Geological Engineering Commons^™

John Frank Stevens: Panama Canal Mastermind And Pioneering Railroad Pathfinder, J. David Rogers, Lawrence M. Magura

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

John Frank Stevens began his civil engineering career as a rodman on a survey crew in Maine in 1872. He soon moved to Minneapolis, where he apprenticed himself, eventually becoming Assistant City Engineer. In 1876 he began working for railroads in the western United States. In 1882 Stevens began working for a contractor laying tracks for the Canadian Pacific Railroad in Saskatchewan. The next spring he became assistant engineer of location for the Canadian Pacific, completing the first transcontinental line linking Montreal with Vancouver in 1888. In 1889 James Jerome Hill retained Stevens as chief pathfinder for the new Great …

Effects Of Monovalent Ions On Low Salinity Waterflooding In Shaly-Sandstone Reservoir, Ativish Yomchan

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Multi-component Ion Exchange (MIE) was proved to be a major mechanism occurred during Low Salinity Waterflooding (LSWF). Reduction of both total salinity and concentration of divalent ions of injected water together with a presence of monovalent ion results in dissolution of divalent ions linking between rock surface and oil. As a consequence, oil is liberated from rock surface. This study aims to study effects of monovalent ions in MIE mechanism. Stirring test is performed and results show that ion with less hydration radius tends to be more active in MIE; hence, potassium ion and cesium ion illustrate potential in oil …

Evaluation Of Wax Deposition Prevention For Crude Oil Production From Mae Soon Oil Field, Htet Myat Min

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Waxy crude oils are normally found in petroleum reservoirs. Crude oil with the wax formation is one of the crucial problems for flow assurance of pipeline transportation in oil and gas production. This issue can commonly cause wax deposition problem and it has made a huge amount of economic losses such as production, time and maintenance cost. Therefore, it is a critical aspect to deal with wax deposition for crude oil flow assurance, especially at the surface region in cold climate. In this study, n-heptane and poly (maleic anhydride-alt-1-octadecane) or MA as the inhibitors with different concentrations will be measured …

Pre-Feasibility Study Of Silica Sand Processing Plant In Sihanoukville Province, Cambodia, Sochea Ros

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Nowadays, bottom ash and flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum are by-products of the coal combustion process from coal-fired power plant. Bottom ash has been applied in many applications such as landfill, cement industry etc., and FGD gypsum is applied in cement and wallboard industry. Also, they can be used in agricultural activities for soil amendment but the amount of bottom ash and FGD used in this function is still low. Furthermore, biochar has long been used to improve soil fertility. The positive impacts of biochar amendment on soils are that it can increase soil capacity to adsorb plant nutrients, decrease …

Utilization Of Biochar Coupled With Coal Combustion Products For Degraded Soil Amendment, Thidphavanh Sengsingkham

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Low Salinity Waterflooding (LSWF) has been intensively studied worldwide as it is a low-cost technique. By injecting water with very low salinity compared to formation water in the reservoir, the method changes equilibrium between rock surface, oil and surrounding water, causing wettability alteration through Multi-component Ion Exchange (MIE) mechanism. In this study, ammonium ion is added into low salinity water to facilitate the MIE mechanism in shaly-sandstones reservoir. Experiments are performed with shaly-sandstone rock as it contains both calcium and magnesium ions as part of clays and ammonium ion can express its potential by triggering MIE mechanism. Stirring test, spontaneous …

Bridge Deck Assessment Using Visual Inspection, Ground Penetrating Radar, Portable Seismic Property Analyzer-Ultrasonic Surface Wave, Hammer Sounding And Chain Drag, Abdullah Hadi Zaid Alhaj

Masters Theses

"Integrated non-destructive techniques were utilized to assess the condition of a reinforced concrete bridge deck. There were two main objectives accomplished.

The first objective was to assess the integrity of the reinforced concrete bridge deck using four non-destructive techniques, namely visual inspection, ground penetrating radar, portable seismic property analyzer-ultrasonic surface wave, and hammer sounding and chain drag. Visual inspection data were used to identify signs of deterioration on surface of the bridge deck such as cracking, concrete leaching, and reinforcement corrosion. Ground penetrating radar data were used to determine the relative condition of the bridge deck. However, due to the …

An Analysis Of Common Drill Stem Vibration Models, Mohammed F. Al Dushaishi, Runar Nygaard, Daniel S. Stutts

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Excessive drill stem (DS) vibration while rotary drilling of oil and gas wells causes damages to drill bits and bottom hole assemblies (BHAs). In an attempt to mitigate DS vibrations, theoretical modeling of DS dynamics is used to predict severe vibration conditions. To construct the model, decisions have to be made on which beam theory to be used, how to implement forces acting on the DS, and the geometry of the DS. The objective of this paper is to emphasize the effect of these assumptions on DS vibration behavior under different, yet realistic, drilling conditions. The nonlinear equations of motion …

Shale Characterization And Size-Effect Study Using Scanning Electron Microscopy And X-Ray Diffraction, Debashis Das

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Ground failure is a major contributor of the total fatalities in underground mines in the US. Underground coal mines in the Northern Appalachian region have weak roof rock mainly composed of shale and sandstone. Characterization of shale is indispensable for developing an effective ground control plan. However, this has not been done extensively. This thesis attempts to address this issue. It investigates the variation in mechanical properties of shale with variation in size. In addition, an attempt has been made to relate the strength of shale with its petrographic parameters. X-ray diffraction technique was used to estimate the compositional parameters …

Toxicity Screening Of Biochar-Mineral Composites Using Germination Tests, Jan Mumme, Josephine Getz, Munoo Prasad, Ulf Lüder, Kern Jurgen, Ondrej Masek, Wolfram Buss

Articles

This study assessed the properties and toxicity (water cress germination trials) of 38 waste-derived, novel biochar-mineral composites (BMCs) produced via slow pyrolysis and hydrothermal carbonization (hydrochars). The biochars were produced from sewage sludge and compost-like output (CLO) by varying the type of mineral additive (zeolite, wood ash and lignite fly ash), the mineral-to-feedstock ratio and the carbonization process. While pure hydrochars completely inhibited germination of water cress, this effect was ameliorated by mineral additives. Seedlings grew best in pyrolysis chars and while wood ash addition decreased plant growth in many cases, 1:10 addition to CLO doubled germination rate. The factors …

Using Artificial Intelligence And Machine Learning To Develop Synthetic Well Logs, Marwan Mohammed Alnuaimi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

There has been an increase in the need for energy in the recent past. Oil and gas stand as the source of energy that are widely used. The oil and gas reservoirs are targeted for the purposes of field development. The conventional methods of reservoir characteristics require computing techniques that are unique and complex, some of which are labor and time intensive. Mohaghegh argues that all efforts must be tried and made possible to apply Petroleum Data analytics in production and management of reservoir so as to earn a maximum return (Mohaghegh, Shale Analytics, 2017). Different methodologies have been applied …

Three-Dimensional Modeling Of Nitrate-N Transport In Vadose Zone: Roles Of Soil Heterogeneity And Groundwater Flux, Simin Akbariyeh, Shannon L. Bartelt-Hunt, Daniel D. Snow, Xu Li, Zhenghong Tang, Yusong Li

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Contamination of groundwater from nitrogen fertilizers in agricultural lands is an important environmental and water quality management issue. It is well recognized that in agriculturally intensive areas, fertilizers and pesticides may leach through the vadose zone and eventually reach groundwater. While numerical models are commonly used to simulate fate and transport of agricultural contaminants, few models have considered a controlled field work to investigate the influence of soil heterogeneity and groundwater flow on nitrate-N distribution in both root zone and deep vadose zone.

In this work, a numerical model was developed to simulate nitrate-N transport and transformation beneath a center …

Delineation Of A Coal Combustion Residue Landfill And Underlying Karst Subsurface In Southwest Missouri Using Ert And Masw Surveys, Ruobai Zhao

Doctoral Dissertations

"The safe containment of coal combustion residual (CCR) in landfills was addressed by the U.S. Environment Protection Agency (EPA) CCR rule published in 2015. The new rule affects new and existing U.S. based CCR landfills in terms of implementing safeguard systems for safe disposal and contamination control. Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW) data were acquired across and in proximity to a CCR landfill in southwest Missouri, USA, with the intent to identify potential karst features and seepage pathways.

Electrical resistivity tomography data were acquired using an automated 8-channel resistivity meter and multichannel analysis of …

The Importance Of Chemical Grouting Materials For Optimum Mechanical Performance With Different Soil Conditions, Yusuf Alper Cinar

Masters Theses

"Grouting is a frequently used technique for controlling the water inflow and reinforcement of soil and rock. Even though cement-based grouting materials have been well characterized, ongoing improvements of chemical grouting materials create a need to better understand the characteristics of these materials in order to increase the efficiency of grouting applications. The purpose of this study is to characterize three common chemical grouting materials by exploring their mechanical performance under varying initial soil conditions. Performance decision criteria consist of the Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) and slake durability test results, observation of penetration ability, and comparison of the findings. The …

Developing Improved Techniques For Gpr Guided Wave Data Analysis, Yunyi Guan

Masters Theses

"This study was conducted to investigate how limiting the allowable velocity range when analyzing guided wave data will affect the results of dielectric permittivity and thickness estimation. We conducted four sets of Experiments: an underlying layer of saturated organic loam is covered by incremental layers of the dry organic loam; a base layer of dry organic loam covered by the saturated organic loam; a saturated basal layer of silt with overlying dry silt layers, and a base layer of dry silt overlain by saturated silt layers to conduct a comparative study and perform three surveys for each of these three …

Imaging The Subsurface In Eastern Part Of Lake Chesterfield Using A Combination Of Geophysical Tools, Jiawei Li

Masters Theses

"The Lake Chesterfield North Dam in Wildwood city, Missouri has been leaking, more or less continuously since the dam was constructed in 1986 despite mitigation efforts in 1988, 1994, 1995, 2004, and 2005. Neither the grouting efforts in 1988, 1994, 1995, 2004 or 2005, nor the placement and rehabilitation of an impervious clay liner in 2005 has solved the problem. Indeed, in June of 2017, the water level in Lake Chesterfield dropped at an alarmingly rapid rate.

Prior to authorizing additional mitigation work, the Lake Chesterfield Home Owners Association (LCHOA) decided to acquire geophysical data across the dry lake bed. …

Probabilistic Regional Landslide Hazard Assessment For The Enguri Dam (Jivari, Georgia), Maria Diletta Acciaro

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The Enguri Dam forms a reservoir in a seismically active area in the foothills of the Caucasus Mountain range near Jvari, Georgia. The slopes are steep, highly fractured, and weathered, which make them at risk to failure during or following extreme rainfall events. Hydroelectricity produced by the water retained by the 271-m dam provides almost half of the electricity for the country. The reservoir perimeter is more than 40 km and the surrounding slopes span an area of more than 30 km2. The size of the area and paucity of slope data have made slope-failure hazard assessment of the broader …

Analyzing The Life-Cycle Of Unstable Slopes Using Applied Remote Sensing Within An Asset Management Framework, El Hachemi Y. Bouali

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

An asset management framework provides a methodology for monitoring and maintaining assets, which include anthropogenic infrastructure (e.g., dams, embankments, and retaining structures) and natural geological features (e.g., soil and rock slopes). It is imperative that these assets operate efficiently, effectively, safely, and at a high standard since many assets are located along transportation corridors (highways, railways, and waterways) and can cause severe damage if compromised. Assets built on or around regions prone to natural hazards are at an increased risk of deterioration and failure. The objective of this study is to utilize remote sensing techniques such as InSAR, LiDAR, and …

Application Of Remote Sensing And Machine Learning Modeling To Post-Wildfire Debris Flow Risks, Priscilla Addison

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Historically, post-fire debris flows (DFs) have been mostly more deadly than the fires that preceded them. Fires can transform a location that had no history of DFs to one that is primed for it. Studies have found that the higher the severity of the fire, the higher the probability of DF occurrence. Due to high fatalities associated with these events, several statistical models have been developed for use as emergency decision support tools. These previous models used linear modeling approaches that produced subpar results. Our study therefore investigated the application of nonlinear machine learning modeling as an alternative. Existing models …

Empirical Correlations Between Rock Cutting Parameters And Excavated Rock Surface Rebound Hardness, Azupuri Germanus Ayerikujei Kaba

Doctoral Dissertations

"In field excavation, cutting tools operate on rock surfaces damaged from previous tool pass, yet, average intact rock properties are often used in field project estimations. This can result in overestimation of excavation time and cost. The ability to accurately correlate the damaged rock properties to the excavation parameters means more reliable estimates of project completion time and costs, and hence improved the application of mechanical excavation technology to a wider range of civil and mining industries.

The purpose of this research was to better understand the relationship between rock cutting parameters and the excavated rock surface hardness during mechanical …

Gis-Based Spatial Analysis Coupled With Geophysical Imaging To Identify And Evaluate Factors That Control The Formation Of Karst Sinkholes In Southwestern Missouri, Shishay T. Kidanu

Doctoral Dissertations

"Sinkholes are inherent features of the karst terrain underlying much of Greene County, Missouri. These features present hazards and engineering challenges to existing infrastructure unknowingly constructed on a seemingly benign ground surface. The primary objective of this research was to investigate the physical processes chiefly responsible for triggering the seemingly random distribution of sinkholes in the study area. This research employed an integrated approach encompassing regional scale GIS-based spatial analyses and site-specific geophysical data. GIS-based spatial analysis was employed to identify significant physical factors that appeared to influence the formation and distribution of sinkholes. Seven out of the twelve most …

Reliability-Based Designs Procedure Of Earth Retaining Walls In Geotechnical Engineering, Juan Camilo Viviescas, Juan Pablo Osorio, Julio E. Canon

Articles

The design and construction of foundations, retaining structures and slopes are usually based on deterministic formulations that do not allow the distinction between the natural variability and the inherent dispersion in the geotechnical parameters. Due to the inherent variability of the soil properties, there is a growing trend to implement reliability-based designs in geotechnical engineering to reduce design uncertainties by probabilistic methods. The reliability designs require the definition of the probability density functions of the geotechnical properties, as well as knowledge of the spatial variability of soils. This paper identifies the procedures, type of soil investigations, simulations and the most …

Suitability Of River Delta Sediment As Proppant, Missouri And Niobrara Rivers, Nebraska And South Dakota, 2015, Ronald B. Zelt, Christopher M. Hobza, Bethany L. Burton, Nathaniel J. Schaepe, Nadine M. Piatak-Hackley

United States Geological Survey: Water Reports and Publications

Document abstract

Sediment management is a challenge faced by reservoir managers who have several potential options, including dredging, for mitigation of storage capacity lost to sedimentation. As sediment is removed from reservoir storage, potential use of the sediment for socioeconomic or ecological benefit could potentially defray some costs of its removal. Rivers that transport a sandy sediment load will deposit the sand load along a reservoir-headwaters reach where the current of the river slackens progressively as its bed approaches and then descends below the reservoir water level. Given a rare combination of factors, a reservoir deposit of alluvial sand has …

Modelling Tree Contribution In Susceptibility Analysis Of Shallow Llandslides, Roberto José Marín Sánchez, Juan Pablo Osorio

Articles

In this paper an assessment of shallow landslides susceptibility in a tropical and mountainous terrain is made. A method that allows to model slope stability over large areas is used. Tree contribution is quantified by means of three parameters: rainfall interception, root reinforcement and tree surcharge. A rainfall interception model is used to determine the rain available for infiltration and its temporal distribution during the simulation. The hydrological models included in TRIGRS are described, which allows to determine the pore water pressure depending on the initial conditions. This pore water pressure is used in the revised infinite slope stability model, …

Drained Elastoplastic Solution For Cylindrical Cavity Expansion In K0-Consolidated Anisotropic Soil, Jingpei Li, Weibing Gong, Lin Li, Fang Liu

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper presents a semi analytical solution for drained expansion of a cylindrical cavity in K0-consolidated clay. The solution is derived based on the K0-based anisotropic modified Cam-clay model (K0-AMCC), which can properly consider the initial stress anisotropy and the initial stress-induced anisotropy of natural soils. Parametric studies are carried out to investigate the effects of different over consolidation ratios on the growth of plastic zone and cavity pressure, the distributions of the stress components and the specific volume around the cavity, and the effective stress path. The results are compared with the published solution based on the modified Cam-clay …

Early Warning System For Shallow Landslides Using Rainfall Threshold And Slope Stability Analysis, Shruti Naidu, K. S. Sajinkumar, Thomas Oommen, V.J. Anuja, Rinu Samuel, C. Muraleedharan

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

A combined cluster and regression analysis were performed for the first time to identify rainfall threshold that triggers landslide events in Amboori, Kerala, India. Amboori is a tropical area that is highly vulnerable to landslides. The 2, 3, and 5-day antecedent rainfall data versus daily rainfall was clustered to identify a cluster of critical events that could potentially trigger landslides. Further, the cluster of critical events was utilized for regression analysis to develop the threshold equations. The 5-day antecedent (x-variable) vs. daily rainfall (y-variable) provided the best fit to the data with a threshold equation of …

Engineering Decision Making Under Uncertainties, Snehamoy Chatterjee

TechTalks

Uncertainty is an inherent component of any engineering problem. Uncertainty comes at different stages of an engineering project with different level of complexities. Decision making by neglecting uncertainty may leads to an incorrect solution for a project. Our research focuses on identification and quantification of different sources of uncertainness, and bringing uncertainties within the decision making framework. We are developing algorithms for uncertainty evaluation of spatial and temporal data by integrating multiple source and multiple scale data types, and stochastic optimization models to take into account multiple objectives and constraints. We are applying our research on mining, geology, and geo-hydrology …

Reliability Analysis Of Active Earth Pressure For Cantilever Walls On Mudflows And Residual Soils Of The Aburrá Valley, Juan David Castro, Juan Camilo Viviescas, Juan Pablo Osorio

Conference papers

According to the variability of the local geology of the Aburrá Valley, two geological strata with similar grain size distribution were analyzed. The geologies are composed of mudflows and residual soils from the San Diego stock in the Poblado neighborhood. These soils show a similar mechanical behavior in relation to the number of blows of the standard penetration test SPT. The analysis was carried out by reliability methods for the determination of the active earth pressure for the geotechnical design of a cantilever walls. The analysis consists in the variation of the height of the retaining wall between 1 and …

Geology Influence In The Slope Stability Analysis By Limit Equilibrium, Finite Elements And Random Finite Elements Methods, Juan Camilo Viviescas, Juan Pablo Osorio

Conference papers

Slope stability analyzes correspond to the evaluation of the safety factors commonly performed through the limit equilibrium and finite element methods. Due to the uncertainty of the geotechnical parameters, different statistical methods have emerged such as the limit equilibrium combined with the Monte Carlo simulation method and the random finite elements, which have been widely accepted in recent years. Normally, these analyzes are not performed taking into account the geological influence on the geotechnical properties, so in this work we proceed with the comparison of several geometrical typologies of slopes for mudflows and a residual soils of the Stock San …

Atmospheric Processes Affecting The Separation Of Volcanic Ash And So < Inf> 2 In Volcanic Eruptions: Inferences From The May 2011 Grímsvötn Eruption, Fred Prata, Mark Woodhouse, Herbert E. Huppert, Andrew Prata, Thor Thordarson, S. Carn

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

The separation of volcanic ash and sulfur dioxide (SO2) gas is sometimes observed during volcanic eruptions. The exact conditions under which separation occurs are not fully understood but the phenomenon is of importance because of the effects volcanic emissions have on aviation, on the environment, and on the earth's radiation balance. The eruption of Grímsvötn, a subglacial volcano under the Vatnajökull glacier in Iceland during 21-28 May 2011 produced one of the most spectacular examples of ash and SO2 separation, which led to errors in the forecasting of ash in the atmosphere over northern Europe. Satellite data from several sources …

A Novel Applications Of Photogrammetry For Retaining Wall Assessment, Renee Oats, Rudiger Escobar-Wolf, Thomas Oommen

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Retaining walls are critical geotechnical assets and their performance needs to be monitored in accordance to transportation asset management principles. Current practices for retaining wall monitoring consist mostly of qualitative approaches that provide limited engineering information or the methods include traditional geodetic surveying, which may provide high accuracy and reliability, but is costly and time-consuming. This study focuses on evaluating failure modes of a 2.43 m × 2.43 m retaining wall model using three-dimensional (3D) photogrammetry as a cost-effective quantitative alternative for retaining wall monitoring. As a remote sensing technique, photogrammetry integrates images collected from a camera and creates a …