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Articles 2371 - 2400 of 2820

Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Rice Processing: Milling And Value-Added Effects, Rebecca C. Schramm Jan 2006

Rice Processing: Milling And Value-Added Effects, Rebecca C. Schramm

LSU Master's Theses

The ultimate goal of this research is to characterize data from the laboratory, pilot, and industrial scale rice mills. Pilot and laboratory scale data are presented in this research. Two long grain rice cultivars were milled with two different scale mills. Cheniere and Cypress were milled with a McGill No. 2 mill and a pilot scale mill (Satake). Both material streams, rice kernels and bran, were collected and weighed. Measurements of Degree of milling, transparency, and whiteness were made with a milling meter (Satake). Yield and bran fraction were calculated. Samples of the bran were heat stabilized and prepared for …


Towards A Generalized Team Task Complexity Model, Ashok Darisipudi Jan 2006

Towards A Generalized Team Task Complexity Model, Ashok Darisipudi

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The objective of this research was to develop and validate a generalized team task-complexity model and framework by drawing on the literature from various team and task factors grouped into three task-dimensions, which compose task-complexity space and how these affect the task-performance. A number of task typologies have been presented in the teams' literature to better define and understand the critical role of the tasks and the associated team processes. In addition, most of the research work has defined team measures as highly abstract concepts not capable of providing the quantitative comparison of team performances from various domains. This research …


A Generalized Approach For The Control Of Micro-Electromechanical Relays, Mohamed Abdelrahman Younis Jan 2006

A Generalized Approach For The Control Of Micro-Electromechanical Relays, Mohamed Abdelrahman Younis

LSU Master's Theses

MEMS (Micro-Electromechanical Systems) is an area of research and applications that is becoming increasingly popular. It's mainly concerned with integrating micro-mechanical transducers with micro-electronic circuits on common substrates, traditionally silicon, through micro-fabrication. Instead of traditionally having the transducer and the communicating (or control) circuit as two separate entities, MEMS miniaturizes and combines them on a single chip, giving it several advantages, saving space, money, and increasing the sensitivity and accuracy of the integrated system. A micro-electromechanical relay is a type of MEM devices that is becoming increasingly important in a wide range of industries such as the computer industry, the …


A Nonlocal Model For Coupled Damage-Plasticity Incorporating Gradients Of Internal State Variables At Multiscales, Robert J. Dorgan Jan 2006

A Nonlocal Model For Coupled Damage-Plasticity Incorporating Gradients Of Internal State Variables At Multiscales, Robert J. Dorgan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The thermodynamically consistent formulation and the subsequent numerical implementation of a gradient enhanced continuum coupled damage-plasticity model as a constitutive framework to model ill-posed localization problems is presented. By the introduction of "nonlocal," gradient-enhanced measures in the plasticity potential function and yield criterion and in the damage potential function and damage criterion, the proposed model introduces microstructural characteristic material length scales which allows the size of localized zones to be predicted based on material constants, as opposed to local models where the loss of ellipticity causes the localized zones to be mesh dependent.
The gradient model proposed introduces non-linear functions …


A Probabilistic Approach For Modeling And Real-Time Filtering Of Freeway Detector Data, Shourie Kondagari Jan 2006

A Probabilistic Approach For Modeling And Real-Time Filtering Of Freeway Detector Data, Shourie Kondagari

LSU Master's Theses

Traffic surveillance systems are a key component for providing information on traffic conditions and supporting traffic management functions. A large amount of data is currently collected from inductive loop detector systems in the form of three macroscopic traffic parameters (speed, volume and occupancy). Such information is vital to the successful implementation of transportation data warehouses and decision support systems. The quality of data is, however, affected by erroneous observations that result from malfunctioning or mis-calibration of detectors. The open literature shows that little effort has been made to establish procedures for screening traffic observations in real-time. This study presents a …


Design Of Cmos Lc Voltage Controlled Oscillators, Chetan Shambhulinga Salimath Jan 2006

Design Of Cmos Lc Voltage Controlled Oscillators, Chetan Shambhulinga Salimath

LSU Master's Theses

This work presents the design and implementation of CMOS LC voltage controlled oscillators. On-chip planar spiral inductors and PMOS inversion mode varactors were utilized to implement the resonator. Two voltage controlled oscillators (VCOs) were realized as a part of this work, one designed to operate at 1.1 GHz while the second at 1.8 GHz. Both VCOs were implemented in a scalable digital CMOS process, with the former in a 1.5 micron CMOS process and the latter in a 0.5 micron technology. A simulation based methodology was adopted to arrive at a simple pi model used to model the metal and …


Use Of Polyhydroxyalkanoates For Denitrification In Recirculating Aquaculture Systems, Maria Teresa Gutierrez-Wing Jan 2006

Use Of Polyhydroxyalkanoates For Denitrification In Recirculating Aquaculture Systems, Maria Teresa Gutierrez-Wing

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Increasing demand of aquacultural products is driving the industry toward more intensive culture practices. Aquacultural operations are constrained by limitations on the availability high quality waters and regulatory pressures on the discharges. Recirculating systems can address these issues by reducing the amount of water required in the operation. Closed systems are especially suited where biosecurity is important. In closed systems, nitrate accumulates, limiting the time the water can be reused. In marine inland systems, water reuse reduces the cost of salt for make up water. To increase the water reuse time, some form of nitrate removal process must be incorporated …


Theoretical And Experimental Study On Cable Vibration Reduction With A Tmd-Mr Damper, Wenjie Wu Jan 2006

Theoretical And Experimental Study On Cable Vibration Reduction With A Tmd-Mr Damper, Wenjie Wu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Stay cables are vulnerable to dynamic excitations because of their low intrinsic damping. Excessive cable vibrations cause frequent maintenance and are detrimental to the safety of the entire bridge. Targeting the severe cable vibration problem, in addition to using the existing Magnetorheological (MR) damper, the current study proposes a new type of damper, called the Tuned Mass Damper-Magnetorheological (TMD-MR) damper. Theoretical and experimental investigations for the damper performance on the cable vibration reduction are conducted, which provides the necessary research support for practical implementation. Experiments on the individual MR damper are carried out first to gain some experience on the …


Microfluidics Fabrication And Testing For A Novel Biomems Cell Counting Device, Marly N. Dows May 2005

Microfluidics Fabrication And Testing For A Novel Biomems Cell Counting Device, Marly N. Dows

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.


On The Stability Of Rotor Bearing Systems Based On Hopf Bifurcation Theory, Jianke Wang Jan 2005

On The Stability Of Rotor Bearing Systems Based On Hopf Bifurcation Theory, Jianke Wang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This research is aimed to establish instability criteria for a rotor-bearing system which consists of a rotor supported by two fluid-film journal bearings. The static and dynamic characteristics of rotor-bearing systems with consideration of turbulent effects are evaluated by applying the Hopf bifurcation theory (HBT) to the equations of motion. A method is developed for predicting the stability envelope of rotor-bearing systems using HBT. Results are compared with published literature obtained using a trial-and-error method. A method based on HBT is presented for predicting the occurrence of a hysteresis phenomenon, which is observed in experimental results dealing with the instability …


Structural Integrity And Fatigue Crack Propagation Life Assessment Of Welded And Weld-Repaired Structures, Mohammad Shah Alam Jan 2005

Structural Integrity And Fatigue Crack Propagation Life Assessment Of Welded And Weld-Repaired Structures, Mohammad Shah Alam

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Structural integrity is the science and technology of the margin between safety and disaster. Proper evaluation of the structural integrity and fatigue life of any structure (aircraft, ship, railways, bridges, gas and oil transmission pipelines, etc.) is important to ensure the public safety, environmental protection, and economical consideration. Catastrophic failure of any structure can be avoided if structural integrity is assessed and necessary precaution is taken appropriately. Structural integrity includes tasks in many areas, such as structural analysis, failure analysis, nondestructive testing, corrosion, fatigue and creep analysis, metallurgy and materials, fracture mechanics, fatigue life assessment, welding metallurgy, development of repairing …


Fabrication Of High Aspect Ratio Vibrating Cylinder Microgyroscope Structures By Use Of The Liga Process, Yohannes Mamo Desta Jan 2005

Fabrication Of High Aspect Ratio Vibrating Cylinder Microgyroscope Structures By Use Of The Liga Process, Yohannes Mamo Desta

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Inertial grade microgyroscopes are of great importance to improve and augment inertial navigation systems based on GPS for industrial, automotive, and military applications. The efforts by various research groups worldwide to develop inertial grade microgyroscopes have not been successful to date. In 1994, the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Louisiana State University and SatCon Technology Corporation (Boston, Massachusetts) proposed a series of shock tolerant micromachined vibrating cylinder rate gyroscopes with aspect ratios of up to 250:1 to meet the needs of inertial navigation systems based on existing conventional vibrating cylinder gyroscopes. Each microgyroscope consisted of a tall thin shell metallic …


Cementitious Permeable Pavement As A Passive Unit Operation And Process For Stormwater Quality And Quantity Control, Xuheng Kuang Jan 2005

Cementitious Permeable Pavement As A Passive Unit Operation And Process For Stormwater Quality And Quantity Control, Xuheng Kuang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

With respect to the problems caused by impervious pavements, cementitous permeable pavement (CPP) functions as a passive unit operation and process for stormwater quality and quantity control through infiltration, evaporation, filtration, absorption and reaction mechanisms. CPP pore characteristics were examined through pore connectivity analysis using X-Ray Tomography (XRT). Image resolution influence on image analysis results was evaluated. Relationships between parameters of pore characteristics were evaluated. Factors that significantly influence fluid flow in CPP media include effective porosity, pore connectivity and pore size distribution. A modified Kozeny-Carman model in which effective porosity, specific surface area based on effective pores (SSA)pe, and …


Electrodeposition Of Auco Alloys And Multilayers, Maoshi Guan Jan 2005

Electrodeposition Of Auco Alloys And Multilayers, Maoshi Guan

LSU Master's Theses

Electrodeposited AuCo and Au/Co multilayers are of interest as potential materials for MEMS components. AuCo alloys have been fabricated by the electrodeposition technique, but from cyanide-containing electrolyte. In this study, we explored the electrodeposition of AuCo and Au/Co multilayer thin films, and nanowires, from a non-cyanide electrolyte. Two variables were considered: the concentration of citric acid and pH. The changes in composition were described by the differences in the partial current densities. The effect of pH and citric acid concentration on the deposit composition and current efficiency was investigated. Results showed that a lower citric acid concentration was favored for …


Supercritical Fluid Extraction Of Rice Bran With Adsorption On Rice Hull Ash, Paresh Manilal Patel Jan 2005

Supercritical Fluid Extraction Of Rice Bran With Adsorption On Rice Hull Ash, Paresh Manilal Patel

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Rice bran oil was extracted using environmentally-friendly supercritical carbon dioxide at varying conditions. Experimental treatments included pressure (27.6, 41.4 and 55.2 MPa), temperature (40 and 60 oC) and flow rates (25, 45 and 65 g/min) of supercritical carbon dioxide. Extracts collected at different time intervals during 4-hour extraction runs in a 3-L extractor were analyzed for oil yield and antioxidants. Normal-phase HPLC was used for analyzing the extract for important antioxidant compounds of oryzanol, tocopherols, tocotrienols. Silica rich rice hull ash adsorbent was also incorporated in combined extraction-adsorption experiments under similar supercritical fluid conditions. Supercritical extraction yields of rice bran …


Molecular Dynamics Simulations Of Biological Membranes In The Presence Of Cryoprotectants, Dinesh Pinisetty Jan 2005

Molecular Dynamics Simulations Of Biological Membranes In The Presence Of Cryoprotectants, Dinesh Pinisetty

LSU Master's Theses

Cryopreservation is a process that is characterized by the transport of water and cryoprotectants through the cell membrane. This phenomenon has been studied in extensive detail at the macroscopic (µm) scale but in a somewhat more limited fashion at the microscopic (nm) scale. In this study we develop several lipid bilayer models to approximate a cell membrane (nm) and present the effect of several different cryoprotectants on the structural characteristics of these lipid bilayers using molecular dynamic simulations. The lipid bilayer models included dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) and palmitoyleylphosphatidylcholine (POPC) while the cryoprotectants included methanol and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). The molecular …


Synthesis Of Poly(Dl-Lactide-Co-Glycolide) Nanoparticles With Entrapped Magnetite, Carlos Ernesto Astete R. Jan 2005

Synthesis Of Poly(Dl-Lactide-Co-Glycolide) Nanoparticles With Entrapped Magnetite, Carlos Ernesto Astete R.

LSU Master's Theses

The goal of the research was to synthesize magnetic polymeric nanoparticles (MPNPs) under 100 nm in diameter, for future drug delivery applications. The thesis is divided into two main sections. In the first section, a quantitative, and comprehensive description of the top-down synthesis techniques available for poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) and magnetic polymeric nanoparticles (MPNPs) formation is provided, as well as the techniques commonly used for nanoparticle characterization. In the second part, a novel way to form MPNPs is presented. The emulsion evaporation method was selected as the method of choice to form poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles with entrapped magnetite (Fe3O …


Evidence Of Neotectonic Activity In Southwest Louisiana, Jordan Oliver Heltz Jan 2005

Evidence Of Neotectonic Activity In Southwest Louisiana, Jordan Oliver Heltz

LSU Master's Theses

A methodology that combines high-resolution topographic mapping, field observations, subsurface evaluation, and geodetic data analysis has successfully located several fault-related geomorphic steps in an area of southwestern Louisiana once thought to be relatively devoid of such features. Comparison of height differences of benchmarks straddling these suspected fault-related steps shows that vertical displacement rates on faults in the study area ranged from about 2 mm/yr to as much as 6 mm/yr during the 1960’s and 1970’s. However, leveling data obtained as recently as January 2005 reveals that the majority of these faults are currently moving at rates of less than 1 …


A Project Improvement System For Effective Management Of Construction Projects, Shahriyar Mojahed Jan 2005

A Project Improvement System For Effective Management Of Construction Projects, Shahriyar Mojahed

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The concept of construction productivity began in the early 20th century with a series of time and motion studies to improve bricklaying operations. A substantial number of subsequent studies focused on repetitive tasks and automation of the manufacturing operations and subsequently benefited manufacturing more than the construction industry. There has been a lack of studies for productivity improvement in the construction industry. Building upon the available body of knowledge as it related to productivity of manufacturing and construction industries, this study focused on developing a project improvement system for effective management of construction projects. Development of the system included a …


Transport And Kinetics Of Aromatic Hydrocarbons Into Micron-Sized Liquid Droplets: With Applications To Atmospheric Chemistry, Suresh Raja Jan 2005

Transport And Kinetics Of Aromatic Hydrocarbons Into Micron-Sized Liquid Droplets: With Applications To Atmospheric Chemistry, Suresh Raja

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In the natural process of wet deposition, gas-water interfaces play an important role in the transport of chemical contaminants in the atmosphere via fog, rain and cloud drops. Evidences from several other works point out deviations in gas-liquid partitioning as predicted by Henry’s law. Uptake and mass transfer of benzene, naphthalene, and phenanthrene was chosen to study in a falling droplet train apparatus. Higher droplet-to-vapor partition constant (KDV) was noted for diameters less than 200ìm and was attributed to surface adsorption and accumulation. Mass transfer of phenanthrene was dependent on gas-phase diffusion and mass accommodation at the interface, while the …


Geostatistical Integration Of Geophysical, Well Bore And Outcrop Data For Flow Modeling Of A Deltaic Reservoir Analogue, Hong Tang Jan 2005

Geostatistical Integration Of Geophysical, Well Bore And Outcrop Data For Flow Modeling Of A Deltaic Reservoir Analogue, Hong Tang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Significant world oil and gas reserves occur in deltaic reservoirs. Characterization of deltaic reservoirs requires understanding sedimentary and diagenetic heterogeneity at the submeter scale in three dimensions. However, deltaic facies architecture is complex and poorly understood. Moreover, precipitation of extensive calcite cement during diagenesis can modify the depositional permeability of sandstone reservoir and affect fluid flow. Heterogeneity contributes to trapping a significant portion of mobile oil in deltaic reservoirs analogous of Cretaceous Frontier Formation, Powder River Basin, Wyoming. This dissertation focuses on 3D characterization of an ancient deltaic lobe. The Turonian Wall Creek Member in central Wyoming has been selected …


Computational Model For Elasto-Plastic And Damage Analysis Of Plates And Shells, Pawel Benedykt Woelke Jan 2005

Computational Model For Elasto-Plastic And Damage Analysis Of Plates And Shells, Pawel Benedykt Woelke

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Shells and plates are very important for various engineering applications. Analysis and design of these structures is therefore continuously of interest to the scientific and engineering community. Accurate and conservative assessments of the maximum load carried by the structure, as well as the equilibrium path in both elastic and inelastic range are of paramount importance. Elastic behaviour of shells has been very closely investigated, mostly by means of the finite element method. Inelastic analysis on the other hand, especially accounting for damage effects, has received much less attention from the researchers. A computational model for finite element, elasto-plastic and damage …


Effects Of Strong Surface Energy Anisotropy On Stationary And Migrating Grain-Boundary Grooves, Donghong Min Jan 2005

Effects Of Strong Surface Energy Anisotropy On Stationary And Migrating Grain-Boundary Grooves, Donghong Min

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Grain-boundary migration controls grain growth and is important in materials processing and synthesis. When a grain boundary ends at a free surface, a groove will develop at the tip to reduce the combined surface and grain-boundary energies. This groove may hinder the grain boundary movement and its effect needs to be understood. Previous studies have solved the groove profile for stationary or migrating grain boundaries by assuming small groove slopes with isotropic surface free energy. This work extends the analysis to finite slopes with isotropic or anisotropic surface free energy.
We first study migrating grain-boundary grooves with isotropic surface energy …


Speciation, Equilibrium Distribution And Kinetics Of Rainfall-Runoff Phosphorus In Adsorptive-Filtration Unit Operations And Processes, Jia Ma Jan 2005

Speciation, Equilibrium Distribution And Kinetics Of Rainfall-Runoff Phosphorus In Adsorptive-Filtration Unit Operations And Processes, Jia Ma

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study examined the influence of hydrology on rainfall runoff phosphorus partitioning between aqueous and particulate-bound phase, and dissolved phosphorus speciation at the upper end of a Cementitious Porous Pavement (CPP) small urban watershed. This study also investigated particulate bound phosphorus temporal distribution during storm event and phosphorus equilibrium distribution on a wide gradation of solids captured by hydrodynamic separator after the storm completed. Results indicate that EMC of urban rainfall runoff phosphorus exceeds EPA water quality criteria, with majority of particulate-bound phosphorus while rainfall by itself contains non-comparable low concentration of phosphorus. Dissolved phosphorus was mainly H2PO4- and HPO4-2 …


Thermo And Kinetic Studies On The Sorption And Desorption Of Hydrophobic Organic Contaminants In Sediments, Yunzhou Chai Jan 2005

Thermo And Kinetic Studies On The Sorption And Desorption Of Hydrophobic Organic Contaminants In Sediments, Yunzhou Chai

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study investigated the correlation of desorption resistance of hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs) in sediment and the heterogeneity of sediment organic matter (SOM). The amorphous and condensed phase organic carbon contents were defined by the method of Gustafsson et al. (1997) using thermal oxidation of sediment under 375°C. The desorption-resistant fraction of contaminants in sediments was operationally defined as the fraction that could not be removed by the adsorbent XAD-2. The correlation of the desorption-resistant fraction with sediment organic carbon characteristics was evaluated for both laboratory-inoculated and field-contaminated sediments. No strong correlation between the desorption resistant fraction in laboratory-inoculated sediments …


Shaly Sand Interpretation Using Cec-Dependent Petrophysical Parameters, Fnu Kurniawan Jan 2005

Shaly Sand Interpretation Using Cec-Dependent Petrophysical Parameters, Fnu Kurniawan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This research explores the characterization of petrophysical parameters such as cementation exponent, saturation exponent and effective porosity as a function of cations exchange capacity (CEC), and its impact on shaly sand interpretation. Experimental and field data were used in the study. The latest LSU model for shaly sand interpretation uses of two cementation exponents, mf and mc, to represent the tortuosity of electric current path in free water and clay bound water, respectively. Experimental measurements on three types of rock, clean sand, shaly sand and pure shale using different brine salinity, were conducted to validate the use of these two …


Power And Memory Optimization Techniques In Embedded Systems Design, Atef Khalil Allam Jan 2005

Power And Memory Optimization Techniques In Embedded Systems Design, Atef Khalil Allam

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Embedded systems incur tight constraints on power consumption and memory (which impacts size) in addition to other constraints such as weight and cost. This dissertation addresses two key factors in embedded system design, namely minimization of power consumption and memory requirement. The first part of this dissertation considers the problem of optimizing power consumption (peak power as well as average power) in high-level synthesis (HLS). The second part deals with memory usage optimization mainly targeting a restricted class of computations expressed as loops accessing large data arrays that arises in scientific computing such as the coupled cluster and configuration interaction …


Experimental Quantification And Dem Simulation Of Micro-Macro Behaviors Of Granular Materials Using X-Ray Tomography Imaging, Yanrong Fu Jan 2005

Experimental Quantification And Dem Simulation Of Micro-Macro Behaviors Of Granular Materials Using X-Ray Tomography Imaging, Yanrong Fu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

A non-invasive experimental method and a clustering DEM model were developed in this study to investigate micro-macro behaviors of real granular materials with irregular particle shape configurations. The investigated behaviors include global deformations, failure strengths and residual strengths, stress and strain distributions, local coordination number, local void ratio, particle kinematics, and fabric orientation distributions. The experimental method includes an approach to automatically identify and recognize multiple particles using x-ray computed tomography imaging (XCT) and an enhanced approach to digitally represent microstructures of granular materials. The digitally represented microstructure can be directly employed for numerical simulation setup. A compression test and …


Optimal Operating Strategy For Wells With Downhole Water Sink Completions To Control Water Production And Improve Performance, Ozan Arslan Jan 2005

Optimal Operating Strategy For Wells With Downhole Water Sink Completions To Control Water Production And Improve Performance, Ozan Arslan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Downhole water sink (DWS) technology is an alternative to conventional limited-entry completions to control water production in wells with bottom water drive. DWS wells comprise two completions: the bottom completion produces water and keeps the top completion open to oil inflow. The system performance depends on careful manipulation of the top and bottom rates to maximize oil productivity and produce oil-free water from the bottom completion. Conventional nodal analysis cannot provide a solution for DWS wells because the critical rates for water coning change with water drainage rate. A reservoir simulator is used to model two-phase flow to the dual …


Object Tracking Using Log-Polar Transformation, Saikiran Sri Thunuguntla Jan 2005

Object Tracking Using Log-Polar Transformation, Saikiran Sri Thunuguntla

LSU Master's Theses

In this thesis, we use log-polar transform to solve object tracking. Object tracking in video sequences is a fundamental problem in computer vision. Even though object tracking is being studied extensively, still some challenges need to be addressed, such as appearance variations, large scale and rotation variations, and occlusion. We implemented a novel tracking algorithm which works robustly in the presence of large scale changes, rotation, occlusion, illumination changes, perspective transformations and some appearance changes. Log-polar transformation is used to achieve robustness to scale and rotation. Our object tracking approach is based on template matching technique. Template matching is based …