Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Discipline
Institution
Keyword
Publication Year
File Type

Articles 301 - 330 of 562

Full-Text Articles in Civil and Environmental Engineering

Terrain Analysis Using Digital Elevation Models, David G. Tarboton, Daniel W. Watson, Rob Wallace, Kimberly A. T. Schreuders, Jeremy Neff Apr 2011

Terrain Analysis Using Digital Elevation Models, David G. Tarboton, Daniel W. Watson, Rob Wallace, Kimberly A. T. Schreuders, Jeremy Neff

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.


The Cuahsi Community Hydrologic Information System, David G. Tarboton, David R. Maidment, Ilya Zaslavsky, Jon Goodall, Daniel Ames, Jeffery S. Horsburgh, Kimberly A. T. Schreuders Apr 2011

The Cuahsi Community Hydrologic Information System, David G. Tarboton, David R. Maidment, Ilya Zaslavsky, Jon Goodall, Daniel Ames, Jeffery S. Horsburgh, Kimberly A. T. Schreuders

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.


On The Interaction Between Bathymetry And Climate In The System Dynamics And Preferred Levels Of The Great Salt Lake, Ibrahim Nourein Mohammed, David G. Tarboton Feb 2011

On The Interaction Between Bathymetry And Climate In The System Dynamics And Preferred Levels Of The Great Salt Lake, Ibrahim Nourein Mohammed, David G. Tarboton

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

The Great Salt Lake is a terminal lake whose level is determined by the balance between inflows and outflows. We examine the causes for multimodality in the distributions of lake level and hence volume and area that have previously been examined from a system dynamics perspective. We focus on the role of bathymetry in the dynamics of this system and show that some of the modes that are observed and that represent preferred system states are attributable to features of the bathymetry described using the topographic area‐volume relationship. Being a terminal lake, the only “outflow” is evaporation, which depends directly …


Chemicals And Allied Products Waste Treatment, Yung Tse Hung, Erick Butler, Ruth Yu-Li Yeh Jan 2011

Chemicals And Allied Products Waste Treatment, Yung Tse Hung, Erick Butler, Ruth Yu-Li Yeh

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

© 2011 by the authors. A review of the literature published from 2008 to 2010 on topics related to chemicals and allied products is presented. The review considered several sections such as waste management, physicochemical treatment, aerobic treatment, anaerobic treatment, air emissions, soils and groundwater, and reuse.


Activated Sludge And Other Aerobic Suspended Culture Processes, Charles J. Moretti, Dipesh Das, Brian T. Kistner, Harvey Gullicks, Yung Tse Hung Jan 2011

Activated Sludge And Other Aerobic Suspended Culture Processes, Charles J. Moretti, Dipesh Das, Brian T. Kistner, Harvey Gullicks, Yung Tse Hung

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

© 2011 by the authors. A review of the literature published in 2008, 2009 and 2010 relating to activated sludge treatment of wastewater is presented. The review considers information on the topics of modeling and kinetics; process microbiology; nitrogen and phosphorus removal; treatment and effects of xenobiotics; oxygen transfer; and solids separation.


Biofilm Fixed Film Systems, Harvey Gullicks, Hasibul Hasan, Dipesh Das, Charles Moretti, Yung Tse Hung Jan 2011

Biofilm Fixed Film Systems, Harvey Gullicks, Hasibul Hasan, Dipesh Das, Charles Moretti, Yung Tse Hung

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

© 2011 by the authors. The work reviewed here was published between 2008 and 2010 and describes research that involved aerobic and anoxic biofilm treatment of water pollutants. Biofilm denitrification systems are covered when appropriate. References catalogued here are divided on the basis of fundamental research area or reactor types. Fundamental research into biofilms is presented in two sections, Biofilm Measurement and Characterization and Growth and Modeling. The reactor types covered are: trickling filters, rotating biological contactors, fluidized bed bioreactors, submerged bed biofilm reactors, biological granular activated carbon, membrane bioreactors, and immobilized cell reactors. Innovative reactors, not easily classified, are …


Dye Waste Treatment, Siew Teng Ong, Pei Sin Keng, Weng Nam Lee, Sie Tiong Ha, Yung Tse Hung Jan 2011

Dye Waste Treatment, Siew Teng Ong, Pei Sin Keng, Weng Nam Lee, Sie Tiong Ha, Yung Tse Hung

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

© 2011 by the authors. Dye wastes represent one of the most problematic groups of pollutants because they can be easily identified by the human eye and are not easily biodegradable. This literature review paper highlights and provides an overview of dye waste treatments performed over the three years period from 2008-2010. Noteworthy processes for the treatment of dye waste include biological treatment, catalytic oxidation, filtration, sorption process and combination treatments.


Estimation Of Dariy Particulate Matter Emission Rates By Lidar And Inverse Modeling, C. C. Marchant, Kori D. Moore, Michael D. Wojcik, Randy S. Martin, R L. Pfeiffer, K H. Prueger, J L. Hatfield Jan 2011

Estimation Of Dariy Particulate Matter Emission Rates By Lidar And Inverse Modeling, C. C. Marchant, Kori D. Moore, Michael D. Wojcik, Randy S. Martin, R L. Pfeiffer, K H. Prueger, J L. Hatfield

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Particulate matter (PM) emissions from agricultural operations are an important issue for air quality and human health and a topic of interest to government regulators. PM emission rates from a dairy in the San Joaquin Valley of California were investigated during June 2008. The facility had 1,885 total animals, including 950 milking cows housed in free-stall pens with an open-lot exercise area, and 935 dry cows, steers, bulls, and heifers housed in open lots. Point sensors, including filter-based aerodynamic mass samplers and optical particle counters (OPC), were deployed at select points around the facility to measure optical and aerodynamic particulate …


Experimental Method Calibration (Mecr): A New Relative Method For Heat Flux Sensor Calibration, Craig D. Adams, A Jean, M Medina, F Miranville Jan 2011

Experimental Method Calibration (Mecr): A New Relative Method For Heat Flux Sensor Calibration, Craig D. Adams, A Jean, M Medina, F Miranville

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Heat flux sensor calibration is often expensive, but it is also a fundamental step to obtain valid results. According to the needs, several calibration procedures could be considered. If experimental interpretations focus on heat flux values comparison rather than true values, a relative calibration with high accuracy can be performed. This paper focuses on a new relative calibration-type method of heat flux sensors (HFSs). In general, the HFSs were originally (even recently) factory and in-house-calibrated, but this method was used to calibrate them to an exact common reading to help in performing accurate experiments and eliminating errors that could result …


Parameter Dependent Convergence Bounds And Complexity Measure For A Class Of Conceptual Hydrological Models, S. Pande, L. Bastidas, S. Bhulai, Mac Mckee Jan 2011

Parameter Dependent Convergence Bounds And Complexity Measure For A Class Of Conceptual Hydrological Models, S. Pande, L. Bastidas, S. Bhulai, Mac Mckee

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

We provide analytical bounds on convergence rates for a class of hydrologic models and consequently derive a complexity measure based on the Vapnik–Chervonenkis (VC) generalization theory. The class of hydrologic models is a spatially explicit interconnected set of linear reservoirs with the aim of representing globally nonlinear hydrologic behavior by locally linear models. Here, by convergence rate, we mean convergence of the empirical risk to the expected risk. The derived measure of complexity measures a model’s propensity to overfit data. We explore how data finiteness can affect model selection for this class of hydrologic model and provide theoretical results on …


Two-Zone Transient Storage Modeling Using Temperature And Solute Data With Multiobjective Calibration: 1. Temperature, Bethany T. Neilson, S. C. Chapra, David King Stevens, Christina J. Bandaragoda Dec 2010

Two-Zone Transient Storage Modeling Using Temperature And Solute Data With Multiobjective Calibration: 1. Temperature, Bethany T. Neilson, S. C. Chapra, David King Stevens, Christina J. Bandaragoda

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper presents the formulation and calibration of the temperature portion of a two-zone temperature and solute (TZTS) model which separates transient storage into surface (STS) and subsurface transient storage (HTS) zones. The inclusion of temperature required the TZTS model formulation to differ somewhat from past transient storage models in order to accommodate terms associated with heat transfer. These include surface heat fluxes in the main channel (MC) and STS, heat and mass exchange between the STS and MC, heat and mass exchange between the HTS and MC, and heat exchange due to bed and deeper ground conduction. To estimate …


Two-Zone Transient Storage Modeling Using Temperature And Solute Data With Multi-Objective Calibration: 2. Temperature And Solute, Bethany T. Neilson, David King Stevens, S. C. Chapra, Christina J. Bandaragoda Dec 2010

Two-Zone Transient Storage Modeling Using Temperature And Solute Data With Multi-Objective Calibration: 2. Temperature And Solute, Bethany T. Neilson, David King Stevens, S. C. Chapra, Christina J. Bandaragoda

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper presents the multiobjective calibration results for temperature and solutefrom a two‐zone temperature and solute (TZTS) model which separates transient storageinto surface (STS) and subsurface (HTS) transient storage components. This modelcontains terms associated with surface heat fluxes in the main channel (MC) and STS, heatand mass exchange between the STS and MC, heat and mass exchange between the HTSand MC, and heat exchange due to bed and deeper ground conduction. To estimate theadditional parameters associated with a multiple‐zone model, a data collection effort wasconducted to provide temperature time series and solute tracer curves representingthe movement of heat and/or solute …


Characterization Of Acetogenic And Methanogenic Leachates Generated From A Sanitary Landfill Site, Aik Heng Lee, Hamid Nikraz, Yung Tse Hung Dec 2010

Characterization Of Acetogenic And Methanogenic Leachates Generated From A Sanitary Landfill Site, Aik Heng Lee, Hamid Nikraz, Yung Tse Hung

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Decomposition processes take place in landfill generate leachates that can be categorized mainly of acetogenic and methanogenic in nature. BOD:COD ratio computed in this study for a landfill site over a 3 years duration revealed as a good indicator to identify acetogenic leachate from methanogenic leachate. Correlation relationships to predict pollutant level taking into consideration of climatic condition are derived.


The Effectiveness Of Silica Sand In Semi-Aerobic Stabilized Landfill Leachate Treatment, Ezlina Othman, Mohd Suffian Yusoff, Hamidi Abdul Aziz, Mohd Nordin Adlan, Mohammed J.K. Bashir, Yung Tse Hung Dec 2010

The Effectiveness Of Silica Sand In Semi-Aerobic Stabilized Landfill Leachate Treatment, Ezlina Othman, Mohd Suffian Yusoff, Hamidi Abdul Aziz, Mohd Nordin Adlan, Mohammed J.K. Bashir, Yung Tse Hung

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

© 2010 by the authors. This study examines the suitability of natural silica sand as a low-cost adsorbent for the removal of ammoniacal nitrogen and heavy metals, particularly iron and zinc, from semi-aerobic stabilized landfill leachate. Leachate samples were collected from the Pulau Burung landfill site (PBLS) in Penang, Malaysia. The above-mentioned contaminants are highlighted in this study because of their unsafe concentrations at PBLS. The effects of shaking time, settling time, and silica sand dosage on the study parameter removal efficiencies were investigated to predict the performance of the process. The adsorptions of ammoniacal nitrogen, iron, and zinc were …


Optimization Of Basic And Reactive Dye Uptakes In Binary Dye Solution Using Statistical Experimental Methodology, Siew-Teng Ong, Weng-Nam Lee, Pei-Sin Keng, Siew-Ling Lee, Yung-Tse Hung Nov 2010

Optimization Of Basic And Reactive Dye Uptakes In Binary Dye Solution Using Statistical Experimental Methodology, Siew-Teng Ong, Weng-Nam Lee, Pei-Sin Keng, Siew-Ling Lee, Yung-Tse Hung

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

In the present study, the optimum adsorption conditions for the uptake of methylene blue (MB) and reactive orange 16 (RO16) in binary dye solution by ethylenediamine tetraacidic acid (EDTA) modified rice hulls was studied. By using the Plackett-Burman design, the significant variables in affecting the MB and RO16 uptake in binary dye solution were identified as pH and contact time. The combined effects of interaction between the variables were determined using response surface methodology (RSM). The model predicted that at optimum conditions: pH 6.77 and contact time of 205.58 min, the MB uptake greater than 95% could be obtained. As …


Increasing Parameter Certainty And Data Utility Through Multi-Objective Calibration Of A Spatially Distributed Temperature And Solute Model, Christina J. Bandaragoda, Bethany T. Neilson Oct 2010

Increasing Parameter Certainty And Data Utility Through Multi-Objective Calibration Of A Spatially Distributed Temperature And Solute Model, Christina J. Bandaragoda, Bethany T. Neilson

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

To support the goal of distributed hydrologic and instream model predictions based on physical processes, we explore multi-dimensional parameterization determined by a broad set of observations. We present a systematic approach to using various data types at spatially distributed locations to decrease parameter bounds sampled within calibration algorithms that ultimately provide information regarding the extent of individual processes represented within the model structure. Through the use of a simulation matrix, parameter sets are first locally optimized by fitting the respective data at one or two locations and then the best results are selected to resolve which parameter sets perform best …


Equilibrium Studies For The Removal Of Basic Dye By Sunflower Seed Husk (Helianthus Annuus), Siew-Teng Ong, Pei-Sin Keng, Siew-Ling Lee, Ming-How Leong, Yung-Tse Hung Aug 2010

Equilibrium Studies For The Removal Of Basic Dye By Sunflower Seed Husk (Helianthus Annuus), Siew-Teng Ong, Pei-Sin Keng, Siew-Ling Lee, Ming-How Leong, Yung-Tse Hung

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

The sorption characteristics of sunflower (Helianthus annuus) seed husk (SSH) to remove Methylene Blue (MB) from aqueous solution under batch conditions have been investigated. Sorption of MB was found to be pH, concentration and agitation dependent. The kinetics of sorption was rapid with 80% sorption taking place within the first 60 min regardless of its initial concentration. The fast attainment of equilibrium implying the biosorbent could be suitable for continuous flow system. Using the pseudosecond order kinetics model, the predictive model for MB sorbed at time t (qt) with the initial concentration of (Co) is given by qt = Cot/[0.0607Co …


Failure Literacy In Structural Engineering, Norbert J. Delatte Jul 2010

Failure Literacy In Structural Engineering, Norbert J. Delatte

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

The history of the development of practice in many engineering disciplines is, in large part, the story of failures, both imminent and actual, and of the changes to designs, standards and procedures made as the result of timely interventions or forensic analyses. All engineers, and more particularly structural engineers, should be failure literate. Failure literacy means knowing about the critical historical failure cases that have shaped the profession: not merely the surface technical details, but the environment, the communications difficulties and the procedural issues. In the US, an intensive effort has been under way for nearly a decade to promote …


Groundwater Stress And Vulnerability In Rural Coastal Aquifers Of The Kalpitiya Peninsula, Sri Lanka, D. Jayasekera, Jagath J. Kaluarachchi, K. Villholth Jun 2010

Groundwater Stress And Vulnerability In Rural Coastal Aquifers Of The Kalpitiya Peninsula, Sri Lanka, D. Jayasekera, Jagath J. Kaluarachchi, K. Villholth

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Rural coastal aquifers are undergoing rapid changes due to increasing population, high water demand with expanding agricultural and domestic uses, and seawater intrusion due to unmanaged water pumping. The combined impact of these activities is the deterioration of groundwater quality, public health concerns, and unsustainable water demands. The Kalpitiya peninsula located northwest of Sri Lanka is one area undergoing such changes. This land area is limited and surrounded almost completely by sea and lagoon. This study consists of groundwater sampling and analysis, and vulnerability assessment using the DRASTIC method. The results reveal that the peninsula is experiencing multiple threats due …


Equilibrium Studies And Kinetics Mechanism For The Removal Of Basic And Reactive Dyes In Both Single And Binary Systems Using Edta Modified Rice Husk, Siew-Teng Ong, Weng-Nam Lee, Pei-Sin Keng, Yung-Tse Hung, Sie-Tiong Ha May 2010

Equilibrium Studies And Kinetics Mechanism For The Removal Of Basic And Reactive Dyes In Both Single And Binary Systems Using Edta Modified Rice Husk, Siew-Teng Ong, Weng-Nam Lee, Pei-Sin Keng, Yung-Tse Hung, Sie-Tiong Ha

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

The potential of using ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid modified rice husk (ERH) to remove different types of dyes, namely basic and reactive dyes were studied. Sorption characteristic of ERH showed that it was pH dependent. The kinetics of sorption for both dyes was rapid within the first 60 min regardless of its initial concentration. Using the pseudo-second order kinetics model, the predicted uptakes of Methylene Blue (MB) and Reactive Orange 16 (RO16) agreed closely with experimental values obtained. Three isotherm models were used to fit with equilibrium data, namely Langmuir, Freundlich and BET models. It was found that the equilibrium fitted …


Evaluation Of Alternative Formulae For Calculation Of Surface Temperature In Snowmelt Models Using Frequency Analysis Of Temperature Observations, C. H. Luce, David G. Tarboton Mar 2010

Evaluation Of Alternative Formulae For Calculation Of Surface Temperature In Snowmelt Models Using Frequency Analysis Of Temperature Observations, C. H. Luce, David G. Tarboton

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

The snow surface temperature is an important quantity in the snow energy balance, since it modulates the exchange of energy between the surface and the atmosphere as well as the conduction of energy into the snowpack. It is therefore important to correctly model snow surface temperatures in energy balance snowmelt models. This paper focuses on the relationship between snow surface temperature and conductive energy fluxes that drive the energy balance of a snowpack. Time series of snow temperature at the surface and through the snowpack were measured to examine energy conduction in a snowpack. Based on these measurements we calculated …


Design And Evaluation Of Steel Bridges With Double Composite Action, Rajan Sen, Steven Stroh, Niranjan Pai, Purvik Patel, Dennis Golabek Feb 2010

Design And Evaluation Of Steel Bridges With Double Composite Action, Rajan Sen, Steven Stroh, Niranjan Pai, Purvik Patel, Dennis Golabek

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

This report presents findings from a cooperative USF/URS/FDOT research study undertaken to develop design rules for double composite steel bridges. In the study, a 48 ft long, 16 ft wide, 4 ft. 10⅛ in. deep trapezoidal HPS 70W box section designed to AASHTO’s LRFD 2004 specifications was fabricated and tested. The section has an 8 in. thick top slab and a 7 in. thick bottom slab and represented the entire negative moment region of a full-size, continuous bridge. The specimen was tested to evaluate fatigue, service and ultimate provisions of the AASHTO code. Instrumentation was provided to monitor load, strain, …


Tartaric Acid Modified Rice Hull As A Sorbent For Methylene Blue Removal, Siew Teng Ong, Pei Sin Keng, Ai Wen Chong, Siew Ling Lee, Yung Tse Hung Jan 2010

Tartaric Acid Modified Rice Hull As A Sorbent For Methylene Blue Removal, Siew Teng Ong, Pei Sin Keng, Ai Wen Chong, Siew Ling Lee, Yung Tse Hung

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Problem statement: Improper dye discharge from various industries such as textile, paper, cosmetic and plastics into receiving streams can be one of the sources towards water pollution. The release of these effluents not only causes various disruptions in the ecosystems, but also poses hazard effect as most of the dyes are highly toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic in nature. Approach: To prepare an inexpensive and efficient sorbent by chemically modifying rice hull for the removal of Methylene Blue (MB) which is predominantly used in coloring acrylic fiber. Batch experiments were carried out for the removal of MB from aqueous solution by …


Optimal Design Of Trusses With Geometric Imperfections, Mehdi Jalalpour, Takeru Igusa, James K. Guest Jan 2010

Optimal Design Of Trusses With Geometric Imperfections, Mehdi Jalalpour, Takeru Igusa, James K. Guest

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

The present paper focuses on optimization of trusses that have randomness in geometry that may arise from fabrication errors. The analysis herein is a generalization of a perturbation approach to topology optimization under geometric uncertainties. The main novelty in the present paper is in the consideration of potential buckling due to misaligned structural members. The paper begins with a brief review of the aforementioned perturbation approach, then proceeds with the analysis of the nonlinear effects of geometric imperfection. The paper concludes with some numerical examples.


Strategies For Lidar Characterization Of Particulates From Point And Area Sources, Michael D. Wojcik, Kori D. Moore, Randy S. Martin, Jerry Hatfield Jan 2010

Strategies For Lidar Characterization Of Particulates From Point And Area Sources, Michael D. Wojcik, Kori D. Moore, Randy S. Martin, Jerry Hatfield

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Use of ground based remote sensing technologies such as scanning lidar systems (light detection and ranging) has gained traction in characterizing ambient aerosols due to some key advantages such as wide area of regard (10 km2 ), fast response time, high spatial resolution (m) and high sensitivity. Energy Dynamics Laboratory and Utah State University, in conjunction with the USDA-ARS, has developed a three-wavelength scanning lidar system called Aglite that has been successfully deployed to characterize particle motion, concentration, and size distribution at both point and diffuse area sources in agricultural and industrial settings. A suite of massbased and size distribution …


Integration Of Remote Lidar And In-Situ Measured Data To Estimate Particulate Flux And Emission From Tillage Operations, Vladmir V. Zavyalov, Gail E. Bingham, Michael D. Wojcik, Jerry L. Hatfield, Thomas D. Wilkerson, Randy S. Martin, Christian Marchant, Kori D. Moore, Bill Bradford Jan 2010

Integration Of Remote Lidar And In-Situ Measured Data To Estimate Particulate Flux And Emission From Tillage Operations, Vladmir V. Zavyalov, Gail E. Bingham, Michael D. Wojcik, Jerry L. Hatfield, Thomas D. Wilkerson, Randy S. Martin, Christian Marchant, Kori D. Moore, Bill Bradford

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Agriculture, through wind erosion, tillage and harvest operations, burning, diesel-powered machinery and animal production operations, is a source of particulate matter emissions. Agricultural sources vary both temporally and spatially due to daily and seasonal activities and inhomogeneous area sources. Conventional point sampling methods originally designed for regional, well mixed aerosols are challenged by the disrupted wind flow and by the small mobile source of the emission encountered in this study. Atmospheric lidar (LIght Detection And Ranging) technology provides a means to derive quantitative information of particulate spatial and temporal distribution. In situ point measurements of particulate physical and chemical properties …


Climate Change Impacts On Water Resources Of The Upper Blue Nile River Basin, Ethiopia, U. Kim, Jagath J. Kaluarachchi, V. U. Smakhtin Dec 2009

Climate Change Impacts On Water Resources Of The Upper Blue Nile River Basin, Ethiopia, U. Kim, Jagath J. Kaluarachchi, V. U. Smakhtin

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Climate change affects water resources availability of international river basins that are vulnerable to runoff variability of upstream countries especially with increasing water demands. The upper Blue Nile River Basin is a good example because its downstream countries, Sudan and Egypt, depend solely on Nile waters for their economic development. In this study, the impacts of climate change on both hydrology and water resources operations were analyzed using the outcomes of six different general circulation models (GCMs) for the 2050s. The outcomes of these six GCMs were weighted to provide average future changes. Hydrologic sensitivity, flow statistics, a drought index, …


Modeling Soil Depth From Topographic And Land Cover Attributes, Teklu K. Tesfa, David G. Tarboton, David G. Chandler, James P. Mcnamara Oct 2009

Modeling Soil Depth From Topographic And Land Cover Attributes, Teklu K. Tesfa, David G. Tarboton, David G. Chandler, James P. Mcnamara

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Soil depth is an important input parameter in hydrological and ecological modeling. Presently, the soil depth data available in national soil databases (STATSGO and SSURGO) from the Natural Resources Conservation Service are provided as averages within generalized land units (map units). Spatial uncertainty within these units limits their applicability for distributed modeling in complex terrain. This work reports statistical models for prediction of soil depth in a semiarid mountainous watershed that are based upon the relationship between soil depth and topographic and land cover attributes. Soil depth was surveyed by driving a rod into the ground until refusal at locations …


Assessment Of Climate Change Impacts On Water Resources Of The Upper Blue Nile River Basin, Ethiopia, U. Kim, Jagath J. Kaluarachchi Sep 2009

Assessment Of Climate Change Impacts On Water Resources Of The Upper Blue Nile River Basin, Ethiopia, U. Kim, Jagath J. Kaluarachchi

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Climate change affects water resources availability of international river basins that are vulnerable to runoff variability of upstream countries especially with increasing water demands. The upper Blue Nile River Basin is a good example because its downstream countries, Sudan and Egypt, depend solely on Nile waters for their economic development. In this study, the impacts of climate change on both hydrology and water resources operations were analyzed using the outcomes of six different general circulation models (GCMs) for the 2050s. The outcomes of these six GCMs were weighted to provide average future changes. Hydrologic sensitivity, flow statistics, a drought index, …


Improving Open Canned Systems, David Sanders, Steven L. Barfuss, Michael C. Johnson Aug 2009

Improving Open Canned Systems, David Sanders, Steven L. Barfuss, Michael C. Johnson

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

The results of a study on the hydraulic performance of open-bottom canned pump intakes should aid engineers and pump users to design these systems with reduced velocity fluctuations and undesirable flow rotation.