Civil Engineering Commons^™

Treatment Of Municipal Solid Waste Incineration Bottom Ash Using Cement For Integrated Recovery Of Hydrogen And Production Of Supplementary Cementitious Material, Muhammad Haris Javed, Wenyu Liao, Fathma Zuhra, David Vollero, David Schmidenberg, Hongyan Ma

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) bottom ash (MBA) represents both a disposal challenge and a potential resource for sustainable construction materials, including use as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM). However, the conventional use of MBA in cement-based materials is hindered by its high metallic aluminum content, which reacts in alkaline environments to release hydrogen gas and causes volumetric instability (e.g., expansion and cracking). This study investigates a cement-based alkali pretreatment method using diluted cement suspension to stabilize metallic aluminum and improve the compatibility of MBA as an SCM. Compared to conventional alkali solutions, the proposed approach avoids the direct use …

Research Status And Prospects Of Monitoring Technology For Large-Span Cable-Stayed Bridges Based On Machine Learning, Liu Guoliang, Liu Guokun, Yan Donghuang, Wang Wenxi, Wang Qishun

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

Machine learning and intelligent optimization algorithms have been increasingly applied to construction and health monitoring of long-span cable-stayed bridges. Based on the construction history of cable-stayed bridges both domestically and internationally, an overview of the origin and development process of cable-stayed bridges was provided. Firstly, from the perspective of the entire life cycle of bridges, bridge monitoring was divided into construction period monitoring and operation period monitoring. The applications of mainstream construction monitoring methods in large cable-stayed bridge projects were elaborated, and the specific composition of bridge health monitoring systems was clarified. Secondly, the basic principles of several machine learning …

Mineral Composition-Driven Competitive Adsorption Behavior Of Superplasticizer In Recycled Concrete Powder-Cement Pastes: Quantification And Validation, Junpeng Du, Tongsheng Zhang, Hongyan Ma, Peiliang Shen, Yiqun Guo, Siqing Zeng, Jiangxiong Wei, Qijun Yu

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Recycled concrete powder (RCP) exhibits pronounced variability in mineral component contents, which leads to competitive adsorption of superplasticizers in RCP-Portland cement (PC) pastes and consequently to mineral composition-dependent deviations in rheological properties. In this study, limestone powder (LSP), quartz powder (QZP), and hardened paste powder (HPP) were used to simulate the main components of RCP. Effects of RCPs with target components on the rheological properties of blended cement paste were investigated, and a competitive-adsorption coefficient (CC) was proposed to quantify the competitive adsorption of superplasticizer. Results showed that increasing LSP-enriched RCP content reduced the yield stress of cement paste, primarily …

3d Printing In Construction: Technology And Digital Innovation, Zachary Braunstein, Tyler Fritsch, Leah Oberkehr, Ethan Arvidson

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

The study of 3D Printing in Construction: Technology and Digital Innovation examines the growing role of additive manufacturing in transforming traditional construction practices. This literature review explores the evolution of construction 3D printing from early conceptual research on contour crafting to modern automated construction systems that integrate robotics with digital design technologies such as Building Information Modeling. The review highlights practical applications including the design and testing of a 3D printed concrete pedestrian bridge and the increasing use of 3D concrete printing in residential construction to reduce labor demands and project timelines. It also discusses advancements in printable materials, including …

Multidimensional Total Quality Management And Its Effects On Sustainability And Performance In Industrialized Building System Projects, Felix Delmonte

Mechanical and Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

This study develops and tests a multidimensional total quality management (TQM) framework to explain how distinct quality practices influence environmental sustainability, construction quality, cost and schedule performance, waste reduction, energy efficiency, stakeholder satisfaction, and overall project performance in industrialized building system (IBS) projects. Soft and hard TQM dimensions such as leadership commitment, customer focus, employee involvement, training and continuous improvement, process management, supplier quality, and data driven decision making are operationalised and linked to eight outcome constructs. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS SEM) is used to estimate direct effects and to examine mediation by waste reduction and energy …

Fall Hazard Prevention: A Zero-Fatality Goal For Health, Safety, And Well-Being On Construction Sites, Alena Richardson, Chaidaliz Minguela Alicea, Nicola Kaehler, Charlene Weaver

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Jobsites face hazards like falls, which threaten the health, safety, and well-being of construction workers. Falls are the leading cause of all accidents and fatalities in construction, accounting for approximately 40% of all worker deaths in 2023. While achieving a zero-accident rate for falls is inherently challenging, prioritizing a zero-fatality objective represents a practical and impactful starting point. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends a six-step action approach for the prevention and control of hazards like falls. Of particular interest, the State of Florida is consistently ranked among the highest for construction fall fatalities, often attributed to insufficient …

Climate Resilient Infrastructure: The Problem Shift, Tyler Lautieri, Isaiah Morrison, Harrison Totten

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Climate change is a heavily debated topic, but recent studies and data show that climate change is leading to an increase in the frequency and severity of hazards. Infrastructure systems are subjected to more compound and cascading events that lead to the degradation of the systems. More traditional infrastructure design relies on concern that the system will be subjected to single hazard issues, and the design focuses on preventing structural failure during these isolated events. These approaches often fail to account for long term degradation of the system, as well as the interacting hazards, and system interdependence, which makes resilience …

Ensemble Learning Framework For Predicting Close Proximity Tire–Pavement Noise On Expressways, Woo Young Cho, Jin Hwan Kim, Guk Gon Song, Kyungnam Kim, Youngguk Seo

Faculty Articles

Traffic noise is a critical public health concern affecting millions of highway users and adjacent residents worldwide. In response, many transportation agencies have adopted functional surface materials to reduce noise at the source on pavement, but assessing their effectiveness remains expensive and logistically challenging. Close Proximity (CPX) testing quantifies tire-pavement noise but requires specialized equipment costing $50,000-$126,000 and is limited to existing pavement, preventing proactive noise assessment during pavement design. This study develops machine learning models to predict CPX noise levels from readily available pavement characteristics, eliminating the need for costly tests during design and planning phases. To train and …

Alternate Method For Determining The Liquid Pressure Recovery Factor, Bryson H. Parker

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

The term liquid pressure recovery factor aids in determining the flowrate through valves at the maximum flowrate under choking conditions. The pressure recovery factor can be difficult to determine for certain types of valves based on the industry standard procedure. This report looks at the current industry standard procedure and adds a procedure in the event of the industry standard not being feasible. Often it is not feasible for a testing facility to supply enough flow through the valve to reach the industry standard. The industry standard is to test the valve at the maximum flowrate with a constant upstream …

Five-State Seismic Damage Classification Of Steel-Girder Bridges On Soft Soil Using Directional Intensity Measures And Multi-Parameter Damage Indices, Ibrahim Alomari, Woubishet Zewdu Taffese, Mohammad Hossein Afsharmovahed, Genda Chen

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Rapid yet accurate post-earthquake damage assessment of highway bridges is essential to ensure transportation network resilience. Traditional inspection, fragility analysis, and finite element modeling are time-consuming or inaccurate for real-time decision-making. This study compares ten machine-learning classifiers for the seismic damage states of highway steel-girder bridges that incorporate directional intensity measures to represent the variance of ground motions. Based on the nonlinear time-history analyses of two Missouri bridges, one Michigan bridge, and one Wisconsin bridge, multi-parameter structural damage indices were proposed and mapped to five damage states from none to collapse. Among ten supervised algorithms studied, the artificial neural network …

Effect Of Rheology Modification On Fiber Orientation And Dispersion In 3d-Printed Ultra-High-Performance Concrete, Haodao Li, Alfred Addai-Nimoh, Seongho Han, Kamal H. Khayat

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The extrusion process in 3D concrete printing (3DCP) facilitates horizontal alignment of steel fibers along the printing direction, thus enhancing the load-bearing capacity of printed elements. However, such shear-induced fiber alignment is highly sensitive to rheological properties. This study investigates how variations in dynamic yield stress (τd) and plastic viscosity (μ), influence the extrudability, fiber orientation and dispersion, and anisotropic mechanical behavior of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC). Five viscosity-modifying agent (VMA) types were incorporated at two content levels to modify the rheology of printable UHPC. Results showed that moderate VMA additions improved printability, whereas excessive contents markedly increased τd and μ; …

Expected Structural Damage, Residual Capacity, And Repairability Of Light-Frame Timber Houses, Mikayla Caruthers

Master's Theses

Earthquake damage in light-frame timber structures is commonly evaluated using peak inter-story drift. However, drift alone does not fully represent the remaining structural capacity of a building or its ability to be repaired following a seismic event. Although expected structural damage, residual capacity, and repairability have each been studied extensively, these concepts are often considered independently, leaving limited guidance that links them within a unified post-earthquake assessment methodology.

This thesis establishes an integrated framework that relates expected structural damage, residual capacity, and repairability for light-frame timber residential structures. Existing literature was synthesized to develop drift-based damage-state classifications, identify methods for …

The Influence Of Rainfall And Land Cover Change On Streamflow Variability In Eastern Florida Watersheds, Brynn Romberger

Theses and Dissertations

Streamflow in Florida watersheds is influenced by both land cover change and rainfall variability, but separating their contributions is difficult because both have changed over recent decades. This study evaluated rainfall trends and land cover change to determine which better explains flood and drought threshold exceedance across 27 USGS streamflow gauges within the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) from 1985 to 2025. Streamflow was characterized using change-point, trend, and variability analyses with a six-threshold exceedance framework. Land cover was quantified using the National Land Cover Database (NLCD), rainfall characteristics were derived from the Analysis of Records for Calibration …

Building Services Engineering July/August 2026

Building Services Engineering

This issue of Building Services Engineering features heat pumps, propane usage, solar power, and ventilation for indoor air quality. Features include district heating, HVACR optimisation, lift retrofitting, EU water policy, and an interview with WiBSE Ireland Chair Heather Holt.

Evaluation Of Dredged Sediments As A Partial Replacement For Fine Aggregate In Mortar And Concrete, Ashish Gautam

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

The feasibility of using dredged sediment from the Mobile River as a partial replacement for fine aggregate in mortar and concrete was investigated through a series of laboratory characterization and performance evaluation. Three dredged sediment samples (A, B and C) were initially examined, and Sample A was selected for further evaluation due to its closer resemblance to natural fine aggregate. This sample exhibited lower moisture content, higher sand equivalent values, higher specific gravity, and lower absorption. Mortar mixtures with 0, 10, 20, 30, 50, 75 and 100% dredged sediment replacement showed decreasing workability as the replacement level increased. The 20% …

Human-Centered Electric Vehicle Adoption Framework For Smart Mobility: Modeling Perceived Range And Charging Anxiety As A Psychological Barrier, Fatemeh Nazari, Abolfazl (Kouros) Mohammadian, Thomas Stephens

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Electric vehicles (EVs) offer a transformative pathway toward reducing the environmental, economic, and health-related externalities of internal combustion engine vehicles in urban settings. Despite substantial advances in battery technology, charging infrastructure expansion, and supportive policy incentives, EV penetration remains limited which poses challenges for smart and sustainable mobility planning. A critical yet insufficiently modeled barrier to adoption lies in the psychological perceptions surrounding electric driving range and charging reliability, which is commonly framed as “range anxiety,” but more broadly reflecting perceived range and charging anxiety. To address this gap, this study introduces a latent psychological construct capturing individuals’ perceived range …

Wildfire Impacts On Fluvial Hydrology From Watershed To National Scales, Paige G. Tunby

Civil Engineering ETDs

Wildfires alter the water quantity and quality in downstream river networks. Fires promote biodiversity, maintain habitat, and provide many ecosystem services in a fire-adapted landscape. However, changes in the natural fire regimes can alter ecosystem function and threaten the water security of impacted downstream communities. The magnitude, timing, and persistence of these impacts are difficult to predict due to the lack of high-resolution datasets with adequate coverage to evaluate spatiotemporal trends after a fire. This dissertation moves us beyond the status quo to evaluate post-fire fluvial responses across scales, from the event-scale impacts after the Hermit’s Peak-Calf Canyon wildfire in …

A Machine Learning Approach For Water Quality Assessment In The Lower Rio Grande Valley Watershed, Saika Nowshin Nowrin, Chu-Lin Cheng, Jungseok Ho, Jinwoo An, Fatemeh Nazari

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Water quality analysis plays an essential role in maintaining the health and sustainability of river ecosystems, especially in semi-arid regions like the Arroyo Colorado Watershed in South Texas. Since the river is a vital source of water supply for local communities, agriculture, and wildlife, it faces significant challenges and pollution from land use changes, climate variation, and agricultural runoff. Continuous monitoring and assessment of water quality parameters and their temporal variability are essential to ensure the drinking water supply and aquatic ecosystem health. However, comprehensive laboratory-based water quality investigations are often constrained by higher costs, logistical complexity, and limited manpower. …

Identifying Failure Behaviors In Stereolithography From Varied Print Orientations, Kevin Veltre

Theses and Dissertations

Stereolithography (SLA) is an additive manufacturing (AM) technique that utilizes photopolymerization to create three-dimensional shapes by strategically printing layers of material. Printing parameters such as layer orientation, print resolution and post cure can affect a specimen’s homogeneity, longevity and mechanical characteristics. Because of this variability, print parameters must be carefully considered when designing products and print processes for desired components, as manufacturers often fail to include all relevant print settings when advertising mechanical properties. For this study, 130 SLA-printed specimens were created with 100-micron print layer thickness and print orientations varying between 0 and 90, including intermediate orientations, to observe …

Feasibility Of Using Untreated And Treated Rice Straw Fibers As A Modifier For Hot Mix Asphalt, Aditya Chowdhury

Civil Engineering Theses

Flexible pavements are subject to progressive deterioration driven by repeated traffic loading, environmental exposure, and material degradation, which causes distress. This study presents an integrated research framework that combines laboratory performance evaluation of rice straw fiber (RSF)-modified hot mix asphalt with machine learning-based pavement distress prediction to advance sustainable pavements. Three plant-produced HMA mixtures were modified with untreated and alkali-treated RSF at dosage levels of 0.2%, 0.4%, and 0.6% by total mixture weight. FTIR spectroscopic analysis confirmed that alkali treatment induced significant chemical modifications to the fiber surface, increasing hydroxyl group availability and enhancing fiber–binder adhesion. Alkali-treated RSF consistently outperformed …

Fuel Tank Seismic Stability Program-Informed Displacement Maps Of Portland's Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub, Ana Tijerina Esquino

Dissertations and Theses

Oregon's Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Hub in northwest Portland contains a large portion of the state's liquid fuel storage and distribution capacity and is located in an area susceptible to liquefaction and earthquake-induced permanent ground deformation during a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake. Initial Seismic Vulnerability Assessments submitted under Oregon's Fuel Tank Seismic Stability program provide valuable facility-specific information, but the assessments vary in subsurface characterization, treatment of fine-grained soils, ground motion selection, and deformation estimation methods. This variability complicates interpretation of regional seismic risk and motivates a consistent corridor-scale analysis.

This thesis develops CPT-informed displacement estimates for representative cross sections …

Policy Analysis Of The Inclusion Of Mitigation Measures In The Re-Design And Construction Of The New Frances Scott Key Bridge, Patrick John O'Connor

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis discusses the tragic event of the container ship MV Dali impacting the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, 2024, leading to the collapse of the structure and killing six people despite having collision mitigation protections in place. This research examines how late twentieth-century structures are inadequate for current shipping demands and emphasizes that updated mitigation design criteria must accommodate larger modern vessels as governments replace or upgrade these structures. This paper will examine four case studies of different collisions that have similar circumstances to the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse and review National Transportation Safety Board reports …

Fatigue And Healing Performance Of Asphalt Materials Modified With Nanomaterials And High-Polymer Asphalt Binders, Samuel M. Addai

Theses and Dissertations

Fatigue cracking is one of the primary distress mechanisms affecting asphalt pavement durability under repeated traffic loading and environmental aging. Although asphalt binders possess an inherent ability to heal micro-damage during rest periods, this healing capacity is often insufficient to fully counter progressive fatigue damage under field conditions. This thesis investigates the fatigue and self-healing behavior of asphalt binders and mixtures modified with nanomaterials and advanced polymer-based systems. Nanomodified binders were evaluated using Linear Amplitude Sweep (LAS) and Linear Amplitude Sweep with Healing (LASH) tests within the VECD framework to quantify fatigue resistance and healing behavior under different rest periods …

Transport Properties And Microstructural Development Of Co₂-Cured, Co₂-Infused, And Cold-Weather Concrete, Arlene Jane Looc

Theses and Dissertations

This research aims to advance the understanding of durability and transport behavior in emerging CO₂-cured and cold-weather concrete technologies. Limited work has examined long-term durability indicators such as permeability, resistivity, and pore connectivity in these types of concrete. To bridge this gap, the study evaluates transport properties alongside microstructural changes that govern the progression of hydration and the evolution of pore structure. This study measures transport properties, determines correlations between resistivity and fluid ingress, and analyzes the evolution of pore structure. To achieve this, the experimental program evaluated three concrete mixtures for external CO₂ exposure, nine for dry ice infusion, …

Analysis Of The Suitability Of C-Band Radar-Based Rainfall Data With Rain Gauge Stations In The Upper Ciliwung Watershed, Indonesia, Daffa Aliyo Ghinannafsi, Evi Anggraheni, Muhammad Rizal, Peter Hartono Halim

CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development

Accurate rainfall estimation is essential for hydrological modelling and flood risk management, particularly in mountainous watersheds where rain gauge coverage is limited. This study evaluated the performance of a calibration correction method for C-Band radar rainfall estimates in the Upper Ciliwung Watershed using data from five rain gauge stations and 100 rainfall events. Data quality was verified through outlier and consistency tests before applying a daily calibration correction factor derived from gauge observations. Radar performance was evaluated using the Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE), Percent Bias (PBias), and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE). Before correction, radar estimates substantially overestimated rainfall, with NSE …

Analysis Of Construction Safety Costs In Girder Erection Work On Toll Road Projects To Reduce Risks And Construction Accident Costs, Aditya Daniar Wicaksono, Rossy Armyn Machfudiyanto

CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development

The construction of toll roads, as part of Indonesia’s National Strategic Projects, plays a crucial role in enhancing mobility and economic competitiveness. Girder erection work constitutes one of the most critical phases in toll road bridge construction, characterized by high safety risks due to confined workspaces, technical complexity, and suboptimal risk management practices. This study aims to analyze construction safety costs in girder erection work to reduce risks and construction accident costs. The research process includes hazard identification, effective risk control analysis, risk impact valuation, and cost-benefit analysis of safety investments. The methods employed consist of secondary data analysis, risk …

Experimental Studies Of Compressive Strength Of Sustainable Concrete With Partial Cement Substitution Using Palm Oil Boiler Ash, Daral Suraedi, Jessica Sjah, Nuraziz Handika, Saffanah Fasya Aulia, Karmenita Olivia Edwardo

CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development

This study investigates the mechanical performance of sustainable concrete incorporating Palm Oil Boiler Ash (POBA) as a partial cement replacement. As the construction sector seeks to reduce CO₂ emissions and manage agro-industrial waste, POBA emerges as a promising supplementary cementitious material due to its pozzolanic potential and abundance in palm oil–producing regions such as Indonesia.Concrete specimens were prepared with POBA substitution levels ranging from approximately 10% to 30% by weight of cement, in combination with nanosilica and a polycarboxylate ether (PCE) superplasticizer to enhance performance. The mix design was developed in accordance with ACI 211 guidelines to maintain comparable workability …

Analysis Of Factors Influencing The Implementation Of Sustainable Project Management (Spm) In The Construction Industry In Indonesia, Ariq Farhan, Titi Sari Nurul Rachmawati

CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development

The construction industry contributes significantly to economic growth but also carries substantial environmental and social costs. Construction activities generate carbon emissions, consume natural resources, and produce large volumes of waste. Despite growing theoretical development of Sustainable Project Management (SPM) frameworks, empirical evidence on the actual level of SPM implementation in Indonesia's construction sector remains limited. This study aims to identify the factors that influence SPM implementation and measure the level of implementation as perceived by construction professionals. A quantitative survey was administered to 99 professionals across infrastructure, building, and industrial construction sectors in Indonesia. Data were collected through a Likert-scale …

A Machine-Learning-Based Systematic Framework For Modeling Compression And Recompression Indices For Florida Soils, Michael Morales

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

This thesis develops a machine-learning framework for estimating the compression index and the recompression index of Florida soils from routinely measured index properties, and reports two studies that build it. Consolidation settlement design requires both indices, and both are obtained from the incremental-loading oedometer test, which occupies a specimen for one to two weeks; the index tests that accompany it are complete within hours. Empirical correlations have filled that interval since the 1950s, but their coefficients are calibrated on specific soil populations and transfer poorly between regions. The first study analyzes 376 consolidation tests compiled for the Florida Department of …

How Does Competitive Adsorption Between Vma And Pce Influence Yield Stress Of Cement Paste? A Novel Insight From Interparticle Forces And Percolation Threshold, Huamin Sun, Le Teng, Xiaohan Yu, Xin Shu, Zhangli Hu, Jiaping Liu, Kamal H. Khayat

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Viscosity modifying admixture (VMA) and polycarboxylate superplasticizer (PCE) are often combined to optimize rheological properties of cement-based materials. However, the competitive adsorption of these complex admixtures can greatly influence rheological properties. Many studies have investigated the variation of yield stress due to competitive adsorption between VMA and PCE; but the mechanisms are not fully understood. This study aims to shed a new light on this question in cement paste systems prepared with low water-to-binder ratios of 0.16–0.30. The competitive adsorption of VMA and PCE was quantitatively assessed using the Total Organic Carbon and Ultraviolet-Visible Spectroscopy measurements. The effect of competitive …