News

Is a bridge near you at risk of collapse? An expert study finds a staggering 42,000 American bridges are 'structurally deficient.'

Susan Glairon — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 18:30:35 +0000

Is a bridge near you at risk of collapse? An expert study finds a staggering 42,000 American bridges are 'structurally deficient.' Susan Glairon Wed, 10/16/2024 - 12:30

"We will see more washouts of bridges from high-water events," Paul Chinowsky, a professor of civil engineering, told DailyMail.com. "And you're going to start seeing almost an epidemic of emergency bridge repairs to prevent catastrophic failures."

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Using nanoscale membranes to clean water on the Moon

Susan Glairon — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 14:59:45 +0000

Using nanoscale membranes to clean water on the Moon Susan Glairon Wed, 10/16/2024 - 08:59

Anthony Straub is making major advances in water purification technology for industry and human consumption on Earth and in space, with his work on a nanotechnology membrane process taking a major step toward commercialization, thanks to a new NASA grant.

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CU Boulder partners with Notre Dame to improve housing resilience

Susan Glairon — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 11:43:48 +0000

CU Boulder partners with Notre Dame to improve housing resilience Susan Glairon Mon, 10/07/2024 - 05:43

Susan Glairon

After the 2023 Lahaina Fire devastated Maui's historic town, killing 102 people and destroying more than 2,200 structures, two longtime friends teamed up to study housing resilience—an idea they first discussed in graduate school.

Abbie Liel, a professor of civil, environmental and architectural engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder, and Susan Ostermann, an assistant professor of global affairs at the University of Notre Dame, are exploring solutions for building homes that can withstand disasters like hurricanes and fires, each approaching the issue from different perspectives.

Liel, a structural engineer, brings expertise in buildings and their hazard and climate-related vulnerabilities. Ostermann, a political scientist and attorney, studies how to achieve desired outcomes, such as resilient housing, through a combination of regulatory and non-regulatory means. Both are exploring how their research findings can inform policy recommendations.

“Everybody wants safe, resilient housing,” Liel says. “Many communities in America have building codes to support that. But, in some places, it doesn't work very well.”

Professor Abbie Liel interviews a resident who lost her home in the Lahaina fire while Bona Park, a Notre Dame student, looks on.

New beginnings
Their idea to collaborate fully emerged during the pandemic when Liel and Ostermann discussed how regulations impact the building industry. The two saw an opportunity to combine Liel’s engineering expertise with Ostermann’s background in political science and law, which led to an NSF proposal that outlined their collaborative vision.

Their Maui study is part of a larger National Science Foundation-funded project on housing resilience that also includes Alaska and Puerto Rico. Alaska experienced an earthquake in 2018 and several high-wind events that resulted in significant damage, while Puerto Rico was struck by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017 and earthquakes in 2014 and 2020.

“In Alaska, regulations don't work very well because there's strong pushback against them,” Liel says. “There's no resistance to safe, resilient housing. But there's a strong resistance to a system that says you must do it, and you must do it in a specific way.”

The two are exploring which aspects of regulations are effective. Despite extensive building regulations, surprisingly little research has been done on their impact, Liel says.

One of the problems Liel identifies is the complexity of building codes and regulations.

“I believe in regulations as a mechanism. But they're this,” she says, pulling out several heavy, thick regulation books from her shelf. “And there's a bunch of other books that go with them. Regulations support the goals of safe, resilient housing, but they can also get in the way. We need to understand how culture and local building practices interact with regulatory processes and determine what needs to be tweaked about that system to support resilient housing.

“Builders want to provide safe, resilient houses. However, regulations frequently change. Do they really need three-inch nail spacing or would six-inch spacing be enough? Because using six-inch spacing might be much easier to construct.”

Remnants of a burned house from the 2023 Lahaina Fire.

Different but same
Puerto Rico, Maui and Alaska each have distinct local building practices but share similarities, Liel notes. All three locations are remote and expansive and have significant indigenous populations. Residents in all three areas recognize the uniqueness of their communities and face challenges distinct from more centrally located areas.

“Understanding the differences and similarities between the three locations helps us understand what's going on across America,” Liel says.

Maui faces distinct hazards, such as wildfire risk, in addition to high winds and earthquakes. Hawaii’s regulatory context, compared to Alaska, shows a more general acceptance of building codes and regulations. While Maui residents may feel these regulations don't always serve them well, the emphasis is on improving them rather than dismissing them entirely.

“I’m generalizing from many interviews, but it seems that with a more effective regulatory process—or even non-regulatory approaches— we could achieve better outcomes, enhance hazard management and gain fresh perspectives,” Liel says.

Strengthening research through collaboration
Essential to the project is a team of student research assistants, including three CU Boulder civil engineering graduate students and five Notre Dame undergraduates representing a variety of majors ranging from global affairs to psychology to mechanical engineering.

As part of the three-area study, the team identified key building safety characteristics crucial for protection from windstorms and earthquakes, then compared how homes in different areas varied in terms of walls, roof shapes, number of stories and the presence of large garages.

Brianna Clark, a CU Boulder master’s student who graduated in 2024, worked on the Alaska portion of the project, using drone imaging to assess the impact of regulations on construction. She compared areas with plan reviews and inspections to those without, to better understand how regulations influence building practices.

Diego Valdivieso, a CU Boulder graduate student from Chile, has been researching ways to support wood frame construction in his home country. In Puerto Rico, he and others explored the shift from timber to reinforced concrete—a material that increases embodied carbon and presents seismic vulnerabilities though it offers more safety in hurricanes. Their research investigates how timber could still serve as a viable, hurricane-resistant building option.

“Residents want to avoid roofs blowing off during storms, and it is preventable,” Liel says. “Our goal is to promote knowledge on building hurricane-resistant roofs and support safer construction practices.”

Through regular meetings, CU Boulder and Notre Dame students connect, and Liel and Ostermann engage with students from both universities. For example, Ostermann was on Clark’s master's thesis committee.

“The students support each other and share their perspectives, creating a rich learning environment,” Liel says. “Instead of working in isolation and combining efforts later, we collaborate on all aspects of the project, ensuring an interdisciplinary approach.

“We learned a lot from past disasters like the Marshall Fire, but my dream is to gain this knowledge before disasters strike. As we build communities, it’s crucial to understand not just safe construction, but also the processes supporting it. We shouldn't wait for the next disaster to figure out how to ensure safety and resilience.”

One example is in Alaska, where the team is exploring how to provide real estate buyers with information to assess a property’s resilience before purchase.

"The 2018 earthquake near Anchorage, showed that some homes withstood the event well, while others did not. Regulations are meant to set a baseline for safety and quality, but in areas where they are absent or poorly enforced, buyers may struggle to gauge a property’s true condition. We’re exploring ways to improve transparency in the home-buying process to address this.”

Next steps
The team will analyze more than 100 interviews completed in Puerto Rico, Alaska and Hawaii, for a comparative study. Next summer, the researchers plan to explore interventions that address the challenges they’ve identified. In Alaska, for example, they might focus on improving building information disclosure, while in Puerto Rico, the team will be exploring how providing information about hurricane straps—how they connect roofs to walls and their availability—could encourage their use.

“This project highlights the power of interdisciplinary collaboration,” Liel says. “Everyone listens and is open to learning from each other.”

The University of Notre Dame contributed to this report.

CU Boulder’s Abbie Liel and Notre Dame’s Susan Ostermann are leading a collaborative NSF-funded study on resilient housing in disaster-prone areas lincluding Maui, Alaska and Puerto Rico. Their research combines Liel’s expertise in structural engineering with Ostermann’s background in political science and law, aiming to find solutions for safer, more resilient housing.

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Professors Abbie Liel and Susan Osterman, and Bona Park, a Notre Dame mechanical engineering student, walk next to a memorial for the 2023 Lahaina Fire on the island of Maui. Photos by Matthew Thayer, courtesy of University of Notre Dame.

Jim Heaney, former CEAE professor and chair, remembered for mentorship, bridging water resources and environmental engineering

Anonymous — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 21:59:09 +0000

Jim Heaney, former CEAE professor and chair, remembered for mentorship, bridging water resources and environmental engineering Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 09/13/2024 - 15:59

Jim Heaney, former professor and chair of CU Boulder’s Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering passed away on Aug. 24. He was 84 years old.

Heaney served as a CEAE professor at CU Boulder from 1991 to 2003 and as department chair from 1991 to 1994. He then joined the University of Florida, retiring as a professor emeritus in 2018.

“Jim was one of the early supporters for bridging water resources and environmental engineering, which has had lasting benefits at CU Boulder,” said Professor Emerita JoAnn Silverstein.

Heaney received his PhD in environmental and water resources engineering from Northwestern University in 1968. He began his career during the early days of applying systems analysis to civil engineering and was a pioneer in utilizing physically based engineering models to optimize the design and operation of water systems.

At CU Boulder, he taught a range of courses on water resources engineering, including water systems optimization, and he helped develop the US EPA stormwater model (SWMM). He later became an expert in urban water efficiency and demand management, continuing this work at the University of Florida.

“Jim had a huge influence on me and the direction of my career,” said Peter Mayer, who was advised by Heaney while earning his MS in water resources engineering at CU Boulder in 1995.

Mayer credited Heaney for setting him on the path to becoming a leading expert in residential water use and consulting.

“It all started because of Jim,” said Mayer, who now leads two major residential water use studies for the Water Research Foundation and California Department of Water Resources. “He set me up with research on residential water use for the city of Boulder for my thesis. That study, with 16 houses, homemade flow sensors and MS-DOS-based software was the start of my career in residential water use analysis, water use research and consulting.”

Len Wright, a PhD student of Heaney in the late 1990s and early 2000s recalled being recruited by him in 1995 for an NSF-funded project with an “incredible multi-disciplinary team” at the Natural Hazards Center. Heaney later became his dissertation advisor.

“He guided me on an incredible journey that continues today,” Wright said. “His systems perspective on water resources opened my eyes to the world of water supply, drought, flooding and urban drainage. I am proud to continue this work, helping the US Virgin Islands recover from the devastation of hurricanes Irma and Maria, as well as post-wildfire and flooding disasters in New Mexico. Not a day goes by that I don’t use something I learned during my years of work with Jim, developing applied research solutions to climate-driven water resources problems.”

Professor Balaji Rajgopalan described Heaney as a “calming presence” in the water faculty group, adding, “He was a great mentor with a warm personality.”

“I will miss his cheerful attitude, boundless new ideas and expert copy editing,” said Mayer. “He introduced me to people who are still my colleagues and peers today. He was a mentor and a friend.”

Jim Heaney, former professor and chair of CU Boulder’s Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering passed away on Aug. 24. He was 84 years old.

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How Earth’s most intense heat wave ever impacted life in Antarctica

Anonymous — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 15:55:11 +0000

How Earth’s most intense heat wave ever impacted life in Antarctica Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 09/12/2024 - 09:55

In a study published on July 31 in the journal Earth’s Future, scientists, including CU Boulder researchers, revealed how heat waves, especially those occurring in Antarctica’s cold seasons, may impact the animals living there.

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Karl Linden: Green Washing, Not Greenwashing: What’s the Best Way to Do Laundry?

Anonymous — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 18:10:43 +0000

Karl Linden: Green Washing, Not Greenwashing: What’s the Best Way to Do Laundry? Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 09/11/2024 - 12:10

The suds that go down the drain can be harmful to wildlife. In this New York Times article, Professor Karl Linden offers tips on how to clean clothes and support nature.

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Mark Hernandez: Indoor air monitoring goes to school

Anonymous — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 17:59:36 +0000

Mark Hernandez: Indoor air monitoring goes to school Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:59

Across the US, schools have begun measuring air quality en masse. Professor Mark Hernandez is helping to interpret the data

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Wil Srubar named associate dean for innovation & entrepreneurship at CU Boulder

Anonymous — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 02:57:03 +0000

Wil Srubar named associate dean for innovation & entrepreneurship at CU Boulder Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 20:57

Professor Wil Srubar has been appointed as CU Boulder’s first Deming Associate Dean for Innovation & Entrepreneurship. This newly created role will focus on fostering innovation by providing education, mentorship and resources to faculty, postdoctoral researchers and graduate students to drive the commercialization of intellectual property.

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9News: Researchers at CU Boulder test classroom air purification devices

Anonymous — Fri, 23 Aug 2024 17:42:56 +0000

9News: Researchers at CU Boulder test classroom air purification devices Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 08/23/2024 - 11:42

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Amy Javernick-Will: Q&A with CEAS's new associate dean for faculty advancement

Anonymous — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 16:03:36 +0000

Amy Javernick-Will: Q&A with CEAS's new associate dean for faculty advancement Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 08/13/2024 - 10:03

In this Q&A, Amy Javernick-Will, the new associate dean for faculty advancement, discusses the meaningful ways she has felt welcomed to CEAS.

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