Digital Commons Network^™

Adsorption Of Ammonium (Nh4+) Ions Onto Various Vietnamese Biomass Residue-Derived Biochars (Wood, Rice Husk And Bamboo), Nguyen Van Hien, Eugenia Valsami-Jones, Nguyen Cong Vinh, Tong Thi Phu, Nguyen Thi Thanh Tam, Iseult Lynch

BIO-CHAR: Production, Characterization and Applications

This study evaluates adsorption of ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N) ions onto various biochars produced from biomass residues in Vietnam as a function of their physicochemical characteristics. Three biochars, including wood biochar (WBC), rice husk biochar (RBC), and bamboo biochar (BBC), were produced under limited oxygen conditions using Top-Lid Updraft Drum technology at temperatures of 450-550oC. Physicochemical characterization (BET surface area, Cation exchange capacity (CEC), Scanning Electron Microscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) of the biochars was performed in order to link their porosity and surface functional groups with their NH4+-N capture capacities.

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Forecasting Us Army Enlistment Contract Production In Complex Geographical Marketing Areas, Joshua L. Mcdonald, Edward D. White, Raymond R. Hill, Christian Pardo

Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate an improved method for forecasting the US Army recruiting. Design/methodology/approach: Time series methods, regression modeling, principle components and marketing research are included in this paper. Findings: This paper found the unique ability of multiple statistical methods applied to a forecasting context to consider the effects of inputs that are controlled to some degree by a decision maker. Research limitations/implications: This work will successfully inform the US Army recruiting leadership on how this improved methodology will improve their recruitment process.
Practical implications: Improved US Army analytical technique for forecasting recruiting goals.

Towards Food Service Sustainability In Suburban Environments By Optimally Locating Shared Anaerobic Digester Units, Rebecca Loraamm, Joni Downs, Robert Alonso Bair, Daniel Yeh

Suburban Sustainability

Anaerobic digestion is an effective method for reducing food waste at the consumer level. Drawbacks associated with this strategy include high construction costs for multiple digester units and limited public awareness of the method’s commercial potential. Given the large scale problem of food waste, an approach establishing community partnerships between local businesses and primary schools is offered to combat the problem of food waste. Optimizing the placement of shared digester units enabling utilization by multiple stakeholders is the suggested mitigation method. This research explores application of the p-median problem to determine the set of optimal sites for shared anaerobic digester …

Remote Sensing Of The Environmental Impacts Of Utility-Scale Solar Energy Plants, Mohammad Masih Edalat

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Solar energy has many environmental benefits compared with fossil fuels but solar farming can have environmental impacts especially during construction and development. Thus, in order to enhance environmental sustainability, it is imperative to understand the environmental impacts of utility-scale solar energy (USSE) plants. During recent decades, remote sensing techniques and geographic information systems have become standard techniques in environmental applications. In this study, the environmental impacts of USSE plants are investigated by analyzing changes to land surface characteristics using remote sensing. The surface characteristics studied include land cover, land surface temperature, and hydrological response whereas changes are mapped by comparing …

How To Enhance Interdisciplinary Competence—Interdisciplinary Problem-Based Learning Versus Interdisciplinary Project-Based Learning, Mirjam Brassler, Jan Dettmers

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

Interdisciplinary competence is important in academia for both employability and sustainable development. However, to date, there are no specific interdisciplinary education models and, naturally, no empirical studies to assess them. Since problem-based learning (PBL) and project-based learning (PjBL) are learning approaches that emphasize students’ collaboration, both pedagogies seem suitable to enhance students’ interdisciplinary competence. Based on the principle of constructive alignment and four instructional principles on interdisciplinary learning, this paper proposes that students profit more from interdisciplinary PBL (iPBL) than interdisciplinary PjBL (iPjBL). A pre-post study was conducted with a sample of 95 students participating in iPBL and 183 students …

Webinar: Land Use Mix And Pedestrian Travel Behavior: Advancements In Conceptualization And Measurement, Steven R. Gehrke

TREC Webinar Series

Smart growth policies have often emphasized the importance of land use mix as an intervention beholding of lasting urban planning and public health benefits. Past transportation-land use research has identified potential efficiency gains achieved by mixed-use neighborhoods and the subsequent shortening of trip lengths; whereas, public health research has accredited increased land use mixing as an effective policy for facilitating greater physical activity.

However, despite the celebrated transportation, land use, and health benefits of improved land use mixing and the extent of topical attention, no consensus has been reached regarding the conceptualization and measurement of this key smart growth principle …

Economic Impact Of World Bank Aviation Investment In Pacific Island Countries, Cindy Greenman, Javad Gorjidooz

Publications

The World Bank Group (WBG) has provided grant and credits to support projects related to aviation and air transport including capacity building, policy and regulation, safety and security, infrastructure rehabilitation, and institutional strengthening for over 60 years. Today, the WBG remains actively engaged on aviation related project in every region of the world including the Pacific Island Countries. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the economic impact of WBG investments in aviation infrastructures in Pacific Island Countries. The preliminary results of this study show a serious deficiency in the areas of aviation infrastructure, safety and security, management efficiency, …

Nuclear Weapons In A Changing Climate: Probability, Increasing Risks, And Perception, Adam Liska, Tyler R. White, Eric Holley, Robert J. Oglesby

Adam Liska Papers

Many people tend to think that the outcome of any nuclear weapons use today will result in an escalatory situation with apocalyptic outcomes for the countries involved. Yet many factors are increasing the probability of the limited use of nuclear weapons (e.g., 1 to 20 warheads) in a range of conflict scenarios. Previous atmospheric model simulations of regional nuclear conflicts employing many relatively small bombs have been estimated to cause a global “nuclear autumn,” with great reductions in agricultural productivity, stratospheric ozone loss, and spread of hazardous radioactive fallout. The totality of these effects would result in widespread damage …

Investigation Of Passengers’ Intentions To Use High-Speed Rail And Low-Cost Carriers In China, Jing Yu Pan

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

With a large population, China is an ideal market for high-speed rail (HSR) and low-cost carrier (LCC) services. While HSR has gained substantial market share in China over the past decade, LCCs have achieved only limited market penetration. The potential growth of LCCs in China, however, is promising given the growing travel demand and government policy support. As LCCs expand their service in the domestic market, they are likely to become a strong competitor of HSR. The potential competition between LCCs and HSR justifies the research of passengers’ behavioral intentions to use HSR and LCCs in China.

This research focused …

Urban And Building Multiscale Co-Simulation: Case Study Implementations On Two University Campuses, Clayton Miller, Daren Thomas, Jerome Kampf, Arno Schlueter

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

The co-simulation of both urban and building-level models leverages the advantages of both platforms. It better accounts for the localized effects of surrounding buildings, geography and climate conditions while maintaining high-fidelity building systems representation. This paper describes the co-simulation process of the building and urban-scale models of two university campuses in Switzerland using EnergyPlus and CitySim. In the first case study, on-site measured performance data is compared to the co-simulation results. The second case study examines the results of the two engines. The results show that coupling of EnergyPlus with CitySim resulted in a −15.5\% and −7.5\% impact on cooling …

Deep Neural Networks As Time Series Forecasters Of Energy Demand, Gregory Merkel

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Short-term load forecasting is important for the day-to-day operation of natural gas utilities. Traditionally, short-term load forecasting of natural gas is done using linear regression, autoregressive integrated moving average models, and artificial neural networks. Many purchasing and operating decisions are made using these forecasts, and there can be high cost to both natural gas utilities and their customers if the short-term load forecast is inaccurate. Therefore, the GasDay lab continues to explore new ways to make better forecasts. Recently, deep neural networks (DNNs) have emerged as a powerful tool in machine learning problems. DNNs have been shown to greatly outperform …

Considering Health In Us Metropolitan Long-Range Transportation Plans: A Review Of Guidance Statements And Performance Measures, Patrick A. Singleton, Kelly J. Clifton

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Transportation influences health primarily and most directly through traffic safety, air quality, physical activity, and accessibility. Despite the importance of all four components, only safety and air quality are typically considered during institutionalized transportation planning processes. This paper assesses how health impacts are considered in transportation planning by focusing on the long-range transportation plans that US metropolitan planning organizations develop. We analyzed the content of current plans from 25 large regions, reviewing how policy guidance statements and supporting performance measures addressed health. Goals and objectives exhibited an incomplete perspective of transportation's effects on health, focusing on safety, accessibility, and air …

15-02 Estimating And Enhancing Public Transit Accessibility For People With Mobility Limitations, Jun-Seok Oh, C. Scott Smith, Rostam Qatra, Mohammad Al-Akash

Transportation Research Center Reports

This two-part study employs fine-scale performance measures and analytical techniques designed to evaluate and improve transit services for people experiencing disability. Part one puts forth a series of time-sensitive, general transit feed system (GTFS)-enhanced employment accessibility models that account for multiple transportation modes, categories of functional limitation and design characteristics of existing public transit infrastructure. Model results shed light on the degree to which a medium-size city’s public transit system addresses the gap between a theoretical continuum of rider capacities and the physical demands required to achieve mobility and access to employment. Our research finds that an individual’s combined physical …

Spatial Variability Of Co < Inf> 2 Uptake In Polygonal Tundra: Assessing Low-Frequency Disturbances In Eddy Covariance Flux Estimates, Norbert Pirk, Jakob Sievers, Jordan Mertes, Frans Jan W. Parmentier, Mikhail Mastepanov, Torben R. Christensen

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

The large spatial variability in Arctic tundra complicates the representative assessment of CO2 budgets. Accurate measurements of these heterogeneous landscapes are, however, essential to understanding their vulnerability to climate change. We surveyed a polygonal tundra lowland on Svalbard with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that mapped ice-wedge morphology to complement eddy covariance (EC) flux measurements of CO2. The analysis of spectral distributions showed that conventional EC methods do not accurately capture the turbulent CO2 exchange with a spatially heterogeneous surface that typically features small flux magnitudes. Nonlocal (low-frequency) flux contributions were especially pronounced during snowmelt and introduced a large bias …

Space-Time Transportation System Modelling: From Traveler’S Characteristics To The Network Design Problem, Mohsen Parsafard

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Traditional network design problems only consider the long-term stationary travel patterns (e.g., fixed OD demand) and short-term variations of human mobility are ignored. This study aims to integrate human mobility characteristics and travel patterns into network design problems using a space-time network structure. Emerging technologies such as location-based social network platforms provide a unique opportunity for understanding human mobility patterns that can lead to advanced modeling techniques. To reach our goal, at first multimodal network design problems are investigated by considering safety and flow interactions between different modes of transport. We develop a network reconstruction method to expand a single-modal …

Comparing Building Modeling Software To The Energy Record Of A Preexisting Structure, Nathan Lasley

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Buildings are complex systems - even "simple" residential structures. Many factors go into building energy consumption and the design to reduce it. Computer energy modeling allows the simultaneous consideration and balance of many of those variables. Computer models are only as good as the information provided however. Tools like blower door and duct blaster can be used to aid in verifying the model or to provide more information to build a better model. In order to verify of building computer energy simulation methods, the Western Kentucky University (WKU) Office of Sustainability located at 503 Regents Ave. in Bowling Green KY …

2013-2014, August - Integrated Regional Water Management Plan For The Greater Monterey County Region

Miscellaneous Monterey and San Luis Obispo County Documents and Reports

An Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWM Plan) developed by 18 member entities that include government agencies, nonprofit organizations, educational organizations, water service districts, private water companies, and organizations representing agricultural, environmental, and community interests. The IRWM Plan is an expansion and modification of a previous plan – the May 2006 Salinas Valley Integrated Regional Water Management Functionally Equivalent Plan developed by Monterey County Water Resources Agency. While the traditional approach to water resource management has typically involved separate and distinct agencies managing different aspects of the water system, i.e., water supply, water quality, flood management, and natural resources, integrated …

The Solar Microgrid Project In Togo, Christian Jason Wintery, Alexander Mayorkis

Electrical and Computer Engineering Senior Theses

Danyi Mempassem, Togo, Africa has villagers in need of electricity, however, they cannot afford to put in the infrastructure and then pay the steep cost of energy from the government. The best option for energy for the village is an affordable and renewable resource but due to limitations of geography the only viable option is a photo-voltaic system. We designed a working solar microgrid tailored for the location and weather of the village which can support all of the lights, cell phone chargers, and televisions that the villagers need/desire while being reliable, sustainable, safe, and affordable. The design and implementation …

Increasing Probability Of Mass-Mortality During Indian Heatwaves, Mojtaba Sadegh

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Rising global temperatures are causing increases in the frequency and severity of extreme climatic events such as floods, droughts, and heatwaves. Here, we analyze changes in summer temperatures, the frequency, severity and duration of heatwaves, and heat-related mortality in India between 1960 and 2009, using data from the India Meteorological Department. Mean temperatures across India have risen by more than 0.5 °C over this period, with statistically significant increases in heatwaves. Using a novel probabilistic model, we further show that the increase in summer mean temperatures in India over this period corresponds to a 146% increase in the probability of …

Quantifying The Impact Of Truck Only Lanes On Vehicular Emissions On A Limited-Access Highway, Edward Chee Tang

Master's Theses

This thesis seeks to estimate CO₂ emissions on a portion of the U.S. 101 highway in San Luis Obispo County before and after construction of a truck only lane on the Cuesta Grade. Towards that aim, the microsimulation software, VISSIM, was used in conjunction with the Environmental Protection Agency’s emissions model, MOVES. The microsimulation model was calibrated and validated against historical and present traffic volumes obtained from Caltrans with good results using several validation measures. It was found that CO₂ emissions did decrease between 1998 and 2012 (pre and post lane addition), but this effect was shown to …

Regulatory Barriers To Approval Of New Technologies For Small Drinking Water Systems, Deanna T. Ringenberg

Department of Environmental Engineering: Theses and Other Student Research

Small drinking water systems face different challenges than large drinking water systems. Innovative technologies can provide cost and reliability benefits to small systems, but new technologies are not frequently considered. One important barrier to the implementation of new technologies is obtaining state drinking water agency approval.

To identify specific state regulatory barriers, a survey including sixteen questions was sent to the 49 state agencies. The survey included questions regarding their acceptance programs, experiences with new technologies, barriers, data needs for technology approval, and interest in a shared approach for acceptance of new technologies. The survey was sent in 2015 and …

Journeyman International: Hut2hut, Rwanda, Faith E. Johnson

Construction Management

This report details the project titled Hut2Hut, completed through the nonprofit humanitarian design organization, Journeyman International. Hut2Hut is a housing project designed to provide lodging for tourists backpacking through Rwanda. The structure is designed to house up to eight people. Features include an enclosed bunk space, a kitchen with basic appliances, wood-burning fireplace, collapsible wall-deck system to open up the living space to the outside, and two main outdoor deck spaces. The building will provide an affordable alternative to the more expensive resorts in Rwanda and aims to connect the visitors to the site and local culture. The proceeds will …

A Survey Of Procedural Techniques For City Generation, George Kelly, Hugh Mccabe

The ITB Journal

The computer game industry requires a skilled workforce and this combined with the complexity of modern games, means that production costs are extremely high. One of the most time consuming aspects is the creation of game geometry, the virtual world which the players inhabit. Procedural techniques have been used within computer graphics to create natural textures, simulate special effects and generate complex natural models including trees and waterfalls. It is these procedural techniques that we intend to harness to generate geometry and textures suitable for a game situated in an urban environment. Procedural techniques can provide many benefits for computer …

Stereoscopic 3-D Presentation For Air Traffic Control Digital Radar Displays, Jason G. Russi, Brent T. Langhals, Michael E. Miller, Eric L. Heft

AFIT Patents

An apparatus and method of presenting air traffic data to an air traffic controller are provided. Air traffic data including a two dimensional spatial location and altitude for a plurality of aircraft is received. A disparity value is determined based on the altitude for each aircraft of the plurality of aircraft. Left and right eye images are generated of the plurality of aircraft where at least one of the left and right eye images is based on the determined disparity value. The left and right eye images are simultaneously displayed to the air traffic controller on a display. The simultaneously …

Hybrid Buoyant Aircraft: Future Stol Aircraft For Interconnectivity Of The Malaysian Islands, Anwar Ul Haque, Waqar Asrar, Ashraf Ali Omar, Erwin Sulaeman, Jaffar Syed Mohamed Ali

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

Hybrid buoyant aircraft are new to the arena of air travel. They have the potential to boost the industry by leveraging new emerging lighter-than-air (LTA) and heavier-than-air (HTA) technologies. Hybrid buoyant aircraft are possible substitutes for jet and turbo-propeller aircraft currently utilized in aviation, and this manuscript is a country-specific (Malaysia) analysis to determine their potential market, assessing the tourism, business, agricultural, and airport transfer needs of such vehicles. A political, economic, social, and technological factors (PEST) analysis was also conducted to determine the impact of PEST parameters on the development of buoyant aircraft and to assess all existing problems …

Development Of Geospatial And Temporal Characteristics For Hispaniola’S Lake Azuei And Enriquillo Using Landsat Imagery, Mahrokh Moknatian, Michael Piasecki, Jorge Gonzalez

Publications and Research

In this paper, we used Landsat imagery for water body identification to create a novel 36-year surface area extent time series for lakes Azuei (Haiti) and Enriquillo (Dominican Republic) aimed at illuminating the dramatic temporal changes of these two lakes not just at yearly but at monthly or even sub-monthly scales. We used the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) to extract water features and we also used spatial differentiation and thresholding techniques to remove clouds and associated shadows from the scene that were then passed through gap filling algorithms to complete and extract the lake extent polygons. We also explored …

Streamflow Pattern Variations Resulting From Future Climate Change In Middle Tianshan Mountains Region In China, Feiyun Zhang, Lanhai Li, Sajjad Ahmad

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

In arid and semi-arid regions of North West china, glacier-melt, seasonal snowmelt and rainfall are the primary sources of flow in the rivers that originate from alpine areas. Spring and summer peak flow resulting from snowmelt and rainfall, respectively, are the main characteristics of streamflow pattern. Because of the damages caused by the spring and summer peak flow, a better understanding of the streamflow pattern variation under future climate warming is crucial. To analyze the variation of streamflow pattern under climate warming, the Kaidu River and the Manasi River watersheds in northern and southern slopes of Middle Tianshan Mountains, located …

Small Uas Detect And Avoid Requirements Necessary For Limited Beyond Visual Line Of Sight (Bvlos) Operations, Mark Askelson, Henry Cathey, Ronald Marsh, Zachary P. Waller, Paul Snyder, Gary M. Ullrich, Chris Theisen, Naima Kaabouch, William Semke, Michael Mullins, Kyle Foerster, Rosa Brothman, Stephen B. Hottman, Kerry Williamson, Eric Johnson, Alexander Vanhoudt, Zachariah Larue

Aviation Faculty Publications

Potential small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operational scenarios/use cases and Detect And Avoid (DAA) approaches were collected through a number of industry wide data calls. Every 333 Exemption holder was solicited for this same information. Summary information from more than 5,000 exemption holders is documented, and the information received had varied level of detail but has given relevant experiential information to generalize use cases. A plan was developed and testing completed to assess Radio Line Of Sight (RLOS), a potential key limiting factors for safe BVLOS ops. Details of the equipment used, flight test …

Artificial Islands In The South China Sea, Aaron Holmes

OSRI Journal of Student Research and Innovation

The purpose of this study was to understand the value and implications of artificial islands constructed by the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the South China Sea. Qualitative analysis was used with the available literature, sources, and treaties of the topics concerned. The paper concludes that the PRC gains many benefits primarily within the realm of energy security and explores what effects they may

An Investigation Of Geography And Climate Induced Distresses Patterns On Airfield Pavements At Us Air Force Installations, L K. Sahagun, M Karakouzian, A Paz-Cruz, H De La Fuente Mella

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

This study investigated climate induced distresses patterns on airfield pavements at US Air Force installations. A literature review and surveys of Pavement Condition Index indicated that the predominant factor contributing to the development of pavement distress was climate. Results suggested that, within each type of pavement distress, a geographic pattern exists which is strongly correlated to conventional US climate zones. The US Air Force Roll-Up Database, housing over 50,000 records of pavement distress data, was distilled using a process designed to combine similar distresses while accounting for age and size of samples. The process reduced the data to a format …