Nithin Sudarsanan

Bio: Nithin Sudarsanan is an academic researcher from North Carolina State University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Asphalt concrete & Geosynthetics. The author has an hindex of 5, co-authored 12 publications receiving 73 citations. Previous affiliations of Nithin Sudarsanan include Indian Institute of Technology Madras.

Stress-strain response analysis of demolition wastes as aggregate base course of pavements

Abstract: The sustainable construction approach by utilizing recycled aggregates has increasingly been the focus of highway construction industries and local road authorities in recent years. The efficient usage of recycled aggregates for sustainable construction is owed to more than a decade of extensive experimental research aiming to remove uncertainties in the properties and performance of recycled aggregates in transport infrastructures. Nevertheless, a lack of knowledge exists about the stress-strain response of the pavement structures constructed using recycled aggregates. The main goal of this study was to propose a response analysis approach to incorporate the repeated load triaxial (RLT) test results as a Level 1 MEPDG input parameter in a well-established pavement analysis software named FlexPAVETM. In this approach, the aggregate base course was divided into ten sublayers of equal thickness. Three different constitutive resilient modulus (Mr) models were utilized to determine the Mr of each sublayer corresponding to the stress levels achieved at that sublayer. Modeling the pavements in FlexPAVETM by assigning the corresponding Mr to the sublayers resulted in a more accurate stress-strain response compared to the conventional linear elastic analysis approach. This approach provides a more realistic and, accordingly, more accurate analysis of the behavior of unbound aggregates in pavements. The secondary goal of this study was to investigate the stress-strain response of pavements with aggregate base courses made of three types of recycled construction and demolition wastes, being recycled concrete aggregate (RCA), crushed brick (CB), and waste excavation rock (WR). The resilient properties of the demolition wastes were determined through repeated load triaxial (RLT) testing. A typical pavement profile consisting of asphalt surface course, aggregate base course, and an A6 type of natural soil as subgrade was modeled using FlexPAVETM. The response analysis was undertaken following the proposed sub layered approach. Under the loading conditions adopted in this research, with bulk stresses

Use of Natural Geotextiles to Retard Reflection Cracking in Highway Pavements

Abstract: Reflective cracking is a major phenomenon leading to premature failure of fresh asphalt overlays. Application of a geosynthetic interlayer system to retard reflective crack propagation is a...

A simple image-based deformation measurement technique in tensile testing of geotextiles

Abstract: This paper presents a simple, cost effective and reliable image processing technique for deformation measurement in geotextiles during wide width tensile strength tests. Localised strains are likely to be generated in the geotextiles due to production defects, seams and punctures. Accurate measurement of localised strains will help in better understanding the failure mechanism, maintaining proper quality control and developing accurate design procedures. Previous researchers have applied image-based strain measurement techniques using a charged coupled device camera for localised strain measurements, but those methods are expensive and not widely available. In the present study, a new method is proposed based on a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor camera, which is cost effective and easily available. The technique was applied for five different types of geotextiles, considering their range of applications. Three synthetic (one woven and two nonwoven), two natural (woven and nonwoven jute) geotextile...

Investigation of 3D deformation of transparent soil around a laterally loaded pile based on a hydraulic gradient model test

Abstract: Based on the fact that natural soil and transparent soil have similar geotechnical properties, this paper describes a device used in hydraulic gradient tests to measure the displacement of transparent soil. The theory of using seepage force to increase the effective self-weight stress of soil is employed to simulate the soil behavior around a laterally loaded pile under high stress field. In order to obtain the 3D displacement of internal soil around a laterally loaded pile, transparent soil is firstly irradiated by lasers. Then, using Particle Image Velocimetry technology, 2D displacements of soil are obtained and restructured, revealing 3D displacement of soil around a laterally loaded pile and verifying the feasibility of the experiment in measuring soil displacement. Additionally, the 3D deformation characteristics of soil around a laterally loaded pile are analyzed. Results show that the displacement of the soil around the pile mainly occurs in the shallow soil layer and that the direction of displacement is oblique-upward along the loading direction. What's more, with an increase in distance from the pile edge, as well as with an increase in the depth, the displacement magnitude gradually decreases.

Review of Application and Innovation of Geotextiles in Geotechnical Engineering.

Abstract: Most geotextiles consist of polymers of polyolefin, polyester or polyamide family, which involve environmental problems related to soil pollution. Geotextiles can be used for at least one of the following functions: Separation, reinforcement, filtration, drainage, stabilization, barrier, and erosion protection. Due to the characteristics of high strength, low cost, and easy to use, geotextiles are widely used in geotechnical engineering such as soft foundation reinforcement, slope protection, and drainage system. This paper reviews composition and function of geotextiles in geotechnical engineering. In addition, based on literatures including the most recent data, the discussion turns to recent development of geotextiles, with emphasis on green geotextiles, intelligent geotextiles, and high-performance geotextiles. The present situation of these new geotextiles and their application in geotechnical engineering are reviewed.