Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

An Integrated Model For Post-Hurricane Displacement, Shelter Demand And Shelter Allocation, Nirmal Adhikari

All Theses

This thesis develops an integrated tract-level framework for estimating post-hurricane displacement, short-term shelter demand, long-term shelter demand, and shelter allocation under hurricane wind hazards. The framework combines parametric wind-field modeling based on HURDAT2 and EBTRK hurricane data with HAZUS-based fragility and loss functions, uninhabitability relationships, demographic factors, and an insurance-sensitive recovery model. Tract-level insurance adequacy is estimated using American Community Survey data, National Association of Insurance Commissioners premium data, and the National Risk Index, using five scenario-based models; the combined home-value and hazard-risk model is adopted for final analyses. To evaluate post-disaster housing capacity, the study estimates the number of …

Characterization, Transport Modeling, And Image Analysis Of Rover-Terrain Interaction For Lunar Regolith In-Situ Resource Utilization, Luke A. Manolescu

All Theses

NASA has declared a return to the lunar surface and the need and demand for sophisticated In-situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) is the highest in history. ISRU will require regolith excavation, transport, and processing in order to harvest the valuable resources available, support surface operations, and keep astronauts alive. Characterizing the lunar regolith is essential to understanding the mechanical and physical behavior of the material that will be used to construct berms and structurally support astronaut habitats and landers. Any construction on Earth requires an in-depth geotechnical site assessment prior to any construction to rule out any potential site issues that …

Clogging Behaviour And Management In Two Full-Scale Infiltration Schemes: A Treated Wastewater Basin And A Surface-Water Weir In Australia, John Awad, Declan Page, Joanne Vanderzalm, Geoffrey J. Puzon, Jason Wylie, Falko Mathes, Debbie Reed, Michael Bartkow, Mehdi Khiadani, Karen Barry, Peter Dillon

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) schemes are increasingly used to enhance water security, yet infiltration schemes are susceptible to clogging which consequently reduces operational efficiency. This study examines two full-scale Australian case studies: Jurien Bay (JB, Western Australia) and Lockyer Valley (LV, Queensland), representing treated wastewater (TWW) and surface water recharge, respectively. Recharge water at JB exhibited high clogging potential in relation to literature values proposed to manage clogging: total suspended solids (TSS) ranged from 100 to 176 mg/L (target ≤2 mg/L), turbidity 70–100 NTU (target ≤3 NTU), and total nitrogen (TN) 5–16 mg/L (target ≤10 mg/L). LV showed lower clogging …

Sustainable Organic Materials Used In The Construction Sector, Michael P. Wistuba, Di Wang, Chiara Riccardi, Libo Yan, Zhanping You, Lily D. Poulikakos, Ana Jiménez Del Barco Carrión

Michigan Tech Publications

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of Flood Modeling For The Replication Of An Extreme Rainfall Event In South Florida, Lusnel Fritznel Ferdinand

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Flooding is the most common natural disaster in the United States, and trends show an increase in flood risk for the foreseeable future. Florida averages 45 flood disasters per year, at an annual cost of $86 million. Communities in Florida are susceptible to a variety of flood-inducing sources, including tropical cyclones, extreme rainfall, and rising sea levels, which can impact the tourism industry and the economic well-being of residents. The first objective of the thesis was to use flood modeling to replicate the extreme rainfall event that caused heavy flooding in Broward County, Florida, from April 12-13, 2023. A commercial …

Comparative Performance Evaluation Of A Gpu-Accelerated Watershed Model For Flood Inundation Mapping, Maliha Ali

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluates PyWMP (Python-based Watershed Modeling and Planning), which is a flood modeling framework developed by the Center for Water Resiliency and Risk Reduction (CWR3) at Florida Atlantic University (FAU). The framework includes a 2D Rain-on-Mesh (ROM) solver, which is an explicit finite-volume shallow-water equation model. PyWMP is compared against HEC-RAS 2D and Flood Modeller for their rain-on-grid capabilities for watershed-scale flood inundation mapping under three design storm scenarios. The performance of PyWMP was evaluated using both quantitative and spatial metrics. Mean absolute error values showed that the average depth difference between each model is under 1 foot. Percent …

Integrated Construction Uncertainty Quantification Framework Icuqf, Felix Delmonte

Mechanical and Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

This study develops ICUQF, an integrated uncertainty framework for digitally instrumented construction megaprojects that unite probabilistic simulation, fuzzy reasoning, Bayesian networks, AI-driven anomaly detection, BIM-linked digital twins, and organizational learning into a single operational architecture. The framework classifies uncertainty into aleatory variability, epistemic gaps, data-centric and model-centric risks, and cognitive or cultural sources, mapping each class to computational treatments such as Monte Carlo engines for stochastic variability, fuzzy intervals and p-boxes for imprecise expert judgments, and hierarchical Bayesian models for coherent evidence aggregation and online updating. ICUQF specifies data pipelines that connect IoT sensing, edge processing, cloud storage, and Common …

Effect Of Geothermal Conditions On Silica Flour Modified Wellbore Cement, Travis Benjamin Broadhurst

Civil Engineering ETDs

Considerable work has been conducted on modified wellbore cements, but a knowledge gap exists in the effects of downhole conditions on cement, especially tensile strength. In this study, a pressure vessel simulates representative downhole conditions (200⁰C, 1.5 MPa) with a reference solution for geothermal brine and naturally occurring geothermal gases. Samples are removed after 28-days for unconfined compressive strength testing, Brazilian tensile strength testing, elastic moduli measurement, and chemical analyses by X-ray diffraction and electron microprobe. Aqueous chemical analysis suggests multiple active reactions between the geothermal fluid and cement that are exacerbated by higher temperatures, but do not …

Mechanisms Of Advanced And Energy Efficient Wastewater Treatment Technologies, Derek Belka

Civil Engineering ETDs

This dissertation combines meta-omics, microbial ecology, and hydrodynamic analysis to explore mechanisms of enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) and aerobic granular sludge (AGS) in municipal wastewater treatment. Metagenomic and functional gene profiling of a laboratory sequencing batch reactor fed with amino acids and proteins, and with a low abundance of known polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs), revealed abundant Herpetosiphonaceae and Dermatophilaceae families possessed key PAO metabolic traits, including phosphate scavenging, anaerobic carbon pathways, and ppk2 gene variants aligned with established PAOs. These findings suggest amino acid-driven EBPR can occur via previously unrecognized taxa, challenging current engineering assumptions and highlighting the need for …

Wildfire Impacts On Fluvial Hydrology From Watershed To National Scales, Paige G. Tunby

Civil Engineering ETDs

Wildfires alter the water quantity and quality in downstream river networks. Fires promote biodiversity, maintain habitat, and provide many ecosystem services in a fire-adapted landscape. However, changes in the natural fire regimes can alter ecosystem function and threaten the water security of impacted downstream communities. The magnitude, timing, and persistence of these impacts are difficult to predict due to the lack of high-resolution datasets with adequate coverage to evaluate spatiotemporal trends after a fire. This dissertation moves us beyond the status quo to evaluate post-fire fluvial responses across scales, from the event-scale impacts after the Hermit’s Peak-Calf Canyon wildfire in …

Assessment Of Anaerobic Co-Digestion Of High Strength Organic Feedstocks Diverted From Landfills, Sumaiya Sharmin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The increasing generation of high-strength organic wastes such as food waste and fats, oils, and grease (FOG) presents challenges for landfill capacity and waste management. Anaerobic co-digestion offers a sustainable alternative by converting these wastes into renewable energy and nutrient-rich digestate. This study evaluated the co-digestion performance of single fruit waste residuals and mixed food waste with wastewater sludge to identify substrate combinations that maximize methane production while maintaining process stability. Laboratory-scale batch experiments were conducted under mesophilic conditions using thickened waste activated sludge (TWAS) with varying proportions of food waste and co-substrates, including seaweed, aquatic weed, grease trap waste, …

Integrated Construction Risk Assessment Framework, Felix Delmonte

Mechanical and Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

An integrated risk assessment architecture for construction projects synthesizes data governance, BIM, Digital Twins, and hybrid analytics into a continuous feedback loop that links sensing, semantic modelling, probabilistic simulation, and organizational learning. The framework distinguishes aleatory from cognitive uncertainty and prescribes layered methods: Monte Carlo and Bayesian updating for measurable variability; fuzzy inference and consensus aggregation for linguistic and expert judgements; and graph-based discovery for dynamic cyber-physical topologies represented as time-varying graphs 𝐺𝑡. Governance primitives, aligned with ISO 19650, enforce provenance, interoperability, and staged readiness thresholds that prevent premature prescriptive outputs until model convergence criteria are met. BIM and GIS …

Theoretical Model To Predict The Flexural Response Of Concrete Beams Pre-Tensioned With Cfrp Rods Considering Cfrp Slippage Effects, Yasir Saeed, Karrar Al-Lami, Franz Rad

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The overwhelming costs of maintenance for reinforced concrete structures due to steel corrosion have motivated researchers to look for alternatives. One of the promising alternatives is Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP). Among FRP materials, Carbon FRP (CFRP) is the most attractive material for prestressed concrete members due to its high tensile strength and modulus of elasticity. Previous studies investigated the use of CFRP in prestressed concrete through experimental tests and theoretical analysis. However, there is a significant need for more experimental data to develop an accurate model that can accurately predict the behavior of CFRP prestressed concrete beams. In the current …

A Machine Learning Approach For Water Quality Assessment In The Lower Rio Grande Valley Watershed, Saika Nowshin Nowrin, Chu-Lin Cheng, Jungseok Ho, Jinwoo An, Fatemeh Nazari

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Water quality analysis plays an essential role in maintaining the health and sustainability of river ecosystems, especially in semi-arid regions like the Arroyo Colorado Watershed in South Texas. Since the river is a vital source of water supply for local communities, agriculture, and wildlife, it faces significant challenges and pollution from land use changes, climate variation, and agricultural runoff. Continuous monitoring and assessment of water quality parameters and their temporal variability are essential to ensure the drinking water supply and aquatic ecosystem health. However, comprehensive laboratory-based water quality investigations are often constrained by higher costs, logistical complexity, and limited manpower. …

Evaluation Of Microwave Treatment Of Pfos-Laden Granular Activated Carbon, Rachel Melo Fonseca

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the microwave treatment as a potential regeneration approach for PFOS-laden granular activated carbon (GAC). PFOS was used as a model legacy PFAS, and calcium was selected to examine how inorganic constituents may influence PFAS loading and fluorine behavior during treatment. Microwave temperature profiling showed that GAC temperatures increased with treatment time and power level, reaching approximately 400-950°C. Selected microwave conditions reduced PFOS-derived extractable organic fluorine (EOF), with apparent EOF reduction increasing from 65.5% after 1 min to 96.8% after 4 min. Calcium increased PFOS-derived EOF loading before microwave treatment but did not show a consistent effect on …

Whole-Life Carbon–Cost–Circularity Optimization For Ai-Era Data Centers: A Robust Multi-Objective Framework Under Carbon Pricing Uncertainty, Arezou Shafaghat, Da Hu, Ali Keyvanfar

Faculty Articles

The explosive growth of artificial intelligence workloads has triggered unprecedented data center construction, yet environmental assessment remains focused on operational energy efficiency. This paper introduces DC-WLC3O, a framework that simultaneously optimizes three objectives across the full data center lifecycle: whole-life cost, whole-life carbon, and material circularity index. The framework integrates cradle-to-cradle lifecycle assessment with dynamic material flow analysis, employing a four-layer analytical stack: Monte Carlo simulation with Latin Hypercube Sampling and Iman–Conover rank correlation; NSGA-III tri-objective Pareto optimization; Sobol’ variance-based global sensitivity analysis; and Many-Objective Robust Decision Making (MORDM). The framework evaluates 192 design configurations for a 30 MW hyperscale …

Comparative Analysis Of Strain-To-Velocity Conversion Methods For Active-Source Das Data And Collocated Nodal Stations, Prajwal Panthi, Brady R. Cox

Civil and Environmental Engineering Student Research

Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) provides dense spatial measurements of the dynamic strain along fiber optic cables, offering high-resolution wave sensing for ground motion monitoring and subsurface imaging applications. However, DAS records the axial strain or strain rate, whereas traditional seismic and engineering ground motion equipment and derived metrics are based on particle displacement, velocity, or acceleration, necessitating reliable strain-to-velocity conversion methods. This study evaluates three widely used conversion approaches: the fk-rescaling, curvelet-based conversion, and slant-stack methods. These approaches are applied to a unique high-energy, near-field, active-source dataset collected at the Birds Landing Site in Sherman Island, California. The dataset includes …

Nutrient Enrichment Of Palm Oil Mill Effluent Digestate (Pomed) With Fish Amino Acid And Boiler Ash For Biofertilizer Production, Aryati Putri Maharani, Ziyaulhaq Umar, Shahrul Ismail, Zulkarnaini Zulkarnaini

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

Palm oil mill effluent digestate (POMED) has potential as a biofertilizer. However, its application is limited by unbalanced macronutrient composition, particularly low nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). This study investigated a laboratory-scale nutrient enrichment strategy for POMED using fish amino acid (FAA) as an organic nitrogen source and boiler ash (BA) as a potassium source. Nitrogen content was determined using a CHNS– O analyzer, while phosphorus and potassium were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma (ICP). Fertilizer quality was evaluated based on the standards and industrial research institute of Malaysia (SIRIM) and Indonesian national standard (SNI 2803:2010). FAA and …

Straw As A Potential Vegetable Fibre Insulative Infill In Framed Constructions - Material Testing\Tnotereftnote1, Patrick Daly

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

The construction sector faces increasing pressure to reduce embodied carbon and adopt circular material strategies, with bio-based materials offering a promising pathway. Straw-based insulation, particularly in loose-fill form, has gained traction in Europe, where several products have achieved certification under EAD 040138-01-1201. This study investigates the potential of Irish-processed straw chip as a bio-based insulative infill for framed construction by evaluating its material properties and thermal conductivity–density performance relative to European ETA-certified reference products. A programme of laboratory testing was undertaken on commercially available Irish straw samples, including material characterisation (moisture content, particle morphology, and dust content) and thermal conductivity …

Development And Characterization Of Mycelium-Based Biocomposites From Ganoderma Lucidum Using Spent Yerba Mate And Residual Sunflower Oil For Sustainable Insulation In Construction, Paula V. Alfieri, Guadalupe Canosa

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

The construction industry urgently requires sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based insulation materials such as expanded polystyrene (EPS) and mineral wool. Mycelium-based biocomposites offer a promising solution by valorizing agricultural waste while delivering competitive thermal and acoustic performance. In this study, developed and characterized biocomposites using Ganoderma lucidum mycelium combined with spent yerba mate and residual sunflower oil (70 g/30 mL), both commonly generated as waste in Argentine institutions. Two formulations were evaluated: high density (HD: 280 ± 5 kg/m³) and low density (LD: 185 ± 5 kg/m³). Samples were cultivated for 90 days at 28 °C and 65% relative humidity and …

Comparative Life Cycle Assessment Of Hemp Walls In Residential Construction In Morocco, Hicham Kaddouri, Rachida Elbarghmi, Firyal Latrache, Marwane Hammouti, Abderrahim Abidouche, Ismael Driouch

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

This study analyzes the energy and environmental performance of hemp-based wall solutions applied to Moroccan residential buildings by combining dynamic thermal simulation and life cycle assessment (LCA). A reference building is assessed under four representative Moroccan climates (Al Hoceima, Oujda, Marrakech, and Ouarzazate), comparing a conventional wall retrofitted with hemp plaster and a wall incorporating hemp concrete. The results show that hemp concrete significantly reduces annual heating and cooling energy demands by 20–24% depending on the climate, with heating needs decreasing by up to 40% and cooling needs by approximately 15%, particularly in hot and arid regions. The LCA reveals …

Dual-Waste Integration For Geotechnical Improvement: Silica Fume And Eggshell Ash In Kaolin Soil Stabilization, Ng Jun Shen, Muzamir Hasan, Siti Sarah Eliyun, Md. Ikramul Hoque, Mohamad Afiq Jazrin Mohamad Sidek

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

This study reveals the potential substitution of silica fume and eggshell ash in the technique of soil stabilization, varying across distinct proportions in the modification of geotechnical parameters. The untreated kaolinitic soil which has low soil bearing capacity in nature is frequently reflected in its mechanical instability, for instance, soil settlement and extreme compressibility. By associating the industrial and agricultural material, it is potentially to resolve the above-mentioned issues with explicit designs. A number of laboratory approaches have been implemented in the assessment of basic geotechnical properties, including grain size distribution, Atterberg limits, specific gravity, proctor properties, and shear strength …

Application Of Cost-Effective High-Resolution Remote Sensing To Characterize Flooding In Mountain River Corridors, Ishwar Joshi, Ian Gowing, Brian M. Crookston

Civil and Environmental Engineering Student Research

This study evaluated a cost-effective UAV-based multi-sensor approach for characterizing river corridor conditions during and after moderate floods in two mountain river corridors in Northern Utah, USA: the Logan River and Blacksmith Fork River. These study reaches included urban, rural, and agricultural areas, hydraulic structures and bridges, and fish passage structures. A DJI Matrice 300 UAV was used with two separate payloads: an AgEagle Altum-PT multispectral camera and an R3 Pro V2 two-return LiDAR system. The workflow included UAV flight planning and data collection, post-processing of the multi-spectral and LiDAR sensor data, spatial resolution and accuracy assessment, and interpretation of …

Identifying Failure Behaviors In Stereolithography From Varied Print Orientations, Kevin Veltre

Theses and Dissertations

Stereolithography (SLA) is an additive manufacturing (AM) technique that utilizes photopolymerization to create three-dimensional shapes by strategically printing layers of material. Printing parameters such as layer orientation, print resolution and post cure can affect a specimen’s homogeneity, longevity and mechanical characteristics. Because of this variability, print parameters must be carefully considered when designing products and print processes for desired components, as manufacturers often fail to include all relevant print settings when advertising mechanical properties. For this study, 130 SLA-printed specimens were created with 100-micron print layer thickness and print orientations varying between 0 and 90, including intermediate orientations, to observe …

Understanding Structural Risk: Seismic Demand For Low-Fill Slender Fuel Tanks, David Yang, Sam Anderson

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Older fuel storage tanks, such as those in Oregon's CEI Hub, present significant seismic vulnerabilities, prompting proposals to limit storage capacity as a transitional risk mitigation measure before more permanent retrofitting actions. However, a critical knowledge gap exists regarding the applicability of standard analysis methods, like API 650, to low-fill conditions. This study utilizes the Veletsos-Yang iterative fluid-tank interaction procedure to evaluate the seismic demand of low-fill slender tanks. The analysis reveals that low-fill slender tanks exhibit slightly longer impulsive periods compared to fully-filled tanks with identical fill-height to radius ratios. Furthermore, the fixed roof mass of a low-fill tank …

Impact Of Asphalt Binder Chemical Composition On The Performance Of Asphalt Mixture., Sagar Parajuli

LSU Master's Theses

Asphalt binder is composed of four chemical fractions, namely, saturates, aromatics, resins, and asphaltenes (SARA). Binders with the same performance grade (PG) can exhibit different chemical compositions due to variability in crude oil sources and refining processes. The objective of this study was to evaluate how such chemical variations influence the mechanical performance of asphalt mixtures at high, intermediate and low temperatures.

Eighteen 12.5-mm nominal Maximum Aggregate Size mixtures were designed using two aggregate types (limestone and gravel), and three binder grades (PG 67-22, PG 70-22m and PG 76-22m), each from three different sources with varying chemical fractions. A suite …

Feasibility Of Using Untreated And Treated Rice Straw Fibers As A Modifier For Hot Mix Asphalt, Aditya Chowdhury

Civil Engineering Theses

Flexible pavements are subject to progressive deterioration driven by repeated traffic loading, environmental exposure, and material degradation, which causes distress. This study presents an integrated research framework that combines laboratory performance evaluation of rice straw fiber (RSF)-modified hot mix asphalt with machine learning-based pavement distress prediction to advance sustainable pavements. Three plant-produced HMA mixtures were modified with untreated and alkali-treated RSF at dosage levels of 0.2%, 0.4%, and 0.6% by total mixture weight. FTIR spectroscopic analysis confirmed that alkali treatment induced significant chemical modifications to the fiber surface, increasing hydroxyl group availability and enhancing fiber–binder adhesion. Alkali-treated RSF consistently outperformed …

Incorporating Increased Road User Costs Into Pavement Management Modeling: A Case Study Of Two-Lane Rural Highways, Khaled A. Abaza, Mohamed S. Yamany

Faculty Publications

The impact of increased road user costs on optimal pavement rehabilitation plans has been investigated using a simplified pavement management model. The increased road user costs include elevated vehicle operating costs (VOCs) due to work-zone lane closures and traveling on severely deteriorated pavements. A model is proposed for estimating the VOC for work-zone lane closures on two-lane rural highways, considering both stopping and idling costs. Another model for approximating the increased VOC associated with driving on poor/bad pavements is suggested as a function of the relevant VOC rate and a proportionality factor. Sample results are presented for a two-lane rural …

Fuel Tank Seismic Stability Program-Informed Displacement Maps Of Portland's Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub, Ana Tijerina Esquino

Dissertations and Theses

Oregon's Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Hub in northwest Portland contains a large portion of the state's liquid fuel storage and distribution capacity and is located in an area susceptible to liquefaction and earthquake-induced permanent ground deformation during a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake. Initial Seismic Vulnerability Assessments submitted under Oregon's Fuel Tank Seismic Stability program provide valuable facility-specific information, but the assessments vary in subsurface characterization, treatment of fine-grained soils, ground motion selection, and deformation estimation methods. This variability complicates interpretation of regional seismic risk and motivates a consistent corridor-scale analysis.

This thesis develops CPT-informed displacement estimates for representative cross sections …

Policy Analysis Of The Inclusion Of Mitigation Measures In The Re-Design And Construction Of The New Frances Scott Key Bridge, Patrick John O'Connor

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis discusses the tragic event of the container ship MV Dali impacting the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, 2024, leading to the collapse of the structure and killing six people despite having collision mitigation protections in place. This research examines how late twentieth-century structures are inadequate for current shipping demands and emphasizes that updated mitigation design criteria must accommodate larger modern vessels as governments replace or upgrade these structures. This paper will examine four case studies of different collisions that have similar circumstances to the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse and review National Transportation Safety Board reports …