Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Wind Charged Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle, John Patten, Nathan Christensen, Steven Srivastava, Gary Nola

Green Manufacturing Research Journal

With the emergence of electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid vehicles HVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) from a variety of automotive manufacturers, the electrical grid will need to meet new challenges in supplying the electricity required to charge these vehicles.  To help supply the electricity needed by these vehicles, we compared the electricity consumption of a modified Toyota Prius (PHEV) and the output of a small residential wind turbine over the course of one year.  Our research seeks to determine whether a small residential wind turbine can supply the necessary electricity demanded by the PHEV annually.

The Impact Of Driving Conditions On Phev Battery Performance, Nathan Christensen, John Patten, Steven Srivastava, Gary P. Nola

Green Manufacturing Research Journal

The battery performance of a modified Prius with a 5 kWh plug-in battery was documented for a year to determine the impact of environmental conditions and user attributes on vehicle performance.  Both fuel economy and pure electrical efficiency were compared to ambient temperature.  The fuel economy has a positive relationship with ambient temperature until approximately 70˚F where the efficiency begins to drop.  Electrical performance has a positive linear relationship with ambient temperature.  With the emergence of electric vehicles (EVs) and PHEVs from a variety of automotive manufacturers, information on EV and PHEV performance for consumers will become more important.

Behaviour Of Unbonded Post- Tensioned Segmental Box Girders With Dry Joints, Michael Matson

Theses

The primary objective of this thesis is to examine the capacity of shear keys used in dry jointed precast post-tensioned segmental box girder bridge construction. The use of dry joints, in lieu of the more traditional glued joints, is becoming more popular in climatically suitable countries. The time and cost savings achieved using this construction form arc significant, due to the economies of scale involved.

The shear capacity of dry jointed keys is calculated using a number of available formulae. However, in previously published papers, significant differences have been noted in the results obtained from these formulae, deeming further investigation …

A 2009 Mobile Source Emissions Inventory Of The University Of Central Florida, Johanna Marie Clifford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis reports on the results of a mobile source emissions inventory for the University of Central Florida (UCF). For a large urban university, the majority of volatile organic compounds (VOC), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions come from onroad sources: personal vehicles and campus shuttles carrying students, faculty, staff, and administrators to and from the university, as well as university business trips. In addition to emissions from daily commutes, non-road equipment such as lawnmowers, leaf blowers, small maintenance vehicles, and other such equipment utilized on campus contributes to a significant portion to the total emissions from …

Flexural Behavior Of Steel Fiber Reinforced Prestressed Concrete Beams And Double Punch Test For Fiber Reinforced Concrete, Netra Bahadur Karki

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Steel fibers have widely been used in the past to reinforce brittle materials in many nonstructural applications such as pavement, tunneling lining, etc. On the basis of numerous previous studies, ACI 318-11 [2011] has recently accepted steel fiber as a minimum shear reinforcement replacement with minimum 0.75% volume fraction for both reinforced concrete and prestressed concrete members. However, not much previous research has talked about the flexural behavior of fiber reinforced concrete (FRC). As per ACI 318-11 for tension-controlled sections, the net tensile strains in the outermost layer of steel, εt, should be greater than or equal to 0.005 and …

Evaluation Of Training Needs For Building Information Modeling (Bim), German Pena

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

The basic premise of Building Information Modeling (BIM) is to use and share the digital model of a project as a source of information for all participants, in order to simulate and analyze potential problems during the project's life-cycle, from conception to operation. BIM is a relatively new technology praised by all participants in the Architecture-Engineering-Construction (AEC) industry for its innovative tools, and the promise of a high return of investment and productivity increase. The construction industry experimented little growth in productivity in the last decades, and is heavily relying on technology rather than intense labor in order to boost …

Effect Of Pavement Type On Fuel Consumption In City Driving, Palinee Sumitsawan

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Vehicular fuel consumption and emissions are two increasingly important measures of effectiveness of sustainable transportation systems, particularly considering that mobile sources in the U.S. account for the largest consumption of energy and generation of air pollution. Improving the energy efficiency of the transportation sector including improving vehicle shape, weight, engine size, and tire quality could play a vital role in reducing fuel consumption and exhaust gas emissions. Pavement surface type and other surface characteristics such as skid resistance and roughness affect vehicular fuel consumption. The main objective of this study has been to investigate any differences that might exist in …

Development Of A Model Of Productivity For Horizontal Directional Drilling (Hdd), Mohmd Sarireh

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) is a growing method for installation of pipes in urban areas and where ever trenching is impossible or undesirable; such as in crossing rivers, lakes, and railways, and special areas such as airports. This technique utilizes downhole cutting heads to create a pilot borehole before it is enlarged with back reamers to allow pulling back of a product pipe. The utilization of HDD for the installation of underground infrastructure (i.e., water, oil and gas pipes, telecommunication, power conduits, in some cases gravity pipes, and so on), has shown a rapid growth compared to other trenchless technologies. …

Impact Of Transit-Oriented Infrastructure Investments On Property Valuations, Francis Amodu Smith

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

The population explosion of the second half of the last century brought about increased human activity. Much of the attendant increased access to activities has been facilitated by the incredible technological advances in the automobile, which depends almost entirely on fossil fuels. Supplies of fossil fuel are limited and the automobile has led to urban sprawl, traffic congestion, and reduced quality to life in cities (1). This type of development is unsustainable. Transit-oriented development (TOD) is one of the neo-urbanism response instruments. The question is: "How well do these urban forms perform in North-Central Texas? In response, this study has …

Nano-Modified Cement Composites And Its Applicability As Concrete Repair Material, Tanvir Manzur

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Nanotechnology or Nano-science, considered the forth industrial revolution, has received considerable attention in the past decade. The physical properties of a nano-scaled material are entirely different than that of bulk materials. With the emerging nanotechnology, one can build material block atom by atom. Therefore, through nanotechnology it is possible to enhance and control the physical properties of materials to a great extent. Composites such as concrete materials have very high strength and Young's modulus but relatively low toughness and ductility due to their covalent bonding between atoms and lacking of slip systems in the crystal structures. However, the strength and …

A Matrix Formulation For The Moment Distribution Method Applied To Continuous Beams, Arlindo Pires Lopes, Adriana Santos, Rogério Coelho Lopes

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Moment Distribution Method is a quite powerful hand method of structural analysis, in which the solution is obtained iteratively without even formulating the equations for the unknowns. It was formulated by Professor Cross in an era where computer facilities were not available to solve frame problems that normally require the solution of simultaneous algebraic equations. Its relevance today, in the era of personal computers, is in its insight on how a structure reacts to applied loads by rotating its nodes and thus distributing the loads in the form of member-end moments. Such an insight is the foundation of the …

Calorific Values Of Building Materials And Their Effect On The Structural Environment, Graham Doyle

Theses

As materials are seen to be a distinct source of fire and to avoid the destructive effects of fire to people and the environment, there is certainly a need for an assessment of building materials, internal finishes and contents to be conducted in a fire engineering context. This report examines the effect of these materials on the structural environment with a view of ultimately determining compartmental fire loads.

Research has shown that there is a significant lack of information available in regards to the calorific values of materials, and in particular building materials. In addition, material calorific values and generic …

A Finite Element Study Of Precast Prestressed Concrete Circular Tanks Subject To Elevated Temperatures, Michael Minehane

Theses

The current study investigates the influence of heated water storage, upward of 95°C, on precast prestressed concrete circular tanks. Modem design standards for liquid- retaining concrete structures stipulate that thermal effects are to be considered for the serviceability limit state. They are also to be considered for the ultimate limit state when deemed significant. The standards, however, do not provide guidance for the analysis of such effects. Research in this area is also limited and exclusively concerned with ambient thermal conditions, with a maximum temperature of 30 °C in any instance.

A finite element study incorporating thermo-mechanical coupling investigates the …

Design Of A Centralised Anaerobic Digestion Plant In Ireland., Diarmuid O'Meara

Theses

Climate change is brought about by greenhouse gases emitted to the earth’s atmosphere by fossil fuels. Renewable energy sources are seen as an alternative to fossil fuels. Examples of renewable energy sources are biofuels which are a method of reducing the emission of greenhouse gases. One form of biofuels is biogas that is produced during the anaerobic digestion process. In this thesis pig slurry is used to produce biogas.

In this project, the optimum design process for a centralised anaerobic digestion plant was established in the literature review, The optimum process for anaerobic digestion plant design in Ireland was investigated. …

Feasibility Report On Use Of Anchored Gravity Bases For Offshore Wind Turbines, Anthony Hayes

Theses

In recent years, the demand for renewable energy in Europe has been rising substantially, as a result of statutory demands put in place by the European Union. It is expected that a relatively large proportion of future renewable electricity will be supplied by offshore wind farms. The offshore wind industry is currently attempting to design and evaluate cost effective foundation systems suitable for water depths greater than 30m. There is also a drive to reduce foundation costs for offshore wind turbines at present. This project is a preliminary feasibility report on an anchored gravity base foundation concept for deployment at …

Scenario Generation And Climate Change Modelling Of Nitrous Oxide Emissions From Grasslands In Ireland, Mark Cochrane

Theses

Described as a two-year study in relation to nitrous oxide emissions from agricultural grassland in the Republic of Ireland under a set or climate and environmental policy scenarios. Nitrous oxide is a greenhouse gas, with a global warning potential approximately three hundred times that or carbon dioxide. lt is required under the Kyoto Protocol that national inventories or all greenhouse gas emissions are established. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Tier approach is designed to establish current inventories of greenhouse gas emissions; however a scenario approach is also employed in order to estimate emissions in future years. Scenario sets …

The Optimum Energy Crop In Ireland For Biofuel, Eoin Deasy

Theses

The motivation for this research stems from the potential of biofuels to assist Ireland in meeting obligations outlined in the 'Renewable Energy Source Directive' (2009/28/EC) and to reduce dependency on fossil fuels. The purpose of this work is to establish the merits of biofuel production Ireland ,with a keen focus on the technical, economic and environmental aspects of each. The three biofuel options investigated are biodiesel, bioethanol and biomethane. Eight crop varieties were investigated, these include; wheat, oats, barley, OSR, maize silage, sugar beet, grass silage and potatoes. The approach taken within this thesis was to perform a life cycle …

Geotechnical, Environmental And Regulatory Aspects Of Brownfield Development, Martin Casey

Theses

Brownfield sites are a common feature of the urban landscape, have significant development potential and when remediated are the catalysts for urban regeneration. However, site specific information regarding geotechnical and environmental aspects of the site, including regulatory issues are needed in terms of bringing the land back into beneficial use. This research project discusses current Irish practice and regulation in respect of brownfield development. A comparison is made between Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the European Union in this regard. A review of all available literature indicates a number of shortcomings in respect of the geotechnical, environmental and regulatory aspects …

High-Strength Selfconsolidating Concrete Girders Subjected To Elevated Compressive Fiber Stresses, Part 2: Structural Behavior, Jared E. Brewe, John J. Myers

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The design of prestressed concrete members is restricted by the requirement that the extreme compressive fiber stress at midspan be less than 60% of the concrete compressive strength at release of prestressing. the purported purpose of this limit is to provide serviceability performance, but it places unnecessary limits on the capability of the materials. for this research program, six prestressed concrete girders were produced with high-strength, self-consolidating concrete and subjected to elevated compressive fiber stress levels ranging from 65% to 84% of initial concrete compressive strength at release of prestressing. Part 1 of this series analyzed time-dependent prestress losses and …

Bond Behavior Of Fiber Reinforced Polymer Bars Under Hinged Beam Conditions, Ryan James Sandstrom

Master's Theses

The research provided in this report examines the behavior of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) reinforcing bars, embedded in normal weight concrete (NWC) hinged beam-end specimens, tested in accordance with two laboratory conditions. Reinforcing bars of different diameter, material configuration, and finished surface preparation were tested for bond strength parameters determined in accordance with ACI Committee Report 440.3. Bond strength parameters under the first condition were tested within NWC beams at a relatively low compressive strength and minimum embedment length; the second condition allowed testing within NWC beams at twice the design compressive strength of the first condition and moderate embedment …

Human Sanitary Wastes And Waste Treatment In New York City, David J. Tonjes, Christine O'Connell, Omkar Aphale, R. Lawrence Swanson

Technology & Society Faculty Publications

Henry Hudson first sailed toNew Yorkharbor 400 years ago. Since then,New York Cityhas both affected and been affected by water quality in greaterNew YorkHarbor. In this paper, we focus on sewers, sewerage, and sewage treatment inManhattanand their effects on theHudson River. It is clear that feedbacks among drinking water quality and quantity, population, public perceptions, regulations, and estuarine water quality exist, although their strength and character have varied over time. Early land uses damaged local water supplies found on ManhattanIsland. New Yorkthen began to exploit the large fresh water resources available to its north, which helped the City to expand …

A Method For Calibration Of Speed-Flow Curves In Hcm 2010 And Determination Of Highway Capacity, Seyed Hadii Khazraee Khoshroozi

Masters Theses

"This study proposes a method for calibration of speed-flow curves in a format suggested by the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) 2010 and applies it to two sites in Missouri: a work zone on I-44 around Pacific, and a basic freeway segment on I-270 in St. Louis. The three-regime model proposed is based on the two-regime (free-flow and transition) uncongested relationship suggested by the HCM 2010, complemented with a third regime representing congested conditions. Further, this study proposes a systematic approach based on regression analysis to determine capacity i.e., the break-point (intersection) between the transition and congested regimes. The proposed method …

Laboratory Studies Of Compatibility Of Tamper Detection Materials With Improvised Explosive Device Crater Repairs, Levi Anthony Smith

Masters Theses

"Past methods for road repairs of craters caused by improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on main supply routes (MSRs) and alternative supply routes (ASRs) in Iraq and Afghanistan have been problematic. Traditional temporary and permanent solutions have proven deficient by being easily penetrable or by exposing troops for long periods of time. The use of a pre-blended rapid hardening cementitious material for lED crater repair has solved issues such as quick placement of the repair and high strength of the repair within an hour of placement. However, there are still issues with IEDs being hidden in repairs tampered by or replicated …

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

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

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.

Towards Better Utilization Of Nexrad Data In Hydrology: An Overview Of Hydro-Nexrad, Witold F. Krajewski, Anton Kruger, James A. Smith, Ramon Lawrence, Charles Gunyon, Radoslaw Goska, Bong Chul Seo, Piotr Domaszczynski, Mary Lynn Baeck, Mohan K. Ramamurthy, Jeffrey Weber, A. Allen Bradley, Stephen A. Delgreco, Matthias Steiner

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

With a very modest investment in computer hardware and the open-source local data manager (LDM) software from University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) Unidata Program Center, a researcher can receive a variety of NEXRAD Level III rainfall products and the unprocessed Level II data in real-time from most NEXRAD radars in the USA. Alternatively, one can receive such data from the National Climatic Data Center in Ashville, NC. Still, significant obstacles remain in order to unlock the full potential of the data. One set of obstacles is related to effective management of multi-terabyte datasets. A second set of obstacles, for …

Reaction Rates Of Ozone And Terpenes Adsorbed To Model Indoor Surfaces, M. Springs, J. R. Wells, Glenn Morrison

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Reaction rates and reaction probabilities have been quantified on model indoor surfaces for the reaction of ozone with two monoterpenes (Δ3-carene and d-limonene). Molar surface loadings were obtained by performing breakthrough experiments in a plug-flow reactor (PFR) packed with beads of glass, polyvinylchloride or zirconium silicate. Reaction rates and probabilities were determined by equilibrating the PFR with both the terpene and the ozone and measuring the ozone consumption rate. to mimic typical indoor conditions, temperatures of 20, 25, and 30°C were used in both types of experiments along with a relative humidity ranging from 10% to 80%. the molar surface …

Strategies To Improve And Preserve Flexible Pavements At Intersections, Imad N. Abdallah

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Many rural intersections originally constructed with thin untreated flexible base and hot mix or a two-course surface treatment experience severe pushing, shoving and rutting. These failures cause an extremely rough surface that can cause damage to small vehicles and potentially cause motorists to lose control of their vehicle. These distresses almost always result in complete failure of the existing pavement that must be repaired several times during the life of the roadway by maintenance forces. Pavement sections constructed with the same materials adjacent to the intersection perform adequately until the approach (approximately 150 ft in advance) of the intersection and …

Implications Of Surface Runoff Recharge In Semi-Arid Regions On Groundwater Sustainability, Omar M. Al-Qudah

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Amargosa Desert, Nevada regional groundwater studies show that the surface runoff infiltration occurring in the arroyos following runoff producing storms, and this infiltration is considered to be a major source of groundwater recharge. Groundwater infiltration through alluvium was investigated in the Amargosa Desert using borehole drill cuttings, groundwater chemistry, and applying a novel method for collecting runoff water. The sampling process included sediment, precipitation, and runoff water. In total, 176 runoff, 182 sediment, and 45 precipitation samples were collected between January, 2009 and January, 2011.Water chemistry, chloride concentrations, and stable isotopes of water collected from specially designed runoff samplers, placed …