Innovative Industry-Related Research Projects for Civil Engineering Undergraduate Students

Mohammad Jonaidi; Simin Nasseri

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Conference: 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Publication Date: August 23, 2022
Start Date: June 26, 2022
End Date: June 29, 2022
Conference Session: Civil Engineering Division Poster Session
Page Count: 13
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--41214
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/41214
Download Count: 283

Paper Authors

biography

Mohammad Jonaidi Kennesaw State University

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Dr. Jonaidi is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Construction Engineering at Kennesaw State University (KSU). He has about 37 years of Industrial and Academic experience in the field of structural engineering, about 16 years of which consists of teaching and research. He has been teaching Civil Engineering courses at various universities in Tehran, Sydney and Atlanta.
He obtained his PhD degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Sydney, Australia in 1998. After graduation, he continued his research at Sydney University before joining Taylor Thomson Whitting (TTW) a Consulting Engineering firm in Sydney in 2000. He was the Chief Engineer/Technical Director in Tendon Systems/Trillium Structures, an engineering company in Suwanee, Georgia from November 2004 till July 2016.
Dr. Jonaidi has been involved in analysis and design of complex structural projects such as: Modeling and analysis of high-rise buildings, Analysis and design of steel structures, Floor vibration of slabs, and pedestrian bridges, Serviceability vibration analysis of high-rise buildings under wind effect, Earthquake Engineering, Design of post tensioned concrete structures. He also used Finite Element Analysis for: Nonlinear and Buckling analysis of silos and thin-walled members, Temperature effects on concrete slabs, Industrial concrete pavements, Analysis of long span spatial steel structures, Analysis of Glazing facade and so on. Furthermore, he has experience in: Below grade shoring walls using soil nails and ground post-tensioned anchors, retrofit of concrete structures using Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRP), and the strengthening of structures to resist progressive collapse.

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biography

Simin Nasseri Society of Manufacturing Engineers

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Dr. Simin Nasseri is a full professor in the department of Mechanical Engineering at Kennesaw State University (Former Southern Polytechnic State University). She obtained her Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Sydney University, Australia, where she worked as a senior research associate. She has more than twenty five years of academic/industrial experience and has obtained many patents, and published many book-chapters, journal and conference papers. Her research areas include Rheology and viscoelasticity, Biomechanical engineering (orthotics, artificial organs and soft tissue Rheology), Manufacturing engineering, Polymer processing, Computational mechanics, Robotics, and Micromachinery. She has work experience related to design and manufacturing, has served as the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) faculty advisor from 2006, and has taught many courses related to engineering mechanics, design and manufacturing, programming, etc. She has won many prestigious awards, and fellowships such as university's distinguished professor award.

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Abstract

This paper covers the important aspects of new research methodologies, including the methods and tools, for undergraduate students at a Civil Engineering program. It aims to improve the research competencies of civil engineering students through immersing the students in different types of research exercises. The activities have been exploratory, experimental and theoretical. The focus of the new approach is on developing soft skills, gaining practical and hands-on skills, research management and planning, and presenting the results in an optimum manner. Six undergraduate students from two departments were involved in various components of a research project related to the post-tensioned concrete structures. The core project started in a company specialized in post-tensioning industry.

Initially, the learning objective was to gain a deep understanding of the mechanical properties of concrete and steel as well as the post-tensioning of the concrete slabs. However, the main objective was to get students involved in designing effective test platforms from scratch, to perform experiments with concrete blocks and a special compressible material used in industry. One of the goals was to investigate the friction coefficient of connection between the concrete slab and walls in Post-Tensioned construction. The research involved testing the resistance of concrete blocks against applied loads in variety of conditions. Furthermore, students were to explore the behavior of a compressible material that is used to wrap rebar, as a release detail, for slab and walls in Post-Tensioning construction. The goals were achieved by establishing a unique testing rig to apply lateral load to the poured concrete specimens that contained the foam-wrapped steel dowel (rebar), which extended into a poured concrete slab.

Consequent research projects have been conducted to construct a model of concrete-foam-rebar media and simulate it using the Finite Element Analysis with ABAQUS© package. The objective has been to refine the model and material characteristics, until a nonlinear analysis and simulation produces valid and comparable results to the laboratory prototype. Structured and neat research methods were tabulated to teach the students as how to conduct research in a more passionate, productive, and useful way. These were conducting the extensive literature review, establishing the complex test rigs, evaluating the sophisticated mesh configurations and performing non-linear analysis.

The most important outcomes of the new research methods were; students’ eagerness and enthusiasm to establish the test platforms, learning all the necessary hands-on skills despite obstacles and limitations, learning new simulation packages, and presenting in various conferences and symposiums in a professional way. The reflections provided by students demonstrated their extraordinary satisfaction of this life-long learning experience, and the importance of their gained skills in future graduate programs and/or high-level industry positions.

Citation
Format

Jonaidi, M., & Nasseri, S. (2022, August), Innovative Industry-Related Research Projects for Civil Engineering Undergraduate Students Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--41214

TY - CPAPER
AB - This paper covers the important aspects of new research methodologies, including the methods and tools, for undergraduate students at a Civil Engineering program. It aims to improve the research competencies of civil engineering students through immersing the students in different types of research exercises. The activities have been exploratory, experimental and theoretical. The focus of the new approach is on developing soft skills, gaining practical and hands-on skills, research management and planning, and presenting the results in an optimum manner. Six undergraduate students from two departments were involved in various components of a research project related to the post-tensioned concrete structures. The core project started in a company specialized in post-tensioning industry.

Initially, the learning objective was to gain a deep understanding of the mechanical properties of concrete and steel as well as the post-tensioning of the concrete slabs. However, the main objective was to get students involved in designing effective test platforms from scratch, to perform experiments with concrete blocks and a special compressible material used in industry. One of the goals was to investigate the friction coefficient of connection between the concrete slab and walls in Post-Tensioned construction. The research involved testing the resistance of concrete blocks against applied loads in variety of conditions. Furthermore, students were to explore the behavior of a compressible material that is used to wrap rebar, as a release detail, for slab and walls in Post-Tensioning construction. The goals were achieved by establishing a unique testing rig to apply lateral load to the poured concrete specimens that contained the foam-wrapped steel dowel (rebar), which extended into a poured concrete slab.

Consequent research projects have been conducted to construct a model of concrete-foam-rebar media and simulate it using the Finite Element Analysis with ABAQUS© package. The objective has been to refine the model and material characteristics, until a nonlinear analysis and simulation produces valid and comparable results to the laboratory prototype. Structured and neat research methods were tabulated to teach the students as how to conduct research in a more passionate, productive, and useful way. These were conducting the extensive literature review, establishing the complex test rigs, evaluating the sophisticated mesh configurations and performing non-linear analysis.

The most important outcomes of the new research methods were; students’ eagerness and enthusiasm to establish the test platforms, learning all the necessary hands-on skills despite obstacles and limitations, learning new simulation packages, and presenting in various conferences and symposiums in a professional way. The reflections provided by students demonstrated their extraordinary satisfaction of this life-long learning experience, and the importance of their gained skills in future graduate programs and/or high-level industry positions.

AU - Mohammad Jonaidi
AU - Simin Nasseri
CY - Minneapolis, MN
DA - 2022/08/23
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Innovative Industry-Related Research Projects for Civil Engineering Undergraduate Students
UR - https://peer.asee.org/41214
DO - 10.18260/1-2--41214
ER -