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Presently in ground vehicle industries, conducting durability tests is an essential step to predict the life of full vehicle, subsystem and component designs. The procedure of durability testing includes measuring the data in the test track, generating the accelerated loading profiles and implementing it by using the base excited shaker table. The problem associated with the implementation is the output loading profiles measured from the shaker table deviates from the desired input loading profiles. The engineering problem associated with the implementation is due to the unknown dynamics of the test structure, such as, nonlinear stiffness and damping. A new approach for the nonlinear system identification of continuous lightly damped system from the experimental data is presented. The new approach is based on the theory of force reconstruction, base excitation and nonlinear system identification. The methodology is verified by using the simulation example and is demonstrated by using the cantilever beam as an example. An experimental setup is designed, fabricated and installed in order to demonstrate the proposed methodology. The experimental setup is similar to that of industrial settings but with lower power range. Several experimental case studies are carried out to demonstrate the proposed methodology. The results from the experiments are the identification of viscous damping coefficient dependent upon the displacement amplitudes and the cubic stiffness nonlinearity.

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The use of high performance concrete in construction has been enhanced by the use of pozzolanic materials. However, the use of these materials has not been optimized. Such optimization may be achieved by a systematic increase in the amount and combination of pozzolanic material additions, with accompanying studies of their effects on the mechanical, durability and microstructural characteristics of blended concrete. This work evaluated various concrete durability issues by studying systematic increases of pozzolanic materials such as fly ash and blast furnace slag (BFS) in the range of 25, 50 and 70%, and silica fume at 10% of total cementitious materials, forming various binary and ternary concrete blends. The concrete specimens were cured for a period of seven days after demoulding in line with widely practiced commercial curing procedures. The research explored the role and effectiveness of various binary and ternary blends of pozzolanic materials on the mechanical, durability and microstructural characteristics of concrete. Durability was evaluated by two independent rapid chloride permeability tests measured as charge passed and chloride conductivity from the RCPT and UCT tests respectively. These two rapid tests were coupled with long-term ponding tests to evaluate chloride ingress and the extent of corrosion for a period of two years. Further durability tests such as carbonation, drying shrinkage and porosity of these blends were also undertaken. This study also utilized micro-analytical techniques such as X-ray diffraction and Scanning Electron Microscopy to follow the hydration mechanism in various binary and ternary blends. Statistical significance testing was used to analyse and confirm all experimental results and conclusions. It is well known that a level of caution is exercised in the construction industry in the use of ternary blends. This study aims to evaluate the durability aspects of ternary concrete blends, in addition to binary blends, for resistance to chloride, corrosion, carbonation attacks and provide recommendations relating to the limits of blending level, as well as exposure conditions for blended concretes, based on the results of this study. It is expected that this will fill a major knowledge gap observed in the concrete industry. A comparison of two rapid chloride permeability tests such as UCT and RCPT indicates that the UCT test is easy and practicable, and does not contradict results obtained in the standard RCPT. However, the statistical significance of results obtained for some blends was only able to be established by using the RCPT. This effect can be attributed to the larger size specimens compared to UCT. The recommended blend to acquire both early-age and long-term strength development in fly ash is the ternary blends comprising 10% silica fume and 25% fly ash cast using lower w/b ratio. In addition, the same blend exhibited lower carbonation depth, lower charge passed from RCPT, lower chloride ingress and higher corrosion resistance characteristics from long-term ponding test compared to other blends of fly ash. In BFS blends, an increase in compressive strength was observed only in the specimens of 25% BFS compared to other higher percentage blends, while the higher addition of 50 and 70% replacement showed no significant difference in compressive strength between them and their corresponding ternary blends with addition of silica fume. The results of this study indicate that control (OPC) specimens cast with increased w/b ratio of 0.48 showed higher chloride ingress compared to both binary blends of 70% fly ash and 70% BFS specimens. This indicates that (OPC) cast using higher w/b ratio is to be avoided in chloride environments. On the other hand, though, the ternary blends of 10% silica fume and up to 50% fly ash exhibited lower chloride ingress compared to their respective binary blends of fly ash. However, these ternary blends exhibited lower compressive strength, more negative corrosion potential and higher corrosion rate, compared to the respective binary blends of 25% fly ash and its ternary blends. Therefore, the recommended blend observed in the long-term ponding test is the ternary blend of 25% fly ash and 10% silica fume. The recommended level of corrosion resistance in slag specimens is achieved by the use of ternary blends comprising silica fume at 10% added to the blend that contains up to 70% slag. However, the recommended level of slag for a lower carbonation effect is the use of a ternary blend comprising 50% slag and 10% silica fume (3B5S1) which showed a carbonation depth of 10.8 mm and a compressive strength of 53.2 MPa after 365 days of exposure. The drying shrinkage of concrete increased with the increase in fly ash and the same trend was observed in BFS specimens. However, the results were not significantly different between their respective blends. The extent of carbonation in fly ash specimens was higher compared to BFS blends specimens. This can be attributed to the formation of dusty and weak surfaces on the outer surface in addition to the excessive leaching of sodium chloride solution from the long-term ponding test in the former specimens compared to later. The high volume pozzolanic materials, irrespective of fly ash or BFS and addition of silica fume (70% fly ash and 10% silica fume, and 70% BFS and 10% silica fume), showed higher cumulative pore volume indicating that these blends with seven days of curing were not beneficial. These high volume ternary blends required prolonged curing to release portlandite from the hydration of cement to continue the pozzolanic reaction. This study has shown that 7-days curing of the pozzolanic concrete is inadequate if pozzolanic activity is to be invoked. This is particularly the case when it is expected that the concrete is likely to be subjected to a harsher than usual environment characterised by a dry atmosphere.

In recent years an increased use of polymers has occurred to modify asphalt binders, mainly to decrease pavement rutting but also to improve binder failure strain in direct tension. Whereas all of these effects positively impact the durability of polymermodified pavements, a need exists to quantify these improvements and the duration in the presence of oxidative aging. This research evaluated the durability of polymer modified asphalt (PMA) through a number of determinations that included the characterization of the original binder property and pavement-aged binder for modified and unmodified binders. Changes in styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) polymer modified binder properties from oxidation were analyzed using dynamic shear rheometry, ductility, and force ductility. Previous literature reports using size exclusion chromatography showed that degradation of the molecular weight profile of SBS accompanied the loss of PMA ductility. Yet base binder embrittlement also occurred, as evidenced by ductility and force ductility. Testing aged PMA binders at higher temperatures to soften the base binder restored the polymer modulus to the force ductility measurements as did blending with a softer deasphalted oil. These measurements indicate that the more significant cause of PMA degradation with aging is base binder embrittlement rather than polymer degradation. Sixteen pavements in 11 Texas Districts, plus four MnRoad pavements were evaluated in order to obtain a more detailed profile of binder oxidation in pavements. Slices of each core provided detail on binder oxidation and air voids. The data confirm that binders can oxidize at least several inches into the pavement. However, oxidation also can be significantly slowed, apparently by very low accessible air voids. Interestingly, the data indicate that the air voids that are relevant to the binder at a specific depth of the pavement are those in the immediate vicinity of the binder; low air voids above or below the binder do not seem to significantly affect the binder oxidation rate. Furthermore, that binders oxidize inches below the surface shows that temperature conducts well into the pavement, consistent with a heat conduction model that is used to calculate ground temperatures as a function of depth.

No description available.

The use of high performance concrete in construction has been enhanced by the use of pozzolanic materials. However, the use of these materials has not been optimized. Such optimization may be achieved by a systematic increase in the amount and combination of pozzolanic material additions, with accompanying studies of their effects on the mechanical, durability and microstructural characteristics of blended concrete. This work evaluated various concrete durability issues by studying systematic increases of pozzolanic materials such as fly ash and blast furnace slag (BFS) in the range of 25, 50 and 70%, and silica fume at 10% of total cementitious materials, forming various binary and ternary concrete blends. The concrete specimens were cured for a period of seven days after demoulding in line with widely practiced commercial curing procedures. The research explored the role and effectiveness of various binary and ternary blends of pozzolanic materials on the mechanical, durability and microstructural characteristics of concrete. Durability was evaluated by two independent rapid chloride permeability tests measured as charge passed and chloride conductivity from the RCPT and UCT tests respectively. These two rapid tests were coupled with long-term ponding tests to evaluate chloride ingress and the extent of corrosion for a period of two years. Further durability tests such as carbonation, drying shrinkage and porosity of these blends were also undertaken. This study also utilized micro-analytical techniques such as X-ray diffraction and Scanning Electron Microscopy to follow the hydration mechanism in various binary and ternary blends. Statistical significance testing was used to analyse and confirm all experimental results and conclusions. It is well known that a level of caution is exercised in the construction industry in the use of ternary blends. This study aims to evaluate the durability aspects of ternary concrete blends, in addition to binary blends, for resistance to chloride, corrosion, carbonation attacks and provide recommendations relating to the limits of blending level, as well as exposure conditions for blended concretes, based on the results of this study. It is expected that this will fill a major knowledge gap observed in the concrete industry. A comparison of two rapid chloride permeability tests such as UCT and RCPT indicates that the UCT test is easy and practicable, and does not contradict results obtained in the standard RCPT. However, the statistical significance of results obtained for some blends was only able to be established by using the RCPT. This effect can be attributed to the larger size specimens compared to UCT. The recommended blend to acquire both early-age and long-term strength development in fly ash is the ternary blends comprising 10% silica fume and 25% fly ash cast using lower w/b ratio. In addition, the same blend exhibited lower carbonation depth, lower charge passed from RCPT, lower chloride ingress and higher corrosion resistance characteristics from long-term ponding test compared to other blends of fly ash. In BFS blends, an increase in compressive strength was observed only in the specimens of 25% BFS compared to other higher percentage blends, while the higher addition of 50 and 70% replacement showed no significant difference in compressive strength between them and their corresponding ternary blends with addition of silica fume. The results of this study indicate that control (OPC) specimens cast with increased w/b ratio of 0.48 showed higher chloride ingress compared to both binary blends of 70% fly ash and 70% BFS specimens. This indicates that (OPC) cast using higher w/b ratio is to be avoided in chloride environments. On the other hand, though, the ternary blends of 10% silica fume and up to 50% fly ash exhibited lower chloride ingress compared to their respective binary blends of fly ash. However, these ternary blends exhibited lower compressive strength, more negative corrosion potential and higher corrosion rate, compared to the respective binary blends of 25% fly ash and its ternary blends. Therefore, the recommended blend observed in the long-term ponding test is the ternary blend of 25% fly ash and 10% silica fume. The recommended level of corrosion resistance in slag specimens is achieved by the use of ternary blends comprising silica fume at 10% added to the blend that contains up to 70% slag. However, the recommended level of slag for a lower carbonation effect is the use of a ternary blend comprising 50% slag and 10% silica fume (3B5S1) which showed a carbonation depth of 10.8 mm and a compressive strength of 53.2 MPa after 365 days of exposure. The drying shrinkage of concrete increased with the increase in fly ash and the same trend was observed in BFS specimens. However, the results were not significantly different between their respective blends. The extent of carbonation in fly ash specimens was higher compared to BFS blends specimens. This can be attributed to the formation of dusty and weak surfaces on the outer surface in addition to the excessive leaching of sodium chloride solution from the long-term ponding test in the former specimens compared to later. The high volume pozzolanic materials, irrespective of fly ash or BFS and addition of silica fume (70% fly ash and 10% silica fume, and 70% BFS and 10% silica fume), showed higher cumulative pore volume indicating that these blends with seven days of curing were not beneficial. These high volume ternary blends required prolonged curing to release portlandite from the hydration of cement to continue the pozzolanic reaction. This study has shown that 7-days curing of the pozzolanic concrete is inadequate if pozzolanic activity is to be invoked. This is particularly the case when it is expected that the concrete is likely to be subjected to a harsher than usual environment characterised by a dry atmosphere.