Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Data-Driven Shear Capacity Prediction Of Studs Embedded In Uhpc For Steel-Uhpc Composite Structures, Yanping Zhu, Woubishet Zewdu Taffese, Genda Chen

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study employs ensemble learning algorithms to accurately predict the shear capacity of studs embedded in ultrahigh performance concrete (UHPC), a critical aspect of structural engineering. Using a comprehensive data set featuring six UHPC slab features, seven stud features, and one shear pocket feature, 35 ensemble models are developed across five cases and seven algorithms (bagging, random forest, AdaBoost, gradient boosting, XGBoost, CatBoost, and LightGBM). The Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) analysis is conducted on the top-performing models to gain insights into their decision-making mechanisms. Results indicate that transforming UHPC slab geometry parameters into a volume, alongside different diameter ratios, proves …

Temporal Evolution Of Workforce Fatality-Linked Factors In The Transportation Construction Sector, Mariam Elazhary, Islam H. El-Adaway

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Despite advancements in safety measures, fatalities in the transportation sector remain disproportionately higher than in other industries. Transportation sector fatalities arise from a combination of demographic, environmental, and occupational factors that amplify the overall risk. While strides have been made in understanding the factors contributing to fatalities, there remains a critical gap in research focused on their temporal evolution. The goal of this study is to investigate the temporal evolution of fatality-linked association factors in the transportation construction sector. The methodology encompassed three stages. Stage 1 was preprocessing the data: the US Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, covering 3,792 fatality …

Labor Productivity Losses Across Construction Trades: A Machine Learning Approach, Tamima Elbashbishy, Islam H. El-Adaway

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Labor productivity is a major concern in the construction industry. Existing research on construction labor productivity (CLP) within specific trades has produced inconsistent findings due to differences in the factors analyzed. This lack of consistency makes it difficult to identify the most critical drivers of productivity losses across trades. To address this gap, this study adopts a cross-trade analytical approach to systematically identify and evaluate the inefficiencies impacting labor productivity in multiple construction trades. Specifically, the study (1) identified common organizational and project-level inefficiencies that influence labor performance; (2) conducted an expert-based survey to measure the frequency and perceived impact …

Failure Analysis Of Prestressed Concrete Girder Bridges Under Over-Height Truck Impacts, Mohamed T. Elshazli, Mohamed Elgawady, Tao Xing, Ahmed Ibrahim

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Accidental collisions between over-height trucks and bridge superstructures are a common threat to existing bridge infrastructure. These incidents often stem from illegal over-height vehicles or truck operators' unawareness of clearance limits, posing serious safety risks and causing substantial structural damage. This study presents a comprehensive numerical investigation of the dynamic response of prestressed concrete girder bridges subjected to over-height truck impacts. Large-scale finite element models were developed in LS-DYNA, with validation conducted against experimental results. The parametric study explored impact speeds ranging from 16 to 113 km/h (10 to 70 mph), impactor masses between 2 and 6 tons, impact locations, …

Using Hydraulic Simulations To Determine The Effects Of Tidal Behavior And Riparian Restoration On Chorro Creek, Jonathan L. Maas

Master's Theses

This thesis examines how tidal backwater effects and riparian restoration influence flooding in the Chorro Creek watershed, a major tributary to the Morro Bay Estuary on California’s Central Coast. Restoration efforts, including levee removal, floodplain reconnection, and revegetation have attempted to improve ecological function and reduce sediment transport. However, recent flood events suggest that these changes may also affect local hydraulics in ways not fully anticipated, particularly under the influence of tides and sea level rise. To analyze these dynamics, a two-dimensional HEC-RAS model was developed using LiDAR terrain, historical imagery, and field data collected from pressure and ultrasonic gauges. …

Kentucky Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria (Mmucc) Sixth Edition Report Card, William Staats, Nikiforos Stamatiadis, Eric Green, Nathaniel Swallom

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration published the Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria (6th Edition) (MMUCC) in 2024. This updated version of the MMUCC contains recommendations for improving and standardizing electronic crash data. Its guidelines address the collection and presentation of 105 data elements and 1,056 data attributes. To facilitate a possible redesign of Kentucky’s crash reporting process, Kentucky Transportation Center (KTC) researchers reviewed the updated criteria and evaluated the degree to which the state complies with its recommended methods of gathering, storing, and presenting crash data. At the level of data elements, Kentucky is 25 percent compliant; for data …

Enabling Carbon Dioxide Mineralization And Active Set Control In Portlandite-Based Cementitious Suspensions, Xiaodi Dai, Sharu Bhagavathi Kandy, Rui Xiao, Manas Sarkar, Shubham Wani, Thiyagarajan Ranganathan, Narayanan Neithalath, Aditya Kumar, Mathieu Bauchy, Edward Garboczi, Torben Gädt, Samanvaya Srivastava, Gaurav Sant

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The real-time control of concrete's stiffening allows users to better control pumping and extrusion during 3D-printing processes. Here, a portlandite-based cementitious formulation (i.e., slurry or suspension) that features the potential for rapid CO₂ uptake is adapted for 3D-printing applications. In particular, we showcase a portlandite-fly ash binder system combined with a thermo responsive polymer, wherein precise control via thermal activation allows set control and rapid solidification. Through the thermally induced polymerization of polyacrylamide, the hybrid binder system rapidly undergoes stiffening at trigger onset temperatures ranging from 60 °C to 80 °C, exhibiting average stiffening rates of up to 2600 …

Exploring The Adoption Of Construction Technologies In Infrastructure Projects: Bridging Perceptions Of Experts With Real Project Data, Fareed Salih, Islam H. El-Adaway

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Infrastructure projects have progressively adopted construction technologies, yet previous studies have not fully explored technology utilization by comparing the perceptions of experts with actual project data. This research fills this knowledge gap. The authors (1) developed, distributed, and collected a survey completed by 52 construction practitioners to investigate the use of these technologies and their associated benefits; (2) checked the survey reliability and validity using Cronbach's alpha test; (3) investigated the perceptions of utilizing construction technologies across industry sectors; (4) explored the perceptions of benefits across industry sectors; (5) analyzed the impact of construction technologies on project objectives and phases …

Guiding State-Specific Studies On Highway Disasters: Examining Differences In Postdisaster Funding, Mariam Elazhary, Islam H. El-Adaway

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The highway sector is frequently and severely impacted by natural disasters. To mitigate these effects and reduce the need for large relief budgets or emergency funds, it is crucial to study the resilience of the transportation network. As such, defining resilience in absolute terms is not enough; instead, it is equally important to analyze specific case studies and build a lessons-learned rapport. This is critical because it helps identify unique vulnerabilities and strengths that might be overlooked in broader analyses. However, current research on highway resilience often lacks empirical evidence to support the selection of these unique and significant case …

Kentucky Traffic Collision Facts Calendar Year 2024 Report, Paul Ross, Eric Green, Christopher Blackden, Kenneth Agent, Christopher Van Dyke

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

No abstract provided.

2025 Safety Belt Usage Survey In Kentucky, Erin Lammers-Staats, Derek Young, Kenneth Agent

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

No abstract provided.

Irp Commercial Trailer Data Feasibility Study, Brian Howell, Jennifer Walton

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This study evaluates the feasibility for developing and maintaining a comprehensive tractor truck trailer database. The commercial motor vehicle (CMV) community currently lacks a cross-jurisdictional, centralized repository for commercial trailers registered in United States and Canadian jurisdictions. Existing federal databases provide information on interstate commercial motor carriers, vehicles, and drivers but exclude trailers. Similarly, IRP and IFTA do not collect trailer-level data, and trailer data is displayed inconsistently across its customer base. Approximately one fifth of violations in Kentucky during inspections from 2020 to 2022 were attributed to trailers, including worn tires, inadequate brakes or improper registration. The rise of …

Additively Constructed Plain Concrete Pipes: Structural Performance And Site Implementation, Alireza Hasani, Boshra Besharatian, Sattar Dorafshan

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Worldwide, extrusion-based additive construction of cementitious materials or 3D Concrete Printing (3DCP) has gained significant momentum for large-scale construction in recent years. This technology has advanced building construction across the world; however, it is rather underdeveloped in transportation infrastructure construction. This paper addresses major hurdles hindering the wider adoption of 3DCP for unreinforced/plain pipe culvert construction. More specifically, the authors investigated the load-bearing capacity of large-scale pipes under the three-edge bearing (TEB) test. Additionally, the effects of printing discontinuities or seam sections on the structural behavior of 3DCP pipes, and their site implementation considerations as culvert structures were studied in …

Navigating Barriers: Examining Social Equality Through Transportation Disadvantages And Perceived Healthcare Accessibility In South Carolina, Yihong Ning, Songyuan Deng, Yuche Chen

Faculty Publications

Transportation inequities significantly contribute to health disparities, particularly in socially and geographically diverse regions like South Carolina. Prior research predominantly relied on objective measurements, like travel time or distance, to assess healthcare accessibility. However, limited attention has been given to the subjective perceptions of transportation barriers. To address this gap, we designed a comprehensive survey consisting of 61 questions (including 32 five-point Likert-scale items) capturing demographic, socioeconomic, and travel behavior data from a diverse sample of South Carolina residents. Urban and rural contexts were distinguished using county categorization and built environment measures. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was employed to identify …

Repair/Preservation Of Concrete Compression Members In Bridges Using Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (Uhpc), Mohammed Hedia, George Morcous

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

As of 2024, approximately 36% of bridges across the United States require repair or replacement, with 7% classified as structurally deficient. The estimated cost to address these deficiencies exceeds $260 billion. In recent years, Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) has emerged as a repair material for infrastructure preservation, drawing increased attention from transportation agencies and researchers worldwide. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has notably advocated for UHPC’s adoption in bridge preservation initiatives, recognizing its exceptional mechanical properties and durability.

This report presents a comprehensive literature review on the application of UHPC as a repair and strengthening material for bridge compression members. While …

Hybrid Forecasting Of University Electricity Demand Using Time Series And Deep Learning, Minsoo Baek, Youngguk Seo

Faculty Articles

University buildings are energy-intensive and operate on complex schedules, making electricity demand forecasting particularly challenging. This study develops and evaluates monthly forecasting models for a public university campus in Georgia using six years of data (January 2019–December 2024) that integrate weather variables and academic calendar indicators. Three modeling approaches are compared: Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA), SARIMA with exogenous variables (SARIMAX), and a hybrid SARIMAX–Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) model. Feature selection methods, correlation analysis, Granger causality, Random Forest importance, Recursive Feature Elimination (RFE), and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression, were applied to optimize input relevance. The …

The Floodnet Community Engagement Guide, Véronëque Ignace, Sofia Mariyamis, Kendra Krueger, Polly Pierone, Hayley Elszasz, Hannah Eisler Burnett

The Science and Resilience Institute at Jamaica Bay, SRIJB

"At the Intersection of Science, Policy, and Community: The FloodNet NYC Community Engagement Strategy” is a public-facing community engagement guide that documents the strategies, tools, and lessons developed through FloodNet NYC, a cross-sector partnership among researchers at NYU and CUNY and New York City agencies. Designed as a practical resource, this guide shares our approach to community engagement and dissemination so that researchers, practitioners, community organizations, and public agencies can adapt these methods to their own urban climate science projects and other community-centered efforts that address climate challenges.

Grounded in community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles, the guide presents community engagement …

Analysis Of Traffic Crash Data In Kentucky 2020-2024, Paul Ross, Eric Green, Christopher Blackden, Christopher Van Dyke

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

No abstract provided.

Acoustic Emission Sensing For Assessing Compressive Strain In Impacted Thermoplastic Composites, M. M. Shahzamanian, Li Ai, Sydney Houck, Md Mushfiqur Rahman Fahim, Sourav Banerjee, Paul Ziehl

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Composite materials used in aircraft during in-flight service are vulnerable to impacts, which can lead to undetected damage and deterioration. Impact incidents can cause considerable structural harm that might not be immediately apparent, resulting in a decline in the mechanical properties of material and overall performance. There are currently limited advanced models capable of assessing the state of compressive strain (or stress) in a compression after impact (CAI) test based on acoustic emission (AE) data. Developing such a model may enable real-time monitoring and evaluation during in-flight service, providing users with alerts when composite material failure is approaching. This paper …

The Application Of Vetiver Grass In Natural Disaster Mitigation And Environmental Protection In Vietnam: A Bibliometric Analysis And Literature Review, Truc Phan, Tan Nguyen, Thang Pham, Bich T. Luong, Huong Nguyen

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides or Chrysopogon zizanioides) is a versatile tropical plant widely recognized for its applications in environmental protection and natural disaster mitigation. In Vietnam, where natural disasters such as floods and landslides are frequent, particularly along highways, Vetiver grass has proven to be an effective bioengineering solution. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the applications and benefits of Vetiver grass in preventing soil erosion and stabilizing slopes along Vietnam’s transportation systems. A bibliometric analysis of 555 Scopus-indexed publications (2000 – 2024) was conducted using VOSviewer software to identify research trends, key themes, and knowledge gaps. The findings …

Communicating Wastewater-Based Surveillance Data To Drive Action, Kata Farkas, Devrim Kaya, Rasha Maal-Bared, Ahmad I. Al-Mustapha, Sarmila Tandukar, Ishi Keenum, Teemu Gunnar, Aaron Bivins, Matthew J Wade, Kyle Bibby, Tarja M. Pitkänen, Ananda Tiwari

Michigan Tech Publications

As exemplified during the COVID-19 pandemic, wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) can deliver near real-time, population-level pathogen data to guide public health action. Its impact, however, hinges on timely, transparent, and context-specific communication to stakeholders, including health authorities, policymakers, scientists, clinicians, and the public. This review examines current WBS communication practices, identifies persistent challenges, and proposes strategies to enhance relevance. Key challenges include data complexity, lack of standardised communication frameworks, ethical and privacy concerns, and variable stakeholder capabilities. The strategic use of digital platforms, such as dashboards, reports, press releases, and social media, alongside traditional media, can broaden reach and aid interpretation. …

Case Article—Optimizing Transportation And Equity In A District Zoning Problem For Orville Public Schools, Kelly M. Sullivan, Ashlea Bennett Milburn

Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

“Optimizing transportation and equity in a district zoning problem for ORville public schools” is a case developed to expose students to an optimization decision problem with ethical considerations incorporated. Specifically, students are asked to solve a school district zoning problem in which all residential addresses in a school district must be assigned to middle schools having capacity limits on the numbers of students that they can accommodate.

Impact Of Co2 Impurity In Hydrogen Gas On Wetting Characteristics Of Carbonate Minerals; New Insights And Implications For Hydrogen Geo-Storage In Saline Aquifers, Amirmansour Jafari, Zoha Dalal Isfehani, Jalal Fahimpour, Nima Shokri, Mirhasan Hosseini, Mohammad Sharifi

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The effectiveness of Underground Hydrogen Storage (UHS) as a long-term solution for sustainable green energy relies on secure containment in geological formations and optimized storage and retrieval processes, where fluid-rock interactions, particularly the wettability of the rock, play a crucial role. Additionally, the pre-injection of a cushion gas, such as CO2, to maintain sufficient pressure for hydrogen (H2) withdrawal can influence wettability. This study employed the tilted plate method to examine contact angle hysteresis of the wetting phase (water) on a carbonate rock substrate, measuring advancing and receding contact angles in the presence of various H2-CO2 mixtures ([0.30 CO2 + …

Waste By-Products In Asphalt Concrete Pavement Construction: A Review, Nuha S. Mashaan, Daniel O. Oguntayo, Chathurika Dassanayake

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The use of mining by-products in bitumen and asphalt mixture modification has drawn a lot of interest lately since it can improve pavement performance while advancing the goals of the circular economy and environmental sustainability. Mining by-products such as steel slag, red mud, silica fume, and fly ash have demonstrated good results as sustainable materials for improving the chemical, mechanical, durability, and rheological properties of asphalt binders and mixtures while also reducing the environmental degradation brought about by the disposal of these by-products. This study reviews research efforts on mining by-products (specifically steel slag, silica fume, red mud, and fly …

Deep Learning And Machine Learning Based Prediction Of Significant Wave Height Along The Grand Coast Of Dakar, Senegal, Dialo Diop, Xu Dongsheng, Sanjay Kumar Shukla

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Recently, deep learning (DL) has become an essential tool for processing large datasets and is playing a crucial role in scientific research. It significantly contributes to protecting the marine environment and forecasting oceanic phenomena. This study applies an autoregressive integrated moving average model (ARIMA) time series model to forecast significant wave heights (SWHs) at two beaches in Dakar, Senegal: Malika and Yoff. Additionally, the long short-term memory network (LSTM) is used for comparative analysis. Both models estimate SWH for future predictions ranging from 12 hours to 60 days. The study utilized ERA5 reanalysis data, comprising 52584 elements of SWH and …

Low Head Dam Fatalities Data 1900 To August 2025, Rollin H. Hotchkiss, Edward William Kern, John Guymon, Paige A. Gordichuk

ScholarsArchive Data

This dataset documents fatalities at low head dams in the United States between 1900 and August 2025. The records were compiled between 2012 and 2025 by research assistants at Brigham Young University under the direction of Dr. Rollin Hotchkiss. Data were incorporated into the database from Dr. Bruce Tschantz, Charlie Walbridge of the American Whitewater Association, public submissions through a “Report an Incident” form, and publicly available sources, including newspaper archives and public records. Originally stored in a MySQL database and later transferred to Google Sheets, the August 2025 version was exported to Excel. The purpose of the dataset is …

Effects Of Ambient Temperature On Nox Emissions From Heavy-Duty Diesel Vehicles Measured In Utah, Amber L. Gurecki Allen, Darrell Sonntag, Gary A. Bishop

FEAT Publications

No abstract provided.

Long-Term Degradation Of Natural-Fiber Coir Turf Reinforcement Mat Installed Along An Urban Stream In South Carolina, Kayden G. Rothery, Bob L. Lowe

Research from the Berry Summer Thesis Institute, 2025

Nature-based (or “living”) solutions to shoreline restoration are attractive due to their positive contributions to ecosystem function and service provision in coastal and estuarine environments. However, non-biodegradable plastics are widely used in their implementation; for instance, plastic-based geotextile fabrics are used to stabilize soil and organic matter to prevent loss of sediment fill. Paradoxically, these polymer-based geotextiles intended to protect the estuarine environment are unintended sources of plastic pollution as they inevitably degrade over time. Consequently, there is significant interest in transitioning from synthetic polymer-based geotextiles to sustainable non-plastic alternatives. To begin addressing this compelling research opportunity, this project aims …

An Investigation Of Hydro-Morphological Changes At The Estuarine Outlet Of Kitchener Drain, Northern Coast Of Egypt, Nada Mansour, Karim Nassar, Mahmoud El-Gamal, Tharwat Sarhan

Mansoura Engineering Journal

In recent years, sedimentation and coastline erosion have occurred in the Kitchener Drain, where its outflow meets the Mediterranean Sea. Several measures have been taken to mitigate the impact of these problems. Excavation continues toward the drain's outlet, and there have been multiple stages of hard protection work, such as groins along the drain's eastern and western banks. What would happen if the working near the drain was kept, where accretion and erosion are most severe. The Coastal Modelling System (CMS) was used to find it out. The two-dimensional hydrodynamic circulation model known as the CMS is outfitted with modules …

Detection Of Bacterial Genomic Dna Fragments Using The Mxene Crispr-Cas9 Field-Effect Transistor, Jiaoli Li, Ali Taheri, Weijia Liu, Ying Zhuo, Pengfei Ma, Chenglin Wu

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-based field-effect transistor (FET) sensors provide a promising platform for highly specific and amplification-free nucleic acid detection. However, their direct application in identifying target sequences within intact genomic DNA remains underexplored. We developed a CRISPR-Cas9 FET sensor for detecting DNA sequences by immobilizing Cas9 onto a graphene-MXene sensing interface via (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) functionalization. The sensor targeted Stx1, a 440 bp laboratory-amplified fragment associated with Shiga toxin production in pathogenic E. coli. Gel electrophoresis confirmed the precise cleavage of Stx1, while the nontarget sequence Stx2 remained undetected. FET measurements further validated the sensor's specificity, showing …