045611   SAKARE P, JADHAV M L, JOHN H (Processing and Product Development Div, ICAR-Indian Institute of Natural Resins and Gums, Ranchi- 834 010, Jharkhand) : Study on Physical Properties of Soaked Soybean and Functional Properties of Germinated Soy flour. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(4), 787-94.

Physical properties of grains play an important role in the design of material-handling equipment, and functional properties of the flour are crucial from product development point of view. In the present study, physical properties of soaked soybean and functional properties of germinated soy flour was studied. Soybean seeds were soaked in distilled water (30 ± 1 °C) for 4 h. Change in physical properties and moisture content of soybean during soaking was monitored. Results showed that linear dimensions (length, width, thickness), surface area and moisture content of the soybean increased significantly (p < 0.01), whereas a significant decrease (p < 0.01) was observed in sphericity. After soaking, seeds were germinated for different durations (24 h, 48 h, 72 h) and effect of duration of germination on functional properties was studied. It was observed that germination had significantly (p < 0.05) improved all the functional properties (bulk density, water and oil absorption capacity, emulsification capacity) except water solubility index. Regression analysis of the functional properties revealed that linear relationship exists between duration of germination and all the functional properties studied. The results of physical properties obtained in the study will be helpful for the design of equipment for bulk handling of soaked soybean prior to sprouting. The results of the functional properties will be helpful in utilization of germinated soy flour in product development and value-added processing.

52 ref

045610   GIRAKA O, KUMAR S V (Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore- 632014, Tamil Nadu) : Measurement of mode-wise individual delay components and prediction of queue length at a signalized intersection under heterogeneous traffic conditions. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(4), 753-70.

Accurate measurement of control delay and queue length is important for effective traffic management at signalized intersections and to assess its performance. The analytical methods which are commonly used to estimate delays are primarily developed for homogeneous lane-based traffic conditions and require lot of inputs for delay estimation. If cycle lengths are not the same for a signalized intersection operated by traffic police, then use of analytical methods is restricted. The present study tries to overcome these limitations by proposing an approach in which the individual delay components were directly measured using travel times from video as input and electric poles on median as reference points. Traffic captured through videographic survey at a busy intersection in Vellore, India, was used to illustrate the proposed approach. Instead of conventional stopped delay concept, a new delay called ‘Stop & Go’ delay which is more appropriate for heavily congested intersections has been proposed and used. This ‘Stop & Go’ delay concept captures the time lost due to movement of queue in addition to frequent stoppings which is rather not possible with stopped delay definition. It was found that the control delays experienced by different vehicle types are not the same and four-wheeler exhibits longer delays than two- and three-wheelers. One of the main advantages of the proposed approach is it does not require many parameters to calculate control delay and only travel times of sample vehicles are sufficient. Another advantage with the proposed approach is it can be applied to all types of signalized intersections irrespective of whether it has a fixed time signal or manually operated one. With the proposed approach, one can get vehicle class-wise individual delay components which may not be possible with the existing methods available in the literature. In addition to delay measurement, the present study also developed polynomial regression models to predict queue length at intersections using control delay as independent variable. The results are promising and can be used to predict the queue length at signalized intersections in India.

42 ref

045609   PANDA B C, PANI A K (Civil Engineering Dep, Indira Gandhi Institute of Technology, Sarang- 759146, Orissa) : Load deflection profile of concrete block pavement. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(4), 743-51.

Although worldwide concrete block pavements have been applied successfully in roads and industrial pavements since past 70 years, recently they are used in India in urban roads, footpaths, petrol pumps, parking areas, industrial hardstands and border roads. The concrete blocks form the surfacing of the pavement and are the major load spreading elements. There have been many past stories in respect of load deflection behaviour of block pavements and the outcome of which is inconsistent. This paper describes the results of experiments conducted to access the variation of block parameters, sub-base thickness and loading plate diameter on the load deflection profile of the pavement. The test pavement 3000 mm × 3000 mm was constructed on a sandy clay sub-grade to study these parameters based on plate load test. The applied load on the pavement was 51 KN, which corresponds to the half of the single axle legal limit presently enforced in India. The results thus obtained are compared to those of earlier findings, and the corresponding conclusions are drawn.

24 ref

045608   KAMAL J, MISHRA U K (Civil Engineering Dep, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela- 769 008, Odisha) : Influence of fly ash properties on characteristics of manufactured angular fly ash aggregates. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(4), 735-42.

This paper presents the influence of fly ash properties on angular fly ash aggregate (AFAA) and its manufacturing process to be used as a replacement of natural aggregate in concrete. Characteristics of fly ash play an important role in quality of AFAA as fly ash is the major constituent of the raw materials that are used in manufacturing of AFAA. Ample of studies have already been done on production and utilization of round fly ash aggregate (FAA) by pelletization process, but this study deals with innovative work of manufacturing of AFAA by crushing sintered briquettes into required sizes. Unlike round fly ash aggregate, AFAA possesses rough surface that enhance interlocking of these aggregate with paste in concrete. Four different types of AFAA were manufactured in laboratory by using two different samples of fly ash and two different binders. Performance of AFAA showed that specific surface area and chemical composition of fly ash affects sintering behavior of ash and as a result internal microstructure of aggregate also gets affected. Later, eight types of concrete were produced using four types of manufactured FAA at two different water cement ratio 0.45 and 0.50. It was concluded that strength of concrete depends on properties of manufactured AFAA and nature of bond between cement and aggregate at Interfacial transition zone. AFAA used concrete is found to be lighter in weight compared to the concrete of natural aggregate and is economical for use in construction purposes which in turn can save our depleting natural resources and environmental pollution.

26 ref

045607   KAKARA S, CHINTADA C, CHOWDARY V (Civil Engineering Dep, National Institute of Technology, Warangal- 506004, Telangana) : Influence of commercial vehicle characteristics on the magnitude of dynamic wheel loads over asphalt pavement profiles with different roughness. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(4), 723-34.

The magnitude of commercial vehicle wheel loads applied on the pavement plays a crucial role in pavement performance. To avoid premature failure in the asphalt pavements, an insight into the factors influencing the magnitude of wheel loads is required. The objective of this study is to evaluate the influence of vehicle characteristics such as speed, magnitude of payload, and distribution of payload over the loading platform of a truck on the magnitude of dynamic wheel loads. For this purpose, commercial vehicle models were simulated using TruckMaker software, and the magnitude of wheel loads generated was measured. Three vehicle classes consisting of different axle configurations were considered in this study, and their movement was simulated over the pavement profiles generated according to the guidelines of ISO 8608: 2016. Dynamic wheel loads quantified in terms of dynamic load coefficient are found to be significantly affected by the above three parameters, and the effect of these three parameters is inseparable. Due to the effect of these parameters, the commercial vehicles operating under different conditions can produce dynamic loads, which are 4–60 % higher than their static loads. The average load applied by the axles of a truck on the pavement is found to be sensitive to the distribution of payload over the loading platform of the truck. The trucks when loaded to the maximum legal load limit, and only when the load is located between one-third and two-third part of the loading platform, the average load applied by all the axles is found to be within the legal axle load limit.

30 ref

045606   ANGATHA R K, MEHAR A (Civil Engineering Dep, National Institute of Technology, Telangana) : Impact of traffic on carbon monoxide concentrations near urban road mid-blocks. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(4), 713-22.

An increase in population, number of vehicles and rate of urbanization have happened drastically in the past decades, resulting in deteriorating air quality and a threat to the environment. Vehicular emissions are among the primary and noted sources of air pollution in urban areas. Carbon monoxide (CO) is one of the major pollutants emitted from vehicles, affecting the environment adversely. The present study attempts to develop models to predict CO concentrations at different mid-block sections of urban roads using multiple linear regression (MLR) and artificial neural networks (ANN) methods. The proportional share of vehicles and average traffic speed are considered as inputs to the models. The traffic volume, speed and CO concentrations collected at different mid-block sections have been analyzed. A good correlation between average traffic speed, traffic volume and CO concentrations was observed. The study also shows that the classified traffic volume and average traffic speed in a mid-block could help explain the variance in CO levels significantly, with R² value of 0.91 and 0.97 for MLR and ANN models, respectively. It has been observed that the CO level would be as high as 14 ppm at or below the average speed of 25 km/h for moving vehicles. The linear increase in CO concentration was found due to decrease in average speed of traffic stream. The model validation illustrates that the estimated CO concentrations match well the observed CO concentrations under the same set of traffic and roadway conditions with an MAPE value of 0.18 % and 0.11 % for MLR and ANN models, respectively. It seems interesting to see that the ANN model had better predicted the CO values than MLR model. This study considers developing cities to determine the CO levels. The results of the study would help Pollution Control Board officials and traffic control authorities to implement necessary measures for improving air quality in the cities under consideration.

35 ref

045605   GOTTAM S R, ADEPU R, PENKI R (VNR Vignana Jyothi Institute of Engineering and Technology, Hyderabad) : Evaluation of bituminous mix characteristics prepared with laboratory developed high modulus asphalt binder. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(4), 701-12.

Asphalt layers in India are widely constructed with the use of viscosity grade binder. The mixes prepared with this binder exhibit early distress because of uncontrolled heavy axle loads and high ambient temperature. Pavement engineering specialists are in search for improved performing pavement materials, more specifically on the top layer. As a matter of fact, the viscosity and stiffness of the asphalt binder play a critical role in the overall performance of pavements at elevated temperatures. The stiffer or hard binder shall provide solution for improving the performance. This article aims in evaluating the performance characteristics of high modulus asphalt concrete (HMAC) mixture from the laboratory-developed high modulus asphalt binder (HMAB). The HMAC mixes prepared with HMAB require a penetration value of 10/20 or 15/25 at 25 °C. The development of HMAB is assessed from the following laboratory tests (1) physical, (2) chemical and (3) rheological, while that of HMAC includes (1) Marshall properties, (2) tensile strength, (3) immersion-type rutting characteristics, and (4) resilient modulus tests. The developed HMAB has shown an increased performance grade (PG) of base binder from 64 to 76 °C. HMAC mix has shown remarkable resistance toward the permanent deformation than the base mix. Moreover, the resilient modulus of the HMAC was found to be improved by twice that of the base mix. Further, a pavement section model was designed for traffic of 300 msa, and the model performance was evaluated using IITPave and finite element analysis. HMAC pavement section was found to be more economical than pavement prepared with the base mix. The outcome of this study is expected to help pavement engineers and other agencies in the revision of guidelines for possible inclusion of polyphosphoric acid as an approved modifier for the production of HMAB.

38 ref

045604   RABBANI A, AHMED S (Civil Engineering Dep, Darbhanga Coll of Engineering, Darbhanga, Bihar) : Ergonomic analysis of material handling for a residential building at Rourkela. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(4), 689-99.

At the time of working, the trunk state of construction workers was in a non-neutral posture and they were exposed to musculoskeletal disorders. After going through a literature survey and based on a detailed study related to ergonomics, it has been found that a heavy emphasis should be placed on human factors to reduce musculoskeletal disorders. The local contractor of the construction site situated in Rourkela has a working site with different tasks performed in the construction area. In these sites, the worker perform cutting, plastering, buffing, welding, lifting, etc., task daily. During the questionnaire session with the workers on the site, it was found that the major issues were musculoskeletal problem due to material handling. In this research paper, some of the postures of workers are shown. These postures are taken at the time of performing the different task by the worker in the site. The majority of postures taken clearly show the chances of work-related musculoskeletal disorders due to unsuitable working positions. Some of the worker have back injury problem due to lifting, pulling and pushing of materials incorrectly. These symptoms indicate that ergonomic risk factors may exist in the material handling area. Based on the observation on handling equipment and materials at various construction sites of Rourkela, it is appropriate to suggest the utilization of ergonomic assessment tools during these operations. For the identification purpose, ergonomic analysis tools like rapid entire body assessment, rapid upper limb assessment and quick exposure check were used and the results were compared using a different task.

24 ref

045603   PATHAK S S, SONAWANE A, PRADHAN R C, MISHRA S (Food Process Engineering Dep, National Institute of Technology, Odisha- 769 008) : Effect of moisture and axes orientation on the mechanical properties of the myrobalan fruits and its seed under compressive loading. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(4), 679-88.

The main objective of inducted research was to test mechanical properties of two myrobalan fruits Terminalia bellerica and Terminalia chebula based on variation in the moisture content and the loading position of the fruit and its seed along the longitudinal, intermediate and transverse axes. The mechanical properties were tested in terms of deformation, rupture force, toughness and energy absorbed. The results revealed that the forces required to deform the Terminalia chebula whole fruit (163.09 N) and seed (890.53 N) were minimum along the transverse axis, while for the Terminalia bellerica it was found to be minimum along longitudinal axis for both whole fruit (725.25 N) and seed (554.84 N) at 4% (wet basis) moisture content. The increase in the moisture content of the fruit and seed showed an increase in the deformation as elasticity increased, while the toughness of the fruit decreased from 0.90 to 0.13 mJ/cm³. The obtained results find its application in the designing of various unit operation equipments such as decorticator and graders.

28 ref

045602   UPADHYAYA S, NANDA B, PANIGRAHI R (Civil Engineering Dep, Veer Surendra Sai Univ of Technology, Odisha) : Effect of granite dust as partial replacement to natural sand on strength and ductility of reinforced concrete beams. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(4), 669-77.

The possibility of using granite dust as partial replacement to natural sand in reinforced concrete beams is evaluated in this paper through a series of experimental investigations. The optimum sand replacement per cent is estimated through compressive strength tests on cube and cylindrical specimens. Then, three flexure-deficient reinforced concrete beams were cast using the blended fine aggregate and tested to study their behaviour under flexural loading. It included the determination of ultimate strength, load–deflection characteristics, crack pattern, ductility, and flexural rigidity of the reinforced concrete beam. The outcomes of these tests are compared with the outcomes of the control concrete beam. Based on these extensive studies, it can be concluded that up to 15 % of natural river sand can be substituted with granite dust for manufacturing reinforced concrete structures.

33 ref

045601   SAHU G, RAHEMAN H (Agricultural and Food Engineering Dep, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur- 721302, West Bengal) : Development of a renewable energy operated paddy thresher. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(4), 657-68.

A renewable energy (solar energy) operated hold on type wire loop paddy thresher (SEOPT) was developed to carry out threshing paddy crops. It consisted of a DC motor, solar panel as the prime energy source and battery as the power storage device with intermediate components such as maximum power point tracker and motor controller. The DC motor received power from solar panel/storage battery through a motor controller for controlling the speed of motor and transmitted the same to the shaft of the thresher using a chain and sprocket transmission system. The developed thresher was evaluated at a feed rate of 260 kg/h, peripheral speed of the threshing drum as 7.30 m/s and with the average moisture content of paddy grain as 13.38 % (w.b.). The developed solar photovoltaic powering system could power the thresher to carry out threshing continuously throughout the day at a peripheral speed of threshing drum as 7.30 m/s with a feed rate of 260 kg/h by simultaneous charging and discharging of battery. However, without charging the storage system, it could run the thresher for a period of 2 h. In both these conditions, the thresher had a grain output capacity of 130 kg/h with a threshing efficiency of 96.8 %. As compared to the pedal operated paddy thresher, the threshing capacity and labour requirement of the developed thresher were found to be three times more and 1.85 lesser, respectively. The cost of threshing a tonne of paddy grain with the developed thresher was found to be Rs. 1462 as compared to Rs. 1925 with pedal operated thresher. Although the SEOPT had lesser output capacity compared to the IC engine operated paddy thresher (ICEOPT) but it doesn’t cause any environmental pollution like ICEOPT.

13 ref

045600   LALA S, JAIN K, KUMAR A, KUMAR A, RAJASEKAR E, KULKARNI K (CSIR-Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), Roorkee, Uttarakhand) : Design aids for supplementary lighting design in India. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(4), 643-56.

This paper presents a design aid which will help to integrate daylight in indoor lighting and optimize the use of artificial lighting in buildings for different climate zones in India. An index, average daylight factor is utilized for calculating the incident useful daylight in an indoor space. These calculations are further used in deriving nomographs which can help to determine the optimum percentage of fenestration/floor area for a typical small office. The use of these nomographs will be advantageous in the initial stages of planning an energy-efficient building by optimizing on the measure of fenestration area. The results obtained from the nomographs are compared with the simulation results from the VELUX daylight visualizer tool and are found to be within acceptable limits of error (< 10 %).

40 ref

045599   SINGH A, KUMAR V (Food Technology Dep, Harcourt Butler Technical Univ, Kanpur- 208002, Uttar Pradesh) : Cultivars effect on the physical characteristics of pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata duch.) seeds and kernels. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(4), 631-41.

This study aimed to evaluate the physical properties of pumpkin seeds and kernels of five different cultivars, namely Pusa Vishwas (PV), Narendra Upkar (NU), Narendra Agrim (NA), Kashi Harit (KH) and Azad pumpkin 1 (AP1), commonly grown in subtropical regions of India. The dimensions of seeds and kernels were determined by image processing setup, and their frequency distribution curve showed normal distribution pattern for all cultivars. Seeds of KH cultivar scored maximum values for width, thickness, geometric mean diameter, sphericity, volume and surface area, whereas maximum length and arithmetic mean diameter were found in the seeds of NA cultivar. NU cultivar showed the highest bulk density for both seeds and kernels, and therefore less space is required for its storage. Seeds of all the cultivars scored higher values for 1000 seed mass (M₁₀₀₀)  and hardness than their kernels. Seeds and kernels of KH cultivar showed the least value of porosity and angle of repose, which indicates shallow bins are suitable for their storage. Coefficient of static friction of kernels was lesser than its seeds in all the tested surfaces with aluminum showing the maximum and fiberglass showing the least resistance. It indicates that kernel can be easily passed in hoppers and other loading and unloading devices. Principal component analysis revealed that length, width and M₁₀₀₀ were the major parameters that affect the physical properties of pumpkin seeds. Results of this study provide rudimental knowledge essential for designing storage and processing machines for conversion of seeds and kernels into their value-added products.

36 ref

045598   MANOHAR S, WASEEM S A, SINGH B (Civil Engineering Dep, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai- 600 036, Tamil Nadu) : Comparative flexural toughness evaluation of steel fibre-reinforced concrete. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(4), 619-29.

A comparative appraisal of the protocols recommended in the ASTM and Japanese standards for evaluation of flexural toughness of three concrete grades reinforced with steel hooked-end fibres is presented. Target 28-day cube compressive strengths of the three concrete grades were 25 MPa, 35 MPa and 45 MPa and the fibres having an aspect ratio of 80 were used at volume fractions of 0 %, 0.13 %, 0.19 %, 0.25 %, 0.31 % and 0.38 %. Testing for toughness was carried out in the form of displacement-controlled four-point bend tests on prismatic specimens of size 150 mm × 150 mm × 700 mm and stable load–deflection behaviour was obtained only when fibre dosage was at least 0.25 %. For fibre volume fractions of 0.25 % and more, the toughness parameters obtained from the ASTM and the Japanese standard were comparable. From the results of the comparative study, it is recommended that for an Indian standard, if the toughness characterisation is to be done, then equivalent flexural strength should be considered as the parameter over residual strength. In addition, ‘equivalent flexural strength ratio is also to be considered, since it represents the load retaining capacity of the specimen after the peak load. Nevertheless, equivalent flexural strength is the average flexural strength up to the specified deflection limit which does not specify any post-peak behaviour, hence need not be a characterising parameter for understanding fibre performance in concrete.

35 ref

045597   RAJ A, NAGARAJAN P, SHASHIKALA A P (Civil Engineering Dep, National Institute of Technology Calicut, Kerala) : Behaviour of fibre-reinforced rubcrete beams subjected to impact loading. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(4), 597-617.

Impact resistance of a material is of utmost significance in many essential structural applications. But, concrete is weak in withstanding impact/collision/blast loads. Addition of crumb rubber as a replacement of mineral aggregates has yielded a material which has high impact resistance and is termed as rubcrete. It has been observed that 0–20 % replacement of fine aggregates with crumb rubber produces rubcrete with high energy absorption capacity. But, rubcrete is usually associated with a reduction in strength. Pretreatment of crumb rubber particles and grading them in the same proportion as that of the fine aggregates will help to mitigate the reduction in strength. Addition of steel and polypropylene fibres aids in maintaining the strength characteristics of rubcrete and facilitates control in the generation and propagation of cracks. Improved energy absorption characteristics were observed for steel and polypropylene fibre contents up to 1 % and 0.3 %, respectively. In order to determine the optimum proportions of crumb rubber, steel fibres and polypropylene fibres, the energy absorption capacity of prisms of size 100 × 100 × 500 mm was evaluated. Results show that 15 % of crumb rubber, 0.75 % of steel fibres and 0.2 % of polypropylene fibres were the ideal proportions of crumb rubber, steel fibres and polypropylene fibres, respectively, to attain maximum energy absorption/cost ratio. This paper presents the results of numerical and experimental studies conducted on the impact behaviour of M 40 and M 60 grade ordinary concretes, rubcrete and fibre-reinforced rubcrete beams of dimensions 100 × 150 × 1200 mm. Durability studies were also carried out on fibre-reinforced rubcrete mixes to ascertain their behaviour in extreme environments. From the durability studies, it was noticed that when exposed to severe environments, fibre-reinforced rubcrete specimen had comparable properties with that of ordinary concrete.

54 ref

045596   GHOSH T, ROY S K, GANGOPADHYAY S (Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Howrah- 711103, West Bengal) : Assessment of multilane highway capacity through simulation process by considering the effect of behavior of driver of a vehicle. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(4), 589-96.

In case of a non-lane based heterogeneous traffic flow, the vehicle driver’s behavior becomes one of the major considering aspects for proper traffic maneuverability. In the present study, microscopic simulation model has been used, as it contains abundant autonomous parameters to illustrate the features of traffic flow, behavior of drivers and traffic regulatory processes. The present traffic simulation model follows two modified models based on vehicle following theories and behaviors as modified by Wiedemann. A driver in the micro-simulation model considers the preceding vehicle as well as neighboring lane vehicles in a traffic stream. The methodological description of a vehicle technically, behavior and interdependency of a driver and a vehicle as a unit is attributes of a driver and his or her vehicle in a traffic stream. Thus, hysteresis plots of relative speed against relative distance are made for aggregated leader and follower vehicles of each vehicle type based on follower vehicular category to get the calibrated coefficient of correlation parameters (CC). A new simulation model with calibrated CC parameters is made to get a realistic capacity estimate of different multilane highways in Indian conditions.

19 ref

045595   RIZWANA S, HAZARIKA M K (Food Engineering and Technology Dep, Tezpur Univ, Assam- 784 028) : Application of near-infrared spectroscopy for rice characterization using machine learning. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(4), 579-87.

Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy was investigated to relate the intrinsic properties of rice to its extrinsic properties, and thereby, to provide a better solution at the consumer’s level for identification of rice characteristics. Spectral data in the wavelength range of 740–1070 nm are collected with the help of a portable NIR sensor and processed with machine learning techniques were used to develop a rapid predictive model for on-site evaluation of rice quality. Rice properties like glycemic index (GI), amylose content (AC) and viscogram, obtained from laboratory measurements, were mapped to the spectral data employing the machine learning techniques like principal component analysis, linear discriminant analysis, random forest classifier and partial least square (PLS). The regression coefficient and root mean squared error of the PLS model for AC estimation are 0.715 and 1.736; however, a lower value for regression coefficient was obtained for the GI model. Similarly, a confusion matrix of 100 % true value prediction was obtained at lower AC values, 83 % at high AC values; however, at intermediate range of AC confusion matrix yielded 60 % true value prediction. A comparison of classification of rice for parboiling, based on the viscogram and NIR spectral data, revealed that the NIR data produce better clusters with Euclidean distance of 5.46 units between the centroid of the closest clusters, viz., open parboiled and pressure parboiled. The developed model was used to develop a smartphone-based applet for the estimation of AC in rice.

24 ref

045594   CHRISTY D L, PILLAI T M M, NAGARAJAN P (Civil Engineering Dep, National Institute of Technology, Calicut) : Annular sector element for applied element method. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(4), 571-8.

Applied element method (AEM) is a numerical procedure that allows simplified modelling of structures. In AEM, the structure is modelled using rigid elements and springs. Any shape can be modelled by properly placing the springs, without increasing the computational effort. So far, AEM has not been utilised for the analysis of curved structures such as arches and rings using curved element. For the broad use of AEM, curved element is required. Arches are widely used as structural member. The analysis of circular ring is of interest today, as they are used as frames and parts of machines. In this paper, a new element is developed for the linear elastic analysis of curved structures. For this, a generalised two-dimensional annular sector element with infinite number of springs is considered. The element is used for both static and modal analyses of arches and rings. The results are compared with available analytical results, and good agreement is observed.

18 ref

045593   ZAKARIA W A, ABBAS H O, ALJANABI Q A (Civil Engineering Dep, Diyala Univ, Baquba, Iraq) : Vertical and inclined lime injected piles under footing resting on collapsing soil. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(3), 513-21.

Gypseous soil, as one type of collapsible soils, is widely separated in Iraq. Gypsum concentrations of more 60% are not uncommon, and such soils are present in the western and northern parts of this country. Distresses in engineering facilities resulting from high collapse settlements are well known by the locals and as such causing much financial problems in government and private sectors. Soil improvement and replacement techniques are used as a result of tackle the large collapse of the soil. This laboratory research is directed in using lime piles to reduce the collapse potential of the gypseous soil. A comparison study is conducted between vertical lime piles and inclined lime piles. The inclination angle is chosen arbitrarily to be 30 ° to the vertical. A plain strain footing is used to simulate the separate foundation having length-to-width ratio (L/B) of 4. Three spacing patterns are used for each case of lime piles, namely B/3, B/2 and B. Test results reveal that inclined lime piles have much advantage over the vertical ones in reducing the collapse potential. Measured improvements in reducing settlement for inclined over vertical lime piles are 42 % for spacing of B/3, 46 % for spacing of B/2 and 27 % for B. Unfortunately, the presence of lime piles has been found experimentally to increase the settlement in case, the collapsing soil is in dry condition compared to the untreated soil.

11 ref

045592   BEHERA B, ALY N, PARAMASIVAN B (National Institute of Technology Rourkela, Rourkela) : Theoretical modeling of algal productivity and carbon capture potential in selected places of Odisha, India. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(3), 503-12.

Microalgae hold a promising potential for generating third-generation biofuel as well as for biological carbon sequestration. However, translation of algal technology to field scale is often hindered by a lack of appropriate data and economic challenges. Pertaining to these issues, a pre-estimate of the site-specific productivity of microalgae at realistic scenario is necessary. Five potential sites (Rourkela, Sambalpur, Bhubaneswar, Gopalpur and Balasore) in the Odisha state of India were chosen for predicting the average biomass, lipid productivity and carbon dioxide (CO₂) capture capacity of microalgae. Meteorological data averaged over 21 years (Jan’ 1985–Dec’ 2005) were fed into the biophysical empirical equations for estimating the biomass and lipid productivity of microalgae along with the CO₂ sequestration capacity. Maximum average biomass and lipid productivity was projected for Sambalpur, corresponding to an aerial value of 63.03 g/m²/day and 21.89 ml/m²/day, respectively, in the month of April with CO₂ sequestration potential of 17.87 g/m²/day. Such preliminary site-specific theoretical estimates would facilitate policy making for realizing the potential of large-scale algal cultivation.

32 ref

045591   MARISELVAM A K, VASUDEVAN P, PADMANABHAN K, SIVANESAN S (Applied Science and Technology Dep, Anna Univ, Chennai) : Smartphone app for continuous observation of pollution levels due to particulate matter measured by laser mie scattering. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(3), 495-502.

The article is a work intended to meet the need for mobile monitoring of polluted air comprising of excessive fine particulate matter by a compact cellular phone application. The description is about the setting up of a laser scattering compact module with an Arduino like circuit board interface and the display on the handheld smart phone through Bluetooth while the person is on the move. Giving an introduction to the Mie Scattering method with a laser beam exposed to ambient (polluted) air through a miniature blower. With an introduction to the principles of Mie Scattering of laser beam, the work has resulted in a portable set-up which is worn by any one and the levels of particulate matter viewed on one’s smart phone through an “app” developed for this purpose.

25 ref

045590   SONWANE P, GHUTKE P (Electrical Engineering Dep, Sandip Univ, Nashik, Maharashtra) : Real-time implementation of an automated irrigation system for effective water application to improve productivities of the crop in India. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(3), 485-93.

The social and financial development in creating nations like India relies intensely upon the farming division. The use of the sensor arrangements as well as effective correspondence can fortify water system methods. For effective guideline of ground, surface water, and vitality usage, agribusiness request side administration is an attainable arrangement. This paper presents the execution of a practical robotized framework for savvy activity and observing water system framework controlled from the remote water system control station. The proposed water system framework is fueled through the solar panel and applied with the sprinkler framework. Contingent upon the edge estimations of a few factors, for example soil dampness, temperature, voltage, and recurrence, the guideline water system necessity factor is determined. The total model is tried in a nursery and yields good outcomes as far as water and vitality use proficiency.

26 ref

045589   SAHOO A U, RAHEMAN H (Agricultural and Food Engineering Dep, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal) : Power requirement estimation for cutting paddy crop using a standard cutter bar. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(3), 477-84.

A laboratory setup simulating the cutting process of a vertical conveyer reaper in the field was developed to study the effect of crop and machine parameters like the number of hills, knife speed, forward velocity of machine on cutting torque, and power requirement for cutting paddy crop. Experiments were conducted by cutting paddy crops at three different levels each of knife speed, forward velocity, and stem area (number of hills). The statistical analysis of data obtained showed that cutting torque was mostly influenced by stem area than knife speed and forward velocity. A minimum knife velocity of 1.8 m/s was required for cutting paddy stems during harvesting. The forward velocity of the machine should be less than 1.1 km/h to prevent excess loading on the knife. A linear model incorporating knife speed and forward velocity with a coefficient of determination of 0.89 was developed to predict the actual torque required to cut paddy crops with different stem areas. A model for predicting total power required to carry out cutting was also developed which included the power required to overcome frictional (idle) torque and cutting torque. Model estimating the total power required for cutting paddy was validated by comparing the measured and estimated values with an average absolute variation of 14.32 %.

26 ref

045588   NAYAK C B, JAIN M A, WALKE S B (Vidya Pratishthans Kamalnayan Bajaj Institute of Engineering and Technology, Maharashtra- 413 133) : Parametric study of dome with and without opening. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(3), 463-75.

A curve rotated about a central axis to form a surface typically used as a roof creates a dome. The dome may be different geometric parameters with an infinite number of shapes. They are capable of having extraordinarily less thickness over large span areas due to their structural behaviour. The magnificence of shells lies in the fact that in the presence of loads designer is capable of designing the shell as thin as possible. In this paper, for better understanding, the behaviour of these structures, rigidly jointed ribbed dome and schwedler dome with and without opening are considered. The proposed dome is modelled and analysed by using software ANSYS. Stress variation, maximum moment and buckling load are studied for the different rise-to-span ratio. Also, the percentage of steel required for ribbed and schwedler was examined by performing the cost analysis. It is observed that parametric study is the key to determine optimum configuration by overall. This provides direction for practical application for deciding domes with and without openings during construction.

31 ref

045587   THAKUR D, GUPTA A K, GANGULY R (Civil Engineering Dep, Jaypee Univ of Information Technology, Himachal Pradesh- 173 234) : Laboratory analysis and prediction of settlement of municipal solid waste under anaerobic condition. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(3), 455-62.

The settlement of municipal solid waste under anaerobic condition is considered important for structural stability even after closure of the landfill. In this context, the settlement of waste was analyzed under constant loading in the anaerobic reactor. A settlement value of 29.9 % was observed in the reactor immediately after load placement on the sample. Consolidation analysis of the collected municipal solid waste showed that the primary settlement of the waste completed after 48 h of load application. The total secondary settlement was observed to be 5.85 % at the end of 202 days. From the results obtained for the biogas generation and settlement, the rate of degradation of waste was observed to be 0.477 day⁻¹. The settlement of landfill depends upon composition, moisture content, depth, density and compression characteristics of waste. The municipal solid waste thus needs analysis of biodegradation rate and also a mathematical model to predict the settlement. Thus, the mathematical modeling of predicting the settlement of landfill showed that initially the rate of settlement of the waste was high due to high degradation rate of organic contents.The settlement of 6.4 % due to biodegradation and 10–18% was predicted due to mechanical compression in the landfill.

24 ref

045586   SAIBABU S, SRINIVASAN P, MOHAN V (CSIR-Structural Engineering Research Centre, Chennai- 600 113) : Influence of shear reinforcement on thin web pretensioned concrete beams. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(3), 445-53.

The objective of this paper is to present the results of the experimental study which was carried out on influence of shear reinforcement of pretensioned concrete thin web beams made with M50 grade concrete. Four pretensioned beams B000, B400, B200 and B100 of the same length, cross section and prestress force were fabricated with no stirrups, 400 mm c/c, 200 mm c/c and 100 mm c/c spacing of stirrups, respectively. The effect of varying percentage of shear reinforcement on cracking load, crack propagation, deflection, ultimate capacity, failure mode and beam ductility was examined. Deflection of the each test beam was measured up to ultimate load at an incremental loading of 2.5 tonne (25 kN). The test results were analyzed for cracking loads and ultimate loads and compared with theoretically estimated values. It has been observed that the loads are found to be increased while increasing percentage of web reinforcement. All the shear reinforced beams exhibited delay in appearance of first crack when compared with beam B000. The reason for the delay in the magnitude of first crack load is recognized as the contribution of shear reinforcement arresting the diagonal shear cracks in the shear zone. The energy abortion capacity of the beams increased while decreasing in the stirrup spacing in the shear span. The beam B100 which was reinforced by double the amount of the web reinforcement than the beam B200 showed a satisfactory margin of safety above 1.50 and ductility response of 3.81.

11 ref

045585   CHOKSHI N P, RUPARELIA J P (Chemical Engineering Dep, Nirma Univ, Ahmedabad- 382 481) : Catalytic ozonation of reactive black 5 over silver–cobalt composite oxide catalyst. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(3), 433-43.

Catalytic ozonation was carried out using the silver–cobalt composite catalyst. Co-precipitation method was followed for the preparation of the catalyst, and characterization of the catalyst was carried out by XRD, BET and SEM with EDX. The percentage of total organic carbon removal was 75 % employing silver–cobalt composite catalyst with ozonation, against 34 % employing ozonation without any catalyst. The parameters such as amount of catalyst, initial concentration of the dye, ozone flow rate and the solution pH were found to affect the catalytic ozonation process. Degradation mechanism identified employing hydroxyl radical scavenger. The cyclic use of the synthesized catalyst indicated that the catalytic activity of Ag–Co–O is not much deteriorated after three cycles. Further, the kinetic suggests pseudo-first-order kinetics for the process.

40 ref

045584   ZHOU L, MENG X, ZHANG Z, WU Q (Engineering Coll, Northeast Agricultural Univ) : Association analysis of growth characteristics, wue, and rue of rice in cold region under different irrigation patterns. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(3), 421-31.

In order to clarify the relationship between growth characteristics of rice, WUE and RUE, the apriori algorithm was used to mine association rules for rice indicators data. In this study, the experiments set up control irrigation, wet irrigation and flood irrigation from May to September in 2017 and 2018, which were carried out in Qing’an Irrigation Experimental Center in the semi-humid area of Heilongjiang Province, China. Because of the difficulty in data collection and the long test period during the study, insufficient data could not be collected for data mining. Therefore, before using the apriori algorithm, the original data was augment by using the generative adversarial network. Correlation analysis of indicators data showed that the correlation among the indicators of rice under the three irrigation patterns was very close. Height, stem diameter and other indicators interacted with each other, which in turn affected the yield, water and radiation use efficiency of rice. Water use efficiency and dry matter got the highest value of correlation analysis under control irrigation was 0.97, yield and dry matter got the second highest value was − 0.95. Yield and height got the highest value of correlation analysis under wet irrigation was 0.94, dry matter and seed setting rate got the second highest value were 0.90, respectively. Yield and height got the highest value of correlation analysis under flood irrigation was − 0.90, stem diameter and dry matter got the second highest value of correlation analysis was 0.85. The results of association analysis combined with three irrigation patterns indicated that the association between seed setting rate, height, leaf area index, dry matter, yield and water use efficiency was the closest. The increase of height, stem diameter, dry matter and seed setting rate can promote rice yield and water use efficiency, while reducing leaf area index and 1000-grain weight will have a negative impact on yield.

30 ref

045583   MAMUDUR K, KATTAMURI M R (Civil Engineering Dep, S V Univ, Tirupathi- 517 501) : Application of boosting-based ensemble learning method for the prediction of compression index. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(3), 409-19.

Obtaining geotechnical design parameters by conducting in situ or laboratory testing has always been challenging because of difficulty involved with handling, transportation, release of overburden pressure and poor laboratory conditions. Engineers thus depend on empiricism. Over the decades, many empirical correlations have been proposed to relate index properties of soils with geotechnical design parameters. Conventionally, regression-based methods have been applied to build these empirical relationships. These models though simple, often are not flexible enough to capture more complex relationships between the dependent and the independent variables. Also adding the right interaction terms or polynomials can be tricky and time-consuming. In recent years, advances in the field of data mining have produced robust and efficient ensemble machine learning algorithms like boosting methods, which not only can learn nonlinear relationships but also have strong boundaries in terms of generalization performance. However, boosting methods are yet to be used in regression problems in the field of geotechnical engineering. In this paper, a recently developed boosting method called extra gradient boosting method (XGBoost) is applied to predict the compression index of normally consolidated soils. An efficient grid search algorithm in combination with a three-way hold out technique is used to tune the hyperparameters of the XGBoost algorithm. This study suggests that application of XGBoost in combination with the grid search technique leads to an improvement of 8–11 % in prediction accuracies compared to published results that used single- and multi-variable regression, artificial neural network for prediction of compression index. Consequently, XGBoost has potential applicability in estimation of soil properties.

27 ref

045582   BALAKRISHNAN B, MENON D (Civil & Environmental Engineering Dep, Indian Institute of Technology Tirupati, Tirupati- 517 503, Andhra Pradesh) : Square beam–slab systems: resolving a design controversy related to collapse mechanism. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(2), 361-70.

This paper attempts to take a fresh look at the behaviour of simple reinforced concrete beam–slab systems, subject to gravity loading. The simplest case of a square slab, integrally connected to edge beams and supported on pillars or columns at the four corners, is considered. It is shown that the usual design procedure of separating the slab analysis and design, from that of the edge beams (proportioned to be adequately stiff), is irrational in terms of expected behaviour at collapse. The expected diagonal yield line formation in the slab is kinematically incompatible with the expected plastic hinge formation in the edge beams. This paper attempts to resolve this dispute in design by showing how the mode of failure depends on a relative beam–slab strength parameter. The yield line theory, which considers the alternative possibility of combined beam–slab failure, is validated by experimental results reported in the literature. It is established that the prevailing design practice, assuming diagonal yield line formation in the slab, turns out to be not only irrational but also uneconomical. The combined beam–slab failure mechanism is more likely to occur in practice, and it would be rational and economical to aim for such a design.

16 ref

045581   BANSAL A, GOYAL T, SHARMA U (Civil Engineering Dep, Punjab Engineering Coll, Chandigarh- 160 012) : Role of socio-demographic characteristics in evaluation of signalized crosswalks. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(2), 353-60.

Pedestrian static and dynamic characteristics have a great bearing on the quality of pedestrian facilities. The present study analyzes the effect of socio-demographic features on the pedestrian flow and crossing behavioral characteristics for the mixed traffic conditions at the signalized crosswalks. The data of 1000 pedestrians while crossing four signalized intersections were collected using videographic technique. The parametric variation in speed based on the gender, age-group, and the size of pedestrian group was also studied. The findings reveal that while crossing, males complied with the signals more than the females. In contrast, the study confirms that the crosswalk usability rate among females was more than the males. Further, strong association was found among various age-groups and group sizes of the pedestrians with respect to compliance with the traffic signal or adherence to the traffic rules. The crossing pattern preferred by young and middle-aged people was one-stage oblique crossing, whereas children and old-aged people preferred two-stage oblique crossing. These outcomes shall provide a strong base in the light of recent practices being adopted for designing pedestrian crossings at signalized crosswalks under mixed traffic conditions.

27 ref

045580   DASH K K, CHAKRABORTY S, SINGH Y R (Food Engineering and Technology Dep, Tezpur Univ, Tezpur- 784 028, Assam) : Modeling of microwave vacuum drying kinetics of bael (Aegle marmelos l.) pulp by using artificial neural network. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(2), 343-51.

In microwave vacuum drying, the microwave energy was mainly absorbed by liquid water present in food that results in the temperature to rise, resulting in drying of bael pulp. In this study, modeling of microwave vacuum drying kinetics and effective moisture diffusivity of bael pulp was investigated. The effect of microwave power varying between 400 and 800 W and vacuum levels between 380 and 680 mm Hg was studied on the thin-layer drying kinetics of the extracted bael pulp. The drying kinetics of bael pulp during microwave vacuum drying was modeled by using artificial neural network. The artificial neural network with a topology of 3-6-1, transfer function of tansig and the Levenberg–Marquardt training algorithm showed the best performance with the minimum mean square error value. The microwave vacuum drying reduced the moisture content of the bael pulp from 3.84 kg water/kg dry matter to 0.09 kg water/kg dry matter. The values of effective moisture diffusivity were increased from 1.12 × 10⁻⁹ to 1.92 × 10⁻⁹ m²/s when microwave powers were increased from 400 to 800 W at the vacuum level of 380 mm Hg vacuum. Increase in the vacuum level from 380 to 680 mm Hg at power level of 800 W increased the effective moisture diffusivity from 1.92 × 10⁻⁹ to 2.19 × 10⁻⁹ m²/s, resulting in reduction in drying time. The microwave power and vacuum level was fitted with effective diffusivity by a nonlinear model. The model showed that both parameters have a positive effect on effective diffusivity, and hence, an increasing trend of effective diffusivity with the increase in microwave power and vacuum levels was observed.

24 ref

045579   BALAGOPAL R, RAO N P, ROKADE R P (CSIR-Structural Engineering Research Centre, Chennai- 600 113) : Investigation on buckling behaviour of gfrp angle sections with bolted connections in lattice towers. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(2), 327-42.

Glass fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP) angle is an emerging alternative material to conventional steel angle sections in transmission line (TL)/communication towers, because of their superior characteristics such as high strength to weight ratio, high tensile strength, better corrosion resistance, light in weight for handling and transportation, etc. The GFRP angle sections are used as leg, bracing, tie and redundant members in towers, in which these members are subjected to reversal of tensile and compressive forces due to wind. The compression strength is mainly governed by the buckling characteristics of angle sections. There is lack of design criteria concerning the use of GFRP angle sections with bolted connections in lattice towers. In the present study, experimental investigation is conducted on concentrically loaded GFRP angle sections with bolted connections in TL/communication towers. The material properties were determined based on compression and in-plane shear coupon test. The existing mathematical model to determine the buckling characteristics such as torsional–flexural, flexure and pure torsion is considered. The theoretical approach to determine its limiting effective length governing the transition from torsional–flexural to flexural buckling mode for GFRP angle sections with bolted connections is proposed in this paper. The proposed formulation is validated with experimental investigation conducted at component level on GFRP angle sections with bolted connections at both ends for different slenderness ratios ranging from 40 to 100 along with numerical investigation using FEA software, ANSYS. Experimental investigation was also carried out for validation at sub-structural level on ‘X’-braced panel made entirely of GFRP angle sections. The panel failed prematurely during testing, and the reason for this failure was observed due to excessive bending stress exerted on the free length of stub member. Based on the results of the investigations, suitable recommendations for use of GFRP angle sections in lattice tower are proposed.

23 ref

045578   RAJ A, BORSAIKIA A C, DIXIT U S (Mechanical Engineering Dep, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati- 781 039) : Evaluation of mechanical properties of autoclaved aerated concrete (aac) block and its masonry. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(2), 315-25.

Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC), a potential building material, is gaining popularity due to its lightweight, thermal insulation and sound absorption qualities. This article describes the experimental evaluation and statistical variation of useful mechanical properties of AAC and its thick mortar (a mixture of cement, sand and water) based masonry. The following properties of AAC blocks were evaluated: moisture content, initial rate of absorption, water absorption, dry density, compressive strength and tensile strength. For AAC masonry, the following properties were evaluated: compressive strength based on prism specimen test, tensile bond strength based on cross-couplet specimen test and shear bond strength based on triplet specimen test. A simple analytical model has been also proposed to evaluate the elastic modulus of masonry prism. The results indicate that there is a positive correlation between the strength of mortar and AAC masonry. The strength of AAC masonry increased with an increase in the strength of mortar. During the strength test of AAC masonry, the failure patterns were studied. The block–mortar interface failure was observed in most of the cases during the masonry bond strength test. A positive correlation was observed between masonry bond and compressive strengths. Further, a comparison of strengths of masonries made of AAC block and clay brick is presented. At the present level of manufacturing, AAC masonry cannot compete with clay brick masonry in terms of strength alone.

27 ref

045577   LI Y, ZONG Z, YANG B (Civil Engineering Dep, Southeast Univ, Nanjing- 210 096, People’s Republic of China) : Experimental study on seismic performance of concrete continuous bridge with HDR bearings. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(2), 293-314.

Several earthquakes have shown that concrete continuous bridges suffer from major damage and permanent deformations. This paper investigates the use of high damping rubber (HDR) bearings to improve seismic performance of concrete continuous bridge. The shaking table array test of a two-span isolated continuous bridge specimen with 1:3 scale was carried out to study the seismic response characteristics of the continuous bridge with HDR bearing isolation. The experimental results were compared with the seismic response of non-isolated continuous girder bridge specimen. The results indicated that the seismic response of continuous girder bridge varied with input ground motion, direction and PGA. In terms of HDR bearing isolation system, there was time lag between seismic responses of the upper and lower structures, and the acceleration of the side pier was larger than that of the middle pier while displacement response has better symmetry than non-isolated specimen. The effect of vibration isolation varied with shaking frequency, intensity and direction. The seismic damage was mainly concentrated in the bottom of the middle pier column and the middle bearing. The horizontal shear capability model of the HDR bearing is proposed as the bilinear restoring force model. The numerical analysis model of the bridge specimen established on the simplified bearing model can reflect the damping effect of the HDR bearing on the concrete continuous bridge.

26 ref

045577   LI Y, ZONG Z, YANG B (Civil Engineering Dep, Southeast Univ, Nanjing- 210 096, People’s Republic of China) : Experimental study on seismic performance of concrete continuous bridge with HDR bearings. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(2), 293-314.

Several earthquakes have shown that concrete continuous bridges suffer from major damage and permanent deformations. This paper investigates the use of high damping rubber (HDR) bearings to improve seismic performance of concrete continuous bridge. The shaking table array test of a two-span isolated continuous bridge specimen with 1:3 scale was carried out to study the seismic response characteristics of the continuous bridge with HDR bearing isolation. The experimental results were compared with the seismic response of non-isolated continuous girder bridge specimen. The results indicated that the seismic response of continuous girder bridge varied with input ground motion, direction and PGA. In terms of HDR bearing isolation system, there was time lag between seismic responses of the upper and lower structures, and the acceleration of the side pier was larger than that of the middle pier while displacement response has better symmetry than non-isolated specimen. The effect of vibration isolation varied with shaking frequency, intensity and direction. The seismic damage was mainly concentrated in the bottom of the middle pier column and the middle bearing. The horizontal shear capability model of the HDR bearing is proposed as the bilinear restoring force model. The numerical analysis model of the bridge specimen established on the simplified bearing model can reflect the damping effect of the HDR bearing on the concrete continuous bridge.

26 ref

045576   JADHAV M L, DIN M, NANDEDE B M, KUMAR M (ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi) : Engineering properties of paddy and wheat seeds in context to design of pneumatic metering devices. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(2), 281-92.

Engineering properties play important role while designing of metering devices of the planter/seed drills. Present investigation was conducted to study the change in engineering properties of paddy (Kranti (PV1) and Pusa1121 (PV2)) and wheat (HI1544 (WV1) and Lokwan (WV2)) seeds due to soaking in water for predetermined duration. Geometric mean diameter of PV1, PV2, WV1 and WV2 was ranged between 3.89 and 4.07 mm, 3.87–4.14 mm, 4.03–4.59 mm and 4.18–4.61 mm, correspondingly due to soaking. Sphericity with aspect ratio of PV1, PV2, WV1 and WV2 seeds were varied as 48.43–49.56 with 0.41–0.42, 32.03–32.07 with 0.2, 60.68–64.12 with 0.51–0.58 and 57.29–60.67 with 0.46–0.52, respectively. Thousand seed weight of PV1, PV2, WV1 and WV2 was increased from 27.80 to 34.88 g, 28.64–35.91 g, 45.68–67.6 g and 48.21–71.13 g, respectively. Bulk and true densities of PV1 and PV2 were increased from 626.49 to 661.98 kg/m³ and 1150.83–1322.45 kg/m³ and 540.35–562.15 kg/m³ and 1376.76–1412.58 kg/m³, respectively, for dry to 2 days soaked seeds. Bulk and true densities were 833.06–676.91 kg/m³ and 1388.09–1258.84 kg/m³ for WV1 while 816.18–669.85 kg/m³ and 1647.7–1485.62 kg/m³ for WV2. Porosity of PV1, PV2, WV1 and WV2 was varied from 45.48–49.87 %, 60.61–60.17 %, 39.91–48.02 % and 50.44–56.55 %. Angle of repose of PV1, PV2, WV1 and WV2 was ranged as 30.33–38.13 ^ο, 27.78–34.15 ^ο, 29.22–37.97 ^ο and 32.42–38.51 ^ο, respectively. On wooden platform, static coefficient of external friction was varied as 0.56–0.62, 0.45–0.53, 0.38–0.65 and 0.41–0.69 for PV1, PV2, WV1 and WV2 seeds, while on mild steel corresponding values of coefficient were 0.37–0.56, 0.40–0.51, 0.33–0.68 and 0.37–0.75. Coefficient on plastic platform was varied as 0.34–0.41, 0.36–0.41, 0.34–0.67 and 0.29–0.63 for PV1, PV2, WV1 and WV2 in same order. Terminal velocity values for PV1, PV2, WV1 and WV2 were ranged between 6.5 and 8 m/s, 6.2–7.6 m/s, 7.4–9.10 m/s and 7.5–10.1 m/s, respectively. Statistical models with ANOVA and multiple pair wise comparison also determined change of the seeds behaviour for soaking conditions.

28 ref

045575   RAMIREDDY S, SALA E, RAVISHANKAR K V R (National Institute of Technology Warangal, Warangal) : Effect of encroaching vehicles on saturation flow at signalized intersections in mixed traffic conditions. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(2), 273-9.

Saturation flow is the most significant parameter used in the design of signalized intersections. Reliable estimation of saturation flow is essential in order to evaluate level of service and capacity. The aim of the present study is to find out the effect of encroaching vehicles (vehicles standing beyond the stop line when red is given to that particular approach) on saturation flow and capacity at signalized intersections in mixed traffic conditions. In the present research work, from the regression analysis, two separate saturation flow models are developed from significant variables: approach width, proportion of two-wheelers and cars, one with considering encroaching vehicles (considering vehicles passing through reference line 2) and another without considering encroaching vehicles (considering vehicles passing through reference line 1 (stop line)). The data are collected from five signalized intersections: Suchitra, Malaparamba, University Cross roads, Gandimaisamma and Kazipet railway station Intersections in India. Saturation flow corresponding to 30 signal cycles are considered for each approach at selected five intersections, of which 20 cycles data are used for model calibration and 10 cycles data are used for model validation. The developed models showed variation in saturation flow with and without consideration of encroaching vehicles. The model which is developed considering encroaching vehicles is showing higher saturation flow value than the other one without considering the encroaching vehicles.

12 ref

045574   KAMINENI A, CHOWDARY V (Civil Engineering Dep, National Institute of Technology, Telangana- 506 004) : Development of a methodology to measure the in-vehicle noise levels due to the tire–pavement interaction. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(2), 265-72.

The prime objective of the current study is to develop a methodology to measure the in-vehicle noise levels due to the tire–pavement interaction. Accordingly, noise levels were measured in a passenger car using a handheld sound level meter and a three-axis stabilizer-mounted sound level meter placed near the driver’s ear. The noise levels captured using both the sound level meters were compared at the different vehicle speeds ranging from 40 to 70 kmph. The noise levels recorded in the stabilizer-mounted sound level meter were up to 2 dB (A) lower than the noise levels recorded in the handheld sound level meter. Average variation of 3.4–5.4 decibels dB (A) was observed between the selected asphalt and cement concrete pavements, with the highest noise being produced by cement concrete pavements. Apart from the increase in noise levels with an increase in speed, it was also observed that for every 10 kmph increase in speed, the noise levels due to tire–pavement interaction on cement concrete pavements increased by approximately 1 dB (A) more than the asphalt concrete pavements. Further, the noise levels in windows open condition are 1.33 dB (A) more than the windows closed condition. Even though the past research works measured the in-vehicle noise levels perceived by the commuters, the methodology adopted in this study is first of its kind in the tire–pavement noise research where the noise levels due to the reduced effect of tremor vibrations near the driver’s ear were captured.

19 ref

045573   JAWALGI A S, RENUKADEVI M V, JAGADISH K S, BASUTKAR S M (R V Coll of Engineering, Bangalore) : Composite t-beam roof: An alternate affordable roofing system. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(2), 259-64.

The reinforced concrete slab is a universally accepted technology for roofing and flooring systems. In fact, in recent times, villagers in India have enthusiastically taken to reinforced concrete instead of tiled roofing. However, there are some disadvantages of RC slab which affects its affordability and ecological soundness. The problems may be listed as follows; (a) In RC slab of 12.5 cms thickness, the bottom portion of 6–7 cms will be under tension. Hence, the concrete using a high cement content remains cracked and ineffective. Its only function is to provide a good lever arm between the steel and the centre of compression. (b) Secondly, the in situ nature of concrete slab construction needs an elaborate and time consuming formwork to support the fresh concrete. (c) When the RC slab is used as a roof it picks up a lot of solar heat and radiates it into the interior for several hours after sunset. This can be especially problematic in hot and dry areas. An alternative to the RC slab must explore ways of replacing expensive concrete at the bottom by a less expensive and insulating material. The problem of formwork has to be solved by looking at partial or completely prefabricated components. This study deals with such a solution which may be named as the composite T-beam.

9 ref

045572   GOPAL R, SANGOJU B (CSIR- Structural Engineering Research Centre, Taramani, Chennai) : Carbonation-induced corrosion: A brief review on prediction models. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(2), 247-57.

This paper presents a brief review on carbonation depth prediction models. The prediction models are classified into different ways, namely empirical and physical models; and probabilistic and deterministic models. In this paper, empirical and physical models for natural carbonation depth prediction have been reviewed. As a parametric study, carbonation depths are predicted using empirical and physical models for buildings within CSIR-Structural Engineering Research Centre, Chennai campus. From the parametric study, Fib model code, Ekolu’s model, Kokubu’s and Hakkinen’s models showed good correlation (R² = 0.94) with the measured carbonation depths. Carbonation depths are predicted using Ekolu’s model for ordinary, standard and high-strength concretes for exposure periods of 25, 50 and 100 years at various key locations such as rural areas, sea coast regions, urban settings, industrial areas and tunnels. Carbonation depth is higher in tunnels than coastal region due to increased CO₂ concentration and low relative humidity. Therefore, the cover depth required to be provided for corrosion against carbonation is more for tunnels, followed by industrial sites and urban areas.

23 ref

045571   RAO N P, BALAGOPAL R, ROKADE R P (CSIR-Structural Engineering Research Centre, Chennai- 113) : Buckling behavior of schifflerized angle sections. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(2), 233-46.

Triangular-based communication towers result in significant weight reduction compared to conventional square-based towers. Hot-rolled 90 ° steel equal angle sections with bent-up gusset plates are used for triangular towers, since 60 ° angles are not readily available in India. In triangular towers, the included angle between two flanges of the main leg member shall be 60 ° for smooth connection between leg and bracing members. The required included angle of 60 ° between the two flanges of a leg member can be achieved by “schifflerizing” the hot-rolled 90 ° angles. Numerical models were developed for the three different schifflerized angle sections 90 × 90 × 6 mm, 100 × 100 × 8 mm and 130 × 130 × 10 mm using general purpose finite element software NE-Nastran and calibrated with the test failure modes. Using this as base model, parametric studies are conducted on the same three angle sections by varying the lengths from 500 to 2500 mm. The compression capacities of these angles are predicted using the analytical methods given in the literature and compared with the parametric study and the available test results. For schifflerized angle sections, the warping constant is maximum when 90 ° and 60 ° flange portions are equal. The study result shows that schifflerized angle sections with width-to-thickness ratio ‘w/t’ below 13 are governed by torsional–flexural buckling up to slenderness ratio 70 and the sections with ‘w/t’ ratio above 15 are governed by flexural buckling.

17 ref

045570   GANGULY R, DEWAN H (Civil Engineering Dep, Jaypee Univ of Information Technology, Himachal Pradesh- 173 234) : Application of decision making tool to determine effluent quality index of existing sewage treatment plants. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(1), 207-19.

Water is one of the most essential resources for living and is utilized for different purposes including domestic, industrial, and agricultural and other such applications. The water supplied from city municipalities is primarily used for domestic purposes with about 80 % of the supplied water being considered as being generated into wastewater. The scarcity of water in different parts of the world and particularly in developing countries has led to potential reusability of the generated wastewater. However, the reusability of the generated wastewater is significantly dependent on the efficiency of the treatment plants for the treated effluent to be deemed fit for different applications. The efficiency of the existing sewage treatment plant can be determined using the parameter effluent quality index (EQI). It is an important tool which tells the quality of effluent generated by the treatment plants and hence it’s potential for reuse for different purposes. It is determined by assigning suitable weightage to different parameters of wastewater for determining the final effluent quality. As such, this paper uses EQI approach to evaluate existing sewage treatment plants in Himachal Pradesh.

40 ref

045569   JAIN A, KUMAR V (Civil Engineering Dep, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi) : Yield line analysis of reinforced concrete slab carrying concentrated loading. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(1), 195-206.

Yield line analysis of reinforced concrete slab, simply supported on two sides perpendicular to the span and free on the other two sides, carrying concentrated load at different locations is carried out by determining the critical failure mechanism and the corresponding equilibrium equation analytically. Such slabs are often encountered in the form of culverts with concentrated vehicular loads. In practice, elastic methods of analysis are used for their analysis. However, the use of yield line analysis can indicate reserve strength which would result in more rational and economical design of such R.C. slabs for heavy concentrated loading. The change in the failure mechanism and the ultimate load-carrying capacity as the aspect ratio of the slab and positive and negative moment carrying capacity of the slab changes is further investigated. Based on the yield line analysis, design charts are prepared which would aid in the economical design of such slabs for concentrated loading.

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045568   PATEL S K, SATPATHY H P, NAYAK A N, MOHANTY C R (Civil Engineering Dep, Veer Surendra Sai Univ of Technology, Odisha- 768 018) : Utilization of fly ash cenosphere for production of sustainable lightweight concrete. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(1), 179-94.

This investigation is intended to develop lightweight concrete by replacing the natural fine aggregate (NFA) with an industrial waste called fly ash cenosphere (FAC). For achieving this target, eleven concrete mixes were prepared which include one control mix and another ten mixes prepared in two phases by replacing 20%, 40 %, 60 %, 80 % and 100 % of NFA with FAC. In the first phase, additional water required for saturating the FAC was added to the concrete mix to maintain a constant slump (80 ± 5 mm), but in the second phase of investigation, super-plasticizer was used to maintain the same slump. The properties of concrete, such as workability, fresh density, hardened density, compressive, flexural and split tensile strength, rebound number, water absorption and volume of permeable voids were studied. From the above study, it is found that the density of concrete decreases with the increase in FAC content and satisfies the requirement of lightweight concrete if 100 % NFA is replaced by FAC. On the other hand, the strength of concrete decreases with the increase in FAC content of concrete. However, the addition of super-plasticizer showed a remarkable enhancement in the hardened properties of concrete for all the mixes, but at the cost of the marginal increase in density of concrete. The mix with 80% FAC and super-plasticizer is found to be optimum one, which can be considered as the sustainable lightweight structural concrete of M25 grade, i.e. the desired grade, utilizing high volume of wastes (FAC) and preserving equal amount of natural resources (NFA).

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045567   SYED M, GUHARAY A, AGARWAL S, KAR A (Civil Engineering Dep, BITS-Pilani Hyderabad Campus, Secunderabad- 500 078) : Stabilization of expansive clays by combined effects of geopolymerization and fiber reinforcement. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(1), 163-78.

Expansive soil exhibits significantly low volumetric stability when exposed to moisture fluctuations, rendering it unsuitable for use in geotechnical applications. The present study emphasizes the stabilization of expansive black cotton soil (BCS) using envirosafe alkali-activated binders (AAB) with the inclusion of polypropylene (PP) fiber. AAB is produced by the reaction between an aluminosilicate precursor (Class F fly ash and/or slag) and an alkaline activator solution containing sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide. A water-to-solid (w/s) ratio of 0.4 is maintained for the AAB used in the present study. Physical, microstructural, and mineralogical characterizations for both untreated BCS and fiber-reinforced-AAB-treated BCS are performed through a stereomicroscope, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The indirect tensile strength (ITS), swell/shrink test, California bearing ratio (CBR), and unconfined compressive strength for both untreated BCS and fiber-reinforced-AAB-treated BCS are carried out for different fly ash and GGBS (slag) proportions in the AAB mixture. The additions of varying percentages of fiber to AAB-treated BCS show a significant improvement in the geomechanical behavior of the soil. It is observed that the replacement of 5 % of BCS mass by AAB prepared with 70 % fly ash + 30 % slag and containing 0.3 % of PP fiber reduces the swelling pressure by 35–40 %. The corresponding CBR and ITS values are found to increase by 40–45 %. Recommendations for the practical implementation of fiber-reinforced AAB to treat BCS are provided based on the observations from this study.

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045566   NEGI R, KUMAR R, JAWED M (Civil Engineering Dep, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati) : Reactor performance and morphology of aerobic sludge biomass in the presence and absence of NI(ii) ion in feed. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(1), 153-62.

Heavy metals are frequently encountered in domestic wastewaters (sources being the usage of paints, batteries, electronic goods, etc.). It can get carried away by storm water through municipal sewer systems to the domestic wastewater treatment plants and affecting the biomass. The present work aims to study the impact of nickel [Ni(II)] ion on settling characteristics, metabolic activity and morphology of aerobic sludge biomass in sequential batch reactors (SBRs) in addition to reactor performance. Four SBRs, namely RNi0 (control), RNi5, RNi25 and RNi75, with different concentrations of Ni(II) (0, 5, 25 and 75 mg/L, respectively) in the feed are studied to investigate its impact on aerobic sludge biomass. Reactors are operated in a sequential batch mode with a cycle time of 12 h. At the start of the stressed phase of operation, i.e., the presence of Ni(II) in feed, the COD removal of reactors RNi25 and RNi75 is deteriorated to as low as 50 and 30 %, respectively. Settling velocity and compactness of aerobic biomass in the reactors with Ni(II) in feed improved as compared to control. In the recovery phase of operations, when Ni(II) is absent in feed, the reactors show stable performance with nearly 80 % COD removal for all the reactors. Notable changes are observed in aerobic biomass morphology and in biomass activity for all the reactors in stressed as well as recovery phases of operations. This study presents results of extensive investigation of aerobic sludge biomass subjected to stressed phase of operation with Ni(II) in the feed and subsequent recovery phase operation with feed without Ni(II).

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045565   MALIK R, SETIA B (Civil Engineering Dep, National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra- 136 118) : Prediction of scour depth in a group of piers in staggered arrangement using experimental and regression models. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(1), 141-52.

The paper presents the results of a controlled experimental study to investigate the effect of mutual interference of the bridge piers placed in a staggered arrangement on local scour depth. Experiments were conducted in a standard recirculating tilting bed water flume 12 m long, 0.60 m wide, and 0.70 m deep. The size of the pier models used was 62 mm and 42 mm. For the mobile bed experiments, the uniform-sized river sand used had an average mean size, d₅₀ = 0.23 mm and 0.30 mm. Estimation of the scour depth of the staggered arrangement of the group of piers with a constant angle of attack of 45 ° but varying radial pier spacing had been achieved using 54 laboratory datasets. The results of the experimental studies were compared with artificial neural network functions and random forest model analysis. From experimental results, it is found that the downstream piers were placed at a radial spacing greater than five times the diameter of the bridge pier; the vortex shedding effect produced by the front pier on the rear piers is negligible.

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045564   CHAUDHARY A K, CHOUDHURY S (Civil Engineering Dep, Indian Institute of Technology, Rupnagar- 140 001) : Performance of rc frame base-isolated building with geotextile as isolator using upbd method. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(1), 117-26.

In the present paper, the RC-framed fixed-base buildings are compared with the RC-framed base-isolated buildings using the geotextile as an isolator. As the cost of the traditional isolators is much higher, emphasis is given here to test the friction isolator by modelling RC-framed buildings using SAP 2000. The values used for the friction isolator were determined in the laboratory test using actuator which were found to be 42,000 kN/m, and average coefficient of friction was 0.67. The present study is aimed at ascertaining the applicability of the unified performance-based design (UPBD) method in carrying out design for performance level in displacement-based design of RC-framed buildings and comparatively study the performances of the RC-framed buildings with fixed-base building and base-isolated buildings using UPBD method. The performance parameters have been evaluated by performing nonlinear time history analysis for RC-framed buildings with fixed-base and base-isolated for mid-rise buildings.

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045563   KARNATAPU L K, ANNAVARAPU S P, NANDURI U V (Civil Engineering Dep, R.V.R & J.C. Coll of Engineering, Andhra Pradesh- 522 019) : Multi-objective reservoir operating strategies by genetic algorithm and nonlinear programming (GA–NLP) hybrid approach. J Inst Eng India Ser A 2020, 101(1), 105-15.

This paper presents a genetic algorithm and nonlinear programming (GA–NLP) hybrid model to derive steady state optimal reservoir operating policies for a multi-purpose reservoir. In the present study, the objective is maximizing the net benefits from all the crops in the command area considering yield response to water deficit and the hydro-power generation subject to constraints on reservoir water balance, storage bounds, channel capacities and minimum water requirements. Decision variables of the model are fortnight water allocations to each crop and d/s release for hydro-power generation. The model developed is applied to the Nagarjunasagar multi-purpose reservoir in Andhra Pradesh, India. Reservoir operating policies are developed for three strategies by fixing appropriate weightages to irrigation and power generation in the objective function. Various levels of dependable inflows entering into the reservoir (75 % and 80 %) are considered in each strategy in the present study. Optimal policies obtained by the proposed model are validated through simulation and compared with standard operating policy (SOP). Reliability of meeting minimum flow requirements with developed policy is found to be superior to SOP. Trade-off curve is developed for the both objectives, and equal priority case is found to be superior yielding maximum total benefit from the project. The results obtained using the proposed model give many alternative strategies for the multi-purpose reservoir managers to take decisions. Results reveal that GA–NLP model can be effectively used for optimal allocation of limited available water resources to any reservoir.

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