The project focusses on conducting research to develop design and assessment procedures for concrete bridge substructure disturbed regions utilizing internal Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRP). Existing AASHTO LRFD methods for the design of deep beams using strut-and-tie methods are general in nature and not necessarily tailored to the typical structural typologies used by the NCDOT. Additionally, these procedures are based on various implicit assumptions that did not consider the use of internal longitudinal and/or transverse FRP for the reinforcement. The proposed research will investigate the use of FRP for both the longitudinal and transverse reinforcement and develop recommended design procedures for typical bridge substructure components. The research will also include large-scale experimental testing of bridge substructure components. The experiments will include designs using glass FRP (GFRP) and carbon FRP (CFRP) so that comparisons of the structural performance can be made.

A large number of culvert pipes are installed every year in North Carolina. In the current research project (RP2022-02: Integration of Repair and Remediation Methods into Pipe Material Selection Approach), a Pipe Assessment and Selection Software (PASS) was developed. PASS accounts for the service life of a wide range of pipe materials (reinforced concrete, galvanized steel, aluminized steel, cast iron, mild steel, aluminum alloy, and polymeric pipes) based on their exposure conditions, and it has been enhanced to account for loading and structural requirements. Additional features of PASS include accounting for the effect of backfill replacement as well as repair and mitigation strategies such as the use of flowable fills and membrane lining of the trench on the service life of pipes. PASS also includes a method to account for the effect of substandard coating for galvanized and aluminized steel pipes on their service life and recommends discount rates based on estimated reduction in the service life. The estimation of the service life of pipe materials in PASS is based on exposure conditions that are assessed using a GIS database linked with jobsite latitude and longitude coordinates to obtain information on soil conditions (including those from nearby quarries.) Alternatively, field measurements of soil resistivity and chloride content can be input directly into PASS. Overall, PASS has evolved into a comprehensive framework for pipe selection. We propose herein to integrate the following items into PASS: (i) Currently, PASS does not account for the selection of gaskets, especially in contaminated soils where the presence of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) such as benzene, PCE, and TCE can significantly degrade gasket durability. (ii) While PASS includes the effects of mitigation strategies such as flowable fill and lining the trench with membranes or clay liners, it does not have a robust process to account for the durability of such measures and the presence of damage in them; this may lead to an overestimation of service life since perfect (damage free) liners and membranes are assumed, but are not realistically achieved in the field. (iii) PASS does not account for aging effects of polymeric pipes; that is the current service life estimation of polymeric pipes (e.g., HDPE and PVC) is a constant number and does not include interaction with the environment (i.e., moisture and contaminants) nor the effects of creep.

As part of the Harkers Island Bridge Replacement research project (RP2022-08), and in coordination with the NCDOT Steering and Implementation Committee, the research team leveraged an opportunity to salvage 9 of the 22 in. octagonal prestressed concrete piles that were extracted by Balfour Beatty as part of the demolition of the existing Harkers Island Bridge. The piles are approximately 35 ft long and are currently being temporarily stored at the NCDOT Division 4 Maintenance Yard in Smithfield, NC. Research project RP2022-08 covered the cost of hauling the piles from the Otway Sand Mine, where they were hauled following extraction from the bridge site, to the Division 4 Maintenance Yard. The availability of these piles provides NCDOT the unique opportunity to experimentally test the residual capacity of typical steel prestressed concrete piles that have been in-service in a coastal environment for more than 50 years. The first three piles will serve as control specimens to determine the capacity of: (1) a visually undamaged pile that has been in-service for more than 50 years; and (2) two (unstrengthened) piles with varying degrees of damage that will be induced by cutting through steel spirals and prestressing strands to simulate the loss of reinforcement and prestress force due to corrosion. This preliminary phase of the project will be completed as part of the TAR to be completed by July 15, 2026 (TA2026-06). A similar approach to intentionally induce damage in prestressed concrete members was successfully implemented by the research team when testing previously in-service C-channel beams and cored slabs as part of prior NCDOT projects. The remaining piles will be intentionally damaged and repaired with two different techniques: the current preferred NCDOT approach (FRP wraps) and a new technique using the SCS System developed by Warstone Innovations and tested previously by the research team to repair deteriorated timber piles and poles. It is proposed that the SCS System may be a more efficient repair system for deteriorated concrete piles as it not only provides confinement, but also the ability to increase shear capacity (through the use of carbon fiber (CF) straps) and to increase flexural capacity (through the use of internal FRP reinforcement). An advantage of the SCS System is the ability to conveniently customize the system to achieve the design demands by varying FRP material type, size, and spacing. The annular gap between the pile and the GFRP shell may be filled with a grout compatible with underwater applications. The details of the repair for the two remaining available piles will be finalized upon critical evaluation of the previous tests in order to maximize the value of the experimental outcomes.

Measurement-while-drilling (MWD) technology is used to collect and record drilling parameters with depth during subsurface site investigations. The MWD sensors are attached to the drilling rigs and a data acquisition system collects the measurements from the sensors and transmits the data to the surface in real time. The proposed scope aims to outfit a North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) drill rig with MWD sensors and develop protocol and data reduction methods to support NCDOT geotechnical exploration and site characterization programs. The research project will yield key deliverables including a comprehensive list of necessary sensors for collecting drilling parameters, the identification and integration of MWD sensors into one of NCDOT's drill rig, detailed documentation of the installation process, and field and laboratory data collected in association with the monitored MWD data.

Alkali Silica Reaction (ASR) is one of the most ubiquitous deterioration problems and is a major concern for Department of Transportation (DoTs) across the US. Since the first documentation of ASR in 1940 by T.E. Stanton [1], published based on his investigations of cracking of concrete structures in California, a plethora of papers and data have been published in the literature. While a good understanding of ASR has been established today, evaluating aggregates for the potential of ASR remains elusive. The first line of defense against ASR remains avoiding the use of aggregates with a known history of ASR and/or restricting the alkali content of concrete mixes. The use of accelerated test methods are deemed less reliable than the use of historical data and evidence, due to current test methods assessing aggregate reactivity, not concrete mixture reactivity as used in the field. The main challenge with accelerated test methods is that the mechanism of ASR seems to be very sensitive to perturbation and can change depending on the conditions of the test such as increased temperature, concentration of alkalis, and ion leaching from concrete during the test. As a consequence, rapid tests suffer from low fidelity (e.g., ASTM C 1260), and reliable tests (e.g., ASTM C 1293) are often very time consuming and may take up to two years to complete, which in many instances defeats the purpose of running the test to being with (i.e. the project is already constructed by the time the test is completed). The search for accelerated reliable tests for ASR has occupied researcher for decades. Unfortunately, many of the currently available accelerated tests rely on the same length change measurement strategy as traditional tests and expose samples to a highly alkali solution at elevated temperatures. Therefore, common accelerated tests all suffer from the same limitations as traditional tests. Additionally, due to the requirement of measuring very fine changes in length, samples must be prepared in a highly controlled manner in the laboratory. The most common test methods are summarized with relevant information in Table 1.

The objective of the proposed scope of work is divided into two phases. The Phase-1 work will focus on reviewing existing literature and experimental stud-ies and on conducting multiple analyses to evaluate appropriate set of floor mo-tions that realistically represent vibrations resulting from different seismic and APC scenarios. This Phase-1 work will also focus on designing a few simplified and at least one large-scale experiments that could be used to further under-stand the influence of geometrical nonlinearities such as gaps at the mounting regions of electrical cabinets.

Jointly, the North Carolina State University School of Architecture (SOA) and Department of Civil, Construction, & Environmental Engineering (CCEE) are seeking multi-year funding from the PCI Foundation to introduce architecture and civil engineering students to precast concrete systems and solutions. This proposal identifies existing courses in which precast concrete is minimally taught or mentioned and proposes an advanced architecture studio course integrated with a civil engineering projects course. Both courses will be dedicated to precast concrete applications. They will begin in Spring 2023, continue for 4 years, and will significantly expand the instruction and knowledge of precast and prestressed concrete for NCSU students and faculty.

Testing large scale FRP reinforced deep Reinforced Concrete (RC) beams to observe the difference in behavior compared to traditional steel reinforced deep RC beams. Specifically, the FRP reinforced deep RC beams will consider the effect of bond and type of loading on the overall behavior.

Abstract: The NSF IUCRC for Integration of Composites into Infrastructure (CICI) is specialized at innovating advanced fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites and techniques for the rapid repair, strengthening or replacement of highway, railway, waterway, bridge, building, pipeline and other critical civil infrastructure. The Center consists of West Virginia University (WVU) as the lead institution in the current Phase II, with North Carolina State University (NCSU), the University of Miami (UM), and the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) as partner university sites. CICI is currently establishing an international site at the Center for Engineering and Industrial Development (CIDESI) in Queretaro, Mexico, through a collaboration between NSF and the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT) in Mexico. The primary objective of the Center is to accelerate the adoption of polymer composites and innovative construction materials into infrastructure through joint research programs between the university sites in collaboration with the composites and construction industries. In Phase III, CICI aims to broaden its scope of research in composites to include: 1) nondestructive testing methods; 2) manufacturing techniques, such as 3D printing; 3) inspection techniques, such as the use of drones with high resolution cameras; 4) in-situ modifications of infrastructure systems, resulting in enhanced durability and thermo-mechanical properties; and 5) cost-effective recycling of high value composites, enabled by the addition of CIDESI.

Develop applications for architectural UHPC, particularly composite wall systems with thin UHPC cladding.