Engineering Commons^™

A Stable Isotope Study To Investigate Water Movement In The Los Lagos Region Of Southern Chile, Kritan Subedi

Civil Engineering ETDs

The Los Lagos region in southern Chile, located in northwest Patagonia, features rain-fed agricultural lands, glacial lakes, forests, farmlands, and volcanic soils. This study investigates water movement within a micro-basin using stable isotope analysis and hydrological modeling over eight weeks. It aims to develop a conceptual model of water movement by elucidating interactions between precipitation, soil water, and streamflow. Findings highlight the critical role of deeper soil layers in sustaining streamflow during dry spells and indicate that soil acts as a buffer, maintaining hydrological continuity despite variable precipitation. Improved understanding of these dynamics can inform watershed management and water resource …

Performance Assessment Of Aboveground Storage Tanks During Flood Events, Md Manik Mia

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This research addressed the performance of aboveground storage tanks (ASTs) and connected pipelines during floods. ASTs, integral to the oil and gas industry, store hazardous materials like crude oil and chemicals. Positioned near coastal regions, especially the hurricane-prone Gulf Coast, these areas are vulnerable to natural hazards such as floods and hurricanes. This vulnerability can lead to potential environmental and economic disasters, as seen with past hurricanes.
The primary objectives were to investigate AST bottom plate failure mechanisms under flood conditions, assess material failure in tank shells and bottom plates using finite element models, examine the behavior of connected pipelines, …

Hurricane Vulnerability Of Above Ground Storage Tanks, Santosh Ghimire

LSU Master's Theses

The objectives of this research were to: 1) develop an approach to determine the effectiveness of regional storm surge reduction strategies and structural mitigation measures for aboveground storage tanks (ASTs), and 2) study the feasibility of controlled flotation of ASTs during flood and storm surge events. This study provided a comprehensive risk assessment strategy for regional portfolio of tanks, considering all dominant failure modes relevant to future planning initiatives aimed at reducing AST failures. Additionally, this research contributed a new methodology to prevent AST failures during flooding, offering a potential solution to prevent hazardous spills.

Design guidelines such as API …

Swelling Soil Stabilized With Sand, Mohamed Sakr Prof, Mostafa El Sawaf Prof, Ashraf Nazir Prof, Khloud Mohamed Ali

Journal of Engineering Research

This paper presents the study of swelling soil and its recurrent volume changes with the variation of moisture content. This soil has a unique shrink-swell behavior which changes along with variation in soil water content reducing the strength that can damage a structure. Controlling the swelling potential of soil is one of the important criteria to the civil engineers. Several attempts are being made all over the world to improve the swell-shrink phenomenon of swelling soil. The present paper attempts to study the improvement of the swelling soil with EPS geofoam layer and with sand as a layer and as …

Prediction Of Noise From A Construction Site, Amira Mostafa Ibrahim Miss, Nashwa Mohamed Yossef Prof, Adel Ibrahim Eldosouky Emeritus Professor

Journal of Engineering Research

Construction activities significantly contribute to environmental noise pollution, affecting workers' health and the surrounding community, posing significant challenges to human well-being and productivity. This paper presents a prediction method and a modelling technique used to assess construction site noise. Various factors influencing noise generation and propagation, such as equipment types, operational conditions, site characteristics, and environmental factors, are discussed. This paper explores the application of Monte Carlo technique as an effective method for predicting construction site noise and planning noise mitigation strategies.

High-Resolution Groundwater Modeling For Understanding Sparta-Memphis Aquifer Condition, Rafin Hasan

LSU Master's Theses

The Sparta-Memphis aquifer is one of the major sources of domestic and industrial water supplies in the Mississippi Embayment region. However, besides altering the natural direction of flow, several serious complications such as elevated chloride concentration, significant water level decline, large cones of depression, and land subsidence have arisen from excessive groundwater consumption. To better understand the Sparta-Memphis aquifer condition, a high-resolution groundwater flow model for the Sparta-Memphis aquifer was developed in this study to assess groundwater availability and analyze aquifer responses to future groundwater withdrawal scenarios. For the development of the groundwater flow model, firstly about 3,700 electrical log …

Automated Concrete Bridge Deck Inspection Using Unmanned Aerial Systems Collected Data: A Machine Learning Approach, Rojal Pokhrel

Master's Theses

Many national infrastructures, particularly bridges, are becoming older and older day by day. Their safe operation and maintenance require routine monitoring and inspection. There are lots of bridge inspection specifications and manuals to guide inspectors to give the proper recommendations about the bridge structure and safety. These manuals and specifications require bridge inspectors to manually inspect the bridge and recommend maintenance and repair tasks referring to the specific criteria available in the manuals. In time, the application of technology makes many Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) advancements during the phase of data collection. For the image processing and analysis of collected …

An Experimental Study On Mixed Hydrocarbon Gas On Transport Through Subsurface And Atmospheric Interfaces With Application To Natural Gas Pipline Leak Dection And Quantification, Richard Kolodziej

Civil and Environmental Engineering Theses and Dissertations

Natural gas (NG) production and usage as a fuel source have surged in recent years, becoming a critical component of the global energy system and requiring extensive belowground pipeline infrastructure. Leaks in belowground pipelines release fugitive methane (CH₄) emissions, posing significant environmental, safety, and economic risks. Effective leak detection and quantification (LDAQ) methods are essential for identifying and measuring leaks to enable timely repairs and accurately address these threats. However, few studies have characterized the effectiveness of current and advanced LDAQ survey methods for belowground NG pipelines, with existing work often limited to technology-centric evaluations or studies of …

Hydrologic Modeling Of The Lower Chesapeake Bay Watershed Using Hecc-Hms With Implications For Future Coupled Coastal Modeling, Christopher Leonard Frost

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This study explores the hydrological methodology for modeling a coastal watershed basin using the US Army Corps of Engineers hydrologic software, HEC-HMS with an objective of being able to create riverine boundary conditions that could be applied to a coupled compound flood model. Compound flooding is defined as high water inundation event that occurs due to the simultaneous occurrence of multiple flooding drivers. The Atlantic Seaboard and the Gulf of Mexico regions of the United States account for most of the compound events observed in the United States with a higher occurrence caused by hurricanes from July to November. In …

Deformation Demands And Collapse Performance Of Seismically Detailed Concentrically Braced Frames, Samuel Jablonsky

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Special concentrically braced frames (SCBFs) and ordinary concentrically braced frames (OCBFs) are seismic-force-resisting systems often used in steel building construction. Previous research has shown that lower brace width-to-thickness ratios delay brace fracture during cyclic inelastic loading that is typical during moderate-to-large earthquakes. To ensure adequate seismic performance, SCBF and OCBF brace shapes are thus limited by the highly and moderately ductile width-to-thickness ratio limits, respectively, presented by the American Institute of Steel Construction Seismic Provisions for Structural Steel Buildings. To justify these limits, system-level analysis of SCBFs and OCBFs during high seismic events is needed. This study uses nonlinear response-history …

Refinement Of A Regional Storm Surge Mesh For High-Resolution Topographic Representation Of Volusia County, Morgan Harbin

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

In 2022, Volusia and Flagler Counties of northeast central Florida were impacted indirectly by consecutive Hurricanes Ian and Nicole; the destabilization of dunes and armoring infrastructure caused by Ian left the region susceptible to Hurricane Nicole, which caused unprecedented coastal damage to dunes and seawalls. The extent of damage that occurred within Volusia and Flagler Counties during the 2022 hurricane season, the underrepresentation of this region within sustainability and resilience research, and the ecological, social, and economic value of the geography provide just cause for scientific inquiry of the area’s coastal dynamics. This thesis specifically describes an investigation of Hurricane …

The Impact Of Pac-Loaded Polymer Membrane Thickness On Chloroform Removal And Comparison Of Solvent And Thermal Membrane Regeneration Methods, Yizhi Hou, Brooke K. Mayer

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Powdered activated carbon (PAC) has better adsorption performance than granular activated carbon (GAC) and is widely used in water purification. In most cases, PAC is dosed into water directly, then precipitated as sludge, and landfilled. In this study, PAC was mixed with a polymer and dissolved in dimethylformamide (DMF) solvent to form a PAC-loaded membrane, which was then tested for chloroform removal. The chloroform adsorption capacity of the PAC membrane increased with increasing membrane thickness because of higher carbon loading. However, regardless of membrane thickness, the flux of the PAC membranes was similar since flux resistance predominantly occurred at the …

Development Of A Rule-Based Monitoring System For Autonomous Heavy Equipment Safety, Amirpooya Shirazi

Department of Construction Engineering and Management: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Roadway construction work zones are constantly exposed to interactions among construction equipment, workers, and vehicles. Furthermore, ensuring safety in these areas is considered a challenging task due to the complexity of the environment. As shown in the rising trend of fatal accidents in roadway work zones, current OSHA regulations in construction safety are insufficient in effectively detecting unsafe situations and mitigating the risks. Furthermore, best practices, such as internal traffic control planning (ITCP), exhibit critical limitations requiring continuous monitoring of active work zones as well as adjustments to the site coordination plans due to the dynamic nature of work zone …

Building Sevices Engineering July/August 2024

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Performance Evaluation Of Asphalt Binder Modified With Recycled Plastics, Abeeb G. Oyelere

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

The surge in the production of plastic waste has become a pressing global environmental issue. To address this, repurposing plastic waste to modify asphalt binders in asphalt pavement is being explored This study investigates the potential of recycled high-density polyethylene (rHDPE) and recycled polypropylene (rPP) as asphalt binder modifies to improve pavement performance and sustainability while mitigating plastic waste's adverse environmental impacts. Laboratory investigations were conducted to assess the rheological performances as well as the compatibility of rHDPE and rPP-modified asphalt. Additionally, the impact of aging and mixing temperature on rheological performance was investigated. Experimental results indicated that adding these …

An Experimental Study On The Effect Of Salt And Sugar Combination On Mortar Properties, Lelian Elkhatib, Jamal Khatib, Abbas Hassan, Mohammad Kassem, Adel Elkordi

BAU Journal - Science and Technology

The most important engineering material nowadays, used in construction is concrete. Concrete consists mainly of sand, cement and aggregates. However, weather conditions play a crucial role in affecting concrete characteristics and its serviceability. Weather conditions could be the reason to delay or accelerate the setting time of the concrete. As a result, and in order to deal with weather conditions and its effect on the setting time of concrete, accelerators and retarders must be added to the concrete mix. This research paper focuses on the impact of the use of salt and sugar on the setting time of concrete. Accelerators, …

An In – Depth Analysis Of Natural Fibers :A Comprehensive Review Of Properties And Performance Characteristics, Abbas Chour, Jamal Khatib

BAU Journal - Science and Technology

The purpose of this research is to investigate the usage of natural fibers in plant-based natural fiber-reinforced cement-based composites for sustainable construction materials. It summarizes research on various fiber kinds, their properties, and their impact on cement-based products, with a focus on renewable possibilities such as flax, jute, ramie, hemp, cotton, sisal, and kenaf. Due to their hydrophilic nature, plant fibers and polymers present compatibility concerns and moisture damage when combined. The paper examines ways for improving durability, such as physical and chemical treatments to improve aging resistance, optimizing binder components, and modifying curing regimens to reduce alkalinity in the …

The Role Of Stakeholder Involvement In Enhancing Safe Drinking Water Infrastructure: An Interpretative Structural Modeling Approach, Awlya Rahmanea, Ayomi Dita Rarasati

CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development

One of the primary goals listed in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is to “Achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all,” as stated in SDG 6.1. To obtain this goal, the Government of Indonesia has developed the 2020-2024 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN), which has set specific targets including achieving 100% access to decent drinking water, 15% access to safe drinking water, and establishing 10 million house connections. The Ministry of National Development Planning has established a goal of achieving 45% access to safe drinking water by 2030 as part of the SDGs. However, …

Investigating The Relationship Among The Construction Safety Plan, Knowledge Management, Audit Process, Information System, Web, And Bim With Construction Safety Performance, Zafira Alysha Fadli, Yusuf Latief, Danang Budi Nugroho

CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development

The rapid growth of high-rise building construction in Indonesia has led to a significant increase in accidents, necessitating a robust audit process for construction safety. This research investigates the relationship between construction safety plans (CSPs), audit processes, knowledge management (KM), information systems, the web, and BIM on construction safety performance, aiming to develop a BIM-based KM audit process. To analyze the significance level of various indicators for each variable considerable importance, a mixed-methods approach was employed, combining qualitative insights from expert interviews with quantitative analysis using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) via SmartPLS. The findings in the study reveal that the …

Assessing The Social, Economic, And Environmental Impacts Of A Multifunctional Crop: The Case Of Moringa Oleifera, Yoel Gebrai

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Multifunctional crops have the potential to support societal goals toward more sustainable production of food, feed, and fuel. The production and processing of multifunctional crops, with their numerous uses and coproducts, is accompanied by social, economic, and environmental impacts that need to be systematically evaluated to avoid unintended consequences from widespread adoption. Complexity emerges in the presence of multifunctionality, and counterintuitive system responses can occur. As a result, this dissertation has sought to enhance and apply frameworks to assess multifunctional crop sustainability holistically. Systems thinking and life cycle approaches are applied to a multifunctional crop case study, Moringa oleifera (MO). …

Enhancing The Performance Of Interdependent Stormwater Drainage And Roadway Systems Under Future Conditions, Chao Ye

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Flooding can cause extensive and devastating damage to human properties, including damage to homes, businesses, infrastructure systems, and personal belongings and it has become a threatening challenge during the past decades due to the massive damage brought to communities, infrastructures, and ecosystems. As climate change intensifies, the frequency and severity of flooding issues are expected to increase, exacerbating the existing flooding risks for vulnerable communities. Various approaches of modeling, optimizing, and designing for multiple levels of flooding problems have been adopted to deal with flooding control studies and research to alleviate the flooding risks on multiple levels of communities. This …

Success Factors Analysis In Sorong-Manokwari Railway Infrastructure's Project Evaluation With Fuzzy Ahp Method, Flora Tresia Wehelmina Kambuaya, Ayomi Dita Rarasati

Smart City

An infrastructure project is a long-term project that has two consequences in the form of uncertainty related to risk and expansive costs. Are infrastructure projects a good long-run stimulus to growth economy? Particularly for new developing areas like Papua island where project preparation evaluation has to be established in order to implement the project. Railway infrastructure is a project initiated in 2018 by Indonesia President and is currently still under administration processing. As a new incubator project, the first train project in Papua Land contains several factors that may be essential to drive project success. The critical success factors as …

Evaluation Of Coal Transport Route In Jambi City (Talang Duku Port-East Ring Road Ii), Dwi Angella, Sutanto Soehodho, Nahry Nahry

Smart City

In its implementation, the role of coal transportation infrastructure is important in supporting the mining industry in Jambi City. However, it also causes various complex problems; one of them is traffic congestion on arterial roads in Jambi City. In May 2023, the Jambi Regional Police of the Republic of Indonesia issued a notification letter to stop the mobilization of coal transportation in Jambi Province. The policy caused several coal companies to switch their transportation method to shipping in order to continue operating, while several other companies stopped operating until an indeterminate time. Therefore, this study aims to compare traffic performance …

Analysis Of Cost And Time Efficiency In Container Distribution Between Container Truck And Freight Train From Industrial Area To Port, Indah Imayanti, Sutanto Soehodho, Nahry Yusuf

Smart City

Jakarta International Container Terminal (JICT) in Tanjung Priok Port , which serves export and import containers, can serve up to 5500 TEUs daily. However, no more than 1% of the total containers are transported by freight trains, meaning that 99% of container distribution from industrial areas is carried by trailer trucks. This condition causes a long queue at the container terminal entrance, resulting in delays in the services as well. Currently, Tanjung Priok Port is connected to rail transportation from Cikarang dry port with the frequency of twice a day with 30 flatcars (FC) for each trip. The capacity of …

Understanding Social Impacts Of Major Disruptions From The Perspective Of Destination Access, Manika Rana Bhat

LSU Master's Theses

Major disruptions (like public health crises and extreme weather events) significantly impact human mobility and travel patterns. This study investigates the social impacts of major disruptions on human mobility from the perspective of accessing destinations. This study used a large-scale dataset from SafeGraph and focused on analyzing the impacts of COVID-19 and Hurricane Ida on destination access in Louisiana. The findings of the temporal plots indicated that the impact magnitude of Hurricane Ida was much smaller than that of the COVID-19 pandemic but still resulted in hardship on destination access. During COVID-19, it was found that parishes with limited active …

Ai-Enabled Vibration Sensing System For Early Detection Of Trains At Active Highway-Rail Grade Crossings, Mohsen Amjadian, Md. Masnun Rahman, Constantine Tarawneh, Valik Villarreal, Dylan Rocha

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Highway-rail grade crossings (HRGCs) play an essential role in ensuring the secure traversal of road users across railway tracks. However, despite their significance, they present safety challenges, particularly when trains go undetected, heightening the risk of potential collisions between the road user and train. This paper aims to explore the viability of employing vibration sensors for detection and characterization of an approaching train’s speed at HRGCs. The methodology involves analyzing rail vibrations and developing a time series predictive machine learning (ML) model. To accomplish this, a Finite Element (FE) model of a ballasted track railway is created in SAP2000, consisting …

Remote Vibration Based Monitoring Of Bridge Scour, Alan Kazemian

Dissertations

The gradual erosion of the sediment around a bridge foundation is called Scour. This erosion is caused by water flow and increases during times of high-water flow such as flooding. The scour leaves the bridges structurally unsound over time and jeopardizes the safety of the structure. Approximately 60 percent of bridge failures in the United States are caused by scour. A variety of types of devices have been used to detect scour. Most of these devices only observe the scour and not the structural integrity of the bridge. The typical approach has relied on visual inspections of the bridges after …

Implications Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On The Management Of Municipal Solid Waste And Medical Waste: A Comparative Review Of Selected Countries, Ahmed Osama Daoud Dr., Hoda Elattar Eng., Gaber Abdelatif Eng., Karim M. Morsy, Robert W. Peters, Mohamed K. Mostafa Dr.

Civil Engineering

No abstract provided.

The Distribution Of Schools Not Served By Brt Trans Semarang In Semarang City, Nanda Iryani Intan Sari, Sutanto Soehodho, R. Jachrizal Sumabrata

Smart City

For developing countries, the implementation of sustainable transportation systems is crucial to involve substantial investments. Mobility in Indonesia can have an impact on both origin and destination areas. This research aims to determine the distribution of schools that are not served in the city of Semarang. Consequently, an identification can be made to formulate a recommendation for the development of operational routes for the BRT Trans Semarang to enhance connectivity between other transportation modes on routes with high demand. A quantitative descriptive analysis was performed to assess BRT Trans Semarang through utilizing government documents, news, and official websites, followed by …

Predicting Flexural-Creep Stiffness In Bending Beam Rheometer (Bbr) Experiments Using Advanced Super Learner Machine Learning Techniques, Alireza Roshan, Magdy Abdelrahman

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

BBR test is commonly used to assess the low-temperature performance grade (PG) of asphalt binders, with the flexural-creep stiffness being a critical parameter calculated through this test. However, it has notable limitations that demand attention. The significant amount of asphalt binder needed for test specimens increases costs and resource consumption. Additionally, the complex and time-consuming specimen preparation process hinders testing efficiency and introduces result variability, affecting the accuracy and reliability of PG determinations. In recent years, machine learning (ML) has emerged as a promising substitute for predicting various engineering values. In this study, the primary focus was on harnessing super …