Models for Subgrade Soils and Unbound Granular Materials

The purpose of this section is to introduce some of the constitutive models devoted to routine, as well as advanced, pavement analysis and design. For all these models, moisture or water pressure are not taken into account. They are written, here, in terms of total stresses – i. e. the effects of pore water pressure and/or pore suction are subsumed into the mechanical response of the materials and are not explicitly described.

Nowadays, models for subgrade in pavement engineering have been split in two categories dealing with the main mechanical behaviour which needs to be taken into account:

• resilient behaviour (see Fig. 9.3); and

• long term elasto-plastic behaviour.

Generation of Vectors of Multivariate Random Variables

In preceding sections, discussions focused on generating univariate random variates. It is not uncommon for hydrosystems engineering problems to involve multiple random variables that are correlated and statistically dependent. For example, many data show that the peak discharge and volume of a runoff hy­drograph are positively correlated. To simulate systems involving correlated random variables, generated random variates must preserve the probabilis­tic characteristics of the variables and the correlation structure among them. Although multivariate random number generation is an extension of the uni­variate case, mathematical difficulty and complexity associated with multi­variate problems increase rapidly as the dimension of the problem gets larger.

Compared with generating univariate random variates, multivariate random variate generation is much more restricted to fewer joint distributions, such as multivariate normal, multivariate lognormal, and multivariate gamma (Ronning, 1977; Johnson, 1987; Parrish, 1990). Nevertheless, the algorithms for generating univariate random variates serve as the foundation for many multivariate Monte Carlo algorithms.

6.5.1 CDF-inverse method

This method is an extension of the univariate case described in Sec. 6.3.1. Con­sider a vector of K random variables X = (X1, X 2,…, XK ) having a joint PDF of

f x (x) = f 1,2,…, K (X1, X2, … , XK ) (6.23)

This joint PDF can be decomposed to

fx(x) = f 1(X1) X f2(X2X1) X—X fK(XK|X1,X2, …,XK-1) (6.24)

in which f 1(x1) and fk(xk |x1, x2, …, xk-1) are, respectively, the marginal PDF and the conditional PDF of random variables X1 and Xk. In the case when all K random variables are statistically independent, Eq. (6.23) is simplified to

K

fx(x) = fk (Xk) (6.25)

k=1

One observes that from Eq. (6.25) the joint PDF of several independent random variables is simply the product of the marginal PDF of the individual random variable. Therefore, generation of a vector of independent random variables can be accomplished by treating each individual random variable separately, as in the case of the univariate problem. However, treatment of random variables cannot be made separately in the case when they are correlated. Under such circumstances, as can be seen from Eq. (6.24), the joint PDF is the product of conditional distributions. Referring to Eq. (6.24), generation of K random variates following the prescribed joint PDF can proceed as follows:

1. Generate random variates for X1 from its marginal PDF f 1(x1).

2. Given X1 = x1 obtained from step 1, generate X2 from the conditional PDF f 2(X2 |X1).

3. With X1 = X1 and X2 = X2 obtained from steps 1 and 2, produce X3 based on f 3(X3|X1, X2).

4. Repeat the procedure until all K random variables are generated.

To generate multivariate random variates by the CDF-inverse method, it is required that the analytical relationship between the value of the variate

and the conditional distribution function is available. Following Eq. (6.24), the product relationship also holds in terms of CDFs as

Fx(x) = Fi(xi) X FiteXi) X—X Fk(XK|xi, X2,…, xk-i) (6.26)

in which Fi(xi) and Fk(xk|xi, x2,…,xk-i) are the marginal CDF and condi­tional CDF of random variables Xi and Xk, respectively. Based on Eq. (6.26), the algorithm using the CDF-inverse method to generate n sets of K multi­variate random variates from a specified joint distribution is described below (Rosenblatt, i952):

1. Generate K standard uniform random variates uiy u2,…, uK from U(0, i).

2. Compute

= F-i(ui = F2ri(u2 |xi)

xk = F-1(uu |xi, x2,…., xk-i)

3. Repeat steps i and 2 for n sets of random vectors.

There are K! ways to implement this algorithm in which different orders of random variates Xk, k = i, 2,…, K, are taken to form the random vector X. In general, the order adopted could affect the efficiency of the algorithm.

Example 6.4 This example is extracted from Nguyen and Chowdhury (i985). Con­sider a box cut of an open strip coal mine, as shown in Fig. 6.3. The overburden has a phreatic aquifer overlying the coal seam. In the next bench of operation, excavation is to be made 50 m (d = 50 m) behind the box-cut high wall. It is suggested that for

Generation of Vectors of Multivariate Random Variables

Figure 6.3 Box cut of an open strip coal mine resulting in water drawdown. (After Nguyen and Chowdhury, 1985.)

safety reasons of preventing slope instability the excavation should start at the time when the drawdown in the overburden d = 50 m away from the excavation point has reached at least 50 percent of the total aquifer depth (ho).

Generation of Vectors of Multivariate Random Variables

Nguyen and Raudkivi (1983) gave the transient drawdown equation for this prob­lem as

Generation of Vectors of Multivariate Random Variables
Generation of Vectors of Multivariate Random Variables
Generation of Vectors of Multivariate Random Variables
Подпись: 1
Подпись: (s - Us) - Pkh,s(ffs/ffkh)(kh - Mkh)

(6.31)

From the conditional PDF given earlier, the conditional expectation and conditional standard deviation of storage coefficient S, given a specified value of permeability Kh = kh, can be derived, respectively, according to Eqs. (2.110) and (2.111), as

ffs

MSkh = E(SKh = kh) = Ms + Pkh, s—— (kh – Mkh) (6.32)

ffkh

ffskh = ffsy 1 – plh s (6.33)

Therefore, the algorithm for generating bivariate normal random variates to esti­mate the statistical properties of the drawdown recess time can be outlined as follows:

1. Generate a pair of independent standard normal variates and z’2.

2. Compute the corresponding value of permeability kh = Mkh + ^khZy

3. Based on the value of permeability obtained in step 2, compute the conditional mean and conditional standard deviation of the storage coefficient according to Eqs. (6.32) and (6.33), respectively. Then calculate the corresponding storage coef­ficient as S = Mskh + ffskhZ2.

4. Use Kh = kh and S = s generated in steps 3 and 4 in Eq. (6.29) to compute the corresponding drawdown recess time t.

5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 n = 400 times to obtain 400 realizations of drawdown recess times {t1, t2,…, t400}.

6. Compute the sample mean, standard deviation, and skewness coefficient of the drawdown recess time according to the last column of Table 2.1.

The histogram ofthe drawdown recess time resulting from 400 simulations is shown in Fig. 6.4. The statistical properties of the drawdown recess time are estimated as

Mean nt = 45.73 days

Standard deviation at = 4.72 days

Skewness coefficient yt = 0.487

Sign Assemblies

The sign panel, the support, and the embedment or anchorage system are the three components of a sign assembly. Each component contributes to the effectiveness, structural adequacy, and safety upon impact of the device. The sign assembly must be structurally adequate to withstand its own weight and the wind and ice loads subjected to the sign panel. In some northern climates, this requirement includes the forces created by snow ejected by snowblowers or the lateral forces resulting from snowplow activity. The majority of the design guides for each state contain recommendations on the size, number, and type of support required in different regions of the state. These guidelines are based on the size of the sign panel and the recurrent wind intensity. Average wind loads for 10-, 25-, and 50-year recurrence intervals are also contained in AASHTO’s Standard Specification for Structural Supports for Highway Signs [12].

7.2.1 Sign-Support Considerations

There are a variety of systems used to support ground-mounted traffic signs. These systems were often categorized by whether they were intended to support small or large signs. Small signs were arbitrarily defined as those having a total panel area of less than 50 ft2 (4.7 m2) [17]. This designation is, however, arbitrary and not effective in identifying the characteristics of the support used. An alternative method of catego­rizing sign types is by designating them as single – or multiple-mount systems. Multiple mounts include two or more supports that are separated by 7 ft (2100 mm) or more. Sign panels supported by a single support or by multiple supports less than 7 ft (2100 mm) apart are considered single mounts. The separation criterion allows for the possibility that a vehicle, leaving the roadway at an angle, can impact more than one support. Signs supported by more than one support, in addition to being separated by more than 7 ft (2100 mm), must also be designed for each support to independently release from the sign panel. Multiple-support systems, therefore, must have sign panels with sufficient torsional strength to ensure proper release from the impacted support while remaining upright on the support(s) that were not impacted. This also requires that the remaining support(s) have sufficient strength properties to prevent the sign panel from breaking loose and entering the passenger compartment or becoming a projectile.

Metal supports that yield upon impact have been used for many years to provide effective economical supports for traffic signs. The U-channel post design is the most widely used support for both single – and multiple-support designs [17]. Yielding supports are designed to bend at the base and have no built-in breakaway or weakened design. Systems in this category include the full-length steel U-channel, aluminum shapes, alu­minum X-posts, and standard steel pipes. For successful impact performance, the support must bend and lie down or fracture without causing a change in vehicle velocity of more than 10 mi/h (5 m/s). Tests have shown that supports that fracture offer much less impact resistance, especially at high-speed impacts, than yielding supports of equal size.

The impact behavior of base-bending supports depends upon a number of complex variables including cross-sectional shape, mechanical properties, energy-absorption capabilities under dynamic loading, chemical composition, type of embedment, and characteristics of the embedment soil. The wide number of variables related to the properties of the support itself require that full-scale crash testing be performed to evaluate the impact behavior of base-bending supports. Tests are performed on cate­gories of support types that need to be specified during their purchase. For example, U-channel posts, while of the same shape, will have different impact characteristics depending upon their unit weight and whether they are cold-rolled or hot-shaped.

The impact performance of base-bending supports depends upon the interaction between the structure and the soil in which it is embedded. Soil conditions vary drasti­cally with location, even within small geographic locations. Due to this variability, NCHRP 350 has established standard soil conditions (previously referred to as “strong soil”) and weak soil for testing. Weak soil consists of relatively fine aggregates that provide less resistance to lateral movement than that provided by a standard soil.

The rules on weak soil versus strong soil are, however, in question. The FHWA has insisted that yielding supports be qualified in both soils in order to be eligible for federal aid. However, recently completed crash testing yielded very few acceptable supports in weak soil. FHWA considers that it may be too restrictive to forbid all use of those supports that failed in weak soil. The standard soil in NCHRP Report 350 is the “strong soil.” If a state has potential sites where the device will be installed in weak soils and believes that the device may not behave as well as in strong soil, then weak soil testing is called for. Otherwise, a device that has been found acceptable only in strong soil may be used only in strong soil.

The proper performance of some base-bending supports requires that they do not pull out of the soil upon low-speed impact. Placing these base-bending devices in weak soil, when they have been approved for use only in standard soil, or at an improper embedment depth will not provide acceptable low-speed performance. If the device was installed on a narrow median, for example, it can pull out of the ground upon impact and become a lethal trajectory to opposing traffic. Consideration must be given to the soil acceptance criteria of the post planned for use, the soil condition pre­sent, sign location, and the safety performance needs of the sign assembly.

Breakaway supports are designed to separate from the anchor base upon impact. Breakaway designs include supports with frangible couplings, supports with weakened sections, bolted sections, and slip base designs. Breakaway supports are classified by their ability to properly separate from the base upon impact from one direction (unidi­rectional) or from any direction (multidirectional). Large signs, requiring multiple supports separated by 7 ft (2100 mm) or more, often use a hinged breakaway mecha­nism with a horizontal slip base. The use of slotted hinge plates, on both sides of the upper beam, and a horizontal slip base results in proper device function from either the front or the back. The action of the hinged breakaway is illustrated in Fig. 7.2.

FIGURE 7.2 Illustration of hinged breakaway action. (a) Hinge activation. (b) Slip plate release. (c) Sign prior to impact.

In addition to the yielding and breakaway sign support, overhead and fixed-base support systems may be used. Overhead sign support systems include the use of exist­ing structures, such as bridges, that span the traffic lanes. Fixed-base support systems include those that do not yield or break away upon impact. Fixed-base systems are made of materials that will not fracture upon impact and are firmly embedded in or rigidly attached to a foundation. Fixed-base systems are often used to support overhead signs on roadway facilities with three or more lanes or for traffic signal supports. The large mass of these support systems and the potential safety consequences of the sys­tems falling to the ground necessitate a fixed-base design. Fixed-base systems are rigid obstacles and should not be used in the clear zone area unless shielded by a barrier.

The total combination of support systems and methods of embedment is large. Considering the following factors can assist in selecting the most appropriate sign support system:

• Large ground-mounted signs can be located 50 ft (15 m) or more from the edge of pavement on high-speed facilities. These substantial lateral clearances increase the roadside recovery zone while still meeting motorist viewing needs.

• The performance of any sign assembly is influenced by the surrounding terrain. Terrain that will cause the vehicle to impact the sign assembly at a higher or lower point than the design impact height can cause unpredictable and often hazardous results.

• The height of post-mounted signs is determined by drivers’ need of a legible mes­sage and by the functional requirements of the support system. A breakaway sup­port system designed with a hinge, for example, will not function properly if the sign is mounted so low on the support system as to interfere with the hinge action.

• Efforts should be exerted to keep the top of the sign panel at a height of 9 ft (2700 mm). Placing the sign at this height reduces the possibility that the top of the sign will break the windshield and intrude into the passenger compartment during impact. If the top of the sign panel is at least 9 ft (2700 mm) high, then the sign will hit the vehicle’s roof and reduce the probability of vehicle intrusion. The majority of signs that meet the MUTCD standards for clearance to the bottom of the sign will also meet the minimum height to the top of the sign panel. Exceptions to this include rural installations with mounting heights less than 7 ft (2130 mm) to the bottom of the sign with sign panels less than 4 ft (1200 mm) in size.

• Traffic signs should not be considered permanent solutions to inappropriate or haz­ardous roadway conditions. Installing a warning sign, for example, to warn of a shoulder dropoff does not eliminate the dropoff problem and presents an additional fixed object.

SIDEWALKS AND WALKWAYS

Many local zoning ordinances and construction standards specify that sidewalks be built on both sides of residential streets. These requirements were developed during an era of lower land values and lower construction costs, and should be reviewed in the context of today’s higher costs.

Following are guidelines for sidewalks and walkways:

• Construct sidewalks on one side rather than both sides of local streets, and consider elimination altogether on lightly traveled streets.

• Eliminate sidewalks around deadend streets and cul-de-sacs.

• Minimize placing homes facing collector and higher-order streets, thereby reducing or eliminating the need for sidewalks on these streets.

• Replace infrequently used sidewalks on streets with pathways between _ groups of residences, bus stops, stores, playgrounds, and other community facilities.

• If sidewalks are necessary, limit their width to three feet.

• Consider using sidewalks integral with curbs.

Sidewalks in Local governments, builders, and home Residential Areas buyers all benefit from cost savings

that can be achieved in sidewalk construction. Builders and home buyers save through lower construction costs. Local governments save through reductions in maintenance and replacement.

An increasing number of communities have dropped requirements for sidewalks in residential communities from their standards. Streets in these areas generate insignificant amounts of pedestrian traffic and a low volume of vehicular traffic moving at slow speeds. A properly graded shoulder, or the roadway itself, can provide a suitable pedestrian pathway.

ASPHALT SURFACE

______

 

GRAVEL SHOULDER

/

 

ійюшш№шт

 

Combination roadside shoulder/waikway

SIDEWALKS AND WALKWAYS
For the same reasons, sidewalks can also be eliminated around deadends and cul-de-sacs.

On higher-order local streets and collector streets, safety is often cited as the rationale for building sidewalks on both sides of the street. However, in the majority of these cases, a % single sidewalk will suffice. Situations

in which a single sidewalk will generate substantial street-crossing activity by pedestrians can be individually evaluated.

Подпись: Single sidewalk along higher-order street Подпись: Pathways and WalkwaysSidewalks along higher-order streets can, be eliminated completely by reducing the number of residences which face such streets. Pedestrians will then use the local streets on which homes are situated.

In planning for sidewalks, and also for pathways as discussed below, consider­ation should be given to likely _ pedestrian destinations. These include such places as bus stops, playgrounds, and convenience stores. Accommoda­tion of significant foot traffic along standard walking routes is more important than accommodation of occasional and casual traffic between and among homes.

Pathways and walkways offer an alternative to sidewalks that is cost effective and eliminates safety hazards to pedestrians that might arise from passing vehicles. This consideration can be prominent in planning the layout of subdivisions.

Such planning can provide for concrete walks, asphalt paths, or gravel paths between and among strategic locations. Walking access can be established between groups of residences and such facilities as parks,

Подпись: Pathways often eliminate need for sidewalks

Подпись: Dimensions and Construction SIDEWALKS AND WALKWAYS

community centers, and shopping centers. The paths and walkways can pass over easements that constitute part of the total subdivision plan. Townhouse and cluster developments lend themselves well to this type of integrated planning.

SIDEWALKS AND WALKWAYS

In the illustration, a З-foot and 6-foot sidewalk are compared. It should be noted that, in addition to a 50 percent reduction in the quantity of materials required, the З-foot sidewalk reduces the required right-of-way or easement by 6 feet. ,

Three-foot and 6-foot sidewalk

An integral curb and sidewalk combines two separate processes into a single step. One edge of the sidewalk is "thickened" and its side doubles as a curb.

SIDEWALKS AND WALKWAYS

SIDEWALKS AND WALKWAYS

Orient the House to the Sun

Подпись:Подпись: GNOrient the House to the SunPlacing the long side of a house along the east – west axis exposes the south elevation to year – round light and warmth. In summer, this orientation minimizes overheating on the short east and west elevations. Grouping private and unoccupied spaces on the north side of the house, where they act as insulators for the south-facing public Bedroom rooms, maximizes the benefit of southern exposure.

North

Finding True North

Подпись:Подпись:At the bottom margin of U. S. Geologi­cal Survey maps, there are three north bearings: magnetic north, true north, and grid north Magnetic north is compass-needle north, but it’s not helpful for solar siting, which calls for true north, indicated by the star. The difference between these bearings is the declination, in this case,

13.5 degrees.

from the rest of the house), much like the closed airspace in a thermos keeps the cold air outside from cooling the warm liquid inside.

Hillside Lots Are Cooler, So Plan Accordingly

Donald Trump once said that the three most important considerations when buying real estate are location, location, and location.

I doubt that he was referring to the potential for lower heating and cooling costs, but a house’s location on a piece of land can make it less expensive to heat and cool.

If you’re considering building on a hill­side, for example, locate the house accord­ing to its most appropriate zone. In cold or temperate climates, it’s best to locate a house midway between the ridge and the valley.

There, the house is not exposed to increased wind velocities at the ridge or to subsiding cold air that settles at the valley bottom.

In hot, humid climates—the Gulf Coast states and the Southeast—ridges generally provide the most exposure to year-round cooling breezes. In hot, arid climates such as the Desert Southwest, valley floors tend to collect cold air overnight that helps to cool a house. You can trap this cold air by opening doors and windows at night and by closing them during the day.

Building on a south-facing slope, or as­pect, of a landform increases the exposure of the house and surrounding grounds to the low-angle rays of the sun during the winter. In cold and temperate climates espe­cially, you should avoid north-facing aspects whenever possible.

You should also take a good look at the adjacent area to the south of the building

Window Height ^ Shade Factor = The Right Overhang

Подпись:Подпись:Orient the House to the SunAn effective window overhang shades summer sun but allows for winter-sun penetration. The overhang’s depth depends on the shade-line factor, ‘

determined by the house’s geographic latitude and the direction the window faces. See the chart below, and also measure the overhang’s – height above the windowsill; then plug those numbers into the equation above to get the overhang’s ideal depth.

SHADE-LINE FACTORS

Подпись:Latitude in Degrees

Faces

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

East

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.8

Southeast

1.9

1.6

1.4

1.3

1.1

1.0

0.9

South

10.1

5.4

3.6

2.6

2.0

1.7

1.4

Southwest

1.9

1.6

1.4

1.3

1.1

1.0

0.8

West

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.8

site. Avoid building on areas that will be shaded during winter by tall buildings, co­niferous trees, or landforms (ridges, etc.).

If you’re in a cold or temperate climate, where it’s best to build midway along the hillside rather than at the ridge or in the valley, you should study the contours of the hillside. Any natural drainages or depres­sions in the topography are poor choices for a building site (see the drawing on p. 132). A natural drainage or depression channels cold air down the hillside. This cold air collects behind obstructions to its natural flow, so a house should be built away from these cold – air flows. If you simply cannot follow this strategy, use evergreen vegetation or solid fencing to divert cold air around and away from the house.

Whenever possible, recess the north, east, and west sides of the house into the natu­ral slope of the site, or pile soil against the house on these sides. These earth-berming
strategies provide additional, permanent in­sulation against both winter winds and sum­mer overheating.

Earth-berming strategies require careful detailing to prevent water damage to the structure. They are generally more expen­sive than typical aboveground construction. When properly done, however, earth berm – ing provides long-term, low-maintenance energy savings.

If you are not familiar with earth-berming strategies but have a site that is suitable, consult an architect or a designer experi­enced in this type of construction.

General Objectives, Strength and Deformation

With the use of numerical modelling, engineers aim to obtain the displacement fields as well as the stress values (effective stress, pore pressure and suction) in the road and earthworks sub-structure. The numerical modelling allows the understanding of the behaviour of the geostructure and the analysis of an optimal design. In order to be successful, the computational tool should, then, include the main physical processes of the rheology of the materials that make up the structure.

The behaviour of granular media is mainly dependant on an inter-granular fric­tion as well as on the applied stress which modifies the rigidity and the strength of the material. It is highly non-linear and irreversible. Figure 9.2 summarizes the main stress-strain aspects.

Fig. 9.2 The main stress-strain aspects of a granular medium

Techniques TURNING CORNERS IS TRICKY WORK

COMBINING AN ENCLOSED SOFFIT with a gable – end roof overhang means that you need to construct a boxed return. The return creates the nailing sur­faces required to bring the soffit and fascia trim around the corner of the house. Here’s how to do the job:

1. Use 2x lumber to make the framing for the boxed return, which consists of a triangular piece cut to match the roofs pitch and a straight board that ver­tically extends to the gable wall.

2. Fasten this assembly to the bottom edge of the barge rafter and the back wall. The soffit paneling must be attached prior to the aluminum cladding.

Techniques TURNING CORNERS IS TRICKY WORK

3. Run electric cable through the corner soffit for an outdoor light. Slip the gutter board cladding under the roofs drip edge trim, then bend it at a 90-degree angle to cover the end of the soffit. Test- fit the cladding for the return before you nail the prebent piece in place.

4. To install gable-end siding panels, nail white J-channel trim along the rake. Trim the panel ends to match the roofs pitch.

Techniques TURNING CORNERS IS TRICKY WORK

Techniques TURNING CORNERS IS TRICKY WORK

Подпись: BEND THE ALUMINUM CLADDING. Borrow or rent a large sheet- metal brake—it's the only way to make precise bends in aluminum cladding. The brake clamps the coil stock in a straight line while you move a lever to make the bend.Подпись:Techniques TURNING CORNERS IS TRICKY WORK

STEP 8 Cover Exterior Trim with Aluminum Cladding

Aluminum trim, often referred to as coil alu­minum because it comes in a coil or roll, can be shaped and used to cover rough exterior trim, such as gutter boards, barge rafters, and beams. This sheet metal comes in various widths and colors. The small nails used to install the material are available in matching colors. Softer than steel, coil aluminum can be cut with tinsnips or a utility knife. The same long, flat worktable that was used during vinyl siding installation is just as valuable for sheet – metal work. To make the precise bends that give the finished cladding its clean-lined

We have to set up scaffolding to finish the siding and soffit work; by this time, the house is really looking great. . .

After a break to admire our progress (and cleanup the spare pieces of vinyl siding)f we start to cut aim bend the aluminum cladding that will cover the fasti boards and the barge rafters. . .

Techniques TURNING CORNERS IS TRICKY WORK

Techniques TURNING CORNERS IS TRICKY WORKПодпись:Подпись: Materials GUTTERS AND GUTTER GUARDS GUTTERS ARE SOMETIMES required by code. When combined with downspouts and their associated fittings, gutters help keep water away from the foundation, preventing serious erosion and reducing water accumulation under the house. Gutters, downspouts, attachment hardware, and other components are available at most building-supply outlets. Also, consider buying and installing gutter guards, especially if there are large trees nearby. Different types of gutter guards are available, but they all perform the same function of keeping leaves, seedpods, and other debris out of the gutter while allowing water in. This eliminates the annual (or more frequent) chore of having to climb up on a ladder or onto the roof to clean out the gutters.

appearance, you 11 need a hand brake as well as a large sheet-metal brake, which you can borrow or rent (see the top photo on the fac­ing page).

To wrap a 2×4 gutter board, cut a 6-in.- wide strip of aluminum and bend it at 4 in. into a 90-degree angle. The 4-in. leg slips under the roofs drip cap and covers the front of the gutter board. Attach it with matching 1-in.-long nails every 24 in. along an imagi­nary centerline (see the center photo on the facing page). The 2-in. leg fits over the vinyl soffit, covering the nails used to secure the soffit to the bottom of the gutter board. Be careful not to drive nails so hard that you leave a hammer imprint in the metal.

The cladding that covers the boxed return is a bit more complex, but the bends can be made with a hand brake. At the ridge peak, run one piece of aluminum past the center – line, then cut the second piece plumb to give the trim a finished appearance.

Any time you use aluminum to cover gut­ter boards, posts, or beams, make absolutely sure that no water can get behind the alu­minum. You can do this by overlapping adja­cent sections of cladding by 3 in. to 4 in. and by ensuring that a higher section of cladding (on a barge rafter, for example) always over­laps a lower section.

A big bending tool, called a brake, creases the aluminum perfectly straight… When it slides into place over the wood, it looks like it belongs there.

Techniques TURNING CORNERS IS TRICKY WORK

Need Determination and Placement of Traffic Signs

Estimates on the number of signs present on our roadways vary drastically. An NCHRP synthesis indicated 58 million signs, while a study for the FHWA estimated that there are approximately 250 million sign assemblies on the U. S. roadway system [15, 16]. Signs contribute an important role in increasing the safety of the roadway by providing regulatory, warning, control, and guidance information to the driver. Every sign that is installed on its own support system, however, provides a fixed object for a potential collision. Even a relatively small sign on an apparent weak support can have severe consequences when struck at high speed.

TABLE 7.1 Design Dynamic Deflections of Various Barrier Types

Barrier type

Design

deflection,* ft

Design

deflection,* mm

Concrete safety shape

Minimal

Minimal

W-beam strong shape

3.0

900

W-beam weak post

6.5

1980

Box beam

5.0

1500

Cable guiderail

11.0

3350

*Deflections are measured from the back of the post at the top.

MUTCD provides information on when traffic signs should be installed. In the case of regulatory signs, and in most cases for warning signs, there are specific warrants that should be met prior to installation [2]. Installing unnecessary signs increases operating and maintenance costs, increases the potential of fixed-object collisions, and reduces sign credibility to the motorist.

STEP 4 FRAME THE STAIRS

I taught night school at a community college for 20 or so years. My students were apprentice carpenters learning how to build houses. Often, students were hesitant to take on the task of building stairs because of the presumed diffi­culty. It came as a surprise to most of them that building stairs—especially a simple, straight flight of stairs—is actually quite easy. If you can do some basic math and know how to use

Because we are using 11/2-in.­thick treads, 11/2 in. has to be cut from only the first riser to make each rise equal after thetreads are screwed in place.

a framing square and a circular saw, you can build stairs. Although stair-building principles are the same everywhere, different states (and towns or cities) sometimes use different codes, so check to see which code requirements apply in your area.

Figure out the risers

The accepted standards for a typical stairway call for a rise of about 7 in. and a run, or tread width, of 11 in. When calculating the number of risers in a stairway, aim to stay as close as possible to those figures. If you have a pocket calculator handy (see Resources on p. 279), this calculation is easy to do.

First, determine exactly how high each riser will be. This is calculated based on the total rise, which is measured from finish floor to finish floor—in this case, from the concrete slab to the top of the porch decking. Let’s call it 30 in., a fairly typical porch height. Divide the total rise (30 in.) by 7 in., the standard riser height, for a total of 4.3 risers. Round that to the closest whole number (in this case, 4) and divide your total rise of 30 in. by that number. This gives you an individual riser height of 7.5, or 71/2 in. Now you have the riser height and the number of risers—4 risers, each 71/2 in. high.

You can also determine the total run of the stairs; this will tell you where the concrete landing or base for the stringers should be. Do a rough sketch of the stairs, then multiply the number of treads by the tread width (in this case, 11 in.). Keep in mind that you can either run the stringers flush with the top of the deck (the top tread is even with the deck surface) or cut the stringers so that the top tread is one step down from the deck surface. The latter ap­proach is more common; that’s what we did on the house shown here.

Origin of Mechanical Properties in Pavement Materials

The materials that comprise the lower parts of the road and which form the subgrade are all geomaterials – particulate solids with pore spaces occupied by a combina­tion of water and air in varying proportions. The solid particles are, for the most part, crystalline. They are derived, ultimately, from geological sources. Individually the grains have considerable strength which means that the mechanical response (strength, stiffness, resistance to development of rutting) of an assembly of parti­cles is a primarily a consequence of the way the individual grains interact with one another and not of their own properties.

The primary contribution to mechanical property derives from the ease or diffi­culty with which one particle can be moved adjacent to another particle. This ease or difficulty is controlled by many factors which can, broadly, be grouped into three: physical characteristics of the grains, arrangement of the grains and the fluid condi­tions in the pores. The list of factors under each heading would be very long, but the following aims to highlight some of the more important:

• Physical characteristics of the grains:

о Particle shape; о Particle mineralogy; and о Particle roughness.

• Arrangement of the grains:

о Size and size distribution of the grains; and о Packing of the grains.

• Fluid conditions in the pores: о Fluid pressure in the pores;

о Surface tension effects in the pores between fluids; and о Water adsorption to mineral surfaces.

When a stress is applied to a granular or soil material, the stress has to be carried across the assemblage of grains via the inter-particle contact points. These contacts will be subjected to both normal and shear stresses. Both can cause compression that is recoverable and slippage between the particles at the contact or damage and wear to the contact. Recoverable compression of the contacts will contribute to the stiffness behaviour of the whole material while slip and damage will contribute to plastic deformation. In addition the assembly of particles will re-arrange itself by sliding and rolling of particles – also contributing to the stiffness and plastic de­formation behaviour of the whole. Changing the shape and nature of the contacts and changing the packing of particles will all, therefore, have an impact on strength, stiffness and resistance to plastic deformation.

As the force carried at an inter-particle contact point increases, the laws of fric­tion dictate that (unless the contact point fails in some way) there will be greater resistance to shear loading. Thus a greater compressive stress applied to an assem­bly of grains allows the whole material to gain shear strength and resistance to shear deformation which is characterised by the apparent angle of frictional resistance, ф’ . The greater compression of the particle contacts also makes further compression more difficult leading to the phenomenon of a non-linear stress-dependent modulus, so often observed in granular materials. Section 9.4 introduces some of the models of mechanical behaviour that are used to replicate these behaviours.

Adding water under pressure to a pore will cause all the particles around the pore to become loaded so that some of the force that previously was carried across the adjacent inter-particle contact points will now be carried by the pore fluid (Fig. 9.1).

T

Fig. 9.1 Schematic of inter-particle forces. (i) an assembly of particles is subjected to some exter­nal normal, o’, and shear, t, stresses, which are carried through the assembly at the contact points as shown by the black bars; (ii) when the pore space between particles A and B is pressurised by a fluid at pressure, u, particles A and B experience a pressure on them (illustrated only for A, not illustrated for B) which reduces the inter-particle force, fn, and makes shear, fs, more easy to take place because of reduced friction at the contact between the particles

This is the reason behind the effective stress equation, Eq. 1.1, which is further de­scribed in this chapter at Eq. 9.19 and following. Because some force is now carried through the pores, the inter-particle forces acting at the contacts are reduced and, therefore, due to the frictional effects, the shear strength, stiffness and resistance to permanent deformation are also reduced.

If water is retained in the pores due to surface tension effects, then the opposite will occur with a suction being applied to the adjacent particles. This causes the inter-particle contact forces to increase and the shear strength, stiffness and resis­tance to permanent deformation will all rise. These influences of water on mechan­ical performance are the subject of Section 9.5 and the required models are given in Section 9.6.