As the use of engineered wood products as such as cross-laminated timber (CLT) evolves in United States, it’s imperative to understand its behavior under different circumstances as well as to explore new possible streams for product’s application. In that matter, it was proposed that a research study would be developed to evaluate the performance of CLT panels focusing on strength and stiffness properties. To accomplish this goal, three main objectives were traced: 1) To complete preliminary test on traditional lumber in order to observe notched wood failure behavior focusing on strength, ductility, and failure mode; 2) To perform mechanical testing and non-destructive evaluation on 3-ply CLT control panels in order to compare design calculation methods and efficiency of NDE on CLT; and 3) To perform mechanical testing on notched 3-ply CLT samples to evaluate the influence of notches and stitching reinforcement on panels. Based on these objectives, this dissertation features five main sections: 1) General Introduction, 2) Technical note: Ductility and brittleness in small clear notched S-P-F beams, 3) Evaluation of the modulus of elasticity and modulus of rupture of cross-laminated timber with longitudinal vibration NDE techniques, 4) Case study of 3-ply commercial southern pine CLT mechanical properties and design values, and 5) Effect of notching on 3-ply southern pine cross-laminated timber panels stiffness and strength.

Necessary information about soil properties, which is needed for designers and constructors, is obtained in each construction site while examining physical and mechanical properties of soils. Soil strength parameters and using them determined soil bearing resistance usually are defined with some errors. If we know the reasons of errors, disadvantages of testing equipment could be eliminated, methodology of data evaluation could be developed, soil parameters could be determined more precisely and foundation designed more economically. At present triaxial and direct shear tests are the most common tests for determination of soil shear strength parameters in laboratories. Different values of soil shear strength parameters are determined using laboratory equipment of various types. Triaxial test is the most widely used method for determination of soil shear strength parameters. This is one of the most reliable methods to model stress-strain state of ground. It is assumed that soil sample deforms uniformly during the triaxial test. But it is not often the case that a sample in triaxial apparatus deforms uniformly. Questions arise, what is stress-strain distribution in soil sample, when a load is transmitted in a prescribed way? What influence does a non-uniformity have on the soil strength parameters and on foundation size calculated using determined soil strength parameters? Why sandy soil strength parameters obtained from triaxial test are bigger than the one’s, obtained... [to full text] / Projektuojant ir statant įvairius pramoninius ir civilinius pastatus, visada reikalingi duomenys, kurie apibūdintų gruntų, sudarančių pastatų pagrindus, fizines ir mechanines savybes. Tokia projektuotojams ir statybos specialistams būtina informacija gaunama tiriant gruntų fizines, mechanines savybes kiekvienoje statybų aikštelėje. Šių savybių rodikliai ir pagal juos apskaičiuotas pagrindo stiprumas nustatomi su tam tikromis paklaidomis. Atskleidus tų paklaidų priežastis, šalinami tyrimo prietaisų trūkumai, tobulinami tyrimo duomenų apdorojimo metodai, tiksliau nustatomi grunto stiprumo rodikliai, ekonomiškiau projektuojami pamatai. Šiuo metu grunto kerpamojo stiprumo rodikliai dažniausiai nustatomi laboratorijose triašio slėgio ir tiesioginio kirpimo aparatais. Šių savybių rodikliai nustatyti įvairių konstrukcijų prietaisais gaunami skirtingi. Įtempimų ir deformacijų būvis grunto pagrinde geriau modeliuojamas triašio slėgio aparatu nei tiesioginio kirpimo aparatu, todėl triašio slėgio aparatas šiuo metu yra plačiai naudojamas pasaulyje nustatant grunto kerpamojo stiprumo savybių rodiklius. Daroma prielaida, kad bandinys bandymo metu deformuojasi vienodai. Šis teiginys yra pagrindinė triašio bandymo idėja. Tačiau dažniausiai bandinys deformuojasi nevienodai dėl grunto bandinio viršaus ir apačios horizontalių poslinkių suvaržymo, bandinio aukščio, nepakankamo drenavimo, guminės membranos poveikio, jo savojo svorio ir kt. Baigtinių elementų metodo analizė taip pat rodo, kad... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]

Projektuojant ir statant įvairius pramoninius ir civilinius pastatus, visada reikalingi duomenys, kurie apibūdintų gruntų, sudarančių pastatų pagrindus, fizines ir mechanines savybes. Tokia projektuotojams ir statybos specialistams būtina informacija gaunama tiriant gruntų fizines, mechanines savybes kiekvienoje statybų aikštelėje. Šių savybių rodikliai ir pagal juos apskaičiuotas pagrindo stiprumas nustatomi su tam tikromis paklaidomis. Atskleidus tų paklaidų priežastis, šalinami tyrimo prietaisų trūkumai, tobulinami tyrimo duomenų apdorojimo metodai, tiksliau nustatomi grunto stiprumo rodikliai, ekonomiškiau projektuojami pamatai. Šiuo metu grunto kerpamojo stiprumo rodikliai dažniausiai nustatomi laboratorijose triašio slėgio ir tiesioginio kirpimo aparatais. Šių savybių rodikliai nustatyti įvairių konstrukcijų prietaisais gaunami skirtingi. Įtempimų ir deformacijų būvis grunto pagrinde geriau modeliuojamas triašio slėgio aparatu nei tiesioginio kirpimo aparatu, todėl triašio slėgio aparatas šiuo metu yra plačiai naudojamas pasaulyje nustatant grunto kerpamojo stiprumo savybių rodiklius. Daroma prielaida, kad bandinys bandymo metu deformuojasi vienodai. Šis teiginys yra pagrindinė triašio bandymo idėja. Tačiau dažniausiai bandinys deformuojasi nevienodai dėl grunto bandinio viršaus ir apačios horizontalių poslinkių suvaržymo, bandinio aukščio, nepakankamo drenavimo, guminės membranos poveikio, jo savojo svorio ir kt. Baigtinių elementų metodo analizė taip pat rodo, kad... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Necessary information about soil properties, which is needed for designers and constructors, is obtained in each construction site while examining physical and mechanical properties of soils. Soil strength parameters and using them determined soil bearing resistance usually are defined with some errors. If we know the reasons of errors, disadvantages of testing equipment could be eliminated, methodology of data evaluation could be developed, soil parameters could be determined more precisely and foundation designed more economically. At present triaxial and direct shear tests are the most common tests for determination of soil shear strength parameters in laboratories. Different values of soil shear strength parameters are determined using laboratory equipment of various types. Triaxial test is the most widely used method for determination of soil shear strength parameters. This is one of the most reliable methods to model stress-strain state of ground. It is assumed that soil sample deforms uniformly during the triaxial test. But it is not often the case that a sample in triaxial apparatus deforms uniformly. Questions arise, what is stress-strain distribution in soil sample, when a load is transmitted in a prescribed way? What influence does a non-uniformity have on the soil strength parameters and on foundation size calculated using determined soil strength parameters? Why sandy soil strength parameters obtained from triaxial test are bigger than the one’s, obtained... [to full text]

The master‘s thesis focuses on the optimization of the design values of curves of the horizontal alignments of the roads. It deals with the comparison of values between czech and foreign standards and differences between them. The practical part examines the values of the real speeds of vehicles passing through the curves of various parameters that were measured during measurements of selected curves during 2014. From these data a new design values are derived that could be used for the design of horizontal alignments.

The following qualitative study sought to answer three questions: (1) What are the high priority design values used by expert exhibit developers to create meaningful exhibits at children's museums? (2) How do exhibit developers prioritize these design values? (3) What are the desirable outcomes that exhibit developers seek to achieve with the guests who interact with the exhibits? These questions were answered through interviews with children's museum exhibit developers, personal observations, and artifact analysis. The data collected was organized into four cases, each representing a different children's museum and corresponding exhibit developer. The cases were then compared against each other using multiple case study analysis as described by Stake (2006). The data revealed that most of the developers designed exhibits which promoted family learning by encouraging meaningful interactions between parents and children. Other high priority design values used by exhibit developers included physical engagement, multiple entry points, simplicity, durability, multisensory engagement, staff and volunteer facilitation, safety, and immersive environments. Successful museum exhibits empowered guests and were always created using multiple design values. This thesis may be downloaded for free at http://etd.byu.edu.