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Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

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Developing A Model To Facilitate The Improvement Of The Quality Of Crash Data Collection In West Virginia, David Scott Bucy May 2002

Developing A Model To Facilitate The Improvement Of The Quality Of Crash Data Collection In West Virginia, David Scott Bucy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Most federal, state, and local agencies use information derived from traffic crash reports for decision-making purposes. The accuracy and timeliness of this data is vital to safety program managers and traffic engineers. The purpose of this study was to assess improvements in the crash data process and examine the impact of the research assessment model developed by the West Virginia University Project Research Team on the West Virginia Uniform Traffic Crash Report.;A three-year research study funded by the West Virginia Division of Highways was conducted statewide with law enforcement agencies at all levels. Four hundred fifty-three officers participated in the …

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Dynamic Model Of The Interface Reactions In An Aircraft Bomb Rack Due To An External Store, Tim C. Schoppert May 2002

Dynamic Model Of The Interface Reactions In An Aircraft Bomb Rack Due To An External Store, Tim C. Schoppert

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In today's downsizing environment, more demands than ever are being placed on aircraft flight test programs. To compensate for shrinking budgets and increased requirements, new and more versatile test techniques and data processing systems must be developed. Standard flight test procedures must be reexamined and optimized to maximize the availability of the test asset while processing the collected data more quickly and at a lower cost.;This research demonstrated the ability to predict the reaction loads transmitted to an aircraft bomb rack due to the inertial forces acting on an external store. These load calculations typically require lengthy test programs with …

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Prediction Of Life -Threatening Events In Infants Using Heart Rate Variability Measurements, Xueyan Xu May 2002

Prediction Of Life -Threatening Events In Infants Using Heart Rate Variability Measurements, Xueyan Xu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden death of an infant under 1 year old without any apparent sign ahead of time. It is the leading cause of death of infants between the age of one month and one year in the developed countries. After thirty years substantial worldwide research, it is still impossible to predict or prevent SIDS. With the long-term goal to prevent SIDS, this study explores prediction of life-threatening events using heart rate variability (HRV). HRV is an indirect measure of the autonomic nervous system input to the cardiovascular system. The hypothesis is that infants who …

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Flow Unit Prediction With Limited Permeability Data Using Artificial Neural Network Analysis, Benjamin Hale Thomas May 2002

Flow Unit Prediction With Limited Permeability Data Using Artificial Neural Network Analysis, Benjamin Hale Thomas

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Appalachian Basin has numerous abandoned or marginally producing oilfields having significant recoverable oil remaining in place. Typically production records and reservoir data is not available. Presented is a new methodology, applicable to any field having limited records, designed for reservoir characterization via flow unit identification.;This methodology utilizes limited core permeability data from a few wells as a key to predicting flow units within a field when only log-based data is available. Primary software tools used include NeuroShell 2, an artificial neural network (ANN) program, and the Boast98 numerical simulator.;Various techniques for flow unit identification including graphic approaches using the …

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Slow Wave Ion Heating And Parametric Instabilities In The Helix Helicon Source, John L. Kline May 2002

Slow Wave Ion Heating And Parametric Instabilities In The Helix Helicon Source, John L. Kline

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The primary focus of the experiments described here is to determine the mechanism responsible for intrinsic ion heating in helicon sources. Two possible mechanisms have been identified: ion Landau damping of the slow wave and parametrically driven instabilities. Consistent with ion Landau damping of the slow wave, the perpendicular ion temperatures 35 cm downstream of the RF antenna are largest when the RF frequency matches the local lower hybrid frequency; the condition at which the slow wave has a maximum in perpendicular wave number (perpendicular with respect to the applied magnetic field) due to a lower hybrid resonance. The ion …

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Design, Construction And Testing Of An Innovative Mechanism For Manual Wheelchair Propulsion, Thomas S. Burke Jr. May 2002

Design, Construction And Testing Of An Innovative Mechanism For Manual Wheelchair Propulsion, Thomas S. Burke Jr.

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The concern for people with disabilities who are users of wheelchairs has become a dynamic research area in the past several years. As part of this research, new and innovative mechanisms that give the manual wheelchair users a mechanical advantage, and allow them to operate a standard wheelchair with less effort and muscle strain are being developed.;An innovative mechanism has been conceived, designed, built, and tested. It allows the user to propel a standard wheelchair in both the push and pull strokes of the handle. This new design will allow for a more symmetric muscle development of the shoulder and …

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Investigation Of Frictional Resistance On Orthodontic Brackets When Subjected To Variable Moments, Edward Mah May 2002

Investigation Of Frictional Resistance On Orthodontic Brackets When Subjected To Variable Moments, Edward Mah

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Friction and binding occur in orthodontics during sliding mechanics. This paper evaluated the influence of a variable moment, simulating mastication, placed at the bracket-archwire interface to determine its effects on friction. Friction of self-ligating brackets were also compared to stainless steel and ceramic brackets. Six archwires were combined with four brackets. Friction (static, kinetic and dynamic) and load (dynamic and apparent stiffness) were measured. Dynamic friction was the frictional force that occurred when the applied force was variable (dynamic load). The results showed that static and kinetic friction were similar while dynamic friction was statistically greater. The Minitwin and Transcend …

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Induction -Year Mentors' Self -Perceptions And Reflections On Their Training And Administrative Support, Joy Rise Cowdery May 2002

Induction -Year Mentors' Self -Perceptions And Reflections On Their Training And Administrative Support, Joy Rise Cowdery

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine how induction-year mentors in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia perceived their jobs as mentors, reflected upon their training, and assessed their administrative support. By asking mentors to reflect upon their experiences as trained mentors, administrators may use this information to determine the extent to which what is happening in the field is perceived as effective and valuable by the participants charged with success of the mentoring programs. Mentoring, in this study, was examined through the lens of critical theory to determine if what was experienced by mentors in their training programs …

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Analysis Of Complex Ventilation Networks In Multiple Fan Coal Mines, Khaled Ali El-Nagdy May 2002

Analysis Of Complex Ventilation Networks In Multiple Fan Coal Mines, Khaled Ali El-Nagdy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Coal mines require very effective and proper ventilation systems not only to keep the levels of explosive, harmful gases and dust to a safe level but also to deliver enough fresh air for miners to breathe. Depending upon the size of the mine and the quantity of gases and dust in this mine, it could be ventilated by using a single fan or several fans. There are two types of fans used in mines: vane axial and centrifugal.;In multiple-fan systems, each individual fan influences the performance of the whole system, including the other fans. Each fan in the system has …

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Combustion Analysis And Particulate Mutagenicity Characterization For A Single-Cylinder Diesel Engine Fueled By Fischer -Tropsch Derived Liquids, Michael Hayden Mcmillian May 2002

Combustion Analysis And Particulate Mutagenicity Characterization For A Single-Cylinder Diesel Engine Fueled By Fischer -Tropsch Derived Liquids, Michael Hayden Mcmillian

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Further growth of diesel engines in the light-duty and heavy-duty vehicular markets is closely linked to the potential health risks of diesel exhaust. Cleaner burning fuels, such as those derived from natural gas via the Fischer-Tropsch (FT) process, offer a potentially economically viable alternative to standard diesel fuel. As part of this study, a two-liter, single-cylinder, four-stroke direct-injected engine was instrumented for in-cylinder pressure measurements. The emissions and performance data from engine operation with Federal low sulfur No. 2 diesel fuel (DF) and natural gas derived FT fuel were compared. Also as part of the study, an investigation was carried …

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Parameter Identification Of Induction Motor Using A Genetic Algorithm, Edina Bajrektarevic May 2002

Parameter Identification Of Induction Motor Using A Genetic Algorithm, Edina Bajrektarevic

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

High performance variable-speed machines incorporate a model for the system in either the controller or state estimation stages. The accuracy and general robustness of the machine is dependant on this model. Therefore, it must accurately represent both the electrical and electromagnetic interactions within the machine and associated mechanical systems. Recently, some new technologies have been tested in the field of electromechanics like neural networks, fuzzy logic, simulated annealing and genetic algorithms. These methods are increasingly being utilized in solving electric machine problems.;In this thesis, a genetic algorithm (GA)---a form of artificial intelligence---is employed to identify the electric parameters of induction …

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Development Of An Innovative Connection For Frp Bridge Decks To Steel Girders, Jennifer Elaine Righman May 2002

Development Of An Innovative Connection For Frp Bridge Decks To Steel Girders, Jennifer Elaine Righman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The focus of this study is to develop an efficient connection to attach FRP bridge decks to steel girders. A new connection is designed which is versatile, cost-efficient, reliable and easy to install. The performance of this connection is then verified experimentally by a two-phase testing program. The first phase is concerned with individual component testing using modified push-out tests. The second phase is directed to implementing the connection in a reduced-scale bridge to evaluate the connection's system-level performance. Results of the experimental testing program are discussed. In addition, a finite element model of the reduced-scale bridge is formulated and …

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Energy Analysis And Diagnostics In Wood Manufacturing Industry, Amol Anant Mate May 2002

Energy Analysis And Diagnostics In Wood Manufacturing Industry, Amol Anant Mate

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

It would be extremely beneficial if more energy analysis and research is done in wood manufactring (SIC 24). This thesis and research work is concerned with the energy analysis and diagnostics in wood manufacturing industry in West Virginia. This work involves actually conducting site assessments at several lumber and wood manufacturing plants in West Virginia. Using the collected data, we determined energy conservation opportunities and made recommendations. It is important that manufacturers understand the potential for these assessment recommendations with respect to the parameters governing them. Research emphasis is on the demand side management. We found that demand charge plays …

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Manufacture And Rehabilitation Of Guardrail Posts Using Composite Fabrics, Ram Chamarthy May 2002

Manufacture And Rehabilitation Of Guardrail Posts Using Composite Fabrics, Ram Chamarthy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT) uses approximately 50,000 wood and 200,000 steel guardrail posts on an annual basis. The need to develop guardrail posts made of a different material is motivated by the high cost of steel, along with the greater difficulty associated with driving large diameter wood posts.;The primary objective of this study was to develop a Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) wood post that is more cost effective than a steel post and has smaller diameter than a conventional wood post. Another objective was to develop a portable fabric-wrapping machine for field applications.;Unwrapped and GFRP wrapped …

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Pulse Charging Lead-Acid Batteries To Improve Performance And Reverse The Effects Of Sulfation, Robert B. Cooper May 2002

Pulse Charging Lead-Acid Batteries To Improve Performance And Reverse The Effects Of Sulfation, Robert B. Cooper

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

When lead-acid batteries are improperly charged or discharged, useful power delivered to loads diminishes. One cause for this is a phenomenon generally referred to as sulfation. One possible method that has been proposed by many to reverse the effects of sulfation is to recharge the lead-acid battery using a pulse charger. To gain a better understanding of the possible benefits of this type of charging, a pulse charger/discharger was constructed. Cycle testing was then done on six pairs of batteries to compare the pulse charged batteries to conventional full-wave rectifier charged batteries. The results of the tests showed that pulse …

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Comparison Of 19mm Superpave And Marshall Base Ii Mixes In West Virginia, Vasavi Kanneganti May 2002

Comparison Of 19mm Superpave And Marshall Base Ii Mixes In West Virginia, Vasavi Kanneganti

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Superior Performing Asphalt Pavements (Superpave(TM)) asphalt concrete mix design method was developed through Strategic Highway Program (SHRP) in 1993. With the introduction of Superpave mix design, the Marshall method of mix design is becoming obsolete for highway pavements. Superpave implementation varies by state. The WVDOH has implemented Superpave on all National Highway System projects since 1997. The decision regarding implementation of Superpave for low volume roads in WV is still under review.;The primary objective of this research work was to compare the 19mm Superpave and Base II Marshall design mixes in WV to supplement information required for WVDOH to …

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Degree Sequences, Rong Luo May 2002

Degree Sequences, Rong Luo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A nonincreasing sequence pi = (d1, d2,···,dn) of nonnegative integers is said to be graphic if it is the degree sequence of a simple graph of order n and such graph is referred to as a realization of pi.;Let H be a simple graph. A graphic sequence pi is said to be potentially H-graphic if it has a realization G containing H as its subgraph.;In this paper, we characterize the potentially Ck graphic sequence for k = 3, 4, 5. These characterizations imply theorems due to P. Erdos, M. S. Jacobson and J. Lehel, R. J. Gould, M. S. Jacobson …

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Random Search Of And-Or Graphs Representing Finite-State Models, David Robert Owen May 2002

Random Search Of And-Or Graphs Representing Finite-State Models, David Robert Owen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Model checking tools have been effective in testing concurrent software represented by communicating finite-state machines. But these tools may require a very large amount of memory. A finite-state model can be translated automatically into a compact AND-OR graph. We use an abductive random search scheme to extract, from the AND-OR graph, information about the execution of the program represented by the original finite-state model.;We use the search to measure testability. For AND-OR graphs representing highly testable programs, we find quickly everything it is possible to find; that is, if the number of unique goals found is plotted, we see a …

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Design Of A Prototype Personal Static Var Compensator, Scott Alan Zemerick May 2002

Design Of A Prototype Personal Static Var Compensator, Scott Alan Zemerick

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The focus of this thesis is the design and implementation of a personal static var compensator (PSVC) for distributed var control through load power factor correction. The PSVC demonstrates the two key benefits of power factor correction, which include decreased power costs and increased system capacity. The PSVC prototype consists of two types of branches---a TSC branch and a TCR branch. A microprocessor is responsible for calculating the load displacement power factor (PFD) and for executing the fuzzy logic control scheme for the two branches. The PSVC was found to reduce the RMS current drawn by a 55-watt AC motor …

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Electrical Impedance Of Methane Flat Flame, Jeffrey William Rinker May 2002

Electrical Impedance Of Methane Flat Flame, Jeffrey William Rinker

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

As part of an ongoing effort to improve emissions and increase efficiency of natural gas fired turbines, this work was undertaken to determine if electrical impedance measurements of the flame are a direct indication of fuel/air ratio. Previous worked measured electrical resistance of the combustion of gases in an atmospheric combustor. From this work, it was conjectured that the complex impedance might provide more information about the flame than using pure resistance. This thesis discusses the measurement of the complex electrical impedance of a Methane Flat Flame Burner. The data shows a relationship between the magnitude of the impedance and …

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Design And Implementation Of Web-Based Gis For Forest Fragmentation Analysis, Fei Wang May 2002

Design And Implementation Of Web-Based Gis For Forest Fragmentation Analysis, Fei Wang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The advantages and limitations of current web GIS software for forest fragmentation information and analysis functionality were investigated using Landsat Thematic Mapper data of 1987 to 1999 for a test site in northern West Virginia. ESRI's ArcIMS technology was used to build a Web-based forest fragmentation analysis system to query, represent, and analyze the status of forest fragmentation using landscape metrics. Both ArcIMS HTML and Java fragmentation analysis tools were constructed. The web GIS was evaluated with respect to accessibility, navigation, interactive cartographic functionality, and spatial analysis functionality. The current ArcIMS approach was found to offer only limited support for …

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Tone Classification Of Syllable -Segmented Thai Speech Based On Multilayer Perceptron, Nuttavudh Satravaha May 2002

Tone Classification Of Syllable -Segmented Thai Speech Based On Multilayer Perceptron, Nuttavudh Satravaha

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Thai is a monosyllabic and tonal language. Thai makes use of tone to convey lexical information about the meaning of a syllable. Thai has five distinctive tones and each tone is well represented by a single F0 contour pattern. In general, a Thai syllable with a different tone has a different lexical meaning. Thus, to completely recognize a spoken Thai syllable, a speech recognition system has not only to recognize a base syllable but also to correctly identify a tone. Hence, tone classification of Thai speech is an essential part of a Thai speech recognition system.;In this study, a tone …

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Chebyshev Pseudospectral Methods For Conservation Laws With Source Terms And Applications To Multiphase Flow, Scott Alan Sarra May 2002

Chebyshev Pseudospectral Methods For Conservation Laws With Source Terms And Applications To Multiphase Flow, Scott Alan Sarra

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Pseudospectral methods are well known to produce superior results for the solution of partial differential equations whose solutions have a certain amount of regularity. Recent advances have made possible the use of spectral methods for the solution of conservation laws whose solutions may contain shocks. We use a recently described Super Spectral Viscosity method to obtain stable approximations of Systems of Nonlinear Hyperbolic Conservation Laws. A recently developed postprocessing method, which is theoretically capable of completely removing the Gibbs phenomenon from the Super Spectral Viscosity approximation, is examined. The postprocessing method has shown great promise when applied in some simple …

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Stream Water Quality Management: A Stochastic Mixed-Integer Programming Model., Md Kamar Ali Jan 2002

Stream Water Quality Management: A Stochastic Mixed-Integer Programming Model., Md Kamar Ali

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Water quality management under the US Environmental Protection Agency's watershed approach requires that water quality standards be maintained throughout the year. The main purpose of this research was to develop a methodology that incorporates inter-temporal variations in stream conditions through statistical distributions of pollution loading variables. This was demonstrated through a general stochastic cost minimization mixed-integer linear programming (MIP) model. Traditional approaches for addressing variability in stream conditions are unlikely to satisfy the assumptions on which these methodologies are founded or are inadequate in addressing the problem correctly when distributions are not normal. The MIP model solves for the location …

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The Efficacy Of Web-Based Training Versus Face-To-Face Instruction In Learning Hate Crime Identification And Scoring In The Criminal Justice Environment., Maryvictoria Pyne Jan 2002

The Efficacy Of Web-Based Training Versus Face-To-Face Instruction In Learning Hate Crime Identification And Scoring In The Criminal Justice Environment., Maryvictoria Pyne

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Organizations are facing many problems as they strive to maintain a well-trained workforce. A diverse workforce separated by location and work schedule as well as decreases in funding, personnel, training materials, and other resources, face-to-face training has become more difficult to accomplish. Paradoxically, because of the increase in job knowledge, fast-paced business practices, and the flood of technological innovations, now more than ever it is imperative that organizations have a workforce that is fully prepared to meet the challenges of the workplace. As a result, organizations must find effective, alternate ways to ensure that their employees have the information they …

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Acceptable Casualties: Power, Culture, And History In The West Virginia Coalfields, 1900-1945., Paul Hellmut Rakes Jan 2002

Acceptable Casualties: Power, Culture, And History In The West Virginia Coalfields, 1900-1945., Paul Hellmut Rakes

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

West Virginia's coal mining industry experienced extremely high casualty rates during the first half of the twentieth century. This study examines the cultural, political, and technological factors that contributed to the hazardous nature of mining and prevented significant improvements in mine safety. The period was characterized by rapid advancements in technology which enabled mine operations to expand significantly. However, these technological improvements unleashed dangerous forces underground, such as increased accumulations of coal dust. The adverse impact of technological innovation was incompletely understood by miners and operators alike, especially during the early years of the century. When West Virginia experienced a …

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Training And System Implementation Impact Study Subtitled: "But We Just Got Used To The Old System!"., Barbara A. Matey Jan 2002

Training And System Implementation Impact Study Subtitled: "But We Just Got Used To The Old System!"., Barbara A. Matey

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Anyone who is a participant in today's workforce can attest to the fact that change is a constant and that workplace changes are often brought about by new or upgraded technology, which often means that a worker may become accustomed to a particular system, only to discover that it will soon be replaced with a new one. Today's technology is often packaged in the form of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system that revolutionizes the company's processes and brings about massive changes in the production of goods and services. These systems promise both the integration of different departments of a …

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Building The Beaver And Lake Erie Canal: The Politics Of Public Improvements In Pennsylvania, 1783-1845., William David Mccarthy Jan 2002

Building The Beaver And Lake Erie Canal: The Politics Of Public Improvements In Pennsylvania, 1783-1845., William David Mccarthy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Patterns of commerce and settlement in colonial America were shaped by watercourses and portages. Road building skills were primitive and boating represented the most effective means of moving bulk freight and passengers. Traders and frontiersmen leading the advance of European settlement into the Appalachian Mountains therefore adopted the shortest crossings between watersheds. Natural conditions in Pennsylvania did not promote an orderly advance westward and produced isolated clusters of settlement around Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, with small and widespread settlements in Northwest Pennsylvania. State leaders were hard pressed to define the limits of Pennsylvania until the end of the eighteenth century, and …

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Development Of Mechanistic-Empirical Damage Assessment Procedures For Crc Pavements With Emphasis On Traffic Loading Characteristics., Olga I. Selezneva Jan 2002

Development Of Mechanistic-Empirical Damage Assessment Procedures For Crc Pavements With Emphasis On Traffic Loading Characteristics., Olga I. Selezneva

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Edge punchout has been long recognized as the prevailing mode of structural failure in Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavements (CRCP) and yet, has remained relatively unexplored and unexplained. The existing design and evaluation procedures for CRCP employ American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) equations for the jointed concrete pavements and the Equivalent Single Axle Load (ESAL) approach that will neither predict nor address edge punchouts. A comprehensive procedure for prediction of CRCP structural deterioration based on fundamental mechanical principles was developed in this study. This procedure directly considers the key design factors and site conditions affecting formation of edge …

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Technologies Of A "New World" Citizenship: American Frontier Narratives In The Late-Twentieth Century., Catherine Courtney Gouge Jan 2002

Technologies Of A "New World" Citizenship: American Frontier Narratives In The Late-Twentieth Century., Catherine Courtney Gouge

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Many contemporary American narratives about frontiers emphasize the displacement of the American Dream of infinite resources to a space that is always just beyond our reach and underscore the effect of the frontier as a means for Americans to organize a psychic identity, an identity that achieves stability and coherence through images of exploring and colonizing the frontier. Such texts invoke images of power and control to suggest that to be American we must find and pursue frontiers. Each of the late-twentieth century American narratives I look at in this project testifies to the enduring power of the concept of …

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