Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Versatile And Robust Non-Iterative Coupling Algorithm For Vehicle-Structure Interaction, Arya Datta

Theses and Dissertations

The dynamic analysis of the vehicle-structure interactions can be extremely computationally expensive. A general non-iterative coupling algorithm based on the substructure approach has been presented. It retains the advantage of the substructure approach that smaller subsystems are solved instead of a large system, which is usually solved when monolithic systems are solved. However, the advantage of using this general coupling approach is that it is non-iterative in nature, instead of the substructure approach that usually uses iterative procedure. The general coupling algorithm developed has been implemented to analyze dynamic interactions between the vehicle and the structure, both in two and …

Achieving Sustainability In Urban Transit And High-Occupancy Vehicle Systems Through Emerging Technologies And Operations, Ruixiao Sun

Theses and Dissertations

It is critical to reduce road transportation emissions, as it is the major source contributing to greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) and air pollution. However, the increasing travel demand due to the rise of population and economy makes the task challenging. Mathematically, road transportation emissions can be minimized in the manner of reducing total vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and lowering vehicle emission rate. Many strategies have been proven viable for achieving transportation sustainability. For example, the total VMT can be reduced by switching low-occupancy transportation modes (i.e., driving alone) to high-occupancy transportation modes (i.e., public transit, ridesharing). The development of alternative-fuel …

Cyclic Response And Liquidfaction Behavior Of Gravelly Soils, Pitak Ruttithivaphanich

Theses and Dissertations

Cyclic response and liquefaction behavior are soil mechanisms under earthquake conditions. The study of dynamic soil response is important to evaluate soil behaviors under dynamic loading for a wide range of strains. Soil liquefaction phenomena involving a significant reduction in the strength and stiffness of saturated cohesionless soils has caused catastrophic ground failure in numerous earthquakes. Liquefaction mostly occurs in sand, but liquefaction of gravelly soil has been observed. To date, only a few studies have focused on the liquefaction of gravelly soils; hence, research data is limited. This research aims to improve the understanding of cyclic response and liquefaction …

Physico-Mechanical Characterization Of Prototype Earth Block Material For Constitutive Modeling, Erika Lorena Rengifo-López

Theses and Dissertations

The comprehensive understanding and experimental characterization of the overall compressive behavior of earth masonry block materials, such as compressed and stabilized earth blocks (CSEBs), are essential for developing analytical and numerical tools to predict the mechanical response and designing earth masonry structures. Furthermore, advancing the understanding of the extent of the influence of testing parameters on the material's response, such as specimen geometry, is a critical step towards standardization.

CSEBs are produced by compressing a mixture of soil, water, and a stabilizer (e.g., Portland cement). The heterogeneity of the material accrues from the variety of soil particle morphology and potential …

Investigating The First/Last Mile Problem In Underserved Communities: A Case Study In Camden City, Nj, Ruqaya Alfaris

Theses and Dissertations

The first/last mile (FLM) is defined as the distance a transiting person should complete before boarding or after alighting at a transit station. The FLM trip is one of the major barriers to access transit, which significantly affects individuals' accessibility to critical services. Specifically, this is prevalent in underserved communities in which public transportation constitutes the major mode of travel. As a case study, the current study discusses the FLM barriers in Camden City, NJ. The study comprehensively reviews the existing literature of the FLM practice to identify the lessons learned from previously conducted plans and programs. To supplement the …

Non-Proprietary Ultra-High Performance Concrete (Uhpc) With Application For Retrofitting Deteriorating Infrastructure, Harshdutta I. Pandya

Theses and Dissertations

This research describes a study on the stiffness degradation of reinforced concrete beams due to corrosion of reinforcement and the effect of subsequent retrofitting. A total of eleven beams were tested under cyclic loading history, where the amplitude on subsequent cycles is increased until the beam fails. The two corroded-repaired beams were repaired with a non-proprietary UHPC applied to the tension and compression surfaces, respectively. The results indicated substantial stiffness degradation of the corroded beam that was not retrofitted. The control beam passed the ACI 437 acceptance criteria (Ipr = 0.22, IR = 100.1, IDL = -0.036). The corroded beam …

Investigating The Use Of 100% Rap In Airfield Mixtures For Contingency Pavement Repair In Remote Regions, Mahmoud Samara

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study was to present a procedure for performance-related mix design of 100% recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) mixtures used in repair applications. In addition, the impact of rejuvenators (Corn Oil, Tall Oil, Modified Vegetable Oil, and Aromatic Extract) on the RAP materials' properties were also investigated on both levels (binder, and mixtures). Performance grade testing, frequency sweep test, critical temperature differential (delta Tc), and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) tests were conducted to evaluate the rheological and chemical properties of extracted and rejuvenated RAP binders. Afterward, asphalt pavement analyzer (APA) and indirect tensile asphalt cracking (IDEAL-CT) tests …

Cost-Benefit Analysis Of The Saudi Land Bridge Project, Faris J. Alotaibi

Theses and Dissertations

Projects are the backbone of economic thrive of nations, especially infrastructure projects. It’s counted as the base layer of allowing economic trade between beneficiaries. Railway projects have always been a huge element in increasing trade operations between Saudi Arabia and the rest of the world, by providing an efficient and environmentally friendly way that is capable of hauling large loads of exports all the way to the seaports and from there to the rest of the world. The Saudi land bridge project will cost about $11 billion and will provide a new link between the existent railway in the eastern …

Evaluation Of Flood Damage On Cross Laminated Timber Wall Configurations, Mustafa Nezih Kaya

Theses and Dissertations

Greenhouse gas emissions are one of the critical factors that affect climate change, increasing flooding risk and threatening human life. The use of traditional construction materials is responsible for a higher percentage of global greenhouse gas emissions when compared to the use of sustainable materials in the construction industry. The substitution of current building materials with sustainable materials is essential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and positively influence climate change when the current construction demand in the world is considered. Wood is one of the primary environmentally friendly construction materials in regard to high carbon storage and low carbon emissions. …

Towards Sustainable Cities: Life Cycle Cost Analysis Of The Construction Of A Novel Wastewater Management System, Bibhas B. Tanmoy

Theses and Dissertations

Wastage of water is one of the most common environmental issues in the modern era. However, if this level of usage can be controlled, or recirculated properly, the wastage can be lowered down to a very minimum. In the conventional residential plumbing system, blackwater and greywater gets mixed and goes through the same sewage pipe. This mixture turns the whole wastewater amount into blackwater, which requires complex treatment before discharge. Greywater on the other hand can be discharged to waterbodies requiring almost zero treatment. In this study, a new wastewater management method is proposed where the plumbing system is split …

Tree Ring Reconstructions Of Streamflow For The Lower Rio Grande Valley Of Texas, Adedolapo Mutiyat Adeyanju

Theses and Dissertations

The Rio Grande River is a major water source for people living within the USA-Mexico border. The Rio Grande River has its headwaters in the San Juan Mountains in Colorado and the Sierra Madre Occidental in Mexico before flowing into Texas through El-Paso. The water supply issues facing the Lower Rio Grande Basin (LRGB) are extremely complex from international restrictions to severe climate change. The river shares its flow between the U.S.A and Mexico based on the provisions of the 1944 treaty between the U.S.A and Mexico. The LRGB flow is regulated by releases from Falcon and Amistad Reservoirs managed …

Tap Water Disinfection In The Electrochemical Precipitation Process By Using Novel Conductive Concrete, Md Shoriful Islam

Theses and Dissertations

Electrochemical precipitation (EP) is tested to learn about its impact on disinfectants in tap water. The EP process involves applying electricity through electrodes submerged in water to precipitate dissolved metals like water hardness out without chemical additives. In the study, tap water was tested to learn about EP’s impact on disinfectants. Tap water contains not only hardness but also residual disinfectants. It is very essential for the safety of drinking water against the potential ingress of pathogens before the water reaches the end-users. USEPA mandates that the free chlorine level in drinking water should be 0.2mg/L to 4 mg/L. …

Oxidized Graphitic Nano-Amendment Of Cement Composites: Exploring Truly Low Concentrations And Novel Particle Morphologies, Shohana Iffat

Theses and Dissertations

Oxidized graphitic nanoparticles such as multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs), can produce enhancements in physicomechanical properties of cement composites that are relevant to structural and durability performance, provided that said nanoparticles are well dispersed in the composite. Lower-bound MWCNT concentrations are reported in the literature in the range 0.01-0.05% in weight of cement (wt%). Such concentrations may not be costeffective for practical applications and may also be excessive since they would result in a nanoparticle surface area at or above 105 m2 for 1 m3 of cement paste, or 104.5 m2 for 1 m 3 of concrete, …

Changes In Drought Characteristics Under Future Climate Projections, Diogo Stalin De Alcantara Araujo

Theses and Dissertations

Accumulating evidence on the impact of climate change on droughts, highlight the necessity for developing effective adaptation and mitigation strategies. Global Drought Layers were developed for historic and future runs of nine global climate models (GCM) of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Model 6th phase (CMIP6). Relative changes of drought characteristics were estimated, and hotspots were identified, especially in South America, Africa, Europe, Western USA, and Australia. Further, changes in future drought risk and severity in Australia are quantified. Historic conditions (1981-2014) and projections for mid-century (2015-2050) and end-century (2051-2100) from four shared socioeconomic pathways (SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0 and SSP5-8.5) are …

Development Of Software Tools For Efficient And Sustainable Process Development And Improvement, Jake P. Stengel

Theses and Dissertations

Infrastructure is a key component in the well-being of our society that leads to its growth, development, and productive operations. A well-built infrastructure allows the community to be more competitive and promotes economic advancement. In 2021, the ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers) ranked the American infrastructure as substandard, with an overall grade of C-. The overall ranking suffers when key infrastructure categories are not maintained according to the needs of the population. Therefore, there is a need to consider alternative methods to improve our infrastructure and make it more sustainable to enhance the overall grade. One of the challenges …

Development Of A Covid-19 Vulnerability Index (Cvi) For The Counties And Residents Of New Jersey, Remo Victor Disalvatore

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted countless aspects of everyday life since it was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization in March of 2020. From societal to economic impacts, COVID-19 and its variants will leave a lasting impact on our society and the world. Approximately $9 trillion has been spent on fighting the pandemic around the world. During the pandemic, it became increasingly evident that indices, such as the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), were extremely important for predicting vulnerabilities in a community. The CDC's SVI provides important estimates on which communities will be …

Laboratory Assessement Of Emulsion-Cement Paste And Cold Recycled Mixtures At Varying Amounts Of Emulsion, Cement, And Water, Ahmed Saidi

Theses and Dissertations

The main objective of this study was to assess the performance of cold recycled mixtures (CRMs) at: (1) binder level through evaluating the rheological and mechanical properties of emulsion-cement paste (ECP), and (2) mix level through characterizing the density and performance of CRMs. The testing program for ECPs included multiple stress creep recovery (MSCR), bending beam rheometer (BBR), linear amplitude sweep (LAS), penetration test, and isothermal calorimetry. For CRMs, a balanced mix design (BMD) approach was used to develop performance interaction charts to select optimum contents of emulsion, cement, and water maximizing the resistance of CRMs to rutting and cracking. …

Legal Characterization Of The Challenges Faced By The Construction Industry During Covid-19 And Devaluation Of The Egyptian Pound, Riham Abuzaid

Theses and Dissertations

With all the challenges this past decade has inflicted on the economy on a global scale, Egypt had its share with two major events, starting with the Egyptian pound devaluation against the U.S dollar in 2016 and currently the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. These major events instigated the interference of the legal/contractual sectors in the construction market to find solutions that range from agreeable to stringent to protect the assets of their beneficiaries.

Both events are impactful and require extensive analysis to determine and classify each situation. This thesis addresses the implementation of standard internationally acknowledged legislative acts used …

A Model For The Sustainable Achievement Of The Optimum Return For Crops In Greenhouses, Eman Elnahas

Theses and Dissertations

This study provides a tool for accurate estimation of the irrigation water needs for various crop combinations under different environmental conditions; and employs a genetic optimization algorithm to reach optimum combinations. In the interest of sustainability, the source of energy required to drive the pumps is selected to be a renewable source, namely solar energy, which is converted to electricity employing photovoltaic (PV) modules. Having a single crop will lead to an uneconomical system because the PV installed capacity will not be exploited most of the time.

This research was conducted by establishing the required database, generating different scenarios, assessing …

Mechanical Property Relationships Of Cement Or Lime Stabilized Soils Throughout A Pavement's Life, Leigh E.W. Ayers

Theses and Dissertations

Soil-cement is an integral part of pavement design, especially in areas that are aggregate deprived, such as Mississippi. Current designs are reliant on the relationship of unconfined compressive strength (UCS) to other mechanical properties. The other properties discussed in this dissertation are Modulus of Elasticity (E), Indirect Tensile Strength (St), and Modulus of Rupture (MOR). This dissertation includes a comprehensive review of past design methods and mechanical property relationships. While some mechanical property relationships were shown to be well understood (i.e. St to UCS), others were not as accurate, especially for the later life mechanical properties (i.e. MOR to UCS …

Impact Of Climate Oscillations/Indices On Hydrological Variables In The Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer., Meena Raju

Theses and Dissertations

The Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer (MRVAA) is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the United States. The main objectives of this research are to identify long term trends and change points in hydrological variables (streamflow and rainfall), to assess the relationship between hydrological variables, and to evaluate the influence of global climate indices on hydrological variables. Non-parametric tests, MMK and Pettitt’s tests were used to analyze trend and change points. PCC and Streamflow elasticity analysis were used to analyze the relationship between streamflow and rainfall and the sensitivity of streamflow to rainfall changes. PCC and MLR analysis …

Development And Evaluation Of Seasonal, Continental-Scale Streamflow Forecasts, Elissa Marie Yeates

Theses and Dissertations

Methods of forecasting streamflow using atmospheric ensembles and hydrologic routing have greatly improved over the past decades. These forecasts anticipate the timing and magnitude of streamflow peaks, enabling early warning of floods. Recent advances in atmospheric modeling have enabled production of forecasts months ahead, which are less precise but give a useful sense of trends.

The purpose of this study is to produce and evaluate a seasonal streamflow forecast model using a Muskingum routing hydrologic model coupled with runoff from a land surface model, and atmospheric input from a medium-term atmospheric and precipitation model. To evaluate the skill of the …

Enhancing The Performance Of Dowel Type Fasteners And A Case Study Of Timber Truss Failure, Lon A. Yeary

Theses and Dissertations

This document will outline the findings of three separate and independent studies: Study 1: In or around 1972, an experimental building was constructed. One of the intents of the construction project was to demonstrate advancements in wood building construction design. It was value-engineered throughout. That is, its materials and systems were intended to function at or near design capacity. In 2019, part of the roof of the structure collapsed. This case study investigates two potential factors that led to the failure: stress concentration in excess of the 12 allowable stress for 2 × 4 web members and insufficient plywood sheathing …

Environmental Impact And Life Cycle Assessment Of Biomass Supported Power Systems For Rural Communities, Hariteja Nandimandalam

Theses and Dissertations

Dependence on fossil fuels in the electric sector is one of the major contributors towards Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The increase in renewable contribution has been observed in recent years but there is still potential to utilize wood waste in rural communities for electricity generation promoting energy independence and sustainable development. For this study, a life cycle assessment approach was utilized to estimate the emissions of electricity produced from wood residue in a rural community. Therefore, the process from planting to supply for bioenergy facility to generate electricity are included. The results showed a decrease of 92-96 % in global …

Forecasting Salinity In The Laguna Madre Using Deep Learning, Martin J. Flores Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Salinity is an important metric in the Laguna Madre for establishing the long term health of the local ecological population. By utilizing Deep Learning (DL) techniques, the predicted and forecasted salinity in the Laguna Madre is generated from data provided by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)-Aqua satellite.

Currently, only one other DL model has been used to forecast Sea Surface Salinity (SSS), being a Recurrent Neural Network (RNN). However, the RNN model requires the prediction of a full area of salinity to function.

As such, several model architectures were tested, with the best one, being a Multi-input MPNN, utilized …

Hydrologic Modeling Study To Determine Hydrologic Impact Of Resacas On The Lower Laguna Madre Watershed, Antonio L. Reyna

Theses and Dissertations

During a high intensity storm events, a series of catastrophic events occur. These catastrophic events include flooding and destruction of infrastructure. Engineers have determined a method to design for high intensity storms based off hydrologic analysis of previous storms. With this data engineers can determine the outflow of major rivers and streams that may impact infrastructure. By determining the watershed engineers can predict the flow of the water and as well as the location of the outfall. In the Rio Grande Valley, water quality is very important because after rain events stormwater from cities is carried out towards the Laguna …

Water Quality Monitoring To Assess Pollutant Loadings In Brownsville Ship Channel Watershed, Ivan Rene Santos Chavez

Theses and Dissertations

The Brownsville Ship Channel (BSC) was listed as an impaired waterway from 2010 to 2018 due to screening levels of bacteria concentration. This study aims to address water quality at the three main tributary ditches draining into Brownsville Ship Channel to model present along with future pollutant loads within Brownsville Ship Channel Watershed. Load Duration Curves (LDCs) and Spatial Explicit Load Enrichment Calculation Tool (SELECT) models were developed to determine if current pollutant loads meet water quality standards stablished by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), and to estimate average daily potential E. Coli loading contribution from sub-watersheds within …

Machine Learning Based Surrogate Model For Hurricane Storm Surge Forecasting In The Laguna Madre, Cesar E. Davila Hernandez

Theses and Dissertations

Texas coastal communities are at constant risk of hurricane impacts every storm season. It is especially important to model and predict storm surge variations during hurricane and storm events. Traditionally, hurricane storm surge predictions have been the result of numerical hydrodynamics based simulations. This type of simulations often requires high amounts of computational resources and complex ocean modelling efforts. Recently, machine learning techniques are being explored and are gaining popularity in hydrologic and ocean engineering modelling fields based on their performance to model nonlinear relationships and low computational requirements for prediction. Advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence (A.I.) demand …

Behavior Of Narrow Mechanically Stabilized Earth Walls With Secondary Reinforcement, Abraham Alejandro Alvarez Reyna

Theses and Dissertations

Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) walls have been used in past decades as an alternative, cost-effective, and performance solution to replace conventional retaining walls. AASHTO guidelines recommend a reinforcement length-to-height ratio of 0.7. However, this ratio is not applicable where there exist constraint conditions. FHWA guidelines recommend the minimum reinforcement length-to-height ratio of 0.3 for Narrow Mechanically Stabilized Earth (NMSE) walls in these cases. However, published guidelines have not sufficiently accounted for several parameters influencing NMSE performance and efficiency. Using finite element analysis (PLAXIS 2D), this study focuses on finding a relation between the length-to-height ratio and other parameters/components of the …

Detailing Of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Anchorage For Shear Strengthening, Paul Joseph Ryan

Theses and Dissertations

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers (CFRP) have increased in popularity in the repair and strengthening of reduced shear capacity of concrete bridges. Significant design challenges arise when using CFRP to repair or strengthen bridge girders as the top faces of girders are in contact with decking (i.e. the members cannot be fully wrapped). A full wrap laminates all faces with CFRP and ensures that the failure mode is governed by shear fracture combined with, or followed by, fracture of the CFRP. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Structural Design Manual permits three-sided wrapping schemes (i.e. U-wraps), but the CFRP must be …