Resume

• 2008

  PhD

  Advisers: Dr. Bruce R. Ellingwood

  and Dr. Abdul-Hamid Zureick\nThesis: \"External Strengthening of Reinforced Concrete Pier Caps\"

  Civil Engineering

  Structural Engineering

  Georgia Institute of Technology

• 2006

  MS

  Advisers: Dr. Michael Chajes

  and Dr. Jennifer Righman McConnell\nThesis: “Destructive Testing and Ultimate Capacity of Skewed Simple-Span Bridges”

  Civil Engineering

  Structural Engineering

  University of Delaware

• 2001

  BS

  Civil Engineering

  Structural Engineering

  Drexel University

  BS

  Architectural Engineering

  Structural Engineering

  Drexel University

  Engineer in Training

  State of Pennsylvania

  ET008732

• Structural Mechanics

  Finite Element Analysis

  Structural Dynamics

  Mechanics

  Steel Design

  Engineering

  Civil Engineering

  Reinforced Concrete

  Steel

  Structural Analysis

  Abaqus

  Bridge

  Structural Engineering

  Concrete

  Ultimate Capacity Destructive Testing and Finite Element Analysis of Steel I-Girder Bridges

  Jennifer Righman McConnell

  Michael Chajes

  Current bridge design and rating techniques are based at the component level and thus cannot predict the ultimate capacity of bridges

  which is a function of system-level interactions. While advances in computer technology have made it possible to conduct accurate system-level analyses

  which can be used to design more efficient bridges and produce more accurate ratings of existing structures

  the knowledge base surrounding system-level bridge behavior is still too small for these methods to be widely considered reliable. Thus

  to advance system-level design and rating

  a 1/5-scale slab-on-steel girder bridge was tested to ultimate capacity and then analytically modeled. The test demonstrated the significant reserve capacity of the steel girders

  and the response of the specimen was governed by the degradation of the reinforced-concrete deck. To accurately capture the response of the specimen in an analytical model

  the degradation of the deck and other key features of the specimen were modeled by using a dynamic analysis algorithm in a commercially available finite-element analysis program ABAQUS.

  Ultimate Capacity Destructive Testing and Finite Element Analysis of Steel I-Girder Bridges

  Destructive Testing and Finite Element Analysis to Determine Ultimate Capacity of Skewed Steel I-Girder Bridges

  Jennifer Righman McConnell

  Michael Chajes

  Current bridge design and rating techniques are based at the component level and thus cannot account for the increase in ultimate capacity that bridges experience because of system-level interactions. Compared with that of a normal bridge

  the ultimate capacity of a bridge increases to an even greater extent as bridge supports are skewed because of changes in load paths. Although advances in computer technology have made it possible to conduct accurate system-level analyses

  which would allow for more efficient bridge design and rating

  the knowledge base surrounding system-level bridge behavior is still too small to make it a highly accurate or intuitive tool. To advance system-level design and rating

  two studies were undertaken. First

  to evaluate the ultimate capacity of a skewed simple-span steel bridge

  a 1/5-scale

  slab-on-steel girder bridge was tested to ultimate capacity and then modeled by using finite element analysis. This test provided both insight into the system behavior and validation of an ABAQUS Explicit analysis algorithm and associated modeling techniques. Second

  to investigate the effects of skew on the ultimate capacity of simple-span bridges

  a parametric study was conducted with finite element analysis. A four-girder

  simple-span bridge was modeled with skews varying from 0 to 75 degrees. The results showed that the ultimate capacity of the bridge increased with skew; these results were compared with simple analytical equations to provide insight into the fundamental behavior and load distribution characteristics of skewed bridges.

  Destructive Testing and Finite Element Analysis to Determine Ultimate Capacity of Skewed Steel I-Girder Bridges

  Andrew

  Bechtel PhD

  SSM Group

  Inc.

  Richard C. Mast Associates

  PKF Mark III

  Inc.

  SSM Group

  Inc.

  The College of New Jersey

  Georgia Institute of Technology

  University of Delaware

  The College of New Jersey

  Georgia Institute of Technology

  • Designed and constructed reinforced concrete piercap specimens at full and half scales using AASHTO Specifications\n• Developed analysis and design procedures for reinforced concrete deep beams\n• Developed rehabilitation strategies for piercaps using fiber reinforced polymers\n• Assisted in development of NCHRP Report 655 “Recommended Guide Specification for the Design of Externally bonded FRP Systems for Repair and Strengthening of Concrete Bridge Elements”

  Graduate Research Assistant

  Greater Atlanta Area

  Whitehall

  PA

  • Inspection and as-built documentation for the installation of regional sanitary sewer

  Waste Water Engineer Intern

  SSM Group

  Inc.

  Newtown

  PA

  • Provided design and cost estimation for suspended concrete form work \n• Managed submittal process

  Structural Engineer Intern

  PKF Mark III

  Inc.

  Lederach

  PA

  • Performed general site design for commercial and residential land development projects including hydraulic analysis and street design

  Land Development Engineer Intern

  Richard C. Mast Associates

  Whitehall PA

  • Reviewed designs for commercial and residential land development projects

  and inspected land development projects for adherence to contract documentation and payment approval

  Township Engineer Intern

  SSM Group

  Inc.

  Newark

  DE

  • Designed and constructed a 1/5th scale steel bridge model using AASHTO Specifications\n• Used finite element analysis methods to determine the ultimate capacity of single span bridges

  and perform parametric studies on skew effect

  Graduate Research Assistant

  University of Delaware