Engineering Mechanics Commons^™

An Application Of Optimized Bistable Laminates As A Low Velocity, Low Impact Mechanical Deterrent, Graham Lancaster

All Theses

This research considers the problem of using bistable laminates as a mechanical deterrent to the impending impact of a particle. The structure will be controlled through an algorithm that will utilize piezoelectric devices to activate them in unison with the bistable laminate to successfully deter. A novel experimental setup will be constructed to ensure that the bistable laminate stays fixed when acting as a mechanical deterrent. Piezoelectricity is the main driving force of the bistable laminate to morph and this study will use a Macro Fiber Composite (MFC) actuator that contains piezoelectric ceramic rods in a patch to transfer electrical …

Optimization Of Vaccine Supply Chains In Low- And Middle-Income Countries Utilizing Drones, Maximilian Kolter

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite tremendous efforts from governments and humanitarian organizations, millions of children in low- and low-middle-income countries (LICs and LMICs) are still excluded from the benefits of immunization. The vaccine distribution in LICs and LMICs is challenging for several reasons, such as limited cold chain capacities, vaccine wastage, uncertain demand, and lack of access to immunization services. A promising avenue to address these issues is the utilization of drones for vaccine delivery. Drones can fly at high speed on direct paths and could enable on-demand deliveries to mitigate limited storage capacities. Further, their independence of road networks could allow them reaching …

Optimizing Block-Stacking Operations With Relocation, Hueon Lee

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The focus of the dissertation is developing the optimization problem of finding the minimum-cost operational plan of block stacking with relocation as well as devising a solution procedure to solve practical-sized instances of the problem. Assuming changeable row depth instead of permanent row depth, this research is distinguished from conventional block stacking studies.

The first contribution of the dissertation is the development of the optimization problem under the assumption of deterministic demand. The problem is modeled using integer programming as a variation of the unsplittable multi-commodity flow problem. To find a good feasible solution of practical-sized instances in reasonable time, …

Development And Integration Of Geometric And Optimization Algorithms For Packing And Layout Design, Santosh Tiwari

All Dissertations

The research work presented in this dissertation focuses on the development and application of optimization and geometric algorithms to packing and layout optimization problems. As part of this research work, a compact packing algorithm, a physically-based shape morphing algorithm, and a general purpose constrained multi-objective optimization algorithm are proposed. The compact packing algorithm is designed to pack three-dimensional free-form objects with full rotational freedom inside an arbitrary enclosure such that the packing efficiency is maximized. The proposed compact packing algorithm can handle objects with holes or cavities and its performance does not degrade significantly with the increase in the complexity …

Optimal Placement Of Metal Foils In Ultrasonic Consolidation Process, Raji Rexavier

All Theses

Ultrasonic Consolidation is a combination of additive and subtractive
manufacturing processes resulting in considerable material waste. This waste is a
function of the geometry of the part being manufactured and of the relative
placement of the layer with respect to the metal bands. Thus the waste may be
minimized by careful choice of the layer angle and offset from the original
position.
Previous work done in this field had developed an automated algorithm which
optimally places and orients the individual slices of the STL file of the artifact
being manufactured. However, the problem was solved on a 2-D scale and …