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Full-Text Articles in Civil and Environmental Engineering

Input Uncertainty On Watershed Modeling: Evaluation Of Precipitation And Air Temperature Data By Latent Variables Using Swat, Ruoyu Wang Oct 2018

Input Uncertainty On Watershed Modeling: Evaluation Of Precipitation And Air Temperature Data By Latent Variables Using Swat, Ruoyu Wang

Ruoyu Wang

Latent variables (i.e., normally distributed random noise) provide valuable information regarding model input uncertainty. Watershed processes have been explored with sophisticated simulation models in the past few decades and researchers have found that incorporating the uncertainty attributed to forcing inputs, model parameters, and measured data, can help improve simulation results, however, not in all cases. Latent variable use requires careful consideration to determine if results are better or worse. In this study, latent variables were implemented to both precipitation and air temperature data to investigate the influence on model predictions and associated predictive uncertainty by using the Soil and Water …


Mathematical Model Of The Shell With The Infill For Retaining Structures, Alexander T. Bekker, Nikita Ya. Tsimbelman, Dmitriy A. Potyanikhin, Andrey I. Mamontov, Ömer Bilgin, Tatiana I. Chernova Apr 2017

Mathematical Model Of The Shell With The Infill For Retaining Structures, Alexander T. Bekker, Nikita Ya. Tsimbelman, Dmitriy A. Potyanikhin, Andrey I. Mamontov, Ömer Bilgin, Tatiana I. Chernova

Ömer Bilgin

A description of finite element model and analysis of a shell with an infill is performed. A large diameter thin cylindrical shell structure with the edge leaning against compressible foundation soil is analyzed. Different materials are considered individually for the models of each structure shell and infill component (metal or reinforced concrete shell, and granular or elastic infill in a shell and foundation soil loaded by the structure). Contact conditions between 1) the infill and the shell’s inner surface and 2) between the foundation material and the shell edge are analyzed. An example of calculating strain conditions in the shell …


The Quasi-Static Deformation, Failure, And Fracture Behavior Of Titanium Alloy Gusset Plates Containing Bolt Holes, Therese Hurtuk, Craig Menzemer, Anil Patnaik, Tirumalai Srivatsan, Kannan Manigandan, T. Quick Oct 2015

The Quasi-Static Deformation, Failure, And Fracture Behavior Of Titanium Alloy Gusset Plates Containing Bolt Holes, Therese Hurtuk, Craig Menzemer, Anil Patnaik, Tirumalai Srivatsan, Kannan Manigandan, T. Quick

Craig Menzemer

In this article, the influence of bolt holes, specifically their number and layout on strength, deformation, and final fracture behavior of titanium alloy gusset plates under the influence of an external load is presented and discussed. Several plates having differences in both the number and layout of the bolt holes were precision machined and then deformed under quasi-static loading. The specific influence of number of bolt holes and their layout on maximum load-carrying capability and even fracture load was determined. The conjoint influence of bolt number, bolt layout pattern, nature of loading, contribution from local stress concentration, and intrinsic microstructural …


The Quasi-Static Deformation, Failure, And Fracture Behavior Of Titanium Alloy Gusset Plates Containing Bolt Holes, Therese Hurtuk, Craig Menzemer, Anil Patnaik, Tirumalai Srivatsan, Kannan Manigandan, T. Quick Aug 2015

The Quasi-Static Deformation, Failure, And Fracture Behavior Of Titanium Alloy Gusset Plates Containing Bolt Holes, Therese Hurtuk, Craig Menzemer, Anil Patnaik, Tirumalai Srivatsan, Kannan Manigandan, T. Quick

Anil Patnaik

In this article, the influence of bolt holes, specifically their number and layout on strength, deformation, and final fracture behavior of titanium alloy gusset plates under the influence of an external load is presented and discussed. Several plates having differences in both the number and layout of the bolt holes were precision machined and then deformed under quasi-static loading. The specific influence of number of bolt holes and their layout on maximum load-carrying capability and even fracture load was determined. The conjoint influence of bolt number, bolt layout pattern, nature of loading, contribution from local stress concentration, and intrinsic microstructural …


Municipal Solid Wastes And Water Quality Issues In Nigeria, S Isiorho, D Omole Oct 2013

Municipal Solid Wastes And Water Quality Issues In Nigeria, S Isiorho, D Omole

S Isiorho

No abstract provided.


Climate Change Adaptation Chapter: Marshfield, Massachusetts, Joshua H. Chase, Jonathan G. Cooper, Rory Elizabeth Fitzgerald, Filipe Antunes Lima, Sally R. Miller, Toni Marie Pignatelli Feb 2013

Climate Change Adaptation Chapter: Marshfield, Massachusetts, Joshua H. Chase, Jonathan G. Cooper, Rory Elizabeth Fitzgerald, Filipe Antunes Lima, Sally R. Miller, Toni Marie Pignatelli

Sally Miller

Climate change, understood as a statistically significant variation in the mean state of the climate or its variability, is the greatest environmental challenge of this generation (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2001). Marshfield is already being affected by changes in the climate that will have a profound effect on the town’s economy, public health, coastal resources, natural features, water systems, and public and private infrastructure. Adaptation strategies have been widely recognized as playing an important role in improving a community’s ability to respond to climate stressors by resisting damage and recovering quickly. Based on review of climate projections for the …


Evaluation Of Beach Nourishment Evolution Models Using Data From Two South Carolina Beaches: Folly Beach And Hunting Island, Sc, Usa, Harry Weathers, George Voulgaris Dec 2012

Evaluation Of Beach Nourishment Evolution Models Using Data From Two South Carolina Beaches: Folly Beach And Hunting Island, Sc, Usa, Harry Weathers, George Voulgaris

George Voulgaris

Beach nourishment is a common method used for mitigating coastal erosion. However, it is also a costly undertaking and requires an appropriate cost-to-benefit analysis. Although the costs can be estimated relatively easily, the benefits are directly related to the life expectancy of the proposed project. With this in mind, three existing beach replenishment time-evolution models (the Linear Erosion, the Verhagen, and the One-Line models) were compared for their ability to represent data from two beach nourishment projects that have taken place in South Carolina, USA, at Folly Beach and Hunting Island. Another newly introduced model that combines the One-Line model …


Wave Transmission And Water Setup Behind An Emergent Rubble-Mound Breakwater, Lorenzo Cappietti, Douglas Sherman, Jean Ellis Dec 2012

Wave Transmission And Water Setup Behind An Emergent Rubble-Mound Breakwater, Lorenzo Cappietti, Douglas Sherman, Jean Ellis

Jean Taylor Ellis

No abstract provided.


First-Order Catchment Mass Balance During The Wet Season In The Panama Canal Watershed, Fred Ogden Aug 2012

First-Order Catchment Mass Balance During The Wet Season In The Panama Canal Watershed, Fred Ogden

Fred L. Ogden

Tropical hydrology is poorly understood for a number of reasons. Intense biological activity in the tropics introduces complexities to the hydrologic process. Bioturbation, rapid rates of decay, and intensive insect activity all tend to promote rapid flow paths in the upper soil. Aggressive weathering leads to clays depleted of light cations and deep soil profiles. Processes in the seasonal tropics are further complicated by seasonal transitions, and very large changes in catchment storage between seasons. Beginning in 2005, we installed a suite of hydrologic sensors in a 16.7 ha first-order catchment in the Panama Canal Watershed to observe hydrologic variables …


Bioretention: Evaluating Their Effectiveness For Improving Water Quality In New England Urban Environments, Mary Dehais Mar 2012

Bioretention: Evaluating Their Effectiveness For Improving Water Quality In New England Urban Environments, Mary Dehais

Mary Dehais

Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution is one of the leading causes of water quality problems in the United States. Bioretention has become one of the more frequently used stormwater management practices for addressing NPS pollution in urbanized watersheds in New England. Yet despite increased acceptance, bioretention is not widely practiced. This study explores and evaluates the efficacy of bioretention for protecting urban water quality. This research found that numerous monitoring methods are used by researchers and industry experts to assess the effectiveness of stormwater best management practices (BMPs) and low impact development (LID) practices that include bioretention. The two most common …


Exploring The Effects Of Aperture Size, Aperture Variability And Matrix Properties On Biocolloid Retention In A Single, Saturated Fracture, Margaret Burke Jan 2012

Exploring The Effects Of Aperture Size, Aperture Variability And Matrix Properties On Biocolloid Retention In A Single, Saturated Fracture, Margaret Burke

Sarah E Dickson

No abstract provided.


Reverse Logic - Safety Of Spent Nuclear Fuel Disposal, Antti Lempinen, Marianne Silvan-Lempinen Dec 2010

Reverse Logic - Safety Of Spent Nuclear Fuel Disposal, Antti Lempinen, Marianne Silvan-Lempinen

Antti Lempinen

No abstract provided.


Effect Of Spontaneous Gas Expansion And Mobilization On The Aqueous-Phase Concentrations Above A Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid Pool., Kevin G. Mumford, James Smith, Sarah E. Dickson Dec 2009

Effect Of Spontaneous Gas Expansion And Mobilization On The Aqueous-Phase Concentrations Above A Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid Pool., Kevin G. Mumford, James Smith, Sarah E. Dickson

Sarah E Dickson

This paper presents a framework to quantify the overall variability of the model estimations of Total Polychlorinated Biphenyls (Total PCBs) concentrations in the Niagara River on the basis of the uncertainty of few model parameters and the natural variability embedded in some of the model input variables. The results of the uncertainty analysis are used to understand the importance of stochastic model components and their effect on the overall reliability of the model output and to evaluate multiple sources of uncertainty that might need to be further studied. The uncertainty analysis is performed using a newly developed point estimate method, …


A Method For Computing Infiltration And Redistribution In A Discretized Moisture Content Domain, Fred L. Ogden Jul 2008

A Method For Computing Infiltration And Redistribution In A Discretized Moisture Content Domain, Fred L. Ogden

Fred L. Ogden

A new one-dimensional infiltration and redistribution method is proposed as an alternative to the Richards equation (RE) for coupled surface and subsurface models. The proposed method discretizes soil water content into hypothetical hydraulically interacting bins. The entry and propagation of displacement fronts in each bin are simulated by means of explicit infiltration and drainage approximations based on capillary and gravitational driving forces. Wetting front advances within bins create water deficits that are satisfied by capillary-driven interbin flow. The method inherently provides numerical stability by precluding the need to directly estimate nonlinear gradients through numerical schemes. Comparisons of the performance of …


Digital Elevation Accuracy And Grid Cell Size: Effects On Computed Topographic Attributes, Rob H. Erskine, Timothy R. Green Dec 2006

Digital Elevation Accuracy And Grid Cell Size: Effects On Computed Topographic Attributes, Rob H. Erskine, Timothy R. Green

Timothy R. Green

Terrain attributes are commonly used to explain the spatial variability of agronomic, pedologic, and hydrologic variables. The terrain attributes studied here (elevation, slope, aspect, and curvature) are estimated readily from digital elevation models (DEMs), but questions remain about how the accuracy and sample spacing of the elevation data affect the estimated attributes. The main objective of this study was to quantify differences in each terrain attribute due to factors affecting DEM accuracy and grid cell size. Three data sources were compared: (i) real-time kinematic global positioning system (RTKGPS); (ii) satellite-differentially corrected global positioning system (DGPS); and (iii) U.S. Geological Survey …


Runoff Production In The Upper Rio Chagres Watershed, Panama, Fred Ogden Dec 2004

Runoff Production In The Upper Rio Chagres Watershed, Panama, Fred Ogden

Fred L. Ogden

Runoff production in tropical watersheds is governed by a wide variety of potential sources and there have been few rigorous studies to date. The 414 km2 upper Río Chagres basin offers a unique opportunity to better understand the runoff production mechanisms in tropical watersheds through data analysis and modeling with rainfall and runoff data. Flow data and tipping bucket rain gage data are available at both the basin outlet (Chico gage) and for an 80.6 km2 internal basin location (Piedras gage). Modeling is performed using the Sacramento Soil Moisture Accounting Model (SAC-SMA), calibrated using data from 2000 and verified using …


Numerical Investigation Of Saturated Source Area Behavior At The Small Catchment Scale, Fred L. Ogden Dec 2003

Numerical Investigation Of Saturated Source Area Behavior At The Small Catchment Scale, Fred L. Ogden

Fred L. Ogden

The objective of this research is to explore the relationship between small catchment properties and the temporal growth and decay of saturated source areas (SSA). A simple physics-based hydrologic model, which we call the Sandbox model, is developed for this purpose. A thorough sensitivity analysis is undertaken to evaluate model response to variations in model parameters. Sandbox model output is compared to that from the semi-distributed conceptual model, TOPMODEL, a model with a wide spread acceptance. Plotting the temporal evolution of the extent of saturated source area versus catchment average soil water content dur- ing a number of wetting and …


Sediment Control At Water Intakes Along Sand Bed Rivers, Fred L. Ogden May 1998

Sediment Control At Water Intakes Along Sand Bed Rivers, Fred L. Ogden

Fred L. Ogden

Results from five physical hydraulic model studies of riverside water intakes situated along the Missouri River reach between Sioux City, Iowa, and St. Louis, Missouri, are presented. Movable-bed, undistorted Froude-scale models are used to determine the effectiveness of structural modifications in the vicinity of the intake to limit the influx of bed-load sediments. Solutions developed in each case include a series of submerged flow-turning vanes located on the riverward side of the intake. A sediment-barrier wall between the vanes and intake ...


Green And Ampt Infiltration With Redistribution, Fred L. Ogden Aug 1997

Green And Ampt Infiltration With Redistribution, Fred L. Ogden

Fred L. Ogden

Distributed, physically based watershed and irrigation advance models require robust infiltration estimation capabilities. The empirical Green and Ampt (GA) equation of infiltration is a popular method for estimating infiltration. The GA parameters have physical basis and considerable prior research has focused on relating these parameters to soil textural classification. However, the original GA method is limited in that it is applicable only for a single ponding period. An explicit Green and Ampt redistribution (GAR) technique is developed herein to estimate interstorm redistribution of soil water and allow multiple ponding simulations using the GA methodology. Soil water redistribution during interponding periods …