Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Geospatial Analysis Based On Hurricane Storm Surge Scenarios On Coastal South Texas And North Mexico, Layda Belia Spor Leal

Theses and Dissertations

The coastal area of the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas, and Northern Tamaulipas, Mexico, has historically faced a variety of natural disasters involving flooding hazards, such as hurricanes and tropical storms. These scenarios not only represent imminent danger for the population in the area but can lead to long term effects on the infrastructure located in the impact zone. As such, it is imperative to conduct analysis on not only the specific areas that will be affected, but the severity of flooding that can result after a catastrophic event. Modelling work that simulates the storm surge in case of various …

Quantum Artificial Intelligence Supported Autonomous Truck Platooning, Pronab Kumar Biswas

All Theses

Truck platooning can potentially increase the operational efficiency of freight movement on U.S. corridors, improving commercial productivity and economic vibrancy. Predicting each leader vehicle trajectory in the autonomous truck platoon using Artificial Intelligence (AI) can enhance platoon efficiency and safety. Reliance on classical AI may not be efficient for this purpose as it will increase the computational burden for each truck in the platoon. However, Quantum Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be used in this scenario to enhance learning efficiency, learning capacity, and run-time improvements. This study developed and evaluated a Long Short-Term Memory Networks (LSTM) model and a hybrid quantum-classical …

An Exploration Of The Application Of Desalination In Disaster Relief, Emma Sager

Senior Honors Theses

This paper aims to explore the application of small-scale desalination systems to provide clean water in the wake of marine natural disasters. A lack of clean water is a devastating impact of many natural disasters. Desalination technologies, both thermal and membrane, show potential for being scaled down and self-powered by renewable energy. Desalination can transform ocean water and contaminated drinking water with a high salt content into drinkable, usable water. While these techniques are not perfected, and the solution to a need for clean water is multifaceted, desalination shows potential. Through further research and ever-advancing technology, small-scale desalination could develop …

Rattus Norvegicus As A Biological Detector Of Clandestine Remains And The Use Of Ultrasonic Vocalizations As A Locating Mechanism, Gabrielle M. Johnston

Master's Theses

In investigations, locating missing persons and clandestine remains are imperative. One way that first responder and police agencies can search for the remains is by using cadaver dogs as biological detectors. Cadaver dogs are typically used due to their olfactory sensitivity and ability to detect low concentrations of volatile organic compounds produced by biological remains. Cadaver dogs are typically chosen for their stamina, agility, and olfactory sensitivity. However, what is not taken into account often is the size of the animal and the expense of maintaining and training the animal. Cadaver dogs are typically large breeds that cannot fit in …

Fatigue Performance Of Flexural Retrofits For Precast Slab Bridges, Ian Stewart

All Theses

This thesis discusses flexural and cyclic load testing of two potential retrofits for pre-cast slab bridges. These slabs came from South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) decommissioned bridges as a part of an ongoing project with SCDOT. The first is a Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plate (CFRP) retrofit where four CFRP plates were adhesively bonded to the bottom of a slab. The second is a steel plate that was mechanically attached to the bottom of a slab using bolted connections. The bolts were cast into grouted holes in the slab. To better understand the failure mode of these retrofits and their …

Impacts Of Preferential Flow On Tc-99and Np-237 Vadose Transport In Soils At The Savannah River Site, Josh Parris

All Theses

Since the 1950s, the United States has produced approximately 90,000 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) (Office of Nuclear Energy, 2022); however, no long-term storage solutions are available. Technecium-99 and neptunium-237, two fission products found in SNF, readily form highly mobile species in oxidizing conditions (Hu, 2008; Bondietti, 1979) and have respective half-lives of 2.13 x 10⁵ and 2.14 x10⁶ years (Hu, 2010). Considering these characteristics, ⁹⁹Tc and ²³⁷Np are two risk-driving isotopes found in SNF storage. The process of macropore-facilitated preferential flow, transport through cracks within a soil matrix, has been recognized to increase …

Piezoresistivity Of Electrically Conductive Asphalt Concrete, Mateo Schmit Mendoza

Theses and Dissertations

Electrically conductive asphalt concrete is considered as a multifunctional construction material due to its structural and non-structural functions. This study aims to investigate piezoresistivity of conductive asphalt concrete. Piezoresistivity is an electrical property of some materials which electrical resistivity changes with induced strain and subsequently, it has the potential for self-sensing smart technology. Graphite Powder F-516 with various contents was added into the asphalt mixtures to impart the electrical conductivity. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was selected to measure the electrical properties of the specimens in dry and wet conditions, and low and high temperatures. The impedance measurement shows that the …

Photocatalytic Nanoparticle Treatment Of Cyanotoxins In Harmful Algal Blooms, Brian Baird

Civil Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) have the ability to cause detriment to water bodies, ecosystems, and human health. Furthermore, current evidence suggests that these events are becoming increasingly common due to factors such as increased pollution and global warming. While there are current methods to treat water that is negatively impacted by the bacteria and toxins associated with HABs, these methods are often costly and inefficient. The purpose of this research is to explore a potential treatment option that uses titanium dioxide photocatalytic nanoparticles attached to a retractable net to treat toxins produced by HABs in situ. Specifically, the toxin …

Innovations In Football Protective Headgear, Henry Bethel

Civil Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Adding impact reduction to football protective headgear decreases the reactionary acceleration experienced by the cranium. Utilizing an iteration of the National Operating Committee for Standards in Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) method of testing per ASTM F429, a drop tower was fabricated, and 27 drop tests were conducted upon a standard helmet (control) and the Summerlin model helmet (test), measuring the maximum acceleration experienced by each drop. Drop tests involved variable heights and test angles with three drops being made per combination. The Summerlin model drops were conducted until failure, occurring at the third 3” drop at the “front” location at an …

Understanding The Bond Strength Of Bcsa Cement Repair Concrete To Portland Cement Concrete, Brenden Simmons

Civil Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Concrete structures deteriorate over time, and there is an increasing demand for quick repair solutions. Belitic calcium sulfoaluminate (BCSA) cement, a type of rapid setting cement, is thought to be a more sustainable and convenient alternative to portland cement in repair concrete applications. Indicated by the name, rapid setting concrete can set up quicker than traditional portland cement concrete. Because of this, there has been a lot of research about the properties of rapid setting concrete mixes. One of the most popular topics is the strength of the concrete itself. However, there is a need for more research to understand …

Computational Modeling Of Patterned Membranes And Spacers For Improved Hydrodynamics And Fouling Reduction In Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment Processes, Zuo Zhou

All Dissertations

My research goal is to discover ways to improve the hydrodynamics of reverse osmosis (RO) membrane systems through creative membrane surface patterning and spacer designs. Since concentration polarization (CP) usually promotes membrane fouling, improving hydrodynamics would result in reduced fouling and better membrane performance. With computational fluid dynamics (CFD), we can explore dozens or even hundreds of models with different geometries and boundary conditions. Through plotting their velocity profile, streamlines, shear stress, pressure profile, concentration profile, and so on, we can determine which design would lead to the best performance.

At first, patterned membranes were evaluated and compared with flat …

Reducing Infiltration And Inflow In Small Collection Systems: Environmental, Economic, And Other Impacts, Andrew Hansen

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

Wastewater treatment facilities (WWTFs) and the collection systems (CSs) which feed them provide essential services to society by collecting sewage (aka wastewater), biologically treating it, and minimizing risks to human health as well as the impact of waste on the environment. However, as collection systems age, increasing infiltration and inflow (I/I) from groundwater and stormwater can negatively affect the system. I/I is often mitigated to reduce flow and eliminate other negative impacts to the system.

Ten total case studies, seven mechanical water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) and three lagoon facilities, were examined for the environmental, economic, and other impacts/benefits from …

Sustainable Revitalization Of Asphalt Pavements: An In-Depth Analysis Of Enhancing The Performance Of Asphalt Binder Through The Application Of Rheological And Molecular Dynamics Simulation Techniques, Muhammad Ahmad

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

Vegetable-based oils such as corn and soybean oil have triglycerides and fatty acids that allow them to be considered sustainable and effective recycling agents (RAs) for aged asphalt binder. However, there are concerns about their effect on the recycled asphalt binder's long-term performance, moisture damage resistance, and self-healing characteristics restoration. In this study, crude corn oil (CO) and crude soybean oil (SO) were used as RAs to restore the performance of a reclaimed asphalt binder (RAB) extracted from reclaimed asphalt pavement. The binder extracted from RAB was modified with a neat binder PG64-28 and RAs to restore the high-end performance …

Assessing The Performance Of High-Rap Mixtures Incorporating Crude Vegetable Oils And An Antioxidant From Mechanical, Environmental, And Economic Perspectives, Nitish R. Bastola

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

Utilization of mixtures with high amounts of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) in the pavement industry is limited because of the adverse effects of aged materials in recycled asphalt materials. To date, numerous approaches have been used to reduce the adversity of RAP in mixtures. One such approach is the use of recycling agents (RAs) from various sources, such as petroleum and bio-oil. However, the current need is to maximize the use of RAP by adopting a sustainable source of RAs. Therefore, this study uses two RAs based on vegetable oils (crude soybean oil and crude corn oil) with high-RAP mixtures …

Studying Pedestrian’S Unmarked Midblock Crossing Behavior On A Multilane Road When Interacting With Autonomous Vehicles Using Virtual Reality, Fengjiao Zou

All Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on the challenge of pedestrian interaction with autonomous vehicles (AVs) at unmarked midblock locations where the right-of-way is unspecified. A virtual reality (VR) simulation was developed to replicate an urban unmarked midblock environment where pedestrians cross a four-lane arterial roadway and interact with AVs. One research goal is to investigate the impact of roadway centerline features (undivided, two-way left-turn lane, and median) and AV operational schemes portrayed through on-vehicle signals (no signal, yellow negotiating indication, and yellow/blue negotiating/no-yield indications) on pedestrian crossing behavior. Results demonstrate that both roadway centerline design features and AV operations and signaling show …

Explainable Physics-Informed Deep Learning For Rainfall-Runoff Modeling And Uncertainty Assessment Across The Continental United States, Sadegh Sadeghi Tabas

All Dissertations

Hydrologic models provide a comprehensive tool to calibrate streamflow response to environmental variables. Various hydrologic modeling approaches, ranging from physically based to conceptual to entirely data-driven models, have been widely used for hydrologic simulation. During the recent years, however, Deep Learning (DL), a new generation of Machine Learning (ML), has transformed hydrologic simulation research to a new direction. DL methods have recently proposed for rainfall-runoff modeling that complement both distributed and conceptual hydrologic models, particularly in a catchment where data to support a process-based model is scared and limited.

This dissertation investigated the applicability of two advanced probabilistic physics-informed DL …

Explaining Spatio-Temporal Evolution Of Extreme Hydro-Climatic Events Using A Complex Network Framework, Somnath Mondal

All Dissertations

Severe hydroclimatic extreme events, such as droughts, heatwaves, and heavy rainfall, are occurring with increasing frequency and causing significant impacts on both people and the environment. These events also compound in space and time, leading to even more significant consequences. Therefore, it is essential to comprehend these phenomena' concurrent and time-delayed progression across different temporal and spatial scales to address adaptation and mitigation effectively. To accurately understand and map the co-evolution of extreme events, it's necessary to have a thorough grasp of their spatiotemporal patterns, how they propagate and interact with one another, and the underlying mechanisms driving their occurrence. …

Machine Learning-Based Data And Model Driven Bayesian Uncertanity Quantification Of Inverse Problems For Suspended Non-Structural System, Zhiyuan Qin

All Dissertations

Inverse problems involve extracting the internal structure of a physical system from noisy measurement data. In many fields, the Bayesian inference is used to address the ill-conditioned nature of the inverse problem by incorporating prior information through an initial distribution. In the nonparametric Bayesian framework, surrogate models such as Gaussian Processes or Deep Neural Networks are used as flexible and effective probabilistic modeling tools to overcome the high-dimensional curse and reduce computational costs. In practical systems and computer models, uncertainties can be addressed through parameter calibration, sensitivity analysis, and uncertainty quantification, leading to improved reliability and robustness of decision and …

Electric Vehicle Routing Problem – Models And Algorithms, Hesamoddin Tahami

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The transportation sector is a major greenhouse gas emitter that is heavily regulated to reduce its dependence on oil. These regulations along with the growing customer awareness of global warming have led to the investigation of new transportation problems that consider using eco-friendly vehicle fleets. Promising alternatives to traditional fleets include alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) and electric vehicles (EVs). These twenty-first-century vehicles offer an appealing advantage of consistently reducing their environmental impact, but due to the current technology, they exhibit bothersome limitations. The short driving range along with limited charging infrastructure may consequently cause issues related to range anxiety, i.e., …

Upgrading The Performance Of Steel Beams Using Fastened Advanced Composite Materials, Omnia Ragab Abouelhamd

Dissertations

Bonding Fiber-Reinforced Polymers (FRP) is commonly used to enhance the structural performance of existing steel beams; however, the brittle failure at the adhesive risks the effectiveness of the bonded system. Fastening FRP is recently proposed to avoid the brittle failure of the adhesive. Promising outcomes of few studies on fastened FRPsteel system provoked the interest to investigate the effects of various fastening parameters on the performance of fastened FRP-steel beams.

This study investigates, experimentally and numerically, the impact of various fastening parameters on the performance of fastened FRP-steel beams. The proposed method involves fastening carbon-glass hybrid FRP (HFRP) strips to …

Investigating Haloacetonitrile (Han) Formation Potential From Nitrogenous Antibiotics And Agrochemicals, Kazi Shafayet Haider

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Disinfection can promote safe drinking water. Chlorine and chloramines are the two most used disinfectants. While these disinfectants are effective in inactivating disease-causing pathogens, they also produce hazardous byproducts when they react with organic compounds (precursors). Nitrogenous disinfection byproducts (N-DBPs) are more toxic than their counterparts. The increased use of nitrogen-based agrochemicals and antibitics has led to their detection in different water sources. The presence of secondary amine and aniline in these compounds can act as a source of reactive nitrogen to form N-DBPs. In addition, the increased concentration of bromide in water systems due to anthropogenic activities can enhance …

Analyzing The Effects Of Rejuvenators In Balanced Mix Design With High Percentages Of Recycled Asphalt Pavement, Amanda Jo Mullins

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Interest in sustainable practices have increased in several industries, including civil engineering pavement materials. The incorporation of Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP) into new pavement mix design is a popular method of application for sustainable practice and is accompanied by numerous economic and environmental benefits. There is significant interest in using large amounts of this RAP material in pavement design to maximize the benefits, but several problems arise when utilizing “high” amounts of this material (more than 25% RAP replacement) due to aged and oxidized binder that negatively impacts the properties. The use of rejuvenators (RAs) and Balanced Mix Design (BMD) …

Comparing 1d, 2d, And 3d Hydraulic Models In Urban Flooding Applications, Taylor Kesler

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Floods have been a hazard to people since people first started building near rivers. Predicting floods can be very beneficial to save lives and property. Computers have made it possible to solve fluid dynamics equations in a fast and efficient manner. Computer programs have been designed to solve these equations and create digital models of floods.

This study compares three different methods of computer modeling and explores their advantages and disadvantages. One-dimensional models solve fluid equations by setting up a series of cross sections. Two-dimensional models use a grid-like mesh to solve fluid equations from one cell to the next. …

Estimating Seasonal Crop Water Consumption In Irrigated Lands Using Soil Moisture And Reference Evapotranspiration, Oliver Henry Hargreaves

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The increase in population and the megadrought that the American west has been experiencing for the past two decades and for the foreseeable future are the cause of great stress on the region’s water resources. In an effort to mitigate the worst effects of water shortages many public and private agencies have been pursuing ways to reduce water use while maintaining the current status quo of living standards, industrial productivity, and agricultural yield. This project aims to study water use in irrigated lands dedicated to agriculture with the objective of quantifying crop water use, often referred to as evapotranspiration (ET), …

Improved Sustainability And Efficiency Of Partial Depth Concrete Bridge Deck Repair, Israi I. H. Abu Shanab

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Recently, significant advances have been made in the development of rapid setting cementitious materials for partial depth bridge deck repair. The rapid set times of these materials allow for traffic to be re-opened onto the bridge deck in several hours versus days once the material has been placed. While this is a substantial improvement in reducing the traffic closure time, a large amount of time is still spent on the removal of damaged and deteriorated bridge deck and in preparing the concrete cutouts for placement of the rapid set material. Partial deck removal is a much more delicate process than …

Groundwater-Surface Water Interaction To Increase Groundwater Availability, Saeid Masoudiashtiani

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study develops procedures for using surface water to increase groundwater availability and sustainable yield, and for evaluating impacts on surface water. Increasing sustainable groundwater yield requires reducing the gap between the volumes of discharge from versus recharge to an aquifer. The study presents procedure for water user(s) to help increase groundwater availability. Toward that end, this study simulates and evaluates: a) aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) of water diverted from Red Butte Creek in Salt Lake Valley, Utah for subsequent turf irrigation; b) ASR injection of residential runoff from daily rainfall for subsequent extraction to irrigate turf; and c) …

Laboratory Modelling Of The Various Components Of Backward Erosion Piping Behavior Due To Converging Flow With Different Constricted Outlets, Ibrahim Ahmed Abdelmotelb Ibrahim

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Backward Erosion Piping (BEP) is an internal erosion mechanism which occurs at the down stream of dams or levees. Two conditions needed for this failure to occur: 1) head of water in the upstream of the dam or the levee to drive the seepage forces, and 2) crack in the roof or the blanket layer of the cohesionless material in the downstream of the dam or a levee. Numerous researches were performed in the past in an attempt to predict the critical gradient for BEP to initiate. Some researches are too conservative and other researches are under predicting the critical …

Locating Low Head Dams Using A Deep Learning Model In Arcgis Pro With Aerial Imagery, Caitlin R. Arnold

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Low Head Dams are man-made structures that span the width of a river and allow water to flow over them. Although these structures vary in age and original purpose, some pose a life-threatening danger when recreationalists are entrapped in the reverse current at the toe. Despite these dangerous structures causing many drowning deaths in the USA each year, most low head dams do not have safety regulations and remain unknown to those charged with dam and public safety. Thus, to improve public safety at these structures, the first step is to fully inventory low head dams, so that subsequent efforts …

Top Mat Reinforcement Alternatives For Concrete Pavement Slabs With Embedded Inductive Power Transfer Systems, Thaddeus J. Hansen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Electric Vehicles (EVs) are continually becoming a larger portion of the vehicular fleet on a national and global level. Despite their growth in popularity, several challenges still exist that hinder the practicality and general public’s acceptance of EVs. The limited travel range of EVs, lack of consistent charging stations, and required time to charge EVs are at the forefront of these challenges. The use of Inductive Power Transfer Systems (IPTS) may be part of the solution to the afore mentioned issues.

IPTS embedded in concrete pavement panels allow EVs to charge their batteries while in motion. In order to justify …

Preferences Toward Augmented Reality Technologies For Pedestrian Navigation, Victoria Alejandra Diaz Mejia

Theses and Dissertations

This research investigates the demand for pedestrian navigation supported by augmented reality (AR) via headset and mobile technologies by evaluating factors specific to each technology and the decision makers. Recent advances in digital engineering systems, e.g., digital twins and smart cities, are enabling new services like AR-supported wayfinding for pedestrians. Still, it is unknown whether American pedestrians would use AR, the type devices and feature that add value to their navigation, the demographic profiles more inclined to AR wayfinding, and the sensitivity of such demand to software and hardware cost. As the first investigation addressing the demand for AR pedestrian …