Engineering Commons^™

Analysis Of Water Usage And Greenhouse Gas Emissions As Transition Fuel From Coal To Natural Gas In San Juan County, New Mexico, Tahereh Kookhaei

Civil Engineering ETDs

Abstract

Coal is a major contributor to various environmental issues, making the transition to alternative energy sources essential for reducing environmental impacts and combating climate change. San Juan County in New Mexico has historically depended on coal-fired power plants for producing electricity. However, due to environmental and economic pressures, there is a move to reassess energy strategies. This study explores the transition from coal to natural gas (NG) in San Juan County, with a focus on assessing changes in water usage and emissions (CO₂, NO_x, and SO₂) at the Four Corners (coal-fired) and Afton …

Engineered Nucleic-Acid Binding Intrinsically Disordered Proteins For Biomedical Applications, Telmo Diez Perez

Biomedical Engineering ETDs

This dissertation explores the use of intrinsically disorder proteins (IDPs) in biomedical applications related to the detection and biosensing of nucleic-acid species. We engineer several low critical solution temperature (LCST) nucleic-acid binding elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs) as model IDPs and study their potential in biomedical application via interactions with short single-stranded (ss) DNA, tRNA and viral RNAs. First, we engineer a simple polycationic ELP capable of recruiting DNA on demand in a DNA-protein-rich condensate via LLPS. Moreover, we develop a modified Flory-Huggins theory to quantify the partitioning of DNA and protein upon coacervate formation with and without salts. We then design …

Crowdstrike Cyber Incident Vs. Past Major Cyber Incidents: Analysis And Solutions, Priyant Banerjee

Himalayan Research Papers Archive

On July 19, 2024, a technical malfunction in CrowdStrike’s Falcon sensor software led to a global ITdisruption, affecting millions of devices across multiple sectors. This incident, although not a direct cyber-attack, caused significant operational upheavals reminiscent of major past cyber incidents. This paperexplores the CrowdStrike incident in detail, compares it with previous major cyber events, and proposescomprehensive solutions to mitigate such risks in the future.The faulty update from CrowdStrike resulted in widespread system crashes, notably the "Blue Screen ofDeath," paralyzing operations in critical sectors such as healthcare, finance, and transportation. The paperexamines the immediate and cascading effects of the incident, …

Periodic Information Leakage Fault Detection On A Risc-V Microprocessor, Idris Somoye

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

The execution behavior of a Microprocessor (μP) in the presence of a fault is difficult to predict because of the complex interactions across pipeline stages and between functional units within the architecture. Fault effects are known to not introduce any type of anomaly in the input-output behavior for 10s of thousands to millions of clock cycles. These characteristics increase the difficulty of evaluating μP architectures for resilience to information leakage events, i.e., scenarios where a fault causes sensitive data such as an encryption key to be inadvertently diverted to a primary output channel. This dissertation explores two promising strategies for …

Thermal Oxidative Degradation Of Polystyrene Plastics Used For Food Packaging During Incomplete Waste Incineration, Maycee Hurd

Civil Engineering ETDs

We identified the physical and chemical degradation of polystyrene (PS) plastic used for food packaging after thermal oxidative weathering. Open waste incineration is a widely used waste management practice in isolated and underserved communities. However, the generation of partially incinerated plastics and microplastics (MPs) from this practice is overlooked. Near surface XPS C 1s high resolution analyses show an increase in the intensity of peaks greater than 285 eV corresponding to C/O bonds after burning of PS. Bulk analyses using ATR-FTIR show that thermal oxidation decreased the alkene (3040-3000 cm-1) and alkane (3000-2850 cm-1) C-H stretch signals suggesting PS chain …

Understanding Longitudinal Top-Down Cracking To Enhance Asphalt Mix Design, Md Mehedi Hasan

Civil Engineering ETDs

This study focuses on developing a deformation rate-dependent bilinear constitutive equation for cohesive zone modeling of asphalt concrete's fracture process zone to accurately predict the longitudinal top-down crack initiation and propagation. A mathematical model has been developed for the AC materials' deformation rate-dependent cohesive zone fracture characteristics and incorporated into the ABAQUS software as a customized user element subroutine (UEL). The developed model has been validated by comparing the simulation results with the laboratory test results, which show good agreement with the results. In addition, an enhanced asphalt mix design approach, referred to as SP5, has been developed to mitigate …

Evaluation Of Machine Learning Algorithms And Statistical Analysis For Predicting Crash Severity And Determining Contributing Factors: A Comparative Study, Arian Golrokh Amin

Civil Engineering ETDs

Improving road traffic safety relies on the ability to accurately predict traffic crashes and understand the factors contributing to severe injuries. This study employs a dual approach, utilizing both statistical analysis and machine-learning methodologies. Initially, statistical analyses such as chi-squared tests and Cramer's V values are applied to a decade's worth of police report data from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to identify primary causal factors behind crashes. Subsequently, machine-learning models are developed and rigorously compared to predict the severity of traffic crash injuries. The selection of the most effective algorithm is based on comprehensive metrics including accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 …

Tuning Of Real-Time Optimization Of Heliostat Concentrated Solar Power, Zachary L. Bernius

Mechanical Engineering ETDs

This paper investigates a real-time optimization algorithm for autonomously calibrating the heliostats in a concentrated solar power plant with the goal of maximizing power generation. The current state-of-the-art uses human operators to provide feedback for the heliostats. We use real-time/online measurements to produce an autonomous closed-loop system that does not require human intervention. The paper investigates tuning the gain of the real-time optimization algorithm to quickly and robustly converge to the optimal alignment and stabilize the system. The exponential stability of the system is certified using a quadratic Lyapunov function and static output feedback methods to couple the Lyapunov functions …

Fabrication And Characterization Of A Monolithic Photonic Integrated Circuit With High-Aspect Ratio Photonic Device Structures, Sami A. Nazib

Optical Science and Engineering ETDs

The focus of this work was to create a process to fabricate an InP-based Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC). The design of the PIC required the photonic components of this device to be created by deep etching of an epitaxially-grown multilayer structure. Therefore, a novel dry etching process was developed to produce very high aspect- ratio (HAR) features. This process not only involved the development of dry etch chemistry but also the engineering of a metal mask structure. The next step of the challenge was to use a polymer-based material that would have two functions: cladding for the etched photonic components …

Mixed Potential Sensor For Natural Gas Leak Detection Design, Manufacturing, And Simulation, Sleight Halley

Chemical and Biological Engineering ETDs

There is a need for a low-cost robust sensor accurately detecting leaks from oil and gas infrastructure. This work presents the development of an electrochemical sensor based on an yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte with La_0.87Sr_0.13CrO₃, Indium Tin Oxide (In₂O₃ 90 wt%, SnO₂ 10 wt%), Au, Pt electrodes. Selectivity to target gasses of the three sensing electrodes in conjunction with machine learning allows for the accurate discrimination between possible methane sources as well as the quantification of methane concentration. Sensor sensitivity is improved through a low-ionic conductivity substrate of magnesia …

Secondary Electron Yield Of Metals, Alloys, And Metal Oxides From First Principles Based Monte Carlo Simulations, Raul E. Gutierrez

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

Density Functional Theory (DFT) based Monte Carlo (MC) simulations of the Sec-
ondary Electron Yield (SEY) of metals, alloys, and metal oxides are performed to
find material properties that could help reduce or influence the multipactor effect.
In order to accurately model the SEY of materials, knowledge of the frequency- and
momentum-dependent Energy Loss Function (qDepELF) is required. The qDepELF
is difficult to determine from experiment; however, it can be calculated from first
principles. The DFT-MC approach for simulating the secondary electron genera-
tion, propagation, and emission processes is described herein. Material properties,
which are calculated using DFT and used …

Distributed Energy Trading Models Utilizing Reinforcement Learning And Game-Theoretic Based Approaches In Smart Grids, Nicholas Kemp

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

Community-driven energy initiatives have become crucial for effective energy management, particularly in trading and management. The rise of Distributed Energy Resources in smart grids demands a redesign of traditional Demand Response Management (DRM) models to account for prosumers' dynamic behavior in energy markets. Decentralization, including peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading, is vital for resilience and sustainability. This thesis introduces two coalitional DRM models: one based on hedonic community formation games, and the other combining matching theory with coalition games. These models empower prosumers to autonomously select energy trading communities using partially available data. To optimize energy consumption, two additional models are …

Sofast Cad Layout Tool, Felicia Brimigion

Mechanical Engineering ETDs

Concentrating solar mirrors need to have correct geometry to accurately focus sunlight onto a receiver. SOFAST is a tool created at Sandia National Laboratories which measures a mirror’s surface normal at a dense sampling of points, enabling evaluation of a given mirror’s expected performance. SOFAST supports general mirrors, including concentrating solar heliostats, troughs, and dishes. The examples presented in this report predominantly focus on heliostats.

There are generally four major components of a SOFAST system – the mirror, camera, projector, and screen. For SOFAST to properly measure a mirror, the following geometric constraints must be satisfied:

1. The reflection of …

Insight Into Complexity: Novel Information Theoretic Analysis Of Spatiotemporal Interactions, Humayra Tasnim

Computer Science ETDs

Complex systems are comprised of different components. Interactions and associations among these components define the functionality of the system. For example, T cells must directly interact with virally infected cells to kill them. This research characterizes the most relevant components of complex systems by analyzing interacting relationships using information theoretic measures. It emphasizes the importance of spatial and temporal dynamics, which occur when components share spatial proximities or temporal sequences. Novel information theoretic analyses are proposed for quantifying the degree of association among system components, which is key to defining the spatiotemporal dynamics. One focus of this work is the …

Effect Of Air Filtration On Water Quality During Atmospheric Water Harvest In The Southwest United States, A.J. Barney

Civil Engineering ETDs

Access to sustainable drinking water is a concern across the globe. Atmospheric water harvest (AWH) offers a potential supplemental drinking water source. However, the sources and processes affecting AWH water quality are not well understood and must be thoroughly studied to consistently utilize AWH for drinking water. The objective of this research is to assess how removing particulate matter (PM) 2.5 and PM10 in the air used to produce AWH with air-filters affects the water quality of AWH. AWH samples were collected simultaneously with three identical dehumidifiers, utilizing three different air-filter configurations (no-filter, MERV8, and MERV12) in Albuquerque, NM from …

Building A Trusted Relationship Among Project Participants In Construction Projects On Tribal Land, Dominica J. Bennett

Civil Engineering ETDs

There are 574 federally recognized tribes in the United States, and these tribal communities differ by culture, language, history, and self-governance. Performing a tribal construction project is different than a non-tribal project due to tribal sovereignty, tribes are both legally and regulatory independent. The United States has recognized its trust with Indigenous tribes through treaties, statutes, and historical relations, however treaties and statutes have been broken over time. This paper aims to qualitatively and quantitatively identify relationships and trust built between contractors, designers, and owners on construction projects while identifying challenges. The methodology involves survey distribution to rank the level …

3d Printing Of Local New Mexican Soil Material: Improving Durability Properties By Assessing Traditional Methods Towards Alternative Sustainable Construction, Daiquiri Devon Zozaya

Civil Engineering ETDs

3D printing (3DP), or additive manufacturing, represents a dynamic and swiftly advancing manufacturing method in which diverse materials are deposited layer by layer through computer-controlled processes, creating intricate geometries. This technology has demonstrated success in various construction applications, including the construction of bridges, bus stop stations, and even residential homes. Nonetheless, the predominant application of 3DP in construction relies heavily on cement due to its robustness, convenience, and ease of use. Regrettably, the cement sector is a substantial source of greenhouse gas emissions, responsible for approximately 8% of worldwide CO₂ emissions. Investigating all facets of carbon emissions reduction is …

Exploration Of Semiconductor Gain Medium, Resonator, Pump, And Frequency Stabilization For Laser Guide Star Applications, Mingyang Zhang

Optical Science and Engineering ETDs

Laser Guide Star (LGS) systems are essential for adaptive optics in ground-based astronomical observation. This dissertation demonstrates the feasibility of semiconductor-based LGS systems using the membrane external-cavity surface-emitting laser (MECSEL) platform, employing multiple quantum wells. Various laser cavity configurations were analyzed through simulations and experiments. The in-well pumping method was explored to reduce the quantum defect and address thermal limitations. Multi-pass pumping schemes were designed with Zemax modeling and demonstrated experimentally. To simplify multi-pass pumping, the hybrid-MECSEL (H-MECSEL) design was introduced. COMSOL modeling studied thermal management and thermal lensing effect.

The H-MECSEL achieved approximately 30 W of output power at …

Coupled Monte Carlo And Adjoint Depletion Sensitivity Coefficient Methods, Benjamin R. Murphy

Nuclear Engineering ETDs

Recent advances in adjoint-based, continuous-energy Monte Carlo generalized perturbation theory (GPT) sensitivity coefficients are combined with adjoint-based depletion perturbation theory (DPT) sensitivities to obtain fully coupled depletion sensitivity coefficients in OpenMC. These depletion sensitivity coefficients are compared with direct perturbation results and found to have generally good agreement, though discrepancies exist. Some shortfalls of the DPT method include the inefficient initial numeric integration scheme for calculating the DPT sensitivities and the lack of stochastic uncertainty estimates for the DPT sensitivities. However, despite these shortcomings, the methodology provides the means to obtain high fidelity depletion sensitivity coefficients. With refinements to the …

Engineered Cementitious Composites: The Good, The Bad, And The Possibilities, Michele M. Anderson, Michele M. Anderson

Civil Engineering ETDs

Construction materials require testing in the laboratory and field to be accepted as viable tools. Engineered cementitious composites (ECC) are a new material in the class of ultra-high-performance concrete studied and tested in the lab but not in the field. This research aimed to answer questions about ECC's ability to be a viable and cost-efficient construction material. The cost of ECC continues to be a factor in the acceptance of the material. Cost savings in construction and labor have not been identified until now, and it is good. Field condition testing of ECC in a desert climate known for extreme …

A Stable Isotope Study To Investigate Water Movement In The Los Lagos Region Of Southern Chile, Kritan Subedi

Civil Engineering ETDs

The Los Lagos region in southern Chile, located in northwest Patagonia, features rain-fed agricultural lands, glacial lakes, forests, farmlands, and volcanic soils. This study investigates water movement within a micro-basin using stable isotope analysis and hydrological modeling over eight weeks. It aims to develop a conceptual model of water movement by elucidating interactions between precipitation, soil water, and streamflow. Findings highlight the critical role of deeper soil layers in sustaining streamflow during dry spells and indicate that soil acts as a buffer, maintaining hydrological continuity despite variable precipitation. Improved understanding of these dynamics can inform watershed management and water resource …

Optical Responses Of Hybrid Electromagnetic Nanostructures, Dominic Bosomtwi

Optical Science and Engineering ETDs

Fano resonances result from the interference between a broad background and a narrow state, producing asymmetric scattering profiles. Under specific conditions, destructive interference collapses the Fano resonance width, leading to bound states in the continuum (BICs) that localize light within a nanostructure while maintaining an infinitely high-quality factor (Q-factor).

This dissertation explores the design of nanostructures with multilayer hybrid plasmonic-dielectric metasurfaces using full-wave numerical simulations, facilitating multiple Fano resonances and BICs. By adjusting nanoantenna dimensions, multiple modes are excited at plasmonic-dielectric interfaces, leading to strong interactions and hybridization of energy levels, manifested as Rabi splitting.

These findings enable advancements in …

Chemical And Physical Properties Of Fine Fractions From A Village Proximate To A Uranium Mine: Insights About Soil Health, Mary P. Haley

Nanoscience and Microsystems ETDs

Thousands of abandoned uranium mines (AUM) in Native American tribal lands have not been fully remediated, leaving uranium mine wastes exposed and accessible for potential erosion and transport by wind. Analyzing the metal and organic content of the fine-grained fractions in soils could uncover the impact of mine legacy on the soil health in communities that live in proximity to AUM. This study investigates the physical and chemical properties of the fine-grained fraction (μm) of soils to quantify the effect of heavy metal-bearing particulates on the soil health in the village of Paguate and within the Jackpile-Paguate AUM located on …

Embedding Direction Of Arrival And Antenna Beamforming Algorithms On Automated Software Defined Radio Platforms, Adrian J. Lewis

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

Antenna arrays are an essential technology in the modern era in both communications and radar applications. The algorithms used for antenna arrays are beginning to be embedded in smart device applications to enable greater communication abilities. This thesis explores the idea of embedding direction of arrival and beamforming algorithms using a software defined radio platform. Specifically, the Multiple Signal Classification (MuSiC) algorithm and Minimum Variance Distortionless Response (MVDR) algorithm are combined. The combination of similar algorithms has the potential to be used in many internet of things applications to enable more dynamic communication ability.

Development And Characterization Of Automated Screen Mesh-Based Microfluidic Device To Perform Continuous Countercurrent Liquid-Liquid Extraction, Quinn Mcculloch

Nanoscience and Microsystems ETDs

Continuous Countercurrent Microfluidic Liquid-Liquid Extraction (CC-MLLE) shows tremendous potential to generate large numbers of equilibrium stages of separation in a small footprint, with a minimum of pumping, valving, and phase separation steps. However, CC-MLLE rarely appears in literature because it requires a delicate balance between capillary and hydrodynamic forces for deterministic flow.

This dissertation showcases a patented screen mesh-based CC-MLLE invention that performs stable, long-duration (> 36 hr.), countercurrent liquid-liquid extraction and achieves 37 equilibrium stages within a 38.5 μl internal volume. The device is fabricated from chemically resistant polyetheretherketone plastic, using standard machine shop equipment, a plotting cutter, screen …

Adaptive Screen Capture Video Analysis, Ugesh Egala

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

This thesis presents a system for analyzing student activities during class sessions to gain insights into the learning process. A dataset consisting of 14 screen recordings, with 2 videos labeled across two stages, was used for training, validation, and testing. The methodology employs adaptive sampling, initially at 10 frames per minute to identify active regions, followed by detailed analysis at 1 frame per second using OCR to detect typing activities through character changes. The results demonstrate over a 50% reduction in computational load while maintaining high accuracy in detecting student engagement. A total of 26 hours of screen capture videos …

On The Surface Topography Of Local Overheating And Plasma Formation Due To Initial Condition Perturbations Sourcing The Electrothermal Instability On High-Current-Density Conductors, Maren Whiting Hatch

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

The electrothermal instability (ETI) is a Joule heating-driven instability that instigates runaway heating on conductors driven to high current density, altering the 3D evolution of the expansion and phase state. Most metals include complex distributions of imperfections (voids, resistive inclusions) which seed ETI. To simplify comparison with modeling and theory, experiments examined growth of ETI from various alloys of stainless steel as well as relatively void/inclusion free, 99.999% pure, diamond-turned, 1 mm-diameter aluminum rods. Aluminum surfaces included a variety of deliberately machined and well-characterized perturbations, including 10-micron-scale quasi-hemispherical voids, or “engineered” defects (ED), and sinusoidal patterns of varying wavelength and …

Pulsed Secondary Electron Yield Measurements Of Metallic And Dielectric Materials Of Interest For High Power Vacuum Electron Devices, Bilal Ahmed Malik

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

Secondary electron emission (SEE) from conductors is thought to play an important role in the initiation of Multipactor breakdown in vacuum electron devices. The SEE of dielectric materials plays a crucial role in numerous scientific and technological applications, including particle accelerators, spacecraft charging, and plasma diagnostics. Additionally, the SEE of an insulator may depend on its electrical stress history. In both cases, SEE strongly depends on any conditioning of the material surface. We present measurements on both conducting and insulating materials of interest in these applications. Measurements are being made in an existing test stand, recently modified to enable measurements …

Deep Learning For Multiple Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Coordination In Air Corridors, Liangkun Yu

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

In the future, city skies will be filled with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for rapid urban transport, including parcel deliveries and air taxis. NASA's Urban Air Mobility (UAM) envisions UAVs navigating air corridors. These virtual pathways ensure safety and compliance with regulations. However, current research on UAM practical applications is limited. This dissertation focuses on designing air corridors, developing UAV control systems, and ensuring the robustness of control algorithms against disturbances in real-world environments.

Our design features an air corridor system with horizontal lanes and on-off ramps, conceptualized as cylindrical spaces and tori, respectively. To enable each UAV to locally …

Advancing Influence In Social Networks Based On Game Theory, Adedamola Adesokan

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

Online Social Networks (OSNs) have become part of our everyday life, as a means of interacting with people, sharing content, attending events, etc. Influencers are professional OSN users, who have a large loyal audience and use the OSNs to market various goods or services based on brand partnerships. In this thesis, we introduce a novel mechanism to enable OSN users to become influencers by strategically deciding their activity within the OSN. Initially, the concepts of social coordinates and social communities are proposed. Then, a non-cooperative game is introduced to enable the users to make optimal decisions regarding their activity in …