Other Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Studying Platoon Dispersion Characteristics Under Heterogeneous Traffic In India, Jijo Mathew, Helen Thomas, Anuj Sharma, Lelitha Devi, Laurence Rilett

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Platoons are created by signalized intersections which control travel patterns of vehicles. It is common for platoons to disperse during normal traffic operations. While platoon dispersion has been studied extensively under homogenous and lane disciplined traffic conditions, this characteristic under heterogeneous conditions has not been addressed adequately. This study will be one of the first steps in this direction and will lead to better understanding and simulation of platoon dispersion under Indian conditions.

Data describing platoon dispersion was collected with video recording systems along an arterial in Chennai, India. The Robertson’s model parameters calibrated for this data was found to …

Transferability Of Jarvis-Type Models Developed And Re-Parameterized For Maize To Estimate Stomatal Resistance Of Soybean: Analyses On Model Calibration, Validation, Performance, Sensitivity, And Elasticity, Denis Mutiibwa, Suat Irmak

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

In a previous study by the same authors, a new modified Jarvis model (NMJ-model) was developed, calibrated, and validated to estimate stomatal resistance (rs) for maize canopy on an hourly time step. The NMJ-model’s unique subfunctions, different from the original Jarvis model (J-model), include a photosynthetic photon flux density

(PPFD)-r_s response subfunction developed from field measurements and a new physical term, Aexp(1/LAI), where A is the minimum stomatal resistance and LAI is the green leaf area index, to account for the influence of canopy development on r_s, especially during partial canopy stage in the early season and …

Impact Of Water And Nitrogen Management Strategies On Maize Yield And Water Productivity Indices Under Linear-Move Sprinkler Irrigation, Daran Rudnick, Suat Irmak

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

With uncertainty in future irrigation water availability and regulations on nutrient application amounts, experimentally determined effects of “controllable” management strategies such as nitrogen (N), water, and their combination on crop water productivity (CWP, also known as crop water use efficiency) and actual evapotranspiration (ET_a) are essential. The effects of various N application rates (0, 84, 140, 196, and 252 kg ha^-1) under fully irrigated (FIT), limited irrigation (75% FIT), and rainfed conditions on maize (Zea mays L.) yield and various CWP indices were investigated in 2011 and 2012 growing seasons under linear-move sprinkler irrigation in south …

Assessing Climate Change Impacts On Water Balance, Runoff, And Water Quality At The Field Scale For Four Locations In The Heartland, Michael W. Van Liew, Song Feng, T. B. Pathak

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

This study employed the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to evaluate the impacts of projected future climate change scenarios on water balance, runoff, sediment, total nitrogen (N), and total phosphorus (P) at the field scale for four locations in the Heartland region: Sioux City (Iowa) and Columbus, Mullen, and Harrison (Nebraska). A conventional two-year corn-soybean rotation was assumed to be grown on each field. All fields were simulated identically in terms of topographic and cover/land management conditions. Model inputs for the fields differed in only

three ways: the forcing conditions for existing and future climatic scenarios (SRES A2, A1B, …

Optimized Correlation Of Geophysical And Geotechnical Methods In Sinkhole Investigations: Emphasizing On Spatial Variations In West-Central Florida, Henok Gidey Kiflu

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Sinkholes and sinkhole-related features in West-Central Florida (WCF) are commonly identified using geotechnical investigations such as standard penetration test (SPT) borings and geophysical methods such as ground penetrating radar (GPR) and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT). Geophysical investigation results can be used to locate drilling and field testing sites while geotechnical investigation can be used to ground truth geophysical results. Both methods can yield complementary information. Geotechnical investigations give important information about the type of soil, groundwater level and presence of low-density soils or voids at the test location, while geophysical investigations like GPR surveys have better spatial coverage and …

The Relationship Between Traffic Signals And Pedestrian, Bicyclist And Transit User Exposure In Urban Areas, Courtney Natasha Slavin

Dissertations and Theses

Improving the efficiency of traffic operations along arterials is currently a priority for many agencies as their roadway infrastructure is built out to the largest possible capacity within the urban environment. Many advanced systems are being implemented to optimize traffic signal timing. Air quality is typically not a consideration when these decisions are made. The relationship between exposure to air pollution and traffic signal timing has not been fully explored by other researchers. This study is the first research effort to combine detailed traffic signal timing data (at 5 second intervals) and air pollutant exposure data. Results show that longer …

Use Of International Hydrographic Organization Tidal Data For Improved Tidal Prediction, Songwei Qi

Dissertations and Theses

Tides are the rise and fall of water level caused by gravitational forces exerted by the sun, moon and earth. Understanding sea level variation and its impact currents is very important especially in coastal regions. With knowledge of the tide-generating force and boundary conditions, hydrodynamic models can be used to predict or model tides in coastal regions. However, these models are not sufficiently accurate, and in-situ tide gauge data may be used to improve them in coastal regions. The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) tidal data bank consists of over 4000 tide gauge stations scattered all around the globe, most of …

Odor Monitoring At Wastewater Treatment Plants, Natasha Halageri

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is notable for its toxicity and corrosion is one of the major sources of odor in wastewater treatment plants. Evaluation of existing or potential odor problems requires knowledge of the type of compounds likely to cause such problems and the mechanism of their formation in wastewater systems which is discussed in this paper. For the present study, the East Bank wastewater treatment plant was chosen since it is the largest wastewater treatment facility within Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. To combat the odor problems in this facility, a monitoring program was designed and developed to characterize the …

Laboratory Investigation Of The Effects Of Temperature And Moisture On Interface Shear Strength Of Textured Geomembrane And Geosynthetic Clay Liner, Taki Stavros Chrysovergis

Master's Theses

A laboratory investigation was conducted to determine the effects of temperature and moisture on the shear strength of textured geomembrane (T-GM) and geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) interface. Several landfill slope failures involving geosynthetics have occurred within the past three decades. Interface shear strength of T-GM/GCL is well documented for testing conducted at laboratory temperatures and at moisture contents associated with GCLs in submerged conditions. However, in-service conditions for landfill liner systems include a wide range of temperatures (extending from below 0 °C to above 40 °C) and a wide range of moisture conditions. Large-scale interface direct shear tests were performed …

Microbiologically Enhanced Mixing Across Scales During In-Situ Bioremediation Of Uranium, Reinaldo E. Alcalde

McNair Scholars Research Journal

Production of nuclear fuels for weapons and electric energy has resulted in groundwater uranium contamination at Department of Energy (DOE) sites. Reduction of uranium by dissimilatory metal-reducing bacteria (DMRB) is an effective approach for in-situ bioremediation of these sites. In this process, an organic electron donor is typically delivered through a well into groundwater in order to promote the biological reduction of soluble and toxic U(VI) to insoluble and less toxic U(IV). A key challenge is mixing the organic electron donor with U(VI) in groundwater where laminar flow conditions prevail. A potential solution is to enhance reaction beyond the scale …

Safety Effectiveness Of Red Light Treatments For Red Light Running, Carl Scott Olson

Dissertations and Theses

Crashes resulting from automobiles running a red light are typically severe in nature. One way to try to reduce the number and severity of these types of crashes is by increasing the red clearance interval of a traffic signal. In Portland, Oregon, eight intersections received a variety of treatments including red extensions. Determining which treatment had what effect can be difficult to weed out. Using a combination of crash analysis and a model simulating an intersection with red extensions, this paper describes the estimated impact of red light running intersection upgrades and red extensions on crashes. By performing a variety …

The Nebraska Water Leaders Academy: Blending Water Policy And Science With Leadership Theory, Mark E. Burbach, Connie I. Reimers-Hild

Nebraska Water Leaders Academy: Publications and Materials

Water Challenges are Growing
Population Continues to Grow
New and Innovative Leadership is Needed
Nebraska Water Leaders Academy (NWLA) was born!

NWLA Objectives
•Develop scientific, social and political knowledge about water and related natural resources
• Examine the economical and beneficial uses of Nebraska’s water resources
• Develop and enhance leadership and critical thinking skills
• Develop interpersonal skills to become actively involved with water policy issues at the local, regional, state, and national levels
• Develop life-long water resources management skills
• Challenge traditional paradigms while encouraging critical thinking and creative solutions.

Long-Term Trends In Air Temperature Distribution And Extremes, Growing Degree-Days, And Spring And Fall Frosts For Climate Impact Assessments On Agricultural Practices In Nebraska, Kari E. Skaggs, Suat Irmak

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Air temperature influences agricultural practices and production outcomes, making detailed quantifications of temperature changes necessary for potential positive and negative effects on agricultural management practices to be exploited or mitigated. Temperature trends of long-term data for five agricultural locations, ranging from the subhumid eastern to the semiarid western parts of Nebraska, were studied to determine local temperature changes and their potential effects on agricultural practices. The study quantified trends in annual and monthly average maximum and minimum air temperature (T_max and T_min), daily temperature range (DTR), total growing degree-days, extreme temperatures, growing-season dates and lengths, and …

L&D Manual Turn Lane Storage Validation/Update, Deogratias Eustace, Sowjanya Ponnada

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Engineering Mechanics Faculty Publications

Queuing occurs at intersections mostly due to overflow or inadequacy of turn bays. The ODOT L&D Manual Volume 1 has storage requirements for both signalized and unsignalized intersections. Figures 401-9E and 401-10E of the L&D Manual provide the required turn lane storage lengths which should be compared with the real world conditions to check for adequacy of these lengths as a measure of ensuring that accesses to the left turn lanes are not blocked. In addition to the projected turn lane volume, ODOT’s methodology incorporates both deceleration (based on the speed of the roadway) and potential blockage from the adjacent …

Improved Microalgal Biomass Harvesting Using Optimized Environmental Conditions And Bacterial Bioflocculants, Derek C. Manheim

Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

IMPROVED MICROALGAL BIOMASS HARVESTING USING OPTIMIZED ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS AND BACTERIAL BIOFLOCCULANTS

DEREK CONTE MANHEIM

The cost and energy balance of microalgae biofuel production is sensitive to the algae harvesting method, among many other factors. Bioflocculation and settling of suspended microalgae cultures is a harvesting method with potentially low cost and energy input. However, bioflocculation (the spontaneous flocculation of algal cells without chemical addition) has not been a reliable process with cultures grown in ponds. To provide insights to help improve algae settling, factors affecting the settling of algae were investigated in the laboratory using pure cultures of two common …

Hydrologic Evaluation Of Established Rain Gardens In Lincoln, Nebraska, Andrew R. Anderson, Thomas G. Franti, David P. Shelton

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Increased urbanization has resulted in water quality and flooding problems for many receiving waters in the United States. Rain gardens are one type of best management practice commonly used in low impact development (LID). Many studies have evaluated large engineered bioretention cells in research settings. There is little information on the effectiveness of homeowner-maintained rain gardens that rely on deep percolation as the method for water exfiltration. Repeatable controlled experiments are very rare in hydrologic studies due to the inherent variability of weather data. The objective of this study was to evaluate the hydrologic properties of twelve established rain gardens …

3d Digital Modeling For Urban Design + Planning, Emmanuel Velazco

City and Regional Planning

Cities throughout the country face a number of challenges in dealing with the changing development needs of the 21st century. In urban planning, the fusion of social, environmental, political, economic, and functional considerations are required. Today, local, state, and federal governments are experiencing an economic downturn, making resources scarce to plan for smarter development, attain greater public interest, and economic revival.

The primary objective of this project is to provide innovative solutions in city and regional planning using software applications, such as Google SketchUp, that enable assessment of various urban design projects. A second objective was to create a 3D …

Laboratory And Field Evaluation Of Two Warm-Mix Additives In Connecticut And Validation Of An Alternative Moisture Susceptibility Test, Alexander K. Bernier

Master's Theses

The first official state Warm-Mix Asphalt (WMA) pavement project in Connecticut was constructed between July 20th and 22nd, 2010 and it involved three experimental sections, i.e. one section with a conventional HMA (control section) and two WMA sections with different technologies, wax and foamed asphalt. All three sections are located on Route 70 in central Connecticut. The materials were collected in loose form and reheated and compacted in laboratory conditions (laboratory fabricated specimens). This paper discusses the effect of mix type on the results from several tests conducted in the laboratory, such as Semi-Circular Bending, Hamburg Wheel Tracking, Indirect Tensile, …

Nutrient Losses In Runoff From Feedlot Surfaces As Affected By Unconsolidated Surface Materials, John E. Gilley, Jason R. Vogel, Roger A. Eigenberg, David B. Marx, Brian L. Woodbury

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Beef cattle feedlots contain unconsolidated surface materials (loose manure pack) that accumulate during a feeding cycle. The effects of varying amounts of unconsolidated surface materials on runoff nutrient losses are not well understood. The objectives of this study were to (1) compare runoff nutrient losses from feedlot surfaces containing varying amounts of unconsolidated surface materials, (2) determine if differences in runoff nutrient losses exist among rainfall simulation runs, (3) relate runoff nutrient losses to selected feedlot soil characteristics, and (4) identify the effects of varying runoff rate on nutrient loss rates from feedlot surfaces. This study was conducted on 0.75 …

An Evaluation Of Non-Intrusive Traffic Detectors At The Ntc/Ndor Detector Test Bed, Benjamin W. Grone

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Throughout the field of transportation engineering, decision makers require quality information. The information used in transportation operations, planning, and design is based, in part, on data from traffic detectors. The need for quality data has spurred innovations in data collection including the introduction of modern, commercially available, non-intrusive traffic detectors. As these new technologies become available, a need exists to understand their capabilities and limitations—especially limitations that are unique to a specific region.

This thesis examined the accuracy of four non-intrusive traffic detector technologies considered for potential data collection applications on Nebraska’s highways. The technologies evaluated included the Solo Pro …