Civil Engineering Commons^™

Evaluating Lidar Technology In Iphone Mobiles For 2d Mapping Applications, Nasr Mohammady Saba, Salem Salama Saleh

Journal of Engineering Research

Abstract- LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology has revolutionized mapping applications, offering enhanced precision and accuracy in spatial data collection. The integration of LiDAR technology in the latest iPhone models, beginning with the iPhone 12 Pro, has introduced new capabilities for 2D data measurement and plan creation directly on the mobile device. The iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max models support LiDAR techniques within their mobile phone cameras, enhancing the performance of various applications such as Measurements and Photos. LiDAR operates by emitting pulsed light waves into the surrounding space, which bounce off nearby objects and return to the …

Assessment Of Adaptation And Diffusion Of Biogas Technology A Case Study Of Dar Es Salaam City, Tanzania, Doreen L. Tarimo

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

This study investigated the adaptation and diffusion of biogas technology in Dar es Salaam, driven by the increasing need for sustainable energy solutions. The study’s is rooted in addressing urban energy challenges and providing an eco-friendly waste management alternative. Various factors, including socioeconomic variables, technical efficiencies, and community-level acceptability, were examined to assess the technology’s adaptability and diffusion. Data collection methods and techniques included lab analysis using American public health association (APHA) standard methods, interviews, questionnaire administration the data analysis was undertaken using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) with a sample size comprising 100 household heads from Mburahati, …

Review On State Of Art Of Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics Method And Its Advances In Solid Dynamics, Harold J. Mtyana

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

The world is witnessing continued collapse of both buildings and other structures during earthquakes, which is an example of a dynamic effect. One cause of such disasters may be inadequacies of techniques for modeling of these structures during analysis and design as compared to their actual responses during dynamic events. Also, techniques for numerical modeling and analysis of structures in place are meshed methods which do not accurately capture the actual behavior of structural elements especially under high dynamic actions due to the assumption that mesh geometry is unchanged geometry tend to change with respect to time step of such …

Use Of Activated Palm Kernel Shells On Adsorption Of Heavy Metals (Cu2+ And Pb2+) From Contaminated Wastewater, Edwin N. Richard

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

This research aimed to evaluate the adsorption capacity of low-cost agricultural waste adsorbent-activated palm kernel shells (APKS) for the removal of Pb2+ and Cu2+ ions from synthetic wastewater that had the concentration of copper and lead ions comparable to that of waste produced in Tanzanian research and teaching laboratories. This study was carried out in batch and continuous column adsorption reactors. The study examined the influence of particle size (0.71 mm–2.36 mm), pH (4.5–8.6), adsorbent dose (5–20 mg/L) and initial concentration Ci (1.93– 4 mg/l) on APKS adsorption removal efficiency. The batch results indicated that under alkali conditions (pH 8.4 …

Mitigating The Impacts Of Future Climate Change On Urban Infrastructure In Alabama Through Updating Precipitation Intensity-Duration-Frequency (Idf) Curves, Kofi Ntow Opare

All ETDs from UAB

Climate change is set to profoundly impact urban infrastructure, causing increased flooding and storm damage, necessitating the reevaluation and adaptation of design methodologies to account for increasing precipitation extremes. This dissertation aims to enhance the resilience of urban infrastructure in Alabama by updating Precipitation Intensity-Duration-Frequency (IDF) curves, which are crucial for designing stormwater management systems, drainage networks, and flood control structures. Traditional IDF curves, derived from historical rainfall data, operate under the assumption of stationarity, an assumption increasingly invalidated by climate change. This research employs the Generalized Extreme Value (GEV) distribution and compares the efficacy of L-moments and Generalized Maximum …

Pfas In Landfill Leachate: Practical Considerations For Treatment And Characterization, Fabrizio Sabba, Christian Kassar, Teng Zeng, Synthia P. Mallick, Leon Downing, Patrick J. Mcnamara

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely used in consumer products and are particularly high in landfill leachate. The practice of sending leachate to wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is an issue for utilities that have biosolids land application limits based on PFAS concentrations. Moreover, landfills may face their own effluent limit guidelines for PFAS. The purpose of this review is to understand the most appropriate treatment technology combinations for mitigating PFAS in landfill leachate. The first objective is to understand the unique chemical characteristics of landfill leachate. The second objective is to establish the role and importance of known and …

Integrating Off-Spec Scms Into Plc Blends, George A. Qubty

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

Off-spec supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) remain underutilized due to variability in reactivity and non-conformance with existing standards. This study evaluates the hydration behavior and fresh-state and mechanical performance of these materials in Portland limestone cement (PLC) systems. One Class F fly ash (FA), one bottom ash (BA), and two calcined clays (HACC and LACC) were evaluated as 20 % replacements to PLC. Hydration behavior was characterized using isothermal calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), while fresh-state and mechanical performance were assessed through flow table, Vicat setting time, load–crack mouth opening displacement (CMOD) flexural testing, and compressive strength testing. HACC increased compressive …

Analysis And Field Demonstration Of A Mobile Dewatering Cell For Acid Mine Drainage And Rare Earth Element Hydraulic Preconcentrate, Hunter David Vance

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A field scale mobile dewatering cell was constructed and demonstrated to investigate the filtration efficiency and dewatering characteristics of the cell. The cell was tested using hydraulic preconcentrate (HPC) from an active AMD treatment plant located in the Morgantown, WV area. HPC is a sludge-like material that comes from a two-stage treatment process of acid mine drainage, and it contains various rare earth elements. The cell was filled with HPC over time and the influent HPC and effluent water exiting the cell were tested each time the cell was filled. Taking these samples and other measurements, the filtration efficiency and …

The Development Of Sustainable Synthetic Fiber Reinforced Concrete Mix Design With Low Maintenance Cost, Kentesha L. High

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

This dissertation presents the mix design of polypropylene SYN-FRC as an alternative to traditional concrete mixtures in construction roadways. The primary scope of work was to develop and implement a pavement system at The University of Texas at Arlington, specifically designed for the Dallas area, to minimize long-term maintenance. Additionally, the project aimed for expeditious construction to avoid traffic closure during new construction and maintenance. It also involved evaluating the pavement performance, providing the City of Dallas with specifications for the mix design of SYN-FRC. The sustainability of the synthetic fiber mix design for concrete roadways, compared to traditional concrete, …

Assessment Of Long Term Durability Of Prefabricated Frp Strip Systems For The Rehabilitation Of Concrete, Karunya Kanagavel

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites provide an extremely effective means of rehabilitating deteriorating and understrength concrete elements due to their characteristics of high specific strength and stiffness, corrosion resistance, and potential long-term durability, lightweight nature, and ease of placement in the field. Despite significant use of these materials, there is still a lack of long-term durability data. With this in mind, the current study investigates the impact of environmental exposure and aging on 3 commercially available prefabricated carbon fiber reinforced composite strips and their recommended adhesives used in externally bonded rehabilitation with the aim of providing a comprehensive set of …

Using Electro-Peroxone Process To Remediate Soil Contaminated With Phenol, Elaheh Faghih Nasiri, Farhad Qaderi, S. Mustapha Rahmaninezhad

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Industrial processes are among human activities that cause production of a large volume of wastewater containing organic pollutants such as phenol and its derivatives. Soil remediation is crucial for enhancing environmental quality for both humans and other living organisms. This study investigate the use of an electro-peroxone system to remove environmental pollutants from soil. In conjunction with ozonation, the study employed electrochemically generated hydrogen peroxide using a carbon electrode, addressing concerns about transportation and storage. Experiments were structured using response surface methodology (RSM) with three variables: ozone dosages ranging from 4 to 8 l/h, initial pollutant concentrations from 20 to …

A Framework For Ai Implementation In Construction: Use Cases, Challenges, And Benefits For Contractors, Jaqueline De Aquino Leite Gomes

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

The construction industry is one of the most important sectors that contribute to the economy worldwide, but it has been very slow in adopting digital transformation. Artificial Intelligence is the backbone of digital innovation, and it can help solve inefficiencies, improve safety, and enhance decision-making in construction. This thesis reviews 85 academic papers, identifies 354 AI use-cases, 180 benefits, and 173 challenges. Key findings have looked at the role of AI in safety monitoring, design optimization, and operational efficiency, while barriers involve data scarcity, high costs, and readiness of the workforce.

All of these challenges have one very handy framework …

Seasonal Variation Of The Stream’S Autogenic Sediment Transport Regime, Melissa Beckman

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

This thesis investigates the autogenic sediment transport regime in a low-gradient stream system in the inner bluegrass region of central Kentucky, USA The seasonality of sediment transport seasonality was not well addressed in prior research for baseflow and low flow periods, to our knowledge, due to the assumption that low flows do not account for considerable fluid transport capacity to move sediment. The hypothesis is that during the autogenic regime the sediment transport in the low-gradient system is being driven by geophysical, biogeochemical, and biological processes. We hypothesize that crayfish are one mechanical driver of sediment transport during these periods. …

A Multi-Method Geophysical Approach For Complex Shallow Landslide Characterization, Mohammadyar Rahimi, Clinton Wood, Meersad Fathizadeh, Salman Rahimi

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

This case study demonstrates the value of combining multiple non-invasive geophysical methods to characterize a landslide along Highway 7 near Jasper, Arkansas, USA. Geophysical testing was conducted using Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW), Horizontal to Vertical Spectral Ratio (HVSR), and Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT), supplemented by select soil borings. The geophysical investigation aimed to provide a high-resolution, near-continuous view of subsurface conditions, including bedrock depth and the location of the groundwater table or highly saturated zones within the slide area. These factors are important contributors to slope instability. The MASW results revealed a highly variable depth to weathered bedrock …

Separating The Impacts Of A Corrosion Inhibitor From Copper Corrosion Products On Antibiotic Resistance In Drinking Water, Veronika Folvarska, Maya Adelgren, Emily Lou Lamartina, Ryan J. Newton, Yin Wang, Patrick J. Mcnamara

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Antibiotic resistance is a growing threat to public health, and environmental factors, including metals in drinking water distribution systems, are increasingly recognized as contributors to the spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Zinc orthophosphate, a common corrosion inhibitor, and copper corrosion products (CuO and Cu₂O) are frequently present in drinking water systems. While each has been shown to increase ARB and ARGs individually, their combined effects remain unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate the combined impact of copper corrosion products and the corrosion inhibitor zinc orthophosphate on antibiotic resistance. Two …

Experimental Evaluation Of Corrosion Of Strands And Wires To Estimate Corrosion Rate In Grout And Concrete, Dipendra Shrestha

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Premature failure of prestressed and post-tensioned concrete structures is frequently caused by undetected corrosion of prestressing steel. Although extensive research has addressed corrosion rates in conventionally reinforced concrete, the interpretation of non-destructive parameters, such as half-cell potential (HCP) and concrete/grout resistivity, for estimating corrosion rates in prestressing steel are not adequately investigated.

This research experimentally evaluates chloride-induced corrosion of prestressing steels to establish material-specific relationships between in-situ measurable parameters and corrosion rate. Thirty-six macrocell specimens incorporating plain wires, indented wires, and seven-wire strands in structural concrete and commercial post-tensioning grout- half with pre-formed surface cracks, were subjected to accelerated cyclic …

Coastal Flooding Along The Lower Brazos During The Landfall Of Hurricane Beryl -A Model-Based Investigation, Sabiha Tasnuva Khan

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

Hurricane Beryl generated a complex hydrodynamic response along the Texas coast and Lower Brazos River, producing storm surge, elevated coastal water levels, intense rainfall, and widespread inundation. Low-gradient coastal rivers such as the lower portion of the Brazos River are particularly sensitive to the interaction of these drivers, yet the inland decay of surge energy and its interplay with watershed runoff remain poorly quantified. This study aims to characterize the physical mechanisms controlling water-level amplification, flow reversal, surge attenuation, and inundation development during Hurricane Beryl along the Lower Brazos and to determine the relative contributions of surge and rainfall to …

Stable Oxygen And Hydrogen Isotopic Ratios Of Precipitation And Modelling Of Precipitation Sources In Central Kentucky, Usa, 2017-2022, Ariel Gold-Mccoy

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

Our goals were to carry out analyses of a multi-year δ¹⁸O and δ²H dataset of precipitation from central Kentucky and to analyze the source of precipitation for storm events from 2017 to 2022. δ¹⁸O and δ²H were measured for 244 weekly precipitation samples collected by the National Atmospheric Deposition Program at Mackville, Kentucky, USA. Modelling precipitation source was carried out using HYSPLIT model for 414 events. Results of δ¹⁸O and δ²H from central Kentucky show: consistent seasonality, including summer highs and winter lows for δ¹⁸O and δ²H; correlation with air temperature; and …

An Investigation Of The Legitimacy Of The Underlying Assumptions Of The Scs Curve Number Method By Application To Actual Urban Watersheds, Robert K. Peterson

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

The Soil Conservation Service (SCS) Curve Number (CN) method is widely used to estimate direct runoff, and its TR-55 urban-adapted Curve Numbers are commonly applied in stormwater design. However, the underlying assumptions of the method have been the subject of contemporary review, and concerns remain that these values underestimate runoff in actual urban watersheds. This study evaluates the performance of TR-55 CNs using rainfall–runoff data from twenty real-world urban watersheds in the National Stormwater Quality Database.

Empirical Curve Numbers were derived using two calibration techniques, the asymptotic CN method (CN∞) and a nonlinear least-squares optimization method (CN_LS), and …

Earthquake Wrangler: Leveraging Ios Technology For Earthquake Detection And Early Warning Application To Enhance Public Safety., Luis F. Salome

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

Earthquakes are devastating natural phenomena and generate secondary hazards such as tsunamis, landslides and fires. Their catastrophic impacts span both developed nations including the United States, Japan, Turkey, and Italy and developing countries such as El Salvador, Haiti, Nepal and the Philippines, where disparities in early warning infrastructure remain important. Seismic events start with stress waves generated by tectonic plate motion, with body waves (P- waves and S-waves) and surface Rayleigh and love waves that carry energy through the earth. While some regions have adopted advanced early warning systems based on seismic hazard models and strong ground motion analysis, others …

Harmful Algal Bloom Prediction Modeling In The Face Of A Changing Climate, Jordan E. Spears

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) in rivers pose significant threats to drinking water quality and public health, yet the predictive understanding of their proliferation remains limited, particularly regarding the influence of flow conditions in large rivers. This thesis addresses the critical knowledge gap of the relationship between seasonal flow variability and HAB proliferation in the Ohio River, with the Markland Pool serving as the primary study site. This study quantified the impact of early summer high flow events (>7500 m³ s^-1) and late summer to early fall low flow conditions (< 1500 m³ s^-1) by integrating …

Development Of Generalizable Data-Driven Traffic State Prediction Solutions: A Comprehensive Approach, Md Mobasshir Rashid

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Increased urbanization and population growth lead to more traffic in the transportation system, causing severe congestion. Particularly during disruptive events such as hurricanes or traffic incidents, the traffic flow in the network worsens significantly. As a result, there is a need for data-driven traffic prediction models to reduce congestion in real-time, and the prediction model should be generalizable to be applicable across different dynamic scenarios. Additionally, a robust and adaptable traffic prediction model can help traffic managers to take proactive actions to optimize traffic flow. However, the majority of data-driven traffic prediction models suffer from limited applicability as they are …

Citizen-Centric Building Energy Retrofits: Understanding And Supporting Citizens As Occupants, Participants, Decision-Makers, And Learners In Home Energy Retrofits, Nikhil Singh Yaduvanshi

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Residential building retrofits remain significantly under-adopted despite substantial technological advances, economic incentives, and policy efforts, creating a critical gap between technical potential and actual implementation in achieving climate goals. Assessment of citizen involvement in building retrofit processes plays a critical role in formulating effective home retrofit program designs to ensure maximum adoption rates and avoid energy waste. Although, existing retrofit programs and decision-making models recognize the importance of citizen involvement, the extent of citizen capabilities and the effects of citizen-centered approaches on retrofit adoption and building performance has not been comprehensively examined. The adoption and success of retrofit programs depends …

Assessment Of The Feasibility Of Utilizing Plastic Waste In Infrastructure To Promote Circular Economy In Bangladesh, Md Lutfor Rahman

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

This study presents a comprehensive assessment of municipal solid waste (MSW) and plastic waste characterization across Bangladesh, with a focus on circular economy opportunities and the long-term economic viability of plastic road. Using on-site waste characterization data for 13 major cities from four geographic zones of Bangladesh —Northwest, Northeast, Southwest, and Southeast—the research identifies food waste as the dominant component of the national waste stream (67.3%), followed by plastic (12.4%), textiles (7.8%), and paper (4.7%). Among plastics, low-density polyethylene (LDPE) overwhelmingly dominates (89.7%), highlighting the continued prevalence of single-use flexible plastics.

A life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) was conducted comparing …

Implementation And Performance Evaluation Of Plastic Road Mix Design In Parking Lot, Ishraq Faruk

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

The uncontrolled proliferation of plastic waste has emerged as a global environmental crisis, with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) constituting a substantial fraction of the waste stream due to its extensive use in packaging and its resistance to degradation. In parallel, asphalt pavements particularly in urban infrastructure such as parking lots experience accelerated deterioration from raveling, rutting, and cracking as a result of thermal cycling, repetitive loading, and inadequate drainage. These converging challenges present an opportunity for innovative, circular-economy-based sustainable pavement technologies that simultaneously improve surface durability and mitigate plastic waste accumulation.

This research investigates the full-scale implementation and monitoring of HDPE …

Leveraging Product And Process Characteristics Across The Concrete Pavement Life Cycle To Integrate Global Warming Potential Into Project Procurement Processes, Michelle Annette Cooper

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The objective of this research is to support sustainable procurement of concrete pavements by linking materials-level global warming potential (GWP) to the project-level. Infrastructure owners require reliable environmental product declarations (EPDs) and methodologies for integrating GWP into the procurement process to ensure equitable decision-making. This work provides insights into current EPD reliability by assessing the sensitivity of concrete GWP to materials-level contributors to recommend a level of supply chain specificity needed to effectively communicate GWP. A benchmarking methodology was developed and implemented to establish reference values for procuring sustainable products. Having provided evidence towards EPD reliability, this work presents a …

Life Cycle Assessment And Life Cycle Cost Assessment Of A Floating Treatment Wetland In A Wastewater Lagoon Located In Copper Harbor, Michigan, Erin Browne

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

A full-scale floating treatment wetland was implemented in a wastewater treatment lagoon in Copper Harbor, Michigan. Copper Harbor is a small, rural community located in a cold climate. Many studies have focused on the performance of floating treatment wetlands in mesocosm studies in warmer climates, but there is not a lot of research conducted on the feasibility and performance of full-scale floating treatment wetlands in wastewater lagoons, specifically in cold climates. The 2024 treatment season was the first season with the floating treatment wetland implemented in the wastewater lagoon. A preliminary assessment of the cost and environmental impacts of a …

Enhancing Operational Efficiency Of Paratransit Services Using Predictive Models, Troyee Saha

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Paratransit services play a vital role in supporting the mobility of older adults and individuals with disabilities, yet they experienced major disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to face ongoing operational issues such as trip cancellations. This dissertation explores these challenges through three distinct analyses using data from Arlington, TX. The first chapter investigates how COVID-19-related factors (policies, cases, and vaccination) and socio-demographics influenced paratransit usage from 2019 to 2021. Applying SARIMAX and Poisson regression models, the study finds a substantial drop in ridership—41% in 2020—and a shift toward essential medical travel. It also reveals that restrictive policies, such …

Development Of Supervised Machine Learning-Based Life-Cycle Cost Estimation And Prediction Models For Comparative Sewer System Rehabilitation Using Open-Cut And Trenchless Cured-In-Place Pipe Methods, Gayatri R. Thakre

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Aging wastewater infrastructure in the United States demands renewal strategies that balance cost-effectiveness, sustainability, and minimal social disruption. Conventional open-cut pipeline installation (OCPI) involves extensive excavation and restoration, whereas trenchless alternatives such as Cured-in-Place Pipe (CIPP) Renewal Technology offer reduced surface disturbance and environmental impacts. However, existing studies primarily focus on Construction Costs (CC), neglecting integrated life-cycle evaluations that also account for Environmental Costs (EC) and Social Costs (SC).

The primary objectives of this research are to develop supervised machine-learning (ML) models to estimate and predict CC in 2025 US dollars (USD) per linear foot of OCPI and CIPP Renewal …

Development Of A Drone-Assisted Pavement Management Framework Based On The Pavement Condition Index For University Parking Lots, Omesh Pasuluru

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

Efficient pavement management is essential for keeping university parking lots in good condition. At the University of Texas at Arlington, parking areas experience heavy use and environmental wear, which can cause damage if not addressed early. Traditional methods for assessing pavement conditions are time-consuming, interrupt daily activities, and are expensive. Hence, there is a need for better solutions. This study introduces a drone-based pavement management approach that uses the Pavement Condition Index (PCI) system. The PCI is a numerical scale from 0 to 100 that rates pavement quality based on surface condition. A high PCI score (85-100) indicates the pavement …