Engineering Commons^™

Use Of High Fidelity Fission Models In Criticality Calculations, Daniel H. Timmons

Shared Knowledge Conference

The use of Monte Carlo, random number sampling, for neutron transport has been used for about half a century. There are many benchmarks that have been used to validate neutronics codes, mostly for critical systems. Critical systems are systems where the neutron population from one generation to the next is the same. Subcriticality is when there are less neutrons in the next generation and supercriticality is when there are more neutrons in the next generation than there were in the previous. To calculate criticality, a set number of neutrons are started in a system. Those neutrons interact and the number …

End-To-End Deep Learning Systems For Scene Understanding, Path Planning And Navigation In Fire Fighter Teams, Manish Bhattarai

Shared Knowledge Conference

Firefighting is a dynamic activity with many operations occurring simultaneously. Maintaining situational awareness, defined as knowledge of current conditions and activities at the scene, are critical to accurate decision making. Firefighters often carry various sensors in their personal equipment, namely thermal cameras, gas sensors, and microphones. Improved data processing techniques can mine this data more effectively and be used to improve situational awareness at all times thereby improving real-time decision making and minimizing errors in judgment induced by environmental conditions and anxiety levels. This objective of this research employs state of the art Machine Learning (ML) techniques to create an …

Optimal Attitude Control Of A Two-Cubesat Virtual Telescope In A Highly Elliptical Orbit, Reza Pirayeshshirazinezhad

Shared Knowledge Conference

This paper investigates a novel approach for attitude control of 2 satellites acting as a virtual telescope. The Virtual Telescope for X-ray Observations (VTXO) is a mission exploiting 2 6U-CubeSats operating in a precision formation. The goal of the VTXO project is to develop a space-based, X-ray imaging telescope with high angular resolution precision. In this scheme, one CubeSat carries a diffractive lens and the other one carries an imaging device to support a focal length of 100 m. In this mission, the attitude control algorithms are required to keep the two spacecraft in alignment with the Crab Nebula observations. …

Pulsed Fiber Optics Lasers As Highly Sensitive Sensors, Hanieh Afkhamiardakani

Shared Knowledge Conference

An interferometer or resonator is a device in which optical beams of specific frequencies circulate with minimal losses. These losses are completely compensated by the gain inside a laser resonator. A small perturbation introduced inside the laser can affect its frequency, which in turns becomes a metric of that perturbation. The perturbation is usually caused by an electric or magnetic field, rotation, acceleration, nonlinear index of refraction etc. Tiny changes of optical frequency are monitored by superimposing the laser field and a reference field (from the same laser) on a detector. This technique requires creating a laser in which two …

Cementitious Sensors Exhibiting Stopbands In Acoustic Transmission Spectra, Shreya Vemuganti

Shared Knowledge Conference

Ultrasonic monitoring in cementitious materials is challenging due to the high degree of attenuation. In wellbore environments, monitoring becomes more challenging due to inaccessibility. Meta materials, also known as acoustic bandgap materials, exhibit an interesting feature of forbidding the propagation of elastic/sound waves and isolate vibration in a certain frequency band. Traditionally, acoustic bandgap materials are developed with inclusions such as tin, aluminum, gold, steel in a polymer matrix. In this study, we present the development of three-dimensional cementitious sensors capable of exhibiting stopbands in the acoustic transmission spectra using carbon nanotubes. Relatively wide stopbands were engineered using Floquet-Bloch periodic …

Achieving High Catalytic Activity And Redox Stability Of Doped Ceria Through A Novel Sol Gel Synthesis, Christopher Riley

Shared Knowledge Conference

Ceria is widely studied in catalysis because of its high oxygen mobility and storage capacity. These properties are enhanced by the incorporation of dopant atoms into the ceria crystal structure. However, creating a homogenously doped structure requires a suitable synthesis technique. Otherwise, dopant atoms form an oxide phase on the ceria surface, which blocks highly active catalytic sites. Traditional production methods allow for cerium and dopant ions to segregate during synthesis. In this work, we demonstrate a novel sol gel synthesis method for producing homogeneously doped ceria. The method is easy and avoids the use of hazardous chemicals. Higher dopant …

Improving The Palatability Of Colonoscopy Preparations, Phuong Anh Hoang Nguyen, Sarah Mounho, Darnell Cuylear, Heather Canavan

Shared Knowledge Conference

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. The most reliable screening method of CRC is a colonoscopy which requires a 4-Liter polymer with electrolytes preparation. Two in five patients are non-compliant to their colonoscopy schedules, with many patients who abstain reporting refusal due to significant discomfort associated with this preparation. Furthermore, there are distinct gender differences in the tolerance of colonoscopy preparations in male and female populations. We hypothesize the differences in clinic are a result of toxic effects of the drug associated with poor mixing by individual patients. PEG, the drug, …

Two-Dimensional Layered Materials (Graphene-Mos2) Nanocatalysts For Hydrogen Production, Jacob Dobler, Taylor Robinson, Sanju Gupta 7455940

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Recent development of two-dimensional layered materials including graphene-family and related nanomaterials have arisen as potential game changer for energy, water and sensing applications. While graphene is a form of carbon arranged hexagonally within atomic thin sheet, MoS₂ is becoming a popular, efficient, and cost-effective catalyst for electrochemical energy devices, in contrast to expensive platinum and palladium catalysts. In this work, we electrochemically desulfurize few-layer molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) and aerogels with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) prepared under hydrothermal conditions ((P< 20 bar, T< 200 ^oC), for improving hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity via point defects (S-vacancy). Moreover, the interactions between rGO …

Physical Properties Of Engineered Nanocomposites For Defense Applications, Alex Henson, Sanju Gupta

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Polymer nanocomposites are significant for modern and future technologies (aerospace, defense, water purification etc.) due to their tailored properties, lightweight and low cost. However, ‘forward’ engineered polymer (host matrix) composites with smaller size nanoparticles (guest) providing desired properties targeting specific applications remains a challenging task as they depend largely on nanoparticles size, shape and loading (volume fraction). This study develops polymer nanocomposites impregnated with ‘organic-inorganic’ silsesquioxane nanoparticles and graphene nanoribbons, and investigates microscopic structure and dynamics of interfacial layer to predict macroscale properties. The nanocomposites consist of poly(2-vinylpyridine) (P2VP) polymer (segment ~5nm) with spherical silsesquioxane nanoparticles (diameter ~2-5nm) and planar …

Catalytic Deoxygenation Of Model And Realistic Feeds To Fuel-Like Hydrocarbons Over Supported Nickel-Copper Catalysts, Deyshon Ward, Kazi Javed

Posters-at-the-Capitol

The goal was to make a renewable fuel by using catalysts to remove oxygen molecules from fats. This is a current issue that society faces today because nonrenewable fossil fuels hurt the environment more than they help it. There are two components that make up a heterogeneous catalyst, a support and a reduced metal active phase. The active metal phases Nickel, Palladium, Platinum have been studied in the past on an alumina and carbon supports. We were investigating other supports using Nickel as the active phase component to determine the effect the support has on the catalyst removing oxygen of …

Biaxial Bending Of Cold-Formed Steel Storage Rack Uprights – Part I: Parametric Studies And Response, Nima Talebian, Benoit P. Gilbert, Cao Hung Pham, Romain Chariere, Hassan Karampour

CCFSS Proceedings of International Specialty Conference on Cold-Formed Steel Structures (1971 - 2018)

This paper first introduces an advanced finite element model to determine the biaxial bending capacity of cold-formed steel storage rack upright sections. The model is found to accurately predict published experimental results with an average predicted to experimental capacity ratio of 1.02. Second, the validated model is used to run parametric studies and analyse the biaxial response of slender, semi-compact and compact unperforated storage rack upright cross-sections. Analyses are run for local and distortional buckling failure modes only. Ten and four different cross-sectional shapes are analysed for local and distortional buckling, respectively, and nine biaxial bending configurations are considered per …

Sidelap And Structural Fastener Tests For Steel Deck Diaphragms, Y. Shi, S. Torabian, Benjamin W. Schafer, W. S. Easterling, M. R. Eatherton

CCFSS Proceedings of International Specialty Conference on Cold-Formed Steel Structures (1971 - 2018)

Steel deck diaphragm systems, which are commonly used for roof construction in steel-framed buildings, consist of many parts such as corrugated steel deck sheets, sidelap fasteners between adjacent sheets, structural fasteners from the sheets to the supporting beams or joists, chord elements, and collectors. Load-deformation behavior of a steel deck diaphragm system is typically dominated by sidelap and structural fastener limit states. To understand and accurately model the behavior of steel deck diaphragm systems, it is therefore necessary to characterize the behavior of the individual fasteners. The effect of local geometry and detailing at these fasteners such as how the …

The 2017 Aisi Cold-Formed Steel Design Manual, Joshua Buckholt, Helen Chen

CCFSS Proceedings of International Specialty Conference on Cold-Formed Steel Structures (1971 - 2018)

The 2017 edition of AISI D100, the Cold-Formed Steel Design Manual (Manual) has been published. Updates to the Manual include: alignment with AISI S100-16, the North-American Specification for the Design of Cold-Formed Steel Structural Members (NA Specification); several new and varied design examples; additional discussions related to the design of cold-formed steel structures and components; and expanded bibliographies of relevant resources. The database of examples illustrating the Direct Strength Method (DSM) and new provisions in the NA Specification has been expanded. Also published with the Manual are the North-American Specification and its Commentary.

Distortional Buckling Of Cold-Formed Steel Flanges Under Stress Gradient, Robert S. Glauz

CCFSS Proceedings of International Specialty Conference on Cold-Formed Steel Structures (1971 - 2018)

The strength of cold-formed steel beams with stiffened flanges may be controlled by distortional buckling. Buckling stress prediction methods have been developed for flanges under uniform compression. However, channel sections are commonly used where bending occurs about the minor axis with flanges under stress gradient, such that the edges are in compression and the flanges may experience distortional buckling. Current design specifications do not explicitly address this failure mode, which could lead to unsafe designs. This paper presents and verifies an analytical approach for distortional buckling stress prediction for flanges under stress gradient. The approach is consistent with the design …

Tensile Strength And Serviceability Of Cold-Formed Steel Clip Angles, Wenying Zhang, Zhishan Yan, Mahsa Mahdavian, Mohamad Yousof, Cheng Yu

CCFSS Proceedings of International Specialty Conference on Cold-Formed Steel Structures (1971 - 2018)

This paper reports the recent research findings of cold-formed steel clip angles in tension. The relevant experimental program and the proposed design methods are presented. The test program involved two phases of testing: Phase I of program focused on the pull-over strength of screw connections on the anchored leg of the clip angles, and Phase II of program concentrated on the tensile strength of the anchored leg of the clip angles within the service deflection limit. Design methods for predicting the pull-over strength as well as tensile strength within the serviceability deformation limit are proposed based on the test results …

Strength Of Cold-Formed Steel Clip Angle In Combined Bending And Shear Loading, Cheng Yu, Zhishan Yan, Wenying Zhang

CCFSS Proceedings of International Specialty Conference on Cold-Formed Steel Structures (1971 - 2018)

Thin-walled cold-formed steel (CFS) clip angles have been commonly used for connecting CFS framing members or attaching CFS members to the major building structure. The implementation of clip angles involves consideration of ultimate strength for combined bending moments and shear forces. Therefore, a test program of CFS clip angle was recently conducted to investigate the behavior and strength of cold-formed steel clip angle subjected to combined bending moments and shear forces at different boundary conditions. The research included connection tests on clip angle. The testing method was adopted from the AISI S914 Test Standard for Joist Connectors Attached to Clod-Formed …

Critical Design Criteria For Standard, Truncated, And Parallel Chords Cold-Formed Steel Trusses, Maelle Van Thienen, Johannes Dimyadi, James B. P. Lim, G. Charles Clifton

CCFSS Proceedings of International Specialty Conference on Cold-Formed Steel Structures (1971 - 2018)

The design of cold-formed steel trusses can be a very complicated and long repetitive process involving up to 28 load combinations added to serviceability checks depending on the design standards being used. This process is particularly tedious if a near optimal solution is required. Additionally, the risk of introducing human errors is usually quite high as it is a process often done by hand. FRAMECAD Structure is a niche software solution born from the desire to provide a complete solution for constructing with cold-formed steel by a company selling roll-forming machines. FRAMECAD Structure specialises on automating the calculations and design …

Cold-Formed Ferritic Stainless Steel Tubular Sections Under End-One-Flange Loading Condition, Hai-Ting Li, Benjamin Young

CCFSS Proceedings of International Specialty Conference on Cold-Formed Steel Structures (1971 - 2018)

This paper presents experimental and numerical investigations of cold-formed ferritic stainless steel tubular sections under End-One-Flange (EOF) loading condition. A series of web crippling tests was conducted on cold-formed square and rectangular hollow sections of ferritic stainless steel grade EN 1.4003. The web crippling test results were used for the verification of the finite element (FE) model. Upon verification, a parametric study was performed thereafter. The codified web crippling design provisions in American, Australian/New Zealand and European standards for stainless steel structures were assessed. Improved web crippling design rules are proposed for cold-formed ferritic stainless steel tubular sections under EOF …

Optimum Slot Weld Width For Cold-Formed Steel, Emilee A. Martin, Fredrick R. Rutz

CCFSS Proceedings of International Specialty Conference on Cold-Formed Steel Structures (1971 - 2018)

Slot welds can be used for connections in cold-formed steel (CFS) structures. However, structural engineers will find AISI S100, “North American Specification for the Design of Cold-Formed Steel Structural Members” (AISI 2016) - which can be used for guidance in calculating structural capacity of many welds types - silent on this specific application.

Research at the University of Colorado Denver has been directed toward determination of the strength of slot welds in sheet steel. A comprehensive series of tests were performed to determine structural capacity and ductility of various slot weld widths using a metal inert gas (MIG) welding process. …

Using Generalized Beam Theory To Assess The Behavior Of Curved Thin-Walled Members, Nuno Peres, Rodrigo Goncalves, Dinar Camotim

CCFSS Proceedings of International Specialty Conference on Cold-Formed Steel Structures (1971 - 2018)

In this work, the first-order behavior of naturally curved thin-walled bars with circular axis, without pre-twist, is assessed with the help of the Generalized Beam Theory (GBT) formulation previously developed by the authors. With respect to the previous work, which dealt with simple cross-sections, the present paper presents a method to obtain the deformation modes for arbitrary flat-walled cross-sections. Despite the complexity involved in this generalization, the standard GBT kinematic assumptions are kept, since they are essential to (i) subdivide the modes in a meaningful way and (ii) reduce the number of DOFs necessary to obtain accurate solutions. It is …

Proposal To Improve The Dsm Design Of Cold-Formed Steel Angle Columns: Need, Background, Quality Assessment And Illustration, Pedro Borges Dinis, Dinar Camotim

CCFSS Proceedings of International Specialty Conference on Cold-Formed Steel Structures (1971 - 2018)

This paper presents a proposal for the codification of an efficient design approach, based on the Direct Strength Method (DSM), for cold-formed steel equal-leg angle columns with short-to-intermediate lengths, i.e., those buckling in flexural-torsional modes. Initially, the available experimental failure load data, comprising fixed-ended and pin-ended (“cylindrical hinges”) columns with several geometries (cross-section dimensions and lengths) and tested by various researchers, are collected and used to show that the currently codified DSM design provisions are not able to handle adequately short-to- intermediate angle columns and that a specific DSM-based design approach is needed to estimate the failure loads of such …

Comparison Of Experimental And Numerical Results For Flexural Capacity Of Light-Gage Steel Roof Deck, Christopher H. Raebel, Dawid Gwodzdz

CCFSS Proceedings of International Specialty Conference on Cold-Formed Steel Structures (1971 - 2018)

The objective of this paper is to present a comparison between experimental results to each of two numerical analyses of cold formed steel roof deck in flexure. Prior numerical studies using the Direct Strength Method (DSM) and the Equivalent Width Method (EWM) have shown discrepancies between results obtained by the two methods. The goal of this research initiative was to compare results from each of the two numerical analysis methods to experimental results in an effort to determine which numerical method is most appropriate for analyzing steel deck in flexure.

Twenty-four physical tests were conducted using four different deck gages …

The Design And Development Of Lightweight Composite Panels For Rigid Wall Structures, Jeremy J. Artman, Cheng Yu

CCFSS Proceedings of International Specialty Conference on Cold-Formed Steel Structures (1971 - 2018)

The paper presents a research effort aimed at developing a stronger, lighter, and more economic shelter for both military and civilian use. Reported herein are the research results on developing solid wall panels using cold-formed steel corrugated sheathing and members, as well as polyurethane spray foam for insulation. This research includes calculating uniform load density, determining the overall strength of the panel, and investigating the flexural strength of the roof panels. Research incorporated different connection methods, with varied stud spacing, to determine the safest design for the new mobile facilities. Previous research has shown that cold-formed steel corrugated sheathing performs …

Experimental Study On Uplift Capacity Of Purlins Considering Restraints From Standing Seam Roof Systems, Wei Luan, Yuanqi Li

CCFSS Proceedings of International Specialty Conference on Cold-Formed Steel Structures (1971 - 2018)

A total of 32 specimens of single-span purlin roof assemblies considering uplift wind load were tested to investigate the structural behavior of cold-formed steel purlins with one flange fastened to standing seam roofs. Failure modes and failure loads of purlins with different parameters were obtained. Full finite element models, incorporate purlins, clips and standing seam roof panels, were developed, and the analysis results were consistent to a high degree with the test results. Using the same element type and material model, the rotational restraint of test roof systems and corresponding influence factors were investigated by finite element models. Finally, using …

A Finite Element Study Of Corrugated Steel Deck Subjected To Concentrated Loads, Vitaliy V. Degtyarev

CCFSS Proceedings of International Specialty Conference on Cold-Formed Steel Structures (1971 - 2018)

An extensive parametric study was initiated to get a better understanding of steel deck behavior under concentrated loads and to develop design recommendations for a wide range of deck profiles. This paper presents first results from the study related to 1.5-in. deep roof decks of types B and F. The study was performed on non-linear finite element models of deck validated against available test data. Deck gage, span length, span condition, concentrated load locations along and across the deck span were varied in the study. The observed deck behavior under concentrated loads, as well as the effects of the studied …

Web Bearing Capacity Of Cold-Formed Ferritic Stainless Steel Unlipped Channels With Web Perforations Under The End-Two-Flange (Etf) Loading, Amir M. Yousefi, James B. P. Lim, G. Charles Clifton

CCFSS Proceedings of International Specialty Conference on Cold-Formed Steel Structures (1971 - 2018)

Laboratory and numerical evaluations on the web bearing capacity of unlipped cold-formed ferritic stainless steel channels are described in this paper. The channels considered have circular perforations in the web and are loaded under the end-two-flange (ETF) load case. A total of 387 results comprising 27 laboratory and 360 numerical results are presented. A nonlinear quasi-static finite element (FE) model was developed for the numerical investigation. An extensive parametric study is described to determine web bearing capacity reduction factors for different sizes of circular web perforations and cross-section dimensions; the circular web perforations are either centred or offset to the …

Web Crippling Behavior Of Cold-Formed Ferritic Stainless Steel Unlipped Channels Under Interior-One-Flange And End-One-Flange Loadings, Amir M. Yousefi, James B. P. Lim, G. Charles Clifton

CCFSS Proceedings of International Specialty Conference on Cold-Formed Steel Structures (1971 - 2018)

The web crippling strength of cold-formed ferritic stainless steel unlipped channels subject to interior-one-flange and end-one-flange loading is considered in this paper. A total of 144 results are presented, comprising 36 laboratory and 108 numerical results. These results cover the cases of both flanges restrained and unrestrained to the load and reaction plates. Unlike other work in the literature, the numerical analysis in this paper uses nonlinear quasi-static finite element analysis with an implicit integration scheme, which has advantages over static and quasi-static with an explicit integration scheme analyses, particularly for post buckling predictions of unlipped channels subject to web …

Experimental And Analytical Studies Of Cold-Formed Steel Sections With Edge-Stiffened Circular Holes Subjected To Web Crippling, Asraf Uzzaman, James B. P. Lim, David Nash, Amir M. Yousefi, Benjamin Young

CCFSS Proceedings of International Specialty Conference on Cold-Formed Steel Structures (1971 - 2018)

Cold-formed steel sections are often used as wall studs or floor joists and such sections often include web holes for ease of installation of services. The holes are normally punched or bored and are unstiffened; when the holes are near to points of concentrated load, web crippling can be the critical design consideration. Recently, a new generation of cold-formed steel channel sections with edge-stiffened circular holes has been developed. The web holes are stiffened through a continuous edge stiffener/lip around the perimeter of the hole. In this paper, a combination of experimental investigations and non-linear finite element analyses are used …

Parametric Studies And Design Recommendations Of Cold-Formed Steel Sections With Edge-Stiffened Circular Holes Subjected To Web Crippling, Asraf Uzzaman, James B. P. Lim, David Nash, Amir M. Yousefi, Benjamin Young

CCFSS Proceedings of International Specialty Conference on Cold-Formed Steel Structures (1971 - 2018)

A parametric study of cold-formed steel sections with edge-stiffened circular holes subjected to web crippling under one-flange loading condition was undertaken using finite element analysis. The effect of different hole sizes, edge-stiffener length and distances of the web holes to the near edge of the bearing plate on the web crippling strengths of channel sections were investigated. The web crippling strengths are influenced by various geometry parameters: the ratio of the hole depth to the flat portion of the web, a/h, the location of the hole as defined by the distance of the hole from the edge of the …

A Preliminary Study On Stainless Steel Hollow Flange Beams Featuring Lateral-Distortional Buckling, Shuang Niu, Zhidong Zhang, Feng Fan

CCFSS Proceedings of International Specialty Conference on Cold-Formed Steel Structures (1971 - 2018)

To explore the potential of using stainless steel structurally, extensive research has been carried out to study the structural behavior of stainless steel member as associated with the nonlinear stress-strain relationship. Hollow flange sections feature improved structural efficiency and a unique issue of web distortion. Steel hollow flange sections have been studied and commercially distributed (e.g. the very first HFB section and lately LSB section). As a proactive study, this paper investigates stainless steel hollow flange beams of double-symmetric section with numerical modeling and parametric analysis. The validity of the idealized FE model was verified with existing study on steel …