Search Content Type

ASCE Library
Journals
Proceedings
Contract Documents
MyTools
Subscribe
Bookstore

Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering

SECTION LISTING

TECHNICAL PAPERS
CASE STUDIES

BROWSE VOLUMES

Year Range:

2012

Volume 26

Issue 3 | May/June 2012 | pp. 271-455

Issue 2 | March/April 2012 | pp. 151-269

Issue 1 | January/February 2012 | pp. 1-150

2011

Volume 25

2010

Volume 24

2009

Volume 23

2008

Volume 22

2007

Volume 21

2006

Volume 20

2005

Volume 19

2004

Volume 18

2003

Volume 17

2002

Volume 16

2001

Volume 15

2000

Volume 14

1999

Volume 13

1998

Volume 12

1997

Volume 11

1996

Volume 10

1995

Volume 9

1994

Volume 8

1993

Volume 7

1992

Volume 6

1991

Volume 5

1990

Volume 4

1989

Volume 3

1988

Volume 2

1987

Volume 1

Select this Article		USN-Based Data Acquisition for Increasing Safety in the Concrete Formwork Operation Sungwoo Moon, Byungyoung Choi, and Byongsoo Yang J. Comput. Civ. Eng. 26, 271 (2012); http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CP.1943-5487.0000132 (11 pages) Online Publication Date: 12 May 2011 Full Text: Read Online (HTML) \| Download PDF
	+ -	Show Abstract The construction operation is usually executed in a dynamic environment. The operation needs to be constantly monitored to prevent any structural failures. Data acquisition should provide information on whether the operation is being executed safely. This study investigated an automated data acquisition using the Ubiquitous Sensor Network (USN) technology. State-of-the-art technologies have been integrated for collecting data in a local wireless network. An experiment on a test bed showed that data values were effectively transmitted through a local wireless network from the USN nodes to a host PC. The data were compared with allowable limits for deflection, strain, and inclination, and the comparison provided useful information on the behavior of the temporary structure. Results of the test bed and construction site experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the USN-based data acquisition system for monitoring concrete formwork operations.

Select this Article		Virtual Organizational Imitation for Construction Enterprises: Agent-Based Simulation Framework for Exploring Human and Organizational Implications in Construction Management Jing Du and Mohamed El-Gafy, M.ASCE J. Comput. Civ. Eng. 26, 282 (2012); http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CP.1943-5487.0000122 (16 pages) Online Publication Date: 16 April 2012 Full Text: Read Online (HTML) \| Download PDF
	+ -	Show Abstract Numerous efforts have been made to investigate organizational and human implications in construction management. Despite the major contribution of these efforts, future research efforts should be able to capture complex interactions of social processes in the construction environment. This paper proposes the use of agent-based modeling (ABM) to study the interactions of organizational and human factors and their effects on construction performance. Literature was used to identify the main model components and inputs. A simulation model, virtual organizational imitation for construction enterprises (VOICE), was built to explore how construction performance emerges from microlevel construction processes and work-related behaviors. A case study was conducted to investigate several managerial scenarios. Results demonstrate the need to understand social and managerial effects on the performance of construction processes. Results were verified and validated against multifold sources. VOICE is expected to be an effective approach to investigating the organizational and human interactions of construction organizations.

Select this Article		Litigation Outcome Prediction of Differing Site Condition Disputes through Machine Learning Models Tarek Mahfouz and Amr Kandil J. Comput. Civ. Eng. 26, 298 (2012); http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CP.1943-5487.0000148 (11 pages) Online Publication Date: 2 July 2011 Full Text: Read Online (HTML) \| Download PDF
	+ -	Show Abstract The construction industry is one of the main sectors of the U.S. economy that has a major effect on the nation’s growth and prosperity. The construction industry’s contribution to the nation’s economy is, however, impeded by the increasing number of disputes that unfold and oftentimes escalate as projects progress. The majority of construction disputes are resolved in courts unless project contracts call for alternate dispute resolution mechanisms. Despite the numerous advantages offered by the litigation process, the extra financial burdens and additional time required by this process makes litigation less desirable in resolving the disputes of a very dynamic construction industry. It is believed that construction litigation could be reduced or even avoided if parties have a realistic understanding of their actual legal position and the likely outcome of their case. Consequently, researchers in the artificial intelligence field have developed tools and methodologies for modeling judicial reasoning and predicting the outcomes of construction litigation cases. Despite the success of some of these systems, they were not on the basis of detailed analyses of legal concepts that govern litigation outcomes. In an attempt to provide a robust legal decision methodology for the construction industry, this paper develops an automated litigation outcome prediction method for differing site condition (DSC) disputes through machine learning (ML) models. To develop the proposed method, this paper compares the performance of three ML techniques, namely: support vector machines (SVMs), naïve Bayes, and rule induction and neural network classifiers (decision trees, boosted decision trees, and the projective adaptive resonance theory). The models were trained and tested using 400 DSC cases filled in the period from 1912 to 2007. Model predictions are on the basis of significant legal factors that govern verdicts in DSC disputes in the construction industry. The third-degree SVM polynomial model performed the best among the nine ML models that were developed, and achieved a prediction precision of 98%.

Select this Article		Automated Approach for Developing Integrated Model-Based Project Histories to Support Estimation of Activity Production Rates Semiha Kiziltas Ergan, M.ASCE and Burcu Akinci, M.ASCE J. Comput. Civ. Eng. 26, 309 (2012); http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CP.1943-5487.0000139 (10 pages) Online Publication Date: 10 June 2011 Full Text: Read Online (HTML) \| Download PDF
	+ -	Show Abstract Currently, historical production information for an activity and the corresponding contextual information depicting the conditions under which a production rate is achieved are stored in multiple dispersed data sources, if they are stored. This results in extra time and effort spent in searching, gathering, and integrating information while estimating the activity production rates in new bids. Because estimators work on tight schedules to deliver bids, this may impede estimators from being able to use the neutral and objective data related to past performances. This paper describes a general algorithm developed for data storage, an approach that facilitates the storage of activity-specific production and contextual information in an integrated fashion within project models. This approach employs both an as-planned and an as-built project model as inputs, integrates these models by performing automated mappings between them, and augments this integrated model with activity-specific production and contextual information collected in the field. The developed approach has been validated in terms of its generality in supporting automatic mapping between the as-planned and as-built project models and its generality of data storage in terms of storing data items, which have different representation requirements.

Select this Article		Construction Risk Assessment Using Site Influence Factors Hyun-Soo Lee, M.ASCE, Hyunsoo Kim, Moonseo Park, M.ASCE, Evelyn Ai Lin Teo, M.ASCE, and Kwang-Pyo Lee J. Comput. Civ. Eng. 26, 319 (2012); http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CP.1943-5487.0000146 (12 pages) Online Publication Date: 27 June 2011 Full Text: Read Online (HTML) \| Download PDF
	+ -	Show Abstract Many work-related risk factors can cause accidents on construction sites. Considering the varied characteristics of these sites, risks within the same type of work can differ. Furthermore, the established safety management performed in other industries does not necessarily apply to construction. To suggest an assessment system considering risk influence factors on construction sites, this study examines the factors through literature reviews and surveys, and builds a weighting system for their classification. The risks for each type of work are estimated based on their frequency and severity. With the understanding that perceiving a specific type of risk on a construction site increases the effectiveness of safety management, the study suggests an assessment system integrating associated risks and risk influence factors. A risk assessment system is proposed that considers influence factors and addresses the characteristics of construction sites. The system is intended for use with regard to the safety of construction workers.

Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering

SECTION LISTING

BROWSE VOLUMES

May/June 2012

Volume 26, Issue 3, pp. 271-455

Your Recent History

Recently Viewed

Find articles by AUTHORNAME

Select this Article		Interactive Modeler for Construction Equipment Operation Using Augmented Reality Byungil Kim, Changyoon Kim, and Hyoungkwan Kim J. Comput. Civ. Eng. 26, 331 (2012); http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CP.1943-5487.0000137 (11 pages) Online Publication Date: 10 June 2011 Full Text: Read Online (HTML) \| Download PDF
	+ -	Show Abstract To ensure an efficient and safe construction operation, efforts have been made to develop a planning tool that focuses on equipment utilization. With the development of augmented reality (AR) technology came an opportunity for collaborative and interactive scenario modelling of construction equipment operation. This paper presents a system for identifying the optimum scenario for equipment operation by intuitively operating the equipment in an AR environment. Augmented reality was coupled with transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP) socket programming to form an interactive interface for multiple users. In this system, users can develop a construction scenario involving equipment operation and site conditions such as project progress and share the idea with other users in distant locations. The interactive modeler can test various situations to find the particular scenario that works the best under the surrounding spatial constraints. A case study involving construction of a real cable-stayed bridge shows that the system has strong potential for significant improvement in construction planning processes.

Select this Article		On-Site Building Information Retrieval by Using Projection-Based Augmented Reality Kai-Chen Yeh, Meng-Han Tsai, and Shih-Chung Kang J. Comput. Civ. Eng. 26, 342 (2012); http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CP.1943-5487.0000156 (14 pages) Online Publication Date: 16 April 2012 Full Text: Read Online (HTML) \| Download PDF
	+ -	Show Abstract This research focuses on a long-standing problem at construction sites: on-site information retrieval. A wearable device, therefore, has been developed that can project the construction drawings and related information on the basis of the needs of the users. This device is envisaged to help engineers avoid carrying bulky construction drawings to the site, and to reduce the effort required in looking for the correct drawings to obtain the information they need. This device includes four modules: the information-integration module, the display module, the positioning module, and the manipulation module. The information-integration module is used to transfer information in the building information model (BIM) into images to enable the on-site retrieval from the device that was developed. The position module enables users to input their locations and automatically search for the images that the users might need. The manipulation module can analyze the gestures of the users from the touch screen and accelerometer in the devices, and then crop the images to eliminate the unneeded information. The display module, which directly links to the projector, can continually calculate the images processed by the previous three modules and scale the images accordingly, ensuring that the projection results in a correct scale. A hardware device, coined the iHelmet, has also been developed to implement the four modules. It consists of a construction helmet (weight: 460 g), an iPod Touch (weight: 115 g), and an Optoma light-emitting diode (LED) projector (weight: 114 g). To validate the usability of the iHelmet on-site, a user test with 34 participants was conducted. A comparison of the efficiency and effectiveness of retrieving building information using the iHelmet was done using the traditional two-dimensional (2D) drawing approach. The results showed that the mean completion times were significantly shorter for participants using the iHelmet (iHelmet: 44 s; traditional approach: 99 s). The mean success rates of participants arriving at the correct answers were also significantly improved for those using the iHelmet (iHelmet: 91.6%; traditional approach: 64.3%).

Select this Article		Parallelized Implicit Nonlinear FEA Program for Real Scale RC Structures under Cyclic Loading In Ho Cho, S.M.ASCE and John F. Hall, M.ASCE J. Comput. Civ. Eng. 26, 356 (2012); http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CP.1943-5487.0000138 (10 pages) Online Publication Date: 16 April 2012 Full Text: Read Online (HTML) \| Download PDF
	+ -	Show Abstract Parallel computing in civil engineering has been restricted to monotonic shock or blast loading with explicit algorithm which is characteristically feasible to be parallelized. In the present paper, efficient parallelization strategies for the highly demanded implicit nonlinear finite-element analysis (FEA) program for real scale reinforced concrete (RC) structures under cyclic loading are proposed. Quantitative comparison of state-of-the-art parallel strategies in terms of factorization were carried out, leading to the problem-optimized solver, which successfully embraces the penalty method and banded nature. Particularly, the penalty method employed imparts considerable smoothness to the global response, which yields practical superiority of the parallel triangular system solution over those of advanced solvers such as the parallel preconditioned conjugate gradient method. Other salient issues on parallelization are also addressed. By virtue of the parallelization, the analysis platform offers unprecedented access to physics-based mechanisms and probabilistic randomness at theentire system level and realistically reproduces global degradation and localized damage, as reflected from the application to a RC structure. Equipped with accuracy, stability and scalability, the parallel platform is believed to serve as a fertile ground for the introducing of further physical mechanisms into various research fields, as well as the earthquake engineering community.

Select this Article		RFID-Based Real-Time Locating System for Construction Safety Management Hyun-Soo Lee, M.ASCE, Kwang-Pyo Lee, Moonseo Park, M.ASCE, Yunju Baek, and SangHyun Lee, A.M.ASCE J. Comput. Civ. Eng. 26, 366 (2012); http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CP.1943-5487.0000144 (12 pages) Online Publication Date: 27 June 2011 Full Text: Read Online (HTML) \| Download PDF
	+ -	Show Abstract This paper presents the development of a radiofrequency identification (RFID)–based real-time locating system (RTLS) for safety management. The particular focus of this paper is the creation of the RTLS, which provides accurate and robust localization performance in construction sites where it is otherwise very difficult to maintain signal availability because of many (moving) obstacles. Adopted were the Time of arrival method as a localization method, the Chirp spread spectrum as a wireless networking technology, and the Assistant Tag as a way to maintain enough signal availability for effective communication. In addition, the developed RTLS uses RFID to retain the latter’s benefits (e.g., data storage, transfer capability, relatively inexpensive installation cost). To demonstrate the RTLS’s localization performance, two case studies have been conducted; the results show great potential for use in improving construction site safety management.

Select this Article		CO₂-Optimization Design of Reinforced Concrete Retaining Walls Based on a VNS-Threshold Acceptance Strategy Víctor Yepes, Fernando Gonzalez-Vidosa, M.ASCE, Julian Alcala, and Pere Villalba J. Comput. Civ. Eng. 26, 378 (2012); http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CP.1943-5487.0000140 (9 pages) Online Publication Date: 15 June 2011 Full Text: Read Online (HTML) \| Download PDF
	+ -	Show Abstract This paper presents one approach to a methodology to design reinforced concrete cantilever retaining walls for road construction using a hybrid multistart optimization strategic method based on a variable neighborhood search threshold acceptance strategy (VNS-MTAR) algorithm. This algorithm is applied to two objective functions: the embedded carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions and the economic cost of reinforced concrete walls at different stages of materials production, transportation, and construction. The problem involved 20 design variables: four geometric variables (thickness of the stem and the base slab; toe and heel lengths), four material types, and 12 variables for the reinforcement setup. Results first indicate that embedded emissions and cost are closely related and that more environmentally friendly solutions than the lowest cost solution are available at a cost increment of less than 1.28%. The analysis also indicated that reducing costs by 1 Euro could save up to 2.28% kg in CO₂ emissions. Finally, the cost-optimized walls require approximately 4.8% more concrete than the best environmental ones, which need 1.9% more steel.

Select this Article		Optimal Design of Bundled Layered Elastic Stress Wave Attenuators Xiaobo Luo, Amjad J. Aref, M.ASCE, and Gary F. Dargush J. Comput. Civ. Eng. 26, 387 (2012); http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CP.1943-5487.0000143 (9 pages) Online Publication Date: 15 June 2011 Full Text: Read Online (HTML) \| Download PDF
	+ -	Show Abstract This paper describes the development of new material architectures for mitigating the effects of impulsive loadings using layered structures. The underlying concept explored in this research relies on stress wave attenuation associated with geometric dispersion phenomena in layered structures. When an incident stress pulse passes through a layered structure, a reduced stress amplitude and elongated pulse duration can be obtained with proper selection of layer materials and dimensions. Consequently, an optimal design procedure is proposed to obtain effective material architectures. The optimization involves tuning material properties and adjusting the length of each layer, along with the total length of a multilayer structure. Attenuation of elastic stress waves propagating through the proposed simple and bundled one-dimensional elastic media are investigated by considering various layered structures situated between free and fixed surfaces.

Select this Article		Performance of Shuffled Frog-Leaping Algorithm in Finance-Based Scheduling Anas Alghazi, Shokri Z. Selim, and Ashraf Elazouni J. Comput. Civ. Eng. 26, 396 (2012); http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CP.1943-5487.0000157 (13 pages) Online Publication Date: 4 August 2011 Full Text: Read Online (HTML) \| Download PDF
	+ -	Show Abstract Currently, meta-heuristics including the genetic algorithms (GA) and simulated annealing (SA) have been used extensively to solve non-deterministic polynomial-time hard (NP-hard) problems. Continued efforts of researchers to upgrade the performance of the meta-heuristics in use resulted in the evolution of new ones. Shuffled frog-leaping algorithm (SFLA) is one of the recently introduced heuristics. The few applications of the SFLA in the literature in different areas demonstrated the capacity of the SFLA to provide high-quality solutions. The main objective of this paper is to further bring the SFLA to the attention of researchers as a potential technique to solve the NP-hard combinatorial problem of finance-based scheduling. The performance of the SFLA is evaluated through benchmarking its results against those of the GA and SA. The traditional problem of generating infeasible solutions in scheduling problems is adequately tackled in the implementations of the GA, SA, and SFLA. Fairly large projects of 120 and 210 activities are used to compare the performance of the three meta-heuristics. Finally, the obtained results indicate that the SFLA improved the quality of solutions with a substantial reduction in the computational time.

Select this Article		Optimizing Concurrent Execution of Design Activities with Minimum Redesign M. A. Hossain, D. K. H. Chua, M.ASCE, and Z. Liu J. Comput. Civ. Eng. 26, 409 (2012); http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CP.1943-5487.0000150 (12 pages) Online Publication Date: 16 April 2012 Full Text: Read Online (HTML) \| Download PDF
	+ -	Show Abstract Overlapping is recognized as a common method in concurrent execution of design activities using early information to significantly shorten design completion time. Nevertheless, unplanned overlapping without thoroughly modeling the entire procedure may not necessarily reduce design duration but instead result in excessive redesign that can be very costly. Recognizing the necessity of finding an optimal overlapping strategy, this study proposes an integrated decision-making framework to optimize the schedule of the design activities using early information. Given the probabilistic nature of the design process, the overall design process has been modeled using discrete event simulation (DES) incorporating an overlapping concept to produce the expected duration and redesign efforts, which are aggregated as a criterion to evaluate the solution. Subsequently, the search for an optimal overlapping strategy is carried out using an overlapping strategy matrix (OSM) with a genetic algorithm (GA). The entire optimization procedure is implemented by integrating GA with DES in a synchronized manner. Effectiveness of the proposed approach has been discussed through an illustrative example and the results show that the proposed optimization method eliminates unnecessary redesign without significant delay or even with no delay in design completion time.

Select this Article		Automated Color Model–Based Concrete Detection in Construction-Site Images by Using Machine Learning Algorithms Hyojoo Son, Changmin Kim, and Changwan Kim, A.M.ASCE J. Comput. Civ. Eng. 26, 421 (2012); http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CP.1943-5487.0000141 (13 pages) Online Publication Date: 15 June 2011 Full Text: Read Online (HTML) \| Download PDF
	+ -	Show Abstract Concrete structural component detection in color images is a key pre-process in various applications such as construction progress measurement, structural health monitoring, and three-dimensional as-built modeling. The goal of this research was to identify an automated color model–based concrete detection method that (by using a machine learning algorithm) can detect concrete structural components in color images with a high level of accuracy. A data set consisting of more than 87 million pixels was generated from 108 images of concrete surfaces with a variety of surfaces. Transformations from the RGB color space to non-RGB color spaces were performed to increase separability between concrete and background classes and to achieve robustness to changes in illumination. To find the optimal combination of color space and machine learning algorithm, the performance of three machine learning algorithms (e.g., a Gaussian mixture model, an artificial neural network model, and a support vector machine model) in two non-RGB color spaces (e.g., HSI and normalized RGB) was comparatively analyzed. The comparison showed that the combination of the support vector machine algorithm and the HSI color space is superior in detecting concrete structural components in color images, compared with the other five algorithm–color space combinations. Performance was validated by experiments run on various images of actual construction-site scenes.

Select this Article		Dempster-Shafer Theory for Handling Conflict in Hydrological Data: Case of Snow Water Equivalent Amin Zargar, Rehan Sadiq, Gholamreza Naser, A.M.ASCE, Faisal I. Khan, and Natasha N. Neumann J. Comput. Civ. Eng. 26, 434 (2012); http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CP.1943-5487.0000149 (14 pages) Online Publication Date: 16 April 2012 Full Text: Read Online (HTML) \| Download PDF
	+ -	Show Abstract Studying uncertainties in hydrological modeling is necessary because of data scarcity or abundance and quality issues. These uncertainties can have significant effects on environmental decision making. Traditionally, probabilistic methods have been used to study uncertainties; however, recently, more comprehensive methods are used in the treatment of uncertainty. These methods are capable of addressing uncertainty in the form of vagueness, ambiguity, and conflict, which cannot be studied efficiently using probabilistic frameworks. The Dempster-Shafer theory of evidence (DST) is one of the popular methods that can provide a unified platform to address data conflict and incompleteness. In this paper, the use of DST to model and propagate the uncertainty arising from two snow water equivalent data sets with a high degree of conflict (DST conflict k = 0.74) is demonstrated. In DST, on the basis of the nature of data, e.g., the degree of conflict, different combination rules are applicable. Here, four DST combination rules are applied including Dempster-Shafer, Yager, mixture, and the proportional conflict redistribution rule number 6 (PCR6). The outcomes from these rules are compared, and their effects on subsequent decision-making are discussed. Considering the specific condition of the data used, i.e., high-conflict data with limited quality information, results indicate that mixture and PCR6 rules are more appropriate. The resultant uncertainty-driven data set is subsequently used as input into an illustrative hydrologic model demonstrating a method for propagating uncertainty. In addition, the issues of resolving conflict for less contradicting data sets, the dependency between bodies of evidence, and modeling incompleteness are also discussed.

Select this Article		Supporting Civil Engineers during Disaster Response and Recovery Using a Segway Mobile Workstation Chariot Feniosky Peña-Mora, M.ASCE, Joyce K. Thomas, Mani Golparvar-Fard, M.ASCE, and Zeeshan Aziz J. Comput. Civ. Eng. 26, 448 (2012); http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CP.1943-5487.0000117 (8 pages) Online Publication Date: 16 April 2012 Full Text: Read Online (HTML) \| Download PDF
	+ -	Show Abstract This paper presents a mobile workstation chariot (MWC) that enables first responders and civil engineers to undertake initial disaster reconnaissance and damage assessment operations by quickly traversing hazardous terrain and through provisioning of a necessary computing infrastructure to support real time communication with the command center. The MWC comprises a personal transporter equipped with on board communication equipment and computational processing capabilities to collect, archive, analyze, and report large quantities of data from a disaster site to provide better situation awareness of an emerging disaster scenario. In the case study presented here, the MWC uses a commercially available Segway Personal Transporter modified with a framework designed to carry a payload of information gathering and communication equipment. The MWC supports both horizontal and vertical real time data capture and transmission flow from first responders and civil engineers on the scene up to the command center by means of multilevel wireless voice and data communication infrastructures. This on board computational and visualization infrastructure allows for collecting, aggregating and deaggregating semiautomatic data, analyzing, recording, and reporting critical response and recovery information easily and quickly.