Engineering Commons^™

Adversarial Voltage Transients In Multi-Tenant Fpga Environments, Andrew J. Gerber

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a special type of computer chip that can be reconfigured to implement a nearly unlimited number of functions. Recent trends have led some companies to offer cloud-based FPGA solutions. Researchers are exploring how to properly secure multi-tenant environments where the designs from two or more customers are placed on the same FPGA with logical and spatial isolation, though multi-tenancy is not yet commercially available in cloud FPGAs. The digital circuits within an FPGA require a clock to synchronize timing within the design. The maximum speed that this clock can run at is determined …

Game Changing Education: Empowering High School Stem Teachers To Teach Engineering Using Games, Leslie Brown

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

In response to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) released in 2013, there was a nationwide push for K-12 schools to include engineering concepts in science classrooms. However, there is an overall lack of teacher preparedness and training towards engineering topics as shown by common engineering misconceptions. To improve this issue, I initiated a qualitative study to describe the strategies and attitudes of high school science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teachers that have implemented game-based, engineering activities into their classroom. Game-based learning is an instructional framework that utilizes game-like elements in a classroom and was used in this study …

Strategies For Increasing Methane Removal In Methanotroph Bench-Scale Systems For The Production Of Ectoine, Jaden Storrer

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Anthropogenic methane emissions contribute to the greenhouse gas profile which is the chief cause of climate change. One significant source of methane emissions is biogas produced from bacteria in wastewater facilities and landfills. Methane rich biogas has the potential to be valorized into high value bioproducts by using methanotrophs (microbes that use methane as their primary carbon source). Methylotuvimicrobium alcaliphilum 20Z was selected for this study as it can generate ectoine when grown in highly saline environments. Ectoine has been proven to have many benefits such as it prevents protein denaturation, it has hydration properties, and is a UV protectant. …

Investigating Changes In Hydroclimate, Land Cover, And Evapotranspiration Across The Great Salt Lake Basin And Its Major Subbasins, Bhuwan Ghimire

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The Great Salt Lake (GSL) is a lake of environmental and economic importance for Utah, and in recent years lake levels have declined to critically low levels. The lake level is dependent on the balance between the inflow and outflow. Inflow into the lake is governed primarily by the streamflow originating from the Bear, Weber and Jordan River basins (GSL subbasins), direct precipitation over the lake and groundwater entering into the lake. The GSL is a terminal lake, with outflow via evaporation from the lake.

In this study, we examined hydrologic processes within the river basins that relate to streamflow …

Aerobic Biodegradation Of Algae-Derived Bioplastics Under Controlled Composting Conditions, Clayton J. Lords

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Plastics are versatile polymers that have become critically important materials in many industries. Although plastics are important and useful materials, they account for vast amounts of environmental pollution and climate change contribution. Sustainable bioproducts are becoming increasingly important in the effort to mitigate the impacts of pollution and climate change. The scale of environmental damage caused by plastic pollution highlights the need to implement sustainably sourced biodegradable plastics within the global economy. Bioplastics are materials that may be manufactured from biological materials or can biodegrade under certain conditions. Algae are microorganisms that can be grown using nutrient-rich municipal wastewater; the …

Water Use By Irrigated Turfgrass And Connections To Climate And Biophysical Processes, Karem Meza

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Urbanization and limited water supply and storage result in imbalanced urban water budgets. Quantification of water use becomes important in urban landscapes because urban turfgrass requires a significant amount of water and competes with other urban requirements. Evapotranspiration (ET) plays a crucial role in determining irrigation needs. Credible measurements and spatial estimates of urban turfgrass ET are needed for urban water management. However, these have not been addressed in urban landscapes in arid and semiarid regions. Despite estimating spatial urban turfgrass ET, turfgrass quality linked to ET has not been widely evaluated. Due to different environmental conditions, the driving forces …

Analyzing Microalgae-Bacteria Population Changes In Response To Environmental Parameters For Improved Wastewater Treatment, Amanda M. Moravek

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Microalgae are incredible organisms that have a variety of uses such as wastewater treatment, fertilizer, livestock feed, and bio-compound production. Microalgae require a light source and minimal nutrients space to proliferate, making them an environmentally friendly and sustainable option for such processes. The Sustainable Wastes-to-Bioproducts Engineering Center at Utah State University is developing and implementing a Rotating Algae Biofilm Reactor (RABR) to remove total nitrogen and phosphorous from the Central Valley Wastewater Reclamation Facility wastewater effluent. Harmful compounds such as nitrates and phosphates are metabolized by the microalgae and converted into useful bioproducts, resulting in a circular economy. These RABRs …

Scheduling Charging For Fleets Of Battery Electric Vehicles: Techniques For Modeling And Real-Time Operation, Justin J. Whitaker

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

While electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming increasingly popular and can provide cost, maintenance, and environmental benefits, they present unique challenges for regular operation, especially in fleets of vehicles. The limited range, long charging times, and high power requirements of EVs complicate the operations of fleets comprised of EVs. Additionally, the charging costs of EVs can be complex, depending on the time of charging, the energy charged, and the power level of the charging session. These complex charging costs can be significantly affected by the presence of uncontrolled loads. These challenges are further complicated by the inevitable variations in the real …

Effects Of Light Intensity On Algae Biofilms In Rotating Algae Biofilm Reactors (Rabr), Joshua D. Wintch

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

There is a growing need for economically and ecologically friendly wastewater treatment processes. Utilizing natural algae biofilms to remediate excess nitrogen and phosphorus from municipal wastewater is a treatment technique of academic interest. Utilizing natural algae in rotating algae biofilm reactors (RABR) is a potential engineering application of algae biofilms for municipal wastewater anaerobic digestor effluent treatment. The ideal reactor operation would use sunlight as the light source for algae growth, however, there is little academic research on algae biofilm growth productivity across natural sunlight light intensity ranges. This research seeks to understand the relationship between rotating algae biofilm reactor …

Quantifying The Threshold For Fragmentation Of Newtonian And Non-Newtonian Drops, Aditya Parik

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This dissertation investigates how the properties of liquid drops influence the minimum aerodynamic forces needed to cause the drop to fragment (breakup). For this work, we focus only on aerodynamic forces that are applied on a stationary drop by a sudden, uniform flow, a process called impulsive acceleration. Previous studies have largely focused on the fragmentation of spherical drops of Newtonian fluids (liquids with constant viscosity, like water), when impulsively accelerated in air-like ambient medium. Such systems only capture a limited range of drop and ambient properties (described by non-dimensional groups). Many real-world applications, such as aerial fire retardant delivery, …

Calculation Of Aerodynamic Surface Sensitivities Using The Adjoint Method In A Subsonic/Supersonic Panel Code, Nathan H. Hoch

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

An aircraft’s shape has a direct impact on the lift and drag it produces. In the early stages of designing an aircraft on a computer, engineers work to improve aircraft performance and efficiency by considering various shapes and configurations. Engineers use computer programs to analyze different designs and predict how each would perform in real-world conditions. Once an approximate aircraft shape is selected, adjustments to the shape can further improve the aircraft’s lift and drag characteristics. Engineers calculate a set of values called sensitivities that indicate which parts of the geometry should be changed to increase lift or reduce drag. …

Sensitivity Analysis Of A High-Power Wireless Power Transfer Charging Pad For Heavy-Duty Electric Vehicles To Inform Thermal Management, Jorge A. Hernandez-Ramiro

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

As the world shifts to net zero carbon emissions, many challenges lie ahead. Currently, heavy-duty vehicles produce a large amount of pollutants that are released into the air, affecting air quality in small and large cities. Transitioning heavy-duty vehicles, such as trucks and buses, into electric vehicles can help resolve this problem.

Electric vehicles and the infrastructure to support them are becoming a viable solution to combating climate change. By no means is electrification perfect yet. Concerns like range anxiety have made the transition to electrifying transportation a slow process. However, implementing Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) charging pads is a …

Exploring Variations In High-Resolution Downstream Hydraulic Geometry Of The Logan River, Gabriel V. Benitez

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Rivers are dynamic systems that change shape due to natural events like floods, landslides, and wildfires, as well as human-made structures like bridges. These changes create unique and complex river patterns. However, measuring these changes accurately is challenging because traditional field surveys are time-consuming and often focus on easily accessible areas, which may not represent the whole river. Thanks to new high-resolution mapping technology and detailed river flow records, we can now see these changes in greater detail than ever before.

In this study, we focused on the Logan River, which flows through a canyon with a mix of rocky …

Uv-A Light And Heat-Activated Antimicrobial And Biodegradable Materials For Food Packaging And Preservation, Michael J. Bodily

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Current food packaging materials are often non-biodegradable and harmful for ingestion, which poses a threat to the environment and public health. Thus far, the dangers of microbial contamination of food on human health have outweighed the risks associated with using these conventional packaging plastics. A possible solution to these issues is to use a combination of innovative materials and microbial inactivation methods that can potentially both reduce plastic waste and combat harmful microorganisms. In this study, two antimicrobial, biodegradable composites were developed and tested for their ability to inactivate two types of bacterium, Escherichia coli K12 and Listeria innocua, …

Lidar Scene Reconstruction Using Imagery And Frame Overlap From A Texel Camera, Blake Chamberlain

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

A small unmanned aerial vehicle (sUAV) can be used to reconstruct a large area of terrain by capturing 3D scans, consisting of LiDAR point clouds and an overlaid image, and combining the scans together. Forming a complete 3D scene using texel image data (fused LiDAR and digital image scans) from an entire flight can be computationally prohibitive on low-cost hardware, so combining registering scans is done using a streaming method which processes the scans in consecutive chunks. Depending on the flight pattern, matching points in the scene may be visible from scans which were not captured around the same time, …

A Laboratory Study On The Hydraulics Of Stepped Spillways: Effects Of Step Geometry And A Labyrinth Crest, Megh Raj K C

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Observed trends in extreme storms are affecting the safety of several embankment dams. Spillways are critical for safely conveying excess water in the reservoir over the dam and into the downstream river, yet many dams that were built over 40 years ago have undersized spillways to handle modern flood estimates requiring repairs and upgrades. Consequently, a unique spillway crest, the labyrinth weir, has been used as a cost-effective improvement for numerous projects to enhance discharge capacity of existing weirs. Another cost-effective option for overtopping protection due is to place a less expensive concrete, Roller-Compacted Concrete (RCC), over the dam to …

A Laboratory Study Of Local Scour And Driftwood Effects At A Type A Piano Key Weir, Manisha Panthi

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Piano key weirs are a unique weir designed to increase the amount of flow that passes over it via its zig-zag shape (similar to the rectangular shape of keys of a piano). With its relatively small footprint, they are becoming more popular to upgrade existing water management projects and are also being used in new construction works. However, there is little information available regarding how these weirs handle sediment and driftwood. Additional information will help researchers and designers to understand the challenges of upstream sediment buildup, driftwood accumulation, and the effects of floods on downstream scour with viable protection measures. …

Investigating Stability Of Cone-Derived Hypersonic Waverider Vehicles Via Design Space Exploration, Adam S. Weaver

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

It may come as no surprise that man-made objects flying at 5, 10, or even 25 the speed of sound (termed hypersonic) are difficult to design, inefficient in flight, and expensive to deploy. Most hypersonic vehicles are effectuated in ballistics, which simplify aerodynamic considerations owing to their fixed trajectory. However, maneuverable hypersonic vehicles can revolutionize commercial flight, national defense, and space travel. One candidate for such missions are waverider vehicles. Waverider vehicles cruise on a cushion of air generated by its own shock wave, essentially enjoying extra lift without any extra drag penalties (which are usually inherent to extra …

Irrigation Performance Connection To Water Quality In Big Creek, Sena Bildim

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Due to new technologies and improved water management strategies, sprinkler irrigation systems are becoming more common in Utah and nearby areas. These systems are generally thought to be more efficient, but their effects on water quality are not well understood. This study focuses on the Big Creek watershed, which flows into Bear Lake—an area where water quality concerns are increasing.

The purpose of this research was to explore how different irrigation systems—sprinkler and surface—affect both water use and water quality. Field tests were conducted to measure how evenly water was applied and how efficient each system was. Water and soil …

Increasing The Spatial Resolution Of Snow Hydrology Data And Augmenting Existing Hydrology Monitoring Networks Using Low-Cost Snow Sensing Stations, Braedon Dority

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Snow is a crucial part of the water cycle, especially in mountainous regions where melting snow provides water for millions of people. However, accurately measuring how much water is stored in snow is challenging. Current monitoring networks, such as the snowpack telemetry (SNOTEL) network in the western United States, provide valuable data, but have gaps in coverage and are expensive to operate and expand. This research explores a more affordable way to improve snow measurements by designing and testing low-cost snow sensing stations. These stations use open-source datalogger and software technology along with research-grade sensors to measure important snow variables. …

Quantifying Buoyancy-Driven Exchange Flows Over Obstacle At The Great Salt Lake Using Rans Cfd, Mohammad Ikram Hossain Talukdar

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This study examines how barriers, such as berms, affect the movement of water in the Great Salt Lake in Utah. The lake experiences two types of water flow: one, called a unidirectional gravity current, where denser water flows in a single direction, and another, known as buoyancy-driven exchange flow, where water flows in two opposite directions due to differences in both water density and surface elevation. These flows are important for understanding how water mixes and moves between the northern and southern parts of the lake. Using computer models, we simulated how these two types of water flows behave when …

Surface Vortex Mitigation At Submerged Intakes, Camren Todd

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Surface vortices at submerged intakes entrain air, convey debris, and reduce efficiency. This research investigates the effect of lid geometry on mitigation of surface vortices at submerged intakes in the context of still reservoirs. Six lid geometries were evaluated: three solid lids of increasing diameter, two lids with perforations, and one lid fitted with a downward curtain. Vortex severity was measured by Alden’s vortex type rating scale, surface-dimple diameter, and qualitative video analysis.

The perforated lid extension and the curtain configurations were most effective at mitigating vortices. The curtain configuration negated all surface swirling by redirecting a portion of the …

Blind Construction Of A Party Check Matrix For Arbitrary Linear Block Codes, Aaron J. Womack

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Communication systems are systems in which a transmitter sends data across a channel to a receiver. In any modern communication system, Forward Error Correction (FEC) is used to detect and correct errors that occur during transmission. As communication systems have developed over the years, many FEC algorithms have been proposed. Each FEC algorithm has parameters that can be selected based on the needs of the communication system. Typically, the transmitter and receiver are both aware of the FEC parameters, but in some cases the receiver may not know how the transmitter encoded its message. In this case, the receiver must …

Dynamics Of Rotating 2d Ellipse In Stratified Flow, Anton G. Kadomtsev

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Submersible vehicles that move through seawater are subjected to a variety of effects. Seawater has a non-uniform density because of uneven heating and the tendency of dense saltwater to sink. This non-uniform density distribution induced by gravity is known as stratification and introduces vertical confinement and internal gravity waves to flows around bodies. Along with translational motion, these vehicles also perform rotational motion. To identify the effects of density gradient, body shape, and rotation on the flow, 2D direct numerical simulations (DNS) are run and analyzed. The simulations are conducted using the open-source CFD solver Nek5000, utilizing its overset-grid-based methodology. …

Estimation Of Breach Hydrograph Resulting From Dam Embankment Failure Due To Internal Erosion Or Overtopping: Comparison Of Simplified Methods With Real-Case Failure Data And Recommendations, Laurent Del Gatto, Jean-Robert Courivaud

5th International Seminar on Dam Protections Against Overtopping

The opening of a breach in an embankment dam, whether due to overtopping or internal erosion, is a critical failure mode for these structures. Estimating the resulting breach hydrograph is essential for assessing downstream risks. While no universal physical model covers all dam types, empirical formulas are commonly used. EDF analyzed 14 such formulas, comparing them with rupture data from 32 embankment dam failures. The best formulas - Froehlich 1995, Xu & Zhang 2009, and CLF 2020 - yield a “best estimate” for peak flow. However, due to variability, results should be interpreted cautiously. Consider estimating breach characteristics like width …

Breach Modeling Flume Tests, R. M. Monteiro-Alves, R. Moran, M. Á. Toledo, M. Morris, C. Picault, J-R. Courivaud

5th International Seminar on Dam Protections Against Overtopping

From previous flume tests conducted in the framework of the OVERCOME Project, intended to investigate the effect of different soil materials, overflow discharges, and upstream face watertightness on the breaching processes of overflowed levee sections, we determined the need for further investigation on the effect of test repeatability, content of fines and armouring caused by the coarser particles. This document presents the results of this new set of tests which have shown an impact of these variables on the breach macro erosion processes, erosion rates and breach dimensions.

Physically Based Assessment Of Flow Resistance In Stepped Chutes, T. L. Wahl, B. J. Heiner, K. R. Smithgall, C. C. Shupe, J. Falkenstine

5th International Seminar on Dam Protections Against Overtopping

Existing physically based methods for estimating stepped chute friction factors or energy dissipation rates consider relative step height and relative step-tip spacing to be key factors, but do not fully account for chute slope and associated step orientation. For slopes steeper than 45° each step acts as an offset into the flow, while for flatter slopes each step presents an offset away from the flow, but methods that consider only the step-tip spacing do not account for this difference. Furthermore, most experimental studies have been performed in open channel spillway models, where two-phase air-water flow and variable flow depths make …

Ahead Of His Time? A Reanalysis Of The Air-Tunnel Stepped Chute Studies Of Marcos José Tozzi, T. L. Wahl, J. A. Higgs, J. Matos

5th International Seminar on Dam Protections Against Overtopping

Stepped spillways offer energy dissipation advantages and construction efficiencies over smooth spillway chutes. Energy dissipation is typically estimated using empirical relations that depend on chute slope, unit discharge and relative step height. Open-channel tests of model spillways experience self-aerated air-water flow downstream from the aeration inception point, and the presence of air dramatically affects energy dissipation and flow depth, making it difficult to separately determine the effects of step geometry and other basic flow properties. The 1992 doctoral dissertation of Marcos José Tozzi from the Polytechnic School of the University of São Paulo included open channel stepped spillway tests with …

Hydraulic Measurements In A Saf Stilling Basin With A Stepped Chute For Embankment Protection, B. M. Crookston, N. Young

5th International Seminar on Dam Protections Against Overtopping

Stepped chutes have become commonplace in embankment dam rehabilitation projects due to project economy, constructability, and improved chute energy dissipation. Consequently, for applications where a stilling basin is merited the interaction of stepped chutes and stilling basins is of high interest. A commonly used stilling basin type for many smaller embankment dams, the St. Anthony Falls stilling basin (SAF), has no specific hydraulic design guidance for use downstream of a stepped chute. Therefore, this study was conducted at the Utah Water Research Laboratory in a flume with 0.1 m tall steps, a total drop height of 1.8 m, and an …

2d Probabilistic Scour Model For Predicting The Time-Rate Of Scour For Spillways And Overtopping Dams Based On The Erodibility Index Method, M. F. George, G. W. Annandale

5th International Seminar on Dam Protections Against Overtopping

Time-dependent prediction of rock scour for dams and spillways has largely remained elusive given limited available data on rock erosion rate parameters in literature. Recently, a theoretical framework for determining the rate of rock scour was developed by Annandale (2025), enhancing the Erodibility Index Method (EIM). The EIM is the most commonly used and accepted approach for evaluation of scour in rock for dam applications. This theoretical framework has been incorporated into the 2D probabilistic jet impingement scour model (George & Annandale, 2023) so that scour progression due to head-cutting in a spillway channel (lined or unlined) or overtopping onto …