Digital Commons Network^™

Reliability And Accuracy Of A Gps Unit For Tracking Vehicles In Palm Beach And Broward Counties, Strat Maud Gael Le

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

The purpose of this thesis was to study the reliability and the accuracy of GPS positioning in Palm Beach and Broward counties. By studying the predictions of DOP values using Pathfinder Office and performing some statistical analysis on theoretical GPS data using the software SAS 8.0, the conclusion was made that PDOP values not only depend on the number of available satellites, but also on their relative positions. By field testing, and comparing the recorded data with the theoretical GPS data, it was seen that non-DGPS could be rather accurate. Furthermore, it can be justified for a GPS unit to …

Remote Labs: Design And Implementation Issues, Samer M. Aoudi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

This thesis proposes the use of remote laboratory experiments in distance education as a tool to add a reality factor to the distance learning process, thus combining the convenience of distance education with the effectiveness of the traditional physical campus, through its laboratories and technological resources. Moreover, this research studies the different aspects of distance education and remote labs and then provides a proposition to develop an effective remote laboratory setup. Furthermore, it introduces and discusses the different components of a general remote lab experiment and applies the proposed process to an actual remote lab experiment, namely 'The Characteristics of …

Scattering And Response Green's Function Modeling Of A Fluid-Loaded Coated Cylindrical Shell, Carole. Treffot

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

An acoustic compliant coating is applied on a fluid-loaded structure to control the radiated pressure, by decoupling the fluid medium from the vibrating surface. In this thesis the problem of an infinite cylindrical shell immersed in a fluid and entirely covered with an acoustic compliant layer, excited either by a ring force or an incident acoustic plane wave is considered. To model this problem two different approaches are used. The first one, which is available in the literature, is based on multi-layer shell theory. In this approach the scalar and the vector potential formulation are used to solve for the …

Software Fault Prediction Using Tree-Based Models, Naeem A. Seliya

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

Maintaining superior quality and reliability in software systems is of utmost importance in today's world. Early fault prediction is a proven method for achieving this. Tree based modelling is a simple and effective method that can be used to predict the number of faults in a software system. In this thesis, we use regression tree based modelling to predict the number of faults in a software module. The goal of this study is four-fold. First, a comparative study of the tree based modelling tools CART and S-PLUS. CART yielded simpler regression trees than those built by S-PLUS. Second, a comparative …

Software Development Behavior In Small Organizations, Muhammed Zubair Chaudhry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

As the software industry continues to mature, best practices have been defined to improve the quality and productivity of software development. Adoption rates of these practices are better understood for large organizations as compared to small standalone organizations. Based on surveys and interviews, this study analyzes the utilization of software development best practices by small software organizations, and the factors that influence different levels of adoption. The results demonstrate that context is the main determinant of adoption, driven by competitive pressures, organizational incentives, and prior exposure to best practices. Consulting firms were influenced by their contractual relationship with the client, …

Soil-Geosynthetic Reinforcement Interaction For Mechanically Stabilized Earth (Mse) Wall Systems, Fernando Manuel Navarrete

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

The dissertation is an experimental and analytical investigation of the long term performance of mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls with geosynthetics, with particular focus on rational methods to enable the determination of the applicable factors for use in Load Resistance Factor Design (LRFD). An overview of current issues concerning MSE walls is followed by an extensive literature review addressing MSE walls, pullout strength, creep and creep rupture, durability and degradation, design methodology, analytical prediction, and field evaluation of MSE walls. The experimental tasks comprise: (i) creep and creep rupture, (ii) durability and degradation, (iii) small scale testing of MSE walls …

Study On Bluetooth And Mobile Ip/Cdpd Technologies: Performance Considerations And Emi/Rfi Implications, Jesada. Sivaraks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

What have been envisaged and focused in the research as deliberated in this dissertation, refer to certain state-of-the-art perspectives of modern wireless telecommunications. Specifically, the objectives and scope of the research efforts carried out include systematic analyses of two major wireless technologies, namely, the Bluetooth(TM) and the CDPD system. The relevant tasks undertaken refer to analytical modeling, experimental studies and simulations pertinent to the performance considerations of the test systems subjected to EMI/RFI influences. The following can be enumerated as the specific research endeavors pursued and completed: (1) Identification of performance implications in the Bluetooth(TM) and CDPD wireless transmissions subjected …

Synchronization In Digital Wireless Radio Receivers, Mohamed Khalid Nezami

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) architecture is an established technology for digital cellular, personal and satellite communications, as it supports variable data rate transmission and simplified receiver design. Due to transmission bandwidth restrictions, increasing user demands and the necessity to operate at lower signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), the TDMA systems employ high order modulation schemes such as M-ary Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (M-QAM) and burst transmission. Use of such techniques in low SNR fading channels causes degradations of carrier frequency error, phase rotation error, and symbol timing jitter. To compensate for the severe degradation due to additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) and …

Subspace Detection And Scale Evolutionary Eigendecomposition, Spyros C. Kyperountas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

A measure of the potential of a receiver for detection is detectability. Detectability is a function of the signal and noise, and given any one of them the detectability is fixed. In addition, complete transforms of the signal and noise cannot change detectability. Throughout this work we show that "Subspace methods" as defined here can improve detectability in specific subspaces, resulting in improved Receiver Operating Curves (ROC) and thus better detection in arbitrary noise environments. Our method is tested and verified on various signals and noises, both simulated and real. The optimum detection of signals in noise requires the computation …

Synthesis Characterization And Ion Exchange Properties Of Aluminum Phosphonates, Rupert Garth Mccormack

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

Three aluminum organophosphonate compounds; aluminum phenylphosphonate, aluminum octylphosphonate, and aluminum octadecylphosphonate, have been synthesized by refluxing aluminum nitrate with an excess of the appropriate organophosphonic acid in aqueous, methanol, or butanol solvents respectively. Each of these compounds was found to have pillared layered structures and ligand to metal ratios of 2:1. Additionally, these compounds were shown to exhibit cation exchange properties. In contrast to that observed for conventional cation-exchange resins, the exchange capacities of these compounds are larger for small cations, such as Li+ and Na+, than for larger ions such as Na+ and K+. The results indicate a size …

Target Signature For A Periodic Structure Using A Low-Frequency Broadband Side-Scan Simulator, Jerrold Edward Gilbert Dietz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

Many acoustic targets of interest contain features that are periodic in space. This thesis demonstrates that a chirp waveform, 2 kHz to 12 kHz, can detect repetitive structures with periods in the range of 0.125 m to 0.75 m. As aspect angle increases from 0 deg to 90 deg, a frequency shift in the range of 830 Hz to 4800 Hz will occur as the period decreases from 0.75 to 0.125 m. It follows that, spectral analysis can aid in target identification. A sonar propagation model has been developed to simulate the acoustic backscattered energy of a target with periodic …

The Use Of Nesting Initiation Dates Of Roseate Spoonbills ( Ajaia Ajaja) In Northeastern Florida Bay As An Ecosystem Indicator For Water Management Practices, 1935--1999, Rodriguez Elsa Marcella Alvear

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

Quantity and timing of freshwater flow from the Everglades to Florida Bay varied under different water management practices in the twentieth century, with negative ecological repercussions. Ecological indicators that respond to differences in hydrology, such as wading bird colony dynamics, can be used for hydrological restoration projects. I examined the possibility of using timing of nesting of Roseate Spoonbills (Ajaia ajaja) in northeastern Florida Bay as an ecological indicator. Nest initiation dates (N = 51) from 1936--1999 (x = November 25) were calculated from numerous published and unpublished sources. The dates were strikingly consistent and did not show significant trends …

Theory Of And A Novel Approach To High-Stability Frequency Control Circuits, David J. Brunell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

Portable, wireless devices have become ubiquitous, and ever-increasing requirements of functionality and reliability are being placed upon these devices. There is a need to accommodate the oft-conflicting requirements of small size, low power consumption, low cost, and extremely accurate control of frequency. To address these RF design requirements, a comprehensive survey of existing frequency-control methods is presented, followed by a novel design which accomplishes a high degree of frequency accuracy through the use of direct digital synthesis and a software seeking algorithm. The proposed design can be implemented pursuant to the requirements of current and future portable wireless devices.

Transducer Design For Underwater Acoustic Communications Using The Finite Element Method, Jean-Philippe M J Jacquemin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

The behavior of radially polarized free-flooded ring (FFR) transducers is studied for application in underwater acoustic communications. Theoretical models are first presented. Then the finite element method (FEM) is introduced and a FEM model for the FFR transducer is proposed. Experimental data are collected and compared to the simulation results with good correspondence. A series of FEM simulations lead then to optimum geometrical parameters for a fine-tuned FFR transducer dedicated to underwater acoustic communications. Finally, stack transducers models and the piezocomposite technology are presented as possible improvement of the present transducer.

Using Geographic Information Systems To Produce Time Area Diagrams For The Clark Hydrograph Method, Michael Francis Kohler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

Methodologies in GIS are used to compute stream flows for a watershed in Northern California by implementing the Clark Hydrograph Method. GIS algorithms are used to produce time area diagrams with time of concentration formula. These methods are compared to a simulation in HEC-HMS with the dimensionless TAD equation and the ModClark Method. Each GIS method is used to estimate the hydrograph for a measured rainfall event. The accuracy of each of the methods is explored using the HEC objective function, mean squared error, and other statistical measures of correlation. Advantages and limitations of the GIS methodologies are examined and …

Thermal And Stress Analysis Of Heterojunction Bipolar Transistor, Jose Fernando Rivero

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

The objective of this work is to perform the current induce thermal stress analysis of heterojunction bipolar transistor and to determine the implications of the variation of the thermal shunt thickness. A thesis presented on multi-physics using finite element analysis, covering fluid, thermal and stress with fatigue life analysis of a microelectronic heterojunction bipolar transistor.

Using Color Image Processing Techniques To Improve The Performance Of Content-Based Image Retrieval Systems, Fabio Morais Costa

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

A Content-Based Image Retrieval (CBIR) system is a mechanism intended to retrieve a particular image from a large image repository without resorting to any additional information about the image. Query-by-example (QBE) is a technique used by CBIR systems where an image is retrieved from the database based on an example given by the user. The effectiveness of a CBIR system can be measured by two main indicators: how close the retrieved results are to the desired image and how fast we got those results. In this thesis, we implement some classical image processing operations in order to improve the average …

Wavelet-Based Detector For Underwater Communication, Branko. Petljanski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

The need for reliable underwater communication at Florida Atlantic University is critical in transmitting data to and from Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV) and remote sensors. Since a received signal is corrupted with ambient ocean noise, the nature of such noise is investigated. Furthermore, we establish connection between ambient ocean noise and fractal noise. Since the matched filter is designed under the assumption that noise is white, performance degradation of the matched filter due non-white noise is investigated. We show empirical results that the wavelet transform provides an approximate Karhunen-Loeve expansion for 1/f-type noise. Since whitening can improve only broadband signals, …

Hydrogeological Study Of The Dongolocking Reserves, Dumbleyung, Western Australia, Ben Whitfield

Resource management technical reports

The aims of the hydrogeological study were to assess the characteristics of aquifers within the weathered zone, throughout the Dongolocking Reserves and in the surrounding farmland; provide baseline data on root zone salt store (EM38) and vertical distribution of stored salts (EM38) through the use of ground-based geophysical techniques; identify remnant bush at risk of salinisation; suggest management options to address any observed salinity problems; provide a groundwater monitoring network.

Development Of An Industrial Technology Associates Degree For Lake Region College, Michael L. Nottestad

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Meeting Research & Publication Requirements In An Undergraduate E T Program Through Senior Design Projects, Alok K. Verma

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

(First paragraph) Success in an Engineering Technology programs has been traditionally evaluated based upon three factors namely, Teaching, Research and Service. While the relative ranking of these factors is arguable 1,5, it is the research (and the associated requirement of publication) which causes great anxiety for faculty in ET programs. This is specially true, in view of increasing emphasis placed on the research and publication by the ET programs in the nation. A number of articles have been written on the promotion and tenure requirements 2,3,4. Most of these publications discuss the general requirements of promotion and tenure and the …

Innovative Student Research Projects, Alok K. Verma

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Innovation in capstone projects, which should not be limited by external funding, is discussed. It is found that the properly designed unfunded senior projects can offer quality learning experience for students. Involvement of industry is a key factor for a successful capstone course. Innovative research projects can be offered under various organizational framework.

Prototype Development For A Leak-Preventive Toilet Flush System- An Met Senior Design (Capstone) Project, Cheng Y. Lin

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

A senior design (Capstone) project for three mechanical engineering technology students at Old Dominion University is described. A prototype design is presented to perform the functional test of a leak-preventive toilet system. There are two major leaks in the toilet water tank. In the first case, leaking occurs when the seal in the water tank becomes aged. The leak is very easy to detect visually, since the outside of the tank and the floor becomes wet. In the second case, leak occurs when the flapper valve can't complete shut off the water, due to corrosion or damage of the rubber …

Factors Of Team Success : A Study Of North Dakota State University Extension Service Professionals In A Volunteer Setting, Michael E. Hanson

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Student Perception Of The Online Approach To Technology Teacher Education At Valley City State University : A Study Of Twenty Students, James Allen Boe

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Cost Of Eliminating A Military Standard, Andrew Stark

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Economic Impacts Of Salinity On Townsite Infrastructure, Rural Towns Management Committee, Department Of Agriculture.

Bulletins 4000 -

The study looked at six case study towns: Katanning, Brookton, Corrigin, Cranbrook, Merriden and Morawa. Recommendations are mde for each town to manage salinity issues.

Farming Systems To Manage Salinity. Farmer Directed Research, Development And Extension. Research Results 2001, Richard Olive

Natural resources published reports

More and more of Western Australia's agnicultural lands are becoming saline. Currently it is estimated that about 18 milliion ha of land are affected to a greater or lesser degree by salinity causing production losses estimated at about $70 million a year.

Unless ways are found to halt and reverse the salinisation of land it is estimated that another 4.4 million ha could become saline over the next 50 years.

Grain growers and the Federal Government, through the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC). are investing $12 4 million in R&D across Australia to develop productive solutions to the salinity …

Soilguide (Soil Guide) : A Handbook For Understanding And Managing Agricultural Soils, Geoff Allan Moore

Bulletins 4000 -

This handbook integrates the current knowledge of soils in south-western Australia in a user-friendly form. It describes how to assess which soil properties influence production and land degradation in the agricultural area and summarises management options to remedy or minimise soil limitations. The potential for growing a large range of crops and pastures can be assessed. In particular, the links between soil morphology, soil properties, management and agronomy are emphasised. The manual is designed for use at the paddock scale or for site assessment, but it can also be used at a catchment or regional scale. It is specifically designed …

Search For Resonance Decays To A V̄ Plus Jet In E+P Scattering At Desy Hera, J. Breitweg, S. Chekanov, M. Derrick, D. Krakauer, S. Magill, B. Musgrave, A. Pellegrino, J. Repond, R. Stanek, R. Yoshida, Margarita C. K. Mattingly, P. Antonioli, G. Bari, M. Basile, L. Bellagamba, D. Boscherini, A. Bruni, G. Bruni, G. Cara Romeo, L. Cifarelli, F. Cindolo, A. Contin, M. Corradi, S. De Pasquale, P. Giusti, G. Lacobucci, G. Levi, A. Margotti, T. Massam, R. Nania, F. Palmonari

Faculty Publications

A study of the v̄-jet mass spectrum in e+p→v̄X events at a center-of-mass energy 300 GeV has been performed with the ZEUS detector at the HERA collider at DESY using an integrated luminosity of 47.7 pb-1. The mass spectrum is in good agreement with that expected from standard model processes over the v̄-jet mass range studied. No significant excess attributable to the decay of a narrow resonance is observed. By using both e+p→>e+X and e+p-vX data, mass-dependent limits are set on the s-channel production of scalar and vector resonant states. Couplings to first-generation quarks are considered and limits are …