Engineering Commons^™

Durability Performance Of Polyurea Confined Concrete Cylinders, Matthew Beyer

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

No abstract provided.

Concepts For The Nanosat- 5 Satellite Design Competition, Sunil C. Aggarwal

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

This paper presents feasible small space satellite missions which are of interest to the U.S. Air Force and can be used to get selected and win the NANOSAT-5 satellite design competition. Some thought on which of these missions can be used by the University of Missouri-Rolla to successfully take part in the competition hate also been presented.

Telangiectasia Detection In Dermoscopy Images, David Erdos

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

Melanoma lesions that exhibit irregular linear vessels can be misdiagnosed due to the fact that their clinical appearance can often closely resemble other skin conditions. Detection these irregular linear blood vessels, or telangiectasia could improve the accuracy of melanoma diagnosis. An algorithm that detects telangiectasia has been developed; it initially searches for color drops in an image in various directions and then uses various post processing techniques to improve the accuracy. The feasibility of using classifiers such as neural networks to further improve the accuracy has also been investigated.

Computational Study Of Laminar Separation Bubble Development Over Supersonic Airfoils At Subsonic Speeds, Josiah D. Elliott

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

Laminar Separation Bubbles (LSBs) are regions of separated flow that start near the leading edge of an airfoil and reattach further down the airfoil surface. These regions of separation can appear at low angles of attack and can grow significantly as the angle of attack is increased heavily influencing the flow characteristics over the airfoil. Research on this topic is driven by the supersonic business jet industry which has a particular interest in this type of research due to performance requirements in both the subsonic and supersonic flight regimes. This manuscript is focused on the flow developments near the sharp …

Parallel Machin E Tool Development, Adam Bunton

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

The work done during this OURE centered on the parallel machining center that is under development by a research group led by Dr. R. Landers. The specific tasks associated with this research involved the design of several parts, documentation of the processes for assembly and operation, procurement of some materials and stock parts, and involvement with experiments with the machine tool. These various aspects are outlined in the following report, with emphasis on the design of components.

Mechanical Characterization Of Spherical Hydrogels: Contact Diameter Measurement, Joshua Bunch

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

In an effort to develop new ophthalmic treatments revolving around the ocular lens, the mechanical characteristics of natural ocular lenses and synthetic models must be determined and compared. One mechanical characteristic that is necessary when making comparisons is the variation of contact circle diameter or contact area with varying strains. A method was used in this experiment to measure the varying contact circle diameter of spherical hydrogels at strains up to 15%. This method could be used to estimate the varying contact diameter of other similar materials such as natural ocular lenses if the precision of the method is improved. …

Nanoparticles For Enhanced Delivery Of Chemotherapeutics, Emily J. Bahram-Ahi

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

Delivery of the anticancer drug paclitaxel (commercially known as Taxol®) is difficult due to its limited solubility in aqueous media. This study proposes a novel bubble bursting technique to generate nanoparticles of the chemotherapeutic in an effort to decrease potential side effects and improve the bioavailability of hydrophobic drugs. The bubble bursting apparatus will be used to produce nanoparticles of a biodegradable polymer, poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), as carriers for paclitaxel. The dissolved paclitaxel in this biodegradable polymer matrix will be released at a controlled rate for a more efficient delivery of the drug throughout the body.

Growth Of Mc3t3-El Pre-Osteoblasts On Borate Containing Glasses & Growth Of Osteoblastic Cells On 13-93 Glass Scaffolds, Agatha Dwilewicz

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

Three borate-based glasses, compositions designated 1B, 2B, and 3B, with B₂0₃ levels of 15, 31, and 46 mole percent (Table 1), respectively, were tested for their effects on the growth of MC3T3-El mouse pre-osteoblastic cells under physiological fluid conditions. Silicate type 45S5 glass was used as a control for comparison. Independently, the biocompatibility of recently developed silicate-based porous 13-93 bioactive glass scaffolds was tested; Saos-2 human osteosarcoma cell line was used. Tests performed for the two studies included: contact assays of cell growth at the glass interface, chemical analysis of borate released into the culture medium, quantitative …

Mechanical Fastener Pull-Out In Recycled Plastic Lumber, Ryan Dusheke

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

The purpose of this paper is to present test results for the examination of mechanical fastener pull-out in plastic lumber. The testing was performed on both 1 Od galvanized steel nails, nominally 3" long and 0.148" in diameter, and No. 10 flathead low-carbon steel screws, nominally I" long. l "x6" Trimax plastic lumber, produced by US Plastic Lumber, was used for all testing. Tests were performed in each of the three sides of the boards. To evaluate the performance of the materials in varying conditions, testing was performed at -20°f, room temperature, and 125°f.

Analysis Of Vertical Takeoff And Landing (Vtol) Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Ua V) With Emphasis On Tilt Duct And Tilt Rotor Systems, Devin Boyle

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

No abstract provided.

The Use Of Thermoelectric Peltiers To Recapture Waste Heat, Navarre Bartz

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

Peltier devices are a method of converting differences in temperature into electrical energy. Using data from a supplier of these devices, calculations were made to determine the efficiency of these devices in conjunction with a residential solar hybrid electric system. The initial calculations show efficiencies less than 2% with the temperature differences experienced during the springtime. While this efficiency doesn't sound stellar, taking into account the current efficiency of residential solar cells, this would be an appreciable addition to the power output of a residential solar system.

Development Of Single Chamber Solid Oxide Fuel Cells With Porous Samaria Doped Ceria Electrolytes, Nathaniel Goss

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

Single chamber solid oxide fuel cells generate electricity using hydrogen and hydrocarbon fuel mixed with oxygen at intermediate temperatures (400-800°C) without using seals to separate the gases. A single-chamber solid oxide fuel cell was fabricated with a porous samaria doped ceria (SOC) electrolyte, nickel oxide anode, and a lanthanum strontium cobalt iron oxide (LSCF) cathode. Instead of separately sintering the different components at different temperatures, the electrolyte and electrodes were co-sintered at 1100°C. The porous SOC electrolyte approached 84% theoretical density when sintered at 1100° C. The fuel cell had a maximum open circuit voltage of .65 V at 550°C. …

Identifying Trends In Underground Coal Mine Incidents Caused By Roof Falls, Cary Cooper

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

Current technology and safety practices generally provide today's underground coal miner with a safe workplace in an unpredictable environment. However, incidents still occur and until the number of incidents resulting in injury or loss of life reaches zero, there will always be room for improving methods and technology used by the modern coal miner. This study analyzes underground coal mine incidents caused by roof falls. Information provided by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) was analyzed for trends in factors that contribute to roof fall fatalities in underground coal mines. Identification of major contributing factors will allow for a …

Emc Investigations In Switch Mode Power Supply, Ashwin Shashindranath

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

An experimental investigation on the radiated emissions caused by a high current switched mode power supply (SMPS) that supplies a CPU was performed. The emissions testing revealed data that could be used to predict causes of electromagnetic radiation from inside the computer. The noise sources identified included clocks on the motherboard, which was excluded for the purposes of this study. Testing concentrated on the SMPS and some theoretical ideas are proposed for better construction of the power supply.

Geological Research Regarding A Well In Mutare, Zimbabwe, Laura Ruf

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

The purpose of this project was to collect information regarding the geology and hydrogeology of the area surrounding Mutare, as well as any other information that would be needed for determining a water supply for a well that will be built there. Unfortunately, much of this information could not be found. The two water sources that seem to be the most easily provided are building a well on spot or extending pipes to the Pungwe project. Determining which is the better choice would require a geologist or geological engineer to survey the site planned for the orphanage.

The Properties Of Bridgestone Ecopia Solar Car Tires (For The Umr Solar Car Team), Tessa C. Russell

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

Much of the energy used by a solar car can be attributed to overcoming rolling resistance, and rolling resistance comes predominantly from the tires. The main goal of this project was to better understand the properties of the Bridgestone Ecopia tires used by the UMR Solar Car Team. Experiments were conducted to obtain this objective, measuring the vertical stiffness, lateral stiffness, and contact patch shape and area. As expected, with decreasing pressure and increasing load, the vertical and lateral deflections increased as well as the tire contact patch area. The stiffness parameters of the tire measured experimentally were used in …

Tether Reel Mechanism For The Mr Sat Project, Abbie Stewart

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

The Missouri-Rolla Satellite (MR SAT) system is being designed and constructed by students at the University of Missouri - Rolla in order to give Aerospace Engineering students along with other major's practical experience in spaceflight concepts. The satellite system will consist of two tethered satellites that will eventually be completely disconnected and use a propulsion method to enter the chase phase of our mission. New design concepts are being used on this satellite including the possible use of a honeycomb-aluminum friction stir-welded structure and micro-pulse plasma thrusters for maneuvering. The research done this summer focused on the tether reel mechanism …

Secondary Reinforcement For Fiber Reinforced Polymers Reinforced Concrete Panels, Reid Stephens Jr.

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

No abstract provided.

Adhesion Of An Axisymmetric Film Onto A Rigid Substrate: Application To A Mem-Rf-Switch, Ming-Fung Wong

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

A solid mechanics model is constructed to discuss the mechanical aspect of a MEM-RF-switch. A thin circular membrane clamped at the perimeter is adhered to a rigid cylindrical flat punch. A tensile load applied to the punch causes an interfacial de lamination. Once the contact circle shrinks to 0.1758 - 0.3651 of the punch dimension depending on the magnitude of the tensile residual stress on the film, a spontaneous delamination, or "pull-off', occurs and the film snaps from the substrate at a critical load and punch displacement. The theoretical model has significant implications in MEMS that involves active moveable films.

Automation Of Process Data Management, Stephen C. Chadwick

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

The project goal is to create an automated system for managing data that describes a chemical process. The data is both graphical, such as piping and instrumentation diagrams, and numerical, such as pipe schedule and diameter. AutoLisp and C++ programs were developed and tested to simplify the creation of the automated system.

The Reduction Of Dielectric Constant By Shaped Porosity, Weiping Cai

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

In multi-layer circuits, the reduction of the dielectric constant in substrate materials is becoming increasingly important, as the heat emission of the circuits increases with an increasing number of layers. One way to achieve a lower dielectric constant is to create porosity in the material. In this project, two types of substrate samples were made with coin-shaped porosity. One had holes of 8.0mm in diameter, and the other had holes of 2.5mm in diameter. The total vacuum area was 250mm², or 7.7% of the total area, in either case. It was hoped to discover a relationship between aspect …

The Affects Of Butyl Acetate And Acetone On Plexiglass, Tracy E. Downs

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

The actions that solvents take on polymers was the focus of the summer 1993 research. There were two goals: one was to measure the distances between the cracks that formed in the plexiglass and two was to determine the time of arrival of the cracks. Two solvents, butyl acetate and acetone were used to generate data on polymethyl methacrylate (PMNA/Plexiglass).

The measurement of the time of arrival of a crack was another goal. This quantity is related to the growth of the fractures. This was difficult since only a localized portion of the plexiglass sample could be viewed.

Solvent Recovery For An Extraction Process, Denise C. Ratcliff

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

The solvent recovery project involves the recovery of a valuable solute, acetic acid, from a spend solvent stream generated in a laboratory extraction experiment. The majority of this project’s efforts center on the simulation of a ten-stage distillation column that will recover the acid. These simulation results will then be used to specify the ancillary process equipment needed for this distillation process.

The Development Of Equipment Specification Form From The Pdxi Data Models, Justin M. Juengel

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

The project has culminated in the development of a simplistic working model, based upon the existing data model created by the Process Data Exchange Institute (PDXI). This data model is depicted in Volume 1 of the deliverables for the PDXI Data File Interchange Format Project. The working model, based in part on the Planning Level Model and the Heat Transfer Model [1] of the overall data model, was then used to create an equipment specification form (Fig 1) for a heat exchanger, partially utilizing the standards set forth by the Tubular Exchanger Manufacturers Association (TEMA).

Improved Techniques For Manufacturing Layered Laminate Composite Materials, Michael D. Grabber

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

An increasingly important class of engineering materials are known as fiber reinforced composite materials. They offer outstanding mechanical properties, unique flexibility in design, and ease of fabrication. Because of this, fiber reinforced composites are being found more and more in such diverse applications as aircraft, space vehicles, automobiles, sporting goods, and appliances.

The main objective of this research project was to develop a procedure for which high quality composite plates could be manufactured. The procedure needed to be able to accommodate materials of various thicknesses as well as various sizes. We also wanted the procedure to be versatile enough to …

Solubility Of Red Phosphorous In Lead, Sean E. Walker

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

The determination of the solubility of red phosphorus in lead can be used to produce a plot of the solubility with respect to temperature and pressure. The plot is produced with experimental data, activity determination from present thermodynamic data, and compilation of the two sets of data into the semi-regular solution format. A lead-phosphorus solubility diagram is necessary to determine the amount phosphorus that will be absorbed by lead and will remain unreacted in a given process.

An Extension Of Pdxi Data Models To Include Process Control Data, Joseph D. Graber

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

The results described herein have culminated into the creation of an object model which extends an existing engineering data model to include process control data. The existing data model is described in Volume I of the deliverables for the Process Data Exchange Institute (PDXI) Data File Interchange Format Project. This object model was created using the OMTooP software package on Sun Stations in the Intelligent Systems Center(ISC) of the University of Missouri--Rolla (UMR). It expands on the classes of signal port, control element, and control system.

Evaluation Of The Edge Strength Of Architectural Glass, Kevin L. Alexander

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

A mechanical device to test the edge strength of glass was developed in a previous study and was to be modified for more accurate results in this study. The mechanical apparatus allows for a load to be applied and directed along one diagonal of a glass beam making the other diagonal the neutral axis. This allows only one edge to be in tension where the failure is desired.

This study evaluated the scored edge lines and the other edge lines of annealed glass which was cut by an experienced glass cutter with a steel scoring wheel, and a carbide scoring …

Automation Of The Electrostatic Aerosol Classifier And The Continuous Flow Cloud Diffusion Chamber, Daron W. Dryer

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

Analyzing cloud condensation nuclei through the use of a Continuous Flow Thermal Diffusion Cloud Chamber (CFD) and an Electrostatic Aerosol Classifier (EAC) can be very time consuming. An alternative to manually monitoring these devices is to automate the equipment, thus freeing personnel for other research as well increasing CCN data collection.

Automation of the EAC will be carried out by digital command through the use of a Quick Basic program. This program will be run from an IBM personal computer outfitted with a digital input/output board.

RS-485 Standard will also be incorporated into the Quick Basic program in order to …

Skin Effects Due To Perforations -- A Study Of Analysis Techniques, Jon Michael Gibbs

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

Until 1991, two methods could be used to evaluate the skin effect due to perforations, the Brons and Marting Method and the Harris Method. Due to the simplicity of the technique, the Brons and Marting Method has been the preferred method of use in the petroleum industry. However, with the recent development of a third technique to evaluate the skin effect due to perforations, the need has arisen to evaluate each of these techniques to determine which method is the most accurate under given conditions. This paper reviews and compares each of the three methods for evaluating the perforations skin. …