Abdulfatai A Murana

This work evaluate the influence of waste pure water sachet (WPS) as a modifier in Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA). The properties of the constituent materials were determined. Modified HMA samples were prepared at varying concentration of 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10% WPS content by weight of the Optimum Binder Content (OBC). The properties of the modified HMA were determined using Marshall Method of mix design. The properties of the constituent materials showed that they are suitable for HMA production. The modified bitumen showed an increase in softening point (61 – 73.5%), flash point (258 – 2820C), fire point (289 – 3110C) and ductility (92.67 –118.67cm) as the WPS content increases from 2% to 10% while decrease in penetration (62.33 – 56.5mm) as WPS content increases from 2% to 6%. Stability and Bulk density increases from 4.64kN to 8.84kN and 2.21g/cm3 to 2.34g/cm3 respectively while flow, voids in mineral aggregates (VMA) and Air voids decreases from 3.6 to 2.98mm, 23.85 to 20.16% and 19.73 to 1...

The road transportation sector is cardinal to accessing the growth and socio-economic development of any country. This is because it contributes directly and immensely to support other sectors of the economy to function properly. Flexible pavement is a multi-layer system of which its design is mostly based on empiricism, assuming a deterministic process with final output as pavement thickness. Each layer thickness is designed and placed in a manner that the wheel loading does not become excessive for the subgrade to bear. Various studies have revealed uncertainties due to variations of thickness and layer modulus which could result in premature failure of the pavement. This variability could be as a result of poor design practice, inadequate quality control, complex traffic loading, complex material properties, lack of fit of design model as well as subgrade characteristic. To address these variabilities many highway agencies were forced into probabilistic design approach to accommo...

Emphasis is being devoted to using a modifier in asphalt mixtures production because convention materials cannot withstand current traffic loading and environmental conditions. The asphalt pavement industry is increasingly focusing on sustainability by turning waste materials into alternative raw materials. This study aims to determine the influence of palm oil clinker powder-based geopolymer modifier (POCP-GM) on conventional bitumen and Marshall properties of asphalt mixtures. To produce the geopolymer modifier, the POCP was mixed with the alkali activators, sodium hydroxide (NaOH) pallets, and sodium silicate (Na2SiO2). POCP-GM bitumen (POCP-GMB) was produced using a high-speed mixing technique for 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8% by weight of bitumen. The finding shows that incorporating POCP-GM produced a stiffer blend with decreasing penetration and improved softening point with good storage stability and compatibility in the POCP-GMB. Depending on the Marshall results, it was found that POCP-GMB mixtures possess improved stability relative to the control mixture, and the voids values determined are within the stipulated standard. The mixture's properties improvement can be attributed to geopolymer pozzolanic characteristics, which create strong interactions between the bitumen-geopolymer matrix which gives sufficient coating around the aggregate which improves mixtures properties. The study findings revealed the viability of utilizing geopolymer as a plausible alternative modifier to improve bitumen and asphalt mixtures' performance. From the study findings, 6% POCP-GM can be considered the optimum dosage that improves bitumen and asphalt mixture properties and helps promotes sustainability.

Degradation and axial deformations of railway ballast bed are highly influenced by stresses induced by moving trains. Hence, this study evaluate the influence of train axle load on the rate of degradation and axial deformation of railway ballast bed. Series of cyclic loading test were conducted at intervals of 200,000 load cycles up to 1,000,000 cycles. Two trains with capacities of 30 ton and 24 tons for freight and passengers respectively were simulated at a typical moving speed of 120 km/hr which is equivalent to a frequency of 16.5 Hz. It was observed that with an increase in both axle load and number of load cycles, the degradation index and the axial deformation increased. It was also observed that ballast degradation has a strong influence on the ballast bed deformation. Hence, ballast degradation is highly influenced by train axle load and the axial deformation of the ballast bed has a strong correlation with the rate of ballast particles degradations

Ballast bed is one of the most important components of ballasted railway track system. Over a period of service, it undergoes axial deformation due to the accumulation of train cyclic loading.   However, there has not been a universally accepted method of evaluating ballast degradation, hence, this study focused on comparing two most common methods namely; Marsal breakage ratio  and fouling index (FI). The degraded ballast material was prepared using Los Angeles abrasion (LAA) method at an interval of 250 turns of the LAA test drum, from the fresh ballast to degraded ballast at 2000 turns of the LAA test drum. Series of sieve analysis were conducted and the changes in ballast gradations were evaluated. A strong correlation was observed between the results obtained using the two approaches with a coefficient of determination of 99.24%. Based on the results obtained from the ballast degradation analysis both Marsal’s breakage ratio and the fouling index can be used for the evaluation ...

Engineers and scientists are frequently investigating various techniques to enhance the performance of the road pavements. Supplementary materials or additives are being evaluated for use in pavement materials to enhance the performance and quality of the pavement structure, in order to provide a durable, impermeable and safe road surface for the road users. This propelled the research for a replacement of the conventional Stone Dust (SD) with Bone Ash (BA) in Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA). The Optimum Bitumen Content (OBC) was determined for all the sample mixes by Marshall mix design. The SD was replaced with BA in the following order 0% (control), 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100% at OBC of 6%. Laboratory testing and experimental results indicated higher stability value, lower flow value at optimum BA content of 20%. The Void in the Mix (VIM), Voids filled with Bitumen (VFB) all lie well within range thus satisfying the code (NGSRB, 2016) specification. Generally, there was improvement in the ...

ENGLISH/ANGLAIS] Affiliations: 1 Department of Civil Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, NIGERIA 2 Department of Civil Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, NIGERIA Address for Correspondence/ Adresse pour la Correspondance: fatinoyi2007@yahoo.co.uk Accepted/Accepté: March, 2011 Citation: Murana AA, Olowosulu AT. Evaluation of fatigue models for mechanisticempirical design of flexible pavement. World Journal of Engineering and Pure and Applied Sciences 2012;2(2):74-80. This work aimed at providing most appropriate pavement performance distress model for the prediction of pavement fatigue life for Mechanistic-Empirical Flexible Pavement Design. Nine fatigue distress models were evaluated for Nigerian environment. Simulation analysis was employed base of some reliability level to effect comparison of the selected fatigue models. Monte Carlo simulation cycles was set at 2, 200 threshold to provide sufficient repeatability for a damage reliabi...

ENGLISH/ANGLAIS] Affiliations: Department of Civil Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. NIGERIA Address for Correspondenc e/ Adresse pour la Corresponda nce: fatinoyi2007@y ahoo.co.uk Accepted/Acce pté: February, 2012 Citation: Agboola AO, Murana AA, Abejide OS. Effects of Superstructure Flexibility on the Dynamics of Steel Girder Bridges. World Journal of Engineering and Pure and Applied Sciences 2012;2(2):51-5. The probabilistic evaluation of the effect of superstructure flexibility of a conventional deck on steel girders using the current Load and Resistance Factor Design format is presented. The results demonstrate how superstructure flexibility affects the safety of bridges. The effect of decreasing the superstructure flexibility on safety of bridges for reinforced concrete decks on steel girders is achieved by modelling the slab thickness between 180mm to 300mm while acting as a composite structure. The specific results obtained are 4.0, 3.8, 3.5 and 3.0 for 180mm, 220...

ENGLISH/ANGLAIS] Affiliations: 1 Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University, ZARIA 2 Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University, ZARIA 3 Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University, ZARIA Address for Correspondence/ Adresse pour la Correspondance: fatinoyi2007@yahoo.co.uk Accepted/Accepté: March, 2011 Citation: Sarki YA, Murana AA, Abejide SO. Assessing safety in predictions of lap lengths in reinforced concrete structures. World Journal of Engineering and Pure and Applied Sciences 2012;2(3):98-106. The recommendations for lap lengths of steel bars in reinforced concrete as specified by the pseudoprobabilistic design codes the British Standards Institution in about the past four decades and the current relevant Eurocode have been reviewed and evaluated for their safety implications in the bar curtailment and detailing. Results indicate that the implied safety is not unifo...

The focus of this work is to present a finite element method (FEM)-based program of the M-E design on MATLAB protocol. The response output generated at critical locations are presented. The results were then compared with those from a locally available program called ‘NEMPADS’ and a reasonable comparison were achieved.

The performance prediction of road pavement for optimum maintenance decision to attain sustainable infrastructural development in Nigeria has been a challenge to highway engineers over time. This study attempted to calibrate a sigmoid function using historic dataset on performance variables of flexible road pavement for efficient and reliable pavement management decision in Nigeria. The curve fitting of three sigmoid functions I, II and III using OriginPro software based on historic dataset obtained from the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing Nigeria showed a better fit for Sigmoid Function I with coefficient of determination value of 0.54. Though there were somewhat high margin of Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 51.49 for the estimated statistical parameters of the relatively best fit model, the poor performance of the fitted function was attributed to poor dataset characterized by missing and outlier or noisy elements. The relatively best fit sigmoid function was theref...

This study evaluates the use of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) in Glassphalt aimed at increased bonding effect of bitumen, reduced stripping and increased in stability and strength. Control mix were prepared with bitumen content of 5.0, 5.5, 6, 6.5 and 7% to determine the optimum bitumen content (OBC). Optimum glass content (OGC) was obtained from samples prepared with glass content of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25% replacement by weight of fine aggregates. The OBC and OGC were used prepare samples with PET content of 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10% by weight of the OBC. The optimum PET content had a higher stability value of 5.8kN and higher air void of 3.8% when compared to the control mix. Stripping value tests showed that PET modified glassphalt had 0% stripping after a period of 48 hours. Waste PET of 6.6% in 16% glassphalt is recommended for use as an anti-stripping agent.