Civil Engineering Commons^™

Non-Destructive Evaluation Of Concrete Structures Using High Resolution Digital Image And Infrared Thermography Technology, Azusa Watase

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As existing bridge structures age, they are susceptible to the effects of deterioration, damage and other deleterious processes. These effects hamper the capacity and efficiency of transportation networks and adversely impact local, regional and national economic growth. As a result, bridge authorities and other professionals have become more sensitive to maintenance issues related to this aging infrastructure. While highway bridge condition have been monitored by visual inspection, non-destructive evaluation (NDE) technologies have also been developing and they are expected to be utilized for effective management of highway bridges or other civil infrastructure systems. Efficient use of these technologies saves time …

Reliability Analysis Of The Hec-18 Scour Equation And Aashto Deep Foundation Design Codes, Jun Yan

Dissertations and Theses

This research project studied the reliability of driven pile foundations subjected to scour, gravity loads including dead loads and live loads, and their combinations. The design of the foundation followed the procedures of the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specification. The design methods were the HEC-18 pier scour equation used to determine the scour depth, and the α-Method and Nordlund-Thurman Method used to design the driven pile. The limit state considered was the axial bearing resistance of the piles in the soil. The reliability indexes for bridges subjected to maximum expected scour depth and gravity loads were found through Monte Carlo …

Application Of Multi-Hazard Seismic-Blast Detailing For Highway Bridges, Dominique Morton Torres

Dissertations and Theses

The increase of worldwide terrorist attacks on public transportation has heightened our concerns of protecting the nation’s transportation infrastructure. Highway bridges are an attractive target for terrorist attacks due to ease of accessibility and their overall importance to society. The primary objective of this research is to investigate multi-hazard seismic-blast correlations of blast-induced bridge components through numerical simulations of a high-precision finite element model of a typical highway bridge in New York. Seismic-detailing for blast loading on bridges has been investigated to study the correlations between seismic design for blast load effects. High-precision 3D Finite Element models of bridges detailed …

Field Performance Of Alternative And Cost Efficient Cast In Place And Precast Prestressed Concrete Bridge Approach Slabs, Nathan Price Muncy

Masters Theses

"In December of 2010, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) investigated alternative cost-efficient bridge approach slabs (BASs). New BAS designs were subsequently developed and had a projected cost savings up to twenty-four percent with anticipated equal or better structural performance. A precast-prestressed (PCPS) BAS was introduced as an alternative to traditional BASs that offers advantages such as rapid construction and improved long-term durability. The three new BAS designs were implemented into in-situ bridge projects by MoDOT and the field performance was evaluated within this research study.

Field testing of each BAS was performed using two MoDOT HS20 trucks. Various instrumentation …

Wind Loading On Trees Integrated With A Building Envelope, Aly Mousaad Aly, Alberto Zasso, Girma Bitsuamlak, Alberto Nicola Longarini, Arindam Gam Chowdhury

Faculty Publications

With the sustainability movement, vegetated building envelopes are gaining more popularity. This requires special wind effect investigations, both from sustainability and resiliency perspectives. The current paper focuses on wind load estimation on small- and full-scale trees used as part of green roofs and balconies. Small-scale wind load assessment was carried out using wind tunnel testing in a global-effect study to understand the interference effects from surrounding structures. Full-scale trees were investigated at a large open-jet facility in a local-effect study to investigate the wind-tree interaction. The effect of Reynolds number combined with shape change on the overall loads measured at …

The Behaviour Of Connections In Segmental Precast Concrete Pile Systems, Evan Causer

Theses

Driven precast concrete segmental piles are a popular foundation solution. Segmental pile systems incorporate connections into the pile, therefore it is important to be confident that the strength of the pile joints is comparable to that of the pile cross-section.

The primary objective of the research was to examine the behaviour of connections in segmental precast concrete pile systems. This was achieved by undertaking a literature review, laboratory testing and Finite Element Analysis (FEA).

The uses of segmental concrete pile systems are described and a review of the available pile joints is given. A review of the relevant design codes …

Investigation Into The Measure, Correlate And Predict Methodologies Used In Wind Farm Design Software, Brendan O'Sullivan

Theses

This paper is focused on the Measure Correlate and Predict (MCP) methodologies used to estimate long term wind resource at a prospective site. The first common step in all MCP methodologies is a successful wind measurement campaign at the prospective site. This campaign involves the erection of a wind measurement mast (ideally to the hub height of the proposed turbine) and careful selection of booms, mountings and anemometers. The wind measurement campaign is a vital part of the process as the correlation and prediction analysis is only as accurate as the measured wind data. Correlation is a measure of the …

Investigation Of Wastewater Treatment Plant Sustainability Potential In Terms Of Resource Recovery Essentials, Aoife Moloney

Theses

This thesis aims to explore the sustainability potential which exists in Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP's); particularly focusing on nutrient, energy, and water recovery and reuse. The core of the research will focus on the establishment of a sustainable Resource Recovery Treatment Plant (RRTP) plan for Limerick Main Drainage (LMD) WWTP, and potentially utilising this as a case study plant which could act as a foundation example within the sector.

There is a genuine need to investigate more sustainable options in wastewater treatment (WWT); increasing energy and sludge management costs are a real issue for non-sustainable WWTP's given that thousands of …

Enhancing Selective Decomposition Of Ibuprofen Onto Porous Tio₂ Nanoparticles, Abolfazl Zakersalehi

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

Advanced oxidation technologies have gained tremendous attention for water treatment purposes after demonstration of insufficient efficiency of conventional systems for removal of many emerging chemicals of concern. Among AOTs, a TiO2-UV system is one of the most promising approaches due to its green properties and its effectiveness in generation of extremely oxidizing species such as hydroxyl radicals. However it has been demonstrated that non-selectivity of HRs in decomposition of organic compounds results in parallel decomposing of naturally abundant organic matter (NOM) along with toxic target contaminant, which significantly decreases the decomposition rate of target contaminants. Despite a great amount of …

Investigations To Develop Field Stabilization Methods To Mitigate Surficial Slope Failures, Minh Le

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Surficial slope failures induced by rainfall have been studied for many years. Current research supported by The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is undertaken at the University of Texas at Arlington on two sites, Joe Pool Dam and Grapevine Dam located in the Fort Worth district. The objective of the project is to find the best stabilization method to mitigate those failures. A testing area of 5 sections (one control and four treated) was established on each site with used admixtures of 20% compost, 4% lime with 0.30% polypropylene fibers, 8% lime with 0.15% polypropylene fibers, and 8% …

Hydraulic Performance Evaluation Of Different Recirculation Systems For Elr / Bioreactor Landfills, Shahed R. Manzur

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

The major aspect of bioreactor landfill is the addition of liquid and recirculation of collected leachate back into the waste mass through the subsurface Leachate Recirculation System (LRS). The leachate recirculation system consists of the perforated recirculation pipes placed inside horizontal trenches and the permeable beds with different orientation. The application of high permeability material (shredded tire chips, broken glass, pea gravel) in landfills is an emerging technology to distribute the moisture over a wider area in a shorter period of time. Horizontal or vertical perforated pipes are installed in bioreactor landfills as LRS with an expectation of uniform moisture …

Large Diameter Steel Pipe Field Test Using Controlled Low Strength Material And Staged Construction Modeling Using 3-D Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis, Franciele Bellaver

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

Using finite element methods and field tests, an extensive study on selected steel pipes is devised for the Integrated Pipeline Project in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. The project integrates Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) existing pipelines to the Dallas system along 150 miles. Field test of buried pipes, monitoring the pipe in different trench conditions is extremely valuable in predicting the displacement of the pipe during construction stages and during its lifetime. The field instrumentation monitors the circular displacements and strains of a buried steel pipe with an outside diameter (O.D.) of 84 in. and 0.375 in. thickness in three different …

Determination Of Safe Roadway Buffer Width To Protect Human Health From No2 Exposure: A Case Study For Grand Prairie, Tx, Hetal Bhatt, Melanie L. Sattler, Stephen P. Mattingly

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications - Archive

No abstract provided.

Sustainable Slope Stabilization Using Recycled Plastic Pin In Texas, Mohammad Sadik Khan

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Shallow slope failures are predominant in the North Texas area and pose significant maintenance problems for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). As a cost effective alternative, the Recycled Plastic Pin (RPP) can be utilized to stabilize the shallow slope failure. RPP are fabricated from recycled plastics and waste materials (i.e. polymers, sawdust, and fly ash). It is a lightweight material and less susceptible to chemical and biological degradation than alternative reinforcing element. RPPs are driven into the slope face, which provide additional resistance along the slip surface and increase the factor of safety. The current study summarized the remediation …

Geometric Optimization Of Retroreflective Raised Pavement Markers, Lukai Guo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As the field service life of retroreflective raised pavement marker (RRPM) is much shorter than expected, it is necessary to identify the causes and thus improve the RRPM structural design to mitigate the main failure modes, such as poor retention from pavements, structural damage, and loss of retroreflectivity. One strategy for extending RRPM service life is to enhance RRPM geometric characteristics to decrease critical stresses in markers. The main purpose of this thesis is to analyze the relationship between stresses, failure modes, and RRPM profiles. Based on this research, some measures are suggested in order to avoid corresponding failure modes …

Cardinal Raúl Silva Henríquez Bridge During The 2010 Chile Earthquake, Zuocai Wang, Genda Chen, W. Phillip Yen, Ian G. Buckle

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper presents a case study of the Cardinal Raúl Silva Henríquez Bridge, which experienced significant damage during an earthquake that occurred in Chile on February 27, 2010. Supported by reinforced concrete and steel columns of varying heights, the superstructure of the bridge consisted of 22 steel-girder spans, with one intermediate expansion joint located at the middle of the bridge. At each end of the bridge, the bottom flanges of the girders were welded to their bearing steel plates, which were embedded and anchored into the bridge abutment. Two, three-dimensional, finite element models (global versus local) with beam and solid …

Monitoring Micropile Foundations Of Bridge During Construction, Devin Tavis Dixon

Masters Theses

"Information regarding the load transfer of micropiles during in-service construction has virtually never been monitored or documented. The primary objective of this research project was to monitor the load transfer versus the depth of production micropiles during construction. The micropiles being studied were used to support Bridge No. 2 of the Foothills Parkway in eastern Tennessee during construction. Two of the piers (1 & 2) were instrumented for the purpose of this study. Vibrating wire strain gages (VWSG) were installed on select micropiles within pile groups of twenty (20) micropiles. Seven vibrating wire strain gages were installed on each micropile …

Analysis Of Model Uncertainty In Hydraulic Modeling: The Bstem Application To The Osage River, Annabell Leigh Ulary

Masters Theses

"Uncertainty is inevitable when creating any kind of model. A model can be used in the most accurate way possible, if the uncertainties are understood. This study determines the level of uncertainty in the Bank Stability and Toe Erosion Model (BSTEM) of the Osage River downstream of Bagnell Dam between Lake Ozark, MO and Jefferson City, MO. The statistical analysis of the BSTEM model was performed using the aid of SAS statistical computer modeling software. There were 4 different analysis values used to determine the best fit model for all dependent variables. These values include the F-test, the coefficient of …

Effect Of Mix Parameters On Longevity Of Bituminous Mixtures, Clayton Reichle

Masters Theses

"This study was performed to evaluate the effects of varying aggregate sources, aggregate gradations on the stripping and rutting potential of bituminous based plant mixes specified by the Missouri Department of Transportation. The different aggregate combinations included two different aggregate sources (Potosi Dolomite and Jefferson City Dolomite) including two variations for the Jefferson City Dolomite mix to simulate a marginally in-specification mix and an out-of-specification but in-field tolerance mix. The "field" mix simulated the marginal mix where field tolerance of high dust and low binder content were maximized. All three mixes were evaluated for stripping susceptibility using the Tensile Strength …

Direct Shear Transfer Of Lightweight Aggregate Concretes With Non-Monolithic Interface Conditions, Dane Michael Shaw

Masters Theses

"This thesis describes the results of a study initiated to examine the influence of concrete unit weight on the direct shear transfer across an interface of concretes cast at different times. This type of interface is common with structural precast concrete connections, such as corbels, for which shear friction design provisions are commonly used. Increasing use of lightweight aggregate concretes prompted this investigation to determine the appropriateness of current shear friction design provisions with respect to all-lightweight and sand-lightweight concrete. The experimental investigation included thirty-six push-off test specimens, each of which was constructed with a cold-joint at the interface shear …

Use Of Ultra-High Performance Concrete To Mitigate Impact And Explosive Threats, Julie Anne Willey

Masters Theses

"This study is a continuation of research conducted by Natalia Carey, Anthony Wulfers, and Dr. John Myers under the DHS ALERT Center. Carey investigated the use of polyurea coating systems to mitigate close range blast threats on wall panels. Wulfers continued this by using both polyurea coatings as well as a sacrificial wood fiber fly ash (WF-FA) layer to try to get increased performance. This research was aimed at the study of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) for the use in impact and blast mitigation. There is little information on the performance of UHPC under close range blast loading; therefore it …

Geotechnical Technique To Strengthen Traditional I-Walls Through The Use Of Composite Material, Jimmy Irby Jackson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

On Monday, August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck the southern gulf coast of the United States. Hurricane Katrina produced record high amounts of surge water along the coastal regions, that over topped and eroded levees and flood walls, inevitably flooding the entire city of New Orleans. After Hurricane Katrina, the Department of Homeland Security approved a research grant to The University of Mississippi to develop effective but economic technique of strengthening existing I-walls. Using composite materials, a new retrofitting technique was developed to increase the stability of existing I-walls by implementing composite caps. For economical and practical testing, scale models …

Characterization Of A Coal Fly Ash-Cement Slurry By The Absolute Foam Index, Melanie Kueber Watkins

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This dissertation established a standard foam index: the absolute foam index test. This test characterized a wide range of coal fly ash by the absolute volume of air-entraining admixture (AEA) necessary to produce a 15-second metastable foam in a coal fly ashcement slurry in a specified time. The absolute foam index test was used to characterize fly ash samples having loss on ignition (LOI) values that ranged from 0.17 to 23.3 %wt. The absolute foam index characterized the fly ash samples by absolute volume of AEA, defined as the amount of undiluted AEA solution added to obtain a 15-minute endpoint …

Assessment Of Seismic Damage Of Buildings And Related Environmental Impacts, Carley A. Feese

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

Sustainable development has only recently started examining the existing infrastructure, and a key aspect of this is hazard mitigation. To examine buildings under a sustainable perspective requires an understanding of a building's life-cycle environmental costs, including the consideration of associated environmental impacts induced by earthquake damage. Damage repair costs lead to additional material and energy consumption, leading to harmful environmental impacts. Merging results obtained from a seismic evaluation and life-cycle analysis for buildings will give a novel outlook on sustainable design decisions. To evaluate the environmental impacts caused by buildings, long-term impacts accrued throughout a building's lifetime and impacts associated …

A Study Of The Impacts Of Freeze-Thaw On Cliff Recession At The Calvert Cliffs In Calvert County, Maryland, Bonnie Elizabeth Zwissler

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

The Calvert Cliffs, which form much of the western coastline of the Chesapeake Bay in Calvert County, Maryland, are actively eroding and destabilizing, resulting in a critical situation for many homes in close proximity to the slope's crest. Past studies have identified that where waves directly interact with the toe of the slope, wave action controls cliff recession; however, where waves do not regularly interact with the slope toe, the past work identified that freeze-thaw controls recession. This study investigated the validity of this second claim by analyzing the recession rate and freeze-thaw behavior of six study sites along the …

An Investigation Of Waste Glass-Based Geopolymers Supplemented With Alumina, Mary U. Christiansen

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

An increased consideration of sustainability throughout society has resulted in a surge of research investigating sustainable alternatives to existing construction materials. A new binder system, called a geopolymer, is being investigated to supplement ordinary portland cement (OPC) concrete, which has come under scrutiny because of the CO2 emissions inherent in its production.

Geopolymers are produced from the alkali activation of a powdered aluminosilicate source by an alkaline solution, which results in a dense three-dimensional matrix of tetrahedrally linked aluminosilicates. Geopolymers have shown great potential as a building construction material, offering similar mechanical and durability properties to OPC. Additionally, geopolymers have …

The Laboratory Evaluation Of Bio Oil Derived From Waste Resources As Extender For Asphalt Binder, Xu Yang

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

A shortage of petroleum asphalt is creating opportunities for engineers to utilize alternative pavement materials. Three types of bio oils, original bio oil (OB), dewatered bio oil (DWB) and polymer-modified bio oil (PMB) were used to modify and partially replace petroleum asphalt in this research. The research investigated the procedure of producing bio oil, the rheological properties of asphalt binders modified and partially replaced by bio oil, and the mechanical performances of asphalt mixtures modified by bio oil. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) is conducted on the test results for the significance analysis. The main finding of the study includes: …

Stilling Basin Scour Remediation Using Air Injection And Flat Plate Extension, Rachael Barlock

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) is responsible for managing over 2500 miles of waterways and hundreds of water control structures. Many of these control structures are experiencing erosion, known as scour, of the sediment downstream of the structure. Laboratory experiments were conducted in order to investigate the effectiveness of two-dimensional air diffusers and plate extensions (without air injection) on a 1/30 scale model of one of SFWMD gated spillway structures, the S65E gated spillway. A literature review examining the results of similar studies was conducted. The experimental design for this research was based off of previous work done …

Structural Control Of A Small-Scale Test-Bed Shaker Structure Using A Sponge-Type Magneto-Rheological Fluid Damper, Benjamin D. Winter

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

Semi-active damping devices have been shown to be effective in mitigating unwanted vibrations in civil structures. These devices impart force indirectly through real-time alterations to structural properties. Simulating the complex behavior of these devices for laboratory-scale experiments is a major challenge. Commercial devices for seismic applications typically operate in the 2-10 kN range; this force is too high for small-scale testing applications where requirements typically range from 0-10 N. Several challenges must be overcome to produce damping forces at this level. In this study, a small-scale magneto-rheological (MR) damper utilizing a fluid absorbent metal foam matrix is developed and tested …

Evaluation Of Intelligent Compaction Control In The M-189 Reconstruction Project At Iron River, Michigan, Junhong Li

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

This research evaluated an Intelligent Compaction (IC) unit on the M-189 highway reconstruction project at Iron River, Michigan. The results from the IC unit were compared to several traditional compaction measurement devices including Nuclear Density Gauge (NDG), Geogauge, Light Weight Deflectometer (LWD), Dynamic Cone Penetrometer (DCP), and Modified Clegg Hammer (MCH). The research collected point measurements data on a test section in which 30 test locations on the final Class II sand base layer and the 22A gravel layer. These point measurements were compared with the IC measurements (ICMVs) on a point-to-point basis through a linear regression analysis. Poor correlations …