Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Biological Pretreatment Of Oil Palm Frond Fiber Using White-Rot Fungi For Enzymatic Saccharification, Euis Hermiati, Sita Heris Anita, Lucky Risanto, Dyah Styarini, Yanni Sudiyani, Achmad Hanafi, Haznan Abimanyu

Makara Journal of Technology

Oil palm frond is one type of lignocellulosic biomass abundantly and daily available in Indonesia. It contains cellulose which can be converted to glucose, and further processed to produce different kinds of value –added products. The aim of this research is to study the effects of biological pretreatment of oil palm frond (OPF) fiber using Phanerochaete chrysosporium and Trametes versicolor on the enzymatic saccharification of the biomass. The OPF fiber (40-60 mesh sizes) was inoculated with cultures of the two fungi and incubated at 27 °C for 4 weeks. The samples were taken after 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks …

Electromagnetic Simulation For Thz Antenna-Coupled Microbolometers Operated At Room Temperature, Makoto Aoki, Masanori Takeda, Norihisa Hiromoto

Makara Journal of Technology

Room-temperature terahertz (THz) detectors with higher performance are necessary for utilizing the THz wave in various sensing, spectroscopy and imaging, but even the best ones in the present are still insufficient for the practical applications. This issue is essential especially in the region around 1 THz at which there exists a large technology gap between microwave and middle-infrared. Therefore, we study to develop an antenna-coupled microbolometer to achieve a high-performance THz detector operated at a room-temperature for sensing at around 1 THz frequency wave. In this paper, we present several important features and results obtained from electromagnetic simulations, which help …

Analysis Of Hole Lifetime In Soi Mosfet Single-Photon Detector, Dedy Septono Catur Putranto, Wei Du, Hiroaki Satoh, Atsushi Ono, Purnomo Sidi Priambodo, Djoko Hartanto, Hiroshi Inokawa

Makara Journal of Technology

Hole lifetime in the silicon-on-insulator (SOI) metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) singlephoton detector was evaluated by the analysis of drain current histograms for different light intensities and substrate voltages. It was found that the peaks in the histogram corresponding to the larger number of stored holes grew as the gate bias decreased. This was attributed not to the increased light absorption efficiency or collection efficiency of the photo-generated holes, but to the prolonged hole lifetime presumably caused by the higher transverse electric field inside the body of SOI MOSFET.

Recognition System Of Indonesia Sign Language Based On Sensor And Artificial Neural Network, Endang Supriyati, Mohammad Iqbal

Makara Journal of Technology

Sign language as a kind of gestures is one of the most natural ways of communication for most people in deaf community. The aim of the sign language recognition is to provide a translation for sign gestures into meaningful text or speech so that communication between deaf and hearing society can easily be made. In this research, the Indonesian sign language recognition system based on flex sensors and an accelerometer is developed. This recognition system uses a sensory glove to capture data. The sensor data that are processed into feature vector are the 5-fingers bending and the palm acceleration when …

Performance Optimization Of Microbial Fuel Cell (Mfc) Using Lactobacillus Bulgaricus, Rita Arbianti, Tania Surya Utami, Heri Hermansyah, Deni Novitasari, Ester Kristin, Ira Trisnawati

Makara Journal of Technology

Electrical energy needs in Indonesia are expected to continue to rise. The use of petroleum as a source of energy still dominates, although oil reserves in Indonesia are increasingly being depleted. Therefore, there is a need to develop alternative sources of sustainable energy, such as microbial fuel cell (MFC). In this study, Lactobacillus bulgaricus was used as an electricity producer in a dual-chamber MFC reactor. We investigated the maximum electrical energy by varying the bacterial optical density (OD), the operational time of MFC, the reactor volume, the electrolyte solution, and the configuration of MFC reactor. In this study, the maximum …

News - Georgia State University - Gsu Library Receives $210,000 Neh Grant, Christian J. Steinmetz

Georgia Library Quarterly

Georgia State University Library recently received a $210,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities for “Planning Atlanta: A New City in the Making, 1930s – 1990s”, submitted by librarian Joe Hurley (Principal Investigator) and history professor Kate Wilson (co-PI).

Evaluating Alternatives For Augmented Water Quality Improvement Utilizing Oyster Restoration As Best Management Practice (Bmp), Stephanie Roberts Long

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Due to several anthropogenic influences, the Chesapeake Bay has experienced a marked decrease in water quality since the colonists arrived at the Jamestown settlement in Virginia during the 1600s. Higher concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus have enriched the estuaries and coastal waters via point sources (sewage treatment plants and industrial wastes), nonpoint sources (agricultural run-off and septic tank discharges) and the atmosphere (Newell et al., 2005). Restoring oyster beds is considered a Best Management Practice (BMP) to improve water quality as well as provide physical habitat for aquatic species and a healthier estuarine system (USACE Native Oyster Restoration Master …

An Investigation Of Pavement Distress Variables On Crash Outcomes Using Hierarchical Generalized Linear Regression Modeling, Robert Alan Morgan

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Previous macro-level studies show that the condition of the pavement is associated with roadway safety. However, this premise has not been examined on a micro-level using detailed pavement distress variables (PDVs). The main focus of this research will be to expand the use of the PDV data to further understand the safety risks associated with the type of pavement and each individual PDV by analyzing the likelihood of having a rear-end and/or injurious crash, given that a crash occurs.

Sample crash data and PDV data from the Commonwealth of Virginia for the years 2007 and 2008 were used to produce …

Large-Scale Incidents Modeling And Network Simulation, Yichi Zhang

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Traffic incidents on urban freeways are a major source of congestion and travel time uncertainty. In particular, large-scale incidents have longer durations and need more incident response resources. As such, large-scale incidents deserve more attention by practitioners and researchers. The objective of this study is to analyze large-scale incidents and explore their correlates and implications for traffic operations. An innovative analysis method, based on a 2008 incident data set from the Hampton Roads Traffic Operation Center (HRTOC) in Hampton Roads, Virginia was developed (N=59176). This study defined large-scale incidents as having a two hour minimum duration, based on guidance from …

Reducing Seismic Risk To Highway Mobility: Assessment And Design Examples For Pile Foundations Affected By Lateral Spreading, Scott A. Ashford, Michael H. Scott, Deepak Rayamajhi

TREC Final Reports

Damage in pile supported structures due to liquefaction and liquefaction induced deformation were reported in past earthquakes around the world (e.g., Ansal et al. 1999; Seed et al. 1990; EERI 2010, EERI 2011; GEER 2010a, GEER 2010b, GEER 2011). For example, a reconnaissance report from a recent subduction zone event, the 2010 Chile earthquake (Mw=8.8), showed the pervasive nature of liquefaction and liquefaction-induced lateral spreading damage to bridge foundations (GEER 2010a, Yen et al. 2011). In terms of seismic hazard, the Pacific Northwest shares similar conditions from a Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) earthquake source with the expected earthquake magnitude of …

Making Climate Data Relevant To Decision Making: The Important Details Of Spatial And Temporal Downscaling, Evan H. Girvetz, Edwin P. Maurer, Philip B. Duffy, Aaron Ruesch, Bridget Thrasher, Chris Zganjar

Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering

This paper examines potential regional-scale impacts of climate change on sustainability of irrigated agriculture, focusing on the western San Joaquin Valley in California. We consider potential changes in irrigation water demand and supply, and quantify impacts on the hydrologic system, soil and groundwater salinity with associated crop yield reductions. Our analysis is based on archived output from General Circulation Model (GCM) climate projections through 2100, which were downscaled to the 1,400 km2 study area. We account for uncertainty in GCM climate projections by considering two different GCM's, each using three greenhouse gas emission scenarios. Significant uncertainty in projected precipitation creates …

Development Of Peptide Nanotube-Modified Biosensors For Gas-Phase Organophosphate Detection, Peter A . Baker

Theses and Dissertations

Vapor-phase detection of the model organophosphate malathion was achieved using enzymes encapsulated in peptide nanotubes and attached to gold screen-printed electrodes. Malathion was chosen as the model for this experiment because its binding mechanism with acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is identical to its more potent counterparts (such as sarin or VX), but it has an extremely low human toxicity, which makes it both practical and easy to use. The peptide nanotubes had horseradish peroxidase encapsulated inside and were coated with both acetylthiocholine (ASCh) and AChE on the outside. ASCh hydrolysis, which produces thiocholine, was catalyzed by the AChE. The thiocholine was then …

An Analysis Of Factors That Influence The Success Of Expeditionary Civil Engineer Hub-And-Spoke Organizations, Joshua A . Hager

Theses and Dissertations

Expeditionary Air Force Civil Engineer support to recent operations in southwest Asia created a unique organizational learning environment, particularly related supporting the general engineering requirements of geographically separated units in a manpower-constrained contingency environment. One of the direct results of this organizational learning was the hub-and-spoke expeditionary engineer unit featuring elements of both RED HORSE and Prime BEEF capabilities operating with theater-wide visibility of infrastructure requirements. This study acquired insights from literature and a purposeful sample of subject matter experts about operational advantages this hub-and-spoke unit offered compared to those offered by strictly legacy organizational models. The research used a …

Successfully Implementing Net-Zero Engergy Policy Through The Air Force Military Construction Program, D. Gavin Brost

Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. Government has issued numerous policies aimed at reducing federal facility energy consumption; the most recent, Executive Order 13514, requires that new construction designed after 2020 can achieve net-zero energy by 2030. The policy defines a Zero-Energy Building as one that is designed, constructed, and operated to reduce energy demand to a level which can be offset from sources of renewable energy. This research develops and evaluates a feasibility assessment model based on life-cycle cost. It incorporates geospatial analysis to calculate and summarize input values for all Air Force installations in the Contiguous U.S. A comparative analysis is then …

An Analysis Of Cost Premiums And Losses Associated With Usaf Military Construction (Milcon), Daniel L. Blomberg

Theses and Dissertations

Military construction (MILCON) represents 40% of the federal government's $30 billion construction budget. The federal budget is fixed; therefore, any cost overages likely affect project scope or requirements. This study investigated if MILCON procurement costs more than private industry construction and if so, what causes the cost premiums. A combination of in-depth literature review, expert interviews, a unique case study, expert surveys, and geospatial statistical analysis answered the research question. The case study evaluated two nearly identical projects to determine how internal factors affect MILCON cost premiums. This study confirmed the existence of MILCON cost premiums. Additionally, 11 major cost …

Influence Of Media Size And Flow Rate On The Transport Of Silver Nanoparticles In Saturated Porous Media: Laboratory Experiments And Modeling, Travis J. Meidinger

Theses and Dissertations

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are widely produced and used. Because of their potential toxicity and the possibility of their release into the environment, it is important to understand the factors involved in their transport; particularly how they may move in groundwater, which is a potential pathway to human and environmental receptors. By passing a solution of 15 mg/L AgNPs with an average size of 17 nm through sand-filled glass columns, this study looks at the physical effects of flow rate and media size on transport. Three different sand sizes ( 0.074, 0.21-0.297, and 0.4-2.0mm) were used, as well as two different …

Biodegradation Of An Organophosphate Chemical Warfare Agent Simulant By Activated Sludge With Varying Solid Retention Times, Allen K. Janeczko

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the fate of malathion, a surrogate compound for VX studies, in bench-scale sequencing batch bioreactors being operated under varied solid retention times (SRTs) to simulate the activated sludge process in wastewater treatment facilities. Results show that a constant influent of the malathion will largely be removed. However, the heterotrophic bacteria undergo a stress response which temporarily inhibits malathion removal, the extent of which increases with increasing SRTs. After this stress response takes place, the activated sludge is able to resume a high degree of malathion removal, even with increased influent concentration; however, this is done so at …

Case Study Analysis Of Trust And Commitment Between The Civil Engineering Commodity Council And The Civil Engineering Career Field, Jonnathan B. Page

Theses and Dissertations

The Air Force is pursuing strategic sourcing as a strategy for reducing costs of goods and services to help meet budget reductions while still performing its mission. These commodities are sourced through a number of commodity councils, each of which whom interact with their stakeholders throughout the sourcing process for that specific commodity. This research identifies factors that influence the success or failure of the sourcing process from the perspective of the Civil Engineering Commodity Council (CECC) and attempts to organize these factors within a framework built around trust and its effect on commitment and cooperation. These factors were identified …

Fate Of Malathion In An Activated Sludge Municipal Wastewater Treatment System, Edward B. Walters

Theses and Dissertations

Organophosphate compounds are used as pesticides and in chemical warfare agents such as nerve agents. VX (O-ethyl S-[2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl] methylphosphonothioate) is one of the most toxic and environmentally persistent of these nerve agents. This research examined the fate of malathion, a pesticide and surrogate of VX (O-ethyl S-[2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl] methylphosphonothioate), in bench-scale activated sludge (AS) sequencing batch reactors. Sorption kinetics and sorption equilibrium isotherm experiments indicate that sorption to AS biomass was not a statistically important removal mechanism. However, approximately 90% of the initial 4.25 mg L-1 malathion concentration degraded primarily via heterotrophic activity.

Definition And Properties Of Alternative Bus Service Reliability Measures At The Stop Level, Meead Saberi, Ali K. Zockaie, Wei Feng, Ahmed El-Geneidy

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual (TCQSM) provides transit agencies with tools for measuring system performance at different levels of operation. Bus service reliability, one of the key performance measures, has become a major concern of both transit operators and users because it significantly affects user experience and service quality perceptions. The objective of this paper is to assess the existing reliability measures proposed by TCQSM and develop new ones at the bus stop level. The latter are not suggested as replacements for the existing measures; rather, they are complementary. Using empirical data from archived Bus Dispatch System …

Understanding The Effects Of Climate On Airfield Pavement Deterioration Rates, Justin C. Meihaus

Theses and Dissertations

Over the past two decades, pavement engineers at the Air Force Civil Engineer Center have noticed the majority of identified distresses from PCI airfield surveys are climate related. To verify these trends, a comprehensive analysis of the current airfield pavement distress database was accomplished based on a climate region perspective. A four-zone regional climatic model was created for the United States using geospatial interpolation techniques and climate data acquired from WeatherBank Inc. Once the climatic regional model was developed, the climate information for each installation was imported into the Air Force pavement distress database within PAVER. Utilizing the pavement condition …

Assessment Of Potential Carbon Dioxide-Based Demand Control Ventilation System Performance In Single Zone Systems, Joseph G. Pickenpaugh

Theses and Dissertations

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) use accounts for 43% of commercial energy consumption, with close to 5% used for ventilation purposes. Federal government agencies face both energy consumption reduction mandates and reduced funding. Carbon dioxide (CO2) based demand control ventilation (DCV) is a technology that allows for reduced energy consumption by allowing facility designers to introduce outside air based on facility occupancy, per American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) standards. This research aims to create a generalized methodology assessing energy and cost reductions from CO2-based DCV and then apply it to a specific facility at …

A Trophic State Analysis Of Lakes In Yellowstone National Park, Anthony Alexander Melcher

Theses and Dissertations

Eutrophication is of interest in the field of water quality. Eutrophic lakes, when used as sources for drinking water, can cause problems during the treatment process, for example algae blooms can clog filters, requiring more water and energy to be used during the cleaning and backwashing of the filters. Excess nutrient loading and eutrophication can also harm fish and aquatic life habitats. Certain species of algae and cyanobacteria can be toxic to humans as well. Since 1998, Dr. A. Woodruff Miller has collected water samples from 46 lakes and ponds in Yellowstone National Park. The Carlson Trophic State Index, the …

A 13c Nmr Study Of Decomposing Logging Residues In An Australian Hoop Pine Plantation, Chris E. Johnson, Timothy J. Blumfield, Sue Boyd, Zhihong Xu

Civil and Environmental Engineering - All Scholarship

Purpose Residue retention is important for nutrient and water economy in sub-tropical plantation forests. We examined decomposing hoop pine (Araucaria cunninghamii Ait. Ex D. Don) residues – foliage, branches and stem wood – to determine the changes in structural chemistry that occur during decomposition.

Materials and methods Residues were incubated in situ using 0.05-m² microplots. We used solid-state ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to determine the structural composition of harvest residues in the first 24 months of decomposition.

Results and discussion The spectral data for branch and stem residues were generally similar to one another and …

Passive Force On Skewed Abutments With Mechanically Stabilized Earth (Mse) Wingwalls Based On Large-Scale Tests, Bryan William Franke

Theses and Dissertations

Passive force-deflection behavior for densely compacted backfills must be considered in bridge design to ensure adequate resistance to both seismic and thermally induced forces. Current codes and practices do not distinguish between skewed and non-skewed bridge abutment geometries; however, in recent years, numerical models and small-scale, plane-strain laboratory tests have suggested a significant reduction in passive force for skewed bridge abutments. Also, various case studies have suggested higher soil stresses might be experienced on the acute side of the skew angle. For these reasons, three large-scale tests were performed with abutment skew angles of 0, 15 and 30 degrees using …

Lateral Resistance Of Piles Near Vertical Mse Abutment Walls At Provo Center Street, Kent R. Nelson

Theses and Dissertations

Full scale lateral load tests were performed on four piles located at various distances behind MSE walls. Three of the four test piles were production piles used to support bridges, and the other pile a production pile used as part of the bridge abutment. The objective of the testing was to determine the effect of spacing from the wall on the lateral resistance of the piles and on the force resisted by the MSE reinforcement. Lateral load-displacement curves were developed for pile at various spacing and with various reinforcement ratio (reinforcement length, L divided by wall height, H). The force …

Evaluation Of Passive Force On Skewed Bridge Abutments With Large-Scale Tests, Aaron Kirt Marsh

Theses and Dissertations

Accounting for seismic forces and thermal expansion in bridge design requires an accurate passive force versus backwall deflection relationship. Current design codes make no allowances for skew effects on the development of the passive force. However, small-scale experimental results and available numerical models indicate that there is a significant reduction in peak passive force as skew angle increases for plane-strain cases. To further explore this issue large-scale field tests were conducted at skew angles of 0°, 15°, and 30° with unconfined backfill geometry. The abutment backwall was 11 feet (3.35-m) wide by 5.5 feet (1.68-m) high, and backfill material consisted …

Starch Resin Moisture Level Effect On Injection Molding Processability And Molded Part Mechanical Properties With Pure Starch Resin And Polymer Blends, Jordan M. Ellingson

Theses and Dissertations

The current and forecasted global consumption of plastic packaging and products through the 21st century combined with the already reported and growing negative impact of plastics on the environment due to plastics being synthesized from nonrenewable resources that do not biodegrade is of serious concern. However, recent advances in starch technology including the development of thermoplastic starch (TPS) materials —polymers that are both renewable and biodegradable—have brought hope to reducing this impact. The mechanical properties of thermoplastic starch have often been improved by blending with synthetic polymers. One issue that arises with blending is volatilization of the melt from moisture …

Bringing To Life The World’S Tallest Structure, Jonathan Weigand

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

Intended as the centerpiece of constructional developments in Dubai, the Burj Khalifa now stands as the tallest building ever constructed. The uniquely designed foundation consists of a concrete raft supported by a cast-in-place pile system protected by waterproofing membrane to inhibit corrosion. The structural design integrates high-performance reinforced concrete and steel and incorporates an engineered “Y” shape that limits the lateral wind pressure on the building. Engineers applied the latest advancements in high-rise technology to develop an optimized construction plan that consisted of segmented tasks that promoted the staff to work at a quick yet manageable pace. This article details …

Cold-Formed Steel Bolted Connections Without Washers On Oversized Slotted Holes, Phase 1, American Iron And Steel Institute

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

No abstract provided.