Engineering Commons^™

Implementation Of The Biological Opinion For The Missouri River Main Stem System, Missouri River Bank Stabilization And Navigation Project, And Kansas River Reservoir System

United States Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) requires that the Corps of Engineers (Corps), in coordination with the appropriate resources agency, will ensure that any action authorized, funded, or carried out is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of any federally listed threatened or endangered species or result in the destruction or adverse modification of critical habitat. Formal consultation between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the Corps under Section 7 of the ESA culminated with the "Biological Opinion on the Operation of the Missouri River Main Stem System, Operation and Maintenance of the Missouri River Bank Stabilization and …

Missouri National Recreational River Gavins Point Dam To Ponca State Park 2001 Survey

United States Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District

Public and Private Access Spots and Points of Interest Between Gavins Point
Dam and Ponca State Park on the Nebraska Side of the River

Missouri River - Fort Peck Dam To Ponca State Park Geomorphological Assessment Related To Bank Stabilization, David S. Biedenharn, Rebecca S. Soileau, Lisa C. Hubbard, Peggy H. Hoffman, Colin R. Thorne, Chris C. Bromley, Chester C. Watson

United States Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District

The overall objective of this study was to evaluate the potential impacts of bank stabilization on the morphologic processes in the Missouri River with a particular emphasis on the formation and persistence of habitat bars. This investigation addresses the following four open water reaches of the Missouri: (1) Fort Peck Dam to vicinity of Yellowstone River (304 kilometers); (2) Garrison Dam to Lake Oahe (127 kilometers); (3) Fort Randall Dam to the Niobrara River (58 kilometers); and (4) Gavins Point Dam to Ponca (93 kilometers). This report provides an additional tool for designers and managers to use when developing and …

Tillage And Fallow Effects On Selected Soil Quality Characteristics Of Former Conservation Reserve Program Sites, John E. Gilley, John W. Doran, Bahman Eghball

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Tillage and fallow have been suggested as management options for converting Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) areas to cropland. This study was conducted to measure selected soil quality characteristics of former CRP sites in Mississippi, Nebraska, and South Dakota that were tilled and then left fallow for 21 or 22 months. Soil samples from depth intervals of 0-7.6 cm and 0-30.5 cm were collected for laboratory assessment of the following soil quality indicators: bulk density, EC, pH, total C, organic C, total N, NO₃-N, NH₄-N, PO₄-P, biomass C, biomass N, anaerobic NH₄-N, lab …

Phosphorus Risk Assessment Index Evaluation Using Runoff Measurements, Bahman Eghball, John E. Gilley

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

An index to evaluate the phosphorus (P) pollution potential of agricultural fields was proposed by Lemunyon and Gilbert in 1993. Data from three rainfall simulation studies were used to evaluate the relative importance of the variables in the P index. These studies included plots containing sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.), winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and corn (Zea mays L.) residues on which chemical fertilizer and composted or noncomposted beef cattle feedlot manure were applied under no-till and disked conditions. The factors of erosion, runoff, soil P level P application source, and method, and rate of P addition …

Reducing Long-Term Atrazine Runoff From South Central Nebraska, Walter Scott Gorneau, Thomas G. Franti, Brian L. Benham, Steve D. Comfort

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Heavy reliance on chemical weed control in field crops of South Central Nebraska has resulted in the appearance of atrazine at concentrations greater than established drinking water standards. Our objective was to evaluate the best management practices for atrazine runoff for the tillage and herbicide management practices common to the region under study. Field experiments were performed to measure edge–of–field atrazine and water loss from disk–till, ridge–till, and slot plant (no–till) management systems. Results indicated less water runoff from no–till (34% less) and ridge–till (36% less) than from disk–till. Similarly, atrazine loss was also less: 24% less for no–till and …

Application Of Fuzzy Logic In Automated Cow Status Monitoring, R. M. De Mol, Wayne Woldt

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Sensors that measure yield, temperature, electrical conductivity of milk, and animal activity can be used for automated cow status monitoring. The occurrence of false-positive alerts, generated by a detection model, creates problems in practice. We used fuzzy logic to classify mastitis and estrus alerts; our objective was to reduce the number of false-positive alerts and not to change the level of detected cases of mastitis and estrus. Inputs for the fuzzy logic model were alerts from the detection model and additional information, such as the reproductive status. The output was a classification, true or false, of each alert. Only alerts …

Estimation Of Reference Crop Evapotranspiration Using Fuzzy State Models, Lameck O. Odhiambo, R. E. Yoder, D. C. Yoder

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Daily evapotranspiration (ET) rates are needed for irrigation scheduling. Owing to the difficulty of obtaining accurate field measurements, ET rates are commonly estimated from weather parameters. A few empirical or semi–empirical methods have been developed for assessing daily reference crop ET, which is converted to actual crop ET using crop coefficients. The FAO Penman–Monteith method, which is now accepted as the standard method for the computation of daily reference ET, is sophisticated. It requires several input parameters, some of which have no actual measurements but are estimated from measured weather parameters. In this study, we examined the suitability of fuzzy …

Optimization Of Fuzzy Evapotranspiration Model Through Neural Training With Input–Output Examples, Lameck O. Odhiambo, R. E. Yoder, D. C. Yoder, J. W. Hines

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

In a previous study, we demonstrated that fuzzy evapotranspiration (ET) models can achieve accurate estimation of daily ET comparable to the FAO Penman–Monteith equation, and showed the advantages of the fuzzy approach over other methods. The estimation accuracy of the fuzzy models, however, depended on the shape of the membership functions and the control rules built by trial–and–error methods. This paper shows how the trial and error drawback is eliminated with the application of a fuzzy–neural system, which combines the advantages of fuzzy logic (FL) and artificial neural networks (ANN). The strategy consisted of fusing the FL and ANN on …

A Direct Correlation Function For Mesomorphic Polymers And Its Application To The ‘Smectic’ Phase Of Isotactic Polypropylene, Y Cohen, Ravi F. Saraf

Papers in Materials Science

A general model to calculate the structure of a smectic to nematic-like order in polymer systems is proposed. The model is limited to well-aligned molecules with respect to each other. It is especially suited for systems where the packing between neighboring chains is described by liquid-like disorder with axial registration in the chain-axis direction. In such a case the diffraction pattern from the oriented structure exhibits broad liquid-like reflections on the equatorial but sharper reflections on the layer lines. An Ornstein-Zernike approach is adopted to calculate the inter-chain packing and inter-chain registration, where the direct correlation function of packing and …

Linear-Nonequilibrium Thermodynamics Theory For Coupled Heat And Mass Transport, Yaşar Demirel, Stanley I. Sandler

Yaşar Demirel Publications

Linear-nonequilibrium thermodynamics (LNET) has been used to express the entropy generation and dissipation functions representing the true forces and flows for heat and mass transport in a multicomponent fluid. These forces and flows are introduced into the phenomenological equations to formulate the coupling phenomenon between heat and mass flows. The degree of the coupling is also discussed. In the literature such coupling has been formulated incompletely and sometimes in a confusing manner. The reason for this is the lack of a proper combination of LNET theory with the phenomenological theory. The LNET theory involves identifying the conjugated flows and forces …

The Electrostatic Interaction Of Charged, Dust-Particle Pairs In Plasmas, M. E. Markes, P. F. Williams

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

We report the results of a study of the electrostatic interaction between negatively charged particles in a plasma. The goal of the study was to investigate the possibility of an attractive interaction which would make possible the formation of “molecules” of particles. For all approximations relating the positive ion density to the local electrostatic potential that we examined, we find that the interaction is repulsive for all particle separations.

A Web-Based Interface For Storing And Executing Simulation Models, Paul Savory

Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

The dominance of the Internet in the development of information and communication technology has made Web-based distributed solutions increasingly attractive. Apart from providing other services, the World Wide Web is being looked upon as an environment for hosting modeling and simulation applications. SIMAN is a simulation language that allows users to simulate discrete and continuous systems. In this research, a web-based interface or toolkit has been developed for storing and executing SIMAN simulation models over the Internet. This toolkit consists of a World Wide Web interface to SIMAN and a web-accessible database for storing user models. It provides users an …

Acuta Enews December 2000, Vol. 29, No. 12

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A Web-Based Interface For Storing And Executing Simulation Model, Ashu Guru, Paul Savory, Robert Williams

Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

The dominance of the Internet in the development ofinformation and communication technology has madeWeb-based distributed solutions increasingly attractive.Apart from providing other services, the World Wide Webis being looked upon as an environment for hostingmodeling and simulation applications. SIMAN is asimulation language that allows users to simulate discreteand continuous systems. In this research, a web-basedinterface or toolkit has been developed for storing andexecuting SIMAN simulation models over the Internet.This toolkit consists of a World Wide Web interface toSIMAN and a web-accessible database for storing usermodels. It provides users an easy-to-use environment fordeveloping text-based simulation models using the SIMANsimulation language. It also …

Solitary Waves And Supersonic Reaction Front In Metastable Solids, Hendrik J. Viljoen, Lee L. Lauderback, D. Sornette

Hendrik J. Viljoen Publications

Motivated by an increasing number of remarkable experimental observations on the role of pressure and shear stress in solid reactions, explosions and detonations, we present a simple toy model that embodies nonlinear elasticity and dispersion as well as chemical or phase transformation. This generalization of the Toda Lattice provides an effective model for the description of the organization during an abrupt transformation in a solid. One of the challenges is to capture both the equilibrium degrees of freedom as well as to quantify the possible role of out-of-equilibrium perturbations. In the Toda Lattice, we verify that the particle velocities converge …

Electrically Conductive Polymeric Materials And Use Thereof, Ravi F. Saraf

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Patents

A polymer blend composition, capable of being made electrically conductive by application of heat having an electrically conductive upon doping polymer in undoped form; the undoped polymer is selected from the group consisting of substituted and unsubstituted polyparaphenylenevinylenes, polyanilines, polyazines, polythiophenes, poly-p-phenylene sulfides, polyfuranes, polyselenophenes, polyacetylenes filtered from soluble precursors and combinations and blends thereof, compounded and blended at a molecular scale with a dielectric polymer; wherein the dielectric polymer is selected from the group consisting of interpolymers of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, acetal acrylic liquid crystal polymers, polybutylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, polyester, polyetherimide, polyethersulfone, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyphenylene oxide, polyphenylene sulfide, polypropylene, polystyrene, …

Electrically Conductive Polymeric Materials And Use Thereof, Ravi F. Saraf

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Patents

A polymer blend composition, capable of being made electrically conductive by application of heat having an electrically conductive upon doping polymer in undoped form; the undoped polymer is selected from the group consisting of substituted and unsubstituted polyparaphenylenevinylenes, polyanilines, polyazines, polythiophenes, poly-p-phenylene sulfides, polyfuranes, polyselenophenes, polyacetylenes filtered from soluble precursors and combinations and blends thereof, compounded and blended at a molecular scale with a dielectric polymer; wherein the dielectric polymer is selected from the group consisting of interpolymers of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, acetal acrylic liquid crystal polymers, polybutylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, polyester, polyetherimide, polyethersulfone, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyphenylene oxide, polyphenylene sulfide, polypropylene, polystyrene, …

Infrared Switching Electrochromic Devices Based On Tungsten Oxide, E. B. Franke, C. L. Trimble, J. S. Hale, Mathias Schubert, John A. Woollam

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

Different types of electrochromic devices for thermal emittance modulation were developed in the spectral region from mid- to far-infrared (2–40 μm). In all devices polycrystalline and amorphous tungsten oxide have been used as electrochromic and ion storage layer, respectively. Two types of all-solid-state devices were designed, one with a metal grid for the top and bottom electrode deposited on a highly emissive glass substrate, and another with a top metal grid electrode and a highly reflecting bottom metal electrode layer. Tantalum oxide is used as an ion conductor in both device types. The third device type consists of a polymeric …

Acuta Enews November 2000, Vol.29, No. 11

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Thickness Analysis Of Silicon Membranes For Stencil Masks, E. Sossna, R. Kassing, I. W. Rangelow, C. M. Herzinger, T. E. Tiwald, John A. Woollam, Th. Wagner

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

Stencil masks are key to charged particle projection lithography, in particular for ion projection lithography. To fulfill pattern printing requirements in the sub-70 nm regime, excellent thickness uniformity and thermal emissivity control are critical parameters for high quality stencil mask fabrication. We propose and demonstrate a technique based on infrared variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (IR-VASE) to measure these parameters with adequate accuracy and precision. The refractive index of the Si membrane was evaluated using a Sellmeier dispersion model combined with a Drude model. Because of its spectral range from 2 to 33 μm, the IR-VASE method is sensitive to the …

Dielectric Function Of Amorphous Tantalum Oxide From The Far Infrared To The Deep Ultraviolet Spectral Region Measured By Spectroscopic Ellipsometry, Eva Franke, C. L. Trimble, M. J. Devries, John A. Woollam, Mathias Schubert, F. Frost

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

Amorphous tantalum oxide thin films were deposited by reactive rf magnetron sputtering onto [001] silicon substrates. Growth temperature, oxygen partial pressure, and total gas pressure have been varied to obtain thin films with different densities. The thin films were analyzed by glancing angle-of-incidence x-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and variable angle-of-incidence spectroscopic ellipsometry in the near infrared to vacuum ultraviolet spectral region for photon energies from E=1 to 8.5 eV, and in the infrared region from E=0.03 to 1 eV. We present the dielectric function of amorphous tantalum oxide obtained by line shape analysis of the experimental ellipsometric …

Runoff And Soil Loss As Affected By The Application Of Manure, John E. Gilley, L. Mark Risse

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Manure has been used effectively to improve crop production and soil properties because it contains nutrients and organic matter. While it is generally accepted that the improved soil properties associated with manure application lead to changes in runoff and soil erosion, few studies have quantified these impacts. Water quality models used to assess watershed management and estimate total maximum daily load must accurately predict loading rates from fields where manure has been applied. This study was conducted to assemble and summarize information quantifying the effects of manure application on runoff and soil loss resulting from natural precipitation events, and to …

Oct 2000, Tractor Museum

Lester F. Larsen Tractor Museum: Planning and Development Documents

Open House Pedestrian Door Installed Collection of Hand Tools

Lead-Free Interconnection For Electronic Devices, Ravi F. Saraf

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Patents

An electronic device that is equipped with a plurality of bonding pads positioned on the device for making electrical interconnections and electrically conductive composite bumps adhered to the bonding pads wherein the bumps are formed of a composite material consisting of a thermoplastic polymer and at least about 30 volume percent of conductive metal particles based on the total volume of the metal particles and the thermoplastic polymer. The present invention is also directed to a method of making electrical interconnections to an electronic device by pressing a plurality of composite bumps of a polymeric based material against a substrate …

Acuta Enews October 2000, Vol.29, No. 10

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Modeling Pichia Pastoris Growth On Methanol And Optimizing The Production Of A Recombinant Protein, The Heavy-Chain Fragment C Of Botulinum Neurotoxin, Serotype A, Wenhui Zhang, Mark A. Bevins, Bradley A. Plantz, Leonard A. Smith, Michael M. Meagher

Papers in Biotechnology

An unstructured growth model for the recombinant methylotrophic yeast P. pastoris Mut+ expressing the heavy-chain fragment C of botulinum neurotoxin serotype A [BoNT/A(Hc)], was successfully established in quasi-steady state fed-batch fermentations with varying cell densities. The model describes the relationships between specific growth rate and methanol concentration, and the relationships between specific methanol and ammonium consump-tion rates and specific growth rate under methanol-limited growth conditions. The maximum specific growth rate (μ) determined from the model was 0.08 h−1 at a methanol concentration of 3.65 g/L, while the actual maximum μ was 0.0709 h−1. The maximum specific methanol consumption rate was …

A Statewide Educational Program To Implement Comprehensive Nutrient Management Planning, Richard K. Koelsch, Charles A. Shapiro, R. Wozniak

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Presentations and White Papers

EPA and USDA NRSC have stated that the most effective way for animal feeding operations (AFO's) to minimize water quality and public health risks is to develop and implement comprehensive nutrient management plans. In response a proposed CNMP workbook has been designed to serve as an animal operation's environmental operating plan. This project will initiate field testing of the proposed Nebraska CNMP with livestock producers and advisors. It will also assist with development of supporting resources and training for educational and technical advisors.

Fuzzy Composite Programming To Combine Remote Sensing And Crop Models For Decision Support In Precision Crop Management, David D. Jones, E. M. Barnes

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Precision crop management is by definition a multi-objective decision-making process that must incorporate a diversity of data, opinion, preference and objective. This paper details an approach to decision making that allows users to express individual or corporate values and preferences; highlights the degree of imprecision associated with each input; highlights the degree of imprecision associated with each alternative; facilitates structuring of the decision process; reduces several levels of complex information into a single chart; allows examination of trade-off between alternatives and interests; and forces examination of inter-relationships between interest. The addition of using remote sensing data provides an efficient method …

Acuta Enews September 2000, Vol.29, No. 9

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