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Papers by Suleiman Ashur

... Essam Zaneldin and Suleiman Ashur (2007). ... 8th International Conference on Multi-purpose H... more ... Essam Zaneldin and Suleiman Ashur (2007). ... 8th International Conference on Multi-purpose High-Rise Towers and Tall Buildings.2007.Presented at 8th International Conference on Multi-purpose High-Rise Towers and Tall Buildings, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. ...

Latex-modified concrete (LMC) and microsilica concrete (MSC) overlays are the two foremost bridge... more Latex-modified concrete (LMC) and microsilica concrete (MSC) overlays are the two foremost bridge deck concrete overlays used by US transportation agencies. They provide unique characteristics essential for fulfilling the intended functionality of preserving bridge decks from the deicers-induced corrosion and deterioration problems. Typically, the LMC overlay has higher initial cost than the MSC overlay; but the LMC overlay is considered more durable with better performance. The two major drawbacks with the LMC and MSC overlays are their high cost and their cracking tendency. Adding synthetic fibers to bridge deck concrete overlays may improve the resistance to cracking with slight increase in the initial cost. In this study, the feasibility of using fibrous fly ash concrete (FAC) overlay was explored as part of a state DOT research project intended for investigating the advantages of various types of fibrous additives on the performance bridge deck concrete overlays. Experimental test results obtained for fibrous FAC overlay mixtures along with fibrous LMC and MSC overlay mixtures were presented herein. Comparisons were made among key performance characteristics including compressive and flexural strengths, permeability, shrinkage, bond strength, and residual strength. It is important to point out that this research is pioneering in terms of using fibrous FAC overlay that could be a potential sustainable overlay system for preserving bridge decks for extended service life with lower cost and without adverse impact on the environment.

International Journal of Civil Engineering, Construction and Estate Management

Construction projects require much effort and capital funding to be successful. Financing is the ... more Construction projects require much effort and capital funding to be successful. Financing is the most crucial piece of the construction projects. Most privately sponsored projects are funded by owner equity. However, this is not the case for non-profit organizations. Many nonprofit owners turn to organizations offering grants for their capital improvement projects as a major source of funding. Much consideration and effort are expended to obtain grants. Many grants carry specific regulations that must be obeyed to qualify and obtain funding. Therefore, finding available funding has become an increasingly difficult endeavor. Limited literature exists to guide non-profit organizations in construction projects. This research is dedicated to investigating the non-profit organizations and their fundings. The research will present a practical investigation based on literature analysis and historical cases for non-profit development projects.

Risk, Media and Stigma, 2013

Concrete overlays are highly susceptible to cracking due to the large surface area that is expose... more Concrete overlays are highly susceptible to cracking due to the large surface area that is exposed to drying, the low water to cement ratio, the environmental exposure and loading conditions, the reflected cracks the underlying bridge deck, and the small thickness of the overlay. This research project investigated the potential benefits of synthetic fibrous additives with regard to the performance of bridge deck concrete overlays. Determining practical dosages and types of synthetic fibers that have the ability to enhance overlay performance, while maintaining convenient constructability without complications during mixing and finishing, was a major mission of this research. The project also outlined critical issues essential for successful and durable overlay applications with minimal cracking and delaminations. Various micro-and macro-fiber combinations were added to the fibrous overlay mixtures, resulting in 13 fibrous mix designs (nine LMC, two MSC, and two FAC). An extensive experimental laboratory program was then conducted to evaluate the major performance characteristics of each overlay mix design in terms of workability and finishability, compressive and flexural strengths, shrinkage, toughness, permeability, and bond strength. For further evaluation of the constructability of fibrous overlaytaking into consideration actual field conditions-demonstration bridges were selected and received fibrous overlays through actual IDOT contracts. Life-cycle cost analyses were also conducted to assess potential savings from incorporating fibrous additives within the concrete overlays. This research is pioneering in terms of using fibrous FAC overlay, which could be a potentially sustainable overlay system for preserving bridge decks with lower cost and minimized adverse environmental impact.

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings

This paper presents the work that was developed as a project in the first offering of the transpo... more This paper presents the work that was developed as a project in the first offering of the transportation engineering class at the new civil engineering program at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne. The project statement required the use of Excel in developing a program for highway geometric design; from simple curves to compound curves; both vertical and horizontal. In addition, the goal of this project was linked to ABET outcomes that address the ability of students to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints and, measure student's ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice. The paper presents the process of developing the spreadsheet step-by-step, the command used, challenges, and skills and lessons learned by the author and other student in the class. As a result, a simple and efficient spreadsheet to design vertical curves and simple and compound horizontal curves including default values was developed. The results of the survey suggested a major improvement of students' skills in Excel in general and in developing engineering design in particular. Major improvements were found in using functions and nested If statements. The least skills acquired were in using the Absolute and Sum commands and graphing in Excel. Most of the students either knew these commands before the class or they were familiar with them. Finally, this project enabled students to advance their knowledge of spreadsheets while learning important transportation engineering topics.

2018 IEEE International Conference on Electro/Information Technology (EIT), 2018

This paper describes the infrastructure challenges in implementing an undergraduate information s... more This paper describes the infrastructure challenges in implementing an undergraduate information security program at a large Midwestern University. Efforts to overcome those challenges are summarized and future plans to improve the program over time are discussed. Some key challenges for this program have been physical location, inadequacy of the physical infrastructure, budget constraints and the lack of faculty with direct information security experience. Furthermore, this paper offers insight and lessons learned for institutions that may be planning on developing their own information assurance program.

Sustainability is an important topic in engineering education. It requires conservation of the na... more Sustainability is an important topic in engineering education. It requires conservation of the natural resources and energy, while minimization of the impacts of a product or a system to the natural environment to a level within the nature’s self-sustaining capacity. In typical classroom teaching, students have rare chances to practice the concept of sustainability. However, the capstone projects for senior engineering students provide a valuable opportunity for them to utilize and to practice the concept in a system or in a technological design, build and evaluation. In this paper, a group of Civil Engineering students designed, built and tested a chemical-free multimedia filtration system to treat the St Joseph River water for clean water supply. Smallscaled water treatment systems are important supplements to centralized drinking water supply, because of their minimal or even no chemical usage, low start-up and operation costs, high mobility, and the ability to be built economica...

The engineering department at Indiana University‐Purdue University Fort Wayne began offering a ne... more The engineering department at Indiana University‐Purdue University Fort Wayne began offering a newly designed first‐year curriculum in the fall 2014 semester with the intent to expose students to important mathematical techniques through engineering applications and to develop the students’ problem solving abilities. The two new first‐year courses are divided into three components: lecture, project studio, and computer lab, which are designed to complement one another. Throughout the courses, students are exposed to and required to use multiple solution procedures to solve problems. Moreover, students are required to document and communicate solutions in multiple representations to demonstrate a deeper understanding. The purpose of this paper is to explain how CAD (computer‐aided drawing) is used by students to first solve and then document trigonometry and vector problems.

Digital image correlation (DIC) is an innovative non-contact displacement measurement technique w... more Digital image correlation (DIC) is an innovative non-contact displacement measurement technique which provides the surface deformations and strains by comparing the digital images of a specimen surface taken before and after deformation. DIC is simple to use, cost effective, and commonly used to investigate deformation of engineering materials and structures. The goal of this paper is to present (a) the theory and concepts of DIC, (b) the process of implementing DIC including specimen preparation, image acquisition, and image processing, (c) the DIC system developed at IPFW’s civil engineering materials laboratory, and (d) the demonstration of the DIC application in measuring the displacement field and strain maps during compression tests performed on clear wood specimens parallel to the grains.

2021 IEEE International Intelligent Transportation Systems Conference (ITSC), 2021

Work zone safety is influenced by many risk factors. Consequently, a comprehensive knowledge of t... more Work zone safety is influenced by many risk factors. Consequently, a comprehensive knowledge of the risk factors identified from crash data analysis becomes critical in reducing risk levels and preventing severe crashes in work zones. This study focuses on the 2016 severe crashes that occurred in the State of Michigan (USA) in work zones along highway I-94. The study identified the risk factors from a wide range of crash variables characterizing environmental, driver, crash and road-related variables. The impact of these risk factors on crash severity was investigated using frequency analyses, logistic regression statistics, and a machine learning Random Forest (RF) algorithm. It is anticipated that the findings of this study will help traffic engineers and departments of transportation in developing work zone countermeasures to improve safety and reduce the crash risk. It was found that some of these factors could be overlooked when designing and devising work zone traffic control plans. Results indicate, for example, the need for appropriate traffic control mechanisms such as harmonizing the speed of vehicles before approaching work zones, the need to provide illumination at specific locations of the work zone, and the need to establish frequent public education programs, flyers, and ads targeting high-risk driver groups. Moreover, the Random Forest algorithm was found to be efficient, promising, and recommended in crash data analysis, specifically, when the data sample size is small.

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings

Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) is a regional campus of Indiana University... more Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) is a regional campus of Indiana University and Purdue University and administratively managed by Purdue University. IPFW is the largest public university in northeastern Indiana, serving more than 12,000 students. The civil engineering program is the most recent addition to the Department of Engineering, which offers B.S. degrees in civil, computer, electrical, and mechanical engineering. Most of engineering students attend collage as part time and usually commute to campus. Sometimes, it is hard for them to perform well in homework and assignments due to limited access off campus to computer software needed by their classes. In order to help students in improving their academic performance, a pilot study was conducted in the spring 2007 semester to evaluate the impact of providing students with remote access to proprietary software need for their assignments. This paper presents the result of the pilot study of remotely accessing engineering software using Citrix server. There were two software packages available for use: AutoCAD and Matlab. The impact of Citrix server on students' performance was evaluated using two surveys: initial and final surveys. Both surveys were conducted in two sections of two freshmen courses taught during the spring semester: Graphical Communications and Spatial Analysis and Computer Engineering Tools for Engineering. Students usually use AutoCAD in the graphic class and Matlab in the engineering tools class. Most the students participated in the survey were freshmen, male, full time students, employed, living off campus with an average commute of 15 miles, do not own a copy of the software, and have Internet access at home. The paper presents a summary of the findings for both surveys. In conclusion, most of students agreed that remotely accessing software package using Citrix server has reduced their commuting time and provided them with more time to study at home; improved their grades in general and homework grades in particular; improved their grades in all courses in general and Citrix related courses in particular; and their experience with Citrix was excellent and recommend strongly that the college adopts the server permanently.

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings

Wayne (IPFW) is a regional campus of Indiana University and Purdue University and administrativel... more Wayne (IPFW) is a regional campus of Indiana University and Purdue University and administratively managed by Purdue University. IPFW is the largest public university in northeastern Indiana, serving more than 12,000 students. The civil engineering program is the most recent addition to the Department of Engineering, which offers B.S. degrees in civil, computer, electrical, and mechanical engineering. General Education Elective (3) Area IV Hydraulics Environmental Engineering Lab Civil Engineering Design Project I Soil Mechanics Lab 8 th Semester 15 credits 3 rd Tech. Elec. (3) 4 th Tech. Elec. (3) CE 488 (3) P: CE 487 General Education Elective (3) Area IV General Education Elective (3) Area VI

Athens Journal of Τechnology & Engineering, 2019

In construction industry, one of the most common materials is concrete. To increase strength and ... more In construction industry, one of the most common materials is concrete. To increase strength and durability, various additives have been used in the industry. Crystalline Silica which has fine particles is one of these additives widely used in concrete construction. In the US, roughly 2.5 Million people are dealing with concrete in manufacturing concrete blocks, concrete cutting, or other concrete related activities such as trending, drilling, cutting, or sawing concrete. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has recently stated that, Crystalline Silica in concrete is hazardous to human health. The people in risk are inhaling the silica particles and may develop silicosis, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or kidney diseases. Recently, OSHA developed new respirable crystalline silica standards for construction. With this new regulation, Crystalline Silica quantities will be limited. With this motivation, this research work deals with an experimental investigation of concrete ingredients to identify the effects of silica in construction. The paper experimentally investigates the effects of crystalline silica in concrete. The current design standards have been studied to reveal the efficiency of the silica in concrete. Compression strength and velocity tests have been used in the experimental set up. A better identification of the silica effect in concrete will help in decision process for the stakeholders in concrete industry.

Volume 5: Education and Globalization, 2015

In this paper a methodology to identify gaps in course learning outcomes using Fundamentals of En... more In this paper a methodology to identify gaps in course learning outcomes using Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam administered by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) is presented. The methodology is applied to selected courses in General Engineering, Mechanical Engineering (international university), and Civil Engineering (US University). It has been concluded that the methodology succeeded to identify gaps in course learning outcomes of these courses and corrective actions to topics covered is consequently proposed. The proposed methodology is adequate for programs already developed and is recommended as a continuous improvement and review method for engineering curriculum.

Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 1997

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have been successfully implemented in various fields. Transp... more Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have been successfully implemented in various fields. Transportation agencies, however, have not yet recognized the full capabilities of GIS. The purpose of the GIS cost estimation project is to research the possibilities of analyzing data through the power of geographic management. The enhanced data management would assist in improving project cost estimation. Typically, state highway departments rely heavily on historical bid data to estimate construction projects. A systematic information collection, organization, and storage process must be used so that relevant historical cost data can be retrieved. Data collection and storage have been done for years but their usefulness at times appears worthless, primarily because of the amount of time required to page through and assimilate reams of compiled data. Analysis would be greatly simplified if one could visualize the data graphically. Using such technology should assist in easing the ever-incre...

Mathematical and Computer Modelling, 1998

Transportation research …, 1995

... Essam Zaneldin and Suleiman Ashur (2007). ... 8th International Conference on Multi-purpose H... more ... Essam Zaneldin and Suleiman Ashur (2007). ... 8th International Conference on Multi-purpose High-Rise Towers and Tall Buildings.2007.Presented at 8th International Conference on Multi-purpose High-Rise Towers and Tall Buildings, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. ...

Latex-modified concrete (LMC) and microsilica concrete (MSC) overlays are the two foremost bridge... more Latex-modified concrete (LMC) and microsilica concrete (MSC) overlays are the two foremost bridge deck concrete overlays used by US transportation agencies. They provide unique characteristics essential for fulfilling the intended functionality of preserving bridge decks from the deicers-induced corrosion and deterioration problems. Typically, the LMC overlay has higher initial cost than the MSC overlay; but the LMC overlay is considered more durable with better performance. The two major drawbacks with the LMC and MSC overlays are their high cost and their cracking tendency. Adding synthetic fibers to bridge deck concrete overlays may improve the resistance to cracking with slight increase in the initial cost. In this study, the feasibility of using fibrous fly ash concrete (FAC) overlay was explored as part of a state DOT research project intended for investigating the advantages of various types of fibrous additives on the performance bridge deck concrete overlays. Experimental test results obtained for fibrous FAC overlay mixtures along with fibrous LMC and MSC overlay mixtures were presented herein. Comparisons were made among key performance characteristics including compressive and flexural strengths, permeability, shrinkage, bond strength, and residual strength. It is important to point out that this research is pioneering in terms of using fibrous FAC overlay that could be a potential sustainable overlay system for preserving bridge decks for extended service life with lower cost and without adverse impact on the environment.

International Journal of Civil Engineering, Construction and Estate Management

Construction projects require much effort and capital funding to be successful. Financing is the ... more Construction projects require much effort and capital funding to be successful. Financing is the most crucial piece of the construction projects. Most privately sponsored projects are funded by owner equity. However, this is not the case for non-profit organizations. Many nonprofit owners turn to organizations offering grants for their capital improvement projects as a major source of funding. Much consideration and effort are expended to obtain grants. Many grants carry specific regulations that must be obeyed to qualify and obtain funding. Therefore, finding available funding has become an increasingly difficult endeavor. Limited literature exists to guide non-profit organizations in construction projects. This research is dedicated to investigating the non-profit organizations and their fundings. The research will present a practical investigation based on literature analysis and historical cases for non-profit development projects.

Risk, Media and Stigma, 2013

Concrete overlays are highly susceptible to cracking due to the large surface area that is expose... more Concrete overlays are highly susceptible to cracking due to the large surface area that is exposed to drying, the low water to cement ratio, the environmental exposure and loading conditions, the reflected cracks the underlying bridge deck, and the small thickness of the overlay. This research project investigated the potential benefits of synthetic fibrous additives with regard to the performance of bridge deck concrete overlays. Determining practical dosages and types of synthetic fibers that have the ability to enhance overlay performance, while maintaining convenient constructability without complications during mixing and finishing, was a major mission of this research. The project also outlined critical issues essential for successful and durable overlay applications with minimal cracking and delaminations. Various micro-and macro-fiber combinations were added to the fibrous overlay mixtures, resulting in 13 fibrous mix designs (nine LMC, two MSC, and two FAC). An extensive experimental laboratory program was then conducted to evaluate the major performance characteristics of each overlay mix design in terms of workability and finishability, compressive and flexural strengths, shrinkage, toughness, permeability, and bond strength. For further evaluation of the constructability of fibrous overlaytaking into consideration actual field conditions-demonstration bridges were selected and received fibrous overlays through actual IDOT contracts. Life-cycle cost analyses were also conducted to assess potential savings from incorporating fibrous additives within the concrete overlays. This research is pioneering in terms of using fibrous FAC overlay, which could be a potentially sustainable overlay system for preserving bridge decks with lower cost and minimized adverse environmental impact.

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings

This paper presents the work that was developed as a project in the first offering of the transpo... more This paper presents the work that was developed as a project in the first offering of the transportation engineering class at the new civil engineering program at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne. The project statement required the use of Excel in developing a program for highway geometric design; from simple curves to compound curves; both vertical and horizontal. In addition, the goal of this project was linked to ABET outcomes that address the ability of students to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints and, measure student's ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice. The paper presents the process of developing the spreadsheet step-by-step, the command used, challenges, and skills and lessons learned by the author and other student in the class. As a result, a simple and efficient spreadsheet to design vertical curves and simple and compound horizontal curves including default values was developed. The results of the survey suggested a major improvement of students' skills in Excel in general and in developing engineering design in particular. Major improvements were found in using functions and nested If statements. The least skills acquired were in using the Absolute and Sum commands and graphing in Excel. Most of the students either knew these commands before the class or they were familiar with them. Finally, this project enabled students to advance their knowledge of spreadsheets while learning important transportation engineering topics.

2018 IEEE International Conference on Electro/Information Technology (EIT), 2018

This paper describes the infrastructure challenges in implementing an undergraduate information s... more This paper describes the infrastructure challenges in implementing an undergraduate information security program at a large Midwestern University. Efforts to overcome those challenges are summarized and future plans to improve the program over time are discussed. Some key challenges for this program have been physical location, inadequacy of the physical infrastructure, budget constraints and the lack of faculty with direct information security experience. Furthermore, this paper offers insight and lessons learned for institutions that may be planning on developing their own information assurance program.

Sustainability is an important topic in engineering education. It requires conservation of the na... more Sustainability is an important topic in engineering education. It requires conservation of the natural resources and energy, while minimization of the impacts of a product or a system to the natural environment to a level within the nature’s self-sustaining capacity. In typical classroom teaching, students have rare chances to practice the concept of sustainability. However, the capstone projects for senior engineering students provide a valuable opportunity for them to utilize and to practice the concept in a system or in a technological design, build and evaluation. In this paper, a group of Civil Engineering students designed, built and tested a chemical-free multimedia filtration system to treat the St Joseph River water for clean water supply. Smallscaled water treatment systems are important supplements to centralized drinking water supply, because of their minimal or even no chemical usage, low start-up and operation costs, high mobility, and the ability to be built economica...

The engineering department at Indiana University‐Purdue University Fort Wayne began offering a ne... more The engineering department at Indiana University‐Purdue University Fort Wayne began offering a newly designed first‐year curriculum in the fall 2014 semester with the intent to expose students to important mathematical techniques through engineering applications and to develop the students’ problem solving abilities. The two new first‐year courses are divided into three components: lecture, project studio, and computer lab, which are designed to complement one another. Throughout the courses, students are exposed to and required to use multiple solution procedures to solve problems. Moreover, students are required to document and communicate solutions in multiple representations to demonstrate a deeper understanding. The purpose of this paper is to explain how CAD (computer‐aided drawing) is used by students to first solve and then document trigonometry and vector problems.

Digital image correlation (DIC) is an innovative non-contact displacement measurement technique w... more Digital image correlation (DIC) is an innovative non-contact displacement measurement technique which provides the surface deformations and strains by comparing the digital images of a specimen surface taken before and after deformation. DIC is simple to use, cost effective, and commonly used to investigate deformation of engineering materials and structures. The goal of this paper is to present (a) the theory and concepts of DIC, (b) the process of implementing DIC including specimen preparation, image acquisition, and image processing, (c) the DIC system developed at IPFW’s civil engineering materials laboratory, and (d) the demonstration of the DIC application in measuring the displacement field and strain maps during compression tests performed on clear wood specimens parallel to the grains.

2021 IEEE International Intelligent Transportation Systems Conference (ITSC), 2021

Work zone safety is influenced by many risk factors. Consequently, a comprehensive knowledge of t... more Work zone safety is influenced by many risk factors. Consequently, a comprehensive knowledge of the risk factors identified from crash data analysis becomes critical in reducing risk levels and preventing severe crashes in work zones. This study focuses on the 2016 severe crashes that occurred in the State of Michigan (USA) in work zones along highway I-94. The study identified the risk factors from a wide range of crash variables characterizing environmental, driver, crash and road-related variables. The impact of these risk factors on crash severity was investigated using frequency analyses, logistic regression statistics, and a machine learning Random Forest (RF) algorithm. It is anticipated that the findings of this study will help traffic engineers and departments of transportation in developing work zone countermeasures to improve safety and reduce the crash risk. It was found that some of these factors could be overlooked when designing and devising work zone traffic control plans. Results indicate, for example, the need for appropriate traffic control mechanisms such as harmonizing the speed of vehicles before approaching work zones, the need to provide illumination at specific locations of the work zone, and the need to establish frequent public education programs, flyers, and ads targeting high-risk driver groups. Moreover, the Random Forest algorithm was found to be efficient, promising, and recommended in crash data analysis, specifically, when the data sample size is small.

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings

Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) is a regional campus of Indiana University... more Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) is a regional campus of Indiana University and Purdue University and administratively managed by Purdue University. IPFW is the largest public university in northeastern Indiana, serving more than 12,000 students. The civil engineering program is the most recent addition to the Department of Engineering, which offers B.S. degrees in civil, computer, electrical, and mechanical engineering. Most of engineering students attend collage as part time and usually commute to campus. Sometimes, it is hard for them to perform well in homework and assignments due to limited access off campus to computer software needed by their classes. In order to help students in improving their academic performance, a pilot study was conducted in the spring 2007 semester to evaluate the impact of providing students with remote access to proprietary software need for their assignments. This paper presents the result of the pilot study of remotely accessing engineering software using Citrix server. There were two software packages available for use: AutoCAD and Matlab. The impact of Citrix server on students' performance was evaluated using two surveys: initial and final surveys. Both surveys were conducted in two sections of two freshmen courses taught during the spring semester: Graphical Communications and Spatial Analysis and Computer Engineering Tools for Engineering. Students usually use AutoCAD in the graphic class and Matlab in the engineering tools class. Most the students participated in the survey were freshmen, male, full time students, employed, living off campus with an average commute of 15 miles, do not own a copy of the software, and have Internet access at home. The paper presents a summary of the findings for both surveys. In conclusion, most of students agreed that remotely accessing software package using Citrix server has reduced their commuting time and provided them with more time to study at home; improved their grades in general and homework grades in particular; improved their grades in all courses in general and Citrix related courses in particular; and their experience with Citrix was excellent and recommend strongly that the college adopts the server permanently.

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings

Wayne (IPFW) is a regional campus of Indiana University and Purdue University and administrativel... more Wayne (IPFW) is a regional campus of Indiana University and Purdue University and administratively managed by Purdue University. IPFW is the largest public university in northeastern Indiana, serving more than 12,000 students. The civil engineering program is the most recent addition to the Department of Engineering, which offers B.S. degrees in civil, computer, electrical, and mechanical engineering. General Education Elective (3) Area IV Hydraulics Environmental Engineering Lab Civil Engineering Design Project I Soil Mechanics Lab 8 th Semester 15 credits 3 rd Tech. Elec. (3) 4 th Tech. Elec. (3) CE 488 (3) P: CE 487 General Education Elective (3) Area IV General Education Elective (3) Area VI

Athens Journal of Τechnology & Engineering, 2019

In construction industry, one of the most common materials is concrete. To increase strength and ... more In construction industry, one of the most common materials is concrete. To increase strength and durability, various additives have been used in the industry. Crystalline Silica which has fine particles is one of these additives widely used in concrete construction. In the US, roughly 2.5 Million people are dealing with concrete in manufacturing concrete blocks, concrete cutting, or other concrete related activities such as trending, drilling, cutting, or sawing concrete. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has recently stated that, Crystalline Silica in concrete is hazardous to human health. The people in risk are inhaling the silica particles and may develop silicosis, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or kidney diseases. Recently, OSHA developed new respirable crystalline silica standards for construction. With this new regulation, Crystalline Silica quantities will be limited. With this motivation, this research work deals with an experimental investigation of concrete ingredients to identify the effects of silica in construction. The paper experimentally investigates the effects of crystalline silica in concrete. The current design standards have been studied to reveal the efficiency of the silica in concrete. Compression strength and velocity tests have been used in the experimental set up. A better identification of the silica effect in concrete will help in decision process for the stakeholders in concrete industry.

Volume 5: Education and Globalization, 2015

In this paper a methodology to identify gaps in course learning outcomes using Fundamentals of En... more In this paper a methodology to identify gaps in course learning outcomes using Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam administered by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) is presented. The methodology is applied to selected courses in General Engineering, Mechanical Engineering (international university), and Civil Engineering (US University). It has been concluded that the methodology succeeded to identify gaps in course learning outcomes of these courses and corrective actions to topics covered is consequently proposed. The proposed methodology is adequate for programs already developed and is recommended as a continuous improvement and review method for engineering curriculum.

Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 1997

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have been successfully implemented in various fields. Transp... more Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have been successfully implemented in various fields. Transportation agencies, however, have not yet recognized the full capabilities of GIS. The purpose of the GIS cost estimation project is to research the possibilities of analyzing data through the power of geographic management. The enhanced data management would assist in improving project cost estimation. Typically, state highway departments rely heavily on historical bid data to estimate construction projects. A systematic information collection, organization, and storage process must be used so that relevant historical cost data can be retrieved. Data collection and storage have been done for years but their usefulness at times appears worthless, primarily because of the amount of time required to page through and assimilate reams of compiled data. Analysis would be greatly simplified if one could visualize the data graphically. Using such technology should assist in easing the ever-incre...

Mathematical and Computer Modelling, 1998

Transportation research …, 1995