Structural Engineering Commons^™

Behaviour Of Helical Pile Connectors For New Foundations, Muhammad Ahmad Muhammad Diab

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Despite the wide application of the connections between slender pile types, which end with a mono steel bar at the ground level (e.g. helical piles and micro piles), and new reinforced concrete foundations with limited width (e.g. RC grade beams) in the piling industry in North America, neither a clear understanding of the connections' behaviour nor a specific design criteria for their implementation is presented.

The main goal of this research was to clearly understand the behaviour of these connections and their failure mechanism under monotonic and cyclic loadings. The research methodology involved conducting experimental tests on 33 full-scale pile-foundation …

Alkali-Silica Reaction Mitigation Using High Volume Class C Fly Ash, Sydney Marie Dickson

Civil Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Fly ash is the residue produced from coal combustion in electric generating plants. There are two types of fly ash, Class C and Class F. Approximately 40 percent of fly ash generated from coal combustion can be used as a partial replacement of cement in concrete. Incorporating fly ash improves concrete properties and extends its service life. Alkali-silica reaction (ASR) is an expansive reaction between reactive silica typically found in aggregates (rock and sand) and alkalis in cement. This reaction results in the formation of a gel that absorbs water and swells, which exerts an internal pressure in concrete. This …

A Study Of The Influence Of Particle Gradation In Bonded Assemblies, Matthew P. Watters

Civil Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The discrete element method (DEM) has been used extensively to study soil, rock, and masonry behavior because of its ability to model the materials as individual particles or bonded clumps of particles. DEM allows for examination of the macro- and micro-scale response and provides a means to study the fundamental material behavior, but it is still considered computationally expensive in relation to other methods. To lower computational costs, the smallest particle sizes are often considered negligible and are left out of the model. Additionally, rock or intact materials are often modeled as a bonded assembly of uniform spheres. To date, …

Cleveland Sidewalk Studies: Plan For Blythe Avenue Area Sidewalk Extension To 20th Street Se And Plan For Neighborhood Connector Sidewalks To Wildwood Avenue, Thuy Trieu, Kelly Nicholas, Scott Rice, Michael Williams, Heath Sain, Jonathan Reagan

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Senior Design: Proposed Stem Academic Building, Middlesex Community College, Senior Design Class

Civil Engineering Student Work

2015 Civil Engineering Senior Design Project.

A proposal for a new STEM building to be constructed on the Middlesex Community College.

Completed by:

• Abdullah Al Bakri
• Ryan Benoit
• Brittany Brown
• Michael Buraczynski
• Samuel Colangelo
• Joseph Connolly
• Kyle Elmy
• Michael Fischer
• Victor Goitia Jurado
• Michael Hanley
• Andrew Malian
• Michael Mathews
• Dionys Quezada
• Katie Rougeot
• Jacob Santos
• Isadora Sartor
• Vega Yerko

Damage Detection Methodologies For Structural Health Monitoring Of Thin-Walled Pressure Vessels, Arturo Modesto

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is a need in exploring structural health monitoring technologies for the composite structures particularly aged Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels (COPVs) for the current and future implementation of COPVs for space missions. In this study, the research was conducted in collaboration with NASA Kennedy Space Center and also NASA Marshall Space and Flight Center engineers. COPVs have been used to store inert gases like helium (for propulsion) and nitrogen (for life support) under varying degrees of pressure onboard the orbiter since the beginning of the Space Shuttle Program. After the Columbia accident, the COPVs were re-examined and different studies (e.g. …

Deformation-Based Excavation Support System Design Method, Sekyi K. Intsiful

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

Development in urban areas around the world has steadily increased in recent years. This rapid development has not been matched by the ever decreasing open space commonly associated with urban centers. Vertical construction, thus, lends itself a very useful solution to this problem. Deep excavation is often required for urban construction. Unfortunately, the ground movements associated with deep excavation can result in damage to adjacent buildings. Thus, it is critically important to accurately predict the damage potential of nearby deep excavations and designing adequate support systems.

A new design method is proposed, as an attempt, to address the problem. The …

Evaluation Of Strength And Hydraulic Properties Of Buried Pipe Systems Used For Stormwater Harvesting, Mario Samson Mena

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Water scarcity has been identified as a global issue. Both water harvesting and an efficient water piping system are some of the important factors to meet the water demand. In this study, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes used as an underground storage was evaluated and a Microsoft EXCEL based model was developed, called PIPE-R Model. To study the structural integrity of the pipes, laboratory and field testing were conducted. For the water harvesting, UCF Stormwater Management Academy designed an EXCEL based model to simulate the system's performance to store and redistribute water for an average year. The purpose of PIPE-R Model …

Characterization Of Dynamic Structures Using Parametric And Non-Parametric System Identification Methods, Ayad Al Rumaithi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The effects of soil-foundation-structure (SFS) interaction and extreme loading on structural behaviors are important issues in structural dynamics. System identification is an important technique to characterize linear and nonlinear dynamic structures. The identification methods are usually classified into the parametric and non-parametric approaches based on how to model dynamic systems. The objective of this study is to characterize the dynamic behaviors of two realistic civil engineering structures in SFS configuration and subjected to impact loading by comparing different parametric and non-parametric identification results. First, SFS building models were studied to investigate the effects of the foundation types on the structural …

One-Dimensional Compressibility Of Intermediate Non-Plastic Soil Mixtures, Sean E. Salazar

Civil Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The results of high stress, one-dimensional compression testing on intermediate soils are presented. Nevada Sand and silica silt mixtures were subjected to very high vertical stresses (140 MPa) in one-dimensional, monotonic compression. Each soil mixture was tested in a nominally loose condition. A specially designed mold with an integrated sensor array was fabricated to contain the soil during pre-consolidation and loading. The 1-D compression curve was plotted for each mixture in the double-logarithmic void ratio (e), and vertical effective stress (σ’v) space and characteristics of the Limiting Compression Curve (LCC) were identified. Initial and post test grain size distribution curves …

Rule High School Athletic Field Renovation, Nathan W. Foust

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of Aggregate Distribution In Self-Consolidating Concrete, Brendan Ho

Civil Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Concrete consists of several key ingredients: cement, water, and coarse and fine aggregate. Depending on the proportions of these ingredients, the strength and workability of a concrete mix can be affected adversely. Segregation is the separation of aggregate and cement paste, resulting in a lack of homogeneity. Self-consolidating concrete (SCC) does not require traditional consolidation; however, it can be affected by segregation. This project examines different SCC mixtures and establishes ranges of values for slump flow, T20 , Visual Stability Index (VSI), J-ring flow and J-ring flow spread that ensures proper aggregate distribution and therefore reduces the potential of segregation. …

Slope Stability Monitoring Using Remote Sensing Techniques, Omar Alberto Conte Robles

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

During the past six years the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) has spent over nine million dollars repairing slope failures that have occurred in the state of Arkansas. Specifically, higher than average precipitation in 2004 and 2008 led to large quantities of slides, all of which were repaired. Two highways, within the state of Arkansas, with known historical movements along or across the highways are being monitored using traditional surveying techniques and advanced remote sensing techniques. These slides, both of which are located in fill slopes. One a 500-foot long slide located north of Chester, Arkansas, within the …

Seismic Microzonation Of Great Toronto Area And Influence Of Building Resonances On Measured Soil Responses, Dimitar Genchev Mihaylov

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

A pilot seismic microzonation of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) is used to establish the conditions and limitations of geophysical methods for site response investigations in city conditions. Maps of fundamental soil resonant frequencies, amplifications at these frequencies and interpolated average shear wave velocity of top 30 m of soil profile (VS- 30) used in soil classification were compared to the maps of drift thickness and surficial geology for the GTA. The non-applicability of the interpolated VS-30 map for site classification between measured test points is indicated. It is also shown that the soil response cannot be estimated properly using …

Rate-Dependent Behavior Of Clay, Harry F. Martindale Iv

Master's Theses

This thesis presents a strain-rate dependent two-surface plasticity constitutive model for clays based on the critical-state soil mechanics. The model reproduces the mechanical response of clays under multi-axial loading conditions and predicts both drained and undrained behaviors at small and large strains. Model parameter values are determined for Boston Blue Clay, London Clay and Kaolin Clay. The performance of the model in simulating the mechanical response of clays is demonstrated for a variety of strain rates. Sensitivity of each model parameter is checked for ±5, ±10 and ±20% of the deterministic values. Probabilistic analysis using Monte Carlo simulations were done …

Seismic Analysis Of Integral Abutment Bridges Considering Soil Structure Interaction, Reza Vasheghani Farahani

Masters Theses

Integral abutment bridges are jointless bridges in which the deck is continuous and connected monolithically with the abutment walls supported typically by a single row of piles. This thesis focuses on the effects of two major parameters on the seismic behavior of an integral abutment bridge in Tennessee by considering soil-structure interaction around the piles and in back of the abutments: (1) clay stiffness (medium vs. hard) around the piles, and (2) level of sand compaction (loose vs. dense) of the abutment wall backfilling. Modal and nonlinear time history analyses are performed on a three dimensional detailed bridge model using …

Scale Model Shake Table Testing Of Underground Structures In Soft Clay, Victor A. Crosariol

Master's Theses

Underground structures perform an important role in transportation systems in many seismically active regions around the world, but empirical data regarding the seismic behavior of these structures is limited. This research works towards filling that empirical gap through the use of scale model shake table testing. Underground seismic soil-structure interaction (USSSI) effects were investigated for a stiff rectangular tunnel cross-section embedded within soft clay. San Francisco Young Bay Mud was used as a prototype soil for developing a scale model soil mixture consisting of kaolinite, bentonite, class C fly ash, and water. A single cell Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) …

Seismic Evaluation Of Clark County Critical Bridges Using Nonlinear Static Procedures, Ahmad Said Saad

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Bridges are vital connective elements in community transportation systems. In the past, bridges have been severely damaged by earthquakes. However, with proper mitigation techniques, such as bridge retrofit, severe earthquake damage to bridges can be avoided. Since the 1970’s, design codes underwent major changes with regard to seismic analysis and design provisions of structures and bridges. Meanwhile, one third of the nation’s 600,000 inventoried highway bridges are considered as either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.

This study is a part of the “Earthquakes in Southern Nevada” project. Earlier in this project, buildings and bridges in southern Nevada were studied in …