Engineering Commons^™

Assessing Spatio-Temporal Variations And Trends Of Rainfall Over Somalia From 1991 To 2020, Paul Ts Limbu Sr

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

This study aims to examine the spatiotemporal variability and trends of rainfall over Somalia using the Mann-Kendall (MK) test and Sen’s slope estimator to investigate the trend and magnitude of the rainfall changes and the arithmetic mean and coefficient of variation (CV) to examine the rainfall variability. To achieve this aim, the gridded monthly satellite rainfall datasets from Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station (CHIRPS) for the period between 1991 and 2020 were used. Results show that annual rainfall generally exhibits bimodal rainfall distribution, March to May (Gu) and September to November (Deyr), though southern coastal regions receive extended …

Application Of Mangrove Timber In Reinforcing Concrete, John K. Makunza Jkm

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Use of mangrove timber beams for supporting floor slabs in historic buildings in Zanzibar Stone Town is still applied although the available structural data on mangrove timber is inadequate. This concern has called for an investigation on the structural properties of mangrove timber, so that the information obtained could help to establish the structural strength of the existing floor slabs in historic buildings. Hence, mangrove timber specimens were sampled from Zanzibar, and tested in the laboratory for their strengths in tension, compression and shear. The test results showed that mangrove is a hardwood timber of strength class D70, the highest …

Vulnerable Road User Safety: Data Collection, Analysis, And Countermeasures, Anahita Kakhani

Theses and Dissertations

The safety of pedestrians and bicyclists (vulnerable road users) has become a paramount global concern, especially with a 53% and 31% surge in related crashes over the past decade in the U.S. Despite transportation agencies implementing various safety measures to address this issue, the number of severe injuries among these road users continues to climb annually. This underscores the urgent need for innovative methodologies and technologies to pinpoint the factors compromising their safety. To do so, this study aimed to introduce and employ techniques and countermeasures to gain deeper insight into risks faced by vulnerable road users. This study includes …

Developing A Smart And Sustainable Public Transportation System: A Case Study In Camden, New Jersey, Zahra Vafakhah

Theses and Dissertations

The transportation sector is a major contributor to air pollution and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. As a significant source of emissions, public transportation presents an opportunity for mitigation through electrification. However, transitioning to an electric bus fleet necessitates substantial investments in bus procurement and charging infrastructure. To address the associated costs, this study introduces a mixed-integer linear mathematical model developed to optimize the location of on-route fast charging stations within bus networks. The central objective of this optimization formulation is to minimize the overall cost of establishing the charging infrastructure. The study employs a real-world case study focusing on a …

Evaluation Of Digital Twin Approaches For Thermal Modeling And Energy Optimization For Existing Buildings, Jason Bastie Muermann

Theses and Dissertations

Residential, commercial, and industrial building sectors in the United States were responsible for 42% of the nation’s consumption of 100.2 quadrillion BTUs of energy in 2019 [1]. 80% of the nation’s energy is sourced from fossil fuels, including coal, natural gas, and petroleum. Fossil fuels are known contributors to carbon emissions and climate change, making energy reduction vital. Consequently, New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (NJDMAVA) is tasked with evaluating energy consumption and efficiency in all New Jersey Army National Guard (NJARNG) facilities, as mandated by TAG Policy Letter 18-5, Executive Order 13990, and the Energy Independence and …

Social Vulnerability Of The People Exposed To Wildfires In U.S. West Coast States, Arash Modaresi Rad, John T. Abatzoglou, Erica Fleishman, Miranda H. Mockrin, Volker C. Radeloff, Yavar Pourmohamad, Megan Cattau, J. Michael Johnson, Philip Higuera, Nicholas J. Nauslar, Mojtaba Sadegh

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Understanding of the vulnerability of populations exposed to wildfires is limited. We used an index from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to assess the social vulnerability of populations exposed to wildfire from 2000–2021 in California, Oregon, and Washington, which accounted for 90% of exposures in the western United States. The number of people exposed to fire from 2000–2010 to 2011–2021 increased substantially, with the largest increase, nearly 250%, for people with high social vulnerability. In Oregon and Washington, a higher percentage of exposed people were highly vulnerable (>40%) than in California (~8%). Increased social vulnerability of …

An Investigation Into Ireland’S Bim Skills Gap, Guadalupe Centanni, Barry Mcauley

Conference Papers

The adoption of digital skills within the Irish AEC Sector has the potential to enhance efficiency and competitiveness among its stakeholders. Despite this opportunity, there is still a high demand for skilled BIM professionals, which cannot be currently met. To meet this skills demand and directly target future skills gaps within Ireland, several challenges must be addressed to facilitate broader BIM adoption. This paper focuses on addressing this gap by identifying steps to be followed to develop skilled professionals within BIM. This has been achieved by investigating the extent to which construction stakeholders in Ireland comprehend BIM and, examiningthe training …

Accelerating Bim Adoption In Ireland: A Ten-Year Review Of Cita Bim Gathering Proceedings, Alan Hore, Roger West, Barry Mcauley

Conference Papers

Digital construction interfaces have been studied extensively over the last few decades, with an ever-grow- ing catalogue of publications. The CitA BIM Gathering conferences have played a key role in bringing together the research and industry communities ina collaborative setting over the past decade in Ireland. In this paper the authors systematically review 10 years of papers published in the BIM Gathering pro- ceedings since the inaugural conference in 2013. A total of 175 papers involving over 200 authors have been reviewed and classified under the 2018 World Economic Forum (WEF) recommendations in respect to ac- celerating BIM adoption. The …

Industry Colloquium Report, Robert Moore

Reports

In the ever-evolving landscape of the construction industry, digital transformation has emerged as a pivotal force reshaping the way projects are conceived, executed, and delivered. This transformation, fuelled by cutting-edge technology and innovative practices, holds the promise of greater efficiency, sustainability, and collaboration within the construction sector.

This report offers a comprehensive summary of the Build Digital Project colloquium. It provides actionable insights and recommendations for clients, supply chain partners, and for prioritisation within the Build Digital Project pillars. As the industry partners seek to build a more efficient, sustainable, and collaborative construction sector, understanding and harnessing the invaluable insights …

Shrinkage And Consolidation Characteristics Of Chitosan-Amended Soft Soil: A Sustainable Alternate Landfill Liner Material, Romana Mariyam Rasheed, Arif Ali Baig Moghal, Sai Sampreeth Reddy Jannepally, Ateekh Ur Rehman, Bhaskar C. S. Chittoori

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Kuttanad is a region that lies in the southwest part of Kerala, India, and possesses soft soil, which imposes constraints on many civil engineering applications owing to low shear strength and high compressibility. Chemical stabilizers such as cement and lime have been extensively utilized in the past to address compressibility issues. However, future civilizations will be extremely dependent on the development of sustainable materials and practices such as the use of bio-enzymes, calcite precipitation methods, and biological materials as a result of escalating environmental concerns due to carbon emissions of conventional stabilizers. One such alternative is the utilization of biopolymers. …

Antibiotic Resistance In Urban Stormwater: A Review Of The Dissemination Of Resistance Elements, Their Impact, And Management Opportunities, Kassidy N. O'Malley, Walter M. Mcdonald, Patrick J. Mcnamara

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

The public health crisis of antibiotic resistance is a growing threat across the world that is only expected to intensify in the coming years. The cycling of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the environment via urban stormwater runoff is one means by which humans are exposed to resistant bacteria as traditional gray stormwater infrastructure facilitates the transport of resistance elements into water bodies utilized by the public. In this review, existing research on the occurrence of ARGs in urban stormwater runoff is critically reviewed with the goal of determining the role of stormwater in the dissemination and development of antibiotic …

Impact Of Corrosion Inhibitors On Antibiotic Resistance, Metal Resistance, And Microbial Communities In Drinking Water, Lee K. Kimbell, Emily Lou Lamartina, Stan Kohls, Yin Wang, Ryan J. Newton, Patrick J. Mcnamara

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Corrosion inhibitors, including zinc orthophosphate, sodium orthophosphate, and sodium silicate, are commonly used to prevent the corrosion of drinking water infrastructure. Metals such as zinc are known stressors for antibiotic resistance selection, and phosphates can increase microbial growth in drinking water distribution systems (DWDS). Yet, the influence of corrosion inhibitor type on antimicrobial resistance in DWDS is unknown. Here, we show that sodium silicates can decrease antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs), while zinc orthophosphate increases ARB and ARGs in source water microbial communities. Based on controlled bench-scale studies, zinc orthophosphate addition significantly increased the abundance of ARB …

In Situ Monitoring Of The Hydration Of Calcium Silicate Minerals In Cement With A Remote Fiber-Optic Raman Probe, Bohong Zhang, Wenyu Liao, Hongyan Ma, Jie Huang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study utilized a novel in situ fiber-optic Raman probe to continuously monitor the hydration progress of tricalcium silicate (C3S) and dicalcium silicate (C2S) without the need for sampling, from early hydration stage to later stages, and from fresh to hardened states of paste samples. by virtue of the remarkable ability of this technique in characterizing either dry or wet and crystalline or amorphous samples, the hydration processes of C3S and C2S pastes with different water-to-solid (w/s) ratios could be monitored from the start of the hydration reaction. the main hydration products, calcium silicate hydrate (C–S–H) and portlandite/calcium hydroxide (CH), …

Challenges In Optimization For The Performance On Sustainability Dimensions In Reverse Logistics Social Responsibility, Sumarsono Sudarto, Katsuhiko Takahashi, Mochammad Dewo

Makara Journal of Technology

Reverse logistics social responsibility is preferred as the most acceptable solution for addressing the challenges in stakeholders’ debate regarding social responsibility in supply chains because it involves as many actors as possible in the supply chain to perform social responsibility to achieve sustainability. This paper explores the challenges in achieving optimal policies in sustainability dimensions for collection and recycling facilities in reverse logistics. Sustainability dimensions include economic, environmental, and social aspects. The reverse logistics is modeled on System Dynamics, and a simplified statistical analysis using a contour chart is employed in numerical experiments. Results show a narrow area of optimal …

Investigating The Resistance Properties Of Concrete Containing Waste Carpet Fibers, Faezeh Nejati, Ali Mahboobi

Makara Journal of Technology

This research was conducted with the aim of investigating the use of waste carpet fiber (WCF) and assessing the resistance properties of concrete. The main goal of this study was to investigate the effect of the internal processing of concrete containing WCF on increasing its resistance properties. At the same time, the secondary goals pursued in the research included determining the optimal percentages of carpet fibers in improving compressive strength, tensile strength, and bending strength. The materials used included cement, aggregates, water, WCF, and super lubricant. This research applied seven mixing designs: A, B1, B2, C1, C2, D1, and D2. …

Permeability Prediction For Expansive Soil Based On Physical Properties Using Artificial Neural Networks, Ferry Fatnanta, Imam Suprayogi, Nicola Rabb Ranata, Soewignjo Agus Nugroho, Agus Ika Putra

Makara Journal of Technology

Permeability is a soil parameter related to the construction industry to understand the processes of infiltration, runoff, and settlement. The risk of testing errors is inevitable in permeability investigations, especially in expansive soils. Trial and error in permeability testing becomes difficult due to soils with small pore sizes and large shrinkage expansion. Several studies related to soil physical properties that affect permeability have been conducted. However, the correlation results obtained still have poor accuracy. Artificial neural networks (ANN) are machine learning systems that can change their structure to solve problems that are included in the system. The use of ANNs …

Improving Square Skirted Foundations Behavior On Sand, Tamer Al-Shyoukhi, Ayman Altahrany, Mahmoud Elmeligy

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Shallow foundations' behavior is enhanced by using skirts to confine the soil beneath the foundation. The bearing capacity and settlement of skirted foundations resting on the sand are influenced by the size of the skirt cell and shear strength of sand. Experimental modelling was carried out on an axially square-skirted footing resting on sand in this study. Plaxis-3D software was used for numerical analysis to support the experimental results. The numerical analysis results validated the experimental results. The outcomes of the study demonstrated that skirts wider than the footing size increased the bearing capacity of skirted foundations. In the case …

Failure Analysis Of Light Poles On Highway Bridges Exposed To Extreme Winds, Yanlin Chen

LSU Master's Theses

Light poles are critical secondary structural components that support the functionality and safety of transportation systems. However, they are tall slender structures vulnerable to wind load. This research attempts to analyze the mechanism of the widespread failure (69 poles failed) of light poles on an elevated highway bridge exposed to Category 4 Hurricane Laura (2020). To understand the mechanism of the failure, a comprehensive analysis is conducted. A nonlinear finite element model is created to simulate the structural responses. Wind pressures are obtained and applied to the FEM to perform nonlinear static and transient analysis. Research results indicate that, when …

An Object-Based Ground Filtering Of Airborne Lidar Data For Large-Area Dtm Generation, Hunsoo Song, Jinha Jung

Purdue University Libraries Open Access Publishing Fund

Digital terrain model (DTM) creation is a modeling process that represents the Earth’s surface. An aptly designed DTM generation method tailored for intended study can significantly streamline ensuing processes and assist in managing errors and uncertainties, particularly in large-area projects. However, existing methods often exhibit inconsistent and inexplicable results, struggle to clearly define what an object is, and often fail to filter large objects due to their locally confined operations. We introduce a new DTM generation method that performs object-based ground filtering, which is particularly beneficial for urban topography. This method defines objects as areas fully enclosed by steep slopes …

Deep Learning Techniques For Efficient Evaluation Of Asphalt Pavement Condition, Kamel Mahdy, Ahmed Zekry, Mohamed Moussa, Ahmed Mohamed, Hassan Mahdy, Mohamed Elhabiby

Mansoura Engineering Journal

For the last few decades, researchers have been devising a simple and cost-effective method to evaluate pavement distresses to give decision-makers adequate feedbacks about the pavement condition of a certain road. Fortunately, with the evolution and progression of computer vision tools and techniques, good results had been achieved regarding the detection, classification, and quantification of road distress. In this paper, a new efficient process of road distress analysis using deep learning models is introduced. This new process was tested on a collected road dataset to evaluate the efficiency and speed of this low-cost road maintenance system. Promising results were obtained …

Skills Matter – Up-Skilling Across Construction Stakeholders For Emerging Roles, Avril Behan, Paul Mccormack, Barry Mcauley

Conference Papers

The EU’s Climate Target Plan To 2030 (European Union 2020b) of achieving at least 55% reduction in Green House Gas emissions from 1990 levels, delivering towards a climate-neutral economy by 2050, requires systems-level change in the way we design, construct, and operate our built assets. Funding initiatives, such as co-ordinated by BUILD UP Skills, aim to deliver upskilling to the market but targets set by the European Skills Agenda may not be reached at current achievement levels. This paper presents the results of one completed and the progress of one ongoing Horizon 2020 funded project, BIMcert and ARISE, respectively. Learning …

Machine Learning-Enabled Regional Multi-Hazards Risk Assessment Considering Social Vulnerability, Tianjie Zhang, Donglei Wang, Yang Lu

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The regional multi-hazards risk assessment poses difficulties due to data access challenges, and the potential interactions between multi-hazards and social vulnerability. For better natural hazards risk perception and preparedness, it is important to study the nature-hazards risk distribution in different areas, specifically a major priority in the areas of high hazards level and social vulnerability. We propose a multi-hazards risk assessment method which considers social vulnerability into the analyzing and utilize machine learning-enabled models to solve this issue. The proposed methodology integrates three aspects as follows: (1) characterization and mapping of multi-hazards (Flooding, Wildfires, and Seismic) using five machine learning …

Investigating The Influence Of Portland Limestone Cement Combined With Sugarcane Bagasse Ash And Different Types Of Fly Ash On The Mechanical Properties Of Engineered Cementitious Composites, Samuel Guidroz

LSU Master's Theses

The ability to implement Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) within our transportation infrastructure systems has been limited because of increased costs associated with the material’s high cement quantity. To improve cost- effectiveness and to create a more sustainable footprint, the use of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) has been explored. This study evaluated the effects of utilizing cement interground with limestone, Portland limestone cement (PLC), as a replacement for ordinary Portland cement (OPC). Additionally, the performance of the composites was analyzed when mixed with sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) as well as different classes of fly ash (FA). In doing so, the experimental …

Understanding Evacuation Traffic Safety Issues During Hurricane Evacuation Using Machine Learning And Connected Vehicle Data, Zaheen E Muktadi Syed

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Hurricane evacuation, ordered to save lives of people of coastal regions, generates high traffic demand with increased crash risk. To mitigate such risk, transportation agencies need to anticipate highway locations with high crash risks to deploy appropriate countermeasures. With ubiquitous sensors and communication technologies, it is now possible to retrieve micro-level vehicular data containing individual vehicle trajectory and speed information. Such high-resolution vehicle data, potentially available in real time, can be used to assess prevailing traffic safety conditions. Using vehicle speed and acceleration profiles, potential crash risks can be predicted in real time. Previous studies on real-time crash risk prediction …

Transportation Electrification In Interdependent Power And Transportation Systems - Analysis, Planning, And Operation, Sina Baghali

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Electric vehicles (EVs) are one of the eminent alternatives to decarbonize the transportation sector. However, large-scale EV adoption brings new challenges and opportunities to both transportation and power systems (TPSs). The challenges include the lack of understanding of EV driving behaviors and the associated charging demand (CD) distribution, the complex interaction of the decentralized decision-makers from TPSs, and the insufficient infrastructure from TPSs to accommodate the growing CD of EVs. On the other hand, the opportunities include benefiting the power systems by leveraging vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technologies and improving transportation mobility by incorporating strategic infrastructure planning. The goal of this dissertation …

Investigation Of Ground Deformations And Vibrations Due To Impact Pile Driving: Measurements And Prediction Model, Berk Turkel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Pile driving, a commonly used method for installing deep foundations, has gained prominence as a foundation solution to transfer structural loads to deep competent strata. However, this method of installation can generate noise, ground vibrations, and deformations. These effects pose risks to adjacent structures and buried utilities, jeopardizing the safety and serviceability of urban infrastructure. Researchers and public and private agencies have proposed many vibration limit criteria to avoid damage to infrastructure. However, these criteria for construction vibrations are not linked to the ground densification associated with repetitive and cumulative loadings in sandy soils. This dissertation focuses on developing a …

Optimizing Information Values In Smart Mobility, Fatima Afifah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Smart mobility, enabled by advanced sensing, communication, vehicle, and emerging mobility technologies, has transformed transportation systems. Real-time information shared by public and private entities plays a pivotal role in smart mobility, which facilitates informed decision-making, including effective mode choice, dynamic vehicle control, optimized travel routing, and strategic vehicle relocation. While more information is believed to benefit individual decision makers, it is crucial to acknowledge that the effects of information on transportation network performance are contingent; more information may not always benefit the safety and mobility of the whole system. The goal of this dissertation is to investigate the effects of …

Assessment Of Light Weight Deflectometer For Low Volume Roads Experiencing Rapidly Increased Traffic Levels, Margarita Ordaz

Theses and Dissertations

When evaluating low volume roads (LVRs), structural capacity emphasis is minimal since deterioration typically results from environmental factors. However, in cases where LVR’s experience rapidly increased traffic loading, structural condition becomes important. The research objective was to determine whether the Light Weight Deflectometer (LWD) can be used as a structural evaluation tool for LVRs in the aforementioned conditions. This study explored the capability of LWD equipment in evaluating major factors that influence flexible pavement structural capacity: load induced deterioration, soil moisture, and asphalt temperature. Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) and LWD tests were performed to measure pavement structural condition. LWD was …

A New Saturation-Based Framework For Compaction Quality Control, Kevin Clark Miller

Theses and Dissertations

Field compaction control is arguably the most common yet critical quality control procedure in geotechnical engineering. Since the early 1930s, the systematic process for performing quality control of compacted soils has often been performed by measuring the in-place dry unit weight (or density) and as-compacted soil moisture content after placement in a fill. However, the current practice overlooks several facts resulting from comparing soil prepared and compacted in the laboratory to soils placed and compacted in the field. These issues include comparing the compaction energy in the lab versus what is applied in the field, and the behavior of saturated …

Design Of Stormwater Bmps For Surface And Groundwater Protection Based On Site-Scale Soil Properties: Phase I, Kelly Kibler, Lisa Chambers, Melanie Beazley

Florida DOT

Much of Earth’s nutrient cycling takes place in soils. Characteristics of soils control physical, chemical, and biological processes that determine rates of nutrient fluxes, storage, or transformation. As remediation of excess nutrients in stormwater runoff is one function of stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs), the soil profile constitutes one of the most important factors of BMP design. Variation observed in BMP effectiveness (e.g., why one BMP design works effectively in one place and not another) can often be explained by variations in the soil profile, either through direct means or by a soil’s influence on hydraulics of stormwater flow through …