Civil and Environmental Engineering

Heritage structures represent an important cultural legacy. First, this course identifies particularities relative to structural analysis of heritage structures; it correlates the space and time (where and when the structure was built, used, upgraded, damaged, repaired), with construction materials, techniques, and contemporary architectural forms. Second, the course presents the methods of structural analysis that take into account the identified particularities, that are efficient in finding solutions, and that are simple and intuitive in terms of application and interpretation.

Advanced topics in structures and mechanics or the investigation of problems of current interest.

Advanced topics in structures and mechanics or the investigation of problems of current interest.

This class acquaints the student with the state-of-art concepts and algorithms to design and analyze origami systems (assemblies, structures, tessellations, etc). Students learn how to understand, create and transform geometries by folding and unfolding concepts, and thus apply origami concepts to solve engineering and societal problems. In addition, using origami as a tool, we outreach to some fundamental concepts in differential geometry.

The course looks at the most inventive structures and technologies, demonstrating their use of form finding techniques in creating complex curved surfaces. The first part introduces the topic of structural surfaces, tracing the ancient relationship between innovative design and construction technology and the evolution of surface structures. The second part familiarizes the student with membranes(systems, form finding techniques,materials and construction techniques) The third part focuses on rigid surfaces. The fourth part provides a deeper understanding of numerical form finding techniques.

Emphasizes the connection between microstructural features of materials (e.g., grain size, boundary regions between grains, defects) and their properties, and how processing conditions control structure. Topics include thermodynamics and phase equilibria, microstructure, diffusion, kinetics of phase transitions, nucleation and crystal growth, phase separation, spinodal decomposition, glass formation, and the glass transition.

Introduction of wind effects on the built environment. Topics include: the nature of wind storms, tropical cyclones and climate change, prediction of design wind speeds and structural safety, strong wind characteristics and turbulence, basic bluff-body aerodynamics, resonant dynamic response and effective static load distributions, wind tunnel experiments, tall buildings, low-rise buildings, windborne debris, wind loading codes and standards, wind-induced storm surge, wind and surge damage.

Advanced topics in the design and analysis of steel structures are considered including: plastic analysis, ductile lateral systems, behavior and design for fire, and local and global stability issues.

This class covers advanced topics related to the design and behavior of concrete structures. A quick review of topics covered in the undergraduate course on concrete design is given followed by more advanced topics such as torsion, slender columns, two-way slabs, and prestressed concrete.

Relationships between low temperature geochemistry and microbiology. Applications of newly developed molecular biological techniques and isotope geochemical methods and how these approaches can be used to determine the physiological state of microorganisms. Each student is expected to make a research presentation to the seminar. Visiting scholars and faculty members from other departments may occasionally contribute guest lectures to the seminar.

This course presents an overview of current research on the behavior of interfacial waters in natural systems. Sub-topics include adsorption at water-solid and water-air interfaces, the thermodynamics of adsorbed water films, interfacial mass transfer, interfacial energy and wetting, colloidal aggregation in saturated and unsaturated soils, surface waters, and the atmosphere. The course focuses particularly on insights gained from the combination of experiments, atomistic simulation, and geochemical models.

Problems in surface hydrology, based upon the underlying physics. Precipitation and evapotranspiration; mechanisms of surface runoff generation; propagation of flood waves overland and in channels; and water balance modeling are studied.

A description of the hydrologic mechanisms that underlie ecological observations. The space-time dynamics of soil-plant-atmosphere is studied at different temporal and spatial scales. A review is done of the role of environmental fluctuations in the distribution of vegetation. Emphasis is made in the dynamics of soil moisture. The signatures revealing fractal structures in landscapes and vegetation are reviewed as result of self-organizing dynamics. Unifying concepts in the processes responsible for these signatures will be studied with examples from hydrology and ecology.

This course covers the basic dynamics of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL) and how it interacts with other environmental and geophysical flows. Topics to be covered include: mean, turbulence, and higher order flow equations, turbulence closure models for the ABL, similarity theories, surface exchanges and their impact on the stability of the atmosphere, the different ABL flow regimes, its role in the hydrologic cycle, the fundamentals of scalar (pollutant, water vapor, etc) transport, modeling and measurement approaches for the ABL, and the role and representation of the ABL in large-scale atmospheric flows and models.

This course focuses on ground-based and satellite observations of aerosol particles and their impacts on climate through modeling studies. Course material includes satellite and ground-based measurements of aerosol particles, mathematical formulation of transport, and numerical models of aerosol distribution. It studies how aerosols impact climate change through direct and indirect effects including cloud-aerosol interactions.

Advanced studies in selected areas of sustainable, resilient cities and infrastructure systems. Special topics vary according to the instructor's and the students' interests.

Advanced studies in selected areas of water resources. Special topics vary according to the instructor's and the students' interests.

Use of probability and statistics for hydrologic mideling and analysis. This methods- based course includes: probability models, including the L- Moment parameter estimation method; estimating bivariate distributions using copulas, time series analysis, spatial data analysis using kriging, as well as principle components ( empirical orthogonal functions, EOF), Monte Carlo simulation and hydrologic forecasting. The course involves readings from the stochastic hydrology literature and hands on computer analysis and simulation.

This course will provide a survey of current research topics at the intersection between plant ecology and surface hydrology. We will explore scientific questions and debates related to (1) eco-physiological constraints on water movement in plants, (2) environmental and biological determinants of transpiration and evaporation, (3) the manner by which hydrological processes mediate terrestrial biogeochemical processes, and (4) the extent to which hydrological and ecological dynamics interact to govern vegetation form and function.