ScholarWorks@UMassAmherst
We are now able to accept submissions directly in ScholarWorks. For submissions that are not doctoral dissertations or masters theses, please select the Submit Research collection for new submissions.
Graduate students filing for February 2025 degrees: We are now accepting submissions directly to ScholarWorks. Directions for submissions can be found in this guide. Please email scholarworks@library.umass.edu if you have any questions.
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Recent Submissions
Publication Post-Fire Damage Inspection of Concrete Structures Phase II(2023-02)In general, tunnels are designed with an abundance of safety regarding structural integrity, however, there can be uncertainty related to structural performance after a fire event. The residual condition of a tunnel after a fire is dependent on fire intensity and duration. The goal of this study is to correlate visual and material characteristics of structural and nonstructural components of tunnels with fire temperature and exposure time. This can be further related to the residual capacity of structural members in a tunnel, providing insight into safety and overall functionality. Experimental results show that the visual response of materials with heat exposure is variable and dependent on a number of factors. A wide range of materials were studied to establish a well-versed collection of data that may be used in a post-fire inspection. In addition, mechanical testing of three configurations of structural slabs exposed to different heating regimens was conducted. The influence of heat on a structural member may be complex, and was found to be minimal for the heating regimens and loading procedures applied. This work can serve as an aid for post-fire investigation by providing methods to estimate fire intensity and duration through visual observation and mechanical testing.Publication The Current State of Practice of Building Information Modeling(2023-08)Building information modeling is a combination of technology and processes that has made significant changes to the architecture, engineering, construction, and operations industries. By enabling the visualization of project elements and their data in 3D, it allows for a reduction in unbudgeted changes, increased collaboration and efficiency, and numerous other capabilities that are implemented to varying degrees throughout the industry. This study aims to evaluate perspectives on building information modeling from stakeholders in academia, architecture, engineering, construction, and operations, as well as the perspectives of software vendors, to elucidate a comprehensive current state of practice of building information modeling. Further, it seeks to make recommendations for building information modeling implementation at the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority with the intent of increasing organizational efficiency and, in the future, leveraging asset data for facility management purposes.Publication Improved Load Rating Procedures for Deteriorated Unstiffened Steel Beam Ends(2024-01)This report contains the contents of the project to enhance load rating methods for assessing corroded unstiffened beam ends for the six New England States. The first task of the project was to collect and compile inspection reports information provided by DOTs within New England. The research team was able to carefully identify trends and patterns in the data, which was used to determine the most common scenarios of corrosion encountered in bridges within New England States. Following this task, corroded bridge girder specimens were selected from existing structures to be documented and experimentally tested in the structural testing facility at UMass Amherst. The specimens were also computationally analyzed for their section loss and remaining capacity. The final goal of this project was to evaluate the load rating procedures across all of the New England States and recommend updates to the procedures based on our experimental and analytical results.Publication Development of Comprehensive Inspection Protocols for Deteriorated Steel Beam Ends(2022-03)Recent research has developed new improved procedures that accurately describe the remaining loadcarrying capacity of these deteriorated members. These new procedures are based on computational simulations and experimental testing of real deteriorated beams. The outcome of a recently completed research project (“Development of Load Rating Procedures for Deteriorated Steel Beam Ends,” completed July 2019) has found new parameters that are extremely important when assessing the residual capacity of the bridge and the load rating procedure. Examples of these parameters include the out-of-plane imperfection of the beam web, the surface area of corrosion, and others. Currently, inspectors are not aware of the new findings and these important parameters, and they have no clear guidance on what and how to measure when inspecting a deteriorated beam end. Drawing on the recent findings made while developing new load rating procedures, the project at hand first documents the current state of practice of beam end inspections, then explores new technological solutions for improvement of these inspection techniques using LiDAR and unmanned aircraft systems (drones), and finally performs preliminary analysis of a bridge system.Publication Prompt Literacy in the Sanctioned Curriculum: Addressing an Urgent Gap in AI Education(Univerity of Massachusetts Amherst, 2024-10)Integrating prompt literacy into sanctioned educational curricula is essential for navigating the evolving digital landscape dominated by AI-driven tools. Current curricula predominantly focus on traditional, subject-based instruction, leaving a gap in preparing students to interact critically and responsibly with generative AI. Prompt literacy, defined as the ability to construct precise prompts to guide AI outputs, is a core competency for retrieving, interpreting, and ethically managing AI-generated information. A pedagogical model for embedding prompt literacy into the curriculum offers educational systems a framework to adapt to rapid technological advancements. Recognizing prompt literacy as a sanctioned skill enables learners to better handle the cognitive, ethical, and technical challenges of an AI-mediated world, equipping them for informed and responsible engagement with AI technologies.
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