Digital Commons Network^™

Community Wastewater Treatment Resilience Assessment, Tristan Veal

All Theses

With the rising threat of climate change and cascading impacts from infrastructure failure there is a growing need to strengthen community resilience. Theoretical and practical resilience frameworks are available, but they vary in aim and scope; there is no standard tool to assess resilience. This research expands on the resilience matrix (RM) application methods of previous research completed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Clemson University. That work focused on drinking water treatment systems and developed a few dozen specific indicators, or metrics, to quantify resilience. This research adds wastewater infrastructure with the aim of identifying …

Laboratory Performance Evaluation Of Hot Mix Asphalt Mixtures With Incorporations Of Different Recycled Plastic Additives Using The Dry Method, Alvaro A. Cerdas Murillo

All Theses

Asphalt pavements are susceptible to distresses such as cracking, rutting, and moisture damage, which reduce service life and increase maintenance costs. This study evaluated the use of recycled materials from HDPE and LDPE plastics (shredded and pelletized) and PET fibers of two lengths as asphalt mixture additives to provide a sustainable approach to improve performance. The materials were incorporated into two control mixtures designed with the Balanced Mix Design (BMD) method. Laboratory testing assessed cracking and rutting resistance, moisture susceptibility, abrasion resistance, and dynamic modulus across a range of conditions.

Results showed that PET fibers improved cracking resistance due to …

Development Of A Probabilistic Interaction Rule And Failure Pressure Model For Pipelines With A Colony Of Corrosion Defects, Kiswendsida J. Kere, Qindan Huang

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

The interaction effect originating from a defect colony can pose a higher pipeline failure risk than the case when such possible interaction is not considered. Recognizing the limitations in existing models that can lead to inaccurate pipeline integrity assessment, the goal of this study is to develop a probabilistic interaction rule and predictive burst failure pressure model for pipelines with a colony of corrosion defects. First, a comprehensive database of burst failure pressure for pipes with a colony of corrosion is established that encompasses a wide range of influencing factors (e.g., spacing, defect sizes, and material properties) on the defect …

Effects Of Mississippi River Borrow Area Design On Riverine Sediment Transport Using Delft 3d, Kiara B. Horton

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This research uses a Delft3D model to investigate the impacts of Mississippi River borrow areas on the Mississippi River navigation channel. The largest navigation concerns for the Mississippi River are operation and maintenance costs down; this includes costs of transportation and dredging. Borrow areas are created to supplement beneficial use of dredge material in various projects. Borrow areas are designed to a standard set of guidelines, according to Coastal Protection and Restoration authority (CPRA), and consider impacts to the navigation channel by requiring and minimum distance from the navigation channel. This study models the total sediment transport and amount of …

Analysis Of Hydrological Model Uncertainty In The Response Of Farmers' Decision Models: A Case Study From The Lower Mississippi River Basin Region, Aayush Khadka

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Ever since human have evolved on planet earth, they have been dependent on water resources for almost every aspect of their lives. From food production to industry, water has been an integral part of the ever-growing human civilization. Increasing reliance on water has resulted in development of effective and sustainable management strategies. However, water management has remained a complex task due to different human and natural stressors. Hydro-economic models are powerful tools that have been widely used to study water resource systems, management options, economic values, and infrastructures. They have been used to analyze the Water-Energy-Food nexus, climatic interactions, and …

Subsurface Characterization Using Electrical Resistivity Tomography (Ert) Integrated With Masw, P-Wave Refraction, And Boring Results, Mohammadyar Rahimi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) has gained widespread application in geotechnical engineering as a non-invasive method for subsurface characterization. Despite its versatility, several challenges remain regarding its resolution capabilities, interpretive limitations, and integration with other investigative methods. This dissertation addresses three key applications of ERT, focusing on its effectiveness and limitations in resolving thin subsurface layers, detecting anomalies such as voids, and supporting environmental assessment in river restoration projects.

The first study investigates the ability of ERT to resolve thin, discontinuous clay layers beneath levees, using the Melvin Price Reach of the Wood River Levee on the Mississippi River as a …

Performance Evaluation Of Highly Modified Asphalt-Based Binders In High Friction Surface Treatment: Comparative Study With Epoxy-Based System, Alireza Roshan, Magdy Abdelrahman, Mohyeldin Ragab

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

High Friction Surface Treatments (HFSTs) are frequently used to increase skid resistance and reduce collisions, particularly in crash-prone zones, including horizontal curves and intersections. Epoxy-based binders traditionally have been the sole option for HFSTs, but their drawbacks, such as high costs and compatibility challenges, have led to the search for substitute binders, including asphalt-based options. This study investigates the comparative performance of highly modified asphalt-based binders, including polymer-modified, mastic, and highly modified emulsions, in HFST applications using two aggregate types, Calcined Bauxite (CB) and Rhyolite with different gradations, with an emphasis on their frictional properties, durability, and resistance to polishing. …

Influence Of Terrain Model Resolution On Rockfall Dispersion And Tortuosity Of Rockfall Paths, Lucas Jason Arsenith

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The geology of the Snake River Plain region of southwestern Idaho contains terraces formed from downcutting of the Boise River and columnar jointed basalt cliffs from lava flows. Within the city limits of Boise, Idaho, rockfall events originate from these columnar jointed basalt cliffs. Whitney Terrace, a rockfall-prone location in southwestern Boise, was chosen as the study site. Site-specific LiDAR data was used to create a bare earth terrain model, and rockfall boulders were geolocated and measured to be used as inputs into rockfall models. The slope below the cliff face was divided into four distinct slope zones, each with …

Evaluating Structural Response Of Steel I-Girder Bridges Under Different Support Conditions: Construction Loading In Skewed Straight And Thermal Loading In Horizontally Curved Configuration, Bikesh Sedhain

Theses and Dissertations

Skewed and horizontally curved steel I-girder bridges are commonly designed and constructed to connect existing roadways and navigate obstacles in densely populated areas. However, these bridges can introduce significant challenges to bridge design and analysis, including complex lateral movements and torsional effects. Simplified support representation techniques that are commonly adopted in analysis and design may not accurately capture these effects, which lead to potential misestimations of bridge responses. This research aims to evaluate skewed and curved steel I-girder bridges for complicated loading and support conditions – skewed integral abutment bridges were studied during pre-composite deck placement and horizontally curved bridges …

Development Of A New Seismic Metamaterial For Passive Vibration Control Of Civil Structures, Shayan Khosravi

Theses and Dissertations

Seismic metamaterials are engineered structures that control mechanical wave propagation through frequency bandgaps, making them useful for structural control and seismic hazard mitigation. This study introduces the Passive Friction Seismic Metamaterial Base Isolation (PFSMBI) system, which combines frequency bandgaps and solid friction energy dissipation to improve the seismic performance of civil structures. The PFSMBI consists of a lattice structure with identical cells connected by springs and dampers, shifting a building’s natural frequency away from earthquake excitations. A dynamic model analyzes the system’s absolute acceleration, drift responses, and base shear force, optimizing parameters such as frequency ratios, mass ratios, and the …

Comparison And Evaluation Of Overlay And Leveling Binder In Traffic Circle Construction, Pratik Neupane

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Traffic circles play a vital role in managing traffic flow and ensuring safety, yet their unique traffic conditions make them prone to early cracking and deformation. This study evaluated the performance of overlay and leveling binder asphalt mixtures for a reconstructed traffic circle at the University of South Alabama, using plant-mixed laboratory-compacted (PMLC) specimens. Volumetric analyses were performed to determine maximum specific gravity (Gmm), bulk specific gravity (Gmb), and air voids content. Laboratory tests were conducted on both the overlay and leveling binder layers using indirect tensile cracking test (IDEAL-CT) and indirect tensile rutting test (IDEAL-RT) to assess cracking tolerance …

Incorporating Recycled And Repurposed Plastic Into 100% Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement, Basant Bhatt

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

The increasing awareness of sustainability in the asphalt industry has driven the use of recycled materials like reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and waste plastic. This study examines the incorporation of recycled polypropylene (rPP), recycled high-density polyethylene (rHDPE), and recycled low-density polyethylene (rLDPE) at 0.3%, 0.6%, and 0.8% dosages into 100% RAP, along with the warm mix asphalt additive Evotherm® P25. Laboratory tests were conducted to evaluate the mechanical and durability performance of the modified asphalt mixtures while rutting and fatigue life were evaluated using mechanistic-empirical (ME) analysis in PerRoad software. Both plastic type and dosage had a statistically significant impact …

Evaluation Of Novel Jointless Engineered Cementitious Composite Ultrathin Whitetopping (Ecc-Utw) Overlay, Hassan Noorvand, Marwa Hassan, Tyson Rupnow, Ricardo Hungria

Publications

The present work corresponds to the development and the application of a cost-effective Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) mix design with the name M3-1.5%. Once the material was developed it was applied in the construction of a novel engineered cementitious composites ultrathin whitetopping (ECC-UTW) overlay. The overlay was constructed in May 2019 at the Pavement Research Facility (PRF) in Port Allen, Louisiana. The project was built on top of a distressed asphalt pavement corresponding to a previous project. During the construction, samples were gathered and subjected to testing after 28 days through means of compressive, uniaxial tension and flexural strength tests. …

Enhancing Asphalt Mix Design Through Film Thickness And Bailey’S Gradation Method, Lydia Quinn

Civil Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Contemporary asphalt research aims to strike a balance between rutting and fatigue cracking to enhance pavement longevity. The performance of asphalt mixtures is influenced by factors such as aggregate gradation and asphalt film thickness. Although gradation typically adheres to the mid-gradation method, asphalt film thickness is included in certain mix designs, even though it is not universally regarded as an essential parameter. Nonetheless, no current method primarily addresses both gradation and asphalt film thickness together. In this research, aggregate gradations were designed using the principles of Bailey’s method along with various other criteria such as control points, the dust to …

A Statistical Investigation Of The Parameters Influencing Rutting And Cracking Performance In Asphalt Mixtures, Alexis Light

Civil Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Durable pavement is essential for modern transportation infrastructure, especially in the United States of America which boasts over 8.5 million lane miles of roads and highways. Despite advanced construction techniques, asphalt pavements are susceptible to rutting and cracking, significantly affecting their performance and maintenance costs. Current methods for analyzing rutting and cracking in asphalt mixtures rely on various parameters, leading to measurement variability. This highlights the need for more rigorous analysis to explore the relationship between mix design variables and pavement performance. This research explores the IDEAL-CT and APA data from 171 mix designs collected by the Arkansas Department of …

Digital Twin Use Case At El Paso International Airport, Matyas Mori

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This thesis explores the potential of implementing Digital Twin technology in airports, with a concrete use case at the Innovation Factory at El Paso International Airport. The Digital Twin model was developed using project documentation and LiDAR scanning, resulting in point cloud datasets that served as the foundation for further analysis. A comparison was conducted between reality-captured data and the model created from project documentation, highlighting the presence of noise in the field data. This analysis revealed key challenges and identified opportunities to enhance efficiency through automation. Instead of relying on a resource-intensive manual process to clean point cloud datasets …

Charging Infrastructure Needs For Electric Trucks In Texas, Katerina Jilkova

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This thesis focuses on the design of a methodology for determining the optimal location of charging stations for heavy-duty electric trucks. The work focuses primarily on long-distance trips that require charging the truck battery outside cities, where the range of charging stations is not extensive. In addition to design the algorithm, the thesis also focuses on implementing the algorithm on a specific case - the implementation of charging stations in the I-10 Freeway corridor between El Paso and San Antonio. The output of the work is not only a description of the procedure, but also an application to a real …

Improving Traffic Management During Special Events At The Sun Bowl Stadium, Marek Polak

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This thesis focuses on improving traffic conditions around the Sun Bowl Stadium, especially during large public events. The goal is to propose effective solutions that enhance the use of public infrastructure during both event days and normal traffic conditions. To understand the current situation, two surveys were conducted during a football game - one monitoring parking lot occupancy and the other measuring traffic volumes using video recordings and pressure sensors. Based on the collected data, design changes were proposed for two key intersections: Sun Bowl Dr. with W. University Ave., and Sun Bowl Dr. with Glory Rd. The new designs …

A Study Of Air Voids And Effective Air Voids In Hot Mix Asphalt (Hma), Dasina Francis

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Air voids are a fundamental parameter in the mix design of Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA), as they directly influence performance characteristics such as durability, permeability, and aging. Typically estimated using bulk and maximum specific gravity measurements, accurate determination of air voids is critical, given that laboratory samples are compacted to target void levels. This study investigates the influence of aggregate gradation and asphalt content on air voids, effective air voids, and specific gravity parameters - including bulk, apparent, and maximum specific gravities - in both fine- and coarse-graded HMA mixtures. Experimental testing included the determination of bulk, apparent, and maximum …

Wind-Induced Gravel Blow-Off: Experimental Investigations And Predictive Modeling For Resilient Roof Design, Md Safwan Ahsanullah

All Dissertations

Roof gravel blow-off during severe windstorms is a major hazard, leading to roof damage and significant downwind impacts. Understanding the initiation mechanisms for gravel blow-off is critical for improving building design and mitigating windborne debris risks. Existing experimental data on the wind speed required to initiate gravel blow-off have been collected from high-speed, full-scale tests at wind tunnels. While these tests form the basis of current design guidelines, they are expensive and can lack generalizability. As a result, rooftop gravel is frequently blown off at wind speeds below the design thresholds. This dissertation investigates the onset of rooftop gravel motion, …

Use Of Pushed-In Pencel Pressuremeter Test For Shallow Foundation Design In Florida Fine Sands, Brhane Weldeanenya Ygzaw

Theses and Dissertations

A comprehensive evaluation was conducted on the performance, consistency, and practical application of various in-situ geotechnical testing methods for predicting the settlement and bearing capacity of shallow foundations in Florida’s fine sands. The methods assessed include the Standard Penetration Test (SPT), Cone Penetration Test (CPT), Dilatometer Test (DMT), pushed-in PENCEL Pressuremeter Test (PPMT), and the pre-bored TEXAM Pressuremeter Test. A dual approach controlled indoor testing at the FDOT State Materials Office (SMO) and field investigations at three representative sites (Kingsley, Trenton, and the UCF research site), formed the experimental foundation.

Over thirty settlement prediction techniques and thirteen bearing capacity estimation …

Cross-Frame Effects And Design Optimization For Skewed Steel I-Girder Bridges, Nisha Sthapit

Theses and Dissertations

Cross-frames are critical for load distribution and stability in steel I-girder bridges with complex geometry, especially during construction. However, they are often designed with standardized cross-sections that are uniform throughout the bridge. This thesis presents an optimization approach for cross-frame cross-sections for skewed steel I-girder bridges with integral and stub abutments with skews ranging from 15⁰-60⁰. This optimization, using Method of Moving Asymptotes (MMA), minimizes girder flange lateral bending stress while maintaining or reducing the total volume of the cross-frames from the original design. Validated 3D finite element models in CSI Bridge showed that the optimization achieved around 20% decrease …

Towards Advancing Streamflow And Peak Flow Prediction With Machine Learning: Identifying Infrastructure At Risk, Sudan Pokharel

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Due to climate change and its impact, the need for adaptive strategies for natural disaster mitigation and resource management has never been more urgent. Central to this is water resource management, which is essential for sustainable human activities, ecological balance, and the mitigation of natural hazards like floods. Streamflow is a crucial element of water resource management and plays a vital role in planning and building water infrastructure, implementing emergency response plans, supporting flood mitigation initiatives, and regulating agricultural and industrial use. However, accurate prediction of streamflow still remains a challenge due to the complex non-linear and non-stationary interaction between …

Mash Crashworthiness Of Work Zone Devices And Breakaway Luminaire Poles, Mohammadreza Rajaee

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

This thesis presents a study on the crashworthiness of two commonly-used roadside safety devices: Type II barricades and luminaire poles supported by TB1-17 transformer bases. The first part focuses on designing and evaluating a non-proprietary, Type II barricade that meets MASH criteria. A validated LS-DYNA model, based on a previously-tested Type III barricade, was used to guide the design. The proposed Type II system was evaluated through simulation and confirmed with full-scale crash testing. The second part of the study investigates luminaire poles supported by the TB1-17 transformer base. A previously-developed LS-DYNA model was updated and validated using test No. …

Development Of Timber Bridge Railing And Approach Guardrail Transition, Aaron Lechtenberger

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

Timber bridges with transverse and longitudinal bridge decks are increasingly utilized across the United States. However, limited research exists to develop bridge railing systems for high-service-level roadways that meet current vehicular impact safety standards. In response to this gap, the United States Department of Agriculture - Forest Service -Forest Products Laboratory (USDA-FS-FPL), in collaboration with the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility (MwRSF), initiated a research program to develop, crash test, and evaluate higher-service-level bridge railings and approach guardrail transitions (AGTs) compliant with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH).

This study continued …

A Framework For Quantifying The Benefits Of Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Development, Donya Negahbani

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

Under the Biden Administration’s Justice40 Initiative, a significant portion of benefits derived from federal clean transportation investments is required to be directed to disadvantaged communities. Meeting this mandate necessitates a transparent and reproducible approach that quantifies various dimensions of value and allocates them equitably. This dissertation presents a flexible framework specifically tailored for the deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in Nebraska, effectively translating equity goals into rigorous spatial and economic analyses. The framework first identifies multiple distinct categories of benefit that reflect the societal value of charging access: energy savings, economic opportunities, environmental quality enhancements, and public health improvements. …

Building Resilience: Strategies For Sustainable Wildfire Management In California, Jaiden Rennie, Pegah Zamani

Symposium of Student Scholars

Wildfires in California are becoming more intense and destructive, threatening communities, ecosystems, and livelihoods. This project explores how resilience and sustainability can work together to reduce wildfire risks and long-term damage. By reviewing research, case studies, and expert insights, it examines what’s driving these fires, climate change, poor land management, and human activity, and looks at solutions that can make a real difference. From community education programs to AI-driven fire detection and smarter policies, the findings highlight practical ways to better prepare for and manage wildfires. The goal is to contribute to a future where communities and the environment are …

Comparative Analysis On Design Error Risks In Design-Bid-Build And Design-Build Construction Approaches, Eradius Edward Rwakarehe

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

This study was conducted to compare design errors risk in Design-Bid-Build (DBB) (traditional) and Design-Build (DB) methods in building projects. Several construction projects under both DB and DBB method were reviewed. On most of construction projects under DB method, it was found that there were over supply of floor area due to different reasons. Also, it was found that, clients’ requirements were changed during project execution, which resulted into change on schedule, contract value and project quality. It was also revealed that in most cases, designs were in accordance with the clients’ requirements as submitted earlier but during construction clients …

Flood Inundation Mapping For The Tana River Delta In Kenya, Anne N. Mugatha

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

This study aimed at mapping flood inundation areas in the Tana River Delta. The 30 m DEM and digitized streams and road networks data were collected through remote sensing techniques followed by ground truthing. The data used also included Tana River discharge data at Garsen gauging station. Probability distributions were fitted on the annual maximum discharges. The 4 parameter generalized Gamma probability distribution was the best-fitting distribution according to goodness-of-fit criteria and the Q-Q plots and was used to generate the flood quantiles for different return periods. The generated flood quantiles were; 286 m3/s, 369 m3/s, 400 m3/s, 405 m3/s, …

Pros And Cons Of Preservation Treatments, Buzz Powell

Local Transportation Asset Management Conference

No abstract provided.