Engineering Commons^™

Performance Assessment Of Microencapsulated Phase Change Materials With Low To High Thermoregulation Range In Asphalt Binder, Anil Kumar Baditha, Ayyaz Fareed

Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Fellow Symposium

Asphalt pavements face significant challenges due to low temperature cracking and rutting caused by extreme temperature fluctuations and traffic loading. These issues result in higher maintenance costs and reduced service life of the pavements. To address this, researchers explored the use of Microencapsulated Phase Change Materials (MPCMs) to induce thermoregulation in asphalt pavements. However, the existing research focused on high-temperature performance of binders, highlighting the need of research on evaluating the low-temperature performance. Therefore, the study aims to evaluate the impact of incorporating MPCMs on low to high temperature performance of binders. Three types of MPCMs were incorporated into asphalt …

Revolutionizing Feature Selection: A Breakthrough Approach For Enhanced Accuracy And Reduced Dimensions, With Implications For Early Medical Diagnostics, Shabia Shabir Khan, Majid Shafi Kawoosa, Bonny Bannerjee, Subhash C. Chauhan, Sheema Khan

Research Symposium

Background: The system's performance may be impacted by the high-dimensional feature dataset, attributed to redundant, non-informative, or irrelevant features, commonly referred to as noise. To mitigate inefficiency and suboptimal performance, our goal is to identify the optimal and minimal set of features capable of representing the entire dataset. Consequently, the Feature Selector (Fs) serves as an operator, transforming an m-dimensional feature set into an n-dimensional feature set. This process aims to generate a filtered dataset with reduced dimensions, enhancing the algorithm's efficiency.

Methods: This paper introduces an innovative feature selection approach utilizing a genetic algorithm with an ensemble crossover operation …

Oral Administration Of Ph-Responsive Polymeric Nanoparticles Based On Zein And Their Therapeutic Potential On Cancer., Bruno Alejandro Valades-Aguilar, José Raúl Rangel-López, Jennifer Citlally Leos-Rivera, Moisés Armides Franco-Molina, María Cristina Rodríguez-Padilla, Diana Ginette Zárate-Triviño

Research Symposium

Background: Zein is a water-insoluble protein extracted from the endosperm of corn seeds, this polymer is an attractive matrix to encapsulate hydrophilic compounds because of its high proportion of hydrophobic amino acids, making it a potential smart delivery material for several treatments in the biopharmaceutical industry. nanoparticles have been used as drug delivery systems for the improvement of oral bioavailability; however, the strategies of nanoparticle obtention need the addition of stabilizers. in this study, a modified method to obtain zein nanoparticles was developed.

Methods: Zein nanoparticles (ZNps) were made by a thermal treatment and precipitated into ovalbumin at a ratio …

Effects Of The Loading Rate On Mechanical Properties Of The Human Superficial Femoral Artery, Ali Zolfaghari Sichani, Majid Jadidi

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

INTRODUCTION: Blood vessels are known for their viscoelastic mechanical behavior, including a dependency on the loading rate. Previous studies have shown mixed results regarding the effects of the loading rate on the mechanical properties of the arterial wall. In this study, our aim was to evaluate the loading rate dependency in the human Superficial Femoral Artery (SFA), the main artery of the leg....

The Effect Of A Constitutive Formulation On Limb Flexion-Induced Stresses In The Human Femoropopliteal Artery: A Patient-Specific Study, Ali Ahmadi, Anastasia Desyatova

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

The Effect of a Constitutive Formulation on Limb Flexion-Induced Stresses in the Human Femoropopliteal Artery: a Patient-Specific Study

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) involves the development of atherosclerotic lesions that restrict the flow of blood to tissues downstream. The femoropopliteal artery (FPA) experiences complex mechanical deformations during daily activities, potentially contributing to the prevalence of PAD and unfavorable treatment outcomes. These deformations generate significant intramural stresses and strains, resulting in arterial injury, disease progression, and restenosis following treatment. Computational modeling offers a way to improve the repair of the FPA; however, the accuracy of these simulations relies on the selection of …

Engineering Nanofibers: Laboratory Characterization, Microstructural Analysis, And Image Processing Insights, Sayed Ahmadreza Razian, Mohammad Arjomandi, Kaspars Maleckis

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Polymer nanofibers have attracted high interest in a wide array of applications, including biomaterial scaffolding, textiles, sensors, reinforcement in composites, and filtration systems. Many of these applications combine nanofibers into non-woven fabrics for better properties and easier manipulation. The properties and performance of nanofiber-based fabrics are affected by various microstructure parameters, including fiber alignment, diameter, and gap sizes between the nanofibers. These structural parameters can be controlled by adjusting various process parameters during manufacturing process, but the exact process parameter-microstructure relationships vary depending on the polymer system and need to be studied individually. The goal of this study is to …

Machine Learning Prediction Of Photoluminescence In Mos2: Challenges In Data Acquisition And A Solution Via Improved Crystal Synthesis, Ethan Swonger, John Mann, Jared Horstmann, Daniel Yang

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) like molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) possess unique electronic and optical properties, making them promising materials for nanotechnology. Photoluminescence (PL) is a key indicator of MoS2 crystal quality. This study aimed to develop a machine-learning model capable of predicting the peak PL wavelength of single MoS2 crystals based on micrograph analysis. Our limited ability to consistently synthesize high-quality MoS2 crystals hampered our ability to create a large set of training data. The project focus shifted towards improving MoS2 crystal synthesis to generate improved training data. We implemented a novel approach utilizing low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) combined with …

Modes Of Fracture Of Flat Bone: Fracture Direction And Stress, Nolan Wang, Mary K. Holden, Everett Baker, Nathaniel Lerch, Nate Fitch

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

This study delineates the application of fractography to discern the multifaceted modes of fracture in flat bones, explicating the interplay between fracture directionality and stress states regarding the viscoelastic nature of bone. Despite the perceived brittleness, bone exhibits toughness, attributed to its intricate structure design and amalgamating properties of solid and viscous materials. This research elucidates the variegated fracture modes inherent to bone's dualistic nature by examining fracture surfaces and identifying fracture markings using stereoscopic microscopy. Our observations across seven bone specimens reveal predominant fracture patterns from top to bottom in six instances, with a singular deviation where the fracture …

La1-Xsrxcoo3 Perovskite Nanomaterial: Synthesis, Characterization, And Its Biomedical Application, Adhira Tippur, Anyet Shohag, Luke Franco, Ahmed Touhami, Swati Mohan, Mohammed Uddin

Research Symposium

Early cancer detection is paramount for effective treatment and potential cures. This research explores the application of perovskite materials, specifically Sr2+-doped Lanthanum Cobaltite (La1-xSrxCoO3) nanomaterials, in cancer detection, with a focus on rats as an experimental model. The ferroelectric nature of these materials, synthesized through a combination of sol-gel and molten-salt processes, was examined at varying Sr2+ doping levels (1-20 wt%). Rigorous characterization, employing X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, confirmed the uniform morphology of nano cubes, laying the foundation for subsequent investigations. The magnetic properties of the perovskite nanoparticles were probed, suggesting their potential as a diagnostic tool for …

Emotion Recognition As A Novel Indicator For Assessing Brain Health: A Machine Learning Approach, Nayarah Shabir, Parveen Lehana

Research Symposium

Background: Emotion is being referred to as a person’s mental state, since it relates to their ideas, feelings, and actions. There is a lot of evidence that health affects the emotion. Therefore, the nature of emotions ought to reveal the health of a person. The emotions are represented by facial expressions controlled by muscular motor actions. Brain health may affect the working of the muscles leading to the emotional changes extracted from the facial images.

Methods: A dataset of facial images annotated with matching emotion labels is the first step in using convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for facial …

Assessment Of Bridge Rehabilitation To Improve Asset Management, Brittany Bullard

Purdue Road School

The widespread availability of structural monitoring technologies has led to a rise in adaptable use across various structural systems. With the U.S. infrastructure aging, the integration of technologies during new construction and rehabilitation of infrastructure provides opportunities for assessing innovative designs and material uses to extend the life of assets. This presentation focuses on the assessment of the Indiana Toll Road bridge rehabilitations and the effectiveness of overlay materials and integration of link slabs.

Best Practices In Design For Preserving Limestone Curbs: A Project Managers Perspective, Larry Lawlor

Purdue Road School

Indiana limestone has been used in roadway construction projects for over 100 years. This session will discuss the best design practices when confronted with lime- stone curbing along historic streetscapes and neighbor- hoods. Additional practices will be discussed that make use of limestone curbs that cannot be preserved in place. Several examples will be shared to demonstrate how creative design and collaboration with consultants has resulted in limestone curb preservation.

Civil Rights Nondiscrimination Information For Local Public Agencies, Taffanee Keys

Purdue Road School

This session will discuss new ADA/Title VI.

Utility Rope-A-Dope: Muhammad Ali Approach To Conflict Analysis, Deborah Porter, Bill Read, Nathan Frey

Purdue Road School

Learn how to avoid getting hit with utility conflicts when they are coming at you quickly. Discussion will focus on designing around utilities; evaluating conflicts; right-of-way consideration for utility relocations; changes late in design and during construction; and lessons learned.

Airport Energy Resiliency Roadmap And Implementation Steps, Susan Zellers

Purdue Road School

An airport needs to meet current and future energy demands, while also being sustainable. However, service from the grid may be vulnerable to natural and human-caused events. ACRP Project 02-98 Airport Energy Resiliency Primer and Roadmap provides a guide to executing an airport energy resiliency program. The critical elements of an energy resiliency roadmap will be presented along with case study examples from airports moving toward energy resiliency.

Use Of Gpr To Evaluate Pavement Subgrade Problems, Sung Min Yoon, Cherif Amer-Yahia

Purdue Road School

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) is a non-destructive field test that can provide a continuous profile of existing road conditions. It has the potential to be used for a variety of pavement applications, including measuring the thickness of asphalt pavement structure and assisting in the analysis of pavement distress mechanisms. We will share the experiences gained from GPR testing to evaluate pavement subgrade problems.

Broadband Equity, Access, And Deployment (Bead) Program, Monica Hartke-Tarr

Purdue Road School

The federal government will allocate $42 billion to expand broadband across the U.S., thus providing Indiana with $100 million or more for unserved areas. This is a transformative opportunity for Indiana municipalities, but those without a clear plan risk missing out. Join us as we cover essential steps for securing broadband funds, applications, permits, and safe installations. Don’t miss the chance to benefit from this infrastructure investment!

Exit 10 Renovations, Will Deuter, Jim Earl

Purdue Road School

Built in 1956, the infrastructure at Exit 10 of the Indiana Toll Road (ITR) needed multiple repairs, including bridge rehabilitation, pavement restoration, and lighting improvements. ITRCC invested in cost-effective renovations on 12 bridges in the Exit 10 vicinity that that would reduce long-term maintenance. The project experienced challenges due to the complexity of construction and mainline work occurring simultaneously to accelerate construction. This presentation will focus on the design approach, contractor procurement, and construction of this investment.

Urban Services District Lighting Study, Kyle Henderson, Andrea Bland, Dick Gowin

Purdue Road School

The Louisville-Jefferson County Metro Government addressed areas within the right-of-way that had poor lighting levels and might contribute to vehicle crashes or crime occurrence. GIS data from the state and local government was used to identify hot spots where additional lighting might be desired. These hot spots were evaluated, and additional lighting locations were recommended for implementation.

Innovation Through Adaptability: Navigating Project Complexities Spanning Natural Resources, Cultural Resources, Public Involvement, And More, Jennifer Beck, Adam Burns

Purdue Road School

The US 31 and 236th Street Interchange project presented a number of challenges related to environmental coordination and mitigation, real estate acquisition, and public involvement. The project was able to not only construct a dual-roundabout interchange at 236th Street, but also successfully mitigated wetland and floodway impacts with on-site mitigation and by relocating a historic farmhouse and barn.

Local Agency Workforce Challenges & Opportunities, Jennifer L. Sharkey

Purdue Road School

This session will explore the workforce issues faced by Indiana’s local road agencies and provide strategies to inform local leaders and policy makers.

Sue For Municipalities, Natalie Parks

Purdue Road School

This presentation will discuss what SUE (subsurface utility engineering) is, what a proposed scope of work would look like, how much it might cost, why it should be done, when, who does it, and how it will benefit them.

104. I-69 Orx Section 3: Completing The Connection, Steven Nicaise

Purdue Road School

The I-69 Ohio River Crossing (ORX) will be a key, final connection of I-69 between Evansville, Indiana and Henderson, Kentucky. The transformational project includes three contracts, two states and one much-anticipated new river crossing. In this session, you will hear an update on the ORX project as a whole and learn about I-69 ORX Section 3.

Ahead Of The Curve With Bentley Infrastructure Cloud, Nathan Goins

Purdue Road School

How do you perform quality control on a 3D model that’s always changing? In this session you will learn how to capture, log, and resolve issues to make better, faster, data-driven decisions. Join us as we demonstrate how to use i-Models inside the Bentley Infrastructure Cloud web portal to compare snap shots of models throughout the life of a project.

Saferoad Solutions: Explaining Road Designs To The Public, Wendy Southworth, Ed Green

Purdue Road School

SAFERoad Solutions is a guide to designs that improve safety, mobility, and efficiency across roadways. This online toolkit was created for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to explain both innovative and standard road designs to the public and to serve as a resource for engineers and other transportation officials. This presentation will highlight the SAFERoad Solutions guide, explain how to effectively communicate transportation topics to the public, and provide methods to creating content and specific topics.

Preserving Roads: Ensuring Municipalities’ Sustainable Infrastructure Future, Chad Denison, Bryan Sergesketter, Dave Paramski

Purdue Road School

This presentation explores the vital role of pavement preservation in maintaining and enhancing municipal infrastructure. This informative session delves into the benefits of proactive pavement management and highlights cost-effective strategies for prolonging road lifespan and minimizing long-term maintenance expenses. Attendees will gain insights into the latest preservation techniques, innovative technologies, and best practices for sustainable infrastructure development.

Better Project Management Using Microsoft Teams, Nathan Frey, Ryan Hughes, Drew Storey

Purdue Road School

Post pandemic, many teammates are now working remotely a few days a week. This has created new challenges for delivering projects on time, within scope, and on budget, leading to Microsoft Teams to emerge as a guiding star. With seamless communication, file sharing, and collaborative tools, it transformed chaos into cohesion. Teammates, scattered across distances, united under its virtual roof and projects thrived in digital realms. Join us as we discuss how Teams has helped foster innovation and camaraderie.

Indot Mot Standards & Practices, David Boruff

Purdue Road School

We will share newly developed and revised standards, policies, and guidance for MOT planning. Revisions to INDOT’s Work Zone Traffic Control Guidelines—a good resource for shorter duration construction activities— and the recently issued Intelligent Work Zone Toolkit will be covered.

Indot Dynamic Wireless Power Transfer (Dwpt) In-Pavement Ev Charging Pilot Project, Greg Reilly, Aaron Brovont, Tommy E. Nantung

Purdue Road School

INDOT, in collaboration with Purdue University/Aspire and AECOM, is conducting a pilot project for dynamic wireless power transfer (DWPT) on US-52/231 in West Lafayette, IN. High-power DWPT has the potential to reduce range anxiety and allow for smaller and lighter batteries in vehicles. This presentation will give an overview of our project, why this is important for Indiana, how this relates to the future of wirelessly charged vehicles, and other AECOM DWPT projects.

Put The Brakes On Airfield Friction Concerns, John Hunter

Purdue Road School

Low friction doesn’t mean the pavement (asphalt or concrete) needs to be replaced. Safe friction enhancing treatments are available at a fraction of the cost of new pavement. Presenters will share the “need to know” details of all phases of successful rubber and paint removal projects and innovative friction enhancing techniques relevant for all airports—from small GAs to Part 139 Airports .