Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Improve Safety Of Workers During Highway Construction And Maintenance, Donn E. Hancher, Kenneth Bussey, Robin Meagher, Jonathan Ross, Kristin Smith

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

There is an inherent risk of injury or fatality in all occupations. Even secretarial occupations face jobsite hazards such as carpal tunnel and back injury. The nature of the construction industry combined with the required physical demand and rigorous work processes, make it an industry with higher risk of injury or fatality. In an effort to decrease that inbuilt jobsite risk that construction workers face, this study will analyze the current best safety practices, examine new safety technologies, and collaborate with construction workers themselves to gain a better perspective of what jobsite hazards they face.

Specifically, this study will focus …

Use Of Reflective Armbands To Improve Adolescent Pedestrian And Pedalcyclist Safety, Nancy Dunaway, Eric R. Green, Jerry G. Pigman, Monica L. Barrett

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The objective of this effort was to determine if elementary and middle school students could be educated to use reflective armbands to increase their visibility to motorists while walking or bicycling to school. The number of armbands and surveys distributed totaled slightly over 7,000. Responses were received from approximately 12 percent (873) of the pre-surveys and slightly over 3 percent (119) of the post-surveys. Respondents to the survey indicated nearly 15 percent of schoolchildren receiving reflective armbands were wearing the armband “every day” or “most days”. Of the parents responding, 21 percent indicated their children would continue to wear the …

Compaction Of Mixtures Of Hard Rocks And Soft Shales And Non-Durable Shales Using Impact Compactors, Tommy C. Hopkins

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Impact roller compaction has been used to improve embankment and highway subgrades in South Africa, Australia, Europe, and China and other areas of the world. In September of 2003, the International Technology Scanning Program, sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), and the National Cooperative Highway Research Program of the Transportation Research Board, identified this technology as one of several foreign technologies and innovations that could significantly benefit U.S. transportation systems. The technology was high-lighted at the Fifth International Conference on the Bearing Capacity of Roads and Airfields in 1998 …

Data Fusion Technique For Measuring Intersection Delay Using Gps-Enabled Probe Vehicles, Byung-Hee Han

Masters Theses

Intersection control delay is considered a primary measure for determining the level of service at signalized intersections. This thesis develops a technique estimating intersection delay using GPS data from GPS-enabled vehicles. First, this study analyzes existing methods that estimate control delays using GPS data and proposes an improved technique in response to the weakness of those methods. The proposed method estimates the control delay well with better accuracy covering the weaknesses. However, the control delay from the GPS data has a sample size problem for determining the level of service at signalized intersections. Therefore, this thesis proposes a data fusion …

Stockpiling Hydrated Lime-Soil Mixtures, Tommy C. Hopkins, Tony L. Beckham, Charlie Sun

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The concept and feasibility of stockpiling and reusing hydrated lime-soil mixtures to stabilize particular areas on stabilization projects after the mixing contractor has departed were examined. In chemical stabilization of subgrades, situations often arise where additional areas need to be stabilized after the specialty contractor and mixing equipment have left the project. Field and laboratory investigations were performed to determine if a soil mixed with hydrated lime during routine lime subgrade stabilization could be mixed, stockpiled, and used later. In laboratory studies, hydrated lime-soil mixtures were stockpiled loosely in the laboratory. CBR specimens of the stockpile material were remolded and …

Development Of Knowledge Base Of Concrete Bridge Maintenance System, Bahre Karam

Masters Theses

Bridges are the key elements of any transportation system of a country. Bridges are expensive structures and therefore, it's essential to maintain and repair them on regular basis. Almost one third of the bridges in United States are reported to be in some what deteriorated conditions. This Research presents the development of knowledge base for decision support system for concrete bridges.

During this research various concrete bridge problems are investigated including COlTosion, delamination, cracks, spalling and scour etc. The inspection tools and techniques are addressed in order to identify these problems both for above and below water surface. The various …

2007 Model County Highway Ordinances, Indiana Ltap, Indiana Association Of County Engineers And Supervisors

Indiana Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) Publications

This report is intended to provide model ordinances for common situations for county highway departments and local street departments in Indiana where no current sample or model ordinance is readily available. Information to prepare model ordinances was collected from other Indiana counties and municipalities. Some of the model ordinances were created at the request of local highway and street departments.

The purpose of this report was not to duplicate regulations already in place such as where state governments cover issues such as road signage, or traffic control, but to provide references for situations that have no other regulation or where …

Utilization Of Thermopolastic Rejects With Different Reinforcing Elements In The Production Of Manhole Covers, Lama Mosad El Hatow

Archived Theses and Dissertations

This thesis aims to investigate the potential usage of rejected non-recyclable contaminated plastic rejects with different reinforcing elements to produce a viable product such as a manhole cover. Contaminated plastic rejects are generally deemed unrecyclable due to the cost and effort, including money, water, energy associated with cleaning the product in order to recycle it. By recycling these contaminated plastic rejects as is and reinforcing it with different reinforcing elements, we can enhance the mechanical properties of the material to enable it to be used as a viable, durable product such as a manhole cover. Problems associated with manhole covers …

Bs News

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Development And Evaluation Of A Simulation System Based Upon Standard Pedestrian Thoroughfare Methodologies, Charles O. Pringle

All Master's Theses

This study was undertaken to determine whether existing simulation and modeling systems could be used to analyze and model pedestrian traffic flows. The study incorporates the Highway Capacity Manual 2000 (HCM) (Transportation Research Board, National Research Council [TRB], 2000a) methodologies into a ProModel simulation and then compares and contrasts the results of the HCM calculations with the ProModel simulation.

Modeling Effects Of Channel Complexity And Hyporheic Flow On Stream Temperatures, Chris Berger, Scott A. Wells

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Stream temperatures are affected by multiple forcing functions, including surface heat exchange (including solar radiation, evaporation, conduction, and net long wave radiation) and hyporheic flows. Each of these forcing functions is directly influenced by the level of channel complexity in the stream channel and riparian shading. The interrelationship between channel complexity, hyporheic flow and stream temperature is highly complex, and efforts to manage for habitat diversity by managing channel complexity could result in unintended consequences on stream temperature. When planning modifications to stream channel complexity, consideration should be given to the effects such moderations could have on stream temperatures.

Urbanization …

Evaluating And Adaptive Signal Control System In Gresham, James M. Peters, Jay Mccoy, Robert L. Bertini

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Cities and Counties are faced with increasing traffic congestion due to rapidly increasing population. Like many agencies, the City of Gresham has struggled with how to manage the increasing congestion with limited funds for major roadway widening projects. Gresham has recognized the need to optimize existing system capacity to get the most out of their current transportation system infrastructure investment.

In 2005, the City of Gresham, in cooperation with numerous agencies in the Portland metropolitan area, evaluated a variety of signal control systems including traditional time-of-day coordination, traffic responsive, and adaptive signal control systems. Based on that evaluation, the steering …

Recycling Practices For Environmental Materials, Sudhir Palle, Steve Higgins, Theodore Hopwood Ii

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Two environmental materials, tree and brush debris and large animal roadkill carcasses were investigated. The disposal methods for these materials were reviewed as opportunities/methods for possible recycling. KYTC established several pilot composting operations in 2006. These were monitored during their preliminary stages of operation.

Analysis Of Truck Delays At Container Terminal Security Inspection Stations, Dae-Gwun Yoon

Dissertations

After September 11, 2001, special attention has been given to the vulnerability at container transportation to terrorist activities. United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has set up inspection stations for containers at seaport terminals to screen containers, but this practice affects the truck turnaround time in the seaport by generating additional processing delays.

This dissertation analyses the additional truck turnaround time incurred at the inspection stations under various levels of security. Queuing models were used to estimate truck delay as containers are inspected at two successive security inspection stages. Each stage may utilize one or more inspection equipment. The …

Mechanisms Causing Ferric Staining In The Secondary Water System Of Brigham City, Utah, Robert Derring Wallace

Theses and Dissertations

Water from Mantua reservoir has, during some years, exhibited reddish-brown staining when used by Brigham City for irrigation. I propose that seasonal fluctuations in the reservoir chemistry create an environment conducive to dissolving iron from the iron-rich sediments, which subsequently precipitate during irrigation, resulting in a staining event. These conditions are produced by chemical and biological decomposition of organic matter, coupled with isolation of the hypolimnetic waters, which results in seasonal low concentrations of dissolved oxygen in these waters. Under these specific circumstances, anaerobic conditions develop creating a geochemical environment that causes iron and manganese reduction from Fe(III) to Fe(II) …

Dynamic Full-Scale Testing Of A Pile Cap With Loose Silty Sand Backfill, Immanuel Kaleoonalani Runnels

Theses and Dissertations

Pile caps are used in foundation design to aid multiple single piles to act as a pile group to resist lateral forces that may cause overturning moments. The pile cap and pile group resist these forces by pile-soil-pile interaction, base and side friction along the pile cap-backfill interface, and passive earth resistance. Passive earth resistance has been neglected in design due to a limited amount of full-scale testing. This research presents the results of a combination of hydraulic actuator and eccentric-mass shaker full-scale testing of a pile cap with loose silty sand backfill to quantify the contribution of the passive …

Traffic Noise Barrier System: U.S. Patent No. Us 7,220,077 B2, Eric C. Humphries, Stephen D. Barratt, Ronald K. Faller, Keith J. Kurz, Dean L. Sicking

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

A crashworthy traffic noise barrier system for use alongside a path of traffic, the crashworthy traffic noise barrier system comprises a crashworthy longitudinal barrier extending substantially parallel to the path of traffic and a crashworthy traffic noise barrier wall supported by the longitudinal barrier. The crashworthy traffic noise barrier wall includes a plurality of upstanding posts attached to the traffic noise barrier wall, at least one panel supported between each adjacent pair of posts in the plurality of upstanding posts, and at least one longitudinal beam spaced above a top surface of the longitudinal barrier and extending across the plurality …

Evaluation Of Laboratory Durability Tests For Stabilized Aggregate Base Materials, Matthew B. Roper

Theses and Dissertations

The Portland Cement Association commissioned a research project at Brigham Young University to compare selected laboratory durability tests available for assessing stabilized aggregate base materials. The laboratory research associated with this project involved two granular base materials, three stabilizers at three concentration levels each, and three durability tests in a full-factorial experimental design. The granular base materials consisted of an aggregate-reclaimed asphalt pavement blend obtained from Interstate 84 (I-84) and a crushed limestone obtained from U.S. Highway 91 (US-91), while the three stabilizer types included Class C fly ash, lime-fly ash, and Type I/II Portland cement. Specimens were tested for …

Multiobjective Optimization For Optimal Design Of Urban Drainage Systems, Misgana K. Muleta, Paul F. Boulos

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Control of sewer overflows, the leading cause of water pollution in the nation’s water bodies, is vital to reducing risks to public health and protecting the environment. The most common solutions for mitigating sewer overflows include adding storage volume, increasing conduit capacity, expanding pumping capacity, and implementation of real time operational controls to more effectively utilize existing system storage. Obviously, comprehensive modeling and analysis of these sewer systems becomes necessary for developing sound cost-effective and reliable solutions for enhancing system integrity and performance to convey sewer flows without causing overflows. However, identification of the optimal remedial solution that effectively circumvents …

Numerical And Physical Modeling Of Turbulent Shear Flows, John Raiford

All Dissertations

This dissertation is an evaluation of popular turbulence schemes; both three dimensional and depth-averaged, and also includes an experimental study on shallow near bed jets. The three dimensional and RNG turbulent closure schemes are evaluated for free and bounded shear flows. For free shear flows (circular and plane turbulent jets), the scheme with standard coefficient performs equally well and in some cases better than the renormalized group scheme in predicting growth rate, decay of centerline velocity and longitudinal velocity profiles. For turbulent kinetic energy across the jet, the inner region is better predicted by the RNG scheme.
The second case …

Investigation Of The Iron Oxidation Kinetics In Mantua Reservoir, Scott H. Lathen

Theses and Dissertations

Irrigation of the municipal cemetery in Brigham City, Utah resulted in stained headstones in 2001 and 2002. The water used in the irrigation came from Mantua reservoir, a medium sized impoundment situated near the mouth of Box Elder Canyon. In order for Brigham City to establish a city wide secondary pressurized irrigation system using water from Mantua reservoir, the cause and the source of staining problem must be determined. Previous research (Wallace 2006) determined that the source of the staining was the reduction of iron found in Mantua Reservoir sediments that occurred when seasonal variations in the reservoir caused anaerobic …

Diluent Hydrocarbon Biodegredation In Laboratory Microcosms Using Anoxic Eletctron Acceptors, Meghann Chell, Laleh Rastagarzadeh, Yarrow Nelson

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Abstract of Paper Presented at Conference.

A Prioritization Process For Access Management Implementation In Utah, Kordel T. Braley

Theses and Dissertations

Appropriate access management techniques can improve the safety and efficiency of arterial roads. In order to determine which roads can most benefit by the implementation of access management techniques, a prioritization process was developed to recommend various access management treatments such as limiting access points, installing raised medians, and ensuring adequate signal spacing along corridors. To serve as the basis for the performance index, a database was created including identifying features, characteristics, and crash history for 175 arterial road segments on Utah state routes. Stepwise linear regression was applied to the data collected to determine which characteristics of the roads …

Evaluation And Installation Guidelines For Advance Warning Signal Systems In Utah, Aaron Paul Jensen

Theses and Dissertations

Advance warning signals (AWS) provide information warning drivers in advance of the end-of-green phase for an approaching signalized intersection. The purpose of this research was to develop guidelines for the placement of AWS in Utah, both conditions to evaluate the need for AWS installation and guidelines for the AWS system design. The conditions were based on literature of other transportation agencies that had similar AWS systems and were developed using the Policy Delphi method. The Policy Delphi method is the development of a specific policy area through the means of discussion by a committee of experts correlating views and information …

Evaluating The Impacts Of Accelerated Incident Clearance Tools And Strategies By Harnessing The Power Of Microscopic Traffic Simulation , Ryan Fries

All Dissertations

Traffic incidents cause Americans delay, waste fuel, cause injuries, and create toxic emissions. Transportation professionals have implemented a variety of tools to manage these impacts and researchers have studied their effectiveness, illustrating a wide range between different tools and locations. To improve this state of knowledge, this dissertation sought to 1) identify prominent and effective incident management strategies, 2) model six selected incident management strategies within five highway corridors in South Carolina, and 3) apply benefit-cost analysis to evaluate the impact of various combinations of these strategies.
To meet these objectives, the author evaluated published literature of the selected strategies, …

Use Of The Clegg Impact Soil Tester To Access Rutting Susceptiblity Of Cement-Treated Base Material Under Early Trafficking, Garth B. Reese

Theses and Dissertations

In order to avoid the occurrence of early-age damage, cement-treated base (CTB) materials must be allowed to cure for a period of time before the pavement can be opened to traffic. Trafficking of a CTB before sufficient strength gain has occurred can lead to marring or rutting of the treated layer. The specific objectives of this research were to examine the correlation between Clegg impact values (CIVs) determined using a heavy Clegg impact soil tester and rut depths measured in newly constructed CTB and subsequently establish a threshold CIV at which rutting should not occur.The experimental work included field testing …

College Of Engineering Senior Design Competition Spring 2007, University Of Nevada, Las Vegas

Fred and Harriet Cox Senior Design Competition Projects

Part of every UNLV engineering student’s academic experience, the senior design project stimulates engineering innovation and entrepreneurship. Each student in their senior year chooses, plans, designs, and prototypes a product in this required element of the curriculum. A capstone to the student’s educational career, the senior design project encourages the student to use everything learned in the engineering program to create a practical, real world solution to an engineering challenge.

The senior design competition helps to focus the senior students in increasing the quality and potential for commercial application for their design projects. Judges from local industry evaluate the projects …

On The Nature Of Over-Dispersion In Motor Vehicle Crash Prediction Models, Sudeshna Mitra, Simon Washington

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Statistical modeling of traffic crashes has been of interest to researchers for decades. Over the most recent decade many crash models have accounted for extra-variation in crash counts—variation over and above that accounted for by the Poisson density. The extra-variation – or dispersion – is theorized to capture unaccounted for variation in crashes across sites. The majority of studies have assumed fixed dispersion parameters in over-dispersed crash models—tantamount to assuming that unaccounted for variation is proportional to the expected crash count. Miaou and Lord [Miaou, S.P., Lord, D., 2003. Modeling traffic crash-flow relationships for intersections: dispersion parameter, functional form, and …

Chemical Composition Of Groundwater Hydrocarbon Mixtures Before And After Aerobic Biodegradation, Eileen Mick, Kevin Crossley, Yarrow Nelson

Civil and Environmental Engineering

No abstract provided.

Leaching Properties Of Estuarine Harbor Sediment Before And After Electrodialytic Remediation, Kevin H. Gardner, Gunvor M. Nystroem, Deana A. Aulisio

Civil & Environmental Engineering

Electrodialytic remediation (EDR) can be used to extract heavy metals from a variety of different media. In this work, contaminated harbor sediments from two locations in the United States and one in Norway were subjected to EDR, and were compared with batch extractions conducted with the sediment. pH-dependent leaching tests were used to evaluate changes in leaching properties of treated and control sediments. Significant fractions of total concentrations were removed during treatment (35–95% with an average of 75% for all sediments and elements investigated). The release of elements in pH-dependent leaching tests, however, demonstrated equal or greater leaching from treated …