Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Study Of Dry Mixing Method To Apply Microbial-Induced Calcite Precipitation For Soil Treatment, Ruchi Shrestha

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Microbially Induced Calcite Precipitation (MICP) has emerged as a promising technique for soil stabilization, traditionally involving the preparation and mixing of treatment solutions with the soil. However, this thesis explores a novel approach of applying MICP by directly mixing dry chemical compounds into the soil and subsequently adding water. This alternative method offers potential advantages in terms of convenience, ease of implementation, and cost savings.

The objective of this research is to investigate the applicability of dry mixing protocols for MICP in soil stabilization. Through comprehensive experimentation, three different dry protocols were developed and applied to five different soils. The …

Multiphysics Numerical Modeling For Pfas Transport Within Vadose And Saturated Zones, Pierrette Iradukunda

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The extent and severity of wildfires have increased around the world, necessitating a greater understanding of the consequences of wildfire and post-fire impacts on soil and groundwater. Wildfire suppression techniques like aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF) can also contaminate the soil with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which can contribute to human and environmental health concerns. PFAS are dangerous man-made chemical compounds that are persistent, mobile, poisonous, and a major cause of soil and groundwater contamination. In addition to contamination by aqueous film-forming foams, PFAS has accumulated in the environment as a result of being utilized in numerous other goods over …

Maximizing The Performance Of Geocell Reinforced Pavement Bases With High-Fines Content Soils Through Micp Treatments, Ajay Kumar Reddy Pisati

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Crushed stone and gravel have long been favored for their stability and interlocking properties in Geocell reinforced base course layers of flexible pavement structures. However, their drawbacks, such as depleting reserves, escalating permit costs, environmental compliance, and extensive quarrying impacts, have led researchers to seek alternative options like recycled and on-site materials. Within this framework, utilizing native soil emerges as a promising solution to tackle these challenges. Nevertheless, the grading specifications impose limitations on the fines content allowed in base courses, as determined by the No. 200 sieve. However, the grading specifications pose restrictions on the permissible fines content in …

Development Of Predictive Rockfall Runout Maps Based On Calibrated Rockfall Models, Olivia Tabor

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Cliffs formed in columnar jointed basalt have the proper geometry and discontinuities to initiate rockfall events. There are a number of locations in Boise, Idaho that may experience rockfall events from columnar jointed basalt cliffs. Publicly available LiDAR data coupled with site reconnaissance activities were used to develop calibrated two-dimensional rockfall models at a study site in southeast Boise. Photogrammetry was used to determine the volume of seven calibration boulders. The study site, located on Whitney Terrace, consists of a columnar jointed basalt cliff followed by a slope with a subdivision at the toe of the slope.

The two common …

Laboratory Measurements At The Impact Point Of A Falling Jet, Garrett Richins

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Dams and spillways play a vital role in managing water resources. Many of these hydraulic structures feature a falling jet when discharging downstream. Engineers design plunge pools to receive jets with enough water depth or a protective liner to protect the river bottom so that scour is avoided. Quantifying the pressures at the bottom of the falling jet is a key component to determining the potential for scour and the need for mitigation techniques.

In the laboratory setting, significant discrepancies have been observed between different measurement methods to measure mean and fluctuating pressures of a falling jet intercepting a solid …

Using Computational Fluid Dynamics For Predicting Hydraulic Performance Of Arced Labyrinth Weirs, Shelby J. Koldewyn

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Our world is dynamic and as hydrologic research continues, the magnitude of flood estimates used in hydraulic design for reservoirs has increased. Consequently, many existing spillways are now undersized and unable to meet discharge requirements. These spillways often have a fixed footprint, so nonlinear weirs (e.g., labyrinth weirs) are often a viable solution. For reservoir applications, arcing labyrinth weirs in plan view increases hydraulic efficiency because of better cycle orientation to the approaching flow from the reservoir. This study supplements available physical arced labyrinth weir hydraulic data by observing flow characteristics of two numerical models (α=16°; θ=10° …

Durability Of Wireless Charging Systems Embedded Into Concrete Pavements For Electric Vehicles, Pilaiwan Vaikasi

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The interest in electric vehicles (EVs) has been growing around the world significantly. EVs run on electricity by charging power to their batteries. However, a concern in the operation of the EVs is raised because they have an insufficient battery charge to reach their destination. In-motion, inductive power transfer (IPT) embedded into the roadway for the EVs can ease the need to use a charging stationary. This project focused on the durability of the dynamic charging IPT electronics integrated into concrete pavements. This research collaborated with electrical and mechanical engineering colleagues from the Advancing Sustainability through Powered Infrastructure for Roadway …

Long-Distance Recreational Travel Behavior And Implications Of Autonomous Vehicles, Sailesh Acharya

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Have you ever wondered how people travel long distances and how it could be affected by the emergence of autonomous vehicles (AVs)? This dissertation aims to answer those questions by studying the current behavior of long-distance recreational travelers and their preference in the age of AVs. This dissertation has four main goals. First, it seeks to develop a reliable way to measure people’s satisfaction with long-distance recreational trips and understand the similarities and differences between long- and short-distance travel satisfaction. Second, it looks at the connection between how people travel, how satisfied they are with their travel experiences, and how …

Fiber-Based Seismic Damage And Collapse Assessment Of Reinforced Concrete Single-Column Pier-Supported Bridges Using Damage Indices, Yu-Fu Ko, Jessica Gonzalez

Mineta Transportation Institute

Near-fault earthquakes can have major effects on transportation systems due to the structural damage they impose on bridges. Therefore, it is imperative to assess the seismic damage of bridges appropriately, and this research focuses on reinforced concrete (RC) bridges. This research advances the seismic performance assessment of RC single-column pier-supported bridges with flexural failure under near-fault ground motion by use of ductility coefficients and damage indices. The methodology included modeling fiber-based nonlinear beam-column elements to simulate the damage development process of RC bridge piers under earthquake loadings, considering the global buckling of longitudinal steel bars, examining the cracking and spalling …

System-Of-Systems Integration For Civil Infrastructures Resiliency Toward Multihazard Events, Vahid Balali

Mineta Transportation Institute

Civil infrastructure systems—facilities that supply principal services, such as electricity, water, transportation, etc., to a community—are the backbone of modern society. These systems are frequently subject to multi-hazard events, such as earthquakes. The poor resiliency of these infrastructures results in many human casualties and significant economic losses every year. An outline of a holistic view that considers how different civil infrastructure systems operate independently and how they interact and communicate with each other is required to have a resilient infrastructure system. More specifically a systems engineering approach is required to enable infrastructure to remain resilient in the case of extreme …

Climate-Driven Changes In Water Quality By Physiographic Region: A Case Study Of Taos County, New Mexico, Michaela Eamma

Civil and Environmental Engineering Theses and Dissertations

Socioeconomic growth and stability in rural regions of the United States where agriculture is the dominant industry are highly reliant on access to sufficient surface water supplies. The water quantity crisis experienced worldwide in recent years has introduced questions about how to best maintain the quality of our remaining resources. Ensuring adequate access to drinking and irrigation water mandates that we protect existing surface water sources and anticipate future threats to quality. The impact of climate change on surface water quality is not spatially uniform, introducing the need to study the water-atmosphere-land system comprehensively.

This research aims to study the …

A Spike-Shaped Anchorage For Steel Reinforced Polymer (Srp)-Strengthened Concrete Structures, Xingxing Zou, Keenan L. Mcburney, Lesley H. Sneed

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Steel reinforced polymer (SRP) composite has recently emerged as an effective and economical solution for strengthening of reinforced concrete (RC) structures. Premature debonding failure of unanchored SRP at low load levels generally governs the performance of RC structures strengthened with externally bonded SRP. Therefore, a novel yet simple spike-shaped anchorage system was proposed in this study to prevent the debonding failure of SRP and to improve the interfacial shear capacity. Experimental investigation through single-lap shear tests of SRP-concrete joints showed that the anchorage system changed the failure mode from composite debonding to fiber rupture. In addition, the anchorage system substantially …

Water Hammer Analysis For Ash Slurry Disposal Pipelines Of A Thermal Power System, Biprodip Mukherjee, Subhasish Das, Satyapriya Mandal

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

Coal-ash slurry transportation via pipelines has been accepted as a potential, economical, and dependable mode of two-phase flow of solid-liquid transportation. It is solid-liquid transportation where the ash slurry generally flows through mild steel, and a good amount of pump energy and pressure is required to convey the slurry with a density above 1220 kg/m3. The study is basically on the water hammer analysis of ash slurry conveying pipes. Nevertheless, since the hammer analysis is typically carried out in normal water, the study of ash slurry is compared to the know criteria of potable water. The study aims to understand …

Evaluating The Permeability Of Porous Aggregate Concrete Using Electrical Resistivity-Based Measurements, Ariel Miguel Mendez Aragoncillo

Theses and Dissertations

Recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) and lightweight aggregates (LWA) are popular alternative aggregates for concrete. However, due to their highly porous structure, concrete with RCA and LWA shows a different microstructure and higher permeability than conventional concrete. Thus, the existing relationships used to evaluate the permeability and, consequently, the durability of concrete are not applicable in concretes with RCA and LWA. This research examined the permeation properties of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) and lightweight aggregate concrete (LWAC). The relationships between electrical resistivity-based measurements in RAC and LWAC and their permeation properties were determined and compared to that of normal weight aggregate …

Experiential Learning And Exposure To Professional Experience In Civil Engineering Education, Sanjay Tewari

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Experiential learning is increasingly recognized as a crucial component of modern education, especially in fields like civil engineering, where practical skills and real-world exposure are paramount. This paper explores the various avenues through which civil engineering education can offer professional exposure and experiential learning opportunities. By analyzing the impact of senior seminars, internships, co-ops, undergraduate research, study abroad programs, service learning, student design teams, leadership positions, and involvement in technical and professional student organizations, this paper aims to underscore the importance of these approaches in shaping well-rounded and industry-ready civil engineers.

Development And Calibration Of The Lmrpm Mid-Breton River Sediment Diversion Gate Operations, Emily E. Fertitta

LSU Master's Theses

With the rate of coastal land loss in Louisiana, the state is looking for innovative ways to help restore and maintain its coastal wetlands. Sediment diversions are going to be constructed along the Lower Mississippi River to mitigate the issues by diverting river water, sediment and nutrients into adjacent wetlands. Since there are currently no real-world applications of sediment diversions, the Lower Mississippi River Physical Model is a beneficial modeling tool to study the impact sediment diversions and relative sea level rise have on the hydraulics and sediment transport processes in the river. The two river sediment diversions on the …

Coastal Environments: Mine Discharges And Infringements On Indigenous Peoples’ Rights, Charles Kerfoot, Gary Swain, Luis M. Verissimo, Erin Johnston, Carol Maclennan, Daniel Schneider, Noel Urban

Michigan Tech Publications

Over a century ago, copper mills on the Keweenaw Peninsula of Lake Superior sluiced 64 million metric tonnes (MMT) of tailings into coastal waters, creating a metal-rich “halo”. Here we show that relatively small discharges can spread widely in time and space. Mass Mill (2.9 MMT) dumping into Lake Superior also illustrates the complexity of interactions with Indigenous Peoples. A combination of aerial photos, LiDAR, and a microscope technique for distinguishing end-member particles traces the migration of tailings. The clay fraction spread rapidly across Keweenaw Bay and curled into terminal L’Anse Bay, within tribal Reservation boundaries. The coarse stamp sand …

Bound Preserving Numerical Methods For Infiltration, Arnob Barua

LSU Master's Theses

Simulating the infiltration process in variably saturated media by solving Richards' Equation (RE) remains a computationally challenging task. The degenerate parabolic nature of RE, along with the strongly nonlinear coefficients, makes it very difficult to obtain accurate solutions with conventional numerical methods unless highly refined meshes are used. That is, in the conventional Finite Element Method (FEM), the grid size has to be fine enough to ensure convergence and limit non-physical oscillations, which is computationally expensive. This research aims to develop a second-order accurate FEM discretization with no non-physical oscillations for RE on unstructured meshes which will converge faster than …

Correlation Analysis Between External Damages And Transverse Load Distribution Capacit Y Of Hollow Slab Bridges, Cao Hao, Sun Dunhua, Wang Zichen, Zhao Fuli, Sun Haipeng, Xiong Wen

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

To correctly evaluate the service status of prefabricated hollow slab girder bridge, based on the measured data of apparent disease and load test of hollow slab girder bridge in reconstruction and expansion project, this paper first analyzed the data characteristics of the beam body, hinge joints, and support disease samples and obtained their statistical distribution rules. Then, according to the typical diseases (transverse cracks and hinge cracks at the bottom of the beam), the BP neural network was used to build a correlation model for them, and the close correlation between the two typical diseases of hollow slab girder bridge …

Research Of Disease Analysis And Reinforcement Technology For Typical Orthotropic Bridge Deck, Guo Fukuan, Zhou Shangmeng

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

In order to effectively solve the disease problem of orthotropic steel bridge decks, this paper relied on a steel box girder cable-stayed bridge deck reinforcement project to carry out steel bridge deck disease analysis and reinforcement technology research. The results show that the main disease of steel bridge decks is fatigue cracking. The fatigue cracks are numerous, short, and deep, and they continuously grow and cause more severe disease. The excessive fatigue stress amplitude is the main factor leading to the fatigue cracking of steel bridge decks. Once the crack occurs, the stress amplitude of the crack tip increases continuously, …

Review Of Research Progress Of Frame Beam Anchore D Structure In Slope Supporting, Zhang Junhui, Zhou Qinwei, Li Feng, Zhang Shiping

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

This paper summarized the research status of frame beam anchored structures in slope supporting and reinforcement engineering in China and abroad. It analyzed the results of structural design, model test, and field construction. Through induction and analysis, it is found that the current design of frame beam anchored structure has certain limitations, and it is necessary to form a universal design theory and method. The model test of frame beam anchored structure in slope supporting is limited by the test equipment and conditions and fails to be carried out on a large scale. The key points and standards of the …

Experimental Study On Interface Fatigue C Haracteristics Of Asphalt P Avement Pothole Patch Under External Factors, Ai Changfa, Shao Zhutao, Huang Yangquan, Ren Dongya

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

After the asphalt pavement patch for potholes is put into use, the interface joints around it are prone to fatigue and durability problems under the action of external factors such as the natural environment and driving load effect. In order to analyze the fatigue characteristics of the repaired interface joints under the action of external factors, the four-point bending fatigue test and pull-out test, combined with the results of orthogonal analysis, were used to determine the best bonding scheme of the repaired interface. The influence of external factors such as temperature, frequency, and strain level on the fatigue life of …

Case Study Of Steel Wire Corrosion In Hoist Cable Of Half ⁃Through Arch Bridge, Xu Hongsheng, Jiang Lei, Yan Donghuang

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

In order to understand the causes and development rules of steel wire corrosion diseases inside the hoist cable of half⁃through and through arch bridges, this paper systematically studied the defects and loopholes of the protection system for the hoist cable of two half⁃through steel arch bridges by disintegrating the old hoist cables of Yuehai Bridge in Yinchuan and Xiangjiang Bridge in Heishipu Street in Changsha City. It probed into the distribution rules of corrosion diseases of steel wire inside the hoist cables. The main reasons leading to the difference in steel wire corrosion disease inside the old hoist cables of …

Influence Of Proximity Construction Of A New Pile Foundation On Adjacent Metro Tunnel, Jin Shengji, Mu Anxin, Bi Bo, Xu Chao, Yu He

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

The construction of a bridge pile foundation and cap not only causes disturbance to its foundation and surrounding soil but also has a certain influence on adjacent existing structures. In order to study the influence of new pile foundation proximity construction on tunnels adjacent to subway sections, this paper took the pile foundation construction process of auxiliary bridge extension on both sides of Shenyang Changqing Bridge as the research object and adopted Midas/GTS finite element numerical simulation and construction monitoring methods to study the influence of new pile foundation proximity construction on tunnels adjacent to subway sections. The results show …

Research On Cyclic Accumulative Strain Characteristics Of Structured Soft Clay, Ding Zhi, Yu Jiangang, Sun Miaomiao, Wang Jiawei, Ye Ke

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

Due to its structural properties, natural soft clay is prone to produce large cumulative deformation under cyclic loads such as traffic, which has a great impact on engineering. In order to solve the deformation problem caused by structural failure of soft clay under dynamic action, dynamic characteristics of undisturbed soft clay near a highway in Hangzhou were tested by the dynamic triaxial device under cyclic loading, and the dynamic characteristics of saturated undisturbed soft clay under different effective consolidation confining pressures, vibration frequencies, and dynamic stress ratios under K0 (static earth pressure coefficient) consolidation conditions were studied. The results show …

Experimental Study On Time ⁃Varying Characteristics Of Saturated Water Content Of Granite Residual Soil In Acid⁃Etched Environment, Zhang Maolin, Xie Qingzhong, Fu Helin, Zhang Meng, Li Qinglong, Dong Hui

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

In order to clarify the correlation between saturated water content variability and slope stability, characteristic tests on saturated water content of granite residual soil affected by acid were carried out. Direct shear tests were carried out to test the variation rule of saturated water content and its characteristic value under the influence of vertical loading and acidification time, and the internal causes of variation were deduced based on the structural characteristics obtained by microscope electron microscopy. The results show that: ① The vertical pressure σ = 300 kPa is the turning point of the linear and nonlinear relationship, and under …

Effect Of Activator On Compressive Strength Of Steel Slag Powder Cement Soil, Chen Fei, Wang Yanchun, Du Sujun

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

In order to reasonably solve the environmental pollution caused by steel slag, steel slag powder was used to improve cement soil. The optimal mix ratio was determined by a laboratory unconfined compressive strength test to prepare steel slag powder cement soil. In view of of low activity and limited compressive strength enhancement effect of steel slag powder, three kinds of activators including sodium hydroxide, silica fume, and calcium chloride were selected to be added to steel slag powder cement soil, so as to study the strength variation rule. The results show that the strength of cement soil can be improved …

Influence Of Steel Fiber And Polymer Emulsion On Mechanical Properties And Microstructure Of Concrete, Guo Guanglei, Sun Shiqiang, Li Ying, Zheng Yiwei, Mei Yingjun

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

The microstructure and mechanical properties of concrete were improved by adding steel fiber and polymer emulsion. The working properties and mechanical properties of steel fiber concrete, polymer emulsion-modified concrete, and steel fiber polymer concrete were tested at 3 d, 28 d, and 90 d. Nitrogen adsorption test, mercury injection test, and density method were used to obtain the total pore volume, median pore size, and closed porosity of concrete. The influence of steel fiber and polymer emulsion on the microstructure and mechanical properties of concrete was analyzed. The results show that the compressive strength of concrete after adding steel fiber …

Research On Budget Quota Of Highway Bridge Crack Treatment, Chang Ding, Yu Licun

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

In view of the lack of a unified budget quota for concrete structure crack treatment, a large number of measured data and fuzzy analytic hierarchy process were used to calculate the consumption of budget quota through the amplitude difference coefficient of construction quota. According to the technical specifications of highway bridge reinforcement engineering, reasonable crack treatment methods and engineering contents were determined, and the quota of structure crack treatment was prepared by using the physical quantity. The quota cost was compared with actual engineering cases. The results show that the quota cost and the actual project cost are basically at …

Effect Of Nano ⁃Metakaolin On Frost Resistance Of Concrete, Li Zhenfa

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

The denudation per unit area, relative dynamic elastic modulus, mechanical strength, and fracture characteristics of concrete with different nano-metakaolin contents before and after freezing and thawing were studied. The results show that nano-metakaolin can significantly improve the freezing resistance of concrete, and the denudation per unit area and relative dynamic elastic modulus loss rate of modified concrete are significantly improved compared with the reference group. The mechanical strength and fracture properties of nano-mekaolin-modified concrete before and after freezing and thawing are higher than those of the control group, and the mechanical strength, fracture toughness, and fracture energy loss rate are …