Engineering Commons^™

Carbonation In Alternative Cementitious Materials: Implications On Durability And Mechanical Properties, Prasanth Alapati, Kimberly E. Kurtis Dr.

International Conference on Durability of Concrete Structures

Understanding the rate and implications of carbonation on strength and durability in alternative cementitious materials (ACMs) is critical in designing ‘green’ concretes for intended service lives. In this paper, three commercially available ACMs, including one calcium aluminate cement (CAC), one calcium sulfoaluminate belite cement (CSA), and one alkali-activated binder using class C fly ash (AA), were evaluated against one portland cement (OPC). Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques were used to understand the effect of carbonation on ACM paste composition. Water sorption tests on both carbonated and uncarbonated cement mortar showed a significant reduction in porosity of this …

Effects Of Temperature And Curing Duration On The Stability Of Slag Cements In Combined Chloride-Sulphate Environments, Joseph Onah Ukpata, P. A. M. Basheer, Leon Black

International Conference on Durability of Concrete Structures

This experimental study investigates the effects of temperature and curing duration on the stability of slag blended cement systems exposed at 20 °C and 38 °C to combined sodium chloride (30 g/L) – sodium sulphate (3 g/L) solutions. Two slags, designated as slag 1 and 2, having CaO/SiO₂ ratios of 1.05 and 0.94, were respectively blended with Portland cement CEM I 52.5R at 30 wt.% replacement level. Mortar prisms and cubes with w/b ratio of 0.5 and binder/aggregate ratio of 1:3 were then prepared for length and mass changes. The samples were cured in lime water for either 7 …

Soil Erosion Analysis Of The Monroe County’S Watersheds In Indiana, Danielli De Melo Moura, Jie Shan

Purdue GIS Day

This study was carried out to spatially predict the amount of soil loss (tons/ha/year ) of Monroe County’s watersheds using Geographic Information System (GIS). Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) was used to estimate potential soil losses by using information such as rainfall data for calculating the rainfall erosivity (R) , soil map for calculating the soil erodibility (K), digital elevation model for obtaining the topography factor (LS) and vegetation/cropland cover for calculating the cover management factor (C) and support practice factor (P). The result of the analysis depicted that the soil loss rate in Moroe’s watersheds ranges from 0 …

Seeing A Better World From Space, Carly Sakumura

Purdue GIS Day

Understanding change is essential to addressing our most pressing global challenges. Organizations need actionable insight to make critical decisions that affect communities, economies, and national security. As a global leader of advanced geospatial and space-based technology solutions, Maxar has an unprecedented ability to observe, analyze, and monitor these global changes. In this talk, I’ll discuss the cutting-edge research, technological capabilities, and imagery products and analytics we develop at Maxar to unlock the power of geospatial data to understand and navigate our changing world.

Do After-School Robotics Programs Expand The Pipeline Into Stem Majors In College?, Cathy Burack, Alan Melchior, Matthew Hoover

Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER)

One result of the growing concerns over the numbers of young people moving into science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)-related careers has been the expansion of formal and informal STEM education programming for pre-college youth, from elementary school through high school. While the number of programs has grown rapidly, there is little research on their long-term impacts on participant education and career trajectories. This paper presents interim findings from a multi-year longitudinal study of three national after-school robotics programs that engage students in designing, building, and competing complex robots with the goal of inspiring long-term interest in STEM. Focusing on …

Weather Courtyard: Reflections On Interactive Stem Learning Spaces, Ryan Day

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

In this article, the author discusses his experiences in service-oriented engineering developing an interactive weather station for DCES students. Day details this process and the lessons learned over the course of the project development, as well as the project’s influence on his aspirations for a career in civil and environmental engineering. To provide substantive takeaways from the project, he concludes by reviewing the benefits of interactive STEM learning spaces in the instructional environment and links them to the impacts of the weather station project on the community.

Debugging: The Key To Unlocking The Mind Of A Novice Programmer?, Anthony A. Lowe

School of Engineering Education Graduate Student Series

Novice programmers must master two skills to show lasting success: writing code and, when that fails, the ability to debug it. Instructors spend much time teaching the details of writing code but debugging gets significantly less attention. But what if teaching debugging could implicitly teach other aspects of coding better than teaching a language teaching debugging? This paper explores a new theoretical framework, the Theory of Applied Mind for Programming (TAMP), which merges dual process theory with Jerome Bruner’s theory of representations to model the mind of a programmer. TAMP looks to provide greater explanatory power in why novices struggle …

Argument-Driven Engineering In Middle School Science: An Exploratory Study Of Changes In Engineering Identity Over An Academic Year, Lawrence Chu, Victor Sampson, Todd L. Hutner, Stephanie Rivale, Richard H. Crawford, Christina L. Baze, Hannah S. Brooks

Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER)

The goal of this study was to examine how the use of a new instructional model is related to changes in middle school students’ engineering identity. The intent of this instructional model, which is called argument-driven engineering (ADE), is to give students opportunities to design and critique solutions to meaningful problems using the core ideas and practices of science and engineering. The model also reflects current recommendations found in the literature for supporting the development or maintenance of engineering identity. This study took place in the context of an eighth-grade science classroom in order to explore how middle school students’ …

Dear Neil Armstrong: Letters To The First Man From All Mankind, James R. Hansen

Purdue University Press Book Previews

In the years between the historic first moon landing by Apollo 11 on July 20, 1969, and his death at age 82 on August 25, 2012, Neil Armstrong received hundreds of thousands of cards and letters from all over the world, congratulating him, praising him, requesting pictures and autographs, and asking him what must have seemed to him to be limitless—and occasionally intrusive—questions. Of course, all the famous astronauts received fan mail, but the sheer volume Armstrong had to deal with for more than four decades after his moon landing was staggering.

Today, the preponderance of those letters—some 75,000 of …

The Effect Of Teacher Professional Development On Implementing Engineering In Elementary Schools, Teresa Porter, Meg E. West, Rachel L. Kajfez, Kathy L. Malone, Karen E. Irving

Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER)

Increased attention on the implementation of engineering education into elementary school classrooms aims to start preparing students early for potential engineering careers. In order to efficiently and effectively add engineering concepts to the curriculum, appropriate development and facilitation of engineering design challenges are required. Therefore, professional development programs are necessary to educate teachers about engineering and how to adequately teach it. This paper explores the effects of an engineering professional development program for practicing teachers. The program included training elementary teachers about how to implement units from Engineering is Elementary (EiE) by the Science Museum of Boston into their classes. …

Quantitative Proteomic Analysis Of Enhanced Cellular Effects Of Electrochemotherapy With Cisplatin In Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells, Lakshya Mittal, Uma K. Aryal, Ignacio G. Camarillo, Rodrigo M. Ferreira, Raji Sundararajan

Purdue University Libraries Open Access Publishing Fund

Due to the lack of the three main receptors, triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is refractive to standard chemotherapy. Hence, alternate therapies are needed. TNBCs utilize glycolysis, which heightens their growth, proliferation, invasiveness, chemotherapeutic resistance and poor therapeutic response. This calls for novel therapeutic strategies to target these metabolic vulnerabilities present in TNBC. Electroporation-mediated chemotherapy, known as electrochemotherapy (ECT) is gaining momentum as an attractive alternative. However, its molecular mechanisms need better understanding. Towards this, label-free quantitative proteomics is utilized to gain insight into the anticancer mechanisms of ECT using electrical pulses (EP) and Cisplatin (CsP) on MDA-MB-231, human TNBC …

Elementary Teachers’ Positive And Practical Risk-Taking When Teaching Science Through Engineering Design, Jeffrey Radloff, Brenda Capobianco, Annie Dooley

Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER)

This study examines the perspectives of three generations of elementary teachers learning to teach science using engineering design and the risks associated with implementing this innovative type of reform-based science instruction. Data were gathered using semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and teacher reflections. Data analysis entailed open coding and document analysis. The findings indicated that there were four types of perceived risks: practical, pedagogical, conceptual, and personal. First-generation teachers exhibited conceptual risk-taking behavior, while second- and third-generation teachers reported practical, pedagogical, and personal risks. Benefits of risk-taking included increased student engagement in science, improved self-confidence in teaching science, and greater teacher …

Model Based Analysis Of The Accuracy And Precision Of Auscultatory Blood Pressure Measurements In Patients With Atrial Fibrillation, Charles F. Babbs

Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering Faculty Working Papers

Accurate measurement of blood pressure in the presence of atrial fibrillation remains an open problem. The present study combines the techniques of stochastic mathematical modeling with physiological models of the systemic circulation, cuff, and arm (1) to explore mechanisms underlying both the lack of accuracy and the lack of precision in cuff-based arterial pressure measurements during atrial fibrillation and (2) to develop strategies to correct for errors. Both the cardiovascular system and the measurement technique are described using mathematics, including both numerical techniques and analytical probability theory. Preliminary results with numerical models suggested that, despite variability, average systolic pressures tend …

Ex Vivo Electrochemical Measurement Of Glutamate Release During Spinal Cord Injury, James K. Nolan, Tran N. H. Nguyen, Mara Fattah, Jessica C. Page, Riyi Shi, Hyowon Lee

Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

Excessive glutamate release following traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) has been associated with exacerbating the extent of SCI. However, the mechanism behind sustained high levels of extracellular glutamate is unclear. Spinal cord segments mounted in a sucrose double gap recording chamber are an established model for traumatic spinal cord injury. We have developed a method to record, with micro-scale printed glutamate biosensors, glutamate release from ex vivo rat spinal cord segments following injury. This protocol would work equally well for similar glutamate biosensors.

Lifestyle And Solutions: An Investigation Of Fatigue In Collegiate Aviation, Aaron Teo, Erik Levin

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Applications Of Laser Machining For Fiber Optic Sensor Development, Lauren Sailor

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Identifying Extracellular Matrix Protein Turnover Rates For Tissue Engineers, Alita F. Miller

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Processing Manipulation Of Carbon Content In Cu-34.6%Mn, Samuel Inman

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Micrometeoroid Impacts On Periodic Spacecraft Structures, Victoria West, Luis Buades, Hanson-Lee Harjono

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Catalyst-Assisted Transformation Of Shale Gas To Transportation Fuels: Performance Of A Single-Site Cobalt Catalyst In Dehydrogenation And Oligomerization Processes, Ethan Edwards

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Origins Of Space Food From Mercury To Apollo, Celine Chang

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Drones On The Rise: Societal Misperceptions Of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Renee Keilman

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

Throughout the past decade, small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) have been on the rise in both the civilian and military sectors. It is forecasted that in the near future they will create thousands of jobs and billions in tax revenue due to their ability to execute difficult and hazardous tasks safely, efficiently, and cost-effectively. However, one current issue with the proliferation of the technology is a shortage of skilled employees due to a lack of education and common negative public misperceptions associated with them.

To investigate this, responses from a mixed-methods survey will be analyzed. Within the survey, questions such …

Subsurface Mimo: A Beamforming Design In Internet Of Underground Things For Digital Agriculture Applications, Abdul Salam

Faculty Publications

In underground (UG) multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO), the transmit beamforming is used to focus energy in the desired direction. There are three different paths in the underground soil medium through which the waves propagates to reach at the receiver. When the UG receiver receives a desired data stream only from the desired path, then the UG MIMO channel becomes three path (lateral, direct, and reflected) interference channel. Accordingly, the capacity region of the UG MIMO three path interference channel and degrees of freedom (multiplexing gain of this MIMO channel requires careful modeling). Therefore, expressions are required for the degree of …

Pilot Study: Measuring Attitudes Toward Ramp Resource Management—The Influence Of National Culture, Nadine G. Muecklich, Hans-Joachim K. Ruff-Stahl, Ivan Sikora

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

Ramp resource management (RRM) is a highly flight-safety-relevant, but to date widely overlooked, part of the air transportation system. Organizational, national, professional, and safety cultures play an important role in setting up resource management and training. This pilot study evaluates the influence of national culture on attitudes toward RRM, based on Geert Hofstede’s Values Survey Module. A slightly adapted version of this survey module was distributed to ramp personnel in Germany and national cultural indices were generated. A one-way analysis of variance revealed that, while some influence of national culture in RRM could be concluded, the majority of the results …

Effect Of Project Lead The Way Participation On Retention In Engineering Degree Programs, Juliana Utley, Toni Ivey, John Weaver, Mary Jo Self

Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER)

A key goal of pre-college engineering programs is to increase the number and retention of students pursuing engineering degrees. The researchers conducted a transcript analysis in order to compare the retention of entering engineering majors at a university based on whether or not they participated in Project Lead the Way (PLTW) in high school. PLTW Engineering is a high school pre-engineering curriculum that offers a series of courses to increase student awareness and scaffold an understanding of engineering design. The findings from this study offer little support regarding the impact of students’ PLTW participation on engineering degree completion. However, findings …

Keeping Your Library Relevant For Your Users- Engine Parts Petting Zoo, Gabriele Hysong

Midwest Business Librarian Summit (MBLS)

As corporate libraries are downsized or even closed how do information professionals keep their libraries relevant?

A Path Loss Model For Through The Soil Wireless Communications In Digital Agriculture, Abdul Salam

Faculty Publications

In this paper, a path loss model is developed to predict the impact of soil type, soil moisture, operation frequency, distance, and burial depth of sensors for through-the-soil wireless communications channel. The soil specific model is developed based on empirical measurements in a testbed and field settings. The model can be used in different soils for a frequency range of 100MHz to 1GHz. The standard deviation between measured and predicted path loss is from 4-6dB in the silt loam, sandy, and silty clay loam soil types. The model leads to development of sensor-guided irrigation system in the field of digital …

A Comparison Of Path Loss Variations In Soil Using Planar And Dipole Antennas, Abdul Salam

Faculty Publications

In this paper, an empirical investigation of propagation path loss variations with frequency in sandy and silty clay loam soils has been done using planar and dipole antennas. The path loss experiments are conducted using vector network analyzer (VNA) in sandy soil testbed, and greenhouse outdoor silty clay loam testbed for different operation frequencies and communication distances. The results show that the planar antenna can be used for subsurface communications in a wide range of operation frequencies. The comparison paves the way for development of sensor-guided irrigation system in the field of digital agriculture.

Underground Soil Sensing Using Subsurface Radio Wave Propagation, Abdul Salam, Akhlaque Ahmad

Faculty Publications

Continuous sensing of soil moisture is essential for smart agriculture variable rate irrigation (VRI), real-time agricultural decision making, and water conservation. Therefore, development of simple techniques to measure the in-situ properties of soil is of vital importance. Moreover, permittivity estimation has applications in electromagnetic (EM) wave propagation analysis in the soil medium, depth analysis, subsurface imaging, and UG localization. Different methods for soil permittivity and moisture estimation are time-domain reflectometry (TDR), ground-penetrating radar (GPR) measurements, and remote sensing. One major bottleneck in the current laboratory-based permittivity estimation techniques is off-line measurement of the collected soil samples. At that, the remote …

A Systematic Review Of Studies On Educational Robotics, Saira Anwar, Nicholas Alexander Bascou, Muhsin Menekse, Asefeh Kardgar

Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER)

There has been a steady increase in the number of studies investigating educational robotics and its impact on academic and social skills of young learners. Educational robots are used both in and out of school environments to enhance K–12 students’ interest, engagement, and academic achievement in various fields of STEM education. Some prior studies show evidence for the general benefits of educational robotics as being effective in providing impactful learning experiences. However, there appears to be a need to determine the specific benefits which have been achieved through robotics implementation in K–12 formal and informal learning settings. In this study, …