Digital Commons Network^™

Evaporation And Modeling Water Availability In The Savannah River Basin, Ryne Phillips

All Theses

Four methods for estimating lake evaporation are presented and compared. Three are mass transfer methods that incorporated high resolution satellite imagery obtained from the MODIS sensor on the Terra and Aqua satellites. The fourth is the traditional pan method, which used monthly derived pan coefficients and pan evaporation measurements from a Class A evaporation pan located in Clemson, SC.

The four evaporation methods were used to estimate lake evaporation from the five major lakes in the Savannah River Basin for a period of more than one decade. Analysis of the evaporation rates clearly illustrated the uncertainty in daily, monthly, and …

Cultural Convergences, David Armistead

All Theses

As far back as I can remember my family has had two primary outlets in regards to entertainment; going to museum exhibitions and attending or watching football games. My parents have been members of the High Museum in Atlanta for years while simultaneously having season tickets to Georgia Tech football. My current series of paintings, drawings, prints and videos examine the cultural significance of sports in American society; specifically American football. As a "big guy" who was raised in the south, it is often assumed that I played football at some point in my life. Admittedly, I feed this stereotype …

Creating Tradition: Change Ringing And The Myth Of The 'Holy City', Charlotte Hewitt Causey

All Theses

This thesis analyzes the recent creation of tradition surrounding church bells and bell towers in Charleston, South Carolina. Church bells have been a significant feature of Charleston’s aural landscape since the mid-eighteenth century when St. Michael’s hung a ring of bells in the tower that still dominates the intersection of Meeting and Broad Streets. The histories of four churches, St. Michael’s (1751), the Cathedral of St. Luke and St. Paul (1811), St, Matthew’s Lutheran (1867), and Grace Episcopal (1846) affirms the important role that bells played for these congregations. The bells installed in these churches and the uses to which …

Design Of An Optical Position Sensor For Microfiber Actuators, Luxi Cheng

All Theses

This thesis introduces a new type of sensor that detects the position information of a paramagnetic microfiber and transforms it to computational electrical signal. The original purpose of the sensor is to solve the problem of feedback signal detection of the microfiber control system, which is the problem of detecting the position information for the microfiber. The microfiber will be presented as the experimental object of this sensor to test its capability. A novel optical based approach is used to transfer the position signal to a computer scrutable signal for further analysis.

The purpose of the sensor design comes from …

The Detection Of A Light Echo From Sn 2007af, Dina Drozdov

All Theses

Type Ia supernovae are widely studied for their uniform properties, which make them ideal candidates for cosmological surveys. Although these exploding stars are popular targets, key funda-mental questions about their nature remain, and new techniques need to be developed to investigate the progenitor system and explosion mechanisms. Light echoes are created by light scattering off dust that reaches the observer after the direct path light from the explosion arrived and have been studied for the past 100 years. Light echoes from Type Ia supernovae are rare, with only a few cases being discovered in the past decades. Because light echoes …

Knowledge Base Representation With Axiomatic Design Rules For Concept Level Up Implement In Ontological Framework, Zhuochen Shi

All Theses

Axiomatic Design has been applied and developed as a tool, offering a scientific basis for design and improving design activities. Axiomatic Design has been used in various fields such as software system design, structure design, and product design. However, several challenges and limitations exist in Axiomatic Design including: the inconsistency in identifying design parameters, existence of coupled design, and multiple groups of functional requirements and design parameters. Aimed at using Axiomatic Design to generate conceptual solutions in engineering design while overcoming its limitations, a formal ontology is developed. The ontology defines functional requirements, design parameters, concepts, components and variables and …

Development Of Liriodendron Est-Ssr Markers And Genetic Composition Of Two Liriodendron Tulipifera L. Orchards, Xinfu Zhang

All Theses

Liriodendron tulipifera L., commonly known as yellow-poplar, is a fast-growing hardwood tree species with great ecological and economic value and is native to eastern North America. Liriodendron occupies an important phylogenetic position as a basal angiosperm and has been used in studies of the evolution of flowering plants. Genomic resources, such as Expressed Sequence Taq (EST) databases and Bacterial Artificial Chromosome (BAC) libraries, have been developed for this species. However, no genetic map is available for Liriodendron, and very few molecular markers have been developed. In this study, a total of 119 informative genomic SSR markers suitable were identified for …

Chin Music: A Statistical Analysis Of Retaliation Pitches In Major League Baseball, Peter Jurewicz

All Theses

This paper is focused on hit batsmen in Major League Baseball from the 2008 season through August 20th of the 2013 season. More specifically, this paper examines the characteristics of retaliation pitches and attempts to determine the intent of the pitcher. The paper also takes into account moral hazard and cost-benefit analysis of hitting an opposing batsman. There has been a vast amount of literature in economics with regard to hit batsmen in Major League Baseball. However, very few of these papers have been able to evaluate economic theories in Major League Baseball using Pitchf/x data. Pitchf/x technology became fully …

Adaptive Transmission For Ofdm, Michael Juang

All Theses

To respond to dynamic channel conditions caused by fading, shadowing, and other time-varying disturbances, orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) packet radio systems should adapt transmission parameters on a packet-by-packet basis to maintain or improve performance over the channel. For this to be possible, there are three key ideas that must be addressed: first, how to determine the subchannel conditions; second, which transmission parameters should be adapted; and third, how to adapt those parameters intelligently. In this thesis, we propose a procedure for determining relative subchannel quality without using any traditional channel measurements. Instead, statistics derived solely from subcarrier error counts …

Virtualizing Intelligent River®: A Comparative Study Of Alternative Virtualization Technologies, Aravindh Sampathkumar

All Theses

Emerging cloud computing infrastructure models facilitate a modern and efficient way of utilizing computing resources, enabling applications to scale with varying demands over time. The core enabler of the cloud computing paradigm is virtualization. The concept is not new; virtualization has garnered significant research attention, fostering a race to achieve the lowest possible virtualization overhead. The evolution has led to three primary virtualization approaches: full-virtualization, para-virtualization, and container-based virtualization, each with a unique set of strengths and weaknesses. Thus it becomes important to study and evaluate their quantitative and qualitative differences. The operational requirements of the Intelligent River® middleware system …

Rapid Riparian Buffer Width And Quality Analysis Using Lidar In South Carolina, Emre Akturk

All Theses

The importance of protecting water quality and aquatic resources are increasing because of harmful human impacts within and around waterways. Establishing or restoring functional riparian areas protect water quality and are a good mechanism to conserve aquatic systems, plants, and wildlife. Laser-based remote sensing technology offers a high resolution approach to both characterize and document changes in riparian buffer zones (RBZs). The objectives of this study were to build a model to calculate riparian buffer width on both sides of a stream using a LiDAR-derived slope variable, to classify riparian buffers and determine their quality, and to evaluate the appropriateness …

Analyzing Requirement Type Influence On Generated Solutions, Emily Worinkeng

All Theses

Several ideation methods are available and used by engineering designers to enable the generation of alternative designs [1]. However, there has been little work done to understand the role that the design problem given to participants plays in the ideation process. The contribution of this research is found through the proposed guidelines with respect to the type of requirements to include as part of the design problem in order to achieve the desired quantity, quality, novelty, and variety of solutions during the early stages of the design process. This work is the first attempt at analyzing the effect of requirement …

Phytophthora Foliage Blight Of Garden Phlox: Phytophthora Nicotianae On Phlox Paniculata, Daniel Drechsler

All Theses

Phytophthora foliage blight of garden phlox (Phlox paniculata ) - caused by Phytophthora nicotianae - is a devastating disease that has been seen consistently in nursery production facilities in South Carolina. However, this disease has not been characterized previously. This project was composed of three separate studies, each of which followed one of the three major components of the disease triangle (i.e., the synchronous occurrence of a susceptible host and a virulent pathogen within a conducive environment) to investigate the pathogenicity of P. nicotianae on P. paniculata . In one study, the efficacies of three inoculation methodologies to cause …

Development And Testing Of An Impact Plate Yield Monitor For Peanuts, Jacob Fravel

All Theses

Advancements in precision agriculture technologies such as yield monitors have allowed for improved management capabilities and reduced input costs for a number of crops. Most commercialized developments in yield monitoring systems and technologies to date have been directed for use with the major grain crops such as corn, soybeans and cereal grains. This research focuses on development and testing of an impact plate yield monitor system for the peanut harvest. Using a four row peanut combine in virginia type peanuts, 4.8 ha (12 ac) of simultaneous yield data were recorded from an Ag Leader® grain (impact plate) yield monitor and …

Remembering And The Everyday: The Fleeting, Fragmented, And Sensual, Alyssa Prince

All Theses

Our memories are malleable. There is no identifiable truth; we consistently change them based on our present state of being. Nevertheless, our memories influence us greatly. My paintings engage this topic of the remembering process and display the active, reconstructive nature of how we remember. This idea is approached through making paintings that engage my own involuntary memories that are inevitably impossible to grasp. The resulting paintings explore issues pertaining to the remembering process, partiality, and the inaccuracies of representation. In this thesis, I discuss the importance of the reconstructed, provisional image, the fluctuating nature of our memories, an interaction …

Managing Fusarium Wilt In Watermelon Production, Zachary Snipes

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Fusarium wilt of watermelon, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum , was first described in 1894 in South Carolina and Georgia and has become a limiting factor in watermelon production worldwide. In recent years, restriction on use of the soil fumigant methyl bromide and the recent development of more virulent races of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum has created a critical need for alternative management techniques. In 2011-2013 field experiments were designed to evaluate the efficacy of incorporating a cover crop of hairy vetch into the soil to manage Fusarium wilt. Colony-forming units (CFU) of Fusarium oxysporum were sampled …

A Study Of The Frothing Capacity Of Whole Milk- 1. A Market Survey Of Conventional And Organic Milks, 2. The Effect Of Clean In Place (Cip) Cleaning Solutions, Sara Stancil

All Theses

Gourmet coffee drink consumption is on the rise (NCAUSA 2013). With most of these coffee drinks including milk and/or milk foam, an emphasis on producing quality foam is of high importance. Recent complaints have been received on the failure of milk to foam to expectations of the coffee house (Randolph & Associates 2013). Identifying the source of this failure could enable the milk industry to provide higher foam quality milk to meet the growing needs of coffee houses.

A two-part study on the frothing capacity of milk was carried out to investigate potential variations in the market place and to …

Bite Detection And Differentiation Using Templates Of Wrist Motion, Soheila Eskandari

All Theses

We introduce a new algorithm of bite detection during an eating activity based on template matching. The algorithm uses a template to model the motion of the wrist over a 6-second window centered on the time when a person takes a bite. We also determine if different types of bites (for example food vs. drink, or using different types of utensils) have different wrist motion templates. This method is implemented on 22,383 bites and 5 different types of templates are built. We then describe a method to recognize different types of bites using the set of templates. The obtained accuracy …

Stimulated Raman Scattering In Micro Sphere Resonators, Ruoyu Zhang

All Theses

Micro sphere resonators that hold optical whisper gallery modes (WGMs) provide an innovative option for implementing micro optical resonators. The unique properties of the micro sphere resonator make it capable to introduce resonance for various optical phenomenon, like stimulated Raman scattering (SRS), in micron scale.

This thesis illustrates the characteristics of micro sphere resonators and demonstrates the resonance-enhanced SRS in micro sphere resonators with reduce threshold power. Both theoretical and experimental results are presented. Coupling model for WGM is derived in transfer matrix method. Simulation analyses for mode pattern of WGMs are solved based on mathematic model and finite element …

A Study Of Gallery Method To Increase Idea Quality In Conceptual Design, Liz Mathew

All Theses

The objective of this research is to evaluate whether gallery method increases idea quality in conceptual design for engineering design problems. The gallery method is a group ideation process which allows individuals to first generate ideas individually, followed by pooling of ideas to conduct group ideation. Design engineers are often encouraged to work in groups to generate concepts and solutions for design problems. However, past research argues that individual ideation results in higher quality design concepts compared to the group ideation methods. The limitations of group ideation such as free riding, production blocking, evaluation apprehension, and goal incongruity are identified …

The Effects Of Different Size Gold Nanoparticles On Mechanical Properties Of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Under Mechanical Stretching, Tri Kieu

All Theses

The field of nanotechnology research has seen a large growth in the past few decades due to the great potential of novel nano-size material for useful applications such as drug delivery and medical imaging. Also, they are a promising platform for the detection of terrible diseases such as cancer and atherosclerosis. Although these materials hold great promise, there is very limited understanding about the biological effects of these nanoparticles on normal healthy cells, such as vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). The VSMCs are unique cells due to the two distinct phenotype characteristics it can express: a contractile and a synthetic …

Chemical, Physical, And Moisture Release Characteristics Of Compost Based Potting Media, Tianzhen Wang

All Theses

A commercially available composted cow manure was used as a potting media amendment. A common base mix for woody ornamentals of 8 parts pine bark and 1 part sand was compared with 3 other mixes that contained 20%, 30%, and 40% compost (v/v). The remaining fraction of these three mixes was the base mix (bark and sand). Samples of the pine bark and compost were analyzed to determine the following plant nutrients and mineral concentrations: nitrogen (organic and soluble), carbon, P2O5, K2O, Ca, S, Mg, Mn, Cu, Zn, Na, Fe, and Al.

Safety And Operational Characteristics Of Lane Widths On Urban And Rural Roadways A Simulator Study, Meredith Ladue

All Theses

The primary goal for this study was to further evaluate and assess the effect of lane width on the safety and operation of roadways in South Carolina. Due to various site conditions that affect the safety and operations of roadways, highway design engineers often face many challenges when developing appropriate road design standards. To investigate specific site conditions for the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) a research study took place. In 2011, Part 1 of this research included field studies conducted by Kevin Baumann and Trey Jordan. Due to the various limitations of the field studies it was evident …

Teaching Methods For A Holistic Computer Graphics Curriculum Incorporating Active Learning Techniques, Zachariah Inks

All Theses

This paper presents various concepts and techniques for creating an educational pipeline targeted at the field of computer graphics. This proposed pipeline focuses on the teaching of core concepts, core methodologies and finally core techniques employed within the field of computer graphics. Each component is then paired with an example of an active learning strategy used to enlighten and reinforce the abstract ideas behind these components. Throughout this document outlines the importance of supporting a holistic and platform agnostic approach, which sets the foundation for learning of all core computer graphics concepts, methodologies and techniques. The end result is a …

Measurement Of Working Experience And Education Level In Earning Models Among African-American And Whites, Zhuang Zheqi

All Theses

Labor market attachment differs significantly between African-American males and white males; there are various reasons that account for the wage differential. It has long been agreed that the Mincer equation method, which analyzes earnings by using experience and education levels, is very reliable. Is it only these two variables that account for the wage inequality? For instance, does discrimination exist in the labor market? And is there any improvement in the measurement of experience variables that will affect the result? In this paper, I will generate accumulated experience variables in order to compare them to potential experience variables. I will …

Knowledge Extraction From Work Instructions Through Text Processing And Analysis, Abhiram Koneru

All Theses

The objective of this thesis is to design, develop and implement an automated approach to support processing of historical assembly data to extract useful knowledge about assembly instructions and time studies to facilitate the development of decision support systems, for a large automotive original equipment manufacturer (OEM). At a conceptual level, this research establishes a framework for sustainable and scalable approach to extract knowledge from big data using techniques from Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Machine Learning (ML). Process sheets are text documents that contain detailed instructions to assemble a portion of the vehicle, specification of parts and tools to …

Optimal Retrofit Strategy Design For Highway Bridges Under Seismic Hazards: A Case Study Of Charleston, Sc, Shawn Parmelee

All Theses

A significant number of US highway bridges are inadequate for seismic loads and could be seriously damaged or collapse during a relatively small earthquake. On the most recent infrastructure report card from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), one-third of the bridges in the United States are deemed to be structurally deficient. To improve this situation, at-risk bridges must be identified, evaluated, and effective retrofitting programs implemented to reduce their seismic vulnerabilities. In practice, the Federal Highway Administration uses the expected damage method and indices method to assess the condition of bridges. These methods compare the severity of expected …

Characterization Of The Hydrogeology And Stress State In The Vicinity Of The Homestake Mine, Lead, Sd, Johnathan Ebenhack

All Theses

Underground workings in fractured rock are common worldwide. They have applications in numerous areas and fields of study. These include mining operations, civil engineering projects like tunnels and underground facilities, and research projects that require underground laboratories such as the physics research being conducted by Sanford Laboratory at the former Homestake mine and Fermi Laboratory near Chicago (Bahcall et al. 2001, Elsworth 2009, Sadoulet et al. 2006, bge science@DUSEL, fnal.gov). These excavations can reach several kilometers in depth including the 3.9 km deep TauTona mine in South Africa, the 3 km deep LaRonde mine in Quebec and the 2.4 km …

Lithostratigraphic And Petrophysical Analysis Of The Middle Devonian Marcellus Shale At The Mamont Prospect, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Ty Taylor

All Theses

The organic-rich Middle Devonian Marcellus Shale of the Appalachian basin is a rapidly developing natural gas play. Stratigraphic boundaries of the Marcellus Shale in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania were identified using geophysical logs from 10 vertical gas-producing wells in a 23 sq. km area. Gamma-ray, bulk density, and resistivity well logs were examined to assess hydrocarbon potential. Values of porosity, total organic carbon (TOC), and water saturation (SW) were derived and mapped by incorporating well-log data into Marcellus-specific formulas. Gamma-ray, penetration (minutes per foot drilled), and mud-logging gas (total gas) from 12 horizontal wells from within the study area were also …

Effects Of Iteration On Concept Development, Shivraj Ranganathan

All Theses

Iteration in the conceptual design stage is defined as repetition of design tasks to incorporate new information. A more concise definition of iteration relevant to this research would be the progression of design through different abstraction levels or design stages, defining and refining design solutions while progressing from initial concepts to a more detailed design. Although it is believed that iteration has a positive effect on the quality of ideas in the design process, this experimental study presents an opportunity to determine the effects of iteration on quality of concepts and the factors that lead to increased quality of concepts. …