Digital Commons Network^™

A Maximum Energy Release Rate Computational Framework For Fatigue Crack Trajectory And Life Prediction Under Mixed-Mode Proportional And Nonproportional Loading, Nahla Helmy Matar

Theses and Dissertations

The problem of mixed-mode fatigue crack growth has been a persistent research challenge. The determination of fatigue crack propagation direction directly impacts the safety and integrity of components and structures, making it crucial in various industrial applications, including welded drilling pipes, aerospace, and automotive engineering. Unlike uniaxial loading, mixed-mode cracks tend to change direction frequently (kinking), and nonproportional loading adds to the complexity of the problem. This research aims to estimate the crack propagation direction and fatigue crack life in linear elastic materials subjected to mixed-mode (I+II) loading conditions under proportional or non-proportional cyclic loading. Numerical software was developed based …

Dynamic Baseline Schedule Updates Using Digital Twinning: A Case Study On Aluminum Formwork Construction, Ahmed Hamdi Sweilam

Theses and Dissertations

Repetitive high-rise construction using aluminum formwork couples consecutive floor cycles through a reused panel set and a floor-level inspection and pour barrier, so productivity loss compounds upward rather than being absorbed locally. The baseline schedule is nevertheless fixed before execution and is not revised as evidence of realized productivity accumulates. This thesis develops a simulation-based digital twin that updates the baseline from observed as-built durations and acts on its own forecast. A discrete-event simulation of a ten-story residential tower is built in AnyLogic® and verified analytically at 180.00 hours per floor. After each completed floor the twin infers activity productivity …

Sar Ship Detection Based On Shallow Feature Guidance, Chenxu Xia, Peng Chen, Ya Zhang, Ying Li

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Maritime ship detection is of great significance for both military security and civilian applications. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), with its all-weather and all-day imaging capability, plays a vital role in maritime surveillance. Nevertheless, SAR ship targets typically appear small in scale, embedded in complex backgrounds, blurred at boundaries, and easily confused with near-shore features, which pose substantial challenges for accurate detection. To address these issues, we propose a SAR ship detection network that integrates dual enhancements of small-object representation and edge information. The network introduces two key components: the Small Target Refine Pyramid (STRP) to strengthen shallow feature representation for …

Extending Geometric Acoustic Ray Tracing To Multi-Room Environments: A Case Study On Gunshot Sound Transmission Between Adjacent Rooms, Tyler Ton

Theses and Dissertations

Accurate localization of gunshots in multi-room building environments remains a challenging problem in acoustic forensics and public safety applications. Existing approaches model sound propagation within a single room, neglecting the transmission of acoustic energy through walls and other building materials. This thesis presents a study on modeling multi-room gunshot acoustic transmission, combining geometric ray tracing with structural acoustic transmission-loss modeling to generate impulse responses for two horizontally adjacent rooms separated by a shared wall, providing a foundation for future inter-room gunshot localization work. The proposed system uses GSound-SIR, a geometric acoustics engine, to simulate sound propagation in both of the …

Thermally-Driven Equiaxation Of Columnar Grains And Α″ Nanoparticles Enabling Isotropic Β-Ti Alloys With Strength–Ductility Synergy Manufactured By Laser Powder Bed Fusion, Lei Qin, Shengfeng Zhou, Jianbo Jin, Huan Yang, Kunmao Li, Cheng Deng, Yujie Yuan, Lai-Chang Zhang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The transient thermal cycling characteristics during laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) induce elemental segregation and columnar growth, resulting in significant mechanical anisotropy and strength–ductility trade-off in titanium alloys. In order to break through this bottleneck, this work proposes a strategy of inducing equiaxation of columnar grains through recrystallization and regulating the morphology of the α″ phase (from an acicular shape to nanoparticles) to synergistically optimize the uniformity, strength and ductility of LPBF-fabricated Ti-35Nb-5Cu-xMo (Ti355x, x = 0, 1, 2, 4 wt%) alloys. The results demonstrate that LPBF-fabricated Ti355x alloys display equiaxed/columnar microstructures with significant mechanical anisotropy and strength–ductility trade-off. After …

Understanding Structured Data From The Perspective Of Irish Industry Professionals, Hamza Tariq, Ciaran Mcnally

Reports

This report examines the challenges associated with adopting structured data across the Irish construction sector, drawing on interviews with industry professionals involved in design and construction.

It explores why unstructured information remains prevalent and identifies barriers including digital knowledge gaps, inconsistent information requirements, fragmented information management systems, established working practices and contractual arrangements.

The report provides recommendations to support greater adoption of structured data, improved interoperability and more effective information exchange, helping organisations realise the benefits of digital construction.

Design Team Lead Delivery Approach - Implementation Guide, Robert Moore

Reports

This Build Digital guidance provides a practical framework for implementing the Design Team Lead information management delivery approach on public sector construction projects in Ireland, aligned with the Capital Works Management Framework (CWMF), the Irish BIM Mandate and the ISO 19650 series.

The approach enables the Design Team Lead to undertake additional information management services on behalf of the Client (Appointing Party), while the Client retains responsibility for governance, approval of information requirements and acceptance of information.

The four-document suite comprises an implementation guide, an activities schedule and two detailed scopes of services covering Standard and Complex project requirements. These …

Lrq-Solver: A Transformer-Based Neural Operator For Fast And Accurate Solving Of Large-Scale 3d Pdes, Peijian Zeng, Guan Wang, Haohao Gu, Xiaoguang Hu, Tiezhu Gao, Zhuowei Wang, Aimin Yang, Xiaoyu Song

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Solving large-scale PDEs on complex three-dimensional geometries remains a central challenge in scientific and engineering computing, often due to expensive pre-processing stages and high computational overhead. We present Low-Rank Query-based PDE Solver (LRQ-Solver), a physics-integrated deep learning framework for efficient CAE simulations of complex three-dimensional geometries in CAD-driven design analysis. Built upon the Parameter-Conditioned Lagrangian Modeling (PCLM) that embeds physical consistency into the learning process and the Low-Rank Query Attention (LR-QA) module that reduces attention complexity from O(N2) to O(NC2+C3) via covariance decomposition, LRQ-Solver supports multi-configuration analysis within iterative design workflows. On two benchmark datasets, it achieves a 28.6% error …

Education Before Electricity: Ai-Facilitated Capability Formation As A Pre-Condition For Productive Energy Use In Off-Grid Communities, Kevin Hallinan, Lu Hao, Bennywhite Davidson, Divinegift Morris, Confidence Onuahu, Silas Clergy

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Working Papers

Solar microgrids in sub-Saharan Africa routinely fail to generate the productive demand needed to service their investment, because the capability to convert electricity into economic activity does not exist at electrification. We report a 15-month deployment in Oloibiri, Nigeria, a community whose productive base was displaced by oil extraction, testing whether AI-facilitated learning can build that capability at a cost compatible with microgrid investment.

The Davidson AI Innovation Center enrolled 104 learners (136 accounts) with zero prior computer access. They recorded 4,134 learning sessions, and 25 individuals earned 90 certifications on unscaffolded work, for just over $20,000 in cumulative investment, …

Electrocatalytic Oxidation Of Ethylene Glycol To Glycolic Acid: From Mechanism And Catalyst Design To Emerging Neutral Electrolyte Systems, Man Zhang, Xue Li, Xin-Yu Peng, Lin Wang, Wen-Wen Chen, Yao-Yue Yang

Journal of Electrochemistry

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste represents both an environmental burden and a loss of carbon resources. Alkaline depolymerization of PET yields terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol (EG). Electrocatalytic oxidation of EG to glycolic acid (GA), the monomer of biodegradable polyglycolic acid (PGA), offers a sustainable route driven by renewable electricity. However, the ethylene glycol oxidation reaction (EGOR) involves competing pathways toward C2 products (GA and oxalic acid) and C1 products (formic acid and CO₂), making selective GA production a central challenge. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent progress in selective EG-to-GA electrooxidation from catalyst design, mechanistic understanding, …

Magnetic Cellulose Nanocrystal Composites Functionalized With Benzalkonium Chloride For Potential Pathogen Control, Kishore Chand, Sydney Herzog, Mohammad Jahid Hasan, Juganta Roy, Moses Ayitey-Adjin Jr., Corbon M. Moss, Sarah Khan, Sara Tester, Monishita Deb, Katherine Schlaak, Sarah Watzman, Yvonne Sun, Esteban Ureña-Benavides, Erick S. Vasquez-Guardado

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

This study presents the design and synthesis of multifunctional magnetic cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) composites engineered for targeted adsorption and broad-spectrum antimicrobial applications. The nanocomposites were fabricated by anchoring mixed-valence Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles on eco-friendly CNC frameworks, followed by surface functionalization with benzalkonium chloride (BC), a potent quaternary ammonium biocide. Both sulfated (S) and TEMPO-oxidized CNC (T) variants were investigated across Fe₃O₄:CNC mass ratios of 1:2 and 1:4. Comprehensive structural, magnetic, and morphological characterization confirmed successful surface modification, superparamagnetic responsiveness, and uniform component dispersion. Thermogravimetric analysis confirmed precise compositional tailoring, capturing up to 87 …

Propuesta Metodológica Para La Evaluación De La Pobreza Energética En Chiapas, México, Mario Alejandro Sánchez Trujillo, Pascual López De Paz, Marcelino García Benítez, Amina El Mekaoui, Bassam Alí, Jesús Francisco Escalante Euán

Journal of Maya Heritage

Resumen. El acceso inequitativo e insuficiente a servicios energéticos de calidad constituye uno de los principales obstáculos para el desarrollo socioeconómico y el bienestar humano en México, siendo el estado de Chiapas una de las entidades con mayor vulnerabilidad socioambiental. Este trabajo presenta una propuesta metodológica cuantitativa y geoespacial para evaluar la pobreza energética de las siete subprovincias fisiográficas de Chiapas. La metodología combina datos de censos de población y vivienda 2020 (INEGI), la estandarización Min-Max, el análisis de correlación de Pearson y el análisis de componentes principales (PCA) para la construcción de un índice de pobreza energética (IPE) multidimensional. …

Integrating Tacit And Explicit Knowledge Across Construction Projects: A Qualitative Evidence Synthesis Of Knowledge Transfer, Lessons Learned, And Organizational Learning, Felix M. Delmonte

Mechanical and Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Abstract

Construction projects rely on knowledge distributed among temporary, multidisciplinary teams, firms, and lifecycle stages. Practical judgment often remains with experienced participants, while written accounts may omit the conditions and reasoning needed for later use. This research examines how construction scholarship explains the movement of project knowledge from capture through sharing and retrieval to reuse on another project. It treats these activities as distinct, and considers tacit expertise alongside explicit records, with attention to who contributes knowledge, who needs it, and where it must travel. The planned approach is a qualitative synthesis of published, peer-reviewed research from 2022–2026. The available …

Synthesis Protocols For Solar Cell Materials From Laboratory Fabrication To Scalable Manufacturing, Ayad Abbood Abdulhasan, A. M. Mustafa, Mohanad Muzahem Khalaf

AUIQ Technical Engineering Science

Photovoltaic (PV) technology has evolved over seven decades from single-crystal silicon cells with modest efficiencies to a diverse portfolio of silicon, thin-film, and emerging solar-cell architectures approaching or exceeding thermodynamic single-junction limits when combined in tandem configurations. Device efficiency and long-term operational stability are governed not only by the choice of absorber material but, critically, by the synthesis protocol used to fabricate it the crystal-growth method, deposition technique, solvent system, thermal budget, and interface-engineering strategy all leave a lasting imprint on morphology, defect density, and carrier transport. This review provides a comprehensive, protocol-centered survey of solar-cell synthesis across three technology …

Analysis And Study Of The Content Of Chloride Salts In Oil, Natalia Evgenievna Sheina, Muborak Akramovna Mirshomilova

Technical science and innovation

The article addresses the critical issue of crude oil quality control, specifically focusing on the determination of chloride salts (sodium, calcium, and magnesium), which exert a destructive impact on processing equipment. The paper provides a detailed analysis of the adverse effects of salts, which lead to severe equipment corrosion, scaling, and a reduced yield of valuable oil fractions. The chemical principles and specific applications of two standardized methods for analyzing aqueous extracts according to GOST 21534-2021 and ASTM D3230 are described: indicator (argentometric and mercurimetric) and potentiometric titration. The experimental section presents the results of a comparative analysis of crude …

Mining-Geological And Technological Aspects Of The Development Of The Taushan Gold Deposit, Umid Azamjonovich Atakuziev, Aleksey Rashidovich Khasanov

Technical science and innovation

The paper presents a comprehensive study of the geological, geotechnical and geomechanical characteristics of the Taushan gold deposit that determine the selection of an efficient open-pit mining technology. The lithological structure, tectonic framework, ore body geometry and variation of rock mechanical properties with mining depth were analyzed. The results indicate that intensive fracturing, variable ore body thickness, complicated geological conditions and increased seismic activity significantly reduce the efficiency of conventional drilling-and-blasting mining methods. The application of surface miners as an alternative non-blasting mining technology is substantiated. Mechanical rock excavation provides higher mining selectivity, lower ore losses and dilution, reduced disturbance …

Integrating Gis With Interim Payment Valuation In Road Construction Projects: A Conceptual Framework, Abdulrahman I. Iro, Juma M. Matindana, Julian Ijumulana

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Abstract

Interim Payment Valuation is a critical process in road construction contract administration, yet conventional valuation practices remain heavily dependent on manual measurements, fragmented documentation, spreadsheets, and professional judgement. These limitations can affect measurement accuracy, transparency, traceability, and the timeliness of payment certification. Although Geographic Information Systems have increasingly been applied to construction planning, quantity measurement, progress monitoring, infrastructure management, and decision support, their integration with contractual and financial processes for interim payment valuation remains insufficiently explored. This study therefore develops a conceptual framework for integrating GIS with Interim Payment Valuation in road construction projects. A PRISMA-guided structured literature review …

Artificial Neural Network-Based Modelling And Prediction Of Key Performance Indicators In Road Construction Projects, Hussein Mativila, John M. Kafuku, Beatus A. T. Kundi

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Road construction projects in developing countries including Tanzania experience several challenges including cost overruns, schedule delays and poor quality. The causes of these challenges include complex interdependencies project’s uncertainty factors. This makes traditional methods for predicting Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) less effective. This study has developed a robust Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model for accurate modelling and predicting KPIs for road construction projects in Tanzania. The analysis was based on data obtained from 281 projects implemented by TANROADS in 11 regions from 2015 to 2025. Fourteen uncertainty factors were measured on a five-point Likert scale and screened using Principal Component …

Could 'Real Existing Ai' Be Sentient?, Tim Crane

Animal Sentience

Jonathan Birch is rightly sceptical about the idea that today’s AI machines (e.g. LLMs) are candidates for sentience. Nonetheless, he gives three reasons for taking the future possibility of AI sentience seriously. I dispute them all. Birch fails to distinguish the very idea of an artificial mind from computational AI (what I call ‘Real Existing AI’); he does not adequately distinguish a simulation from a replica or copy; and he fails to acknowledge that the appeal to computational functionalism in this context is straightforwardly question-begging.

Domain Knowledge-Informed Machine Learning Model To Study Weather-Induced Flight Delays, Gurvir Bawa

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Weather-induced Traffic Management Initiatives (TMIs) occur rarely relative to normal air traffic operations. This scarcity produces severe class imbalance that limits predictive models of flight delay. To address it, this dissertation leverages a physics- and domain- knowledge informed Variational Autoencoder (VAE), conditioned on airport identity, that generates physically plausible synthetic weather events for underrepresented TMI categories. The fidelity of the model is assessed with a calibrated discrepancy measure disclosed along- side the results rather than described in free-form terms. A multitask Graph Neural Network (GNN) is then trained on the augmented dataset to jointly classify airport-level TMI status and predict …

The Algorithmic Narcissus: Ai Validation And The Atrophy Of The 'Athletic' Social Self, Ilham Phalosa Reswara, Anggi Mayangsari

Jurnal Psikologi Sosial

Artificial intelligence systems designed around continuous affirmation and minimal friction are becoming increasingly prominent as social and relational partners in everyday life. This article examines how sustained interaction with such frictionless AI systems may reshape the developmental conditions under which social selfhood forms and is maintained. Drawing on Cooley's (1902) looking glass self, Kohut's (1971) concept of optimal frustration, and the developmental literature on social competence, the article argues that frictionless AI may distort the social mirror through which identity forms, remove the manageable frustration that appears necessary for psychological growth, weaken empathic capacity, and erode the social stakes that …

Biosensor Development In East Africa: A Systematic Review Of Technologies, Applications, Challenges, And Future Directions, Ally Mahadhy

Tanzania Journal of Science

Biosensors integrate biological recognition elements with signal transduction systems to generate quantitative or semi-quantitative analytical information and have applications across healthcare, food safety, agriculture, environmental monitoring, and wildlife health. Despite substantial global advances, biosensor development in East Africa remains poorly characterized. This systematic review, conducted according to PRISMA 2020 guidelines, evaluated published evidence from 1995 to 2025 within a predefined East African Community geographical scope. Eligibility was based on IUPAC-aligned operational criteria requiring an integrated biological recognition element, transduction mechanism, and quantitative or semi-quantitative signal output. Three locally developed biosensors met the criteria: an electrochemical nano-biosensor for schistosomiasis diagnosis in …

Engineering Small-Sized Cations With Strong Solvation For High-Voltage Supercapacitors, Tong Huo, Pan Liu, Hao Chen, Peng Zhang, Zhen-Lei Chen, Guo-Fu Sun, Zhi-Qiang Shi, Jing Wang

Journal of Electrochemistry

Supercapacitors (SCs) have attracted much attention in the field of energy storage due to their high power density and long cycle life. However, their relatively low energy density limits their application in a wider range of fields. Methods to increase energy density include enhancing specific capacitance and extending operating voltage window. Herein, we report a novel electrolyte salt, tetramethylammonium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (TMA-FSI), the resulting electrolyte formed with propylene carbonate (PC), designated as TMF, exhibited a wide electrochemical stability window (ESW) of 5.09 V. On the one hand, we found that the small size of TMA⁺ enables it to enter the …

Exploring Conceptions Of Engineering Design And Sustainability In Informal K–12 Engineering Education, Mobina Beheshti, Eunice Y. Kang, Avneet Hira

Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER)

In this study we investigate K–12 students’ conceptualizations of sustainability, their perspectives on the role of engineers in sustainable practices, and how augmented reality (AR) can facilitate sustainability-oriented engineering design activities in informal settings. The AR technology used in this study includes the Merge Cube (a physical cube that serves as a digital canvas for AR) and CoSpaces Edu (an online platform that allows students to create 3D models and animate them using code). We employ a design-based research methodology, using qualitative narrative and artifact analysis to address the research questions: (1) What are students’ conceptions of sustainability and the …

Occurrence Pattern Of Adsorbed And Free Gas In Deep Coal Seams Under The Control Of Pore Structure: A Case Study Of The No. 8 Coal Seam In The Daning-Jixian Block Along The Eastern Margin Of The Ordos Basin, Bian Liheng, Shen Jian, Shi Rui, Zhang Wei, Ma Zhuang, Liang Xuemin, Dong Jiying, Zhu Peipei, Ma Tianyu

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Deep coalbed methane (CBM) holds an important strategic position in China's unconventional natural gas system. However, concerning deep CBM occurrence, there remains a lack of systematic quantitative understanding of the underlying mechanisms and the controlling effects of pore structure. Methods This study investigated high-rank coal samples collected at a burial depth of approximately 2000 m from the No. 8 coal seam in the Daning-Jixian block along the eastern margin of the Ordos Basin. Using multiscale pore characterization techniques, including low-temperature liquid nitrogen adsorption, high-pressure mercury injection, and low-temperature CO₂ adsorption, the full-scale pore size distribution of the coal …

Controlling Effects Of Ash Yield On The Adsorption-Desorption Behavior And Production Potential Of Methane In Deep Coal Reservoirs, Huang Daojun, Liu Xinshe, Chen Shida, Sun Wen, Jiao Pengshuai, Wang Huaichang

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective The lithotype and quality characteristics of coals significantly affect the reservoir permeability and production potential of coalbed methane (CBM). However, there remains a lack of clear understanding of the controlling effects of ash yield on the gas-bearing properties and methane adsorption-desorption behavior of coal seams under comparable thermal maturity. Focusing on coal samples obtained through continuous sealed coring from the No. 8 coal seam in well M172 in the east-central part of the Ordos Basin, this study aims to clarify the impacts of ash yield on the pore structure, adsorption capacity, desorption process, and resource recoverability. This effort is …

An Improved Brittleness Characterization Method For Deep Coalbed Methane Reservoirs And Its Application To Well Logs, Huang An’Er, Gong Fei, Peng Suping, Zou Guangui, Zhang Zhaoji, Wu Yiquan, Rong Zhihong, Li Qingrun

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Deep coalbed methane (CBM) reservoirs are characterized by high pressure, low porosity, and low permeability. Therefore, large-scale volume fracturing is required for their commercial development. As an important engineering sweet spot parameter for selecting optimal fracturing targets, the brittleness index can reflect the difficulty in generating complex fracture networks during fracturing. However, existing brittleness characterization methods are largely applicable to strata with high brittle mineral content, such as shales and sandstones, while methods for characterizing the brittleness of deep CBM reservoirs with high organic matter content and low brittle mineral content are lacking. Methods Rock physics experiments on 20 …

Multi-Solution Ternary Grover’S Algorithm For Logic-Based Quantum Machine Learning With Pseudo-Kronecker Reed–Muller Form Minimization, Sophia Lee, Ali Al-Bayaty, Marek Perkowski

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Optimization problems in machine-learning (ML) applications can be computationally challenging for classical methods, particularly when they involve large, unstructured search spaces. Quantum computing offers a promising approach to combinatorial optimization by utilizing quantum superposition and amplitude amplification. This paper presents a new methodology using logic-based quantum machine learning (QML) as a complete framework for employing a multi-solution ternary Grover’s algorithm to minimize incomplete binary functions represented by Pseudo-Kronecker Reed–Muller (PKRO) expansions, consistent with Occam’s razor principle. Unlike previous quantum approaches based on Kronecker Reed–Muller (KRO) or fixed-polarity Reed–Muller (FPRM) representations, our work introduces the first Grover-based optimization framework for PKRO …

Improving Mechanical Properties Of Soft Clay By Deep Soil Mixing In North Delta, Egypt Vs. Finite Element Simulation, Ali Gamal Abdel Zaher, Sherif Abdelaziz Mazek, Samir Abdelfattah, Mostafa Merzk

HBRC Journal

Soft clay layers in the Northern Nile Delta pose significant geotechnical challenges due to low shear strength, high compressibility, and susceptibility to settlement. This study implements a section of a canal embankment in the field using Deep Soil Mixing (DSM) with a cement content of 165 kg/m³ and aims to evaluate its effectiveness in stabilizing soft clay while providing practical design tools for similar deltaic environments. Long-term field monitoring and laboratory testing, including UCS and permeability measurements, were conducted to support the analysis. A Finite Element Model (FEM) was developed in PLAXIS 2D v21 and calibrated against field data, …

Hands-On Ransomware: An Experiential Wannacry Case Study For Undergraduate Cybersecurity Education, Eli Creek Richmond, Thomas R. Devine

Military Cyber Affairs

Ransomware represents one of the most disruptive threats in the cyber landscape, yet hands-on malware analysis remains rare in undergraduate cybersecurity curricula. This paper presents the design, implementation, and evaluation of an experiential learning module centered on the WannaCry ransomware case study, deployed in a senior-level course at West Virginia University. Students performed static and dynamic analysis using industry-standard tools. Pre- and post-module assessments demonstrated measurable gains in self-reported competency across seven technical dimensions. The module's competencies align directly with DoD Cyber Workforce Framework Work Role 212, Cyber Defense Forensics Analyst, supporting education-to-workforce pipeline development.