Date of Award

Spring 1999

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Engineering (DEng)

Department

Chemical Engineering

First Advisor

Gowkarran Budhu

Abstract

This study presents information upon which the state of Louisiana can base its ozone State Implementation Plans (SIPs) designed to achieve planned emissions reduction that are required by the Clean Air Act (CAAA) of 1990. The research investigation included an assessment survey on a number of Transportation Control Measures (TCMs) and their degree of acceptability by the residents of Lake Charles area of Louisiana, the research target area. The TCMS were first ranked on the basis of people's perception of each TCM and four TCMs were later analyzed for cost-effectiveness using computer mathematical models. The Traffic Flow Improvements TCM was shown as the most acceptable TCM, with a value of 4.06 on a Likert-type scale of 1 to 5, where 1 and 5 represent highly unacceptable and highly acceptable respectively. Results also show that the most acceptable TCM based on the people's perception was not cost-effective in reducing mobile source emissions. The study listed several suggestions for future research, one of which was that a comprehensive analysis of the other TCMs should be done in order to offer the region a range of TCM options to choose from. Finally, this investigation noted that Home Base Survey (HBS) offered good merits for estimating trips and vehicle miles of travel (VMT). However, the study also noted associating the VMT from HBS with the different roadway classifications for emissions inventory may pose some problems. This study concluded by suggesting a combination of Home Survey and the HPMS methods of VMT estimation where feasible. This approach is viewed to provide better cost-effectiveness figures. Also, a sensitivity analysis on the relative emission notes versus speeds was done to demonstrate that emission rates were sensitive to speeds at various speed ranges for hydrocarbon or volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide and oxides of hydrogen for the study area. MOBILE5a EPA-approved emission modeling computer software was used for the determination of the investigated mobile source emission rates for HC or VOC, CO, and NO x. Results of the air quality analysis showed that the region has now moved from its nonattainment status to attainment status in NAAQS.

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