Engineering Commons^™

Quantitative Characterization Of Complex Systems—An Information Theoretic Approach, Aditya Akundi, Eric Smith

Manufacturing & Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

A significant increase in System-of-Systems (SoS) is currently observed in the social and technical domains. As a result of the increasing number of constituent system components, Systems of Systems are becoming larger and more complex. Recent research efforts have highlighted the importance of identifying innovative statistical and theoretical approaches for analyzing complex systems to better understand how they work. This paper portrays the use of an agnostic twostage examination structure for complex systems aimed towards developing an information theorybased approach to analyze complex technical and socio-technical systems. Towards the goal of characterizing system complexity with information entropy, work was carried …

Developing A Prototype Energy Harvesting Device For Powering Wireless Onboard Condition Monitoring Sensor Modules For Railway Service, Martin Amaro Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

An energy harvesting system is being developed to power a wireless bearing health monitoring device. In contrast to other monitoring systems, this wireless monitoring device is a low-powered onboard solution. Powered by a 3.7-Volt lithium-ion battery, the device can continuously function for several months on a single charge. By implementing an energy harvesting system, the life of the battery can be increased reducing the overall maintenance, electronic waste, and time needed to replace the batteries. The harvesting system uses thermoelectric generators to convert the heat generated in the bearings into electricity. The system is composed of aluminum heat sinks, a …

A Gis-Based Model To Assess On-Site Sewage Facility (Ossf) Contamination Risk To Local Water Resources, Alvaro Garcia

Theses and Dissertations

In a collaborative effort between Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI), Cameron County Public Health (CCPH), Texas A&M AgriLife Extension (TAMAE), and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), a GIS database that includes relevant OSSF information, such as location, system age, lot size, and other important parameters was created.

This OSSF database, along with publicly available GIS data, was used to create an integrative GIS-based risk assessment model where OSSF risk parameters were assigned a risk factor and combined into a spatial contamination risk for surrounding areas and their receiving waterbodies. Parameters were broken down into two categories: environmental …

Smart Metering Communication Protocols And Performance Under Cyber Security Vulnerabilities, Oscar A. Alvarez

Theses and Dissertations

The communication process is the key that characterizes the modern concept of smart grid, a new technology that introduced a “two-way communication” in energy measurement systems and can be best represented through the smart meters. Hence, the goal of smart metering communication is to ensure a secure and reliable transmission of information that can only be accessed by end users and energy supplying companies. With the goal of improving the information security in smart energy grids, the research presented in this work focused on studying different advanced metering infrastructure communication protocols and, it showcases a series of experiments performed on …

To A More Sustainable Construction Method For Electrically Conductive Heated Pavement Systems, Mohammad Anis

Theses and Dissertations

Snow and ice damage to the pavement in the United States, particularly in colder regions, costs the US economy millions of dollars each year. Conventional methods for keeping snow off roads after heavy snowfall are judged prohibitively expensive. As a result, an alternative solution is required to reduce costs while also improving pavement resiliency. An electrically heated pavement system (EHPS) has been regarded as a viable alternative to older approaches in recent years. The majority of earlier research concentrated on improving the conductivity characteristics of paving materials. On the other hand, this study takes a different approach by focusing on …

The Skeletal Structure Of Hot Mix Asphalt And The Effects Of Fiber Additives, Samantha A. Avila

Theses and Dissertations

Hot mix asphalt (HMA) has proven to be successful in providing a proper paving surface for transportation services throughout the world. Asphalt pavement could be altered as the gradation of the mixture is adjusted. For instance, mixtures could vary from Dense Graded (DG) that contain a fairly even percentage of all aggregate size allowing for a more compact fit to Stone Matrix Asphalt (SMA) where the coarse aggregate compromise the main skeleton while fine aggregate fills the voids. This study investigates the effects of fibers and skeletal structures on mechanical properties of HMA. Two types of fiber additives are tested …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Copper Oxide Nanofibers, Shishir Barai

Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this study was to develop polymer-derived Copper (II) Oxide (CuO) nanofibers through centrifugal spinning technique and subsequent calcining. To obtain the force spun pre-ceramic copper acetate nanofibers, 15% wt, 25% wt, 35% wt, 50% wt% copper acetate (active material) and poly (vinyl) alcohol ( PVA) solutions was prepared with deionized water (DI) as solvent and spun at 7500 rpm in a FibeRio Cyclone. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was implemented to determine the thermal degradation behavior of the pre-ceramic nanofibers. These nanofibers were then calcined at three different temperatures (500, 600 and 700°C) to produce CuO nanofibers. The microstructure, …

Assessing The Effectiveness And Efficacy Of Wireless Onboard Condition Monitoring Modules In Identifying Defects In Railroad Rolling Stock, Lee R. Cantu

Theses and Dissertations

Many industries have begun shifting into the Internet of Things (IoT) in the 21st century. To help ease this transition for the rail industry, The University Transportation Center for Railway Safety (UTCRS) has partnered with Hum Industrial Technology, Inc. (HUM) to help complete the development of a Wireless Onboard Condition Monitoring system named the ‘Boomerang™’. This product allows customers to schedule proactive maintenance on their railcars to replace defective wheels and/or bearings, saving them time, money and potentially preventing costly catastrophic derailments. The UTCRS research team has established thresholds to determine defective bearings utilizing thermal and mechanical sensors.

The effectiveness …

Lubrication Performance Of Vegetable Oils Modified With Halloysite Clay Nanotubes (Hnt) As Lubricant Additives, Md Abu Sayeed Biswas

Theses and Dissertations

Vegetable oil-based nano-lubricants are a great alternative to petroleum-based lubricants because of their less adverse impact on the environment. This work evaluates the tribological performance of sunflower, corn, and peanut oils modified with halloysite clay nanotubes (Al2Si2O2(OH)2nH2O) as lubricant additives at different concentrations. To analyze the tribological performance of the nano-lubricants, a block-on-ring tribometer was used following the ASTM G-077-17 standard procedure. Characterization of HNT was carried out by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). The effect of the HNT on the lubrication performance of the newly developed vegetable oil-based nano-lubricants was evaluated, and the …

Synthesize And Characterization Of Aluminum- Tungsten Carbide Nanocomposite, Shuvendu Das

Theses and Dissertations

This research focuses on developing metal matrix composite reinforced by polymer-derived ceramic fibers. The force-spun AMT nanofibers were heat treated into tungsten carbide and then mixed with aluminum powder using cold pressing and sintering to produce the composites. The basic mechanical properties of this composite are investigated by density measurement, hardness and compression testing. SEM, EDS and XRD were used to test the morphology of tungsten carbide fibers. EDS identified a near-perfect W-C ratio in tungsten carbide fibers 1000 °C. Tungsten Carbide fibers were crushed using ball milling technique. Tungsten carbide nanofibers powder had a variety of particle size. Results …

Molecular Dynamics Study Of Atomic Diffusion In Cantor High Entropy Alloy In The Selective Laser Melting Process, Mathew Z. Farias

Theses and Dissertations

High entropy alloys (HEAs) are compositionally complex alloys that are comprised of 5 or more principle elements at near equimolar concentrations. The Selective Laser Melting (SLM) method generally melts pure elemental powders or prefabricated alloy powders, this process allows for the production of heterogeneous structures that would be difficult to create through more conventional means. In-situ alloying in SLM, or Laser Additive Alloying (LAA), using pure elemental powders is a promising means of producing what would otherwise be costly and difficult to fabricate products with less defects using prefabricated powders, therefore this new approach could enable the ability to …

Life-Cycle Cost Analysis Of The Efficient Water Fixtures And Electric Appliances Used To Minimize Water And Energy Consumption In Homes In The U.S, Miranda N. Garcia

Theses and Dissertations

Consumer interest in incorporating sustainability and efficient appliances into daily life has been growing in the past several years. While reducing their environmental impact may be a draw to some, by making the switch to water- and energy-efficient appliances many homeowners are enticed by the promise of long-term savings on utility bills. Programs such as WaterSense and Energy Star not only offer certified efficient appliances and fixtures, but they may also certify water- and energy-efficient homes. Additionally, the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) offers the LEED program (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) which certifies homes in a similar …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Centrifugally Spun Molybdenum-Based Nanomaterials For Lithium-Ion Batteries, Ramiro Gonzalez Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The work presented in this thesis focuses on the processing and development of transition metal compound composite fibers as anode materials for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Among the transition metal compounds, molybdenum compounds have risen as promising candidates of advanced electrode materials, in view of their natural abundance, virtuous mechanical/thermal stability, rich chemistry, high theoretical specific capacity, and multiple oxidation states of Mo. The current work reports synthesize MoO2/C and MoO3/C composite fibers drawn from centrifugal spun ammonium molybdate/PAN precursor fibers, followed by a thermal treatment stabilizing in air and calcination under argon atmosphere. The weight ratios of (MoOx, 2 …

Development Of A Compact Core Flooding Apparatus For Matrix Acidizing Applications, Antonio Hernandez Zuniga

Theses and Dissertations

Matrix Acidizing is defined as a well stimulation technique in which the acid is injected into the formation with the purpose of dissolving the minerals present and thus enhancing the permeability of the formation and facilitating the extraction of oil and/or gas from the formation. The primary goal of acid diversion is the creation of wormholes and ramification paths that allow the fluid to flow from the higher to the lower permeability zones of the limestones, sandstones or carbonate reservoirs. Naturally, as the injected acid will follow vugs, fractures and pores, HCl is used because of its quick reaction and …

Characteristics Analysis Of Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (Eis) For Different Electrode Patterns, Shanzida Kabir

Theses and Dissertations

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is a rapidly developing technique used in characterizing materials and interfaces. Using equivalent circuits as models can determine the electrical properties of heterogeneous systems like membranes or electrolytes. Different electrochemical processes like the electron transfer rate of a specific reaction or the capacitive behavior of the system, or even the diffusion-limited response can coincide. EIS is applicable to determine different electrochemical processes that can happen simultaneously. The purpose of this research is to find the optimal operating range for other AC electrokinetic mechanisms. Analysis of EIS can be helpful in both fundamental examinations of electrokinetic transport …

Selective Laser Melting Of Titanium Diboride: A Study Of The Energy Density Effects, Lazaro Lopez Mendez

Theses and Dissertations

Natural titanium diboride (TiB2) has been reported the 5th hardest material on earth. Due to its superior properties, such as high density, high elastic modulus, and high compressive strength, TiB2 becomes one of the most suitable ceramic reinforcements for applications with severe friction and heavy loading conditions. This study is intended to produce TiB2 using 3D additive manufacture (AM) technology, and then to understand the tribological property of the AM fabricated TiB2 specimens. In this study, a laser additive alloying (LAA) process was developed based on a Renishaw AM laser system. One mm thick samples were prepared using the LAA …

Development Of Vegetable Oil-Based Nano-Lubricants Using Montmorillonite Clay (Mmt) Nanoparticles As Lubricant Additives, Md Mashfiqur Rahman

Theses and Dissertations

Because of the environmental impact and price volatility, there has been a growing concern on the use of petroleum-based lubricants. This issue has stimulated research into the development of biodegradable lubricants like vegetable oils. In this study, the tribological and rheological behavior of sunflower, peanut, and corn oils modified with Montmorillonite nanoclay (MMT) as lubricant additives were evaluated at various concentrations. A custom-made block on ring tribotester was used to evaluate the wear and friction characteristics of the nano-lubricants, following the ASTM G-077-05 standard. The effects of concentration and shear rate on shear viscosity were studied using a parallel plate …

Development Of Metamaterial-Based Near-Zero Refractive Index Structures In The Optical Regime, Andres Ochoa

Theses and Dissertations

Multilayer combinations of plasmonic and dielectric materials can be designed as subwavelength structures to create a medium with unique parameters, but the development of optical metamaterials for the visible spectrum is hindered by the lack of plasmonic materials with suitable properties. A method to understand and design metamaterials for optical applications is examined as a solution for shifting the operating range from ultraviolet light to visible light. Special points of interest and corresponding parameters are identified to understand their effects on propagation. A hyperbolic near-zero refractive index metamaterial composed of alternating layers of metal and perovskite thin films is proposed …

High Performance Electromagnetic Interference Shielding From Lightweight-Flexible Polymer Composite Fiber Structures, Fariha Rubaiya

Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on the development and characterization of fiber-based polymer composite structures with the goal of developing high performance, flexible, lightweight, and cost-effective materials for electromagnetic interference shielding and piezoelectricity. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) was used as the base fiber mat while polyaniline (PANI), polypyrrole (PPY), polyindole (PIN), polydiacetylene (PDA) and Zn2GeO4 (ZGO) were incorporated via solution mixing and in-situ polymerization. The PVDF fine fiber systems were produced using the Forcespinning® method. Morphology, structure, thermal stability, electrical properties, EMI shielding effectiveness and piezoelectric performance of the fiber mats were analyzed. The composite system containing 1.25 wt. % of ZGO-PVDF displayed …

An Innovative Triboelectric Stent Sensor: Prospective Cardiovascular Health Monitor Device, Ulises Vidaurri Romero

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research that has focused on TENGs have lacked the proper application of this energy generator. Currently, heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States. With increasing demand for self-sustainable medical devices, this nitinol health monitor sensor device (NHMS) integrates the TENG applications with medical applications. The NHMS features memory shape nitinol electrodes that preserves the device structure while using PDMS and PVDF triboelectric effect to measure heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing patterns. Three constant pressures were measured in this study. At a constant pressure of stage 1, the NHMS produces an average AC of …

Data Analytics For Google Trend Search Result Of Illness Symptoms, Md Jakir Hossain

Theses and Dissertations

The outbreak of COVID-19 has escalated from March 2020. Since then, people from all over the world are curiously searching different types of illness symptoms including corona virus. Before the outbreak, people were also searching different types of symptoms at different times. Both diseases share same symptoms, but in the flu season. If certain types of symptoms are visible at summer season, then these symptoms are for corona virus. The main purpose of our study is to find out this discriminative information from these search result. We will discuss some mathematical concepts and then develop an algorithm based on those …

Force And Torque Model Sensitivity And Coarse Graining For Bedload-Dominated Sediment Transport, Liheng Guan, Jorge Salinas, ‪Nadim Zgheib, S. Balachandar

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

We present results from Euler–Lagrange simulations of turbulent flow over an erodible monodisperse bed of particles at a shear Reynolds number of R e τ = 180 . The Galileo number G a and the ratio of Shields to the critical Shields number Θ / θ c r were varied in the range 11.4 to 29.8 and 1.32 to 5.98, respectively. Two drag force models were investigated along with the influence of lift, particle rotation, and tangential collision forces for each model. Both models give similar results as far as mean particle flux and Shields stress are concerned, however we …

Drug-Based Therapeutic Strategies For Covid-19-Infected Patients And Their Challenges, Khatereh Zarkesh, Elaheh Entezar-Almahdi, Parisa Ghasemiyeh, Mohsen Akbarian, Marzieh Bahmani, Shahrzad Roudaki, Rahil Fazlinejad, Soliman Mohammadi-Samani, Negar Firouzabadi, Majid Hosseini, Fatemeh Farjadian

Manufacturing & Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Emerging epidemic-prone diseases have introduced numerous health and economic challenges in recent years. Given current knowledge of COVID-19, herd immunity through vaccines alone is unlikely. In addition, vaccination of the global population is an ongoing challenge. Besides, the questions regarding the prevalence and the timing of immunization are still under investigation. Therefore, medical treatment remains essential in the management of COVID-19. Herein, recent advances from beginning observations of COVID-19 outbreak to an understanding of the essential factors contributing to the spread and transmission of COVID-19 and its treatment are reviewed. Furthermore, an in-depth discussion on the epidemiological aspects, clinical symptoms …

Self-Learned Kernel Low Rank Approach To Accelerated High Resolution 3d Diffusion Mri, Abhijit Baul, Nian Wang, Choyi Zhang, Yuchou Chang, Leslie Ying, Yuchou Chang, Ukash Nakarmi

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging (dMRI) is a promising method to analyze the subtle changes in the tissue structure. However, the lengthy acquisition time is a major limitation in the clinical application of dMRI. Different image acquisition techniques such as parallel imaging, compressed sensing, has shortened the prolonged acquisition time but creating high-resolution 3D dMRI slices still requires a significant amount of time. In this study, we have shown that high resolution 3D dMRI can be reconstructed from the highly undersampled k-space and q-space data using a Kernel Low Rank method. Our proposed method has outperformed the conventional CS methods in …

Piezoelectric Signals In Vascularized Bone Regeneration, Delfo D’Alessandro, Claudio Ricci, Mario Milazzo, Giovanna Strangis, Francesca Forli, Gabriele Buda, Mario Petrini, Stefano Berrettini, M. Jasim Uddin, Serena Danti, Paolo Parchi

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

The demand for bone substitutes is increasing in Western countries. Bone graft substitutes aim to provide reconstructive surgeons with off-the-shelf alternatives to the natural bone taken from humans or animal species. Under the tissue engineering paradigm, biomaterial scaffolds can be designed by incorporating bone stem cells to decrease the disadvantages of traditional tissue grafts. However, the effective clinical application of tissue-engineered bone is limited by insufficient neovascularization. As bone is a highly vascularized tissue, new strategies to promote both osteogenesis and vasculogenesis within the scaffolds need to be considered for a successful regeneration. It has been demonstrated that bone and …

Twisted Laminar Superconducting Composite: Mgb2 Embedded Carbon Nanotube Yarns, Ujjal Lamichhane, Gamage C. Dannangoda, Mkhitar Hobosyan, R. A. Shohan, A. Zakhidov, Karen S. Martirosyan

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

Twisted laminar superconducting composite structures based on multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) yarns were crafted by integrating magnesium and boron homogeneous mixture into the carbon nanotube (CNT) aerogel sheets. After the ignition of the Mg–B–MWCNT system, under the controlled argon environment, the high exothermic reaction between magnesium (Mg) and boron (B) with stoichiometric ratio produced the MgB2@MWCNT superconducting composite yarns. The process was conducted under the controlled argon environment and uniform heating rate in the differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analyzer. The XRD analysis confirmed that the produced composite yarns contain nano and microscale inclusions of superconducting phase of MgB2. The …

Subharmonic Resonance Of One Fourth Order Of Electrostatically Actuated Mems Circular Plates: Amplitude-Frequency Response, Dumitru Caruntu, Julio Beatriz, Miguel Martinez

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

This work deals with the amplitude-frequency response subharmonic resonance of 1/4 order of electrostatically actuated circular plates. The method of multiple scales is used to model the hard excitations and to predict the response. This work predicts that the steady state solutions are zero amplitude solutions, and non-zero amplitude solutions which consist of stable and unstable branches. The effects of parameters such as voltage and damping on the response are predicted. As the voltage increases, the non-zero amplitude solutions are shifted to lower frequencies. As the damping increases, the non-zero steady-state amplitudes are shifted to higher amplitudes, so larger initial …

Modeling And Simulation Of Janus-Like Nanoparticles Formation By Solid-Gas Exothermic Reactions, A. A. Markov, Karen S. Martirosyan

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

Theoretical model for the simulation of synthesis of Janus-like particles (JP) consisting two different phases using the Carbon Combustion Synthesis of Oxides (CCSO) is presented. The model includes the variation of sample initial porosity, carbon concentration and oxygen flow rate used to predict the formation of JP features. The two temperature (2T) combustion model of chemically active submicron-dispersed mixture of two phases including ferroelectric and ferromagnetic was implemented and assessed by using the experimentally estimated activation energy of 112±3.3 kJ/mol and combustion temperature. The experimental values allowed to account the thermal and concentration expansion effect along with the dispersion by …

A Framework Of Dynamic Data Driven Digital Twin For Complex Engineering Products: The Example Of Aircraft Engine Health Management, Zhenhua Wu, Jianzhi Li

Manufacturing & Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Digital twin is a vital enabling technology for smart manufacturing in the era of Industry 4.0. Digital twin effectively replicates its physical asset enabling easy visualization, smart decision-making and cognitive capability in the system. In this paper, a framework of dynamic data driven digital twin for complex engineering products was proposed. To illustrate the proposed framework, an example of health management on aircraft engines was studied. This framework models the digital twin by extracting information from the various sensors and Industry Internet of Things (IIoT) monitoring the remaining useful life (RUL) of an engine in both cyber and physical domains. …

Energy Harvesting For Self-Powered Sensors For Smart Transportation Infrastructures, Anil K. Agrawal, Mohsen Amjadian, Hani Nassif

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

In this research project, an Electromagnetic Energy Harvesting System (EMEHS) is developed for harvesting the kinetic energy of ambient and traffic-induced vibrations and carry out a detailed feasibility study and impacts of such system for application on transportation infrastructures. The proposed EMEHS utilizes the innovative concept of creating array of large number of small permanent magnets through certain optimization criteria to achieve strong and focused magnetic field in a particular orientation. When these magnets are attached to a flexible sub-system and placed close to the copper coil, ambient and traffic-induced vibration of the sub-system induces eddy current in copper the …