Digital Commons Network^™

Shock Induced Droplet Aerobreakup For Newtonian And Non-Newtonian Fluids, James Leung

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This research investigates shock-induced aerodynamic breakup (aerobreakup) of fluids with different stress-strain behaviors. The central hypothesis is that shear stress from highspeed gas flow manifests differently depending on a fluid’s strain response, influencing droplet breakup morphology, fragment size distribution, and drag-induced acceleration. To test this, experiments and simulations were performed on μm–mm sized droplets of Newtonian (water) and shear-thinning fluids (nanofluids or xanthan gum). Two experimental setups were used: an open-ended shock tube and a closed conventional shock tube. In the openended setup, a normal shock impacts a stationary droplet held by an acoustic levitator. Droplet breakup and gas dynamics …

Humanization Strategy Of The Public Urban Space In Cairo, Rania Badawy Shokry

Mansoura Engineering Journal

An accurate scientific definition of the term “humanization of cities” has not yet crystallized, which refers the term to the word from which it is derived. She is "human". Obviously, anything contrary to it is inhuman; starting from wild nature or a life entirely dependent on vehicles. If a person cannot dispense with vehicles when carrying out his daily activities, then here we know that the standard of humanization in a place is low. However, if the planning of a city or neighborhood takes into account the needs of the population and the human standard, then the city may reach …

Multi-Party Key Establishment For Resource-Constrained Devices, Supriyo Banerjee

Master’s Dissertations

As the number of IoT (Internet of Things) devices continues to grow, ensuring secure communication among them has become increasingly important. Traditional pairing schemes rely on centralized architectures, which are vulnerable to temporary or permanent failures due to operational malfunctions of their central hubs or gateways. To address these challenges, decentralized communication is essential. However, existing decentralized pairing schemes suffer from high pairing times and significant computational overhead. Given the diverse capabilities of IoT devices, ranging from high-performance edge devices to resource-constrained sensors, many of these schemes become impractical in real-world scenarios. Therefore, we require a lightweight pairing scheme. Our …

A Descriptive Case Study On How Suburban Texas Police Department Drone Use Conforms To Public Opinion, Terrill Brett Spell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to describe the use of drones by suburban police departments in Texas, and its central research question asked how that drone use aligns with what prior research found the public supports. The research design used a holistic multiple-case approach that involved interviewing police officers who use drones as part of their law enforcement responsibilities. Relevant theoretical frameworks were social contract theory, Packer’s theory on law enforcement, and evidence-based policing theory. Data collection involved semistructured interviews of 13 officers representing the same number of Texas suburban police departments. The data collected and analyzed …

Peak Connection Strength Of Reduced Beam Section Moment Frame Connections, Jonathan T. Tshibanda

Theses and Dissertations

In the design of reduced beam section (RBS) moment frame connections, the peak connection strength factor (𝐶𝑝𝑟) is used to estimate the expected maximum moment at the reduced section in the capacity-based design of moment-resisting frames. Current design provisions in AISC 358-22 define C𝑝𝑟 as the average of the yield and ultimate strengths of the beam material divided by the yield stress, resulting in a standard value of 1.15 for A992 steel. However, experimental studies have often reported higher values, occasionally exceeding 1.40. This study reevaluates the 𝐶𝑝𝑟 factor using experimental data from 35 existing RBS tests specimens along with …

Performance Analysis Of University Wifi Using 802.11e Information Elements, Douglas Christopher Hales

Theses and Dissertations

Wireless networks, including IEEE 802.11 (WiFi), continue to become more important for many uses, including university classrooms. Factors that impact the performance of these networks have changed greatly over time, with increased scale at which they are used, and growing dependence of latency sensitive applications. In order to better understand the performance of current WiFi networks, a methodology was created to capture and analyze beacon frames with optional 802.11e information elements (IE), using Quality of Service enhanced Basic Service Set or QBSS load (channel utilization) and station count. This methodology is able to collect channel use more frequently than many …

Turning Data Into Guardrails-Decoding Financial Vulnerability Through Behavioural Signs, Debanwita Hajra

Master’s Dissertations

This report presents the work I did during my internship at Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC), Kolkata. As a financial institution, the strength of the bank is fundamentally rooted in the behavior and reliability of its customers. Understanding this behavior is not only desirable; it is essential for the security, risk mitigation and future strategic planning of the bank. To do this, banks must invest in a thorough analysis of the financial behavior of their customers to detect early signs of risk and act accordingly. I worked in the Finance Support Team within the Data and Analytics division, where …

Modeling Self-Discharge In Li/S Batteries Through Electrochemical Anode Reactions: A Theoretical Perspective, Ralph E. White, Paul T. Coman

Faculty Publications

The growing demand for high-energy-density batteries has renewed interest in lithium–sulfur (Li/S) systems, which offer significant advantages but suffer from severe self-discharge during rest. While prior studies attribute this degradation to chemical parasitic reactions or polysulfide shuttling, they overlook the inherently electrochemical nature of anode-side processes. In this work, a 1D physics-based model of a Li/S battery was developed to explicitly incorporate lithium-metal oxidation and the stepwise electrochemical reduction of polysulfides at the anode. Using COMSOL Multiphysics, galvanostatic discharge followed by open-circuit rest under two conditions was analyzed - with and without parasitic anode reactions. The results show that when …

Incorporating Industry-Standard Technical Writing Into A Materials Testing Laboratory, Caleb Levi Head

Theses and Dissertations

The fluid analysis and materials testing laboratories are crucial for engineering students to learn experimental procedures and data interpretation. Engineers spend a significant portion of their workday on report writing, yet many feel their undergraduate education did not adequately prepare them for this task. At the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, students were given an industry-influenced lab report template to expand their knowledge of the necessary information required in technical writing, thereby teaching and improving their technical writing skills actively. These reports were evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively against previous submissions over two semesters in the mechanical engineering fluids and …

Single-Step Conversion Of Metal Impurities In Cnts To Electroactive Metallic Nitride Nanoclusters For Electrochemical Co2 Reduction, Ahmed Badreldin, John Pellessier, Francisco Alejandro Ospina Acevedo, Siyuan Fang, Carter Racine, Jin Feng, Alvin Chang, Yulu Ge, Yang Gang, Shengyao Wang, Xiaokun Yang, Sergei Ivanov, Zhenxing Feng, Yun Hang Hu, Perla B. Balbuena, Ying Li

Michigan Tech Publications

A novel single-step low-temperature pyrolysis method is developed to efficiently remove encapsulated Ni nanoparticles (NPs, 10–50 nm) from both regular-grade (< 5 wt.% metal impurities) and industrial-grade (< 10 wt.% metal impurities) carbon nanotubes (CNTs). This approach eliminates the need for conventional multi-step purification processes, which often involve high-temperature corrosive gas oxidation and acid washing. The new strategy transforms and redistributes encapsulated Ni-NPs into homogeneously sized nanoclusters (NCs, ≈1 nm) that are evenly dispersed on the surface of CNTs. Surface and bulk sensitive spectroscopic analyses reveal the predominant formation of Ni3N-NCs, along with some metallic Ni-NCs. The treated materials demonstrate exceptional electroactivity toward CO2 reduction to CO, with the best-performing CNT-PTFE-Mel-650 sample achieving an ultra-low onset overpotential of −19 mV and 98% CO selectivity in a current density range of 100–700 mA cm⁻². This NC catalyst demonstrates 25% lower voltage at 700 mA cm⁻² compared to the single atom catalyst (SAC) control. Experimentally verified ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) models are simulated, and subsequent density functional theory (DFT) calculations further support the thermodynamic stability of Ni3N-NCs and their favorability for CO2 reduction. This work establishes a new method for creating ligand-free electroactive NCs for efficient electrochemical reactions.

Algorithmic Optimization Of Filter Bank: Harnessing Rapid Convergence And Its Applications, Keerthana B Ms

Theses and Dissertations

A novel optimization framework is proposed for the design of both uniform and non-uniform filter banks, aimed at improving the accuracy and computational efficiency of biomedical signal classification tasks, with a particular emphasis on the detection of sleep disorders and Alzheimer’s disease.The proposed algorithm is grounded in multirate signal processing theory and aims to achieve Near Perfect Reconstruction (NPR) with minimal computational overhead. The process begins with the optimization of a uniform cosine-modulated filter bank (CMFB), achieved through iterative frequency-domain analysis and parameter tuning. This is followed by the derivation of a non-uniform filter bank via selective merging of bandpass …

Quantifying Electrokinetics Of Naca0.6V6O163h2O Cathode In Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries With Znso4 Electrolyte, Shichen Sun, Boyu Wang, Kevin Huang

Faculty Publications

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have been actively studied in recent years as a promising solution for next-generation stationary energy storage due to their inherent safety, low cost, and high energy density. However, their practical deployment remains hindered by the limited cycling stability of cathode materials. Overcoming this challenge requires a detailed understanding of cathodic electrokinetics and degradation mechanisms. In this study, we investigate the electrokinetic behavior of a NaCa_0.6V₆O₁₆3H₂O (NaCaVO) cathode in ZnSO4 electrolyte through a combined application of the galvanostatic intermittent titration technique (GITT) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). For the …

A Deep-Learning-Based Dehazing Framework For Non-Homogenous Scenes, Shimaa Mohammed Abd Elghany, Doaa A. Altantawy, Hossam El-Din Moustafa Moustafa

Mansoura Engineering Journal

The advancement of single-image dehazing techniques has been rapid in recent years. Several existing algorithms that are based on deep learning have shown remarkable efficiency for dealing with homogeneous hazing-free issues, but convolutional neural networks (CNNS) frequently fail on non-homogeneous dehazing datasets. Meanwhile, dehaze results from dense haze regions are often blurry because the information of these regions is typically unknown and difficult to estimate. To address these issues, an efficient image enhancement dehazing algorithm that utilizes deep learning techniques, and a non-uniform atmospheric scattering model had been proposed. Unlike the majority of existing dehazing methods, the medium transmission function …

A Comprehensive Study Of Transportation Projects Impact In Congested Cities Through Travel Demand Modeling And Decision-Making Tools: A Case Study Of Zagazig City, Egypt, Amr M. Sakr, Metwally Gouda Mohamed Altaher, Mahmoud El-Saied Ali Solyman, Mohamed Ibrahim El-Sharkawi Attia

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Transportation projects are major resource-intensive projects that largely influence the transportation system’s resilience, human health, and quality of life. This study aims to assess and prioritize four transportation projects in Zagazig City, Egypt, in an attempt to build a more sustainable transport system. The travel demand model is used to determine various traffic characteristics and environmental impacts, and decision-making tools are used to evaluate the proposed projects. Benefit-cost analysis (BCA) is employed to investigate the economic feasibility of the proposed projects, and two hybrid multiple-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods are used to prioritize the proposed projects. Through the work conducted in …

Algorithmic Optimization Of Filter Bank: Harnessing Rapid Convergence And Its Applications, Keerthana B

Theses and Dissertations

A novel optimization framework is proposed for the design of both uniform and non-uniform filter banks, aimed at improving the accuracy and computational efficiency of biomedical signal classification tasks, with a particular emphasis on the detection of sleep disorders and Alzheimer’s disease. The proposed algorithm is grounded in multirate signal processing theory and aims to achieve Near Perfect Reconstruction (NPR) with minimal computational overhead. The process begins with the optimization of a uniform cosine-modulated filter bank (CMFB), achieved through iterative frequency-domain analysis and parameter tuning.

This is followed by the derivation of a non-uniform filter bank via selective merging of …

Magnetically Impelled Arc Butt Welding And Straight Tube Butt Welding Analysis Of Boiler Grade Tube Joints, Santhosh Kumar S

Theses and Dissertations

Boiler-graded tubes of T11, T12, T91, and T92 materials with a thickness of 4.5 mm thick and 44.5 mm outer diameter were selected for the Straight Tube Butt Welding process using Hot Wire (STBW-HW) and Cold Wire (STBW-CW) conditions. Moreover, the research investigates and compares the welding characteristics of dissimilar T11 and T91 boiler-graded tubes using STBW - HW & Magnetically Impelled Arc Butt (MIAB) welding techniques. Similar and dissimilar welding was performed in STBW – HW & CW conditions.

In dissimilar welding, the tensile strength was higher in the T11-T91 STBWHW joints of 663 MPa than in the T12-T92 …

Integrated Evaluation Of Airtightness, Acoustics, Thermal Performance, And Life-Cycle Carbon Emissions In Code-Compliant Wood-Framed And Thin-Shell Concrete Dome Residential Structures, Eduardo Ibanez Vasquez

Theses and Dissertations

The residential construction industry faces increasing demands for energy-efficient and sustainable housing solutions. In the U.S., residential buildings significantly contribute to energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, highlighting the need for enhanced building envelope performance. This study compares four residential structures: a traditional code-compliant wood-framed structure built in 1970, a traditional code-compliant wood-framed structure built in 2016, a modular code-compliant wood framed structure built in 2024, and a thin-shell concrete dome built in 2022. The analysis focuses on airtightness, acoustic insulation, passive thermal performance, and life-cycle carbon emissions, including both embodied (cradle-to-gate) and operational energy use. Field-based methods included …

Collaborative Class Zine: Weekly Reflection Assignment With Powerpoint Template, Brett Whysel

Open Educational Resources

Abstract

This collaborative class zine assignment uses a shared PowerPoint format to deepen student learning while building community. Students contribute visual reflections (graphics, diagrams, quotes, or doodles) weekly or periodically throughout the semester. Faculty provide reflection prompts about key takeaways and unclear concepts (sample prompts included). The resource includes both sample LMS instructions and a ready-to-use PowerPoint zine template that works across all disciplines. By combining metacognitive reflection with creative expression, students consolidate learning by finding new connections and applications. The collaborative format creates community connections and joy while students learn from peers' diverse perspectives.

Fundamental Exploration Of Soot Formation And Morphology From A Molecular Modeling Perspective, Khaled Mosharraf Mukut

Dissertations (1934 -)

Soot formation remains one of the least understood phenomena in combustion science, posing significant challenges due to its complex physicochemical nature and considerable environmental and health impacts. This dissertation presents a comprehensive molecular-level investigation into the fundamental mechanisms governing soot inception, particle growth, and morphological evolution through state-of-the-art reactive molecular dynamics (RMD) simulations of acetylene pyrolysis. A novel computational analysis utility, Molecular Arrangement and Fringe Identification and Analysis from Molecular Dynamics (MAFIA-MD), was developed to accurately characterize soot particle formation, providing detailed insights into chemical composition, internal structure, and surface characteristics. Critical physicochemical markers defining the boundary between gas-phase species …

A Longitudinal Analysis Of Morphological Shape Variation Of Spleen In Patients With Fontan Surgery, Varatharajan Nainamalai, Håvard Bjørke Jenssen, Mostafa Rezaeitaleshmahalleh, Djinaud Prophete, Jordan Gosnell, Sarah Khan, Marcus Haw, Jingfeng Jiang, Joseph Vettukattil

Michigan Tech Publications

Background: Splenic size serves as a surrogate biomarker for predicting portal vein hyper-tension and liver abnormalities in subjects with Fontan Associated Liver Disease (FALD). We analyze the long-term shape variation of the spleen in FALD subjects using morphological shape features of radiomic features. Methods: We used 154 (84 from computed tomography and 70 from magnetic resonance) image volumes obtained from 36 individuals who underwent stage 3 Fontan procedure and 145 computed tomography images from controls to assess splenomegaly. To understand the splenomegaly, thirteen shape features of the spleen over three 10-year intervals, and variations between controls and FALD subjects were …

Hourly Sulfur Dioxide Observations Over North America: First Retrieval Results From Tempo, Can Li, Nickolay A. Krotkov, Joanna Joiner, Simon Carn, Vitali Fioletov, Chris Mclinden, Debora Griffin, Xiong Liu, Heesung Chong

Michigan Tech Publications

We present the first sulfur dioxide (SO2) retrievals from Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO), the first geostationary atmospheric composition sensor to cover North America, along with some potential applications of TEMPO SO2 data. We show that high resolution (∼10 km²) TEMPO measurements can be used to produce good quality SO2 retrievals with relatively small noise and biases. We demonstrate that hourly TEMPO data are useful for monitoring volcanic hazards, by providing frequent updates on the plume location and additional information on the plume height or winds. With the large number of measurements from TEMPO, it is also …

Quantifying Electrokinetics Of Naca0.6V6O16·3h2O Cathode In Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries With Znso4 Electrolyte, Shichen Sun, Boyu Wang, Kevin Huang

Faculty Publications

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have been actively studied in recent years as a promising solution for next-generation stationary energy storage due to their inherent safety, low cost, and high energy density. However, their practical deployment remains hindered by the limited cycling stability of cathode materials. Overcoming this challenge requires a detailed understanding of cathodic electrokinetics and degradation mechanisms. In this study, we investigate the electrokinetic behavior of a NaCa_0.6V₆O₁₆·3H₂O  (NaCaVO) cathode in ZnSO₄ electrolyte through a combined application of the galvanostatic intermittent titration technique (GITT) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). For …

Rethinking Green Building Development Through Policy And Operational Metrics: Insights From Baton Rouge And Beyond, Oluwafemi Awolesi

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation explores the challenges and opportunities associated with the development, adoption, and performance of green buildings in regions with relatively low certification uptake, drawing insights from Baton Rouge and its parish system as a case study. It addresses three primary research questions: (1) How can the adoption rate of green buildings be enhanced? (2) How do certified buildings perform compared to their non-certified counterparts? (3) What operational metrics can be applied to better evaluate building performance in the future?

Using a mixed-methods approach, the study examines stakeholder perceptions in East Baton Rouge, Louisiana, investigates energy performance, indoor environmental quality, …

The Effect Of Transformer Based Pre-Trained Language Models On Biomedical Relation Extractions, Eman Saad, Sherif Kishk, Amr Ali-Eldin, Ahmed I. Saleh

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Biomedical relation extraction represents a critical advancement in healthcare research. As the volume of biomedical publications continues to grow exponentially, efficient extraction of entity relationships has become essential for accelerating knowledge discovery, drug development, and precision medicine initiatives. The field has evolved from focusing on simple binary relations, such as Protein-Protein Interactions (PPI), which are fundamental to understanding cellular processes and therapeutic development, to addressing more complex multi-class classification challenges like Drug-Drug Interactions (DDI) and Chemical-Protein Interactions (CPI).Pre-trained language models have become the cornerstone of modern approaches of extracting biomedical relations. Models like BioBERT, PubMedBERT, and SciBERT, along with general-purpose …

The Impact Of Clean Energy Technology Incentives On Mineral Demand: An Economic Framework For Measuring Response, Hamdiya Orleans-Boham, Mahelet G. Fikru, Kwame Awuah-Offei

Economics Faculty Research & Creative Works

The existing literature establishes the link between clean energy technology (CET) expansion and rising mineral demand but lacks a comprehensive analysis of the transmission mechanisms through which CET policy incentives particularly production and consumption subsidies affect mineral markets. This study addresses the gap by developing an economic model where a CET producer optimally determines mineral input demand and production volume, where the concept of elasticity is used to measure the response of mineral demand to policy incentives. Analytical results demonstrate that the elasticity of mineral demand with respect to CET policies is highly sensitive to returns to scale of CET …

Empirical Analysis Of Incentivized Energy Assessment Recommendations And Iiot Cost-Effectiveness In U.S. Smes, Fatemeh Ghafari

LSU Master's Theses

The industrial sector in the United States accounted for 33% of total energy consumption in 2022. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which comprise 99.9% of U.S. businesses present a critical opportunity for energy efficiency improvements. Although energy audits provide actionable Assessment Recommendations (ARs) to reduce consumption, high implementation costs remain a key barrier to adoption.

While prior studies have explored rebate programs, most are limited to residential and commercial sectors or focus narrowly on specific technologies or geographic areas for the industrial sector. The objective of this study is to empirically investigate the “Incentivized Assessment Recommendation” (IAR) trends and to …

A Perovskite Nanocomposite And Self-Assembled Nanoparticle-Decorated Cathode For Low Temperature Sofcs, Chunyang Yang, Guoan Wang, Xingjian Xue

Faculty Publications

One-pot route synthesis of an A-site Sm-doped simple perovskite with nominal composition Sm_0.10Ba_0.90Co_0.8Fe_0.2O_3−δ leads to a novel perovskite nanocomposite containing ∼90% A-site cation deficient cubic simple perovskite Ba0.925(Co/Fe)0.962Sm0.038O_3−δ and ∼10% orthorhombic layered perovskite SmBa(Co/Fe)₂O_5+δ. The synergy of the two phases in the nanocomposite results in high electrochemical kinetic properties at low temperatures. With the novel perovskite nanocomposite, a surface nanoparticle-decorated nanocomposite cathode is self-assembled through a one-step sintering process. The corresponding anode-supported cell delivers a peak power density of 1271 mW cm^{−2 …}

Combat-Oriented Comprehensive Simulation And Verification Technology For Equipment System Rms, Yue Zhang, Wenliang Zhang, Qiang Feng, Xing Guo, Yi Ren, Zili Wang

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract:Existing reliability maintainability supportability (RMS) simulation and verification methods for equipment systems are typically conducted under standard conditions and suffer from weak combat environments and task modeling capabilities. To address this limitation, a multi-agent RMS simulation and verification framework was proposed. Key breakthroughs included agent modeling techniques for complex environments and variable tasks, interaction mechanisms among environmental agents, task agents, equipment, and support systems, and a simulation-based comprehensive RMS evaluation method. Case studies demonstrate that the proposed method effectively models complex environments and variable tasks, supports combat-oriented simulation and verification and design scheme evaluation, and meets combat-ready development requirements.

Reflections On Innovative Approaches To Autonomous Simulation Software, Feng Tian

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: Given China's weak foundation in simulation software, simply replicating the development paths of these global leading companies offers limited potential for leapfrog development. Based on an analysis of pitfalls in the independent innovation of domestic simulation software, this paper proposed and elaborated on six strategic approaches: avoiding established paths, aligning with national realities, pursuing extreme performance, leveraging special needs to advance technology, building new systems from the ground up, and embracing artificial intelligence (AI)-native architectures. These strategies aim to provide new perspectives for the independent innovation and development of domestic simulation software.

A Review Of Intelligent Generation Of Combat Simulation Scenarios, Zhiming Dong, Zhongqi Hu, Zhaoyang Liu, Heyang Zhou

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: In order to improve the efficiency of combat simulation, this paper provided a theoretical reference for the research on the intelligent generation of combat simulation scenarios. It systematically reviewed the intelligent generation methods of combat simulation scenarios based on large language models (LLMs). It began by introducing the basic content of combat simulation scenarios, analyzed the shortcomings of current mainstream scenario generation methods, and discussed how to leverage LLMs to address these issues. Next, it outlined the application paradigms and key supporting technologies for the intelligent generation of combat simulation scenarios based on LLMs. Finally, it pointed out the …