Civil Engineering Commons^™

A Durability Evaluation Of Class B Concrete Bridge Substructures Under West Virginia Freeze–Thaw Conditions, Nathaniel Wayne Dunbar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study evaluates whether the West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) Class B concrete specification for bridge substructures remains adequate under modern durability and design-life expectations. The current specification, which permits a minimum compressive strength of 3,000 psi, reflects practices established when shorter service lives were generally assumed. Modern AASHTO LRFD provisions are based on a 75-year design life, raising concern that this lower-strength concrete may not provide sufficient durability under West Virginia’s climatic conditions.

To address this issue, bridge inspection data, regional climate mapping, and durability modeling were used to assess the condition and performance of concrete substructures across …

Software Literacy In Construction, Aidan Cazares

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The construction industry increasingly relies on software like Bluebeam Revu for their quantity takeoff, document management, and collaboration needs. This project will outline pertinent information obtained through their Bluebeam professional training program and reflect it with a detailed estimate of a real life construct project.

Structural Analysis And Design Methodologies Of Roller Coasters, Benjamin Komar

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project explores the structural analysis behind the design of roller coaster tracks and supports as practiced by modern engineers. It also examines various roller coaster design methods currently in use. This research will be used to craft a detailed explanation of the roller coaster design process. Additionally, a 3D model of a roller coaster was developed based on the researched design procedures, featuring three track sections with different loading conditions to create a supporting structure for 2D truss analysis. The results of the truss analysis were then compared to those obtained using RISA-3D, a finite element structural design software.

Experimental And Simulation Of Compression After Impact (Cai) Tests For Thermoplastic Composite Materials, M. M. Shahzamanian, Sydney Houck, Li Ai, Md Mushfiqur Rahman Fahim, Sourav Banerjee, Wout De Backer, Paul Ziehl

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Damage caused by low velocity impacts in composite materials may go undetected, resulting in significant damage being unnoticeable. This phenomenon has been studied using experiments and simulations on a typical composite material, Toray T1225 LM-PAEK UD Tape, following impacts with varying energy levels. To the authors’ knowledge, there is a lack of information on thermoplastics and compression after impact (CAI) in the publicly available literature, and there have been insufficient results and discussions regarding CAI tests on thermoplastic composite materials at the relatively high levels of impact used, especially with the rise in the use of thermoplastic materials for the …

Drone-Based Multimodal Sensing On Vegetations And Data Analytics For Early Detection Of Gas Leakage From Underground Pipelines, Pengfei Ma

Doctoral Dissertations

"This study explored the feasibility of using multimodal remote sensors in the early detection of natural gas leaks from underground pipelines, as vegetation situated above pipelines can discern microbial changes in soil when affected by gas and exhibit physiological stress symptoms on leaves. Three sensors (RBG, thermal, and hyperspectral cameras) were utilized to monitor vegetation stress as an indicator of gas leaks. A laboratory experiment was conducted to evaluate the workability of vegetation for gas leak detection. Regular hyperspectral imagery was collected from test vegetations to identify gas stress and distinguish it from other environmental stressors such as salinity impact, …

Nmr Relaxometry Approach For The Detection Of Asphalt Binder Performance Properties, Rebecca Herndon

Doctoral Dissertations

"Asphalt is a necessary material for transportation infrastructure. Understanding the material properties of asphalt binders is critical for improving infrastructure and enhancing the lifetime of pavements. While the physical properties of asphalt binders are well-defined by standard procedures and parameters, the chemical environment lacks definition. Physical parameters like viscosity and stiffness are traditionally used to differentiate asphalt binders, describe aging, and indicate the impact of additives. However, these tests have limited insight into the material's chemical environment. Therefore, a nondestructive analytical technique, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxometry, was employed to investigate the chemical environment of asphalt binders. Although NMR relaxometry …

Flexural Post-Cracking Performance Of Macro Synthetic Fiber Reinforced Super Workable Concrete Influenced By Shrinkage-Reducing Admixture, Jingjie Wei, Nima Farzadnia, Kamal H. Khayat

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Most literature has focused on the effect of shrinkage-reducing admixture (SRA) in shrinkage mitigation resistance of concrete. This study aims to examine the impact of SRA on the efficiency of macro synthetic fibers (MSF) in enhancing the flexural post-cracking behavior of fiber-reinforced super workable concrete (FR-SWC). A comparative analysis of the influence of fiber combinations on the flexural post-cracking behavior of beams is also included. Results showed that a higher dosage of SRA, particularly at 5 % by mass of binder, had a noticeable negative impact on flexural post-cracking performance of beams while exhibiting positive effect on workability and shrinkage …

Class-Wise Histogram Matching-Based Domain Adaptation In Deep Learning-Based Bridge Element Segmentation, Tarutal Ghosh Mondal, Zhenhua Shi, Haibin Zhang, Genda Chen

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study focused on the problem of domain shift in deep learning-based bridge element segmentation. The impracticability of accounting for all possible variabilities vis-à-vis structural shape, size, color, texture, illumination, and other operational conditions in the training process leads to the deterioration in the model performance when applied to test data from novel unseen domains. In such situations, rebuilding the model with labeled training data from the target domain becomes prohibitively expensive and time-consuming in many practical cases. Recent advancements in unsupervised domain adaptation techniques are known to provide viable solutions to this problem. However, it was observed in this …

Effect Of Gluconate Molecules On The Reaction Kinetics Of C-(N)-A-S-H And N-A-S-H Gel Formation, Jiafeng Kong, Chao Sun, Zuhua Zhang, Chenglong Cai, Yubin Cao, Yanru Wang, Hongyan Ma, Xuesen Zeng, Hao Wang

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Organic ligands are widely used to regulate setting in cementitious binders, yet their chemistry-selective action in geopolymers (GPs) remains unclear. Here we isolate the role of sodium gluconate (SG) in early reaction kinetics across a Ca-rich GP that forms a calcium-(sodium)-aluminosilicate hydrate (C-(N)-A-S-H) gel and a Ca-poor GP that forms a sodium-aluminosilicate hydrate (N-A-S-H) gel. Four GPs spanning Ca/Si ≈ 1.01 to 0.01 were prepared with identical activator chemistry and dosages of SG up to 5 wt.% of precursors. Setting time, isothermal calorimetry, pore-solution speciation (TOC, ICP-OES, and pH), selective dissolution (reaction extent), low-field¹H NMR, XRD, FTIR, SEM-EDS, …

Influence Of Deck Area And Average Daily Traffic On The Deterioration Of Bridge Superstructures., Faysal Ahamed

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) are responsible for maintaining approximately 623,000 bridges across the United States. Effective bridge management requires a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing structural deterioration. Numerous studies have explored the effects of average daily traffic (ADT) and deck area (DA) on bridge deck deterioration. Given the interdependence between bridge decks and superstructures, it is plausible that ADT and DA significantly influence superstructure condition ratings and deterioration trends. However, their impact on superstructures remains insufficiently studied. In addition, existing studies primarily focus on overall bridge deterioration without adequately differentiating between superstructure designs and materials and maintenance authorities. …

Artificial Intelligence’S Role And Impact On The Engineering Discipline, Andrew Angelini

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this Honors Research project was to explore the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the Engineering Discipline as a whole. Specifically, civil engineering’s discipline of transportation was used to display the effectiveness of AI in engineering. This discipline was used due to its wide use in engineering and overall designs that can be created within this discipline. These designs include maintenance of traffic plans, engineering plan sets, horizontal and vertical curve design, intersection design, traffic signaling, highway material design, and phasing of intersections and traffic accounting for pedestrians. Through similar prompts that were given to a publicly …

Analysis Of Lava Flow Paths Using Remote Sensing And Geomorphological Techniques, Oluwatosin Oluyemisi Ayo

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Lava flows have severe impacts on the Earth’s surface, communities, and natural habitats. Accurate modeling of lava flow paths is crucial for volcanic hazard assessment and risk mitigation. This research integrated remote sensing, geographic information systems, geomorphological techniques, and hydrologic analysis to numerically determine the optimal ground sample distance (GSD) of digital elevation models (DEMs) for delineating lava flow paths. Two volcanic regions were analyzed: the Afar Region of Ethiopia (Alu, Dalaffilla, and Erta Ale volcanoes) and the Reykjanes Peninsula of Iceland (Fagradalsfjall volcano). Forward and backward modeling methods were used to simulate potential lava flow paths. Remote sensing data, …

Centralized Deep Reinforcement Learning For Homogeneous Multi-Component Maintenance Optimization, Joseph W. Wittrock

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores an application of reinforcement learning (RL) in maintenance optimization. Recent advances in hardware-accelerated computation and deep learning have made RL a powerful tool for solving optimization problems which are too complex for traditional methods. Maintenance optimization involves improving the efficiency and effectiveness of maintenance activities through data-driven approaches, ultimately reducing costs and increasing asset availability. Making informed maintenance decisions is crucial to long-term sustainability.

A desirable maintenance policy maximizes a utility signal while minimizing the cost of maintenance. Techniques in sequential decision making such as dynamic programming (DP) and RL have found success in optimizing these maintenance …

A First Model Foundation Design Of Wood Pillar In Banjarmasin Swampland, Nursyarif Agusniansyah, Gusti Novi Sarbini, Akbar Rahman, Muhammad Tharziansyah

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Banjarmasin's swampland presents distinct characteristics that make it suitable for constructing homes, but it also requires special attention, especially concerning the foundation. The soil in this area often has extremely low carrying capacity, which poses a significant challenge for construction. Mistakes in choosing construction materials, coupled with mismatched building loads and inadequate foundation functions, often result in foundation failures—a common cause of building collapses. As the complexity and functionality of buildings increase, the need for more thoughtful house design becomes more crucial. The commonly used wooden pile foundation, while popular, has limited load-bearing capacity, necessitating modifications to enhance its strength. …

Analyzing The Safety Effects Of Edge Lane Roads For Motor Vehicle Users, John Yang

Master's Theses

This thesis builds upon a prior study that analyzed the safety effects of Edge Lane Roads (ELRs) within the U.S. context, addressing gaps related to collision, traffic volume, and speed data. An ELR is a roadway configuration that accommodates two-way automobile traffic within a single center lane while providing edge lanes for vulnerable road users (VRUs), i.e., bicyclists or pedestrians. Although the concept of a single shared lane for opposing traffic often raises safety concerns among the public, ELRs have demonstrated potential to control speeds, optimize roadway space, and improve traffic operations on low-volume roads.

To evaluate safety outcomes, this …

Design, Fabrication, & Laboratory Testing Of A Strain Gage Instrumentation System For Marine Applications, Salem C. Homrighausen

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A strain gage-based instrumentation system was designed and fabricated to measure the moment present at the base of a mock, diesel-engine snorkel for a submerged vehicle designed to operate in the surf zone. Afterwards, a lab experiment was designed and executed to determine the accuracy of the instrument and a 2-dimensional, matrix-vector equation was formulated to relate pairs of voltages, Vx and Vy, to moments, Mx and My for the experiment. Three versions of this model were built. The first model was created using traditional statics equations governing strain, stress, moment, force. The second and third models were built directly …

Long-Term Assessment Of The Morphological Behavior Of The Beaches North Of Sebastian Inlet, Florida, Aidan O'Gorman

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The morphological behavior of the beaches north of Sebastian Inlet, Florida is investigated by applying Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analyses to a series of beach surveys conducted semi-annually (winter and summer) over a period of fifteen years (2005-2019), with the primary objectives being to 1) determine the extent to which the inlet’s influence to the north typically fluctuates on a short-term basis (e.g. annually), and 2) identify any long-term trends of accretion or erosion that might exist. Each survey is comprised of thirty-one cross-shore profiles that are referenced to permanently installed range monuments (“R-monuments”) that are spaced nominally 305 …

Assessment Of Surface Area Application Ratios For Beach Sand Treated Via Surface Percolated Micp-Bioslurry For Erosion Mitigation, Connor J. Marlin

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Rapid shoreline erosion associated with sea-level rise is an ongoing threat to coastal infrastructure. Traditional stabilization techniques, such as revetments, seawalls, and periodic nourishment, often prove costly, ecologically disruptive, or provide only temporary protection. Microbially Induced Calcite Precipitation (MICP) and its operational variant, bioslurry, present a biologically inspired alternative capable of forming a cemented surface crust that reduces soil erodibility. Previous laboratory studies typically prescribed a solution dosage as a percentage of pore volume (%PV). While geotechnically sound, this metric is poorly suited to field deployment across a large area. This thesis evaluates surface-area-based dosing (L/m²) as the primary dosage …

Bond Behavior Of Magnesium Potassium Phosphate Cement (Mkpc) Coating For Steel Reinforcement, Eric Williams

Masters Theses

"This research investigates the bond behavior of magnesium potassium phosphate cement (MKPC) coated mild steel deformed bars in conventional concrete and concrete repair materials. For typical steel reinforcement in concrete, a thin “passive layer” develops around the reinforcement, which protects the reinforcement from corrosion. The concrete carbonates over time, reducing the protection of the passive layer and allowing chlorides, which corrode the reinforcement, to penetrate at an increasing rate. In some cases, to combat this corrosion, a protective layer is added to the reinforcement prior to installation. Common protective layers include epoxy coatings or zinc galvanization. MKPC is a novel …

Gfrp Reinforced Bridge Barriers: Experiment Testing, Manish Kumar Gadhe

Masters Theses

This study focused on evaluating the performance of concrete bridge barriers reinforced with Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) compared to those reinforced with conventional mild steel. Four full-scale barriers were constructed, three using GFRP bars as the reinforcement and one with mild steel reinforcement. These were cast on two concrete slabs to ensure consistent support conditions. The use of GFRP aims to address durability concerns associated with steel reinforced concrete (RC), particularly corrosion of these bars in harsh environments.

To simulate real-world impact scenarios, a weighted cart was launched at each barrier using a guided sled system. Sensors, including load …

Dynamic Modulus Of Sbs-Modified Asphalt Mixtures Added With Ground Tire Rubber Content, Azharul Islam

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The study investigates the improvement of the dynamic shear modulus in the base and styrene butadiene styrene (SBS) modified asphalt mixture by accumulating varying amounts of ground tire rubber through an Asphalt mixture performance tester (AMPT). This thesis specifically explores how different percentages of ground tire rubber (GTR) influence the mechanical properties and durability of the asphalt mixture articulated with two grades, PG 64-22 and PG 76-22. The experimental framework consisted of preparing asphalt mixtures blended with 10% to 15% of the binder for PG 64-22 and 3% to 8% of GTR for PG 76-22. The laboratory testing involved using …

System Design For Highly Accurate And Efficient Target Detection In Triaxial Testing, Qingqing Fu

Masters Theses

Accurate and automated recognition of coded targets is crucial for high-precision photogrammetry-based measurements in triaxial testing. Traditional recognition methods, including those based on deep learning and table decoding, often struggle with issues such as perspective distortion, rotation, and variable lighting, leading to unreliable results. While deep learning approaches offer some improvements, they remain computationally intensive and sensitive to environmental factors.

This thesis introduces an innovative system that replaces deep learning algorithms with a blob analysis-based method for efficient and robust recognition of coded targets. The system also employs newly designed solid points of varying sizes and patterns, eliminating the need …

Data Driven Bridge Deck Deterioration Modeling And Maintenance Intervention Scheduling, Deepak Kumar

Dissertations and Theses

Majority of over 617,000 bridges across the United States are significantly impacted by environmental factors, aging materials, and heavy traffic loads. According to the 2021 Infrastructure Report, nearly 231,000 bridges require repair or preservation work, with 46,154 (7.5%) being classified as structurally deficient, thereby posing risks for mor than 178 million daily trips across these bridges. Despite recent improvements, 42% of U.S. bridges are at least 50 years old, underscoring an urgent need for increased investment to meet repair demands. The nation’s backlog of bridge repairs is estimated at $125 billion, with a 58% increase in annual spending required to …

Deep Learning Architectures For Improving Weather Research And Forecasting (Wrf) Precipitation Estimates And Landslide Susceptibility Mapping: A Case Study Of Puerto Rico, Said A. Mejia Manrique

Dissertations and Theses

Precipitation is a critical factor in the Earth’s hydrological cycle and has a profound impact on various environmental and socioeconomic systems, including management of water resources, flood forecasting, and the evaluation of natural hazards, particularly those associated with rainfall-induced landslides. For the latter, obtaining precise precipitation estimates is essential, as intense rainfall events can trigger landslides that pose significant risks to human life, infrastructure, and ecosystems, particularly in mountainous regions. Puerto Rico (PR), with its mountainous terrain, tropical climate, and vulnerability to hurricanes, provides a unique environment for studying precipitation patterns and the need for accurate rainfall estimates. The complex …

Geospatial Analysis For Urban Resilience: Green Space, Flood Susceptibility, And Wetland Restoration Potential, Jessica Lareaux

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Through the integration of high-resolution geospatial data, hydrologic modeling, and spatial statistics, this research addresses three interrelated topics that are critical to sustainable, equitable, and climate-resilient urban planning. The overall objective of this dissertation is to provide data-driven and machine learning-based geospatial analysis frameworks that enhance our understanding of environmental inequities, flood exposure, and the potential for wetland restoration, with a focus on urban contexts. The study presented in Chapter Two examines the distribution and accessibility of urban green spaces in Detroit, Michigan, using high-resolution geospatial data and geospatial analysis methods, including geographically weighted regression (GWR) and network-based analyses. This …

Biopolymer-Induced Soil Ductility Enhancement: Mitigating The Effects Of Desiccation Cracks, Rabindra Prasad Bohara

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study addresses the formidable challenges of expansive clayey soils, notorious for their swelling-shrinkage characteristics, which often lead to ground instability and structural damage. While effective in mitigating soil swell-shrink potential and enhancing strength, traditional calcium-based stabilizers can react with higher sulfate content to form ettringite, causing volumetric changes and infrastructure distress. To assess the impact of stabilizing sulfate-rich soils and determining the various engineering properties, samples of both control and stabilized soils were prepared using lime, biopolymer (guar gum), and lime with guar gum at concentrations of 2% and 4% lime only, 0.5%, 1% and 1.5% guar gum only, …

Precast Foundation For Steel Lattice Towers, Wessam Ramadan

All ETDs from UAB

Steel lattice towers are essential structures used in power transmission, telecommunications, and wind turbine towers, where they must withstand various loads to ensure stability and durability. The foundation system plays a crucial role in supporting these towers, with different types chosen based on soil conditions, environmental factors, and project requirements. Traditional foundations, such as drilled shafts, spread footings, and steel grillages have been widely used but often come with challenges, including long installation times, high labor costs, and difficult site conditions. As demand for transmission infrastructure grows, there is a need for faster, more efficient, and environmentally friendly foundation solutions. …

Unmanned Vehicle Having Flight Configuration And Surface Traverse Configuration, Genda Chen, Alec Reven, Bo Shang, Zenhua Shi, Liujun Li, Boyang Li

Patents

An unmanned vehicle includes a body, at least one power source coupled to the body, a flight propulsion system coupled to the at least one power source and configured to propel the unmanned vehicle through air, and a surface propulsion system coupled to the at least one power source and configured to propel the unmanned vehicle along a surface. The unmanned vehicle is configured to switch between a flight configuration in which the unmanned vehicle is propelled through air via the flight propulsion system, and a surface traverse configuration in which the unmanned vehicle is propelled along the surface via …

Large-Scale Carbon-Mineralization Through Oxalatization, Hongyan Ma, Wenyu Liao

Patents

The present invention is broadly concerned with mineralization methods that assist in permanent carbon storage. The methods provide a storage mechanism for oxalic acid generated by existing or future-developed carbon capture and conversion methods that convert CO2 to oxalic acid. That oxalic acid can be injected into a subsurface rock formation containing non-carbonate rock to form oxalates or oxalate hydrates. Alternatively, oxalic acid can be mixed with mine tailings, well drilling dirt, crushed rocks, etc., that contain desired non-carbonate rock minerals, to promote mineralization.

Groundwater Pumping Impacts On Stream Depletion In Humboldt County, Ca: Integrating Analytical Models And Field Data, Andy Hans Heise

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This study addresses the significant concern of stream depletion from groundwater pumping in Humboldt County, CA. The objective of this study is to develop an analytical model for estimating stream depletion and integrating field data into model parameters.

The methodology involved conducting a field study near three operating wells by a stream, installing stream gages upstream and downstream of the wells, and recording pumping rates and schedules for two of the wells. The third well’s pumping data was synthetically generated, for privacy concerns of the well owner. The StreamDepletR package was used for estimating depletion rates in a stream in …