Engineering Commons^™

Biotreatment And Chemical Speciation Of Lead And Zinc Mine/Mill Wastewater Discharges In Missouri, U.S.A., Mujde Erten-Unal, Bobby G. Wixson

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Continued mining development in the world's largest lead producing area has generated and increased concern over effective mine water treatment in Missouri's New Lead Belt. A new type of mine/mill wastewater treatment system was constructed which consisted of a tailings pond followed by a series of artificially constructed meandering biotreatment channels and a polishing lagoon. This system provided additional retention time and distance for the removal of heavy metals by abundant aquatic plants and sedimentation. Seasonal field sampling and analytical testing that evaluated the present system confirmed that it provided good treatment for removal of heavy metals within the company …

Method Of Destroying Hazardous Organic Compounds, Dibakar Bhattacharyya, Susan Mawhinney

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Patents

The present invention relates to a method of destroying hazardous vapor phase or aqueous phase organic compound(s) by providing a polymeric siloxane based solvent in a vessel and adding the hazardous organic compound(s) and ozone to the solvent. The solvent may also comprise a mixture of polymeric siloxane based solvent and fluorinated hydrocarbon solvent.

Electroluminescent Device Comprising A Transparent Structured Electrode Layer Made From A Conductive Polymer, Aemilianus G. J. Staring, David Braun

Electrical Engineering

A description is given of an electroluminescent (EL) device (1) composed of polymeric LEDs comprising an active layer (7) of a conjugated polymer and a transparent polymeric electrode layer (5) having electroconductive areas (51) as electrodes. Like the active layer (7), the electrode layer (5) can be manufactured in a simple manner by spin coating. The electrode layer (5) is structured into conductive electrodes (51) by exposure to UV light. The electrodes (9) and (51) jointly form a matrix of LEDs for a display. When a flexible substrate (3) is used, a very bendable EL device is obtained.

Collaborative Undergraduate Research, Hamid Davoodi, Frederick Just, Ali Saffar, Mohammad Noori, William W. Durgin

Office of the Provost Scholarship

A joint undergraduate research project between University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (UPRM) and Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) started four years ago. Each year a group of students, varying between six and ten, from WPI will come to Puerto Rico to work with a group of students, varying from six to ten, from UPRM on a well defined research project. Although the topics of the projects have been different but all follow the same goal, Vibration Control of Structures by Utilizing Shape Memory Alloys. Each year the project starts on January and ends on May. Both groups of the students …

Simtrainer: A Management Training Tool, Wade Stark, Sema E. Alptekin

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

Abstract published of poster paper presented at conference.

Diagnostic Test Report On Florida Power Corporation's 15-Kwp Amorphous Silicon Photovoltaic System, Florida Solar Energy Center, Fsec Pvdg Division

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Florida Power Corporation (FPC) owns and operates a 15-peak-kilowatt (kWp) amorphous silicon photovoltaic (PV) system at its Econ substation in Orlando, Florida. The PV system, commissioned on August 23, 1988, was designed to generate power that would be injected directly to the FPC electric grid. The Solar Progress Generating Station was developed as part of FPC's interest in new power generation technologies. The PV system design and installation was a collaborative effort among FPC, the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI).In March 1999, FPC informed FSEC that the PV system …

Inside-Out Crosslinked And Commercial-Scale Hydrogels, And Sub-Macromolecular Selective Purification Using The Hyrdogels, William H. Velander, Kevin E. Van Cott

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Patents

Relating to chromatographic processes and ion-exchange and affinity matrices, a spatial installation method for a bifunctional reagent that crosslinks and/or activates a polymer matrix is disclosed, with inside-outside installation of a bifunctional reagent on and within a polymer matrix. The polymer matrix is cellulose, agarose, or chitosan particles. The installation may be followed by inside-outside ligand attachment, by further reacting the matrix with a ligand or ionic group so that a higher concentration of ligand or ionic moiety occurs on the intra-particle volume than the outer matrix surface.

Wright State University College Of Engineering And Computer Science Bits And Pcs Newsletter, Volume 15, Number 9, November 1999, College Of Engineering And Computer Science, Wright State University

BITs and PCs Newsletter

A fourteen page newsletter created by the Wright State University College of Engineering and Computer Science that addresses the current affairs of the college.

Acuta Enews November 1999, Vol.28, No. 11

ACUTA Newsletters

In This Issue

Who Are the Leader? WE ARE!

ACUTA EVENTS

DC Update

Convergence In the Real World: Voice, Video, Data over ATM and ISND-based Video Conferencing at Millersville University

Board Report

Welcome New Members

Positions Available

Investigation Of Feasible Pavement Design Alternatives For Wisdot, James Crovetti, Sam Owusu-Ababio

Transportation Research Center: Feasible Pavement Design Alternatives

The current pavement design and selection process of WisDOT for all new pavements or reconstructions of existing pavement structures provides for the design of one asphaltic concrete (AC) and one portland cement concrete (PCC) pavement alternative. Life-cycle costs analyses are then used to determine the preferred alternative for construction. Previous restrictions in the WisDOT pavement selection process have essentially excluded the construction of thick AC (AC thickness > 150 mm) and thin PCC (PCC thickness < 225 mm) pavements and thus the validity of current life-cycle cost inputs for these pavement types is under question.

This report presents a performance analysis of existing thick AC and thin PCC pavements constructed in and around Wisconsin. The performance trends developed indicate current design …

Specification For The Design, Testing, And Utilization Of Industrial Steel Storage Racks, Rack Manufacturers Institute

Rack Manufacturers Institute (RMI) Specifications and Manuals (1984 - 2012)

No abstract provided.

For Interval Computations, If Absolute-Accuracy Optimization Is Np-Hard, Then So Is Relative-Accuracy Optimization, Vladik Kreinovich

Departmental Technical Reports (CS)

One of the basic problems of interval computations is to compute a range of a given function f(x1,...,xn) over a given box (i.e., to compute the maximum and the minimum of the function on the box). For many classes of functions (e.g., for quadratic functions) this problem is NP-hard; it is even NP-hard if instead of computing the minimum and maximum exactly, we want to compute them with a given (absolute) accuracy. In practical situations, it is more realistic to ask for a relative accuracy; are the corresponding problems still NP-hard? We show that under some reasonable conditions, NP-hardness of …

Geombinatoric Aspects Of Processing Large Images And Large Spatial Databases, Jan Beck, Vladik Kreinovich, Brian Penn

Departmental Technical Reports (CS)

Computer processing can drastically improve the quality of an image and the reliability and accuracy of a spatial database. A large image (database) does not easily fit into the computer memory, so we process it by downloading pieces of the image. Each downloading takes a lot of time, so, to speed up the entire processing, we must use as few pieces as possible.

Many algorithms for processing images and spatial databases consist of comparing the value at a certain spatial location with values at nearby locations. For such algorithms, we must select (possibly overlapping) sub-images in such a way that …

An Optimal Fft-Based Algorithm For Mosaicking Images, With Applications To Satellite Imaging And Web Search, Stephen Gibson, Olga Kosheleva, Luc Longpre, Brian Penn, Scott A. Starks

Departmental Technical Reports (CS)

Digital data storage is becoming ever more abundant and cheap. This, along with other technological advances, has brought about an age of mass storage of information, much of it in the form of images. In order to be able to process these stockpiles of image data, new and faster computer algorithms are needed.

One area of interest is that of image mosaicking, i.e., comparing two overlapping images and finding the proper scaling, angle of rotation, and translation needed to fit one with the other. Early methods for mosaicking images included visual inspection or exhaustive, pixel by pixel, search for the …

Scheduling Semiconductor Device Test Operations On Multihead Testers, Tali Freed, Robert C. Leachman

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

Past attempts to devise scheduling methods for the device test operations of semiconductor manufacturing firms fail to address a significant characteristic of multiple-head test systems—the dependency of processing rates on the lots processed simultaneously on the testers. Since the problem has never been modeled accurately in the scheduling literature, feasibility and performance of previously proposed scheduling methodologies for multihead testers may not be accurately assessed. In this paper, we describe the multihead tester scheduling problem, present an enumeration solution procedure, and illustrate the problems of previously suggested tester scheduling algorithms.

Capacity‐Demand‐Diagram Methods Based On Inelastic Design Spectrum, Anil K. Chopra, Rakesh K. Goel

Civil and Environmental Engineering

An improved capacity‐demand‐diagram method that uses the well‐known constant‐ductility design spectrum for the demand diagram is developed and illustrated by examples. This method estimates the deformation of inelastic SDF systems consistent with the selected inelastic design spectrum, while retaining the attraction of graphical implementation of the ATC‐40 Nonlinear Static Procedure. One version of the improved method is graphically similar to ATC‐40 Procedure A whereas the second version is graphically similar to ATC‐40 Procedure B. However, the improved procedures differ from ATC‐40 procedures in one important sense. The demand diagram used is different: the constant‐ductility demand diagram for inelastic systems …

An Evaluation Of Ploughing Models For Orthogonal Machining, Daniel J. Waldorf, Richard E. Devor, Shiv G. Kapoor

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

An analytical comparison is made between two basic models of the flow of workpiece material around the edge of an orthogonal cutting tool during steady-state metal removal. Each has been the basis for assumptions in previous studies which attempt to model the machining process, but no direct comparison had been made to determine which, if either, is an appropriate model. One model assumes that a separation point exists on the rounded cutting edge while the other includes a stable build-up adhered to the edge and assumes a separation point at the outer extreme of the build-up. Theories of elastic-plastic deformation …

Slip Modulus Of Frp Sheets Bonded To Concrete, Y. J. Lee, T. E. Boothby, C. E. Bakis, Antonio Nanni

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

An analytical tension-stiffening model was developed for fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) sheets bonded to reinforced concrete based on equilibrium equations and the assumption of linear behavior between bond stress and slip. Experimental measurements were made on small- and large-scale specimens. For the small-scale specimens, the primer coat thickness (adhesive thickness between concrete and FRP sheet) was varied for each specimen. By comparisons of the experimental data to the analytical results, the slip modulus at the concrete/FRP sheet and concrete/steel interface was established at the service load level. From this study, it was found that primer coat thickness has a modest influence …

Lead Binding To Metal Oxide And Organic Phases Of Natural Aquatic Biofilms, Yarrow M. Nelson, Leonard W. Lion, Michael L. Shuler, William C. Ghiorse

Civil and Environmental Engineering

The role of the composition of surface-coating materials in controlling trace metal adsorption in aquatic environments was investigated using natural biofilms that developed on glass slides in three New York State lakes and a water-supply well. Adsorption isotherms were obtained for Pb binding to each of the biofilms in solutions with defined Pb speciation at 25°C and pH 6.0, with Pb concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 2.0 μM. Adsorption isotherms for Pb binding to laboratory-derived metal oxides and surrogate organic materials were determined under the same conditions. These isotherms, combined with characterization of natural biofilm composition, were used to estimate …

25th Conference On Senior Engineering Design Projects, College Of Engineering And Applied Sciences

Senior Engineering Design Conference

The 25th Conference on Senior Engineering Design Projects was held on November 30, 1999 at the College of Engineering and applied Sciences on the Parkview Campus of Western Michigan University. The college sponsors the conference to showcase the work of its graduating seniors, who are required to complete a capstone project that puts into practice what they have learned. Many of the projects are sponsored by business and industry.

Towards Mathematical Foundations Of Information Retrieval: Dependence Of Website's Relevance On The Number Of Occurrences Of A Queried Word, Laszlo Koczy, Vladik Kreinovich, Yohanz Mendoza, Hung T. Nguyen, Harry Schulte

Departmental Technical Reports (CS)

In response to a query, web search tools often return many websites which are not really relevant. One reason for this is that the queried word may have several meanings different to the one which the user has in mind. To eliminate these undesirable meanings, it is reasonable to look for occurrences not only of the queried word itself, but also for other words related to this particular meaning, and then select only the websites for which, based on this information, we are confident about their relevance. For this strategy to work, we must be able to estimate the degree …

Evaluation Of Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Systems At The Nature Conservancy - Disney Wilderness Preserve, Florida Solar Energy Center, James Dunlop

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This report presents the results of an evaluation of two grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems installed at the Disney Wilderness Preserve, in Kissimmee, FL. Conducted by the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), this evaluation consisted of visual inspection of the equipment and installation, as well as electrical performance measurements on the PV array and operating system. Following lists the key results from this evaluation.

• The two grid-connected PV systems at this site were functioning properly and their operational performance is within expectations. The photovoltaic array installation is generally pleasing and complete, and uses listed equipment (PV panels, inverter and combiner box). …

Seismic Evaluation Of The Us41 Northbound Bridge Over The Ohio River At Henderson, Ky, Issam E. Harik, Chelliah Madasamy, Denglin Chen, K. Vasudevan, Leonong Zhou, Kevin Sutterer, Ron Street, David L. Allen

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report presents the seismic evaluation of the US41 Northbound bridge over the Ohio River connecting Evansville, Indiana and Henderson, Kentucky. The main bridge is a four-span cantilever through-truss type. The approach bridge has 8 spans on the Evansville, IN side and 35 spans on the Henderson, KY side. Although this bridge has not yet been subjected to a moderate or major earthquake, it is situated within the influence of the New Madrid and Wabash Valley Seismic Zones.

The seismic evaluation program consisted of field testing and seismic response analysis. The modal properties of the main bridge were determined through …

Seismic Evaluation Of The Us41 Southbound Bridge Over The Ohio River At Henderson, Ky, Issam E. Harik, K. Vasudevan, Chelliah Madasamy, Denglin Chen, Leonong Zhou, Kevin Sutterer, Ron Street, David L. Allen

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report presents the seismic evaluation of the US41 Southbound bridge over the Ohio River connecting Evansville, Indiana and Henderson, Kentucky. The main bridge is a four-span cantilever through-truss type. The approach bridge has 9 spans on the Evansville, IN side and 20 spans on the Henderson, side. Although this bridge has not yet been subjected to a moderate or major earthquake, it is situated within the influence of the New Madrid and Wabash Valley Seismic Zones.

The seismic evaluation program consisted of field testing and seismic response analysis. The modal properties of the main bridge were determined through field …

Investigation Of Image Feature Extraction By A Genetic Algorithm, Steven P. Brumby, James P. Theiler, Simon J. Perkins, Neal R. Harvey, John J. Szymanski, Jeffrey J. Bloch, Melanie Mitchell

Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

We describe the implementation and performance of a genetic algorithm which generates image feature extraction algorithms for remote sensing applications. We describe our basis set of primitive image operators and present our chromosomal representation of a complete algorithm. Our initial application has been geospatial feature extraction using publicly available multi-spectral aerial-photography data sets. We present the preliminary results of our analysis of the efficiency of the classic genetic operations of crossover and mutation for our application, and discuss our choice of evolutionary control parameters. We exhibit some of our evolved algorithms, and discuss possible avenues for future progress.

An Assessment Of The Efficacy Of Deep Drains Constructed In The Wheatbelt Of Western Australia Part 1 A Discussion On Drainage Implmentation In The Wheatbelt : A Case Study Review, Summary, Conclusions And Recommendations, N A. Coles, Richard J. George Dr, A D. Bathgate

Bulletins 4000 -

Australia has undertaken a strategic review of current and historical deep drainage projects. A 'rapid appraisal' methodology was utilised, based principally on existing hydrological investigations and interpretation and anecdotal evidence provided by landholders to clarify the role of drainage in managing water in dry land rural landscapes.

The objectives of this discussion paper are to:

1. Review the current status of groundwater drainage practice

2. Provide an assessment of deep drains in the landscape and

3. Propose recommendations on the development of drainage policy to enable the application of best management practice in groundwater drainage.

Feasibility Study Of An Integrated Safety Seat For Infants And Children Under The Age Of Two Traveling In Commercial Aircraft, Muneer A. Bakhsh

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of integrated safety seat for children and infants onboard commercial aircraft. The researcher collected and analyzed data on the subject of safety seats for children and infants onboard commercial aircraft. The 115 participants for this study were randomly selected from the population of parents boarding commercial aircraft with infants and/or children. The research method used was descriptive and also compared the integrated safety seats for infants and children in automobiles to commercial aircraft. The survey examined whether or not parents were interested and willing to pay for an integrated safety …

Light Backscatter Of Milk Products For Transition Sensing Using Optical Fibers, Frederick A. Payne, Czarena L. Crofcheck, Sue E. Nokes, Klat C. Kang

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Transition sensors are needed, particularly in the dairy industry, for detecting transitions in pipe flow systems from product-to-water or product-to-product (such as from chocolate to vanilla ice cream mix). Transition information is used to automatically sequence valves to minimize product waste. Optical fibers were used to measure light backscatter between 400 and 950 nm as a function of milk concentration in water and milkfat concentration in milk. The normalized response (100% for product and 0% for water) as a function of product concentration in water was approximately logarithmic for skim milk between 400 and 900 nm and approximately linear for …

Structural Disorder And The Origin Of High-Tc Suppression In La1.875ba0.125cuo4, Daniel Haskel, Edward A. Stern, Fatih Dogan, Arnie R. Moodenbaugh

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Polarized x-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) measurements at all La, Pa and Cu sites were used to study local structural features that accompany the strong T_c suppression at x similar to 1/8 in La_2-xBa_xCuO₆. Two critical parameters regulating the strength of hole-lattice coupling in this material were determined, i.e., the direction and magnitude of CuO₆ octahedra local tilts. Our findings include the existence of large disorder in the magnitude of the tilt angle about its average value {theta}, with an rms {radical}{delta} {theta}{sup 2}] {approx_equal} 2{theta}. We suggest that this large disorder …

Darkness Increases Risks Of Flight, Dale R. Wilson

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of Education and Professional Studies

Human perceptual limitations are blamed for specific types of accidents that are more likely to occur in darkness than in daylight. Special hazards associated with night flying continue to cause accidents despite efforts to inform pilots of the risks.