Engineering Commons^™

Characterization Of Mechanical Property Evolution And Durability Life Prediction Of Engineered Cementitious Composites Under Frozen State, Su Lu, Liqiang Yin, Shuguang Liu, Dandan Yin, Jiaxin Liu, Huifang Hou, Lin Li

Civil and Architectural Engineering Faculty Research

Engineered cementitious composites (ECCs) exhibit superior mechanical properties (MPs) and excellent crack control capabilities, making them widely used in practical engineering applications. However, the MPs of ECCs in frozen states (FSs), particularly their flexural properties (FPs), still need to be better understood. MP tests were designed for frozen ECC samples to investigate the service performance of ECCs in an FS. The samples underwent 0 to 300 freeze–thaw cycles (FTs), followed by compressive and flexural tests at a constant freezing temperature of −18 °C. The compressive properties (CPs) and FPs of the samples and their influencing mechanisms were analyzed. Based on …

Leveraging Artificial Intelligence In Education To Drive Cross-Sector Innovation, Brent Terwilliger, John Faraca

Publications

As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes educational practices, particularly in technical fields such as uncrewed systems, robotics, and aviation/ aerospace, its integration raises promise and complexity. This exploratory study features an investigation of the impact AI tools adoption has on instruction, curriculum support, and workforce preparation, with a focus on online learning environments. Drawing from pilot survey data across aviation and aerospace education stakeholders and hands-on evaluation of AI video production platforms, findings reveal diverse applications, perceived benefits, and critical concerns, including ethical, pedagogical, and institutional challenges. Additionally, the analysis explored how AI-enabled education intersects with broader industry and government innovation …

Geometric Calibration Of Near Focus Infrared (Ir) Sensors For Spacecraft Missions, Alex Allgrunn

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

SDL Presentation on Geometric Calibration of Near Focus IR Sensors for Spacecraft Missions

Airfield Pavement Management Framework Using Advanced Modeling Techniques, Heena Dhasmana, Marwa Hassan, Elise Mansour

Publications

Airport authorities constantly collect pavement condition data and utilize life-cycle cost analysis to select construction and maintenance alternatives. The current Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Advisory Circular 150/5380-7B recommends using Pavement Condition Index (PCI) to assess airfield pavement condition for planning of Maintenance and Rehabilitation (M&R) treatments. However, structural and functional performance might not be fairly represented by solely one indicator, the PCI. The latter might mask the root cause of the pavement deterioration and lead to inadequate M&R recommendations. Furthermore, the regression nature of the existing airfield pavement assessment models is not adequate for establishing pavement performance prediction as a …

Microstructural Characterization Of Sheet Lamination-Based Additively Manufactured Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastic Composites, Samiul Alam, Devin Young, Dae Han Sung, Juhyeong Lee

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Student Publications and Presentations

Additive manufacturing (AM) of fiber-reinforced composites has garnered significant interest for its versatility in creating intricate parts and rapid prototyping. Short fiber-reinforced composites are typically fabricated through fused deposition modeling (FDM), but they possess several challenges including limited fiber volume fraction, low printing speed, and low throughput for industry scales. Composite-based additive manufacturing (CBAM) is a novel sheet laminationbased AM process, combining non-woven fabric reinforcement with thermoplastic materials to fabricate three-dimensional objects. CBAM offers notable advantages over FDM, including the potential for achieving higher fiber volume fractions and faster production rates, making it a promising technology for further investigation in …

Microstructure-Based Homogenization Of Elastic Properties In Additively Manufactured Thermoplastic Composites, Md Tareq Hassan, Samiul Alam, Juhyeong Lee

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Student Publications and Presentations

Additive manufacturing (AM) of fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites has emerged as a promising technology, enabling the fabrication of lightweight, complex geometries with reduced material waste and lower production costs. Among various AM methods, composites-based additive manufacturing (CBAM) has gained attention for its rapid prototyping and producing parts with enhanced mechanical properties. Regardless of these benefits, CBAM-printed composites may inherently possess a certain level of defects introduced during the manufacturing process, such as voids, microcracks, and non-uniform porosity. To address these challenges, understanding the relationship between microstructural characteristics and effective mechanical properties is critical. Micro-computed tomography (μCT) is a powerful technique for …

Optimizing The Sustainability Of Asphalt Pavements Through Incorporating Crumb Rubber In High-Modulus Asphalt Concrete (Hmac) Mixtures In Louisiana, Heena Dhasmana, Marwa Hassan, Mohamed Abdelmageed

Publications

Asphalt mixtures are traditionally produced using the Superpave mix design method, which emphasizes volumetric properties; however, current research is shifting toward performance-based and sustainable approaches. Within this context, the French High Modulus Asphalt Concrete (HMAC) design focuses on achieving specific performance criteria for workability, stiffness, rutting resistance, and fatigue behavior, employing a hard binder with higher asphalt content and fewer air voids than Superpave mixes. In this study, HMAC mixtures were developed using crumb rubber and locally sourced Louisiana materials. Five HMAC mixes using PG 76-22 and PG 67-22 binders with 10% and 20% crumb rubber were prepared, along with …

Predicting Strut Geometry Of Pcl And Dmso2 Biocomposites From Nozzle To Deposition In Bio-Scaffold 3d Printing, Jae-Won Jang, Kyung-Eun Min, Jun-Hee Park, Cheolhee Kim, Sung Yi

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The field of tissue engineering increasingly demands accurate predictive models to optimize the 3D printing process of bio-scaffolds. This study presents a unified numerical model that predicts extrusion velocity and strut diameter based on printing conditions and the material properties of polycaprolactone (PCL) and dimethyl sulfone (DMSO2) composites. The extrusion velocity was simulated using Navier–Stokes equations, while the strut diameter was calculated via a surface energy model. For PCL, the extrusion velocity showed a temperature coefficient of 23.3%/°C and a pressure coefficient of 19.1% per 100 kPa; the strut diameter exhibited a temperature coefficient of 21.6%/°C and a pressure coefficient …

Finite Volume Incompressible Lattice Boltzmann Framework For Non-Newtonian Flow Simulations In Complex Geometries, Akshay Dongre, John Ryan Murdock, Song Lin Yang

Michigan Tech Publications

Arterial diseases are a leading cause of morbidity worldwide, necessitating the development of robust simulation tools to understand their progression mechanisms. In this study, we present a finite volume solver based on the incompressible lattice Boltzmann method (iLBM) to model complex cardiovascular flows. Standard LBM suffers from compressibility errors and is constrained to uniform Cartesian meshes, limiting its applicability to realistic vascular geometries. To address these issues, we developed an incompressible LBM scheme that recovers the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations (NSEs) and integrated it into a finite volume (FV) framework to handle unstructured meshes while retaining the simplicity of the LBM …

Functionalizing Polyethersulfone Membranes: Using Nmr To Avoid Pitfalls When Using Uv-Induced Polymerization To 'Graft From' Surfaces, Priyanka Suresh, Megan M. Sibley, Amy C. Che, Christine E. Duval

Faculty Scholarship

For nearly 30 years, UV-induced free radical polymerization has been used to modify the surface chemistry of polyethersulfone (PES) membranes, films, and coatings. The initial mechanism for the grafting process was introduced in the 1990s and supported without direct evidence of covalent bond formation. Since then, claims of ‘grafting from’ membranes in the literature rely on similar evidence using a combination of gravimetry, attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy, contact angle goniometry, water sorption, and/or water permeance. While these techniques provide evidence of the presence of a polymer coating, they do not provide direct evidence of covalent bond formation between the …

An Artificial Neural Network-Based Battery Management System For Lifepo4 Batteries, Roger Painter, Ranganathan Parthasarathy, Lin Li, Irucka Embry, Lonnie Sharpe, S. Keith Hargrove

Civil and Architectural Engineering Faculty Research

We present a reduced-order battery management system (BMS) for lithium-ion cells in electric and hybrid vehicles that couples a physics-based single-particle model (SPM) derived from the Cahn–Hilliard phase-field formulation with a lumped heat-transfer model. A three-dimensional COMSOL® 5.0 simulation of a LiFePO4 particle produced voltage and temperature data across ambient temperatures (253–298 K) and discharge rates (1 C–20.5 C). Principal component analysis (PCA) reduced this dataset to five latent variables, which we then mapped to experimental voltage–temperature profiles of an A123 Systems 26650 2.3 Ah cell using a self-normalizing neural network (SNN). The resulting ROM achieves real-time prediction accuracy comparable …

Multiagent Copilot In Industrial Ai Applications, Chathurangi Shyalika, Renjith Prasad, Utkarshani Jaimini, Cory Henson, Fadi El Kalach, Amit Sheth

Publications

In the era of smart automation and digital transformation, achieving efficiency, precision, and adaptability is essential for industries to remain competitive. Sectors, including manufacturing, supply chain and logistics, healthcare, finance, and retail, face significant challenges in deploying Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions tailored to their unique needs, particularly in critical, resource-constrained applications. According to Gartner’s 2024 Hype Cycle for Artificial Intelligence, composite AI, which integrates techniques like machine learning, knowledge graphs, and rule-based systems, is becoming foundational for industries, enhancing predictions, decisions, and scalability across complex environments.

The complexity of real-world systems requires Industrial AI solutions to be customizable to business …

Bounding Case Requirements For Power Grid Protection Against High-Altitude Electromagnetic Pulses, Connor A. Lehman, Darrell Robinette, Wayne Weaver, David G. Wilson

Michigan Tech Publications

Securing the power grid is of extreme concern to many nations as power infrastructure has become integral to modern life and society. A high-altitude electromagnetic pulse (HEMP) is generated by a nuclear detonation high in the atmosphere, producing a powerful electromagnetic field that can damage or destroy electronic devices over a wide area. Protecting against HEMP attacks (insults) requires knowledge of the problem’s bounds before the problem can be appropriately solved. This paper presents a collection of analyses to determine the basic requirements for controller placements on a power grid. Two primary analyses are conducted. The first is an inverted …

Extreme Bandgap Polarization Doped Algan Layers On Bulk Aln For Pn-Diodes With An 8.5 Mv Cm−1 Breakdown Field And Forward Current Density Exceeding 20 Ka Cm−2, Tariq Jamil, Abdullah Al Mamun Mazumder, Muhammad Ali, Mafruda Rahman, Kenneth Stephenson, Grigory Simin, Asif Khan

Faculty Publications

In this paper we present a study of distribution polarization doped Al_xGa_1−xN layers and their use in quasi-vertical configuration pn-diodes which exhibited a high breakdown field of ∼8.5 MV cm⁻¹ and a large forward current density (∼23 kA cm⁻²). We also establish their potential use in UVC light emitters by studying the optical emission from a quantum well inserted at the distribution polarization doped pn-junction interface.

A Review Of Direct Ink Writing Of Polymer Derived Ceramics, Victoria Bishop, Saket Chand Mathur, Nhu Nguyen, Bhisham Sharma, Mary Drouin, Bin Li, Cheol Park, Wei Wei

Michigan Tech Publications

With the growing demand for materials capable of withstanding extreme temperatures and pressures, ceramic components with exceptional corrosion resistance and reliable mechanical properties have experienced a significant surge in demand. However, traditional ceramic forming methods involve high-temperatures and energy-intensive processes that often struggle to produce complex parts or composites efficiently. Polymer-Derived Ceramics (PDCs) offer a transformative solution by using polymeric precursors that can be converted into a wide variety of silicon-based and non-silicon-based ceramics through heat treatment. The polymeric nature of PDC precursors enables the fabrication of geometrically intricate components using conventional polymer-forming techniques at significantly lower processing temperatures. Furthermore, …

The Rapid Detection Of Foreign Fibers In Seed Cotton Based On Hyperspectral Band Selection And A Lightweight Neural Network, Yeqi Fei, Zhenye Li, Dongyi Wang, Chao Ni

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Contamination with foreign fibers-such as mulch films and polypropylene strands-during cotton harvesting and processing severely compromises fiber quality. The traditional detection methods often fail to identify fine impurities under visible light, while full-spectrum hyperspectral imaging (HSI) techniques-despite their effectiveness-tend to be prohibitively expensive and computationally intensive. Specifically, the vast amount of redundant spectral information in full-spectrum HSI escalates both the system's costs and processing challenges. To address these challenges, this study presents an intelligent detection framework that integrates optimized spectral band selection with a lightweight neural network. A novel hybrid Harris Hawks-Whale Optimization Operator (HWOO) is employed to isolate 12 …

A Highly Sensitive Electrochemical Immunosensor For Cortisol Detection, Pritu Sarkar, Ali Ashraf, Ahmed Hasnain Jalal, Fahmida Alam, Nazmul Islam

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

In this research, an interdigitated gear-shaped working electrode is presented for cortisol sensing. Overall, the sensor was designed in a three-electrode system and was fabricated using direct laser scribing. A synthesized conductive ink based on graphene and polyaniline was further employed to enhance the electrochemical performance of the sensor. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were employed for physicochemical characterization of the laser-induced graphene (LIG) sensor. Cortisol, a biomarker essential in detecting stress, was detected both in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, pH = 7.4) and human serum within a linear range of 100 ng/mL to 100 µg/mL. …

Machine Learning-Driven Optimization Of Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters For Low-Frequency Applications, Kyrillos Selim, Login Moustafa, Sameh O. Abdellatif

Electrical Engineering

To enhance energy harvesting efficiency, this paper explores the optimization of a cantilever-based piezoelectric energy harvester by integrating advanced machine learning (ML) methodologies. Leveraging a meticulously trained model on data sourced from a sophisticated two-dimension (2D) COMSOL Multiphysics numerical simulation, the study focuses on the critical input parameters, particularly the dimensions of the piezoelectric thin film. Through extensive simulations, the analysis delves into power density extraction and resonance frequency for various configurations. The culmination of rigorous simulations and analysis has led to the identification of an optimal design configuration for the cantilever piezoelectric energy harvester, characterized by a length of …

Effect Of Coarse Aggregate On The Stability And Mechanical Performance Of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (Uhpc), Rui Zhong, Mingyan Pan, Hongyu Wu, Zhao Cheng, Jianzhong Liu, Jingquan Wang, Yiming Yao, Hongyan Ma

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The effect of coarse aggregate (CA) on the stability and mechanical performance of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) was investigated. To assess UHPC stability, a unique approach was developed that utilizes specially fabricated large specimens with a depth of 400 mm. It overcomes the drawback of limited CA migration distance using small specimens, which may not replicate conditions relevant to structural applications. The spatial distributions of various constituents along the vertical casting direction were quantified through image processing technology. Results showed an approximately 12 % reduction in CA content in the top layer, while the bottom layer exhibited 12 % more CA …

Thermaltrack Dataset- Training Images- Fused Rgb Lwir- Sequence 1, Yiming Yang, Jeremy Bos

ThermalTrack

We present a wheel track detection system that leverages RGB-Thermal (RGB-T) imaging, where thermal channels reveal critical temperature differentials between compacted tracks and loose snow - tracks exhibit higher thermal inertia and lower reflectivity, emitting stronger radiation signatures even in visually homogeneous conditions. By fusing these distinctive thermal patterns with RGB spatial information, our method reliably identifies navigable tracks, enabling robust path-following in complete white-out conditions where snow textures and terrain features become indistinguishable.

Predicting Battery Levels Of Sensor Nodes Using Reinforcement Learning In Harsh Underground Mining Environments, Manish Anand Yadav, Mohamed Elmahallawy, Sanjay Madria, Samuel Frimpong

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Underground mining is a hazardous environment, with frequent accidents leading to significant loss of life each year. To enhance safety, sensor nodes monitor key environmental factors such as temperature, toxic gases, and miners' locations, as well as transmit critical messages. Miners interact with these sensors, which track their movements, enabling their location to be determined even without GPS signals. Therefore, predicting the battery life of these sensors is essential for: (i) rerouting miners during emergencies, (ii) ensuring timely maintenance, and most importantly (iii) identifying sensors that need energy harvesting to maintain vital communication within the mine. In this work, we …

Life Cycle Assessment Of Co-Located Floating Solar And Offshore Wind, Danela Sadikaj, Meghann Smith

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Is combining floating solar and offshore wind platforms feasible for increasing energy capacity while displacing the environmental impacts that each of these systems has independently? In recent years offshore wind has become a very popular option to decarbonize the energy sector without overtaking valuable land. While floating solar is not a new technology, using solar in a marine environment is still in an experimental phase. This research proposes a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) model of co-located solar technology within the proposed offshore wind farms near New Jersey’s coastline. While both technologies themselves are zero-emission while operating, they each require a …

Reducing Emissions And Increasing Resource Efficiency In Offshore Wind Turbines: Insight From Life Cycle Analysis, Jean Claire Pineda, Meghann Smith

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Globally, offshore wind (OSW) has been identified as a key technology for decarbonization. While OSW’s development timeline remains uncertain in the United States, New Jersey has set the ambitious goal of 11 GW by 2040. OSW produces zero carbon emissions; however, it relies heavily on resource-intensive materials like steel, rare earth elements, and copper, and manufacturing those materials have numerous environmental impacts, including carbon emissions. Supply chain disruptions—from COVID-19, rising material costs, and geopolitical challenges—add further complexity. Previous research modelled the environmental impacts of Atlantic Shores OSW South Project with an established domestic supply chain, producing 0.013kg CO2 per kWh. …

Real-World Implementation Of A Noninvasive, Ai-Augmented, Anemia-Screening Smartphone App And Personalization For Hemoglobin Level Self-Monitoring, Robert G. Mannino, Julie Sullivan, Jennifer K. Frediani, Paul George, Jeremy Whitson, James Tumlin, L. Andrew Lyon, Erika A. Tyburski, Wilbur A. Lam

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Anemia, characterized by low blood hemoglobin (Hgb) levels, afflicts >2 billion individuals worldwide. Here, we report real-world data generated by a smartphone app that noninvasively screens for anemia using only “fingernail selfies.” App data for anemia screening were obtained from >1.4 million uses across the United States enabling geographic mapping of Hgb levels. Of those, 9,061 users also self-reported complete blood count Hgb levels for comparison, resulting in accuracy and performance that match gold standard laboratory testing and a sensitivity and specificity of 89% and 93%, respectively, when using an anemia cutoff of 12.5 g/dL. Geotagged data enabled construction of …

Automated Client Dashboard For Facts Student Information System, Kashish Syed

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This project addresses the challenges of student data migration for K-12 educational institutions to the FACTS Student Information System (SIS). Historically, data migration from legacy platforms has been a manual and error-prone process. To streamline this workflow, an interactive client dashboard and automated validation system were developed as part of this capstone. The resulting solution is a scalable, intuitive tool that enhances data accuracy, reduces manual labor, and improves the user experience for both school administrators and FACTS staff. This report blends the technical implementation with reflections on project management, team collaboration, and lessons learned, offering a comprehensive view of …

Proposed Civil Design Package For Lincoln Youth Sports Complex, Gracie Kerr, Hayden Wulf, Kiley Pham, Caitlin Keathley

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The following report is a proposal of civil work and an engineering design package for the City of Lincoln to construct a Youth Sports Complex on the vacant lot at 2100 North 1^st Street, Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska. The city has requested five U10 to U14 combination baseball and softball fields, one championship softball field, and one championship baseball field. Additionally, a playground area, concessions building, and designated parking areas have been requested. This design package includes introductory company and project information, a summary of the design request and constraints, three overall design alternatives, discipline-specific engineering designs and recommendations, …

Wind Shear And The Role Of Eddy Vapor Transport In Driving Water Convection On Jupiter, Ramanakumar Sankar, Michael H. Wong, Csaba Palotai, Shawn Brueshaber

Michigan Tech Publications

Recent observations of convection in the Jovian atmosphere have demonstrated that convection is strongly concentrated at specific locations on the planet. For instance, observations of lightning show that the cyclonic features (e.g., belts and folded filamentary regions) show increased convective activity compared to anticyclonic regions. Meanwhile, the distribution of ammonia and water vapor shows a large enrichment near the equator, which is also suggestive of strong upwelling and convective activity. Marrying these different observations is challenging owing to a lack of data concerning the characteristics of the deep Jovian atmosphere and a resulting inability to observe the true deep source …

A Case Study Of Pavement Construction Materials For Wet-Freeze Regions: The Application Of Waste Glass Aggregate And High-Content Rubber Modified Asphalt, Kai Xin, Meng Wu, Dongzhao Jin, Zhanping You

Michigan Tech Publications

Pavement systems in wet-freeze regions are prone to cracking, rutting, and moisture damage, making it challenging to incorporate recycled materials into asphalt mixtures in a way that enhances sustainability while maintaining performance and constructability. This study investigates and demonstrates the combined benefits of using processed waste glass in a leveling course and high-content crumb rubber in a surface course, focusing on both laboratory and full-scale field assessments in a wet-freeze region of northern Michigan. A leveling course containing 10% waste glass aggregate and a surface course using 16% crumb rubber (by binder weight) modified asphalt were designed with low air …

Impact Of Prior Exposures On Biomarkers Of Blast During Military Tactical Training, Zhaoyu Wang, Shengnan Sun, Alis Aksar Kranfli, Jeffrey Nemes, Molly J. Sullan, Andrew J. Hoisington, Lisa A. Brenner, Miciej Skotak, Christina R. Lavalle, Yongchao Ge, Walter Carr, Fatemah Haghighi

Faculty Publications

Blast injuries and subclinical effects are of significant concern among those Service Members (SMs) participating in military operations and tactical trainings. Studies of SMs repeatedly exposed during training find concussion-like symptomology with transient decrements in neurocognitive performance, and alterations in blood biomarkers. How prior mild TBI (mTBI) history interacts with low-level blast (LLB) exposure, however, remains unexplored, which we investigate in the present study, to identify interindividual biomarker changes from LLB exposures influenced by prior history of mTBI.

In-Hand Singulation, Scooping, And Cable Untangling With A 5-Dof Tactile-Reactive Gripper, Yuhao Zhou, Pokuang Zhou, Shaoxiong Wang, Yu She

School of Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications

Manipulation tasks often require a high degree of dexterity, typically necessitating grippers with multiple degrees of freedom (DOF). While a robotic hand equipped with multiple fingers can execute precise and intricate manipulation tasks, the inherent redundancy stemming from its high-DOF often adds complexity that may not be required. In this paper, we introduce the design of a tactile sensor-equipped gripper with two fingers and five-DOF. We present a novel design integrating a GelSight tactile sensor, enhancing sensing capabilities and enabling finer control during specific manipulation tasks. To evaluate the gripper's performance, we conduct experiments involving three challenging tasks: 1) retrieving, …