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Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Legal Characterization Of The Challenges Faced By The Construction Industry During Covid-19 And Devaluation Of The Egyptian Pound, Riham Abuzaid Jun 2022

Legal Characterization Of The Challenges Faced By The Construction Industry During Covid-19 And Devaluation Of The Egyptian Pound, Riham Abuzaid

Theses and Dissertations

With all the challenges this past decade has inflicted on the economy on a global scale, Egypt had its share with two major events, starting with the Egyptian pound devaluation against the U.S dollar in 2016 and currently the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. These major events instigated the interference of the legal/contractual sectors in the construction market to find solutions that range from agreeable to stringent to protect the assets of their beneficiaries.

Both events are impactful and require extensive analysis to determine and classify each situation. This thesis addresses the implementation of standard internationally acknowledged legislative acts used …

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Applications Of Agent-Based Modeling (Abm) In Enhancing Facility Operation And Management, Ali Khodabandelu, Jee Woong Park Jun 2022

Applications Of Agent-Based Modeling (Abm) In Enhancing Facility Operation And Management, Ali Khodabandelu, Jee Woong Park

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

Agent-based modeling (ABM), as a relatively new simulation technique, has recently gained in popularity in the civil engineering domain due to its uniquely advantageous features. Among many civil engineering applications, ABM has been applied to facility operation and management, such as energy consumption management, as well as the enhancement of maintenance and repair processes. The former studies used ABM to manage energy consumption through simulating human energy-related behaviors and their interactions with facilities, as well as electrical, heating, and cooling systems and appliances, while the latter used ABM to enhance maintenance process through facilitating coordination, negotiation, and decision making between …

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An Agent-Based Framework For Investigating Safety-Productivity Tradeoff Of Construction Laborers Considering Risk-Taking Behavioral Heterogeneity, Ali Khodabandelu, Jee Woong Park, Seyedmohsen Kheyrandish Jun 2022

An Agent-Based Framework For Investigating Safety-Productivity Tradeoff Of Construction Laborers Considering Risk-Taking Behavioral Heterogeneity, Ali Khodabandelu, Jee Woong Park, Seyedmohsen Kheyrandish

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

Construction laborers and crews play a critical role in achieving a safe and productive construction site. Many past research studies used top-down approaches/perspectives for studying the impact of laborers' performance on overall construction site outputs with limited flexibility in accounting for laborers' various characteristics. However, the recent reap in computational advances allowed applications of bottom-up architectures, which can potentially incorporate heterogeneous characteristics of laborers' individual behavioral and decision-making features effectively. Accordingly, agent-based modeling (ABM), as a tool to leverage a bottom-up methodological approach, has been widely adopted by recent research. Existing literature investigated the influence of changes in laborers' behaviors …

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Analysis Of A Long Volumetric Module Lift Using Single And Multiple Cranes, Ali Khodabandelu, Jee Woong Park, Jin Ouk Choi, Mahsa Sanei Jun 2022

Analysis Of A Long Volumetric Module Lift Using Single And Multiple Cranes, Ali Khodabandelu, Jee Woong Park, Jin Ouk Choi, Mahsa Sanei

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

Industrialized and modular construction is a growing construction technique that can transfer a large portion of the construction process to off-site fabrication yards. This method of construction often involves the fabrication, pre-assembly, and transportation of massive and long volumetric modules. The module weight keeps increasing as the modules become more complete (with infill) to minimize the work at the site and, as higher productivity can be achieved at the fabrication shop. Thus, a volumetric module delivery gets more challenging and risky. Despite its importance, past research paid relatively insufficient attention to the problem related to the lifting of heavy modules. …

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The Current State And Future Directions Of Industrial Robotic Arms In Modular Construction, Seung Ho Song, Jin Ouk Choi, Seungtaek Lee Jun 2022

The Current State And Future Directions Of Industrial Robotic Arms In Modular Construction, Seung Ho Song, Jin Ouk Choi, Seungtaek Lee

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

Industrial robotic arms are widely adopted in numerous industries for manufacturing automation under factory settings, which eliminates the limitations of manual labor and provides significant productivity and quality benefits. The U.S. modular construction industry, despite having similar controlled factory environments, still heavily relies on manual labor. Thus, this study investigates the U.S., Canada, and Europe-based leading modular construction companies and research labs implementing industrial robotic arms for manufacturing automation. The investigation mainly considered the current research scope, industry state, and constraints, as well as identifying the types and specifications of the robotic arms in use. First, the study investigated well-recognized …

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Lessons Learned During The Early Phases Of A Modular Project: A Case Study Of Unlv's Solar Decathlon 2020 Project, Jin Ouk Choi, Seungtaek Lee, Eric Weber Jun 2022

Lessons Learned During The Early Phases Of A Modular Project: A Case Study Of Unlv's Solar Decathlon 2020 Project, Jin Ouk Choi, Seungtaek Lee, Eric Weber

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

The U.S. Department of Energy conducts the Solar Decathlon competition as a student-based achievement that encourages sustainable design with energy efficiency and solar energy technologies. In the 2020 competition, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) team designed, fabricated, and constructed a net-zero modular house that applies innovative and highly efficient building technologies. This paper focused on the lessons learned during the early phases of this ongoing modular project. The research methodology included obtaining feedback from key project participants using a well-structured questionnaire. The results showed that the major items/challenges in the project’s planning phase included selecting the modular size, …

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Hands-On Education Module For Modular Construction, 3d Design, And 4d Schedule, Kyle A. Kithas, Jin Ouk Choi Jun 2022

Hands-On Education Module For Modular Construction, 3d Design, And 4d Schedule, Kyle A. Kithas, Jin Ouk Choi

Architecture Faculty Research

A paradigm shift in teaching modular construction in higher education and K-12 is proposed as a means to increase the future adoption of the modular construction technique. To this effect, a new education module is presented to STEM educators. This education module is based on LEGOs and directed towards educators in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. The main objectives of the education module are to increase interest and knowledge of modular construction, acknowledge the benefits of using 3D design with 4D scheduling, and create a simulating hands-on educational opportunity. The education module is designed to allow participants to …

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Metal-Free Synthesis Of N-Heterocycles Via Intramolecular Electrochemical C-H Aminations, Huiqiao Wang, Yongjun Zheng, Hucheng Xu, Jiaru Zou, Congrui Grace Jin Jun 2022

Metal-Free Synthesis Of N-Heterocycles Via Intramolecular Electrochemical C-H Aminations, Huiqiao Wang, Yongjun Zheng, Hucheng Xu, Jiaru Zou, Congrui Grace Jin

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

N-heterocycles are key structural units in many drugs, biologically interesting molecules and functional materials. To avoid the residues of metal catalysts, the construction of N-heterocycles under metal-free conditions has attracted much research attention in academia and industry. Among them, the intramolecular electrochemical C-H aminations arguably constitute environmentally friendly methodologies for the metal-free construction of N-heterocycles, mainly due to the direct use of clean electricity as the redox agents. With the recent renaissance of organic electrosynthesis, the intramolecular electrochemical C-H aminations have undergone much progress in recent years. In this article, we would like to summarize the advances in this research …

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Examining Metal Contents In Primary And Secondhand Aerosols Released By Electronic Cigarettes, Kashala Fabrice Kapiamba, Weixing Hao, Stephen Adom, Wenyan Liu, Yue-Wern Huang, Yang Wang Jun 2022

Examining Metal Contents In Primary And Secondhand Aerosols Released By Electronic Cigarettes, Kashala Fabrice Kapiamba, Weixing Hao, Stephen Adom, Wenyan Liu, Yue-Wern Huang, Yang Wang

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

The usage of electronic cigarettes (ECs) has surged since their invention two decades ago. However, to date, the health effects of EC aerosol exposure are still not well understood because of insufficient data on the chemical composition of EC aerosols and the corresponding evidence of health risks upon exposure. Herein, we quantified the metals in primary and secondhand aerosols generated by three brands of ECs. By combining aerosol filter sampling and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), we assessed the mass of metals as a function of EC flavoring, nicotine concentration, device power, puff duration, and aging of the devices. …

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Effects Of Slurry Type On Drilled Shaft Strength, Cesar Quesada Garcia Jun 2022

Effects Of Slurry Type On Drilled Shaft Strength, Cesar Quesada Garcia

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The main objective of this research is to identify how the strength of drilled shafts is affected by the use of various types of drill slurry. When concrete is placed in drilled shafts it flows out radially and a laitance interface forms creating a crease on the backside of the reinforcement cage due to the laitance trapped in concrete flowing around the rebar. This can cause concrete to not fully encapsulate the steel making the shafts prone to corrosion and the strength of the cover concrete is locally reduced. Over the past 9 years 58, 42-inch diameter shafts have been …

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Western Kentucky University Stormwater Utility Survey 2022, Warren Campbell Jun 2022

Western Kentucky University Stormwater Utility Survey 2022, Warren Campbell

SEAS Faculty Publications

The main goal of this survey is to identify as many U.S. Stormwater Utilities (SWUs) as possible. Because many stormwater professionals do not have the time to respond to questionnaires, our primary method of identification was Internet searches. We searched on key terms such as “stormwater utility”, “stormwater fee”, and “drainage fee”. We scoured on-line municipal codes such as Municode, AmLegal, Sterling, LexisNexis, General Code, and others. We searched through many city web sites trying to find utilities. We have also had many people contact me to update fees and identify new utilities. However, the data primarily comes from Internet …

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Tensile Strain And Damage Self-Sensing Of Flax Frp Laminates Using Carbon Nanofiber Conductive Network Coupled With Acoustic Emission, Yanlei Wang, Guipeng Chen, Yongshuai Wang, Baoguo Han, Baolin Wan, Qingduo Hao, Yulei Bai Jun 2022

Tensile Strain And Damage Self-Sensing Of Flax Frp Laminates Using Carbon Nanofiber Conductive Network Coupled With Acoustic Emission, Yanlei Wang, Guipeng Chen, Yongshuai Wang, Baoguo Han, Baolin Wan, Qingduo Hao, Yulei Bai

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

The strain and damage self-sensing properties of carbon nanofibers (CNFs)/flax fiber-reinforced polymer (FFRP) laminates under tension were investigated via simultaneously measuring the changes of electrical resistance (ER) and acoustic emission (AE) signals. The piezoresistive mechanisms together with the damage evolution of CNFs/FFRP laminates were also explored. The results revealed that both ER and AE responses to tensile strains in CNFs/FFRP laminates could be segmented into three stages, which confirmed their good damage self-sensing ability. The isochronous and reversible electrical resistance responses to tensile strains proved the stability and repeatability of strain self-sensing capability for CNFs/FFRP laminates. Moreover, in-situ ER measurement …

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Why We Should Reuse Wastewater, Bridget Sarver Jun 2022

Why We Should Reuse Wastewater, Bridget Sarver

Certified Public Manager® Applied Research

As population and industry grow, the need to reuse wastewater is growing. Aquifers are often the dominant water supplies to surrounding areas. The levels of those aquifers are declining each year. Water loss affects many things like water wells, lakes, and rivers. Lakes and rivers that are used as water sources are seeing a decline in levels. Low water levels and drought occur because of the changing water cycle. Heavy rain and runoff can help refill lakes and rivers; however precipitation does not always fall back on the area that it evaporated from. By reusing wastewater, we will be saving …

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Characterizing The Chemical And Microbial Fingerprint Of Unsheltered Homelessness In An Urban Watershed, Daniel Gerrity, Katerina Papp, Eric Dickenson, Meena Ejjada, Erica Marti, Oscar Quinones, Mayra Sarria, Kyle Thompson, Rebecca A. Trenholm Jun 2022

Characterizing The Chemical And Microbial Fingerprint Of Unsheltered Homelessness In An Urban Watershed, Daniel Gerrity, Katerina Papp, Eric Dickenson, Meena Ejjada, Erica Marti, Oscar Quinones, Mayra Sarria, Kyle Thompson, Rebecca A. Trenholm

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

Unsheltered homelessness is rapidly becoming a critical issue in many cities worldwide. The worsening situation not only highlights the socioeconomic plight, but it also raises awareness of ancillary issues such as the potential implications for urban water quality. The objective of this study was to simultaneously leverage diverse source tracking tools to develop a chemical and microbial fingerprint describing the relative contribution of direct human inputs into Las Vegas' tributary washes. By evaluating a wide range of urban water matrices using general water quality parameters, fecal indicator bacteria (FIB), human-associated microbial markers [e.g., HF183, crAssphage, and pepper mild mottle virus …

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Mpc-Stanet: Alzheimer’S Disease Recognition Method Based On Multiple Phantom Convolution And Spatial Transformation Attention Mechanism, Yujian Liu, Kun Tang, Weiwei Cai, Aibin Chen, Guoxiong Zhou, Liujun Li, Runmin Liu Jun 2022

Mpc-Stanet: Alzheimer’S Disease Recognition Method Based On Multiple Phantom Convolution And Spatial Transformation Attention Mechanism, Yujian Liu, Kun Tang, Weiwei Cai, Aibin Chen, Guoxiong Zhou, Liujun Li, Runmin Liu

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease with insidious and irreversible onset. The recognition of the disease stage of AD and the administration of effective interventional treatment are important to slow down and control the progression of the disease. However, due to the unbalanced distribution of the acquired data volume, the problem that the features change inconspicuously in different disease stages of AD, and the scattered and narrow areas of the feature areas (hippocampal region, medial temporal lobe, etc.), the effective recognition of AD remains a critical unmet need. Therefore, we first employ class-balancing operation using data expansion and …

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Assessing The Impact Of Three Intersection Treatments In A Bicycling Simulator, Logan Scott-Deeter, David Hurwitz, Brendan Russo, Edward Smaglik, Sirisha Kothuri Jun 2022

Assessing The Impact Of Three Intersection Treatments In A Bicycling Simulator, Logan Scott-Deeter, David Hurwitz, Brendan Russo, Edward Smaglik, Sirisha Kothuri

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Bicyclist safety at urban intersections is a critical element for encouraging an increase in bicycle commuting. With cyclist injury and fatality rates rising due to collisions with vehicles at signalized intersections, increasing the safety of riders continues to be an important consideration when promoting this mode of transportation. Previous research has addressed crash causality and helped to develop several roadway treatments to improve bicyclist safety, but little has been done to compare and contrast the benefits of the various treatment types. This bicycling simulator study examined the impacts of three different intersection treatments (i.e., bike box, mixing zone, and bicycle …

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Climate Projections Over The Great Lakes Region: Using Two-Way Coupling Of A Regional Climate Model With A 3-D Lake Model, Pengfei Xue, Xinyu Ye, Jeremy S. Pal, Philip Y. Chu, Miraj Kayastha, Chenfu Huang Jun 2022

Climate Projections Over The Great Lakes Region: Using Two-Way Coupling Of A Regional Climate Model With A 3-D Lake Model, Pengfei Xue, Xinyu Ye, Jeremy S. Pal, Philip Y. Chu, Miraj Kayastha, Chenfu Huang

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Warming trends in the Laurentian Great Lakes and surrounding areas have been observed in recent decades, and concerns continue to rise about the pace and pattern of future climate change over the world's largest freshwater system. To date, most regional climate models used for Great Lakes projections either neglected the lake-atmosphere interactions or are only coupled with a 1-D column lake model to represent the lake hydrodynamics. This study presents a Great Lakes climate change projection that has employed the two-way coupling of a regional climate model with a 3-D lake model (GLARM) to resolve 3-D hydrodynamics essential for large …

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Climate Projections Over The Great Lakes Region: Using Two-Way Coupling Of A Regional Climate Model With A 3-D Lake Model, Pengfei Xue, Xinyu Ye, Jeremy S. Pal, Philip Y. Chu, Miraj Kayastha, Chenfu Huang Jun 2022

Climate Projections Over The Great Lakes Region: Using Two-Way Coupling Of A Regional Climate Model With A 3-D Lake Model, Pengfei Xue, Xinyu Ye, Jeremy S. Pal, Philip Y. Chu, Miraj Kayastha, Chenfu Huang

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Warming trends in the Laurentian Great Lakes and surrounding areas have been observed in recent decades, and concerns continue to rise about the pace and pattern of future climate change over the world's largest freshwater system. To date, most regional climate models used for Great Lakes projections either neglected the lake-atmosphere interactions or are only coupled with a 1-D column lake model to represent the lake hydrodynamics. This study presents a Great Lakes climate change projection that has employed the two-way coupling of a regional climate model with a 3-D lake model (GLARM) to resolve 3-D hydrodynamics essential for large …

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Axial Hypersensitivity Is Associated With Aberrant Nerve Sprouting In A Novel Model Of Disc Degeneration In Female Sprague Dawley Rats, David J. Lillyman, Fei San Lee, Evie C. Barnett, Tyler J. Miller, Moreno Lozano Alvaro, Henry C. Drvol, Rebecca A. Wachs Jun 2022

Axial Hypersensitivity Is Associated With Aberrant Nerve Sprouting In A Novel Model Of Disc Degeneration In Female Sprague Dawley Rats, David J. Lillyman, Fei San Lee, Evie C. Barnett, Tyler J. Miller, Moreno Lozano Alvaro, Henry C. Drvol, Rebecca A. Wachs

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Chronic low back pain is a global socioeconomic crisis and treatments are lacking in part due to inadequate models. Etiological research suggests that the predominant pathology associated with chronic low back pain is intervertebral disc degeneration. Various research teams have created rat models of disc degeneration, but the clinical translatability of these models has been limited by an absence of robust chronic painlike behavior. To address this deficit, disc degeneration was induced via an artificial annular tear in female Sprague Dawley rats. The subsequent degeneration, which was allowed to progress for 18-weeks, caused a drastic reduction in disc volume. Furthermore, …

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Fault Tolerance Analysis Of An Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System For Mandatory Lane Changing Decisions In Automated Driving, Matthew Vechione, Ruey Long Cheu Jun 2022

Fault Tolerance Analysis Of An Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System For Mandatory Lane Changing Decisions In Automated Driving, Matthew Vechione, Ruey Long Cheu

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Past research has developed a binary decision model for mandatory lane changes based on the Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS). This ANFIS Decision Model (simply called ADEM), developed and tested with the Next Generation Simulation (NGSIM) data, mimics the sensory inputs and decisions of human drivers. This research assumed that ADEM will be implemented as part of the automated lane changing system in Automated Vehicles (AVs). The system in AVs will depend on active radar sensors to make measurements. The sensor outputs will be converted into the input parameter values of ADEM. This research tested ADEM's performance when the sensors …

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Characterization And Performance Enhancement Of Cement-Based Thermoelectric Materials, Ruchita Jani, Niall Holmes Dr., Roger West, Kevin Gaughan, Xiaoli Liu, Ming Qu, Esther Orisakwee, Lorenzo Stella, Jorge Kohanoff, Hongxi Yin, Bartlomiej Wojciechowski Jun 2022

Characterization And Performance Enhancement Of Cement-Based Thermoelectric Materials, Ruchita Jani, Niall Holmes Dr., Roger West, Kevin Gaughan, Xiaoli Liu, Ming Qu, Esther Orisakwee, Lorenzo Stella, Jorge Kohanoff, Hongxi Yin, Bartlomiej Wojciechowski

Articles

Thermoelectric materials enable the direct conversion of thermal to electrical energy. One application of this is ambient heat energy harvesting where relatively stable temperature gradients existing between the inside and outside of a building could be utilized to produce electricity. Buildings can thus change from energy consumers to energy generators. This could ultimately help reduce the surface temperatures and energy consumption of buildings, especially in urban areas. In this paper, research work carried out on developing and characterizing a cement-based thermoelectric material is presented. Cement-based samples are doped with different metal oxides (Bi2O3 and Fe2O3) to enhance their thermoelectric properties, …

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Tracing Geochemical Sources And Health Risk Assessment Of Uranium In Groundwater Of Arid Zone Of India, P. Pandit, Atul Saini, Sabarathinam Chidambaram, Vinod Kumar, Banjarani Panda, A. L. Ramanathan, Netrananda Sahu, A. K. Singh, Rohit Mehra Jun 2022

Tracing Geochemical Sources And Health Risk Assessment Of Uranium In Groundwater Of Arid Zone Of India, P. Pandit, Atul Saini, Sabarathinam Chidambaram, Vinod Kumar, Banjarani Panda, A. L. Ramanathan, Netrananda Sahu, A. K. Singh, Rohit Mehra

Nebraska Water Center: Faculty Publications

Water quality degradation and metal contamination in groundwater are serious concerns in an arid region with scanty water resources. This study aimed at evaluating the source of uranium (U) and potential health risk assessment in groundwater of the arid region of western Rajasthan and northern Gujarat. The probable source of vanadium (V) and fluorine (F) was also identified. U and trace metal concentration, along with physicochemical characteristics were determined for 265 groundwater samples collected from groundwater of duricrusts and palaeochannels of western Rajasthan and northern Gujarat. The U concentration ranged between 0.6 and 260 μg L−1 with a mean …

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Discrepancies In Changes In Precipitation Characteristics Over The Contiguous United States Based On Six Daily Gridded Precipitation Datasets, Mojtaba Sadegh Jun 2022

Discrepancies In Changes In Precipitation Characteristics Over The Contiguous United States Based On Six Daily Gridded Precipitation Datasets, Mojtaba Sadegh

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Variability and spatiotemporal changes in precipitation characteristics can have profound socioenvironmental impacts. Several studies have shown that the frequency and/or magnitude of precipitation events have changed over the contiguous United States (CONUS) in the past decades. Most previous studies used only one precipitation dataset and only investigated mean or extreme precipitation. Here, using 6 gridded daily precipitation datasets, we show that there are substantial discrepancies in the changes in characteristics of both extreme and non-extreme precipitation events from 1983 to 2017. Our results highlight that using a single record to study precipitation changes can potentially lead to biased results. Using …

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Coevolution Of Machine Learning And Process-Based Modelling To Revolutionize Earth And Environmental Sciences: A Perspective, Mojtaba Sadegh Jun 2022

Coevolution Of Machine Learning And Process-Based Modelling To Revolutionize Earth And Environmental Sciences: A Perspective, Mojtaba Sadegh

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Machine learning (ML) applications in Earth and environmental sciences (EES) have gained incredible momentum in recent years. However, these ML applications have largely evolved in ‘isolation’ from the mechanistic, process-based modelling (PBM) paradigms, which have historically been the cornerstone of scientific discovery and policy support. In this perspective, we assert that the cultural barriers between the ML and PBM communities limit the potential of ML, and even its ‘hybridization’ with PBM, for EES applications. Fundamental, but often ignored, differences between ML and PBM are discussed as well as their strengths and weaknesses in light of three overarching modelling objectives in …

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Specialized Safety Training And Tracking For Kytc Construction And Maintenance Personnel, Gabriel Dadi, Ashtarout Ammar, Seth Atkins, Martha Horseman Jun 2022

Specialized Safety Training And Tracking For Kytc Construction And Maintenance Personnel, Gabriel Dadi, Ashtarout Ammar, Seth Atkins, Martha Horseman

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

High-quality safety training is critical for educating employees in the highway construction and maintenance industry about workplace hazards and giving them tools to remove and/or minimize associated risks. But researchers and state transportation agencies have not committed enough resources to develop safety trainings that address the unique needs of this sector. This report fills in this gap for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) by cataloguing safety training resources available through other state and federal transportation agencies, documenting trainings available to Cabinet staff, identifying and prioritizing training gaps, and critically evaluating the content, quality, and duration of training resources. A web-based …

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Assessing Public Health Benefits Of Replacing Freight Trucks With Cargo Cycles In Last Leg Delivery Trips In Urban Centers, Jennifer C. Hartle, Ossama (Sam) A. Elrahman, Cara Wang, Daniel A. Rodriguez, Yue Ding, Matt Mcgahan Jun 2022

Assessing Public Health Benefits Of Replacing Freight Trucks With Cargo Cycles In Last Leg Delivery Trips In Urban Centers, Jennifer C. Hartle, Ossama (Sam) A. Elrahman, Cara Wang, Daniel A. Rodriguez, Yue Ding, Matt Mcgahan

Mineta Transportation Institute

Increased urbanization, population growth, and demand for time-sensitive deliveries means increased freight movement in cities, which contributes to emissions, noise, and safety concerns. One innovative mode gaining widespread attention for urban deliveries is cargo cycles—bicycles adapted for freight delivery. Despite the recognized potential and possible success of transporting at least 25% of freight via cycle, research remains limited. This research investigates the potential of cargo cycle delivery for last mile freight in Oakland, California, with a focus on the West Oakland neighborhood. The data collection included interviews, focus groups, vehicle field observation and counts, and traffic simulation modeling. The traffic …

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Influence Of Level 1 And Level 2 Automated Vehicles On Fatal Crashes And Fatal Crash Occurrence, Hardik Gajera, Srinivas S. Pulugurtha, Sonu Mathew Jun 2022

Influence Of Level 1 And Level 2 Automated Vehicles On Fatal Crashes And Fatal Crash Occurrence, Hardik Gajera, Srinivas S. Pulugurtha, Sonu Mathew

Mineta Transportation Institute

Connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) are expected to improve safety by gradually reducing human decisions while driving. However, there are still questions on their effectiveness as we transition from almost 0% CAVs to 100% CAVs with different levels of vehicle autonomy. This research focuses on synthesizing literature and identifying risk factors influencing fatal crashes involving level 1 and level 2 CAVs in the United States. Fatal crashes involving level 0 vehicles—ones that are not connected and automated—were compared to minimize unobserved heterogeneity and randomness associated with the influencing risk factors. The research team used the fatal crash data for the …

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Bridge Project Prioritization, Bryan Gibson, Christopher Van Dyke, Sudhir Palle, Ryan Griffith, Doug Kreis Jun 2022

Bridge Project Prioritization, Bryan Gibson, Christopher Van Dyke, Sudhir Palle, Ryan Griffith, Doug Kreis

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Kentucky’s 14,000+ bridges are key nodes within the state’s surface transportation network. They facilitate the movement of freight, commercial vehicles, and personal vehicles alike. Historically, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has prioritized bridge maintenance projects using sufficiency ratings. These ratings are based on three factors — structural adequacy and safety, design obsolescence, and an asset’s importance within the roadway network. Although useful, sufficiency ratings do not account for factors that should be considered during the prioritization process (e.g., condition factors, risk). To address the shortcomings associated with using sufficiency ratings, KYTC — with the assistance of the Kentucky Transportation Center …

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Risk-Based Project Development, Steve Waddle, Ying Li, Christopher Van Dyke Jun 2022

Risk-Based Project Development, Steve Waddle, Ying Li, Christopher Van Dyke

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Risk management is integral to highway project development. Managing risk entails identifying uncertainties which could influence project activities, understanding how they can be mitigated or eliminated, and monitoring risk during project development. Many state transportation agencies have introduced methods for identifying risks, determining whether risks are high impact or low impact, and generating response strategies. These methods are often qualitative or semi-quantitative in nature due to the challenge of quantifying the likelihood of a risk and its effects. These approaches are nonetheless valuable for helping designers and project development teams remain mindful of negative risks which could pose significant hurdles. …

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Measuring Accessibility For Pedestrians, Bicyclists, And Transit Riders To Grocery Stores In The Excelsior/Outer Mission Neighborhoods Of San Francisco, Alexandra Lee-Gardner Jun 2022

Measuring Accessibility For Pedestrians, Bicyclists, And Transit Riders To Grocery Stores In The Excelsior/Outer Mission Neighborhoods Of San Francisco, Alexandra Lee-Gardner

Master's Theses

Grocery stores are an important amenity in neighborhoods and access to grocery stores is important for health and well-being. While grocery store accessibility is a popular topic of research, studies measuring access for pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit riders are extremely rare. When a new store opened in the Excelsior/Outer Mission districts of San Francisco on a street lacking basic infrastructure for pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit riders, the importance of this study became apparent. The Excelsior/Outer Mission neighborhood has a shocking number of collisions (over 1,100 between 2015 and 2019), elevated levels of walking, biking, and transit ridership, and minimal safe …

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