Engineering Commons^™

Development, Experimental Validation, And Progressive Failure Modeling Of An Ultra-Thin High Stiffness Deployable Composite Boom For In-Space Applications, Jimesh D. Bhagatji

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

To maximize the capabilities of nano- and micro-class satellites, which are limited by their size, weight, and power, advancements in deployable mechanisms with a high deployable surface area to packaging volume ratio are necessary. Without progress in understanding the mechanics of high-strain materials and structures, the development of compact deployable mechanisms for this class of satellites would be difficult. This research focuses on fabrication, experimental testing, and progressive failure modelling to study the deformation of an ultra-thin composite beam. The research study examines deformation modes of a boom under repetitive pure bending loads using 4-point bending setup. The material and …

A Comparative Study Of Vinti-Based Orbit Propagation And Estimation For Cubesats In Very Low Earth Orbits, Ethan Michael Senecal

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in CubeSats and very low Earth orbit (VLEO) space missions. Mission SeaLion, a collaborative CubeSat mission between Old Dominion University, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology, planned to launch a 3U CubeSat into VLEO. The VLEO mission is a particularly challenging environment for navigation and orbit propagation because drag introduces a significant perturbation for orbit models such as SGP4. Additionally, mission requirements left no capacity for attitude determination or control, further reducing knowledge of drag behavior of the satellite in flight. This deficiency is a …

Data-Driven Predictive Modeling To Enhance Search Efficiency Of Glowworm-Inspired Robotic Swarms In Multiple Emission Source Localization Tasks, Payal Nandi

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

In time-sensitive search and rescue applications, a team of multiple mobile robots broadens the scope of operational capabilities. Scaling multi-robot systems (< 10 agents) to larger robot teams (10 – 100 agents) using centralized coordination schemes becomes computationally intractable during runtime. One solution to this problem is inspired by swarm intelligence principles found in nature, offering the benefits of decentralized control, fault tolerance to individual failures, and self-organizing adaptability. Glowworm swarm optimization (GSO) is unique among swarm-based algorithms as it simultaneously focuses on searching for multiple targets. This thesis presents GPR-GSO—a modification to the GSO algorithm that incorporates Gaussian Process Regression (GPR) based data-driven predictive modeling—to improve the search efficiency of robotic swarms in multiple emission source localization tasks. The problem formulation and methods are presented, followed by numerical simulations to illustrate the working of the algorithm. Results from a comparative analysis show that the GPR-GSO algorithm exceeds the performance of the benchmark GSO algorithm on evaluation metrics of swarm size, search completion time, and travel distance.

Cislunar Navigation Techniques And Navigation Performance Optimization, Quinn P. Moon

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Nova-C is a lunar lander developed by the private company Intuitive Machines to deliver commercial payloads to the Moon. The IM-1 mission set for 2023 will launch and land the Nova-C near the Moon's south pole. In this research, various navigation techniques are explored to determine the lander's position and velocity during key segments. This process is studied for key mission events including trajectory correction maneuvers (TCMs), lunar orbit insertion (LOI), and descent orbit insertion (DOI). Each mission segment, referred to as an Orbit Determination Segment (OD), is analyzed with three different navigation techniques: Monte Carlo Analysis, Linear Covariance Analysis, …

Performance Evaluation And Thermal Management Solutions For A Sustainable Microsized Hydrogen-Powered Turbo-Shaft Engine, Nikolai Baranov

Discovery Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Research Internship

Analyzing the aerospace and automotive industries, there is a transition to sustainable energy generation. Aiming to bridge industrial emissions with the worldwide net zero goal by 2050, one widely considered solution for long-range drones and small aircraft is compact turbo-shaft engines combusting clean hydrogen gas to produce shaft work. The small size and energy-dense fuel allow for a universal powerplant with high specific power output that fits a wide variety of existing solutions. One such micro-sized turboshaft internal combustion engine was created to test the potential power output, thermal management, and combustor optimization of the existing stainless steel assembly. The …

In-Situ Lock-In Thermographic Measurement Of Powder Layer Thermal Diffusivity And Thickness In Laser Powder Bed Fusion, Tao Liu, Edward C. Kinzel, Ming-Chuan Leu

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The thermal transport properties of the powder layer play a crucial role in the process of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). This paper introduces an in-situ measurement method utilizing active lock-in infrared thermography (LIT) to determine the thermal diffusivity and thickness of the powder layer. The proposed method exhibits great potential for accurate powder property and thickness measurements and real-time process monitoring. In this lock-in thermographic technique, the LPBF laser beam is directed through an optical diffuser and modulated into a square thermal wave. This thermal wave serves as an active heat source to heat the surface of the powder …

The Influence Of Mixing Duct Length And Phase Of Flight On Wall Temperatures Of A Rocket Based Combined Cycle Engine In Ejector And Air-Augmented Modes, Jonathan Grow

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) engines have been theorized as a possible means of powering launch vehicles and high-speed atmospheric vehicles. By incorporating aspects of both air-breathing and rocket propulsion, RBCC engines promise up to a 230 % increase in specific impulse over traditional chemical rocket propulsion by entraining a secondary flow of atmospheric air and mixing it with the exhaust of a rocket motor. Students within the Embry-Riddle Future Space Explorers and Developers Society (ERFSEDS) identified a
problem of excessive heating and structural failure of the mixing duct during launch and transonic flight of a student-built flight test vehicle. …

Adaptive Control Allocation For Unmanned Aerial Vehicles With Model Uncertainties, Eren Sarioglu

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Model uncertainties and effector degradation carry risks to weaken the performance of any aerial system and endanger operation during flight. To this end, over-actuated aerial systems are used in flight operations to take precautions for possible incidents, which may result in improper control or a fall of the aerial vehicle. Adaptive control and adaptive control allocation methods are effective solutions for over-actuated uncertain aerial vehicles to overcome these phenomena because of their ability to estimate unknown effects. In this work, a literature search for control allocation methods is first revealed. An adaptive control allocation solution is introduced and implemented for …

Neural Network Models For Generating Synthetic Flight Data, Nathaniel Sisson

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Flight test data is a valuable resource used in many aerospace applications. However, procuring a sufficiently large database of flight test data poses several challenges. Nominal flight tests can be expensive and time-consuming and require much post-processing depending on the availability of sensors and the quality of the sensor output. Flight test performed outside of nominal flight conditions, or flight tests in which failures are introduced, add to the inherent risk and danger associated with flight tests. The most popular alternative to flight test, numerical simulations, may fail to fully capture all non-linear behavior. While flight tests will always be …

High-Temperature Phonon-Assisted Upconversion Photoluminescence Of Monolayer Wse2, Fengkai Meng, Xiaodong Yang, Jie Gao

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Phonon-assisted up conversion photoluminescence (UPL) is an anti-Stokes process emitting photons of energy higher than the excitation photons, with up conversion energy gain provided by optical phonons. Atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenides provide a promising platform for exploring the phonon-assisted UPL process due to their strong phonon-exciton interactions. Here, high-temperature phonon-assisted UPL process in monolayer WSe2 is investigated, aiming to understand the role of phonon population and the number of phonons involved in the UPL process at elevated temperatures. It is demonstrated that the integrated intensity of UPL emission significantly increases by two orders of magnitude as the temperature rises …

On The Development Of Part-Scale Fem Modeling For Laser Powder Bed Fusion Of Aisi 316l Stainless Steel With Experimental Verification, Muhammad Arif Mahmood, Asif Ur Rehman, M. Mustafa Azeem, Abedalkader Alkhouzaam, Marwan Khraisheh

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), the effects of operating conditions on thermal gradients and residual stresses are the utmost challenges that require significant attention. The magnitudes of residual stress in the printed layers, as well as the distribution along the printed components, have not been well explained for LPBF parts. In this study, a 3D finite element thermo-mechanical model has been established to investigate the effect of operating conditions on thermal distribution, melt pool evolution, residual stress distribution, and part distortion. The printed AISI 316L stainless steel cubes have been characterized experimentally. The results showed a proportional correlation among …

Analysis Of The Performance, Recertification, And Sustainability Of A Cessna 172n Modified With An O-360-A4m Powerplant, Variable Timing Electronic Ignition, And Tuned Exhaust, Kelsey Lee Kaht

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to discuss the performance, modification, and recertification of the test aircraft, a Cessna 172N that has been equipped with an O-360-A4M power plant, tuned exhaust, and variable timing electronic ignition, and to compare the aircraft to a stock aircraft and other high-performance aircraft to determine the feasibility of the modifications. 65 knot, 80 knot, and 95 knot steady state climb and 2000 ft and 5000 ft level acceleration tests were performed with the test aircraft at the Melbourne Orlando International Airport. The weather was clear with calm wind, and there was only one issue …

The Plastics Collection Reference Packet, Special Collections Research Center

Special Collections Research Center

This reference packet is an informational tool to support further research into the history of plastics—whether interested in companies, individuals within the plastics industry's history, historical plastics materials, essays, and more. All content featured within this packet was previously published on the former plastics.syr.edu website as part of a Syracuse University Libraries and Special Collections Research Center (SCRC) partnership established in 2007 with the Plastics Pioneers Association (PPA)—an association of plastics industry professionals interested in preserving the plastics industry's past.

Kinetic Particle Simulations Of Plasma Charging At Lunar Craters Under Severe Conditions, David Lund, Xiaoming He, Daoru Frank Han

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper presents fully kinetic particle simulations of plasma charging at lunar craters with the presence of lunar lander modules using the recently developed Parallel Immersed-Finite-Element Particle-in-Cell (PIFE-PIC) code. The computation model explicitly includes the lunar regolith layer on top of the lunar bedrock, taking into account the regolith layer thickness and permittivity as well as the lunar lander module in the simulation domain, resolving a nontrivial surface terrain or lunar lander configuration. Simulations were carried out to study the lunar surface and lunar lander module charging near craters at the lunar terminator region under mean and severe plasma environments. …

Modeling, Control, And Hardware Development Of A Thrust-Vector Coaxial Uav, Andrew North

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

This thesis introduces a unique thrust vector coaxial unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) configuration and presents a comprehensive investigation encompassing dynamics modeling, hardware design, and controller development. Using the Newton-Euler method, a dynamic model for the UAV is derived to gain in-depth insights into its fundamental flight characteristics. A simple thrust model is formulated and modified by comparing it with data obtained from vehicle testing. The feasibility of manufacturing such a vehicle is assessed through the development of a hardware prototype. Finally, a linear state feedback controller is designed and evaluated using the non-linear dynamics model. The results demonstrate successful validation …

In-Flight Testing & Verification Of An Adaptive Distributed Fault-Tolerant Control Architecture, Michael Budihartono

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The interest in utilizing multi-agent systems (MAS) has increased in the aerospace industry. Its scalability, efficiency, robustness, fault tolerance, and cost-effectiveness make it ideal for performing real-world missions that require more than one agent. However, in completing the tasks, the multi-agent systems are still vulnerable to environmental disturbances, cyber-attacks, and hardware failures. Therefore, an adaptive distributed fault-tolerant control architecture is needed to minimize the impacts of the previously stated circumstances and ensure the mission can continue successfully.

This thesis describes the development of an experimental setup for testing and validating an adaptive consensus algorithm and a bio-inspired health management architecture. …

In-Situ Thermal And Deformation Characterization Of Additive Manufacturing Processes, Nicholas Phillips

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a rapidly growing industry with numerous applications in the aerospace industry such as aircraft parts and emergency tools on the International Space Station. Defects in additively manufactured structures, however, can waste a lot of time and money. Being able to monitor the manufacturing process for defects is one of the first steps which can be taken to mitigate these losses. This study focuses on the use of thermography in conjunction with deep learning to identify flaws during 3D printing of composite structures made using Onyx, a mixture of chopped carbon fiber and nylon, composite prints. In …

Data-Driven Porosity Prediction For Directed Energy Deposition, Georgia E. Kaufman

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

Stochastic flaw formation leading to poor print quality is a major obstacle to the utility of directed energy deposition (DED), a laser and metal powder-based additive manufacturing technology for construction and repair of custom metal parts. While melt pool temperature variability is known to be a major factor in flaw formation, control schemes to decrease flaw formation are limited by a lack of physics-based models that fully and accurately describe DED. In this work, a stochastic reachability analysis with a data-driven model based on thermal images of the melt pool was conducted to determine the likelihood of violating melt pool …

Accurate Covariance Estimation For Pose Data From Iterative Closest Point Algorithm, Rick H. Yuan, Clark N. Taylor, Scott L. Nykl

Faculty Publications

One of the fundamental problems of robotics and navigation is the estimation of the relative pose of an external object with respect to the observer. A common method for computing the relative pose is the iterative closest point (ICP) algorithm, where a reference point cloud of a known object is registered against a sensed point cloud to determine relative pose. To use this computed pose information in downstream processing algorithms, it is necessary to estimate the uncertainty of the ICP output, typically represented as a covariance matrix. In this paper, a novel method for estimating uncertainty from sensed data is …

Empowering Student Success: Unlocking The Potential Of Project-Based Steel Design Education, Aly Mousaad Aly

Faculty Publications

In the pursuit of student success, it is essential to acknowledge that a singular teaching style does not universally cater to all students. The educator's crucial role lies in creating an optimal learning environment that fosters students' endeavors to excel. This endeavor transcends mere classroom success or employment prospects, encompassing a broader impact on societal well-being. An experiential learning approach, where students actively engage in practical tasks, emerges as the most effective mode of instruction. Integrating project-based learning activities into the curriculum holds immense potential for enhancing student learning. Additionally, the utilization of analysis software tools like FTool and STAAD …

Advances In Multiagent Systems Control: Multiplex Information Networks-Based Approaches And Beyond, Kimberly Witke

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Multiagent systems control designs offer numerous advantages to increasingly complex civilian, military, and scientific tasks ranging from intelligent satellite swarm controls or autonomous traffic controls to remote triage and repair or remote wildlife observation, where the performance of a single agent is insufficient to execute the task at hand. Traditional methods in multiagent systems controls, however, have been infeasible for use in scalable, large-group formation controls.

With this in mind, the contribution of this dissertation is to bridge the gap in knowledge through both theoretical and experimental validation of multiagent systems control architectures. It addresses the challenges presented by unreliable, …

Consumer 3d Printing For Remote Control Aircraft Wings: Development Of Novel Wingbox Structure, Ian Clark

University Honors Theses

Remote control aircraft construction and can be a very expensive and time-consuming hobby. With 3D printer consumer adoption rates skyrocketing, there is a gap between demand for RC aircraft and suitable well-designed models available to creators and hobbyists. By creating and testing two iterations of wingbox geometries, this research aims to help close that gap by producing an easily printable wing structure. While there are improvements that can be made on this work, this research has been effective in generating a novel wingbox structure for FFF 3D printing that has distinct advantages over other designs currently available.

Time-Orbiting-Potential Chip Trap For Cold Atoms, C. A. Sackett, J. C. Stickney

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

We present a design for an atom chip trap that uses the time-orbiting-potential technique. The design offers several advantages compared with other chip-trap methods. It uses a simple crossed-wire pattern on the chip, along with a rotating bias field. The trap is naturally close to spherically symmetric, and it can be modified to be exactly symmetric in quadratic order of the coordinates. Loading from a magneto-optical trap is facilitated because the trap can be positioned an arbitrary distance from the chip. The fields can be modified to provide a gradient for support against gravity, and the three-dimensional trap can be …

In Situ Formation Of Silica Nanoparticles Decorated With Well-Defined Homopolymers And Block Copolymers, Fatimah Aldakheel, Konstantinos Ntetsikas, Arief Yudhanto, Gilles Lubineau, Nikos Hadjichristidis

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Grafting non-polar polymer chains on the surface of polar nanoparticles (e.g., silica) is an effective way to enhance particle/matrix interactions and thus promote their homogeneous dispersion within a non-polar matrix, which leads to improved mechanical properties. Current grafting methods have not yet produced nanoparticles with well-defined polymers on the surface and high grafting density. Here, we employed anionic polymerization high vacuum techniques to synthesize ω-triethoxysilyl polystyrene (PS-TEOS) and PS-b-PI macromonomers followed by hydrolysis/condensation of macromonomers, leading to the in-situ formation of grafted (grafting through) silica nanoparticles with either PS or polystyrene-b-polyisoprene (PS-b-PI) chains. The molecular characteristics of the precursors PS-TEOS …

Crazyflie 2.1 Quadcopter Nonlinear System Identification, Nhat V. Nguyen, Hope Storro, John Plimpton

2023 Symposium

Quadcopters (quad) are used widely in many industries with crucial applications such as infrastructure inspection or package delivery. The Crazyflie 2.1 quad from Bitcraze provides an excellent platform for research and development. In this project, our goal is to perform system identification on the Crazyflie to propose a complete model. A gray box method is explored, which includes leveraging the parameters that are already known, to develop a set of equations. Through theory, simulations, and measurements, a complete quadcopter model is developed.

Wast3d Potential, Andrew Larsen

Masters Theses

Waste is obsolete. Standard building industry practices are harmful to the environment. Non-traditional construction methods were examined as alternatives. Circular design logic was the guiding principle in material choice. Additive manufacturing is a proven modern method for building construction. Research on 3D printing case studies revealed that recycled plastic is a proven material and readily available. Removing plastic waste from the environment and sequestering it in architectural components gives the material a new purpose. The component of focus was a building block for a wall assembly. Inspiration was taken from the hexagonal Basalt rock formations found near volcanic fault lines. …

Improving The Tensile Mechanical Properties Of Direct Energy Deposited (Ded) Inconel 718 Aircraft Components Using A Standard Heat Treatment, Spencer Vincent Flynn

Materials Engineering

This project aimed to improve the mechanical properties of as-printed additively manufactured Inconel 718 samples using a heat treatment usually used for cast and wrought Inconel 718. The mechanical properties sought to be optimized were yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, elongation, and reduction in area. The property goals were to match or exceed those of cast and heat treated Inconel 718. Wire-fed electron beam direct energy deposition (DED) was used to manufacture the samples, which were then heat treated using the AMS 5663 standard in an inert atmosphere. The samples were then tested in tension to obtain data on their …

Morphology And Hemodynamics Of Cerebral Arteries And Aneurysms In A Rare Pair Of Monozygotic Twins, Hang Yi, Zifeng Yang, Luke C. Bramlage, Bryan R. Ludwig

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

In this preliminary study, the underlying pathophysiology mechanisms of cerebral aneurysms (CAs) in monozygotic twins (MTs) were investigated via a rare pair of MTs (twin A and twin B) involving four reconstructed arterial models using preclinical information. First, dimensions and configurated outlines of three-perspective geometries were compared. Adopting an in-vitro validated numerical CA model, hemodynamic characteristics were investigated in the MTs, respectively. Despite expected genetic similarities, morphological comparisons show that configurations of cerebral arteries exhibit significant differences between the twins. The ICA size of twin A is larger than that in twin B (2.23~25.86%), varying with specific locations, attributing to …

Cooled Liquid Rocket Thrust Chamber, Benjamin Gibson, Kealan Frederick Harris, Ryan Frank Schackel, Bjorn Thorsen

Mechanical Engineering

Cooling may affect the thrust output of a small-scale rocket. Little research is published about small-scale rocket performance. We hypothesize the thrust produced varies as the amount of cooling varies. To facilitate assessing this hypothesis, we have designed and built a liquid rocket engine rated for at approximately 25 lb_f of thrust. Our objective was to build in parallel with Cal Poly Space Systems, who built a rocket engine with similar specifications except without cooling. Our challenge is to integrate film cooling, so that the effects of cooling may be compared to Cal Poly Space System’s engine which has …

Identifying Adhesion Characteristics Of Metal-Polymer Interfaces: Recent Advances In The Case Of Electroplated Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, Arief Yudhanto, Xiaole Li, Ran Tao, Ruslan Melentiev, Gilles Lubineau

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Applying thin metallic coating layers on the surface of polymeric parts or structures (metallization) that is generally performed via electroplating process aims to improve both mechanical integrity and design aesthetics. The mechanical integrity of the electroplated polymeric parts, which is greatly controlled by the strong interfacial adhesion between metal and polymer, can be measured using standardized tests, such as tape test and peel test, among others. However, various factors pertaining to the electroplating and the nature of these standardized tests affect our interpretation on the identified metal–polymer adhesion. In this paper, we reviewed the recent advances in the effective electroplating …