Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Seismic Response And Deformation Analyses Of Earthen Dams, Leila Mosadegh

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Assessment of the response of earthen structures, such as dams and levees, during earthquake events, is crucially important to geotechnical engineers. It is imperative to perform seismic response analysis to assess the stability and serviceability of these structures during probable seismic events. Before performing a seismic response analysis, an engineer or a researcher needs to select between two-dimensional (2D) plane strain analysis and a computationally intensive three dimensional (3D) analysis of an infrastructure. The 3D analysis should closely capture the behavior of infrastructure seismic response than a simplistic 2D analysis. Furthermore, a dilemma remains regarding the choice of a suitable …

Multifunctional Lightweight Aggregate Containing Phase Change Material And Water For Damage Mitigation Of Concrete, Wenyu Liao, Aditya Kumar, Kamal Khayat, Hongyan Ma

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper presents an innovative concept of multifunctional lightweight aggregate, which is produced by loading phase change material (PCM) into the interior of lightweight sand (LWS) and sealing the surface pores using water. The PCM loaded in the LWS functionalizes it as a temperature management agent in concrete, and the water in surface pores enables internal curing. It has been found that the particle shape and pore structure of crushed expanded shale LWS makes it an ideal carrier for PCM, loading sufficient PCM and maintaining better (compared to natural sand) mechanical interlocking. When coupled with the internal curing effect, the …

A Comparison Of The Army Corps Of Engineers Hydrologic Modeling System And Autodesk Storm And Sanitary Analysis For Hydraulic And Hydrologic Analysis And Design, Foster Josef Heifetz Campbell

Master's Theses

Hydrological and hydraulic effects of urban development is one of the key issues of study for improved water management. The addition of impervious surfaces to once pervious land and re-routing open channels and flow paths can cause flooding or declining water levels within a watershed. Many studies of these issues have found that there can be multiple factors causing hydrological and hydraulic impacts, and it can be hard to analyze and develop effective solutions without appropriate drainage software packages. However, there are multiple software packages available for use, and determining the correct one to use for a specific challenge can …

Behavior Of Hollow-Core Composite Bridge Columns Having Slender Inner Steel Tubes, Mohanad M. Abdulazeez, Mohamed Elgawady

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper experimentally investigates the seismic behavior of three large-scale hollow-core fiber-reinforced polymer-concrete-steel (HC-FCS) columns. An HC-FCS column consisted of a concrete shell sandwiched between an outer glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) tube and an inner steel tube. Both tubes provided continuous confinement for the concrete shell along with the height of the column. The columns had two different steel tube diameter-to-thickness (Ds/ts) ratios of 85, and 254. Each steel tube was embedded into the footing, with an embedded length of 1.25-1.6 times its diameter, while the GFRP tube was not embedded into the footing. Two columns were tested as as-built …

Environmental Sustainability Assessment Of Small Nebraska Mechanical Water Resource Recovery Facilities: Impacts Of Construction And Operations, Sussan Moussavi

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

Many small, rural communities struggle with aging or inadequate water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs), and face challenges in constructing and operating such systems. Although existing literature has provided insight into the environmental sustainability of large systems including both the construction and operational phases, these studies have not examined small systems in adequate depth or breadth. The environmental impacts associated with construction may be notable for small WRRFs since the initial construction can be a larger share of the total life cycle environmental impact.

The goal of this work is to provide the environmental sustainability profiles of 12 mechanical WRRFs in …

Surface Modification Of Pvdf Membranes For Treating Produced Waters By Direct Contact Membrane Distillation, Zahra Anari

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Direct contact membrane distillation is a promising unit operation for treating hydraulic fracturing flow back and produced water. However, while a hydrophobic membrane is essential to prevent the passage of water from the feed to the permeate side, fouling by dissolved organic species can compromise membrane performance and result in wetting of the membrane pores. Here four monomers, hydroxyethylmethacrylate, acrylic acid, 1-vinyl-3-allylimidazolium bromide, and 1-vinyl-3-hexylimidazolium bromide have been grafted from the surface of a PVDF membrane. The modified and base membranes were tested in a direct contact membrane distillation system. All membranes were challenged with real produced water. In addition, …

Suitability Assessment For Integrated Urban Development In Makkah City Of Saudi Arabia, Mislat Alotaibi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Makkah – the third most populated city in Saudi Arabia with a population of 1,684,408 according to the 2010 demographic survey conducted by the Saudi General Authority for Statistics – is experiencing urban sprawl, which can be defined as an unplanned urban expansion that might degrade the environment and diminish the aesthetic view. This is a persisting problem in Makkah driven by multitude of processes involving the random expansion in its undeveloped land and the removal of its historic mountains surrounding Al-Masjid Al-Haram (the Holy Mosque) in an attempt to push the city limit of urban capacity within its administrative …

Electrocoagulation As A Pretreatment For Electroxidation Of E. Coli, William Lynn, Joe Heffron, Brooke K. Mayer

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Insufficient funding and operator training, logistics of chemical transport, and variable source water quality can pose challenges for small drinking water treatment systems. Portable, robust electrochemical processes may offer a strategy to address these challenges. In this study, electrocoagulation (EC) and electrooxidation (EO) were investigated using two model surface waters and two model groundwaters to determine the efficacy of sequential EC-EO for mitigating Escherichia coli. EO alone (1.67 mA/cm², 1 min) provided 0.03 to 3.9 logs mitigation in the four model waters. EC alone (10 mA/cm², 5 min) achieved ≥1 log E. coli mitigation in all …

Hvac System Energy Audit For Leverett Elementary School, Connor Smalling

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Leverett Elementary School is located in Fayetteville, AR. The school needs significant upgrades to its infrastructure. The Fayetteville Public School District has voted to pursue an Energy Services Performance Contract (ESPC) in order to finance the desired upgrades to Leverett Elementary, among other schools in the district.

The scope of this thesis was to perform an energy audit on the existing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. By using an energy modeling software, eQuest, the building and the existing base system were modeled to determine utility consumption. Three different HVAC system alternatives were analyzed against the base system by …

Mandela Splash Pad Pre-Construction Plan, Levi Sandbulte

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

In the construction industry, it is the responsibility of the general contractor to take the architect’s ideas and turn it into a real building. Many times this requires ample communication and several drafts. This efficient execution of this process is vital to the completion of a successful project. In this project, I practice this communication process. The challenge presented by the owner is to build an affordable splash pad, and without impacting the construction schedule of the Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC) that is being built on the same property at the same time. This proposal gives the owner a …

Model Block Press Design, Ben Todd Van Hamersveld, Chester Wong, Alexander Wing-Jon Giannousis

Mechanical Engineering

This project’s goal is to redesign the Center for Vocational Building Technology (CVBT) BP9 earth block press, which makes 1/3 scale compressed earth blocks to build demonstration model homes in Thailand. The full-scale block press, the BP6, provides a sustainable and affordable technique for constructing habitable homes in Thailand. The BP9 serves as a tool to inform the public of the advantages of human-powered earth block presses through demonstration. The BP9 press design has multiple problems: it is too expensive to manufacture, there is too much friction when used, it has several weak points due to users unintentionally applying excessive …

Evaluation Of Fire-Affected Concrete Structures By Non-Destructive Testing Methods, Upal Mohammad Towfiqul Quadir

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Fire hazard on concrete structures has been a significant concern around the world. After a fire hazard, the crucial part is the evaluation of the fire-affected concrete for strengthening or demolition. For evaluation of a fire-affected concrete structure, Non-destructive Testing (NDT) methods would certainly be a more viable option than the destructive testing methods. Until now, no specific code was developed for quantifiable evaluation of fire-affected concrete with NDT. To develop the method for Non-destructive Evaluation (NDE) of fire-affected concrete, 8 small-sized (4 in x 4 in x 15 in) and 32 medium-sized (8 in x 8 in x 36 …

Development Of A Machine Learning-Based Prediction Model For Construction And Environmental Costs Of Trenchless Spray-Applied Pipe Linings, Cured-In-Place Pipe, And Sliplining Methods In Large Diameter Culverts, Ramtin Serajiantehrani

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

According to U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration there are more than 4.1 million miles of road in total length, making it the world’s longest and biggest road network with millions of culverts hidden underneath the road in the United States. The development of underground infrastructure, concerns about environmental impacts, and economic trends are influencing society, resulting in the advancement of technology for more environment-friendly and cost-effective pipeline rehabilitation. Trenchless technologies employ innovative methods, materials, and equipment that require minimum surface excavation and access area for rehabilitation of old and deteriorated culverts. Trenchless technologies can be used when other …

Evaluation Of Reducing Cement Content In Ndor Class R Combined Aggregate Gradations, Miras Mamirov, Jiong Hu, Yong-Rak Kim

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

The main objective of this research project was to achieve a cement reduction on Nebraska slip-form pavement concrete through aggregate particle packing optimization. A literature review was conducted to examine different aggregate optimization tools, quality control tests, and historical data of Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) pavement mixtures. It was found that the Modified Toufar Model has good potential in optimizing particle packing and predicting packing degrees. The combined aggregate void content test was found to be useful to experimentally justify optimized aggregate gradations. The Box Test with a modified index and image analysis tool for surface void estimation was …

Long-Term Performance Evaluation Of Nudeck In Kearney East Bypass, George Morcous, Marc Maguire

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

The Kearney East Bypass bridge is the first project that implements the newly developed precast concrete deck system (known as 2nd generation NUDECK). The new system consists of full-depth full-width precast prestressed concrete deck panels that are 12 ft (3.66 m) long each. The panels have covered shear pockets at 4 ft (1.22 m) spacing on each girder line to host clustered shear connectors that are adjustable in height. Narrow unreinforced transverse joints are used to eliminate the need for deck overlay. Also, deck panels are post-tensioned in the longitudinal direction using a new post-tensioning system that eliminates the need …

Standard Design For Nebraska County Bridges, Chungwook Sim, Jiong Hu, Maher K. Tadros, Alexander Bleyhl, David Gee

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

Many county-owned bridges in Nebraska need replacement due to their structural deficiency. Most of the bridges needing replacement are in the 40 to 60 ft range. This span range lacks a standard design that fits Nebraska county practices in terms of speed and simplicity of construction. The current systems being used are (a) Precast 1 by 2 ft planks which can span up to 30 ft, (b) Cast-in-place slab bridges which can span up to 50 ft but require extensive field formwork, concrete placing, and curing, and are best when constructed in three-span units, and (c) Inverted tees which can …

Precast Concrete Deck-To-Girder Connection Using Uhpc, George Morcous, Mostafa Abo El-Khier

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

The implementation of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) in bridge construction has been growing rapidly in the last two decades due to its excellent mechanical properties, workability, and durability. This report presents a new UHPC connection between precast concrete deck panels and bridge girders that eliminates changes to the design and production of girder shear connectors commonly used in conventional cast-in-place concrete deck construction. In conventional construction, girder shear reinforcement or studs are extended into the cast-in-place concrete deck to transfer interface shear and create composite section. In the new connection, girder shear reinforcement or studs are kept underneath the deck panels, …

Development Of High-Performance Rapid Patching Materials For Pavement Repair, Gholami Shayan, Jiong Hu, Yong-Rak Kim

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

Concrete pavements exhibiting severe distresses which require patching are commonly observed in the concrete pavement in Nebraska. Due to the requirements of opening pavement to traffic after placing the rapid patching materials, it is essential for that concrete to achieve high early strength. To ensure this, a high cement content and chloride-based accelerators are currently used in the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) Portland cement-based rapid-patching materials. Besides its associated high cost, high cement content tends to result in a less stable mix with high shrinkage, high heat of hydration, and high cracking potential. In addition, using chloride-based accelerators has …

Condition Assessment Of Bridge Decks With Asphalt Overlay, Sepehr Pashoutani, Jinying Zhu

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

Ground penetrating RADAR (GPR) is a widely used nondestructive testing (NDT) method for bridge deck evaluation. However, the current GPR signal and data processing software and algorithms are not able to provide comprehensive information about bridge deck condition. Although the original objective of this research project was to develop GPR analysis algorithms for condition assessment of bridge decks with asphalt overlay, the scope of work has been expanded to concrete bridge decks with or without overlays.

In this study, the research team developed a complete GPR analysis procedure that includes the following components: 1) obtain zero-time for GPR reflection at …

Building Along The Railroad: Towns And Tourism In Michigan’S Eastern Upper Peninsula, Bridget Stoetzer

Honors Projects

The state of Michigan is not solely the lower portion or in other words the “mitten.” It is a combination of the lower and upper peninsula. The Upper Peninsula of Michigan (abbreviated the “UP”) is the upper portion of Michigan that is surrounded on three sides by three different Great Lakes: Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, and Lake Huron. It connects to the Lower Peninsula of Michigan by the Mackinac Bridge which crosses five miles across the Straits of Mackinac.

The counties of the Eastern Upper Peninsula are Alger, Chippewa, Luce, Mackinac, and Schoolcraft. They are marked by large stretches of …

Fractional Order State Feedback Control For Improved Lateral Stability Of Semi-Autonomous Commercial Heavy Vehicles, Rasheed Mazen Abdulkader

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With the growing development of autonomous and semi-autonomous large commercial heavy vehicles, the lateral stability control of articulated vehicles have caught the attention of researchers recently. Active vehicle front steering (AFS) can enhance the handling performance and stability of articulated vehicles for an emergency highway maneuver scenario. However, with large vehicles such tractor-trailers, the system becomes more complex to control and there is an increased occurrence of instabilities. This research investigates a new control scheme based on fractional calculus as a technique that ensures lateral stability of articulated large heavy vehicles during evasive highway maneuvering scenarios. The control method is …

Thin-Walled Steel Tubular Circular Columns With Uniform And Graded Thickness Under Bidirectional Cyclic Loading, Qusay Al-Kaseasbeh, Iraj H.P. Mamaghani

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Thin-walled steel tubular circular columns are becoming an increasingly attractive choice as cantilever bridge piers due to their architectural, structural and constructional advantages. This paper aims to evaluate the strength and ductility of thin-walled steel tubular circular columns with uniform thickness (BC) and graded thickness (BGC) under bidirectional cyclic lateral loading in the presence of constant axial force. The analysis is carried out using a finite-element model (FEM) which is substantiated based on the experimental results in the literature. Then, the proposed BGC column with size and volume of material equivalent to the BC column is investigated. As a part …

An Advanced Approach For Contract Time Determination In Highway Projects, Cuauhtemoc Torres Cantu

Theses and Dissertations

In project management, finishing a project on schedule is one of the most important aspects. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has been experiencing delays in some projects that can be accounted to an inaccurate project time estimation process. This research presents the development of a user-friendly and comprehensive computer-based contract time determination system. The enhanced system implements probabilistic scheduling techniques such as Program Evaluation and Review Technique, and Monte Carlo Simulation. Additionally, the application of a lognormal two-point PERT method is explored in this study. The new system proposes the use of a database of production rates based on …

Review On Rheological Characterization Of Bio-Oils/Bio- Binders And Their Applicability In The Flexible Pavement Industry, Ahmed Hemida, Magdy Abdelrahman

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper mainly presents a qualitative review on to what extent the bio-oil has the potential to replace asphalt binder for a sustainable, flexible pavement industry. The current research comprises reviews on the rheological characterization of pure bio-oils and bio-oil modified binders (bio-binders) investigated in the literature. The literature showed that several sources of bio-oils have the potential to contribute to the flexible pavement industry. This research mainly discusses the high-temperature properties, especially viscosity for the construction process (mixing and compaction) and viscoelasticity for the elevated temperature of in-service roads. This review paper encourages orientation towards these kinds of renewable …

The Impact Of Education On Career Growth In The Construction Industry, Luis F. Rodrigues

Construction Management

A construction management degree and an apprenticeship are the two educational routes for a career in the construction industry. There are divisions within the workforce that reflect these educational pathways. Ideally, an alternative education would allow individuals without access to a university education to develop their career from an entry level position. However, if education has a long-term career impact, then limiting factors on education are consequently limiting on career growth. In examining if there is a ceiling on career growth relative to educational backgrounds, both education and experience were identified as key variables. In the case study presented, the …

Interdisciplinary Studio Pavilion [Isp] 2019, Alex Beaubien

Construction Management

The Interdisciplinary Studio Pavilion 2019 was designed for students within architecture, architectural engineering, and construction management to be placed into eight interdisciplinary teams and design a pavilion that reflected the narrative for the Wine History Project of San Luis Obispo (the “WHP). Its curricula emphasized aesthetics; fabrication methods and techniques; ease of assembly, reassembly and transportability; and function. Deliverables for each team's structure focused on these curricula that required numerous design refinements and construction feasibility studies. This required each team member to contribute their respective knowledge about architecture, structural engineering, and construction to create a pavilion that fulfilled WHP’s goals. …

Interdisciplinary Studio Pavilion [Isp] 2019, Albert J. Gutierrez

Construction Management

Historically Cal Poly’s motto has been ‘Learn by Doing’ and the College of Architecture and Environmental Design (CAED) is one of the leading examples of this. Many students gain valuable hands-on and real-world experience through collaborative projects and assignments. Through this learn by doing philosophy and collaborative learning approach Cal Poly construction management, architecture and architectural engineering students worked together in 8 separate studio teams to design and construct a portable pavilion for the Wine History Project of San Luis Obispo County. Acting as a client they requested that we design a portable pavilion space that will be used to …

The Need For A Real Estate Development Capstone Course, Will Robert Kieckhefer

Construction Management

Cal Poly has extremely well-known programs in Construction Management, Business, Engineering, and Architecture. All of these programs have contributed multiple leaders to the building industry every year yet have neglected to integrate the different disciplines that overlap within the industry. The research the author has collected to support the need for a real estate development capstone course included in-person interviews, online research, personal experience, and team surveys. The research concluded the need for a real estate development capstone course that would integrate students from the school of Business, Architecture, and Construction Management. In order to build a successful project, all …

An Analysis Of Single Family Residences And Townhomes In Los Angeles As An Investment, Maggie Lai

Construction Management

Purchasing a home has long been one of the most important financial decisions and big purchases one makes in their life. However, recently rising market prices and a large influx of people moving to large cities, such as Los Angeles, has driven housing prices far beyond many people’s budgets. In fact, affordability is going down at such a rapid rate that currently only 30% of LA County residents actually own a home. Additionally, Los Angeles is currently ranked as the fourth most difficult market for first-time homebuyers to delve in to. Many LA County residents have decided against ever purchasing …

Interdisciplinary Studio Pavilion [Isp] 2019, Gannon Van Sickle

Construction Management

An Interdisciplinary studio involves different knowledge disciplines who work together to achieve a common goal. This project engages this idea with three different majors. Our objective was to create a Pavilion to display wine history artifacts from the central coast. The project teams consist of architecture, construction management, and structural engineering majors. Each group was tasked with designing a portable pavilion that would achieve the desired objectives of the clients. At the end of the quarter the client will choose which project to be built. The roles of the different disciplines overlap, creating a project viewed at from many perspectives. …