Other Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Digital Solutions For Bridging Language Barriers: Designing And Testing An App For Construction Spanish Safety Communication On Construction Jobsites, Adrian Cappella

All Theses

Language barriers between English-speaking supervisors and Spanish-speaking workers create safety risks on U.S. construction jobsites. Hispanic workers face higher injury and fatality rates, with miscommunication being a major contributing factor. Existing translation tools lack the accuracy, cultural context, and jobsite relevance needed for effective safety communication.

In this study a mobile application with construction-specific safety phrases in English and Spanish was designed and field tested. The research included a literature review, phrase collection and validation with industry experts, application development and design with a computer science collaborator, and usability testing with supervisors and workers. Surveys and field trials measured navigation, …

A Parametric Study Of Compact Wind Borne Debris In Tornadoes, Akash Yadav

All Theses

Debris lofted and transported by tornadoes is a significant source of damage during these storms. Several approaches have been taken to model such debris flight, ranging in complexity from fine-scale CFD simulations to coupling the compact debris flight equations with simplified analytic models for the tornado vortex. Both approaches have their merits, though the latter comes with significantly lower computational costs. Despite the simplifications, this second approach has successfully captured details of debris flight events established in post-tornado forensic surveys. Herein, we take advantage of the low computational cost of the latter approach to undertake a detailed parametric study of …

Integrating Artificial Intelligence And Augmented Reality For Enhanced Task Performance In The Construction Industry, Aasish Chandrika Bhanu

All Dissertations

The Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) sector, characterized by its complex tasks, often faces challenges in adopting cutting-edge technologies, a trend that can significantly hinder productivity improvements compared to other industries. This dissertation explores the emerging integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Augmented Reality (AR) within the AEC domain, investigating how effectively this can be implemented to potentially revolutionize industry practices. AI could be used in the AEC domain for advanced analytical and decision-making processes, while AR could be used for training, visualization, and remote collaboration.

In scenarios where construction site workers require expert guidance, these technologies could be helpful. …

Feasibility Of Using High-Alkali Natural Pozzolans And Reclaimed Fly Ash As Alternative Supplementary Cementitious Materials In Concrete, Weiqi Wang

All Dissertations

Due to the shortage of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) in the concrete industry, it is necessary to seek a new alternative. This study evaluates the feasibility of high-alkali SCMs, which were not recommended previously due to potentially exacerbating alkali-silica reaction (ASR) in concrete. The study addresses theSCMs’ ASR mitigation performance, evaluated by ASTM C1567, C1293, and AASHTO T380. Other concrete durability tests, including ASTM C596 drying shrinkage test, ASTM C1012 sulfate resistance test, and ASTM C1202 rapid chloride ions penetration test, were also conducted in this study. The ASTM C311 strength activity index test, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and ASTM …

Healthcare Built Environment And The Covid-19 Pandemic, A Mixed-Method Study, Mohammad Saleh Nikooopayan Tak

All Theses

The outbreak of COVID-19 presented an unparalleled risk to public health, leading to urgent scientific efforts in understanding transmission mechanisms and mitigating risks, especially in healthcare settings. This mixed-methods study examines knowledge advancement regarding indoor air quality in healthcare facilities during the pandemic. A systematic literature review of 163 post-COVID studies identifies key research thrusts and 31 recommendations related to building ventilation, air filtration, surface disinfection, and monitoring. Comparison with over 200 pre-pandemic publications reveals both reliance on established infection control principles and unique contributions, such as detecting viral RNA in air and surface samples indicating potential airborne and fomite …

Explaining Spatio-Temporal Evolution Of Extreme Hydro-Climatic Events Using A Complex Network Framework, Somnath Mondal

All Dissertations

Severe hydroclimatic extreme events, such as droughts, heatwaves, and heavy rainfall, are occurring with increasing frequency and causing significant impacts on both people and the environment. These events also compound in space and time, leading to even more significant consequences. Therefore, it is essential to comprehend these phenomena' concurrent and time-delayed progression across different temporal and spatial scales to address adaptation and mitigation effectively. To accurately understand and map the co-evolution of extreme events, it's necessary to have a thorough grasp of their spatiotemporal patterns, how they propagate and interact with one another, and the underlying mechanisms driving their occurrence. …

Active Rheological And Stiffening Control Of Cementitious Systems For Additive Manufacturing, Abdul Basit Peerzada

All Dissertations

Technological advancements and automation in the last two decades have made additive manufacturing of cementitious systems a reality. Among all the additive manufacturing techniques used for cementitious materials, layer-by-layer extrusion-based printing is the most used technique. For a layer-by-layer printing process, the requirements of cementitious materials vary from those of a conventional construction process. Typically, the cementitious materials are pumped to a print head using a positive-displacement pump. The pumpability of the cementitious material for a specific pumping system depends on its rheological properties. For effective pumping, the yield stress and plastic viscosity of a cementitious system should be low. …

Use Of A Trial Function Method To Semi-Analytically Simulate Matrix Diffusion In Heterogeneous And Fractured Media, Kien Trung Pham

All Dissertations

A semi-analytic trial function model is applied to simulate matrix diffusion in systems of parallel fractures, 2-D/3-D discrete fracture networks, and in 3-D heterogeneous media. The trial function model gives low normalized root mean square error (NRMSE) when compared to the parallel fracture analytical solution over a range of fracture spacing, with considerations for retardation and decay. The semi-analytic trial function model is efficient in time and maintains less than 6% NRMSE when it simulates matrix diffusive transport in 2-D/3-D discrete fracture networks (DFN). The model can predict DFN plume within a few meters of accuracy compared to fine-grid DFN …