Charles E. Via Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

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https://hdl.handle.net/10919/23747
The Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, which is ranked in the top 10 accredited civil and environmental engineering departments by the US News and World Report survey, is one of the largest programs in the United States. The Department has 46 full-time faculty, 657 undergraduate, and 400 graduate students. Civil engineers are the principal designers, constructors, operators, and caretakers of many of the constructed facilities and systems that contribute to the high quality of life enjoyed in the United States. The Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering offers educational programs in all areas of civil engineering practice.

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Browsing Charles E. Via Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering by Subject "04 Earth Sciences"

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    Effects of Large Wood on Floodplain Connectivity in a Headwater Mid-Atlantic Stream
    Keys, Tyler A.; Governer, Heather; Jones, C. Nathan; Hession, W. Cully; Hester, Erich T.; Scott, Durelle T. (2018-05-08)
    Large wood (LW) plays an essential role in aquatic ecosystem health and function. Traditionally, LW has been removed from streams to minimize localized flooding and increase conveyance efficiency. More recently, LW is often added to streams as a component of stream and river restoration activities. While much research has focused on the role of LW in habitat provisioning, geomorphic stability, and hydraulics at low to medium flows, we know little about the role of LW during storm events. To address this question, we investigated the role of LW on floodplain connectivity along a headwater stream in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Specifically, we conducted two artificial floods, one with and one without LW, and then utilized field measurements in conjunction with hydrodynamic modeling to quantify floodplain connectivity during the experimental floods and to characterize potential management variables for optimized restoration activities. Experimental observations show that the addition of LW increased maximum floodplain inundation extent by 34%, increased floodplain inundation depth by 33%, and decreased maximum thalweg velocity by 10%. Model results demonstrated that different placement of LW along the reach has the potential to increase floodplain flow by up to 40%, with highest flooding potential at cross sections with high longitudinal velocity and shallow depth. Additionally, model simulations show that the effects of LW on floodplain discharge decrease as storm recurrence interval increases, with no measurable impact at a recurrence interval of more than 25 years.
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    Fecal Indicator Bacteria and Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Storm Runoff from Dairy Manure and Compost-Amended Vegetable Plots
    Jacobs, Kyle; Wind, Lauren L.; Krometis, Leigh-Anne H.; Hession, W. Cully; Pruden, Amy (American Society for Agronomy, 2019-07-01)
    Given the presence of antibiotics and resistant bacteria in livestock manures, it is important to identify the key pathways by which land-applied manure-derived soil amendments potentially spread resistance. The goal of this field-scale study was to identify the effects of different types of soil amendments (raw manure from cows treated with cephapirin and pirlimycin, compost from antibiotic-treated or antibiotic-free cows, or chemical fertilizer only) and crop type (lettuce [Lactuca sativa L.] or radish [Raphanus sativus L.]) on the transport of two antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs; sul1 and ermB) via storm runoff from six naturally occurring storms. Concurrent quantification of sediment and fecal indicator bacteria (FIB; Escherichia coli and enterococci) in runoff permitted comparison to traditional agricultural water quality targets that may be driving factors of ARG presence. Storm characteristics (total rainfall volume, storm duration, etc.) significantly influenced FIB concentration (two-way ANOVA, p < 0.05), although both effects from individual storm events (Kruskal-Wallis, p < 0.05) and vegetative cover influenced sediment levels. Composted and raw manure-amended plots both yielded significantly higher sul1 and ermB levels in runoff for early storms, at least 8 wk following initial planting, relative to fertilizer-only or unamended barren plots. There was no significant difference between sul1 or ermB levels in runoff from plots treated with compost derived from antibiotic-treated versus antibiotic-free dairy cattle. Our findings indicate that agricultural fields receiving manure-derived amendments release higher quantities of these two “indicator” ARGs in runoff, particularly during the early stages of the growing season, and that composting did not reduce effects of ARG loading in runoff.
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    From one species to another: A review on the interaction between chemistry and microbiology in relation to cleaning in the built environment
    Velazquez, Samantha; Griffiths, Willem; Dietz, Leslie; Horve, Patrick; Nunez, Susie; Hu, Jinglin; Shen, Jiaxian; Fretz, Mark; Bi, Chenyang; Xu, Ying; Van Den Wymelenberg, Kevin G.; Hartmann, Erica M.; Ishaq, Suzanne L. (Wiley, 2019-09-06)
    Since the advent of soap, personal hygiene practices have revolved around removal, sterilization, and disinfection—both of visible soil and microscopic organisms—for a myriad of cultural, aesthetic, or health-related reasons. Cleaning methods and products vary widely in their recommended use, effectiveness, risk to users or building occupants, environmental sustainability, and ecological impact. Advancements in science and technology have facilitated in-depth analyses of the indoor microbiome, and studies in this field suggest that the traditional “scorched-earth cleaning” mentality—that surfaces must be completely sterilized and prevent microbial establishment—may contribute to long-term human health consequences. Moreover, the materials, products, activities, and microbial communities indoors all contribute to, or remove, chemical species to the indoor environment. This review examines the effects of cleaning with respect to the interaction of chemistry, indoor microbiology, and human health.
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    Recognizing and controlling airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in indoor environments
    Allen, Joseph G.; Marr, Linsey C. (Wiley, 2020-07-01)
    Sharing indoor space has been confirmed as a major risk factor in transmission of SARS-CoV-2. A study of over 7000 cases found that all outbreaks involving three or more people occurred indoors. Thus, identifying the dominant modes of transmission is an urgent public health priority so that appropriate control strategies can be selected and deployed. Here, we present three lines of evidence supporting the potential for airborne transmission and recommend steps to mitigate the risk in indoor environments.