Engineering Commons^™

Vascular Calcification In A Mouse Model Of Chronic Kidney Disease And In Human Peripheral Arterial Disease, Breanna Pederson

Theses and Dissertations

Vascular calcification is a process in which calcium and phosphate crystallize to form hydroxyapatite in the extracellular matrix of blood vessels. There are two forms of arterial calcification: intimal and medial, which occur via different etiologies. Intimal calcification is associated with atherosclerosis and occurs in the layer of endothelial cells adjacent to the artery lumen. Medial arterial calcification (MAC) is independent of atherosclerosis and occurs in the middle, muscular layer of the artery. MAC is strongly associated with aging, diabetes mellitus, and chronic kidney disease (CKD). MAC is frequently in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Most studies to date …

Effect Of Storage Time And Temperature On Aggregation Of Alzheimer's Disease Amyloid-Β Protein, Amy Veihdeffer

Theses and Dissertations

Amyloid-β protein (Aβ) is widely studied due to its key role in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology. One characteristic of patients suffering from AD is the deposition of amyloid plaques comprised of Aβ aggregates, which are associated with synapse damage. Thus, studying Aβ aggregation and aggregation inhibition may provide pathological and therapeutic insights. Aggregation of Aβ is a nucleation dependent process that may be influenced by the presence of pre-formed Aβ aggregate seeds that can facilitate formation of protein aggregates. These seeds may appear during preparation or storage of monomer, posing impact on experiments that study the aggregation process and the …

Evaluation Of Settlement In Poorly Graded Sand With Gravel Under Strain-Controlled Cyclic Triaxial And Dynamic Centrifuge Model Testing Conditions, Elise Jones

Theses and Dissertations

This research evaluates the dynamic behavior and volume change of sand with gravel subjected to cyclic loading. Historically, research on the dynamic behavior of cohesionless soils has primarily focused on the study of liquefaction due to its known implications on soil shear strength loss. Gravelly soil is generally assumed to be less susceptible to liquefaction since its large particle size facilitates drainage during cyclic loading. Gravel’s particle size also makes it difficult to test using standard cyclic shearing laboratory equipment. Thus, there is a lack of widespread research and predictive methods for the dynamic behavior of gravelly soil. Determining the …

Interpretation Of Surface Roughness Of Stainless Steel 316l In Laser Powder Bed Fusion Additive Manufacturing, Tianyu Zhang

Theses and Dissertations

Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF), a widely used metal additive manufacturing (AM) method, is emerging as a key technology in the modern manufacturing industry. Its applications span across aerospace, transportation, energy, and biomedical industries, aiming to maximize product functionality, quality, and manufacturing efficiency.

Surface roughness, an important measure of product quality, impacts geometrical tolerances and plays a critical role in mechanical and functional properties. Although post-process techniques such as machining, shot peening, and chemical processing can be used to refine surfaces, internal surfaces in complex geometries remain difficult to treat, limiting part performance due to undesired surface features. The …

Leveraging The Usage Of Blockchain Towards Trust-Dominated Manufacturing Systems, Philip Joseph Samaha

Theses and Dissertations

Smart Manufacturing has elevated manufacturing processes, transitioning from automated systems to autonomous ones. This evolution has heightened the significance of data within manufacturing facilities. The role of data has evolved from solely monitoring processes to both monitoring and extracting insights from these processes, facilitating precise control. In this context, the data infrastructure plays a critical role, encompassing both internal data circulating within the facility—such as information exchanged between controllers and actuators—and external data transmitted to and from outside entities. When the factory's cyber infrastructure is connected to the internet, security concerns escalate significantly, amplifying associated risks. Therefore, the integration of …

Mechanics Based Characterization Of Elastic Metamaterials, Mamdudur Rahman

Theses and Dissertations

In bandgap engineering there is a shortage of systematic design approach which enables one to select design variables to achieve bandgap in desired frequency range. Tools that can address this can open new areas of interest, especially since phononic crystals with low frequency bandgaps have multitude of applications in attenuation of structural vibration. Furthermore, mechanics-based characterization of phononic crystals had not seen much progress in the recent years while a lot of applied research had been conducted on phononic materials with material phase periodicity and other factors taken into consideration. This work aims to propose a systematic characterization approach of …

Temporal Forecasting Of High-Rate Dynamic Using Physics-Informed Machine Learning And Hardware-Software Co-Design, Puja Chowdhury

Theses and Dissertations

Due to aging, fatigue, corrosion, and even natural disasters; the health of the structure is prone to degradation throughout its service life. The explosively-fast growing efforts on Structural health monitoring (SHM) always try to exploit different aspects of the automation of damage detection, localization, and prognosis tasks. One of the main challenges is the hardware and software co-design to implement the model in real-life situations. On the other hand, the fast-advancing artificial intelligence draws the researchers' attention to adopt different data-driven approaches in this field. This brings other challenges like domain-specific model adaptation, data bias, data scarcity, model validation by …

Sex Differences In Active Avoidance And Neural Circuit Mechanisms In Contextual Fear Generalization, Carly Vincent

Theses and Dissertations

The current studies were aimed to investigate two behavioral hallmarks of anxiety and stress-related disorders, avoidance responses and the over-generalization of fear. In the first set of studies, active avoidance and extinction learning, that parallels exposure therapy in preclinical rodent models, were used. It is known that stress can influence aversive learning and extinction training, which can result in poor extinction retention. However, it is not well understood how the stress response is facilitating extinction resistance in active avoidance learning across sexes. Therefore, the first set of studies aimed to investigate the role of biological sex and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) …

Design And Application Of Redox-Mediated Flow Electrode Electrodialysis For Ion Removal And Recovery, Rongxuan Xie

Theses and Dissertations

To meet the growing demand for freshwater driven by population growth and rising living standards, the first desalination plants were established in the late 1950s. As energy costs have risen over time, research has increasingly focused on reducing the overall cost of water treatment. Electrodialysis (ED), which facilitates the migration of anions and cations across ion exchange membranes under the influence of an electric field, has gained significant attention as a treatment method for saline water and brine due to its simplicity, low cost, and scalability. However, its traditional batch operation mode and the potential for generating flammable gases have …

Autonomous Real-Time Model Updating Within Digital Twin Frameworks For Thermal Systems, Braden Robert Priddy

Theses and Dissertations

As engineering systems increase in scale and complexity in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, data-driven solutions will become essential in enabling the next generation of these systems. One of the trending tools that can aid in this transition is digital twins. As physical systems degrade throughout their life cycles, their behavior also changes. Digital twins use data assimilation to continuously update virtual models to represent the current state of their physical counterparts. A reliable digital twin can be leveraged by a system operator to perform diagnostics, optimize, and tests without ever needing the physical system. However, implementing effective …

Advancement Of The Zinc Ion Battery: Polymer Electrolyte And Electrode Development For Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries, Roya Rajabi

Theses and Dissertations

Rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) have garnered significant attention in recent years as a promising candidate for stationary large-scale energy storage due to their distinct safety features and cost-effectiveness compared to conventional lithium-ion batteries. Despite their great potential, ZIBs are currently facing critical challenges for commercialization, including poor cycle stability at low discharge rates, lower energy density (Wh/kg) and higher self-discharge rate. These issues must be addressed for them to become a viable energy storage solution. The above challenges are fundamentally rooted in the bulk properties of electrolytes and interactions with electrodes, such as; 1) formation of insulating layered double …

Augmented Reality (Ar) And Virtual Reality (Vr)-Based Data Visualization Frameworks For The Manufacturing Industry, Nitol Saha

Theses and Dissertations

Industry 4.0 is transforming the manufacturing industry by integrating digital technologies throughout the production lifecycle, leading to the development of smart factories. The integration of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) alongside smart manufacturing is transforming traditional industry practices by establishing a robust cyber-physical infrastructure, enhanced data visualization, and improved task execution. This thesis aims to develop AR and VR-based data visualization frameworks for the manufacturing industry, focusing on detailed implementation strategies, initial results, and key findings of these frameworks. One major focus of these frameworks is the generalization of the technological assets so that these frameworks can be …

Augmented Reality Based Maintenance Operations And Training, Victor Scott Gadow

Theses and Dissertations

Augmented Reality (AR) is the process of superimposing virtual information on top of objects or other structures in the real-world environment. It is considered one of many paradigms included in the idea of smart manufacturing and can enable a mixture of the other technologies involved. A large increase in research on AR has been seen in the past decade as technologies have begun to evolve to become more robust and reliable. It has been implemented into several key areas of manufacturing such as maintenance, assembly, training, and quality control. The rise of industry 4.0 is changing how data is used …

Characterizing Mechanical Behaviors Of Railroad Ballast Based On Large-Scale Triaxial Tests, Shihao Huang

Theses and Dissertations

Ballast, typically composed of large unbound aggregates with uniform gradation, is essential for the structural integrity of railroad tracks, facilitating load transfer, drainage, and ensuring stability and resilience. The mechanical behaviors of ballast, including shear resistance, resilient modulus, and permanent deformation, are critical for effective railroad design and maintenance, directly impacting track geometry. Degradation of these mechanical properties can lead to significant track-related issues, such as excessive settlement and train derailments, resulting in substantial property damage, injuries, and fatalities. This dissertation aims to characterize mechanical behaviors of railroad ballast from perspectives of aggregate interaction, cyclic loading pulses and climatic conditions, …

Data-Driven Discovery Of Extreme Thermal Materials By High-Throughput Computation And Machine Learning, Joshua Ojih

Theses and Dissertations

The quest for materials with extraordinary properties has been a longstanding endeavor in material science and engineering, driving future technological advancement. However, the discovery of such materials is non-trivial. Recent advancements in computational methods, particularly the integration of machine learning (ML) techniques with density functional theory (DFT), have opened new avenues for accelerating the discovery of materials with exceptional and extreme properties. This dissertation focuses on developing a synergistic approach and workflow combining ML and DFT to identify materials with properties that are pushed beyond current limits, using lattice thermal conductivity (LTC) as a case study of the workflow.

We …

Electroless Deposition And Galvanic Displacement For The Control Of Supported Nanoparticle Size And Composition, Haiying Zhou

Theses and Dissertations

Catalyst performances can be greatly affected by properties such as particle size, composition, geometry, and cleanliness of the active surface. To achieve optimal catalytic performance, appropriate synthesis methods are required to synthesize the desired structures. Supported metal particle catalysts are usually prepared by impregnation and precipitation methods in industry. Although these two methods are simple, they exhibit poor control over surface morphology, leading to a wide particle size distribution and uncontrolled distribution of different metal components. In this dissertation, three topics on controlling surface morphology are discussed.

For structure sensitive reactions, reactivity and selectivity can be strongly affected by particle …

Rational Catalyst Synthesis For Sustainable Energy Applications, Alaba Upe Ojo

Theses and Dissertations

Energy accounts for two-thirds of the global climate challenges. Effective utilization of green hydrogen or finding cleaner ways to improve energy generation is necessary to combat climate crisis and allow for a more sustainable future. This work evaluates three heterogeneous catalytic processes which contribute to a sustainable future. In chapter 2, we studied the hydrogenation of toluene to methylcyclohexane; a reaction that can potentially serve as a medium for hydrogen storage and help to overcome the safety challenges of transporting gaseous hydrogen. We found that palladium catalysts on certain carbons exhibited significantly enhanced toluene hydrogenation rates compared to activated carbons …

Real-Time Robot Pose Estimation For Industry 4.0: Enhancing Motion Validation And Monitoring With A Vision-Based Framework, Jad Samaha

Theses and Dissertations

Amidst the era of Industry 4.0, robots became integral to automated production lines by performing complex tasks with high precision and adapting to changing production needs in real-time. Therefore, ensuring their precise and reliable operation is paramount for maintaining high-quality standards and operational efficiency. This invoked the need for an automated motion validation tool that guarantees accurate program task execution, by detecting deviations or anomalies that may indicate mechanical faults or software errors. Given the exponential advancements in AI, particularly in Computer Vision, a vision-based solution is ideal for ensuring the correct positioning of a robot in real-time. Operating independently …

Redefining Gas Turbine Engine Development: A Digital Twin Framework Informed By Operational Dynamics And Numerical Analysis, Sowmya Raghu

Theses and Dissertations

Gas Turbine Engines (GTEs) serve as primary propulsion systems in aviation and are key for power generation units in various industrial applications. The conventional Gas Turbine Engine Development and Monitoring Lifecycle (EDML) typically encompasses six stages: preliminary design, numerical analysis, prototyping and testing, manufacturing, systems integration, and subsequent systematic monitoring processes. This dissertation redefines the gas turbine engine design and development process by synergistically integrating design capabilities, real-time operational data, and predictive maintenance through the implementation of digital twins. The primary objective is to establish a comprehensive framework for gas turbine engine design by utilizing thermodynamic and aerodynamic modeling, supported …

Tracking Deposition And Settling Characteristics Of Airborne Metallic Particulate, William Kahale Caspino

Theses and Dissertations

Transport and deposition of metal particles is a source of environmental and public health concern. Understanding how ambient conditions and the properties of the particles interact to influence the dispersal range can provide information on and the possible extent of environmental contamination. Controlled laboratory experiments and modeling were utilized to determine when such particles would deposit. Particle samples containing heavy metals, a Palladium-dominant alloy and a Nickel/Aluminum dominant alloy LANA, were released in a static column, and the vertical displacement was tracked utilizing a Phantom v7.3 camera and a camera lens. Electron microscopy revealed that particles are not spherical and …

Thermal Management Of Power Electronic Devices Using Single Crystal Aln Heat Spreaders, Md Abdullah-Al Mamun

Theses and Dissertations

Due to high critical electric field and saturation velocity, wide bandgap (WBG) III-Nitride semiconductor materials (AlxGa1-xN) and their heterostructures have gone through extensive research in academia and industry for applications requiring high-voltage, high-current, high-frequency, and high-temperature transistor operation. AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) has been commercialized for 650-V power converters, smartphones, PCs, USB wall power outlets, on-board and off-board EV chargers, and numerous other applications. However, AlGaN/GaN HEMTs grown on low-cost sapphire or Si substrates face significant self-heating issues due to the poor thermal conductivity of the substrate. The high thermal resistance (RTH) and heat capacity of the substrates …

A Process Planning Software For Modeling Parameter Behavior In Automated Fiber Placement, Benjamin Jeffrey Francis

Theses and Dissertations

The manufacturing of large-scale, geometrically complex composite structures is often accomplished today using the Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) process. AFP utilizes a fiber placement end effector and a gantry or robotic kinematic system to lay up groups of composite tows, iteratively building the complete structure. The reduced width of each tow allows the deployment of AFP for builds with significant curvature, unlike other automated methods such as automated tape laying. Despite its proven track record and widespread use, the current AFP process contains inefficiencies and suffers from workflow bottlenecks that significantly increase cycle time, material wastage, and overall cost. A …

Development Of Avalanche Photo Detector For Uv-C Using Gallium Oxide Material System, Md Ghulam Ghulam Zakir

Theses and Dissertations

This work describes the metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) optimization process for epitaxially grown gallium oxide (Ga2O3) layers, electrical field distribution, and the design for Avalanche Photo Detector (APD). MOCVD is a well-accepted process in the semiconductor industry, as it is well-known for its precise deposition of ultra-thin, high-quality semiconductor layers with extraordinary control over composition and thickness. The choice of Ga2O3 is due to r its distinctive properties of ultra-wide bandgap and low turn-on resistance. Thus, Ga₂O₃-based materials can withstand high voltage and current with the least energy loss, making them an attractive choice for …

Design Of An Above Pavement Wireless Sensor Node (Apwsn) For Real-Time Roadway Monitoring Using Piezoelectric Energy-Harvesting, Jochy Jonathan Perez

Theses and Dissertations

The evolution of Smart Highway and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies offers new opportunities to improve the safety and efficiency of vehicular traffic on roads. This research effort describes the development of a wireless pavement sensor that provides a novel method to detect key pavement parameters while incorporating low-power energy harvesting that leverages the kinetic energy generated by vehicular traffic. The Above Pavement Wireless Sensor Node (APWSN) is the embodiment of the approach. APWSN can facilitate the strategic deployment of sensors on a wide variety of roads to enable real-time data collection to support decision-making processes for road infrastructure maintenance …

A Novel Approach To Evaluate Seatbelt Non-Compliance Of Drivers In New Jersey, Md Arifuzzaman Nayeem

Theses and Dissertations

This study intends to investigate the non-compliant behavior of drivers with seatbelt use in New Jersey. By examining various factors such as temporal and roadway characteristics, this study seeks to identify the underlying causes of this seatbelt non-compliance behavior. To overcome the limitations of traditional methods like cross-sectional data collection, a novel approach known as moving vehicle method was employed. To gain further insights, hypothesis tests were performed across the entire dataset to pinpoint significant temporal, roadway, and geometric factors contributing to non-compliant behaviors. In the subsequent step, the association of other risky behaviors like speeding and distracted driving with …

Development Of Electrically Conductive Asphalt Pavements For Deicing Applications In Cold Regions, Ashith Marath Padinhare Purakkal

Theses and Dissertations

Winter conditions often lead to significant traffic delays and safety risks due to ice or snow accumulation on pavement surfaces. This study evaluates the potential of electrically conductive asphalt (ECA) pavements to prevent such accumulations by melting ice and snow under real-world conditions. The study involved preparing ECA mixtures using graphite and carbon fibers, three carbon fiber lengths (3 mm, 6 mm, and 24 mm), and aggregates with two nominal maximum aggregate sizes (NMAS) (4.75 mm and 9.5 mm). Electrical resistivity, rutting susceptibility and cracking resistance of compacted ECA mixtures were evaluated. Results indicated that ECA mixtures with 15% graphite …

Distracted Driving: Identification, Contributing Factors, And Safety Countermeasures, Ahmed Sajid Hasan

Theses and Dissertations

Distracted driving is a hazardous behavior responsible for 25% of all fatal traffic crashes in New Jersey. While traditional methods such as surveys, videos, and simulations have been used to identify and evaluate distracted driving events, these approaches primarily provide cross-sectional data that fails to capture the true rate of distraction on the road. This study addresses this limitation by collecting longitudinal data on distracted driving events across selected corridors in New Jersey. A data collection team continuously drove through these corridors, manually counting and video recording driver distraction events. The collected data was then analyzed to assess the significance …

Development Of A Haptic System For Robot-Assisted Femur Fracture Surgery, Fayez H. Alruwaili

Theses and Dissertations

Robot-assisted surgery has emerged within the field of surgical technology, driven by the need for greater accuracy and speed in the ongoing evolution of healthcare. This advancement has influenced numerous areas requiring enhancements to achieve optimal surgical results. However, surgical robotics tends to lack the surgeon’s connection to the operation, creating a gap in the intuitive skill set required for successful operations. The gap is seen through the lack of sense of touch, which may result in tissue damage and additional injury when the robot interacts with the patient. Furthermore, challenges faced during femur fracture surgery have positioned robot-assisted surgery …

Injectable Hydrogels That Can Measure Radiation At Body Temperature, Daniel Joseph Ball

Theses and Dissertations

Hydrogel-based radiation dosimeters are used to calibrate and validate radiation delivered by linear accelerators used in radiotherapy. Specifically, Fricke hydrogel-based dosimeters containing ferrous ion complexes oxidize upon exposure to radiation, leading to a change in optical density that can be measured via a color change in a photometric reagent. While gelatin-based Fricke hydrogels are routinely used to measure radiation, these hydrogels are unstable at body temperature, and it is currently not possible to noninvasively measure radiation dose inside a patient. This study reports the synthesis and characterization of self-forming hydrogels containing Fricke components that are stable at body temperature. The …

Use Of Pulsed Electric Fields And Hydrogen Peroxide For Pre And Postharvest Strategies To Reduce Microbial Loads On Fresh Produce, Zachary Rosenzweig

Theses and Dissertations

Several issues exist within the agricultural industry surrounding failure to prevent pathogen transfer to plants preharvest and failure to decontaminate foods postharvest. Fresh produce, like leafy greens, pose a large threat to public safety if contaminated because they are minimally processed and often eaten raw. Numerous outbreaks have been linked to fresh produce in recent decades, with irrigation water emerging as a potential source. These outbreaks have severe economic repercussions and can contribute to millions of hospitalizations and deaths each year, worldwide. This thesis focuses on the usage of pulsed electric fields (PEF) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as a means …