Department Of Civil Research Articles

A Method for Including Path Effects in Ground-Motion Prediction Equations: An Example Using the Mw 9.0 Tohoku Earthquake Aftershocks

Research Article| May 01, 2013 A Method for Including Path Effects in Ground‐Motion Prediction Equations: An Example Using the Mw 9.0 Tohoku Earthquake Aftershocks Haitham M. Dawood; Haitham M. Dawood The Charles Edward Via, , Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, 200 Patton Hall, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061hdawood@vt.edu Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Adrian Rodriguez‐Marek Adrian Rodriguez‐Marek The Charles Edward Via, , Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, 200 Patton Hall, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061hdawood@vt.edu Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America (2013) 103 (2B): 1360–1372. https://doi.org/10.1785/0120120125 Article history first online: 14 Jul 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share MailTo Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Haitham M. Dawood, Adrian Rodriguez‐Marek; A Method for Including Path Effects in Ground‐Motion Prediction Equations: An Example Using the Mw 9.0 Tohoku Earthquake Aftershocks. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 2013;; 103 (2B): 1360–1372. doi: https://doi.org/10.1785/0120120125 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyBulletin of the Seismological Society of America Search Advanced Search Abstract Past studies in tectonic regions dominated by subduction zones that result in the creation of volcanic belts, such as New Zealand and Japan, have pointed to higher attenuation rates across the volcanic regions. This study uses the downhole motions recorded at KiK‐net stations from 117 aftershocks that hit Japan after the great Mw 9.0 Tohoku earthquake to quantify region‐dependent strong‐motion attenuation rates. To this end, an approach to include path effects in the development of ground‐motion prediction equations (GMPEs) is presented. In this approach, regional path terms are constrained using the strong‐motion data. The constraint on path terms also makes this methodology suitable for the development of GMPEs that permit the removal of the ergodic assumption on path. The analysis results indicate the viability of the proposed methodology for constraining regional path terms and provide an estimate of single‐station, single‐path standard deviations. In addition, results confirm that the attenuation rate in volcanic regions is significantly higher than in nonvolcanic regions. Finally, a moderate correlation coefficient was found between the attenuation rate for weak and strong ground motions. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.

Watershed Perturbations and Water Quality

This column marks a first in Journal AWWA's history: an introduction to the issue written by the guest editor who helped build the issue's companion focus on DOM. The Journal thanks Fernando Rosario‐Ortiz, assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Colorado, Boulder, for his time, effort, and diligence in developing the DOM companion focus and encouraging authors to submit peer‐reviewed papers for this issue.

Crystal ball – 2013

Crystal ball – 2013

Using Model Building in Structural Engineering to Enhance Understanding of Construction Principles and Methods

This paper presents a new model building exercise in a second year module in the Department of Civil & Structural Engineering in the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT). The activity aimed to improve students’ understanding of structural engineering, construction principles and methods. It allowed students to practically apply lecture material and construct a scaled model giving them an opportunity to study and visualise a real structure and generate their own ideas on how it should be assembled within a constructivist active learning environment. As a result, lectures were found to be more interactive and students more engaged in the discussions and provided a pathway to bridge the gap between theory (presented in lectures) and the reality of their professions, which can aid them in their graduate careers. It is hoped that this type of active learning can be used in other engineering programmes to improve student understanding and as an opportunity to better apply lecture material to the real world.

Effect of The Presence of Ivory Coconut (Cocos nucifera L) to Decrease Particulate Matter Concentration in Bogor Agricultural University

Demands and technology developed significantly, that cause human activities more varied and dense. To sufficient human needs, there was uncontrolled nature exploitation without thinking ecosystem balance. That effect degradation of air quality ambient. The first objection of this experiment was knowing effect of the presence of Ivory Coconut (Cocos nucifera L) to reduce particulate concentration, the second was knowing effect of wind flow rate to particulate distribution from emission sources, the third was knowing relation between total vehicle and the decrease of particulate concentration, and the fourth was effect of Ivory Coconut to environmental temperature. The information can be used to guarantee human health. Sampling held in Monday, October 15th 2012 from 13.00 until 14.00 WIB at Faculty of Agriculture parking area, Bogor Agricultural University. And the analysis held in air quality laboratory, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Bogor Agricultural University. The instrument used High Volumetric Air Sampler and Gravimetric Method. From the experiment resulted particulate concentrated produced by vehicles was 137.742μg/m3 and particulate concentration measurable under Ivory Coconut (Cocos nucifera L) was 111.090μg/m3. The conclusion was Ivory Coconut can reduce particulate concentration in ambient air in the amount of 19.350%.

Mapping and Modeling Chlorophyll-<I>a</I> Concentration in Utah Lake Using Landsat 7 ETM+ Imagery

Mapping and Modeling Chlorophyll-a Concentrations in Utah Lake Using Landsat 7 ETM+ Imagery Victor Nii Afum Narteh Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, BYU Master of Science This study shows the results of testing previous research that used remote sensing techniques to determine chlorophyll-a concentrations in turbid surface waters, and developing similar methods and models for Utah Lake using Landsat 7 ETM+ satellite imagery and field measured concentrations of chlorophyll-a. The data for the study included images acquired on June 22 and July 8, 2009. The field data included ground measurements taken on June 22 and July 6, 2009 from seven water quality sampling locations. The 48 hour time difference between the Landsat image acquisition (July 8) and the field measurement (July 6), and the small sample size for the data analysis were potential sources of error. The log transformation of red/near-infrared reflectance (i.e. ln[Band3/Band4]) had a high correlation with the field measured chlorophyll-a concentrations (R 2 = 0.9337). With this relationship, a model and 19 contour maps showing the spatial distribution of chlorophyll-a concentrations over Utah Lake was developed for the spring, summer, and fall seasons of 2003 to 2010. Generally about 90% of the Lake area had chlorophyll-a concentrations lower than 20μg/L. High concentrations of Chlorophyll-a (355μg/L and over) were observed mostly at the Provo Bay and Goshen Bay areas of the Lake. Occasionally, elevated levels of chlorophyll-a were observed at the northeastern, middle, and western sections of the lake. Utah Lake’s average chlorophyll-a concentration is declining over time. In spring, the Lake average chlorophyll-a concentration reduced from 30.51μg/L in 2004 to 7.08μg/L in 2010. In summer, this average reduced from 132.13μg/L in 2003 to 36.58μg/L in 2010. Finally, in fall, the Lake average chlorophyll-a concentration reduced from 273.40μg/L in 2006 to 33.59μg/L in 2010. Field measured concentrations of phosphorus and model estimates for chlorophyll-a concentrations were highly correlated (R 2 = 0.9046). This suggests that the elevated levels of chlorophyll-a might be a result of the point and non-point discharge of phosphorus-laden wastewater from treatment plants, municipal storm drains, and agricultural activities. .

Fostering Current Student Relationships to Promote Graduate Reachback: Collaborative Student and Faculty Development following the 2010 Haiti Earthquake

The magnitude 7.0 earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010, leveled entire sections of Port-au-Prince, destroying a wide range of structures of diverse sizes and compositions (Eberhard et al. 2010) and crippling the water, sewer, transportation, and communications infrastructures (Taft-Morales and Margesson 2010). Hundreds of thousands of Haitians sought temporary shelter in refugee camps, many of which were improvised on any clear ground available. A diverse array of organizations worked to provide emergency aid to those affected by the earthquake. The United States Army reported on January 15, 2010, that approximately 8,000 U.S. military personnel of all branches of service were on location or in transit to Port-au-Prince with an aircraft carrier, medical personnel and equipment, a medical relief ship, and relief supplies (Flaherty and Jelinek 2010). Immediately following the earthquake, the primary focus of international efforts was search and rescue operations and provision of medical attention for those injured in the earthquake (Taft-Morales and Margesson 2010). Approximately six weeks after the event, aid workers shifted focus to the upcoming rainy season and the looming problem of flood control in Port-auPrince’s refugee camps (Gronewold 2010). One of these individuals, Captain Daniel Orr of the U.S. Army, contacted the authors on March 22, 2010. At this time, the rainy season was some three weeks away, half a million Haitians were temporary residents of the sixty displaced-persons camps overseen by the U.S. Army, and approximately one quarter of those camps were susceptible to flooding (Orr, personal communication, Mar. 2010). Captain Orr is a 2006 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he studied civil engineering in an Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. (ABET)-accredited degree program and took the Fundamentals of Engineering Examination during his senior year. As the only on-scene officer in his unit (a group of 100–300 soldiers and officers) with an engineering background, he was asked to develop and oversee the implementation of a plan to mitigate flooding in the 15 most vulnerable displaced-persons camps. Recognizing that this unusual situation required additional engineering support, he contacted a former professor at West Point to request technical assistance and suggestions for managing the upcoming flooding with extremely limited supplies and equipment. The process of deployed personnel seeking assistance from nondeployed assets is generally termed reachback in military operations. The authors, who are members of the hydrology faculty in the Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering at West Point, met immediately to develop several possible courses of action. Within 24 h, a preliminary set of recommendations for the most vulnerable camp was in place. Over the following days, work continued at West Point on suggested remediation strategies in the other vulnerable camps. In the weeks following the earthquake, many would-be aid workers were unable to travel to Haiti because air and sea access to Port-au-Prince was overwhelmed. The city’s airport, operated by the U.S. Air Force after the control tower was destroyed in the earthquake, still could not convey the needed inflow of supplies and personnel. In spite of seriously disabled transportation and shipping infrastructures, Captain Orr was able to find the support he needed to manage a challenging and unforeseen assignment. Although his textbooks, manuals, and professors were thousands of miles away, the strong relationships Captain Orr formed with his classmates and faculty while he was a student and maintained after graduation allowed him to complete his mission. This scenario is an example of how universities can support the professional development of their students long after graduation by encouraging open communication between graduates and faculty and focused efforts to build interpersonal rapport.

Learning Outcomes for Environmental and Sustainable Development Component in the Field of Civil Engineering

The Department of Civil & Structural Engineering (JKAS), Faculty of Engineering & Built Environment, has prescribed program outcomes (POs) that include environmental and sustainable development components (ASPL) to meet the requirements put forth by the Engineering Accreditation Council (EAC). Two programs are offered to students: the Civil & Structural Engineering Program and the Civil & Environmental Engineering Program. Therefore, the relevant courses are compulsory to prepare the Course Outcomes (COs) in accordance with teaching plans and to measure to what extent students have achieved the specified POs. This paper discusses the assessment and relationship between COs and POs for the ASPL component made within three specific courses at JKAS, which aims to determine the suitability of the ASPL component by correlating measurements of COs and POs of related courses. It is important to develop the best possible ASPL component measurement model for both study programs offered in JKAS.

Express It in Numbers: Efforts to Quantify Engineered Nanoparticles in Environmental Matrices Advance

ADVERTISEMENT RETURN TO ISSUEViewpointNEXTExpress It in Numbers: Efforts to Quantify Engineered Nanoparticles in Environmental Matrices AdvanceDesiree L. Plata*†, P. Lee Ferguson†‡, and Paul Westerhoff§View Author Information† ‡ †Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, ‡Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States§ School of Sustainable Engineering and The Built Environment, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287-5306, United States*E-mail: [email protected]Cite this: Environ. Sci. Technol. 2012, 46, 22, 12243–12245Publication Date (Web):November 20, 2012Publication History Received12 December 2011Accepted16 July 2012Published online20 November 2012Published inissue 20 November 2012https://doi.org/10.1021/es302789nCopyright © 2012 American Chemical SocietyRIGHTS & PERMISSIONSArticle Views1208Altmetric-Citations6LEARN ABOUT THESE METRICSArticle Views are the COUNTER-compliant sum of full text article downloads since November 2008 (both PDF and HTML) across all institutions and individuals. These metrics are regularly updated to reflect usage leading up to the last few days.Citations are the number of other articles citing this article, calculated by Crossref and updated daily. Find more information about Crossref citation counts.The Altmetric Attention Score is a quantitative measure of the attention that a research article has received online. Clicking on the donut icon will load a page at altmetric.com with additional details about the score and the social media presence for the given article. Find more information on the Altmetric Attention Score and how the score is calculated. Share Add toView InAdd Full Text with ReferenceAdd Description ExportRISCitationCitation and abstractCitation and referencesMore Options Share onFacebookTwitterWechatLinked InReddit PDF (2 MB) Get e-AlertsSUBJECTS:Carbon nanotubes,Geological materials,Materials,Nanomaterials,Nanoparticles Get e-Alerts

Three-Dimensional Reconstruction of the Functional Strain-Line Pattern in the Left Ventricle From 3-Dimensional Echocardiography

Advances in 3-dimensional (3D) echocardiography offer a rapid, effective imaging technique with adequate temporal and spatial resolution for left ventricular motion assessment. 3D multidirectional tracking of the endocardial left ventricular layer has shown that the functional pattern of directional strain arrangement during cardiac contraction closely relates with the structural architecture of the myocardial helical muscle fiber orientation.1 In a similar manner, we carried out segmentation tracking of the endocardial-epicardial layers in 10 healthy young athletes (nonprofessional athletes, enrolled at the Sport Medicine Center of the University of Florence, Italy, training 2–3 days a week for 2 hours daily; all exhibiting an excellent echographic window) to evaluate the 3D strain pattern over the whole myocardium thickness and to compare with the hypothesized underlying fiber architecture. An echocardiographic 3D full-volume image of the left ventricular was recorded by a Philips IE33 machine (frame rate, 15–30 Hz). Imaging data were processed by 3D feature tracking (4DLVA 3.0; TomTec Gmbh, Unterschleissheim, Germany), and the endocardial and epicardial tracked surfaces were exported for the following principal strain analysis.1 Principal strain analysis allows to define the direction along which the main contractile strain (S1) develops, accompanied by a secondary strain (S2) that is typically of much …

Corrigendum: Utility impact rating with subsurface utility engineering in project development

Received 11 September 2012. Revision accepted 11 September 2012. Published at www.nrcresearchpress.com/cjce on 24 October 2012. S.K. Sinha. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, 200 Patton Hall (0105), Blacksburg, Virginia 24061. H.R. Thomas, M.C. Wang, and Y.J. Jung. College of Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Penn State University. Corresponding author: S.K. Sinha (e-mail: ssinha@vt.edu). 1242

Comment on “Physicochemical controls on adsorbed water film thickness in unsaturated geological media” by Tetsu K. Tokunaga

Comment on “Physicochemical controls on adsorbed water film thickness in unsaturated geological media” by Tetsu K. Tokunaga

Sponsorship Works: Study of the Perceptions of Students, Employers, and Academics of Industrial Sponsorship

The concerns over shortages of engineering graduates with the right skills entering industry is increasing. Lack of highly skilled graduates increases recruitment costs and affects the performance of the UK industry. Employers should therefore supply more feedback on the quality of graduates to make sure the changing requirements of industry are recognized and reflected in engineering degree programs. This research investigated how linking students throughout their degree study with employers affected students, academia, and employers. Evidence was obtained from sponsored and placement undergraduate engineering students in a department of Civil and Building Engineering, their academic tutors, and their employers. The results showed sponsored engineering programs that are operated by a university department in cooperation with employers matched the needs of students and requirements of employers. Sponsorship allowed both students and sponsors to have practical experience of working arrangements over three or more years before either party made a full commitment, it helped to develop undergraduate programs, and provided students with experience of real-life industrial engineering challenges. The main conclusions to be drawn from this study are sponsorship is a valuable strategy for enhancing the professional skills of intending engineers. More feedback from employers on the quality of graduates should be provided to departments of engineering so that the changing requirements of industry are recognized and reflected in engineering degree programs.

Application of Rasch Model in Measuring Students’ Performance in Civil Engineering Design II Course

This paper describes a measurement model used to measure the students’ performances in the Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). The assessment model was developed based on students mark entries together with Rasch Measurement Model; it can be used to measure the students’ performances in term of course outcomes (COs) for the Civil Engineering Design II Course (KH 4253).This assessment was conducted to all 64 final year students in the Department of Civil and Structural Engineering (JKAS), Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia that have registered for the course in second semester of session 2010/2011. This study shows that Rasch Model can precisely classify and tabulates the students; i.e. Person and Items on a Distribution Map (PIDM) according to their achievements. Comparative analysis against the conventional distribution marks shows that Rasch Measurement Model was found to give almost the same results on the students’ achievement and reveals the true degree of learning abilities of the students even with small number of sampling unit.

The Effectiveness of basic Design Project (Cornerstone) in Students’ Competency Development

Students’ lack of ability to relate basic knowledge such as science and mathematics with engineering problems has often been discussed at various levels. As a solution to this problem, a basic design project (cornerstone project) was introduced at the Department of Civil and Structural Engineering of the Faculty of Engineering of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). Competency measurements have been conducted to determine not only students’ ability to apply basic knowledge but also other competencies such as ability to work in groups, communication skills, critical thinking skills and also engineering skills. The study presents the findings of those measurements as well as the intervention done in order to overcome students’ weaknesses.

Programme Outcomes Assessment for Civil & Structural Engineering Courses at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

Programme Outcomes (PO) is the expected achievement of the level of knowledge, skills and abilities essential to each student after their graduation. The Department of Civil & Structural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, UKM has established 10 POs, PO1 to PO10 for all undergraduate courses from Year 1 to Year 4. Measurements of the POs are made through several assessments such as tutorials, quizzes, laboratory works, projects, mid-semester examinations and final examinations. This study presents the results from calculations based on the POs of the final examinations for two semesters (semester 1 and semester 2) of session 2010/2011 Civil & Structural and Civil & Environmental Engineering undergraduate programmes. It was made using the average marks for the sample of five excellent students, five moderate students and five weak students for all courses which have final examinations. The results showed an average overall marks for the PO4 is the highest around 78% followed by PO3 and PO10 which are about 68% and 63% respectively, while PO1 and PO2 have the lowest values which are around 56%-59%.

The Achievement of Program Outcomes from the Perspective of CSED, UKM Final Year Students: Part II-Session 2006/2007

An exit survey aspects of the program outcomes (PO) based on outcome-based education (OBE) approach from the perceptions of final year students of Civil and Structural Engineering Program and Civil and Environmental Engineering Program 2006/2007 session was conducted by the Department of Civil and Structural Engineering (CSED), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi. The survey was first conducted at the departmental level in the 2005/2006 session. It aims to seek views and perceptions of achievement of each PO from the student's own perceptions compared with the assessment made by the lecturers. By measuring the perception of final year students, continuous quality improvement (CQI) can be done. This is important to the process of accreditation programs in the CSED. This paper contains a survey on methodology and findings of the study analysis. Comparison across gender, academic achievement and programs are carried out to see the difference on the performance pattern of PO from these aspects. The survey found that the performance of PO from the perception of students is good and there was an increment from the previous session.

Introduction to Environmental Engineering: A Problem-based Learning Approach to Enhance Environmental Awareness among Civil Engineering Students

The Department of Civil & Structural Engineering (JKAS), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia offers an Introduction to Environmental Engineering course (KH2173). This is an introductory course for civil engineering students with the main purpose is to ensure that the students understand the basic engineering and science of environmental pollution. The course applied a PBL approach in the teaching and learning process, with PBL component constitutes to approximately 30% from the total course assessment. Team working was applied in the PBL approach with 3 to 5 students in a group. Various PBL topics on environmental issues were given to or proposed by the students.

The Achievement of Program Outcomes from the Perspective of CSED, UKM Final Year Students: Part 1-Session 2005/2006

An exit survey was held by the Department of Civil and Structural Engineering (CSED), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi on the aspects achievements of programme outcome (PO) based on the outcome based learning approach (OBL), from the perspective of 2005/2006 session final year students of Civil and Structural Engineering and also Civil and Environmental Engineering programmes. The final year students of 2005/2006 session were exposed to the learning approach since 2004/2005 session. The programme outcome was also measured and assessed within the subject of KH4203 Final Year Project II and KH4213 Engineering Design. This exit survey serves the purpose of obtaining opinions and impressions for each of the programme outcome from each of the students themselves rather than the evaluations given by the lecturers. By taking the views and perspectives of the final year students into account, continuous quality improvement (CQI) can be carried out. This paperwork contains the methods involved in investigating the matter and final analysis of this research. It is found that the perception of the students themselves differ from the measures and evaluations given by the lecturers.

The Course Outcomes (COs) Evaluation For Civil Engineering Design II Course

Engineering Accreditation Council (EAC) has emphasized that Outcome Based Education (OBE) learning approach is to be adopted for all engineering programs at the Higher Learning Institutions (IPTA) in Malaysia. OBE calls for the evaluation of the Course Outcomes (CO) as specified in the program specification. This study aims to assess the students’ achievement on the course outcomes (COs) that has been outlined in the Civil Engineering Design II Course. This assessment was conducted to all 64 final year students in the Department of Civil and Structural Engineering (JKAS), Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, University Kebangsaan Malaysia. The course was selected as it is a compulsory course for all students in the department and it covers all aspect of civil engineering syllabus from the beginning semester of first year study. Eight COs will be assessed for the course based on course mapping of PO and CO as reported in Engineering Accreditation Council (EAC) self-assessment report. The CO assessment is measured based on students performance on written report of the design project, Bill of Quantities (BQ) report, presentation and also peer assessment. CO1 to CO5 were assessed from design project and presentation, whilst CO6 and CO8 from peer assessment and CO7 from BQ report. From the study it shows that CO6 and CO8 have the highest overall achievement of 100% while CO7 shows the lowest level of achievement of 73% among of all COs. The rest of the COs have a similar percentage around 76% - 78%. This study gives an indication on the achievement of the course and this can be used as a guide to improve the teaching and learning method in the future.