Digital Commons Network^™

Analysis Using Surface Wave Methods To Detect Shallow Manmade Tunnels, Niklas Henry Putnam

Doctoral Dissertations

"Multi-method seismic surface wave approach was used to locate and estimate the dimensions of shallow horizontally-oriented cylindrical voids or manmade tunnels. The primary analytical methods employed were Attenuation Analysis of Rayleigh Waves (AARW), Surface Wave Common Offset (SWCO), and Spiking Filter (SF). Surface wave data were acquired at six study sites using a towed 24-channel land streamer and elastic-band accelerated weight-drop seismic source. Each site was underlain by one tunnel, nominally 1 meter in diameter and depth. The acquired surface wave data were analyzed automatically. Then interpretations compared to the field measurements to ascertain the degree of accuracy. The purpose …

Decentralized Adaptive Neural Network Control Of Interconnected Nonlinear Dynamical Systems With Application To Power System, Shahab Mehraeen

Doctoral Dissertations

"Traditional nonlinear techniques cannot be directly applicable to control large scale interconnected nonlinear dynamic systems due their sheer size and unavailability of system dynamics. Therefore, in this dissertation, the decentralized adaptive neural network (NN) control of a class of nonlinear interconnected dynamic systems is introduced and its application to power systems is presented in the form of six papers. In the first paper, a new nonlinear dynamical representation in the form of a large scale interconnected system for a power network free of algebraic equations with multiple UPFCs as nonlinear controllers is presented. Then, oscillation damping for UPFCs using adaptive …

Energy And Voltage Management Methods For Multilevel Converters For Bulk Power System Power Quality Improvement, Atousa Yazdani

Doctoral Dissertations

"Electric arc furnaces (EAFs) are prevalent in the steel industry to melt iron and scrap steel. EAFs frequently cause large amplitude fluctuations of active and reactive power and are the source of significant power quality disturbances. Also EAFs comprise a major portion of industrial loading on the bulk power system. Typically, a static VAR compensator (SVC) or Static Synchronous compensator (STATCOM) are use to provide the reactive power support in order to alleviate the fluctuations in voltage at PCC. Static Synchronous Compensators (STATCOMs) provide a power electronic-based means of embedded control for reactive power support. Integrating an energy storage system …

Fully Differential Cross Sections For Four-Body Scattering Processes, Allison L. Harris

Doctoral Dissertations

"While the original concept of the atom can be traced back to the ancient Greeks, current knowledge of the atom is due largely to the study of atomic collisions. The structure of atoms is now fairly well understood, but the understanding of their interactions remains incomplete. In atomic collisions, the particles involved in the collision interact through the Coulomb force, which is known exactly. However, for Coulomb forces, the solution of the Schrödinger equation can only be obtained analytically for two mutually interacting particles. As a result, when more than two particles are involved, theory must resort to approximations. The …

Hydrogen Infrastructure: Resource Evaluation And Capacity Modeling, Kevin B. Martin

Doctoral Dissertations

"A hydrogen economy could offer energy stability, economical, and environmental benefits. Several issues are involved in the design and implementation of a hydrogen economy such as the selection of feedstocks, generation and storage technologies, transportation methods, appropriate equipment capacity, codes/standards and public awareness. The design of a hydrogen infrastructure may seem insurmountable; however, as the system is deconstructed a proper design can be achieved. In order to better understand how a hydrogen system for light duty vehicles might operate, both hydrogen resource and capacity analysis and modeling is conducted. Specifically, an evaluation of leading near term production and distribution technologies …

Meta-Learning Computational Intelligence Architectures, Ryan J. Meuth

Doctoral Dissertations

"In computational intelligence, the term 'memetic algorithm' has come to be associated with the algorithmic pairing of a global search method with a local search method. In a sociological context, a 'meme' has been loosely defined as a unit of cultural information, the social analog of genes for individuals. Both of these definitions are inadequate, as 'memetic algorithm' is too specific, and ultimately a misnomer, as much as a 'meme' is defined too generally to be of scientific use. In this dissertation the notion of memes and meta-learning is extended from a computational viewpoint and the purpose, definitions, design guidelines …

Novel Optofluidic Sensor Systems For Quantitative Chemical Imaging And On-Chip Sensor Calibration, Jongwon Park

Doctoral Dissertations

"The design, fabrication and characterization of optofluidic biosensor systems for quantitative oxygen imaging with a color charge-coupled device (CCD) camera as well as on-chip self-calibration of sensors utilizing gas bubbles was investigated. This dissertation was prepared in publication format. The first and second papers demonstrate that color imaging devices can be used in quantitative chemical analysis. The final paper explores the feasibility of using electrolytically generated bubbles for a novel functionality of reagentless, on-chip, in situ calibration of optical biosensors. Work in the first paper includes the use of a color CCD camera for fluorescence intensity imaging. This involves extracting …

Real-Time And Portable Microwave Imaging System, Mohammad Tayeb Ahmad Ghasr

Doctoral Dissertations

"Microwave and millimeter wave imaging has shown tremendous utility in a wide variety of applications. These techniques are primarily based on measuring coherent electric field distribution on the target being imaged. Mechanically scanned systems are the simple and low cost solution in microwave imaging. However, these systems are typically bulky and slow. This dissertation presents a design for a 2D switched imaging array that utilizes modulated scattering techniques for spatial multiplexing of the signal. The system was designed to be compact, coherent, possessing high dynamic range, and capable of video frame rate imaging. Various aspects of the system design were …

Spacecraft Formation Flight At Sun-Earth/Moon Libration Points, Douglas Robert Tolbert

Doctoral Dissertations

"Formations of spacecraft, positioned near the libration points of the Sun- Earth/Moon system, have recently received an increase in interest in response to a variety of mission needs. Specifically, missions such as the Micro Arcsecond X-Ray Imaging Mission (MAXIM), Terrestrial Pathfinder (TPF), Stellar Imager (SI) and the European Space Agency's DARWIN all baseline formations of spacecraft to satisfy mission requirements. Replacing the traditional single spacecraft mission with multiple small spacecraft flying in formation is advantageous for these missions, especially when establishing a virtual aperture. These types of formations allow for higher resolution observations than with a single, conventional aperture. The …

The Cretaceous-Paleogene Transition In The Northern Mississippi Embayment, S.E. Missouri: Palynology, Micropaleontology, And Evidence Of A Mega-Tsunami Deposit, Tambra L. Eifert

Doctoral Dissertations

"Upper Cretaceous to lower Paleogene sedimentary rocks in Southeastern Missouri record the northwest extension of the Mississippi Embayment, yet very little information exists about them due to lack of exposures. Access to borehole and trench material and well logs provided an opportunity to study the sedimentology, palynology and micropaleontology of the three formations spanning the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) boundary interval: Owl Creek (Cretaceous) and Clayton and Porters Creek (Paleocene). Lithologic features, palynomorphs (mainly spores, pollen, dinoflagellate cysts), dispersed organic matter, and foraminifera were used to interpret biostratigraphy, paleovegetation, paleoclimatic and depositional conditions, thereby creating a framework upon which further questions involving …

The Kalman Filter On Time Scales, Nicholas J. Wintz

Doctoral Dissertations

"In this work, we study concepts in optimal control for dynamic equations on time scales, which unfies the discrete and continuous cases. After a brief introduction of dynamic equations on time scales, we will examine controllability and observability for linear systems. Then we construct and solve the linear quadratic regulator for arbitrary time scales. Here, we seek to find an optimal control that minimizes a given cost function associated with a linear system. We will find such an input under two different settings; when the final state is fixed and when it is free. Later, we extend these results to …

Electrodeposition Of Inorganic Materials With Tailored Shapes And Chiral Morphologies, Elizabeth A. Kulp

Doctoral Dissertations

"This dissertation investigates the electrodeposition of metal oxide films and biomaterial deposits on polycrystalline and single crystal substrates. Paper I describes the mechanisms and the characterization of an electrodeposited polycrystalline insulator, ceria (CeO₂), on Hastelloy substrates produced by the electrochemical oxidation of Ce(III) acetate complexes. In Paper II, epitaxial films of magnetite (Fe₃O₄) and ferrihydrite (Fe₁₀O₁₄(OH)₂) are deposited on gold single crystals. Paper III reports the electrodeposition of epitaxial Fe₃O₄ and zinc ferrite (ZnFe₂O₄) periodic nanostructures known as superlattices by pulsing between two potentials. Papers IV and V describe chiral electrodeposition. In Paper IV, epitaxial, chiral orientations of cupric oxide …

Rational Construction By Molecular Dynamics Modeling And Simulations Of Porous Adsorbent Media For Bioseparation, Enrico Riccardi

Doctoral Dissertations

"Ion-exchange chromatography employing porous adsorbent particles or monoliths in which charged ligands are immobilized onto polymeric extender molecules grafted on the pore surfaces of a base matrix has become a very important method for bioseparations. In this dissertation, a novel fundamental and systematic methodology has been developed that uses the molecular dynamics (MD) modeling and simulation approach to rationally design, construct, and characterize polymeric porous adsorbent media and study the transport and adsorption of a charged biomolecule (desmopressin) in a representative adsorbent medium. The MD results have also been utilized in a macroscopic model to study the large-scale dynamic behavior …

The Role Of Friction Stir Processing On The Microstructure And Mechanical Properties Of A Cast Aluminum Alloy, Saumyadeep Jana

Doctoral Dissertations

"Al-7Si-0.6Mg is one of the most important cast aluminum alloys because of its attractive mechanical properties and high castability. Microstructurally, the alloy consists of primary aluminum dendrites with eutectic Si particles in the interdendritic region. This makes the alloy quasi-brittle in nature which affects the ductility of the alloy to a great extent. In order to improve the ductility, the eutectic Si particles need to be refined which so far has been achieved by chemical and/or thermal modification. Friction stir processing (FSP) on the other hand can achieve the same through plastic deformation, and therefore replace the cast structure with …

Y'All Think We're Stupid: Deconstructing Media Stereotypes Of The American South, Karen C. Hamilton

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This study examines the various stereotypes that persist about the American South, giving consideration to the common stereotypes, their persistence, and the response of Southerners and non-Southerners to them. Further, it aims to examine in-depth the methods by which these stereotypes are perpetuated, such as literature, movies, television, and music. Within this dissertation, pieces of literature by traditional Southern authors, like William Faulkner and Tennessee Williams, are examined for the images they employ. Further, films such as Deliverance and Sweet Home Alabama, as well as television shows like The Dukes of Hazzard and The Beverly Hillbillies are analyzed for how …

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The Meaning And Nature Of Property: Homeownership And Shared Equity In The Context Of Poverty, Michael R. Diamond

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

While a Blackstonian view of property envisaged a “despotic dominion” of an owner over a thing, property has never been so absolute. In fact, as I argue in this paper, the nature of property has been culturally constructed and property means different thinks across cultures and even over time within the same culture. The question of the nature of property was highlighted for me when a student questioned whether equity limitations placed on homes purchased by low income buyers using subsidized public financing created a “second class” form of homeownership. In attempting to answer this question, I examined the ideas …

No Ordinary Success: The Boundaries Of School Reform, James Forman Jr.

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

How much can schools improve the life prospects of children growing up in poor neighborhoods? This question has divided the education community since at least the 1960s, when a group of researchers led by James Coleman attempted to quantify the extent to which segregation hurt black children. Coleman concluded that differences in family background had a greater impact on student achievement than did differences in school quality. Almost 40 years later, former New York Times education columnist Richard Rothstein revisited the question. In a series of lectures at Columbia University’s Teachers College that became the book Class and Schools (2004), …

Campus Violence: Understanding The Extraordinary Through The Ordinary, Nancy Chi Cantalupo

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Recent mass shootings on college campuses have focused many on the responsibilities of colleges and universities to prevent and respond to such violence. However, in statistical terms, this type of campus violence can thankfully be considered relatively extraordinary. In contrast, the only type of campus violence that is unfortunately common enough to be characterized as “ordinary” is peer sexual assault and similar forms of campus gender-based violence. Accordingly, this essay explores the scope and dynamics of both “ordinary” and “extraordinary” campus violence, discusses the law and “best practices” dealing with peer sexual violence victims’ rights and the due process rights …

The Politics Of Administrative Law: New York's Anti-Bureaucracy Clause And The O'Brian-Wagner Campaign Of 1938, Daniel R. Ernst

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

The controversy over administrative law in New York in 1938 was a decisive moment in the emergence of procedural Diceyism in the United States. On a stage crowded with partisan and legal performers, the politics of administrative law played out in two acts. In the first, the state's trial lawyers mounted a campaign to heighten judicial review of the state's administrative agencies. Their efforts culminated in the adoption of the anti-bureaucracy clause at the state constitutional convention when regular factions in the state's two major parties decided it would serve their purposes. New Yorkers rejected the measure after liberal politicians …

A Plea For Reality, Roy A. Schotland

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Legend has it that a long-ago Chief Justice of Texas said, “No judicial selection system is worth a damn.” This view has been all but proven by American experience; nothing else in American law matches this subject in terms of the volume of written debate and endless sweat spent working for change. The selection system for federal judges is unchanged but far from untroubled, and

the States have never used a common method . . . . [O]ne can identify almost as many different methods . . . as there are States in the Union . . . . Moreover, …

Postracial Discrimination, Girardeau A. Spann

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Claims of racial injustice can be challenged by arguing that the culture makes it possible for minorities to compete with whites on a level playing field. Under this reasoning, racial disparities that continue to inhere in the allocation of societal benefits and burdens must be caused by the attributes of individual minority group members themselves, rather than by any invidious consideration of their race. The election of President Obama now gives this argument more apparent plausibility than it has had in the past. Indeed, if one were inclined to preserve the nation’s tradition of privileging white interests over the interests …

The Misconceived Assumption About Constitutional Assumptions, Randy E. Barnett

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Both originalists and nonoriginalists alike often assume that background assumptions widely held when the Constitution or its amendments were enacted are part of the original meaning of the text. Originalists sometimes appeal to these background assumptions to render the meaning of more abstract words or phrases more determinate; nonoriginalist point to odious or outmoded assumptions as proof that original meaning is objectionable and should be rejected.

In this paper, the author examines the proper role of background assumptions in constitutional interpretation when ascertaining the meaning of the terms, and in constitutional construction when applying this meaning to particular cases and …

Zigbee-Enabled Structural Health Monitoring Using The Smartbrick System, Tyler Harms

Masters Theses

"This thesis describes the design, testing, and proposed extended field test of a wireless sensor network based on the SmartBrick, a structural health monitoring (SHM) device developed at Missouri S&T. The SmartBrick serves as the base station for the network, which utilizes additional sensor nodes to monitor the structure. Each node measures a range of environmental and structural phenomena, including vibration, tilt, humidity, and strain. The nodes use Zigbee short-range communication to transmit their data to the base station, which in turn uses the GSM cellular network to provide long-range communication capability and support for remote control.

Unlike many SHM …

Modeling Of Wear And Oxidation Behavior Of A Carbon/Carbon Multidisk Clutch, Shankar Nagaraj

Masters Theses

"Carbon/carbon composites are a family of advanced composite materials. They are the most advanced form of carbon and consist of a fiber, based on carbon precursors, embedded in a carbon matrix. They are extensively used in design of sliding contact systems such as clutches and brakes because of their low weight, excellent thermal and mechanical properties, chemical inertness and self lubricating capability. They retain their mechanical strength in inert atmospheres up to 2000° C. However, in oxidizing environments, C/C composites rapidly react with oxygen forming gaseous carbon oxides around 450° C.

In the present study a C/C composite clutch assembly …

Analysis Of Lesion Border Segmentation Using Watershed Algorithm, Hanzheng Wang

Masters Theses

"Automatic lesion segmentation is an important part of computer-based skin cancer detection. A watershed algorithm was introduced and tested on benign and melanoma images. The average of three dermatologists' manually drawn borders was compared as the benchmark. Hair removing, black border removing and vignette removing methods were introduced in preprocessing steps. A new lesion ratio estimate was added to the merging method, which was determined by the outer bounding box ratio. In postprocessing, small blob removing and border smoothing using a peninsula removing method as well as a second order B-Spline smoothing method were included. A novel threshold was developed …

Quench Factor Analysis Of Wrought And Cast Aluminum Alloys, Vishwanath Gandikota

Masters Theses

"Mechanical property variation across the cross section of heat treatable aluminum alloys is a major concern. To minimize such variation, a proper understanding of kinetic transformations and estimation of mechanical properties is required. The Jominy end quench test has been used successfully to study the effect of quench rate on the final heat treated properties of wrought and cast aluminum alloys. This test produces varying cooling rates along the length of a cylindrical sample cooled with water at one end. Jominy bars of wrought and cast aluminum alloys were solutionized, endquenched, and aged to T6 temper condition after delays of …

An Integrated Damping And Strengthening Strategy For Performance-Based Seismic Design And Retrofit Of Highway Bridges, Kazi Rezaul Karim

Masters Theses

"In this study, a damping-enhanced strengthening (DES) strategy was introduced to retrofit bridge structures for multiple performance objectives. The main objectives of this study are (1) to numerically demonstrate the effectiveness of the anchoring mechanism of a constrained damping layer in the proposed DES system, and (2) to evaluate the performances of a highway bridge retrofitted with a DES retrofit technique of viscoelastic (VE) damping and carbon-fiber-reinforced-polymer (CFRP) strengthening components that are nearly independent under weak earthquakes but strongly coupled under strong earthquakes"--Abstract, page v.

Development Of An Electronic Governor System For A Small Spark Ignition Engine, Donald Ray Hibler

Masters Theses

"The use of electronic controls on engines has been widespread and has now reached the small utility engine. The evolution from carburetion to electronic fuel injection has presented opportunity to implement additional controls with the intent to improve engine control and performance. In this study, an electronic governor system is developed for use on a small twin cylinder utility engine. This system is to replace an existing mechanical governor system, and it should have the potential as a production based solution that integrates with an existing fuel injection system. It must improve the speed droop characteristics over the current mechanical …

Automated Offspring Sizing In Evolutionary Algorithms, André Chidi Nwamba

Masters Theses

"Evolutionary Algorithms (EAs) are a class of algorithms inspired by biological evolution. EAs are applicable to a wide range of problems; however, there are a number of parameters to set in order to use an EA. The performance of an EA is extremely sensitive to these parameter values; setting these parameters often requires expert knowledge of EAs. This prevents EAs from being more widely adopted by nonexperts. Parameter control, the automation of dynamic parameter value selection, has the potential to not only alleviate the burden of parameter tuning, but also to improve performance of EAs on a variety of problem …