Engineering Commons^™

Towards Mitigation Of The Light Network Load Performance Penalty Of The Network Link Outlier Factor (Nlof), Jaime Merin Guzman

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Detecting and localizing faults in communication networks is critical to maintaining reliable and efficient network operations. The Network Link Outlier Factor with Most Likely Link (NLOF: MLL) algorithm has demonstrated its potential to automate this task but suffers from significant performance degradation under low network load conditions, where limited network flow data reduces its ability to localize faults. This thesis proposes and evaluates the performance of a synthetic traffic generation algorithm to be used with NLOF:MLL. This algorithm strategically injects synthetic flows that supplement the insufficient real network flows, thereby improving NLOF:MLL's performance under low-load conditions. Specifically, we select network …

Efficacy Of Mitophagy Inhibition As A Potentiating Agent For Conventional Chemotherapy, Morghan Relich, Shelby Bess

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Cancer is a result of uncontrolled growth and reproduction of cells. Damaged or abnormal cells grow and multiply when they should not and in turn the cells continue to proliferate and metastasize. Malignant cells rely on functional mitochondria for proliferation, metastasis, and survival. These mitochondria maintain a functional mitochondrial network through a quality control mechanism called mitophagy. Mitophagy is a conserved intracellular process to maintain quality control and remove damaged mitochondria.

Previous research has been done to examine the effects of mitophagy in tumor cells, as well as the effects of mitophagy inhibition. One focus of current research has been …

Advancing Efficiency Of Unstructured Mesh Processing With Localized Data Structures, Guoxi Liu

All Dissertations

Unstructured meshes are widely used to represent complex shapes and data in visualization tasks, such as medical imaging, engineering design, and geometric modeling. However, their unevenly distributed elements make them memory-intensive and time-consuming to process, especially as mesh sizes grow. This research focuses on improving the efficiency of processing large unstructured meshes by reducing memory usage and speeding up computations. This doctoral dissertation introduces three methods to address these challenges. The first approach divides the mesh into smaller partitions and processes it piece-by-piece, reducing memory requirements by up to 10 times. The second approach uses the processor's parallel computing capabilities …

Metabolic Responses Of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells In Collagen I Hydrogels, Caroline R. King

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Peripheral nerve injury affects approximately 44 in 1 million people in the United States every year and can lead to incomplete nerve recovery and loss of motor and sensory function. A significant amount of energy is required for nerve injury repair. A lack of energy allocation to the injury site hinders repair. Current treatments include hollow nerve guidance conduits, decellularized nerve grafts, and autografts. However, they are limited by factors such as donor site morbidity and sustained immunosuppressive treatments. Using three-dimensional collagen I hydrogels laden with adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) can assist in neural regeneration. Three-dimensional collagen scaffolds aim to …

Investigating The Feasibility Of Developing A Fully Solar-Driven Combined Cycle Design, Mazdak Gorji

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the feasibility of a thermal solar-only combined cycle power plant, a concept rarely investigated despite its potential to outperform photovoltaic systems in energy efficiency. Unlike typical hybrid models that use solar energy as a supplement to fuel, this research focuses on a solar-only system that operates a true Brayton-Rankine combined cycle for continuous 24/7 power generation. The study established an efficiency benchmark, comparing eighteen solar generation scenarios across different storage and power block configurations to assess whether the concept was worth pursuing, which it proved to be. Following this, the research focused on simulation, validating ThermoFlex software …

Effects Of Mississippi River Borrow Area Design On Riverine Sediment Transport Using Delft 3d, Kiara B. Horton

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This research uses a Delft3D model to investigate the impacts of Mississippi River borrow areas on the Mississippi River navigation channel. The largest navigation concerns for the Mississippi River are operation and maintenance costs down; this includes costs of transportation and dredging. Borrow areas are created to supplement beneficial use of dredge material in various projects. Borrow areas are designed to a standard set of guidelines, according to Coastal Protection and Restoration authority (CPRA), and consider impacts to the navigation channel by requiring and minimum distance from the navigation channel. This study models the total sediment transport and amount of …

Precooling Ventilation Air For Hospital Operating Rooms And The Affects On Terminal Box Reheat, Joel F. Luke Jr

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluates the impact of climate on the energy performance of two HVAC system configurations—AL1, a conventional air handling system, and AL2, which incorporates a pre-cooling coil and discharge air temperature (DAT) reset strategy. Using EnergyPlus simulations, each system was modeled across multiple U.S. cities representing a wide range of climate zones. Results show that AL2 significantly reduces plant energy consumption, with an average energy savings of 66.61\% compared to AL1. These savings were nearly evenly split between reductions in heating and cooling demands.

A weather normalization analysis using cooling and heating degree days (CDD65 and HDD65) revealed a …

A Laboratory Study Of Local Scour And Driftwood Effects At A Type A Piano Key Weir, Manisha Panthi

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Piano key weirs are a unique weir designed to increase the amount of flow that passes over it via its zig-zag shape (similar to the rectangular shape of keys of a piano). With its relatively small footprint, they are becoming more popular to upgrade existing water management projects and are also being used in new construction works. However, there is little information available regarding how these weirs handle sediment and driftwood. Additional information will help researchers and designers to understand the challenges of upstream sediment buildup, driftwood accumulation, and the effects of floods on downstream scour with viable protection measures. …

Irrigation Performance Connection To Water Quality In Big Creek, Sena Bildim

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Due to new technologies and improved water management strategies, sprinkler irrigation systems are becoming more common in Utah and nearby areas. These systems are generally thought to be more efficient, but their effects on water quality are not well understood. This study focuses on the Big Creek watershed, which flows into Bear Lake—an area where water quality concerns are increasing.

The purpose of this research was to explore how different irrigation systems—sprinkler and surface—affect both water use and water quality. Field tests were conducted to measure how evenly water was applied and how efficient each system was. Water and soil …

Game Changing Education: Empowering High School Stem Teachers To Teach Engineering Using Games, Leslie Brown

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

In response to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) released in 2013, there was a nationwide push for K-12 schools to include engineering concepts in science classrooms. However, there is an overall lack of teacher preparedness and training towards engineering topics as shown by common engineering misconceptions. To improve this issue, I initiated a qualitative study to describe the strategies and attitudes of high school science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teachers that have implemented game-based, engineering activities into their classroom. Game-based learning is an instructional framework that utilizes game-like elements in a classroom and was used in this study …

Strategies For Increasing Methane Removal In Methanotroph Bench-Scale Systems For The Production Of Ectoine, Jaden Storrer

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Anthropogenic methane emissions contribute to the greenhouse gas profile which is the chief cause of climate change. One significant source of methane emissions is biogas produced from bacteria in wastewater facilities and landfills. Methane rich biogas has the potential to be valorized into high value bioproducts by using methanotrophs (microbes that use methane as their primary carbon source). Methylotuvimicrobium alcaliphilum 20Z was selected for this study as it can generate ectoine when grown in highly saline environments. Ectoine has been proven to have many benefits such as it prevents protein denaturation, it has hydration properties, and is a UV protectant. …

Aerobic Biodegradation Of Algae-Derived Bioplastics Under Controlled Composting Conditions, Clayton J. Lords

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Plastics are versatile polymers that have become critically important materials in many industries. Although plastics are important and useful materials, they account for vast amounts of environmental pollution and climate change contribution. Sustainable bioproducts are becoming increasingly important in the effort to mitigate the impacts of pollution and climate change. The scale of environmental damage caused by plastic pollution highlights the need to implement sustainably sourced biodegradable plastics within the global economy. Bioplastics are materials that may be manufactured from biological materials or can biodegrade under certain conditions. Algae are microorganisms that can be grown using nutrient-rich municipal wastewater; the …

Analyzing Microalgae-Bacteria Population Changes In Response To Environmental Parameters For Improved Wastewater Treatment, Amanda M. Moravek

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Microalgae are incredible organisms that have a variety of uses such as wastewater treatment, fertilizer, livestock feed, and bio-compound production. Microalgae require a light source and minimal nutrients space to proliferate, making them an environmentally friendly and sustainable option for such processes. The Sustainable Wastes-to-Bioproducts Engineering Center at Utah State University is developing and implementing a Rotating Algae Biofilm Reactor (RABR) to remove total nitrogen and phosphorous from the Central Valley Wastewater Reclamation Facility wastewater effluent. Harmful compounds such as nitrates and phosphates are metabolized by the microalgae and converted into useful bioproducts, resulting in a circular economy. These RABRs …

Water Use By Irrigated Turfgrass And Connections To Climate And Biophysical Processes, Karem Meza

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Urbanization and limited water supply and storage result in imbalanced urban water budgets. Quantification of water use becomes important in urban landscapes because urban turfgrass requires a significant amount of water and competes with other urban requirements. Evapotranspiration (ET) plays a crucial role in determining irrigation needs. Credible measurements and spatial estimates of urban turfgrass ET are needed for urban water management. However, these have not been addressed in urban landscapes in arid and semiarid regions. Despite estimating spatial urban turfgrass ET, turfgrass quality linked to ET has not been widely evaluated. Due to different environmental conditions, the driving forces …

Effects Of Light Intensity On Algae Biofilms In Rotating Algae Biofilm Reactors (Rabr), Joshua D. Wintch

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

There is a growing need for economically and ecologically friendly wastewater treatment processes. Utilizing natural algae biofilms to remediate excess nitrogen and phosphorus from municipal wastewater is a treatment technique of academic interest. Utilizing natural algae in rotating algae biofilm reactors (RABR) is a potential engineering application of algae biofilms for municipal wastewater anaerobic digestor effluent treatment. The ideal reactor operation would use sunlight as the light source for algae growth, however, there is little academic research on algae biofilm growth productivity across natural sunlight light intensity ranges. This research seeks to understand the relationship between rotating algae biofilm reactor …

Sensitivity Analysis Of A High-Power Wireless Power Transfer Charging Pad For Heavy-Duty Electric Vehicles To Inform Thermal Management, Jorge A. Hernandez-Ramiro

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

As the world shifts to net zero carbon emissions, many challenges lie ahead. Currently, heavy-duty vehicles produce a large amount of pollutants that are released into the air, affecting air quality in small and large cities. Transitioning heavy-duty vehicles, such as trucks and buses, into electric vehicles can help resolve this problem.

Electric vehicles and the infrastructure to support them are becoming a viable solution to combating climate change. By no means is electrification perfect yet. Concerns like range anxiety have made the transition to electrifying transportation a slow process. However, implementing Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) charging pads is a …

Exploring Variations In High-Resolution Downstream Hydraulic Geometry Of The Logan River, Gabriel V. Benitez

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Rivers are dynamic systems that change shape due to natural events like floods, landslides, and wildfires, as well as human-made structures like bridges. These changes create unique and complex river patterns. However, measuring these changes accurately is challenging because traditional field surveys are time-consuming and often focus on easily accessible areas, which may not represent the whole river. Thanks to new high-resolution mapping technology and detailed river flow records, we can now see these changes in greater detail than ever before.

In this study, we focused on the Logan River, which flows through a canyon with a mix of rocky …

A Laboratory Study On The Hydraulics Of Stepped Spillways: Effects Of Step Geometry And A Labyrinth Crest, Megh Raj K C

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Observed trends in extreme storms are affecting the safety of several embankment dams. Spillways are critical for safely conveying excess water in the reservoir over the dam and into the downstream river, yet many dams that were built over 40 years ago have undersized spillways to handle modern flood estimates requiring repairs and upgrades. Consequently, a unique spillway crest, the labyrinth weir, has been used as a cost-effective improvement for numerous projects to enhance discharge capacity of existing weirs. Another cost-effective option for overtopping protection due is to place a less expensive concrete, Roller-Compacted Concrete (RCC), over the dam to …

Uv-A Light And Heat-Activated Antimicrobial And Biodegradable Materials For Food Packaging And Preservation, Michael J. Bodily

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Current food packaging materials are often non-biodegradable and harmful for ingestion, which poses a threat to the environment and public health. Thus far, the dangers of microbial contamination of food on human health have outweighed the risks associated with using these conventional packaging plastics. A possible solution to these issues is to use a combination of innovative materials and microbial inactivation methods that can potentially both reduce plastic waste and combat harmful microorganisms. In this study, two antimicrobial, biodegradable composites were developed and tested for their ability to inactivate two types of bacterium, Escherichia coli K12 and Listeria innocua, …

Calculation Of Aerodynamic Surface Sensitivities Using The Adjoint Method In A Subsonic/Supersonic Panel Code, Nathan H. Hoch

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

An aircraft’s shape has a direct impact on the lift and drag it produces. In the early stages of designing an aircraft on a computer, engineers work to improve aircraft performance and efficiency by considering various shapes and configurations. Engineers use computer programs to analyze different designs and predict how each would perform in real-world conditions. Once an approximate aircraft shape is selected, adjustments to the shape can further improve the aircraft’s lift and drag characteristics. Engineers calculate a set of values called sensitivities that indicate which parts of the geometry should be changed to increase lift or reduce drag. …

Storytelling In Undergraduate Engineering Courses As Inclusive Curriculum: Improving Students’ Sense Of Belonging, Identity, And Persistence, Brooke Heller

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The engineering field experiences high attrition rates and a historical lack of diversity in the United States. Sense of belonging and identity have been shown to impact persistence, especially for people from historically marginalized communities. This three-paper dissertation is focused specifically on this phenomenon in academia and methods of contributing to improving and progressing conditions. To pivot to a new paradigm in which people from diverse backgrounds feel welcome and valued, there is a need for more inclusive practices in the field, particularly in the form of curriculum in academia. Inclusion has been shown to improve outcomes for students from …

Critical Analysis Of Coursework And Internship Experience In Relation To Biological Engineering At The University Of Arkansas, Samantha Wheat

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

My internship allowed me to gain important experience about a possible future career path with a biological engineering degree. Not only did this experience apply knowledge learned in the classroom from classes taken, I was also able to use my critical thinking skills gained from biological engineering coursework and teaching style to learn new skills and efficiently complete tasks given to me. This internship allowed me to try out a possible career path that interested me, and through my internship experience I was able to learn more about what kind of career path I was interested in after graduation. Additionally, …

Effects Of Sensor Separation On Flux Calculations In The Eddy Covariance Method., Maria D. Vergara Murillo

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Rice production contributes approximately 8% of global anthropogenic methane emissions. Methane (CH₄) is a powerful greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 28 times greater than carbon dioxide (CO₂) which makes it important to monitor for understanding and mitigating its contribution to climate change. The Eddy Covariance (EC) method is used to monitor greenhouse gas emissions such as CO₂, CH₄, etc. As part of the EC method, the instruments on the EC towers are used to record the gas concentrations in the atmosphere; these concentrations are then run in the EddyPro software …

Flowermd: A Flexible Library Of Organic Workflows And Extensible Recipes For Molecular Dynamics And Machine-Learned Coarse-Grained Simulations Of Isotropic And Anisotropic Systems, Marjan Albooyeh

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are essential tools for understanding and predicting material behavior at the atomic and molecular scale. While numerous open-source software packages exist for different stages of MD simulations, assembling a seamless, end-to-end workflow for complex multi-step simulations remains a significant challenge. In this work, we develop FlowerMD, a flexible and extensible Python-based software package that automates molecular simulation workflows, improving both reproducibility and ease of use.

FlowerMD provides modular components that simplify the end-to-end execution of MD workflows, from system initialization and force field application to simulation execution. It also automates multi-step simulation workflows through Recipes—predefined, modular …

Additively Manufactured Dic Patterns For Extreme Environments And The Emerging Technology Impact On The Licensing Of Nuclear Reactors, Kaelee Ann Novich

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

At the end of 2023, countries from the United Nations Climate Change Conference announced to triple nuclear energy capacity by 2050. The United States makes up approximately 30% of the world’s nuclear capacity; however, only 19% of the energy generated in the Nation is from nuclear power plants. Majority of nuclear reactors are over 40 years old, resulting in reactor closures and no new ones being built. Accordingly, it will be impossible to triple nuclear capacity in the next 25 years by relying on only existing reactors. The nuclear fleet must expand to include advanced reactors to meet energy demand …

Quantifying Buoyancy-Driven Exchange Flows Over Obstacle At The Great Salt Lake Using Rans Cfd, Mohammad Ikram Hossain Talukdar

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This study examines how barriers, such as berms, affect the movement of water in the Great Salt Lake in Utah. The lake experiences two types of water flow: one, called a unidirectional gravity current, where denser water flows in a single direction, and another, known as buoyancy-driven exchange flow, where water flows in two opposite directions due to differences in both water density and surface elevation. These flows are important for understanding how water mixes and moves between the northern and southern parts of the lake. Using computer models, we simulated how these two types of water flows behave when …

Investigating Stability Of Cone-Derived Hypersonic Waverider Vehicles Via Design Space Exploration, Adam S. Weaver

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

It may come as no surprise that man-made objects flying at 5, 10, or even 25 the speed of sound (termed hypersonic) are difficult to design, inefficient in flight, and expensive to deploy. Most hypersonic vehicles are effectuated in ballistics, which simplify aerodynamic considerations owing to their fixed trajectory. However, maneuverable hypersonic vehicles can revolutionize commercial flight, national defense, and space travel. One candidate for such missions are waverider vehicles. Waverider vehicles cruise on a cushion of air generated by its own shock wave, essentially enjoying extra lift without any extra drag penalties (which are usually inherent to extra …

Blind Construction Of A Party Check Matrix For Arbitrary Linear Block Codes, Aaron J. Womack

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Communication systems are systems in which a transmitter sends data across a channel to a receiver. In any modern communication system, Forward Error Correction (FEC) is used to detect and correct errors that occur during transmission. As communication systems have developed over the years, many FEC algorithms have been proposed. Each FEC algorithm has parameters that can be selected based on the needs of the communication system. Typically, the transmitter and receiver are both aware of the FEC parameters, but in some cases the receiver may not know how the transmitter encoded its message. In this case, the receiver must …

Dynamics Of Rotating 2d Ellipse In Stratified Flow, Anton G. Kadomtsev

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Submersible vehicles that move through seawater are subjected to a variety of effects. Seawater has a non-uniform density because of uneven heating and the tendency of dense saltwater to sink. This non-uniform density distribution induced by gravity is known as stratification and introduces vertical confinement and internal gravity waves to flows around bodies. Along with translational motion, these vehicles also perform rotational motion. To identify the effects of density gradient, body shape, and rotation on the flow, 2D direct numerical simulations (DNS) are run and analyzed. The simulations are conducted using the open-source CFD solver Nek5000, utilizing its overset-grid-based methodology. …

Scheduling Charging For Fleets Of Battery Electric Vehicles: Techniques For Modeling And Real-Time Operation, Justin J. Whitaker

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

While electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming increasingly popular and can provide cost, maintenance, and environmental benefits, they present unique challenges for regular operation, especially in fleets of vehicles. The limited range, long charging times, and high power requirements of EVs complicate the operations of fleets comprised of EVs. Additionally, the charging costs of EVs can be complex, depending on the time of charging, the energy charged, and the power level of the charging session. These complex charging costs can be significantly affected by the presence of uncontrolled loads. These challenges are further complicated by the inevitable variations in the real …