Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Breach Modeling Flume Tests, R. M. Monteiro-Alves, R. Moran, M. Á. Toledo, M. Morris, C. Picault, J-R. Courivaud

5th International Seminar on Dam Protections Against Overtopping

From previous flume tests conducted in the framework of the OVERCOME Project, intended to investigate the effect of different soil materials, overflow discharges, and upstream face watertightness on the breaching processes of overflowed levee sections, we determined the need for further investigation on the effect of test repeatability, content of fines and armouring caused by the coarser particles. This document presents the results of this new set of tests which have shown an impact of these variables on the breach macro erosion processes, erosion rates and breach dimensions.

Development Of Low-Carbon Cementitious Composites With Volcanic Ash And Calcium Carbide Residue Using Carbonation Curing, Jad Samir Bawab

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

The production and use of cement and concrete is a major contributor to numerous environmental problems, primarily centered around high carbon emissions, extensive resource depletion, and vast waste generation. This thesis aims to develop and characterize low-carbon concrete by using volcanic ash (VA) and calcium carbide residue (CCR) as partial cement substitutes while exposing the cementitious composite to accelerated carbonation curing. The study is a multi-level assessment of the incorporated materials and curing method divided into four phases. The first stage studied and optimized the CCR content and carbonation curing parameters of carbonation-cured concrete. It was revealed that using 5% …

Physically Based Assessment Of Flow Resistance In Stepped Chutes, T. L. Wahl, B. J. Heiner, K. R. Smithgall, C. C. Shupe, J. Falkenstine

5th International Seminar on Dam Protections Against Overtopping

Existing physically based methods for estimating stepped chute friction factors or energy dissipation rates consider relative step height and relative step-tip spacing to be key factors, but do not fully account for chute slope and associated step orientation. For slopes steeper than 45° each step acts as an offset into the flow, while for flatter slopes each step presents an offset away from the flow, but methods that consider only the step-tip spacing do not account for this difference. Furthermore, most experimental studies have been performed in open channel spillway models, where two-phase air-water flow and variable flow depths make …

Ahead Of His Time? A Reanalysis Of The Air-Tunnel Stepped Chute Studies Of Marcos José Tozzi, T. L. Wahl, J. A. Higgs, J. Matos

5th International Seminar on Dam Protections Against Overtopping

Stepped spillways offer energy dissipation advantages and construction efficiencies over smooth spillway chutes. Energy dissipation is typically estimated using empirical relations that depend on chute slope, unit discharge and relative step height. Open-channel tests of model spillways experience self-aerated air-water flow downstream from the aeration inception point, and the presence of air dramatically affects energy dissipation and flow depth, making it difficult to separately determine the effects of step geometry and other basic flow properties. The 1992 doctoral dissertation of Marcos José Tozzi from the Polytechnic School of the University of São Paulo included open channel stepped spillway tests with …

Hydraulic Measurements In A Saf Stilling Basin With A Stepped Chute For Embankment Protection, B. M. Crookston, N. Young

5th International Seminar on Dam Protections Against Overtopping

Stepped chutes have become commonplace in embankment dam rehabilitation projects due to project economy, constructability, and improved chute energy dissipation. Consequently, for applications where a stilling basin is merited the interaction of stepped chutes and stilling basins is of high interest. A commonly used stilling basin type for many smaller embankment dams, the St. Anthony Falls stilling basin (SAF), has no specific hydraulic design guidance for use downstream of a stepped chute. Therefore, this study was conducted at the Utah Water Research Laboratory in a flume with 0.1 m tall steps, a total drop height of 1.8 m, and an …

Assessing A Solution For Ga Work Zone Safety Through Cross Classification, Asiah Lightfoot, Sunanda Dissanayake

Symposium of Student Scholars

Work zone safety is a health risk for drivers and construction workers. In Georgia, work zone crashes have decreased over the past 5 years, but the number of fatalities has still been over 1,000 each of those years. Studies have proven solutions such as lowering the speed limit or relying on current traffic control devices to be ineffective. The risks associated with these crashes must be recognized to improve upon previous solutions or innovate new ones from the results. The objective of this study is to utilize cross classification to identify factors that contribute to work zone crash deaths and …

2d Probabilistic Scour Model For Predicting The Time-Rate Of Scour For Spillways And Overtopping Dams Based On The Erodibility Index Method, M. F. George, G. W. Annandale

5th International Seminar on Dam Protections Against Overtopping

Time-dependent prediction of rock scour for dams and spillways has largely remained elusive given limited available data on rock erosion rate parameters in literature. Recently, a theoretical framework for determining the rate of rock scour was developed by Annandale (2025), enhancing the Erodibility Index Method (EIM). The EIM is the most commonly used and accepted approach for evaluation of scour in rock for dam applications. This theoretical framework has been incorporated into the 2D probabilistic jet impingement scour model (George & Annandale, 2023) so that scour progression due to head-cutting in a spillway channel (lined or unlined) or overtopping onto …

Building Resilience: Strategies For Sustainable Wildfire Management In California, Jaiden Rennie, Pegah Zamani

Symposium of Student Scholars

Wildfires in California are becoming more intense and destructive, threatening communities, ecosystems, and livelihoods. This project explores how resilience and sustainability can work together to reduce wildfire risks and long-term damage. By reviewing research, case studies, and expert insights, it examines what’s driving these fires, climate change, poor land management, and human activity, and looks at solutions that can make a real difference. From community education programs to AI-driven fire detection and smarter policies, the findings highlight practical ways to better prepare for and manage wildfires. The goal is to contribute to a future where communities and the environment are …

Development Of A Microcontroller-Based Intelligent Traffic Light Control System For Vehicular Movement In T-Junctions, Frederick O. Ehiagwina

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

This research is devoted to the issue of regulating traffic congestion in major cities using light-dependent resistors coupled with the PIC16F877A microcontroller. This study proposes an intelligent traffic control system for T-Junctions, utilizing sensing and control to optimize traffic flow through dynamic phase adjustments and congestion reduction, enabled by a microcontroller-based decision-making system. The proposed system reduces traffic congestion, automates control, and enhances safety, minimizing accidents and lowering infrastructure costs. Under simulated environment, it demonstrates an average response time of 50 ms and achieves 99% accuracy in displaying the correct countdown. Finally, the number of state transitions handled per minute …

Comparative Analysis On Design Error Risks In Design-Bid-Build And Design-Build Construction Approaches, Eradius Edward Rwakarehe

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

This study was conducted to compare design errors risk in Design-Bid-Build (DBB) (traditional) and Design-Build (DB) methods in building projects. Several construction projects under both DB and DBB method were reviewed. On most of construction projects under DB method, it was found that there were over supply of floor area due to different reasons. Also, it was found that, clients’ requirements were changed during project execution, which resulted into change on schedule, contract value and project quality. It was also revealed that in most cases, designs were in accordance with the clients’ requirements as submitted earlier but during construction clients …

Flood Inundation Mapping For The Tana River Delta In Kenya, Anne N. Mugatha

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

This study aimed at mapping flood inundation areas in the Tana River Delta. The 30 m DEM and digitized streams and road networks data were collected through remote sensing techniques followed by ground truthing. The data used also included Tana River discharge data at Garsen gauging station. Probability distributions were fitted on the annual maximum discharges. The 4 parameter generalized Gamma probability distribution was the best-fitting distribution according to goodness-of-fit criteria and the Q-Q plots and was used to generate the flood quantiles for different return periods. The generated flood quantiles were; 286 m3/s, 369 m3/s, 400 m3/s, 405 m3/s, …

Microwave Ore Pre-Treatment Review And Process Flowsheet Conceptualization, Baker F. Giyani

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

The global demand for mineral commodities has increased dramatically over the years, and this is largely due to several factors, including technological advancements, industrialization, and a rise in population. Further, the demand keeps increasing because the ore being mined is becoming more complex, and the feed grade is declining over the years, prompting the need for innovative technologies to treat such ores more efficiently. Microwave ore pre-treatment is one of the potential technologies that can be employed to improve process performance. This is possible because ores are composed of both good-microwave heaters and poor microwave heaters, which creates thermal stresses …

Skewed Approach Flow To The Spillway Of An Embankment Dam, C. I. Thornton, J. Ellis, F. Alsultan, C. Volt, R. Ettema

5th International Seminar on Dam Protections Against Overtopping

A contemporary activity in dam engineering is the raising of embankments to increase reservoir storage or flood level in a channel. For embankment dams, the raised position of the spillway must be located on a native soil/rock shoulder of the dam, to avoid geotechnical problems associated with possible embankment settlement. Consequently, for many sites, the approach flow entering a spillway likely will not be acceptably uniform, as the approach flow becomes increasingly skewed to reach the spillway’s entrance with the raised embankment. This concern raises the question of where to position the spillway’s ogee crest within the spillway entrance and …

Design Of A Wave Overtopping Simulator With Variability In Simulated Flows, N. Van Der Vegt, B. Hofland, J. J. Warmink, V. M. Van Bergeijk, S. J. M. H. Hulscher

5th International Seminar on Dam Protections Against Overtopping

A new experimental setup for conducting large- to full-scale wave overtopping experiments will be constructed at Delft University of Technology. This setup consists of an indoor Wave Overtopping Simulator (iWOS), a landward dike slope, and a transition to the toe. The iWOS, with a height of 3.25 meters, can release volumes of up to 2.67 m³/m of water. A key innovation is its controllable release valve, allowing variability in flow characteristics for the same overtopping volume.

The iWOS is designed based on established relationships between overtopping volume and flow characteristics at the landward crest of a dike. Computational Fluid Dynamics …

Enhancing Understanding Of Breach Processes Using Computational Fluid Dynamics And Laboratory Tests, K. V. Chua, M. Hassan, C. Goff, M. Morris, H. Haddad

5th International Seminar on Dam Protections Against Overtopping

Accurate prediction of dam breach processes is crucial for risk assessment and emergency response planning. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) offers a powerful tool for simulating such complex phenomena. However, the reliability of CFD models hinges on their validation against experimental data. This paper compares numerical simulations by the open-source code, OpenFOAM, to laboratory flume experiments to assess the accuracy of its predictions of dam breach overtopping processes.OpenFOAM is first being used to model the flow characteristics of two key stages of a dam breach experiment that took place in a physical laboratory setup. The two stages are the surface erosion …

Conclusions From The Performance Assessment Of Industry Applicable Internal Erosion Initiated Breach Prediction Models, Mark W. Morris, Jean-Robert Courivaud

5th International Seminar on Dam Protections Against Overtopping

The EDF funded Performance Assessment of Industry Applicable IE Initiated Breach Prediction Models project was initiated with a workshop at HERU in Stillwater in October 2019. In the following 4 years a team of modelers comprising both model developers and industry model users analyzed the performance of 6 different breach modelling codes against a range of different data sets, including hypothetical, field and real dam failure case studies. Each of the data sets reflected a dam or levee failure initiated by internal erosion, and which subsequently developed into an open breach. Modelers were required to simulate breach formation from the …

Dust Analyses In Ventilation Ducts, Karolina Vyhlidalova, Petr Vlček, Olga Rubinová, Jiří Bernard

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

The paper describes the importance of monitoring the dust in the atmosphere of human life. It deals with the issue of dust in air ducts, approaching the methods that can be used to detect the amount of dust. For conditions for buildings in the Czech Republic there is created the methodology of quantitative and qualitative evaluation of dust sediment for the needs of HVAC and other building surfaces. The scale for visual evaluation was created and it has been elaborated the assessment of kind of particles contained in dust.

Assessment Of Long Time Approximation Equation To Determine Thermal Conductivity Of High Porous Materials With Nss Probe, Hussein Humaish, Bastien Ruet, Laurent Marmoret, Hassen Beji

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

Recent economic changes have increased the focus on energy conservation in buildings. Improve insulation represents one of the biggest challenge to save energy. The TP02 Huksefux® Non Steady State Probe (NSSP) has been used to determine the thermal conductivity of the building insulation materials. Usually, the long term approximation equation (linear form) is applied to determine the thermal conductivity when using hot wire techniques. Long term approximation has been successfully used to characterize glycerol: a fluid which doesn’t present contact resistance and porosity. But, an S-shaped appears for more porous materials. So to generalize the possibility of using this method, …

Can Computational Fluid Dynamics Be The Basis For The Next Generation Of Breach Models?, M. Hassan, K. V. Chua, C. Goff, S. Haeri, M. Morris, R. Coombs

5th International Seminar on Dam Protections Against Overtopping

Dam and embankment failures can have devastating consequences for communities, infrastructure, and the environment. Therefore, accurate modelling of dam and embankment breaches is crucial for effective flood risk assessment and emergency response planning to precisely estimate areas and people that are prone to risk and plan for reducing the damage to properties and the environment. Recently, many advances have been made to improve the accuracy of breach modelling, including the development of physically based one and two dimensional numerical models that takes into account the various processes that take place during the breach of an embankment dam or a flood …

Enhancing Embankment Dam And Levee Resilience Against Overtopping Erosion: The Muscatine Island Levee Project, W. R. Thompson, J. T. Leyh

5th International Seminar on Dam Protections Against Overtopping

HydroTurf® is an advanced revetment solution engineered to protect embankment dams and riverine levees from erosion caused by overtopping events. Its design provides an impermeable geomembrane protected by engineered turf with a high strength cementitious infill, resulting in a fiber reinforced high-strength concrete matrix. The system provides a durable and impermeable barrier against erosive forces.

The Muscatine Island Levee Improvement Project, situated along the Mississippi River in Iowa, exemplifies the application of HydroTurf. This initiative aimed to enhance flood protection for approximately 30,000 acres of commercial, industrial, and residential areas. A critical component was the construction of a hardened controlled …

The Overcome Project: Overall Perspective And Progress, Jean-Robert Courivaud, Mark W. Morris, Maxime Boucher, Laurent Del Gatto, Christophe Picault, Kamal El Kadi Abderrezzak, Rafael Morán Moya, Miguel Angel Toledo

5th International Seminar on Dam Protections Against Overtopping

The OVERCOME project is an applied research project that aims to provide the dam and dike engineering profession with an easy-to-use, physically based numerical tool that represents overtopping erosion and failure of homogeneous embankments made up of coarse-grained, gap-graded soils. This project began in 2018 and is scheduled for completion in 2028, and was initiated by EDF and CNR, who are the two main owners of embankment dams in France. To achieve this objective, the OVERCOME project is based on an extensive program of experimental tests of various dimensions. The interpretation of these tests will be used to define a …

Pros And Cons Of Preservation Treatments, Buzz Powell

Local Transportation Asset Management Conference

No abstract provided.

Proceedings Of The 5th International Seminar On Dam Protections Against Overtopping, Protections 2025

5th International Seminar on Dam Protections Against Overtopping

Editors: Sherry Hunt, Bryan Heiner, Tony Wahl, Brian Crookston

Effect Of Asphalt Content On Low-Field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrum And Aging Evaluation Of Asphalt Mixtures, Chenyue Mei, Wei Wang, Junan Shen, Jinkun Sun, Yilin Xu, Jia Che

Civil Engineering & Construction: Faculty Publications

The aging of asphalt mixtures has a significant impact on the service life of asphalt pavements. Currently, the commonly employed method for assessing aging involves the extraction of asphalt from asphalt mixtures using the Abson method. However, this method is known to be detrimental to the extracted asphalt samples, time-consuming, and environmentally unfriendly. This study explored a novel non-destructive method for assessing asphalt aging, known as low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR). It primarily investigated the influence of asphalt content in asphalt mixtures on the patterns of LF-NMR spectra. Specifically, it examined the effect of asphalt content on LF-NMR spectra in …

Travel Behavior Study On Shared Micromobility Service, Yixiang Teng

Lyles School of Civil Engineering Graduate Student Reports

This study investigates the travel behavior on the shared micromobility service around Purdue University West Lafayette campus area. It aims to understand the shared micromobility user patterns and identify the barriers of adoption. The study was enlightened by the influence of pandemic on transportation choices and the shift on transportation habits, and the gap identified was the understanding of the college related population. The research method was a constructed survey distributed among Purdue University’s students, faculties and staffs. A total of 143 valid responses were collected, comprising 73 current users and 70 non-users. Results indicate that shared micromobility is primarily …

Sustainable Desalination: Carbon Capture From Reject Brine Using Uae Date Palm Leaf, Haneen Ahmed Abu Saifan

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

The United Arab Emirates faces significant challenges in managing reject brine from desalination processes. Additionally, the energy-intensive nature of desalination contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide (CO2). This study explores the potential of date palm leaf ash, an underutilized agricultural waste, as a sustainable material for brine desalination and CO2 capture. Date palm leaves were converted into ash through incineration at 550°C and 750°C, followed by chemical activation using potassium hydroxide. The study evaluated the ash's efficiency in removing key ions (Na+, Mg2+, Ca2+, K+) from reject brine and capturing CO2, while optimizing process conditions using response surface …

Evaluation Of Chloride Diffusion In Concrete Using Bulk Diffusion Test And Scanning Electron Microscopy, Payton Davis

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Reinforced concrete is one of the most widely used construction materials in the world with many bridges and other major infrastructure consisting of such structural elements. A primary concern impacting the durability of concrete is chloride penetration in aggressive environments such as marine or coastal areas. In such environments, chloride ions can penetrate into the pores of concrete leading to the corrosion of embedded steel reinforcement which compromises the structural integrity of concrete. To investigate the issue, a comprehensive experimental program was designed and implemented which involved the preparation and testing of 31 different concrete mixes, each incorporating varying proportions …

Examination Of A Bench-Scale Model For Post-Wildfire Flood And Water Quality Mitigation Solutions, Cheyenne Ethridge

Honors Theses

The objective of this study is to determine a potential low-cost, sustainable, and rapidly deployable solution for post-wildfire flood and water quality mitigation in communities reliant on surface water for drinking water. Coalinga, Fresno County, California was selected as a study area for a full-scale solution due to its high risk of wildfires, high social vulnerability, and relatively low community resilience. A bench-scale demonstration of the system directs water into a gravel infiltration zone surrounded by a weir perimeter and followed by a clarifier. Because of their abundance in the area, almond shells were explored as a coagulant additive to …

Measurement Of Groundwater And Contaminant Fluxes In Fractures Using A Combined System Of Passive Flux Meter And Multiport Sampler, Qasim Raza Khan

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

Groundwater and contaminant movement in fractured rock aquifers is highly variable. Its dependence on fracture apertures and orientation as well as fracture network interconnectivity is not well understood. This poses a challenge to the measurement of groundwater and contaminant fluxes, especially when using open-hole techniques, which significantly alter natural flow conditions by connecting different fractures along an open borehole or a well. In this work, the use of Fractured Rock Passive Flux Meter (FRPFM) with invisible tracer and visible dye component to measure groundwater fluxes and identify geometric fracture parameters is explored through laboratory experiments. The invisible tracer component results …

Design And Evaluation Of Geopolymer Composite As A Potential Sorbent Of Heavy Metals From Water, Ebtesam Mohammed Alghafri

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

Reducing the levels of heavy metals in water is crucial, given their severe environmental and health impacts. Various methods exist for heavy metals removal. Yet, they mostly come with multiple drawbacks, such as costly treatments and limited efficiency. Previous studies have found geopolymer to be a promising sorbent because it is synthesized using by-product materials, making it an eco-friendly and economically sustainable alternative. Limited studies explored the sorption potential of fly ash-slag blended geopolymers; none examined the effect of mix design factors synergically on sorption, mechanical properties, and durability, and few considered solution characteristics and operating conditions simultaneously. Therefore, this …