Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Proximal Remote Sensing: An Essential Tool For Bridging The Gap Between High-Resolution Ecosystem Monitoring And Global Ecology, Zoe Amie Pierrat, Troy S. Magney, Will P. Richardson, Benjamin R. K. Runkle, Jen L. Diehl, Xi Yang, William Woodgate, William K. Smith, Miriam R. Johnston, Yohanes R. S. Ginting, Gerbrand Koren, Loren P. Albert, Christopher L. Kibler, Bryn E. Morgan, Mallory Barnes, Adriana Uscanga, Charles Devine, Mostafa Javadian, Karem Meza, Tommaso Julitta, Giulia Tagliabue, Matthew P. Dannenberg, Michal Antala, Christopher Y. S. Wong, Andre L. D. Santos, Koen Hufkens, Julia K, Marrs, Atticus E. L. Stovall, Yujie Liu, Joshua B. Fisher, John A. Gamon, Kerry Cawse-Nicholson

Civil and Environmental Engineering Student Research

A new proliferation of optical instruments that can be attached to towers over or within ecosystems, or ‘proximal’ remote sensing, enables a comprehensive characterization of terrestrial ecosystem structure, function, and fluxes of energy, water, and carbon. Proximal remote sensing can bridge the gap between individual plants, site-level eddy-covariance fluxes, and airborne and spaceborne remote sensing by providing continuous data at a high-spatiotemporal resolution. Here, we review recent advances in proximal remote sensing for improving our mechanistic understanding of plant and ecosystem processes, model development, and validation of current and upcoming satellite missions. We provide current best practices for data availability …

Immersive Modeling Of Water Banking Elicits Local Knowledge To Explore Strategies To Get More Water To Great Salt Lake, Hadia Akbar, David E. Rosenberg

Civil and Environmental Engineering Student Research

This study used immersive online collaborative modeling of water banking to explore strategies to get more water to the declining Great Salt Lake (GSL). In a model session, each collaborator immersed in a water user role. They articulated a strategy to consume and bank water. Then they adapted their strategy in response to their available water, others’ choices, and the real-time discussion of choices. Collaborators included 29 farmers, ranchers, practitioners, and experts. Collaborators who personified agricultural users had the most varied strategies. They balanced economic viability, long-term sustainability, and land preservation. Pricing water was challenging, with prices ranging from $15 …

Data For: Examining The Impacts Of Demographics, Individual Experiences, And Perceptions On Range Anxiety And Electric Vehicle Road Trips, Joshua Ward, Patrick A. Singleton, Antje Graul, Zane Regan

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Electric Vehicle Road Trip Study: These data contain anonymized responses to a survey designed to investigate the experiences, perceptions, barriers, and opportunities identified by electric vehicle (EV) drivers regarding road trips to recreational areas (like national parks) and for recreational activities.

Comparing Recovery Volumes Of Steady And Unsteady Injections Into An Aquifer Storage And Recovery Well, Saeid Masoudiashtiani, Richard C. Peralta

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) can involve injecting available surface water into an unconfined aquifer and then extracting it to provide secondary water for irrigation. This study demonstrates a method for evaluating the appropriateness of steady injection versus unsteady injection for an assumed situation. In design, it can be important to affect the transient: the proportion of the injected water that would be subsequently extracted (versus that remaining in the aquifer) and the proportion within the extracted water that would be an injectate (versus ambient groundwater). These proportions can be predicted from the predicted value of an ASR well's Recovery …

Designing A Robust Lab Scale Electrocoagulation Reactor For Removal Of Micro- And Nanoplastics From Drinking Water, Emmanuel Louis Aduhene

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

The widespread occurrence of micro and nanoplastics in drinking water sources could cause serious public health issues. These plastics particles, products of industrial operations and weathering of larger plastics, can interact with other contaminants in the environment, leading to more severe environmental pollution. Present drinking water treatment technologies were designed to remove suspended colloids. However, due to the distinct chemical and physical properties of micro and nanoplastics from conventional colloids, it is challenging for traditional chemical coagulation/flocculation/sedimentation process to achieve satisfying removal performance. This report investigates a design of a lab-scale electrocoagulation reactor for the removal of nanoplastics from drinking …

Quantitative Evaluation Of Baseflow Separation Methods Using An Integrated Hydrologic Model: A Case Study In A Snow-Dominated Watershed, Jihad Othman

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

Baseflow, commonly referred to as the groundwater contribution to streamflow, constitutes approximately 50% of streamflow in mountainous regions of the Western United States. Accurately quantifying the amount of baseflow is critical for water management and decision-making, as it significantly impacts stream water quality, low flow availability, and ecosystem health. Traditionally, baseflow has been estimated using conceptual and automated baseflow separation methods, which are known to be both arbitrary and ambiguous, posing a challenge to validate them. In this study, we developed an integrated hydrologic model that seamlessly integrated the exchange between surface and subsurface flows to physically quantify the baseflow …

A Mass Balance Model Of The Great Salt Lake, Ut With Adaptive Management Applications, Diana Dunn

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The Great Salt, Utah, USA is a saline lake that provides critical habitat for ecologic communities and generates $1.3 billion annually. It has gone through detrimental change since the 20^th century. Streamflow reaching the lake has been decreased by upstream withdrawal for industrial and municipal use, causing the lake level to drop and salinity to increase to unhealthy levels. Further, in 1959, it was segregated into north and south sections by a railroad causeway. Due to the causeway and limited exchange of water through two bridges, the lake sections have significantly different water surface elevation and salinity levels. The …

Channel Dynamics In Response To Compounding Hydrogeomorphic Disturbances In A Steep Burned Watershed, Paxton Ridgway

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Wildfires significantly increase sediment input to rivers through various pathways, including post-fire debris flows. Understanding how mountain rivers respond to these sediment inputs is crucial for predicting and managing downstream impacts on infrastructure, water security, and aquatic habitats. While the causes and characteristics of post-fire debris flows have been extensively studied, the morphological changes in downstream fluvial channels remain poorly understood. This study uses scripted spatial analysis toolsets, high-resolution pre- and post-fire DEMs, repeat cross-sectional surveys, time-lapse footage, and pebble counts to document channel responses to sediment supply in a burned steep mountain stream in the upper Colorado River Basin, …

Barriers And Drivers To Bus Electrification: The Transit Agency's Perspective, Aleks C. Paskett

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Battery-electric buses (BEBs) have become increasingly common in recent years, as transit agencies around the world seek to reduce their carbon emissions. Although many agencies and governments have set ambitious climate goals pushing for increased adoption of BEBs, some agencies face difficulty transitioning their fleets to this technology. This study seeks to understand the challenges faced by these agencies, as well as their motivations for adopting BEBs. Researchers conducted a series of interviewers with twelve transit leaders representing ten transit agencies who were leading BEB adoption programs, asking questions about their experiences trying to implement this technology. The interviewees stated …

Assessing Canopy Features, Its Shading Factor, And Their Influence In The Estimation Of Evapotranspiration In Almond Orchards Using Uas Information And The Two-Source Energy Balance Model, Moises R. Duran-Gomez

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This study explored how canopy biomass and shadows affect evapotranspiration (ET) estimates, a crucial factor for irrigation management in almond orchards in California’s Central Valley. Data from 24 drone flights over three almond plots in 2021 and 2022 were analyzed using the Two-Source Energy Balance (TSEB) model, combined with meteorological data from EC-towers. The study found that filtering out shadows improved ET estimation, particularly in young orchards, and identified the importance of using new Leaf Area Index (LAI) models for better accuracy. This research is part of the T-REX initiative, which integrates drone and ground-based data to enhance water use …

Examining The Impacts Of Demographics, Individual Experiences, And Perceptions On Range Anxiety And Electric Vehicle Road Trips, Joshua Ward

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Range anxiety is perhaps the most widely cited barrier to electric vehicle (EV) adoption and use. Range anxiety is generally defined as a general fear that an EV has insufficient battery range or that there is insufficient charging infrastructure to travel from one place to another. Although this barrier is widely cited, there is little research that investigates how EV drivers experience range anxiety and how it might vary based on personal characteristics, perceptions, and experiences. Data on long-distance EV trips is also scarce in the United States and mainly limited to personal stories of an EV road trip.

This …

Water Use Efficiency In Rice Under Alternative Wetting And Drying Technique Using Energy Balance Model With Uav Information And Aquacrop In Lambayeque, Peru, Lia Ramos-Fernández, Roxana Peña-Amaro, José Huanuqueño-Murillo, David Quipse-Tito, Mayra Maldonado-Huarhuachi, Elizabeth Heros-Aguilar, Lisveth Flores Del Pino, Edwin Pino-Vargas, Javier Quille-Mamani, Alfonso Torres-Rua

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

In the context of global warming, rising air temperatures are increasing evapotranspiration (ET_c) in all agricultural crops, including rice, a staple food worldwide. Simultaneously, the occurrence of droughts is reducing water availability, affecting traditional irrigation methods for rice cultivation (flood irrigation). The objective of this study was to determine ET_c (water use) and yield performance in rice crop under different irrigation regimes: treatments with continuous flood irrigation (CF) and irrigations with alternating wetting and drying (AWD₅, AWD₁₀, and AWD₂₀) in an experimental area in INIA–Vista Florida. Water balance, rice physiological data, …

Biomanufacturing Of High-Strength Concrete: Incorporation Of Hemp Fiber To Improve High-Temperature Performance, Srishti Banerji

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Biofilm Colonization On The Dynamics Of Microplastics In Turbulent Flow, Liyuan Joanna Hou

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Balancing Results From Ai-Based Geostatistics Versus Fuzzy Inference By Game Theory Bargaining To Improve A Groundwater Monitoring Network, Masoumeh Hashemi, Richard C. Peralta, Matt Yost

Plants, Soils and Climate Student Research

An artificial intelligence-based geostatistical optimization algorithm was developed to upgrade a test Iranian aquifer's existing groundwater monitoring network. For that aquifer, a preliminary study revealed that a Multi-Layer Perceptron Artificial Neural Network (MLP-ANN) more accurately determined temporally average water table elevations than geostatistical kriging, spline, and inverse distance weighting. Because kriging is usually used in that area for water table estimation, the developed algorithm used MLP-ANN to guide kriging, and Genetic Algorithm (GA) to determine locations for new monitoring well location(s). For possible annual fiscal budgets allowing 1-12 new wells, 12 sets of optimal new well locations are reported. Each …

Improving The Long-Term Maintenance And Durability Of Pervious Concrete Pavements, Kate Elizabeth Christiansen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Impervious concrete is constructed for most new infrastructure such as housing developments, commercial projects, and industrial facilities, which prevents stormwater runoff from infiltrating into groundwater storage. Pervious concrete is a sustainable, economical, and safe alternative to collect runoff and prevent the issues resulting from increased land development.

Although pervious concrete has the benefit of a large porous structure for water infiltration, this high porosity leads to issues with debris, sand, and other materials clogging the porous areas. Pervious concrete also has the challenge of non-standardized material preparation techniques, testing, and construction practices. As such, more research is needed to improve …

Method Development For The Extraction And Analysis Of Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (Pfas) In Wastewater And Biosolids, Victoria Krull

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Per and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) are manufactured chemicals that have water and grease repellant properties and do not readily biodegrade. PFAS are present in many consumer products and end up in waste systems and the environment. Studies have shown that PFAS can have adverse health effects on humans and animals.

There are many challenges to processing and analyzing samples containing PFAS including: adsorption of PFAS to equipment, contamination from equipment containing PFAS, and the high sensitivity needed to analyze for PFAS in the parts per trillion detection range. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been developing methods …

Trip Production Models For Persons With Disabilities, Pouyan Saeidian

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Nearly 13% of the US population consists of people with disabilities, yet finding an equitable and comprehensive approach to meet their travel needs remains a challenge. Our research delves into the mobility patterns of people with disabilities to understand how their daily travel—both the frequency of trips and the distance covered—compares to those without disabilities. We also explore the factors influencing their travel behaviors and how these insights can guide policymakers in improving accessibility and mobility for this community. Utilizing data from the 2022 US National Household Travel Survey, we applied a blend of statistical analysis and machine learning methods. …

Emerging Technologies And Advanced Analyses For Non-Invasive Near-Surface Site Characterization, Aser Abbas

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This dissertation introduces novel techniques for estimating the soil small-strain shear modulus (G_max) and damping ratio (D), crucial for modeling soil behavior in various geotechnical engineering problems. For G_max estimation, a machine learning approach is proposed, capable of generating two-dimensional (2D) images of the subsurface shear wave velocity, which is directly related to G_max. The dissertation also presents a method for estimating frequency dependent attenuation coefficients from ambient vibrations collected using 2D arrays of seismic sensors deployed across the ground surface. These attenuation coefficients can then be used in an inversion process …

Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling Of Air Demand For Fixed Cone Valve In Energy Dissipating Structure, Matthew S. Harames

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Fixed cone valves are commonly installed as low-level outlet devices to discharge water from reservoirs. When discharging water, the fixed cone valves require an air vent to properly operate and maintain the valve. There is a current lack of published information regarding the accuracy of model studies to properly estimate the air demand on the full-size prototype. This research aims to help close that gap by providing data comparison between a model and prototype. Furthermore, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations may be used to estimate the air demand, but the results of such have not been verified nor is information …

Effect Of Nutrient And Temperature Conditions On The Production Of Microcystins From Cyanobacteria In Pineview Reservoir, Brent G. Jacobson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Cyanobacteria, sometimes known as harmful algae, are an aquatic bacteria capable of producing toxic compounds. Cyanobacteria are found worldwide in both saltwater and freshwater environments. Depending on the environment, toxic cyanobacteria species can outcompete other aquatic species, grow in large numbers, and produce these toxic compounds. Further understanding of what environmental conditions promote the production of these harmful bacteria and toxins is needed to protect and inform the public.

In order to understand why cyanobacteria produce toxins in certain environments, samples containing cyanobacteria were taken from a Pineview Reservoir, Utah, and cultured at the Utah State Water Research Laboratory. Cyanobacteria …

Dynamic Site Characterization For Los Alamos National Laboratory: Topographic Amplification Array Studies And Deep Shear Wave Velocity Profiling Using Masw And Mam Surface Wave Methods, Kyle S. Cannon

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

An assessment of seismic hazard must be performed for any critical structures designed or built in seismically active regions, where critical structures are defined by ASCE as those that, if damaged excessively, could pose a threat to national security, the economy, or public health, safety, and welfare. This is done, in part, through a probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) and incorporated site response analysis (SRA). One of the many pieces of information needed to perform a PSHA and an incorporated SRA is the shear wave velocity structure of the site. Additionally, if there are significant topographic features at the site …

Quantifying Plot-Scale Evapotranspiration In Northeast Utah, W. Sheridan Stewart

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Evapotranspiration, the combined movement of water from the earth's surface and plants to the atmosphere, is a component of the energy balance of the land surface atmosphere continuum. Often, irrigation is used to replace water removed from the soil through evapotranspiration. Water management for irrigation is often done at the plot or field scale. Due to the smaller footprint size and the large upfront costs, evaluating evapotranspiration at such a small scale can be difficult to justify. The aim of the study was to quantify evapotranspiration at the plot scale. An energy balance model that evaluates energy from two sources, …

Assessment Of Future Streamflow In The Colorado River Basin With Some Implications For Water Management, Homa Salehabadi

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Long-range water supply planning in many river basins, such as the Colorado, requires assessing plausible future streamflow scenarios. Given nature's randomness and climate change, it is important to evaluate water resources system behavior under a wide range of plausible conditions. The research described in this dissertation examined various future streamflow scenarios in the Colorado River Basin to provide essential inputs needed for planning in the uncertain future. First, the research examined historical severe droughts in the basin and created three sets, or ensembles, of plausible future streamflow time series by resampling these past droughts. These ensembles are thus consistent with …

Combustion-Induced Endothermic Process In Carbon Dots Synthesized On Magnetite Nanoparticle Substrate, Khalid Zouhri, Luke J. Snyder, Michael Mcfarland, Parker O. Laubie, K. A. Shiral Fernando, Christopher E. Bunker

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Carbon dots are synthesized alone and in the presence of commercial magnetite nanoparticles using a simple hydrothermal reaction. The spectroscopic and structural characteristics of CDot and CDot–magnetite materials are presented and their behaviors under combustion conditions are studied. A careful examination of their combustion behaviors reveals interesting results for the CDot–magnetite material: it undergoes early catalytic combustion at ~200°C and a strong endothermic process that quenches combustion. By investigating the physical mixtures of pre-formed CDots and magnetite and the starting material ascorbic acid and magnetite, it is determined that the strong endothermic behavior requires intimate interactions between the carbon source …

Water Banking As A Strategy For The Management And Conservation Of A Critical Resource: A Case Study From Tunisia's Medjerda River Basin (Mrb), Aymen Sawassi, Roula Khadra, Brian Crookston

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

The increasingly adverse impacts of climate change (e.g., rainfall patterns, droughts, and floods), coupled with the ever-increasing water demands, are often translated into a contingent liability for water users' communities. Additional complexities arise due to competing priorities, water rights, and transboundary water sources. Therefore, conventional water management practices should shift toward more comprehensive and responsive integrative approaches, even for systems with limited data. Furthermore, water managers must prioritize dynamic and interactive management techniques for existing systems. One such management technique is water banking, which is the focus of this study. Herein, a dynamic interactive water allocation model, which encompasses the …

Pedestrian Crossing Environmental Impact Statement, Alyssa Gaither

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Logan, Utah is divided by US Highway 89/91, which bisects much of the city. This makes it difficult to pass to the other side without a vehicle. A pedestrian crossing has been proposed to connect the eastern and western sides of Logan without impacting traffic flow. The Environmental Impact Statement aims to look at reasonable alternatives and identify many resources that will be affected by its implementation. Four main alternatives were considered: an underpass, an overpass with an elevator, an overpass with a ramp, and the no-change alternative to be used as a baseline alternative. The underpass is the preferred …

Tracking Perfluoroalkyl Substances From Wastewater Influent To Its Accumulation In Vegetables And Forage Grass, Simon Kozik

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Per and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of chemicals that are persistent in the environment. PFAS was found in wastewater, which can be used after wastewater treatment for irrigation water, and in the biosolids that can be mixed with soils to provide nutrients and generally improve soil quality. This study found when wastewater was used it increases the level of PFAS in vegetables and forage grass. PFAS concentrations were tracked from the influent of the wastewater treatment plant to the effluent, to the irrigation water, to the soil, and finally into the vegetable and forage grass grown on …

Exploring The Role Of Near Channel Geospatial Attributes To Predict Suspended Sediment Concentration Patterns Across The Conus Region, Aaron J. Sigman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

High concentrations of suspended sediment (SSC) in a river can represent a critical water quality concern, reduce the storage capacity of reservoirs, and impact aquatic habitat. The total amount of sediment is calculated from a combination of river properties, including the amount of available sediment and the flow of water carrying the sediment. Water flow properties can be found using local information about the channel, however understanding the concentration of sediment in the river requires understanding the supply of sediment from the watershed. To understand where sediment is coming from, we examined over 1000 United States Geological Survey sites with …

Advancing Near Surface Soil Moisture Measurements Using Robotics, Automation, And Remote Sensing, Hemanth Narayan Dakshinamurthy

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Near-surface soil moisture, or the water content within the soil, is important for understanding the interactions between land and the atmosphere, and for monitoring plants in agricultural settings. However, soil moisture can be highly variable within the same field and varies considerably with time. The challenge involved with measuring soil moisture is that traditional techniques that rely on obtaining large samples are labor and time-intensive, especially for large fields. Developments in sensor technologies have allowed users to record the soil moisture regularly at the points where the sensors are installed. However, to understand how soil moisture changes across a field …