Engineering Commons^™

Acuta Enews April 2012 Vol. 41, No. 4

ACUTA Newsletters

In this issue...

1 Dan McCarriar Is Appointed Director-at-Large

2 The Year in Review

3 Standards, Best Practices Coming for UC Cloud Interoperability

4 What's on Your Desk Today?

5 lnfo Links

6 Cognitive Load Management: Navigating the Coming Data Flood

6 Add Names from Your Campus

7 E911 Challenges

7 Committee Corner

8 Member Benefit of the Month: Volunteer Opportunities

9 Board Report

10 Welcome New Members

10 Check It Out

Department Of Biological Systems Engineering Newsletter, Volume 8, Number 1, April 2012

BSE Department Magazine

No abstract provided.

Assessing Impermeable Surface Area Impacts On Modeling: Implications For The Combined Sewer Overflow Long Term Control Plan In Omaha, Nebraska, Andrew D. Szatko

Community and Regional Planning Program: Professional Projects

The report looks at assessing the accuracy of estimating impervious surface areas (ISAs) by zoning code, the method utilized by the City of Omaha, Nebraska. A 101 acre subcatchment had all ISAs manually digitized and compared the actual with the estimated value. The subcatchment was then modeled with 10 percent decreases of ISAs to establish the relationship with peak flow rates and total volume in the combined sewer service area. The results show a significant relationship between the two that may provide insights into a new approach to manage CSO events with the integration of green infrastructure.

Nebraska Blueprint – Spring/Summer 2012

Nebraska Blueprint (Student Publication)

Table of Contents:

From the Editor

Engi-Briefs

UCARE Experience – Interview with senior Computer Engineering major Dongpu Jin about his involvement with the Undergraduate Creative Activities and Research Experiences (UCARE) program

History of E-Week

E-Week 2012 Events and Results [photographs]

E-Week Keynote Speaker: Pete Ludovice

The Museum in Nebraska Hall – The research branch of the University of Nebraska State Museum

Nebraska Hall's 80th Birthday – A history of the building at 16th and W Streets

Do You Remember . . . The Day Reunion Died – A brief history and photographs of the demolition of the Reunion building across …

Short-Term Wind Power Prediction Using A Wavelet Support Vector Machine, Jianwu Zeng, Wei Qiao

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

This paper proposes a wavelet support vector machine (WSVM)-based model for short-term wind power prediction (WPP). A new wavelet kernel is proposed to improve the generalization ability of the support vector machine (SVM). The proposed kernel has such a general characteristic that some commonly used kernels are its special cases. Simulation studies are carried to validate the proposed model with different prediction schemes by using the data obtained from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Results show that the proposed model with a fixed-step prediction scheme is preferable for short-term WPP in terms of prediction accuracy and computational cost. Moreover, …

The Influence Of Heterogeneous Meninges On The Brain Mechanics Under Primary Blast Loading, Linxia Gu, Mehdi S. Chafi, Shailesh Ganpule, Namas Chandra

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

In the modeling of brain mechanics subjected to primary blast waves, there is currently no consensus on how many biological components to be used in the brain–meninges–skull complex, and what type of constitutive models to be adopted. The objective of this study is to determine the role of layered meninges in damping the dynamic response of the brain under primary blast loadings. A composite structures composed of eight solid relevant layers (including the pia, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), dura maters) with different mechanical properties are constructed to mimic the heterogeneous human head. A hyper-viscoelastic material model is developed to better represent …

Nuts And Bolts: Newsletter 45 - Issue 1 - Spring 2012

Friends of the Larsen Tractor Museum

Friends of the Larsen Tractor Museum-An Update! by Don Edwards

Our Chinese tractor: How it got here by Lou Leviticus

Speed Limit Recommendation In Vicinity Of Signalized High-Speed Intersection, Anuj Sharma, Laurence Rilett, Zifeng Wu, Shefang Wang

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

No abstract provided.

Soil Greenhouse Gas Emissions In The Life Cycle Assessment Of Cellulosic Ethanol From Crop Residue, Xiao Xue Fang

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Concerns about climate change and the increasing cost of fossil fuels have led to interest in the development of renewable biofuel pathways for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The use of corn residue as a potential source of biomass feedstock for cellulosic ethanol production has been favored as cost effective. Previous research has shown that crop residue removal can cause a loss of soil organic carbon (SOC), which potentially is a source of GHG emissions in the form of CO₂. Using a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach, this study investigated the impact of corn residue removal on total …

Assurance Of Energy Efficiency And Data Security For Ecg Transmission In Basns, Tao Ma, Pradhumna Shrestha, Michael Hempel, Dongming Peng, Hamid Sharif, Hsiao-Hwa Chen

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications (to 2015)

With the technological advancement in body area sensor networks (BASNs), low cost high quality electrocardiographic (ECG) diagnosis systems have become important equipment for healthcare service providers. However, energy consumption and data security with ECG systems in BASNs are still two major challenges to tackle. In this study, we investigate the properties of compressed ECG data for energy saving as an effort to devise a selective encryption mechanism and a two-rate unequal error protection (UEP) scheme. The proposed selective encryption mechanism provides a simple and yet effective security solution for an ECG sensor-based communication platform, where only one percent of data …

Peridynamic Model For Dynamic Fracture In Unidirectional Fiber-Reinforced Composites, Wenke Hu, Youn Doh Ha, Florin Bobaru

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

We propose a computational method for a homogenized peridynamics description of fiber-reinforced composites and we use it to simulate dynamic brittle fracture and damage in these materials. With this model we analyze the dynamic effects induced by different types of dynamic loading on the fracture and damage behavior of unidirectional fiber-reinforced composites. In contrast to the results expected from quasi-static loading, the simulations show that dynamic conditions can lead to co-existence of and transitions between fracture modes; matrix shattering can happen before a splitting crack propagates. We observe matrix–fiber splitting fracture, matrix cracking, and crack migration in the matrix, including …

First Long-Term, Direct Measurements Of Evapotranspiration And Surface Water Balance In The Nebraska Sandhills, David P. Billesbach, Timothy J. Arkebauer

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

The Nebraska SandHills is a vast grassland ecoregion that also serves as the main recharge zone for the High Plains (Ogallala) aquifer. Despite the national importance of this region in supplying irrigation water and supporting the US cattle industry, there have, until now, been no long-term, direct measurements of the components of the surface water balance. We have addressed this issue by installing energy balance/Bowen ratio (EBBR) flux towers in three key ecosystems. We report here the results of 7 years of measurements and interpret them in terms of annual weather variability. Additionally, these data have allowed us to make …

Evaluation Of The Bank Stability And Toe Erosion Model (Bstem) For Predicting Lateral Retreat On Composite Streambanks, Taber L. Midgley, Garey A. Fox, Derek M. Heeren

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Streambank erosion is known to be a major source of sediment in streams and rivers. The Bank Stability and Toe Erosion Model (BSTEM) was developed in order to predict streambank retreat due to both fluvial erosion and geotechnical failure. However, few, if any, model evaluations using long-term streambank retreat data have been performed. The objectives of this research were to (1) monitor long-term composite streambank retreat during a hydraulically active period on a rapidly migrating stream, (2) evaluate BSTEM’s ability to predict the measured streambank retreat, and (3) assess the importance of accurate geotechnical, fluvial erosion, and near-bank pore-water pressure …

Impact Of Signal Timing Information On Safety And Efficiency Of Signalized Intersections, Anuj Sharma, Lelitha Vanajakshi, V. Girish, M. S. Harshitha

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Signalized intersections are provided in traffic networks to improve the safety and efficiency of vehicular and pedestrian movement. There are various measures under education, enforcement and engineering headings that are being attempted to improve safety and efficiency of operations at a signalized intersection. Provision of signal countdown timer, a timer showing the remaining red and green time in a phase, is one such measure and is commonly adopted in India. However, studies on effects of countdown timer under Indian traffic conditions are very scarce. Traffic heterogeneity and lack of lane discipline makes transferability of models developed in other countries (with …

Accounting For Indirect Land-Use Change In The Life Cycle Assessment Of Biofuel Supply Chains, Susan Tarka Sanchez, Jeremy Woods, Mark Akhurst, Matthew Brander, Michael O'Hare, Terence P. Dawson, Robert Edwards, Adam J. Liska, Rick Malpas

Adam Liska Papers

The expansion of land used for crop production causes variable direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions; and other economic, social and environmental effects. We analyze the use of life cycle analysis (LCA) for estimating the carbon intensity of biofuel production from indirect land-use change (ILUC). Two approaches are critiqued; direct, attributional life cycle analysis (ALCA) and consequential life cycle analysis (CLCA). A proposed hybrid “combined model” of the two approaches for ILUC analysis relies on first defining the system boundary of the resulting full LCA. Choices are then made as to the modeling methodology (economic equilibrium or cause-effect), data inputs, …

Improving Backup And Restore Performance For Deduplication-Based Cloud Backup Services, Stephen Mkandawire

School of Computing: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The benefits provided by cloud computing and the space savings offered by data deduplication make it attractive to host data storage services like backup in the cloud. Data deduplication relies on comparing fingerprints of data chunks, and store them in the chunk index, to identify and remove redundant data, with an ultimate goal of saving storage space and network bandwidth.

However, the chunk index presents a bottleneck to the throughput of the backup operation. While several solutions to address deduplication throughput have been proposed, the chunk index is still a centralized resource and limits the scalability of both storage capacity …

Development Of Best Management Practice Design Guidance For Roadway Applications In Nebraska, Benedict Vacha

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Runoff from roadways carries pollutants which may be detrimental to aquatic ecosystems. The primary pollutants of concern for roadway runoff are solids and heavy metals, particularly cadmium, copper, and zinc. Roadway runoff falls under the legislation of the Clean Water Act (CWA) via the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). CWA regulates discharge of nonpoint source pollutants, such as roadway runoff, by issuing permits to public entities which manage Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s). Part of the Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR) permitting requirement is to create a design guide for Best Management Practices (BMPs) tailored to remediate roadway …

Microstructure Selection Of Sm–Co–Al Alloys To Increase Magnetization, Brian Dick

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

An ever increasing demand for higher performing magnets drives the need for new and innovative methods to achieve this goal. Sm-Co rare earth permanent magnets have a unique eutectic microstructure that, through refinement, could become a two-phase magnet which would significantly increase their energy product. The eutectic structure of Sm₈Co₉₂ is comprised of αCo rods embedded within a Sm₂Co₁₇ matrix. If the rods are small enough to encourage exchange coupling and the matrix is smaller than the single domain limit, then an efficient two-phase magnet is created.

Refining the Co rods and matrix size …

Error Reduction And Effect Of Step Size In Adjustment Calculus For Cam Applications, Sai Siddhartha Nudurupati

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Any measurement, however carefully done, will never be free from errors. Similarly, machining of cams for automobiles is prone to contain errors. These errors are naturally a part and parcel of cam manufacturing. The nature of deviations of the manufactured cam profile from the theoretical cam determines its usability. Sometimes, allowable deviations in high speed cams may be in the order of 2540 µm. Larger deviations will disqualify the cams for applications.

Velocity and acceleration of the cam are estimated from the measured displacement of the cam follower during quality control implementation. This data helps in eliminating the unfit cams. …

Development And Recommendations For A Non-Proprietary, High-Tension, Cable End Terminal System, Ryan J. Terpsma

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Cable guardrail systems have been increasing in popularity in recent years due to several perceived benefits over the commonly used W-beam guardrail. A non-proprietary design was desired as an alternative to the many proprietary designs available. A non-proprietary, high-tension cable end terminal was necessary to accompany the non-proprietary, high-tension cable guardrail system under development.

The objective of this research project was to develop design recommendations for a non-proprietary, high-tension cable end terminal. An analysis of several cable guardrail end terminals was undertaken to identify any common features that may prove to be beneficial or detrimental to end terminal designs. Next, …

Chemical Modification Of Polysaccharides Using Reactive Extrusion, Pratik Bhandari

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The objective of this dissertation was to study the use of reactive extrusion for the chemical modifications of starch and cellulose. A carboxymethyl derivative of starch and carboxymethyl and acetate derivatives of cellulose were prepared using reactive extrusion.

Carboxymethyl starch with rapid swelling properties in water was prepared using reactive extrusion. This was achieved by controlling the gelatinization and through the use of NaOH by controlling the water/ethanol ratio. The effects of NaOH, H₂O, temperature, ethanol, sodium mono chloro acetate, sodium tripolyphosphate, citric acid, epichlorohydrin and extruder screw configuration on the degree of substitution of carboxymethyl starch were …

Acuta Enews March 2012 Vol. 41, No. 3

ACUTA Newsletters

In this issue...

1 Meet the 2012-13 Board of Directors

2 Looking Back at a Look Ahead

3 New Benefit: Members in Transition

3 Upcoming Events

4 Members Celebrate Anniversaries

5 Committee Corner

6 Workflow Costing Methodology

7 ReNet trends Worth Watching

8 Committees Seeking Volunteers

8 Virtual Collaboration

9 Member Benefit of the Month: ACUTA journal

9 Streaming Video: IP & 21st C Skills

10 lnfo Links

10 Welcome New Members

11 Check It Out

Peridynamic Models For Dynamic Brittle Fracture, Wenke Hu

Department of Engineering Mechanics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Damage and failure in composite materials under dynamic loading has been extensively studied in experiments for several decades. Composite materials exhibit various damage and failure patterns under different loading rates, such as splitting and branching. Classical models cannot directly be applied to problems with discontinuous fields. A new nonlocal continuum model, peridynamics, has been proposed with the goal of solving dynamic fracture problems.

The J-integral has the physical significance of energy flow into the crack tip region. We present a rigorous derivation for the formulation of the J-integral in peridynamics using the crack infinitesimal virtual extension approach. We …

Phase Ii Development Of A Non-Proprietary, Four-Cable, High Tension Median Barrier, Jennifer D. Schmidt, Dean L. Sicking, Ronald K. Faller, Karla A. Lechtenberg, Robert W. Bielenberg, Scott K. Rosenbaugh, John D. Reid

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

No abstract provided.

Determination Of The Maximum Mgs Mounting Height -- Phase I Crash Testing, Cale J. Stolle, Karla A. Lechtenberg, Ronald K. Faller, Robert W. Bielenberg, Scott Rosenbaugh, Dean L. Sicking, John D. Reid, Erin A. Johnson

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

No abstract provided.

Transmission Strategies In Multiple-Access Fading Channels With Statistical Qos Constraints, Deli Qiao, M. Cenk Gursoy, Senem Velipasalar

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

Effective capacity, which provides the maximum constant arrival rate that a given service process can support while satisfying statistical queueing constraints, is analyzed in a multiuser scenario. In particular, the effective capacity region of fading multiple-access channels in the presence of quality of service (QoS) constraints is studied. Perfect channel side information is assumed to be available at both the transmitters and the receiver. It is initially assumed that the transmitters send the information at a fixed power level and, hence, do not employ power control policies. Under this assumption, the performance achieved by superposition coding with successive decoding techniques …

Wheat Strip Effects On Nutrient Loads Following Variable Manure Applications, Chance Thayer, John E. Gilley, Lisa M. Durso, David B. Marx

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Vegetative filters have been found to significantly reduce nutrient loads in runoff. This study was conducted to: (1) evaluate the effects of a narrow wheat strip, varying manure application rates, and different overland flow rates on runoff nutrient loads following application of beef cattle manure; (2) determine the upper capacity of a narrow wheat strip to reduce nutrient loads by applying excessive amounts of manure; and (3) compare the effectiveness of narrow wheat strips and grass hedges in reducing runoff nutrient loads. A 1.4 m wide strip of actively growing winter wheat was located at the bottom of selected 0.75 …

Global Monthly Water Scarcity: Blue Water Footprints Versus Blue Water Availability, Arjen Y. Hoekstra, Mesfin Mekonnen, Ashok K. Chapagain, Ruth E. Mathews, Brian D. Richter

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

Freshwater scarcity is a growing concern, placing considerable importance on the accuracy of indicators used to characterize and map water scarcity worldwide. We improve upon past efforts by using estimates of blue water footprints (consumptive use of ground- and surface water flows) rather than water withdrawals, accounting for the flows needed to sustain critical ecological functions and by considering monthly rather than annual values. We analyzed 405 river basins for the period 1996–2005. In 201 basins with 2.67 billion inhabitants there was severe water scarcity during at least one month of the year. The ecological and economic consequences of increasing …

The Water Footprint Of Humanity, Arjen Y. Hoekstra, Mesfin Mekonnen

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

This study quantifies and maps the water footprint (WF) of humanity at a high spatial resolution. It reports on consumptive use of rainwater (green WF) and ground and surface water (blue WF) and volumes of water polluted (gray WF). Water footprints are estimated per nation from both a production and consumption perspective. International virtual water flows are estimated based on trade in agricultural and industrial commodities. The global annual average WF in the period 1996–2005 was 9,087 Gm3 ∕y (74% green, 11% blue, 15% gray). Agricultural production contributes 92%. About one-fifth of the global WF relates to production for export. …

Identification And Characterization Of Mtoa: A Decaheme C-Type Cytochrome Of The Neutrophilic Fe(Ii)-Oxidizing Bacterium Sideroxydans Lithotrophicus Es-1, Juan Liu, Zheming Wang, Sara M. Belchik, Marcus J. Edwards, Chongxuan Liu, David W. Kennedy, Eric D. Merkley, Mary S. Lipton, Julea N. Butt, David J. Richardson, John M. Zachara, James K. Fredrickson, Kevin M. Rosso, Liang Shi

United States Department of Energy: Publications

The Gram-negative bacterium Sideroxydans lithotrophicus ES-1(ES-1) grows on FeCO₃ or FeS at oxic–anoxic interfaces at circumneutral pH, and the ES-1-mediated Fe(II) oxidation occurs extracellularly. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying ES-1’s ability to oxidize Fe(II) remain unknown. Survey of the ES-1 genome for candidate genes formicrobial extracellular Fe(II) oxidation revealed that it contained a three-genecluster encoding homologs of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1(MR-1) MtrA, MtrB, and CymA that are involved in extracellular Fe(III) reduction. Homologs of MtrA and MtrB were also previously shown to be involved in extracellular Fe(II) oxidation by Rhodopseudomonas palustris TIE-1. To distinguish them from those found in MR-1, …