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- Title
- Modeling of gasoline emissions from stationary and mobile sources at Port Everglades.
- Creator
- Kimmlingen, Martina M., Florida Atlantic University, Scarlatos, Panagiotis (Pete) D., College of Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering
- Abstract/Description
-
Available air quality data has been analyzed using the Industrial Source Complex Dispersion Model (ISC3). The FORTRAN program Mobile 5a was utilized to obtain the emission factors. Concerning the toxic volatile organic compounds, the simulations indicate that benzene exceeded the previous permissible air quality standard. Toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene values remained within allowable concentration levels. Long-term annual benzene emissions from stationary sources exceeded the former...
Show moreAvailable air quality data has been analyzed using the Industrial Source Complex Dispersion Model (ISC3). The FORTRAN program Mobile 5a was utilized to obtain the emission factors. Concerning the toxic volatile organic compounds, the simulations indicate that benzene exceeded the previous permissible air quality standard. Toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene values remained within allowable concentration levels. Long-term annual benzene emissions from stationary sources exceeded the former reference concentration of 0.12 mug/m 3 about five times per year, whereas the data for 8 and 24 hours were relatively low. Simulation results for the mobile sources demonstrated that the emission factor is a highly sensitive parameter. Possible realistic scenarios at Port Everglades were obtained through varying benzene concentrations. The results are plotted as concentration contours, in order to visualize areas of suspected health risk associated to air pollution. Compared to the Reference Concentration for Chronic Inhalation Exposure, EPA, the modeled results appear significantly less.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2003
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13123
- Subject Headings
- Automobiles--Motors--Exhaust gas--Mathematical models, Harbors--Environmental aspects--Florida, Air--Pollution--Mathematical models, Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale, Fla)
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Analytical evaluation of marine concrete pile repairs.
- Creator
- Saleh, Zaher A. Abou., Florida Atlantic University, Reddy, Dronnadula V., College of Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering
- Abstract/Description
-
The purpose of the thesis is to determine and compare the performance characteristics of marine piles corroded by chloride diffusion and repaired by several different methods for both uncracked and cracked concrete and to determine their structural integrity. The long-term objective is the comparison of the analytical values with those from an on-going experimental evaluation. The time for chloride concentration reach the threshold value that initiates corrosion in the reinforcement has been...
Show moreThe purpose of the thesis is to determine and compare the performance characteristics of marine piles corroded by chloride diffusion and repaired by several different methods for both uncracked and cracked concrete and to determine their structural integrity. The long-term objective is the comparison of the analytical values with those from an on-going experimental evaluation. The time for chloride concentration reach the threshold value that initiates corrosion in the reinforcement has been determined by Fick's law, extended to 2-D and 3-D chloride diffusion, for (a) uncracked concrete, and (b) for cracked concrete with the Simplified Smeared Approach (SSA). The structural integrity of the concrete circular pile is compared before and alter repair, by (a) finite element modeling using ANSYS software with the maximum deflection, and (b) beam strength analysis to find the moment capacity for cracked and ultimate conditions. The overall findings indicate the adequacy of the repair procedures.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2003
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13062
- Subject Headings
- Concrete piling, Reinforced concrete--Corrosion, Seawater corrosion
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The effect of pollution prevention in wood furniture, marina and auto repair industries.
- Creator
- Shalan, Samira Ghazi., Florida Atlantic University, Scarlatos, Panagiotis (Pete) D., College of Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering
- Abstract/Description
-
Since the industrial revolution, industrial operations have been accompanied with a problem: production of industrial waste, which may be toxic, ignitable, corrosive or reactive. If improperly managed this waste can pose dangerous health and environmental consequences. This study defines the meaning of pollution prevention and outlines its major categories. Three different industries: wood furniture, marina and auto repair industries where chosen to emphasize pollution prevention practices...
Show moreSince the industrial revolution, industrial operations have been accompanied with a problem: production of industrial waste, which may be toxic, ignitable, corrosive or reactive. If improperly managed this waste can pose dangerous health and environmental consequences. This study defines the meaning of pollution prevention and outlines its major categories. Three different industries: wood furniture, marina and auto repair industries where chosen to emphasize pollution prevention practices throughout their operations.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2002
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12994
- Subject Headings
- Pollution prevention, Furniture industry and trade--Environmental aspects, Marinas--Environmental aspects, Automobile repair shops--Environmental aspects
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Mechanical properties of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites for concrete bridge deck reinforcement.
- Creator
- Manav, Mukbil Ozan., Florida Atlantic University, Arockiasamy, Madasamy, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering
- Abstract/Description
-
Durability of concrete bridge decks reinforced with conventional structural steel is a major concern in aggressive environments. To address this problem, there have been efforts, in recent years, to develop and evaluate alternatives to conventional steel. One alternative is fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composite reinforcement. FRP composites have been used successfully in many industrial applications. This thesis investigates short-term mechanical properties of FRP rebars as reinforcement...
Show moreDurability of concrete bridge decks reinforced with conventional structural steel is a major concern in aggressive environments. To address this problem, there have been efforts, in recent years, to develop and evaluate alternatives to conventional steel. One alternative is fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composite reinforcement. FRP composites have been used successfully in many industrial applications. This thesis investigates short-term mechanical properties of FRP rebars as reinforcement for concrete bridge decks and discusses results of extensive laboratory tests. Four test methods (tension, flexure, shear and bond) are developed and test protocols are proposed for adoption by AASHTO.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2002
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12988
- Subject Headings
- Fibrous composites--Mechanical properties, Polymeric composites, Reinforced concrete, Fiber
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Support for Regional Community Anaerobic Digestion for Organic Waste Diversion.
- Creator
- Sharmin, Sumaiya, Meeroff, Daniel E., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Abstract/Description
-
As the global population is increasing, the generation of various waste materials (fats, oils and grease, fruit waste etc.) is increasing, which when landfilled, takes up valuable landfill space. Anaerobic digestion techniques have been developed that potentially convert these waste materials into energy and fertilizer, thus reducing landfill demand. It has been hypothesized that addition of high strength organic waste to conventional wastewater sludge can enhance the generation of onsite...
Show moreAs the global population is increasing, the generation of various waste materials (fats, oils and grease, fruit waste etc.) is increasing, which when landfilled, takes up valuable landfill space. Anaerobic digestion techniques have been developed that potentially convert these waste materials into energy and fertilizer, thus reducing landfill demand. It has been hypothesized that addition of high strength organic waste to conventional wastewater sludge can enhance the generation of onsite biogas at wastewater treatment plants, to meet the energy requirements of the plant partially or fully. To determine the anaerobic biodegradability of fats, oils and grease and fruit waste residuals, lab scale ultimate digestibility tests were conducted for a period of 63 days under mesophilic conditions. High strength organic wastes, thickened waste activated sludge and inoculum were mixed at 9 different ratios, and the mixtures were incubated in 500 mL serum bottles. After 63 days, the highest methane yield of 280 mL/gVS and 243 mL/gVS were obtained with mixtures containing 10% FOG with 10% red apples and 10% FOG only respectively whereas the methane yield of inoculum was only 8 mL/gVS. Preliminary cost analyses were conducted using the laboratory derived data
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014297
- Subject Headings
- Sewage disposal plants--Management, Sewage--Purification--Anaerobic treatment, Biogas
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION ON WAVE BREAKING AND TRANSMISSION IN SUBMERGED ARTIFICIAL REEFS.
- Creator
- Raju, Rahul Dev, Arockiasamy, Madasamy, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Abstract/Description
-
Artificial reefs are coastal structures built to improve marine life and prevent beach erosion. During earlier days artificial reefs were constructed for recreational fishing using discarded scraps and waste materials. Later on, ships were scuttled for constructing artificial reefs. Artificial reefs dissipate the energy of the wave by making the wave break over the reef. The artificial reefs used for coastal protection are usually in submerged condition as this condition does not affect the...
Show moreArtificial reefs are coastal structures built to improve marine life and prevent beach erosion. During earlier days artificial reefs were constructed for recreational fishing using discarded scraps and waste materials. Later on, ships were scuttled for constructing artificial reefs. Artificial reefs dissipate the energy of the wave by making the wave break over the reef. The artificial reefs used for coastal protection are usually in submerged condition as this condition does not affect the aesthetic beauty of the beach. Wave transmission decides the efficiency of submerged-detached artificial reef in protecting the beach from the incoming waves. The efficiency of submerged detached coastal protection structures in protecting the beach is usually measured in terms of wave transmission coefficient. The experimental investigation in the present study is carried out for submerged two-dimensional impermeable and permeable reefs for three water depths. The crest width of the reefs considered for the experimental studies are 60 cm and 20 cm. The permeable artificial reefs are made up of oyster shells in Nylon bags and biodegradable bags. The water levels considered for the study are 35 cm, 34 cm, and 33 cm. The effect of pore space between the oyster shells, crest width, water depth and wave parameters on the wave transmission coefficient for submerged impermeable and permeable artificial reefs are studied experimentally. The wave transmission coefficient is calculated for submerged impermeable and permeable reefs for different water levels and crest widths. Based on the results of the present experimental studies, it is logical to conclude that both submerged impermeable and permeable artificial reefs contribute to a significant extent to the attenuation of the incident wave.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014241
- Subject Headings
- Artificial reefs, Water waves, Ocean waves
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- FIELD EXPERIMENT ON THE CAPACITY IMPACT OF VEHICLE AUTOMATION ON ELECTRIC VEHICLES (EVS) – CASE STUDY OF ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL (ACC).
- Creator
- Majumder, Tasnim Anika, Kan, David, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Abstract/Description
-
Today’s mainstream vehicles are partially automated via an Advanced Driver Assistance Feature (ADAS) known as Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). ACC relies on data from onboard sensors to automatically adjust speed to maintain a safe following distance with the preceding vehicle. Contrary to expectations for automated vehicles, ACC may reduce capacity at bottlenecks because its delayed response and limited initial acceleration during queue discharge could increase the average headway. Fortunately...
Show moreToday’s mainstream vehicles are partially automated via an Advanced Driver Assistance Feature (ADAS) known as Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). ACC relies on data from onboard sensors to automatically adjust speed to maintain a safe following distance with the preceding vehicle. Contrary to expectations for automated vehicles, ACC may reduce capacity at bottlenecks because its delayed response and limited initial acceleration during queue discharge could increase the average headway. Fortunately, when ACC is paired with fully electric vehicles (EVs), EV’s unique powertrain characteristics such as instantaneous torque and aggressive regenerative braking could allow ACC to adopt shorter headways and accelerate more swiftly to maintain shorter headways during queue discharge, therefore reverse the negative impact on capacity. This has been verified in a series of car following field experiments. Field experiments demonstrate that EVs with ACC can achieve a capacity as high as 3333 veh/hr/lane when cruising in steady state conditions at typical freeway speeds (60 mph and 55 mph) and arterial speeds (45 mph and 35 mph). Furthermore, speed fluctuations and disturbances that may come from queues forming at or near the bottleneck do not reduce the capacity, unlike ACC-equipped internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, making ACC-equipped EVs outperform ICE vehicles with ACC, as well as human drivers.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014283
- Subject Headings
- Automated vehicles, Electric vehicles, Adaptive control systems
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- FIELD EXPERIMENTS ON ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL (ACC) CAR FOLLOWING BEHAVIOR – IMPACT OF LANE CHANGES ON CAPACITY.
- Creator
- Khan, Md Mahede Hasan, Kan, David, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Abstract/Description
-
Today’s mainstream vehicles are partially automated via an advanced driver assistance feature (ADAS) known as Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). ACC uses data from on-board sensors to automatically adjust speed to maintain a safe following distance with the preceding vehicle. Contrary to expectations, ICE vehicles equipped with ACC may reduce capacity at bottlenecks because its delayed response and limited initial acceleration during queue discharge could increase the average headway. On the...
Show moreToday’s mainstream vehicles are partially automated via an advanced driver assistance feature (ADAS) known as Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). ACC uses data from on-board sensors to automatically adjust speed to maintain a safe following distance with the preceding vehicle. Contrary to expectations, ICE vehicles equipped with ACC may reduce capacity at bottlenecks because its delayed response and limited initial acceleration during queue discharge could increase the average headway. On the other hand, ACC equipped EVs can potentially mitigate this effect for having ready torque and quicker acceleration. However, this has not been investigated for cases when lane changers enter from the adjacent lane. ACC could respond differently under these conditions, and this car following behavior is often referred as receiving lane change car following. Carefully planned field experiments on lane change car following demonstrate that lane changes and the subsequent receiving lane change car following from ICE vehicles equipped with ACC increases the gap unless the lane changer and the target lane traffic have identical or similar speeds for internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and ACC in the EVs doesn’t increase the gap after lane change increasing capacity for merging compared to ICE vehicles. For ICE, this trend also correlates with the selected ACC gap, with larger gap selection resulting in longer gap following the lane change maneuver and the receiving lane change car following in response. Larger gap setting shows better results after lane change for EVs.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014276
- Subject Headings
- Automated vehicles, Automobile driving--Lane changing
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- IMPROVING THE EFFICIENCY OF HEAVY TRUCK FLOW OUTSIDE INTERMODAL FACILITIES WHILE CONSIDERING TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT: A PROOF OF CONCEPT.
- Creator
- Jaya, Jayisha Das, Kaisar, Evangelos I., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Abstract/Description
-
Intermodal facilities, including port operations, play a significant role in the economic framework of the United States by making substantial contributions to the country's GDP, but face challenges managing increased freight volumes. However, increased transportation time within port facilities leads to higher costs, emissions, and impacts on efficiency and sustainability. This thesis aims to develop a concept of operations (ConOps) for improving the efficiency of heavy truck movement...
Show moreIntermodal facilities, including port operations, play a significant role in the economic framework of the United States by making substantial contributions to the country's GDP, but face challenges managing increased freight volumes. However, increased transportation time within port facilities leads to higher costs, emissions, and impacts on efficiency and sustainability. This thesis aims to develop a concept of operations (ConOps) for improving the efficiency of heavy truck movement outside ports, with goals of reducing congestion, considering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and addressing issues faced by the truck drivers. The study proposes integrating technological solutions to streamline heavy truck traffic at intermodal port facilities, including scheduled truck arrivals and departures, truck stop and rest areas near ports, real-time traffic information, implementation of dedicated truck lanes, and autonomous truck platooning. The focus is improving communication, efficiency, and safety for trucking companies, operations managers, and truck drivers. Using microsimulation modeling in PTV VISSIM (2023), a traffic impact study is also conducted, focusing on a case study near the Port of Miami. A base scenario is developed to represent current traffic conditions, and additional scenarios are implemented to evaluate different strategies, such as dedicated and exclusive truck lanes, freeway lane restrictions, and autonomous truck platooning. Simulation findings emphasize the positive impact of these strategies on travel times and delays, and forecast scenarios account for increased truck volumes. Dedicated truck lanes and truck platooning demonstrate promising results in reducing congestion and improving overall traffic flow. This research supports decision-making for government officials and logistics service providers in sustainable and efficient intermodal freight planning. The study also suggests opportunities for future extensions, including emerging technologies and tailored solutions for different port locations and contexts.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014253
- Subject Headings
- Intermodal transportation, Containerization, Freight and freightage--Environmental aspects
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Evaluation of flexible pipes under shallow burial depths.
- Creator
- Wang, Ning., Florida Atlantic University, Arockiasamy, Madasamy, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering
- Abstract/Description
-
Flexible plastic and metal pipes are increasingly being used for drainage and storm sewers. When flexible pipes are buried at shallow depths, the pipe behavior will not depend on the dead load pressure above the crown, but rather on the live load pressure (vehicle load). Field tests were designed to evaluate the performance of large diameter flexible pipes of 36 in. (915 mm.) and 48 in. (1050 mm.) under shallow burial depths subjected to the actual vehicle loading. The test pipes included...
Show moreFlexible plastic and metal pipes are increasingly being used for drainage and storm sewers. When flexible pipes are buried at shallow depths, the pipe behavior will not depend on the dead load pressure above the crown, but rather on the live load pressure (vehicle load). Field tests were designed to evaluate the performance of large diameter flexible pipes of 36 in. (915 mm.) and 48 in. (1050 mm.) under shallow burial depths subjected to the actual vehicle loading. The test pipes included high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes, steel pipes and aluminum pipes. AASHTO standard pipe installation procedures were followed and pipes subjected to vehicle loads simulating the effect of HS 20-44 trucks. Measurements of interior pipe-wall strains, soil pressures at different depths and pipe deformations were taken to determine the influence of surface vehicle loads. Results of field tests are compared with those based on theoretical analyses.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2002
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12929
- Subject Headings
- Underground pipelines--Design and construction, Soil-structure interaction, Structural analysis (Engineering), Earth pressure
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Reliability and accuracy of a GPS unit for tracking vehicles in Palm Beach and Broward counties.
- Creator
- Le Strat, Maud Gael., Florida Atlantic University, Scarlatos, Panagiotis (Pete) D., College of Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering
- Abstract/Description
-
The purpose of this thesis was to study the reliability and the accuracy of GPS positioning in Palm Beach and Broward counties. By studying the predictions of DOP values using Pathfinder Office and performing some statistical analysis on theoretical GPS data using the software SAS 8.0, the conclusion was made that PDOP values not only depend on the number of available satellites, but also on their relative positions. By field testing, and comparing the recorded data with the theoretical GPS...
Show moreThe purpose of this thesis was to study the reliability and the accuracy of GPS positioning in Palm Beach and Broward counties. By studying the predictions of DOP values using Pathfinder Office and performing some statistical analysis on theoretical GPS data using the software SAS 8.0, the conclusion was made that PDOP values not only depend on the number of available satellites, but also on their relative positions. By field testing, and comparing the recorded data with the theoretical GPS data, it was seen that non-DGPS could be rather accurate. Furthermore, it can be justified for a GPS unit to eliminate the Z coordinate measurement since vertical position errors are larger than horizontal errors, which may lead to improved accuracy. On the other hand, some 'visibility problems' were encountered while testing the GPS units under driving conditions. Different ways to compensate for this disadvantage were studied. In the end, the different features of the GPS unit were discussed and a way to improve the system was also proposed.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2001
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12862
- Subject Headings
- Global Positioning System
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- COMPARISON OF FUNDAMENTAL DIAGRAMS FOR TRAFFIC FLOW BETWEEN INTERNAL COMBUSTION VEHICLES AND ELECTRIC VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATION AND DRIVER ASSISTANCE.
- Creator
- Yagantekin, Kemal Ulas, Kan, David, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Abstract/Description
-
Adaptive cruise control (ACC) system is the first widely offered automated functionality that regulates the longitudinal movement of the vehicle using onboard radar sensors, and they can maintain a safe following distance with the preceding vehicle. In most of the field experiments with ACC-equipped vehicles conducted with internal combustion engine vehicles, there is still a gap in research on how the automation systems such as ACC combined with electric powertrains will influence the...
Show moreAdaptive cruise control (ACC) system is the first widely offered automated functionality that regulates the longitudinal movement of the vehicle using onboard radar sensors, and they can maintain a safe following distance with the preceding vehicle. In most of the field experiments with ACC-equipped vehicles conducted with internal combustion engine vehicles, there is still a gap in research on how the automation systems such as ACC combined with electric powertrains will influence the traffic flow be examined. This study refined and recalibrated an ACC car-following model for EVs and integrated it into AIMSUN to realistically simulate ACC-equipped vehicles and their impact on the fundamental diagram of traffic flow. Simulations were conducted for various ACC market penetrations, and fundamental diagrams were constructed for those market penetrations using detector measurements at various locations along the simulated segment. Overall, the capacity and the jam density increase as the EV with ACC market penetration rises. EVs with ACC can achieve higher capacities compared to ICEs with ACC.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014202
- Subject Headings
- Traffic flow, Automated vehicles, Electric vehicles
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- FIELD EXPERIMENT OF MIXED TRAFFIC – HUMAN DRIVER INTERACTION BETWEEN ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL (ACC) AND HUMAN DRIVERS.
- Creator
- Natrajan, Swarna Lexmi, Kan, David, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Abstract/Description
-
Mainstream vehicles sold today are equipped with the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) known as Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). ACC automatically adjusts speeds and maintains a safe following distance with the preceding vehicle. This enables partial automation by automating longitudinal car-following. Despite the ever-increasing market penetration, ACC-equipped vehicles will likely operate in a mixed environment with other human-driven vehicles first. However, the traffic flow impact of...
Show moreMainstream vehicles sold today are equipped with the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) known as Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). ACC automatically adjusts speeds and maintains a safe following distance with the preceding vehicle. This enables partial automation by automating longitudinal car-following. Despite the ever-increasing market penetration, ACC-equipped vehicles will likely operate in a mixed environment with other human-driven vehicles first. However, the traffic flow impact of human driver behavior when following ACC-equipped vehicles is largely unknown, and it is uncertain whether this deserves special consideration when modeling human driver behavior near ACC enabled vehicles. This study conducted a preliminary real-world experiment on a freeway (a portion of Interstate 95) and an urban arterial (a portion of state route A1A) to investigate the human driver behavior with and without the presence of vehicles in ACC mode as the leaders. This unbiased experiment was conducted in naturalistic traffic conditions. Results from the field experiments demonstrate that in a mixed environment with ACC-equipped vehicles as leaders, the human driven vehicles as the follower adopt similar headway, spacing, and acceleration on both freeway and arterial, with no statistically significant difference. The only exception is when traveling at speeds below 15 mph on urban arterials, where human drivers adopt significantly larger spacing while following ACC-enabled vehicles. We expect that findings from these field experiments will provide important initial insights to future research on human driver car following models in a mixed traffic environment and dedicated lanes for automated vehicles.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014190
- Subject Headings
- Driver assistance systems, Automated vehicles, Automobile drivers--Behavior--Evaluation
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- INVESTIGATING THE POTENTIAL OF AMINE-GRAFTED SILICA MATERIALS FOR SIMULTANEOUS REMOVAL OF CARBON DIOXIDE, WATER VAPOR, AND HYDROGEN SULFIDE FROM LANDFILL GAS.
- Creator
- Lam, Dung, Lashaki, Masoud Jahandar, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Abstract/Description
-
Amine-grafted silica (i.e., aminosilicas) was investigated for single-stage landfill gas purification via simultaneous removal of CO2, H2S, and water vapor. Aminosilica materials were synthesized by covalent triamine grafting onto mesoporous silica with custom amounts of water and amine. Screening adsorption experiments were completed in dry 30 vol.% CO2 in N2 at 40 °C and assessed using thermogravimetric analysis. Materials with equilibrium CO2 uptakes greater than 1.5 mmol/g were chosen for...
Show moreAmine-grafted silica (i.e., aminosilicas) was investigated for single-stage landfill gas purification via simultaneous removal of CO2, H2S, and water vapor. Aminosilica materials were synthesized by covalent triamine grafting onto mesoporous silica with custom amounts of water and amine. Screening adsorption experiments were completed in dry 30 vol.% CO2 in N2 at 40 °C and assessed using thermogravimetric analysis. Materials with equilibrium CO2 uptakes greater than 1.5 mmol/g were chosen for CO2 adsorption kinetics assessments. The highest-performing aminosilica achieved fast CO2 adsorption by reaching 80% of its equilibrium uptake in one minute. This material also maintained 100% of its initial CO2 uptake when subjected to rigorous 100-cycle testing. It underwent column-breakthrough tests in the presence of different dry and humid gas streams containing CO2, H2S, and water vapor, and achieved concurrent and complete (100%) removal of all target impurities. The results suggest that aminosilicas can purify landfill gas in a single stage.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014182
- Subject Headings
- Gases--Purification, Landfill gases--Purification
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- ANALYSIS OF PILE FOUNDATION SYSTEMS IN MULTI-LAYERED SOIL STRATA.
- Creator
- Arvan, Prakash Ankitha, Arockiasamy, Madasamy, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Abstract/Description
-
Pile foundations are subjected to vertical loads and significantly higher lateral loads due to wind, seismic effects, ocean waves and currents, and floating ice sheets. Applied vertical load on a pile is resisted by the skin friction and base resistance. The base resistance is provided by the soil layer and skin friction develops at the soil-pile interface. The lateral load on the pile is resisted by the soil-pile interaction effect, which is dependent on the pile and soil parameters....
Show morePile foundations are subjected to vertical loads and significantly higher lateral loads due to wind, seismic effects, ocean waves and currents, and floating ice sheets. Applied vertical load on a pile is resisted by the skin friction and base resistance. The base resistance is provided by the soil layer and skin friction develops at the soil-pile interface. The lateral load on the pile is resisted by the soil-pile interaction effect, which is dependent on the pile and soil parameters. Published literature shows that a properly designed Pile-to-Pile Cap (PTPC) connection will offer significant lateral resistance to the applied loads. The soil-pile system behavior is highly non-linear which requires a detailed study on the soil-structure interaction considering multi-layered soil strata and their properties. This Dissertation is divided into two parts: Evaluation of (A) the behavior and performance of PTPC connections, and (B) the load-displacement responses of a pile embedded in a multi-layered non-linear elastic soil strata subjected to static loads. A comprehensive literature review has been performed to study the factors affecting the PTPC connection performances and the load-displacement behavior of piles subjected to static lateral and axial loads considering soil-pile interactions. The objective of the study in Part A is to develop a PTPC connection design capable of producing adequate moment capacity of the pile by relying only on plain pile embedments without any special connection reinforcement details. The present study evaluates the local and global behavior of the PTPC connections with plain pile embedment through Finite Element Analyses (FEA).
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014124
- Subject Headings
- Pile foundations, Piling (Civil engineering), Soils
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- WASTE DERIVED ACTIVATED CARBON MATERIALS FOR LANDFILL GAS PURIFICATION.
- Creator
- Thomas, Ryan, Lashaki, Masoud Jahandar, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Abstract/Description
-
The potential of paper waste-derived activated carbon was investigated for the removal of carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide from landfill gas. Activated carbon materials were prepared by carbonizing paper waste followed by acid treatment to remove ash, mixing with aqueous phase potassium hydroxide, and activation via microwave heating. Activated samples were tested using thermogravimetric analysis to determine their equilibrium uptake of carbon dioxide. The adsorbent materials were modified...
Show moreThe potential of paper waste-derived activated carbon was investigated for the removal of carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide from landfill gas. Activated carbon materials were prepared by carbonizing paper waste followed by acid treatment to remove ash, mixing with aqueous phase potassium hydroxide, and activation via microwave heating. Activated samples were tested using thermogravimetric analysis to determine their equilibrium uptake of carbon dioxide. The adsorbent materials were modified with both tetraethylenepentamine and diethanolamine to potentially increase the carbon dioxide uptake, however, all the modified samples had a performance significantly worse than their unmodified counterparts. Adsorbent screening was conducted in conditions mimicking that of landfill gas, namely temperature of 40 °C and 40% carbon dioxide in nitrogen. Performant samples were identified as those achieving uptakes greater than 3 wt.%. The best performing sample achieved an uptake of 5.03 wt.% and maintained 97% of its uptake during 100 successive adsorption-desorption cycles. Column-breakthrough experiments demonstrated that the final candidate achieved complete removal of both carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide, suggesting viability for larger scale landfill gas purification.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2022
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014106
- Subject Headings
- Landfill gases--Purification, Carbon, Activated, Adsorption
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Development and Evaluation of a New Beam Element for Modeling the Partially Yielded Regions of Steel W-Shapes.
- Creator
- Silva, Naomi, Rosson, Barry T., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Abstract/Description
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This research investigates the development and performance of a new closed-form stiffness matrix for a beam element that assumes a second-order stiffness variation over the regions of beam-columns with partial yielding. Stiffness reduction occurs due to yielding of the cross-section of W-Shapes under certain conditions of residual stress, moment, and axial load. Currently, inelastic material models assume a linear stiffness variation over the beam element length, even though it is well known...
Show moreThis research investigates the development and performance of a new closed-form stiffness matrix for a beam element that assumes a second-order stiffness variation over the regions of beam-columns with partial yielding. Stiffness reduction occurs due to yielding of the cross-section of W-Shapes under certain conditions of residual stress, moment, and axial load. Currently, inelastic material models assume a linear stiffness variation over the beam element length, even though it is well known they vary nonlinearly over the partially yielded regions. To evaluate the performance of the new stiffness matrix, two beams and four frames were analyzed using MASTAN2 considering five load increment and nine element conditions. Discussion and recommendations are provided regarding the parameters that influence the modeling results and the ability of the new stiffness matrix to consistently provide better results than the original stiffness matrix with an assumed linear stiffness variation.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2022
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014065
- Subject Headings
- Steel, Civil engineering
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- DEVELOPMENT OF A BIOSENSOR FOR OBJECTIVELY QUANTIFYING NUISANCE ODORS NEAR LANDFILLS.
- Creator
- Rahman, Sharmily, Meeroff, Daniel E., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Abstract/Description
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Nuisance odors from landfills have more impact than just being an annoyance to nearby residents. With an ever-increasing population, a larger number of communities are located in closer proximity to landfills than ever before. This has brought along with it, more regular conflicts with landfill authorities surrounding the issue of odors, resulting in complaints, lawsuits, fines, and even re-siting operations. The absence of an objective method of quantifying nuisance odors makes the task of...
Show moreNuisance odors from landfills have more impact than just being an annoyance to nearby residents. With an ever-increasing population, a larger number of communities are located in closer proximity to landfills than ever before. This has brought along with it, more regular conflicts with landfill authorities surrounding the issue of odors, resulting in complaints, lawsuits, fines, and even re-siting operations. The absence of an objective method of quantifying nuisance odors makes the task of creating regulations and setting standards even more complicated. The current research focuses on a method to objectively quantify landfill odors. The human odorant binding protein 2A (hOBPIIa) can be produced using published recombinant gene technology and can be used as a biosensor to quantify odorants through spectrofluorometric measurements. The current work is a continuation of the previous work by Rahman (2020). In this work, the spent biosensor after it reacts with an odorant is shown to be regenerated by applying additional fluorophore following La Chateliers’ principle, so that the same batch of protein can be used to run multiple experiments with odorants. An important part of the work miniaturized the earlier version of the experimental setup and incorporates a much more efficient flow-through system. This setup is capable of collecting real-time readings, increasing the overall accuracy and shortening the duration of each set of the experiment. The current work also explores the response of the biosensor with an expanded group of pure odorants, including hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, toluene, formaldehyde, tert-butyl mercaptan, and methyl mercaptan as well as their mixtures, thus expanding the list of odorants tested under this principle. The results show that the protein shows a concentration-dependent response differing on the hydrophobicity of the target compound.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2022
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014101
- Subject Headings
- Landfills, Fills (Earthwork), Odors, Biosensors
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- ADVANCED DATA SCIENCE AND PHYSICS-BASED MODELING FOR DYNAMIC SYSTEMS.
- Creator
- Hashemi, Ali, Jang, Jinwoo, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Abstract/Description
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This dissertation focuses on the development of data-driven and physics-based modeling for two distinct significant structural engineering applications: time-varying response variables estimation and unwanted lateral vibration control. In the first part, I propose a machine learning (ML)-based surrogate modeling to directly predict dynamic responses over an entire mechanical system during operations. Any mechanical system design, as well as structural health monitoring systems, require...
Show moreThis dissertation focuses on the development of data-driven and physics-based modeling for two distinct significant structural engineering applications: time-varying response variables estimation and unwanted lateral vibration control. In the first part, I propose a machine learning (ML)-based surrogate modeling to directly predict dynamic responses over an entire mechanical system during operations. Any mechanical system design, as well as structural health monitoring systems, require transient vibration analysis. However, traditional methods and modeling calculations are time- and resource-consuming. The use of ML approaches is particularly promising in scientific and engineering challenges containing processes that are not completely understood, or where it is computationally infeasible to run numerical or analytical models at desired resolutions in space and time. In this research, an ML-based surrogate for the FEA approach is developed to forecast the time-varying response, i.e., displacement of a two-dimensional truss structure. Various ML regression algorithms including decision trees and deep neural networks are developed to predict movement over a truss structure, and their efficiencies are investigated. ML algorithms have been combined with FEA in preliminary attempts to address issues in static mechanical systems.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2022
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014048
- Subject Headings
- Dynamics, Data Science, Machine learning
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- CONVERSION OF WASTE MATERIALS TO ACTIVATED CARBON ADSORBENTS FOR BIOGAS PURIFICATION.
- Creator
- Guirard, Mitchell, Lashaki, Masoud Jahandar, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatics Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
- Abstract/Description
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The potential of plastic waste-derived activated carbon was investigated for the removal of carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide from biogas. Activated carbon materials were prepared by carbonizing plastic waste followed by activation via microwave heating after mixing with potassium hydroxide. Samples were tested using thermogravimetric analysis to determine the equilibrium uptake of carbon dioxide. Samples were modified with tetraethylenepentamine and diethanolamine however, sample texture...
Show moreThe potential of plastic waste-derived activated carbon was investigated for the removal of carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide from biogas. Activated carbon materials were prepared by carbonizing plastic waste followed by activation via microwave heating after mixing with potassium hydroxide. Samples were tested using thermogravimetric analysis to determine the equilibrium uptake of carbon dioxide. Samples were modified with tetraethylenepentamine and diethanolamine however, sample texture produced was deemed unusable for further testing due to operational concerns. Adsorbent screening was conducted in conditions mimicking that of biogas at a temperature of 40 °C and 30% carbon dioxide in nitrogen. Performant samples were identified as those achieving uptakes greater than 3 wt.%. The best performing sample achieved an uptake of 3.57 wt.% and maintained 99% of its uptake during cycling. Column breakthrough experiments demonstrated that the final candidate achieved complete removal of both carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide, suggesting viability for larger scale biogas purification.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2022
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014093
- Subject Headings
- Biogas--Purification, Carbon, Activated, Thermogravimetry
- Format
- Document (PDF)