Engineering Commons^™

What You Don’T See, Brent Sturlaugson

Architecture Faculty Publications

Follow the supply chains of architecture and you’ll find not just product manufacturers but also environmental polluters and elusive networks of financial power and political influence.

Ammonia And Carbon Dioxide Emissions Of Three Laying-Hen Housing Systems As Affected By Manure Accumulation Time, Timothy A. Shepherd, Hongwei Xin, John P. Stinn, Morgan D. Hayes, Yang Zhao, Hong Li

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Laying-hen housing design and management are the most significant factors affecting the generation and release of gaseous ammonia to the atmosphere. Transitioning the hen housing type from traditional high-rise (where manure is stored within the house for about one year) to modern manure-belt style (where manure is removed every 1 to 4 d and placed into long-term storage) has significantly improved in-barn air quality and reduced farm-level ammonia emissions. As a direct result of the advantages, 100% of new construction for U.S. egg production incorporates manure-belt systems that regularly remove manure from the houses. However, manure-belt system designs (e.g., active …

Metal-Based Nanoparticle Interactions With The Nervous System: The Challenge Of Brain Entry And The Risk Of Retention In The Organism, Robert A. Yokel, Eric A. Grulke, Robert C. Macphail

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

This review of metal-based nanoparticles focuses on factors influencing their distribution into the nervous system, evidence they enter brain parenchyma, and nervous system responses. Gold is emphasized as a model metal-based nanoparticle and for risk assessment in the companion review. The anatomy and physiology of the nervous system, basics of colloid chemistry, and environmental factors that influence what cells see are reviewed to provide background on the biological, physical–chemical, and internal milieu factors that influence nervous system nanoparticle uptake. The results of literature searches reveal little nanoparticle research included the nervous system, which about equally involved in vitro and in …

Context Sensitive Design – Thinking Beyond The Pavement: Documentation Of Workshop Development And Training, Jerry G. Pigman, Donald L. Hartman, Theodore Hopwood Ii, Kenneth R. Agent, Lenahan O'Connell, Nikiforos Stamatiadis, Patrick Tyndall

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report documents the development and presentation of the workshop titled “Thinking Beyond the Pavement – A Workshop on Context Sensitive Design”. Work began on the workshop development in 1998 after the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet was selected as one of the pilot states to implement a training program for context sensitive design. The Kentucky Transportation Center at the University of Kentucky was selected to develop and deliver the training to state personnel and consultants who were commonly involved with project development. The training course was comprised of the following four modules:

• Facilitated Communication and Public Involvement,
• Environmental Issues,
• Liability Issues, …

Assessing The Benefits Of Misting-Cooling Systems For Growing-Finishing Swine In Kentucky As Affected By Environment And Pig Placement Date, Thomas C. Bridges, R. S. Gates, Douglas G. Overhults, Larry W. Turner

Agricultural Engineering Extension Publications

The growth performance of animals is often affected by extreme environmental conditions. In the case of swine, generally a cold environment will increase feed intake as the pig strives to maintain body temperature, while warmer environments may reduce growth, increase body maintenance demands, and subject the animal to environmental stress. Confinement houses are widely used as a primary means of modifying the environment to improve conditions for the growth of swine. Environment in these structures is usually controlled by natural or mechanical ventilation and by insulation for cold climates and limited use of evaporative cooling for summertime conditions.

Magnetoelastic Sensing Apparatus And Method For Remote Pressure Query Of An Environment, Craig A. Grimes, Plamen G. Stoyanov, Dimitris Kouzoudis

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Patents

A pressure sensing apparatus for operative arrangement within an environment, having: a sensor comprising a hermetically-sealed receptacle, at least one side of which has an flexible membrane to which a magnetically hard element is attached. Enclosed within the receptacle is a magnetostrictive element that vibrates in response to a time-varying magnetic field. Also included is a receiver to measure a plurality of successive values for magneto-elastic emission intensity of the sensor taken over an operating range of successive interrogation frequencies to identify a resonant frequency value for the sensor. Additional features include: (a) the magnetically hard element may be adhered …

The Removal Of Lead-Based Paint From Steel Bridges, Theodore Hopwood Ii, Christopher M. Oberst

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The purpose of this study was to assist the Department of Highways in conducting bridge-painting operations involving removal of existing lead-based paint. Pertinent state and Federal regulations affecting generation of hazardous wastes, limiting environmental pollution and protecting public and worker safety were obtained and reviewed.State highway agendas were surveyed relative to how they conducted maintenance bridge painting involving lead-based. paints and comply with applicable regulations. Information from the painting industry related to sale removal of lead-based paints was also reviewed.

Based upon the reviews of applicable regulations, operations of other state highway agencies and painting industry practices, the best demonstrated …

Use Of High-Energy Radiation For Degradation Of Environmental Pollutants, Robert D. Guthrie, Manjiri Patwardhan

KWRRI Research Reports

The purpose of this project was to explore the advantages and/or limitations of high-energy radiation treatment as a method for degrading organic pollutants, particularly aryl halides, in an aqueous medium. We have done analyses of ⁶⁰Co-irradiated samples and kinetic studies using pulsed electron beams. For aryl halides containing no more than two fused rings, the main products detected are those of simple halogen replacement by hydrogen, although the amount of aryl halide destroyed was always greater than the total amount of products detected. To accomplish halogen replacement by H, the reaction solvent may not be pure water but must …

Mechanical Backup Systems For Electronic Environmental Controllers, Richard S. Gates, Douglas G. Overhults, Larry W. Turner

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

A series of mechanical backup systems for electronic environmental controllers is presented for a typical finishing swine barn and a typical tunnel ventilated broiler house. The systems consist of mechanical thermostats and timers used in parallel with the electronic controller, designed to ensure animal survival in the event of controller or related hardware failure. For swine housing, three distinct mechanical backup functions are identified; for broiler housing, four distinct mechanical backup functions are identified. Schematic diagrams of the mechanical backup functions are provided and their implementation is described.

A Survey Of Electronic Environmental Controllers, Richard S. Gates, Douglas G. Overhults, Larry W. Turner

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Sixteen commercially available electronic environmental controllers were evaluated. The units were classified according to enclosure type, analog versus microprocessor based control, power supply, sensors, alarms, control relays and triac output, interval timers, outside temperature feedback, and retail price. An assessment of these controllers indicated several critical limitations in the application of this technology.

The use of integrated controllers for animal production has the potential for substantial improvements in production efficiencies. If the limitations observed in the present controller technology, as represented by this sample, are addressed, industry acceptance of the technology can be accelerated. A uniform standard to address this …

Sensitivity Study Of 1986 Aashto Guide For Design Of Pavement Structures, Herbert F. Southgate

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

A sensitivity study of 14 items added to the 1986 AASHTO Guide for Design of Pavement Structures indicated: (1) variations in percent reliability were most influential on the design EAL for the same pavement structure while (2) variations in standard deviations had minimal effects. (3) Resilient moduli for base and subbase materials are very dependent upon stress state (or bulk stress). (4) A method was developed to quantify the effect of drainage capabilities for various soils and its effect upon reduction in structural coefficients for base and subbase materials. (5) Literature review revealed 13 relationships to define soil stiffness. The …