THE PERFORMANCE AND MODIFICATION OF RECYCLED ELECTRONIC WASTE PLASTICS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF ASPHALT PAVEMENT MATERIALS

Bulk electric waste plastics were recycled and reduced in size into plastic chips before pulverization or cryogenic grinding into powders. Two major types of electronic waste plastics were used in this investigation: acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and high impact polystyrene (HIPS). This research investigation utilized two approaches for incorporating electronic waste plastics into asphalt pavement materials. The first approach was blending and integrating recycled and processed electronic waste powders directly into asphalt mixtures and binders; and the second approach was to chemically treat recycled and processed electronic waste powders with hydro-peroxide before blending into asphalt mixtures and binders. The chemical treatment of electronic waste (e-waste) powders was intended to strengthen molecular bonding between e-waste plastics and asphalt binders for improved low and high temperature performance. Superpave asphalt binder and mixture testing techniques were conducted to determine the rheological and mechanical performance of the e-waste modified asphalt binders and mixtures. This investigation included a limited emissions-performance assessment to compare electronic waste modified asphalt pavement mixture emissions using SimaPro and performance using MEPDG software. Carbon dioxide emissions for e-waste modified pavement mixtures were compared with conventional asphalt pavement mixtures using SimaPro. MEPDG analysis was used to determine rutting potential between the various e-waste modified pavement mixtures and the control asphalt mixture. The results from this investigation showed the following: treating the electronic waste plastics delayed the onset of tertiary flow for electronic waste mixtures, electronic waste mixtures showed some improvement in dynamic modulus results at low temperatures versus the control mixture, and tensile strength ratio values for treated e-waste asphalt mixtures were improved versus the control mixture.

Review of assessment, design, and mitigation of multiple hazards

Large parts of the world are subjected to one or more natural hazards, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, tropical storms (hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons), costal inundation and flooding. Virtually the entire world is at risk of man-made hazards. In recent decades, rapid population growth and economic development in hazard-prone areas have greatly increased the potential of multiple hazards to cause damage and destruction of buildings, bridges, power plants, and other infrastructure; thus posing a grave danger to the community and disruption of economic and societal activities. Although an individual hazard is significant in many parts of the United States (U.S.), in certain areas more than one hazard may pose a threat to the constructed environment. In such areas, structural design and construction practices should address multiple hazards in an integrated manner to achieve structural performance that is consistent with owner expectations and general societal objectives. The growing interest and importance of multiple-hazard engineering has been recognized recently. This has spurred the evolution of multiple-hazard risk-assessment frameworks and development of design approaches which have paved way for future research towards sustainable construction of new and improved structures and retrofitting of the existing structures. This report provides a review of literature and the current state of practice for assessment, design and mitigation of the impact of multiple hazards on structural infrastructure. It also presents an overview of future research needs related to multiple-hazard performance of constructed facilities.

Estimating greenhouse gas emissions of highway construction and rehabilitation to support pavement life cycle assessment

Highway infrastructure plays a significant role in society. The building and upkeep of America’s highways provide society the necessary means of transportation for goods and services needed to develop as a nation. However, as a result of economic and social development, vast amounts of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) are emitted into the atmosphere contributing to global climate change. In recognizing this, future policies may mandate the monitoring of GHG emissions from public agencies and private industries in order to reduce the effects of global climate change. To effectively reduce these emissions, there must be methods that agencies can use to quantify the GHG emissions associated with constructing and maintaining the nation’s highway infrastructure. Current methods for assessing the impacts of highway infrastructure include methodologies that look at the economic impacts (costs) of constructing and maintaining highway infrastructure over its life cycle. This is known as Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA). With the recognition of global climate change, transportation agencies and contractors are also investigating the environmental impacts that are associated with highway infrastructure construction and rehabilitation. A common tool in doing so is the use of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Traditionally, LCA is used to assess the environmental impacts of products or processes. LCA is an emerging concept in highway infrastructure assessment and is now being implemented and applied to transportation systems. This research focuses on life cycle GHG emissions associated with the construction and rehabilitation of highway infrastructure using a LCA approach. Life cycle phases of the highway section include; the material acquisition and extraction, construction and rehabilitation, and service phases. Departing from traditional approaches that tend to use LCA as a way to compare alternative pavement materials or designs based on estimated inventories, this research proposes a shift to a context sensitive process-based approach that uses actual observed construction and performance data to calculate greenhouse gas emissions associated with highway construction and rehabilitation. The goal is to support strategies that reduce long-term environmental impacts. Ultimately, this thesis outlines techniques that can be used to assess GHG emissions associated with construction and rehabilitation operations to support the overall pavement LCA.

EVALUATING INFRASTRUCTURE PERFORMANCE TO ASSIST FACILITY MANAGEMENT TOWARD SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS

Civil infrastructure provides essential services for the development of both society and economy. It is very important to manage systems efficiently to ensure sound performance. However, there are challenges in information extraction from available data, which also necessitates the establishment of methodologies and frameworks to assist stakeholders in the decision making process. This research proposes methodologies to evaluate systems performance by maximizing the use of available information, in an effort to build and maintain sustainable systems. Under the guidance of problem formulation from a holistic view proposed by Mukherjee and Muga, this research specifically investigates problem solving methods that measure and analyze metrics to support decision making. Failures are inevitable in system management. A methodology is developed to describe arrival pattern of failures in order to assist engineers in failure rescues and budget prioritization especially when funding is limited. It reveals that blockage arrivals are not totally random. Smaller meaningful subsets show good random behavior. Additional overtime failure rate is analyzed by applying existing reliability models and non-parametric approaches. A scheme is further proposed to depict rates over the lifetime of a given facility system. Further analysis of sub-data sets is also performed with the discussion of context reduction. Infrastructure condition is another important indicator of systems performance. The challenges in predicting facility condition are the transition probability estimates and model sensitivity analysis. Methods are proposed to estimate transition probabilities by investigating long term behavior of the model and the relationship between transition rates and probabilities. To integrate heterogeneities, model sensitivity is performed for the application of non-homogeneous Markov chains model. Scenarios are investigated by assuming transition probabilities follow a Weibull regressed function and fall within an interval estimate. For each scenario, multiple cases are simulated using a Monte Carlo simulation. Results show that variations on the outputs are sensitive to the probability regression. While for the interval estimate, outputs have similar variations to the inputs. Life cycle cost analysis and life cycle assessment of a sewer system are performed comparing three different pipe types, which are reinforced concrete pipe (RCP) and non-reinforced concrete pipe (NRCP), and vitrified clay pipe (VCP). Life cycle cost analysis is performed for material extraction, construction and rehabilitation phases. In the rehabilitation phase, Markov chains model is applied in the support of rehabilitation strategy. In the life cycle assessment, the Economic Input-Output Life Cycle Assessment (EIO-LCA) tools are used in estimating environmental emissions for all three phases. Emissions are then compared quantitatively among alternatives to support decision making.

AN ASSESSMENT OF BALLAST SOURCE'S QUALITY AND LOCATIONS WITH RESPECT TO MDOT'S UPGRADE OF THE WOLVERINE RAILROAD LINE FOR HIGH SPEED RAIL USEAGE

The Michigan Department of Transportation is evaluating upgrading their portion of the Wolverine Line between Chicago and Detroit to accommodate high speed rail. This will entail upgrading the track to allow trains to run at speeds in excess of 110 miles per hour (mph). An important component of this upgrade will be to assess the requirement for ballast material for high speed rail. In the event that the existing ballast materials do not meet specifications for higher speed train, additional ballast will be required. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to investigate the current MDOT railroad ballast quality specifications and compare them to both the national and international specifications for use on high speed rail lines. The study found that while MDOT has quality specifications for railroad ballast it does not have any for high speed rail. In addition, the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA), while also having specifications for railroad ballast, does not have specific specifications for high speed rail lines. The AREMA aggregate specifications for ballast include the following tests: (1) LA Abrasion, (2) Percent Moisture Absorption, (3) Flat and Elongated Particles, (4) Sulfate Soundness test. Internationally, some countries do require a highly standard for high speed rail such as the Los Angeles (LA) Abrasion test, which is uses a higher standard performance and the Micro Duval test, which is used to determine the maximum speed that a high speed can operate at. Since there are no existing MDOT ballast specification for high speed rail, it is assumed that aggregate ballast specifications for the Wolverine Line will use the higher international specifications. The Wolverine line, however, is located in southern Michigan is a region of sedimentary rocks which generally do not meet the existing MDOT ballast specifications. The investigation found that there were only 12 quarries in the Michigan that meet the MDOT specification. Of these 12 quarries, six were igneous or metamorphic rock quarries, while six were carbonate quarries. Of the six carbonate quarries four were locate in the Lower Peninsula and two in the Upper Peninsula. Two of the carbonate quarries were located in near proximity to the Wolverine Line, while the remaining quarries were at a significant haulage distance. In either case, the cost of haulage becomes an important consideration. In this regard, four of the quarries were located with lake terminals allowing water transportation to down state ports. The Upper Peninsula also has a significant amount of metal based mining in both igneous and metamorphic rock that generate significant amount of waste rock that could be used as a ballast material. The main drawback, however, is the distance to the Wolverine rail line. One potential source is the Cliffs Natural Resources that operates two large surface mines in the Marquette area with rail and water transportation to both Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. Both mines mine rock with a very high compressive strength far in excess of most ballast materials used in the United States and would make an excellent ballast materials. Discussions with Cliffs, however, indicated that due to environmental concerns that they would most likely not be interested in producing a ballast material. In the United States carbonate aggregates, while used for ballast, many times don't meet the ballast specifications in addition to the problem of particle degradation that can lead to fouling and cementation issues. Thus, many carbonate aggregate quarries in close proximity to railroads are not used. Since Michigan has a significant amount of carbonate quarries, the research also investigated using the dynamic properties of aggregate as a possible additional test for aggregate ballast quality. The dynamic strength of a material can be assessed using a split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB). The SHPB has been traditionally used to assess the dynamic properties of metal but over the past 20 years it is now being used to assess the dynamic properties of brittle materials such as ceramics and rock. In addition, the wear properties of metals have been related to their dynamic properties. Wear or breakdown of railroad ballast materials is one of the main problems with ballast material due to the dynamic loading generated by trains and which will be significantly higher for high speed rails. Previous research has indicated that the Port Inland quarry along Lake Michigan in the Southern Upper Peninsula has significant dynamic properties that might make it potentially useable as an aggregate for high speed rail. The dynamic strength testing conducted in this research indicate that the Port Inland limestone in fact has a dynamic strength close to igneous rocks and much higher than other carbonate rocks in the Great Lakes region. It is recommended that further research be conducted to investigate the Port Inland limestone as a high speed ballast material.

Seismic Serviceability Assessment of Water Distribution Systems

Water distribution systems are important for life saving facilities especially in the recovery after earthquakes. In this paper, a framework is discussed about seismic serviceability of water systems that includes the fragility evaluation of water sources of water distribution networks. Also, a case study is brought about the performance of a water system under different levels of seismic hazard. The seismic serviceability of a water supply system provided by EPANET is evaluated under various levels of seismic hazard. Basically, the assessment process is based on hydraulic analysis and Monte Carlo simulations, implemented with empirical fragility data provided by the American Lifeline Alliance (ALA, 2001) for both pipelines and water facilities. Represented by the Seismic Serviceability Index (Cornell University, 2008), the serviceability of the water distribution system is evaluated under each level of earthquakes with return periods of 72 years, 475 years, and 2475 years. The system serviceability under levels of earthquake hazard are compared with and without considering the seismic fragility of the water source. The results show that the seismic serviceability of the water system decreases with the growing of the return period of seismic hazard, and after considering the seismic fragility of the water source, the seismic serviceability decreases. The results reveal the importance of considering the seismic fragility of water sources, and the growing dependence of the system performance of water system on the seismic resilience of water source under severe earthquakes.