Engineering Commons^™

Investigating The Effects Of Network Dynamics On Quality Of Delivery Prediction And Monitoring For Video Delivery Networks, Obinna C. Izima

Doctoral

Video streaming over the Internet requires an optimized delivery system given the advances in network architecture, for example, Software Defined Networks. Machine Learning (ML) models have been deployed in an attempt to predict the quality of the video streams. Some of these efforts have considered the prediction of Quality of Delivery (QoD) metrics of the video stream in an effort to measure the quality of the video stream from the network perspective. In most cases, these models have either treated the ML algorithms as black-boxes or failed to capture the network dynamics of the associated video streams.

This PhD investigates …

An Investigation Of The Effect Of Cyclic Loading Of Bone On Osteocyte Processes Spanning Micro-Cracks As A Driver Of Targeted Remodelling Of Bone, Morgana Pires Afonso Shirsath

Doctoral

Bone remodelling is essential to maintain and improve the quality of bones. This occurs with the action of specialised cells - osteoclasts and osteoblasts - which replace the old bone tissue with new in regions where damage has occurred. Osteocytes are responsible for signalling the presence of damage and trigger the bone remodelling response. According to the Scissors Model, the presence of micro-cracks causes rupture of the osteocyte processes by fatigue because of the repeated stretching resulting from the relative movement of micro-crack faces, when bone is subjected to cyclic loads.

Development Of Holographic Recording Material For Fabrication Of Solar Concentrators For Micro Satellites, Brian Rogers

Doctoral

Holographic solar concentration has been a topic of increasing interest over recent years because of the lightweight and physically compact nature of holograms, which gives them an advantage over other, conventional concentration methods. As holographic recording materials develop further, their characteristics prove to meet the demands required of them to make more effective holographic solar concentrators. The development of photovoltaics in tandem with holographic materials has led to a host of solar concentrating device designs that take advantage of the unique properties of diffractive optics. Compared to refractive optics, holographic devices are more lightweight and compact. This makes holographic devices …

Towards The Development Of A Balanced Legislative Framework For Consumer Data Protection In Electronic Commerce: The Case Of The Sultanate Of Oman, Talib Al Kharusi

Doctoral

This research aims to investigate whether the law as it currently stands in Oman provides adequate legal protection for personal data, to determine the current obstacles facing the electronic commerce sector, and to identify ways of overcoming such challenges. The empirical focus of this study will be electronic commerce transactions between companies and consumers. In this regard, the research will explore the perceptions of the main stakeholders towards privacy regulation and what implications these have for the growth of electronic commerce in Oman. The privacy that this research aims to explore is a complex issue since it concerns human feelings …

Investigation Of Domestic Level Ev Chargers In The Distribution Network: An Assessment And Mitigation Solution, Arsalan Hussain Zaidi

Doctoral

This research focuses on the electrification of the transport sector. Such electrification could potentially pose challenges to the distribution system operator (DSO) in terms of reliability, power quality and cost-effective implementation. This thesis contributes to both, an Electrical Vehicle (EV) load demand profiling and advanced use of reactive power compensation (D-STATCOM) to facilitate flexible and secure network operation. The main aim of this research is to investigate the planning and operation of low voltage distribution networks (LVDN) with increasing electrical vehicles (EVs) proliferation and the effects of higher demand charging systems. This work is based on two different independent strands …

Ammonia Cycling And Emerging Particulate Matter Pollutants Under Arable Land-Use Management: A Modelling Approach, Vivien Pohl

Doctoral

Air quality monitoring in Ireland is under the jurisdiction of the Environmental Protection Agency in compliance with the Gothenburg Protocol, EU/national legislation, and the National Clean Air Strategy. Particulate Matter (PM) has been acknowledged as a key atmospheric pollutant, with serious public health impacts and no safe threshold of exposure in place to-date. Ammonia (NH3) emissions are linked to the secondary production of PM through atmospheric reactions occurring with acidic atmospheric components such as sulfuric acid, nitric acid, and hydrochloric acid. These reactions result in the formation of ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate and ammonium chloride, among others. More than 95% …

A Socio-Ecological, Multi-Stakeholder Investigation Of Apprenticeship Training Engagement In The Irish Construction Industry, Eoghan Ó Murchadha

Doctoral

The construction industry in Ireland is crucial to the national economy, not just in terms of economic output, but as a major provider of employment. The construction labour market is a complex concatenation of professions relying upon adequate skills supply. Apprenticeships play a critical role in future skills provision and are thus vital to the successful implementation of strategic government targets such as the National Development Plan 2021-2030. However, the extant employer-led model of skills engagement is prone to labour market failure given the cyclical elasticity of the industry. Nonetheless, there is a paucity of research into apprenticeship engagement …

Long-Term Durability Of Rooftop Grid-Connected Solar Photovoltaic Systems, Chibuisi Chinasaokwu Okorieimoh

Doctoral

Compared to their initial performance, solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays show long-term performance degradation, resulting in lower like-for-like efficiencies and performance ratios. The long-term durability of polycrystalline silicon (p-Si) solar PV modules in three roof-top grid-connected arrays has been examined. Electrical output, ambient temperature, cell temperature, solar irradiance, solar irradiation, and wind speed data were collected at hourly intervals from 2017 to 2021 from three 50 kWp PV installations in Northern Ireland. The results show the extent to which higher PV temperatures associated with more intense solar radiation decrease efficiency, fill factor and maximum power output for PV arrays in a …

Characterization Of Biochar As A Carbon Regulator In Manure And Environmental Management Applications, Josephine Getz

Doctoral

Biochar is a product of pyrolysis, which is the thermal decomposition of materials at elevated temperatures (300 - 900 °C) in an oxygen-limited atmosphere. Biochar has been recognized as a potentially vital tool to help reduce the climate change impact. It has been used in the agricultural sector as an addition to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in several animal husbandry settings. The application in the animal sector is an important point to reduce the overall amount of greenhouse gases released as this sector produces many greenhouse gases. Though not in every case a reduction of emissions was the result of …

Time-Resolved Method For Spectral Analysis Based On Linear Predictive Coding, With Application To Eeg Analysis, Jin Xu

Doctoral

EEG (Electroencephalogram) signal is a biological signal in BCI (Brain-Computer Interface) systems to realise the information exchange between the brain and the external environment. It is characterised by a poor signal-to-noise ratio, is time-varying, is intermittent and contains multiple frequency components. This research work has developed a new parameterised time-frequency method called the Linear Predictive Coding Pole Processing (LPCPP) method which can be used for identifying and tracking the dominant frequency components of an EEG signal. The LPCPP method further processes LPC (Linear Predictive Coding) poles to produce a series of reduced-order filter transfer functions to estimate the dominant frequencies. …

A Novel Drive Cycle Simulation Model For Gasoline Engines To Investigate Bandwidth Coverage Of Emission Performance And Fuel Consumption With Engine Control Parameters, Martin Giencke

Doctoral

The presented work is offering an investigation how the bandwidth of vehicle specific attributes is impacting engine control parameter requirements for warmup control of the catalytic converter, aiming to ease the development process by providing mathematical means for an automatic generation of control settings. For the specific purpose, a novel drive cycle simulation approach is developed, focusing on emission performance and fuel consumption of a gasoline engine. Steady state and quasi steady state measurements are collected to quantify the impact of modifications to control parameters on emission concentration, exhaust gas temperature and engine torque, especially directly after a cold start. …

A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Into The Impact Of Bim On The Social Dynamics Of The Aec Professional In The Workplace., Malachy Mathews Dr.

Doctoral

A review of the literature published surrounding new digital design and construction technologies and associated processes described within the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) community as Building Information Modelling (BIM) or Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) reveals a gap in the theoretical understanding of the impact these technologies are having on professionals who work in this industry. The central aim of this research is to discover if there has been a shift in social dynamics as a result of the adoption of BIM in the workplace and, if there has been, to discuss the meaning of this for the industry …

A Phenomenographic Study Of Academics Teaching In Engineering Programmes In Ireland: Conceptions Of Professional Skills And Approaches To Teaching Professional Skills, Una Beagon

Doctoral

Engineers play a central role in addressing the challenges which face society. However, the influence of globalisation, disruptive technological change and socially complex problems will greatly affect the way engineers work in the future.

As a result, there have been calls to embrace transformational change in engineering education, yet the literature reveals that many reform efforts have fallen short. Industry and society will therefore continue to look to Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to better prepare engineering graduates with the new skills needed to face the challenges of the future. Notwithstanding the critical and valued role that technical engineering subjects have …

A New Mmc Topology Which Decreases The Sub Module Voltage Fluctuations At Lower Switching Frequencies And Improves Converter Efficiency, Shahab Sajedi

Doctoral

Modular Multi-level inverters (MMCs) are becoming more common because of their suitability for applications in smart grids and multi-terminal HVDC transmission networks. The comparative study between the two classic topologies of MMC (AC side cascaded and DC side cascaded topologies) indicates some disadvantages which can affect their performance. The sub module voltage ripple and switching losses are one of the main issues and the reason for the appearance of the circulating current is sub module capacitor voltage ripple. Hence, the sub module capacitor needs to be large enough to constrain the voltage ripple when operating at lower switching frequencies. However, …

Biomechanics Of Head Impacts In An Unhelmeted Sport, Stephen Tiernan

Doctoral

Concussion in sport is very common and often the injury is undetectable using CT and MRI scans. In addition, approximately 50% of concussions areunreported.The project initially investigated the suitability of a skin patch sensor and a head-band sensorfor the measurement of head impacts in unhelmeted sports. It was found that both were unsuitable due to large angular accelerationerrors. Thestudy then collaborated withCAMLab at Stanford University and 25 Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) athletes were fitted CAMLab’s validated instrumented mouthguard. 451 video confirmed impacts were recorded at 19 sparring and 11 competitive MMA events. Five concussions were diagnosed during the competitive events. …

A Two-Level Information Modelling Translation Methodology And Framework To Achieve Semantic Interoperability In Constrained Geoobservational Sensor Systems, Paul Stacey

Doctoral

As geographical observational data capture, storage and sharing technologies such as in situ remote monitoring systems and spatial data infrastructures evolve, the vision of a Digital Earth, first articulated by Al Gore in 1998 is getting ever closer. However, there are still many challenges and open research questions. For example, data quality, provenance and heterogeneity remain an issue due to the complexity of geo-spatial data and information representation.

Observational data are often inadequately semantically enriched by geo-observational information systems or spatial data infrastructures and so they often do not fully capture the true meaning of the associated datasets. Furthermore, data …

Development Of A Situational Judgement Test And An Assessment Of Its Efficacy As A Stimulus Of Metacognitive Behaviour In Engineering Students, Darren Carthy

Doctoral

Metacognition entails the conscious evaluation and control of one's cognitive processes. This meta-level control of cognitive process is not essential for all activities, but in the domain of problem solving and the development of new expertise, conscious control of mental functioning is essential to success. Previous studies have shown a relationship between metacognitive knowledge & skills and student self-regulated learning, self-efficacy and more generally, with success in academic and non-academic endeavours; they represent critical skills for an aspiring engineer to possess for their future employability. Metacognition can be stimulated by allowing students to engage and reflect on the problem-solving process. …

Inter-Microgrid Operation: Power Sharing, Frequency Restoration, Seamless Reconnection And Stability Analysis, Sandipan Patra

Doctoral

Electrification in the rural areas sometimes become very challenging due to area accessibility and economic concern. Standalone Microgrids (MGs) play a very crucial role in these kinds of a rural area where a large power grid is not available. The intermittent nature of distributed energy sources and the load uncertainties can create a power mismatch and can lead to frequency and voltage drop in rural isolated community MG. In order to avoid this, various intelligent load shedding techniques, installation of micro storage systems and coupling of neighbouring MGs can be adopted. Among these, the coupling of neighbouring MGs is the …

An Empirical Analysis To Control Product Counterfeiting In The Automotive Industry's Supply Chains In Pakistan, Saad Akhter Jaffery

Doctoral

The counterfeits pose significant health and safety threat to consumers. The quality image of firms is vulnerable to the damage caused by the expanding flow of counterfeit products in today’s global supply chains. The counterfeiting markets are swelling due to globalization and customers’ willingness to buy counterfeits, fueling illicit activities to explode further. Buyers look for the original parts are deceived by the false (deceptive) signals’ communication. The counterfeiting market has become a multi-billion industry but lacks detailed insights into the supply side of counterfeiting (deceptive side). The study aims to investigate and assess the relationship between the anti-counterfeiting strategies …

Development Of A Framework For Managing The Industry 4.0 Equipment Procurement Process For The Irish Life Sciences Sector, Shane Loughlin

Doctoral

Industry 4.0 (I4.0) brings unprecedented opportunities for Manufacturing Corporations poised to implement Digital Business models; DigitALIZAtion. Industry Standards have been developed for the core technologies of the I4.0 Digital Supply Chains. Manufacturing equipment must now be procured to integrate seamlessly at any point in these novel supply chains. The aim of this study is to determine if an I4.0 Equipment Procurement Process (I4.0-EPP) can be developed which reduces the risk of equipment integration issues. It asks; Can the form of the equipment be specified, so that it correctly fits into the I4.0 Digital Supply Chain, to facilitate the desired I4.0 …

Optical Fiber Sensors For In-Situ Detection Of Solid-Liquid Phase Change For N-Octadecane, Wei Han

Doctoral

In the past few decades solid-liquid phase change materials (PCMs) have gained an increasingly important role in thermal energy storage applications due to their ability to absorb or release large amounts of energy during melting or solidification. The precise phase change temperature varies with different conditions, such as external pressure, small variations in the PCM composition in the case of multi-component mixtures and/or material purity. In order to achieve better energy efficiency for the energy storage process, it is necessary to be able to accurately detect the solid-liquid phase changes in the bulk of a PCM.

Optical fiber sensors allow …

Geospatial-Based Environmental Modelling For Coastal Dune Zone Management, Chen Suo

Doctoral

Tomaintain biodiversity and ecological functionof coastal dune areas, itis important that practical and effective environmentalmanagemental strategies are developed. Advances in geospatial technologies offer a potentially very useful source of data for studies in this environment. This research project aimto developgeospatialdata-basedenvironmentalmodellingforcoastaldunecomplexestocontributetoeffectiveconservationstrategieswithparticularreferencetotheBuckroneydunecomplexinCo.Wicklow,Ireland.Theprojectconducteda general comparison ofdifferent geospatial data collection methodsfor topographic modelling of the Buckroney dune complex. These data collection methodsincludedsmall-scale survey data from aerial photogrammetry, optical satellite imagery, radar and LiDAR data, and ground-based, large-scale survey data from Total Station(TS), Real Time Kinematic (RTK) Global Positioning System(GPS), terrestrial laser scanners (TLS) and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).The results identifiedthe advantages and disadvantages of …

Mode Analysis And Applications Of Three-Layer Step-Index And Depressed-Core Optical Fibers, Xiaokang Lian

Doctoral

Optical fibersplay important roles in telecommunication, imaging, sensing, lasers and amplifiers. The rapid development of fiberopticsover the past decades has beenunderpinnedbyvarious designs of the optical fibers and bythe rapid improvement of the understanding of the waveguiding mechanismsand associated models. According to the cross-section refractive index distribution, optical fibers can be generally classified into four basic types: two-layer step-index fiber, three-layer step-index fiber, three-layer depressed-core fiber and hollow-core fiber.Among these four basic fibertypes,the modeproperties and the applications of the three-layer step-index and depressed-core fibers have notbeensufficiently investigated. This thesis presents a detailedmode analysis in three-layer step-index and depressed-core fibers and their …

Social Enterprise And Sustainability: Key Factors That Lead To The Successful Establishment Of Sustainable Development Initiatives In Ireland, Gerard Doyle

Doctoral

International research points to the positive impact that social enterprises with an environmental focus (also referred to as sustainable development initiatives) perform in the transition to low carbon societies. This thesis examines the capacities required for the establishment and maintenance of sustainable development initiatives in Ireland. The thesis is based on five pieces of research which are either published in international peer-reviewed publications or of a publishable standard. One of the published pieces provides an explanatory framework addressing the reasons why the social enterprise sector in Ireland is less developed than in a number of European countries, details a number …

The Entanglement Of Influential Technology Channels In Practice And Design, Ciarán O'Leary

Doctoral

Design for academic practice is an important phenomenon in Higher Education. This is the practice through which informal, non-professional designers operating in a variety of roles in academic institutions carry out the design of systems, resources, activities and processes that are intended to enhance academic practice. Despite its importance, the area has not received sufficient attention in studies of academic practice, quality enhancement and digital transformation. This thesis argues that the absence of insight into how designers for academic practice engage with digital technology in their design practice contributes to the mismatch between the ambitions for digital transformation in higher …

Detection Of Software Vulnerability Communication In Expert Social Media Channels: A Data-Driven Approach, Andrei Lima Queiroz

Doctoral

Conceptually, a vulnerability is: "A flaw or weakness in a system’s design, implementation,or operation and management that could be exploited to violate the system’s security policy".Some of these flaws can go undetected and exploited for long periods of time after soft-ware release. Although some software providers are making efforts to avoid this situ-ation, inevitability, users are still exposed to vulnerabilities that allow criminal hackersto take advantage. These vulnerabilities are constantly discussed in specialised forumson social media. Therefore, from a cyber security standpoint, the information found inthese places can be used for countermeasures actions against malicious exploitation ofsoftware. However, manual inspection …

Measurement And Simulation Of Head Impacts In Mixed Martial Arts, Aidan Meagher

Doctoral

No abstract provided.

Red Blood Cell Dynamics On Non-Uniform Grids Using A Lattice Boltzmann Flux Solver And A Spring-Particle Red Blood Cell Model, Brendan Walsh

Doctoral

The Computational Haemodynamics Research Group (CHRG) in Technological University Dublin is developing a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software package aimed specifically at physiologically-realistic modelling of blood flow. A physiologically-realistic model of blood flow involves calculating the deformation of individual red blood cells (RBCs) and the contribution of this deformation to the overall blood flow. The CHRG has developed an enhanced spring-particle RBC structural model that is capable of modelling the full stomatocyte-discocyteechinocyte (SDE) transformation. This RBC model, incorporated into a fluid dynamics solver, will provide a physiologically-realistic blood flow model. In this work the overall plasma flow is modelled using …

Towards A Sociotechnical Reconfiguration Of Engineering And An Education For Ethics : A Critical Realist Investigation Into The Patterns Of Education And Accreditation Of Ethics In Engineering Programmes In Ireland, Diana Adela Martin

Doctoral

The focus of this thesis is on the provision and evaluation of ethics in engineeringprogrammes in Ireland, by placing this examinationin the wider cultural context of engineering education.The study benefitted from the support of the national accrediting body Engineers Ireland, and included 23 engineering programmes from 2 institutes of technology and 4 universities in Ireland which underwent accreditation between 2017-2019.By using a Critical Realistframe, the study undertakes a multi-layeredinvestigation of the engineering education system that takes into consideration theindividual level of single agents such as instructors and evaluators, the institutional level comprised of engineering programmes, as well as the policy …

A Method For Uncertainty Managementin Life Cycle Assessment Studies –A Tiered-Hybrid Case Study Of An Irish Construction Project, Deidre Wolff

Doctoral

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) quantifies the potential environmental impact of a product system throughout its life cycle from raw material extraction, production, manufacture, use and maintenance through to final disposal. The results from LCA studies are often used to support decision-making processes andpolicy development. LCA is conducted in four iterative steps, beingGoal and Scope definition, Life Cycle InventoryAnalysis (LCI), Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA), andInterpretation. The guidelines for each step are provided in the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards, ISO 14040:2006 and 14044:2006. Uncertainty arises in all steps of an LCA,yet the propagation and reporting of these uncertainties is …