Engineering Commons^™

Prevention Of Harmful Algal Blooms By The Mitigation Of Phosphorus Nutrient Loading Via Filtration By Steel Wool And Activated Carbon, Ronald Simpson, Sara Kidd, Samantha Zidd

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) are a devastating ecological and economic consequence of the abundance of nutrient-rich agricultural runoff entering aquatic ecosystems (Baker et al. 2014). Bio-available phosphorus from synthetic fertilizers is one of the major nutrients contributing to this global issue. Previous studies indicated that dissolved phosphorus can be removed from an aqueous environment when passed through a composite mixture of granular steel wool particles and activated carbon (Erickson, Gulliver, and Weiss, 2007). In this project, we conducted experiments using higher quality concentration measurements to determine what grades of steel wool (SW-0000, SW-000, SW-00) and types of activated carbon (granulated …

Autonomous Vehicles, Sarah Flis

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Some research objectives to be considered in this paper will include: What are the general advantages and disadvantages of having fully autonomous vehicles? What research has been done on the safety of them and what needs to be done to improve that safety? In order to have the safest and most efficient system for autonomous vehicles, will there be a place for older vehicles that require a human to operate in this new transportation system? Where does Ohio stand in the development of autonomous vehicles and what steps are they taking to prepare for such technology?

Another important research objective …

Analysis Of Standardized Concrete Mixes, Riley Graybeal

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Concrete is one of the most common materials used in construction. It is mass produced throughout the country, with numerous different designs for concrete mixes. A common practice among concrete manufacturers is to use a standardized concrete mix design. These standardized mix designs are pre-tested and are not usually altered frequently. The hypothesis of this research project is that manufacturers do not constantly investigate new ways to save on their mixes, and simply use the same standardized mix designs.

In this research, investigations into what alterations may reduce the cost of standardized mixes began with a baseline mix design provided …

Investigation Of Dredge Material Dewatering Through Hydraulic And Ground Improvement Methods, Monica Moody

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Every year almost 1.5 million tons of material is dredged from Lake Erie to allow passage for boat traffic. In the past, this material has been placed back into the open waters of the lake. However, starting July 2020 this will no long be permitted due to the passing of Senate Bill 1. Therefore, secondary uses of this dredging material are being investigated. To be used, the material needs to be quickly dewatered and stabilized. This project consists of literary reviews of two methods of rapid dewatering, hydraulic placement and ground improvement methods. Hydraulic placement dewatering requires the use of …

Artificial Intelligence In Wet Weather Infrastructure, Matt Hammerstein

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Effective management of runoff from rain and snowmelt is critical as increased water flows can negatively affect efficiency and reliability at treatment facilities, as well as potentially damage property or the natural environment. Implementation of artificial intelligence for real-time decision making and support in wet weather infrastructure is a recent technological development; as such, a problem has emerged: experience and knowledge of best practices for successful implementation is limited. Artificial intelligence is being employed to inform operational decisions that are intended to improve the efficiency and reliability of physical wet weather infrastructure. The goal of municipalities and utilities in utilizing …

Stormwater Infrastructure And The Threat Of Climate Change, Eric Mccaslin

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this report is to analyze the modernization of stormwater infrastructure systems and the growing impact of climate change on said systems. Growing population rates and increasing urban settlement are leading to the water demand approaching the water supply capacity. Climate change is the root of several potentially severe issues affecting water resources as well as the rapidly increasing coastal and urban populations including but not limited to rising sea levels and the increasing severity and frequency of storms. Many cities, especially older or low income ones, also may not have adequate systems in place to handle the …

Incorporation Of Contaminated Sediment Into Environmentally Safe Concrete, Andrew Needs

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The research performed through this project provided some interesting results on how the different properties of the contaminated sediment can impact the strength of the new concrete.

Average three, seven, and fourteen-day strengths increased when comparing to the baseline mix developed for the experiment. Increases in strengths were notices in the ten and twenty-five percent soil replacement mixes. The largest increase was approximately thirty-three percent greater than the baseline average.

The results from the forty percent replacement test showed a significant decrease in strengths when comparing against the baseline mix. A loss of about thirty percent was observed between the …

Artificial Intelligence Of Stormwater Operations, Eric Bednar

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The current infrastructure in our country will not be able to adequately support the growing demands of an exponentially increasing population. A rise in population contributes to a greater service demand necessary to treat sanitary sewer waste which in many cases contributes to the flow of combined sewers. When it comes to managing these combined sewers, rain and the snowmelt caused from climate changes are major factors that need to be addressed. Some water treatment facilities do not have the ability to treat the capacities or peak flows that a system experiences, resulting in combined sewer overflows which are both …

Artificial Intelligence In Wastewater Treatment Facilities: Implementing Practical New Technologies For The End User, Jordan Spano

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Design phase operator input can prove useful; however, it is not essential in every application, as Akron’s treatment plant implemented AI to increase treatment capacity without design-phase operator input. They implemented a system flight simulator, a few hours training, and have communicated with the designer to make system tweaks as needed. In larger applications, the owner may benefit greatly by incorporating design input from operational staff. Those representing a municipality as a project owner for a treatment plant upgrade should always maintain an active role in the design of smart water infrastructure. They must keep the operators in mind when …

Stabilization Of Dredged Materials In Ohio: An Investigation Of Mechanical, Chemical And Biological Dewatering Techniques, Erika Howard

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Each year, materials are excavated from oceans and lakes in order to keep the waterways open so that ships can safely pass through. These excavated, or dredged, materials are then discarded, usually being returned to the body of water from which they were removed. Beginning in 2020, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) will no longer allow this to occur. Therefore, the purpose of this project is to investigate beneficial uses for dredged materials in Lake Erie, and to address the best management practices for dewatering these materials, as set forth in the Lake Erie Protection and Restoration Plan created …