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An Autoencoder‑Based Snow Drought Index, Sinan Rasiya Koya, Kanak Kanti Kar, Shivendra Srivastava, Tsegaye Tadesse, Mark Svoboda, Tirthankar Roy Nov 2023

An Autoencoder‑Based Snow Drought Index, Sinan Rasiya Koya, Kanak Kanti Kar, Shivendra Srivastava, Tsegaye Tadesse, Mark Svoboda, Tirthankar Roy

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

In several regions across the globe, snow has a significant impact on hydrology. The amounts of water that infiltrate the ground and flow as runoff are driven by the melting of snow. Therefore, it is crucial to study the magnitude and effect of snowmelt. Snow droughts, resulting from reduced snow storage, can drastically impact the water supplies in basins where snow predominates, such as in the western United States. Hence, it is important to detect the time and severity of snow droughts efficiently. We propose the Snow Drought Response Index or SnoDRI, a novel indicator that could be used to …


Integrated Flood Risk Assessment Of Properties And Associated Population At County Scale For Nebraska, Usa, Shivendra Srivastava, Tirthankar Roy Nov 2023

Integrated Flood Risk Assessment Of Properties And Associated Population At County Scale For Nebraska, Usa, Shivendra Srivastava, Tirthankar Roy

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Risk assessment of properties and associated population was conducted for the state of Nebraska, leveraging only open-source datasets. The flood risk framework consisted of interactions among drivers, i.e. hazard, exposure, vulnerability, and response, to assess the risks related to properties and associated populations. To quantify hazard on a county scale, we considered properties at risk of flooding based on a flood score (a higher score represents a greater chance of flooding). Exposure was quantified by considering population density at the county level. We quantified vulnerability under four categories: social, ecological, economic, and health. Response, a relatively newer component in flood …


Integrated Flood Risk Assessment Of Properties And Associated Population At County Scale For Nebraska, Usa, Shivendra Srivastava, Tirthankar Roy Nov 2023

Integrated Flood Risk Assessment Of Properties And Associated Population At County Scale For Nebraska, Usa, Shivendra Srivastava, Tirthankar Roy

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Risk assessment of properties and associated population was conducted for the state of Nebraska, leveraging only open-source datasets. The flood risk framework consisted of interactions among drivers, i.e. hazard, exposure, vulnerability, and response, to assess the risks related to properties and associated populations. To quantify hazard on a county scale, we considered properties at risk of flooding based on a flood score (a higher score represents a greater chance of flooding). Exposure was quantified by considering population density at the county level. We quantified vulnerability under four categories: social, ecological, economic, and health. Response, a relatively newer component in flood …


Evaluation Of Equivalent Thermal Conductivity For Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Bentonite Through Experimental And Numerical Analysis, Yuan Feng, Jongwan Eun, Seunghee Kim, Yong-Rak Kim Oct 2023

Evaluation Of Equivalent Thermal Conductivity For Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Bentonite Through Experimental And Numerical Analysis, Yuan Feng, Jongwan Eun, Seunghee Kim, Yong-Rak Kim

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Bentonite is widely used as a water-proof material in engineering, and fibers are added to reduce the crack development of bentonite after drying. Carbon fiber can reinforce bentonite in heat-sensitive projects because of its high thermal conductivity and potential inhibition of bentonite cracking. Thus, it is important to determine the thermal conductivity of carbon fiber-reinforced bentonite. This study evaluated the thermal conductivity of carbon fiber-reinforced bentonite by analytical solution, experiment, and finite element method (FEM) simulation and discussed the effects of carbon fiber content, fiber length, fiber distribution, and the porosity of bentonite on the thermal conductivity of reinforced bentonite. …


An Autoencoder‑Based Snow Drought Index, Sinan Rasiya Koya, Kanak Kanti Kar, Shivendra Srivastava, Tsegaye Tadesse, Mark D. Svoboda, Tirthankar Roy Oct 2023

An Autoencoder‑Based Snow Drought Index, Sinan Rasiya Koya, Kanak Kanti Kar, Shivendra Srivastava, Tsegaye Tadesse, Mark D. Svoboda, Tirthankar Roy

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

In several regions across the globe, snow has a significant impact on hydrology. The amounts of water that infiltrate the ground and flow as runoff are driven by the melting of snow. Therefore, it is crucial to study the magnitude and effect of snowmelt. Snow droughts, resulting from reduced snow storage, can drastically impact the water supplies in basins where snow predominates, such as in the western United States. Hence, it is important to detect the time and severity of snow droughts efficiently. We propose the Snow Drought Response Index or SnoDRI, a novel indicator that could be used to …


Evaluation Of Equivalent Thermal Conductivity For Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Bentonite Through Experimental And Numerical Analysis, Yuan Feng, Jongwan Eun, Seunghee Kim, Yong-Rak Kim Oct 2023

Evaluation Of Equivalent Thermal Conductivity For Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Bentonite Through Experimental And Numerical Analysis, Yuan Feng, Jongwan Eun, Seunghee Kim, Yong-Rak Kim

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Bentonite is widely used as a water-proof material in engineering, and fibers are added to reduce the crack development of bentonite after drying. Carbon fiber can reinforce bentonite in heat-sensitive projects because of its high thermal conductivity and potential inhibition of bentonite cracking. Thus, it is important to determine the thermal conductivity of carbon fiber-reinforced bentonite. This study evaluated the thermal conductivity of carbon fiber-reinforced bentonite by analytical solution, experiment, and finite element method (FEM) simulation and discussed the effects of carbon fiber content, fiber length, fiber distribution, and the porosity of bentonite on the thermal conductivity of reinforced bentonite. …


Comparison Of Models With And Without Roadway Features To Estimate Annual Average Daily Traffic At Non-Coverage Locations, Jing Wang, Ryan Devine, Nathan Huynh, Weimin Jin, Gurcan Comert, Mashrur Chowdhury Oct 2023

Comparison Of Models With And Without Roadway Features To Estimate Annual Average Daily Traffic At Non-Coverage Locations, Jing Wang, Ryan Devine, Nathan Huynh, Weimin Jin, Gurcan Comert, Mashrur Chowdhury

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

This study develops and evaluates models to estimate Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) at non-coverage or out-of-network locations. The non-coverage locations are those where counts are performed very infrequently, but an up-to-date and accurate estimate is needed by state departments of transportation. Two types of models are developed, one that simply uses the nearby known AADTs to provide an estimate and one that requires roadway features (e.g., type of median, presence of left-turn lane). The advantage of the former type is that no additional data collection is needed, thereby saving time and money for state highway agencies. A natural question …


Comparison Of Models With And Without Roadway Features To Estimate Annual Average Daily Traffic At Non-Coverage Locations, Jing Wang, Ryan Devine, Nathan Huynh, Weimin Jin, Gurcan Comert, Mashrur Chowdhury Oct 2023

Comparison Of Models With And Without Roadway Features To Estimate Annual Average Daily Traffic At Non-Coverage Locations, Jing Wang, Ryan Devine, Nathan Huynh, Weimin Jin, Gurcan Comert, Mashrur Chowdhury

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

This study develops and evaluates models to estimate Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) at non-coverage or out-of-network locations. The non-coverage locations are those where counts are performed very infrequently, but an up-to-date and accurate estimate is needed by state departments of transportation. Two types of models are developed, one that simply uses the nearby known AADTs to provide an estimate and one that requires roadway features (e.g., type of median, presence of left-turn lane). The advantage of the former type is that no additional data collection is needed, thereby saving time and money for state highway agencies. A natural question …


Multi-Factor Optimization Of Bio-Methanol Production Through Gasification Process Via Statistical Methodology Coupled With Genetic Algorithm, Amin Hedayati Moghaddam, Morteza Esfandyari, Dariush Jafari, Hossein Sakhaeinia Oct 2023

Multi-Factor Optimization Of Bio-Methanol Production Through Gasification Process Via Statistical Methodology Coupled With Genetic Algorithm, Amin Hedayati Moghaddam, Morteza Esfandyari, Dariush Jafari, Hossein Sakhaeinia

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

This work innovatively explores the bio-methanol production process, conducts comprehensive analyses, develops statistical models, and optimizes operational conditions, contributing valuable insights to the field of sustainable energy production from biomass. Accordingly, bio-methanol production from biomass through gasification route was investigated and simulated using Aspen Plus software. The effects of operational parameters on energy duty of gasification reactor and the methanol production rate in syngas to methanol reactor were investigated. The parameters affecting the process performance including temperature, pressure, and steam/feed ratio were examined using the response surface methodology (RSM) by central composite design (CCD) technique. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was …


Multi-Factor Optimization Of Bio-Methanol Production Through Gasification Process Via Statistical Methodology Coupled With Genetic Algorithm, Amin Hedayati Moghaddam, Morteza Esfandyari, Dariush Jafari, Hossein Sakhaeinia Oct 2023

Multi-Factor Optimization Of Bio-Methanol Production Through Gasification Process Via Statistical Methodology Coupled With Genetic Algorithm, Amin Hedayati Moghaddam, Morteza Esfandyari, Dariush Jafari, Hossein Sakhaeinia

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

This work innovatively explores the bio-methanol production process, conducts comprehensive analyses, develops statistical models, and optimizes operational conditions, contributing valuable insights to the field of sustainable energy production from biomass. Accordingly, bio-methanol production from biomass through gasification route was investigated and simulated using Aspen Plus software. The effects of operational parameters on energy duty of gasification reactor and the methanol production rate in syngas to methanol reactor were investigated. The parameters affecting the process performance including temperature, pressure, and steam/feed ratio were examined using the response surface methodology (RSM) by central composite design (CCD) technique. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was …


Simultaneous 3d Construction And Imaging Of Plant Cells Using Plasmonic Nanoprobe-Assisted Multimodal Nonlinear Optical Microscopy, Kun Liu, Yutian Lei, Dawei Li Sep 2023

Simultaneous 3d Construction And Imaging Of Plant Cells Using Plasmonic Nanoprobe-Assisted Multimodal Nonlinear Optical Microscopy, Kun Liu, Yutian Lei, Dawei Li

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Nonlinear optical (NLO) imaging has emerged as a promising plant cell imaging technique due to its large optical penetration, inherent 3D spatial resolution, and reduced photodamage; exogenous nanoprobes are usually needed for nonsignal target cell analysis. Here, we report in vivo, simultaneous 3D labeling and imaging of potato cell structures using plasmonic nanoprobe-assisted multimodal NLO microscopy. Experimental results show that the complete cell structure can be imaged via the combination of second-harmonic generation (SHG) and two-photon luminescence (TPL) when noble metal silver or gold ions are added. In contrast, without the noble metal ion solution, no NLO signals from the …


Simultaneous 3d Construction And Imaging Of Plant Cells Using Plasmonic Nanoprobe-Assisted Multimodal Nonlinear Optical Microscopy, Kun Liu, Yutian Lei, Dawei Li Sep 2023

Simultaneous 3d Construction And Imaging Of Plant Cells Using Plasmonic Nanoprobe-Assisted Multimodal Nonlinear Optical Microscopy, Kun Liu, Yutian Lei, Dawei Li

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Nonlinear optical (NLO) imaging has emerged as a promising plant cell imaging technique due to its large optical penetration, inherent 3D spatial resolution, and reduced photodamage; exogenous nanoprobes are usually needed for nonsignal target cell analysis. Here, we report in vivo, simultaneous 3D labeling and imaging of potato cell structures using plasmonic nanoprobe-assisted multimodal NLO microscopy. Experimental results show that the complete cell structure can be imaged via the combination of second-harmonic generation (SHG) and two-photon luminescence (TPL) when noble metal silver or gold ions are added. In contrast, without the noble metal ion solution, no NLO signals from the …


Optimization Of Removal Of Toluene From Industrial Wastewater Using Rsm Box– Behnken Experimental Design, Dariush Jafari, Morteza Esfandyari, Mehdi Mojahed Sep 2023

Optimization Of Removal Of Toluene From Industrial Wastewater Using Rsm Box– Behnken Experimental Design, Dariush Jafari, Morteza Esfandyari, Mehdi Mojahed

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

The study is concerned with the adsorption of toluene from real wastewater using granular beads of activated carbon. The adsorbent was analyzed before and after the process using Scanning Electron Microscope analysis to characterize its surface characteristics. The adsorption parameters including solution pH, contact time, dosage of adsorbent, temperature and toluene initial concentration were optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) Box-Behnken experimental design to maximize the toluene adsorption. The adsorption capacity of the adsorbent was 298 mg g−1 and the maximum toluene removal was 99.5% which was achieved in the following optimal conditions: pH: 2, 100 min, adsorbent dosage: …


Optimization Of Removal Of Toluene From Industrial Wastewater Using Rsm Box– Behnken Experimental Design, Dariush Jafari, Morteza Esfandyari, Mehdi Mojahed Sep 2023

Optimization Of Removal Of Toluene From Industrial Wastewater Using Rsm Box– Behnken Experimental Design, Dariush Jafari, Morteza Esfandyari, Mehdi Mojahed

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

The study is concerned with the adsorption of toluene from real wastewater using granular beads of activated carbon. The adsorbent was analyzed before and after the process using Scanning Electron Microscope analysis to characterize its surface characteristics. The adsorption parameters including solution pH, contact time, dosage of adsorbent, temperature and toluene initial concentration were optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) Box-Behnken experimental design to maximize the toluene adsorption. The adsorption capacity of the adsorbent was 298 mg g− 1 and the maximum toluene removal was 99.5% which was achieved in the following optimal conditions: pH: 2, 100 min, adsorbent …


Hierarchical Ni-Mn Ldhs@Cuc2O4 Nanosheet Arrays-Modified Copper Mesh: A Dual-Functional Material For Enhancing Oil/Water Separation And Supercapacitors, Yue Wu, Guangyuan Lu, Ping Xu, Tian Zhang, Huaqiang He, Shaojun Yuan Sep 2023

Hierarchical Ni-Mn Ldhs@Cuc2O4 Nanosheet Arrays-Modified Copper Mesh: A Dual-Functional Material For Enhancing Oil/Water Separation And Supercapacitors, Yue Wu, Guangyuan Lu, Ping Xu, Tian Zhang, Huaqiang He, Shaojun Yuan

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

The pursuit of superhydrophilic materials with hierarchical structures has garnered significant attention across diverse application domains. In this study, we have successfully crafted Ni-Mn LDHs@CuC2O4 nanosheet arrays on a copper mesh (CM) through a synergistic process involving chemical oxidation and hydrothermal deposition. Initially, CuC2O4 nanosheets were synthesized on the copper mesh, closely followed by the growth of Ni-Mn LDHs nanosheets, culminating in the establishment of a multi-tiered surface architecture with exceptional superhydrophilicity and remarkable underwater superoleophobicity. The resultant Ni-Mn LDHs@CuC2O4 CM membrane showcased an unparalleled amalgamation of traits, including superhydrophilicity, underwater …


Hierarchical Ni-Mn Ldhs@Cuc2O4 Nanosheet Arrays-Modified Copper Mesh: A Dual-Functional Material For Enhancing Oil/Water Separation And Supercapacitors, Yue Wu, Guangyuan Lu, Ping Xu, Tian Zhang, Huaqiang He, Shaojun Yuan Sep 2023

Hierarchical Ni-Mn Ldhs@Cuc2O4 Nanosheet Arrays-Modified Copper Mesh: A Dual-Functional Material For Enhancing Oil/Water Separation And Supercapacitors, Yue Wu, Guangyuan Lu, Ping Xu, Tian Zhang, Huaqiang He, Shaojun Yuan

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

The pursuit of superhydrophilic materials with hierarchical structures has garnered significant attention across diverse application domains. In this study, we have successfully crafted Ni-Mn LDHs@CuC2O4 nanosheet arrays on a copper mesh (CM) through a synergistic process involving chemical oxidation and hydrothermal deposition. Initially, CuC2O4 nanosheets were synthesized on the copper mesh, closely followed by the growth of Ni-Mn LDHs nanosheets, culminating in the establishment of a multi-tiered surface architecture with exceptional superhydrophilicity and remarkable underwater superoleophobicity. The resultant Ni-Mn LDHs@CuC2O4 CM membrane showcased an unparalleled amalgamation of traits, including superhydrophilicity, underwater …


Drinking Water Quality Management Progress In Ontario, Two Decades After Walkerton, Megan Fuller, Emma Wells, Laith Furatian, Ian Douglas, Kaycie Lane Aug 2023

Drinking Water Quality Management Progress In Ontario, Two Decades After Walkerton, Megan Fuller, Emma Wells, Laith Furatian, Ian Douglas, Kaycie Lane

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Following the waterborne disease outbreak in Walkerton, Ontario, the province made significant efforts to implement recommendations of the public inquiry that resulted. As Ontario reformed its drinking water sector, other jurisdictions were advancing risk-based quality management frameworks for drinking water, including the World Health Organization (WHO) through its water safety plan (WSP) framework. Two decades after the Walkerton tragedy, this paper seeks to: (i) evaluate alignment of Ontario’s Drinking Water Quality Management Standard (DWQMS) with the WSP framework (ii) review readily available data for evidence that Ontario’s DWQMS implementation has improved drinking water safety and promoted a preventive approach through …


Experimental Study: The Effect Of Pore Shape, Geometrical Heterogeneity, And Flow Rate On The Repetitive Two-Phase Fluid Transport In Microfluidic Porous Media, Seunghee Kim, Jingtao Zhang, Sangjin Ryu Jul 2023

Experimental Study: The Effect Of Pore Shape, Geometrical Heterogeneity, And Flow Rate On The Repetitive Two-Phase Fluid Transport In Microfluidic Porous Media, Seunghee Kim, Jingtao Zhang, Sangjin Ryu

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Geologic subsurface energy storage, such as porous-media compressed-air energy storage (PM-CAES) and underground hydrogen storage (UHS), involves the multi-phase fluid transport in structurally disordered or heterogeneous porous media (e.g., soils and rocks). Furthermore, such multi-phase fluid transport is likely to repeatedly occur due to successive fluid injections and extractions, thus, resulting in cyclic drainage–imbibition processes. To complement our preceding study, we conducted a follow-up study with microfluidic pore-network devices with a square solid shape (Type II) to further advance our understanding on the effect of the pore shape (aspect ratio, Type I: 5–6 > Type II: ~1), pore-space heterogeneity (coefficient of …


Uncertainty In Overturning Of Precariously Balanced Rocks Due To Basal Contact, M. Khalid Saifullah, Christine E. Wittich Jul 2023

Uncertainty In Overturning Of Precariously Balanced Rocks Due To Basal Contact, M. Khalid Saifullah, Christine E. Wittich

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Precariously balanced rocks (PBRs) are a type of naturally occurring freestanding structure that provides valuable information to constrain seismic hazard at return periods which are important for critical facilities such as nuclear power plants and nuclear repositories. Exposure ages have been established to be in excess of 10,000–30,000 years, which is why precarious rocks are one of the only available means to validate seismic hazard associated with long return periods. One critical component for constraining seismic hazard in this way is the overturning estimate of a given precarious rock as a function of earthquake intensity. However, current state-of-the-art methods for …


Nonlinear Impact-Echo Test For Quantitative Evaluation Of Asr Damage In Concrete, Clayton Malone, Hongbin Sun, Jinying Zhu Jun 2023

Nonlinear Impact-Echo Test For Quantitative Evaluation Of Asr Damage In Concrete, Clayton Malone, Hongbin Sun, Jinying Zhu

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Nonlinear acoustic methods demonstrate high sensitivity for concrete damage evaluation. Among these methods, nonlinear resonance acoustic methods have been widely used in laboratory tests on small scale test samples. In this study, a nonlinear impact-echo (IE) method was proposed for concrete damage evaluation, in which the IE frequency shift was measured at different impact force levels. The nonlinear IE test is similar to the nonlinear impact resonance acoustic spectroscopy (NIRAS) test in the experimental setup and analysis method. How- ever, the nonlinear IE test excites a local thickness resonance mode of a member instead of the global resonance vibration. Therefore, …


Nonlinear Impact-Echo Test For Quantitative Evaluation Of Asr Damage In Concrete, Clayton Malone, Hongbin Sun, Jinying Zhu Jun 2023

Nonlinear Impact-Echo Test For Quantitative Evaluation Of Asr Damage In Concrete, Clayton Malone, Hongbin Sun, Jinying Zhu

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Nonlinear acoustic methods demonstrate high sensitivity for concrete damage evaluation. Among these methods, nonlinear resonance acoustic methods have been widely used in laboratory tests on small scale test samples. In this study, a nonlinear impact-echo (IE) method was proposed for concrete damage evaluation, in which the IE frequency shift was measured at different impact force levels. The nonlinear IE test is similar to the nonlinear impact resonance acoustic spectroscopy (NIRAS) test in the experimental setup and analysis method. How- ever, the nonlinear IE test excites a local thickness resonance mode of a member instead of the global resonance vibration. Therefore, …


Assessing The Release Of Microplastics And Nanoplastics From Plastic Containers And Reusable Food Pouches: Implications For Human Health, Kazi Albab Hussain, Svetlana Romanova, Ilhami Okur, Dong Zhang, Jesse Kuebler, Xi Huang, Bing Wang, Lucia Fernandez-Ballester, Yongfeng Lu, Mathias Schubert, Yusong Li May 2023

Assessing The Release Of Microplastics And Nanoplastics From Plastic Containers And Reusable Food Pouches: Implications For Human Health, Kazi Albab Hussain, Svetlana Romanova, Ilhami Okur, Dong Zhang, Jesse Kuebler, Xi Huang, Bing Wang, Lucia Fernandez-Ballester, Yongfeng Lu, Mathias Schubert, Yusong Li

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

This study investigated the release of microplastics and nanoplastics from plastic containers and reusable food pouches under different usage scenarios, using DI water and 3% acetic acid as food simulants for aqueous foods and acidic foods. The results indicated that microwave heating caused the highest release of microplastics and nanoplastics into food compared to other usage scenarios, such as refrigeration or room-temperature storage. It was found that some containers could release as many as 4.22 million microplastic and 2.11 billion nanoplastic particles from only one square centimeter of plastic area within 3 min of microwave heating. Refrigeration and room-temperature storage …


The Efficacy Of Conservation Practices In Reducing Floods And Improving Water Quality, Shivendra Srivastava, Andrea D. Basche, Elbert Traylor, Tirthankar Roy May 2023

The Efficacy Of Conservation Practices In Reducing Floods And Improving Water Quality, Shivendra Srivastava, Andrea D. Basche, Elbert Traylor, Tirthankar Roy

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Conservation practices such as crop rotation, filter strips, and constructed wetlands are nature-based approaches intended to safeguard natural resources in agricultural landscapes. In this study, we reviewed the literature on how conservation practices, both at watershed and field scales, have been proven to subdue flood peaks, surface runoff, soil erosion, sediment transport, and nutrient loss. We classified different conservation practices based on the mode of their application (i.e., in-field, edge-of-field, and structural practices) and described what prior research efforts have concluded about the efficacy of different practices. At the field scale, practices such as reduced or no-till farming, grassed waterways, …


Meta-Analysis Of Driving Behavior Studies And Assessment Of Factors Using Structural Equation Modeling, Duong Ngoc Hai, Chu Cong Minh, Nathan Huynh May 2023

Meta-Analysis Of Driving Behavior Studies And Assessment Of Factors Using Structural Equation Modeling, Duong Ngoc Hai, Chu Cong Minh, Nathan Huynh

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

The aim of this paper is to understand the factors that influence unsafe driving practices by examining published studies that utilized the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to predict driving behavior. To this end, it reviews 42 studies published up to the end of 2021 to evaluate the predictive utility of TPB by employing a meta-analysis and structural equation model. The results indicate that these studies sought to predict 20 distinct driving behaviors (e.g., drink-driving, use of cellphone while driving, aggressive driving) using the original TPB constructs and 43 additional variables. The TPB model with the three original constructs is …


Applicability Of A Flood Forecasting System For Nebraska Watersheds, Sinan Rasiya Koya, Nicolas Velasquez Giron, Marcela Rojas, Ricardo Mantilla, Kirk Harvey, Daniel Ceynar, Felipe Quintero, Witold F. Krajewski, Tirthankar Roy Apr 2023

Applicability Of A Flood Forecasting System For Nebraska Watersheds, Sinan Rasiya Koya, Nicolas Velasquez Giron, Marcela Rojas, Ricardo Mantilla, Kirk Harvey, Daniel Ceynar, Felipe Quintero, Witold F. Krajewski, Tirthankar Roy

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Accurate and timely flood prediction can reduce the risk of flooding, bolster preparedness, and help build resilience. In this study, we have developed a flood forecasting system prototype and checked its potential for carrying out operational flood forecasting in the state of Nebraska. This system builds upon some of the core components of the Iowa Flood Information System (IFIS), which is a state-of-the-art platform widely recognized around the world. We implemented our platform on a pilot basin in Nebraska (Elkhorn River basin) by installing eight stream sensors and setting up the hydrologic model component of IFIS, i.e., the Hillslope Link …


Characterization Of Bubble Transport In Porous Media Using A Microfluidic Channel, Ryan Haggerty, Dong Zhang, Jongwan Eun, Yusong Li Mar 2023

Characterization Of Bubble Transport In Porous Media Using A Microfluidic Channel, Ryan Haggerty, Dong Zhang, Jongwan Eun, Yusong Li

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

This study investigates the effect on varying flow rates and bubble sizes on gas–liquid flow through porous media in a horizontal microchannel. A simple bubble generation system was set up to generate bubbles with controllable sizes and frequencies, which directly flowed into microfluidic channels packed with different sizes of glass beads. Bubble flow was visualized using a high-speed camera and analyzed to obtain the change in liquid holdup. Pressure data were measured for estimation of hydraulic conductivity. The bubble displacement pattern in the porous media was viscous fingering based on capillary numbers and visual observation. Larger bubbles resulted in lower …


Antimony Nanobelt Asymmetric Membranes For Sodium Ion Battery, Logan Williams, Jake Dicesare, Olivia Sheppard, Congrui Grace Jin, Xiaobo Chen, Ji Wu Jan 2023

Antimony Nanobelt Asymmetric Membranes For Sodium Ion Battery, Logan Williams, Jake Dicesare, Olivia Sheppard, Congrui Grace Jin, Xiaobo Chen, Ji Wu

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

In this study, composite asymmetric membranes containing antimony (Sb) nanobelts are prepared via a straightforward phase inversion method in combination with post-pyrolysis treatment. Sb nanobelt asymmetric membranes demonstrate improved cyclability and specific capacity as the alloy anode of sodium ion battery compared to Sb nanobelt thin films without asymmetric porous structure. The unique structure can effectively accommodate the large volume expansion of Sb-based alloy anodes, prohibit the loss of fractured active materials, and aid in the formation of stable artificial solid electrolyte interphases as evidenced by an outstanding capacity retention of ∼98% in 130 cycles at 60 mA g−1 …


Application Of Neural Networks For Hydrologic Process Understanding At A Midwestern Watershed, Annushka Aliev, Sinan Rasiya Koya, Incheol Kim, Jongwan Eun, Elbert Traylor, Tirthankar Roy Jan 2023

Application Of Neural Networks For Hydrologic Process Understanding At A Midwestern Watershed, Annushka Aliev, Sinan Rasiya Koya, Incheol Kim, Jongwan Eun, Elbert Traylor, Tirthankar Roy

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

The Shell Creek Watershed (SCW) is a rural watershed in Nebraska with a history of chronic flooding. Beginning in 2005, a variety of conservation practices have been employed in the watershed. Those practices have since been credited with attenuating flood severity and improving water quality in SCW. This study investigated the impacts of 13 different controlling factors on flooding at SCW by using an artificial neural network (ANN)-based rainfall-runoff model. Additionally, flood frequency analysis and drought severity analysis were conducted. Special emphasis was placed on understanding how flood trends change in light of conservation practices to determine whether any relation …


Real Depth-Correction In Ground Penetrating Radar Data Analysis For Bridge Deck Evaluation, Sepehr Pashoutani, Jinying Zhu Jan 2023

Real Depth-Correction In Ground Penetrating Radar Data Analysis For Bridge Deck Evaluation, Sepehr Pashoutani, Jinying Zhu

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

When ground penetrating radar (GPR) is used for the non-destructive evaluation of concrete bridge decks, the rebar reflection amplitudes should be corrected for rebar depths to account for the geometric spreading and material attenuation of the electromagnetic wave in concrete. Most current depth-correction methods assume a constant EM wave velocity in the entire bridge deck and correct GPR amplitudes based on the two-way travel time (TWTT) instead of the actual rebar depth. In this paper, we proposed a depth-correction algorithm based on the real rebar depths. To compare different depth-correction methods, we used gprMax software to simulate GPR signals in …


Using Innovative Copper‑Loaded Activated Alumina (Cu/Aa) As The Catalyst For Catalytic Wet Peroxidation (Cwpo) Of Catechol, Vijayalakshmi Gosu, Archana Dhakar, Tian C. Zhang, Rao Y. Surampalli, Verraboina Ubbaramaiah Jan 2023

Using Innovative Copper‑Loaded Activated Alumina (Cu/Aa) As The Catalyst For Catalytic Wet Peroxidation (Cwpo) Of Catechol, Vijayalakshmi Gosu, Archana Dhakar, Tian C. Zhang, Rao Y. Surampalli, Verraboina Ubbaramaiah

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

In this study, copper-loaded activated alumina (Cu/AA) was synthesized and used for the CWPO of catechol (a representative refractory organic pollutant). Various characterization techniques were deployed to characterize the catalysts, e.g., activated alumina (AA), as well as pristine and spent 1% Cu/AA. The innovative 1% Cu/AA catalyst exhibited good thermal stability up to 1173 K with a marginal weight loss of 13%. The Cu species were well dispersed on the activated alumina framework with no significant cluster formation. Typically, the average copper particle size of 5 nm was dispersed on the AA framework. Catechol removal was observed to be 92% …