Engineering Commons^™

Reliability Of A Lunar Excavator, Amanda Michelle Huff

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Reliability Engineering is a field of engineering that studies the ability of a system (or component of a system) to function properly under specific conditions for a specific period of time; reliability analysis of such a system can take many forms. This thesis presents a quantified reliability study of a system that the author along with a team of Western Kentucky University Engineering students (designated Team ARTEMIS) designed, built, tested, and entered for competition in the Inaugural National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Lunabotics Mining Competition in May 2010. A detailed quantitative analysis has been completed using both a Failure …

Autonomous Underwater Vehicles As Tools For Deep-Submergence Archaeology, Christopher N. Roman, Ian Roderick Mather

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

Marine archaeology beyond the capabilities of scuba divers is a technologically enabled field. The tool suite includes ship-based systems such as towed side-scan sonars and remotely operated vehicles, and more recently free-swimming autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). Each of these platforms has various imaging and mapping capabilities appropriate for specific scales and tasks. Broadly speaking, AUVs are becoming effective tools for locating, identifying, and surveying archaeological sites. This paper discusses the role of AUVs in this suite of tools, outlines some specific design criteria necessary to maximize their utility in the field, and presents directions for future developments. Results are presented …

Evidence Based Evaluation Research In Engineering, Kevin Kelly

Conference papers

An argument for evidence based evaluation of sustainable engineering projects in buildings

A Miniature Energy Harvesting Device For Wireless Sensors In Electric Power System, Rashed H. Bhuiyan, Roger A. Dougal, Mohammod Ali

Faculty Publications

A novel energy harvesting device called the energy coupler is proposed which can provide power to small wireless sensors in a power system. The energy coupler when coupled electromagnetically to a nearby current carrying conductor scavenges ac power from the conductor. The proposed energy coupler converts the harvested ac power into dc using a passive voltage multiplier circuit. The design of the energy coupler is such that the dc power obtained is adequate to charge a miniature 1.2-V rechargeable battery. It is demonstrated that the energy coupler is capable of delivering 10 mW of dc power to a 50-Ω load. …

Enhancing Electrical Engineering Technology Capstone Experience, Fernando Rios-Gutierrez, Youakim Kalaani

Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Publications

The College of Science and Technology (COST) at our university (XXX) offers degrees in Mechanical (MET), Civil (CET) and Electrical Engineering Technology (EET). All the Engineering Technology programs are ABET accredited and have been successful in achieving the TAC2000 outcomes. In particular, our Senior Design capstone course (TEET4010/ 4020) is a comprehensive three-credit, two-semester engineering design course, that all engineering majors are required to take as their capstone experience. We view this course as a very important component in the preparation of a trained EET professional. The course emphasizes both hard and soft skills and serves as an emulation of …

Enhancing The Learning Experience In A Multidisciplinary Engineering Technology Course, Rocio Alba-Flores, Youakim G. Al-Kalaani

Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Publications

Rapidly changing technology advances demand the revisions of engineering and technology courses so that they continue to serve students and industry in a relevant way. In a typical engineering technology department, students from different majors are usually required to take an introductory electrical engineering course. Due to the multidisciplinary background of students, such a course has traditionally been a challenge to teach so as to make it interesting and useful to all students. Therefore innovative teaching methods have to be employed in order to accommodate different backgrounds and learning styles.

In our department, a basic electrical engineering course is offered …

Application Of Structured Light Imaging For High Resolution Mapping Of Underwater Archaeological Sites, Chris Roman, Gabrielle Inglis, James Rutter

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

This paper presents results from recent work using structured light laser profile imaging to create high resolution bathymetric maps of underwater archaeological sites. Documenting the texture and structure of submerged sites is a difficult task and many applicable acoustic and photographic mapping techniques have recently emerged. This effort was completed to evaluate laser profile imaging in comparison to stereo imaging and high frequency multibeam mapping. A ROV mounted camera and inclined 532 nm sheet laser were used to create profiles of the bottom that were then merged into maps using platform navigation data. These initial results show very promising resolution …

Graduate Curricula In Software Engineering And Software Assurance: Need And Recommendations, T. B. Hilburn, Andrew J. Kornecki

Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science - Daytona Beach

In discussions about the development and use of computer systems and software products, the term “professional software engineer” is used repeatedly. In the last two decades there has been significant effort devoted to enhancing and advancing the state of professional software engineering (SwE) – new software engineering processes, methods, tools, and practices; creation of a software engineering body of knowledge [1]; development of a code of ethics and professional conduct [2], and software certification and licensing programs [3] . In 1989 the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) of Carnegie Mellon University published a landmark report on graduate education in software engineering …

The Measurement Of Success In External Engagement Activities, Mike Murphy

Conference papers

Our ambition is to identify, through the presentations and the discussion, a number of key insights and necessary actions for development of more and deeper partnerships between Higher Education Institutions and Employers.

Concurrent Masters Degrees Across The Atlantic: Innovations, Issues And Insights, Michael Dyrenfurth, Mike Murphy, Gary Bertoline, Robert Herrick, Kathryne Newton, Gareth O'Donnell, Donal Mchale, Nuria Castell, Miquel Barcelo, Didac Balas, Maria Ribera Sancho, Jordi Garcia

Conference papers

Atransatlantic degree consortium to implement a four-semester dual masters degree initiative across a three-institution consortium consisting of Purdue University (USA), the Technological University Dublin (DIT), and the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (Spain) is presented in this paper.

Rotational Relaxation Times Of Individual Compounds With Simulations Of Molecular Asphalt Models, Liqun Zhang, Michael L. Greenfield

Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications

The dynamical properties of a complex system incorporate contributions from the diverse components from which it is constituted. To study this relationship in a multicomponent system, relaxation times based on rotation autocorrelation functions in molecular dynamics simulations were analyzed for molecules in two sets of unmodified and polymer-modified model asphalt/bitumen systems over 298–473 K. The model asphalt systems were proposed previously to approximate the chemical and mechanical properties of real asphalts. Relaxations were modeled using a modified Kaulrausch–Williams–Watts function and were based on the third Legendre polynomial of normal vector time correlation functions for aromatic species asphaltene, polar aromatic, naphthene …

A Multiscale Gibbs-Helmholtz Constrained Cubic Equation Of State, Angelo Lucia

Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper presents a radically new approach to cubic equations of state (EOS) in which the Gibbs-Helmholtz equation is used to constrain the attraction or energy parameter, a. The resulting expressions for a(T, p) for pure components and a(T, p, x) for mixtures contain internal energy departure functions and completely avoid the need to use empirical expressions like the Soave alpha function. Our approach also provides a novel and thermodynamically rigorous mixing rule for a(T, p, x).When the internal energy departure function is computed using Monte …

Development Of A Quality Of Service Framework For Multimedia Streaming Applications, Stuart Wallace

Masters

By the year 2012, it is expected that the majority of all Internet traffic will be video content. Coupled with this is the increasing availability of Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) due to their ease of deployment, flexibility and reducing roll out costs. Unfortunately the contention based access mechanism utilised by IEEE 802.11 WLANs does not suit the non-uniform or bursty bandwidth profile of a video stream which can lead to a reduced quality of service (QoS) being experienced by the end-user. In 2005, the IEEE 802.11e protocol was ratified in an attempt to solve this emerging problem. It provides …

Experimental Analysis And Demonstration Of A Low Cost Fibre Optic Temperature Sensor System For Engineering Applications, Ginu Rajan, Yuliya Semenova, Jinesh Mathew, Gerald Farrell

Articles

An epoxy packaged surface mountable fibre temperature sensor for engineering applications is presented in this paper. The temperature sensor is based on a macro-bend single-mode fibre loop employed in a ratiometric power measurement scheme and has a linear characteristic with temperature at a fixed wavelength and bend radius. The sensor head consists of a single turn of a bare bend sensitive single-mode fibre with an applied absorption coating. The temperature of the sensor head is varied up to 80 0C and the linearity of the response is studied with different applied absorption coatings. The sensor head is packaged in a …

Some Complex Systems Engineering Principles, Matthew J. Berryman, Peter Campbell

SMART Infrastructure Facility - Papers

Complex adaptive systems can be characterised by many adaptively changing parts, with a large number of interactions, and adaptation at the system level. This body of research can inform the large engineering projects that are characterised by large systems of systems, where interactions to achieve end goals matters, and where designs and the technology of parts in service undergo many adaptive changes. A number of key lessons can be drawn from the complex adaptive systems literature. Firstly, that the use of design patterns, as traditionally applied in software engineering, can also be applied to wider systems engineering and systems integration …

Encouraging Cultural Awareness In Engineering Students, Thomas L. Goldfinch, Catherine A. Layton, Timothy J. Mccarthy

Faculty of Engineering - Papers (Archive)

With ever diversifying engineering student cohorts, faculty, and ultimately, engineering workforce, there is an increasing need to foster genuine cultural intelligence and awareness in students. An in-depth audit of graduate attribute-oriented learning experiences in engineering curricula at the University of Wollongong, identified a very limited number of learning experiences targeting cultural intelligence. This paper describes a project aimed at developing learning activities to improve the cultural awareness of first year engineering students. Crucially for the project, activities had to be developed with ‘nuts and bolts’, or ‘formulae’ focused engineering students in mind. Concepts of Critical Consciousness and self reflection have …

Research Methodologies For Engineering Asset Management, Khaled O. El-Akruti, Richard Dwight

Faculty of Engineering - Papers (Archive)

This paper serves as a guide for researchers in Asset Management (AM). Its objective is to establish sufficient reasoning to select and complement research methodologies for AM research studies. It explores literature and adds to existing research approaches in AM. This will lead to a stronger body of knowledge through a better contribution from research. AM as a discipline, addresses the management of the life cycle of assets utilized by an organisation. This extends from identification of the need to the disposal and liability thereafter. It includes technical and business activities. From this view, AM is a relatively new discipline. …

Business Modeling With The Support Of Multiple Notations In Requirements Engineering, Mohammad Moshiur Bhuiyan, Aneesh Krishna

Faculty of Engineering - Papers (Archive)

Requirements specification should not be concerned only with the software specification, but should also be able to integrate with the organizational models describing the environment in which the system will function. Agent–oriented conceptual modeling notations such as i* represents an interesting approach for modeling early phase requirements which includes organizational contexts, stakeholder intentions and rationale. Business Process Modeling notations such as BPMN are used to effectively conceptualize and communicate important process characteristics to relevant stakeholders. On the other hand, Unified Modeling Language (UML) is suitable for later phases of requirement capture which usually focus on completeness, consistency, and automated verification …

Evaluating Online Multiple Choice Quizzes As Formative Assessment Tools In An Engineering Fluid Mechanics Subject, David B. Hastie, Thomas Goldfinch

Faculty of Engineering - Papers (Archive)

In an effort to improve learning outcomes in a second year Engineering Fluid Mechanics subject, the first author has developed and piloted a series of online multiple choice quizzes (MCQ) as formative assessment tools. This paper describes the development and implementation of these quizzes and the evaluation of their effect on students’ results in a formal written mid-session exam and also final exam. Students’ perception of the quizzes is also captured and discussed through the use of a brief, in class survey. The effect of these MCQs was investigated for two main cohorts of students, those who voluntarily attempted the …

Embedding Graduate Attribute Development Into The Engineering Curriculum: Less Is More?, Long Nghiem, Thomas L. Goldfinch, Maureen E. Bell

Faculty of Engineering - Papers (Archive)

'Graduate Attributes' is a term which all too frequently sends shivers down the spines of engineering academics. The idea of having to instil a diverse set of professional behaviours and attitudes in youthful engineering students, while still ensuring a level of technical competence, can be intimidating for many. With high stakes associated with accreditation, high level university policy, and external government auditing, there can be perception that addressing as many different attributes as possible in a subject is desirable. Recent research at the University of Wollongong suggests that the idea of tackling several different Graduate attributes may be ineffective. This …

Plagiarism In First-Year Engineering Education: A Snapshot Of Student Attitudes And Abilities, Brad Stappenbelt, Chris Rowles

Faculty of Engineering - Papers (Archive)

This paper investigates student attitudes and abilities regarding the growing issue of plagiarism in higher education. The study examined a group of first-year engineering students. These students either matriculated directly from high school or were newly arrived international students and were therefore not likely to be familiar with the Australian university system. Student abilities to recognise plagiarism were examined through a series of writing samples and their attitudes pertaining to plagiarism were also investigated through interviews and surveys. The results revealed that there was little difference between the international and first-year Australian students' abilities to detect plagiarism. Skill deficiencies and …

Engineering Professional Development Design For Secondary School Teachers: A Multiple Case Study, Jenny L. Daugherty

Publications

The effectiveness of teachers has been regarded as crucial to the success of standards-based reform (Fishman, Marx, Best, & Tal, 2003). Research, particularly within science and mathematics, has underscored the need for professional development to help teachers understand (a) subject matter, (b) learners and learning, and (c) teaching methods (Loucks-Horsley, 1999). In addition to focusing on teacher professional development, national reform efforts have also emphasized science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education (i.e., Rising Above the Gathering Storm, NRC, 2006). While substantial work has been conducted in mathematics and science, the efforts in technology and engineering education are much less …

Engineering Student Outcomes For Infusion Into Technological Literacy Programs: Grades 9-12, Craig Rhodes, Vincent Childress

Publications

In 2004, the National Center for Engineering and Technology Education (NCETE) secured funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to infuse engineering design into the schools through technology education. In order to reach this goal the researchers, in cooperation with NCETE, conducted a two phase study to identify outcomes for high-school students studying engineering. The first study (referred to as a Phase I) focused on students who intended to enter an engineering program after high school, answering the question:

What are the engineering student outcomes that prospective engineering students in grades 9 through 12 should know and be able to …

Quality Indicators For Engineering And Technology Education, Michael Dyrenfurth, Mike Murphy, Gary Bertoline

Conference papers

In recent years the development and use of university rankings, comparisons, and/or league tables has become popular and several methodologies are now frequently used to provide a comparative ranking of universities. These rankings are often based on research and publication activity and also not uncommonly focus on indicators that can be measured rather than those that should be measured. Further, the indicators are generally examined for the university as a whole rather than for university divisions, departments or programs. Implicit also is that placement in the rankings is indicative of quality. This paper provides an overview of the methodologies used …

An Analysis Of Factors That Influence The Success Of Women Engineering Leaders In Corporate America, Letha Joye Jepson

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

"One in 4 women entering the engineering profession leaves after age 30, while only 1 in 10 of their male counterparts does" (Perusek, 2008, p. 20). I was interested in analyzing the factors supporting women engineers’ leadership development and success. My particular focus was on women engineers in corporate environments—the personal characteristics needed for a successful career and the impacts of social support, career development, and the corporate culture on their career progression. The aspects of social support included the factors of family, friends, and significant others and the levels of supports during the woman’s career. The features of corporation …