Engineering Commons^™

The Shear Graph And Cohesive Soil, Charles Rees Nickerson

Masters Theses

"Some existing test procedures for measuring shearing properties of soils are reviewed. the correlation between the shear strength of two fine-grained soils as indicated by the unconfined compression test and the shear graph test is investigated. This is accomplished by comparing the test results at varying moisture contents and dry densities. One of the soils used is a red plastic clay, the other a silty clay. The test results indicate that for soils wet of optimum the shear graph strength can be taken as being equal to the unconfined compressive strength. This will be conservative for soils that exhibit an …

A Study Of Degradation In The Pumping Of Dilute Polymer Solutions, I-Chung Chang

Masters Theses

"In the course of an investigation of the turbulent flow properties of dilute high polymer solutions in organic solvents, a number of supplementary investigations were required. These were: 1. Determination of the molecular weights of a number of polymers by intrinsic viscosity measurements. 2. Determination of the effect of pumping on the degradation of high polymers in dilute solutions. This included development of a method for estimating the concentration of dilute polymer solutions. 3. Determination of the effects of density, viscosity and non-Newtonian behavior on the calibration of turbine flow meters"--Introduction, page 1.

Performance Of A Reciprocating Packed Extraction Column, Thomas Vardaman Konkle

Masters Theses

"The performance of a mechanically-aided liquid extraction column was investigated utilizing the methyl isobutyl ketone-acetic acid-water ternary extraction system. Mechanical power was added to the extraction system by reciprocating a wire-mesh packing of high void volume at various frequencies and displacements. The effects of total throughput on performance were studied in increments of 5,000 pounds per hour per square foot up to the onset of flooding, and the column performance was evaluated as a function of power addition to the extraction system. In comparing the various types of mechanically-aided extraction columns, it was determined that the throughputs achieved with the …

The Production Of Glutamic Acid By Fermentation, Tsun-Hsiung Li

Masters Theses

"The method of producing glutamic acid by fermentation was studied in shake flasks and in a five liter fermentor. Strains of the micro-organism, Micrococcus glutamicus, were used to produce glutamic acid under different conditions ... A literature review of the general properties of glutamic acid and industrial methods of glutamic acid production was made. A detailed discussion of the fermentation method of glutamic acid production was also included"--Abstract, page ii.

Radiation Induced Polymerization Of Methyl Methacrylate, Ko-Hung Liu

Masters Theses

"A study has been made of the gamma radiation effect on the rate of polymerization of methyl methacrylate monomer, and also to determine the effects of the presence of clay of known composition and of other solids on the rate of polymerization. The results indicate that the monomer undergoes polymerization and then degradation as a function of radiation time at a given gamma flux"--Abstract, page ii.

Piezometric Levels And Shallow Aquifers, Dillon And Meramec Spring Quadrangles, Missouri, James Hugh Crouch

Masters Theses

"Little is known about groundwater in carbonate rock; quantitative data about limestone and dolomite aquifers are almost non-existent. Objectives of this study are: identification of shallow aquifers, and yield, occurrence, and piezometric level of groundwater in cherty dolomitic rocks in eastern Phelps County, Missouri. Area studied comprises of the 7.5-minute Dillon and Meramec Spring Quadrangles. The data used were derived from water well logs, interviews with well drillers and owners, and a previously available geologic map.

The Jefferson City, Roubidoux, and Gasconade formations are aquifers. Groundwater in the Jefferson City formation is perched. West and north of Dry Fork creek, …

Temperature Distribution In Thermal Boundary Layers (In Free Convection) Using A Modified Schlieren Method, Philip Ling Chen

Masters Theses

"A simple optical apparatus, the Schlieren interferometer, was constructed for the quantitative investigation of free convection heat transfer from solid bodies. The photographic results, checked by using thermocouples, were used in evaluating the temperature distribution, the key to the solution of these problems. Interpretation of the photographic results was made using the simple calculation for the conventional interferogram and the Dale-Gladstone law. Although the experiments were limited to a heated flat plate and a heated wire, two dimensional test pieces of irregular configuration can be investigated by the same apparatus with simple modifications. The photographs of the conventional Schlieren, the …

A Study Of The Influence Of Shock Waves On The Stability Of Rock-Bolt Anchorage, Helmut W. Habenicht

Masters Theses

"An experimental method was developed to compare strain data for rock and rock bolts when exposed to shock waves released by blasting. During a 32-day period of experimentation, one rock sensor and four rock-bolt sensors were observed simultaneously. By their placement in the side wall of a structurally stable drift, secondary static stresses were excluded. Bolt gage responses, then, could be considered to originate only from a decay of anchorage stability during static conditions or as a reaction to the vibrations. Interpretation of test results indicated a distinct loss in bolt-strain during vibrations, accompanied by a smaller but steady loss …

Optimum Finite Memory Nonlinear Filter, Ching-Chyoun Yang

Masters Theses

"This thesis investigates the possibility of using the Zadah theory and a machine type computer to design an optimum finite memory nonlinear filter for extraction of Poisson distributed signal pulses from a background of Gaussian noise. Basically the procedure involves the technique of solving simultaneous equations by the computer. We demonstrate that it is possible to find the limitation of the filter of class N₁ in terms of an absolute minimum mean square error. However, due to the capacity of the computer we do not actually determine the absolute minimum. Nevertheless we do show that the mean square error decreases …

Stability Determination By Liapunov's Method In Nonlinear Control Systems, Neng-Chung Liao

Masters Theses

"An introduction to Liapunov's second method as it applies to control system stability is presented in this work. Main theorems and definitions of Liapunov's method are treated. In particular, Lur'e's method and Szego's method for testing the stability of a nonlinear system are presented, and several examples are used to illustrate these procedures"--Abstract, page ii.

Radial Water Encroachment - An Approximation, Tommie C. Wilson

Masters Theses

"This presentation consists of the application of empirical equations for the calculation of the water influx into a radial oil reservoir in which the history of the rate and cumulative water influx are equated to the pressure decrements and time. This new analysis, based on William Hurst's solution for the steady-state water influx, yields an accurate method for determining water influx through the application of simple linear empirical equations. These linear approximations reproduce the rigorous influx solutions to a maximum deviation of 1.6 per cent"--Abstract, page ii.

Use Of Spent Sulphite Liquor For Stabilization Of Fractured Rock And Sealing Off Water Bearing Formations, Laxman Singh Sunda

Masters Theses

"The paper industry, in its process of manufacturing pulp from wood, produces large quantities of a substance called lignin, lignin sulphite, or lignosulphonate. This material has been disposed of as a waste product; however, it does have many potential uses. In this investigation, lignosulfonates were used as agents for bonding rock sections together and, as the chief component of gels, for filling the pores of artificial rock cores. The purposes of these tests were to find how this substance could be used in the mining industry, for stabilizing fractured ground around mine openings and for sealing off water influx into …

Effect Of Calcium Lignosulfonate On Properties Of Concrete At Early Ages, Lawrence Kong-Pu Wang

Masters Theses

"The objective of this investigation was to determine the effects of calcium lignosulfonate on the physical properties of concrete. Calcium lignosulfonate used as an admixture was tested for its effect on the tensile and compressive strength of plain concrete cylinders, and for its effect on the flexural strength of plain concrete beams. The effect of the admixture on shrinkage, slump, air content and unit weight was also studied. the test results showed that calcium lignosulfonate reduces the amount of water required to make a workable concrete mix; a more workable mix saves money because it is easier to place, thus …

Solid Solubility Of Sulfur, Selenium, And Tellurium In Molybdenum At 1100°C, Lattice Constants Thermal Expansion Coefficients, And Densities Of Molybdenum And The Molybdenum-Base Alloys, Ramesh Purushottamdas Shodhan

Masters Theses

"With the ever increasing requirement for engineering materials having adequate mechanical properties at ever higher temperatures there has been, in quite recent years, a considerable increase in the study of molybdenum and molybdenum-rich alloys. Since 1945 extensive information on the engineering properties of molybdenum and molybdenum-base alloys has gradually become more available ... The present work involves the determination of solid solubility of elements with large atoms such as sulfur, selenium, and tellurium in molybdenum at 1100°C using the parametric method. Furthermore, the thermal expansion coefficients of pure molybdenum and of molybdenum-base solid solutions containing the elements just mentioned were …

Discharge Characteristics Of Side Weirs, Edgar Snowden

Masters Theses

"The purpose of this study is to investigate the division of flow of water in a flume of rectangular cross-section when the flume is provided with a side weir. An equation has been derived so that the quantity of water flowing over the side weir compared to the quantity of water flowing in the main channel can be predicted. This ratio is acceptable only within the ranges of heads, velocities, and weir lengths imposed by the geometry of the system tested"--Abstract, page ii.

The Effect Of Nickel On Activated Sludge, James Robert Matthews

Masters Theses

"The primary objective of this investigation was to determine the effect of nickel on activated sludge over a comprehensive range of concentrations and to evaluate the ability of the sludge to acclimate and become more tolerant to the metal. Six one-liter fill and draw activated sludge units were fed domestic sewage; five of these units also received constant, increasing, and shock doses of nickel while the sixth was maintained as a control. Treatment efficiency was evaluated in terms of the chemical oxygen demand, suspended solids, and nickel content of the effluent. A Warburg respirometer was also employed and was operated …

Analog Computer Study Of Unequally Spaced Antenna Arrays, Fred M. Dickey

Masters Theses

"The problem undertaken in this thesis was to study the basic properties of unequally spaced antenna arrays. The study was done on a trial and error basis by simulating the expression for the far field pattern of a general array on an analog computer. Many patterns were obtained from the analog computer for the purpose of comparison. The patterns of two spacing schemes that are typical of unequally spaced arrays are presented for the purpose of illustration"--Abstract, page ii.

The Effect Of Cadmium On Anaerobic Digestion, Lyle Lynn Pruitt

Masters Theses

"The main purpose of this study was to determine the effect of cadmium on anaerobic digestion. Metal concentrations in the form of regular and slug doses were considered. The possibility of acclimating anaerobic bacteria to higher cadmium levels was studied, and attempts were made to reestablish digestive action through re-seeding in digesters overcome by high cadmium concentrations"--Abstract, page [ii].

The Design Of A Sensitive Probe For Mass Flux Measurements Of Water Vapor In Air, Devendra Vaikunthlal Mehta

Masters Theses

"This investigation pertains to the construction and investigation of a sensitive probe to determine the possibility of measuring the mass flux of water vapor in air under non-flow steady state conditions. The probe was a small electrolysis cell is which the electrolyte (partially hydrated phosphorus pentoxide) was used as the sensing element. The rate of mass transfer was determined by measuring the amount of direct current flowing through the acid film"--Abstract, page i.

Linvill's Model As Applied To P-N Junction Photo-Diodes, Rudy Michael Chittenden

Masters Theses

"The problem undertaken in this study is to present a performance evaluation of Linvill's model as it pertains to the p-n junction photo-diode. The evaluation is performed by comparing the distributed mathematical solutions, the solution obtained using Linvill's lumped model, and the experimental measurement of the transient voltage rise across a photo-diode due to a unit-step pulse of light incident on the junction. Despite the absence of a suitable light source for use in the experimental measurement, it is concluded that Linvill's model provides an excellent means to determine the risetime of a photo-diode. This is provided that the photo-diode …

The Effect Of Submerged Jets On The Hydraulic Jump, Harvey E. Jobson

Masters Theses

"Tests were performed in order to determine the effects of forcing submerged jets of water into the base of a hydraulic jump. The specific energy of the water leaving the hydraulic jump, the length and the wave formation properties of the jump which had been modified by the introduction of submerged jets were determined and compared with the same characteristics of a normal hydraulic jump and a hydraulic jump which had been modified by the use of baffle piers.

Test results indicate: (a) the quantity of water flowing through the submerged jets is a primary factor in determining the specific …

The Anodic Dissolution Of Cadmium In Nitrate Solution, Eh Deng

Masters Theses

"It is only relatively recently that the immensity of the problem of corrosion prevention has begun to be realized. In times when materials were plentiful, the problem did not seem so pressing. Now that a finite limit can be seen for the world*s resources of metals, and the cost of finding, mining and extracting them has become ever more expensive, the problem of controlling the destructive processes of corrosion has become an urgent one.

The basic mechanism of the anodic dissolution of metals such as cadmium, zinc, silver and magnesium in salt solutions is not completely known. Although several mechanisms …

The Development And Evaluation Of An Experimental Technique To Determine Stress Distribution In Uniformly Loaded Flat Plates, James William Walker

Masters Theses

"This thesis reports and evaluates an experimental technique that was developed to determine and monitor the stresses in a simply supported, uniformly loaded circular plate. Deflections are less than half the thickness of the plate. The application of the developed technique to plates whose integrity has been compromised with holes in various locations is discussed.

Resistance strain gages were used to determine experimentally the stresses in a simply supported, uniformly loaded circular plate with and without a concentric hole. The accuracy of the experimental results was established to be within approximately six percent of theoretical.

Proper application of the experimental …

The Dissolution Of Magnesium In Strong Acids And Neutral Solutions, Cheng-Ken Chi

Masters Theses

"The increasing demand for magnesium and magnesium- base alloys in the manufacture of aircraft has stimulated a great amount of research into the corrosion characteristics of these materials. The result of such research has been the development of suitable magnesium alloys and protective coatings to retard corrosion.

The basic mechanism of the anodic dissolution of metals such as magnesium, zinc, and cadmium in salt solutions is not completely known. Several schools of investigators have proposed different and opposing theories to explain the discrepancies which often arise between coulometer data and the weight loss of metal electrodes in certain salt solutions. …

A Study Of Hot Shortness In Steels, Koang-Hwa Kung

Masters Theses

"In this investigation an attempt was made to study the deformation of a number of laboratory-melted and commercial steels. A compressive load was applied to the steels at constant temperature and also during heating. The amounts and rates of deformation in these two types of tests was not consistent: in the constant temperature tests the hot short steels deformed more than the others while they appeared to deform less during heating. Metallographic examination of the sulfides indicated that the sulfides in cast steel are not stable and that they change during heating and hot working"--Introduction, page 2.

A Computer Approach To Transistor Circuit Design, Kwok Chee Hong

Masters Theses

"The design of amplifiers is usually approached through experimental study. This thesis proposes a mathematical approach, using a digital computer to predict the performance of an active transistor circuit (a frequency equalizer circuit to compensate for the RIAA recording frequency characteristics) prior to the actual construction of the physical system. The simple but powerful computer analysis method will be based upon the nodal equations of the complete circuit. The primary aim is to design a circuit which would give a desired frequency-gain characteristic. The complete set of simultaneous complex nodal equations describing the circuit operation is then written. Based on …

Determination Of The Temperature Distribution Of The Ionized Portion Of The Jet From A Vortex Stabilized Plasma Generator Operating On Argon, G. Douglas Schellman

Masters Theses

"The interim thesis deals with the determination of the temperature distribution of a plasma jet operating on argon. It is the purpose of this thesis to present in detail the experimental process used and make a correlation of the experimental and theoretical results.

A copper enclosure was placed around the protruding flame, and the embedded thermocouple readings were taken and recorded. A stagnation temperature probe was inserted in the enclosure and moved both axially and transversely toward the flame taking readings at each pre-chosen interval. The exit temperature of the jet was obtained from a total energy balance.

From the …

The Design And Construction Of A Shock Tube Facility, William Adolph Crede

Masters Theses

"It is the object of this thesis to give an account of the considerations necessary to design, construct, and operate a shock tube facility.

The primary purpose of the facility was to provide a means to study high strength shock waves in physics, chemistry, and aerodynamic applications.

Preliminary designs were undertaken to determine the basic dimensions and related capabilities. Final design, construction and testing of the tube itself was performed by Nooter Corporation in St. Louis, Missouri. Preliminary designs agreed rather closely with final construction.

Experimental testing was confined to the successful operation of all the various components of the …

Turbulence In Journal Bearings, Kashyap R. Mehta

Masters Theses

"In this investigation, an experimental study was performed on a journal bearing under laminar and turbulent flow conditions. Using relationships for friction factor developed previously by other investigators a comparison was made with results of this present investigation. Since the flow changes from laminar to turbulent with a change in speed of rotation, curves for friction factor as a function of speed were plotted. Various attempts to make the recording and measuring systems more sensitive were also made and are discussed in this thesis"--Abstract, page ii.

Heat Transfer Coefficients Across Bonds And Contacts, Eugene Charles Fadler

Masters Theses

"The purpose of this investigation was to experimentally determine heat transfer coefficients across interfaces, including the effects of the thermal conductivity of the adherends, the hardness of the adherends, the bond thickness, and the type of adhesive.

Aluminum alloy, steel, copper, and extruded nylon rods were used as adherends; all 1.875 inches diameter and 8 inches long. Each was cut radially at its midpoint and faced off to the desired surface finish. Bare interface tests were conducted before the adherends were bonded together. The adhesives used were high grade silica refractory cement, two-part epoxy resin adhesive, and thermosetting synthetic rubber-phenolic …