International Conference on Materials, Mechanics and Management during the period 17-19, December, 2014

"2014 Conference Papers of Civil "

Pages   [1] [2] [3]
 

Rapid Affordable Mass Housing using Glass Fibre Reinforced Gypsum (GFRG) Panels[ ]


GFRG panels are building panels suitable for affordable mass housing, with the advantages of cost-effectiveness and rapid construction. These panels are made out of gypsum, largely availablein India in the form of phospho-gypsum,awaste by-product ofthe fertilizer industries.

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Flood Management in Coastal Cities using GIS, Remote Sensing and Numerical Models[ ]


With increasing urbanization and climate change impacts, urban flooding is a major problem in many cities.Generally in coastal urban cities, major floods are caused due to heavy rainfall and high tidal conditions with inadequate drainage systems. For appropriate management of urban flood hazards, flood modelling and forecasting is very essential. Due to complexity of the problem, physically based numerical flood models are required for the flood prediction. Further huge data is required for flood modelling. Remote sensing (RS) and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) technologies help in the data managementfor urban flood modelling. Further when we integrate numerical models with RS and GIS, we get very efficient models for flood simulation. In this paper, application of an Integrated Flood Assessment Model (IFAM) to a coastal urban watershed has been presented. Pre and post processing of data is handled using GIS. Further, GIS has also been used to prepare overland flow grid map and input files such as Manning’s roughness and slope used in the model for the watershed. LU/LC of the watershed has been derived from the remotely sensed data. The overland flow has been modelled using mass balance approach, channel flow using diffusion wave approximation and floodplain flow using raster based approach. The application of IFAM is demonstrated with the help of a case study.

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Solid Waste Management: A case study of ultimate analysis and landfill design for NIT Calicut[ ]


The total amount of solid waste generated from different zones of NIT Calicut accounts to about 2500 kg/d. Paper (18.8%) and cardboard (11.7%) were themajor components of waste generated in the institutional zoneof the campus. Waste collected from hostel zonemainly comprised of food waste (23.5 %) and paper (16%). Food waste was the major component in the waste generated from canteen and residential area, which accounted respectively for 85.7% and 36% of the total waste.Ultimate analysis indicated that the main chemical constituent in the sample collected from all the zones was carbon. The carboncontent varied from 152.90 kg/tonne of solid waste in the waste collectedfrom canteen to 285.59 kg/tonne in the waste collected from academic area. On the other hand, the component with lowest occurrence was sulphur, with a weighted average of 1.05 kg per tonne of collected waste.Based on the quantitative analysis of the solid waste generated in the campus, a landfill was designed for the disposal of non-biodegradable portion of solid waste, with a designperiod of 5 years and operating in 5 phases. The plan area requirement for the solid waste dumping was 20 m X 11 m, with a maximum height of 10 m. Aproper liner, leachate collection system and a landfill coverwas also incorporated in the proposed landfill design.

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Effect of Operating Parameters on the Performance of Biosand Filter[ ]


Thebiosand filter (BSF) is one of the commonly used household water purification methods in the rural areas of developing countries. It is a modification of slow sand filter built on a smaller scale. In the present study, the influence of three parameters, namely charge volume, residence time (pause time between two charges) and influent turbidity on the performance of biosand filter was evaluated. Statistically designed experiments based on the design of experiment (DoE) approach were used for this. Thirteen filtration runs were conducted and the performance of the filter was assessed in terms of turbidity and bacterial removals. Results showed that there was a significant improvement in the microbiological quality of water when the pause time was increased from 12 h to 24 h, although further increase in the pause time from 24 h to 36 h did not result in improvement in the quality. The microbiological quality of water deteriorated with increased charge volume from 10 L to 30 L. The influent turbidity in the range studied (10 - 50 NTU) did not influence the effluent quality. The results of the study thus showed the need for optimising the operating parameters of BSF in order to achieve improved microbial removal.

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Estimation of Embedded Energy and CO2 Emission of an Institutional Building[ ]


Demand for new buildings are increasing at a higher rate. Buildings are responsible for at least 40% of energy use in most countries. The absolute figure is rising fast, as construction booms, especially in countries such as China and India. It is essential to act now, because build-ings can make a major contribution to tackling climate change and energy use.

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Production of Biodiesel from Dairy Waste Scum[ ]


Dairy factory waste scums are increasingly being considered a valuable resource. However, these wastes may also contain contaminants, natural or artificial, that may adversely affect the land or water to which they are discharged. The study investigates the potential of using dairy waste scum as a feed stock for bio-diesel production. Present study optimized the parameters involved in the alkali catalysed transesteri?cation process of dairy waste scum oil. The effects of methanol to oil ratio, temperature and amount of KOH were investigated. The yield of bio-diesel reached 84% at 1.2 wt. % of Potassium Hydroxide, reaction temperature of 60°C, 90 min of time and 100% excess methanol oil ratio. The fuel properties viz., specific gravity, viscosity, flash point, pour point, cloud point were studied. It was found that the properties were quite comparable and some even superior to the properties of petroleum diesel. The present study found that biodiesel from dairy waste scum is quite suitable as an alternative to petroleum diesel with recommended fuel properties as per ASTM standards. By using dairy waste scum as a feed stock for biodiesel production reduces the cost of production of bio-diesel and the environmental impact related to the disposal of dairy scum.

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Enhancemenct of Biogas in Domestic Biogas Plants by Varying Loading Rate and Digestate Recirculation[ ]


The world is facing acute fossil fuel shortage. By adopting biogas in households as cooking fuel we can reduce the burden on fossil fuels. In this paper the effect of two significant factors were investigated for enhancement of biogas production from food waste in a 20.l modified domestic biogas plant. Effect of loading rate and digestate recirculation on the biogas production from food waste was studied and presented in this paper. Initially, biogas production was tested in normal climate conditions of Kerala with a loading rate of 5.97.gTS/l/d. First, the loading rate was increased from 5.97.gTS/l/d to 8.44.gTS/l/d which yielded 79% increase in biogas from set 1. Then, 10.g digestate recirculation keeping loading rate at 6.2.gTS/l/d resulted in 92% increase in biogas volume when compared to set.1. Thus the study found that both operation of biogas at optimal loading rate and recirculation of digestate have significant effects on increase of biogas yield.

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GIS Based Landslide Hazard Potential Analysis[ ]


This paper presents a GIS based framework for systematic landslide hazard analysis by using various causative factors such as slope, soil, land use and land cover, elevation, geology and geomorphology. Landslide hazard zonation helps in identifying strategic points and geographically critical areas prone to landslides. Landslide hazard maps are useful for town planners to plan civil constructions in relatively safe zones. In addition, environmentally unstable slopes can be given adequate attention by planning suitable control measures

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GIS Integrated Rainfall Runoff Modelling by Development of Spatially Distributed Unit Hydrograph[ ]


Knowledge of peak and total runoff due to rainfall is important for designing any hydrologic structure. But direct measurement of runoff is not possible at the desired time and location. So a rainfall runoff simulation is necessary for the understanding of the interaction between the topographic, climatic and hydrological elements of a watershed. The model used here is a Spatially Distributed Unit Hydrograph model. It is based on time area method and is developed using GIS for the Manimala river basin. The unit hydrograph ordinates are derived from the time area diagram developed with the help of GIS. The excess rainfall is calculated using SCS curve number method. The Spatially Distributed Unit Hydrograph ordinates are convoluted with the excess rainfall values to obtain direct runoff hydrograph. The direct runoff hydrograph is simulated for the year 2007 and is compared with the observed discharge values. The agreement between simulated and observed discharge values proves the efficiency of the model.

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Hydrologic Regionalization of River Basins of Kerala State[ ]


Hydrologic regionalization can be defined as the process of systematically arranging streams or catchments into groups that are most similar with respect to the characteristics of their flow parameter. It can be employed for importing data from gauged sites to ungauged regions where gauging stations may be absent due to topographical or physiographical reasons. A number of techniques have been developed for hydrologic regionalization including artificial neural networks, clustering algorithms, fuzzy and neuro-fuzzy analysis. This study presents an approach that combines two regionalization techniques in order to obtain homogeneous regions and compute streamflow at desired ungauged sites.

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Quantification of Land Acquisition for MRTS using GIS[ ]


Land acquisition is a major hindrance in any MRTS project. Usually the land acquisition required for MRTS projects are determined by conducting extensive field surveys. Adjacent land available is broadly classified into vacant space, agricultural land and built up area. In this study, a method was developed to determine the land acquisition required for the proper widening of monorail corridor using GIS. This method is found to be effective in quantifying the land acquisition.

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Coastal Vulnerability Assessment along Kerala Coast using Remote Sensing and GIS[ ]


Coastal vulnerability assessment is done mostly on the basis of vulnerability indices which has been developed as a rapid and consistent method for characterizing the relative vulnerability of different coasts. The main objective of this study is to present an Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) based Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) taking both Physical Vulnerability Index (PVI) and Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) into consideration. The study also investigates the shoreline changes using multi temporal satellite images. Geographical Information System (GIS) and remote sensing based study helped in the preparation of coastal vulnerability map and thereby to assess the impact along the Kerala coast.

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Flood Risk Mapping of Kadalundi River Basin Using GIS[ ]


In recent years flood has become most common among the natural hazards. The study area, Kadalundi watershed, has thickly populated flood plains. The present study aims to prepare flood risk map of study area based on multi criteria analysis using Geographic Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing. The flood intensity for different return period are arrived from historical rainfall extremes using Soil Conservation Service (SCS) Curve Number method with the help of GIS layers. The water shed was modelled and analysed in Hydrologic Engineering Center’s River Analysis System (HEC-RAS). The floodplain maps for the different estimated discharges were generated. The important structures falling in flood plain area and also the high elevated safe zones within the flood plain are also mapped. The flood risk map can be used for planning control measures for future floods.

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Optimization of Parameters in Linear Muskingum Routing[ ]


The Muskingum model is the most widely used method for flow routing. The effective utilisation of the routing procedure requires the determination of optimum parameters. The optimization of parameters in Muskingum routing method represented in the MATLAB Simulink module is attempted by means of different optimization procedures namely Genetic algorithm and Least square curve fit. The procedure is developed based on control system concept and developed using simulink tool of MATLAB. The result of optimization indicates that the methods can be used as an alternative way for parameter estimation.

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Stabilization of Fly Ash Slope using Plastic Recycled Polymer[ ]


The model tests were conducted in laboratorywithout and with Plastic Recycled Polymer (PRP) in fly ash steep slopes on soft foundation soil (fly ash) to check the stability of slope. In this experiment fly ash was used as a slope filling material and also Plastic Recycled Polymers (diameter=3mm and length=4mm) made from waste plasticproducts (lower grade plastic products). The properties of fly ash and Plastic recycled polymers were determined. From the experimental investigation, load and settlement were measured. From these data, load –settlement curves have been reported. It has been observed from test results that load carrying capacity of fly ash mixture withplastic recycled polymers slope is more than that of fly ash slope. Thedeformation of Plastic Recycled Polymers slope is slightly more than that of fly ash slope. The experimental results werevalidated with a Finite Element Software Package (PLAXIS 2D AE version). The failure pattern, deformations and factor of safety are reported based on analytical program (Bishop’s simplified method) and Finite Element Method (FEM). The results from experimental data and analytical programme are compared and reported.

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A Laboratory Study on the Affect of Steel Slag for Improving the Properties of Marine Clay for Foundation Beds[ ]


Marine clay is a type of clayfound in coastal regions around the world. In the northern, de-glaciated regions, it can sometimes be quick clay, which is notorious for being involved in landslides. Clay particles can self-assemble intovariousconfigurations, each with totally different properties.

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Natural Fibres in Engineering Applications : An Overview[ ]


An overview of literature on various types of surfacetreatments applied to natural fibres and the resultant enhancement in properties is presented in this paper. Important variables that determine the overall properties of fibres are their structure, microfibrillar angle, cell dimensions, defects and the chemical composition. Structure and composition of various types of natural fibres and their applications are also brought into perspective. Degradation behaviour of natural fibres and various mechanisms involved are also discussed. Various treatment methods adopted in practice include alkali treatment, alkali-steam treatment, enzyme treatment, transesterification using vegetable oils, UV grafting with monomers, physical coatings, treatment using specific chemicals and natural anti-microbial finishing. Advancements made in the field of these techniques have been discussed briefly. Effect of such treatments on various properties is also included in this paper.

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Investigation of Factors Influencing the Confining Effect of HDPE Pipes through Analytical and Model Studies[ ]


The scarcity of land with good marginal properties leads to the construction of buildings on available land. For the safety of the structures, it is necessary to improve the property of the soil by adopting suitable ground improvement technique. The methods of ground improvement technique adopted depends on the soil to be tested, availability of materials required for improving the soil and economic viability. The foundations for the residential buildings in paddy fields and marshy lands with water table near the ground level, are constructed in the dense or medium dense sand layers which are confined with well rings beneath the foundation. HDPE pipes can be used as a substitute for well rings there by making cost effective. In the present investigation the various factors which influences the pressure versus settlemnt behaviour of a model circular footing on medium dense sand which is confined with HDPE pipes is studied in detail through plate load tests. In order to validate the test results model of the confined footing was developed using FEM package PLAXIS and analysed and compared with the experimental results obtained from plate load test. The model developed is good in agreement to the prototype.

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Performance Evaluation of Coir as an Electro kinetic Geotextile[ ]


Electro-kinetic geosynthetics offer technicalbenefits over conventional electrodes in that they can be formed as strips and blankets, light and easy to install and is not susceptible to corrosion, continuing to provide conventional functions of filtration, drainage, separation and reinforcement . This paper describes laboratory tests on EKG materials which are used as conductive geosynthetic reinforcement used to consolidate and reinforce weak cohesive soil. The electroosmosis design was then undertaken, based upon the water content -unconfined compressive strength curve for the fill material obtained from laboratory testing. Using this curve the difference between the as-placed water content and the water content corresponding to required undrained shear strength was calculated, giving the volume of water that needed to be removed from each lift of clay fill. Using this volume of water the electroosmosis calculations were undertaken. Results of the reinforced soil tests showed that EKG reinforcement can be used to increase the undrained shear strength of cohesive fill very effectively.

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Structural Performance of Coir Geotextile Reinforced Rural Roads[ ]


Coir geotextiles can be effectively used as stabilizer and reinforcement in paved and unpaved roads. It improves the mechanical characteristics of roads, yielding to significant increase in road life span and reduction in maintenance cost. In the 1920’s the State of South California used cotton textiles to reinforce the underlying materials on a road with poor soil properties. Experimentation done for several years has proven that the natural geotextiles are good in workable conditions. The reinforcement can also reduce pavement thickness between 20% to 50%. The natural products like coir geotextiles make the construction cost effective and eco-friendly. Field tests were conducted for evaluating structural performance of road reinforced with coir geotextiles. Three roads were undertaken for this study. The Benkelman beam Deflection Technique was used for this purpose. The comparison between deflection values obtained for coir geotextile reinforced and unreinforced roads are reported in this paper.

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Functional Performance of Coir Geotextile Reinforced Rural Roads[ ]


Subgrade stabilization is the largest single application for geotextiles by volume. In unpaved road construction, geosynthetic reinforcement has been applied to improve their overall strength and service life. The stabilization of pavements on soft ground with geotextiles or geogrid is primarily attributed to the basic functions of separation of base course layer from the subgrade soil, reinforcement of the composite system etc. But these products are non-biodegradable and cause environmental problems. Coir geotextiles which is a natural geotextile are manufactured from coir fibres are abundantly available in our state of Kerala. If coir can be proved to be an alternate material for soil stabilization, coir industry will find a new area of application. This study is intended to bring out the effectiveness of natural coir geotextile as reinforcement in rural roads. Coir geotextile was placed as reinforcement at depth in the sub base and base course.

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Stream Flow Prediction in Ungauged Basin: Calibration and Uncertainty Analysis Using SWATCUP[ ]


Predicting hydrologic quantities such as rainfall, runoff, sediment, nutrients etc is a major challenge for hydrologists in developing countries where a large number of watersheds are ungauged. This study is carried out to analyze the differences in stream flow predictions of ungauged watersheds using Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) by varying the threshold areas for sub-basin delineation and Hydrologically Response Unit (HRU) distributions. SWAT is implemented in hydrologically similar sub basins of Vamanapuram river basin located in Trivandrum District, Kerala. A coefficient of variation based homogeneity test is carried out to determine hydrologically homogenous catchments. Six models are developed by varying the threshold area of sub basin delineation and HRU definition. The result shows better agreement in bracketing the measured data for the model which uses half of the default area of sub-basin delineation and multiple HRU distribution. The differences of stream flow predictions in Valayinkil sub-basin of Vamanapuram watershed are also studied by varying the threshold levels of HRU distributions. Lower threshold level of HRU distribution gives better performance measures for stream flow predictions.

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Modeling of Scour Around Bridge Pier Using Artificial Neural Network[ ]


Numerical models are most useful for the prediction of scour around bridge pier due to its complexity. In this paper, soft computing technique such as Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model was developed for evaluating the scour around bridge pier. Feed forward back propagation learning algorithm was used as a learning technique. Data set used for the development of ANN model was from a technical report on “Field observations and evaluations of stream bed scour at bridges” published by FHWA, 2005. Various ANN models of observed pier scour depth on different choices of input variables were examined through sensitivity analysis. ANN model having best input combination for the prediction of scour depth was obtained as pier width, flow depth, flow velocity and d50 with a coefficient of determination of 0.88.

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Delineation of Recharge Zones in Vamanapuram River Basin[ ]


The sustainable development and management of groundwater resource requires precise quantitative assessment based on scientific principle and modern techniques. In the present study, groundwater recharge zones are delineated using geographical information system (GIS) and multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) technique in Vamanapuram River Basin, Kerala. The weights of various themes and their features for identifying the groundwater recharge zones were assigned based on Saaty’s Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). These thematic layers were then integrated in the GIS environment to delineate the groundwater recharge zones in the study area. Eleven year mean pre-monsoon and post-monsoon groundwater level maps for the study area were also prepared and these maps were used to validate the groundwater recharge zones. The suitable zone identified for groundwater recharge is at the downstream portion of the Vamanapuram river basin.

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GIS Based Run off Estimation Using NRCS Method and Time-Area Method[ ]


The problems of soil erosion and, in turn, land and water quality degradation can be mitigated to a great extent by judicious watershed management. Runoff estimation is very important in the implementation of watershed development programs. The techniques that can be used for estimating direct surface runoff from rainfall are the Rational method, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Curve number (CN) method and Time-Area method. This study involves estimation of runoff in Vamanapuram river basin (upstream of Valayinkil discharge station) using NRCS method with different initial abstraction values such as, Ia = 0.2S and Ia = 0.3S using composite and distributed curve number and by the Time-area method. Curve number determination and Isochrone map preparation was done in Arc GIS 9.3. Using the time-area histogram instantaneous unit hydrograph was derived, from which 2-hr unit hydrograph was derived. Runoff is estimated by multiplying the 2-hr unit hydrograph ordinates with the effective rainfall. Base flow separation was done by a digital filter, which was done in MATLAB R2013a. In NRCS-CN method runoff estimated for both composite and distributed CN with Ia = 0.2S is found to be better than that with Ia = 0.3S and also it is found that with Ia = 0.2S, the distributed CN method is giving better results.

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Dam Break Analysis using HECRAS with DEM Generated Geometry[ ]


Dams are considered as structures containing dangerous forces. Even though the dam failures are comparatively rare, they can cause immense damage and loss of life and properties when they occur. This study deals with the dam break analysis of a gravity dam using HEC-RAS with the river geometry derived from SRTM Digital elevation model. The preparation of inundation map is done using HECGeoRAS. For the analysis, maximum probable flood was determined using GIUH based Clark’s method. The area of inundation for probable maximum flood, time travel etc., were computed by conducting the dam break analysis.

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CFD Simulation of Baffle System to Tranquillise the Flow from a Sluice[ ]


Flow control structures are inevitable structures in a canal/ river system which is used to control the water levels and flow discharge in rivers, open channels and waterways. Sluice gates and Baffle systems fall under suchcategory. Flow behavior through sluice and baffle systems should be analyzed for proper controlling of water flow through the channels. CFD simulation of flow through such structures is very helpful in visualizing the various effects of low. Present study includes the numerical simulation of flow through sluice and baffle systems to study the tranquillising capacity of baffles by using CFD software. The study aims at investigating the effect of sluice gate and vertical baffles. Tosimulate 3D incompressible viscous two- phase flow, the volume of fluid (VOF) method based on the finite volume method has been utilized. The modelling is done by using pressure based solver. It is found that a baffle of 0.3m size is more effective in tranquillising the flow from the sluice.

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Long-Time Shoreline Monitoring of the Cochin Estuarine System, Southwest Coast of India Using Multi Temporal Satellite Data[ ]


Cochin Estuarine System (CES) is a unique complex system along the Indian coastline with a widespread area at the upstream. Increased human activities such as industrialization, coupled with over-population have become major environmental issues in recent years. Quantification of geomorphological changes that occurred over the decades was identified using Landsat Imageries of different years in comparison with Survey of India toposheet as baseline data. Shorelines from multiple years were manually traced from toposheet and Landsat imageries using ArcGIS software, Version 10.0. Quantitative comparison of inner island segments showed significant changes in island widths through time. The shoreline change rate has been estimated using statistical linear regression, end point rate and net shoreline movement method and cross-validated with regression coefficient (R²) method. This study has given good insight into Cochin coastal zone changes during last 4 decades. These results can be used to quantify the extent and nature of the development change and to understand the surrounding environment, which in turn may help the planning agencies to develop sound and sustainable coastal zone management practices.

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Experimental Study on Sand Erosion Around Defective Sewer Pipes[ ]


Groundwater infiltration is a common problem in sewer systems. In underground sewer pipeline systems, when the groundwater table reaches above sewer pipes, water will infiltrate into the sewer pipes through various types of defects or cracks on the pipe wall. Three factors that relate with the erosion process were investigated experimentally: soil particle size, water head, and soil height. To study the erosion process around cracked sewer pipes a set up was used which is usually related with groundwater infiltration in sewer systems. A cylindrical bin with a circular outlet at the bottom centre was used to simulate the erosion process. The quantitative influences of the three factors on the erosion void shape, volume and length were analyzed. It is found that the geometry of the erosion void is determined by water head and soil height. By using analytical method proposed by Guo et al (2013) and ANFIS the correlation values are computed. It is found that ANFIS shows better agreement with the experimental data.

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Experimental Investigation on the Effects of Geo textiles in Sub surface Erosion[ ]


Subsurface flow is known to contribute significantly to stream flow but its contribution to stream bank failure, a process which may contribute significantly to sediment loading in streams, is not well known. The effect of seepage or subsurface flow is usually considered to be limited to the production of surface runoff and the reduction of soil shear strength, there by underestimating the potential effects of seepage on erosion. From a geomorphologic perspective, subsurface hydraulic erosion is an important geomorphic process in the head watershed, because soil piping and water discharge via the pipes significantly affect hydrology, channel initiation, and slope evolution, as well as gully extension by tunnel scour erosion. In this study experiments were conducted in a reconstructed soil bank within a lysimeter. The feasibility of using non woven coir geotextiles as a control measure to seepage erosion was analysed. The introduction of non woven coir geotextiles found suitable to reduce stream bank erosion due to subsurface flow.

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Optimisation of Reservoir Operations Using Genetic Algorithms[ ]


This paper deals with the application of Genetic Algorithms (GA) for optimisation of multiobjective reservoir operations. The GA technique is used to evolve efficient pattern for water releases for maximizing annual power production and irrigation demands. Constraints include the release for power and turbine capacity, irrigation demand, storage continuity equation and reservoir storage restrictions. Penalty function approach is used to convert constrained problem into an unconstrained one. A generic genetic algorithm model for the optimization of reservoir systems has been developed that is easily transportable to any reservoir system. This generality is a distinct practical advantage of the genetic algorithm approach. Also model was run with existing GA models. For fixing GA parameters the model is run for various values of population, generations, cross over and mutation probabilities. Comparison of the genetic algorithms results with those produced by linear programming is also presented. Results obtained by GA are compared with Linear Programming solution and found to be reasonably close. GA is found to be an effective optimization tool for multiobjective reservoir planning and the results obtained can be utilized for efficient planning of any reservoir system.

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Raingauge Network Augmentation Based on Geostatistical Analysis and Simulated Annealing[ ]


The benefits of an integrated Geographical Information System (GIS) and a geostatistics approach to accurately model the spatial distribution pattern of precipitation are known.A number of interpolation methods were proposed for the spatial mapping of rainfall data. Even by using the best available interpolation, there would certainly be an estimation error and hence it is required to improve this error in the form of minimization of variance of the estimation error. On the basis of this criterion a methodology is developed for assessing the optimal localization of new monitoring stations within an existing rain gauge monitoring network. The methodology presented uses geostatistics and probabilistic techniques (Simulated Annealing) combined with GIS. This could be extremely useful in any area where an extension of whatever existing environmental monitoring network is planned. This methodology was applied to the design of an extension to a rainfall monitoring network along the Karuvannur river basin.

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Automated Generation of GIUH for Third Order Stream Using ArcGIS[ ]


A significant advancement in the unit hydrograph method for an ungauged area is the development of the Geomorphological Instantaneous Unit Hydrograph (GIUH). The use of GIS to facilitate the estimation of runoff from watersheds has gained increasing attention in recent years. In this study, the procedure for deriving the GIUH for third order was automated using ArcGIS software. Many parameters and procedures are involved in the runoff computation using GIUH. These involve the determinations of Bifurcation ratio, Length ratio, Area ratio, Travel time parameters, Path probability, GIUH, Unit Hydrograph and Runoff. A tool was developed in Python interface to Arc GIS to generate these parameters so that automatic generation of runoff from an ungauged catchment can be developed. Python is a programming language that lets to do the work more quickly and integrate the systems more effectively. These scripts were added to ArcGIS as a new tool. Eight such tools were developed. Kurumali watershed of Kerala was selected for applying the GIUH tool. Runoff obtained using the GIUH tool was compared with the result obtained manually.

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SUH and GIUH for Flood Estimation[ ]


The Synthetic Unit Hydrograph method is widely usedfor the flood estimation in ungauged catchments. One of the popular method that has wide spread application in the design of bridges in Railway track is the method suggested by the Central Water Commission (CWC). It is established that Geo-morphological Instantaneous Unit Hydrograph (GIUH) is a viable method for estimating the flood in ungauged watersheds. Hence it becomes imperative to compare the well-established method and recently developed method for assessing its estimating capability. Hence, the current study assessed the two procedures of flood estimation, viz., synthetic unit hydrograph and geomorphologic instantaneous unit hydrograph.

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Modelling of Energy Dissipation during Transient Flow[ ]


An important issue in the context of design and analysis of a piping system is the rate of energy dissipation during transient flow. The hyperbolic classical water hammer equations do not account the damping and attenuation of laminar and turbulent fluid transients in the piping systems. In this paper, a classical transient model is developed, which simulates the transient condition during valve closure in a simple reservoir-steel pipe-valve system. The developed base model was modified again by the addition of convective term. The obtained results were then compared with results from the Surge2000 software, for validation and found in good agreement. However, the experimental results show large damping of pressure waves after the first peak, indicating significant energy dissipation. In order to account the energy dissipation, the governing equations were further modified to incorporate variable wave celerity into the continuity equation and the diffusive term into the momentum equation. The resulting dispersive error was then reduced by considering artificial viscosity, which further improves the computed results close to the experimental results.

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Risk Assessment of Pumping Main Using Surge 2000[ ]


Hydraulic transients can induce large pressure forces and rapid fluid accelerations in a pumping main. These disturbances cause pump and device failures, system fatigue and pipe ruptures or bursts and also induce water quality problems. Proper analysis of transient and risk factors of existing pipes helps in the formulation of low-cost, long-range nondestructive pipe condition assessment. In this study, risk assessment of pumping main is carried out using Surge 2000. Pumping main of Adat panchayat of Thrissur district in Kerala is selected for this study, as the possibility of transients exists in the area due to its undulating topography. Digital pipe model is created in ArcMap 10 by compiling data collected from GIS, available construction drawing, and report.

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Reference Evapotranspiration Modelling using Support Vector Regression[ ]


Evapotranspiration has a prominent role in the hydrologic cycle and its accurate estimation is of great importance in the fields of hydrology and water resources. Regression techniques can be made use of for developing relationship between Evapotranspiration and associated parameters influencing it. This paper demonstrates the applicability of Support Vector Regression (SVR) in modeling Reference Evapotranspiration in terms of various meteorological parameters such as Temperature, Solar radiation, Relative Humidity and Wind Speed. The SVR model is applied to the data pertaining to the IMD Station Trivandrum, Kerala and Davis region, California, United States. The performance of SVR model was compared with Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) in terms of various performance measures. It is seen that SVR models provide better estimates of Evapotranspiration compared to MLR models, thereby emphasizing the usefulness of SVR technique in estimation of Evapotranspiration.

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Linear Buckling Analysis of Functionally Graded Plates Using Power-Law Function[ ]


Functionally graded materials (FGM) are microscopically inhomogeneous materials with continuous and smoothly varying material composition and material properties across the thickness. They are widely used in high temperature environments such as nuclear reactors and rocket heat shields, as the development of localised high values of stress are eliminated due to the absence of discrete boundaries between constituent materials. In this paper, the buckling behaviour of FGM plate is modelled using spline finite strip method. The material property is idealised by power law function and classical plate theory is used for analysis. The effect of aspect ratio, power law index and material composition on the critical buckling load and buckling coefficient are examined.

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Cyclic Stress Analysis of a Rocket Engine Thrust Chamber using Chaboche Constitutive Model[ ]


High performance rockets are developed using cryogenic technology. High thrust cryogenic rocket engines operating at elevated temperatures and pressures are the backbone of such rockets. The thrust chambers of such engines which produce the thrust for the propulsion of the rocket can be considered as structural elements. Often double walled construction is employed for these chambers for better cooling and enhanced performance. The double walled rocket engine thrust chamber investigated here has its hot inner wall fabricated out of a high thermal conductive material like copper alloy and outer wall made of stainless steel. Inner wall is subjected to high thermal and pressure loads during operation of engine due to which it will be in the plastic regime.

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Analytical Model for the Calculation of Long Term Crack Width[ ]


Cracking is one of the important limit states to beconsidered in the design of concrete structures. When a flexural member is subjected to a load greater than orequal to the cracking load, the width of cracks increaseswith time. For controlling the width and spacing of cracks to an acceptable limit the designer should be able to predict the maximum crack width under sustained loading. This paper provides a relativelysimple and accurate analytical model for the prediction of maximum width of cracks of reinforced cement concrete flexuralmembers subjected to long-term loading. The proposed model is demonstrated through a numerical example. The model is compared with the test results available in the literature.

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Strength and Chemical Durability of PC-Slag-RHA Ternary Blended Concrete Mixes[ ]


Concrete is an important and commonly used man made construction material, which can be considered to have better strength and durability characteristics. Nowadays, ternary blended concrete is achieving popularity by overcoming the disadvantages of binary blended concrete. The present work deals with study of fresh properties, strength and durability of ternary blended concrete with Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) and Rice Husk Ash (RHA). Concrete mix is designed for strength of 40MPa. The study is limited to ternary blended concrete with 50% replacement of cement with GGBS and remaining 50% of cement is replaced with 5%, 10% and 15% RHA in different mixes. The chloride penetration resistance of the concrete is assessed by rapid chloride permeability test. The observations were critically analysed and the different attributes of the various mixes were correlated with the RHA content in the mix.

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Strength and Durability of Fibre Reinforced Geopolymer Concrete[ ]


Demand for concrete as construction material is on the increase and so is the production of cement. The production of one tonne of cement liberates about one tonne of CO2 to atmosphere. In order to address environmental effects associated with Portland cement, there is need to develop alternative binders to make concrete. Recent years have seen a great development in new types of inorganic cementitious binders called ‘‘geopolymeric cement’’ around the world. This prompted its use in concrete, which improves the greenness of ordinary concrete. Efforts have been made to replace the cement based binder in the current fibre reinforced cement concrete with ‘‘geopolymeric’’ binder resulting in Fibre Reinforced Geopolymer Composites (FRGCs).

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Experimental Investigation on the Mechanical Properties of Ultra High Performance Fibre Reinforced Concrete with Fly Ash[ ]


Ultra High Performance Fibre Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC) is a special concrete which exhibits very high compressive strength and flexural strength. In this study, polypropylene fibres are used as fibres. These fibres reduces the greater risk of corrosion while using the conventional steel fibres. The high cement content in conventional UHPFRC often leads to higher shrinkage and greater heat of hydration besides increased cost. This is solved by the use of supplementary cementitious materials like fly ash. Here the mechanical properties of UHPFRC with fly ash is experimentally investigated. The effect of varying the percentage of fibres on the properties of UHPFRC is studied. The effect of varying the percentage of fly ash when it is just added and when it is added as replacement for cement are also investigated. The fibres were found to increase the ductility of concrete. The cement replacement by fly ash was found to increase the strength of UHPFRC

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Slab Contribution for Over-strength factor in Capacity-based Design[ ]


Capacity design principles are adopted in earthquake resistant design of framed buildings by which the beams are allowed to yield whereas the columns are designed to remain elastic during an event of seismic occurrence. A pre-determined desirable failure mechanism can be achieved by designing the columns stronger than the beam and by preventing the occurrence of brittle shear failure anywhere in the structure. Thus, the designated yielding members (beams) alone need to be designed as ductile. Although the concept seems to be simple, various factors need to be considered before finalizing the design capacities. Many buildings withstood earthquakes of magnitudes several times higher than the design force. This can be attributed to the presence of reserve strength in structures which were not accounted for in the design.

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Buckling Analysis of S, P and E Functionally Graded Plate Using New Hyperbolic Shear Deformation Theory[ ]


Functionally Graded (FGM) plate is a two or more component composite plate having a compositional gradient which varies continuously from one component to the other throughout the thickness direction. Due to the continuous change in material properties of an FGM, the interface between the two materials disappear but the characteristics of the two or more materials are preserved. Subsequently the stress singularity at the interface is eliminated and thus the bonding strength is enhanced. This new concept of engineering the materials microstructure marks the beginning of a revolution both in the material science and in the area of mechanics of material. Various theories can be used for the analysis of isotropic and composite plates. The present study explores the feasibility of a New Hyperbolic Shear Deformation Theory (NHPSDT) for the buckling analysis of simply supported functionally graded plate subjected to uniaxial inplane compressive forces.

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Strength and Durability of OPC-Fly Ash-Sugarcane Bagasse Ash Blended Concrete[ ]


Concrete is an important and commonly used man made construction material, which can be considered to have better strength and durability characteristics. Nowadays, ternary blended concrete is achieving popularity by overcoming the disadvantages of binary blended concrete. The present work deals with study of fresh properties, strength, and durability of ternary blended concrete with Fly Ash and Sugarcane Bagasse Ash (SCBA). Concrete mix is designed for strength of 30MPa. The study is limited to ternary blended concrete with 30% replacement of cement with Fly Ash and remaining cement is replaced with 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25 %and 30% of SCBA in different mixes. The tests on hardened concrete were destructive in nature which includes compressive test, flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, split tensile strength and impact resistance test. Durability tests are carried for which the specimens were exposed to the respective chemical condition for a time period of 56 and 90 days.

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Effect of Imperfection on the Dynamic Buckling Composite Conical Shells Under Axial Impact[ ]


Laminated composite conical shells are extensively used in aerospace industry. Being thinner in section, these are susceptible to buckling when subjected to static or dynamic loading. The growing demand in safety of transport vehicles has also had a strong impact on the increasing interest in dynamic buckling. Thin walled shells prone to buckling are sensitive to imperfections which may reduce the buckling loads drastically. This paper presents the results of a numerical study on the behaviour of laminated composite conical shell with and without imperfection under dynamic axial impact. Composite conical shells of layup [0°/0°/60°/-60°]s and [0°/45°/-45°/0°]s were chosen for the current study and its behaviour under different impact durations were also studied. The magnitudes of imperfection in the shells were varied to study their effect on the buckling behaviour under impact loading. A comparative study of the dynamic buckling behaviour with their static one was also carried out.

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A Study on Pushover Analysis Using Eurocode Based Capacity Spectrum Method[ ]


The performance of a structural system can be evaluated by resorting to non-linear static analysis. This involves the estimation of the structural strength and deformation demands and the comparison with the available capacities at desired performance levels. Seismic evaluation of existing structures and of the proposed design of new structures can be done based on Non- linear Static procedure (NSP) popularly known as Pushover Analysis (PA). Generally, Capacity Spectrum Method (CSM) refers to procedures described in ATC-40 and FEMA 440. The method of Eurocode 8 (EC8) is considered to be a Target Displacement approach. However, the Optional iterative procedure mentioned in EC8 is a CSM based one, and is investigated here.

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Prediction of Early Stage Construction Cost of Building Projects Using Artificial Neural Network[ ]


Construction process generally depends on the finance management for maintaining the project feasibility and its smooth operations during the entire project execution stages. Prediction of the early stage construction cost of building projects is important during the pre-design stages of any construction projectconstruction project.The conventional and traditional cost prediction method requiresdetailed information about the construction projects.Accuracy in the prediction of construction costat the early stage affects the decisions making process and it gives insight into budgeting and the project feasibility studies. The objective of this paper is to develop early stage cost prediction model for the building construction using artificial neural network (ANN).

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Effect of Nanosilica on the Strength and Durability Properties of Glass Fibre Reinforced Self Compacting Concrete[ ]


Modern structures are being designed with congested reinforcement making the placement of concrete a menace; there arises the need of self compacting concrete. Self-Compacting Concrete is a highly flowable and coherent concrete able to compact under its own weight. Use of Alkali- Resistant Glass fibre in Self Compacting Concrete can improve surface quality, impact resistance and durability. Recently, a more pozzolanic- reactive material, nanosilica, has been used to improve the properties of cementitious materials, and it shows an excellent enhancing effects on the early-age properties. This investigation attempts to study the effect of nanosilica on the workability, strength and durability properties of Glass Fibre Reinforced Self Compacting Concrete. Control Self Compacting Concrete mix of 50MPa was obtained. 0.1% (by volume of concrete) glass fibre was adopted as optimum percentage (based on compressive strength variation with varying dosage of fibre). Nanosilica with varying dosage (0.5%, 1.5%, 2.5% and 3.5%) was added as a cement replacement material. Workability studies include Slump flow test, V-Funnel test and L-Box test. Results obtained were compared with control mix.

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Constitutive Modelling of Polyimide Pipelinefor Cryogenic Applications[ ]


Polyimide pipelines are used as a part of fluid transmission in cryogenic engines. The low density and high flexibility makes this material ideal for accommodating thermal stresses under large thermal gradients. Being a new material, its properties and behaviour under different loading conditions are mostly unknown. Polyimide pipes are made by manually winding polyimide tape on a bentonite mandrel which is later dissolved and removed after the curing of the product. Structural properties of the polyimide pipes are highly process dependent, even though material properties of the polyimide film (Kapton DuPont) are available. The main objective of the study is the characterisation of the material through experimental and finite element analysis.

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Strength and Durability Studies on Ternary Blended Concrete Containing GGBS and Bagasse Ash[ ]


Sugarcane bagasse is a byproduct of sugar industries found after extracting the sugar cane juice. The disposal of bagasse is causing serious environmental problems in and around the industries. Bagasse ash (BA) which is obtained after burning and grinding the bagasse has found to have pozzolanic properties. Using sugarcane bagasse ash as a cement replacement material is both environmentally and economically viable, since it reduces the problems of waste disposal and cement price hike. In this paper the properties of ternary blended concrete with bagasse ash and Ground Granulated Blast furnace Slag(GGBS) has been studied. The bagasse ash replacement levels were 0,5,10,15,20,25 and 30% by weight of cement and the GGBS replacement level was fixed as 30% for all mixes. For comparison purposes normal concrete with 100%OPC(Ordinary Portland Cement) was also tested. After studying the strength and durability properties, it was found out that the ternary blended concrete with 10% bagasse ash and 30% GGBS has showed greater improvement in the properties than all other mixes. Flexure and impact tests were done on TBC (Ternary Blended Concrete) beams with optimum dosage of bagasse ash and are compared with the control mix beams.

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Effect of Metakaolin on the Structural Behaviour of Normal and Steel Fibre Reinforced Concrete Beams[ ]


Cement has a severe problem of increased consumption of raw materials and energy in addition to carbon dioxide emission during its manufacture. Metakaolin is used to replace cement. It consumes lime on hydration and causes an increase in the production of cementitious compounds leading to enhanced strength. In this experimental investigation, the mechanical properties such as compressive strength, split tensile strength, flexural strength and modulus of elasticity of concrete containing various percentages of Metakaolin – 0%, 5%, 7.5%, 10% and 12.5% by weight of cement are studied. Metakaolin concrete mix with better mechanical properties is selected as the optimum metakaolin concrete mix and an optimum Metakaolin Crimped Steel Fiber Reinforced Concrete is selected among fiber fractions of 1.5%, 2% and 2.5% by volume of concrete. Using normal concrete, optimum metakoalin concrete, optimum metakaolin crimped steel fibre concrete and optimum metakaolin concrete with hooked end steel fibers in volume fraction of 1.5% are tested under flexure and shear.

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Safety Evaluation of Idukki Arch Dam[ ]


Idukki Dam is considered as Asia’s first and largest arch dam, constructed across Periyar River in a narrow gorge. It uses the theory of arch action to resist the large amount of pressure exerted by the reservoir water spread over 36 miles on a height of 2300 ft. above MSL. This is a double curvature arch dam which has curvature in both vertical and horizontal directions. Even though there had never been any doubt regarding the strength and stability of Idukki dam, the present situations like Mullaperiyar issue and frequent earthquakes in the dam vicinity has called for a proper analysis and study of the dam.

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Effect of Fibres on Ultra High Performance Concrete Wall Panels with Openings[ ]


This paper presents the results of an experimentalinvestigation conducted to determine the effect of openings on the ultimate strength and behaviour of Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC) wall panels and Ultra High Performance Fibre Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC) wall panels. Total twelve rectangular wall panels of scale ¼, six of UHPC and six of UHPFRC, were tested under one-way in-plane axial loads i.e. supported at top and bottom edges against lateral displacement. Representative door and window openings were given. First crack load, ultimate load, energy absorption capacity and crack patterns were studied. The results indicate that the openings reduce the ultimate strength and energy absorption capacity of the wall panels. By the addition of fibres, the strength enhancement observed in solid UHPFRC wall panels is not observed in those with openings.

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Seismic Performance Enhancement of Geometrically Irregular Buildings Using Shear Walls[ ]


In the new global economic year people are sufferingfrom the scarcity of land for construction of house as a result of this the number of multistory buildings are increasing day by day. As the high rise buildings were mostly affected by seismic forces the construction of these high raised buildings needs greater care. Pushover analysis is a non linear static analysis in which the seismic performance of the building can be found out.

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Structural Damage Detection, Locating, and Quantifying Using Dynamic Data[ ]


This paper deals with a methodology for the use of dynamic response as an inspection and surveillance tool for the damage in a structure. The method is based on finite element discretisation to identify the stiffness characteristics (related to cracking) starting from modal dynamic parameters (natural frequency, mode shape, and damping) derived from dynamic tests. Any damage in the structure alters its dynamic characters. The damage reduces the stiffness of the structure and increases its damping value, at the same time it will decrease the natural frequency and the corresponding mode shape changes. A three stage method was proposed to identify, locate, and quantify the extent of damage. In order to locate the damaged structure Modal Assurance Criterion (MAC), Co-ordinate Modal Assurance Criterion (COMAC), Normalized Modal Difference (NMD), and Direct Natural Frequency Correlation were used in the first stage. In the second stage Curvature Damage Factor (CDF) using curvature mode shape was used to locate the damaged positions. Neural Network was introduced in the final stage to determine the intensity of damage. Numerical results show the high efficiency of the proposed method for accurately identifying, locating, and extent of multiple structural damages.

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RCC Interior Beam Column Joints Under Reversed Cyclic Loading[ ]


Design of Reinforced Cement Concrete MomentResisting Frames is of great importance in Earthquake prone areas. Beam column sub assemblage is a crucial part in any reinforced concrete moment resisting frame. The joints should be strong enough to resist and sustain the lateral load in the event of an earthquake. Beam column joints are designed based on the ‘strong column weak beam’ behaviour so as to result in a ductile failure. Since 1967, a great deal of experimental investigations and a reasonable number of analytical investigations were carried out with the aim to describe and predict the joint responses under seismic forces. An attempt has been made in this paper to describe the interior joint behavior under seismic lateral loading and also to discuss about the current scenario.

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Comparison of Uniaxial Behavior of Fibre Reinforced Geopolymer and Conventional Concrete Columns[ ]


In this experimental investigation the structural behaviour of geopolymer concrete (GPC) columns and fibre reinforced geopolymer concrete (FRGPC) columns under monotonically increasing axial compressive loading were studied and compared with that of corresponding conventional concrete columns (RCC). A total of four GPC columns and four RCC columns were tested to evaluate the performance. Strength and behaviour of the tested columns were evaluated based on mode of failure, ultimate strength, stress-strain behaviour, energy absorption capacity and ductility. For better understanding of stress and strain distribution an analytical model for GPC column was developed by Finite Element Method. Analytical stress strain relationship obtained from FEM showed that the predictions were in close agreement with experimental curves. This indicated that the behaviour of confined geopolymer concrete columns under concentric compressive loading could be approximately predicted by the FEM approach.

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A Critical Review of Studies on the Effect of Slaband Transverse Beams on the Strength and Behaviour of Reinforced Concrete Beam Column Joints[ ]


Experience from the past earthquakes has shown that beam column joints are the most vulnerable regions in reinforced concrete (RC) moment resisting frames designed to endure severe earthquakes. The current practice for the design of connections has evolved from several experimental tests conducted on beam column joints. However, most of these testsdid not consider the effect of slab and transverse beam, which, in a real building, is invariably an integral part of the framing system. Since early 1980’s, some concern has been shown on the effect of the presence of slab and transverse beam on the behaviour of beam column joints. These studies have shown that the presence of slab and transverse beam plays a crucial role in imparting strength and stiffness to a frame when subjected to lateralloads.

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Effect of Fibre Content on Double-K Fracture Parameters of Concrete[ ]


Concrete is the most widely used construction material and the presence of cracks is inevitable in concrete. The investigation of the stability of cracks and improvement of the fracture properties is of greater concern in construction industry. The present study is on the experimental evaluation of improvement of fracture parameters of concrete by addition of hooked end steel fibres in varying volume fraction in the range 0-1.0%. The fracture test is conducted on notched beams as per International Union of Laboratories and Experts in Construction Materials, Systems and Structures (RILEM) guidelines. The results show that the fracture parameters improve with the percentage of addition of fibre, reach an optimum value and then decrease. The ductility and load carrying capacity are also improved by addition of steel fibre.

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Harbour Silting and Change in Wave Parametersdue to Breakwater Construction[ ]


Problems of erosion, reduction in shorelines, disappearance of beaches, and environmental impacts have led to the recession of many economies around the world. To resolve, engineers have devised manmade structures like breakwaters and piers to address a variety of coastal problems such as shelter, fishing, docking and coast line recession. While these problems are resolved, new ones emerge when breakwaters and jetties are constructed in the areas. Clearly, breakwater engineering and related civil engineering fields are still at their rudimentary level, despite the fact that these structures have been in use since age old.

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Retrofitting of Non-Ductile Exterior Beam-Column Joints by RC Jackets with U-Bars and Collar Bars[ ]


In a RC framed structure, beam-column joints are highly susceptible to failure when subjected to large lateral loads, especially during earthquakes. In this study, six scaled down models of the beam-column joint of a non-seismically designed structure were prepared. Retrofit in the form of reinforced concrete (RC) jackets were provided on the control specimens. Three types of RC jacketing schemes were used, first one is the conventional RC jacketing having longitudinal and transverse reinforcements, the second is the non-conventional jacketing scheme in which the joint region of the jacket was provided with diagonal ties, and the third is the non-conventional jacketing scheme in which the stirrups of the RC jackets were tied together by U shaped bars.

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Strengthening of RC Short Square Columns using Improved Ferrocement Jacketing[ ]


Strength of columns is an important factor which determines the performance of reinforced concrete framed structures subjected to various types of loads. Hence repair and strengthening of weak/damaged columns using various jacketing schemes is attracting much attention. Due to its efficient cost-performance ratio, ferrocement jacketing is becoming an attractive option of retrofitting. For retrofitting square short columns, conventional square jacketing is most widely adopted but it results in excessive stress concentration and hence improved jacketing technique with rounded column corners need to be implemented. In this study, the ultimate load carrying capacities were experimentally determined and hence the efficiency of confinement offered by square conventional and advanced jacketing schemes were compared.

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Effect of Standard Biting Load and Accidental Biting Load on Bone Stress Distribution of Upper Jaw Bone-A Non-linear Finite Element Approach[ ]


Stress analysis of bone tissue has been a topic of interest in recent years with the objective of determination of stresses in the bone structures and improvement of themechanical strength of these structures. The purpose of this article is to give an insight of the finite element analysis which has totally overshadowed other experimental analysis due to its ability to model even the most complex of geometries with is immensely flexible and adaptable nature. Finite Element Analysis is (FEA) is a computer-based numerical technique for calculating the strength and behavior of structures. Bone-mechanics is a very important subject which must be subjected to intensive research for many years to come.The modeling for FEA must be three dimensional, due to the fact that two dimensional models are too restrictive.

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Flexural Behaviour of Hybrid Fibre Reinforced Concrete Beam[ ]


Concrete is a heterogeneous composite material made up of cement, sand, coarse aggregate and water mixed in a desired proportion to obtain the required strength. Plain concrete does not with stand tension as compared to compression. In order to compensate this drawback steel reinforcement are provided in concrete. Now a day, for improving the properties of concrete and also to take up tension different types of fibres are added to concrete. Many studies shows that the addition of small closely spaced and uniformly distributed fibres in concrete would increase the tensile strength, cracking resistance, impact strength and improve other structural properties of concrete. In this thesis work the properties of concrete with the addition of hybrid fibre (combination of polypropylene and steel fibre) was studied. From the fresh and hardened properties of concrete, the optimum percentage of polypropylene fibre in concrete was found out as 0.25% by weight of cement.

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Influence of Nanosilica on Properties of Ternary Blended Concrete[ ]


Nanosilica is a nano product by itsaddition in concrete leads to the improvement of performance of concrete. This study investigates mechanical and durability properties of colloidal nanosilica on concrete incorporating cement and silica fume. In this study five different mixes are prepared, one is the control mix, the other four mixes are prepared by replacing cement by 10% of silica fume (kept constant) and varying the percentage of nanosilica in 0%, 1%, 2% and 3% of the total weight of cementitious materials. The properties of these mixes are found out using various laboratory test and compared with a control mix (M30) without any supplementary cementitious material.

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A Model Based Scheme for Real Time Estimation of Traffic Density[ ]


Rapid urbanization and growth of private vehicle ownership have led to severe traffic congestion on most of the urban roads in India. The use of advanced technology applications such as Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) is one of the recent and cost-effective ways to manage traffic congestion. Providing travelers with real time information on traffic congestion is an important component of ITS. Real time estimation and prediction of traffic density is essential for traffic congestion management through ITS. Because of the practical difficulty of measuring density directly from field, it is usually estimated from other parameters that can be readily measured using available location based sensors.

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Comparative Study of Flexural Strength of In-Service Concrete Pavement[ ]


One of the key developments required tocharacterize and improve the performance of (PCC) pavements is a better understanding of its in situ properties. Of great importance is the accurate estimation of in situ concrete strength, because it has a major impact on concrete performance. Damage identification of concrete structure has become a matter of primary importance in quality assessment and load capacity rating of the civil infrastructure, as well as in the planning of a maintenance schedule. There are currently many methods used to estimate in situ strength, each providing unique benefits.

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Issues Related to Evaluating Rutting of Asphalt Concrete Mixtures in the Laboratory[ ]


When flexible pavements are subjected to repeated traffic loading, the asphalt concrete (AC) mixture deforms. This, along with deformations in other layers of pavement, manifests in the form of rutting.Theoretical and laboratory investigations as well as field data and the results of accelerated performance tests by various researchers shows that asphalt concrete layer contributes largelyto the total deformation. Recent advancements in material and distress characterisation use flow number test to estimate the rutting characteristics of asphalt concrete mixtures.

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A Laboratory Study on the Influence of Lime and Quarry Dust on the Marine Clay Subgrade for Flexible Pavements[ ]


Many soft fine clay deposits are foundon Indian coastal corridor,which usually suffer from high saturation, low density, lesss hear strength, sensitivity and deformation problems. They are normally consolidated and hence have been found to be most troublesome from engineering considerations. Improving the behavior of these depositsis a challenge to civil engineering in general and geo technical engineering in particular.

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