Engineering Commons^™

3d Perception, Mapping, And Navigation For Mobile Cobot, Tuan T. Dang

Computer Science and Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Service robots are migrating from tightly controlled factory lines into offices, hospitals, and homes, where they must perceive, remember, and act amid people, clutter, and perpetual change. Humans solve this daily by forming compact, task-relevant “cognitive maps”: we sample just enough sensory detail to guide the moment, stitch those snapshots into a sparse topological scaffold, and continuously refine it as we move. Guided by that insight, this dissertation proposes a biologically inspired mapping framework that turns partial RGB-D observations into a hybrid temporal-spatial memory—locally metric for centimeter-scale navigation yet globally topological for room-to-building navigation. The system first distills raw depth …

Breaking Granularity Barriers: Overcoming I/O Abstraction Limitations For High-Performance Storage Systems, Chen Zhong

Computer Science and Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Modern storage hierarchies exhibit performance differences spanning eight orders of magnitude. Each tier in the hierarchy presents fundamentally different optimal access sizes and patterns. Most systems read and write data in fixed-size units across different tiers, typically power-of-2 sizes. It simplifies data management but also suffers from large write amplification when handling small accesses in many real-world workloads. This fundamental disconnect between fixed-size I/O design assumption and real-world usage patterns represents the core challenge.

The storage community has recognized the limitations of fixed-size I/O abstractions and is exploring alternatives, like the new emerging NVMe-KV interface and object-based storage, which aim …

Environment And Intention Awareness For Navigation And Collaboration, Bhaskar Chandra Trivedi

Computer Science and Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) have become increasingly popular as versatile platforms for tasks such as surveillance, inspection, delivery, and maintenance. In many applications, UAS operate in environments frequented by people or containing sensitive infrastructure, which introduces physical risks in case of vehicle failure, as well as psychological and privacy concerns that may limit their acceptability. Ensuring safe and efficient operation thus requires that UAS consider these risks when planning navigation strategies. While prior information, such as city maps and building layouts, can partially inform risk assessment, such data is often incomplete, necessitating real-time augmentation of risk maps using sensor information. …

Graphene-Polymer Nanocomposite For Electromagnetic Interference Shielding, Ravi Venkata Surya Sai Mogilisetti

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Theses - Archive

Polymers have widespread usage in most industries, such as aerospace, automotive, telecommunications, and medicine, mainly because they have a positive lightweight nature and excellent mechanical properties. One significant advantage of polymeric materials is their ability to combine nano-fillers, greatly enhancing their mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties. In the category of polymer matrices, polypropylene (PP) is notable for its low cost, ease of processing, and balanced mechanical properties. However, its relatively lower modulus and strength limit their applications in high-performance engineering. This research explores the addition of graphene into polypropylene to improve its mechanical properties and establish a conductive network for …

Materials Reliability In Direct-To-Chip Cooling: A Systematic Study Of Aluminum Corrosion In Next-Generation Data Center Coolants, Fnu Harish Gangadhara

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Theses - Archive

Data centers are rapidly scaling to support artificial intelligence, cloud platforms, and other high-performance workloads, driving a sharp increase in chip and rack power densities that are now approaching, and in some cases surpassing, 50–100 kW per rack. In response, direct-to-chip liquid cooling has become a key enabling technology for managing these extreme thermal loads, yet the durability of materials in contact with the coolant remains a major reliability concern over system lifetimes. Copper has traditionally been used for cold plates and cooling-loop components, but its relatively high cost, mass, and supply-chain uncertainty are motivating a shift toward aluminum as …

Comparative Life Cycle Assessment Of Conventional Open-Cut Pipeline Replacement With Trenchless Cured-In-Place Pipe Renewal Method For Wastewater Applications Using Midpoint Approach, Eesha Nilesh Karkhanis

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

Underground infrastructure development has a significant impact on society, leading to continuous technological advancements. With the rising environmental concerns, novel technology is leaning towards adapting to sustainable practices for pipeline rehabilitation. Conducting a comparative study of environmental impacts produced by pipe renewal and replacement processes is a vital step towards sustainable development of underground infrastructure. Open-cut Pipeline Replacement (OCPR) is the conventional method used for pipeline rehabilitation, which involves the excavation of the ground surface to place a new pipe underground or replace an existing one. This process includes the trenching of ground, followed by surface reinstatement through backfill. The …

Assessment Of Long Term Durability Of Prefabricated Frp Strip Systems For The Rehabilitation Of Concrete, Karunya Kanagavel

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites provide an extremely effective means of rehabilitating deteriorating and understrength concrete elements due to their characteristics of high specific strength and stiffness, corrosion resistance, and potential long-term durability, lightweight nature, and ease of placement in the field. Despite significant use of these materials, there is still a lack of long-term durability data. With this in mind, the current study investigates the impact of environmental exposure and aging on 3 commercially available prefabricated carbon fiber reinforced composite strips and their recommended adhesives used in externally bonded rehabilitation with the aim of providing a comprehensive set of …

Dc To Ac Voltage Source Converter Control System, Mohummad Tark Elgassier, Jordan M. Reichhardt, Brayden Richard Young

Electrical Engineering

The Voltage Source Converter Control System integrates a control system for a 2-phase half-bridge voltage source converter (VSC) utilizing a TMS320F2837xD Dual-Core Real-Time Microcontroller. VSCs are critical for the integration of power production into the power grid. They allow for accurate control over DC-AC energy conversion. Additionally with the improvement of renewable energies VSCs play a critical role in controlling the flow of these environmentally controlled and more unpredictable sources of energy. The control system regulates the output current and voltage, regulates switching patterns, and maintains power stability under varying loads. Within the control system Digital control systems, PWM generation, …

Development Of A Design Tool For Tow-Steered Composite Structures With Machine Learning-Assisted Modeling, Bangde Liu

Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Fiber-reinforced composites (FRCs) are widely used in aerospace, automotive, and other engineering applications due to their lightweight characteristics and superior mechanical properties. Traditional FRCs employ a fixed fiber orientation in each layer, and while different layup sequences can tailor performance, the mechanical properties remain spatially uniform. Tow-steered composites, which enable fibers to follow curvilinear paths, offer the potential for spatially varying stiffness and strength, improving structural performance.

This dissertation addresses key challenges in modeling and designing tow-steered composite structures, including the lack of commercial design tools, the high computational cost of design optimization, and the need to efficiently evaluate manufacturing …

Voltage And Var Control And Real-Time Digital Simulator-Based Protection System Testing For Power Distribution Systems, Gaurav Yadav

Theses and Dissertations--Electrical and Computer Engineering

Rising power demand calls for electric distribution systems to manage peak load. One option is reducing feeder voltage, which lowers voltage-dependent load demand and may also reduce energy usage. The technique, known as Conservation Voltage Reduction (CVR), may operate independently or within a volt/var control system. This dissertation examines CVR factor calculation using measurements collected at the substation, and proposes a curve-fitting and artificial neural network method to estimate active power losses using input active power, reactive power, and substation voltage. As utilities integrate more inverter-based resources (IBRs) to support increasing demand, rapid voltage fluctuations arise due to the intermittent …

A Framework For Ai Implementation In Construction: Use Cases, Challenges, And Benefits For Contractors, Jaqueline De Aquino Leite Gomes

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

The construction industry is one of the most important sectors that contribute to the economy worldwide, but it has been very slow in adopting digital transformation. Artificial Intelligence is the backbone of digital innovation, and it can help solve inefficiencies, improve safety, and enhance decision-making in construction. This thesis reviews 85 academic papers, identifies 354 AI use-cases, 180 benefits, and 173 challenges. Key findings have looked at the role of AI in safety monitoring, design optimization, and operational efficiency, while barriers involve data scarcity, high costs, and readiness of the workforce.

All of these challenges have one very handy framework …

Multi-Scale Computational Mechanical Modeling Of Complex Multi-Phase Materials Systems, Naji Al-Mashrafi

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

This thesis employs finite-element–based computational methods to investigate how microstructural features and material heterogeneity govern mechanical behavior across three distinct complex systems. First, the elastic response of open-cell metallic foams is analyzed using large ensembles of model RVEs generated with the Kentucky Random Structures Toolkit (KRaSTk); finite-element homogenization reveals that effective stiffness is not dictated by relative density alone, as the skewness of ligament-length distributions—captured by the second Pearson’s coefficient—exerts a strong and previously unrecognized influence, with structures enriched in short load-bearing ligaments exhibiting consistently higher stiffness even at fixed density and connectivity. The second study examines heterogeneous polycrystalline solids …

Design And Evaluation Of A Thai Speech Emotion Recognition Corpus With Ambiguous Annotations, Chompakorn Chaksangchaichot

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

THAI-SER is the first large-scale Thai speech emotion recognition corpus, comprising 41.6 hours (27,854 utterances) from 100 recordings across diverse environments (Zoom and studio). The data includes both scripted and improvised speech by 200 professional actors (112 females, 88 males, aged 18–55), covering five emotions: neutral, angry, happy, sad, and frustrated. Utterances were labeled via crowdsourcing, with rigorous quality control ensuring a majority agreement score above 0.71. Annotation reliability, measured by Krippendorff’s alpha, reached 0.692 (above the 0.667 threshold), and human emotion recognition accuracy reached 0.772 after filtering. We also report benchmark results from models trained and evaluated on both …

Transfection Of Ionizable Lipid Nanoparticles On Raw 264.7 And Mda-Mb-231, Lavanya Bhargava

Masters Theses

"This thesis investigates the preparation, characterization, and transfection efficiency of various ionizable lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) formulated for the delivery of mRNA encoding enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) in RAW 264.7 macrophages and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines. The ionizable cationic lipid studied are ALC-035, C12-200, C14-4, PPZ-A10, DLin-MC3-DMA. The study addresses the need for effective gene delivery systems to provide a safe and versatile platform that protects and transports nucleic acids into target cells. LNPs were synthesized using microfluidic mixing methods, incorporating lipid components such as the cationic lipids, DSPE, DOPE, cholesterol and PEG lipids to achieve controlled particle sizes, …

Aeg Improved Football Helmet Liner, Matthew Dyson, John Clore, Brady Slates, Nathan Walker

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The National Football League (NFL) is a leading professional American football organization experiencing rapid growth in popularity. However, the high-contact nature of the sport frequently results in player injuries, with head trauma and concussions being major concerns. This project aims to mitigate these risks by developing an advanced helmet liner designed to reduce the impact of direct collisions and torsional shear forces. In order to do this, we will utilize an impact testing machine with a modified helmet mount. By enhancing the liner's effectiveness, the proposed design seeks to improve player safety without compromising performance. The study focuses on innovative …

Characterization And Profile Considerations Of Nickel-Zinc Energy Storage Under High-Power And Pulsed Loads, Benjamin P. Schmitz

Electrical Engineering Theses - Archive

There are many types of energy storage devices that are available for driving high-power electrical loads. Choosing the right chemistry is difficult and factors such as energy density, power density, safety, cycle life, and recharge rate are among the many that must be considered. Lithium-ion batteries (LIB) possess the highest combined power and energy density, making them an attractive option for many applications. Previous studies at the Pulsed Power and Energy Lab (PPEL) characterized lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) and lithium-titanate-oxide (LTO) battery chemistries. LFP’s and LTO’s have modest power density, modest energy density and modest cycle life. However, there is still potential …

Evaluation Of Electric Vehicle Batteries For Enabling High Power Loads, Maxton K. Manker

Electrical Engineering Theses - Archive

The growing demand for high-power energy storage systems in applications such as artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, industrial backup systems, and grid-level stabilization efforts presents new challenges in technology selection. These loads have a uniquely high continuous or transient power demand that can impact the stability of the electric grid. To mitigate these challenges, energy storage in the form of batteries or supercapacitors has been proposed either as stand-alone or as intelligently controlled grid buffering sources. These same types of energy storage are commonly found in electric vehicles (EV) where they must respond to abrupt throttle and braking behavior, similar …

Smart Irrigation System Using Iot And Lstm For Optimal Water Management, Farley Y. Ruiz

Electrical Engineering Theses - Archive

This thesis presents the design and implementation of a smart irrigation system that combines Internet of Things hardware with a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) neural network for predictive soil moisture management. The goal is an affordable and reliable solution that uses real-time sensor data and environmental data to schedule irrigation before the substrate moisture drops below its target range. The system integrates soil moisture, temperature, humidity, and sensors on an Arduino Nano that communicates wirelessly with a Raspberry Pi. The Raspberry Pi runs a Python/Flask backend that collects and processes data, executes the LSTM model, and serves a secure web …

Power Quality Event Diagnosis Using Multi-Rate Neural Networks, Jordan D. Lloyd

Electrical Engineering Theses - Archive

Power quality disturbances (PQDs) are among the primary challenges facing modern electrical systems, as they degrade the performance and lifespan of connected equipment. This thesis investigates the relationship between the rate at which voltage waveform data are sampled, the reliability of these measurements, and the ability of deep neural networks to classify PQDs accurately. A one-dimensional convolutional neural network (CNN) was trained and evaluated across multiple sampling rates and signal-to-noise ratios to quantify how information loss in the temporal and spectral domains affects classification reliability. The results demonstrate that model accuracy degrades nonlinearly as sampling rate and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) …

Rhamnolipid As An Effective Srb Biocide – Determining A Solution To Replicate Anticipated Conditions, Elizabeth Zimmerer

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project aimed to develop a laboratory-scale solution that replicates produced water conditions (CO₂ + brine) found in crude pipelines, with the added requirement of promoting the growth of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). A previously successful study was used as a reference, which employed a hybrid salt solution containing essential nutrients and environmental factors. The proposed solution included 10 g sodium chloride, 1 g sodium pyruvate, 0.2 g ammonium chloride, and 0.8 g sodium sulfate per liter of deionized water. Electrochemical testing (Linear Polarization Resistance and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy) was performed on solutions with and without rhamnolipid. Results from the …

An Impact Analysis Of The 15-Year Capital Program And Budget In The City Of Philadelphia, James K. Lewis

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Abstract

In order to serve its constituents, the City of Philadelphia has established numerous public service departments and respective public goods in terms of departments facilities and other structures to provide public service. The key departments include the Police Department, Fire Department, Health Department, Libraries, and Parks and Recreation. Additionally, there are departments established to build, renovate, maintain, the public goods provided by the City of Philadelphia in order to achieve successful stewardship of the facilities. In order to carry out facilities stewardship of its public goods, the City has a long-term capital program and budget that utilizes borrowed capital …

Detection Of Data Leakage And Disruption Of Covert Timing Channel In Secure Drone Communication Using Machine And Deep Learning, Jonathan Walatkiewicz

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The utilization of recreational drones has experienced a substantial increase in both the United States and globally. However, it is noteworthy that most drones, classified as Internet of Things devices, are produced with a limited security lifecycle. This study's findings are of paramount importance, as traditional computing exploits can be applied to drones, designating them as high- value targets. This study examines the detectability and disruptability of covert timing channel traffic in secure drones. The investigation aims to ascertain the effects of multiple interarrival times, distances ranging from 1 to 330 feet, various detection algorithms, and stream sizes between 32-bit …

Seasonal Variation Of The Stream’S Autogenic Sediment Transport Regime, Melissa Beckman

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

This thesis investigates the autogenic sediment transport regime in a low-gradient stream system in the inner bluegrass region of central Kentucky, USA The seasonality of sediment transport seasonality was not well addressed in prior research for baseflow and low flow periods, to our knowledge, due to the assumption that low flows do not account for considerable fluid transport capacity to move sediment. The hypothesis is that during the autogenic regime the sediment transport in the low-gradient system is being driven by geophysical, biogeochemical, and biological processes. We hypothesize that crayfish are one mechanical driver of sediment transport during these periods. …

Immersive Executive Functions Assessment System (Iexec): Integrating Embodied Cognition And Virtual Reality, Hamza Reza Pavel

Computer Science and Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Executive functions (EFs) are higher-order cognitive processes that include working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility. These higher-order processes facilitate the achievement of goal-directed behavior and enable both adaptive decision-making and emotional regulation. Traditional EF assessment tools depend on static pen-and-paper tasks or basic computer-based tasks, which fail to capture real-world cognitive complexity and dynamics. Some of these assessment tools are specifically geared towards children or older adults, while others are more generic and designed to be used for people of all ages. This dissertation addresses these limitations by introducing iExec: The Immersive Executive Functions Assessment System, which functions as …

Enabling Energy And Water Sustainability Through Out-Of-Band Emi Sensing And Infrastructure Modeling, Pranjol Sen Gupta

Computer Science and Engineering Dissertations - Archive

As demand for Internet and cloud services surges, data centers have emerged as critical infrastructure—but they are also among theworld’s most energy- andwater-intensive facilities. Effective power management, particularly at the server level, is essential for improving efficiency, reliability, and sustainability. However, server-level power monitoring remains uncommon due to the high cost of hardware instrumentation and the intrusiveness of software-based solutions, especially in shared colocation environments. My research introduces a novel, low-cost, and non-intrusive method for server-level power monitoring using conducted electromagnetic interference (EMI). By analyzing EMI signals captured from higher levels in the power distribution network, this approach estimates individual …

Enhanced Separation Performance For Fractionally Liberated Materials Using The Hydrofloat™ Process Technology, Yucel Ozsoy

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

The advent of HydroFloat™ technology, developed by Eriez Manufacturing, marks a significant milestone in the evolution of the mineral processing industry, particularly for the coarse particle flotation by shifting the limits, well-known as the “Elephant Curve.” As the industry strives to process lower-grade ores with higher tonnages for financial reasons, the significance of processing coarse particles through HydroFloat™ technology becomes increasingly critical.

This approach offers substantial benefits by potentially reducing energy consumption within grinding circuits, making it a key solution in enhancing efficiency and cost-effectiveness. This study presents a comprehensive review of the existing literature, laying a solid foundation by …

Improving The Operator-Swarm Dynamic Under Mental Fatigue Constraints In Search And Rescue Operations, Jordan Morrow

Masters Theses

"Human-robot applications that allow for work to be done remotely are largely dependent on the lassitude of the operators. The exhaustion of these operators is a result of work completion and duration. Previous research attempts to evaluate the impact on reaction by quantiying human weariness. This paper examines how human weariness affects the human-robot dynamic in UAV-assisted search and rescue missions. An explanation of the connection between mental exhaustion and operator responsiveness over prolonged durations is provided by the search and rescue operations using UAV swarms (SAROUS) model. Through the use of artificial intelligence, SAROUS is modernized. This allows the …

Advanced 3d Lidar-Based Systems For Urban Traffic And Pedestrian Monitoring: Integrating Elevated Lidar, Data Collection, And Deep Learning For Precise Detection And Activity Classification, Nawfal Guefrachi

Masters Theses

"Accurate and real-time monitoring of urban traffic and pedestrian activities is crucial for intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and smart cities. Traditional camera-based methods struggle with issues like lighting and privacy. This research leverages advanced three-dimension light detection and ranging (3D LiDAR) technology and computational frameworks to address these challenges, providing transformative solutions for urban traffic management and pedestrian safety. By strategically deploying elevated LiDAR sensors, detailed 3D point cloud data is captured, enabling precise monitoring of urban environments. Enhancements to LiDAR-based frameworks, such as fine-tuning the Point Voxel Region-Based Convolutional Neural Network (PV-RCNN), improve the detection of vehicles and pedestrians …

Bond Behavior Of Magnesium Potassium Phosphate Cement (Mkpc) Coating For Steel Reinforcement, Eric Williams

Masters Theses

"This research investigates the bond behavior of magnesium potassium phosphate cement (MKPC) coated mild steel deformed bars in conventional concrete and concrete repair materials. For typical steel reinforcement in concrete, a thin “passive layer” develops around the reinforcement, which protects the reinforcement from corrosion. The concrete carbonates over time, reducing the protection of the passive layer and allowing chlorides, which corrode the reinforcement, to penetrate at an increasing rate. In some cases, to combat this corrosion, a protective layer is added to the reinforcement prior to installation. Common protective layers include epoxy coatings or zinc galvanization. MKPC is a novel …

Lidar From The Skies: A Uav-Based Approach For Efficient Object Detection And Tracking, Baya Cherif

Masters Theses

"Recently, there has been a growing interest in deploying the Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology to gain traction in the autonomous vehicle industry, its applications are expanding into areas like smart cities, agriculture, and renewable energy. This work proposes an advanced approach to enhance aerial traffic monitoring using Li- DAR. We aim to provide accurate, real-time object detection and tracking from an aerial perspective by integrating Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) with LiDAR, culminating in a smart UAV-integrated LiDAR (A-LiD) sensor for traffic surveillance. We introduce an adapted version of one of the newest methods of the cutting-edge 3D object …