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Using Industry Data to Make an Impact on Construction Practices over the Project Lifecycle

Description

The construction industry generates tremendous amounts of data every day. Data can inform practitioners to increase their project performance as well as the quality of the resulting built environment. The data gathered from each stage has unique characteristics, and processing them to the appropriate information is critical. However, it is…

The construction industry generates tremendous amounts of data every day. Data can inform practitioners to increase their project performance as well as the quality of the resulting built environment. The data gathered from each stage has unique characteristics, and processing them to the appropriate information is critical. However, it is often difficult to measure the impact of the research across project phases (i.e., planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance, and end-of-life). The goal of this dissertation is to present how industry data can be used to make an impact on construction practices and test a suite of methods to measure the impact of construction research across project phases. The dissertation provides examples of impactful research studies for each project phase to demonstrate the collection and utilization of data generated from each stage and to assess the potential tangible impact on construction industry practices. The completed studies presented both quantitative and qualitative analyses. The first study focuses on the planning phase and provides a practice to improve frond end planning (FEP) implementation by developing the project definition rating index (PDRI) maturity and accuracy total rating system (MATRS). The second study uses earned value management system (EVMS) information from the design and construction phases to support reliable project control and management. The dissertation then provides a third study, this time focusing on the operations phase and comparing the impact of project delivery methods using the international roughness index (IRI). Lastly, the end-of-life or decommissioning phase is tackled through a study that gauges the monetary impact of the circular economy concept applied to reuse construction and demolition (C&D) waste. This dissertation measures the impact of the research according to the knowledge mobilization (KMb) theory, which illustrates the value of the work to the public and to practitioners.

ContributorsCho, Namho (Author) / El Asmar, Mounir (Thesis advisor) / Gibson, George (Committee member) / Kaloush, Kamil (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)

Created2020

Data-driven Methods for Characterizing Transportation System Performances Under Congested Conditions: A Phoenix Study

Description

Travel time is the main transportation system performance measure used by the planning community to evaluate the impacts of traffic congestion on infrastructure investment projects and policy development plans. Planners rely on the travel demand model tool estimates for the selection and prioritization of critical and sensitive projects to meet…

Travel time is the main transportation system performance measure used by the planning community to evaluate the impacts of traffic congestion on infrastructure investment projects and policy development plans. Planners rely on the travel demand model tool estimates for the selection and prioritization of critical and sensitive projects to meet the fiscally constraint requirements imposed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on their transportation improvement programs (TIP). While travel demand model estimates have been successfully implemented in the evaluation of project scenarios or alternatives, the application of the methods used in the travel demand model to generate these estimates continues to present a critical challenge, particularly to modelers who have to produce a validated model upon which traffic predictions can be made. The various volume-delay functions (VDFs) including the Bureau of Public Roads (BPR) function, used in the travel demand model to relate traffic volume to travel time, are developed based on system-wide attributes. BPR function in its polynomial form is computationally efficient and simple for implementation in a transport planning software. The planning community has long recognized that the BPR function cannot capture traffic flow dynamics and queue evolution processes. Besides, it has difficulties in using the average travel time measure to describe an oversaturated bottleneck with high density but low throughput. This dissertation aims to propose a simplified and yet effective point-queue based modeling approach built on the cumulative vehicle arrival concept, and the polynomial equation formula, based on Newell’s method, to estimate travel time at a corridor level using real-world speed and count measurements. A traffic state estimation (TSE) method is also proposed to characterize data into various states, such as congested state and uncongested state, using Markov Chain to capture current traffic pattern and Bayesian Classifier to infer congestion effects. As the testbed for the case study, the research selects the Phoenix freeway corridor with year-round traffic data collected from embedded traffic loop detectors. The results and effectiveness of the proposed methods are discussed to shed light on the calibration of link performance function, which is an analytical building block for system-wide performance evaluation.

ContributorsBelezamo, Baloka (Author) / Zhou, Xuesong (Thesis advisor) / Pendyala, Ram (Committee member) / Lou, Yingyan (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)

Created2020

Volume Change Behavior of Expansive Clay Stabilized with Bio-based Silica Gel

Description

This document presents the assessment of the swelling behavior of expansive clay stabilized with bio-based silica gel and subjected to wetting and drying cycles. The expansive clay used in this research was obtained from Anthem, Arizona. Rice husk is a rich silica by-product of rice production with commercial uses and…

This document presents the assessment of the swelling behavior of expansive clay stabilized with bio-based silica gel and subjected to wetting and drying cycles. The expansive clay used in this research was obtained from Anthem, Arizona. Rice husk is a rich silica by-product of rice production with commercial uses and applications in the industry. Rice husk ash from two different sources -California (named ASU) and India- were subjected to chemical characterization. Fourier Transform Infra-red Spectroscopy was used to verify the functional groups of the gel formed. Results showed differences between the ashes from different sources and confirmed the presence of silica structure bonds. X-Ray Diffraction (XRF) results showed that the ASU ash contained more amorphous silica than the Indian ash.One dimensional swell and consolidation tests were performed to investigate the volume change behavior of the untreated and silica gel treated remoulded samples. The free swell of the clay decreased from 12.3% (untreated sample) to 7.2% (ASU sample) and 11.4% (Indian sample). The effect of the wet and dry cycles on the swelling and consolidation characteristics of the untreated clay demonstrated that the treatment is irreversible after three cycles. Swelling of clay treated with ASU ash was reduced after the first cycle, while that of the clay treated with Indian ash was reduced after three cycles. This was due to the gelation time difference between treatments. Scanning Electron Microscopy images showed that the structure of the untreated clay was discontinuous, flaky and without aggregations whereas particles in the treated samples were aggregated and new bonds were created, decreasing the surface area. The X-Ray Diffraction (XRF) results showed that the main mineral responsible for expansive behavior of the clay studied was illite. The d-spacing of the illite decreased from 4.47Å for the untreated clay to 3.33Å for the treated clay. This study demonstrates a promising technique for clay swelling reduction and a more sustainable solution than that available to current practicing engineering.

ContributorsBogere, Limon (Author) / Zapata, Claudia E (Thesis advisor) / Kavazanjian, Edward (Committee member) / Khodadaditirkolaei, Hamed (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)

Created2020

Implications of Bio-modification on Moisture Damage Mechanisms in Asphalt Binder Matrix

Description

Bio-modification of asphalt binder brings significant benefits in terms of increasing sustainable and environmental practices, stabilizing prices, and decreasing costs. However, bio-modified asphalt binders have shown varying performance regarding susceptibility to moisture damage; some bio-oil modifiers significantly increase asphalt binder's susceptibility to moisture damage. This variability in performance is largely…

Bio-modification of asphalt binder brings significant benefits in terms of increasing sustainable and environmental practices, stabilizing prices, and decreasing costs. However, bio-modified asphalt binders have shown varying performance regarding susceptibility to moisture damage; some bio-oil modifiers significantly increase asphalt binder's susceptibility to moisture damage. This variability in performance is largely due to the large number of bio-masses available for use as sources of bio-oil, as well as the type of processing procedure followed in converting the bio-mass into a bio-oil for modifying asphalt binder. Therefore, there is a need for a method of properly evaluating the potential impact of a bio-oil modifier for asphalt binder on the overall performance of asphalt pavement, in order to properly distinguish whether a particular bio-oil modifier increases or decreases the moisture susceptibility of asphalt binder. Therefore, the goal of this study is a multi-scale investigation of bio-oils with known chemical compositions to determine if there is a correlation between a fundamental property of a bio-oil and the resulting increase or decrease in moisture susceptibility of a binder when it is modified with the bio-oil. For instance, it was found that polarizability of asphalt constituents can be a promising indicator of moisture susceptibility of bitumen. This study will also evaluate the linkage of the fundamental property to newly developed binder-level test methods. It was found that moisture-induced shear thinning of bitumen containing glass beads can differentiate moisture susceptible bitumen samples. Based on the knowledge determined, alternative methods of reducing the moisture susceptibility of asphalt pavement will also be evaluated. It was shown that accumulation of acidic compounds at the interface of bitumen and aggregate could promote moisture damage. It was further found that detracting acidic compounds from the interface could be done by either of neutralizing active site of stone aggregate to reduce affinity for acids or by arresting acidic compounds using active mineral filler. The study results showed there is a strong relation between composition of bitumen and its susceptibility to moisture. This in turn emphasize the importance of integrating knowledge of surface chemistry and bitumen composition into the pavement design and evaluation.

ContributorsOldham, Daniel Joshua (Author) / Fini, Elham F (Thesis advisor) / Kaloush, Kamil (Committee member) / Deng, Shuguang (Committee member) / Mallick, Rajib B (Committee member) / Louie, Stacey M (Committee member) / Parast, Mahour M (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)

Created2020

Predictive Control of Interpersonal Communication Processes in Civil Infrastructure Systems Operations

Description

Interpersonal communications during civil infrastructure systems operation and maintenance (CIS O&M) are processes for CIS O&M participants to exchange critical information. Poor communications that provide misleading information can jeopardize CIS O&M safety and efficiency. Previous studies suggest that communication contexts and features could be indicators of communication errors and relevant…

Interpersonal communications during civil infrastructure systems operation and maintenance (CIS O&M) are processes for CIS O&M participants to exchange critical information. Poor communications that provide misleading information can jeopardize CIS O&M safety and efficiency. Previous studies suggest that communication contexts and features could be indicators of communication errors and relevant CIS O&M risks. However, challenges remain for reliable prediction of communication errors to ensure CIS O&M safety and efficiency. For example, existing studies lack a systematic summarization of risky contexts and features of communication processes for predicting communication errors. Limited studies examined quantitative methods for incorporating expert opinions as constraints for reliable communication error prediction. How to examine mitigation strategies (e.g., adjustments of communication protocols) for reducing communication-related CIS O&M risks is also challenging. The main reason is the lack of causal analysis about how various factors influence the occurrences and impacts of communication errors so that engineers lack the basis for intervention.

This dissertation presents a method that integrates Bayesian Network (BN) modeling and simulation for communication-related risk prediction and mitigation. The proposed method aims at tackling the three challenges mentioned above for ensuring CIS O&M safety and efficiency. The proposed method contains three parts: 1) Communication Data Collection and Error Detection – designing lab experiments for collecting communication data in CIS O&M workflows and using the collected data for identifying risky communication contexts and features; 2) Communication Error Classification and Prediction – encoding expert knowledge as constraints through BN model updating to improve the accuracy of communication error prediction based on given communication contexts and features, and 3) Communication Risk Mitigation – carrying out simulations to adjust communication protocols for reducing communication-related CIS O&M risks.

This dissertation uses two CIS O&M case studies (air traffic control and NPP outages) to validate the proposed method. The results indicate that the proposed method can 1) identify risky communication contexts and features, 2) predict communication errors and CIS O&M risks, and 3) reduce CIS O&M risks triggered by communication errors. The author envisions that the proposed method will shed light on achieving predictive control of interpersonal communications in dynamic and complex CIS O&M.

ContributorsSun, Zhe (Author) / Tang, Pingbo (Thesis advisor) / Ayer, Steven K (Committee member) / Cooke, Nancy J. (Committee member) / Liu, Yongming (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)

Created2020

Multi-Scale Characterization of Bitumen Doped with Sustainable Modifiers

Description

This research is a comprehensive study of the sustainable modifiers for asphalt binder. It is a common practice to use modifiers to impart certain properties to asphalt binder; however, in order to facilitate the synthesis and design of highly effective sustainable modifiers, it is critical to thoroughly understand their underlying…

This research is a comprehensive study of the sustainable modifiers for asphalt binder. It is a common practice to use modifiers to impart certain properties to asphalt binder; however, in order to facilitate the synthesis and design of highly effective sustainable modifiers, it is critical to thoroughly understand their underlying molecular level mechanisms in combination with micro and macro-level behavior. Therefore, this study incorporates a multi-scale approach using computational modeling and laboratory experiments to provide an in-depth understanding of the mechanisms of interaction between selected modifiers and the constituents of asphalt binder, at aged and unaged conditions. This study investigated the effect of paraffinic wax as a modifier for virgin binder in warm-mix asphalt that can reduce the environmental burden of asphalt pavements. The addition of wax was shown to reduce the viscosity of bitumen by reducing the self-interaction of asphaltene molecules and penetrating the existing nano agglomerates of asphaltenes. This study further examined how the interplay of various modifiers affects the modified binder’s thermomechanical properties. It was found that the presence of wax-based modifiers has a disrupting effect on the role of polyphosphoric acid that is another modifier of bitumen and its interactions with resin-type molecules.

This study was further extended to using nanozeolite as a mineral carrier for wax to better disperse wax in bitumen and reduce the wax's adverse effects such as physical hardening at low service temperatures and rutting at high service temperatures. This novel technique showed that using a different method of adding a modifier can help reduce the modifier's unwanted effects. It further showed that nanozeolite could carry wax-based modifiers and release them in bitumen, then acting as a scavenger for acidic compounds in the binder. This, in turn, could promote the resistance of asphalt binder to moisture damage by reducing the quantity of acidic compounds at the interface between the binder and the stone aggregates.

Furthermore, this study shows that iso-paraffin wax can reduce oxidized asphaltene molecules self-interaction and therefore, reduce the viscosity of aged bitumen while cause brittleness at low temperatures.

Additionally, a cradle to gate life-cycle assessment was performed for a new bio-modifier obtained from swine manure. This study showed that by partially replacing the bitumen with bio-binder from swine manure, the carbon footprint of the binder can be reduced by 10% in conjunction with reducing the cost and environmental impact of storing the manure in lagoons.

ContributorsSamieadel, Alireza (Author) / Fini, Elham H (Thesis advisor) / Kaloush, Kamil (Committee member) / Parrish, Kristen (Committee member) / Sharma, Brajendra Kumar (Committee member) / Parast, Mahour M (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)

Created2020

Contingency Analysis for Coupled Power-Water Networks

Description

A mathematical approach was developed to evaluate the resilience of coupled power-water networks using a variant of contingency analysis adapted from electric transmission studies. In particular, the “what if” scenarios explored in power systems research were extended and applied for coupled power-water network research by evaluating how stressors and failures…

A mathematical approach was developed to evaluate the resilience of coupled power-water networks using a variant of contingency analysis adapted from electric transmission studies. In particular, the “what if” scenarios explored in power systems research were extended and applied for coupled power-water network research by evaluating how stressors and failures in the water network can propagate across system boundaries and into the electric network. Reduction in power system contingency reserves was the metric for determining violation of N-1 contingency reliability. Geospatial considerations were included using high-resolution, publicly available Geographic Information System data on infrastructure in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area that was used to generate a power network with 599 transmission lines and total generation capacity of 18.98 GW and a water network with 2,624 water network lines and capacity to serve up to 1.72M GPM of surface water. The steady-state model incorporated operating requirements for the power network—e.g., contingency reserves—and the water network—e.g., pressure ranges—while seeking to meet electric load and water demand. Interconnections developed between the infrastructures demonstrated how alternations to the system state and/or configuration of one network affect the other network, with results demonstrated through co-simulation of the power network and water network using OpenDSS and EPANET, respectively. Results indicate four key findings that help operators understand the interdependent behavior of the coupled power-water network: (i) two water failure scenarios (water flowing out of Waddell dam and CAP canal flowing west of Waddell dam) are critical to power-water network N-1 contingency reliability above 60% power system loading and at 100% water system demand, (ii) fast-starting natural gas generating units are necessary to maintain N-1 contingency reliability below 60% power system loading, (iii) Coolidge Station was the power plant to most frequently undergo a reduction in reserves amongst the water failure scenarios that cause a violation of N-1 reliability, (iv) power network vulnerability to water network failures was non-linear because it depends on the generating units that are dispatched, which can vary as line thermal limits or unit generation capacities are reached.

ContributorsGorman, Brandon (Author) / Johnson, Nathan G (Thesis advisor) / Seager, Thomas P (Committee member) / Chester, Mikhail V (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)

Created2020

Developing an Augmented Reality Solution for Mapping Underground Infrastructure

Description

Underground infrastructure is a critical part of the essential utility services provided to society and the backbone of modern civilization. However, now more than ever before, the disastrous events of a striking underground utilities cost billions of dollars each year in societal damages. Advanced technology and sophisticated visualization techniques such…

Underground infrastructure is a critical part of the essential utility services provided to society and the backbone of modern civilization. However, now more than ever before, the disastrous events of a striking underground utilities cost billions of dollars each year in societal damages. Advanced technology and sophisticated visualization techniques such as augmented reality (AR) now play a significant role in mitigating such devastating consequences. Therefore, it is vitally important to coordinate resources, share information, and ensure efficient communication between construction personnel and utility owners. Besides, geographic information systems (GIS) provide a solution for interoperability in the construction industry. Applying such technologies in the field of underground construction requires accurate and up-to-date information. However, there is currently limited research that has integrated AR and GIS and evaluated the effectiveness and usability of the combination in this domain. The main objective of this research was to develop an integrated AR-GIS for mapping and capturing underground utilities using a mobile device. To achieve these objectives, a design research approach utilized to develop and evaluate a mobile extended-reality (XR-GIS) application. This research has produced an efficient solution for data collection and sharing among stakeholders in the underground construction industry. The main challenge in creating a reliable and adaptive outdoor AR system is the accurate registration of virtual objects in the real world. Due to the limited accuracy of smartphones, this study used an external Global Positioning System (GPS) devices to reduce positional error. The primary motivation behind this research is to make the construction industry more aware of the benefits of leveraging AR to prevent utility strikes and enhance public safety.

This dissertation fills the gap in the knowledge regarding applying Augmented Reality (AR) in the underground infrastructure mapping. This study’s three research objectives are:

(1) Identify the challenges and barriers facing the underground construction industry when applying AR.

(2) Develop an integrated AR-GIS for mapping and capturing underground utilities using a mobile device.

(3) Evaluate the horizontal accuracy of the captured data used by the AR phone application XR-GIS that has been developed by the author.

ContributorsFenais, Amr (Author) / Ariaratnam, Samuel T (Thesis advisor) / Ayer, Steven K (Committee member) / Kaloush, Kamil (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)

Created2020

Novel materials and processing routes using alkali-activated systems

Description

This dissertation aims at developing novel materials and processing routes using alkali activated aluminosilicate binders for porous (lightweight) geopolymer matrices and 3D-printing concrete applications. The major research objectives are executed in different stages. Stage 1 includes developing synthesis routes, microstructural characterization, and performance characterization of a family of economical, multifunctional…

This dissertation aims at developing novel materials and processing routes using alkali activated aluminosilicate binders for porous (lightweight) geopolymer matrices and 3D-printing concrete applications. The major research objectives are executed in different stages. Stage 1 includes developing synthesis routes, microstructural characterization, and performance characterization of a family of economical, multifunctional porous ceramics developed through geopolymerization of an abundant volcanic tuff (aluminosilicate mineral) as the primary source material. Metakaolin, silica fume, alumina powder, and pure silicon powder are also used as additional ingredients when necessary and activated by potassium-based alkaline agents. In Stage 2, a processing route was developed to synthesize lightweight geopolymer matrices from fly ash through carbonate-based activation. Sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) was used in this study to produce controlled pores through the release of CO2 during the low-temperature decomposition of Na2CO3. Stage 3 focuses on 3D printing of binders using geopolymeric binders along with several OPC-based 3D printable binders. In Stage 4, synthesis and characterization of 3D-printable foamed fly ash-based geopolymer matrices for thermal insulation is the focus. A surfactant-based foaming process, multi-step mixing that ensures foam jamming transition and thus a dry foam, and microstructural packing to ensure adequate skeletal density are implemented to develop foamed suspensions amenable to 3D-printing. The last stage of this research develops 3D-printable alkali-activated ground granulated blast furnace slag mixture. Slag is used as the source of aluminosilicate and shows excellent mechanical properties when activated by highly alkaline activator (NaOH + sodium silicate solution). However, alkali activated slag sets and hardens rapidly which is undesirable for 3D printing. Thus, a novel mixing procedure is developed to significantly extend the setting time of slag activated with an alkaline activator to suit 3D printing applications without the use of any retarding admixtures. This dissertation, thus advances the field of sustainable and 3D-printable matrices and opens up a new avenue for faster and economical construction using specialized materials.

ContributorsAlghamdi, Hussam Suhail G (Author) / Neithalath, Narayanan (Thesis advisor) / Rajan, Subramaniam D. (Committee member) / Mobasher, Barzin (Committee member) / Abbaszadegan, Morteza (Committee member) / Bhate, Dhruv (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)

Created2019

Propagation of Radar Rainfall Uncertainties into Urban Flood Predictions: An Application in Phoenix, AZ

Description

The Phoenix Metropolitan region is subject to intense summer monsoon thunderstorms that cause highly localized flooding. Due to the challenges in predicting these meteorological phenomena and modeling rainfall-runoff transformations in urban areas, the ability of the current operational forecasting system to predict the exact occurrence in space and time of…

The Phoenix Metropolitan region is subject to intense summer monsoon thunderstorms that cause highly localized flooding. Due to the challenges in predicting these meteorological phenomena and modeling rainfall-runoff transformations in urban areas, the ability of the current operational forecasting system to predict the exact occurrence in space and time of floods in the urban region is still very limited. This thesis contributes to addressing this limitation in two ways. First, the existing 4-km, 1-h Stage IV and the new 1-km, 2-min Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor (MRMS) radar products are compared using a network of 365 gages as reference. It is found that MRMS products consistently overestimate rainfall during both monsoonal and tropical storms compared to Stage IV and local rain gauge measurements, although once bias-corrected offer a reasonable estimate for true rainfall at a higher spatial and temporal resolution than rain gauges can offer. Second, a model that quantifies the uncertainty of the radar products is applied and used to assess the propagation of rainfall errors through a hydrologic-hydraulic model of a small urban catchment in Downtown Phoenix using a Monte Carlo simulation. The results of these simulations suggest that for this catchment, the magnitude of variability in the distribution of runoff values is proportional to that of the input rainfall values.

ContributorsHjelmstad, Annika (Author) / Mascaro, Giuseppe (Thesis advisor) / Garcia, Margaret (Thesis advisor) / Xu, Tianfang (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)

Created2020

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