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CIVL 4990 CIVIL ENGINEERING PROJECT

For the academic year of 2014 - 2015

(A) Construction Management

1 Developing a Building Information Modeling Framework for Infrastructure Facility
Management
Supervisor: Prof. Jack Cheng
No. of Student(s) : 1

Building information modeling (BIM) aims to facilitate information management and
collaboration among stakeholders in different domains over the building facility life cycle. In a
BIM model, each building component has its properties, information, and semantics.
Modifications performed in one view will be reflected in all perspectives. BIM models are
increasingly used in the building industry as an object-based information hub for storing,
integrating and managing building information in different aspects throughout the design,
construction, and maintenance operations. However, the applications of BIM for civil
infrastructures are still immature and uncommon. This project aims to develop a BIM-based
framework that facilitates the facility operation and management process of civil infrastructure
facilities. In this project, the information requirement and facility management process will be
studied and summarized. A semantic data model and system framework for infrastructure facility
management will then be developed. The developed framework will finally be illustrated and
validated in case scenarios.

2 Analysis and Evaluation of Green Building Features Using Building Information Modeling
Supervisor: Prof. Jack Cheng

There is a global trend of green buildings in recent years. As of 2011, there are over 10,000 green
building projects certified by the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
standard in the United States alone. In Hong Kong, the BEAM Plus green building standard
developed by the Hong Kong Green Building Council (HKGBC) in 2009 has certified over 200
projects in Hong Kong. Green buildings utilize various design features and operation technologies
to reduce energy and water consumption, improve indoor environmental quality and increase
building performance. This project aims to study the common green building features and evaluate
them using building information modeling (BIM) and computer simulation techniques. In a BIM
model, each building component has its properties, information and semantics, which support
sophisticated simulation and analysis under different conditions. In this project, commonly
adopted energy saving and indoor environmental quality improvement green building features will
be modeled, evaluated, and compared.

3 Carbon measurement of commonly used building materials in Hong Kong by life cycle
assessment - Carbon measurement of commonly used aggregate in Hong Kong by life cycle
assessment
Supervisor:Prof Jack Cheng and Prof Irene Lo

According to WWFs Hong Kong Ecological Footprint Report 2010, the second largest carbon
footprint in Hong Kong is associated with the output from the Construction sector. Of the carbon
footprint associated with construction activities in Hong Kong, 85 percent is embodied in
imported goods and services. In addition to direct emissions from the Construction sector, this
carbon footprint includes emissions from all upstream material inputs to construction activities.
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This project aims to develop a database of carbon footprint of commonly used building
construction materials in Hong Kong by life cycle assessment (LCA) using SigmaPro. Such a
database could help to lower the building construction industrys carbon footprint by providing a
benchmarking in selection of green materials, development of carbon labeling, and estimation and
prediction of carbon footprint in the built environment.
Deliverables:
Identify 3-4 types or brands of aggregate most commonly used in HK
Calculate the carbon footprint of each by LCA
Propose the selection criteria and how to source the green aggregate with a lower carbon
footprint

assessment - Carbon measurement of commonly used concrete in Hong Kong by life cycle
assessment

Deliverables:
Identify 3-4 types or brands of concrete most commonly used in HK
Propose the selection criteria and how to source the green concrete with a lower carbon
footprint

assessment - Carbon measurement of commonly used gypsum plaster board in Hong Kong
by life cycle assessment

Deliverables:
Identify 3-4 types or brands of gypsum plaster board most commonly used in HK
Propose the selection criteria and how to source the green gypsum plaster board with a
lower carbon footprint
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6 Effective Risk Management in Infrastructure Project Finance
Supervisor: Prof Xueqing Zhang

Different types of infrastructure projects have been developed worldwide through public-private
partnerships (PPPs). One key feature of PPPs is the optimal sharing of risks whereby risks are
allocated to the party who is best able to manage. This project will explore how to effectively
manage the various risks in infrastructure projects developed through PPPs.

7 Analysis of Various Types of Construction Contracts and Delivery Methods

Different types of construction contracts (e.g., lump sum, unit price, guaranteed maximum price,
and cost plus) and construction delivery methods (e.g., design-bid-build, design-build, and
construction management) have been in use in the construction industry. This project will study
the practices and lessons in the international application of various construction contracts and
delivery methods.

8 Alternative Dispute Resolution Practices in the Construction Industry

Alternative dispute resolution refers to a method or means to settle disputes outside of the
courtroom. Alternative dispute resolution methods typically include early neutral evaluation,
negotiation, conciliation, mediation, and arbitration. This project will study the international
practices in the use of different alternative dispute resolution methods in construction project
management.

(B) Geotechnical

9 Green Slope Engineering for Hong Kong
Supervisor: Prof Charles Ng

There has been an increasing demand from the public for environmentally friendly designs and for
upgrading of slopes in Hong Kong in recent years. With Hong Kongs rugged topography and
frequent rainstorms, landslides have always been an alarming problem. The prime objectives of
this project are to investigate and improve our fundamental understanding of root-soil-water
interactions and to develop an innovative and environmentally friendly reliability-based
preliminary design framework for an integrated bioengineered live slope cover for shallow soil
slopes in Hong Kong. This live cover will be self-regenerative and sustainable (almost
maintenance free). Five major research tasks will be carried out including field monitoring and
root system characterization, centrifuge and numerical modeling of bioengineered slopes,
development of an integrated quality assurance scheme and a preliminary reliability-based design
methodology for bioengineered slopes. Findings from this project will provide new insights into
the behavior of bioengineered slopes in Hong Kong and the newly developed innovative
reliability-based preliminary design guidelines will provide the basis for future laboratory
simulations and field trials.

Three students are required to participate in this meaningful project to carry out centrifuge model
tests and numerical simulations of bioengineered slopes.

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10 Environmentally friendly unsaturated capillary barrier for green landfill covers
Supervisor: Prof Charles Ng

The accumulation of municipal solid wastes in cities is a major social, geotechnical and
environmental problems worldwide. Traditionally, municipal solid wastes are mainly collected
and dumped in an orderly manner to form so called landfills. In order to prevent rainfall from
infiltrating into landfills and to minimise methane gas from emitting into the atmosphere, a
composite layer made of geo-membrane/geo-synthetics and soils has been developed to cover
landfills over the years. However, the long-term durability of this type of covers such as cracking
has been questioned more and more frequently. A novel unsaturated capillary barrier together with
vegetation appears to be an excellent alternative.

Three students are required to develop experimental set-up such as 1D soil columns, flume and
centrifuge models and to conduct experiments, and also to carry out numerical simulations for
verifying this new alternative environmentally friendly cover and any other novel ideas.

11 Earthquake ground motion effects on nonlinear response of 4-span highway bridge
Supervisor: Prof Gang Wang

In this study, a nonlinear Finite Element model will be used to evaluate the response of a 4-span
highway bridge under earthquake loading. To realistically simulate the earthquake ground
motions, waves are applied along two horizontal directions and at multiple locations. We will
study several important effects that might influence the structural response, including the
orientation of input waves that can cause the maximum structural damage, attenuation of wave
motions along the bridge that can cause incoherent structural response. The study will lead to a
better understanding of the ground motion effects on the seismic performance of bridges. Students
with background and interest in computer programming are preferred.

12 Seismic Response of Pile Groups in a Nonlinear Soil Ground
Supervisor: Prof Gang Wang

Studying soil-foundation interaction is important for the earthquake design of structures. In this
study, we investigate the dynamic response of pile groups in a nonlinear soil ground using Finite
Element models. Pile group response will be systematically studied considering different soil
profiles, pile-group layouts and earthquake input motions. The students will gain valuable
experience in using advanced numerical models to design pile foundation against earthquakes.

13 Why the 99-peak mountain formed in central Taiwan after the Chi-Chi earthquake - An
experiment simulation
Supervisor: Prof J P Wang

Because of the Chi-Chi earthquake, a very unique landscape called the 99-peak mountain was
formed in central Taiwan. This study is aimed at using shaking-table texts to simulate the genesis
of such a unique landscape, explaining the interesting question in geomorphology that has yet
answered.

14 The uncertainty of liquid limit in soil properties

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Liquid limit is one of the basic soil properties. This study is aimed at discussing its uncertainty
with two conventional approaches. With a series of tests, an empirical relationship will be
suggested at the end of the study.

15 Using AFOSM for earthquake probability assessments

Advanced First-Order Second Moment (AFOSM) is one of the approaches for probabilistic
calculations. Although AFOSM is commonly used in engineering, it has yet applied to
geosciences problems such as earthquake probability assessments. This study is aimed at using
AFOSM to estimate earthquake probabilities in Taiwan, accounting for the uncertainty in fault slip
rate.

16 Using the Bayesian approach for geotechnical site characterizations

The geotechnical condition at a site is of some uncertainty. This study is aimed at using the
Bayesian approach for geotechnical site characterizations, with some prior information integrated
with very limited project-specific samples.

17 The application of time-lapse resistivity mapping on landfill cover (Undergraduate research
opportunities program, UROP)
Supervisor: Prof Yu-Hsing Wang

Nature of the project: Experiment (field geophysical testing)
Time-lapse resistivity mapping has been used for different engineering applications, such as
studying the flow of water through the vadose zone, monitoring flow of chemical pollutants and
leakage from dams, and among others. In this proposed study, the same technique will be used to
monitor the advance of wetting-front in the landfill cover during rainfall and different seasons. The
device, Geometrics OhmMapper, will be used for the in-situ resistivity mapping.
The details regarding OhmMapper can be found in
http://www.geometrics.com/geometrics-products/geometrics-electro-magnetic-products/ohm-
mapper/

18 Using the Smart Soil Particle for slope stability monitoring (Undergraduate research
opportunities program, UROP; support by GEO)

Nature of the project: experiment (in the laboratory and in the field)
The revolution of technology enables us to use different new types of sensors in soil testing and
field monitoring, such as MEMS sensors. The MEMS sensors have a miniature size (in the range
of mm) and low cost (compared with the conventional sensor) so they have a great potential to
change the current sensing technology used in geotechnical engineering related applications. In
this study, students will use the sensor, Smart Soil Particle (a wireless MEMS assembly), to
monitor the slope instability in the laboratory water flume tests and in the field slopes.
The details regarding the MEMS sensors can be found in the following website.
http://www.analog.com/en/mems/products/index.html

19 Considering the effects of pile setup in the engineering design (Undergraduate research
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Nature of the project: laboratory experiment and numerical simulations (the student can choose
to do either experiments or numerical simulations). The commercial software, PFC2D and
PFC3D, will be used in this study.
Displacement piles in sand often demonstrate a significant capacity increase with time after the
end of pile driving, i.e., pile setup. This phenomenon has been reported in different places,
including Hong Kong where all the high rise buildings are founded on piles. However, in current
practice, engineers do not take into account this extra capacity from pile setup in the design. In
view of this, the main objective of this project is to propose a method, based on the statistics and
non-destructive measurements (wave-based technique), to incorporate such a capacity increase
into the design. In addition, the associated temperature effects will also be examined in detail.
The details regarding the DEM software in 2D and 3D can be found in
http://www.itascacg.com/pfc2d/; http://www.itascacg.com/pfc3d/

20 DEM simulations and experimental examinations on the kinematic behavior of soil contacts
in response to biaxial shearing (Project of online virtual soil lab; Undergraduate research

Nature of the project: laboratory experiment and numerical simulations (the student can choose
to do either experiments or numerical simulations). The commercial software, PFC2D and
PFC3D, will be used in this study.
Soil particles moves in response to shearing; however, how the particles move remain unknown at
present. Do particles move in sling, rotation, or sliding/rotation at contacts. In order to answer this
fundamental question, we will use a tailor-made biaxial system and the PIV technique to trace the
movement at particle contacts during shearing. In addition, the corresponding numerical
simulations by the discrete (or distinct) element method will also help to identify the true behavior.
The simulation and experimental results will be put in the online virtual soil lab.
The details regarding the DEM software in 2D and 3D can be found in
http://www.itascacg.com/pfc2d/; http://www.itascacg.com/pfc3d/

21 Quantitative risk assessment for natural terrain landslides
Supervisor: Prof Limin Zhang

Generating extreme rainfall scenarios in Hong Kong (1 student);
Simulating landslide and debris flow processes triggered by rain storms (1 student);
Analysis of the stability of loose fill slopes under extreme rainfall (1 student).

The objectives of this group FYP are to
Map loose soil deposits on hilly terrains;
Identify extreme storm scenarios for landslide risk assessment;
Develop analysis tools for simulating hazardous processes during an extreme storm event;
Test the current slope safety system under extreme rainfall.

22 Numerical analysis of debris flows
Supervisor: Prof Limin Zhang

Numerical analysis of debris flow;
Long-term evolution of loose, coarse soil deposits on hilly terrains.
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The objectives of this group FYP are to
Investigate the potential of transformation of loose, coarse soil deposits on hilly terrains into
debris flows;
Simulate the scour of bedding materials during the debris flow process;
Analyse the formation and movement of debris flow using FLO-2D or other computer
programs;
Propose measures to mitigate debris flow risks.

23 Numerical Study of fiber-reinforced sand behavior
Supervisor: Prof Jidong Zhao

The students will be trained to investigate the behavior and mechanism of soil reinforcement by
fiber or polymer, base on Discrete Element Method simulations. Strength anisotropy resulted by
the addition of fiber or polymer in the soil will be carefully examined.

24 Numerical simulation of debris flow
Supervisor: Prof Jidong Zhao

The project aims to investigate the fundamental mechanisms of debris flow and to develop
rigorous mechanics for its description. A coupled Discrete Element Method and Computational
Fluid Dynamics numerical tool will be employed for the study.

(C) Material

25 High Strength Concrete with Similar Failure Behavior to Normal Concrete
Supervisor: Prof Christopher Leung

The use of high strength concrete in structures can lead to reduction in structural size and weight,
and a potential saving in foundation cost. However, the brittle failure of high strength concrete is
a practical concern. When strength increases, the energy stored before failure also becomes
higher. Without a corresponding increase in fracture resistance, the sudden release of energy at
failure may lead to rapid disintegration and shattering of the material, which is undesirable. To
alleviate this problem, a small amount of fiber reinforcements can be added to absorb the energy
when cracks start to propagate in concrete. The objective of this project is to develop high
strength fiber reinforced concrete with failure behaviour (characterized by the post-peak stress vs
displacement behaviour in tension and compression) similar to normal concrete. Experiments will
be performed on high strength concrete compositions with different types of fibers added at
different volumes. Compositions with the highest performance/cost can then be identified.
Structural elements will be prepared with such compositions and tested to verify that similar
ductility to normal concrete can be achieved.

26 Pseudo-ductile Cementitious Composites with Recycled Fibers

Pseudo-ductile cementitious composites (PDCC) are fiber reinforced materials possessing
excellent resistance to crack propagation. Under tensile loading, the material will show hardening
behavior up to several percent strain, accompanied by the formation of multiple fine cracks rather
than a single wide crack. In structural applications, this translates into high values of toughness,
shear strength, impact resistance and energy absorption as well as excellent durability by limiting
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the opening of cracks. In recent years, PDCC has been applied in practice for the repair of
dams/retaining walls, construction of link slab in bridges and the fabrication of coupling beams in
tall buildings. Conventionally, PDCC is made with PVA fibers which are very costly. The current
study aims at replacing all or part of the PVA with recycled PET fibers. Specific tasks include (i)
the determination of interfacial friction between PET fiber and various cementitious matrices,
which governs the effectiveness of the fiber reinforcement, and (ii) tests on small beam members
made with different proportion of PVA and PET fibers to study the effect of PET replacement on
ductility.

27 Effect of Ram Loading on Steel Fiber Reinforced Concrete Tunnel Segments

When the tunnel boring machine (TBM) is used, the tunnel lining is normally made from precast
reinforced concrete segments placed around the bored hole. To save labor and to enhance
durability (through crack control and elimination of macrocell corrosion of steel rebars), the steel
reinforcements can be fully replaced by steel fibers. During the tunneling process, to propel the
TBM forward, a number of rams are pushing against the lining to generate the required force. The
concentrated loading from the ram will induce local splitting failure of the segment. Due to the
lack of experience with steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC) segments, full scale tests often have
to be carried out. The purpose of this study is to employ laboratory size specimens to investigate
the load capacity of SFRC segments under concentrated loading. As splitting failure occurs under
tension, the tensile behavior of SFRC will also be measured. The effect of SFRC composition and
tensile properties on its splitting resistance under concentrated load will be investigated
experimentally and also from numerical finite element studies.

28 Non-contact impedance measurement of cement-based composites
Supervisor: Prof Zongjin Li

In this project, non-contact impedance measurement will be used to accesses the pore size with
frequency sweep technique for fresh cement-based composites. The cement-based composites are
prepared with different binder system and their impedance is measured with different frequencies.
Meanwhile, the porosities will be measured by other technique such as mercury intrusion method.
The relationship between the characteristic points of impedance measurement and the mercury
intrusion measurement will be investigated and established.

29 The application of extrusion technique in producing geopolymer-based thermal insulated
panel - Mechanical properties of the extruded geopolymer-based thermal insulated panel

Recent studies have shown that properties of cement-based materials can be largely influenced by
methods of processing. Along this direction, successful application of extrusion techniques in
manufacturing cement composite products represents a good example. The advantage of
introducing extrusion into processing of cement-based materials is that the materials are formed
under high shear and high compressive forces. With properly designed dies and properly
controlled material mixes and viscosity, various cement-based products can be manufactured. The
materials can be designed to achieve a low porosity, and a higher density. On the other hand, with
incorporation of porous aggregate and phase changing materials, the thin wall panel manufactured
by extrusion can possess very good heat insulation properties while having sufficient strength.
Thus, it can lead to a class of high performance cement-based materials.
In this project, the composite aggregates made of porous solid with intrusion of phase
changing material will be produced first and the thin wall be produced with extrusion by using
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geopolymer as the binder. Two students are teamed in producing the geopolymer-based heat
insulation panels using extrusion technique. The work distribution after specimen preparation is
that one student will concentrate on the test of thermal insulation properties and another will focus
on the tests of mechanical properties.

30 The application of extrusion technique in producing geopolymer-based thermal insulated
panel - Thermal insulation properties of the extruded geopolymer-based thermal insulated
panel

Recent studies have shown that properties of cement-based materials can be largely influenced by
methods of processing. Along this direction, successful application of extrusion techniques in
manufacturing cement composite products represents a good example. The advantage of
introducing extrusion into processing of cement-based materials is that the materials are formed
under high shear and high compressive forces. With properly designed dies and properly
controlled material mixes and viscosity, various cement-based products can be manufactured. The
materials can be designed to achieve a low porosity, and a higher density. On the other hand, with
incorporation of porous aggregate and phase changing materials, the thin wall panel manufactured
by extrusion can possess very good heat insulation properties while having sufficient strength.
Thus, it can lead to a class of high performance cement-based materials.
In this project, the composite aggregates made of porous solid with intrusion of phase
changing material will be produced first and the thin wall be produced with extrusion by using
geopolymer as the binder. Two students are teamed in producing the geopolymer-based heat
insulation panels using extrusion technique. The work distribution after specimen preparation is
that one student will concentrate on the test of thermal insulation properties and another will focus
on the tests of mechanical properties.

31 High stiffness concrete

High strength concrete has been applied in Hong Kong, Mainland China and other regions in the
world. Its widespread application is, however, limited by two major concerns by the engineer.
First, the increase in strength is often not accompanied by a proportional increase in modulus of
elasticity. For a tall building, high modulus is very important in keeping structural members
dimension stability, reducing the deformation caused by heavy loading and improving the working
compatibility with reinforcement. In designs governed by stiffness, the advantage of high strength
concrete cannot be fully exploited, especially for tall buildings sensitive to lateral behavior, i.e.
height above 250m and aspect ratio 9, where high modulus concrete is particularly needed to
reduce the large deflection. Second, high strength concrete usually fails in a more brittle manner
than normal concrete, which can be a concern in practical applications. From the literature review,
it is revealed that many researches have been devoted to the toughness improvement of
contemporary concrete by incorporating various fibers. However, research on the stiffness
improvement of concrete is scarce. Hence, to fill in the gap, this project will focus on the
development of high modulus concrete with sufficient compressive strength as well as sufficient
toughness with incorporation of the fibres.

32 Development of cement-based piezoelectric and magneto-electric composite sensor

Health monitoring is very important to keep the safe operation for infrastructure. Developing
reliable and durable transducer is the key issue for healthy monitoring. In this project, new
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cement-based piezoelectric and magneto-electric composite sensor will be developed using
different mix proportions with the inclusion of functional powders. The piezoelectric and
magneto-electric properties of the sensor will be measured and studied to show the influence of
different raw material. The feasibility of the sensor in healthy monitoring for structural
components will be investigated.

(D) Structural

33 Exploration of Domestic Wind Energy Harvesting Systems in High-rise Buildings
Supervisor: Prof C M Chan

Wind energy, unlike fossil fuel power, is green renewable energy which does not release harmful
carbon dioxide and other pollutants. Hong Kong is a windy city, providing plentiful free wind supply.
With seven million inhabitants working and living in tall building structures, Hong Kong offers an
ideal environment for developing domestic wind energy harvesting systems into high-rise buildings.
This project is aimed at studying the feasibility of developing small-scale wind turbines for domestic
use in densely populated urban environment. The project will involve 1) a comprehensive review of
state-of-the-art vertical axis wind turbines; 2) identification of potential wind turbines suitable for
domestic use; 3) evaluation of performance of small-scale domestic wind turbines; and 4) design
optimization of work efficiency of a promising domestic wind turbine. Both experimental wind
tunnel studies and numerical computation will be conducted for performance evaluation of wind
turbines.

(Students with keen interests in research on renewable green energy and structural engineering of
tall buildings are recommended. Those with strong background in fluid dynamics and structural
engineering could be preselected.)

34 Structural Topology Optimization of Modern Tilted and Twisted Steel Buildings

Todays trend in modern architecture has produced more complex and taller towers than ever
before imagined. Under wind and earthquake excitations, an irregular complex building may
vibrate in a lateral-torsional manner with significant swaying and twisting. The coupled lateral-
torsional motions may lead to increased lateral deflection, increased structural damage and a higher
risk of building collapse. This project aims at studying the impact of structural irregularities on the
design of asymmetric tall buildings. Specific attention to structural irregularities in modern tall
buildings will be made to minimise the occurrence of weak stories and maximise the torsional
resistance. The project will involve 1) computer modeling of building structures using finite
element techniques; 2) evaluation of loading effects due to wind and earthquakes; 3) design
optimization for establishing the best topological layout of structural system for achieving the
optimum lateral and torsional resistance of buildings.

(Students with keen interests in structural engineering of tall buildings are recommended. Those
with strong background in structural engineering could be preselected.)

35 Comparative Study and Assessment of Wind-Induced Motions of Tall Buildings

Modern tall buildings are wind sensitive and are prone to dynamic serviceability problems. Excessive
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oscillations induced by turbulent winds have been known to cause human discomfort and even shatter
windows. Dynamic serviceability design criteria in terms of accelerations will be explicitly given in
the new upcoming Hong Kong Wind Code of Practice. An evaluation and comparison of several of the
worlds major building codes and standards will be conducted in this study, with specific discussion of
their estimations of the alongwind, acrosswind, and torsional response, for a number of landmark
buildings in Hong Kong. In addition, an interactive computer program will be developed for the
assessment of wind-induced motion perception in tall buildings. A series of parametric studies will be
carried out for identifying the critical structural parameters which influence the characteristics of wind-
induced behaviour of a number of notable residential and commercial buildings in Hong Kong.
(Student with keen interests in structural design of tall buildings are recommended. Those
with strong background in computer programming could be preselected).

36 Analysis, testing and re-design of metal brackets for truss-out scaffoldings
Supervisor: Prof C C Chang

Truss-out metal bracket bamboo scaffoldings have been widely used in Hong Kong for maintenance
and retrofit of aged structures due to its low cost, efficiency and flexibility. These bamboo
scaffoldings are supported by triangular metal brackets anchored to structural surface through three
expansion bolts. However, it has been reported that one of the expansion bolts is quite difficult to
anchor as the location is quite far to reach for the worker. In this study, it is proposed to perform a
systematic study on the factors affecting the load-carrying capacity of metal brackets through analysis
and testing. Based on the results obtained, a revised design of metal brackets should be proposed.
Detailed steps of this study include:

(a) nonlinear finite element analysis of metal brackets;
(b) laboratory test to verify the results obtained above; and
(c) re-design of metal brackets and validation of new design.

37 Issues governing the design of IDEERS resistant buildings under earthquake
Supervisor: Prof C C Chang

To promote earthquake engineering and seismic protection education and encourage students to
participate in a creative scientific competition, an international competition entitled "Introducing and
Demonstrating Earthquake Engineering Research in Schools (IDEERS)" has been held in Taiwan for
over a decade. In the competition, the participates are required to design and build a building model
using raw materials such as fiberboards, glue sticks, rubber bands and paper. While the design of
these buildings is intuitive, the engineering problems behind are actually quite substantial and cannot
be easily answered. First of all, the components of these scaled down buildings are either glued,
string- or rubber-fixed, which properties are not fully understood. Secondly, these building models
would exhibits large deformation under earthquake which means that nonlinear structural analysis is
needed to predict their seismic behavior. In this study, we intend to address these issues via the
following steps:

(a) laboratory tests on the mechanical behavior of components and connections;
(b) nonlinear finite element analysis of building models; and
(c) reflections on issues governing the seismic design of IDEERS buildings

38 Rocking isolation of bridges
Supervisor: Prof I Dimitrakopoulos

We examine an alternative seismic design approach which allows rocking behavior (uplifting of
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the bridge piers) in order to reduce the loading on the structure, during an earthquake event, and
hence limit yielding and damage. This project is a part of an on-going broader study on the
dynamics of rocking bridge piers. Aim of this project is to examine, analytically and numerically,
the efficiency of rocking behaviour as a seismic isolation technique for concrete bridges. This
research can make significant contributions in the area of bridge dynamics and earthquake
engineering.

39 Analysis of the dynamic interaction between railway bridges, and high-speed-trains
Supervisor: Prof I Dimitrakopoulos

This vehicle-bridge interaction is a nonlinear problem of structural dynamics, of particular interest
for both the safety of the bridge and the stability of the train. Aim of this project is to capture
analytically and numerically the dynamics of the vehicle (train)-bridge interaction (VBI).

40 Optimal Design of Structures in the presence of uncertainties
Supervisor: Prof L Katafygiotis

The optimal design of structures is traditionally cast as a constrained optimization problem in
which an objective function, usually related to the total weight of the structure, is to be minimized,
subject to a set of constraints, related to strength or serviceability requirements. In such traditional
approaches one assumes the availability of a perfect mathematical model of the structure, usually a
finite element model. However, in practice there are many uncertainties related to establishing the
values of the parameters and the predicting accuracy of such a model. This FYP aims to develop a
methodology for treating such uncertainties and yielding an optimal design in the presence of such
realistic uncertainties. Also, the project will explore the use of non-classical methods such as
genetic algorithms and Markov chain methods for solving structural optimization problems when
the question is to not only obtain the optimal sizing of the members but also the optimal
configuration, that is, the optimal geometry and connectivity of the members. The project involves
computational work using MATLAB.

41 Development of New Algorithms for high-dimensional Reliability or Optimization Problems

This project will investigate various existing reliability algorithms and their shortcomings when
applied to high-dimensional reliability or optimization problems. All known algorithms face
tremendous difficulties when applied to problems involving a very large number of variables. In
this project we will try to get a deeper understanding as to why these problems arise and we will
attempt to propose new algorithms that hopefully can overcome some of these problems.

42 Reliability corresponding to Collapse Failure

The project will develop procedures to account for the estimation of failure probability
corresponding to collapse of structures. The progressive development of plastic hinges throughout
the structure in the presence of loading and materials uncertainties will be studied. Partial and
Global collapse scenarios will be considered. The project involves computational work using
MATLAB.

43 Health monitoring of bridges using wireless sensors
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This project will investigate the use of wireless sensors for the health monitoring of a bridge
structure. A pedestrian bridge on the HKUST campus will be selected for this purpose. A
comparison of the advantages and disadvantages between wireless and traditional wired sensor
systems will be undertaken.

44 Seismic performance of infilled frame structures: reversed cyclic load tests
Supervisor: Prof J S Kuang

Reversed cyclic load tests will be conducted to investigate the seismic performance and failure
mechanisms of large-scale, reinforced concrete masonry-infilled frames with different infill
configurations and frame-to-infill connections.

45 Seismic performance of wide-beam column joints: experimental investigations
Supervisor: Prof J S Kuang

Seismic performance and load transfer mechanisms in RC wide-beam column connections are one
of the important research topics in the areas. In this project, experimental studies will be
conducted to investigate the seismic performance and failure mechanisms of RC exterior wide-
beam column connections.

46 Structural and aerodynamic coupling of wind-sensitive tall buildings
Supervisor: Prof Tim Tse

There is an increasing trend of structurally-linked tall buildings around the world as they provide
esthetic effects and the linked parts sometimes offer special operational usages. In some cases, the
linked parts may also be used to mitigate structural dynamic responses. For the design of this type
of tall buildings, wind loading is one of the dominating loads. However, there are currently limited
researches about wind-induced response of structurally-linked tall buildings and the effects of the
linked parts on wind resistant. In addition, there are only a few researches about wind loading
prediction for this type of buildings using wind tunnel tests. Only these mechanisms and wind
loading have been studied and understood clearly can we design linked tall buildings reasonably
and correctly. This study, therefore, aims to investigate the mechanism of linked buildings under
the wind excitation, to analyze the wind loading distribution around linked tall buildings, and to
evaluate the effects of links on structural performance. Upon successful completion of the project,
students will be able to perform basic dynamic analysis and structural design of tall buildings
using technical computing and engineering software.

- 14 -

47 Wind-induced excitation of inclined slender structures
Supervisor: Prof Tim Tse

Lock-in and galloping of slender structures has been studied extensively in the past several
decades due to its large-amplitude oscillation. Most of these studies were devoted to the galloping
oscillation of slender prismatic structures, whose axis is normal to the incident flow. In practice,
there is an increasing trend to design structures with an inclined angle. For instance, tilted bridge
pylons are designed primarily to act against the cables tension forces, such as Alamillo Bridge in
Spain. Although galloping oscillations of slender vertical prismatic structures have been studied
extensively in the past, the aero-elastic behavior of inclined square-sectioned cylinder has been
rarely the topic of research. The primary aim of this research is to determine the effects of
inclination on galloping excitation of inclined cylinder employing pressure measurement and aero-
elastic test in wind tunnel.
Alamillo Bridge

(E) Transportation

48 Planning for a Sustainable Electric Vehicles Market and Accompanying Charging
Infrastructure
Supervisor: Prof Hong K Lo

In light of energy crises and environmental concerns, electric vehicles (EVs) have been proposed
as a possible solution to mitigate these problems. At present, however, EVs have not been widely
adopted. Other than pricing, limited driving range and a scarcity of charging facilities are critical
issues inhibiting their widespread adoption. Some alluded to the EV market as a chicken-and-egg
phenomenon: without sufficient charging stations consumers would not switch to EVs, and
without sufficient EVs private operators would not deploy sufficient charging stations. In this
project, we will explore potential ways to jumpstart the market, by considering consumer vehicle
choices and optimal deployment of the charging infrastructure. The project requires two students
who enjoy working with mathematics and computer programming

49 Transportation Network Performance under the Prevalence of Social Network
Supervisor: Prof Hong K Lo

Transportation network analysis relies heavily on the notion of equilibrium assignment, which at
best is an idealization. As social networks, such as Facebook or Twitter, become more prevalent,
people tend to share more traffic information online. This project will investigate how these new
platforms for traffic information sharing would change transportation network performance. Will
the resultant transportation network converge faster to equilibrium, or will it oscillate? This project
will design and conduct some online experiments to investigate travelers behavioral response to
online traffic information. The project requires three students who enjoy working with
mathematics and computer programming.

50 Speed limits, Speed Selection and Network Equilibrium - Equilibrium with speed selection
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and user heterogeneity
Supervisor: Prof Hai Yang

This project investigates the evaluation and optimal design of speed limits for the purpose of
safety enhancement, energy saving and emission reduction on general networks, taking into
account travelers non-obedient behaviors in speed selection. A user equilibrium model under a
given link-specific speed limits is developed, where the subjective travel time cost, the perceived
crash risk, and the perceived ticket risk of travelers are all taken into account as determinant
factors for their actual speed and route choices. An iterative diagonalization program is proposed
to solve the user equilibrium model with heterogeneous user classes. A bi-objective bi-level model
with the user equilibrium constraint is proposed for optimal selection of speed limits to
simultaneously minimize total travel time and total vehicular emission on the network. The
models and algorithms are illustrated with numerical examples.

51 Speed limits, Speed Selection and Network Equilibrium The impact of speed limits on
system performance

This project investigates the evaluation and optimal design of speed limits for the purpose of
safety enhancement, energy saving and emission reduction on general networks, taking into
account travelers non-obedient behaviors in speed selection. A user equilibrium model under a
given link-specific speed limits is developed, where the subjective travel time cost, the perceived
crash risk, and the perceived ticket risk of travelers are all taken into account as determinant
factors for their actual speed and route choices. An iterative diagonalization program is proposed
to solve the user equilibrium model with heterogeneous user classes. A bi-objective bi-level model
with the user equilibrium constraint is proposed for optimal selection of speed limits to
simultaneously minimize total travel time and total vehicular emission on the network. The
models and algorithms are illustrated with numerical examples.

52 Public Transport Scheduling and Pricing - Investigation of the Downs-Thomson Paradox

It is observed both theoretically and empirically that the Downs-Thomson Paradox (D-T Paradox)
may occur in the sense that highway capacity expansion produces counterproductive effect on the
overall network performance (Downs, 1962; Thomson, 1977). This happens where the highway is
in parallel to a public transit line on the same corridor, and the shifting of traffic volume from the
transit makes the highway more congested while the transit service also reduces due to shrinking
revenue. The purpose of this project is to investigate the occurrence of the D-T Paradox
considering both transit scheduling and pricing schemes for different market regimes. To this end,
the impact of capacity change on commuters' modal choice and travel utility is clarified under
various combinations of transit operating schemes and market regimes. Based on it, the condition
for the occurrence of the D-T Paradox is established for each of the scenario. It is found that the
D-T Paradox never occurs under the monopoly transit regimes and it may occur under the zero-
profit transit regimes. The analytical results obtained are verified with numerical examples.

53 Public Transport Scheduling and Pricing - Win-win multi-modal operating strategies

It is observed both theoretically and empirically that the Downs-Thomson Paradox (D-T Paradox)
may occur in the sense that highway capacity expansion produces counterproductive effect on the
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overall network performance (Downs, 1962; Thomson, 1977). This happens where the highway is
in parallel to a public transit line on the same corridor, and the shifting of traffic volume from the
transit makes the highway more congested while the transit service also reduces due to shrinking
revenue. The purpose of this project is to investigate the occurrence of the D-T Paradox
considering both transit scheduling and pricing schemes for different market regimes. To this end,
the impact of capacity change on commuters' modal choice and travel utility is clarified under
various combinations of transit operating schemes and market regimes. Based on it, the condition
for the occurrence of the D-T Paradox is established for each of the scenario. It is found that the
D-T Paradox never occurs under the monopoly transit regimes and it may occur under the zero-
profit transit regimes. The analytical results obtained are verified with numerical examples.

54 On the morning commute problem with bottleneck congestion and parking space constraint
- Equilibrium of departure time choice

It is a fact that morning commuters often choose their departure times not only to trade off
bottleneck congestion and schedule delays, but also in order to secure a parking spot due to limited
parking spaces. It is the combination of these two forces that governs the commuters departure
time choices. This project investigates the morning commute problem with both bottleneck
congestion and parking space constraints; particularly when some commuters have reserved
parking spots or parking permits and other commuters have to compete for public parking spots on
a first-come first-served basis. Distinguished from the traditional pure bottleneck model, the rush-
hour dynamic traffic pattern with binding parking capacity constraints varies with the relative
portions of the two classes of commuters: those with and those without a parking permit. It is
found that an appropriate combination of reserved and unreserved parking spots can temporally
smooth out traffic congestion at the bottleneck and hence reduce the total system cost, because the
commuters without a parking permit are compelled to depart from home earlier due to competition
for a limited number of downtown parking spots. System performance is quantified in terms of the
relative portions of the two classes of commuters and compared with the extreme case the extreme
case when either all auto commuters are subject to binding parking space constraints or when all
parking spots are permitized and distributed to commuters.

(F) Environmental

55* Sulfur cycle in the enhanced phosphorus removal system
Supervisor: Prof G H Chen

Sulfur cycle-based phosphorus removal is a new technology in wastewater treatment area. This
study aims at revealing the unknowns of sulfur cycle in the enhanced bacteria phosphorus removal
(EBPR) process from 3 aspects.
1. How does the energy store? - The storage form of the sulfur, where and how.
2. How does sulfur drive the EBPR activity? - The connection of sulfur cycle and EBPR, the
benefits and advantages of EBRP process with sulfur cycle.
3. How to enhance the sulfur-cycle? - The improvement of sulfur-cycle activity.

56* Granulation process in the sulfur cycle-based phosphorus removal system

In order to achieve effective removal of organics, nitrogen and phosphorus from saline sewage
with sludge production and oxygen demand minimization, granulation is a good option. Studies
will focus on the granule formation (including granulation process, impact factors, granulation
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metabolism); granule characterization (including morphology, particle size etc.) and granule
applications, DS-EBPR mechanism and process optimization.

57* Large-scale application of the novel saline sewage treatment process (SANI) in Hong Kong

Sulphate Reduction, Autotrophic Denitrification and Nitrification Integrated (SANI) Process is a
novel technology for saline wastewater treatment. This novel technology successfully eliminates
90% of sewage sludge production, minimizes energy consumption as well as odour and
greenhouse-gas emission. This process has been fully developed in lab and pilot scale. We
collaborate with Drainage Services Department (DSD) to conduct a large-scale application of
SANI in Sha Tin sewage treatment works. The study will focus on the performance of the full-
scale trail.

58* Urine nitrification with a pressurized bioreactor

Hong Kong is dominated by high-rise buildings with a high residential density. The sewage
treatment technology must be cost-effective and compact so as to meet the building maintenance
requirements. The pressure can enhance the activated sludge concentration by developing granular
biomass with high ammonia oxidation efficiency. The biomass concentration can be several times
higher than that of conventional bioreactors, thus resulting in a much smaller footprint for reactor
installation. This study will mainly focus on developing a continuous-flow system operated under
pressure. A lab-scale system with 3-6 bars pressure only will be adopted (due to lab safety
constraints) to simulate the gravity pressure of a 60-m tall building. The main research tasks will
be evaluating its performance in urine ammonia oxidation and elucidating the mechanism of urine
nitrifying biomass granulation under pressure.

59* Development of innovative seawater-based urine P recovery (SUPR) technology

The SUPR system integrates continuous-flow urine hydrolysis and phosphorus precipitation
suitable for Hong Kongs high-rise building environment. Research efforts will be devoted to the
development of a low cost, compact, and easily installed SUPR. A preliminary system has been
explored with 95% P recovery within 2-4 h with fresh urine. Optimization of the proposed system
will be studied through bench-scale studies.

60* Air Quality and Exposure Assessment
Supervisor: Prof Alexis Lau

It is well-known that Hong Kong has an outdoor air quality problem. However, it is still unclear
where and when people get their largest dose of outdoor air pollutant (OAP). The concentration of
OAP is much higher on the roadside; is it true that most people get their largest dose when they
are taking their daily trips to and from work / school? On the other hand, we spend most of the
time indoor; considering that for most environment outdoor air are being mixed indoor
continuously, is it true that most people get their largest dose of OAP indoor? In this project, we
shall make measurements of (a) OAPs in different microenvironment and (b) activity pattern of
different population subgroup. Combining these two sets of information, we shall be able to start
answering the question of where and when Hong Kongs population gets the largest dose of
different OAPs.
- 18 -

61* Air Quality Estimating air quality improvement from recent marine emission reduction
legislations in Hong Kong

Hong Kong is one of the busiest ports in Hong Kong. Recent studies have shown that shipping
emission contributes to a substantial amount of adverse health impact in Hong Kong. Hong Kong
has recently passed a number of legislations to reduce emissions from marine emissions. In this
project, student shall try to use available data to estimate how much these new control measures
may help reduce the adverse air quality impact from the shipping industries. (Computer
programming skill is required for this project because of the need for running air quality models.)

62* Air Quality Estimating air quality improvement from recent diesel vehicle replacement
legislation in Hong Kong

The Hong Kong government has recently launched a HK$11.4 billion program to replace old
diesel vehicles in Hong Kong. This is the by far the most expensive and comprehensive vehicle
replacement program of its kind around the world. In this project, student shall try to use available
data to estimate how much these new control measures may help reduce the adverse air quality
impact from the diesel vehicles. (Computer programming skill is required for this project because
of the need for running air quality models.)

63* Carbon measurement of commonly used construction materials in Hong Kong by life cycle
assessment - Carbon measurement of commonly used asphalt in Hong Kong by life cycle
assessment
Supervisor: Prof Irene Lo and Prof Jack Cheng

Deliverables:
Identify 2-3 types or brands of asphalt most commonly used in HK
Propose the selection criteria and how to source the green asphalt with a lower carbon
footprint

assessment - Carbon measurement of commonly used aluminum in Hong Kong by life cycle
assessment

- 19 -
Deliverables:
Identify 2-3 types or brands of aluminum most commonly used in HK
Propose the selection criteria and how to source the green aluminum with a lower carbon
footprint

assessment - Carbon measurement of commonly used timber and timber products in Hong
Kong by life cycle assessment

Deliverables:
Identify 2-3 types or brands of timber and timber products most commonly used in HK
Propose the selection criteria and how to source the green timber and timber products
with a lower carbon footprint

66* Modeling Water Quality in Urban Water Distribution Networks
Supervisor: Prof. Tze Ling Ng
No. of students: 2

Potable water is distributed from the water treatment plant to end users in pressurized pipes.
However, in between, there may be occurrences of contamination. Hence, it is meaningful to
model the movement of disinfection chemicals through the distribution network, as well as the
movements of possible contaminants. Doing so provides answers to questions on the vulnerability
of drinking water systems to contamination, whether accidental or intentional, and the measures
necessary to protect them. In this project, the software EPANET will be used. EPANET is an open
source software that is freely available for academic purposes. One student will model the
Anytown network, and the other the New York network. Both are frequently used case studies in
the literature.

67* Modeling the Shatin Water Distribution Network
No. of students: 2
- 20 -

In this project, the software EPANET will be used to model water velocity and pressure
throughout the Shatin water distribution network. EPANET is an open source software developed
by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) that is freely available for
academic purposes. It is widely used in the academia, government and industry. The software will
also be used to calculate the overall energy and hydraulic heads required to meet demands. One
student will extract key data from an existing digital map of the Shatin network. To do so,
specialized Geographic Information System (GIS) software will be used. The second student will
apply the data from the digital map to EPANET to model the system.

68* Facility Location Models in Environmental and Water Resources Planning and Management
No. of students: 1

Facility location models are optimization models to determine the best locations to site facilities. The
best locations are those that best balance transportation costs against facility establishment costs. The
more facilities there are, the shorter the distances between the facilities and demand points, and hence,
the lower the costs of transportation. However, the more facilities there are, the greater are costs to
build and operate them. In this project, the student will conduct a review of the literature to give a
comprehensive overview of the different applications of facility location models for environmental
and water resources planning and management. This should include the use of such models for
locating sensors within a water distribution network to detect a contamination, for locating water
treatment and wastewater treatment facilities, etc.

69* Development of technical solution(s) for controlling algal growth during long-term storage of
harvested rainwater
Supervisor: Prof. Chii Shang
No. of students: 2

Rainwater harvesting is being seriously considered as an alternative water resource in Hong Kong.
It is also used as a major source of water in many developing and low-income regions. However, it
is found that long-term storage of the harvested rainwater is often suffered from algal growth. In
this final year project, we will try to develop some technical solution(s) for controlling algal
growth during long-term storage of harvested rainwater.

70* Impact of hydrogen sulfide on the performance of chemically-enhanced primary treatment
using ferric chloride
No. of students: 2

Chemically-enhanced primary treatment (CEPT) processes are used in a number of sewage
treatment plants in Hong Kong. However, the performance of the CEPT plants varies and causes
of the variation is unclear. We hypothesize that the variation may be attributable to the impact of
hydrogen sulfide, as it can react with and consume the coagulant. In this FYP, we will try to look
into the issue by laboratory simulation and characterization of the formed solids.

71* Byproduct formation from chlorination and chloramination of drinking water with blend-in
of desalinated seawater
No. of students: 2

The foreseeable water shortage in Hong Kong leads to serious consideration of seawater
desalination by reverse osmosis as one option to meet the future water demand. In practice, the
desalinated water, which contains bromide, will likely mix with treated surface water in the
- 21 -
distribution system in Hong Kong. This may increase the disinfection byproduct (DBP) formation.
This FYP will compare the formation potentials of DBPs under different environmental and
operational conditions.

72* Optimization of drinking water treatment to control the formation of disinfection byproducts in
drinking water
Supervisor: Prof Xiangru Zhang

Halogenated disinfection byproducts (DBPs) formed from the reaction of disinfectant(s) with natural
organic matter and bromide/iodide in raw water have been intensively studied over the past several
decades, yet only a fraction of the total organic halogen formed during disinfection has been
identified or characterized. A significant portion of the unaccounted total organic halogen may be
attributed to the highly polar halogenated DBPs, which have eluded identification by researchers due
to the limitations of gas chromatographymass spectrometry. This study proposes to develop a
method for fast selective detection of highly polar halogenated DBPs in drinking water using state-of-
the-art liquid chromatographytriple quadrupole mass spectrometry techniques, and to assess the
occurrence of highly polar halogenated DBPs formed from using the major disinfectants (chlorine,
chloramines, ozone, chlorine dioxide) as well as their combinations. It is expected that this study will
provide outright identification of some unknown highly polar halogenated DBPs, and will lead to
better control of the formation of DBPs in drinking water.

73* Optimization of wastewater treatment to minimize the adverse effect of wastewater DBPs on
the marine ecosystem
Supervisor: Prof Xiangru Zhang

Recent attention has focused on emerging and novel disinfection byproducts (DBPs) formed after
disinfection of bromide-/iodide-rich water with chlorine-based disinfectants. Hong Kong, where
seawater is used for toilet flushing, has decided to use chlorination for its 1,700,000 cubic meters per
day of saline sewage effluents. Besides bromide, iodide also unexpectedly enters Hong Kongs
sewage with the seawater. Upon chlorination, chlorine reacts first with ammonia in the sewage
effluents to form chloramine; Chloramine can oxidize iodide in the sewage effluents to form
hypoiodous acid, which could then react with organic matter in the sewage effluents to form
numerous iodinated DBPs. The chlorinated saline sewage effluents with the iodinated DBPs (as well
as brominated DBPs) are discharged into receiving water bodies. The deficiency of fresh water may
compel many coastal cities around the world to adopt the practice using seawater for toilet flushing.
Because of the higher toxicities and the potential adverse implications to aquatic ecosystems and
ultimately to human health, the formation and control of iodinated DBPs in chlorinated saline sewage
effluents is an issue of paramount importance or at least equal importance to their brominated
analogues.

(G) Hydraulics

74* Smart Water Systems:
Supervisor: Prof M S Ghidaoui

Projects 1: One student will survey the latest and smartest technology for detection of defects
(leaks, blockages, etc.) in pressurized pipe systems. The advantages and limitations of each of the
current technologies will be investigated.

- 22 -

Project 2: Two students will investigate the potential of using hydraulic waves to develop new
technologies for defect detection in pipes.


Project 3: Two students will investigate the potential of using hydraulic waves to communicate in
pipes. This communication, if possible, will open up unprecedented avenue for innovative
engineering!

77* Quantitative analysis of solid boundary and free boundary gravity currents
Supervisor: Prof G A Kikkert

A gravity current is generated when there is a horizontal density gradient. An example is hot air
above land and cold air above the sea. The density difference will cause the cold air to flow
underneath the hot air, which is also known as the afternoon sea-breeze at many beaches around
the world. In the laboratory, gravity currents are often generated using a lock-exchange flow. A
gate is positioned in the middle of a channel with saltwater on one side and freshwater on the other
side of the gate. Opening the gate generates two gravity currents, the saltwater current that travels
along the solid (bottom) boundary and the freshwater current that travels along the free surface
which is a free boundary. In this project laboratory tests, using the Light Attenuation flow
visualization technique, will be carried out to determine the quantitative behaviour of both the
solid and free boundary gravity currents to investigate the effect of the boundary on the flow.

78* Behaviour of the internal gravity current

A gravity current is generated when there is a horizontal density gradient. This results in the fluid
with the greater density travelling horizontally underneath the fluid with the smaller density.
However, if the density of the ambient fluid is not uniform in the vertical direction (there is a
density gradient throughout the fluid column or there is a step in the density), it results in the
gravity current travelling through the ambient fluid at the height of equal density. If this height is
neither at the free surface nor the bottom boundary of the fluid column, this generates an internal
gravity current. In this project, the flow behaviour of the internal gravity current is studied using
the light attenuation flow visualization technique. Particular attention is paid to the effect of the
densities of the gravity current and the ambient fluid on the flow behaviour.

79* Suspension potential of flow in positive and negative inclined channels

To control the formation of H2S inside storm-drains the natural redox cycle of iron-sulfur can be
used. Iron particles added to the sediments oxidize H2S to odourless substances. When their
capacity is exhausted it is recovered by rapidly mixing the sediment and iron particles with sea
water. To achieve this mixing inside the storm-drain, tidal energy is used by placing a gate at the
entrance of the storm-drain that is closed during low-tight and opened rapidly during high-tide.
This generates a dam-break flow that travels from the sea into the storm-drain disturbing the layer
of sediment so that oxygen-rich sea water can come into contact with the iron particles. The shear
stress due to the interaction of the moving fluid with the particles is what suspends the particles
- 23 -
into the flow column. To determine whether sediments are suspended by the flow, the shear stress
has to be greater than the critical shear stress. Values for the critical shear stress have been
obtained from experiments and those results have resulted in the (modified) Shields diagram
which enables the critical shear stress to be determined for a particular Reynolds number and
sediment particle diameter. However, this diagram is valid for flow over a horizontal bed. Dam-
break generated flow in a storm-drain is initially in a positive inclined channel and when the water
is travelling back towards the sea the channel is negatively inclined. In this project laboratory tests
are carried out using a sediment transport apparatus to determine the effect of the inclined slope on
the critical bed shear stress.

80* Interaction of jet discharges from a multiport diffuser

After treatment of wastewater in a treatment plant, the wastewater is discharged back into the
environment. Coastal cities have the benefit of discharging into the ocean which has large
quantities of dissolved oxygen to biodegrade the organics left in the wastewater. Special structures
have been built to dispose of wastewater into the ocean. These structures, called outfalls, enhance
the mixing and therefore the dilution of the wastewater as it enters the ocean. One particular
design feature to enhance the dilution is to dispose of the wastewater through multiple ports rather
than a single one. A multiport diffuser generates multiple jet discharges that will begin to interact
at a certain distance away from the exit of the port. This project will investigate the interaction of
multiple jet discharges by carrying out several different experiments in the laboratory using the
Light Attenuation (LA) flow visualization technique. The focus will be on the dependence of the
flow behaviour on the distance between the individual jet discharges and the number of individual
jet discharges.

81* Wind Tunnel Tests on Evapotranspiration
Supervisor: Prof Y K Tung

Evapotranspiration is a combined process whereby water is lost from the soil surface by
evaporation and from plants by transpiration. The process can change the moisture profile in the
soil which affects the growth of plants and stability of soil on the slope. There are many factors
affecting evapotranpiration rate (e.g., wind speed, temperature, humidity, and solar radiation, etc.)
and many empirical formulas have been developed based on field experiments. The main
difficulty of a field experiment is that all the factors interplay simultaneously and their effects
cannot be separated. This FYP study will conduct some preliminary wind tunnel tests to examine
the effect of wind speed on evapotranspiration of plants and soil moisture distribution with
vegetation cover.

82* Assessment of Wind Energy Potential in Hong Kong

Wind energy is one of the important clean and renewable energy that has not been serious utilized
in Hong Kong. The declining of fossil fuels and safety concerns of nuclear energy, not to mention
their potential threats to environments and human health, have prompted need to look other clean,
safe, and renewable energy sources. This study attempts to collect information of wind climate
over the Territory of Hong Kong and make preliminary assessments about wind energy potential
in Hong Kong.

83* Assessment of Flood Potential and Mitigation Measures in Urban Areas
- 24 -

Many urban areas in Hong Kong, like Sheung Wan and Western District on Hong Kong Island,
are located at the foothill. Stores and shops on the ground floor in these urban areas are often
vulnerable to flooding. This study attempts to apply a suitable stormwater drainage model to
assess the flood potential of selected urban areas in Hong Kong and the vulnerability of the
store/shop. Hopefully, the study can propose a few viable, practical, and cheap mitigation
measure for the store/shop owners to better protect their properties.

Remarks:

Students enrolled in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Program MUST choose topics marked with
asterisk (*).
- 25 -
Final Year Project Selection Sheet

CGA:

Student Name:

Student ID:

Date of Submission:

Choices: (1) __________ (11) __________
(2) __________ (12) __________
(3) __________ (13) __________
(4) __________ (14) __________
(5) __________ (15) __________
(6) __________ (16) __________
(7) __________ (17) __________
(8) __________ (18) __________
(9) __________ (19) __________
(10) __________ (20) __________

* Students can choose up to 20 choices

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CIVL 4990 CIVIL ENGINEERING PROJECT

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