Water Resources and Environmental Engineering

Research Project Abstracts: 2002 - 2003

A Global Assessment of Recycling Policy and Markets
M. A. Barlaz and D. H. Loughlin
Environmental Research and Education Foundation
01/01- 06/03
The overall objectives of this research are to develop an understanding of the policies and markets that are controlling recycling activity in several countries across Europe, Asia and South America as well as the US, and to use this understanding to make recommendations on how to strengthen recycling markets and finance recycling programs under various regulatory climates.

Sequestration Mechanisms and Bioavailability of Tetrachloroethene and Toluene in Solid Waste
M.A. Barlaz, D.R.U. Knappe and M. A. Nanny (U. of Oklahoma)
National Science Foundation
09/01 to 08/04
The overall objective of this research is to study factors that control the fate and bioavailability of tetrachloroethene (PCE) and toluene in landfills with a specific focus on contaminant sequestration and biodegradation as influenced by the presence of (1) humic substances in solid matrices and (2) acidogenic and methanogenic leachate. Given the complexity of studying sorption and bioavailability in landfills, work is being conducted with the major organic solid waste components in pure form (office paper, newsprint, model food and yard waste, high density polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride).

Production of Non-Methane Organic Compounds (NMOCs) and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) During Refuse Decomposition
M. A. Barlaz
Waste Management Inc.
03/01to 06/03
The overall objectives of this research are to develop a basic understanding of
(1) the production of non-methane organic compounds (NMOCs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during refuse decomposition, and (2) the relationship between NMOCs and VOCs. NMOC and VOC production are measured in a series of 8-liter reactors filled with either mixed municipal solid waste, yard waste, mixed paper, or food waste. Decomposition is being monitored under aerobic, nitrate-reducing and anaerobic conditions. This research will result in a laboratory-measured ultimate yields for a variety of trace organic compounds and for the bulk parameter NMOC.

Development of Permeable Reactive Barriers (PRBs) using Edible Oils
R. C. Borden
Department of Defense, SERDP
01/01 to 01/05
The overall objective of this proposal is to develop the information needed to reliably design, construct and evaluate edible oil barriers, including: 1) Identify factors controlling the loss of permeability during oil injection; 2) Identify factors controlling oil biodegradation rate in aquifer sediments; 3) Use these results to develop improved procedures for distributing and immobilizing oils that: (a) do not cause an excessive decline in permeability; and (b) result in a slow, steady rate of in-situ oil decay. Evaluate the performance of these procedures in a series of year long continuous flow column experiments; 4) Modify the model RT3D to simulate the major processes controlling the performance of edible oil barriers. Use this model to identify alternative barrier configurations and injection procedures to improve barrier performance and reduce costs.

Use of Soybean Oil and Soybean Products for Groundwater Bioremediation
R. C. Borden
United Soybean Board
04/02 to12/02
Emulsified soybean oil can be used to treat groundwater contaminated with a variety of pollutants including rocket fuel, heavy metals, acid mine drainage and nitrate from agricultural and waste management operations. The objective of this proposal is to evaluate the use of soybean oil and soy-based products for use in treating these pollutants.
1. Construct and monitor batch laboratory incubations to evaluate the potential of several different soybean products to enhance biodegradation and/or immobilization of four major types of pollutants: (1) nitrate; (2) perchlorate; (3) chromium; and (4) acid mine drainage.
2. Evaluate the in-situ treatment efficiency of these materials in laboratory scale columns.
3. Compare the cost and effectiveness of this technology to alternative approaches for aquifer remediation.

Molecular and Engineering Approaches for Analyzing Microbial Selection in Activated Sludge: Competition between Filaments and Floc-formers
F. L. de los Reyes III
National Science Foundation CAREER
07/01 to 06/06
The research and teaching efforts in this CAREER proposal will be directed towards examining fundamental activated sludge microbiology using novel molecular techniques. Specifically, the research will focus on the most important component of the most widely used wastewater treatment process: the separation of solids from the effluent in the activated sludge process. The research component of this project will combine molecular, modeling, and reactor studies to integrate theories of microbial selection of floc-formers over filaments and develop design guidelines for reactor design and operation. The education component involves the training of undergraduate and graduate students in the principles and practices of molecular techniques, the integration of treatment process modeling in graduate water quality courses, the development of a teaching module on applications of molecular methods in environmental engineering, the integration of full-scale treatment plant exposure experiences in undergraduate and graduate courses, and participation in the Video-Based Engineering Education program at NCSU.

Fundamental Analysis of a Novel Swine Wastewater Treatment Technology
F. L. de los Reyes and J. Cheng (Biol. and Agr. Engr.)
US Department of Agriculture- National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program
08/01 to 07/04
A promising technology that integrates organics destruction, nitrogen removal, and energy recovery has been recently developed at NC State University. This technology utilizes an anaerobic biofilm reactor followed by an intermittently-aerated, single-reactor nitrogen removal system. Energy is recovered in the anaerobic stage as biogas, while the limited aeration in the second stage minimizes aeration costs. In the second stage, nitrogen is primarily removed through nitrification/denitrification processes. Laboratory experimental data show over 90% removal of nitrogen from swine wastewater, thereby reducing total nitrogen and ammonia-nitrogen levels to 27 and 18 mg/l, respectively. In this proposed project, we will identify, quantify, and monitor the nitrifying, denitrifying, and other nitrogen-removing populations in a novel single-reactor system using molecular techniques based on 16S rRNA (ribosomal ribonucleic acid) sequence analysis. These techniques, which will include oligonucleotide probe hybridizations, PCR (polymerase chain reaction) amplification, cloning, and nucleic acid sequence analysis, are not limited by cell morphology or cultivation conditions, and are therefore not subject to the limitations and biases of traditional methods. The microbial community structure will be related to reactor operation in order to optimize the performance of the reactor system.

Improving Dewatering of Wastewater Biosolids Using Innovative Approaches
F. L. de los Reyes III
NC Water Resources Research Institute
04/03 to 03/04
The capital and operating costs associated with management of solids residuals have been estimated as 30-50% of the total costs associated with wastewater treatment (NRC, 2002). In North Carolina, typical contract disposal costs for dewatered cake land application, excluding the cost of dewatering, range from $15 to $20 per wet ton and represent a daily operating cost burden of $30 to $60 per million gallons treated. Whether facilities choose landfilling, incineration, or thermal drying as their ultimate disposal method, the costs associated with residuals management will be lowered if the solids content of sludge is increased. We propose to explore new approaches to increase the dewatered solids content of biosolids.

Development of a Non-Isotopic Procedure for Probing Bioaugmented Organisms
F. L. de los Reyes III
Novozymes Biologicals, Inc.
07/02 to 01/03
In this project, a membrane hybridization assay that eliminates the use of 32P will be developed. The first application will be the quantitative probing of bioaugmented Bacillus strains in soils and wastewater treatment plants. The results of the non-isotopic method will be compared to the results of 32P-labeled probing. The protocol will be adapted to the existing facilities at the Novozymes laboratory, and personnel will be trained in the new procedure.

System-wide Optimization of Wastewater Treatment Plants Using Genetic Algorithms, Hydromantis Inc.
F. L. de los Reyes III, D. Loughlin and J. Ducoste
NSF REU Program
06/01 to present
In this project, we are using a genetic algorithm (GA) to perform system-wide optimization of wastewater treatment unit processes. A simulation model, GPS-X is calibrated for a full-scale wastewater treatment plant, and interfaced with the GA. The GA optimizes the optimization parameters (recycle pumping rates, etc.) with the goals of minimizing costs and ensuring that effluent standards will be met. The GA-based optimization approach will be used for single and multi-objective optimization. In another application, a GA is used to simultaneously select efficient unit treatment processes and optimize their design parameters.

Simultaneous Nitrifcation-Denitrification: Effects of Floc Size and Novel Nitrogen-Transforming Bacteria
F. L. de los Reyes III
Unsponsored (NSF Graduate Research Fellowship)
2002, ongoing
The effects of floc size in providing microenvironments for simultaneous nitrification-denitrifcation are being investigated using a Couette flow reactor. By adjusting operational conditions, floc size can be tightly controlled. Biological transformations of nitrogen will be tracked. In addition, a new rRNA-targeted probe for an SND organism was developed and used in a variety of environmental (natural and engineered treatment) samples. The student involved in this work is funded by a NSF Graduate Fellowship, and research supplies are supported by start-up funds.

Modeling Activated Sludge Population Dynamics
F. L. de los Reyes III
Unsponsored
2001, ongoing
Population models of filaments and floc-formers in activated sludge are being developed using STELLA and MATLAB. These models will explore the effects of varying growth rates, kinetic parameters, load fluctuations, and storage on the outcome of microbial competition. The results of this modeling effort will allow the initial testing of several hypotheses on microbial competition and may impact the design and operation of full-scale treatment plants. This project is in progress and currently performed as part of an MCE project. Computer support (software, computer time) is supported by start-up funds from the Department of Civil Engineering. In another modeling project, an undergraduate student is developing a model of simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) within activated sludge flocs. This model will test the hypothesis that SND occurs inside flocs because of diffusion limitations. We aim to submit a proposal to NSF based on the initial results of this project.

Monitoring Activated Sludge Population Dynamics
F. L. de los Reyes III
Unsponsored
North Cary Water Reclamation Facility, in-kind support
2001, ongoing
A cooperative agreement with the North Cary Wastewater Treatment Facility has allowed regular sampling of their activated sludge mixed liquor. Plant personnel collect and process samples. Full-scale data will be combined with membrane hybridization to relate microbial community structure changes to functional changes in the plant.

CAREER: A Unified Approach to Understanding, Education, and Design of Disinfection Processes using Computational Fluid Dynamics
J. J. Ducoste
National Science Foundation
09/01 to 08/06
This research program proposes to use CFD to I) develop and evaluate alternative disinfection models for the prediction of effluent microbial inactivation through continuous flow systems and II) assess the impact of disinfectant injection methods and multiple disinfectant injection points on microbial inactivation and DBP formation. The educational plan involves the development of a CFD disinfectant training module. The CFD disinfection-training module will be designed around a graphical user interface (GUI) that will be the primary mode of communication between the user and the CFD model. The training module will be composed of three sections: I) power point/video-based disinfection process-lecture series, II) solved disinfection problems and simulated tracer tests, and III) team-based disinfection design problems.

Hydraulic Characterization of UV Reactors
J. J. Ducoste and K. Linden (Duke University)
American Water Works Research Foundation
08/01 to 07/03
The overall goal of this study is to enhance the UV disinfection design process, including prediction of performance and scale-up, through innovative experimental and numerical techniques that assess dose distribution, hydraulic characterization, and microbial inactivation levels. The results of this research will be used for the development of a UV disinfection design framework (UVDDF) protocol. The focus of the experimental work in this study will involve pilot and full-scale closed-conduit reactors. Novel numerical models developed during this study will be tested with both closed-conduit and open-channel reactors to bridge previous open-channel numerical modeling research.

NCSU/NC A and T Program for STEM Enrollment Enhancement
J. J. Ducoste (Co-PI)
National Science Foundation
01/03 to 12/05
North Carolina State University and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University are collaborating in developing a program designed to increase the number of graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Specific program elements include a summer camp at NCSU for graduating high school students who have not selected their majors, summer bridge programs at both NCSU and NCAandT designed to prepare new STEM students for introductory college science and math courses, undergraduate research programs at both schools, tutoring and mentoring of STEM majors, and a faculty exchange program between the two campuses. A comprehensive mentoring program is included to track all students in the program and to provide the data required to evaluate each program element. Success in the program will result in an increase in the number of STEM graduates, through both an increase in the number of majors and an increase in retention.

Analysis of Computational Fluid Dynamics Results for Ultraviolet Reactor Design: A Subcontract to UV Disinfection for Large Water Treatment Plants: No. 2768
J. J. Ducoste
Black and Veatch
09/02 to 08/04
The principal objective of this research is the analysis of the CFD modeling data generated in the proposal entitled "UV Disinfection for Large Water Treatment Plants: No. 2768". Data analysis will include ensuring accurate assessment of the following: a) Velocity and turbulence distribution within the reactor; b) Particle tracks that display movement of simulated organisms; c) Calculation of dose distribution using information from particle tracks; d) Computed microbial inactivation of target microorganism using particle track data; e) Simulated tests conducted at multiple flow rates and with different fluence rates in the reactor.

Analysis of Drinking Water Treatment Dynamic Simulator: An Undergraduate Research Award
J. J. Ducoste
NC State University
05/02 to 09/02
The objective of this summer research experience is to evaluate the performance of this new WTP simulator. The approach used to evaluate this simulation tool will be as follows: a) Collect process data from a local water treatment plant in North Carolina; b) Develop a WTP model of this plant using operational data; c) Calibrate WTP model with a portion of the time history process data from the plant; d) Compare WTP model predictions of the remaining time history process data from the plant. The proposed research project will greatly benefit the drinking water community because it will result in the evaluation of a numerical approach that is designed to help engineers analyze and optimize (both cost and water quality) the entire drinking WTP. In addition, the project will provide a local WTP the ability to better understand its plant operation and from looking at some "what if" scenarios, develop ways to cut operational costs. This research will also benefit the undergraduate and graduate educational community by evaluating a software tool that could be used in capstone design courses in chemical, civil, and environmental engineering curriculums as well as graduate courses specializing in drinking water treatment.

REU Supplement to Career: A Unified Approach to Understanding, Education, and Design of Disinfection Processes using Computational Fluid Dynamics
J. J. Ducoste
National Science Foundation
09/01 to 09/03
The proposed REU research program will enable two of my undergraduate students to work along side M.S and Ph.D. students and conduct the following experimentation: a) bench-scale disinfectant formation studies for chlorine and combined chlorine species to determine the kinetic rate constants in the CFD model and b) bench-scale disinfection studies involving the impact of sequential disinfectants on fluorescence microspheres.

Improved Chemical Mixing through Computational Fluid Dynamics
J. J. Ducoste
Unsponsored
01/00 to 05/04
The principal objective of this research is to develop an enhanced chemical mixing design protocol for low energy in-line mixers that better predicts downstream mixture uniformity using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Specific objectives are to (1) evaluate the predictive capabilities of CFD models for different in-line mixing configurations; (2) establish relationships between in-line mixer configurations and downstream chemical mixture uniformity; (3) determine the impacts of process flow, conduit size, and conduit shape on mixer design selection; (4) apply the enhanced mixing protocol at a full scale facility; and (5) compare cost savings and mixing performance for designs produced by enhanced mixing protocol and traditional mixing protocol.

Modeling Heterogeneous Turbulent Induced Flocculation in Water Treatment Processes
J. J. Ducoste
Unsponsored
09/00 to 05/04
The proposed research project seeks to develop a numerical tool that will assist environmental engineers to better optimize the full-scale flocculation process in preparation for meeting future stringent water quality goals. The project will combine powerful population balance models (PBM) that simulate flocculation kinetics for a broad range of particle sizes with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models that will simulate the complex fluid mechanics and particle transport within any reactor system.

Development and Application of Optimal Design Capability for Coal Gasification Systems
H. C. Frey
U.S. Department of Energy, Federal Energy Technology Center, via Carnegie Mellon University
1997-2001, extended into 2003
The objective of this project is to develop system analysis tools useful in evaluating energy systems and in addressing the complex problems of environmental management. This project includes the development of a guideline document describing methods for identifying and characterizing key technical and economic uncertainties which are required as inputs for stochastic modeling of energy technologies. This project will include development of new computer simulation models that shall predict the performance, emissions, and cost of advanced fossil fuel power generation and pollution control technologies specified by the U.S. Department of Energy.

NSF CAREER Award: New Methods for Systems Analysis of Environmental Technologies
H. C. Frey
National Science Foundation
06/97 to 05/03
The research program features several major activities: (1) the development of detailed engineering-economic models of clean technologies for the purpose of understanding trade-offs among process performance, emissions and cost; (2) the development of new methods for quantitative analysis of uncertainty and variability in environmental technologies; (3) the combination of probabilistic analysis with optimization capabilities to yield approaches for optimizing technologies in the face of uncertainties; and (4) detailed case studies to illustrate the use of systems models and the benefits of the probabilistic and optimization methodologies. The educational program will include the development of modular instructional materials in air pollution control, air quality engineering, systems engineering, and related topics.

New Methods for Assessment of Pollution Prevention Technologies: Integration of Probabilistic Process Modeling and Design; Life Cycle Analysis; and Regional Environmental Benefits Assessment
H. C. Frey and M. A. Barlaz
National Science Foundation and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
10/98 to 09/03
The objectives of this research are to: (1) develop novel assessment methodologies for evaluation of the risks and potential pay-offs of new technologies that avoid pollutant production; (2) demonstrate the methodology via a detailed case study of one promising new pollution prevention technology; and (3) utilize a tiered approach including process simulation and design optimization, probabilistic analysis, life cycle analysis, and assessment of selected regional environmental impacts to provide insights regarding the risks and pay-offs of the pollution prevention approach, both at a "micro" process-level and at a "macro" regional environmental level. This project will focus on pollution prevention in power generation, waste management, and selected aspects of related industries using waste gasification as an example.

Probabilistic Modeling of Variability and Uncertainty in Urban Air Toxics Emissions
H. C. Frey
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
10/98 to 09/03
The objectives of this research are: (1) to develop and refine methods for quantification of variability and uncertainty in estimating emissions of urban air toxics; (2) to develop and refine methods for identifying key sources of variability and uncertainty in assessments of urban air toxic emissions and exposures; (3) to develop probabilistic process engineering models for making realistic estimates of emissions of, and the effects of control measures for, urban air toxics; (4) to demonstrate the methods via a detailed case study of urban air toxics emissions and exposures; and (5) to characterize the benefits of the methods with respect to environmental and research management.

Development and Demonstration of a Methodology for Characterizing and Managing Uncertainties in Emission Inventories
H. C. Frey (with four co-investigators)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
01/99 to 01/03
The objectives of this work are: (1) to develop and refine methods for quantitative analysis of variability and uncertainty in Emission Inventories (EIs); (2) to demonstrate the methods via application to a detailed case study of an EI; and (3) to characterize the benefits of the techniques for environmental and research management. The key aspects of our work are methods and case studies for quantification of uncertainty in the inputs to an EI, propagation of uncertainty in EI inputs to predict uncertainties in air quality model (AQM)-ready emissions, and identification of key sources of uncertainty in the model-ready emissions estimates. Furthermore, we will use an actual State Implementation Plan EI to demonstrate the practical applications of the new methods and the new insights obtained from them.

Identification and Application of Methods for Sensitivity Analysis of Complex Food Safety Process Risk Models
H. C. Frey
United States Department of Agriculture
10/00 to 09/03
Sensitivity analyses of risk models can help identify the most significant exposure or risk factors, aid in developing priorities for risk mitigation, aid in identifying the importance of uncertainties in the model for the purpose of prioritizing additional data collection or research, play an important role in verification and validation of a model, and enable insight into the robustness of model results when making decisions. Sensitivity analysis can also aid in identify the most sensitive or important decision variables, which some may refer to as "control points". This project focuses on identification and application of methods for sensitivity analysis of complex food safety risk models.

Recoding and Uncertainty Analysis of the SHEDS/Pesticides Model
H. C. Frey
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development
05/05 to 07/03
The objectives of this project are to recode the existing Stochastic Human Exposure and Dose Simulation (SHEDS) Pesticides (SHEDS/P) model from its existing SAS implementation into C++. NCSU will develop a Graphical User Interface (GUI) and incorporate new algorithms for quantification of variability and uncertainty in model inputs and propagation of variability and uncertainty to model outputs. NCSU will compare the recoded version of SHEDS/P with the SAS version of SHEDS/P for purposes of verification. The new SHEDS/P model will be applied to a multimedia risk assessment case study based upon data provided by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Methodology for Developing Modal Emission Rates for EPA's Multi-Scale Motor Vehicle and Equipment Emission System (MOVES)
H. C. Frey
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Transportation and Air Quality
05/02 to 08/02
The objective of this project is to develop and demonstrate an analytical approach for estimating vehicle exhaust modal emission rates and distributions for the Multi-Scale Motor Vehicle and Equipment Emission System (MOVES). The main tasks of this work are to develop pilot modal emission rates from multiple data sources, to perform validation of the developed model against an independent data set, and to recommend specific methodologies for developing modal emission rates for MOVES.

Uncertainty Analysis for the 1996 National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment
H. C. Frey
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (via MCNC)
01/03 to 09/03
This project aims to quantify uncertainty in the 1996 National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) based upon benzene and the Houston geographic area. NCSU will quantify uncertainty in annual average emissions of benzene for point, non-point, onroad, and nonroad sources. Uncertainty in total emissions for the selected geographic area will be quantified. Key sources of uncertainty in the total emissions will be identified based upon sensitivity analysis. Methods for integrating the probabilistic emission inventory into exposure and risk assessment will be proposed and implemented in collaboration with MCNC.

In-Vehicle Energy and Emissions Information System
H. C. Frey and N.M. Rouphail
National Science Foundation
01/03 to 12/05
The key objectives of this research project are to: (1) develop a micro-scale predictor of energy use and emissions that is deployable at the individual vehicle level in real-time; (2) identify, compare and evaluate alternate energy use and emissions sampling/reporting schemes that are appropriate at the vehicle and network levels; (3) Develop and test a prototype In-Vehicle Energy and Emissions Information System (IVEEIS); and (4) formulate and assess the utility of IVEEIS in developing transportation design and control measures aimed at energy and emission management policies.

Jetting Techniques for Pile Installation and Environmental Impact Minimization
M. A. Gabr
NC Department of Transportation
07/02 to 07/04
The objective of this research is to characterize and define disturbance due to jetting installation method as manifested by zone of influence and volume of debris area. This disturbance will be defined as a function of jetting pressure, flow rate, and site conditions including soil types. Second, specifications will be developed with recommendations regarding jetting parameters to minimize disturbance as well as possible conjugate practice modification of the jetting procedure such as addition of vacuum and/or water extraction/ circulation techniques. Ecological impacts of jetting will be presented in terms of the jetting disturbance effect on the hydric soils. Accordingly, and depending on the specific site inventory for different regions of North Carolina, the impact of disturbing the hydric soil layer on aquatic and vegetative ecosystems can be evaluated using established assessment techniques.

Vacuum-Enhanced Flushing of Cesium Using the Well Injection Depth Extraction (WIDE) Deployment at the Battelle Columbus Laboratories Decommissioning Project
M. A. Gabr
Battelle/US DOE
08/02 to 04/03
The overall objective of this project is to deploy the WIDE technology for soil flushing of subsurface contaminants at the Battelle Columbus Laboratories Decommissioning Project (BCLDP) West Jefferson facility's middle site filter bed. When the abandoned filter beds were replaced the water tiles and much of the contaminated sand and gravels were removed leaving only the soluble isotopes.

Internet-Enabled Laboratory Experiences for Undergraduate Civil Engineering Students
V.C. Matzen, M. Gabr and A. Gupta
National Science Foundation CCLI program
06/01/03 to 05/31/05
This proposal is aimed at adaptation of recent developments in information technology for incorporation of internet-enabled civil engineering laboratory experiments in undergraduate structures and geotechnical courses. Faculty and students will be able to remotely access, run, and control these experiments either independently or in a classroom setting. Such a capability would facilitate the offering of these courses via distance learning program to provide opportunities for "non-traditional" students (e.g., part-time student, working parent, and career-changing adult) seeking careers in Civil Engineering. Implementation of this work will lead to enhancing the quality of undergraduate Civil Engineering courses and making laboratory curriculum widely accessible.

Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) for Reliability Analysis/Design of Driven Piles Axial Capacity
M. S. Rahman and M.A. Gabr
NC Department of Transportation
07/01 to 12/02
The main objective of this study is to develop the resistance factors for the design of driven piles in North Carolina. These factors are being developed for the unique soil types of various regions of North Carolina. The development of these factors are being attempted in the framework of 'advanced reliability analysis' using the results from Pile Driving Analyzer (PDA) and static load test data embodying the uncertainty associated with soil parameters. The results from this study will lead to an implementation of the Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) for piles, bringing NCDOT in compliance with AASHTO guidelines.

Lateral Capacity of Drilled Shafts Embedded in Soft Weathered Rock
M. A. Gabr and R. H. Borden
NC Department of Transportation
07/01 to 07/02
The overall objective of ongoing research is to define the shape and magnitude of the P-y curves appropriate for use in designing deep foundation to resist lateral loads in the Piedmont soft weathered rock profiles and to develop systematic design procedure for these types of foundations. Emphasis will be placed on performing additional field tests to investigate shaft embedment in soft rock based on a deformation criterion, while maintaining an acceptable level of safety. The results of the additional field tests, laboratory tests, as well as the rock dilatometer tests, will be used to verify the P-y design model and demonstrate the validity of the developed analysis/design procedure.

High-Silica Zeolites for the Removal of Polar Organic Contaminants from Drinking Water - Development of a 'Green' Adsorption/Regeneration System
D. R. U. Knappe
American Water Works Association Research Foundation
02/03 to 02/05
The principal objective of this research is to develop an effective and environmentally friendly adsorption/regeneration system for the removal of polar organic contaminants (POCs) from drinking water. The fuel oxygenate methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) and the antimicrobial compounds sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim will serve as model POCs. The hypotheses that will be tested are (1) high-silica zeolites are more effective adsorbents for POCs than activated carbon and carbonaceous resins, (2) high-silica zeolites are resistant to fouling by natural organic matter (NOM), (3) the adsorption capacity of spent high-silica zeolites can be recovered by low-temperature steam regeneration, and (4) the regeneration waste stream can be effectively treated by photocatalytic oxidation.

Employing Artificial Neural Networks and Genetic Algorithms to Optimize Turbidity and Natural Organic Matter Removal In Drinking Water Treatment
D. R. U. Knappe and S. R. Ranjithan
Unsponsored
ongoing
Many drinking water treatment plants conduct pilot studies to optimize treatment. These pilot studies typically result in a wealth of data that is difficult to interpret. This study showed that artificial neural network models can describe pilot study results that were obtained over a wide range of treatment conditions and raw water qualities. Pilot studies were conducted by the City of Philadelphia, PA. Artificial neural network models are currently used to determine optimal treatment strategies that consistently produce desired water quality criteria at minimum cost.

Adsorption of Methyl Tertiary-butyl Ether on High-silica Zeolites
D. R. U. Knappe
Unsponsored
ongoing
High-silica zeolites represent an emerging adsorbent for the drinking water industry. The hypothesis tested in this study is that natural organic matter (NOM) does not compete with target adsorbates because size exclusion prevents NOM from entering zeolite pores. As a result, lower adsorbent usage rates result and the adsorbent can be regenerated more easily.

Implementation of an HPLC Method to Quantify Trace Levels of Hydroxydesethylatrazine in Deionized, Distilled Water and in Tap Water
D. R. U. Knappe
Unsponsored
ongoing
Degradation products of atrazine, such as hydroxydesethylatrazine, are not detected by gas chromatographic methods typically employed for the quantitation of atrazine. The HPLC method evaluated in this study permits the quantitation of atrazine as well as common atrazine degradation products in effluents of granular activated carbon filters.

Decision Support for Seismic Performance Evaluation
A. Gupta, J. Baugh Jr., and G. Mahinthakumar
National Science Foundation
09/00 to 08/03
The overall goal of this research is to develop formal computational approaches that support comprehensive decision making in structural engineering. Specifically, these approaches will be realized in a prototype decision support system that draws on complementary strengths of the engineer and the computer in a joint-cognitive system. Its design will be based on three major concepts - (1) optimization for evaluating alternatives and supporting what-if analyses; (2) sub-component approach to address structural model synthesis, scalability, model updating, and uncertainty propagation; and (3) implementation in an object-oriented framework of high performance distributed computing. A series of simple and real-life test cases will be used to evaluate the proposed prototype.

CAREER: High-end computing in environmental engineering with application to subsurface characterization
G. Mahinthakumar
National Science Foundation
07/01/03 to 06/30/08
Accurate characterization of the subsurface is an important element in the development of reliable and efficient groundwater management practices. Accurate and reliable estimation of hydraulic conductivity distribution, contaminant distribution, and/or contaminant source release history is necessary for problems such as estimating groundwater yields, design of efficient cleanup strategies, and identifying responsible parties in a contamination incident. This requires solution of an inverse problem because direct measurement of detailed subsurface properties is not feasible. Inverse problems are difficult to solve and are computationally demanding. This multidisciplinary CAREER project will investigate novel computational strategies for the efficient solution of large-scale inverse problems in subsurface characterization.

High end computer system performance: Science and Engineering
G. Mahinthakumar
UT Battelle LLC
10/24/01 to 09/30/04
The project involves 10 major institutions with Lawrence Berkley National Lab and ORNL as the lead institutions. The overall goal of the proposal is to establish an Enabling Technology Center (ETC) in the area of high-end computer performance. The NCSU research will focus in two areas: 1) performance modeling and analysis and 2) benchmark development for a large-scale parallel astrophysics application. Several modern high-end computer systems including the IBM SP, Compaq Alpha/SC, and an Intel Itanium Linux Cluster will be employed in this research.

Development and Performance Testing of a Large-scale Parallel Groundwater Flow and Transport Code
G. Mahinthakumar
Unsponsored
ongoing
We have developed a parallel groundwater flow and transport simulator intended for high-resolution numerical simulations involving multicomponent groundwater transport and remediation. The main feature of the code is that it can solve very large problems (in the order of 10's of millions of cells) efficiently on today's parallel supercomputers. We will continue with the development and performance testing of this code on the latest parallel computers including those at ORNL, SDSC, NERSC, and NCSA.

Hybrid Global-Local Approaches Enabled by Parallel Computing for Solving PDE Governed Inverse Problems in Civil Engineering
G. Mahinthakumar
Unsponsored
ongoing
We are investigating the use of hybrid global-local search approaches for solving large-scale PDE governed inverse problems in civil engineering. Our current focus is on groundwater source identification inverse problems. The approaches developed through this research, however, are more general and can be applied other types of civil engineering inverse problems such as damage detection in structures and air pollution source-matrix identification. We are using genetic algorithms (GAs) as our global search approach and are investigating several local approaches such as Nelder-Meade simplex method, Levenberg-Marquadt method, and Sequential Quadratic Programming.

Update of the Storm Erosion Component of the North Carolina Ocean Erodible Area for Bogue Banks, and Portions of Brunswick and Dare Counties
M.F. Overton and J. S. Fisher
NC Division of Coastal Management
01/01/03 to 06/30/03
The Ocean Erodible Area (OEA) is the area of shoreline in which there exists a substantial possibility of excessive erosion and significant shoreline fluctuations. Development adjacent to the oceanfront is at risk from both short-term, largely temporary erosion caused by storms, and the long-term, relatively permanent landward movement of the shoreline resulting from the net loss of sand from the beach system and rising sea level. Therefore, the OEA is defined as the average long-term erosion rate that has occurred over the past approximately 50 years multiplied by 60, plus the erosion that is expected to occur during a 100-year storm. The OEA is defined as part of the Ocean Hazard Area of Environmental Concern (AEC). Any development in this AEC is regulated under the Coastal Area Management Act of 1974 (CAMA) that requires property owners to meet specific building setback requirements and other development standards. Two models will be used to determine the impact of short-term erosion due to storms. The first models the changes that occur on the beach during a single storm while the second develops a statistically based prediction of the erosion based on a wide range of possible storms. The results of the model will be used to delineate the OEA.

Using Digital Shoreline Data to Better Characterize Inlet Processes and Near-Term Shoreline Behavior
M.F. Overton and J. S. Fisher
NC Division of Coastal Management
08/14/02 to 12/31/03
The Division of Coastal Management (DCM) has identified a need to characterize the significant processes impacting North Carolina's inlets and adjacent oceanfront shorelines within the Ocean Erodible Area (OEA). To adequately characterize these processes, short-term shoreline trends need to be documented. This project will undertake to develop as many digital shoreline datasets as possible from both historical (e.g., aerial photography, Tsheets) and modern sources (LIDAR, photography based digital terrain models, orthophotos). From these data, we will develop a framework for understanding the short-term fluctuations within the long-term signal. Given the temporally robust set of digital shorelines proposed in this work, shoreline change models can be improved and a framework for understanding the short-term changes can be developed.

North Carolina Erosion Rate Analysis
M.F. Overton and J. S. Fisher
NC Division of Coastal Management
09/10/01 to 03/31/02
This study will provide the State of North Carolina with an update of the long-term ocean shoreline erosion rate. The rate will be based upon controlled aerial photography collected for the Division of Coastal Management by the NC Department of Transportation. Digital orthophotos and terrain models will be provided by the Division of Coastal Management via a third party contractor. The PIs will use these digital data to compute the erosion rates using procedures developed in conjunction with the Department of Coastal Management. In addition to the erosion analysis, this contract will provide technical to DCM in the areas of coastal risk analysis in the vicinity of inlets.

Coastal Highway Vulnerability
M.F. Overton and J. S. Fisher
NC Department of Transportation
07/01/01 to 06/30/03
This project proposes to refine and update the highway vulnerability study prepared by the PI's for NCDOT in 1991 by making use of more recent topographic data and by improving the methodology to include short term storm events. This update will be based upon the most recent (1998) aerial photographs available of the entire North Carolina coast for the base maps and the determination of long term erosion rate. In addition, the project will make use of high-resolution digital terrain models that reflect the topographic changes that have occurred in the 1990's. Finally, the revised study will incorporate a statistical method to evaluate the risk of the combination of long-term erosion and storm damage to the NC coastal highway system. This will allow the development of a more comprehensive assessment of the vulnerability of the NC coastal highway system. The project report will provide a guide to NCDOT as to what portions of the coastal highway system will be likely to sustain damage or require mitigation for the next twenty years.

Shoreline Monitoring at Oregon Inlet
M.F. Overton and J. S. Fisher
NC Department of Transportation
07/02 to 06/03
The purpose of this ongoing project (1989 to present) is to monitor and evaluate the response of a six mile stretch of shoreline just south of the terminal groin constructed to protect the bridge at the north end of Pea Island. The purpose of phase one was to establish the 'historical erosion rates' for the study area since the change in dredging operations in the inlet in 1984 and before the March 1989 storm. The continuing phases of the project consist of determining position of the shoreline from air photography every two months and evaluating the response of the shoreline in the context of the historical erosion rates.

Urban Watershed Management Tools
S. R. Ranjithan
US EPA/MCNC
10/01 to 09/03
U.S. EPA's Multimedia Integrated Modeling System (MIMS) provides a unified computing framework to simulate the cycling of environmental pollutants within and across all media. The processes associated with urban storm water runoff and wastewater discharge are to be available for simulation in MIMS. The simulation models are to be coupled with systems analytic methods (including uncertainty analysis and optimization-based search procedures) to explore and identify efficient strategies to manage the urban runoff related problems. In addition, decision-makers require cost/benefit tradeoffs and reliability associated with different strategies. The objective of this project is to integrate urban watershed decisions support tools into MIMS, and demonstrate their use. Related goals include integration of an appropriate urban storm water model into MIMS and testing the broader applicability of the decision support tools for use with other process simulation models.

NSF CAREER Award: Development of a Computer-Based Methodology to Assist in Environmental Systems Analysis and Decision Making and Its Applications in Watershed Management
S. R. Ranjithan
National Science Foundation
05/98 to 04/03
This project will: 1) investigate ways to enhance the capabilities of genetic algorithms (GAs) for complex environmental systems analysis, 2) develop and integrate into existing courses an interactive training module to assist in teaching the fundamentals of GAs and their uses in environmental systems analysis, 3) explore applications of the methodology in watershed management, and 4) integrate the applications and their findings in courses related to environmental systems analysis. The academic plans include the development of teaching modules and interactive techniques for both students and practitioners. To demonstrate the practical applicability, an array of realistic watershed management applications will be investigated, including a case study of the Neuse River Basin in North Carolina.