Engineering Commons^™

Profess 12 – Project Report Pr3: Briefing Document For Co-Creation Exercise, Una Beagon, Margaret Morgan, Ruchita Jani, Brian Bowe

Reports

This document was prepared as a guide for co-creation exercises which are carried out with students to help design the PROFESS 12 Summer School. The briefing document has been prepared with information on how the co-creation exercise (in the form of a 2 hour workshop) will be facilitated and also includes background material which can be issued to students to prepare them for the event.

Sustainable Phone Housing, Jonah Milnor

All Undergraduate Projects

Most commercially available smartphones posed a challenge to consumers due to the use of adhesives, which not only served to seal out dust and water but also hindered repairability and hardware replacement. Drawing inspiration from successful smartwatch designs employing gaskets for water resistance, this project aimed to adapt such design principles to the smartphone form factor.

Utilizing SolidWorks for design and subsequent 3D printing and CNC machining for prototyping, 3D models of a smartphone housing were crafted. The objective was to attain a level of water and dust resistance equivalent to that of model smartphones, utilizing sealing methods equivalent to …

Evaluation Of Hydrophobic Materials For Stabilizing Expansive Soils, Suman Shrestha

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

The swelling and shrinkage of the expansive soil as a response to moisture change is one of the significant challenges posed to infrastructure projects. The significant economic damage that is caused by the expansive soil, as well as its abundance in nature, has prompted various scientists and engineers all around the world to actively search for new and improved methods for stabilizing it. Various traditional methods, such as lime and cement treatment, have been used extensively to stabilize expansive soils and mitigate their harmful effects on the infrastructure. Although these methods are quite often effective and various studies have been …

Stabilization Of Expansive Soil Using Geopolymers From Locally Available Resources, Anand Puppala, Miladin Radovic, Nripojyoti Biswas, Sopharith Chou, Oscar Huang

Data

Traditional calcium-based stabilizers are generally used to stabilize native expansive soils that are often found throughout Region 6. Due to their high carbon footprint, many studies are being conducted to identify a suitable green alternative for stabilizing expansive soils. Geopolymer (GP) received a lot of attention in the past few decades owing to its similar properties to that of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) yet with a lower carbon footprint. Previous studies have shown that metakaolin-based GP is an effective stabilizer to stabilize expansive soils. This study investigated the feasibility of stabilizing native expansive soils with GP synthesized with locally sourced …

Advancing Environmental Engineering: The Role Of Artificial Intelligence In Sustainable Solutions - A Short Review, Amirreza Talaie, Hesam Kamyab, Ashkan Razmfarsa

Management Faculty Publications

Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force in environmental engineering, offering innovative solutions to complex environmental challenges. From air pollution monitoring and water resource management to waste management, climate change mitigation, and ecological preservation, AI is revolutionizing the way we address environmental issues. Machine learning, neural networks, and other AI technologies are enabling more accurate predictions, optimizing resource use, and improving conservation efforts. However, despite its many advantages, AI also faces challenges such as data availability, energy consumption, ethical concerns, and the need for transparency. This review explores the diverse applications of AI in environmental engineering, highlighting the …

Sustainable Materials For Environment − Multifunctional Material Made From Dead Leaves And Nanostructured Materials For Antibiotic Degradation, Siyuan Fang

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

As environmental pollution from industrial processes and human activities continues to rise, finding efficient approaches to recycle waste materials and degrade persistent contaminants becomes increasingly critical. Dead leaves, an abundant but underutilized biomass, present an opportunity for creating value-added materials if their biocomponents can be preserved and transformed. Simultaneously, antibiotics such as tetracycline are widely found in water bodies but pose serious ecological and health risks, necessitating effective degradation methods. This dissertation addresses these challenges by leveraging natural and nanostructured materials to develop multifunctional products and advanced photocatalytic processes.

Chapter 3 of this dissertation addresses the challenge of converting waste …

Digitalization Of Railway Transportation Through Ai-Powered Services: Digital Twin Trains, Salih Sarp, Murat Kuzlu, Vukica Jovanovic, Zekeriya Polat, Ozgur Guler

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Digitalization is a key concept that transformed the various industries through technologies like Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Digital Twin (DT). Although innovations provided by the advancement of digitalization have paved the way for more efficient operations and products for transportation, the rail transportation sector struggles to keep up with the rest of the transportation industry, since trains are designed to last for decades, and the insufficient infrastructure investment leads to multiple railroad derailments across the globe. Therefore, the primary aim is to transform current railway systems into human-centric, adaptable, sustainable and future-proof networks, aligning with Industry …

Exploring Natural Raw Materials For The Development Of Hot Melt Adhesives For Linings Of Paintings, Erica Factor

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Natural raw materials will be explored for developing hot melt adhesives for the lining of paintings. The leading raw material is a natural resin called "Damar". This resin is obtained from the tree family Dipterocaupocea in India and Southeast Asia. This material has shown promising results from initial testing. Damar, with the potential for other natural raw materials, will be combined with synthetic ingredients to create sustainable formulations. The formulations will be tested on linen to replicate the application onto paintings. The sustainability, tackiness, texture, and overall performance of each formula will be considered. Once a formulation has been selected, …

Building Services Engineering January/February 2024

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Immersive Visualization In Infrastructure Planning: Enhancing Long-Term Resilience And Sustainability, Dalya Ismael

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Infrastructure decisions today significantly impact future generations' quality of life, especially as severe storms and rising sea levels increasingly threaten communities across the United States. Decision-makers at all levels, including those involved in disaster prevention and response, must address climate change. However, those in infrastructure design and construction often prioritize immediate gains over long-term resilience. Engineering teams typically employ decision tools to manage complexity, but these methods may not highlight the long-term consequences of their choices. This study tests whether integrating Virtual Reality (VR) technology with engineering decision-making tools, can enhance engineers’ ability to visualize the future impacts of their …

Stabilization Of Expansive Soil Using Geopolymers From Locally Available Resources, Anand Puppala, Miladin Radovic, Nripojyoti Biswas, Sopharith Chou, Oscar Huang

Publications

Traditional calcium-based stabilizers are generally used to stabilize native expansive soils that are often found throughout Region 6. Due to their high carbon footprint, many studies are being conducted to identify a suitable green alternative for stabilizing expansive soils. Geopolymer (GP) received a lot of attention in the past few decades owing to its similar properties to that of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) yet with a lower carbon footprint. Previous studies have shown that metakaolin-based GP is an effective stabilizer to stabilize expansive soils. This study investigated the feasibility of stabilizing native expansive soils with GP synthesized with locally sourced …

Investigating The Potential Of Blended Feedstocks For Biofuel Production Via Pyrolysis Process: Experimental And Aspen Simulation Approach, Hasan Jawad Hammood Al-Abedi

Doctoral Dissertations

"The development of renewable energy sources has become increasingly urgent considering the climate crisis and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Pyrolysis, which is decomposition of an organic feedstock without oxygen, is a thermo-chemical process that has garnered significant attention as a promising technology for sustainable energy production, capable of converting biomass and waste materials into biofuels.

The primary objective of this study is to investigate the pyrolysis and co-pyrolysis behaviors of corn stover (CS), refuse-derived fuel (RDF), and oil shale (OS) in equal mass ratios. Utilizing a thermogravimetric analyzer and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), the co-pyrolysis process is …

Energy And Empowerment In The High Arctic, Alyssa Pantaleo

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

National governments continue to depend on fossil fuels for electricity and heat generation in Arctic communities. This dependence threatens the economic, environmental, and cultural sustainability of Arctic communities and subjects them to future volatility and uncertainty. In Greenland, the centralized government structure creates additional challenges for northern communities by limiting the inclusion of local knowledge and priorities in favor of national, standardized solutions. This research identifies pathways towards fossil fuel reduction in northern Greenlandic communities via 1.) analyzing the potential for renewable energy inclusion in grid-scale or residential energy generation and 2.) analysis of the potential for energy reduction in …

Service-Learning In Action: Lafayette, Indiana, Rain Garden Installation, Elizabeth Mccleery

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

Indiana’s Wabash River is being polluted with contaminated water runoff from precipitation events. A lack of pervious land cover has led to an accumulation of fertilizer, sediment, and waste in the river. Green infrastructure, a stormwater management practice that mimics the natural ecosystem, is one of the most effective ways to prevent pollution from stormwater runoff and benefit the community. This project consisted of a rain garden installation at the Lafayette Fueling Station, a site where frequent water drainage and water runoff into the Wabash occurs. The rain garden will allow on-site water infiltration during rain events and promote natural …

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, …

Economy Of Scale Of Energy Intensity In Aquifer Storage And Recovery (Asr), Alyson Haley Rapp

Theses and Dissertations

More water utilities are adopting Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) to balance long-term water supply and demand. Due to large implementation and operation costs, ASR projects need to be optimized, particularly for energy use, which is a major operating expense. This study examines the relationships among energy use, recharge, and recovery at two ASR projects in the western United States. The major finding is an economy of scale for recovery processes, but not for gravity-fed recharge processes. The economy of scale found is as follows: the energy intensity recovered decreases with volume. This suggests it is more energy-efficient to recover …

An Integrated Neutrosophic Approach For The Urban Energy Internet Assessment Under Sustainability Dimensions, Walaa M. Sabry

Neutrosophic Systems with Applications

The urgent issue of climate change has resulted in an increasing preoccupation with the transition to low-carbon energy. The urban energy internet (UEI) enables the efficient utilization of renewable energy via the integration of contemporary energy grids, smart energy services, and cyber-physical systems. Consequently, the assessment of urban energy is vital for the construction of low-carbon cities. This study intends to provide an integrated decision-making approach for addressing assessment challenges related to UEI, with a focus on sustainability. The introduced approach adopts the opinions of three experts to express their opinions through semantic terms in evaluating sustainability factors and evaluating …

Covid-19 And The Chemical Industry: Impacts, Challenges, And Opportunities, Hossein Abedsoltan

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The COVID-19 pandemic imposed unparalleled challenges for the chemical industry, leading to disruptions in supply chains and demand dynamics. This period of crisis tested the adaptability and resilience of global chemical companies. Despite the challenges, the chemical industry exhibited remarkable innovation, collaboration, and adaptability. It demonstrated its capacity to respond swiftly and effectively to societal needs. Key lessons emerged, emphasizing the importance of diversifying supply chains, implementing scenario planning, and embracing digitalization for enhanced preparedness. As the world progresses toward recovery, the chemical industry is poised to leverage the valuable lessons learned. Industry 4.0 adoption, agile decision-making, and collaborative efforts …

A Multi-Objective Stochastic Programming Model For Resilient And Sustainable Supply Chains Under Uncertainty, Mohammad H. Majdfaghihi

Dissertations

Supply chain resilience (SCRES) and sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) have garnered significant attention in the field of Supply Chain Management (SCM) science. This heightened interest is largely attributable to the increasing frequency and severity of uncertainty and disruptions in global supply chains. Resilience is a beneficial approach to managing uncertainties and preparing for and mitigating the adverse consequences of Supply Chain (SC) disruptions. Sustainability is a key concept in SCM, driven by governmental regulations and heightened stakeholder and customer concerns for environmental and societal well-being. Studies on SCRES have traditionally focused on preparing for and reacting to disruptions and …

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 …

An Integrated Neutrosophic Approach For The Urban Energy Internet Assessment Under Sustainability Dimensions, Walaa M. Sabry

Neutrosophic Systems with Applications

The urgent issue of climate change has resulted in an increasing preoccupation with the transition to low-carbon energy. The urban energy internet (UEI) enables the efficient utilization of renewable energy via the integration of contemporary energy grids, smart energy services, and cyber-physical systems. Consequently, the assessment of urban energy is vital for the construction of low-carbon cities. This study intends to provide an integrated decision-making approach for addressing assessment challenges related to UEI, with a focus on sustainability. The introduced approach adopts the opinions of three experts to express their opinions through semantic terms in evaluating sustainability factors and evaluating …

Viscosity Of Adsorbent Slurries For Washcoating Applications, Nitish Chauhan

Theses and Dissertations

The viscosity of adsorbent slurries is pivotal in understanding their rheological behavior, yet, the research on adsorbent slurry viscosity has been limited. This study addresses this gap by analyzing porous and non-porous solutes' behavior in solvents and then applying it to the washcoating adsorbents on ceramic substrates. By examining MIL-101 (Cr), glass beads, silica nanoparticles, and Titania, the study aims to comprehend the viscosity variations of each solute in the solvents, water and ethanol. A key observation from this study was the significant role of wetting in determining viscosity, as initial results found that MIL-101 (Cr) exhibited the highest viscosity …

Digital Construction Annual Survey 2022 Report, Davitt Lamon, Ted Mckenna

Reports

The Annual Survey 2022 was conducted to assess the state of digital transformation in the Irish construction and built environment sector. This report presents the analysis of survey data, with a focus on implications for the Build Digital project and Build Digital’s five pillars: Digital Leadership & Cultural Change, Digital Standards, Digital Education & Training, Digital Procurement, and Sustainability & Circular Economy. Key findings from the survey indicated that a significant number of organisations have started their digital transformation journey, with many identifying themselves as proactive and possessing a clear business-focused strategy. However, a considerable cohort of respondents are keen …

International Information Management And Bim Best Practice Report, Ted Mckenna, Davitt Lamon

Reports

In order to inform the Digital Leadership and Cultural Change pillar of the Build Digital, a study of international best practice in digital adoption within the built environment sector globally was undertaken and is presented here-in. In order to identify key learnings for Ireland in the context of digital transformation, eight countries were included in this study, namely, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Germany, United Kingdom (UK), New Zealand, Australia and Singapore. These countries were selected for various reasons, including the level of digital maturity, the scale of the built environment sector and geographic spread. Key data for each country is included …

Sustainability And Circular Economy Horizon Scan And Needs Analysis, Sadaf Dalirazar, Mark Kelly, Derek Sinnott, James O'Donnell

Reports

The construction industry plays a crucial role in addressing the climate crisis as it is the largest global consumer of raw materials and contributes significantly to global energy consumption and emissions. Considering the world’s continuous population growth and the imperative to address infrastructure and housing demands the construction sector needs to adopt further sustainable strategies in its activities to reduce the pressure on natural resources. In addition, the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) sector is responsible for generating substantial amount of waste known as Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW), which is projected to increase due to the future construction developments. …

Information Management And Bim Standards And Supports Inventory, Ryan Dempsey, Barry Mcauley, David Burke

Tools

The Digital Standards pillar consists of industry experts who champion the benefits of common rules, guidelines, and workflows that facilitate the improvement of information flow and information management across asset life cycles. Digital standards provide a common language that can be translated to technical specifications enabling clients, designers, contractors, and facilities managers, irrespective of their preferred tools, to communicate efficiently and reduce cost, rework, and disputes. Working closely with the Digital Procurement and Digital Education and Training pillars, this pillar is developing and delivering Irish Information Management/BIM (Digital Construction) guidelines for the sector.

This report summarises existing digital construction standards, …

A Definition Of Reliable Water Supply For Public Water Systems, Easton Hopkins

Theses and Dissertations

"Reliable water supply" does not have a universal definition in Utah, or the Western United States, where water resources are limited and such a definition would be especially useful. Utah's three water agencies and 500 public water systems have no consistent method to define, evaluate, and report it, potentially leading to an inability to meet regulatory water demands. We propose a unified definition of reliable water supply for Utah's public water suppliers that can also be used elsewhere. The qualitative definition we propose is necessary to precede quantitative evaluations, set policy, and provide consistency to water resources management in Utah. …

Profess 12: Project Report Pr4: The Profess 12 Summer School Toolkit, Una Beagon, Margaret Morgan, Ruchita Jani, Rosalind M Henry, Janet Mckennedy, Brian Bowe

Reports

This document forms part of the PROFESS 12 Summer School Toolkit for engineering educators as a component of Work Package 3 in the HEA funded PROFESS 12 (PROFessional skills for Engineering students - Summer School to achieve SDG 12) Project.

This handbook outlines the pedagogical background to the design of the Summer School and describes in detail the components of each session, outlining the aims and objectives, teaching and learning activities and links to resources or templates as required. Educators are encouraged to provide feedback or additional relevant resources to the project team for inclusion as alternative options.

A student …

A Guide To Navigating Existing And Emerging Sources Of Local Vmt And Travel Data, So-Ra Baek, Dohyung Kim

Mineta Transportation Institute

As the crisis of climate change looms, transportation policy in California continues to emphasize sustainability in land-use and transportation decisions. This report evaluates the implementation of two sustainability-focused policies (Senate Bill 375 and 743) by local governments and the current-state-of-the-practices by metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) in assisting them in California. The research focuses on local governments’ access and use of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and transportation data for achieving VMT and greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction by land-use planning. The research also examines the role of MPOs in providing needed transportation data, training, and technical support to its local members to …

Building Services Engineering November/December 2023

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.