Aggregate piers have been used for centuries, with increasing occurrence in the last few decades. Their usage has been driven by land development demand and enabled through equipment and engineering improvements. Understanding the principles controlling bearing capacities and serviceability performance has been an ongoing area of interest for structures supported...
A study of the effect of mixing on the oxygen uptake rate of
estuarine bottom deposits is presented. The method of study involved
the mixing of samples of bottom deposits with the overlying water to
result in concentrations of suspended matter in the same order as
observed in the estuary....
Chromium spills on soils are causing severe groundwater contamination
problems. To increase the performance of cleanup methods, the chemical behavior
of chromium in soils and its transport through soils have to be understood. The
objectives of this research were to investigate the sorption characteristics of
chromium(VI) in soil and to...
This paper investigates a particular bridge construction technique
which could result in a significant torsional moment. The
structural member under consideration is a prestressed concrete
girder for which no torsional consideration is made.
Torsional shear stresses can be adequately approximated for
an I-shaped girder. Laboratory model tests were performed to...
The objective of this project was to develop an analytical model of a light-framed wood structure using a prevalent structural analysis computer program in order to evaluate system effects and define load paths within the structure, especially under extreme wind events. Simplified modeling techniques and material definitions were developed and...
The objective of this project was to evaluate methods to remediate a wood I-joist with a single, circular hole in the web while leaving utilities in place. The methods were experimentally evaluated with a full-scale bending test using four equally spaced point loads. There were three depths of joists with...
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Figure A-9. Tangential Stress Distribution for Hole Located at L/10 from Left Support of Simply
The objective of this study was to compare light wood framing and traditional timber
framing quantitatively through environmental impact assessment and load path analysis. This
research was inspired by a traditional timber frame structure constructed in Vermont in 2011, and
the design of structures considered within reflect the general characteristics...
As oriented strand board (OSB) increases in use as an engineered wood product, improving the in-plane shear properties will allow more efficient use of the material as well as open up other opportunities for OSB to be used in engineered wood products with high shear stresses. Based on classical laminated...
The objective of this study was to investigate load paths in an existing light-frame wood structure with complex geometry, using previously established computer modeling methods. The structural model is derived from an existing, multi-level residence located in Corvallis, Oregon. For the purpose of this study, the existing structure was simplified...
The development of cross-laminated timber (CLT) panel technology has opened up new opportunities for wood in tall buildings. Several characteristics including seismic performance and speed of construction have raised interest among designers. As CLT gains acceptance in the industry, alternative structural solutions need to be investigated to improve performance of...
Wood plays a key role in modern electrical infrastructure; crossarms and power poles utilize the high strength to weight ratio, availability and low cost of wood to facilitate the access of power to millions of Americans. However, wood presents a variety of challenges as a material. In structural applications, one...
This paper presents a method of predicting penetration
resistance for driven piles, using known driving records for driving
the same type piling in similar subsurface conditions. As known
driving records are not always available to the analyst, a method was
also investigated using soil data only. The analytical tools employed...
Channel maintenance operations in the rivers and harbors of the
United States annually require the disposal of over 320 million cubic
meters of dredge spoils. As the availability of suitable land sites
diminishes, open water disposal presents an attractive yet controversial
alternative method. For open water disposal to be acceptable,...
During construction of the embankment at Blue River Dam
placement difficulties were occasionally experienced with the filter
zone sands. In the extreme condition construction equipment became
mired and part of the fill had to be removed and wasted. A
laboratory investigation was conducted on materials from the above
project to...
This paper examines the response of submerged model sand
slopes to vibration and the beneficial effects of placing rock revetments
on the face of the slope to prevent flaw slides.
Pore water pressure response and deflection were used as a
criteria for stability in an attempt to relate stability with...
Plate loading tests in rock are deceptively simple tests to perform.
Consequently, many varieties have been developed in the past
60 years. From each of the varieties various investigators have added
their own developments and modifications, some good, and some not so
good. The result has been a confusion of...
Hydraulic dredging is and most certainly will remain a primary
means of maintaining and improving ship channels and for land
reclamation in near-shore water. The study of which this thesis
describes a part is intended to develop a method of predetermining the
immediate disposition of sand spoils from hydraulic dredging...
Expansive soils in Eugene, Oregon present a problem to
residents, consultants, contractors, and the city government. During
the years 1977 to 1979, the nature and extent of the problem was
identified, including an outline of the local occurrence of expansive
soils and possible engineering solutions to the most often encountered...
Predetermining the ultimate capacity of piles driven into purely
cohesive soils and purely cohesionless soils involves, respectively,
the consideration of soil shear strength in a completely undrained and
a completely drained condition. For the intermediate cases concerning
soils that possess both cohesion and internal friction (silts, clayey
silts, sandy clays,...
Landslides are frequent in the steep forested regions of the Oregon
and Washington coastal mountain ranges. The need for forest products
has resulted in increasing logging activity in these marginally stable
areas. The occurrence of landslides has increased, which in turn has
focused greater interest in slope stability management.
Of...
The strength of both undisturbed and compacted soils from 10 sites
in the slide-prone Tongass National Forest in SE Alaska were studied.
Index property tests were also conducted on disturbed samples. The
index tests included natural water content, Atterberg Limits, specific
gravity of solids, grain size distribution, and moisture-density relationship....
Calcareous sediments containing a large percentage of foraminiferal
microskeletal tests were taken from sites in the Panama Basin
and subjected to an investigation to determine the consolidation characteristics
of this type of soil. The consolidation-stress curves and
the time rate of consolidation curves in particular were investigated
in this study....
Lateral spread is a pervasive type of liquefaction-induced ground failure that occurs on gentle slopes or near free-faces, such as river channels. Resulting horizontal displacements can reach up to several meters, and can be considerably damaging to foundations, bridges, roadways, pipelines, etc. In the 1990s, Bartlett and Youd (1992a, 1995)...
This thesis presents an economic analysis for a proposed toll
road which is to separate different types of traffic such as pedestrians,
slow speed vehicles and high speed motor vehicles, and to
divert through traffic from the local roads. The use of a toll road
usually provides significant savings in...
This thesis presents an economic comparison of three different
highway networks which serve an area of 64 miles by 83 miles in size.
Each network is designed to carry the same traffic between any two
towns but is different in total length.
Costs of right of way, excavation, pavement and...
Interest in performance specifications has been growing in the civil and construction industry in the past decade. One major focus area has been on understanding how to prolong the service life of concrete structures, since repair and rehabilitation of existing infrastructure have cost many trillions of dollars. Deterioration mechanisms such...
Seismically-induced liquefaction represents a major cause of damage to civil infrastructure and can result in significant damage following major earthquakes. Liquefaction can occur when earthquake ground motions raise pore-water pressures in loose, sandy soil, resulting in a substantial decrease of soil strength. Owing to the potential for instability following liquefaction,...
Helical anchors are a type of deep foundation element that can be installed quickly in almost any location and can accept the immediate application of operational loads. The use of helical anchors has expanded in recent decades from its established application in the power transmission industry to more traditional civil...
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Armin W. Stuedlein
Helical anchors are a type of deep foundation element that can be
During the Canterbury Earthquake Sequence (CES) in Christchurch, NZ, an estimated $15B in damages occurred due to liquefaction-induced phenomena, illustrating the importance of understanding site-specific responses to seismic ground motions, as well the importance of accurately predicting liquefaction severity. One potential method for improving the understanding of how a site...
The life cycle assessment (LCA) process is a systematic approach to determining the environmental impacts of different products and processes. LCA is a relative approach that requires functional equivalence for the results to be compared. A method is presented that achieves functional equivalence by equating the reliability indexes being compared....
Chlorinated phenols are toxic compounds and often released into natural
environments from improper disposal or non-point sources. One important factor in
assessing the environmental fate and transport is the rates of microbial degradation in
soils and natural waters. In this study, eight chlorophenols (4-chlorophenol (4-CP),
2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP), 3,4-dichlorophenol (3,4-DCP), 3,5-dichlorophenol...
Deep foundations, including driven piles, are used to support vertical loads of structures and applied lateral forces. Many pile supported structures, including bridges, are subjected to large lateral loads in the form of wind, wave, seismic, and traffic impact loads. In many practical situations, structures subjected to lateral loading are...
Engineering practitioners solve problems in various ways; it is plausible that they often rely on graphs, figures, formulas and other representations to reach a solution. How and why engineering practitioners use representations to solve problems can characterize certain problem-solving behaviors, which can be used to determine particular types of problem...
Moisture damage has long been recognized as one of the most
critical factors influencing the performance of asphalt concrete (AC)
pavements. This moistureinduced damage occurs from either the
physical separation of the asphalt film from the aggregate or the
softening of the asphalt binder within the AC mixture in the...
Reinforced concrete (RC) column-footing substructures are widely used to support bridges along critical transportation corridors in Oregon. Those built prior to 1971 were typically designed to resist only gravity loads. Therefore, they are vulnerable to damage or collapse during strong ground shaking. To prevent collapse, seismic retrofits have been developed...
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Armin W. Stuedlein and Christopher C. Higgins
Reinforced concrete (RC) column-footing
The likelihood of a Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) earthquake is estimated between 37 to 42% in the next 50 years, leading to strong shaking, liquefaction, landsliding, and other seismic ground failure resulting in major impacts to critical lifelines such as the western power grid. Electrical power is essential for continued...
Green technology in the United States has been on the rise over the past few decades in the United States. However, certain green technologies have been developed in the absence of design standards. Ecoroofs, which are vegetated soil masses placed on the top of a building’s roof structure, present several...
Strong ground motions from earthquakes can result in the reduction of the shear modulus and wave propagation characteristics of soils, and can produce liquefaction and cyclic softening during shaking and for some time following the seismic event. While the ground motions produced from controlled blasting are different than those in...
The methane monooxygenase (MMO) enzyme, used by methylotrophs
to oxidize methane, has been shown to possess quite broad substrate
specificity, being able to oxidize many organic compounds including
n-alkanes, n-alkenes, ethers, and aromatic, alicyclic, and
heterocyclic compounds. In this research, it was sought to
determine whether a gas-permeable-membrane-supported (GPMS) biofilm...
The environment has been exposed to a number of hazardous chlorinated
organic compounds. These compounds may be anaerobically biotransformed by
sequential reductive dechlorination reactions in which the chlorine atoms are
replaced with hydrogen atoms. Because reductive dechlorination processes may
occur very slowly in the environment and chlorine position affects the...
Short non-flexible elements of cable were driven harmonically
in water while constrained by springs. The cable elements were observed
to oscillate at approximately the Strouhal vortex shedding
frequency. Damped resonance occurred near the point where the natural
frequency and the Strouhal vertex shedding frequency were equal.
Transverse oscillation amplitudes greater...
The reductive dechlorination of chlorobiphenyls in sediment by titanium(III) citrate-reduced vitamin Bus was studied in batch reactors. Long term ampoule studies demonstrated reductive dechlorination of sediment-sorbed 2,3,4,5,6-pentachlorobiphenyl (2,3,4,5,6-PeCB) to tetra-, tri-, di-, and monochlorobiphenyl products. Over 50% chlorine removal was observed over 160 days. The results of the ampoule experiment...
A Langmuir sorption model incorporating a second step of
irreversible absorption was applied to a model soil system. The column
was packed with cellulose triacetate; pulse and step input tests with
3,4-dichlorophenol were performed; the effluent concentration was
measured by electron capture detector gas chromatography and sorption
rate constants were...
A continuous flow, gas-permeable-membrane-supported (GPMS) biofilm
reactor was developed to facilitate the treatment of polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs). The GPMS biofilm reactor consisted of a cylindrical
glass vessel made up of three compartments: the gas, liquid and
headspace compartments. A gas-permeable membrane separated the bottom
gas compartment from the liquid compartment....
The biodegradation of five polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) by
Hudson River and Silver Lake sediments was studied using gas
chromatography with electron capture detection (GC/ECD) and gas
chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analyses. Methanogenic
sediments from the Hudson River and Silver Lake were used to inoculate
four anaerobic filter reactors. The...
A three dimensional finite element analysis is developed which
is capable of simulating the coupled static and dynamic behavior of
compliant ocean structures. Nonlinearities which result from large-deflection,
reduced or zero stiffness in compression, and the nonconservative
fluid loading are considered. The spatial variation of
fluid loading is also addressed....
In situ bioremediation of pentachlorophenol-contaminated ground water in a sequential anaerobic-aerobic down borehole permeable barrier reactor requires a non-toxic primary substrate for dichlorophenol cometabolism. Serum bottle tests comparing the effectiveness of eight primary substrates for aerobic dichlorophenol degradation showed phenol to be the most effective followed by imitation vanilla flavoring,...
Ex-situ bioremediation of saturated soil contaminated with pentachlorophenol and
2,3,5,6-TeCP is commonly accomplished by landfarming or by treatment in a bioreactor.
Treating saturated, low-permeability soils in bioreactors, without pre-treatment requires a
reactor capable of promoting anaerobic and/or aerobic removal of chlorophenols without
transferring these contaminants to the aqueous phase. A...
A gas-permeable-membrane-supported (GPMS) biofilm consisting
of methylotrophic bacteria was effective in degrading chlorinated
methanes, ethanes, and ethenes. The biofilm was developed on a
gas-permeable fabric (Goretex, W.L.Gore & Associates, Elkton,
Maryland) that divided a reactor vessel into a liquid compartment
and a gas compartment. Goretex is a nylon-backed teflon mesh...
An investigation was made to test the method of Head on the
flow about a circular cylinder with suction. The method of Head is an
approximate method of obtaining solutions to the boundary layer equations.
The method was adapted to the digital computer to facilitate
performing the calculations, and a...
Knowledge of a compound's degradation pathway is crucial to the assessment of risk at contaminated sites. Pentachlorophenol and its metabolic products can serve as model compounds to study the fate and transport of halogenated aromatic compounds in the environment. Acclimation of anaerobic sewage sludge to pentachlorophenol produced a microbial consortium...
Effluent from an anaerobic swine manure lagoon was applied at
the upper end of six, 100 feet (30.5 m) long by 3 feet (0.9m) wide,
grass-covered plots which sloped about 3 percent. The objectives were
to measure concentration attenuation and mass reduction of potential
pollutants in the wastewater as the...
A finite element formulation is developed for the prediction of
the large displacement response of pipelines which are placed upon
irregularly contoured marine sediments and are subsequently subjected
to episodic hydrodynamic loads. The equations of motion during each
episode of extreme wave activity are obtained from a variational form
of...
Cables used in the ocean are often constructed of helically wound
wires or strands. Tension in the cable induces torque and/or rotation
about its longitudinal axis. A method is presented to determine the
tension, torque, location and angular orientation of points on the
cable centerline, using a shooting method algorithm...
The objectives of this investigation were to determine the effect
of pulverization on the strength, durability and swell characteristics
of a lime stabilized clay soil. Samples were prepared with three different
gradations which represented the pulverization of the soil.
Maximum clay lump sizes of 3/4", 1/2" and passing #4 sieve...
The author and compiler of Design Data for Field Engineers has
included in his volume short cuts in design, and miscellaneous data
and information used on general civil engineering projects from inception
to completion.
The book is intended for the engineer who may be stationed in
isolated areas and who...
In many geotechnical design situations involving tight right-of-way constraints, Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) walls are often the most cost-effective and reliable earth retention technology among available alternatives. However, few well-documented case histories with detailed material testing, instrumentation programs and construction observation of performance are available in the literature. Despite the...
Settlement of structures built on geologically recent compressible alluvium is a common cause of concern during design. Total settlement results from a combination of: 1) initial elastic settlement, 2) primary consolidation, and 3) secondary compression. The reliability of prediction of total settlement is affected by an understanding of these components...
Augered cast-in-place piles, also known as ACIP piles, have been used for more than
seven decades in the United States and have gained in popularity due to their relatively
quick installation and cost-effectiveness. Owing to the reduced impact on the neighboring
environment as compared to some other deep foundation installation...
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Armin W. Stuedlein
Augered cast-in-place piles, also known as ACIP piles, have been
The purpose of this study was to investigate an application of
statistical concepts to quality control of highway construction. The
application was presented qualitatively and demonstrated quantitatively
by an investigation of asphalt content in asphalt concrete.
For the example, an Oregon State Highway Project was
sampled and tested. The average...
Crash rates are said to be nearly three times higher on curved sections than those on straight sections of rural roadways. As a result, advisory curve/speed signs are standard practice to mitigate these risks on sharp horizontal curves. The industry standard for determining appropriate and uniform speeds for such signs...
The coast of Oregon is highly dynamic, with beach and dune morphodynamics constantly evolving in response to physical and ecological forcing at scales ranging from seconds to decades and meters to tens of kilometers. Evaluating spatial and temporal trends in shoreline evolution is paramount in understanding and eventually developing a...
This study investigated the laboratory performance of crumb rubber modified
mixtures compared to a standard bituminous mixture using performance based test
procedures. This study was part of an asphalt resurfacing program for the Seattle
Washington area. Laboratory analyses were used to estimate the long term pavement
performance of these mixtures...
Shallow foundations are extensively used to support structures of all sizes and derive their support from near surface soils. Thus, they are typically embedded up to a few meters into the soil profile. Designers of shallow foundations are required to meet two limit states: overall failure of the soil beneath...
The undermining of bridge foundations can lead to either costly repairs or a bridge
collapse. These foundations must be designed to counter the effects of scour. Current
practice does not allow for accurate estimates of scour in erodible rock. Scour in rock can be related to geotechnical and hydraulic properties....
Research was conducted to study the behavior and
load carrying capacity of stump anchors. A field testing
program was undertaken to determine the response and
strength characteristics of second growth Douglas-fir
(Pseudotsuga menziesii) stumps ranging in diameter from
6 to 17 inches. Horizontal and vertical stump movements
due to an...
Interest in mapping bathymetry from multispectral satellite imagery has grown steadily since the 1970s. Notwithstanding the significant advancements made during this time, one limitation is that the group of algorithms collectively referred to as Satellite Derived Bathymetry (SDB) generally require “seed depths,” hindering their use for areas lacking reliable reference...
High early strength (HES) concrete is becoming increasingly used to repair damaged concrete pavement sections. The use of HES concrete enables the repaired pavement to be opened to traffic within hours of placing the concrete. A common approach used for the rapid repair of concrete pavement consists of closing a...
Large numbers of reinforced concrete (RC) bridges were built in the past that are now considered seismically deficient. The structural members most likely to be considered deficient are the supporting columns. Typical deficient columns contain inadequate transverse reinforcement and poorly detailed lap splice lengths above the foundation. Insufficient lap splice...
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...
A vital aspect of concrete construction is quality assurance and control (QA/QC). Engineered structures must meet pre-determined and agreed-upon strength and durability requirements. Concrete falls into a specific category of infrastructure material because in most cases, these strength and durability requirements cannot be found until the material has at least...
A numerical model, simulating the complex behavior of reinforced soil walls using the finite element method, was developed to evaluate the behavior of a surcharged, geosynthetic-reinforced retaining wall with modular block facing. A nonlinear elastic-plastic constitutive soil material model was calibrated to experimental plane strain test data, while the performance...
The decision to bury high level nuclear wastes in deep geological formations
led to the study of the Hanford Nuclear Reservation as one of three possible sites for
the first nuclear waste repository in the United States. To adequately evaluate the
environmental impact of siting nuclear waste repositories in basalt...
Side-scan sonar records in Oregon's Coos Bay estuary navigation
channels were obtained at intervals of two to three months during the
November 1974 - October 1975 time period from Coos Bay Channel Mile
11+50 to 15+20, and from a reach in the Marshfield Channel. A limited
side-scan survey effort was...
A comprehensive system to locate and track objects in two or three
dimensional space, using non-contact video sensing techniques is described. The
need exists to be able to quantify range and proximity of objects that would be
difficult or impossible to measure using standard contact based sensor technology.
Available video...
The purpose of this report is to address the problem of supplying
construction aggregates to Oregon's coastal areas that are currently, or
will in the near future, be deficient of good quality materials. This
is done primarily by studying methods of utilizing marginal aggregates
that are abundantly available in the...
Research was conducted to determine the applicability of using the theory of
regionalized variables or geostatistics in characterizing the spatial variability of reference
evapotranspiration (ETr) over various climatic regimes for the state of Oregon. The state was
divided into five climatic regions based on topographic features and local meteorological
conditions:...
Soil column studies were performed on a chromium contaminated soil from the United
Chrome Products Superfund Site currently undergoing a pump-and-treat cleanup process. The
goal of the research was to provide insight into the feasibility of chemically changing the injection
fluid of the pump-and-treat system to enhance hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI))...
This paper presents an application of the wave equation to the
problem of selecting a driving hammer for prestressed concrete piles.
The potentially damaging effects of these types of hammers on various
prestressed concrete piles were analyzed by means of parametric
studies carried out on a hypothetical group of problems...
Chloride binding in Portland limestone cements (PLC) can be attributed to the chemical reaction between chloride ions and carboaluminate phases to form Friedel’s salt and the physical interaction between chloride ions and calcium-silicate-hydrates (C-S-H). This thesis examines the chloride binding of mortar samples containing varying amounts of limestone, fly ash,...
Most of the concrete in the world is produced using hydraulic cement (ordinary portland cement, OPC) and siliceous or alumino-siliceous supplementary cementitious materials (SCM). Due to the shift in focus toward environmental sustainability within the construction industry, alkali-activated cementitious systems (AAC) have gained significant attention to reduce the carbon footprint...