Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Static And Cyclic Triaxial Testing Of A Compacted Limestone Rockfill, Hamid Fallah

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

The results of large scale static and cyclic triaxial tests for the Siah Bishe rockfill are presented. The test specimens are made of a modeled gradation with D_max of 5 cm, reduced from the real D_max of 80 cm by scalping method. Static triaxial tests resulted in the rockfill shear strength parameters within the expected range. The cyclic triaxial strength tests showed that the dam body rockfill failure criterion is not affected by earthquake loading. On the other hand, the cyclic triaxial parametric tests results were used to define shear modulus and damping curves of the compacted rockfill, …

Study Of Extent Of Soil Improvement By Employing Vibro-Compaction Technique, Tejas Belani, Shailendra Nagrikar, Deepak Raj

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

India has seen a substantial growth in various Soil Improvement Techniques over last decade. A particular technique has been chosen based on Project location, Sub soil profile, Technical requirements, Time available and allowed budget for foundation. An expansion was planned for a leading fertilizer plant in North India. Project was located in high seismic zone having PGA of 0.24g. The site was underlain by liquefiable loose fine sands up to depth of 10m to 12m. Existing plant structures were built on Stone Columns few years back. This paper presents a case study where Vibro-compaction technique was successfully used to mitigate …

Study Of Typical Characteristics Of Expansive Subgrade With Geotextiles And Cushion Materials, Vaishali S. Gor, Liviu S. Thakur, K. R. Biyani

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Well-built and maintained roads play a major role in the development of a nation. Hence considerable attention is required towards the widening of roads, their stability and periodic repair works. Since the beginning of modern highways, engineers have strived continuously to produce better pavement at lower cost. Most state highways in the central part of India have problems of foundation due to presence of expansive soil i.e. black cotton soil. For the improvement of such problematic soil, conventional technique of soil stabilization, use of cushion, use of moisture barriers, etc. has been adopted. The main objective of the research work …

M74 Motorway, Glasgow – Geotechnical Aspects Of Design And Construction, Paul Nowak

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

The 7.8 kilometre long M74 Completion project forms the final part of the motorway box around the city of Glasgow. Construction commenced in May 2008 and was completed in June 2011. The urban route corridor presented many geotechnical challenges to the design and construction teams. It is underlain by Recent, lightly over-consolidated Clyde Alluvium of maximum 35 metres thickness over Glacial Till and Carboniferous Coal Measure Sandstone bedrock. Additionally, it was the location of industries over the 19th and 20th centuries which deposited waste over the natural ground containing chromium, steel works slag and hydrocarbons. The route corridor is also …

Predicting Landslide Risk Combining Space Measurements And Geotechnical Modeling: Application At Kerasia Slide, C. Stamatopoulos, P. Petridis, L. Balla, I. Parharidis, M. Foumelis, N. Nikolaou, N. Spanou

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

The work developed and applied a methodology combining (a) space measurement of past displacement and (b) geotechnical modelling of displacement to predict and mitigate the risk of ground displacement cased by progressive slope instability. The area of study is in Kerasea village in Plastiras Lake Municipality. The problem under treatment is a creeping landslide in an inhabited area. Mitigation measures were analyzed.

Access Road Construction Of The Larsi Building Using Reinforced Earth Walls, Amir Eslami Amirabadi, Atefeh Zamani, Cambyse Behnia

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Mountainous road construction is one of the most difficult and challenging problems in geotechnical engineering. Geometrical complexities and geotechnical conditions make them different from many other urban projects. Retaining wall system is a principal part of these projects. Reinforced Earth Wall system can be considered as an appropriate option for mountainous road construction. In this case history, access road construction of the LARSI building (Shemshak-Iran) is discussed. Shemshak is a tourist town which is located in southern hillsides of the Alborz Mountains. Therefore, the access road is an essential component particularly in cold seasons. Nine terraced levels of the reinforced …

Two-Tier Retaining Wall System To Support Railroad Embankment Widening, Abhijit R. Sheth, Craig M. Benedict, Ara G. Mouradian, John Brun

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

The National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) is replacing the 1907-era two-track bascule bridge over the Niantic River between East Lyme and Waterford, Connecticut, along the heavily traveled Northeast Corridor. Prestressed concrete sheet pile retaining walls were selected to support the new higher approach embankments along both the east and west approaches to the new bridge. Along the west approach a two-tiered wall design was utilized to support a new recreational walkway elevated above the 100-year storm surge elevation for the Niantic Bay, while at the same time keeping the walkway below the level of the adjoining tracks. The design of …

Csx Railroad Bridge Replacements, Matthew D. Breitenbach, Dawn Edgell, Gary F. Goodheart

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

This paper will discuss the geotechnical aspects of foundation design, construction support, and the team work necessary to replace and upgrade 14 bridges along an existing, trafficked rail line through Central Illinois. Seven bridges were constructed using previously completed designs and seven bridges were constructed using a multi-disciplinary design-build approach. The geotechnical team provided construction support for the Phase I bridges while concurrently conducting geotechnical investigations and developing design criteria for the Phase II bridges. The project also involved many logistical considerations including minimizing bridge “out of service time” to less than ten hours for the construction of each bridge, …

Investigating The Behaviour Of Natural Slopes And Man Made Structures By Terrestrial Sar Interferometry, Paolo Mazzanti

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Remote sensing techniques for the monitoring of deformation are opening new opportunities in the field of geotechnical engineering and geology. Terrestrial SAR interferometry (TInSAR) is one of the most innovative technique and it promises to be a very effective solution which will be extensively used in the near future. TInSAR is characterized by several interesting features such as: i) high density of information; ii) fully remote capability; iii) long range capability; iv) widespread view; v) spatially continuous efficacy and vi) high accuracy. Thanks to these features TInSAR has been used for investigation and diagnostic purposes (i.e. landslide and structural instability …

General Report - Session 3, Diego Lo Presti, Mary Perlea, Nunziante Squeglia

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

This General Report summarizes the 84 papers accepted for the Session 3 focused on: - 3a. Case Histories on Failure and Remediation of Slopes, Dams, Embankments and Landfills (53 papers), - 3b. Case Histories on Failure and Remediation of Retaining Structures, Slurry Walls, and Deep Excavations, Dewatering, Stability (27 papers), - 3c. Improving the Stability and Maintenance of Monuments (4 papers). The papers originate from 26 countries (11 European countries, 3 American countries, 11 Asian countries and 1 African country). The papers cover a number of relevant topics divided into three different sub - sessions. As for the two papers …

Plastic Deformation Of Astm A36 Steel Using Two-Stage Light Gas Gun, Shawoon Kumar Roy

College of Engineering: Graduate Celebration Programs

To characterize material deformation in high velocity impact. To validate material models for computation simulation purposes.

This ongoing research is an attempt to study the plastic deformation of A36 steel plate (0.5” thick) under hypervelocity impact. Plastic deformation of the target plate was simulated using finite element software LS-DYNA.

New N-Nitrosodimethylamine (Ndma) Precursors That React With Ozone: Implications For Water Reuse, Erica Marti, Aleks Pisarenko, Eric Dickenson

College of Engineering: Graduate Celebration Programs

Ozonation is a promising treatment step for water reuse. Compared to the “gold standard” with reverse osmosis and advanced oxidation, ozone requires less energy and does not result in a waste brine. This makes ozone more cost-effective. However, the formation of nitrosamines may be a significant barrier to the use of ozonation in water reuse applications, particularly for potable reuse.

Vulnerability Of Progressive Collapse In Reinforced Concrete Flat-Plate Buildings, Jinrong Liu

College of Engineering: Graduate Celebration Programs

• Progressive collapse is the spread of initial local failure, causing partial or
  even total collapse of a building.
• Flat plate structure is widely used for office and residential buildings.
• There is a large inventory of older flat plate building without continuous slab bottom reinforcement through columns.
• Limited knowledge exists regarding the risk of disproportionate collapse in
  older flat-plates under sudden column removal during abnormal events.
• Reliable mechanical model is needed for structural evaluation.

Rainwater Harvesting - A Zero Waste Approach To Water, Liam Mccarton, Sean O'Hogain

Other Resources

This keynote presentation explores the concept of a zero waste approach to water supply. This is a precursor to the circular economy of water.

Water Quality Monitoring Of The Little Calumet East Branch Watershed, Nicholas H. Feller, Melissa Dorton

Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE)

The Little Calumet East Branch (LCEB) is a 10-digit hydrologic unit code (HUC) watershed that ultimately discharges into Lake Michigan. The watershed begins in unincorporated LaPorte County and discharges west through unincorporated Porter County, converges with the West Branch of the Little Calumet River, and finally discharges into Lake Michigan via the Burns Ditch Waterway. A water quality monitoring study was performed in the summer of 2012 as part of the watershed management process led by a not-for-profit organization, Save the Dunes. Save the Dunes’ Great Lakes Innovative Stewardship through Education Network (GLISTEN) liaisons initiated weekly monitoring at eleven LCEB …

An Analysis Of Sulfur Trioxide In Aggregates For Concrete Using An Astm Standard For Portland Cement, Sarah Brunsvold

Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE)

It is well-known that sulfates in concrete can reduce the long term durability of concrete. Sulfates most notably contribute to the problem of sulfate attack, which causes cracking and deterioration of concrete. Some aggregates can contain these sulfates and so can contribute to a reduction in durability. However, there is currently no standard test methodology to determine the sulfate content in the aggregates used to produce Portland cement concrete. The purpose of this research is to apply the current American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard for analyzing the sulfur trioxide content in Portland cement to measure the sulfur …

Precast Concrete Insulated Wall Panel Corbels Without Thermal Bridging, Mohamed Elkady

Department of Construction Engineering and Management: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The common practice in corbel design is to block out the insulation in order to provide a solid concrete area at the corbel location. This connection practice results in thermal bridging, which significantly reduces the energy performance of the panel. For example, the PCI Design Handbook indicates that the reduction in thermal resistance caused by a solid part with an area equal to 9% of the total panel surface area is as high as 42%. This paper presents a discussion of a new concept for corbel design of insulated wall panels with the thermal break totally preserved. Two different designs …

Green River - Locks And Dams (Sc 1009), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and full-text scan (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 1009. Survey for tract of land at southern end of Lock and Dam Number 5 on Green River at Glenmore in Warren County, Kentucky.

Naming A Mountain Peak - Montana Tech Peak, Jon Craig, Larissa Watson

Posters

While conducting research to measure and confirm the elevation of Silver Bow County's highest point, Table Mountain, a group of Montana Tech students came across a heretofore unnamed peak designated as Peak 10131 (which denotes it's height).

Space Utilization For The Boulder Cemetery, Ray Woods, Aaron Peters, Bill Rees, Jacob Schutz

Posters

The purpose of this project in Boulder, Montana was to determine how much usable space was left in the cemetery for future burials and to locate old burial sites where headstones no longer exist.

Instrumentation And Monitoring Of Concrete Bridge Decks: Moisture, Temperature, And Electrical Conductivity, Tenli Waters, Dr. Spencer Guthrie

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of this report is to give the results of research conducted to measure the extent of internal curing occurring in the field in concrete bridge decks constructed using lightweight concrete compared to conventional concrete. With permission from bridge engineers at the Utah Department of Transportation and in cooperation with personnel at Provo River Constructors and Raba Kistner Infrastructure, Inc., we used sensors donated by Decagon Devices to monitor moisture content, temperature, and electrical conductivity in four bridge decks located in Utah County along the I-15 corridor: 400 South, 400 North, 800 North, and Geneva Road. The bridge decks …

Sensors For Integrated Monitoring And Mitigation Of Erosion, Genda Chen, David Pommerenke, Zhi Zhou, Ying Huang, Andro Radchenko

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Methods and systems for measuring erosion. Systems of various embodiments include a sensor adapted to be placed where earthen material is expected to move and to sense a condition related to that movement (for instance, the position of the sensor). The sensor includes a receiver for receiving a wireless signal (be it acoustic, magneto-inductive, etc.) from another sensor which conveys an identifier for the second sensor. The first sensor also includes a signal generator that generates a second (possibly wireless) signal conveying that identifier and its own identifier. Systems of some embodiments include a second receiver placed outside of the …

Geographic Information Systems And Transportation Safety: A Prototype, Clancy Black, Dr. Grant Schultz

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of this report is to describe work completed for the ORCA sponsored research project “Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Transportation Safety: A Prototype”. A literature review was conducted to identify the best existing tools and technology. From the research, a GIS model prototype was created to assist in data processing and identification of high-risk crash locations. Applications of the model were tested.

Compressive Strength Of Emulsion-Treated Base Material Stabilized With Cement, Lisa Gurney, Dr. Spencer Guthrie

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Full-Depth Reclamation (FDR) in conjunction with stabilization is becoming an increasingly popular method for flexible pavement reconstruction. FDR can be more economically and environmentally friendly than excavation and replacement; however successful reconstruction greatly depends on the stabilization method employed, base material properties, and site conditions.

Flow And Geometry Measurements At An Active Knickpoint, Clark W. Kephart

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

Channel degradation is an area of growing concern in areas of the Midwestern United States where there are large deposits of loess soils. Channel degradation occurs as a result of disturbances to the sediment load, bed soil configuration, and hydraulic characteristics of the stream (i.e. discharge, channel slope and geometry). These changes may occur suddenly or slowly over time. A given disturbance may be due to a large rain event, channel adjustments (i.e. dredging and straightening), and changes in land use around the stream (Chen et al. 1999).

A knickpoint is an abrupt drop in stream bed elevation over which …

Design Of Cable-To-Post Attachments For Use In A Non-Proprietary, High-Tension, Cable Median Barrier, Ryan Joseph Bateman

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

Cable median barriers are widely used across the country to prevent cross-median crashes. Several years ago, the Midwest States Pooled Fund Program contracted with the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility (MwRSF) to develop a new, non-proprietary, high-tension, 4-cable median barrier. In the Fall of 2011 and following two failed full-scale vehicle crash tests on prototype barrier systems, it was determined that design modifications were necessary to improve barrier performance. In addition, members of the Midwest States Pooled Fund Program desired to redirect the development effort.

Both of the barrier system failures which prompted the re-design effort could be partially attributed to …

A Model Of Return Flow Recovery System In Paddy Field Base On Gis, Yu-Chuan Chang, Shih-Yi Fan, Jen-Yan Chen, Chun-E Kan

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

In this study, return flow in a paddy field was simulated in order to supply reuse water to industries. Field experiment and historical data were obtained for a two-tank model parameter estimation and verification. The selected boundary of paddy fields was identified based on GIS. The simulation results showed that the reasonable reuse flow rate corresponding to the area of 6,036 ha in the first crop season and 1,994 ha in the second crop season. The volumes of the return flow and reuse water are 18.74 × 106 and 15.52 × 106 t, respectively. However, the pattern of rainfall, active …

Assessment Of Solar Photovoltaic Technologies Using Multiple Perspectives And Hierarchical Decision Modeling, Nasir Jamil Sheikh

Dissertations and Theses

The objective of this research is to build a decision model for a comprehensive assessment of solar photovoltaic technologies using multiple perspectives. These perspectives include: social, technological, economic, environmental, and political (STEEP) with each perspective consisting of multiple criteria. Hierarchical decision modeling and expert judgment quantification are used to provide the relative ranking of the perspectives and criteria. Such modeling is effective in addressing technology evaluations with competing and contrasting perspectives and criteria where both quantitative and qualitative measurements are represented. The model is then operationalized by constructing desirability functions for each criterion. The combined results provide an overall numerical …

Compositional Characterization Of Soil Organic Matter And Hot-Water Extractable Organic Matter In Organic Horizons Using A Molecular Mixing Model, Ankit Balaria, Chris E. Johnson

Civil and Environmental Engineering - All Scholarship

Purpose Microbial decomposition of soil organic matter (SOM) is generally believed to be heterogeneous, resulting in the preferential loss of labile compounds such as carbohydrates and proteins and the accumulation of recalcitrant compounds such as lipids and lignin. However, these fractions are difficult to measure directly in soils. We examined patterns in the biomolecular composition of SOM and hot-water-extractable organic matter (HWEOM) by using a molecular mixing model (MMM) to estimate the content of carbohydrates, protein, lipids, and lignin.

Materials and methods Organic-horizon soils from Spodosols at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire, USA were analyzed for this …

Agenda: Water, Oil And Gas 101, University Of Colorado Boulder. Getches-Wilkinson Center For Natural Resources, Energy, And The Environment. Intermountain Oil And Gas Bmp Project, Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute, Sturm College Of Law, University Of Denver, Colorado Bar Association Cle, White & Jankowski, Llp

Water, Oil and Gas 101 (April 10)

Program co-chairs: Sarah Klahn, Matthew Sura; planning committee: Susan Daggett, Kathryn Mutz.

This full-day program, cosponsored by the Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute (Sturm College of Law, University of Denver), the Colorado Bar Association CLE, and White & Jankowski, LLP, was the first of a 3-part series focusing on water, oil and gas issues of critical interest in Colorado.

The first program provided an overview of the pertinent law and issues generated when the water, oil and gas industries interact; and addressed water quality concerns and the purchasing of water from municipalities for hydraulic fracturing and drilling. Program #2 is …