Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Verifying Empirical Predictive Modeling Of Societal Vulnerability To Hazardous Events: A Monte Carlo Experimental Approach, Yi Victor Wang, Seung Hee Kim, Menas C. Kafatos

Institute for ECHO Articles and Research

With the emergence of large amounts of historical records on adverse impacts of hazardous events, empirical predictive modeling has been revived as a foundational paradigm for quantifying disaster vulnerability of societal systems. This paradigm models societal vulnerability to hazardous events as a vulnerability curve indicating an expected loss rate of a societal system with respect to a possible spectrum of intensity measure (IM) of an event. Although the empirical predictive models (EPMs) of societal vulnerability are calibrated on historical data, they should not be experimentally tested with data derived from field experiments on any societal system. Alternatively, in this paper, …

A One-Dimensional Analysis Of A Microbial Fuel Cell For Efficient Acetate Removal And Power Density Output, David Rouhani

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are electrochemical devices that utilize microorganisms to convert organic matter into electrical energy. MFCs have been discussed to have potential application for sustainable wastewater treatment due to their ability to generate electricity while simultaneously treating contaminated water. To optimize MFC performance, numerical models can be used to understand the complex electrochemical and biological processes occurring in the system. In this study, a numerical model was developed to simulate the performance of MFCs under varying operating conditions and to investigate the performance of a MFC for treating wastewater fuel. More specifically, the MFC was modeled to oxidize …

A Simulation Of The Impacts Of Climate Change On Civil Aircraft Takeoff Performance, Thomas D. Pellegrin

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Climate change affects the near-surface environmental conditions that prevail at airports worldwide. Among these, air density and headwind speed are major determinants of takeoff performance, and their sensitivity to global warming carries potential operational and economic implications for the commercial air transport industry. Previous archival and prospective research observed a weakening in headwind strength and predicted an increase in near-surface temperatures, respectively, resulting in an increase in takeoff distances and weight restrictions. The main purpose of the present study was to update and generalize the extant prospective research using a more representative sample of worldwide airports, a wider range of …

Formation Of Permafrost And Its Influence On Natural Gas Hydrate Accumulation In Muli Region, Qinghai Province, Wang Liping, Zhu Yinghao, Li Ning, Xu Shuanhai, Tian Yanzhe, Liu Naifei, Wang Wenli

Coal Geology & Exploration

The characteristics of the existing permafrost and natural gas hydrates were summarized and analyzed by studying the natural gas hydrate formation in Muli Region, Qinghai Province. On the basis of the evidence of the Quaternary climate survey and the available geological exploration data on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, FLAC^3D was used to simulate and calculate the formation of permafrost. The calculation results show that the existing permafrost probably formed during the late Holocene Neoglacial(4 000-3 000 to 1 000 a BP), and a stable boundary at bottom of the permafrost layer formed after about 170 a of cooling at a …

Combining Green Metrics And Digital Twins For Sustainability Planning And Governance Of Smart Buildings And Cities, Casey R. Corrado, Suzanne M. Delong, Emily G. Holt, Edward Y. Hua, Andreas Tolk

VMASC Publications

Creating a more sustainable world will require a coordinated effort to address the rise of social, economic, and environmental concerns resulting from the continuous growth of cities. Supporting planners with tools to address them is pivotal, and sustainability is one of the main objectives. Modeling and simulation augmenting digital twins can play an important role to implement these tools. Although various green best practices have been utilized over time and there are related attempts at measuring green success, works in the published literature tend to focus on addressing a single problem (e.g., energy efficiency), and a comprehensive approach that takes …

Wildfire Simulation Using Agent Based Modeling: Expanding Controlled Burn Season, Morgan C. Kromer

Senior Independent Study Theses

The United States is home to many different and unique forests. Prior to the 21st century, the United States Forests Service assumed that the best way to protect these forests was to put all efforts to keeping them alive. An enemy to these efforts were wildfires, thus the US adopted a complete fire suppression approach. At the turn of the century, the US realized that wildfires are a necessary part of a forest ecosystem, as they help return nutrients to the soil and reduce ground fuels. However, after suppressing all fires for over 100 years, the forests evolved into a …

Modeling Holocene Peatland Carbon Accumulation In North America, Qianlai Zhuang, Sirui Wang, Bailu Zhao, Filipe Aires, Catherine Prigent, Zicheng Yu, Jason K. Keller, Scott Bridgham

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Peatlands are a large carbon reservoir. Yet the quantification of their carbon stock still has a large uncertainty due to lacking observational data and well‐tested peatland biogeochemistry models. Here, a process‐based peatland model was calibrated using long‐term peat carbon accumulation data at multiple sites in North America. The model was then applied to quantify the peat carbon accumulation rates and stocks within North America over the last 12,000 years. We estimated that 85–174 Pg carbon was accumulated in North American peatlands over the study period including 0.37–0.76 Pg carbon in subtropical peatlands. During the period from 10,000 to 8,000 years …

Individual Variation And Ecotypic Niches In Simulations Of The Impact Of Climatic Volatility, George P. Malanson, R. Justin Derose, Matthew F. Bekker

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Expectations of the impacts of climatic variation on species can depend on whether and how intraspecific variability is incorporated in models. Coefficients of variation from tree-ring records of Pinus albicaulis through time and across space were used to parameterize volatility and individuality, respectively. The records across sites were used to differentiate the average modes on an environmental gradient for Gaussian fitness of ecotypic niches, and to add further individual variation in mode and standard deviation of these functions in individual-based Monte Carlo simulations of reproduction and mortality with inheritance of individual variability. Ecotypic gamma and Shannon diversity decreased with volatility …

Combining Geographic Information Systems And Agent-Based Models In Archaeology: Part 2 Of 3, Benjamin Davies, Iza Romanowska, Kathryn Harris, Stefani Crabtree

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

Archaeologists are using spatial data in increasingly sophisticated analyses and invoking more explicit considerations of space in their interpretations. Geographic information systems (GIS) have become standard technology for professional archaeologists in the collection and management of spatial data. Many calls have been made to develop and adapt digital geospatial technologies for interpretation and understanding past social dynamics, but this has been limited to some extent by the static nature of map-oriented GIS approaches. Here, we illustrate how coupling GIS with agent-based modeling (ABM) can assist with more dynamic explorations of past uses of space and geospatial phenomena.

Analysis On Influence Of Ground Transmitting Electrode On Bidirectional Em-Mwd Signal Transmission Based On Ansys, Shao Chun, Han Jian, Chu Zhiwei, Xu Lin

Coal Geology & Exploration

The grounded emitter electrode is a necessary component of the bidirectional EM-MWD signal downlink system, and its reasonable parameter setting can improve the signal downlink effect, but at present, little is known about its influence on the downlink signal. This paper is based on the bi-directional EM-MWD working mechanism, combined with the current field theory, using ANSYS finite element software, establishes a three-dimensional simulation model of bidirectional EM-MWD signals, and analyzes the emission distance, length, diameter and resistivity of the ground transmitting electrode versus the downlink signal. The simulation results show that the downlink signal reception effect is positively correlated …

A Species-Specific Individual-Based Simulation Model Of Mixed Mangrove Forest Stands, Ian Estacio, Khristoffer Ryan Quinton, Edgardo Macatulad, Severino G. Salmo Iii

Environmental Science Faculty Publications

A species-specific spatially explicit individual-based model has been developed to simulate the development of mixed mangrove forest stands featuring eight species. The model is a forest stand model that forecasts mangrove forest development in a 50 m x 50 m plot by simulating the recruitment, growth, and mortality of individual mangrove trees. Species-specific growth rates, shade responses, and salinity responses of each species were incorporated to observe differences in forest structure given different salinity conditions. The model used a modified Field of Neighborhood (FON) approach that considers species-specific responses to shading and a salinity response function that considers the species-specific …

A Coupled Modeling Framework For Allocation Design In Land-Use And Land-Cover Changes To Optimize Biofuel Feedstock Production, Ana C. Cram

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Environmental awareness has increased the demand for renewable energy. Notably, the production of biofuels from feedstock is gaining interest as a viable measure to reduce fossil fuels consumption. Nevertheless, it is crucial to identify the trade-offs between bioenergy crop cultivation and the environmental impact on land, water, and atmosphere.

Intensifying biofuel cultivation trigger effects associated with Land Use and Land-use-change, which are complex to assess. While hydrological models had been used to investigate the environmental impacts of land-use changes on water and soil quality, their quantitative assessment is often incomplete. Changes in land use and agricultural activities also contribute to …

Optimal Design Of Green Roofs: Mathematical Model And Experimental Evidence, Jing Hong

Theses and Dissertations

Green roofs ease the heat island effect and decrease stormwater runoff. Optimizing green roof design helps achieve these goals more efficiently. This dissertation proposes energy and mass models of green roofs and validates them through experimental evidence.

The energy and mass transfer models proposed in this dissertation can be programmed in any simulation tools, and benefits architects and engineers optimizing their green roof design. The mathematical models of green roofs were validated by the measured soil temperature and water content of the Golda Meir Library green roof.

Using energy and mass balance models, this research found the effects of the …

Evaluation Of Acoustic Telemetry Grids For Determining Aquatic Animal Movement And Survival, Richard T. Kraus, Christopher M. Holbrook, Christopher S. Vandergoot, Taylor R, Stewart, Matthew D. Faust, Douglas A. Watkinson, Colin Charles, Mark A. Pegg, Eva C. Enders, Charles C. Krueger

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

1. Acoustic telemetry studies have frequently prioritized linear configurations of hydrophone receivers, such as perpendicular from shorelines or across rivers, to detect the presence of tagged aquatic animals. This approach introduces unknown bias when receivers are stationed for convenience at geographic bottlenecks (e.g. at the mouth of an embayment or between islands) as opposed to deployments following a statistical sampling design.

2. We evaluated two-dimensional acoustic receiver arrays (grids: receivers spread uniformly across space) as an alternative approach to provide estimates of survival, movement and habitat use. Performance of variably spaced receiver grids (5–25 km spacing) was evaluated by simulating …

Modeling Net Energy Balance Of Ethanol Production From Native Warm Season Grasses, Prabodh Illukpitiya, Chandra Reddy, Ankit Bansal

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

There has been an increasing interest in the use of perennial grasses as potential feedstock for ethanol production. The characteristics which make perennial grasses attractive for bioenergy feedstock development initiative are their high yield potential and the high contents of lignin and cellulose. The objective of the study is to model energy input and output and simulate Net Energy Value (NEV) of producing ethanol from native warm season grasses. According to simulated results, the mean NEV of ethanol production from native warm season grasses considered in the analysis was positive. Mean NEV for switchgrass and eastern gammagrass was higher compared …

Compromise Programming Based Scenario Analysis Of Urban Water Systems Management Options: Case Study Of Kerman City, Saeed Nazari, S. Jamshid Mousavi, Koroush Behzadian, Zoran Kapelan

International Conference on Hydroinformatics

Supplying adequate water for urban water systems (UWSs) suffering from lack of water resources has always been a major concern in urban water management. Integrated simulation models are useful tools for sustainable planning and management of UWSs. This paper presents an integrated, conceptual modeling approach for simulation and analysis of an UWS by which different envisaged scenarios of water demand and resources are assessed. Other than water flow, the simulation model quantifies flows of energy, GHG emissions and cost in UWS. The performance of the developed model is demonstrated through its application to the UWS of Kerman City located in …

High Performance Gpu Speed-Up Strategies For The Computation Of 2d Inundation Models, Asier Lacasta, Mario Morales-Hernández, Javier Murillo, Pilar García-Navarro, Reinaldo Garcia

International Conference on Hydroinformatics

Two-dimensional (2D) models are increasingly used for inundation assesements in situations involving large domains of millions of computational elements and long-time scales of several months. Practical applications often involve a compromise between spatial accuracy and computational efficiency and to achieve the necessary spatial resolution, rather fine meshes become necessary requiring more data storage and very long computer times comparable to the real simulated process (e.g. 1 month of real-time simulation may require 1 month of computations approximately). Obviously, using conventional 2D non-parallelized models (CPU based) make simulations impractical in real project applications, but improving the performance of such complex models …

Examining Flow Paths In Bunter Sediments In Thuringian Basin, Thomas Fischer, Cindy Kunkel, Dmitri Naumov, Reinhard Gaupp, Olaf Kolditz

International Conference on Hydroinformatics

We would like to present a study on the Thuringian Basin, a large area in central Germany. Within this basin exist areas with very different interesting geo- and hydrological properties. We set up models and simulations for four subdomains within the basin, which describe different depositional environments - Eolian, Fluvial, Sandflat and Lacustrine. Researchers would like to investigate which paths is the water taking in the subsurface and how fast it is moving. The aim of this study is to gain knowledge about flow paths within these four model areas with regard to their architectural design. First simulation results suggest …

Enabling Access To Non-Point Source Risk Mapping Tools Using Open Source Software And Open Geospatial Consortium (Ogc) Standards : The Development Of The Scimap Webapp, Peter Wells, Sim Reaney

International Conference on Hydroinformatics

No-point (diffuse) pollution is a key environmental pressure effecting water quality and ecology in lakes and rivers. Many governmental and NGO bodies are working to tacking the problem but their efforts are constrained by the complexities of the problem. To enable the spatial targeting of the mitigation measures at the landscape scale, the SCIMAP risk mapping approach was developed by Durham and Lancaster Universities in the UK. The approach was well received but the desktop implementation created problems for users. NGO users generally did not have the required datasets or GIS skills. Governmental users within a corporate managed IT environment …

Heterogeneous Computing Paradigm For Parallel Water Distribution System Analysis, Zheng Yi Wu

International Conference on Hydroinformatics

Hydraulic and water quality models have been developed and used over decades for water distribution system (WDS) analysis. The models prove to be powerful tools for engineers to gain systematic understanding on the WDS conditions and conduct technically-sound WDS management. However, it takes significantly amount of computation time to perform one simulation run for large system with tens or hundreds of thousands of pipes over an adequately long period of duration in order to gain good results for system hydraulic and water quality dynamics. In the meantime, WDS analysis solvers are not developed to take the advantages of available computing …

M.A.E.G.U.S: Measuring Alternate Energy Generation Via Unity Simulation, Kavin Muhilan Nataraja

Open Access Theses

This paper presents the MAEGUS serious game and a study to determine its efficacy as a pedagogical tool. The MAEGUS serious game teaches sustainable energy concepts through gameplay simulating wind turbines and solar arrays. Players take the role of an energy manager for a city and use realistic data and information visualizations to learn the physical factors of wind and solar energy generation. The MAEGUS serious game study compares game assisted learning to a more traditional teaching method such as reading material in a crossover study, the results of which can inform future serious game development for educational purposes.

Developing A Framework For Determining The Contribution Of Transportation Project To Sustainable Development, Karim Ahmed Abdel Warith

Open Access Dissertations

In the past few years, stakeholders in the transportation industry have been concerned with sustainability. However, transportation decision makers have had difficulty incorporating sustainability into transportation infrastructure decisions. This is mainly attributed to the vagueness of the term. Incorporating sustainability into transportation decision making has been a desire put forth by engineers for that past 10 years. However, with no apparent method of defining sustainability, designers and decision makers have not been able to fulfill this desire.

This investigation attempts to define sustainability in a comprehensive and quantitative manner. The research proposes a new methodology that relies on the objective …

Management Of Land Use Land Cover Through The Application Of Remote Sensing, Geographic Information Systems And Simulation, Praveen Jha

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Deforestation and degradation of forest areas, including those in the Protected Areas (PAs), are major concerns in India. There were 2 broad objectives of the study: the technological objective pertained to the development of state-of-art programs that could serve as Decision Support Systems while finalizing plans and policy interventions, while the other objective aimed at generating geo-spatial data in 2 PAs. A part of the Eastern Himalaya biodiversity hotspot, Manas Tiger Reserve (MTR), Assam, India having an area of 2837.12 sq km and an important part of Rajaji-Corbett Tiger Conservation Unit, Rajaji National Park (RNP), Uttarakhand, India, having an area …

Management Of Land Use Land Cover Through The Application Of Remote Sensing, Geographic Information Systems And Simulation, Praveen Jha

Praveen Jha Dr

Deforestation and degradation of forest areas, including those in the Protected Areas (PAs), are major concerns in India. There were 2 broad objectives of the study: the technological objective pertained to the development of state-of-art programs that could serve as Decision Support Systems while finalizing plans and policy interventions, while the other objective aimed at generating geo-spatial data in 2 PAs. A part of the Eastern Himalaya biodiversity hotspot, Manas Tiger Reserve (MTR), Assam, India having an area of 2837.12 sq km and an important part of Rajaji-Corbett Tiger Conservation Unit, Rajaji National Park (RNP), Uttarakhand, India, having an area …

Empirical Geographic Modeling Of Switchgrass Yields In The United States, Henriette I. Jager, Latha M. Baskaran, Craig C. Brandt, Ethan B. Davis

Dartmouth Scholarship

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a perennial grass native to the United States that has been studied as a sustainable source of biomass fuel. Although many field‐scale studies have examined the potential of this grass as a bioenergy crop, these studies have not been integrated. In this study, we present an empirical model for switchgrass yield and use this model to predict yield for the conterminous United States. We added environmental covariates to assembled yield data from field trials based on geographic location. We developed empirical models based on these data. The resulting empirical models, which account for spatial …

Cleaning Of Rivers Through The Application Of Advanced Technologies, Praveen Jha Dr

Praveen Jha Dr

Despite immense drain on our scarce resources, rivers remain polluted. Waste disposal into rivers on top of meager to absent infrastructural facilities, including treatment facilities, are the most important drivers of pollution. Unscientific development paradigm devoid of adequate environmental safeguards and failure of forestry sector to cope up with the challenge has led to the deteriorated condition of green cover and water. Several state-of-art geo-spatial programs developed by the author would be applied for generating optimum state-of-art plan. Three state-of-art geo-spatial programs - Multi-Algorithm Automation Program (MAAP), Data Automatic Modification Program (DAMP) and Multi-Stage Simulation Program (MUSSIP) - developed primarily …

Tools For Sustainable Development: A Comparison Of Building Performance Simulation Packages, Simi Hoque, Akanksha Sharma

Environmental Conservation Faculty Publication Series

The paper evaluates the energy performance of a test case (a single family home) using three different simulation software packages – REM Design, Energy Gauge and Treat. It will discuss the results of each simulation run and the reasons for variations in the results. The inputs for each of the three different simulation tools are heating, cooling, and water heating loads, building shell (exterior walls, roof, foundation, windows, doors) features, air leakage and electric consumption (lighting and appliances). The paper will also highlight the differences in data input for all three software and will underscore areas where improvements to the …

Drinking Water Optimum Supply System (Dwoss) Through The Application Of Advanced Technologies, Praveen Jha Dr

Praveen Jha Dr

Paradigm shift in the approach for planning regarding supply of drinking water is mandatory since the current DPRs are unscientific and expensive. Planning for an optimum Drinking Water Supply System (ODWSS) that includes - optimization of Water Source Point (WSP), Water Treatment System (WTS), Water Storage Systems (WSSs), Water Distribution Points (WDP) and Water Supply Network (WSN); scientific estimation of long term demand of drinking water; minimization of physical and financial resources required for the plan implementation; water conservation and sanitation – could be done by applying several state-of-art geo-spatial programs developed by the author. Three programs - Multi-Algorithm Automation …

Simulation Of Boundary Layer Trajectory Dispersion Sensitivity To Soil Moisture Conditions: Mm5 And Noah-Based Investigation, Rezaul Mahmood

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Management Of Forests Through The Application Of Advanced Technologies, Praveen Jha Dr

Praveen Jha Dr

Several state-of-art geo-spatial programs developed by the author could be applied to generate technological pathways for providing an integrated solution to the loads of problems in the forests in the most scientific, objective and effective manner so that the management prescriptions incorporating policy interventions may prove to be highly successful. Three state-of-art geo-spatial programs - Multi-Algorithm Automation Program (MAAP), Data Automatic Modification Program (DAMP) and Multi-Stage Simulation Program (MUSSIP) – developed to address the pertinent issues of conservation and sustainability could be used extensively. Based on satellite data, MAAP produces land use land cover (lulc) map of the present period, …