Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Transportation Network Resiliency: A Fuzzy Systems Approach, Nayel Urena Serulle

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Every day the dependence on transportation grows as local, regional, national, and international independence increases. Resilient transportation systems are needed to secure the highest possible level of service during disruptive events, including natural and man-made disasters. Because of limited resources, decision makers need guidance on how, when, and where to invest to improve resiliency of their networks. The research objective is to develop a method to assess and quantify resiliency, at pre-event conditions, using a fuzzy inference approach. This research expands previous work, refining key variable definitions, adjusting model interactions, and increasing transparency between metrics. This thesis presents the method …

Destructive Testing And Finite-Element Modeling Of Full-Scale Bridge Sections Containing Precast Deck Panels, Travis R. Brackus

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Full-depth, precast panel deck systems are becoming more common in bridge installation and repair. The objective of these systems is to achieve the performance of cast-in-place systems while simultaneously saving time and money. The structural behavior of these systems has been the subject of scrutiny in recent research. The Utah Department of Transportation demolished a steel I-girder bridge containing a precast panel deck system and provided two full-scale specimens for this project. Destructive testing was performed at Utah State University on the specimens to investigate three failure modes: flexural, beam shear, and punching shear. Finite-element models were created using ANSYS …

Improving Ensemble Streamflow Prediction Using Interdecadal/Interannual Climate Variability, Kenneth W. Lamb

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The National Weather Service’s (NWS) river forecast centers provide long-term water resource forecasts for the main river basins in the U.S. The NWS creates seasonal streamflow forecasts using an ensemble prediction model called the Extended Streamflow Prediction (ESP) software. ESP creates runoff volume forecasts by taking the current observed soil moisture and snowpack conditions in the basin and applying them to historical temperature and precipitation scenarios. The ESP treats every historic input year as a likely scenario of future basin conditions. Therefore improving the knowledge about how long-term climate cycles impact streamflow can extend the forecast lead time and improve …

Pharmaceuticals And Personal Care Products In Ground Water From Municipal Lagoon Treatment, Teresa Nicholas

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are biologically active, organic chemicals that are introduced into the environment through wastewater streams. These chemicals are being found in the environment in trace concentrations and are of concern due to their unknown potential for harm to the health and welfare of the environment. The hypothesis is that during the course of wastewater treatment in a municipal lagoon system from a small community, PPCPs are seeping into ground water resulting in chronic low exposure in the environment. The objective of this work was to study a specific wastewater lagoon treatment system in Mountain Home, …

Effect Of Spatial And Temporal Variability Of Antecedent Moisture Content On Model-Generated Runoff From An Arid Watershed, William J. Meyer

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Streams in the arid southwest are typically ephemeral, and stream gages are not commonly available. Consequently, runoff data from storm events is not available, and flood control facility design or other water resource related decisions are based on synthetic hydrographs. In the Mojave Desert region of Southern Nevada, the duration of storm used to develop these synthetic hydrographs is the 6 hour storm. The 6 hour storm is used to simulate high intensity summer storms. Additionally, soils information used in the calculations for these synthetic hydrographs is taken from maps that are generally developed for a broad range of issues …

Minimizing Base Column Demands In Multi-Story Buckling Restrained Braced Frames Using Genetic Algorithms, Christopher Hiroshi Yeates

Theses and Dissertations

Most structural optimization procedures focus on minimizing the total volume of steel in an attempt to reduce overall costs. However, many other factors can have an effect on the overall cost of a structure. Base column demands in particular, can affect base plate sizes, anchorage, and foundation design. Researchers have found that present methods for estimating column demands are too conservative. Nonlinear time history analyzes were conducted on buckling-restrained braced frames of six heights. Optimized results were found considering three ductility constraints and two optimization objectives. The two optimization objectives were minimized total brace area and minimized base column demands. …

Determination Of Sorption Coefficients For Neptunium, Plutonium, Iodine, And Technetium In Engineered And Natural Systems Under Oxidizing And Reducing Conditions, Michael Lilley

All Theses

Plutonium, neptunium, technetium, and iodine present appreciable risks at nuclear waste disposal sites around the world due to their potential mobility. Sorption of each of these radionuclides is profoundly influenced by oxidation/ reduction reactions. Therefore, the mobility of each radionuclide may be greatly influenced by redox conditions of the natural or engineered system. The primary focus of this study was to determine distribution coefficients (K_d) for each radionuclide for engineered concrete and saltstone systems with varying amounts of reducing slag (a cement additive to create a reducing environment), and for iodide/iodate in natural sediments. Saltstones are a mixture …

Modeling Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Conventional Wastewater Treatment Plants In South Carolina, Andrea Hicks

All Theses

Wastewater treatment is an essential part of life in the urbanized world. As global climate change becomes a more pressing issue, the greenhouse gas emissions created through wastewater treatment will become a more prominent concern. Tertiary treatment will likely be standard for wastewater treatment plants in the near future, and therefore must be included in a model of greenhouse gas emissions. Also, the geographic location of a WWTP will change the mix of power types (e.g., coal, nuclear, biomass) used to run the plant. Although GHG emissions from the waste sector are small compared to the emissions of the United …

Identifying Barriers To Address During The Delivery Of Sustainable Building Renovation Projects, Corey Cattano

All Theses

Architects, engineers, and contractors are continuously searching for tools and methods to reduce the unique risks associated with the delivery of construction projects. Since national policies to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption will require drastic improvements to the existing building stock, one specific area in need of such tools is the sustainable renovation of existing buildings. The purpose of this research is to identify the barriers to address during the delivery of sustainable renovation projects and offer solutions that overcome these barriers. For example, typical renovation projects do not coordinate energy retrofits with building system renovations, resulting in poor …

Assessment And Analysis Of Emotional Intelligence In Engineering Students, Xiaodan Zhou

All Theses

ABSTRACT
Current research on the importance and relevance of the relationship between emotional intelligence and work outcomes has continuously gained momentum since the publication of Daniel Goleman's best seller Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ (Goleman, 1995). Professional expertise is no longer the only standard by which to evaluate graduates. 'Soft skills', like emotional intelligence are viewed as effective ways, to distinguish potential high-performance workers and those who will be 'no more than' a worker. This paper made an attempt to correlate emotional intelligence with academic performance of civil engineering students. The emotional capability of the students …

Correcting Liquefaction Resistance Of Partially Saturated Soil Using Compression Wave Velocity, Md Hossain

All Theses

Empirical relationships for correcting liquefaction resistance of partially saturated soil using longitudinal (P-) wave velocity (V_P) and shear (S-) wave velocity (V_S) are developed and evaluated in this thesis. The relationships are based on the laboratory test results for four different types of sands and one silt published by other investigators. The data used to develop the relationship with V_P exhibit less scatter than the data used to develop the relationship with V_P/V_S. For this reason, the V_P based relationship is recommended for correcting liquefaction resistance of partially saturated soil. …

Evaluation Of Tetrachloroethene Dechlorination Under Low Ph Conditions In Microcosms And Enrichment Cultures, Michael Hickey

All Theses

Chlorinated ethenes are among the most prevalent groundwater contaminants found at hazardous waste sites throughout the United States. Two such sites are the Statesville FCX OU3 Superfund Site in North Carolina and the C-area at the Savannah River Site (SRS) in Aiken, SC. Both sites are contaminated with two of the more common chlorinated ethenes; tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE). Anaerobic biological reductive dechlorination is an increasingly common treatment option. There are two main concerns as to the feasibility of this approach. The first is if the microbes are present that are needed for carrying out complete reductive dechlorination of …

Cold-Formed Steel Framing Seismic Design Optimization Phase 1a: Seismic Equivalency Parameter Evaluation, American Iron And Steel Institute

American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) Specifications, Standards, Manuals and Research Reports (1946 - present)

No abstract provided.

Liquefaction Mitigation In Silty Sands At Salmon Lake Dam Using Stone Columns And Wick Drains, Emily Dibb Thiriot

Theses and Dissertations

Stone columns are an established method of liquefaction mitigation in clean sands (fines content <15%). Although stone columns are considered less effective in silty soils, an increase in the area replacement ratio or the addition of wick drains may still produce improvement in the normalized blow count. Limited case histories are available with a direct comparison of the use of stone columns with and without wick drains at one location. The Salmon Lake Dam Modification project provided such a scenario. Two test sections were completed at the site prior to construction to determine the area replacement ratio for the final design as well as to compare the application of stone columns with and without wick drains. Visual observations of water and air escaping from wick drains within a distance of 15 ft of the stone column construction confirmed that drains aided in pore pressure dissipation. Test results indicated that stone column treatment with wick drains produced greater improvement in blow count than stone column treatment without drains. For the overall site, there was an increase in improvement ranging from 3 to 8 SPT blow counts. When compared to the results of a similar evaluation of a site in Ogden, Utah, which had a comparable fines content and an area replacement ratio of 26%, the increase in stone column effectiveness produced by adding wick drains was lower at the Salmon Lake Dam site. The increase in improvement at the Ogden, Utah site ranged from 12 to 18 SPT blow counts. At the Ogden site, wick drains were placed between every stone column while they were only placed between vertical rows of columns at Salmon Lake dam. Despite the beneficial effects provided by using wick drains with stone column treatment in silty soils, the performance was below what would be expected for stone column treatment without wick drains in clean sands with less than 15% fines. Stone column treatment also proved less effective in layers of sandy silt than in layers of silty sand, which was indicated by lower average improvement and more points of negative improvement in layers of sandy silt. Although several different area replacement ratios were analyzed (23, 27, 31, and 35%), no consistent trend towards greater improvement in blow count was seen as the replacement ratio increased beyond 23%.

Pedestrian Activity On The Uah Campus, Morgan Chamberlain

Honors Capstone Projects and Theses

No abstract provided.

Web-Based Intelligent Computational Argumentation Based Conflict Resolution In Air Traffic Management, Xiaoqing Frank Liu, Ravi Santosh Arvapally, Hojong Baik, Rubal Wanchoo

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Collaborative decision making (CDM) is a process of reaching consensus on a potential solution of an issue through the evaluation of the different possible alternatives. the web-Based intelligent computational argumentation system allows concerned stakeholders to post their arguments on different alternatives, assign weights and priorities to the arguments and reach the most favorable alternative using fuzzy intelligent techniques over the Internet. Exchange of information among the stakeholders improves the collaboration and drives towards the collective intelligence. in this paper, we show how our tool facilitates resolution of conflicts in air traffic management. It could enhance the Ground Delay Program (GDP) …

Seismic Performance Of Square Rc Bridge Columns Under Combined Loading Including Torsion With Low Shear, Q. Li, Abdeldjelil Belarbi, S. S. Prakash

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

During earthquake excitations, reinforced concrete bridge columns can be subjected to a combination of axial load, shear force, flexural moments, and torsional moments. the torsional moment can be much more significant in columns of bridges that are skewed, curved, have unequal spans, or unequal column heights. Combined loading including torsion can result in complex flexural and shear failure of these bridge columns. This paper presents an experimental study on the seismic behavior of square reinforced concrete columns under combined cyclic flexural and torsional moments. the columns in this study were designed with an aspect ratio of six and tested under …

Structural Health Monitoring Of Reinforced Concrete Columns Subjected To Reversed Cyclic Loading Using Innovative Smart Aggregates, Yashar Moslehy, Haichang Gu, Abdeljalil Belarbi, Y. L. Mo, Gangbing Song

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Structural health monitoring is an important issue for the maintenance of large-scale civil infrastructure, especially for bridge columns. in this paper, an innovative piezoceramic-Based approach is developed for the structural health monitoring of reinforced concrete columns. an innovative piezoceramic-Based device, smart aggregate, is utilized as a transducer for health monitoring purposes. to investigate the seismic behavior of RC bridge columns, structural health monitoring tests were performed on two bridge columns under combined reversed cyclic loading at Missouri University of Science and Technology. Experimental results show that the proposed smart aggregate-Based approach successfully evaluated the health status of concrete columns during …

Understanding The Economics Of Transportation In Utah, Jeremy E. Searle

Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the economic impacts of transportation projects in Utah is essential for decision makers, officials, and stakeholders as they determine the best course of action for the state. Economic impacts can guide decisions of future projects and help explain past economic fluctuations. This study develops a process that can be used to identify the economic impacts of transportation projects in Utah and quantify the relationship between transportation and these impacts. Accomplishing the objectives of this study are a product of: 1) performing a comprehensive literature review, 2) collecting data and establishing analysis methods, 3) completing a statistical analysis and breakdown …

Using Performance Measures To Improve Signal System Performance, Ross Haseman, Christopher Day, Darcy Bullock

Indiana Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) Technical Reports

Recent emphasis on improving signal system performance has prompted research on the collection of enhanced quantitative data for making operational decisions, the development of a systematic method for monitoring and recording system performance and the definition of quantitative performance measures to identify opportunities to improve corridor traffic operations. This document summarizes the highlights from several publications which document the motivation, theory and application of traffic signal performance measures. Topics discussed include the advantages of monitoring signal system performance without labor intensive field observations. The benefits of real time monitoring and evaluation of signal system performance as well as system troubleshooting. …

Pooling For Horizontal Wells: Can They Teach An Old Dog New Tricks?, Bruce M. Kramer

Shale Plays in the Intermountain West: Legal and Policy Issues (November 12)

74 pages.

This paper was originally published as:

Bruce M. Kramer, “Pooling for Horizontal Wells: Can They Teach an Old Dog New Tricks?,” 55 Rocky Mt. Min. L. Inst. 8-1, § 8.05 (2009).

Slides: Shale Drilling And Completions, William Fleckenstein

Shale Plays in the Intermountain West: Legal and Policy Issues (November 12)

Presenter: William Fleckenstein, BP Adjunct Professor in the Petroleum Department and Director of PERFORM Research, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO, and Managing Partner of Fleckenstein, Eustes & Associates

20 slides

Slides: Transforming And Disrupting: Shale Gas And Oil In U.S. Energy Supply, Richard Nehring

Shale Plays in the Intermountain West: Legal and Policy Issues (November 12)

Presenter: Richard Nehring, Nehring Associates, Colorado Springs, CO

15 slides

Agenda: Shale Plays In The Intermountain West: Legal And Policy Issues, University Of Colorado Boulder. Natural Resources Law Center

Shale Plays in the Intermountain West: Legal and Policy Issues (November 12)

This one-day symposium to be held at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Denver will address the technology, economics, environmental impacts, and regulatory issues associated with shale gas development in the Rocky Mountain region. The purpose of this event is to facilitate productive dialogue among a wide range of stakeholders and interested parties to guide policy decisions.

Slides: Development Of Shale: Water Resource Concerns And Policy Considerations, Katy Dunlap

Shale Plays in the Intermountain West: Legal and Policy Issues (November 12)

Presenter: Katy Dunlap, Eastern Water Project Director, Trout Unlimited, Inc., Burdett, NY

24 slides

Slides: The Here And Now Of U.S. Nat Gas, Michelle Michot Foss

Shale Plays in the Intermountain West: Legal and Policy Issues (November 12)

Presenter: Michelle Michot Foss, Chief Energy Economist, Center for Energy Economics, Bureau of Economic Geology, University of Texas, Austin, TX

12 slides

Slides: Water And Development Of Unconventional Oil And Gas Resources, Judy Jordan

Shale Plays in the Intermountain West: Legal and Policy Issues (November 12)

Presenter: Judy Jordan, Oil & Gas Liaison, Garfield County, Rifle, CO

21 slides

Slides: Shale And Air Quality: The View From The Other Side, Jeremy Nichols

Shale Plays in the Intermountain West: Legal and Policy Issues (November 12)

Presenter: Jeremy Nichols, Climate & Energy Program Director, WildEarth Guardians, Denver, CO

18 slides

Slides: U.S. Shale Gas: Resources, Reserves And $$$, John B. Curtis

Shale Plays in the Intermountain West: Legal and Policy Issues (November 12)

Presenter: John B. Curtis, Professor of Geology and Geological Engineering and Director of the Potential Gas Agency, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO

17 slides

Slides: Evolving Policy On Shale Plays, John Martin

Shale Plays in the Intermountain West: Legal and Policy Issues (November 12)

Presenter: John Martin, Crowell & Moring, LLP, Washington, DC

17 slides