Architecture Commons^™

Simulation For A Mems-Based Ctrnn Ultra-Low Power Implementation Of Human Activity Recognition, Muhammad Emad-Ud-Din, Mohammad H. Hasan, Roozbeh Jafari, Siavash Pourkamali, Fadi M. Alsaleem

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

This paper presents an energy-efficient classification framework that performs human activity recognition (HAR). Typically, HAR classification tasks require a computational platform that includes a processor and memory along with sensors and their interfaces, all of which consume significant power. The presented framework employs microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) based Continuous Time Recurrent Neural Network (CTRNN) to performHAR tasks very efficiently. In a real physical implementation, we show that the MEMS-CTRNN nodes can perform computing while consuming power on a nano-watts scale compared to the micro-watts state-of-the-art hardware. We also confirm that this huge power reduction doesn’t come at the expense of reduced …

Framework To Develop Time- And Voltage-Dependent Building Load Profiles Using Polynomial Load Models, Andrew Parker, Mhd Anas Alkrch, Kevin James, Ahmad Almaghrebi, Mahmoud Alahmad

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

The power consumption of buildings over the course of each minute, hour, day and season plays a major role in how this load influences the Electric Power System voltage and frequency, and vice versa. This consumption is based on the building's load component types, efficiencies, and how they consume power and react to changes in real time. Due to this complexity, standard full-building load models are typically voltage-invariant. This paper proposes a novel framework to transform these voltage-invariant building load models into fully time- and voltage-dependent load profiles using available data on the voltage sensitivity of individual load components. While …

A Case Study To Quantify Variability In Building Load Profiles, Andrew Parker, Sam Moayedi, Kevin James, Dongming Peng, Mahmoud Alahmad

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

Recent technology development and penetration of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), advanced building control systems, and the internet-of-things (IoT) in the built environment are providing detailed information on building operation, performance, and user's comfort and behavior. Building owners can obtain a wide range of energy consumption details at various levels of time granularity to augment their decisions as they manage the building operation and interact with the grid. AMI data are providing a new level of detail and visibility that may enhance building services and assets in the smart grid domain and make buildings inch closer to becoming a grid-interactive energy …

Evaluating Prediction Models Of Creep And Drying Shrinkage Of Self-Consolidating Concrete Containing Supplementary Cementitious Materials/Fillers, Micheal Asaad, George Morcous

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

Supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) and fillers play an important role in enhancing the mechanical properties and durability of concrete. SCMs and fillers are commonly used in self-consolidating concrete (SCC) mixtures to also enhance their rheological properties. However, these additives could have significant effects on the viscoelastic properties of concrete. Existing models for predicting creep and drying shrinkage of concrete do not consider the effect of SCM/filler on the predicted values. This study evaluates existing creep and drying shrinkage models, including AASHTO LRFD, ACI209, CEB-FIP MC90-99, B3, and GL2000, for SCC mixtures with different SCMs/fillers. Forty SCC mixtures were proportioned for …

Designing Gfrp-Reinforced Tilt-Up Wall Panels, Fray F. Pozo-Lora, Marc Maguire

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

Tilt-up construction was effectively enabled on a wide scale in 1979, when the ACI committee 551 report on Tilt-up construction was published, the Recommended Tilt-Up Wall Design, aka, the Yellow Book and the subsequent ACI-SEASC Task, aka the Green Book, and another Tilt-up design and construction manual developed by the ACI in 1988. The Tilt-up Concrete Association was created in 1986 by a group of industry professionals who had the need of an organization dedicated to the industry. ACI 551 maintains a document outlining the standard practice for contemporary Tilt-up design and construction. The ACI 551 document does not consider …

The Facility Infection Risk Estimator™: A Web Application Tool For Comparing Indoor Risk Mitigation Strategies By Estimating Airborne Transmission Risk, Marcel Harmon, Josephine Lau

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic created needs for (a) estimating the existing airborne risk of infection from SARS-CoV-2 in existing facilities and new designs and (b) estimating and comparing the impacts of engineering and behavioural strategies for contextually reducing that risk. This paper presents the development of a web application to meet these needs, the Facility Infection Risk Estimator™, and its underlying Wells–Riley based model. The model specifically estimates (a) the removal efficiencies of various settling, ventilation, filtration and virus inactivation strategies and (b) the associated probability of infection, given the room physical parameters and number of individuals infected present with either …

Performance Evaluation Of A Prestressed Belitic Calcium Sulfoaluminate Cement (Bcsa) Concrete Bridge Girder, Nick Markosian, Raed Tawadrous, Mohammad Mastali, Robert J. Thomas, Marc Maguire

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

Belitic calcium sulfoaluminate (BCSA) cement is a sustainable alternative to Portland cement that offers rapid setting characteristics that could accelerate throughput in precast concrete operations. BCSA cements have lower carbon footprint, embodied energy, and natural resource consumption than Portland cement. However, these benefits are not often utilized in structural members due to lack of specifications and perceived logistical challenges. This paper evaluates the performance of a full-scale precast, prestressed voided deck slab bridge girder made with BCSA cement concrete. The rapid-set properties of BCSA cement allowed the initial concrete compressive strength to reach the required 4300 psi release strength at …

Discrete Rigid Block Analysis To Assess Settlement Induced Damage In Unreinforced Masonry Façades, Ryan Ehresman, Nathan Taylor, Bora Pulatsu, Ece Erdogmus

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

In this study, a system of discontinuous rigid blocks is employed to simulate the possible damage mechanisms in unreinforced masonry (URM) façades and load-bearing frame systems subjected to settlement using the discrete element method (DEM). First, the employed modeling strategy is validated utilizing the available experimental results presented in the literature. Once there is a good agreement between the computational models and experimental findings, a sensitivity analysis is performed to quantify the influence of the input parameters defined in the DEM-based numerical model. Finally, the proposed modeling strategy is further utilized to assess the damage pattern that may develop in …

Modernization Of Scienttific Mathematics Formula In Technology, Iwasan D. Kejawa Ed.D, Prof. Iwasan D. Kejawa Ed.D

Department of Mathematics: Faculty Publications

Abstract
Is it true that we solve problem using techniques in form of formula? Mathematical formulas can be derived through thinking of a problem or situation. Research has shown that we can create formulas by applying theoretical, technical, and applied knowledge. The knowledge derives from brainstorming and actual experience can be represented by formulas. It is intended that this research article is geared by an audience of average knowledge level of solving mathematics and scientific intricacies. This work details an introductory level of simple, at times complex problems in a mathematical epidermis and computability and solvability in a Computer Science. …

A Comparison Between Ultrasonic Guidedwave Leakage And Half-Cell Potential Methods In Detection Of Corrosion In Reinforced Concrete Decks, Ahmad Shoaib Amiri, Ece Erdogmus, Dana Richter-Egger

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

This article presents the advantages and limitations of a recently developed Ultrasonic Guided Wave Leakage (UGWL) method in comparison to the well-known Half-Cell Potential (HCP) method in their ability to detect corrosion in reinforced concrete (RC) bridge decks. This research also establishes a correlation between UGWL data and chloride content in concrete RC slabs. Concrete slabs submerged in a 10% NaCl solution were monitored using both methods over a period of six months. The chloride content from the three cores (0.84, 0.55, and 0.18%) extracted from the slab after the 6-month long process all exceeded the chloride threshold values suggested …

The Integral Of Education Technology In The Society, Prof. Iwasan D. Kejawa Ed.D

School of Computing: Faculty Publications

Abstract

Are there ways people can better utilize technology to suit their needs in the society of ours? It has been inferred that without technology, our lives would be miserable. The societal factors of using technology are an important area of the technical education system in the world. Are we really learning and using technologies to our advantage? Does technology provide the necessary ingredients or proper ways for the education of all in the society? A look into what constitutes the means and how technology education can be improved and be implemented is explored and emphasized in this work. The …

Facilitating The Industrial Sector's Adoption Of Collaborative Project Delivery Methods, Xavier Wood-Aliberch

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Dissertations, Thesis, and Student Research

In an effort to improve outcomes in the civil and healthcare sectors, clients have adopted collaborative project delivery methods for the delivery of their capital projects. The success stories in these sectors have gathered the attention of clients in the industrial sector, where cost and schedule overruns have become the norm. The central objective of this thesis is to help clients make the transition to this new type of project delivery.

This thesis was written in a three-paper format, where each paper addresses a challenge with the adoption of collaborative delivery methods. The first paper investigates what type of industrial …

Exploiting Pull-In/Pull-Out Hysteresis In Electrostatic Mems Sensor Networks To Realize A Novel Sensing Continuous-Time Recurrent Neural Network, Mohammad H. Hasan, Amin Abbasalipour, Hamed Nikfarjam, Siavash Pourkamali, Muhammad Emad-Un-Din, Roozbeh Jafari, Fadi Alsaleem

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

The goal of this paper is to provide a novel computing approach that can be used to reduce the power consumption, size, and cost of wearable electronics. To achieve this goal, the use of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensors for simultaneous sensing and computing is introduced. Specifically, by enabling sensing and computing locally at the MEMS sensor node and utilizing the usually unwanted pull in/out hysteresis, we may eliminate the need for cloud computing and reduce the use of analog-to-digital converters, sampling circuits, and digital processors. As a proof of concept, we show that a simulation model of a network of …

Quasi-Static Nonlinear Seismic Assessment Of A Fourth Century A.D. Roman Aqueduct In Istanbul, Turkey, Semih Gonen, Ece Erdogmus, Engin Karaesmen, Erhan Karaesmen

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

The majority of architectural heritage consists of load-bearing masonry components made up of stone units and relatively weak mortar joints, yielding potential weak planes for masonry structures where tension and shear failures are expected to occur. Advanced nonlinear analyses are required to simulate these phenomena and predict the corresponding nonlinear structural behavior of historic masonry constructions. In this context, this paper presents a model of a stone masonry Roman aqueduct (the Valens Aqueduct), constructed in the fourth century A.D. in Istanbul, Turkey, to explore the seismic capacity and behavior using the discrete element method (DEM). The employed modeling approach comprises …

Feasibility Of Lora For Smart Home Indoor Localization, Kyungki Kim, Sining Li, Milad Heydariaan, Nour Smaoui, Omprakash Gnawali, Wonho Suh, Min Jae Suh, Jung In Kim

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

With the advancement of low-power and low-cost wireless technologies in the past few years, the Internet of Things (IoT) has been growing rapidly in numerous areas of Industry 4.0 and smart homes. With the development of many applications for the IoT, indoor localization, i.e., the capability to determine the physical location of people or devices, has become an important component of smart homes. Various wireless technologies have been used for indoor localization includingWiFi, ultra-wideband (UWB), Bluetooth low energy (BLE), radio-frequency identification (RFID), and LoRa. The ability of low-cost long range (LoRa) radios for low-power and long-range communication has made this …

A 3d Point Cloud Deep Learning Approach Using Lidar To Identify Ancient Maya Archaeological Sites, Heather Richards-Rissetto, David Newton, Aziza Al Zadjali

Department of Anthropology: Faculty Publications

Airborne light detection and ranging (LIDAR) systems allow archaeologists to capture 3D data of anthropogenic landscapes with a level of precision that permits the identification of archaeological sites in difficult to reach and inaccessible regions. These benefits have come with a deluge of LIDAR data that requires significant and costly manual labor to interpret and analyze. In order to address this challenge, researchers have explored the use of state-of-the-art automated object recognition algorithms from the field of deep learning with success. This previous research, however, has been limited to the exploration of deep learning processes that work with only 2D …

Enhancing Bim Implementation In The Ethiopian Public Construction Sector: An Empirical Study, Solomon Belay, James D. Goedert, Asregedew Woldesenbet, Saeed Rokooei3

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

Recently, the popularity of BIM has grown rapidly in the public construction sector. However, only a few studies so far have been seeking to address the BIM adoption benefits and barriers in developmental public projects across the low-income countries. Thus, the study aims to investigate the benefits and barriers of BIM adoption in the context of the Ethiopian infrastructure market. To achieve the objectives, a comprehensive systematic literature review was conducted to identify BIM adoption benefits and barriers in developing countries. Then, a structured questionnaire survey was conducted to collect data from various professionals working in organizations including client, consultant, …

Condition Rating Prediction Using An Interactive Deterioration Model Development Package, Minwoo Chang, Mitchell S. Maguire

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

This paper presents an advanced method to determine explanatory variables required for developing deterioration models without the interference of human bias. Although a stationary set of explanatory variables is ideal for long-term monitoring and asset management, the penalty regression results vary annually due to the innate bias in the inspection data. In this study, weighting factors were introduced to consider the inspection data collected for several years, and the most stationary set was identified. To manage the substantial amount of inspection data effectively, we proposed a software package referred to as the Deterioration Model Development Package (DMDP). The objective of …

Scenario Analysis Of Downtown One-Way Street Conversions In Lincoln, Nebraska: A Case Study For Downtown Livability And Pedestrian Safety, Terrence Lage

Community and Regional Planning Program: Theses and Student Projects

An era of downtown street design benefiting the automobile has become over designed for the movement of volumes of traffic in many North American cities. Since the 1950s, the primary focus of planners and traffic engineers has been to address the growing problem of traffic congestion caused by the suburban traveler coming into and out of downtown. The solution was retrofitting the original two-way street grid into a network of wide and straight multi-lane one-way corridors. This design successfully moved volumes of traffic through downtown streets but induced behavior to favor the automobile instead of design that favors active mobility …

Framework For Extracting And Characterizing Load Profile Variability Based On A Comparative Study Of Different Wavelet Functions, Andrew Parker, Kevin James, Dongming Peng, Mahmoud Alahmad

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

The penetration of distributed energy resources (DERs) on the electric power system is changing traditional power flow and analysis studies. DERs may cause the systems' protection and control equipment to operate outside their intended parameters, due to DERs' variability and dispatchability. As this penetration grows, hosting capacity studies as well as protection and control impact mitigation become critical components to advance this penetration. In order to conduct such studies accurately, the electric power system's distribution components should be modeled correctly, and will require realistic time series loads at varying temporal and spatial conditions. The load component consists of the built …

Leveraging Abet Accreditation To Promote Inclusion Of Noise Control Engineering Concepts In Engineering Programs, Lily M. Wang, Bryan Beamer

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. (ABET) accreditation is an internationally recognized system ensuring consistency and quality in engineering education programs. As a part of ABET accreditation, there is no set requirement for any general engineering program to include noise control engineering concepts in their curricula. However, one of the seven student outcomes that each ABET accredited engineering program must document is their students’ “ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare…” Controlling noise in the authors’ view is a fundamental strategy for protecting workers from occupational …

An Iot Framework For Modeling And Controlling Thermal Comfort In Buildings, Fadi Alsaleem, Mehari K. Tesfay, Mostafa Rafaie, Kevin Sinkar, Dhaman Besarla, Parthiban Arunasalam

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

Humans spend more than 90% of their day in buildings, where their health and productivity are demonstrably linked to thermal comfort. Building thermal comfort systems account for the largest share of U.S energy consumption. Despite this high-energy cost, due to building design complexity and the variety of building occupant needs, addressing thermal comfort in buildings remains a difficult problem. To overcome this challenge, this paper presents an Internet of Things (IoT) approach to efficiently model and control comfort in buildings. In the model phase, a method to access and exploit wearable device data to build a personal thermal comfort model …

Ten Questions Concerning Well-Being In The Built Environment, Sergio Altomonte, Joseph Allen, Philomena M. Bluyssen, Gail Brager, Lisa Heschong, Angela Loder, Stefano Schiavon, Jennifer A. Veitch, Lily M. Wang, Pawel Wargocki

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

Well-being in the built environment is a topic that features frequently in building standards and certification schemes, in scholarly articles and in the general press. However, despite this surge in attention, there are still many questions on how to effectively design, measure, and nurture well-being in the built environment. Bringing together experts from academia and the building industry, this paper aims to demonstrate that the promotion of well-being requires a departure from conventional agendas. The ten questions and answers have been arranged to offer a range of perspectives on the principles and strategies that can better sustain the consideration of …

Evaluation Of The Dynamic Behavior Of Steel Staircases With Concrete Filled Pan Treads, Tyler Sondag

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Dissertations, Thesis, and Student Research

Vibration serviceability of staircases has been a growing challenge for structural engineers due to changing materials and structural forms. In order to prevent or correct serviceability problems due to structural vibrations, structural engineers should be able to predict the dynamic performance of a staircase structure. However, there are few technical guides available for designing steel staircases, and the ones that do exist are often limited in their applications. Currently, there is a lack of research on staircases that are less prone to vibrations, such as staircases with concrete filled pans that are composed of face and wall stringers. Therefore, the …

The Impact Of Pev User Charging Behavior In Building Public Charging Infrastructure, Ahmad Almaghrebi

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Dissertations, Thesis, and Student Research

Plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) play a significant role in the development of green cities since they generate less pollution than conventional vehicles. To promote PEV adoption and mitigate range anxiety, charging infrastructure should be deployed at strategic locations that are readily accessible to the public. Nebraska is working on the expansion of charging infrastructure around the state; however, stakeholders face several difficulties in trying to minimize irregular charging behaviors. Most electric vehicle users plug in and leave their vehicles for an extended time at public parking lots designated for PEVs. Some users even leave their vehicles for longer than 24 …

An Experiential Online Training Approach For Underrepresented Engineering And Technology Students, Arefeh Mohammadi, Kevin Grosskopf, John Killingsworth

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

Workforce pipelines are essential to sustain a productive workforce in an increasingly competitive, high-tech environment. Advanced automation, sensors, materials and data analytics will increase the need for highly skilled workers in the manufacturing (and manufactured construction) sector. Attracting and developing the next-generation workforce is not without its challenges; however, students are often deficient in technical skills and generally have negative perceptions about manufacturing and construction. As a result, new education and training models have been developed to provide instruction at all levels of the educational system, with a focus on both traditional students and non-traditional students, including ethnic minorities, women, …

Investigating Multidimensional Characteristics Of Noise Signals With Tones From Building Mechanical Systems And Their Effects On Annoyance, Joonhee Lee, Lily M. Wang

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

This paper investigates multidimensional characteristics of tonal noise from heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems, besides loudness and tonality, to improve prediction of annoyance. Two studies were conducted: multidimensional scaling (MDS) analysis to determine what other perceptual signal characteristics are important and perceptual weight analysis (PWA) to understand the impact of multiple tones in a signal. In the MDS study, paired comparison tasks were conducted to gather similarity and annoyance data. Results show that the latent perceptual dimensions are related to the signal’s tonality, loudness, sharpness, and roughness. Including metrics for these perceptions, except roughness, improves the performance of earlier annoyance …

A Novel Structural Health Monitoring Method For Reinforced Concrete Bridge Decks Using Ultrasonic Guided Waves, Ece Erdogmus, Eric Garcia, Ahmad Shoaib Amiri, Michael Schuller

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

This article presents the latest improvements in a recently developed nondestructive testing (NDT) approach for early detection of various flaws (corrosion, delamination, and concrete cracking) in reinforced concrete (RC) bridge decks. The proposed method involves the use of internal steel reinforcement as a wave guide for transmitting ultrasonic waves through the system and the measurement of leaked energy from the surface of the concrete. This paper builds upon the progress made in the previously published phases of the project and aims to further explore the capabilities and practicality of the proposed NDT method. Specifically, the limits of propagation distance, effect …

Mechanical Connection For Concrete Structures, George Morcous, Raed Tawadrous

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

A system and method for connecting precast concrete structures includes anchoring a sleeve within a pocket formed in one of the concrete structures , and placing the concrete structures in contact with one another such that the pocket is diposed around a protruding end of a shear connector embedded in the other concrete structure . A bridge is inserted around the protruding end of the shear connector and a fastener is installed onto the protruding end of the shear connector to engage the bridge and urge the bridge in abutting relation with a lip of the sleeve . The pocket …

Long-Term Changes Of Open-Surface Water Bodies In The Yangtze River Basin Based On The Google Earth Engine Cloud Platform, Yue Deng, Wei-Guo Jiang, Zhenghong Tang, Ziyan Ling, Zhifeng Wu

Community and Regional Planning Program: Faculty Scholarly and Creative Activity

The spatiotemporal changes of open-surface water bodies in the Yangtze River Basin (YRB) have profound influences on sustainable economic development, and are also closely relevant to water scarcity in China. However, long-term changes of open-surface water bodies in the YRB have remained poorly characterized. Taking advantage of the Google Earth Engine (GEE) cloud platform, this study processed 75,593 scenes of Landsat images to investigate the long-term changes of open-surface water bodies in the YRB from 1984 to 2018. In this study, we adopted the percentile-based image composite method to collect training samples and proposed a multiple index water detection rule …