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Research

The Stormwater Testing Facility has completed a variety of research projects. This page highlights recently completed and ongoing projects.

• Sediment Basins
• Flocculants
• Rainfall Simulators
• Sediment Barriers
• Inlet Protection
• Check Dams
• UAV Based Inspections
• Advanced Treatment Approach
• Outreach and Technology Transfer

Sediment Basins

Sediment basins are used to temporarily detain sediment - laden stormwater prior to leaving a construction site to facilitate sediment capture. Using lessons learned from construction site sediment basin studies, the stormwater lab operates two large - scale sediment basins that allow researchers to perform controlled tests to improve and evaluate the performance of various treatments and configurations employed within a sediment basin.

• Perez, M.A., Zech, W.C., Vasconcelos, J.G., and Fang X. (2019). Large-Scale Performance Testing of Temporary Sediment Basin Treatments and High-Rate Lamella Settlers , Water, [DOI: 10.3390/w11020316].
• Perez, M.A., Zech, W.C., Donald, W.N., and Fang, X. (2016). SEDspread : A Sediment Basin Design Tool for Construction Sites , ASCE J. of Irrigation and Drainage Eng., [DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)IR.1943-4774.0001099].
• Perez, M.A., Zech, W.C., Fang, X, and Vasconcelos, J. (2016). Methodology and Development of a Large-Scale Sediment Basin for Performance Testing , ASCE J. of Irrigation and Drainage Eng., [DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)IR.1943-4774.0001052].
• Zech, W.C., Logan C., and Fang, X. (2014). State of the Practice: Evaluation of Sediment Basin Design, Construction, Maintenance, and Inspection Procedures , ASCE Prac. Period. Struct. Des. Constr. [DOI:10.1061/(ASCE)SC.1943-5576.0000172, 04014006].
• Liu, L., Perez, M.A., Whitman, J.B., Donald, W.N., and Zech, W.C. (2021). SILTspread: A Performance-Based Approach for the Design and Installation of Silt Fence Sediment Barriers, Irrigation and Drainage Eng., 147, 10 [DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)IR.1943-4774.0001608].

Flocculants

Flocculants facilitate the process of coagulation and flocculation of very fine suspended soil particles (i.e., clay and silt) when the removal rate of suspended sediment needs to be increased beyond the ability of simple gravitational sedimentation. Our researchers are evaluating best practices for the passive application of flocculants on construction sites to enhance the performance of traditional erosion and sediment control practices.

• Kazaz, B., Perez, M.A., and Donald, W.N. (2021). A State-of-the-Practice Review on the use of Flocculants for Construction Stormwater Management in the United States , Transportation Research Record. [DOI: 10.1177/0361198121995192].
• Shoemaker, A, Zech, W.C., and Clement, T.P. (2012). Laboratory-scale Evaluation of Anionic Polyacrylamide as an Erosion and Sediment Control Measure on Steep-Sloped Construction Sites , Transactions of the ASABE, 55(3): 809-820. [DOI: 10.13031/2013.41516].
• Manning, C., Perez, M.A., and Donald, W.N. (2022), Assessment of Polyacrylamide Concentration in Construction Stormwater Runoff using an ASTM D6459 Rainfall Simulator, Transportation Research Record [DOI: 10.1177/03611981221111157].
• Kazaz, B., Perez, M.A., Donald, W.N., Fang, X., and Shaw, J.N. (2022). Detection of Residual Flocculant Concentrations in Construction Stormwater Runoff, Transportation Research Record. [DOI: 10.1177/03611981221077985].

Rainfall Simulators

The stormwater lab has 13 rainfall simulators build on 3:1 and 4:1 slopes. The simulators are built on 40 ft x 8 ft plots consisting of clay, loam, and sand soils. Rainfall simulators are used to evaluate various erosion control practices that are used to protect slopes from rainfall - induced erosion.

• Ricks, M.D., Horne, M.A., Faulkner, B., Zech, W.C., Fang, X., Donald, W.N., and Perez, M.A. (2019). Design of a Pressurized Rainfall Simulator for Evaluating Performance of Erosion Control Practices , Water 11(11), 2386, [DOI: 10.3390/w11112386].
• Sidhu, R.S., Dougherty, M., Zech, W.C., Guertal, B. Cost Effectiveness of Erosion Control Covers during Vegetation Establishment under Simulated Rainfall , J. of Water Resource and Protection, Scientific Research Publishing, 2015, 7, 119-129 [DOI:10.4236/jwarp.2015.72010].

Sediment Barriers

Sediment barriers are used to treat sheet flow runoff by removing sediment primarily through sedimentation and, to a lesser degree filtration. The stormwater lab has the capability of evaluating sediment barriers at full scale using a 20 ft wide test apparatus.

• Whitman, J.B., Perez, M.A., Zech, W.C., and Donald, W.N. (2021). Practical Silt Fence Design Enhancements for Effective Dewatering and Stability , J. of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering. 147(1): 04020039. [DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)IR.1943-4774.0001521].
• Bugg, R.A., Donald, W.N., Zech, W.C., and Perez, M.A. (2017). Performance Evaluations of Three Silt Fence Practices Using a Full-Scale Testing Apparatus , Water, [DOI: 10.3390/w9070502].
• Bugg, R.A., Donald, W.N., Zech, W.C., and Perez, M.A (2017). Improvements in Standardized Testing for Evaluating Sediment Barrier Performance: Design of a Full-Scale Testing Apparatus , ASCE J. of Irrigation and Drainage Eng., [DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)IR.1943-4774.0001194].
• Zech, W.C., McDonald, J., and Clement, T.P. (2009). Field Evaluation of Silt Fence Tieback Systems at a Highway Construction Site , ASCE Prac. Period. Struct. Des. Constr. 14(3):105-112. [DOI:10.1061/(ASCE)1084-0680(2009)14:3(105)].
• Zech, W.C., Halverson, J.L., and Clement, T.P. (2008). Intermediate-scale Experiments to Evaluate Silt Fence Designs to Control Sediment Discharge from Highway Construction Sites , ASCE Journal of Hydrologic Engineering, 13(6):497-504. [DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)1084-0699(2008)13:6(497)].
• Zech, W.C., Halverson, J.L., and Clement, T.P. (2007). Development of a Silt Fence Tieback Design Methodology for Highway Construction Installations , Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board , No. 2011, pp. 21-28. [DOI: 10.3141/2011-03].

Inlet Protection

Storm drain inlet protection practices minimize sediment transport by temporarily impounding runoff before entering storm drain inlets, allowing suspended sediment to settle. The Stormwater Lab has two full - scale apparatuses to evaluate inlet protection practices for highway median applications and for curb and gutter applications. Evaluations have been performed to gain insight to the performance, durability, and maintenance needs of inlet protection practices. Evaluations included enhancement of installation methods for commonly employed practices. Test parameters were designed to mimic expected field conditions, allowing researchers to improve the installation of current practices and evaluate performance.

• Basham, D.L., Zech, W.C., Donald, W.N., and Perez, M.A. (2019) Design and Construction of a Full-Scale Testing Apparatus for Evaluating the Performance of Catch Basin Inserts , ASCE J. of Sustainable Water in the Built Environment, [DOI: 10.1061/JSWBAY.0000868].
• Perez, M.A., Zech, W.C., Donald, W.N., and Fang, X. (2016 ). Design Methodology for the Selection of Temporary Erosion and Sediment Control Practices based on Regional Hydrological Conditions , ASCE J. of Hydrologic Eng. [DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)HE.1943-5584.0001328].
• Perez, M.A., Zech, W.C., Donald, W.N. and Fang, X. (2016). Installation Enhancements to Common Inlet Protection Practices (IPPs) using Large-Scale Testing Techniques , Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, No. 2571, pp. 151-161. [DOI: 10.3141/2521-16].
• Perez, M.A., Zech, W.C., Donald, W.N. Donald, and Xing Fang. Methodology for Evaluating Inlet Protection Practices Using Large-Scale Testing Techniques . ASCE J. of Hydrologic Eng., [DOI:10.1061/(ASCE)HE.1943-5584.0001019].

Check Dams

Check dams are used throughout highway construction to facilitate ponding and reduce velocity within channels to minimize erosion. Proper installation is required for these practices to perform as intended. Research studies have been conducted to evaluat e the performance of various practices and to optimize installation methods to enhance performance.

• Whitman, J.B., Schussler, J.C., Perez, M.A., and Liu, L. Hydraulic Performance Evaluation of Wattles used for Erosion and Sediment Control. Irrigation and Drainage Engineering.
• Schussler, J.C., Kazaz, B., Perez, M.A., Cetin, B., and Whitman, J.B. (2021). Field Evaluation of Wattle and Silt Fence Ditch Checks , Transportation Research Record (2021). [DOI: 10.1177/0361198121992073].
• Donald, W.N., Zech, W.C., Fang, X., and Perez M.A. (2016). A Hydraulic Method to Evaluate the Performance of Ditch Check Practices and Products , ASCE J. of Hydrologic Eng., [DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)HE.1943-5584.0001311].
• Donald, W.N., Zech, W.C., Perez, M.A.andFang, X., (2015). Evaluation and Modification of Wire Backed, Nonwoven Filter Fabric Silt Fence for use as a Ditch Check , ASCE J. of Irrigation and Drainage Eng., [DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)IR. 1943-4774.0000959].
• Donald, W.N., Zech, W.C., and Fang, X. (2014). Comparative Evaluation of Wattle Ditch Checks Composed of Differing Materials and Properties . ASCE J. of Irrig. and Drain. Eng., [DOI:10.1061/(ASCE)IR.1943-4774.0000794].
• Donald, W.N., Zech, W.C., Fang, X. and LaMondia, J.J. (2013). Evaluation of Wheat Straw Wattles for Velocity Reduction in Ditch Check Installations , Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, No. 2358, pp. 69-78. [DOI: 10.3141/2358-08].
• Clampitt, J.E., Perez, M.A., Whitman, J.B., Donald, W.N., LaMondia, J.J., and Craig, A.J., (2023). Hydraulic Evaluation of Wattle Encasement Materials", Transportation Research Record. [in press].

UAV Based Inspections

Unmanned aerial vehicles are remote sensing tools capable of acquiring high resolution spatial and sensing data that can assist in site inspections of stormwater practices on construction sites. Our researchers have performed studies on active construction sites using commercially available UAVs to assess applications and capabilities of enhancing the site inspection and construction monitoring proc esses.

• Kazaz, B.Z., Poddar, S., Arabi, S., Perez, M.A., Sharma, A., and Whitman, J.B., Deep Learning-Based Object Detection for Unmanned Aerial Systems-Based Inspections of Construction Stormwater Practices. Sensors. Special Issue: Vision Based Sensors and Sensing Technologies for Structural Health Monitoring.
• Perez, M.A., Zech, W.C., and Donald, W.N. (2015). Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to Conduct Site Inspections of Erosion and Sediment Control Practices and Track Project Progression , Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, No. 2528, pp. 38-48. [DOI: 10.3141/2528-05].

Advanced Treatment Approach

Our researchers have evaluated the use of advanced approaches, including lamella settlers and electrocoagulation, to enhance the performance of stormwater treatment technologies.

• Liu, L., Perez, M.A., and Whitman, J.B. (2020). Evaluation of Lamella Settlers for Treating Suspended Sediment , Water 12(10), 2705. [DOI: 10.3390/w12102705].
• Perez, M.A., Zech, W.C., Donald, W.N., Turochy, R.E., and Fagan, B.G. (2019). Transferring Innovative Erosion and Sediment Control Research Results into Industry Practice , Water 11(12), 2549, [DOI: 10.3390/w11122549].
• Liu, L., and Perez, M.A. (2022). Development and Evaluation of Lamella Settlers combined with Electrocoagulation for Treating Suspended Sediment, J. of Irrigation and Drainage Eng. 148, 6 [DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)IR.1943-4774.0001680].

Outreach and Technology Transfer

• Schussler, J.C., Perez, M.A., Donald, W.N., Whitman, J.B., Zech, W.C., Fang, X., and Fagan, B.G. A Decade of Research in Review: The Auburn University – Stormwater Research Facility, Transportation Research Record. [DOI: 10.1177/03611981221076449].
• Kazaz, B., Schussler, J.C., Dickey, L.C., and Perez, M.A. (2022). Soil Loss Risk Analysis for Construction Activities, Transportation Research Record. [DOI: 10.1177/03611981221075027].