Civil Engineering Commons^™

Surrogate-Assisted Simulation-Optimization Framework For Groundwater Management In A Multi-Aquifer System, Melika Mani

LSU Master's Theses

Uncontrolled groundwater exploitation can lead to aquifer depletion, land subsidence, and saltwater intrusion. Effective groundwater management is challenging due to the intricate nature of subsurface hydrogeology and spatiotemporally variable pumping, especially in a multi-aquifer system. To ensure sustainable withdrawal, multi-objective optimization is an effective tool for balancing management goals and drawdown effects. However, running simulation-optimization using detailed groundwater models is computationally expensive, pushing decision-makers to decide based on limited scenarios. In this study, a hydrogeological framework was constructed for the Capital Area, Louisiana, allowing for individual assessment of each unit to better understand each aquifer's condition. Moreover, a surrogate-assisted simulation-optimization …

Integrating The Concept Of Complete Streets Into Pavement Preservation, Sirisha Gangireddy

LSU Master's Theses

This study is motivated by the evident gap in integrating Complete Streets principles into pavement preservation. Complete Streets opportunities, which aim to accommodate all road users, are typically encouraged in all kinds of projects including new construction, reconstruction, preservation, and rehabilitation. While the concept of Complete Streets is understood in terms of new construction (e.g., building sidewalks), its application through pavement preservation programs is not well-developed. To bridge the gap between the Complete Streets and pavement preservation, this study conducted a comprehensive review on how state Department of Transportation (DOTs) are currently incorporating Complete Streets into pavement preservation and identified …

Investigating The Influence Of Portland Limestone Cement Combined With Sugarcane Bagasse Ash And Different Types Of Fly Ash On The Mechanical Properties Of Engineered Cementitious Composites, Samuel Guidroz

LSU Master's Theses

The ability to implement Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) within our transportation infrastructure systems has been limited because of increased costs associated with the material’s high cement quantity. To improve cost- effectiveness and to create a more sustainable footprint, the use of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) has been explored. This study evaluated the effects of utilizing cement interground with limestone, Portland limestone cement (PLC), as a replacement for ordinary Portland cement (OPC). Additionally, the performance of the composites was analyzed when mixed with sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) as well as different classes of fly ash (FA). In doing so, the experimental …

Optimization Of The Self-Healing Efficiency Of Bacterial Concrete Using Impregnation Of Three Different Precursors Into Lightweight Aggregate, Omar Omar

LSU Master's Theses

Concrete is the most broadly used construction material; thus, developing sustainable concrete is essential to decrease greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from concrete production. Implementation of self-healing concrete technologies is a promising approach to enhance the durability and sustainability of the transportation infrastructure. Among these technologies, bacterial concrete has the potential to seal microcracks through microbial induced calcite precipitation (MICP). Bacterial protection is essential to ensure the viability of this technology due to concrete’s harsh environment. Additionally, the success of this technology depends on the presence of an adequate mineral precursor compound and nutrient for the bacteria. As such, the main …

Wetland Soil Development Along Salinity And Hydrogeomorphic Gradients In Active And Inactive Deltaic Basins Of Coastal Louisiana, Amanda Fontenot

LSU Master's Theses

Coastal wetlands provide an abundance of ecosystem services that benefit society, such as essential habitat for commercial species, storm protection, nutrient cycling, and carbon storage. Louisiana faces rapid rates of relative sea level rise (natural subsidence and eustatic sea levels) that threaten wetland survival, which are amplified by a reduction of riverine sediment input. An important determining factor of marsh survival is the formation of wetland platform elevation, known as vertical accretion, which is determined by several processes including sediment deposition & erosion, below ground biomass (BGB) productivity, decomposition of organic matter, shallow & deep subsidence, and soil compaction. Feldspar …

Investigation Of Sand-Biochar Mixtures As A Potential Roadway Fill Material, Katia J. Lele Lagmago

LSU Master's Theses

Biochar is a sustainable and lightweight carbon-rich material with a high surface area and porosity. Previous studies reported that biochar can reduce soil erosion and cracking, retain contaminants, and enhance soil aggregation. Given these favorable properties, soil-biochar mixtures have the possibility to serve as a multifunctional lightweight fill material for roadway embankment applications. The purpose of this research is to develop sand-biochar mixtures as a sustainable and multifunctional lightweight fill material for roadway embankment applications.

This research investigated the consolidation and hydraulic properties of sand-biochar mixtures by (1) performing 1D consolidation tests, (2) performing permeability tests, and (3) assessing the …

A Conceptual Framework For Phase-Dependent, Composite Flood Risk Index (Fri) Curves Based On The Relationship Between Temporal Probability Of Flood Occurring (Ph) And Flood Vulnerability Index (Fvi) Along With Maps Of Fvi Within The Amite River Basin Based On The August 2016 Flood., Austin S. Guerin Mr.

LSU Master's Theses

Efforts directed at determining community vulnerability to flooding are limited and only include economic (dollar damages) and public safety impacts and do not consider the phase dependency of the system, i.e., pre-, during- and post-storm, both critical shortcomings for more broadly assessing community risk and developing comprehensive plans and mitigation strategies. This thesis first develops a framework based on a Flood-Vulnerability Index (FVI) approach and then demonstrates its usefulness, at the census tract level of detail, for three parishes in the Greater Baton Rouge, LA area, based on the August 2016 flood. FVI’s indicators are multidimensional and phase dependent: “Pre-Flood” …

Finite Element Numerical Modeling And Parametric Study Of Geosynthetic Reinforced Pile-Supported Embankments, Abdallah Ikbarieh

LSU Master's Theses

This study directed at investigating the performance of the pile-supported embankment system utilizing a geosynthetic reinforced load transfer platform (GRLTP) using Finite Element numerical modeling. A 2D Finite Element Modeling (FEM) methodology was first developed using PLAXIS 2D 2021 computer software and verified by well-documented case studies in the literature of this system. Second, a performance prediction was made for a field case study of the Amite River Project near French Settlement, which is located along Route LA 16 Livingston Parish in Louisiana State. A comprehensive FEM parametric study was then carried out to evaluate the performance of the system …

Assessment Of Long-Term Performance Of Pavements Containing Warm Mix Asphalt Technologies In Louisiana, Kwadwo Ampadu Boateng

LSU Master's Theses

This study focused on the assessment of long-term performance of asphalt pavements containing warm mix asphalt technologies in Louisiana. A total of five rehabilitation projects were studied in the state of Louisiana. The study consisted of engineering desk analyses of field performance indicators, indices and the initial laboratory performance indicators measured for five rehabilitation projects.

The engineering desk study consisted of a review of literature from previous WMA technology projects done in Louisiana. Additionally, data was acquired and validated from the Louisiana Pavement Management System (PMS). Pavement performance indicators (i.e., cracking (transverse, longitudinal, and fatigue cracking), roughness, rutting, and pavement …

Quantifying Discharge On The Lower Mississippi River Physical Model, Taylor S. Cagle

LSU Master's Theses

The Lower Mississippi River Physical Model (LMRPM) is a distorted, movable-bed physical model that replicates the hydraulics and bedload (sand) transport of the lower 195 miles of the Mississippi River. One year of flow and sediment transport on the prototype can be modeled in approximately one hour. With the ability to simulate long periods of time on the Lower Mississippi River in such a short time frame, the model can provide unique insight into subjects such as the potential effects from relative sea level rise on the lower river’s hydraulics and sediment transport. Quantifying discharge on the LMRPM is an …

Bio-Mediated Ground Improvement For Fine-Grained Soil, Guantao Cheng

LSU Master's Theses

The research explored the use of microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) to improve the mechanical properties of fine-grained soil and rapidly repair soil cracks on embankment slopes. Slope failures are often induced by surface cracks on the embankment slopes. To date, most rapid repair methods for slope failures (e.g., geosynthetics, soil nails, plastic pins, and lime treatment, etc.) involve large earthwork, special installation equipment, and unique construction processes, which may require extended construction time, disturb traffic, or increase the total construction cost. This research explored the feasibility of using bio-cement (MICP) to improve soil mechanical properties, seal the soil cracks, …

Effects Of Historical Land-Use Change On Surface Runoff And Flooding In The Amite River Basin, Louisiana, Usa Using Coupled 1d/2d Hec-Ras–Hec-Hms Hydrological Modeling, Alexandre G. H. Cowles

LSU Master's Theses

The Amite River Basin is a largely rural watershed spanning parts of four counties in southern Mississippi and seven parishes in southeast Louisiana, with basinwide imperviousness increasing from 0.82% in 1938 to 3.85% in 2016. The Basin has been the subject of significant research interest since catastrophic flooding in 2016 caused 13 deaths and widespread damages. Rapid development in recent decades has led to an expansion of impervious surfaces in Baton Rouge and surrounding areas, encroaching on floodplains and wetlands. At the basin scale, differences in flooding due to impervious cover changes were found to be somewhat limited, particularly along …

Stream Power Analysis Of The Mid-Barataria Conveyance Channel Model, Jack Graham

LSU Master's Theses

Louisiana’s coast is disappearing at an alarming rate. Erosion, subsidence, sea level rise, and the devastating impacts from hurricanes have contributed to the loss of thousands of square miles of land that was once a thriving ecosystem. The Louisiana government is taking action to help protect and restore these coastal habitats, which are a home to some two million people and numerous species of animals, birds, and fish. The Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion is a new type of project to help create land in Barataria Basin. Conceptually, the diversion is designed to use the available sediment and stream power provided by …

Quality Assessment Of Flexible Pavement Automated Cracking Data In Louisiana, Mostafiz Emtiaz

LSU Master's Theses

Pavement distress survey is the most critical and integral part of pavement management system. Transportation agencies all over the world depends on the accurate pavement distress survey to take major decisions like pavement rehabilitation or reconstruction. Pavement management at the network level requires accurate pavement distress survey to decide the allocation of budget for pavement maintenance, rehabilitation and reconstruction. This study started collected network-level cracking distress data through manual measurements on high-resolution pavement images and the results were used as the ground truth measurements to evaluate the corresponding automated distress data from the Pavement Management System database. Results showed that …

Modeling Distributed Source Control Infrastructure At Neighborhood Scale For Mitigating Flood Risk In Amite River Watershed, Ahmad Amin Shefai

LSU Master's Theses

Flooding has always been a major threat to mankind. This is particularly true in urban areas due to urbanization-induced increasing impervious areas and subsequent increasing urban surface runoff, causing an increasing flooding risk to urban areas in spite of the fact that extensive flood control infrastructure has been constructed. The overall goal of this thesis is to present a distributed source control infrastructure-based approach for mitigating the flood risk. The new flood mitigation approach is demonstrated through the model implementation of a series of distributed source control infrastructure systems in the city of Denham Springs at a neighborhood scale. The …

An Approach To Counting Vehicles From Pre-Recorded Video Using Computer Algorithms, Mishuk Majumder

LSU Master's Theses

One of the fundamental sources of data for traffic analysis is vehicle counts, which can be conducted either by the traditional manual method or by automated means. Different agencies have guidelines for manual counting, but they are typically prepared for particular conditions. In the case of automated counting, different methods have been applied, but You Only Look Once (YOLO), a recently developed object detection model, presents new potential in automated vehicle counting. The first objective of this study was to formulate general guidelines for manual counting based on experience gained in the field. Another goal of this study was to …

P-Cresol Biogenesis During Bioremediation Aimed At Stimulating Chlorinated Solvent Dehalogenation, Alexis Gathings

LSU Master's Theses

The broad goal of the research described in this thesis was to better understand the potential for biologically mediated production of p-cresol in groundwater at a Superfund site located in south Louisiana. Previous literature reports that microorganisms known to carry out the transformation from L-tyrosine to p-cresol occur in diverse environments.

In the research described in this thesis, studies were conducted utilizing groundwater from the Superfund site during the course of enhanced in situ bioremediation practices aimed at stimulating reductive dehalogenation of chlorinated solvent contamination. Microbial communities established with groundwater sampled from the Superfund site were observed to …

Historical Changes In Planform Geometry Of The Amite And Comite Rivers And Implications On Flood Routing, Kathleen E. Harris

LSU Master's Theses

The Amite River Basin is a 2,220 square-mile basin spanning from southwest Mississippi through southeast Louisiana, encompassing Baton Rouge and its suburbs. In response to historic flooding in August 2016 and other major flood events in the past several decades, the basin has been the subject of a number of studies to quantify the impacts of changes in land-use and reduction in river length and sinuosity. However, there have yet to be relationships defined between the changes in the historical river planform and the resulting flow, stages, and subsequent flood depths. River lengths and sinuosity were measured from the 1930s …

Hydraulic Effects Of The Lower Mississippi River Batture, David P. May

LSU Master's Theses

The Lower Mississippi River (LMR), since the creation of the Mississippi River and Tributaries (MR&T) project, has been extensively modified to support navigation and flood risk reduction. The components of the MR&T system, implemented to support the above missions, have performed successfully for many decades, but not without contention. Rising stages in recent years have led to the questioning of the hydraulic impact of navigation dikes and river training methodologies. Multiple studies have been performed (Biedenharn, 2000, May 2017, Mayne, 2018, and Simon, 2019) that indicate these river training structures have minimal impact to stage during flood conditions. It has …

Study Of The Effect Of Heating - Cooling Cycles On The Clay - Concrete Pile Interface Characteristics, Abedalqader Ahmad Idries

LSU Master's Theses

This study aimed at investigating the effect of heating-cooling cycles on the interface strength parameters of clay soil-concrete for potential applications to improve the side capacity of piles driven in clayey soil by the heating process, and also to assess the behavior of geothermal piles regarding interface shear strength parameters. A modified large-size direct shear test device with the dimensions 12” x 12” x 8”, was used in this study. A concrete block (12” x 12” x 4”) of similar texture and smoothness to the concrete piles was used to simulate the pile interface. The tested clays are low plasticity …

The Siltcatcher: A Sediment-Capture System For Wetland Creation And Coastal Protection In Western Lake Pontchartrain, Andrew M. Wright

LSU Master's Theses

The West Lake Pontchartrain region faces a number of long-term environmental challenges due to anthropogenic climate disturbance and landscape modification, including sea level rise, increased storm surge risk, shoreline erosion, and wetland degradation. In response, this thesis applies recent research in the fields of landscape architecture and civil engineering to propose a dynamic, natural-systems solution for wetland creation and shoreline protection. The project envisions a series of breakwater-like structures in western Lake Pontchartrain positioned to slow water released from the nearby Bonnet Carré Spillway, causing suspended sediment to settle and create self-building and self-sustaining wetlands capable of keeping pace with …

Model Development To Assess Groundwater Flooding And Levee Underseepage In New Orleans, Louisiana, Shuo Yang

LSU Master's Theses

Flooding is a major threat to New Orleans due to its geographic location and geologic condition. However, potential groundwater flooding is seldom studied and poorly understood even though groundwater level is expected high in the city. High groundwater level might result in groundwater flooding in low-lying areas. High uplift pore water pressures may cause strong underseepage and risk levee safety. The objective of this study is to assess the impacts of hydrogeology on groundwater flooding and evaluate potential underseepage-induced hazards along levees in New Orleans. In this study, a groundwater flow model development which involves stratigraphy modeling, groundwater flow model …

Contextual Adjustment Of The Ite Trip Generation Rates Using Wi-Fi And Bluetooth Technologies, Saba Doulabi

LSU Master's Theses

The ITE Trip Generation Handbook has been in common use for about half a century to estimate vehicle trips generated by more than 172 land use categories as a function of establishment size (floor area) only. However, observed trip rates display a huge error range across different sites. Although contextual adjustment factors can ameliorate the error in the ITE trip generation estimates considerably, local site-specific trip generation rates should be collected for this purpose. Due to the huge time and monetary costs of data collection, adjusting the ITE trip generation rate is ignored by many jurisdictions. The primary contribution of …

Evaluation Of The Rheological Behaviors And Molecular Composition Properties Of Crumb Rubber Modified Emulsion For Chip Seal, Md Tanvir Ahmed Sarkar

LSU Master's Theses

An experimental study was conducted to characterize the chemical, molecular, and rheological properties of different asphalt emulsions including a newly introduced tire rubber modified asphalt emulsion. One tire rubber modified asphalt emulsion (CRS-2TR), two conventional emulsions (CRS-2 and CRS-2P), and one asphalt rubber binder (AC20-5TR) were evaluated. The differences in functional groups, chemical composition, and molecular weight distribution of the asphalt binder and emulsions under different aging conditions (Original, RTFO-aged, and PAV-aged) were evaluated by the Saturates, Aromatics, Resins and Asphaltenes (SARA) fractionation test, High-Pressure Gel Permeation Chromatography (HP-GPC), and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) test, respectively. Superpave Performance Grade …

Qualitative And Quantitative Flow Visualization Studies On A Distorted Hydraulic Physical Model, Patrick Scott

LSU Master's Theses

The submergence of coastal wetlands in south Louisiana leaves communities, commerce, industry, and ecosystems vulnerable to extreme weather events and human and natural disasters. The state of Louisiana has developed a plan to mitigate coastal land loss and with the help of Louisiana State University and the Lower Mississippi River Physical Model, projects like large scale sediment diversions will be extensively tested and researched to ensure proper implementation and operation. Due to scaling and distortion of the physical model, complete similitude with its prototype is not expected and scale effects are anticipated to affect the hydrodynamics and, as a result, …

Living Shorelines As Alternative Methods Of Shoreline Protection, Hunter Shows

LSU Master's Theses

Louisiana’s marshes and coastal estuaries are losing habitat at an alarming rate. High rates of sea level rise coupled with coastal subsidence are turning once thriving marsh land into open water. The sediment starved Mississippi River Delta is drowning, making families homes, property, and livelihoods increasingly vulnerable every year. Significant funding is being allocated for projects to offset the increasing erosion including but not limited to diversions, marsh creation, ridge restoration, and shoreline protection projects.

Living shorelines, for the sake of this study, can be defined as a form of shoreline protection which helps shoreline stabilization and erosion reduction while …

Assessment And Correction Of Lidar-Derived Dems In The Coastal Marshes Of Louisiana, William M. Lauve

LSU Master's Theses

The onset of airborne light detection and ranging (lidar) has resulted in expansive, precise digital elevation models (DEMs). DEMs are essential for modeling complex systems, such as the coastal land margin of Louisiana. They are used for many applications (e.g. tide, storm surge, and ecological modeling) and by diverse groups (e.g. state and federal agencies, NGOs, and academia). However, in a marsh environment, it is difficult for airborne lidar to produce accurate bare-earth measurements and even accurate elevations are rarely verified by ground truth data. The accuracy of lidar in marshes is limited by the sensor’s resolution …

Modeling Of Fluid Injection For Hydraulic Fracturing Initiation In Porous Rock Formations, Krishna Adhikari

LSU Master's Theses

Hydraulic fracturing has been widely opted in recent times to simulate the unconventional reservoirs and thus, has become key a subject of interest in petroleum engineering. The stress concentration around the borehole affects the breakdown pressure and fracture reopening pressure during the hydraulic fracturing treatments. Thus, the state of stress around borehole wall and its surrounding rocks due to instantaneous drilling and a fluid injection at borehole surface needs to be determined accurately to initiate the hydraulic fractures. This research intends to derive the analytical stress solution of inclined borehole subjected to time-dependent fluid injection and in-situ stress, verify the …

Low-Density Static Granular Media Filter Bed Turbidity Removal Model, Matthew Louque

LSU Master's Theses

The scattering of light within a fluid, referred to as its turbidity, was investigated against the presence of suspended solids. A linear regression analysis was conduced against turbidity and the total count, combined surface area, and combined volume of the suspended particles for various surface water sources (lakes, rivers, indoor aquaculture systems). It was found that the total combined surface area of suspended particles had the best linear correlation to turbidity, with an adjusted R² of 81.79%. This correlation was integrated with a current theoretical model for predicting solids removal across a granular bed to yield an Integrated Turbidity …

Groundwater Modeling For Mississippi River Alluvial Aquifer Of Northeastern Louisiana, Ramazan Karakullukcu

LSU Master's Theses

The Mississippi River Alluvial Aquifer (MRAA) locates in northeastern Louisiana, extending from the north border of Louisiana and Arkansas to south central Louisiana and underlies the Mississippi River Valley. The MRAA is the second most used groundwater source with about 390 million gallons per day in 2010, which accounts for 25% of all groundwater withdrawals in Louisiana. The groundwater uses are mainly for irrigation, public supply and industries. The excessive groundwater pumping and the economic importance of the MRAA have drawn attention to build a groundwater model to study future water resources management and sustainability plans. The model is the …