Digital Commons Network^™

An Integrated Artificial Intelligence–Circular Economy Framework For Sustainable Industrial Waste Management System: Case Study From The Carpet Industry Supply Chain, Noha Mostafa

Mechanical Engineering

Waste management has become a critical issue in industry due to its environmental and  economic impact. This urges societies to move towards circular economy and sustainability in managing wastes to achieve economic, social and environmental benefits that cannot be achieved by using traditional disposal methods. Artificial intelligence technologies can play an effective role in developing systems and applications that help in realizing circular economy approaches. This research explores using circular economy in the carpet industry with a focus on being eco-friendly and achieving operational excellence. Circular economy aims to use resources efficiently within a reduce, reuse, recycle paradigm. Critical literature …

A Novel Geospatial Tool For Assessing Risks And Opportunities For Conversion Of Ccr Closures Into Productive Solar Energy Generation Sites, Marc Theisen

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

Closure of Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) surface impoundments and landfills offers unique opportunities for conversion to solar power sites with the potential to offset costs of post-closure care via generation of clean electricity. In 2023 the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) collaborated with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to create a report entitled “Coal Ash Disposal Sites and Opportunities for Solar Photovoltaic Development” (EPA Publication #540-S-23-004). The purpose of this document was to identify closed CCR units and provide key factors for their potential for solar photovoltaic (PV) development. In 2022, the EPA’s RE-Powering Initiative identified 772 current CCR …

Establishing Sustainable Vegetation On A Challenging Legacy Ccr Site, Derek Oosterhouse, Blake Arthur

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

American Electric Power (AEP) is closing and restoring a legacy Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) site in Ohio that once held a power plant that pioneered innovative steam generation technology. The plant was closed in 1975. Today, the legacy CCR site is being transformed back to natural, sustainable vegetation. To comply with and close the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) permit, permanent stabilization is required on the site. AEP, one of the largest electric companies in the country, holds a core principle to respect the environment through creative sustainable solutions. AEP connected with Profile Products, the world’s largest manufacturer and supplier …

Future Strategies For Beneficial Use Harvesting, Gabe Lang, Patrick Kiser

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

TVA is the largest public power company in the U.S. and has historically operated a fleet of 12 coal-fired plants as part of their diverse generating portfolio. To date, eight of the coal plants have been retired and the remaining four plants are projected to shut down in the next couple of decades. The decommissioning of these plants is driving a transition to harvesting of ponded and landfilled CCR’s to continue to support ready-mix concrete and other industries that enable infrastructure development. However, the regional market demand limits the ability to initiate widespread harvesting activities during near-term CCR Unit closure …

Methods To Enhance Groundwater Remediation During Cbr And Mass Transfer Controls On Post-Closure Groundwater Cleanup At Ccr Impoundments, Sean Larkin, Jacob Chu, John Blue

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

Utilities are implementing closure‑by‑removal (CBR) of coal combustion residual (CCR) impoundments as part of corrective action programs to meet groundwater protection standards (GWPSs) and are evaluating closure strategies for Legacy Units. Although CBR and associated decanting and dewatering systems can substantially reduce source mass and improve groundwater quality, lingering “tail” concentrations in the aquifer are often observed after closure because groundwater remediation typically requires extended timeframes. These persistent concentrations may be compounded by secondary source zones beneath the former impoundment, where constituent mass stored in low‑permeability materials or immobile pore spaces is slowly released into the transmissive aquifer after CBR. …

Engineered Turf And Solar Renewable Performance On Ccr In Extreme Weather, Tate Niekamp, Bryan Scholl, Ming Zhu, Thomas Orzech

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

The engineered turf final closure system, ClosureTurf®, is installed on a 309-acre coal combustion residual (CCR) unit at the TVA Shawnee Fossil Plant in West Paducah, KY. Approximately 100 megawatts of the PowerCap® solar photovoltaic (PV) system is currently being deployed directly atop the engineered turf cover. An overview of the ClosureTurf® and PowerCap® systems are presented along with a comparison to traditional soil covers and conventional utility-scale solar arrays. From August 2023 through July 2025, onsite and local weather data stations reported over 20 storm events including severe thunderstorms, tornado outbreaks, winter storm systems, atmospheric rivers, and post-tropical cyclones. …

A Cost-Effective, Low-Impact Remedial Approach For Metals: Utilizing Phyto-Enhancement To Accelerate Ph Adjustment Of Shallow Groundwater, Jerry Wylie, Thomas Colton

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

SynTerra will present a unique, low-cost, low-impact approach to metals remediation in shallow groundwater at a former industrial site located in the Atlantic Coastal Plain. The approach employs pH adjustment of groundwater using agricultural lime coupled with the use of daikon radish to augment lime contact time and to increase depth of soil augmentation. This method is designed to be a more sustainable, less resource-intensive, and less technically challenging remedial alternative with lower estimated overall costs. The primary corrective action—source removal—has been completed. However, the oxidation of residual sulfide-bearing minerals has resulted in persistent low-pH groundwater, which increases the solubility …

Improving Economic And Environmental Outcomes Of Legacy Coal Ash Ponds, Grace Wilken

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

This project demonstrates a novel approach to utilize legacy coal ash waste ponds by processing the solids for use in cement/concrete and bioremediating the water fraction through algae cultivation. The algal biomass can then be used for animal feed, biofuels, or other valuable bio-products. There is an increasing demand for more environmentally friendly and cost-effective materials for concrete production, such as coal fly ash, yet a decreasing supply of ash as coal power plants are decommissioned in the transition to other energy sources. However, there are billions of tons of coal ash accumulated in legacy ash ponds across the US. …

Corrective Action Alternative Evaluation For Surface Impoundment Remedy – Two Case Study Examples, Qian Zhang, Andrew Bittner

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

Illinois Administrative Code Part 845 requires owners and operators of coal combustion residual (CCR)-containing impoundments with groundwater protection standard (GWPS) exceedances to perform a Corrective Action Alternatives Analysis (CAAA) to evaluate viable remedies prior to selecting and implementing corrective action. The goal of a CAAA is to holistically evaluate a range of factors for the various corrective actions being considered at an impoundment. This presentation summarizes two CAAAs conducted for surface impoundments (SIs) at two power plants. Each CAAA applied a consistent decision framework that evaluates corrective action options using multiple performance criteria, such as: • Magnitude of Reduction of …

Fifteen Years, 450 Acres: Inside The Tva Gallatin Ash Pond Closure, Brian Egan, Shane Harris

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

This presentation is focused on the TVA Gallatin Ash Pond Complex Closure. The project team embarked on a major coal ash pond remediation effort in 2023, targeting a 450-acre site with operations expected to continue over a 15-year period. The long-term and massive scope of this dig and haul project required the design and construction of extensive supporting infrastructure, including haul roads suitable for large earthmoving equipment, major pipelines for process water rerouting, and a robust water treatment facility. Key components of the work include maintaining slope stability, conducting comprehensive air quality monitoring, and ensuring high standards for coal ash …

Evaluation Of Bottom Ash For Beneficial Use, Danielle Sylvia Cofelice, Thomas Haskins

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

Historically, bottom ash has been beneficially used as a drainage layer within the final cover system for a coal combustion residual (CCR) landfill, positioned above the linear low-density polyethylene liner and below the protective soil cover and topsoil layers. This sustainable approach not only diverts bottom ash from waste management streams but also conserves natural resources by replacing the need for virgin materials, resulting in significant cost savings for ratepayers. To support the continued use of bottom ash in this application, an environmental assessment was completed. The assessment included sampling of bottom ash, an alternative drainage layer composed of virgin …

Phytomining Potential Of Native Rocky Mountain Plants, Halle Cogley

Honors Theses

Standard mining practices of the past have left valuable, critical minerals remaining within mine waste and tailings piles. Phytoremediation, or the use of plants to uptake and store heavy metals, has grown in popularity for these sites. A new technology, phytomining, is being developed that not only offers the benefits of phytoremediation but also allows a new pathway to extract and generate revenue from these untouched critical minerals. Certain plants have been identified as hyperaccumulators with the ability to bioaccumulate a high level of certain minerals in their plant tissue. This study explored different species of native plants within the …

Collector Blends For The Flotation Of Rare Earth Silicates, Padmore Fosu Amankwah

Honors Theses

Rare earth elements (REEs) are critical for modern technologies, but their extraction from minerals remains challenging due to various factors, and their impact on mineral bonding and resulting crystal structure. Fundamental studies have shown that the concentration of rare earth minerals (REMs), such as rare earth silicates (RES), depends on factors such as Lanthanide contraction (LC), Coordination Number (NC), and silicate polymerization (SP). These influence flotation responses pending silicate type (e.g., sorosilicates, phylosilicates, nesosilicates, inosilicates, orthosilicates, etc.). To better understand this behavior and optimize REE recovery, samples from Halleck Creek, an American Rare Earth property in Wyoming, were obtained. Characterization …

A Systems Perspective On Workstation Ergonomic Principles And Their Application In Emergency Care Environments, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: Workstation ergonomic principles are commonly included in mandatory healthcare training programs. These recommendations—monitor height relative to eye level, neutral arm positioning, and adjustable seating—derive largely from occupational ergonomics literature designed to reduce musculoskeletal strain and improve comfort during computer work. Emergency Departments (EDs), however, represent dynamic environments with shared workstations and workflow interruptions that may influence the implementation of these recommendations.

Objective: To summarize the evidence supporting commonly taught workstation ergonomic principles and frame them within a systems perspective of ED work environments.

Methods: Narrative review of occupational ergonomics guidelines, ergonomic intervention studies, and human factors literature relevant to …

Lunar Manufacturing Systems And The Role Of Additive Recycling Technologies, Camille A. Newman

Honors Theses

Renewed international interest in sustained lunar exploration has created a growing demand for technologies to support long-duration space exploration. Part of the recent Artemis missions and the Moon to Mars initiative is to improve key mission capabilities and fill critical gaps necessary to sustain lunar habitation. Waste management, recycling systems, and manufacturing systems have been identified as critical technologies that need further development before a sustained mission is possible. This thesis explores the feasibility of an additive manufacturing and recycling system designed to process plastic waste generated during extended lunar habitation. Initial research focused on existing manufacturing and recycling technologies …

Lunar Manufacturing Systems And The Role Of Additive Recycling Technologies, Camille A. Newman

Honors Theses

Renewed international interest in sustained lunar exploration has created a growing demand for technologies to support long-duration space exploration. Part of the recent Artemis missions and the Moon to Mars initiative is to improve key mission capabilities and fill critical gaps necessary to sustain lunar habitation. Waste management, recycling systems, and manufacturing systems have been identified as critical technologies that need further development before a sustained mission is possible. This thesis explores the feasibility of an additive manufacturing and recycling system designed to process plastic waste generated during extended lunar habitation. Initial research focused on existing manufacturing and recycling technologies …

Phytoextraction Potential Of Willows (Salix Spp.) For Common Heavy Metal Contaminants., Johannes Chandler

Honors Theses

Phytoextraction is a method for removal and recovery of heavy metals from contaminated substrates using plants. There is a growing need to test, identify, and further understand species effective for phytoextraction to feasibly remove and recover heavy metals. In this study, the phytoextraction capacity of Willow (Salix) species was tested for metal contaminated soils and waters from legacy mining in Butte, Montana. The willows were grown in a hydroponic system in two 8-week long growth trials, employing a 2x2 factorial design of contaminated soil, clay beads, contaminated mine water and uncontaminated water as the media. Heavy metal concentrations (Mn, Zn, …

Toward Vehicle-Agnostic Driving Signatures For Cognitive Impairment Prediction From Naturalistic Driving Data, Aadarsha Gopala Reddy

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

This thesis studies whether naturalistic driving data can help predict binary Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) status while accounting for differences across vehicles. The final analytic dataset comprised 26,968 participant-weeks from 304 participants. Weekly driving features were derived from real-world telematics data and combined with four demographic covariates. Primary model comparisons used leave-one-participant-out (LOGO) cross-validation, with one individual held out at a time and pooled participant-level metrics used as the main reporting surface.

The main comparison includes six model families evaluated on the same dataset under a shared LOGO framework. Performance remained modest overall. GRU-DANN had the highest participant-level ROC AUC …

Temperature And Environmental Implications On Ti3c2cl2 Mxene Degradation Process, Yang Yang

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

MXenes, a rapidly emerging class of two-dimensional transition metal carbides and nitrides, have attracted considerable attention owing to their exceptional electrical, mechanical, and chemical properties. However, the inherent thinness of their atomic structure and the reactivity of their functional groups render MXenes susceptible to environmental degradation, whereby the lattice integrity is compromised and desirable material functionalities are dimin- ished. In this work, ex situ electron microscopy characterisation is performed on Ti₃C₂Cl₂ MXene specimens subjected to controlled gas environments — nitrogen gas (N₂) and air — at annealing temperatures of 200°C and 600°C, with …

Plasma Coal Ash Processing For Enhanced Recovery Of Rare Earth Elements & Precious Metals: Proven From R&D To Commercial Plants, George Paskalov, Victoria Campbell, Jason Honigberg

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

Our Radio-frequency Plasma System is an ash pretreatment before the application of extractive metallurgy and addresses current elemental, methodological, and technological limitations of complex and refractory coal ash. Our system data shows from 10-20% improved recovery, to 9x-100x. RFP can access all metals contained in coal ash. Our focus is not on the alteration of established methodologies, such as cyanidation for non-refractory ore, which has a proven return and capacity to achieve target revenue at-scale. Using the RFP systems, no waste is created, overburden can be more easily dealt with, and no metal content will be left behind. We assert …

Standardization Of Coal Ash Testing, Classification, And Harvesting, Benjamin Gallagher, Chris Frishcosy, Eric Hageman

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

Standards such as product specifications, test methods, practices and guides play a crucial role in supporting both commerce and science. Standardization helps build consistency and reliability whether it pertains to the performance of an ingredient in a product or in the measurement of a material characteristic. Coal combustion products, such as coal ash and synthetic gypsum, exhibit unique characteristics and many standard have been developed to characterize these materials and support their beneficial use. ASTM is a voluntary, consensus-based organization, and publishes many standards related to coal combustion products. Currently, there are seven ASTM standards related to chemical analysis of …

Impacts Of Updating Background Groundwater Statistics For Ccr Compliance, May Raad, Molly Reeves

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

In 2017, many power utilities adopted statistical methods to comply with the EPA’s Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) Rule under the Hazardous and Solid Waste Management System. By 2017–2018, most owners completed initial statistical evaluations for detection and assessment monitoring to meet CCR deadlines. Groundwater sampling and analysis requirements in Parts 257.95, 257.98, and 257.102 are critical for compliance, yet implementation is complex. Subsections 257.93(f) and (g) lack clarity on which statistical tests to apply or how to address distributions and outliers. Additionally, the Rule does not specify when or how to update background threshold values (BTVs), though EPA’s Unified Guidance …

Advancing Ccr Site Management With Rapidly Deployable Gccm Technology For Runoff And Drainage Control, Nathan Ivy

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

GCCM’s were first invented over 20 years ago. These products combine both a concrete – hard armor – top surface for protection and durability and a geomembrane bottom surface for lower permeability. Originally used for erosion control, smaller drainage channel and remediation projects, this presentation discusses the newest iteration in GCCM technology. This product incorporates a 12 mil LLDPE backing which allows for thermal bonding and significant reduction in seepage at the joints. It can be used in a wide variety of applications from drainage ditches and swales to water and wastewater conveyance along with slope protection and erosion control …

Risk Evaluation Of Small Coal Combustion Residual Management Unit (Ccrmu) Fills, Andrew Bittner, John Kondziolka, Qian Zhang, Masoud Arshadi

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

US EPA expanded the scope of CCR regulations in 2024 to areas of historical CCR placement not regulated under the 2015 CCR rule, including CCR used as fill. US EPA presented new risk analyses specific to CCRMU fills and defined different regulations for CCRMU fills from 1 to 1,000 tons, noting uncertainty as to whether there was a size of CCRMU fill below which acceptable risks could be expected. This research fills US EPA's stated data gap by modeling and analyzing impacts from small CCRMU fills. Modeling was conducted using the same methods, models, and most of the same inputs …

Alternative Cover Permitting And The Ccr Rule, Evan Andrews, Victor Damasceno

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

Federal rules (40 CFR Parts 9, 257 and 261) that regulate coal combustion residuals (CCR) created a significant demand associated with closure of coal ash management and storage facilities using liner systems. Timelines associated with these facility closures combined with substantial project scale and potential for future mining /reuse has driven the need for closure systems that perform beyond the prescriptive soil / geomembrane caps outlined in the federal regulations. As outlined in section 257.102 (d)(3)(i) of the CCR Rule, the standard cover system must include an infiltration layer of at least 18 inches of earthen material and an erosion …

Sit-To-Stand: Smart Physical Therapy Device Design Project, Mollie Petersen, Evie Collier, Gracie Kniss, Lucas Sokolik, Jacob Zitek

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Mechanical engineering students in their last year are provided with the opportunity to form a small group and design a product. The specific project covered in this report is the creation of a smart attachment to a physical therapy device. A sit-to-stand piece of equipment is used to help patients recover or build the strength to move from a sitting to standing position after an injury or illness. Currently, there is not a way for physical therapists to collect numerical data while a patient is using the equipment. Much of their care plans are built off of personal perception and …

Comparing Llm Architectures In Street Fighter Iii, Andrew Hinh, Hyemin Doo, Jack Wu

Computer Science and Engineering Senior Theses

We built a browser-based Street Fighter III benchmark for comparing large language models (LLMs) and visionlanguage models (VLMs) under real-time constraints. The game runs through a Gymnasium-like control loop that exposes both frames and structured state while the agent emits button actions. We deploy the system on Modal and stream matches overWebRTC, which lets us compare ability, latency, and cost in one setting instead of spreading them across unrelated benchmarks. Because the benchmark is narrow, architectural tradeoffs that are easy to blur in offline evaluation show up quickly during live play.

Analysis Of Dynamic Difficulty Scaling Ai In Video Games, Tyrese W. Walker

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Video games are a popular form of interactive media and, since their inception, have become one of the largest forms of media consumed. As such, they have evolved greatly from their humble beginnings into much more complex experiences, and adjusting the difficulty level to suit the needs of the player has become common practice. While there are simple ways to do so, the best games often feature a dynamic difficulty-scaling system that adapts to the player. Classics like Resident Evil and Left 4 Dead are excellent examples of innovative dynamic scaling design. By analyzing the strongest elements of these works, …

Challenging Stem Learning Spaces: The Paradigm Of Contemplative Traditions As The Bedrock Of Creativity And Healing, Raaghav Pandya, Christopher Emdin

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

As the post-pandemic classroom and pedagogy evolve to remedy oppressive norms, young people’s mental health and alienation has taken front stage (Rahmani & Zitouni, 2022). Traditional STEM learning spaces often teach inquiry as a linear, non-deviated approach to problems about self and nature (Hrisa & Psillos, 2022). Furthermore, because our classrooms often strip students and educators of their inherent creative abilities through constant assessments, improvement scales, and market-driven expectations, classrooms cease to become places of healing (Pandya, 2021). Eastern wisdom traditions and their associated philosophies provide a unique pedagogical lens that emphasizes a deep inquiry into self, empathy, and creativity …

Toward Faster And Lower-Cost Prosthetic Socket Fabrication: Mechanical Coupon-Level Testing Of Fdm-Printed Pla/Petg Versus Lamination, Hussein Dhameer Hussein, Wajdi Sadik Aboud

AUIQ Technical Engineering Science

Additive manufacturing is increasingly being adopted in prosthetic manufacturing because digital workflows can reduce production time and improve repeatability compared to traditional lamination. This study measured two FDM polymers—polylactic acid (PLA) and polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG)—against a baseline of Perlon epoxy laminate (not including carbon reinforcement) using standardized coupon tests (n = 3 per test). PLA and PETG samples were printed at 100% fill with a 0.6 mm nozzle, while laminate coupons were prepared by wet layup and cut to the required geometry. Tensile testing followed ASTM D638 and three-point bending followed ASTM D790, modulus, 0.2% offset yield strength, and …