occur during the construction stage. In a BIM environment, the goal of this research is to …

A Quality Management System Implementation Framework For Contracting Companies In Egypt, Noha Elsokhn

Theses and Dissertations

Customer dissatisfaction due to low quality and performance in developing countries is more notable than technical construction failures. In order to enhance the corporate-level quality, which is reflected later in project-level metrics, quality management systems (QMS) are developed and applied. A quality management system (QMS) defines the organization's structure, processes, procedures, and responsibilities to achieve quality policies and objectives. Successful implementation of a QMS improves service quality, organization performance, and customer satisfaction. Previous research widely explored QMS implementation in different industries; only a few studies focused on the implementation and its influential factors in the construction industry, especially in developing …

Project Leanness Score: A Machine Learning Approach, Julia Said

Theses and Dissertations

The construction industry is known to have several inadequacies in resource utilization leading to cost and schedule overruns. One of the popular recent methods that attempts to eliminate these inadequacies is lean construction principles, techniques and tools. Lean construction is a philosophy, backed with principles and tools, aiming at maximizing value, eliminating waste, optimizing efficiency, and seeking continuous improvement. Lean construction techniques (such as pull planning, just-in-time delivery, fail safe for quality, etc.) are widely researched and well developed. However, their implementation in construction sites is tricky as their success depends on several other factors such as the level of …

Mathematical Modeling And Optimization Of Water Efficiency In Residential Buildings, Mahmoud Amin

Theses and Dissertations

Water scarcity is a global issue that is rapidly worsening. The domestic sector is one of the fastest-growing segments of world water usage. Many researchers have explored various approaches to promote sustainable uses of water, with Greywater (GW) recycling and utilization of innovative plumbing fixtures among the methods presented to reduce freshwater consumption for domestic usage. Nonetheless, previous studies have dealt with both means independently, with limited analysis of the integrated effect of utilizing GW recycling with innovative plumbing fixtures, both on quality of supplied water, as well as on cost of the integrated system. Accordingly, this research aims at …

Final Bid Price Estimation For Negotiated Contracts: Bargaining Game Theory Approach, Amr El Mahallaoui

Theses and Dissertations

The wide use of the low bid method by employers for awarding construction contracts has created an aggressively competitive environment among contractors in the construction industry. As a result, a contractor may resort to use a low mark-up percentage for his bid to increase his chances of winning, which may lead to losses and conflicts in case he is awarded the project. Additionally, a contractor who reaches the final negotiations stage for a certain project is faced by the dilemma of the minimum discount percentage he may need to offer to the employer that maximizes his chance to win the …

Impact Of Rapid Urbanization, Climate Change, And Drainage Design On Urban Flash Floods In New Cairo, Egypt, Bassma Taher Hassan

Theses and Dissertations

Urban flooding is considered one of the most hazardous disasters in metropolitan areas, which causes growing risk on people’s lives, infrastructure and environment. Egypt witnessed an unprecedent extreme rainfall event in 2020 that caused more than four hundred injuries and major damage in properties and infrastructures affecting the economic and social aspects adversely. This was not the first extreme rainfall event causing catastrophic implications, over the past 5 years, New Cairo have been experiencing intense rainfall events almost every year that put the community in jeopardy. This research intends to investigate the main drivers prompting urban flash floods in New …

A Comprehensive Evaluation Of Wastewater Grit Characteristics And Its Application In The Design Of A Facility-Specific Grit Removal Solution, Tetiana Kolsovska

Theses and Dissertations

Tailored solutions for wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are becoming more prevalent for optimization of treatment process, based on the unique quality of the influent received by each facility. In-depth evaluation of the influent properties is necessary for design of the most appropriate treatment system. In this study, wastewater grit was evaluated in terms of its quantity, particle size distribution, total organic carbon (TOC) content, including fats, oils, and grease (FOG), and settling velocity of the particles, over the course of one year at the headworks, collection network, and through the treatment stages of the Atlantic County Utilities Authority (ACUA) WWTP, …

Mechanical Properties Of Concrete With 100 Percent Coarse Recycled Concrete Aggregate (Rca), Mohsen H. Motlagh

Theses and Dissertations

Recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) is a crushed concrete with the original aggregates' features and old mortar adhered to the original aggregate which makes it necessary to know the mechanical properties of the RCA. The objectives of this thesis are (a) to characterize RCA from different sources and of different proportions, (b) to measure the mechanical properties of concrete made with 100% RCA as coarse aggregates, and (c) to evaluate how the RCA properties affect the properties of new concrete. The study uses RCA with three types of original aggregates (limestone, dolomite, and granite) in two water-to-cement ratios 0.48 and 0.38 …

Durability Properties Of Concrete With 100 Percent Coarse Recycled Concrete Aggregates, Tasnia Tarannum Khan

Theses and Dissertations

The supplies of concrete aggregates from natural sources are rapidly reducing. Recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) are produced by crushing the concrete obtained from demolished concrete structures. The purpose of this study is to determine the durability properties of concrete with 100% recycled concrete coarse aggregates and relate the durability of such concrete to the physical, mechanical, and durability properties of RCA and the RCA parent concrete. The correlations of several properties are determined by developing model equations to predict RCA properties. The parent concrete is crushed and graded at two nominal maximum sizes, 1" and 0.75", to determine the RCA …

Sustainable Wastewater Treatment Technology For Rural Communities, Yousra Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations

Egypt is considered the country with the largest population in the Middle East Region. It is also expected to have the most significant population increase. The main objective of the present research was to develop a sustainable and effective wastewater treatment technology based on locally available materials such as sand and fabric in the treatment process. From the results obtained from the different experimental runs, it can be concluded that the use of fabric-aided sand filters achieves significant removal efficiency, especially in terms of COD and TSS. The results indicated the technical feasibility of utilizing different fabric materials with nylon …

Framework For Enhanced Applicability Of The Egyptian Public Procurement Law To International Administrative Construction Contracts, Amr Abu Helw

Theses and Dissertations

Local governments and public authorities conclude contracts for the purpose of acquisition of goods, delivery of services and construction of public facilities like bridges, infrastructures and public buildings. A public contract is an agreement to perform particular tasks financed by government funds to the benefit of the whole community. Private entities and corporations are subject to stricter standards in their dealings with the government than in private transactions. Conversely, the government must deal fairly and equitably with those who it contracted with to achieve successful implementation of the projects. On October 3, 2018, a new Egyptian public procurement law, namely, …

Design And Analysis Of Flexible Insulated Pavement For Cold Region Applications, Zhuang Zhuo

Theses and Dissertations

Pavements in cold regions suffer from additional deterioration due to the influences of extreme climate on frost-susceptible subgrade layers. To address this problem, one efficient strategy is to add a thermal insulating layer above the frost-susceptible layer. This study aims to evaluate the insulating effects of four materials: XPS boards, tire chips, foamed glass aggregates, and foamed concrete. Large-scale insulated pavement boxes (1.2m×1.2m×0.8m) were constructed to compare the thermal performance of different materials. The thermal performance of each box was evaluated and graded based on indicators related to the short-term temperature decrease and long-term temperature variation.

Experimental results show that …

Effects Of The Inclusion Of Rice Hull Derived Bio-Oil On Wood Pellet Production, Tyler E. Lowe

Theses and Dissertations

Wood pellet production has become an advancing industry for the sake of reducing greenhouse emissions into the atmosphere especially, in European Union countries. Researchers and industry executives seek new methods and materials to improve the pelletization process. Rice hulls or husks has the potential to aid in wood pelletization as they possess high calorific values. This study focuses on using rice hull derived bio-oil from pyrolysis, which will also decrease ash content, as an additive to aid in the wood pelletization process. Using two groups of rice hull derived bio-oil as an additive in wood pelletization: Group 1 uses heavy …

Effects Of Bonding Pressure And Lamina Thickness On Mechanical Properties Of Clt Composed Of Southern Yellow Pine, Cody S. Bates

Theses and Dissertations

This study produced cross-laminated timber panels at a range of four lamina thickness (5/8, 1, 1 1/8, and 1 1/4 inch) and three bonding pressures (50, 125, 200 psi), producing a total of 12 panels for mechanical testing. The goal of this study is to observe how the thickness and pressure trends affect the mechanical properties of CLT. Tests include flatwise bending, flatwise shear, internal-bond, and delamination. Results showed that bending MOE decreases as the panel thickness increases while bonding pressure had no significance. Bending MOR was less significant for the thickness and more significant for pressure compared to the …

Field Durability Test Of Clt Wall Envelope Using Physical Barriers Against Termites And Structural Performance Of Nailed Hold-Down Brackets Connected To Fungus-Exposed Clt Walls, Kamal Neupane

Theses and Dissertations

The effectiveness of using commercial polyethylene flashing and stainless-steel mesh in CLT wall systems as the termite barriers were evaluated in a short-term field test. American Wood Protection Association (AWPA) E21's visual ratings ranged from 10 to 9 in the specimens showing little damage when no physical barriers were used. Termites were able to crawl beyond the physical barriers in few specimens showing the necessity of further research on height and installation method of physical barriers. On the second part, the effect of decay caused due to Postia placenta, a brown-rot fungus, on the structural performance of hold-down brackets connected …

Mixing Temperature, Binder Content, And Dust Content Effects On Stone Matrix Asphalt, Abhinash Subedi

Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on the effects of mixing temperature, binder content, and dust content on the performance of Stone Matrix Asphalt (SMA). Mixes produced at different mixing temperatures and with or without added polymer modified binder (P_b) and/or bag house dust (BHD) were evaluated. Two different types of specimens: laboratory mixed laboratory compacted, and plant mixed laboratory compacted were evaluated by Cantabro Mass Loss (CML) testing in an unaged condition or after a laboratory conditioning protocol (CP) was applied. Additional P_b and BHD were added to plant produced mixes in the laboratory before mixing. Results showed that …

To A More Sustainable Construction Method For Electrically Conductive Heated Pavement Systems, Mohammad Anis

Theses and Dissertations

Snow and ice damage to the pavement in the United States, particularly in colder regions, costs the US economy millions of dollars each year. Conventional methods for keeping snow off roads after heavy snowfall are judged prohibitively expensive. As a result, an alternative solution is required to reduce costs while also improving pavement resiliency. An electrically heated pavement system (EHPS) has been regarded as a viable alternative to older approaches in recent years. The majority of earlier research concentrated on improving the conductivity characteristics of paving materials. On the other hand, this study takes a different approach by focusing on …

The Skeletal Structure Of Hot Mix Asphalt And The Effects Of Fiber Additives, Samantha A. Avila

Theses and Dissertations

Hot mix asphalt (HMA) has proven to be successful in providing a proper paving surface for transportation services throughout the world. Asphalt pavement could be altered as the gradation of the mixture is adjusted. For instance, mixtures could vary from Dense Graded (DG) that contain a fairly even percentage of all aggregate size allowing for a more compact fit to Stone Matrix Asphalt (SMA) where the coarse aggregate compromise the main skeleton while fine aggregate fills the voids. This study investigates the effects of fibers and skeletal structures on mechanical properties of HMA. Two types of fiber additives are tested …

Life-Cycle Cost Analysis Of The Efficient Water Fixtures And Electric Appliances Used To Minimize Water And Energy Consumption In Homes In The U.S, Miranda N. Garcia

Theses and Dissertations

Consumer interest in incorporating sustainability and efficient appliances into daily life has been growing in the past several years. While reducing their environmental impact may be a draw to some, by making the switch to water- and energy-efficient appliances many homeowners are enticed by the promise of long-term savings on utility bills. Programs such as WaterSense and Energy Star not only offer certified efficient appliances and fixtures, but they may also certify water- and energy-efficient homes. Additionally, the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) offers the LEED program (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) which certifies homes in a similar …

A Gis-Based Model To Assess On-Site Sewage Facility (Ossf) Contamination Risk To Local Water Resources, Alvaro Garcia

Theses and Dissertations

In a collaborative effort between Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI), Cameron County Public Health (CCPH), Texas A&M AgriLife Extension (TAMAE), and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), a GIS database that includes relevant OSSF information, such as location, system age, lot size, and other important parameters was created.

This OSSF database, along with publicly available GIS data, was used to create an integrative GIS-based risk assessment model where OSSF risk parameters were assigned a risk factor and combined into a spatial contamination risk for surrounding areas and their receiving waterbodies. Parameters were broken down into two categories: environmental …

Resiliency Of Utah's Road Network: A Logit-Based Approach, Max Evan Barnes

Theses and Dissertations

The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) manages and maintains a complex state-wide network of highways. Recent incidents such as the collapse of the I-35W bridge in Min- neapolis, Minnesota, and the I-85/Piedmont Road fire and subsequent bridge collapse in Atlanta, Georgia, have brought identification of transportation network vulnerabilities to the forefront of UDOT’s planning efforts. Traditional estimates of transportation network impacts have focused on increases to user travel time or the volume of affected traffic, but studies of these disasters have revealed that when facing a degraded transportation network, people adjust their trip making in terms of destination, mode, and …

The Impact Of Increasing Flood Frequency On Flood Inundation: A Case Study Of The Little River In Florida, Maj Amanda Catharina Allen

Theses and Dissertations

Floods are considered one of the most devastating natural hazards and are projected to increase in frequency and magnitude in many places around the world, one of them being Florida. Understanding the potential changes of flood hazards due to climate change is of paramount importance for developing effective flood mitigation procedures and resilient infrastructures. In this work, changes in flood inundation characteristics (flood depth and extent) in response to changes in future flood magnitudes are estimated and analyzed for the Little River basin in northwest Florida. HEC-RAS hydraulic model is set up and validated against observations for the flood event …

Extending Multi-Beam Sonar With Structure From Motion Data Of Shorelines For Complete Pool Bathymetry Of Reservoirs, Izaak Brandt Cooper

Theses and Dissertations

Bathymetric mapping is an important tool for reservoir management, typically completed before reservoir construction. Historically, bathymetric maps were produced by interpolating between points measured at a relatively large spacing throughout a reservoir, typically on the order of a few, up to 10, meters or more depending on the size of the reservoir. These measurements were made using traditional survey methods before the reservoir was filled, or using sonar surveys after filling. Post-construction issues such as sedimentation and erosion can change a reservoir, but generating updated bathymetric maps is difficult as the areas of interest are typically in the sediment deltas …

Cyclic Triaxial Testing To Evaluate Factors Affecting The Unsaturated Cyclic Behavior Of A Silty Sand, Zachary R. Howard

Theses and Dissertations

This study assesses the cyclic resistance of a non-plastic silty sand, representative of a common mine tailings material. Two series of unsaturated cyclic triaxial tests were conducted, which varied wetting and drying path specimen preparation techniques, initial matric suction, initial net normal stress, and cyclic stress ratio. Specimens prepared using the wetting path experienced significantly higher cyclic resistance than those prepared using the drying path. Specimens that were exposed to higher initial matric suction values experienced higher cyclic resistance than those consolidated with lower initial matric suction values. Initial net normal stress was found to contribute more to specimen cyclic …

Combined Effects Of Welding Residual Stress And Thermal Expansion In Cwr, Brennan Gedney

Theses and Dissertations

Continuously welded rail with flash-butt welded joints has become standard practice for railway construction around the world. Through the process of welding, a residual stress field develops in the joint which typically remains in the rail through its service life. Consequently, the total stress is altered locally in the presence of operation induced stresses. One such stress develops due to thermal expansion of the rail during the daily and seasonal solar radiation heating cycle. This paper seeks to ascertain the combined effects of welding residual stress with thermal expansion through computer simulations. This is aimed at two objectives: determining whether …

Evaluation Of A Trigonometric Grey Model For Estimating And Predicting Pavement Condition, Amara Kouyate

Theses and Dissertations

States, counties, and municipalities rely on pavement performance curves to forecast future pavement conditions in their jurisdictions. Accurate prediction is essential for budget planning and the identification of candidates for rehabilitation. This study investigates the use of a grey model (GM) to estimate and predict pavement conditions. An advantage of the GMs is that they do not require a large sample size for model estimation. This aspect is important since smaller towns and municipalities often cannot afford to collect pavement condition data frequently due to cost. There are other situations where sample size may be limited, such as using project-level …

Impact Of Graphene On Microstructure And Compressive Strength Of Cement Mortars Utilizing Two Different Dispersion Methods, Elhussien Khaled Elbatanouny

Theses and Dissertations

Carbon-based nanomaterials are currently used to reinforce cement-based composite materials based on their superior properties. This study investigates the mechanical property (compressive strength) of cement mortars incorporated with pristine graphene. The dosages of graphene materials used were 0.01%, 0.02%, 0.03%, and 0.04% by weight of cement. Moreover, this study compares two dispersion techniques: ultrasonication with surfactant coating and mechanical blending with surfactant coating to promote the use of graphene in cement mortars. A commonly used polycarboxylate superplasticizer Sika-Viscocrete Ultra 2100, was used as a dispersant agent (surfactant) of graphene with a surfactant to graphene weight ratio of 9 to 1. …

Identification Of Structural Signature Responses From Response Time Histories Using B-Spline Impulse Response Techniques, Shadhan Ahmed Al Kharusi

Theses and Dissertations

Structure Health Monitoring (SHM) is an essential practice for ensuring the safety of people and the structures itself. For this purpose, variety of global and local damage detection methods have been used to investigate damages. Global damage detection focus on identifying damage in early stages while local damage detection related to damage location, severity, and prediction of the remaining of the structure. Any damage in structure leads to a change to the properties and characteristics of the dynamic response.

Existing methods uses modal-based and response-based for damage detection. Both have several shortcoming associate with sensitivity of the damage and measurement …

Predicting Pavement Structural Condition Using Machine Learning Methods, Nazmus Sakib Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations

State departments of transportation recognize the need to incorporate pavement structural condition in their pavement performance models and/or decision processes used to select candidate projects for preservation, rehabilitation, or reconstruction at the network level. However, pavement structural condition data are costly to obtain. To this end, this paper develops and evaluates the effectiveness of two machine learning methods, Random Forest (RF) and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), for predicting a flexible pavement’s structural condition. The aim is to be able to predict whether a pavement section’s structural condition is poor or not based on Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT), truck percentage, …

Development Of A First-Generation Prototype Laboratory System For Rail Neutral Temperature Measurements, Ellie Yi-Hsien Chao

Theses and Dissertations

Modern railway tracks worldwide standardize the use of Continuous Welded Rail (CWR) due to its ability to prevent disadvantages associated with rail joints in a track. CWR is laid when the rail is free of thermal stresses, also known as Rail Neutral Temperature (RNT). RNT is controlled in the CWR installation procedure; however, over time, the temperatures deviate from the RNT. The deviation causes significant thermal stresses introduced in the longitudinal direction of the rail, leading to potential failures such as pull-apart and buckling, causing track integrity and safety of train operation. The most significant potential failure is track buckling …