Engineering Commons^™

Evaluation Of Spatially-Distributed Snowpack Estimation Using Pattern Recognition, Cheng-Hua Leu

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A procedure for spatially-distributed snowpack estimate is proposed and evaluated herein. This procedure is divided into two parts, off-line and on-line parts. The off-line procedure uses Fuzzy c-Varieties (FCV) algorithms to perform the watershed classification based on Landsat TM data and a digital elevation model and estimate influence coefficient for all pixels in the watershed. Through the concept of influence coefficient, a set of prototypical points can be selected and located. The on-line procedure estimates snowpack properties at these prototypical points and then transforms them to estimates of snowpack properties at any point in the watershed. To effectively evaluate this …

A Hydrological Characterization Of A Zero-Order Basin In Volcanic Hillslope Terrain, Neil A. Mock

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Hydrologists have displayed a renewed effort towards understanding the complexity of runoff generation and its association with basin structure. Basin structure is defined as the complex geomorphological, vegetation, and soil characteristics that make up and distinguish the physical nature of a drainage basin. Zero-order basins are an integral part of watershed structure because they furnish the capacity to store and transmit snowmelt and rainfall. By definition, zero-order basins are sub-basins which are depressions in the surf ace and shallow bedrock topography. This study involves a space time characterization of a zero-order basin in fractured media located in southwest Idaho.

The …

Architectural Considerations For Photonic Switching Networks, Harvard S. Hinton

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Photonic technologies are reviewed that could become important components of future telecommunication systems. Photonic devices and systems are divided into two classes according to the function they perform. The first class, relational, refers to devices, that map the input channels to the output channels under external control. The second class, logic, perform some type or combination of Boolean logic functions. Some of the strengths and weaknesses of operating in the photonic domain are presented. Relational devices and their applications are discussed. Optical logic devices and their potential applications are reviewed.

Great Salt Lake Interisland Diking: Water Quality Considerations, John I. Blandamer, William J. Doucette, Ryan R. Dupont, Anthony W. Grover, James Herrick, Jean M. Ihnat, Joan E. Mclean, Michael W. Nath, Samuel R. Rushforth, Judith L. Sims, Ronald C. Sims, Wayne A. Wurtsbaugh

Reports

No abstract provided.

Friction Factor Tests On High Density Polyethylene Pipe, Steven L. Barfuss

Reports

No abstract provided.

Great Salt Lake Interisland Diking: Water Quality Considerations, Executive Summary, Utah Water Research Laboratory, J. P. Riley, J. I. Blandamer, W. J. Doucette, R. R. Dupont, A. W. Grover, J. Herrick, J. M. Ihnat, J. E. Mclean, M. W. Nath, S. R. Rushforth, J. L. Sims, R. C. Sims, W. A. Wurtsbaugh

Reports

No abstract provided.

Stochastic Interpolation Of Precipitation Data From Multiple Sensors, D. J. Seo, A. Azimi-Zonooz, D. S. Bowles, W. F. Krajewski, C. J. Duffy, K. P. Georgakakos, T. H. Lee

Reports

Introduction: This report summarizes the work conducted under Grant No. ECE-8419189, "Stochastic Interpolation of Precipitation Data from Multiple Sensors," which was awarded to Utah State University in September, 1985, and completed February 29, 1988. it also covers work under a supplemental award made in February, 1986. The final report is organized into four sections. The following section presents the objective of the research and a brief problem statment. Section 3 contains a summary of second-year work including the project team, work plan, work completed, and publications. In Section4, project conclusions are summarized. A summary of on-going future work is given …

Human Health Effects Assays, Ronald C. Sims, J. L. Sims, R. R. Dupont

Biological Engineering Faculty Publications

Environmental health risk assessments based upon animal study results, epidemiology, quantitative structure activity relationships (QSARs), dose-response relationships, risk perception, and expert systems approaches, and the evaluation of mechanisms of carcinogenesis represent the focus for 1987. The term "biological risk assessment" was discussed by Clayson¹ to describe that part of risk assessment concerned with the relevance of specific animal results to the induction of human cancer. Guidelines for health assessment of suspect developmental toxicants addressed evaluation of data from animal testing studies.² Animal toxicity data on 200 chemicals and epidemiologic data on 30 chemicals was included within a data …

Biological Transformation And Detoxification Of 7,12-Dimethylbenzanthracene In Soil, K. Park, Ronald C. Sims, W. J. Doucette, J. E. Matthews

Biological Engineering Faculty Publications

Biological transformation and detoxification of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anathracene (DMBA) were studied in a nonacclimated sandy loam soil. Parent 14C DMBA biodegraded extensively (62% to 20%), accompanying an increase of metabolite 14C fraction (4% to 53%). Incorporation of DMBA into non extractable soil residue ,4C increased from 12 to 17%, but the increase was not statistically significant. DMBA was transformed into several metabolic products in the soil system, including 4-hydroxy-, 5-hydroxy-, and 10-hydroxy-DMBA and 7,12-dihydro 12-methyl-7-methylene-benz(a)anthracene-12-ol. High polarity transformation products of DMBA demonstrated a negative mu tagenic response with the Ames mutagenicity assay, strain TA 100, for both low and neutral pH soils. …

Fate And Transport Of Organics In Soil: Model Predictions And Experimental Results, B. D. Symons, Ronald C. Sims, W. J. Grenney

Biological Engineering Faculty Publications

Laboratory batch reactors were used to generate quantitative information about the fate of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon (PNA) compounds in soil systems. First-order degradation rates and equilibrium partition coefficients determined in laboratory studies were used in the Vadose Zone Interactive Processes (VIP) mathematical model to predict the fate and behavior of the PNA compounds as a function of time and soil depth. Predicted model results were compared with independent laboratory soil column studies for model validation. The VIP model provided a good approximation of the degradation and transport of the seven PNA compounds evaluated after 6 months of incubation in soil. …

Vilma (Virtually Interactive Large Scale Model For Arkansas), Rosalinda R.A. Cantiller, Richard C. Peralta

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

This user’s guide supports the use of VILMA (Virtually Interactive Large-scale Model for Arkansas). This document presents the basic concepts in Chapter I. Chapter II discusses the execution steps that the user follows during a VILMA session. Chapter III provides a detailed illustration of example data files. Chapter IV presents two example VILMA sessions. Finally, Chapter V elaborates on additional concepts. The Appendices consist of relevant program listings, instructions, and example files. In this user’s guide, the word "interactive" means the user enters his responses to the prompts that appear on a computer terminal while he is logged on to …

Surface And Thin Film Analysis Of Microelectronics Materials, Harland G. Tompkins

Scanning Microscopy

The use of probing techniques in the analysis of microelectronics materials is discussed in general and several examples are presented to illustrate the use of these techniques. The emphasis of this paper is for using electrons as the probing particles and both electrons and x-rays as the analyzed particles to deal with analysis of microelectronics materials. The first example involves the interaction of titanium and silicon dioxide. It is shown that when titanium is sputter deposited onto silicon dioxide, the titanium reduces a small amount of the oxide to elemental silicon at the interface. The second example shows how a …

Effects Of Hysteresis With Air Entrapment On Water Flow In The Unsaturated Zone, Jagath J. Kaluarachchi, J. C. Parker

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Effects of hysteresis with air entrapment on water content and head distributions, surface fluxes, and water balance components are investigated by finite element simulations of flow in one- and two-dimensional spatial domains. Results of one-dimensional analyses indicate that effects of hysteresis are markedly influenced by surface boundary conditions and to a lesser extent by initial conditions. Stipulation of flux-controlled boundary conditions results in minimal hysteretic effects, while potential-type boundary conditions produce substantial deviations between hysteretic and nonhysteretic simulations. The latter effects are attributable in large part to differences in surface conductivity associated with air entrapment. Predicted water content distributions for …

Computational Aspects Of Chance‑Constrained Regional Modeling, R. R.A. Cantiller, Richard C. Peralta

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

A methodology that incorporates the stochasticity of an aquifer parameter in a chance-constrained steady-state groundwater management model is presented. Results and computational aspects of the modeling effort are discussed.

Development Of Linear Water Quality Constraints For Optimal Groundwater Management, Richard C. Peralta, J. Solaimanian, S. A. Prathapar, C. L. Griffis

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Proposed is a procedure for incorporating solute transport as linear constraints within computer models for optimizing regional groundwater extraction strategies. . MODCON procedure uses linear goal programming. embedded linearized equations for flow and solute transport. and MOC simulation model. Assumed is 20 flow and solute transport. and a dispersed conservative contaminant.

Expert Potentiometric Surface Modification For Groundwater Contaminant Management, R. L. Ward, Richard C. Peralta, J. R. Brashar

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

An expert system is linked to an previously reported optimization program. The expert system prompts the user for information about a groundwater contamination problem. The expert system determines whether pumping is a suitable containment strategy. If appropriate. it selects several well arrangements to be evaluated by an optimization algorithm.

Maximizing Reliable Crop Production In A Dynamic Stream/Aquifer System, Richard C. Peralta, K. Kowalski, R. R.A. Cantiller

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Reliable production of a dynamic stream/aquifer system is determined through an implicitly stochastic optimization model. Adequate representation of the inflow process and dynamic modeling of the stream/aquifer system results in optimum crop yield at specified reliability levels. Results include optimal spatial and temporal allocation of groundwater and diverted river water use. These can be used for planning cropping patterns and evaluating potential diversion systems.

Development Of A Combined Quantity And Quality Model For Optimal Unsteady Groundwater Management, Richard C. Peralta, J. Solaimanian, C. L. Griffis, S. A. Prathapar

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Presented is a procedure for incorporating solute transport as linear constraints within computer models for optimizing regional groundwater extraction strategies. The MODCON modelling procedure uses linear goal programming, embedded linearized equations for flow and solute transport and a MOC simulation model. Assumed is 20 flow and solute transport and a dispersed conservative contaminant. The MODCON procedure develops steady groundwater extraction strategies that will satisfy future groundwater quality constraints while simultaneously causing future piezometric heads to be as close to current heads as possible. The procedure is applied to a 160 square mile area in southeastern Arkansas.

An Application Of The Finite Element Method And Two Equation (K And E) Turbulence Model To Two And Three Dimensional Fluid Flow Problems Governed By The Navier-Stokes Equations, John I. Finnie

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Finite Element computer codes in two and three dimensions were written that solve both laminar and turbulent flow. These codes use the two equation (k and E) turbulence model to evaluate turbulent viscosity. They were tested with 29 different flow problems. The largest two dimensional turbulent problem solved is flow under a sluice gate. A three dimensional vortex flow problem was attempted but was not feasible due to the size of the available computer. The Harwell sparse matrix subroutines of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority were used to solve the set of simultaneous equations. The performance of these subroutines …

Performance And Design Of Labyrinth Spillway, Nosratollah Amanian

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In recent years, the general interest in the safety of dams and reservoirs has grown appreciably. This research describes the application and design of labyrinth weirs to improve the performance of existing reservoirs and also to be used for the construction of new dams. The parameters that can affect the performance of labyrinth weirs are discussed. Tests were conducted on normal linear weirs with four different crest shapes to determine the rate of change of discharge coefficient when each type of weir is used. It is found that weirs with rounded-crest shape can pass more flow than other types of …

Highway Drain Depth And Soil Stability, Mizher Al-Himdani

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The presence of moisture in the soil reduces its shear strength. After the rain or snowmelt, the high percentage of moisture in the subgrade of highway, causes the instability resulting into failure of the highway due to high water table. Therefore, it is essential to install a drainage system to remove the excess moisture from the subgrade of highways to avoid its failure.

In the present study, six different soil samples have been studied to observe its failure by triaxial shear strength and corresponding moisture content was noted. The tension applied to remove moisture was converted to equivalent drain depth. …

Finite Element Analysis Of Water Flow In Variably Saturated Soils, Jagath J. Kaluarachchi, J. C. Parker

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

A two-dimensional Galerkin finite element model for water flow in variably saturated soil is presented. A fourth-order Runge-Kutta time integration method is employed which allows use of time steps at least 2 times greater than for a traditional finite difference approximation of time derivatives. For short total simulation times computer execution costs for the Runge-Kutta method are greater than for the finite difference approximation due to the start up cost of the Runge-Kutta method, but for longer simulation times the Runge-Kutta method requires considerably less computational effort even when automatic time-step adjustment is used with the finite difference procedure. A …

Bear River Water Quality: Phosphorus Control And The Impacts Of Exchanging Water With Willard Reservoir, Darwin L. Sorensen, Craig Caupp, Kenneth W. Barker, Jean M. Ihnat

Reports

No abstract provided.

Engineering Treatment Of Hazardous Wastewaters Utilizing Dye-Sensitized Photooxidation, Betty-Ann Naeger, R. Ryan Dupont, William M. Moore

Reports

Studies were conducted to determine the applicability of photooxidation for the degradation of selected hazardous and refractory organic compounds. These photochemical oxidation reactions occur through the transfer of energy from electronically excited sensitizer molecules which attain excited states by absorbing visible light energy. Optimum conditions for photooxidation were established based on sensitizer concentration and reaction pH for four polynuclear aromatic pollutants. The rate of photooxidation was found to be independent of the initial substrate concentration for methylene blue-sensitized reactions, and dependent on substrate concentration for solutions without a sensitizing dye. Photolysis of substrate mixtures established acridine and anthracene as photochemically …

Expected Water Surface Levels For The Great Salt Lake, L. Douglas James

Reports

Flooding at the Great Slat Lake could become a major disaster through the high cost of coping with the rising level, sudden collapse of protective levees, failure of pumping to the West Desert to induce increased evaporation, or, fiscally, by a rapid drop in the lake level just after a large protective decision making in the private sector, provide for the design of hydrologically safe levees, and optimize pumping schemes for moving water within a partitioned lake. Doing so will require crossing major theoretical frontiers in the study of basin scale hydrology in an arid climate and for forecasting extreme …

Groundwater Resources Of The Virgin River Basin In Utah, Calvin G. Clyde

Reports

The Division of Water Resources is conducting a study of further water development in the Virgin River Basin. This report examines the effects of groundwater development as a part of the overall study. The study area includes about 1000 square miles in the Central Virgin River Basin east of the Hurricane Fault. The deeply incised Virgin River has cut a youthful drainage network with deep canyons and steep escarpments and drains out of southwest Utah across Arizona to Lake Mead in Nevada. A basin-wide geologic map emphasizing groundwater features has been prepared from available reports. Outcrops of the principal sedimentary …

A Mathematical Model For The Fate Of Hazardous Substances In Soil: Model Description And Experimental Results, W. Greeney, C. Caupp, Ronald C. Sims

Biological Engineering Faculty Publications

A mathematical model (VIP) was developed and implemented for evaluating the fate of a hazardous substance in the unsaturated zone of the soil. The model simulates vadose zone processes including volatilization, degradation, adsorption/desorption, advection, and dispersion. Four physical phases in the vadose zone are considered including water, oil, soil grains, and soil-pore air (unsaturated pore space). The Vadose Zone Interactive Processes (VIP) model is appropriate for sites under RCRA and CERCLA (Superfund) categorization since site-specific soil-waste processes affecting transport of hazardous chemicals through the vadose zone are incorporated in the model. A RCRA land treatment system was chosen as the …

The Rate Of Benzo[A]Pyrene Apparent Loss In A Natural And Manure Amended Clay Loam Soil, M. P. Coover, Ronald C. Sims

Biological Engineering Faculty Publications

A study was conducted to evaluate the rate of Benzo[a]pyrene apparent loss from a previously uncontaminated agricultural clay loam soil and to determine the effect of cow manure, as organic substrate amendment, on B[a]P apparent loss. Soil microcosms were spiked with 10 μg/g B[a]P and incubated at 20°C. Triplicate sets of microcosms were periodically removed from incubation and solvent extracted. Concentrations of B[a]P in the soil were determined by HPLC analysis of the extracts. Under the conditions of this study manure was an ineffective amendment for increasing the rate of B[a]P apparent loss in the Durant clay loam soil. In …

Human Health Effects Assays, Ronald C. Sims, J. L. Sims, R. R. Dupont

Biological Engineering Faculty Publications

Health risk assessment of individual environmental chemicals, risks of drinking water supplies, methods for evaluating toxicity, and structure-activity relationships and response-surface methodology represent the focus for 1986. A report of the Steering Committee on Identification of Toxic and Potentially Toxic Chemicals for Consideration by the National Toxicology Pro gram found that, for the majority of substances they examined, data essential for human health hazard assessment were lacking.¹ Milestone publications concerning human health effects aspects include works by Mortelmans et al,² Busch et al,³ Hartman et al,⁴ Rein,⁵ Gentile,⁶ Hodgson,⁷ and Tagashira and Omura. …

The Effect Of Temperature On Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Persistence In An Unacclimated Agricultural Soil, M. P. Coover, Ronald C. Sims

Biological Engineering Faculty Publications

A laboratory study was conducted to investigate the effect of temperature on the persistence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) incubated in an unacclimated agricultural sandy loam soil. Soil microcosms were spiked with 16 priority pollutant PAHs and placed in incubation chambers at 10, 20, and 30°C. Triplicate sets of microcosms at each temperature were periodically removed from incubation over the 240 day study period and solvent extracted. Concentrations of PAHs in the soil were determined by HPLC analysis of the extracts. Substantial loss of three-ring compounds was observed at all temperatures whereas there was very little apparent loss of five …