Engineering Commons^™

Ghosts In Glass: Ghost Crabs As Judges Of Glass Sand For Coastal Restoration, Emily Parrish

Honors Theses

Over 60% of the Gulf of Mexico coastline is actively eroding, which has resulted in thousands of miles of lost coastline over the last 100 years. This drastic loss of coastal land highlights the dire need for coastal restoration across the entirety of the Gulf Coast. A vital aspect of restoring these eroded areas is replenishing eroded substrate, traditionally conducted through offshore dredging of substrates which comes with high economic and ecological costs. Recycled glass sand may be able to fill this role and reduce our reliance on dredging while lowering the amount of glass waste entering landfills each year. …

Subsurface Characterization Using Electrical Resistivity Tomography (Ert) Integrated With Masw, P-Wave Refraction, And Boring Results, Mohammadyar Rahimi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) has gained widespread application in geotechnical engineering as a non-invasive method for subsurface characterization. Despite its versatility, several challenges remain regarding its resolution capabilities, interpretive limitations, and integration with other investigative methods. This dissertation addresses three key applications of ERT, focusing on its effectiveness and limitations in resolving thin subsurface layers, detecting anomalies such as voids, and supporting environmental assessment in river restoration projects.

The first study investigates the ability of ERT to resolve thin, discontinuous clay layers beneath levees, using the Melvin Price Reach of the Wood River Levee on the Mississippi River as a …

Prefabricated Timber Living: A Modular Sustainable Solution, Hannah Giang, Justin Huang

Architectural Engineering

This senior project is part of the Gateway Decathlon, a two-year, multidisciplinary design-build competition focused on innovative, sustainable housing solutions. Our team designed and constructed a one-story dwelling using cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels to promote low-carbon, industrialized building practices. The structure features a modular layout with sloped roofs and exposed timber interiors, combining environmental responsibility with architectural flexibility. Emphasizing prefabrication and off-site construction, the design supports efficient assembly and disassembly, reduced material waste, and minimal environmental impact. The result is a scalable, adaptable housing prototype aligned with the competition’s goals of creativity, sustainability, and innovation in residential construction.

Finding Groundwater With Electricity: Research And Testing Of An Electro-Resistive Ground-Surveying Device For Use In Well-Drilling Applications, Samuel L. Heath

Senior Honors Theses

A custom-built electro-resistive water detection device is tested under various conditions to evaluate its overall performance and sensitivity to changing variables. The tests, designed to assess accuracy and precision, revealed that the prototype exhibits high reliability (~ 99%) for both Schlumberger and Wenner arrays across different electrode spacings and soil conditions. Moreover, the measured resistivity values from the soil tests aligned with established literature ranges for each soil type. The device also showed the ability to consistently detect changes in soil water content by producing measurable variations in resistivity. At a total cost of $181, this prototype can serve as …

Use Of Pushed-In Pencel Pressuremeter Test For Shallow Foundation Design In Florida Fine Sands, Brhane Weldeanenya Ygzaw

Theses and Dissertations

A comprehensive evaluation was conducted on the performance, consistency, and practical application of various in-situ geotechnical testing methods for predicting the settlement and bearing capacity of shallow foundations in Florida’s fine sands. The methods assessed include the Standard Penetration Test (SPT), Cone Penetration Test (CPT), Dilatometer Test (DMT), pushed-in PENCEL Pressuremeter Test (PPMT), and the pre-bored TEXAM Pressuremeter Test. A dual approach controlled indoor testing at the FDOT State Materials Office (SMO) and field investigations at three representative sites (Kingsley, Trenton, and the UCF research site), formed the experimental foundation.

Over thirty settlement prediction techniques and thirteen bearing capacity estimation …

A Numerical Analysis Tool To Evaluate Pavements Integrated With Dynamic Wireless Power Transfer Technology, Hector Cruz

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

As electric vehicles (EVs) continue to gain market share in the U.S., the integration of dynamic wireless power transfer (DWPT) systems into pavements has emerged as a promising solution to address range anxiety and infrastructure limitations. However, the structural implications of embedding DWPT technology into roadways remain insufficiently explored. This dissertation presents the development and application of a numerical analysis tool to evaluate the mechanical performance of flexible pavements containing embedded charging units (CUs). A series of finite element models, validated with full-scale experimental data, were used to assess the influence of axle loading, material properties, layer configurations, bonding conditions, …

A Study Of Air Voids And Effective Air Voids In Hot Mix Asphalt (Hma), Dasina Francis

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Air voids are a fundamental parameter in the mix design of Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA), as they directly influence performance characteristics such as durability, permeability, and aging. Typically estimated using bulk and maximum specific gravity measurements, accurate determination of air voids is critical, given that laboratory samples are compacted to target void levels. This study investigates the influence of aggregate gradation and asphalt content on air voids, effective air voids, and specific gravity parameters - including bulk, apparent, and maximum specific gravities - in both fine- and coarse-graded HMA mixtures. Experimental testing included the determination of bulk, apparent, and maximum …

Digital Twin Use Case At El Paso International Airport, Matyas Mori

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This thesis explores the potential of implementing Digital Twin technology in airports, with a concrete use case at the Innovation Factory at El Paso International Airport. The Digital Twin model was developed using project documentation and LiDAR scanning, resulting in point cloud datasets that served as the foundation for further analysis. A comparison was conducted between reality-captured data and the model created from project documentation, highlighting the presence of noise in the field data. This analysis revealed key challenges and identified opportunities to enhance efficiency through automation. Instead of relying on a resource-intensive manual process to clean point cloud datasets …

Improving Traffic Management During Special Events At The Sun Bowl Stadium, Marek Polak

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This thesis focuses on improving traffic conditions around the Sun Bowl Stadium, especially during large public events. The goal is to propose effective solutions that enhance the use of public infrastructure during both event days and normal traffic conditions. To understand the current situation, two surveys were conducted during a football game - one monitoring parking lot occupancy and the other measuring traffic volumes using video recordings and pressure sensors. Based on the collected data, design changes were proposed for two key intersections: Sun Bowl Dr. with W. University Ave., and Sun Bowl Dr. with Glory Rd. The new designs …

Feasibility Of On-Demand Charging For Private Evs At The El Paso International Airport, Katerina Zizalova

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

As electric vehicle adoption rate continues to grow globally and across the United States, it is desirable for airports to adapt to meet the needs of electric vehicle driving passengers. This thesis develops an implementation plan for an on-demand charging solution for the El Paso International Airport to address the current limitations in charging infrastructure. After analyzing the electric vehicle adoption trends, four charging solutions were studied: conventional fixed-point charging, fixed-point charging with added valet service, mobile charging service and wireless inductive charging. Using decision-making matrices implementing criteria such as operational suitability, scalability or costs, one charging solution was recommended …

Skip The Grid: An Impactful Solar Installation Project In The Navajo Nation, John Ryan Strain

Construction Management

Over the past four years, a team of interdisciplinary students and faculty from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly), Heart of America, and generous industry sponsors (SOLV, Goal Zero, NextTracker, Elite, and TCB Builders) have brought their time, effort, and resources together to complete a service trip, called Skip the Grid. The trip’s primary goal is to provide a reliable source of power, light, and refrigeration to families with school age children in the Navajo Nation where these resources are absent or unreliable otherwise. This year’s trip took place over Cal Poly’s academic break from March 23rd …

Plansyncc - A Construction Document Translation Software, Easton Richard Abreo, Ashton Lee Gandrup, Javier Solis

Construction Management

PlanSyncc was born from shared construction internship experiences, where the team observed significant language barriers between supervisors and tradesmen, leading to miscommunication, inefficiencies, and safety risk. Motivated by this problem, PlanSyncc developed an AI-powered translation software to bridge the gap by translating construction documents in real-time. To bring PlanSyncc to life, the team divided the project into three key deliverables: a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), a business plan, and a pitch deck. The MVP involved creating two Python-based translation codes, one for specifications and another for complex construction plans using tools like PyMuPDF, Tesseract, mtranslate, and others. The business plan …

Cross-Frame Effects And Design Optimization For Skewed Steel I-Girder Bridges, Nisha Sthapit

Theses and Dissertations

Cross-frames are critical for load distribution and stability in steel I-girder bridges with complex geometry, especially during construction. However, they are often designed with standardized cross-sections that are uniform throughout the bridge. This thesis presents an optimization approach for cross-frame cross-sections for skewed steel I-girder bridges with integral and stub abutments with skews ranging from 15⁰-60⁰. This optimization, using Method of Moving Asymptotes (MMA), minimizes girder flange lateral bending stress while maintaining or reducing the total volume of the cross-frames from the original design. Validated 3D finite element models in CSI Bridge showed that the optimization achieved around 20% decrease …

Evaluating Structural Response Of Steel I-Girder Bridges Under Different Support Conditions: Construction Loading In Skewed Straight And Thermal Loading In Horizontally Curved Configuration, Bikesh Sedhain

Theses and Dissertations

Skewed and horizontally curved steel I-girder bridges are commonly designed and constructed to connect existing roadways and navigate obstacles in densely populated areas. However, these bridges can introduce significant challenges to bridge design and analysis, including complex lateral movements and torsional effects. Simplified support representation techniques that are commonly adopted in analysis and design may not accurately capture these effects, which lead to potential misestimations of bridge responses. This research aims to evaluate skewed and curved steel I-girder bridges for complicated loading and support conditions – skewed integral abutment bridges were studied during pre-composite deck placement and horizontally curved bridges …

Porous Geopolymer Composite For Geotechnical Applications, Karla Viviana Sierra Flores

Theses and Dissertations

This research investigates the development of a porous geopolymer cement grout for soil grouting applications, aiming to reduce carbon emissions associated with Portland cement while maintaining critical performance characteristics such as strength and permeability. Class F fly ash and metakaolin were used as aluminosilicate precursors, activated by sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide solutions. The addition of hydrogen peroxide served as a foaming agent to introduce porosity by creating a thermodynamic reaction that releases oxygen gas during mixing. Compressive strength, porosity, and hydraulic conductivity were evaluated, with results showing that metakaolin significantly increased compressive strength due to its smaller particle size …

Development Of A New Seismic Metamaterial For Passive Vibration Control Of Civil Structures, Shayan Khosravi

Theses and Dissertations

Seismic metamaterials are engineered structures that control mechanical wave propagation through frequency bandgaps, making them useful for structural control and seismic hazard mitigation. This study introduces the Passive Friction Seismic Metamaterial Base Isolation (PFSMBI) system, which combines frequency bandgaps and solid friction energy dissipation to improve the seismic performance of civil structures. The PFSMBI consists of a lattice structure with identical cells connected by springs and dampers, shifting a building’s natural frequency away from earthquake excitations. A dynamic model analyzes the system’s absolute acceleration, drift responses, and base shear force, optimizing parameters such as frequency ratios, mass ratios, and the …

Vibration-Based Algorithm For Diagnostic And Prognostic Condition Monitoring Of Railroad Bearings And Wheels, Jeffery Ray Pams

Theses and Dissertations

Bearing and wheel failure accounts for the majority of equipment-related train derailments on US railroads. Current wayside monitoring systems have been insufficient in the prevention of catastrophic derailments prompting the rail industry to explore the possible integration of onboard condition monitoring systems into their rail operations. The University Transportation Center for Railway Safety (UTCRS) in partnership with Hum Industrial Technology, Inc., has developed a wireless onboard system intended for the condition monitoring of railroad bearings and wheels. This thesis presents the development, evaluation, and implementation of an algorithm designed to be used in conjunction with these systems to provide railroad …

False Information Attack Detection In A Connected Vehicle Environment With Quantum Inspired Long Short-Term Memory, Jean Michel M. Tine

All Theses

Wireless communication Systems enabling Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) and Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) data exchange, supported by technologies such as Cellular-V2X (C-V2X), has introduced significant cybersecurity challenges, particularly the threat of false information attacks that can compromise traffic safety and efficiency. In this thesis, the author focuses on identifying false information cyber-attack on V2I, in which vehicles are sending Basic Safety Messages (BSMs) to a Roadside Unit (RSU) and RSUs are collecting, processing and communicating data back to Connected Vehicles (CVs) to support different CV applications. Despite advances in anomaly detection using Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks, these models often struggle with computational efficiency …

Evaluating The Role Of Electrostatic Forces In The Adsorption Of Perfluoroalkyl Substances To Granular Activated Carbon, Thomas A. Mccall

All Theses

In response to new drinking water regulations announced by the EPA in 2024, many municipalities will need to monitor concentrations and implement new treatments to address PFAS, a class of anthropogenic organic contaminants. A leading technology for this application is GAC adsorption due to its familiarity and availability. The adsorption of four PFAS species (PFBA, PFBS, PFOA and PFOS) to Calgon Filtrasorb400 (F400) was evaluated for a range of pH and ionic strength conditions to investigate the role of electrostatic interactions in adsorption capacity. These PFAS are all strong acids, so pH was used as a control for GAC surface …

A Parametric Study Of Compact Wind Borne Debris In Tornadoes, Akash Yadav

All Theses

Debris lofted and transported by tornadoes is a significant source of damage during these storms. Several approaches have been taken to model such debris flight, ranging in complexity from fine-scale CFD simulations to coupling the compact debris flight equations with simplified analytic models for the tornado vortex. Both approaches have their merits, though the latter comes with significantly lower computational costs. Despite the simplifications, this second approach has successfully captured details of debris flight events established in post-tornado forensic surveys. Herein, we take advantage of the low computational cost of the latter approach to undertake a detailed parametric study of …

Bayesian Model Updating Of Structural Parameters Using Temperature Variation Data., Ujjwal Adhikari

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Physical digital twins have now emerged as a technology in structural health monitoring and other domains of structural modeling. A Finite Element Model can be a tool for digital twin technology in conjunction with measured physical data. Developing an accurate digital model requires the integration of various parameters to replicate the real structure; however, temperature is dynamically changing, resulting in difficulty in the identification of structural parameters. Typically, temperature is considered noise or filtered out. Limited research has addressed the physics-based model using temperature variation related to structural modal properties. Finite Element Model Updating (FEMU) is a typical inverse problem-solving …

Development Of Soil Water Characteristic Curves Through Control Of Relative Humidity, Lauren E. Johnson, Julia I. Loshelder, Richard A. Coffman

Civil Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The relationship between soil suction and soil water content in unsaturated soil mechanics is important but can be difficult to measure. The objective of the research described herein was to develop soil water characteristic curves (SWCC) from relative humidity values by incorporating the use of glycerin-water mixtures. Glycerin-water mixtures can be used to achieve different relative humidity levels by varying the concentration of glycerin within the mixture. The relative humidity created by each mixture was measured with a relative humidity sensor, and the relative humidity values and Kelvin’s equation were used to compute the total suction.

Soil water characteristic curves …

Relating Strength, Time, And Temperature For Bcsa Cement Concrete Using The Maturity Method, Daniel M. Passarelli

Civil Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Belite calcium sulfoaluminate (BCSA) cement is an extension of CSA cement technology designed to provide early setting times and rates of strength gain with reduced environmental impact compared with portland cement. However, its application in the field of structural concrete is widely unexplored. To that end, this paper details research conducted at the University of Arkansas Civil Engineering Research and Education Center (CEREC) exploring the rates of strength gain in concrete samples created using BCSA cement relative to various temperatures and ages. Following the practices outlined in ASTM C1074, the maturity method, compression strength tests were conducted on the aforementioned …

Development Of A Probabilistic Interaction Rule And Failure Pressure Model For Pipelines With A Colony Of Corrosion Defects, Kiswendsida J. Kere

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

The interaction effect originating from a defect colony can pose a higher pipeline failure risk than the case when such possible interaction is not considered. Recognizing the limitations in existing models that can lead to inaccurate pipeline integrity assessment, the goal of this study is to develop a probabilistic interaction rule and predictive burst failure pressure model for pipelines with a colony of corrosion defects. First, a comprehensive database of burst failure pressure for pipes with a colony of corrosion is established that encompasses a wide range of influencing factors (e.g., spacing, defect sizes, and material properties) on the defect …

Evaluating The Self-Healing Capabilities Of Engineered Cementitious Composite Mixtures, Emma W. Baggett

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Engineered cementitious composites (ECC) is a class of ductile fiber-reinforced concrete designed to exhibit strain-hardening and multiple fine microcracking, instead of large brittle cracks, under tensile loading. The presence of high volume of non-hydrated cement particles in ECC have demonstrated self-healing potential of cracks in ECC. This study evaluates the influence of two ECC additives, limestone powder and crumb rubber, on the self-healing performance of ECC. Three ECC mixture designs were developed: a control mixture, a limestone powder-modified mixture and a crumb rubber modified mixture. Self-healing was monitored over a period of 90 days under alternating wet and dry conditions …

Comparison And Evaluation Of Overlay And Leveling Binder In Traffic Circle Construction, Pratik Neupane

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Traffic circles play a vital role in managing traffic flow and ensuring safety, yet their unique traffic conditions make them prone to early cracking and deformation. This study evaluated the performance of overlay and leveling binder asphalt mixtures for a reconstructed traffic circle at the University of South Alabama, using plant-mixed laboratory-compacted (PMLC) specimens. Volumetric analyses were performed to determine maximum specific gravity (Gmm), bulk specific gravity (Gmb), and air voids content. Laboratory tests were conducted on both the overlay and leveling binder layers using indirect tensile cracking test (IDEAL-CT) and indirect tensile rutting test (IDEAL-RT) to assess cracking tolerance …

Incorporating Recycled And Repurposed Plastic Into 100% Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement, Basant Bhatt

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

The increasing awareness of sustainability in the asphalt industry has driven the use of recycled materials like reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and waste plastic. This study examines the incorporation of recycled polypropylene (rPP), recycled high-density polyethylene (rHDPE), and recycled low-density polyethylene (rLDPE) at 0.3%, 0.6%, and 0.8% dosages into 100% RAP, along with the warm mix asphalt additive Evotherm® P25. Laboratory tests were conducted to evaluate the mechanical and durability performance of the modified asphalt mixtures while rutting and fatigue life were evaluated using mechanistic-empirical (ME) analysis in PerRoad software. Both plastic type and dosage had a statistically significant impact …

Evaluation Of Novel Jointless Engineered Cementitious Composite Ultrathin Whitetopping (Ecc-Utw) Overlay, Hassan Noorvand, Marwa Hassan, Tyson Rupnow, Ricardo Hungria

Publications

The present work corresponds to the development and the application of a cost-effective Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) mix design with the name M3-1.5%. Once the material was developed it was applied in the construction of a novel engineered cementitious composites ultrathin whitetopping (ECC-UTW) overlay. The overlay was constructed in May 2019 at the Pavement Research Facility (PRF) in Port Allen, Louisiana. The project was built on top of a distressed asphalt pavement corresponding to a previous project. During the construction, samples were gathered and subjected to testing after 28 days through means of compressive, uniaxial tension and flexural strength tests. …

User Acceptance Of Shared Autonomous Vehicles, Haotian Su

All Dissertations

A dissertation is proposed to explore user acceptance of shared autonomous vehicles (SAVs). SAVs are facing limited user acceptance. To systematically tackle the user acceptance barriers of SAVs, the main problem can be disintegrated into two sub-problems of user acceptance of autonomous vehicles (AVs) and ridesharing. The comfort of the ride experience in AVs is a determinant of user acceptance. Understanding the influential factors and developing methodologies to quantify human comfort in AVs are essential to facilitating future research to improve human comfort in AVs. The current pooled rideshare (PR) service closely resembles the anticipated future of SAVs. Understanding why …

Ceramic Membrane Evaluation Via Automated Filtration Systems For Water Treatment And Resource Recovery, Weiming Qi

All Dissertations

Membranes are an advanced and mature water and wastewater treatment technology. Membrane fouling is a key difficulty for all membrane filtration processes, leading to significant attention in the literature over the years. A common problem in laboratory-scale membrane research is that the testing methods in the laboratory are often quite different than industrial applications due to the limitations of manual experimental setups. An automated membrane filtration apparatus was built in the lab to solve this problem by allowing long-term filtration, frequent backwash and CIP, and high-accuracy operation. The filtration system achieves different cleaning strategies for both theoretical research and practical …