Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

The Effect Of Pretreatment Methods On Methane Yield And Nutrient Solubilization During Anaerobic Digestion Of Microalgae, Alexander Scott Hill

Master's Theses

Microalgal biomass is a candidate feedstock for biofuel production. To improve the sustainability of algae biofuel production, following biofuel recovery, the biomass nutrients should be recycled for additional algae growth. Anaerobic digestion of algae or oil-extracted algae is a means of recovering carbon and other nutrients, while offsetting algae production electricity demand. The major limiting factor in microalgae digestion is the low biodegradability of the cell walls. In the present study, various pretreatment technologies were tested at bench scale for their ability to improve raw, non-lipid-extracted algae biodegradability, which was assessed in terms of methane yield, volatile solids destruction, and …

Lessons From The Green Lanes: Evaluating Protected Bike Lanes In The U.S., Christopher Monsere, Jennifer Dill, Nathan Mcneil, Kelly J. Clifton, Nick Foster, Tara Goddard, Mathew Berkow, Joe Gilpin, Kim Voros, Drusilla Van Hengel, Jamie Parks

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

This report presents finding from research evaluating U.S. protected bicycle lanes (cycle tracks) in terms of their use, perception, benefits, and impacts. This research examines protected bicycle lanes in five cities: Austin, TX; Chicago, IL; Portland, OR; San Francisco, CA; and Washington, D.C., using video, surveys of intercepted bicyclists and nearby residents, and count data. A total of 168 hours were analyzed in this report where 16,393 bicyclists and 19,724 turning and merging vehicles were observed. These data were analyzed to assess actual behavior of bicyclists and motor vehicle drivers to determine how well each user type understands the design …

Thermal Numerical Analysis Of Vertical Heat Extraction Systems In Landfills, Michael Thomas Onnen

Master's Theses

An investigation was conducted to determine the response of landfills to the operation of a vertical ground source heat pump (i.e., heat extraction system, HES). Elevated landfill temperatures, reported various researchers, impact the engineering performance of landfill systems. A numerical model was developed to analyze the influence of vertical HES operation on landfills as a function of climate and operational conditions.

A 1-D model of the vertical profile of a landfill was developed to approximate fluid temperatures in the HES. A 2-D model was then analyzed over a 40 year time period using the approximate fluid temperatures to determine the …

Physical Controls On Water Flow And Solute Transport In Coastal Aquifers, Xiaolong Geng

Dissertations

Groundwater flow and associated subsurface solute fates have a significant impact on the structure and productivity of near-shore coastal ecosystems. For proper assessment and management of these coastal groundwater resources, it is quite essential to investigate the key factors (tides, waves, evaporation, and freshwater recharge etc.) affecting coastal groundwater systems. The main objective of this study is to examine and quantify two important physical control factors, oceanic waves and evaporation, on the groundwater flow and solute transport in near-shore aquifers. For the investigation of wave effects, a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modeling tool, Fluent, is used to simulate wave- induced …

Field Methods For Rapidly Characterizing Contaminant Mobility In Paint Waste During Bridge Rehabilitation, Zhan Shu

Dissertations

Currently, the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) uses a conservative approach of classifying all paint waste as hazardous from bridges undergoing rehabilitation which were constructed before 1989. This practice stems from the fact that there is no approved reliable, fast, and efficient method for classifying paint waste in-situ as non-hazardous. The main objective of this study was to develop a model that can predict the leachability of trace metals in paint waste generated during bridge rehabilitation. A statistically significant number of bridge sites were sampled based on hypothesis testing. Samples were then evaluated for total concentration of Resource …

One-Dimensional Dynamic Modeling Of The Lower Mississippi River, Tshering T. Gurung

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The Mississippi River (MR) has been engineered with the development of the levee system, dams for flood control measures, jetties, revetments and dredging of the navigation channel. These alterations have reduced the replenishment of the sediment to the Louisiana Coastal area. To aid in the restoration planning, 1-D numerical models have been calibrated and validated to predict the river response to various changes such as channel modifications, varied flow conditions and hurricane situations. This study utilized the HEC-RAS 4.1 and the CHARIMA (Dr. Forrest Holly, University of Iowa). The models were calibrated for hydrodynamics and sediment using Tarbert Landing discharges …

A Framework For Air Dispersion Modeling – A Hypothetical Case Of Port Operations, Amrita Iyer

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

One of the primary modes for pollutants to reach the human body is through their release into the atmosphere and dispersion in the nearby areas. This makes air emissions one of the important components of an environmental assessment. They are frequently of interest to the people living in the vicinity of the site. The analysis carried out in this research provides a framework for atmospheric dispersion modeling of air pollutants using AERMOD, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) approved regulatory model, for modeling port related emissions. There are various sources of emissions from the ports, however for this …

A 3-D Hydrodynamic Modeling At Head Of Passes Of The Mississippi River, Tatiana Pavlyukova

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

A 3-D numerical model of the Head of Passes and Bird’s Foot Delta of the Mississippi River- was developed. The model was based on Delft3D and simulates the hydrodynamics and salinity transport for Head of Passes area from RM 6.5 to Gulf of Mexico. The model was calibrated, validated, and used to predict the response of the river to certain stimuli, such as - channel closures, channel modifications and diversions. The model includes West Bay, Southwest Pass, South Pass, Pass-A-Loutre and Main Pass. Three basic cases were developed: existing conditions, closure of Southwest Pass with a levee of 1.5m with …

3-D Hydrodynamic And Non-Cohesive Sediment Transport Modeling In The Lower Mississippi River, Grecia A. Teran Gonzalez

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to develop a 3-D numerical model on the Lower Mississippi River to simulate hydrodynamics and non-cohesive sediment transport. The study reach extends from Bonnet Carré Spillway (RM 127) to Head of Passes (RM 0). Delft3D with sigma coordinates was selected as the river modeling tool. This model River domain is characterized by a complex distributary system that connects the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico. The boundary conditions were: water levels in the Gulf and Head of Passes; and discharges upstream. For the calibration, there are observed data for both types of boundary …

Estimation Of Sediment Resuspension And Deposition In Coastal Waters, John E. Filostrat

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The Louisiana Gulf Coast is a dynamic system of heavy influence on the cultures that live and prosper around it. Land in this area is in jeopardy of being lost. In 2017, the Coastal Protection and Restoration agency will issue a new State Master and this thesis provides a more intricate way of numerically predicting the behaviors of associated sediments. A model for the estimation of resuspension and deposition is proposed and prepared for integration into the existing model. The silt and clay fractions of the bed sediment and the sediment inflow were modeled by the widely used hydrodynamic models …

Hydrodynamics And Salinity Of Pontchartrain Estuary During Hurricanes, Sina Amini

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

A hurricane is a combination of sustained winds, low atmospheric pressures and precipitation. Over the past decades, Louisiana has experienced several devastating hurricanes.

The east bank of the City of New Orleans is bounded by Lake Pontchartrain to the North and the Mississippi River to the South. Lake Pontchartrain is a brackish system connected to the Gulf of Mexico through Lake Borgne to the East. As a Hurricane enters the Estuary from the Gulf of Mexico, it imposes a sustained surge of a few meters which may lead to flooding in areas which are not protected by levees. These flood …

College Of Engineering Senior Design Competition Spring 2014, University Of Nevada, Las Vegas

Fred and Harriet Cox Senior Design Competition Projects

Part of every UNLV engineering student’s academic experience, the senior design project stimulates engineering innovation and entrepreneurship. Each student in their senior year chooses, plans, designs, and prototypes a product in this required element of the curriculum. A capstone to the student’s educational career, the senior design project encourages the student to use everything learned in the engineering program to create a practical, real world solution to an engineering challenge. The senior design competition helps focus the senior students in increasing the quality and potential for commercial application for their design projects. Judges from local industry evaluate the projects on …

An Evaluation Of The Use Of Composting Latrines And The Perceptions Of Excrement In Ngäbe Communities In Panama, Patricia Anna Marie Wilbur

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Engineers are exploring a new paradigm in wastewater treatment; focus is shifting to the recovery and reuse of energy, water, and nutrients. Ecological sanitation (EcoSan) technologies, which allow for this recovery and reuse, are an environmentally sound option for the future of sanitation. While the technology to achieve this goal of recovery and reuse exists, a limiting factor is user attitudes and perceptions. Social sciences, especially anthropology, can and should inform engineering projects to ensure socio-cultural sustainability.

Since 2003, rural indigenous Ngäbe communities in Panama have been implementing ecological sanitation projects, mainly double vault urine diverting (DVUD) latrines known as …

Management Of Water Resources In Shanshan, China: A System Dynamic Approach, Chao Chen, Zhixia Xu, Ajay Kalra, Sajjad Ahmad

College of Engineering: Graduate Celebration Programs

Shanshan County, located in Xinjiang, China, has severe problems of water scarcity, overexploitation of groundwater. In need of efficient water resources management strategies, this study proposes a System Dynamics (SD) approach to simulate the water resource allocation, which can assist in providing a better understanding of the dynamic water supply and demand system and exploring different water resources management and allocation scenarios.

Incorporating The Oceanic-Atmospheric Climate Variables To Enhance Streamflow Reconstruction Skill, Saria Bukhary, Parker Hill, Ajay Kalra, Sajjad Ahmad

College of Engineering: Graduate Celebration Programs

Streamflow is a vital source of water supply. Information about the historic streamflow helps understand the range of climate variability and develop sustainable water management strategies for the future. The available instrumental data is usually limited and thus might be insufficient to describe the long-term hydrologic patterns of a region. Streamflow reconstruction, by increasing the length of the hydrologic data, is an important tool to understand past hydrology.

Investigating Antibiotic Resistance Levels Of Salmonella Internalized In Lettuce Leaves, Jason B. Thomas

McNair Scholars Research Journal

Contamination of food crops by the human pathogen Salmonella is a food safety threat worldwide. Though using treated wastewater for irrigation is a sustainable practice, it may introduce trace levels of Salmonella that may contaminate food crops. Salmonella could develop resistance to antibiotics present in wastewater. The overall goal of the project is to increase the understanding of the public health risk associated with the use of treated wastewater to irrigate food crops. The objective of this particular study is to determine the antibiotic resistance level of Salmonella internalized in lettuce leaves. In this experiment, thirty-six plants of the lettuce …

Comparing Ferrous Chloride And Ferrous Sulfate As Secondary Coagulants At The Beaver Water District Drinking Water Treatment Plant, Jenny Doyle

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In November 2012, the Beaver Water District (BWD) switched primary oxidants from free chlorine to chlorine dioxide (ClO2) to curb formation of trihalomethanes, a regulated group of organic disinfection byproducts (DBPs). Because ClO2 is reduced to chlorite (ClO2-), a regulated inorganic DBP, BWD incorporated ferrous salt into their coagulation regime to quench chlorite to chloride. In this study, two ferrous salts - ferrous chloride (FC) and ferrous sulfate (FS) - were compared as secondary coagulants in combination with alum, the primary coagulant. Ferrous salts were dosed stoichiometrically to reduce chlorite and alum was dosed at percentages (0-100%) relative to a …

Biomass And Lipid Production Of Chlorella Protothecoides Under Heterotrophic Cultivation On A Mixed Waste Substrate Of Brewer Fermentation And Crude Glycerol, Xiaoyu Feng

All Theses

Biodiesel production using Chlorella protothecoides microalgae species has become an attractive topic due to the intense requirements of renewable energy in past decades. While, the expensive capital cost of the carbon and nitrogen substrates for algae growth is becoming a restrictive problem in this filed. In this study, heterotrophic cultivation of Chlorella protothecoides in the dark was conducted in 500mL shake flasks. Chlorella protothecoides growth in mixed substrate of brewer fermentation and biodiesel crude glycerol by-products containing a relatively high concentration of carbon and nitrogen was discussed and compared with that in microalgae basal medium which was supplied with 30 …

Organizational Accountability In The W.A.S.H. Sector: Integrating Sustainability Factors Into The Definition Of Success, Kaitlyn Jeanis

HIM 1990-2015

The world's poorest people, most of whom reside in under-developed nations, lack access to clean water and sanitation facilities, nutritious food, and education (UMP, 2005). These conditions are linked to malnutrition, disease, and low life expectancies (WHO). In an effort to reduce global poverty, the United Nations (UN) adopted the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Under Goal 7c the UN denotes that by 2015 the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation as compared to the proportion who do should be halved. As a response to this objective the international development (ID) sector has implemented projects aimed …

Evaluation Of Composting Of Municipal Solid Waste, J. Ryan Stebbins

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Millions of tons of organic waste are lost each year by being deposited in landfills instead of being composted. Composting would increase the life of landfills and reduce the loss of renewable resources. Current composting techniques take approximately 6 months to break down the organic components, such as yard trimmings and food waste. In addition, a large amount of area is required for the windrows piles. Recycling techniques help to separate organics, such as yard trimmings and food waste, from the municipal solid waste (MSW) stream for composting. However, these techniques are time consuming, costly, and not extensively practiced. Since …

Investigating The Physical Properties And Runoff Treatment Capability Of Pervious Concrete Containing Granular Activated Carbon, Mark Elias Elkouz

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

A current environmental concern is that of urban stormwater runoff, which can carry a multitude of contaminants and could threaten or impair surface waters. Pervious concrete (PC) is a type of concrete with significant void spaces that can facilitate infiltration and lead to less runoff. The EPA cites previous research to show that pervious pavement structures reduce such contaminants as metals and total suspended solids. Since Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) is a well-known contaminant adsorbent, the purpose of this research was to determine if PC with added GAC would result in improved runoff treatment, while still maintaining its material properties. …

Estimating Unsaturated Flow Properties In Coarse Conglomeratic Sediment, Michael James Thoma Jr.

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, I address the lack of knowledge of unsaturated flow in coarse, conglomeratic sediment by determining if functional θ-ψ-K relationships, specifically van Genuchten-Mualem (VGM) relationships, developed to predict unsaturated flow in relatively fine-grained sediment can be directly applied to coarse, conglomeratic sediment. In the summer of 2011, a field-scale infiltration test was conducted at the Boise Hydrogeophysical Research Site to determine if functional ψ-θ-K relationships could be applied to infiltration in coarse, conglomeratic sediment, and to estimate parameter values for the VGM relationships. Vertically and laterally distributed ψ(t) and θ( …

Increasing Storm Tides In New York Harbor, 1844–2013, Stefan A. Talke, Philip M. Orton, David A. Jay

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Three of the nine highest recorded water levels in the New York Harbor region have occurred since 2010 (March 2010, August 2011, and October 2012), and eight of the largest twenty have occurred since 1990. To investigate whether this cluster of high waters is a random occurrence or indicative of intensified storm tides, we recover archival tide gauge data back to 1844 and evaluate the trajectory of the annual maximum storm tide. Approximately half of long-term variance is anticorrelated with decadal-scale variations in the North Atlantic Oscillation, while long-term trends explain the remainder. The 10 year storm tide has increased …

Density Functional Theory Study Of The Thermodynamics Of Catalytic Remediation Of Nitrate In Water, Lizzie Bollmann

All Theses

Over 1 billion people worldwide lack access to safe drinking water and 5,000 people die each day due to drinking contaminated water. With the development of new industries, new substances and chemicals are entering the waters every day, and the current water treatment processes are unable to remove them entirely. For example, agriculture is the world's heaviest consumer of water, and nitrates and nitrites from fertilizers are washed away with the water to rivers and streams. These chemicals can cause problems to humans and to the environment. To humans, they can cause methemoglobinemia, also known as 'blue baby syndrome'. To …

Adsorption Of Synthetic Organic Chemicals: A Comparison Of Superfine Powdered Activated Carbon With Powdered Activated Carbon, Semra Bakkaloglu

All Theses

In literature, manufacturer-supplied powdered activated carbon has been ground to produce submicron particles with mean diameter lower than 1µm for use as an adsorbent during water treatment. Superfine powdered activated carbon (SPAC) can be used for removal of natural organic matter as well as synthetic organic chemicals (SOCs) from water. It has been suggested that SPAC has higher adsorption capacity than powdered activated carbon (PAC) due to larger external surface area and mesopore volume. Another advantage of SPAC over PAC is the faster uptake rate for both NOM and SOC during adsorption owing to small particle size. Therefore, understanding SPAC …

Scalable, Solar Powered Membrane-Based Water Purification Systems For Community Development In Developing Countries, Yung Wong

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

This manuscript style thesis presents a community development model developed at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) to deliver sustainable water purification systems and originate a companion micro-business to sell excess clean water in communities in Haiti. Since 2010, students and faculty from ERAU have partnered with strategic partners to not only provide clean water to their in-country operations but also provide an opportunity for economic growth through a clean water selling micro-business. Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) training is also implemented to aid in community buy-in. Lessons learned from the history of foreign aid to developing countries is taken into account …

Algae: Opportunities For Biomass Feedstock Production, Wastewater Treatment And Educational Outreach, Trina Cassandra Halfhide

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Algae are a diverse group of simple organisms that lack roots, stems or leaves and are able to use sunlight, carbon dioxide, and nutrients to produce complex compounds, such as carbohydrates, proteins and lipids. These compounds, especially lipids, are highly sought-after by agricultural, nutraceutical and energy interests. Although there is great potential for algae derived biofuels, there are technical and economic challenges associated with their cultivation. Relevant to this dissertation, the environmental impacts associated with algae cultivation can be reduced by using municipal and agricultural wastewaters as a water and nutrient source. This research was divided into three sections to …

Assessing The Impacts Of Unrestricted Pesticide Use In Small-Scale Agriculture On Water Quality And Associated Human Health And Ecological Implications In An Indigenous Village In Rural Panam[Aacute], Sarah Louise Watson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In 2014, the global pesticide industry's projected worth is $52 billion and by 2020, the developing world will make up one-third of the world's chemical production and consumption. Pesticides can have unintended negative consequences for human health and the environment, especially in the developing world where regulations are loose or nonexistent. One country with unrestricted use of pesticides is Panam[aacute], especially in Santa Rosa de Cucunatí. In this indigenous village, small-scale farmers and ranchers spray paraquat, glyphosate, picloram, and 2,4-D at higher elevations than the spring water source of a gravity-fed water system, the river, and the village. The objective …

Drinking Water In The Developing World: Sources Of Fecal Contamination In Pitcher Pump Systems And Measurement Alternatives, Meghan Wahlstrom

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

It has been reported that globally we have achieved Millennium Development Goal (MDG) Target 7C, to halve the proportion of the population without access to safe drinking water; however, there is a major flaw with this statement. While Target 7C calls for access to `safe' drinking water, what is actually being measured and reported is access to an `improved' water source. The World Health Organization (WHO) maintains that they must use this proxy measure because the methods for water quality testing are too expensive and logistically complicated, but by doing so, they may be over reporting safe water coverage.

This …

A System Dynamics Approach To Integrated Water And Energy Resources Management, Yilin Zhuang

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Water and energy are two of the most important resources for societal prosperity and economic development. It is clear that water and energy are intrinsically linked together and depend on one another in modern society. To date, however, efforts on water-energy nexus concentrate on quantifying the energy use in water cycle or the water use in energy production. From management perspective, water and energy are still managed separately. Little work has been done to investigate the impacts of the management options associated with one resource on the other and examine the integrated water and energy management options. Accordingly, the overall …