Engineering Commons^™

Analysis Of Crowd Logistics Networks Using Agent-Based Models, Preetam Kulkarni

Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Crowd logistics is a system in which an online platform connects a group of non-professional couriers (crowd/carriers), who use their under-utilized resources to offer delivery service to other individuals or businesses (senders) for a fee. While crowd logistics platforms have the potential to offer more flexible and responsive delivery services for much lower rates than traditional logistics providers, it is difficult for platforms to be successful as it is challenging to meet carriers’ and senders’ expectations. Crowd logistics has been applied in the context of food and grocery delivery, parcel pickup and drop-off services and last-mile delivery, however, it has …

Emotion Processing In Adolescents With Epilepsy And Healthy Controls Using Multi-Modal Neuroimaging, Frances Kathryn E. King

Bioengineering Dissertations - Archive

Epilepsy is increasingly recognized as a disorder not only of seizures but also of widespread network dysfunction, impacting cognitive and emotional processing. One critical cognitive process affected in epilepsy is emotional conflict processing, which relies on the interplay of multiple brain networks. However, the spatiotemporal dynamics of emotional conflict processing in epilepsy, particularly in adolescents, have remained poorly understood. This dissertation investigated the neural mechanisms underlying emotional conflict processing in typically developing adolescents and adolescents with epilepsy using magnetoencephalography (MEG). The first study elucidated the spatiotemporal profile of emotional conflict processing in 24 typically developing adolescents using magnetoencephalography (MEG). Cluster-based …

Neurovascular Coupling Impairments In Acute Traumatic Brain Injury: An Eeg-Nirs Analysis, Zachary Armstrong

Bioengineering Theses - Archive

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of neurological impairment, often leading to variable recovery and uncertain prognosis in the neurocritical care setting. There is a pressing clinical need for robust, physiologically grounded biomarkers to inform prognosis and therapeutic decision-making in acute TBI. This thesis investigates neurovascular coupling (NVC), the physiological coordination between neuronal activity and cerebral blood flow, as a candidate biomarker for brain function and recovery after injury.

A prospective cohort study was performed using simultaneous electroencephalography (EEG) and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) recordings in patients with moderate-to-severe TBI and healthy controls. Wavelet transform coherence (WTC) analysis was …

Representation Learning Of Point Cloud Data For Process Mining And Anomaly Detection In Complex Systems, Yujing Yang

Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Complex systems, e.g., advanced manufacturing systems, are largely associated with dynamic and transient behaviors, resulting in condition changes and anomalies. Sensor-based condition monitoring is critical in detecting anomalies and supporting process monitoring and performance improvement for complex manufacturing systems. Traditional sensor-based monitoring approaches primarily focus on one-dimensional (1D) signals and two-dimensional (2D) images, which are limited in their ability to capture high-resolution spatial patterns pertaining to anomalies induced by systems’ condition changes, especially subtle ones. Recent advancements in three-dimensional (3D) sensing present a unique opportunity to address this limitation by enabling the capture of 3D point cloud data with micro-level …

Personalized Physics Learning Through Ai: Insights From Problem Generation, Chatbot Dialogues, And Intelligent Tutoring Systems, Atharva Dange

Physics Dissertations - Archive

Artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to transform science education, yet questions remain on how best to integrate these technologies into teaching and learning. This dissertation investigates the use of AI-driven tools in university physics courses through three complementary studies. In the first study, a generative language model (ChatGPT) was used to create novel physics homework problems aligned with course objectives. Analysis showed that, after expert vetting, AI-generated questions can foster higher-order problem-solving and reduce student reliance on solution memorization, though careful instructor oversight is required to ensure accuracy. The second study embedded an AI chatbot as a learning aid in …

Development Of A Design Tool For Tow-Steered Composite Structures With Machine Learning-Assisted Modeling, Bangde Liu

Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Fiber-reinforced composites (FRCs) are widely used in aerospace, automotive, and other engineering applications due to their lightweight characteristics and superior mechanical properties. Traditional FRCs employ a fixed fiber orientation in each layer, and while different layup sequences can tailor performance, the mechanical properties remain spatially uniform. Tow-steered composites, which enable fibers to follow curvilinear paths, offer the potential for spatially varying stiffness and strength, improving structural performance.

This dissertation addresses key challenges in modeling and designing tow-steered composite structures, including the lack of commercial design tools, the high computational cost of design optimization, and the need to efficiently evaluate manufacturing …

Designing An Advanced Gui For A Laser Harp, Matthew Moran

2024 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

This project presents the design and development of a laser harp, an innovative digital instrument that combines music and technology to inspire interest in STEM education. The harp uses laser beams and phototransistors to simulate the strings of a traditional harp, producing sound when the beams are interrupted. The primary focus of the honors section of this work is a custom-built software interface developed with a graphical user interface (GUI) that allows users to easily adjust settings like note range, volume, and the central part of the show, looping notes. The GUI is designed to be intuitive, making it easy …

Life-Cycle Cost Analysis Of Fm4 Txdot Roadway Alternatives In Cleburne, Texas, Ethan A. Bright

2024 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

The Engineering senior design group proposed a three-span concrete bridge, merged lane intersection, and a single storm conduit system. The Honors contribution to this project was analyzing the design’s alternative’s life-cycle costs to compare the most economic design. The project’s cost consists of initial construction, maintenance, and decommission. Utilizing Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) bid code unit prices, each design alternative is calculated by multiplying each material amount by the unit price then summed. Although the parallel conduit system has a cheaper initial cost, it requires more maintenance during its lifetime, therefore the single conduit system was recommended. Notably, cost …

Exploring Smart Thermostat, Don P. Dang

2024 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

This study examines the security, privacy, and compatibility challenges associated with smart thermostats in smart home systems. Smart thermostats, as part of the growing Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem, face vulnerabilities such as unauthorized access, data breaches, and inconsistent security protocols. Using a mixed-methods approach, this research evaluates encryption techniques, communication protocols (Zigbee, Z-Wave, Wi Fi), and user behaviors that impact system security and efficiency. Key findings indicate that 35% of users are concerned about hacking risks, while 25% express data privacy concerns. Many users lack awareness of security measures, such as firmware updates and password management, which increases vulnerabilities. …

Transportation Policies, Programs And History, Ivonne Audirac, Amber B. Raley, Jenifer Reiner, Soheil Sharifi-Asl

Mavs Open Press Open Educational Resources - Archive

Transportation Policies, Programs and History is a text intended for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students in urban and transportation planning. Contents by chapter include:

1. Brief history of U.S. transportation policy and traffic congestion: A persistent transportation planning issue.
2. Transportation planning and modeling.
3. Transportation programming and evaluation.
4. Equity in transportation planning
5. Mobility modes.
6. Transportation, accessibility, and the built environment.
7. Transit and transit-oriented development.
8. Transportation and new technologies.
9. Sustainable transportation.
10. Transportation in the Global South.

This textbook is part of a six-volume series produced under the grant OERTransport: Enabling Transportation Planning Professional Advancement awarded to the University of Texas-Arlington (UTA) …

Green Cities And Transportation, Ariadna Reyes-Sanchez, Soheil Sharifi-Asl, Ladan Mozaffarian

Mavs Open Press Open Educational Resources - Archive

Green Cities and Transportation examines the significance of sustainable transportation projects for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions while supporting transportation equity for vulnerable commuters. The book examines insightful case studies from around the world that can serve as a reference for sustainable transportation initiatives in the U.S. It is organized into three sections: 1) Sustainability, Transportation Equity, and Planning, 2) Case Studies and Lessons from the North and South, and 3) Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Cities, and Mobility.

Transportation Land Use Modeling And Policy, Qisheng Pan, Soheil Sharifi-Asl

Mavs Open Press Open Educational Resources - Archive

Transportation Land Use Modeling and Policy provides a comprehensive introduction to land use and transportation models, offering a detailed exploration of integrated modeling approaches through case studies and real-world examples. It begins with an overview of current transportation planning issues and moves into several chapters dedicated to integrated land-use and transportation models, including Land Suitability, Lowry-type models, and more recent approaches such as MEPLAN and PECAS. The book also examines traditional travel demand modeling (TDM), giving readers a solid foundation in the subject.

Sustainable Mobility, Shams Tanvir

Mavs Open Press Open Educational Resources - Archive

This textbook and OER material cover tools and basic knowledge required to prepare transportation engineers and planners to contribute towards a carbon-neutral mobility future. The goal of the textbook is to train engineering students on existing tools and policy levers that can be used to incorporate emerging transportation technologies in a sustainable, equitable, and efficient manner.

Fundamentals Of Math, Physics, And Statistics For Future Transportation Professionals, Anurag Pande, Peyton Ratto, Ahmed Farid

Mavs Open Press Open Educational Resources - Archive

This textbook and OER material cover tools and basic knowledge required to master the prerequisite essentials of physics, mathematics, and statistics applied in transportation engineering. The textbook modules are intended for students with undergraduate degrees in planning and other less technical fields who are interested in pursuing transportation careers where background engineering knowledge is required.

On The Effects Of Personalizing Vibrotactile Feedback To Facilitate User Interaction With A Robotic System, Sudip Hazra, Panos S. Shiakolas

Open Initiatives Grant Funded Publications-Archive

Distinguishable vibrotactile feedback can convey information non-verbally and complete the sensory loop when using assistive devices. Feedback can increase acceptance of assistive devices but could require personalization as these devices need to adapt to user capabilities and preferences that may affect the location for inducing feedback. Developing personalized feedback for each user may be ideal, but impractical if demand for these devices increases. In this research, we evaluate the hypothesis that the ability to define, generate, and use personalized feedback is preferred and should be provided. The hypothesis is evaluated using a system capable of capturing and recognizing non-verbal inputs, …

Randomly Generated Non-Negative Linear Programs, Jay Rosenberger

Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering Datasets - Archive

This dataset include randomly generated non-negative linear programs that appears in several papers on Constraint Optimal Selection Techniques (COSTs) for Linear Programming.

Enhancing Urban Parking Efficiency Through Machine Learning Model Integration, Sai Sneha Channamallu, Sharareh Kermanshachi, Jay Michael Rosenberger, Apurva Pamidimukkala

Open Initiatives Grant Funded Publications-Archive

An increase in vehicular traffic and a scarcity of parking spaces are creating significant challenges for urban parking management. This study aims to tackle these issues that escalate congestion and pollution and decrease urban productivity, by utilizing machine learning models to accurately predict parking space availability and categorize occupancy levels. It employs a dataset from a college campus garage collected from January 2022 to June 2023 and analyzes the performance of random forest, decision tree, linear regression, and support vector models by comparing them, using multiple evaluation metrics. The results revealed that the random forest model was the most reliable, …

Design, Prototyping, And Characterization Of A Micro-Force Sensor Intended For Tissue Assessment In Confined Spaces, Shashank S. Kumat, Panos S. Shiakolas

Open Initiatives Grant Funded Publications-Archive

The quantitative characterization of soft tissue viscoelastic properties can aid in disease prognosis and diagnosis. Existing technologies present challenges to measuring localized in vivo tissue relaxation data while meeting load and geometric constraints. This research presents the design, prototype, and characterization of a micro-force sensor that could enable better access to confined spaces of the human body. The novel design of the uniaxial micro-force sensor has an external diameter of less than or equal to 3.5 mm and 1 N load capacity for transurethral palpation of the bladder interior wall. The conceptual design of the micro-force sensor and a finite …

Utilizing Waste Rocks From Phosphate Mining In Jordan As Concrete Aggregates, Tamer Eljufout, Fadi Alhomaidat

Open Initiatives Grant Funded Publications-Archive

This study investigates the potential of replacing natural aggregates in concrete with aggregates obtained from Phosphate Mine Waste (PMW) rocks in Jordan. Several tests were conducted to determine the PMW rocks’ chemical, physical, and mechanical properties according to ASTM standards. A comprehensive experimental investigation was conducted, involving thirty-six concrete cylinder specimens, to evaluate the strength and durability properties of concrete made with PMW rocks compared to concrete made with natural limestone aggregates. The tested aggregates of PMW rocks consist mainly of quartz, dolomite, montmorillonite, and flu- orapatite. Their physical and mechanical properties were found to be similar to the natural …

Building A Wireless Electronic Control Unit For An Electric Vehicle, Hector S. Sosa

2024 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Modern vehicles have a variety of features such remote start systems, advance drive assist systems, smart suspension systems, and a feature rich infotainment system. With all this technology in the car, there exists a complex network of computers working together in conjunction to deliver the modern driving experience that many people have today. To be competitive in the market, auto manufacturers are tasked to add additional features to vehicles by adding additional or modifying electronic control units (ECUs). In this study, an ECU will be designed for a mock electric vehicle which contains an already established network of ECU’s. The …

Navigate The World Of Rfid: Diversity, Capabilities, And Constraints Of Readers And Tags, Rachana Pandey

2024 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, a method for storing and retrieving data through electromagnetic transmission to an RFID tag, is revolutionizing inventory and asset management in various sectors, including healthcare. This research explores the applications of RFID in a medical setting. It assesses various RFID readers and tags, focusing on their functional capabilities, ranges, and limitations within a medical environment. Employing a comprehensive approach, the study integrates an extensive literature review, comparative analysis, and empirical data from both experimental simulations and real-world healthcare scenarios. The aim is to identify RFID solutions that optimize surgical equipment management, thereby enhancing both operational efficiency …

Establishing Employee Sense Of Belonging In A Busy Work Environment, Zoe A. Rodriguez

2024 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

This honors thesis capstone project explores the concept of an employee’s sense of belonging within a busy work environment. A department within ABC Company faces operational challenges regarding their daily tasks. The Honors contribution addresses the comparison between the busy work environment at ABC Company and existing literature to provide scholarly-supported recommendations and mitigation strategies for ABC Company. Existing literature underscores the importance of understanding contributing influences on an employee’s sense of belonging within the workplace. The honors contribution adds value by closing the information gap within companies that operate under a busy work environment and strategies of how to …

Review: Implementation Of Video Documentation In Lessons Learned System In Construction, Jainil Patel

2024 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Organizations employ Lessons Learned Systems (LLS) to manage knowledge and capture valuable project experiences to improve future performance. However, the construction industry has yet to adopt such systems widely, presumably due to its sluggish tech integration and risk-prone characteristics. Of the numerous fragmented obstacles that impede LLS adoption, one noteworthy obstacle would be the challenge faced during the text documentation of experiences. Traditional text inputs are labor-intensive and time- consuming. Hence, video documentation can be a more efficient replacement with its quick and modern recording features. The technological advancement and the preference shift of younger generations from text to video …

Effectivity Analysis Of Recommendation Algorithm: A Comparative Study Of The Performance Of A Hybrid Model And An Individual Recommendation Algorithm, Saniah Safat

2024 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

This study explores the effectiveness of a hybrid recommendation system for e-commerce by integrating content-based, collaborative, and popularity-based models. Traditional individual algorithms have inherent limitations, such as handling new users or items data sparsity and ensuring relevance and diversity in suggestions. The hybrid model seeks to overcome these challenges by leveraging the strengths of all three methods, thus potentially offering more precise, personalized product suggestions. The performance of each model and its integration into a hybrid system are evaluated through logistic regression analysis. Initial results indicate that the hybrid system significantly outperforms the individual models in terms of accuracy and …

Investigating Rural Traffic Dynamics: A Traffic Study On E 2nd Street Intersection’S Behavior And Safety, Ma Anjelika Rose T. Pineda

2024 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Traffic studies guide engineers in designing road networks to ensure smooth traffic flow and public safety. Such studies assess the need for traffic control devices to manage vehicle flow safely and efficiently. This is crucial at intersections which pose high risks of collision and congestion. A traffic analysis at the intersection of Island Grove and E 2nd Street on the FM-4 roadway in Cleburne, TX was conducted to evaluate the sufficiency of the current traffic control device. TxDOT warrants and standards and a field study were utilized and performed to justify the substitution for a traffic signal at the intersection. …

An Assessment Of Methane Cracking Technologies For Hydrogen Production And Reduction Of Greenhouse Gases, Alisa E. Pjetrovic

2024 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Methane reformation and methane pyrolysis involve separating, or cracking, the components of methane, leading to the production of hydrogen gas, and in the case of pyrolysis, solid carbon. Because methane is known as a leading cause of climate change, these technologies are gaining attention as the global community moves to address methane as a greenhouse gas. This study aims to assess, through a systematic literature review, the current state-of-the-art methane cracking technologies based on seven technology criteria: hydrogen production capability, environmental impact, value of carbon produced, reaction stability, operating temperature requirements, energy requirements, and Technology Readiness Level (TRL). This study …

Constructing An Interpretable Deep Learning Framework Utilizing Variational Autoencoder Latent Space For Part-Prototype Learning, Shiska Raut

Computer Science and Engineering Theses - Archive

What visual attributes do cats have in common, and what features set them apart from dogs? How are we able to tell the difference between the two? While we do not fully understand the mechanism humans use for object detection, one popular theory suggests that it boils down to identifying distinct visual features specific to each object. For example, all cats have vertical slit-shaped pupils when their eyes are constricted, which is something we do not see in dogs. These slit-shaped pupils are a feature ‘prototypical’ to cats. Object classification is a computer vision task that involves identifying and categorizing …

Amplification-Free Rapid Detection Of Specific Oligonucleotides Through Formation Of Core-Satellite Nanostructures On Solid Substrates, Vineet Kumar Jayakrishnan

Material Science and Engineering Theses - Archive

A rapid, portable, and highly sensitive method for detecting specific pathogens like Covid-19 would be invaluable for public health and emergency responses. The current standards like PCR and RT-PCR, are incredibly sensitive but also time-consuming, require skilled personnel, and demand substantial lab space. Here, we propose an alternative method capable of detecting specific oligonucleotide sequences within just 3 minutes, using a portable silicon or glass substrate (6 mm x 9 mm). We demonstrated this using 67-mer oligonucleotides with a Covid-19 sequence as a model system, achieving a detection sensitivity down to 1 nM. Our approach involves sandwiching target COVID-19 oligonucleotides …

Development Of Advanced Instrumentation For High-Enthalpy Flow Characterization For The Onr-Uta Arc-Jet ”Leste” Facility, Ian Raybon

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Sustained hypersonic flight is an exceedingly challenging task comprised of a myriad of complex physical processes. At hypersonic speeds, which is defined by the presence of unique phenomena like high-temperature nonequilibrium flow, viscous and vorticity interactions, and thin shock layers, which are not seen in supersonic, transonic, or subsonic vehicles, the vehicle design is principally driven by the high levels of aerodynamic heating caused by the conversion of kinetic energy to internal energy. Gaining an understanding of how these physical processes interact with each other is required to develop a design methodology for this class of vehicles. Arc-jet wind tunnels …

Long-Term Simulation Of Stem Cell Mechanobiology, Manoochehr Rabiei

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Dissertations - Archive

An accurate representation of cellular mechanobiology necessitates the inclusion of subcellular elements characterized by minute masses and dimensions. These minute objects yield multiscale dynamic models with disproportionate terms, which require inordinate amounts of computational time to simulate. The computational requirements limit the time span of the simulation to time histories shorter than one second, even when employing supercomputers. This work presents a high-speed approach to simulating the mechanobiology of stem cells. The proposed approach separates the computational time from the size, and distribution, of masses of the subcellular elements, enabling the simulation of weeks-long cellular processes within hours on a …