Civil Engineering Commons^™

Demystifying Utility Coordination: Understanding The Basics, Josshe I. Palm

Purdue Road School

This session will explain utility coordination to non-utility coordinators. It will help educate others about the role and responsibilities of a utility coordinator, an OSA, easy UC and design mistakes to avoid, scope and design considerations, items commonly overlooked, when to coordinate SUE, and how to work with your UC to request a letting adjustment. We will also highlight UC submittals and allow time for questions about the UC’s role in a project’s success.

Analyzing Video And Isobus Data To Understand Risk And Safety Practices For Roadside Mowing, Nathan Sprague, Timothy Wiegman, J. T. Evans

Graduate Industrial Research Symposium

In Indiana, roadside mowing covers 11,200 miles, presenting significant risks. The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) seeks safer methods, including automated evaluations and autonomous robots. Analyzing 120 hours of video and ISOBUS data, we quantify mower interactions with the road and obstacles, finding mowers on -road up to 91% of the time in rural areas and 57% on highways. Key obstacles identified include signs and posts. This research aids in developing risk assessment models and safety evaluations, aiming to improve mowing safety and efficiency, and it supports future development of autonomous mowing technologies.

Reliability-Based Analysis Of Horizontal Curve Design By Evaluating The Impact Of Vehicle Automation On Roadway Departure Crashes And Safety Performance, Omar Al-Sheikh, Seyed Hooman Ghasemi, Mohammad Jalayer

Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering Departmental Research

Roadway departure (RwD) crashes are significant safety concerns, especially at horizontal curves. The design of these curves plays a crucial role in mitigating RwD crashes. Thus, a thorough understanding of the interaction between driver behavior, vehicle automation, and geometric design is vital. Substantive safety, which emphasizes the inherent safety in a road's design and function, serves as the foundation of our approach. Building on this, the study employs a safe system approach to investigate the performance of horizontal curves under both non-automated and partially automated conditions, using a reliability-based analysis focusing on Stopping Sight Distance as the primary driver demand. …

Containerization Of Seafarers In The International Shipping Industry: Contemporary Seamanship, Maritime Social Infrastructures, And Mobility Politics Of Global Logistics, Liang Wu

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation discusses the mobility politics of container shipping and argues that technological development, political-economic order, and social infrastructure co-produce one another. Containerization, the use of standardized containers to carry cargo across modes of transportation that is said to have revolutionized and globalized international trade since the late 1950s, has served to expand and extend the power of international coalitions of states and corporations to control the movements of commodities (shipments) and labor (seafarers). The advent and development of containerization was driven by a sociotechnical imaginary and international social contract of seamless shipping and cargo flows. In practice, this liberal, …

Laboratory Evaluation Of Warm Mix Additives At Lower Than Traditional Compaction Temperatures, Abdelrahman Mahmoud Waheish Ali

Theses and Dissertations

The study aims to evaluate the impact of warm mix additives (WMA) on the rheological and performance properties of asphalt binders and mixtures. For this purpose, PG 76-28 and PG 58-28 were obtained with one organic (Sasobit Redux) and three chemical WMA (Rediset, Evotherm, and Zycotherm). All WMA-modified asphalt binders were aged at three different aging levels. Laboratory tests such as performance grade (PG), critical temperature differential (ΔTc), asphalt binder cracking device (ABCD), linear amplitude sweep test (LAS), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were performed. In addition to the binder testing plan, this study also evaluated the impact of …

Research On Orthogonal Test Of Mgo-Fiber Cement Soil′S Deformation Modulus, Hu Qizhi, Yu Yang, Ma Qiang, Zhuang Xinshan

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

Appropriate amounts of MgO and fiber can improve the compressive strength of cement soil. In order to further study the mechanical properties of MGO-fiber cement soil, Minitab software was used to design an orthogonal test method, and sensitivity analysis and influence analysis were carried out. The change rules of deformation modulus of MgO content, fiber content, and fiber length were studied at three different levels. The regression equations of MgO content, fiber content, and fiber length with cement soil deformation modulus were obtained by using Matlab software to process the test data. The sample was tested by scanning electron microscope …

Experimental Study On Performance Of Cast Asphalt Mixture Basedon Dry Modification, Wang Ming, Li Bo, Bao Guangzhi, Hu Deyong

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

Cast asphalt mixture is the most widely used material for the pavement of long-span steel bridge decks, and the special asphalt binder cannot be produced and used in small batches. The wet modification process is obviously not suitable for the production of the cast asphalt mixture during the operation and maintenance period. In this paper, according to the requirements of cast asphalt mixture and its binder, combined with the requirements of the dry modification process, the developed direct injection modifier was employed to conduct the mix design of cast asphalt mixture and tests of the fluidity, penetration and increment, low-temperature …

Enhancing Bridge Resilience And Overheight Vehicle Mitigation Through Innovative Sacrificial Cushion Systems, Aly Mousaad Aly, Marc Hoffmann

Faculty Publications

Transportation departments have made significant strides in addressing the challenges posed by the increasing weights of trucks on bridges. While there is a growing awareness of overheight vehicle collisions with bridges, implementing effective countermeasures remains limited. The susceptibility of bridges to damage from such collisions is on the rise, further exacerbated by unpredictable lateral impact forces. This study employs nonlinear impact analysis to assess the response of an unprotected vehicle-girder model, yielding realistic deformation outcomes comparable to observed impacts on the US-61 bridge. Predictions for a truck traveling at 112.65 km/h indicate deformations of 0.229 m, 0.161 m, and 0.271 …

Evaluation Of Driveway Assistance Device (Dad) Systems In One-Lane Two-Way Work Zone, Mm Shakiul Haque, Aemal J. Khattak, Li Zhao

Mid-America Transportation Center: Final Reports and Technical Briefs

Lane closure on two-lane highways due to the presence of work zones negatively impacts traffic safety and operational efficiency. Additionally, traffic from access points (e.g., commercial and residential driveways, or minor side roads) within work zones make operations more complicated and inefficient. Deploying a driveway assistance device (DAD) system can enable more efficient traffic control for work zones with access points. While traffic agencies are becoming interested in DAD deployments, research on such systems is relatively sparse. This research was the first in-depth operational investigation of the DAD system under different signal strategies, traffic conditions, and work zone characteristics. This …

Evaluation Of Hydrophobic Materials For Stabilizing Expansive Soils, Suman Shrestha

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

The swelling and shrinkage of the expansive soil as a response to moisture change is one of the significant challenges posed to infrastructure projects. The significant economic damage that is caused by the expansive soil, as well as its abundance in nature, has prompted various scientists and engineers all around the world to actively search for new and improved methods for stabilizing it. Various traditional methods, such as lime and cement treatment, have been used extensively to stabilize expansive soils and mitigate their harmful effects on the infrastructure. Although these methods are quite often effective and various studies have been …

Improvement In Benefit-Cost Analysis Of Bridges Through Assessment Of Secondary Benefits And Defect Based Maintenance Cost, Shadman Sakib

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

Benefit-cost Analysis (BCA) is conducted prior to federal grant allocation for bridge replacement and enhancement projects to prioritize decision-making. Benefits are measured based on total bridge closures, requiring vehicles to take alternate detour paths. Primary benefits are the direct user costs such as travel time saving or emission costs. However, there are more secondary benefits that are intangible and hard to monetize, but United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) guidelines suggest considering them wherever possible. There are lack of US based data and research also no set guideline by authority.

Apart from calculating primary benefits for a 95 sample of …

A 3-Step, Open-Data, Ride-Hailing Ridership Model With Pricing Applications, Richard A. Mucci

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

Researchers and practitioners studied the effects ride-hailing had in cities before the covid-19 pandemic. Previous research found ride-hailing to produce negative externalities, such as reducing transit ridership and increasing congestion in various cities. Since the pandemic, ride-hailing ridership has nearly recovered to pre-pandemic levels in Chicago. Ride-hailing ridership has grown steadily since the pandemic while a rider’s willingness to share their trip stagnated. Ride-hailing ridership nearly recovering to pre-covid levels in Chicago suggests that transportation planners, and policy makers, will need to continue assessing the impacts ride-hailing trips have in their cities.

Pickup and drop off locations in the Chicago …

Development Of A Real-Time Warning System For Bridge Icing Using Time Domain Reflectometry, Taryn Dilorenzo

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Treacherous driving conditions are a safety concern during the winter season where icing on roadways and bridges is of particular concern. The use of sensors to detect the presence or potential of surface ice formation is essential for efficient and effective winter road maintenance. However, there is a lack of ice detection systems that combine robust sensors, active warning signs and an ice detection algorithm that is reliable and economical. This study presents an innovative sensor that uses dielectric sensing to detect the onset of ice formation on a bridge deck. The sensor combines an automatic algorithm for ice detection …

Streamlining Public Engagement In Transportation Projects Using Text Analytics, Alireza Shamshiri

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Infrastructure projects impact a broad range of stakeholders, particularly local communities, whose engagement is critical for successful outcomes. Despite the importance of public engagement in these projects, traditional methods of capturing and analyzing public opinion often fail to fully represent the diverse, genuine perspectives involved. This has led to conflicts between community members and project sponsors. On the other hand, despite advancements in text analytics, including natural language processing (NLP) and its subfields such as topic modeling, sentiment analysis, and neural networks, their functionalities and effectiveness in analyzing public opinion in the domain of infrastructure projects have not been fully …

Development And Application Of Teems (Telecommuting Expectation Models): Predicting Post-Pandemic Telecommuting Choice And Frequency Using Machine Learning Models, Aiswarya Acharath Mohanakrishnan

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Telecommuting, increasingly prevalent in today's workforce, has gained significant momentum amid the pandemic-induced shift towards remote work. It altered the travel behavior of workers and their travel patterns. This evolution prompts a reevaluation of worker travel behavior, necessitating adjustments in travel demand modeling to optimize transportation planning and service provision. Using the commuter’s data from a typical pre-pandemic workday to model the travel demand of weeks or years in the future is outdated. In designing transportation systems for the future, Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) will thus need to account for change in work trips due to telecommuting, and how this …

Digitalization Of Railway Transportation Through Ai-Powered Services: Digital Twin Trains, Salih Sarp, Murat Kuzlu, Vukica Jovanovic, Zekeriya Polat, Ozgur Guler

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Digitalization is a key concept that transformed the various industries through technologies like Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Digital Twin (DT). Although innovations provided by the advancement of digitalization have paved the way for more efficient operations and products for transportation, the rail transportation sector struggles to keep up with the rest of the transportation industry, since trains are designed to last for decades, and the insufficient infrastructure investment leads to multiple railroad derailments across the globe. Therefore, the primary aim is to transform current railway systems into human-centric, adaptable, sustainable and future-proof networks, aligning with Industry …

Performance Reliability And Safety Index For Region Vii Highways, Aemal J. Khattak, Mm Shakiul Haque, Li Zhao

Mid-America Transportation Center: Final Reports and Technical Briefs

Roadway performance measures are used for operating, planning, and design purposes to improve services for road users. Simple statistics of the performance metrics such as measures of central tendency (e.g., mean, median) are often used for making operational and planning decisions. Even though such statistics are useful, they are, more than often, not comprehensive enough for making insightful operational and planning decisions. Consequently, performance reliability measures, which attempt to capture the day-to-day variability in performance, have the potential to benefit the areas of operation, planning, and design. Traffic data from Intelligent Transportation System facilitates the measurement of the reliability of …

Assessment Of Drainage Characteristics Of Recycled Crushed Concrete Aggregate (Rcca) And Plastic Mix Pavement Base, Amena Begum

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

Recycled Crushed Concrete Aggregate (RCCA) offers a sustainable alternative to natural aggregate in construction, reducing reliance on natural resources and diverting construction and demolition debris from landfills. Similarly, the escalating global plastic waste crisis highlights the need for innovative solutions to address non-biodegradable waste disposal challenges and create opportunities for recycling plastics into value-added applications. This study explores the potential of RCCA mixed with plastic waste, such as HDPE and PP, as a viable substitute for natural aggregates in flexible pavement base layers, with a focus on hydraulic properties and drainage performance to enhance pavement durability.

A comprehensive experimental program …

Impact Of Augmented Documentation Workflows On Transportation Agency Asphalt Paving Operations: A Qualitative And Quantitative Study, Josh Withrow

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

e-Ticketing was an intriguing technology to many state transportation agencies (STAs) pre-COVID-19 pandemic but gained significant attention upon arrival of the pandemic due to the contactless nature of the technology. Research completed prior to the pandemic into e-ticketing for asphalt paving primarily identified qualitative benefits and concerns. However, minimal academic literature exists in the post-pandemic era discussing the additional e-ticketing benefits not previously captured which resulted in increased implementation by STAs. This research seeks to address this gap by gathering information from state members of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Committee on Construction (AASHTO COC), employees …

Geophysical Method Used For The Determination And Prediction Of Soil Strength And Stiffness Parameters, Dabo Adama

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

This paper presents the results of an effort to use geophysical measurements such as seismic wave velocities and electrical resistivities to calculate airfield design parameters. The study converts all geophysical measurements to equivalent California Bearing Ratio (CBR) values, comparing CBR values estimated from DCP penetration resistance with CBR values estimated from shear wave velocity and electrical resistivity values. Relationships linking the geophysical measurements to CBR estimates were established using laboratory data and applied to field in-situ measurements. The elastic modulus (E) is the stiffness parameter involved in predicting soil strength and stiffness. This research aims to relate electrical conductivity and …

Advanced Network And Graph Theoretical Approaches To Urban Traffic Control And Optimization, Peirong Wang

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

This article-based dissertation consists of four complete manuscripts related to using proposed advanced network and graph theoretical approaches to optimize traffic control. Manuscript One addresses the integration of Connected Automated Vehicles (CAVs) and human-driven vehicles in heterogeneous traffic networks. Traditional models assume uniform driving behaviors, which are now inadequate. To address this, an integer programming formulation for a vehicle-oriented traffic dynamics model in space-time networks is introduced. This model distinguishes between individual vehicles and their unique driving behaviors, capturing diverse attributes of heterogeneous traffic flow. The manuscript demonstrates how the model can estimate the propagation of backward shockwaves for scheduled …

Evaluation Of Aashto Seismic Design For Reinforced Concrete Bridge Columns, Andrew Leroy Grismer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bridge failure can be catastrophic resulting in casualties and limiting the accessibility and emergency response efforts. Ensuring a high level of ductility for bridge columns through sufficient design methods and detailing is the most important aspect of the modern seismic codes. Reinforced concrete (RC) bridge columns are widely used in multi-span bridges located in seismic regions of the nation due to their controlled ductility and durability. The objective of this study was to systematically evaluate the AASHTO seismic design requirements for RC bridge columns and to comment on whether current bridge code is sufficient and safe. An extensive literature review …

Estimation Of Origin-Destination Matrix Using Open-Source Applications Based On Traffic Counts For Mansoura City In Egypt, Ahmed N. Awaad, Sherif M. El-Badawy, Elsayed Abd-Elazem Shwaly, Usama Elrawy Shahdah

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Origin-destination matrices (ODMs) are essential to transportation planning but estimating them can be difficult and expensive. This study presents a framework for estimating ODMs using traffic flow counts using open-source tools. The framework was applied to a dataset from the city of Mansoura in Egypt. The Flowrouter algorithm, which is part of the SUMO microscopic traffic simulation model, was used for routing traffic between traffic flow counting locations. Additionally, the “Implausible Routes” algorithm was used to eliminate unrealistic routes from the generated solution. The results show that the ODM obtained is a reasonable representation of the demand between the different …

Spatial Equity In Accessing Critical Facilities During Hurricanes, Pooya Komeilian

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Florida encounters multiple natural disasters every year, making evacuation a critical mitigation plan when severe impacts are predicted. Evacuation is a complex procedure that involves everything from household decision-making to large-scale traffic network analysis. It also addresses logistical issues, such as transporting impacted people to shelters or medical centers. Access to shelters, gas stations, and lodgings is of utmost importance, as numerous studies and surveys have shown that some people prefer not to evacuate, even if they perceive the disaster risk to be very high.

Based on this, the present study follows two phases to address gaps in evacuation studies. …

A Study On The Preferred Teleworking Policy By The Private Sector And Its Implication To The Demand On Transport Infrastructure (Case Study: Greater Jakarta Area), Alvinsyah Alvinsyah, Edy Hadian, Wahyu Aji Syahputra

CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development

This study examines the implementation of a teleworking policy with a work-from-home (WFH) scheme from a private company perspective and its implications on the Greater Jakarta’s proposed urban rail network’s carrying capacity. Using descriptive and inferential statistical analyses, a representative percentage of employees capable of working from home was determined. This figure, found to be sixty percent, was then employed in a macro transport model simulation to assess its impact on urban rail network demand. The results of the statistical analysis indicate that sixty percent of the company's workforce can still permitted to work remotely. The model simulation conducted indicates …

Decoding Usage And Adoption Behavior Of The Low-Carbon Transportation Market: An Ai-Driven Exploration, Vuban Chowdhury

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The transportation sector stands as a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, with its environmental impact steadily escalating over the past few decades. This has prompted government agencies to facilitate the adoption and usage of low-carbon transportation (LCT) options as alternatives to fossil-fuel-powered transportation. LCTs include modes of transportation that minimize the overall carbon footprint of the transportation sector by relying on energy sources that are environmentally sustainable. These sustainable transportation options have also garnered significant interest in the transportation research community. For government agencies and researchers alike, a comprehensive understanding of the adoption and usage …

Determining The Effect Of The Presence Of Food Deserts On The Number Of Crashes In Census Tracts In Arkansas, Lizbeth Juarez-Bartolo

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Food deserts, areas with limited access to grocery stores which sell fresh produce, dairy, and meats, are a growing concern in many communities. The presence of a food desert is known to cause great impacts on the physical health of the people residing within them, but there is little to no research on a food desert’s influence on the traffic safety of the location in which it encompasses. Based on previous studies into food deserts, studies suggest that food inaccessibility is mostly felt by rural residents. Since rural residents must travel farther distances on more hazardous rural roadways to access …

Developing Asphalt Mix Design Specifications Based On Apa And Ideal-Ct Testing, Jonathan Stonestreet

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Some asphalt mixes, following the Superpave mix design procedure, have been reported to be too stiff, making cracking a prevalent form of pavement distress. Additionally, cracking has been reported to be the main form of distress of asphalt pavements in the State of Arkansas. These facts have heightened state agencies’ interest in better performing asphalt pavements, with Arkansas resolving to explore performance-based balanced mix designs (BMD), not yet explored in the state. The primary objective of this document is to present the completed study of balanced mix designs, based on the rutting and cracking potential of asphalt pavement mixtures through …

Structural Performance And Resiliency Of Reinforced Concrete Bridge Pier Columns, Multi-Column Piers, And Bridge Systems Subjected To Multiple Hazards – Fire, Collision, And Air Blast, Qusai Abdulkarim Alomari

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Given their close proximity to traffic and improper employment of protective systems, bridges and bridge piers are vulnerable to multi-hazard events triggered by vehicle collisions coupled with correlated and cascading events, such as explosions and fires. Despite recent catastrophic incidents that have highlighted the profound consequences of these extreme demands, including substantial damage, adverse economic impact, and loss of life, there has been a notable lack of research investigating the performance of bridges and bridge structural components under the aforementioned multi-hazards. Furthermore, current bridge design codes do not address these events assuming that, after these destructive events, replacement of the …

Development Of Scope Of Services For Procurement Of Professional Consultant Services On Transportation Projects – A Study Of South Carolina Department Of Transportation, Ajay Jadhav

All Dissertations

Project Scoping Process (PSP) is one of the significant steps that starts at the very beginning of the project life cycle. During project initiation phase, project scoping is kicked off which includes documenting a list of project-specific goals, deliverables, tasks, costs, and deadlines. The scoping phase duration depends on the project complexity and involves various stakeholders, establishing team, confirming the project purpose and need, initiating the environmental revie process, determining the level of environmental documentation and permit requirements, conducting survey, identifying project risks and tools to mitigate them, and evaluating public involvement strategies. A well-defined PSP is therefore essential for …