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Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

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Properties Of Chain Programs Over Difference Constraints, John E. Argentieri Dec 2005

Properties Of Chain Programs Over Difference Constraints, John E. Argentieri

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Chain Programming is a restricted form of linear programming in which there exists a total ordering over the program variables. In other words, the constraints x1 ≤ x 2 ≤ ... ≤ xn are either implicitly or explicitly part of the constraint system. At the present juncture, it is not clear whether an arbitrary Chain Program is easier to solve than a linear program, either asymptotically or computationally. This thesis presents a variety of interesting properties pertaining to the case in which a Chain Program is constituted entirely of difference constraints. Deciding the feasibility of a system of difference constraints …

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Automated Dental Identification: A Micro-Macro Decision-Making Approach, Diaa Eldin M. Nassar Dec 2005

Automated Dental Identification: A Micro-Macro Decision-Making Approach, Diaa Eldin M. Nassar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Identification of deceased individuals based on dental characteristics is receiving increased attention, especially with the large volume of victims encountered in mass disasters. In this work we consider three important problems in automated dental identification beyond the basic approach of tooth-to-tooth matching.;The first problem is on automatic classification of teeth into incisors, canines, premolars and molars as part of creating a data structure that guides tooth-to-tooth matching, thus avoiding illogical comparisons that inefficiently consume the limited computational resources and may also mislead the decision-making. We tackle this problem using principal component analysis and string matching techniques. We reconstruct the segmented …

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Cooperative Diversity For The Cellular Uplink: Sharing Strategies, Performance Analysis, And Receiver Design, Kanchan G. Vardhe Dec 2005

Cooperative Diversity For The Cellular Uplink: Sharing Strategies, Performance Analysis, And Receiver Design, Kanchan G. Vardhe

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In this thesis, we propose data sharing schemes for the cooperative diversity in a cellular uplink to exploit diversity and enhance throughput performance of the system. Particularly, we consider new two and three-or-more user decode and forward (DF) protocols using space time block codes. We discuss two-user and three-user amplify and forward (AF) protocols and evaluate the performance of the above mentioned data sharing protocols in terms of the bit error rate and the throughput in an asynchronous code division multiple access (CDMA) cellular uplink. We develop a linear receiver for joint space-time decoding and multiuser detection that provides full …

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Supporting Awareness In Heterogeneous Collaboration Environments, Vijayanand Bharadwaj Dec 2005

Supporting Awareness In Heterogeneous Collaboration Environments, Vijayanand Bharadwaj

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Rapid technological advancements have made it possible for humans to collaborate as never before. However demands of group work necessitate distributed collaboration in very heterogeneous environments. Heterogeneity as in various applications, platforms, hardware and communication infrastructure. User mobility, lack of availability and cost often make imposing a common collaboration environment infeasible. Awareness is essential for successful collaboration. Awareness is a key design criterion in groupware but often collaboration occurs with applications not designed to support useful awareness. This dissertation deals with the issue of effective group awareness support in heterogeneous environments.;Awareness propagation is effective if the appropriate amount of information, …

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Maximum Size T-Cross-Intersecting And Intersecting Families With Degree Conditions, Yongbin Ou Dec 2005

Maximum Size T-Cross-Intersecting And Intersecting Families With Degree Conditions, Yongbin Ou

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

We present four main results: (1) A solution to the problem of finding two set systems A and B such that A is r1-intersecting, B is r2-intersecting, A,B are t-cross-intersecting and A+ B is a maximum; (2) A solution to the problem of finding two set systems A and B such that A,B are Sperner, t-cross-intersecting and A+ B is a maximum; (3) A solution to the problem of finding the maximum size of an intersecting set system F such that the complementary degree c( F ) = s for a specified value s; (4) An asymptotic result on the …

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Stability Monitoring And Analysis Of Online Learning Neural Networks, Sampath Yerramalla Dec 2005

Stability Monitoring And Analysis Of Online Learning Neural Networks, Sampath Yerramalla

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

On-line adaptation using soft-computational learning methods is on the rise for use in safety-critical applications such as fault-tolerant flight control, maintenance of distributed networks, implementation of high security devices, etc. The inapplicability of traditional analysis methods is limiting the wider use of soft-computational learning methods in safety-critical applications that involve online adaptation. The focus of the research is the development of non-conventional analysis techniques for the testing, verification, validation and analysis of adaptive learning components such as the online learning neural networks.;Our research considers stability of online adaptation as a heuristic measure of correctness in the operation of the adaptive …

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The Influence Of Beaver Impoundments On Vegetative Composition, And Modeling Habitat Suitability As A Tool For Wildlife Management And Conservation, Jerry Leanne Bonner Dec 2005

The Influence Of Beaver Impoundments On Vegetative Composition, And Modeling Habitat Suitability As A Tool For Wildlife Management And Conservation, Jerry Leanne Bonner

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Beavers (Castor canadensis) can have dramatic effects on vegetative communities through impounding streams and wetlands. These alterations may influence rare plant species where beaver create ponds. We found that the youngest and oldest beaver ponds in Canaan Valley, West Virginia, USA had similar species richness. Rare plant species occurred most in oldest ponds, although no significant differences were detected. Species composition around ponds was found to be different between areas influenced by ponds versus those not affected, creating more obligate wetland communities when influenced by beaver. This information should be incorporated into management decisions when rare plant species conservation is …

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The Use Of Charge -Charge Correlation In Impedance Measurements: A Test Of The Epet Method, Christopher W. Gregory Dec 2005

The Use Of Charge -Charge Correlation In Impedance Measurements: A Test Of The Epet Method, Christopher W. Gregory

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

It is well known that biological tissues possess impedance properties that might be useful in medical diagnostics and treatment. Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) images internal electrical properties by using numerical methods to solve Laplace's differential equation. The indirect reconstruction method (IRM), a common method in application, predicts internal electrical property distribution by iteratively computing a forward and inverse solution. This approach reduces the non-linear Laplace's equation into a poorly conditioned series of linear equations, which are solved simultaneously. This method suffers from high computational effort and is susceptible to prediction errors that stem from measurement noise.;As an alternative to Laplace's …

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A Qualitative Study Of Pre -Service Teachers Using Co -Teaching As A Method To Understand Scientific Process Skills To Teach *Inquiry, Jennifer Carter Mccain Dec 2005

A Qualitative Study Of Pre -Service Teachers Using Co -Teaching As A Method To Understand Scientific Process Skills To Teach *Inquiry, Jennifer Carter Mccain

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The National Science Education Standards (NSES) have established scientific literacy as a goal for all students. The goals advocate scientific inquiry as an instructional strategy to be used in the classroom, and standards of inquiry have even been established. At the same time, co-teaching has become prevalent in classroom as regular education teachers work with special education teachers. The classrooms are inclusive and both teachers are to work together to benefit all the students. Research has shown positive perceptions and negative perceptions of co-teaching. In this study, pre-service teachers are co-taught an elementary science methods course at a medium-sized university. …

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Understanding Mindfulness: Implications For Instruction And Learning, Todd Lyle Stoops Dec 2005

Understanding Mindfulness: Implications For Instruction And Learning, Todd Lyle Stoops

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This Dissertation examines the literature concerning Mindfulness as it relates to Educational Psychology and overviews a research study conducted to add empirical research on Mindfulness instruction and learning. The literature review is divided into three categories of Mindfulness which are defined and discussed according to applications and implications for education. These three categories are (a) Mindfulness as a meditative practice for teachers and in its use in teacher education programs, (b) clinical and therapeutic applications of Mindfulness in contemporary psychology, and (c) Mindfulness in Educational Psychology. Established constructs from the literature of psychology and education are related to the concepts …

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Towards Large Eddy Simulation Of Dispersed Gas -Liquid Two-Phase Turbulent Flows, Gusheng Hu Dec 2005

Towards Large Eddy Simulation Of Dispersed Gas -Liquid Two-Phase Turbulent Flows, Gusheng Hu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study presents a detailed investigation of all essential components of computational and modeling issues necessary for a successful large-eddy simulation (LES) of dispersed two-phase turbulent flows. In particular, a two-layer concept is proposed to enable the LES capability in two-phase flows involving dispersed bubbles that are relatively large compared to the mesh size. The work comprises three major parts.;Part I focuses on the development and verification of a transient, three-dimensional, finite-volume-method (FVM) based accurate Navier-Stokes solver, named DREAM II (second generation of the DREAM code). Several high-order schemes are implemented for both the spatial and temporal discretization. Solution of …

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Effectiveness Of The "Common" Method In Balancing Exhaust Ventilation Systems, Vivek Balasubramanian Dec 2005

Effectiveness Of The "Common" Method In Balancing Exhaust Ventilation Systems, Vivek Balasubramanian

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Dampers are used to adjust the distribution of airflows in duct systems. The "common"(i.e., most commonly used) method is to adjust each damper in turn so that the airflow through its branch equals the desired level. Typically, the airflow through each branch duct is estimated from the centerline velocity pressure. To test the effectiveness of that approach, dampers were adjusted on a seven branch, full-sized experimental duct system. After adjusting the dampers for a given condition, the percent excess airflow (%Qexcess) for the system was estimated as the amount above the ideal fan airflow that would exist if the fan …

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Modeling And Control Of A Small Glass Furnace, Andrea R. Holladay Dec 2005

Modeling And Control Of A Small Glass Furnace, Andrea R. Holladay

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Most control systems currently used for glass furnaces monitor temperature with a thermocouple placed in the crown of the furnace and adjust the flow rate of the fuel to maintain a set point. The temperature measured is much closer to that of the combustion gasses within the furnace rather than the temperature of the glass. Models that predict the temperature of the glass are available in the form of complicated Computational Fluid Dynamics packages that are cost prohibitive to companies with small profit margins.;In this work, a simplified mathematical model has been developed to represent the dynamic performance of a …

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Optical Detection Of Multiple Faults Of A Mems Based Linear Comb Resonator, Lakshmi Deepasree Konduparthi Dec 2005

Optical Detection Of Multiple Faults Of A Mems Based Linear Comb Resonator, Lakshmi Deepasree Konduparthi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Investigating the dynamic behavior of any Micro Electro Mechanical system is critical for better control and fault prediction. Linear Comb Resonator is one such MEMS generic device that exhibits motion parallel to the plane of the chip. The dynamic motion of the Linear Comb Resonator is characterized by various parameters such as mass, force applied and also the stiffness constant of the flexure that holds the device. The aim of the project is to determine the changes caused by the asymmetry in the flexure design and the fluctuations in the behavior of the resonator due to this. The changes in …

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Computer Aided Detection Of Defects In Frp Bridge Decks Using Infrared Thermography, Gajanan M. Lonkar Dec 2005

Computer Aided Detection Of Defects In Frp Bridge Decks Using Infrared Thermography, Gajanan M. Lonkar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objective of this research is to develop a turn-key system that is able to interface with the FLIR ThermaCAM S60 infrared camera and automatically capture and analyze defects in infrared images of FRP bridge decks. Infrared thermography is one of the nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques that are being used to locate defects (debonds and delaminations) in bridge components. It is a rapid data collection and interpretation technique having high sensitivity and reliability. Analysis of infrared images by human interpretation is dependent on the users knowledge and hence introduces ambiguity in the defect detection process.;This thesis investigates the use of …

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Characterization Of Web Server Workload, Amit Sangle Dec 2005

Characterization Of Web Server Workload, Amit Sangle

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Realistic and formal mathematical description of web-server workload forms a fundamental step in the design of synthetic workload generators, capacity planning and accurate predictions of performance measures. In this thesis we perform detailed empirical analysis of the web workload by analyzing access logs of nine web-servers. Unlike most previous work that focused on request-based workload characterization, we analyze both request and session characteristics. We perform rigorous statistical analysis to determine the self-similarity of web traffic and heavy-tailedness of the distribution of different session parameters. Our analysis shows that web traffic is self-similar and the degree of self-similarity is proportional to …

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Software Tools For Real-Time Simulation And Control, Raghu Sankarayogi Dec 2005

Software Tools For Real-Time Simulation And Control, Raghu Sankarayogi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objective of this thesis is to design and simulate a multi-agent based energy management system for a shipboard power system in hard real-time environment. The automatic reconfiguration of shipboard power systems is essential to improve survivability. Multi-agent technology is used in designing the reconfigurable energy management system using a self-stabilizing maximum flow algorithm. The agent based energy management system is designed in a Matlab/Simulink environment. Reconfiguration is performed for several situations including start-up, loss of an agent, limited available power, and distribution to priority ranked loads. The number of steps taken to reach the global solution and the time …

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Ensemble Learning For Ranking Interesting Attributes, Erik W. Sinsel Dec 2005

Ensemble Learning For Ranking Interesting Attributes, Erik W. Sinsel

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Machine learning knowledge representations, such as decision trees; are often incomprehensible to humans. They can also contain errors specific to the representation type and the data used to generate them. By combining larger; less comprehensible decision trees, it is possible to increase their accuracy as an ensemble compared to the best individual tree. The thesis examines an ensemble learning technique and presents a unique knowledge elicitation technique which produces an ordered ranking of attributes by their importance in leading to more desirable classifications. The technique compares full branches of decision trees, finding the set difference of shared attributes. The combination …

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Prosody In Text-To-Speech Synthesis Using Fuzzy Logic, Jonathan Brent Williams Dec 2005

Prosody In Text-To-Speech Synthesis Using Fuzzy Logic, Jonathan Brent Williams

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

For over a thousand years, inventors, scientists and researchers have tried to reproduce human speech. Today, the quality of synthesized speech is not equivalent to the quality of real speech. Most research on speech synthesis focuses on improving the quality of the speech produced by Text-to-Speech (TTS) systems. The best TTS systems use unit selection-based concatenation to synthesize speech. However, this method is very timely and the speech database is very large. Diphone concatenated synthesized speech requires less memory, but sounds robotic. This thesis explores the use of fuzzy logic to make diphone concatenated speech sound more natural. A TTS …

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America And China: Cultural Differences In Online Learning Motivation, Zongxiang Mei Dec 2005

America And China: Cultural Differences In Online Learning Motivation, Zongxiang Mei

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

There are learning motivation differences among students from different countries. And differences between American and Korean online learners were identified. This study was to identify whether American and Chinese online learners' motivation differed and what were the learner characteristics that affected the motivation of online learners. This study was conducted in May-June, 2005, West Virginia University, the United States of America, and Fudan University, China. Findings revealed that there was a significant difference in learning motivation between the U.S. and Chinese online learners. And there were some learner characteristics affected the learning motivation of online learners as well, such as …

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Production Of Conjunctions And T-Units By The Elderly, Benjamin Haymond Dec 2005

Production Of Conjunctions And T-Units By The Elderly, Benjamin Haymond

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Recent research indicates a change in healthy elderly adult language capabilities. More specifically, Shadden (1997) and Ryan (1996) state that language competence is less affected by the processes of aging than production. The topic of this research examined specifically the production of conjunctions from the perspective of Halliday and Hasan (1976) in procedural and narrative discourse by the elderly. The hypothesis stated that the relationship between age and conjunctions produced would be non-significant. In a cross-sectional study, 17 subjects between the ages of 60-86 were interviewed and the transcripts analyzed.;Results supported the hypothesis of a non-significant relationship between age and …

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Action Research Analysis Of The Forces Affecting Farmer Participation In A West Virginia Cooperative Extension Service Farmer Education Program, John Robert Edalgo Dec 2005

Action Research Analysis Of The Forces Affecting Farmer Participation In A West Virginia Cooperative Extension Service Farmer Education Program, John Robert Edalgo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study uses action research principles and Kurt Lewin's field theory to investigate the forces dictating farmer participation in the Decision Enabling Data Collection and Management System Initiative (DEDCMSI). These forces were classified in Chapter IV under the following project categories: Hardware, Software, Perception of DEDCMSI, Perception of Technology, and Sociocultural. This West Virginia University Cooperative Extension Service (WVUCES) initiative organized four farm finance groups located in the following counties: Ohio, Jefferson, Mineral, and Monroe. Data collection methods used to identify forces occurring within this seven-month pilot project is listed here as follows: structured, semi-structured, and un-structured interviews. A total …

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Effect Of Liquid Rheology On Jetting Of Polymer Solutions, Long Han Aug 2005

Effect Of Liquid Rheology On Jetting Of Polymer Solutions, Long Han

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Light Emitting Devices (LEDs) containing conjugated polymers are fabricated using ink jet printing. A common problem in the processing of these materials is that the Newtonian viscosity of the polymer solution is not sufficient to describe the jetting performance, because the molecular weights and concentrations employed are such that the resulting solutions are elastic. These differences in fluid elasticity levels cannot be measured using traditional techniques like dynamic mechanical experiments or the first normal stress difference in shear, but they strongly impact the jetting behavior of the liquid. Here, a polystyrene-DECALIN system has been formulated, and the level of elasticity …

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Exploring Differences In Level Of Involvement, Educational Outcomes, And Satisfaction Of Resident Students And Commuter Students At A Rural Community College, Richard Wayne Layman Aug 2005

Exploring Differences In Level Of Involvement, Educational Outcomes, And Satisfaction Of Resident Students And Commuter Students At A Rural Community College, Richard Wayne Layman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Because the vast majority of community colleges were founded to serve commuter students who live within a local and regional area, student residential housing at two-year institutions has been seen as unnecessary. However, an increasing number of community colleges are opening student resident housing. In contrast to all the research available about the impact at four-year institutions of residence (resident students and commuter students), the literature review revealed there has been little research on resident students and commuter students on community college campuses (Murrell, 1998).;This study can be characterized as a preliminary investigation into whether resident students' and commuter students' …

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Parameter Incremental Learning Algorithm For Neural Networks, Sheng Wan Aug 2005

Parameter Incremental Learning Algorithm For Neural Networks, Sheng Wan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In this dissertation, a novel training algorithm for neural networks, named Parameter Incremental Learning (PIL), is proposed, developed, analyzed and numerically validated.;The main idea of the PIL algorithm is based on the essence of incremental supervised learning: that the learning algorithm, i.e., the update law of the network parameters, should not only adapt to the newly presented input-output training pattern, but also preserve the prior results. A general PIL algorithm for feedforward neural networks is accordingly derived, using the first-order approximation technique, with appropriate measures of the performance of preservation and adaptation. The PIL algorithms for the Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) …

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A Candidate's Use Of Aggressive Communication And The Electorates' Response: Predicting Presidential Election Outcomes, Matthew Luke Sutton Aug 2005

A Candidate's Use Of Aggressive Communication And The Electorates' Response: Predicting Presidential Election Outcomes, Matthew Luke Sutton

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this examination is to determine the role of verbal aggression in Presidential debates. Using six types of verbally aggressive messages, coders examined one Presidential debate from nine Presidential elections to determine the amount of verbal aggression used by each candidate. The findings from this examination indicate that there is a pattern for the use of verbal aggression in Presidential debates. Challengers use significantly more verbal aggression than incumbents while five of the nine elections had the winner using less verbally aggressive messages than the loser. Results of this study support the theory that challengers are forced to …

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The Effects Of Contextual Factors On Dyadic Everyday Problem Solving In Adulthood, Tara L. Neely Aug 2005

The Effects Of Contextual Factors On Dyadic Everyday Problem Solving In Adulthood, Tara L. Neely

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The present study examined individual and dyadic everyday problem solving in 45 younger, middle-aged, and older adult married couples. The goal of the study was to investigate the effects of age, gender, collaboration, marital characteristics, and basic cognition on everyday problem-solving. Two research questions were addressed. First, were there group differences across three phases of problem solving? Second, what was the frequency of individual change, and which factors predicted improvement, stability, or decline? When addressing the first question, there was a significant four-way interaction, F (4, 78) = 2.83, p < .05, eta = .12, between participant age, gender, problem-solving condition, and problem-solving phase, emphasizing the multidimensionality of everyday cognition. When addressing the second question, a larger percentage of individuals who collaborated reliably improved compared to individuals who worked alone. Furthermore, basic cognitive abilities, education, and marital factors significantly accounted for individual reliable change in everyday problem solving.

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Rotation Compatibility Approach To Moment Redistribution For Design And Rating Of Steel I -Girders, Jennifer E. Righman Aug 2005

Rotation Compatibility Approach To Moment Redistribution For Design And Rating Of Steel I -Girders, Jennifer E. Righman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Moment redistribution refers to the design practice where the inherent ductility of continuous-span steel bridge structures is acknowledged and consideration for the redistribution of the large negative bending moments at interior supports to the less heavily stressed positive bending regions is provided. One of the key assumptions made in moment redistribution procedures is that members have sufficient ductility to sustain a given moment capacity throughout the level of rotation required for redistribution moments to develop. However, there is presently no explicit verification that this assumption is satisfied. Instead, it is assumed that sufficient ductility can be obtained by: (1) limiting …

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Performance Analysis Of Iris Based Recognition System At The Matching Score Level, Manasi V. Ketkar Aug 2005

Performance Analysis Of Iris Based Recognition System At The Matching Score Level, Manasi V. Ketkar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Over the past three years, iris based personal identification has gained considerable attention both from research groups and government organizations. Public acceptance of this biometric grew substantially too. Modern cameras used for iris acquisition are less intrusive compared to earlier iris scanning devices and public awareness of system reliability is slowly developing. A typical iris system consists of four major subsystems: (i) image acquisition, (ii) preprocessing, (iii) encoding, (iv) decision making. Most current research is focused on redesigning preprocessing and encoding techniques for iris systems. However, a framework for comprehensive analysis of iris recognition systems or a study on how …

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Effect Of Moisture And Temperature On The Mechanical Properties Of Concrete, Brian Downie Aug 2005

Effect Of Moisture And Temperature On The Mechanical Properties Of Concrete, Brian Downie

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Concrete is one of the most widely used building materials. Extensive research was accomplished testing concrete properties including but not limited to modulus of elasticity, compressive strength, tensile strength, and Poisson's ratio using modulus of elasticity and strength testing. The research was done under laboratory conditions. The ideal air temperature in the laboratory was between 68 and 71 °F, and the ideal air relative humidity in a laboratory was between 40 and 60 percent. Research was accomplished on properties of concrete during the curing process at extreme temperatures experienced in the developed world, but little on concrete that is already …

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