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Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Carbon Fibers Recycling From Degraded Prepregs And Mechanical Properties Or Recycled Composite, Monjur Morshed Rabby, Minhazur Rahman, Partha Pratim Das, Vamsee Vadlamudi, Rassel Raihan Apr 2023

Carbon Fibers Recycling From Degraded Prepregs And Mechanical Properties Or Recycled Composite, Monjur Morshed Rabby, Minhazur Rahman, Partha Pratim Das, Vamsee Vadlamudi, Rassel Raihan

Institute of Predictive Performance Methodologies (IPPM-UTARI)

The size of the global composites market is anticipated to grow more than previously. Due to the rapidly rising volume of CFRP production, the waste from this material poses numerous problems and has significantly increased the socio-technological pressure to find sustainable composite recycling solutions. The problem is that recycling the composite part is challenging once its service life has expired. The same problem is true for the raw materials (prepregs) used in composite manufacturing. When the prepreg out-life/shelf-life is over, prepregs are abandoned, resulting in a loss of millions of dollars and an adverse environmental effect. In this study, the …


Artificial Intelligence Assisted Residual Strength And Life Prediction Of Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites, Partha Pratim Das, Muthu Ram Prabhu Elenchezhian, Vamsee Vadlamudi, Rassel Raihan Jan 2023

Artificial Intelligence Assisted Residual Strength And Life Prediction Of Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites, Partha Pratim Das, Muthu Ram Prabhu Elenchezhian, Vamsee Vadlamudi, Rassel Raihan

Institute of Predictive Performance Methodologies (IPPM-UTARI)

With the increased use of composite materials, researchers have developed many approaches for structural and prognostic health monitoring. Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopy (BbDS)/Impedance Spectroscopy (IS) is a state-of-the-art technology that can be used to identify and monitor the minute changes in damage initiation, accumulation, interactions, and the degree of damage in a composite under static and dynamic loading. This work presents a novel artificial neural network (ANN) framework for fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites under fatigue loading, which incorporates dielectric state variables to predict the life (durability) and residual strength (damage tolerance) from real-time acquired dielectric permittivity of the material. The findings …


The Effect Of Plasma Treatment On The Cure Behavior Of Out-Of-Life Prepregs And An Investigation Of The Mechanical Properties Of Composite Parts Manufactured From Plasma-Treated Prepregs, Monjur Morshed Rabby, Partha Pratim Das, Minhazur Rahman, Vamsee Vadlamudi, Rassel Raihan Jan 2022

The Effect Of Plasma Treatment On The Cure Behavior Of Out-Of-Life Prepregs And An Investigation Of The Mechanical Properties Of Composite Parts Manufactured From Plasma-Treated Prepregs, Monjur Morshed Rabby, Partha Pratim Das, Minhazur Rahman, Vamsee Vadlamudi, Rassel Raihan

Institute of Predictive Performance Methodologies (IPPM-UTARI)

Many industries, including aircraft, automobiles, and marine, are using prepreg (pre-impregnated fibers and a partially cured polymer matrix) to manufacture composite parts to achieve optimum fiber and resin volume ratio and part repeatability. Since prepregs have a short out oflife (i.e., the maximum storing time allowed at room temperature), they must be stored in refrigerators at low temperatures, which, if not maintained, have an unfavorable influence on the intended quality of the final product. For the present study, glass/epoxy prepregs (expired out-life) were plasmatreated before being used to make the composite part to compensate for the room temperature aging effect. …


Moisture Content Prediction In Polymer Composites Using Machine Learning Techniques, Partha Pratim Das, Monjur Morshed Rabby, Vamsee Vadlamudi, Rassel Raihan Jan 2022

Moisture Content Prediction In Polymer Composites Using Machine Learning Techniques, Partha Pratim Das, Monjur Morshed Rabby, Vamsee Vadlamudi, Rassel Raihan

Institute of Predictive Performance Methodologies (IPPM-UTARI)

The principal objective of this study is to employ non-destructive broadband dielectric spectroscopy/impedance spectroscopy and machine learning techniques to estimate the moisture content in FRP composites under hygrothermal aging. Here, classification and regression machine learning models that can accurately predict the current moisture saturation state are developed using the frequency domain dielectric response of the composite, in conjunction with the time domain hygrothermal aging effect. First, to categorize the composites based on the present state of the absorbed moisture supervised classification learning models (i.e., quadratic discriminant analysis (QDA), support vector machine (SVM), and artificial neural network-based multilayer perceptron (MLP) classifier) …


Dielectric State Variables As Qualitative Indicators Of Moisture Absorption-Caused Mechanical Property Degradation In Gfrp Composite Structures, Partha Pratim Das, Vamsee Vadlamudi, Rassel Raihan Jan 2022

Dielectric State Variables As Qualitative Indicators Of Moisture Absorption-Caused Mechanical Property Degradation In Gfrp Composite Structures, Partha Pratim Das, Vamsee Vadlamudi, Rassel Raihan

Institute of Predictive Performance Methodologies (IPPM-UTARI)

Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites are being used in numerous fields owing to their intrinsic strength to weight ratio and various design benefits. However, these materials are prone to environmental aging, particularly moisture absorption. In essence, absorbed moisture infiltrates the polymer matrix and induces changes in the polymer network through chain scission, plasticization, and other bonding interactions. This causes irreversible damages to the material and significantly decreases mechanical strength. In this study, Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopy (BbDS) has been used to identify the absorption mechanisms in glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites by detecting the related polarization mechanisms. Here, results show …


Dielectric Analysis To Predict Moisture Absorption In Structural Composites: A Data-Driven Approach, Partha Pratim Das, Monjur Morshed Rabby, Vamsee Vadlamudi, Rassel Raihan Jan 2022

Dielectric Analysis To Predict Moisture Absorption In Structural Composites: A Data-Driven Approach, Partha Pratim Das, Monjur Morshed Rabby, Vamsee Vadlamudi, Rassel Raihan

Institute of Predictive Performance Methodologies (IPPM-UTARI)

Due to continual exposure to moist environment, environmental degradation is a major threat to structural composites throughout their service life. Impedance Spectroscopy (IS)/Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopy (BbDS) is a reliable nondestructive method that has been used in polymer industries for dielectric characterization of material. While moisture absorption causes irreversible changes in the polymer matrix composites, it also alters the electrical properties of the system which is detectable using BbDS. Since the physics that drives the change in electrical characteristics is driven by the modifications imposed by water molecules (whether free or bound), both events can be linked. A dielectric spectrum over …


Coupled Effects In Dielectric And Thermal Properties Of Polymer Matrix Composite Structures Due To Moisture Absorption, Partha Pratim Das, Monjur Morshed Rabby, Vamsee Vadlamudi, Kenneth Reifsnider, Rassel Raihan Jan 2022

Coupled Effects In Dielectric And Thermal Properties Of Polymer Matrix Composite Structures Due To Moisture Absorption, Partha Pratim Das, Monjur Morshed Rabby, Vamsee Vadlamudi, Kenneth Reifsnider, Rassel Raihan

Institute of Predictive Performance Methodologies (IPPM-UTARI)

Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites are being used in number of fields including aerospace, marine, sports, medical, power sectors, etc. due to their lightweight nature while retaining high mechanical performance in terms of high specific strength, stiffness, and great fatigue properties. However, the applicability of these materials is restricted by their stability up to a certain temperature (i.e. glass transition temperature) and environmental degradation (i.e. moisture, UV light, etc.). Moisture ingression greatly reduces their mechanical properties altering material structure by causing polymer plasticization, chain scission and fiber-polymer interface deterioration. These changes instantaneously affect the thermal properties of the materials which …


Stiffness Degradation In Fatigue Life Of Composites Using Dielectric State Variables, Muthu Ram Prabhu Elenchezhian, Partha Pratim Das, Minhazur Rahman, Vamsee Vadlamudi, Rassel Raihan, Kenneth Reifsnider Oct 2021

Stiffness Degradation In Fatigue Life Of Composites Using Dielectric State Variables, Muthu Ram Prabhu Elenchezhian, Partha Pratim Das, Minhazur Rahman, Vamsee Vadlamudi, Rassel Raihan, Kenneth Reifsnider

Institute of Predictive Performance Methodologies (IPPM-UTARI)

Composite materials are widely used in aerospace and automotive structures for decades and over the years the community has gained a better understanding of the damage and failure modes of composites under fatigue. In this article, a dielectric characterization methodology for in-situ monitoring of composites under fatigue environments is proposed. A novel method of measuring the dielectric state variables in Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopy (BbDS) using Extremely Conductive Silver Epoxy Adhesive (ECSEA) paste is presented. These dielectric state variables serve to identify the precursor of the beginning of the end of life of the composite material under fatigue loading. The reliability …


The Effect Of Room-Temperature Aging On Enthalpy And Dielectric Property Of Carbon-Fiber/Epoxy Composite Prepreg And The Mechanical Property Of Manufactured Composite, Monjur Morshed Rabby, Minhazur Rahman, Partha Pratim Das, Muthu Ram Prabhu Elenchezhian, Relebohile George Qhobosheane, Vamsee Vadlamudi Jun 2021

The Effect Of Room-Temperature Aging On Enthalpy And Dielectric Property Of Carbon-Fiber/Epoxy Composite Prepreg And The Mechanical Property Of Manufactured Composite, Monjur Morshed Rabby, Minhazur Rahman, Partha Pratim Das, Muthu Ram Prabhu Elenchezhian, Relebohile George Qhobosheane, Vamsee Vadlamudi

Institute of Predictive Performance Methodologies (IPPM-UTARI)

Fiber-based reinforced plastics are widely used materials in different industries - e.g., Automotive, Aerospace, Defense- because of their various advantages. The most reliable raw materials for manufacturing fiber-based composites are pre-impregnated reinforcing fiber (prepreg). However, the limitation of using prepreg lies in its instability at room temperature. Prepregs have a specific out-life which sometimes makes the manufacturing process difficult. The objective of this study is to find out a way to investigate the room temperature aging effect on prepreg by analyzing the enthalpy and dielectric properties. In this study, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to measure the reaction enthalpy …


Assessment Of Material State For Predicting The Durability Of Composites, Vamsee Vadlamudi, Muthu Ram Prabhu Elenchezhian, Partha Pratim Das, Rassel Raihan, Kenneth Reifsnider Sep 2020

Assessment Of Material State For Predicting The Durability Of Composites, Vamsee Vadlamudi, Muthu Ram Prabhu Elenchezhian, Partha Pratim Das, Rassel Raihan, Kenneth Reifsnider

Institute of Predictive Performance Methodologies (IPPM-UTARI)

The long term behavior of composites have been extensively studied for the last four decades. Given the heterogeneity of these materials, the damage accumulation mechanisms lead to superior fatigue performance of composites compared to metals. However, due to the ‘sudden death’ behavior controlled by defect coupling, the precursor to fracture plane development of these materials, the challenge remains on how to assess the real-time material state and predict when it becomes critical? In the recent past, broadband dielectric spectroscopy (BbDS) has been used successfully to assess the material state and predict the material state change (triggered by defect coupling) for …


A Multi-Objective Model For Sustainable Perishable Food Distribution Considering The Impact Of Temperature On Vehicle Emissions And Product Shelf Life, Amin Gharehyakheh, Caroline C. Krejci, Jaime Cantu, K. Jamie Rogers Aug 2020

A Multi-Objective Model For Sustainable Perishable Food Distribution Considering The Impact Of Temperature On Vehicle Emissions And Product Shelf Life, Amin Gharehyakheh, Caroline C. Krejci, Jaime Cantu, K. Jamie Rogers

Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

The food distribution process is responsible for significant quality loss in perishable products. However, preserving quality is costly and consumes a tremendous amount of energy. To tackle the challenge of minimizing transportation costs and CO2 emissions while also maximizing product freshness, a novel multi-objective model is proposed. The model integrates a vehicle routing problem with temperature, shelf life, and energy consumption prediction models, thereby enhancing its accuracy. Non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II is adapted to solve the proposed model for the set of Solomon test data. The conflicting nature of these objectives and the sensitivity of the model to shelf …


Gas Component Transport Across The Soil-Atmosphere Interface For Gases Of Different Density: Experiments And Modeling, L. M. Bahlmann, K. M. Smits, K. Heck, E. Coltman, R. Helmig, I. Neuweiler Aug 2020

Gas Component Transport Across The Soil-Atmosphere Interface For Gases Of Different Density: Experiments And Modeling, L. M. Bahlmann, K. M. Smits, K. Heck, E. Coltman, R. Helmig, I. Neuweiler

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

We investigate the influence of near-surface wind conditions on subsurface gas transport and on soil-atmosphere gas exchange for gases of different density. Results of a sand tank experiment are supported by a numerical investigation with a fully coupled porous medium-free flow model, which accounts for wind turbulence. The experiment consists of a two-dimensional bench-scale soil tank containing homogeneous sand and an overlying wind tunnel. A point source was installed at the bottom of the tank. Gas concentrations were measured at multiple horizontal and vertical locations. Tested conditions include four wind velocities (0.2/1.0/2.0/2.7 m/s), three different gases (helium: light, nitrogen: neutral, …


An Urban Modelling Framework For Climate Resilience In Low-Resource Neighbourhoods, Ulrike Passe, Michael Dorneich, Caroline Krejci, Diba Malekpour Koupaei, Breanna Marmur, Linda Shenk, Jacklin Stonewall, Janette Thompson, Yuyu Zhou Jul 2020

An Urban Modelling Framework For Climate Resilience In Low-Resource Neighbourhoods, Ulrike Passe, Michael Dorneich, Caroline Krejci, Diba Malekpour Koupaei, Breanna Marmur, Linda Shenk, Jacklin Stonewall, Janette Thompson, Yuyu Zhou

Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

Climate predictions indicate a strong likelihood of more frequent, intense heat events. Resource-vulnerable, low-income neighbourhood populations are likely to be strongly impacted by future climate change, especially with respect to an energy burden. In order to identify existing and new vulnerabilities to climate change, local authorities need to understand the dynamics of extreme heat events at the neighbourhood level, particularly to identify those people who are adversely affected. A new comprehensive framework is presented that integrates human and biophysical data: occupancy/behaviour, building energy use, future climate scenarios and near-building microclimate projections. The framework is used to create an urban energy …


The Effect Of The Top Soil Layer On Moisture And Evaporation Dynamics, Zhen Li, Jan Vanderborght, Kathleen M. Smits Jun 2020

The Effect Of The Top Soil Layer On Moisture And Evaporation Dynamics, Zhen Li, Jan Vanderborght, Kathleen M. Smits

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Understanding the effect of the top soil layer on surface evaporation and water distribution is critical to modeling hydrological systems. However, the dependency of near-surface soil moisture and fluxes on layering characteristics remains unclear. To address this uncertainty, we investigate how the arrangement of soil horizons affects the evaporation and soil moisture, specifically, the near-surface soil moisture, through the combination of numerical simulations and evaporation experiments. The characteristics of fluxes and moisture from different soil profiles are then used to understand the soil layering conditions. Results show that the top soil layer can significantly affect the evolution of soil moisture …


Effects Of “Soil-Like” Particle Size On Gas Transport And Water Retention Properties In Aged Municipal Solid Waste From A Sri Lankan Open Dumpsite, M. Shanujah, T.K.K. Chamindu Deepagoda, A. K. Karunarathna, M. C. M. Nasvi, V. Shreedharan, G. L. S. Babu, Kathleen M. Smits, Curtis M. Oldenburg May 2020

Effects Of “Soil-Like” Particle Size On Gas Transport And Water Retention Properties In Aged Municipal Solid Waste From A Sri Lankan Open Dumpsite, M. Shanujah, T.K.K. Chamindu Deepagoda, A. K. Karunarathna, M. C. M. Nasvi, V. Shreedharan, G. L. S. Babu, Kathleen M. Smits, Curtis M. Oldenburg

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Open dumps constitute a major source of greenhouse gases (GHGs), predominantly methane and carbon dioxide, in developing countries. In an aged dump, typical waste composition is dominated by the “soil-like” fraction of which physical, hydraulic and gas transport characteristics markedly affect GHG emissions. This study characterized soil-gas diffusivity (Dp/D0), soil-water characteristics (SWC), and particle size distribution in “soil-like” fractions of aged solid waste retrieved at 2.5–5 m depth from an old open dumpsite situated at Kurunegala, Sri Lanka. The “soil-like” fraction was proportioned into three groups based on particle size (0–4.75, 4.75–9.5, and 9.5–25 mm) to investigate the particle size …


Evaporation From Undulating Soil Surfaces Under Turbulent Airflow Through Numerical And Experimental Approaches, Bo Gao, John Farnsworth, Kathleen M. Smits May 2020

Evaporation From Undulating Soil Surfaces Under Turbulent Airflow Through Numerical And Experimental Approaches, Bo Gao, John Farnsworth, Kathleen M. Smits

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Evaporation from undulating soil surfaces is rarely studied due to limited modeling theory and inadequate experimental data linking dynamic soil and atmospheric interactions. The goal of this paper is to provide exploratory insights into evaporation behavior from undulating soil surfaces under turbulent conditions through numerical and experimental approaches. A previously developed and verified coupled free flow and porous media flow model was extended by incorporating turbulent airflow through Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations. The model explicitly describes the relevant physical processes and the key properties in the free flow, porous media, and at the interface, allowing for the analysis of coupled exchange …


Gas-Diffusivity Based Characterization Of Aggregated Agricultural Soils, J.R.R.N. Jayarathne, T.K.K. Chamindu Deepagoda, Timothy J. Clough, M.C.M. Nasvi, Steve Thomas, Bo Elberling, Kathleen Smits Feb 2020

Gas-Diffusivity Based Characterization Of Aggregated Agricultural Soils, J.R.R.N. Jayarathne, T.K.K. Chamindu Deepagoda, Timothy J. Clough, M.C.M. Nasvi, Steve Thomas, Bo Elberling, Kathleen Smits

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Grazed pastures and cultivated fields are significant sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, in particular N2O emissions derived from fertilizer deposition and animal excreta. Net surface emissions rely on subsurface gas transfer controlled mainly by diffusion, expressed as the soil-gas diffusivity (Dp/Do). The value of Dp/Do is a function of soil air-filled porosity (e) and gaseous phase tortuosity (T), both of which vary with soil physical properties including soil texture and structure. Agricultural soils are often structurally aggregated and characterized by two distinct regions (inter- and intra-aggregated pores), however, such soils are subjected to frequent compaction and tillage resulting in …


Accounting For Temperature Effects On The Performance Of Soil Moisture Sensors In Sandy Soils, Michelle Schwartz, Zhen Li, Toshihiro Sakaki, Ali Moradi, Kathleen Smits Sep 2019

Accounting For Temperature Effects On The Performance Of Soil Moisture Sensors In Sandy Soils, Michelle Schwartz, Zhen Li, Toshihiro Sakaki, Ali Moradi, Kathleen Smits

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Capacitance sensors are widely used to monitor volumetric water content in both field and lab settings due to their low cost, ease of use, and capability of providing continuous measurements. However, these sensors are sensitive to temperature variations. Previous attempts to develop calibration equations that negate thermal effects incorporate many empirical constants that vary based on soil and sensor type. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of temperature on sensor performance and develop an improved calibration equation for a widely used capacitance soil moisture/temperature sensor, the ECH2O 5TM. Small cell experiments were conducted with silica sands …


Applied Fluid Mechanics Lab Manual, Habib Ahmari, Shah Md Imran Kabir Jan 2019

Applied Fluid Mechanics Lab Manual, Habib Ahmari, Shah Md Imran Kabir

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

This lab manual provides students with the theory, practical applications, objectives, and laboratory procedure of ten experiments. The manual also includes educational videos showing how student should run each experiment and a workbook for organizing data collected in the lab and preparing result tables and charts.


Logistics Best Practices For Regional Food Systems: A Review, Anuj Mittal, Caroline C. Krejci, Teri J. Craven Nov 2018

Logistics Best Practices For Regional Food Systems: A Review, Anuj Mittal, Caroline C. Krejci, Teri J. Craven

Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

The modern industrial food supply system faces many major environmental and social sustainability challenges. Regional food systems, in which consumers prefer geographically proximate food producers, offer a response to these challenges. However, the costs associated with distributing food from many small-scale producers to consumers have been a major barrier to long-term regional food system success. Logistics best practices from conventional supply chains have the potential to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of regional food supply chains (RFSCs). This paper provides a structured and in-depth review of the existing literature on RFSC logistics, including recommended and implemented best practices. The purpose …


Experimental And Numerical Study Of Evaporation From Wavy Surfaces By Coupling Free Flow And Porous Media Flow, Bo Gao, Hossein Davarzani, Rainer Helmig, Kathleen M. Smits Oct 2018

Experimental And Numerical Study Of Evaporation From Wavy Surfaces By Coupling Free Flow And Porous Media Flow, Bo Gao, Hossein Davarzani, Rainer Helmig, Kathleen M. Smits

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

The macroscale roughness of the soil surface has significant influences on the mass/energy interactions between the subsurface and the atmosphere during evaporation. However, most previous works only consider evaporation behavior from flat surfaces. Based on experimental and numerical approaches, the goal of this work is to provide a framework for the understanding of the mechanisms of evaporation from irregular soil surfaces at representative elementary volume scale. A coupling free flow-porous media flow model was developed to describe evaporation under nonisothermal conditions. For simplicity, sinusoidal-type wavy surfaces were considered. To validate this modeling approach, an experiment using an open-ended wind tunnel …


Coupled Thermally-Enhanced Bioremediation And Renewable Energy Storage System: Conceptual Framework And Modeling Investigation, Ali Moradi, Kathleen M. Smits, Jonathan O. Sharp Sep 2018

Coupled Thermally-Enhanced Bioremediation And Renewable Energy Storage System: Conceptual Framework And Modeling Investigation, Ali Moradi, Kathleen M. Smits, Jonathan O. Sharp

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper presents a novel method to couple an environmental bioremediation system with a subsurface renewable energy storage system. This method involves treating unsaturated contaminated soil using in-situ thermally enhanced bioremediation; the thermal system is powered by renewable energy. After remediation goals are achieved, the thermal system can then be used to store renewable energy in the form of heat in the subsurface for later use. This method can be used for enhanced treatment of environmental pollutants for which temperature is considered a limiting factor. For instance, this system can be used at a wide variety of petroleum-related sites that …


Evaluation Of Model Concepts To Describe Water Transport In Shallow Subsurface Soil And Across The Soil–Air Interface, Zhen Li, Jan Vanderborght, Kathleen M. Smits Sep 2018

Evaluation Of Model Concepts To Describe Water Transport In Shallow Subsurface Soil And Across The Soil–Air Interface, Zhen Li, Jan Vanderborght, Kathleen M. Smits

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Soil water evaporation plays a critical role in mass and energy exchanges across the land– atmosphere interface. Although much is known about this process, there is no agreement on the best modeling approaches to determine soil water evaporation due to the complexity of the numerical modeling scenarios and lack of experimental data available to validate such models. Existing studies show numerical and experimental discrepancies in the evaporation behavior and soil water distribution in soils at various scales, driving us to revisit the key process representation in subsurface soil. Therefore, the goal of this work is to test different mathematical formulations …


Characterization Of Grain-Size Distribution, Thermal Conductivity, And Gas Diffusivity In Variably Saturated Binary Sand Mixtures, T.K.K. Chamindu Deepagoda, Kathleen Smits, J.R.R.N. Jayarathne, Benjamin M. Wallen, Timothy J. Clough Aug 2018

Characterization Of Grain-Size Distribution, Thermal Conductivity, And Gas Diffusivity In Variably Saturated Binary Sand Mixtures, T.K.K. Chamindu Deepagoda, Kathleen Smits, J.R.R.N. Jayarathne, Benjamin M. Wallen, Timothy J. Clough

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Characterization of differently textured porous materials, as well as different volumetric porous media mixtures, in relation to mass and heat transport is vital for many engineering and research applications. Functional relations describing physical (e.g., grain-size distribution, total porosity), thermal, and gas diffusion properties of porous media and mixtures are necessary to optimize the design of porous systems that involve heat and gas transport processes. However, only a limited number of studies provide characterization of soil physical, thermal, and gas diffusion properties and the functional relationships of these properties under varying soil water contents, especially for soil mixtures, complicating optimization efforts. …


Silica Formation With Nanofiber Morphology Via Helical Display Of The Silaffin R5 Peptide On A Filamentous Bacteriophage, In-Wong Song, Hyojung Park, Jung Han Park, Hyunook Kim, Seong Hun Kim, Justyn Jaworski, Byoung-In Sang, Sung Yi Nov 2017

Silica Formation With Nanofiber Morphology Via Helical Display Of The Silaffin R5 Peptide On A Filamentous Bacteriophage, In-Wong Song, Hyojung Park, Jung Han Park, Hyunook Kim, Seong Hun Kim, Justyn Jaworski, Byoung-In Sang, Sung Yi

Bioengineering Faculty Publications

Biological systems often generate unique and useful structures, which can have industrial relevance either as direct components or as an inspiration for biomimetic materials. For fabrication of nanoscale silica structures, we explored the use of the silaffin R5 peptide from Cylindrotheca fusiformis expressed on the surface of the fd bacteriophage. By utilizing the biomineralizing peptide component displayed on the bacteriophage surface, we found that low concentrations (0.09 mg/mL of the R5 bacteriophage, below the concentration range used in other studies) could be used to create silica nanofibers. An additional benefit of this approach is the ability of our R5-displaying phage …


Dual-Drug Containing Core-Shell Nanoparticles For Lung Cancer Therapy, Jyothi Unnikrishna Menon, Aneetta Kuriakose, Roshni Iyer, Elizabeth Hernandez, Leah Gandee, Shanrong Zhang, Masaya Takahashi, Zhang Zhang, Debabrata Saha, Kytai Truong Nguyen Oct 2017

Dual-Drug Containing Core-Shell Nanoparticles For Lung Cancer Therapy, Jyothi Unnikrishna Menon, Aneetta Kuriakose, Roshni Iyer, Elizabeth Hernandez, Leah Gandee, Shanrong Zhang, Masaya Takahashi, Zhang Zhang, Debabrata Saha, Kytai Truong Nguyen

Bioengineering Faculty Publications

Late-stage diagnosis of lung cancer occurs ~95% of the time due to late manifestation of its symptoms, necessitating rigorous treatment following diagnosis. Existing treatment methods are limited by lack of specificity, systemic toxicity, temporary remission, and radio-resistance in lung cancer cells. In this research, we have developed a folate receptor-targeting multifunctional dual drug-loaded nanoparticle (MDNP) containing a poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-carboxymethyl chitosan shell and poly lactic-coglycolic acid (PLGA) core for enhancing localized chemo-radiotherapy to effectively treat lung cancers. The formulation provided controlled releases of the encapsulated therapeutic compounds, NU7441 - a potent radiosensitizer, and gemcitabine - an FDA approved chemotherapeutic drug for lung …


Self-Propulsion Of Leidenfrost Drops Between Non-Parallel Structures, Cheng Luo, Manjarik Mrinal, Xiang Wang Sep 2017

Self-Propulsion Of Leidenfrost Drops Between Non-Parallel Structures, Cheng Luo, Manjarik Mrinal, Xiang Wang

Mechanical and Aerospace Faculty Publications

In this work, we explored self-propulsion of a Leidenfrost drop between non-parallel structures. A theoretical model was first developed to determine conditions for liquid drops to start moving away from the corner of two non-parallel plates. These conditions were then simplified for the case of a Leidenfrost drop. Furthermore, ejection speeds and travel distances of Leidenfrost drops were derived using a scaling law. Subsequently, the theoretical models were validated by experiments. Finally, three new devices have been developed to manipulate Leidenfrost drops in different ways.


An Optical Probe For Detecting Chondrocyte Apoptosis In Response To Mechanical Injury, Yihui Huang, Jun Zhou, Amirhossein Hakamivala, Jinglei Wu, Yi Hong, Joseph Borrelli Jr., Liping Tang Sep 2017

An Optical Probe For Detecting Chondrocyte Apoptosis In Response To Mechanical Injury, Yihui Huang, Jun Zhou, Amirhossein Hakamivala, Jinglei Wu, Yi Hong, Joseph Borrelli Jr., Liping Tang

Bioengineering Faculty Publications

Cartilage injury induced by acute excessive contact stress is common and mostly affects young adult. Although early detection of cartilage injury may prevent serious and lifelong arthritic complications, early detection and treatment is not possible due to the lack of a reliable detection method. Since chondrocyte injury and subsequent cell death are the early signs of cartilage injury, it is likely that cartilage cell apoptosis can be used to predict the extent of injury. To test this hypothesis, a near infrared probe was fabricated to have high affinity to apoptotic cells. In vitro tests show that this apoptosis probe has …


Conditions For Barrel And Clam-Shell Liquid Drops To Move On Bio-Inspired Conical Wires, Cheng Luo, Xiang Wang Aug 2017

Conditions For Barrel And Clam-Shell Liquid Drops To Move On Bio-Inspired Conical Wires, Cheng Luo, Xiang Wang

Mechanical and Aerospace Faculty Publications

It has been reported that, in a foggy environment, water drops with either barrel or clam-shell shapes are capable of self-running on conical wire-like structures, such as cactus spines, spider silk, and water striders’ legs. On the other hand, the corresponding moving mechanisms are still not quite understood. For instance, it is unclear under what conditions clam-shell drops would move from the tip towards the root on a conical wire. In this work, based on the balance of forces, we derive conditions for a drop to self-transport towards or away from the root. We find that, although barrel and clam-shell …


The Mechanisms And Biomedical Applications Of An Nir Bodipy-Based Switchable Fluorescent Probe, Bingbing Cheng, Venugopal Bandi, Shuai Yu, Francis D’Souza, Kytai T. Nguyen, Yi Hong, Liping Tang, Baohong Yuan, Sundaresan Gobalakrishnan, William Chi-Shing Cho, Jamal Zweit Feb 2017

The Mechanisms And Biomedical Applications Of An Nir Bodipy-Based Switchable Fluorescent Probe, Bingbing Cheng, Venugopal Bandi, Shuai Yu, Francis D’Souza, Kytai T. Nguyen, Yi Hong, Liping Tang, Baohong Yuan, Sundaresan Gobalakrishnan, William Chi-Shing Cho, Jamal Zweit

Bioengineering Faculty Publications

Highly environment-sensitive fluorophores have been desired for many biomedical applications. Because of the noninvasive operation, high sensitivity, and high specificity to the microenvironment change, they can be used as excellent probes for fluorescence sensing/imaging, cell tracking/imaging, molecular imaging for cancer, and so on (i.e., polarity, viscosity, temperature, or pH measurement). In this work, investigations of the switching mechanism of a recently reported near-infrared environment-sensitive fluorophore, ADP(CA)2, were conducted. Besides, multiple potential biomedical applications of this switchable fluorescent probe have been demonstrated, including wash-free live-cell fluorescence imaging, in vivo tissue fluorescence imaging, temperature sensing, and ultrasound-switchable fluorescence (USF) imaging. The fluorescence …