Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Assessing Crash Occurrence On Urban Freeways Using Static And Dynamic Factors By Applying A System Of Interrelated Equations, Rajashekar Pemmanaboina

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Traffic crashes have been identified as one of the main causes of death in the US, making road safety a high priority issue that needs urgent attention. Recognizing the fact that more and effective research has to be done in this area, this thesis aims mainly at developing different statistical models related to the road safety. The thesis includes three main sections: 1) overall crash frequency analysis using negative binomial models, 2) seemingly unrelated negative binomial (SUNB) models for different categories of crashes divided based on type of crash, or condition in which they occur, 3) safety models to determine …

Pah And Pcb Distribution In Sediment Fractions And Sorptive Phases, Trudy J. Estes

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Contaminant distribution is integral to environmental evaluations of contaminated sediment on every level. The technical and economic feasibility of treatment or beneficial use is a function of the accessibility or separability of the contaminants within the sediment. The magnitude of release to the environment during dredging and disposal is dependent upon the partitioning behavior of the contaminants. Yet, little attention has been paid to contaminant distribution in the fine sediment fractions. Further, conventional distribution coefficients provide little information regarding the relative contaminant loading of each of the sorptive phases. Bioavailability of contaminants in oil and grease, soot and organic carbon, …

Family Of Compaction Curves For Chemically Modified Soils, Radha Krishna Daita, Vincent P. Drnevich, Daehyeon Kim

JTRP Technical Reports

Lime and Lime Kiln Dust (LKD) are widely used for modifying/stabilizing pavement subgrades. The addition of lime or LKD involves chemical processes that are dependent on many parameters. For natural subgrades, quality control is based on moisture and unit weight requirements using manual interpolations of one-point test data on a family of curves. For modified soils, moisture and unit weight measurements are insufficient for quality control and other tests must be considered. Various possible quality control methods for LKD-modified subgrades were evaluated. This research produced an Excel-based program to automate the generation of a family of curves and one-point data …

Guideline Specifications For Construction And Maintenance Equipment For Street And Highway Work, Indiana Ltap

Indiana Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) Publications

This document is intended to help the purchasing agent of a local public agency to prepare, issue, revise, maintain and monitor use of specifications. It will also serve as a guide to the purchasing agency in maintaining an indexed file of specifications prepared by or under the authority of its purchasing agents. More importantly, however, it is hoped that this document will be a useful tool for county engineers and supervisors and city and town street commissioners in purchasing their equipment. Good equipment specifications are necessary to ensure that the owner gets the piece of equipment that they need, and …

Infrared Thermography And High Accuracy Gps For Automated Asphalt Crack Detection, Tarek M. Abdel-Monem

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Roads are major public assets. The USA spends billions of dollars each year on road construction and maintenance. To keep these roads in a healthy condition and for better planning and allocation of maintenance budgets, knowledge of distressed locations is needed. Roads develop cracks when they are subjected to stresses that exceed their designed criteria or their materials properties. Early detection and repair of cracks has proven to be the most cost-effective strategy in limiting the damage to roads and reducing expenditures. Various methodologies of crack detection were developed and significant techniques were made in the last few years. One …

Procedures For The Estimation Of Pavement And Bridge Preservation Costs For Fiscal Planning And Programming, Kumares C. Sinha, Samuel Labi, Marcela Rodriguez, Gabriel U. Tine, Rucci Dutta

JTRP Technical Reports

Facility preservation generally refers to the set of activities that are carried out to keep a facility in usable condition until the next reconstruction activity. For fiscal planning and programming, it is necessary to know the expected costs of preservation projects and how long they would last. Such information, coupled with minimum standards and facility inventory data enable estimation of overall monetary needs for bridge and pavement preservation, and would assist INDOT in undertaking appropriate programming and attendant financial planning over the long term. However, detailed engineering analyses are not possible every year because of the time and effort involved, …

Its Strategies For Minimization Of Fine Particulates, Ahmed S. Soliman, Robert Bertram Jacko, Barry K. Partridge

JTRP Technical Reports

The purpose of the study was to quantify the impact of traffic conditions such as free flow and congestion on local air quality. The Borman Expressway in Northwest Indiana is considered a test-bed for this research due to the high volume of class-9-truck traffic traveling on it, as well as the existing and continuing installation of the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) to improve the traffic management along the highway stretch. An empirical Traffic-Air-Quality model (TAQ model) was developed to estimate the PM2.5 emission factors (g/mi) based solely on the measured traffic parameters such as average speed, average acceleration and truck …

Configuration Methodology For Traffic-Responsive Plan Selection: A Global Perspective, Montasir M. Abbas, Nadeem A. Chaudhary, Geza Pesti, Anuj Sharma

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Although several studies have shown the potential great benefits of traffic-responsive plan selection (TRPS) control, time-of-day operation continues to be the primary method used to select patterns for signal control applications. This practice could be largely attributed to the minimal guidelines available on the setup of the TRPS mode. An innovative framework for TRPS system setup is provided, and guidelines for implementing TRPS in a simplified manner are shown. The guidelines, developed at Texas Transportation Institute (TTI), use a comprehensive approach that incorporates a multiobjective evolutionary algorithm and a supervised discriminant analysis. Engineers can directly implement the guidelines presented as …

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Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Biological Opinion On The Operation Of The Missouri River Main Stem System, Missouri River Bank Stabilization And Navigation Project, And Operation Of The Kansas River Reservoir System

United States Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) prepares an annual report for interested parties in accordance with reporting requirements of the "Biological Opinion (BiOp) on the Operation of the Missouri River Main Stem System, Operation and Maintenance of the Missouri River Bank Stabilization and Navigation Project (BSNP), and Operation of the Kansas River Reservoir System" prepared by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) dated November 30,2000 and the Amendment, thereto, dated December 16,2003.

This annual report documents the Corps threatened and endangered species conservation activities to comply with the provisions of the 2000 BiOp and the 2003 Amendment to …

U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers Omaha District Monthly Drought Report, August 2005

United States Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District

Missouri River Basin Drought Overview

Pre-Settlement Drought

Drought Since 1895

Current Conditions

Drought Outlook 1

Ft. Peck, Montana

Reservoir Elevation Overview

Water Intake Overview

Access Overview

Noxious Weeds Overview

Cultural Resources Overview

Garrison, North Dakota

Reservoir Elevation Overview

Water Intake Overview

Access Overview

Boat Ramp Information

Noxious Weeds Overview

Cultural Resources Overview

Other Areas of Interest/Concern

Oahe, South Dakota

Reservoir Elevation Overview

Water Intake Overview

Access Overview

Noxious Weeds Overview

Cultural Resources Overview

Mainstem Reservoir Information, Weekly Elevation Comparison 27 JUN 2005 through 1 AUG 2005

Mainstem Reservoir Storage Comparison Water Year 2004 vs. Water Year 2005

Ft. Peck, MT …

U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers Omaha District Monthly Drought Report, July 2005

United States Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District

Drought Monitor Overview

Latest Seasonal Assessment

U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook

U.S. Drought Monitor

National Drought Summary July 12, 2005

Current Drought Impacts in the United States

Drought Severity Index by Division

Mainstem Reservoir Information

Reservoir Control Center Predictions

Basic Simulation

Lower Basic Simulation

Upper Basic Simulation

Ft. Peck, Montana

Reservoir Elevation Overview

Water Intake Overview

Access Overview

Noxious Weeds Overview

Cultural Resources Overview

FY 05 Action Items

Garrison, North Dakota

Reservoir Elevation Overview

Water Intake Overview

Access Overview

Boat Ramp Information

Noxious Weeds Overview

Cultural Resources Overview

Other Areas of Interest/Concern

Oahe Assessment

Reservoir Elevation Overview

Water Intake Overview

Access …

U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers Omaha District Monthly Drought Report, November 2005

United States Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District

Current Conditions

Drought Outlook

Ft. Peck, Montana

Reservoir Elevation Overview

Water Intake Overview

Access Overview

Noxious Weeds Overview

Cultural Resources Overview

Garrison, North Dakota

Reservoir Elevation Overview

Water Intake Overview

Access Overview

Boat Ramp Information

Noxious Weeds Overview

Cultural Resources Overview

Other Areas of Interest/Concern

Oahe, South Dakota

Reservoir Elevation Overview

Water Intake Overview

Access Overview

Noxious Weeds Overview

Cultural Resources Overview

Mainstem Reservoir Information, Weekly Elevation Comparison 3 OCT 2005 through 31 OCT 2005

Mainstem Reservoir Storage Comparison Water Year 2004 vs. Water Year 2005

Ft.Peck, MT

Garrison, ND

Oahe, SD

U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers Omaha District Monthly Drought Report, September 2005

United States Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District

Missouri River Basin Drought Overview

Pre-Settlement Drought

Drought Since 1895

Current Conditions

Drought Outlook

Ft. Peck, Montana

Reservoir Elevation Overview

Water Intake Overview

Access Overview

Noxious Weeds Overview

Cultural Resources Overview

Garrison, North Dakota

Reservoir Elevation Overview

Water Intake Overview

Access Overview

Boat Ramp Information

Noxious Weeds Overview

Cultural Resources Overview

Other Areas of Interest/Concern

Oahe, South Dakota

Reservoir Elevation Overview

Water Intake Overview

Access Overview

Noxious Weeds Overview

Cultural Resources Overview

Mainstem Reservoir Information, Weekly Elevation Comparison 27 JUN 2005 through 31 AUG 2005

Mainstem Reservoir Storage Comparison Water Year 2004 vs. Water Year  2005

Ft. Peck, MT

Garrison, …

Evaluation Of Toxic Agent Effects On Lung Cells By Fiber Evanescent Wave Spectroscopy, Pierre Lucas, David Lee Coq, Christophe Juncker, Jayne Collier, Dianne E. Boesewetter, Catherine Boussard-Pledel, Bruno Bureau, Mark R. Riley

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Biochemical changes in living cells are detected using a fiber probe system composed of a single chalcogenide fiber acting as both the sensor and transmission line for infrared optical signals. The signal is collected via evanescent wave absorption along the tapered sensing zone of the fiber. We spectroscopically monitored the effects of the surfactant Triton X-lOO, which serves as a toxic agent simulant on a transformed human lung carcinoma type II epithelial cell line (A549). We observe spectral changes between 2800-3000 cm-1 in four absorptions bands, which are assigned to hydrocarbon vibrations of methylene and methyl groups in membrane lipids. …

Evaluation Of Methods For Estimating Daily Reference Crop Evapotranspiration At A Site In The Humid Southeast United States, R. E. Yoder, Lameck O. Odhiambo, Wesley C. Wright

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Estimated daily reference crop evapotranspiration (ET_o) is normally used to determine the water requirement of crops using the crop factor method. Many ET_o estimation methods have been developed for different types of climatic data, and the accuracy of these methods varies with climatic conditions. In this study, pair−wise comparisons were made between daily ET_o estimated from eight different ET_o equations and ET_o measured by lysimeter to provide information helpful in selecting an appropriate ET_o equation for the Cumberland Plateau located in the humid Southeast United States. Based on the standard error of the …

Remote Estimation Of Canopy Chlorophyll Content In Crops, Anatoly A. Gitelson, Andrés Viña, Veronica Ciganda, Donald Rundquist, Timothy J. Arkebauer

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Accurate estimation of spatially distributed chlorophyll content (Chl) in crops is of great importance for regional and global studies of carbon balance and responses to fertilizer (e.g., nitrogen) application. In this paper a recently developed conceptual model was applied for remotely estimating Chl in maize and soybean canopies. We tuned the spectral regions to be included in the model, according to the optical characteristics of the crops studied, and showed that the developed technique allowed accurate estimation of total Chl in both crops, explaining more than 92% of Chl variation. This new technique shows great potential for remotely tracking the …

Modeling Sediment Trapping In A Vegetative Filter Accounting For Converging Overland Flow, M. J. Helmers, D. E. Eisenhauer, Thomas G. Franti, Michael G. Dosskey

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Vegetative filters (VF) are used to remove sediment and other pollutants from overland flow. When modeling the hydrology of VF, it is often assumed that overland flow is planar, but our research indicates that it can be two-dimensional with converging and diverging pathways. Our hypothesis is that flow convergence will negatively influence the sediment trapping capability of VF. The objectives were to develop a two-dimensional modeling approach for estimating sediment trapping in VF and to investigate the impact of converging overland flow on sediment trapping by VF. In this study, the performance of a VF that has field-scale flow path …

Optimization Of Time Of Day Plan Scheduling Using A Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithm, Montasir M. Abbas, Anuj Sharma

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Coordinating traffic signals can provide great savings to motorists in terms of reduced delays and number of vehicular stops. In order to maximize benefits, engineers need to use a mechanism by which the most optimal timing plans are activated when the traffic patterns change. Common ways of accomplishing this need is by using Time of Day (TOD) plan scheduling, or Traffic Responsive Plan Selection (TRPS). Out of the two modes, the TOD mode is by far the most common. Engineers, however, typically use their judgment to determine the TOD plan scheduling. Unless traffic patterns change at certain times of the …

Salmon At River's End: The Role Of The Estuary In The Decline And Recovery Of Columbia River Salmon, Daniel L. Bottom, Charles A. Simenstad, Jennifer Burke, Antonio M. Baptista, David A. Jay, Kim K. Jone, Edmundo Casillas, Michael H. Schiewe

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The continued decline of Columbia River salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) populations has long focused concerns on habitat changes upriver, particularly the effects of large hydroelectric dams. Increasing evidence that ocean conditions strongly influence salmon production, however, has raised questions about the importance of the estuarine environment to salmon and whether the hydropower system has affected estuarine-rearing habitats. In response to Northwest Power Planning Council recommendations, we initiated a review of what is known about the effects of the hydroelectric system on the hydrology, habitats, and ecology of the Columbia River estuary. Our goal was to develop recommendations for improving estuarine conditions …

Estimation Of Columbia River Virgin Flow: 1879 To 1928, Pradeep K. Naik, David A. Jay

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Columbia River has historically been a major source of economic activity for the Pacific Northwest, and is one of the more heavily modified rivers in the United States today. Understanding human and climate-induced changes in its hydrologic properties is, therefore, a topic of considerable interest. Long streamflow records are essential to determining how runoff has changed over time. Daily streamflow records of the Columbia River at The Dalles dates back to June 1978. However, the observed daily flow does not alone provide enough information to understand or separate anthropogenic and climate effects. It is necessary also to have an …

Measuring The Impacts Of Speed Reduction Technologies: Evaluation Of Dynamic Advanced Curve Warning System, Christopher Monsere, Casey Nolan, Robert Bertini, Edward Anderson, Tarek El-Seoud

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper presents the results of a quantitative and qualitative evaluation of a dynamic curve warning System deployed at one site on Interstate 5 in Oregon. On a dynamic message sign, the System displays messages directed to drivers on the basis of the observed speed of approaching vehicles. For the evaluation, three measures of effectiveness were selected: (a) the change in mean speed for passenger cars and commercial vehicles, (b) the change in the speed distribution for both passenger cars and trucks, and (c) public response to the sign. Speed samples were taken of vehicles with a laser ranging and …

Using Custom Transportation Data Collection Software With Handheld Computers For Education, Research, And Practice, Robert Bertini, Christopher Monsere, Andrew Byrd, Michael Rose, Tarek El-Seoud

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

In an effort to facilitate data collection for research, give students first-hand experience collecting data for course projects, and generate interest in the transportation field through outreach, the Intelligent Transportation Systems Laboratory of Portland State University, Oregon, has developed custom data collection software for handheld computers using the Palm OS platform. The software is designed to export the collected data to desktop computers in common file formats suitable for analysis in spreadsheet and geographic information systems applications. Data collection problems addressed include recording position over time, recording geographic location of features, and performing cumulative vehicle or pedestrian counts.

Detecting Anomalous Inclusions In Soil Profiles: Encouraging The Use Of Geophysics To Solve Engineering Problems, Barbara Luke, Carlos Calderon-Macias

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

Geotechnical site investigations often do not take full advantage of geophysical methods. As examples, when delineating cemented strata and when detecting shallow cavities, investigations can be enhanced greatly for low additional cost by incorporating seismic surface-based measurements.

Integration Of Service-Learning Into Civil And Environmental Engineering Curriculum, T. C. Piechota, Shashi S. Nambisan

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

Service-learning is defined as integrating the community service experience of students with their academic study so that learning is enhanced. The level of student participation in community service is at an all time high as students feel the need to confront today's technical and societal problems. However, service-learning is more than community service or volunteerism. Service-learning as defined above, integrates the community service experience with the student’s academic study (note the hyphen in "service-learning" means that both are considered equal). This enhances learning which is a fundamental goal of colleges and universities. Boyer highlights the need for service-learning stating that …

Effects Of Bedding Void On Internal Moment Increase In Concrete Pipes, Jad Kazma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Large diameter concrete pipes have been used in many areas of central Florida to carry pressured sewage flow. These pipes have been typically located at six feet below finished roadway elevation, and ranges in diameter from thirty six to sixty inches. The water table is typically located at shallow depth below finished roadway elevation, and generally fluctuates between five to ten feet depending on the relative roadway elevation to mean sea level. These pipes are under pressure when carrying the sewage flow, but return to normal atmospheric pressures when the flow stops. Since the water table encases most of the …

Evaluating Ramp Metering And Variable Speed Limits To Reduce Crash Potential On Congested Freeways Using Micro-Simulation, Albinder Dhindsa

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recent research at UCF into defining surrogate measures for identifying crash prone conditions on freeways has led to the introduction of several statistical models which can flag such conditions with a good degree of accuracy. Outputs from these models have the potential to be used as real-time safety measures on freeways. They may also act as the basis for the evaluation of several intervention strategies that might help in the mitigation of risk of crashes. Ramp Metering and Variable Speed Limits are two approaches which have the potential of becoming effective implementation strategies for improving the safety conditions on congested …

Corrugated Wood Composite Panels For Structural Decking, Wei Chiang Pang

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

High flexural strength and stiffness can be achieved by forming a thin panel into a wave shape perpendicular to the bending direction. The use of corrugated shapes to gain flexural strength and stiffness is common in metal and reinforced plastic products. However, there is no commercial production of corrugated wood composite panels. This research focuses on the application of corrugated shapes to wood strand composite panels.

Beam theory, classical plate theory and finite element models were used to analyze the bending behavior of corrugated panels. The most promising shallow corrugated panel configuration was identified based on structural performance and compatibility …

Spatial And Temporal Estimation Of Pumping And Recharge In Groundwater System Analysis, Sherly Hartono

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In many parts of the U.S., groundwater is used as the primary or secondary source of water for the public supply, agricultural, and industrial sectors. In southwestern Louisiana, a majority of the water demand is supplied by the Chicot aquifer. Numerical flow models are useful for managing and optimizing groundwater systems. However, many important model parameters are difficult to quantify, exhibit a certain degree of uncertainty, and may vary both spatially and temporally. Two of the most important and sensitive parameters for a regional groundwater model of the Chicot aquifer are pumping rates and recharge. The use of GIS-based methods …

Distributed Airlift Systems Design With Application To Recirculating Soft Shell Crawfish Shedding Systems, Sripavani Gudipati

LSU Master's Theses

Soft shell crawfish, a seafood delicacy, has a potential market for growth in the aquaculture industry. Since the industry's collapse in the 1990's, the advent of new technologies like eyestalk ablation, automated hydraulic separation and distributed airlift systems has elevated the hope for restoration. In a distributed airlift system, airlifts and distribution pipes supply water to holding trays. Airlifts are simple devices used to pump water by injecting air at the bottom of an open pipe. The combination of airlifts and distribution pipes has potential economic benefits for low head applications in recirculating aquaculture systems. This thesis focuses on guidelines …