Engineering Commons^™

Automated Classification Of Eeg Signals Using Component Analysis And Support Vector Machines, Priya Balasubramanian

Masters Theses

Epileptic seizures are characterized by abnormal electrical activity occurring in the brain. EEG records the seizures demonstrating changes in signal morphology. These signal characteristics, however, differ between patients as well as between different seizures in the same patient. Epilepsy is managed with anti-epileptic medications but in some extreme cases surgery might be necessary. Non-invasive surface electrode EEG measurement gives an estimate of the seizure onset but more invasive intra-cranial electrocorticogram (ECoG) are required at times for precise localization of the epileptogenic zone.

The epileptogenic zone can be described as the cortical area targeted for resection to render the patient symptom …

Adomian Decomposition Of The Flowfield In A Simulated Rocket Motor, Jeisson Juliany Parra

Masters Theses

The work presents an analytic, approximate solution to an internal flowfield for a solid rocket motor. The flowfield is modeled as a wall-normal injection or suction in a symmetric porous channel with laterally expanding or contracting walls. From the effective speeds that gases are ejected into the combustion chamber of typical rocket motors, the flowfield is modeled to be incompressible. Since the flame zone occurs in a very thin space above the propellant grain surface, it will be disregarded. Assuming linearly varying axial velocity and uniform expansion (or contraction), the Navier-Stokes equations will be reduced into a single nonlinear equation …

A Sensor For Oxygen In A Potassium-Sodium Alloy, Michael George Pastis

Masters Theses

This project supports a research project to determine the configuration for heat exchanger welds in a space reactor. The reactor is a sodium-potassium (NaK) cooled reactor for use on future missions on the lunar surface or on Mars. Various types of welds in Type 316L stainless steel have been positioned in a furnace which is part of a NaK test loop. The specimens are bathed in circulating NaK at 600 degrees centigrade.

Since the oxygen concentration in the NaK is a major factor in corrosion of the weld specimens, it must be carefully monitored and controlled. However, few techniques are …

Direct Torque Control Of An Lnduction Machine Using Multi-Layer Perceptron Network, Adithya Chandrashekharan

Masters Theses

In conventional direct torque control (DTC) scheme of induction motor (lM), Proportional Integral Controller (PI) is used as the speed controller. PI controller is more suitable in steady state condition and for linear system but both DTC and IM are mostly nonlinear. Multi-Layer perceptron neural network. (MLPNN) controller is more suitable and performs better than PI controller. The switching table of the conventional DTC is replaced by the MLPNN controller. The MLPNN inputs are, the magnitude of the stator flux, torque and the Voltage sectors. Levenberg-Marquardt back propagation technique has been used to train the MLPNN. The output of the …

Virtual Analysis And Evaluation Of Roundabout Safety And Operational Features, Elisha Jackson Wankogere

Masters Theses

Roundabouts can be a solution to safety concerns present at other types of intersections. Recently in the United States, there has been an increase in conversion of problematic intersections to roundabouts to improve their safety. However, it is difficult to make these roundabouts, especially multi-lane roundabouts, safe to all ranges of users. Roundabout features such as advance warning and signage play an important role in determining driver performance as they navigate the roundabout.

This research is an effort to evaluate new and existing roundabout safety and operational features such as signs and pavement markings and how they influence performance of …

Comparative Analysis Of Clavicular Tunnel Confìguration For Coracoclavicular Ligament Reconstruction, Mark Omwansa

Masters Theses

A number of coracoclavicular ligament reconstructions are carried out each year and post surgical fractures of the clavicle have been reported. The primary objective of this research is to develop a comparative metrics that compares clavicular tunnel configurations used in coracoclavicular reconstruction techniques. The goal of this comparison is to reduce post surgical failures due to clavicle fractures. The present analysis compared two techniques { a single 3 mm clavicular tunnel and the other double 6 mm tunnels { experimentally, using Four-point bending testing and Finite Element Analysis (FEA). A unique method, slicing, was used to create an FE clavicle …

Laboratory Investigation Of Type I And Type Ii Hardened Cement Emulsified Asphalt Mortar, Tyler E. Rutherford

Masters Theses

The research presented in this thesis investigated the mechanical and viscoelastic properties of a relatively new construction building material that has been given a lot of attention in the past decade. Cement emulsified asphalt mortar (CEAM) has unique properties that differ from concrete and asphalt binder alone as this hybrid material combines the high strength of portland cement composites and the flexibility of asphalt materials. Functioning as a damping material for ballastless high-speed rail track bed, CEAM has the potential to be utilized in other areas of construction.

The work presented in this thesis is broken down into two studies, …

Zone Refining Of Raw Materials For Metal Halide Scintillator Crystal Growth, Thomas Williams Mcalexander

Masters Theses

In recent years, scintillators have been researched for homeland security applications where properties such as high light output and low energy resolution are required for efficient gamma ray spectroscopy. Several promising scintillators, including SrI₂ [Strontium Iodide], CsSrI₃ [Cesium Strontium Iodide]_, and KSr₂I₅ [Potassium Strontium Iodide] are activated with EuI₂ [Europium Iodide]. The quality of EuI₂ raw material is generally poor and inconsistent as-received from the manufacturer. Material purity is known to affect its scintillation performance, and so purification processes have been investigated to improve the performance of Eu-doped [Europium-doped] scintillators. In this …

Estimating Streambank Erosion Using Gps-Based Watershed-Scale Video Mapping And Usepa Bancs For The Development Of Sediment Tmdls, Kelsey Jo Hensley

Masters Theses

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), sediment is one of the most common water pollutants in the nation’s rivers. Consequently, the identification of streambank locations with high erosion potential is important in reducing sediment input via management and monitoring practices. Furthermore, the estimation of erosion rates and sediment loads can assist in the development of Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs). The objective of this study was to integrate two USEPA-recommended approaches with the Streambank Video Mapping System (SVMS) in order to predict site-specific Total Daily Sediment Loads (TDSLs) and calculate sediment TMDLs for streambank erosion over several …

A Low-Power Approach For Front End Biological Signal Conditioning, Logan Smith Taylor

Masters Theses

In a lab-on-a-chip (LOC) application, the measurement of small analog signals such as local temperature variation often involves detection of very low-level signals in a noisy micro-scale environment. This is true for other biomedical monitoring systems as well. These systems observe various physiological parameters or electrochemical reactions that need to be tracked electrically. For temperature measurement pyroelectric transducers represent an efficient solution in terms of speed, sensitivity, and scale of integration, especially when prompt and accurate temperature monitoring is desired.

The ability to perform laboratory operations on a small scale using miniaturized LOC devices is a promising biosensing technique. The …

On The Development Of Conductive Textile Antennas, Dounia Baiya

Masters Theses

UWB systems are becoming increasingly utilized due to their use in a variety of applications. Meanwhile, many advances have been achieved in the realm of conductive textiles. These textiles can be used as a sensing system or implemented wearable antennas. Combining these two applications is attractive for a number of reasons. First, wearable antennas constructed entirely from fabric offer a cost- effective, flexible solution when compared to rigid antennas. Second UWB technology is also attractive for body area network applications due to the low power operation and the inherent low radiated power in its system design.

In our implementation accurately …

A New Approach To Optimization Of Dynamic Reactive Power Sources Addressing Fidvr Issues, Weihong Huang

Masters Theses

Dynamic reactive power (var) sources, e.g. SVCs and STATCOMs, can effectively mitigate fault-induced delayed voltage recovery (FIDVR) issues or even voltage collapse. However, their optimal allocation in a power grid is a complicated nonlinear optimization problem since the post-fault voltage trajectories have to be solved to check constraints on voltage responses. Thus, solvers of both nonlinear optimization and power system differential and algebraic equations (DAEs) are required.

Currently, most of existing methods merely achieve dynamic optimization locally with great dependence on the initial operation point. Also, complicated algorithm and time consuming are obstacles for the practical implementation.

This thesis proposes …

Characterization Of Lithium-6 As A Commercial Helium-3 Alternative For Nuclear Safeguards And Security, Alexander Martin Okowita

Masters Theses

Helium-3 detectors are efficient, reliable neutron detectors, but their high demand has reduced their supply to a very miniscule level, making them very expensive. The goal of this project is to test and evaluate an alternative produced by industry. Current testing is being done with a Lithium Zinc Sulfide (⁶LiF:ZnS(Ag)) detector from Aspect used in their portal monitors.

There are three basic requirements for neutron detectors used in nuclear safeguards and security: 1) high absolute detection efficiency, 2) maintaining neutron detection efficiency when simultaneously exposed to a high gamma ray exposure rate, and 3) the ability to maintain …

Modeling Integral Fuel Burnable Absorbers Using The Method Of Characteristics, Erik Daniel Walker

Masters Theses

Modern core designs that utilize Westinghouse fuel technology employ the use of Integral Fuel Burnable Absorbers (IFBA) that consists of very thin coatings of boron absorber material on the fuel pellets. While IFBA has proven to be an effective burnable absorber, it does present a neutronics modeling challenge. The difficulty of modeling IFBA using the Method of Characteristics (MOC) transport method is well known, and arises from the fact that IFBA is a very small, but also very important, region in nuclear fuel. Experience in modeling IFBA at the pin cell and single assembly lattice level requires a decrease in …

Analytical And Computational Modeling Of Membrane Nanotubes, Sina Mirzaeifard

Masters Theses

This thesis investigates the interplay between cell membranes and the actin cytoskeleton in cellular structures known as membrane nanotubes. Membrane nanotubes are slender membrane structures that physically connect cells over long distances, and experiments suggest that they play a role in transferring material and information between cells. Disrupting the actin cytoskeleton disrupts membrane nanotubes. Although recent studies have revealed insight into the physical properties and functions of membrane-actin systems, further research is needed to understand their behavior in biological contexts. Membrane nanotubes provide a novel system with which to investigate interactions between the cell membrane and actin.

In this thesis, …

Investigating Instabilities With Hec-Ras Unsteady Flow Modeling For Regulated Rivers At Low Flow Stages, Jennifer Kay Sharkey

Masters Theses

Dams are used throughout the United States for generation of electricity and flood control. The Tennessee River Valley’s regulated river system extends through Tennessee and parts of Kentucky, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. Of the dams in this area, 49 are managed by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The TVA forecasts and monitors the activities related to these dams and others in the area on an around-the-clock basis to ensure maximum generation potential is attained and to prevent flooding of the surrounding cities. To best forecast hydrology for the regulated river system, the TVA chose to …

An Autonomous Online I-V Tracer For Pv Monitoring Applications, Cameron William Riley

Masters Theses

With the unprecedented growth of photovoltaic technologies and their implementation in recent times, more precise methods of determining modules health, degradation, and performance are needed. Current monitoring efforts are helpful in determining these attributes but do not provide all of the information necessary to truly understand the health properties of the PV module in question. The current-voltage curve, or I-V curve, provides a level of insight into a PV module’s health unparalleled by most monitoring efforts. However, the tools which measure the I-V curve exist in an undesirable form—PV must be disconnected from its load and connected to the tool …

Validation Of A Modified Parallel Compressor Model For Prediction Of The Effects Of Inlet Swirl On Compressor Performance And Operability, Reggie Floyd

Masters Theses

Engine inlet distortion complications have plagued the turbine engine development community for decades, and engineers have developed countless methods to identify and combat the harmful effects of inlet distortion. One such type of distortion that has gained much attention in recent years is known as inlet swirl, which results in a significant flow angularity at the face of the engine. This flow angularity can affect the pressure rise and flow capacity of the fan or compressor, and subsequently affect compressor and engine performance.

Previous modeling and simulation efforts to predict the effect inlet swirl can have on fan and compressor …

Design And Model Of The Frame For Hagrid (Hybrid Array Of Gamma Ray Detectors), Santiago Munoz

Masters Theses

Transfer reactions in inverse kinematics have provided critical information in the study of exotic nuclei. However, transfer reactions with charged particles suffer from poor resolution. The measurement of gamma-rays offers several advantages: they provide not only good resolution in measurements but also other information about the nuclei like lifetimes of unstable states. The combination of these two methods would be the ideal situation to gather information about nuclear structure.

HAGRiD, which stands for The Hybrid Array of Gamma Ray Detectors, is a LaBr3(Ce) [lanthanum bromide crystal with a cerium activator] scintillation array to measure gamma rays from transfer reactions and …

Economic Analysis Of Michigan Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Strategies, Randy José Jorge Díaz

Masters Theses

Transportation infrastructure is an essential component of a nation’s success as it allows efficient transportation of goods to all economic markets, providing economic stability and ensuring trade competiveness. Nearly 70 percent of all of Michigan’s freight is shipped by truck and Michigan is ranked eighth in the USA in terms of the value of its exports with $50 billion per year. Unfortunately, commercial vehicles also contribute to the deterioration of pavement, reducing air quality and potentially influencing road safety. To enforce commercial vehicle laws and regulations, most states utilize fixed weigh stations supplemented with other enforcement strategies. Although fixed weigh …

Novel Method For Broadband On-Chip Noise Characterization, Mohammad Ghadiri Sadrabadi

Masters Theses

A novel method for on-chip noise characterization of mm-wave circuits is presented. Different available methods for noise measurements and requirements for on-chip noise mea-surements are studied. The Y-factor method is chosen to be the more suitable method for in-situ applications since it does not require absolute measurements. A state of the art CMOS noise source is implemented in 32nm SOI CMOS technology to enable the in-situ noise measurements of a 20-35 GHz reconfigurable low noise amplifier. Measurement results show that the ENR of the noise source is repeatable enough so that the calibration of the noise source is only required …

An Experimental Study Of The C-Start Of A Mechanical Fish, Benjamin Kandaswamy Chinna Thambi

Masters Theses

The Northern Pike have recorded the highest accelerations for marine propulsors. The mean peak acceleration and velocity for a number of trials were found to be 120 ms-2 and 4 ms-1 respectively (Harper and Blake 1990) for live fish. Here, we emulate this fast-start motion and analyze the performance of the Northern Pike, using a mechanical fish. The mechanical fish was made of a PVC head attached to a spring steel frame with aluminum ribs and a plastic tail. A latex rubber sheet was used as the skin of the fish. The set-up used air bearings for frictionless motion with …

Propagation Prediction Over Random Rough Surface By Zeroth Order Induced Current Density, Narayana Srinivasan Balu

Masters Theses

Electromagnetic wave propagation over random sea surfaces is a classical problem of interest for the Navy, and significant research has been done over the years. Here we make use of numerical and analytical methods to predict the propagation of microwaves over random rough surface. The numerical approach involves utilization of the direct solution (using Volterra integral equation of the second kind) to currents induced on a rough surface due to forward propagating waves to compute the scattered field. The mean scattered field is computed using the Monte-Carlo method. Since the exact solution (consisting of an infinite series) to induced current …

Investigating Teenage Drivers' Driving Behavior Before And After Lag (Less Aggressive Goals) Training Program, Jingyi Zhang

Masters Theses

Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death during adolescence, with the fatal crash rate per mile-driven for 16-19 years old drivers being nearly 3 times larger than the rate for drivers age 20 and older. High gravitational events among teenage drivers, such as quick starts, and hard stops, have been shown to be highly correlated with crash rates. The current younger driver training programs developed in the late 1990s, however, do not appear to be especially effective in regard to many skills which are critical to avoiding crashes. With this in mind, a simulator-based training program aimed at …

Design Of A Passive Exoskeleton Spine, Haohan Zhang

Masters Theses

In this thesis, a passive exoskeleton spine was designed and evaluated by a series of biomechanics simulations. The design objectives were to reduce the human operator’s back muscle efforts and the intervertebral reaction torques during a full range sagittal plane spine flexion/extension. The biomechanics simulations were performed using the OpenSim modeling environment. To manipulate the simulations, a full body musculoskeletal model was created based on the OpenSim gait2354 and “lumbar spine” models. To support flexion and extension of the torso a “push-pull” strategy was proposed by applying external pushing and pulling forces on different locations on the torso. The external …

Impedance Measurement Of Small Antennas Over A Ground Plane Without Direct Cable Attachment, Yutong Yang

Masters Theses

An indirect impedance measurement approach that does not require direct cable attachment or large space using a two-port network is presented. Using a straight wire monopole as an interrogating antenna and measured impedances of three calibration standards, the input impedance of a small spherical helix dipole over a ground plane is retrieved. It is found that accurate result is obtained around the dipole resonance frequency. The accuracy and sources of error are discussed.

Single-Phase Turbulent Enthalpy Transport, Bradley J. Shields

Masters Theses

Vapor generation is central to the flow dynamics within fuel injector nozzles. Because the degree of atomization affects engine emissions and spray characteristics, quantification of phase change within diesel fuel injectors is a topic of design interest. Within the nozzle, the large pressure gradient between the upstream and downstream plena induce large velocities, creating separation and further pressure drop at the inlet corner. When local pressure in the throat drops below the fluid vapor pressure, phase change can occur with sufficient time. At the elevated temperatures present in diesel engines, this process can be dependent upon the degree of superheat, …

Design And Implementation Of A Network Service Marketplace, Yunsheng Qi

Masters Theses

The Internet has successfully served the world for more than three decades, while limitations and drawbacks still exist. A lot of researches have been done on innovation of Internet to address those inadequacies. One approach to improve Internet performance is to make choice as a principle in network architecture. We believe that a service-based network architecture with choice, or we call it ChoiceNet, is the most suitable option for future Internet. In this thesis, we design and implement a network service marketplace. Due to the flexibility and functionality of web application, the marketplace is implemented by a web application to …

Effect Of Clock And Power Gating On Power Distribution Network Noise In 2d And 3d Integrated Circuits, Vinay C. Patil

Masters Theses

In this work, power supply noise contribution, at a particular node on the power grid, from clock/power gated blocks is maximized at particular time and the synthetic gating patterns of the blocks that result in the maximum noise is obtained for the interval 0 to target time. We utilize wavelet based analysis as wavelets are a natural way of characterizing the time-frequency behavior of the power grid. The gating patterns for the blocks and the maximum supply noise at the Point of Interest at the specified target time obtained via a Linear Programming (LP) formulation (clock gating) and Genetic Algorithm …

Development Of A Support Structure For Multi-Rotor Wind Turbines, Gaurav Murlidhar Mate

Masters Theses

The earliest design of a wind power system with multiple rotors on a single support structure dates back to the late 1800s. Such a system called a Multi-Rotor Wind Turbine (MRWT) was proposed by several researchers due to its perceived advantages over a single-rotor wind turbine. As turbine size increases, power produced by a rotor tends to scale up as the square of its diameter, as opposed to rotor weight which varies as its cube. So, several smaller rotors will weigh and cost less than one large rotor producing the same power. MRWTs offer several advantages such as better distribution …