Civil Infrastructure Research

Answering critical infrastructure questions

Neil Hoult and Ian Moore,Department of Civil Engineering

Outline

Three example projects:

• Deteriorated culvert testing• Rehabilitated culvert testing with novel sensors• Field test of a bridge

Future facilities

Deteriorated Culvert Testing

Objectives:• Determine capacity of deteriorated culverts

Impact for partner:• Optimize rehabilitation / replacement strategies

Partners:• Ministry of Transportation Ontario (MTO)• National Cooperative Highway Research Program

(NCHRP)

Culvert Deterioration

(Courtesy of Taher and Moore, 2011)

Experimental Specimens

a) Heavily deteriorated b) Lightly deteriorated

Invert

Invert

Invert

Crown

SP SP

Thickness distribution for corroded culvert

Invert

Thickness distribution for corroded culvert

mm

The Buried Infrastructure LabBuilt with CFI, MRI and industry funding

Loading set-up

Simulated vehicle loading

Failure mechanism of heavily deteriorated specimen

Local Bending Local Buckling

CSP2 SA 2ft

Applied force (kN)

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160

Thru

st fo

rce

( kN

/m)

-180

-160

-140

-120

-100

-80

-60

-40

-20

0

Applied force (kips)0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Thru

st fo

rce

(kip

/ft)

-12

-10

-8

-6

-4

-2

0

Katona Moore CANDE Experiment-1st AASHTO CHBDC Experiment-2nd Col 15 vs Col 16

CANDE

CHBDC

AASHTO

Moore

Experiment 1st

Experiment 2nd

Katona

Results: Predicted vs. experimental forces in structure – Lightly deteriorated specimen

Forc

e in

Str

uctu

re (k

N/m

)

Forc

e in

Str

uctu

re (k

ip/ft

)

Vehicle Load (kips)

Vehicle Load (kN)

Rehabilitated Culvert Testing

Objectives:• Determine capacity of rehabilitated structures

Impact for partner:• Develop accurate procedures for rehabilitation design

Partners:• KWH Pipe• Lafarge• Ministry of Transportation Ontario (MTO)• National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP)• Ontario Concrete Pipe Association

Fibre Optic SensorsPurchased with CFI, MRI and industry funding

• Optical Backscatter Reflectometer (OBR 4600) developed by Luna Technologies

• Allows for distributed measurements of strain

• Characterize behaviour in a way that has not been possible

Pipe Rehabilitation using slip lining

Novel Measurements – HDPE Liner

Bridge Field Testing

Objectives:• Develop tool for assessment and damage

detection in bridges

Impact for partner:• Extend bridge service lives

Partners:• Ministry of Transportation Ontario• Transport Canada

Test Site: Black River Bridge

Fibre optic layout

Fibre optic vs strain gauge measurements

Bridge response

Future FacilitiesFunded by CFI, MRI and industry

Geotechnical Testing – water and sewer pipes, culverts• Deep burial and erosion simulator• Pipe deterioration facilities• High speed distributed strain measurement (?)

Structures• Moving load simulator• Deterioration facilities• Bridge component testing

Thanks!Funding and support provided by:Canada Foundation for InnovationKWH PipeLafargeMinistry of Transportation OntarioNational Cooperative Highway Research ProgramNatural Science and Engineering Research Council of CanadaOntario Concrete Pipe Association and M-ConOntario Ministry of Research and InnovationTransport Canada

Research conducted by:Bryan Simpson, Ryan Regier and Van Thien Mai

Assisted by: Graeme Boyd, Andre Brault, Adam Hoag, Keelin Scully, Trevor Smith, Paul Thrasher, Brian Westervelt and anyone I have forgotten!