Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluating Cyanotoxins In Surface Water And Aerosols Near Utah Lake, Dylan R. Mcpeake

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Utah Lake is a freshwater lake in Utah County near Provo, Utah. It is the third- largest lake in Utah and is important for recreation and local businesses. However, from June to October, the lake often has cyanobacteria harmful algal blooms (cHABs), which contain a toxin called cyanotoxin. These toxins can be dangerous to people who come into contact with the water. Government agencies regularly check for cHABs and warn people when the water is unsafe for activities like swimming. Collecting water samples to test for cHABs can be risky because it can possibly result in direct contact with the …

Analysis Of Thrust Performance And Noise Generation Of Uam Composite Propellers Fabricated Using Composite-Based Additive Manufacturing, Samiul Alam

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Urban air mobility (UAM) is an emerging transportation concept that uses lightweight, efficient aircraft for transporting goods and passengers and performing other logistical activities. One of the biggest challenges in developing UAM from a structural perspective is manufacturing strong and reliable propellers that are lightweight and durable. Traditional manufacturing methods for composite propellers are expensive, time-consuming, and difficult to scale. This study explores a new approach using Composite-Based Additive Manufacturing (CBAM) to produce high-performance propellers more efficiently. CBAM allows for the fabrication of strong, lightweight composite propellers using short manufacturing lead times. However, one challenge with this technique is that …

An Ant-Colony Approach To Scheduling Charging Sessions Of Electric Vehicle Fleets With Heterogeneous Scheduling Constraints, Derek D. Redmond

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Electric vehicles and electric-vehicle fleets are gaining widespread usage. A major challenge of managing an electric-vehicle fleet is scheduling when the vehicles can charge and when the vehicles can complete their tasks. Finding smart ways to schedule electric-vehicle charging reduces both the cost of charging vehicles and increases the health of the grid and the environment. This best-of-both-worlds outcome is because of the pricing structure that electric utility companies use. When minimizing the cost of charging the vehicles, it is important to consider that vehicle fleets have constraints on when they can charge. Vehicles are usually limited by the tasks …

Optimization And Utilization Of Microbial Electrolysis Cells In Waste To Product Applications, Hayden Harrison

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

As the world searches for cleaner and more sustainable energy solutions, turning waste into fuel is an increasingly attractive strategy. This research focuses on microbial electrolysis cells, a new technology that uses bacteria and a small amount of electricity to convert organic waste—like food scraps or wastewater—into useful gases such as hydrogen and methane. These gases can be used as energy sources to reduce dependency on more traditional fuels.

This thesis tackles two key challenges that limit the real-world use of microbial electrolysis systems. First, it introduces a simpler and more effective method to stop hydrogen losses in single-chamber cells. …

Assessing Public Satisfaction And Transportation Choices During Winter Road Maintenance: A Case Study Of Utah, Shailendra Khanal

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Winter road maintenance is essential to keeping people safe and mobile during snowstorms. In Utah, where winter weather is a regular part of life, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) plays a vital role in keeping roads clear and functional. While much attention is given to how roads are plowed and managed, there has been less focus on how the public experiences these efforts—and how the decisions to travel during storms are shaped by personal circumstances and perceptions.

This research sets out to understand two things: how satisfied people are with winter road maintenance, and what influences their transportation decisions …

Enhanced Point Cloud Generation From A Novel 360° Underwater Lidar, Olagoke E. Daramola

Dissertations

This dissertation presents novel algorithms to improve the mapping capabilities of a 360-degree underwater Pulsed Laser Line Scanner LiDAR (PLLS-360°). Due to its 360° field-of-view (FOV), the PLLS-360° is a compact full-waveform omnidirectional imager suitable for seafloor mapping, underwater asset inspection, object detection, ice-sheet mapping, and construction progress monitoring. The proposed methodology includes an improved waveform fitting technique for saturated waveform recovery, detection array response correction, radiometric corrections, and fusion of LiDAR and sonar bathymetric datasets. The first part of this dissertation assesses the LiDAR’s performance and describes how the data for this unique 360° FOV architecture is processed. The …

Assessing The Robustness Of Test Selection Methods For Deep Neural Networks, Qiang Hu, Yuejun Guo, Xiaofei Xie, Maxime Cordy, Wei Ma, Mike Papadakis, Lei Ma, Yves Le Traon

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Regularly testing deep learning-powered systems on newly collected data is critical to ensure their reliability, robustness, and efficacy in real-world applications. This process is demanding due to the significant time and human effort required for labeling new data. While test selection methods alleviate manual labor by labeling and evaluating only a subset of data while meeting testing criteria, we observe that such methods with reported promising results are simply evaluated, e.g., testing on original test data. The question arises: are they always reliable? In this article, we explore when and to what extent test selection methods fail. First, we identify …

Localized Multivariate Statistical Assessment Of United States Construction Labor Shortages, Ahmed Shiha, Islam H. El-Adaway

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Craft labor shortage is a persistent challenge facing the construction industry across various markets. The historically low geographic mobility of construction labor exacerbates and localizes labor shortages. Several research efforts relied on subjective evaluations to quantify the existence of labor shortages on a national level. As such, there is a lack of empirical quantification of labor shortages at different geospatial levels. This paper fills this knowledge gap. To this end, the authors adopted a methodology that encompassed: (1) conducting a literature review to identify and collect national-level and subnational indicators that explain the changes in labor supply and demand; (2) …

Visceral, Neural, And Immunotoxicity Of Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances: A Mini Review, Pietro Martano, Samira Mahdi, Tong Zhou, Yasmin Barazandegan, Rebecca Iha, Hannah Do, Joel Burken, Paul Ki-Souk Nam, Qingbo Yang, Ruipu Mu

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have gained significant attention due to their widespread distribution in the environment and potential adverse health effects. While ingestion, especially through contaminated drinking water, is considered the primary route of human exposure, recent research suggests that other pathways, such as inhalation and dermal absorption, also play a significant role. This review provides a concise overview of the toxicological impacts of both legacy and emerging PFASs, such as GenX and perfluoro butane sulfonic acid (PFBS), with a particular focus on their effects on the liver, kidneys, and immune and nervous systems, based on findings from recent …

Integration Of Highly Mismatched Iii-Sb Virtual Substrates On Silicon Via Interfacial Misfit Arrays For Short-, Mid-, And Long-Wave Infrared Applications, Trent Garrett

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Lattice constants of the III-V semiconductors range from 5.45 Å (GaP) to 6.48 Å (InSb). III-V semiconductors are grown on commercially available substrates made from binary III-V materials (e.g., GaAs, InP, and GaSb), or group IV materials (e.g., Si or Ge). These substrates offer very high quality, but only offer access to a small number of specific lattice constants. Given this constraint, it is desirable to develop growth methods that would allow the grower to modulate from the substrate lattice constant into the lattice constant of the material structure under investigation.

Device structures made from III-V semiconductors lattice-mismatched to these …

Failure Study Of Silicon Gated Field Emitter Arrays: Experiment And Simulation, Rushmita Bhattacharjee

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Silicon-based Gated Field Emitter Arrays (Si-GFEAs) are among the most well-developed field emitters. They are being actively explored for vacuum transistors and microwave vacuum electron devices due to their high-frequency performance, radiation resistance, and thermal stability up to 400 °C. However, their long-term reliability is limited by sudden failure events, resulting in cathodic vacuum arcs. This dissertation presents a combined experimental and simulation-based investigation into arc initiation mechanisms in Si-GFEAs. Different device arrays were tested under normal operation in vacuum at 10^-7 Torr with gate voltages of 50-70 V and emission currents from tens of nA to tens of µA. …

Engineering Properties And Stress-Strain Behavior Of Bcsa Concrete: Flexural Design Parameters, Strain Measurement Methods, And Models, Gabriel R. Johnson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Belitic calcium sulfoaluminate (BCSA) cement concrete has gained popularity due to advantages over portland cement (PC), including, its fast-setting, high early strength gain, high durability, and reduced global warming potential. Though primarily used for pavement repair, it has good potential for structural applications. Building codes like ACI 318:19 permit alternative cement materials like BCSA cement if they can be shown to have adequate and predictable structural, durability, and fire performance comparable to PC concrete. This study evaluates the structural and mechanical behavior of BCSA cement concrete, measuring standard engineering properties and comparing results to PC concrete and code prediction equations. …

Low-Power Hardware-Based Real-Time Cervical Spine Localization Via Image Processing, Patricia Angela R. Abu, Chao-Shin Liu, Sung-Hsin Tsai, Po Lin Huang, Hong-Kai Wang, Shih Wei Chung, Chiung-An Chen, Shih-Lun Chen, Sze-Teng Liong, Tsung-Yi Chen

Department of Information Systems & Computer Science Faculty Publications

With the growing prevalence of cervical spine degeneration in the aging population, there is an urgent need for accurate and real-time cervical image analysis to assist in preliminary evaluations during neurosurgical outpatient visits. This study suggests a hard-ware-based real-time cervical spine localization system that uses image preprocessing algorithms to address this need. The system can quickly finish image enhancement and greatly speed up the localization process by turning preprocessing steps like median filtering and binarization into hardware modules. With a power consumption as low as 4.859 mW, the proposed hardware-based median filter demonstrates over 60% reduction in power and 35% …

Bilateral Leading Edges With Tubercle Modifications: An Experimental Study, Roberto Sanchez

Theses and Dissertations

The increasing demand for better performance and maneuverability from airfoils to sustain superior performance over a wide range of platforms, including vehicles, propellers, and wing designs, continues to grow. Researchers have drawn inspiration from nature, looking at birds of prey, dragonflies, and humpback whales for aerodynamic improvements. Among these, tubercle airfoils, inspired by the humpback whale’s flipper, have gained increasing interest. This experimental study presents the results of bilateral tubercle leading-edge airfoils based on a modified NACA 0018 design with a chord length of 1.82 inches, a span width of 7.5 inches, and an amplitude of 6.3c%. Five configurations were …

Development Of A Wearable Biosensor For Cortisol Detection In Human Sweat Utilizing Pani/Peo Polymer Blend And Nitrogen-Doped Graphene Quantum Dots, Cesar Sanchez

Theses and Dissertations

Since the development of the first biosensor in 1962, the evolution of commercially available wearable biosensors has been driven by an increasing consumer interest in real-time health tracking. However, challenges related to sensor sensitivity and cost have hindered progress. Deploying a novel approach, the biosensor integrates a blend of Polyaniline (PANi) and Polyethylene Oxide (PEO) along with Nitrogen-doped Graphene Quantum Dots (N-GQDs) to enhance sensitivity and electroactivity, crucial for cortisol detection. To optimize performance, three distinct synthesis methods for N-GQDs; hydrothermal, microwave, and hot plate synthesis were compared employing a bottom-up approach utilizing citric acid (CA) as the primary reactant …

Primary And Parametric Resonances Of Angled Mems And Nems Cantilever Resonators, Benjamin Matthew Huerta

Theses and Dissertations

This work investigates the resonances of electrostatically actuated micro- and nano-electromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS) uniform cantilever resonators positioned at an angle relative to a ground plate. The resonances considered in this work include primary and parametric resonance. For each resonance, the amplitude-frequency and amplitude-voltage responses are presented. The model is constructed using Euler-Bernoulli beam theory. Results are obtained by construction of a Reduced Order Model considering up to the first five modes of vibration. The Method of Multiple Scales is used when considering only the first mode shape, and the software AUTO 07p is used for higher terms. Two models are …

Low-Dimensional Learning For Remaining Useful Life Prediction Of Batteries Operating Under Various Environments, Rodrigo Benavides

Theses and Dissertations

In reliability, we typically define the standard operating conditions under which a component operates. However, the differences in battery operating conditions cause variability in the degradation patterns of identically manufactured batteries, rendering remaining useful life prediction a major challenge. To aid this task, several sensors are utilized to monitor battery state-of-health. However, traditional prognostics algorithms do not scale well to the volume of data generated. Furthermore, several authors do not explicitly consider operating environments in their prediction models. Therefore, we present a high-dimensional data analytics framework that integrates operating environment information for battery prognostics. This framework combines Multilinear Principal Component …

Computational And Experimental Analysis Of Knee Kinematics And Gait Variability: The Effects Of Load, Speed, And Fatigue On Human Motion, Alfirio Trejo Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the biomechanical behavior of the human knee under varying conditions of motion, load, and fatigue, with a focus on clinical angle analysis and gait stability. Four studies were conducted using motion capture data and a modified Grood and Suntay Joint Coordinate System (JCS) to evaluate knee joint kinematics—specifically flexion-extension, abduction-adduction, and internal-external rotation. The first study examined the effects of incremental weight loads during isolated knee extension exercises, revealing dose-dependent increases in abduction and internal rotation that may contribute to joint stress. The second study assessed the impact of walking speed and asymmetric loading on gait, showing …

Interdigitated Gear-Shaped Screen-Printed Electrode Using G-Pani Ink For Sensitive Electrochemical Detection Of Stress Related Hormones Dopamine And Cortisol, Pritu Parna Sarkar

Theses and Dissertations

This research introduces a novel interdigitated gear-shaped graphene-based electrochemical biosensor for the simultaneous detection of dopamine (DA) and cortisol. Modified with graphene–polyaniline (G–PANI) conductive ink, the sensor increased active surface area—94.52% and 57% higher than Metrohm DropSens 110 and circular printed sensors, respectively. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were employed for physicochemical characterization. The sensor detects dopamine and cortisol over a linear range of 0.1–100 µM, with limits of detection of 0.043 µM (R² = 0.98) and 0.0577 µg/mL (R² = 0.976), respectively, in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) using redox probe. Electrochemical performance …

Enhancing The Design Of Strained Superlattice Gallium Arsenide Based Photocathodes With Distributed Bragg Reflector, Adam D. A. Masters

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Particle accelerators play a crucial role in our understanding of matter and the universe and have numerous practical applications in various fields. These devices enable scientists to examine the smallest components of matter, study the forces that govern their interactions, and probe conditions from the early universe. Moreover, accelerators are valuable in medicine, industry, and research, enhancing imaging methods, cancer therapies, and manufacturing techniques. As the experiments conducted at these facilities evolve and require higher precision, improved particle sources must continue to advance to keep up with their requirements. To do that, we enhanced the design of spin polarized electron …

Succinctness Meets Transparency A Linking Framework Combining Hyrax And Kzg, And Its Applications, Argha Sardar

Master’s Dissertations

The thesis begins by introducing the concept of zero knowledge and exploring its various paradigms. It then focuses on a interesting problem: the construction of linking proofs. Chap- ter 2 addresses the challenge of binding two distinct polynomial commitment schemes so that they are consistent at a common evaluation point. The chapter further introduces a method for equating two different polynomials with different domains using an affine line construction. By applying certain optimizations to the bulletproofs protocol, the work achieves a reduction in both the prover’s time and the number of rounds required for proving a large committed inner product. …

Dealuminated Metakaolin In Supplementary Cementitious Material And Alkali-Activated Systems: A Review, Amany G. Micheal Prof., Mostafa Adel Elsebaei Eng., Maria Mavroulidou Prof., Maria Centeno Assoc. Prof., Rabee Shamass Senior Lec., Ottavia Rispolio Mrs.

Architectural Engineering

This paper presents a comprehensive review of dealuminated metakaolin (DK), a hazardous industrial by-product generated by the aluminium sulphate (alum) industry and evaluates its potential as a component in cementitious systems for the partial or full replacement of Portland cement (PC). Positioned within the context of waste valorisation in concrete, the review aims to establish a critical understanding of DK formation, properties, and reactivity, particularly its pozzolanic potential, to assess its suitability for use as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM), or as a precursor in alkali-activated cement (AAC) systems for concrete. A systematic methodology is used to extract and synthesise …

Ev Charging Management In A Real-Time Optimization Framework Considering Operational Constraints, Hilmi Cihan Güldorum, Ayşe Kübra Erenoğlu, İbrahim Şengör, Barry P. Hayes, Ozan Erdinç

Department of Computer Science Publications

The electrification of transportation plays a central role in the decarbonization of energy systems. Although electric vehicles (EVs) are expected to reduce energy related emissions, the increasing demand imposed by large scale EV adoption presents serious challenges for distribution systems (DSs), which were not originally designed to accommodate such loads. This study proposes a mixed integer quadratically constrained programming (MIQCP) framework to optimize the operation of an EV parking lot (EVPL) under DS constraints. The model compares three widely adopted objective functions: minimization of active power loss, charging cost, and uncontrolled charging impact, which is represented by minimizing the total …

Computational Study Of Nonlinear Electrokinetic Phenomena In Shear-Thinning Fluids, Wai Yuen Leung

All Theses

Electrokinetic phenomena have been widely used for fluid pumping and particle manipulation in micro/nanofluidic systems. They refer to the motion of fluids or particles in response to an electric field because of the spontaneous formation of an electric double layer at the fluid-solid interface. Understanding electrokinetic phenomena in micro/nanochannels is critical for a wide range of applications across various engineering fields, such as disease diagnostics, contaminant treatment and cell analysis. To date, numerous studies have been reported on electrokinetic phenomena in Newtonian fluids, where the classical Helmholtz-Smoluchowski theory indicates a linear relationship between fluid electroosmosis/particle electrophoresis and electric field. However, …

Life Cycle Assessment Of The Cultivation Of Lettuce In A Hydroponic System Using The Nutrient Film Technique, Raquel Jordan

All Theses

Hydroponic systems are an emerging method of soilless crop cultivation typically done inside a greenhouse where nutrients are delivered dissolved in water rather than being supplied from the soil. Potential benefits of hydroponic systems include reduced irrigation requirements, higher crop yield per area, and the ability to grow crops year-round in nontraditional areas such as urban settings, cold climates, and sites with contaminated soil. However, hydroponic systems tend to have high energy requirements for lighting and climate control, which can yield significant environmental impacts. To explore the environmental impacts of cultivating lettuce in a nutrient film technique (NFT) hydroponic system, …

The Development And Application Of A Method To Simulate Commotio Cordis Inducing Impacts For The Evaluation Of Football Chest Protective Equipment, Bianca J. Henline

All Theses

As one of the most widely played and watched contact sports in the United States, football presents a significant risk of blunt chest trauma. Thus, effective chest protection is essential to prevent rare but fatal injuries like commotio cordis. Despite this, current test methods for certifying chest protective equipment fail to account for injury metrics relevant to commotio cordis events. Recent literature identifies rib deformation and viscous criterion as critical predictors of commotio cordis, yet these metrics are not adequately addressed in the existing testing standard. Furthermore, this standard exclusively assesses chest gear specific to baseball and lacrosse through projectile …

Effectiveness Of Electrosynthesized Hydrogen Peroxide In Urease Inactivation For Stabilization Of Source-Separated Urine To Recover Urea, Brooke E. Covert

All Theses

The practice of separating urine at a building scale, rather than mixing with domestic wastewater to be treated at water resource recovery facilities, allows for concentrated urine to be directly treated with the aim of resource recovery. However, source separation and treatment present challenges during separation, storage, and transport. This study evaluated the use of hydrogen peroxide-producing electrochemical cells, which represent a technology that uses electricity as an input, to stabilize urine through cathodically produced peroxide to enable downstream water and nutrient recovery. The electrochemical cells have been previously shown to stabilize urine with electrochemically produced peroxide as an effective …

Mission-To-Designs: Automating Uav Conceptual Design Generation, Nana A. Adjei

All Theses

The conceptual design stage of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) is an exploratory phase where designers are tasked with developing and evaluating a wide range of viable design concepts, considering different geometries and configurations based on mission requirements. The goal is to identify the most suitable design after the exploration for further development and progression to the next phase. Several tools and frameworks have been developed to assist designers in this stage, each offering unique capabilities, but all with the common aim of aiding in the efficient development and evaluation of conceptual designs. This is important in the UAV design process …

Biological Hydrogen Process Improvements By High Temperature Simultaneous Saccharification And Fermentation, Frank W. Jeffries V

All Theses

The hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermotoga neapolitana is established as a versatile organism for fermentative hydrogen (H₂) production. Batch experiments were carried out to investigate the cell yield, product yield, and kinetic parameter values for individual media containing five carbohydrates. The highest H₂ yield of 15.56±0.31 mmol-H₂/g-carbohydrate was reported for glucose medium. H₂ yield was measured to be 14.51±0.38, 14.44±1.15, 11.88±0.84, and 11.53±0.73 mmol/g for media containing xylose, cellobiose, arabinose and xylan respectively. Acetic acid yield followed a similar trend, where the obtained values were 0.470±0.01, 0.462±0.04, 0.431±0.01, 0.409±0.03, and 0.406±0.01 g-acid/g-carbohydrate for glucose, cellobiose, xylose, …

Decision Field Theory For Human-Multi-Robot Collaboration: Human-Centric Decision-Making For Multi-Robot Systems, Ryan Mbagna Nanko

All Theses

At first glance, choosing between an apple and an orange appears to be a straightforward matter of personal taste; however, this seemingly simple preference opens a window into the multifaceted world of decision-making, revealing the complex interplay of cognitive processes, psychological, and behavioral-economic principles that guide our choices \cite{bandyopadhyayRoleAffectDecision2013}. By unpacking these nuanced perspectives, we uncover insights that can drive more effective human-robot interaction and collaboration.

Modeling human cognition requires understanding the evolution of choice utility and the influence of emotions. Decision Field Theory (DFT) stands out by capturing the fluctuating nature in human preferences over time, explaining why choices …