Digital Commons Network^™

Resilience In The Wake Of Storms: Unveiling Spatiotemporal Mobility Dynamics Of Gulf Coast Communities Through Crowd-Sourced Data, Joswin Valerian Concessao

Computer Science and Engineering Theses - Archive

Flood events present substantial challenges for coastal communities, severely impacting public safety, transportation infrastructure, and overall livability. Tropical storms, hurricanes, and sea level rise can cause extensive damage to homes and critical systems, requiring costly and prolonged recovery efforts. Coastal transportation networks are particularly vulnerable to flooding, leading to road closures, increased congestion, restricted access to essential services, and long-term economic disruptions. Understanding the effects of flood events on mobility patterns is crucial for urban planning and effective disaster management.

This thesis utilizes motif analysis to examine transportation network disruptions and access patterns in Harrison County, Mississippi, during Hurricane Ida …

Enhancing 5g Fixed Wireless Access In Rural Settings Via Machine Learning-Driven Resource Optimization, Maryam Amini

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Providing broadband access to rural communities continues to be an important societal problem whose solution would help to break down the digital divide. While 5G wireless networks may be used for rural broadband, a key challenge is the placement of base stations, which is exacerbated by the use of high frequencies in the millimeter-wave band. Such technology requires an unobstructed line of sight, demanding meticulous planning of the number, height, and location of base stations for optimal coverage. Conventional methods, such as ray-tracing to simulate signal propagation across varied terrain, are computational costly and not feasible for vast coverage areas. …

Designing Ris-Assisted Uav 3d Trajectory Using Deep Reinforcement Learning, Linsong Li

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly employed as temporary base stations or access points to facilitate data transfer between ground terminals (GTs). However, in urban environments, UAV-GT communication links often face challenges due to obstructions from buildings and other obstacles, resulting in reduced data transfer efficiency. Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) provide a promising solution by reflecting signals to enhance communication quality between UAVs and GTs. This thesis addresses the critical challenge of responsive UAV trajectory optimization in RIS-assisted communication networks. A novel approach is proposed, integrating federated learning with reinforcement learning techniques, specifically Double Deep Q-Network (DDQN) and Deep Deterministic …

Preliminary Remote Identification Of Unstable Zone On Large-Scale Waste Dump At Mae Moh Mine Using Insar Technique, Chitra Buth

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Mae Moh Mine is one of the largest lignite mine in Southeast Asia, operated by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT). It is located in the northern part of Thailand, in Mae Moh district, Lampang province. In March 2018, a significant sliding incidence occurred at a waste dump site with sliding area of 1.56 km2 approximately, highlighting the pressing issue of instability within this large-scale waste dump area. This study aims to address this concern in the future and demonstrate an innovative method for investigating the failure by employing Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) technology. The methodology involves the …

Adjustable Load On Cvt Driven Project, Elijah Saxton, Colin Mcconnell, Trent Bolek, Caleb Malboeuf, Alexander Rawson

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

SAE Baja, also known as Baja SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers Baja), is a series of collegiate design competitions organized by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). These competitions challenge teams of students to design, build, and race off-road vehicles that can withstand rough terrain and perform in various dynamic events. The objective of this Senior Design Project is to design, manufacture, and test an adjustable driven Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT) pulley to adjust the preload on the spring. This will allow easier adjustment on the CVT preload at smaller increments. This design could be used for future Zips Baja …

Automated Flood Depth Estimation On Roadways, Kwame Ampofo, Megan A. Witherow, Alex Glandon, Monibor Rahman, Ahmed Temtam, Mecit Cetin, Khan M. Iftekharuddin

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Recurrent nuisance flooding is common across many parts of the globe and causes extensive challenges for drivers on the roadways. The prevailing monitoring methods for roadway flooding are costly and not automated or effective. The ubiquity of visual data from cameras and advancements in computing such as deep learning may offer cost-effective methods for automated flood depth estimation on roadways based on reference objects such as cars. However, flood depth estimation faces challenges due to the limited amount of data annotated with water levels and diverse scenes showing reference objects at various scales and perspectives. This study proposes a novel …

Assessing The Condition Of Pavements (Road Surfaces) Using Computer Vision & Machine Learning, Syed Ibrahim Hassam

Doctoral

Regular inspections of pavements are conducted by civil infrastructure departments to evaluate the surface condition. Pavement surfaces are subject to deterioration caused by several factors such as traffic, weather, and sunlight. This deterioration becomes evident through various distresses, including potholes, rutting, cracking, bleeding, patching, and ravelling, which gradually affects the surface layer over time. It is essential to assess the condition of pavements as it not only ensures their usability but also maximises public safety. Effective pavement maintenance requires substantial resources and capital investment to carry out the most suitable maintenance treatments at the optimal time. Furthermore, the outcomes of …

Information Access For Infrastructurally-Challenged Environments And Beyond Through Mutually Aware Spectrum Sharing Technologies, Karyn Doke

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

The Radio Frequency (RF) spectrum is scarce and to make it available for new mobile wireless services, regulators are forced to re-allocate spectrum from existing services or develop mechanisms to share spectrum with new entries. Television White Space (TVWS) and Citizen Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) are two examples of recently commercialized spectrum sharing technologies. TVWS enables sharing among fixed wireless broadband technologies (secondary users) and terrestrial TV broadcast services (primary users). CBRS enables spectrum sharing among 5G/LTE (secondary users) and naval radar (primary users). With both technologies, a central database determines when it is safe for secondary users to operate …

Identifying Wrong-Way Driving Entry Points On Interstate Highways Using Land-Use Impact Assessment And 911 Calls, Farman Mia, Samer Dessouky

Publications

The research aims to provide insight into the initiation event of Wrong-way Driving (WWD) on highways. The intense severity of a WWD accident is encouraging the authorities to install mitigation systems that will ensure safety for motorists on highways. The WWD events are mostly resulting of intoxicated driving, where the unconscious driver takes the wrong way to enter the highway and place other motorists into life-threatening danger. This research attempted to explore from basic knowledge of WWD occurrence to examine the origin and driving philosophy of intoxicated drivers from land-use impact and mathematical modeling point of views. To identify the …

Motorcycle Crash Analysis, Hatim Sharif, Samer Dessouky

Publications

The Fatality Analysis Reporting System database shows that, in stark contrast to the 34 percent decline in non-motorcyclist crash–related fatalities, motorcyclist crash–related fatalities were up 86 percent with only three year-to-year declines since 1997, while non-motorcyclist crash–related fatalities had 13 year-to-year declines since 1997. At the national level, the rate of motorcyclist fatalities per vehicle mile traveled is 29 times higher than the rate among passenger car occupants, with overall injury rates approximately five times higher among motorcyclists than passenger car occupants. Given the frequency of motorcycle crashes and their staggering toll in terms of loss of life and economic …

A Review On Chemometrics And Climate Change: Insights From Malaysia Case Study, Ismafatin Nabilah Ismail, Mohd Khairul Amri Kamarudin, Wan Nor Azilawanie Tun Ismail, Noorjima Abd Wahab, Ahmad Shakir Mohd Saudi, Mohd Ekhwan Toriman, Firdaus Mohamad Hamzah, Septi Ariadi

Applied Environmental Research

Climate change consider as main issues and concerns in Malaysia over the decade. Chemometrics techniques have been used in many climate change issues to address the limitations of climate change monitoring studies. In climate change areas, chemometrics is a valuable tool for assessing the correlation between different climate change factors, especially in vast and intricate databases. The purpose of the review was to evaluate and summarise the available data and restrictions regarding the use of chemometrics techniques in Malaysian environmental studies. The study conducted a thorough analysis of pertinent scientific papers published between 2019 to 2023 that addressed the main …

Weighted Effect Of Concentrated Cracking On The Structural Integrity Of Concrete Bridge Decks, Md Ala Uddin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Concrete bridge decks are vital components of transportation infrastructure, yet their deterioration due to aging, environmental, and operational factors poses significant challenges to maintenance and safety. In the United States, approximately 9.1% of bridges require improvement, with millions of daily trips relying on structurally deficient bridges. Cracking is one of the most frequently observed defects on concrete bridge structures. Traditional bridge inspections evaluate cracks based on severity (crack width) and extent (crack area), combining these values with other performance indicators to assess overall bridge health. However, the effect of concentrated cracking in localized areas on bridge integrity remains largely unexplored. …

A Resilient Decarbonization Package For The Hoopa Shopping Center, Esther Obikoya

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The Hoopa Shopping Center, located within the Hoopa Valley Tribe Reservation, faces significant energy cost fluctuations and reliability issues. Given the susceptibility of remote communities to power disruptions, the Tribe's move toward achieving a sustainable and resilient power infrastructure is essential. This study investigates the technical and economic decarbonization strategies for the Hoopa Shopping Center, focusing on reducing energy bills, energy consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions through electrification and energy efficiency improvements, as well as the integration of renewable energy sources.

This decarbonization could be done in a way consistent with the development of a microgrid to energize the community …

Expanding Australia's Defence Capabilities For Technological Asymmetric Advantage In Information, Cyber And Space In The Context Of Accelerating Regional Military Modernisation: A Systemic Design Approach, Pi-Shen Seet, Anton Klarin, Janice Jones, Michael N. Johnstone, Violetta Wilk, Stephanie Meek, Summer O'Brien

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction. The aim of the project was to conduct a systemic design study to evaluate Australia'sopportunities and barriers for achieving a technological advantage in light of regional military technological advancement. It focussed on the three domains of (1) cybersecurity technology, (2) information technology, and (3) space technology.

Research process. Employing a systemic design approach, the study first leveraged scientometric analysis, utilising informetric mapping software (VOSviewer) to evaluate emerging trends and their implications on defence capabilities. This approach facilitated a broader understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of defence technologies, identifying key areas for further exploration. The subsequent survey study, engaging 828 …

A Practical Framework For Component-Level Structural Health Monitoring Of The Gerald Desmond Bridge, Mehran Rahmani, Vesna Terzic, Andrea Calabrese, Brittany Cambell

Mineta Transportation Institute

Bridges serve as critical transportation infrastructure, but traditional maintenance inspection to ensure their safety is time-consuming, costly, and labor-intensive, especially for larger and more complex structures. This study presents a practical framework for the instrumentation, data acquisition, and remote condition assessment of the Gerald Desmond Bridge, California’s largest cable-stayed bridge. The framework aims to establish a foundation for real-time or near real-time remote health monitoring of the bridge’s critical elements. The study highlights the advantages of remote monitoring in terms of efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and early detection of damage.

Cross-Temporal Hierarchical Forecast Reconciliation Of Natural Gas Demand, Colin O. Quinn, George F. Corliss, Richard J. Povinelli

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Local natural gas distribution companies (LDCs) require accurate demand forecasts across various time periods, geographic regions, and customer class hierarchies. Achieving coherent forecasts across these hierarchies is challenging but crucial for optimal decision making, resource allocation, and operational efficiency. This work introduces a method that structures the gas distribution system into cross-temporal hierarchies to produce accurate and coherent forecasts. We apply our method to a case study involving three operational regions, forecasting at different geographical levels and analyzing both hourly and daily frequencies. Trained on five years of data and tested on one year, our model achieves a 10% reduction …

Privacy-Preserving Pedestrian Movement Analysis In Complex Public Spaces, Kunchala Anil

Doctoral

Every journey starts and ends with a walking phase. As a fundamental mode of transportation, it plays a crucial role in the functioning of urban societies. Cities should strive to create public spaces that promote walking by designing pedestrian-friendly infrastructure that is accessible, safe, and convenient for all. An essential step in designing pedestrian-friendly infrastructure is understanding pedestrian usage patterns and behaviour in existing public spaces and infrastructure.

Empowering Urban Traffic Management: Elevated 3d Lidar For Data Collection And Advanced Object Detection Analysis, Nawfal Guefrachi, Hakim Ghazzai, Ahmad Alsharoa

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The 3D object detection capabilities in urban environments have been enormously improved by recent developments in Light Detection and Range (LiDAR) technology. This paper presents a novel framework that transforms the detection and analysis of 3D objects in traffic scenarios by utilizing the power of elevated LiDAR sensors. We are presenting our methodology's remarkable capacity to collect complex 3D point cloud data, which allows us to accurately and in detail capture the dynamics of urban traffic. Due to the limitation in obtaining real-world traffic datasets, we utilize the simulator to generate 3D point cloud for specific scenarios. To support our …

Deep Learning For Uav Detection And Classification Via Radio Frequency Signal Analysis, Prajoy Podder, Maciej Zawodniok, Sanjay Madria

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are advertised as great tool that benefits society and humanity. However, UAVs also pose significant security threats ranging from privacy invasions, to interfering with commercial aircraft landing and takeoff, to accidently crashing into vehicles or people, to military or terrorist attacks. Consequently, there is a pressing need to detect and identify UAVs to mitigate such potential risks. While image-based methods are crucial for UAV detection, radio frequency (RF) emissions offer additional valuable insights. Analyzing RF signals, such as those used in UAV-ground station communications, can provide information about UAV types based on distinct frequency usage or …

Enhancing Water Safety: Exploring Recent Technological Approaches For Drowning Detection, Salman Jalalifar, Andrew Belford, Eila Erfani, Amir Razmjou, Rouzbeh Abbassi, Masoud Mohseni-Dargah, Mohsen Asadnia

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Drowning poses a significant threat, resulting in unexpected injuries and fatalities. To promote water sports activities, it is crucial to develop surveillance systems that enhance safety around pools and waterways. This paper presents an overview of recent advancements in drowning detection, with a specific focus on image processing and sensor-based methods. Furthermore, the potential of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning algorithms (MLAs), and robotics technology in this field is explored. The review examines the technological challenges, benefits, and drawbacks associated with these approaches. The findings reveal that image processing and sensor-based technologies are the most effective approaches for drowning detection …

Experimental And Modeled Assessment Of Interventions To Reduce Pm2.5 In A Residence During Awildfire Event, Chrissi Argyro Antonopoulos, H. E. Dillon, Elliott T. Gall

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Increasingly large and frequent wildfires affect air quality even indoors by emitting and dispersing fine/ultrafine particulate matter known to pose health risks to residents. With this health threat, we are working to help the building science community develop simplified tools that may be used to estimate impacts to large numbers of homes based on high-level housing characteristics. In addition to reviewing literature sources, we performed an experiment to evaluate interventions to mitigate degraded indoor air quality. We instrumented one residence for one week during an extreme wildfire event in the Pacific Northwest. Outdoor ambient concentrations of PM_2.5 reached historic …

A Bio-Inspired Alternative Positioning, Navigation, And Timing Approach Based On A Potential Game-Theoretic Model, Md Sadman Siraj

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

This thesis addresses the challenge of designing of alternative Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) solutions. Inspired by the evolution of biological ecosystems, we introduce a novel symbiotic PNT solution, based on the principles of Game Theory and the exploitation of Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RISs). A set of actors, consisting of anchor nodes and RISs with known coordinates, collaborator nodes having a rough estimate of their positions, and targets of unknown positions, are cooperating to accurately determine the targets’ positioning and timing. The key objective is to minimize the estimation error of each target and collaborator node, as well as of …

Solar-Powered Microgrids In Northern California: An Opportunity For Resilience, Marina Riddle

Master's Projects and Capstones

Planned and unplanned power outages have been increasing in frequency and duration, negatively impacting all public sectors, and threatening public safety. These outages are deadly to those who rely on medical devices. As climate change-fueled extreme weather events (wildfires, earthquakes, storms, etc.) also increase in frequency, our electrical grid must be prepared to bounce back. Microgrids provide necessary redundancy and reliability. Through a novel GIS suitability analysis, based on solar radiation, land use type, local energy demand, distance to transmission lines, distance to roads, and slope, optimal locations for solar-powered microgrids throughout Northern California were determined. The counties of Fresno, …

Paper-Based Ratiometric Sensor Array For Pathogenic Bacterial Species Identification, Aayushi Laliwala

Theses & Dissertations

Bacterial infections are the leading cause of mortality worldwide due to the lack of accurate diagnosis of the pathogens causing infections. Currently, microbiological and molecular techniques are used to identify pathogenic bacteria. However, these techniques have limitations as they are time-consuming, cost-inefficient, and require trained personnel. Therefore, timely and precise identification of pathogenic bacteria is crucial for public safety. Our lab previously synthesized a fluorescent sensor array (3-hydroxyflavone derivatives) encapsulated in hyaluronic acid-based nanoparticles to identify bacterial species and recognize their Gram status. Though promising, this technique was relatively time-consuming and required high sample and volumes.

To overcome these limitations, …

Dam Failure And Incident Investigations, Nathaniel Gee

Theses and Dissertations

There are multiple dam failures and dam safety incidents every year in the United States. There are currently no standard policy requirements for when or how to conduct failure or incident investigations. This paper first reviews one of the most significant failures in US history, the failure of Buffalo Creek Dam No. 3 in order to explore the impacts of one significant failure on dam safety policy in the US. The paper then explores the currents state of the industry by reviewing 58 different dam failure or incident investigation reports based on incidents that occurred in the United States from …

The Transformative Integration Of Artificial Intelligence With Cmmc And Nist 800-171 For Advanced Risk Management And Compliance, Mia Lunati

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

This paper explores the transformative potential of integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) with established cybersecurity frameworks such as the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication 800-171. The thesis argues that the relationship between AI and these frameworks has the capacity to transform risk management in cybersecurity, where it could serve as a critical element in threat mitigation. In addition to addressing AI’s capabilities, this paper acknowledges the risks and limitations of these systems, highlighting the need for extensive research and monitoring when relying on AI. One must understand boundaries when integrating …

Barriers To The Adoption Of Digitalization In The Construction Industry: Perspectives Of Owners, Contractors, And Contractors, Waleed Abu-Khader

Publications

Construction organizations are moving toward adopting digitalization in response to Industry 4.0. However, the slow adoption of digitalization has been observed. This study aimed to assess the level of digitalization adoption and evaluate the barriers to adopting digitalization in the Jordanian construction industry by all project parties in the public and private sectors. The study targets were achieved through a structured questionnaire using SPSS software for analysis through the following statistical tests: Normality test, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis H, and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). Most respondents used software at the design stage, and less than half did not use any software …

Barriers To The Adoption Of Digitalization In The Construction Industry: Perspectives Of Owners, Consultants, And Contractors, Rawan Al-Omari, Ghaleb Sweis, Waleed Abu-Khader, Rateb Sweis

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Construction organizations are moving toward adopting digitalization in response to Industry 4.0. However, the slow adoption of digitalization has been observed. This study aimed to assess the level of digitalization adoption and evaluate the barriers to adopting digitalization in the Jordanian construction industry by all project parties in the public and private sectors. The study targets were achieved through a structured questionnaire using SPSS software for analysis through the following statistical tests: Normality test, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis H, and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). Most respondents used software at the design stage, and less than half did not use any software …

Visual Acquisition And Detection Of Manned Fixed-Wing Aircraft And Rotorcraft: An Analysis Of Pilots' Perception And Performance, Rania Bassou

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, the rapid advancement of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) has led to an increasingly complex National Airspace System (NAS), necessitating a comprehensive understanding of factors that impact pilot visual acquisition and detection of other aircraft (including manned fixed-wing, rotorcraft, and UAS). The objective of this study is to investigate factors that affect pilot performance in visually acquiring and detecting other manned-fixed wing aircraft and manned rotorcraft using a multi-method approach, incorporating qualitative and quantitative data analysis. A diverse sample of pilots with varying flight experience participated in the study. Participants were exposed to a series of flight test …

Network Layer Reliability And Security In Energy Harvesting Wireless Sensor Networks, Jing Yang

Theses and Dissertations

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have become pivotal in precision agriculture, environmental monitoring, and smart healthcare applications. However, the challenges of energy consumption and security, particularly concerning the reliance on large battery-operated nodes, pose significant hurdles for these networks. Energy-harvesting wireless sensor networks (EH-WSNs) emerged as a solution, enabling nodes to replenish energy from the environment remotely. Yet, the transition to EH-WSNs brought forth new obstacles in ensuring reliable and secure data transmission.

In our initial study, we tackled the intermittent connectivity issue prevalent in EH-WSNs due to the dynamic behavior of energy harvesting nodes. Rapid shifts between ON and OFF …