Engineering Commons^™

Development Of Eco-Friendly Chitosan-G-Polyacrylamide Preformed Particle Gel For Conformance Control In High-Temperature And High-Salinity Reservoirs, Reem Elaf, Ahmed Ben Ali, Mohammed Saad, Ibnelwaleed A. Hussein, Baojun Bai

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Oil and gas extraction has become challenging nowadays due to the accompanying amount of excess produced water that results in poor recoverability of hydrocarbon, besides other environmental and economic isues. A recent and efficient technology for conformance control is the injection of preformed particle gels (PPGs), which results in a more practical production process. Nevertheless, existing treatments fail in high-temperature reservoirs, are extremely sensitive to salinity, and are hazardous. The characteristics of the designed PPG, such as mechanical strength and thermal durability, is mainly depend on their crosslinking method. Polysaccharides-based gels prepared by physical crosslinking are weaker than the ones …

Demo-Abstract: A Dtn System For Tracking Miners Using Gae-Lstm And Contact Graph Routing In An Underground Mine, Abhay Goyal, Sanjay Kumar Madria, Samuel Frimpong

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Localization and prediction of movement of miners in underground mines have been a constant problem more so during a mine disaster. Due to the unavailability of GPS signals, the pillars are used as a method to locate these miners, and thus, location prediction is also carried out with reference to these pillars. In this work, we demon- strate a Delay-tolerant Network (DTN) system called Miner-Finder that leverages Machine Learning (ML) framework (GAE-LSTM) that works on edge devices (e.g., mobile phones, tablets) to predict the location of miners in an underground mine. The information such as speed, angle, time, nearest pillar …

Planning For The Lake Izabal Basin Research Endeavor (Libre) Continental Scientific Drilling Project In Eastern Guatemala, Jonathan Obrist-Farner, Andreas Eckert, Peter M.J. Douglas, Liseth Perez, Alex Correa-Metrio, Bronwen L. Konecky, Thorsten Bauersachs, Susan Zimmerman, Stephanie Scheidt, Mark Brenner, Steffen Kutterolf, Jeremy Maurer, Omar Flores, Caroline M. Burberry

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

As Earth's atmospheric temperatures and human populations increase, more people are becoming vulnerable to natural and human-induced disasters. This is particularly true in Central America, where the growing human population is experiencing climate extremes (droughts and floods), and the region is susceptible to geological hazards, such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and environmental deterioration in many forms (soil erosion, lake eutrophication, heavy metal contamination, etc.). Instrumental and historical data from the region are insufficient to understand and document past hazards, a necessary first step for mitigating future risks. Long, continuous, well-resolved geological records can, however, provide a window into past …

Evaluation Of Feasibility And Performance Of Foamed Fire-Resistant Coating Materials, Anyou Zhu, Hanli Wu, Yizhuang David Wang, Jenny Liu

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A preliminary study found high-performance cement mortar, geopolymer mortar, and magnesium phosphate cement mortar (MPCM) have the potential as new fire-resistant materials. In this study, foam was added to these three fire-resistant materials to further improve their rheological, mechanical, and fire-resistant performance and reduce costs. Systematic design and experimental programs were conducted. The results showed the addition of foam enhanced workability, adhesiveness, and fire resistance, allowing the materials to withstand higher temperatures and further delay heat transfer. A mixture of 70% MPCM and 30% foam was identified as the optimum design, which could withstand 1000 °C with low heat transfer …

Improving Rheological And Thermal Performance Of Gilsonite-Modified Binder With Phase Change Materials, Farshad Saberi K., Yizhuang David Wang, Jenny Liu

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Gilsonite, as a type of natural asphalt binder, has been used to improve the high-temperature performance of regular asphalt binders. However, the addition of Gilsonite may compromise binders' low-temperature thermal cracking resistance. In this research, polyethylene glycol (PEG), as one type of the phase change materials (PCMs), was used as an innovative material to balance the impacts of Gilsonite on high and low performance of asphalt binders. The dosages of Gilsonite and PEG were first determined based on the materials' rheological behaviors at low temperatures. The performance of the PEG-Gilsonite-modified binder was then fully evaluated in terms of the resistance …

Rilem Tc 266-Mrp: Round-Robin Rheological Tests On High Performance Mortar And Concrete With Adapted Rheology—Evaluating Structural Build-Up At Rest Of Mortar And Concrete, Sofiane Amziane, Kamal Khayat, Mohammed Sonebi, Arnaud Perrot

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This Paper Presents the Results of a Round-Robin Testing Program Undertaken by RILEM TC-266-Measuring Rheological Properties of Cement-Based Materials in May 2018 at the Université D'Artois in Bethune, France. Seven Types of Rheometers Were Compared; They Consisted of Four ICAR Rheometers, Viskomat XL Rheometer, EBT-V Rheometer, Sliding Pipe Rheometer (SLIPER), RheoCAD Rheometer, and 4SCC Rheometer, as Well as the Plate Test. This Paper Discusses the Results of the Evolution of the Static Yield Stress at Rest of Three Mortar and Five Concrete Mixtures that Were Determined using Two ICAR Rheometers, Viskomat XL, and EBT-V Rheometers, as Well as the Plate …

Mantle Flow Underneath The South China Sea Revealed By Seismic Anisotropy, Fansheng Kong, Rui Gao, Stephen S. Gao, Kelly H. Liu, Weiwei Ding, Xiongwei Niu, Aiguo Ruan, Pingchuan Tan, Jianke Fan, Shaoping Lu, Zhengyi Tong, Liqun Cheng, Wenfei Gong, Yanghui Zhao

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

It Has Long Been Established that Plastic Flow in the Asthenosphere Interacts Constantly with the overlying Lithosphere and Plays a Pivotal Role in Controlling the Occurrence of Geohazards Such as Earthquakes and Volcanic Eruptions. Unfortunately, Accurately Characterizing the Direction and Lateral Extents of the Mantle Flow Field is Notoriously Difficult, Especially in Oceanic Areas Where Deployment of Ocean Bottom Seismometers (OBSs) is Expensive and Thus Rare. in This Study, by Applying Shear Wave Splitting Analyses to a Dataset Recorded by an OBS Array that We Deployed between Mid-2019 and Mid-2020 in the South China Sea (SCS), We Show that the …

Effect Of Rotation On Mixing Efficiency In Homogeneous Stratified Turbulence Using Unforced Direct Numerical Simulations, Matthew Klema, S. Karan Venayagamoorthy, Annick Pouquet, Duane Rosenberg, Raffaele Marino

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Diapycnal (irreversible) mixing is analyzed using thirty direct numerical simulations (at 1024 ³ resolution) of homogeneous rotating stratified turbulence (RST) in the absence of imposed shear or forcing. The influence of varied rotation and stratification rates on the energetics (in particular the dissipation rates of kinetic and potential energies) is presented. Data is also analyzed within a new parametric framework, using the turbulent Froude and Rossby numbers Frt= ϵ/ Nk, Rot= ϵ/ fk, where k is the turbulent kinetic energy, ϵ its rate of dissipation, N the buoyancy frequency and f the Coriolis parameter. This framework is used to illustrate …

Preface: Special Issue On Turbulence And Mixing In Stratified Flows, S. Karan Venayagamoorthy

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Mixing Rates In Stably Stratified Flows With Respect To The Turbulent Froude Number And Turbulent Scales, Matthew R. Klema, Subhas Karan Venayagamoorthy

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this analysis the quantification of diapycnal diffusivity Kρ in stratified flows such as those found in the ocean and atmosphere is explored. There are two simplifications that are routinely made when estimating mixing rates in stably stratified flows. First, a constant value is commonly assumed for the (irreversible) mixing coefficient Γ . Second, dissipation rates of turbulent kinetic energy ϵ are inferred using either the Thorpe (or Ellison) length scales or from microstructure measurements using the isotropy assumption. Data from three independent direct numerical simulations of homogeneous stratified turbulence are used as a testbed to highlight impacts of these …

Mindfulness And Workplace Safety: An Integrative Review, Zihan Liu, Kevin Hoff, Erica Baranski, Galen Snyder, Rhona Flin, Peggy Lindner, Christiane Spitzmueller

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Mindfulness has recently gained popularity in applied settings to enhance workplace safety, especially in safety-critical occupations such as healthcare and construction. In this review, we synthesize existing research across disciplines to establish a theoretical model of mindfulness and safety. Based on 32 empirical studies, we first summarize and critically analyze how mindfulness and safety are conceptualized and operationalized in the literature. We then consolidate empirical findings and conceptual arguments and draw upon the job demands–resources model to propose a theoretical model linking the basic benefits of mindfulness to safety-related job demands. Specifically, we propose that mindfulness (a) improves detection of …

Soil Adsorption Of Heavy Metals To Protect Groundwater Near Refinery Wastewater Discharge Points, Hamid A. Al-Falahi, Ferdous A. Jabir, Muthanna H. Al-Dahhan

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study presents a strategy to manage the discharge of wastewater, which is either partially treated or untreated, to safeguard the groundwater reserves in the region. a case study involving Ad Diwaniyah refinery wastewater disposal into an adjacent desert was utilized to evaluate the influence of soil adsorption on the attenuation of Pb, Cu, and Cd ion concentrations. Investigation of competitive adsorption of heavy metal ions (Pb2+, Cu2+, and Cd2+) in Dolomite-Limestone soil was conducted through batch and column methods. the adsorption behavior of the bivalent metal cations was observed to be pH dependent. However, the competitive extraction of the …

Atomic Insights Into The Structural Properties And Displacement Cascades In Ytterbium Titanate Pyrochlore (Yb2ti2o7) And High-Entropy Pyrochlores, M. Mustafa Azeem, Qingyu Wang

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Pyrochlore oxides ((Formula presented.) are potential nuclear waste substrate materials due to their superior radiation resistance properties. We performed molecular dynamics simulations to study the structural properties and displacement cascades in ytterbium titanate pyrochlore ((Formula presented.)) and high-entropy alloys (HEPy), e.g., (Formula presented.), (Formula presented.), and (Formula presented.). We computed lattice constants (LC) ((Formula presented.)) and threshold displacement energy (Ed). Furthermore, the calculation for (Formula presented.) and ionic radius ((Formula presented.)) were performed by substituting a combination of cations at the A and B sites of the original pyrochlore structure. Our simulation results have demonstrated that the lattice constant is …

System Dynamic Modeling To Study The Impact Of Construction Industry Characteristics And Associated Macroeconomic Indicators On Workforce Size And Labor Retention Rate, Tamima Elbashbishy, Islam H. El-Adaway

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Limited skilled labor has been one of the greatest challenges facing the construction industry. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exaggerated the already strained construction labor market, leading to an additional negative impact. One of the major contributors to skilled labor shortages in construction is the issue of labor retention. Overall, this is a complex and dynamic situation that requires effective and efficient simulation-based techniques to capture the interdependent relationships that affect the performance of the construction labor market. This paper fills this knowledge gap. To this end, the authors used a multistep research methodology that involved (1) identifying factors that …

A Holistic Approach To Include Sic And Design The Optimal Extrudate Catalyst For Hydrogen Production–Reforming Routes, Ali M. Alkadhem, Fernanda Tavares, Natalia Realpe, Gontzal Lezcano, Arief Yudhanto, Mohammad Subah, Vasco Manaças, Jacek Osinski, Gilles Lubineau, Pedro Castaño

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Reforming processes are the backbone of hydrogen production routes, given the flexibility of their feedstock, such as methane, carbon dioxide, ammonia, waste plastics, or biomass. Heat transfer is a drawback at the industrial scale, reducing efficiency. We incorporate SiC in the technical composite, extrudate catalyst and develop a holistic approach to optimize and understand the effect of each constituent and its mixtures. We apply Ni-Ce as an active phase, bentonite or kaolin as a binder, alumina as a filler, and carborundum as the heat-transport carrier. We characterize the extrudate catalysts using various techniques, including crushing strength and thermal conductivity. We …

Enhancing Heat Transfer Performance In Simulated Fischer–Tropsch Fluidized Bed Reactor Through Tubes Ends Modifications, Laith S. Sabri, Abbas J. Sultan, Jamal M. Ali, Hasan Shakir Majdi, Muthanna H. Al-Dahhan

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Fluidized bed reactors are essential in a wide range of industrial applications, encompassing processes such as Fischer–Tropsch synthesis and catalytic cracking. The optimization of performance and reduction in energy consumption in these reactors necessitate the use of efficient heat transfer mechanisms. The present work examines the considerable impact of tube end geometries, superficial gas velocity, and radial position on heat transfer coefficients within fluidized bed reactors. It was found that the tapered tube end configurations have been empirically proven to improve energy efficiency in fluidized bed reactors significantly. For example, at a superficial gas velocity of 0.4 m/s, the tapered …

Switching Of Control Mechanisms During The Rapid Solidification Of A Melt Pool, Yijia Gu, Jiandong Yuan, Lianyi Chen

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Solidification of Alloys is Typically Controlled by Solute Diffusion Due to the Solute Partitioning Happening at the Solid-Liquid Interface. in This Study, We Show that the Switching from Solute Diffusion-Controlled Growth to Thermal Diffusion-Controlled Growth May Happen at the Solidification Front during Rapid Solidification Processes of Alloys Such as Additive Manufacturing using a Phase-Field Model. the Switching is Found to Be Triggered by the Cooling of the Solid-Liquid Interface When It Becomes Colder Than the Solidus Temperature. the Switching Introduces a Sudden Jump of Growth Velocity, an Increase in Solute Concentration, and the Refining of the Resulting Microstructures. All …

On The Prediction Of The Mechanical Properties Of Limestone Calcined Clay Cement: A Random Forest Approach Tailored To Cement Chemistry, Taihao Han, Bryan K. Aylas-Paredes, Jie Huang, Ashutosh Goel, Narayanan Neithalath, Aditya Kumar

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) is a sustainable alternative to ordinary Portland cement, capable of reducing the binder's carbon footprint by 40% while satisfying all key performance metrics. The inherent compositional heterogeneity in select components of LC3, combined with their convoluted chemical interactions, poses challenges to conventional analytical models when predicting mechanical properties. Although some studies have employed machine learning (ML) to predict the mechanical properties of LC3, many have overlooked the pivotal role of feature selection. Proper feature selection not only refines and simplifies the structure of ML models but also enhances these models' prediction performance and interpretability. This …

Mechanism Underlying Effect Of Expansive Agent And Shrinkage Reducing Admixture On Mechanical Properties And Fiber-Matrix Bonding Of Fiber-Reinforced Mortar, Kamran Aghaee, Taihao Han, Aditya Kumar, Kamal Khayat

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Expansive agent (EA) and shrinkage reducing admixture (SRA) are utilized to reduce shrinkage and risk of cracking in concrete. EA compensates shrinkage by initial expansion, and SRA reduces surface tension in the pore fluid. Although EA and SRA effectively reduce shrinkage, they can impair micro-structure of concrete at high contents. The shrinkage reduction effect of EA and SRA is well known; however, there is limited knowledge about their negative effect on microstructure and fiber matrix interfacial transition zone (ITZ). The current study explores the effect of using 10 % CaO-based EA, 2 % SRA, and their combination on mechanical, shrinkage, …

The Investigation Of A Likely Scenario For Natural Tornado Genesis And Evolution From An Initial Instability Profile, Alexios Nicolas Philippou, Kakkattukuzhy M. Isaac

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A likely mechanism for the little-understood tornado genesis is proposed and its numerical implementation is presented. The Burgers-Rott vortex with its axis in the vertical direction is introduced as an instability mechanism, and the flow field then evolves under the influence of the atmospheric pressure, temperature and density variations with altitude. Buoyancy effects are implemented using the Boussinesq model. Results are presented and discussed for a set of conditions including mesh type and size, different turbulence models, and a few different boundary conditions. Post-processed results of the transient simulations including animations contain a wealth of information to help analyze tornado …

Semi-Annual Progress Report #12, Missouri University Of Science And Technology. Inspire - University Transportation Center

Semi-Annual Progress Reports

No abstract provided.

From A Single Grain To Microstructure: How Explosive Grains Interact Under Shock Compression, Lawrence Salvati, Siva Kumar Valluri, Dana D. Dlott

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

We studied the effect of varying the HMX concentration in a plastic-bonded explosive (PBX) by analyzing the time-dependent thermal emission with short (4 ns) duration shocks that produced pressures of about 20 GPa. We found that the HMX tended to aggregate even at the lowest concentrations. Once the cluster size reached about 15 μm, at 30 wt.%, the cluster size started increasing more dramatically, but energy release during deflagration reached a plateau. These observations are consistent with the idea that the clusters act as a limiting factor for hot spot criticality, possibly due to heat loss mechanisms such as conduction …

Porosity: The Key To Initiating Metallic Composite Particles Under Shock Compression, Siva Kumar Valluri, Edward L. Dreizin, Dana D. Dlott

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The use of metallic composites as additives can potentially improve the energy density of explosives. Before employing them as additives it is imperative to design composites with physically separated metal fuel and oxidizer that can combust on short time scales, tens of nanoseconds, similar to high-performance molecular explosives. Towards that end, sensitizing composite powder particles to shock compression is crucial. In the current work, particle porosity is explored as means to induce hotspot formation within the particle through pore-collapse. Particles of two porous powders, Al-MoO3-KNO3 (equivalence ratio 3) and Al-CuO (equivalence ratio 4) prepared by arrested reactive milling with emulsion …

Seeing Inside Shocked Plastic-Bonded Explosives, Dhanalakshmi Sellan, Lawrence Salvati, Siva Kumar Valluri, Dana D. Dlott, Xuan Zhou

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A new method is described to study how microstructures within a plastic-bonded explosive (PBX) interact with shock waves to produce hot spots, and to identify the critical hot spots that grow into a deflagration. A unique feature of this method is that it allows us to see every crystal in the PBX during the shock. We used an HMX-based PBX fabricated into a wafer about one crystal thick so there are no crystals hidden from view. The wafer is embedded in a transparent polymer in a traveling wave geometry, and a microscope with a laser flyer launcher and a nanosecond …

Common Ground Newsletter Fall 2023, Missouri University Of Science And Technology

Common Ground

- Free-Format Education

- S&T student selected as national ASCE ambassador

- Heart of a servant

- Exploring history, architecture of Chicago

Robotic Inspection Of Infrastructure Using Vision, Gpr, And Impact-Echo Sensors, Jizhong Xiao

INSPIRE Archived Webinars

Bridges, dams, highways, and tunnels in the U.S. are reaching their life expectancy, and thus have imperative needs for routine inspection and maintenance to ensure sustainability. It is reported that 42% of over 600,000 highway bridges in the National Bridge Inventory (NBI) have exceeded their design life of 50 years, and 42,951 bridges are rated in poor condition and classified as "structurally deficient". To inspect the structurally integrity of bridges, the inspectors also need to detect subsurface defects (i.e., delamination, voids) using NDE instruments such as GPR and impact-echo (IE) device at difficult to access components (i.e., pier, bottom side …

3d Cfd Simulation Of A Bubble Column With Internals: Validation Of Interfacial Forces And Internal Effects For Local Gas Holdup Predictions, Hayder Al-Naseri, J. P. Schlegel, Muthanna H. Al-Dahhan

Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

CFD models (turbulent models and interfacial forces) incorporated with the population balance model (PBM) have been validated, azimuthally, with the gamma-ray-computed tomography (CT) results to address the effect of the presence of internals with different arrangements and diameters. the superficial gas velocity applied was varied from 0.05 to 0.45 m/s. the results exhibit the capability to predict the hydrodynamics of the bubble column, further incorporating the population balance model and promoting the prediction of simulation in high superficial gas velocity. the effect of internals revealed that the gas holdup was significantly enhanced in the bubble column's wall region, while the …

Chitosan-Coated Lignin Nanoparticles Enhance Adsorption And Proliferation Of Alcanivorax Borkumensis At The Hexadecane-Water Interface, Amber J. Pete, Jin Gyun Lee, Michael G. Benton, Bhuvnesh Bharti

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Bioremediation of oil spills occurs when indigenous microbes metabolize petroleum hydrocarbons. Rapid proliferation of hydrocarbon-consuming bacteria near the oil-water interface is vital to optimizing the oil biodegradation rate. Adding nanoparticles (NPs) to microbial systems can enhance the bacterial growth rate. However, the role of NP source material and surface charge on their ability to impact bacterial growth and oil-water interface characteristics is poorly understood. Here, we investigate the role of NP composition and surface chemistry on the growth rate of hydrocarbon-consuming bacteria and its attachment to the oil-water interface. We use Alcanivorax borkumensis as a model organism because of its …

Graphite And Dispersant Additives For Battery Paste Compositions, Fatih Dogan, Julian Kosacki

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Various graphite additives were incorporated into the positive battery paste composition to compare their effects on the positive active mass utilization of lead-acid batteries. The disclosure is related to battery paste composition for preparing a lead-acid battery plate comprising a graphite additive selected from the group consisting of globular natural graphite, natural flake graphite, expanded flake graphite, and combinations thereof. The disclosure is also related to a battery paste composition comprising a sodium polymethacrylate dispersant. The disclosure is further related to batteries prepared by these battery paste compositions.

Introduction To 'Artificial Intelligence In Failure Analysis Of Transportation Infrastructure And Materials', Yue Hou, Qiao Dong, Dawei Wang, Jenny Liu

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Transportation infrastructures, including roads, bridges, tunnels, stations, airports and subways, play fundamental roles in modern society. Engineering failures of transportation infrastructures may result in significant damage to the public. The traditional methods are to monitor, store and analyze the information during the infrastructure and material design, testing, construction, numerical simulations, evaluation, operation, maintenance and preservation, using mechanistic-based, material based and statistics-based approaches. In recent decades, artificial intelligence (AI) has drawn the attention of many researchers and has been used as a powerful tool to understand and analyze the engineering failures in transportation infrastructure and materials. AI has the advantages of …