Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Proposed Charlotte To Atlanta High-Speed Passenger Rail Line: An Economic, Infrastructural, And Developmental Analysis In The Upstate Of South Carolina, Ian C. Macurda, Kimberly Whitehead

SC Upstate Research Symposium

This research paper is an in-depth analysis of the high-speed passenger rail line proposed between Charlotte, NC and Atlanta, GA and its impact on the economy, infrastructure, and future development of the Upstate of South Carolina. Currently, passenger rail service between Charlotte and Atlanta is offered on Amtrak at late hours throughout the night on its long-distance passenger rail line The Crescent from New York City, NY to New Orleans, LA. The train is often delayed and is operating at a deficit for Amtrak, like most of their long-distance routes. Traffic on Interstate 85 through the Upstate is another issue …

Culture In Computing: The Importance Of Developing Gender-Inclusive Software, Creighton France

Computer Science and Computer Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The field of computing as we know it today exists because of the contributions of numerous female mathematicians, computer scientists, and programmers. While working with hardware was viewed as “a man’s job” during the mid-20th century, computing and programming was viewed as a noble and high-paying field for women to occupy. However, as time has progressed, the U.S. has seen a decrease in the number of women pursuing computer science. The idea that computing is a masculine discipline is common in the U.S. today for reasons such as male-centered marketing of electronics and gadgets, an inaccurate representation of what it …

Para Cima Y Pa’ Abajo: Building Bridges Between Hci Research In Latin America And In The Global North, Pedro Reynolds-Cuéllar, Marisol Wong-Villacres, Karla A. Badillo-Urquiola, Mayra Donaji Barrera-Machuca, Franceli L. Cibrian, Marianela Ciolfi Felice, Carolina Fuentes, Laura Sanely Gaytán-Lugo, Vivian Genaro Motti, Monica Perusquía-Hernández, Oscar A. Lemus

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

The Human-computer Interaction (HCI) community has the opportunity to foster the integration of research practices across the Global South and North to begin overcoming colonial relationships. In this paper, we focus on the case of Latin America (LATAM), where initiatives to increase the representation of HCI practitioners lack a consolidated understanding of the practices they employ, the factors that influence them, and the challenges that practitioners face. To address this knowledge gap, we employ a mixed-methods approach, comprising a survey (66 respondents) and in-depth interviews (19 interviewees). Our analyses characterize a set of research perspectives on how HCI is practiced …

Rethink Everything 2: Markets, Globalization, Development, Nikhilesh Dholakia, Deniz Atik

Markets, Globalization & Development Review

No abstract provided.

Sustainable Building, Spring/Summer 2009, Issue 20

Sustain Magazine

No abstract provided.

Urban Regeneration, Fall/Winter 2003, Issue 7

Sustain Magazine

No abstract provided.

Table Of Contents Jitim Vol 27 Issue 4, 2018-2019

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

ToC JITIM - Special Issue on ICT4D

Development Of A Dynamic Model For A Hybrid Photovoltaic Thermal Collector - Solar Air Heater With Fins, Wenke Fan, Georgios Kokogiannakis, Zhenjun Ma, Paul Cooper

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

A dynamic model for a hybrid Photovoltaic Thermal Collector-Solar Air Heater (PVT-SAH) with longitudinal fins was developed to enable assessment of the potential of the system to provide high temperature outlet air (60-90 °C) under dynamic boundary conditions. The model description includes the method for discretising the system into a number of control volumes, the energy balance equations for each control volume and the implementation of the numerical solution. Model validation has been successfully undertaken by using empirical verification of model predictions with an experimental facility and by comparing the model outputs with the reference data from the literature. The …

Development Of Microencapsulated Phase Change Material For Solar Thermal Energy Storage, Weiguang Su, Jo Darkwa, Georgios Kokogiannakis

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

In this paper a novel microencapsulated phase change material (MF-3) has been developed and tested for solar assisted hot water storage systems. Even though the morphology of the sample was affected by the type of emulsifier used for fabrication it recorded the highest energy storage capacity of 126 kJ/kg with encapsulation efficiency of 97.4% as compared with other developed samples. For the purpose of assessing its thermal effectiveness it was theoretically evaluated in a compacted fixed bed TES unit and found to be capable of achieving a higher energy storage density as well as relatively smaller physical storage size than …

Laboratory Exercise – Calculating Runoff Over Land Parcels, Wade Bozeman, Steven Evans, Ryan Selee

Engineering Applications of GIS - Laboratory Exercises

When developing land, most municipalities will require that all runoff from the site be retained on site or flow into a storm water conveyance system. In the near future, new regulation will require that all runoff be retained on site. For this reason, it is important to know how much runoff can be expected to flow over a potential development site. In this lab, you will use ArcMap ModelBuilder to predict the amount of flow which can be expected over a land parcel in a storm event.

Development Of A Novel Multi-Layer Mre Isolator For Suppression Of Building Vibrations Under Seismic Events, Jian Yang, Shuaishuai Sun, Tongfei Tian, Weihua Li, Haiping Du, Gursel Alici, Masami Nakano

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Protecting civil engineering structures from uncontrollable events such as earthquakes while maintaining their structural integrity and serviceability is very important; this paper describes the performance of a stiffness softening magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) isolator in a scaled three storey building. In order to construct a closed-loop system, a scaled three storey building was designed and built according to the scaling laws, and then four MRE isolator prototypes were fabricated and utilised to isolate the building from the motion induced by a scaled El Centro earthquake. Fuzzy logic was used to output the current signals to the isolators, based on the real-time …

Development And Performance Evaluation Of A Liquid Desiccant Air Conditioning System With Hybrid Electrodialysis And Thermal Regeneration, Yi Guo, Zhenjun Ma, Ali Hussein Al-Jubainawi, Paul Cooper, Long D. Nghiem

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Liquid desiccant air conditioning (LDAC) systems have gained increasing attention due to the improved energy performance and reduced environmental impacts. This paper presents an LDAC system using electrodialysis (ED) as well as low grade heat generated from a hybrid photovoltaic thermal and evacuated tube (PVT-ET) collector for liquid desiccant regeneration. As ED regenerator is a key component in the proposed system, a modified mathematical model is used to simulate the mass transfer of the ED stack. The performance of the model was validated using the experimental data generated based on a lab-scale experimental setup. It is shown that the model …

Revisiting An Information Infrastructure For Development: Exploring The Cost Of Information In Pacific Island Development, William J. Tibben

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have been associated with development programmes for many decades. A theme of Lamberton's commentary on such initiatives focuses on the lack of attention given to information as a key factor in the development process. His writing reiterated a number of arguments that he saw as being fundamental to the application of an information perspective to development issues. With a focus on agricultural development policy in the Pacific region, the paper uses a number of propositions that are suggested by Lamberton to analyse contemporary development initiatives in Pacific Island agriculture. These propositions focus attention on information …

Development Of Intermediate Cooling Technology And Its Control For Two-Stand Plate Rolling, Fei Zhang, Wei Yu, Tao Liu

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

In a plate rolling production line, thermomechanically controlled processing is critical for plate quality. In this paper, a set of intermediate cooling equipment of a two-stand plate mill with super density nozzles, medium pressure, and small flow is developed. Based on a simplified dynamic model, a cooling control scheme with combined feedforward, feedback, and adaptive algorithms is put forward. The new controlled rolling process and the highly efficient control system improve the controlled rolling efficiency by an average of 17.66%. The proposed intermediate cooling system can also effectively inhibit the growth of austenite grain, improve the impact toughness and yield …

Characterisation And Resource Development Of Steel Plant By-Product Streams, Raymond Longbottom, Brian J. Monaghan, Guangqing Zhang, Sheng Chew, David J. Pinson

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

The recycling of steel plant by-products is a critical issue that needs thorough assessment and development for the sustainability of the integrated steel plant, from both environmental and economical perspectives. Research is being undertaken in the Steel Research Hub that aims to realise the value of by-products to the Australian steel industry and minimise the amount of by-product going to long term stockpile. As the first step, dust from basic oxygen steelmaking (BOS), a major steel plant by-product stream, is being characterised so that its potential use on plant or elsewhere can be assessed and evaluated. BOS dust contains components …

Design And Development Of A Parametrically Excited Nonlinear Energy Harvester, Tanju Yildirim, Mergen H. Ghayesh, Weihua Li, Gursel Alici

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

An energy harvester has been designed, fabricated and tested based on the nonlinear dynamical response of a parametrically excited clamped-clamped beam with a central point-mass; magnets have been used as the central point-mass which pass through a coil when parametrically excited. Experiments have been conducted for the energy harvester when the system is excited (i) harmonically near the primary resonance; (ii) harmonically near the principal parametric resonance; (iii) by means of a non-smooth periodic excitation. An electrodynamic shaker was used to parametrically excite the system and the corresponding displacement of the magnet and output voltages of the coil were measured. …

Development Of A Novel Phase Change Material Emulsion For Cooling Systems, Jingjing Shao, Jo Darkwa, Georgios Kokogiannakis

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

In this paper, a novel phase change material emulsion (PCE-10) consisting of an organic PCM (RT10) and water has been developed. Its thermophysical properties such as heat of fusion, viscosity and sub-cooling temperature have been established. The chemical stability during both storage and discharge periods have also been evaluated. The results indicate low sub-cooling temperature and relatively long period of stability without any sign of segregation but the viscosity was found to be much higher than that of water.Further improvement and experimental studies into its flow characteristics are therefore being encouraged.

The Next Billion: Lessons In Off-Grid Electricity Development From The Global South, Peter Mcdonough

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Today about a third of the world’s population has no access to electricity, and another third has only limited access. Driven by the push for development on one hand and the reality of climate change on the other, a combination of for-profit companies, NGOs, missions, and aid organizations is looking for the silver bullet to sustainable electricity development. In order to understand the challenges facing off-grid electricity projects I used recent literature in the form of peer-reviewed journals, agency reports, news articles, and technical documents; stakeholder interviews; and on-site observations in selected case studies in Nepal, India, and Tanzania. In …

Application Of Membrane Technology For The Development Of Sustainable Biotechnology Processes, Faisal Hai, Oskar Modin

Faisal I Hai

The scope of application of membranes in biotechnology has widened significantly in the recent years. Although many of the membrane options are yet to achieve wide industrial applications, they show tremendous potential for the transformation and synthesis of valueadded products, energy production, therapeutic applications and environmental remediation. This chapter provides an overview of membrane applications in selected established and emerging biotechnology processes. Approaches to overcoming the technology bottlenecks that impede the scale-up of such systems have been discussed in this chapter.

Government Institutions And Infrastructure Skills Development, Michael Regan, Jim Smith, Peter Love

Michael Regan

The capacity of state institutions is central to the efficient delivery and management of infrastructure. The paper examines two models for improving the skills of managers in central and line agencies of government for infrastructure procurement and management in emerging economies. The first examines the role of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) unit, a specialist agency equipped with the technical capabilities, transactional experience and budget to provide training and assistance to line agencies for the effective delivery of infrastructure projects. Integrated into this model, and used by several nations, is the use of trained relationship managers to manage service contracts …

Learning From Cinara: Exploring The Depths Of Participatory Water Engagement In Cali, Colombia, Zachary T. Strickland

Honors College Theses

Located within the Universidad del Valle in Cali, Colombia, CINARA is an academic institution, comprised of both engineers and social scientists, that has almost three decades of experience regarding participatory approaches to water supply and environmental sanitation. In this paper, I argue that CINARA’s work is important due to its emphasis on meaningful community participation that significantly involves communities in decisions on technical matters that are usually allocated exclusively to “experts.” Furthermore, the valuation of social considerations and non-technical knowledge found amongst CINARA’s engineers stands in distinct contrast to traditional development practices and engineering mindsets. This paper will go on …

Social And Economic Sustainability, Jason Sargent, Khanjan Mehta, Katina Michael

Professor Katina Michael

But what about long-term stability in developing nations? For example, as we strive to mainstream alternate energy sources and make them accessible in resource poor communities [ ], how do we think beyond the technological and economic dimensions and ensure respect for social, political and environmental imperatives? Computers, including the tiny but powerful ones on cell phones can be game-changers, but they will not save lives directly. They cannot be eaten by a starving population. And then, they need to be serviced and maintained. Jason, along with Katina’s husband Michael, visited and taught Karen refugee students in camps and remote …

Development Of A Fundamental Rating System For Identifying Sprawl: A Case Study Utilizing Small Cities In Michigan, Jonathan T. Riehl

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

Urban sprawl research generally fits into one or more of four realms including definitions, causes, components, and consequences. Although research on consequences continues to thrive, research on components is in its adolescence, primarily due a lack of consensus on definition. Recent studies such as Ewing et al. 2014 have narrowed the list of sprawl metrics to about 20 within four factors including development density, land use mix, activity centering, and street accessibility.

This main product of this research is a Sprawl Scorecard for small Michigan cities varying in size from Traverse City, nearly 50,000 people in the urban cluster, down …

Development And Optimization Of An Innovative Hvac System With Integrated Pvt And Pcm Thermal Storage For A Net-Zero Energy Retrofitted House, Massimo Fiorentini, Paul Cooper, Zhenjun Ma

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

This paper describes a novel solar-assisted HVAC system developed for the Team UOW 'Illawarra Flame' Solar Decathlon house, the winner of the Solar Decathlon China 2013 competition. This HVAC system consists of an air-based photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) collector and a phase change material (PCM) thermal storage unit integrated with a reverse cycle heat pump, in a ducted system. The system was designed for operation during both winter and summer using daytime solar radiation and night-time sky radiative cooling, respectively. The PVT collector heats or cools fresh air from ambient and thereby provides heating or cooling either directly to the indoor space, …

Development Of Electrospun Photocatalytic Tio2-Polyamide-12 Nanocomposites, E Cossich, R Bergamasco, M T. Pessoa De Amorim, P M. Martins, J Marques, Carlos J. Tavares, Senentxu Lanceros-Méndez, Vitor Sencadas

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) in different forms such as films, fibers or particles are being extensively studied for removal of contaminants from aquatic environments due to its outstanding photocatalytic activity. This work reports the development of TiO₂-polyamide 12 electrospun fiber mats. A systematic study on the influence of electrospun processing parameters on polymer fiber morphology was performed. It was observed that the average fiber diameter is mainly influenced by polymer concentration and average fiber diameters between 404 ± 82 nm and 1442 ± 360 nm were obtained. Polyamide-12 (PA-12) was used as a polymer matrix and electrospun with 0, …

Dependence Of Texture Development On The Grain Size Of Tertiary Oxide Scales Formed On A Microalloyed Steel, Xianglong Yu, Zhengyi Jiang, Jingwei Zhao, Dongbin Wei, Ji Zhou, Cunlong Zhou, Qingxue Huang

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Both orientational and geometrical characteristics of grains in tertiary oxide scales have been quantitatively investigated using the electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) technique. Phase and orientation mappings demonstrate that the {001} planes of magnetite and the {0001} planes of hematite are parallel to the direction of oxide growth. Pole figures (PFs) as scattering plots clearly display the direct correlation between the orientations and microstructure sites of magnetite grains. Magnetite grains develop a strong rotated cube texture component that shifts to the {100} component, whereas those with the grain size of 1-5. μm develop the {001} cube texture component. The refined magnetite …

Development Of A Linear Damper Working With Magnetorheological Shear Thickening Fluids, Jian Yang, Shuaishuai Sun, Weihua Li, Haiping Du, Gursel Alici, Masami Nakano

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Magnetorheological shear thickening fluid is a smart material that exhibits both magnetorheological and shear thickening effects. This study focuses on the design and development of a novel magnetorheological shear thickening fluid-based linear damper. First, micron-sized carbonyl iron particles, at a 20% and 80% weight fraction, were immersed among the shear thickening fluid base and thoroughly mixed under a high shear condition to produce the magnetorheological shear thickening fluid. Then, a monotube damper with a bypass was designed and fabricated. The testing results using an MTS machine show that the influence of incorporating shear thickening fluid allows the 20% magnetorheological shear …

Development Of A Novel Variable Stiffness And Damping Magnetorheological Fluid Damper, Shuaishuai Sun, Jian Yang, Weihua Li, Huaxia Deng, Haiping Du, Gursel Alici

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

This paper reports a novel magnetorheological fluid (MRF)-based damper, which synergizes the attributes of variable stiffness and damping through the compact assembly of two MRF damping units and a spring. The magnetic field densities of the two damping units were analyzed. After the prototype of the new MRF damper, a hydraulically actuated MTS machine was used to test the damper's performance, including stiffness variability and damping variability, amplitudedependent responses and frequency-dependent responses. A new mathematical model was developed to describe the variable stiffness and damping MRF damper. The successful development, experimental testing and modeling of this innovative variable stiffness and …

Development Of Servo-Type Micro-Hydromechanical Deep-Drawing Apparatus And Micro Deep-Drawing Experiments Of Circular Cups, Hideki Sato, Kenichi Manabe, Kikukatsu Ito, Dongbin Wei, Zhengyi Jiang

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

A micro-hydromechanical deep-drawing (MHDD) apparatus for manufacturing a micro-complex-shape components and increasing of drawn cup accuracy has been developed in this study. This apparatus with simple tooling structure and forming process can achieve high dimensional accuracy using servo press mechanics with a double-action type, one-stroke forming process without transferring and positioning, force control, and fine flow rate control of the pressure medium. The developed MHDD apparatus can prevent wrinkling by applying an appropriate constant gap and Stably generate the counterpressure. Micro drawn cups of 0.8 mm diameter are successfully fabricated. Also, the effects of counterpressure on drawability and dimensional accuracy …

Development Of An Mre Adaptive Tuned Vibration Absorber With Self-Sensing Capability, Shuaishuai Sun, Jian Yang, Weihua Li, Huaxia Deng, Haiping Du, Gursel Alici

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

In this paper, self-sensing technology was introduced into an adaptive tuned vibration absorber, incorporating a laminated magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) structure, a hybrid magnetic system and a self-sensing component. The adoption of the laminated MRE structure and the hybrid magnetic system enables the absorber to have higher lateral flexibility and a wider effective frequency range. The integration of the self-sensing capability allows the absorber to operate without sensors and, at the same time, greatly reduces costs, required space and maintenance. A series of experiments were conducted to measure the frequency shift property, to verify the self-sensing capability and to evaluate its …