Civil Engineering Commons^™

Data Fusion Technique For Measuring Intersection Delay Using Gps-Enabled Probe Vehicles, Byung-Hee Han

Masters Theses

Intersection control delay is considered a primary measure for determining the level of service at signalized intersections. This thesis develops a technique estimating intersection delay using GPS data from GPS-enabled vehicles. First, this study analyzes existing methods that estimate control delays using GPS data and proposes an improved technique in response to the weakness of those methods. The proposed method estimates the control delay well with better accuracy covering the weaknesses. However, the control delay from the GPS data has a sample size problem for determining the level of service at signalized intersections. Therefore, this thesis proposes a data fusion …

Static Evaluation Of The Out-Of-Plane Behavior Of Urm Infill Walls Utilizing Modern Blast Retrofit Systems, Trevor D. Hrynyk

Masters Theses

"Previous investigations have shown that the use of modern retrofit systems can significantly improve the behavior of URM infill walls subjected to variable out-of-plane loads. It has also been shown that the use of externally bonded retrofit systems can greatly reduce the amount of fragmentation and debris scatter that is found to occur in URM walls subjected to high intensity blast loads...The main objective of this study is to investigate, through static testing, the use of modern materials for the purpose of improving the behavior of URM walls subjected to blast loads. This study implemented externally bonded FRP grids and …

Performance Evaluation Of Existing Analytical Methods To Compute The Shear Contribution Provided By Externally Bonded Frp Sheets In Concrete Structures, Rocio Patricia Tumialan

Masters Theses

"External application of FRP composites has been adopted for strengthening and/or repair of concrete structures in many applications during the last two decades. However, the research into shear strengthening using FRP composites has not been widely conducted as compared to flexural strengthening and axial load capacity increase, and the results obtained thus far are scarce and sometimes controversial. This study presents a review of analytical studies and design guidelines on shear strengthening of concrete structures with externally-bonded FRP laminates, and their assessment with experimental data collected from the literature. The strengths and weaknesses of each model and design guidelines/codes/specifications are …

Analysis Of Soil Erosion Based On Soil Properties, Preetha Veeraraghavan

Masters Theses

"The objectives of this research were to identify the major soil parameter(s) that affect the erosion rate of soil and to estimate the erosion rate based on those soil parameters. Both prepared samples and natural samples were used in this research. The soil properties analyzed were the water content, unit weight, Atterberg limits, and soil cohesion. The erosion rate was determined using a rectangular flume and a linear relation between the erosion rate and shear stress was established from the flume experiment. The slope of the linear relation was a good indicator of the soil's erosion rate. The erosion rate …

Expedient Method To Determine Active Zone Depth For Expansive Soils In The St. Louis, Missouri Area, Robert Allen Abbott

Masters Theses

"A laboratory testing program was developed to formulate a relationship which could be used to estimate the active zone depth at a given site with the index properties of the potentially expansive soils at the site. The testing program utilized standard consolidometers to incrementally add moisture to soil specimens to determine a swell versus soil suction index. Tests were performed on laboratory manufactured soil specimens of commercial clay to validate the testing methodology.

A QUATTRO PRO computer spreadsheet was developed to perform the calculations to determine the potential field surface heave for the soils tested provided they were at a …

A Study On The Causes Of Variations In Transmissivity And Storativity During Pump Tests At Asylum Lake, Paul Joseph Pare

Masters Theses

Over a two year period, Western Michigan University ran a number of pump tests in the Asylum Lake Area in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The transmissivities and storativities calculated from these tests differed significantly from well to well in any particular test, and from pump test to pump test. Utilizing the computer programs AQTESOLV 3.0 and Aquifer Parameter Estimator, a number of T and S values were calculated. After analysis of the results, the following conclusion was drawn. The main reason for the deviations in the T and S values arose from the mixing of the results of numerous methods (some of …

Behavior Of Reinforced Loess Specimens Under Triaxial Load, Mohammad Taghi Izadi

Masters Theses

"Effects of reinforcement on shear strength of a loessial (silty) soil arc studied. Unconsolidated undrained triaxial tests are performed on unreinforced and fabric reinforced soil specimens. Analyses of the test results showed that in general the shear strength of remolded loess specimens were improved substantially and increase in the shear strength was directly related to reinforcement spacing.

The mechanism of soil-reinforcement interaction and several existing analytical models are described. A modified analytical model based on enhanced confining theory is developed. This model can be used in assessing the effects of the reinforcement on shear strength of triaxial specimens. Comparison of …

Optimization Of Richardson's Shale Durability Rating System, John Dell Long

Masters Theses

"The two-cycle sieved slake durability test, performed on specimens initially oven-dried prior to testing, was determined to be the optimum slake durability testing procedure based on 12 variations of the test performed on 12 different shale types. The effects of changing slake durability testing variables was also studied.

Standard Proctor moisture-density and compaction-degradation tests were performed on 11 shales.

A modified version of the ultrasonic cavitation disaggregation test was developed and performed on 14 shales.

Richardson's shale durability rating equation was modified to include or reflect a data base of 14 shales, the results of the 20-min. ultrasonic cavitation disaggregation …

A New Basin Characteristic For Use In Estimating Impervious Area And Flood Discharges In Urban Missouri Basins, Rodney E. Southard

Masters Theses

"A previous regression analysis of flood peaks on urban basins in St. Louis County, Missouri, indicated that the percentage of impervious area and drainage area were the only basin characteristics of statistical significance in estimating the 2-, 5-, 10-, 25-, 50-, and 100-year peak-flow discharges at ungaged urban basins. In this statewide regression analysis of urban basins, a new basin characteristic called the percentage of developed area was computed and used in a simple regression analysis. The regression analysis included percentage of developed area as the independent variable and impervious area as the dependent variable, resulting in a simplified procedure …

Bearing Capacity Of Shallow Foundations, Yassin Taissir Al-Kour

Masters Theses

"Several bearing capacity theories have been reviewed in this analysis. However, only Meyerhof's theory is considered in great detail. Bearing capacity factors N_c, N_q, and N_γ have been computed based on Meyerhof's plasticity theory and the minimum passive earth pressures have been found by iterative calculations at all grid locations.

A computer program was developed to run Meyerhof's analysis on the IBM-Personal Computer. His previous charts were not totally satisfactory, because certain geometry was ignored. The computer program considers surface and shallow foundations with various values of degree of mobilization and ratios of depth-to-width of …

Development Of Apparatus For Constant-Hydraulic-Gradient And Constant-Rate-Of-Strain Consolidation Tests, Jack F. Geerlings

Masters Theses

"A back pressure type consolidometer manufactured by Anteus Laboratory Equipment Company is modified to perform either constant hydraulic gradient or constant rate of strain consolidation tests. The modification of the consolidometer and its instrumentation are described. Computer software is developed for the purpose of apparatus control and for test data acquisition and analysis.

Constant hydraulic gradient and constant rate of strain consolidation tests are performed on samples consolidated from a slurry in the laboratory. Results of these tests are compared with incremental consolidation tests performed with an oedometer.

The modified apparatus was found to be suitable for use in both …

A Theoretical Study Of Antecedent Soil Moisture As It Relates To The Rainfall-Runoff Relationship, Karen Sue Angert

Masters Theses

"This paper addresses the feasibility of using antecedent soil moisture as a tool for predicting the extractions from rainfall due to the infiltration process by solving the one-dimensional equation for saturated- unsaturated flow through porous media. Soil moisture characteristics in the form of empirical equations were used to incorporate the hysteretic behavior of the soil-water relationships into the model. Two sets of parameters were developed to be representative of a silty sand and a silty fine sand.

Extractions as infiltration from a given storm hyetograph and the total volume of direct runoff were computed for different initial moisture states. When …

The Effect Of The Degree Of Saturation On The Permeability Of A Compacted Clay To Organic Permeants, Mark Alan Harms

Masters Theses

"Relationships for permeability of kaolinite versus degree of saturation and permeability versus flow are developed for 0.005 N calcium sulphate, xylene and aniline permeants using the triaxial flexible wall permeameter. The clay was statically compacted at degrees of saturation of 50%, 75% and 100%. A gradient of 277 was used for the permeability tests.

The initial degree of saturation was inversely related to the permeability of the clay. Saturated clay samples were found to be virtually impervious to aniline and xylene. As the degree of saturation decreased, the permeability increased with the initial volume of flow equivalent to the volume …

Structural Behavior Of Cold-Formed Steel Beam Webs Subjected To Partial Edge Loading, Shin-Hua Lin

Masters Theses

"An extensive experimental investigation has been conducted to study the load-carrying capacity of cold-formed steel web elements subjected to partial edge loading which may cause web crippling or web buckling. In this experimental work emphasis was concentrated on the cold-formed steel structural members having single unreinforced webs with stiffened flanges.

In 1980, American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) revised its "Specification for the Design of Cold-Formed Steel Structural Members.” For the design of beam webs, Section 3.5.1 of the AISI Specification provides the design criteria for web crippling. This thesis discusses the experimental work including some specimens with small length-to-depth …

Mechanical Properties Of High Strength Sheet Steels, M. Brad Parks

Masters Theses

"In recent years fuel economy has become one of the major criteria for the design of automobiles. In order to improve the efficiency of their vehicles many automotive designers are substituting high strength sheet steels for traditional materials of lower strength. This thesis discusses experimental work which was done to determine the representative mechanical properties and stress-strain relationships of a select group of high strength sheet steels with nominal yield strengths ranging from 80 to 140 ksi. The results show that high strength sheet steels are quite anisotropic with the variation in measured properties depending on the type of sheet …

Transverse Thermal Response Of A Composite Bridge, Michael J. Filla

Masters Theses

"A two-span, composite-design, test structure was subjected to thermal loading. The resultant longitudinal and transverse response was correlated with that calculated by a prior theoretical procedure. The theoretical procedure was reconfirmed for longitudinal stress, and indicated within reasonable probability for transverse stress. No measurable diaphragm influence was observed"--Abstract, page iii.

A Study Of Mechanical Degradation Of A Coarse Aggregate Subject To Repeated Loading, Mark Alan Roenfeldt

Masters Theses

"This investigation concerns itself with the problem of mechanical degradation of a coarse aggregate and specifically as it is used as railroad ballast. Laboratory tests were used to study the aggregate with respect to its plastic deformation characteristics, the amount of degradation, changes in gradation, and the rate of change of degradation as a function of the number of load cycles.

The repeated load triaxial tests were used to study how degradation occurs with respect to aggregate gradation, relative density, and the number of load applications. The Los Angeles abrasion test was also used to determine the degradation of the …

Stress-Strain Properties Of Compacted Modified Memphis Loess, Danny Lloyd Kerns

Masters Theses

"A study was made of the stress-strain characteristics of compacted samples of a modified loessial soil obtained near Memphis, Tennessee. The study consisted of compacting samples at a constant water content and at unit weights of 92, 96 and 100 pounds per cubic foot (1470, 1540 and 1600 kg/m³). Triaxial tests were performed on unsaturated compacted specimens to obtain stress-strain-volume change data. These data were used to determine stress-dependent functions for tangent modulus and Poisson's ratio"--Abstract, page ii.

A Hydrologic Analysis Of The Meramec River Basin, Missouri, Glendon Taylor Stevens Iii

Masters Theses

"The purpose of this study was to develop water budgets for the Meramec River Basin. These budgets, developed from average annual data, are quantitative assessments of the basin's water resources.

On a long-term basis, inflow was approximately balanced by outflow indicating that the system is steady state.

Precipitation was found to be the only substantial source of inflow to the basin and averages about 40 inches per year.

Evapotranspiration was found to be the major source of outflow from the basin. Annually it accounts for about three quarters of the total outflow and averages about 30 inches.

Streamflow was found …

Measurement Of Poisson's Ratio And Tangent Modulus Of A Loess, Craig Randall Bowers

Masters Theses

"A series of triaxial tests are used to develop mathematical models for tangent modulus and Poisson's ratio for a remolded loessial soil. These two models are then utilized in a finite element computer program to model the behavior of a shallow foundation placed on compacted loess. Different models for Poisson's ratio gave widely varying load settlement curves, however a constant value of .32 gave results very similar to that given by the experimentally developed model. It was found that the model developed for tangent modulus yielded unreasonable results when utilized in the finite element analysis until a limiting value was …

Thermal Response Of A Composite Bridge Structure, David John Wisch

Masters Theses

"This experimental investigation was conducted as an intermediate study to verify and substantiate a prior theoretical study for possible utilization toward development of rational bridge design criteria. The objectives of the study were to construct and instrument a 15 ft - 15 ft (4.6 m- 4.6 m) two-span, composite design, laboratory structure, to subject the structure to thermal loading, and to correlate the experimental temperature distributions, strain distributions, and deflections with those obtained from the theoretical study. Infrared heat lamps were used to obtain steady-state thermal loading.

Three theoretical cases were considered for strain calculations: a) both the slab and …

Removal Of Organic Chemical Contaminants By Granular Activated Carbon., Garry Reinhold Aronberg

Masters Theses

"The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the effectiveness of GAC* filtration in removing organic chemical contaminants from drinking water, and to determine whether the T.O. No. of the treated water could aid in the routine monitoring of the GAC filters.

Two pilot filters containing 18-in. (45.7-cm) deep GAC beds were installed at water treatment plants in Jefferson City and St. Louis County, MO; both plants treated Missouri River water. A bituminous coal-base (large surface area, small pore volume) and 2 lignite coal-base (small surface area, large pore volume) carbons were tested at 2 and 5 gpm/sq ft (81.4 …

Dynamic Pullout Resistance Of Anchors Buried In Dry Sand, Chris John Veesaert

Masters Theses

"The vertical pullout resistance of buried anchors subjected to dynamic loading was investigated by means of a laboratory model study. A dry uniformly graded sand, compacted by vibration to 92% of its relative density, was used as the test medium. Tests were performed in a 24-inch square tank using 3.0 and 5.0-inch diameter half and full-anchors. The anchors were tested at depths ranging from 5.0 to 21.0 inches.

It was assumed that the dynamic failure mechanism of earth anchors was the same as the static failure mode, and not distinct behavior. Thus static tests, i.e., tests using a constant strain …

A Unit Hydrograph For The Missouri Ozark Region., Melvin G. Schaefer

Masters Theses

"Eleven small watersheds from the Missouri Ozark region are used in generating a synthetic unit hydrograph. The analysis is composed of three parts: First, a prediction equation is developed which correlates the time lag parameter with the physical features of the watershed. Second, an equation is developed which predicts the peak flow ordinate for 30-, 60- and 120-minute unit hydrographs. Third, an average dimensionless unit hydrograph is determined"-- Abstract, p. iii

Dynamic Testing Of Anchors Buried In Dry Sand., Jim Lee Hillhouse

Masters Theses

"The dynamic pullout resistance of anchors was investigated through the use of model testing under controlled conditions. The soil used for the model tests was a dry sand compacted to a uniform relative density of approximately 92 percent. The dynamic loading of the anchor-soil system was applied by a mechanical device, which applied a specific amplitude and frequency of dynamic load to the anchor-soil system.

The dynamic testing of the anchors consisted of two phases. First, an initial static load was applied to the anchor. Second, a dynamic load was superimposed over the initial static load. The load applied to …

Denitrification Of A Synthetic Waste With A Submerged Filter, Dominic Joseph Grana

Masters Theses

"The facultative anaerobic submerged filter is a plug flow, packed bed, column type reactor in which the facultative microorganisms responsible for nitrate reduction are attached to the filter media. The objective of this study was to evaluate filter performance and the kinetic equations of the process under variable conditions of flow rate, nitrate nitrogen concentration, and organic loading.

Two 0.5 cu ft (14.25 1) laboratory filters were operated for 144 days at 35°C using a synthetic waste as the substrate. Filter media consisted of smooth quartzite stone, 1 to 1.5 in. (2.54-3.82 cm) in diameter. Each filter had a porosity …

A Study Of Trace Organic Emissions In Mining And Milling Wastewaters In The New Lead Belt Of Southeastern Missouri., Alan James Callier

Masters Theses

"The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the trace organic contributions by two lead and zinc mining and milling operations in Southeastern Missouri. A secondary objective was to evaluate a reverse osmosis-solvent extraction method for use in recovering trace organics.

Trace organics were recovered in the first phase of the study following procedures as outlined by the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM), with chloroform and benzene being used as the solvents. The data indicated that the milling waste contained a larger concentration of trace organics than the excess mine water. Furthermore, it was shown that recycling …

A Method Of Predicting The Economic Effects Of Highways In Undeveloped Countries., Mohamed Magzoub Abdallah

Masters Theses

"This paper reviews the findings of the socio-economic impact studies pertaining to land-use changes. An attempt is made to explain, through land-use studies, the relationship between the past and future development of the City of Rolla, Missouri, and the system of highways serving the city, The relationship between land-use changes, expressed in active units rather than areas, and the level of activity related to those changes, rep resented by 0-D traffic volumes, is studied for Rolla and the difference in the behavior of this relationship in undeveloped countries is discussed"-- Abstract, p. ii

Effects Of Colloidal Materials And Polyelectrolytes On Carbon Adsorption In Aqueous Solution., Jack Taylor Garrett Jr.

Masters Theses

"The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of certain colloidal materials and long-chain polyelectrolytes on the adsorption efficiency of some selected activated carbons which were manufactured from both coal-based and lignite-based materials. Phenol was used as the adsorbate to determine the adsorption efficiency.

At the beginning of the study, four brands of activated carbon (i.e. Filtrasorb 400, Darco, Norit, and Witco 256) were tried, based on the preliminary adsorption data, two activated carbons were subsequently selected for use throughout the entire study. These were Calgon's Filtrasorb 400 and American Norit's Norit activated carbons. The former represents a …

A Study Of Trace Organics And Trace Organic-Bound Metals In Raw And Finished Waters., Robert Lee Stewart

Masters Theses

"The main objectives of this study were: (a) to prepare a comprehensive review and evaluation of the literature pertaining to trace substances, with emphasis on their status in water supplies, health effects, and fate in treatment; ( b) to establish the methodology needed for measuring trace metals in trace organic substances; and (c) to determine the metal content of organic extracts recovered from surface, subsurface, and finished waters.

Raw and finished water was obtained at the Sedalia, MO, water treatment plant, and 5 sources were sampled (3 surface, 1 well, 1 plant-treated). The 0-CA* and SEM procedures were employed to …