Digital Commons Network^™

Advancing Anomaly Detection With Robust And Graph-Based Learning Methods: From Support Vector Data Description To Graph Neural Networks., Emil Agbemade

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Anomaly detection is crucial across various domains, particularly in handling highly skewed datasets where only normal operating conditions are available for training. To effectively identify abnormal events, specialized one-class classifiers have been developed. This dissertation explores robust and scalable anomaly detection methods, focusing on enhancing support vector techniques to accommodate complex data structures like graphs. The first study introduces the Robust Support Vector Data Description (RSVDD) model, which improves standard SVDD by incorporating a rescaled hinge loss function, making it more resistant to outliers. Using a half-quadratic optimization method, RSVDD dynamically adjusts the influence of each data point, leading to …

The Relationship Between Academic Advising And The Academic Success Of First-Generation, First Time In College Students, Nina Leonard

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Students navigate a variety of challenges that impact their success. As of 2024, Florida uses a myriad of metrics to predict retention rates. Studies have highlighted a relationship between students’ Year 2 retention and 4-year graduation rates. Recently, a large, urban university made significant investments in academic advising. The increased funding was influenced by a shift to gain a preeminent designation in the state. This study sought to determine what relationship, if any, academic advising had on student academic success. Quantitative analysis concluded that academic advising was connected to increased institutional grade point averages, retention to the second year, and …

Metabolic And Genotypic Characterization Of Meropenem Susceptible And Resistant Serratia Marcescens Isolates, Şeyma Ni̇gi̇z, Gülşen Hazirolan, Gülşen Altinkanat Gelmez, Ceren Özkul Koçak, Engi̇n Koçak, Sevi̇lay Erdoğan Kablan, Emi̇rhan Nemutlu, Aycan Gündoğdu, Fatma Bayrakdar, Ufuk Hasdemi̇r, Deni̇z Gür

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Serratia marcescens which is a nosocomial pathogen, is naturally resistant to a wide spectrum of antibiotics, which makes the management of infections difficult. The aim of this study was to determine the in vitro susceptibilities of S. marcescens to ceftriaxone, ceftazidime, meropenem, amikacin, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, and to compare the metabolic profiles of meropenemresistant isolates under basal conditions and after exposure to sublethal concentrations of meropenem.

Materials and methods: A total of 84 S. marcescens isolates were included from various samples. Genes for meropenem resistance were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Genetic similarities among isolates of S. marcescens were …

Exploring Different Metal-Oxide Cathode Materials For Structural Lithium-Ion Batteries Using Dip-Coating, David Petrushenko, Thomas Burns, Paul Ziehl, Ralph E. White, Paul T. Coman

Faculty Publications

In this study, a selection of active materials were coated onto commercially available intermediate modulus carbon fibers to form and analyze the performance of novel composite cathodes for structural power composites. Various slurries containing polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), active material powders, 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) and carbon black (CB) were used to coat carbon fiber tows by immersion. Four active materials—lithium cobalt oxide (LCO), lithium iron phosphate (LFP), lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC), and lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide (NCA)—were individually tested to assess their electrochemical reversibility. The cells were prepared with a polymer separator and liquid electrolytes and assembled in 2025-coin …

Revisiting Android Permission Evolution Through Temporal Analysis: A Data-Driven Study Of Behaviors And Implications, Ali Al Kinoon

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Malicious applications continue to pose significant privacy and security risks within the Android ecosystem, often exploiting user permissions and obscuring data collection practices behind opaque privacy policies. To address these challenges, this dissertation presents a comprehensive framework for enhancing Android app security through dataset construction, permission behavior analysis, and privacy policy classification. The framework systematically investigates key issues such as dataset fidelity, permission misuse, model performance, and the alignment between declared and actual data practices. Through a combination of empirical analysis and machine learning techniques, this work advances the development of more transparent and secure mobile applications. The first part …

Analyzing The Global Changes In The Seasonal Cycle Of Sea Level, Storm Surge, And Ocean Waves, Amanda Barroso

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Changes in the seasonal cycle of extreme sea level components can modulate the flooding risk along coastlines. This dissertation evaluates the changes in and potential co-occurrence of the seasonal cycles of mean sea level, storm surge, and ocean waves. Seasonal cycles characterize the generally expected climate conditions throughout the year with distinct high and low patterns. These regular and predictable cycles have shown non-stationarity in some locations across the globe. This means the timing of the expected peak may shift to occur earlier or later. Shifts in the timing of the maximum sea level impact coastlines with increased risk of …

Numerical Evaluation Of A Novel Transpiration Cooling Scheme For Use In Dynamic Control Of Atmospheric Entry System, Caroline J. Anderson

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Future space exploration missions require sustainable, efficient thermal protection systems for atmospheric entry, instead of disposable ablative shields. Transpiration cooling has interest as a long studied method but never used for missions to date, prompting further study to address concerns of flow transition downstream. In consideration of additional need for aerodynamic maneuvering for greater landing accuracy, a novel asymmetric scheme of transpiration cooling is presented as a method of using onboard coolant to meet entry trajectory maneuvering requirements. This numerical study creates a coupled model of vehicle-scale flow domain and material-scale thermal response to converge on accurate vehicle surface values.

Design And Development Of A Laser Diagnostic System For Ammonia And Nox Measurements In A Toroidal Jet Stirred Reactor At Atmospheric Pressure, Marzuqa Ahmed

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The need for more sustainable fuel alternatives in the modern aircraft industry is growing. SAF is the current sustainable fuel in use, but still produces harmful carbon emissions. A promising alternative to SAF is ammonia, which produces zero carbon emissions. By decomposing ammonia (NH₃) into its constituents of N₂ and H₂ using a chemical catalyst, a hydrogen-ammonia fuel mix is created. H₂/NH₃ mixtures still have the desired characteristic of burning without carbon emissions, but are less reactive than pure hydrogen. Additionally, ammonia is a widely used compound, so infrastructure already exists for production, …

Scalable Embedded Parallel System With Implementation Of Multi-Node Encryption, Binh Pham

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and other innovative technologies promote a demand for high-performance processing systems, underscoring the importance of parallel computing. As a result, the application of parallel systems has spread across various domains. Most of the existing parallel systems are implemented on Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), which require complex designs and adjustments from the user and are often costly despite some performance benefits. This work explores an alternative approach by implementing a parallel system with a distributed memory protocol on affordable and commercially available microcontroller platforms to provide a scalable and cost-effective system. The proposed parallel system …

Marine Ecosystem Services Disruption And Social Violence, Rafael Hurtado-Valdivieso

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Over the past century, human activities have profoundly altered ocean and coastal ecosystems, significantly impacting communities whose livelihoods depend on these environments. This dissertation explores how disruptions in marine ecosystem services contribute to the emergence of social violence in coastal communities, with a specific focus on the Colombian Caribbean. While prior research suggests a potential link between environmental degradation and conflict, empirical evidence remains limited and inconclusive. This study addresses that gap through a multi-method, interdisciplinary approach that integrates environmental science, political science, and computational modeling to examine the mechanisms linking ecosystem disruption to social violence.

The research follows a …

Bridging Data Gaps And Forecasting Challenges In Water Quality Monitoring Using Deep Learning, Rohan Gudla

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Reliable water quality monitoring is critical for protecting public health and enabling sustainable environmental management. However, high rates of missing data often exceed 40% due to sensor failures and operational disruptions severely undermine the utility of environmental monitoring systems. To address this challenge, this thesis presents a three-stage deep learning framework designed to enhance the accuracy and resilience of water quality forecasting. First, a Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory model with Attention and Autoencoder Modules (BiLSTM-AAM) is introduced to impute long, irregular gaps in multivariate time series. Applied to real-world data from the St. Lucie River Basin, the model achieved a …

Enhancing Intelligent Transportation Systems: Scalability, Emulation, And Applications Of V2x Communication For Connected And Autonomous Vehicles, Ghayoor Shah

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The integration of Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communication is a key advancement for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs), enhancing the safety, efficiency, and intelligence of modern Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). While Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) rely heavily on onboard sensor data for situational awareness, they remain limited in non-line-of-sight scenarios, which can lead to critical driver errors and accidents. V2X communication extends this awareness by enabling real-time exchange of information beyond sensor range, improving decision-making and reducing collisions.

Two primary V2X technologies are Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC) and Cellular-V2X (C-V2X). While DSRC, based on IEEE 802.11p, was initially prominent in research, C-V2X, standardized …

Accurate And Efficient Orbit Probability Approximation Framework For Space Situational Awareness, Pugazhenthi Sivasankar

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Uncertainty Propagation in astrodynamics has gained importance in space situational awareness (SSA) problems such as space debris tracking, collision avoidance, and Cislunar operations. In this dissertation, the technique of Orbit Probability Approximation (OPA) is developed. OPA propagates orbital uncertainty using Liouville’s theorem with different functional approximations. First, OPA is formulated with Chebyshev polynomials to propagate the uncertainty on a geocentric planar orbit problem and then validated using two sources of satellite data: GRACE navigation data from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) database, and FireOPAL ground-based observer provided by Lockheed Martin. In this validation process, OPA propagates uncertainty without using any …

Computational Approaches For Rna Structural Motif Analysis: Similarities, Variations, And Spatial Relationships, Md Mahfuzur Rahaman

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The three-dimensional structures of RNA play a critical role in understanding their functions. One way to study the RNA 3D structure is by analyzing recurrent segments within the loop regions of RNAs, known as RNA structural motifs. These motifs can be grouped into families based on their structural features. However, the inherent structural diversity presents challenges in characterizing the similarities, variations, and spatial relationships within RNA motif families. This dissertation presents three computational methods that together provide a comprehensive framework for RNA structural motif analysis. First, RNAMotifComp establishes and visualizes relational networks among structural motif families. By analyzing instances of …

From Failure To Fidelity: Enabling Scalable Sim2real Lidar Perception Through Realistic Digital Twins, Muhammad Shahbaz

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

LiDAR technology plays a key role in enabling intelligent perception across urban systems. Its ability to capture accurate 3D data regardless of lighting conditions makes it well-suited for applications in autonomous vehicles, traffic monitoring, security, and privacy-aware smart city infrastructure, offering advantages over camera-based systems in depth, precision, and reliability. However, scaling deployment faces substantial challenges due to the time, effort, and cost of gathering and labeling LiDAR data used to train and test perception algorithms. This dissertation addresses these challenges by tracing a comprehensive research trajectory from early failures to a successful, fidelity-driven solution. Initially, (1) it explores transfer …

Cover And Contents

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

No abstract provided.

Evaluating Nfl Quarterback Decision Making Through Tracking Data, Jesse N. Melville

Theses and Dissertations

Quarterback decision-making is one of the most critical determinants of success in the National Football League (NFL), yet traditional statistics fail to account for the spatial, temporal, and contextual factors influencing each play. This thesis proposes a data-driven methodology for evaluating quarterback decisions using NFL player tracking data from the 2022 season. We replicate and extend the DeepQB framework by training deep learning models to estimate expected completion probabilities and expected yards gained for each receiver at the moment of the throw. Our extension applies the approach to a newer dataset with additional contextual features, enabling a more detailed evaluation …

Settlement Calculation Method For Composite Foundations Reinforced With Geo-Encased Stone Columns, Long Jun, Tan Jingpeng

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

Geo-encased stone columns (GESCs ),known for their cost-effectiveness and simple construction,are widely employed in the reinforcement of soft soil foundations in practical engineering,and the analysis of their settlement serves as a crucial foundation for the design process.However,existing research mainly focuses on experimental and numerical methods,with relatively limited progress in theoretical calculations.Based on the load transfer mechanism of GESC-reinforced composite foundations and the bulging deformation of the pile body within a certain depth of the pile top under vertical loading,the reinforced zone was divided into a bulging section and a non-bulging section,and the total settlement of the pile was regarded as …

Study On Deformation Characteristics Induced By Deep Foundation Pit Excavation Sharing Diaphragm Wall With Existing Subway Station, Ling Tonghua, Zou Nanwei, Zhou Kun, Feng Wei, Wu Xing, Zhang Liang

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

To investigate the deformation induced by deep foundation pit excavation sharing a diaphragm wall with an existing subway station,this study took the foundation pit project of Gongming Square Station of Shenzhen Metro as an example.A three-dimensional numerical model was established by FLAC3D software to analyze the deformation characteristics of the surrounding ground surface,retaining structures,and the subway station during the excavation process.In addition,field monitoring was conducted to measure the vertical and horizontal displacements of the pit sidewall and the subway station sharing the diaphragm wall.The results show that after excavation,the ground surface settlement behind the retaining wall exhibits an approximately elliptical …

Study On Chloride Ion Diffusion Behavior In Cracked Cement Mortar With High Fly Ash Content, Liu Yang, Mao Shengzhe, Lu Naiwei

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

In order to explore the diffusion behavior of chloride ions in cracked cement mortar with high fly ash (FA) content,this study fabricated cement mortar specimens with different FA contents and crack widths by artificially prefabricating cracks.The chloride ion content in cracks was measured after natural soaking for 30 days and 60 days.The results show that the cracks accelerate the diffusion of chloride ions in cement mortar.The increase in the diffusion coefficient caused by 0.05 mm and 0.1 mm cracks is similar,while that caused by a 0.2 mm crack is significantly higher.After 30 days of soaking,the chloride ion content of the …

Relationship Between Fractal Characteristics And Shear Strength Of Highway Spoil Site Materials, Luo Shixin, Luo Hongming, Zou Fei, Cai Lei

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

Highway spoil features a wide range of particle sizes and poor gradation,and their strength characteristics serve as key factors affecting the stability of spoil slopes.To explore the relationship between fractal characteristics of particle size and strength,this study examined 21 spoil sites along the Guizhou section of the Duyun ‒ Shangri-La Expressway.Based on the field investigation,particle size analysis tests,and laboratory shear tests,the particle composition and shear strength parameters of spoil were obtained.Based on fractal theory,the fractal characteristics of particle size under different gradation scaling methods were analyzed,and the relationship between shear strength parameters and the fractal dimensions of particle size was …

Research On Improvement Of Adhesive Properties Of Asphalt And Granite Gravel, Li Yu, Zhang Yingxue, Qiu Chao, Wang Mo, Liu Li

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

In view of the poor adhesion of acidic granite gravel and asphalt and the shortage of alkaline stone in asphalt pavement in China ’s expressway construction,this study evaluated the improvement effects of schemes,including single use of amine anti-stripping agent DRD-K 1,single use of non-amine anti-stripping agent AMR- 3,single use of cement,and combined use of anti-stripping agent and cement,on the asphalt-aggregate adhesion properties.Through the tests of three major indexes before and after asphalt aging,aggregate adhesion test,and improved water immersion method,the adhesion of asphalt was evaluated,and the optimal amount for use was proposed.The results show that the non-amine anti-stripping agent AMR- 3 …

Factors Influencing Fatigue Damage In Manufactured Sand-Based Ecological Self-Compacting Concrete Pavement, Fu Suanzi, Li Hongyan

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

Ecological-self-compacting concrete (Eco-SCC ) pavements offer advantages such as reduced cement consumption,lower carbon emissions,and improved economic performance.However,their durability has not been sufficiently studied.Based on the literature review and fatigue test data,the fatigue parameters of Eco-SCC were determined using the Chaboche damage evolution model.A finite element model of fatigue damage in Eco-SCC pavement structures was established to compare the fatigue damage distribution under different loading positions,identify the unfavorable loading positions,and analyze the influence of slab thickness and modulus on the durability of Eco-SCC pavements.SCC plate thickness and modulus on the durability of Eco-SCC pavement.The results show that fatigue damage under different …

Adhesion Mechanism Of Geopolymer-Modified Emulsified Asphalt Slurry At Interface With Aggregate, Zhong Chao, Yang Hao, Lin Juntao, Xiao Yue

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

In order to investigate the adhesion mechanism at the interface between geopolymer-modified emulsified asphalt slurry and aggregate,the interfacial adhesion performance was studied by the molecular dynamics method and compared with that of cement-modified emulsified asphalt slurry.In addition,macro-scale splitting strength tests were performed for verification.The results indicate that van der Waals forces play a major role in the adhesion at the slurry-aggregate interface.Under equivalent mix ratios,the interfacial binding energy between the geopolymer-modified emulsified asphalt slurry and aggregate is 6.84% ‒19.99% higher than that of the cement system.The adhesion performance is closely related to the diffusion properties and atomic distribution of the …

Experimental Study On Workability Of Alkali-Activated Red Mud-Based Controlled Low-Strength Materials, Wu Yun, Fang Mingjing², Lin Zhiyang², Liu Zhengwei³, Beng Jianping³

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

This study aims to optimize the mix design of alkali-activated red mud-based controlled low-strength materials (CLSMs ) to enhance their applicability in road engineering backfilling.The effects of red mud content (20% ‒ 50%),water-to-solid ratio (0.30‒0.36),sand-to-soil ratio (7∶3‒4∶6),polycarboxylate superplasticizer (PEC ) dosage (0%‒2.1%),and fly ash to mineral powder ratio (5∶1‒0.5∶1) on the flowability and bleeding resistance of the materials were systematically investigated.The results are as follows:① The water-to-solid ratio significantly influences flowability.Increasing it to 0.32‒0.34 improves flowability by 39%‒78%,but when the ratio exceeds 0.34,the bleeding rate increases significantly (up to 4.89%);② When the red mud content is 30%‒40%,the high specific surface …

Damage Localization Of Simp Ly Supported Beams Based On Deflection Influence Surfaces Calculated By Three-Dimensional Boundary Face Method, Yin Xinfeng, Luo Zonghao, Yan Wanli, Kaiersaer ∙Tuerdi

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

The deflection influence surface (DIS) of a spatial structure is difficult to calculate using the existing two-dimensional boundary element method.To address this issue,a damage localization method based on DIS calculated using the three-dimensional boundary face method (BFM ) was proposed.A custom BFM program with an internal loop was developed,and the internal forces and deformations of a square plate and a supported T-beam structure were calculated using the static method.By specifying the domain of the order of a bivariate polynomial function (BPF ),a secondary optimization program for influence surfaces was established,and the DIS with the minimum mean square error was obtained.The …

Research On Construction Monitoring Of Continuous Rigid Frame Bridge Based On Knn Algorithm, Liu Jianlin, Pan Kai, Yang Gang, Wang Junming

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

To address common issues in bridge construction monitoring,such as sensor damage and failure in strain and displacement measurements,this study took the Nanliu Jialing River Bridge as a case and proposed a method based on the K-nearest neighbor (KNN ) algorithm to reconstruct missing construction monitoring data.ANSYS Workbench was used to establish a finite element model (FEM ) of the bridge construction process to verify the effectiveness of the KNN algorithm in the presence of missing bridge construction monitoring data.The results show:① KNN algorithm can assist in filling short-term data gaps caused by damage to strain and displacement sensors during bridge …

Shear Strength Test Of Uhpc-Nc Bonding Surface, Zhang Shichang, Yan Donghuang, Liu Yun, Yuan Sheng, Wang Shuo

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

As a cement-based composite material with excellent mechanical properties,ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC ) demonstrates outstanding performance in tensile and compressive strength,durability,and impermeability.This material is suitable for the reinforcement and repair of normal concrete (NC) bridge structures.To study the shear behavior of the UHPC-NC bonding interface and its reinforcement effect,this paper conducted interface shear tests using Z-shaped specimens and designed a total of six sets of comparative specimens.The influence of parameters such as the planted bar ratio,implantation depth,and bonding surface size on the shear strength was explored.Through experiments,the load –slip curve and the shear strength data were obtained.The results show that:① …

Field Measurement And Analysis Of Wind Characteristics At Xuefenghu Bridge Site, Yu Wenhao, Yi Lu

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

Wind field parameters at bridge sites serve as an important basis for wind-resistant bridge design.The terrain surrounding the Xuefenghu Bridge is unique-mountains flank both sides in the bridge-aligned direction,and the bridge spans the wide surface of the Zhexi Reservoir.In order to investigate the wind field characteristics under such complex topographic conditions,an observation,acquisition,and wireless data transmission system was established at the bridge site.A one-year in-situ wind measurement campaign was conducted,and the characteristics of average wind and fluctuating wind were deeply analyzed.The results show that the average wind speed at the bridge site generally follows a Weibull distribution,and the average wind direction …

Experimental Study On Shear Resistance Of Existing Prestressed Concrete Hollow Slabs, Lu Youfu, Di Jin, Qin Fengjiang, Sun Yifei

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

Prestressed concrete hollow slabs are widely used in small- and medium-sized span highway bridges in China.With the increase in load ratings,many hollow slab bridges built in early periods fail to meet the current specifications for shear bearing capacity.Nevertheless,these hollow slabs continue to function adequately under existing vehicle loads,making it essential to conduct an in-depth investigation into their shear bearing capacity.Shear bearing capacity tests were conducted on five 16 m-span hollow slabs dismantled from a renovation and expansion project,including three top slabs with a 15 cm cast-in-place concrete structural layer.Various parameters,such as load-displacement curves,web concrete strain,cracking loads,crack development patterns,failure modes,and ultimate …