Houssam Toutanji | Western Michigan University (original) (raw)
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Papers by Houssam Toutanji
Lecture notes in civil engineering, 2023
Springer eBooks, Nov 27, 2021
Structural Concrete, Aug 29, 2019
Current design methods for predicting deflections and crack widths at service load in concrete st... more Current design methods for predicting deflections and crack widths at service load in concrete structures reinforced with steel bars may not be necessarily applicable in those reinforced with fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) bars. In this paper, methods for predicting deflections and crack widths and spacing of glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) reinforced concrete beams were proposed. In order to use the effective moment of inertia for concrete beams reinforced with FRP bars, the effect of reinforcement ratios and elastic modulus of the FRP reinforcement were incorporated in Branson's equation. This paper also presents a new equation to predict crack width. Six concrete beams reinforced with different GFRP reinforcement ratios were tested. Deflections and crack widths were measured and compared with those obtained by proposed models. The comparison between the experimental results and those predicted was in good agreement.
Civil Engineering, Oct 1, 2008
Advances in weigh-in-motion (WIM) technology over the past 15 years have led to successful field ... more Advances in weigh-in-motion (WIM) technology over the past 15 years have led to successful field application of a commercial grade portable Bridge WIM system (B-WIM) in Europe. Under a previous UTCA Research Project No. 07212, the University Transportation Center for Alabama (UTCA) tested the state-of-the-art commercially available B-WIM technology on two interstate highway bridges. The equipment tested was developed by CESTEL, a Slovenian technology company, and is commercially referred to as the SiWIM system. Some technical difficulties occurred during the Project 07212 field tests; however, the SiWIM system was successfully installed, calibrated, and placed into a data gathering mode at both sites. The objective of the research described in this report was to develop a practical recommendation for installation of SiWIM technology at potentially multiple locations in the State of Alabama for the primary purpose of traffic enforcement. The researchers worked with the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) to select a bridge for instrumentation that has the potential for an excellent accuracy classification rating. The bridge selected is located on US Highway 78 East in Graysville, Alabama. The bridge structure consists of three 42-ft simply supported reinforced concrete T-beam spans with two traffic lanes in one direction. In addition, an ALDOT-operated Bending Plate Weigh-In-Motion System (BP-WIM) is located approximately four miles to the west also on US Highway 78. After installing the SiWiM system on the bridge, calibration and three in-service simulated enforcement test exercises were conducted. Over one hundred trucks were weighed by the SiWIM system and compared to their static weights. Many of the trucks were also weighed by the BP-WIM system. The accuracy classification established for the SiWIM system during the calibration and subsequent in-service tests varied between ±20% and ±44% of the static weight with a confidence level of 85%. This level of accuracy is not precise enough to be used with confidence to screen trucks for weight enforcement. The additional BP-WIM data collected during this program indicated that the SiWIM system may be as accurate as the nearby BP-WIM system tested. Lessons learned from the work reported here have been of benefit. In March, 2011, ALDOT personnel installed, calibrated, and operated a newer model of the SiWIM system on a shorter span bridge, achieving B(10), C(15), AND B(10) accuracy classification in random truck weighing for gross vehicle weight, group axles, and single axles, respectively.
Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering
La resistance a la traction directe de la pate de ciment - fumee de silice et de mortier a ete ev... more La resistance a la traction directe de la pate de ciment - fumee de silice et de mortier a ete evaluee pour differents rapports eau/ciment. Quatre rapports eau/ciment ont ete utilises, 0,22, 0,25, 0,28, 0,31, avec un dosage de fumee de silice en pourcentage de ciment de 8%, 16% et 25%. Pour chaque formulation, le dosage du superplastifiant a ete ajuste afin d'eviter la segregation. Les resultats ont montre qu'un remplacement partiel de ciment de 8% de fumee de silice engendre une augmentation de la resistance a la traction du mortier, mais aucun effet sur la resistance a la traction de la pate de ciment. Le remplacement de ciment par un important dosage de fumee de silice (16% et 25%) entraine une diminution de la resistance a la traction du mortier ainsi que de la pate de ciment. Cette diminution a ete plus importante dans le cas de ciment que dans celui du mortier. Il est aussi demontre que l'utilisation du superplastifiant avec fumee de silice joue un role plus effica...
Copyright © 2006, American Concrete Institute. All rights reserved including rights of reproducti... more Copyright © 2006, American Concrete Institute. All rights reserved including rights of reproduction and use in any form or by any means, including the making of copies by any photo process, or by electronic or mechanical device, printed, written, or oral, or recording for sound or visual reproduction or for use in any knowledge or retrieval system or device, unless permission in writing is obtained from the copyright proprietors.
A novel technique for evaluating the tensile strength of FRP tow sheets and cement-based specimen... more A novel technique for evaluating the tensile strength of FRP tow sheets and cement-based specimens wrapped with FRP tow sheet composites is introduced. The ASCERA hydraulic tensile tester is used for determining the tensile strength which is derived from the hydraulic pressure and sample geometry. The tensile strength of the carbon fiber wrapped cement composites were in the range of 78 to 132 MPa. The glass fiber composites were in the range of 40 to 55 MPa, while the unwrapped cement specimens were under 7 MPa. The results show a significant difference in tensile strength properties with the application of epoxy-resin system. The tensile strength values are presented using Weibull statistics. A model using the rule of mixtures is used to predict the tensile strength of the FRP composites. Fractography is used to locate the failure initiating defects and to identify the failure modes associated with the different composite wrap systems.
Lecture notes in civil engineering, 2023
Springer eBooks, Nov 27, 2021
Structural Concrete, Aug 29, 2019
Current design methods for predicting deflections and crack widths at service load in concrete st... more Current design methods for predicting deflections and crack widths at service load in concrete structures reinforced with steel bars may not be necessarily applicable in those reinforced with fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) bars. In this paper, methods for predicting deflections and crack widths and spacing of glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) reinforced concrete beams were proposed. In order to use the effective moment of inertia for concrete beams reinforced with FRP bars, the effect of reinforcement ratios and elastic modulus of the FRP reinforcement were incorporated in Branson's equation. This paper also presents a new equation to predict crack width. Six concrete beams reinforced with different GFRP reinforcement ratios were tested. Deflections and crack widths were measured and compared with those obtained by proposed models. The comparison between the experimental results and those predicted was in good agreement.
Civil Engineering, Oct 1, 2008
Advances in weigh-in-motion (WIM) technology over the past 15 years have led to successful field ... more Advances in weigh-in-motion (WIM) technology over the past 15 years have led to successful field application of a commercial grade portable Bridge WIM system (B-WIM) in Europe. Under a previous UTCA Research Project No. 07212, the University Transportation Center for Alabama (UTCA) tested the state-of-the-art commercially available B-WIM technology on two interstate highway bridges. The equipment tested was developed by CESTEL, a Slovenian technology company, and is commercially referred to as the SiWIM system. Some technical difficulties occurred during the Project 07212 field tests; however, the SiWIM system was successfully installed, calibrated, and placed into a data gathering mode at both sites. The objective of the research described in this report was to develop a practical recommendation for installation of SiWIM technology at potentially multiple locations in the State of Alabama for the primary purpose of traffic enforcement. The researchers worked with the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) to select a bridge for instrumentation that has the potential for an excellent accuracy classification rating. The bridge selected is located on US Highway 78 East in Graysville, Alabama. The bridge structure consists of three 42-ft simply supported reinforced concrete T-beam spans with two traffic lanes in one direction. In addition, an ALDOT-operated Bending Plate Weigh-In-Motion System (BP-WIM) is located approximately four miles to the west also on US Highway 78. After installing the SiWiM system on the bridge, calibration and three in-service simulated enforcement test exercises were conducted. Over one hundred trucks were weighed by the SiWIM system and compared to their static weights. Many of the trucks were also weighed by the BP-WIM system. The accuracy classification established for the SiWIM system during the calibration and subsequent in-service tests varied between ±20% and ±44% of the static weight with a confidence level of 85%. This level of accuracy is not precise enough to be used with confidence to screen trucks for weight enforcement. The additional BP-WIM data collected during this program indicated that the SiWIM system may be as accurate as the nearby BP-WIM system tested. Lessons learned from the work reported here have been of benefit. In March, 2011, ALDOT personnel installed, calibrated, and operated a newer model of the SiWIM system on a shorter span bridge, achieving B(10), C(15), AND B(10) accuracy classification in random truck weighing for gross vehicle weight, group axles, and single axles, respectively.
Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering
La resistance a la traction directe de la pate de ciment - fumee de silice et de mortier a ete ev... more La resistance a la traction directe de la pate de ciment - fumee de silice et de mortier a ete evaluee pour differents rapports eau/ciment. Quatre rapports eau/ciment ont ete utilises, 0,22, 0,25, 0,28, 0,31, avec un dosage de fumee de silice en pourcentage de ciment de 8%, 16% et 25%. Pour chaque formulation, le dosage du superplastifiant a ete ajuste afin d'eviter la segregation. Les resultats ont montre qu'un remplacement partiel de ciment de 8% de fumee de silice engendre une augmentation de la resistance a la traction du mortier, mais aucun effet sur la resistance a la traction de la pate de ciment. Le remplacement de ciment par un important dosage de fumee de silice (16% et 25%) entraine une diminution de la resistance a la traction du mortier ainsi que de la pate de ciment. Cette diminution a ete plus importante dans le cas de ciment que dans celui du mortier. Il est aussi demontre que l'utilisation du superplastifiant avec fumee de silice joue un role plus effica...
Copyright © 2006, American Concrete Institute. All rights reserved including rights of reproducti... more Copyright © 2006, American Concrete Institute. All rights reserved including rights of reproduction and use in any form or by any means, including the making of copies by any photo process, or by electronic or mechanical device, printed, written, or oral, or recording for sound or visual reproduction or for use in any knowledge or retrieval system or device, unless permission in writing is obtained from the copyright proprietors.
A novel technique for evaluating the tensile strength of FRP tow sheets and cement-based specimen... more A novel technique for evaluating the tensile strength of FRP tow sheets and cement-based specimens wrapped with FRP tow sheet composites is introduced. The ASCERA hydraulic tensile tester is used for determining the tensile strength which is derived from the hydraulic pressure and sample geometry. The tensile strength of the carbon fiber wrapped cement composites were in the range of 78 to 132 MPa. The glass fiber composites were in the range of 40 to 55 MPa, while the unwrapped cement specimens were under 7 MPa. The results show a significant difference in tensile strength properties with the application of epoxy-resin system. The tensile strength values are presented using Weibull statistics. A model using the rule of mixtures is used to predict the tensile strength of the FRP composites. Fractography is used to locate the failure initiating defects and to identify the failure modes associated with the different composite wrap systems.