Civil Engineering Commons^™

Fuzzy Multicriteria Decision-Making Model For Time-Cost-Risk Trade-Off Optimization In Construction Projects, M. Ammar Alzarrad, Gary P. Moynihan, Muhammad T. Hatamleh, Siyuan Song

Faculty Publications

As is often the case in project scheduling, when the project duration is shortened to decrease total cost, the total float is lost resulting in added critical or nearly critical activities. This, in turn, results in decreasing the probability of completing the project on time and increases the risk of schedule delays. To solve this problem, this research developed a fuzzy multicriteria decision-making (FMCDM) model. The objective of this model is to help project managers improve their decisions regarding time-cost-risk trade-offs (TCRTO) in construction projects. In this model, an optimization algorithm based on fuzzy logic and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) …

Review Of Water Allocation Models For West Virginia, Madison Lee Alexis Thompson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Modeling river basins started gaining in popularity and usage in the western part of the United States in large part due to its extreme droughts. Planning is necessary to sustain the population, industries, and recreational water use year-round. Water allocation modeling is a tool used to aid in the issues that come from managing water resources. This work considers the continuous models that synthesized the hydrologic processes that occur and provides a simulation of past, current, or future conditions.

West Virginia, located on the eastern side of the United States, does not have an extreme drought problem as seen in …

Development Of A Readiness Model For The Application Of Precast Concrete In Housing Construction: A Case Study In Myanmar, Aung Phone Myint

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Precast concrete construction has been verified that it is one of the solutions for the growth of urbanization and housing development. In addition, it helps to reduce the labor requirement and material wastage in construction. However, the use of precast concrete technology is not still popular and not widely used within the Myanmar housing construction industry. Moreover, there is no readiness assessment model encompassed the readiness of construction industry including major stakeholders who are representatives of the construction industry for accepting the new technology. Therefore, the aim of this study is to develop a readiness model that can assess the …

A Study On End-Anchorage And Bond Behavior Of Steel-Fiber Reinforced Cementitious Matrix Composites Externally Bonded To A Concrete Substrate, Christopher Michael Moore

Masters Theses

"Fiber reinforced cementitious matrix (FRCM) composites are a strengthening material consisting of continuous fibers embedded in an inorganic matrix that have the potential to provide additional flexural and shear strength to concrete and masonry members. When used for external strengthening, however, debonding of the material is often observed due to slippage of the fiber with respect to the matrix, causing loss of composite action and a reduction in load carrying capacity. The composite utilized in this study consisted of continuous steel fibers embedded in an inorganic cementitious matrix bonded to a concrete prism. Additionally, an end-anchorage system was implemented with …

Development Of Test Methods For Characterizing Extrudability Of Cement-Based Materials For Use In 3d Printing, Jonathan Thomas Kuchem

Masters Theses

"3D printing is the process of creating three-dimensional objects using an automated additive manufacturing process. The 3D printing process has been used with materials such as metals and polymers, but application with cement based materials for the construction industry has yet to be developed. In this research, two main problems were investigated for printing cement based composite materials: extrudability and tensile reinforcement. Fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC) was studied as an internal reinforcing system to increase tensile/flexural strength. First, FRC was studied to investigate mechanical properties and use of fibers from waste tires as an environmentally friendly option. A reference mixture with …

Changes In Fresh Properties Of Flowable Concrete Induced By Pumping And Composition Of The Lubrication Layer, Alexis Salinas

Masters Theses

"Pumping is an easy method to move concrete while keeping stability. It is worldwide accepted as one of the principal methods for concrete placement, as it accelerates construction. Typically, concrete acceptance in terms of fresh quantitative empirical properties (i.e. slump/slump flow and air content) are performed prior to the pumping process. However, empirical measurements have the drawback that they only measure 1 point. Rheology is better tool to evaluate the behavior of concrete. Pumping is a process that induces considerable shearing in the concrete that can impact its rheological properties. Therefore, the magnitude of these changes in fresh properties depends …

Abrasion Resistant Concrete Mix Design For Cold Climates, Diane Mariah Murph

Masters Theses

“Studded tire usage in Alaska contributes to rutting damage on pavements resulting in high maintenance costs and safety issues. In this study, binary, ternary, and quaternary highly-abrasion resistant concrete mix designs using supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) were developed. The properties of fresh concrete and mechanical, and durability properties of hardened concrete for these mix designs were then tested to determine an optimum highly-abrasion resistant concrete mixture which could be placed in cold climates to reduce rutting damage. SCMs used included silica fume, ground granulated blast furnace slag, and type F fly ash. Tests including workability, air content, drying shrinkage, compressive …

Unmanned Aerial And Traversing Vehicle -- A Mobile Platform For Bridge Inspections, Clayton A. Fritsche

Masters Theses

“Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), also known as drones, have been rapidly growing in popularity since their creation. This study aimed to create a robotic platform used to assist in the inspection process of the nation’s aging and deteriorating bridges. To this end, a multimodal inspection robot that utilized both flying and driving technologies, was designed, analyzed, and tested for aerial, traversing, and their transitional operability. The design, herein referred to as the “BridgeBot”, was evaluated both computationally and experimentally. A finite element model of the BridgeBot was established and analyzed under static loading scenarios to help determine stress distributions and …

Performance Of One-Part And Two-Part Class C Fly Ash-Based Alkali Activated Mortars, Cedric Chani Kashosi

Masters Theses

“Seeking an eco-friendly concrete, researchers have conducted studies to fully replace ordinary Portland cement (OPC) with fly ash (FA) producing alkali-activated concrete (AAC). Results showed better performance of AAC in terms of high early compressive strength, and durability compared to conventional concrete. However, much is still unknown about the behavior of AAC. From the type of materials used, the curing procedure, and long-term strength development of these binders; a thorough investigation is needed in order to fill the existing gap from previous studies and thus make a step forward to the safely use of AAC in the construction industry. The …

Feasibility Study For Sustainable Controlled Low-Strength Material (Clsm) Incorporating Off-Specification Fly Ash And Bottom Ash, Alexis K. Vandomelen

Masters Theses

“Controlled low-strength material (CLSM) is a self-consolidating cementitious material used in applications requiring high flowability and low strength. The primary components of this material, being cement and sand, however, negatively impact the environment. Cement is a large contributor to CO2 emissions, and the vast depletion of sand causes physical and political issues. Furthermore, over 100 million short tons of coal combustion products (CCP), including fly ash and bottom ash, are created annually in the United States, while nearly half of all CCP remain unused. No off-specification fly ash has been implemented in CLSM. This study uses coal ashes sourced from …

Using Online Discussions To Develop The Entrepreneurial Mindset In Environmental Engineering Undergraduates: A Case Study, Lisa B. Bosman, Nathalie Duval-Couetil, Brooke K. Mayer, Patrick J. Mcnamara

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Entrepreneurship is an important aspect of the U.S. and global economy. As such, developing an entrepreneurial mindset is crucial for both engineering students and practicing engineers. The purpose of this paper is investigate the role of online discussions, as a pedagogical approach, in the development of the entrepreneurial mindset, and explore a variety of approaches to assess student learning outcomes. Online discussions prompts were created for environmental engineering courses using the Kern Engineering Entrepreneurial Network (KEEN) framework. The framework proposes that an entrepreneurial mindset can be fostered in students by promoting curiosity, encouraging connections, and creating value. This paper describes …

Computational Modeling And Simulations Of Condition Deterioration To Enhance Asphalt Highway Pavement Design And Asset Management, Zul Fahmi Bin Mohamed Jaafar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A nation’s economy and prosperity depend on an efficient and safe transportation network for public mobility and freight transportation. A country’s road network is recognized as one of the largest public infrastructure assets. About 93 percent of 2.6 million miles of paved roads and highways in the United States (U.S.) are surfaced with asphalt. Longitudinal roughness, pavement cracking, potholes, and rutting are the major reasons for rehabilitation of asphalt roads. Billions of dollars are required annually for the maintenance and rehabilitation of road networks. If timely maintenance and rehabilitation are not performed, the pavement damages inflicted by heavy traffic repetitions …

Flood Inundation Mapping For Huron Creek, Houghton County, Michigan, Sarah Washko

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The 2018 Father’s Day Flood rattled the Houghton County, MI community. Thousands of dollars in damage to public and private property were incurred due to slope failure, scour and stagnant water. Though the flood was billed as a once-in-a-lifetime event, hazard mitigation planning has become essential, as extreme weather events are expected to become more frequent with a changing climate. While Federal Emergency Management Agency funding will provide detailed flood hazard maps in the future, mapping is expected to be several years out. To aid the City of Houghton community with immediate flood hazard mitigation planning, a hydraulic-based flood depth …

Heavy Truck Collision With Bridge Piers, Ran Cao

Dissertations and Theses

Based on bridge failure data compiled by the New York State Department of Transportation, collision, both caused by vessels and vehicles, is the second leading cause of bridge failures after hydraulic. The current AASHTO-LRFD (2017) specification recommends designing a bridge pier vulnerable to vehicular impacts for an equivalent static force of 2,670-kN (600 kips) applied in a horizontal plane at a distance of 1.5 m (5.0 feet) above the ground level. The vast majority of research studies on vehicular collision with bridge piers have been carried out with single-unit trucks, which are typically classified as medium-duty vehicles weighing about 89 …

Optimizing The Performance Of Complex Engineering Systems Aided By Artificial Neural Networks, Khalil Qatu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the first problem Polyetherimide graphene nanoplatelets papers (PEIGNP) were tested with different graphene loadings varying from 0-97 weight percent (WT%). The resulting stress-strain curves were utilized to develop two ANN models. Stress-controlled and strain-controlled models. Both models shoan excellent correlation to the experimental. Several Mechanical properties were calculated from the predicted stress-strain curves namely; toughness maximum strength maximum strain and maximum tangent modulus. Both models captured the same overall behavior of the PEIGNP composite. However the strain-controlled model was found to predict lower stress than the stress-controlled model. Finally a Graphical User Interface (GUI) was developed to aid in …

แบบจำลองพฤติกรรมการเลือกใช้ยานพาหนะร่วมกัน: กรณีศึกษาผู้ใช้รถจักรยานยนต์รับจ้างในกรุงเทพมหานคร, วีรชัย โสธนนันทน์

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การบริการมอเตอร์ไซค์แชริ่งจะเป็นทางเลือกในเดินทางที่จะช่วยยกระดับคุณภาพชีวิตและเป็นทางเลือกการเดินทางของประชาชนในกรุงเทพมหานคร งานวิจัยนี้จึงมุ่งเน้นวิเคราะห์หาปัจจัยที่ส่งผลต่อการตัดสินใจเปลี่ยนรูปแบบการเดินทางของผู้โดยสารที่ใช้รถจักรยานยนต์รับจ้างมาเป็นการใช้บริการมอเตอร์ไซค์แชริ่ง โดยเจาะจงกลุ่มตัวอย่างเป็นผู้โดยสารที่ใช้บริการรถจักรยานยนต์รับจ้างเพื่อเชื่อมต่อกับระบบรถไฟฟ้าขนส่งมวลชนในพื้นที่ย่านศูนย์กลางทางธุรกิจของกรุงเทพมหานครจำนวน 349 ตัวอย่าง โดยใช้วิธีเก็บรวบรวมข้อมูลเชิงกล่าวอ้างด้วยการจำลองสถานการณ์สมมติ 6 สถานการณ์และสร้างแบบจำลองโลจิสติคทวินามบนพื้นฐานของทฤษฎีอรรถประโยชน์ นำข้อมูลมาวิเคราะห์ทางสถิติด้วยโปรแกรม Rstudio จากผลของการศึกษาพบว่าตัวแปรที่มีอิทธิพลเชิงบวกต่อการเลือกใช้บริการมอเตอร์ไซค์แชริ่งอย่างมีนัยสำคัญ ได้แก่ เวลาและค่าใช้จ่ายของรถจักรยานยนต์รับจ้าง ความเต็มใจจ่ายในการใช้บริการ ระยะเวลาเดินที่ยอมรับได้ ความถี่ในการใช้บริการรถจักรยานยนต์รับจ้างต่อสัปดาห์ การมีใบอนุญาตขับขี่รถจักรยานยนต์ สำหรับตัวแปรระยะทางในการเดินทาง สถานะภาพการสมรส จำนวนรถจักรยานยนต์และจำนวนรถยนต์ในครอบครองครอบครองส่งผลเชิงลบต่อการเลือกใช้บริการมอเตอร์ไซค์แชริ่ง โดยมูลค่าเวลาในการเดินทางของผู้โดยสารรถจักรยานยนต์รับจ้างของกลุ่มตัวอย่างมีค่าเท่ากับ 5.63 บาทต่อนาที

Determination Of Shrinkage Of Fine-Grained Soils Using 3d Scanning Technology, Hemant R. Joshi

Honors Theses

Shrinkage Limit is the moisture content parameter in fine grained soil which is related to the volume stability of the soil. The conventional method, ASTM Standard D427-04 that uses mercury has been replaced by wax method, ASTM Standard D4943-02 that uses wax and water or MT-92 that uses spray coating. This modification has certainly minimized safety concerns of the laboratory technicians by avoiding the use of the health hazardous substance, mercury (Hg) but it is not really an economic and convenient method. This thesis proposes a 3D scanning method of determining the shrinkage limit of fine grained soils. The 3D …

The Nola Development: Stormwater Management And Green Alternative Designs, Davis P. Odle

Honors Theses

In the design for any development, the management of storm and wastewater is crucial in creating a viable product. The NOLA complex is a development in Oxford, MS that consists of residential as well as commercial units. The stormwater management systems designed for this facility include: an underground storage device, separate ductile iron pipes for the stormwater and wastewater outflows, a rain garden for green alternative storage. The underground storage system is designed for the 500-year storm and to fit under the southwest parking lot on the site. The stormwater outflow pipe will be designed for the 100-year storm, while …

Decoding And Optimizing Magnesium Phosphate Binders For Additive Construction Applications, Hashem Khaled Almashaqbeh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This work aims to give more insight about the physical, mechanical, thermal, and chemical performance of the MPC paste composites. Our primary outcome from this research is to improve the MPC composites with different additives, including boric acid, GnP, and acetic acid for potential utilization in 3DcP applications. Furthermore, Martian and Lunar regolith simulants can be mixed with the MPC composites to create mortars as a possible extraterrestrial 3DP in-situ construction material mainly to support the NASA habitation exploration mission.

Damage Detection Using Destructive Testing Of A Reinforced Concrete Slab, Michael Edward Daves

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Visual inspection is one of the primary tools for evaluating the health of bridges as more reach or exceed their intended lifespan. Bridge deterioration must be monitored to ensure continued safety, so owners need maintenance reports to decide on corrective actions. Strategic repair can offer asset managers the benefit of saving money and time; thus, knowing where to locate and what type of repairs can be challenging when relying on visual techniques alone. A tool designed to aid bridge inspectors is the SHE^tm program, which quantitatively measures damage location and severity for any set of time data.

Investigating The Use Of Passive Acoustics As A Surrogate Method Of Monitoring Coarse Bedload Transport In Rivers And Streams Via Laboratory Experiments And Field Studies, Bradley Goodwiller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The movement of coarse gravel in rivers in streams is important for many applications including wildlife habitation, river morphology, infrastructure maintenance and marine navigation. Physical sampling remains the most accurate method of determining coarse bedload transport but it can be expensive, dangerous and flow intrusive. Surrogate methods of monitoring bedload transport is an active area of research worldwide. One such method is the use of passive acoustics to record the sound generated when gravel particles in motion impact each other or the particles on the bed. This dissertation presents research and development that has been conducted on three key areas …

Tsunamigenic Potential Of The Baiyun Slide Complex In The South China Sea, Linlin Li, Fengyan Shi, Gangfeng Ma, Qiang Qiu

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

The Baiyun slide complex contains geological evidence for some of the largest landslide ever discovered in the continental slopes of the South China Sea. High-resolution seismic data suggest that a variety of landslides with varied scales have occurred repeatedly in this area. The largest landslide reconstructed from bathymetric and seismic data has an estimated spatial coverage of ~5,500 km² and a conservative volume of ~1,035 km³. Here, using geomorphological and geotechnical data, we construct a series of probable landslide scenarios and assess their tsunamigenic capacity. By treating the slides as deformable mudflows, we simulate the dynamics of …

Structural Design Of Complex Components, Armando Antonio Ochoa

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and the Center for Space Exploration and Technology Research (cSETR) is determined to develop a launch vehicle that is made completely of additive manufacturing materials, has the capability to transport a 100 lb payload to low earth orbit (LEO) as well as completing the design of a strucutral steel mobile launch stand that has the capability of withstanding the launch vehicle's static and dynamic loadings. The project will consist of carbon composite components to reduce weight while maintaining efficiency, strucutral steel components to resist extreme loadings and maintain strucutral shape, and lastly …

Quantifying Early-Age Concrete Mechanical Properties And Curing Conditions Utilizing An Automated System, Benjamin Arras

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The validation of concrete quality based on the 28-day strength is a lengthy process. Predicting concrete mechanical properties through early-age methods can streamline the construction process. Early-age concrete behavior consists of assessing the concrete curing as-related to setting stages, the hydration process, strength and stiffness development, while considering various environmental system parameters. This paper reports on a nondestructive method for observing the early-age strength and modulus development of concrete mixes over seven days in a controlled, laboratory setting. An apparatus was designed and built for continuous acquisition of seismic modulus data (using free-free resonant column) and heat of hydration/maturity information …

Load Rating Mobility As A Framework For Bridge Owners, Bryan Keith Stephens

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In this time of financial economy, bridge owners are faced with the important decision of where to focus financial assets while attempting to determine which structures are in most need. Bridge Engineers and researchers alike agree that a large portion of the United States bridge population are reaching the end of their design life. Researchers are currently investigating various means and methods of lengthening the amount of usefulness of these key pieces of infrastructure. This paper introduces the novel idea of bridge Load Rating Mobility and how it can be leveraged by stake holders to assist in making those financial …

Stabilization Of Dredged Materials In Ohio: An Investigation Of Mechanical, Chemical And Biological Dewatering Techniques, Erika Howard

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Each year, materials are excavated from oceans and lakes in order to keep the waterways open so that ships can safely pass through. These excavated, or dredged, materials are then discarded, usually being returned to the body of water from which they were removed. Beginning in 2020, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) will no longer allow this to occur. Therefore, the purpose of this project is to investigate beneficial uses for dredged materials in Lake Erie, and to address the best management practices for dewatering these materials, as set forth in the Lake Erie Protection and Restoration Plan created …

Artificial Intelligence In Wet Weather Infrastructure, Matt Hammerstein

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Effective management of runoff from rain and snowmelt is critical as increased water flows can negatively affect efficiency and reliability at treatment facilities, as well as potentially damage property or the natural environment. Implementation of artificial intelligence for real-time decision making and support in wet weather infrastructure is a recent technological development; as such, a problem has emerged: experience and knowledge of best practices for successful implementation is limited. Artificial intelligence is being employed to inform operational decisions that are intended to improve the efficiency and reliability of physical wet weather infrastructure. The goal of municipalities and utilities in utilizing …

Incorporation Of Contaminated Sediment Into Environmentally Safe Concrete, Andrew Needs

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The research performed through this project provided some interesting results on how the different properties of the contaminated sediment can impact the strength of the new concrete.

Average three, seven, and fourteen-day strengths increased when comparing to the baseline mix developed for the experiment. Increases in strengths were notices in the ten and twenty-five percent soil replacement mixes. The largest increase was approximately thirty-three percent greater than the baseline average.

The results from the forty percent replacement test showed a significant decrease in strengths when comparing against the baseline mix. A loss of about thirty percent was observed between the …

Ultra-High Performance Concrete For Precast Seismic Bridge Column Connection, Titchenda Chan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Accelerated bridge construction (ABC) utilizes prefabricated bridge elements constructed off-site, delivered, and assembled on-site to expedite construction time and reduce traffic disruption. ABC has been increasingly used for super- and sub-structure elements in low seismic regions. However, its application in medium and high seismic regions remain limited, particularly for precast columns where connections typically coincide with plastic hinge (PH) regions. Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC), characterized by high compressive and tensile strength, and superior bond properties, is a potential material that can mitigate PH damage and enhance load transfer. This research proposes a new and simple damage tolerant precast column connection …

Stormwater Infrastructure And The Threat Of Climate Change, Eric Mccaslin

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this report is to analyze the modernization of stormwater infrastructure systems and the growing impact of climate change on said systems. Growing population rates and increasing urban settlement are leading to the water demand approaching the water supply capacity. Climate change is the root of several potentially severe issues affecting water resources as well as the rapidly increasing coastal and urban populations including but not limited to rising sea levels and the increasing severity and frequency of storms. Many cities, especially older or low income ones, also may not have adequate systems in place to handle the …