Engineering Commons^™

High-Strength Wastewater Treatment By Microalgae, Xin Yuan

Environmental & Water Resources Engineering Masters Projects

Microalgae spontaneously convert CO2 and supplementary nutrients into biomass in the presence of light via photosynthesis, and at much higher rates than convention oil-producing crops. Algal biomass can then be transformed into methane via anaerobic bacteria-mediated fermentation, or to biodiesel via lipid extraction, as well as other byproducts of secondary metabolism. Production of biofuel by microalgae can be made more sustainable through coupling microalgal biomass production with existing power generation and wastewater treatment infrastructure. On the other hand, integration of algal biofuel production into wastewater treatment plant anaerobic digestion infrastructure has the potential to increase biogas production, decrease high and …

Two-Stage Filtration To Control Manganse And Dbps At The Lantern Hill Water Treatment Plant, Minh Pham

Environmental & Water Resources Engineering Masters Projects

This research involved full- and pilot-scale studies of treatment of the Aquarion Water Company (AWC) Lantern Hill groundwater source. With elevated levels of both dissolved manganese (~0.19 mg/L), dissolved iron (~1.9 mg/L) and natural organic matter (NOM) (~3 mg/L) the existing treatment plant is having difficulty in achieving required manganese removal while maintaining low concentrations of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) in finished water. At full-scale, dissolved manganese in the raw water is removed through pre-filter oxidation and adsorption on iron precipitates via application of free chlorine and permanganate as well as adsorption of dissolved manganese onto MnOx(s) coated filter media (anthracite …

Regenerating Spent Zeolites With Uv And Uv/H2o2 To Enhance Removal Of Endocrine Disrupting Compounds, Safina Singh

Environmental & Water Resources Engineering Masters Projects

Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) have become contaminants of emerging concern due to their potential for harmful effects on human and ecological health, at low concentrations (ppb). As an alternative to conventional adsorption media, activate carbon, this study investigates feasibility of using high-silica, hydrophobic zeolites for the removal of EDCs through adsorption process. Zeolites are crystalline, porous alumino-silicate with well defined pore structures, and tetrahedral framework.

While traditional media regeneration processes are energy and cost intensive, evidence has been found that zeolites can be regenerated multiple times through relatively inexpensive methods using direct ultraviolet (UV) photolysis and advanced oxidation process (AOP). …

Western Woburn Greenway Study, Jennifer H. Masters, Bryan C. Aldeghi, Eric C. Kells, Maureen C. Pollock, Rebekah Lynne Decourcey, Carol Waag, Youjin Kwon, Kathryn E. Ostermier, Patrick T. Mcgeough, Ryan Patrick Ball

Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Studio and Student Research and Creative Activity

In spring 2010, the Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning at the University of Massachusetts Amherst was asked to complete a landscape planning study, the “Western Woburn Greenway Study” for the City of Woburn, MA. The study was undertaken by a team of graduate students, supervised by Professor Jack Ahern. The goals of that study are as follows.

The City of Woburn currently has two large parcel groups of undeveloped land, Whispering Hill (the north focus area) and Winning/Shannon Farms (the south focus area) that are, or may become, available for acquisition (see “Scope of Project” below). The first …

Route Choice Behavior In Risky Networks With Real-Time Information, Michael D. Razo

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

This research investigates route choice behavior in networks with risky travel times and real-time information. A stated preference survey is conducted in which subjects use a PC-based interactive maps to choose routes link-by-link in various scenarios. The scenarios include two types of maps: the first presenting a choice between one stochastic route and one deterministic route, and the second with real-time information and an available detour. The first type measures the basic risk attitude of the subject. The second type allows for strategic planning, and measures the effect of this opportunity on subjects' choice behavior.

Results from each subject are …

A Quantitative Analysis Of The Impacts From Selected Variables Upon Safety Belt Usage In Massachusetts, Samuel W. Gregorio

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

Safety belts are the most effective safety device in vehicles in terms of preventing injuries (1). Every year, safety belt usage data across the nation is collected by the individual states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories in a probability-based observational survey. Using this survey, Massachusetts, a secondary seat belt law state, ranked last in safety belt usage in 2008. This percentage was approximately a 2 percent decrease from 2007. This value was not an aberration as within the recent past, Massachusetts, a secondary safety belt law state, has consistently ranked at or near the bottom of the 50 …

Historic Bridge Evaluation Using Finite Element Techniques, Helena M. Charron

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

The present study examined the application of modern, computer-based analysis methods to two existing historic bridges in Massachusetts. The first bridge featured in this study is the Woronoco Bridge, a reinforced concrete open spandrel arch bridge that was constructed in 1923. It was hoped that a computer-based, parametric study of this bridge would prove it to be deck-stiffened, similar to select bridges of Swiss engineer Robert Maillart. However, the results do not support that there was any intent to reduce bending in the arch as a result of increasing the stiffness of the bridge deck. Instead, the Woronoco Bridge appears …

Investigation Of The Behavior Of Open Cell Aluminum Foam, Patrick J. Veale

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

The study investigates the behavior open cell aluminum foam in scenarios applicable to potential use in structural applications. Behavior was examined through mechanical testing, computer modeling and analytic expressions. Existing assumptions about the foam characteristics that define the elastic properties were expanded to include contributions of axial and shear deformations in addition to bending and were rewritten in terms of the axial and bending stiffness ratios of ligaments. Compressive and tensile tests were performed to gain a measure of the elastic properties of the foam as well as the behavior and failure mechanisms in both loading conditions. The materials used …

Material Characterization And Structural Response Of Historic Truss Bridges, Sean L. Kelton

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

Historic truss bridges are examined in this thesis through material characterization of wrought iron and structural evaluation of an early 20th century pony truss bridge. The mechanical properties of wrought iron from six 19th century truss bridges were evaluated through mechanical testing that includes hardness and tension tests. The main findings of this work are: 1) That hardness is a poor predictor of yield and ultimate stress but has some ability in screening iron for iron with low ductility, 2) there is a statistically significant difference in the distribution of yield and ultimate stresses between material samples from different bridges, …

Route Choice Behavior In A Driving Simulator With Real-Time Information, Hengliang Tian

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

This research studies travelers' route choice behavior in a driving simulator with real-time information en-route. We investigate whether travelers plan strategically for real-time information en-route or simply select a fixed path from origin to destination at the beginning of a trip, and whether network complexity and a parallel driving task affect subjects' strategic thinking ability. In this study, strategic thinking refers to a traveler's route choice decision taking into account future diversion possibilities downstream enabled by information at the diversion node. All of the subjects in this study participated in driving-simulator-based tests while half of the subjects participated in additional …

Earthquake Engineering Simulation With Flexible Cladding System, Jun Jie Li

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

This research investigates the interaction between heavy precast cladding units attached to steel framed buildings. Cladding systems are designed as non-structural components and are not expected to contribute to the energy absorption of the primary structure. However, research has indicated that the cladding system may be designed to reduce the response of the primary structure under seismic excitations. The use of flexible connections between the cladding and primary structural frames may be able to provide beneficial effects to the entire structural response. In this study, a series of earthquake engineering simulations were conducted in OPENSEES to analyze the effects of …

What Is Transportation Engineering, Michael A. Knodler

Science and Engineering Saturday Seminars

"The branch of engineering which applies technology, science, and human factors to the planning, design, operations and management of roads, streets, bikeways, highways, their networks, terminals, and abutting lands” The objective is to provide for the safe, rapid, comfortable, efficient, convenient, and environmentally compatible movement of people, goods, and services.

Antibiotics In The Environment, Erik Rosenfeldt

Science and Engineering Saturday Seminars

Issues with Emerging Contaminants in Water