Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Inland Waterway Operational Model & Simulation Along The Ohio River, Doug Kreis, Roy E. Sturgill, Brian K. Howell, Christopher W. Van Dyke, D. Stephen Voss

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The inland waterway system of the U.S. is a vital network for transporting key goods and commodities from the point of production to manufacturers and consumers. Shipping materials via the inland waterways is arguably the most economical and environmentally friendly option (compared to hauling freight by trains or railways). Despite the advantages the inland waterways enjoys over competing modes, key infrastructure – such as locks and dams, which help to control water levels on a number of rivers and make navigation possible – is declining. Limited funds have been allocated to make the necessary repairs to lock and dam facilities. …

Audit Template For Inland Port Sustainability, Doug Kreis, Sarah Mccormack, Christopher Van Dyke, Bryan Gibson

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report serves as an assessment of port sustainability and its potential applications for the inland river ports of Kentucky and the surrounding region. The report discusses and defines sustainability, both generally as it relates to business and industry and specifically as it relates to the port industry. Given the unique nature of the inland port industry, the report reviews lessons learned from 11 port site visits conducted by Kentucky Transportation Center in 2012, primarily at major U.S. coastal ports but also representative inland ports. KTC’s analysis identifies the sustainability challenges facing various domestic and international ports, and what policy …

Inland Waterways Funding Mechanisms Synthesis, Doug Kreis, Bryan Gibson, Christopher W. Van Dyke, Candice Y. Wallace, Sarah M. Mccormack

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The inland waterway system is a vital part of the nation’s multi-modal freight network. Although less visible than other modes, inland waterways allow shippers to transport bulk commodities in a relatively cheap and environmentally-friendly method. To ensure this transportation mode remains a feasible option and accommodates growth, it must continue to be safe, efficient, and functional. This synthesis provides comprehensive perspective on the financial prospects of the inland waterways system. It analyzes current funding levels, along with proposed funding changes and reforms.

Financial support for the inland waterways system comes from the Inland Waterways Trust Fund (IWTF). Historical data gathered …

Can Protected Bike Lanes Help Close The Gender Gap In Cycling? Lessons From Five Cities, Jennifer Dill, Tara Goddard, Christopher Monsere, Nathan Mcneil

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

Even in areas with increased levels of bicycling, there remains a significant “gender gap” in bicycling in the United States, in contrast to many other countries with high rates of bicycling. The primary objective of this paper was to explore whether protected bike lanes could help reduce the gender gap. To do so, the authors used survey data from a comprehensive evaluation of protected bike lanes in five large U.S. cities (Austin, TX, Chicago, IL, Portland, OR, San Francisco, CA, and Washington, DC) that included survey responses of 1,111 intercepted bicyclists and 2,283 residents. Both men and women overwhelmingly felt …

Best Practices In Trail Maintenance, Indiana Ltap, Ohio River Greenway Development Commission

Indiana Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) Publications

This manual is intended for practical use by trail maintenance managers. It will also be useful for policy makers who are tasked with anticipating and planning for maintenance budget and personnel needs. The recommendations included in this manual were chosen, in part, to facilitate widespread adoption by other trail operators. They are cost-effective solutions that require minimal technological or financial commitments.

This manual does not provide guidance for trail construction and design, except where a maintenance issue can best be resolved by constructing new trail segments. For best practices in design and construction, consult the thorough list of resources provided …

Bs News November/December

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Nutrient Runoff Following Swine Manure Application, Seth J. Lamb

Department of Environmental Engineering: Theses and Other Student Research

A field study was completed to compare the effects of land application methods, swine growth stage, and varying flow rates following the application of varying amounts of swine manure to 0.75-m by 2.00-m long plots. Three different manure sources were used to represent key different growth stages including growers, finishers, and sows and gilts. The different swine manures were applied in May and Jun 2011 to meet a 1 year nitrogen (N) requirement for corn. Three different land application methods were used to apply the swine manure, broadcast, incorporation, and injection. Runoff water quality was measured during three 30 minute …

A Passive Membrane Photobioreactor For The Isolated Cultivation Of Algal Resource Utilizing Selectivity (Icarus), With Wastewater As A Feedstock, Ivy Lea Cormier Drexler

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Renewed momentum in the microalgae industry due to commercial interest in biofuels and bioproducts is driving the need to increase the economic competitiveness of large-scale microalgal production. Current knowledge of membrane systems common in other disciplines, such as environmental engineering, marine science, and biomedicine, are relevant to algae production. With pore sizes ranging from microns to angstroms, membranes provide tailored functions for solid/liquid separation (cell retention, biomass concentration and dewatering), gas/liquid separation (gas delivery and removal), and solute/liquid separation (bioproduct recovery, feedstock preparation and effluent recycling) that are problematic or not possible with other technologies. Though membranes have great potential …

Wastewater Nutrient Recovery Using Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor Permeate For Hydroponic Fertigation, Jorge Luis Calabria

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The imbalance between global population growth and resource consumption is indicative of unsustainable practices and foreshadows a grim future of continued resource depletion, food and water scarcity, social inequality, and deteriorating public and environmental health. Meanwhile, the urban centers of the world continue to experience exponential growth resulting in overwhelmed food, water, and sanitation infrastructure. Decentralized and satellite wastewater treatment technologies capable of resource recovery, such as anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBR), foster synergistic opportunities to help manage the food, energy, and water sectors of urban environments. Specifically, the nutrient concentration and high effluent quality of permeate produced by AnMBR systems …

Reply To ‘Co2 Emissions From Crop Residue-Derived Biofuels’, Adam Liska, Haishun Yang, Matthew P. Pelton, Andrew E. Suyker

Adam Liska Papers

The soil organic carbon (SOC) model that we used was parameterized with data from arable land under normal farming conditions in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia, but the equation is insensitive to changes in tillage, soil texture and moisture. The model has reasonable accuracy, however, in predicting changes in SOC, residue remaining and CO₂ emissions from initial SOC, carbon inputs from residue, and daily temperature; the shoot-to-root ratio used in the geospatial simulation was 0.29 (that is, root carbon is 29% of total aboveground carbon), which did not underestimate carbon input to soil (Supplementary Figure 2 in Ref. …

Soil Carbon Accumulation Under Switchgrass Barriers, Humberto Blanco-Canqui, John E. Gilley, Dean E. Eisenhauer, Paul J. Jasa, Alan L. Boldt

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

The benefits of grass barriers or hedges for reducing offsite transport of non-point-source water pollutants from croplands are well recognized, but their ancillary benefits on soil properties have received less attention. We studied the 15-yr cumulative effects of narrow and perennial switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) barriers on soil organic C (SOC), total N, particulate organic matter (POM), and associated soil structural properties as compared with the cropped area on an Aksarben silty clay loam (fine, smectitic, mesic Typic Argiudoll) with 5.4% slope in eastern Nebraska. Five switchgrass barriers were established in 1998 at ~38-m intervals parallel to the crop rows …

A New Decision Making Approach For Indirect Left Turn Treatments By Utilizing Decision Assistance Curves, Sunil Gyawali

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study developed decision assistance curves (DAC) for unconventional intersections, including median U-turns (MUT), continuous flow intersections (CFI), and jughandle intersections, based on their operational performance relative to a conventional intersection. An economic analysis was performed to compute the net present value (NPV) of benefits and the benefit to cost ratio (B/C) with the development of a spreadsheet tool. The DAC classified the region of optimal performance of isolated unconventional intersections. For 5% left turn traffic conditions, MUT was warranted for all volume criteria. For 10% and 15% left turn traffic conditions, jughandle was warranted for the major street approach …

Operation Optimization And Water Quality Simulation Of Potable Water Distribution System, Xiongfei Xie

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A potable water distribution system (WDS) consists of pipes, pumps, valves, storage tanks, control and supporting components. Traditionally, it has two basic functions. First, provides end users with potable water at sufficient pressures and good water quality. Second, provides sufficient pressure and flow for fire fighting. Currently, potable water is still the least expensive material for fire fighting. To accomplish these two goals, water utilities have to consider the integrity and security of the water network. As a result, this research selected three research topics that are closely related to the daily operation of water utilities and water quality simulation. …

Interactive Comment On “Iodine Oxide In The Global Marine Boundary Layer” By C. Prados-Roman Et Al., Marcelo I. Guzman

Chemistry Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

An Optimal Calibration Procedure For A Telemac-2d Model Of The Eastern Coast Of Ireland, Garrett Keane, Andrew Stokes, Zeinab Bedri, John O'Sullivan

Conference papers

A review of the literature shows that most model calibrations involve the adjustment of the bottom friction coefficient to minimise the error between predicted and measured tidal elevations. In this study, an alternative procedure is adopted when calibrating a Telemac2D model covering an area on the Eastern coast of Ireland. The model is forced with eight principal tidal constituents derived from the MIKE 21 global model. It is calibrated separately for the two principal constituents, M2 and S2. The field data comprises tidal elevations recorded at five locations over a full lunar cycle in October 1998 and Spring and Neap …

Panama Canal - 100th Anniversary (Sc 2869), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and full text of blog entries (click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 2869. WKU Libraries blog entries relating to the 100^th anniversary of the opening of the Panama Canal. Entries concentrate on materials held by WKU’s Department of Library Special Collections and are illustrated with items from the collection.

Development Of An Interactive Water Management Role‐Playing Game As An Educational Tool Representing The Central Nebraska Platte River Valley Social‐Economic‐Ecological System, Victoria Chraibi, Nathan Rossman, Anil Giri, Noelle Hart, Zion Schell

Discipline-Based Education Research Group Speaker Series

As members of the National Science Foundation's Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT), we have gained valuable experience abroad in Europe learning about and participating in research that utilizes serious role‐playing games representing a watershed with its land use and river system. The focus of this research is on the development of such a game representing the central Platte River valley and its dynamics according to the activities played by the players and uncertain streamflow inputs. The game is adapted specifically from two other games, one called Wat‐A‐Game, developed at the French public institutes IRSTEA and CIRAD (https://sites.google.com/site/waghistory/ …

Nonlinear Wave Evolution Above Rectangular Submerged Structures, Jaw-Fang Lee, Lih-Fu Tu, Cheng-Chi Liu

Journal of Marine Science and Technology

In this study, an analytic approach for the complete second-order solution proposed by Sulisz and Hudspeth [13] was applied to solve a problem of waves propagating over a rectangular submerged structure. In addition, nonlinear wave evolutions above the submerged structure were studied. The nonlinear problem was expressed up to the second-order boundary value problems by using a Taylor series expansion and the perturbation method. In solving the problem, the nonhomogeneous problem was divided into Stokes wave and free wave counterparts. The solutions of neighboring regions were combined and solved by applying kinematic and dynamic matching conditions. Convergence of the presented …

Nonlinear Wave Evolution Above Rectangular Submerged Structures, Jaw-Fang Lee, Lih-Fu Tu, Cheng-Chi Liu

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

In this study, an analytic approach for the complete second-order solution proposed by Sulisz and Hudspeth [13] was applied to solve a problem of waves propagating over a rectangular submerged structure. In addition, nonlinear wave evolutions above the submerged structure were studied. The nonlinear problem was expressed up to the second-order boundary value problems by using a Taylor series expansion and the perturbation method. In solving the problem, the nonhomogeneous problem was divided into Stokes wave and free wave counterparts. The solutions of neighboring regions were combined and solved by applying kinematic and dynamic matching conditions. Convergence of the presented …

Effects Of Mix Design Using Chloride-Based Accelerator On Concrete Pavement Cracking Potential, Daniel Aaron Buidens

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cracked pavement slabs lead to uncomfortable and eventual unsafe driving conditions for motorists. Replacement of cracked pavement slabs can interrupt traffic flow in the form of lane closures. In Florida, the traffic demands are high and pavement repairs need to be carried out swiftly typically using concrete with high cement contents and accelerators to create rapid setting and strength gain. The concrete used in these pavement replacements is usually accompanied by a high temperature rise, making the replaced slabs susceptible to cracking. Cracking is a result of developed tensile stresses in the concrete, which exceed the concrete's tensile strength capacity. …

Effects Of Calcium Silicate Treatment On The Composition Of Forest Floor Organic Matter In A Northern Hardwood Forest Stand, Ankit Balaria, Chris E. Johnson, Peter M. Groffman, Melany C. Fisk

Civil and Environmental Engineering - All Scholarship

Calcium amendment can help improve forest sustainability in stands that have been impacted by chronic acid deposition. An important component of this improvement is the stimulation of the microbial activity that supports ecosystem nutrient cycling processes. To test the hypothesis that Ca treatment alters the structure and solubility of organic matter substrates, an important driver of microbial activity, we investigated the effect of wollastonite (CaSiO₃) treatment on soil organic matter (SOM) and hot-water-extractable organic matter (HWEOM). We found a decrease in the HWEOM content of forest floor soils within two years of treatment with a high dosage of …

Field Cycle Length Sweep To Evaluate Resonant Cycle Sensitivity, Howell Li, Christopher M. Day, Alex M. Hainen, Amanda L. Stevens, Steven Lavrenz, W Benjamin Smith, Hayley Summers, Rick Freije, Jim Sturdevant, Darcy M. Bullock

JTRP Other Publications and Reports

Cycle length selection in corridor timing is often dictated by critical intersections with the highest level of saturation. Along corridors with balanced volumes and favorable link distances, a resonant cycle length is often sought to provide good progression in both directions of travel. This paper discusses the search for a resonant cycle length at a 5-intersection corridor in Fishers, Indiana over a three month period. The software traffic model suggests a reasonable range of cycle lengths from 104 seconds to 124 seconds for the corridor. This cycle length range is consistent with analytical highway capacity manual delay minimization approaches.

A …

Digitalcrust - A 4d Data System Of Material Properties For Transforming Research On Crustal Fluid Flow, Y. Fan, S. Richard, R. S. Bristol, S. E. Peters, S. E. Ingebritsen, N. Moosdorf, A. Packman, T. Gleeson, I. Zaslavsky, S. Peckham, L. Murdoch, M. Fienen, David G. Tarboton, N. Jones, Richard P. Hooper, J. Arrigo, D. Gochis, J. R. Olson, D. Wolock

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Fluid circulation in the Earth's crust plays an essential role in surface, near surface, and deep crustal processes. Flow pathways are driven by hydraulic gradients but controlled by material permeability, which varies over many orders of magnitude and changes over time. Although millions of measurements of crustal properties have been made, including geophysical imaging and borehole tests, this vast amount of data and information has not been integrated into a comprehensive knowledge system. A community data infrastructure is needed to improve data access, enable large‐scale synthetic analyses, and support representations of the subsurface in Earth system models. Here, we describe …

Quantifying Economic Benefits For Rail Infrastructure Projects, Suzanna Long, Ruwen Qin, John Betak, Akhilesh Ojha, John J. Myers

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This project identifies metrics for measuring the benefit of rail infrastructure projects for key stakeholders. It is important that stakeholders with an interest in community economic development play an active role in the development of the rail network. Economic development activities in both rural and urban settings are essential if a nation is to realize growth and prosperity. Many communities have developed goals and visions to establish an economic development program, but they often fail to achieve their goals due to uncertainties during the project selection and planning process. Communities often select a project from a vast pool of ideas …

A Simple Formula To Calculate Azimuth Without A Two-Argument Arctangent Function, Thomas H. Meyer, Jacob Conshick

Department of Natural Resources and the Environment Articles

Calculating azimuths from planimetric coordinates is complicated when the available implementations of inverse trigonometric functions have ranges spanning only 180° instead of 360° as azimuth requires. A tangent half-angle formula is used to derive a formula with only one special case (due South) that computes azimuth for the whole circle.

Heavy Vehicle Rollover Propensity At Roundabouts On Highspeed Roads, Thomas M. Hall

Open Access Theses

There is a recent trend of building roundabouts on high-speed roads, often with significant heavy vehicle traffic. With the increased presence of trucks on roundabouts, the issue of rollover has become a concern. Geometric features that allow excessive speed on the approach and entry have been connected to rollover, as well as sudden changes in crossfall and radius. However, the effect on the rollover threshold of changing the roundabout's circulatory superelevation is not fully understood. The impact of aggressive driving behaviors, as displayed by high driver speed far from the roundabout, as well as errors that are manifested by the …

Implementation Of A Sediment Transport Model For Ce-Qual-W2, Rachel Hanna

Civil and Environmental Engineering Master's Project Reports

The CE-QUAL-W2 model, developed by Portland State University, simulates water quality and flow. Recommendations to expand on this model and have it include sediment transport are implemented in this report. Existing one-, two-, and three-dimensional models are reviewed and assessed for their sediment transport methodology. A laterally (width) averaged sediment concentration model is developed as an Upwind Center Space Scheme using CE-QUAL-W2 data. The scheme includes a method to calculate scour for sediment concentration and results of the model are shown for a simulated branch of the Spokane River.

Water Resources Engineering 2: Water Resource Systems - George Mason University, Mark Houck

All ECSTATIC Materials

To introduce concepts, applications, and tools of systems analysis for water resources planning, management, and design.

To apply these principles to problems including river basin planning, real-time hydrosystem operations, water quality management, capacity expansion, urban drainage network design, and sanitary sewer design.

Course taught at George Mason University.

Computer Aided Water Management And Control - Colorado State University, John Labadie

All ECSTATIC Materials

Present modern computer-aided tools of systems analysis to planning, design, and operation of water resource systems. Topics covered include: optimal operation of multipurpose reservoir systems; optimal flood control system operations; coordinated unit commitment in hydropower systems; optimal multicrop allocation of seasonal and intraseasonal irrigation water; risk-based design of stochastic reservoir operating policies; economic evaluation of integrated design of water storage and conveyance systems; optimal conjunctive use of surface water and groundwater; optimal reservoir operations for water quality management; and optimal investment timing and selection of water resource projects. Several case studies are presented for river basins in the U.S., Dominican …

Estimating Mineral Weathering Rates In Catskills Watersheds, Chris E. Johnson

Civil and Environmental Engineering - All Scholarship

No abstract provided.