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Item Numerical Study of Bearing Capacity under Strip Footing having Underground Void : A Case of Lamachaur Pokhara(I.O.E. Pulchowk Campus, 2023-12) Nepal, BibekItem Numerical Analysis of Rock Blasting(I.O.E. Pulchowk Campus, 2023-12) Joshi, KshitijItem Numerical Analysis of Load Settlement Behavior in Sand Deposits for Axially Loaded Pile(I.O.E. Pulchowk Campus, 2023-12) Gupta, Sunil KumarThis study presents a comprehensive numerical analysis of the load settlement behavior in sand deposits surrounding axially loaded piles, aiming to enhance the understanding of pile-soil interaction in geotechnical engineering. The research employs advanced finite element modeling techniques to simulate the intricate mechanical response of piles subjected to axial loads within sand deposit. The numerical simulations incorporate crucial parameters such as soil-pile interface characteristics, and loading conditions to investigate their impact on the load settlement behavior. The study reveals insights into the mobilization of skin friction and end-bearing resistance within the sand matrix, shedding light on the complex mechanisms governing pile performance in different geological contexts The findings of this numerical analysis contribute to the advancement of geotechnical engineering practices, offering a deeper understanding of the factors influencing the load settlement behavior of axially loaded piles in sand deposits. A load-settlement curve was generated, extrapolated, and simulated using Plaxis 3D using various stiffness correlation with SPT value. Papadopoulos (1982) established a correlation that shows a close prediction about 2.1% more with field settlement values. Bowles and Tromienkov's correlations underestimate settlement values by 16 %, while Chaplin and Webb's correlations overestimate settlement by 34% and 29% respectively.Item Numerical Investigation of Effect of Compaction on Serviceability Behavior of Geosynthetic Reinforced Structures(I.O.E. Pulchowk Campus, 2023-12) Ghimire, SauravGeosynthetic Reinforced Structures (GRS) play a pivotal role in various construction applications, serving as reinforced retaining structures, bridge abutments, and slope stabilizers. The technology employs geotextile or geogrids in backfill layers to develop tensile strength through friction and interlocking with the soil, minimizing settlement issues. GRS mechanisms involve apparent cohesion development, increased confining pressure, and potential soil dilatancy suppression. Research on GRS behavior encompasses factors like reinforcement spacing, stiffness, compaction effects, facing rigidity, and seismic behavior. This study addresses a gap in understanding the impact of compaction load on lateral wall deformation during the serviceability stage. Utilizing Finite Element Method (FEM) 2D, the numerical model investigates compaction load effects on lateral wall deformation and reinforcement axial strain. Experimental findings underscore the influence of backfill compaction on soil stiffness and deformation reduction. Parametric analysis reveals compaction's substantial role in resisting lateral deformation, with decreased vertical reinforcement spacing and increased axial stiffness correlating with diminished lateral wall deformation. The study emphasizes that heavy compaction effectively mitigates both vertical and lateral deformation induced by traffic loads. Field modeling of a Geosynthetic Reinforced Bridge abutment validates these findings, showcasing the practical significance of compactionItem SPECIFIC SITE RESPONSE ANALYSIS ON THE DIFFERENT EARTHQUAKE MOTION IN KATHMANDU VALLEY(I.O.E. Pulchowk Campus, 2023-12) Adhikari, Saroj PrasadSeismicity is a critical concern in Nepal, particularly in the Kathmandu Valley, a region characterized by complex geological and geotechnical conditions. A Study presents a comprehensive site-specific response analysis of the Kathmandu Valley, employing the DEEPSOIL software for non-linear one-dimensional analysis to provide a thorough understanding of the valley’s seismic behaviour, with a focus on the impact of five distinct earthquake motions, including the Gorkha Earthquake, Loma Gilroy Earthquake, Aftershocks of Gorkha Earthquake, Chi-Chi Earthquake, and Kobe Earthquake. The study offers a thorough summary of the amplification factors (AF) and earthquake events for seismic hazard assessments and engineering designs on how the ground motion is amplified or attenuated during seismic events. In comparison to other input motions, the result demonstrates a larger value of amplification factor for the Gorkha Earthquake motion and its aftershocks motion. The Kobe earthquake motion represents the remarkable exception, where amplification considerably decreased. Balaju stands out as the region with the highest ground motion amplification, which can be related to the existence of layers of gray loose micaceous silty fine sand in its subsurface geology. Additionally, this study compares its findings of the site-specific spectral acceleration with the recommended design spectra of IS 1893:2016 and NBC 205:2020 for a 5% damping ratio. Specifically considering the soft soil and very soft soil conditions as per IS 1893:2016 and NBC 205:2020, respectively, this analysis offers a critical evaluation of how the predicted spectral accelerations correspond with designated seismic design principles.Item Seismic analysis of Bored and Driven Soil Nailed Structures(I.O.E. Pulchowk Campus, 2023-12) Parajuli, Kumar BikramSoil nails serve as passive reinforcement components inserted horizontally into the ground to stabilize unstable soil masses and various subterranean or surface excavations. There are different types of soil nailing techniques, categorized based on their installation methods. In the case of driven nails, they are directly pushed into the structure during excavation. On the other hand, drilled and grout-type soil nails involve initially drilling a hole in the excavated soil face, followed by the installation of nails, which are subsequently filled with grout at low pressure. The design process of the soil nail structure hinges on upon its limit state of safety and serviceability. Soil nailed wall are designed based on two main methods. The first is the limit equilibrium method, and the other method is by using finite element analysis. In this study, we discussed the effects of 2D and 3D analyses of soil nailed structures and the differences in the outputs given by those analysis. The results of the 2D and 3D analysis in in various outputs in which the design of soil nailed walls depends upon like the global factor of safety, horizontal displacement at the top of the soil nailed wall, axial tension in nail, skin friction developed in the various construction stages is found out using a the PLAXIS 3D software. Further seismic inputs of Barpak and Kobe earthquake were used to study the dynamic behavior of the soil nailed structure. Results show that for both drill-grout nails and driven nails maximum displacement predicted by 2D analysis is more compared to 3D and more prominent difference was seen in driven nails compared to drill-grout nail. The maximum axial forces were found to be maximum at soil nails installed at a depth of about 2/3H from the top of the wall in both drill-grout nails and driven nails. Maximum displacement decreases as the L/H ratio increases for static loadings whereas in dynamic loadings L/H ratio seems to have little contribution for controlling displacement at lower values (less than 1). Maximum axial force developed in the soil nail decreases with the increase in magnitude of earthquake loading.Item An Assessment of Pedestrian Waiting Time at Unsignalized Crosswalks: A Case Study of Jamal and Bagbazar Crosswalks in Kathmandu(I.O.E. Pulchowk Campus, 2023-12) Thapaliya, SudeepThe acceptance of pedestrian signals hinges significantly on the waiting tolerance of the pedestrian in the region. Therefore, due consideration should be given to pedestrian waiting tolerance when designing pedestrian signal timing. This study focuses on the assessment of factors that influence pedestrian waiting time, a metric indicative of pedestrian waiting tolerance at unsignalized crosswalks in Kathmandu. An investigation of pedestrian behavior at the unsignalized crosswalks of Jamal and Bagbazar in Kathmandu was undertaken, identifying potential factors affecting pedestrian waiting time. The discrete choice model is applied due to its effectiveness in handling individual choice behavior. Based on the level of service, pedestrian waiting time is categorized into no waiting time, short waiting time, and long waiting time. Multinomial logistic regression with pedestrian waiting time as dependent variable and width of road, gap between the vehicles, speed of accepted vehicles, pedestrian size, gender, crossing pattern and carrying object as independent variables is carried using Statistical software SPSS to analyze factors that significantly influence pedestrian waiting time.Item Development of Pavement Condition and Roughness Evaluation Models for Asphalt Concrete Pavements(I.O.E. Pulchowk Campus, 2023-12) Shrestha, SauravIn order to maintain the functional and operational condition of the road, the deterioration in the pavement's condition must be properly evaluated and dealt with at the earliest. To suggest maintenance activities, DoR presently employs the SDI measure in general which is subjective and inadequate pavement performance measure. Due to the incorporation of all forms of distresses, their density, and their severity, PCI is thought to be one of the most comprehensive and widely recognized global method of pavement condition evaluation and is the focus of the study. The IRI, an indicator of perceived road roughness and ride quality is also in practice by DoR in some major national projects as evaluation measure. Therefore, an IRI model and its correlation to PCI is also a focus of this study. The PCI and IRI pavement evaluation models is developed using regression analysis and ANN. The distress data is collected and quantified as per ASTM 6433 whereas, the IRI data is collected using RoadRoid application after validation. A total of 503 and 468 data is collected and used for the evaluation of PCI and IRI respectively based on the distresses. The regression models yielded a R2 of 0.600 and 0.621 for PCI and 0.599 and 0.614 for IRI for grouping set 1 and 2 respectively showing moderate fit of the data. In order to further improve the results, ANN model is developed using python 3.9 for PCI and IRI evaluation. Based on the ANN output, R2 of 0.857, 0.715 and 0.747 for training, validation and testing for grouping set 1 and 0.852, 0.810 and 0.670 for grouping set 2 is obtained which indicating improvement in result when comparing to the regression models for PCI whereas the R2 value in training, validation and testing 0.559, 0.518 and 0.536 for grouping set 1 and 0.699, 0.597 and 0.575 for set 2 during ANN for IRI evaluation. Similarly from sensitivity analysis, high severity potholes are found to be most significant parameter of both PCI and IRI. Finally, the PCI-IRI relationship was established in excel showed negative correlation & yielded maximum R2 of 0.7858 .Item Travel Time Reliability of Public Bus Transport: A Case Study of Airport to Narayan Gopal Chowk Route, Kathmandu(I.O.E. Pulchowk Campus, 2023-12) Thapa, Santosh Kumarhe issue of less reliability of public transport in Nepal has drawn significant interest of public authorities, policy makers, planners and researchers and efforts are being made to identify alternative solutions. This study aims to assess the major delay factors affecting travel time reliability of public bus transport, specifically within the context of a case study route between Airport and Narayan Gopal Chowk in Kathmandu. Planning time is used as a measure of the travel time reliability and the assessment is conducted through development of a planning time model. Additionally, the study includes a comparative analysis of the travel time reliability among different bus service providers operating on the case study route. On board technique was adopted to collect the data. The comparison of travel time reliability among various bus service providers was conducted using an Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test. The result of ANOVA and post hoc analysis concluded that Khwopa Yatayat has the highest travel time reliability, while Mahanagar Yatayat exhibits the least travel time reliability among the studied four bus service providers at 10% level of significance. Planning time was modelled as a function of the mean travel time and different unexpected delays using the multiple linear regression analysis technique in the SPSS software. Seven different types of unexpected delays i.e., unexpected delay at bus stop, unexpected delay due to stopping at undefined curb stop, unexpected delay at intersection, unexpected delay due to access road, unexpected delay at mid-block due to pedestrian crossing, unexpected delay at mid-block due to u-turning of vehicle, unexpected delay at mid-block due to friction were considered. The final regression model shows that the planning time is significantly dependent on the mean travel time, and unexpected delays i.e., unexpected delay at bus stop, unexpected delay at intersection, unexpected delay due to access road, unexpected delay at mid-block due to friction. The R-square of final model obtained was 0.966. The MAPE value for the developed model was determined to be 8.571 % indicating its potential to predict planning time with high accuracy for selected study route.Item Assessing Travel Time Prediction Models for Mixed Traffic on a Two-Lane Highway: A Case Study of the Dhankhola-Bhaluwang (H01) Road Section(I.O.E. Pulchowk Campus, 2023-12) LUITEL, SANJAYOver the years, substantial efforts have been dedicated to improving travel time prediction for corridors, using a multitude of variables. However, predicting travel time in corridors remains an inherently challenging task due to the intricate interplay of numerous factors, which are often difficult to comprehensively collect. This challenge is particularly pronounced in undivided roads, where corridor access is unrestricted, leading to a heightened presence and influence of various influencing factors. The present study is focused on the development of a travel time prediction model for the Dhankhola-Bhaluwang road section, which is a two-lane, two -way undivided highway, for both directions. Using an extensive analysis of 72-hour datasets on vehicle travel times, sourced from traffic volume counts and speed surveys, this study evaluates the effectiveness of travel time prediction models, taking into account through traffic, opposing traffic, and the proportions of heavy vehicles in through traffic. Evaluation metrics derived from Random Forest Regression consistently outperform those of other regression models for both directions. Subsequently, Support Vector Regression, Decision Tree Regression, LASSO Regression, and Multiple Linear Regression follow in effectiveness.Item Study on waiting time for street crossing by Person with disability- A case study of midblock crossing at Jorpati and Sanothimi(I.O.E. Pulchowk Campus, 2023-12) Shrestha, PragyaIndividuals with disabilities often find Nepal’s road challenging to navigate independently. They require volunteers, particularly when it comes to crossing the street. When they approach a junction, the majority of drivers don’t seem to slow down their vehicles. As a result, pedestrians experience anxiety when crossing the roadway. The purpose of this study is to examine how pedestrians with disabilities start to cross the street successfully, with a focus on two groups: pedestrians with physical disabilities and pedestrians who are blind, who were contrasted with pedestrians without disabilities. Mid-block crossings of Jorpati and Sanothimi were chosen for the study’s objectives. A video camera was used to record the behavior of pedestrian crossings, and survival analysis and the hazard ratio were used to analyze the data. To better understand the overall behavior of pedestrians with disabilities, a questionnaire was also filled out. Further criteria taken into account for study included the status of the disability, the traffic gap, the pace of the pedestrians, the gender, and the number of vehicles encountered. Participants in mid-block crossings of Jorpati were primarily physically disabled, whereas Sanothimi’s pedestrians were primarilyItem Efficiency and Effectiveness Measurement of Public Transportation of Kathmandu Valley using Data Envelopment Analysis(I.O.E. Pulchowk Campus, 2023-12) BHUJEL, SANDEEPThe main objective of this research was to measure operational performance of public vehicles (efficiency and effectiveness). DEA was used for measurement of operational performance of public vehicles. Due to data and resources constraints only two public transportation company viz; Tarkeshwor Yatayat and Sajha Yatayat were selected for the research purpose. When different vehicles of Sajha yatayat are analyzed, most of vehicles running in Lagankhel to Budhanilkantha and Lagankhel are found running more efficiently and effectively despite having large number of buses. From comparison between 5 routes of Sajha yatayat, Lagankhel to Budhanilkantha route and Ratnapark to Godawari route are found both efficient and effective than other routes. Airport to Thankot route has least effectiveness and efficiency score. So, Sajha Yatayat should focus on changing modality of operating bus in that route. Being longer route vehicles of Sajha Yatayat runs continuously for whole day. So, their efficiency and effectiveness score have greater variance. But being short route vehicles of Tarkeshwor Yatayat have to wait in queue for longer period of time. Vehicles time period is distributed evenly to complete 5 to 6 trips per day. So, their effectiveness and efficiency score have less variance. The research also finds that efficiency and effectiveness score between vehicles running in longer route have greater variation.Item International Air Passenger Demand Modeling and Airport Choice Modeling in Nepal(I.O.E. Pulchowk Campus, 2023-12) Luitel, NishubAir travel demand forecasting is an important task for the concerned civil aviation authority as well as airlines. This paper intends to analyze and forecast international air travel demand in Nepal and apportion the demand between TIA, the only existing international airport of Nepal and the other proposed international airports. Econometric variables like GDP, CPI, remittance, employment migration, tourist arrivals, exchange rates, GDP per capita, net national income per capita, world GDP etc were taken as an explanatory variable for the demand generated in aviation industry. A regression model was developed using above mentioned variables as explanatory variable. The statistical result showed almost perfect correlation between themselves, as suggested by variance inflation factor (VIF) value which made the model biased in terms of coefficients. Furthermore, several models considering different combinations of independent variables were developed. Finally a regression model considering exchange rate, number of labour permit, number of tourist arrival as explanatory variable showed satisfactory result and was taken as demand model for the forecast.Item Experimental Study on Bituminous Emulsion Mix(I.O.E. Pulchowk Campus, 2023-12) Dahal, NeevaParis Agreement (PA) is a treaty made between different countries worldwide and aims to hold the increase in average temperature below 2 ̊ C. PA mainly focuses on climate related capacity building as it is realized that transport sector is majorly contributing in carbon emission. Hot Mix asphalt covers large part of nation’s surface road which needs a lot of energy consumption during production and compaction of mix resulting emission of carbon and other harmful fumes and gases. With an aim of lowering the production temperature and emission rate, cold mix technology was developed. The production temperature of cold mix is 0 – 40 ْC which is very low comparing with hot mix. In areas prone to heavy rainfall and snow accumulation, the colder environmental temperatures create challenges in heating both aggregate and binder to the necessary high temperatures. The construction of rural roads using conventional paving techniques becomes problematic due to the intricate processes required for producing and applying Hot Mix Asphalt. In such situations, an alternative solution is to use cold mix, which can be produced directly at the construction siteItem Performance Evaluation and Improvement of an Intersection - A Case Study of Thapathali Intersection(I.O.E. Pulchowk Campus, 2023-12) Maharjan, LavThe Thapathali intersection located in Kathmandu Valley is a crucial junction connecting the city to Lalitpur and other major intersections like Maitighar and Tripureshwor. Given its high traffic volume, there is a need for a detailed analysis of the current operational performance of the intersection and the exploration of new solutions to improve its efficiency. A video-based survey was conducted over a period of 5 days including 3 weekdays and 2 weekends to gather data. The manual vehicle count was performed using custom manual counting software and the data was analyzed. The average peak hour traffic volume during the weekdays was 5,598 PCU in the morning and 4,886 PCU in the evening, while the weekend traffic volume was 4,697 PCU in the morning and 4,597 PCU in the evening. On average, motorcycles constituted 70.58% of the total traffic. The simulation model of the intersection was developed using the traffic analysis software SIDRA for both weekdays and weekends. After the models were calibrated and validated using the 95th percentile back of queue (BoQ), the performance of the intersection was evaluated under the current traffic policed controlled scenario. The analysis revealed average delays of 99.6 seconds/vehicle and 35.1 seconds/vehicle for weekdays and weekends respectively, with level of service (LoS) F and D under HCM 2010 and average speeds of 16.6 kmph and 24.7 kmph respectively.Item Determinants of Two-Wheeler Crash Severity at Intersections in Kathmandu Valley(I.O.E. Pulchowk Campus, 2023-11) Kunwar, JeewanTwo-wheeler riders face a heightened risk of fatal and serious injuries due to their inherent lack of protection compared to occupants of other vehicles. Intersection-related crashes, in particular, have demonstrated a tendency to lead to more severe consequences. This study aims to investigate the determinants of two-wheeler crash severity at intersections in Kathmandu Valley, providing valuable insights into crucial aspects of two-wheeler safety at these locations. Using a multinomial logit model, the analysis explores a range of contributing factors influencing the severity of two-wheeler crashes at intersections in Kathmandu Valley. Crash severity (minor injury, serious injury, and fatal injury) is used as the dependent variable while age, gender, driving under influence, over speeding, day and timing of crash, collision type, and intersection type are used as independent variables. The analysis employs coefficient estimates, significance levels, and Relative Risk Ratios (RRR) of the variables as the measure of comparisons, and uses “Fatal Injury” as the base category for comparisonItem Evaluating Walkability Condition of Footpath based on Obstruction: A Case Study of Pulchowk - Lagankhel Road Section(I.O.E. Pulchowk Campus, 2023-11) Pokhrel, DhurbaFootpaths in Nepal have been found to be obstructed by a variety of obstacles. Obstacles on footpaths are objects that block or make it difficult to use a path. Such an obstacle needs to be removed in order to improve the pedestrian walking environment. While some of them need intricate removal techniques, others are simpler to remove. A scoring system called the Footpath Score based on Types of Obstructions (FOSTO) has been developed using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). This system assigns a score between 0 and 100 to assess the condition of footpaths by considering the number and various types of obstacles present, along with their effects on pedestrian movement. Data were collected by continuously chaining the footpath along Pulchowk Lagankhel road section and data about existing obstructions were extracted for each meter length to provide a detailed footpath inventory. The research indicates that specific factors significantly influence the walkability score. These factors include the percentage of road length designated as footpath, the percentage of footpath meeting acceptable height criteria, the extent of rise and drop along the footpath, the presence of different obstruction groups.Item Calibration of Car Following Parameters in VISSIM for Traffic in Kathmandu(I.O.E. Pulchowk Campus, 2023-12) Chhetri, AnmolTraffic simulation is widely used to perform analysis of traffic operations. Traffic in Nepal is non-lane based, heterogeneous and mixed while car-following models are developed for lane based and homogeneous traffic condition. Traffic simulation software needs to be calibrated to represent local conditions. The main objective of this study was to calibrate Car-following parameters in VISSIM. The parameters for calibration were selected based on past studies on VISSIM calibration in heterogeneous traffic condition. Eleven parameters were selected for analysis. Latin hypercube sampling technique was used to create the sample set of parameters for simulation. One-way ANOVA was used to determine the sensitive parameters. Linear equations were developed using sample set prepared by Latin hypercube sampling technique. Multi objective Genetic algorithm tool available in MATLAB was used to perform optimization of linear equations to minimize the difference between field delay and simulated delay. Three car-following parameters of Widemann-74 model were found sensitive which were calibrated using genetic algorithm to obtain optimal values. For further study, it is recommended that more than one intersection can be studied to generate a range of values, and more than one measure of effectiveness can be selected for robust calibration and validation.Item Calibration of VISSIM Parameters for Modeling Heterogeneous Traffic Conditions in Kathmandu using Genetic Algorithm: Case Studies of Singhadurbar, Padmodaya, and Putalisadak Intersections(I.O.E. Pulchowk Campus, 2023-12) Manandhar, AashishMost developing countries consists of unsignalized intersections carrying heterogeneous traffic conditions. Microsimulation models and their environment are widely being used for the evaluation of such traffic conditions and development of road networks worldwide. Due to the difficulties in analyzing the complexities of heterogeneous traffic and calibrating the microsimulation, their use in Nepalese context is limited to research studies. This study proposes a procedure to determine the range of values of sensitive calibration parameters tailored to local conditions. Additionally, it suggests a methodology for the automated calibration of microscopic simulation models based on these sensitive parameters at unsignalized intersections with heterogeneous traffic. VISSIM, a microscopic, time step oriented, and behavior-based simulation tool was used to model the intersection which consists of a large number of input parameters making model calibration rather difficult. Sensitivity analysis was performed to identify the sensitive calibration parameters using Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) and one way ANOVA testing. Based on the findings of the literature review, 12 calibration parameters were identified. Using traffic flow as a measure of effectiveness, the parameters were reduced to 9 sensitive calibration parameters.Item Modeling Pedestrian Level of Service for Crosswalks at Signalized Intersection in Kathmandu Valley(I.O.E. Pulchowk Campus, 2023-12) Shrestha, Aadarsha RamModeling pedestrian level of service (PLOS) provides valuable insights into the quality of the pedestrian environment and can serve as a basis for establishing standards for pedestrian facilities and thus helps in planning, designing and maintaining pedestrian facilities. This research aimed to create an appropriate model for PLOS at signalized intersection crosswalks in Kathmandu Valley and this study considered pedestrians' perspectives on it. The data were collected from five crosswalks of Kathmandu valley through a videographic survey which also captured the details from 1205 individuals along with traffic characteristics entering the signalized intersection via the crosswalk. A questionnaire survey of 408 individuals was also carried out onsite to understand perceptions regarding PLOS. To identify the significant elements impacting the PLOS score, the Pearson's correlation test was employed. Using the perceived PLOS score from the questionnaire as the dependent variable and the significant factors as independent variables, a stepwise regression analysis was conducted to establish the most suitable predictive model. The threshold values of the PLOS ranges were established by k-means clustering for six categories ranging from A to F.