Civil Engineering Commons^™

Design, Laboratory Testing, And Yield Line Analysis Of A Ferrocement Pit Latrine Slab, Larry Alan Schirmer Jr

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Access to sanitation for rural and indigenous Panamanians is the vision of global efforts to improve their quality of life. As part of on-site work from the Peace Corps to change public perceptions about open defecation, the author designed and tested a new type of ferrocement latrine slab to reduce the amount of materials involved in building latrines and by extension the manual labor involved. In the course of this investigation, a sanitation based case study establishes the precedent for working with ferrocement in these areas, and the author explores the history and structural properties of ferrocement. In laboratory experiments, …

Polyvinyl Alcohol (Pva) Fiber-Reinforced Rubber Concrete And Rubberized Self-Compacting Concrete, Jiaqing Wang

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This study experimentally investigates the mechanical performance and durability of Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) fiber-reinforced rubber concrete and the rubberized self-compacting concrete. The waste rubber particles were introduced as a partial replacement of fine aggregate in the plain concrete. In addition, the waste tire rubbers were pre-treated with alkali surface treatment method to enhance the performance. The PVA fibers were added to the concrete mixes to enhance the post-failure resistance and thus fracture energy. Rubberized fiber concrete samples were prepared with different fine aggregate replacement ratios and the optimum fiber content. At the same time, the rubber particles had been used …

Travel Time Estimation And Prediction For Urban Arterial Roads, Porntep Puangprakhon

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Travel time information has been accepted as the core of advanced traveler information systems (ATIS) and advanced traffic management systems (ATMS). Providing the accurate travel time information to traffic operators and travelers allows them to make informed decisions, leading to more advantage for individual road users and the entire transportation system. Most of the traffic information providers normally deliver the current traffic conditions or current travel times to public assuming the state of traffic remains constant in the near future. Aimed at the more effective applications, short-term future traffic conditions have been proposed as a valuable piece of information in …

Geotechnical Laboratory Testing For 2-D Fem Analysis Of Geomorphic And Planar Sloped Caps And Covers For Sustainable Mine Refuse Deposition, Sun Hee Park

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis reports the findings of the application of Geomorphic Landform Design principles to the Royal Scot abandoned coarse coal refuse (CCR) pile located in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. The Royal Scot facility has many environmental concerns including severe erosion, acid-mine/rock drainage, and sediment transport. A cap and cover system is proposed to be implemented which incorporates the GLD principles. A two-layer cap and cover system will be used to reclaim the site and return it back to a stable state and reduce the production of acid-mine drainage. The system is composed of a hydraulic barrier composed of compacted CCR, …

Rubber Additives To Concrete Specimens, Kendall J. Sweitzer, Mary Mccannon

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Rubber, as an additive to concrete, would hypothetically cause a concrete specimen to take on some mechanical characteristics of the rubber to a certain degree. In particular, the concrete’s durability should increase when exposed to fluctuating temperature conditions due to the rubber additive. This experiment sets out to test crumb rubber as a concrete additive, cured under various atmospheric conditions. The effects shall be measured via a simple concrete compression test.

Unfortunately, several errors took place during experimental process that led to inconclusive results. However, it can be reasonably considered from testing Matrix One that the addition of crumb rubber …

Compressive Strength Relative To Sustainable Materials In Concrete, Brad Harvey

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The objective of this study is to determine how integrating abundant waste materials into concrete affects its compressive strength. This research will be used to benefit the construction industry by replacing a portion of a conventional concrete mix (cement, stone, sand, and water) with more sustainable materials. In order to create a more sustainable concrete mixture, the following mix design and methodology was followed.

The initial step was to create an updatable MS Excel spreadsheet to aid in the mix development (the spreadsheet is shown in Appendix A). These sheets allowed for easy transitions from one mix to another by …

Chemical Modification Of Crumb Rubber To Increase Its Bonding With Concrete, Mary T. Mccannon, Kendall J. Sweitzer

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The hydrophilicity of crumb rubber was increased with wet chemical modification and added to concrete to increase its adhesion with concrete, consequently the compressive strength relative to that of concrete with untreated rubber. Other modification methods were tested on crumb rubber and rubber sheets to yield an increase in hydrophilicity. Certain tests were less reliable for powder testing or tedious and time consuming and concrete materials and rubber may not be homogeneous.

For wet chemical modification, several approaches were attempted. First, crumb rubber was soaked in 5% sodium hydroxide, 5% potassium permanganate and saturated sodium bisulfite, tested for hydrophilicity using …

Development Of Disaster Management In Turkey: From 1999 Kocaeli Earthquake To 2011 Van Earthquake, Mert Tolon, Kağan Cenk Mızrak

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

The natural disasters that have occurred in Turkey are categorized as % 61 earthquakes, followed by landslides, floods, rock falls, fires and storms. Between the years of 1903 and 2000, there have been nearly 150 earthquakes in Turkey which led to damage and this is a challenge for Turkey. The management and plans of these natural disasters in Turkey were first developed in 1959. In 1999, with the magnitude of 7.4, The Kocaeli and Duzce earthquakes affected a region of Turkey that constitutes % 23 of the country’s population. After that, in 2000 necessary laws have been prepared and enacted. …

Bs News January/February

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Investigating The Feedstock Properties And Process Conditions Influencing The Characteristics Of Products Generated From The Hydrothermal Carbonization Of Organic Feedstocks, Liang Li

Theses and Dissertations

Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a novel environmentally beneficial thermal conversion process for the transformation of organic feedstocks to value-added products. However, little is known about the role of feedstock properties and/or process conditions during carbonization. This study was conducted to determine the parameters most influential during the HTC of organic feedstocks. Experiments and statistical analyses were conducted to: (1) determine the effect of specific feedstocks, feedstock interactions, and process conditions on carbonization product characteristics; (2) understand how initial liquid characteristics influence product characteristics and evaluate the significance of these initial liquid characteristics in predicting product characteristics; and (3) develop statistical …

Reducing Model Selection Computational Cost By Metamodeling The Evidence, Ramin Madarshahian

Theses and Dissertations

Modeling is an abstraction of reality that lets a designer or engineer perform simulations with a “real” object or structure without testing it physically. However, the result of simulations is as good as their models. Selecting the best model among many candidates is another challenge.

Complex models could translate into more accurate predictions, but they also require larger computational effort. The Bayes factor is often used to compare different models considering the data and analyst’s experience. To obtain the Bayes factor, the Bayesian model evidence is calculated; however, calculating the Bayesian model evidence of computationally expensive models is not a …

Product Qualification And Performance Assessment Of Hsrm Prestressed Concrete Railroad Ties Through Laboratory Testing, Ali Haider Abdulqader

Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on the performance assessment of prestressed concrete railroad ties made of a newly developed High Strength Reduce Modulus (HSRM) concrete. The HSRM material has been developed by researchers at the University of South Carolina laboratories. The HSRM material was originally considered as a high-performance concrete for highway bridge girders, but it was rejected because it shows very low modulus of elasticity. A current project at USC proposed to use this HSRM material in prestressed concrete railroad ties. The experimental tests during the material development phase of the project showed that the HSRM-HPC has a reduced Modulus of …

Multi-Model Structural Analysis, Wesley Holt

Theses and Dissertations

The uncertainty in modeling earthquake loading is investigated through the comparison of various openSEES models. A series of models is created and the responses compared with each other as well as with a full scale shake table experiment. The openSEES models selected for comparison include two linear models, a nonlinear model using the Steel01 material for the entire cross section, and eight fiber models using reinforcing steel material and various concrete materials.

The models are subjected to a series of nine simulated earthquakes, matching the excitations applied to the shake table test. It is found that all of the models …

Characterization Of Subgrade Resilient Modulus For Mepdg And The Effects On Pavement Rutting, Md Mostaqur Rahman

Theses and Dissertations

In 2008, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) released a modified pavement design method (i.e., the Mechanistic Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG)) based on Long Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) data from all over the United States. The MEPDG default design parameters developed from the LTPP database are expected to be significantly different than those for South Carolina material, traffic and weather conditions, thus the default design parameters may not be accurate for South Carolina. Therefore, the new pavement design method should be calibrated for South Carolina conditions by performing MEPDG local calibration.

Different input variables should …

Confluence Of Density Currents Produced By Lock-Exchange, Hassan Ismail

Theses and Dissertations

Density currents represent a broad classification of flows driven by the force of gravity acting on a fluid with variable density. With examples of density currents including turbidity currents, sand storms, salt wedges in tidal rivers, and oil spills, a great deal of attention has been previously given to understanding the underlying mechanisms of such flows and implications of those flows on fluid, species, and sediment transport. Although documented confluences occur naturally in terrestrial and submarine settings,little attention has been given to understanding the confluence of two density currents.

This study furthers the state of knowledge on density current confluences …

A Case Study Of Student Veteran Efficacy In The College Of Engineering And Information Technology At Georgia Southern University, Kevin G. Finley

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This thesis addresses the issues student veterans face in their transition from military to academic life while pursuing an undergraduate degree in the STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) at Georgia Southern University’s College of Engineering and Information Technology (CEIT). Historically this transition has been a difficult one. Through the implementation of a mentorship program comprised of military veterans on the staff and faculty of Georgia Southern University as well as assistance and participation from members of the case study researcher team and primary researcher this program assisted incoming military student veterans as they assimilated into the collegiate atmosphere. The …

Performance Assessment Of Hsrm Concrete Ties Through Finite Element Model Simulations, Adam I. Zeitouni

Theses and Dissertations

Concrete ties have become a promising alternative to timber ties for freight lines with increased curvature, high annual traffic, and large axle loads. They are also widely adopted in passenger lines. High strength (HS) concrete is the material of choice in the fabrication of prestressed concrete railroad ties. The higher strength of the concrete is directly related to higher values of the Elastic Modulus, thus increasing the rigidity of the material. The combination of increased strength, rigidity, and the material brittleness may lead to the development of high amplitude stresses with high gradients, which appears to be a common underlying …

Study Of Liquefaction Mechanism In Chiang Rai Province, Lindung Zalbuin Mase

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

ทางภาคเหนือของประเทศไทยได้เผชิญภัยแผ่นดินไหวครั้งใหญ่ถึง 2 ครั้งคือ แผ่นดินไหวที่ศูนย์กลางอยู่ ที่เมืองทาร์เลย์ในประเทศเมียนมาปี ค.ศ. 2011 และแผ่นดินไหว ที่อ.แม่ลาว จ.เชียงรายในปี ค.ศ. 2014 งานวิจัยนี้จึงดำเนินการศึกษาการเกิดทรายเหลวระหว่างการเกิดแผ่นดินไหวโดยเฉพาะในจังหวัดเชียงราย งานวิจัยนี้เริ่มจากการวิเคราะห์ด้วยสูตรเชิงประสบการณ์โดยใช้ข้อมูลในหลายพื้นที่ในภาคเหนือ การศึกษาผลตอบสนองแผ่นดินไหวสามารถนำไปใช้ประเมินผลของการแผ่ขยายของคลื่นแผ่นดินไหวในชั้นดินได้ นอกเหนือจากนี้ มีการสำรวจพื้นที่ด้วยการทดสอบไมโครทริมเมอร์และการวิเคราะห์สเปกตรัมคลื่นผิวดินบริเวณพื้นที่ที่เคยเกิดทรายเหลวในระหว่างแผ่นดินไหวทั้งสองครั้ง การวิเคราะห์ผลตอบสนองต่อการเกิดทรายเหลวแบบหนึ่งมิติเพื่อสังเกตพฤติกรรมพลศาสตร์ของชั้นดินพบว่า ชั้นทรายชั้นแรกและชั้นที่สองของบริเวณที่ทำการศึกษามีโอกาสการเกิดทรายเหลวค่อนข้างสูง นอกเหนือจากนี้ ผลวิเคราะห์การแผ่ขยายของคลื่นพบว่า ที่บริเวณอ.แม่สาย ชายแดนไทย-เมียนมา อาจเกิดความเสียหายต่ออาคารความสูงปานกลางจากการขยายตัวของคลื่นแผ่นดินไหวได้ เนื่องจากการสั่นพ้องระหว่างดินและโครงสร้าง ส่วนผลการสำรวจพื้นที่ยังพบว่าสภาพทางธรณีวิทยาประกอบไปด้วยชั้นดินตะกอนของแม่น้ำที่มีความต้านทานต่อแรงเฉือนค่อนข้างต่ำ พฤติกรรมของดินพวกนี้ระหว่างการแผ่ขยายคลื่นน่าจะโอกาสเกิดทรายเหลวได้ง่าย การศึกษานี้น่าใช้แนะนำวิศวกรท้องถิ่นเพื่อให้ตระหนักถึงความไม่ปลอดภัยต่อแผ่นดินไหวและการเกิดทรายเหลวในพื้นที่ภาคเหนือโดยเฉพาะในจังหวัดเชียงรายได้

Optimum Patch Design For Repairing Cracked Steel Plates Using Genetic Algorithm, Bach Kim Do

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This research presents a design optimization process that combines the finite element (FE) method, genetic programming (GP), and optimization solvers, i.e., genetic algorithm (GA) and nonlinear programming, for double-sided fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) patches used to repair center-cracked steel plates under tension fatigue. An optimization statement is to minimize the patch volume and reduce the stress intensity factor (SIF) range at crack tips below the fatigue threshold range. A detailed three-dimensional (3D) FE model of patch-repaired cracked plates is developed to compute SIF. A total of 864 FE models of patch-repaired cracked plates with different combinations of design parameters are then …

Hydroshare Gis: Visualizing Spatial Data In The Cloud, Shawn Crawley, Daniel P. Ames, Zhiyu Li, David G. Tarboton

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Cloud-based data management systems are more conducive to collaborative efforts when they are integrated with cloud-computing tools that interact with their stored data. HydroShare, a web based data management system for climate and water data, has implemented an Application Programming Interface and a web application platform deployed using Tethys Platform to encourage the development of apps that interact with its data. HydroShare GIS is the result of one such development effort to provide cloud-based visualization of spatial data stored in HydroShare. It functions by accessing the spatial metadata contained within the HydroShare resource data model and overlaying datasets as layers …

Influence Of Crumbed Para Rubber Modifier In Aggregate Blend On Deformation Resistance Properties Of Hot Mix Asphalt, Hatthaphone Silimanotham

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This research presents the influence of crumbed para rubber which is added into a portion of aggregate in hot mix asphalt (HMA) during the batch mixing process or called "Dry Process". The dry process has an advantage on its simplicity of quality inspection and less modification in the hot mix plant production process. This study has investigated the effects of adding crumbed para rubber particles on the engineering properties related to permanent deformation resistance of asphalt concrete. In this study, the asphalt mixture is prepared via Marshall Mix design, which contained with limestone and asphalt cement of Pen 60/70 at …

Multi-Layered Elastic Medium Under Axisymmetric Loading And Surface Energy Effects, Kanin Tarntira

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Multi-layered nano-scale structures have been found in a wide range of applications these days. Since the surface energy effect is presented at the nano-scale level, a novel calculation scheme is required to accurately capture the mechanical behaviors of such structures. In this study, a solution scheme for analysis of a multi-layered elastic medium with influence of surface energy effects subjected to axisymmetric loading by adopting Gurtin-Murdoch surface elasticity theory is presented. The standard Love's representation and Hankel integral transform are employed to derive the general solutions, and the obtained solutions are employed in the determination of the stiffness matrix for …

Factors Affecting Building Damage And People's Preparedness For Earthquake In Chiang Rai, Narongdej Intaratchaiyakit

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

On May 5, 2014, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 on the Richter scale occurred in Chiang Rai, Thailand. This earthquake was the strongest earthquake in Thailand at the Mae Lao District region. It also caused building damage and casualties. In this research, 277 participants living in village no.2 and village no.7 of Dong Mada, a sub-district at Mae Lao district in Chiang Rai, were selected. A questionnaire was used to interview these participants, and the data were analyzed by Chi-square, Fisher's exact test, a Mann-Whitney U test, and a Kruskal-Wallis test. The objective of this study was to …

Weakly Singular Boundary Integral Equation Method For Analysis Of Generalized T-Stresses Of Cracks In 3d Coupled-Field Media, Naruethep Sukulthanasorn

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This thesis presents the development of a weakly singular boundary integral equation method for the analysis of the generalized T-stress of isolated cracks embedded in a coupled-field whole space. A pair of weak-form integral equations, one for crack-face generalized traction and the other for the gradient of the crack-face generalized displacement, is established in a general framework allowing various types of materials including elastic, piezoelectric, piezomagnetic and piezoelectromagnetic solids, general crack geometry and loading conditions to be handled in a unified fashion. In addition, the final governing integral equations contain only weakly singular kernels and this, as a result, renders …

Quantification Of Seismic Performance Factors For Circular Concrete-Filled Steel Tube Diagrid Structures, Nattanai Kuangmia

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

In 21st century, diagrid structures become more popular lateral force-resisting systems for high-rise buildings world-wide. It consists of several grids of diagonal members on building perimeter serving as both lateral bracing and vertical-load carrying members. Since the diagrid structure is a relatively new type of lateral force-resisting system, current building codes do not explicitly provide the seismic performance factors (SPFs) for this system to use in design process. This thesis aims to determine appropriate SPFs for the diagrid structure incorporating circular concrete-filled steel tube to enable structural engineers to design this system according to seismic performance expected in building codes. …

An Application Of Geosynthetic Cementitious Composite Mat For Slope Stabilization, Phong Tan Ngo

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

In recent years, soil erosion and slope instability caused by seepage and rainfall are major problems, especially in the mountain area. Many research studies have focused on finding a new technology or material to stabilize the soil slope. In this study, a novel material called geosynthetic cementitious composite mat (GCCM) is selected to study its performance on soil slope stabilization. A series of 1-g physical model tests and numerical simulation (Plaxis 2D) on sandy soil slopes stabilized with and without GCCM are performed under seepage condition. In addition, centrifuge modeling of soil slopes is performed under 25-g in seepage and …

Analysis Of Near Interface Cracks By Weakly Singular Boundary Integral Equation Method, Pisit Watanavit

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This thesis presents a weakly singular boundary integral equation method for analysis of sub-interface cracks in a three-dimensional, linearly elastic, multi-material domain. The formulation is established in a general framework allowing finite bodies, general material anisotropy and loading conditions, arbitrarily shaped cracks, and curved material interface to be treated. A system of integral equations governing the unknown data on the boundary, the crack surface and the material interface are established using a pair of weakly singular, weak-form displacement and traction integral equations and the continuity along the material interface. A symmetric Galerkin boundary element method together with the standard finite …

Contact Problems With Surface Stress Effects, Supakorn Tirapat

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This dissertation presents a theoretical study of contact problems with consideration of surface energy effects by adopting a complete Gurtin-Murdoch theory of surface elasticity. The fundamental solution of a layered elastic half-space subjected to axisymmetric surface loading is obtained by using Love's representation and the Hankel integral transform. The analytical solutions for both displacement and stress fields are expressed in terms of semi-infinite integrals, which can be accurately evaluated by employing a numerical quadrature scheme. The obtained solutions are employed as the required influence functions in the investigation of axisymmetric indentation on a layered elastic medium with frictionless and adhesive …

Seismic Effects Of Cornice Projection In Masonry-Infill Reinforced Concrete Buildings In Bhutan, Tek Nath Kararia

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Bhutan is located in utmost active seismic zone in the belt of the Himalayan region. However, there is a prevailing architectural requirement of cornice projections away from the perimeter columns at each floor proportional to the floor level to increase floor area and retain Bhutanese architectural style. This irregular projection with thick solid brick walls resting at the edge of cantilever projection affects the structural response during a strong earthquake. To date, there is not adequate investigation on the effects of such cornice projection on seismic performance of buildings. In this study, Nonlinear Response History Analysis (NLRHA) using vertical ground …

Life-Cycle Reliability Assessment Of Existing Rc Bridge Structures Under Multiple Hazards Using Inspection Data, Thanapol Yanweerasak

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This study presented a novel methodology to estimate the life-cycle reliability of existing reinforced concrete (RC) corroded bridges under multiple hazards. The life-cycle reliability of a bridge girder under traffic load and airborne chloride hazards was compared with that of a bridge pier under seismic ground motion and airborne chloride hazards. When predicting the life-cycle reliability of existing RC corroded bridges, inspection results could be used to estimate the current material corrosion level. Random variables associated with the estimation of time-variant steel weight loss will be updated to be consistent with the given inspection results by using Sequential Monte Carlo …