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Articles 1 - 30 of 315
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Evaluation Of Performance Graded Asphalt Binder Equipment And Testing Protocol, Michael E. Pumphrey
Evaluation Of Performance Graded Asphalt Binder Equipment And Testing Protocol, Michael E. Pumphrey
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The testing and grading of asphalt cement has progressively changed to meet the demanding needs for quality hot mix asphalt pavements. From October 1987 through March 1993, the Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP) conducted a {dollar}50 million research effort to improve asphalt pavement technology. The research led to the development of the Superpave(TM) mix design system (Superior Performing Asphalt Pavements) and the Performance Graded (PG) asphalt binder tests and specifications. The Performance Graded asphalt binder specifications were developed to address the shortcomings of the previous asphalt grading systems.;The objective of this research was to critically evaluate the SHRP performance graded …
Simplified Live-Load Moment Distribution Factors For Simple Span Slab On I-Girder Bridges, Wesley D. Hevener
Simplified Live-Load Moment Distribution Factors For Simple Span Slab On I-Girder Bridges, Wesley D. Hevener
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The primary goal of this effort is to identify and assess various methods of computing live load distribution factors and to use the results of laboratory and field tests to compare these methods. It is further a goal of this work to use these methods to perform a parametric study over a wide range of typical slab on steel I-girder bridges to assess the accuracy of both the AASHTO Standard and AASHTO LRFD specifications and to propose an empirical model that correlates better with the analytical results within the range of parameters that are to be studied.;These studies include: (1) …
Standardization Of Test Methods For Property Evaluation Of Frp Bars, Vijay Kumar Tripathi
Standardization Of Test Methods For Property Evaluation Of Frp Bars, Vijay Kumar Tripathi
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The objective of this research is to verify/modify/develop standardized test methods for evaluating mechanical properties of Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) bars by conducting limited complementary tests to determine/verify their mechanical properties. Both short and long-term tests were conducted as a part of this research. Short-term tests included tension, flexure, shear and bond property evaluations. Long-term tests included evaluation of moisture absorption and flexural tests on aged bars. A total of 229 FRP bars with different fibers (carbon, glass and aramid), varying diameters (# 3 to #8) and surface textures (ribbed, sand-coated, and sand-coated with helical wraps) were tested under this …
Aquaculture-Related Stress On Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss) And Arctic Char (Salvelinus Alpinus), Christopher D. Nelson
Aquaculture-Related Stress On Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss) And Arctic Char (Salvelinus Alpinus), Christopher D. Nelson
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Recent expansions in aquaculture characterize it as one of the fastest growing segments of the U.S. agricultural sector. Expansion has been facilitated by increased production of many important aquatic species including catfish, salmon, trout, tilapia, shrimp, oysters, and crawfish. West Virginia aquaculture, also an expanding industry, is currently characterized by small-scale, widely dispersed farms. To facilitate future expansion of aquaculture in West Virginia, focuses on product quality as well as production efficiency, identification of limiting factors and investigation into new or alternative management techniques are needed. Objectives of this project were to determine the effects of nitrite and carbon dioxide …
Population Level Dynamics Of Grasshopper Sparrow Populations Breeding On Reclaimed Mountaintop Mines In West Virginia, Frank K. Ammer
Population Level Dynamics Of Grasshopper Sparrow Populations Breeding On Reclaimed Mountaintop Mines In West Virginia, Frank K. Ammer
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
During 2001 and 2002, I surveyed three mountaintop mining/valley fill (MTMVF) complexes in southern West Virginia to determine vegetation characteristics important to nest site selection and to estimate nest success for Grasshopper Sparrow populations inhabiting these complexes. I also performed genetic analyses to assess overall population structure, mating system, parentage, kinship, and gender of individuals comprising these populations. A total of 415 grasshopper sparrows were captured and systematic searches of study plots produced 75 active nests. Nest survival for 2001--2002 breeding season (33%) is comparable to survival rates previously reported in the literature. Nest survival rates decreased with increased reclamation …
Empirical Development Of A Scale Of Patience, Kenneth C. Dudley
Empirical Development Of A Scale Of Patience, Kenneth C. Dudley
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Patience is a construct not directly studied in the literature. Studies in the psychological literature have typically spoken of patience only as the converse of impatience. The assumption of these studies is that patience exists in the absence of impatience. However, other research proposes a multidimensional model of patience based on qualitative studies. It follows from the multidimensional model that patience exists on a continuum with the potential for different levels or amounts of patience across different situations. The purpose of this study was to develop an objective measure of patience.;To develop a measure of patience an item pool was …
Impacts On Terrestrial And Streamside Herpetofauna By Mountaintop Removal Mining In Southern West Virginia, Jennifer Mravintz Williams
Impacts On Terrestrial And Streamside Herpetofauna By Mountaintop Removal Mining In Southern West Virginia, Jennifer Mravintz Williams
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Mountaintop removal mining, a mining technique used in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia and nearby states, converts mature forests to grassland and shrub-pole habitats. I sampled terrestrial herpetofauna using drift fences with pitfalls and funnel traps from 2000--2002 to evaluate habitat use of unmined native habitat (intact forest), mined habitat (reclaimed grassland, reclaimed shrub-pole habitat, and fragmented forest), and early successional off-mine habitats that were created by other types of disturbance and were structurally similar to reclaimed grasslands and reclaimed shrubpole habitats. I searched transects in valley fill and reference streams from 2001--2002 to evaluate impacts of valley fill …
Generalized Nowhere Zero Flow, Jingjing Chen
Generalized Nowhere Zero Flow, Jingjing Chen
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Let G be an undirected graph, A be an (additive) abelian group and A* = A - {lcub}0{rcub}. A graph G is A-connected if G has an orientation D(G) such that for every function b : V(G ) A satisfying Sv∈VG b(v) = 0, there is a function f : E(G) A* such that at each vertex v ∈ V(G), ∂f(v), the net flow out from v, equals b( v). An A-nowhere-zero-flow (abbreviated as A-NZF) in G is a function f : E(G) A* such that at each vertex v ∈ V(G), ∂f(v) = 0.;In this paper, we investigate the …
Novel Syntheses Of Indoles, Quinoxalines, 2-Quinoxalinones, 2-Alkylbenzimidazoles And Other Heterocycles, Jeffery M. Wallace
Novel Syntheses Of Indoles, Quinoxalines, 2-Quinoxalinones, 2-Alkylbenzimidazoles And Other Heterocycles, Jeffery M. Wallace
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Using a palladium-catalyzed reductive N-heteroannulation method previously discovered in our labs, a 20 mmol synthetic route to methyl indole-4-carboxylate has been developed. Methyl indole-4-carboxylate is synthesized in four steps, with the key step being the reductive cyclization of methyl 2-ethenyl-3-nitrobenzoate in good overall yield. This cyclization method has been modified and applied to the preparation of quinoxalines, 2-quinoxalinones and other heterocyclic compounds. We also propose a possible mechanism for these transformations.;In addition, a novel method to 2-alkylbenzimidazoles has been developed. The thermal reaction of 2-azidonitrobenzenes and various aldehydes give 2-alkylbenzimidazoles generally in moderate yield.
Finite Element Damage Modeling Of Plain Weave Fabrics, Kaarthik K. Sikkil
Finite Element Damage Modeling Of Plain Weave Fabrics, Kaarthik K. Sikkil
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Plain weave fabrics are used as reinforcements in composites in order to obtain improved inter-laminar properties. But these advantages are at the cost of reduced stiffness and strength in the in-plane directions. Therefore, it is important to study the mechanical behavior of such composites. In this work, the geometrical model needed for finite element discretization of the plain weave fabrics are developed for three configurations---single lamina, iso-phase, and out-of-phase. Next, a procedure to determine the longitudinal elastic modulus under tensile loading is presented. Then, a meso level damage model is used for predicting the inelastic tensile behavior of the fabrics. …
Evaluation Of 4.75 Mm Superpave Mix Criteria For West Virginia, David Diazgranados Diaz
Evaluation Of 4.75 Mm Superpave Mix Criteria For West Virginia, David Diazgranados Diaz
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The purpose of this research was to evaluate design parameters for 4.75 mm nominal maximum aggregate size mixes, NMAS, in West Virginia. This research was divided in two phases. During Phase I, evaluation of Superpave criteria for 4.75 mm LAMAS mixes, a variety of 4.75 mm NMAS limestone mixes were developed following Superpave methodology for low traffic volume. In Phase II, natural sand evaluation for 4.75 mm mixes; three approved Marshall designs were obtained from the WVDOT. Two of the mixes contained natural sand and the other was a 100 percent limestone mix. The Marshall mix designs were verified and …
Gender Stereotypes In Children's Television Commercials And The Effects On Consumer Purchasing Behavior, Joanne G. Asztalos
Gender Stereotypes In Children's Television Commercials And The Effects On Consumer Purchasing Behavior, Joanne G. Asztalos
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
This research presents an exploratory investigation on the extent of gender stereotypes portrayed in children's television commercials and the effects on consumer purchasing behavior. The author conducted two studies including a content analysis of viewing 75 children's television commercials, 25 boy, 25 girl, 25 neutral, and documenting evidence of roles, traits, activities, products, speaking parts and settings. Qualitative focus groups were then conducted to correlate the documented gender stereotypes with purchasing behaviors among children between the ages of 6--12. Major findings for this research revealed that there are many gender stereotypes in children's television commercials including the issue that male …
Relationship Marketing Elements In Radio Station Websites, Mark L. Atkinson
Relationship Marketing Elements In Radio Station Websites, Mark L. Atkinson
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The purpose of this study is to determine whether or not radio station website designers effectively use relationship marketing to achieve the goals of the stations and their websites. The study is a comparison/content analysis of the websites of 150 radio stations, in three different formats, in the top 50 U.S. population centers. This study compared the results of a content analysis with the results of a 2000 Edison/Arbitron survey which asked respondents to rank 14 website features according to what those replying considered important. This study sought to determine whether the more popular features actually appeared on more websites …
Years Of Teaching Experience And Descriptions Of Educational Situations, Dana J. Stapleford
Years Of Teaching Experience And Descriptions Of Educational Situations, Dana J. Stapleford
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
This study examined the relationship between years of teaching experience and the type of descriptions given of educational situations. Participants were certified teachers with 1 to 27 years of teaching experience and preservice teachers with 0 years of teaching experience. A coding system was developed as an objective method for extracting participants' descriptions of actions and consequences pertaining to student and teacher behavior. Results did not support the original hypothesis that a relationship would be found between years of teaching experience and the descriptions made. However, several other relationships among certain characteristics of the descriptions were found.;The typical description made …
Influence Of Live -Load Deflections On Superstructure Performance Of Slab On Steel Stringer Bridges, Haiyong Wu
Influence Of Live -Load Deflections On Superstructure Performance Of Slab On Steel Stringer Bridges, Haiyong Wu
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
High performance steel (HPS), specifically HPS 70W, was introduced to the bridge market in the United States in the late 1990s. With its added strength, greater durability, and improved weldability, HPS allows engineers to design longer and shallower spans, which may increase the live-load deflections. The AASHTO Standard Specification limits live-load deflections to L/800 for ordinary bridges and L/1000 for bridges in urban areas subjected to pedestrian use. Bridges designed by the AASHTO LRFD Specification have an optional deflection limit. Previous research focused on evaluating AASHTO live-load deflection limits showed that the justification for existing deflection limits was not clearly …
Parametric Modeling Of Bolted Joints Between Components Made Of Particulate Composite Materials, Vasudha Goteti
Parametric Modeling Of Bolted Joints Between Components Made Of Particulate Composite Materials, Vasudha Goteti
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Particulate metal matrix composites (MMC) exhibit higher stiffness, strength and wear resistance compared to metal alloys. They exhibit superior compressive and buckling strength because of their higher plastic modulus. MMC's can operate at very higher temperatures than fiber-reinforced polymer composites. Their isotropic behavior and forming ability by conventional methods makes them a better choice for low-cost applications. They have good thermal conductivity, high electrical conductivity and low thermal expansion.;The main objective of this study is to predict numerically the stress distributions around the hole in a bolted joint made of particulate metal matrix composite and to investigate the associated load …
Laboratory Experiments In Thermal Sciences, Christopher K. Jackson
Laboratory Experiments In Thermal Sciences, Christopher K. Jackson
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Study of the basic sciences (chemistry, biology, physics, etc.) requires experimental verification to support the theory developed in the classroom. Engineering solutions are the same in their need for verification. In an academic environment this verification comes in the form of laboratory courses. The link to applications is equally important as the demonstration of theory. This is especially true for engineering disciplines due to the nature of tasks engineers are expected to successfully complete in industry. It is vital for the engineer's career that he/she can successfully apply the background theory learned in university study to real world applications.;The Department …
Characterization Of In-Use Emissions From On-Highway Heavy-Duty Diesel Engines, Mohan Krishnamurthy
Characterization Of In-Use Emissions From On-Highway Heavy-Duty Diesel Engines, Mohan Krishnamurthy
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Class-8 trucks with GVWR of 80,000 lbs were tested on different driving routes and in-use brake-specific emissions of NOx and CO2 data were collected using the West Virginia University's Mobile Emissions Measurement System (MEMS). An uncertainty analysis was performed on the MEMS and it was determined the maximum possible error in the measurement of brake-specific emissions of NOx was 8% and CO2 was 6%.;A modal analysis indicated that the cruise mode comprised 70% of the time that the vehicle spent in the Not-to-Exceed (NTE) zone while the acceleration and deceleration modes about 20% and 10% respectively.;In order to reduce the …
Geologic Feature Prediction Using Roof Bolter Drilling Parameters, Benjamin T. Mirabile
Geologic Feature Prediction Using Roof Bolter Drilling Parameters, Benjamin T. Mirabile
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The design of a safe and efficient roof support system is essential for any underground coal mining operation. All underground coal mines in the United States install roof bolts with a roof bolter as the primary means of supporting the mine roof. Proper application of roof bolting is dependent upon knowledge of the mine roof geology.;Recently developed control and data acquisition technologies allow the drilling performance of these roof bolters to be monitored on a real-time basis. Drilling data collected from these machines can be used to determine geological features present in the mine roof. A J. H. Fletcher & …
Fatigue Response Of Fabric Reinforced Polymeric Composites, Venkatakrishnan Natarajan
Fatigue Response Of Fabric Reinforced Polymeric Composites, Venkatakrishnan Natarajan
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Fiber Reinforced Polymeric (FRP) Bridge decks have been an active area of research for the past 10 yrs. In order to better understand the long term efficiency and reliability of FRP bridge decks, and to develop design and test specifications, laboratory testing and characterization of the deck systems and the FRP material, is necessary. Majority of the FRP deck systems available to date are made of glass-reinforcing fibers in the form of fabrics, mats, rovings, etc. Currently, the fatigue response of multidirectional composite is not readily available in the literature and much work needs to be done to understand the …
Flow Characterization Of The Ul Smoke Box And Spot-Type Smoke Detectors, Christopher P. Menchini
Flow Characterization Of The Ul Smoke Box And Spot-Type Smoke Detectors, Christopher P. Menchini
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The scope of this research involves the first known effort at designing a highly detailed computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model to characterize the flow fields with the UL Smoke Box and a spot type smoke detector within the test section of the smoke box. The proposed CFD model, designed to reflect the same measured conditions in the UL Smoke Box, was developed and validated through experimental velocity data using laser Doppler and hot-wire anemometry. With excellent qualitative comparisons between experimental and computational results, flow characterization using the laminar flow model available in the commercial software package FluentRTM was sufficiently achieved. …
Comparison Of Classification Methods For Perspiration-Based Liveness Algorithm, Sujan T. V. Parthasaradhi
Comparison Of Classification Methods For Perspiration-Based Liveness Algorithm, Sujan T. V. Parthasaradhi
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
In the modern world there is a need for security. Biometric technologies provide a means for providing this security. Of the many different available biometric technologies, fingerprint recognition is the most popular. As with all security measures, biometric devices may be subject to attacks on the system. Fingerprint scanners may be susceptible to spoofing using artificial materials, or in the worst case, dismembered fingers. Liveness, i.e. to determine whether the introduced biometric is coming from a live source, has been suggested as a means to circumvent attacks that use spoof fingers. It has been shown that water based casting materials …
Long-Term Performance Of Pot Hardware In Continuous Galvanizing Lines, Venkatesh Parthasarathy
Long-Term Performance Of Pot Hardware In Continuous Galvanizing Lines, Venkatesh Parthasarathy
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Preliminary comparative wearing tests were conducted on wearguard bearing system against CF3M (casting version of 316L steel), with tungsten carbide laser clad coating, at 30% and 50% production line tension. Tests were also conducted on Stellite 6 against Tribaloy T 400 at 50% production line tension. For each test, periodic measurements of wearing rate, surface microstructure and surface hardness were carried out. An unique dross build-up setup which consists of two sleeves counter rotating against each other was designed to simulate the dross build-up in production line. The chemical composition of the dross material formed and change in sleeve microstructures …
Architecture-Level Risk Assessment Tool Based On Uml Specification, Tianjian Wang
Architecture-Level Risk Assessment Tool Based On Uml Specification, Tianjian Wang
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Most faults in software systems are likely to be found in only a few of components [1]. The early identification of these components allows the project management to focus on remedial actions, such as redesigning the critical components that are likely to cause field failures or optimally allocating resources on implementation and testing [2]. This thesis presents a prototype tool called Architecture-level Risk Assessment Tool (ARAT) to demonstrate the process of risk assessment. The final result of this process is to distinguish those potentially high risk components in the software system. ARAT is built on the risk assessment methodology [3]. …
Alkaline Durability Tests For E-Glass/Vinyl Ester-Reinforced Polymer With Nanoclay, Shu-Kai Yeh
Alkaline Durability Tests For E-Glass/Vinyl Ester-Reinforced Polymer With Nanoclay, Shu-Kai Yeh
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Two kinds of GFRP (glass fiber reinforced plastics) composite materials were prepared and used in this study. One was E-glass/vinyl ester glass fiber reinforced polymer (plain GFRP) and the other was nano-GFRP prepared with the addition of 1 wt% of CloisiteRTM 10A nanoclay. These samples were aged in an alkaline solution (pH = 13.2) with 3560N (800-lbs), 2225N (500-lbs) and 885N (200-lbs) of sustained load, which were 50%, 31% and 12.5% of the tensile strength, respectively. Time to failure or tensile strength reduction was measured and used to determine durability of the samples in terms of Aging Index, which was …
Distributed Dispatchers For Partially Clairvoyant Schedulers, Kiran S. Yellajyosula
Distributed Dispatchers For Partially Clairvoyant Schedulers, Kiran S. Yellajyosula
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
This work focuses on the empirical evaluation of distributed dispatching strategies on shared and distributed memory architectures for hard real-time systems. The dispatching model accommodates process parameter variability and analyzes the effect of variable execution times.;Hard real-time systems are modeled in the E-T-C scheduling framework and dispatched if a valid schedule exists. We examine the dispatchability of Partially Clairvoyant schedules of different sizes and varying deadlines under reasonable assumptions. The effect of scaling up the number of processors used by the dispatcher is also studied. The results validate the superiority of the distributed strategies over sequential dispatching and scalability of …
Hybrid Neural Networks Models For A Membrane Reactor, Mohammed Al-Yemni
Hybrid Neural Networks Models For A Membrane Reactor, Mohammed Al-Yemni
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Artificial neural networks (ANN) have become an established discipline and have gained extensive interest within chemical engineering. In recent years, research effort has focused on the use of "hybrid artificial neural networks" (HANN) models that combine both the deterministic and the ANN elements. Several methods have been proposed for combining ANN with first principle relations. In this thesis, a new hybrid scheme, which is similar to that developed by Kasprow for a space-independent and time-dependent fed-batch microbial reactor, was developed for a space-dependent steady-state enzymatic reactor. This scheme combines ANN with mass balances and assumed rate expressions. It was shown …
Evaluating Runoff Water Quality And Ammonia Volatilization In Three Turkey Litter Application Methods, Michael Dale Shamblin
Evaluating Runoff Water Quality And Ammonia Volatilization In Three Turkey Litter Application Methods, Michael Dale Shamblin
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Poultry litter is an important nutrient source in crop production. However, the traditional practice of broadcasting poultry litter on the soil surface could result in nutrient losses in runoff as well as substantial ammonia volatilization losses, which could adversely affect both the environment and agricultural productivity. This research compared nutrient runoff (natural and simulated) losses on 1 m x 2 m plots and ammonia volatilization from different turkey litter application methods (broadcast, surface-banded, incorporated band, and control) applied in triplicate. No significant differences were observed between any of the treatments in any of the runoff constituents measured. Over three runoff …
Development And Validation Of A Measure To Assess Physician Readiness To Prescribe Drug Therapies For Post-Myocardial Infarction Patients, Siddhesh Ajit Kamat
Development And Validation Of A Measure To Assess Physician Readiness To Prescribe Drug Therapies For Post-Myocardial Infarction Patients, Siddhesh Ajit Kamat
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
National guidelines recommend the use of beta-blockers, aspirin, and ACE-inhibitors in the management of post MI patients. These target drug classes continue to be under-prescribed; information on physicians' decision-making process requires attention and behavior change interventions have been proposed. This pilot study uses the Transtheoretical Model of Change; physicians' salience for the pros and cons of prescribing target drug classes constitutes the decisional balance measure, which can be used to predict their stage of readiness. A survey instrument was mailed to a sample of West Virginia physicians and 55 usable responses (34%) were received. Majority of the physicians self-reported in …
Teachers' Views Of The Impact Of The Good Start, Grow Smart Early Childhood Initiative On Head Start Programs In A Western Maryland Community, Fannie L. Boayue
Teachers' Views Of The Impact Of The Good Start, Grow Smart Early Childhood Initiative On Head Start Programs In A Western Maryland Community, Fannie L. Boayue
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
As the call for accountability increased, President George W. Bush signed into law the No Child Left Behind Act in January 2002 to reform the Elementary and Secondary Education Act that was reauthorized in 1994. The Good Start, Grow Smart Early Childhood Education Initiative, followed in April 2002. Both of these reform measures have significant implications for school success and achievement of all children in both childcare and public school settings as well as accountability for teachers and administrators.;The purpose of this study was to investigate and analyze the views of Head Start teachers on the impact of the Good …