Engineering Commons^™

Bicistronic And Fused Monocistronic Transcripts Are Derived From Adjacent Loci In The Arabidopsis Genome, Jyothi Thimmapuram, Hui Duan, Lei Liu, Mary A. Schuler

Cyber Center Publications

Comparisons of full-length cDNAs and genomic DNAs available for Arabidopsis thaliana described here indicate that some adjacent loci are transcribed into extremely long RNAs spanning two annotated genes. Once expressed, some of these transcripts are post-transcriptionally spliced within their coding and intergenic sequences to generate bicistronic transcripts containing two complete open reading frames. Others are spliced to generate monocistronic transcripts coding for fusion proteins with sequences derived from both loci. RT-PCR of several P450 transcripts in this collection indicates that these extended transcripts exist side by side with shorter monocistronic transcripts derived from the individual loci in each pair. The …

Perceptions Of Practitioners And Engineering Educators And Students Regarding Requisite Skills For Effective Design Of Complex Systems, Melanie A. Thom

Open Access Theses

Both popular press and academic journals have reported increasing trends in design failures attributed to engineering errors, poor planning and inadequate design decisions as demonstrated by mission failures, product failures and increasing manufacturing and support costs ((McMasters & Matsch, 1996; Oberg, 2000; Lowery, 1998; Hayes & Wheelwright, 1984; Schlager, 1994; Scott, 1999, 1999a, 1999b). The authors of the articles agree that graduating engineers are competent at formulaic analysis, but they suggest a perceived lack of fundamental skills necessary for design activities. This lack of skills is described in broad terms but the descriptions lack specific metrics for assessing the possession …

Procedure Manual For Implementation Of Gasb 34 By Indiana Local Public Agencies, Indiana Ltap, Government Fixed Asset Services

Indiana Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) Publications

This assistance manual is meant to assist participating governments with certain aspects of the general infrastructure retroactive reporting implementation issues in light of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board Statement No. 34. This assistance manual may prove to be of assistance in prospective reporting as well.

General infrastructure assets per the GASB are comprised of roads, bridges, tunnels, drainage systems, water and sewer systems, dams, and lighting systems. If significant, a government should also include sidewalks, traffic signals, and improved alleys in their reporting. Also to be included are a government's rights-of-way.

The capital asset and general infrastructure provisions of GASB …

The Use Of Vegetation In The Stabilization, Reclamation, And Remediation Of Impacted Indot Soils, Mark S. Mcclain, M. K. Banks, A. Paul Schwab

JTRP Technical Reports

The major goal of this project was to write the manual PhytoRemediate®: Phytoremediation Decision Guide for Transportation Engineers and the attached compact disk PhytoRemediate®: Training Module for Transportation Engineers to assist transportation engineers and other professionals in the applicability of phytoremediation as an effective method of remediation engineering design. This guide is not a design manual, but identifies the decision-making processes necessary for successful remediation of contaminated sites using phytoremediation.

A phytoremediation users' manual PhytoRemediate®: Phytoremediation Decision Guide for Transportation Engineers was developed to assist INDOT personnel in the areas of site assessment, plant species selection, plant …

2004 Statewide Bridge Sufficiency Rating Report, Indiana Ltap

Indiana Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) Publications

The main purpose of this report is to provide bridge sufficiency rating information for the bridges in each county. This information results from the data generated by the National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS) program authorized by the 1968 Federal Aid Highway Act.

Frictional Resistance Of Aggregates For Hot-Mix Asphalt Pavements, Joan Patricia O'Brien, John E. Haddock

JTRP Technical Reports

In 1997 the Indiana Department of Transportation adopted the Superpave mixture design method and attendant specifications for hot-mix asphalt pavements. Prior to Superpave, the Indiana Department of Transportation aggregate frictional requirements were based on average daily traffic volumes and were divided into low, medium, and high volume categories. With the implementation of Superpave in Indiana, aggregate frictional requirements were reassigned to categories based on equivalent single axle load values. The purpose of the research is to determine whether average daily traffic or equivalent single axle load has a greater effect on the frictional resistance of a hot-mix asphalt pavement, to …

2004 Directory Of Indiana State, County, City And Town Officials Responsible For Road And Street Work, Indiana Ltap

Indiana Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) Directory

Contact information for agency officials and employees responsible for Indiana’s local road infrastructure.

Handbook For Temporary Traffic Control - Construction, Maintenance, And Utility Operations, Indiana Ltap

Indiana Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) Publications

This handbook gives the basic principles and provides examples for the design, application, installation, and maintenance of the various types of traffic control devices used in temporary traffic control or for incident management. The guidelines presented are in accordance with the standards provided within the Indiana Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices (IMUTCD). This handbook is based upon one created by the Ohio Department of Transportation, Guidelines for Traffic Control in Work Zones. Indiana LTAP expresses thanks to ODOT for their permission to reprint this material.

Brain Motion And Deformation During Closed Head Injury In The Presence Of Cerebrospinal Fluid, Charles F. Babbs

Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper presents a new analysis of the physics of closed head injury following brief, intense acceleration of the head. It focuses upon the buoyancy of the brain in cerebrospinal fluid, which protects against damage, the propagation of strain waves through the brain substance, which causes damage, and the concentration of strain in critical anatomic regions, which magnifies damage. Numerical methods are used to create animations or "movies" of brain motion and deformation. Initially a 1 cm gap filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) separates the brain from the skull. Whole head acceleration induces artificial gravity within the skull. The brain …

Statewide Listing Of Bridges With Possible Historical Significance, Indiana Ltap

Indiana Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) Publications

This reports documents the efforts of the Indiana LTAP Center to create a statewide inventory of bridges that may be historically significant and was the first step in the development of a management plan for the preservation of the most significant historic bridges and a programmatic agreement in lieu of the standard Section 106 procedure for the less significant bridges.

Included in this report is a description of the work performed by Indiana LTAP, a description of the work to be performed by others as determined by the Historic Bridge Task Force, various summary tables and complete listings of the …

Low Reynolds Number Flow Through Nozzle-Diffuser Elements In Valveless Micropumps, Vishal Singhal, Jayathi Y. Murthy, S V. Garimella

CTRC Research Publications

Flow characteristics of low Reynolds number laminar flow through gradually expanding conical and planar diffusers were investigated. Such diffusers are used in valveless micropumps to effect flow rectification and thus lead to pumping action in one preferential direction. Four different types of diffuser flows are considered: fully developed and thin inlet boundary layer flows through conical and planar diffusers. The results from the numerical analysis have been quantified in terms of pressure loss coefficient. The variation of pressure loss coefficient with diffuser angle is presented for Reynolds numbers of 200, 500 and 1000. The pressure loss coefficients have been used …

Remotely Accessible Solar Energy Laboratory For High School Students, William J. Hutzel, David Goodman

School of Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

A remotely accessible solar energy laboratory has been developed for real-time experimentation using solar heating and photovoltaic equipment that is physically located at Purdue University. Indiana high school students are the first customers for this on-line resource. In addition to sensor data, the web-based laboratory includes lesson plans, tutorials, assessment questions, and a feedback utility. This project is helping science teachers meet new state science standards from the Indiana Department of Education, which call for hands-on laboratory activities and real time data analysis. Remotely accessed labs are becoming popular because they offer the opportunity for large numbers of students to …

High-Field Quasi-Ballistic Transport In Short Carbon Nanotubes, Ali Javey, Jing Guo, Magnus Paulsson, Qian Wang, Mark S. Lundstrom, Hongjie Dai, David Mann

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Single walled carbon nanotubes with Pd Ohmic contacts and lengths ranging from several microns down to 10 nm are investigated by electron transport experiments and theory. The mean-free path (MFP) for acoustic phonon scattering is estimated to be lap ~300  nm, and that for optical phonon scattering is lop ~15  nm. Transport through very short (~10  nm) nanotubes is free of significant acoustic and optical phonon scattering and thus ballistic and quasiballistic at the low- and high-bias voltage limits, respectively. High currents of up to 70   μA can flow through a short nanotube. Possible mechanisms for the eventual electrical breakdown …

A Three-Dimensional Quantum Simulation Of Silicon Nanowire Transistors With The Effective Mass Approximation, Jing Wang, Eric Polizzi, Mark S. Lundstrom

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

The silicon nanowire transistor (SNWT) is a promising device structure for future integrated circuits, and simulations will be important for understanding its device physics and assessing its ultimate performance limits. In this work, we present a three-dimensional (3D) quantum mechanical simulation approach to treat various SNWTs within the effective-mass approximation. We begin by assuming ballistic transport, which gives the upper performance limit of the devices. The use of a mode space approach (either coupled or uncoupled) produces high computational efficiency that makes our 3D quantum simulator practical for extensive device simulation and design. Scattering in SNWTs is then treated by …

Optimizing Chest Compression To Rescue Ventilation Ratios During One-Rescuer Cpr By Professionals And Lay Persons: Children Are Not Just Little Adults, Charles F. Babbs, Vinay Nadkarni

Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

Objective: To estimate the optimum ratio of chest compressions to ventilations for onerescuer CPR that maximizes systemic oxygen delivery in children. Method: Equations describing oxygen delivery and blood flow during CPR as functions of the number of compressions and the number of ventilations delivered over time were adapted from the former work of Babbs and Kern. These equations were solved explicitly as a function of body weight, using scaling algorithms based upon principles of developmental anatomy and physiology. Results: The optimal compression to ventilation (C/V) ratios for infants and younger children increase sharply as a function of body weight. Optimal …

Meta-Analysis Of Two-Treatment Clinical Trials Including Both Continuous And Dichotomous Results, Charles F. Babbs

Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

To expedite the timely creation of medical practice guidelines, a meta-analytic method was developed to combine of both dichotomous survival data and continuous physiologic data from multiple studies comparing the same innovative clinical intervention to standard care. The method is adapted for synthesis of small, early studies of novel treatments. An aggregate ratio, R*, of the observed treatment effect to a clinically optimal treatment effect for studies in a series is computed, and compared to the 95% confidence limit for R* under the null hypothesis. Weights assigned to each study may reflect its precision, quality, or clinical relevance. Input data …

Administration And Management Of Local Roads And Streets 2004, Indiana Ltap

Indiana Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) Publications

This handbook begins by examining government officials’ authority to carry out their road and street work. Next is the ever important challenge of intergovernmental relations, becoming more routine, albeit challenging. Funding road and street efforts, inherent in the intergovernmental environment, and transportation planning follow. The chapter on right-of-way issues is varied and extensive because current topics are now often confrontational. The management chapter addresses such topics as managerial functions, training, and a number of related issues. The discussion then moves to the serious matter of risk management and transportation security, along with traditional tort liability topics, the imperative of transportation …

Quantum Mechanical Analysis Of Channel Access Geometry And Series Resistance In Nanoscale Transistors, R. Venugopal, S. Goasguen, S. Datta, M. S. Lundstrom

Other Nanotechnology Publications

We apply a two-dimensional quantum mechanical simulation scheme to study the effect of channel access geometries on device performance. This simulation scheme solves the nonequilibrium Green’s function equations self-consistently with Poisson’s equation and treats the effect of scattering using a simple approximation inspired by Bu ̈ttiker. It is based on an expansion of the device Hamiltonian in coupled mode space. Simulation results are used to highlight quantum effects and discuss the importance of scattering when examining the transport properties of nanoscale transistors with differing channel access geometries. Additionally, an efficient domain decomposition scheme for evaluating the performance of nanoscale transistors …

Mechanical Behavior Of Non-Textbook Soils (Literature Review), J. Antonio H. Carraro, Rodrigo Salgado

JTRP Technical Reports

Traditionally, soil mechanics has focused on the behavior of two distinct types of geomaterials: clean sands and pure clays. Under the application of external loads, these two types of geomaterials represent and are conveniently associated with two extreme types of soil responses: drained and undrained behavior. The drained behavior of clean sands and the undrained behavior of pure clays have been covered extensively in most soil mechanics textbooks. In order to provide some insight into the mechanical response of additional materials, a literature review on the mechanical behavior of “non-textbook” soils (i.e. soils other than clean sands and pure clays) …

Life And Cost Comparison Of Three Rehabilitation Techniques On I-65 Between Sr-2 And Sr-114, Sedat Gulen, John Weaver, Samy Noureldin

JTRP Technical Reports

Construction of hot mix asphalt (HMA) overlays on top of old concrete pavements is the most common concrete pavement rehabilitation strategy. These overlays, however, are usually subject to reflection cracking related to the movement of the old concrete slab. In addition, these overlays may also be vulnerable to rutting when subjected to large traffic volumes of heavy trucks. Concrete overlays have the advantage of being rut resistant compared to HMA overlays. However, the current national experience of the performance of these overlays is still, relatively, limited compared to HMA overlays. In addition, doubts are often raised about the cost effectiveness …

Optimization Of Thermal Interface Materials For Electronics Cooling Applications, Vishal Singhal, Thomas Siegmund, Suresh V. Garimella

School of Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

Thermal interface materials (TIMs) are used in electronics cooling applications to decrease the thermal contact resistance between surfaces in contact. A methodology to determine the optimal volume fraction of filler particles in TIMs for minimizing the thermal contact resistance is presented. The method uses finite element analysis to solve the coupled thermo-mechanical problem. It is shown that there exists an optimal filler volume fraction which depends not only on the distribution of the filler particles in a TIM but also on the thickness of the TIM layer, the contact pressure and the shape and the size of the filler particles. …

Continuation Of Research To Determine The Effectiveness Of Its On Borman Expressway, Robert Bertram Jacko, William H. Schneider, Ahmed S. Soliman, Barry K. Partridge

JTRP Technical Reports

This study is a continuation and the final phase of the SPR-2338 project that involves monitoring the ambient air quality levels adjacent to the Borman Expressway. The purpose of this phase was to classify the traffic conditions along the Borman Expressway in terms of ambient air quality levels. The duration of the phase was from April 1, 2002 to April 30, 2004. The study has shown that, in a close proximity to the Borman Expressway, air quality levels mirror the dynamic nature of traffic along the Borman, despite being surrounded by major industrial stationary sources. Therefore, a descriptive model was …

Evaluation Of Surface (Top Down) Longitudinal Wheel Path Cracking, Terhi K. Pellinen, Geoff Rowe, Kalapi Biswas

JTRP Technical Reports

The research involved evaluating three surface cracked pavements during 2002 and 2003. A 500m section of I-65 North of Lafayette was chosen as the first site (designated as Site 1), an I-65 section in downtown Indianapolis was the second site (Site 2), and US-421 in Madison was the third site (Site 3). Site 1 had 11-year old pavement, Site 2 had 12-year old pavement and Site 3 had 4.5-year old pavement. All these sites exhibited longitudinal wheel path cracking which was later identified as top-down cracking. All sites had excellent structural capacity indicating that the top-down cracking was confined in …

Methodology For The Development Of A Highway Asset Management System For Indiana, Zongzhi Li, Kumares C. Sinha

JTRP Technical Reports

Highway asset management is a systematic process that aims to preserve, expand, and operate highway assets in the most cost-effective manner. It is an analytical tool that facilitates organized, logical, and integrated decision-making in asset management practice. This study proposes a methodology for the development of a highway asset management system that addresses asset valuation, performance modeling, marginal benefit analysis, and multicriteria decision-making, including tradeoff analysis as well as project selection and programming. While most existing management systems deal with individual physical highway assets or system usage only under certainty or risk, this research focuses on the management of an …

Safety Of Intersections On High-Speed Road Segments With Superelevation, Peter T. Savolainen, Andrzej P. Tarko

JTRP Technical Reports

In recent years, the State of Indiana has built a number of intersections where one or both of the roads are located on curves. The AASHTO Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets recommends that in such cases “the alignment should be as straight and the gradient as flat as practical.” This wording, consistent with Part V of the Indiana Design Manual, allows for the design of intersections on curves if other solutions prove to be too expensive. Several of these intersections have raised safety concerns and led to expensive corrective measures. Due to these safety and economic issues, …

Interaction Between Micro-Cracking, Cracking, And Reduced Durability Of Concrete: Developing Methods For Considering Cumulative Damage In Life-Cycle Modeling, Zhifu Yang, W. Jason Weiss, J. Olek

JTRP Technical Reports

It is becoming increasingly popular to utilize numerical simulation models to predict the long-term performance of concrete pavements and structures. The majority of these models have been developed using laboratory test data that considers concrete in an uncracked state. While uncracked concrete exists as the best case scenario, frequent cracking occurs in real structures that could have a profound impact on life cycle performance. Cracks from several sources may accumulate and interact thereby accelerating the deterioration of concrete. For example, the distributed cracking caused by freeze/thaw damage can substantially increases the rate of water absorption and reduces the load carrying …

Reconciling Speed Limits With Design Speeds, Alberto Miguel Figueroa-Medina, Andrzej P. Tarko

JTRP Technical Reports

In recent years, context-sensitive highway design has been promoted to ensure that designers consider the environmental, scenic, aesthetic, historic, community, and preservation aspects of the road. Context-sensitive design may lead to situations where the current design standards cannot be met because of restricting local conditions. Indiana has road sections designed and built some time ago. In a considerable number of roads with the statutory limit of 55 mph (90 km/h), the road geometry does not meet the current standards. At individual intersections and on curves, advisory speeds are posted together with warning signs. Although this solution increases the safety of …

Development Of A Strategy For Preparing An Indot Storm Water Quality Management Plan, Lynn A. Corson

JTRP Technical Reports

The purpose of the study was to conduct research and prepare documents, data tables, reports and GIS maps to be included in the INDOT SWQMP that address each of the following Minimum Control Measures (MCMs) specified in the federal and state regulation: (1) public education and outreach; (2) public participation and involvement; (3) illicit discharge detection with elimination; (4) construction site runoff control; (5) post-construction runoff control and (6) pollution prevention and good housekeeping. The MCMs are minimum measures which, when implemented by INDOT, will ensure that storm water quality meets the minimum water quality standards. The research focused on …

Evaluation Of Indot Hyperfix Project, Kumares C. Sinha, Bob G. Mccullouch, Darcy M. Bullock, Sravanthi Konduri, Jon D. Fricker, Samuel Labi

JTRP Technical Reports

In 2003 the Indiana Department of Transportation executed an ambitious interstate reconstruction project in Indianapolis, named Hyperfix. This project completely closed the I-65/70 section during reconstruction, on which approximately 250,000 vehicles travel daily. Due to the scope and risk involved, an extensive amount of planning, coordination, and cooperation occurred. The main section was rebuilt during the total closure phase, which lasted 55 days. The total closure approach had never been performed before by INDOT on such a high volume artery in a downtown metropolitan area. This present study analyzed the project and its impact on the Indianapolis area. The report …

Minimizing Truck-Car Conflicts On Highways, Srinivas Peeta, Weimin Zhou

JTRP Technical Reports

Trucks represent the predominant form of domestic freight movement. Due to the substantial increase in freight truck traffic on the nation’s highways, its influence on traffic flow performance, safety, and quality of travel experience, is garnering increased attention. Several existing studies have addressed the impacts of trucks on highway traffic flow conditions and crashes. This research models the behavior of non-truck drivers vis-à-vis their interactions with trucks by associating a “discomfort level” with every non-truck driver. This discomfort of non-truck drivers in the vicinity of trucks is assumed to be affected by situational factors such as time-of-day, weather, and ambient …