Digital Commons Network^™

A Real-Time Autonomous Mobile Robotic System For Crack Detection And 3d Laser Profiling In Construction Using Two-Stage Deep Learning, Emmanuella Ogun

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This thesis presents an autonomous mobile robotic system that integrates real-time visual crack detection with laser-based three-dimensional profiling for building inspection. The system coordinates SLAM-based navigation, deep learning perception, and manipulator-guided measurement within a unified ROS 2 framework, enabling scan-on-demand workflows where laser profiling occurs selectively at visually detected defect locations. The detection pipeline employs a two-stage architecture combining U-Net semantic segmentation with Pix2Pix residual refinement, achieving 73.9% mean intersection-over-union and 76.4% F1-score on the CrackSeg9k benchmark while maintaining 16 frames-per-second real-time throughput. Real-world validation demonstrated 95% detection success on 80 campus images under challenging conditions. The profiling subsystem utilizes …

Roadway Runoff Impacts To Trout Streams Studies For Ms4 Permit, Jobayed Hossain Badhan

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Roadway runoff from Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) highway infrastructure poses measurable, but temporally constrained threats to cold-water trout ecosystems in northern Georgia. This study investigates temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) dynamics in three secondary trout streams receiving GDOT roadway discharges, with the primary objective of evaluating compliance with Georgia Rule 391-3-6-.03(6)(ii),(v) under the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit framework. Field monitoring was conducted from April 2024 through October 2025 across two consecutive summer seasons using a tiered, multi-instrument approach: YSI ProDSS handheld grab sampling provided regulatory-grade reference measurements; HOBO MX-801 optical DO dataloggers recorded continuous 5-minute-interval temperature …

Pile Setup Effects On Driven Piles In Southeastern Coastal States, Peya Sharif

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The resistance of driven piles typically increases with time after installation, a phenomenon known as pile setup. This behavior is primarily associated with the dissipation of excess porewater pressure and the progressive reconsolidation of soil surrounding the pile shaft, particularly it is observed in cohesive soils. Although several empirical and analytical models have been proposed to estimate pile setup, their practical implementation in foundation design remains limited due to uncertainties associated with soil conditions, pile geometry, resistance variability, and time dependent behavior. To address some of these uncertainties, this study collected 221 pile load test data at the End of …

Workshop Outcomes Report: 2nd International Workshop On Seismic Resilience Of Arctic Infrastructure And Social Systems, Majid Ghayoomi, Daniela Morganti

Faculty Publications

The report provides an overview of the second international workshop on Seismic Resilience of Arctic Infrastructure and Social Systems. The report discusses agenda, workshop activities, interdisciplinary working groups, and results. It ends with several strategic questions and investigation plans that were developed as part of the workshop activities.

Integrated Corridor Management Framework For Severe Freeway Incidents, Sanjida Afroz Iqra

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Traffic incidents are a major source of non-recurrent congestion on urban freeways, generating substantial mobility, safety, and economic impacts. Severe incidents that block multiple or all travel lanes are particularly disruptive because they degrade freeway operations and propagate congestion onto surrounding arterials. Effective Integrated Corridor Management (ICM) requires the ability to identify severe incidents, estimate their network-wide impacts, and anticipate the traffic conditions and driver behaviors that contribute to instability. This dissertation develops a data-driven ICM framework to address these challenges using real-world incident, crash, detector, and connected vehicle data from major Central Florida corridors, including I-4 and SR-417. The …

Generating Boundary Conditions For Compound Flood Modeling In A Probabilistic Framework, Pravin Maduwantha Mahanthe Gamage

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Flooding in coastal riverine environments is often driven by the combined influence of multiple hydrometeorological flood drivers, including storm surge, rainfall, waves, and river discharge, which is referred to as compound flooding. A robust flood hazard assessment requires simulation of a wide range of flood driver conditions through dynamic compound flood models to capture the variability in resultant flooding. However, such assessments remain limited by the short length of observational records and the high computational cost of physics-based methods used to generate temporally varying boundary conditions. This dissertation develops a statistical framework to characterize compound flood drivers and generate large …

Calcium Based Carbon Negative Fillers And Additives: Effects On Hydration And Performance Of Low-Carbon Cement Systems, Smita Bhowmick Shithi

Masters Theses

Cement production is a major source of global CO₂ emissions creating an urgent need for carbon-negative fillers and functional additives that lower clinker use while maintaining cement performance. This thesis investigates the effects of organic mineral salts as fillers and additives on cement hydration, fresh properties, compressive strength and pore structure. In the first study, ordinary Portland cement (OPC) was partially replaced with calcium carbonate or calcium oxalate to enable a direct comparison under controlled particle size distribution (PSD). Rheology, flowability, hydration kinetics, phase evolution, mechanical performance and water absorption were evaluated. Calcium carbonate promoted early hydration through nucleation and …

Feasibility Study Of Concurrent Removal Of Organics And Ammonium Using An Iron Dosed Upflow Anaerobic Sludge-Blanket Bioreactor, Morgan Elizabeth Amos

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Aerobic microbial reactions have commonly been utilized in treatment processes to oxidize and remove organics and nitrogen through aeration, using processes such as nitrification that converts ammonium (NH₄⁺) into nitrite (NO₂^-) and nitrate (NO₃^-). Anoxic microbial reactions like denitrification often require organic compounds as an external source to chemically reduce the oxidized nitrogen (NO₃^- and NO₂^-) to nitrogen gas (N₂) for nitrogen removal from the liquid phase. These mainstream processes have a high chemical cost and energy footprint which results in an increased release …

Discrete Element Modeling Of Granular Soils: Critical State Behavior Applied To Impact Pile Driving, Esteban Patino Marin

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

This thesis investigates the use of the Discrete Element Method (DEM) to study two complementary aspects of granular soil mechanics: critical state behavior of granular materials and dynamic response of driven piles in sand, both of which are governed by the same particle-scale mechanisms of dilation, contraction, and fabric evolution.

The first examines the critical state behavior and fabric anisotropy of granular soils through DEM simulations of direct shear, direct simple shear, and true triaxial tests. Sphere-cluster particles representative of a uniform sand are used in two assemblages of approximately twenty-five thousand and one hundred twenty-five thousand spheres to evaluate …

Bond Behavior Of Uhpc-Nsc Interfaces For Bridge Deck Repair Under Flexural Loading, Larissa Santiago La Banca

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

The use of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) has increased due to its superior mechanical properties and strong bond with normal-strength concrete (NSC). It is widely used as a repair material, particularly in bridge decks, where maintenance remains a challenge. However, the interface between UHPC and NSC is often the weakest region of the composite system and requires careful evaluation.

This study investigates the bond behavior between UHPC and NSC using different surface preparations, test setups, and UHPC materials. The experimental program included unreinforced beams with vertical interfaces tested under three- and four-point flexural loading, and reinforced slabs with horizontal interfaces …

Predicting Safety And Mobility Parameters Based On Comprehensive Analytics Of Connected Vehicle Data, Lei Han

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Traffic safety and mobility remain critical challenges for modern transportation systems. The emergence of connected vehicle (CV) data offers unprecedented opportunities to capture microscopic, non-aggregated driving dynamics to support precise and finer-grained traffic safety and mobility research. This dissertation develops a comprehensive CV data–driven analytical framework to advance traffic safety and mobility research across multiple roadway contexts, including intersections, segments, freeways, and urban arterial networks. For traffic safety, this research extracts both longitudinal and lateral risky driving behaviors from CV trajectories and integrates them with macro-level roadway, traffic, and visual environment features. A spatial machine learning framework is proposed for …

Probability Of Detection For Corrosion-Induced Mass Loss And Yield Strain In Metal Structures Using Fe-C Coated Long Period Fiber Gratings Sensors And Electroresistive Strain Gauges, Ying Zhuo

Doctoral Dissertations

"Graphene-based, Fe-C coated long-period fiber grating (LPFG) sensors individually reveal a causal relation between LPFG wavelength change and Fe-C mass loss. Their correlation parameters vary significantly between the sensors mainly because hydrophobic multilayer graphene and graphene oxide make sensor fabrication inconsistent. This study explores MXene-based, Fe-C coated LPFG sensors due to MXene’s inherent hydrophilic property in the presence of surface functional groups such as hydroxyl and oxygen and the probability of detection (POD) for mass loss from Fe-C coated LPFG sensors when deployed at a fixed location. A novel fabrication process incorporating Piranha solution pretreatment is proposed to ensure uniform …

Prediction Of Maximum Local Scour Depth Due To Horizontal Jets Of Flushing Gate Using Artificial Neural Network, Adhy Kurniawan, Muhammad Sulaiman, Agus Maryono, Bambang Agus Kironoto, Amalia Ula Hazhiyah

Makara Journal of Technology

Local scour is a serious concern for hydraulic engineers. To maintain the reservoir capacity, flushing accumulated sediment is necessary, resulting in a turbulent and scouring jet from the flushing gate. Predicting the maximum scour depth from these water jets is crucial for civil engineers. Despite many proposed equations, one have shown consistent applicability due to the complex nature of the process. Ensuring accurate prediction between hydraulic parameters and the geometry of the scour hole in prototype experiments remains a key issue. To address this issue, this paper examines the use of artificial neural network (ANN) analysis as a computing device …

Compression Forming Of Basic Oxygen Furnace Slag-Gypsum Blocks: Performance Enhancement And Environmental Assessment, Fengyi Zhang

Student Works (2020-2029)

The construction industry plays a crucial role in global development but faces significant environmental challenges, particularly CO2 emissions from cement production. Gypsum blocks provide a sustainable alternative to traditional cement concrete blocks. However, the low mechanical strength and water resistance of gypsum materials limit the widespread adoption of gypsum-based materials in the construction industry. This study initially produced gypsum-based blocks using compression forming, adding supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), and subjecting accelerated carbonation curing (ACC). It was found that compression forming addressed the shortcomings of traditional block manufacturing (high energy consumption and long production time), and the addition of SCMs generated …

Flood Prediction With Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar From Hurricane Helene, Jingyu Xiao, Jessica Li

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

Floods are the most common natural disaster globally, causing thousands of deaths every year. Timely and accurate flood forecasts are crucial for developing early warning systems, evacuation plans, and effective strategies to enhance community resilience. Soil moisture is an important parameter in flood forecasting. Unfortunately, existing soil moisture sensor networks and optical remote sensing–based techniques for soil moisture estimation lack the spatial resolution needed for accurate flood forecasting. This study presents an approach for flood prediction using Sentinel-1 C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data. SAR offers high spatial resolution and operates day and night under all weather conditions, making it …

An Integrated Multivariate Econometric Modeling Framework For Risky Driving Behavior Related Crashes: Evaluating Crash Risk And Severity Across Zones, Pabitra Kumar Roy

Dissertations and Theses

Rapid advancements in crash modeling have yet to fully integrate multiple behavior-driven crash types and their severity outcomes within a single, scalable framework, specially in a way that captures the sequential nature of these behaviors where one risky action may amplify another. This study proposed an integrated multivariate econometric framework to jointly model crash frequency and severity outcomes for three major behaviorally driven crash types: alcohol-related, distraction-related, and aggressive-driving-related crashes. Specifically, using Oregon's 2022 census block group-level crash data, we propose an Integrated Multivariate Negative Binomial – Generalized Ordered Probit Fractional Split (IMNB–GOPFS) model to analyze these dimensions simultaneously while …

Traffic Study, Kennedy Case, Koryn Harms, Min Kaung, Abel Assefa, Eli Lockert, Dj Church

Student Scholar Symposium

No abstract provided.

Gaylord Opryland Congestion Reduction, Kennedy Case

Student Scholar Symposium

Lipscomb University’s College of Engineering is working collaboratively with Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center to explore potential solutions to its traffic congestion problem, particularly during peak times such as the holiday season. This research aims to identify strategies that can alleviate congestion in the resort area. With over one million visitors during the holiday season each year and limited parking capacity, the traffic congestion poses a significant challenge to both operational efficiency and visitor experience. The primary objective of this research is to identify strategies that optimize parking usage, reduce congestion, and improve the overall visitor experience. Beginning with …

Green Roof, Elizabeth Fulton

Student Scholar Symposium

Green roofs, a concept dating back over 100 years, offer a sustainable solution to urban environmental challenges such as poor air quality, the urban heat island effect, and increased stormwater runoff. This study focuses on green roofs as an effective way to address these issues in cities like Nashville, which are experiencing rapid urbanization. By transforming rooftops into green spaces, green roofs can improve air quality, manage stormwater, and reduce urban heat, while also enhancing the aesthetic value of urban environments. The research explores the integration of green roofs, considering factors like substrate composition, plant selection, and environmental conditions. Key …

Smart Traffic Lights, Roa Ghanem

Student Scholar Symposium

Nashville is quickly growing, and as a result, traffic congestion is becoming a bigger challenge for commuters. Longer travel times and increased vehicle emissions are major concerns. This research examines how smart traffic lights can improve traffic flow and reduce congestion in the city. By analyzing peer-reviewed journal articles, this study explores how AI, IoT, and machine learning can optimize traffic signal timing in real time. In particular, simulation models illustrate how these technologies adapt dynamically to changing traffic patterns in cities similar to Nashville. Furthermore, this research compares the cost-effectiveness of smart traffic lights with other solutions, such as …

Ai Photography-Based Gradation Feasibility Study For Streams And Rivers In Davidson County, Tn, Nolen Ritzel, Lauren Baker

Student Scholar Symposium

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has demonstrated significant potential in engineering applications, specifically in soil gradation analysis using two-dimensional imagery. While studies have shown experimental success, AI-based soil gradation methods are not widely used in industry due to the lack of field research performed. Moreover, the current methodology is suitable but lacks advancement. The motivation behind the research was to aid in bridging this gap between experimental research and industry application by determining whether existing AI tools can and/or should be applied to bank soil in streams and rivers in the Greater Nashville Area. Several locations next to streams and rivers distributed …

Xibalbay, Guatemala Water Distribution System Design, Nolen Ritzel, Lauren Baker, Robert Trey Owen, Jessamine Reckard, Joelle Noble, Sara Berry-Brown

Student Scholar Symposium

This study presents the design and validation of a water distribution system for Xibalbay, Guatemala, in collaboration with the Peugeot Center and a local Guatemalan engineering firm, ADICAY. The project aimed to ensure reliable water access while maintaining residual pressures to the US standard, between 20 to 120 psi. The proposed design was a two pressure-zone system with pumps in series. A comprehensive hydraulic model was developed using WaterGEMS to analyze system pressures, pump performance, and tank levels under various conditions. Limited on-site testing was performed by this team due to construction delays and electricity issues at the time of …

Evaluating The Impact Of Precast Vs. Cast-In-Place Concrete: A Life Cycle Assessment Of A Parking Garage In Nashville, Robert Trey Owen

Student Scholar Symposium

Concrete is one of the most widely used building materials in the construction industry, generating $64 billion in revenue, according to the Concrete Financial Insights Index. Given the material’s extensive use, construction professionals seek ways to optimize construction project budgets and schedules. Precast concrete, which is manufactured offsite and then transported to the project when needed, is a potential solution for these goals. This research aims to quantify the benefits of precast concrete over typical cast-in-place methods using a life cycle analysis for a parking garage structure located in Nashville Tennessee.

The data for the two materials will be compared …

Improving Home Affordability In Greater Nashville Through Construction Efficiency And Innovations, Nate Mclain

Student Scholar Symposium

Engineering Greater Nashville Home Affordability

Long Term Financial Analysis For Opry Mills Hotel And Resort, Eli Lockert

Student Scholar Symposium

In 2024 a Lipscomb Senior Design team completed a design project for the Opryland Hotel. The project, aimed at reducing humidity levels in the large greenhouse-like atrium and overall power usage, included multiple phases and equipment. This research continues the work of that team in an effort to determine whether the proposed system is a cost-effective approach. The research specifically evaluates the system outlined in the Opryland Final Design Report, completed in April of 2024. Using a holistic approach, this study employs life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA) to assess the economic feasibility of the proposed system through various empirical methods. A …

Comparative Analysis Of Machine Learning And Statistical Models For Railroad–Highway Grade Crossing Safety, Erickson Senkondo, Deo Chimba, Masanja Madalo, Afia Yeboah, Shala Blue

Civil and Architectural Engineering Faculty Research

Railroad-highway grade crossings (RHGCs) are critical points of conflict between roadway and rail systems, contributing to over 2000 crashes and 250 fatalities annually in the United States. This study applied machine learning methods (ML) techniques to model and predict crash frequency at RHGCs, using a comprehensive dataset from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT). The dataset included 807 validated crossings, incorporating roadway geometry, traffic volumes, rail characteristics, and control features. Five ML models—Random Forest, XGBoost, PSO-Elastic Net, Transformer-CNN, and Autoencoder-MLP—were developed and compared to a traditional Negative Binomial (NB) regression model. Results showed that ML …

Evaluating Three Lightweight Airfield Matting Systems Under F-35b Aircraft Loading, Brett D. Cobb

Theses and Dissertations

Aircraft matting has been in service since WWII. It has provided a maneuverable substrate to allow aircraft forward operations to take place in austere environments. AM2 is the main matting system that has been used for generations. In recent years, the need for a lightweight matting system has come to the forefront of the matting community. This is not only to improve the maneuverability, but also the shipping restrictions. This research is on three different light weight matting systems above subgrade with two CBR values (i.e., 6 and 25). A specially designed load cart was adopted to simulate F-35B loading. …

Quantifying Benefits Of Biochar With Variable Absorption Capacity As A Partial Cement Replacement In Concrete, Benjamin Shannon

Theses and Dissertations

Extensive research has been conducted on biochar-incorporated concrete. However, no concrete mixture design guideline is currently available for implementing biochar incorporation in practice. The objective of this study was to correlate biochar absorption capacity with the compressive strength of biochar-incorporated concrete, to quantify the benefits of biochar and develop mix design guidelines. Biochar with varying absorption capacities was incorporated into concrete at 10%, 20%, and 40%. Strength and moisture loss were recorded over the 90-day curing period of the biochar-incorporated concrete. Results revealed three main findings: (1) in 10%, 20%, and 40% biochar mixes, the normalized strengths ranged from 0.65–0.85, …

Analysis Of Trends From Mass Concrete Case Studies, Bradford Songer

Theses and Dissertations

While conventional mass concrete is well understood, high strength and ultra high performance concrete present unique challenges when placed in large volumes. This thesis compiles and analyzes thermal data from mass high strength and ultra high performance concrete placements collected over the past eight years by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in support of military construction projects. The datasets span a wide range of material types and volumes. The analysis identifies trends in temperature development, temperature differentials, and the influence of mixture constituents on heat generation. This thesis contributes to the improved understanding of thermal behavior in mass concrete. …

Design And Development Of Rechargeable Cement-Based Batteries For Energy Storage Within Infrastructure, Dandan Yin

Tennessee State University Alumni Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presented the design, fabrication, and evaluation of rechargeable cement-based batteries (CBB) for energy storage within infrastructure. The study aimed to integrate electrochemical energy storage directly into cementitious materials, enabling multifunctional and sustainable building systems. Nickel–iron electrodes and cement-based solid electrolytes to form durable, solid-state systems. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and galvanostatic charge–discharge tests，along with microscopic testing and mechanical testing analyses, were conducted to assess battery performance. The carbon fiber mesh CBB achieved stable cycling over 100 cycles with quasi-reversible redox behavior and a maximum areal energy density of 7.6 Wh m⁻². Nickel foam electrodes, with their …