Civil Engineering Commons^™

Optimizing Fiber Parameters Coupled With Chemical Treatment: Promethee Approach, Arif Ali Baig Moghal, Ateekh Ur Rehman, Bhaskar Chittoori

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

In order to combat issues related to expansive soils, chemical stabilization augmented with use of synthetic fibers is gaining focus in recent times. However, in most of these applications, the practicing field engineers face difficulty in selecting the right mix of fiber size, fiber dosage and stabilizer content. The decision becomes more typical, as the target is to achieve or enhance multiple geotechnical properties which differ with fiber dosage and stabilizer content based on governing mechanisms. Addressing these issues, in this study an attempt is made to present an approach for selecting fibre dosage and lime mix for a typical …

Concrete Pavement Service Condition Assessment Using Infrared Thermography, Yang Lu, Aidin J. Golrokh, M.D. Aminul Islam

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Infrared thermography (IRT), an effective nondestructive testing method, is used to obtain an initial evaluation of the concrete pavement surface and near surface in a time effective manner. In this paper, the effect of the depth of delamination inside concrete pavement on infrared thermography technique is studied for bridge decks inspection. To be able to mimic the delamination in subsurface, two Styrofoam cubes have been inserted in different depth near the surface of the concrete cylinder. After heating up the specimen, thermal images were taken from the surface using an infrared thermal camera to evaluate the effect of subsurface defects …

Evaluating The Ability Of Swell Prediction Models To Predict The Swell Behavior Of Excessively High Plastic Soils, Bhaskar Chittoori, Mir Md. Tamim, Amit Gajurel, Deb Mishra

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Lightly loaded structures underneath expansive soils encounter severe damage due to the swell/shrink nature of expansive soils resulting from moisture variations. Billions of dollars are spent every year to repair the damages caused by these soils in the U.S. and worldwide. Designing structures to accommodate the swelling strains is a major challenge as predicting the swelling potential of these soils accurately is not easy. A wide variety of swell prediction models have been introduced by various researchers to predict the behavior of these often-problematic expansive soils. These models include various properties of soils such as, plasticity characteristics, compaction conditions, consolidation …

Geotechnical Evaluations Of A Tailings Dam For Use By A Molybdenum And Copper Mine Project In Southern Idaho, Thomas Robbins, Bhaskar C.S. Chittoori

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

A proposed mining project in Boise County, Idaho for the extraction of copper, molybdenum, and silver deposits, required investigations into a possible tailings dam construction that will be built using the processed material from the mine. The mine is located southwest of Lowman Idaho, northeast of Pioneerville Idaho, and directly north of Jackson Peak Mountain. The total area for the proposed project is approximately 12 square kilometers and the estimated material to be excavated is about 1.99 billion cubic meters (BCM) (USDA 2013). Typical investigations into the construction of a tailings dam consist of identifying the types of ore contained …

Evaluating The Suitability Of Microbial Induced Calcite Precipitation Technique For Stabilizing Expansive Soils, Sikha Neupane

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Expansive soils, also known as swell-shrink soils have been a problem for civil infrastructures including roads and foundations from ancient times. The use of chemical additives such as cement and lime to stabilize expansive soils is a common practice among geotechnical engineers especially for lightly loaded structures. However, several occurrences of subgrade failures were observed after stabilizing with chemical additives hence engineers are in search of sustainable stabilization alternatives. Microbial Induced Calcite Precipitation (MICP) is gaining attention as an environmental friendly soil improvement technique. Several researchers have successfully tested its feasibility in mitigating liquefaction induced problems in sandy soils. This …

Evaluating The Effects Of Major Assumptions In Layered Elastic Theory On Railroad Track Response Prediction Through The Development Of An Improved Track Analysis Software, Sadichchha Sharma

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Railway transportation has been recently gaining popularity due to its efficiency and environmental-friendly technology which has led to its increased usage for both passenger and freight transport. For railway transport to be a sustainable component of the transportation infrastructure in the United States, adequate structural and functional design of track components is essential. This is primarily dependent on thorough understanding of track mechanics and track structural response under loading, and can be accomplished through mechanistic analysis of railway track structure response under loading. Considering the need for a mechanistic track analysis program that can serve as a link between the …

Impedance-Based Water-Quality Monitoring Using The Parallel-Plate Method, Ali Nazari, Arvin Farid, Ken Cornell

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The application of electromagnetic (EM) waves to measure the electrical properties (dielectric constant and loss tangent) of materials is a well-known approach. The electrical properties can be used to indirectly measure several physical properties of solutions in water such as the concentration and chemical composition of contaminants in water, as a representative of the liquid phase in soil. A capacitive method of measuring dielectric properties of solutions is proposed to detect and determine low-concentration chemical and biological contaminations in water. The primary objective of this project is to design a low-cost sensor that would require small volumes of samples to …

Effect Of Fiber Reinforcement On Cbr Behavior Of Lime Blended Expansive Soils: Reliability Approach, Arif Ali Baig Moghal, B. Munwar Basha, Bhaskar Chittoori, Mosleh Ali Al-Shamrani

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Use of synthetic fibers as reinforcement to stabilize expansive soils is gaining momentum. As a contribution towards this growing field of research two different types of synthetic fibers, Fiber Mesh® and Fiber Cast®, were evaluated as a stabilization alternative for expansive soils in the presence of lime. California Bearing Ratio (CBR) is chosen as a performance indicator as it is a good pointer towards pavement effectiveness. Variables such as length and amount of the fibers as well as curing period were studied. Both deterministic and probabilistic (or reliability) analysis is presented in this paper. While the deterministic analysis helps in …

Performance Of Aggregate Subgrade Layers In Low Volume Roads Constructed With Unconventional Recycled Aggregates, Hasan Kazmee, Erol Tutumluer, Debakanta Mishra

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

With transportation sector accounting for approximately 27% of total greenhouse gas emissions, transportation agencies all over United States have made sincere efforts to reduce such carbon footprint by incorporating more recycled materials in design mixes. In Illinois, recycled materials commonly include large sized unconventional aggregates used to stabilize weak subgrade soils that are abundantly found in wet of optimum conditions and prone to frost effects. To facilitate increased use of such “aggregate subgrade” materials, IDOT has recently introduced new gradation bands. However, performance of such recycled aggregate subgrade materials within the bounds of current design framework is largely unknown. To …

A Framework To Utilize Shear Strength Properties For Evaluating Rutting Potentials Of Unbound Aggregate Materials, Issam Qamhia, Erol Tutumluer, Liang Chern Chow, Debakanta Mishra

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper presents shear strength and permanent deformation trends of four unbound aggregate materials, commonly used for base and subbase layers in the state of North Carolina, USA, studied through repeated load triaxial testing, using the University of Illinois FastCell equipment. A testing and modeling framework has been established to develop a proper permanent deformation prediction model, referred to herein as the UIUC rutting model, with number of load applications. According to the framework, the unbound aggregate shear strength properties are incorporated into the model using the ratio of the applied wheel load shear stress to the mobilized shear strength, …

Characterize Behavior Of Geogrid Reinforced Ballast At Different Levels Of Degradation Through Triaxial Shear Strength Test And Discrete Element Modeling, Yu Qian, Debakanta Mishra, Erol Tutumluer, Hasan A. Kazmee

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Recent research efforts at the University of Illinois have aimed at studying geogrid applications in railroad track structures, specifically focusing on ballast and subballast reinforcement. Ballast, typically comprising large sized aggregate particles with uniform gradation, is an essential layer in the railroad track substructure to facilitate load distribution and drainage. The primary mechanism of load transfer within the ballast layer involves inter-particle contact between ballast particles. Similarly, the effectiveness of ballast reinforcement with geogrids is primarily governed by the geogrid-aggregate interlock. Such interaction and the effectiveness thereof can change significantly as the level of grain size and shape degradation or …

Flowability And Density Characteristics Of Controlled Low Strength Material (Clsm) Using Native High Plasticity Clay, Anand J. Puppala, Bhaskar Chittoori, Anil Raavi

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

In pipeline construction projects when high plastic clayey soils are encountered in the excavated trench material, they are typically landfilled and better quality materials are imported from outside quarry sources for use as bedding and haunch zone materials. This practice has detrimental environmental and cost impacts; therefore, an efficient reutilization of this high plastic excavated material to produce controlled low strength materials (CLSMs) to use as bedding and haunch zone materials will have major sustainability benefits. As a part of an on-going research study, novel CLSM mix designs were developed by utilizing native high plastic clayey soils from the excavated …

Stethoscope-Based Detection Of Detorqued Bolts Using Impact-Induced Acoustic Emissions, Joe Guarino, Robert Hamilton

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Results of a preliminary study investigating a simple method for detecting looseness in bolted fasteners of a steel structure are presented. Extensive research by many investigators demonstrates that the frequency response of a bolted structural member changes when one or more bolts are loosened. A simple and effective method for detecting looseness can be applied to bolted joints, using inexpensive and commonly-available equipment and software. The difference between spectrograms associated with tight and loose bolts is clearly apparent due to the presence of a tell-tale mode when one or more bolts are loosened. Further, a striking difference can be elucidated …

Performance Evaluations Of Pavement Working Platforms Constructed With Large-Sized Unconventional Aggregates, Hasan Kazmee, Erol Tutumluer, Debakanta Mishra

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

With recent focus on sustainable construction practices and the ever-increasing transportation cost and scarcity of natural resources, use of unconventional aggregate materials, such as primary crusher run and concrete demolition waste, have become viable for the construction of pavement working platforms over very weak and often wet subgrade soils. To this end, a research study was undertaken at the Illinois Center for Transportation to evaluate the adequacy and field performances of such large-sized aggregate materials and validate new material specifications. A state-of-the-art image analysis technique was utilized to characterize the size and morphological properties, e.g. shape, texture and angularity of …

Uncertainty Considerations In Calibration And Validation Of Hydrologic And Water Quality Models, J. Hernandez

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Hydrologic and water quality models (HWQMs) are increasingly used to support decisions on various environmental issues and policy directions for present and future scenarios, at scales varying from watershed to continental levels. Uncertainty associated with such models may affect the ability of the models to accurately evaluate the response of complex systems, leading to misguided assessments and risk management decisions. Current well-known HWQMs contain numerous input parameters, many of which are not known with certainty, and in other cases model users can hardly recognize the genesis of uncertainty. Uncertainty in data, model structure, and model parameters can propagate throughout model …

Dual-State Kalman Filter Forecasting And Control Theory Applications For Proactive Ramp Metering, Brian Richard Portugais

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Deterioration of freeway traffic flow condition due to bottlenecks can be ameliorated with ramp metering. A challenge in ramp metering is that it is not possible to process data in real-time and use the output in a control algorithm. This is due to the fact that by the time processing is completed and a control measure applied, the traffic state will have changed. A solution to this problem is to forecast the traffic state and implement a control measure based on the forecast.

A dual-state Kalman filter was used to forecast traffic data at two locations on a freeway (I-84). …

Strength And Stiffness Characterization Of Controlled Low-Strength Material Using Native High-Plasticity Clay, Bhaskar Chittoori, Anand J. Puppala, Anil Raavi

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

A research attempt was made to design a controlled low-strength material (CLSM) mix that can be used as bedding and haunch material for a pipeline by using the native soil as fine aggregate. Several CLSM mix designs were attempted using native high-plasticity clay as fine aggregate material. Comprehensive material characterization studies including flowability to strength tests were performed. These results were analyzed to address the applicability of each mix to serve as pipe bedding/backfilling zones in a pipeline construction. Both flowability and density test results are first evaluated, and as a result, several mixes are formulated. These mixes were further …

Durability Studies On Native Soil-Based Controlled Low Strength Materials, Bhaskar Chittoori

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Integrated Pipeline Project (IPL) is a collaborative effort between the Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) and Dallas Water Utilities (DWU), which bring additional water supplies to the Dallas / Fort Worth area. As part of a sustainability initiative, several studies were conducted to assess the reuse potential of excavated materials along the IPL project. One of these studies involved using the excavated material as an ingredient in Controlled Low Strength Material, often known as CLSM or flowable fill. This flowable fill can be used as bedding and haunch material in pipeline construction. These CLSMs meet the specifications in the …

Laboratory Study Of The Effect Of Electromagnetic Waves On Airflow During Air Sparging, Atena Najafi, Vahab Bolvardi, Arvin Farid, Jim Browning, Elisa Barney Smith

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Air sparging is a technique that uses the injection of a gas (e.g., air, oxygen) into the subsurface to remediate saturated soils and groundwater contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Contaminant-removal efficiency and air-sparging performance are highly dependent on the pattern and type of airflow. Airflow, however, suffers from air channel formation (i.e., preferential paths for airflow), limiting remediation to smaller contaminated zones. This paper presents the results of experimental work investigating the possibility of controlling and improving airflow patterns through a saturated glass-bead medium using electromagnetic (EM) waves to enhance air sparging. The test setup consists of a resonant …

Electromagnetically Induced Transport In Water For Geoenvironmental Applications, Arvin Farid, Atena Najafi, Mahsa Azad, Jim Browning, Elisa Barney Smith

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Air sparging is a popular soil remediation technique that enables the removal of contaminants through diffusing air into soil. The removal process is, however, slow. The goal of this work is to study the effect of electromagnetic (EM) waves —with minimal heat generation— on transport mechanisms such as diffusion, in order to improve airflow or contaminant transport in order to expedite the cleanup process using air sparging or similar technologies. This effect is studied through an experimental setup that examines the diffusion of a nonreactive dye in water under EM waves at a range of frequencies (50-200 MHz). The electric …

Study Of Mechanisms Governing Electromagnetic Alteration Of Hydraulic Conductivity Of Soils, Atena Najafi, Sahba Azad, Arvin Farid, Jim Browning, Elisa Barney Smith

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Hydraulic conductivity is a measure of the rate at which water flows through porous media. Because of the dipole properties of water molecules, electric field can affect hydraulic conductivity. In this study, the effect of radio-frequency (RF) waves on hydraulic conductivity is investigated. This is important both for the geophysical measurement of hydraulic conductivity as well as remediation using electromagnetic waves. Bentonite clay and sandy samples are tested in rigid-wall, cylindrical permeameters and stimulated using a CPVC-cased monopole antenna vertically centered in the permeameters. The permeameters are encased within RF cavities constructed of aluminum mesh in order to prevent interference …

The Stochastic Capacity Of A Roadway: Is It The Answer For Better “Real-Time” Management Of Freeway Operations?, Mandar Khanal

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Rapid growth in vehicles has been observed in many developing countries in recent years. The number of vehicles has grown but non-motorized vehicles have not disappeared. The presence of dissimilar modes of travel results in unsafe roads. Additional factors that exacerbate the traffic problem in these countries are the tendency of users to not observe traffic rules and the lax enforcement of traffic rules by law enforcement agencies. The combination of these factors can be deadly for road users. For example in India, a total of 134,513 people lost their lives to road accidents in 2010 compared to 32,885 road …

Swell And Shrinkage Strain Prediction Models For Expansive Clays, Anand J. Puppala, Thammanoon Manosuthikij, Bhaskar C. S. Chittoori

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

A comprehensive laboratory investigation was conducted to study volume change behaviors of five different types of expansive clayey soils sampled from various regions in Texas, USA. The laboratory test results, which were presented in an earlier paper, are analyzed here to evaluate existing correlations that can be used to predict swell and shrink-related displacements in these soils. The test database is also used to develop newer and practical models for predicting volume change-related soil properties. Models developed here used soil plasticity and compaction properties as independent variables. Newer models, that rely on seasonal compaction moisture content variations in the subsoils, …

Adaptive Traffic Speed Estimation, Brian Portugais, Mandar Khanal

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Active traffic management aims to dynamically manage congestion based on existing and predicted traffic conditions. A challenge in this is that it is not usually possible to process data in real-time and use the output in control algorithms or in traveler information systems. A solution to this is to predict the traffic state based on assessments of current and past measurements. The work described in this paper develops an adaptive forecasting method to predict traffic speeds using dynamic linear models with Bayesian inference from a priori distributions. This study incorporates speeds collected from radar based sensors and validates the results …

An Investigation Into The Water Budget And The Management Of The Snake River System, John Whitney Hildreth

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Future climate change poses a major conceptual challenge to the availability of water resources due to the uncertainty involved with changes to the hydrologic cycle. Over the past decades, observed warming temperatures across the Western United Sates have shown significant impacts on river basin scale hydrology. This research uses physically based modeling tools to assess the hydrologic impacts of climate change in the Snake River Basin. Physically based hydrologic modeling studies of future climate do not typically take into account interactions between groundwater and surface water. To account for these interactions, the Variable Infiltration Capacity model is coupled with the …

Field Procedure For Estimating The Measurement Area Of Non-Contact Temperature Sensors, M. Khanal, R. Davidson

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Transportation departments across the United States have installed sensors mounted on towers by the roadside to measure road surface temperatures. Since no guidelines exist for verifying the accuracy of such measurements, agencies are forced to accept claims made by vendors. To correct this situation, the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) contracted with Boise State University (BSU) to test the accuracy of the non-contact, infrared temperature sensors installed throughout Idaho. Before collecting independent temperature data, BSU devised an easy-to-use procedure for determining the effective area viewed by the infrared sensors. According to ITD, the vendor claimed that at a distance of 10 …

Swell And Shrinkage Characterizations Of Unsaturated Expansive Clays From Texas, Anand J. Puppala, Thammanoon Manosuthikij, Bhaskar C. S. Chittoori

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Expansive soils have long been recognized as problematic because they cause failure to civil structures constructed above them. The main problem of these soils can be attributed to poor understanding of the volume changes caused by moisture fluctuations. Current swell and shrinkage characterization models are limited by both the lack of standardized tests and tests that employ volume changes in uniaxial direction. In the present research, a comprehensive laboratory investigation was undertaken to study the volume change related swell–shrinkage behaviors of five different types of expansive clayey soils sampled from various regions in Texas, USA. Extensive experimental programs consisting of …

Consequences Of Electromagnetic Stimulation On Hydraulic Conductivity Of Soils, A. Farid, S. Azad, J. Browning, Elisa H. Barney Smith

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Hydraulic conductivity is a measure of the rate at which water flows through porous media. Because of the dipole properties of water molecules, any electric field can affect hydraulic conductivity. In this study, the effect of radio-frequency (RF) waves on hydraulic conductivity is investigated. This is important both for the geophysical measurement of hydraulic conductivity as well as remediation using electromagnetic waves. Bentonite clay and sandy samples are tested in rigid-wall, cylindrical permeameters and stimulated using a CPVC-cased monopole antenna vertically centered in the permeameters. The permeameters are encased within RF cavities constructed of aluminum mesh in order to prevent …

Electromagnetic Stimulation Of Transport In Water For Geoenvironmental Applications, A. Farid, M. Azad, J. Browning, Elisa H. Barney Smith

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Air sparging is a popular soil remediation technique that enables the removal of contaminants by diffusing air into saturated zones of soil. The removal process is, however, slow. The goal of this work is to study the effect of electromagnetic (EM) waves - with minimal heat generation - on transport mechanisms such as diffusion, in order to improve airflow or contaminant transport and expedite the cleanup process using air sparging or similar technologies. This effect is studied through an experimental setup that examines the diffusion of a nonreactive dye in water under EM waves at a range of frequencies between …

A New Framework For Flooding Control In Regulated River Systems, Elizabeth Akemi Kanashiro

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents a case study on the application of a dynamic framework for the intelligent control of flooding in the Boise River system in Idaho. This framework couples a robust and numerically efficient hydraulic routing approach with the popular multi-objective, non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II). The novelty of this framework is that it allows for controlled flooding when the conveyance capacity of the river system is exceeded or is about to exceed. Controlled flooding is based on weight factors assigned to each reach of the system depending on the amount of damage that would occur should a flood …