Engineering Commons^™

Geoaware - A Simulation-Based Framework For Synthetic Trajectory Generation From Mobility Patterns, Jameson D. Morgan

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Recent advances in location acquisition services have resulted in vast amounts of trajectory data; providing valuable insight into human mobility. The field of trajectory data mining has exploded as a result, with literature detailing algorithms for (pre)processing, map matching, pattern mining, and the like. Unfortunately, obtaining trajectory data for the design and evaluation of such algorithms is problematic due to privacy, ethical, dataset size, researcher access, and sampling frequency concerns. Synthetic trajectories provide a solution to such a problem as they are cheap to produce and are derived from a fully controllable generation procedure. Citing deficiencies in modern synthetic trajectory …

Blended Wing Design Considerations For A Next Generation Commercial Aircraft, Jay Abhilash Vora

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The current aircraft design has not changed significantly in the last few decades. Growing environmental concerns and fuel prices are driving manufacturers to develop unconventional but efficient aircraft configurations. The blended wing body (BWB) configuration provides an alternate and more efficient means of subsonic travel. The BWB aircraft replaces the traditional wings and fuselage with hybrid wing shape where the fuselage and wings have integrated. Major aircraft manufacturers are researching the BWB concept incorporating electric propulsion for civil transport use. In this research a 300 passenger BWB aircraft aerodynamic shape is designed. This aircraft is used to assess the aerodynamic …

Virtual Reality And Analysis Framework For Studying Different Layout Designs, Madison Glines

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This thesis describes the tools for studying different design prototypes. The goal was to develop effective tools to study these designs using a data-driven approach. “Proof of concept” experiments were conducted, in which participants were allowed to interact with a virtual environment depicting different designs as data pertaining to their virtual location and orientation was recorded for later analysis. The designs included “flat” store racks, as opposed to racks with more varied shapes, as well as “curved” racks. Focus of the design studies was to assist in identifying optimal locations for different product types. The automated data collection mechanisms required …

Implementation Of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Reporting Plume Cloud Concentration Values In A 3d Simulation Environment, Emily Catherine Novak

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Unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, have the potential to vastly improve plume cloud tracking at low cost. Plume clouds can be produced from blast mining, chemical warfare, unintended man-made disasters, and natural causes. This thesis provides implementation of the capability to simulate a 3D environment in which UAVs are individually controlled and each report a plume's concentration value at a specific location. It leverages existing industry standard technologies, including the PX4 autopilot system, the Gazebo simulation environment, the Robot Operating System (ROS), and QGroundControl. The provided system integrates the existing tools with a plume model plug-in that provides simulated plume …

Demonstrating The Functionality And Efficacy Of Blockchain-Based System In Healthcare Using Simulation Tools, Jad S. Mubaslat

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Blockchain and cryptocurrencies have been a rapidly growing industry and area of academic research since Bitcoin's launch in early 2009. Blockchains have already been applied in spaces outside of finance, such as healthcare. This work explores the Bitcoin blockchain and a blockchain-based care coordination system through the use of modeling and simulation tools. Two agent based models are constructed: one to represent the Bitcoin blockchain, and a second to represent a blockchain-based care coordination system, MDChain. Insight is provided that is relevant to current issues within the Bitcoin community and predictions are made as to its future. The feasibility of …

A Simulation Method For Studying Effects Of Site-Specific Clutter On Sar-Gmti Performance, Marcus James Campbell

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Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is an invaluable tool for detection of ground moving targets when combined with processing techniques of ground moving target indication (GMTI). This work investigates a simulation methodology for studying impact of site-specific ground clutter on SAR-GMTI performance. A terrain model is proposed and is based on digital terrain elevation data (DTED) and national land-use land-cover data (NLCD) as provided by the US Geological Survey. The proposed physical optics simulation method capitalizes on high-fidelity digital target models in combination with the proposed terrain model. SAR phase history is generated for a moving commercial target in situ of …

Engineering Inpatient Discharges: Disposition Prediction And Day-Of-Discharge Planning, Nicholas A. Ballester

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Inpatient discharge planning is a critical decision point in patient care, with implications for the efficiency of the inpatient unit as well as other units of the acute care hospital. Inefficient discharge planning can cause patient boarding (waiting for beds) in the upstream units. While this is a poignant and well-known problem in healthcare, very little quantitative research exists that proposes approaches to alleviate it. To address this issue, we apply Systems Engineering methods with focus on three key challenges in inpatient discharge planning. First, to aid inpatient care providers in predicting discharge disposition (home vs. non-home) within 24-hours of …

Engineering Healthcare Delivery: A Systems Engineering Approach To Improving Trauma Center Nursing Efficacy, Robert A. Myers

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The efficacy of nurses is impacted by their availability to their patients and the occurrence of both beneficial and detrimental interruptions. Using system engineering tools, this work addresses open challenges in (i) methods for effective matching of nurse availability to non-stationary stochastic demand, (ii) differentiation of beneficial and detrimental interruptions, and (iii) modeling of nurses’ work with interruptions to provide an objective method of testing interruption interventions. First, we propose both qualitative and quantitative approaches to evaluate and then model the impact of resource scheduling on patient wait time in a Level I trauma center for a highly specialized nurse, …

Designing And Simulation Of Various Class-F Radio-Frequency Power Amplifier, Varun Pundhir

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In this thesis, the various kinds of Class-F radio frequency power amplifiers are discussed. The Class-F3 RFPA is the one which has been designed and analyzed. It consists of an RF choke, blocking capacitor and a loading network. The loading network consists of a tank circuit resonating at fundamental operating frequency and also a parallel resonator circuit tuned to third harmonic. For a better understanding of the operation of Class-F3 amplifier, we go back to Class-C amplifier and discuss it briefly. Here the design remains same, operating at conduction angles less than 180 degree. The design equations were used to …

Imperfect Situation Analysis: Representing The Role Of Error And Uncertainty In Modeling, Simulation And Analysis, Victor Eaton Middleton

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Much of traditional modeling, simulation and analysis (MS&A) is supported by engineering models - deterministic, Newtonian physics-based representations of closed systems. Such approaches are not well-suited to represent the intricacies of human behavior. This research advocates and seeks to articulate the concept of a more human- centric approach to MS& A, one that better represents decision-making and other cognitive aspects of human behavior as well as it does physical activity.

It starts with a view of individuals and groups as complex adaptive systems, which are best represented using agent-based modeling. Representation of human behavior through intelligent agents incorporates models of …

Evaluating The E-Consult Process For Diabetes Care Delivery At An Outpatient Care Clinic, Brian M. Zoll

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The occurrence of one of the most common chronic conditions in the U.S., diabetes, is expected to rise 53% from 24 million cases in 2003 to 37 million cases in 2023. The U.S. Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is not immune to this. The VHA has experienced an $820 million increase spending on diabetes patients between 2000 and 2008. The VHA has tried to keep the growth of chronic care costs in check through improvements in patient access to care by expanding its network of community-based outpatient clinics. Other methods the VHA has used to curb chronic care spending costs are …

Dynamic Simulation Of Turbine Engine Used With Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell For Power Generation In The Megawatt Range, Carlos Eduardo Gutierrez

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Molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC) have a high operating temperature of approximately 650° C (1200° F) to achieve sufficient conductivity of its carbonate electrolyte. Therefore, a gas turbine engine coupled with a MCFC is desirable since the turbine engine can be used to provide hot gas to the cathode, and the cathode gas residue can be used to raise the temperature of the natural gas and water vapor mixture (fuel) before it enters the MCFC at the anode. Dynamic models of a hybrid power plant consisting of a gas turbine engine and a MCFC with their respective components were developed …

Effects Of Large-Scale Transient Loading And Waste Heat Rejection On A Three Stream Variable Cycle Engine, Michael William Corbett

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The objective of the research presented in this document was to gain an understanding of the feasibility of extracting large amounts of transient shaft power from a variable cycle engine and to reject waste heat into the third stream bypass duct. This first required the development of a transient engine and controller simulation. After performing basic verification of the model, such as ensuring conservation of mass, tests were run for three missions using a low-efficiency periodic load which both required shaft power and created low quality waste heat. The waste heat generated by that load was lifted by a cooling …

The History, Philosophy, And Practice Of Agent-Based Modeling And The Development Of The Conceptual Model For Simulation Diagram, Brian L. Heath

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This research advances ABM as a generic analysis tool such that ABM can reach its full potential as a revolution in modeling and simulation. To achieve this goal, the field of ABM is examined from many perspectives. The first perspectives examined are complex systems, the historical emergence of ABM, and philosophical issues related to ABM. These topics establish some clear foundations for the field across multiple disciplines. Next the current practice of ABM is investigated. Through a comprehensive 279 article survey some current deficiencies and opportunities in ABM are identified. Based on these opportunities, a new diagramming technique called the …

High Voltage Dc Converter Systems Modeling, Simulation And Analysis, Manish A. Dalal

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The thesis provides insights into important modeling techniques to model the converter system, machine design, control and power stages and integration of the various sub systems to simulate the system level performance. This innovative modeling and simulation project is very relevant to optimizing the system performance, designing the sub circuits, components selection, predicting the system stability and impulse responses. The thesis presents modeling and simulation of three different 270VDC converter systems and comparing their performances against each other. The 270VDC converter system accepts either Generator 3-phase AC voltages or fixed three voltage source followed by single or dual converter stages …

Implementation Of Simulation For Network Service Delivery Point Capacity Analysis, Tiffany Jill Harper

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As businesses consolidate and modernize their operations, the impact on their network and computing infrastructure is a major consideration. In this thesis, discrete event simulation is used to show how implementation of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system can impact network performance and ultimately affect end-users. More specifically, the model simulates the flow of data packets across a network, through a Service Delivery Point (SDP), which is comprised of routers, switches, and firewalls that connect a Local Area Network to a Wide Area Network.

The model was used to run to determine the affect of more network traffic and additional …

Modeling And Simulation Of A Microturbine Generator To Be Coupled With A Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell For Distributed Generation, Karleine M. Justice

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Distributed generation is desired when the individual energy requirements ranging from 25-75 kW of office buildings, restaurants, hospitals and apartments can not be met by the current electric utility grid. Microturbine generators as stand alone power generation systems have been designed to meet these requirements. For power requirements up to 50 MW, hybrid fuel cell systems offer higher efficiency and lower levels of pollutant emissions with more advanced fuel energy savings than non-hybrid systems. The objective of this project is to develop a simulation of a microturbine generator as a stand alone power generation system to validate a microturbine generator …

Design Of A Controller To Control Light Level In A Commercial Office, Saeid Javidbakht

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Proper amount of light in a business office is important for health and productivity of the employees. On a sunny day, there may be more than enough light entering the office from outside to carry out the necessary tasks. Presently, the main source of light in most offices is the fluorescent lamp. Thus, It is possible to save energy by dimming the fluorescent lamp. Dimming of the fluorescent lamp is possible by changing the frequency of the sinusoidal voltage or current. Hence, there is a need of a control system to adjust the light from the fixtures based on the …

An (R,S)-Inventory Policy For Winter Maintenance Materials For The State Of Ohio, Nicholas Andrew Brown

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Winters in Ohio mean snow and ice, and with snow and ice come treacherous roads. Roads that become treacherous or impassable cost the state economically and socially. Thus to prevent this from happening road crews are out spreading salt on the roads before, during, and after a storm to promote safe travel. To provide the amount of salt needed to all counties of Ohio; individual counties stock up during the summer and fall, re-order to maintain inventory through the winter time, and finally allowing inventories to reduce towards the end of winter. During a mild winter salt not used and …