Thèse (Ph.D.)--Université de Sherbrooke (Canada), 2008. / Titre de l'écran-titre (visionné le 11 mars 2009). In ProQuest dissertations and theses. Publié aussi en version papier.

Thèse (M.Sc.A.)--Université de Sherbrooke (Canada), 2008. / Titre de l'écran-titre (visionné le 1 février 2007). In ProQuest dissertations and theses. Publié aussi en version papier.

Thèse (M.Sc.A.)--Université de Sherbrooke (Canada), 2008. / Titre de l'écran-titre (visionné le 1 février 2007). In ProQuest dissertations and theses. Publié aussi en version papier.

<p> This thesis aims to contribute to the growing body of warm mix asphalt (WMA) research by evaluating the differences in behavioral properties of three WMA mixtures, representing the three warm mix technology (WMT) categories (foaming, chemical additives, and organic waxes), relative to a control hot mix asphalt (HMA) in a specific set of conditions which is not well documented in literature. These conditions are: plant produced mixtures with all virgin aggregates and binder (i.e. no recycled materials) and no additives other than the warm mix technology. These mixtures were evaluated at low, intermediate, and high testing temperatures before and after a set of conditioning protocols (CPs), which utilized varying levels of isolated and combined oxidative, moisture, and freeze-thaw damage. A key feature of this thesis is that damage induced by these CPs has been benchmarked relative to measured field aging effects through studies which evaluated the three WMA mixtures and one HMA mixture used to obtain the results presented here, along with additional mixtures not considered in this thesis.</p><p>

<p> The accurate characterization of asphalt mixture properties as a function of pavement service life is becoming more important as more powerful pavement design and performance prediction methods are implemented. Oxidative aging is a major distress mechanism of asphalt pavements. Aging increases the stiffness and brittleness of the material, which leads to a high cracking potential. Thus, an improved understanding of the aging phenomenon and its effect on asphalt binder chemical and rheological properties will allow for the prediction of mixture properties as a function of pavement service life. Many researchers have conducted laboratory binder thin-film aging studies; however, this approach does not allow for studying the physicochemical effects of mineral fillers on age hardening rates in asphalt mixtures. Moreover, aging phenomenon in the field is governed by kinetics of binder oxidation, oxygen diffusion through mastic phase, and oxygen percolation throughout the air voids structure. In this study, laboratory aging trials were conducted on mixtures prepared using component materials of several field projects throughout the USA and Canada. Laboratory aged materials were compared against field cores sampled at different ages. Results suggested that oven aging of loose mixture at 95&deg;C is the most promising laboratory long-term aging method. Additionally, an empirical model was developed in order to account for the effect of mineral fillers on age hardening rates in asphalt mixtures. Kinetics modeling was used to predict field aging levels throughout pavement thickness and to determine the required laboratory aging duration to match field aging. Kinetics model outputs are calibrated using measured data from the field to account for the effects of oxygen diffusion and percolation. Finally, the calibrated model was validated using independent set of field sections. This work is expected to provide basis for improved asphalt mixture and pavement design procedures in order to save taxpayers&rsquo; money.</p><p>

We present models using a dislocation density to characterize a crack to investigate the behavior of a straight crack approaching the interface of a bimaterial system. Three cases of the crack approaching the interface of a bimaterial system are considered: a semi-infinite crack under concentrated loading, a finite crack under concentrated loading, and a finite crack under uniform pressure. The formulations of the model for investigating these cases lead to a system of singular integral equations. A collocation method is used to solve this system of singular integral equations. The effects of the orientation of the crack, the distance between the crack and the interface, and the material properties of the constituents of the systems, $\alpha$,$\beta$, are investigated. In each case the energy release rate, the stress intensity factors, and the probable angle of subsequent crack propagation from the pre-existing crack tip nearest the interface are computed. We find that for $\alpha$ $>$ 0 the crack in the lower material tends to curve away from the interface. Increasing the values of $\alpha$ or $\beta$ gives a greater curvature of the crack path. For $\alpha$ $<$ 0 the crack in the lower material tends to curve toward the interface and decreasing the values of $\alpha$ or $\beta$ gives a greater curvature of the crack path.

<p> An experimental study will be carried out to determine the suitability of Green Natural Fiber Reinforced Polymer plates (GNFRP) manufactured with hemp fibers, with the purpose of using them as structural materials for the flexural strengthening of reinforced concrete (RC) beams. Four identical RC beams, 96 inches long, are tested for the investigation, three control beams and one test beam. The first three beams are used as references; one unreinforced, one with one layer of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP), one with two layers of CFRP, and one with n layers of the proposed, environmental-friendly, GNFRP plates. The goal is to determine the number of GNFRP layers needed to match the strength reached with one layer of CFRP and once matched, assess if the system is less expensive than CFRP strengthening, if this is the case, this strengthening system could be an alternative to the currently used, expensive CFRP systems.</p>

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2008. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-05, Section: B, page: 3158. Adviser: Imad L. Al-Qadi. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 137-146) Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2006. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-07, Section: B, page: 3976. Adviser: G. Mesri. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 895-906) Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning.

<p> Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are ideal candidates for the reinforcement of the matrix and interphase zone in polymer matrix composites (PMCs), due to their ability to more effectively bind the reinforcing fibers to the matrix material. This can lead to the enhancement of several critical composite properties &ndash; including interfacial shear strength and interlaminar fracture toughness &ndash; that are typically associated with a composite material&rsquo;s resistance to delamination. Direct dispersion of CNTs into the matrix of the composites has been shown to be very difficult. A more effective way to reinforce PMCs using CNTs is to grow CNTs directly on the reinforcing fibers. To this end, a novel technique used to grow CNTs directly on carbon fibers has been developed at The University of Alabama and Auburn University. This method, referred to as the PopTube Approach, uses microwave irradiation to grow CNTs at room temperature in air, without the need for inert gas protection or additional feed stock gases. The simple nature of the PopTube Approach lends itself to large-scale, high-yield manufacturing that can be done in a cost effective manner. However, before this technique is developed beyond the laboratory scale, its effectiveness as a route to produce CNT-reinforced composites must be evaluated in a comprehensive manner. The objective of this work is to do just that &ndash; characterize the mechanical properties of CNT-reinforced composites produced via the PopTube Approach. A systematic experimental program is carried out to provide a comprehensive assessment of the effects of the PopTube Approach on a wide range of composite mechanical properties. Results show that the PopTube Approach provides for enhanced resistance to delamination with respect to several different loading events. Fractography studies are used to qualitatively understand the mechanisms responsible for these improvements in delamination resistance on the micro-scale. Results also suggest that improvements in delamination resistance via CNT reinforcement may come at the expense of the tensile properties of PMCs &ndash; which gives rise to the conclusion that in practice, the degree and manner of CNT reinforcement in PMCs should be carefully considered on an application-by-application basis. Together, the collection of studies performed herein provides a wide-ranging quantitative and qualitative assessment of the effects of the PopTube Approach CNT reinforcement scheme on the mechanical properties and behavior of polymer matrix composites. </p><p>