Professor Collaborates on Transportation Network Research

As part of his sabbatical (fall 2009 and spring 2010 semesters), Dr. Ladimer Nagurney, Associate Professor of Electrical, Computer, and Biomedical Engineering, collaborated with two other researchers to investigate the effect of degraded infrastructure on increased pollution. In particular, Dr. Nagurney, along with Dr. Qiang Qiang (now of Penn State–Great Valley) and Dr. Anna Nagurney (University of Massachusetts–Amherst), wondered how the deterioration of our transportation infrastructure affects carbon emissions from vehicular traffic. They also investigated ranking the links in a transportation network in terms of the impact of their degradation or destruction.


The paper based on the research, "Environmental Impact Assessment of Transportation Networks with Degradable Links in an Era of Climate Change," has been published in the International Journal of Sustainable Transportation [Volume 4 (2010), pp 154-171]. The investigators were able to capture the effects of transportation network infrastructure degradation on pollution in the form of carbon emissions. In addition, they constructed link importance indicators that enable the ranking of links under either user-optimizing (U-O) selfish behavior or system-optimizing (S-O) unselfish behavior in terms of the impacts of degradation and destruction. As is evident from recent disasters like as earthquakes and floods, such quantitative measures are more than timely and relevant.

Here is the abstract of the paper:

This paper proposes environmental impact assessment indices to evaluate the environmental effects of link capacity degradation in transportation (road) networks. The indices are applicable in the case of either user-optimizing or system-optimizing behavior. We also construct environmental link importance indicators that allow for the ranking of links in transportation networks in terms of their environmental importance, should they be removed/destroyed. Numerical transportation network examples illustrate the proposed quantitative environmental indicators and further substantiate that system-optimizing behavior does not necessarily lead to reduced emissions.

To read the paper in the journal, use the following link:
http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all~content=a917255896

If you prefer to simply read the paper, use the following link: http://supernet.som.umass.edu/articles/nagurney-qiang-nagurney-environmental-robustness.pdf

CETA Faculty Make Presentations

Dr. Christian Carloni, assistant professor of Architecture in CETA, has published a paper, “Investigation of the Interface Fracture During Debonding Between FRP and Masonry,” in the new issue of Advances in Structural Engineering (pages 731 to 743). Dr. Carloni’s co-author on this paper is Dr. Kolluru V. Subramaniam, associate professor of Civil Engineering and director of the Civil Engineering Materials Laboratory at the City College of the City University of New York. The paper reflects Dr. Carloni and Dr. Subramaniam’s ongoing research in concrete and masonry structures.

On November 8, Dr. Carloni will attend the American Concrete Institute (ACI) Convention in New Orleans to present another paper co-authored with Dr. Subramaniam, this one titled “Application of Fracture Mechanics to Debonding of FRP from Concrete Beams.” While at the Conference, Dr. Carloni will attend the annual meeting of the ACI 440 Committee as an associate member. The mission of the committee is to develop and report on information on fiber-reinforced polymer for the internal and external reinforcement of concrete; its members work on the application of composite materials to structural members. The Committee is responsible for guidelines to be used in designing structural members with composite materials in the United States.

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Dr. Ladimer Nagurney, associate professor of Electrical, Computer, and Biomedical Engineering in CETA, attended the annual FIE (Frontiers in Education) Conference held in October in San Antonio, Texas, and presented a paper titled “Software Defined Radio Across the Electrical and Computer Engineering Curriculum.” FIE is an annual conference sponsored by the Educational Research & Methods Division (ERM) of the American Society for Engineering Education, the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) Computer Society, and the IEEE Education Society with the goal of improving engineering education. The theme of this year’s conference was “Imagining and Engineering Future CSET Education.” Computer science, engineering, and engineering technology (CSET) graduates will directly influence the direction of technology and society, and so this year’s conference goal was to encourage serious conversation about the future of education in these important disciplines.

CETA congratulates Dr. Carloni and Dr. Nagurney on their presentations and publications.