Digital Commons Network^™

Suburban Tiny Home Development, Colin Wood, Paul Carr, Chris Wang

Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering Senior Theses

This project aimed to capitalize on a future trend in housing that allows for new sustainable housing solutions. Due to advancements in the virtual workplace catalyzed by COVID-19, virtual work and virtual work platforms have been normalized, allowing people who live in cities greater flexibility in where they choose to live. Many companies, including Facebook, Google, and Microsoft, have implied that they will likely keep remote work as an option indefinitely, allowing for increased flexibility in workers’ living situations. This change allows for employees to venture outside of the city to suburbs or even rural areas. The goal of this …

A Systems Approach For Improving The Performance Of Rural Community-Managed Water Systems Using Siasar: Case Studies In Bolivia And Colombia, Rachel A. Cannon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Globally, the focus of environmental engineers and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) professionals in the rural water sector has shifted from building new technology to ensuring long-term functionality of water systems and closing the access gap between urban and rural residents. In Latin America and the Caribbean, the main challenges to ensuring clean water for all rural residents is poor service delivery quality and limited sustainability over time. A common management strategy in the region, and globally, is community-management, where community members manage, operate, and maintain the water system through cost sharing and financial management. The failure of community-managed water …

Accelerated Controller Tuning For Wind Turbines Under Multiple Hazards, Aly Mousaad Aly, Milad Rezaee

Faculty Publications

During their lifecycle, wind turbines can be subjected to multiple hazard loads, such as high-intensity wind, earthquake, wave, and mechanical unbalance. Excessive vibrations, due to these loads, can have detrimental effects on energy production, structural lifecycle, and the initial cost of wind turbines. Vibration control by various means, such as passive, active, and semi-active control systems provide crucial solutions to these issues. We developed a novel control theory that enables semi-active controller tuning under the complex structural behavior and inherent system nonlinearity. The proposed theory enables the evaluation of semi-active controllers’ performance of multi-degrees-of-freedom systems, without the need for time-consuming …

Developing Global Sociotechnical Competency Through Humanitarian Engineering: A Comparison Of In-Person And Virtual International Project Experiences, Jessica M. Smith, Juan Lucena, Angelina Rivera, Thomas Phelan, Kathleen Smits, Robin Bullock

Journal of International Engineering Education

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a group of engineering educators in the United States and Colombia designed and led a two-week virtual “field session” for engineering undergraduate students that aimed at achieving the same educational outcomes as those from the previous in-country field session. Our NSF PIRE funded Responsible Mining, Resilient Communities (RMRC) project uses multi-country, interinstitutional, and interdisciplinary collaboration to train U.S. engineering students to co-design socially responsible and sustainable artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) systems with mining communities and engineers in Latin America. Drawing from pre- and post-field session student interviews, essays, and survey responses, this …

2020 Scholarly Productivity Report, Missouri University Of Science And Technology

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Scholarly Productivity Reports

No abstract provided.

Studying The Impact Of Urban Densification On Social Sustainability: The Case Of Bida Bin Ammar Neighborhood In Al Ain, Uae, Lubna Mohammad Ghaffar Shekfa

Theses

As cities are under the influence of rapid development, industrialization, modernization, and globalization, a key task for local authorities, urban planners, and residents are to understand what makes a neighbourhood socially sustainable. In Al Ain City in the UAE, urban sprawl has been a persistent sustainability problem caused by low urban density and has led to the heavy reliance on private cars. To overcome this problem, urban densification as a sustainable planning approach is recommended. Al Ain 2030 Plan has adopted this approach for the redevelopment of the Asharej District. This research aims at studying the application of urban densification …

Determination Of The Cost Optimum Passive Cooling Design Solutions For Residential Buildings In Uae: The Case Study Of Sharjah Governmental Villas, Raghad Azzam Ghazal

Theses

على مدى العقود الثلاثة الماضية، شهدت الإمارات العربية المتحدة تطور ا حضري ا سريعا ، وتم تصنيفها كأعلى نشاط بناء في العالم لكل كيلومتر مربع. قطاع البناء هو أكبر مستهلك للطاقة وأكبر مساهم في انبعاثات ثاني أكسيد الكربون في دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة، حيث يستخدم حوالي 60 ٪ من إجمالي الكهرباء. يستهلك القطاع السكني حوالي 30 ٪ من إجمالي استهلاك الكهرباء )هيئة كهرباء ومياه دبي، 2017 (. الهدف من هذه الأطروحة هو تحديد أفضل الحلول المستدامة من حيث التكلفة الإجمالية للفلل السكنية في الإمارات العربية المتحدة. المنهجية المتبعة في هذه الأطروحة ستأخذ في عين الاعتبار الجوانب البيئية والاقتصادية لمرحلتي الإنشاء …

Sustainable Urban Development In Historical Areas Using The Tourist Trail Approach: A Case Study Of The Cultural Heritage And Urban Development (Chud) Project In Saida, Lebanon., Khaled Al Hagla

Architecture and Planning Journal (APJ)

Cultural assets are vital aspects for any urban development process. Their importance increases considerably in historical areas, where the richness of cultural heritage has the ability to motivate cultural tourism. This paper emphasizes the sustainable development of urban historical areas based on their potential as cultural tourism sites. It argues that to guarantee the sustainability of any development intervention in these areas, a master planning process must be undertaken to balance all of the aspects of development. It tackles the interconnectedness of these aspects as an approach to their simultaneous development. As a focus of study, this paper raises a …

Architect's Role In Enhancing Socially Sustainabile Communities And Itsreflection On Architectural Education, Mohamed Elshafei, Kareem Hammouda

Architecture and Planning Journal (APJ)

As the world these days is moving steadily towards sustainability and creating a better global community and this vision is what exactly the new communities need to become distinct and attract residents, so to achieve this vision, there are a set of sustainable design principles, which must be dealt with to reach the desired goal creating a Sustainable Society depends on environmental, economic, social and urban principles in which this research discusses the role of the architects in creating a successful society by enhancing the social sustainability within the built environment. The Professional role of architects is a process of …

Characteristics Of Effective Metropolitan Areawide Public Transit: A Comparison Of European, Canadian, And Australian Case Studies, Michelle Derobertis, Christopher E. Ferrell, Richard W. Lee, John M. Eells

Mineta Transportation Institute

This research project investigates the replicable characteristics, policies, and practices of successful metropolitan areawide public transportation networks that contribute to high usage and make transit an effective competitor to the private motor vehicle. The research method involves the qualitative and quantitative analysis of ten international (non-U.S.) case studies. The principal methods employed were web-based research and data collection, as well as telephone interviews with transit agency staff or regional planners as needed. The case studies were limited to developed western countries with similar metropolitan conditions to those in the United States.

This research focuses on key characteristics of highly effective …

Electromagnetic Characteristics Of The Soil, Abdul Salam, Usman Raza

Faculty Publications

The electromagnetic characteristics of the soil are discussed in this chapter. The characteristics of porous bedrock, soil medium, and impacts of rain attenuations are also presented. The models of dielectric soil properties are studied with a rigorous focus on the constitutive parameters of subsurface soil medium. Moreover, the permittivity and wavenumber in soil are explained. In addition, the frequency-dependent dielectric properties such as dispersion in soil, absorption characteristic, and penetration depth versus frequency are reviewed. Furthermore, the effective permittivity of soil–water mixture for through-the soil-propagation mechanism is analyzed thoroughly.

Signals In The Soil: Underground Antennas, Abdul Salam, Usman Raza

Faculty Publications

Antenna is a major design component of Internet of Underground Things (IOUT) communication system. The use of antenna, in IOUT, differs from traditional communication in that it is buried in the soil. Therefore, one of the main challenges, in IOUT applications, is to establish a reliable communication. To that end, there is a need of designing an underground-specific antenna. Three major factors that can impact the performance of a buried antenna are: (1) effect of high soil permittivity changes the wavelength of EM waves, (2) variations in soil moisture with time affecting the permittivity of the soil, and (3) difference …

Soil Moisture And Permittivity Estimation, Abdul Salam, Usman Raza

Faculty Publications

The soil moisture and permittivity estimation is vital for the success of the variable rate approaches in the field of the decision agriculture. In this chapter, the development of a novel permittivity estimation and soil moisture sensing approach is presented. The empirical setup and experimental methodology for the power delay measurements used in model are introduced. Moreover, the performance analysis is explained that includes the model validation and error analysis. The transfer functions are reported as well for soil moisture and permittivity estimation. Furthermore, the potential applications of the developed approach in different disciplines are also examined.

Decision Agriculture, Abdul Salam, Usman Raza

Faculty Publications

In this chapter, the latest developments in the field of decision agriculture are discussed. The practice of management zones in digital agriculture is described for efficient and smart faming. Accordingly, the methodology for delineating management zones is presented. Modeling of decision support systems is explained along with discussion of the issues and challenges in this area. Moreover, the precision agriculture technology is also considered. Moreover, the chapter surveys the state of the decision agriculture technologies in the countries such as Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Israel, Malaysia, Pakistan, United Kingdom, Ukraine, and Sweden. Finally, different field factors such as GPS accuracy and …

Autonomous Irrigation Management In Decision Agriculture, Abdul Salam, Usman Raza

Faculty Publications

In this chapter, the important application of autonomous irrigation management in the field decision agriculture is discussed. The different types of sensor-guided irrigation systems are presented that includes center pivot systems and drip irrigation systems. Their sensing and actuator components are with detailed focus on real-time decision-making and integration to the cloud. This chapter also presents irrigation control systems which takes, as an input, soil moisture and temperature from IOUT and weather data from Internet and communicate with center pivot based irrigation systems. Moreover, the system architecture is explored where development of the nodes including sensing and actuators is presented. …

Underground Wireless Channel Bandwidth And Capacity, Abdul Salam, Usman Raza

Faculty Publications

The UG channel bandwidth and capacity are vital parameters in wireless underground communication system design. In this chapter, a comprehensive analysis of the wireless underground channel capacity is presented. The impact of soil on return loss, bandwidth, and path loss is discussed. The results of underground multi-carrier modulation capacity are also outlined. Moreover, the single user capacity and multi-carrier capacity are also introduced with an in-depth treatment of soil texture, soil moisture, and distance effects on channel capacity. Finally, the chapter is concluded with a discussion of challenges and open research issues.

Variable Rate Applications In Decision Agriculture, Abdul Salam, Usman Raza

Faculty Publications

In this chapter, the variable rate applications (VRA) are presented for the field of decision agriculture. The characteristics of VRA control systems are described along with control hardware. Different types of VRA systems are discussed (e.g., liquid VRA systems and dry VRA systems). A case study is also explored in this regard. Moreover, recent advances and future trends are also outlined. Accordingly, a sustainable variable-rate irrigation scheduling is studied where different hardware and software component of the cyber-physical system are considered. Finally, chapter is concluded with a novel sensor deployment methodology.

A Gis-Based Approach For Auditing Sustainable Development Of New Industrial Communities: The Case Of “New Borg Elarab” City, Egypt, Yasser Fouda, Deena Elkhazendar

Architecture and Planning Journal (APJ)

As till the present time most of the industrial cities in Egypt have not achieved the necessary objectives aimed for them, they need different strategic auditing plans to ensure that the city urban area is developed in a sustainable manner.

Cross-Border Development: A Long-Term Role For Universities, Robert Brian Smith, Nucharee Nuchkoom Smith

ASEAN Journal of Community Engagement

Low-income economies are experiencing potential serious threats in terms of long-term sustainability and social development. At the same time, most developing economies are grappling with possible disruptions from the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the current COVID-19 pandemic and its economic consequences. However, every economy has the same goal of elevating its status to that of a developed country. This research uses the narrative/case study approach to examine cross-border development and the role that universities can play as important actors in the development of society. Moreover, this research combines observations and literature analysis. Universities are clearly best placed to play an …

Mining The Borderlands: Industry, Capital, And The Emergence Of Engineers In The Southwest Territories, 1855-1910. Grossman, Sarah E.M. University Of Nevada Press, 2018, James Altman

Executive Vice President & Provost Faculty Research

In Mining the Borderlands: Industry, Capital, and the Emergence of Engineers in the Southwest Territories, 1855‐1910, distinguished scholar Sarah E.M. Grossman examines the early history of commercial mining along the US‐Mexico border. She brings to the task her extensive knowledge of the region, and a forensic detective's thirst for the truth. Her mission is to understand precisely how much, and in what specific ways, various commercial mining ventures in the desert Southwest contributed not only to the economic development of the region, but also to improvements in mining techniques, engineering methods, equipment, efficiency, working conditions, mining education, and most importantly, …

Investigating The Relationship Between User's Densities And Functions Distribution On Mediterranean Waterfronts: Statistical Analysis Approach, Sima El-Cheikh, Mary Felix, Nabil Mohareb, Ibtihal Y. El-Bastawissi

Architecture and Planning Journal (APJ)

The type of buildings and activities along the waterfronts have to stimulate the interactivity between public spaces and their users to reach the desired comfort, enjoyment and appropriate densities. This study is part of a continuing research and it aims to highlight the spatial relationship between the type of buildings and the densities on cities waterfronts of the Mediterranean Sea. It undertakes three case studies with different economic and touristic levels. It is a top-bottom approach that analyzes the existing population densities on waterfronts and the surrounding building functions. This paper uses quantitative analysis based on spatial statistics along each …

Monitoring Participatory Approaches In Mediterranean Waterfront Developments (El Mina, Lebanon; Alexandria, Egypt; And Antalya, Turkey), Sima El-Cheikh, Mary Felix, Nabil Mohareb, Ibtihal Y. El-Bastawissi

BAU Journal - Creative Sustainable Development

Public participation is an important tool for communities to influence development decisions for public spaces in general and waterfronts in particular. In coastal cities, waterfronts are an important touristic attraction and are affected by social and economic issues. Users’ activities and responsiveness to waterfront projects are affected by the development types and methods. This study is part of ongoing research aiming to evaluate the participatory approach methods in the waterfronts of Mediterranean cities. It examines three coastal cities that have developed differently based on sustainable development studies. This study is a top–down approach that investigates the applied phases and methods …

Potential Of Existing And Proposed Bicycle Facilities To Link Multiple Origin And Destination Needs For Non-Motorized Travel In San Luis Obispo, Sheridan Nansen

City and Regional Planning

The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential of linking multiple origins and destinations for efficient non-motorized travel in San Luis Obispo, California. The city currently has seventy-five miles of bicycle infrastructure with the intention to add thirty-five more miles to create a more functional bicycle network and foster an increase in bicycle trips taken.

Many cities in the United States are following their European counterparts in the push towards more sustainable forms of transportation by promoting bicycling, walking, and the use of public transit. Recently, we have seen an increase in both local and national legislative efforts …

On-Site And External Energy Harvesting In Underground Wireless, Usman Raza, Abdul Salam

Faculty Publications

Energy efficiency is vital for uninterrupted long-term operation of wireless underground communication nodes in the field of decision agriculture. In this paper, energy harvesting and wireless power transfer techniques are discussed with applications in underground wireless communications (UWC). Various external wireless power transfer techniques are explored. Moreover, key energy harvesting technologies are presented that utilize available energy sources in the field such as vibration, solar, and wind. In this regard, the Electromagnetic(EM)- and Magnetic Induction(MI)-based approaches are explained. Furthermore, the vibration-based energy harvesting models are reviewed as well. These energy harvesting approaches lead to design of an efficient wireless underground …

Comparison Of The Pfas Adsorption Capabilities Of A Coconut Shell Based Granular Activated Carbon And A Bituminous Coal Based Granular Activated Carbon, Matthew D. Holliday

Theses and Dissertations

This research compares the ability of two granular activated carbons (GAC) from different material sources to adsorb perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in deionized water. A bottle study design was used to conduct the research, which measured the reduction in perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS). The carbons used were the bituminous coal based Calgon Filtrasorb 600 (F600) and the coconut shell based Evoqua AquaCarb 1230CX (AC1230CX). Additionally, the research focused on the rates at which the two contaminants were removed and compared them to previous research conducted with different forms of GAC. Results showed that both GACs were capable …

Wireless Underground Communications In Sewer And Stormwater Overflow Monitoring: Radio Waves Through Soil And Asphalt Medium, Usman Raza, Abdul Salam

Faculty Publications

Storm drains and sanitary sewers are prone to backups and overflows due to extra amount wastewater entering the pipes. To prevent that, it is imperative to efficiently monitor the urban underground infrastructure. The combination of sensors system and wireless underground communication system can be used to realize urban underground IoT applications, e.g., storm water and wastewater overflow monitoring systems. The aim of this article is to establish a feasibility of the use of wireless underground communications techniques, and wave propagation through the subsurface soil and asphalt layers, in an underground pavement system for storm water and sewer overflow monitoring application. …

Understanding Rural Water Services As A Complex System: An Assessment Of Key Factors As Potential Leverage Points For Improved Service Sustainability, Nicholas Valcourt, Jeffrey P. Walters, Amy Javernick-Will, Karl Linden, Betelhem Hailegiorgis

Faculty Publications - Biomedical, Mechanical, and Civil Engineering

Rural water supply services worldwide consistently fail to deliver full public health impacts as intended due to a low service sustainability. This failure is increasingly attributed to weak local systems composed of social, financial and environmental factors. Current approaches in the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector for understanding and improving these systems typically focus on the strength and capacity of these factors, but not the interactions between them. We contend that these approaches overlook the inherent complexity and context-specific nature of each local system. To assess this complexity, we conducted four participatory factor mapping workshops with local stakeholders across …

A Smart Growth & Equity Framework And Tool For Measuring, Understanding, And Realizing Transportation Land Use Coordination For Sustainability, Livability, And Equity, Bruce Appleyard, Chris Allen, Jonathan Stanton

Mineta Transportation Institute

The coordination and integration of transportation and land use (also known as “smart growth”) has been a long-standing goal for planning and engineering professionals, but to this day remains an elusive concept to realize. As this approach is a widely recognized as key to achieving sustainable, livable, and equitable (SLE) outcomes for individuals and society, a key aim of this report is to instill the coordination of transportation and land use into practice by the collection of key actors and agents (MPOs, DOTs, and local land use authorities, etc.) through new measurement and policy guidance frameworks and tools. A fundamental …

Arjen Y. Hoekstra 1967–2019, Davy Vanham, Mesfin Mekonnen, Ashok K. Chapagain

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

Arjen Hoekstra introduced the water footprint in 20021, building on the concept of virtual water Tony Allan to discuss the role of trade in alleviating water scarcity in the Middle East. He thereby opened a new dimension in the debate around fair and sustainable allocation of freshwater resources. He laid the foundations to show the role of indirect water (that is, water used elsewhere to produce goods we consume) in our daily life beyond our direct use for drinking, cooking or washing. The water footprint is an indicator of direct and indirect water use by a producer or consumer, showing …

Balancing Complex Social And Technical Aspects Of Design: Exposing Engineering Students To Homelessness Issues, Diana A. Chen, Mark A. Chapman, Joel Alejandro Mejia

School of Engineering: Faculty Scholarship

This paper describes the development and implementation of a classroom experience involving problem-based and project-based learning with community engagement in an engineering design context. While most User-Centered Design courses ask students to critically analyze and synthesize user needs, particularly of users who they see as “not like them”, our version is unique in having students wrestle with concepts of power, privilege, and oppression alongside developing prototypes that address sociotechnical aspects of engineering design that are rarely discussed in engineering courses. The course project described in this paper was developed to integrate issues of homelessness with engineering design. To achieve this …