Engineering Commons^™

Selecting Industry 4.0 Technologies For Construction Activities Using Clustering Analysis And Text Mining, Benyamin Sadeghi

Theses and Dissertations

Construction 4.0, which involves the application of Industry 4.0 technologies in construction activities, promises to revolutionize the construction industry by improving productivity, enhancing safety, promoting sustainability, and strengthening quality in the age of the Information Revolution. Industry 4.0 technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, and the Internet of Things (IoT), have the potential to radically transform the construction industry in the 21st century. Construction activities constitute approximately 4.3% of the US gross domestic product-GDP and account for creating 7.5 million jobs. Although productivity has significantly increased in other industries, progress has been slow in the construction sector. One contributing …

Transportation Needs Of Older Adults In Suburban And Rural Areas, Dahai Han

Theses and Dissertations

The fact that the average age of the world's population is increasing, which is more pronounced in developed countries, necessitates the understanding of the challenges faced by older adults in accessing transportation services. With advancing age, individuals may experience age-related changes that can notably affect their driving capabilities, emphasizing the importance of alternative transportation alternatives. This challenge is more evident in suburban and rural settings, where transportation choices are limited, and older adults often find themselves without access to suitable transportation alternatives. Given that mobility plays an essential role in maintaining social connections, accessing healthcare services, and fulfilling daily needs, …

Organic Fouling Behavior And Mechanisms In Nanofiltration Membranes For Water Treatment Processing, Sydney Rose Morgan

Theses and Dissertations

Nanofiltration membrane technology is an expanding topic of interest for use in water treatment processes, particularly in the elusive field of desalination. Desalination is becoming more and more necessary as climate-change related weather events like droughts, and populations in water scare areas both increase. Reverse osmosis membrane systems are a reliable, but costly method for removing salts from otherwise unusable saline water sources. One way to decrease the cost of these systems is by utilizing porous membranes, like ultrafiltration or nanofiltration membranes, for pretreatment. Additionally, nanofiltration has recently shown promise as an effective alternative to reverse osmosis in desalination systems.The …

Improving Bridge Concrete Overlay Performance, Gregory Vieira

Theses and Dissertations

Low slump concrete overlays have been widely utilized in the midwestern United States, including Wisconsin, to mitigate bridge deck deterioration and extend service life. However, concerns regarding their performance have necessitated investigations into optimal mix designs, placement procedures, and curing practices. This study focuses on assessing the cracking potential of seven overlay mixtures, including: Current Wisconsin Grade E concrete with Type I and IL cement, latex modified concrete, fly-ash modified Grade E concrete, Grade E with reduced cement content, and fiber reinforced concrete. The various concrete mixtures were tested for compressive strength, slump, and air content. Seven 8ft x 8ft …

Investigation Into Strain Sensing With Reduced Graphene Oxide, And Applications In Low-Cost Leak Detection And Health Monitoring Of Water Equipment, Armin Yazdi

Theses and Dissertations

Strain gauges are one of the most important transducers that can be used in many applications such as robotics, structural health monitoring, medicine etc. The expensive mass production, as well as lack of high sensitivity, high strain tolerance or high quality can be some of the challenges with the current strain gauges. The reduced graphene oxide possesses many of the excellent properties of graphene while being easy and inexpensive to be mass-produced. However, its electromechanical behavior under strain (especially large strains) has not been well studied. In this dissertation, strain sensing by reduced graphene oxide with Polydimethylsiloxane substrate is investigated …

The Use Of Portland Cement In Reactive Powder Hybrid Asphalt Concrete, Behrouz Farahi

Theses and Dissertations

In order to establish a cost-effective and enduring road infrastructure, it is imperative to employ inventive methodologies that prioritize environmental sustainability. The current climate necessitates the development of a sustainable, enduring, and effective road infrastructure that requires minimal maintenance, however, achieving this goal is an effortful undertaking, and necessitates urgent and groundbreaking technological advancements. The use of fillers (aggregates with a diameter smaller than 75 µm) in asphalt mix design is a common practice in the pavement industry. They can occupy up to 12% by weight in asphalt mixes. The inclusion of fillers in asphalt mix, even in limited concentrations, …

Microbial Ecology Of Urban Sewers, Emily Lou Lamartina

Theses and Dissertations

Municipal sewage provides a glimpse into the health and activities of a human society. For more than a century, sewage exploration has helped expose the sources of disease outbreaks and track disease progression over time. Recent advancements in wastewater surveillance born from the COVID-19 pandemic have potential to enhance mitigation efforts against the decades-long global health crisis of microbial antibiotic resistance. However, critical knowledge gaps exist in wastewater surveillance, stemming from a lack of understanding in sewer microbial ecology. Ecology reveals trends in how communities respond and adapt to change, which has far-reaching implications for identifying effective strategies for disease …

Characterization And Composition Of Corrosion Scales In Drinking Water Distribution Systems, Adam Schmidt

Theses and Dissertations

Internal corrosion of drinking water pipes has received considerable attention recently in the media and in academic studies due to compliance and monitoring regulations with the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) established by the EPA in 1991. Notable health crises involving municipalities exceeding the LCR in Washington D.C. and Flint, Michigan occurred when corrosion scale conditions changed from stable to soluble lead compounds due to changing water chemistry, leaching high amounts of lead into consumers drinking water. Understanding the role of the corrosion scale in the process of leaching lead and other toxic trace metals such as arsenic is vital …

Use Of Machine Learning And Natural Language Processing To Enhance Traffic Safety Analysis, Md Abu Sayed

Theses and Dissertations

Despite significant advances in vehicle technologies, safety data collection and analysis, and engineering advancements, tens of thousands of Americans die every year in motor vehicle crashes. Alarmingly, the trend of fatal and serious injury crashes appears to be heading in the wrong direction. In 2021, the actual rate of fatalities exceeded the predicted rate. This worrisome trend prompts and necessitates the development of advanced and holistic approaches to determining the causes of a crash (particularly fatal and major injuries). These approaches range from analyzing problems from multiple perspectives, utilizing available data sources, and employing the most suitable tools and technologies …

Freeze-Thaw Durability Evaluation Of Quarried Limestone Coarse Aggregates For Transportation Infrastructure Applications, Benjamin Matthew Stark

Theses and Dissertations

Aggregates are an important component of transportation infrastructure used as unbound base material and within Portland cement concrete (PCC) structures. In cold climate regions, seasonal freeze and thaw cycles cause damage to aggregate and impact pavements, bridges, and other transportation infrastructure performance. This research investigated Wisconsin quarried coarse aggregates for freeze-thaw durability as unbound aggregates as well as in PCC mixtures for pavement surface. A comprehensive laboratory testing program was conducted on 21 coarse aggregate samples consisting of calcareous and dolomitic limestone including sodium sulfate soundness, freeze-thaw testing, and absorption. Furthermore, three sources of these coarse aggregates were used to …

Properties Of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles Aquesous Dispersions Stabilized By Anionic Surfactants, Anita Vuchkovska

Theses and Dissertations

The stability of titanium dioxide nanoparticles dispersed in aqueous solutions with and without anionic surfactants was investigated as a function of phase separation (sedimentation), particle size at the age of 33 and 303 days, polydispersity at 33 and 303 days, and zeta potential. Mechanical energy in the form of homogenization or mixing with propeller blade mixer was used to wet out the titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles in the aqueous media and this process was evaluated for the capability of developing a stable dispersion. The ultrasonic waves were used as a second step to form stable dispersions. The research results indicated …

Adsorption Of Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances On Functionalized Minerals: Effects Of Modifier Property And Mineral Structure, Qianqian Dong

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACTADSORPTION OF PER- AND POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES ON FUNCTIONALIZED MINERALS: EFFECTS OF MODIFIER PROPERTY AND MINERAL STRUCTURE

by Qianqian Dong

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2022Under the Supervision of Professor Yin Wang

Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large group of manmade chemicals widely used in various consumer and industrial products. The adverse effect of PFAS exposure includes bioaccumulation, organ damage and birth defects. Although the primary feedstock perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) has been phased out since the 2000s, PFAS are worldwide detectable in water bodies due to the historical production, accumulation and endless substitution of long-chain PFAS in …

Urban Water Quality Monitoring And Analysis Using Event Detection System And Machine Learning Methods, Nabila Nafsin

Theses and Dissertations

Water quality is defined as the measure of physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of water. Monitoring water quality is a growing challenge because of accidental or intentional spills of industrial, domestic, and agricultural wastes into surface water. Conventional methods used for measuring water quality parameters are time-consuming and expensive, making real-time contamination detection difficult. Advanced monitoring technology can be employed for real-time monitoring, providing a reliable and cost-effective solution to water management. CANARY event detection system (EDS) has been used in water distribution networks and wastewater treatment plants for detecting anomalous water quality events and proved to be an effective …

Sars-Cov-2 Rna Persistence In Municipal Wastewater Treatment Systems Proves Wastewater Surveillance Is An Effective Tool For Monitoring Covid-19 Community Health Burdens, Melissa K. Schussman

Theses and Dissertations

Wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 is used worldwide to track COVID-19 infection trends. However, there is no standard method for SARS-CoV-2 measurement from wastewater, and uncertainties of pre-analytical influences from the wastewater collection system persist. This study builds upon the growing body of knowledge surrounding wastewater surveillance and aims to understand how wastewater measurements relate to other public health metrics, explain the influence of wastewater conveyance systems, and improve SARS-CoV-2 detection and quantification from wastewater. Our laboratory has been part of the ongoing Wisconsin SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance program since August 2020, analyzing almost 4,000 samples to date. Through various experiments, our …

Magnetorheological Cementitious Inks For 4d Printing Of Origami Inspired Auxetic Concrete Elements, Aparna Shashikant Deshmukh

Theses and Dissertations

Existing concrete technology relies on the use of considerable volumes of raw materials, large energy consumption and so associated with severe corresponding environmental impacts. This impact is the driving force for the development of sustainable concrete including a wide range of concrete with supplementary cementitious materials and advanced manufacturing. Recent developments in the field are further inspired by the digital concrete based on 3D printing (3DP) technology which require tailor-made concrete mixtures. The main challenge for 3D printing of concrete is to develop printable ink material, thus this research focuses on characterisation of cementitious materials based on smart materials-materials that …

Mechanical Behavior Of Additively Manufactured Metallic Cellular Scaffold Structures For Bone Tissue Engineering, Mohammad Al-Barqawi

Theses and Dissertations

Critical-sized bone defects represent a significant challenge in the orthopedic field. Limitations on autograft and allograft as treatment techniques led researchers to explore the implantation of artificial bone tissue scaffolds. BTE scaffolds are three-dimensional cellular structures that provide mechanical support and behave like a template for bone tissue formation. Stress shielding in bones is defined as the bone weakening and reduction in bone density due to stiffness mismatch between the bone and the scaffold. This mismatch causes shielding of the bone by transferring stresses to the implant. The main motive of the research study is to address the stress shielding …

A Simulation-As-A-Service (Simaas) Cloud Computing Platform For Traffic Management, Zihao Jin

Theses and Dissertations

Traffic simulation is defined as a tool to replicate the real-world condition, produce the possible scenario, and facilitate scientific decision making, which can be divided as two categories: planning and operational management. However, the unavailability of vendor-supplied software, difficulty of finding sufficient staff, a lack of community awareness are the major factors impede the adoption of advanced techniques in simulation. This dissertation developed a Simulation-as-aService platform (SimaaS), based on cloud computing technology, which can seamlessly integrate transportation simulation engines with flexible cloud-based functional modules like network editor, modeling compiler, cloud middleware, and metrics dashboard to reduce the technical burden of …

Water Age, Water Chemistry, And Microbial Populations In A Drinking Water Distribution System, Max Spehlmann

Theses and Dissertations

Microbes in tap water play a crucial role in pipe corrosion, human health, and water aesthetics. Because instances of tap water borne illnesses are on the rise in the USA, and many water distribution systems are reaching the end of their design lifespan, research leading to a better understanding of microbial growth and colonization is being actively pursued by many labs (EPA 2002; Miller et al. 2012). In the past decade, several studies have tracked the microbial community change of entire water distribution systems using high throughput sequencing technology (Ma et al. 2020; Perrin et al. 2019). System-scale community microbiology …

Silica-Based Materials For Water Treatment Applications: Adsorption And Supported Noble Metal-Based Catalysis, Xiaopeng Min

Theses and Dissertations

Various contaminants have been widely detected in aquatic systems due to both natural and anthropogenic activities, such as conventional and emerging organic pollutants (e.g., nitroarenes, per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)), and toxic oxyanions (e.g., chlorate, selenate). The presence of these contaminants may pose negative effects on both human health and water systems. Therefore, it is of great desire to develop novel materials and technologies to treat these waterborne pollutants.Catalytic treatment using noble metal (e.g., Pd)-based catalysts has emerged as a promising method for reduction of waterborne contaminants. Silica-based supports may enhance the reactivity and sustainability of Pd-based catalysts by improving …

Bonding Evaluation Of Graphene-Oxide Layers On Flexible Substrates, Maysam Rezaee

Theses and Dissertations

Flexible electronics are getting interest in development of field effects transducers such as biomedical health screening tools, structural health monitoring in infrastructures, aerospace, vehicular industries and cell phones. As a promising candidate for flexible electronics, graphene-based devices have been developed through exceptional electrochemical and thermomechanical properties of graphene. Reducing the graphene oxide enables creation of large scale devices through its high manufacturability. Same as other types of electronics, the bonding of sensing units to the substrate is significantly dependent to the deposition method used for the fabrication of device. In this study, the mechanical strength of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) …

Mfl-Based Detection Of Flaws Of Pre-Stressed Concrete Girders, Azam Elyasigorji

Theses and Dissertations

Magnetic-based methods to evaluate structural defects have gained interest over recent decades. Magnetic flux leakage (MFL) has been used as an important nondestructive evaluation (NDE) method for detection of structural flaws such as surface cracks or corroded regions. MFL has been studied through experimental works, numerical simulations, and field testing for flaw detection. This work utilizes experimental results and 3-D finite element simulations to develop a methodology for flaw detection in pre-stressing steel in concrete members. MFL occurs after magnetic saturation of the defect region through the application of a strong DC magnetic field. Hall-effect sensors are located in the …

A New Connection Type For Use In Intermediate Or Special Steel Moment Frames, Michael Kempfert

Theses and Dissertations

Moment frames are one way to provide lateral stability to a building structure. For building structures that are located in high seismic regions, specific requirements are presented in applicable building codes pertaining to the moment connections used within these moment frames. The main factor required for these moment connections is their ability to resist cyclic moments at a relatively high drift specified within the applicable building code.This dissertation investigates the potential development of a new moment connection which would be appropriate for use in Intermediate Moment Frames (IMF) and Special Moment Frames (SMF). Two goals were set for this new …

A Simulation Framework For Traffic Safety With Connected Vehicles And V2x Technologies, Md Abu Sayed

Theses and Dissertations

With the advancement in automobile technologies, existing research shows that connected vehicle (CV) technologies can provide better traffic safety through Surrogate Safety Measure (SSM). CV technologies involves two network systems: traffic network and wireless communication network. We found that the research in the wireless communication network for CV did not interact properly with the research in SSM in transportation network, and vice versa. Though various SSM has been proposed in previous studies, a few of them have been tested in simulation software in limited extent. On the other hand, A large body of researchers proposed various communication architecture for CV …

Application Of Deep Learning For Imaging-Based Stream Gaging, Ryan Lee Vanden Boomen

Theses and Dissertations

In the field of water resources management, one vital instrument utilized is the stream gage. Stream gages monitor and record flow and water height within some water body. The United States Geological Survey maintains a network of stream gages at many locations across the country. Many of these sites are also equipped with webcams monitoring the state of the water body at the moment of measurement. Previous studies have outlined methods to approximate stream gage data remotely with limitations such as the requirement of detailed depth information for each site. This study seeks to create a process for training a …

Hydrological Impact Of Beaver Habitat Restoration In The Milwaukee River Watershed, Syeda Mahmuda Noor

Theses and Dissertations

Flood is the most frequent natural disaster across the world which causes widespread destruction, loss of life, damage to property and infrastructure. There is a general assumption that beavers can help in flood mitigation by attenuating peak during large flood events though development of numerical model to analysis the impact of beaver dams on flood hydrograph is still uncommon. This study aims to combine beaver restoration strategy with a hydrologic model to assess the impact of beavers in peak flow attenuation. Based on the results of Beaver Restoration Assessment Tool (BRAT) and field survey 42 stream reaches were identified as …

Lc-Ms/Ms Quantitative Method For Trace Analysis Of Pesticides In Urban/Suburban Water Wells In Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington, And Waukesha Counties In Wisconsin, Dulay Manuel Trujillo

Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this study was to develop a LC-MS/MS analytical method to quantitate aselection of pesticides that included: 2,4−dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid (2,4-D), carbaryl, dicamba, imidacloprid, malathion, 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (MCPA), and methylchlorophenoxypropionic acid (MCPP). Chromatographic and mass spectrum conditions were optimized by analyzing full scans, selected ion monitoring (SIM) scans, product ion (PI) scans, which developed a multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) scan. Additionally, a pretreatment and cleanup strategy was designed and optimized using liquid-liquid extraction. The method demonstrated acceptable mean percent recovery of 83.2% ±12.56% at a spiked level of 10 ng/mL. The developed quantitative method was applied to groundwater from …

Sustainability In Construction: Using Lean Management Principles To Reduce Waste, Matthew Waite

Theses and Dissertations

The construction industry is facing many challenges. There are growing consumer demands for sustainable building. The construction industry generates a significant portion of the waste going into landfills. The construction industry has failed to keep pace with productivity in the manufacturing industry. Through adoption of Lean management principles, the construction industry can become more sustainable while increasing productivity. The literature was evaluated for three concepts: Lean management principles interaction with sustainability, the current state of sustainability in the construction industry, and the current state of Lean management principles in the construction industry. Lean management philosophies interactions with sustainability has been …

Numerical And Experimental Investigation Of Aeration Self Mixing By Using Pulsating And Continuous Air Flow, Ahmed Ali Alkhafaji

Theses and Dissertations

Wastewater treatment is considered one of the most common forms of pollution control in the united states. Considered as an integral part of the wastewater treatment, the aeration process is the most energy-consuming process among all the processes that take place in any wastewater treatment plant. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a wastewater treatment plant is expected to remove at least 85% of the suspended solids and dissolved organic compounds from the wastewater before discharging it to a river or a lake. The normal operation of the aeration process is by compressing air continuously to basin …

Comprehensive Safety Analysis Of Vulnerable Road User Involved Motor Vehicle Crashes, Farah Jazi Al-Mahameed

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores, identifies, and evaluates a multitude of factors significantly affecting motor vehicle crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists, commonly defined as vulnerable road users (VRUs). The methodologies are guided by the concept of safe behavior of different parties that are primary responsible for a crash, either a pedestrian, a bicyclist or a driver, pertaining to roadway design, traffic conditions, land use and built environment variables; and the findings are beneficial for recommending targeted and effective safety interventions.

The topic is motivated by the fact that human factors contribute to over ninety percent of the crashes, especially the ones involving …

Novel Adhesive Anchoring System Through Engineered Interface, Hua Liu

Theses and Dissertations

An adhesive anchoring system usually consists of a threaded rod inserted into a drilled hole in concrete with adhesives such as epoxy acting as the bonding agent. The behavior of traditional adhesive anchors can be inconsistent because the bond on adhesive-concrete interface can be affected by many factors. It is known through laboratory tests and field studies that the bond strength of adhesive anchors can be adversely impacted by installation conditions, service conditions, and factors related to the adhesive material. While some factors are considered in the capacity equations in building codes and design guidelines, many other factors, especially those …