Civil and Environmental Engineering
This is the collection for the University of Waterloo's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering .
Research outputs are organized by type (eg. Master Thesis, Article, Conference Paper).
Waterloo faculty, students, and staff can contact us or visit the UWSpace guide to learn more about depositing their research.
Recent deposits
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Natural Language Processing using Deep Learning for Classifying Water Infrastructure Procurement Records and Calculating Unit Costs
(University of Waterloo, 2024-03-06)This thesis introduces a novel ontology-based deep learning classification model specifically tailored for civil engineering applications, focusing on automating the extraction and classification of water infrastructure ... -
Enabling Human-Machine Collaborative Inspections through Smart Infrastructure Metaverse
(University of Waterloo, 2024-02-08)Over the last ten years, novel Artificial Intelligence (AI) based structure assessment methods and tools have been proposed to identify and quantify structural damage indicators (e.g., cracking, spalling, corrosion, etc.) ... -
Valuation of in-situ Building Materials for Resource Recovery
(University of Waterloo, 2024-02-08)The construction industry is among the largest contributors to global raw material consumption and is responsible for 40% of annual greenhouse gas emissions. Recovery of building materials at the end of a building's life, ... -
Conventional and Oxidant-amended Biofiltration to Improve Treatment Resilience in Drinking Water Systems Vulnerable to Wildfire
(University of Waterloo, 2024-01-26)Climate-change-exacerbated landscape disturbances can create obstacles for the provision of safe drinking water. The threats posed by wildfires are of particular concern due not only to the potentially extreme nature of ... -
Towards a Better Understanding of Activated Carbon-Based Amendments for In Situ Treatment of Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Anaerobic Groundwater Systems
(University of Waterloo, 2024-01-11)Injected activated carbon (AC) particulate amendments for the in situ treatment of groundwater impacted by petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs) is relatively new, and relies on a combination of AC sorption and biodegradation. ... -
A river's connective tissue: Lab observations of particle pathways and riffle formation during floods
(University of Waterloo, 2024-01-05)In rivers it is difficult to quantify bedform dynamics during storm events. Direct observation of sediment pathways would provide insight into the mechanisms that underly bedform formation and destruction. In the current ... -
A Methodology for Design and Adaptation of Infrastructure Under Deep Climate Uncertainty
(University of Waterloo, 2024-01-03)Proper decision-making in design, and adaptation management of infrastructure is essential, in the face of environmental uncertainties. As and example, current climate change models yield a range of widely diverging ... -
Performance of Soil Borehole Thermal Energy Storage System under Different Natural and Engineered Subsurface Conditions
(University of Waterloo, 2023-12-18)Borehole thermal energy storage (BTES) system, a type of underground thermal energy storage (UTES) systems, is a promising technology for sustainable space heating. BTES stores thermal energy in subsurface media (rock or ... -
Comparison of Condition Evaluation Methods for Flexible Pavement, and Exploration of Ride Quality Assessment through Vibration Frequency Analysis
(University of Waterloo, 2023-12-12)This thesis reviews and compares evaluation standards, distress manifestation manuals, and key performance indices for flexible road asset management across North America. Evaluation of pavement structural and functional ... -
Development of a novel methodology for the determination of the total solar energy transmittance of Building-Integrated Photovoltaic window technologies using outdoor measurements
(University of Waterloo, 2023-12-11)The urgent need to combat global warming and transition towards sustainable energy sources has focused attention on the building sector, a major contributor to energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. To achieve ... -
Real-Time Traffic Performance Measurement of Signalized Intersections Using Connected Vehicle Data: A Simulation-Based Study
(University of Waterloo, 2023-12-05)Traffic congestion has long become a major concern in many cities in Canada and around the world. It has been estimated that the annual total economic loss due to traffic congestion in major Canadian urban centers has ... -
Reliability-based Environmental Impact Assessment in Geotechnical Engineering
(University of Waterloo, 2023-11-30)A sustainable design is achieved by balancing the four aspects, so called the four Es, of sustainability – environment, economy, equity, and engineering. Given that geotechnical constructions involve land transformations ... -
Automatically Assessing the Need for Traffic Signal Retiming Using Connected Vehicle Data
(University of Waterloo, 2023-11-27)Traffic signal controllers are a critical element in managing urban traffic systems effectively. The emergence of Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measures (ATSPM), aided by recent technological advancements, allows ... -
Flow and Sediment Routing in Urban Channels with Flashy Hydrographs
(University of Waterloo, 2023-10-20)Urbanization has a major impact on flow and erosion in open channels. By replacing rural land surfaces with impervious surfaces, urbanization causes a decrease in infiltration and an increase in surface runoff and faster ... -
Rethinking the Split-Sample Approach in Hydrological Model Calibration
(University of Waterloo, 2023-10-16)Hydrological models, which have become increasingly complex in the last half century due to the advances in computing capabilities and data collection, have been extensively utilized to facilitate decision-making in water ... -
Active Retrofit of Shear Critical RC Components Using Self-Prestressing Iron-Based Shape Memory Alloys
(University of Waterloo, 2023-09-26)With growing traffic demands and structural degradation accelerated by climate change, there is a critical need for continued advancement of concrete repair and strengthening technologies to enable extended bridge service ... -
Assessing The Erodibility of Cohesive Media in Southwestern Ontario With In-Situ Mini-JET Methodology
(University of Waterloo, 2023-09-25)Despite research indicating that the resistance of cohesive sediments to fluvial erosion is related to the geologic media, regulators and industry in Southern Ontario do not typically consider the diversity in geologic ... -
Investigating the effects of glass-fibre-reinforced polymer fabrics and bars on the flexural behaviour of sawn timber and glulam beams
(University of Waterloo, 2023-09-11)As climate change becomes an increasingly pressing issue worldwide, the buildings and construction industry remains to be a significant contributor to global carbon emissions. To address this, construction materials with ... -
Quantification of PFAS Fate in Sludge Handling Systems
(University of Waterloo, 2023-08-14)Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been detected in biosolids, raising concerns regarding their potential leaching into soils, groundwater, and plants when biosolids are land applied. In this study, the fate ... -
Micro- and Nanoplastics Removal through Drinking Water Treatment Processes: Insights from Published Investigations and Development of a Possible Regulatory Approach
(University of Waterloo, 2023-08-02)Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) have emerged as significant environmental pollutants with potential implications for human health. The presence of MNPs in freshwater bodies, such as lakes, rivers, and sometimes groundwater, ...