Engineering Commons^™

Key Success Factors In Using The Lifting Method To Construct A Steel Bridge Pylon, Ming-Chao Su, Hui-Ping Tserng

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Constructing the inclined steel pylon of cable-stayed bridges is challenging because of the pylon’s height, spatial limitations, and safety concerns. To address these challenges, this study developed a modular lifting method that can enhance the efficiency and precision of pylon construction. The proposed method involves using rotation jigs to temporarily assemble the pylon, horizontal positioning on temporary supports, and synchronized lifting through computer-controlled hydraulic systems. Field implementation on a large-span bridge project revealed that compared with the traditional method, the proposed method resulted in higher welding quality, lower risks associated with great-height operations, and a shorter on-site assembly time. The …

Deep Learning-Based Model For Automated Prediction Of Coastal Changes: A Robust Approach To Environmental Forecasting, Tsair-Fwu Lee, Chu-Ho Chang, Chin-Shiuh Shieh, Chih-Hsien Wu, Jen-Chung Shao, Chien-Liang Chiu

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

The coastline stands as a critical domain encompassing industry and the environment. The escalating global warming, leading to elevated sea levels and intensified wave-current interactions, has given rise to substantial coastal erosion. This predicament, in conjunction with excessive human development and Taiwan's coastal areas' extreme climatic impact, accentuates the perceptibility of coastal beach alterations. As a result, coastal erosion has emerged as a pressing issue necessitating resolution. Traditional methodologies for assessing coastline changes have conventionally relied on manual measurements. However, owing to the fluctuating distance of coastlines, influenced by tidal patterns, extended measurement processes over several months are susceptible to …

Hydrographic Influences On Seasonal Variations In Zooplankton Communities Of Taiwan Bank (Southern Taiwan Strait), Bor-Shyr Chen, Frank Paolo Jay B. Albarico, Mark Ariel D. Malto, Aiza D. Gabriel, Chiu-Wen Chen, Cheng-Di Dong

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Understanding the factors that control ocean productivity is crucial in fisheries management. Taiwan Bank, located between the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, is a highly productive ecosystem due to upwelling events. The total zooplankton community (holozooplankton and merozooplankton), diversity, seasonal changes, and environmental drivers remain unexplored despite its productivity. This study evaluates the seasonal and vertical environmental dynamics in the Taiwan Bank and their impacts on the zooplankton community structure. We collected zooplankton and basic water parameters in March, July, and September 2017 at 5, 25, and 50 meters. We recorded significant seasonal changes in zooplankton composition and …

Model Performance For Predicting Trends And Analyzing The Impacts Of Sea Surface Temperature Changes In The Gulf Of Thailand, Tanatpong Udomchaipitak, Nathaphon Boonnam

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

This study focuses on assessing and improving the predictive performance of sea surface temperature (SST) in the Gulf of Thailand under unique environmental challenges. Data from the Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) were utilized, covering the period from July 1994 to June 2024 at depths ranging from 0 to 30 meters. After cleaning the data using the Interquartile Range (IQR) method, the processed dataset was tested using four models: Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) architectures, including Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU), as well as Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs). Model performance was enhanced by tuning the parameters over …

A Study Exploring The Use Of Artificial Ligaments To Enhance The Human-Robot Interface Via Force Distribution Manipulation In Biomimetic Cuff Systems, Adifet Cejovic

Dissertations and Theses

Comfort is among the main priorities when designing a wearable assistive device that needs to be used for long sessions. There is a growing need for wearable systems that provide aid to patients with an injured knee. In addition, there has been an effort to incorporate cable-driven designs rather than rigid attachments. This change in design decreases the overall weight of the system and can allow the cable to adapt to a user’s change in gait patterns. This thesis investigates a cuff system centered around the knee and the design of a testing rig. This system incorporates elements from pre-existing …

An Environmental And Durability Study Of Bonded Structural Patch Repairs With Finite Element And Machine Learning Enabled Predictions, Yesim Kokner

Dissertations and Theses

Aircraft and vehicles experience substantial structural and aerodynamic stresses over their operational lifetimes. These stresses can cause damage or structural weakening, especially in aging military and civilian aircraft and vehicles. Depending on the severity of the damage, three options are available to alleviate the damage in these structures or parts: complete replacement of the aircraft or vehicle, replacement of the damaged part, or temporary repair of the damage.

The goal of this study is to evaluate damaged specimens repaired with an adhesively bonded patch subjected to quasi-static and fatigue loads under various environmental conditions. The patch repair technique is widely …

Development Of An Quadcopter Unmanned Aerial Vehicle For Atmospheric Remote Sensing, Omar J. Addasi

Dissertations and Theses

This paper explores the development of a quadcopter unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV, a.k.a. drone) for atmospheric remote sensing of temperature, pressure, humidity, and PM2.5 particulate matter quantities. A 3-D printed drone body is designed and flight tuning is performed. An optimal length for an upward extending mast for the drone body is determined. Low cost, lightweight sensors are compared against higher precision sensors in both static and dynamic conditions. In addition, an initial investigation into the design of a pressure sensor based anemometer is performed.

Design And Lab Implementation Of An Air Source Transcritical Co2 Heat Pump, Geoffrey Turbeville

Dissertations and Theses

A laboratory-scale air-source transcritical CO2 heat pump (TCHP) was developed to evaluate the performance of low-global-warming-potential (GWP) refrigerants for cold climate applications. A custom climate chamber was also constructed to simulate winter weather conditions typical of the northeastern United States. Both the TCHP and the chamber were fully instrumented to collect temperature, pressure, and mass flow data, which were used to calculate the co- efficient of performance (COP) in accordance with ASHRAE standard refrigerant enthalpy methods. Prior to testing the CO2 system, the experimental setup was benchmarked using a commercially available R410A heat pump manufactured by LG.

The climate chamber …

Cfd Modeling And Simulation Of Natural Circulation In Helium- Cooled Very High Temperature Reactors, Mohammad Sakib U. Abrar

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis investigates the thermal-hydraulic behavior of natural circulation in helium-cooled Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) systems, focusing on the performance and validation of passive safety features under Pressurized or Depressurized Loss of Forced Cooling (P-LOFC or D-LOFC) events. An experimental facility inspired by the General Atomics 350 MWt Modular High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (MHTGR) was developed at The City College of New York. The setup consists of a plenum-to-plenum flow loop with four riser and four downcomer tubes, each equipped with heating coils, thermocouples, and pressure sensors. Natural circulation is driven by density gradients induced by asymmetric heating of …

Multi-Material Adhesive Bonded Joints Under Static And Dynamic Loading, Gizem Derya Demir

Dissertations and Theses

Adhesively bonded joints present significant potential for reducing structural weight and enhancing performance in modern and future engineering structures. By enabling the elimination or reduction of traditional mechanical fasteners and facilitating the integration of dissimilar materials, adhesives can contribute to more efficient, lightweight designs. However, to fully leverage these benefits—especially in high-performance applications—adhesive materials must exhibit robust behavior under both static and dynamic loading conditions, such as ballistic impact. Despite their promise, the failure mechanisms of adhesives under such high-strain-rate scenarios remain insufficiently understood.

This dissertation investigates the performance of adhesively bonded multi-material joints subjected to static loading and ballistic …

Experimental And Analytical Investigation Of Particle Dynamics In Newtonian And Non-Newtonian Fluids In A Taylor-Couette Cell, Andres F. Velez Mendoza

Dissertations and Theses

This doctoral dissertation investigates heavy particle sedimentation in Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids, aiming to understand their behavior in Drilling Fluid (DF) systems used in oil and gas industry, where such phenomenon can lead to operational issues such as lost circulation, well control problems, and even blowouts. To simulate DF dynamics under operational conditions, this study utilizes a Taylor-Couette (TC) cell, which consists of a rotating inner cylinder and a stationary outer cylinder separated by a 9.0 mm annular gap. The TC cell allows for the investigation of the sedimentation behavior of spherical particles within both Newtonian fluids (deionized water and …

Improving Torque Distribution Of The Baja Car's Drive Shaft, Natalie E. Falerios

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

This honors thesis analyzes torque variation in the drive shaft system of the Baja SAE vehicle, with a focus on the effects of universal joint (U-joint) geometry and phasing in an inherited and new drive shaft design. The original drivetrain was inherited from a previous team and affected the seat placement that did not comply with the Baja SAE rules. This resulted in a redesign of the drive shaft and evaluation of both the inherited and redesigned configurations’ performance. An initial experiment was created and attempted to analyze the torque variation in the drive shaft, however, there were time constraints …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Stay-In-Place Forms To Improve The Tosional Stability Of Box Beam Bridges During Erection, Karl E. Barth, Michael W. Seek, Gregory K. Michaelson, Dimitra Pyrialakou, Brook T. Woldegabriel

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Cold-formed tub girders provide an effective steel solution for short-span bridges. The girders are often delivered with an open top with stay-in-place forms installed on site. Walkways may be installed to the side of the girder that can induce significant torsion rotations in the open cross section. Full scale tests on girder specimens have shown that installing one or two panels of stay in place forms at the ends of the girder can significantly reduce the torsion rotation of the girder by providing warping resistance. Cantilever tests on the stay in place forms are performed to investigate the influence of …

Deep Learning Approaches For Predicting Strain Energy In Heterogeneous Materials, Junesh Gautam

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Finite Element Analysis (FEA) faces computational challenges when analyzing nonlinear and heterogeneous materials. Utilizing the Mechanical MNIST dataset, comprising 60,000 simulated samples of 28x28 pixel domains under large deformation, the study evaluates classical regression methods (Linear Regression, Random Forest, Gradient Boosting) and advanced deep learning architectures (Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) and Residual Networks (ResNet)). CNN models achieved superior performance, with a Mean Squared Error (MSE) of 4.21 and an R2 value of approximately 0.982, outperforming classical regression models and slightly surpassing ResNet architectures. These deep learning methods automatically learn spatial relationships from pixel-based representations, eliminating the need for manual feature …

Design And Deployment Of A Compact Rov For Deep-Sea Research And Exploration, Joshua F. Wood

Open Access Master's Theses

The scientific community has utilized unmanned underwater vehicles for ocean exploration since the mid-twentieth century, resulting in a well-cultivated and ever-changing discipline of ocean technology. The deep-sea environment, specifically, presents unique and harsh criteria due to the increased pressure found at depth and the vehicle components necessary to overcome it. The size and weight of underwater vehicles typically increase as operational depth increases, resulting in physically large systems with high operational costs to accommodate deep-sea research. This project first characterized the effect of length and diameter on carbon fiber pressure housing’s depth tolerance. It then leveraged this data to reduce …

Modeling The Noise Attenuation Effects Of Bubble Curtains At Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Installation, Gavin Dies

Open Access Master's Theses

The Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) pilot project consists of two turbines roughly 40 km off the coast of Virginia Beach, Virginia. Water- and seabed-borne acoustic and seismic signals from impact pile driving at CVOW were recorded during the installation of these turbines in May 2020. In-water pressure signals were measured using various methods at multiple ranges. The water depth at the wind turbines and the measurement devices was approximately 26 m. During installation, one of the monopiles utilized a double bubble curtain, while the other monopile did not. This arrangement has allowed for an analysis of the bubble curtain’s …

Develop A Cross-Platform Toolset For In Situ Deep-Sea Coral Propagation, Joe Bevilacqua

Open Access Master's Theses

Mesophotic and deep-sea gorgonian octocorals in the Gulf of Mexico were significantly damaged following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, prompting a major federal investment in developing restoration techniques for these fragile, slow-growing communities. Asexual, in-situ coral propagation offers a biologically viable path for restoration at depth. However, current ROV systems are not optimized for the delicate, fine-scale interactions required to perform this process reliably. The objective of this research was to design, prototype, and evaluate a ROV-mountable toolset capable of preparing octocoral fragments for potting in epoxy substrate, with the additional goal of integrating the toolset into URI’s Coral Carousel …

Characterization Of The Solid-State Bonding For Simulated Charge And Seam Welds In The Porthole Die Extrusion Process, Randall L. Bowers

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

The isothermal (ISO-T) compression configuration is ideal for utilizing as a material input of flow stress at temperature and strain rate in models of the porthole die extrusion process due to the isothermal nature of the test. Micro-tensile testing was conducted to validate the solid-state welding integrity of the ISO-T samples at various temperatures and strain rates. Results of the mechanical testing were correlated with fractography and microstructural evaluations of the welds to confirm bonding behavior. Both clean interface conditions and oxidation and lubrication layers were evaluated to simulate the difference of seam and charge welds in the process. Results …

Atomistic Study Of Selenium Doping Effects On The Mechanical Properties Of Zinc-Blende And Wurtzite Cdte Nanowires, Sungwook Leo Hong, Nadeem Azad, Saifuddin Zafar, Abrar Faiyad, Hyung Sub Sim

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Works

CdSexTe1–x semiconductor materials, having potential to be used to design dependable and reproducible nanowire devices, require an extensive study of their mechanical behaviors. The uniaxial tensile deformation mechanism of CdSexTe1–x nanowires (NWs) with different Se dopant concentration are yet to be explored. By integrating theoretical analysis with computational simulation, this research demonstrated that Se doping in CdTe NWs influences the mechanical response and failure modes. Ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and elastic modulus (EM) were studied for both zinc-blende (ZB) and wurtzite (WZ) structures with different crystal orientations. The findings revealed that these mechanical properties increase linearly with increasing Se concentration …

The Role Of Artificial Intelligence In Boosting Cybersecurity And Trusted Embedded Systems Performance: A Systematic Review On Current And Future Trends, Xiangyi Cheng, Ahmed Oun, Kaden Wince

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Works

As technology becomes increasingly interconnected, ensuring the security of cyber and embedded systems is critical due to escalating vulnerabilities and sophisticated cyber threats. Researchers are exploring artificial intelligence (AI) to improve security mechanisms, yet there is a lack of a comprehensive technical, AI-focused analysis detailing the integration of AI into existing security hardware and frameworks. To address this gap, this article systematically reviews 63 articles on AI in cybersecurity and trusted embedded systems. The reviewed articles are categorized into four application domains: 1) Intrusion Detection and Prevention (IDPS), 2) Malware Detection, 3) Industrial Control and Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) and 4) …

Computational Analysis And Design Of High-Entropy Nanoparticles: Integrating Atomistic Simulations With Scientific Pedagogy In Materials Research, Sungwook Leo Hong, Priyanshu Luhar, Ricardo Ramirez, Jiwon Lexi Hwang

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Works

This study leverages reactive molecular dynamics simulations to enhance undergraduate education and research in materials science. Focusing on the oxidation processes of a variety of energetic metal nanoparticles, including Al, Cu, Mg, and Ti, two undergraduate students led the scientific inquiry. They conducted literature reviews, ran simulations, validated assumptions, and analyzed results, deepening their understanding of material behaviors and strengthening their STEM identity. Through these hands-on experiences, the students successfully investigated the energetic properties of these nanoparticles, demonstrating the effectiveness of this approach in promoting inquiry-based learning. This work underscores the transformative potential of computational simulations in advancing computational materials …

Advanced Air Preheater Sealing Systems For Enhanced Efficiency And Reliability In Thermal Power Plants, Pavan Kumar Ravulaparthy

Theses and Dissertations

Global electricity generation still relies heavily on thermal power plants, which consume vast amounts of fuel and emit significant amounts of carbon dioxide. A major but often overlooked source of inefficiency in these plants lies within the rotary regenerative air preheater (RAPH), a critical heat-exchange component where air leakage can exceed 20% in aging units. This leakage increases fuel consumption, parasitic fan power, and CO₂ emissions, while degrading boiler reliability.

This research introduces advanced adaptive sealing systems designed to mitigate these losses by dynamically compensating for rotor eccentricity, thermal distortion, and wear under harsh operating conditions. Brush seals, composed of …

Implementation Of Quantized Artificial Neural Networks With Spintronic Stochastic Computing, Saadi Sabyasachi Mr.

Theses and Dissertations

Artificial intelligence or machine learning is going through a rapid expansion. It also incurs significant costs for power and device footprints. Various approaches are being explored to design energy and hardware efficient machine learning models. Stochastic computing has been proposed for efficient machine learning implementation. It requires a source of random number generation which poses some practical challenges. So spintronic solutions such as magnetic tunnel junction has been used for random number generation. Again, spintronic random number generation to implement high precision circuit is prone to device-to-device variations. Hence we designed quantized artificial neural network with spintronic stochastic computing which …

Reverse Geometric Dispersion In The Beaufort Sea: Dissecting Sound Propagation At Long Ranges In Ducted Profiles, Jessica Desrochers

Open Access Dissertations

Acoustic propagation in the Arctic is evolving as surface temperatures increase and ice melts, resulting in a changing sound propagation environment. This study investigates the acoustic arrival structure in the Canada Basin and its connection to the underlying sound speed profiles. Two Seagliders were deployed in the summer of 2016 and 2017, diving in a sawtooth pattern collecting conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) data as part of the Canada Basin Acoustic Glider Experiment (CABAGE). These data are used to calculate sound speed profiles used to predict and understand acoustic arrival structures.

The warming of the Pacific Summer Water and surface …

Development And Prototyping Of A Modular Quadruped Towards Testing Standardization For Legged Robot Stability, Michael Conner Larsen

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Legged robots are well-suited for navigating uneven and unmapped terrain, making them valuable in various robotics applications. Maintaining balance and stability in such environments relies on a combination of sensors, control strategies, and mechanical design. However, selecting the most effective sensing and control method for a given use case remains challenging. Previous studies have explored various approaches, integrating combinations of joint angle measurement, inertial measurement units (IMUs), torque-based control, leg force measurement, image processing, and machine learning, paired with numerous controller designs, which can contribute to stability. However, direct comparisons of these methods are often limited by the need for …

Piv Visualization Of A Sinusoidal Ehd Confinement Flow Induced By Variation In Ion Density For Electrostatic Particle Agglomeration, Md Eyasin Hossain

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Long-term exposure to PM2.5, which is responsible for four million cardiovascular-related deaths worldwide, is a major concern as people spend 90% of their time indoors. Fabric filters have been commonly utilized for particle pollution control in indoor settings. However, the maintenance cost of fabric filters is relatively high, as particle accumulation on filters can lead to higher pressure drops (45 ∼ 300 Pa) and energy consumption, as well as the growth of biological organisms and the generation of airborne pathogens. An electrostatic precipitator (ESP) is filterless and widely used in the electric power industry for collecting coal fly ash. ESPs …

Md Simulation Of Femtosecond Laser-Controlled Melting Of Multiple Core-Shell Nanoparticle Systems, Shivansh Patel

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This thesis presents a molecular dynamics (MD) simulation study of femtosecond laser-induced melting and heat transfer in multiple Cu–Al core–shell nanoparticle systems. The research builds upon previous single-particle studies and extends the investigation to multiple interacting nanoparticles to better understand nanoscale thermal transport and melting behavior under ultrafast laser irradiation. Understanding this process is essential for improving laser-based additive manufacturing and sintering of metal matrix nanocomposites (MMNCs), where precise control of heat flow and particle bonding determines the final material quality. The simulations were performed using the Large-scale Atomic/Molecular Massively Parallel Simulator (LAMMPS) integrated with the Modified Two-Temperature Model (MTTM). …

Material And Mechanical Characterization Of Sla 3d Printed Graphene Nanoplatelet-Based Nanocomposites Fabricated Within A Magnetic Field, Soka Suliman

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The process of utilizing a static magnetic field to fabricate a nanomaterial-based composite via a stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing process is still a relatively new approach within the field of additive manufacturing. By using this magnetic field during the 3D printing process, both material and mechanical properties can be oriented and axially varied for enhanced characteristics. In this investigation, between 0% to 2% volume fractions of high aspect ratio, graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) are suspended within UV-curable resin during a SLA 3D printing process with a static magnetic field applied. The objective of this investigation is to determine the effect of …

Human Swarm Interaction Using Non-Verbal Communication, Arunim Bhattacharya

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This research presents experimentally validated strategies for human-swarm robotic interaction through nonverbal communication. Applications of this work are in large-scale coverage problems that include search and rescue operations and environmental monitoring missions. The non-verbal interaction becomes critical in situations where wireless communication methods may be limited by bandwidth constraints, privacy concerns, or environmental clutter. The research objective of this dissertation is to design and evaluate methods of nonverbal communication between a human teleoperator and robotic swarms towards a bidirectional human-swarm interaction framework. Towards this, we first establish a reliable measure of real-time cognitive load that can serve to close the …

Development Of A Compliant Soft Gripper With Embedded Force Sensors, Ayman Abbas, Abdelrahman Said, Tamer Kahlil, Mahmoud Magdy

Mechanical Engineering

Robotic manipulators have the capability to perform repetitive tasks with a level of efficiency and precision that exceeds the capabilities of human operators. Currently, they are commonly found and extensively utilized across various disciplines. However, robotic manipulators have gradually begun to make inroads into fields beyond manufacturing, such as medicine and agriculture. Due to the diverse range of industries utilizing robotic manipulators, the nature of tasks assigned to these devices can often be more intricate and multifaceted than conventional assignments. Hence, conventional mechanical grippers may not always be suitable, prompting a growing need for grippers capable of adapting to effectively …