Water Resources and Environmental Engineering

Research Project Abstracts: 2004 - 2005

Assessment Landfill Gas Pathway - Laboratory Simulation of Partitioning of Chemical and Biological Contaminants under Anaerobic Decomposition in a Landfill
M.A. Barlaz, D.R.U. Knappe, and F. de los Reyes
Environmental Protection Agency
09/04 to 08/07
The overall objectives of this research are to (1) develop and validate a model to predict the behavior of chemical contaminants in refuse and (2) measure the survival and transport of biological agents in landfills. Experimental work will be conducted with surrogates for selected chemical warfare agents to quantify physical, chemical and biological processes affecting their behavior in landfills. Concurrently, a model describing contaminant fate and transport in landfills will be developed. Molecular probes will be developed for suitable surrogates of biological warfare agents and the probes will be used to measured survival and transport in batch and reactor systems.

Assessment of the Behavior of Chemical and Biological Contaminants in Landfills
M.A. Barlaz, D.R.U. Knappe, and F. de los Reyes III
Environmental Protection Agency
12/03 to 06/05
The objective of this research is to develop information on the behavior of chemical and biological agents in landfills. Initially, calculations will be performed to provide estimates of the behavior of selected chemical agents in landfills based on physical-chemical property data. Calculations will be performed assuming that equilibrium is established between the solid, liquid and gaseous phases of the landfill. A more complex model will then be developed and validated using batch and column experiments to measure contaminant fate and transport as well as the transport of surrogate biological agents.

Sequestration Mechanisms & 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 08/05
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).

Microbial Community Profiling of Anaerobic Refuse Decomposition: Response to Acidic Conditions, Shock Loads and Moisture Addition
M.A. Barlaz, (Francis de los Reyes will functionally serve as a co-PI in terms of advising the student working on this project)
Waste Management Inc.
04/04 to 03/05 (will be extended with more support in 2005)
This research will address the following questions related to landfill bioreactor operation: (1) How do landfills progress from the acid phase of decomposition to a stable methanogenic phase of decomposition and are acid-tolerant or acidophilic methanogens involved? (2) Is the methanogen community that is active during decomposition stable, and if not, is the variability important? (3) What is the effect of shock loads of rapidly degradable substrate on the methanogen community? (4) What is the effect of leachate recycle on a continuous or pulsed basis on the methanogen community?

Solid Waste Management Life-Cycle Inventory (SWM-LCI) Model Capabilities
M.A. Barlaz and S.R. Ranjithan
Delaware Solid Waste Authority
09/03 to 02/05
The objective of this project is to develop alternatives for the management of municipal solid waste for the State of Delaware. Alternatives will be developed to examine tradeoffs among cost, environmental burdens, resource consumption and landfill diversion using a solid waste management life-cycle inventory model developed by the investigators. After identification of a select group of alternatives, their robustness will be evaluated using the uncertainty component of the life-cycle model.

Application of Municipal Solid Waste Decision Support Tool to Wake County, North Carolina
M.A. Barlaz and S.R. Ranjithan
Environmental Protection Agency
12/04 to 12/06
The objective of this project is to develop alternatives for the management of municipal solid waste for Wake County, NC. Alternatives will be developed to examine tradeoffs among cost, environmental burdens, resource consumption and landfill diversion using a solid waste management life-cycle inventory model developed by the investigators.

Modeling and Optimization of Civil Engineering Infrastructure
J.W. Baugh and E.D. Brill
Blue Ridge Analytics
12/04 to 05/06
In this project, computer software will be developed to model and optimize civil engineering infrastructure problems using mathematical programming and heuristic search methods. The techniques will be designed so that alternative solutions, which meet given constraints on modeled objectives, can be obtained and provided to users of the software.

Development of Permeable Reactive Barriers (PRBs) using Edible Oils
R. C. Borden
Dept. of Defense, SERDP
01/01 to 01/07
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.
4.	Use emulsion transport model to identify alternative barrier configurations and injection procedures to improve barrier performance and reduce costs.

Treatment of Acid Mine Drainage Using Emulsified Soybean Oil
R.C. Borden
United Soybean Board (through Smith, Bucklin & Associates, LLC)
08/05 to 07/07
The United Soybean Board will provide matching support for a NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NC DENR) project to evaluate the use of emulsified soybean oil for treatment of acid mine drainage at the Ore Knob Mine in Ashe County, NC.

Evaluating Monitored Natural Attenuation of Perchlorate in Groundwater
R.C. Borden and M.A. Barlaz
Solutions-IES
02/04 to 12/07
With support from the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program, Solutions-IES is evaluating the potential for use of Monitored Natural Attenuation (MNA) in managing groundwater contamination by perchlorate. North Carolina State University (NCSU) will support this project by providing laboratory studies to help identify sites where MNA is occurring and to demonstrate its effectiveness. The overall objective of this project is develop tools to: (1) identify sites where MNA may be appropriate for management of perchlorate releases; and (2) demonstrate to regulatory agencies that perchlorate MNA is effective for controlling adverse impacts to the environment.

Molecular and Engineering Approaches for Analyzing Microbial Selection in Activated Sludge: Competition between Filaments and Floc-formers (NSF CAREER)
F. L. de los Reyes III
National Science Foundation
07/01 to 6/06
This CAREER project will focus on the most important component of the most widely used wastewater treatment process: the separation of solids from the effluent in activated sludge systems. The research 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 students in the principles and practices of molecular techniques, the integration of treatment process modeling and full-scale treatment plant exposure experiences in undergraduate and graduate courses, and participation in the COE Distance Education program at NCSU.

REU Supplement to CAREER: 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
07/04 to 6/05
This REU supplement will enable two undergraduate students to participate in this NSF project. The students will be involved in reactor set-up and operation, sampling, and RNA and DNA manipulation.

Ecophysiology of Nitrifying and Denitrifying Microbial Communities and their Interactions in Microbial Flocs
F. L. de los Reyes III, J.J. Ducoste, and M. Hyman (Microbiology)
National Science Foundation
07/04 to 07/08
The specific objectives of the project are: (1) To determine the effect of floc structure (floc size and shape) on microbial activity rates, activity diversity, species diversity, relative numbers, and spatial arrangement of microorganisms involved in nitrogen removal; (2) To determine the impact of bioreactor macro conditions (DO, substrate type and loading) on floc size, shape, and function; (3) To characterize the carbon and nitrogen interactions of ammonia-oxidizing, nitrite oxidizing, and denitrifying bacteria within a floc; and (4) To develop a macroscale model of nitrogen and carbon removal in activated sludge that incorporates microscale processes in flocs.

Investigating Steam Application for Reducing Foaming in Activated Sludge Systems
F. L. de los Reyes III
Hazen and Sawyer
07/04 to 08/05
The objective of this research is to determine the effect of steam addition to foaming. We hypothesize that steam will reduce foaming by lysing the filamentous bacteria that are foam-causing.

Improving Dewatering of Wastewater Biosolids Using Innovative Approaches
F. L. de los Reyes III
NC Water Resources Research Institute
06/03 to 12/04
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). The goal of this project is to increase the dewatered solids content of biosolids (sludges) by incorporating various treatments with traditional dewatering processes using the moisture distribution in sludge as a theoretical framework. The specific objectives of the project are: (1) to determine the inherent dewaterability of various types of sludges, including developing a centrifuge test for predicting dewaterability; and (2) to determine the effects of various sludge pretreatments on dewaterability.

Fundamental Analysis of a Novel Swine Wastewater Treatment Technology
F. L. de los Reyes III and J. Cheng
US Department of Agriculture- National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program (USDA-NRICGP)
08/01 to 07/05
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. In the second stage, over 90% of the nitrogen is removed through nitrification/denitrification processes. In this project, we will identify, quantify, and monitor the nitrogen-removing populations in a novel single-reactor system using molecular techniques based on 16S rRNA (ribosomal ribonucleic acid) sequence analysis. The microbial community structure will be related to reactor operation in order to optimize the performance of the reactor system.

A Unified Approach to Understanding, Education, and Design of Disinfection Processes using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CAREER)
J.J. Ducoste
National Science Foundation
09/01 to 08/06
This research program proposes to use CFD to 1) develop and evaluate alternative disinfection models for the prediction of effluent microbial inactivation through continuous flow systems and 2) 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: 1) power point/video-based disinfection process-lecture series, 2) solved disinfection problems and simulated tracer tests, and 3) team-based disinfection design problems.

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
09/04 to 09/05
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 fluorescent microspheres.

Analysis of Computational Fluid Dynamics Results for Ultraviolet Reactor Design: A Subcontract to UV Disinfection for Large Water Treatment Plants: AWWA Research Foundation No. 2768
J.J. Ducoste (PI) (AWWARF Co-PIs: Bob Hulsey, Black and Veatch; and Karl Linden, Duke University)
Black & Veatch
09/02 to 08/04
The principal objective of this research is the analysis of the CFD modeling data generated by UV manufacturers for Large Water Treatment Plants. Data analysis will include ensuring accurate assessment of the following:

NCSU/NC A & T Program for STEM Enrollment Enhancement
J.J. Ducoste (Co-PI) (Other PIs: John Fountain, MEAS; Carrie Thomas, MEAS, Robert Borden, CCE; David Haase, Physics; Christine Grant, CHE; Christopher Gould, Physics; Jesus Rodriguez, Math; and William Switzer, Chem)
National Science Foundation
01/03 to 12/05
North Carolina State University and North Carolina Agricultural and Technological 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 NCA&T 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.

Hydraulic Characterization of UV Reactors
J.J. Ducoste (Co-PI: Karl Linden, Duke University)
AWWARF
08/01 to 09/04
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.

NSF Kenan Fellow RET Program
J.J. Ducoste (Research Participant)
Ruben Carbonell, Deborah Mangum (Kenan Institute for Engineering, Technology, and Science)
National Science Foundation
01/04 to 01/07
The proposed site will provide science and engineering research projects for 20 middle and high school teachers from multiple school districts in order to develop a cohort of teacher leaders who will bring enhanced knowledge of engineering and technological innovation into their classrooms. The program is designed to foster student enthusiasm, interest, and competence both for pursuing careers in the field and for the acquisition of skills and knowledge demanded by an increasingly technological society. As a participant of this research team, I will be providing a research project(s) related to water and wastewater treatment processing and design.

NSF Green Processing Undergraduate Research Program
J.J. Ducoste (Research Participant), Christine Grant, and Steven Peretti (Dept. of Chemical Engineering)
National Science Foundation
01/00 to 01/05
The overall objectives of this REU project are 1) to educate students about the importance and widespread applicability of green processing through involvement in research, 2) provide students from predominantly undergraduate institutions and groups traditionally underrepresented in engineering the research experience necessary to stimulate their interest and enhance their success in graduate engineering training, and 3) motivate an appreciation of the importance and relevance of ethics in all phases of professional engineering practice. As a member of this research team, I will be providing research projects related to water and wastewater treatment processing and design.

Fats, Roots, Oils, and Grease (FROG) in Centralized and Decentralized Systems
J.J. Ducoste and Kevin Keener (Food Science)
WERF
03/05 to 02/07
The proposed research project will investigate ways to improve grease interceptor performance through novel experimental and numerical techniques. The experimental work includes field measurements of FOG from active grease interceptors located at different food service establishments (FSE). Tests will be conducted during peak FSE operation as well as under varying conditions. Data from these field tests will be used to develop a synthetic FSE wastewater that will be used to perform pilot scale grease interceptor tests. The pilot scale tests will be performed using a 300 gallon grease interceptor. A numerical simulation of the pilot reactor will be performed.

Review and Recommendation of Methods for Sensitivity and Uncertainty Analysis for the SHEDS Models
H.C. Frey
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency via ManTech, Inc.
03/04 to 06/05
The objectives of this project are to: (1) conduct a comprehensive review of available statistical methods for conducting sensitivity analysis and uncertainty analysis in probabilistic models; and (2) recommend a standardized methodology for conducting sensitivity and uncertainty analysis in probabilistic models. The proposed work includes review and recommendation of sensitivity and uncertainty analysis methods relevant to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Stochastic Human Exposure and Dose Simulation (SHEDS) models.

NARSTO Emission Inventory Assessment
H.C. Frey
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
06/04 to 06/05
The objective of this project is to undertake the first phase of development of a multi-national emission inventory assessment document, including participation of NARSTO and leading experts. The three major objectives of this work are to: (1) promote efficient and effective use of current inventories; (2) set the stage for improving future emission inventories; and (3) establish a roadmap for future inventories.

Measurement and Analysis of Diesel-Fueled Passenger Vehicle Emissions
H.C. Frey
Imperial College (London, England) Consultants
02/05 to 05/05
The objective of this study is to measure and analyze emissions for European diesel-fueled passenger vehicles. Imperial College has developed a portable emissions measurement system tailored to European vehicles. However, the available system does not have the capability to measure particulate matter (PM). In contrast, NCSU has a portable system that is capable of measuring PM concentrations. Thus, Imperial College and NCSU will collaborate by combining their measurement methods to fill the data gaps and will perform field measurements in England.

Life Cycle Inventory and Impact Analysis Framework for Nonroad Construction Vehicles and Equipment Based Upon In-Use Measurements
H.C. Frey and W.J. Rasdorf
National Science Foundation
08/03 to 08/06
This project represents the initial step toward development of a probabilistic life cycle inventory and impact analysis framework for nonroad construction vehicles and equipment. The objectives are to:
1. Characterize second-by-second in-use emissions and energy use of nonroad construction vehicles and equipment, including emissions of NOx, CO, hydrocarbons (HC), CO2, and particulate matter (PM), including real time sensing and monitoring where needed to fill data gaps;
2. Develop a life cycle inventory of conventional nonroad construction vehicles and equipment; and
3. Identify and recommend methods for reducing energy use, emissions, and impacts.

Real World Duty Cycles and Utilization for Construction Equipment in NC
H.C. Frey and W.J. Rasdorf
North Carolina Department of Transportation
07/05 to 06/07
Construction vehicles contribute substantially to statewide emissions. 32 NC counties are partially or fully designated as non attainment under new air quality standards for ozone. Therefore there is a need to more accurately quantify the emissions from construction vehicles and seek opportunities to manage or reduce emissions. The goal of this study is to assess construction equipment types and uses, plan a field study, measure emissions and collect data, analyze the data and develop typical cycles, and demonstrate methods for estimating emissions for construction equipment.

In-Vehicle Energy and Emissions Information System (IVEEIS)
H.C. Frey and N.M. Rouphail
National Science Foundation
03/03 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.

Operational Evaluation of Emissions and Fuel Cell Use of B20 versus Diesel Vehicles
H.C. Frey and N.M. Rouphail
N.C. Department of Transportation
10/03 to 09/04
This project involves design and implementation of a field data collection study on diesel vehicles to measure second-by-second emissions of NOx, Particulate Matter, CO, and CO2, fuel use, engine data, and vehicle activity (e.g., speed, location) data using an on-board portable instrument. Benchmark modal emission rates will enable comparison of B20 and conventional diesel fuel, estimation of emission factors, and identification of opportunities to reduce emissions and fuel use through improved vehicle operation. Strategic recommendations will be made regarding biodiesel fuel, air quality management, energy management, and improved operation.

WIDE Implementation and Design Manual: Former Lockbourne AFB Columbus
M.A. Gabr
National Environmental Education and Training Center through West Virginia University
10/04 to 05/05
The overall objectives of this project is to resume liquid extraction through the existing Well Injection Depth Extraction (WIDE) groundwater system currently installed at Lockbourne Area of Concern 3 (AOC 3) for the removal of free product JP-4 jet fuel. In parallel, record operational / remediation data to support scale-up engineering design within the proposed phase time period. WIDE technology operational parameters will be documented and integrate into the Corps of Engineers and Department of Energy protocols for engineering design and process optimization data. This work will involve development of a formalized solution approach based on the engineering scale-up design.

Jetting Techniques for Pile Installation and Environmental Impact Minimization
M.A. Gabr and R.C. Borden
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.

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 02/06
The principal objective of this research is to develop an effective and environmentally friendly adsorption/regeneration system for removal of polar organic contaminants (POCs) from drinking water. The fuel oxygenate methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) and 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) adsorption capacity of spent high-silica zeolites can be recovered by low-temperature steam regeneration, and (4) regeneration waste stream can be effectively treated by photocatalytic oxidation.

Predicting Single-Solute Adsorption Isotherms for Non-Regulated Contaminants from Fundamental Adsorbent and Adsorbate Properties
D.R.U. Knappe
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
08/03 to 08/05
The objective of the proposed research is to predict single-solute adsorption isotherms for currently regulated organic contaminants, organic compounds on the EPA Contaminant Candidate List (CCL), emerging contaminants (endocrine disruptors, pharmaceutically active compounds, personal care products), and chemical agents (nerve agents, blister agents, blood agents, selected biological toxins, and toxic industrial chemicals). The Polanyi-Dubinin-Manes approach will serve as the basis for the model that will, for the first time, combine fundamental properties of the adsorbent and the adsorbate for isotherm prediction. Using Quantitative Structure Property Relationships (QSPRs), molecular descriptors will be identified from which affinity coefficients for individual target molecules can be predicted.

Pile Bent Design Criteria
M.J. Kowalsky and M.A. Gabr
NC Department of Transportation
08/04 to 07/06
The objective of this study is to develop improved design criteria for pile bents. Specifically, the work will be focused on i) evaluating the impact of the pile cap rigidity to loads transferred to the piles within the bent, ii) Specifying appropriate k-factors for pile analysis under varying boundary condition appropriate the problem geometry and connection scenarios, and iii) Proposing appropriate point of fixity taking into account the presence of the soil around the pile above the specified point of fixity, iv) Proposing appropriate values for maximum lateral deflection for various boundary conditions and soil properties.

PERC-2: High end Computer System Performance: Science and Engineering
G. Mahinthakumar
UT Battelle LLC
10/04 to 09/06
PERC-2 is a DOE SciDAC project that is a continuation of PERC-1(see below). As in PERC-1, PERC-2 will continue both development of the science for understanding the performance of scientific applications on high-end computer systems and engineering strategies for improving performance on these systems begun under PERC-1. The new goal for PERC-2 is to apply our science for performance understanding more specifically to SciDAC applications and to deploy our performance engineering strategies via end-user tools. NCSU will component of this project will focus on Astrophysics and Fusion applications.

PERC-1: High end Computer System Performance: Science and Engineering
G. Mahinthakumar
UT Battelle LLC
10/01 to 09/04
This SciDAC project that is funded by DOE (Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing) involves 8 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.

High-end Computing in Environmental Engineering with Application to Subsurface Characterization
G. Mahinthakumar
National Science Foundation (CAREER)
07/03 to 06/08
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.

ITR: A Prototype to Support Near Real-Time Environmental Characterization
G. Mahinthakumar, R. Ranjithan, and Nick Karonis (Northern Illinois University)
National Science Foundation
09/03 to 08/06
The overall goal of this project is to investigate formal computational approaches that can readily harness grid computing for the efficient solution of environmental characterization problems. To this end, we will develop a grid-enabled software framework. Two alternative paradigms, one based on the grid-enabled version of MPI (Message Passing Interface), and the other based on Java will be explored. The framework will be applied to groundwater and surface water problems, both of which are of prime societal importance.

Internet-Enable Laboratory Experiences for Undergraduate Civil Engineering Students
V.C. Matzen, M.A. Gabr, and Abhinav Gupta
National Science Foundation
07/03 to 06/05
This study 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.

GIS-Based Research of Natural and Anthropogenic Terrain Change Impacts on Water and Sediment Transport in Different Environments
H. Mitasova and M. Overton
Army Research Office
07/04 to 06/07
The proposed research will focus on the acquisition of new knowledge about the interactions between natural processes and anthropogenic activities that can be used to improve current understanding of terrain change impact on landscape processes. The objectives are to investigate these interactions within three fundamentally different environments affected by different development activity: a coastal barrier island environment, a montane tropical watershed, and a piedmont landscape that includes a military installation. The research will be directed toward the development and analysis of methods for GIS-based modeling of topography, its structure and evolution and innovative numerical landscape erosion and evolution modeling techniques.

Shoreline Monitoring at Oregon Inlet
M.F. Overton and J. S. Fisher
NC Department of Transportation
07/04 to 06/05
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. Ranji Ranjithan
US EPA/MCNC
10/01 to 09/04
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 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 urban watershed management 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 with US EPA's Storm Water Management Model (version 5).

Regional Development, Population Trend and Technology Change Impacts on Future Air Pollution Emissions
N.M. Rouphail and H.C. Frey
UNC-CH, EPA
09/04 to 08/07
The research tests the hypothesis that smart-growth development patterns can significantly influence the quantity and location of direct and indirect emissions from mobile sources. The patterns of interest include the type of development and its location. We will develop a general method for exploring the leverage that smart-growth development patterns have on the spatial pattern and quantity of emissions from mobile sources. We will explore scenarios and chart the envelope of the effectiveness of smart growth as a means for reducing emissions. We will determine whether substantial emissions reductions are feasible with forecasts of the market penetration of smart growth.