Engineering Commons^™

Channel Prediction For Underwater Acoustic Communication: A Review And Performance Evaluation Of Algorithms, Haotian Liu, Lu Ma, Zhaohui Wang, Gang Qiao

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 2

Underwater acoustic (UWA) channel prediction technology, as an important topic in UWA communication, has played an important role in UWA adaptive communication network and underwater target perception. Although many significant advancements have been achieved in underwater acoustic channel prediction over the years, a comprehensive summary and introduction is still lacking. As the first comprehensive overview of UWA channel prediction, this paper introduces past works and algorithm implementation methods of channel prediction from the perspective of linear, kernel-based, and deep learning approaches. Importantly, based on available at-sea experiment datasets, this paper compares the performance of current primary UWA channel prediction algorithms …

A Review Of Electrically Conductive Cement Concrete Pavement For Sustainable Snow-Removal And Deicing: Road Safety In Cold Regions, Mohammad Anis, Mohamed Abdel-Raheem

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Within cold U.S. regions, winter storms can cause interruptions in transportation networks, affecting transportation entities’ revenue streams. Conventional snow-removal methods on roadways efficiently remove snow and ice, yet their adverse environmental impacts further make winter maintenance more challenging. In response to these concerns, electrically conductive cement concrete (ECCC) pavement has become an effective alternative for deicing and snow melting on road surfaces. ECCC utilizes the Joule heating principles to effectively melt snow and ice by incorporating conductive elements into conventional concrete. This paper comprehensively reviews the current literature on ECCC pavement. Previous studies have diligently explored various aspects of ECCC …

Comparison Of Four In Vitro Test Methods To Assess Nucleus Pulposus Replacement Device Expulsion Risk, Tahmanna Rahman, Matthew J. Kibble, Gianluca Harbert, Nigel Smith, Erik Brewer, Thomas P. Schaer, Nicolas Newell

Faculty Scholarship for the Rowan-Virtua School of Translational Biomedical Engineering & Sciences

Background

Nucleus replacement devices (NRDs) are not routinely used in clinic, predominantly due to the risk of device expulsion. Rigorous in vitro testing may enable failure mechanisms to be identified prior to clinical trials; however, current testing standards do not specify a particular expulsion test. Multiple methods have therefore been developed, complicating comparisons between NRD designs. Thus, this study assessed the effectiveness of four previously reported expulsion testing protocols; hula-hoop (Protocol 1), adapted hula-hoop (Protocol 2), eccentric cycling (Protocol 3), and ramp to failure (Protocol 4), applied to two NRDs, one preformed and one in situ curing.

Methods

Nucleus material …

Sparse Ensemble Networks For Hypserspectral Image Classification, Rakesh Kumar Iyer, Okan Ersoy

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Technical Reports

We explore the efficacy of sparsity and ensemble model in the classification of hyperspectral images, a pivotal task in remote sensing applications. While Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) and Transformer models have shown promise in this domain, each exhibits distinct limitations; CNNs excel in capturing the spatial/local features but falter to capture spectral features, whereas Transformers captures the spectral features at the expense of spatial features. Furthermore, the computational cost associated with training several independent CNN and Transformer networks becomes expensive. To address these limitations, we propose a novel ensemble framework comprising pruned CNNs and Transformers, optimizing both spatial and spectral …

Passenger Insight On Sustainable Flight: Exploring The Relationships Between Attitudes And Risk Propensity On Willingness To Fly, Kayla Hylan, Carl A. Thomas Jr., Vivek Sharma, Brooke Wheeler

Aeronautics Student Publications

Passengers were generally accepting of sustainable aircraft, but compared to jet fuel, higher general risk propensity (GRiP) was more predictive of willingness to fly (WF) in sustainable aircraft. Sustainable attitudes strongly related to WF in sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) but had a weaker relationship on WF in electric and hydrogen aircraft, compared to jet fuel.

Stress And Exercise In Part 141 Flight Students, Reece Curcio, Thomas Vincent Hayes, Reon Porter, Brooke Wheeler

Aeronautics Student Publications

This study explores how stress levels relate to exercise habits among aviation students in a Part 141 collegiate flight program. There was no correlation between stress and exercise. This outcome was unexpected as the hypothesis was an inverse relationship between perceived stress and exercise.

Applications, Challenges, And Research Issues For Enabling A Uav Swarm, Jennifer Hahner

Senior Honors Theses

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) swarms have the potential to be useful in numerous applications due to their versatility and ability to operate without human intervention. However, this promising technology still requires further investigation, research, and testing before UAV swarms can be implemented extensively. The level of human intervention needed to control the system determines the differing levels of autonomy for UAV swarms. For swarms to become more independent, efficient algorithms for task and path planning are essential. In addition, accurate communication is essential for swarms to be able to coordinate and accomplish tasks successfully. This paper seeks to provide a …

Incorporating Safety Excellence Into Urban Air Mobility (Uam): Insights From Commercial Aviation, Rotorcraft, And Unmanned Aerial Systems (Uas), Seyoung "Evie" Jang

Senior Honors Theses

This paper focused on safety considerations in Urban Air Mobility (UAM) through a cross-industry examination of commercial aviation, rotorcraft, and unmanned aerial systems (UAS). Although UAM promises transformative benefits, there are safety concerns remaining. Based on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)’s Concept of Operations (ConOps), the literature review explained the fundamental concepts of UAM. In commercial aviation, regulatory framework, pilot training and certification, vehicle design and maintenance, and emergency response planning are emphasized. For rotorcraft, safety requirements for vertical flight, collision avoidance systems, heliport standards, and weather adaptability are crucial. Leveraging UAS advancements, the study suggested autonomous systems, sense-and-avoid technology, …

Gate-Controlled Supercurrent Effect In Dry-Etched Dayem Bridges Of Non-Centrosymmetric Niobium Rhenium, Jennifer Koch, Carla Cirillo, Sebastiano Battisti, Leon Ruf, Zahra Makhdoumi Kakhaki, Alessandro Paghi, Armen Gulian, Serafim Teknowijoyo, Giorgio De Simoni, Francesco Giazotto, Carmine Attanasio, Elke Scheer, Angelo Di Bernardo

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

The application of a gate voltage to control the superconducting current flowing through a nanoscale superconducting constriction, named as gate-controlled supercurrent (GCS), has raised great interest for fundamental and technological reasons. To gain a deeper understanding of this effect and develop superconducting technologies based on it, the material and physical parameters crucial for the GCS effect must be identified. Top-down fabrication protocols should also be optimized to increase device scalability, although studies suggest that top-down fabricated devices are more resilient to show a GCS. Here, we investigate gated superconducting nanobridges made with a top-down fabrication process from thin films of …

Optimal Molecular Dynamics System Size For Increased Precision And Efficiency For Epoxy Materials, Khatereh Kashmari, Sagar Patil, Josh Kemppainen, Shankara Gowtham, Gregory Odegard

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 2

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation is an important tool for predicting thermo-mechanical properties of polymer resins at the nanometer length scale, which is particularly important for efficient computationally driven design of advanced composite materials and structures. Because of the statistical nature of modeling amorphous materials on the nanometer length scale, multiple MD models (replicates) are typically built and simulated for statistical sampling of predicted properties. Larger replicates generally provide higher precision in the predictions but result in higher simulation times. Unfortunately, there is insufficient information in the literature to establish guidelines between MD model size and the resulting precision in predicted …

Deep Selenium Donors In Zngep2 Crystals: An Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Study Of A Nonlinear Optical Material, Timothy D. Gustafson, Larry E. Halliburton, Nancy C. Giles, Peter G. Schunemann, Kevin T. Zawilski, J. Jesenovec, Kent L. Averett, Jeremy Slagle

Faculty Publications

Zinc germanium diphosphide (ZnGeP₂) is a ternary semiconductor best known for its nonlinear optical properties. A primary application is optical parametric oscillators operating in the mid-infrared region. Controlled donor doping provides a method to minimize the acceptor-related absorption bands that limit the output power of these devices. In the present study, a ZnGeP₂ crystal is doped with selenium during growth. Selenium substitutes for phosphorus and serves as a deep donor. Significant concentrations of native defects (zinc vacancies, germanium-on-zinc antisites, and phosphorous vacancies) are also present in the crystal. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) is used to establish the …

Data Engineering: Building Software Efficiency In Medium To Large Organizations, Alessandro De La Torre

Whittier Scholars Program

The introduction of PoetHQ, a mobile application, offers an economical strategy for colleges, potentially ushering in significant cost savings. These savings could be redirected towards enhancing academic programs and services, enriching the educational landscape for students. PoetHQ aims to democratize access to crucial software, effectively removing financial barriers and facilitating a richer educational experience. By providing an efficient software solution that reduces organizational overhead while maximizing accessibility for students, the project highlights the essential role of equitable education and resource optimization within academic institutions.

Biomimetic And Bio-Derived Composite Phase Change Materials For Thermal Energy Storage Applications: A Thorough Analysis And Future Research Directions, Md Shahriar Mohtasim, Barun K. Das

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Phase change heat storage has gained a lot of interest lately due to its high energy storage density. However, during the phase shift process, Phase Change Materials (PCMs) experience issues such as low thermal conductivity, stability, leaking, and low energy-storing capacity. Materials that mimic or derive from nature can effectively offset the shortcomings attributed. This work presents a methodical overview of the synthesis, thermo-physical properties, comparison and Thermal Energy Storage (TES) applications of bio-derived and biomimetic composite PCMs (BD/BM-CPCMs). Several studies have observed increase in thermal conductivity up to 950–1250 % for BD/BM-CPCMs, as well as great thermal stability with …

Martian Atmospheric Rover Simulation (M.A.R.S.), Matt Berard, Shelby Beddard, Alexander Brunette, Emma Conti, Collin Duke, Delaney Novak, Keelin Weaver

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Student Publications

While rovers have been used by various agencies to explore Mars, their travel is limited by terrain obstacles, which may prevent mission completion. Creating a vehicle equipped with both driving and flight capabilities would allow greater range of motion on extraterrestrial planets. Integrating the technology for both transportation modes into one rover allows for efficiency and advancements in technological and planetary research.

Garbage Float, Gabor Papp, Max Woolverton, Scott Ulatowski, Daniel Ross, Nicholas Gayle, Bryan Merchan-Aragon, Noah Yco, Nicholas Fawcett, Jared Wright, Abdulaziz Salman G Alshahrani, Andrew Mcquire

Mechanical and Civil Engineering Student Publications

Trash pileup in our waters is an increasing problem. Removing floating plastics and debris from our ecosystem would reduce mortality rate of marine animals. Solutions for this already exist but most of them are proprietary and expensive. Therefore, an autonomous, publicly available and cheap alternative was developed to skim and clean the water surface from garbage.

Radiative Cooling For Energy-Efficient Power Generation, Rickia Hanna

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

This thesis examined radiative cooling on a small scale using a hybrid photovoltaic/radiative cooling model system, to determine its efficiency for large-scale power generation. Radiative cooling is concerned with heat transfer and this thesis’s main goal is to harness that heat energy to produce electricity. The efficiency of the system was tested using various light sources at different angles and total power output. The testing was done several times and there proved to be a proportional relationship between light intensity and current output. However, due to the performance threshold of the PTEC module, the component of the system used to …

Advancing Brain Tumor Segmentation With Spectral–Spatial Graph Neural Networks, Sina Mohammadi, Mohamed Allali

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

In the field of brain tumor segmentation, accurately capturing the complexities of tumor sub-regions poses significant challenges. Traditional segmentation methods usually fail to accurately segment tumor subregions. This research introduces a novel solution employing Graph Neural Networks (GNNs), enriched with spectral and spatial insight. In the supervoxel creation phase, we explored methods like VCCS, SLIC, Watershed, Meanshift, and Felzenszwalb–Huttenlocher, evaluating their performance based on homogeneity, moment of inertia, and uniformity in shape and size. After creating supervoxels, we represented 3D MRI images as a graph structure. In this study, we combined Spatial and Spectral GNNs to capture both local and …

Data Set: The Analysis Of Lava Flow Path Using Remote Sensing Techniques And Geomorphological Techniques: The Case Of Volcano Eruptions In Afar Region Of Ethiopia, Oluwatosin Ayo, Jae Sung Kim

Michigan Tech Research Data

Natural disasters pose significant threats to the environment and make land unsuitable for man. The lava from volcanic eruptions rapidly moves on the Earth surface and affects both natural and man-made features on the Earth. Remote sensing is relevant in extracting information about the areas affected by lava flows without physically visiting such areas. The objective of this study is to develop a workflow for determining the optimal ground sample distance of a digital elevation model to delineate the lava flow paths using object-based image analysis and geomorphologic analysis. For the experiment, the satellite images and digital elevation model of …

Nanozyme-Based Sensing Of Dopamine Using Cobalt-Doped Hydroxyapatite Nanocomposite From Waste Bones, Umar Nishan, Nighat Jabeen, Amir Badshah, Nawshad Muhammad, Mohibullah Shah, Irfan Ullah, Saifullah Afridi, Jibran Iqbal, Muhammad Asad, Riaz Ullah, Essam A. Ali, Sarfraz Ahmed, Suvash Chandra Ojha

All Works

Dopamine is one of the most important neurotransmitters and plays a crucial role in various neurological, renal, and cardiovascular systems. However, the abnormal levels of dopamine mainly point to Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular diseases, etc. Hydroxyapatite (HAp), owing to its catalytic nature, nanoporous structure, easy synthesis, and biocompatibility, is a promising matrix material. These characteristics make HAp a material of choice for doping metals such as cobalt. The synthesized cobalt-doped hydroxyapatite (Co-HAp) was used as a colorimetric sensing platform for dopamine. The successful synthesis of the platform was confirmed by characterization with FTIR, SEM, EDX, XRD, TGA, etc. The platform demonstrated …

Wireless Insights Into Cognitive Wellness: A Paradigm Shift In Alzheimer’S Detection Through Ultrathin Wearable Antennas, Fatma Taher, Moath Alathbah, M. Abdel-Aleim M., Thamer Alghamdi, Mohamed Fathy Abo Sree, Sara Yehia Abdel Fatah

All Works

The Proposed algorithm, designed to simulate an Alzheimer’s disease (AD) brain model across different stages, presents an invaluable opportunity for further research and in-depth study of the effects of AD. Currently, there is a notable absence of a comprehensive simulated model for the AD brain that allows the exploration of all AD biomarkers within a simulation tool. This represents a crucial advancement in the field, enabling researchers to thoroughly investigate and understand the diverse biomarkers associated with AD without resorting to highly expensive and ionizing radiation techniques. The algorithm’s capability to emulate various stages of AD in a simulated environment …

Microplastics Fouling Mitigation In Forward Osmosis Membranes By The Molecular Assembly Of Sulfobetaine Zwitterion, Javad Farahbakhsh, Mitra Golgoli, Mehdi Khiadani, Amir Razmjou, Masoumeh Zargar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Forward osmosis (FO) membranes have potential for the efficient water and wastewater treatment applications. However, their development has faced significant challenges due to their fouling propensity. In this study, FO membranes modified with sulfobetaine zwitterions (i.e., [2-(Methacryloyloxy)ethyl]dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl) ammonium hydroxide) were fabricated and used for the first time to address microplastic (MP) fouling issue. Water flux, reverse salt flux (RSF), fouling, and flux recovery were evaluated for the membranes loaded with different quantities of the zwitterions ranging from 0.25 % to 2 %. The developed membranes were tested over 49 h with feed solutions containing polyethylene MPs and bovine serum albumin …

Soil Stabilization With Gypsum: A Review, Yasaman Abdolvand, Mohammadhossein Sadeghiamirshahidi

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 2

The demand for sustainable ground improvement methods is rising as urban development expands into areas with challenging soil conditions. Traditional approaches, mostly reliant on cement and lime, contribute significantly to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Researchers, therefore, are constantly searching for new environmentally friendly stabilization methods to improve the engineering properties of soils. One alternative material used for this purpose is gypsum in its hydrated and dehydrated (hemihydrate/anhydrate) states. Not only can natural gypsum be used for ground improvement but also industrial waste and by-products (e.g. used or waste plasterboard, phosphogypsum, flue gas desulfurization gypsum, titanium dioxide production gypsum by-product) can …

Decoding Crystallization Behavior Of Aluminoborosilicate Glasses: From Structural Descriptors To Quantitative Structure – Property Relationship (Qspr) Based Predictive Models, Yingcheng Zhang, Marco Bertani, Alfonso Pedone, Randall E. Youngman, Gregory Tricot, Aditya Kumar, Ashutosh Goel

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Successful decoding of structural descriptors controlling the crystallization in multicomponent functional glasses can pave the way for the transition from the trial-and-error approach and empirical modeling for glass/glass-ceramic composition design toward more rational and scientifically rigorous Quantitative Structure-Property Relationship (QSPR) based models. However, due to the compositional and structural complexity of multicomponent glasses and the longer time and length scales associated with nucleation, the development and validation of QSPR models are still in it's infancy. The work presented in the article is an attempt to leap forward in this pursuit by combining the strengths of experimental and computational materials science …

Corrosion And Passivation Behavior Of Laser Powder Bed Fusion Produced Ti-6al-4v Under Various Prior Plastic Deformation Strains, P. Qin, L. Y. Chen, Y. J. Liu, S. X. Liang, H. Sun, L. C. Zhang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This work investigated the corrosion behavior of LPBF-produced Ti-6Al-4V under varying compression strains in a 3.5 wt% NaCl solution. It identifies that increasing compression strain causes significant alterations in the acicular a'-Ti phase (coarsening, breakage, and further coarsening). Corrosion resistance decreases with higher strains due to deformed a'-Ti phases, leading to increased film growth kinetics (from 0.09× 10−10 cm2/s increase to 12.75 × 10−10 cm2/s). Samples under higher strains (e.g., 32%) exhibit fluctuations in corrosion behavior due to initiated cracks and subsequent crevice corrosion. These findings are vital for understanding LPBF-produced Ti-6Al-4V in applications requiring mechanical strength and corrosion resilience.

Joint Energy And Security Optimization In Underwater Wireless Communication Networks, Kazi Y. Islam, Iftekhar Ahmad, Yue Rong, Daryoush Habibi

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Underwater wireless communication networks (UWCNs) can support a wide range of applications in the underwater domain, including mining and drilling, coastline monitoring, border surveillance, and submarine/mine detection. Some of these applications are sensitive in nature (e.g., military) and demand stringent security requirements for data communications. In order to prevent malicious attacks (e.g., jamming) in these UWCNs, robust security countermeasures must be implemented. Additionally, sensitive data communications must be protected. However, computationally expensive security protocols, such as encryption, can severely shorten UWCN lifetime, where battery-powered nodes already suffer from scarce energy supplies. In this work, we exploit content caching as a …

Ensemble-Learning Model Based Ultimate Moment Prediction Of Reinforced Concrete Members Strengthened By Uhpc, Woubishet Zewdu Taffese, Yanping Zhu, Genda Chen

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Data-driven model development brings new approaches to solve conventional civil engineering problems, which are usually considered and answered by experimental, analytical, and numerical methods. This study aims to develop an ensemble learning model (i.e., XGBoost: eXtreme Gradient Boosting) to predict ultimate moment of reinforced concrete (RC) members strengthened by a newly developed concrete technology – ultrahigh performance concrete (UHPC). The study considered two scenarios, incorporating eighteen and seventeen features, with one feature modification involving the transformation of width and height to the cross-sectional area of RC members. Incorporating three substrate damage levels, two substrate surface treatments preceding UHPC strengthening, and …

A Reputation System For Provably-Robust Decision Making In Iot Blockchain Networks, Charles C. Rawlins, Sarangapani Jagannathan, Venkata Sriram Siddhardh Nadendla

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Blockchain systems have been successful in discerning truthful information from interagent interaction amidst possible attackers or conflicts, which is crucial for the completion of nontrivial tasks in distributed networking. However, the state-of-the-art blockchain protocols are limited to resource-rich applications where reliably connected nodes within the network are equipped with significant computing power to run lottery-based proof-of-work (pow) consensus. The purpose of this work is to address these challenges for implementation in a severely resource-constrained distributed network with internet of things (iot) devices. The contribution of this work is a novel lightweight alternative, called weight-based reputation (wbr) scheme, to classify new …

Application Of The Immobilized Low-Activity Waste Glass Corrosion Model To The Static Dissolution Of 24 Statistically-Designed Alkali-Borosilicate Waste Glasses, Sebastien N. Kerisit, James J. Neeway, Charmayne E. Lonergan, Benjamin Parruzot, Jarrod V. Crum, Richard C. Daniel, Gary L. Smith, R. Matthew Asmussen

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Glass corrosion models that capture the complex mechanisms of the glass-water reaction enable the prediction of nuclear waste glass durability in disposal scenarios. Parameterization of such models is challenging because of the need to capture changes in corrosion behavior with time, reaction conditions, and glass composition. Here, we describe and employ the ILAW (immobilized low-activity waste) glass corrosion model (IGCM) in geochemical simulations of static dissolution tests, at two temperatures (40 °C and 90 °C), for a matrix of 24 enhanced low-activity waste (eLAW) glasses statistically designed to cover a processable composition space defined by 8 major glass components (Al …

Immersive Japanese Language Learning Web Application Using Spaced Repetition, Active Recall, And An Artificial Intelligent Conversational Chat Agent Both In Voice And In Text, Marc Butler

MS in Computer Science Project Reports

In the last two decades various human language learning applications, spaced repetition software, online dictionaries, and artificial intelligent chat agents have been developed. However, there is no solution to cohesively combine these technologies into a comprehensive language learning application including skills such as speaking, typing, listening, and reading. Our contribution is to provide an immersive language learning web application to the end user which combines spaced repetition, a study technique used to review information at systematic intervals, and active recall, the process of purposely retrieving information from memory during a review session, with an artificial intelligent conversational chat agent both …

Assessment Of Satellite-Based Water Requirements For A Drip-Irrigated Apple Orchard In Mediterranean Agroclimatic Conditions, Daniel De La Fuente-Saiz, Samuel Ortega-Farias, Marcos Carrasco-Benavides, Samuel Ortega-Salazar, Fei Tian, Sufen Wang, Yi Liu

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Accurate assessment of evapotranspiration (ETa) and crop coefficient (Kc) is crucial for optimizing irrigation practices in water-scarce regions. While satellite-based surface energy balance models offer a promising solution, their application to sparse canopies like apple orchards requires specific validation. This study investigated the spatial and temporal dynamics of ETa and Kc in a drip-irrigated ‘Pink Lady’ apple orchard under Mediterranean conditions over three growing seasons (2012/13, 2013/14, 2014/15). The METRIC model, incorporating calibrated sub-models for leaf area index (LAI), surface roughness (Z_om), and soil heat flux (G), was employed to estimate ETa and Kc. These estimates were validated …