Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities

In a recently completed research project for the Illinois Department of Transportation, the potential service life of each noise barrier material or product currently in use by the Department was evaluated based on the current condition of the barriers in service. The assessment was made by field observation of a majority of the noise barriers in Illinois, and by surveying highway maintenance personnel regarding their observations and experiences with noise barriers in their jurisdictions. The accurate estimation of service life is a necessary component of life-cycle cost analysis of noise barriers, an additional outcome of the research.

Fender systems between channel piers are currently required by the U.S. Coast Guard for guidance of vessels under bridges. Because their only function is to guide the vessels through navigational channels under the bridges, these fender systems are not designed to withstand any lateral impact. The objective of this paper is to analyze the possibility of transforming bridge fender systems into pier protection against barge impact. A finite-element model of the fenders currently used by the Florida Department of Transportation was created using ANSYS software and subjected to a static load equivalent to the barge impact force. Because it may be uneconomical and impractical for fenders to be designed to withstand the total barge impact forces, they were also tested for 33% of such load. The results show that the fender systems currently used by the Florida Department of Transportation are too weak to function as bridge protection systems because they are unable to resist even 33% of the impact force without total destruction of the system.

A woman fell on a ramp in front of a pub and broke her ankle. She had had some drinks in the pub. Questions have been asked as who was to blame, the woman herself, her shoes, or the ramp. The writer introduces a fault tree model that can be used to solve the problem both qualitatively and quantitatively. The graphical model shows the interrelationships among the possible causes contributing to the fall. The qualitative and quantitative analyses produce the ranking of the minimal cut sets of causes that are most likely to contribute to the fall. Logical assessment and building codes support the qualitative analysis. The quantitative analysis requires the use of probability values. Some of these values are readily available, while others call for adequate judgment. A step-by-step process of solving the problem is presented in this paper.

This paper presents an integration method for evaluating environmental quality in office buildings based on a series of interviews with 50 experts in the field of environmental quality in the built environment. A structured questionnaire was completed by experts during the interviews. The categories of environmental quality considered in this evaluation include lighting comfort, acoustic comfort, thermal comfort, and acceptable indoor air quality. Each category includes a set of performance criteria. Sixty-five performance criteria covering the evaluation of environmental quality in office buildings were extracted from the interviewed experts. The development of this integration method for assessing the environmental quality of built environments is described and an illustration of its application is presented.

This paper presents the development of an expert system to evaluate the effects on environmental quality of proposed modifications to an office building following a postoccupancy evaluation. The model presented in this paper has been designated Expert System for Environmental Quality Evaluation (ESEQE). The ESEQE model consists of 200 rules covering 65 performance criteria of environmental quality. These performance criteria cover lighting comfort, acoustic comfort, thermal comfort, and indoor air quality. The performance criteria and the method of evaluation were extracted from a series of interviews with experts in the field of environmental quality in the built environment. The structure and development cycles of the ESEQE model are described. A demonstration of using ESEQE to evaluate the environmental quality in office buildings is presented. The potential benefits of using ESEQE during the design stages are also discussed.

An instrumentation program was undertaken to monitor the movements of a multistory underground parking structure exhibiting signs of large deformation and severe structural distress including the failure of a column. The structure is a four-story reinforced concrete building with a rectangular footprint measuring 52.42 × 71.32 m. The building's structural system consists of reinforced concrete waffle slabs resting on rectangular reinforced concrete columns. The instrumentation plan included the installation of eight vibrating-wire displacement transducers to monitor displacements and 24 electrolytic tiltmeters to monitor inclinations. The instrument data was recorded hourly and read via a remote site modem connected to a datalogger. This paper describes the instrumentation program and the procedures associated with the installation of the instruments. A summary and a brief interpretation of typical measurements are presented, along with a discussion of lessons learned and recommendations for similar projects.