Engineering Commons^™

Predicting The Reactivities And Reaction Mechanisms Of Photochemically Produced Reactive Intermediates, Benjamin Barrios Cerda

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Photochemically produced reactive intermediates (PPRIs) such as the hydroxyl radical, carbonate radical (CO₃^•-) singlet oxygen (¹O₂) and triplet state of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (³CDOM^*) are formed in sunlit natural waters upon photoexcitation of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM). PPRIs react with the organic compounds involved in key environmental processes, resulting in transformation products of smaller molecular weight than their parent compounds. Photochemical transformation of these key water constituents due to their reactions with PPRIs may pose potential effects on human and aquatic ecosystems. Consequently, there is a need …

Investigating Collaborative Explainable Ai (Cxai)/Social Forum As An Explainable Ai (Xai) Method In Autonomous Driving (Ad), Tauseef Ibne Mamun

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Explainable AI (XAI) systems primarily focus on algorithms, integrating additional information into AI decisions and classifications to enhance user or developer comprehension of the system's behavior. These systems often incorporate untested concepts of explainability, lacking grounding in the cognitive and educational psychology literature (S. T. Mueller et al., 2021). Consequently, their effectiveness may be limited, as they may address problems that real users don't encounter or provide information that users do not seek.

In contrast, an alternative approach called Collaborative XAI (CXAI), as proposed by S. Mueller et al (2021), emphasizes generating explanations without relying solely on algorithms. CXAI centers …

Development And Testing Of A Low Mass Vibratory Lunar Compactor, Charles Carey

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

NASA and other agencies are working to return to the moon, with the Artemis Program [1]. As a part of this new effort, an emphasis is being placed on having a sustained presence, building lunar bases and other permanent structures. The development of such infrastructure will require the development of civil engineering structures, and site preparation becomes a necessity. The Planetary Surface Technology Development Laboratory is developing a low mass lunar compactor as part of an autonomous site preparation vehicle in partnership with Colorado School of Mines, funded by NASA’s 2021 Lunar Surface Technology Research grant. The low mass lunar …

Chemical Decomposition Of Flexible Polyurethane Foam To Generate A Media For Microbial Upcycling, Kaushik Baruah

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Polyurethane waste is becoming a global concern as a large amount is being disposed of in landfills every year, and only a fraction is being recycled. Several polyurethane recycling techniques exist, of which ammonolysis and base-catalyzed hydrolysis is the least explored. Flexible polyurethane foam (FPUF) decomposition can generate amines that can act as a carbon source for the growth of microbial consortia. This study aims to generate a novel media capable of microbial upcycling via ammonolysis and base-catalyzed hydrolysis of flexible polyurethane foams (FPUFs) using ammonium hydroxide and subsequently determine the reaction conditions for maximum solubilization of polyurethane foam in …

Dynamic Mode Decomposition Approach For Estimating The Shape Of A Cable, Yash Manik Chavan

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This study investigates the dynamic behavior of a flexible cable with heterogeneous stiffness using a data-driven approach. The study aims to develop accurate models describing intricate structures with rigid or flexible components. To achieve this, reflective markers were attached to the cable at equal spacing, and the motion was manually excited and captured using an 8-camera setup and OptiTrack's Motive software.

The cable displacement data at the marker locations were used as initial conditions for various Dynamic Mode Decomposition (DMD) models. The performance of the data- driven cable model is compared against the performance of the DMD modeling approach, fitting …

Machine Learning And Deep Learning Approaches For Gene Regulatory Network Inference In Plant Species, Sai Teja Mummadi

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The construction of gene regulatory networks (GRNs) is vital for understanding the regulation of metabolic pathways, biological processes, and complex traits during plant growth and responses to environmental cues and stresses. The increasing availability of public databases has facilitated the development of numerous methods for inferring gene regulatory relationships between transcription factors and their targets. However, there is limited research on supervised learning techniques that utilize available regulatory relationships of plant species in public databases.

This study investigates the potential of machine learning (ML), deep learning (DL), and hybrid approaches for constructing GRNs in plant species, specifically Arabidopsis thaliana, …

Wavelet-Based Real-Time Harmonic Phasor Estimation In Complex Signals With Inter-Harmonics And Transient Events, M A Aziz Jahan

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Addressing the evolving challenges in modern power systems induced by the integration of Inverter Based Resources (IBRs), such as solar inverters, wind turbine converters, electric vehicle charging stations etc is the main goal of this research. The study focuses on the critical task of harmonic phasor estimation in the presence of sub-harmonics, inter-harmonics, time-varying harmonics, DC offset, transient events, and other power quality disturbances. A novel wavelet-based harmonic phasor estimation method is proposed to enhance accuracy, particularly during transient events, ensuring a nuanced understanding of phase angle variations. The research emphasizes the versatility of wavelet analysis for both steady-state and …

Conductive 3d Nano-Biohybrid Systems Based On Densified Carbon Nanotube Forests And Living Cells, Roya Bagheri, Alicia K. Ball, Masoud Kasraie, Aparna Chandra, Xinqian Chen, Ibrahim Miskioglu, Zhiying Shan, Parisa Pour Shahid Saeed Abadi

Michigan Tech Publications

Conductive biohybrid cell-material systems have applications in bioelectronics and biorobotics. To date, conductive scaffolds are limited to those with low electrical conductivity or 2D sheets. Here, 3D biohybrid conductive systems are developed using fibroblasts or cardiomyocytes integrated with carbon nanotube (CNT) forests that are densified due to interactions with a gelatin coating. CNT forest scaffolds with a height range of 120–240 µm and an average electrical conductivity of 0.6 S/cm are developed and shown to be cytocompatible as evidenced from greater than 89% viability measured by live-dead assay on both cells on day 1. The cells spread on top and …

Size Distribution, Elemental Composition And Morphology Of Nanoparticles Separated From Respirable Coal Mine Dust, Shoeleh Assemi, Lei Pan, Xuming Wang, Titilayo Akinseye, Jan D. Miller

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Nanoparticles, defined as particles with one dimension below 100 nm, contribute little to the total mass concentration in respirable coal mine dust (RCMD) toxicological studies, but they could have a considerable part in the adverse health effects by RCMD inhalation. It has been shown that inhaled nanoparticles can penetrate deep into the lung and could plausibly contribute to acute and chronic pulmonary diseases by triggering oxidative stress formation and inducing inflammation. RCMD nanoparticles from samples collected in an underground mine in the United States were analyzed by a particle separation technique, field-flow fractionation (FFF), for size, morphology, and elemental composition. …

Comparative Analysis Of Injection Of Pyrolysis Oil From Plastics And Gasoline Into The Engine Cylinder And Atomization By A Direct High-Pressure Injector, Magdalena Szwaja, Jeffrey Naber, David Shonnard, Daniel G. Kulas, Ali Zolghadr, Stanislaw Szwaja

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

The article discusses the results of experimental studies on the course of pyrolysis oil injection through the high-pressure injector of a direct-injection engine. The pyrolysis oil used for the tests was derived from waste plastics (mainly high-density polyethylene—HDPE). This oil was then distilled. The article also describes the production technology of this pyrolysis oil on a laboratory scale. It presents the results of the chemical composition of the raw pyrolysis oil and the oil after the distillation process using GC-MS analysis. Fuel injection tests were carried out for the distilled pyrolysis oil and a 91 RON gasoline in order to …

Influence Of The Preparation Technique On The Magnetic Characteristics Of Ε-Fe2o3-Based Composites, Dmitriy O. Testov, Kamil G. Gareev, Ivan K. Khmelnitskiy, Andrei Kosterov, Leonid Surovitskii, Victor V. Luchinin

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

ε-Fe2O3 is an iron(III) oxide polymorph attracting an increasing interest due to its unique magnetic properties combining extremely high coercivity and relatively large saturation magnetization. We review existing methods for the ε-Fe2O3 synthesis focusing on synthesis speed, repeatability, manufacturability and purity of the final product. Samples of ε-Fe2O3 have been synthesized using the two methods that appear the most promising: silica gel impregnation and microemulsion. In both cases, ε-Fe2O3 and α-Fe2O3 are present in the final product as attested by X-ray diffraction patterns and magnetic properties (maximum coercive force at 300 K~1 Tesla). Two different precursors, iron(III) nitrate and iron(II) …

Temporal Changes In Extracellular Vesicle Hemostatic Protein Composition Predict Favourable Left Ventricular Remodeling After Acute Myocardial Infarction, Xiong Chang Lim, Chenyuan Huang, Siti Maryam J.M. Yatim, Suet Yen Chong, Sock Hwee Tan, Xiaoxun Yang, Caryn L. Heidt, Jodi Pedersen, Michael Talanker, Harshvardhan Modh, Matthias G. Wacker, Giorgia Pastorin, Siew Pang Chan, A. Mark Richards, Chris J. Charles, Mark Y. Chan, Jiong Wei Wang

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

The subset of plasma extracellular vesicles (EVs) that coprecipitate with low-density lipoprotein (LDL-EVs) carry coagulation and fibrinolysis pathway proteins as cargo. We investigated the association between LDL-EV hemostatic/fibrinolysis protein ratios and post-acute myocardial infarction (post-AMI) left ventricular (LV) remodeling which precedes heart failure. Protein concentrations of von Willebrand factor (VWF), SerpinC1 and plasminogen were determined in LDL-EVs extracted from plasma samples obtained at baseline (within 72 h post-AMI), 1 month and 6 months post-AMI from 198 patients. Patients were categorized as exhibiting adverse (n = 98) or reverse (n = 100) LV remodeling based on changes in LV end-systolic volume …

Prophylaxis And Remediation For Future Pandemic Pathogens-(Lessons From A Post-Covid World), Mark E. Obrenovich, Moncef B. Tayahi, Caryn L. Heidt, Steven N. Emancipator

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Since influenza and coronaviruses are currently deadly and emerging threats worldwide, better treatment, remediation and prevention options are needed. In that regard, a basic understanding of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV-2/COVID-19 () and other viral pathogen mechanisms of transmission are expected. Unfortunately, unprecedented, and growing distrust of vaccines and even masks or personal protective equipment (PPE) in the United States and elsewhere presents itself as an added challenge. We postulate that development of improved and highly effective prophylactic measures, together with new life-saving therapies that do inhibit or otherwise treat infection of SARS-CoV-2, influenza and other viral pathogens, could be …

Water-Soluble Saponins Accumulate In Drought-Stressed Switchgrass And May Inhibit Yeast Growth During Bioethanol Production, Sarvada Hemant Chipkar, Katherine Smith, Elizabeth M. Whelan, Derek J. Debrauske, Annie Jen, Katherine A. Overmyer, Andrea Senyk, Larkin Hooker-Moericke, Marissa Gallmeyer, Joshua J. Coon, A. Daniel Jones, Trey K. Sato, Rebecca G. Ong

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Background: Developing economically viable pathways to produce renewable energy has become an important research theme in recent years. Lignocellulosic biomass is a promising feedstock that can be converted into second-generation biofuels and bioproducts. Global warming has adversely affected climate change causing many environmental changes that have impacted earth surface temperature and rainfall patterns. Recent research has shown that environmental growth conditions altered the composition of drought-stressed switchgrass and directly influenced the extent of biomass conversion to fuels by completely inhibiting yeast growth during fermentation. Our goal in this project was to find a way to overcome the microbial inhibition and …

Machine Learning-Based Classification Of Combustion Events In An Rcci Engine Using Heat Release Rate Shapes, Radhika Sitaraman, Sadaf Batool, Hoseinali Borhan, Javad Mohammadpour Velni, Jeffrey Naber, Mahdi Shahbakhti

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI) mode offers high thermal efficiency and low nitrogen oxides (NOx) and soot emissions. However, high cyclic variability at low engine load and high pressure rise rates at high loads limit RCCI operation. Therefore, it is important to control the combustion event in an RCCI engines to prevent abnormal engine combustion. To this end, combustion in RCCI mode was studied by analyzing the heat release rates calculated from the in-cylinder pressure data at 798 different operating conditions. Five distinct heat release shapes are identified. These different heat release traces were characterized based on start of combustion, …

Predictions Of Household Water Affordability Under Conditions Of Climate Change, Demographic Growth, And Fresh Groundwater Depletion In A Southwest Us City Indicate Increasing Burdens On The Poor, Josiah M. Heyman, Alex S. Mayer, Jessica Alger

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Reduced river flows and groundwater depletion as a result of climate change and population growth have increased the effort and difficulty accessing and processing water. In turn, residential water costs from municipal utilities are predicted to rise to unaffordable rates for poor residential water customers. Building on a regional conjunctive use model with future climate scenarios and 50-year future water supply plans, our study communicates the effects of climate change on poor people in El Paso, Texas, as water becomes more difficult and expensive to obtain in future years. Four scenarios for future water supply and future water costs were …

Fluid Droplet Spreading And Adhesion Studied With A Microbalance: A Review, Youhua Jiang, Jaroslaw Drelich

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

A contact angle observed for a liquid–solid system is not necessarily a unique value, and a few contact angles need to be considered carefully in relation to liquid spreading, adhesion and phase separation. Understanding of the significance of different contact angles has improved in the last few years through direct measurements of interactive forces between droplets/bubbles and solids together with the simultaneous visualization of the changes in their shapes. A microelectronic balance system is employed to measure the force of spreading after either liquid droplet or gas bubble attachment to a substrate surface and the droplet/bubble–substrate adhesion forces after droplet/bubble …

Intelligent Control Of Groundwater In Slopes With Deep Reinforcement Learning †, Aynaz Biniyaz, Behnam Azmoon, Zhen (Leo) Liu

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

The occurrence of landslides has been increasing in recent years due to intense and prolonged rainfall events. Lowering the groundwater in natural and man-made slopes can help to mitigate the hazards. Subsurface drainage systems equipped with pumps have traditionally been regarded as a temporary remedy for lowering the groundwater in geosystems, whereas long-term usage of pumping-based techniques is uncommon due to the associated high operational costs in labor and energy. This study investigates the intelligent control of groundwater in slopes enabled by deep reinforcement learning (DRL), a subfield of machine learning for automated decision-making. The purpose is to develop an …

Towards Scalable Spectral Clustering Via Spectrum-Preserving Sparsification, Yongyu Wang, Zhuo Feng

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Eigenvalue decomposition of Laplacian matrices for large nearest-neighbor (NN)graphs is the major computational bottleneck in spectral clustering (SC). To fundamentally address this computational challenge in SC, we propose a scalable spectral sparsification framework that enables to construct nearly-linear-sized ultra-sparse NN graphs with guaranteed preservation of key eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the original Laplacian. The proposed method is based on the latest theoretical results in spectral graph theory and thus can be applied to robustly handle general undirected graphs. By leveraging a nearly-linear time spectral graph topology sparsification phase and a subgraph scaling phase via stochastic gradient descent (SGD) iterations, our …

Mechatronics Bachelor Curriculum Development In Light Of Industry 4.0 Technology Needs: Contrasting Us And German University Curricula, Paniz Hazaveh, Aleksandr Sergeyev, Nathir Rawashdeh

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

This study compares Mechatronics bachelor curricula at universities in the United States of America and German universities. Mechatronics education is relatively new in the United States, but has been common in Germany for over a decade. With the multidisciplinary nature of technologies required by the 4’th industrial revolution, a.k.a. Industry 4.0, composing an appropriate Mechatronics curriculum becomes a challenge and an opportunity. This paper studies how Mechatronics education can address the future needs of industry, while building on a specific university’s strengths and industry links. We have also analyzed the new undergraduate Mechatronics program at Michigan Technological University (MTU) and …

A Smart Parallel Gripper Industrial Automation System For Measurement Of Gripped Work Piece Thickness, Erik Kocher, Chukwuemeka George Ochieze, Ahmat Oumar, Travis Winter, Aleksandr Sergeyev, Mark Gauthier, Nathir Rawashdeh

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

As part of the advanced programmable logic controllers (PLC) course at Michigan Tech, this class project is performed on a mechatronics system gifted by Donald Engineering, a Michigan-based supplier of industrial automation systems and components. This paper explores the functionality and ladder programming of the smart parallel gripper system to measure the width of components grasped with the gripper. In addition, details of the system’s components, operation, more advanced uses are discussed. On the automation line, this smart gripper can be used to measure the thickness of work pieces while handling them and classifying these as either acceptable, too large …

Gesture Controlled Collaborative Robot Arm And Lab Kit, Abel A. Reyes, Skylar Reinhardt, Tony Wise, Nathir Rawashdeh, Sidike Paheding

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

In this paper, a mechatronics system was designed and implemented to include the subjects of artificial intelligence, control algorithms, robot servo motor control, and human-machine interface (HMI). The goal was to create an inexpensive, multi-functional robotics lab kit to promote students’ interest in STEM fields including computing and mechtronics. Industrial robotic systems have become vastly popular in manufacturing and other industries, and the demand for individuals with related skills is rapidly increasing. Robots can complete jobs that are dangerous, dull, or dirty for humans to perform. Recently, more and more collaborative robotic systems have been developed and implemented in the …

Operation Of A Controllable Force-Sensing Industrial Pneumatic Parallel Gripper System, Brian Piechocki, Chelsey Spitzner, Namratha Karanam, Travis Winter, Aleksandr Sergeyev, Mark Gauthier, Nathir Rawashdeh

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

As part of the advanced programmable logic controllers (PLC) course at Michigan Tech, this class project was performed on a mechatronics system gifted by Donald Engineering, a Michigan-based supplier of industrial automation systems and components. This paper explores the functionality and application of a force-programmable and sensing pneumatic parallel gripper system. Force sensing is a critical part of many systems in modern automation systems. Applications such as prosthetics, robotic surgery, or basic manufacturing systems may rely on the ability to properly read and control forces applied to an object. This work evaluates the basic operation of the pneumatic force-sensing gripper …

An Industrial Pneumatic And Servo Four-Axis Robotic Gripper System: Description And Unitronics Ladder Logic Programming, Zongguang Liu, Chrispin Johnston, Aleksi Leino, Travis Winter, Aleksandr Sergeyev, Mark Gauthier, Nathir Rawashdeh

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

As part of the advanced programmable logic controllers (PLC) course at Michigan Tech, this class project is performed on a mechatronics system gifted by Donald Engineering, a Michigan-based supplier of industrial automation systems and components. This paper explores the functionality and ladder programming of a four-axis robot enclosed in a cage with one side guarded by an optical fence. The robot has pneumatically actuated X-Y linear motion and a pneumatic gripper. Furthermore, the Z-axis motion and gripper wrist rotation are controlled by servo motors. A human machine interface (HMI) is also present, and it allows for easy manipulation and programming …

Non-Antibiotic Antimicrobial Polydopamine Surface Coating To Prevent Stable Biofilm Formation On Satellite Telemetry Tags Used In Cetacean Conservation Applications, Ariana Smies, Jeremy Wales, Maureen Hennenfent, Laura Lyons, Caleigh R. Dunn, Jooke Robbins, Bruce Lee, Alexandre Zerbini, Rupak Rajachar

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Satellite telemetry tags, used to monitor the migratory behavior of cetaceans, have the potential to be a vehicle for infection due to their invasive nature. Antibiotic coatings have been previously employed to reduce the chances of infection via the formation of a stable biofilm on the surface of the tags. However, increased use of antibiotics has the potential to lead to the development of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. To prevent the formation of antibiotic-resistant pathogens, a polydopamine surface coating that, when exposed to oxygen, releases low doses ( ~ 40-100 µ M ) of hydrogen peroxide over a prolonged period ( > 24 …

Electrochemical Behaviour And Direct Cell Viability Analysis Of Hybrid Implants Made Of Ti-6al-4v Lattices Infiltrated With A Bioabsorbable Zn-Based Alloy, Noa Gabay Bass, Galit Katarivas Levy, Tomer Ron, Razi Vago, Jeremy Goldman, Amnon Shirizly, Eli Aghion

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Biodegradable metals are being developed for biomedical implants or components of implants. Biodegradable zinc-based materials, in particular, have been shown to promote bone regeneration in orthopaedic applications. Here, we investigated the potential of a hybrid Ti-Zn system, comprising a Ti-6Al-4V biostable lattice produced by additive manufacturing (AM) infiltrated by a bioabsorbable Zn-2%Fe alloy, to serve as an osseointegrated implant for dental and orthopaedic applications. The osseointegration of implants can be enhanced by a porous implant structure that facilitates bone ingrowth to achieve superior bonding between the bone tissue and the implant. The hybrid material was evaluated in terms of microstructure …

Transient Nonlinear Vibration Characterization Of Building Materials In Sequential Impact Scale Experiments, James Bittner, John S. Popovics

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Characterizing standard building materials such as concrete is challenging primarily because of the broad range of constituent component sizes within the material itself. Concrete, the most ubiquitous building material, contains critical components that span at least three orders of magnitude of physical size. This work introduces a nondestructive sequential impact test to extract transient nonlinear vibration behaviors that provide statistically significant holistic characterization of a heterogeneous building material, neat cement paste, on a centimeter scale sample. The sensitivity of the single impact vibration combined with the repeatability of the new sequential apparatus enables the extraction of statistically distinct transient nonlinear …

Use Of High-Resolution Multi-Temporal Dem Data For Landslide Detection, Behnam Azmoon, Aynaz Biniyaz, Zhen (Leo) Liu

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Landslides in urban areas have been relatively well-documented in landslide inventories despite issues in accuracy and completeness, e.g., the absence of small landslides. By contrast, less attention has been paid to landslides in sparsely populated areas in terms of their occurrences and locations. This study utilizes high-resolution and LiDAR-derived digital elevation models (DEMs) at two different times for landslide detection to (1) improve the localization and detection accuracies in landslide inventories, (2) minimize human intervention in the landslide detection process, and (3) identify landslides that cannot be easily documented in the current state of the practice. To achieve this goal, …

Optimal Synthesis Of Crank-Rocker Mechanisms With Optimum Transmission Angle For Desired Stroke And Time-Ratio Using Genetic Programming, Bahman Ahmadi, Behnam Ahmadi

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Dimensional synthesis of crank-rocker mechanisms applied to provide some desired values of stroke and time ratio, is of utmost importance for designing an efficient mechanism. In the synthesis and manufacturing of crank-rocker mechanisms, the designers are further challenged by other design criteria, such as quality of motion. In this study, a novel approach based on genetic programming (GP) is proposed for dimensional synthesis of planar crank-rocker mechanisms with optimum transmission angle over the desired stroke and time-ratio. An analytical approach is elaborated which leads to an interesting relationship of length of the coupler and rocker links. It is, therefore, advised …

Carbonate-Superstructured Solid Fuel Cells With Hydrocarbon Fuels, Hanrui Su, Wei Zhang, Yun Hang Hu

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

A basic requirement for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) is the sintering of electrolyte into a dense impermeable membrane to prevent the mixing of fuel and oxygen for a sufficiently high open-circuit voltage (OCV). However, herein, we demonstrate a different type of fuel cell, a carbonate-superstructured solid fuel cell (CSSFC), in which in situ generation of superstructured carbonate in the porous samarium-doped ceria layer creates a unique electrolyte with ultrahigh ionic conductivity of 0.17 S.cm21 at 550 °C. The CSSFC achieves unprecedented high OCVs (1.051 V at 500 °C and 1.041 V at 550 °C) with methane fuel. Furthermore, the …