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The Florida Showcase Green Envirohome (FSGE) incorporates many green technologies. FSGE is built to meet or exceed 12 green building guidelines and obtain 8 green building certificates. The two-story 3292 ft2 home is a "Near Zero-Loss Home", "Near Zero-Energy Home", "Near Zero-Runoff Home", and "Near Zero-Maintenance Home". It is spawned from the consumer-driven necessity to build a home resistant to hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, fire, mold, termites, impacts, and even earthquakes given up to 500% increase in insurance premiums in natural disaster zones, the dwindling flexibility and coverage of insurance policies, and rising energy, water and maintenance costs (FSGE 2008). The FSGE captures its stormwater runoff from the green roof, metal roof and wood decking area and routes it to the sustainable water cistern. Graywater from the home (after being disinfected using ozone) is also routed to the sustainable water cistern. This water stored in the sustainable water cistern is used for irrigation of the green roof, ground level landscape, and for toilet flushing water. This study was done in two phases. During phase one, only stormwater runoff from the green roof, metal roof and wood decking area is routed to the sustainable water cistern. Then, during phase two, the water from the graywater system is added to the sustainable water cistern. The sustainable water cistern quality is analyzed during both phases to determine if the water is acceptable for irrigation and also if it is suitable for use as toilet flushing water. The water quality of the sustainable cistern is acceptable for irrigation. The intent of the home is to not pollute the environment, so as much nutrients as possible should be removed from the wastewater before it is discharged into the groundwater. Thus, the FSGE design is to evaluate a new on-site sewage treatment and disposal (OSTD) system which consists of a sorption media labeled as Bold and GoldTM filtration media. The Bold and GoldTM filtration media is a mixture of tire crumb and other materials. This new OSTD system has sampling ports through the system to monitor the wastewater quality as it passes through. Also, the effluent wastewater quality is compared to that of a conventional system on the campus of the University of Central Florida. The cost-benefit optimization model focused on designing a residential home which incorporated a green roof, cistern and graywater systems. This model had two forms, the base model and the grey linear model. The base model used current average cost of construction of materials and installation. The grey model used an interval for the cost of construction materials and green roof energy savings. Both models included a probabilistic term to describe the rainfall amount. The cost and energy operation of a typical Florida home was used as a case study for these models. Also, some of the parameters of the model were varied to determine their effect on the results. The modeling showed that the FSGE 4500 gallon cistern design was cost effective in providing irrigation water. Also, the green roof area could have been smaller to be cost effective, because the green roof cost is relatively much higher than the cost of a regular roof.

Scrap tyres provide numerous advantages from the viewpoint of civil engineering practices. Scrap tyres are light weight, have high vibration absorption, high elastic compressibility, high hydraulic conductivity, and temperature isolation potential. Scrap tyres have a thermal resistivity that is about seven times higher than soil; they produce low earth pressure and absorb vibrations. Many new techniques have emerged with time to utilize these advantageous characteristics for practical purposes in civil engineering. Though current reuse and recovery of scrap tyres has reduced the amount of landfills, but still there is a need for developing additional practices for the reuse of scrap tyres. Moreover, most of present practices do not use its vibration absorption capacity efficiently. To use the scrap tyres as individual material or mixed with soil in civil engineering applications, the systematic understanding of static and dynamic properties of sand-rubber mixtures (SRM) are of prime importance. In the present study an attempt has been made to characterize the SRM to use them as low-cost isolation material for low-to-medium rise buildings. Proposal of this isolation system using SRM is addressed in this study in four parts; in the first part, the estimation of shear strength and volumetric characteristics of the SRM were carried out. A total of seven different rubber sizes (six sizes of granulated rubber; 2 - 1 mm; 4.75 - 2 mm; 5.6 - 4.75 mm; 8 - 5.6 mm; 8 - 9.5 mm; 12.5 - 9.5 mm and one size of tyre chips; 20 - 12.5 mm) were considered for characterizing the SRM, and the rubber size which has higher shear strength characteristics is identified as optimum size for further studies. Second part deals with the effect of reinforcement on SRM with higher rubber content (50% and 75% rubber by volume). In the third part, dynamic properties of selected SRM combination with and without reinforcement were generated from experimental studies. In the last part, the numerical analysis was carried out using finite element program Strand7 to find out optimum dimension of proposed isolation scheme and reduction of spectral accelerations. In addition, the laboratory model tests were also carried out on square footing supported on unreinforced and reinforced SRM. The relative performances of reinforcement on settlement characteristics of SRM for 50% and 75% SRM have been compared with unreinforced SRM. Engineering behaviour of SRM has been studied by considering different rubber sizes and compositions by carrying out large scale direct shear test and Unconsolidated Undrained (UU) triaxial test. The shear strength characteristics such as peak shear stress, cohesion, friction angle, secant/elastic modulus, volumetric strain, failure and ultimate strength, ductility/brittleness index, and energy absorption capacity of sand and SRM were determined. The optimum percentage rubber content based on maximum shear strength and energy absorption capacity has been arrived. The granulated rubber size (12.5 - 9.5 mm) and percentage ratio, 30% by volume is found to be optimum size and content, which gives the maximum energy absorption capacity and lower brittleness index values compared to other rubber sizes. This chapter also describes the applicability of concept of Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to identify an approximate response surface model from experimental investigations on the engineering properties of sand and SRM. The experimental data were quantitatively analyzed by multiple regression models by correlating response variables with input variables in this study. To consume more tyres in SRM, rubber mix of 50 % and 75 % mixes are studied and these SRM results in lower shear strength and higher volume change when compared to 30 % SRM. To improve shear strength and reduce compressibility, geosynthetic reinforcement study has been carried out for 50% and 75% rubber by volume. Here geotextile, geogrid and geonets were used as reinforcement and number of layers and spacing between layers were varied. Finally type of reinforcement, number of layers and optimum spacing are arrived for the optimum rubber size of 12.5 - 9.5 mm for reinforced SRM. This study found that 4 layers with equal spacing of geotextile for 50 % SRM and geonet for 75 % SRM shows better strength when compared to other combinations. Further dynamic properties such as shear modulus and damping values at different strain level are estimated for red soil, sand, 30 % SRM and unreinforced and reinforced 50 % and 75 % SRM by carrying out resonant column tests and cyclic triaxial tests. The normalized shear modulus and damping ratio curves have been developed for these materials. The experimental results indicate that, shear modulus increases for 30% rubber by volume when compared to sand, thereafter the shear modulus values decreased with a further increase in rubber content in SRM. Whereas the damping ratio increases with increasing rubber content in SRM. For sand and SRM, with an increase in confining pressure shear modulus increases and damping ratio decreases. Based on the comprehensive set of experimental results, a modified hyperbolic model has been proposed. These properties are further used in the numerical analysis to find out the effectiveness of SRM as isolation material. Numerical dynamic analysis has been carried out on a 2-D finite element model of the soil-foundation-structure system. The building model has been generated considering the typical G+2 building resting on 20 m thick soil followed by rock depth and foundation is placed at 2.0 m below ground level. The beams and columns in the superstructure are modeled using 2-D frame elements. The soil column has been modeled using 4-noded 2-D plane strain plate elements. Considering the transmitting boundary condition, viscous dampers are implemented at the base of the computational soil domain in order to mitigate the reflective effects of waves. The Newmark family method (average acceleration method) has been used to calculate the displacement, velocity and acceleration vectors. Comprehensive numerical simulations have been carried out on the soil-foundation-structure system by varying rubber content in SRM (30%, 50% and 75% granulated rubber by volume), depth and thickness of SRM around footing and considering two input earthquake acceleration time history. It was found that earthquake vibrations are considerably reduced for SRM with higher rubber content. The optimum dimension of SRM giving maximum reduction in shaking level is found to be 3B below the footing and 0.75B (where B is the width of footing) on the side of the footing. Generally, the shaking levels at different floor can be reduced by 30-50%, with the use of 75% SRM. The results also indicated that the effectiveness of proposed system would depend on the characteristics of ground motion. To study the bearing capacity of square footing on SRM, laboratory model tests were carried out on square footing supported on unreinforced and reinforced SRM. The SRM combination which have been used for numerical studies are used in this model studies to know the bearing capacity and settlement characteristics. The optimum dimension of SRM around footing has been constructed. Model tests results show that, the bearing capacity decreases and settlement increases steadily with the increase in rubber content in SRM. Addition of reinforcement to SRM significantly improved the bearing capacity and reduced settlement characteristics. Reinforced SRM may be used as an effective low cost isolation scheme to reduce earthquake vibrations.

Presented dissertation thesis is focused on the possibility of using the crumb rubber from waste tires for modification of paving grade bitumen. The resulting asphalt rubber can be used as an alternative to polymer modified bitumen in compacted bituminous mixtures. The theoretical part describes the rheological properties of asphalt binders and the history and today state of the art in the world and in the Czech Republic. The practical part of the work contains a description of the properties of chosen crumb rubbers and produced asphalt rubbers focused on their rheological properties and on change of these properties caused by the aging at high temperature. Subsequently, the chosen empirical and functional properties of bituminous mixtures with asphalt rubber are described. Laboratory properties of these mixtures were verified under real service conditions on 32 test sections. Based on the dissertation thesis results the preliminary technical specification of the Ministry of Transport (TP 148) and their following revision were approved. The conclusion of the work summarizes and highlights the results of the dissertation.

M. Tech. (Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology), Vaal University of Technology) / Modified asphalt concrete is one of the important construction materials for flexible pavements. The addition of polymers and natural hydrocarbon modifiers to enhance the properties of asphalt concrete over a wide temperature range in paving applications has been the common practice. Currently these modified asphalt mixtures are relatively expensive. However, recycled polymers and rubber added to asphalt have also shown similar results in improving the performance of road pavements. In this study, an attempt has been made to use low density polyethylene (LDPE) obtained from plastic waste and crumb rubber obtained from worn out vehicle tyres. The aim was to optimise the proportions of LDPE in the bitumen binder using the ‘wet process’ and crumb rubber aggregates in the hot mix asphalt (HMA) using the ‘dry process’. The Marshall method of bituminous mix design was carried out for varying percentages of LDPE namely 2%, 4%, 6%, 8% and 10% by weight of bitumen binder and 1%, 2%, 3%, 4% and 5% crumb rubber by volume of the mineral aggregates. The characteristics of bitumen modified with LDPE were evaluated. The modified asphalt mix was also evaluated to determine the different mix characteristics. The results from laboratory studies in terms of the rheological properties of the LDPE modified bitumen binder showed an increase in viscosity, softening point and stiffness of the binder. The optimum Marshall stability values for HMA mixtures containing 2% crumb rubber tyre and 4% LDPE were found to be 30% higher than the conventional asphalt concrete mix. The wheel tracking test done at 50ºC was 9.81mm rut depth showing a good rutting resistance of the optimized mixture compared to the conventional asphalt mixes. The Modified Lottman test gave a Tensile Strength Ratio value of 0.979 which indicates a low degree of moisture susceptibility of the modified asphalt mix. The above results showed improved properties of the asphalt mixture. The economic assessment done using the present worth of costs indicated a reduction in maintenance cost due to the extended service life of the modified asphalt pavement.

No Brasil, desde o início da década de 1990, vêm sendo desenvolvidas pesquisas sobre aplicação do asfalto-borracha visando tanto a diminuição dos problemas ambientais gerados pelo descarte de pneus inservíveis, como a melhoria das características dos ligantes produzidos. Dentro desse contexto, esta pesquisa teve por objetivo avaliar o desempenho mecânico de oito misturas asfálticas do tipo concreto asfáltico usinado a quente, produzidas com asfaltos convencional e convencional modificado com borracha de pneu e resíduo de óleo de xisto. Quanto ao ligante, foram utilizados 8 tipos, a saber: CAP 30/45 (referência); dois ligantes empregando teores diferentes de borracha moída de pneu; outros dois com teores distintos de resíduo de óleo de xisto e, por fim, mais três com combinações de teores de borracha e de resíduo de óleo de xisto. Os corpos-de-prova empregados nos ensaios foram moldados em cinco teores diferentes de ligantes asfálticos (4,5; 5,0, 5,5; 6,0 e 6,5%). Conseqüentemente, foram realizados ensaios Marshall, resistência à tração, módulo de resiliência e umidade induzida. Com base nos resultados dos ensaios realizados observou-se que tanto a borracha quanto o óleo reduzem a resistência à tração e o módulo de resiliência das misturas, no entanto, na recuperação retardada, os efeitos da borracha e do óleo são antagônicos, diminuindo e aumentando, respectivamente. Ademais, quanto à suscetibilidade à ação da água, as misturas com adição de óleo apresentaram menor suscetibilidade que as misturas com adição de borracha. Além disso, foi observado que todas as misturas estudadas, exceto aquelas com altas concentrações de óleo e de borracha, atenderam os requisitos estabelecidos pelas especificações, para as propriedades analisadas. Todavia, em alguns casos, considerando os efeitos antagônicos do óleo e da borracha, algumas combinações entre ambos podem ser realizadas, com a finalidade de alcançar os níveis desejados para as propriedades do ligante asfalto-borracha e das misturas asfálticas. / In Brazil, since the beginning of the 90\'s, have been developed researches on the application of asphalt-rubber seeking the reduction of environmental problems created by the used tires, and the improvement of the characteristics of the produced binder. Taking this into account, the purpose of this research is to evaluate the mechanical performance of eight hot mix asphalt concretes, produced with conventional asphalt and modified asphalt with crumb rubber and shale-oil residue. Eight types of binders were used: CAP 30/45 (reference); two binders using different crumb rubber contents, two with different shale-oil residue contents, and finally three more with the combination of crumb rubber and shale-oil residue contents. The specimens used in the laboratorial tests were compacted in five different binders contents (4.5; 5.0, 5.5; 6.0 e 6.5%). Hence, the tests performed are: Marshall test, indirect tension, resilient modulus and moisture induced. The results showed that the rubber and the shale oil reduce the indirect tension and resilience module of the mixtures, however, on the delayed recover, the effects of the rubber and of the shale oil are opposed, decreasing and increasing it, respectively. Moreover, for the moisture susceptibility, the mixtures with shale-oil residue exhibited less susceptibility to water than those with crumb rubber. Furthermore, all the studied mixtures, except those with high shale-oil residue and rubber concentrations, they got to attend the established requirements for the specifications, for the analyzed properties. Although, in some cases, considering the opposed effects of the shale oil and of the crumb rubber, some combinations between both can be accomplished, with the purpose of reach the levels wanted for the properties of the asphaltrubber binder and the asphalt mixtures. Also regression models were elaborated as for the analyzed properties. The results obtained of modeling were satisfactory.

La texture, manifestation sensorielle des propriétés structurales, mécaniques et de surface d’un matériau constitue un paramètre clé dans l’évaluation des produits alimentaires. Elle reflète leur qualité, leur fraîcheur et influence l’acceptabilité du produit par le consommateur déterminant l’intention de ré-achat. Dans la littérature scientifique, la plupart des travaux portant sur la texture des produits céréaliers ont étudié des matrices alimentaires telles que le pain ou les biscuits mais plus rares sont les travaux sur les gâteaux type cake. L’objectif de ce travail est donc de caractériser le moelleux d’un produit de type cake de sa mise en place à son évolution au cours de la conservation du produit au moyen de méthodes instrumentales et sensorielles. Dans un premier temps, nous avons étudié l’influence de la nature de la farine, du procédé de fabrication et de l’aération des produits sur caractère moelleux au travers de méthodes instrumentales et sensorielles. La caractérisation instrumentale des produits moelleux et la structure de leur mie ont été évaluées par des mesures rhéologiques (texturomètre, DMTA) et d’imagerie (XR-Tomography). La caractérisation sensorielle a été menée par l’établissement d’un profil sensoriel de la texture avec un panel entraîné évaluant l’aspect des produits et les sensations perçues au toucher et en bouche. Dans un second temps, nous avons étudié les propriétés fonctionnelles des farines et de leurs composants en milieu modèle et complexe par différentes méthodes physico-chimiques (rhéologie des pâtes, analyse enthalpique différentielle, microscopie, diffraction RX). Enfin, les mesures sensorielles et instrumentales ont été mises en relation via une analyse factorielle multiple dans le but de déterminer des méthodes instrumentales permettant de caractériser le caractère moelleux des produits de type cake. Les résultats montrent que l’aération de la mie et la composition de la farine sont les facteurs clés du moelleux dans ce type de produit. L’évaluer et le sélectionner sur la base de ses caractéristiques physico-chimiques (élasticité, fermeté, aération) s’avère possible compte tenu de la stabilité de sa texture au cours du temps afin de pouvoir anticiper sur l’acceptabilité du produit par le consommateur le plus tôt possible dans son processus de développement / Since texture is the manifestation of structural, mechanical and surface properties of a material, it represents a key characteristic for food materials. It reflects food quality, freshness perception influencing consumer acceptance.Studies encountered in the scientific literature that are devoted to cereal based foods texture are foremost based on bread also biscuits scarcely on cakes. This study entitled ‘study of the different factors influencing the structure and the texture of semi-humid baked aerated cereal products: sensory and instrumental dimensions of texture’ focus on cake softness characterization, set up and evolution. First, the investigation of the influence of soft wheat flour origin, making process and aeration properties on cake texture is proposed. Instrumental characterization of cake texture properties was performed through high deformation using TPA and relaxation tests. Several approaches were attempted to determine cake crumb structure including rheology, microscopy; image analysis and X Ray-Tomography. Sensory characterization of cake texture was achieved through descriptive texture profile involving establishment of our trained panel. Second, we peer into the functional properties of wheat flour also of its gluten and starch components, physico-chemical methods among which fluid rheology, differential scanning calorimetry, optic microscopy and X-Ray powder diffraction are employed. The results are discussed in terms of physical and chemical changes that cake dough ingredients undergo upon making process. This investigation highlights that several parameters are substantially involved in cake structure set up and final texture perception. Suitable flour choice (composition, components quality) and aeration management are critical factors for the elaboration of a product to be perceived the softest as possible. Also, regarding evolution of texture, it is possible to state on the selection of a product whether than another at early development stages allowing anticipate on consumer acceptance

No Brasil, desde o início da década de 1990, vêm sendo desenvolvidas pesquisas sobre aplicação do asfalto-borracha visando tanto a diminuição dos problemas ambientais gerados pelo descarte de pneus inservíveis, como a melhoria das características dos ligantes produzidos. Dentro desse contexto, esta pesquisa teve por objetivo avaliar o desempenho mecânico de oito misturas asfálticas do tipo concreto asfáltico usinado a quente, produzidas com asfaltos convencional e convencional modificado com borracha de pneu e resíduo de óleo de xisto. Quanto ao ligante, foram utilizados 8 tipos, a saber: CAP 30/45 (referência); dois ligantes empregando teores diferentes de borracha moída de pneu; outros dois com teores distintos de resíduo de óleo de xisto e, por fim, mais três com combinações de teores de borracha e de resíduo de óleo de xisto. Os corpos-de-prova empregados nos ensaios foram moldados em cinco teores diferentes de ligantes asfálticos (4,5; 5,0, 5,5; 6,0 e 6,5%). Conseqüentemente, foram realizados ensaios Marshall, resistência à tração, módulo de resiliência e umidade induzida. Com base nos resultados dos ensaios realizados observou-se que tanto a borracha quanto o óleo reduzem a resistência à tração e o módulo de resiliência das misturas, no entanto, na recuperação retardada, os efeitos da borracha e do óleo são antagônicos, diminuindo e aumentando, respectivamente. Ademais, quanto à suscetibilidade à ação da água, as misturas com adição de óleo apresentaram menor suscetibilidade que as misturas com adição de borracha. Além disso, foi observado que todas as misturas estudadas, exceto aquelas com altas concentrações de óleo e de borracha, atenderam os requisitos estabelecidos pelas especificações, para as propriedades analisadas. Todavia, em alguns casos, considerando os efeitos antagônicos do óleo e da borracha, algumas combinações entre ambos podem ser realizadas, com a finalidade de alcançar os níveis desejados para as propriedades do ligante asfalto-borracha e das misturas asfálticas. / In Brazil, since the beginning of the 90\'s, have been developed researches on the application of asphalt-rubber seeking the reduction of environmental problems created by the used tires, and the improvement of the characteristics of the produced binder. Taking this into account, the purpose of this research is to evaluate the mechanical performance of eight hot mix asphalt concretes, produced with conventional asphalt and modified asphalt with crumb rubber and shale-oil residue. Eight types of binders were used: CAP 30/45 (reference); two binders using different crumb rubber contents, two with different shale-oil residue contents, and finally three more with the combination of crumb rubber and shale-oil residue contents. The specimens used in the laboratorial tests were compacted in five different binders contents (4.5; 5.0, 5.5; 6.0 e 6.5%). Hence, the tests performed are: Marshall test, indirect tension, resilient modulus and moisture induced. The results showed that the rubber and the shale oil reduce the indirect tension and resilience module of the mixtures, however, on the delayed recover, the effects of the rubber and of the shale oil are opposed, decreasing and increasing it, respectively. Moreover, for the moisture susceptibility, the mixtures with shale-oil residue exhibited less susceptibility to water than those with crumb rubber. Furthermore, all the studied mixtures, except those with high shale-oil residue and rubber concentrations, they got to attend the established requirements for the specifications, for the analyzed properties. Although, in some cases, considering the opposed effects of the shale oil and of the crumb rubber, some combinations between both can be accomplished, with the purpose of reach the levels wanted for the properties of the asphaltrubber binder and the asphalt mixtures. Also regression models were elaborated as for the analyzed properties. The results obtained of modeling were satisfactory.

The design of asphalt concrete for binder courses with high-viscosity asphalt rubber and low-viscosity asphalt rubber is carried out in the diploma thesis. Selected performance tests (low temperature characteristics, stiffness and fatigue) and water sensitivity are performed for these mixtures. Results are compared each other.

This master's theseis deals with comparison of two design concepts for producting asphalt mixture with CRmB. These design concepts are from Sweden and USA. The theoretical part sets parameters for design of asphalt mixture and chracteristic tests. In the practical part test speciements of design asphatl mixture undergo performace tests that simulate climate and traffic load. Results are compared to mathematical model used in program LayEps.