Engineering Commons^™

Navigation Using Vector And Tensor Measurements Of The Earth's Magnetic Anomaly Field, Lauren A. Mount

Theses and Dissertations

This research explores the viability of using a navigation system that relies on measurements of the magnetic anomaly field as an alternative to GPS navigation. Previous research has been conducted on developing a navigation system using the intensity of the Earth's magnetic anomaly field as an alternative signal. This research focuses on using vector and tensor measurements, as opposed to scalar measurements of the anomaly field, as a means of obtaining accurate position and orientation solutions. This paper presents two navigation systems. The first uses an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) with vector measurements of the magnetic anomaly field to aid …

Utilizing Supercomputing To Analyze Risks Of An Emergent Large-Scale Debris Field In Low Earth Orbit, David J. Buehler

Theses and Dissertations

The likelihood of on-orbit breakups, whether spontaneous or the result of collision, will likely continue to grow as the barriers of entry to and use of space are reduced. In all orbital regimes, especially low Earth orbit (LEO), preparation to respond quickly when the next breakup occurs is critical. This research utilizes high-performance parallel computation along with python-driven Systems Tool Kit (STK) to model a large-scale on-orbit breakup in LEO, with the goal of returning data in less than 90 minutes. The breakup is characterized by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) EVOLVE 4.0 breakup model and is both …

Aerial Port Of The Future: Developing Paperless Operations, Peter J. Williams

Theses and Dissertations

Air Mobility Command (AMC) is combatting manning mismatches with antiquated processes and equipment in Aerial Port operations, and has chosen to address these issues through an initiative called “Aerial Port of the Future.” This initiative is designed to understand challenges in Aerial Ports and implement technological tools, where appropriate, to aid AMC Airmen in their duties of transporting goods and personnel through military channels. Oftentimes, personnel are forced to utilize technology that may not meet their needs, and in turn may resist implementation of the imposed technology. Therefore, first, this research identifies potential technologies designed to improve Aerial Port efficiency …

Assessing The Reliability Of The B-1b Lancer Using Survival Analysis, Francisco J. Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

During the 2017 posture statement to the US Senate Armed Services Committee, the Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of Staff of the Air Force stated the Air Force suffers from shrinking aircraft inventory, aging aircraft fleets, and flying beyond the expected service life. These trends are not an exception to the B-1B Lancer, which has been in service since 1986. Recently, the B-1B Lancer has maintained the lowest mission capable (MC) rates of 47.7 percent. The purpose of this research is to explore the failure rates of the B-1B Lancer using survival analysis that investigates the failure behavior …

Aerodynamic Analysis Of Low Speed Wing Design Using Taguchi L9 Orthogonal Array, Kenneth Witcher, Ian Mcandrew, Elena Vishnevskaya

Publications

The study of aerodynamics has been preoccupied with understanding flight at increasing speeds and ultimately supersonic. Today, this pursuit has advanced the science for both Hypersonic and Transonic flight to near Mach 1 supporting economical commercial flight operations. This research presents the data from a Taguchi array on low speed with twin wing designs to establish the design parameters for their use in low speed and high altitude. Also presented is how aerodynamic advantages can be achieved through understanding the interactions of parameters and their use. This is compared to operational effectiveness when applied to remotely piloted aircraft that are …

Low Reynolds Number Numerical Simulation Of The Aerodynamic Coefficients Of A 3d Wing, Khurshid Malik, Waqar Asrar, Erwin Sulaeman

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

A low Reynolds number, three-dimensional CFD analysis is carried out for a finite flat plate wing using the commercial CFD code STAR CCM+. The six-aerodynamic force and moment components C_L, C_D, C_M, C_N, C_l, C_Y and their derivatives are computed at a Reynolds numbers of 3x10⁵ by varying the pitch, roll and yaw angles about the quarter chord point. The computed results have been validated with experimental aerodynamic balance data when possible. The results indicate that roll and yaw angle affect the aerodynamic coefficients of the flat plate …

Characterizing The Influence Of Matrix Ductility On Damage Phenomenology In Continuous Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastic Laminates Undergoing Quasi-Static Indentation, A. Yudhanto, H. Wafai, G. Lubineau, R. Yaldiz, N. Verghese

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The use of thermoplastic matrix was known to improve the impact properties of laminated composites. However, different ductility levels can exist in a single family of thermoplastic matrix, and this may consequently modify the damage phenomenology of thermoplastic composites. This paper focuses on the effect of matrix ductility on the out-of-plane properties of thermoplastic composites, which was studied through quasi-static indentation (QSI) test that may represent impact problem albeit the speed difference. We evaluated continuous glass-fiber reinforced polypropylene thermoplastic composites (GFPP), and selected homopolymer PP and copolymer PP that represent ductile and less ductile matrices, respectively. Several cross-ply laminates were …

Molecular Simulation Of Steady-State Evaporation And Condensation In The Presence Of A Non-Condensable Gas, Zhi Liang, Pawel Keblinski

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Using Molecular Dynamics Simulations, We Study Evaporation and Condensation of Fluid Ar in the Presence of a Non-Condensable Ne Gas in a Nanochannel. the Evaporation and Condensation Are Driven by the Temperature Difference, ΔTL, between the Evaporating and Condensing Liquid Surfaces. the Steady-State Evaporation and Condensation Fluxes (JMD) Are Also Affected by the Ne Concentration, ΡNe, and the Nanochannel Length. We Find that Across a Wide Range of ΔTL and ΡNe, JMD is in Good Agreement with the Prediction from Stefan's Law and from Schrage Relationships. Furthermore, for ΔTL Less Than ∼20% of the Absolute Average Temperature, We Find that …

Base Pressure Control Using Micro-Jets In Supersonic Flow Regimes, Vigneshvaran Sethuraman, Sher Afghan Khan

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Base pressure plays a vital role in aerospace-related applications and its control is essential in reduction of drag and improving fuel consumption. Low pressure at the base of Rockets, Missiles, bombs and shells are a very common problem happening at transonic and supersonic speeds. In most of the cases there is a significant dip in pressure at the base region which will have implications on the design of aerospace vehicles. This paper presents an experimental investigation carried out for flow control at supersonic regimes. Experiments were conducted to measure the base pressure in the base region and wall pressure distribution …

A Constellation Of Cubesats For The Measurement Of Thermospheric Density, Kimberly Wright, James Flynn, Susannah Miller

Undergraduate Research Symposium

The ODU CubeSat is part of a multi-university collaborative project that aims to build a constellation of three small satellites that are shaped in the form of a cube with dimensions of 10 x 10 x 10 cm and will be deployed into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to study phenomena that influence the varying thermosphere density. Variations in the density of the thermosphere fluctuate due to seasonal differences, changes in solar activity, solar radiation, and geomagnetic variations, along with temperature and altitude. These factors lead to uncertainties in current atmospheric drag models, which are a major source of error in …

An Airplane-Helicopter Hybrid Called Racer Is A New Convertiplane Design From Airbus, Nihad E. Daidzic

Aviation Department Publications

Airbus recently unveiled an airplane-hybrid design named Rapid and Cost Efficient Rotorcraft (RACER)...I'll explore the aerodynamics that make such a design possible.

Subjectivity In Failure Mode Effects Analysis (Fmea) Severity Classification Within A Reliability Centered Maintenance (Rcm) Context, Marc Banghart, Kari Babski-Reeves, Linkan Bian, Lesley Strawderman

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

This research paper investigated subjectivity in the severity rating of failure modes within a risk analysis process. Although several risk analysis processes can be utilized, the study considered the application of Failure Modes Effects Analysis (FMEA) or Failure Modes Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) due to its common use within the Aerospace Industry. The study investigated both differences in severity selection given varying amounts of experience as well as any association between severity selection and the provided input information. The main goal of the research was to investigate the impact of data quality on severity selection and to identify factors …

Some Insights Into The Migration Of Double Imaginary Roots Under Small Deviation Of Two Parameters, Dina Alina Irofti, Keqin Gu, Islam Boussaada, Silviu-Iulian Niculescu

SIUE Faculty Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity

This paper studies the migration of double imaginary roots of the systems’ characteristic equation when two parameters are subjected to small deviations. The proposed approach covers a wide range of models. Under the least degeneracy assumptions, we found that the local stability crossing curve has a cusp at the point that corresponds to the double root, and it divides the neighborhood of this point into an S-sector and a G-sector. When the parameters move into the G-sector, one of the roots moves to the right halfplane, and the other moves to the left half-plane. When the parameters move into the …

Fault Mode Probability Factor Based Fault-Tolerant Control For Dissimilar Redundant Actuation System, Jun Wang, Shaoping Wang, Xingjian Wang, Mileta M. Tomovic, Cun Shi

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

This paper presents a Fault Mode Probability Factor (FMPF) based Fault-Tolerant Control (FTC) strategy for multiple faults of Dissimilar Redundant Actuation System (DRAS) composed of Hydraulic Actuator (HA) and Electro-Hydrostatic Actuator (EHA). The long-term service and severe working conditions can result in multiple gradual faults which can ultimately degrade the system performance, resulting in the system model drift into the fault state characterized with parameter uncertainty. The paper proposes to address this problem by using the historical statistics of the multiple gradual faults and the proposed FMPF to amend the system model with parameter uncertainty. To balance the system model …

Assessment And Comparison Of Aviation Manufacturing Industries Throughout Mexico And Brazil, Omar E. Morsi, Kelly A. Whealan-George, Aaron D. Clevenger

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

This literature review serves to provide insight and understanding in regards to the evolving aviation manufacturing industry throughout the globe and more specifically, Mexico and Brazil. Increased demand for aircraft units both in the commercial and private sectors have led to unprecedented expansions in aircraft manufacturing across the industry. In order to illuminate certain potentials and current growth levels of such industries, this review will delve into an array of information and specifications in regards to economic, political, and cultural influences throughout both Mexican and Brazilian markets respectively. In conclusion, the review will identify the transformation of an aviation manufacturing …

Utm, Atm, Stm… Slices Of The Sky?, Ruth E. Stilwell

Space Traffic Management Conference

UTM, ATM, STM… slices of the sky?

This paper will examine the functional differences between Unmanned Aircraft Traffic Management Systems, Air Traffic Management Systems, and Space Traffic Management. Understanding both the similarities between the systems and the different functional requirements of each concept is critical in the discussion and development of STM. While there are many commonalities in each area, it is important to understand how the different environments affect the ability to develop policies, procedure and technologies to manage the vehicles operating in the distinct environment. Both technical and legal frameworks will be discussed.

Building a conceptual framework for …

Responsible Behavior For Constellations And Clusters, Darren Mcknight, Jonathan Rosenblatt, Darren Garber

Space Traffic Management Conference

Many large constellations are being considered for deployment over the next ten years into low earth orbit (LEO). This paper seeks to quantify the risks that these constellations pose to the debris environment, the risks that the debris environment poses to these constellations, and the risks that these constellations pose to themselves. The three representative constellations examined in detail in this paper are operated (or planned to be operated) by Spire Global, Iridium, and OneWeb. This paper provides a balanced risk analysis including collision risk, operational risk, and non-adherence risk. For perspective, the risk posed by these economically useful constellations …

Nano-Graphene Oxide And Vitamin D Delivery, Reza Mahdavi, Mehran Solati-Hashjin, Meisam Omidi, Arash Khojasteh, Fateme Fayyazbakhsh

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

One of the Most Interesting and Recent Insights into Biomimetic Scaffold Nano-Biomaterial is Smart Scaffolding with Targeted Drug Delivery Ability. in Recent Decades, the Use of Graphene-Based Materials, Such as Nano-Graphene Oxide (NGO), as a Drug Carrier with Amphiphilic Properties, Has Attracted Considerable Attention of Scientists and Researchers in This Field. in Addition, One of the Important Global Problems is Increased Vitamin D Deficiency, Particularly in Pregnant and Postmenopausal Women. Therefore, in This Work, by Considering Hydrophobic Properties of Vitamin D, We Attempted to Examine its Loading and Release Both in the Presence of Surfactant and Surfactant-Free NGO-Aqueous Solution. at …

Mechanisms And Identification Of Unsteady Separation Development And Remediation, Matthew Scott Melius

Dissertations and Theses

Unsteady flow separation represents a highly complex and important area of study within fluid mechanics. The extent of separation and specific time scales over which it occurs are not fully understood and has significant consequences in numerous industrial applications such as helicopters, jet engines, hydroelectric turbines and wind turbines. A direct consequence of unsteady separation is the erratic movement of the separation point which causes highly dynamic and unpredictable loads on an airfoil. Current computational models underestimate the aerodynamic loads due to the inaccurate prediction of the emergence and severity of unsteady flow separation especially in response to a sudden …

Unmanned Aerial Systems: Research, Development, Education & Training At Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Michael P. Hickey

Publications

With technological breakthroughs in miniaturized aircraft-related components, including but not limited to communications, computer systems and sensors, state-of-the-art unmanned aerial systems (UAS) have become a reality. This fast-growing industry is anticipating and responding to a myriad of societal applications that will provide new and more cost-effective solutions that previous technologies could not, or will replace activities that involved humans in flight with associated risks.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has a long history of aviation-related research and education, and is heavily engaged in UAS activities. This document provides a summary of these activities, and is divided into two parts. The first part …

Ten Years Of The Real World Design Challenge, Robert W. Deters, Brent Terwilliger, S.C. Kleinke, Ralph K. Coppola, Jeff Coppola

Publications

Preparing students to be successful in STEM careers is important to foster continued growth in the US and the world. The Real World Design Challenge is a high school design competition focused on the area of aviation. Students work in teams to solve a real world problem using professional tools. The 2018 challenge marks the tenth anniversary of this program. The first students to compete in this competition are now in the work force. This paper describes the background of RWDC, the different challenges that have been used throughout its ten years, the current precision agriculture challenges using UAS, and …

Numerical Algorithm For Wing-Structure Design, Jeffrey D. Taylor, Douglas F. Hunsaker, James J. Joo

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Student Publications and Presentations

Low-fidelity aerostructural optimization routines have often focused on determining the optimal spanloads for a given wing configuration. Several analytical approaches have been developed that can predict optimal lift distributions on rectangular wings with a specific payload distribution. However, when applied to wings of arbitrary geometry and payload distribution, these approaches fail. Increasing the utility and accuracy of these analytical methods can result in important benefits during later design phases. In this paper, an iterative algorithm is developed that uses numerical integration to predict the distribution of structural weight required to support the bending moments on a wing with arbitrary geometry …

Investigation Into Reynolds Number Effects On A Biomimetic Flapping Wing, Daniel K. Hope, Anthony M. Deluca, Ryan P. O'Hara

Faculty Publications

This research investigated the behavior of a Manduca sexta inspired biomimetic wing as a function of Reynolds number by measuring the aerodynamic forces produced by varying the characteristic wing length and testing at air densities from atmospheric to near vacuum. A six degree of freedom balance was used to measure forces and moments, while high speed cameras were used to measure wing stroke angle. An in-house created graphical user interface was used to vary the voltage of the drive signal sent to the piezoelectric actuator which determined the wing stroke angle. The Air Force Institute of Technology baseline 50 mm …

Analytical Cpg Model Driven By Limb Velocity Input Generates Accurate Temporal Locomotor Dynamics, Sergiy Yakovenko, Anton Sobinov, Valeriya Gritsenko

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The ability of vertebrates to generate rhythm within their spinal neural networks is essential for walking, running, and other rhythmic behaviors. The central pattern generator (CPG) network responsible for these behaviors is well-characterized with experimental and theoretical studies, and it can be formulated as a nonlinear dynam- ical system. The underlying mechanism responsible for locomotor behavior can be expressed as the process of leaky integration with resetting states generating appropriate phases for changing body velocity. The low-dimensional input to the CPG model generates the bilateral pattern of swing and stance modulation for each limb and is consistent with the desired …

Fabrication And Thermoelectric Characterization Of Transition Metal Silicide-Based Composite Thermocouples, Gunes A. Yakaboylu, Rajalekshmi C. Pillai, Katarzyna Sabolsky, Edward M. Sabolsky

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Metal silicide-based thermocouples were fabricated by screen printing thick films of the powder compositions onto alumina tapes followed by lamination and sintering processes. The legs of the embedded thermocouples were composed of composite compositions consisting of MoSi2, WSi2, ZrSi2, or TaSi2 with an additional 10 vol % Al2O3 to form a silicide–oxide composite. The structural and high-temperature thermoelectric properties of the composite thermocouples were examined using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and a typical hot–cold junction measurement technique. MoSi2-Al2O3 and WSi2-Al2O3 composites exhibited higher intrinsic Seebeck coefficients (22.2–30.0 μV/K) at high-temperature gradients, which were calculated from the thermoelectric data of …

Interval Fuzzy Model For Robust Aircraft Imu Sensors Fault Detection, Michele Crispoltoni, Mario Luca Fravolini, Fabio Balzano, Stephane D'Urso, Marcello Rosario Napolitano

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

This paper proposes a data-based approach for a robust fault detection (FD) of the inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors of an aircraft. Fuzzy interval models (FIMs) have been introduced for coping with the significant modeling uncertainties caused by poorly modeled aerodynamics. The proposed FIMs are used to compute robust prediction intervals for the measurements provided by the IMU sensors. Specifically, a nonlinear neural network (NN) model is used as central prediction of the sensor response while the uncertainty around the central estimation is captured by the FIM model. The uncertainty has been also modelled using a conventional linear Interval Model …

Insights Into The Magnetic Dead Layer In La0.7sr0.3mno3 Thin Films From Temperature, Magnetic Field And Thickness Dependence Of Their Magnetization, N. Mottaghi, M.S. Seehra, R. Trappen, S. Kumari, Chih-Yeh Huang, S. Yousefi, G.B. Cabrera, A.H. Romero, M.B. Holcomb

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Experimental investigations of the magnetic dead layer in 7.6 nm thick film of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) are reported. The dc magnetization (M) measurements for a sample cooled to T = 5 K in applied field H = 0 reveal the presence of negative remanent magnetization (NRM) in the M vs. H (magnetic field) measurements as well as in the M vs. T measurements in H = 50 Oe and 100 Oe. The M vs. T data in ZFC (zero-field-cooled) and FC (field-cooled) protocols are used to determine the blocking temperature TB in different H. Isothermal hysteresis loops at differ- ent T …

Parametric Investigation Of Combustion And Heat Transfer Characteristics Of Oscillating Linear Engine Alternator, Mehar Bade, Nigel N. Clark, Matthew C. Robinson, Parviz Famouri

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

An Oscillating Linear Engine Alternator (OLEA) has the potential to overcome the thermal, mechanical, and combustion inadequacies encountered by the conventional slider-crank engines. The linear engines convert the reciprocating piston motion into electricity, thereby eliminating needless crankshaft linkages and rotational motion. As the dead center positions are not explicitly identified unlike crankshaft engines, the linear engine exhibits different stroke and compression ratio every cycle and should manage the unfavorable events like misfire, rapid load changes, and overfueling without the energy storage of a flywheel. Further, the apparatus control and management strategy is difficult for OLEA when compared to conventional engines …

Study Of Material Compatibility For A Thermal Energy Storage System With Phase Change Material, Songgang Qiu, Laura Solomon, Ming Fang

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The suitability of stainless steel 316L and Inconel 625 for use in a latent heat thermal energy storage (TES) system was investigated. A NaCl–NaF eutectic mixture with a melting temperature of 680 ◦C was used as the phase change material (PCM). Containers were filled with the PCM prior to heating to 750 ◦C, then examined after 100 and 2500 h of high-temperature exposure by analyzing the material surface and cross-section areas. A small amount of corrosion was present in both samples after 100 h. Neither sample suffered significant damage after 2500 h. The undesirable inter-granular grain boundary attack found in …

Air Data Sensor Fault Detection With An Augmented Floating Limiter, Fabio Balzano, Mario Luca Fravolini, Marcello R. Napolitano, Stephane D'Urso, Michele Crispoltoni, Giuseppe Del Core

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Although very uncommon, the sequential failures of all aircraft Pitot tubes, with the consequent loss of signals for all the dynamic parameters from the Air Data System, have been found to be the cause of a number of catastrophic accidents in aviation history. This paper proposes a robust data-driven method to detect faulty measurements of aircraft airspeed, angle of attack, and angle of sideslip. This approach first consists in the appropriate selection of suitable sets of model regressors to be used as inputs of neural network-based estimators to be used online for failure detection. The setup of the proposed fault …