Civil Engineering Commons^™

Evaluation Of The Role Of Driver’S Knowledge Of Who Has The Right-Of-Way Contributes To Interstate On-Ramp Crashes, Deogratias Eustace, Vamsi Krishna Indupuru

Deogratias Eustace

The knowledge of drivers on who has the right-of-way between the one on mainline lanes of a freeway and the one entering the freeway through on-ramp junction lane was evaluated. In addition, drivers’ opinions on how to make the on-ramp junctions safer were collected. A survey instrument with 21 items requesting drivers’ information in regard with demographics, freeway driving experience, knowledge of right-of-way and merging practices was used for data collection. The results show that crashes are relatively rare events and for some reasons, most of them never happen but result into near misses, which can not be reported and …

Large-Scale Flexible Membrane For Automatic Strain Monitoring Of Transportation Infrastructure, Simon Laflamme, Venkata D. Kolipara, Hussam S. Saleem, Randall L. Geiger

Randall Geiger

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) of transportation infrastructures is a complex task, typically conducted by visual inspection due to the technical and economical constrains of existing health monitoring technologies. It results that health monitoring is highly dependent on scheduling and on the judgment of the inspectors, which can be costly and ineffective. Thus, it is fundamental to automate the SHM process to allow timely inspection, maintenance, and management of transportation infrastructure. The authors propose a flexible membrane that can be deployed over large surfaces, at low cost, for automatic and continuous monitoring of strains. The membrane, termed sensing skin, is constituted …

Data Provisioning For The Object Modeling System (Oms), Jack R. Carlson, Olaf David, Wes J. Lloyd, George H. Leavesley, Ken W. Rojas, Timothy R. Green, Mazdak Arabi, Lucas Yaege, Hom Kipka

Wes Lloyd

The Object Modelling System (OMS) platform supports initiatives to build or re-factor agro-environmental models and deploy them in different business contexts as model services on cloud computing platforms. Whether traditional desktop, client-server, or emerging cloud deployments, success especially at the enterprise level relies on stable and efficient data provisioning to the models. In this paper we describe recent experience and trends with tools and services deployed to cloud platforms. Also, systematic, sustained data stewardship and alignment with standards organizations impart stability to data provisioning efforts.

The Virtual Machine (Vm) Scaler: An Infrastructure Manager Supporting Environmental Modeling On Iaas Clouds, Wes J. Lloyd, Olaf David, Mazdak Arabi, James C. Ascough Ii, Timothy R. Green, Jack R. Carlson, Ken W. Rojas

Wes Lloyd

Infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) clouds provide a new medium for deployment of environmental modeling applications. Harnessing advancements in virtualization, IaaS clouds can provide dynamic scalable infrastructure to better support scientific modeling computational demands. Providing scientific modeling “as-a-service” requires dynamic scaling of server infrastructure to adapt to changing user workloads. This paper presents the Virtual Machine (VM) Scaler, an autonomic resource manager for IaaS Clouds. We have developed VM-Scaler, a REST/JSON-based web services application which supports infrastructure provisioning and management to support scientific modeling for the Cloud Services Innovation Platform (CSIP) [Lloyd et al. 2012]. VM-Scaler harnesses the Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) …

Metadata For Describing Water Models, Mohamed M. Morsy, Jonathan L. Goodall, Christina Bandaragoda, Anthony M. Castronova, Jane Greenberg

Anthony Castronova

Computer models are widely used in hydrology and water resources management. A large variety of models exist, each tailored to address specific challenges related to hydrologic science and water resources management. When scientists and engineers apply one of these models to address a specific question, they must devote significant effort to set up, calibrate, and evaluate that model instance built for some place and time. In many cases, there is a benefit to sharing these computer models and associated datasets with the broader scientific community. Core to model reuse in any context is metadata describing the model. A standardized metadata …

A Computer Program For Optimal Control Of Water Supply Pump Stations: Development And Testing, Donald V. Chase

Donald V. Chase

This report presents an optimal control methodology designed to reduce the electrical consumption and operating costs at Army water supply pumping stations. The methodology, contained in a computer program called Optimal Control of Pumping Stations (OCOPS), enables water utility managers and operators to reduce the electrical consumption at pumping stations while maintaining adequate storage and system pressures for fire protection. OCOPS can be applied to any water distribution system and is not limited to any number of pumps, pump stations, or storage tanks within the system. The optimal control strategy developed is based on electricity unit charges, but can be …

Water Distribution Modeling, Thomas M. Walski, Donald V. Chase, Dragan A. Savic

Donald V. Chase

To effectively use water distribution models, the engineer must be able to link knowledge of basic hydraulic theory and the mechanics of the program with that of the operation of real-world systems. Water Distribution Modeling does just that. Written by industry experts, it provides a practical resource for engineers and modelers that goes well beyond being a how-to guide for typing data into a computer program. It contains straightforward answers to common questions related both to modeling and to distribution systems in general. This textbook walks the practicing engineer or student through the modeling process from start to finish — …

Performance Comparison Of A Roundabout Versus Two-Way Stop Controlled (Twsc) Intersections, Deogratias Eustace

Deogratias Eustace

The superior safety record of modern roundabouts is well known in Western Europe, Australia and in most British-influenced countries around the world. The experience from a single modern roundabout installed in the City of Manhattan, Kansas, some three years ago, also shares the same experience. A major study of the performance of Manhattan, Kansas, modern roundabout was conducted at Kansas State University (KSU) and was co-sponsored by Mac-Blackwell National Rural Transportation Study Center, Kansas State University, and the City of Manhattan. The study examined three intersections, one modern roundabout and two Two-Way Stop Controlled (TWSC) intersections with similar traffic conditions. …

A Simplified Method For Analyzing Factors Contributing To Motorcyclists’ Fatal Injuries In Ohio, Deogratias Eustace, Vamsi Krishna Indupuru

Deogratias Eustace

The aim of this paper was to analyze traffic crash data by using a simplified method in determining significant factors that increase the risk of a motorcyclist being fatally injured once involved in a motorcycle crash in Ohio. The concept of overrepresentation, which is similar to relative risk, was used in identifying significant variables associated with the elevated risk of a motorcycle crash resulting into a fatality. The overrepresentation factor (ORF) was calculated for each variable of interest. The ORF offers a simple but powerful procedure of determining whether a certain factor significantly occurs more or less frequently in one …

Book Review, Earthea Nance

Earthea Nance, PhD (Stanford University, 2004)

Book Review published in the journal Water International (2015) The topic… “The book builds upon Nance’s research and presents a comprehensive account of Brazil’s experience of implementing condominial sewerage.” The topic… “From the very beginning, the author expresses her concerns in escaping from preconceived ideas about conventional and participatory development, positioning her views within a third wave of post-structural development discourse, neither universalist nor relativist, that is neither denying nor overvaluing the social content of development.” Research methods… “Nance manages to do so by integrating different areas of established knowledge and examining her research issue from a privileged historical perspective. …

Analiza Rozwoju Fragmentu Zabudowy Miasta Torunia Na Podstawie Zdjęć Z Landsat7 Z Wykorzystaniem Map Granulometrycznych., Andrzej Szeszko

Andrzej Szeszko

Głównym celem niniejszej pracy było określenie rozwoju części zabudowy miasta Torunia

w latach 1999-2005, oraz sprawdzenie, jakie wyniki w takim zadaniu można uzyskać stosując mapy

granulometryczne wygenerowane ze zdjęć panchromatycznych o rozdzielczości przestrzennej rzędu

kilkunastu metrów. Analizę przeprowadzono na podstawie fragmentów scen satelitarnych Landsat7

zarejestrowanych przez skaner ETM+ w kilku zakresach spektralnych.

Analiza składała się z trzech następujących etapów:

· wyodrębnienia zabudowy w latach 1999 i 2005

· określenie zmian w zabudowie na podstawie zasięgu zabudowy w latach 1999 i 2005

· określenie dokładności wyznaczenia zabudowy i zmian w zabudowie

Do wyodrębnienia zabudowy posłużono się klasyfikacją map granulometrycznych. Wybór map …

Investigation Of Bio-Hydrogen And Bio-Methane Production From Thin Stillage, Noha El-Sayed Nasr

Noha El-Sayed Nasr

An evaluation of single-stage and two-stage anaerobic digestion processes for biomethane and biohydrogen production using thin stillage was performed to assess the viability of biohydrogen production from thin stillage and the impact of separating the acidogenic and methanogenic stages on anaerobic digestion with hydrogen production in the first stage. A comparative evaluation of anaerobic digester sludge (ADS) and acclimatized anaerobic digester sludge (AADS) for biohydrogen production was performed at various S°/X° ratios. The optimum range of S°/X° ratio for hydrogen production was found to be 1 to 2 gCOD/gVSS using conventional ADS and 3 to 6 gCOD/gVSS using AADS. Maximum …

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 …

Application Of Artificial Neural Networks For Modeling Of Biohydrogen Production, Noha Nasr, Hisham Hafez, M. Hesham El Naggar, George Nakhla

Noha El-Sayed Nasr

In this study, an artificial neural network (ANN) model was developed to estimate the hydrogen production profile with time in batch studies. A back propagation artificial neural network ANN configuration of 5-6-4-1 layers was developed. The ANN inputs were the initial pH, initial substrate and biomass concentrations, temperature, and time. The model training was done using 313 data points from 26 published experiments. The correlation coefficient between the experimental and estimated hydrogen production was 0.989 for training, validating, and testing the model. Results showed that the trained ANN successfully predicted the hydrogen production profile with time for new data with …

Applied And Mechanistic Studies Of Microbial 17beta-Estradiol Degradation, Zhongtian Li

Z Li

The presence of natural estrogens, a class of endocrine disrupting compounds, in water has caused increasing concerns over their adverse impacts on the health of aquatic eco-systems and human beings. In this study, adsorption characteristics of two natural estrogens, 17β-estradiol (E2) and estrone (E1), on granular activated carbon (GAC) were investigated in isotherm tests and in a GAC column. The GAC column was then converted to a biologically active carbon (BAC) column and the removal efficiency of E2 and its primary biodegradation intermediate E1 were monitored. During BAC operation, the impacts of various reactor operation parameters, such as the carbon …

Removing 17Β-Estradiol From Drinking Water In A Biologically Active Carbon (Bac) Reactor Modified From A Granular Activated Carbon (Gac) Reactor, Zhongtian Li

Z Li

Estrogenic compounds in drinking water sources pose potential threats to human health. Treatment technologies are needed to effectively remove these compounds for the production of safe drinking water. In this study, GAC adsorption was first tested for its ability to remove a model estrogenic compound, 17β-estradiol (E2). Although GAC showed a relatively high adsorption capacity for E2 in isotherm experiments, it appeared to have a long mass transfer zone in a GAC column reactor, causing an early leakage of E2 in the effluent. With an influent E2 concentration of 20 μg/L, the GAC reactor was able to bring down effluent …

Comparative Assessment Of Single-Stage And Two-Stage Anaerobic Digestion For The Treatment Of Thin Stillage, Noha Nasr, Elsayed Elbeshbishy, Hisham Hafez, George Nakhla, M. Hesham El Naggar

Noha El-Sayed Nasr

A comparative evaluation of single-stage and two-stage anaerobic digestion processes for biomethane and biohydrogen production using thin stillage was performed to assess the impact of separating the acidogenic and methanogenic stages on anaerobic digestion. Thin stillage, the main by-product from ethanol production, was characterized by high total chemical oxygen demand (TCOD) of 122 g/L and total volatile fatty acids (TVFAs) of 12 g/L. A maximum methane yield of 0.33 L CH4/gCODadded (STP) was achieved in the two-stage process while a single-stage process achieved a maximum yield of only 0.26 L CH4/gCODadded (STP). The separation of acidification stage increased the TVFAs …

Wavelet Network For Semi-Active Control, Simon Laflamme, J.J.E. Slotine, J.J. Connor

Simon Laflamme

This paper proposes a wavelet neurocontroller capable of self-adaptation and self-organization for uncertain systems controlled with semi-active devices, ideal candidates for control of large-scale civil structures. A condition on the sliding surface for cantilever-like structures is defined. The issue of applicability of the control solution to largescale civil structures is made the central theme throughout the text, as this topic has not been extensively discussed in the literature. Stability and convergence of the proposed neurocontroller is assessed through various numerical simulations for harmonic, earthquake, and wind excitations. The simulations consist of semi-active dampers installed as a replacement to the current …

Bio-Hydrogen Production From Thin Stillage Using Conventional And Acclimatized Anaerobic Digester Sludge, Noha Nasr, Elsayed Elbeshbishy, Hisham Hafez, George Nakhla, M. Hesham El Naggar

Noha El-Sayed Nasr

To assess the viability of biohydrogen production from thin stillage, a comparative evaluation of anaerobic digester sludge (ADS) and acclimatized anaerobic digester sludge (AADS) for biohydrogen production over a wide range of S0/X0 ratio (0.5e8 gCOD/gVSS) was performed. A maximum hydrogen yield of 19.5 L H2/L thin stillage was achieved for the AADS while tests with ADS achieved a maximum yield of only 7.5 L H2/L thin stillage. The optimum range of S0/X0 ratio for hydrogen production was found to be 1 to 2 gCOD/gVSS using conventional ADS and 3 to 6 gCOD/gVSS using AADS. The biomass specific hydrogen production …

Self-Organizing Inputs For Adaptive Neurocontrol Of Large-Scale Systems, Simon Laflamme, Jerome J. Connor

Simon Laflamme

Black-box modeling for system identification and control can be constrained by the geometric scale of a plant. Those constrains arise from a technical or economical issue in obtaining input-output data sets for training purposes. A solution is sequential adaptation, which must be achieved in real time in the case of control systems, because a prescribed level of performance is required while external excitations are occurring. A major challenge is the proper selection of inputs that would lead to a quick and optimal adaptation. This paper proposes a new method for selection of inputs in black-box modeling. The method, termed the …

Effects Of Damping Device Nonlinearity On The Performance Of Semiactive Tuned Mass Dampers, C Lindh, Simon Laflamme, Jerome J. Connor

Simon Laflamme

Studies have already demonstrated the successful use of linear semiactive damping devices, such as variable orifice (VO) dampers, for semiactive TMD systems. More recently, nonlinear semiactive damping devices, such as magnetorheological (MR) dampers, have also been shown to be effective for semiactive control of TMDs. Though semiactive dampers differ widely, with responses ranging from linear (VO) to nonlinear (MR), criteria for choosing an optimal semiacive device for a TMD have not been rigorously developed. This paper expands knowledge of semiactive TMD systems by assessing the effect of nonlinearity in the damping device on the effectiveness of a semiactive TMD. This …

Large-Scale Capacitance Sensor For Health Monitoring Of Civil Structures, Simon Laflamme, Matthias Kollosche, Jerome J. Connor, Guggi Kofod

Simon Laflamme

In this paper, a new type of sensing technique for damage localization on large civil structures is proposed. Specifically, changes in strain are detected using a capacitance sensor built with a soft-stretchable dielectric polymer with attached stretchable metal film electrodes. This sensor is sensitive to a change in strain that causes a change in its capacitance. Fixed to a structure, small changes in the strain can be monitored directly by measuring the change in the capacitance of the unit. This technology allows for simple yet highly accurate measurements of cracks occurring due to deformation, aging, or other structural failures. The …

Intelligent Controller For Smart Base Isolation Of Masonry Structures, Simon Laflamme, T.Y. Yu, Jerome J. Connor

Simon Laflamme

In this paper, an intelligent controller to control a smart base-isolated masonry structure is proposed. The smart base isolation consists of rubber bearings and a magnetorheological damper. This semi-active scheme takes advantage of the low power requirement of magnetorheological devices to achieve structural control. The controller is capable of mapping the behaviour of the controlled structure sequentially, using a self-organizing neural network which has time-varying learning rates. This neurocontroller is augmented by a sliding mode controller to account for the uncertainty on the semi-active damping forces. Wavelets are used as functions in the single hidden layer for their capability of …