Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Assessing The Role Of Magnetite In Municipal Wastewater Treatment, Patricia Ayaa

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Some municipal wastewater treatment (MWWT) facilities have adopted magnetite in their treatment processes through a technology called BioMag® to meet effluent regulatory requirements for total nitrogen and total phosphorus. However, there is limited information on the mechanisms and efficiency of magnetite in the removal of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from wastewater. This research, therefore, estimated its effectiveness in the removal of these nutrients, with a case study of the Marlay-Taylor Water Reclamation Facility in Maryland. The intervention analysis model was used, but a new forecasting approach to the model was proposed to fit the data in this study and …

Advances In Process Understanding And Methods To Support River Temperature Modeling In Large Regulated Systems, Bryce A. Mihalevich

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

River temperatures play a key role in determining the suitability of habitat for aquatic ecosystems. While thermal regimes are influenced by many factors, flow and temperature patterns in large rivers are often shaped by water development. As such, water management associated with large reservoirs and diversions have also altered aquatic ecosystems. As climate change introduces new climate and hydrologic patterns, the decisions water managers make to address changes in runoff may further impact aquatic ecosystems. This calls for robust modeling tools that can predict river and reservoir temperature responses to water management decisions over large regions. However, highly variable topography …

Evaluation Of Hydrograph Separation Techniques With Uncertain End-Member Composition, Eileen Page Lukens

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Changes to precipitation and temperature occurring as a result of climate change can influence water sources (such as groundwater or snowmelt) that contribute to stream flow in a watershed. This is significant, as shifts in the amount of water coming from different water sources can shape watershed management decisions. One technique often used to investigate changes in water sources is hydrograph separation, a mathematical tool that allows for the quantification of the amount of water that came from different water sources. However, it can be difficult to perform hydrograph separations in remote watersheds as there may be insufficient infrastructure, i.e. …

Using Experiments, 3d Scanning, And Computational Fluid Dynamics To Analyze Variance In Minor Loss Coefficients, Adam B. Pack

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

As water moves through pipes, it loses energy. The energy losses are due to friction and the minor losses associated with various pipe fittings, which change the direction of flow. Pipe bends, or elbows, are a common pipe fitting and a significant source of energy loss in piping systems. This research was performed to better understand the variability of energy loss due to different pipe elbow designs and to investigate methods to replicate these losses using numerical simulations.

Eight pipe elbows, all 3-inch, 90-degree, schedule 40 PVC elbows that vary by radius of curvature and/or end connection type, were tested …

Exploring The Effects Of Upstream Disturbances On Elbow Meter Performance With Numerical Modeling Applications, Riley D. Manwaring

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Physical data was collected for a 6-in. long-radius elbow meter in order to determine the effects of certain upstream disturbances on its metering performance. Discharge coefficients are calculated for each of the three tested configurations at various installation distances between the upstream disturbance and the elbow meter. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software was used to determine which turbulence models most accurately modeled the observed physical results in order to provide a base from which to model the effects of additional upstream disturbances not modeled in this study.

Long Term Feasibility Of Inductive Power Transfer Systems Embedded In Concrete Pavement Panels, Nathan J. Raine

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Electric vehicles (EVs) have a variety of issues that prevent widespread acceptance. Range limitations, charging times, and lack of accessible locations are all viable concerns when considering the future of EVs. This research seeks to address lack of useable infrastructure and battery life by embedding wireless chargers directly into roadway concrete. These embedded chargers would make it possible to charge an EV while it is in transit, addressing many concerns associated with owning an EV.

Embedding a wireless charger, or Inductive Power Transfer System (IPTS), can cause premature failure in the concrete. To determine the long-term feasibility of the technology, …

Factors Affecting United States Geological Survey Irrigation Freshwater Withdrawal Estimates In Utah, J. Levi Manley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Utah is, on average, one of the driest states in the United States, second only to Nevada, and drier conditions are projected. Irrigation is the largest water user in the state, representing about 80% of the total freshwater withdrawn each year. Withdrawals are obtained from sources like reservoirs or streams, or underground water from wells and springs, and supplied for use. The United States Geological Survey, a reputable federal science agency, has provided irrigation freshwater withdrawal estimates every five years since 1950. Understanding what factors affect irrigation withdrawals can better inform water resource planning to reduce withdrawals and conserve surface …

Ammonia Emission Assessment From Gasoline And Diesel Engines Under Utah Specific Conditions, Motasem Suleiman Abualqumboz

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study aims to quantify ammonia (NH₃) emission rates from the on-road gasoline and diesel motor vehicles fleet of the Wasatch Front, Utah. For this purpose, a portable Pollution Emissions Monitoring System (PEMS) was used to estimate NH₃ emission rates from a representative fleet of 53 in-use light-duty (LD) gasoline and diesel vehicles over a total of 166 on-road Real Driving Emissions (RDE) tests. The post-catalyst concentrations of NH₃ precursors, nitrogen oxides (NO_x) and carbon monoxide (CO) were also measured. The outcomes of this study showed that a motor vehicle in the Wasatch Front …

Active Transportation Routes Using Canal Corridors: Decision Tools In Creating Successful Canal Trail Projects, Matthew Scott Crump

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The state of Utah has many canal corridors that offer potential opportunities for establishing public trails.In the past, concerns such as public safety and canal companies’ abilities to perform maintenance have inhibited the construction of canal trails. Recently, local governments and canal companies have worked to overcome these challenges which has led to the establishment of some canal trails. The purpose of this study is to provide valuable insights and tools that can be used in developing future canal trails. In order to accomplish this, the study documents various case studies of completed canal trail projects, interviews stakeholders for future …

Classical Venturi Meter Performance Downstream Of The Through Leg Of A Tee Junction, Matthew P. Day

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this research was to analyze the accuracy of a Classical Venturi meter installed downstream of the through leg of a tee junction. A flowmeter that functions inaccurately due to improper installation may cause revenue loss for any company or organization involved in extraction, transportation, production, or purchasing of fluid resources and products. This research used physical data coupled with data produced by numerical models to determine how to correct the Classical Venturi meter’s inaccuracies created by this particular installation.

Results show the capability of measuring the flow rate accurately was greatly affected when most of the flow …

Estimation Of High-Resolution Evapotranspiration In Heterogeneous Environments Using Drone-Based Remote Sensing, Ayman M. M. Nassar

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Evapotranspiration (ET) is a key element of hydrological cycle analysis, irrigation demand, and for better allocation of water resources in the ecosystem. For successful water resources management activities, precise estimate of ET is necessary. Although several attempts have been made to achieve that, variation in temporal and spatial scales constitutes a major challenge, particularly in heterogeneous canopy environments such as vineyards, orchards, and natural areas. The advent of remote sensing information from different platforms, particularly the small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) technology with lightweight sensors allows users to capture high-resolution data faster than traditional methods, described …

Temperature Effect On The Mechanical Properties Of Steel Fiber Reinforced Ultra-High-Performance Concrete, Jenny Bernadette Gomes

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The contemporary innovation in concrete technology is ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC). In this work, mechanical properties of UHPC are studied at ambient terrestrial temperature conditions. Specimens are prepared under laboratory environments maintaining the temperature of -25°C, -5°C, 15°C, 35°C, and 55°C. A freeze thaw chamber is utilized to condition the specimens at specified temperatures. Compressive strength, flexural strength, toughness, and modulus of elasticity are determined under varying temperature and steel fiber volume content. The results indicate that both temperature and steel fibers have effect on the mechanical properties of UHPC. The flexural and compressive strength show an opposite trend of strength …

Improvement Opportunities In The Two-Source Energy Balance Model For Et Using Uav Imagery And Point Cloud Information, Mahyar Aboutalebi

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In recent years, satellites and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) provide enormous amounts of spatially-distributed information for monitoring crop conditions by measuring crop’s reflected and emitted radiation at a distance. However, applications of high-resolution UAV imagery and its intermediate products for improving crop water use estimates are not well studied. In other words, the available approaches, methods and algorithms for determining how much water to apply for irrigation using remotely sensed data have been mostly developed at satellite spatial resolutions. High-resolution imageries that have been achieved by small UAVs open new opportunities for revisiting, re-evaluating, and revising available crop water use …

Venturi Meter Performance When Installed On The Branch Of A Tee Junction With Converging Run Flow, E. Elliot Naulu

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Venturi flow meters are often installed downstream of disturbances such as a tee junction, valve, or elbow. In such a case, a laboratory calibration may be needed to measure the Venturi meter’s performance under said limitations so that accurate metering is achieved. However, in some cases, laboratory calibration may not be possible.The purpose of this research was to investigate Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) ability to simulate a Venturi meter installed on the branch of a tee junction with converging run flow.

This study used CFD to compare against laboratory results to illustrate CFD’s capability as a calibration method. The results …

Evaluation Of Bioretention Performance In Northern Utah As A Function Of Media, Vegetation, And Loading, Trixie Rife

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Pollutants found in stormwater runoff are a growing environmental concern. The EPA has identified bioretention (BR) systems as a best management practice for the control of pollutants in stormwater runoff. BR systems reduce pollutant loads discharged to surface water bodies and to lower pollutant concentrations of water infiltrating into underlying groundwater. However, knowledge of the performance of BR systems in semi-arid Western climates is lacking. This study was conducted at three field sites in Northern Utah to evaluate the effectiveness of various natural and engineered media and various plant species on pollutant removal subjected to a range of pollutant loadings …

Concrete Maturity Method Applied To Rapid-Setting Calcium-Sulfoaluminate (Csa) Concretes For Pavement Repair Under Different Ambient Temperatures, Ryan Nicholas Langford

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

With more and more people using roadways the need for fast and efficient repair work is becoming increasingly important. Lane closures impede traffic flow and result in congestion. To further limit the amount of time lane closures are needed for repair work, calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cement concrete has become an increasing popular construction material for its ability to reach adequate strength requirements within four hours. Because of this accelerated repair time, advanced testing methods are needed to verify that the replaced concrete does indeed meet or exceed the minimum compressive strength requirements.

The maturity method is one test used to …

Exploring Analytical Issues Associated With Oxidation Kinetics In Drinking Water, Shadi Haji Eghrari

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This dissertation contains two different section that pertain to two different subjects.

Section One (Haloamines): Disinfection with ozone and chlorine is critical in protecting the public and animals from pathogens in pools. Disinfection results in in the formation of haloamines from the unintended reactions of human and animal inputs and bromide/chloride with oxidants and disinfectants which cause health problems.

The purpose of this research was to examine the occurrence of haloamines during the chlorination of saltwaters. In this study, the effect of bromide concentration was observed to exert a significant effect on the stability of Haloamines, and with no bromide …

Development And Application Of A Decision Framework To Support Improved River Basin Water Management, Leah Meeks

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Water management decisions made at local levels may have effects throughout an entire river basin. Water managers need better ways to help identify which decisions have broader implications and to quantify those effects to inform decision making. This dissertation presents a framework providing a basin-wide approach to water management using three studies. The first study developed a software tool to quantify how local changes within a water resources network affect the entire network. A case study was conducted on the Lower Bear River in Utah. The second study quantified the basin-wide effects of reducing return flows from irrigation areas to …

Understanding The Marginal Utilities Of Commute Time, Work Time, Travel Cost, And Income Using Stated Preferences Surveys, Niranjan Poudel

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In transportation economics, measuring the willingness to pay (WTP) for a reduction in travel time–the monetary value of travel time savings (VTTS) –plays an important role in understanding the social benefits of various transportation projects. These monetary appraisals (WTP, VTTS) are better understood either through expensive daily activity-travel-expenditure diaries or using discrete choice experiments (DCEs). This study made use of data collected from two different stated preference surveys – a type of DCEs - (one from Portland, Oregon, US, and one from all over the US) to understand the marginal utilities of work, commute, income, and travel cost. The marginal …

Analysis Of Large Embankment Dam In Case Of Rapid Drawdown And Earthquake Aftershock, Pothikul Vivithkeyoonvong

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Dams and reservoirs are important as a source of freshwater as well as for regulating flooding and producing hydroelectricity. The same as with any other manmade structure, dams need to monitored and maintained to prevent disastrous failure.

One of the events that can reduce the stability of an embankment dam is rapid drawdown. Rapid drawdown is when the water level decreases at such a rapid rate that the dam material(s) cannot drain and adjust to the change in time. Without the buttressing effect of the water, the upstream slope of the dam becomes less stable. Another threat to dam stability …

Safety In Numbers: Models Of Pedestrian And Bicycle Crash Frequency And Severity At Signalized Intersections In Utah Using Innovative Measure Of Exposure, Ahadul Islam

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Recent trends indicate a dramatic increase in both the number and share of pedestrian and bicyclist injuries and fatalities nationally and in many states. This study aimed at understanding (geometric, traffic, operational, and other) factors associated with pedestrian and bicycle safety and also to assist in the prioritization and selection of countermeasures to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety at signalized intersections. Several negative binomial models were estimated to investigate factors affecting pedestrian and bicycle crash frequency. The models suggested several characteristics of the road network, land use, built environment, and neighborhood sociodemographics were significantly associated with more (or fewer) pedestrian …

An Analysis Of Electromagnetic Flowmeters: A Numerical Study, Kade J. Beck

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

As water scarcity increases, improved water management through better water measurement is of critical global significance. Today, the most common way to measure water in drinking water and wastewater systems is to use an electromagnetic (magnetic) flowmeter. A magnetic flowmeter has many components, and their accuracy can be compromised if not installed or calibrated correctly. The purpose of the present study was threefold. Each of the three components has been named to help the reader understand the context of the study without getting lost in the details.

The Idealist. Using mathematical programs, the spacing of two types of magnetic flowmeter …

Sustainable Agricultural Development In The Western Desert Of Egypt Under Climate Change: A Case Study Of The Siwa Region, Noha Hossam Moghazy

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Siwa region located in the Western Desert of Egypt is a natural depression and has a large volume of groundwater from the non-renewable Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System (NSAS). Recently the government initiated a development project to reclaim 1.5 million acres where most of the lands are located in the Western Desert to use available groundwater from NSAS. The primary goal of this project is to increase agricultural areas enabling rural development. Siwa is one of the areas that will be reclaimed in the desert by about 30,000 acres consisting of good soil quality. This dissertation aims to understand the …

Effects Of Climate Forcing Uncertainty On High-Resolution Snow Modeling And Streamflow Prediction In A Mountainous Karst Watershed, Conor Tyson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Snow-dominated, karst watersheds present particular challenges to accurately modeling streamflow in response to differing climate conditions. This is due to the uneven distribution of snow within a basin, the varied melting rates due to terrain and climate, and the difficulty determining flow paths through karst conduits below ground. One possible solution to these challenges is to model snow at a fine scale, but climate variables are not available at these smaller spatial scales. The choices about which climate dataset to use, and how to downscale the data to a fine scale, will likely affect the accuracy of streamflow simulations. This …

Uses And Challenges Of Collecting Lidar Data From A Growing Autonomous Vehicle Fleet: Implications For Infrastructure Planning And Inspection Practices, Md Ashikur Rahman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) that utilize LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and other sensing technologies are becoming an inevitable part of transportation industry. Concurrently, transportation agencies are increasingly challenged with the management and tracking of large-scale highway asset inventory. LiDAR has become popular among transportation agencies for highway asset management given its advantage over traditional surveying methods. The affordability of LiDAR technology is increasing day by day. Given this, there will be substantial challenges and opportunities for the utilization of big data resulting from the growth of AVs with LiDAR. A proper understanding of the data size generated from this technology …

Application Of Flow And Ion Data To Estimate Ungaged Inflows And Losses In Urban And Agricultural Sub-Reaches Of The Logan River Observatory, Hyrum Tennant

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Streams in urban and agricultural environments are often heavily diverted for irrigation and drinking water purposes. These streams can receive inflow from unmeasured sources including stormwater returns, groundwater drains, and irrigation runoff that will help sustain flow during dry periods. Due to an inability to identify the source of most of these inflows or directly measure their volumes, there is a clear need for identification and quantification methods. Streamflow data from the Logan River Observatory illustrates the importance of unidentified inflows in sections influenced by large diversions. To understand the role of unidentified inflows and possible outflows in this portion …

Accounting For Critical Attributes And Uncertainty In Flow-Ecology Relationships, Elizabeth Decker Morgan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Environmental flows are used to maintain streamflow for aquatic species in rivers while also sustaining human water requirements. While there are many approaches to develop environmental flows, they all rely on a strong conceptual understanding of flow-ecology relationships, which are often uncertain. Uncertainty in flow-ecology relationships can stem from using limited data to develop or test relationships or an incomplete understanding of the attributes inherent to each relationship, such as climate and land conditions. Accounting for these attributes and uncertainty in flow-ecology relationships is critical given mounting interest to develop and implement environmental flows at large scales, often with limited …

Application Of Computational Fluid Dynamics To Determine Gas Expansion Factors Of Differential Pressure Flow Meters, Patrick L. Campana

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this research was to investigate if computer simulations could be used to accurately predict gas expansion in differential pressure flow meters. Differential pressure flow meters are used to measure the flow rate of pressurized liquids and gases through pipes. Computer simulations of liquid and gas flows were conducted for three distinct differential pressure flow meter geometries: Classical Venturis, Stand Concentric orifice plates, and wedge meters.

Gas flows were modeled as dry air using the assumption of a perfect gas. Expansion effects were modeled using the ideal gas law. Computer simulations of Classical Venturi and Standard Concentric orifice …

A Laboratory Study On The Geometric Effects Of Piano Key Weirs On Scour For Non-Cohesive Substrates And Simple Mitigation Techniques, Wyatt Lantz

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Sustainable flood control infrastructure is needed as climate change continues to produce more extreme precipitation events, as our water infrastructure continues to age, and as populations continue to grow and expand. Non-linear weirs, such as labyrinth and piano key weirs, are sustainable passive flood-control structures due to their improved hydraulic performance, and low maintenance and construction costs. However, like other structures, these weirs are susceptible to local scour, which is removal of soil and rock due to hydraulic forces. The scour phenomenon is a complicated process dependent upon multiple variables. There is limited information for non-linear weirs with little directed …

A Laboratory Study Of The Hydraulics Of Moderate-Sloped Stepped Chutes With A Labyrinth Crest, L. Kade Flake

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Evolving methods of dam construction and rehabilitation require unique and innovative spillways. Spillways provide passage for water impounded by a dam. Stepped chute spillways offer an efficient and economical solution for dam construction and rehabilitation. Labyrinth weirs, which allow high flow discharge within a compact footprint, are often an economical solution for the spillway crest at a chute entrance. Labyrinth weirs have recently been combined with stepped chutes in several locations. However, published literature is scarce for the flow properties and key design parameters of these combined structures.

This study researched the hydraulics downstream of a labyrinth crest for two …