Civil Engineering (1st)
These projects are at the midpoint of a two-semester sequence. They are not complete.
C1.01 Scour Bridge 1
Sponsor: UTC CREATE
Student Team: Scott Bohan, Bradley Campbell, Steven Garcia, Jairo Rivera
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Felipe Gutierrez
FM 78 West Salitrillo Creek is on an ever-expanding transportation system and requires realistic monetary solutions that not only provide TxDOT effective engineering solutions but provides the public the reliable and safe transportation passage. The need is to identify and display alternative solutions to determine the best COA in accordance with TxDOT provided guidance, drawings, and provide descriptive analytical solutions in order to prevent increasing scour damage under West Salitrillo Creek bridge.
C1.02 Scour Bridge Project
Sponsor: UTC CREATE
Student Team: Landon Courtney, Juan Tabia, Alexis Velazquez, Robert Villegas
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Felipe Gutierrez
We must evaluate possible solutions to bridge scour. We must determine which solution is the best based of price, sustainability, and effectiveness. There is a consideration to developing two solutions that would reduce bridge scour.
C1.03 San Marcos Wastewater Force Main
Sponsor: Freese and Nichols
Student Team: Cameron Saunders, Raul Torres, Ethan Williams
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Felipe Gutierrez
Due to the increasing population in San Marcos Texas, there is a need to improve the conveyance of wastewater in the surrounding developments to the city’s wastewater treatment plant. We are tasked by Freese and Nichols to design a wastewater force main to operate with an existing 6 MGD lift station with considerations regarding alignment such as TxDOT and county right of way, private land parcels, permitting and regulations, and environmental factors. The selection of material and pipeline size will be based on flow capacity, durability, cost, city and state regulations, and a surge analysis. Our design will ensure a reliable and cost-effective force main that enhances the City of San Marcos wastewater infrastructure and supports future growth.
C1.04 City of Kyle Water Treatment Plant
Sponsor: STV
Student Team: Beth Agee, Isaac Cisneros, Jesus Galvan
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Felipe Gutierrez
Our team has been tasked with evaluating alternatives and designing a groundwater treatment plant to meet Primary and Secondary drinking water standards for the City of Kyle. We will research compatible treatment options that will treat the current water quality and its contaminants from the Carizzo-Wilcox Aquifer. We will then design a new groundwater plant of 19.5 million gallons per day for clean potable water for the City of Kyle.
C1.05 Pumped Storage Hydropower to Harness Excess Solar Power
Sponsor: Ingram School of Engineering
Student Team: Logan Kuk, Gabrielle Nguyen, Enrique Trevino, Cade Wilson
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Felipe Gutierrez
Renewable energy sources can have great variability in power generation, which is often channeled into environmentally intensive lithium batteries that degrade over time. This project aims to offset some of the demand for lithium batteries by storing excess energy generated by solar panels as potential energy in high head water for later use as hydropower, essentially creating a natural battery. The capacity of the hydraulic battery will be at least 50 megawatt-hours (MWh), which can support 15,000-25,000 households or power the Tesla Model 3 for 150,000-200,00 miles.
C1.06 Raptor Refinery Environmental Remediation
Sponsor: TRC
Student Team: Erika Cruz, Baylee Hartman, Francisco Torres
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Felipe Gutierrez
In response to the constituents produced by the Raptor Refinery along the Gulf Coast, our project seeks to provide remediation to the affected areas. Focusing on the solid waste management units (SWMUs) 001 and 005, the action levels associated with each can be evaluated to determine the level of exposure from groundwater, surface water, soil and air. By identifying these concerns and researching remedial technologies, the best alternative can be identified to prevent further exposure.
C1.07 Industrial Site Development
Sponsor: CUDE
Student Team: Jaxon Coates, Kara Erfurth, Jose De La Sancha Arce, Jacoby Hernandez
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Felipe Gutierrez
This project aims to create an industrial facility at 600 Centerpoint Rd. in San Marcos, Texas. The project will be separated into two phases that cover civil engineering site planning, and infrastructure design. The objective is to create a fully operating industrial site that satisfies regulatory standards and makes the best use of available land.
C1.08 Industrial Site Land Development
Sponsor: CUDE Engineers
Student Team: Luis Garza, Natalie George, David Hakim, Ruth Jarrett
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Felipe Gutierrez
San Marcos is a fast-growing community of investors and landowners who desire to develop their land for the expansion of their enterprise. Due to that, there has been a high rise in demand for consulting groups just as ours to help bring their vision of expansion to life. Under the sponsorship of different companies, we have developed several land projects in this great community of San Marcos and her environs. Yet again, we have been approached by a client under the sponsorship of CUDE engineers to develop an industrial facility for them at 600 CenterPoint Rd, San Marcos, Tx. This project will demand the fusion of our expertise in different key aspects of civil engineering such as site planning, environmental and transportation engineering and infrastructure design. All this is aimed at developing a sustainable and fully functional industrial site that satisfies all regulatory requirements while optimizing the use of the available land.