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2008

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Building A Knowledge Economy Index For Southern Metropolitan Areas, Kristine Koutout Dec 2008

Building A Knowledge Economy Index For Southern Metropolitan Areas, Kristine Koutout

All Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to determine if the methodology used to build the South Carolina Research Authority Knowledge Economy Index (KEI) for states can be replicated and applied to Southern Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs). Data to imitate the KEI measures for workforce education and fast growth firms were available at the MSA-level; however, academic R&D was used as a proxy for industrial R&D in this index because data was not available for MSAs. An index for Southern MSAs was built based on the coefficients from the OLS results. Workforce education was the most important factor for increasing mean …

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Independent Torque Distribution Management Systems For Vehicle Stability Control, Indrasen Karogal Dec 2008

Independent Torque Distribution Management Systems For Vehicle Stability Control, Indrasen Karogal

All Theses

Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC) systems, also called Electronic Stability Control (ESC) systems, are active on-board safety systems intended to stabilize the dynamics of vehicle lateral motion. In so doing, these systems reduce the possibility of the driver's loss of control of the vehicle in some critical or aggressive maneuvers. One approach to vehicle dynamics control is the use of appropriate drive torque distribution to the wheels of the vehicle. This thesis focuses on particular torque distribution management systems suitable for vehicles with independently driven wheels.
In conducting this study, a non-linear seven degree-of-freedom vehicle model incorporating a non-linear tire model …

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Solarization Effects On Chemical Properties Of Soils Under Kudu (Pueraria Montana) Invasion, Nicole Gilbert Dec 2008

Solarization Effects On Chemical Properties Of Soils Under Kudu (Pueraria Montana) Invasion, Nicole Gilbert

All Theses

Solarization is an effective method for managing small areas with kudzu (Pueraria montana) invasions that may alter soil chemical properties. Conducted from 2005 to 2007 at the Clemson University Experimental Forest in Clemson, South Carolina on a Cecil clay loam (fine, kaolinitic, thermic Typic Kanhapludult), this study compares soil chemical properties under thermally-treated and non-treated plots at different depths invaded by Kudzu.
The experimental factors of treatment and depth were arranged in a factorial treatment design with 15 treatments arranged in a split plot design. The five thermal treatments were the whole plot factors which were arranged in a randomized …

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The Effect Of Montmorillonite Nanoclay On Mechanical And Barrier Properties Of Mung Bean Starch Films, Bianca Stiller Dec 2008

The Effect Of Montmorillonite Nanoclay On Mechanical And Barrier Properties Of Mung Bean Starch Films, Bianca Stiller

All Theses

Starch is an interesting biodegradable polymer due to its excellent film forming properties, availability, and low cost. On the other hand, starch films are often limited by their poor mechanical properties, and water resistance. The addition of montmorillonite clays have improved these properties in both petroleum and biodegradable films.
The objective of the research was to determine the effect of montmorillonite clay on the mechanical and barrier properties on mung bean starch films.
The addition of 5% clay yielded the optimum balance between mechanical and barrier properties of these composite films with improved tensile strength (TS) of 20.8763± 0.789 MPa, …

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Computational Analysis Of Input-Shaping Control Of Microelectromechanical Mirrors, Thomas Starling Dec 2008

Computational Analysis Of Input-Shaping Control Of Microelectromechanical Mirrors, Thomas Starling

All Theses

Advances in micromachining technology have enabled the design and development of high performance microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). There is a pressing need for control techniques that can be used to improve the dynamic behavior of MEMS such as the response speed and precision. In MEMS applications, open-loop control is attractive as it computes a priori the required system input to achieve desired dynamic behavior without using feedback, thus eliminating the problems associated with closed-loop MEMS control. While the input-shaping control is attractive due to its simplicity, the effectiveness of this control approach depends on the accuracy of the model that is …

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Laboratory Studies Of Responses Of Anuran Amphibians To Roundup Exposures: Reference Toxicant And Components, Lindsay Moore Dec 2008

Laboratory Studies Of Responses Of Anuran Amphibians To Roundup Exposures: Reference Toxicant And Components, Lindsay Moore

All Theses

Roundup¨ has been implicated as a possible cause for the declining amphibian populations in North America. Carefully designed laboratory toxicity tests are crucial for accurate risk assessment of the responses of anuran populations to incidental exposures of Roundup¨ herbicides. The overall objective of these studies was to determine the response of North American anuran species to exposures of Roundup¨ formulations and components to support or refute the claim that Roundup¨ is a factor in amphibian decline in North America. Aqueous 96 hour static non-renewal laboratory tests were utilized to (1) evaluate the effectiveness of copper sulfate as a reference toxicant …

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P-M Characteristics Of Reinforced Concrete Sections, Paul Johnson Dec 2008

P-M Characteristics Of Reinforced Concrete Sections, Paul Johnson

All Theses

This manuscript presents two parametric studies which were performed to evaluate a provision which originated in the 1994 Uniform Building Code (UBC). This provision states that if gravity-induced axial loads carried by a reinforced concrete member are greater than 35% of the pure axial load-carrying capacity (Po) of that member, then the member cannot be used as part of the lateral force resisting system (LRFS). Along with the UBC provision, the Structural Engineers Association of California's (SEAOC) Blue Book states that the value of 0.35Po corresponds to the level of axial load representing a balanced state of strain, i.e., the …

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Finite Element Analysis Of Carbon Fiber Composite Ripping Using Abaqus, Joy Pederson Dec 2008

Finite Element Analysis Of Carbon Fiber Composite Ripping Using Abaqus, Joy Pederson

All Theses

An energy dissipation system is proposed for use on consumer passenger automotive vehicles and auto racing stock cars. This system will be utilized to protect the occupants from frontal impacts with stationary or near stationary objects. The system will be affixed to the front of the car's primary structure. It is proposed to replace the traditional steel bumper currently in use. This system will not increase the weight of the car, nor will it adversely affect the aerodynamics of the body. The system will improve the crashworthiness of the vehicle. Advanced composites will be the primary sacrificial element in the …

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An Integrated Routing And Distributed Scheduling Approach For Hybrid Ieee 802.16e Mesh Networks For Vehicular Broadband Communications, Rahul Amin Dec 2008

An Integrated Routing And Distributed Scheduling Approach For Hybrid Ieee 802.16e Mesh Networks For Vehicular Broadband Communications, Rahul Amin

All Theses

An integrated routing and distributed scheduling approach for fast deployable IEEE 802.16e networks is presented where distributed base stations with dual radios form a mesh backhaul and subscriber stations communicate through these base stations. The mesh backhaul is formed via an IEEE 802.16e mesh mode radio on each base station, while the subscriber stations communicate with base stations via PMP mode radios. The proposed routing scheme divides the deployed network into several routing zones. Each routing zone contains several base stations that form the mesh backhaul with one base station equipped with either a fiber, satellite or any other point-to-point …

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Transmission Error Analysis And Avoidance For Ieee 802.15.4 Wireless Sensors On Rotating Structures, Jobin Jacob Dec 2008

Transmission Error Analysis And Avoidance For Ieee 802.15.4 Wireless Sensors On Rotating Structures, Jobin Jacob

All Theses

Wireless sensors are increasingly adopted in manufacturing and vehicular systems for monitoring critical components under continuous operation. Many such components move rapidly and frequently in metallic containments with challenging radio propagation characteristics.
For wireless sensors mounted on rotating structures, previous studies identified an eminent increase in packet transmission errors at higher rotation speeds. Such errors were found to occur at specific locations around the rotating spindle's periphery and such locations depended sensitively on sensor location and surrounding geometry. This thesis presents a systematic study of the expected packet error rates due to such errors, and analytically derives the first transmission …

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Development Of A Quadrotor Testbed For Control And Sensor Development, Abhishek Bhargava Dec 2008

Development Of A Quadrotor Testbed For Control And Sensor Development, Abhishek Bhargava

All Theses

A quadrotor is an under actuated unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) which uses thrust from four rotors to provide six degrees of freedom. This thesis outlines the development of a general purpose test bed that can be used for sensor and control algorithm development. The system includes the means to simulate a proposed controller and then a hardware in the loop implementation using the same software. The test bed was assembled and verified with a linear controller for both attitude and position control using feedback from an IMU (Inertial measurement Unit) and a Global Position System (GPS) sensor.
The linear controller …

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Investigation Of The Merging Of Two Axisymmetric Turbulent Jets, Jeffrey Smith Dec 2008

Investigation Of The Merging Of Two Axisymmetric Turbulent Jets, Jeffrey Smith

All Theses

A study was done to determine the converging distance of two axisymmetric turbulent jets and to compare the experimental results with the Reichardt hypothesis. This experiment consisted of measuring the velocity profiles of the two jets and manipulating the momentum ratio between the jets. Through testing, it was determined that the Reichardt hypothesis while efficient, over predicts the converging distance of the jets by up to 25% in some cases.
An Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter (ADV) was used to take measurements across the path of the jets and monitored the velocity and the turbulent kinetic energy. After observing the velocity profiles, …

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Synchrophasor's Application In State Estimation, Linwood Ross Dec 2008

Synchrophasor's Application In State Estimation, Linwood Ross

All Theses

This thesis presents an investigation into the effect of synchrophasor measurements on the accuracy of a state estimator. Two state estimation algorithms have been developed in Matlab and tested on several systems. The first state estimator is the traditional non-linear estimator that is currently being used by most utilities. The second estimator is a hybrid linear state estimator. A bad data detection algorithm has been developed as well to determine the effect of synchrophasor measurements in bad data detection. A total of seven different systems are used for testing the proposed algorithms. Six systems are used in testing the bad …

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Probing Grb Environments Through X-Ray Absorption, Hala Eid Dec 2008

Probing Grb Environments Through X-Ray Absorption, Hala Eid

All Theses

Although long-duration GRBs (LGRBs) are highly transient in nature, their early afterglow can in principle be detected to very high redshifts (Lamb & Reichart, 2000). This makes them potent probes of the chemical evolution and content of the high-redshift universe. In this work, we use photoelectric absorption observed in the XRT spectra of LGRBs to investigate the evolution of metallicities and hydrogen column densities of LGRB host galaxies. Using a high-quality sample of LGRBs indicates the presence of a weak anti-correlation between the abundances and redshift. We also find an evolution trend in intrinsic column density. To confirm these correlations, …

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Analysis Of Speed-Related Crashes Using Event Data Recorder Data, Swathi Korpu Dec 2008

Analysis Of Speed-Related Crashes Using Event Data Recorder Data, Swathi Korpu

All Theses

Safety in general is defined as 'the absence of unintended harm to living creatures or inanimate objects' (Evans, 2004). Traffic safety is measured in terms of motor vehicle crashes. A crash is an unplanned event which results in either fatality, or injury or property damage. Of all the factors that contribute to a crash, speed is a major issue, as more than 31 percent of all fatal crashes involve speeding (NHTSA, 2007). The speed-safety relationship can be determined by knowing the effect of speed on the frequency and severity of crashes. The relationship between speed and frequency of crashes is …

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Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis Of Tweel Geometric Parameter Modifications On Spoke Dynamics During High Speed Rolling, Maya Ramachandran Dec 2008

Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis Of Tweel Geometric Parameter Modifications On Spoke Dynamics During High Speed Rolling, Maya Ramachandran

All Theses

The acoustic signature and noise produced by non-pnuematic wheels such as the Michelin TWEELTM is a critical design criteria for automotive and other mobility applications. The TWEELTM structure consists of three basic parts: (1) a circular deformable 'shear beam', (2) collapsible spokes and (3) a rigid hub. During high speed rolling the TWEELTM produces acoustic noise which is hypothesized to be due to resonant vibration of the TWEELTM spokes as they enter the contact region, buckle and then snap back into a state of tension. In order to identify and help understand the causes of acoustic noise for a rolling …

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A Microbiological Survey And Characterization, Andrew Daane Dec 2008

A Microbiological Survey And Characterization, Andrew Daane

All Theses

In our study, two dairy compost heaps and one vegetable scrap compost heap were constructed on two research farms in Clemson, SC. Samples were taken from each heap from different locations at 8 elected intervals and analyzed for enterococci and VRE counts by spread plating on Bile Esculin agar (BEA) and BEA containing 6 g/ml of vancomycin, respectively. The initial populations of enterococci and VRE in compost were in the range of 6.46-7.43 and 5.36-6.70 log CFU/g, respectively. After 30 days of active composting the average VRE populations declined ca. 4.6, 4.07, 3.97 and 1.6 logs at the top, center, …

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College Adjustment And The Shy Student, Jessie Abudu Dec 2008

College Adjustment And The Shy Student, Jessie Abudu

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The study was conducted to examine the correlation between shyness and college adjustment. To make the determination, the Revised Cheek and Buss Shyness Scale (RCBS) (1981) was used to identify shyness, while the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ) (Baker and Siryk, 1989) was utilized in assessing college adjustment. While the shyness scale assessed shyness as a single construct, the college adaptation scale assessed college adjustment in terms of academic adjustment, social adjustment, personal-emotional adjustment, and college attachment. The data of 90 students in a general psychology class in a Mid-Western college with a total student population of approximately 6,800 …

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Using Archived Its Data To Measure The Operational Benefits Of A System-Wide Adaptive Ramp Metering System, Robert L. Bertini, Christopher Monsere, Oren Eshel, Soyoung Ahn Dec 2008

Using Archived Its Data To Measure The Operational Benefits Of A System-Wide Adaptive Ramp Metering System, Robert L. Bertini, Christopher Monsere, Oren Eshel, Soyoung Ahn

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

A System-Wide Adaptive Ramp Metering (SWARM) system has been implemented in the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area, replacing the previous pre-timed ramp-metering system that had been in operation since 1981. SWARM has been deployed on six major corridors and operates during the morning and afternoon peak hours. This report presents results of a "before" and "after" evaluation of the performance of two freeway corridors as part of ongoing efforts to measure the benefits of the new SWARM system, as compared to the pre-timed system. The study benefited from using the existing regional data, surveillance and communications infrastructure in addition to a …

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Preparation Of Carboxylic Acid Functionalized Glycopolymers Through Raft And Post-Polymerization Modification For Biomedical Application, Husnu Alp Alidedeoglu Dec 2008

Preparation Of Carboxylic Acid Functionalized Glycopolymers Through Raft And Post-Polymerization Modification For Biomedical Application, Husnu Alp Alidedeoglu

Dissertations

The primary theme of this dissertation involves the synthesis of well-defined primary amine functionalized polymers, subsequent modification of the polymers to produce novel carboxylic acid functionalized glycopolymers and surface polymerization of these systems utilizing controlled polymerization techniques. Additionally, the synthesis of new water-based allylic copolymer latexes is described. Carbohydrates are natural polymers which possess unlimited structural variations. They carry a huge density of information, and play major roles in recognition events and complex biological operations. For example, hyaluronic acid (HA), an anionic glycosaminoglycan, provides lubricating and cushioning properties in the extracellular matrix and has been found to be involved in …

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A Device For Noninvasive Assessment Of Vascular Impairment Risk In The Lower Extremity, Michael J. Hoffmann, Paul E. Knudson, M. Barbara Silver-Thorn Dec 2008

A Device For Noninvasive Assessment Of Vascular Impairment Risk In The Lower Extremity, Michael J. Hoffmann, Paul E. Knudson, M. Barbara Silver-Thorn

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

The repeatability and resolution of the clinical gold standard of vascular assessment, the ankle-brachial index (ABI), was compared to that of a new device that dynamically assesses tissue perfusion during external loading utilizing laser Doppler flowmetry. Eight subjects of varying levels of vascular impairment were tested in successive weeks using two different sites on the subject's posterior calf. These new measures included the perfusion decrease as well as the unloading delay during cyclic loading. Some new dynamic tissue perfusion measures demonstrated comparable levels of reproducibility with the ABI (e.g., 10%-20%). Only the unloading delay showed potentially enhanced resolution over ABI …

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Pilots And Public Policy: Steering Through The Economic Ramifications, Brad R. Humphreys, Victor Matheson Dec 2008

Pilots And Public Policy: Steering Through The Economic Ramifications, Brad R. Humphreys, Victor Matheson

Economics Department Working Papers

A recent IRS ruling has allowed the new Yankees Stadium construction project to be financed by a tax exempt bond offering backed by payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTS). This decision appears to contradict the spirit of the Tax Reform Act of 1986. From an economic standpoint, the question is whether it is desirable to significantly expand the number of projects eligible for tax subsidies in exchange for a more direct connection between those receiving benefits from the projects and those paying the taxes, or should the state and municipal bond tax exemption narrowly extend only to true public works …

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"G" And "H" Control Charts And Risk Analysis In The Banking Industry, James L. Bossert Dec 2008

"G" And "H" Control Charts And Risk Analysis In The Banking Industry, James L. Bossert

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research investigates the utilization of a new control chart in the Banking industry to minimize financial risk. There are processes in the banking industry that do not lend themselves to traditional control chart applications. These processes tend to be high volume. High volume meaning over a million transactions a day and a requirement for high levels of accuracy characterize these processes. The research has looked at these processes and applied the "g" control charts to determine if they provide timely feedback to the banking industry. The value of this research will give the banking industry an opportunity to react …

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Real Simple Makes A Real Difference: Cal Poly Turns Ideas Into Action, Galen Ricard Dec 2008

Real Simple Makes A Real Difference: Cal Poly Turns Ideas Into Action, Galen Ricard

Cal Poly Magazine

No abstract provided.

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From The Spruce Goose To Polylink: A Grad Makes History, Teresa Hendrix Dec 2008

From The Spruce Goose To Polylink: A Grad Makes History, Teresa Hendrix

Cal Poly Magazine

No abstract provided.

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Cal Poly Magazine, Winter 2008 Dec 2008

Cal Poly Magazine, Winter 2008

Cal Poly Magazine

No abstract provided.

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University News Dec 2008

University News

Cal Poly Magazine

No abstract provided.

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Flying High Again: Victor Glover Is Driven Above The Limit, Scott Roark Dec 2008

Flying High Again: Victor Glover Is Driven Above The Limit, Scott Roark

Cal Poly Magazine

No abstract provided.

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Optimization Of A Hardware/Software Coprocessing Platform For Eeg Eyeblink Detection And Removal, Matthew Alan Chaudhuri Dec 2008

Optimization Of A Hardware/Software Coprocessing Platform For Eeg Eyeblink Detection And Removal, Matthew Alan Chaudhuri

Theses

The feasibility of implementing a real-time system for removing eyeblink artifacts from electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings utilizing a hardware/software coprocessing platform was investigated. A software based wavelet and independent component analysis (ICA) eyeblink detection and removal process was extended to enable variation in its processing parameters. Exploiting the efficiency of hardware and the reconfigurability of software, it was ported to a field programmable gate array (FPGA) development platform which was found to be capable of implementing the revised algorithm, although not in real-time. The implemented hardware and software solution was applied to a collection of both simulated and clinically acquired EEG …

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Robust Longitudinal Rate Gyro Bias Estimation For Reliable Pitch Attitude Observation Through Utilization Of A Displaced Accelerometer Array, Ryan Weisman Dec 2008

Robust Longitudinal Rate Gyro Bias Estimation For Reliable Pitch Attitude Observation Through Utilization Of A Displaced Accelerometer Array, Ryan Weisman

Theses

In this thesis, a novel attitude estimation device is proposed utilizing cost-effective measurement sensors. The device fuses a rate gyroscope with an accelerometer array to estimate and eliminate the rate gyro bias online yielding accurate real time aircraft attitude tracking. Attitude determination algorithms are dependent on instantaneous and accurate measurements of translational and rotational body rates for precise estimation of vehicle orientation in three-dimensional space. Measurement error of instantaneous rate sensors, gyroscopes, is introduced via inherent biases and signal noise resulting in gyro drift. Integration of the rate signal for calculation of a net displacement amplifies these minute measurement errors …

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