Digital Commons Network^™

Fuzzy-Based Deep Reinforcement Learning For Suicidal Ideation Detection In Online Social Networks, Greeshma Lingam, Sajal K. Das

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Suicidal ideation is a major psychological problem, and preventing this social risk is recognized as an important research topic. In reality, there can be several reasons why a person experiences suicidal ideation. Each individual can express views, emotions, and several types of symptoms related to suicidal ideation on the most popular social media platforms. In online social networks (OSNs), identification of suicidal ideation is one of the major challenging tasks. Existing studies have shown that the delay in understanding and identifying various risk factors can cause the suicidal event to occur. Due to the scarcity of data and understanding, the …

When Federated Learning Meets Quantum Computing: Survey And Research Opportunities, Aakar Mathur, Ashish Gupta, Sajal K. Das

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Quantum Federated Learning (QFL) is an emerging field that harnesses advances in Quantum Computing (QC) to improve the scalability and efficiency of decentralized Federated Learning (FL) models. This paper provides a systematic and comprehensive survey of the emerging problems and solutions when FL meets QC, from research protocol to a novel taxonomy, particularly focusing on both quantum and federated limitations, such as their architectures, Noisy Intermediate Scale Quantum (NISQ) devices, and privacy preservation, so on. With the introduction of two novel metrics, qubit utilization efficiency and quantum model training strategy, we present a thorough analysis of the current status of …

Circa: A Framework For Collaborative Identification Of Root Cause Analysis In Iot Microservices, Xingguo Jiang, Hong Luo, Yan Sun, Sajal K. Das

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

With continuous growth of IoT applications, service failures are quite inevitable. Due to the complexity and dynamics of IoT services, the root cause analysis (RCA) following an alert can assist in quickly resolving the possible faults. However, the time scales of metrics (e.g., CPU utilization, memory usage) generated by microservices and the dynamic topologies generated by calls between the Application Program Interfaces (APIs) are different. Moreover, the status of devices is an important aspect of RCA in IoT. All these make it extremely challenging to learn failure features of microservice metrics and API calls. Therefore, we propose a novel framework …

Mgco: Mobility-Aware Generative Computation Offloading In Edge-Cloud Systems., Aswini Ghosh, Nelson Sharma, Shivendu Mishra, Rajiv Misra, Sajal K. Das

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Mobility introduces significant challenges for optimal computation offloading, latency minimization, and efficient re source utilization in multi-access edge computing (MEC) systems. A key difficulty lies in leveraging real user trajectories to jointly optimize horizontal (inter-edge) and vertical (edge-to-cloud) task offloading decisions. This paper proposes a two-dimensional offloading scheme for a multi-layer edge–cloud architecture that enables collaborative task execution among resource-constrained edge nodes under mobility conditions. We present MGCO (Mobility-Aware Generative Computation Offloading), a generative AI–driven Transformer-based sequence-to-sequence Deep Q-Network (s2s-DQN) framework that learns from real-time trajectory data to anticipate user movement and optimize task placement dynamically. The Transformer architecture is …

Message From Workshop Chairs, Sushil K. Prasad, Srishti Srivastava, Satish Puri, David Bunde, Shubbhi Taneja, Buddhi Ashan Mallika Kankanamalage

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Real-Time Testbed For Studying Cyberattacks And Defense In Der-Integrated Smart Inverter Systems, M. Maliha, A. Oluyomi, M. Booge, S. Bhattacharjee, N. Braasch, P. Gomez, Sajal K. Das

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this paper, we propose a Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) simulation testbed suitable for the implementation and testing of realistic cyberattacks on grid-tied smart inverter systems integrated with Distributed Energy Resources (DER) that use the Distributed Network Protocol-3 (DNP3) protocol for communications between grid components. Specifically, our testbed combines a Real-Time Digital Simulator (RTDS) NovaCor device, outfitted with GNETx2 network interface cards, a grid-tied DER topology implemented via the RTDS software package RSCAD, and a custom virtual network that emulates a man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacker. The MITM attacker captures DNP3 traffic and falsifies telemetry data in DNP3 packets to trigger unwarranted commands from …

Grace-Fl: Green Resource-Aware Communication-Efficient Federated Learning, Dipanwita Thakur, Antonella Guzzo, Giancarlo Fortino, Sajal K. Das

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Federated Learning (FL) enables collaborative model training across distributed clients while preserving data privacy, but its deployment on resource-constrained devices is hindered by high communication overhead, inefficient energy usage, and poor convergence under non-IID data distributions. To address these challenges, we propose GRACE-FL: a Green Resource-Aware Communication-Efficient Federated Learning framework that explicitly incorporates device energy capacity into training. Each client adapts its learning rate, number of local epochs, and gradient quantization bit-width based on its available energy, allowing high-capacity devices to sustain more intensive training while low-capacity devices operate with lighter configurations. A novel energy-weighted aggregation strategy ensures that clients …

Phase-Field Modeling Of Rapid Solidification Processes, Nima Najafizadeh

Doctoral Dissertations

"Many advanced manufacturing processes such as additive manufacturing utilize rapid solidification of alloys, as it enables the formation of exotic non-equilibrium microstructure and thus improved properties. However, the interrelationship between the processing parameters and the resulting microstructure in rapid solidification is yet to be fully understood. We aim to investigate the microstructure evolutions during the rapid solidifications using phase-field modeling. The phase-field method assumes a diffuse interface, which avoids tracking the moving interface and hence enables efficient numerical simulations for complex microstructure evolution. A phase-field model with coupled solute-thermal diffusion and solute trapping effect is developed to investigate the rapid …

Drone-Based Multimodal Sensing On Vegetations And Data Analytics For Early Detection Of Gas Leakage From Underground Pipelines, Pengfei Ma

Doctoral Dissertations

"This study explored the feasibility of using multimodal remote sensors in the early detection of natural gas leaks from underground pipelines, as vegetation situated above pipelines can discern microbial changes in soil when affected by gas and exhibit physiological stress symptoms on leaves. Three sensors (RBG, thermal, and hyperspectral cameras) were utilized to monitor vegetation stress as an indicator of gas leaks. A laboratory experiment was conducted to evaluate the workability of vegetation for gas leak detection. Regular hyperspectral imagery was collected from test vegetations to identify gas stress and distinguish it from other environmental stressors such as salinity impact, …

Raft-Based Polymer And Nanoparticle Materials For Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment And Diagnostics, Aaron Priester

Doctoral Dissertations

"Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Neurodegenerative diseases that develop post-TBI can be, in part, attributed to DNA and cell-damaging reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation products (LPOx). This thesis focused on overcoming the limits of current TBI material treatment approaches by employing a RAFT (reversible-addition fragmentation chain transfer) polymer approach that incorporated novel therapeutic, diagnostic and peptide-targeting monomers. An improved nanoparticle synthesis approach was also developed. Thiol and thioether-containing monomers neutralize both ROS and LPOx while Gd-containing monomers with enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast provide diagnostics and material tracking in …

The Evolving Use Of Strategic Planning Tools In The Manufacturing Environment: Implications For Quality 4.0 And Beyond, Richard Lee Wilson

Doctoral Dissertations

"Having a strong strategic plan is critical for success for any business no matter the size of the organization, the product or service they provide, or the industry they serve. There are many methods businesses use to develop their strategic plans. One such method is known as Hoshin Kanri, which has been in use for decades. However, recent years have seen an increase in artificial intelligence, big data, data analytics, and other technology tools to create cyber physical systems on the manufacturing floor. The increase in technology in manufacturing to integrate cyber systems with physical systems spawned a new industrial …

Transport And Plugging Behavior Of Co2-Resistant Preformed Particle Gels In High Conductive Channels For Conformance Control, Adel Alotibi

Doctoral Dissertations

"Improving oil recovery is essential with rising global oil demand and declining production in mature fields. CO₂ flooding has been widely applied as a major Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) method due to its effectiveness in boosting oil recovery while enabling safe carbon storage in the subsurface. However, in fractured and highly heterogeneous reservoirs, CO₂ often flows through paths of least resistance, leading to early breakthrough or quick excessive CO₂ production and leaving substantial oil in unswept zones or areas. Traditional in-situ polymer gels have been applied to control CO₂ flooding conformance, their performance has been varied, …

Development And Testing Of Irradiation-Tolerant High-Entropy Alloys, Matthew John Luebbe

Doctoral Dissertations

"High entropy alloys (HEAs) are a novel class of alloys made of multiple principal elements in near equal proportions. They have been observed to possess an array of useful engineering properties, such as good ductility and fracture toughness, high temperature strength, oxidation and corrosion resistance and irradiation resistance. This makes them promising candidates for harsh environments, especially nuclear reactors. These properties could potentially realize advanced Gen IV nuclear reactor designs. However, most HEA compositions contain Co, which activates under irradiation, generating safety and waste management concerns. This work studies three compositions of Co-free HEAs whose strength and microstructures are evaluated …

Ceramic Dielectrics For High Temperature Capacitor Applications, Alan Daniel Devoe

Doctoral Dissertations

Technical progress in microelectronics is allowing operation in environments that were previously considered impossible. Building complete electronic circuits for applications above 450 degrees C, such as the planned NASA missions to Venus, require a variety of active and passive components, including multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCC).

This study explores calcium zirconate CaZrO3 and magnesium oxide MgO based dielectric compositions for MLCC applications that are capable of operating at extreme temperatures between 450 degrees C and 600 degrees C. Both materials were characterized with respect to impurities, dopants, crystal structure and microstructural development. Dielectric properties were measured to determine permittivity, dissipation factor, …

Assessing And Comparing Geophysical Methods For Resolving Shallow Subsurface Geology, Abdullah Basaloom

Doctoral Dissertations

Geophysical methods are essential tools for investigating shallow subsurface structures, offering non-invasive means to characterize geological features and detect anomalies. Techniques such as electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), towed Transient Electromagnetic (tTEM), seismic refraction, magnetic, gravity, and magnetotelluric (MT) are commonly employed to image subsurface conditions with high resolution.

This study started with an in-depth analysis of comparing results co-located in space to assess uncertainties and resolution in the obtained resistivity models in the Kansas River Alluvial Aquifer (KRAA). Our results provided a quantitative interpretation of resistivity estimates between different geo-electrical methods (ERT, tTEM and DPEC). Following this, we provided a …

Enhanced Optimization Of Mass Transfer For Carbon Capture And Wastewater Remediation In Algal Systems Through Algorithmic And Bioprocessing Techniques, Peter Ofuje Obidi

Doctoral Dissertations

The scalability and industrial deployment of algal cultivation systems are limited by suboptimal mass transfer, constraining their effectiveness in carbon capture and wastewater remediation. This research investigated these challenges through integrated optimization methodologies that combine algorithmic frameworks with enhanced bioprocessing techniques to enhance efficiency, economy, and scalability. A System-of-Systems (SoS) meta-architecture was developed using genetic algorithms and fuzzy assessor functions to demonstrate a pathway toward cost reduction. Rigorous mechanical and chemical characterizations were quantitatively analyzed to reveal existing optimization strategies and further evaluated the best strategies to use in enhancing mass transfer for improved biomass yield. The work also integrates …

Flexural Post-Cracking Performance Of Macro Synthetic Fiber Reinforced Super Workable Concrete Influenced By Shrinkage-Reducing Admixture, Jingjie Wei, Nima Farzadnia, Kamal H. Khayat

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Most literature has focused on the effect of shrinkage-reducing admixture (SRA) in shrinkage mitigation resistance of concrete. This study aims to examine the impact of SRA on the efficiency of macro synthetic fibers (MSF) in enhancing the flexural post-cracking behavior of fiber-reinforced super workable concrete (FR-SWC). A comparative analysis of the influence of fiber combinations on the flexural post-cracking behavior of beams is also included. Results showed that a higher dosage of SRA, particularly at 5 % by mass of binder, had a noticeable negative impact on flexural post-cracking performance of beams while exhibiting positive effect on workability and shrinkage …

Guest Editorial, Li Ai, Xiao Tan, Arslan Akbar, Guirong Yan

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Analyzing Micrometeoroid And Orbital Debris Shield Performance For Sample Return Spacecraft, William P. Schonberg, Michael Squire

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Sample-return missions typically seek to collect and return samples from extraterrestrial locations to Earth for analysis. The return of samples from certain locations in the solar system represents a potential hazard to Earth's biosphere from foreign microorganisms. One way this could occur would be a break-up of the returning capsule during entry (which would disperse the samples through the air) due to undetected damage to the capsule thermal protection system (TPS). As a result, missions that plan to return payloads from some destinations are likely to have certain design requirements for the TPS surrounding their returning capsules, which may include …

2d Numerical Modeling Of Pavements On Expansive Soil In Extreme Climates, Ekansh Agarwal, Xiong Zhang, Ning Luo

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study focuses on modeling a rigid pavement slab on expansive soil in extreme climates to understand the interaction between weather, pavement, and soil. Lightweight superstructures such as pavements are particularly prone to damage due to the differential settlement of expansive soils. In the context of climate change, the occurrence of severe droughts followed by intense rainfall has risen, causing severe impacts on crack initiation and development, and thus infiltration patterns in the structures built on expansive soils. Pavements are typically designed for a limited lifespan, and early failure may occur if climate change is not considered during design. This …

An Improved Table Method For Coded Target Identification With Application To Photogrammetric Analysis Of Soil Specimen During Triaxial Testing, Xiaolong Xia, Xiong Zhang, Sara Fayek, Zhaozheng Yin

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Accurate and efficient recognition and identification of coded targets are of great importance in coded target-based photogrammetry. Recently, a deep learning-based method has been utilized to recognize the coded targets. Then, a table method has been developed to decode the coded targets, identify falsely identified coded targets, and recover missing coded targets. This method takes advantage of the geometric arrangement of the coded targets. In this paper, an improved table method has been developed to improve the coded targets recognition and identification results. Blob analysis, instead of deep learning, is utilized to recognize coded targets. Then, the RANSAC algorithm was …

Quantifying Deviation Of Elasticity In The Quasi-Elastic Domain Of Granular Soils, Wen Deng, Yufan Jin, Pingxin Xia, Qingqing Fu, Xiong Xia, Xiaoxia Guo

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The absence of purely elastic properties in granular soil is attributed to the reversible sliding that occurs between particles during the loading–unloading cycle, leading to the dissipation of energy through friction. Instead of the strictly elastic domain, we opt for a quasi-elastic domain to examine elastic behavior within the confines of elastic theory. Within this quasi-elastic realm, the response deviates to some extent from the idealized pure elastic behavior posited by the elastic theory. As a result, the elastic constitutive relations applied to granular materials are no longer strictly accurate and may exhibit deviations. With the aim of exploring the …

Class-Wise Histogram Matching-Based Domain Adaptation In Deep Learning-Based Bridge Element Segmentation, Tarutal Ghosh Mondal, Zhenhua Shi, Haibin Zhang, Genda Chen

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study focused on the problem of domain shift in deep learning-based bridge element segmentation. The impracticability of accounting for all possible variabilities vis-à-vis structural shape, size, color, texture, illumination, and other operational conditions in the training process leads to the deterioration in the model performance when applied to test data from novel unseen domains. In such situations, rebuilding the model with labeled training data from the target domain becomes prohibitively expensive and time-consuming in many practical cases. Recent advancements in unsupervised domain adaptation techniques are known to provide viable solutions to this problem. However, it was observed in this …

Extending The Applicability Of Thermal Protection System Ballistic Limit Equations Beyond The Testable Regime, William P. Schonberg, Michael D. Squire

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Spacecraft use thermal insulation in their design, which is usually placed on their exterior. As such, it is susceptible to high-speed impacts by meteoroids and orbital debris, which can damage it to a point where the protection it offers is below acceptable limits. It is important to be able to characterize expected levels of damage stemming from such high-speed impacts. In this paper, we extend the applicability of a previously developed ballistic limit equation (BLE) for one such thermal insulation material using the results of a series of Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics Code (SPHC) impact simulations at velocities in excess of …

Material Suppliers’ Perspective On Collaboration In Industrial Construction Projects, Seogjae Choi, William J. O'Brien

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Material suppliers' involvement in construction project planning has been recommended as an effective measure to improve project performance by using their expertise. However, the recommendation is not universal, and some researchers disputed the value of early involvement of suppliers depending on material type. Moreover, prior studies considered main contractors' and owners' perspectives mostly in examining how to increase the involvement of suppliers. To add material suppliers' perspective, this study conducted interviews with experienced professionals from 16 material suppliers including standardized, make-to-order, and custom products. The results are specified by separating the type of materials and sub-phases of planning. The results …

Effect Of Gluconate Molecules On The Reaction Kinetics Of C-(N)-A-S-H And N-A-S-H Gel Formation, Jiafeng Kong, Chao Sun, Zuhua Zhang, Chenglong Cai, Yubin Cao, Yanru Wang, Hongyan Ma, Xuesen Zeng, Hao Wang

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Organic ligands are widely used to regulate setting in cementitious binders, yet their chemistry-selective action in geopolymers (GPs) remains unclear. Here we isolate the role of sodium gluconate (SG) in early reaction kinetics across a Ca-rich GP that forms a calcium-(sodium)-aluminosilicate hydrate (C-(N)-A-S-H) gel and a Ca-poor GP that forms a sodium-aluminosilicate hydrate (N-A-S-H) gel. Four GPs spanning Ca/Si ≈ 1.01 to 0.01 were prepared with identical activator chemistry and dosages of SG up to 5 wt.% of precursors. Setting time, isothermal calorimetry, pore-solution speciation (TOC, ICP-OES, and pH), selective dissolution (reaction extent), low-field¹H NMR, XRD, FTIR, SEM-EDS, …

Existential Resilience In The City, Shane Ray Epting

Arts, Languages and Philosophy Faculty Research & Creative Works

Severe weather continues to challenge cities worldwide. Typhoons, wildfires, floods, and extreme temperatures test urban systems, communities, and governments at all scales. To combat such effects, resilience has emerged as a term geared towards increasing their ability to address impacts, strengthen infrastructure, and deal with cleanup measures. Although this business sounds straightforward to non-philosophers, ethical and existential elements remain out of view for the sciences and require investigation. This article fleshes them out. The first step is to identify relevant stakeholder groups and competing interests. The second is discovering equitable ways to bring professionals and city dwellers together to develop …

Managing Digital Transformation With Blockchain: Distributed Ledger Innovation Platforms, Nobuyuki Fukawa, Gregory J. Fisher

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

Realizing its overarching potential in achieving digital transformation, leading organizations, such as Air New Zealand, have recently employed blockchain technology to manage 3D printing innovation. Despite the potential benefits, including the key role of blockchain as a supporting technology in Industry 5.0, these applications of blockchain technology in 3D printing are still at a nascent stage in practice and mostly limited to producer innovation. Additionally, 3D printing and blockchain technologies are often independently revolutionizing value capture and value creation, whereas the theoretical implications of their combined impacts on innovation management remain an underexplored domain. Limited digital transformation efforts have been …

Modeling Ion-Specific Effects In Polyelectrolyte Brushes: A Modified Poisson-Nernst-Planck Model, William J. Ceely, Marina Chugunova, Ali Nadim, James D. Sterling

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

Polyelectrolyte brushes consist of a set of charged linear macromolecules, each tethered at one end to a surface. An example is the glycocalyx which refers to hair-like negatively charged sugar molecules that coat the outside membrane of all cells. We consider the transport and equilibrium distribution of ions and the resulting electrical potential when such a brush is immersed in a salt buffer containing monovalent cations (sodium and/or potassium). The Gouy-Chapman model for ion screening at a charged surface captures the effects of the Coulombic force that drives ion electrophoresis and diffusion but neglects non-Coulombic forces and ion pairing. By …

The Antibiofilm Efficacy Of Copper And Zinc-Enhanced Borate Bioactive Glasses On Polymicrobial Biofilms, Sarah Fakher, David J. Westenberg

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

Healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs) are a significant global challenge driven by biofilm-forming pathogens. Polymicrobial biofilms, involving interactions between multiple microbial species, exacerbate treatment difficulties due to their enhanced resistance to antimicrobial therapies. Borate bioactive glasses (BBGs) are an emerging class of biomaterials that have attracted significant interest in infection control. The incorporation of copper and zinc into the BBG matrix can effectively disrupt biofilm formation and bacterial colonization. This study investigates the antibiofilm efficacy of copper and zinc-doped BBGs against polymicrobial biofilms formed by S. epidermidis, E. coli, and P. aeruginosa. Using static and dynamic biofilm models, BBGs were applied through …