Engineering Commons^™

Achieving High-Power Configuration In Missouri S&T Reactor (Mstr) For Potential Uprate, Thaqal Alhuzaymi, Ayodeji Babatunde Alajo

Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Research reactor is a powerful tool because of its wide contribution, almost to each field of science. It’s considered to be an essential element for advancing research, development and improvement in nuclear industry. The main goal of research reactor is to produce neutrons which are beneficially used for a wide range of applications such as industrial, agricultural, medical, etc. Neutron spectrum impact it uses. Commonly, neutrons with low energy level, up to 0.5 eV, called thermal neutrons where neutrons with intermediate energy level, ranging from 0.5 eV to 0.10 MeV, called epithermal "resonance" neutrons and neutron with high energy level, …

Low-Power Core Reconfiguration For Missouri S&T Reactor (Mstr), Thaqal Alhuzaymi, Ayodeji Babatunde Alajo

Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Missouri University of Sciences and Technology Reactor (MSTR) is pool-type research reactor which operates up to 200 kilowatt (kW). MSTR used for training and educating nuclear engineering students at Missouri S&T. A several of nuclear researches and irradiation experiments have been conducted in MSTR for example, neutron activation analysis (NAA), neutron radiography, radiolysis, image processing, etc. MSTR initial criticality took place on December 9, 1961. The first power level that MSTR operates at, was 10 kW. The power level alongside the core configuration was upgraded to the current ones, see Fig. 1. MSTR used light-water for moderation and natural …

Systems And Methods For Single-Element Beam Steering Antennas, Haozhan Tian, Lijun Jiang, Tatsuo Itoh

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Systems and methods for single element beam steering antennas are provided. One embodiment includes: a first and second radiating resonant cavities, where the first and second radiating resonant cavities are coupled together; and at least one tunable component; where the first and second radiating resonant cavities, and the at least one tunable component are configured, in combination, to form a beam toward a desired direction, and where the at least one tunable component is configured to set the desired direction by an application of a bias voltage on the at least one tunable component.

Antennas And Related Methods For Realizing Endfire Radiation With Vertical Polarization, Haozhan Tian, Lijun Jiang, Tatsuo Itoh

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Apparatus and systems for antennas for end fire radiation with vertical polarization are described. In an embodiment, an antenna includes a top patch, a ground substrate defining a hole, a feeding cable disposed to mate with the hole, two coupled radiating resonant cavities having two eigen-modes, where the coupled radiating resonant cavities are configured to form a beam, and where the antenna is configured for end fire radiation with vertical polarization.

Performance Based Design For Bridge Piers Impacted By Heavy Trucks, Anil K. Agrawal

INSPIRE Archived Webinars

Based on bridge failure data compiled by New York State Department of Transportation, collision, both caused by vessel and vehicles, is the second leading cause of bridge failures after hydraulic. Current AASHTO-LRFD (2012) recommends designing a bridge pier vulnerable to vehicular impacts for an equivalent static force of 600 kips (2,670 kN) applied in a horizontal plane at a distance of 5.0 feet above the ground level. This research presents a performance-based approach for designing a bridge pier subject to impacts by tractor-semi-trailer weighing up to 80,000 lb based on an extensive investigation using finite element model of a tractor-semitrailer …

Spiking Networks For Improved Cognitive Abilities Of Edge Computing Devices, Anton Akusok, Yoan Miche, Kaj Mikael Björk, Renjie Hu, Leonardo Espinosa Leal, Amaury Lendasse

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This Concept Paper Highlights a Recently Opened Opportunity for Large Scale Analytical Algorithms to Be Trained Directly on Edge Devices. Such Approach is a Response to the Arising Need of Processing Data Generated by Natural Person (A Human Being), Also Known as Personal Data. Spiking Neural Networks Are the Core Method Behind It: Suitable for a Low Latency Energy-Constrained Hardware, Enabling Local Training or Re-Training, While Not Taking Advantage of Scalability Available in the Cloud.

Rubberized Chip Seal Implementation In Mid-Missouri, Alireza Pourhassan, Ahmed Gheni, Mohamed Elgawady

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Technical Reports

Chip seal is one of the most common and cost-effective maintenance treatment approaches to improve the life-time of pavements. Recently, the research team developed a rubberized chip seal where natural aggregate is replaced with crumb rubber obtained from recycled tires. During this study, chip seal specimens with crumb rubber and mineral aggregate were designed and constructed according to three different common methods including McLeod, Kearby, and modified Kearby.

The macrotexture of the laboratory specimens was investigated using the sand patch and image processing methods to show how each reflects on the skid resistance. The values of the mean texture depth …

Problem-Based Learning As A Pedagogy For Individual Students -- Quantifying The Long-Term Effects Of Land Subsidence And Rising Sea Levels In Coastal Areas For Greater Student Engagement, Sanjay Tewari

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Course-based class discussions usually are limited to course syllabus and topics of lectures. If a discussion goes beyond course syllabus and the topics, usually there is a time constraint of class/lab periods, keeping educators and students from going deeper. Even without time constraints of class/lab settings, some students get engaged in the overall learning process more when they are challenged or tasked to solve a problem. This paper focuses on the pedagogical aspect of problem-based learning and its application for greater engagement of these students in quantifying the long term effects of land subsidence and rising sea levels in coastal …

Utility Of Reading Assignments In Environmental Engineering Education For Effective Learning And Greater Student Engagement In An Era Of Innovative Pedagogy And Emerging Technologies, Sanjay Tewari

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Making teaching more effective has been a never-ending pursuit since the dawn of education. Engineering education is no exception to this. There have been numerous pedagogical advances making engineering education more effective. Most engineering majors, some more than others, have dedicated laboratories for hands-on learning of specific concepts and techniques. However, a major portion of teaching still takes places in classroom settings. Educators adopt various pedagogical practices, teaching-aids, and technologies to engage students in the controlled environment of classrooms. In ideal class settings, an instructor should be able to reach out to all students regardless of their learning styles. Introductory …

Full Functionality And Recovery Assessment Framework For A Hospital Subjected To A Scenario Earthquake Event, Emad M. Hassan, Hussam Mahmoud

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Modeling the recovery process of a community's infrastructure after the occurrence of extreme events is now at the forefront of research. Estimating post-disaster recovery of either single or multiple infrastructure in a community requires proper flow and interaction of information of the physical, economic and social components of the involved sectors. Understanding this recovery process is essential, particularly for critical infrastructure, such as a hospital, which is vital for a community's well-being. In this study, the full seismic functionality and recovery process of a six-story hospital, located in Memphis, TN, is quantified and assessed using a comprehensive 3-D finite element …

Mud Loss Estimation Using Machine Learning Approach, Abo Taleb T. Al-Hameedi, Husam H. Alkinani, Shari Dunn-Norman, Ralph E. Flori, Steven Austin Hilgedick, Ahmed S. Amer, Mortadha Alsaba

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Lost circulation costs are a significant expense in drilling oil and gas wells. Drilling anywhere in the Rumaila field, one the world's largest oilfields, requires penetrating the Dammam formation, which is notorious for lost circulation issues and thus a great source of information on lost circulation events. This paper presents a new, more precise model to predict lost circulation volumes, equivalent circulation density (ECD), and rate of penetration (ROP) in the Dammam formation. A larger data set, more systematic statistical approach, and a machine-learning algorithm have produced statistical models that give a better prediction of the lost circulation volumes, ECD, …

Towards Developing Visual Statistical Cues For Biodiversity, Abundance, Biomass Around Mariana Trench In An Embeddable Smart Module, Xiaoyu Li, Shidong Ren, Xue Geng, Hui He, Amaury Lendasse, Rui Nian

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Most Ecosystems in Mariana Trench, Still Remain Unexplored or Poorly Known. Recently, Advanced Underwater Vision Systems, Especially Those Deployed by the Remotely Operated Vehicles (Rov) and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV), Provide Us More Possibilities to Have a Closer Observation on the Deep-Sea Environments, Communities, Lifestyles, Even Behaviors of the Inhabitants. However, Online Visual Understanding is Still a Big Challenge in These Deepest Spots of the Ocean, Due to the Lack of Prior Knowledge, Poor Visibility, and Dynamic Investigation. in This Paper, We Are Trying to Make a Further Step to Develop Ecological Indicators in an Embeddable Smart Module, Capturing Visual …

Influence Of Frictional Or Rotational Kinetic Energy On Wellbore-Fluid/Temperature Profiles During Drilling Operations, Ahmed Q. Al Saedi, Ralph E. Flori, C. Shah Kabir

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Temperature-profile distributions in a wellbore during drilling operations might take different forms when applying the energy balance in the overall system. For steady-state conditions, wherein the wellbore is considered a closed system, adding any source of additional energy to this system can influence the predicted temperature profiles. This study presents a new analytical model to investigate the influence of rotational energy arising from the drillstring operation on the wellbore-temperature behavior.

A significant part of the drilling operation is rotation of the drillstring. Depending on the drilling rig, various equipment provides this kind of energy, such as the rotary table or …

Source Reconstruction Method Based On Machine Learning Algorithms, He Ming Yao, Lijun Jiang, Wei E.I. Sha

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper proposes a new source reconstruction method (SRM) based on deep learning. The conventional SRM usually requires oversampled measurements data to ensure higher accuracy. Thus, conventional SRM numerical system is usually highly singular. A deep convolutional neural network (ConvNet) is proposed to reconstruct the equivalent sources of the target to overcome difficulty. The deep ConvNet allows us to employ less data samples. Besides, the ill-conditioned numerical system can be effectively avoided. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the feasibility and accuracy of the proposed method. Its performance is also compared with the traditional neural network and interpolation method. Moreover, …

Silicon Nitride Stress Liner Impacts On The Electrical Characteristics Of Algan/Gan Hemts, Wei Chih Cheng, Tao Fang, Siqi Lei, Yunlong Zhao, Minghao He, Mansun Chan, Guangrui Maggie Xia, Feng Zhao, Hongyu Yu

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Due to the piezoelectric nature of GaN, the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) could be engineered by strain. In this work, SiNx deposited using dual-frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) was used as a stressor. The output performance of the devices was dominated by the surface passivation instead of the strain effect. However, the threshold voltage was increased by the liner-induced strain, supporting strain engineering as an effective approach to pursue the normally-off operation of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs.

Follow-Up And Kinetic Model Selection Of Dinitro Pentamethylene Tetramine (Dpt), Hany A. Elazab, M. M. Seleet, Said M.A. Hassanein, M. A. Radwan, M. A. Sadek

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Synthetic route of Cyclotetramethylene Tetramine is implemented through the reaction of hexamine and nitrating mixture that is formed as a result of a reaction between ammonium nitrate and fuming nitric acid. The reaction medium includes acetic acid, acetic anhydride and p-formaldehyde. This synthetic pathway is relatively long and both of hexamine dinitrate and Dinitro Pentamethylene Tetramine (DPT) are considered as the two main intermediate compounds. The former compound (hexamine dinitrate) was prepared, purified, and then characterized. Conversion of hexamine dinitrate into DPT has been followed up experimentally at different temperatures. Various factors including temperature and time has been investigated. …

Global Engineering And Language Attitudes In The U.S.: A Quandary, Jorge Porcel

Arts, Languages and Philosophy Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Estimation Of The Region Of Attraction Of Underactuated Systems And Its Enlargement Using Impulsive Inputs, Nilay Kant, Ranjan Mukherjee, Dhrubajit Chowdhury, Hassan K. Khalil

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Stabilization of an equilibrium point is an important control problem for underactuated systems. For a given control design, the ability of the system to remain stable in the presence of disturbances depends on the size of the region of attraction of the stabilized equilibrium. The sum of squares and trajectory reversing methods are combined together to generate a large estimate of the region of attraction. Then, this estimate is effectively enlarged by applying the impulse manifold method, which can stabilize equilibria from points lying outside the estimated region of attraction. In this paper, the generality of the approach is demonstrated …

Generation Of Nondiffracting Vector Beams With Ring-Shaped Plasmonic Metasurfaces, Yuchao Zhang, Xiaodong Yang, Jie Gao

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Nondiffracting Bessel, Mathieu, and Weber vector beams are generated by using ring-shaped plasmonic geometric metasurfaces. The nondiffracting vector beam is produced by the superposition of two off-axis right-handed and left-handed circularly polarized nondiffracting scalar beams described by the Whittaker integral, which are simultaneously generated by a single metasurface with the ring-shaped phase profile. The polarization states of the generated nondiffracting vector beams are analyzed by the Stokes parameters and the orbital angular momentum states are measured by the beam interference. In addition, the selfhealing properties of nondiffracting vector beams are further demonstrated, showing that not only the beam profiles but …

The Effect Of Testing Conditions On The Performance Of Lost Circulation Materials: Understandable Sealing Mechanism, Montri Jeennakorn, Mortadha Alsaba, Runar Nygaard, Arild Saasen, Olav Magnar Nes

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Lost circulation materials (LCMs) are added to drilling fluids to mitigate lost circulation (LOC) problems. Designing the fluid requires a good understanding of sealing mechanisms and all the parameters affecting the sealing performance. Laboratory testing apparatus is the key concept for LCM evaluation ensuring successful treatment. The high-pressure test cell containing fracture discs is an effective tool among the broadly designed apparatus. A variety of formulations has been developed from the LCM physical properties. Recently, the testing conditions such as the slot wall angles, and the fracture disc thickness were found to have significant effects on the evaluation results. However, …

Uav/Satellite Multiscale Data Fusion For Crop Monitoring And Early Stress Detection, V. Sagan, M. Maimaitijiang, P. Sidike, M. Maimaitiyiming, H. Erkbol, S. Hartling, K. T. Peterson, J. Peterson, Joel Gerard Burken, F. Fritschi

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Early stress detection is critical for proactive field management and terminal yield prediction, and can aid policy making for improved food security in the context of climate change and population growth. Field surveys for crop monitoring are destructive, labor-intensive, time-consuming and not ideal for large-scale spatial and temporal monitoring. Recent technological advances in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and high-resolution satellite imaging with frequent revisit time have proliferated the applications of this emerging new technology in precision agriculture to address food security challenges from regional to global scales. In this paper, we present a concept of UAV and satellite virtual constellation …

Novel And Efficient Parasitic Decoupling Network For Closely Coupled Antennas, Min Li, Lijun Jiang, Kwan Lawrence Yeung

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A novel and efficient parasitic decoupling network (PDN) is proposed for closely coupled antennas in this paper, which provides a new perspective and approach to design DNs based on the parasitic decoupling concept. The PDN is composed of sections of transmission lines (TLs) and reactive components, allowing additional power-traveling paths. With the TL lengths and reactive component reactance being precisely determined, the traveling power from one antenna to another could cancel out the undesired power wave induced by mutual coupling, resulting in the high port isolation. The decoupling theory is rigorously derived with the design procedure of the PDN systematically …

A Phenomenological Model Of Non-Linear Loss In Ferrimagnetic Frequency-Selective Limiters, Anatoliy Boryssenko, Scott Gillette, Marina Koledintseva

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Operation of ferrimagnetic frequency-selective limiters (FSL) is based on non-linear absorption in magnetized ferrite films at RF/microwave power levels exceeding some threshold. A new phenomenological model of non-linear loss in a ferrite medium has been proposed, and it has been implemented in an efficient numerical algorithm for an FSL performance prediction.

Analysis Of The Topological Photonic Crystals Using Finite-Difference Supercell Approach, Menglin L.N. Chen, Li (Lijun) Jun Jiang, Zhihao Lan, Wei E.I. Sha

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Topological photonic systems have been explored extensively due to the robust electromagnetic states they support. In this work, we propose a finite-difference supercell approach to analyze the topological property of photonic crystal (PC) structures. Meanwhile, the pseudospin polarized edge states at the interface of two PC structures with different topologies are studied. The direction of the energy flow is found to be determined by the helicity of the pseudospin polarization.

Analysis Of Geometric Accuracy And Thickness Reduction In Multistage Incremental Sheet Forming Using Digital Image Correlation, Mercedes M. Gonzalez, Nathan A. Lutes, Joseph D. Fischer, Mitchell R. Woodside, Douglas A. Bristow, Robert G. Landers

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Incremental Sheet Forming (ISF) is a freeform manufacturing method whereby a 3D geometry is created by progressively deforming a metal sheet with a single point tool following a defined trajectory. The thickness distribution of a formed part is a major consideration of the process and is believed to be improved by forming the geometry in multiple stages. This paper describes a series of experiments in which truncated cone geometries were formed using two multistage methods and compared to the same geometry formed using the traditional single stage method. The geometric accuracy and thickness distributions, including 3D thickness distribution plots, of …

Iterative Learning Control Of Single Point Incremental Sheet Forming Process Using Digital Image Correlation, Joseph D. Fischer, Mitchell R. Woodside, Mercedes M. Gonzalez, Nathan A. Lutes, Douglas A. Bristow, Robert G. Landers

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Single Point Incremental Sheet Forming (SPIF) is a versatile forming process that has gained significant traction over the past few decades. Its increased formability, quick part adaption, and reduced set-up costs make it an economical choice for small batch and rapid prototype forming applications when compared to traditional stamping processes. However, a common problem with the SPIF process is its tendency to produce high geometric error due to the lack of supporting dies and molds. While geometric error has been a primary focus of recent research, it is still significantly larger for SPIF than traditional forming processes. In this paper, …

Nanoparticle Injector For Photonic Manipulators Using Dielectrophoresis, Jaykob Maser, Joshua Rovey

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

We describe the concept of a dielectrophoretic nanoparticle injector and its use in a plasmonic/photonic-based nanoparticle manipulation system. Particle motion is achieved by generating an electrostatic, non-uniform field between two tilted plates and applying the corresponding dielectrophoretic force to net-neutral nanoparticles. We investigate the dependence the dielectrophoretic force has on the plate angle of the charged plates as well as their separation distance, dielectric filler material, and exit interface membrane. Our results indicate an increasing average and maximum dielectrophoretic force attainable in the axial direction with corresponding decreasing plate angle and gap distance. The model also predicts larger field variation …

Bulk-Explosion-Induced Metal Spattering During Laser Processing, Cang Zhao, Qilin Guo, Xuxiao Li, Niranjan Parab, Kamel Fezzaa, Wenda Tan, Lianyi Chen, Tao Sun

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Spattering has been a problem in metal processing involving high-power lasers, like laser welding, machining, and recently, additive manufacturing. Limited by the capabilities of in situ diagnostic techniques, typically imaging with visible light or laboratory x-ray sources, a comprehensive understanding of the laser-spattering phenomenon, particularly the extremely fast spatters, has not been achieved yet. Here, using MHz single-pulse synchrotron-x-ray imaging, we probe the spattering behavior of Ti-6Al-4V with micrometer spatial resolution and subnanosecond temporal resolution. Combining direct experimental observations, quantitative image analysis, as well as numerical simulations, our study unravels a novel mechanism of laser spattering: The bulk explosion of …

A Hybrid Process Integrating Reverse Engineering, Pre-Repair Processing, Additive Manufacturing, And Material Testing For Component Remanufacturing, Xinchang Zhang, Wenyuan Cui, Wei Li, Frank W. Liou

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Metallic components can gain defects such as dents, cracks, wear, heat checks, deformation, etc., that need to be repaired before reinserting into service for extending the lifespan of these parts. In this study, a hybrid process was developed to integrate reverse engineering, pre-repair processing, additive manufacturing, and material testing for the purpose of part remanufacturing. Worn components with varied defects were scanned using a 3D scanner to recreate the three-dimensional models. Pre-repair processing methods which include pre-repair machining and heat-treatment were introduced. Strategies for pre-repair machining of defects including surface impact damage, surface superficial damage and cracking were presented. Pre-repair …

Slightly Fluorination Of Al₂O₃ Ald Coating On Li₁.₂Mn₀.₅₄Coo.₁₃Ni₀.₁₃O₂ Electrodes: Interface Reaction To Create Stable Solid Permeable Interphase Layer, Han Yu, Yan Gao, Xinhua Liang

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Improving the performance of cathodes by using surface coatings has proven to be an effective method for improving the stability of Li-ion batteries (LIBs), while a high-quality film satisfying all requirements of electrochemical inertia, chemical stability, and lithium ion conductivity has not been found. In this study, a composite film composed of Al₂O₃ and AlF₃ layers was coated on the surface of Li_1.2Mn_0.54Co_0.13Ni_0.13O₂ (Li-rich NMC) based electrodes by atomic layer deposition (ALD). By varying the ratio of Al₂O₃ and AlF₃, an optimal …