Engineering Commons^™

The Effect Of Tidal Inlets On Open Coast Storm Surge Hydrographs: A Case Study Of Hurricane Ivan (2004), Michael Salisbury

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Florida's Department of Transportation requires design storm tide hydrographs for coastal waters surrounding tidal inlets along the coast of Florida. These hydrographs are used as open ocean boundary conditions for local bridge scour models. At present, very little information is available on the effect that tidal inlets have on these open coast storm tide hydrographs. Furthermore, current modeling practice enforces a single design hydrograph along the open coast boundary for bridge scour models. This thesis expands on these concepts and provides a more fundamental understanding on both of these modeling areas. A numerical parameter study is undertaken to elucidate the …

Engineered Struvite Precipitation: Impacts Of Component-Ion Molar Ratios And Ph, Jun Wang, Joel Gerard Burken, Xiaoqi Zhang, Rao Y. Surampalli

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Struvite precipitation has the potential for removing and recovering phosphorus from agricultural wastewater streams, such as concentrated animal feeding operations wastewater. However, impacts of anticipated component-ion molar ratios and potentially interfering ions are unknown as are the compounding pH relationship with respect to all potential complexes. This research experimentally investigates and mathematically models these factors. Emphasis is placed upon the composition of formed deposits and model validation with experimental data. Results show that calcium is a major interfering ion affecting the deposit composition, decreasing struvite purity. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy + energy dispersive spectrometry were used to …

Investigation Of Hydrocarbon Phytoremediation Potential Of Lupinus Chamissonis In Laboratory Microcosms, Wendy Martin, Yarrow M. Nelson, Kenneth Hoffman

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Controlled laboratory microcosms were used to research the phytoremediation potential of lupines (Lupinus chamissonis) for hydrocarbon-contaminated groundwater at a former oil field near Guadalupe, California. During oil production in the Guadalupe Oil Field, a kerosene-like hydrocarbon mixture was used as a diluent to improve the flow of the heavy crude oil. Leaking tanks and pipes resulted in diluent contamination in the soil and groundwater. Native plant species were planted at a pilot-scale field site to investigate the feasibility of using phytoremediation to remediate the groundwater contamination. In the field, biological and hydrological factors make it difficult to determine the specific …

Foundations Over Expansive Soil, A Saudi Arabia Case History, Syed Faiz Ahmad

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Presence of highly plastic clays in Hofuf in Al-Hassa (an oasis in the eastern part of Saudi Arabia) indicated existence of potential expansive soil problems in these regions. Hofuf is notoriously known as the area with expansive clay problem and finds mention in text books on the subject also. The first ever “Stiffened Slab Waffle Foundation” in Saudi Arabia was poured on Sunday the 7th February1999 for the Barracks in Prince Abdullah Military City, in Hofuf. In this Paper, a Case History is being presented encompassing: the experiences of this project vis-à-vis geotechnical complexities of the Site, decision to adopt …

A Database For Case Histories And Numerical Modelling, P. Mestat, Y. Riou

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

This paper deals with a bibliographic database dedicated to the comparison between numerical results and in situ measurements for geotechnical structures. This database, called MOMIS, has been developed by LCPC and ECN for several years. To date, it comprises a total of 416 case histories. The generation of MOMIS has relied on a technologic watch in the field of numerical modelling. The database can be used to highlight modelling principles (in order to provide a guide for good modelling practice to users) and deviations between results given by numerical models and values measured on actual geotechnical structures. It also reflects …

The Use Of Monitoring Data And Geologic Documentation As A Basis For Defining Rock Mass Behavior Types For Tunnelling, Edward A. Button, Wulf Schubert, Gunter Riedmueller

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

The use of geodetic surveying to measure the absolute 3-D tunnel displacements has provided new opportunities to evaluate the system behavior and interpret the rock mass behavior associated with tunneling. For a meaningful case history evaluation it is necessary to have consistent and quality documentation covering the excavation and support sequence, the geological conditions, as well as the displacement measurements. Combing this data allows the rock mass behavior type to be evaluated. In contrast to many available rock mass characterization or classification procedures, the procedure introduced by the Austrian Society for Geomechanics within the Guideline for the Design and Construction …

Past Proceedings: 1st International Conference On Case Histories In Geotechnical Engineering (1984), Multiple Authors

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Past Proceedings: 3rd International Conference On Case Histories In Geotechnical Engineering (1993), Multiple Authors

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Local Geology Of New York City And Its Effect On Seismic Ground Motions, Sissy Nikolaou

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

A thorough understanding of the local geologic and tectonic environment, the seismological history as well as very detailed site specific geotechnical and geophysical data are essential to the proper prediction of local site effects and seismic design in New York City (NYC). The site response in the NYC metropolitan area is affected by the widely varying geologic conditions encountered in the five boroughs. Along the spine of Manhattan Island rock extends well above sea level at the northern reaches, and falls to depths in excess of 250 m at the barrier islands at the southern extremities of NYC. Large areas …

Meet Our Authors And Speakers, Multiple Authors

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Preliminary Observations Of Geotechnical Failures During The 21 May 2003 M 6.8 Boumerdes, Earthquake, Algeria, Said Salah-Mars, Clark Fenton, Fouad Bendimerad, Abdeldjelil Belarbi, Yumei Wang

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

At 18:44 UTC (19:44 local time) on May 21, 2003, a strong, shallow earthquake of Moment Magnitude (M) 6.8 shook northern Algeria and caused damage in five provinces in the north-central section of the country. Damage was reported over an area about 100 km long and 35 km wide, centered on the city of Boumerdes. The hardest hit areas were in the coastal province of Boumerdes, mainly in the cities of Boumerdes, Zemmouri and Thenia. The earthquake appears to have been generated by an offshore south-dipping thrust fault oriented N54°E extending for about 35 km from Dellys to Corso. The …

Suction Anchors For Deepwater Moorings At Nkossa And Girassol In 200 And 1,400m Of Water, Jean-Louis Colliat, Hedi Dendani

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

A new type of anchor, composed of steel caissons installed into the soil by suction under-pressure, presently finds a strong interest in the offshore oil industry, in particular for deepwater sites because of its vertical loading capability in taut-leg moorings, and the reduced installation equipment required. Two case histories are presented in the paper, describing the installation of the moorings for the Nkossa barge in Congo in 1995 and for the Girassol FPSO in Angola in 2001. In both cases, the paper gives the general soil conditions and design assumptions, together with the results of the installation operations, with a …

Effect Of Earthquakes In Marshy Lands And Alluvial Soils: Case Histories, Saripalli Suryanarayana

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

This paper presents a case study of the various factors effecting foundations and piling in marsy lands and alluvial soils. Various aspects regarding these types of soils are presented in context of the Indian sub-continent. Various case studies are shown and practical inferences are drawn from them on the correct methodology of piling and foundation work to be performed in marshy and alluvial soils. Also examples from recent earthquakes in Gujarat, India are analyzed. . Precautionary measures such as light structures, with no cantilever, and no highrise buildings are a preliminary step. Further the overstressing of ground need to be …

Past Proceedings: 2nd International Conference On Case Histories In Geotechnical Engineering (1988), Multiple Authors

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of Inconsistencies Related To Design Speed, Operating Speed, And Speed Limits, Nikiforos Stamatiadis, Huafeng Gong

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The objective of this research was to examine the relationship among design speeds, operating speeds and speed limits and address safety and operational concerns regarding the presence of disparities among these speed metrics. Roadway sections were selected throughout Kentucky based on the relationship between design speed and posted speed limit (greater or lower) and on the number of lanes (2 or 4). Speed data and roadway geometry data were collected along these sites to allow for the development of the appropriate models. The general conclusion for 2-lane highways is that the operating speed is different than the design speed indicating …

Development Of Resilient Modulus Prediction Models For Base And Subgrade Pavement Layers From In Situ Devices Test Results, Ravindra Gudishala

LSU Master's Theses

Currently, the design of flexible pavements is generally conducted based on static properties such as California Bearing Ratio and soil support value. These properties do not represent the actual response of the pavement layers under traffic loadings. Recognizing this deficiency, the current and the 2002 mechanistic –empirical guide for design of pavement structures recommended the use of resilient modulus for characterizing the base and subgrade soil and for the design of flexible pavements. The objective of this study was to develop models to estimate the resilient modulus of base and subgrade soils from in situ test devices. Two types of …

Dynamic Performance Of Bridges And Vehicles Under Strong Wind, Suren Chen

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The record of span length for flexible bridges has been broken with the development of modern materials and construction techniques. With the increase of bridge span, the dynamic response of the bridge becomes more significant under external wind action and traffic loads. The present research targets specifically on dynamic performance of bridges as well as the transportation under strong wind. The dissertation studied the coupled vibration features of bridges under strong wind. The current research proposed the modal coupling assessment technique for bridges. A closed-form spectral solution and a practical methodology are provided to predict coupled multimode vibration without actually …

Evaluation Of Surface (Top Down) Longitudinal Wheel Path Cracking, Terhi K. Pellinen, Geoff Rowe, Kalapi Biswas

JTRP Technical Reports

The research involved evaluating three surface cracked pavements during 2002 and 2003. A 500m section of I-65 North of Lafayette was chosen as the first site (designated as Site 1), an I-65 section in downtown Indianapolis was the second site (Site 2), and US-421 in Madison was the third site (Site 3). Site 1 had 11-year old pavement, Site 2 had 12-year old pavement and Site 3 had 4.5-year old pavement. All these sites exhibited longitudinal wheel path cracking which was later identified as top-down cracking. All sites had excellent structural capacity indicating that the top-down cracking was confined in …

Innovative Contracting Prequalification/Selection Model Using Analytical Hierarchy Process (Ahp), Saad J. Zidan

Masters Theses

Design-Build, Cost-Plus-Time, and warranty are the three innovative contracting methods that the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) decided to fund. FHWA allowed the usage of these methods in federally funded projects if this will result in reducing time, improving quality, and saving tax payers' money. Prequalification is recognized as the best way of assuring that contractors do have the required qualifications to deliver projects successfully. Prequalification is even more critical when low-bid selection method is used with any of the innovative contracting, since incompetent contractors may get awarded for low-bids that are not based on valid assumptions.

This study presents a …

Bs News

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Bs News

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Gcip Water And Energy Budget Synthesis (Webs), J. Roads, R. Lawford, E. Bainto, E. Berbery, S. Chen, B. Fekete, K. Gallo, A. Grundstein, W. Higgins, M. Kanamitsu, W. Krajewski, V. Lakshmi, D. Leathers, Dennis P. Lettenmaier, L. Luo, Edwin P. Maurer, T. Meyers, D. Miller, K. Mitchell, T. Mote, R. Pinker, T. Reichler, D. Robinson, A. Robock, J. Smith, G. Srinivasan, K. Verdin, K. Vinnikov, T. Vonder Haar, C. Vörösmarty, S. Williams, E. Yarosh

Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering

As part of the World Climate Research Program's (WCRPs) Global Energy and Water-Cycle Experiment (GEWEX) Continental-scale International Project (GCIP), a preliminary water and energy budget synthesis (WEBS) was developed for the period 1996–1999 from the “best available” observations and models. Besides this summary paper, a companion CD-ROM with more extensive discussion, figures, tables, and raw data is available to the interested researcher from the GEWEX project office, the GAPP project office, or the first author. An updated online version of the CD-ROM is also available at http://ecpc.ucsd.edu/gcip/webs.htm/. Observations cannot adequately characterize or “close” budgets since too many fundamental processes …

Comparison Matrix Method And Its Applications To Damage Evaluation For Existing Reinforced Concrete Bridges, Ming-Te Liang, Chin-Ming Lin, Chi-Jang Yeh

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

The main purpose of this paper was adopting the comparison matrix method, which is generated from both the analytic hierarchy process and the principle of moment equilibrium, to assess the repair order of existing reinforced concrete (RC) bridges. Ten existing RC bridges in Keelung, Taiwan, were given as an illustrative example. In order to verify the feasibility and reliability of the proposed method, the D (Degree) E (Extend) R (Relevancy) evaluation method, which is now widely used to evaluate the damage grade for existing RC bridges in Taiwan, was also applied to assessing the same ten existing RC bridges. The …

Bs News

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Shear Strengthening Of Rc Beams Using Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Laminates, Zhichao Zhang

Dissertations

Shear failure is catastrophic and occurs usually without advanced warning, thus it is desirable that the beam fails in flexure rather than in shear. Many existing reinforced concrete (RC) members are found to be deficient in shear strength and need to be repaired. Deficiencies occur due to several reasons such as insufficient shear reinforcement or reduction in steel area due to corrosion, increased service load, and construction defects. Externally bonded reinforcement such as Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) provides an excellent solution in these situations.

In order to investigate the shear behavior of RC beams with externally bonded CFRP shear …

Guiding Growth: A Survey Of Tax Incentives, New England Environmental Finance Center, Muskie School Of Public Service

Legislation

Current development patterns and increased tax pressures in local municipalities combine to harm both Maine’s natural resources and its quality of life. Previous initiatives such as the implementation of zoning laws did not fully result in the desired outcomes. Zoning laws were often too flexible and often did not resist market and political pressures to change zoning regulations to allow development with possible economic growth. A sound taxation system or fee structure may be the solution to slow down development in natural areas and direct it towards areas appropriate for growth.

To protect Maine’s natural resources more successfully from future …

Field Evaluation Of In-Situ Test Technology For Qc/Qa During Construction Of Pavement Layers And Embankments, Munir Darwish Nazzal

LSU Master's Theses

With the coming changes from an empirical to mechanistic-empirical pavement design, it becomes essential to move towards changing the quality control/quality assurance (QC/QA) procedures of compacted materials from a unit weight-based criterion to a stiffness/strength based criterion. The non-destructive in-situ tests such as Geogauge, Dynamic Cone Penetrometer (DCP), and Light Falling Weight Deflectometer (LFWD) can be used as effective tools in the assessment of subsurface conditions and in evaluating the stiffness of pavement materials and embankment. This thesis evaluates the potential use of these three devices to reliably measure the stiffness characteristics of highway materials for possible application in the …

Selected Chemoautotrophic Processes In Wastewater Treatment: Low Temperature Nitrification Inhibition By An Azo Dye And Biofiltration For Odor Control Of Hydrogen Sulfide, Ronald W. Martin Jr.

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

Biochemical processes by chemoautotrophs such as nitrifiers and sulfide and iron oxidizers are used extensively in wastewater treatment. The research described in this dissertation involved the study of two selected biological processes utilized in wastewater treatment mediated by chemoautotrophic bacteria: nitrification (biological removal of ammonia and nitrogen) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) removal from odorous air using biofiltration.

A municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) receiving industrial dyeing discharge containing the azo dye, acid black 1 (AB1) failed to meet discharge limits, especially during the winter. Dyeing discharge mixed with domestic sewage was fed to sequencing batch reactors at 22oC and 7oC. …

Bs News

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Detection Of Intensification Of The Global Water Cycle: The Potential Role Of Friend, Alan D. Zeigler, Justin Sheffield, Eric F. Wood, Bart Nijssen, Edwin P. Maurer, Dennis P. Lettenmaier

Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering

Diagnostic studies of 14-year, 2 — 2°, Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model off-line simulations of the global terrestrial water budget suggest that, given the annual variability in the major components of continental hydrological cycles (precipitation, evaporation, and runoff), several decades to perhaps centuries of measurements may be needed to detect with high confidence the intensification predicted by recent global climate model (GCM) studies simulating plausible global warming scenarios. Furthermore, these measurements may need to originate from a wider geographic expanse than is currently investigated within large-scale hydrological assessment programmes, such as the Global Energy and Water Experiment (GEWEX). Smaller, geographically …