Printable Version| ENGR 401/402 Senior Project (4 cr) UGrad |
Senior Project 2011-2012:
Student GeoChallenge GeoWall 2012
PROJECT POSTERthe 2012 GeoChallenge team is tasked to design and build a mechanically stabilized earth wall of poster board with paper reinforcements to hold the self-weight of the granular backfill material as well as separate vertical and horizontal surcharge loads while minimizing reinforcement weight. This year's team has used a modified version of FHWA Manual for designing the wall to withstand these loading conditions. THese methods were combined with the p-y method and an additional correction factor to overcome the boundary limitations set in place in these methods.
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Team PhotoSenior Project 2010-2011:
2011 Student GeoChallenge Competition
PROJECT POSTERThe Geo-Institute of ASCE sponsors GeoChallenge, an annual student competition for the design and construction of mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) wall. The project objective is to design and construct a scaled-down model of a mechanically stabilized wall in which dry sand, reinforced with paper is retained behind a poster paper wall that has been constructed in a plywood form. The reinforcement paper and the sand were tested to determine the properties required for design process. A design spreadsheet was developed based on FHWA design manual approach to calculate reinforcement demand in the wall. The various designs were constructed and loaded under competition conditions. The results from each test were used to establish the necessary modifications to optimize the performance.
A design report was submitted, and the team placed third nationally based on the MSE wall design methods and report. This granted competition acceptance and a $2,000 travel grant. At the competition, the team placed 6th nationally based on the design performance.
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Senior Project 2008-2009:
Stress Transfer Measurement in Soils
PROJECT POSTER
Loads carried within the ground and transferred to and from structural components are not easily measured, or accurately calculated. Mat-type flexible tactile sensors, which are developed for use in the medical and manufacturing industries, have recently shown promise as a means to measure stress distributions within soil and at soil-structure interfaces. It is the goal of this project to use large tactile senors to investigate stress measurements at soil-structure interfaces in Widener University's geotechnical test box.
Tests are conducted in a 6ft x 6ft x 5.5ft geotechnical box subjected to different loading scenarios by PC-controlled hydraulic actuator loading system. Two dimensional vertical and horizontal distributions of soil-structure interface stresses are collected by the calibrated tactile sensors. The experimental sequence is further represented by a two-dimensional numerical model simulated in FLAC. The experimental and numerical simulation results are compared with available analytical solutions in aid of better udnerstanding role of various components in identified stress distributions.
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Senior Project 2005-2006:
Use of Physical Modeling for Understanding Slope Stability and Progress of Failure
PROJECT POSTER
The study is focused on the development of a framework for physical modeling and testing of constructed slopes. The project will utilize physical modeling concepts for understanding of failure mechanisms involved in stability of the constructed slopes.
The physical models will be designed based on initial numerical model simulations of slope geometries, materials and external conditions using FLAC-slope software. The failure mechanisms will be identified, instrumentation and measurements will be conducted for verification purposes.
The impact of select remedial methods such as slope reinforcement will also be considered and studied by means of constructed physical models. ?>