A pilot scale demonstration of a biological permeable barrier was conducted in a pentachlorophenol-contaminated aquifer at a wood preserving facility. A permeable reactor was constructed to fit within a
large diameter well. Arranged in series, a cylindrical reactor 24" x 36" (0.61 x 0.91m) (diameter x height)
was partitioned to...
Three-dimensional finite element models are developed to simulate the behavior of four fill-scale reinforced concrete beams. The beams are constructed with different fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) strengthening schemes, and are modeled using ANSYS, a commercially available finite element analysis program. The experimental beams replicate the transverse beams of the Horsetail Creek...
The Horsetail Creek Bridge (HCB), constructed in 1914, is located along the Historic Columbia River Highway in Oregon. The original cross beams from the HCB were substantially deficient in shear strength, particularly for the projected increase in traffic loads. One control beam and three beams with varying configurations of a...
This microcosm study demonstrated the enhanced anaerobic transformation of vinyl chloride (VC) to ethylene. A previous microcosm study from Point Mugu site showed the accumulation of VC due to the slow transformation step of VC to ethylene. To overcome the rate-limiting step, two laboratory experiments tested the effect of trichloroethylene...
The addition of exogenously supplied hydrogen stimulates PCP reductive
dechlorination and increases bacterial growth. While research focuses mainly on
pure cultures, few exist capable of aryl reductive dechlorination, and few markers
exist to identify reductively dechlorinating bacteria within mixed cultures.
Furthermore, most active bioremediation projects stimulate mixed cultures of native...
A method is described for determining the partition coefficient, K, for radon gas
distributed between an aqueous phase and an organic solvent. The method uses
sequential extractions of radon into equal volume aliquots of organic solvent. The
radon-laden organic liquid is then counted on a liquid scintillation analyzer with alpha-beta...
The nonlinear response of an ocean system subjected to random excitations can exhibit very complex dynamic behaviors including jump phenomena and coexistence of attractors. In this study, the stochastic system response behavior of a simple (Duffing) oscillator under narrow-band random excitations is first examined in the subharmonic resonance region. A...
A spreadsheet-based transport model was developed in Microsoft Excel™ as part of a six-year National Cooperative Highway Research Program project conducted at Oregon State University. The model simulated the leaching, transport, removal, and retardation processes that occur in the surface and subsurface pathways of the near highway environment. For all...
The mixed metal compound, Chromated Copper Arsenate, or CCA, has been widely used as a wood preservative. The metal ions in CCA, CrO²⁻₄, Cu²⁺, and AsO³⁻₄, have been found in contaminated surface and subsurface soils and groundwater nearby some wood preservative facilities and nearby wood structures. Iron oxides are a...
This thesis focused on using microcosms to better understand the aerobic cometabolic processes of TCE and cis-DCE transformation that occurred during a Cometabolic Air Sparging (CAS) demonstration at McClellan Air Force Base. The microcosms were created with groundwater and aquifer materials from the demonstration site. Concentrations of compounds in the...
The objectives of this study are: (1) to evaluate the effect of reference
displacement on wall behavior under fully reversed cyclic loading using the
CUREE test protocol and (2) to assess damage accumulation (visible fastener
damage and stiffness degradation) for the imposed drift levels. All tests were
conducted on identical...
Friction dampers have been used successfully to dissipate seismic
energy in steel and concrete structures. The application is new to timber
structures. The objectives of this research were to design a slotted bolted
connection (SBC) and evaluate its potential as a passive energy damper in
timber brace.
The research was...
Two interesting challenges have been created in the traditional transportation planning process through recent adoption of more interactive roles by Federal, State and local transportation agencies and of those representing the communities being impacted by proposed transportation projects. First, the decision-making groups that formerly included solely transportation and related professionals...
Mycobacterium vaccae JOB5 and Graphium sp. were studied to evaluate their ability to cometabolize methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and its metabolites after growth on two different alkanes, propane and iso-pentane. Both cultures were capable of cometabolizing MTBE and the metabolites, tert-butyl formate (TBF) and tert-butyl alcohol (TBA). MTBE, TBF, and...
The present research investigates nonlinear barge motions through analyses of coupled multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) deterministic and stochastic models. Roll-Heave-Sway and other lower-ordered models are developed to predict the nonlinear motions and analyze the stability of a class of ship-to-shore cargo barges. The governing equations of motion contain coupled rigid body Roll-Heave-Sway...
This project report presents a laboratory investigation of the dynamic behavior of saturated alluvial silty soils from sites in Oregon and Washington. The focus of the study was to document the liquefaction susceptibility, post cyclic strength, and volumetric strain behavior of the silt soils based on cyclic, undrained triaxial compression...
The objective of this study was to determine the effect of misplaced hold-downs
on the static and cyclic behavior of wood shear walls. Three shear wall
configurations were considered in this study. The first configuration (control) had
hold-downs at the ends of the wall (wall type 1), the second configuration...
The fractal dimension of measured ocean wave profiles is found to be in the range of 1.5-1.8. This non-integer dimension indicates the fractal nature of the waves. Standard formulations to analyze waves are based on a differential approach. Since fractals are non-differentiable, this formulation fails for waves with fractal characteristics....
The goal of this research was to mathematically simulate the ability of bioaugmented microorganisms to aerobically cometabolize a mixture of chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbon (CAH) compounds during in-situ treatment. Parameter values measured from laboratory experiments were applied to the transport model with biotransformation processes included. In laboratory microcosm studies, a butane-grown,...
The research presented here is a study to determine the effect of shear reinforcement corrosion on the shear capacity in conventionally reinforced concrete (CRC) bridge elements. A total of 14 CRC beams were tested using three stirrup spacings (8, 10, and 12-inch). Six of the beams included the influence of...
A considerable amount of research has focused on load-sharing and system effects in repetitive-member wood floor systems subject to transverse loading. However, relatively few studies have been conducted to investigate load-sharing and system effects in repetitive-member wall systems which may be subject to combined transverse and gravity (vertical) loading, and...
This study investigated the use of radon-222 as an in situ partitioning tracer for quantifying nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL) saturations in the subsurface. Laboratory physical aquifer models (PAMs), field experiments, and numerical simulations were used to investigate radon partitioning in static (no-flow) experiments and in single-well, 'push-pull' tests conducted in...
The 1,1-dichloroethene (1,1-DCE) cometabolic transformation abilities of indigenous and bioaugmented microorganisms were compared in microcosms constructed with groundwater and aquifer solids from the Moffett Field site, CA. Microbial community structure in the microcosms and possible community shifts due to 1,1-DCE transformation stress was evaluated by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism...
In recent years, log structures have been marketed as an alternative
to conventional light-frame wood structures. Log structures are constructed
using round timbers (or manufactured timbers) that are stacked vertically
and have interlocking corners. Thru-rods and lag screws are used to
provide inter-log connections. This project was conducted to evaluate...
An experimental study of a passive energy dissipation tension-compression yielding brace or buckling restrained brace has been conducted. The Confined Yielding Damper (CYD) consists of a steel yielding core confined within a tube filled with non-cohesive media. The external tube and confined non-cohesive media provide lateral stability to the core...
The Horsetail Creek (HC) bridge is an example of an Oregon bridge that was classified as structurally deficient and was not designed to withstand earthquake (EQ) excitations. A fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) rehabilitation was performed on the HC bridge to increase flexural and shear capacities for traffic loads. However, a seismic...
Engineering analysis of heavy timber structures under dynamic loads
is generally lacking. Some literature suggests that heavy timber structures
are stiffer than expected, but popular engineering opinion is to the contrary.
In addition, prior research has shown that passive friction dampers can be
used in timber structures for the intended...
This dissertation presents the results of a research effort conducted to better understand the seismic performance and analysis of pile-supported wharves. Given the limited number of well-documented field case histories, the seismic performance of pile-supported wharves has been poorly quantified, and the analysis methods commonly employed in engineering practice have...
The aerobic transformation of TCE and cis-DCE by a tetrabutoxysilane-grown microorganism (Vancheeswaran et al., 1999) led to the investigation of novel substrates, including benzyl alcohol, for promoting cometabolism. The culture grew on carboxylic compounds and alcohols, but did not grow on formate, methanol, methane, propane, butane, ethylene, benzene, toluene, or...
On August 31, 1992, Quality Printing Circuits, a circuit board manufacturing plant in Phoenix, Arizona, burned to the ground. The fire lasted approximately eight hours, creating a thick, black smoke that blew into the surrounding community. Emergency evacuation was erratic and since no air samples were taken during the fire,...
Shallow land burial in vadose zone sediment at the Hanford Site in Washington is being considered for the disposal of Category 3 low-level waste. A series of column experiments were conducted to evaluate and model the performance of the soil surrounding the trench encasement material for iodine-129 and technetium-99 by...
Groundwater at Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Field Research Center (FRC) is contaminated with U(VI) and Tc(VII), has pH values as low as 3.3, and nitrate concentrations as high as 120 mM. The objective of this research was to determine if in-situ bio-immobilization is a viable treatment alternative for this water....
This study investigated complete reductive dechlorination of chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons (CAHs) over a broad range of concentrations. Tetrabutoxysilane (TBOS), as a slow-release anaerobic substrate, was studied for enhanced reductive dechlorination of tetrachioroethylene (PCE) present as a dense non-aqueous liquid (DNAPL). Four different site-mixed cultures were used in the study: Site-300...
Laboratory and modeling studies were performed with a mixed-anaerobic-culture obtained from the Evanite site in Corvallis, Oregon. The culture completely transforms trichloroethene (TCE) to cis-dichloroethene (c-DCE), vinyl chloride (VC), and finally to ethene. Acetylene inhibition studies were used to examine the culture's microbial activities. Kinetic studies determined the half-saturated constant...
Performance-based design has gained interest in recent years among structural designers and researchers. Performance-based design includes selection of appropriate building sites, structural systems and configurations, as well as analytical procedures used in the design process, to confirm that the structure has adequate strength, stiffness and energy dissipation capacity to respond...
Many publications, documents, codes and guidelines exist related to the seismic evaluation and rehabilitation design of existing buildings. This report discusses the assumptions and methods employed for investigation of two wood structures using four references: FEMA 154, FEMA 356, ASCEI per SEI 31, and 1997 UBC. The screening performed using...
1,1,1-Tricholorethane (1,1,1-TCA), a widely used industrial solvents, is one of the most common subsurface contaminants. Transformation processes in the subsurface can result in the production of 1,1-dichioroethane (1,1-DCA) and 1,1- dichioroethene (l,1-DCE) from 1,1,1-TCA contamination, resulting in plumes of mixed chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons (CAHs). A butane-utilizing microorganism, strain 1 83BP,...
The transformation of 1,1,1 -trichioroethane (1,1,1 -TCA) and 1,1 -dichioroethene (1,1 -
DCE) was evaluated in a continuous flow column reactor using a mixed culture that grew
on butane. The column was packed with aquifer materials and groundwater obtained
from the in-situ bioremediation test site at Moffett Field, CA. The...
Performance evaluation of conventionally reinforced concrete (CRC) bridge superstructure elements with diagonal cracks is of interest to the bridge engineering community. Standardized methods to predict service-level stress magnitudes in cracked bridge girders under combined bending and shear forces are not available. An analysis procedure was developed to determine the response...
Assessment of an existing bridge is needed when the structure exhibits signs of distress. Assessment practices require refinement in the calculation of loading and resistance while maintaining an acceptable level of risk, to minimize costs associated with repair, replacement and weight restrictions. Previous risk-based assessments evaluated the strength cases for...
Large numbers of 1950's vintage conventionally reinforced concrete (CRC) bridges remain in-service in the national bridge inventory. Many of these bridges are lightly reinforced for shear. Evaluation of these bridges to prevent unnecessary and costly repairs requires refined analytical techniques. This dissertation presents finite element (FE) modeling and comparisons of...
Structural design codes have evolved continuously since modern codes were established. The allowable stress design format has been widely used since the late 191h century. During the past two decades, probability-based limit states design concepts have evolved and are increasingly being used for various material and structural types. Limit state...
The cyclic resistance of predominantly fine-grained soils has received considerable attention following ground and foundation failures at sites underlain by silt-rich soils during recent earthquakes. In several cases substantial ground deformation and reduced bearing capacity of silt soils has been attributed to excess pore pressure generation during cyclic loading. These...
The objectives of this study were to evaluate the performance of wood frame shear walls
under monotonic, cyclic and earthquake loads by: (1) estimating the variability of shear wall
performance, (2) comparing the performance of walls under each loading protocol, (3) evaluating
the effects of anchorage on wall performance, and...
Uranium adsorption to Hanford sediment was studied for various pH, total inorganic carbon concentrations, and total U(VI) concentrations. Both batch and transport studies were done in an attempt to understand the adsorptive trend of U(VI) on Hanford sediment, and the changes in adsorption as both pH and total inorganic carbon...
A numerical model for the simulation of fully-coupled fluid-structure
interaction is developed in this study. In modeling the fluid, the Reynolds
Averaged Navier-Stokes equations are solved for an incompressible viscous
fluid field and a k-ε model is employed for turbulence computations.
Hydrodynamic forces obtained by the integration of the fluid...
The Asphalt Pavement Analyzer (APA) device was used to characterize the impact of various mix factors on the development of permanent deformation in dense-graded mixes given a standard compactive effort. Factors included two aggregate sizes, three VMA levels, two fines contents, three binder contents and four binder types. All specimens...