Engineering Commons^™

Engineering Students Attend Concrete Bowling Ball Competition, Usu College Of Engineering

College of Engineering News

Four engineering students at Utah State University participated in the 2018 FRC Bowling Ball Competition in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Nasa Launches Usu Student-Built Experiment Into Space | College Of Engineering, Usu College Of Engineering

College of Engineering News

After long delays caused by storms and rough seas, NASA on Sunday launched a rocket into space carrying an experiment built by students at Utah State University.

Functional Trait Differences Between Native Bunchgrasses And The Invasive Grass Bromus Tectorum, Huiqin H.E., Thomas A. Monaco, Thomas A. Jones

Forage and Range Research Laboratory Publications

We conducted 30- and 60-d greenhouse experiments to compare functional traits of Bromus tectorum (invasive annual grass) and four perennial bunchgrasses under well-watered or drought conditions. Even under drought, B. tectorum experienced significantly less stress (i.e., higher xylem pressure potential and greater shoot water content, water use per day and water-use efficiency) and biomass production than the perennial grasses after 30 d. However, after 60 d, its superiority was reduced under infrequent watering. Differences among perennial grasses were more pronounced for physiological traits under infrequent watering and for morphological traits under frequent watering. Elymus multisetus (fastgrowing species) had a higher …

Red Hot: Researchers Develop Imaging Test For Glowing Rocket Engines | College Of Engineering, Usu College Of Engineering

College of Engineering News

Researchers at Utah State University are learning more about how extreme temperatures affect the structural integrity of rocket engines.

3d Tissue Engineering, An Emerging Technique For Pharmaceutical Research, Gregory Jensen, Christian Morrill, Yu Huang

Biological Engineering Faculty Publications

Tissue engineering and the tissue engineering model have shown promise in improving methods of drug delivery, drug action, and drug discovery in pharmaceutical research for the attenuation of the central nervous system inflammatory response. Such inflammation contributes to the lack of regenerative ability of neural cells, as well as the temporary and permanent loss of function associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and traumatic brain injury. This review is focused specifically on the recent advances in the tissue engineering model made by altering scaffold biophysical and biochemical properties for use in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. …

Trident: A Comprehensive Timing Error Resilient Technique Against Choke Points At Ntc., Aatreyi Bal, Sanghamitra Roy, Koushik Chakraborty

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Near Threshold Computing (NTC) systems have been inherently plagued with heightened process variation (PV) sensitivity. Choke points are an intriguing manifestation of this PV sensitivity. In this paper, we explore the probability of minimum timing violations, caused by choke points, in an NTC system and, their non-Trivial impacts on the system reliability. We show that conventional timing error mitigation techniques are inefficient in tackling choke point induced minimum timing violations. Consequently, we propose a comprehensive error mitigation technique, Trident, to tackle choke points, at NTC. Trident offers a 1.37x performance improvement and a 1.1x energy efficiency gain over Razor at …

Congratulation A-Pin Recipients | College Of Engineering, Usu College Of Engineering

College of Engineering News

Interim College of Engineering Dean Dr. Jagath Kaluarachchi and department heads from across the College of Engineering on Thursday recognized sixteen students for receiving the prestigious A-Pin award.

Charpy Impact Test Methods For Cementitious Composites: Review And Commentary, Robert J. Thomas, Andrew D. Sorensen

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Several researchers have recently employed the Charpy method to characterize the high strain rate mechanical strength of cementitious composites. This paper provides a critical review of existing applications of the Charpy method for impact testing of cementitious composites. Studies have employed various specimen sizes and geometries. Additionally, some studies have tested notched specimens while others have tested plain. Furthermore, varying methods of normalization result in results reported in a variety of incompatible units. The lack of consistency between studies limits the basis for comparison and the ability to validate results, which demonstrates a clear need for a standardized method for …

Promoting Mathematics Education In Dual-Language Education Programs In Spanish Towards A Growing Understanding Of Engineering, Marialuisa Di Stefano, Idalis Villanueva

Engineering Education Faculty Publications

This work addresses the lack of a national guidance for the integration of mathematics and engineering in the Dual Language Education (DLE) programs in Spanish. Participants will learn about the impact of DLE programs on Latina/o students, and explore potential guidelines and strategies to implement mathematics and engineering in DLE schools. Educators and program developers, advocating for the integration of STEM knowledge in DLE programs in their district(s)/school(s), would particularly benefit from this session.

Water Main Break Rates In The Usa And Canada: A Comprehensive Study, Steven Folkman

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

The economic prosperity of modern cities is based on a complex infrastructure network located both above and below ground. A critical component to public health and economic well-being is our drinking water which is brought to the tap through an elaborate network of underground pipe distribution systems. Since most of this infrastructure is underground, it is out of sight and often neglected. Empirical data on water main breaks helps utilities in their repair and replacement decision making processes in order to deliver clean drinking water to their customers at an affordable price. This report documents the survey results of water …

Les Taux De Rupture De Conduites D’Eau Aux États-Unis Et Au Canada : Une Étude Complète, Steven Folkman

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

La prospérité économique des villes modernes est basée sur un réseau d’infrastructures complexe à la fois en surface et sous la terre. Un élément essentiel pour la santé publique et le bien-être économique est notre eau potable, qui est acheminée jusqu’à notre robinet à travers un réseau complexe de conduites de distribution d’eau souterraines. Étant donné que la plus grande partie de cette infrastructure se trouve sous terre, elle est hors de vue et souvent négligée. Disposer de données empiriques sur des ruptures de conduites d’eau aide les services publics avec leurs processus de prises de décision quant aux réparations …

Combinations Of Plant Water-Stress And Neonicotinoids Can Lead To Secondary Outbreaks Of Banks Grass Mite (Oligonychus Pratensis Banks), Alice Ruckert, L. Niel Allen, Ricardo A. Ramirez

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Spider mites, a cosmopolitan pest of agricultural and landscape plants, thrive under hot and dry conditions, which could become more frequent and extreme due to climate change. Recent work has shown that neonicotinoids, a widely used class of systemic insecticides that have come under scrutiny for non-target effects, can elevate spider mite populations. Both water-stress and neonicotinoids independently alter plant resistance against herbivores. Yet, the interaction between these two factors on spider mites is unclear, particularly for Banks grass mite (Oligonychus pratensis; BGM). We conducted a field study to examine the effects of water-stress (optimal irrigation = 100% …

Advancing Distributed Data Management For The Hydroshare Hydrologic Information System, Hong Yi, Ray Idaszak, Michael Stealey, Chris Calloway, Alva L. Couch, David G. Tarboton

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

HydroShare (https://www.hydroshare.org) is an online collaborative system to support the open sharing of hydrologic data, analytical tools, and computer models. Hydrologic data and models are often large, extending to multi-gigabyte or terabyte scale, and as a result, the scalability of centralized data management poses challenges for a system such as HydroShare. A distributed data management framework that enables distributed physical data storage and management in multiple locations thus becomes a necessity. We use the iRODS (Integrated Rule-Oriented Data System) data grid middleware as the distributed data storage and management back end in HydroShare. iRODS provides a unified virtual file system …

Usu Engineering Faculty Partners With National Federation Of The Blind To Develop Non-Visual Teaching Methods | College Of Engineering, Usu College Of Engineering

College of Engineering News

A researcher at Utah State University is developing non-visual techniques to teach the fundamentals of engineering to students who are blind or low vision.

Upending Assumptions In Engineering Education | College Of Engineering, Usu College Of Engineering

College of Engineering News

It doesn’t make Idalis Villanueva uncomfortable to confront assumptions.

Walking (And Cycling) To Well-Being: Modal And Other Determinants Of Subjective Well-Being During The Commute, Patrick A. Singleton

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Although transportation’s impacts on physical health are relatively well-established, the relationship between transportation and subjective well-being (SWB) has been the subject of recent focus. Policymakers attempt to improve the health and well-being of populations through interventions to improve transportation experiences and promote sustainable transport modes, while researchers studying these connections seek valid and reliable measures of SWB in the travel domain. Studies consistently find travel by walking and bicycling to be rated more positively than automobile travel, yet many use single measures of travel SWB, obscuring nuanced variations between modes.

Using the results of a Portland, Oregon, survey of nearly …

Review Of The Utah Snow Load Study, Marc Maguire, Brennan Bean, Yan Sun

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Proper consideration of snow loads in building design can be a delicate balancing act:

• Underestimates lead to structure failure
• Overestimates lead to increased construction costs

Aerial Imagery Gives Insight Into Water Trends | College Of Engineering, Usu College Of Engineering

College of Engineering News

With an ever-growing human population and its inherent demand for water, there is a critical need to monitor water resources.

Usu Students Present At 41st Annual Astronautical Conference, Usu College Of Engineering

College of Engineering News

Five engineering students from Utah State University attended the 41st Annual AAS Guidance, Navigation and Control Conference in Breckenridge, Colo.

Battle Of The Blooms | Sustainable Waste-To-Bioproducts Engineering Center, Usu College Of Engineering

College of Engineering News

Harmful algal blooms or HABs for short are a growing problem in the United States and many parts of the world.

The Development Of A Learning Dashboard For Lecturers: A Case Study On A Student-Centered E-Learning Environment, Harry B. Santoso, Alivia Khaira Batuparan, R. Yugo K. Isal, Wade H. Goodridge

Engineering Education Faculty Publications

Student Centered e-Learning Environment (SCELE) is a Moodle-based learning management system (LMS) that has been modified to enhance learning within a computer science department curriculum offered by the Faculty of Computer Science of large public university in Indonesia. This Moodle provided a mechanism to record students’ activities when engaged in learning with e-Learning software. However, while the software captured the data and presented it adequately, there is room for enhancement and further refinement. The purpose of this research is to investigate and understand lecturer needs as they monitor student activities in SCELE and then develop a learning monitoring tool capable …

Students' And Instructor's Perspective On The Use Of Blackboard Platform For Delivering An Engineering Course, Jacek Uziak, M. Tunde Oladiran, Edmund Lorencowicz, Kurt Becker

Engineering Education Faculty Publications

The use of Information Technology (IT) has been growing over the years in various human endeavours. It has also been adopted in education sector for teaching and learning. Various studies have been conducted to assess the effectiveness and acceptance of e-learning strategy by students. In particular, the current research is an attempt to obtain students’ and instructor’s perspective on the use of Blackboard software. The technology is a course management system used in a blended learning mode to deliver a third year mechanical engineering course at the University of Botswana (UB). In terms of students’ views, the study covered a …

Accelerating The Implementation Of Secondary Water Metering In Utah, Western Resource Advocates

All In-stream Flows Material

Utah is one of the fastest-growing states in the US, ⁱ and among the most arid. Water conservation has been identified by the state and many local communities as a key strategy for managing water supplies under these conditions. ⁱⁱ

Electric Power Systems Successfully Tests Batteries With Nasa At Usu Blast Lab | Utah State University Power Electronics Lab, Usu College Of Engineering

College of Engineering News

The Utah Power Electronics Lab (UPEL) is pleased to announce the completion of a successful battery test with Electric Power Systems (EP Systems) and NASA.

Usu Professor And Alum Patent New Heart Rate Estimation Technology | College Of Engineering, Usu College Of Engineering

College of Engineering News

Researchers at Utah State University don’t need an Apple Watch or stethoscope to measure your heartbeat. They only need a video camera.

Usu Researcher Develops Technology For Dream Chaser® Spacecraft | College Of Engineering, Usu College Of Engineering

College of Engineering News

A Utah State University researcher was among those celebrating a recent successful test flight of the Dream Chaser spacecraft.

Usu Engineering Faculty Named Educator Of The Year | College Of Engineering, Usu College Of Engineering

College of Engineering News

Marc Maguire, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Utah State University, was named Educator of the Year by the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute.

Modeling Air Traffic Situation Complexity With A Dynamic Weighted Network Approach, Hongyong Wang, Ziqi Song, Ruiying Wen

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

In order to address the flight delays and risks associated with the forecasted increase in air traffic, there is a need to increase the capacity of air traffic management systems. This should be based on objective measurements of traffic situation complexity. In current air traffic complexity research, no simple means is available to integrate airspace and traffic flow characteristics. In this paper, we propose a new approach for the measurement of air traffic situation complexity. This approach considers the effects of both airspace and traffic flow and objectively quantifies air traffic situation complexity. Considering the aircraft, waypoints, and airways as …

Time-Dependent Transportation Network Design Considering Construction Impact, Yi He, Ziqi Song, Lihui Zhang

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

A traditional discrete network design problem (DNDP) always assumes transportation infrastructure projects to be one-time events and ignores travelers’ delays caused by construction work. In fact, infrastructure construction usually lasts for a long time, and the impact on traffic can be substantial. In this paper, we introduce time dimension into the traditional DNDP to explicitly consider the impact of road construction and adopt an overtime policy to add flexibility to construction duration. We address the problem of selecting road-widening projects in an urban network, determining the optimal link capacity, and designing the schedule of the selected projects simultaneously. A time-dependent …

Between The Lines: Tree Rings Hold Clues About A River’S Past | College Of Engineering, Usu College Of Engineering

College of Engineering News

Hydrologists are looking centuries into the past to better understand an increasingly uncertain water future.