Engineering Commons^™

Global Change Factors On Ecosystem Invasibility, Raj Lal, Jeffrey Dukes, Michael J. Schuster, Nick G. Smith

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Current climate and human-induced changes are projected to alter many regimes of ecosystem functioning. It is projected that invasive species, nonnative species that can be of great detriment to an ecosystem, will benefit under these conditions. The Prairie Invasion and Climate Experiment (PRICLE) studies the effects of two global change factors – N addition and altered precipitation – on invasive species success and the traits that are selected for in a mixed-grass prairie ecosystem. PRICLE is a two by two factorial design over three replications in a restored mixed-grass prairie ecosystem. The major findings from the community traits examination of …

Improving Data Quality For A Dairy Pollutant Emissions Study, Ian K. Hahus, Albert J. Heber

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

The National Air Emissions Monitoring Study (NAEMS) was sanctioned by the EPA to determine the characteristics of airborne pollutant emissions from confined broiler, egg, pork, and dairy housing. Fifteen representative monitoring sites were selected around the U.S., at which influent and effluent pollutant concentrations were measured in conjunction with airflow and climatic data. Due to the monumental nature of this study and the potential ramifications of its findings, it is of vital importance that the data collected by the researchers and utilized by the EPA be as complete and accurate as possible. To improve the validity of the data collected …

Crystalline Cellulose – Atomistic Modeling Toolkit, Mateo Gomez, Pablo Zavattieri Dr.

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Nature has created efficient strategies to make materials with hierarchical internal structure that often exhibit exceptional mechanical properties. One such example is found in cellulose, in fact it is eight times stronger than stainless steel and advantage is that cellulose incredibly cheap, because processing is obtained from purified wood pulp (it is environmental friendly). The most prevalent modeling technique to study the fundamental mechanical behavior of the crystalline cellulose has been Molecular Dynamics (MD). As a predictive tool, MD allows us to study the behavior of crystalline cellulose at the atomic level, and as such, it accurately predicts the crystalline …

Absorption Simulation ( Absim ) Software Development, Vipul Vishnu Bhat, Ming Qu

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Researchers working on air conditioning systems currently use a software called ABSIM ( Absorption Simulation ) to evaluate current absorption systems or simulate new system designs. ABSIM was developed at Oak Ridge National Labs in the 1980s and the latest platform it is compatible with is Windows XP. ABSIM is not compatible on newer platforms and is not very user friendly. A lot of the actions involved in using ABSIM aren’t very intuitive. The goal is to develop a more user friendly simulation program that is based off of ABSIM and see to it that the program can be deployed …

Semi-Active Structural Control Of A 2-Story Shear Building, Alana K. Wilbee, Shirley Dyke

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

With continuing urban development across the world, it is becoming ever more important to provide increased structural safety against events such as earthquakes and strong winds. The field of structural control has recently been growing to meet these challenges through the use of semi-active control methods, such as the Magnetorheological (MR) Damper. However, due to the non-linearity of the device, the knowledge base surrounding the MR Damper and its various control algorithms still needs to be strengthened before large-scale implementation of this control method can occur. To address these issues, this study will examine a two story benchmark structure using …

Compression Testing And Failure Modes Of Steel-Concrete Composite (Sc) Structures For Nuclear Containment, Patrick Michael Wanamaker, Amit H. Varma

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Although being able to provide much cleaner power than burning coal and other fossil fuels, nuclear power plants are still a tough sell to the general public due to their history of being spontaneously dangerous. The containment structures surrounding these nuclear plants, however, can play a huge role in reducing the risks associated with them. Relatively new designs for these containment assemblies, known as SC (steel-concrete composite) structures, aim to increase the strength and durability of the containment facilities while keeping costs down. By varying the spacing between shear studs, the ratio of concrete to steel, and the ratio of …

Modeling Target Disinfection By-Product Dynamics In Indoor Swimming Pools, Barnard S. Mondal, Cary Troy, Mehrnaz Afifi, Shih-Chi Weng, Ernest R. Blatchley Iii

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Chlorination is the primary disinfection method for swimming pools in the United States; however, chlorine also reacts with pollutants (e.g., sweat, urine and anthropogenic compounds) to form disinfection by-products (DBPs). Some DBPs are asthma causing (e.g. nitrogen-trichloride) and even carcinogens (e.g., trihalomethanes and nitrosamines). Consequently, exposure to DBPs poses health risks to patrons and staff in pool environments. Furthermore, volatilization of DBPs is enhanced by bather activity, but the relationship between activity and volatilization has yet been quantified such that the dynamic behavior of DBPs can be predicted. Therefore, the objective of this research is to …

Real-Time-Hybrid-Simulation Of Multi-Degree-Of-Freedom Systems With Multiple Time Steps, Lanxi Liu, Arun Prakash

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Computational simulation and physical experiments are both widely used in testing the response of a structure under earthquake loadings, but physical experiments can be expensive for large problems and numerical may result in the loss of important structural behavior caused by a large amount of assumptions. Real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS) is a combination of these two approaches, which uses both a numerical and physical substructures that interact in real time to simulate structural behavior. The numerical and physical substructures are connected using a transfer system that enforces compatibility between them. The physical substructure needs to be run at a very …

Insights Into The Effect Of Geometrical Parameters In The Mechanical Properties Of The Radular Teeth Of The Cryptochiton Stelleri – A 3d Print Approach, Chan Jeong, Enrique Escobar, Pablo Zavattieri Dr.

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

The Cryptochiton Stelleri is known to have ultra-hard radular teeth that have one of the largest hardness (9-12GPa) and stiffness (90-125GPa) among other biological materials such as Enamel and Abalone shell. The ultrastructure of the teeth is formed by a bundle of highly mineralized rods composed of iron oxides and organic material. The main method to measure the material properties has been through nanoindentation. However there are limitations to nanoindentation of the Chiton’s teeth such as limited equipment, costly and time consuming preparation of the samples, and observation of nanoscale features being difficult. In this work, the rod-like microstructure of …

Deep-Water Near-Bottom Turbulence In Lake Michigan: An Underwater Investigation, David J. Cannon, Cary Troy

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Motivated by a need to characterize near-bottom deep-water turbulence for an understanding of the filtration capabilities of invasive quagga mussels, an instrument tripod was deployed in Lake Michigan for six months in 60m of water to measure current velocities, with specific interest being paid to near-bottom (0.10 to 0.95 meters above bottom) velocities during the deployment. The deployment period (September 2012-April 2013) was characterized by very little stratification and a median temperature of about throughout the water column. A mean horizontal velocity of 3.6 cm/s with a standard deviation of 2 cm/s was also measured at 1 meter above the …

Environmental Monitoring In Preparation For The Installation Of A Green Roof, Andrew N. Martin, Ming Qu

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Green roofs are becoming an increasingly popular way to improve the environmental, economic, and aesthetic performance of both new and existing buildings. Along with the green roofs themselves, it is also common to install sensors to measure various environmental parameters that are affected by or important to the operation of the roof such as precipitation, temperature, and runoff. However, for most of these systems, the sensors are installed at the same time or even after the green roof. Therefore, no before-and-after comparisons can be made for those roofs. To account for this missing data, monitoring equipment was installed on a …

Recursive Multi-Time-Step Coupling Of Multiple Subdomains, Yukun An, Payton Lindsay, Xiaowo Wang, Arun Prakash

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

The need for efficient computation methods for modeling of large-scale structures has become critically important over the past few years. Efficient means of analysis often involve coupling in space through domain decomposition and multi scale methods in time. The multi-time-step coupling method is a coupling method in time which allows for efficient analysis of large-scale problems for structural dynamics where a large structural model is decomposed into smaller subdomains that are solved independently and then coupled back together to obtain the global solution. For coupling of more than two subdomains that are solved at different timesteps, we employ recursive methods. …

Estimation Of Two-Stage Ditch Excavation Volume Using Lidar Data Full Paper, Kirsten E. Paff, Jane Frankenberger, Naime Celik

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Drainage ditches are a major pathway for sediment, nutrients, and pesticides to enter stream systems, which threaten environmental and human health. Unlike trapezoidal ditches, two-stage ditches have a vegetated bench that acts as a floodplain, which helps to prevent erosion and to increase the processing of nutrients to improve water quality. Converting a trapezoidal ditch to a two-stage ditch is expensive, due to the large volumes of soil that need to be excavated. Since ditch geometries vary significantly and surveying each potential site by hand would be time consuming and expensive, a tool based upon online Light Detection and Ranging …

Trail Data Acquisition, Amy Hartzog, Greg Lindsey, Rory Robinson

Purdue Road School

Trail usage is one of the most frequently asked questions when planning and maintaining trails. From building justification to maintenance dollars, community leaders want to know how many people are being served by the trail. This session will explain to the attendees the different data collection methods, how the data can be collected and used, and why it is so important.

Combination Treatments For Pavement Preservation, Pierre Peltier

Purdue Road School

The benefits of several common preservation treatments will be discussed. The application and special considerations for the combination of treatments including cape seals, stress absorbing membrane interlayers, fog seals over chip seals, and surface treatments over crack treatments will all be discussed. These tailored combination treatments can provide a durable and cost-effective method for improving the pavement condition.

Use Of Liquid Routes For Winter Maintenance, Bryan Donze, Jim Scheffer, Stacy Flick, Phil Ivy

Purdue Road School

This presentation provides a discussion of the use of liquid routes for winter maintenance in INDOT’s LaPorte District.

Indiana Motor Vehicle Highway Fund: A Discussion On Revenues, Distributions And Expenses, Dan Bastin

Purdue Road School

This session discusses the revenues, distributions, and expenses that make up the MVH fund. Presenters will cover the different types of revenue that make up Indiana’s transportation funding and follow the path of those revenues through the funding formula. Also discussed will be the different expenses incurred by the fund each year and formulas as described in the Indiana Code.

The Role Of Asphalt Rejuvenators In Pavement Preservation, Jim Brownridge

Purdue Road School

Efforts of the National Center for Pavement Preservation, the FHWA and various users groups such as AEMA, ARRA, and ISSA have brought agency managers’ attention to pavement preservation. Agencies are evaluating alternatives to provide a cost-effective pavement maintenance program. This presentation will focus on the history, composition, and effectiveness of rejuvenators as well as where and how to use them to provide a lower cost maintenance alternative to push out maintenance curves.

Transition Spans, Tom Bolte

Purdue Road School

The design build team will provide an overview of the Madison Milton Ohio River Bridge Project construction. There will be a brief discussion of the design-build process. Specific discussions of the retrofits to the existing caissons and piers that allowed for the existing substructure to be reused as well as discussions of the truss design, erection, span lifts, and sliding will be provided.

"Span D” Ky Sliding Span, Tom Bolte

Purdue Road School

The design build team will provide an overview of the Madison Milton Ohio River Bridge Project construction. There will be a brief discussion of the design-build process. Specific discussions of the retrofits to the existing caissons and piers that allowed for the existing substructure to be reused as well as discussions of the truss design, erection, span lifts, and sliding will be provided.

Indot Qc/Qa Earthwork And Intelligent Compaction Us 31/Us 35 At Kokomo, Kurt Sommer

Purdue Road School

This presentation discusses a 2012 case study using QC/QA Earthwork Specifications and Intelligent Compaction Rollers for soils.

INDOT Contract IR-30111 in Greenfield District on US 31/ US 35 at Kokomo used this process in 2012 and continuing into 2013 for the control and acceptance of approximately 1 million cubic yards of earthwork.

Indiana Trails Report, Dale Brier, Peter Fridtz, Dawn Ritchie

Purdue Road School

With populations concentrating in urban areas and the push for healthier living, biking and walking to work and other destinations are becoming more acceptable in the United States. With the ever-expanding network of trails in Indiana, the public is realizing the benefit of utilizing trails for daily commuting. This session will show what it takes for a community to embrace non-motorized commuters. We’ll also discuss the health and financial benefits of leaving your vehicle at home. Finally, we’ll get a statewide trails update from the Department of Natural Resources.

Design Visualization And Dynamic Assignment Of Traffic Volumes, Ting Wei, Paul Jarboe, Amanda Johnson

Purdue Road School

Design visualization for transportation projects is important for public outreach and facilitating stakeholder communications. Incorporating dynamic objects such as traffic elements can help in illustrating how the facility operates. This presentation will discuss the selection of design visualization products as well as best practices for their use. The presentation will also provide a discussion of Dynamic Assignment of Traffic Volumes (DTA) which takes driver expectations into consideration and provides a way for traffic engineers to evaluate traffic demand within a network based on impedance identified in the network.

Bim Transportation Sector: Lidar And Mobile Mapping, Rick Hammond

Purdue Road School

This presentation discusses building information modeling as it relates to the transportation sector. The presentation will cover the associated technology as well as integration of processes for survey, utility/obstruction coordination, design, and construction. Other applications of the technology including asset management will be discussed.

Everyday Road Safety, Laura Slusher, Rick Drumm

Purdue Road School

This presentation discusses methods that can be used to improve safety as a part of routine activities. Safety program updates related to MAP 21 will be discussed.

Change Order Approval Process On Federal-Aid Projects, Bren I. George-Nwabugwu Sr.

Purdue Road School

This session discusses the change order approval process.

Pathways And Bike Lanes: A Local Perspective, Tim Burkman, Allan Henderson, Mitch Barloga

Purdue Road School

Communities across Indiana are developing visions for both on-and-off-road non-motorized facilities that will provide convenient and safe options to link people, schools, businesses, parks, natural resources, and other destinations with each other as well as to adjacent communities and resources. Learn more in this session about off-road trails and on-road bike infrastructure such as bike lanes and how to combine the facilities to create a connected, non-motorized transportation network. This session alsos explore the benefits to users from improved walking and cycling conditions and the various benefits to society from increased non-motorized travel, reduced automobile travel, and support for more …

Spray Injection Road Repair, Cliff Dickehut

Purdue Road School

In today’s challenging economic times, agencies are looking for ways to better manage their assets. Strategies for pavement maintenance will assist in extending the life of current infrastructure. Spray injection road repair will be discussed as a strategy to improve an agencies pavement management program.

Using High-Resolution Weather Data To Improve Winter Weather Maintenance Operations, Michael Baldwin

Purdue Road School

Substantial resources are required for winter maintenance operations. This presentation focuses on more accurate and precise weather information that can help reduce the uncertainty related to winter weather, resulting in improved decision-making and significant cost savings for winter operations.

Madison Milton Design Build Bridge Construction, Murray Johnson

Purdue Road School

The design build team will provide an overview of the Madison Milton Ohio River Bridge Project construction. There will be a brief discussion of the design-build process. Specific discussions of the retrofits to the existing caissons and piers that allowed for the existing substructure to be reused as well as discussions of the truss design, erection, span lifts, and sliding will be provided.