Civil Engineering Commons^™

Visual Sensing For Comprehensive Granular Traffic Data Collection In Support Of Intelligent Transportation Applications, Linjun Lu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Comprehensive granular traffic data collection has been identified as one of the most essential tasks in the development of intelligent transportation systems (ITS). With the recent advances in electro-optical sensors and computational capacities, machine vision is regarded as cost-efficient for traffic data collection. However, the existing vision-based methods are only applicable for collecting limited types of traffic data, and a unified method allowing for comprehensive traffic data collection is still missing in the existing literature. Moreover, there are still challenges that exist for the use of the existing vision-based methods in real settings, including low accuracy and compromised applicability due …

Concentrated Wastewater Treatment Using A Ferric Iron-Dosed Anaerobic Upflow Sludge Blanket Reactor For Recovery Of Phosphorus And Ammonium, Carley E. Shingleton

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study evaluated the performance of a novel, ferric iron-dosed anaerobic bioreactor to recover two separate nutrient products from concentrated wastewaters -- phosphorus as vivianite (Fe₃(PO₄)₂×8H₂O) and an ammonium-containing effluent with low organics. A bench-scale upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor fed with a synthetic wastewater (458.0 mg/L total organic carbon, 282.7 mg/L ammonium, and 84.4 mg/L phosphate) was dosed with a ferric chloride solution at an org. C/Fe³⁺ molar ratio ~17.5 to facilitate organic carbon oxidation coupled to iron reduction. The reactor design allowed natural settling of vivianite to its …

Weigh-In-Motion Data-Driven Pavement Performance Prediction Models, Mohhammad Afsar Sujon

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The effective functioning of pavements as a critical component of the transportation system necessitates the implementation of ongoing maintenance programs to safeguard this significant and valuable infrastructure and guarantee its optimal performance. The maintenance, rehabilitation, and reconstruction (MRR) program of the pavement structure is dependent on a multidimensional decision-making process, which considers the existing pavement structural condition and the anticipated future performance. Pavement Performance Prediction Models (PPPMs) have become indispensable tools for the efficient implementation of the MRR program and the minimization of associated costs by providing precise predictions of distress and roughness based on inventory and monitoring data concerning …

Investigating The Change In Pavement Cracking Data Due To Automated Data Collection Methods, Faisal Quibria Chowdhury

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Data collection on pavement surface cracks is crucial for the state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) to make informed decisions on maintenance, repair, and rehabilitation (MR&R) activities. The collected cracking data is translated into a pavement performance indicator to assess the condition of pavement sections and identify MR&R needs based on predetermined threshold values set by the state DOTs. State DOTs have transitioned from manual to automated data collection as automation offers many advantages over manual data collection, such as improved data collection rates, efficiency, cost reduction, and safety. As the state DOTs have integrated automated data into the pavement performance …

Study Of Capillary Channel Fiber Augmented Geobags For Accelerated Dewatering Of High Moisture Content Fine-Grained Acid Mine Drainage Precipitate, Luke William Daugherty

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objective of this study was to investigate techniques to accelerate filtration and dewatering of Acid Mine Drainage precipitate using geobags augmented with Capillary Chanel Fibers and internal lateral drainage structures. Laboratory and field research investigated increasing the total solids retention of Acid Mine Drainage precipitate in geobag storage systems. Current geobag design and field application of treated AMD precipitate exhibits limited filtration and drainage efficiency due to the high moisture content (2500%) polymer amended AMD flocculated solids. Capillary channel fibers (CCFs) are geosynthetic yarns formed with microgrooves and set into bundled arrangements capable of wicking water, via capillary action, …

Evaluations Of Frp Composite Coupons Under Impact And Puncture, Lekhnath Bhandari

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Evaluations of FRP Composite Coupons Under Impact and Puncture

Lekhnath Bhandari

Railroad tank cars are the main mode of transportation for carrying flammable liquids and other hazardous materials, in any mode of ground transportation system. These tank cars, if punctured during derailments may explode releasing large amounts of hazardous materials and posing serious threats to human life and leading to economic losses. To minimize such catastrophes, in 2015, United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) proposed to improve the thermal and puncture performances of these tank cars and introduced two new design specifications: DOT-117 and DOT-117R. Tank cars with 9/16 inches …

Stormwater Sensitivities To The Climatic And Land Cover Drivers In A Heavily Urbanized Coastal Basin Along The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Usa., Md Faisal Razy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Stormwater runoff response in a complex coastal-urban basin varies with the changes in climatic and land cover drivers. This thesis aims to assess the runoff responses to variation in climatic and land cover variables and perform a sensitivity analysis in complex coastal-urban basins. The Buffalo San Jacinto Basin (BUSJ) of southeast Texas, USA was considered a pilot study area for this research. BUSJ is a heavily urbanized coastal basin, draining an area of 3132 km² through the City of Houston, Texas into the northern Gulf of Mexico, USA. A process-based hydrological model was developed with fine spatio-temporal resolutions for …

Mechanical Response Of Vartm Infused Frp Composites, Andrew Kenney

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Mechanical Response of VARTM based FRP composites

Andrew Kenney

The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) recently created two new design specification for rail tank cars. These new types of classification, DOT-117 and DOT-117R, are designed with additional safety precautions to prevent hazardous chemicals from leaking out in case of a derailment. Features such as a thicker outer steel wall, head shield, and top and bottom valve protections provide additional protection compared to the current DOT-113 tank cars at the cost of additional weight. The WVU-CFC proposes a multifunctional, composite jacket that could be used in place of current tank …

Stormwater Runoff Response Under Changing Climate And Land Uses Across Gradients Of Inland And Coastal Urban-Natural Basin, Mahmood Khan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Climatic variability has caused significant shifts in the magnitude, frequency and spatiotemporal distribution of precipitation, generating excessive runoff that leads to frequent occurrences of extreme hydrologic events such as the pluvial (rainfall accumulation) and fluvial (riverine) floods. The conversion of natural areas into urban lands is further exacerbating the rainfall accumulation by increasing surface imperviousness that hinders infiltration of water into the soil. This dissertation predicts and characterizes potential shifts in the future annual stormwater runoff
volumes and runoff extremes under the standalone and coupled changes in climate and land use across inland and coastal urban-natural settings. The research was …

Climatic And Land Cover Sensitivities Of Stormwater Runoff In A Coastal Natural-Urban Basin Of Texas, Usa., Nusrat Nasrin Khan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Changes in climatic and land use drivers typically drive stormwater runoff quantity and quality. This study focuses on determining the stormwater runoff sensitivities to variation in climatic and land cover changes in a coastal natural-urban basin. A mechanistic hydrologic model was developed for the Spring San Jacinto Basin (SSJB) of Texas, USA considering the basin as a pilot study area by using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Storm Water Management Model 5.2. The SSJB drains an area of 1949 km² ultimately into the northern Gulf of Mexico, USA through peripheral neighborhoods of the Greater Houston area. The model …

Finite Element Method Calculation Of A Prestressed Self Consolidating Concrete Beam, Vladyslav Machulsky

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In this study, a prestressed concrete box beam produced for the Stalnaker Run Bridge (SRB) replacement project using self-consolidating concrete (SCC) was simulated using finite element method (FEM) numerical technique. ANSYS, a commercial FEM software, was used to build the prestressed SCC box beam model. The FEM model was developed to understand the behavior of concrete and steel under prestressing loads, long-term effects, and superimposed loads. The SOLID65 and REINF264 element types were chosen to simulate the behavior of concrete and steel materials. Experimentally measured mechanical properties of concrete from the SRB project were used in the analysis allowing for …

Expanding The Applicability Of Press-Brake-Formed Tub Girders Through The Extension Of The Maximum Span Length And The Evaluation Of Pier Continuity, Robert M. Tennant

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance (SSSBA) is a group of bridge and buried soil steel structure industry leaders who provide educational information on the design and construction of short-span steel bridges in installations up to 140 feet in length. Within the SSSBA technical working group, a modular, shallow press-brake-formed tub girder (PBFTG) was developed to address the demand in the short-span steel bridge market for rapid infrastructure replacement solutions. PBFTGs consist of modular, shallow, trapezoidal boxes fabricated from cold-bent structural steel plate. A concrete deck, or other deck option, may be placed on the girder, and the modular unit …

Review Of Innovative Rehabilitation Techniques For Reinforced Concrete Buildings, Demetrius Karoubas

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Building rehabilitation encompasses the act of repairing damaged structural elements, as well as the upgrading of older buildings to bring them up to modern standards. In recent years, due to the extreme economic and environmental cost of new construction, building rehabilitation is gaining ground as the most viable solution to the problem posed by damaged or substandard buildings. With the constant development of new materials with favorable properties and the improvement of our understanding of earthquakes, new rehabilitation techniques are being developed, improving on the efficiency and effectiveness of older ones. Reinforced Concrete (RC) buildings are a type of building …

Experimental And Design Evaluation Of Multi-Bolted Gfrp Joints, Amir Hossein Houshmandyar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

For infrastructure system implementation, high strength/stiffness to self-weight ratio, corrosion resistance and ease of fabrication are just a few of the many advantages of pultruded fiber reinforced polymer (PFRP) composites over traditional construction materials. However, challenges of engineered FRP materials are addressed via continuous updating of design codes. For example, the anisotropic nature of FRP composite materials includes different mechanical properties in different directions (pull or longitudinal direction vs. transverse to pull direction) of a structural member, resulting in design complexities over isotropic materials. Typically, infrastructure systems are built by bolting FRP structural members because of certain advantages of bolted …

A Parametric Study Of Lateral-Torsional Buckling In Pultruded Frp Beams Using Abaqus, Robert Nathaniel Baylor

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites continue to gain popularity in civil and mechanical infrastructure due to a high strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion-resistance, and low maintenance requirements. FRP can also fulfill niche roles requiring non-conductivity and magnetic transparency. The longitudinal forming of pultruded FRP makes it a natural choice for lightweight beams. Although FRP composites have a high strength for their weight, the elastic and shear moduli for glass FRP may only be 1/7 and 1/30 that of steel, respectively. These low stiffnesses make FRP composite beams particularly susceptible to lateral-torsional buckling (LTB). In addition, the low shear to elastic stiffness amplifies …

Calibration Of Iri-Based Psi Equation Using Updated Quarter-Car Parameters, Shirin Bahaaeldin Hassan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The international roughness index (IRI) was established in the 1980s and later used in generating the present serviceability index (PSI), which was developed to predict present serviceability rating (PSR). PSR is a measure of ride quality ratings made by a panel of highway users. The ratings range from 0 to 5, where “0” for very poor and “5” for very good. Various studies had formulated the relationship between IRI and PSI for different types of pavements, such as flexible, rigid, and composite pavements. The current IRI-based PSI equation being used among many state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) was proposed by …

Review Of Forecasting Univariate Time-Series Data With Application To Water-Energy Nexus Studies & Proposal Of Parallel Hybrid Sarima-Ann Model, Cory Sumner Yarrington

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The necessary materials for most human activities are water and energy. Integrated analysis to accurately forecast water and energy consumption enables the implementation of efficient short and long-term resource management planning as well as expanding policy and research possibilities for the supportive infrastructure. However, the integral relationship between water and energy (water-energy nexus) poses a difficult problem for modeling. The accessibility and physical overlay of data sets related to water-energy nexus is another main issue for a reliable water-energy consumption forecast. The framework of urban metabolism (UM) uses several types of data to build a global view and highlight issues …

Prioritization Framework For Advanced Systems Of Urban Roads In The Context Of Smart Cities, Jinwoong Lee

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The concept of a smart city has emerged as a solution to resolve various urban challenges by applying advanced systems for the functions of the city (e.g., environment, economy, infrastructure, governance, and people). Urban infrastructure with the use of modern technologies, such as Information Communication Technology and the Internet of Things, plays an essential role in enhancing the capability of the city to resolve the challenges. Particularly, urban roads supported by advanced systems with modern technologies serve as a principal bedrock to establish a smart city. Witnessing the benefits from intelligent urban roads has promoted city stakeholders to make investment …

Identification Of Crash Contributing Factors In Av Involved Crashes, Md Tanvir Ashraf

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) can dramatically reduce the number of traffic crashes and associated fatalities by eliminating the avoidable human-errors related crash contributing factors. Many companies have been conducting pilot tests on public roads in several states in the United States and other countries to accelerate AV mass deployment. AV pilot operations on California public roads saw 251 AV-involved crashes (as of February 2020). These AV-involved crashes provide a unique opportunity to investigate AV crash risks in a mixed traffic environment. This study collected the AV crash reports from the California Department of Motor Vehicles and applied the Decision Tree (DT), …

Nondestructive Condition Assessment Of Civil Infrastructure Using Ultrasonic Technique, Tyler Keith Ashbrook

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Civil Infrastructure controls the way people live by providing safe passage and shelter across the entire globe. Since safety leads the concern in infrastructure, it is essential to ensure that these structures have been adequately tested and analyzed periodically. Testing these structures can be extremely expensive when parts are required to be removed to capture the flaw, which is why nondestructive testing (NDT) continues to grow in demand since it can evaluate the structural component in-situ without causing any damage. Ultrasonic testing (UT) helps to adequately sustain and advance the safety in existing and future infrastructure across the globe. Continual …

Timber Bridge Pile Splicing With Fiber Reinforced Polymer Wraps, Drew L. Damich

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Timber pile repair using splicing is widely used but little research has been done to determine their strength capacity after repair using this method. Current timber pile splicing mechanisms utilize various steel or wooden components. Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) wraps can be utilized as replacement to conventional materials in splicing of timber piles. This study evaluated the strength capacities of traditional splicing mechanisms in relation to FRP wrap splice mechanisms. Traditional splicing mechanisms consisted of flat steel plate, C-channel steel plate, and wooden plate splices. The FRP wrap splice consisted of unidirectional glass/epoxy composite with three layers of fabric as …

Estimation And Mitigation Of Stresses In Mass Concrete Structures Containing Ground Granulated Blast Furnaceslag And Fly Ash, Guadalupe Leon

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In large concrete structures, due to concrete’s low thermal conductivity, the interior temperature rise can approach the concrete’s adiabatic temperature rise. As the concrete’s surface losses heat to the environment and cools rapidly, the interior of the concrete attempts to expand while the exterior provides an internal restraint. The phenomenon causes thermal stresses at the concrete’s surface. If the thermal stresses exceed the concrete’s tensile strength, there is a high probability of cracking. The cracks usually appear during the first few days after construction while the concrete’s tensile strength is low. These early-age cracks can reduce the service life of …

Effects Of Changes In Land Use Land Cover And Climate On Long-Term Total Dissolved Solids Trends In The Mid-Atlantic Region Of The United States, Melaine Edouard Kolimedje

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Mid-Atlantic region (MAR) of the U.S. is subjected to a variety of stressors that affect the headwaters of the major rivers. Some of these stressors are abandoned mine drainage, agriculture, municipal point sources, urban areas, out-of-basin diversions, competing water uses, rapid population growths in the lowlands, alterations in water availability due to climate change and habitat alteration. In addition to these regional stressors, the rapid population growths and energy sources shifting have resulted in changes in land use and land cover (LULC) over the last few decades. The interactive effects of LULC and interannual/long-term climate changes have resulted in …

On-Site Measurement Of The Water-Cementitious Ratio And Heat Of Hydration Of Delivered Concrete, Seyednavid Mardmomen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In this study, AASHTO T318-15 was adopted to estimate the water content of fresh concrete mixes and then revised to have better precision. The additional step required sieving out the coarse aggregate after drying the sample in a microwave oven, and it was then used in the calculation of the absorbed water and cementitious material content. Several laboratory batches, as well as on-site water-cementitious (w/cm) ratio tests, were performed on concrete mixes containing ordinary Portland cement, ground granulated blast furnace slag, and Class F fly ash. The results of the experiments indicated that the accuracy of the revised method was …

Impacts Of Bike Sharing On Transit Ridership, Moathe Salah Aljeri

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Biking is an active, environmentally friendly, and sustainable transportation mode that facilitates short utilitarian and recreational trips. As such, cities around the world have been implementing bicycle sharing/renting programs at stations in a wide network so that a traveler can mount one close to their origins and drop it off at a station nearest to their destinations. In addition, bike sharing programs can solve the first-mile and last-mile connectivity problems of transit modes. Such programs also enable short trips that were previously impossible without using transit modes. This research investigated the relationship between New York City (NYC) subway ridership and …

The Energy Efficiency And Living Comfort Of A Stabilized Rammed Earth Dwelling In Comparison With A Traditional Stud Frame Building, David C. Johnson Iii

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

During the last several decades, rammed earth construction has received renewed attention due to its many desirable characteristics. For construction, use, and end of life treatment, rammed earth construction has shown in research to reduce the embodied energy of residential building construction by 66-85% compared to building methods that use fired brick and concrete members. Research thus far also indicates that rammed earth construction may indeed be more energy efficient since the building material has a very high thermal inertia, henceforth, the rammed earth walls absorb thermal energy from the sun and release it into the building to reduce the …

Review Of Modern Nondestructive Testing Techniques For Civil Infrastructure, Shabnam Khanal

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The repair and maintenance of aging infrastructures, in the United States alone, are estimated to have backlogs of trillions of dollars. This has posed widespread concerns about the existing and proposed infrastructures to adequately sustain the quality of life in the near future. Efficient and cost-effective approaches, such as nondestructive testing (NDT), are therefore required to better shape our future. Various NDT techniques have been developed over the past two decades with cutting-edge advances towards investigation and condition assessment of civil infrastructures. While the performance of NDT techniques has reached unparalleled heights, limitations remain. On one side, are the instrument …

An In-Depth Investigation Of The Effects Of Work-Related Factors On The Development Of Knee Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Construction Roofers, Amrita Dutta

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Construction roofers have the uppermost likelihood of developing knee musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Roofers spend more than 75% of their total working time being restricted to awkward kneeling postures and repetitive motions in a sloped roof setting. However, the combined effect of knee-straining posture, roof slope and their association to knee MSDs among roofers are still unknown. This dissertation aimed to provide empirical evidence of the effects of two roofing work-related factors namely, roof slope and kneeling working posture, on the development of knee MSDs among construction roofers. These two factors were assessed as potential to increase knee MSD risks in …

Potential Benefits From Practices In Construction Waste Material Controls, Abdulaziz Alwadhenani

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Construction waste is generated from the various construction activities of building, maintaining, renovating, and demolishing infrastructure facilities. These materials include, but are not limited to, concrete, rubble, fiberglass, asphalt, bricks, wood, and scrap metals. In the last few decades, there has been a significant increase in the volume of construction and demolition (C&D) waste materials in the United States (U.S.). Between 1990 and 2017, the total increase in debris generation has surpassed 320%. According to U.S. solid waste management statistics, more than 50% of C&D waste has been and continues to be transported to landfills. The disposal of C&D waste …

Selective Precipitation And Recovery Of Rare Earth Elements From Acid Mine Drainage, Robyn Lauren Christoferson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The ability to secure rare earth elements (REEs) in the United States is of concern due to the rapid growth in demand and the monopolistic supply chain. The demand for REEs has skyrocketed in recent years due to the development of many green technologies. The United States and many other countries are currently reliant on China for REEs, who currently control greater than 90% of the global supply. Due to the severe impact of previous Chinese export quotas, it is important to lessen the reliance on importation and explore methods of recycling REEs from secondary sources. A secondary REE source …