Native fishes have become an increasingly important concern when designing fish passable culverts. Many operational culverts constrict waterways which increase velocities and prevent upstream passage of small fish species. The current method to ensure fish passage is to match the average cross sectional velocity to the sustained swim speed of the fish. This study investigates the passage rates of leatherside chub (Lepidomeda aliciae) and speckled dace (Rhinichthys osculus) at three sites (an arch culvert with substrate bottom, box culvert with bare bottom, and a stream section with no culvert) located on Salina Creek near Salina, UT. It was found that fish were able to pass through all of the sites. However, fish were able to take advantage of the habitat within the culvert that had a substrate bottom more effectively than within the culvert that had no substrate within the barrel. This was reflected in population density estimates at each of the three test sites for each species. It was also found that the substrate at the arch culvert and stream sites scaled with the fish measured in this study. The D50 and D84 were 44 and 205 mm at the arch culvert site and 26 and 126 mm at the stream site. The average fish length was 76 mm for the chub and 64 mm for the dace. It is recommended that (1) a culvert size that produces a velocity equal to the prolonged swim speed of target fish in the near boundary region (2 cm above the bed) be used in the future, and (2) substrate that scales with the target fish species be placed in the culvert barrel.

Density wave oscillations (DWO) are a class of two-phase flow instabilities which can pose significant safety concerns to boiling water reactors (BWR). During an anticipated transient without scram (ATWS) while operating in the proposed extended operating domain MELLLA+, natural circulation conditions can potentially lead to DWO-type instabilities which have the capability to develop into cycles of fuel surface dryout and rewet, damaging core integrity. In order to provide data on these phenomena, a series of tests were performed at the KATHY facility during which DWO was developed with and without simulated neutronic feedback. In this dissertation, the data provided by these tests is analyzed to determine the onset conditions for DWO. Following this, several models are assessed for their capability in predicting this stability boundary compared to the experimental results. The models were chosen in order to provide a suitably large range of prediction methodologies. Two analytical drift-flux models developed with and without thermal equilibrium are shown, with respective differences compared. A computational model of the full KATHY natural circulation loop is built using the 1D thermal-hydraulics code TRACE. This is adapted with a point-kinetics model for neutronic feedback for experimental comparison. With both the analytical models and the TRACE model, a series of parametric studies are performed showing the effects of inlet/outlet flow restrictions, pressure, channel geometry, and axial power profile on the stability boundary. Finally, two machine learning neural network-based models are developed and trained on various subsets of the experimental data. The results from each model showed certain benefits and drawbacks based on model complexity and physicality. / Doctor of Philosophy / Certain conditions in the core of a boiling water reactor (BWR) can lead to unstable flows due to the high ratio between the power and the coolant flow rate. These instabilities, called density wave oscillations (DWO), have been shown to occur during a specific accident scenario known as an anticipated transient without scram (ATWS) when the reactor is operating in a lower flow domain called MELLLA+. In this accident, pump flow through the core is halted, but the reactor is not shut down. This can lead to serious safety concerns if left unaddressed. To analyze these instabilities, the KATHY facility performed a series of tests with and without power feedback from simulated neutron response. In this dissertation, the onset conditions from these tests are given and compared to several models for predicting the stability boundary. Two analytical models proposed by Ishii and Saha are compared and the effect of certain parameters on the stability is assessed. Next, a model of the KATHY loop is built using the thermal-hydraulics code TRACE both with and without simulated power feedback. Finally, two types of machine learning models are developed to determine their accuracy in predicting the instability conditions. The overall performance of each is compared and their benefits and drawbacks are highlighted.

Under normal operating conditions a CANDU reactor pressure tube (PT) is insulated from its outer calandria tube (CT) by a CO2 gas annulus. If the primary loop coolant flow is compromised the PT can overheat and, if still pressurized, balloon into contact with the CT. At this point the moderator acts as an emergency heat sink. If the heat transferred from the CT to the moderator exceeds the critical heat flux (CHF) the CT can overheat, begin to strain due to the contact pressure, and eventually fail. A mechanistic model is presented that describes ballooning contact of the PT and CT, the resulting thermal contact conductance, heat flux to the moderator, and, if CHF is exceeded, the development of film boiling and potential CT strain. The goal is to create a software package that predicts fuel channel failure during a pressure tube overheat event. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc) / Computer software was developed to predict CANDU fuel channel failure in the event of a total station blackout. The model created successfully predicted the available experimental data.

No description available.

A hydraulic model was developed to determine differences in the hydraulic characteristics of three different reaches of an urban- and agriculturally-impacted stream in southwest Virginia. The three reaches all had cattle excluded from the channel in 2010. The farthest upstream, Treatment 1, was left to progress without intervention beyond cattle removal while the other two, Treatments 2 and 3, were regraded and stabilized using common stream restoration techniques and a forested riparian was established. The banks of Treatment 2 were regraded to a slope of 3:1 while Treatment 3 was designed with a flat inset floodplain cut into the banks. The model results showed that the self-adjustment in Treatment 1 exhibited inset floodplains with diverse topographical structure including floodplain channels. These adjustments provided higher floodplain volume and mass exchange between the channel and the floodplain when compared with the stable, straight Treatment 2. Comparisons between Treatment 1 and Treatment 3 did not clearly show which treatment was more well connected, with some metrics showing Treatment 1 was more connected while others indicated the opposite. Overall, the findings indicate that stabilization of channelized streams without consideration of the natural planform prolongs adjustment to a channel-floodplain form with more exchange of water, sediment, nutrients and providing refuge for biota. / Master of Science / A water flow model was developed to determine differences in between sections with different management practices an urban- and agriculturally-impacted stream in southwest Virginia. The three reaches all had cattle excluded from the channel in 2010. The farthest upstream, Treatment 1, was left to progress without intervention beyond cattle removal while the other two, Treatments 2 and 3, were stabilized by changing the bank slope and planting trees. The banks of Treatment 2 were regraded to a slope of 3:1 while Treatment 3 was designed with a flat section cut into the banks. The model results showed that the self-adjustment in Treatment 1 created an bench similar to Treatment 3. This section flooded more readily and allowed for higher flow of water between the channel and the floodplain when compared with the stable, straight Treatment 2. Comparisons between Treatment 1 and Treatment 3 did not clearly show which treatment was more well connected, with some metrics showing Treatment 1 was more connected while others indicated the opposite. Overall, the findings indicate that stabilization of channelized streams in their man altered state prolongs adjustment to a more natural form which provides services including flood mitigation, sediment cycling, nutrient cycling and habitat for plants and animals in and along the stream.

This thesis consists of an experimental study of the velocity distribution in tranquil, stable tumbling and rapid flow regimes in a steep rectangular channel with artificial roughness elements. Four shapes of roughness elements, rectangular, parallelogram, triangular, and semi-circular, were used. Effects on velocity distribution due to variations in discharge, flume slope and roughness geometry were studied for each shape of roughness element. The applicability of logarithmic law was examined and the inflection points in tranquil and rapid flow regime were studied. Also the velocity coefficients in tumbling regime were studied. The findings were confirmed through the analysis of data taken from project 405 of the Civil Engineering Department. A review of literature on this subject and a bibliography are included. / Master of Science

Traditionally, teleoperation has been an expensive and lengthy process. This thesis shows that by incorporating off-the-shelf technology into a modular design, teleoperation can be developed rapidly and inexpensively. Within six months and a hardware cost of $20k, a group of Virginia Tech students and faculty converted a Case CX-160 excavator to teleoperated control. With full wireless functionality of the excavator's six degrees-of-freedom, ignition, and remote cameras at 3000 ft., the teleoperated design meets or exceeds customer demands. For over a year, the teleoperated excavator has demonstrated effectiveness, robustness, and durability in multiple unexploded ordnance (UXO) site remediation projects. / Master of Science

Automation of hydraulic earth moving and construction equipment is of prime economic and social importance in today's marketplace. A human operator can be replaced or augmented with a robotic system when the job is too dull, dirty or dangerous. There are a myriad of applications in both Government and Industry that could benefit from augmenting or replacing an operator of hydraulic equipment with an intelligent robotic system. A specific important situation is the removal of unexploded ordnance (UXO). The removal of UXO is a troubling environmental problem that plagues people around the world. This document addresses the danger that UXO pose to military groups in applications such as active range clearance and disposal of unexploded or dud munitions. Disposing of these munitions is a difficult problem, which first begins by determining their location. The process can be aided through the use of teleoperated hydraulic equipment, which allows the operator to be located at a safe distance from these munitions. In the past, converting a large piece of hydraulic construction equipment for teleoperated use has been an expensive task. An important result of this research is demonstrating that through readily available commercial products and existing design methodologies, such robotic tasks can be accomplished at relatively low cost and in a timely, reliable fashion. / Master of Science

This thesis presents a technique termed Blended Shared Control, whereby a human operator's commands are merged with the commands of an electronic agent in real time to control a manipulator. A four degree-of-freedom hydraulic excavator is used as an application example, and two types of models are presented: a fully dynamic model incorporating the actuator and linkage systems suitable for high-fidelity user studies, and a reduced-order velocity-constrained kinematic model amenable for real-time optimization. Intended operator tasks are estimated with a recursive algorithm; the task is optimized in real time; and a command perturbation is computed which, when summed with the operator command, results in a lower task completion time. Experimental results compare Blended Shared Control to other types of controllers including manual control and haptic feedback. Trials indicate that Blended Shared Control decreases task completion time when compared to manual operation.

Hydraulically induced scour of the streambed at the base of bridge piers is the leading cause of bridge failures. Despite the significant scientific efforts towards the solution of this challenging engineering problem, there are still no reliable tools for the prediction and mitigation of bridge scour. This shortcoming is attributed to the lack of understanding of the physics behind this phenomenon. The experimental studies that attempted the physical investigation of bridge scour in the past have faced two main limitations: i) The characterization of the dynamic interaction between the flow and the evolving bed that is known to drive scour, was not possible due to the limitations in the available instrumentation and the significant experimental difficulties; ii) Most of the existing literature studies are based on the findings of laboratory experiments whose scale is orders of magnitudes smaller compared to bridges in the field, while the scale effects on the scour depth have never been quantified. The objective of this research was to enhance the existing understanding of the phenomenon by tackling the aforementioned experimental challenges. To accomplish this, the first part of this work involved the development of a new underwater photogrammetric technique for the monitoring of evolving sediment beds. This technique is able to obtain very high resolution measurements of evolving beds, thus allowing the characterization of their dynamic properties (i.e. evolving topography and scour rates) and overcoming existing experimental limitations. Secondly, the underwater photogrammetric technique was applied on a bridge scour experiment, of simple geometry, and the dynamic morphological characteristics of the phenomenon were measured. The detailed measurements along with reasonable comparisons with descriptions of the flow, from past studies, were used to provide insight on the interaction between the flow and the bed and describe quantitatively the mechanisms of scour. Finally, the scale effects on scour were studied via the performance of two experiments under near-prototype conditions. In these experiments the effects of the Reynolds number on the flow and the scour were quantified and implications concerning existing small-scale studies were discussed. / Ph. D.