Water Resources and Environmental Engineering
Research Facilities
Environmental Engineering Laboratory
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: (1) simulation of process technologies, including
process performance, emissions, and economics; (2) quantification of
variability and uncertainty in energy and environmental systems
models; (3) development of emission inventories; and (4) exposure and
risk assessment.
In recent projects, CLEAR has been utilized to: (1) develop new
performance, emissions, and cost models of advanced power generation
and air pollution prevention and control technologies; (2) develop
probabilistic estimates of highway vehicle emission factors; (3)
quantify uncertainty in predictions of ozone levels based upon
propagation of uncertainty in emissions and other air quality model
inputs; and (4) develop new methods for quantification of variability
and uncertainty and propagation of both through models.
 In this 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.
(Web site:
http://www2.ncsu.edu/ncsu/CIL/ncsu_kenan/)
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.
Use of computing facilities in modeling and analysis of
water resources and environmental engineering systems
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- Computer Laboratory
The Computer Laboratory, located in 320 Mann Hall, 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 Ph.D. 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.
Associated Research Centers and Institutes
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