Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Extending Integral Concepts To Curved Bridge Systems, Saeed Eghtedar Doust

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The behavior of integral abutment systems and the extension of their application to curved bridges are investigated. First, the stresses in the elements of a typical integral abutment are studied by conducting nonlinear finite element analysis using the software package Abaqus. The results are design recommendations for the details of such abutments. The effect of integral abutments on the responses of bridges is also investigated. Steel and concrete bridge systems are studied separately.

The studied steel bridge systems are composed of composite I-girder superstructures and integral abutments supported on steel H-piles. A series of finite element studies for different bridge …

Seamless Bridge And Roadway System For The U.S. Practice, Nima Ala

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Expansion joints are one of the main causes for high maintenance costs in bridges. The search for ideal expansion joints has proven fruitless. That is why it has been said that “the best joint is no joint”. A seamless bridge system is envisioned that results in bridges with long service lives by eliminating the joints over the entire length of the bridge, approach slab and a segment of the roadway called transition. All bridge thermal movements are dissipated to zero in the transition. The system is similar to a system developed in Australia but modifications had to be made to …

Analysis Of Maglev Launch Assist Vs. Conventional Rocket Design, Cristina Poleacovschi, Michael Anderson

Von Braun Symposium Student Posters

No abstract provided.

History Of The Biological Systems Engineering Program In Nebraska, University Of Nebraska-Lincoln, William E. Splinter

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

The Farm Machinery/Agricultural Engineering/Biological Systems Engineering program current and former faculty members at the University of Nebraska, as demonstrated here, has made a statewide, national, and worldwide impact on the efficient production of food. The quality of this recognition is evidenced best by peer professionals through recognized ASABE awards received by Nebraska alumni or professors. Since its inception in 1909 and until 2010, there have been 10 national presidents, 19 gold medal recipients and 33 named national award recipients. Currently there are 31 ASABE Fellows and two members of the National Academy of Engineering. This national recognition comes as a …

Quantifying Mass Sediment Movement In Deer Creek Reservoir During Spring Runoff And Potential Water Quality Impacts, Colin Rodger Ricks

Theses and Dissertations

The accurate prediction of water quality is essential for management of reservoirs used for drinking water supply. Since algae are a major source of taste and odor problems in drinking water, understanding and controlling algal growth and production is an important task. Deer Creek Reservoir supplies drinking water for over one million people in northern Utah and has been highly eutrophic in the past. Despite major reductions in external nutrient loading, including phosphorus, seasonal algal blooms in Deer Creek have not decreased to desired levels. Resuspension of sediment has been suggested as a potential source of internal nutrient loading for …

Advancing Solutions For An Earthcube Design. What Can Be Learned From The Cuahsi His Experience? An Earthcube Design Approaches Paper, David G. Tarboton, David Maidment, Ilya Zaslavsky, Jon Goodall, Dan Ames, Richard P. Hooper, Jeffery S. Horsburgh, Kimberly A. T. Schreuders, Ray Idaszak, Alva Couch

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

The EarthCube goal of creating an infrastructure for managing and integrating knowledge across all geosciences in an open, transparent and inclusive manner aligns well with the overarching goals for the work that has been done in CUAHSI on Hydrologic Information Systems. CUAHSI has taken some steps in this direction, but a lot remains to be done. This paper describes these steps and makes some suggestions for the path ahead.

Improving The Interoperability Of Earth Observations, Jeffery S. Horsburgh, David G. Tarboton

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

In the history of science, many significant advances have resulted from new measurements. Despite the growing volume and sophistication of scientific theorizing of the past several decades, the ultimate source of information in many scientific disciplines is field observations and measurements. What is emerging today is an era of new data collection in the context of larger scale hydrologic and environmental observatories and in response to calls from leaders in the scientific community for new observing systems (e.g., data networks, field observations, and field experiments) that recognize the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of earth processes. These new data collection efforts …

Optimal Design Of Trusses With Geometric Imperfections: Accounting For Global Instability, Mehdi Jalalpour, Takeru Igusa, James K. Guest

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

A topology optimization method is proposed for the design of trusses with random geometric imperfections due to fabrication errors. This method is a generalization of a previously developed perturbation approach to topology optimization under geometric uncertainties. The main novelty in the present paper is that the objective function includes the nonlinear effects of potential buckling due to misaligned structural members. Solutions are therefore dependent on the magnitude of applied loads and the direction of resulting internal member forces (whether they are compression or tension). Direct differentiation is used in the sensitivity analysis, and analytical expressions for the associated derivatives are …

Using Low-Stakes Quizzing For Student Self-Evaluation Of Readiness For Exams, Kirsten A. Davis

Construction Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introductory level courses in many Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) disciplines require students to acquire an enormous new discipline-specific vocabulary in preparation for future courses. Students are often not prepared for the amount of self-directed studying they must do to be successful in these types of courses, particularly in their first year of college. To assist students in more accurately gauging their readiness for an exam, online low-stakes quizzes were implemented in a freshman level course, giving students an opportunity to practice their new language with minimal grade-related consequences. This quizzing strategy provides students an opportunity to self-assess their …

Dissemination Of Geological Information In Avoiding Geotechnical Risks Associated With Tunnel Construction: Lessons Learned From Deep Voids In Marble In Lower Manhattan, New York City, Nazrul I. Khandaker, Stanley Schleifer, Masud Ahmed, Leah Scott

Publications and Research

Test boring associated with the recently accomplished City Water Tunnel # 3 in Manhattan, New York City revealed moderately to highly weathered marble with insoluble silicate residues composed mostly of phlogopite, chlorite, and tremolite. Apparent control on the weatherability of the marble was in response to original mineral constituents dominating this lithology. Encountered marble samples ranged between pure calcitic to mixed dolomitic/siliceous types. Fresh marble samples collected from adjacent boring locations revealed characteristic geochemical data: Lime (25-45%), Silica (4-7%), Alumina (1-3%), MgO (5-20%), and LOI (35-42%); compressive strength of unweathered marble varied between 2000-3000 Kg/cm². Relict foliations with …

Technical Note: Friction Factor Diagrams For Pipe Flow, Jim Mcgovern

Articles

This technical note describes diagrams of friction factor for pipe flow that have been prepared using, mainly, the equations that Lewis Moody used to prepare his famous diagram in 1944. The preparation of the new diagrams was prompted by the need for vector graphics versions that could be used for teaching purposes and that could be distributed freely to students and others under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike license. Using a structure very similar to that of Moody's diagram, variants with the Darcy friction factor and the Fanning friction factor have been prepared. In addition, variants have been prepared that include …

Dataset For Investigating Computational Efficiency Of Alternative Arterial Offset Optimization Algorithms, Christopher M. Day, Darcy M. Bullock

JTRP Data Papers

No abstract provided.

Longitudinal Evaluation Of A Gis Laboratory In A Transportation Engineering Course, Ghulam H. Bham, Dan Cernusca, Ronaldo Luna, Uday R.R. Manepalli

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper focuses on the potential impact of student-centered feedback for enhancing the learning experience of civil engineering students that used a geographic information system (GIS) based tutorial in a transportation engineering course. the tutorial was implemented in a laboratory environment developed as a self-guided activity supported by a web-Based learning system. the formative research proposed in this study includes a series of four successive implementations of this laboratory. Students' performance, beliefs, and perceptions were monitored by using a mixed methods design approach and weaknesses identified from early implementations were addressed before the next implementation of the laboratory activity. the …

Performance Of Elotex®Copra900 As A Corrosion Inhibitor, Niall Holmes

Other resources

Corrosion inhibitors as cement additions consist of powders or solutions that are added to concrete when mixed to prevent or delay corrosion. This paper presents an early-age evaluation of a new corrosion inhibitor, namely ELOTEX^®COPRA900 following a corrosion and durability study on concrete samples with different cementitious materials.

A comparison of the corrosion inhibition properties of ELOTEX^®COPRA900 against a well known and established corrosion inhibitor on the market, namely Calcium Nitrite and a control with no corrosion inhibitor product. Calcium Nitrite works by increasing the threshold of chlorides required for corrosion to begin. ELOTEX^®COPRA900 …

China Earthquake Reconnaissance Report: Performance Of Transportation Structures During The May 12, 2008, M7.9 Wenchuan Earthquake, Wen-Huei Phillip Yen, Genda Chen, Mark Yashinski, Youssef M.A. Hashash, Curtis J. Holub, Kehai Wang, Xiaodong Guo

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This report documents the lessons learned from damage caused in the May 12, 2008, M7.9 earthquake in Wenchuan County, China. The damage to the 14 observed bridges reminded the researchers of damage suffered during the 1971 San Fernando Earthquake in California. The bridges had few seismic details such as long seats, large shear keys, or tightly spaced transverse reinforcement. Most arch and girder bridges collapsed due to surface rupturing of the seismic faults in the Longmen-Shan thrust zone. A significant portion of roadways and bridges were pushed away or buried by landslides in the steep slopes of mountainous terrain. Damage …

Integrating Science And Policy: A Case Study Of The Hubbard Brook Research Foundation Science Links Program, Charles T. Driscoll, Kathy Fallon Lambert, Kathleen C. Weathers

Civil and Environmental Engineering - All Scholarship

Scientists, related professionals, and the public have for decades called for greater interaction among scientists, policymakers, and the media to address contemporary environmental challenges. Practical examples of effective “real-world” programs designed to catalyze interactions and provide relevant science are few. Existing successful models can be used, however, to develop and expand the work of integrating, synthesizing, and communicating ecosystem science for environmental policy and natural-resource management. We provide an overview of the structure and strategies used in the Hubbard Brook Research Foundation Science Links program, now in its thirteenth year as a successful boundary-spanning organization. We detail project activities and …

Monitoring The Early-Age Hydration Of Self-Compacting Concrete Using Ultrasonic P-Wave Transmission And Isothermal Calorimetry, Bram Desmet, Kelly Chrysanthe Atitung, Miguel Angel Abril Sanchez, John Vantomme, Dimitri Feys, Nicolas Robeyst, Katrien Audenaert, Geert De Schutter, Veerle Boel, Gert Heirman, Özlem Cizer, Lucie Vandewalle, Dionys Van Gemert

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Early-Age Hydration (B48 H) of a Series of Self-Compacting Concretes and Corresponding Mortars and One Traditionally Vibrated Concrete and Mortar is Monitored in a Continuous Way using Ultrasonic Testing and Isothermal Calorimetry. the Mixtures Differ in Type of Mineral Addition, Superplasticizer, Cement, Cement-To-Powder Ratio and Water-To-Powder Ratio. the Influence of These Different Mixture Compositions on the Kinetics of the Hydration during the First Days of the Hydration is Characterized by the Heat Production Rate Q and the Evolution of the P-Wave Velocity, which is a Consequence of the Microstructural Changes. the Variations in the Acceleration Caused by Mineral Additions …

Bridge Damage Models For Seismic Risk Assessment Of Oregon Highway Network, Peter Dusicka, Jeffery Roberts

TREC Final Reports

The highway transportation network of the United States relies on the health and integrity of major infrastructure elements such as bridges. Frequently traveled parts of Oregon are within the seismically active Pacific Northwest and many of the bridges were designed and built to lateral demands that were assumed to be less than the current expectation, a deficiency caused by our growing awareness of seismic hazard and our enhanced understanding of the non-linear response of bridges. This vulnerability to damage from earthquakes can result in not only immediate damage, but also in potentially lingering economic impact caused by the disruption to …

A Remote Interrogation System For Monitoring Concrete Performance Exposed To Environmental Action, Niall Holmes

Other resources

The performance of the surface zone of concrete is acknowledged as a major factor governing
the rate of deterioration of reinforced concrete structures as it provides the only barrier to the
ingress of water containing dissolved ionic species such as chlorides which, ultimately,
initiate corrosion of the reinforcement. In-situ monitoring of cover-zone concrete is critical in
attempting to make realistic predictions as to the in-service performance of the structure. To
this end, this paper presents developments in a remote interrogation system to allow
continuous, real-time monitoring of the cover-zone concrete from an office setting. Use is
made of a multi-electrode …

Direct Shear Tests On Jsc-1a Lunar Regolith Simulant, Masafumi Iai, Ronaldo Luna

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A series of direct shear tests were conducted on the JSC-1A lunar regolith simulant in a 101.6-mm- (4-in.-) diameter container. the direct shear test provides a unique mode of failure that aids the development of excavation tools for the Moon. Relative density and normal load were varied to study the strength behavior of such granular material at peak and critical state conditions. the values of the internal friction angle ranged from 30 to 70. a relationship between the internal friction angle of the direct shear and the published triaxial compression test results is presented. Additionally, the measured dilatancy angle is …

Post-Earthquake Reconnaissance Report On Transportation Infrastructure Impact Of The February 27, 2010, Offshore Maule Earthquake In Chile, Wen-Huei Phillip Yen, Genda Chen, Ian G. Buckle, Tony M. Allen, Daniel E. Alzamora, Jeffrey Ger, Juan G. Arias

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This report documents the findings and lessons learned from the February 27, 2010, M8.8 offshore Maule earthquake in Chile. Fewer than 0.15 percent of the bridges in Chile's inventory, most built after 1995, collapsed or suffered damage that rendered them useless. Many spans of precast prestressed discontinuous girder bridges with continuous decks fell off their supports, probably due to significant in-plane rotation of the superstructure as a result of severe shaking. Lateral steel stoppers used to provide both vertical and lateral restraints on girders were largely unsuccessful due to their inadequate connection detail to cap beams and abutments. Reinforced concrete …

Experimental And Numerical Evaluation Of Cured In Place Pipe Lining System For High Temperature Applications In Sewer Pipes, Shaurav Z. Alam

Doctoral Dissertations

Some of the older cities across North America and Europe had been using steam driven HVAC systems since beginning of the last century. Consolidated Edison (Con Ed.) of New York operates the New York City steam system, the largest commercial district heating system in the world, with more than 100 miles of transmission and distribution pipes serving Manhattan Island. Other steam district systems exist in San Francisco, Harrisburg, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, San Diego, and Detroit, some dating back to 1903. In those cities the sewer pipes are used as venues for discharging the waste steam condensate from the HVAC system.

The …

A Quantitative Study Of Robustness Characteristics In Steel Framed Structures, Christopher Herman Raebel

Dissertations (1934 -)

Robustness is a desirable property in any structural design. Robustness may be thought of as the building's inherent structural ability to resist loads other than those anticipated during design. Examples of unanticipated loads are damage to a column or beam due to impact; damage due to the concussion of a blast; strength reduction due to extreme heat during a fire; and localized accidental overload of a beam or column. Each of these events, although very different in their nature, has one major point in common; in each case the path of load resistance changes in a way that was not …

Green Residential Stormwater Management Demonstration: An Integrated Stormwater Management And Graywater System To Reduce The Quantity And Improve The Quality Of Residential Water Discharges, Post Co Data Analysis, Ni-Bin Chang, Martin Wanielista, Manoj Chopra, Mike Hardin, Matthew Allen Goolsby

BMP Trains Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Nitrogen Transport And Transformation Beneath Stormwater Retention Basins In Karst Areas And Effectiveness Of Stormwater Best Management Practices For Reducing Nitrate Leaching To Ground Water In Marion County, Florida, Stormwater Academy

BMP Trains Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Remote Sensing Of Soil Moisture Using Airborne Hyperspectral Data, Michael Finn, Mark Lewis, David Bosch, Mario Giraldo, Kristina Yamamoto, Dana Sullivan, Russell Kincaid, Ronaldo Luna, Gopala Allam, Craig Kvien, Michael Williams

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Landscape assessment of soil moisture is critical to understanding the hydrological cycle at the regional scale and in broad-scale studies of biophysical processes affected by global climate changes in temperature and precipitation. Traditional efforts to measure soil moisture have been principally restricted to in situ measurements, so remote sensing techniques are often employed. Hyperspectral sensors with finer spatial resolution and narrow band widths may offer an alternative to traditional multispectral analysis of soil moisture, particularly in landscapes with high spatial heterogeneity. This preliminary research evaluates the ability of remotely sensed hyperspectral data to quantify soil moisture for the Little River …

Phytoscreening For Chlorinated Solvents Using Rapid In Vitro Spme Sampling: Application To Urban Plume In Verl, Germany, Matt A. Limmer, Jean Christophe Balouet, Frank Karg, Don A. Vroblesky, Joel Gerard Burken

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Rapid Detection and Delineation of Contaminants in Urban Settings is Critically Important in Protecting Human Health. Cores from Trees Growing above a Plume of Contaminated Groundwater in Verl, Germany, Were Collected in 1 Day, with Subsequent Analysis and Plume Mapping Completed over Several Days. Solid-Phase Microextraction (SPME) Analysis Was Applied to Detect Tetrachloroethene (PCE) and Trichloroethene (TCE) to Below Nanogram/liter Levels in the Transpiration Stream of the Trees. the Tree Core Concentrations Showed a Clear Areal Correlation to the Distribution of PCE and TCE in the Groundwater. Concentrations in Tree Cores Were Lower Than the Underlying Groundwater, as Anticipated; However, …

Blind Pass Stability Analysis, Robert Burgin Neal Ii

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The stability of Blind Pass has been subjective since the opening of Redfish Pass in the 1920's. The inlet's stability, defined as its ability to maintain a consistent or equilibrium cross-section, is reviewed in terms of its historic performance and that provided through a 2009 maintenance project. Pre-project expectations are compared with physical results to illustrate the initial success of construction. The Escoffier relationship of tidal prism and cross-section area is implemented to gauge the 2009 projects long term stability. Additional monitoring within one year of construction is analyzed to further realize anticipated stability trends. The hydraulic benefit of a …

Model For Predicting The Impact Upon Economic Development Resulting From Highway Improvement Projects, Eric Thompson, Kanou Comlavi, Mallory Dimmit

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

The Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR) has an interest in integrating state economic development impact as another factor in prioritizing transportation investments. Such efforts require the development of a comprehensive model that can be used to estimate a consistent final measure of economic development impact that can be readily integrated into existing prioritization formulas. This report summarizes the efforts of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Bureau of Business Research (UNL-BBR) to develop such a model, by measuring the impact of expressway, viaduct, and other major investments projects around the state. Specifically, UNL-BBR developed an economic model to predict the economic impact …

The Bridge Newsletter Winter 2011, Missouri University Of Science And Technology

The Bridge Newsletter

-Living intentionally: Meet the Oerthers
-Making a lasting impact
-Phytoforensics
-The simple things of life