Engineering Commons^™

Routing Opportunities For Commercial Crossings Between El Paso And Juarez, Marek Musil

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This thesis explores the topic of commercial movements between the El Paso and Ciudad Juarez road networks and the implications of the possible changes in their routing. This area houses several ports of entry, which present one of the busiest commercial and personal border crossings in the whole nation. The primary focus was to evaluate the recently proposed reconstruction scenario of removing trucks from the Bridge of the Americas and study the impacts on the flows throughout the other ports. The chosen tool to support the analysis is a mesoscopic simulation software called DynusT, which is capable of modeling the …

Smart Public Transportation And Mobility Hub Design In El Paso, Jiri Vojtisek

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This thesis explores the potential of a Smart Public Transportation concept and mobility hub design as tools to mitigate the growing trend of transportation issues, such as traffic congestion, reliance on privately owned vehicles, or unattractive public transportation. Consequently, residentsâ?? lives are negatively affected by excessive noise, air pollution, and travel delays, leading to increased safety risks, lost productivity, and a lower quality of life. Considering these challenges, the study begins by analyzing the current state of public transportation in El Paso. Next, it introduces a toolkit from the Smart City concept, followed by case studies of best practices of …

Bim Coordination Post Pandemic, Zachary Marshall

Honors Scholar Theses

The goal of this thesis is to utilize previous research done on virtual meetings and build upon it by conducting new research on the successes and failures of current virtual BIM meetings. This paper starts with a literature review looking into Building Information Modeling (BIM) Coordination and the effects the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the BIM meetings. BIM meetings started to shift virtual due to the nature of the pandemic and this has had effects on the performance and structure of the coordination. This knowledge was then expanded on by looking at virtual BIM meeting case studies. Interviews were …

Development And Evaluation Of An Arsenic Transport Model For The Maurice River Watershed, Christina Eddleman

All Theses

For many Superfund sites across the United States, arsenic is one of the most common contaminants of concern that must be cleaned up to protect human and environmental health. Past research and health studies have documented the harmful effects of inorganic arsenic on humans and the environment but selecting an appropriate remediation plan depends on several site-specific factors at each Superfund site. To assist in determining an appropriate remediation plan, sediment and contaminant transport models have been used to simulate the transport of arsenic and other contaminants of concern at contaminated sites to, e.g., make relative comparisons of the efficacy …

Culvert Design And Roadway Restoration Of Cavett Road At Damon Creek, Kevin Harvey

Honors College Theses

Cavett Road is a small, two lane rural road located in Kirksey, Kentucky. This road faces the issue of flooding during light-to-moderate rain, posing risk to those who use the road, especially those living along Cavett Road. This flooding is also capable of washing away the surface of Cavett Road and the adjacent banks and soil wall of the creek, creating a risk of erosion and soil subsidence. To reduce the risk of flooding and erosion and improve roadway function, this project outlines a potential solution using newly-installed reinforced concrete box culverts and soil fill above them to improve the …

Smart Manufacturing Of Cement: From Lab-Scale Simulation And Testing To Industry-Scale Deployment., Juan David Tabares Tamayo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cement kilns are controlled by experienced process operators who follow experience-based industry guidelines using data collected and fundamental knowledge. The manufacturing process, which is equipped with sensors and equipment, transfers data/information to the operators to aid standardized decision-making operations. In contrast, companies have used such data to develop and implement digital solutions for predictive control systems; in effect, FLSmidth and Rockwell Automation. However, despite the availability of automated control systems and investigation in automation for process monitoring and optimization, opportunities to radically optimize cement manufacturing are still abundant and in need of implementation. Therefore, this research developed simulation models and …

Fly Ash Based Geopolymer: Water, Curing Temperature And, Cao Content Effects On Microstructure And Compressive Strength., Lujain Salem

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Geopolymer, an emerging alternative to Portland cement-based concrete, relies on alumina and silica-rich precursors like fly ash for its formation. Geopolymerization is a chemical process that creates a three-dimensional polymer network by reacting with an alkaline activator. While fly ash's calcium oxide (CaO) content is crucial in its classification, it behaves differently in geopolymerization, where it competes with hydration. Therefore, a better understanding of the impact of CaO content in fly ash on geopolymerization is needed to effectively utilize fly ash. This study investigates the effects of CaO content, water, and curing temperature on geopolymerization. Using fly ash from a …

Building Services Engineering May/June 2024

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Physical And Stochiometric Controls On Nutrient Uptake And Ecosystem Respiration In Contrasting Sites, Jancoba K. Dorley

Civil Engineering ETDs

Meteorological, hydrological, and biogeochemical processes naturally control stream ecosystems. These processes define the frequency and distribution of precipitation and the supply and demand of solutes and particles to support aquatic food chains through space and time. Studies have also found that stream ecosystems are also controlled by anthropogenic activities, which occur on a much shorter timescale. These anthropogenic activities affect stream ecosystems' structure and function from local to planetary changes to the environment. It is essential for scientists and engineers to understand the relationships between naturally occurring processes and those created by human activities for a better interpretation of stream …

Using Genetic Algorithm And Geographic Information System For Equity-Driven Transportation Planning And Analysis, Emiliano Del Rio Reyes

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Efforts to address equitable access in public transit planning have gained momentum, spurred by incentives for Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and State Departments of Transportation (DOTs). However, traditional strategies often fall short of meeting the needs of disadvantaged communities, particularly in underserved areas. This study presents a pioneering methodology leveraging Genetic Algorithms (GA) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to optimize bus stop placement, aiming to enhance equitable access in public transit systems. Focusing on Route 16 of Sun Metro in El Paso, Texasâ??a critical feeder route linking the Westside Transit Center to Upper Valley neighborhoodsâ??the research commences with a comprehensive …

Development Of A Model To Predict Maximum Crack Width And Spacing In Reinforced Concrete Beams Under Flexural Stress, Saeed Alghamdi

Theses and Dissertations

Cracking in reinforced concrete structures is unavoidable due to the low tensile strength of concrete. Even though minimizing cracks on exposed concrete surfaces is significantly important from the aesthetics point of view, it is also very important for the durability and overall performance of the structure.

Flexural members must be designed to minimize cracking that may occur during the structure's service life. Even though there has been a lot of experimental work on crack width over the last several decades, a literature review reveals that researchers still can't agree on which variables are most important. Part of the reason for …

Machine Learning Predictive Models For Load Identification Of Railroad Bridges Subjected To Train-Induced Vibration, Md Masnun Rahman

Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. rail network is among the world's largest, safest, and most efficient. However, many its railway bridges, which play an essential role in its connectivity, are over 100 years old, showing signs of structural deterioration exceeding their practical service life. The increased weight and speed of modern trains also pose a risk to these bridges. Traditional load identification and monitoring technologies like Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) systems are rarely used on railway bridges due to their cost and practical limits. This thesis explores a cost-effective approach to utilize vibration sensors on railway bridges to identify and predict train load features (speed …

Numerical Study Of New Tuned Mass Friction Damper For Seismic Protection Of Civil Structures, Syed Muhammad Bilal Haider

Theses and Dissertations

Tuned Mass Friction Dampers (TMFDs) are passive control systems designed to mitigate vibrations in civil structures subjected to extreme lateral forces such as windstorms and earthquakes. The objective of this thesis is to propose a new TMFDs with enhanced energy dissipation capability for seismic protection of multi-story frame buildings. This new TMFD is termed as “Tuned Mass Multi-Sliding Friction Damper” (TMMSFD) consisting of multiple masses connected to the primary structure through linear springs and while sliding relative to each other at multiple sliding surfaces. TMMSFD offers an improved damping mechanism with reduced stick-slip motion effects compared to standard TMFDs which …

Engineering Sustainable Bridge Deck Rehabilitation: Evaluating Mechanical And Electro-Chemical Properties Of Rapid-Set Patching Materials And Their Influence On Repair Durability, James Roberts

All Theses

As the state of the US infrastructure continues to deteriorate over time, a prominent issue especially in the field of reinforced concrete structures has been the ability to properly rehabilitate and extend the design service life of these structures. A majority of our existing reinforced concrete bridges were built in the construction boom during the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, and were originally designed with a service life of approximately 50 years, thus showing that many structures are close to or have already exceeded their intended service life. Additionally, with a poor history of government infrastructure funding, it is seen to …

Quantifying Hurricane Effects On Housing: Evaluating Damage, Loss, And Shelter Demands Using Historical And Simulated Storm Tracks, Adish Deep Shakya

All Theses

This research introduces an advanced framework which employs parametric wind field models for peak wind speeds, and building fragility curves, loss functions, and demographic data to estimate for estimating housing damage and loss. The uninhabitable units immediate displaced households, short-term and long-term shelter need households are determined. with a particular focus on those eligible for FEMA assistance. The framework's validity is reinforced by a high correlation in the analysis of recent hurricane events between estimated numbers of displaced households and actual FEMA aid recipients, where FEMA aids about 20-60% of the predicted long-term displaced households. A novel application of the …

Analytical And Experimental Studies To Support Codification Of Lightweight Grout For Masonry Design, Cooper Banks

All Theses

Lightweight (LW) aggregates have many potential benefits in masonry construction including minimizing mass, improving thermal performance, and reducing the potential for shrinkage cracking via internal curing. The current masonry design standard, TMS 402/602-22, permits lightweight aggregate in the production of concrete masonry units (CMU), but there has been insufficient testing of masonry assemblies to permit designing with LW grout. Shrestha et al. characterized LW grouts bond to reinforcement, shear strength, tension and shear pullout behavior of anchors and proposed possible reduction factors for design. Hiner characterized the flexural bond strength LW grouted masonry assemblies and proposed possible reduction factors for …

Effect Of Swirl Ratio On Simulated Vortech Chamber Vortex Parameters, Samuel Kolar

Civil Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

A numerical simulator can use computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to model an experimental tornado-simulating chamber at Texas Tech University (known as VorTECH). Previous studies evaluating this particular CFD model have produced results that compare the touchdown swirl ratio (S_TD), core radius (r_c), maximum tangential velocity at touchdown (V_tmax @ S_TD), and height of the maximum tangential velocity (z_c) reasonably well with experimental data from the VorTECH facility. The effects of swirl ratio beyond S_TD on important vortex parameters including r_c, V_tmax, z …

Utilization Of Confined Concrete In The Bottom Slab Of Double Composite Box Girder Bridges, Harry Craik

Theses and Dissertations

A mathematical model is proposed for the confinement of rectangular confined reinforced concrete elements under compression. The model was modified from existing models applied to rectangular confined concrete specimens. The present model applies to rectangular reinforced concrete cross-sections with a core aspect ratio of at least 2.0 and a high effective confinement index. The model applies to normal and high-strength concrete and incorporates the spacing of the transverse reinforcing hoops, the strength of the reinforcing bars, the reinforcing quantity, and the core aspect ratio of the section. The proposed model was verified against extensive experimental data, and there was a …

Final Design Of Legion Hall Revitalization In Potter, Nebraska, Madison Brennfoerder

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This project was conducted to renovate and revitalize the Legion Hall community center in the Village of Potter located in western Nebraska north of the Interstate. The work completed for this project can be separated into five disciplines: Hydrologic & Hydraulic Design, Geotechnical Analysis, Structural Analysis, Environmental Analysis, and Transportation Design. Legion Hall is a historical building within The Village of Potter which was built in 1917. The Village of Potter has recently acquired the rights to the hall and is seeking to revitalize the historical community center to increase tourism in the village.

A Parametric Study On The Energy Dissipation Capability Of Frictional Mechanical Metamaterials Engineered For Vibration Isolation, Shayan Khosravi, Mohsen Amjadian

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Mechanical metamaterials are engineered structures with complex geometric arrangements that display unconventional mechanical properties which are uncommon in traditional materials. They possess the ability to manipulate and control mechanical wave propagation across specific frequency ranges known as frequency bandgaps. This feature makes them extremely useful for a variety of applications in structural control including passive vibration isolation. These materials can be engineered to selectively block or redirect the input motion at their dominant frequency while allowing the transmission of motion at other frequencies. This paper aims to study the dynamic performance of an innovative mechanical metamaterial designed for seismic isolation …

Detection Of Deficiencies And Data Analysis Of Bridge Members With Deep Convolutional Neural Networks, Bennett Jackson

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Concrete cracks and structural steel corrosion are two of the most common defects in bridges. Quantifying and classifying these defects provide bridge inspectors and engineers with valuable data for assessing deterioration levels. However, the bridge inspection process is typically a subjective, time intensive, and tedious task, as defects can be overlooked or in locations not easily accessible. Previous studies have investigated deep learning-based inspection methods, implementing popular models such as Mask R-CNN and U-Net. The architectures of these models offer certain advantages depending on the required task. This thesis aims to evaluate and compare Mask R-CNN and U-Net regarding their …

Breakaway Luminaire Pole Research, Jacob Conway

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This document reports the efforts conducted to determine critical parameters and configurations for Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware 2016 (MASH) Test Level 3 (TL-3) compliant breakaway luminaire poles supported by slip bases, including identifying pole configurations with the potential to meet MASH TL-3 as well as recommending critical configurations for full-scale crash testing. A thorough literature review was conducted which included survey results collected from Midwest Pooled Fund state departments of transportation (DOTs), standard plans from state DOT’s, and past luminaire pole testing.

Numerical LS-DYNA models were developed for luminaire poles with 4-bolt slip base utilized by the Utah Department …

Analyses Of Thermal And Spectral Characteristics Of Artificial Turf And Natural Grass In Las Vegas Valley, Tarannum Kalam Khandoker

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This thesis presents a comprehensive analysis of the thermal and spectral characteristics of Las Vegas Valley (LVV). The first objective examines the effects of artificial turf on the urban thermal environment in the LVV by analyzing the impact of Land Surface Temperature (LST) and surface albedo at 26 ROIs that transitioned from natural to artificial turf, alongside another 26 ROIs that remained unchanged between 2018 and 2022 utilizing available Landsat 8 satellite images for the respective years. In the comprehensive comparison of ROIs over the two years in question, it was observed that transitioning to artificial turf correlated with elevated …

Assessment Of Success Factors And Comparative Analysis Of Public Private Partnership (P3) Project Performances Against Design-Build And Design-Bid-Build Project Delivery, Bandana Shrestha

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Public-private partnerships (P3s) projects have gained widespread popularity in both developed and developing countries due to their ability to access new financing sources and shift specific project risks to the private sector. P3s has been an active area of research with a particular focus on the concept of Critical Success Factors (CSF). The growing interest and the diverse outcomes associated with P3s emphasize the need for a thorough investigation into the factors that contribute to successful P3 projects. This study focused on identifying the CSFs for P3 highway and building projects towards project objectives of achieving cost efficiency and schedule …

Comparison Of Properties And Fracture Patterns In Aged And Fresh Cortical Bone, Mckenna Roan

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Bone is a complex natural material that presents many challenges to researchers interested in characterizing its mechanical properties. There are different techniques, such as drying, embalming, and freezing, to preserve bones for engineering and scientific study. There are advantages and disadvantages to these techniques, and there have been limited studies comparing the effect of preservation techniques on the mechanical and fracture properties. In this research, aged and fresh bovine bone specimens are tested in compression while monitoring acoustic emissions (AE). Three main aspects of testing are investigated: the force-displacement curves, acoustic emission activity, and fracture patterns observed in X-ray computed …

Evaluating The Synergy Of Geocell And Microbial-Induced Calcite Precipitation (Micp) In Enhancing Pavement Base Stability: A Field Study On Us 95, Mabin Dahal

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The imperative to develop resilient and sustainable infrastructure is escalating, particularly as urban road networks are subjected to unprecedented stresses. Conventional pavement bases often entail the extensive utilization of quarry materials, which significantly exacerbates environmental degradation and amplifies the energy footprint of construction endeavors. The extraction, transportation, and processing of these quarry materials contribute to deforestation, habitat eradication, and greenhouse gas emissions. Given these environmental and operational hurdles, the quest for innovative, sustainable alternatives in pavement engineering is pressing. One solution is to use the native materials treated with microbial-induced calcite precipitation (MICP) alongside geocell technology back in pavement construction …

Wildfire Impacts On Soil: Hydrophobicity Inducement And Water Drop Penetration Test, Max A. Veneris

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The increasing prevalence of wildfires in today’s day and age has amplified the need for post-fire remediation and environmental restoration, especially in the wildland-urban interface (WUI). One of these impacts is soil hydrophobicity, or soil water repellency, which is a well-documented phenomenon after wildfires. Hydrophobicity can significantly impacting revegetation, slope stability, runoff, and erosion potential. To better understand the soil fire-induced hydrophobicity and its impact on other soil properties, variable levels of hydrophobicity need to be repeatably induced in several types of soils under different controlled testing conditions to measure other soil properties. To reach this goal two ingredients are …

General Hydrogeochemical Characterization Of Groundwater In Coastal Aquifers Of Kilwa Kisiwani Oceanic Island, South East Tanzania, Simon R Melchioly

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

The main objective of this study was to determine the hydrogeochemical processes controlling the groundwater chemistry on the Island and assess its suitability for human consumption and irrigation. The methodology used in the study include hydrogeological assessment of the study area and laboratory analysis for general physico-chemical parameters of groundwater. Other parameters such as Soluble sodium percentage (SSP) or % Na+, Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR), Magnesium adsorption ratio (MAR), Residual sodium carbonate (RSC), hydrochemical facies classification, and Water Quality Index (WQI) were calculated using empirical formulae. The effects of salinization of groundwater were classified using the chloride-Bicarbonate (Cl/HCO3) and the …

Experimental And Numerical Studies On The Compressive Strength Test Of Recycled Aggregate Concrete Using Digital Image Correlation, Bastian Okto Bangkit Sentosa, Joshua Ferdinand, Nuraziz Handika

Makara Journal of Technology

The utilization of recycled aggregate (RA) as substitute of natural aggregate in concrete contributes to the research of sustainable building construction materials. Many applications of RA have been studied worldwide. However, the application of RA with a specific range of strength and specific damage behavior requires further study. This research aims to examine the mechanical characteristics of RA concrete, particularly its load–displacement response and crack pattern, through the experimental and numerical studies of compressive strength test. Laboratory concrete waste from cylindrical sample with 30–35 MPa strength was chosen as RA. The digital image correlation (DIC) method was applied throughout the …

Developing More Useful Equity Measurements For Flood-Risk Management, Adam Pollack, Casey Helgeson, Carolyn Kousky, Klaus Keller

Dartmouth Scholarship

Decision-makers increasingly invoke equity to motivate, design, implement and evaluate strategies for managing flood risks. Unfortunately, there is little guidance on how analysts can develop measurements that support these tasks. Here we analyse how equity can be defined and measured by surveying 167 peer-reviewed publications that explicitly state an interest in equity in the context of flood-risk management. Our main result is a taxonomy that systematizes how equity has been, and can be, defined and measured in flood-risk research. The taxonomy embodies how equity is a pluralistic and unavoidably ethical concept. Despite this, we find that most quantitative studies fail …