Engineering Commons^™

Experimental And Numerical Analysis Of Laminar And Transitional Flow Through Annular Corrugated Pipes, Joseph Russell Sargent

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents studies on pressure loss through annular corrugated pipes to determine a friction factor coefficient using nitrogen. Ten different corrugated pipes’ geometries were evaluated via testing and experimentation. The ratio of corrugation height to inner diameter varied from 0.233 to 0.333 and the ratio of corrugation pitch to inner diameter varied from 0.181 to 0.446. Nitrogen flow rates between 0.25 to 94.4 standard liters per minute were used, resulting in Reynolds numbers, based on the corrugated pipe inner diameter, from 100 to 23,000. The experimental set-up was validated using smooth-pipe pressure loss measurements and the derived friction factor …

Thermal Conductivity Of Thin Porous Ceramic Coatings: An Analytical And Experimental Study, Lei Zhao

Theses and Dissertations

An analytical model of the thermal conductivity of the porous yttrium-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) layer used in the thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) is presented. Such high-temperature resistant coatings are essential to protect the metallic components of gas turbine engines. The model calculates the conductivity based on the coating's porosity, pore size distribution, and pore morphology, including the individual pore cross-section area, aspect ratio, and orientation, which are extracted from the scanning electron microscopy images. The model was verified through comparisons with numerical simulation results from a multiphysics software tool. A laser temperature gradient test was performed to validate the analytical model …

4-Channel Spatially Multiplexed Communication System In Single-Core Optical Fibers, Ce Su

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation delves into exploring and advancing spatial domain / space division multiplexing (SDM) technologies within single-core optical fibers, a frontier in optical fiber communications poised to meet the burgeoning global demand for data transmission. At the heart of this research is the pursuit to significantly enhance the capacity and efficiency of optical fiber communication systems without necessitating additional fiber infrastructure. This work unveils a new paradigm in optical fiber communications characterized by a pioneering 4-channel SDM system through a meticulous process encompassing theoretical modeling, computational simulations, design innovations, and rigorous experimental validations. Theoretical contributions include the development of refined …

Representation Learning For Generative Models With Applications To Healthcare, Astronautics, And Aviation, Van Minh Nguyen

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores applications of representation learning and generative models to challenges in healthcare, astronautics, and aviation.

The first part investigates the use of Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) to synthesize realistic electronic health record (EHR) data. An initial attempt at training a GAN on the MIMIC-IV dataset encountered stability and convergence issues, motivating a deeper study of 1-Lipschitz regularization techniques for Auxiliary Classifier GANs (AC-GANs). An extensive ablation study on the CIFAR-10 dataset found that Spectral Normalization is key for AC-GAN stability and performance, while Weight Clipping fails to converge without Spectral Normalization. Analysis of the training dynamics provided further …

Head Impact Measurement Using Piezoelectric Sensors, Huda Abdulla Alnuaimi

Theses

The importance of safety measures cannot be overstated, especially when it comes to protecting the human head. Head injuries can have severe, life-altering consequences, as the head is crucial for controlling the entire body. Unlike machines that store data, the human brain's capacity to retain thoughts and memories can be significantly affected by even a single injury. This thesis introduces a method for predicting the specific area of the head that might be injured during an impact. The prediction is based on the intensity and duration of the impact. The innovation of this thesis lies in the use of piezoelectric …

Effect Of Patient Specific Blood Biomarkers On Nanoparticle - Cell Interactions, Veronica Gabriela Contreras

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Nanoparticles are currently known to be a promising material class for bio-applications in drug delivery and vaccine development. Using gold nanoparticles of varied sizes, in this case 45 and 100 nanometers as a model nanomaterial system, we investigated how patients' blood physiology and chemistry (such as solute, protein, lipid levels) affect the biological response to bionanomaterials. When nanoparticles are injected into the body, biomolecules in the blood adsorb to the nanoparticle's surface to form a biomolecular corona that is specific to the patient's unique blood composition. This biomolecular corona is important because it affects the in vivo fate and biodistribution …

Laser Powder Directed Energy Deposition (Lp-Ded) Inconel 718: Laser Power And Heat Treatment Effect On Microstructure And Mechanical Properties, Dana Victoria Godinez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This study examines the microstructure and mechanical properties (tensile, hardness, and fatigue endurance) of laser powder-directed energy deposition (LP-DED) printed specimens with varying deposition parameters. Five samples with power inputs ranging from 350 to 2620W, all of similar thicknesses, were evaluated to enable a direct comparison. The varying specimens were heat treated, including stress relief, hot isostatic pressing, solution, and two-step aging. The resulting microstructures and their corresponding hardness values were compared at each heat treatment stage. The fully heat-treated specimens' tensile properties and fatigue life were also examined and compared. Key findings of this study indicate that complete heat …

Feasibility Study For The Detection Of Damage To Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels With Phase Array Ultrasonic Testing, Jordan Scott Hitter

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

When discussing the field of Nondestructive Examination, there are various techniques and instrumentation that can be utilized for analysis of components. However, with newer technology and the development of newer forms of technique, it is critical to explore exactly how these can be applied. This work will aim to explore one newer technique, Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing, and determine the viability of its use for examining Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels (COPVs). Currently, the types of vessels have been used in a variety of ways such as in transportation vehicles. More notably, these vessels are used in aerospace applications hence the …

Earth Abundant Catalyst For Evironmental Sustainability Applications, Javier Hernandez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The development of experimental methodologies for synthesizing a diverse range of metallic and metal oxide nanoparticles tailored for sustainable water treatment applications was investigated. These nanoparticles are prepared using environmentally friendly and scalable synthesis methods, underscoring their potential for large-scale production. Synthesized nanoparticles are harnessed for various processes, including catalysis and electrocatalysis, with a primary objective of degrading and removing organic pollutants from water. Key to this research is the encapsulation of nanoparticles within solid supports. Multiple methodologies are explored to engineer supports that ensure nanoparticle stabilization, monodispersion, and prevent unintended release into the environment. Two alternative approaches were evaluated …

Microstructural Characterization And Oxidation Behavior Of Al-Cu-Ni-Mn And Al-Cu-Ni-Mn-Si Non-Body Centered Cubic High Entropy Alloys, Mckenna Mae Lin Hitter

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

High entropy alloys (HEA) differ from traditional alloying systems because five elements are mixed in equi-atomic proportions, as opposed to having one main principal element. As a result of exploring this new method of alloying, it was found that high entropy alloys demonstrate exceptional mechanical properties, an example being oxidation resistance, and are capable of enduring elevated temperatures. Seeing the potential that this new area of interest contains, studies involving a combination of elements to form various HEA have been performed. Most refractory metals are body-centered cubic and possess extremely high melting temperatures, so they are regularly considered when designing …

Development Of A Digital Engineering Testing Framework For Cubesat Applications, Javier Alberto Martell

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Digital Engineering (DE) is playing an important and expanded role in todayâ??s industry. As engineering systems become more and more complex with each new iteration, the need for a more efficient and agile methodology for project management and development is needed. The SleeperSat-1 (SPST-1) is a Modular Open System Architecture (MOSA) type of small satellite being developed by the UTEP Aerospace Center. The SPST-1 will mostly use digital engineering tools for its lifecycle research and development. CubeSats require rigorous environmental testing not only to ensure the success of the mission, but also to ensure the safety of the crew, space …

Microwave Emission Model Parameter Tuning For Surface Soil Moisture Retrieval Using Uav-Mounted Dual Polarization L-Band Radiometer, Santiago Hoyos Echeverri

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Surface soil moisture retrieval from L-band brightness temperature has been developed for the past decades due to multiple beneficial characteristics of 1-2 GHz frequency bands for remote sensing of the environment. Numerous microwave emission models have been proposed for tower and satellite-based operations with successful retrieval of surface soil moisture and vegetation water content. As a result of the development of cost-effective and low-mass microwave L-band radiometers such as the Portable L-band Radiometer (PoLRa), surface soil moisture surveying traditionally developed by satellite missions SMOS and SMAP can now be developed at local scales, bringing these operations to commercial small unmanned …

Analysis Of Drying Behavior Of Robocasted Barium Titanate, Abigail Ortega

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Finding an adequate ceramic formulation for material extrusion is a time-consuming process. The necessary equipment may be unavailable to perform the desired test. This study demonstrated an alternative to observe a material after extrusion to understand its drying process. This study focused on 55 solid loading volume percent and a 39 solid loading volume percent, each with two different binder treatments focusing on fresh same day made binder, a 30 day old, aged binder and lastly an artificial binder obtained by a fuming process. Firstly, a formulation was created and loaded onto a pressure-based syringe to be extruded with a …

Physics-Guided Scan Paths Optimization For Controlled Microstructure In Laser Powder Bed Fusion, Augustine Twumasi

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) is a renowned additive manufacturing technique, celebrated for its capability to construct intricate metal components with remarkable precision. However, one of the main challenges with L-PBF is the formation of complex microstructures, which can significantly impact the final material properties. To address this issue, our study proposes a physics-guided and machine-learning-aided approach to optimize scan paths for achieving desired microstructure outcomes, such as the generation of equiaxed grains that enhance material properties. By using phase-field modeling, a physics-based computational method, we gain insights into microstructure evolution. To reduce computational costs, we train a surrogate machine-learning …

Primary Consolidation Settlement Of South Louisiana Clay Deposits In Marsh Environment, Alice E. Stark

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Accurate estimation of primary consolidation of in-situ marsh soils is inherently difficult in south Louisiana due to the soft, settlement prone soils and variable alluvial material. To investigate the accuracy of settlement analysis methods commonly utilized in local practice, estimates from numerical models were compared to the results of a settlement monitoring program at a project site during construction. Sensitivity analyses were then performed using several parameters that were used in the settlement analysis, and the results were compared to the field observations.

The disagreement of observed settlement data and settlement estimates produced with a model that did not include …

Innovative Rate Design As A Free Market Solution To Climate, Resiliency, And Economic Challenges, Brendan J. Moore

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

A century-old problem of electricity rate design is cost-shifting between ratepayers (Wellinghoff, J. & Tong, J., 2015). A much newer cost-shifting example of great and increasing importance happens whenever ratepayer generated “renewable energy” is sold to the grid—all too often, this is accused of being unfairly rewarded (Ritchie, 2016). ProRate resolves both these concerns and ProRate can actually be derived simply from the premise of avoiding “all” cost shifts between ratepayers (Katz, CLEPm Rewards to Arrest Demand Cost-Shifting, 2019; Katz, CLEP5 Rewards to Arrest Energy Cost-Shifting, 2019). Another major problem with the Old Utility Model is the lack of price …

Great South Metals Processing Cost Optimization, Duy Nguyen, Pierce Morgan, Proma Dey, Rodrick Adams

Senior Design Project For Engineers

Great South Metals, a prominent service center in flat-rolled metal industry, undertook a strategic initiative to overhaul its pricing and operational strategies. The implementation of this project aimed at refining GSM's pricing matrix to accurately reflect processing costs for both GSM-owned and customer-owned materials. The project utilized a DMAIC approach, focusing on the integration of complex data sets with ERP systems and managing organizational change. Key strategies introduced include the Grandfather method, which respects longstanding customer relationships while transitioning them to new pricing structures, and Staggered Break Adjustments, which optimize machine operation and reduce downtime. The implementation of these strategies …

Characterizing Brain And Skull Mechanics In The Minipig Using Magnetic Resonance Elastography, Shuaihu Wang

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Computational models and simulation are important tools to investigate the mechanisms underlying traumatic brain injury (TBI); their accuracy depends strongly on accurate model parameters, including the mechanical properties of the brain and its interactions with the skull. However, most existing TBI modeling studies are performed using material properties derived from animal tissue obtained after death. Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) provides a non-invasive method for estimating the mechanical properties of soft tissue. The overall objective of this thesis is to characterize the biomechanical properties of brain tissue and brain-skull interface in the minipig by using MRE. This was achieved through pursuit …

Building Software At Scale: Understanding Productivity As A Product Of Software Engineering Intrinsic Factors, Gauthier Ingende Wa Boway

Master's Theses

During our education at KSU, we have learned about various factors that affect productivity such as schedule, budget, and risks, but those are often controlled outside of what we could learn as software engineering principles, patterns, or practices. On top of that, other off-work factors such as health conditions, emotional distress, or political climate, just to name a few, could drastically affect the productivity of a software engineering team. We see a demarcation between those factors that affect productivity in software engineering but are not inherent to the discipline itself, which we call resistance factors, and the factors that are …

Spectrophotometric Device For Early Malaria Detection, Adrian Wasylewski, Christopher Faber, Victor Lin

Honors Thesis

Malaria remains a significant global health challenge, with millions of cases reported annually, particularly in resource-limited regions. Timely and accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment and disease management. Unfortunately, there are still significant challenges in existing testing procedures, which are often expensive, inaccurate, or impractical for mass testing. While spectrophotometry has been proposed as a detection tool for other tropical diseases such as dengue fever, no prototype has been made for any disease, including malaria. This report addresses this gap by presenting a spectrophotometric-based malaria detection tool that achieves high sensitivity at a low cost. The inclusion of a …

The Advancement Of Experimental And Computation Tools For The Study Of Molten Salt Chemistry To Facilitate The Extraction Of Strategic Elements In Nuclear Applications, Michael Stoddard

Theses and Dissertations

Nuclear energy presents environmental benefits, yet the challenge of radioactive waste management persists. Advanced solutions, such as Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs), require a more profound understanding of molten salt chemistry. This research aims to develop tools, including a depletion simulator, molten salt electrochemical simulator, and a fluoride-based thermodynamic reference electrode for electrochemical purification. The computationally inexpensive depletion simulator allows for exploration into extraction and processing strategies for molten salt reactors. An illustrative case study on Mo-99 production from MSRs demonstrates the practical application of the theoretical framework, emphasizing the need for optimization in extraction effectiveness and separation difficulty. The electrochemical …

Development Of Deployable Arrays For Satellites Through Origami-Pattern Design, Modeling, And Optimization, Nathan Mckellar Coleman

Theses and Dissertations

This research presents methods for modeling and optimizing an origami design using compliant mechanisms, improving origami design processes, modeling and analyzing rolling behavior of compliant designs, and an antenna design for SmallSats. A framework for the optimization of the origami Flasher pattern to mitigate issues with rigid-foldability is shown, and several optimization solutions are presented to overcome these issues. An alternative design method is presented which allows designers to more accurately predict the characteristics of a design in the deployed state, and configurations are shown for an example use case. A model for rolled gossamer structures is presented which predicts …

Machine Learning-Based Gps Jamming And Spoofing Detection, Alberto Squatrito

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The increasing reliance on Global Positioning System (GPS) technology across various sectors has exposed vulnerabilities to malicious attacks, particularly GPS jamming and spoofing. This thesis presents an analysis into detection and mitigation strategies for enhancing the resilience of GPS receivers against jamming and spoofing attacks. The research entails the development of a simulated GPS signal and a receiver model to accurately decode and extract information from simulated GPS signals. The study implements the generation of jammed and spoofed signals to emulate potential threats faced by GPS receivers in practical settings. The core innovation lies in the integration of machine learning …

A 2-D Numerical Model For Evaluating Daylight Penetration In Short Tunnels For Enhanced Driver Safety, Joachim James

Master's Theses

It is commonly assumed that daylight will adequately penetrate short tunnels, leading to the misconception that artificial lighting is unnecessary during the daytime. Past studies revealed higher frequency of crashes in short tunnels and despite that there is lack of national guidelines warranting artificial lighting for short tunnels. Inadequately lit tunnels pose safety risks, while excessive lighting can be costly. Hence, it becomes crucial to investigate the extent of daylight penetration in short tunnels and identify disappearance zones within these tunnels. This research can help determine the necessity of artificial lighting, and which specific areas of the tunnel require lighting. …

Towards A Practical Method For Monitoring Kinetic Processes In Polymers With Low-Frequency Raman Spectroscopy, Robert Vito Chimenti

Theses and Dissertations

Unlike liquids and crystalline solids, glassy materials exist in a constant state of structural nonequilibrium. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of material kinetics is critical for understanding the structure-property-processing relationships of polymeric materials. Amorphous materials universally display low-frequency Raman features related to the phonon density of states resulting in a broad disorder band for Raman shifts below 100 cm-1, which is related to the conformational entropy and the modulus. This disorder band is dominated by the Boson peak, a feature due to phonon scattering because of disorder and can be related to the transverse sound velocity of the material, and a …

Mineral Matter Behavior During The Combustion Of Biomass And Coal Blends And Its Effect On Particulate Matter Emission, Ash Deposition, And Sulfur Dioxide Emission, Rajarshi Roy

Theses and Dissertations

Combustion of coal is one of the primary sources of electricity generation worldwide today. Coal contains different chemicals that cause particulate matter(PM) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions. These are health hazards and are responsible for deteriorating the ambient air quality. Particulate matter also forms ash deposits inside the coal combustor, which in turn decreases the energy efficiency of the power plants. Using biomass as a fuel in these utility boilers can potentially reduce the problems of particulate matter emissions and ash deposition, and can significantly reduce the SO2 emissions. However, biomass needs to be pretreated to make its properties similar …

Aerodynamic Design And Analysis Of A Modified 2006 Mazda Miata, William N. Recher

Honors College Theses

Aerodynamic forces developed by automobiles have destabilizing effects at high speed. These forces tend to skew toward a vehicle’s rear which can present safety concerns, especially for rear-wheel-drive automobiles like the Mazda Miata. To address oversteer and high-speed instability, a vehicle’s design can be tailored to bring about aerodynamic balance and improve traction. LiDAR was used to bring the physical automobile into the digital space. Then, a splitter and diffuser were added to reduce the magnitude of the destabilizing forces. Next, the size and shape of the rear-wing required to balance the vehicle was calculated using a combination of parameters …

The Next Threat Landscape: Securing America’S Cyber-Physical Systems, Grayson Thomas

Honors College Theses

The goal of this research is to explore, identify, and enumerate the security threats that exist to industry current industrial controls systems (ICS) and supervisory control and data acquisition systems (SCADA). A scale lab similar to industry standard will be built and developed for research purposes. The Purdue Model for ICS and the Cyber Kill Chain will be referenced as frameworks for attack sequences, and the MITRE ATT&CK framework will be referenced for attack types. Attempts will be made to compromise the various pieces of our built SCADA system via configuration errors, software vulnerabilities, and deployment mistakes common with industrial …

Laboratory Evaluation Of Early-Age Concrete Comprising Type Il Cement And Natural Pozzolans, Battsagaan Ilch

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this laboratory research was to investigate the effects of a higher water-cementitious materials ratio on selected properties of concrete mixtures comprising natural pozzolans. The scope of work included testing of six concrete mixtures, including one for each of three natural pozzolans at two water-cementitious materials ratios of 0.44 and 0.48 and one concrete mixture without pozzolan at a water-cementitious materials ratio of 0.44, which was treated as a baseline in this research. The stiffness and strength of each concrete mixture were measured at 1, 3, and 7 days using concrete specimens that were cast immediately after mixing. …

User-Centered Design Of Compliant Mechanism And Origami-Based Products, Bethany Maria Parkinson

Theses and Dissertations

In user-centered design, the way users feel when interacting with products is taken under consideration in the design process. In this research, the user-centered design of compliant mechanism and origami-based products is explored. Examples of user-centered compliant mechanism and origami-based design projects are presented: first, for novel furniture designs, in which the safety, comfort, and visual aesthetics are important; and second, for compliant handheld dart launchers, where the feel of blaster actuation is taken into consideration. The feel of a product and a person's emotional response to it are important to products meant to be interacted with, but especially in …