Engineering Commons^™

Analogue Modeling Of Love-Type Channel Waves And Their Response To Faults, Liu Qiang, Hu Jiwu, Wang Pan, Shi Xianxin, Jia Qian

Coal Geology & Exploration

Owing to its high resolution and low energy attenuation, channel wave-based seismic exploration has been widely applied in the geophysical prospecting of hidden disaster-causing factors in underground coal mines. However, its accuracy fails to meet the requirements of intelligent mine mining presently. At present, the analogue modeling of channel waves mostly focuses on Rayleigh-type channel waves using 2D models, leading to a lack of research on Love-type channel waves. To explore the propagation law of Love-type channel waves, this study investigated the waves in the 3D analogue modeling of channel waves. Firstly, the wave and particle vibration characteristics of Love-type …

Multipoint Sources-Based High-Resolution Electrical Detection Of The Water-Rich Areas Near Mining Faces Of Coal Mine Roadways, Wu Rongxin, Xu Hui

Coal Geology & Exploration

To accurately explore the spatial distribution of water-rich areas near mining faces of mine roadways, this study proposed a multipoint sources-based high-resolution electrical detection technology. A multi-channel electrode observation system was arranged behind a roadway mining face, with electrodes at a distance of 1/4 measuring lines behind the mining face as point source electrodes sequentially. Data were collected using a monopole-dipole device, with the obtained apparent resistivity considered the sounding data of multipoint sources-based electrical detection. The images of multipoint sources-based electrical sounding allow for quickly determining the presence of water-rich areas and their locations relative to the mining faces …

Solar-Powered Microgrids In Northern California: An Opportunity For Resilience, Marina Riddle

Master's Projects and Capstones

Planned and unplanned power outages have been increasing in frequency and duration, negatively impacting all public sectors, and threatening public safety. These outages are deadly to those who rely on medical devices. As climate change-fueled extreme weather events (wildfires, earthquakes, storms, etc.) also increase in frequency, our electrical grid must be prepared to bounce back. Microgrids provide necessary redundancy and reliability. Through a novel GIS suitability analysis, based on solar radiation, land use type, local energy demand, distance to transmission lines, distance to roads, and slope, optimal locations for solar-powered microgrids throughout Northern California were determined. The counties of Fresno, …

Assessing The Relationship Between Soil Health/Quality And Water Quality In The Mississippi Delta, Laura Andrea Sarmiento Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

Several studies have reported agronomic benefits by improving soil health/quality, but uncertain knowledge remains when determining specific impacts on water quality off-field. This study investigated the links between runoff water quality and soil health/quality in agricultural fields of the Mississippi delta under three land management scenarios: Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), vegetative buffer (VB), and row crops (RC). Using the Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF), a Soil Quality Index (SQI) was obtained based on ten soil health/quality indicators from 2008 and 2012 datasets. The SMAF identified significant differences in soil health/quality improvements among scenarios over a four-year period. Varied relationships between …

Pollutant Forecasting Using Neural Network-Based Temporal Models, Richard Pike

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The Jing-Jin-Ji region of China is a highly industrialized and populated area of the country. Its periodic high pollution and smog includes particles smaller than 2.5 μm, known as PM2.5, linked to many respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses. PM2.5 concentration around Jing-Jin-Ji has exceeded China’s urban air quality safety threshold for over 20% of all days in 2017 through 2020.

The quantity of ground weather stations that measure the concentrations of these pollutants, and their valuable data, is unfortunately small. By employing many machine learning strategies, many researchers have focused on interpolating finer spatial grids of PM2.5, or hindcasting PM2.5. However, …

Vertical Free-Swinging Photovoltaic Racking Energy Modeling: A Novel Approach To Agrivoltaics, Koami Soulemane Hayibo, Joshua M. Pearce

Electrical and Computer Engineering Publications

To enable lower-cost building materials, a free-swinging bifacial vertical solar photovoltaic (PV) rack has been proposed, which complies with Canadian building codes and is the lowest capital-cost agrivoltaics rack. The wind force applied to the free-swinging PV, however, causes it to have varying tilt angles depending on the wind speed and direction. No energy performance model accurately describes such a system. To provide a simulation model for the free-swinging PV, where wind speed and direction govern the array tilt angle, this study builds upon the open-source System Advisor Model (SAM) using Python. After the SAM python model is validated, a …

Radiation Exposure Calibration Of The Al2o3:C With Radium-226 And Cesium-137 Using The Osl Method, Selma Tepeli Aydin

All Theses

Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dosimetry was utilized to calibrate Al₂O₃:C powder dosimeters, available commercially as the nanoDot® from Landauer Inc., and compare the dosimeter response to radium-226 (²²⁶Ra) and cesium-137 (¹³⁷Cs). The signal from the OSL was quantified using a microSTARii^® OSL reader also produced by Landauer Inc. Dose-response curves were developed for ²²⁶Ra and ¹³⁷Cs experiments (5 dosimeters each) at thirteen absorbed doses. Individual dosimeter response was tracked by serial number. Linear regression analysis was performed to determine if there were significant differences between the intercepts of the …

Niobate Nanosheet Catalysts For Cationic Dye Intercalation And Solar-Driven Water Photolysis, Cassandra Idona Monárrez-Grendahl

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

With the goal of creating efficient visible light photocatalysts for water photolysis, in this work we are exploring the synthesis of new porous oxide materials derived from potassium triniobate (KNb3O8) and titanium niobium oxide (KTiNbO5), which are layered wide band gap semiconductors. Generating hydrogen via direct water photolysis holds promise as a way to lower the cost of hydrogen gas production so it can be used as a renewable and clean alternative fuel. My group has demonstrated that layered semiconductor materials have the potential to enable the synthesis of new types of photocatalyst composites with customizable characteristics. In this work, …

Bitcoin's Technical Foundation And Its Potential For A Decentralized And Environmentally Friendly Future, Iqtiar Md Siddique

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This research examines a systematic analysis of Bitcoin, employing a Coefficient of Variation (CV) approach to gauge its degree of decentralization. Bitcoin, an innovative decentralized digital currency, has received much attention for its potential to revolutionize traditional financial systems. This study employs the Coefficient of Variation (CV) to acquire insights into the wealth distribution and concentration among Bitcoin users. This research demonstrates how decentralized the network of Bitcoin is. The methodology uses real data on Bitcoin addresses and their holdings to compute the Coefficient of Variation (CV). This approach provides valuable insights into the ongoing discourse surrounding Bitcoin's decentralization, offering …

Co2 Storage Capacity And Injectivity Of Stacked Carbonates Of The Pennsylvanian And Permian In Western Nebraska, Lateef Lawal

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Geological carbon storage (GCS) is a critical aspect of carbon capture and storage (CCS) in which captured CO₂ from power plants and industrial processes is injected and stored securely underground. Potential subsurface rock formations include saline aquifers, depleted oil and gas reservoirs, unmineable coal seams and volcanic rocks. GCS technology has been proven in the United States and many other parts of the world as a net-zero carbon emission strategy to mitigate the current climate crisis of our planet. Unlike other states such as Wyoming, GCS projects are still in the early phases in Nebraska. The goal of this …

Diverse Impacts Of Commercial Ev Charging Load Infrastructure On Electric Power Grid, Antonio Avila

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

With the rising prominence of electric vehicles (EVs) in the transportation sector, this thesis delves into the critical nexus between commercial EVs, charging infrastructure, and their consequential impacts on the power grid. As commercial EVs, particularly medium and heavy-duty variants, gain traction as viable alternatives in the commercial transportation landscape, understanding the intricacies of their charging requirements becomes paramount. This thesis critically examines the technological and logistical dimensions of the charging infrastructure for supporting commercial EVs, evaluating the consequential implications on the power grid and proposing strategies for mitigation through the utilization of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs). In tandem with …

Enhancing Urban Water Quality Through Biological-Chemical Treatment: Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Community And Temporal Chlorophyll-A Response, Matthew Chaffee

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

With a growing human population, urbanization is impeding a plethora of natural waterways. Of these, urban ponds play a vital role in nutrient sequestration, flood prevention, and habitat sanctuaries. However, nutrient loading can reduce habitat effectiveness and promote harmful algae blooms. To reduce internal nutrient loads, a biological-chemical treatment strategy consisting of floating treatment wetlands (FTWs) and lanthanum were applied to two urban retention ponds, Densmore and Wilderness Ridge Ponds. To measure effectiveness, chlorophyll-a samples were collected and correlated with Sentinel-2. A novel band algorithm termed 3BR1 produced a strong correlation (R² = 0.72) to physical chlorophyll-a …

In Situ Water Sensing Systems: Research On Advancements In Environmental Monitoring, Abigail Seibel

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

In this work, two sensing systems were researched in order to improve in situ environmental monitoring. The first is a pH and Total Alkalinity sensor used to determine these characteristics of sea water. I explored the facets of this sensor over a 7-week internship with Dr. Ellen Briggs in her lab in summer of 2023. The second is a more holistic sensing system that reads temperature, turbidity, and pressure used for studying environmental characteristics of Alaskan bever ponds. Both systems were developed in close collaboration with scientists who are collecting data to better understand the impacts of climate change. Better …

Evaluating The Impact Of Oyster Reef Breakwaters On Hydrodynamics, Morphodynamics, And Sediment Transport Using Xbeach, Tabassum Islam

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Alabama Port is a unique marsh and sandy beach shoreline. Since the 1950s, substantial erosion has occurred along this shoreline due to storms, wind-generated waves, and ship wakes. This research focuses on evaluating the effect of oyster reef breakwaters on wave height attenuation and sediment stabilization through numerical modeling (XBeach) under three different synthetic storm scenarios coupled with three unique sea level rise projections near Alabama Port. This has been accomplished by comparing a with and without project condition using XBeach in a two-dimensional (2D) mode by analyzing wave height, velocity, and cumulative bed-level changes at the study site. The …

Gravel Conveyance System: An Evaluation On E. Coli Removal Capabilities, Madison Grace

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

In many rural, low-income communities such as the Black Belt of Alabama, there is a lack of wastewater infrastructure and solutions leaving homeowners non-compliant to state and federal law and with potential health risks on their property. New regulations have allowed for onsite, surface discharge for single family homes that are not connected to a centralized sewer or large flow development. These new regulations also contain strict disinfection criteria for the treated wastewater that will be discharged. A low-cost and low-maintenance treatment system that provides adequate disinfection is necessary to allow homeowners to take advantage of the new opportunity for …

The Tidal Prism, Viable Eelgrass Habitat, And The Effects Of Sea Level Rise In Morro Bay, Kaden A. Caliendo

Master's Theses

The tidal prism, or the volume of water exchanged from the sea to an estuary from mean low to mean high tide, influences system hydrodynamics and ecological functioning. Since 1884, the tidal prism in Morro Bay, California has been estimated to be decreasing over time due to sedimentation from upstream practices. What is the current tidal prism in Morro Bay and how will that change with sea level rise? How will eelgrass respond to rising sea levels?

For this study, inexpensive tidal gauges were deployed at four locations in Morro Bay from March to August 2023 to measure spatially varying …

Investigating A Passive Treatment System For The Removal Of Nutrients From Urban Runoff, Jasminn Gray

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Environmental Protection Agency recognizes urban runoff as a major contributor of surface water pollution with nutrients as the second largest cause of surface water impairment in the United States. While a water quality standard of 100 lbs/day total phosphorus load allocation for all nonpoint sources is permitted for the Las Vegas Valley (LVV) under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, currently there is not a counterpart standard for nitrogen. With the continued development of the LVV and the depletion of the quantity of water in Lake Mead due to the ongoing drought, the concentrations of phosphorus and nitrogen species …

Wastewater Treatment Plants: The Missing Link In Global One-Health Surveillance And Management Of Antibiotic Resistance, Abdolmajid Gholizadeh, Mehdi Khiadani, Maryam Foroughi, Hadi Alizade Siuki, Hadi Mehrfar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: As a global public health crisis, antibiotic resistance (AR) should be monitored and managed under the One-Health concept according to the World Health Organization (WHO), considering the interconnection between humans, animals, and the environment. But this approach often remains focused on human health and rarely on the environment and its compartments, especially wastewater as the main AR receptor. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) not only are not designed for reliving AR but also provide appropriate conditions for enhancing AR through different mechanisms. Methods: By reviewing the research-based statistics on the inclusion of WWTPs in the One-Health/AR program crisis, this paper …

Obstacle-Avoidance Trajectory Planning Of Mine Drilling Robot During Drill Pipe Loading And Unloading, Yao Yafeng, Yao Ningping, Peng Tao, Liang Chunmiao, Peng Guangyu

Coal Geology & Exploration

The position of drill pipe loading and unloading by mine drilling robot will change with the attitude adjustment of the host machine, and obstacles are present in the loading and unloading path of drill pipe. Therefore, there is a problem of obstacle-avoidance trajectory planning with variable targets in the loading and unloading of drill pipe. For this reason, the DH parameter table was created according to the performance parameters of the explosion-proof 6-DOF manipulator, and the function relation of the change in loading and unloading position of drill pipe before and after the attitude adjustment of the 3-DOF host machine …

Stress Field Of High-Temperature Wellbore Under Spray Cooling For Underground Coal Gasification, Tang Yang, Xie Na, Xiong Haoyu, He Yin, Huang Shunxiao

Coal Geology & Exploration

As a supplement to traditional physical coal mining technology, underground coal gasification (UCG) is a new generation of chemical coal mining technology. During the gasification, the wellbore of UCG production wells is subjected to the combined action of high temperature and internal pressure loads. Targeting the structural characteristics of the wellbore of UCG production wells, this study, based on the heat transfer theory, established a calculation model for the transient temperature of the wellbore under the cooling through annular spray water injection. By combining the wellbore pressure model, as well as the elasticity theory and the wall cylinder theory, this …

Table Of Contents, The Editors

Coal Geology & Exploration

No abstract provided.

Numerical Simulations Of The Effects Of Bedding Planes On Hydraulic Fracture Propagation Law In Oil Shale, Li Yanwei, Zhu Chaofan, Zeng Yijian, Shui Haoche, Fan Cunhan, Guo Wei

Coal Geology & Exploration

Hydraulic fracturing serves as a major technical means for the exploitation of oil shale reservoirs presently, and the hydraulic fracture morphology in oil shales is primarily affected by differences in the characteristics of bedding planes. However, current studies mostly focus on the influence of the developmental degree of bedding planes on fracture propagation, overlooking the effects of the bedding plane thickness itself on hydraulic fracture propagation. This study delves into the oil shale in the Xunyi area, Ordos Basin. Based on the theory of linear elastic fracture mechanics, this study developed a stress-damage-seepage model of hydraulic fracture propagation. Using the …

Vertical Variability Of Hydrogeological Characteristics Of Luohe Formation By Double Packer System Pumping Test, Li Chaofeng, Liu Yexian, Zhang Jinkui, Ren Dengjun, Hou Tao, Liu Zengping, Xu Xinqi, Ma Ji, Wang Qingzhen, Duan Xiliang, Xing Jiebo, Li Yang

Coal Geology & Exploration

To investigate the hydrogeological conditions of the thick Luohe Formation in Ordos Basin and quantitatively evaluate vertical variation characteristics of its aquifer’ s water-rich, proposes the method of using the coefficient of transmissibility to evaluate the water-rich of the aquifer, and give the seven level classification standard of water-rich by the method of determining coefficient of transmissibility. The double-packer system was used to carry out the pumping tests of 10 vertical sections of fixed thickness of the Luohe Formation in the DJ1 and DJ2 boreholes in the Gaojiabao mine field, shaanxi, and the hydrogeological parameters were calculated. Using the comprehensive …

Characteristics And Genetic Mechanism Of Low Sulfate In High-Salt Groundwater Of Permian Sandstone In Fudong Mining Area, Huainan, Jiang Chunlu, Huang Wendi, Fu Xianjie, Zheng Liugen, Cheng Shigui, Shan Chonglei

Coal Geology & Exploration

Hydrogeochemistry research of groundwater in coal mining areas is of great significance to the prevention and control of mine water and the comprehensive utilization of water resources. In terms of the low surfate of Permian sandstone water in Fudong mining area, Anhui Huainan Coalfield, the hydrochemical characteristics, water-rock interaction and low sulfate genesis of sandstone water were studied through water sampling and test by multivariate statistical method, in combination with the hydrogeological condition analysis and the sulfur and oxygen isotope technology. The results show that the Permian sandstone water in the study area is weakly alkaline, with an average TDS …

Evaluation Of Water Quality And Identification Of Pollution Factors In Mining Subsidence Area With High Phreatic Water Level, Hu Lin, Chen Yongchun, Xu Yanfei, Li Bing, Wang Jin, An Shikai, Chen Chen, Sun Hongjie, Miao Wei

Coal Geology & Exploration

Huainan mining area is characterized by a high phreatic water level, as well as a wide range and large area of coal mining subsidence areas, with the water quality monitoring data missing and prominent water environment. Therefore, the evaluation of water quality monitoring and identification of pollution factors in large subsidence area is of great significance to regional water environmental governance. Specifically, the water quality of the subsidence area was evaluated with the Nemerow pollution index method by testing the water samples collected from 175 sampling points in the study area. Meanwhile, the eutrophication state of water bodies was evaluated …

Rate-Of-Penetration (Rop) Prediction Model Based On Formation Characteristics Of Extremely Thick Plastic Mudstone In South China Sea, Zeng Xiaolong, Li Qian, Wei Hongchao, Chen Jiahao, Zhu Haiyan

Coal Geology & Exploration

In terms of petroleum and gas resources, South China Sea is the important energy replacement area in China. However, most of the reservoirs are buried deep, and the strong plasticity of the formation under high confining pressure and the complex geological environment seriously affect the drilling efficiency. It is also very difficult to accurately predict the ROP. Hence, a set of intelligent ROP prediction model was established for the extremely thick mudstone formation with unique viscoelastic and strong plastic characteristics in South China Sea. The model took the actual data of 10 wells in an area of South China Sea …

Numerical Simulations Of Enhancing Permeability And Gas Extraction Of Thick Coal Seams Through Static Fracturing, Wang Xinfeng, Liu Wengang, Wang Long, Wei Youyu, Zhang Qiao

Coal Geology & Exploration

This study seeks to improve the underground operation efficiency and optimize the borehole arrangement parameters for static fracturing of coal seams. To this end, this study conducted tests in the belt roadway of the No. 12316 fully mechanized mining face in the Wangjialing Coal Mine, China Coal Huajin Group. By combining the equations for coal seams’ deformation and failure, gas diffusion and seepage, and coal seams’ permeability evolution, this study constructed a model of the damage and permeability evolution of coal seams. Based on the numerical simulations of the process of static fracturing and permeability enhancement of coals, as well …

Genetic Type And Gas-Generating Potential Of Coalbed Methane In The Bayanhua Sag, Erlian Basin, Meng Qin, Li Ling, Li Jie, Tian Wenguang, Lin Haitao, Li Heng

Coal Geology & Exploration

The Bayanhua Sag in the Erlian Basin is a critical experimental area for coalbed methane (CBM) development from low-rank coals in Inner Mongolia. However, the relatively low exploration level and the limited understanding of the CBM origin in the sag restrict the CBM exploration and development to some extent. This study tested the gas components, stable isotopes and hydrochemistry of the gas and water samples from CBM wells in the Bayanhua Sag. It also conducted radioisotopic dating for these samples. By combining the classic charts for the identification of natural gas origin, this study clarified the gas origins, further analyzed …

A Simulation Study On The Suspension And Transport Patterns Of Proppants In Long Distance Pipelines For Integrated Well And Ground Fracturing, Li Haozhe, Jiang Zaibing, Sun Siqing, Zhu Chuanyong, Fan Yao, Guo Yong, Cheng Bin

Coal Geology & Exploration

Integrated well and ground fracturing is a developmental trend for the staged fracturing of underground long boreholes in coal mines. Using the integrated fracturing technology, the fracturing fluids, after being pressurized using a ground fracturing pump, enter long boreholes in underground coal mines through ground penetrating wells and long distance pipelines, aiming to achieve fracturing with high injection rates of fracturing fluids. The suspension and transport patterns of proppants in long distance pipelines hold critical significance for optimizing parameters related to proppant adding and avoiding sand plugging in pipelines. This study evaluated the rheological properties and proppant carrying capacity of …

Dynamic Prediction Method Of Tunnel Water Inflow Based On Detailed Depiction Of Complex Geological Bodies, Du Yajun, Li Qingbo, Wan Weifeng, Yang Fengwei, Li Yazhe, Qian Hui

Coal Geology & Exploration

It is a challenge to accurately characterize the irregular geological bodies and underground structures such as inclined faults and inclined tunnels during the numerical simulation of tunnel water inflow prediction, and the prediction generally assumes that the tunnel excavation is completed instantaneously without considering the construction progress. A dynamic prediction method for tunnel water inflow based on precise characterization of complex geometric bodies was proposed by addressing the non-self-intersection and watertight issues required in the coupling process of three-dimensional (3D) geological models and 3D groundwater numerical models. Specifically, a sealed boundary interface of inclined tunnels, shafts, inclined faults and irregular …