Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

3d Hydrodynamic Model Development And Verification, Hussein A. M. Al-Zubaidi

Civil and Environmental Engineering Master's Project Reports

A three-dimensional numerical model was developed to simulate hydrodynamic, temperature, and water quality distributions in rivers and lakes. In an attempt to get rid of the extra approximation and complexity, no coordinate transformation has been done and z-coordinate system has been employed. The governing equations are the continuity equation, free surface equation, momentum equations, and conservation equations of temperature and water quality. The model employs the time splitting technique which allows splitting the directions in which we end with two-dimensional governing equations and eventually the solution ends with a tri-diagonal matrix, which is easily solved by Thomas algorithm. The first …

Use Of Laboratory Geophysical And Geotechnical Investigation Methods To Characterize Gypsum Rich Soils, Raghava A. Bhamidipati

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

Gypsum rich soils are found in many parts of the world, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. Most gypsum occurs in the form of evaporites, which are minerals that precipitate out of water due to a high rate of evaporation and a high mineral concentration. Gypsum rich soils make good foundation material under dry conditions but pose major engineering hazards when exposed to water. Gypsum acts as a weak cementing material and has a moderate solubility of about 2.5 g/liter. The dissolution of gypsum causes the soils to undergo unpredictable collapse settlement leading to severe structural damages. The damages incur …

Phytoforensics Tools: The Degradation And Detection Of Chlorinated Solvents In Integrated Systems, Tommy J. Goodwin Jr.

Masters Theses

"Due to decades of mismanaged pollutants entering groundwater, subsurface pollution of various compounds has become a widespread challenge. Chlorinated solvents are the most common groundwater contaminants that persist in aquifers, and remediation of these wide-spread plumes is difficult. Bioremediation, permeable reactive barriers, and phytoremediation are remedial technologies that have been developed and applied to chlorinated solvents in groundwater systems. This study integrates these technologies in different combinations to demonstrate the remediation potential of this approach. Zerovalent iron (ZVI) and bioaugmentation with a Dehalococcoides sp. (DHC) culture were applied separately and in combination for degradation of perchloroethene (PCE). Salix pentandra were …

Imaging Reinforced Concrete: A Comparative Study Of Ground Penetration Radar And Rebarscope, Abhishek Kodi

Masters Theses

"Geophysical techniques have been playing a very vital role in subsurface imaging in the recent past. Technology has been making it both reliable and convenient to utilize non-destructive geophysics techniques like Ground Penetration Radar, Induction current based Rebarscope, Seismic methods, ERT, etc. The applications range from shallow subsurface investigation of Bridge decks to old tunnels, mapping of rabars in a pre-existing construction and analyzing the concrete strength.

The thesis constitutes of a comparative study and analysis of a Ground Penetration Radar system and a Rebarscope. Individual parameters obtained directly from the study and obtained indirectly from the study shall be …

National Evaluation For Development And Exploration Potential Of Mineral Commodities In Produced Waters, Stephanie Ray

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The U.S. Geological Survey recently updated a geochemical database consisting of data for approximately 160,000 produced waters samples, primarily from petroleum and geothermal reservoirs. Using major and trace elements from conventional and unconventional well types from the database, this Thesis provides a comprehensive, national evaluation for mineral commodity potential in produced waters. Produced waters contain virtually every naturally occurring element and can range in salinity to several times that of seawater. Despite the typical outlook to view produced waters as a waste, they have potential for natural resource development.

This Thesis provides, for each mineral commodity found in the produced …

Estimated Grass Grazing Removal Rate In A Semiarid Eurasian Steppe Watershed As Influenced By Climate, Xixi Wang, Shohreh Pedram, Tingxi Liu, Ruizhong Gao, Fengling Li, Yanyun Luo

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Grazing removal rate of grasses needs to be determined for various climate conditions to address eco-environmental concerns (e.g., desertification) related to steppe grassland degradation. The conventional approach, which requires survey data on animal species and heads as well as grass consumption per individual animal, is too costly and time-consuming to be applied at a watershed scale. The objective of this study was to present a new approach that can be used to estimate grazing removal rate with no requirement of animal-related data. The application of this new approach was demonstrated in a Eurasian semiarid typical-steppe watershed for an analysis period …

Evaluation Of Low-Cost Low Impact Development Practices In Southwest Florida For The Control Of Urban Runoff, Laura Kathren Rankin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Stormwater management is required due to development and alteration of the natural environment. It is heavily regulated in Florida and at the national level. Over the last two decades, Low Impact Development (LID) has been promoted as a sustainable and environmentally friendly method of controlling urban runoff. Case studies, provided in Chapter 2, show that LIDs can restore watershed hydrology by balancing the water budget. The difference in runoff between pre-development and post-development appears to increase with soil perviousness. However, the potential for mitigating the impacts of urbanization through runoff reduction is also greater for pervious, sandy soils that dominate …

Evaluation Of First Order Error Induced By Conservative-Tracer Temperature Approximation For Mixing In Karstic Flow, Philippe Machetel, David A. Yuen

Sinkhole Conference 2015

Fluid dynamics in karst systems is complex due to the heterogeneity of hydraulic networks that combine the Porous Fractured Matrix (PFM) and the interconnected drains (CS). These complex dynamic systems often need to be treated as “black boxes” in which only input and output properties are known. In this work, we propose to assess the first-order error induced by considering the temperature as a conservative tracer for flows mixing in karst (fluvio-karst). The fluvio-karstic system is treated as an open thermodynamic system (OTS), which exchanges water and heat with its surrounding. We propose to use a cylindrical PFM drained by …

Building Codes To Minimize Cover Collapses In Sinkhole-Prone Areas, George Veni, Connie Campbell Brashear, Andrew Glasbrenner

Sinkhole Conference 2015

Cover- collapse sinkholes are forming with increasing frequency under buildings. Analyses of sinkhole distribution in Beacon Woods, Florida, preliminarily indicate their occurrence is an order of magnitude greater in urban versus undeveloped areas, suggesting the structures themselves are enhancing the collapse process. The most likely causes are induced recharge via at least one of two sources. First, runoff and drainage from roads, structures, and impoundments that is not adequately dispersed will promote sinkhole development. Second, leaking water, sewer, and septic systems beneath or adjacent to a structure will also promote collapse. The process of cover-collapse from induced recharge is well …

A Method Of Mapping Sinkhole Susceptibility Using A Geographic Information System: A Case Study For Interstates In The Karst Counties Of Virginia, Alexandra L. Todd, Lindsay Ivey-Burden

Sinkhole Conference 2015

Karst terrain is landscape underlain by limestone that has been chemically dissolved by acidic groundwater, producing subsurface voids that pose risks for sinkholes if the overlaying soils can no longer support their own weight and collapse. The western counties of Virginia are heavy in karst due to their natural, geographic boundary of the western Ridge Province and the eastern Blue Ridge Mountain Range. As a result, the Commonwealth of Virginia Hazard Mitigation Plan recommends that the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) develop a method to determine the roadways and regions most susceptible to experiencing sinkholes, in an effort to reduce …

Down The Rabbit Hole: Identifying Physical Controls On Sinkhole Formation In The Uk, Tamsin Green

Sinkhole Conference 2015

Heavy precipitation in the UK in February 2014 induced ground subsidence and consequently a rapid increase in the frequency of sinkhole occurrences. These new sinkhole collapses emphasise the need to further analyse the causes of the increased occurrence by investigating the relative importance of various surficial factors. Malham and the Mendips are two areas of particular interest, since both are underlain by limestone bedrock and are susceptible to subsidence. This is due to limestone being primarily permeable in joints, and so it dissolves to form an extensive network of karstic caves. It was therefore useful to compare two sites of …

Successful Foundation Preparations In Karst Bedrock Of The Masonry Section Of Wolf Creek Dam, David M. Robison

Sinkhole Conference 2015

Extensive foundation preparations during construction of the Wolf Creek Dam concrete masonry section precluded the need for additional rehabilitation to mitigate seepage through karstic limestone bedrock. Wolf Creek Dam on the Cumberland River in southern Kentucky has become well known for karst related seepage issues underneath the embankment section, and yet has had little to no seepage issues associated with the concrete masonry portion of the dam. Post-construction efforts to control seepage underneath the embankment began in 1967 and 1968. Emergency grouting commenced and continued through 1970. Between 1975 and 1979 a more permanent solution of a concrete diaphragm cut-off …

Pre-Construction Rock Treatment And Soil Modification Program Using Low Mobility Grout To Mitigate Future Sinkhole Development In A 2,787.1 Square Meter (30,000 Sf) Maintenance Facility, Steven W. Shifflett

Sinkhole Conference 2015

The US Army required construction of a 2,787.1 square meters (30,000 sf) maintenance facility supported on shallow foundations at the Fort Campbell Military Installation. During the subsurface investigation a seven foot air-filled void was encountered in the bedrock within the building footprint. Electrical Resistivity Imaging (ERI) was conducted in an attempt to determine the lateral extent of the encountered void and to establish the general prevalence of karst features at the site. Due to uncertainty in the subsurface conditions, a rock treatment and soil modification program was developed which consisted of a series of targeted exploratory grout holes advanced in …

Monitoring The Threat Of Sinkhole Formation Under A Portion Of Us 18 In Cerro Gordo County, Iowa Using Tdr Measurements, Kevin O'Connor, Matthew Trainum

Sinkhole Conference 2015

Sinkhole formation is a common occurrence in northeast Iowa, and U.S. 18 in Cerro Gordo County was constructed over an area where sinkhole formation had only been locally known. It had not been recorded or identified in the Iowa DNR database at the time. Since 2004, sinkholes have developed along the right of way. Geophysical surveys contributed very little in the identifying the cause. However a Soil Survey (drilling program) identified numerous voids within carbonate bedrock. The soil borings indicated that shale overlying the carbonate rock has been removed/eroded, and resulted in the development of a karst subsurface through the …

Seeps And Springs At A Platteville “Observatory” On The River Bluffs, Bj Bonin, Greg Brick, Julia R. Steenberg

Sinkhole Conference 2015

Residential building construction along the Mississippi River bluffs in the 1970s created a unique enclosed outcrop of the Late Ordovician Platteville Formation at Lilydale, Minnesota. This outcrop was examined in early 2013 after a newly-formed spring flooded an elevator shaft the previous year, drawing attention to the foundation conditions. The Lexington Riverside property is a six story condominium complex constructed within the top of the bluff. A two-level underground parking garage was built into the bluff. Bedrock was mechanically excavated to accommodate the construction of the building, creating an unweathered rock surface. The space between the structure and the excavated …

Karst Spring Cutoffs, Cave Tiers, And Sinking Stream Basins Correlated To Fluvial Base Level Decline In South-Central Indiana, Garre A. Conner

Sinkhole Conference 2015

The Mitchell Aquifer averages 80m in thickness and underdrains a karst region in the Crawford Upland and Mitchell Plateau region in south-central Indiana (110,000 km2). The Springville Escarpment is a transitional boundary between the upland and plateau. Cave stream linking between cave tiers in the aquifer and correlation of cave tier inception horizons to a base level decline surface is interpreted for the Kirby Watershed, encompassing the prekarst headland of Indian Creek (42km2). The watershed was severed from lower Indian Creek at Eller Col by limestone cavern drainage on the ridge between White River and East Fork. Correlation of recharge …

Tracer Studies Conducted Nearly Two Decades Apart Elucidate Groundwater Movement Through A Karst Aquifer In The Frederick Valley Of Maryland, Keith A. White, Michael K. Cobb, Thomas Aley, Ethan Weikel

Sinkhole Conference 2015

A pair of groundwater tracer studies at a single karst test site were completed 18 years apart. The results of these studies have provided evidence of both relatively rapid advective transport via conduits and an extreme capacity for dye storage and retardation. The tracer results, coupled with other subsurface investigation data, are used to develop a conceptual model for groundwater movement through this karst aquifer in the Frederick Valley of Maryland, as well as identify implications for remediation. Three fluorescent tracer dyes used in the initial study were detected in several background monitoring locations established for the second study conducted …

Integration And Delivery Of Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar [Insar] Data Into Stormwater Planning Within Karst Terranes, Brian Bruckno, Andrea Vaccari, Edward Hoppe, Scott Acton, Elizabeth Campbell

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

As part of two USDOT-funded studies focused on the development of satellite-based Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) technology, the researchers integrated InSAR-derived point cloud data into the transportation design process to optimize the location of a stormwater management system in a karst terrane. After initial validation, the InSAR data (over 1.67 million data points comprising various “scatterers”) were brought into a GIS dataframe and georeferenced to locations of known sinkholes. This dataset was then used to evaluate karst hazard within a 40x40km data frame located in the Valley and Ridge Province of Virginia. The group identified systematic kinematic differences in …

Mitigating The Risk Of Extreme Water Scarcity And Dependency: The Case Of Jordan, Joep F. Schyns, Arwa Hamaideh, Arjen Y. Hoekstra, Mesfin Mekonnen, Marlou Schyns

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

Jordan faces great internal water scarcity and pollution, conflict over trans-boundary waters, and strong dependency on external water resources through trade. This paper analyzes these issues and subsequently reviews options to reduce the risk of extreme water scarcity and dependency. Based on estimates of water footprint, water availability, and virtual water trade, we find that groundwater consumption is nearly double the groundwater availability, water pollution aggravates blue water scarcity, and Jordan’s external virtual water import dependency is 86%. The review of response options yields 10 ingredients for a strategy for Jordan to mitigate the risks of extreme water scarcity and …

Spatial Variability Of Subsurface Soil Conditions Causing Roadway Settlements, Ömer Bilgin, Kevin Arens, Mark Salveter, Alexander Dettloff

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Engineering Mechanics Faculty Publications

Settlement of problematic soils constituting the roadway subgrade may result in pavement distress and structural failure, requiring periodic pavement patching and resurfacing. Many of these problems occur as a result of the settlement of soft cohesive and organic soils. Due to the extent of roadway projects and the limited frequency of boring locations, spatial variability of subsurface soil conditions, and sometimes due to an inadequate extent of exploration, these problematic soils may not be identified suitably during subsurface explorations. An extensive subsurface exploration program was implemented for detailed characterization of subsurface conditions for a relatively short section of an existing …

Multi-Component Active Source Rayleigh Wave Analysis, Gabriel Gribler

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Determining how a building site will respond to earthquake ground shaking plays a critical role in proper construction practices. One critical constraint on how a site responds is the near surface shear wave seismic velocity distribution. One commonly used method for indirectly estimating shear wave velocities is Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW), which utilizes a spread of vertical geophones to measure Rayleigh wave dispersion. With this approach, phase velocity vs. frequency dispersion curve picks can be used to estimate shear wave velocities with depth. I investigate the use of two (vertical and horizontal inline) component seismic signals to record …

A Multivariate Modeling Approach For Generating Ensemble Climatology Forcing For Hydrologic Applications, Sepideh Khajehei

Dissertations and Theses

Reliability and accuracy of the forcing data plays a vital role in the Hydrological Streamflow Prediction. Reliability of the forcing data leads to accurate predictions and ultimately reduction of uncertainty. Currently, Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) models are developing ensemble forecasts for various temporal and spatial scales. However, it is proven that the raw products of the NWP models may be biased at the basin scale; unlike model grid scale, depending on the size of the catchment. Due to the large space-time variability of precipitation, bias-correcting the ensemble forecasts has proven to be a challenging task. In recent years, Ensemble Pre-Processing …

Evaluating Global Sensitivity Analysis Methods For Hydrologic Modeling Over The Columbia River Basin, Maysoun Ayad Hameed

Dissertations and Theses

Global Sensitivity Analysis (GSA) approach helps to identify the effectiveness of model parameters or inputs and thus provides essential information about the model performance. The effects of 14 parameters and one input (forcing data) of the Sacramento Soil Moisture Accounting (SAC-SMA) model are analyzed by using two GSA methods: Sobol' and Fourier Amplitude Sensitivity Test (FAST). The simulations are carried out over five sub-basins within the Columbia River Basin (CRB) for three different periods: one-year, four-year, and seven-year. The main parameter sensitivities (first-order) and the interactions sensitivities (second-order) are evaluated in this study. Our results show that some hydrological processes …

Interdisciplinary Modeling For Water-Related Issues Graduate Course, Laurel Saito, Alexander Fernald, Timothy Link

All ECSTATIC Materials

The science and management of aquatic ecosystems is inherently interdisciplinary, with issues associated with hydrology, atmospheric science, water quality, geochemistry, sociology, economics, environmental science, and ecology. Addressing water resources issues in any one discipline invariably involves effects that concern other disciplines, and attempts to address one issue often have consequences that exacerbate existing issues or concerns, or create new ones (Jørgensen et al. 1992; Lackey et al. 1975; Straskraba 1994) due to the strongly interactive nature of key processes (Christensen et al. 1996). Thus, research and management of aquatic ecosystems must be interdisciplinary to be most effective, but such truly …

Using A High Altitude Balloon Platform To Observe And Measure Seasonal Ozone Flux Over Agricultural Landscapes, Cody Sabo

2017 Academic High Altitude Conference

The concentration of greenhouse gasses (GHGs) in the atmosphere has continued to rise since the industrial era. This issue has had a multitude of negative impacts on all living things. Among the major GHGs are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. Ozone is of particular importance because it not only has the ability to trap heat in the atmosphere, but it also directly impacts organisms by causing harm to both plants and humans. The damage that ozone causes to plants is most closely linked to ozone uptake rather than ozone concentration. So, measuring ozone uptake is becoming critical for …

Slides: Wrapping Up The Big Horn Adjudication: Lessons After 38 Years And 20,000 Claims, Ramsey L. Kropf

Innovations in Managing Western Water: New Approaches for Balancing Environmental, Social and Economic Outcomes (Martz Summer Conference, June 11-12)

Presenter: Ramsey L. Kropf, Deputy Solicitor for Water Resources, Office of the Solicitor, U.S. Department of the Interior

34 slides

Slides: Food Production: Technical Challenges In Agricultural Water Conservation, Perry Cabot

Innovations in Managing Western Water: New Approaches for Balancing Environmental, Social and Economic Outcomes (Martz Summer Conference, June 11-12)

Presenter: Dr. Perry Cabot, Research Scientist and Extension Specialist, Colorado Water Institute, Colorado State University

35 slides

Agenda: Innovations In Managing Western Water: New Approaches For Balancing Environmental, Social, And Economic Outcomes, University Of Colorado Boulder. Getches-Wilkinson Center For Natural Resources, Energy, And The Environment

Innovations in Managing Western Water: New Approaches for Balancing Environmental, Social and Economic Outcomes (Martz Summer Conference, June 11-12)

Many aspects of western water allocation and management are the product of independent and uncoordinated actions, several occurring a century or more ago. However, in this modern era of water scarcity, it is increasingly acknowledged that more coordinated and deliberate decision-making is necessary for effectively balancing environmental, social, and economic objectives. In recent years, a variety of forums, processes, and tools have emerged to better manage the connections between regions, sectors, and publics linked by shared water systems. In this event, we explore the cutting edge efforts, the latest points of contention, and the opportunities for further progress.

Slides: Moffat Collection System Project, Travis Bray

Innovations in Managing Western Water: New Approaches for Balancing Environmental, Social and Economic Outcomes (Martz Summer Conference, June 11-12)

Presenter: Travis Bray, Project Manager, Moffat Collection System Project, Denver Water

45 slides

Slides: Ag Water Sharing: Legal Challenges And Considerations, Peter D. Nichols

Innovations in Managing Western Water: New Approaches for Balancing Environmental, Social and Economic Outcomes (Martz Summer Conference, June 11-12)

Presenter: Peter D. Nichols, Esq., Partner, Berg, Hill, Greenleaf and Ruscitti, Boulder, CO

25 slides