Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Investigating Problem Of Distracted Drivers On Louisiana Roadways, Xiaoduan Sun

Publications

Due to the escalating usage of cellphone and social networking, distracted driving is and will remain as one of the most serious problems faced by Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and law enforcement agencies. Under the aim of in-depth investigation of distracted driving crashes in Louisiana, the specific objectives of this study are: (1) reviewing the crash reports for the quality of distracted driving crash reporting, (2) analyzing distracted driving-related crashes through regression model and data mining algorithm to link the severity of distracted driving crashes with the contributing factors collected in crash data, (3) investigating the observable characteristics of distracted …

A Comprehensive Reliability-Based Framework For Corrosion Damage Monitoring And Repair Design Of Reinforced Concrete Structures, Homero Castaneda, Aydin Karsilaya, Ayman Okeil, Mahmoud Reda Taha

Data

Corresponding data set for Tran-SET Project No. 17STLSU03. Abstract of the final report is stated below for reference:

"In this work, we developed a comprehensive framework for corrosion management of reinforced concrete (RC) structures. This framework includes critical steps of an effective approach to quantify the damage evolution as well as providing the timeframe for effective maintenance/repair strategies for corrosion assessment in RC structures. The framework included several activities including the use of indirect and direct inspection tools, theoretical development for damage prediction, experimental measurements and theoretical development of repair time based on reliability. The uniqueness of the framework is …

Development Of A Standard Test Method For Characterization Of Asphalt Modifiers And Aging-Related Degradation Using An Extensional Rheometer, Nazimuddin Wasiuddin

Data

Corresponding data set for Tran-SET Project No. 17BLSU01. Abstract of the final report is stated below for reference:

"An extensional deformation test method using a Sentmanat Extensional Rheometer (SER) fixture inside a Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR) is developed in this study to investigate the degradation of the polymer due to aging and to investigate the effect of modifier type. A relationship between different percentages of modifier and ductility of the modified binder is also investigated. The sample geometrics used in this study are 1 mm  0.72 mm and 3 mm  0.72 mm. A total of one hundred and …

Prediction And Rehabilitation Of Highway Embankment Slope Failures In Changing Climate, Navid Jafari, Anand Puppala

Data

Corresponding data set for Tran-SET Project No. 17GTLSU04. Abstract of the final report is stated below for reference:

"Highway slopes constructed with clayey soil are prone to desiccation cracks due to wetting and drying weather cycle, which allows greater moisture infiltration into the embankment from precipitation. Fissures formed due to extended wetting and drying cycles allow water to seep deeper into the soil than surficial wetting and increase the water content. This increases the moisture content in the soil and results in reduction in shear strength to the fully softened strength. On the other hand, development of desiccation cracks and …

Bridge Deck Overlays Using Ultra-High Performance Concrete, Craig Newtson, Brad Weldon

Data

Corresponding data set for Tran-SET Project No. 17CNMS01. Abstract of the final report is stated below for reference:

"This study investigated the use of a locally produced ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) as an alternative to typical overlay materials. Several bond strength tests including slant-shear, splitting tension, and direct tension tests were performed to assess the bond strength between UHPC and normal strength concrete (NSC) substrate with varying surface textures. Tests were also conducted to assess the early-age and longer-term shrinkage behavior and coefficient of thermal expansion of the UHPC as well as rapid chloride permeability testing. Good bond between UHPC …

Modeling Sulfate Attack In Modern Concrete For Building Sustainable And Resilient Infrastructure, Zachary Grasley

Data

Corresponding data set for Tran-SET Project No. 17CTAM01. Abstract of the final report is stated below for reference:

"External sulfate attack is a complex phenomenon and is manifested in the form of large expansion, cracking, and spalling depending on the exposure solution and material constituent properties. Several models were developed in the past to demonstrate sulfate attack mechanisms that account for the diffusion of sulfate ions into the porous concrete and the successive deformation triggered by the chemical reaction and precipitation of expansive agents. However, none of these models accounts for the effect of the migration of solvent water from …

Use Of Rice Hull Ash (Rha) As A Sustainable Source Of Construction Material, Zahid Hossain, Ashraf Elsayed

Data

Corresponding data set for Tran-SET Project No. 17CASU02. Abstract of the final report is stated below for reference:

"With the imminent shortage of natural resources, the need to find sustainable development is the highest in recent history. Therefore, this study examines the potential uses of Rice Hull Ash (RHA) as a sustainable cementitious material (SCM) in preparation of concrete. This study also assesses the use of RHA as an alternative of commonly used polymers in preparing high-grade asphalt binders. RHA is a potential sustainable solution because it is currently being treated as an agricultural waste material, yet its high silica …

Bridge Inspecting With Unmanned Aerial Vehicles R&D, Paul Darby, Vijaya Gopu

Data

Corresponding data set for Tran-SET Project No. 17STLSU11. Abstract of the final report is stated below for reference:

"The project achieves through research including literature, on site interviews, and experimentation: 1) a recommendation for a UAV-based system to practically assist in routine bridge inspection work in the State of Louisiana, 2) the identification and description of advantages, disadvantages, and limitations in the use of UAVs for routing bridge inspection work in Louisiana, and 3) provided recommendations for future work. The Yuneec H520 aircraft and its E90 camera are recommended, as is the need for a boat to be included as …

Simplified Approach For Structural Evaluation Of Flexible Pavements At The Network Level, Mena Souliman, Stefan Romanoschi, Samer Dessouky

Data

Corresponding data set for Tran-SET Project No. 17PUTA02. Abstract of the final report is stated below for reference:

"Currently, there are few available simple procedures to identify structurally weak pavement sections utilizing Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) data at the network level (e.g., city, state or province). A simple method is required to determine the structural condition of pavement sections that can be directly implemented and automated in current pavement databases. The objective of this research study is to develop a simple analysis method to determine the structural condition of pavement sections utilizing the currently available non-destructive testing (NDT) deflection measurement …

Relationship Between Road Network Characteristics And Traffic Safety, Hatim Sharif, Samer Dessouky

Data

Corresponding data set for Tran-SET Project No. 17ITSTSA01. Abstract of the final report is stated below for reference:

"The Transportation and Capital Improvement of the City of San Antonio, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and other related agencies often make several efforts based on traffic data to improve safety at intersections, but the number of intersection crashes is still on the high side. There is no one size fits all solution for intersections and the City is often usually confronted with doing best value option analysis on different solutions to choose the least expensive yet more advancements. The goal of …

Development, Training, Education, And Implementation Of Low-Cost Sensing Technologies For Bridge Structural Health Monitoring (Shm), Fernando Moreu, Chris Lippitt, Dilendra Maharjan, Marlon Aguero, Roya Nasimi

Data

Corresponding data set for Tran-SET Project No. 17STUNM02. Abstract of the final report is stated below for reference:

"Transportation infrastructure needs continuous monitoring. However, traditional inspections cost money and are conducted visually. New technologies for bridge monitoring are expensive and complex. This project involved developing cost-effective sensor technologies that can be applied towards the maintenance of railroad bridges by recording reference-free transverse displacement. More specifically, this project developed new applications of new technologies (Arduino, wireless smart sensors, drones, Hololens) and promoted workforce development with an emphasis on outreach of high-school students. This project was carried out in three main phases: …

Evaluation Of The Performance And Cost-Effectiveness Of Engineered Cementitious Composites (Ecc) Produced From Region 6 Local Materials, Gabriel Andres Arce Amador, Tyson Rupnow, Marwa Hassan

Data

Corresponding data set for Tran-SET Project No. 17CLSU05. Abstract of the final report is stated below for reference:

"The project objective is to develop cost-effective Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) with locally available ingredients in Region 6 to address the deficiencies observed in ordinary concrete materials. The study explored the utilization of two types of river sands (coarse and fine), two types of PVA fibers (long and short), four levels of cement replacement with Class F fly ash, and the implementation of recycled crumb rubber in the performance of ECC materials. A total of 24 mix designs were prepared and evaluated …

Impacts Of Moisture On Asphalt Properties, Zahid Hossain

Data

Corresponding data set for Tran-SET Project No. 17BASU03. Abstract of the final report is stated below for reference:

"Stripping related moisture damage has been recognized as one of the major pavement distresses since the early 1990s. The main objective of this study is to establish an effective test protocol to quantify moisture susceptibility of asphalt pavements. To this end, selective test methods (Texas Boiling test, Tensile Strength Ratio, Retained Stability, and Hamburg Wheel Test), and procedures based on surface chemistries and molecular-level mechanistic properties have been investigated in this study. Firstly, a comprehensive list of literature related to moisture damage …

Integrated Health Monitoring And Reinforcement Of Transportation Structures With Optimized Low-Cost Multifunctional Braided Cables, Ibrahim Karaman, Darren Hartl

Data

Corresponding data set for Tran-SET Project No. 17STTAM04. Abstract of the final report is stated below for reference:

"Corresponding data set for The objective of this research study is to design, fabricate, and characterize multifunctional high strength and self-sensing braided cables and structures using novel Fe-based shape memory alloys (SMAs). The system exploits unique properties of recently developed low-cost super-elastic FeMnAlNi SMAs, which enables excellent super-elastic properties, high strength, and self-sensing in structural health monitoring (SHM) systems. This novel material technology can be coupled with modeling efforts that allow for accurate prediction of both the materials and structural response during …

Investigating Problem Of Distracted Drivers On Louisiana Roadways, Xiaoduan Sun

Data

Corresponding data set for Tran-SET Project No. 17SALSU10. Abstract of the final report is stated below for reference:

"Due to the escalating usage of cellphone and social networking, distracted driving is and will remain as one of the most serious problems faced by Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and law enforcement agencies. Under the aim of in-depth investigation of distracted driving crashes in Louisiana, the specific objectives of this study are: (1) reviewing the crash reports for the quality of distracted driving crash reporting, (2) analyzing distracted driving-related crashes through regression model and data mining algorithm to link the severity of …

Modeling The Sustainability Of Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Technologies: Final Report, Miguel A. Figliozzi

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

In the past decade, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) have become increasingly more popular in the commercial sector. Drones are being used for all kinds of purposes, such as surveillance, inspecting architecture, filming, wildlife research, and more. Freight delivery is a potential application that is getting lots of attention from large companies.

This research presented novel data, relationship, and models for deliveries utilizing small UAVs. Small UAVs were defined as aircrafts with a tare of up to 15 kilograms (kg) and a potential payload of up to 15 kg. Since the weight of the UAVs is capped, only drones with engines …

The Passive Effects Of Full-Gateway, In-Street Signs On Vehicular Speed, De'lon Dixon

Masters Theses

Reducing motorist’s speed when approaching crosswalks is an important goal in reducing the number of collision between motorist and pedestrian in crosswalks. The current study addresses this goal. The effect of gateway installation of in-street signs (one in-street sign installed between the two travel lanes in each direction and one on both edges of the roadway in each direction) on vehicle speed was evaluated on nine roads. The results demonstrated that the Gateway in-street sign treatment produced large speed reductions as vehicles approached the crosswalk and at the crosswalk. The average speed reduction was 3.8 mph at the crosswalk and …

Assessment Of Small-Scale Anisotropy In Stably Stratified Turbulent Flows Using Direct Numerical Simulations, Amrapalli Garanaik, Subhas Karan Venayagamoorthy

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this study, the validity of the widely used Kolmogorov hypothesis of local isotropy of dissipative scales in stably stratified turbulent flows is investigated using high-resolution direct numerical simulations. Departure from isotropy is investigated for the first time in terms of the turbulent Froude number defined as Fr = ϵ/(NEk), where N is the buoyancy frequency, Ek is the turbulent kinetic energy, and ϵ is the rate of dissipation of turbulent kinetic energy. It is shown that for both ϵ and the rate of scalar (density) dissipation, ϵρ, the small-scale statistics are nearly isotropic in the weakly stratified turbulent regime …

Improving The Quality Of Traffic Records For Traffic Incident Management, Reginald R. Souleyrette, Mei Chen, Xu Zhang, Eric R. Green, Shraddha Sagar

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Traffic incidents in US roadways cause 25 percent of all delays experienced by users. The resulting congestion may lead to secondary crashes, increasing economic costs and further risking the lives of travelers. Traffic Incident Management is a process that detects, responds to, and clears traffic incidents as quickly as possible so that traffic flow is restored safely. This project analyzes the three TIM performance measures: Roadway Clearance Time, Incident Clearance Time and Secondary Crashes of Kentucky to identify a baseline for performance which may indicate potential for improvement. The study pinpoints different data sources, tools and technologies that can be …

The Live Load Response Of The Open Web Steel Joist Black Slough Bridge, Piero Caputo

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The bridge being studied spans the Black Slough River in the Nucor/Vulcraft facilities near Brigham City, Utah. The bridge is composed of seven heavyweight open web steel joists supporting a concrete deck-slab element and sitting in two concrete cantilever walls serving as bearings. A full-scale live-load test was performed using forklift vehicles at four locations on the deck. During the test, axial strains, deflections, and rotations where measured.

In their provisions, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) included a simplified number of equations and solutions used to calculate GDFs for standardized decks supported by beam systems. …

Evaluation Of Deformable Posts In The Zoi And Rigid Posts In Stiff Soil, Thomas Ammon

Department of Engineering Mechanics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Debris fences are commonly used by states, in conjunction with a concrete parapet, to protect railway tracks. Their use limits the intrusion of debris that could damage tracks or clutter rail lines. Due to a lack of previously crash-tested systems, the safety performance of such designs are largely unknown. The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) desired that researchers at the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility (MwRSF) design a crashworthy debris fence mounted on top of a concrete parapet to meet the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) TL-3 crash test conditions. Part 1 of this thesis details the literature review and …

Evaluation Of Bike Boxes And Protected Intersections With Bicycle Signal Treatments For Improving Safety And Multimodal Mobility At Urban Signalized Intersections, Odai Al Houz

Masters Theses

With the dramatic increase of non-motorized transportation users, more people are concerned about the non-motorized traffic safety. Unfortunately, bicyclist and pedestrian are prone to more severe injuries when involved in a crash. For bicycle crashes, failing to yield/disregarding traffic control device, and lack of non-motorized facilities were identified to be the main causes of bicycle crashes in urban intersections. This research investigated the effectiveness of two bicycle crash countermeasures with bicycle signal treatments at urban signalized intersections. The two countermeasures are the bike boxes and the protected intersections. The bicycle signal treatments are the leading bicycle interval and the exclusive …

Enabling Robust Distributed Real-Time Hybrid Simulation Method And Expanding Its Applications In Floating Wind Turbine Systems, Mehmet Cinar

Masters Theses

Real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS), which integrates physical experiment and numerical simulation, plays an essential role in understanding the time-dependent behavior of structures when subject to hazardous loadings. On the other hand, RTHS might not yield accurate results for complex structural systems due to experimental and computational limitations. Distributed real-time hybrid simulation (dRTHS), which takes the advantage of distributed laboratory facilities using network communications, was proposed and proven to address some limitations in RTHS. During dRTHS, Internet delay due to the network communication is added to the actuator delay in RTHS, which may cause inaccurate results or even unstable tests. To …

Building A Handicap Accessible Entrance And Gabion Wall, David C. Marter

Construction Management

As people age, their bodies naturally deteriorate and often times people are confined to wheelchairs in order to get around. Uneven and unstable ground is a large obstacle for people who live confined to a wheelchair. This project was derived and designed in order to help a family with multiple family members bound to wheelchairs to allow them an easier point of access into the home. The project itself consists of the construction of a concrete walkway and a gabion wall to provide some additional aesthetics. The concrete pathway ranges from the driveway to a paver pathway that curves around …

Stochastic Water Balance Dynamics Of Passive And Controlled Stormwater Basins, Anthony J. Parolari, Steven Pelrine, Mark S. Bartlett

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Urbanization and changing rainfall intensities affect the performance of urban stormwater infrastructure, creating the necessity to design resilient stormwater systems. One proposed method to increase the resilience of stormwater infrastructure is the active control of system flows. To improve the understanding of actively-controlled urban water infrastructure function under variable hydro-climate, we develop a stochastic water balance model for stormwater retention and detention basins with both passive and actively-controlled outflow structures. Under active outflow control, the outflow valve is closed until the water level in the basin reaches a specified maximum at which point the valve opens and the basin empties. …

Machine Learning Methods To Map Stabilizer Effectiveness Based On Common Soil Properties, Amit Gajurel

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Unconfined compressive strength (UCS) has been widely used as one of the primary criteria for the selection of optimum type and amount of chemical stabilizer for subgrade/base stabilization. Guidelines established by various state and federal agencies aid in selecting these optimum values by recommending an initial type and amount based on a wide range of soil index properties. A significant number of laboratory trials have to be done to establish the optimum type and amount of stabilizer for a given target strength. This process takes a copious amount of time, money, and the workforce. In addition to that, the finite …

Overcoming The Challenges Of Asbestos Containing Materials In Remodels - A Case Study, Noah W. Champlin

Construction Management

This is a study of one project’s experience with delays caused by the need for asbestos abatement. It will also cover the best approaches for limiting both safety and financial risks to the contractor, subcontractors and owner. I wanted to gather information on this type of issue within our industry because there will be an increased need for large scale remodeling within major cities to keep them up to the level of standard people expect. This includes the more modern infrastructure of a building to accommodate for the technological improvements made in recent years and to provide a more comfortable …

Field Swcc Modeling And Soil Water Storage Evaluation Through Geophysical Testing, Linkan Sarker

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

Evapotranspiration (ET) landfill cover is an emerging final cover system and offers several benefits over conventional landfill closure system. It is a cost-effective green solution for the sustainability of a landfill as its performance enhances with time compared to the conventional solution where low hydraulic conductivity soil barrier deteriorates with time. ET cover system relies on the water store-release principle and its performance depends on the site-specific factors such as on-site climatological conditions, soil hydraulic properties and native vegetation. To effectively monitor the performance of this type of cover system, its unsaturated behavior, field capacity, available moisture for plant growth, …

Nebraska Specific Slope Design Manual, Chung R. Song, Yong-Rak Kim, Hossein Bahmyrai, Layal Bitar, Soroosh Amelian

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

This study introduces proper design and retrofitting techniques to mitigate slope failure in Nebraska based on experimental and analytical research. The geological history, unique soil properties, failure mechanisms and potential new design/retrofitting methods are accounted for in this study. The following are the key findings.

Nebraska is covered by glacial tills, loess/sands, and shales with expansive clay minerals. Loess and shales are often highly overconsolidated due to the high overburden from Laurentide ice sheet which covered North America between 0.1 M to 0.02 M years ago. Overconsolidated expansive shale clays often exhibit time dependent strength reduction, and collapsible loess often …

Concentrically Loaded Circular Rc Columns Partially Confined With Frp, Sahar Y. Ghanem, Issam E. Harik

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Wrapping reinforced concrete (RC) columns with fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites is effective in increasing their capacity. The current state of the art concentrates primarily on fully wrapped columns and few studies dealt with partially wrapped ones. The objective herein is to evaluate the effectiveness of partial wraps (or strips) and to develop a confined concrete compressive stress–strain (f_c − ε_c) model that accounts for partial wrapping. Three-dimensional finite element (FE) models are generated to evaluate the influence of different parameters on the behavior of concentrically loaded RC circular columns that are partially and fully wrapped …