Senior Reports

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Senior Reports were/are, essentially, undergraduate theses for some science and most engineering faculties going back as far as the 1920s. Their digitization and upload to UNB Libraries Institutional Repositories was meant to preserve these works in electronic format. Because of NDAs with industry, the propriety of information, and other privacy reasons, this collection requires UNB Login credentials to view as per the wishes of the faculties responsible. These works are unavailable to those outside the institution, generally.

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A case study regarding the operations of a woodwaste landfill in northern New Brunswick
(University of New Brunswick, 1997) Desjardins, Mario; Al, Tom; Al, Thomas
The following report reviews the operations of a woodwaste landfill in Northern New Brunswick to determine if changes can be implemented to improve the quantity and quality of leachate produced by this site. The study was undertaken after environmental monitoring results showed increased levels of organic matter within the wastewater in comparison to previous years. After reviewing the current conditions at the landfill it was observed that a malfunctioning leachate collection system was allowing infiltration of leachate into the surrounding area, and after completing a hydrological survey it was determined that with the current conditions that at full capacity the landfill would generate approximately 135 000 m3 of wastewater annually. Since organic content within the wastewater is so high, experiments in wastewater treatment using chemical oxidation and traditional mechanical aeration were performed with the objective of developing a practical, cost effective wastewater treatment system.
A comparative analysis of three seismic refraction methods as applied to field data from sand and gravel studies in western Prince Edward Island
(University of New Brunswick, 1988) Doiron, Cynthia G.; Chandra, James
A comparative study of the static and dynamic behaviour of a carboniferous sandstone
(University of New Brunswick, 1987) McCleave, Heather; White, J.
A comparison of test methods in evaluating a rock's potential to produce acid rock drainage
(University of New Brunswick, 1999) Noble, Bruce; Al, Tom; Tom, Al
Acid base accounting (ABA) is the measurement of a material's ability to produce acid. It measures acid potential (AP) and neutralization potential (NP) to obtain the neutralization potential ratio (NPR) of a material. NPR is equal to NP/AP. Static tests are a widely accepted and used method of determining a material's NPR. These tests measure the sulphur content of a sample to determine AP. They also measure a sample's NP by various means, depending on the method. Limitations of static tests are that not all of the sulphur within a sample may be readily available to produce acid, hence there is an overestimation of AP. Also, the vigorous testing conditions employed to determine NP do not mimic field conditions, hence there is an overestimation of NP. For this reason these tests are used primarily as preliminary indicators as to which rocks have the potential to produce acid. Seven rock samples were collected from a road-cut on Highway 7 in New Brunswick. The samples were collected to ensure a representative sample of the road-cut material. Three static tests were performed on the samples; the Sobek Method, the Modified Sobek Method, and the B.C. Research Initial Method. Thin sections of each sample were also fabricated. The mineralogy of each sample was studied in order to determine the specific minerals present. Results of NP, AP, and NPR from each test are compared to determine which test is most accurate in determining the rock's potential to produce acid rock drainage. In all samples, the NPR was lowest when measured by the B.C. Research Method.
A cost/benefit study of earthen landfill covers
(University of New Brunswick, 2003) Forbes, Crystal D.; Cooke, Brian
The vast majority of landfill covers that are currently in use contain a barrier layer. This layer's purpose is to minimize the peculation of water into the waste and thereby avoid ieachate generation. These covers are expensive to construct as well as being difficult and expensive to repair if they fail. Evapotranspiration landfill covers work under the principle that the soil on top of the waste acts as a reservoir for water. This water is then removed from the soil through evaporation and transpiration. The soil layer is thick enough that the water does not penetrate into the waste. It is less expensive to construct and easier to maintain than the conventional barrier cover. It has been found that Evapotranspiration Covers work well in semi-arid and arid regions. They can also be used in other regions but are site specific. It has been determined that Evapotranspiration Covers can be used as an economic alternative to the more conventional barrier type covers in Fredericton which resides in a temperate climate. An Evapotranspiration cover is found to produce significantly more Ieachate than conventional cover systems in New Brunswick's temperate climate; however the cost of treating this Ieachate is inconsequential in the city of Fredericton. ET covers are less expensive to construct than both conventional cover systems and the cover system currently in place in the Fredericton. Taking this into consideration it has been found that evapotranspiration covers are an economically viable option in the Fredericton area.
A critical analysis of MUDEC with respect to seismic induced groundfall
(University of New Brunswick, 1987) Savoy, Andrew R.; Williams, Paul
A geophysical monitoring program at the Fredericton Regional Landfill
(University of New Brunswick, 1986) O'Connor, Byron; Burke, Ken
A geotechnical analysis of pit floor stability problems with the underclay of the surface coal mining operation in Minto, N. B.
(University of New Brunswick, 1987) Fry, Rodney; Landva, Arvid
A hydraulic study of salmon egg incubation baskets
(University of New Brunswick, 2002) Budden, Derrick A.; K. Haralampides
Atlantic Salmon egg incubation baskets are used to evaluate Atlantic Salmon egg survival rates in the natural streams and rivers in which they spawn. The survival data is gathered by placing a known number of Atlantic Salmon eggs within an incubation basket, placing the basket within a stream bed, and recording the number of hatched salmon caught within the emergence trap. Over time this data produces trends as to the heath of Atlantic Salmon as a whole, or in a particular stream or river. Survival rate data which has been collected for Atlantic Salmon populations through the use of incubation baskets has been very erratic. This maybe due to local variations in salmon survival or it maybe due to the incubation basket not adequately recreating the conditions for which the Atlantic Salmon require to survive. Therefore the goal of this project is to assess the hydraulic conditions within the salmon egg incubation basket and assess weather it adequately recreates natural conditions. The incubation basket itself is ~45cm long and ~12cm in diameter. It is made of ABS pipe which has been capped at both ends and has had 3 to 4 windows cut in the sides. In place of the windows, a 1mm mesh has been glued. The Atlantic Salmon eggs are placed in the centre of sieved gravel within the screened area of the incubation baskets. The incubation basket is then burred in the river's bed at the downstream edge of a river pool. The incubation basket remains there until the following spring when an emergence trap is placed on the top of the incubation basket, extending into the river. The hatched salmon swim into the emergence trap and are counted. This enables the a survival rate to be calculated.
A hydrogeological evaluation of the Agriculture Canada Research Station Fredericton, N. B.
(University of New Brunswick, 1992) Corey, Grant; MacQuarrie, K.
A hydrogeological investigation for an industrial water supply at REPAP's Groundwater Mill site, South Nelson, New Brunswick
(University of New Brunswick, 1996) Basha, Michael; Bray, Dale
The REPAP owned and operated Groundwood Mill, located in South Nelson, New Brunswick requires 1.43xl06m3/yr water for its industrial process. The mill previously relied on a surface reservoir for this supply. However, during periods of high demand and/or low recharge, particularly during the summer months, this supply was inadequate. In 1995, MGI Limited was retained to investigate the groundwater resource in the area, in an effort to provide the mill with a sufficient amount of water to support its industrial demand. Following pumping test evaluations and groundwater modelling simulations, it has been determined that the confined, fractured sandstone aquifer can meet the mill's demands. However, some interference to surrounding wells may be anticipated, particularly during times of high demand and/or low recharge.
A laboratory based investigation into the effects of in situ oxidative treatments of DNAPLs on porosity and permeability
(University of New Brunswick, 2005) Thomas, William; Al, Tom
DNAPLs, or Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids, are organic compounds that have densities in excess of 1 kg/L, and are immiscible in water. They represent a particular problem when present in groundwater because of their physical and chemical properties, most particularly their density and a tendency toward high interfacial tension. Many methods for removing these materials have been tested in recent decades; chemical oxidation has been one that has received a great deal of attention. This investigation is meant to gain more understanding of the effects of chemical oxidation using potassium permanganate on the porosity and permeability of porous media in an aquifer. Three columns were constructed with manometers and electrodes emplaced to take discrete measurements through the length of the columns. Two different size ranges of sandy media were used; a fine grained portion was placed in the bottom of the columns to effectively create an aquitard, allowing a DNAPL, in this case trichloroethylene (or TCE) to be emplaced directly in the column. A coarser grained material was used in the upper portion of the columns to allow for the easy passage of fluid through the pore spaces, and room for precipitation of by-products. A potassium permanganate (KMnCU) solution was then pumped through the columns, and measurements of hydraulic head changes taken with time. The electrodes were used to collect conductivity breakthrough curves that could then be used to calculate porosity. Changes in hydraulic conductivity and porosity were compared with potassium permanganate concentration. The results proved difficult to interpret, largely due to an error in the TCE injection. Rather than forming an even layer, the TCE found preferential flow paths, and spread throughout the columns. Resulting changes in hydraulic conductivity and porosity did reveal lowering porosity with increased KMn04 exposure.
A manual for geological mapping with Versacad
(University of New Brunswick, 1990) MacEachen, Bryan; Broster, Bruce
A mineralogical assessment for copper potential of Expatriate Resources' Ice Property, Yukon Territory
(University of New Brunswick, 1996) McPhee, John-Michael; White, J.
Many companies were exploring southeastern Yukon Territory near Finlayson Lake, approximately 400 km east of Whitehorse (Figure 1.0). They are working in a zone of volcanogenic massive sulphides which proved to be prosperous for Cominco Ltd. who holds the rights to Kudz Ze Kayah deposit, and Westmin Resources Ltd. and Atna Resources Ltd. who together discovered the Wolverine deposit. One of the major claim holders in the area is Expatriate Resources (Figure 1.1). Expatriate Resources Ltd. intersected high grade copper mineralization in diamond drill core at their Ice property (Figure 1.1). The study presented in this report attempted to identify and describe mineral assemblages, textures and relationships and variations in these from the copper-bearing of the Ice property. Several copper phases were identified using microscopy and X-ray poweder diffractometry techniques. Several replacement textures were noted (chalcocite replacing chalcopyrite). Refer to Section 3.0 for results. Native copper was identified under the reflected light microscope and under the scanning electron microscope. The results from this study suggest that the Ice property has definite copper potential; however, a source for this copper is yet unknown.
A risk assessment for the location of forest roads
(University of New Brunswick, 1996) MacDougall, Sandra
Risk assessment of the terrain stability during the planning stage of forest operations will avoid excess costs and the damage caused by poorly located roads. There is a need for cost effective methods of preliminary route selection. Risk assessment is a powerful approach to achieving efficient and safe forest operations. Theoretical concepts for selection of forest road route location are distilled down to provide a checklist for practising geological or forest engineer. A micro-computer application called BRUCE (Best Roads Under Conditions Existing) is used to determine the optimum route. The recommended methodology of primary route selection is applied to a section of the proposed Fundy Trail in New Brunswick. The route selected by BRUCE is shorter than that selected by the manual methods. It is recommended to reevaluate the existing route proposed. The application of BRUCE can be expanded to working in conjunction with GIS and a road design package to improve this methodology.
A seismic refraction investigation of a glacial outwash aquifer in southwestern, New Brunswick
(University of New Brunswick, 1998) Bruce, Ian D.; MacQuarrie, Kerry; Burke, Kenneth
The purpose of this project was to conduct an initial geophysical survey of the Utopia Delta outwash aquifer using modern seismic refraction methods. The results of the seismic refraction survey are to aid in the ongoing groundwater investigation conducted by the University of New Brunswick Groundwater Studies Group. Overall it was found that the 11.16-Kg weight drop was the most practical seismic source for the Utopia Delta seismic refraction survey considering energy output and field time requirements. Site conditions were beneficial for the use of the 11.16-Kg weight drop because of excellent on-site vehicle access. It was observed that the 12-gauge Buffalo gun has the highest amount of overall energy output including high frequency energy in the 83.3 Hz range. The depth section for Array A revealed an undulating bedrock topology with bedrock depth varying between 16.6 and 21.8 metres. The water table was mapped at a depth ranging from 7.7 to 8.9 metres. This range correlates well with average water levels for October taken at MW-3, located 200 meters west, of approximately 8 metres below ground (Reeves and MacQuarrie, 1997). Results from the velocity analysis for array A indicate refractor velocities for the saturated sand and gravel layer ranging from 2198 m/sec to 3279 m/sec. These values are generally acceptable for water saturated sand (Kearey and Brooks, 1991). The lack of quality data for arrays B and C due to windy conditions seriously affected the interpretation of these sections. In addition, the phantoming technique was not implemented, and therefore, refractor coverage was minimal.
A shallow subsurface investigation using seismic refraction near Pennfield, New Brunswick
(University of New Brunswick, 1999) Duffy, Paul F.; Burke, Ken
An analysis was performed on data obtained from a seismic refraction survey conducted by Gemtec Limited of Fredericton, New Brunswick. The survey consisted of three separate lines (A, B, and C), each 550 meters in length, and was undertaken east of Pennfield, N.B. as part of a groundwater exploration program. The surficial geology of Pennfield consists of glacial outwash with abundant sand and gravel deposits. This geological environment is ideal for the application of seismic refraction techniques in the delineation of undulating refractors. The VIEWSEIS™ interactive seismic refraction analysis system was used to interpret the data. This software package provides a complete set of functions for seismic refraction analysis based on the Generalized Reciprocal Method (GRM) and is distributed through VIEWLOG Systems of Toronto, Ontario. The average depth-to-bedrock for lines A and B were found to be approximately 25 meters and 28 meters, respectively. Line C was excluded from the analysis owing to excessive background noise. The interpretation of Line A revealed an undulating slope, shallowly dipping towards the north; whereas, Line B traversed a shallow bedrock channel. By comparing a projected seismic interpretation with borehole information, it was determined that seismic refraction accurately represented the bedrock surface topography, but had a depth discrepancy equal to 20% of the total depth to bedrock. Three depth migration techniques are available within VIEWSEIS™; the Time-Intercept Method, the Average Velocity Method, and the Approximate Velocity Method. Consistent subsurface geometries were obtained when various combinations of these techniques were used and compared, thus lending credibility to the initial interpretation.
Aggregate degradation : implications for subsurface drainage of highway pavement
(University of New Brunswick, 1996) Mossman, John; Hildebrand, Eldo; E., Hildebrand
An assessment of the possible occurrence of riverbank filtration in selected municipal water supplies within New Brunswick
(University of New Brunswick, 2004) Hodder, Marc W.; MacQuarrie, Kerry; T., MacQuarrie
It is very important to identify all water sources of a particular water supply system. With this knowledge an appropriate water supply treatment plan can be implemented since all potential sources of contamination are identified. If this strict classification system is not followed, possible sources of contamination may be missed, possibly leading to water quality being compromised for a whole water supply network. However, on the other hand, the process of riverbank filtration can be used as an effective pre-treatment process that can significantly reduce the costs incurred by treating raw water through traditional chemical, and filtration treatment facilities. When a groundwater flow system is hydraulically connected with a surface artificial recharge source, a whole new list of potential sources of contamination must be identified, and adequate emergency systems must be implemented. Water treatment processes may also change for the municipality since new possible sources of contamination can be identified. However, water treatment costs may be reduced since riverbank filtration is proven to provide an effective means of raw water pre-treatment. This project outlines the method of creating and using a Comparison Matrix. The Comparison Matrix is the medium used to compare and evaluate the water supplies for 13 different municipal water supply systems within New Brunswick. This process has helped to give an optimum comparison since, only municipalities with sufficient municipal water supply data was selected for comparison. All of the data used for the project was taken from the New Brunswick Department of Environment and Local Government. Therefore the quality of the project results is highly dependent upon the accuracy of these data. All of the selected municipal groundwater flow systems have been compared with the Fredericton South water supply, and a "Base Case" synthetic scenario. These systems were chosen since they both represent examples of known, or highly probable riverbank filtration systems. As the similarity to these cases increase, so does the probability of riverbank filtration for the municipality being compared. Two separate Case Based Reasoning formulae were used to determine the similarity to each case, giving a relative ranking of similarity. This has allowed for a comparison of the two CBR formulae used; The Similarity Factor and the Similitude Function. The five factors that were examined, and compared against the Fredericton, and Base Cases included; 1) Aquifer Type 2) Aquifer Transmissivity 3) Production Well Depths (to top of screen) 4) Average Daily Yield from Production Wells, and 5) Horizontal Distance of Production Well from surface water source. The water supply assessment based on the Similarity Factor was found to be insensitive to well distance data since the same sequence of similarity was found using the average well distance to the surface water source, and the minimum distance to surface water source. For this reason, and the fact that weighting factors were not well defined, the Similarity Factor data was not considered suitable for this project. Therefore, the overall assessments were based on Similitude Function results. From the results obtained from the Similitude Function, a tangible assessment of each municipal water supply was accomplished. From a numerical and more subjective approach to data analysis, a subsequent percent probability, and likelihood of riverbank filtration was established, respectively. It has been found that the Grand Falls, Edmundston, Sussex and Woodstock water supplies are 'very likely' to be operating with riverbank filtration. Perth/Andover, Hartland, Baker Brook, St. Leonard, and Ste. Anne-de-Madawaska are 'likely'\o be operating with riverbank filtration. It is 'possible' that the water supplies of St. Basil and Fredericton Junction are operating with riverbank filtration. For St. Francois-de-Madawaska and Sussex Corner, it is 'unlikely-but-possible' that riverbank filtration is occurring within their water supplies. From the Case Based Reasoning process used to complete this project, and the respective municipal water supply assessments, numerous recommendations are established accordingly.
An electromagnetic survey for groundwater exploration in St. George, New Brunswick
(University of New Brunswick, 2001) Guidice, Gina M.; Butler, Karl; Karl, Butler
An electromagnetic survey was conducted near the Town of St. George, New Brunswick in order to explore the area for a possible location for a production well. The survey was conducted in an area south of Lake Utopia where one production well was already located. The survey was conducted using a Geonics EM34 terrain conductivity metre. The metre was used in two modes for measuring which allowed for at least two different penetration depths along each line of the survey. Different penetration depths allow more or less material underground to be studied depending on the orientation of the coils. A theoretical conductivity of clean sand expected to be measured in the field was calculated as being 5.40 mS/m. The survey generated data that indicated where there are areas of high and low electrical conductivities within the 20 to 30 metres of unconsolidated sediments that overly the bedrock in the study site. Areas of low conductivities indicate good locations for water production wells as they are representative of water-yielding sands and gravels. Contour maps were generated for apparent conductivities measured in the horizontal and vertical dipole mode for coil separations of 10 m and 20 m. Apparent conductivities measured ranged from less than 1 mS/m to approximately 13 mS/m. Areas of low conductivities were found to be between lines 15 and 20 of the survey. Onedimensional forward and inverse modelling were carried out at selected locations in order to determine how true electrical conductivity varied with depth. Modelling results agreed within reason with the measured apparent conductivities and the geological information. An upper layer of fine-grained clayey or silty material was observed as thickening as one heads towards the lake along line 20. This fine material may be blocking sand and gravel pores decreasing porosity and leading to a poor hydraulic connection between the aquifer and the lake in this area. It was recommended to the hydrogeologist that, from a lithological viewpoint, the best location in which to drill for a new production well would be between survey lines 15 and 20.

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