Mehdi Shokouhian

Morgan State University · Department of Civil Engineering

Recycling construction demolition waste as aggregates for concrete production is a sustainable solution to reduce its environmental impact and challenges. However, recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) possesses inferior physical properties as compared to natural coarse aggregate. Thus, concrete prepared with recycled aggregate has poor mechanical and...

This study explores the viability of recycled steel fiber-reinforced concrete (RSFRC) as a sustainable alternative to traditional pavement materials. Obtaining recycled steel fibers (RSF) from post-consumer tires and using them in concrete pavement reduces the use of costly asphalt material and the environmental impact of waste tires as well. The r...

Accumulation of waste tires and their respective fast increase are posing a great threat to the environment. Recycled steel fiber (RSF) extracted from the waste tires can be used in reinforced concrete considering proper fiber content and aspect ratio. Current research study aims to investigate the influence of RSF content (0.5, 1.5 and 2.25%) on t...

Effectivity of transportation networks rely on the condition of bridge infrastructure. There are more than 617,000 bridges across the US and about 7.5% of these are considered to have structurally "poor" condition. The State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) have been collecting total quantities and quantities associated with condition states fo...

Learning critical concepts that are centered on the analysis, design, and maintenance of transportation infrastructure systems poses a measure of difficulty for undergraduates in engineering. Therefore, hands-on learning pedagogy should be an excellent precursor to increase understanding of these concepts, since the pedagogy incorporates real-life...

In this paper, an AFRP-reinforced concrete (AFRP-RC) column is designed to dissipate energy through rocking when subjected to cyclic loads. The AFRP-RC column rocks via unbonded energy dissipaters that act as replaceable structural fuses (25.4, 32.25, and 38.1 mm) fabricated out of plain Grade 50 mild steel bars. Six columns (350 × 350 × 1524 mm) a...

In this paper, to improving the mechanical behaviour of DeepCwind semi-submersible floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT) platform mooring lines, nonlinear catenary cables of the platform are divided into multi-segment and intermediate buoy. Mathematical formulations of the Boundary Element Method (BEM) governing the dynamics of mooring line systems...

Dear Readers, As the year 2022 has come, people expect much and are looking to achieve new goals and face challenges. We are happy to offer to you another issue of the Scientific Journals of the Maritime University of Szczecin. In this issue, we present views, opinions and research findings from different areas of research. Articles have been grou...

In this paper, an AFRP-reinforced concrete (AFRP-RC) column is designed to dissipate energy through rocking when subjected to cyclic loads. The AFRP-RC column rocks via unbonded energy dissipaters that act as replaceable structural fuses (25.4 mm x 32.25 mm x 38.1 mm) fabricated out of plain Grade 50 mild steel bars. Six columns (350 mm x 350 mm x...

Exposure to noise generated from traffic has led to significant annoyance and sleep deprivation in people. Continuous exposure to traffic noise can lead to mental instability and reduce the learning rate of children. Many cases of cardiovascular diseases, sleep disturbance, and cognitive impairment have been reported as a result of traffic noise. W...

In this paper, the second-order hydrodynamic force on fixed and floating tandem cylinders has been calculated and different parameters have been taken into consideration. An incident wave is diffracted by the fixed cylinder, and as a result low-frequency waves radiate toward the floating cylinder and cause low-frequency second-order hydrodynamic fo...

This paper concentrates on the effect of courtyard parameters on the shading function of courtyard houses in hot desert climates; BWh based on Köppen climate classification. The ultimate goal is to optimize the designing pattern for a courtyard regarding orientation, dimensions, and proportions, to enhance the shading performance and improve outdoo...

The Engineer-in-Training (EIT) exam is the first step to licensure as a professional engineer in the United States. Currently, the EIT Computer Based Testing (CBT) is generally perceived as a positive trend towards a more innovative and constructed response assessment task, which evaluates understanding in disciplinary knowledge, providing accessib...

Courtyards are anecdotally known for their distinctive bioclimatic efficiency, particularly in hot-arid climates. However, this building typology is not always preferred in modern constructions. The aim of this study is to perform a parametric study to enhance design efficiency and provide simple-to-use rules for designing courtyard houses in subtr...

This article focuses on evaluating thermal performance of different types of residential buildings in Mediterranean climate (Csa) of Iran. The aim is to identify the main design parameters in nine research cases, selected from three distinct periods of history with different architectural styles, and evaluating thermal performance of these building...

This study proposes a new method toward optimizing the design of non-conventional tuned mass dampers in multi-degree-of-freedom systems. An important application of the proposed method is in mega-sub-controlled structures in which the seismic vibration of the system is controlled by using isolated sub-structures. The method estimates the optimum pa...

It has been a priority for the Maryland State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) to limit the impact of transportation noise on Maryland’s environment. In the bid to do this MDOT SHA seeks alternative abatement types, as implementation strategies that considers site specific characteristics such as road Geometry. This study has developed a noise aba...

This investigation aims to study the effect of varying superplasticizer dosage and water‐to‐cement ratio (w/c) on the bond strength between Aramid Fiber Reinforced Polymers (AFRP) bar and Self‐Consolidating Concrete (SCC). A total of 15 compression tests and 36 pullout tests are conducted on AFRP and steel bars within 5 different groups of concrete...

The paper proposes a new approach for optimal design structures equipped with tuned mass dampers (TMDs) with large mass ratios. The approach is based on minimizing the frequency response function (FRF) of displacement response of the structure as well as the acceleration of the TMD that leads to almost equal modal damping ratios in the first and se...

The objective of this work is to develop design guidance for existing hollow steel columns that are retrofitted by infilling concrete into the tubes. The primary challenge is the unknown effect of the existing preload on the steel columns prior to the concrete infill. Composite performance and buckling behaviour of circular hollow section (CHS) ste...

External confinement of concrete columns by means of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) wraps have proven to be an efficient technique for structural retrofitting and strengthening. This paper presents experimental investigation to assess the residual compressive strength of CFRP wrapped 1/6-scale concrete columns using strips to enhance confin...

External confinement of concrete columns by means of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) wraps have proven to be an efficient technique for structural retrofitting and strengthening. This paper presents experimental investigation to assess the residual compressive strength of CFRP wrapped 1/6-scale concrete columns using strips to enhance confin...

New design approach of seismic resistant system for bridge and building structures has emerged to provide structures that remain damage free and self-center after an earthquake. Theses systems are not only resistant to structural collapse, but they also have the potential to significantly improve sustainability and to lessen the economic impact of...

Public transit, particularly buses in Baltimore City, plays a vital role in sustainable transportation in the United States as well as providing mobility to those without cars. Bus pads are usually constructed in the street, adjacent to a bus zone, to accommodate the weight of a bus. Bus pads are highly durable areas of the roadway surface at bus s...

This paper implements Finite Element Model (FEM)-enabled computational fluid dynamic (CFD) analysis to enable wind and wave time-history analysis with multiple force-induced soil–structure-interaction. The soil–structure interaction of steel monopile supported 5 MW wind turbine has been simulated with two common and applicable soil profiles. Latera...

In this research, a numerical investigation on the hydrodynamic response of a semisubmersible platform, developed by DeepCwind consortium, equipped with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory 5-MW reference wind turbine, and a typical 6-MW wind turbine is conducted. The main objective is to develop a numerical model validated by experimental test...

Current seismic design procedures implicitly permit the inelastic structural deformations under strong ground motions for economic reasons. This research investigates the interactive buckling modes of hybrid high strength steel I-shaped flexural members, where a direct design method based on slenderness is proposed to address ductility and moment c...

Particular emphasis of this study is placed on modeling the panel-to-panel connection. As such, there is a need to evaluate the connection behavior which influenced the connection design shift of non-prestressed deck-to-deck panels using aramid fiber reinforced polymer (AFRP) bars. Due to the non-ductile behavior of the AFRP bars, the vertical disp...

Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) bars are gaining increased use in the construction market as a replacement to steel reinforcement for concrete structures. However, their use as compression members is limited due to their mechanical properties, typically low flexural rigidity, so that local buckling may occur at relatively low stress levels. Their pr...

Fibre-reinforced polymer bars are gaining increased use in the construction market as a replacement to steel reinforcement for concrete structures. However, their use as compression members is limited due to their mechanical properties, typically low flexural rigidity, so that local buckling may occur relatively at low stress levels. Their prematur...

The monopile foundation for an offshore wind turbine (OWT) has been successfully implemented worldwide, particularly in Germany, Denmark and the United Kingdom. Numerous offshore wind farms have been operational for a large percent of their expected service lives. However, one problematic area of concern is that the transition zone of the structure...

Manifestations of sustainable design require renewable resources, impact the environment minimally, and connect people with the natural environment. This article is aimed to investigate the concept of Iranian traditional courtyards, as microclimate modifiers, for sustainable building design in hot-arid regions. To this end, a quantitative field sur...

Learning structural analysis, which is a fundamental topic for core subjects like statics, has been always a challenge for non-civil engineering students who must take statics as a mandatory course. Recent experience teaching this subject also to architecture students with limited mathematics and physics background makes learning statics very arduo...

Previous research and design codes have focused on developing equations, mostly empirical based on experimental studies, to determine the bond strength of steel bars with different types of concrete. However, limited studies have been conducted on FRP bars particularly embedded in Self-Consolidating Concrete (SCC), but very few using Aramid Fiber R...

This article focuses on the impact of courtyard design variants on shading performance of traditional courtyard houses in hot-arid climate of Iran. The aim is to identify the best design model for courtyard, regarding geometrical properties and orientation, to improve thermal comfort in the modern desert houses. To that end, ten traditional courtya...

The objective of this project is twofold: 1) to investigate various foundation anchorages using composite materials for mooring lines, where appropriate, and 2) to explore different concrete mixes that could be a suitable infill grout for a composite transition piece that can be used as manufacturing suggestions to help drive down costs, provide ma...

The flexural strength of steel I-beams is influenced by the local and lateral-torsional instabilities, where the presence of shear also reduces the moment carrying capacity. The objective of this research is to investigate the interactive buckling modes for hybrid steel I-shaped flexural members subjected to uniform moment loading. A three-dimensio...

Sustainable development that conceptually can be divided into the following parts: environmental, social and economic, is a pattern of resource use, which aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come in future. This paper is a comparative study on...

The effect of courtyards as microclimate modifiers on the sustainability of traditional houses in a region with BWks mesoclimate in Iran was explored. The principle behind traditional Iranian courtyards was investigated to identify the most influential physical–environmental characteristics that can effectively improve energy efficiency in contempo...

The use of passive systems for climate control in providing indoor thermal comfort minimizes global trends in increasing the energy demand for active systems of climate control which has unacceptable negative impacts on the natural environment. This concept is ignored for designing of contemporary buildings which care less about the environmental i...

The main parameters to evaluate the flexural behavior of the steel beams, are flexural strength and rotation capacity. Current seismic design procedures implicitly permit the inelastic structural deformations under strong ground motions for economic reasons. In fact, ductility is used as a parameter for evaluating the available inelastic performanc...

Current seismic design procedures implicitly permit the inelastic structural deformations under strong ground motions for economic reasons. The local ductility is used as a parameter for evaluating the available inelastic performances of structures. Current code provisions take into account the ductility at the level of section, but it is necessary...

Current seismic design procedures implicitly permit the inelastic structural deformations under strong ground motions for economic reasons. The local ductility is used as a parameter for evaluating the available inelastic performances of structures. Current code provisions take into account the ductility at the level of section, but it is necessary...

Compactness and lateral support configuration provisions for design of steel beams are formulated so as to ensure that the resulting beam exhibits adequate ductility. It appears from the current research that slenderness limitations are not valid for beams made of the high strength steel grades. In this paper an attempt is made to study on influenc...

Classification of cross-section is an important concept in the design of flexural steel members as it addresses the susceptibility of a cross-section to local buckling and defines its appropriate design resistance. In fact the section ductility concept is employed in the most of current steel design codes where section behavior is governed by the b...

Portal frames are the most commonly used structural forms for single-story industrial structures. For structures of this type, an unsuitable layout plan can increase total cost of construction; hence a suitable layout plan is of importance to achieve an economical design. This may require several trial designs. The optimization study presented here...

Sustainable urbanism is a recent term prevalent in urban design and planning, within the contemporary metropolitan environment, it is rooted in study of sustainability and urban design in a rapidly urbanizing world. Sustainable design is a multi dimensional issue which covers aesthetic, environmental, social, economic and psychological factors. In...

The increasing growth of world population on one hand, and urbanism on the other hand have had a disastrous effect on the Earth natural habitats which leads to the irresponsible consumption of energy, gradual global heating, increasing various environmental pollutions, and eradication of biological spices. Consequently, the concern to the ecology a...

This paper concentrates on the results of sustainability caused by Courtyard as a climatic element in Iranian traditional architecture of hot-arid regions. Traditional architecture of Iran is perceived sustainable for having sustainable features. It is able to response to environ- mental problems from a long period. Its features are based on climat...

This paper concentrates on the results of sustainability caused by Courtyard as a climatic element in Iranian tra- ditional architecture of cold regions. Traditional archi- tecture of Iran is perceived sustainable for having sus- tainable features. It is able to response to environmental problems from a long period. Its features are based on climat...

An eco-town is a town designed with consideration of environmental impact, inhabited by people dedicated to minimization of required inputs of energy, water and food, and waste output of heat, air and water pollution. Another definition of eco-town is an ecologically healthy human settlement modeled on the self-sustaining resilient structure and fu...

This paper concentrates on the results of sus- tainability caused by natural cooling systems in Iranian traditional architecture of hot-arid re- gions. Sustainability in architecture means conserv- ing constructions for the future, in terms of physical durability planet protect conserving on energy resources. In this case, it seems that sus- tainab...

This paper concentrates on the results of sustainability caused by wind catcher (Badgir) as a type of natural cooling system in Iranian traditional architecture n hot-arid regions. Sustainability in architecture means conserving constructions for the future; it seeks to minimize the negative environmental impact of buildings by enhancing efficiency...