Engineering Commons^™

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 …

Development And Evaluation Of Full Performance-Based Procedures For The Estimation Of Liquefaction-Induced Building Settlement In A Non-Free-Field Condition Using Cumulative Absolute Velocity, Dallin Nathan Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Liquefaction induced settlement is an earthquake hazard engineers face when developing infrastructure. Current methods for estimating liquefaction induced settlement are done in a free field condition. This assumption is not an accurate way to describe the soil because in most cases the soil will bear some kind of infrastructure. Evaluation of liquefaction induced settlement in a non-free-field condition is a more appropriate way. Using the Bullock et al. CAV model, Bullock et al liquefaction induced settlement model, and probabilistic seismic hazard software from the USGS, a full performance-based procedure for the estimation of liquefaction-induced building settlement in the non-free-field condition …

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 …

Microgravity Aeroponics System Project, Andrew W. Diddle

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Science and Engineering at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science by Andrew W. Diddle on April 22, 2024.

Predicting Hospitalization Risk Of Schizophrenia Patients In Missouri, Arun Kumar

Theses

Understanding the factors that contribute to the risk of hospitalization among individuals with schizophrenia is crucial for optimizing treatment strategies and improving patient outcomes. In this study, we used recent Medicaid adminis trative claims data in Missouri (from 2016 to 2019) and predicted the risk of hospitalization of patients diagnosed with Schizophrenia (N=143446). We ana lyzed the association between previous hospitalizations and the likelihood of future hospitalizations. We developed machine learning techniques, including logistic re gression and decision tree classifiers, to predict the risk of hospitalization based on demographic factors, clinical variables, and historical hospitalization records. Our findings reveal that …

Developing A Sql Injection Exploitation Tool With Natural Language Generation, Kate Isabelle Boekweg

Theses and Dissertations

Websites are a popular tool in our modern world, used daily by many companies and individuals. However, they are also rife with vulnerabilities, including SQL injection (SQLI) vulnerabilities. SQLI attacks can lead to significant damage to the data stored within web applications and their databases. Due to the dangers posed by these attacks, many countermeasures have been researched and implemented to protect websites against this threat. Various tools have been developed to enhance the process of detecting SQLI vulnerabilities and active SQLI attacks. Many of these tools have integrated machine learning technologies, aiming to improve their efficiency and effectiveness. Penetration …

Phosphorus Soprtion Experiments: Impacts On Water Column Phosphate Concentrations In Utah Lake, Rebecca Layne Butters

Theses and Dissertations

Utah Lake, located in north-central Utah, USA, is a freshwater lake with a large surface area, shallow depth, and phosphorus-rich sediment with significant water-sediment interaction. These factors cause unique phosphorus behavior relative to other lake ecosystems, governed by sediment-water interactions. We hypothesize that benthic sediments and suspended solids act, by sorption processes, to maintain water column P concentrations that are largely insensitive to P inflows. We conducted a Phosphorus Addition Experiment to characterize sorbed P fluxes in the lake. Our experimental procedure included bench-scale laboratory experiments testing Utah Lake water and sediment with dilute and augmented P levels, as well …

Transferable User-Friendly Machine Learning For Normal Boiling Point Prediction, Frank Tafadzwa Mtetwa

Theses and Dissertations

The estimation of thermophysical properties of chemical compounds holds considerable importance across a multitude of fields, ranging from material science to process design. Among these properties, the normal boiling point (NBP) stands out as a pivotal parameter in scientific and engineering contexts, as it elucidates the state of a substance under standard conditions commonly encountered in nature. Additionally, NBP is extensively documented in various reference materials and databases. Given its paramount importance and widespread availability, prediction methodologies for other properties such as critical temperature, liquid density, vapor pressure, surface tension, liquid viscosity, liquid thermal conductivity, and flash point often rely …

Development Of A Molten Salt Reactor Design And Design Framework For Overall Reactor Performance Prediction And Optimization, Andrew William Larsen

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation introduces a novel approach to nuclear reactor design, emphasizing molten salt reactors (MSRs) to address the global need for safer, more efficient, and sustainable energy sources. It confronts the inherent challenges of nuclear fission reactors--proliferation risks, cost efficiency, waste management, and passive accident prevention--by developing an innovative MSR model and a machine learning (ML)-based optimization framework. The molten salt microreactor (MSMR), devised by researchers at Brigham Young University, utilizes thermally conductive plates for efficient heat dissipation during operational anomalies, ensuring safety within operational limits. This design was rigorously tested using STARCCM+ for fluid dynamics modeling and RELAP5-3D for …

Barriers To Contract Negotiation In Construction Projects And Strategies To Foster Trust, Luke Thomas Peterson

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the impact of contract negotiation within construction projects by utilizing a modified Delphi approach, which integrates interviews alongside the traditional Delphi surveys. This methodology combines the structured feedback loop of Delphi surveys with the qualitative depth provided by interviews. This offers a more comprehensive understanding of contract negotiation dynamics in construction projects. It identifies systemic challenges as primary barriers to negotiation, highlighting the need for a cultural shift towards prioritizing negotiation and flexibility within the industry. The study reveals that time and cost considerations are relatively minor compared to interpersonal skills and trust-building. It cautions against damaging …

Low Impedance, Durable, Self-Adhesive Hydrogel Epidermal Electrodes For Electrophysiology Recording, Naiyan Wu

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Traditional electrodes used for electrophysiology recording, characterized by their hard, dry, and inanimate nature, are fundamentally mismatched with the soft, moist, and bioactive characteristics of biological tissues, leading to suboptimal skin-electrode interfaces. Hydrogel materials, mirroring the high water content and biocompatibility of biological tissues, emerge as promising candidates for epidermal electronic materials due to their adjustable physicochemical properties. However, challenges such as inadequate electrical conductivity, elevated skin impedance, unreliable adhesion in moist conditions, and performance decline from dehydration have significantly restricted the efficacy and applicability of hydrogel-based electrodes. In this thesis, we report a high-performance hydrogel epidermal electrode patch for …

Faa Medical Reform, Dana Rose

Honors Projects

This project investigates the challenges and implications of obtaining medical certification for pilots with a history of childhood misdiagnoses, focusing on Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Misdiagnoses in childhood can lead to significant obstacles in the aviation industry's medical certification process, posing unique hurdles for aspiring pilots. The study examines the current FAA guidelines and procedures for medical certification, particularly the evaluation requirements for individuals with ADHD. It also explores common challenges faced by pilots, the effects of childhood misdiagnoses on their eligibility, and the impact of the FAA's ADHD evaluation process.

Through interviews with Aviation Medical Examiners (AMEs), this project identifies …

Skidmore Air Vent: Understanding Vent Characteristics To Propose Redesign Solutions, Christopher Inae, Shane Gaban

Honors Theses

Skidmore Pump is a company that manufactures air vents for the purpose of automatically relieving air from steam main lines. Steam vents are a vital part to any steam distribution system, as they are able to vent out air in the midst of a steady flow of steam. The presence of air can pose a problem in steam systems, as it is a non-condensable gas. In some systems, a neglect to remove air will reduce the efficiency of heat transfer, as the air will cause a stagnant film to reside around critical locations of heat transfer. In Skidmore’s Main Vent …

Fleet Renewal Proposal, Fatema Al Ajmi

Honors Theses

The topic for our thesis will be demonstrating a fleet proposal request to our client, Western Michigan University. We will be introducing our company profile that will include aviation-related services and solutions. Our company will take several actions to help our client choose a well-suited aircraft that will help future pilots train with all the necessities needed to excel at WMU. We will provide initial steps to take action such as assisting with fleet management, safety enhancements, streamlined operations, financial marketing, and more. Later, our company will demonstrate a letter of intent to the dean of the aviation college, Dr. …

Fleet Renewal Proposal, Amna Al Bulushi

Honors Theses

The topic for our thesis will be demonstrating a fleet proposal request to our client, Western Michigan University. We will be introducing our company profile that will include aviation-related services and solutions. Our company will take several actions to help our client choose a well-suited aircraft that will help future pilots train with all the necessities needed to excel at WMU. We will provide initial steps to take action such as assisting with fleet management, safety enhancements, streamlined operations, financial marketing, and more. Later, our company will demonstrate a letter of intent to the dean of the aviation college, Dr. …

The Impact Of Using Standard Quality Measures Such As Iso 9001:2015 On Emerging Software Companies Created With Agile Methodologies., Elisa Orillac

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

This qualitative research aimed to analyze the impact of applying quality measure standards, specifically ISO 9001:2015, in emerging software companies that have decided to manage their projects through Agile methodologies. While Agile methodologies are well known for their continuous delivery of software, the quality that results from these projects is not always guaranteed. This research aimed to evaluate what benefits in terms of cost, timely delivery of working software, and production have companies who already applied QMS had. Or, if applying the QMS had a negative result, why was this the case? The hypothesis for the research was that those …

Fleet Renewal Proposal, Siba Al Ghailani

Honors Theses

Our organization, Wings Consulting, is proud to propose an extensive proposal that aims to improve the training fleet and advance aviation education in response to the changing demands of Western Michigan University's Aviation College. Our firm is dedicated to providing WMU with an aircraft fleet that is adequate to the institution and will enable future pilots to achieve prosperity while also possessing a deep grasp of the aviation industry and a dedication to perfection.

The purpose of this proposal is to introduce our company's profile, clarify our recommended course of action, and lay out a methodical plan for helping WMU …

Adopting Information System Technologies In Construction Project Management, Hadi Haikal

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

The construction sector has remained late in integrated information systems' adopting process to perform the system improving processes. Lack of adoption of technology has been a root cause of the early issues they faced, such as budgetary and scheduling overshoots, quality defects, safety occurrences, and generally poor communication and coordination among the stakeholders. This research looks into the benefits and challenges, the key success factors, and the implications of using an array of information systems, including building information modeling (BIM), artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) sensing, and enterprise systems, to comprehensively address issues in project management in construction …

Plasma Diagnostics For Anode Cathode Plasmas And High Energy Density Physics On A Linear Transformer Driver, Robert Beattie-Rossberg

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

A twelve-brick air insulated linear transformer driver (LTD) was characterized by charging to voltages ranging from 30 to 70 kV and delivering energy to two separate resistive loads. Various plasma diagnostics were built and fielded with an emphasis on the design, implementation and analysis of a Mach Zehnder interferometer, a moiré deflectometer and a spectroscopy system providing information on the temporal evolution of plasma electron density and atomic composition. Rogowski coils, XRD radiation detectors, framing camera images and time integrated DSLR images are used to further understand load conditions where current data, x ray radiation data, velocity data and instability …

Mechanical Characterization Of Hemp, Jute, And Flax Based Natural Fibre Composites For Non-Structural Applications In Aircraft And Automobiles, Ravi Kumar B

Theses and Dissertations

Demand for reducing energy consumption and detrimental environmental impacts after the effective lifetime of an engineering material are the major driving factors for the development of natural fibre reinforced composites (NFRCs) in various sectors. Compared to synthetic fibre like carbon-fibres or Kevlar, natural fibres provide several benefits including light weight, inexpensive, recyclability, superior specific strength, biodegradable, non-toxic during handling, and less energy intensive during manufacturing. This doctoral work presents observations from mechanical tests and interpretations on the suitability of natural fibre reinforced composites for less heavily loaded engineering applications areas.

In the first stage, jute, flax, and hemp fibres were …

Methods For Finding Best Coset Codes For Physical-Layer Security, Andrew Glenn Swain

Theses and Dissertations

Finding best coset codes for secrecy over the binary erasure wiretap channel remains a difficult problem. Greater understanding of the structure of coset codes is necessary to reduce the problem space in which we search for these best codes. This dissertation presents new necessary conditions for a code to be best, including a condition that states that a code must maximize the minimum distance of both itself and its dual. It introduces and evaluates the accuracy of new heuristics to approximate the code's equivocation based on a code's weight enumerator polynomial. We also present a new tool for visualizing the …

Predicted Strength And Ductility Of Roof Truss Diaphragms With Tension-Only Rod Bracing And Hillside Washer Rod Connections, Emma Jean Brown

Theses and Dissertations

Metal buildings with roof truss diaphragms and tension-only rod bracing are a common structural system for single story industrial and commercial buildings. Despite the widespread use of metal building diaphragms in modern construction, there is limited knowledge on their strength and ductility under seismic loads. In this study, finite element models of diaphragm subassemblies and a full-size diaphragm were created to determine the strength and ductility of metal building diaphragms with tension-only rod bracing using hillside washer rod connections. Finite element models of two-tier diaphragm specimens that had been previously tested in the laboratory were created. Girders and purlins were …

High-Performance Concrete Comprising Silica Fume: Evaluation Of The Decommissioned Salt Lake City Airport Parking Structure, Trevor William Pratt

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this research was to quantify the benefits of silica fume through a detailed investigation of the concrete decks within the now-demolished Salt Lake City International Airport parking structure, which was constructed in 1991, after it had been in service for almost 30 years. Several tests were performed to evaluate each of five areas within the parking structure. The results of field testing included data obtained from visual inspection, chain dragging, Schmidt hammer testing, and cover meter readings, while the results of laboratory testing included data obtained from chloride concentration, modulus of elasticity, electrical impedance, rapid chloride permeability, …

Development Of An E-Governance Solution For Process Safety Management (Psm) Compliance, Dheerajkumar R Narang

Harrisburg University Experiential Learning Projects

E-governance (digital solutions) is the new norm in delivering numerous government services from government to citizens, businesses, institutions, and even other governments across all industry segments. One important application of digital solutions, in the governance space, can potentially be to comprehensively audit and intermittently monitor compliance of process plants with the regional process safety management (PSM) regulations. This presentation unveils the idea of an e-governance PSM solution that will potentially enable the relevant regulatory bodies around the world to seamlessly monitor and intermittently audit the process safety management (PSM) compliance through a digital solution. The presentation builds on an earlier …

Modeling The Human Learning Process Using An Industrial Steam Boiler Analogy To Design A Psychophysiological-Based Hypermedia Adaptive Automation System, Liliana María Villavicencio López

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation aims to address the existing gap in the integration of various dimensions within the student learning system, encompassing cognitive, emotional, and physical variables. The primary objective is to construct a Personalized Learning Adaptive Automation model using Electroencephalography (EEG) technology.

To provide deeper insight into the intricate nature of the Human Learning Process, this study introduces a novel analogy with an Industrial Steam Boiler. This analogy serves as a distinctive contribution to research in the field.

The research methodology involved the collection of brainwaves data from engineering students while they undertook educational tasks of varying levels of difficulty, categorized …

Analysis Of Close Contact Melting, Mohana Durga Gurunadhan

LSU Master's Theses

This report presents a numerical transient analysis of Close Contact Melting (CCM), intended to help in accurate prediction of melt rate and interface configuration, which is to be utilized for a prospective frozen propellant based propulsion system. Three different substrate shapes namely- Flat, Cylindrical and Wedge, are chosen for the study. The domain discretization is based on generation of boundary fitted mesh and the time varying physical domain is transformed to a fixed computational domain, wherein the associated governing equations are solved. Apart from the conventional linear system solvers, an algebraic multigrid based solver is implemented. A non-iterative implicit/explicit melt …

A Hybrid Communication System Using 5g Cellular And Ads-B For Uavs In High-Density Airspaces, Coulton Lee Karch

Theses and Dissertations

Robust communication is required to provide a safe airspace for the large numbers of unmanned aerial systems that are coming to the National Airspace System (NAS). This thesis explores methods for providing robust communication to large numbers of vehicles in the NAS. Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ASD-B) is a transmission system that can transmit to and is currently required on all manned aircraft. Unfortunately, ADS-B suffers connectivity problems when supporting large numbers of unmanned aerial systems (UAS). The 5G Cellular protocol can support large numbers of UAS, but connectivity suffers with an increase in distance and interference. Using a 5G cellular …

Improving Wifi Sensor Network Security Through Unassociated Device Communication Using Wireless Latency Shift Keying, Jacob Edward Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

IEEE 802.11 (WiFi) only has two modes of trust--complete trust or complete untrust. The lack of nuance leaves no room for sensors that a user does not fully trust, but wants to connect to their network, such as a WiFi sensor. Solutions exist, but they require advanced knowledge of network administration. We solve this problem by introducing a new way of modulating data in the latency of the network, called Latency Shift Keying. We use specific characteristics of the WiFi protocol to carefully control the latency of just one device on the network. We build a transmitter, receiver, and modulation …

Gps-Denied Localization Of Landing Evtol Aircraft, Aaron C. Brown

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents a dedicated GPS-denied landing system designed for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The system employs active fiducial light pattern localization (AFLPL), which provides highly accurate and reliable navigation during critical landing phases. AFLPL utilizes images of a constellation comprised of modulating infrared lights strategically positioned on the landing site, to determine the aircraft pose through the use of a perspective-n-point (PnP) solver. The AFLPL system underwent thorough development, enhancement, and implementation to address and demonstrate its potential in navigation and its inherent limitations. A proposed method addresses the limitations of AFLPL by using an extended …