Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Evaluating The Use Of A Near-Miss Reporting Program To Enhance Employee Safety Performance, Gabriel Dadi, Farshid Taherpour, Seth Atkins, Ashtarout Ammar, Jon Wilcoxson

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Using safety incidents and crashes to improve safety performance is an outdated and reactive practice in safety and health programs. One component of a modern approach to safety is a near-miss reporting program. This type of program tracks close calls or near misses that do not result in an incident or crash, but which often can be an early indicator that one may happen. While most construction companies have implemented some methods for reporting near-miss events, many agencies, such as the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC), struggle getting employees to report near misses. To fill this gap, potential factors that result …

Innovative Methods To Strengthen Internal Kytc Communications, P. Gayle Marks, Jeff Jasper

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Communication is the linchpin of every organization. Poor communication leads to inefficiencies, frustration among staff, and employee disaffection and disengagement. Although some state transportation agencies have adopted comprehensive strategic plans for internal communications, many have taken a more piecemeal approach, with some Offices and units (e.g., incident management) developing their own plans that apply only to their operations. The latter approach is less than ideal because establishing a comprehensive communications plan provides an organizing framework for all communications within an organization and is critical for uniting staff around a shared sense of purpose and equipping them with the tools they …

Facilitated Identification Of Kytc Performance Measures, Candice Wallace, Jon Wilcoxson

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Federal and state government agencies are embracing performance management as a means to (1) justify the use of tax dollars and (2) monitor and report program accomplishments. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s (KYTC) efforts to fold Transportation Performance Management (TPM) into its business processes and workplace culture required training that would educate personnel about TPM’s benefits, objectives, and activities. After reviewing training resources on performance management from FHWA, NHI, AASHTO, and state DOTs, Cabinet leadership concluded that their emphasis on federal requirements was not exactly what KYTC was looking for in a training program. Instead, KYTC wanted a training program that …

Machine Learning-Based Seismic Damage Assessment Of Residential Buildings Considering Multiple Earthquake And Structure Uncertainties, Xinzhe Yuan, Liujun Li, Haibin Zhang, Yanping Zhu, Genda Chen, Cihan H. Dagli

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Wood-frame structures are used in almost 90% of residential buildings in the United States. It is thus imperative to rapidly and accurately assess the damage of wood-frame structures in the wake of an earthquake event. This study aims to develop a machine-learning-based seismic classifier for a portfolio of 6,113 wood-frame structures near the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ) in which synthesized ground motions are adopted to characterize potential earthquakes. This seismic classifier, based on a multilayer perceptron (MLP), is compared with existing fragility curves developed for the same wood-frame buildings near the NMSZ. This comparative study indicates that the MLP …

Spectral Characterization Of Fouled Railroad Ballast Using Hyperspectral Imaging, Eberechi Ichi, Sattar Dorafshan

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

The presence of fouling contamination in railroad ballast is a growing concern that causes deterioration, poor drainage functionality, and early failure of railroad components. Evaluation and characterization of fouled ballast are crucial for determining and monitoring fouling content (FC) and moisture content (MC) in ballast. However, human inspection, destructive testing, filed sampling, and most available nondestructive evaluation methods (NDE) for inspection purposes pose safety risks, undermine the stability of the railroad substructure, or provide limited information about the condition of the ballast. This study presents the results of the spectral characterization of laboratory ballast samples using hyperspectral imaging (HSI) sensor. …

Healthcare Built Environment And The Covid-19 Pandemic, A Mixed-Method Study, Mohammad Saleh Nikooopayan Tak

All Theses

The outbreak of COVID-19 presented an unparalleled risk to public health, leading to urgent scientific efforts in understanding transmission mechanisms and mitigating risks, especially in healthcare settings. This mixed-methods study examines knowledge advancement regarding indoor air quality in healthcare facilities during the pandemic. A systematic literature review of 163 post-COVID studies identifies key research thrusts and 31 recommendations related to building ventilation, air filtration, surface disinfection, and monitoring. Comparison with over 200 pre-pandemic publications reveals both reliance on established infection control principles and unique contributions, such as detecting viral RNA in air and surface samples indicating potential airborne and fomite …

The Extent Of Drone Education Being Taught In Asc Schools To 4-Year Construction Students, Cheran Teja Dumpati

All Theses

The technology of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) is growing rapidly in many fields and has become one of the skills in demand in the industry. Universities are one of the primary sources of teaching drone technology with a career-oriented approach. The goal of this study is to investigate the content of the drone curriculum being taught in Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) schools. This includes the topics covered, practical training offered, and the key deliverables taught. This information serves as a foundation for the schools that are looking forward to start drone courses in their department. The research found that …

Investigation Into The Load Transfer Mechanism Of Trees To Develop An Innovative Foundation Configuration Using 3d Finite Element Modeling, Kaleb Boland

All Theses

This study was inspired by a tree’s reliance on its root system that enables it to withstand a natural disaster, such as an extreme hydroclimatic event or hurricane. This curiosity has led to an investigation into what makes this possible, developing a new and innovative foundation configuration for infrastructure systems, and a new possible construction material and method. This study provides results on a material that does not have conventional testing procedures or standards: a tree root. The trees studied are common to the upstate of South Carolina, which are Pine, Sweetgum, and White Oak. According to the results, on …

Prediction Of Drilling Fluid Lost-Circulation Zone Based On Deep Learning, Yili Kang, Chenglin Ma, Chengyuan Xu, Lijun You, Zhenjiang You

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Lost circulation has become a crucial technical problem that restricts the quality and efficiency improvement of the drilling operation in deep oil and gas wells. The lost-circulation zone prediction has always been a hot and difficult research topic on the prevention and control of lost circulation. This study applied machine learning and statistical methods to deeply mine 105 groups and 29 features of loss data from typical loss block M. After removing 10 sets of noise data, the methods of mean removal, range scaling and normalization were used to pre-treat the 95 sets of the loss data. The multi-factor analysis …

Evaluating Direct Filtration As An Alternative To Conventional Carbon-Based Advanced Treatment For Indirect Potable Reuse, Savannah M. Flemmer

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) is recharging purified wastewater into the Potomac Aquifer via the Sustainable Water Initiative for Tomorrow (SWIFT) project. Conventional SWIFT treatment applies coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, ozonation, biofiltration, granular activated carbon (GAC) adsorption, and ultraviolet disinfection to secondary effluent to produce water that meets drinking water standards for managed aquifer recharge. HRSD is considering implementing direct filtration as an alternative to conventional treatment for two additional SWIFT facilities. Direct filtration presents an opportunity for significant cost savings by eliminating sedimentation, shortening flocculation detention time, and reducing coagulant usage. Without upstream removal of solids and organics, however, biofilters …

Adaptation Of Nirtrifiers And Heterotrophs To Low Dissolved Oxygen In An Activated Sludge Biological Nutrient Removal Pilot Plant, Shashank Khatiwada

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Low dissolved oxygen (DO) operation is one of the innovative technologies in biological nutrient removal (BNR) processes that is being investigated due to the potential to reduce aeration requirements, reduce a treatment plant’s carbon footprint, and to lower costs associated with chemical addition to promote denitrification. These benefits are achieved through development of micro-zones, within aerated basins where simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) can occur. In this study, an activated sludge BNR pilot was run in an anerobic/aerobic (A/O) configuration at a controlled temperature and constant flow to observe microorganism-driven transformations of nitrogen and phosphorus at varying low DO conditions. …

Biocrude Production From Lignin In Hydrothermal Medium: Effect Of Rapid Heating And Short Residence Time, Kyoko Hirayama

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This study aims to address knowledge gaps in the production of valuable products from waste streams generated during lignocellulosic biofuel production. The primary objective is to develop a process that converts lignin, a byproduct of bioethanol refineries, into a sustainable biolubricant.

The first chapter examines recent advancements in synthesizing biolubricants and investigates their scalability. It explores innovative materials, catalysts, chemical modification approaches, and additives that have emerged in the field. A particular hurdle is the oxidative stability of biolubricants derived from plant oils, which are prone to autooxidation due to their C=C bonds. To overcome this, the study aims to …

Evaluating The Feasibility Of Using Strain Measured During Sinusoidal Rate Pumping Tests To Characterize An Aquifer, Riley Blais

All Theses

Pumping tests with sinusoidal variation in pumping rate have been proposed as a method for improving aquifer characterization. These tests can interrogate a larger aquifer volume than slug tests and they can be more sensitive to small variations in drawdown. Current methods of using sinusoidal variations of rate are based on measuring pressure signals from the reservoir or aquifer, which requires access to monitoring wells. An alternative approach has been developed that measures the strain in the vadose zone instead of pressure in the reservoir. An instrument has been developed at Clemson University that can measure small strains using optical …

Effect Of Impurities In Plastic Waste On The Performance Of Plastic Road, Niloy Gupta

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Plastic waste generation has become a global concern, with a large portion of plastics ending up in landfills. China's recent decision to stop importing waste from various countries, including the USA, has exacerbated the issue of plastic pollution. These plastics, as coming from the household and commercial trash, contain impurity and contamination. This makes the recycling process of plastics more hectic and causes issues in reusing them for other purposes. Impurity and contamination, in fact, is a major issue in material science. Researchers have been studying ways to improve the performance of bituminous pavement, as highways are experiencing increased demand …

Analysis Of The Impact Of Covid-19 On Construction Cost And Schedule Overruns, Nikhitha Adepu

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

The construction industry, renowned for its dynamic nature, encountered unprecedented uncertainties throughout its history. However, the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic served as a powerful catalyst, underscoring the urgent need for a deeper comprehension of the challenges it introduced and their potential implications for the industry's future. While numerous studies have explored this topic, a comprehensive understanding of the specific factors that disrupted the construction sector during the pandemic remains elusive. To bridge this knowledge gap, this study identifies, categorizes, and ranks these challenges, while also proposing effective management strategies to mitigate their detrimental impact on construction projects. To lay …

Dynamic Response Of Cohesive-Frictional Soils Under Thermo-Controlled Constant Water Content Cyclic Simple Shear Testing, Daniel Robert Green

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Dynamic Response of Cohesive-Frictional Soils Under Thermo-Controlled Constant Water Content Cyclic Simple Shear Testing Daniel R. C. Green The University of Texas at Arlington, 2023 Supervising Professor: Dr. Laureano R. Hoyos A considerable portion of the emerging geothermal infrastructure in the country is located in earthquake prone areas while being supported and/or surrounded by soil deposits located well above the groundwater table. Geotechnical earthquake research in the country, however, continues to be mostly focused on soil response under saturated conditions, especially soil liquefaction phenomena, while most of the work on dynamic response of compacted soils has not taken thermal conditioning …

Cement-Based Nanocomposites With Tunable Electrical And Thermal Conductivity, Myrsini Maglogianni

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

ABSTRACT: While concrete, the most widely used construction material exhibits low electrical and thermal conductivity, it can be engineered at the nanoscale to exhibit energy-related functionalities. This dissertation aims to develop nanoengineered cementitious composites with high electrical conductivity and tunable thermal conductivity to enable energy-related functionalities such as electricity generation and thermal heating capabilities. Highly dispersed nanostructured materials with different intrinsic properties were used to modify the thermal and electrical properties of the developed cementitious composites to enable their thermoelectric (TE) and/or electrothermal (ET) characteristics. One of the objectives of this research was to optimize the electrical-to-thermal energy conversion capability …

Investigation On The Impacts Of Land Subsidence And Urbanization On Flood Inundation In Texas, Han Jiang

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Floods, being a prevalent and catastrophic natural hazard, have resulted in enormous losses to human lives and properties all over the world. Hence, there is a pressing need to enhance urban resilience and to improve emergency response capacities in order to mitigate the risks posed by flood hazards. Many models have been developed by engineers to simulate and examine the hydrologic and hydraulic responses to the changes within the physical environment. However, there are still knowledge gaps in advancing the understanding of the H&H behavior and hydrodynamics modeling performance. This doctoral study aims to help bridge such gaps via assessing …

An Integrated Algorithm For Automatic Gpr Data Processing For Concrete Rebar Location, Lihong Mao

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

ABSTRACT: Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) has emerged as a valuable nondestructive testing technique for subsurface imaging and characterization in civil engineering applications. In particular, GPR plays a crucial role in the evaluation of reinforced concrete (RC) structures, enabling the determination of concrete cover thickness and the localization of reinforcement. However, the effectiveness of GPR data analysis is often hindered by inherent challenges, such as unknown time-zero, strong noise, and blurred signals, making the accurate and simultaneous determination of rebar horizontal location and depth a challenging task. This Ph.D. research aims to address these challenges and enhance the accuracy and efficiency …

Digital Twin Enabled Winter Operations Management Through The Integration Of Artificial Intelligence, Sensory Level Data, And Publicly Available Data, Pooya Darghiasi

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Monitoring real-time information on road conditions, especially during winter storms, is crucial to establishing winter maintenance strategies by the State Departments of Transportation (State DOTs) in the United States. States and local highway agencies allocate substantial resources each year for winter operations to improve road safety during winter storms. However, most weather-related vehicle accidents happen on snowy, slushy, or icy surfaces, leading to a significant number of fatalities and injuries annually. Traditionally, transportation agencies rely on the information provided by Road Weather Information Systems for monitoring road conditions along roadways. However, these systems are costly and only provide estimates at …

Phase Distribution Of Nickel, Chromium, And Cobalt In Seawater At Olivine-Enriched Beaches: Implications For Carbon Capture By Enhanced Silicate Weathering, Nathaniel J. Padrnos

Master's Theses

The application of olivine to coastal areas is a proposed method of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere for climate change mitigation. Olivine is abundant and dissolves relatively fast, but it contains trace amounts of nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), and cobalt (Co) which may be toxic to marine biota in cases of widespread coastal olivine spreading. Prior studies have suggested that Ni concentrations in marine sediments and/or the overlying water column due to olivine dissolution could be a limiting factor for its carbon capture potential. Therefore, it is critical to understand and model the processes affecting trace metal bioavailability after …

Understanding The Hydromechanical Effects Of Extreme Events To Improve The Performance Of Infrastructure Foundations, Siddharth Marathe

All Dissertations

Extreme hydroclimatic events like heavy rainfall, flooding, and prolonged drought can potentially cause the failure of infrastructure foundations, leading to socio-economic losses. The objective of this dissertation is to understand the deformation and bearing capacity behavior of drilled shafts subjected to extreme hydroclimatic events, including heavy rainfall, prolonged drought, and earthquake. The Finite Element Method (FEM) results show that during rainfall, the drilled shaft settled caused by a decrease in the porewater pressure in the sand leading to a decrease in the axial bearing capacity. The axial force variation from an experimental investigation showed good agreement with the FEM. The …

Generative Neural Network-Based Defense Methods Against Cyberattacks For Connected And Autonomous Vehicles, M Sabbir Salek

All Dissertations

The rapid advancement of communication and artificial intelligence technologies is propelling the development of connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs), revolutionizing the transportation landscape. However, increased connectivity and automation also present heightened potential for cyber threats. Recently, the emergence of generative neural networks (NNs) has unveiled a myriad of opportunities for complementing CAV applications, including generative NN-based cybersecurity measures to protect the CAVs in a transportation cyber-physical system (TCPS) from known and unknown cyberattacks. The goal of this dissertation is to explore the utility of the generative NNs for devising cyberattack detection and mitigation strategies for CAVs. To this end, the …

Changes To Water Quality And Discharge In An Urban Stream In Southwest Jefferson County., Karina Henson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mill Creek is the largest watershed in Southwest Jefferson County, where thousands of people live and work. Streams in the watershed have historically been channelized and altered to promote drainage, and stream health is of major concern. Louisville MSD is currently developing a watershed plan for Mill Creek by seeking understanding of current stream conditions. This paper will focus on historical trends in stream discharge and water quality. Peak and daily discharge, dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, and temperature data from USGS gages at Mill Creek and the Mill Creek Cutoff was analyzed to understand how water quality and flow rates …

Educating Older Drivers To Improve Acceptance And Utilization Of Cav Technologies, Ping Yi, Claudia Marovic, Renee Whittenberger

University Research

As the population of older drivers continues to grow, there is an increasing need to enhance their awareness and understanding of Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAVs). This study utilized an education program aimed at improving the knowledge and awareness of older drivers about CAVs, thereby preparing them to utilize the safety features of these technologies while effectively meeting the challenges that come with them. Through data collection and analysis from study participants, the research provides valuable insights for transportation agencies and technology developers to design and develop more adaptive technologies and associated education for older drivers. The findings from this …

Hydrothermal Liquefaction Of Wastewater Sludges For Energy Resource Recovery, Carl L. Abadam

Civil Engineering ETDs

This study aims to identify how variabilities in wastewater process configurations impact the biocrude yields from sludges processed and stabilized by hydrothermal liquefaction. Clean and renewable energy sources are vital to ensure a sustainable future. However, the current consumption of fossil fuels limits the ability to achieve this goal. Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) is a thermochemical process that converts wet biomass to valuable biocrude oil and biochar while reducing solid masses. Wastewater sludges were sampled across three facilities with varying influent design capacities and biological treatment configurations. Lipids extracted via solvent extraction and biocrudes produced from HTL were determined gravimetrically. Relative …

Performance Evaluation Of E-Ticketing Technologies On Asphalt Paving Projects In New Mexico, Gena C. Robertson

Civil Engineering ETDs

The collection and processing of paper tickets for construction material delivery is an inefficient and antiquated practice that exposes inspectors on highway paving projects to substantial safety risks. An alternative to the collection of paper tickets is e-Ticketing, which uses web-based systems to deliver similar information. This research documented a current paper ticketing process and compared it to an e-Ticketing process that was implemented on several pilot projects. Data were obtained using stakeholder meetings, personnel interviews, and surveys. When compared to a paper ticketing system, e-Ticketing was shown to have fewer opportunities for error, require fewer decision points, and provide …

Role Of Endophytic Fungi On Arsenic Uptake In Solution: Insights For Bioremediation, Taylor Lillian Busch

Civil Engineering ETDs

Hazardous metals mobilized from natural deposits and mining legacy are environmental and human health concerns. The waters of our partner Native American communities affected by uranium and gold mining legacy exceed the EPA MCL of 10 µg/L arsenic (As). Bioremediation is a novel technology that uses native resources to remediate metals in the soil and groundwater. Plant-fungi symbiosis for bioremediation is widely studied, but the role of endophytic fungi in metal uptake is not well understood. The objectives of this study are to 1) determine As uptake by symbiotic endophyte Cadophora sp. and little bluestem grass (Schizachyrium scoparium) …

Hydraulic Habitat Suitability For The Rio Grande Silvery Minnow At The Los Chavez Irrigation Outfall, New Mexico, Haley A. Ormsbee

Civil Engineering ETDs

It is essential to manage the Middle Rio Grande for aquatic species to preserve the native biodiversity of the river. During periods of low flow, endangered species such as the Rio Grande Silvery Minnow (RGSM) may get trapped in a drying reach without the ability to escape from isolated pools. Very little is known about how areas of refuge, such as irrigational outfall channels, buffer RGSM from stream flow intermittency. Hence, there is a crucial need to quantify available habitat for RGSM in areas of refuge. This study aims to make connections between flow regimes and physical-habitat conditions to help …

Identifying The Required Ecological Flow For Sediment Movement In The Río Chama: Field Data Informed Visual Spatial Model, Cristian Kremer

Civil Engineering ETDs

The continuous alteration of flow regimes in rivers has led to negative impacts on habitats and biotic communities, causing irreversible effects on river biodiversity. Implementing e-flows in management strategies can repair historical mismanagement, prevent further degradation, and restore ecosystem services. In the case of the Rio Chama, damming has altered its hydrological regime, affecting sediment transport. Experts recommend specific e-flow conditions for the Rio Chama to improve ecological conditions, in particular a bankfull discharge of 70 m³s^-1 every 2 years for sediment flushing and channel maintenance. The Río Gallina, a tributary of the Rio Chama, plays a …