Digital Commons Network^™

Research On The Effectiveness Of Various Methods For Primary Processing Of Silkworm Cocoons, Doston Ishmukhammat Ugli Samandarov

Technical science and innovation

This article presents the results of experimental studies of the primary processing (killing) of silkworm pupae using existing technological methods, as well as three different combinations of infrared (IR) and ultrasound (US). A series of pilot studies was conducted in the laboratory of the Department of Service Technology at Tashkent State Technical University on nine cocoon samples using existing technological equipment and an experimental setup developed under project AL-8724053050 and based on the combined effects of infrared radiation and ultrasound. A comparative evaluation of the studied processing methods was conducted based on the degree of pupal killing, moth hatching, process …

Mathematical Modelling Of Nitrification And Denitrification Processes Based On Neuro-Fuzzy Bioreactor Models, Mirkhalil Agzamovich Ismailov, Boburbek Zokirjon Ugli Mannobjonov

Technical science and innovation

This paper presents the development and investigation of hybrid neural network and fuzzy models for the mathematical modelling of nitrification and denitrification processes in a biological wastewater treatment bioreactor. A comprehensive approach is proposed, integrating a mechanistic model of the ASM1/ASM2d type with neural networks (LSTM and Gaussian Process Regression), as well as a fuzzy control system based on an extended set of expert rules. A digital twin of the bioreactor was developed to allow for the prediction of the dynamic behavior of key parameters such as NH₄⁺, NO₃⁻, dissolved oxygen, etc. within a prediction range of 1 to 12 …

Investigation Of The Production Technology Of Environmentally Safe Urethane Oligomers Based On Local Raw Materials, Bakhtiyor Kudratovich Shaykulov, Dilafruza Ruziboevna Akbarova Gulboeva, Fayzulla Nurmuminovich Nurqulov

Technical science and innovation

This paper investigates the step-by-step poly condensation pathway for synthesizing environmentally friendly, non-isocyanate urethane oligomers derived from local and safe raw materials: urea and ethylene glycol. The influence of thermodynamic parameters on the target product yield was systematically evaluated to determine the optimum technological matrix. Specifically, a 1:2 reactant mass ratio, a stable stationary temperature of 150-155 °C, and a reaction duration of 2 hours under an inert nitrogen atmosphere resulted in a sustainable and reproducible yield of 72%. Thermal degradation and competitive side-product condensations were activated above 160 °C, leading to a sharp drop in overall chemical efficiency. The …

Evaluation Of Level Measurement Uncertainty For Three Types Of Laser Level Meters Using The Gum Methodology: Calculated Uncertainty Budgets, Uncertainty Profile, And Hardware Component Requirements, Lazizbek Furkatjanovich Saidoripov, Barat Makhmudovich Akhmedov

Technical science and innovation

A methodology is presented for evaluating the uncertainty of liquid petroleum product level measurements using laser level meters based on different measurands’ informative parameters: propagation time, phase difference, and image coordinates. Based on analytical expressions for error components and a traceability chain to the national length standard, calculated uncertainty budgets are developed in accordance with JCGM 100 for time-of-flight, phase-based, and laser–television level meters. Under the assumed input conditions, the expanded uncertainties (k = 2) are 1.66, 0.73, and 1.02 mm, respectively. For the laser–television level meter budget, the Gaussian approximation is verified using the Monte Carlo method (JCGM 101): …

Effect Of Waste Cooking Oil And Tapioca Starch On Energy Content And Combustion Performance Of Coconut Shell-Rice Husk Briquettes, Satworo Adiwidodo, Wirawan Wirawan, Kris Witono, Moh. Hartono, Asrori Asrori, Fauzan Baananto, Suliono Suliono, Syahrul Mubarok, Norhafana Binti Mohamed

Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST)

Agricultural waste, such as coconut shells and rice husks, is widely utilized as solid fuel. Tapioca starch serves as the binder, while waste cooking oil (WCO) is used as an additive. Briquette performance is influenced by the type of biomass, binder, and additives used. However, the individual and interactive effects of WCO and tapioca starch on the performance of coconut shell-rice husk briquettes remain insufficiently established. This research focused on evaluating the effects of WCO and tapioca starch on calorific value (CV)  and mass consumption rate. The briquettes' base composition consisted of 75% coconut shell charcoal and 25% rice husk …

Developing A Digital Facility Management Framework For Enhancing Operation And Maintenance Of Public Parks In Egypt, Alaa Ezzat, Alia Amer, Yasser M. El Sayed

HBRC Journal

Public parks in Cairo represent important urban assets, however, their operation and maintenance (O&M) face many challenges due to fragmented information, reactive maintenance practices, organizational constraints, and limited digital integration. Digital Facility Management discipline still lacks the tailored framework that adequately addresses the operational needs of public parks in Egypt with all its specific details. This study develops an integrated digital FM framework for improving the efficiency of the management process of public parks. A four-phase methodology was adopted, comprising a literature review, framework development, technical system specification, and expert assessment. The proposed framework integrates BIM, COBie, CMMS, IoT technologies, …

Machine Learning Models For Estimating The Consumed And Remaining Useful Life Of Haul Trucks In An Open-Pit Mine In Peru, Marco Cotrina, Jairo Marquina, Mario Sandoval, Jose Mamani, Johnny Ccatamayo

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The purpose of this study was to develop a machine learning-based model to predict the consumed useful life and estimate the remaining useful life of haul trucks in an open-pit mining operation in Peru. A comparative analysis of multiple machine learning models was conducted, including multiple linear regression (MLR), random forest + PSO, support vector regression (SVR), gradient boosting machine (GBM), decision tree + PSO, and artificial neural networks (ANN-MLP). The models were evaluated using performance metrics such as R², RMSE, and MAE, selecting the optimal model to estimate the remaining useful life based on a theoretical lifespan …

Development Of A Spectral Index And Web Application For Automated Marble Quarry Monitoring: A Sentinel-2 Based Approach For Change Detection And Monitoring, Konstantinos Ntouros, Vasileios Drimzakas - Papadopoulos, Georgios Gkologkinas, Georgios Ntouros, Dimitrios Markou

Journal of Sustainable Mining

This study introduces an automated workflow to monitor marble quarry operations using Sentinel-2 satellite data, providing a cost-effective and efficient tool for regulatory oversight focused on environmental sustainability. At the core of this workflow is the Quarry Change Detection Index (QCDI), a new spectral index specifically developed to leverage the unique spectral characteristics of quarry sites, enhancing the detection of land cover changes associated with quarry expansion. To facilitate practical application, a web-based tool was developed using Google Earth Engine and Streamlit. The user-centric design of this platform features an intuitive interface, allowing users to easily select parameters, visualize data, …

Virtual Natural Lighting Solutions (Vnls) Inside Hospitals And Its Psychological Impact, Asmaa Alaa Hasanein Hasanein, Alaa Shams Al-Din Al-Aishi, Marwa Atef Abd Elhady

Mansoura Engineering Journal

This study examines the correlation between daylighting environments in hospitals, users evaluations, and ways of bringing virtual natural light into inner spaces, highlighting the importance of good daylighting design for physical and psychological well-being. Virtual Natural Lighting Solutions (VNLS) mimic the balanced spectrum of natural light, bridging the gap between natural and artificial light, and are crucial for tasks, circadian rhythm, and mood in healthcare settings. The research addresses the variability and limitations of natural light, proposing VNLS for healthcare lighting design, especially in hospitals lacking daylight. The study aims to develop a methodology for using VNLS in healthcare environments …

Reinforcement Learning: A Christian Perspective, Paul Griffioen

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

No abstract provided.

Data From: Physics-Data-Hybrid Modeling And Control For Vtol Aircraft, Samantha Dawn Burton

Browse all Datasets

The skeleton code corresponding to many of the results from the dissertation "Physics-Data-Hybrid Modeling and Control for VTOL Aircraft" By Samantha Dawn Burton.

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 …

A Tool For Assessing The Effectiveness Of Speed Humps As Traffic Calming Measure, Abdulrazak Mzamiru Kachwamba, Enock W. Nshama

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Urban population growth and increasing motor vehicle usage continue to raise concerns regarding road safety in rapidly developing cities. Although previous studies have assessed traffic-calming effectiveness using multiple criteria, they have analysed the criteria separately and have not developed a composite tool for classifying overall effectiveness. This study develops a quantitative assessment tool designed to compute a weighted composite score for evaluating the effectiveness of speed humps as a traffic calming measure. Stakeholder questionnaire responses, complemented by descriptive analysis and exploratory factor analysis, were used to identify key indicators of effectiveness and the variables influencing them. Findings indicate that speed …

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 …

Applications Of Nanotechnology In Building Envelopes: An Analytical Study Of Environmental Performance And Architectural Form, Essam Salah Said Abdelmagid

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Contemporary architecture has witnessed a rapid evolution in the integration of nanotechnology within the design of building envelopes, due to its significant capability to enhance the physical and environmental properties of materials and to redefine the relationship between functional performance and architectural form. The building envelope is considered one of the most influential components affecting energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality,  and visual identity, which has made it a primary field for the application of nanomaterials and nanotechnologies.

This research aims to investigate and analyze the impact of nanotechnology applications in building envelopes on both environmental performance and architectural form through …

The Impact Of Biophilic Design Patterns On Improving Thermal Comfort In Public Libraries Within Hot Arid Climates (A Case Study Of Misr Public Library - Aswan), Zainab Hassan Aljamily, Hatem Mahmoud Fathy, Breksam Hafez Elkess Boules

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Reading contributes to cognitive and cultural development, highlighting public libraries as educational and cultural spaces and emphasizing the need to improve their environmental performance. This study analyzes biophilic design patterns and thermal comfort in public libraries in hot arid climates, using Misr Public Library in Aswan as a case study. Despite growing interest in biophilic design, quantitative studies addressing its thermal impact remain limited. The research adopted an applied analytical methodology, including field measurements of temperature and relative humidity in the reading hall using a UT330TH/UT330THC data logger to verify simulation accuracy. Thermal performance was evaluated using DesignBuilder software before …

The Teaching Stem Center Online: Enhancing Instructional Methods For Underprepared Students' Success, Bassey Akpan, Jan Duncan

The Journal of the Research Association of Minority Professors

This study investigates the experiences and academic outcomes of underprepared and underrepresented undergraduate students enrolled in introductory STEM courses at Texas College, a minority‑serving institution committed to advancing equity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education. The research focuses on STEM faculty across Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, and Mathematics and how the Teaching STEM Center Online (TSC) enhances instructional methods to support this student population.

Using a mixed‑methods design, the study evaluates the implementation and impact of the TSC initiative. This includes faculty development workshops, structured instructional coaching, and the integration of evidence‑based teaching practices. Quantitative data from faculty surveys …

Voltage-Related Power Quality Issues And Impacts On Distribution Networks With Sensitive Loads - A Review, Godwin Elinazi Mnkeni, Jackson Justo, Aviti Thadei Mushi, Bakari M. M. Mwinyiwiwa

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Voltage disturbances are the most important power quality (PQ) complications that customers and power utilities face in this smart era. The growing adoption of sophisticated electronic equipment and integration of renewable energy sources (RES) into power grids has increased the susceptibility of power distribution networks (PDNs) to voltage sags, swells, interruptions, flicker, and voltage imbalance. These disturbances, mainly caused by upstream faults, switching operations, and RES integration, compromise voltage PQ and system reliability. Consequently, they accelerate equipment degradation, increase electronic waste (e-waste), raise reactive power demand and maintenance costs, increase power losses, and impose substantial economic losses on customers and …

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.

Direct Electrochemical Detection Of Carbaryl In Water Using Boron-Doped Diamond Electrodes, Natasha Fransisca, Chico Permana Putra, Salma Nur Zakiyyah, Muhammad Ihda Hamlu Liwaissunati Zein, Yeni Wahyuni Hartati, Irkham Irkham

Chimica et Natura Acta

Carbaryl (1-naphthyl methylcarbamate) is a carbamate pesticide used to cause adverse environmental and health effects when misused through water contamination. Therefore, this research aimed to develop a direct electrochemical detection method for carbaryl in aqueous media using boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes. In this context, BDD electrodes exhibited superior electrochemical performance compared to conventional materials such as gold (Au), platinum (Pt), and glassy carbon electrodes (GCE) due to a wide potential window, low background current, and excellent chemical stability. Cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry reported a well-defined oxidation peak for carbaryl at 1.30 V, with significantly enhanced sensitivity. The results showed …

Willingness To Pilot Under Varying Weather And Tower System Conditions: Mediating Effects Of Risk, Nathan Royal Schultz

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The implementation of Remote Tower Systems (RTS) within the National Airspace System (NAS) offers potential improvements in operational efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and scalability; however, its success depends on pilots' willingness to operate in such environments. This study examined the effects of tower system type (RTS vs. Traditional Tower Systems [TTS]) and weather conditions (visual meteorological conditions [VMC], marginal visual meteorological conditions [MVMC], and instrument meteorological conditions [IMC]) on pilots’ willingness to pilot (WTP), while also evaluating the mediating role of perceived risk (PR). Grounded in Paul Slovic’s Risk Perception Theory (RPT), this research employed a quantitative experimental design using a factorial …

Heavy-Duty Diesel Vehicle Deterioration: Impact Of Vehicle Age And Emission Control Technology On Nox Emissions - Preprint, Amber L. Gurecki Allen, Andrew R. Colman, Max D. Sommer, William D. Waddoups, Darrell B. Sonntag

FEAT Publications

Pre-print manuscript.

Abstract

This study examines the effect of aging and deterioration on NO_x emissions from heavy-duty diesel trucks (HDDTs) with different emission control technologies, including Engine Control only, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), and selective catalytic reduction (SCR). In-use tailpipe emissions were measured from 12,023 HDDTs from 13 roadside measurement campaigns conducted in California and Utah between 2008 and 2024. Vehicle registration records and the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) engine certification database were used to identify engine NO_x control technology. At younger ages, SCR-equipped HDDTs generally emitted significantly less NO_x than non-SCR-equipped HDDTs. However, after several years …

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 …

Decoding Surface Chemistry Effects On Polystyrene Nanoplastic Fouling In Plasma-Grafted Pes Membranes With Distinct Functional Groups, Mohadeseh Najafi, Javad Farahbakhsh, Ebrahim Mahmoudi, Michael Johns, Masoumeh Zargar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Nanoplastic (NP) fouling remains a key challenge for ultrafiltration (UF) membranes, yet systematic, controlled comparisons of how membrane functional groups govern NP-membrane interactions are still limited. Here, the role of membrane surface chemistry was systematically investigated using a controlled comparative framework based on plasma-grafted polyethersulfone (PES) UF membranes tailored with structurally comparable methacrylate monomers bearing distinct terminal functionalities, including mono-2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl succinate (MMES, -COOH), N-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl] methacrylamide (DMAPMA, -N(CH3)2), and [2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl)ammonium hydroxide (SBMA, zwitterionic). Comprehensive characterisations supported successful surface grafting while preserving the membrane substructure. Fouling and separation were assessed using polystyrene (PS) NPs having different surface chemistries, i.e., PS, PS-COOH and …

Nanoparticle-Enabled Superplasticity In Extruded Az91 Magnesium Alloy With Elongation Exceeding 600%, Bai Xin Dong, Hong Yu Yang, Xin Zhang, Feng Qiu, Qi Chuan Jiang, Lai Chang Zhang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

No abstract provided.

Numerically Evaluating The Effect Of Pin Geometries On Interlayer Material Mixing And Thermo-Mechanical Characteristics During Additive Friction Stir Deposition (Afsd), Numan Habib, Ana Vafadar, Ferdinando Guzzomi

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Additive Friction Stir Deposition (AFSD) is an additive manufacturing technique used to fabricate large-sized components layer-by-layer in a solid state, below the melting temperature. Poor interlayer mixing between subsequent layers results in a lack of mechanical interlocking, leading to low-strength components. The role of pin design plays a crucial role in fabricating high-strength components, requiring a comprehensive understanding of thermo-mechanical behaviour and flow pattern in the deposition zone. In this study, five different pin geometries are presented and investigated using a three-dimensional (3D) computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model. A user-defined function (UDF) was used to calculate strain- and temperature-dependent viscosity. …

Ph-Responsive Mixed-Charge Ultrafiltration Membranes For Adaptive Control Of Single And Mixed Nanoplastic Fouling, Mohadeseh Najafi, Javad Farahbakhsh, Roham Ghanbari, Ebrahim Mahmoudi, Michael Johns, Masoumeh Zargar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Nanoplastic (NP) fouling is an emerging barrier to the reliable application of ultrafiltration (UF) membranes, particularly in chemically complex waters where NP surface functionality governs deposition, cake formation, and cleaning performance. Herein, pH-responsive mixed-charge UF membranes were fabricated by plasma-induced graft copolymerisation of mono-2-(methacryloyloxy) ethyl succinate (MMES) and N-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl] methacrylamide (DMAPMA) onto poly(ethersulfone) (PES) to simultaneously regulate surface charge, hydration, and fouling reversibility. Unlike conventional single-charge or zwitterionic modifications, this approach enabled independent tuning of anionic and cationic moieties, generating composition-dependent and pH-switchable interfacial properties. ATR-FTIR, XPS, FESEM/EDX, AFM, WCA, streaming zeta potential, and MWCO analyses confirmed successful grafting, modified …

A Review Of Natural Hydrogen Generation From Iron-Rich Rocks: Mechanisms, Influencing Factors, Techniques, And Knowledge Gaps, Kaveh Moghanirahimi, Lionel Esteban, Marina Pervukhina, Muhammad Arif, Stefan Iglauer, Alireza Keshavarz

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Natural hydrogen has emerged as a promising clean energy resource with significant potential for large-scale subsurface production. Among the various geological sources, water–rock interactions involving iron-bearing rocks are among the most extensively studied pathways for natural hydrogen generation. This study provides a comprehensive review of hydrogen production from iron-rich lithologies, including mafic and ultramafic rocks, iron oxides, iron carbonates, and peralkaline granites. The fundamental mechanism involves the reduction of water coupled with the oxidation of ferrous iron to ferric iron under anoxic conditions. Key processes, including serpentinization, magnetite alteration, and siderite decomposition, are critically evaluated using experimental and modelling data. …

A Graph Attention Network-Based Framework For Reconstructing Missing Lidar Beams, Khalfalla Awedat, Mohamed Abidalrekab, Mohammad El-Yabroudi

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Vertical beam dropout in spinning LiDAR sensors -triggered by hardware aging, dust, snow, fog, or bright reflections - removes entire vertical slices from the point cloud and severely degrades 3D perception in autonomous vehicles. This paper proposes a Graph Attention Network (GAT)-based framework that reconstructs these missing vertical channels using only the current LiDAR frame, with no camera images or temporal information required. Each LiDAR sweep is represented as an unstructured spatial graph: points are nodes and edges connect nearby points while preserving the original beam-index ordering. A multi-layer GAT learns adaptive attention weights over local geometric neighborhoods and directly …

Ai-Driven Biomarker Discovery & Progression Modeling For Precision Diagnosis Of Glaucoma, Cheng Huang

Computer Science and Engineering Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents a comprehensive study on the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) for glaucoma diagnosis and retinal image analysis. Leveraging multimodal imaging data including fundus photography, Optical Coherence Tomography Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA), the research develops a suite of deep learning frameworks designed to detect early glaucomatous changes with high precision, robustness, and interpretability. A series of novel architectures are introduced, spanning vessel segmentation networks, biomarker discovery pipelines, and multimodal fusion models, all designed to enhance diagnostic accuracy and generalizability across diverse populations. To facilitate reproducible and scalable ophthalmic AI research, this work …