Engineering Commons^™

Application Of A Risk Model To Quantify Relative Risk Of Remedial Actions, Timothy L. Fuller

Theses and Dissertations

To properly manage the Installation Restoration Program (IRP) in the future, Air Force remedial project managers (RPMs) need a metric to assist in the selection of remedial alternatives for the safe and effective clean up of waste contamination sites. If the baseline site risk assessment indicates that it is necessary to remediate a waste contamination site, it is important to the RPM that the selection process for remediation alternatives considers the potential human health and ecological risks associated with the proposed remediation process. In some instances, the risks may be significant when compared to the baseline conditions. The Air Force …

Development Of An Analytical Hierarchy Process (Ahp) Model For Siting Of Municipal Solid Waste Facilities, Dimasalang F. Junio

Theses and Dissertations

Deciding on locations for municipal solid waste facilities is a difficult problem where qualitative criteria compete with quantitative economic and engineering criteria, in an environment that is highly political and emotional. State guidelines often describe different methodologies but fall short in offering a solution or a methodology in arriving at a solution. This study develops a decision modeling procedure, based on the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), that can be used by public sector decision makers to locate and site municipal solid waste facilities. The applicability of the procedure is demonstrated at the City of Springfield, Clark County, Ohio. Research efforts …

Modeling Trihalomethane Formation Potential From Wastewater Chlorination, Carol A. Mccormick

Theses and Dissertations

The deletion of federally mandated fecal coliform limits has led many states to review and modify their wastewater disinfection requirements. One issue in analyzing wastewater disinfection is the discharge of potentially carcinogenic halogenated organics formed during the chlorination process. This research investigates the formation of one class of the halogenated organics, the trihalomethanes. The applicability of using drinking water trihalomethane formation models for use with wastewater effluent is examined. Three models are compared for predictive capability by using measured trihalomethane values from previous research data. The results show that a previously developed model is applicable for use based on assumptions …

Optimal Utilization Of Field Generated Analytical Data For Site Characterization And Remedial Decision Making, Ronald J. Lester

Theses and Dissertations

This study developed data quality standards for assessing environmental analytical data quality and its use in remedial decision making, specifically in risk assessment calculations. The primary purpose was to increase the use of field generated data in environmental site investigations versus the continued reliance on costly and time consuming EPA Contract Lab Program data. Increased reliance on field lab data could significantly reduce remedial investigation costs. The standards developed are based on regulatory criteria for data useability, achievable quality in a CLP lab setting, and basic statistical methods. The standards were applied to sets of Volatile Organic Compound data in …

An Analysis Of Alternative Methods Of Measuring Hazardous Waste Reduction Progress At The Air Force Materiel Command's Air Logistic Centers, Edward C. Finke

Theses and Dissertations

his study investigated the relationship between aircraft related maintenance activity and the amount of hazardous waste (HW) disposed of by Air Force Materiel Command's (AFMC) Air Logistic Centers (ALC). These ALCS, along with the Aircraft Guidance and Meteorology Center, generate approximately 76 percent of the HW generated by the Air Force. The activity indexing and least squares curve fitting methods were used to predict the amount of HW that would have been disposed of based on the relative level of aircraft related maintenance activity had no pollution prevention efforts been implemented. These predictions were then compared to what historically occurred …

Developing An Emission Factor For Hazardous Air Pollutants For An F-16 Using Jp-8 Fuel, Donald J. Van Schaack

Theses and Dissertations

The 1990 Clean Air Act amendments drastically changed the legislation of hazardous air pollutants HAPs or air toxics. Title 3 of the act which specifically addresses HAPs now lists 189 substances which may require regulation as air toxics. Consequently, the reporting of HAP emissions from all Air Force operations will be required in the future. However, the Department of Defense DoD does not have methods available to report this information. This thesis develops emission factors for selected HAPs from an F-16 CD aircraft F110 engine operating on JP-8 fuel. The methodology included determining which HAPs should be selected, using past …

A Quantitative Method For Screening Pollution Prevention Program Options At United States Air Force Installations, Wayne M. Williams

Theses and Dissertations

US Air Force installations worldwide are required to implement pollution prevention (PP) programs designed to reduce the release of pollutants to the environment, and the Air Force uses opportunity assessments (OAs) to identify and evaluate waste producing processes that could benefit from a PP project. The OA process guidance provides extensive details on how to identify potential projects and on how to economically evaluate a project selected for implementation. However, it provides only cursory information about how to decide which projects should be selected for this evaluation. This thesis bridges that gap by providing a quantitative model to be used …

Decision Support Model To Compare Hazardous Waste Site Remediation Process Alternatives, Christopher E. Findall

Theses and Dissertations

This research focuses on the development of a decision support model to identify the preferred methods of site characterization and treatment technology identification using the principles of decision analysis theory. The model provides an effective decision making tool to evaluate and compare the feasibility of using alternative methods of completing the RIFS process. Given a specific site remediation project, the users of this model can enter site- specific cost, duration and likelihood values to determine the expected value for various alternative processes. This thesis postulates that the alternative having the highest expected value is considered the preferred alternative. In calculating …

Volatile Organic Compound Emissions From Usaf Wastewater Treatment Plants In Ozone Nonattainment Areas, Brian A. Ouellette

Theses and Dissertations

In accordance with the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments CAAA, this research conducts an evaluation of the potential emission of volatile organic compounds VOCs from selected Air Force wastewater treatment plants. Using a conservative mass balance analysis and process specific simulation models, volatile organic emission estimates are calculated for four individual facilities--Edwards AFB, Luke AFB, McGuire AFB, and McClellan AFB--which represent a cross section of the current inventory of USAF wastewater plants in ozone nonattainment areas. From these calculations, maximum facility emissions are determined which represent the upper limit for the potential VOC emissions from these wastewater plants. Based on …

Evaluation Of Alternative Methods For Wastewater Disinfection, David C. Piech

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the alternative methods of wastewater disinfection. Areas of interest included methods of operation, ease of maintenance, and effectiveness for various types of wastewater. A literature search revealed three major disinfection options, which include chlorination dechlorination, ultraviolet light, and ozone. A questionnaire was sent to the active duty Air Force installations that operate wastewater treatment plants, requesting permit limitations and monthly averages for a variety of wastewater parameters. The majority of Air Force wastewater treatment plants use chlorine for disinfection. Using the data obtained from the questionnaire responses and established wastewater parameters from other research, the basic design …

Simulation Of Hydrologic Influences On Wetland Ecosystem Succession, Robert A. Pompilio

Theses and Dissertations

This research focuses on the development of a simulation model to determine the effects of hydrological influences on a wetland ecosystem. The model allows perturbations to the inputs of various wetland data which in turn, influences the successional development of the ecosystem. This research consisted of converting a grassland ecosystem model to one which simulates wetland conditions. The critical factor in determining the success of wetland creation is the hydrology of the system. There are four of the areas of the original model which are affected by the hydrology. The model measures the health or success of the ecosystem through …

Standardization Of Protocol For The Sampling, Testing And Abatement Of Asbestos Containing Joint Compound, Gary J. Schneider

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the differing regulatory guidelines from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency concerning the abatement of Asbestos Containing Joint Compound (ACJC). The specific interest was whether or not adequate protection was being afforded demolition workers when exposed to working with ACJC materials that contain less than 1.0 percent asbestos. A spreadsheet was written to estimate the exposure scenario which might be experienced within a given room size on a demolition or renovation jobsite. Spreadsheets were calculated for ACJC with an asbestos content of 0.1 to 0.9 percent in 0.1 increments for rooms ranging …

A Preliminary System Dynamics Model Of A Constructed Wetland For The Mitigation Of Metals In Usaf Storm Water, Mark P. Smekrud

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis determines the potential removal and corresponding accumulation of trace metals from Air Force storm water in a constructed wetland through the use of a System Dynamics model. The goal is to determine whether constructed wetlands used as storm water best management practices provide efficient metal removal while creating only benign accumulations of such pollutants. Its purpose is to allow Base Civil Engineers and Environmental Managers a better tool to assess the long-term effects of a constructed wetland used as a storm water mitigation technique. The research is limited to the assessment of typical metal concentrations found in Air …

Solvent Substitution Methodology Using Multiattribute Utility Theory And The Analytical Hierarchical Process, Jaimie S. Tiley

Theses and Dissertations

This study developed a multicriteria decision making methodology for the ranking of solvent cleaning process alternatives. This includes development of univariate value functions and criteria and the incorporation or required alternative attributes. It also compares the Analytical Hierarchical Process and Multiattribute Utility Theory in reference to a cleaning substitution process. An actual Air Force cleaning process evaluation problem is considered to verify the research. The test problem ranks several cleaning alternatives for the replacement of a hazardous solvent used in the general cleaning of aircraft engine components.

Status Of Storm Water Pollution In The United States, Lynne A. Urquhart

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the status of storm water pollution in the United States Air Force. This is important since most AF bases are now required to have applied for a NPDES storm water permit. The objectives of the study were to: evaluate the sampling rates used at AF bases; determine the pollutants tested for by the AF bases; compare the pollutant concentrations of the AF bases to an EPA water quality standard; and determine if there were any trends in sampling or pollutant concentrations due to seasonal changes or across AF Commands or EPA Regions. …

Modeling Of Ground Water Aquifer Remediation By Pulsed Pumping When Contaminant Transport Is Affected By Physical, Non-Equilibrium Sorption And Desorption, Jeffrey L. Caspers

Theses and Dissertations

This research postulates and demonstrates a modification incorporating rate-limited sorption effects in the USGS SUTRA code for cleanup of a hypothetical sandy aquifer by pump-and-treat remediation methods. Contaminant transport is assumed to be affected by advection, dispersion, and rate-limited sorption/desorption. Sorption is assumed to be either equilibrium or rate-limited, with the rate-limitation described by either a first-order law, or by Fickian diffusion of contaminant through a spherical immobile pore region. Solutions are arrived at by split operator methods for the transport and one-dimensional Galerkin solutions for the solute concentration equations. The resulting model is tested against an analytical Laplace transform …

Use Of Infrared Spectrometry To Determine The Effect Of Trichloroethylene Resident Time On Desorption Rates From Flint Clay, Peter T. Lapuma

Theses and Dissertations

This laboratory based thesis investigated the desorption rate of trichloroethylene (TCE) from flint clay while varying the resident time of TCE exposed to the clay. It is thought that in long contaminated soil, a majority of contaminant mass will become entrained within the interior of the soil particles to slowly desorb out of the soil over long periods of time. Recent studies suggest that the longer a contaminant is resident in soil, the longer the contaminant will take to desorb from the soil. To understand more about soil desorption, this experiment was developed using infrared spectroscopy to detect TCE vapor …

The Application Of Nepa Requirements To Cercla Remedial Actions, Connie L. Strobbe

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the application of National Environmental Policy Act NEPA requirements to Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act CERCLA actions. Similarities in the documentation and public participation requirements of NEPA and CERCLA include identification and evaluation of alternatives and public participation. Differences include document contents and timing of public participation. This study presented four options for ensuring NEPA compliance at CERCLA sites. Option one included a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement PEIS with subsequent combined FSEIS report for each subunit. Option two eliminated the PEIS, but retained a stand-alone NEPA document for each CERCLA subunit. Option three included a …

Method And Apparatus For Objective Evaluation Of Patent Ambulation, Balance And Weight Bearng Status, Eric B. Lancaster, Michael F. Kocher

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

A walker is provided which is equipped with detectors for measuring various loads and torques placed thereon by a user including right side and left side loads as well as torque loads on the handles of the walker and having time and distance detectors to allow the ambulation status of a user to be progressively monitored by medical personnel.

Fluid Flow Modeling For Pneumatically Fractured Formations, Deepak Nautiyal

Theses

This thesis investigates the flow of compressible fluids in pneumatically fractured formations. Pneumatic fracturing is a recently developed technique for increasing permeability in geologic formations by the controlled injection of high pressure air. The artificially induced fractures enhance the flow rate of liquids and vapors in the subsurface, and can be applied to in situ remediation of hazardous waste sites, and for other hydrogeological applications.

A flow model for discrete fractures is derived based on the assumptions of viscous, laminar fluid flow through planar fractures (Poiseuille type flow). The model takes into account non-linearity introduced by gas compressibility effects. Provision …

Modeling Arsenic Transformation In Clay Soils, Chao-Yi Chung

Theses

This project is designed to estimate the possible transformation forms of arsenic in clay soil. A computer model was established to simulate arsenic transformations. The amount of arsenic species adsorbed, dissolved, and the predominant soluble species are calculated by the model, which is mainly based on the Freundlich adsorption isotherm, solubility data collected by Keaton and Kardos, and pH-Eh diagram established by Ferguson and Garvis. The computer language used is Turbo PASCAL version 5.5.

The clay soil environment is considered to be in standard state: 25°C 1 atm. Environmental factors of the soil system which are accounted for by the …

The Use Of Cod As An Indicator For Evaluation Of Pretreatment Of Nitrocellulose With Acid Hydrolysis, Han-Chung Lee

Theses

Nitrocellulose is a toxic waste by definition. It is widely used in military and commercial industries. Nitrocellulose fines escaped from the manufacture's process has created problems in receiving water. However, little information is available for the treatment of nitrocellulose. Nitrocellulose is difficult to treat by microorganisms without any pretreatment. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to use acid hydrolysis to break down this material before biological treatment, and find the optimal operation conditions in this process.

In this work, the results indicate that percentage of nitrocellulose decomposing in hydrolysis depends on types of acid, acid concentration, reaction temperature, …

Sulfuric Acid Resistance Of Fly Ash Mortar, Walairat Bumrongjaroen

Theses

Crown corrosion of concrete pipe and its subsequent repair is a topic much discussed in recent years. Present protective methods have not worked effectively. Due to its properties and its low cost, fly ash was used as a cement replacement of mortar to investigate its sulfuric acid resistance.

Different types and different percentages of fly ashes were mixed with and without admixtures including microsilica, and superplasticizer. The main parameters investigated included the chemical compounds, the fineness and the volume of fly ash. 2"x2" cubes were immersed in a 10% sulfuric acid pond. The weight of each cube was determined continuously …

Identification Of Tire Leachate Toxicants And A Risk Assessment Of Water Quality Effects Using Tire Reefs In Canals, S. M. Nelson, G. Mueller, D. C. Hemphill, U.S. Bureau Of Reclamation

Publications (WR)

Cover is an important component of aquatic habitat and fisheries management. Fisheries biologists often try to improve habitats through the addition of natural and artificial material to improve cover diversity and complexity. Habitat-improvement programs range from submerging used Christmas trees to more complex programs using sophisticated artificial habitat modules. Used automobile tires have been employed in the large scale construction of reefs and fish attractors in marine environments and to a lesser extent in freshwater and have been recognized as a durable, inexpensive and long-lasting material which benefits fishery communities.

Recent studies by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation have quantified …

Landfill Leachate Production And Gas Generation Numerical Model, John Edward Riester Jr.

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Numerous processes occur in landfills which lend themselves to modeling. Many of the processes are mutually interdependent. An unsteady numerical model is developed combining the major processes. The three-dimensional moisture transport equations and boundary conditions are solved using an implicit finite difference scheme. The boundaries are determined through a two-dimensional runoff model for the landfill surface and a one-dimensional leachate liner flow model at the bottom of the landfill. The runoff model accounts for evapotranspiration, runoff, infiltration, and leachate recirculation. Richard's equation is solved for saturated and unsaturated vertical flows and Darcy's Equation is solved for lateral flow between adjacent …

Development Of Computer Software To Aid Environmental Decision Makers In The Education And Training Of Air Force Remedial Project Managers, Roger R. Ouellette, Bruce K. Lyman

Theses and Dissertations

By the end of Fiscal Year 1991, the Air Force had identified 4,354 contaminated sites. Much like the 177 toxic sites at McClellan AFB, bases across the country and throughput the world are filled with chrome, lead, paint solvents and many other toxics that are rendering water supplies unusable and endangering the health of millions of people living in and around these bases. Air Force officials continue to identify contaminated sites with no end in sight. Since the cleanup of these toxic materials involves diverse, complex activities, the Air Force created the duty position of Remedial Project Manager to manage …

Constructed Wetlands As An Innovative, Cost-Effective Solution For Wastewater Treatment In Small Communities, Christy Womack Vines

Honors Capstone Projects and Theses

No abstract provided.

Application Of The Simplified Dow Chemical Company Relative Ranking Hazard Assessment Method For Air Combat Command Bases, Raymond A. Sable

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the possibility of determining the hazard potential of chemicals on Air Force bases using a relative ranking hazard assessment method. Hazard assessment includes identification of hazards and evaluation of the hazards. Title III of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 requires hazard assessments by all facilities with extremely hazardous substances to prepare release prevention plans. The purpose of the hazard assessments is to provide information to improve the spill prevention, control and countermeasures plans and to identify the substances with the highest hazard potential. Using the results from the hazard assessments, bases cam prepare plans …

A Study Of Investigation-Derived Waste Management Options, Barry C. Mountain

Theses and Dissertations

USAF is dedicated to the clean up of past releases of hazardous substances at its bases under the Installation Restoration Program (IRP) . Clean up decisions are based upon data produced from investigations. Large amounts of waste may be derived from investigations. Investigation-derived waste (IDW), especially that with a hazardous component, may pose significant health protection and regulatory compliance problems if neglected. This study identifies the status and the need for improvement of IDW management to avoid those problems. Information on the background of IDW management was collected through a review of environmental laws, waste management regulations, and existing guidance. …

A Feasibility Study Of Burning Waste Paper In Coal-Fired Boilers On Air Force Installations, Kenneth P. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examined the feasibility of using waste paper derived fuel in coal-fired boilers on Air Force installations in an attempt to help solve air pollution and solid waste disposal problems. The implementation of waste paper derived fuel was examined from both a technical acceptability and an economic feasibility viewpoint. The majority of data for this study was obtained through literature reviews and personal interviews. Waste paper was found to be technically acceptable for use as fuel. However, waste paper has certain characteristics that may create problems during combustion and therefore further research is required. These problems included the possibility …