Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities

This paper presents the results of a detailed inspection of the deck panels of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge installed in 1982. The original cast-in-place concrete deck, constructed in 1962, was replaced with full-depth lightweight precast concrete deck panels that enabled rapid construction with minimal traffic disruption. The inspection of the Woodrow Wilson deck provides valuable information about the performance of the precast concrete panels, joints, and connections after 20 years of very harsh traffic loads and environmental stressors. The deck panels performed well overall, with the only serious problems at expansion and contraction joints. All of these joints exhibited cracking and rusting. The most prevalent type of cracking appeared to be due to restrained shrinkage between the new polymer concrete, the older precast panels, and the rigid steel joints. This location is more vulnerable to cracking and leaking because there is no prestress across the joint. The multilayered corrosion protection methods used for the transverse and longitudinal post-tensioning tendons were very successful.

The collapse of the State Route 69 Bridge over the Tennessee River near Clifton, Tennessee, is an example of how instability and lateral torsional buckling failure of a single steel bridge girder during erection might cause collapse of the whole steel superstructure. Close attention should be given to the stability of steel plate girders during erection when the lateral support provided to the compression flange might temporarily not be present. Rules of thumb in use today have been adopted by contractors/subcontractors to check the stability of cantilever or simply supported girders under erection using the $L/b$ ratio, where $L$ is the unbraced length and b is the compression flange width. For each girder section, a maximum $L/b$ ratio exists beyond which lateral torsional buckling failure would occur under girder self-weight. Parametric studies were conducted following the latest AASHTO LRFD code in order to indentify the maximum $L/b$ ratio for various girder sections and check the rules of thumb, as well as determine the dominating section parameters on girder stability under erection. Advanced nonlinear finite-element analyses were also conducted on a girder section for both the cantilever and the simply supported case in order to further understand the behavior of girder instability due to lateral torsional buckling under the self-weight, as well as to develop a trial-and-error methodology for identifying the maximum $L/b$ ratio using computer analysis. At the same time, the effect of lateral bracing location on the cantilever free end has been investigated, and it turned out that bracing the top tension flange would be more effective to prevent lateral torsional buckling than bracing the bottom compression flange.

Local government built the monitoring project to know seawall performance and ensure its safety in Shanghai Pudong New Area. Up to now, monitoring data of some important monitoring items including tidewater level, seepage pressure, rainfall, wave, deformation, etc., have been collected. The monitoring system is introduced here. Furthermore, the data analysis methods have been studied particularly because the seawall works in a complex special environment. The rules and relationship within seepage pressure, tidewater, and rainfall are presented, and the time distance between tidewater and seepage pressure curves are confirmed by statistical distance analysis. To do quantificational analysis of seawall performance, two methods based on statistical theory and general regression neural network are used to establish monitoring models considering the main effect factors. Instances show the models can achieve good fitting and forecasting results of seawall seepage pressure. Application experiences are also presented.

Observations, data, and analyses used to investigate the cause of fly ash-laden seepage from the right abutment of an earthen dam are presented herein. The investigation shows that the sediment-laden seepage occurred through permeable/jointed bedrock in the right abutment that was exposed by a landslide prior to construction of the dam. When the level of the impounded fly ash reached the level of the prior landslide, the fly ash-laden seepage migrated through the jointed bedrock of the abutment and exited on the downstream right abutment. The joint bedrock was exposed to the fly ash reservoir because the landslide removed the clayey colluvium and/or residual soil overlying the jointed bedrock that formed a natural impervious barrier to seepage. This sediment-laden seepage initially was a great concern because of the potential for erosion and piping in earth dams. However, the rapid investigation into and subsequent monitoring of the seepage revealed that accumulation of fly ash and other coarser particles created a filter cake that reduced the seepage and eventually sealed the joints and fractures in the sandstone abutment. No fly ash-laden seepage has been observed on the downstream abutment since April 2004 after first appearing on February 16, 2004. This filter cake development and self-healing process averted additional seepage and illustrates the beneficial effects of fly ash-laden seepage in controlling reservoir leakage.

The first hardfill dam in Turkey, Cindere Dam, has recently been constructed and a number of instruments have been installed. The aim of this study is to review the capability of the current instrumentation system and to observe the feasibility of possible alternative measurement systems. To this end, the current instrumentation system has been evaluated as a whole with reference to the parameters measured, instruments, and data acquisition system. Afterward, an alternative instrumentation system was developed by considering additional parameters and instruments to the current system. Furthermore, each instrumentation system equipped with manual and automatic data acquisition systems was considered. The comparison between the current and alternative instrumentation systems was also carried out in terms of technical and economical aspects. Although the current instrumentation system was found to be satisfactory according to the commonly used dam instrumentation practices, it was observed that the alternative system promotes the current one in various aspects without increasing the cost significantly.

Grouting operations in sewage tunnel construction are performed to prevent water inflow and to strengthen and solidify the ring shape of the tunnel. Such operations have hazards. Safety assessments of these operations often involve subjective judgment. These judgments frequently employ linguistic expressions that are not easily defined although they are useful. Rotational and angular fuzzy logic models, which are useful in evaluating judgments commonly expressed linguistically, have been established to determine the performance and safety of tunnel grouting operations. The graphical models involve the use of ramp functions having both positive and negative characteristics.

This paper summarizes the measured properties of a three-layer model concrete tunnel lining using a newly proposed combined stress wave propagation (CSWP) method. The spectral analysis of surface waves (SASW) and impact echo (IE) methods were used in combination to determine the in-place dynamic properties of the tunnel lining and to locate embedded voids. Simultaneously, the free-free resonant column (FFRC) method was independently used to determine the dynamic properties of the materials used to construct the concrete tunnel lining. Finally, a direct $P$ -wave (DPW) measurement was used to compare and verify measurements recorded using the CSWP method. Results indicate that the combination of the SASW and IE methods, along with FFRC measurements, provides a more efficient procedure that leads to the accurate determination of the $P$ -wave and shear wave velocities, depths of layers, and locations of embedded voids without the need to make any assumptions of material properties. Thus, more physical properties can be found using this proposed procedure than by using the techniques independently, and the procedure is more efficient than performing each task separately.

A section of jointed concrete pavement on U.S. 75, which was built from 1982 to 1985, in the Paris District of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) experienced severe pumping and settlement, even though two types of treatment (full depth repair and polyurethane foam injection) were performed. An extensive field investigation was conducted using ground penetrating radar, falling weight deflectometer, dynamic cone penetrometer, and coring to identify the causes of the continued pumping and settlement problems, and develop an optimal repair strategy. The pavement evaluation included tie bar condition, load transfer efficiency (LTE) at transverse and longitudinal construction joints, and base support conditions. Some of the tie bars failed in shear due to corrosion, which resulted in substantially low LTEs $\left(<40\%\right)$ at longitudinal construction joints. Pumping and settlement problems were more pronounced where the tie bars failed; the resulting large deflections exacerbated the pumping and settlement problems. The results demonstrate the importance of adequate LTEs $\left(>80\%\right)$ provided by tie bars, base and subgrade support, in providing satisfactory JCP performance. Inadequate design or construction of any of these critical elements could lead to performance problems, potentially including severe settlement, which is quite difficult to repair. To repair this pavement section, the Paris District of TxDOT is planning to retrofit tie bars by the “slot stitching” method, along with filling the voids under the slab using grout, followed by thin overlay using latex modified concrete to correct the differential elevation problems at longitudinal construction joints. It is expected that this repair strategy will address the distress problems and extend the pavement life.

Bond-breaker media have been used with success to reduce and minimize undesirable cracks reflecting from cement-treated or lean-concrete subbases (LCSs). The common bond-breaking media include (1) emulsion slurry seal; (2) 30 to 60-mm-thin asphalt concrete; (3) one or two applications of wax-based curing compounds; (4) one or two layers of polyethylene sheets; and (5) geotextile. The cost differences among different bond-breaking media are significant for a highway project over 200 km long. Different types of tests (British pendulum friction, push off, pullout, and torsion) were performed to determine the cost-effectiveness of bond-breaking media. It was found that the bond stress had been reduced by approximately 90% when either emulsion wax curing compound (EWCC) or emulsion slurry seal was used. The results from the British pendulum, push-off, pullout, torsion, and cost analyses indicate that EWCC is the most cost-effective bond-breaker medium. Based on the observations from the laboratory testing and field trial section, the EWCC application rate was selected at $0.4\text{L}/{\text{m}}^2$ . As evident from the push-off and torsion test results, the effectiveness of the EWCC as a bond-breaker medium decreased with time. Thus, a second application of EWCC is required if the LCS base has been exposed to the environment for more than 14 days. The 216-km project was successfully constructed with EWCC. It resulted in a more than $7 million savings by using EWCC instead of emulsion slurry seal. No distress or cracking has been observed after the section was opened to traffic for more than 1 year.

The aim of the study is to compare and evaluate structural response demands obtained from nonlinear static analysis procedures (NSPs) which are displacement coefficient method (DCM) recommended in FEMA 356 and capacity spectrum method (CSM) recommended in ATC 40. For these reasons, three of three-dimensional low-rise RC buildings with different characteristics are investigated. In order to determine nonlinear behavior of the buildings under lateral loads, the base shear-roof displacement relationships (capacity curves) are obtained by pushover analysis including $P$ -delta effects. Then by considering four different seismic hazard levels, building performances are determined by using the CSM and by using from DCM results determined in a previous study. In order to determine performance levels of the buildings, maximum beam and column plastic rotation demands and maximum story drift demands are determined in the related maximum displacement demands. Plastic strains in the equivalent diagonal struts, representing the nonstructural infill walls, are also determined, similarly. Comparing structural response quantities (such as plastic rotations, story drifts, etc.) obtained from the NSPs for considered low-rise RC buildings, effects of different NSPs in performance evaluations of the buildings are investigated comparatively, as well.

This paper describes the experimental and analytical modal analysis of a full-scale cantilevered grandstand. A 3D finite-element model was successfully updated manually based on the global modes identified from ambient vibration measurements. The ambient vibration testing was effective in capturing the global modes of the large grandstand. A number of global vibration modes of the entire grandstand were reliably identified in the frequency range 0–3.1 Hz, in addition to modes in the same frequency range that engaged primarily the cantilever roof structure. Following a two-stage manual FE model updating process, the correlation between the experimental and analytical results showed good agreement, with physically meaningful updated parameters. It was clearly illustrated that both the roof system and the nonstructural elements contributed significantly to the stiffness and mass of the global modes. Useful and novel lessons are highlighted for efficient and reliable future finite-element modeling of global modes of similar grandstand structures.

Rework has been identified as a major contributor to cost and schedule overrun in construction projects. Previous studies that have examined rework are based on a limited data sets and thus eschew generalizations being made about the key determinants. Using data from 260 completed building $\left(n=147\right)$ and civil engineering $\left(n=113\right)$ projects, path analysis is used to develop a structural model of the most significant causes of rework. The model revealed that the paths of client-directed changes, site management and subcontractors, and project communication were statistically significant contributors to rework costs. The analysis confirmed that the lack of attention to quality management resulted in higher rework costs being incurred in the projects sampled. The analysis also revealed that there were no significant differences between building and civil engineering projects in terms of the direct and indirect cost of rework experienced, and the effectiveness of the project management practices implemented. Considering the findings, it is suggested that generic strategies for reducing the incidence rework in construction and civil engineering projects can be developed.