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Deep Reinforcement Learning For The Design Of Structural Topologies, Nathan Brown Dec 2023

Deep Reinforcement Learning For The Design Of Structural Topologies, Nathan Brown

All Dissertations

Advances in machine learning algorithms and increased computational efficiencies have given engineers new capabilities and tools for engineering design. The presented work investigates using deep reinforcement learning (DRL), a subset of deep machine learning that teaches an agent to complete a task through accumulating experiences in an interactive environment, to design 2D structural topologies. Three unique structural topology design problems are investigated to validate DRL as a practical design automation tool to produce high-performing designs in structural topology domains.

The first design problem attempts to find a gradient-free alternative to solving the compliance minimization topology optimization problem. In the proposed …


Extremum Seeking Control Algorithms For Extremely High Frequency Antenna System Pointing, Scott Shore Dec 2023

Extremum Seeking Control Algorithms For Extremely High Frequency Antenna System Pointing, Scott Shore

Mechanical Engineering ETDs

The research examines the application of extremum seeking control (ESC) algorithms to ground station antenna pointing for extremely high frequency (EHF) communication systems. ESC algorithms search for local maxima or minima by locating where an objective function gradient goes to zero. With wireless communication expanding into higher frequencies, the ground station pointing requirement is increasing. ESC presents a method which utilizes available equipment and information to perform ground station pointing. Additionally, ESC algorithms do not rely on assumptions or approximations needed for other techniques. The dissertation demonstrates ESC algorithm feasibility for the ground station pointing problem, benchmarks the ESC algorithms …


Water Quality Monitoring And Mapping Using Rapidly Deployable Sensor Nodes, Mohamed Abdelwahab Oct 2023

Water Quality Monitoring And Mapping Using Rapidly Deployable Sensor Nodes, Mohamed Abdelwahab

Theses and Dissertations

Efficient and continuous monitoring of water quality parameters plays a pivotal role in responding to pollution incidents and ensuring the safety of both human consumption and ecological resources. This research introduces an affordable and dependable in-situ water quality sensor package designed for seamless continuous monitoring, providing essential data to facilitate informed decision-making in water resource management. The sensor package enables comprehensive on-site assessment of key water characteristics, including pH, temperature, turbidity (measured in NTU), and total dissolved solids (TDS, measured in ppm). Spatial interpolation techniques, specifically Kriging, are employed to extrapolate variable values at unobserved locations based on nearby measurements. …


A Globalized Optimization Schema For Automated Fiber Placement Processing Parameters, Matthew John Godbold Oct 2023

A Globalized Optimization Schema For Automated Fiber Placement Processing Parameters, Matthew John Godbold

Theses and Dissertations

Automated Fiber Placement is an advanced manufacturing technique for industrial-scale composite structures. Advanced robotics coupled with composite manufacturing results in faster and more consistent results than previously obtained through hand layup. The complexity and interconnectedness of the automated fiber placement process provides a difficult challenge for traditional modeling techniques. Modeling within automated fiber placement currently utilizes physics-based modeling to inform the translation of a design to a manufacturing plan. The intricacy of the automated fiber placement process dictates that attempts at modeling or optimizing these processes are often limited in their scope. Physics-based modeling for manufacturing typically involves numerous interacting …


Novel Approach For Non-Invasive Prediction Of Body Shape And Habitus, Emma Young Jun 2023

Novel Approach For Non-Invasive Prediction Of Body Shape And Habitus, Emma Young

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While marker-based motion capture remains the gold standard in measuring human movement, accuracy is influenced by soft-tissue artifacts, particularly for subjects with high body mass index (BMI) where markers are not placed close to the underlying bone. Obesity influences joint loads and motion patterns, and BMI may not be sufficient to capture the distribution of a subject’s weight or to differentiate differences between subjects. Subjects in need of a joint replacement are more likely to have mobility issues or pain, which prevents exercise. Obesity also increases the likelihood of needing a total joint replacement. Accurate movement data for subjects with …


A Value-Based Sequential Optimization Framework For Efficient Materials Design Considering Uncertainty And Variability, Maher Alghalayini May 2023

A Value-Based Sequential Optimization Framework For Efficient Materials Design Considering Uncertainty And Variability, Maher Alghalayini

All Dissertations

Many problems in engineering and science can be framed as decision problems in which we choose values for decision variables that lead to desired outcomes. Notable examples include maximizing lift in airplane wing design, improving the efficiency of a power plant, or identifying processing protocols resulting in structural materials with desired mechanical properties. These problems typically involve a significant degree of uncertainty about the often-complex underlying relationships between the decision variables and the outcomes. Solving such decision problems involves the use of computational models or physical experimentation to generate data to make predictions and test hypotheses. As a result, both …


Comparative Design Space For Bistable Composites: An Integrated Framework Of Optimization, Finite Element Analysis, And Experimental Testing, Jonathan Bolanos May 2023

Comparative Design Space For Bistable Composites: An Integrated Framework Of Optimization, Finite Element Analysis, And Experimental Testing, Jonathan Bolanos

All Theses

Bistable composites are a class of advanced materials that can actuate between two stable shapes, making them attractive for a wide range of engineering applications. However, designing these composites to achieve optimal performance remains a challenging task. To address the challenge, this research develops an integrated framework that combines a genetic algorithm optimization technique, finite element analysis in Abaqus, and experimental testing to explore the design comparative space for square bistable composites composed of DA 409 carbon fibers. This leads to the study of generating an optimization algorithm to account for the relationship between the chances of a successful maximum …


Comprehensive Process Planning Optimization Framework For Automated Fiber Placement, Alex Ryan Brasington Apr 2023

Comprehensive Process Planning Optimization Framework For Automated Fiber Placement, Alex Ryan Brasington

Theses and Dissertations

Advanced composite materials came about in 1966 and have since been widely used due to the possibility of superior structural performance while also achieving weight reductions. Such opportunities have led to composite materials being used to fabricate complex components, often in the aerospace sector. Most components, especially in aviation, are on a large scale and are outside the capabilities of traditional composite manufacturing techniques. Traditional manufacturing methods are also labor intensive, time consuming, have a high level of material scrap, and are prone to human error. This has led to the need for innovative manufacturing solutions to withstand the ever-increasing …


Leveraging Automated Fiber Placement Computer Aided Process Planning Framework For Defect Validation And Dynamic Layup Strategies, Joshua Allen Halbritter Apr 2023

Leveraging Automated Fiber Placement Computer Aided Process Planning Framework For Defect Validation And Dynamic Layup Strategies, Joshua Allen Halbritter

Theses and Dissertations

Process planning represents an essential stage of the Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) workflow. It develops useful and efficient machine processes based upon the working material, composite design, and manufacturing resources. The current state of process planning requires a high degree of interaction from the process planner and could greatly benefit from increased automation. Therefore, a list of key steps and functions are created to identify the more difficult and time-consuming phases of process planning. Additionally, a set of metrics must exist by which to evaluate the effectiveness of the manufactured laminate from the machine code created during the Process Planning …


Initial Procedure For Small-Scale Extraction Of Subsurface Martian Ice, Evan Steers Jan 2023

Initial Procedure For Small-Scale Extraction Of Subsurface Martian Ice, Evan Steers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.