• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.187-209
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• 2002

The infrastructure system in the United States has been aging faster than the resource available to restore them. Therefore decision for allocating the resources is based in part on the condition of the structural system. This paper proposes to use neural network to predict the overall rating of the structural system because of the successful applications of neural network to other fields which require a "symptom-diagnostic" type relationship. The goal of this paper is to illustrate the potential of using neural network in civil engineering applications and, particularly, in bridge evaluations. Data collected by the Tennessee Department of Transportation were used as "test bed" for the study. Multi-layer feed forward networks were developed using the Levenberg-Marquardt training algorithm. All the neural networks consisted of at least one hidden layer of neurons. Hyperbolic tangent transfer functions were used in the first hidden layer and log-sigmoid transfer functions were used in the subsequent hidden and output layers. The best performing neural network consisted of three hidden layers. This network contained three neurons in the first hidden layer, two neurons in the second hidden layer and one neuron in the third hidden layer. The neural network performed well based on a target error of 10%. The results of this study indicate that the potential for using neural networks for the evaluation of infrastructure systems is very good.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.497-507
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• 2019

Exposed column base connections are used in low- to mid-rise steel moment resisting frames. This paper is to investigate the effect of the base plate thickness on the exposed column base connection strength, stiffness, and energy dissipation. Five specimens with different base plate thickness were numerically modelled using ABAQUS software. The numerical model is able to reproduce the key characteristics of the experimental response. Based on the numerical analysis, the critical base plate thickness to identify the base plate and anchor rod yield mechanism is proposed. For the connection with base plate yield mechanism, the resisting moment is carried by the flexural bending of the base plate. Yield lines in the base plate on the tension side and compression side are illustrated, respectively. This type of connection exhibits a relatively large energy dissipation. For the connection with anchor rod yield mechanism, the moment is resisted through a combination of bearing stresses of concrete foundation on the compression side and tensile forces in the anchor rods on the tension side. This type of connection exhibits self-centering behavior and shows higher initial stiffness and bending strength. In addition, the methods to predict the moment resistance of the connection with different yield mechanisms are presented. And the evaluated moment resistances agree well with the values obtained from the FEM model.

• International conference on construction engineering and project management
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• 2022.06a
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• pp.3-10
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• 2022

An estimated investment gap of $176 billion needs to be filled over the next ten years to improve America's inland waterway transportation systems. Many of these infrastructure systems are now beyond their original 50-year design life and are often behind in maintenance due to funding constraints. Therefore, long-term maintenance strategies (i.e., asset management (AM) strategies) are needed to optimize investments across these waterway systems to improve their condition. Two common AM strategies include policy-driven maintenance and performance-driven maintenance. Currently, limited research exists on selecting the optimal AM approach for managing inland waterway transportation assets. Therefore, the goal of this study is to provide a decision model that can be used to select the optimal alternative between the two AM approaches by considering key uncertainties such as asset condition, asset test results, and asset failure. We achieve this goal by addressing the decision problem as a single-criterion problem, which calculates each alternative's expected value and certain equivalence using allocated monetary values to determine the recommended alternative for optimally maintaining navigable waterways. The decision model considers estimated and predicted values based on the current state of the infrastructure. This research concludes that the performance-based approach is the optimal alternative based on the expected value obtained from the analysis. This research sets the stage for further studies on fiscal constraints that will effectively optimize these assets condition.

• International conference on construction engineering and project management
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• 2022.06a
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• pp.1032-1039
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• 2022

Evaluating infrastructure's impact on social equity is an emerging area of research in transportation construction engineering. Transportation agencies have been trying to include sustainable development. The three components of sustainable development are environmental protection, social equity, and economic development. Although social equity is one of the essential components of sustainable development, most transportation agencies do not consider this component. The research publications in this area are limited. The principal objective of this study is to synthesize existing studies related to the impact of transportation infrastructures on social equity. This study will also identify social equity indicators, the correlation between social equity and transportation infrastructures and their services, and the impact of transportation infrastructures' on social equity. In addition, this study will identify current issues of social equity and will provide some recommendations. This synthesis study revealed that transportation infrastructures impacted social equity in various ways. Some effects are positive, such as new job creation on the market. Other effects are adverse, such as diminishing socio-economic and environmental degradation. Studies also showed that the current practices evaluated infrastructures' impact on a case-by-case basis. The authors recommend adopting a multi-disciplinary holistic for assessing infrastructure's effects on social equity. The multi-disciplinary fields of study include civil engineers, construction engineers/managers, public policy researchers, environmentalists, and social scientists.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.577-596
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• 2007

Recent development of fiber optic sensor technology has provided an excellent choice for civil engineers for performance monitoring of civil infrastructures. Fiber optic sensors have the advantages of small dimensions, good resolution and accuracy, as well as excellent ability to transmit signal at long distances. They are also immune to electromagnetic and radio frequency interference and may incorporate a series of interrogated sensors multiplexed along a single fiber. These advantages make fiber optic sensors a better method than traditional damage detection methods and devices to some extent. This paper provides a review of recent developments in fiber optic sensor technology as well as some applications of fiber optic sensors to the performance monitoring of civil infrastructures such as buildings, bridges, pavements, dams, pipelines, tunnels, piles, etc. Existing problems of fiber optic sensors with their applications to civil structural performance monitoring are also discussed.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.433-445
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• 1999

Sandwich panels comprising steel facings and a polystyrene foam core are increasingly used as roof and wall claddings in buildings in Australia. When they are subjected to loads causing bending and/or axial compression, the steel plate elements of their profiled facing are susceptible to local buckling. However, when compared to panels with no foam core, they demonstrate significantly improved local buckling behaviour because they are supported by foam. In order to quantify such improvements and to validate the use of available design buckling stress formulae, an investigation using finite element analyses and laboratory experiments was carried out on steel plates that are commonly used in Australia of varying yield stress and thickness supported by a polystyrene foam core. This paper presents the details of this investigation, the buckling results and their comparison with available design buckling formulae.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.419-444
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• 2014

In this study experimental result of a total of eight SCC and FRSCC slabs with the same cross-section were monitored for up to 240 days to measure the time-dependent development of cracking and deformations under service loads are presented. For this purpose, four SCC mixes are considered in the test program. This study aimed to compare SCC and FRSCC experimental results with conventional concrete experimental results. The steel strains within the high moment regions, the concrete surface strains at the tensile steel level, deflection at the mid-span, crack widths and crack spacing were recorded throughout the testing period. Experimental results show that hybrid fibre reinforced SCC slabs demonstrated minimum instantaneous and time-dependent crack widths and steel fibre reinforced SCC slabs presented minimum final deflection.

• Journal of KIBIM
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.19-28
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• 2018

Recent increase in the interest and adoption of BIM for infrastructure projects has created a need for formal BIM guidelines in the civil engineering domain. Currently a BIM guideline has been developed in Korea exclusively for the road sector. However, the guideline has gaps in the specification of how BIM models should be generated, managed and applied for maximum effect in projects. This study reviewed the guidelines and tender documents of Singapore to determine potential improvements to adopt in Korea. Results showed that Korea's guideline should focus more on process integration as to stipulating BIM deliverables, encourage a common data environment, clearly distinguish between compulsory and selective BIM applications, and require data and models that can be leveraged in the operation phase of the facility.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2006.03a
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• pp.239-248
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• 2006

The interaction between ground water and structure is complicated behavior which cannot be easily investigated In the laboratory and monitored in the fields. In this study numerical simulation of the interactive behavior was performed using sophisticated coupled-finite element method. Hydraulic behavior of structure is modeled using solid elements with finite Permeability. Recovery of ground water table in the long-term is considered by controlling hydraulic boundary conditions. The results showed that the interaction effect is significant. Particularly non-symmetry in the lining permeability resulted in highly unbalanced pore water pressure which may cause detrimental effects on inner linings of tunnels acting as drains.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.449-470
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• 2011

During the last thirty years many structural control concepts have been proposed for the reduction of the structural response caused by earthquake excitations. Their research and implementation in practice have shown that seismic control of structures has a lot of potential but also many limitations. In this paper the importance of two practical issues, time delay and saturation effect, on the performance of controlled structures, is discussed. Their influence, both separately and in interaction, on the response of structures controlled by a modified pole placement algorithm is investigated. Characteristic buildings controlled by this algorithm and subjected to dynamic loads, such as harmonic signals and actual seismic events, are analyzed for a range of levels of time delay and saturation capacity of the control devices. The response reduction surfaces for the combined influence of time delay and force saturation of the controlled buildings are obtained. Conclusions regarding the choice of the control system and the desired properties of the control devices are drawn.