Civil Engineering Commons^™

Bacteriophage Inactivation As A Function Of Ferrous Iron Oxidation, Joe Heffron, Brad Mcdermid, Brooke K. Mayer

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Iron-based disinfection has been promoted as a potential low-cost, low-byproduct means of virus mitigation. This research is the first to establish that virus inactivation due to ferrous iron is impacted both by the extent of iron oxidation (from ferrous to ferric iron) and the rate of iron oxidation. Log inactivation of bacteriophages increased linearly with ferrous iron concentration at low doses (< 3 mg/L Fe), but higher doses limited disinfection, likely due to floc formation. The rate of iron oxidation was controlled by independently varying pH and dissolved oxygen concentration. Bacteriophage inactivation increased with the inverse of ferrous oxidation rate, suggesting that slower iron oxidation rates allow better contact between viruses and reactive ferrous iron. Ferrous iron showed potential for disinfection in conditions of low pH and dissolved oxygen, though these conditions preclude effective iron coagulation/flocculation.

Test Setup Design And Cyclic Evaluation Of Rocking Clt Wall And Floor Restoring Force Lateral System, Aaron Davis Smith

Civil and Environmental Engineering Master's Project Reports

The introduction of the demand for mass timber buildings in areas with seismic hazards has called for new lateral systems. Lateral systems in mass timber building typically utilize a rocking shear wall with post-tensioned rods to provide system re-centering. These post-tensioned rods add axial load to the shear wall and potentially endure long term creep affects. Mass Timber buildings consist of cross laminated (clt) shear walls and floor slabs along with glulam beams. The flexural capacity of the CLT floor slabs along with dead load can provide an alternative source for the restoring force. This project developed a test setup …

Deep Reinforcement Learning Approach For Lagrangian Control: Improving Freeway Bottleneck Throughput Via Variable Speed Limit, Reza Vatani Nezafat

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Connected vehicles (CVs) will enable new applications to improve traffic flow. The focus of this dissertation is to investigate how reinforcement learning (RL) control for the variable speed limit (VSL) through CVs can be generalized to improve traffic flow at different freeway bottlenecks. Three different bottlenecks are investigated: A sag curve, where the gradient changes from negative to positive values causes a reduction in the roadway capacity and congestion; a lane reduction, where three lanes merge to two lanes and cause congestion, and finally, an on-ramp, where increase in demand on a multilane freeway causes capacity drop. An RL algorithm …

Damage Evaluation Of Concrete Structures Using Acoustic Emission, Rafal Anay

Theses and Dissertations

The deterioration and aging of the infrastructure in the U.S. have become a crucial issue, especially for highway bridges and nuclear power plants. The reliability and safety of existing structures are affected by growing populations and limited resources. This issue has gained significant concern during the last two decades and efforts are being conducted to accelerate the improvement of nondestructive testing (NDT) and structural health monitoring (SHM) methods. Additional information regarding the condition of existing structures and the early detection of damage can aid in reducing overall maintenance costs. The studies presented in this dissertation employ acoustic emission (AE) as …

Damping In Transient Pressurized Flows, Sahad Salim Elyass Khilqa

Theses and Dissertations

Piping systems are commonly designed to withstand the first transient pressure peak, which is unaffected by dissipation. However, for multiple operations of control equipment, e.g., pump start-up following pump shutdown, load acceptance following load rejection on hydraulic turbines, etc., an accurate prediction of the dissipation of pressure oscillations is needed to determine a suitable time for the second operation. For this purpose, a method is presented to compute the dissipation of pressure oscillations in piping system following a simple procedure used for computing the dissipation of vibrations of bridges and other structures. Similar to structural engineering, this method is simple …

Health Monitoring Of Liquid Pipelines, Mohammed Hameed Sabhan Al-Tofan

Theses and Dissertations

The crude and refined oil, water, and other liquids are widely transported through pipelines over long distances within geographical boundaries of countries or beyond. Pipeline accidents, however, are frequent, affecting operation and reducing targeted performance. The frequency of these accidents presents a growing concern and necessitates the need for an effective health monitoring plan. This plan requires monitoring of flow conditions and warning of any changes or abnormal conditions. Abnormalities in the flow conditions include changes in the piping system performance due to defects, such as leaks and blockages. These changes can be located and quantified utilizing different approaches. Two …

Modeling Particle Dispersal In Bedload Dominated Settings, Sanaz Borhani

Theses and Dissertations

Tracer particles are used to study bedload transport in gravel bed rivers. One of the advantages associated with their use is that they allow for direct measurements of particle entrainment rates in bedload transport and particle displacement. The main issue in field studies with tracer particles is the difference between tracer short term and long term behavior. This difference is due to the fact that particles undergo vertical mixing or move to less active locations such as bars or even floodplains. For these reasons the mean tracer velocity decreases over time. This phenomenon has been called tracer slowdown and it …

Cost-Effective Methods To Retrofit Metal Culverts Using Composites, Mahmoud Reda Taha, Susan Bogus Halter

Publications

One of the current pressing problems for all DOTs is the corrosion-oriented deterioration of existing metal culverts. These metal culverts typically are designed for a life of 50 years. However, corrosion is making them last no longer than 30 years. A Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymers (GFRP) pipe section has been evaluated as a fit-in GFRP profile liner for complete repair and rehabilitation of the corroded metal culvert with an expected life of 75 years. This is mainly because of the corrosion free nature of the GFRP material. A comprehensive rehabilitation methodology and laboratory scale three-point bending test was conducted to …

The Study Of Flow Hydrodynamics And Transport Processes Over Mixed Bedrock-Alluvial Reaches, Mohammad Sadegh Jafarinik

Theses and Dissertations

Research efforts on mixed bedrock-alluvial rivers primary focused on the bedrock incision and very few studies investigated the alluvial morphodynamics of such systems. To the best of my knowledge none of these models have been considered the spatial variability of the sediment grain size of the bed surface in mixed bedrock-alluvial reaches and very few models focused on the spatial changes in alluvial cover within these reaches. Furthermore, a perusal of the literature on mixed bedrock-alluvial river morphodynamics reveals that very little information is available on 1) bedform geometry and flow resistances and 2) sediment sorting patterns in presence of …

Effect Of External Expanded Polystyrene (Eps) Panels On Slabs Subjected To Impact Load, Yosra El Maghraby

Civil Engineering

No abstract provided.

Bs News July/August

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Developing Algorithms To Detect Incidents On Freeways From Loop Detector And Vehicle Re-Identification Data, Biraj Adhikari

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

A new approach for testing incident detection algorithms has been developed and is presented in this thesis. Two new algorithms were developed and tested taking California #7, which is the most widely used algorithm to date, and SVM (Support Vector Machine), which is considered one of the best performing classifiers, as the baseline for comparisons. Algorithm #B in this study uses data from Vehicle Re-Identification whereas the other three algorithms (California #7, SVM and Algorithm #A) use data from a double loop detector for detection of an incident. A microscopic traffic simulator is used for modeling three types of incident …

Modeling To Predict The Salt Transport Between A Scale Model Estuary And The Unconfined Aquifer With Groundwater Flow, Abeer Ibraheem Khazaly

Theses and Dissertations

In many field studies, variation in fluid density may have important effects on controlling groundwater flow and solute transport processes. These studies include: Indian River Lagoon (IRL), a coastal estuary, located on the east coast of Florida, saline disposal basins, radioactive waste disposal and contaminant spills. In the environment, where the fresh groundwater region is in direct contact with the saline seawater region in coastal aquifers, dynamic equilibrium normally exists between these two regions, but there are numerous human and environmental factors that can adversely impact the equilibrium and lead to severe saltwater contamination of the freshwater region. Intrusion of …

Development Of Improved Characteristic Equations For Lake Rukwa In Tanzania, Patrick Valimba Dr

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Often Lake Rukwa characteristics have been misreported in literature giving different volumes and surface areas at similar water surface elevations. This study aimed at establishing reliable lake characteristics elevation-area-storage equations for Lake Rukwa by utilising all available data and information to define the bathymetry and derive characteristic equations. A procedure was developed that combines historical lake extents, spot heights from topographical maps and surveyed lake bathymetry to define refined bathymetry to levels it has never reached. It combined spot heights around the lake and selected 13,934 surveyed points (from 107,938 available) within the lake confined by the 820 m land …

Potential Use Of High Rate Algae Ponds For Resource Recovery In The Water-Food-Energy Nexus For Tanzania: A Review, Mary Kayombo

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

The use of High Rate Algal Ponds (HRAPs) for the treatment of wastewater and resource recovery has raised interest in recent years. Treatment of wastewater through this technology has proved to have high efficiency in reducing the level of pollution, nutrients, dissolved solids as well as pathogens. HRAPs are more efficient than conventional Wastewater Stabilization Ponds (WSPs) due to their design approach that provides room for high rate bio-chemical processes, which increase the mechanisms of nutrients and pathogens removal as well as the rate of micro-algae production for purposes of resource recovery. This paper reviews the upgrading potential of existing …

Experimental Study On The Effect Of Moisture On Bolt Embedment And Connection Loaded Parallel To Grain For Timber Structures, Henry Meleki Kiwelu

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Connections are critical parts of timber structures, transmitting static and dynamic forces between structural elements. The ultimate behaviour of a building depends strongly on the structural configuration and the capacity of its connections. The complete collapse of a building or other less extensive accidents that may occur usually start as a local failure inside or in the vicinity of a joint. The main aim of this study has been to investigate if the short-term capacity of steel-wood dowel joints loaded parallel to the grain is affected by variations in moisture content associated with post fabrication drying or wetting of the …

Assessment Of Surface Water Resources In Great Ruaha River Sub-Basin Tanzania: Application Of Weap Model For Water Allocation And Utilization Impacts Analysis, Deogratias Mulungu

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

The Great Ruaha River (GRR) sub-basin is one of the most important waterways in Tanzania as it supports important economic activities. The sub-basin is progressively faced with an inevitable situation of increasing water demand among competing users while the quantity and quality of water is diminishing. The focus of this study was to assess allocation of existing (2012) and future (up to 2025) quantities of surface water in the GRR sub-basin with consideration of priorities given in the Tanzania Water Resources Management Act, 2009 in the order: domestic, environment, agriculture, livestock and non-domestic. Simulation of water allocation scenarios of irrigation …

Morphology And Detection Of Corrosion On Stainless Steel Reinforcement In Concrete, Julio J. Saire Yanez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Stainless steel (SS) has emerged as an alternative corrosion-resistant reinforcement in concrete instead of the commonly used carbon steel (CS). The biggest advantage of SS is that it takes more time for corrosion to initiate than for CS. An additional benefit from the use of SS in concrete may be derived from the period after the corrosion started until the concrete structure reaches a limit state. This period is called corrosion propagation stage (CPS) and it has been hardly studied in SS reinforced structures. The duration of this period could be related, among other factors, to the morphology of corrosion …

Experimental Study Of Hybrid Strengthening Technique Using Carbon Fiber Laminates And Steel Plates For Reinforced Concrete Slabs, Xiaohong Zheng, Baolin Wan, Peiyan Huang, Jinlin Huang

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

External bonding (EB) technique has been used widely to strengthen reinforced concrete (RC) structures in civil engineering over several decades. Steel and fiber reinforced polymers (FRP) are the two most common materials used for strengthening RC structures. Although each material has its advantages for EB application, they also have their own weaknesses. Steel plates are heavy and poor in corrosion resistance, and the thickness of steel plates is also limited due to lack of shape flexibility for strengthening RC structures. The EB-FRP technique is restricted for broader applications because the bond interface is the weakest link in such retrofitted or …

Prioritizing Rehabilitation Of Sanitary Sewers In Pinellas County, Fl, Jesse T. Hillman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Following large rain events, extraneous freshwater contributions known as inflow and infiltration (I/I) bypass the storm sewer and enter the sanitary sewer system. In areas with a high water table, like Pinellas County and the surrounding Tampa Bay area, a majority of the wastewater infrastructure is submerged year round exacerbating the rate of groundwater infiltration. This excess flow overloads the existing wastewater infrastructure leading to sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs). These SSOs result in serious problems for municipalities and utilities across the country.

This study was performed in order to assist Pinellas County Utilities in rehabilitating their southern sewer system. To …

Steady State Hydroplaning Risk Analysis And Evaluation Of Unsteady State Effects, Menna Yassin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hydroplaning is a major concern on high speed roadways during heavy rainfall events. Hydroplaning tools are widely used by designers to reduce their roadway’s hydroplaning potential, therefore reducing the possibilities of severe crashes. This dissertation presents two methodologies for improving the prediction of hydroplaning potential.

The first phase focused on improving an existing widely used software called PAVDRN. Using multiple datasets from the Florida Department of Transportation, the author filtered the data using specific criteria to leave only truly dynamic hydroplaning crashes. The author then evaluated PAVDRN’s prediction capabilities and assessed its reliability in predicting a hydroplaning crash. Using past …

Field Performance And Cost Effectiveness Of Crack Sealing In Flexible And Composite Pavements, Momen Ragab Mousa

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Surface cracking is one of the major surface distresses in asphalt concrete (AC) pavement, allowing water infiltration through the cracks, causing stripping in asphalt pavement layers, and weakening and deteriorating the base and/or subgrade. Its treatment, therefore, is one of the major activities in pavement preservation for many state DOTs. Among the various treatment methods currently available to preserve AC pavement with existing surface cracking are various forms of crack sealing. Crack sealing is not a common practice to Louisiana highways since the benefit of such treatment appears to be affected by the elevation of the ground water table. Studies …

Development Of A Framework To Support The Effective Adoption Of Bim In The Public Sector: Lessons For Ireland, Shiyao Kuang, Alan Hore, Barry Mcauley, Roger West

Conference papers

Building Information Modelling (BIM) has been formally adopted by many countries with the promise of creating greater economic, social and sustainability benefits. Several authors and institutions have presented alternative BIM policies and tactics which have been adopted by developed countries. However, there is evidence to indicate that BIM adoption theories are not well established and, in particular, the linkage between BIM public sector adoption strategy outcomes and their contribution to achieving Government policy objectives are underdeveloped. This paper will present the outcome of the first phase of a systematic literature review of published studies (including journal papers and noteworthy international …

Contractual Guidelines For Contractors Working Under Projects Funded By Southeastern Us Dots, Islam H. El-Adaway, Amr Elsayegh, I. S. Abotaleb, C. Smith, M. Bootwala, S. Eteifa

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Transportation projects in the infrastructure sector contribute to approximately 42% of the total expenditures on public construction projects in the US. The main source of funding of these projects is the taxpayer's hard-earned money. The ever-growing problem by transportation projects is that the available funds are less than those required to have a stable and well maintained transportation network. Unnecessary costs in these projects are mainly caused by Conflicts, Claims and Disputes (C2D). According to recent reports, C2D in construction is greatly attributed to poor contract administration. The goal of this paper is to provide better understanding and utilization of …

Characterization Of Geogrid Reinforced Ballast Behavior Through Finite Element Modeling, Bugra Sinmez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recently, the railway pavement structure system, as an integral part of the transport infrastructure, has been under fast development in some countries such as China, Turkey, and some European Union countries, particularly for the use of high-speed trains. In designing and constructing the railway pavement structure, it is necessary to take into account the infrastructure demand of the High-Speed Railway Lines (HSRL). Compared to traditional railway trains, HSRL can cause more significant problems to the ballast or base layer of commonly used ballasted railway pavements. The deteriorated ballast or base layer may further result in substructure degradation that may cause …

Incorporating Antecedent Soil Moisture Into Streamflow Forecasting, Abdoul Oubeidillah, Glenn Tootle, Thomas Piechota

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

This study incorporates antecedent (preceding) soil moisture into forecasting streamflow volumes within the North Platte River Basin, Colorado/Wyoming (USA). The incorporation of antecedent soil moisture accounts for infiltration and can improve streamflow predictions. Current Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) forecasting methods are replicated, and a comparison is drawn between current NRCS forecasts and proposed forecasting methods using antecedent soil moisture. Current predictors used by the NRCS in regression-based streamflow forecasting include precipitation, streamflow persistence (previous season streamflow volume) and snow water equivalent (SWE) from SNOTEL (snow telemetry) sites. Proposed methods utilize antecedent soil moisture as a predictor variable in addition …

Wrack Lines Volume 19, Number 1, Spring/Summer 2019, Nancy Balcom, Syma Ebbin, David Gregorio, Richard Telford, Judy Benson

Wrack Lines

Issue theme is: "Making Connections: As the Climate Changes, People and Nature Intertwine in New Ways." Articles include: "As More Roads Become Rivers, Communities Search for Solutions;" "Solving an Engineering Conundrum: As Coastal Homes Get Elevated, New Research Looks at Whether Vulnerability to Wind Damage Is Increasing;" "Along the Coast, Residents Consider How to Heed Sandy's Warning of What's to Come;" "All Rivers, All Lives Run to the Sea," about the intersection of waterways and the world of nature writer Edwin Way Teale; and "Crosscurrents: Connecticut Sea Grant's Retrospective Exhibition Makes Waves," about reaching new audiences and building bridges with …

Qualitative And Quantitative Flow Visualization Studies On A Distorted Hydraulic Physical Model, Patrick Scott

LSU Master's Theses

The submergence of coastal wetlands in south Louisiana leaves communities, commerce, industry, and ecosystems vulnerable to extreme weather events and human and natural disasters. The state of Louisiana has developed a plan to mitigate coastal land loss and with the help of Louisiana State University and the Lower Mississippi River Physical Model, projects like large scale sediment diversions will be extensively tested and researched to ensure proper implementation and operation. Due to scaling and distortion of the physical model, complete similitude with its prototype is not expected and scale effects are anticipated to affect the hydrodynamics and, as a result, …

Living Shorelines As Alternative Methods Of Shoreline Protection, Hunter Shows

LSU Master's Theses

Louisiana’s marshes and coastal estuaries are losing habitat at an alarming rate. High rates of sea level rise coupled with coastal subsidence are turning once thriving marsh land into open water. The sediment starved Mississippi River Delta is drowning, making families homes, property, and livelihoods increasingly vulnerable every year. Significant funding is being allocated for projects to offset the increasing erosion including but not limited to diversions, marsh creation, ridge restoration, and shoreline protection projects.

Living shorelines, for the sake of this study, can be defined as a form of shoreline protection which helps shoreline stabilization and erosion reduction while …

Predicting Power-Transformer Bushings’ Seismic Vulnerability: Mounting Stiffness And Coupling, Jon Bender, Arvin Farid

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Large power transformers are both expensive and vulnerable to seismic failure. Excessive amplification of earthquake loading to power transformer bushings beyond the bushings’ rated strength can occur if the system’s structural dynamics produce unpredictable and unfavorable resonance behavior. Determining the degree of vulnerability to large seismic amplifications is not straight-forward, and general design recommendations do not always resolve problems that can potentially arise. This paper considers a number of Case studies in an attempt to postulate a set of critical factors, which might facilitate better prediction of bushing amplification. Further, several additional Case studies are summarized in order to add …