Civil Engineering Commons^™

Adaptation Of Low Impact Design To The Desert Southwest, Abubaker Ali Alamailes

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

A low Impact Development (LID) practices were used to design an Integrated Management Practices (IMP) system for a residential lot .The design was adapted to the Desert Southwest region based on twenty years of climate data including precipitation and temperature for three representative cities: El Paso, TX, Albuquerque, NM, and Phoenix, AZ. In order to capture stormwater runoff close to its source and to provide as much stored water as possible for plants, LID practices including bioretention cells and vegetated swales were applied throughout the lawn. The purpose of the design is to maintain the pre-development hydrologic characteristics of the …

Design Of A Centralised Anaerobic Digestion Plant In Ireland., Diarmuid O'Meara

Theses

Climate change is brought about by greenhouse gases emitted to the earth’s atmosphere by fossil fuels. Renewable energy sources are seen as an alternative to fossil fuels. Examples of renewable energy sources are biofuels which are a method of reducing the emission of greenhouse gases. One form of biofuels is biogas that is produced during the anaerobic digestion process. In this thesis pig slurry is used to produce biogas.

In this project, the optimum design process for a centralised anaerobic digestion plant was established in the literature review, The optimum process for anaerobic digestion plant design in Ireland was investigated. …

Human Sanitary Wastes And Waste Treatment In New York City, David J. Tonjes, Christine O'Connell, Omkar Aphale, R. Lawrence Swanson

Technology & Society Faculty Publications

Henry Hudson first sailed toNew Yorkharbor 400 years ago. Since then,New York Cityhas both affected and been affected by water quality in greaterNew YorkHarbor. In this paper, we focus on sewers, sewerage, and sewage treatment inManhattanand their effects on theHudson River. It is clear that feedbacks among drinking water quality and quantity, population, public perceptions, regulations, and estuarine water quality exist, although their strength and character have varied over time. Early land uses damaged local water supplies found on ManhattanIsland. New Yorkthen began to exploit the large fresh water resources available to its north, which helped the City to expand …

Agenda: 2010 World Energy Justice Conference: Emerging Solutions For The Energy Poor: Technological, Entrepreneurial And Institutional Challenges, University Of Colorado Boulder. Center For Energy & Environmental Security, Colorado Journal Of International Environmental Law And Policy

2010 World Energy Justice Conference (November 5)

This conference is a sequel to the 2009 World Energy Justice Conference (WEJC 2009) which began examining ways of mainstreaming safe, clean, and efficient energy for the world's Energy Poor (EP). The EP number two and a half billion people living on less than $1-2 a day who have no access to modern energy services. WEJC 2010 more fully develops these themes. WEJC 2010 will explore how the next round of global warming meetings in Cancun could design new flexibility mechanisms that give credits, for example, for the reduction of black carbon by the adoption of cookstoves, and embrace small …

Culvert Material Cost Comparison, New England Environmental Finance Center

Economics and Finance

The following tables provide a detailed look at the role that culvert material and culvert diameter play in the overall cost of a culvert replacement project. Table 1 displays the cost per foot purchase price arranged by diameter size for the various culvert materials that are currently available. Table 2 displays the average additional culvert pipe material cost (increased cost to upsize minus original in-kind replacement cost) that would be incurred when upsizing a given diameter of culvert with a 50 foot length by factors of: 200%, 250% and 300%.

Application Of The Coastal Storm Impulse (Cosi) Parameter To Predict Coastal Erosion, Robert Aaron Walker

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

A new coastal storm-strength parameter, the Coastal Storm Impulse (COSI) parameter, was introduced at the 2006 International Conference of Coastal Engineering (ICCE) in San Diego and further discussed at the ICCE 2008 in Hamburg. COSI is based on the conservation of linear, horizontal momentum to combine storm surge, wave dynamics, and currents over the storm duration. Both tropical storms (hurricanes) and extra-tropical storms (northeasters) can produce similar COSI parameters. Potential implications of such a storm classification system include the evaluation of potential coastal erosion and coastal infrastructure, as well as providing a universal storm strength indicator that is directly tied …

Construction Cost Models, Barry Dikeman

Economics and Finance

The following are a series of cost estimate models similar in format to a typical engineer’s estimate that were developed in support of our financial impact assessment report for LD 1725. The models us current material costs, labor costs, and equipment costs for the region to provide a comparative cost analysis of seven culvert replacement scenarios. The models provide information about what the cost impact of LD 1725 would be for typical culvert replacements in Maine. However, due to the inherent restrictions of the cost modeling framework we were not able to include the abundance of variables that would be …

Evaluating The Impacts Of Water Conservation Policies On Water Demand, Availability And Outdoor Water Use In The Las Vegas Valley, Kamal Qaiser

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Las Vegas Valley, located in the arid Southern Nevada region, with a growing population, limited water resources, and a prolonged drought, faces a challenge in meeting its future water needs. Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA), the main water management agency in the Valley, is focusing on water conservation to reduce water demand. Current water use is 945 lpcd (250 gpcd) which SNWA aims to reduce to 752 lpcd (199 gpcd) by 2035. Presently the indoor outdoor water use proportion is about 40:60 in the Valley. An important component of the Valley's supply are the return flow credits which SNWA …

Investigation Of Potential Pathways And Multi-Cycle Bioregeneration Of Ion-Exchange Resin Laden With Perchlorate, Mohamadali Sharbatmaleki

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Ion-exchange (IX) is possibly the most feasible technology for perchlorate removal and perchlorate-selective and non-selective IX resins are commercially available for this purpose. The use of both resins has shortcomings. Selective resins are incinerated after one time use, and non-selective resins produce a regenerant waste stream that contains high concentration of perchlorate. A process involving directly contacting of spent IX resin containing perchlorate with perchlorate-reducing bacteria (PRB) to bioregenerate the resin has been developed and proven recently. In this process PRB biodegrade perchlorate ions which are attached to the functional groups of the resin.

Although its feasibility has been proven, …

A Life Cycle Cost Analysis Of Large-Scale Thermal Energy Storage Technologies For Buildings Using Combined Heat And Power, Kenneth Gaine, Aidan Duffy

Conference Papers

Buildings account for approximately 40% of energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in developed economies, of which approximately 55% of building energy is used for heating and cooling. The reduction of building-related GHG emissions is a high international policy priority. For this reason and because there are many technical solutions for this, these polices should involve significant improvements in the uptake of small-scale energy efficient (EE) systems. However the widespread deployment of many technologies, must overcome a number of barriers, one of which is a temporal (diurnal or seasonal) mismatch between supply and demand. Costeffective thermal storage solutions have …

Sustainable Portland: Implementation Series 3, New England Environmental Finance Center

Climate Change

This report is the third in a series of efforts by students at the Muskie School of Public Service, Community Planning and Development Master’s program, in a core class called “Sustainable Communities.” In this course students seek to understand principles of sustainability and how efforts to implement Sustainability programs can become more successful. The report assembles term papers students completed on particular efforts by municipalities, universities, and other groups to achieve sustainability goals. Students worked on each project in a service learning format with real world clients. They were asked to fashion their papers around lessons learned by other organizations …

Sustainability And Civil Engineering, Jeremy D. Rodgers

Ohio Valley Regional Student Conference

No abstract provided.

Sustainable Portland: Implementation Series 2, New England Environmental Finance Center

Climate Change

The Portland Municipal Climate Change Working Group prepared a report in March 2008 that outlined several recommendations as a commitment by the City to address greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) produced during daily municipal operations. The Municipal Climate Action Plan was written in partnership with Clean Air – Cool Planet and Portland officials, and acknowledges under Recommendation #2 that an employee energy efficiency program would provide significant positive impact on the City’s reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Best practices from three cities show that focus on the greening of City Hall is critical in developing a program that promotes partnerships, community …

Sustainable Portland: Implementation Series 1, New England Environmental Finance Center

Climate Change

When the Sustainable Portland Task Force Report was released in November 2007, under the leadership of Mayor Jim Cohen, Portland Councilor Kevin Donoghue had the idea that students at the Muskie School of Public Service might be able to help implement recommendations from the report. It may have helped that Kevin was himself a graduate of the Community Planning and Development Master’s program at the Muskie School, but it was a good idea nevertheless. He approached Professor Sam Merrill in the CPD program, who spoke with the new Mayor Ed Suslovic about a possible partnership between the City and the …

Cuando Viene El Agua: Percepciones De Los Impactos Sociales Del Proyecto Hidroeléctrico “Chan-75” En Las Comunidades Ubicadas En La Cuenca Del Río Changuinola, Bocas Del Toro, Jeffery D. Stein

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This report analyzes the anticipated social impacts of a hydroelectric project, titled “Chan-75,” in the surrounding communities. The project is located in the Bosque Protector de Palo Seco (BPPS) protected area along the Changuinola River. The flooding of 750 ha to create a reservoir for the dam will require the resettlement of roughly 1,000 residents of at least four indigenous Ngöbe Buglé communities including Valle del Rey, Charco la Pava, Changuinola Arriba, and Guayabal, in addition to the submersion of thousands of ha of farmland belonging to residents of nearby communities (Cordero et al). Once completed, the dam will generate …

Analysis Of Per Capita Expenditures Of Suburbanizing Communities In Maine, New England Environmental Finance Center

Economics and Finance

This study analyzes per capita expenditure trends among selected fast-growing Maine towns from 1970-2004. The ten communities studied are termed as “suburbanizing” towns. This term is used to describe towns that over the past 30-40 years have been in the process of transition from rural to suburban – in terms of their population and housing densities, their forms of government, and the services they provide, as well as other characteristics.1 Such towns are of particular interest because they have been absorbing a healthy percentage of the state’s population growth during this time period, often at the expense of Maine’s service …

Trust, Collaboration, And Financial Return In Conservation/Development Partnerships, New England Environmental Finance Center

Economics and Finance

In early 2002 the New England Environmental Finance Center hosted a series of roundtable discussions among municipal officials, residential developers, land trust representatives, and others about "Innovative Approaches to Land Conservation and Smart Growth". Among our observations was that for many of the over 20 conservation/development partnerships we discussed in the series, creation and maintenance of trust was central to success or failure of various stages of the partnership. This suggested a link between creation of trust and financial return for traditionally opposed project partners.

To further examine this matter, we interviewed 11 round table participants and asked questions about …

A Dynamic Simulation Model Of Beach Sand Replenishment: A Case Study Of Santa Barbara, California, David Turbow, Steve Norwick, Sajjad Ahmad

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

Sediment deprivation from dam installments contributes to beach erosion yet the underlying physical and economic factors linking them together have traditionally been isolated during regional planning. In order to gain a better understanding of the behavior of a managed beach system, a dynamic simulation model was developed incorporating physical and monetary factors influencing the amount of available beach sand. The Santa Barbara littoral cell was chosen as a case study to evaluate the feasibility of beach preservation goals under scenarios in which annual sand replenishment funding, sand prices, or sediment recovery from behind dams were limiting factors to available beach …

Feasibility Study Of Maine's Small Hydropower Potential, James D. Sysko

Maine Collection

Feasibility Study of Maine's Small Hydropower Potential

Prepared by James D. Sysko, Small Hydro East, for the Maine State Planning Office, Maine Office of Energy Resources, January 1989.

"This study focuses on finding potential hydropower sites of approximately 50 kw to 1000 kw in capacity."

Selecting Non-Point Source Pollution Treatment Practices Using Linear Optimization, John Gardy Garland Iii

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This paper provides a case study application of a linear optimization program as a water quality management tool. The optimization program seeks to minimize the cost of nonpoint source pollution control by selecting the best combination of pollution control management practices for Hampton, Virginia. The management practice options are grass swale roadways, porous pavers, ponds, detention basins and fertilizer management education. Management practice selection is limited by constraints on land-use and water quality. Pollutants evaluated are total nitrogen, total phosphorus, suspended solids, fecal coliforms and biochemical oxygen demand (five-day). The value in the water quality constraints for pollution loading on …

Groundwater Management By Linear Programming, Seungho Song

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Three hydraulic optimization models are developed. These models combine the finite difference equations of two-dimensional groundwater flow in composite aquifers with various linear programming techniques. The hydraulic submodel employed in these hydraulic optimization models is so versatile that it accounts for time varying pumpage, leaky artesian conditions, a variety of boundary conditions, induced infiltrations from streams or rivers, and conversion from artesian to water table conditions. The objective of submodel 1 is to maximize the total hydraulic head from pumping wells at the end of a study period. The objective of submodel 2 is the same as submodel 1, but …

Fundy Tidal Power Development : Preliminary Evaluation Of Its Environmental Consequences To The Resources Of The State Of Maine, Bigelow Laboratory For Ocean Sciences

Maine Collection

Fundy Tidal Power Development : Preliminary Evaluation of Its Environmental Consequences to the Resources of the State of Maine

A Report to the Maine State Planning Office by the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, April, 1984.

"Technical Report No. 35 - Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, West Boothbay Harbor, Maine - A Division of Northeastern Research Foundation, Inc."

Contents: Executive Summary / Introduction / Methods / Physical and Biological Consequences / Socio-Economic Consequences / Research Needs / Bibliography / Appendix I. Written Comments on Greenberg Model

Treatment Process Optimization At The Lee Hall Water Treatment Plant Newport News, Virginia, Marcy Granum Garnett

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Various methods can be used in operating a water treatment plant. It is desirable to produce good quality water as efficiently and economically as possible. This study evaluates each phase of operation at the Newport News (Lee Hall} water treatment plant for overall efficiency.

This study begins by giving a detailed description of the Lee Hall water treatment plant. The description includes sources of water, a description of each treatment process, a plan view of the treatment plant, and a flow diagram of the treatment plant.

Based on the raw water data, flow rates, and the treatment plant characteristics, the …

Evaluating The Effects Of Alum With Polyelectrolyte Coagulant Aids In Treatment Of Low Turbidity Waters, Kenneth John Stockwell

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Potable water sources usually require treatment for removal of suspended organic and inorganic particles. Conventional treatment processes incorporate chemical coagulants for removal of these suspended particles. Alum is a widely used coagulant that can provide adequate removals of turbidity. However, high alum dosages are required for treatment of low turbidity waters producing a voluminous sludge that is difficult to dewater.

Recent Federal regulations have limited disposal options for chemical sludges. This has prompted a reevaluation of coagulants and their dosages with the goal of reducing the amount of sludge produced and improving the sludge handling characteristics necessary for ultimate disposal. …

Annotated Biobliography Of Remote Sensing For Highway Planning And Natural Resources, An, Daniel L. Civco, William C. Kennard, Michael Wm. Lefor

Storrs Agricultural Experiment Station

No abstract provided.

A Model To Investigate The Influence Of Suspended Sediment On The Mass Transport Of A Pollutant In Open Channel Flow, Raymond Scott Chapman

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The environmental impact of the transport of pollutants in open channel flow has for many years been of interest due to the continuous introduction of heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides, and other foreign substances into natural waterways. In order to fully understand this transport process, it-is necessary to examine the significance of its individual components. In the present study an explicit two-dimensional finite difference model, designed to investigate the influence of suspended sediment on the pollutant transport process, is presented. Specific attention is directed toward examining the role of suspended sediment in 1) the turbulent vertical transport mechanism in a stratified …

Measurement Of Currents In Lake Mead With The Deep Water Isotopic Current Analyzer (Dwica), J. J. Sartoris, D. A. Hoffman, Bureau Of Reclamation

Publications (WR)

In Nov 1967, a Deep Water Isotopic Current Analyzer (DWICA) was used to study current patterns in the Boulder Basin of Lake Mead to determine if low-quality water from Las Vegas Bay might enter the Southern Nevada Water Project intake on Saddle Island. Secondary objectives were to study the general current patterns in Boulder Basin and the effect of power discharges at Hoover Dam on these currents. Results of current measurements at 3 stations in Boulder Basin are given. Observations indicate a definite possibility that low-quality water from Las Vegas Bay might enter the water intake on Saddle Island. Current …

Waterways: Comprehensive Regional Plan Series Report Four, East Central Florida Regional Planning Council

City and Regional Planning -- Florida

A plan to make use of the lakes, rivers, canals, and oceans for commerce and other development