Project Abstracts: 2007 to 2008
Computer-Aided Engineering
Improved Water Resources Sustainability Through Multi-time Scale Forecasting and Adaptive Multi-purpose Reservoir Management. S. Arumugam and S. Ranjithan. National Science Foundation. 03/05 to 02/11
This project has three major objectives. The first is to develop an integrated approach to promote sustainable water systems through combined application of both weather information-based near-term streamflow forecasts and climate-based short-term streamflow forecasts. The second objective is to apply and demonstrate the approach for two water supply systems, one experiencing rapid increase in water demand in NC, and another serving multiples uses in Virginia. The third objective is to develop an instructional tool for assessing various water management measures and streamflow forecasts in promoting sustainable water management and to incorporate the tool in undergraduate/graduate curricula at several Universities.
Effect of Gradation on Predicted Performance of Aggregate Base Course. T.M. Evans and A.A. Tayebali. North Carolina Department of Transportation. 01/08 to 12/08
The primary objectives of this research are to evaluate the effect of aggregate gradation on the mechanical properties of the ABC materials; and to develop numerical model(s) based on the discrete element method (DEM) to predict mechanical properties with changes in gradation. The DEM models will also provide insight into the underlying micromechanics that may contribute to variations in material performance as a function of ABC gradation. It is anticipated that this research study will result in performance-related criteria that can be incorporated into the NCDOT Standard Specifications that are used for acceptance of ABC material for pavement structure.
Nanoscale Modeling of the Behavior of Natural and Augmented Clays. O. Rojas, T.M. Evans, J. Baugh, and M. Guddati. NCSU College of Natural Resources Extramural Proposal Development Fund. 02/01/08
A new numerical approach for the simulation of clay is proposed. Rather than traditional continuum numerical methods or bench-scale physical approaches, the work focuses on simulating clays in a fundamental particulate manner. Since each particle is simulated individually based on its physiochemical interactions with its surroundings, it will be possible to simulate the response of systems as varied as disperse solutions of clay with other chemicals (e.g., consumer applications), bioaugmentation of clay (e.g., geotechnical applications), and time-release compounds (e.g., pharmaceutical pills). It is envisioned that the proposed effort will lead to a robust methodology for predicting clay behavior at all natural and engineering scales.
Development of Multi-axial VEPCD-FEP++ and its Extension to Indirect Tension Test. Y.R. Kim and M.N. Guddati. Federal Highway Administration. 09/05 to 12/07
Over the past decade, the NCSU research team has been successful in developing HMA models that can accurately capture various critical phenomena such as microcrack induced damage, strain rate - temperature interdependence, and viscoplastic flow that is critical for high temperature modeling; the resulting model is termed the viscoelastoplastic continuum damage (VEPCD) model. The primary objectives of this research are to (1) extend the VEPCD model to multiaxial state of stress; (2) develop a three-dimensional finite element program with the multiaxial VEPCD model; and (3) extend the principles used in the VEPCD modeling to the indirect tension mode.
Hot Mix Asphalt Performance-Related Specifications Based on Viscoelastoplastic Continuum Damage Models
Calibration of Rutting Models for HMA Structural and Mix Design. R. Kim and M.N. Guddati. NCHRP 9-30A, Subcontract from Applied Research Associates, Inc. 11/05 to 10/08
The objective of this research effort is to recommend revisions to the HMA rut depth prediction model in the mechanistic-empirical pavement design guide and software developed in NCHRP Project 1-37A for consideration by the NCHRP Project 1-40 panel and the AASHTO Joint Task Force on Pavements. The recommended revisions will be based on the calibration and validation of distress models with measured materials properties and performance data from existing field and other full-scale pavement sections that incorporate modified as well as unmodified asphalt binders.
Top-Down Fatigue Cracking of Hot-Mix Asphalt Layers. Y.R. Kim and M.N. Guddati. NCHRP 1-42A, Subcontract from University of Florida. 06/06 to 10/08
In this research, the viscoelastic continuum damage model implemented in the finite element program (VECD-FEP++) will be used to investigate the top-down fatigue cracking mechanism in hot-mix asphalt pavements. The VECD model and the dynamic modulus from the IDT test will serve as the primary experimental tools. The resulting VECD-FEP++ will be used to simulate the behavior of asphalt pavements with varying loading, environmental, and pavement factors. The results from the simulation will be investigated to develop mechanistic procedures to evaluate the top-down cracking propensity of asphalt pavement as a function of various factors and to predict the top-down cracking performance of asphalt pavement.
NEESR-GC: Simulation of the Seismic Performance of Nonstructural Systems. A. Gupta and M. Margakis (University of Nevada, Reno); other participating institutions: SUNY-Buffalo, UC-San Diego, Cornell, GA-Tech, NC A&T, and UNC-Chapel Hill. (Project Managed by CUREE). 2007-2012
Overall objective is to study the seismic performance of non-structural ceiling systems in buildings such as fire suppression piping, suspended ceiling fixtures, HVAC ducts, and partitions. NCSU's work is focused on computer modeling, optimization, and fragility evaluations for designing piping configuration needed to conduct experiments, Subtasks of this study focus on verification of theoretical formulations for seismic analysis of coupled building-piping systems as well as development of new formulations for improved verification with respect to the experimental results obtained by other participating organizations.
High-end Computing in Environmental Engineering with Application to Subsurface Characterization. G. Mahinthakumar. National Science Foundation (Career). 07/03 to 06/09
Accurate characterization of the subsurface is an important element in the development of reliable and efficient groundwater management practices. Accurate and reliable estimation of hydraulic conductivity distribution, contaminant distribution, and/or contaminant source release history is necessary for problems such as estimating groundwater yields, design of efficient cleanup strategies, and identifying responsible parties in a contamination incident. This requires solution of an inverse problem because direct measurement of detailed subsurface properties is not feasible. Inverse problems are difficult to solve and are computationally demanding. This multidisciplinary NSF Career project will investigate novel computational strategies for the efficient solution of large-scale inverse problems in subsurface characterization.
ITR: A Prototype to Support Near Real-Time Environmental Characterization. G. Mahinthakumar, R. Ranjithan, and Nick Karonis (Northern Illinois University). National Science Foundation. 09/03 to 08/07
The overall goal of this project is to investigate formal computational approaches that can readily harness grid computing for the efficient solution of environmental characterization problems. To this end, we will develop a grid-enabled software framework. Two alternative paradigms, one based on the grid-enabled version of MPI (Message Passing Interface), and the other based on Java will be explored. The framework will be applied to groundwater and surface water problems, both of which are of prime societal importance.
DDDAS-TMRP (Collaborative Research): An Adaptive Cyberinfrastructure for Threat Management in Urban Water Distribution Systems. G. Mahinthakumar, E.D. Brill, R. Ranjithan (Co-PI's, NCSU), J. Uber (Univ. of Cincinnati); Gregor Von Laszewski (Univ. of Chicago); and K. Harrison, (Univ. of South Carolina). National Science Foundation (Dynamic Data Driven Application Systems Program). 01/06 to 12/08
The goal of this multidisciplinary research is to develop a cyberinfrastructure system for water distribution system threat management that will both adapt to and control changing needs in data, models, computer resources and management choices facilitated by a dynamic workflow design. Using virtual simulation and a field study, this cyberinfrastructure will be tested on illustrative scenarios for adaptive management of contamination events in water distribution systems.
Development of a Design Tool for Planning Aqueous Amendment Injection Systems. R.C. Borden, G. Mahinthakumar, T.J. Simpkin (CH2M HILL) and C. Zawtocki (Solutions-IES). DOE, Environmental Security Technology Certification Program. 03/06 to 12/08
The overall objective of this project is to develop a set of tools to assist design engineers in developing effective, reasonably efficient systems for distributing aqueous amendments for in situ treatment of groundwater contaminants. At this time, the primary applications for the tools will be for design of in situ chemical oxidation systems using permanganate and in situ anaerobic bioremediation systems using soluble substrates and emulsified oil. However, as technology evolves, this general approach should be applicable to distribution of other aqueous amendments.
PERI: Performance Engineering Research Institute: Application Engagement. G. Mahinthakumar. UT Battelle LLC. 04/07 to 06/11 (renewed annually)
This project is part of a larger scale effort funded by DOE through the SciDAC (Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing) program. The overall goal of the project is to develop and maintain an enabling technology center in the area of high-end computer performance called performance engineering research institute (PERI). NCSU component of this project will focus on performance analysis, performance modeling, and performance optimization of SciDAC groundwater application codes.
Modeling the Impact and Blast Performance of Fiber Reinforced Concrete. V.C. Matzen and Abhinav Gupta. Idaho National Laboratory. 2006 to 2009
This study is aimed at providing an experiment-based application for the blast/impact software investigation to be carried out at INL. An active research collaboration between INL and the Center for Nuclear Power Plant Structures, Equipment and Piping at NCSU is proposed. The collaboration will provide NCSU personnel an access to the advanced finite element software available at INL to model the structural performance of FRC. Simple experiments on FRC structural members will be conducted at NCSU for reconciliation of analytical and experimental results. The purpose would be to help in the development of new FRC material to withstand impact and blast loads.
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