Structural Engineering Commons^™

Final Report - Data-Driven Risk-Informed Bridge Asset Management And Prioritization Across Transportation Networks, Iris Tien, Yijian Zhang

Project RR-2

This project aims to transform inspection data into risk-informed decision-making, leading to two main advancements. First, a new method is developed to account for the combined effect of soil stress history and scour hole on laterally and axially loaded piles in sand and clay. The methodology is validated with results from field tests for no-scour scenarios and verified with numerical models for scour scenarios. Quantification of the soil effects is investigated through lateral pile deflection and load-settlement curves for lateral and axial behaviors, respectively. Stress history increases up to 34.1% and 61.1% in estimated pile settlement for sand and clay, …

Final Report - Autonomous Ultrasonic Thickness Measurement By A Magnet-Wheeled Robot, Yang Wang, Hung Manh La, Yu Otsuki, Son Thanh Nguyen

Project SN-6

This project develops a compact ultrasonic thickness sensing device that is integrated with a steel-climbing bicycle robot for autonomous thickness measurement of steel bridge members. With wireless communication capability, the ultrasonic sensing device can perform high-voltage pulse excitation, filtering and amplification of the received ultrasonic signal, and high-speed analog-to-digital conversions (up to 80 MHz). After successful validations of the device, it is integrated into a bicycle-like robot with two magnetic wheels controlled by two independent steering actuators that navigates on various steel surfaces (flat, curved, rough, concave, and convex). Along with the wireless ultrasonic sensing device, the robot carries a …

Final Report - Health Inspection Of Concrete Pavement And Bridge Members Exposed To Freeze-Thaw Service Environment, Hongyan Ma, Genda Chen, Kangyi Cai, Rezwana Hafiz

Project SN-7

This project proposed an integrated approach for the non-destructive evaluation of the health status – represented by compressive strength – of any concrete, including well-cured (or intact) and degraded (or partially damaged) due to freeze-thaw cycling. To use this approach, no pre-recorded information (e.g., mixture proportions of concrete, curing and maintenance history, and service history) is needed. Instead, several conventional non-destructive testing methods (NDTs), assisted by hyperspectral camera, can be employed to generate a dataset that informs a pre-trained artificial intelligence (AI) to predict strength. As the core of this approach, the dedicated AI was trained through this project. To …

Cardboard Concrete Column Formwork, Danny Shrestha, Joelle Schalesky

Architectural Engineering

This project is an exploration of cardboard as a potential material for construction formwork for concrete columns. Multiple material tests were conducted to explore the behavior of cardboard and concrete. Multiple specimens of cardboard were tested for modulus of elasticity, moment of inertia, and tensile strength. Concrete was tested for its apparent lateral fluid pressure under vibration. Cardboard formwork was then designed and constructed based on these tested behaviors. The final design of the formwork consisted of folding cardboard sheets lined with hardboard, supported by wood studs, and tied by plastic banding straps.

Ultimately, two concrete columns―8' and 10' in …

Moment Monument, Brayden Alec Martinez, Carsten Walker Huber, Gaspar Emmanuel Solorio, Jared Thomas Schieferle

Architectural Engineering

We designed our project, dubbed the Moment Monument, in part to live out our dream of applying engineering and design skills towards creating a lasting impression on Cal Poly’s campus, as well as to develop a visual aid for future engineering students in steel design classes. The Moment Monument is in the Experimental Structures Laboratory, which is a space in the university’s ‘Poly Canyon’ that is reserved for students to build and test different applications of architecture, structural engineering, and construction. In recent years, it has been diffi cult to receive approval to build in the canyon due to high …

Predicting Flexural-Creep Stiffness In Bending Beam Rheometer (Bbr) Experiments Using Advanced Super Learner Machine Learning Techniques, Alireza Roshan, Magdy Abdelrahman

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

BBR test is commonly used to assess the low-temperature performance grade (PG) of asphalt binders, with the flexural-creep stiffness being a critical parameter calculated through this test. However, it has notable limitations that demand attention. The significant amount of asphalt binder needed for test specimens increases costs and resource consumption. Additionally, the complex and time-consuming specimen preparation process hinders testing efficiency and introduces result variability, affecting the accuracy and reliability of PG determinations. In recent years, machine learning (ML) has emerged as a promising substitute for predicting various engineering values. In this study, the primary focus was on harnessing super …

Machine Learning Based Analysis Of Civil Infrastructure In The Presence Of Sparse Data, Megan Butcher

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The high computational cost of estimating engineering demand parameters (EDPs) via finite element (FE) models, which incorporate uncertainties in earthquake events and material properties, limits the application of the Performance-Based Earthquake Engineering (PBEE) framework. Previous efforts to replace FE models with surrogate models have typically focused only on building parameters, necessitating re-training for new, unseen earthquakes. This paper introduces a machine learning-based surrogate model framework that addresses both earthquake and material parameter uncertainties to predict responses for unseen seismic events. Earthquakes are characterized by their projections on an orthonormal basis, computed using Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) of a representative ground …

Final Report - A Field Deployable Wall-Climbing Robot For Bridge Inspection Using Vision And Impact Sounding Techniques, Jizhong Xiao, Ejup Hoxha, David Kirakosian

Project AS-6

This project developed two wall-climbing robots and two omni-directional ground robots for automated data collection on both horizontal and vertical surfaces of concrete structures. These robots are equipped with non-destructive evaluation (NDE) sensors, including ground penetrating radar (GPR), impact sounding (IS) and impact echo (IE) devices. Utilizing a vision-based positioning system powered by simultaneous localization and mapping (V-SLAM), the robots tag NDE data with real-time pose information, significantly accelerating the data collection process and enhancing the accuracy of defect mapping. While effective at detecting shallow defects, impact sounding is highly sensitive to ambient noise and unsuitable for identifying deeper flaws. …

Fitness For Service (Ffs) And Fatigue Assessment For Shell Distorted Steel Storage Tank Based On Api 579-1/Asme Ffs-1, Wira Herucakra Sr. Structure Engineer, Luh Putri Adnyani, Ic Farid Hadi Prasetyo, Alviani Rahma Rizkhita

Journal of Materials Exploration and Findings

A shell distortion was occurred due to incorrect in the welding procedure during construction of a new built above ground steel storage tank. The assessment level 1 then performed referred to original construction code of API Standard 650 was performed, the roundness data of tank plate was obtained through to laser scanning survey, and the result on assessment level 1 known that the minimum radius of measured point is exceeding the radius tolerance. This unacceptable condition of assessment level 1 requires to be performed the higher level of assessment. A fitness for service assessment level 3 for tank 1000 KL …

Quality Assurance And Quality Control For Reinforced Concrete Inspections, Calvin O. Walters Jr.

Publications and Research

Ensuring the safety and longevity of structures is paramount in concrete construction projects. Cases like the Big Dig ceiling collapse, which occurred on July 10, 2006, when a concrete ceiling panel measuring 20' x 40' and debris weighing 26 short tons (52,000 lb) fell within Boston's Fort Point Channel Tunnel, underscore this importance (Wald, M. L., 2007). Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC) are crucial in mitigating such risks. QA ensures that materials and methods meet predetermined performance, design, and reliability standards specified in contracts and customer arrangements. On the other hand, QC is a strategic process businesses use …

Effect Of Swirl Ratio On Simulated Vortech Chamber Vortex Parameters, Samuel Kolar

Civil Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

A numerical simulator can use computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to model an experimental tornado-simulating chamber at Texas Tech University (known as VorTECH). Previous studies evaluating this particular CFD model have produced results that compare the touchdown swirl ratio (S_TD), core radius (r_c), maximum tangential velocity at touchdown (V_tmax @ S_TD), and height of the maximum tangential velocity (z_c) reasonably well with experimental data from the VorTECH facility. The effects of swirl ratio beyond S_TD on important vortex parameters including r_c, V_tmax, z …

Detection Of Deficiencies And Data Analysis Of Bridge Members With Deep Convolutional Neural Networks, Bennett Jackson

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Concrete cracks and structural steel corrosion are two of the most common defects in bridges. Quantifying and classifying these defects provide bridge inspectors and engineers with valuable data for assessing deterioration levels. However, the bridge inspection process is typically a subjective, time intensive, and tedious task, as defects can be overlooked or in locations not easily accessible. Previous studies have investigated deep learning-based inspection methods, implementing popular models such as Mask R-CNN and U-Net. The architectures of these models offer certain advantages depending on the required task. This thesis aims to evaluate and compare Mask R-CNN and U-Net regarding their …

Evacuation Of Students With Intellectual Disability In Building Fires: A Three-Part Methodology, Haley Hostetter

All Dissertations

People with disabilities are one of the most vulnerable groups in building fires. Despite this, they have traditionally been overlooked by fire evacuation researchers. This is perhaps the most alarming for the group with Intellectual Disability when given their present statistics for fire involvement, injuries, and death. Annually, people with mental disabilities are involved in 1700 home fires, resulting in 39 fatalities and 122 injuries per 1000 fires. Additionally, 40% of these fires were started intentionally by people with mental disabilities. When combined with their high fire risk, the lack of evacuation research focused on people with Intellectual Disability shows …

Final Design Of Legion Hall Revitalization In Potter, Nebraska, Madison Brennfoerder

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This project was conducted to renovate and revitalize the Legion Hall community center in the Village of Potter located in western Nebraska north of the Interstate. The work completed for this project can be separated into five disciplines: Hydrologic & Hydraulic Design, Geotechnical Analysis, Structural Analysis, Environmental Analysis, and Transportation Design. Legion Hall is a historical building within The Village of Potter which was built in 1917. The Village of Potter has recently acquired the rights to the hall and is seeking to revitalize the historical community center to increase tourism in the village.

Equitable Infrastructure: Achieving Resilient Systems And Restorative Justice Through Policy And Research Innovation, Jason P. Giovannettone, Gregg P. Macey, Amir Aghakouchak, Michele Barbato, William J. Capehart, Auroop R. Ganguly, Mital Hall, Jennifer F. Helgeson, Si Han Li, Teng Wu, Guirong Yan, Farshid Vahedifard

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Recent major investments in infrastructure in the United States and globally present a crucial opportunity to embed equity within the heart of resilient infrastructure decision-making. Yet there is a notable absence of frameworks within the engineering and scientific fields for integrating equity into planning, design, and maintenance of infrastructure. Additionally, whole-of-government approaches to infrastructure, including the Justice40 Initiative, mimic elements of process management that support exploitative rather than exploratory innovation. These and other policies risk creating innovation traps that limit analytical and engineering advances necessary to prioritize equity in decision-making, identification and disruption of mechanisms that cause or contribute to …

Quantifying Hurricane Effects On Housing: Evaluating Damage, Loss, And Shelter Demands Using Historical And Simulated Storm Tracks, Adish Deep Shakya

All Theses

This research introduces an advanced framework which employs parametric wind field models for peak wind speeds, and building fragility curves, loss functions, and demographic data to estimate for estimating housing damage and loss. The uninhabitable units immediate displaced households, short-term and long-term shelter need households are determined. with a particular focus on those eligible for FEMA assistance. The framework's validity is reinforced by a high correlation in the analysis of recent hurricane events between estimated numbers of displaced households and actual FEMA aid recipients, where FEMA aids about 20-60% of the predicted long-term displaced households. A novel application of the …

Analytical And Experimental Studies To Support Codification Of Lightweight Grout For Masonry Design, Cooper Banks

All Theses

Lightweight (LW) aggregates have many potential benefits in masonry construction including minimizing mass, improving thermal performance, and reducing the potential for shrinkage cracking via internal curing. The current masonry design standard, TMS 402/602-22, permits lightweight aggregate in the production of concrete masonry units (CMU), but there has been insufficient testing of masonry assemblies to permit designing with LW grout. Shrestha et al. characterized LW grouts bond to reinforcement, shear strength, tension and shear pullout behavior of anchors and proposed possible reduction factors for design. Hiner characterized the flexural bond strength LW grouted masonry assemblies and proposed possible reduction factors for …

Utilization Of Confined Concrete In The Bottom Slab Of Double Composite Box Girder Bridges, Harry Craik

Theses and Dissertations

A mathematical model is proposed for the confinement of rectangular confined reinforced concrete elements under compression. The model was modified from existing models applied to rectangular confined concrete specimens. The present model applies to rectangular reinforced concrete cross-sections with a core aspect ratio of at least 2.0 and a high effective confinement index. The model applies to normal and high-strength concrete and incorporates the spacing of the transverse reinforcing hoops, the strength of the reinforcing bars, the reinforcing quantity, and the core aspect ratio of the section. The proposed model was verified against extensive experimental data, and there was a …

Development Of A Model To Predict Maximum Crack Width And Spacing In Reinforced Concrete Beams Under Flexural Stress, Saeed Alghamdi

Theses and Dissertations

Cracking in reinforced concrete structures is unavoidable due to the low tensile strength of concrete. Even though minimizing cracks on exposed concrete surfaces is significantly important from the aesthetics point of view, it is also very important for the durability and overall performance of the structure.

Flexural members must be designed to minimize cracking that may occur during the structure's service life. Even though there has been a lot of experimental work on crack width over the last several decades, a literature review reveals that researchers still can't agree on which variables are most important. Part of the reason for …

Semi-Annual Progress Report #14, Missouri University Of Science And Technology

Semi-Annual Progress Reports

No abstract provided.

Experimental And Numerical Studies On The Compressive Strength Test Of Recycled Aggregate Concrete Using Digital Image Correlation, Bastian Okto Bangkit Sentosa, Joshua Ferdinand, Nuraziz Handika

Makara Journal of Technology

The utilization of recycled aggregate (RA) as substitute of natural aggregate in concrete contributes to the research of sustainable building construction materials. Many applications of RA have been studied worldwide. However, the application of RA with a specific range of strength and specific damage behavior requires further study. This research aims to examine the mechanical characteristics of RA concrete, particularly its load–displacement response and crack pattern, through the experimental and numerical studies of compressive strength test. Laboratory concrete waste from cylindrical sample with 30–35 MPa strength was chosen as RA. The digital image correlation (DIC) method was applied throughout the …

Ensemble-Learning Model Based Ultimate Moment Prediction Of Reinforced Concrete Members Strengthened By Uhpc, Woubishet Zewdu Taffese, Yanping Zhu, Genda Chen

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Data-driven model development brings new approaches to solve conventional civil engineering problems, which are usually considered and answered by experimental, analytical, and numerical methods. This study aims to develop an ensemble learning model (i.e., XGBoost: eXtreme Gradient Boosting) to predict ultimate moment of reinforced concrete (RC) members strengthened by a newly developed concrete technology – ultrahigh performance concrete (UHPC). The study considered two scenarios, incorporating eighteen and seventeen features, with one feature modification involving the transformation of width and height to the cross-sectional area of RC members. Incorporating three substrate damage levels, two substrate surface treatments preceding UHPC strengthening, and …

Reliability Of Using Secondary And Tertiary Treated Wastewater In Concrete Mixing And Curing, Amany G. Micheal Prof., Haidy Abd El Salam

Architectural Engineering

Water scarcity is a problem that faces many regions. In a developing and arid countries, the need for fresh water is exponentially increasing. One of the most water consuming industries is the construction industry, especially in concrete manufacturing. This research is an evaluation of the Reliability of recycled wastewater to be used in concrete manufacturing. Two different wastewater treatment regimens are implemented: secondary and tertiary treated wastewater. The treated wastewater, either secondary or tertiary, replaces potable water with percentages of 25%, 50%, and 100%. The mixture of the two types of water is used in concrete mixing and curing. Control …

Testing Of Recycled Polypropylene As A Viable Structural Material (Quarter 2), Isabella Jimenez-Melendrez, Katherine Timbes, Jocelyn Embleton, Tauni Dela Cruz, Zyra Kingston, Emily Byrd, Jacob Stinger

Architectural Engineering

5.25 trillion plastic particles have been found in the oceans each year, 3 million water bottles are consumed each hour, and one million plastic bags are used each minute in the United States of America (Williams). The vast majority of conventional plastics such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and more, are non-biodegradable (Tokiwa). To make matters worse, 70% of this non-biodegradable plastic is discarded into landfills and inevitably makes its way into the environment (Williams,). Plastic products have become vital to the United States economy due to their many uses in the construction, packaging, transportation, and health care industries. However, this …

Multifunctional Models In Digital And Physical Twinning Of The Built Environment—A University Campus Case Study, Genda Chen, Ibrahim Alomari, Woubishet Zewdu Taffese, Zhenhua Shi, Mohammad Hossein Afsharmovahed, Tarutal Ghosh Mondal, Son Nguyen

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Digital Twin (DT) Concept Has Been Developed for a Single Function in Previous Studies. This Study Aims to Empower DTs with a Layered Integration of Multifunctional Models in the Built Environment. It Develops a Framework of DT Modules in Three Hierarchical Tiers: Region, Asset, and System; Defines a New Concept of the Degree of Digital Twinning (DODT) to the Real World by the Number of Models Enabled by a Common DT Platform; and Enables Spatiotemporal Analysis in Multiple Scales to Couple Nonstructural with Structural Building Components and Connect the Built Environment to Planning Constructions. While the Asset and System …

Utilizing Ensemble Learning In The Classifications Of Ductile And Brittle Failure Modes Of Uhpc Strengthened Rc Members, Woubishet Zewdu Taffese, Yanping Zhu, Genda Chen

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study aims to achieve the swift and precise classification of ductile and brittle failure modes in flexural reinforced concrete (RC) members, specifically those with tension sides strengthened by ultrahigh performance concrete (UHPC). Employing six ensemble learning techniques—Bagging, Random Forest, AdaBoost, Gradient Boosting, XGBoost, and LightGBM—the authors utilize a comprehensive dataset comprising 14 features, which include manually labeled failure modes obtain from load–deflection curves. The model training spans four scenarios, varying in the inclusion or exclusion of features describing the cross-sectional area of RC members and moment resistance. XGBoost emerges as the most effective classifier, achieving an impressive 84% accuracy …

Experimental Study On Fiber Reinforced Concrete (Frc) Beams With Splices, Mohie Eldin Salah Shoukry, Ahmed Mokhtar Tarabia, Nabil Youssef Nabil

Journal of Engineering Research

This paper presents the results of an experimental study involving nine simply supported beams featuring lap-spliced bars within the constant moment zone. All beams shared identical reinforcement details, including three longitudinal reinforcement bars (12 mm diameter) and two top reinforcement bars (8 mm diameter) for shear stirrup hanging. The lap-spliced specimens were created with a splice length of thirty times the bar diameter (360 mm). The study focused on two key parameters: the fiber content of hooked-end steel fibers used in the concrete mix and the presence of stirrups in the lap-splice region. The hooked-end steel fiber used was with …

Effect Of Corrugation Properties On The Flexural Behavior Of Small-Scale Mono-Symmetric Steel Girders With Corrugated Webs, Ahmed Elgendy, Ahmed M. El Hadidy, Dr. Mahmoud Hassan Elboghdadi

Journal of Engineering Research

Steel girders with corrugated webs have been extensively researched and used in a variety of applications during the last few decades, including bridges and industrial buildings. Many studies explored the behavior of double symmetric girders with corrugated webs, but only a few articles used unequal flanges. Furthermore, the majority of research focuses on large-scale girders such as bridge girders, with just a few publications considering small-scale girders that may be employed in traditional construction applications. Additionally, performed investigations that consider the flexural behavior focused their studies on the effect of varying the dimensions of flanges without considering the effect of …

Finite Element Investigation For The Flexural Behavior Of Small-Scale Mono-Symmetric Steel Girders With Corrugated Webs, Ahmed H. Elgendy, Ahmed M. El Hadidy, Dr. Mahmoud Hassan Elboghdadi

Journal of Engineering Research

In the last decades, steel girders with corrugated webs have been widely investigated and implemented in many applications such as bridges and industrial facilities. Many researchers investigated the flexural behavior of traditional doubly symmetric girders with corrugated webs, but a very limited number of investigations considered the usage of unequal flanges. In addition, for most cases the performed investigations focus on the behavior of large-scale girders similar to bridge girders, while few papers considered small-scale girders that could be used in traditional structures. Thus, the objective of this paper is to investigate the lateral torsional buckling behavior of small-scale unsymmetric …

A 4-Node Shell Finite Element Based On Assumed Bending And Membrane Strains For Static Analysis Of Plates And Shells, Sifeddine Abderrahmani

Emirates Journal for Engineering Research

In this paper the development of a new rectangular flat shell element is proposed. This element is called SBRPK-SBRIE. This element is used in the numerical analysis of thin structures based on the strain approach with linear elastic behavior. Combining bending and membrane elements yields the proposed element.The strain-based rectangular finite element for the thin plate bending element denoted SBRPK, and the strain-based membrane element denoted SBRIE. Several numerical examples have been conducted to assess the accuracy and reliability of the developed element compared with the theoretical results and other finite elements. Obtained results show its good performance compared to …