Semester of Graduation
Summer 2026
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Masters in Civil Engineering
Department
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Committee Chair/First Advisor
Dr. Tien Yee, Assistant Chair, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Second Advisor
Dr. Sunanda Dissanayake, Chair, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Third Advisor
Dr. Da Hu, Assistant Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Abstract
Flash floods are highly unpredictable and typically strike small urban streams. While critical for monitoring extreme weather impacts, traditional stream monitoring in the United States is often restricted by high deployment costs, spatial limitations, and maintenance hazards during extreme events. To address this gap, this research develops a low-cost, non-intrusive Large-Scale Particle Image Velocimetry (LSPIV) system that safely detects and measures high-flow scenarios. The framework combines highresolution camera hardware, open-source computational processing, and depth-varying log-law correction to compute depth-averaged velocities and total channel discharge.
The system was initially validated under controlled laboratory conditions at Kennesaw State University, achieving a relative error of -2.4%. Field validation was conducted at two active urban sites, Sewell Mill Creek and Noonday Creek, where LSPIV flow estimates were compared against U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) stream gauge data. Results showed errors of roughly -8% at Sewell Mill Creek and -1.8% during highflow conditions at Noonday Creek.
Transect velocity distributions were also cross-validated against independent twodimensional hydrodynamic simulations built in the Sedimentation and River Hydraulics – two-dimensional (SRH-2D) model. Noonday Creek’s LSPIV estimates aligned well spatially with the simulation, but the same comparison was not possible for Sewell Mill Creek, where the surveyed cross-section geometry differed significantly from the 1-m digital elevation used in the numerical model, indicating substantial bathymetry change over time that made direct comparison inappropriate. These results confirm that the v proposed low-cost LSPIV system, paired with current physical bathymetry, offers a reliable, cost-effective alternative for flash flood monitoring.
Included in
Civil Engineering Commons, Hydraulic Engineering Commons, Water Resources Engineering Commons
Comments
USGS 104B Award (ID: GA_2024_YEE)