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Plasma Pharmacokinetics Of Topical 0.1% Diclofenac Sodium And 0.5% Ketorolac Tromethamine In Dogs, Jacqueline Peraza May 2026

Plasma Pharmacokinetics Of Topical 0.1% Diclofenac Sodium And 0.5% Ketorolac Tromethamine In Dogs, Jacqueline Peraza

Theses and Dissertations

To determine plasma concentrations of ophthalmic 0.1% (w/v) diclofenac sodium and 0.5% (w/v) ketorolac tromethamine following 4 times daily ophthalmic administration in healthy dogs. Eight dogs were randomly assigned to a diclofenac or ketorolac group. Plasma was collected before drug administration. Plasma samples were collected after the 4 pm treatments on days 1 and 5. Plasma concentrations (ng/mL) were quantified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and analyzed with noncompartmental pharmacokinetic analysis. After ophthalmic administration of 0.1% diclofenac, mean t1/2, Tmax, and Cmax occurred at 3.08 0.9 hours, 121.4 2.8 hours, 0.12 0.05 ug/mL, respectively. The mean t1/2, Tmax, and Cmax after …


The Effects Of Experiential Learning On Engineering Self-Efficacy: A Study Of The Impact Of Inperson And Virtual Internships, Co-Ops, And Research Experiences, Sunny Bharat Patel May 2026

The Effects Of Experiential Learning On Engineering Self-Efficacy: A Study Of The Impact Of Inperson And Virtual Internships, Co-Ops, And Research Experiences, Sunny Bharat Patel

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examined the relationship between participation in Engineering Learning Experiences (ELEs) and engineering self-efficacy, with particular attention to differences among ELE types (internships, cooperative education, and undergraduate research) and delivery modalities (in-person versus hybrid/virtual). Grounded in social cognitive theory, this study sought to better understand how work-related experiential formats influence students’ confidence in their ability to succeed in engineering tasks and professional contexts. As engineering programs and industry increasingly adopt flexible and technology-mediated environments, examining how these experiences shape beliefs about engineering capability is both timely and necessary. Using a mixed-methods approach, quantitative analyses compared self-efficacy outcomes across students …


In The Pursuit Of Beauty: A Bureaucratic History Of Chicago's Parks, 1860-1900, Jackie L. Perkins May 2026

In The Pursuit Of Beauty: A Bureaucratic History Of Chicago's Parks, 1860-1900, Jackie L. Perkins

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines how the decentralized and competitive urban government of Chicago regulated not only the material conditions but also the aesthetic beauty of three separate park systems formed in 1869 as a response to Chicagoans’ broad push for improved recreational landscapes in the city. The systems, political entities each governed by its own commission, experienced varying levels of independence from the city of Chicago. As commissioners worked towards the creation of urban parks modeled after the idealized beauty made popular by New York’s Central Park, they encountered the bureaucratic and environmental realities of Chicago, two forces that often worked …


Attentional Prioritization And Refreshing As Pathways To Long-Term Memory Formation, Pouria Rahgosha May 2026

Attentional Prioritization And Refreshing As Pathways To Long-Term Memory Formation, Pouria Rahgosha

Theses and Dissertations

Attention regulates which information in working memory becomes stabilized in long-term memory. Two candidate mechanisms are attentional prioritization and attentional refreshing. Although both reliably benefit working memory, their contribution to long-term memory remains unclear. Two experiments examined this issue using an associative memory paradigm in which participants encoded image-keypress pairs, maintained them under varying conditions, and completed both working memory and unexpected cued-recall tests. Experiment 1 manipulated refreshing indirectly by varying attentional load during maintenance, whereas Experiment 2 contrasted implicit and explicitly cued refreshing. Across both experiments, prioritization consistently improved working memory performance. However, prioritization benefited long-term memory only when …


Characterizing The Microbial Structure And Function In Black Soldier Fly Digested Dairy Manure And Subsequent Larvae, Branden N. Pierce May 2026

Characterizing The Microbial Structure And Function In Black Soldier Fly Digested Dairy Manure And Subsequent Larvae, Branden N. Pierce

Theses and Dissertations

This work examined the microbial structure and gene expression found in Black Soldier Fly larval guts and their frass when reared on dairy cattle manure that had been amended with either R. rhodococcus 21198, P. polymyxa 8158, or both and compare the results to larvae reared on untreated manure. First an overview of literature surrounding projected global food supplies and the possible use of insects to either increase them or mitigate the environmental effect of producing said supply. A cellulose degradation assay was performed to assist in determining which bacterial species to use as amendments. Characterization of the microbial communities …


A Cradle To Grave Life Cycle Assessment Of Captured Landfill Methane Abatement Strategies, Joshua Caleb Richard May 2026

A Cradle To Grave Life Cycle Assessment Of Captured Landfill Methane Abatement Strategies, Joshua Caleb Richard

Theses and Dissertations

Landfill methane mitigation strategies are commonly evaluated using percentage-based leakage assumptions and linear scaling models. These approaches may misrepresent system performance at varying throughput levels and real-world operating scenarios. This thesis develops a system-level life cycle assessment framework that incorporates both fixed infrastructure losses and employs sensitivity analysis to more accurately characterize emissions from landfill gas management pathways. Three scenarios are evaluated: methane capture and flare, methane capture and combustion for electricity generation, and methane upgrading with pipeline injection as renewable natural gas. Results demonstrate that emissions models over- dependance on static factors may inadvertently lead to under-reporting and provide …


Remote Sensing Techniques For Soil Moisture Retrieval And Crop Yield Estimation: Employing Multi-Sensor Receiver Systems From Uas And Ml For Precision Agriculture, Mohammad Abdus Shahid Rafi May 2026

Remote Sensing Techniques For Soil Moisture Retrieval And Crop Yield Estimation: Employing Multi-Sensor Receiver Systems From Uas And Ml For Precision Agriculture, Mohammad Abdus Shahid Rafi

Theses and Dissertations

Accurate soil moisture (SM) measurement and crop yield estimation are critical components of modern precision agriculture (PA) management. Efficiently observing SM at high resolution on a sub-field scale can enhance irrigation planning and management, leading to improved yields and product quality while also conserving environmental resources. Yield predictions provide insights into expected production, facilitating optimized resource allocation, improved agricultural management strategies, and enhanced profitability. Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) based multi-sensor receiver systems offer promising solutions in obtaining high-resolution SM measurements across large fields where satellite remote sensing falls short, as well as collecting necessary data over corn and cotton for …


No-Till Versus Conventional Tillage Cover Crop Systems Effects On Cotton In The Blackland Prairie Region Of Mississippi, Mallie West Rivenbark May 2026

No-Till Versus Conventional Tillage Cover Crop Systems Effects On Cotton In The Blackland Prairie Region Of Mississippi, Mallie West Rivenbark

Theses and Dissertations

Nitrogen (N) plays a critical role in cotton production systems. Management practices such as tillage systems and cover crops (CC) can influence nutrient cycling and availability within the soil. The present study assessed the effects of CC in a conventional tillage (CT) vs. no-tillage (NT) system on cotton yield, fiber quality and N use efficiency. Ramifications for CC and N rates on lint yield and cotton N uptake were investigated during the 2024 and 2025 growing seasons in Verona, MS. Cover crop treatments include cereal rye (Secale cereale), crimson clover (Trifolium incaranatum) and a mix of cereal rye and crimson …


Nesting Ecology And Responses To Snag Resource Fluctuations Of Red-Headed Woodpeckers In Working Pine Forests, Zoe Elise Scott May 2026

Nesting Ecology And Responses To Snag Resource Fluctuations Of Red-Headed Woodpeckers In Working Pine Forests, Zoe Elise Scott

Theses and Dissertations

Southeastern working pine forests provide opportunities for sustainable management that balance conservation and economic objectives. Red-headed woodpeckers (Melanerpes erythrocephalus), as primary cavity excavators, play a disproportionate role in forest ecosystems, making them an ideal focal species for evaluating management strategies. From 2024-2025, we monitored 103 nesting attempts in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) forests of Mississippi and Alabama, assessing nest site selection and survival. Nests were concentrated in early successional stands, with selection favoring taller snags with advanced decay characteristics, greater understory cover, and north-to-west cavity orientation. Nest survival increased with reduced cavity accessibility. Simulation models of varying snag retention levels …


Comprehensive Study Of The Durability And Protective Measures Of Cross-Laminated Timber, Samuel Gray Shumate May 2026

Comprehensive Study Of The Durability And Protective Measures Of Cross-Laminated Timber, Samuel Gray Shumate

Theses and Dissertations

The growing use of cross-laminated timber (CLT) in sustainable construction necessitates improved protection against biological deterioration. This study evaluates the fungal resistance of Southern Pine CLT fabricated from lumber pre-treated with micronized copper azole (MCA). Panels were produced under industrial pressing conditions, and durability was assessed using a modified American Wood Protection Association (AWPA) E10-22 soil block test against four brown-rot fungi. Results showed significant decay reduction for Coniophora puteana and Neolentinus lepideus, while protection was less effective against Gloeophyllum trabeum and Rhodonia placenta. Findings indicate that pre-treatment enhances preservative distribution but does not fully prevent decay in high-hazard environments. …


Exploring Teacher Efficacy:Teaching Practices And Strategies To Enhance Student Success, Terilyn Smith May 2026

Exploring Teacher Efficacy:Teaching Practices And Strategies To Enhance Student Success, Terilyn Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Through interviews with a diverse group of educators across grade levels and subject areas, the researcher explored teachers’ lived experiences focused on their instructional efficacy and teaching practices influencing student success. Guided by Bandura’s self-efficacy theory, the purpose of the study was to examine how teachers’ beliefs in their instructional capabilities shaped their classroom practices. The researcher analyzed participants’ narratives using a thematic analysis approach to identify recurring patterns and themes related to instructional practice, professional beliefs, and classroom experiences. Participants represented varying years of teaching experience, content areas, and school contexts, providing a comprehensive perspective on instructional efficacy across …


Liposomal Bupivacaine Caudal Epidural In Horses Results In Adverse Effects Without Analgesia, Christopher Stokes May 2026

Liposomal Bupivacaine Caudal Epidural In Horses Results In Adverse Effects Without Analgesia, Christopher Stokes

Theses and Dissertations

Liposomal bupivacaine (10 mL; 1.3%) was administered into the caudal epidural space via an indwelling epidural catheter. Mechanical nociceptive threshold (MNT) testing with pressure algometry was used to measure analgesia at 4 anatomic locations for 72 hours following injection. Physical examinations were performed and ataxia scores recorded every 4 h to monitor for adverse effects, and fecal and urine output were recorded. There were no significant differences at any time point in rectal temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, or MNT at any anatomic site compared to baseline. Ataxia scores were significantly elevated from 24 to 36 h following epidural injection. …


Impacts Of Goat Grazing On Coastal Upland Understory, Maya Stratman May 2026

Impacts Of Goat Grazing On Coastal Upland Understory, Maya Stratman

Theses and Dissertations

Coastal upland pine savannas and flatwoods along the northern Gulf of Mexico are biodiversity hotspots degraded by woody encroachment following fire suppression and loss of herbivory. Conservation grazing has been proposed as a management tool, yet its effectiveness in these systems remains understood. This study evaluated how goat grazing frequency and duration influence understory vegetation structure, diversity, productivity, and light availability in an Ilex-dominated coastal upland in Mississippi. Five grazing treatments (monthly, every three months, biannual, seasonal, and ungrazed control) were applied across 25 plots over one year. Vegetation percent cover, genus richness, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, light penetration, and …


Improving 3d Object Compression For Machine Learning Applications, Ander James-Rush Talley May 2026

Improving 3d Object Compression For Machine Learning Applications, Ander James-Rush Talley

Theses and Dissertations

To alleviate the computational restraints inherent in 3D Deep Learning tasks, we propose a data compression method based on existing voxelization techniques. We analyze this technique through tests of structural similarity, speed, and machine learning application. In order to appropriately test its performance for machine learning tasks, we also propose an efficient method of training Convolutional Neural Networks by utilizing binary bit data as an input for a multiclass classification problem. Our current findings show that these two contributions have potential to aid the state of the art in handling large data in 3D AI/ML tasks, both in the space …


Variation In The Sonographic Appearance Of The Liver In Cats With Lymphomatous Hepatic Infiltration., Charlee Sturkie May 2026

Variation In The Sonographic Appearance Of The Liver In Cats With Lymphomatous Hepatic Infiltration., Charlee Sturkie

Theses and Dissertations

Lymphoma is the most diagnosed neoplasm in domestic cats, and abdominal ultrasound is often included as a component of the diagnostic plan. The aim of this study was to determine if changes in sonographic appearance of the liver as well as the presence of free fluid, lymphadenopathy, and splenic abnormalities increase the likelihood of diagnosis of lymphomatous hepatic infiltration in cats diagnosed with lymphoma. Fifty-eight cats were enrolled in this combined retrospective and prospective study, 22 with lymphomatous infiltration in the liver and 36 without. In the current population hypoechogenicity, heterogeneous echotexture, hepatomegaly, and the presence of nodules within the …


Students’ College Choice: Factors Influencing The Decision To Attend A Particular College, Miss Thompson Gordon May 2026

Students’ College Choice: Factors Influencing The Decision To Attend A Particular College, Miss Thompson Gordon

Theses and Dissertations

Community colleges play a vital role in expanding access to higher education by offering affordable and flexible opportunities for diverse learners, including many who face academic and socioeconomic challenges. This qualitative phenomenological study examined the factors that influence high school seniors' decisions to attend a particular college. Guided by Hossler and Gallagher's (1987) three-stage college choice model of predisposition, search, and choice, the research explored how students gather information; the influence of family, peers, and school personnel; and the importance of college characteristics such as cost, location, and campus environment. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with ten high school …


Investigating The Evolution Of Shear Failure In Cross Laminated Timber (Clt) Transverse Layer Using Acoustic Emission, Harika Undadi May 2026

Investigating The Evolution Of Shear Failure In Cross Laminated Timber (Clt) Transverse Layer Using Acoustic Emission, Harika Undadi

Theses and Dissertations

Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is susceptible to rolling shear failure in the transverse layers. This study evaluated the rolling shear failure in southern pine (Pinus spp.) and yellow poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) CLT panels using block shear, delamination, and interlaminar shear tests. Acoustic emission (AE) monitoring was integrated with video recording to capture structural damage while loading. The results showed rolling shear failure as the dominant failure mode in the transverse layer. The AE energy and the load-displacement curve were classified into stages і) deformation stage with negligible AE signals (elastic behavior); ⅱ) crack propagation stage with increased AE signals; and ⅲ) …


The Role Of Math Anxiety – And Associated Support Mechanisms And Strategies – In The Academic Success Of Stem College Students, William Jacob Tschume May 2026

The Role Of Math Anxiety – And Associated Support Mechanisms And Strategies – In The Academic Success Of Stem College Students, William Jacob Tschume

Theses and Dissertations

Math anxiety has been widely documented as a barrier to student success, yet its role within institutional student success frameworks – particularly in gateway STEM courses – remains underexamined. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between math anxiety, academic support mechanisms, and academic performance among undergraduate STEM students enrolled in a gateway mathematics course at a large, public, research-intensive university. Guided by the Debilitating Anxiety Model, student success frameworks, Social Cognitive Career Theory, and equity-oriented perspectives, this study addressed three research questions: (1) how student demographic characteristics relate to levels of math anxiety, (2) the …


Exploring The Effect Of Students' Exclusionary Discipline On Their Academic Achievement In A Rural High School., Danya Turner May 2026

Exploring The Effect Of Students' Exclusionary Discipline On Their Academic Achievement In A Rural High School., Danya Turner

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the extent to which exclusionary discipline practices, specifically in-school suspension and out-of-school suspension, are associated with academic achievement among high school students. More specifically, the study investigated the relationship between students’ exclusionary discipline days and performance on Mississippi Academic Assessment Program (MAAP) assessments in Algebra I, Biology, English II, and U.S. History. The study was guided by the Opportunity to Learn (OTL) framework, which emphasizes the importance of access to instructional time for student academic success. Archival discipline and assessment data were collected from a rural public high school in east-central …


Effects Of Melatonin Supplementation On Exercise Induced Stress In Horses, Hannah Clark Valigura May 2026

Effects Of Melatonin Supplementation On Exercise Induced Stress In Horses, Hannah Clark Valigura

Theses and Dissertations

Exercise is a necessary component of athletic conditioning but imposes substantial physiological stress on horses, resulting in oxidative stress, inflammation, muscle damage, and thermal strain that can impair performance and recovery. Melatonin, a neurohormone with potent antioxidant and thermoregulatory properties, has been proposed as a novel nutritional strategy to mitigate these effects. This dissertation aimed to (1) characterize serum melatonin concentrations following oral supplementation, (2) evaluate the effects of melatonin on oxidative stress, inflammation, and muscle damage biomarkers after exercise, and (3) examine its influence on physiological parameters during exercise under warm weather conditions. Across a series of controlled experiments …


Tracing Hazing Across Adolescence: Examining How Prior Hazing Experiences Shape Hazing Motivation And Tolerance Among Newly Initiated Ifc Fraternity Members, John Michael Vanhorn May 2026

Tracing Hazing Across Adolescence: Examining How Prior Hazing Experiences Shape Hazing Motivation And Tolerance Among Newly Initiated Ifc Fraternity Members, John Michael Vanhorn

Theses and Dissertations

Hazing remains pervasive and underreported, disproportionately affecting adolescent and emerging adult men, particularly within athletic teams and fraternity contexts. Although hazing is most often studied within collegiate organizations, many students encounter hazing behaviors prior to college, yet little is known about how these early experiences shape later hazing perceptions, motivations, tolerance, and masculine norms. Grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s Process-Person-Context-Time (PPCT) model, this dissertation conceptualizes hazing as a developmental process shaped by repeated social interactions, individual characteristics, contextual environments, and time across adolescence and emerging adulthood. Using a two-paper approach with a quantitative, longitudinal survey design, study 1 examined fraternity new members’ …


Development Of Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Composite Rotor Sleeves For High-Speed, Multi-Layer Ferrite-Based Interior Permanent-Magnet Motors, Andrew Walters May 2026

Development Of Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Composite Rotor Sleeves For High-Speed, Multi-Layer Ferrite-Based Interior Permanent-Magnet Motors, Andrew Walters

Theses and Dissertations

This research investigated whether a non-wound carbon fiber reinforced composite (CFRC) sleeve could serve as an effective retention mechanism for a high-speed, multi-layer ferrite-based interior permanent magnet motor. Material characterization testing was conducted on IM7/CYCOM-5320 and IM7/8552, with IM7/8552 selected due to its superior commercial availability. Experimentally obtained properties for both materials fell within acceptable tolerances of published values. Sleeves were manufactured to rotor design specifications (50-mm width, 1.2-mm thickness, 88.6-mm diameter) and tested per ASTM D2290 Procedure A to determine apparent hoop-failure stress. These experimental results validated a finite element model of the D2290 test, confirming realistic strain patterns …


Integrating Augmented Reality Visualizations Into Data Science Notebooks Using Microsoft Hololens 2, Derek Willis May 2026

Integrating Augmented Reality Visualizations Into Data Science Notebooks Using Microsoft Hololens 2, Derek Willis

Theses and Dissertations

Data-science notebooks support iterative analysis but are limited to two-dimensional (2D) displays. This work presents an approach to extend such environments with rapid augmented reality (AR) visualization while preserving conventional 2D workflows. An opensource R package was developed to convert notebook objects into three-dimensional (3D) models, export them in the Graphics Language Transmission Format (glTF), and transfer directly to a Microsoft HoloLens 2 via a USB connection for viewing in the native 3D Viewer application. The proposed workflow eliminates manual conversion and transfer steps required by earlier methods. A user study employing a post-session questionnaire indicated that participants found the …


A Qualitative Content Analysis Of Research On Principal Internship And Residency Design, Stephen Vanderford May 2026

A Qualitative Content Analysis Of Research On Principal Internship And Residency Design, Stephen Vanderford

Theses and Dissertations

Principal preparation programs continue to demonstrate variation in internship structure, mentoring quality, and alignment between field-based experiences and the complex demands of school leadership. Although national research emphasizes immersive, year-long clinical practice, internship expectations remain inconsistent across preparation programs. This capstone project synthesizes research identifying essential components of educational leadership internship and residency experiences. The purpose of this study is to examine exemplary content, instructional strategies, and mentoring practices associated with high-quality internship and residency models. Guided by the Talent Development Framework and informed by the PSEL, the study examines how internship structure, experiential learning, and mentoring processes align with …


Closing The Implementation Gap: A Research-Based Playbook For High-Quality Teacher Mentoring Programs, Angela White May 2026

Closing The Implementation Gap: A Research-Based Playbook For High-Quality Teacher Mentoring Programs, Angela White

Theses and Dissertations

This capstone project addresses the ongoing problem of inconsistent, unstructured, and unsustainable mentoring practices in K–12 schools, which contribute to new teacher burnout, uneven instructional support, and high turnover rates. The purpose of the project is to design a research-based mentoring implementation system that strengthens novice teacher support while building mentor capacity. The study is guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) and informed by ERIC implementation strategies, which together provide a structured lens for understanding barriers, facilitators, and effective actions related to mentoring implementation. The research questions explore how intervention characteristics, school-level contextual factors, and implementation processes …


Delayed Timing Of Spring Application Of Nitrogen In Corn, Elizabeth Mae Worley May 2026

Delayed Timing Of Spring Application Of Nitrogen In Corn, Elizabeth Mae Worley

Theses and Dissertations

Application timing of nitrogen (N) fertilizer within the corn growing season can be crucial to crop nutrient uptake and availability. A lack of region-specific timing recommendations may result in inefficient fertilizer use and inconsistent yield responses. The objectives of this study were to determine how late in the growing season a first and second N fertilizer application can be pushed until corn yield is impacted and investigate whether Growing Degree Days (GDDs) should be used as better estimate of timing for N application than calendar date or growth stage. First applications were able to be delayed until V4-V6 growth stages …


Wildfire Risk Mitigation Methods To Enhance The Resilience Of Power Systems, Fasiha Zainab May 2026

Wildfire Risk Mitigation Methods To Enhance The Resilience Of Power Systems, Fasiha Zainab

Theses and Dissertations

The resilience of the power system has become increasingly important in recent years and needs to be further enhanced in the future under wildfire conditions. A major concern is the two-way interaction between power systems and wildfires: power systems can ignite wildfires and be disrupted by them. Power system-induced wildfires occur when electrical components, particularly transmission lines, ignite fires due to faults exacerbated by extreme weather conditions. The presence of uncertainties, especially those related to unpredictable weather conditions, makes it difficult to handle and can significantly increase the risk of wildfire. Furthermore, these ignitions not only threaten public safety and …


Assessing The Relationship Between Subsurface Geology And Surficial Geomorphology: Remotely Predicting Geologic Features And Geohazards Using An Elevation-Trained Machine Learning Algorithm In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Allison L. Wing May 2026

Assessing The Relationship Between Subsurface Geology And Surficial Geomorphology: Remotely Predicting Geologic Features And Geohazards Using An Elevation-Trained Machine Learning Algorithm In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Allison L. Wing

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis evaluates the capacity to predict subsurface geologic features and submarine landslide susceptibility using surficial geomorphology derived from bathymetric elevation data in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. Quantitative geomorphic variables including slope, curvature, aspect, rugosity, geomorphons, and Bathymetric Position Index were generated from 30-meter digital elevation models and used as explanatory variables in presence-only Maximum Entropy models. Known locations of faults, pockmarks, mud volcanoes, hydrocarbon seeps, and landslides (particularly intact scarps) were used to train and validate predictive models through k-fold cross validation. Model performance was assessed using omission rates and AUC values. Results demonstrate that specific geomorphic signatures, …


Experimental Investigation Of The Effectiveness Of Various Stitching Methods On Arresting Mode-Ii Interlaminar Damage Propagation In Geometrically-Scaled Stitched Resin-Infused Composites, Allison Jean White May 2026

Experimental Investigation Of The Effectiveness Of Various Stitching Methods On Arresting Mode-Ii Interlaminar Damage Propagation In Geometrically-Scaled Stitched Resin-Infused Composites, Allison Jean White

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents an experimental and analytical investigation of mode-II interlaminar fracture in geometrically-scaled quasi-isotropic resin-infused composites, with emphasis on through-thickness stitching as reinforcement. A global-local framework integrating load-displacement response, size effect fracture energy analysis, and digital image correlation-based separation measurements enabled direct comparison between unstitched and stitched configurations. Unstitched laminates exhibited pseudo-ductile behavior but significant post-peak load drops (16.7–26.8%) and a small fracture process zone (FPZ) of 0.73 mm, limiting stable crack growth. Stitching preserved pre-peak stiffness while reducing post-peak load drops by 43–95%, increasing effective fracture energy by 39.7% (to 2.413 N/mm), and expanding the FPZ to 2.85 …


Feasibility-Aware Deep Reinforcement Learning For Sustainable Timber Procurement Under Hurricane Demand Uncertainty, Jarod Wright May 2026

Feasibility-Aware Deep Reinforcement Learning For Sustainable Timber Procurement Under Hurricane Demand Uncertainty, Jarod Wright

Theses and Dissertations

The timber supply chain connects landowners and mills to provide wood products but faces challenges from stochastic demand, seasonal variations, and disruptions such as hurricanes. Fur- thermore, sustainability concerns like transportation emissions create trade-offs in procurement. This study proposes a feasibility-aware Deep Reinforcement Learning framework for sustainable timber procurement and inventory control under joint demand–hurricane uncertainty. We develop a stochastic mathematical model capturing mill-landowner interactions, seasonal demand, hurricane- driven pricing, and carbon emissions. The problem is formulated as a constrained Markov decision process and solved using Proximal Policy Optimization with a feasibility-enforcing layer. A Mississippi-based case study with 2,100 landowners …