Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

A Numerical Investigation Of Erection Bridging In Double-Pitched Open-Web Steel Joists, Logan Joshua Ward

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Open-web steel joists are truss members used to support roofs and floors in steel buildings. They are commonly used because they are lightweight and inexpensive to manufacture on a large scale but have a large load carrying capacity due to their depth. Because of this depth, these joists are very unstable laterally, which is addressed by adding bridging (horizontal or diagonal) members between them to resist rotation of the joists. One of the bridging types is erection bridging, which is used to prevent a joist from buckling laterally while steel erectors are traversing it during construction.

The current erection bridging …

The Effects Of Effective Stress And Overconsolidation Ratio On The Undrained Shear Strength Of Soil, Gunniga Suwannawong

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This study investigates the effect of effective stress and overconsolidation ratio (OCR) on normalized undrained shear strength, which represents the soil deformation and soil strength from applied load. Theoretical frameworks indicate that undrained shear strength (S_u) is affected by soil parameters such as void ratio and is linked to the soil consolidation condition, stress path, and stress history. Furthermore, S_u is functionally related to the OCR. The purpose of these test are to test two hypotheses: 1) that the undrained shear strength conforms with normalized soil engineering properties, this is true if the following equation describes the …

Engineering Properties And Stress-Strain Behavior Of Bcsa Concrete: Flexural Design Parameters, Strain Measurement Methods, And Models, Gabriel R. Johnson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Belitic calcium sulfoaluminate (BCSA) cement concrete has gained popularity due to advantages over portland cement (PC), including, its fast-setting, high early strength gain, high durability, and reduced global warming potential. Though primarily used for pavement repair, it has good potential for structural applications. Building codes like ACI 318:19 permit alternative cement materials like BCSA cement if they can be shown to have adequate and predictable structural, durability, and fire performance comparable to PC concrete. This study evaluates the structural and mechanical behavior of BCSA cement concrete, measuring standard engineering properties and comparing results to PC concrete and code prediction equations. …

Feasibility Study On Using Blue Clay As A Supplementary Cementitious Material (Scm)., Clark Lemon

Master of Engineering Theses

An effective strategy for reducing CO₂ emissions in the global cement industry is replacing a percentage of cement with supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs). As the availability of conventional SCMs such as fly ash and slag is decreasing, alternative SCMs such as calcined clays have been studied for their use as effective pozzolans. The present work investigates the feasibility of using a waste product from the quarrying industry known as blue clay as a viable SCM. It is composed of multiple clay minerals, predominantly muscovite. Raw and calcined at four temperatures (500, 650, 800, and 950°C), blue clay was analyzed …

Impact Of Geometrical Dimensions On The Shear Behaviour Of Uhpc Deep Beams Reinforced With Steel And Synthetic Fibres, Hossein Mirzaaghabeik, Nuha S. Mashaan, Sanjay Kumar Shukla

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) is recognized for its exceptional strength, durability, and versatility in engineering applications, making it a reliable composite in the construction industry. The incorporation of fibres into UHPC enhances its mechanical properties. Non-metallic fibres offer a promising alternative to steel fibres due to their resistance to corrosion. While much research has focused on the shear behaviour of UHPC reinforced with steel fibres, there is a notable gap in understanding the impact of non-metallic fibres. This study aims to address this gap by comparing the influence of synthetic fibres to steel fibres on the shear behaviour of UHPC through …

Mining Waste In Asphalt Pavements: A Critical Review Of Waste Rock And Tailings Applications, Adeel Iqbal, Nuha S. Mashaan, Themelina Paraskeva

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This paper presents a critical and comprehensive review of the application of mining waste, specifically waste rock and tailings, in asphalt pavements, with the aim of synthesizing performance outcomes and identifying key research gaps. A systematic literature search yielded a final dataset of 41 peer-reviewed articles for detailed analysis. Bibliometric analysis indicates a notable upward trend in annual publications, reflecting growing academic and practical interest in this field. Performance-based evaluations demonstrate that mining wastes, particularly iron and copper tailings, have the potential to enhance the high-temperature performance (i.e., rutting resistance) of asphalt binders and mixtures when utilized as fillers or …

Lithium Slag As A Supplementary Cementitious Material For Sustainable Concrete: A Review, Sajad Razzazan, Nuha S. Mashaan, Themelina Paraskeva

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The global cement industry remains a significant contributor to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, prompting substantial research efforts toward sustainable construction materials. Lithium slag (LS), a by-product of lithium extraction, has attracted attention as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM). This review synthesizes experimental findings on LS replacement levels, fresh-state behavior, mechanical performance (compressive, tensile, and flexural strengths), time-dependent deformation (shrinkage and creep), and durability (sulfate, acid, abrasion, and thermal) of LS-modified concretes. Statistical analysis identifies an optimal LS dosage of 20–30% (average 24%) for maximizing compressive strength and long-term durability, with 40% as a practical upper limit for tensile and flexural …

Translating Soil Salinity To Agricultural Salt Stress: Key Salt-Tolerance Mechanisms For Agrohydrologic Models, Josh Gottlieb, Dvir Ochman, Cheng-Wei Huang, Jean-Christophe Domec, Nimrod Schwartz, Samantha Hartzell

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Summary:

Salt stress has a detrimental impact on crop yield and survival rates, which salt-tolerant cultivars can resist through numerous adaptive mechanisms. Most models of salt stress impacts on productivity and water use employ empirical or simplified schemes to represent salt-adaptive traits. However, with an increased understanding of these physiological tolerance mechanisms and emergent measurement techniques for monitoring key salinity dynamics, the potential for developing mechanistic agrohydrological models of the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum has grown. This perspective highlights strategies for modeling salt tolerance mechanisms, including root system architecture adaptation, salt filtration, adaptation of plant hydraulics, ion compartmentalization, and stomatal responses, to …

Coal Mining Reclamation: Lessons Learned From Tropical And Subtropical Countries, Priyaji Agung Pambudi, Suyud Warno Utomo, Roni Setyo Handoko

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

This study addresses the persistent environmental challenges associated with coal mining in tropical and subtropical regions, where complex microclimates and ecological variability hinder effective reclamation. Despite the increasing global coal demand, comparative cross-country insights remain limited. This research fills the gap by evaluating the best practices. This study employs a qualitative methodology with a comparative case study design, uses systematic literature review to evaluate ecology based reclamation policies and implementation practices. Data were sourced from peer-reviewed journals from Scopus and the Web of Science database and institutional reports, and analyzed using McHarg’s landscape ecology theory to evaluate reclamation policies, ecological …

Non-Destructive Strength Monitoring Of Air-Entrained Concrete Via Electromechanical Impedance Technology, Xiangrui Kong, Rui He

Discovery Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Research Internship

Accurate monitoring of concrete strength during curing is crucial, particularly in regions subject to harsh weather conditions, such as freeze-thaw cycles in Indiana. Air entrainment is crucial for durability, yet it can significantly reduce concrete strength, making timely and precise strength assessments vital. The primary objective of this study is to develop a non-destructive and real-time monitoring framework for evaluating mortar strength using electromechanical impedance (EMI) sensors and ultrasonic scanning technology.

This research holds significant value as it addresses the critical need for continuous, reliable concrete strength monitoring, potentially reducing reliance on destructive testing methods, which are costly and time-consuming. …

A Novel, Metal-Based Approach To Identify Residences With Lead Service Lines, Danielle Land, Grant D. Brown, David M. Cwiertny, Marc A. Edwards, Mona Hanna, Drew E. Latta, Michelle M. Scherer

Michigan Tech Publications

There is an urgent need for rapid, cost-effective approaches to identify residences with lead service lines (LSLs). We evaluated whether analyzing water for corrosion-related metals could accurately identify residences with LSLs without relying on potentially inaccurate property records. We applied principal component analysis logistic regression (PCA-LR) and classification tree models using 28 analytes per bottle (including Pb, Cu, Zn, Fe, Al, and others) measured in 216 water samples collected in Flint, Michigan, in August 2015. The PCA-LR model achieved 87% accuracy (AUROC = 0.93) with 81% sensitivity and 90% specificity, while the classification tree model achieved 80% accuracy (AUROC = …

Annual Maximum Snow Loads For Weather Stations Outside Of The Conterminous United States, Nicholas Brimhall, Brennan L. Bean, Marc Maguire, Bikram Bhusal, Maha Moussa

Browse all Datasets

Historical records of snow observations are critical for civil engineering, climate modeling, and risk assessment. While a robust dataset of annual maximum snow loads has been developed for the conterminous United States, a similar dataset does not exist for areas of interest in areas outside of the conterminous United States (OCONUS). This dataset contains over 280,000 annual maximum SWE values across over 7,400 OCONUS stations, both from the Global Historical Climatology-Daily (GHCND) network provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and from country-specific networks of weather stations from international meteorological agencies. This dataset will be valuable for civil …

Improving Infiltration Model Performance In Arid And Urban Regions, Samuel Stephen Coulter

Civil Engineering ETDs

Flooding in arid regions is infrequent but damaging and limited historical data makes flood modeling an important tool for flood infrastructure design. This study improves flood modeling guidance by using plot-scale tests to determine the impact of slope, compaction, gravel mulch and landscape fabric on infiltration and runoff rates in sandy soil types. This data will be used as guidance for the linear and constant model. The performance of this model was compared with the curve number model for a hypothetical 100-year design storm. Results showed that gravel mulch increased infiltration rates by 66% and reduced erosion on steep and …

Finite Element Investigation Of Blast Load Responses In Nuclear Power Plant Containment Structures, Janak Raj Awasthi

Civil Engineering ETDs

Some significant incidents like the Chernobyl disaster (1986), the Fukushima Daiichi hydrogen explosion (2011), and some frequent military and terror threats to the nuclear Power plant structures have led to studying the capacity of power plant structures to withstand blast loadings. From this research, even one-third of the loss of the coolant is enough to damage the power plant structure. Crack starts from the wall and propagates toward the top of the dome and the foundation. The external blast shows high damage symptoms near the foundation area. Most of the steel members, including the rebars, Liner, and Tendons, showed high …

Ai-Based Object Detection And Risk Identification For Enhanced Construction Site Safety, Mahdi Bonyaniakbarabadi

LSU Master's Theses

Recent advancements in computer vision for construction site safety have encountered significant hurdles, especially in the nuanced tasks of object detection and the identification of unsafe worker behaviors. These challenges are often exacerbated by complex and cluttered backgrounds, wide variations in object scale, and inconsistent image quality. While existing methodologies have utilized attention mechanisms to analyze spatial and temporal features, they frequently neglect the benefits of adaptive sampling and channel-wise feature adjustments, thereby failing to exploit potential spatiotemporal redundancies. This thesis introduces a two-pronged approach to address these limitations. First, we propose the Optimized-Position Network (OP-Net), a novel architecture for …

A Multi-Scale Numerical Analysis Of Wave Propagation Through Coastal Vegetation Using Proteus & Xbeach, Cole M. Statler

LSU Master's Theses

Coastal vegetation attenuates waves in the nearshore zone and protects shorelines from storm surge and wave action. It also traps nutrients and sediment, and participates in the formation of land over longer time scales. These features of vegetation make it a common component of nature-based engineering projects. Interaction of water waves and flow with vegetation, however, can involve unsteady and turbulent flow, non-hyrdostatic pressure effects, and air entrainment that can hinder the use of simple parametric representations of vegetation drag. XBeach, a one- and two-dimensional production model applies reduced-order methods, prioritizing computational efficiency. Vegetation is represented in XBeach as a …

The Operational Performance Of Buildings In A Humid Subtropical Climate: Insights From Empirical Data And Assessment Models, Oluwafemi Awolesi

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis evaluates the operational performance of residential and non-residential buildings in a humid subtropical climate, emphasizing Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) and energy performance through empirical data and assessment models. Motivated by the increasing need for integrated sustainability evaluations, this study combines a systematic review with multi-method field investigations to advance understanding in this domain. The systematic review critically analyzed 99 case study articles, identifying dominant IEQ assessment methodologies and highlighting methodological inconsistencies that hinder cross-study comparability. Emerging computational approaches, although promising, remain underutilized. The review advocates for standardized, climate-responsive, and feedback-oriented evaluation frameworks. Field investigations assessed IEQ and energy …

Efficient Small Tool Detection In Construction Via Lightweight Deep Neural Networks, Maryam Soleymani

LSU Master's Theses

Construction sites are dynamic and inherently hazardous environments, where small hand tools—although essential—pose serious safety risks due to their frequent use, portability, and tendency to be misplaced or dropped. This study introduces a novel and lightweight deep learning-based architecture, Lightweight Small Tool Detection (LSTD), specifically designed for fast detection of small tools in unstructured and challenging construction environments. Recognizing that small object detection remains a persistent limitation in existing computer vision models, particularly under poor lighting or cluttered backgrounds, LSTD integrates advanced modules for enhanced feature extraction, fusion, and classification. It achieves notable improvements in accuracy, recall, and computational efficiency …

A Comprehensive Study Of Transportation Projects Impact In Congested Cities Through Travel Demand Modeling And Decision-Making Tools: A Case Study Of Zagazig City, Egypt, Amr M. Sakr, Metwally Gouda Mohamed Altaher, Mahmoud El-Saied Ali Solyman, Mohamed Ibrahim El-Sharkawi Attia

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Transportation projects are major resource-intensive projects that largely influence the transportation system’s resilience, human health, and quality of life. This study aims to assess and prioritize four transportation projects in Zagazig City, Egypt, in an attempt to build a more sustainable transport system. The travel demand model is used to determine various traffic characteristics and environmental impacts, and decision-making tools are used to evaluate the proposed projects. Benefit-cost analysis (BCA) is employed to investigate the economic feasibility of the proposed projects, and two hybrid multiple-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods are used to prioritize the proposed projects. Through the work conducted in …

Rethinking Green Building Development Through Policy And Operational Metrics: Insights From Baton Rouge And Beyond, Oluwafemi Awolesi

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation explores the challenges and opportunities associated with the development, adoption, and performance of green buildings in regions with relatively low certification uptake, drawing insights from Baton Rouge and its parish system as a case study. It addresses three primary research questions: (1) How can the adoption rate of green buildings be enhanced? (2) How do certified buildings perform compared to their non-certified counterparts? (3) What operational metrics can be applied to better evaluate building performance in the future?

Using a mixed-methods approach, the study examines stakeholder perceptions in East Baton Rouge, Louisiana, investigates energy performance, indoor environmental quality, …

Empirical Analysis Of Incentivized Energy Assessment Recommendations And Iiot Cost-Effectiveness In U.S. Smes, Fatemeh Ghafari

LSU Master's Theses

The industrial sector in the United States accounted for 33% of total energy consumption in 2022. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which comprise 99.9% of U.S. businesses present a critical opportunity for energy efficiency improvements. Although energy audits provide actionable Assessment Recommendations (ARs) to reduce consumption, high implementation costs remain a key barrier to adoption.

While prior studies have explored rebate programs, most are limited to residential and commercial sectors or focus narrowly on specific technologies or geographic areas for the industrial sector. The objective of this study is to empirically investigate the “Incentivized Assessment Recommendation” (IAR) trends and to …

Fresh And Mechanical Properties Of Self-Compacting Concrete Using Kaolin Limestone Blend And Hybrid Slag Blend, Selesca Devi S

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the consequences of mono and hybrid natural fibers on the mechanical and fresh properties of self-compacting concrete (SCC), in response to the growing demand for environmentally friendly building materials. In mono fiber, Abaca fiber (AF) at 0.25% and 0.5% dosage, basalt fiber (BF) from 0.25% to 2% at 0.25% increments, and sisal fiber (SiF) from 0.25% to 1.5% at 0.25% increments were evaluated through slump flow diameter, T500, compressive and tensile strength. AF at 0.25% ensured good flow with 6.6% and 4.16% higher compressive and tensile strength over 0.5% AF. SiF up to 1% improved strength but …

Enhancing Winter Climate Simulations Of The Great Lakes: Insights From A New Coupled Lake–Ice–Atmosphere (Cliav1) System On The Importance Of Integrating 3d Hydrodynamics With A Regional Climate Model, Pengfei Xue, Chenfu Huang, Yafang Zhong, Michael Notaro, Miraj Kayastha, Xing Zhou, Chuyan Zhao, Christa Peters-Lidard, Carlos Cruz, Eric Kemp

Michigan Tech Publications

The Laurentian Great Lakes significantly influence the climate of the Midwest and Northeast United States due to their vast thermal inertia, moisture source potential, and complex heat and moisture flux dynamics. This study presents a newly developed coupled lake–ice–atmosphere (CLIAv1) modeling system for the Great Lakes by coupling the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Unified Weather Research and Forecasting (NU-WRF) regional climate model (RCM) with the three-dimensional (3D) Finite Volume Community Ocean Model (FVCOM) and investigates the impact of coupled dynamics on simulations of the Great Lakes’ winter climate. By integrating 3D lake hydrodynamics, CLIAv1 demonstrates superior performance in …

Aeroponic System Optimization For Butterhead Lettuce Growth And Future Sustainability Using Flow Blurring Atomization: An Overview, Taylor J. Johnson

Beyond: Undergraduate Research Journal

The global population has grown by 6 billion people over the last century and is trending toward 9.7 billion people by the year 2050. Agriculture accounts for 70% of global fresh water usage. Technology must be developed to accommodate the increase of food production demanded by the growing global population and the subsequent increase in water usage. Aeroponic technology is a water-efficient vertical farming technology that can reduce water usage by 90% by suspending plant roots in air within a controlled chamber and supplying atomized droplets of a water-nutrient solution directly to the roots.

This study simultaneously tests six droplet …

Research On Node-Improved Energy Dissipation Wear Model For Fretting Fatigue Prediction In Railway Press-Fit Shaft, Hang Wang, Lijun Zhang, Weijian Zhang, Hongtao Li, Hong Chi, Kai Yang, Jixu Zhou, Li Ai

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

As a key component of the traveling system of high-speed trains, the axle is crucial for its safe operation. The current research on the fretting wear and fatigue development of shafts suffers from the problems of low local simulation accuracy of the wear model and the lack of detection and validation methods for the dynamic expansion of wear and fatigue. To this end, this study firstly proposes a new node-improved form of energy dissipation wear model, which is more sensitive to the contact behavior of the asperity body in the overfilled region and the energy transfer process; it exhibits wear …

Integrating Recycled Acrylonitrile–Butadiene–Styrene Plastics From Electronic Waste With Carbon Black For Sustainable Asphalt Production, Sepehr Mohammadi, Dongzhao Jin, Zhanping You

Michigan Tech Publications

As the global demand for electronic equipment continues to grow, many devices are being replaced more frequently, resulting in a rapid rise in electronic waste (e-waste), now the fastest growing waste stream worldwide. Motivated by this, the objective of this study is to present an environmentally friendly method to recycle acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS), one of the most common e-waste plastics, by using it for asphalt production. In contrast to earlier methods of plastic-modified asphalt production involving complex pretreatments or complimentary additives unsuitable for plant-scale use, this study aims to demonstrate a practical, low-cost solution through the use of carbon black. This …

Ergonomic And Biomechanical Assessment Of Vertical Ladder Climbing For Exoskeleton Integration In Construction Tasks, Ehsan Shourangiz

LSU Master's Theses

Active exoskeletons are increasingly utilized in physically demanding industries such as construction and manufacturing to reduce strain and lower the risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders, supporting worker safety and long-term health. However, most existing systems are designed for repetitive tasks like lifting or prolonged standing, with limited consideration for dynamic activities such as vertical ladder climbing. Ladder climbing is common and physically demanding in industrial environments, often required to access elevated areas like scaffolding, tanks, or rooftops. Since exoskeletons are intended to remain worn throughout multiple tasks, requiring workers to remove and re-don the device during ladder climbing would reduce …

Stormwater Treatment Practices - Guidance For Maintenance And Targeting Pollutants, Peter T. Weiss

Stormwater Drainage Conference

Stormwater Drainage Conference

Biochar-Based Filtration And Barrier Systems For Urban Stormwater Treatment, Krishna R. Reddy

Stormwater Drainage Conference

Conference that deals a wide range of issues dealing with stormwater drainage. Professor Krishna Reddy of University of Illinois Chicago presented an invited talk titled "Biochar-Based Filtration and Barrier Systems for Urban Stormwater Treatment"

Utilization Of Ftir-Atr For Material Characterization And Forensic Analysis, Helmut Leodarta, Ahmed S. El-Ashwah, Punyaslok Rath, Magdy Abdelrahman, William G. Buttlar

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The growing use of chemical modifiers and additives in asphalt mixtures necessitates a reliable system for their identification and quantification, crucial for quality control, assurance, and forensic investigations. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy offers a cost-effective method by analyzing the interaction of infrared light with chemical groups, producing distinct spectral fingerprints. This study evaluates 44 materials, including binders, warm mix additives (WMAs), rejuvenators, release agents, and concrete admixtures. It also assesses the ability of FTIR testing to identify and quantify chemical changes and aging in asphalt binders with rejuvenator addition. An Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) accessory was employed for practical …