Civil Engineering Commons^™

Long Term Performance Of A Porous Friction Course, Rebecca S. Mcdaniel, Karol J. Kowalski, Ayesha Shah, Jan Olek, Robert J. Bernhard

JTRP Technical Reports

In 2003, the Indiana Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration allowed a test section of Porous Friction Course (PFC) to be placed on I74 east of Indianapolis. The design, construction and early performance of that surface were compared to an adjacent SMA surface and a conventional Superpave HMA surface in a report prepared for the Institute for Safe, Quiet and Durable Highways (1). The early performance indicated that the PFC offered several advantages over the SMA and the conventional surfaces, including reduced tire/pavement noise, high friction and surface texture, and reduced splash and spray. There was …

Quantifying Benefits Of Traffic Signal Retiming, Christopher M. Day, Thomas M. Brennan Jr., Hiromel Premachandra, Alexander M. Hainen, Stephen M. Remias, James R. Sturdevant, Greg Richards, Jason S. Wasson, Darcy M. Bullock

JTRP Technical Reports

Improvements in the quality of service on a signalized intersection or arterial can be interpreted as a reduction in the user cost of service, which is expected to induce demand based on economic theory. This report presents a methodology for measuring and interpreting changes to user costs, and determining whether demand was induced. High-resolution signal event data and Bluetooth device MAC address matching are demonstrated in three case studies with the purpose of quantifying the impacts of changes in signal timing plans. In the first case study, 21 months of vehicle volume data are used to test whether demand was …

Determining Of The Binder Content Of Hot Mix Asphalt Containing Dolomitic Aggregates Using The Ignition Oven, Karol K. Kowalski, Rebecca S. Mcdaniel, Jan Olek, Ayesha Shah

JTRP Technical Reports

The binder content of an HMA mix is one of the critical factors affecting the quality of the mix. The ignition oven is one widely used method for determining the binder content, however, its use is problematic with some types of aggregates, including dolomites. With these aggregates, the mass loss continues after the binder is burned off as the aggregates decompose and the test does not terminate at a stable mass. This study investigated the factors that affect this mass loss in problematic aggregates and developed a modified ignition oven procedure to limit this mass loss. The mass loss in …

Identification Of Laboratory Technique To Optimize Superpave Hma Surface Friction Characteristics, Karol J. Kowalski, Rebecca S. Mcdaniel, Jan Olek

JTRP Technical Reports

Wet pavement friction is known to be one of the most important roadway safety parameters. In this research, frictional properties of flexible (asphalt) pavements were investigated.

As a part of this study, a laboratory device to polish asphalt specimens was refined and a procedure to evaluate mixture frictional properties was proposed. Following this procedure, 46 different Superpave mixtures, one stone matrix asphalt (SMA) mixture and one porous friction course (PFC) mixture were tested. In addition, 23 different asphalt and two concrete field sections were also tested for friction and noise.

The results of both field and laboratory measurements were used …

Development Of Internally Cured Concrete For Increased Service Life, John Schlitter, Ryan Henkensiefken, Javier Castro, Kambiz Raoufi, Jason Weiss, Tommy Nantung

JTRP Technical Reports

Higher strength, lower water to cement ratio (w/c) concrete has been advocated over the last two decades due to its increased strength and reduced permeability. The lower w/c of these concretes makes them susceptible to autogenous shrinkage. This autogenous shrinkage can be significant and can be a contributing factor to early age cracking. Internal curing was investigated as a potential method to improve the durability of concrete pavements and bridge decks. Prewetted lightweight aggregate was used to supply water to the hydrating cement paste. This additional water can counteract the hindered strength development, suspended hydration, autogenous shrinkage, and early age …

Analysis Of Fema Guidelines For Coastal Dunes Using A Numerical Model, Brenton Edward Payne

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

FEMA's current guideline for coastal dune erosion is called the 540 Rule. The intent of the 540 Rule is to act as a boolean guideline for dune protection. If a dune is validated as being substantial against the 1 % Annual Chance Storm Water Elevation Level by the 540 Rule, then the area behind the dune is considered to be susceptible to less energetic flooding. This is known as an AE Flood Zone. An immediate effect of being rezoned is a significant drop in the insurance costs behind the dune. However, if the dune is not validated by the 540 …

Plain And Steel-Reinforced Concrete Shear Walls With And Without Cfrp Retrofitting, Ali Mohammed Salih Al Aloosi

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This thesis presents the outcome- of a study of the behavior and strength of plain and steel-reinforced concrete shear walls with and without a window opening and Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) retrofitting. A total of seven tests were conducted using six different shear walls. Each wall was subjected to a gradually increasing static load at one of it's top corners until the maximum load was reached. The load-deflection relations and the walls' failure patterns were observed and recorded. It was found that the window opening in the plain concrete wall reduced the wall load capacity by 18 percent. For the …

Application Of The Coastal Storm Impulse (Cosi) Parameter To Predict Coastal Erosion, Robert Aaron Walker

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

A new coastal storm-strength parameter, the Coastal Storm Impulse (COSI) parameter, was introduced at the 2006 International Conference of Coastal Engineering (ICCE) in San Diego and further discussed at the ICCE 2008 in Hamburg. COSI is based on the conservation of linear, horizontal momentum to combine storm surge, wave dynamics, and currents over the storm duration. Both tropical storms (hurricanes) and extra-tropical storms (northeasters) can produce similar COSI parameters. Potential implications of such a storm classification system include the evaluation of potential coastal erosion and coastal infrastructure, as well as providing a universal storm strength indicator that is directly tied …

Peat Improvement Under Vacuum Preloading:A Novel Approach For Bog Roads In Ireland, Juan Pablo Osorio, Eric R. Farrell, Brendan C. O'Kelly

Conference papers

This paper presents the preliminary findings of a TCD/NRA vacuum preloading field trial that is part of a research project into the construction options for improving rampart roads. Vacuum preloading is a construction method used to accelerate settlement and the increase shear strength by applying a vacuum pressure to the ground by means of prefabricated vertical drains, an impervious tight sheet and a vacuum pump. Consolidating the ground by applying a vacuum load has several advantages over other techniques, for example; no fill material is required; construction periods are generally shorter; and there is no need for chemical admixtures. This …

Development Of A New Marine Exposure Site On The Atlantic North-West Coast Of Ireland, Niall Holmes, L. Basheer, S. Nanukuttan, S. Srinivasan, Pam Basheer, J. Mccarter, M. Chrisp

Conference papers

This paper presents a new marine exposure site being developed on the North-west Atlantic coastline of Ireland in Co. Donegal by the Centre for Built Environment Research at Queen’s University Belfast. The site will initially contain a number of large precast concrete stems, each 1.5m high, 1.5m wide and 1m thick placed on concrete plinths poured in-situ. The concrete stems will be placed at three levels to achieve different exposure conditions outlined in EN 206, namely atmospheric (XS1), a splash or spray zone (XS3) and a tidal zone (XS3) where the stems will be submerged by the incoming tide twice …

Methodology For Designing Structures To Withstand Extreme Environments: Performance Based Specifications, S. Nanukuttan, Niall Holmes, S. Srinivasan, L. Basheer, P.A.M. Basheer, L. Tang, J. Mccarter

Conference papers

Existing guidelines in BS 8500 allow the selection of concrete mix based on variables such as compressive strength, maximum water to binder ratio, minimum cement content and minimum cover thickness. This approach does not guarantee the durability and expected performance of the concrete structure in a given environment. One alternative is to develop performance- based specifications that supplement the existing guidelines in BS 8500, by specifying the required performance of concrete in terms of measurable properties such as resistance to environmental penetrations. This paper demonstrates one of such methodology for developing performance-based specifications for concretes exposed to marine environments. Chloride …

A Synthesis Of Overweight Truck Permitting, Muhammad K. Bilal, Muhammad Irfan, Anwaar Ahmed, Samuel Labi, Kumares C. Sinha

JTRP Technical Reports

For purposes of safety and system preservation, trucking operational characteristics are regulated through legislation and policies. However, special permits are granted for trucks to exceed specified operational restrictions. Thus, the Indiana DOT not only seeks highway operations policies that retain/attract heavy industry including those that haul large loads but also seeks to protect the billions of taxpayer dollars invested in highway infrastructure. As such, it is sought to avoid policies that may lead to premature and accelerated deterioration of assets through excess loading or undue safety hazard through oversize loads. This study was carried out primarily to document the state …

Refine Process To Identify, Evaluate, And Adopt New Technologies And Identify New Proven Technologies For Indiana, Joseph V. Sinfield

JTRP Technical Reports

No abstract provided.

Determination Of Unit Hydrograph Parameters For Indiana Watersheds, Jared L. Wilkerson, Venkatesh M. Merwade

JTRP Technical Reports

Regression equations predicting Clark Synthetic Unit Hydrograph (SUH) parameters for time of concentration (tc) and storage coefficient (R) are developed for small watersheds across Indiana [drainage areas = 3-38 square miles (mi2)]. The state is partitioned into three regions: North, Central, and South, with consideration for past regionalization studies of Indiana and geomorphology. The equations are derived using multiple linear regression analysis for 30 watersheds with 90 observed rainfall-runoff events. Clark SUH parameters are optimized using Hec-HMS to match the observed rainfall-runoff events. The optimized Clark SUH parameters are related to geomorphologic parameters estimated using geographic information system (GIS) applications. …

Bs News September/October

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Mixing Layer Dynamics In Separated Flow Over An Estuarine Sill With Variable Stratification, Stefan A. Talke, Alexander R. Horner-Devine, C. Chris Chickadel

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

We investigate the generation of a mixing layer in the separated flow behind an estuarine sill (height H ∼ 4 m) in the Snohomish River, Washington as part of a larger investigation of coherent structures using remote and in situ sensing. During increasing ebb flows the depth d and stratification decrease and a region of sheared flow characterized by elevated production of turbulent kinetic energy develops. Profiles of velocity and acoustic backscatter exhibit coherent fluctuations of order 0.1 Hz and are used to define the boundaries of the mixing layer. Variations in the mixing layer width and its embedded coherent …

The Effect Of Tidal Asymmetry And Temporal Settling Lag On Sediment Trapping In Tidal Estuaries, Alexander S. Chernetsky, Henk M. Schuttelaars, Stefan A. Talke

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Over decades and centuries, the mean depth of estuaries changes due to sea-level rise, land subsidence, infilling, and dredging projects. These processes produce changes in relative roughness (friction) and mixing, resulting in fundamental changes in the characteristics of the horizontal (velocity) and vertical tides (sea surface elevation) and the dynamics of sediment trapping. To investigate such changes, a 2DV model is developed. The model equations consist of the width-averaged shallow water equations and a sediment balance equation. Together with the condition of morphodynamic equilibrium, these equations are solved analytically by making a regular expansion of the various physical variables in …

A Roof Runoff Strategy And Model For Augmenting Public Water Supply, Robert Carnahan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Water is the essential resource that is becoming extremely scarce worldwide. The 21st century will further stress all available water resources through the growth and expansion of developing nations. It is not only the quantity of cheap water that is being depleted, but the quality of these waters is being endangered. Florida is an example where rapid development and an exploding population are competing for shrinking groundwater resources. Current water use does not address the use of alternative supplies and reuses in the United States.

The objective of this research was to determine a strategy for augmenting existing water supplies …

An Analysis Of The Travel Patterns And Preferences Of The Elderly, Sujan Sikder

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The number of elderly is increasing; to meet their transportation needs, it is important to clearly understand their travel patterns and preferences. Since travel patterns and preferences depend on socio-demographic and other factors, it is essential to identify these factors first to understand the travel behavior of the elderly. The main purpose of this thesis is to analyze the travel patterns and preferences of the elderly age 65 and above using 2009 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) data. This thesis presents a detailed descriptive analysis of 2009 NHTS data to understand the travel patterns of the elderly. Along with a …

Enhancement Of Predictive Capability Of Transit Boardings Estimation And Simulation Tool (Tbest) Using Parcel Data: An Exploratory Analysis, Tejsingh Rana

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

TBEST is a comprehensive third generation transit demand forecasting model, developed by the FDOT Public Transit Office (PTO) to help transit agencies in completing their Transit Development Plans (TDPs). The on-going project funded by FDOT, related to TBEST, aims at further enhancing the capabilities of the TBEST model based on additional opportunities identified by the research team. The project focuses on enhancing TBEST’s capabilities in following areas: 1) Improving the precision of socio- demographic data by using property appraisal data (parcel data) and, 2) Improving the quality of data regarding trip attraction. Based on the improvement areas, this study aims …

Construction Cost Models, Barry Dikeman

Economics and Finance

The following are a series of cost estimate models similar in format to a typical engineer’s estimate that were developed in support of our financial impact assessment report for LD 1725. The models us current material costs, labor costs, and equipment costs for the region to provide a comparative cost analysis of seven culvert replacement scenarios. The models provide information about what the cost impact of LD 1725 would be for typical culvert replacements in Maine. However, due to the inherent restrictions of the cost modeling framework we were not able to include the abundance of variables that would be …

Experimental Investigation Of Folded Plate Girders And Slab Joints Used In Modular Construction, Kyle A. Burner

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The folded plate girder, a newly proposed bridge girder, is investigated through this thesis. The folded plate girder is cold bent out of a single sheet of steel. The cold bending eliminates the costly and inconsistent shop welds found in traditional girders. The folded plate girder is meant for application in short span bridges. The girder was subjected to an equivalent 75 year lifetime loading to investigate the fatigue performance.

The rebar detail used in the closure region between adjacent slabs has been investigated in the past by the NCHRP 12-68 project. This thesis will proposes a hooked rebar detail …

Constructability Testing Of Folded Plate Girders, Luke A. Glaser

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

A new steel girder bridge system was developed at the University of Nebraska. The innovative girder design is a box girder folded from a single steel plate that has a trapezoid shape with an opening on the bottom. The girder has application in short span bridges and accelerated construction situations. The structural performance of the girder requires investigation in all stages of a bridge’s lifecycle. This thesis contains descriptions and results from the first two tests from a series of tests developed to evaluate this new girder shape. The objective of these two tests was to investigate the constructability of …

The Feasibility Of Using An Instrumented Vehicle Equipped With Inertial Navigation Guidence System To Collect Roadway Grade And Cross-Slope Data For Safety Analysis, Cyle Rhoades

All Theses

In 2005, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) requested the development for the initial version of the Model Minimum Inventory of Roadway Elements (MIRE). MIRE is a roadway inventory and traffic data collection data program that has a strong focus on improving the decision process in safety programs. MIRE is not a mandatory state program, but is strongly recommended based on its potential advantages. Some of the data required for MIRE was previously collected as a result of the requirements set from the Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS).
This thesis concentrates on the feasibility of determining as-built grade and cross-slope data …

Passenger Car Equivalent Factors For Level Freeway Segments Operating Under Moderate And Congested Conditions, Umama Ahmed

Master's Theses (2009 -)

The significant impact Heavy Vehicles (HV) have on freeway operations has been identified since the first edition of the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM). The method of incorporating their impact in freeway capacity calculations has changed through the years. The HCM 2000 used Passenger Car Equivalent (PCE) values and percent of trucks/buses and Recreational Vehicles (RV) to account for HV effect on capacity. However PCE values in the most recent HCM edition rely on a limited field database and extensive simulation runs based on this information; they were calibrated on `steady-flow' traffic operations. The objective of this effort was to indentify …

Evaluation Of Toxicity Analysis For Foundry Sand Specifications, M. Katherine Banks, A. Paul Schwab

JTRP Technical Reports

Byproducts from many industries have the potential to be used as construction materials, but some means is required to determine if the material is environmentally benign. Foundry sands are produced in many states and can be useful as in transportation projects. However, INDOT currently requires the use of the MICROTOX test to assess the potential toxicity of the sands, and this requirement is viewed as an unnecessary impediment by the producers of foundry sands and is a requirement not encountered in other states. Therefore, the goal of this project was to review current requirements for testing of recycled materials, determine …

Investigation Of Potential Pathways And Multi-Cycle Bioregeneration Of Ion-Exchange Resin Laden With Perchlorate, Mohamadali Sharbatmaleki

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Ion-exchange (IX) is possibly the most feasible technology for perchlorate removal and perchlorate-selective and non-selective IX resins are commercially available for this purpose. The use of both resins has shortcomings. Selective resins are incinerated after one time use, and non-selective resins produce a regenerant waste stream that contains high concentration of perchlorate. A process involving directly contacting of spent IX resin containing perchlorate with perchlorate-reducing bacteria (PRB) to bioregenerate the resin has been developed and proven recently. In this process PRB biodegrade perchlorate ions which are attached to the functional groups of the resin.

Although its feasibility has been proven, …

Modelling And Verification Of Response Of Rc Slabs Strengthened In Flexure With Mechanically Fastened Frp Laminates, Annalisa Napoli, Fabio Matta, Enzo Martinelli, Antonio Nanni, Roberto Realfonzo

Faculty Publications

Mechanically fastened fibre-reinforced polymer laminate systems are emerging as a promising means for the repair and strengthening of reinforced concrete members. This technology entails the use of pultruded carbon- and glass- vinyl ester fibre-reinforced polymer laminates with enhanced longitudinal bearing strength that are connected to the concrete substrate by means of steel anchors. Attractive applications are those for emergency repairs where constructability and speed of installation are critical requirements. In this paper, an experimental investigation is first presented that included laboratory testing of scaled reinforced concrete slabs strengthened with four different combinations of laminate lengths and fastener layouts to study …

Evaluating The Impacts Of Water Conservation Policies On Water Demand, Availability And Outdoor Water Use In The Las Vegas Valley, Kamal Qaiser

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Las Vegas Valley, located in the arid Southern Nevada region, with a growing population, limited water resources, and a prolonged drought, faces a challenge in meeting its future water needs. Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA), the main water management agency in the Valley, is focusing on water conservation to reduce water demand. Current water use is 945 lpcd (250 gpcd) which SNWA aims to reduce to 752 lpcd (199 gpcd) by 2035. Presently the indoor outdoor water use proportion is about 40:60 in the Valley. An important component of the Valley's supply are the return flow credits which SNWA …

Evaluating Transit Systems In A University Environment The Clemson University Case Study, Katerina Bartman

All Theses

With the economy in a slow recovery, enrollment in higher education is
increasing. This means that universities across the country must accommodate these new students, their vehicles, and local transportation needs. Campus setting and ambiance is a treasured quality on a university campus resulting in the approval of additional surface lots and parking garages being difficult or restricted. To combat the increased number of single occupancy vehicles, universities are developing and encouraging the use of multimodal transportation by providing pedestrian, bicycle, and public transportation facilities along with providing users with the information necessary to make the optimal modal choice (Boyles, …