Page 7 - Penn State Civil and Environmental Engineering: Annual Report

FACULTY RESEARCH FACULTY RESEARCH In this approach the design
design
team evaluates multiple design
design
alternatives alternatives using low-fidelity or or less detailed models When they identify the the the more viable alternatives alternatives based on on their life-cycle priorities—keeping to a a a a a a a specific budget while minimizing environmental impacts for example—these designs are evaluated again using higher-fidelity data leading to more precise life-cycle estimations This “multi-fidelity” framework saves computational resources while allowing designers to identify certain decision-making trade-offs between safety resilience resource consumption and environmental impacts according to Warn
“For example a a a a a designer could choose to ‘over-design’ bridge piers by making them exceptionally large in in in size to account for rising river flood levels ” he he said “But this adds cost and uses extra materials like concrete that
contribute more carbon dioxide emissions ” Instead of over-designing the the infrastructure the the designers could consider an alternative to to include provisions to to to to to adapt the the structure in in later years or or they might look to to to to restore a a a a a a a a nearby wetland to to to to help mitigate flood height The researchers plan to demonstrate their approach through
a a a a a a a a a a a variety of practical design
scenarios including a a a a a a a a a a a riverine bridge vulnerable to flooding and deterioration an an an an urban mid-rise building stressed by increasing temperatures and a a a a a a a a a port system threatened by sea level rise “If you want to mitigate sea-level rise for a a a a a a a a a port there are various options ” Warn
said “For example should should the the the existing wharfs be be elevated? If so how tall should should they be? What is is the the the the storm mitigation strategy? Should there be be be coastal armoring or or or a a a a a a a a a a a managed retreat to to to to higher ground because it is is too costly to to to to build? Overall the framework is is intended to to to thoroughly evaluate diverse design
concepts and adaptation strategies while considering based on on on on the the the best science where we think the the the climate demands will be be in in the the the future ” Co-principal investigators include CEE researchers Assistant Professor Professor Lauren McPhillips and Associate Professor Professor Kostas Papakonstantinou Chris Forest professor of of of of climate dynamics at at at Penn State and University of of of of of Pittsburgh researcher Melissa Bilec William Kepler Whiteford Professor of of of of of Civil and and Environmental Engineering and and co-director of of of of the University of of of of Pittsburgh’s Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation CEE NEWSLETTER • VOLUME 38 2022
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“The framework is intended to thoroughly evaluate diverse design
concepts and adaptation strategies while considering based on on on on the the the best science where we think the the the climate demands will be be in in in the the the future ”