Engineering Commons^™

Design, Synthesis And Sustainable Applications Of Animal Protein-Based Thermoset Polymers And Covalent Organic Frameworks, Xiaoyan Yu

All Dissertations

Extensive research has been undertaken in recent times on finding suitable, alternative, non-feed and non-fertilizer applications for proteinaceous materials in the animal rendering industry. In this regard, use of such proteins to derive plastics, especially thermoplastics and derived composites, has emerged as a potentially acceptable choice. However, the widespread use of such proteins for aforementioned applications is limited by their poor mechanical properties, high moisture absorption and their inherent odor. In this study, we have engineered, for the first time, high-strength, toughened thermoset polymers from proteinaceous materials obtained from the rendering industry so that they can be employed in high …

Real-Time Traffic State Estimation With Connected Vehicles, Sakib Mahmud Khan, Kaken Dey, Mashrur Chowdhury

Publications

A novel framework is developed in this paper, to increase the real-time roadway traffic condition assessment accuracy, which integrates connected vehicle technology (CVT) with artificial intelligence (AI) paradigm forming a CVT-AI method. Traffic density is a major indicator of traffic conditions. In this paper, the traffic operational condition is assessed based on traffic density. A simulated network of Interstate 26 in South Carolina is developed to investigate the effectiveness of the method. The assumption is that the vehicle onboard units will forward the CV generated data to the edge devices (e.g., roadside units) for further processing. CV generated distance headway …

Further Cost Reduction Of Battery Manufacturing, Amir A. Asif, Rajendra Singh

Publications

The demand for batteries for energy storage is growing with the rapid increase in photovoltaics (PV) and wind energy installation as well as electric vehicle (EV), hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). Electrochemical batteries have emerged as the preferred choice for most of the consumer product applications. Cost reduction of batteries will accelerate the growth in all of these sectors. Lithium-ion (Li-ion) and solid-state batteries are showing promise through their downward price and upward performance trends. We may achieve further performance improvement and cost reduction for Li-ion and solid-state batteries through reduction of the variation in …

Data‐Enabled Cognitive Modeling: Validating Student Engineers’ Fuzzy Design‐Based Decision‐Making In A Virtual Design Problem, Golnaz Arastoopour Irgens, Naomi C. Chesler, Jeffrey Linderoth, David Williamson Shaffer

Publications

The ability of future engineering professionals to solve complex real‐world problems depends on their design education and training. Because engineers engage with open‐ended problems in which there are unknown parameters and multiple competing objectives, they engage in fuzzy decision‐making, a method of making decisions that takes into account inherent imprecisions and uncertainties in the real world. In the design‐based decision‐making field, few studies have applied fuzzy decision‐making models to actual decision‐making process data. Thus, in this study, we use datasets on student decision‐making processes to validate approximate fuzzy models of student decision‐making, which we call data‐enabled cognitive modeling. The results …

Enhancing Anaerobic Digestion Of Food Waste Through Biochemical Methane Potential 1 Assays At Different Substrate: Inoculum Ratios, Shakira R. Hobbs, Amy E. Landis, Bruce E. Rittmann, Michelle N. Young, Prathap Parameswaran

Publications

Food waste has a high energy potential that can be converted into useful energy in the form of methane via anaerobic digestion. Biochemical Methane Potential assays (BMPs) were conducted to quantify the impacts on methane production of different ratios of food waste. Anaerobic digester sludge (ADS) was used as the inoculum, and BMPs were performed at food waste:inoculum ratios of 0.42, 1.42, and 3.0 g chemical oxygen demand/g volatile solids (VS). The 1.42 ratio had the highest CH4-COD recovery: 90% of the initial total chemical oxygen demand (TCOD) was from food waste, followed by ratios 0.42 and 3.0 at 69% …

The Soil Moisture Velocity Equation, Fred L. Ogden, Myron B. Allen, Wencong Lai, Jianting Zhu, Mookwon Seo, Craig C. Douglas, Cary A. Talbot

Publications

Numerical solution of the one-dimensional Richards' equation is the recommended method for coupling groundwater to the atmosphere through the vadose zone in hyperresolution Earth system models, but requires fine spatial discretization, is computationally expensive, and may not converge due to mathematical degeneracy or when sharp wetting fronts occur. We transformed the one-dimensional Richards' equation into a new equation that describes the velocity of moisture content values in an unsaturated soil under the actions of capillarity and gravity. We call this new equation the Soil Moisture Velocity Equation (SMVE). The SMVE consists of two terms: an advection-like term that accounts for …

Cancer Cell Redirection Biomarker Discovery Using A Mutual Information Approach, Kimberly Roche, F. Alex Feltus, Jang Pyo Park, Marie-May Coissieux, Chenyan Chang, Vera B.S. Chan, Mohamed Bentires-Alj, Brian W. Booth

Publications

Introducing tumor-derived cells into normal mammary stem cell niches at a sufficiently high ratio of normal to tumorous cells causes those tumor cells to undergo a change to normal mammary phenotype and yield normal mammary progeny. This phenomenon has been termed cancer cell redirection. We have developed an in vitro model that mimics in vivo redirection of cancer cells by the normal mammary microenvironment. Using the RNA profiling data from this cellular model, we examined high-level characteristics of the normal, redirected, and tumor transcriptomes and found the global expression profiles clearly distinguish the three expression states. To identify potential redirection …

Current Understanding And Future Research Directions At The Onset Of The Next Century Of Sintering Science And Technology, Rajendra K. Bordia, Suk-Joong L. Kang, Eugene A. Olevsky

Publications

Sintering and accompanying microstructural evolution is inarguably the most important step in the processing of ceramics and hard metals. In this process, an ensemble of particles is converted into a coherent object of controlled density and microstructure at an elevated temperature (but below the melting point) due to the thermodynamic tendency of the particle system to decrease its total surface and interfacial energy. Building on a long development history as a major technological process, sintering remains among the most viable methods of fabricating novel ceramics, including high surface area structures, nanopowder-based systems, and tailored structural and functional materials. Developing new …

Assessing The Importance Of The Root Mean Square (Rms) Value Of Different Waveforms To Determine The Strength Of A Dielectrophoresis Trapping Force, Jordan Gilmore, Monsur Islam, Josie Duncan, Rucha Nato, Rodrigo Martinez-Duarte

Publications

No abstract provided.

Assessing The Importance Of The Root Mean Square (Rms) Value Of Different Waveforms To Determine The Strength Of A Dielectrophoresis Trapping Force, Jordon Gilmore, Monsur Islam, Josie Duncan, Rucha Natu, Rodrigo Martinez-Duarte

Publications

No abstract provided.

Do Single-Use Medical Devices Containing Biopolymers Reduce The Environmental Impacts Of Surgical Procedures Compared With Their Plastic Equivalents?, Scott R. Unger, Troy A. Hottle, Shakira R. Hobbs, Cassandra L. Thiel, Nicole Campion, Melissa M. Bilec, Amy E. Landis

Publications

Background: While petroleum-based plastics are extensively used in health care, recent developments in biopolymer manufacturing have created new opportunities for increased integration of biopolymers into medical products, devices and services. This study compared the environmental impacts of single-use disposable devices with increased biopolymer content versus typically manufactured devices in hysterectomy.

Methods: A comparative life cycle assessment of single-use disposable medical products containing plastic(s) versus the same single-use medical devices with biopolymers substituted for plastic(s) at Magee-Women’s Hospital (Magee) in Pittsburgh, PA and the products used in four types of hysterectomies that contained plastics potentially suitable for biopolymer substitution. Magee is …

Target-Specific Capture Of Relevant Gaseous Compounds Using Natural And Synthetic Nano And Micro Materials, Fernanda Delbuque Guerra

All Dissertations

By definition, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are organic compounds that easily become vapor or gases. Many VOCs are hazardous air pollutants and often known for their low, often unpleasant, threshold odor, which can be below parts per billion in some cases. Nanotechnology-based materials for the remediation of gaseous pollutants has been the focus of many researchers due to their unique chemical and physical properties and enhanced reactivity when compared to bulkier materials. Among the many challenges preventing the global use of nanomaterials are the high costs of fabrication, on-site recovery, limited scale-up, potential toxicity since many of them rely on …

High Performance Computing Simulations To Identify Process Parameter Designs For Profitable Titanium Machining, Mathew Kuttolamadom, Joshua Jones, Laine Mears, James Von Oehsen, Thomas Kurfess, John Ziegert

Publications

The objective of this paper was to conduct a study of the multi-level multi-variable design space in titanium machining through high performance computing (HPC) simulations that was otherwise too vast to be explored by physical experiments alone. For tool wear-based performance metrics, this resulted in a validated set of machining parameters for achieving profitable material removal rates (MRR) (optimized cost of processing and tooling) across multiple operational configurations, alloys, tool geometries, and process conditions. The approach was to include all machining-related variables and their distributions available within the software as inputs to finite-element models (FEM) of the machining process. The …

The Professional Constructor, Full Issue, Volume 42, Number 01

The Professional Constructor

No abstract provided.

Fabrication Challenges And Perspectives On The Use Of Carbon-Electrode Dielectrophoresis In Sample Preparation, Rodrigo Martinez-Duarte

Publications

The focus of this review is to assess the current status of three-dimensional (3D) carbon-electrode dielectrophoresis (carbonDEP) and identify the challenges currently preventing it from its use in high-throughput applications such as sample preparation for diagnostics. The use of 3D electrodes over more traditional planar ones is emphasised here as a way to increase the throughput of DEP devices. Glass-like carbon electrodes are derived through the carbonisation of photoresist structures made using photolithography. These biocompatible carbon electrodes are not ideal electrical conductors but are more electrochemically stable than noble metals such as gold and platinum. They are also significantly less …

A Laboratory Evaluation Of Warm Mix Technology For Use In Asphalt Rubber - Asphaltic Concrete Friction Courses: A Case Study Of Arizona, Michael Myung Jeong, Douglas I. Hanson

The Professional Constructor

The objective of this study was to determine if warm mix additives currently used in Arizona can be added for the production of an Asphalt Rubber - Asphaltic Concrete Friction Course (AR-ACFC) without detrimental effects on performance of the pavement. Three warm mix additives (Evotherm®, Sasobit®, and Advera®) approved by Arizona Department of Transportation were investigated through a laboratory study along with statistical analysis. Three major concerns on performance of an AR-ACFC considered in this study are asphalt draindown, durability, and moisture susceptibility. The laboratory binder test results show there is no clear evidence that the use of Evotherm and …

How U.S. Universities Intend To Meet Their Carbon Neutral Goals, Dennis C. Bausman, Avinash Venugopal

The Professional Constructor

Universities have been on the leading edge for implementation of sustainable practices, green building certification, and the push to limit emission of greenhouse gases. In 2006 leadership at twelve universities was instrumental in the creation of the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). The two overall goals of the ACUPCC were to gain university commitment to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from their campus operations and to promote sustainability education and research. A decade later there are over 650 that have officially pledged their support to the ACUPCC and in doing so have established a goal toward carbon neutrality …

Using Percent Complete Metric To Highlight The Root Causes Of Delays In Home Building Industry, Somik Ghosh

The Professional Constructor

Based on the prediction of US Housing and Urban Development (US HUD), the demand for new homes will increase in the coming months to accompany the steady sales of existing homes. To meet the future demand, the home building industry has to continuously improve and get rid of inherent problems such as frequent delays. While delays have been a common occurrence in the residential and commercial construction alike, investigations of delays in the residential sector has not received much attention. With the goal of exploring the causes of delays in the home building industry, a multiple case study approach was …

Are We On The Same Jobsite? The Millennial Generation Vs. Construction Industry Employees, Christine Piper, Varahee Madadi

The Professional Constructor

This paper gives an overview of a study conducted in a geographical area of the US to understand the millennial generation’s perception of the workplace of the construction industry. Many organizations face the challenge of integrating diverse generations in a workplace. With the retirement of a large number of Boomers and the current intake of Millennials in the workplace, organizations are facing a challenge to attract and retain the millennial generation. Workplace expectations of the millennial generation and employees are compared with the expectations of the workplace amongst different generations in the construction industry.

Math Skills That Don’T Add Up; A Comparison Between Eighth Grade And College Students, Nathan Barry, Angela Hollman, Dale Porter

The Professional Constructor

Among 34 participating countries within the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the United States performed below average in mathematics earning a rank of 27. The World Economic Forum (2014) ranks the United States 51 out of 144 countries scoring a 4.4 out of 7 (7 = excellent) in the quality of mathematics and science education. Although the United States’ competitive advantage and economic growth is directly connected to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers, only 28 percent of those students choose to major with these fields in college. In addition, 48 percent of students that choose to …

Superior Performance Of Continuous Over Pulsatile Flow Ventricular Assist Devices In The Single Ventricle Circulation: A Computational Study, Tyler Schmidt, David Rosenthal, Olaf Reinhartz, Kirk Riemer, Fei He, Tain-Yen Hsia, Alison Marsden, Ethan Kung

Publications

This study compares the physiological responses of systemic-to-pulmonary shunted single ventricle patients to pulsatile and continuous flow ventricular assist devices (VADs). Performance differences between pulsatile and continuous flow VADs have been clinically observed, but the underlying mechanism remains poorly understood. Six systemic-to-pulmonary shunted single ventricle patients (mean BSA=0.30 m2) were computationally simulated using a lumped-parameter network tuned to match patient specific clinical data. A first set of simulations compared current clinical implementation of VADs in single ventricle patients. A second set modified pulsatile flow VAD settings with the goal to optimize cardiac output (CO). For all patients, the best-case continuous …

Effects Of Microstructure On The Strain Rate Sensitivity Of Advanced Steels, Rakan Alturk, Steven Mates, Zeren Xu, Fadi Abu-Farha

Publications

The dependence of the strain rate sensitivity of advanced ~1 GPa tensile strength steels on the phases present in their microstructures was studied by testing different steels at 0.005 and 500 s−¹. The high strain rate tests were performed using a Kolsky bar setup, while the quasi-static tests were performed using a universal testing machine. The two main steels of interest were the Ferrite-Martensite DP980 and the Ferrite-Martensite-Austenite QP980; the latter being a transformation induced plasticity (TRIP) assisted steel. For comparison, ferritic CR5 mild steel and austenitic stainless steel 201 were also tested under the same conditions. Though …

Changes In Temporal Variability Of Precipitation Over Land Due To Anthropogenic Forcings, Goutam Konapala, Ashok Mishra, L. Ruby Leung

Publications

This study investigated the anthropogenic influence on the temporal variability of annual precipitation for the period 1950–2005 as simulated by the CMIP5 models. The temporal variability of both annual precipitation amount (PRCPTOT) and intensity (SDII) was first measured using a metric of statistical dispersion called the Gini coefficient. Comparing simulations driven by both anthropogenic and natural forcing (ALL) with simulations of natural forcing only (NAT), we quantified the anthropogenic contributions to the changes in temporal variability at global, continental and sub-continental scales as a relative difference of the respective Gini coefficients of ALL and NAT. Over the period of 1950–2005, …

Development Of Earthquake Vulnerability Functions And Risk Curves For Low And Mid-Rise Hotel Buildings Using A Performance-Based Loss Estimation Framework, Amir Safiey, Weichiang Pang, Mohammad Javanbarg, Keivan Rokneddin, Ershad Ziaei

Publications

The concept of performance-based earthquake engineering has gained significant attentions in both the research and engineering communities. The development of a performance-based seismic loss assessment framework, known as the FEMA P-58 method, allows one to estimate the potential financial losses of a building using performance-based engineering method. This research employs a seismic loss estimation framework derived using the P-58 method to estimate the monetary loss of a mid-rise wood-frame hotel building which is assumed to be located in Napa Valley, California. A 3D structural model representative of the dynamic behavior of the wood-frame hotel was created and subjected to Incremental …

Analytical Content Vulnerability Assessment Methodology For Earthquake Catastrophe Models, Keivan Rokneddin, Amir Safiey, Mohammad Javanbarg, Vijay Manghnani, Weichiang Pang

Publications

The scarcity of detailed claims data for building contents (Coverage C) from historical earthquake events poses a significant challenge for property insurance catastrophe models to reliably estimate the losses associated to building contents. To develop content vulnerability functions empirically, one would need to have access to data from a multitude of historical events; however, loss disaggregation by coverage is rarely reported even when claims data become available from recent significant events such as Maule (2010) and Tohoku (2011). While damage to the building structure (Coverage A) can be estimated analytically using simulation-based fragility functions to amend sparse historical observations, the …

Role Of Ground Glass Fiber As A Pozzolan In Portland Cement Concrete, Hassan Rashidian-Dezfouli, Prasad Rao Rangaraju

Publications

Millions of tons of fiberglass are produced annually for a variety of applications. Because of stringent quality requirements and operational characteristics of the manufacturing plants, a significant quantity of fiberglass that does not meet required specifications of the industry ends up as waste in landfills. This study investigated the use of ground glass fiber (GGF) that had been discarded by plants because it did not meet prescribed standards, as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM) for portland cement. Three replacement levels (10%, 20%, and 30% by mass) for portland cement in paste, mortar, and concrete mixtures were studied. Mechanical and durability …

Towards Deadline Guaranteed Cloud Storage Services, Guoxin Liu, Haiying Shen, Lei Yu

Publications

More and more organizations move their data and workload to commercial cloud storage systems. However, the multiplexing and sharing of the resources in a cloud storage system present unpredictable data access latency to tenants, which may make online data-intensive applications unable to satisfy their deadline requirements. Thus, it is important for cloud storage systems to provide deadline guaranteed services. In this paper, to meet a current form of service level objective (SLO) that constrains the percentage of each tenant's data access requests failing to meet its required deadline below a given threshold, we build a mathematical model to derive the …

Demisting Using An Ultrasonic Standing Wave Field, T. M. Merrell, John Saylor

Publications

Removing drops from an air flow can be challenging, particularly, for small drops. Herein a method for demisting is presented that employs ultrasonics to force small drops to combine. Specifically, a cylindrical ultrasonic standing wave field is established in a tube, forming pressure nodes that take the form of cylinders located within the tube and having the same axis as the tube. Droplets are driven toward these pressure nodes by the acoustic radiation force, forcing smaller drops to combine to form larger drops, which eventually fall due to gravity, thereby demisting the flow. Experiments presented herein show that, for the …

Power System Distributed Dynamic State Prediction, Md Ashfaqur Rahman, Ganesh Kumar Venayagamoorthy

Publications

The security of the power system can be enhanced with the prediction of the dynamic state variables. To increase the security, a distributed predictor is developed based on the Elman Recurrent Neural Network (ERNN) in this study. To develop a scalable distributed predictor, the whole network is divided in a number of ERNNs. They take the current and the previous actual states from its own and its neighbors to predict the near future values of the states. The concept is inspired from the Cellular Computational Network (CCN) framework. Each ERNN is a cell in the CCN framework. Through simulation, the …

Nanoscale Solutions To Tailor Fiber Architectures For Realizing Composites With Triumvirate Properties, Vishnu Priya Ramineni

All Theses

The paramount need for the development of multifunctional, smart and adaptive material systems for application in industries like automobile, aeronautical and aerospace is undeniable. Polymer composites are fast becoming the primary material options to this demand in light of their superior mechanical properties, low density, high corrosion resistance and easy manufacturability. The design flexibility offered in terms of achieving higher specific properties and light weighting is the key reason behind their success. Among all the properties that composites possess, it is the stiffness, strength and toughness that most applications mandate. These properties however, provide complimentary and contrasting characteristics for composites …