Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Characterizing Truck Parking Shortages In Arkansas: A Data Analytical Approach, Morgan Hartsell

Industrial Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The Truck Parking Problem occurs when drivers have met the daily driving limit and encounter a decision between driving over time or parking in unauthorized locations. This research applies data analytics to gain further knowledge to characterize the truck parking shortage in Arkansas. Truck parking shortages are a serious problem that truck drivers face daily and is complex due to Hours of Service (HOS) regulations restrictions on legal parking areas and design. Existing research includes a one-day annual survey which compiles where public rest stops, businesses, and private rest stops are utilized by truck drivers. This research expands on the …

Point Cloud Technology For Analysis Of Existing Structures, Jacob Cano

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For this thesis, a study was completed on two different structures on the UCF Orlando campus through the use of both structural plans and point cloud technology. The results sought to understand the viability of point cloud technology as an accurate tool for the static and dynamic modal analysis of existing structures. For static analysis, a portion of the framing of Spectrum Stadium was rendered, modeled, analyzed and compared to a previous case study. The results emphasized how different users can render dissimilar member sizes and lengths due to human judgment on point cloud visuals. The study also found that …

Forward Osmosis For Algae Dewatering And Electrical Field-Driven Membrane Fouling Mitigation, Faris Munshi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Efficient and low-energy microalgae harvesting is essential for sustainable biofuel production. Forward osmosis (FO) can provide a potential alternative for algae separation with low energy consumption by using osmotic pressure. In this study, an aquaporin-based polyethersulfone (PES) membrane was evaluated for algae dewatering using FO with three different types of draw solutions (DSs: NaCl, KCl and NH4Cl), and under different cross flow velocities (CFVs). 81% of algae dewatering was achieved with a 29% flux drop. Among three different DSs, although NH4Cl was the best candidate for improved water flux and low reverse salt flux (RSF), it could accelerate cell division, …

A Comprehensive Behavioral Study On Lane Changing Manuevers, Saeed Reza Ramezanpour Nargesi

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Since changing lanes might cause traffic congestion and car crashes, the investigation on different aspects of this behavior remains critical. In the past decades, most of lane changing behavior studies have continued to model this behavior mathematically. Lack of qualitative studies in traffic flow theory concepts, especially lane changing behavior is noticeable. This study tries to conduct a comprehensive view of lane changing behavior maneuvers with consideration and analysis the steps of the lane changing process. The author uses the mixed methodological approach to understand the factors which may cause drivers to change lane. After understanding the reasons that make …

Improving Multi-Reservoir Water Supply System Operation Using Ensemble Forecasting And Global Sensitivity Analysis, Reza Limon

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

The objective of this research is to improve the cost-effectiveness, reliability and resilience of water supply system operation through the utilization of ensemble forecasting and optimization of the operating policies. For the effective operation of a multi-reservoir water supply system skillful inflow and outflow forecasts are required. To that end, this research first assesses the value of medium-range ensemble precipitation forecasts generated with the HEFS developed by the US NWS in increasing skill and lead time of ensemble inflow forecasts. The skill of reservoir outflow forecasts is then assessed using three different models with varying complexity. Also assessed in the …

Simultaneous Estimation Of Ocean Tides And Underwater Topography In The Weddell Sea, Edward D. Zaron

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

A new model for theM2, S2, K1, and O1 tides in the Weddell Sea is developed by assimilating CryoSat-2 data into a barotropic tide model. A variational approach is used, which explicitly allows for errors in the water depth, that is, the bottom topography in open water and the water column thickness under floating ice shelves, so that an optimized estimate of the topography is obtained together with the tidal fields. In preparation for assimilation, the sensitivity of the tidal elevation to the interfacial drag at the sea floor and the ice-water interface (under the floating ice shelves) is investigated; …

Developing Material Specification And Application Criteria For Sealing Concrete Bridge Decks, Danny Wells, Sudhir Palle, Theodore Hopwood Ii

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has more aggressively pursued preventive maintenance in recent years. Sealing concrete bridge decks is one preventive maintenance activity the Cabinet has actively pursued. KYTC’s Divisions of Maintenance and Structural Design requested assistance from researchers at the Kentucky Transportation Center (KTC) in developing a material specification and application criteria for sealing concrete bridge decks at an appropriate time in their life cycle.

To develop a material specification and application criteria for sealing concrete bridge decks, KTC researchers conducted the following work:

1. Perform a national survey of departments of transportation (DOTs) for guidelines.
2. Perform a literature search …

Restricted Crossing U-Turns At Rural Intersections, Timothy Adams

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

This study examines the potential for replacing the standard intersection design at two-way stop control (TWSC) and all-way stop control (AWSC) intersections along rural highways with a roundabout or a restricted crossing u-turn (RCUT) facility. The geometry of the RCUT design prohibits left and through movements from the side road, and provides a u-turn location downstream from the main crossing. This type of facility has been implemented for rural highways extensively in other states and has the potential to serve as a cost-effective solution to improve roadway safety within Nebraska.

Comparative analysis is conducted for three site locations (Humphrey, Madison, …

Application Of Remote Sensing Technology In Water Resources Management, Mahesh Pun

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

The primary goal of this dissertation was to leverage the capabilities of remote sensing technology for capturing detailed spatial information at different spatial resolutions to monitor agricultural crops and generate accurate input datasets for water resources models. This dissertation is divided into three different research studies. In the first study, a remote sensing classification method was developed for classifying irrigated and non-irrigated fields that integrates Vegetation indices with surface energy balance fluxes. The method was applied in the COHYST2010 hydrological model region with wide climate variation and to multiple growing seasons with results that were 92.1% accurate and explained 97% …

Full Scale 13-Story Building Implosion And Collapse: Effects On Adjacent Structures, Kanchan Devkota

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

Two dormitory halls at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln known as Cather and Pound halls were demolished via controlled implosion on December 22, 2017. Cather and Pound halls were two thirteen-story reinforced concrete structures. The demolition of these two structures included the implosion of controlled charges at selected columns on alternating floors which initiated the progressive collapse of these structures. Three nearby structures in the vicinity of Cather and Pound halls were instrumented with high sensitivity uniaxial piezoelectric accelerometers to record the response of the adjacent structures during the event of the implosion and the progressive collapse. While these two thirteen-story …

In-Situ Field Monitoring Of A Uhpc And Hpc Bridge Superstructure Under Diagnostic Load Testing Using Digital Image Correlation, Prajwol Sharma

Civil Engineering Theses

New innovative methods of bridge design are being sought to increase the service life of these structure. High Performance Concrete (HPC) and Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) utilizes a mix of high strength concrete with steel fibers to create a strong and ductile reinforced concrete mix. While not new to civil engineering construction, this material still has some uncertainty of its performance both long and short term. As a result, in-situ experimental monitoring is important to verify methods of design and the suitability of the materials. A two-span pre-stressed UHPC and HPC reinforced concrete bridge superstructure was designed at New Mexico State …

Experimental Investigation Of Adobe Structures With Digital Image Correlation, Ashmita Wasti

Civil Engineering Theses

Adobe brick (or Mudbrick) is commonly used as a construction material for residential structures in the Southwest portion of the United States. Adobe bricks are formed from mud that is composed of sand, silt, clay and water that is further mixed with straw then allowed to dry in the open environment. The straw aids in providing reinforcement for the brick and helping the brick dry more evenly which in turn reduces the amount of shrinkage cracks. The final product is a strong, durable, heavy brick used in the construction of homes. While this practice of adobe brick construction has been …

Boy Scouts Of America Concept Site Master Plan And Improvements, Anna Cole, Jacob Chekal, William Seeger, Shanon Al-Brady, Nicholas Cowles

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Our team, G1 Engineering, has partnered with the Boy Scouts of America to provide an update to their master plan for the Outdoor Education Center site located at 600 S. 120^th Street, Lincoln, NE. Our work included providing transportation solutions; drainage evaluations; investigation of geotechnical conditions; environmental evaluation and determination of permitting requirements; preparation of concept design plans for bridges, drainage, utilities, and overall site plan; and evaluation of structural elements included in the project.

Two streams cross the property presenting site access issues. Our team provided pedestrian, UTV, and emergency vehicle access bridges to address these issues. With …

Evaluation Of Best Practices For Implementation Of Slope Repair Methods In Texas, Milad Nabaei

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

Embankment slope failures occur frequently in areas with extreme weather (frequent wetting and drying periods) and unstable soil conditions (high swelling potential clay) such as state of Texas. Despite all progresses in the geotechnical knowledge and the advancement of slope repair methods, still, many repaired slopes fail again after a period of time. The primary objectives of this study are to (1) Review and evaluate existing repair methods for shallow slope failures from the construction perspective, and (2) Recommend appropriate implementation procedures for successful implementation of slope repair methods. The research approach which has been followed to achieve the project …

Streamflow Prediction In Ungauged Basins Located Within Data-Scarce Regions, Mohammadhossein Alipour

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Preservation and or restoration of riverine ecosystem requires quantification of alterations inflicted by water resources development projects. Long records of streamflow data are the first piece of information required in order to enable this analysis. Ungauged catchments located within data-scarce regions lack long records of streamflow data. In this dissertation, a multi-objective framework named Streamflow Prediction under Extreme Data-scarcity (SPED) is proposed for streamflow prediction in ungauged catchments located within large-scale regions of minimal hydrometeorologic observation. Multi-objective nature of SPED allows for balancing runoff efficiency with selection of parameter values that resemble catchment physical characteristics. Uncertain and low-resolution information are …

Characterization Of Florida Landfills With Elevated Temperatures, Ryan Joslyn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The occurrence of elevated temperatures within landfills is a very challenging issue for landfill operators to detect and correct. Little is known regarding the causes of elevated temperatures (ETs) and the number of landfills currently operating under such conditions. Therefore, the goal of this research was to determine which landfills within Florida have been impacted by ETs, and to develop a more complete understanding of the factors that may lead to these landfills becoming elevated temperature landfills (ETLFs). Historical landfill gas wellhead data, waste deposition reports, and landfill site geometry were collected for 27 landfill cells through the FDEP OCULUS …

Modeling Driver-Pedestrian-Infrastructure Interactions At Signalized Midblock Crosswalks, Boniphace Kutela

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Cities and metropolitan areas are increasingly facilitating pedestrians’ movement by the provision of pedestrian walking facilities. As pedestrian traffic increases, the risk of crash involvement increases, especially at midblock locations, where pedestrians are exposed to unsafe interactions with vehicular traffic. To improve pedestrians’ safety at midblock locations, various countermeasures are provided, which include signalized crosswalks. Several studies have analyzed driver-pedestrian interactions, as well as pedestrian-infrastructure interactions at signalized midblock crosswalks. However, more in-depth studies are necessary, due to shortfalls of study assumptions, which have led to the application of improper statistical models, as seen in the literature. Improved models are …

Opportunities And Challenges Of Modular Construction In A Hospitality Centric Environment, Shreyansh Paliwal

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Modular construction techniques can substantially decrease project schedules and costs, effectively maintaining or increasing the quality of an end product by shifting a percentage of site-based work to an off-site fabrication shop. Modular construction can also significantly contribute to sustainability by reducing site disruption, reducing waste generated, creating better relocatability and reusability, causing less dust and noise pollution, and reducing the probability of loss, theft, and damage to equipment. The primary goal of this research is to identify the opportunities and challenges of implementing modular construction techniques in a hospitality-centric environment, by investigating the current situation and characteristics of modular …

Estimation Of Stage-Area-Storage Relationships In Reservoirs And Stage-Discharge Relationships In Rivers Using Remotely Sensed Data, Sailuj Shakya

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This thesis estimates the relationships between the water surface levels and quantities of water in reservoirs and rivers using remotely sensed data without any field measurements. However, the accuracies of the estimates were validated using the field measurements from ground stations. The relationships between the water surface levels and quantities are fundamental for monitoring water quantities for the operation of hydraulic structures, as well as analyzing variability and changes in hydrology. Accessibility and transparency are big issues in establishing a monitoring system that can provide field validation of efforts to model global climate systems. Remote sensing has a capability of …

Assessing Simulated Transmissivity In Numerical Flow Models Of Complex Hydrogeology, Afan Tarar

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Accurately extracting a meaningful transmissivity, a target value within one order of magnitude of field estimates, in numerical models poses a significant challenge when modeling complex groundwater systems. Aquifer transmissivity is directly proportional to the aquifer thickness and the estimated aquifer hydraulic conductivity. In complex geologic conditions (especially in fractured systems) with multiple heterogeneous and anisotropic hydrogeologic units, transmissivity can vary over several orders of magnitude.

To extract a meaningful value of transmissivity from a numerical model, a simple five-layer MODFLOW model was constructed. Each layer in the model was assigned a fixed hydraulic conductivity and thickness. The model simulates …

Multi-Resolution Spatio-Temporal Change Analyses Of Hydro-Climatological Variables In Association With Large-Scale Oceanic-Atmospheric Climate Signals, Kazi Ali Tamaddun

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The primary objective of the work presented in this dissertation was to evaluate the change patterns, i.e., a gradual change known as the trend, and an abrupt change known as the shift, of multiple hydro-climatological variables, namely, streamflow, snow water equivalent (SWE), temperature, precipitation, and potential evapotranspiration (PET), in association with the large-scale oceanic-atmospheric climate signals. Moreover, both observed datasets and modeled simulations were used to evaluate such change patterns to assess the efficacy of the modeled datasets in emulating the observed trends and shifts under the influence of uncertainties and inconsistencies. A secondary objective of this study was to …

Internal Design Of A Hydroponics Greenhouse For Tri Cycle Farms, Sarah Gould

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Hydroponics is the agricultural technique of growing plants without soil, using other growing media and added nutrients in a solvent. It is an attractive agricultural method over conventional agriculture because it is more water efficient, is less labor intensive, yields higher quality crops in less time, and is easier to control. According to the Digital Journal, “hydroponics crop value is anticipated to grow to USD 27.29 Billion by 2022 at an estimated CAGR of 6.39% from 2015 to 2020” (Sawant, 2016). Alongside this growing market acceptance for hydroponics, there is also a local demand that requires only a small transportation …

Effectiveness Of Titanium And Iron Nanoparticles In Treating M. Aeruginosa For Harmful Algal Bloom Remediation, Natalie Von Tress

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) are a growing issue worldwide, posing harm to both aquatic ecosystems and drinking water quality. This issue could be potentially mitigated using nanoparticle (NP) treatment, simultaneously removing cyanobacteria and associated cyanotoxins in HABs. This research seeks to discern the effectiveness of using titanium dioxide and iron (III) oxide NP treatment at removing cyanobacteria via flocculation and sedimentation. Each NP at 25 mg/L and 50 mg/L were used to treat suspended culture of Microcystis aeruginosa, the representative cyanobacteria, up to 72 hours. Cell concentration and morphology in the supernatant were measured via a Coulter counter and …

Ecological Co2 Flux Of A Green Roof Ecosystem And A Typical Grassland Ecosystem, Madeline Oxner

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The Hillside Auditorium Green Roof is a low impact development feature on the University of Arkansas campus. It retains storm water and allows plants living on the roof to take up and transpire the water. Green roofs work to mimic natural ecosystems in urban environments. A key property is ecosystem respiration, which plays a large role in the global carbon cycle and is an important biologic activity indicator. The ecosystem respiration of Hillside Auditorium Green Roof was compared to a typical grassland ecosystem at the University of Arkansas farm to determine how closely the green roof is able to mimic …

A Unified Risk-Based Framework For Assessing Sustainability And Resiliency Of Civil Infrastructure, Thomas Adam Robbins

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

As of February 2019, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has reported since 1880 the average global temperature has increased 1°C, with the warmest year on record being 2016. As the years continue to pass, it is becoming more evident that climate change is occurring, which is known to be a catalyst for climatic weather events. Statistically speaking, these events are more prevalent, and catastrophic exemplified as hurricanes, earthquakes, flooding, and fires. In addition to the increase of potentially catastrophic events, society as a whole has become more conscientious in the use and preservation of natural resources, waste generation, …

Sustainable Ground Improvement Method Using Recycled Plastic Pins, Md Nur Basit Zaman

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Failure of civil engineering infrastructures due to insufficient bearing and shearing capacity of the unsuitable foundation soil is a common problem in the area of North Texas which results in significant maintenance issues for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). The major concerns regarding construction over such foundation soil includes excessive total and differential settlement of footing resulting in bearing capacity failure and sliding failure of the Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) retaining structure due to inadequate shear resistance. The most common technique followed by TxDOT to counter such problem is to remove and replace the existing soil with appropriate fill …

A Microfluidic Platform For The Simultaneous Quantification Of Methanogen Populations In Anaerobic Digestion Processes, Prince Peter Mathai, Hannah M. Dunn, Kaushik Venkiteshwaran, Daniel Zitomer, James Maki, Satoshi Ishii, Michael J. Sadowsky

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Methanogens are a diverse group of archaea that play a critical role in the global carbon cycle. The lack of appropriate molecular tools to simultaneously quantify numerous methanogenic taxa, however, has largely limited our ability to study these communities in a wide variety of habitats, such as anaerobic digesters (ADs). In this study, 34 probe-based quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays were designed to target all known methanogenic genera within the archaeal phylum Euryarchaeota. These qPCR assays were adapted to a high-throughput microfluidic platform, which allowed for the simultaneous detection and absolute quantification of numerous taxa in a single run. The …

Outdoor Education Center Concept Site Master Plan And Improvements As Designed By Wingineers, Christina Thibodeau

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This thesis builds on a basis of four years of engineering education to produce a final project for the capstone course. The idea behind this project was to provide a workable master plan and conceptual site improvements for a real application, the Outdoor Education Center in east Lincoln, Nebraska. The Boy Scouts of America Cornhusker Council and the University of Nebraska – Lincoln Department of Civil Engineering have cooperated throughout the Senior Design capstone course to make this possible for the students involved.

2019 Directory Of Indiana State, County, City And Town Officials Responsible For Road And Street Work, Indiana Ltap

Indiana Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) Directory

Contact information for agency officials and employees responsible for Indiana’s local road infrastructure.

Bio-Desalination Of Brackish And Seawater Using Halophytic Algae, Endalkachew Sahle-Demessie, Ashraf Aly Hassan, Amro El Badawy

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Global demand for water is rising. A sustainable and energy efficient approach is needed to desalinate brackish sources for agricultural and municipal water use. Genetic variation among two algae species, Scenedesmus species (S. sp.) and Chlorella vulgaris (C. vulgaris), in their tolerance and uptake of salt (NaCl) was examined for potential bio-desalination of brackish water. Salt-tolerant hyper-accumulators were evaluated in a batch photobioreactors over salinity concentration ranging from 2 g/L to 20 g/L and different nutrient composition for their growth rate and salt-uptake. During algae growth phase, the doubling time varied between 0.63 and 1.81 days for S …