Digital Commons Network^™

Performance Analysis Of Back-To-Back Multilevel Tnpc Converters For Wave Energy Converters, Kappala Raveendrababu

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

A Wave Energy Converter (WEC) is a device that transforms the kinetic energy of ocean waves into usable electrical energy. Wave energy has the potential to become a major renewable energy source soon, as its energy density is higher than that of solar and wind power, especially as its technology advances. This thesis addresses the integration of wave energy conversion systems into the electrical grid using back-to-back multilevel power converter topologies. The study focuses on the design and implementation of a back-to-back three-level T-type Neutral Point Clamped (T-NPC) converter for a single wave energy conversion system to enhance efficiency, reliability, …

Utilization Of Commercial Phosphonium And Ammonium Ionic Liquids In Enhanced Oil Recovery Of Carbonate Reservoirs, Nada Berrandjia

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

Despite advancements in renewable energy, oil and gas still dominate global energy supply, while a substantial portion of original oil in place (OOIP) remains unrecovered through conventional recovery methods. One of the most effective approaches used to mobilize residual oil is chemical enhanced oil recovery (CEOR) through mechanisms such as reduction of interfacial tension (IFT), alteration of wettability, emulsification, and improved displacement efficiency. Recently, ionic liquids (ILs) have gained interest as alternative CEOR agents due to their tunable structure and superior stability under harsh reservoir conditions. This thesis experimentally investigates the potential of low-cost and commercially available ILs for enhanced …

Comparative Performance Of Polymeric Membrane-Catalytic Combined Module Systems For Efficient Co2 Capture, Yamna Saif Alshamsi

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

Effective carbon dioxide (CO2) capture is crucial for mitigating climate change. Membrane-based gas absorption systems, particularly those utilizing monoethanolamine (MEA), offer a modular, scalable, and energy-efficient alternative to conventional methods. However, challenges such as membrane wetting, solvent degradation, and mass-transfer limitations hinder their performance.This research investigated the efficiency of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and polyethersulfone (PES) polymeric membrane contactors for CO2 absorption using MEA under simulated flue gas conditions. A novel approach involved incorporating nanocatalytic material into the absorbent solution to enhance CO2 absorption. Characterization included SEM, FTIR, XRD, permeability, tensile strength, and contact angle measurements, alongside CO2 absorption performance evaluation. …

Sulfate Attack And Microstructural Study Of Self-Compacting Sand Concrete Incorporating Recycled Concrete, S. Boudali, A.M. Soliman, B. Abdulsalam, S. Poncet, Adel Elsafty

HBRC Journal

This study presents an experimental investigation of the microstructure of Self-Compacting Sand Concrete (SCSC) containing recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) and fine recycled concrete powder (FRCP) under a sulfate attack. SCSC specimens were submerged and stored for one year in a sodium sulfate solution. The microstructure of SCSC was investigated using quantitative X-ray diffraction and SEM analysis performed on samples taken from both the core and surface of the specimens. Also, the impact of different percentages and sizes of recycled aggregates (i.e., varying from nano- up to micro-sized aggregates) on the microstructural properties of SCSC exposed to sulfate attack was evaluated. …

Does What Happens In Vegas Increase Pedestrian Safety? A Longitudinal Study On The Effectiveness Of Pedestrian Bridges, Jalen Paulos, Jalen Paulos, Joaquin Del Mundo, Brock Wentz

School of Medicine Research Poster Showcase

Urban populations continue to rise and the frequency that pedestrians are exposed to vehicular traffic continues to increase. The result is an increase in automobile versus pedestrian collisions. This study aims to determine the efficacy of pedestrian bridges in reducing the rates of automobile-pedestrian collisions. Data for all automobile versus pedestrian collisions and injuries from July of 1997 through December of 2023 at four distinct intersections along Las Vegas Boulevard were retrieved from the Nevada Department of Transportation. These sites were chosen because of their historically high rates of automobile versus pedestrian incidents and the construction of pedestrian bridges at …

Fabrication Of Su-8 Electrically Actuating Membranes, Tyler James Adams

Theses and Dissertations

This work investigates SU-8 polymer waveguides as a fabrication platform for integrated optical structures. Surface roughening using oxygen plasma etching is used to induce controlled optical scattering, enabling direct observation of guided modes and providing insight into waveguide behavior. Building on this, waveguide geometry is modified through an elevated scattering region (ESR) design, which reduces transition losses and improves scattering efficiency by preserving optical volume within the guiding region. In parallel, suspended SU-8 membranes are fabricated and evaluated for mechanical stability, providing a platform for integrating optical structures beyond conventional substrate-bound configurations. These membranes are further characterized under electrostatic actuation, …

Democratizing National Water Model Streamflow Forecasts Through Cross-Platform Mobile Application Development, Jerson J. Garcia

Theses and Dissertations

The National Water Model (NWM) provides operational streamflow forecasts for 2.7 million stream reaches across the continental United States, yet technical barriers prevent widespread public access to this hydrological infrastructure. This paper presents RIVR (River Information Visualization and Risk), a cross-platform mobile application that transforms National Water Model forecasts into an accessible interface for non-technical users. Built with Flutter, the application deploys to iOS and Android from a single codebase and integrates NOAA forecast APIs, CIROH return-period thresholds, and interactive vector-tile mapping. Performance evaluation across six metrics: application size, startup time, memory consumption, rendering frame rates, API response times, and …

Landscaping Of Mcp: An Overview Of Mcp Mitigations And Tools, Arden Michel

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) has quickly become the standard for enabling agentic AI systems to interact with external tools, data sources, and services. Since its debut in 2024, MCP has been adopted by companies such as Google, Apple, Meta, and IBM. While this integration greatly improves the capabilities of large language models (LLMs), it also creates a new attack surface that the security community is only beginning to understand systematically.

A key architectural challenge is MCP's fundamental reliance on implicit trust: servers often run locally with high privileges, tool descriptions are accepted without question, and external servers are presumed …

Sulfuric Acid Mist Generation, Calculation, And Suppression Mechanism And Methods In Electrowinning: A Review, Ashish Kakoria, Mirza Muhammad Zaid, Guang Xu

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This review discusses the events of acid mist production at the final stage of hydrometallurgical metal production in copper electrowinning. This review entails the complete process of oxygen bubble generation on the anode and its stages to form into acid mist at the surface of the electrolyte. When these bubbles burst at the solution/air interface, fine acid-containing liquid droplets become airborne and spread throughout the workspace, with the impact factors suppressing the acid mist produced during the process. Also, parameters such as bubble size, temperature, surface tension, and visco-elasticity also affect the acid mist. Sulfuric acid affects the tank houses …

Hypertext Transfer Protocol Fingerprinting: Techniques For Attacker-In-The-Middle Proxy Detection, Evasion, And Counter-Evasion, Jensen George Wood

Theses and Dissertations

Attacker-in-the-middle (AitM) phishing toolkits have emerged as a critical threat to enterprise and individual security by enabling adversaries to bypass multi-factor authentication (MFA) and compromise cloud-based accounts at scale. Traditional detection techniques--such as IP blocklists or content-based detection methods--are often ineffective against these increasingly sophisticated attacks. We propose a novel method that detects malicious proxies by identifying artifacts they introduce into HTTP request headers. To evaluate our approach, we systematically analyze traffic passed through several open-source AitM toolkits and proxies, identifying distinct modifications to header structures and content, then formalize these features as YARA rules for automated use. To validate …

Further Development Of A Low-Energy Arc-Ignition System For Nytrox/Abs Hybrid Propulsion Systems, Stephen A. Whitmore, Jared S. Coen, Ryan J. Thibaudeau

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Utah State University has developed a high-performance “green” hybrid propulsion technology based on the unique electrical breakdown properties of 3D-printed acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. Using 3D-printed ABS as fuel, typical startup sequences require approximately 5–15 joules and, once started, the system can be sequentially fired with no additional energy inputs required. The number of possible ignitions is limited only by the amount of fuel. The most technologically mature version uses gaseous oxygen (GOX) as oxidizer and 3D-printed ABS as fuel. While GOX is mass-efficient, it lacks volumetric efficiency unless highly pressurized. Nytrox, a blend of GOX and nitrous oxide, improves propellant …

Predictive Analytics In Oncology And Ophthalmology: Machine Learning Applications For Diabetic Retinopathy And Breast Cancer, Ali Abidalkareem

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The convergence of artificial intelligence and healthcare represents one of the most transformative developments in modern medicine, with deep learning technologies emerging as powerful tools for addressing complex diagnostic challenges. This dissertation develops and validates machine learning frameworks that address critical challenges in medical diagnosis through innovative approaches to data augmentation, feature learning, and classification, focusing on two fundamental problems: Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) severity classification using multi-model convolutional neural networks (CNNs), and breast cancer stage identification using microRNA (miRNA) gene expression biomarkers. For diabetic retinopathy classification, this work proposes an ensemble deep learning framework that integrates Diffusion-based data augmentation for …

Path Planning And Control For Vertical Takeoff And Landing Aircraft, Dean Benjamin Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

One of the challenging problems of unmanned aerial vehicles (uav) is controlling vertical takeoff and landing (vtol) aircraft. Vtol aircraft can take off and land without landing strips while retain the efficiency of fixed-wing airplanes for long range flight. Unfortunately, the transition from takeoff and forward flight, and from forward flight to landing, is an extremely difficult control problem. Most current controllers for transition switch between flight regimes based solely on airspeed. The trajectory for such switching transitions is a straight vertical ascension followed by a straight forward startup flight; it does not allow for the development of more complex …

Limitations Of Signature-Based Network Intrusion Detection Under Modern Traffic Conditions, Henry Guidry

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

Network Intrusion Detection Systems are tools used to monitor network traffic and alert to suspicious or harmful activity before it can cause harm. Signature-based versions of these systems are a foundation for intrusion detection, operating by finding common patterns and forming malicious signatures. However, three developments in modern network environments have greatly impacted the significance of Network Intrusion Detection Systems. These three developments are the near-complete adoption of end-to-end encryption, the use of sophisticated packet fragmentation techniques, and the processing demands of high-throughput networks. Encryption makes deep packet inspection practically infeasible by transforming inspectable payloads into ciphertext, forcing NIDS to …

Evaluating Ai-Driven Sustainable Neuro-Urbanism Through A Human-Centered Framework: The Case Of Ras Elbar City, Egypt, Esraa Elazab, Ahmed Eltawil

Mansoura Engineering Journal

This study applies and evaluates a previously developed human-centered framework for AI-driven sustainable neuro-urbanism through a case study of Ras Elbar City, Egypt. Building on earlier conceptual research that integrated artificial intelligence (AI), neuroscience-informed design, and sustainability principles, this paper seeks to test the framework’s practical relevance in the context of a developing coastal city. Using qualitative evaluation methods, including field observation and spatial assessment, the research examines twelve key urban design elements such as green spaces, mobility networks, lighting, and soundscapes. Each element is analyzed across three dimensions: neuro-urbanism goals, AI integration, and sustainability outcomes. The findings show that …

Real-Time Data Collection System For Low-Cost Diesel Emissions Monitoring, Zachary Driskill

Theses and Dissertations

Diesel trucks are a major source of pollutants, including particulate matter (PM) and NO$_x$. Roadside emissions monitoring can identify high-emitting diesel vehicles, but conventional sensing systems rely on expensive, complex sensing instruments that limit widespread deployment. Low-cost sensors offer increased scalability due to their small size, low cost, and low power consumption, but they have lower accuracy and slower response time. This thesis presents the design and evaluation of a low-cost roadside emissions monitoring system, establishing the foundation for a scalable and widely deployable alternative. We apply machine learning calibration to roadside emission monitoring to improve the usability of low-cost …

Implementation And Evaluation Of Alternative Methods For Simulation Of Sidescan Sonar, Blake Paul Romrell

Theses and Dissertations

The original sonar implementation for the HoloOcean simulator was built upon a cached octree representation of the world. On first runs, building the cache was prohibitively slow, and the cache had a major memory footprint. This work presents alternative implementations for the sidescan sonar using direct raytracing on the CPU and rendering on the GPU. To evaluate and compare the implementations, timing tests on comparable parameters, as well as sweeps on resolution and range parameters, were performed. The render-based GPU implementation outperformed the others in the timing tests.

Engineering Problem Solving In First Robotics Competition, Jingyuan Fu

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

FIRST Robotics Competition is a program in which high school students design, build, and program robots for a new engineering challenge each year. Within that environment, robot development requires more than mechanical construction alone, since successful performance depends on strategy, subsystem integration, software development, and continuous iteration. This poster examines how game analysis shaped the robot’s overall development, including design priorities, system layout, material choices, and coding decisions. It also highlights how programming and tuning were used to improve subsystem performance and increase effectiveness in competition. This project demonstrates how the FIRST Robotics Competition can serve as a practical setting …

Electrophoretic Deposition Of Chitosan-Based Coatings On Magnesium Alloys For Implant Applications: A Review, M. H. Payampur, D. Azimi, W. W. Milligan, M. Razzaghi, H. R. Bakhsheshi-Rad, J. Drelich

Michigan Tech Publications

Magnesium (Mg) alloys are highly promising materials for biomedical applications due to their excellent mechanical properties and biocompatibility. However, their rapid corrosion in physiological environments remains a significant barrier to their use in implantable devices. Surface modification techniques, particularly chitosan (CS)-based coatings, have shown considerable potential in addressing these challenges. CS, as a biopolymer, not only reduces the corrosion rate of Mg alloys but also enhances their biological performance. Electrophoretic deposition (EPD) is a highly versatile technique that enables the uniform deposition of CS and CS-composite coatings on Mg alloys. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of depositing CS and …

Familybloom: Examining Ecologies Of Collaboration In Family-Centered Health Tracking, Lucas M. Silva, Aehong Min, Evropi Stefanidi, Franceli L. Cibrian, Jesus A. Beltran, Cassie Zeiler, Sabrina E. B. Schuck, Kimberley D. Lakes, Gillian R. Hayes, Daniel A. Epstein

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Family health informatics tools can help support well-being with shared data tracking. Prior work typically focused on shared data review, but often in specific moments, like bedtime, or centered on caregiving of children or elderly members. To investigate how tracking can support mutual health collaboration between family members pervasively across daily contexts, we designed and deployed FamilyBloom, a glanceable smartwatch and home display system for mood and goal tracking. Twelve families with both neurotypical and ADHD members used FamilyBloom for three months on average. Our findings reveal how family-centered tracking created collaboration opportunities and tensions across multiple ecological systems: individual …

Implantable, Sensor-Embedded Vascular Graft Towards Wireless Monitoring Of Stenosis, Nnamdi Dike

LSU Master's Theses

Arteriovenous (AV) grafts are commonly used to provide vascular access for hemodialysis in patients with end-stage renal disease. Despite their widespread use, AV grafts are prone to complications such as stenosis and thrombosis. Early detection of these conditions remains challenging with current monitoring methods too costly or insufficient. This work presents the design, fabrication, and validation of an LC pressure sensor embedded within a model AV graft to enable real-time monitoring. The proposed system integrates a parallel-plate capacitive pressure sensor with a spiral inductor to form an LC circuit embedded within an elastomeric graft wall. The Ecoflex 00-30 dielectric layer …

Application Of Fidic Epc/Turnkey Contract Under The Egyptian Public Works Contracts Law, Ahmed Alhady Dr., Mahmoud Mahmoud Ahmed Eng., Ahmed Elhakeem Prof., Mohamed Ibrahim Dr.

Civil Engineering

This study focuses on the application of FIDIC Conditions of Contract for EPC Turnkey Projects—Silver Book 1999, (FIDIC (EPC&T)), when governed by the Egyptian Law of Contracts concluded by public bodies No. 182 of 2018 (ELC) due to the conflicts that may arise from such application. Hence, this study identifies specific FIDIC (EPC&T) 1999 clauses that have the potential for conflicts with ELC, shows the similarities and disparities between these clauses and the relevant ELC articles, and provides recommendations to ensure the successful application of FIDIC (EPC&T) 1999 under ELC. This was achieved through a multistep research methodology in which …

Leveraging River Forecast Center Knowledge To Improve Large-Scale Hydrologic Model Performance Through Bias Correction, Ian Mathews

Theses and Dissertations

The National Water Model (NWM) provides continental-scale streamflow predictions but exhibits bias and reduced skill in highly regulated and snow-driven basins. In contrast, River Forecast Center (RFC) models incorporate decades of local calibration and regulatory knowledge but are limited in spatial coverage to specific points of interest. This study evaluates whether hydrologic knowledge embedded in RFC-calibrated simulations can be transferred to improve NWM performance at unmonitored locations using the Streamflow Analysis for Bias Estimation and Reduction (SABER) framework. Using Colorado Basin River Forecast Center (CBRFC) simulations as surrogate reference data, we applied SABER to the NWM 44-year retrospective model simulation …

On The Drainage Vortices Of Liquid In A Container With Two Outlets, Radivoje Stankovic

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Vortices that form over multiple drainage ports may exhibit a distinct, periodic alternating behavior, whereby the air core moves periodically between different drainage ports. The physical processes which govern this behavior have not yet been explained, despite the widespread and thorough attempts to describe the flow of water through single or multiple outlets. Early experiments on the alternating behavior of this vortex resulted in a nondimensional relation between the alternating frequency and water height and container geometry with an R2 = 0.91. Subsequent 2D PIV measurements of the flow were performed at different laser heights of 25 mm and 128 …

Exploring The Stress-Strain Relationship Of Lightweight Concrete To Enhance The Lifecycle Performance Of Transportation Highways And Bridges, Fariborz M. Tehrani

Mineta Transportation Institute

Concrete is the primary construction material of bridges, roads, and other transportation infrastructure across the United States, but conventional normal-weight concrete (NWC) is heavy, prone to cracking, and expensive to maintain over time. This study examines the mechanical properties, durability, and lifecycle performance of lightweight aggregate concrete (LWC) and internally cured concrete (ICC) as alternatives in transportation infrastructure applications. Through laboratory testing, computer modeling, and lifecycle analysis, the research evaluates how these materials perform in terms of strength, flexibility, durability, cost, and environmental impact. The results show that LWC and ICC can meet required strength levels while being lighter and …

Using Geoscience To Empower A Community And Provide Access To Potable Groundwater, Hendratta Ali Dr

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Access to potable water remains challenging around the world and remains one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. Barriers to clean water access are exacerbated by the lack of technical expertise, limited funding for education and training, and the absence of reliable infrastructure that provides access to clean water. The Geoscientists Without Borders program, supported FHSU with funding to test, explore and provide access to clean potable groundwater to a rural community in Cameroon. We conducted water quality analyses, identified, mapped and located deep aquifers in fractured metamorphic rocks. Water quality analyses showed acidic pH and elevated amounts …

Impact Of Compositing Method Choice On Spectral Fidelity In Semi-Arid Mining Landscapes, Ruslan Nailevich Khadzhaev, Dilbarkhon Shamuradovna Fazilova

Technical science and innovation

This study examines the choice of satellite image compositing method for Landsat 8/9 (Collection 2 Level-2) imagery to calculate the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). This paper compares the methods used to create median and medoid composites for the Angren open pit coal mine. The 'synthetic' nature of the composites is quantified based on a spectral consistency metric. This involves assessing the equivalence of median and medoid values, and analysing the sensitivity of NDVI to the compositing method across varying surface types. A strongly right-skewed distribution of surface reflectance values was found, covering 82.8% of the pixels, mostly in areas …

Analysis Of Automatic Regulation Based On The Dynamic Indicators Of The Working Body For Cleaning Channels And Ditches, Nasiba Siraj Amirbayova

Technical science and innovation

Today, the comprehensive development of road infrastructure and agriculture directly requires the reconstruction and effective use of systems intended for irrigation and protection of road surfaces. The goal of agricultural development has made it necessary to increase attention to this area. This also reveals the correct use and operation of existing melioration irrigation systems as an important problem. This is mainly one of the issues of correct operation of road infrastructure. It is known that the majority of agricultural products are produced in areas where irrigation systems are widely developed. On the other hand, the use of collector-drainage networks, cleaning …

Mathematical Modelling And Optimisation Of The Reactor For The Esterification Process Of Safflower Oil With N-Butyl Alcohol, Sadritdin Makhamatdinovich Turabdjanov Academician, Hasan Sadriddin Ugli Fozilov, Ozoda Bakhronovna Axmedova, Sadriddin Fayzullayevich Fozilov

Technical science and innovation

This study addresses the mathematical modelling and optimisation of a reactor for the esterification of safflower oil with n-butyl alcohol. To improve process controllability and reduce the need for numerous pilot-scale trials, an ideal-mixing continuous stirred-tank reactor (CSTR) model was adopted. Incorporating reaction kinetics, the effect of contact time on the relative viscosity of the product mixture was analysed. The modelling results indicate that achieving an acceptable degree of feedstock conversion is difficult when a single ideal-mixing reactor is used. Therefore, a CSTR cascade was proposed, and the configuration with N = 2 reactors was selected as the most appropriate …

Development Of New Methods For Calculating Pressure And Energy Losses For Pumping Station Water Intakes, Faxriddin Jaylovovich Nosirov, Oleg Yakovlevich Glovatsky, Jurabek Abdyrahmon O'G'Li Urolov, Abduqodirkhon Samatkhonovich Abdullakhaev, Anvar Mamur Ugli Uzokov

Technical science and innovation

The aim of this study is to improve the efficiency of water resource management methods. Improvements to the water intake of the Karshi Main Canal are considered using calculations of pressure losses at the entry and exit of liquid into the flow, which differ from pressure losses in a stationary medium. The article considers some of the methods for using renewable energy sources, where the change in gravitational potential energy does not depend on the way of using energy and the operating scheme is a gravitational energy pump. The implementation of control and monitoring systems is necessary to ensure optimal …