Research Facilities - Environmental, Water Resources and Coastal Engineering
Research facilities in the Civil Engineering Department include over 5000 sq. ft. of laboratory space devoted to environmental chemistry and microbiology and hydraulics. The environmental engineering laboratory has equipment for research on water and wastewater treatment, contaminant transport and site remediation, refuse decomposition, anaerobic microbiology, analytical chemistry, and applied molecular microbial ecology. Specialized equipment includes:
- two anaerobic chambers,
- seven gas chromatographs with both headspace and purge and trap injection capabilities,
- a gas chromatograph with a mass-selective ion detector,
- a scintillation counter,
- two total organic carbon analyzers,
- three liquid chromatographs,
- a gas sorption analyzer for the characterization of porous materials,
- three constant temperature rooms and equipment for molecular biology research such as an epifluorescence microscope with attached CCD camera and image analysis system, and
- equipment for nucleic acid extraction and hybridization.
Equipment is also available for surface and ground water monitoring, including flowmeters, samplers, pumps, water level meters, Hydrolab datasonde, Geoprobe equipment, and a trailer-mounted drill rig for monitoring well installation. The environmental engineering laboratory will move to a new facility in early 2005.
Hydraulics Laboratory
Research facilities in the hydraulics laboratory contain wave gauges, water level gauges, both uni- and bi-directional current meters, and automated remote conductivity meters for field research.
Computational Laboratory for Energy, Air, and Risk (CLEAR)
The mission of the Computational Laboratory for Energy, Air, and Risk (CLEAR) is to develop new methods and models for quantifying energy and environmental problems to improve public and private decision making. CLEAR, under the direction of Dr. H. C. Frey, is comprised of computational facilities that support the Laboratory's mission. These facilities include both hardware and software for:
- simulation of process technologies, including process performance, emissions, and economics;
- quantification of variability and uncertainty in energy and environmental systems models;
- development of emission inventories; and
- exposure and risk assessment.
In recent projects, CLEAR has been utilized to:
- develop new performance, emissions, and cost models of advanced power generation and air pollution prevention and control technologies;
- develop probabilistic estimates of highway vehicle emission factors;
- quantify uncertainty in predictions of ozone levels based upon propagation of uncertainty in emissions and other air quality model inputs; and
- develop new methods for quantification of variability and uncertainty and propagation of both through models.
NCSU-Kenan Natural Hazards Mapping Program
In the NCSU-Kenan Natural Hazards Mapping Program, under the direction of Associate Professor Margery F. Overton and Professor John S. Fisher, graduate students and full-time research associates apply state-of-the-art digital photogrammetric techniques to the identification and mitigation of impacts from natural hazards along shorelines. Current projects include assessing post hurricane storm damage, analyzing long-term shoreline change, monitoring impacts of coastal structures on inlets and adjacent wildlife habitat, developing detailed elevation models, and mapping erosion hazard areas. State and federal agencies use the products of this research for coastal resource management, hurricane preparedness, and hazard mitigation.
Computer Facilities
The Computer-Aided Engineering Distributed Computing Laboratory
The Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) Program in the Department of Civil Engineering recently brought online a new facility for high- performance computer modeling-the CAE Distributed Computing Laboratory (DCL). Many activities in the DCL involve environmental faculty and students conducting research related to environmental systems.
The Computer Laboratory
Located in 320 Mann Hall, this laboratory includes state-of-the-art workstations that form part of the Eos distributed computing system within the College of Engineering. Eos uses technology developed for Project Athena at MIT, which provides a robust, centrally managed system of commercial and academic engineering software tools including analysis and simulation software (Ansys, Siman, Slam), CAD systems (AutoCAD, CADkey, CADRA III), mathematical software (Matlab, Maple, SAS, S-Plus, Lindo), as well as numerous word processors, graphics packages, and compilers.
Engineering students have access to Eos, as well as to off-campus and international networks, around the clock. These networks also provide access to a variety of high-performance computer systems at the North Carolina Supercomputing Center, including an IBM RS/6000 SP, SGI Origin 2000, SGI Onyx2, and Cray T916/4256. Project Eos is operated by a professional support group that provides basic system and software services. This group includes a full-time PhD specialist who manages the development of system documentation in both electronic and printed formats. Special consultation for faculty and students is also provided by the Eos support group.
©Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering
