Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Public Speaking Level 2: The Skill Of Storytelling And Persuasion, Tim Jensen

Purdue Road School

Building on “Public Speaking for Engineers and Public Officials,” this session will take it to the next level of public speaking. We will discuss and build skills of storytelling and persuasion and how it relates to people and public speaking.

Introduction Into Land Aquisition, James Hellmann, Jonathan Hughes

Purdue Road School

This discussion will give an overview of the laws on land acquisition, what the typical process looks like, and one community’s perspective on communication related to the process.

Reimagining Cherry Lane: A Road To Collaboration, Adam Keyster, Ben Anderson

Purdue Road School

Join us on a case study to learn how collaborative efforts between Purdue University and the City of West Lafayette created multimodal infrastructure through the realignment of Cherry Lane and supporting work. Presenters will discuss how this project is solving longstanding issues that the city and university have encountered over the years and how the community benefits from the implemented solution.

Demystifying Utility Coordination: Understanding The Basics, Josshe I. Palm

Purdue Road School

This session will explain utility coordination to non-utility coordinators. It will help educate others about the role and responsibilities of a utility coordinator, an OSA, easy UC and design mistakes to avoid, scope and design considerations, items commonly overlooked, when to coordinate SUE, and how to work with your UC to request a letting adjustment. We will also highlight UC submittals and allow time for questions about the UC’s role in a project’s success.

Stormwater Management In Flat Floodplains, Kari Mackenbach

Purdue Road School

Communities across the Midwest have experienced chronic stormwater drainage and increased flooding of roadways and structures. While adequate storm drainage seems to be lacking in many rural communities, steps can be taken to address some of the nuisance flooding that plagues many regions. Walnut Township commissioned a stormwater study that included the development of a 2D model to understand and mitigate flooding in their area.

Assessing The Performance Of Jatropha Curcas And Moringa Oleifera Conditioners Towards Improving Fecal Sludge Treatment For Agricultural Purpose, Doglas Benjamin1

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

been proposed as alternative solutions to replace chemical conditioners for fecal sludge (FS) treatment. However, their effectiveness in treating FS for safe agricultural use has not been thoroughly evaluated. The aim of this study was to assess the suitability of FS treated with Moringa oleifera and Jatropha Curcas conditioners for agricultural use. Physicochemical parameters Indexes, salinity and sodium hazard levels (Wilcox Diagram analysis), and removal efficiency of nutrients and pathogens were evaluated. Qualitative experiments were conducted using dewatering treatment chambers containing untreated control FS samples, FS treated with Moringa oleifera and Jatropha Curcas conditioners at the University of Dar es …

Sustainable Water Treatment Systems In The La Vega Region Of The Dominican Republic, Hannah Fulton, Justina Thomae, Jorge Del Angel, Ramin Ansari, Karina Peate, Rylan Elliott, Adam Spieth, Thalia May, Morgan Jung, Ernest R. Blatchley Iii, Rebecca C. Johnson

Graduate Industrial Research Symposium

Purdue University's service-learning course, Water Supply in Developing Countries (WSDC) is dedicated to ensuring access to safe drinking water in the La Vega region of the Dominican Republic. The focus in the current academic year is to enhance the functionality, sustainability, and independence of community-based water treatment systems installed by previous WSDC students. Despite the construction of four water systems since 2012, operational challenges ensued, rendering them currently inoperable. Our objective is to learn from past mistakes, restore the systems and ensure their continuous functionality. During the fall semester, class members assessed repair needs in two communities with existing systems, …

Analyzing Video And Isobus Data To Understand Risk And Safety Practices For Roadside Mowing, Nathan Sprague, Timothy Wiegman, J. T. Evans

Graduate Industrial Research Symposium

In Indiana, roadside mowing covers 11,200 miles, presenting significant risks. The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) seeks safer methods, including automated evaluations and autonomous robots. Analyzing 120 hours of video and ISOBUS data, we quantify mower interactions with the road and obstacles, finding mowers on -road up to 91% of the time in rural areas and 57% on highways. Key obstacles identified include signs and posts. This research aids in developing risk assessment models and safety evaluations, aiming to improve mowing safety and efficiency, and it supports future development of autonomous mowing technologies.

Integrating Eod And Readiness Competencies Into The Ce Cgo Competency Framework, Kristina L. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

In the last few years, the strategic focus of the United States defense posturing has shifted from legacy conflict in the Middle East to focusing on the Pacific with increased emphasis that Airmen must be educated and trained to deter or prevail in any conflict. To achieve this goal, the Department of Air Force (DAF) has evolved to utilizing a competency-based education framework with the Civil Engineer career field adopting this strategy and releasing the first version of their occupational competencies in 2020. However, DAF force posturing has evolved since 2020. With the new deployment system, Agile Combat Employment scheme …

Distributed Solar Generation: Current Knowledge And Future Trends, Gasser G. Ali, Islam H. El-Adaway

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Distributed solar generation (DSG) has been growing over the previous years because of its numerous advantages of being sustainable, flexible, reliable, and increasingly affordable. DSG is a broad and multidisciplinary research field because it relates to various fields in engineering, social sciences, economics, public policy, and others. Developing a holistic understanding of the state of research related to DSG can be difficult. Motivated to provide that understanding, the goal of this paper is to explore current and emerging multidisciplinary research trends associated with DSG. To achieve that, (1) a large data set of approximately 66,000 publications was collected; (2) the …

Modeling Recovery Of The Florida Electric Transmission Grid After Severe Weather Event, Wei B. Guan

Theses and Dissertations

Predicted changes to the climate are expected to increase the frequency and severity of extreme weather events. The Florida electric grid is a critical infrastructure system susceptible to severe weather events, especially hurricanes, causing widespread damage and outages. A foundational concept of the electric grid’s resilience is its ability to recover after extreme weather events, such as hurricanes and flooding. The recovery of the electrical grid after an extreme event is predicated upon the electrical asset's remoteness and the component's level of damage. Using fragility analysis, previous models have assessed the mean time to recover for transmission towers and substations …

Life Cycle Analysis Of Mobile Nuclear Reactor Compared To Other Alternative Fuels In Indopacom, Maria J. Hurtado

Theses and Dissertations

Energy is an item that makes the military vulnerable as it is something that they depend on the most which can have negative impacts. Mobile nuclear reactors are gaining the interest of many leaders in the military as a viable option of a potential alternative fuel source. There are many positives in utilizing mobile nuclear reactors in terms of environmental impacts and feasibility of transport. Studies have shown that mobile nuclear reactors can produce very low or negligible carbon emissions during operations. The focus of this thesis is to determine the environmental impacts of nuclear reactors, logistical requirements, and determine …

Effect Of Heavy-Duty Electric Vehicles On Tire–Pavement Contact Forces, Jaime Hernandez, Angeli Jayme, Johann J. Cardenas Huaman, Imad L. Al-Qadi

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Electric vehicles offer higher acceleration than conventional internal combustion engines due to larger engine torque. The design and placement of battery packs in heavy-duty electric vehicles are still being optimized, as they can affect axle load distributions and consequently impact pavement analysis and design. This study presents a finite element model of a dual tire assembly considering varying load and acceleration conditions to investigate the effect of conventional and electric heavy-duty vehicles on tire–pavement contact forces. Three scenarios for battery pack locations were examined, leading to six loading conditions for both internal combustion engines and electric trucks. The resulting 3D …

Building Services Engineering March/April 2024

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Thermal Insulation And Fire Protection Plaster For Frp System Incorporating Aerogel Nanoparticles And Phyllosilicates, Athnasious Ghaly

Theses and Dissertations

For more than two decades, new innovative materials have been introduced to the market such as nano materials that can be utilized for their high performance in different aspects of the construction industry. Structural repair and strengthening is one of the most demanding fields in the construction industry for innovative and high-performance materials due to its specialty. Time, quality, economy, and sustainability are the main factors that control this field, and for that, new systems keep being introduced to the market to reduce the time of repair and enhance its efficiency. Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRP) Systems are the most advanced …

Dynamics Of Nanocluster Aerosol In The Indoor Atmosphere During Gas Cooking, Satya S. Patra, Jinglin Jiang, Xiaosu Ding, Chunxu Huang, Emily K. Reidy, Vinay Kumar, Paige Price, Connor Keech, Gerhard Steiner, Philip Stevens, Nusrat Jung, Brandon E. Boor

Purdue University Libraries Open Access Publishing Fund

Nanocluster aerosol (NCA: particles in the size range of 1–3 nm) are a critically important, yet understudied, class of atmospheric aerosol particles. NCA efficiently deposit in the human respiratory system and can translocate to vital organs. Due to their high surface area-to-mass ratios, NCA are associated with a heightened propensity for bioactivity and toxicity. Despite the human health relevance of NCA, little is known regarding the prevalence of NCA in indoor environments where people spend the majority of their time. In this study, we quantify the formation and transformation of indoor atmospheric NCA down to 1 nm via high-resolution online …

Developing And Forecasting The Egyptian Construction Cost Index, Mayada Elsaied

Theses and Dissertations

Accurate cost estimation is pivotal for the success of construction projects, yet the industry grapples with challenges related to cost overruns. Uncertainties and unforeseen variables often introduce discrepancies, particularly during the planning phase. Economic changes, considered uncontrollable risks, significantly influence these fluctuations. Various research endeavors have quantified the impact of economic conditions on construction costs, emphasizing the correlation between economic indicators and project expenses. Addressing these challenges, the Construction Cost Index (CCI), a tool introduced by Engineering News Record (ENR), accurately delineates the correlation between economic changes and construction costs. Despite its global efficacy, an Egyptian Construction Cost Index is …

Reliability Improvement In The Traction System Of Tanzania Standard Gauge Railway, Yusufu Katuga

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

In recent years, many African governments have been developing Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) to replace the old after becoming absolute, inefficient Meter Gauge System (MGR) to carry more loads at high mileage and speed while combating the oil and environmental crises. With the increase of SGR, the amount of traction systems has grown sharply, the service life of the traction system has increased gradually, and the components of the vehicle traction system have become worn and aged as a result. While Tanzania is transitioning to SGR with its gradually increasing traction systems, reliability improvement becomes a key for the sustainability …

Absorbance Enhancement Of A Treated Tanzanian Kaolin For Removal Of Synthetic Dyes From Water, Samwel Paul Mziray

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

The absorbance efficiency of local kaolin clay from Tanzania (Pugu kaolin) has been enhanced to improve its utilization in removal of textile dyes from water. The clay was acid-activated using H2SO4, after calcination at 750oC. Characterization by XRF, XRD, ATR-FTIR and Porosimeter showed kaolinite [Al2Si2O5(OH)4], silica (SiO2) and microcline [KAlSi3O8] as the main phases. Upon acid treatment, silica increased from 44.18% to 58.81% due to the appearance of tridymite, and alumina decreased from 26.70% to 12.74% due to disappearance of the kaolinite. Surface area increased from 15.36 to 149.61 m2/g due to removal of acid-soluble impurities. The chemical composition showed …

Sustainability Of Simplified Sewer Systems: A Case Study Of Vingunguti Urban Settlement, Dar Es Salaam Region In Tanzania, Neema Kijazi

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

The universal access to safely managed sanitation remains one of the challenges to achieving the UN SDG target 6.2 in unplanned urban settlements including the Vingunguti area in Dar es Salaam City which is high-density populated. In an attempt to address this challenge, a simplified sewer system was piloted as an option for achieving safely managed sanitation in this particular area. The objective of this study was to assess the sustainability of the piloted simplified sewer system for its potentiality to up-scale and replication in areas with similar sanitation challenges in the country. Methodology involved collection of data on performance …

Buckling Behavior Of Thin Wall Stiffened Cylindrical Shells Through Ml Techniques, Fnu Tabish, Muhammad Hamza Karim, Rajesh Godasu, Iraj H.P Mamaghani

SDSU Data Science Symposium

Stiffened cylindrical shell buckling strength mainly depends on the geometric and stiffness properties. A detailed parametric study was conducted to investigate the influence of these properties on the stiffened aluminium cylindrical shell buckling strength. The proposed framework involves an integration of finite element method and various machine learning techniques. The dataset obtained from the eigenvalue buckling analysis of 350 numerical simulations using ANSYS workbench 2022; however, the FE simulation of ten ring-stiffened cylindrical specimens was initially substantiated by experimental work conducted in the literature. 350 sample specimens were categorized into seven groups based on the no. of stiffeners varying from …

Reliability-Based Analysis Of Horizontal Curve Design By Evaluating The Impact Of Vehicle Automation On Roadway Departure Crashes And Safety Performance, Omar Al-Sheikh, Seyed Hooman Ghasemi, Mohammad Jalayer

Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering Departmental Research

Roadway departure (RwD) crashes are significant safety concerns, especially at horizontal curves. The design of these curves plays a crucial role in mitigating RwD crashes. Thus, a thorough understanding of the interaction between driver behavior, vehicle automation, and geometric design is vital. Substantive safety, which emphasizes the inherent safety in a road's design and function, serves as the foundation of our approach. Building on this, the study employs a safe system approach to investigate the performance of horizontal curves under both non-automated and partially automated conditions, using a reliability-based analysis focusing on Stopping Sight Distance as the primary driver demand. …

Interdependencies Between Wildfire-Induced Alterations In Soil Properties, Near-Surface Processes, And Geohazards, Farshid Vahedifard, Masood Abdollahi, Ben A. Leshchinsky, Timothy D. Stark, Mojtaba Sadegh, Amir Aghakouchak

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The frequency, severity, and spatial extent of destructive wildfires have increased in several regions globally over the past decades. While direct impacts from wildfires are devastating, the hazardous legacy of wildfires affects nearby communities long after the flames have been extinguished. Post-wildfire soil conditions control the persistence, severity, and timing of cascading geohazards in burned landscapes. The interplay and feedback between geohazards and wildfire-induced changes to soil properties, land cover conditions, and near-surface and surface processes are still poorly understood. Here, we synthesize wildfire-induced processes that can affect the critical attributes of burned soils and their conditioning of subsequent geohazards. …

Containerization Of Seafarers In The International Shipping Industry: Contemporary Seamanship, Maritime Social Infrastructures, And Mobility Politics Of Global Logistics, Liang Wu

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation discusses the mobility politics of container shipping and argues that technological development, political-economic order, and social infrastructure co-produce one another. Containerization, the use of standardized containers to carry cargo across modes of transportation that is said to have revolutionized and globalized international trade since the late 1950s, has served to expand and extend the power of international coalitions of states and corporations to control the movements of commodities (shipments) and labor (seafarers). The advent and development of containerization was driven by a sociotechnical imaginary and international social contract of seamless shipping and cargo flows. In practice, this liberal, …

Quaternary Ammonia Compounds In Disinfectant Products: Evaluating The Potential For Promoting Antibiotic Resistance And Disrupting Wastewater Treatment Plant Performance, Zihao Lu, Anna K. Mahony, William A. Arnold, Christopher Marshall, Patrick J. Mcnamara

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are a class of compounds that were widely used as disinfectants during the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to be used as disinfecting agents. After consumer usage, QAC concentrations are diluted in wastewater as they enter wastewater treatment plants. At sub-inhibitory concentrations, QACs may have unintended repercussions, including increased antibiotic resistance and inhibition of process performance in wastewater treatment plants. This review first summarizes how QACs inhibit bacteria and then highlights the mechanisms by which QACs can promote antibiotic resistance in general. Reported environmental concentrations of QACs are compared to concentrations that are suspected to impact antibiotic …

Mechanical And Electromagnetic Properties Of Incorporating Graphene Oxide In Cementitious Mixtures, Cherif Khalil

Theses and Dissertations

This multidisciplinary study aimed at investigating the impact of incorporating graphene oxide (GO) on the mechanical properties and electromagnetic (EM) shielding effectiveness of cementitious mixtures, as well as critically examining the mechanism with which GO affects their microstructure properties. Analysis of the literature review showed that there are discrepancies in reporting the impact of GO on the mortar mix. Consequently, this study focuses on exploring the cause for such discrepancies and identifies three main factors which are thoroughly investigated. The factors were the different sonication energies applied to the GO (Shear Mixing, 1.5 kJ/ml, 3 kJ/ml and 6 kJ/ml), the …

Of Towers And Philosophy: How Interdisciplinarity Nurtures And Expands Capacity, Mario Calabretta

NEXUS: The Liberty Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies

No abstract provided.

Laboratory Evaluation Of Warm Mix Additives At Lower Than Traditional Compaction Temperatures, Abdelrahman Mahmoud Waheish Ali

Theses and Dissertations

The study aims to evaluate the impact of warm mix additives (WMA) on the rheological and performance properties of asphalt binders and mixtures. For this purpose, PG 76-28 and PG 58-28 were obtained with one organic (Sasobit Redux) and three chemical WMA (Rediset, Evotherm, and Zycotherm). All WMA-modified asphalt binders were aged at three different aging levels. Laboratory tests such as performance grade (PG), critical temperature differential (ΔTc), asphalt binder cracking device (ABCD), linear amplitude sweep test (LAS), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were performed. In addition to the binder testing plan, this study also evaluated the impact of …

Experimental Investigation On Flexural Behavior And Energy Absorption Of Lightweight Sandwich Panels With Aluminum Honeycomb Core Embedded By Thin-Ply Carbon-Glass Fibers/Epoxy Face Sheets, Reyhanehsadat Kazemian, Nader Fanaie, S. M. Saleh Mousavi-Bafrouyi, Juhyeong Lee

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Generally, designing lightweight and thin-walled structures with high mechanical performance is one of the challenging issues for mechanical and civil engineering sciences. To this aim, sandwich panels which have been designed and analyzed in present research include aluminum honeycomb core (H) and UD-thin-ply carbon (C)/glass fiber fabric (G) composite facings and investigated the effect of hybridization and stacking sequence on their static and dynamic mechanical properties while keeping thickness constant. Hybrid face sheets panels with three lay-up configurations of [G₂C₂G₂H̅]_s, [GCG₂CGH̅]_s, [CG₄CH̅]_s and non-hybrid configurations …

Improving Long-Term Flexible Pavement Performance In Louisiana: Effect Of Balanced Asphalt Mixture Design Method And Construction Techniques, Shasank Pant

LSU Master's Theses

Achieving long-term durability and sustainability in flexible pavement is a significant concern in highway infrastructure construction. State highway agencies (SHAs) have implemented various enhanced asphalt mixture design methods and construction practices to address this concern. With advancements in improved asphalt mixture design and construction practices, it is imperative to evaluate the long-term field performance of pavements. Therefore, this study assessed the long-term field performance of flexible pavements in Louisiana, considering enhanced asphalt mixture design methods and construction techniques.

The study consisted of two main sections. In the first section, the field performance of two projects was evaluated: asphalt mixture pavement …