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Articles 121 - 150 of 164

Full-Text Articles in Civil Engineering

Analytical Seismic Fragility Curves For Skewed Multi-Span Steel Girder Bridges, Ian Sullivan May 2010

Analytical Seismic Fragility Curves For Skewed Multi-Span Steel Girder Bridges, Ian Sullivan

All Theses

Most of the past seismic fragility studies on typical highway bridges in the Central and Southeastern United States (CSUS) have focused on regular multi-span bridges with little to no skew. However, past earthquakes and studies have shown that skewed multi-span simply supported bridges may also be susceptible to earthquake damage, specifically causing coupled responses (longitudinal and transverse) that place more demand on individual components. With over 27 percent of simply supported steel girder highway bridges in the CSUS having a skew angle over 15 degrees, there is a specific need to further quantify the vulnerability of such bridges exposed to …


Comparision Of Open Graded Friction Course Mix Design Methods Currently Used In The United States, Laura Kline May 2010

Comparision Of Open Graded Friction Course Mix Design Methods Currently Used In The United States, Laura Kline

All Theses

This research compares the open graded friction course (OGFC) mix design methods which are currently being used in the United States. OGFCs are a type of porous pavement that have been used in the United States since 1944, but has provided inconsistent and highly variable performance results. The design procedures for several agencies were obtained, and then compared for similarities. All of the design methods were then conducted to determine the optimum binder content. The optimum binder content (OBC) of a single aggregate gradation for each method was tested for properties and performance characteristics.
The design methods which are currently …


Influence Of Shear Key Performance On The Fatigue Life Of Adjacent Beam Bridges, Sara Roberts Jan 2010

Influence Of Shear Key Performance On The Fatigue Life Of Adjacent Beam Bridges, Sara Roberts

All Theses

Adjacent beam bridges, such as box beams and hollow core bridges have been one of the most popular forms of precast prestressed bridges in the past. Recently, an awareness of major durability problems has led owners to make improvements to the old standards or move away from the system completely. These issues usually stem from the breakdown of the shear key which provides continuity between adjacent members. This research focuses on determining the best improvements that will reduce durability issues and increase the bridge's service life.
A review of previous research performed on adjacent beam bridges is performed, focusing on …


Identifying And Comparing Key Process Attributes For Sustainable Building Delivery In India And The U.S., Prashanth Palanisamy Dec 2009

Identifying And Comparing Key Process Attributes For Sustainable Building Delivery In India And The U.S., Prashanth Palanisamy

All Theses

India is a rapidly developing nation with the associated brisk pace of construction. More sustainable building practices for construction in India would have social, environmental, and economic benefits. However, the key process attributes for successfully planning, designing, and constructing sustainable buildings in India are largely undefined. Other projects in India would benefit from a rigorous identification of these key process attributes which could help leapfrogging the sustainable building delivery in India to the best available practices.
Sustainable buildings require different delivery processes than traditional buildings; this can lead to process wastes due to unfamiliarity or incompatibility of the processes. These …


Comparing Problem-Based Learning And Lecture As Methods To Teach Whole-Systems Design To Engineering Students, Michael Dukes Dec 2009

Comparing Problem-Based Learning And Lecture As Methods To Teach Whole-Systems Design To Engineering Students, Michael Dukes

All Theses

The objective of this research is to compare problem-based learning and lecture as methods to teach whole-systems design to engineering students. A case study, Appendix A, exemplifying successful whole-systems design was developed and written by the author in partnership with the Rocky Mountain Institute. Concepts to be tested were then determined, and a questionnaire was developed to test students' preconceptions. A control group of students was taught using traditional lecture methods, and a sample group of students was taught using problem-based learning methods. After several weeks, the students were given the same questionnaire as prior to the instruction, and the …


Vehicle-Infrastructure Integration (Vii) Enabled Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (Phevs) For Traffic And Energy Management, Xueying Kang Dec 2009

Vehicle-Infrastructure Integration (Vii) Enabled Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (Phevs) For Traffic And Energy Management, Xueying Kang

All Theses

Vehicle Infrastructure Integration (VII) program (also known as IntelliDrive) has proven the potential to improve transportation conditions by enabling the communication between vehicles and infrastructure, which provides a wide range of applications in transportation safety and mobility. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) that utilize both electrical and gasoline energy are a commercially viable technology with potential to contribute to both sustainable development and environmental conservation through increased fuel economy and reduced emissions. Considering positive potentials of PHEVs and VII in ITS, a framework that integrates PHEVs with VII technology was created in this research utilizing vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications for …


Evaluation Of An Online Intelligent Transportation System (Its) Asset Management System, Tahera Anjuman Dec 2009

Evaluation Of An Online Intelligent Transportation System (Its) Asset Management System, Tahera Anjuman

All Theses

Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) enhances the performance of modern transportation systems by improving the reliability of travel times and reducing the risk of collisions and injuries. Recently, many public agencies have expressed a need for an ITS asset management system that will effectively and efficiently meet their requirements of managing associated resources, which often includes technologically sophisticated devices, computer hardware and software, and communications infrastructure. To address this need, the author evaluated different asset management systems for their potential efficacy to support public agencies requirements for an ITS asset management system. These requirements were identified through a nationwide survey of …


Analysis Of Factors Contributing To Roadside Tree Crashes In South Carolina, Vijay Bendigeri Dec 2009

Analysis Of Factors Contributing To Roadside Tree Crashes In South Carolina, Vijay Bendigeri

All Theses

The state of South Carolina has experienced a large number of fatalities and injuries resulting from run off the road tree related crashes. According to 2008 FARS data tree related fixed object fatal crashes in South Carolina (65%) are more than double that of the national (25.8%). Thus, trees are much bigger proportion of all roadside hazards in South Carolina than nationally. In order to achieve a safer roadside which is favorable to the road user, factors contributing to the tree related crashes should be critically analyzed to determine suitable safety improvements.
This research aims at qualitatively and quantitatively assessing …


Synthesis Of Optimal Usage Of Available Aggregates In Highway Construction And Maintenance, Benjamin Skidmore Aug 2009

Synthesis Of Optimal Usage Of Available Aggregates In Highway Construction And Maintenance, Benjamin Skidmore

All Theses

The optimization of the available aggregates for highway construction and maintenance is vital both from an economic and environmental perspective. By not optimizing the aggregate supply project costs escalate as a simple response to supply and demand, and just as important the fact that aggregate is a natural resource and a limited one, it is crucial that is used as efficiently as possible. This paper examines specifically the use of aggregates by the South Carolina Department of Transportation, but can easily be adapted to any state. Through DOT and quarry surveys and an examination of aggregate gradation specifications it was …


Operation Assessment Of Reservoirs In The Savannah River Basin, Travis Yates Aug 2009

Operation Assessment Of Reservoirs In The Savannah River Basin, Travis Yates

All Theses

Hydropower is generated from three reservoirs in the United States Army Corps of Engineer's Savannah District. These reservoirs include J. Strom Thurmond, Richard B. Russell, and Hartwell. Currently, a contract in place specifies that certain amount of energy must be provided to the region. The contract for the hydropower was based upon the critical hydrologic year of 1981. Historically, this was the most severe drought on record and assumed to provide the lowest net inflows for the three reservoirs, thus providing an attainable or reliable energy amount for the system, which suggests a dependable energy yield.
Reevaluating the contract amount …


Hydraulic Modeling To Inform Stream Maintenance Practices In South Carolina, Kelly Owens Aug 2009

Hydraulic Modeling To Inform Stream Maintenance Practices In South Carolina, Kelly Owens

All Theses

The Crabtree Canal located in Horry County, SC is the main conveyor of stormwater in a watershed that has undergone considerable urbanization in the last few decades. Evidence of bank instability and inchannel erosion is widely seen in the Crabtree Canal system. Principal sediment inputs are landscape sources and in-channel sources. A study was initiated to provide a working management tool to determine hydrodynamic conditions on the watershed driven by a hypothetical storm event and alternative channel configurations. The management tool comprised of a one-dimensional HEC-RAS model of the Crabtree Canal and was developed to aid the Horry County stormwater …


An Investigation Of Human Induced Vibrations On Clemson Memorial Stadium, Benjamin Morris May 2009

An Investigation Of Human Induced Vibrations On Clemson Memorial Stadium, Benjamin Morris

All Theses

Human induced stadium vibrations have become of increasing concern to design engineers and facility managers as more energetic crowds and increasingly efficient structures have increased the likelihood of serviceability issues. The 'in-time' bouncing of spectators due to music has caused one such issue in the south upper deck of Clemson University's Memorial Stadium. To gain an understanding of the severity of vibrations in Memorial Stadium, a combination of experimental and analytical modeling is utilized. Data collected by an array of accelerometers installed on a main post tensioned precast cantilever girder provides a season and a half of response histories in …


Reliability Of Light Frame Roof Systems Subject To High Winds, Angelina Gleason May 2009

Reliability Of Light Frame Roof Systems Subject To High Winds, Angelina Gleason

All Theses

Recent hurricane damages have devastated coastal communities and focused national attention on hurricane damage mitigation. Structural damage is one of the most significant impacts of a hurricane. Even small levels of structural damage can result in large economic losses; when gaps open in the roof system, rain water can leak in, ruining the contents of the structure and rendering it uninhabitable although it is still standing. In order to prevent these secondary damages from occurring, a better understanding of the roof system behavior is essential. This research aims to ascertain the behavior of the roof system by determining the influence …


Optimal Maintenance Crew Composition And Enhancement Of Crew Productivity, Robert Schober Dec 2008

Optimal Maintenance Crew Composition And Enhancement Of Crew Productivity, Robert Schober

All Theses

The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) dedicates a large portion of its budget and other resources to the maintenance of the State's transportation infrastructure. In order to maximize the efficiency and productivity of the State's highway maintenance workforce, the SCDOT partnered with Clemson University to research the performance of these maintenance crews. The goal of this research is to identify optimal crew compositions, if possible, and to suggest potential crew productivity enhancement methods.
Data was collected from the SCDOT Highway Maintenance Management System (HMMS) and crew rankings were developed based on several pre-determined performance criteria. These rankings were then …


P-M Characteristics Of Reinforced Concrete Sections, Paul Johnson Dec 2008

P-M Characteristics Of Reinforced Concrete Sections, Paul Johnson

All Theses

This manuscript presents two parametric studies which were performed to evaluate a provision which originated in the 1994 Uniform Building Code (UBC). This provision states that if gravity-induced axial loads carried by a reinforced concrete member are greater than 35% of the pure axial load-carrying capacity (Po) of that member, then the member cannot be used as part of the lateral force resisting system (LRFS). Along with the UBC provision, the Structural Engineers Association of California's (SEAOC) Blue Book states that the value of 0.35Po corresponds to the level of axial load representing a balanced state of strain, i.e., the …


Investigation Of The Merging Of Two Axisymmetric Turbulent Jets, Jeffrey Smith Dec 2008

Investigation Of The Merging Of Two Axisymmetric Turbulent Jets, Jeffrey Smith

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A study was done to determine the converging distance of two axisymmetric turbulent jets and to compare the experimental results with the Reichardt hypothesis. This experiment consisted of measuring the velocity profiles of the two jets and manipulating the momentum ratio between the jets. Through testing, it was determined that the Reichardt hypothesis while efficient, over predicts the converging distance of the jets by up to 25% in some cases.
An Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter (ADV) was used to take measurements across the path of the jets and monitored the velocity and the turbulent kinetic energy. After observing the velocity profiles, …


Analysis Of Speed-Related Crashes Using Event Data Recorder Data, Swathi Korpu Dec 2008

Analysis Of Speed-Related Crashes Using Event Data Recorder Data, Swathi Korpu

All Theses

Safety in general is defined as 'the absence of unintended harm to living creatures or inanimate objects' (Evans, 2004). Traffic safety is measured in terms of motor vehicle crashes. A crash is an unplanned event which results in either fatality, or injury or property damage. Of all the factors that contribute to a crash, speed is a major issue, as more than 31 percent of all fatal crashes involve speeding (NHTSA, 2007). The speed-safety relationship can be determined by knowing the effect of speed on the frequency and severity of crashes. The relationship between speed and frequency of crashes is …


Crumb Rubber As A Sorption Medium For Ethylbenzene In Aqueous Solution, Carmen Grayson Aug 2008

Crumb Rubber As A Sorption Medium For Ethylbenzene In Aqueous Solution, Carmen Grayson

All Theses

Scrap tires have always been an environmental concern. In 2005, more than 299 million scrap tires were generated in the U.S., 259 million of which were utilized in the end-use scrap tire markets such as: tire-derived fuel generation, civil engineering applications, and ground rubber applications. The different applications and usages in the scrap tire market have helped utilize up to 87% of annually generated scrap tires in the U.S. Sixteen percent of the scrap tires were utilized in civil engineering applications in 2005 because of their beneficial properties for vibration and sound control, lightweight fill, drainage and collection for underground …


Effect Of Testing Conditions In The Standard Astm C 1567 Test Procedure On Evaluation Of Asr Mitigation Potential Of Fly Ashes, Pavan Seemakurty Aug 2008

Effect Of Testing Conditions In The Standard Astm C 1567 Test Procedure On Evaluation Of Asr Mitigation Potential Of Fly Ashes, Pavan Seemakurty

All Theses

Alkali Silica Reaction (ASR) is a widespread durability problem not only in the United States, but also in many countries across the world. ASR distress in concrete drastically reduces the service life of a structure and as such, there are no effective rehabilitation measures. As a result, the primary strategy to deal with ASR distress has been one of prevention/mitigation in new construction. Various mitigation measures are widely used to reduce the effects of ASR in concrete. Among these measures, the use of supplementary cementing materials (SCMs) is the most commonly employed method. SCMs are believed to mitigate expansions induced …


Assessment Of Potential Site Selection Methods For Use In Prioritizing Safety Improvements On Georgia Roadways, Priyanka Alluri Jul 2008

Assessment Of Potential Site Selection Methods For Use In Prioritizing Safety Improvements On Georgia Roadways, Priyanka Alluri

All Theses

With over 40,000 people continuing to die on US roads each year, the US government has heightened the awareness of critical safety issues with the passage of SAFETEA - LU legislation in 2005. The plan requires each of the states to develop a Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) and incorporate data-driven approaches to prioritize and evaluate program outcomes; else federal funds will be redirected. Seeking to meet the new demands for data-driven approaches, many states are struggling to identify data collection/maintenance requirements for satisfying new approaches to highway safety analysis. Recent research has shown that selecting projects on the basis …


Estimating In-Situ Flexural Strength Of Heat-Affected Prestressed Concrete Beams Using Constituent Material Models, Travis Collins Jul 2008

Estimating In-Situ Flexural Strength Of Heat-Affected Prestressed Concrete Beams Using Constituent Material Models, Travis Collins

All Theses

When a prestressed concrete structure is subjected to a severe fire, significant damage is created to the extent that a visual analysis is sufficient in rendering the structure unusable. Although moderate fires also create structural damage, the effects can often not be visually assessed. Therefore, a need exists for a method that allows structures to be evaluated after a fire has occurred and visual observations present no conclusive evidence for making decisions regarding the structural impact of the fire on the structure.
It was assumed that temperature histories of a member arising from a moderate fire can be determined using …


Investigation Of The Discharge Coefficient For Circular Orifices In Riser Pipes, David Prohaska Jul 2008

Investigation Of The Discharge Coefficient For Circular Orifices In Riser Pipes, David Prohaska

All Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine the discharge coefficient as it pertains to
flow through a circular orifice cut into a thin-walled vertical riser pipe. Perforated riser
pipes are a popular outlet control structure for stormwater detention basins. These
basins are used to store and release stormwater runoff from impervious areas of
developed sites. Federal, state, and local regulatory agencies provide requirements for
the quality of stormwater runoff, as well as the maximum peak discharges from a
developed site. Accurately determining the flow rate from a perforated vertical riser
pipe is crucial to meeting these requirements and protecting …


Investigation Of The Effects Of Aggregate Properties And Gradation On Pervious Concrete Mixtures, Andrew Neptune Jul 2008

Investigation Of The Effects Of Aggregate Properties And Gradation On Pervious Concrete Mixtures, Andrew Neptune

All Theses

Pervious concrete is a concrete mixture prepared from cement, aggregates, water, little or no fines and in some cases admixtures. It has been considered a Best Management Practice by the EPA because of its ability to reduce storm water runoff and to initiate the filtering of pollutants. Because the hydrologic properties of pervious concrete has been the primary reason for its reappearance in construction, the focus of previous research has been on maximizing the drainage properties of the mix with single-sized aggregates. This research, however, investigates the effects of aggregate properties and gradation on the strength, as well as hydrologic …


A Laboratory Study On The Effects Of Submerged Vertical And Semicircular Breakwaters On Near-Field Hydrodynamics And Morphodynamics, David Young May 2008

A Laboratory Study On The Effects Of Submerged Vertical And Semicircular Breakwaters On Near-Field Hydrodynamics And Morphodynamics, David Young

All Theses

A laboratory study is presented herein that investigates the effects of submerged vertical and semicircular breakwaters on near-field hydrodynamics and morphodynamics. Breakwaters are employed worldwide in order to reduce destructive wave forces often imparted on vulnerable shorelines; a task partially completed by reflecting incident wave energy back out to sea. However, two common side-effects of their function are the occurrence of scour at the breakwater, which can lead to structural problems; and offshore ripple formations, which are influential in scour protection failure and sediment transport patterns. This study aims to determine a relationship between breakwaters and the wave reflection coefficient …


Geotechnical Investigations At Three Sites In The South Carolina Coastal Plain That Did Not Liquefy During The 1886 Charleston Earthquake, Ronald Boller May 2008

Geotechnical Investigations At Three Sites In The South Carolina Coastal Plain That Did Not Liquefy During The 1886 Charleston Earthquake, Ronald Boller

All Theses

Geotechnical investigations were performed at three sites in the South Carolina Coastal Plain where liquefaction is believed to not have occurred in 1886 or during other Holocene earthquakes. The three sites are the Coastal Research and Education Center (CREC) located near Charleston, and the Borrow Pit and Marsh Road sites at Hobcaw Barony near Georgetown. The investigations consisted of nine seismic cone penetration test (SCPT) soundings, three non-seismic cone penetration test (CPT) soundings, one standard penetration test (SPT) boring, and two dilatometer test (DMT) soundings. Shear wave velocities (Vs) were calculated from the SCPTs using pseudo interval measurements at the …


Factors Affecting The Performance Of Brick Veneer Construction, Jocelyn Dickie May 2008

Factors Affecting The Performance Of Brick Veneer Construction, Jocelyn Dickie

All Theses

The first topic focused on in this report is the height restriction imposed by the masonry standard for brick veneer on wood frame backing. The current US standard (ACI 530-05/ASCE 5-05/TMS 402-05 Building Code Requirements for Masonry Structures) does not allow brick veneer to extend more than thirty feet above the foundation when supported by wood framing. These prescriptive requirements are compared with those of the Canadian (CSA 304.1-04) and Australian (AS 3700-2001) masonry standards. The logic found for this height restriction is based on the vertical differential movement caused by moisture and thermal expansion of the brick veneer and …


Analysis Of The Impact Of Fuel Price And Bidding Volume On The Engineer's Estimate, Greaton Sellers May 2008

Analysis Of The Impact Of Fuel Price And Bidding Volume On The Engineer's Estimate, Greaton Sellers

All Theses

The research project 'Analysis of the Impact of Fuel Price and Bidding Volume on the Engineer's Estimate' was initiated by the South Carolina Department of Transportation and conducted by Clemson University. This research was executed as a two part study, 'Best Practices for Developing the Engineer's Estimate', which addressed two distinct but related objectives. The first research objective was to fully explore the advantages and disadvantage of alternative methodologies utilized to compile the engineer's cost estimate. This research objective is addressed in Report Volume I. The second research objective, which is addressed in this Report Volume II, was to develop …


Evaluation Of A Computer Vision Traffic Surveillance System, Robert Graham Dec 2007

Evaluation Of A Computer Vision Traffic Surveillance System, Robert Graham

All Theses

This thesis presents an evaluation of the accuracy of a novel computer vision traffic sensor - developed by the Clemson University Electrical and Civil Engineering Departments - capable of collecting a variety of traffic parameters. More specific, the thesis examines how the camera height and distance from the travel way affects the accuracy. The details of the quantitative and qualitative evaluations used to validate the system are provided. The parameters chosen to evaluate were volume, vehicle classification, and speed. Experimental results of cameras mounted at heights of 20 and 30 feet and a lateral distance of 10 and 20 feet …


Seismic Fragility Curves For A Typical Highway Bridge In Charleston, Sc Considering Soil-Structure Interaction And Liquefaction Effects, Matthew Bowers Dec 2007

Seismic Fragility Curves For A Typical Highway Bridge In Charleston, Sc Considering Soil-Structure Interaction And Liquefaction Effects, Matthew Bowers

All Theses

Evidence from historical earthquakes suggests that the vulnerability of highway bridges is significantly affected by large permanent ground deformations caused by liquefaction as well as soil-structure interaction (SSI). The vulnerability of a typical multi-span simply-supported (MSSS) concrete girder bridge found in Charleston, South Carolina, is evaluated with consideration for liquefaction and SSI effects. In general, existing bridges in this region were not originally designed with consideration for seismic events or liquefaction of underlying soils. Fragility curves that represent the probability of exceeding predefined performance levels of damage given an earthquake of a particular intensity are used to evaluate the effects …


Assessing Asr Potential Of Hardened Concrete And The Use Of Rice Husk Ash To Mitigate Asr, David Wingard Dec 2007

Assessing Asr Potential Of Hardened Concrete And The Use Of Rice Husk Ash To Mitigate Asr, David Wingard

All Theses

This two part research study was created to first develop a new process using existing test methods to determine the Alkali-Silica Reaction (ASR) potential of hardened concrete that is exposed to external alkalis and secondly to determine the ASR mitigation potential of using rice husk ash (RHA) as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM). The first part of the research study was completed by using a new aggregate extraction procedure that uses a combination of hydrochloric acid treatments and abrasion to remove the cement paste from the aggregate. This extracted aggregate was then crushed down to the specified sizes and used …