Digital Commons Network^™

Estimate At Completion For Construction Projects, Yi Fang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Construction projects are complex and risky because there are so many variables that may affect their profitability especially in terms of their cost and schedule. The information provided by the measurement of progress, the expended dollars and the forecasting of the outcome of a construction project will provide valuable information as to how to proceed, the impacts, corrective action required, and the trade-offs necessary to maximize profits and minimize risk. This study focused on using different indicators to measure the schedule performance and cost performance of construction projects, and to predict final cost and duration by the moving average and …

Thermal Rearrangement Of 4-Aryl-4-Hydroxy-2-Cyclobuten-1-Ones And Application Of The Methodology In The Formation Of Benzofuronaphthoquinones And Benzocarbazolequinones, Kimberly Denise Fisher

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Cyclobutenediones have proven useful as starting materials for synthesis of highly functionalized biologically relevant molecules. The rearrangement of cyclobutendiones has a wide synthetic scope and can be utilized as a key step in the construction of quinones, benzo[o]isoxazoles, and 3-methylenoxoindoles having a variety of substitution patterns. Construction of these molecules involves thermolysis of 4-hydroxy-2,4-di-aryl-2-cyclobutenones derived from squaric acid ester. In each of the cases the mechanism proceeds through an initial ring opening of the cyclobutene to afford a ketene intermediate that subsequently undergoes a ring closure with various intermolecular nucleophiles. This methodology has been utilized in the construction of an …

Web-Based Relay Management With Biometric Authentication, Brian Graeber

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis proposes a web-based system for managing digital relay settings. These relays are deployed in the power system to protect sensitive and expensive equipment from physical damage during system faults and overload conditions. Providing this capability exposes these devices to the same cyber security threats that corporations have faced for many years.;This thesis investigates the risks and requirements for deploying the proposed system. A breakdown in the protection that these relays provide would cause power outages. The cost of outages can be significant. Therefore cyber security is critical in the system design. Cyber security requirements for the power industry …

Feasibility And Optimum Design Study Of A Low Speed Wind Turbine Rotor System For Underground Communication Power, John E. Harman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A need has been recognized to have battery charging capabilities in underground mines, independent of outside AC power sources. In the event of emergency, the radios located throughout underground mines stay charged for periods insufficient to ensure the safety of trapped mineworkers. Air is always being distributed to supply oxygen and to dilute explosive gases throughout all sections of the mine. An idea to charge the batteries using the energy stored in the moving air was recently proposed. The feasibility of using a small wind turbine to charge the batteries in this airlflow will be addressed by this thesis. If …

Study Of The Variations In Continuous Diesel Particulate Matter Size Measurements And Effect Of Fuel Properties On Dpm Size, Kevin Anthony Chappell Flaim

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Heavy-duty diesel engines (HDDE), because of their widespread use and reputation of expelling excessive soot, have frequently been held responsible for superfluous amounts of overall environmental particulate matter (PM). PM is a considerable contributor to air pollution, and a subject of primary concern to health and regulatory agencies worldwide. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has provided PM emissions regulations and standards of measurement techniques since the 1980's. PM standards set forth by the EPA for HDDEs are based only on total mass, instead of size and/or concentration. The European Union is considering regulating particle size, and it may influence …

Seasonal Changes In Diel Cycling Of Dissolved Iron Species In A Coal Mine Drainage Impacted Creek, Daniel B. Harris

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Diel fluctuations of pH, specific conductance and Fe species have been documented in Dillan Creek, a small coal mine-impacted tributary to Deckers Creek, WV. Samples were collected hourly over 16-20 hour periods and analyzed for dissolved Fe(II) and dissolved total Fe using a Hach DR2800 spectrophotometer. Fe(II) concentrations increased during the day and decreased at night during late winter sampling. Sampling conducted in the summer shows an opposite trend with Fe(II) increasing at night and decreasing during the day. Discrepancies between timing of cycles indicate a seasonal variation of controlling mechanisms. In winter, iron cycles are likely controlled by photoreduction …

Computational Analysis Of Pitch Stability For A Slotted Airfoil In Ground Effect, Meagan L. Hubbell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Ground effect is a phenomenon which occurs when flow is displaced around a moving body in close proximity to the ground. This displacement is caused by compressed air that becomes trapped during motion between the body and the ground. The added upward thrust caused by ground effect can be used to generate and augment lift on a small aircraft. AirRay is a small single person, recreational downhill glider that operates within this ground effect. When launched from the top of a hill, it can glide to the base using ground effect for lift.;One of the amplified effects of operating close …

Automatic Control And Fault Diagnosis Of Mems Lateral Comb Resonators, Afshin Izadian

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Recent advancements in microfabrication of Micro Electro Mechanical Systems have made MEMS an important part of many applications such as safety and sensor/control devices. Miniature structure of MEMS makes them very sensitive to the environmental and operating conditions. In addition, fault in the device might change the parameters and result in unwanted behavioral variations. Therefore, imperfect device structure, fault and operating point dependencies suggest for active control of MEMS.;This research is focused on two main areas of control and fault diagnosis of MEMS devices. In the control part, the application of adaptive controllers is introduced for trajectory control of the …

Lidar, Gis, And Multivariate Statistical Analysis To Assess Landslide Risk, Horseshoe Run Watershed, West Virginia, Kory M. Konsoer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Current stream restoration practices focus on stabilizing banks, transporting sediment, and creating aquatic habitats. However, only channel morphology data are collected prior to typical restoration project designs. A more thorough approach to assessing restoration projects incorporates the geomorphology of the contributing hillslopes within the watershed. For this project, a landslide risk assessment was conducted for Horseshoe Run watershed in West Virginia using LiDAR data, GIS, and multivariate statistical analysis to provide the restoration projects with information concerning the geomorphology of the hillslopes and identify areas of greater risk for slope failure. A landslide inventory map was created using field observations …

Flame Retardants For Abs And Abs-Matrix Wood-Plastic Composites, Tze-Wei Liu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The goal of this study was to recycle acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) into wood plastic composites (WPCs). One major concern in this application is flammability. Thus, halogenated and non-halogenated flame retardants (FRs) were investigated. FRs were mixed with ABS using an internal mixer or an extruder, and samples were molded using a hot press or an injection molding machine. Mechanical properties were assessed by flexural tests, and flammability was measured by UL-94 type tests and limiting oxygen index. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and FTIR were also performed in order to understand the decomposition behavior of ABS-based WPCs.;Mechanical results showed that adding wood flour …

Cognitions Of The Community: The Worldview Of U.S. Intelligence, David Alex Mastro Ii

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation attempts to determine what the worldview of U.S. intelligence looks like so that it can be incorporated into America's intelligence identity. I argue that this is necessary to gain a better understanding of why the agencies that comprise the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) share several behaviors despite having different interests and preferences. To answer my research question, which asks what the worldview of U.S. intelligence is, I conceptualize the IC's core belief system about world politics (its worldview) as the five philosophical beliefs in an operational code. I hypothesize about how the IC views each of these cognitions …

Thresholds And Tolerance Of Physical Pain Among Young Adults Who Engage In Self-Injury, Katrina Mccoy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Prevalence rates of non-suicidal self-injury among college students ranges from 17% to 38%. Research indicates that individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) who self-injure sometimes report an absence of pain during self-injury. Furthermore, self-injury in the absence of pain has been associated with more frequent suicide attempts. The present study examined pain thresholds and tolerance among 44 college students (11 self-injurious and 33 non-self-injurious). Pain thresholds and tolerance were measured using an algometer pressure device which has been used to produce pain previous laboratory research. Self-injurious participants had higher pain tolerances than those who do not engage in self-injury. In …

Development Of A Computer Based Total Productive Maintenance Model For Electrical Motors, Aruna Muniswamy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Electrical motors are the major energy consuming equipment in US industries. They drive an innumerable number of processes that keep the industry running resulting in production of various consumer goods. A large number of motors (more than 40%) fail before reaching their design life.;Maintenance of motors is an important area of concern. A total productive maintenance model is designed and developed in Microsoft Access for electrical motors. The model takes input from the user regarding motor information, predictive tests data etc. The received data is processed and the output is displayed in the report. The report has a set of …

Bioinformatic Study Of Gamma-Secretase And Its Substrates, Fei Nan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

gamma-Secretase is an enzymatic complex critical to amyloid formation and other important pathophysiological processes. Non-specific gamma-secretase inhibitors are not ideal for intervention of familial Alzheimer's disease. The four essential include Presenilin (PS1 or PS-2), APH-1, Pen-2, nicastrin (Nct). Also gamma-secretase cleaves a variety of substrates (over 30). But different sites are cleaved even in a single substrate and no consensus sequence for cleavage by gamma-secretase is identified. We hypothesize that consensus compositional sequence (or functional domain) in components of gamma-secretase and/or its substrates should exist during gamma-secretase regulation and specific gamma-secretase inhibitor based on such consensus sequence (or functional domain) …

Neuropsychological Functioning Of College Students With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Melanie Ann Nuszkowski

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Individuals with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often experience significant impairment in multiple life domains not only during childhood, but also throughout their adult lives. While there is no single litmus test for identifying ADHD, neuropsychological tests have been proposed as one means of enhancing identification of ADHD in adults. Theories of ADHD have suggested that deficits in executive functioning underlie the symptom appearance for ADHD; however, meta-analyses have suggested that non-executive functioning skills provide nearly equal discriminatory results. Given the increasing proportion of students with ADHD who are pursuing postsecondary education, the need for further research addressing the impact …

A Computer Forensic Response To Hard Drive Encryption, Joseph Daniel Painter

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Standard procedures used by law enforcement for evidence preservation require removing power from the computer and going further analysis in a digital forensics laboratory. With the advent of easy to use, highly accessible hard drive encryption, access to potential evidence becomes much more volatile problem than in the past. This paper will look at several encryption methods available on the commercial market, discuss their impact on current best practices for hard drive recovery, and propose new procedures to deal with the possibility of encrypted information on a target computer.

Modeling, Identification And Control Of A Cold Flow Circulating Fluidized Bed, Rupendranath Panday

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Circulating fluidized bed (CFB) is used extensively in petrochemical industries especially for fluid catalytic cracking, coal combustion or gasification and various other chemical processes. In this work, data are used to identify cold flow circulating fluidized bed's (CFCFB) multiple sub models and to combine them into a single nonlinear model such that solids circulation rate can be estimated from the move air flow and riser aeration fed to the device, and the total pressure drop developed across the riser at extremely different experimental conditions.;The present work begins with a complete black box model of a state-space description arising from the …

Investigation Of Selenium And Arsenic In Coal-Mining Associated Rocks And Sediments Using Ultrasonic And Sequential Extractions Techniques, Innocent Pumure

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Ultrasound extraction was used to compare the accelerated release rates of arsenic and selenium from pulverized rocks associated with mountain-top removal/valley fill method of coal mining. The kinetic studies demonstrated that the release rates are dependent on rock lithology as well as the total concentrations found in the rocks. Se (IV) was found to be stable under ultrasonic irradiation (200 W/cm2) but As (III) was quickly oxidized to As (V). Rocks such as BT700 were found to have more Se (IV) compared to Se (VI) and others such as BT571 were found to contain more Se (VI) than Se (IV).;Continuous …

Mitigating The Effect Of Covariates In Face Recognition, Richa Singh

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Current face recognition systems capture faces of cooperative individuals in controlled environment as part of the face recognition process. It is therefore possible to control lighting, pose, background, and quality of images. However, in a real world application, we have to deal with both ideal and imperfect data. Performance of current face recognition systems is affected for such non-ideal and challenging cases. This research focuses on designing algorithms to mitigate the effect of covariates in face recognition.;To address the challenge of facial aging, an age transformation algorithm is proposed that registers two face images and minimizes the aging variations. Unlike …

Essays On Remote Monitoring As An Emerging Tool For Centralized Management Of Decentralized Wastewater Systems, Clement Solomon

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

According to the United States Environmental Protections Agency (USEPA), nearly one in four households in the United States depends on an individual septic system (commonly referred as an onsite system or a decentralized wastewater system) to treat and disperse wastewater. More than half of these systems are over 30 years old, and surveys indicate at least 10 to 20% might not be functioning properly. The USEPA concluded in its 1997 report to Congress that adequately managed decentralized wastewater systems (DWS) are a cost-effective and long-term option for meeting public health and water quality goals, particularly in less densely populated areas.;The …

Recharge Processes Within The Cacapon Mountain Aquifer, Ridge And Valley Province, West Virginia, Cristine M. Vinciguerra

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

During the 2006-2007 water year, apparent recharge rates for three streams draining the Cacapon Mountain Aquifer, in the Valley and Ridge Province of northern West Virginia, were estimated using hydrograph separation techniques. The techniques use stream baseflow, dominated by groundwater discharge, as a surrogate for groundwater recharge. Two of the streams draining the aquifer were strike-normal (Rock Gap Run and Breakneck Run) and one was strike-parallel (Sir Johns Run). The strike-normal streams had significantly lower apparent recharge rates (Rock Gap Run: 2.52 in/yr; Breakneck Run: 6.57 in/yr) than the strike-parallel stream (Sir Johns Run: 13.31 in/yr). The large variations in …

Investigation Of Mud Filtrate Invasion Using Computational Fluid Dynamics, Suyoun Won

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Despite continued research and developments in logging technology, logs processed by the prevalent standard methods continue to be influenced by formation damage and mud filtrate invasions. The mud-filtrate invasion and related formation damage due to drilling fluids can result in the misinterpreted values of rock and fluid properties in the reservoir which can affect the well plan. Well planning with accurate information of target reservoir is a very important part of any drilling procedure, as it would not only optimize drilling operation and completion but also maximizes production of oil and gas.;To produce hydrocarbons effectively, the wellbore must communicate with …

Quality Induced Secure Multiclassifier Fingerprint Verification Using Extended Feature Set, Mayank Vatsa

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Automatic fingerprint verification systems use ridge flow patterns and general morphological information for broad classification, and minutiae information for verification. With the availability of high resolution fingerprint sensors, it is now feasible to capture more intricate features such as ridges, pores, permanent scars, and incipient ridges. These fine details are characterized as level-3 features and play an important role in matching and improving the verification accuracy. The main objective of this research is to develop a fast and accurate quality induced multiclassifier fingerprint verification algorithm that incorporates both level-2 and level-3 features. A quality assessment algorithm is developed that uses …

Profiling, Extracting, And Analyzing Dynamic Software Metrics, Jeffrey T. Zemerick

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis presents a methodology for the analysis of software executions aimed at profiling software, extracting dynamic software metrics, and then analyzing those metrics with the goal of assisting software quality researchers. The methodology is implemented in a toolkit which consists of an event-based profiler which collects more accurate data than existing profilers, and a program called MetricView that derives and extracts dynamic metrics from the generated profiles. The toolkit was designed to be modular and flexible, allowing analysts and developers to easily extend its functionality to derive new or custom dynamic software metrics. We demonstrate the effectiveness and usefulness …

Cellular Mechanisms Of Effects Of Sphingosine 1 -Phosphate On Vascular Endothelial Barrier, Mei Xu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), a biologically active lipid, induces a myriad of cellular events including enhancement of the endothelial barrier and assembly of adherens junction proteins, VE-cadherin and catenins. The over all goal in this set of studies was to investigate what cellular mechanisms contribute to S1P-induced enhancement of the vascular endothelial barrier.;Since VE-cadherin contributes to the stabilization of the endothelial barrier, I determined in the first study if the rapid, barrier-enhancing activity of S1P requires VE-cadherin. Ca2+-dependent, homophilic VE-cadherin binding of endothelial cells, derived from human umbilical veins and grown as monolayers, was disrupted with EGTA, an antibody to the …

Development Of An Algorithm To Arrange Production Work Order For Minizinling Delay Time At An An Assembly Line, Lokeswar Panchala

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Bootleggers, Baptists &(And) Televangelists: Regulating Tobacco By Litigation, Bruce Yandle, Joseph A. Rotondi, Andrew P. Morriss, Andrew Dorchak

Faculty Scholarship

The bootleggers and Baptists public choice theory of regulation explains how durable regulatory bargains can arise from the tacit collaboration of a public-interest-minded interest group (the Baptists) with an economic interest (the bootleggers). Using the history of tobacco regulation, this Article extends the bootleggers and Baptists theory of regulation to incorporate the role of policy entrepreneurs like the state attorneys general and private trial lawyers who joined forces to regulate tobacco by litigation. We denominate these actors televangelists and demonstrate that they play a pernicious role in regulation.

The Article begins by showing how tobacco regulation through the 1980s fit …

The Necessity Of Economics: The Preferential Option For The Poor, Markets, And Environmental Law, Andrew P. Morriss

Faculty Scholarship

Markets and economic theory are often cast as the enemies of both the poor and environmental quality. This paper, part of the Peace with Creation symposium held at the St. Thomas School of Law in Minneapolis, argues that economics provides a necessary, but not sufficient, tool to address the problems of the poor and of improving environmental quality. The paper discusses ten propositions of economic theory and explains how each applying them results in both improvements in environmental quality and in the lot of the poor. The paper then briefly examines three examples of how applying the lessons of economics …

An Early Pennsylvania Legal Periodical Journal Of Law, 1830-31, Joel Fishman

Law Faculty Publications

There has been much written on the history of legal periodicals, especially academic law reviews, but the early history of legal periodicals in the United States has only received cursorily review in two older articles.¹ Frederick Hicks lists forty-eight periodicals published in antebellum America, of which twelve were published in Pennsylvania, four before 1831, including no. 1 (American Law Journal, 1808-12), no. 6 (Journal of Jurisprudence, 1821), no. 11 (United States Law and Legal Intelligence, 1829-31) and no. 14 ( Journal of Law, 1830-31).² This article will review this last periodical …

Edison Community College General Catalog 2007-2008, Edison Community College

FSW Course Catalogs

Edison Community College General Catalog Volume Forty Six. 2007-2008. Scanned by Internet Archive.