Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Weighting The Perceived Importance Of Minimising Economic, Social And Environmental/Cultural Risks In Flood Risk Management, Zeinab Bedri, John O'Sullivan, Mark Adamson

Conference papers

In 2006, the Office of Public Works (OPW) began the National Catchment-based Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme through a series of pilot studies. A Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) Framework was developed through the CFRAM pilot studies that integrated a range of objectives related to human health and society, the environment and cultural heritage and the economy into the core process of selecting suitable flood risk management measures for a given area or location, and then for prioritising national investments for different schemes and projects. In support of this MCA framework, UCD, was commissioned to undertake a collaborative study with …

Establishing The Key Pillars Of Innovation Required To Execute A Successful Bim Strategy Within A Construction Sme In Ireland, Barry Mcauley, Patrick Carroll

Conference papers

The recent resurgence of the Irish Construction Industry comes at a time of global transition towards an information revolution, with technology now playing a vital role within our post-recessionary society. BIM is now seen as a core technology at the forefront of this transformational change which can present Construction SMEs with opportunities to new financial ventures. If any SME organisation is to be successful with BIM adoption then innovation must be the starting point. The aim of this paper is to establish the enabling factors required for innovating a BIM strategy within a SME Construction Organisation. The methodology involved a …

Spatial And Temporal Variation In Precipitation In Togo, Koffi Djaman, Vivek Sharma, Daran Rudnick, Komlan Koudahe, Suat Irkmak, Kokou Adambounou Amouzou, Jean Mianikpo Sogbedji

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Precipitation is one of the important variables in hydrological cycle and has important application in both irrigated and rainfed agricultural crop production. Better understanding of spatio-temporal variability of precipitation across Togo is important and useful for water users and most agricultural activities. Thus, the objective this study was to analyze the spatial and temporal variation in monthly and annual precipitation across Togo for the period of 1961-2001. Monthly precipitation data was provided by the national direction of meteorology. The performed analysis revealed a decline in annual total precipitation across almost all agro-ecological zones in Togo with the Maritime Region revealed …

Unmanned Aerial Systems For Monitoring Trace Tropospheric Gases, Travis J. Schuyler, Marcelo I. Guzman

Chemistry Faculty Publications

The emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) has changed the composition of the atmosphere during the Anthropocene. Accurately documenting the sources and magnitude of GHGs emission is an important undertaking for discriminating the contributions of different processes to radiative forcing. Currently there is no mobile platform that is able to quantify trace gases at altitudes(UASs) can be deployed on-site in minutes and can support the payloads necessary to quantify trace gases. Therefore, current efforts combine the use of UASs available on the civilian market with inexpensively designed analytical systems for monitoring atmospheric trace gases. In this context, this perspective introduces the …

Best Management Practices: A Community-Based Approach To Construction And Installation, Nathanael J. La Breche

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

The Wabash River Enhancement Corporation (WREC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving both the health of the Wabash River and the surrounding terrestrial areas. In an effort to improve water quality, their urban cost-share program focuses on supporting green projects within a critical region surrounding the Great Bend of the Wabash River. In this essay, a Purdue student describes his experience as leader of a six-member group who worked with WREC to locate a suitable site within this critical area and implement a green project. They selected the Lighthouse Baptist Church, located in Lafayette, Indiana, since it was experiencing …

Optimizing Stabilized Fluorogypsum To Decrease Dissolution Potential In Aquatic Environments For Construction Of Artificial Reefs, Charles Davis Lofton

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The use of limestone as coastal protection devices and as an oyster cultch material has placed a substantial economic burden on the State of Louisiana. Limestone is not locally available in the State of Louisiana and must be transported from out of state which significantly increases the cost of utilizing the material. Placement of limestone on the unconsolidated soils in coastal Louisiana result in significant losses to sinking of the material due to the density of limestone. Therefore, locally available materials with a lower density compared to limestone are needed to reduce the economic burden of protecting and enhancing coastlines. …

Datumate, Purdue Ect Team

ECT Fact Sheets Archive

Datumate is digitally transforming civil engineering processes used in construction, surveying and infrastructure inspection markets with fully automated, highly precise, cost effective and safe tools. It utilizes state-of-the-art image processing and advanced drones and camera technologies dramatically reducing the amount of time surveying crews spend in the field, speeding up construction progress checks and shortening infrastructure inspection duration, while maintaining survey grade accuracy. The intuitive, simple and automated solutions increase productivity by saving field and office time in civil engineering and inspection projects of roads, intersections, stockpile volumes, topography, piping, industrial facilities, bridges, property surveys, building facades, railways, cellular infrastructure …

Understanding Sanitation Preferences: An Exploratory Study In The Sirohi District Of Rajasthan, Karen Mac

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Of all the countries in the world, India has the highest number of people practicing open defecation, causing adverse health outcomes from the unconfined spread of faecal matter. The Government of India is ambitiously aiming to end this practice through the construction of 12 million toilets by 2019, but historically, many toilets across India have gone unused. This study focused on understanding: (1) the reasons why people continue to openly defecate despite having toilets and (2) the requirements of a toilet that rural households would be willing to use. Along with 36 observations of household toilets, semi-structured group (n=8) and …

Effects Of Vacuuming Pervious Concrete On Infiltration Rate, Demetrios E. Maurakis, Eugene G. Maurakis

Virginia Journal of Science

The objectives of this research were twofold: test the infiltration rate of pervious concrete before and after vacuum cleaning and assess infiltration variability over time. Infiltration tests were performed on a 558.2 m2 area of pervious concrete, divided into sixteen 0.35 m2 test areas in a parking area at the Science Museum of Virginia in Richmond, Virginia on five dates from November 4-December 30, 2013. Average infiltration rates (avg.= 22.8 and 36.3 L/m²/min) immediately after vacuuming were lower than those (avg.=30.7 and 41.3 L/m²/min) before vacuuming. We hypothesize that the vacuuming lifted materials towards the surface …

Elution Tailing Of Nonaqueous Phase Liquids In Porous Media, Louisa Orr

Civil and Environmental Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

A variety of porous media were studied to characterize contaminant dispersion over time. This work looked at a compilation of previously published studies to investigate the dependence of long term elution tailing trends on particular soil characteristics. Recession curve analysis was conducted on existing dispersed contaminant literature, to yield the low-concentration recession constant (K). The R² values correlating the soil properties to contaminant concentration ranged from 0.12494 to 0.95429. The low-concentration recession constant (K) values ranged from 0.9745407 0.9999988. The relationship between K and the soil properties porosity, organic carbon, and fines fraction is increasing. Bulk density and the …

Holistic Approach In Microalgae Conversion To Bioproducts And Biofuels Through Flash Hydrolysis, Ali Teymouri

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

In recent years, the demand for renewable energy, mainly biomass has increased. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that more than 13.3% of the total energy production in the first seven months of 2017 was produced from a biomass source. Among all biomass resources, microalgae has brought a lot of attention due to their numerous advantages such as higher growth rate and productivity compared with the conventional energy crops, higher energy conversion efficiency by photosynthesis, and less water requirement than terrestrial crops. However, its development is far behind industrial production. Several research efforts across the globe have been concerned with …

Quantifying Pollutant Removal Rates Of Bioretention Basins As A Stormwater Best Management Practice, Evan Nathanial Waagen

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Water pollution is an ongoing problem that can be attributed to human activities. As world population increases and countries become more developed, this problem intensifies. Fortunately, the causes and solutions of water pollution are documented and have been implemented with various levels of success. These solutions, or Best Management Practices (BMPs), vary in type and function and remove pollutants from runoff prior to it reaching rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water. This study investigates bioretention basins, a specific group of BMPs, and presents analysis and prediction of their performance, of which our knowledge is incomplete in the existing literature. …

The Shifting Discourse On Third Places: Ideological Implications, Mark N. Wexler, Judy Oberlander

Journal of Ideology

Within the social sciences, literature on third places attempts to assist in the construction of a social concept of “place”. This notion of a place is an idealization of the bridging space with home and family on one side, and work with the rule-based impersonality of life in mass society, on the other. Like the idea of work-life balance—as seen through the vocabulary of placemaking—third places provide people with a place in which there is a balance between the emotive attachments of home and family and the challenge striving for merit and reward in the marketplace. To date, third places …

Drones For Commercial Last-Mile Deliveries: A Discussion Of Logistical, Environmental, And Economic Trade-Offs, Miguel Figliozzi

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

There are no studies that model the potential effectiveness of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or drones to reduce CO₂e lifecycle (including both utilization and vehicle phase) emissions when compared to conventional diesel vans, electric trucks, electric vans, and tricycles. This study presents a novel analysis of lifecycle UAV and ground commercial vehicles CO₂e emissions.

Dynamics Of Chemical Degradation In Water Using Photocatalytic Reactions In An Ultraviolet Light Emitting Diode Reactor, John E. Stubbs

Theses and Dissertations

This work examined ultraviolet (UV) light emitting diodes (LED) and hydrogen peroxide in an advanced oxidation process in support of a USAF installation net zero water initiative. A UV LED reactor was used for degradation of soluble organic chemicals. There were linear relationships between input drive current, optical output power, and first order degradation rate constants. When drive current was varied, first order degradation rates depended on chemical identities and the drive current. When molar peroxide ratios were varied, kinetic profiles revealed peroxide-limited or radical-scavenged phenomena. Molar absorptivity helped explain the complexity of chemical removal profiles. Degradation kinetics were used …

Characterization Of Jet Fuel Combustion Emissions During A C-130 Aeromedical Evacuation Engines Running Onload, Michelle L. Page

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to characterize jet fuel combustion emissions (JFCE) in an occupational setting. Prior research demonstrated that aircraft emit hazardous species, especially at engine start-up and ground idle. Complaints of eye, nose, and throat irritation from occupational exposures near aircraft exist. In this study JFCE were tested during an aeromedical evacuation engines running patient onload (ERO) on a C-130 Hercules at the 179^th Airlift Wing, Mansfield-Lahm Air National Guard. Ultrafine particles, VOC, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide (CO), sulfuric acid, and metals were sampled simultaneously in approximate crew and patient breathing zones. Testing methods were portable condensation …

2017 Fall Engr333 Project Assignment, Matthew K. Heun

ENGR 333

The Fall 2017 ENGR333 project focused on campus energy cost savings.

I asked the students two questions:

• Section A: What would it take for Calvin to save $75k/year on natural gas costs?
• Section B: What would it take for Calvin to save $150k/year on energy costs (mostly electricity) using a new on-site co-gen plant?

Customer

The customer for this project was Phil Beezhold, Director of Calvin’s Physical Plant.

The Effects Of Chemical Coagulants On The Decolorization Of Dyes By Electrocoagulation Using Response Surface Methodology (Rsm), Erick B. Butler, Yung-Tse Hung, Oliver Mulamba

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

This study assessed the efficiency of electrocoagulation (ECF) coupled with an addition of chemical coagulant to decolorize textile dye. Tests were conducted using Box Behnken methodology to vary six parameters: dye type, weight, coagulant type, dose, initial pH and current density. The combination of electrocoagulation and chemical coagulation was able to decolorize dye up to 99.42 % in 30 min of treatment time which is remarkably shorter in comparison with using conventional chemical coagulation. High color removal was found to be contingent upon the dye type and current density, along with the interactions between the current density and the coagulant …

Estimating Vehicles Emissions At Signalized Intersections In The Highway Capacity Manual, Yuanyuan Fan

Dissertations

Over the past decades, motor vehicle volumes have continued to increase at a high rate. As a result, engineers in the transportation field not only need more robust knowledge of traffic operation control and transportation planning, but more attention is also needed to understand and estimate the influences that this increasing volume of vehicles has on the environment, especially the influence on air quality. The EPA has stated that reducing carbon monoxide (CO) from vehicle emissions is the most significant way to control air pollution from the transportation sector.

The Highway Capacity Manual is a national and international resource that …

The Subject Librarian Newsletter, Engineering And Computer Science, Fall 2017, Buenaventura "Ven" Basco

Libraries' Newsletters

No abstract provided.

Enhancing The Performance Of Anaerobic Bioreactors For The Biological Degradation Of Volatiles Organic Compounds In Groundwater Using Alternate Electron Acceptors, Leslie Michele Pipkin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Engineered anaerobic bioreactors (ABR) constructed from mixed media and sand can biodegrade high concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Sustainable treatment of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX), chlorinated ethenes and ethanes were used to investigate the use of engineered ABRs, while also analyzing the system performance of a full-scale ABR system. Experimentations conducted on environmental and biological factors that affect ABR system performance was conducted through serum bottles, columns, and reactor studies.

Column and reactor ABR systems were designed to treat VOCs via biodegradation in groundwater with varying terminal electron acceptors (TEAs). Laboratory-scale column ABRs were constructed to treat …

Diagenesis And Formation Stress In Fracture Conductivity Of Shaly Rocks; Experimental-Modelling Approach In Co2-Rock Interactions, Abiola Olukola Olabode

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In large scale subsurface injection of carbon dioxide (CO₂) as obtainable in carbon sequestration programs and in environmentally friendly hydraulic fracturing processes (using supercritical CO₂), long term rock-fluid interaction can affect reservoir and seal rocks properties which are essential in monitoring the progress of these operations. The mineralogical components of sedimentary rocks are geochemically active particularly under enormous earth stresses, which generate high pressure and temperature conditions in the subsurface. While geomechanical properties such as rock stiffness, Poisson’s ratio and fracture geometry largely govern fluid flow characteristics in deep fractured formations, the effect of mineralization can …

Study On Ship Emissions And Countermeasures In Shanghai Port, Yunfeng Zhang

Maritime Safety & Environment Management Dissertations (Dalian)

No abstract provided.

Rice Hull Bioreactor For Recirculating Aquaculture, Marlon A. Greensword

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The engineering of floating media biofilters has been optimized over the years. The backwashing process has made them more energy and water efficient. Likewise, moving bed bioreactors (MBBR) are gaining interest and popularity because they are relatively affordable to build. Yet, developing countries’ aquaculture production remains largely excluded from the advances made in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). This discrepancy is partially driven by the high costs of media such plastic beads and Kaldnes (KMT) media, commonly used in MBBR.

This dissertation evaluates the usability and profitability of rice hulls (RH), an abundant by-product in many developing nations, as a sinking …

Pepso: Reducing Electricity Usage And Associated Pollution Emissions Of Water Pumps, Seyed Mohsen Sadatiyan Abkenar, Carol J. Miller

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research Publications

Using metaheuristic optimization methods has enabled researchers to reduce the electricity consumption cost of small water distribution systems (WDSs). However, dealing with complicated WDSs and reducing their environmental footprint remains a challenge. In this study a multi-objective version of Pollution Emission Pump Station Optimization tool (PEPSO) is introduced that can reduce the electricity cost and pollution emissions (associated with the energy consumption) of pumps of WDSs. PEPSO includes a user-friendly graphical interface and a customized version of the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm. A measure that is called “Undesirability Index” (UI) is defined to assist the search for a promising optimization …

A Decision Making Tool For Incorporating Sustainability Measures In Rigid Pavement Design, Neveen Samy Talaat Soliman

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

One of the most important tools in assessing rigid pavement design sustainability (or environmental impact) is a lifecycle assessment (LCA), which may be applied in any stage of a product’s lifecycle from cradle to grave, such as pavements. Although LCA was the focus of much research and codification by organizations such as the International Organization for Standards and the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, limitations exist, such as a) LCA is time consuming; and b) the used data may become outdated, inaccurate, biased, incomplete, and/or expensive to use. These limitations are not a deficiency in LCA as a tool, …

Aluminosilicate Dissolution And Silicate Carbonation During Geologic Co2 Sequestration, Yujia Min

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Geologic CO2 sequestration (GCS) is considered a promising method to reduce anthropogenic CO2 emission. Assessing the supercritical CO2 (scCO2)¬–gas or liquid phase water (g, l)–mineral interactions is critical to evaluating the viability of GCS processes. This work contributes to our understanding of geochemical reactions at CO2¬–water (g, l)–mineral interfaces, by investigating the dissolution of aluminosilicates in CO2-acidified water (l). Plagioclase and biotite were chosen as model minerals in reservoir rock and caprock, respectively. To elucidate the effects of brine chemistry, first, the influences of cations in brine including Na, Ca, and K, have been investigated. In addition to the cations, …

Sorption Of Metals Onto Natural Sediments And Engineered Iron Oxide Nanoparticles, Zezhen Pan

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Metal contamination of subsurface environments and engineered water systems can be derived from natural processes and anthropogenic activities associated with industrial processes, past weapons production, and mining works. The toxic and carcinogenic effects of uranium and chromium pose a significant risk to the environment and human health. For uranium contamination in subsurface environments, phosphate addition has been performed for in-situ immobilization, which can avoid the costs associated with pump-and-treat or excavation-based remediation strategies. The interactions of uranium and phosphate in Hanford sediments had been insufficiently explored in terms of its site-specific groundwater chemistry and aquifer sediment properties. For water treatment …

Biofuels From Crop Residue: Soil Organic Carbon And Climate Impacts In The Us And India, Adam Liska

Adam Liska Papers

The transformation of crop residue to soil organic carbon and CO₂ is a conserved process that occurs globally. Due to the mathematics of carbon intensity calculations found in government regulations, the amount of CO₂ emitted from crop residue per unit of energy in biofuel is largely independent of the amount of residue removed and the location of its removal, as shown by results from the US and India.

Soil organic carbon (SOC) levels are at equilibria determined by carbon inputs from plant material (+I_c) and loss from oxidation to CO₂

Are the US results relevant …

Assessment Of The Ecosystem Services Of Rain Gardens, Hannah M. Hawrot, Dr. Sara Mcmillan, Rachel Scarlett

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces contributes to degradation of urban stream ecosystems. Impacts include increased flooding, water quality impairment, and disruption of habitats. Rain gardens are a type of green infrastructure designed to mitigate the adverse effects of stormwater runoff by promoting evapotranspiration, reducing peak flows, and retaining pollutants. Rain gardens can provide additional ecosystem services, defined as benefits that ecosystems provide to people. This includes, but is not limited to, increasing biodiversity by providing habitat, creating green spaces for recreation, and storing carbon. To date, little research has been done integrating these multiple services. My research measured water quality, …