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Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Events for November
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WATER: A PRECIOUS RESOURCE, TAKEN FOR GRANTED
Fri, Nov 02, 2007 @ 01:00 PM - 02:00 PM
Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Tariq Hussain,Vice President,URS Corporation,Santa Ana, CA ABSTRACT:We human beings take water for granted and why shouldn't we? Look around you - three quarters of the globe consists of water, but how much of this precious resource is available for human consumption? Less than 1%. 3% if you count the water trapped in the snowpacks. The basic fact remains that water supply remains constant while the population is increasing at a brisk pace. Demand for fresh water supply is growing faster than the population growth. It is estimated that by 2015, at least 40% of the world's population will lack an adequate water supply. Ten years after that in 2025 almost 33% of the worlds population and its economy will be affected by shortage of water. This water shortage scenario affects us here in California also. Let us not forget that California's greatness is due, in part, to the vision of previous generations who built our statewide water system. But now that system cannot cope with the increasing demands of population growth, frequent droughts, and environmental concerns include global warming. If we are able to maintain a constant supply of fresh water to our population we must take steps immediately, starting with raising the level of concern in every single household.URS is actively engaged on a day-to-day basis in addressing these challenges on behalf of our public and private sector water, wastewater and water quality clients. Mr. Hussain has been involved in projects in related to reinforcing or renovating California's current and future water/wastewater facilities and developing a group to efficiently tackle these tasks.
Location: Kaprielian Hall (KAP) - 209
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Evangeline Reyes
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Sonochemical Destruction of Persistent Organic Pollutants
Wed, Nov 07, 2007 @ 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Chad Vecitis, Graduate Student, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CAAbstractPerfluorinated chemicals are recognized as widespread in the environment and are bio-accumulative, persistent, and recalcitrant towards conventional treatment technologies. Acoustic cavitation as driven by high-frequency ultrasound can be employed for the remediation of dilute, aqueous perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) solutions. Complete sonochemical conversion of PFOS and PFOA to their inorganic constituents; CO, CO2, SO42- and F-, occurs shortly after the initial pyrolytic reaction at the surface of cavitating bubbles. PFOS and PFOA concentration-dependent sonochemical degradation kinetics are correlated to their initial concentrations which determine relative partitioning to the bubble-water interface and are modeled well by saturation kinetics. Maximum degradation rates were obtained at an ultrasonic frequency of 350 kHz where the rate of degradation is observed to increase with increasing power density. Landfill leachate and groundwater matrices were determined to have negative effects on sonochemical PFOX destruction kinetics. The major chemical factors such as co-contaminants, NOM and bicarbonate as well as possible solutions were evaluated.
Location: Kaprielian Hall (KAP) - 209
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Evangeline Reyes
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The fuels market is currently in a dynamic state
Fri, Nov 09, 2007 @ 01:00 PM - 02:00 AM
Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Richarhd Ellis, EcoEnergy Solutions, Inc., Reno, NVAbstract:
There is a movement through out the world to reduce emissions from fossil fuels and simultaneously there is movement to reduce carbon consumption by replacing petroleum fuels with natural products. The base transportation fuel in California is diesel. In the 1990's the California Air Resources Board (CARB) promulgated regulation to reduce NOx and particulate generated from the combustion from diesel fuel. The use of alternative diesel fuels, especially biodiesel, increases NOx emissions. The CARB staff is currently working on programs to quantify the impact on NOx emissions from biodiesel and find ways to mitigate these emissions. In response to the CARB regulations to reduce NOx in diesel fuels, a technology was developed that used a Water-in Diesel emulsion. This emulsion technology was successful and is currently used internationally.In this seminar, we will review the technology for making emulsions of water and diesel. We will review the proposed mechanisms that enable emulsions to reduce emission and extend these ideas to biodiesel fuels. Data will be presented to show the effect of water on the emissions of diesel/biodiesel blends. We will also discuss the combustion modeling of biodiesel fuels in an effort to understand the critical physical properties of biodiesel that affect combustion. In conclusion, we will discuss the research areas that can contribute most to developing systems and processes that reduce emission from combustion engines.Location: Kaprielian Hall (KAP) - 209
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Evangeline Reyes
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Advanced Uses of Information Technology (IT) in Construction Management and Engineering: ...
Mon, Nov 12, 2007 @ 01:00 PM - 02:00 PM
Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
A Multi Disciplinary Research AgendaSpeaker: Dr. Burcin Becerik, Project Manager, Camp Dresser & McKee; Faculty Southern California Institute of ArchitectureA Joint Seminar of Civil and Environmental Engineering and School of ArchitectureAbstract:The lecture focuses on past, present and future research topics including online collaboration, project management and building information management and the conflation of design, procurement, construction simulation and delivery through advance use of IT.
The global construction potential is estimated to be 4.5 trillion dollars and the opportunity for growth of the construction management and engineering profession -both nationally & globally- is vast. The demand is growing for more complex, faster pace and efficient construction projects. Nevertheless, our industry is highly fragmented and still wasteful. IT and quality processes can advance productivity gains, transfer of higher quality engineering & construction information, collaboration, and coordination of numerous parties. The presentation explores how design and construction information can be captured early in the process and be carried and used throughout from concept to implementation and facility management. The presentation brings the notion of *Project Lifecycle Management* and addresses how scheduling, estimating and environmental analysis tools can be linked to the building information models and how these models become single sources for construction documentation and management. Possibilities of construction simulation and planning, evaluation of design alternatives, construction documentation, monitoring, controlling and management of large-scale and complex construction projects are explained and illustrated from 2D to nD. The challenge is about achieving an integrated practice through improved information visualization and management from concept to implementation.
Potential research questions that the presentation addresses include: What are the implications of an IT concentration on construction management and highly specialized engineering and management services? How can knowledge be captured, shared and re-used in the construction industry and what are the benefits in terms of design, analysis, documentation, procurement, delivery and facility management efficiencies? How can we achieve one integrated information repository (decision dashboard) for control and management? Is there any need for re-engineering our construction processes to meet the changing construction environment, team structures, delivery methods and increased complexity? How can we create benchmarks and key performance indicators for performance measurement and evaluation? How should current standard agreements for engineering and construction services be modified to further define the role of IT in construction? What is the impact of advanced information technology and methodology on risk mitigation and management and what are the legal implications.
Finally, the presentation is a back drop for a discussion of the importance and immediate relevance of advanced uses of IT in engineering and construction and their applicability to the existing problems of supply chain inefficiencies and green construction practices and market demand for ever more productivity gains and project efficiencies.Location: May Ormerod Harris Hall, Quinn Wing & Fisher Gallery (HAR) - ris Hall 101
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Evangeline Reyes
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Transport in Multiscale Systems: the Role of Heterogeneity
Wed, Nov 14, 2007 @ 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Andrea Cortis, Geological Scientist, Earth Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) Berkeley, CAABSTRACT: Complex multiscale, heterogeneous structures, found ubiquitously in engineered and natural systems, are often the main cause behind our inability to make reliable predictions.
In this talk, we explore how the transport of mass, momentum, and energy is affected by multiple-scale heterogeneity. Moving from a critique of the assumptions underlying our current understanding of transport in terms of advection and dispersion, we arrive at the formulation of a coherent transport theory based on the Continuous Time Random Walk paradigm, which provides a flexible and effective framework for the treatment of transport in heterogeneous media. While this new transport theory is general and can be applied to virtually all transport phenomena, in this talk we will test its predictions against hydrogeological observations, both at laboratory and field scales.Location: Kaprielian Hall (KAP) - 209
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Evangeline Reyes
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Mechanism and Chemical Kinetics of H2S Formation from ...
Fri, Nov 16, 2007 @ 01:00 PM - 02:00 PM
Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Thermochemical Sulfate Reduction (TSR)Speaker: Dr. Tongwei Zhang, Research Geochemistry, Power, Environmental and Energy Research Center, (PEER), Caltech, Covina, CAAbstract:H2S generation from Thermochemical Sulfate Reduction (TSR) is a complicated organic-inorganic interaction and greatly depends on formation water chemistry, oil types, temperature and pressure. Our theoretical evidence suggests that magnesium plays a significant role in controlling the rate of TSR in petroleum reservoirs. Ab initio quantum chemical calculations have been determined the activation energy for MgSO4 contact ion-pair (CIP) reduction by hydrocarbons is about 56 kcal/mol, which is almost equivalent to that for HSO4- reduction (about 55kcal/mol). The theoretical discovery provides a base of the extrapolation from the H2S generation kinetics of HSO4- ion reduction by hydrocarbons derived from laboratoryâs conditions to the geological condition with MgSO4 CIP reaction scheme. Two-stage reaction pattern of H2S generation from sulfate reduction is experimentally observed. The first stage is the sulfate reduction by hydrocarbons without H2S catalyzed, and the reaction rate is slow and depends on the concentration of HSO4 ion or MgSO4 CIP. After accumulating a sufficient amount of hydrogen sulfide, H2S catalyzed sulfate reduction kicks off and the reaction rate is much faster than the initial H2S uncatalyzed reaction. Detailed experimental work confirms that the presence of H2S is capable of catalyzing sulfate reduction and significantly increases the rate of reaction, which may help to explain why previous estimates of TSR activation energies were so divergent.
Formation water chemistry, in particular the concentration of HSO4- or MgSO4 (aq) contact ion-pair is critical to control the TSR reaction rate. The activation energy for oils reacting with HSO4- or MgSO4 (aq) contact ion-pair is experimentally determined and is in the range of 55.3kcal/mol to 58.9kcal/mol, which is close to that of the theoretical calculated activation energy. Oil types can significantly affect the rate of TSR reaction, in particular the presence of labile sulfur species (thiols, sulfides) in oils. The presence of labile sulfur can reduce the activation energy of TSR. Experimental evidence suggests that H2S catalysis of TSR actually involves the formation of labile organic sulfur compounds. The presence of H2S can significantly lower the activation energy of TSR reaction.
A new technique, PH2S prediction tool is now available that specifically assess H2S risk prediction and TSR effect to petroleum thermal stability and petroleum quality. By combining hydrocarbon types (mainly labile sulphur contents in oils), the formation water chemistry including Mg, Ca and SO4 concentration and reservoir thermal history with a PC-based model of hydrocarbon oxidation kinetics, we are able to predict: H2S risk degree, onset temperature of TSR, gas quality (e.g., sourness), and oil quality (organic sulphur incorporation).
Location: Kaprielian Hall (KAP) - 209
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Evangeline Reyes
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Renewable Energy and Water in the Developing World with a Focus on Southeast Asia and Latin America
Fri, Nov 16, 2007 @ 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM
Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Jason Selwitz, Service Learning Coordinator, Portland, OregonJason Selwitz works at Green Empowerment (GE), a Portland, Oregon-based organization that supports renewable energy, water delivery, and watershed restoration projects in Latin America and Southeast Asia. GE works with local, in-country, non-government organizations (NGO) to aid rural communities living outside the national electricity grid. Major projects have been undertaken in the Philippines, Thailand, Burma, Malaysia, Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Ecuador, and Peru.Jason is a graduate of Penn State and is currently a graduate student at Cal Poly Pomona in "Regenerative Studies," an area of research seeking to integrate healthy ecosystems with human settlement. Jason's work and research has also included novel wastewater treatment techniques, biodiesel processing, photovoltaics, and alternative building materials. His international work began with Peace Corps work in the Philippines.
Location: Kaprielian Hall (KAP) - 209
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Evangeline Reyes
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Beyond Oil and Gas: The Methanol EconomyTM
Wed, Nov 21, 2007 @ 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
G. K. Surya Prakash,
Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute and Department of Chemistry,
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-1661, USA
gprakash@usc.eduMethanol is much preferable to hydrogen for energy storage and transportation. It is also an excellent fuel for heat engines and fuel cells and a convenient raw material for synthetic hydrocarbons and their varied products. Methanol, presently produced from fossil fuel based syn-gas, can also be made by direct oxidative conversion of natural gas or other methane sources. Even biomass can be converted to methanol through syn-gas. Chemical recycling of excess carbon dioxide formed from human activities, natural and industrial sources, or even from the air to methanol via capture followed by reductive conversion with hydrogen is possible. Any available energy source (preferably alternative and atomic energy) can provide the needed energy, primarily generating hydrogen. Direct electrochemical reduction of CO2 is also possible. Short Biographical Sketch:
Professor G. K. Surya Prakash, Ph.D., was born in 1953 in Bangalore, India. He earned a B.Sc (Hons) in chemistry from Bangalore University and an M.S. in chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. Prakash came to US in 1974 and joined Professor George Olah's group at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio to pursue graduate work. He moved with Professor Olah to the University of Southern California (USC) in 1977 to help establish the Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute and obtained his Ph.D. in physical organic chemistry at USC in 1978. He joined the faculty of USC in 1981 and he is currently a Professor and the holder of the George A. and Judith A. Olah Nobel Laureate Chair in Hydrocarbon Chemistry at the Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute and Department of Chemistry. He also serves as the Scientific Co-Director of the Institute. His primary research interests are in superacid, hydrocarbon, synthetic organic & organofluorine chemistry, with particular emphasis in the areas of energy and catalysis. He is a co-inventor of the proton exchange membrane based direct oxidation methanol fuel cell. Professor Prakash is a prolific author with more than 550 peer-reviewed scientific papers and holds 21 patents. He has also co-authored or edited 8 books. He has received many awards and accolades including two American Chemical Society National Awards: 2004 for his achievements in the area of fluorine chemistry and 2006 for his contributions to hydrocarbon chemistry. More recently, he has received the 2006 Richard C. Tolman Award from the Southern California section of the American Chemical Society for his scientific contributions to Southern California and the 2007 Distinguished Alumni Award from his alma mater, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, India. He is a fellow of the American Association of Advancement of Science and a Member of the European Academy of Arts, Sciences and Humanities. He also sits on several Editorial Boards of Chemical Journals.
Location: Kaprielian Hall (KAP) - 209
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Evangeline Reyes
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A Partition of Unity Finite Element Method for Cohesive Zone Modeling of Fracture
Wed, Nov 28, 2007 @ 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: James V. Cox,
Advanced Mechanics Development Department,
Sandia National Laboratories,
Albuquerque, New MexicoAbstract:Meaningful computational investigations of many solid mechanics problems require accurate characterization of material behavior through failure. A recent approach to fracture modeling has combined the partition of unity finite element method (PUFEM) with cohesive zone models. In the PUFEM, the displacement field is enriched to improve the local approximation. Previous studies have used simplified enrichment functions to represent the strong discontinuity but have lacked an analytical basis to represent the displacement gradients in the vicinity of the cohesive crack. In this study enrichment functions based upon two existing analytical investigations of the cohesive crack problem are proposed. These functions have the potential of representing displacement gradients in the vicinity of the cohesive crack with a relatively coarse mesh and allow the crack to incrementally advance across each element. An overview of the enrichment functions and key aspects of the numerical implementation are presented. Analysis results for simple model problems are presented to evaluate if quasi-static crack propagation can be accurately followed with the proposed formulation. A standard finite element solution with interface elements is used to provide the accurate reference solution, so the model problems are limited to a straight, mode I crack in plane stress. Except for the cohesive zone, the material model for the problems is homogenous, isotropic linear elasticity. Propagation of the cohesive zone tip and crack tip, time variation of the cohesive zone length, and crack profiles are examined to assess the potential of this PUFEM. The effects of mesh refinement and mesh orientation on the results are also considered. The analysis results indicate that the enrichment functions based upon the asymptotic solutions can accurately track the cohesive crack propagation independent of mesh orientation. Extension of the formulation to mixed mode cracking and applicability of the enrichment functions to problems with inelastic domains are the subjects of ongoing studies.Location: Kaprielian Hall (KAP) - rielian Hall 209
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Evangeline Reyes
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SICK Homes and Building
Fri, Nov 30, 2007 @ 01:00 PM - 02:00 PM
Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker:
Sandra Thompson, Ph.D.
Attorney, Buchalter Nemer,
Irvine, CAAbstract:"Sick" homes and buildings are those spaces that contain sufficient levels of chemicals, allergens and other particles to make those who live or work in the space sick. Usually, sick buildings result from poor or inadequate ventilation, chemical contaminants from outdoor or indoor sources or biological contaminants. "Sick Building Syndrome" or SBS can cause ailments ranging from headaches, immune system issues, fatigue, dry or itchy skin, dizziness and nausea to name a few. Dr. Thompson will give a brief overview of SBS, along with discussing possible solutions to this increasing problem. One solution may be the use of corona discharges. Corona discharges can be easily tailored to accommodate and destroy complex mixtures of VOCs. The use of the corona discharge to control VOC concentration in ambient air can minimize operator maintenance, cost, and maximize efficiency, and therefore, is an attractive technology to implement for small industrial sources or from an outside air supply. The corona discharge can convert several types of VOCs ranging from toluene to CFCs and DMS into smaller, more manageable by-products. The versatility of the corona discharge, based on the production of a variety of reactive species, such as hydroxyl radical, ozone and excited oxygen atoms, and the ability of the plasma to encourage several different reactive mechanisms, is probably the most important conclusion that has come from this research. The goal of Dr. Thompson's research in this field was to investigate the properties of the corona discharge, to investigate the dominant reaction mechanisms at work in the plasma reactor, and to determine if the corona plasma could successfully convert contaminants that may be present in air to smaller, less toxic molecules. The conclusion that toluene, cyclohexane, CFCs and DMS can be converted to other products supports the hypothesis that there are several reaction mechanisms working within the reactor. The collection of reaction mechanisms and various reactive species within the plasma makes the pulsed corona discharge much more versatile and more applicable in handling several different types of contaminated air streams.Location: Kaprielian Hall (KAP) - 209
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Evangeline Reyes