Engineering Commons^™

Outsourcing Of Kytc Project Delivery Functions, Donn E. Hancher, April Brenneman, Robin Meagher, Paul M. Goodrum

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The rise in daily travelers on highways due to population growth, and higher quality and service expectations of the public, are putting increased demands on DOTs today. These demands, combined with decreasing staff sizes and changing resources, are causing DOTs to investigate alternative methods for accomplishing their essential functions. A major option is to contract out more of their work to external parties, commonly called “outsourcing .” The purpose of this project was to evaluate the potential effectiveness, benefits, concerns and implementation requirements of outsourcing by the Kentucky Department of Highways.

This report looks at current outsourcing practices in other …

Enhancing Kentucky’S Transportation Funding Capacity: A Review Of Six Innovative Financing Options, Merl Hackbart, Juita-Elena (Wie) Yusuf, Michael J. Moody, Candice Y. Wallace

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Kentucky faces several challenges in meeting the funding needs for its transportation infrastructure. The state currently relies on a revenue stream based on road user taxes and fees. However, the structure of these taxes and fees are such that revenues have not kept up with the growth in the number of licensed drivers and motor vehicle travel. In addition, inflationary pressures, coupled with the Road Fund’s low growth rate, have diminished the purchasing power of Road Fund revenues. It is increasingly clear than Kentucky will not be fiscally capable of meeting its transportation investment needs if steps are not taken …

Evaluation Of Methods To Limit The Time Taken To Investigate Crash Sites, Jennifer R. Walton, Monica L. Barrett, Kenneth R. Agent

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Highway crashes have significant direct and indirect costs associated with them. Substantial sources of indirect costs are the congestion and delays that result from lane blockages or road closures while the crash is being investigated and the site cleared. In many cases, vehicles could be moved and roadways reopened very quickly, but this does not occur because of the need (or perceived need) to conduct a detailed investigation of the crash scene. The objective of this study was to identify opportunities to reduce the time required to investigate and clear crash scenes. This project includes a review of state and …

Bearing Capacity Analysis And Design Of Highway Base Materials Reinforced With Geofabrics, Tommy C. Hopkins, Liecheng Sun, Mikhail E. Slepak

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The primary objective of this study was to develop and implement mathematical bearing capacity models originally proposed by Hopkins (1988, 1991) and Slepak and Hopkins (1993; 1995). These advanced models, which are based on limit equilibrium and are operated together, can be used to analyze the bearing capacity, or stability, of early construction of loads on a single layer of material, two-layered problems involving a layer of base aggregate and subgrade, and a foundation involving multiple layers of different materials, such as a flexible asphalt pavement. A Prandlt-type shear surface is used in the model analyses of layered foundations. In …

Auto-Pipe: A Pipeline Design And Evaluation System, Mark A. Franklin, John Maschmeyer, Eric Tyson, James Buckley, Patrick Crowley

All Computer Science and Engineering Research

Auto-Pipe is a tool that aids in the design, evaluation, and implementation of pipelined applications that are distributed across a set of heterogeneous devices including multiple processors and FPGAs. It has been developed to meet the needs arising in the domains of communications, computation on large datasets, and real time streaming data applications. In this paper, the Auto-Pipe design flow is introduced and two sample applications, developed for compatibility with the Auto-Pipe system, are presented. The sample applications are the Triple-DES encryption standard and a subset of the signal-processing pipeline for VERITAS, a high-energy gamma-ray astrophysics experiment. These applications are …

Hierarchical Optimal Force-Position-Contour Control Of Machining Processes. Part Ii. Illustrative Example, Yan Tang, Robert G. Landers, S. N. Balakrishnan

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

There has been a tremendous amount of research in machine tool servomechanism control, contour control, and machining force control; however, to date these technologies have not been tightly integrated. This paper develops a hierarchical optimal control methodology for the simultaneous regulation of servomechanism positions, contour error, and machining forces. The contour error and machining force process reside in the top level of the hierarchy where the goals are to 1) drive the contour error to zero to maximize quality and 2) maintain a constant cutting force to maximize productivity. These goals are systematically propagated to the bottom level, via aggregation …

Hierarchical Optimal Force-Position-Contour Control Of Machining Processes. Part I. Controller Methodology, Yan Tang, Robert G. Landers, S. N. Balakrishnan

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

There has been a tremendous amount of research in machine tool servomechanism control, contour control, and machining force control; however, to date these technologies have not been tightly integrated. This paper develops a hierarchical optimal control methodology for the simultaneous regulation of servomechanism positions, contour error, and machining forces. The contour error and machining force process reside in the top level of the hierarchy where the goals are to 1) drive the contour error to zero to maximize quality and 2) maintain a constant cutting force to maximize productivity. These goals are systematically propagated to the bottom level, via aggregation …

Towards A Systematic Account Of Different Semantics For Logic Programs, Pascal Hitzler

Computer Science and Engineering Faculty Publications

A new methodology has been proposed which allows one to derive uniform characterizations of different declarative semantics for logic programs with negation. One result from this work is that the well-founded semantics can formally be understood as a stratified version of the Fitting (or Kripke–Kleene) semantics. The constructions leading to this result, however, show a certain asymmetry which is not readily understood. We study this situation here with the result that we obtain a coherent picture of relations between different semantics for normal logic programs.

Hands-On Projects And Exercises To Strengthen Understanding Of Basic Computer Engineering Concepts, Rohit Dua, John E. Seiffertt Iv, Brian Blaha, Kapil Gupta, Venkat Satagopan, R. Joe Stanley, Daryl G. Beetner, Donald C. Wunsch

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Introduction to Computer Engineering course at the University of Missouri-Rolla provides a thorough understanding of basic digital logic analysis and design. The course covers: digital numbering systems, Boolean algebra, function minimization using Karnaugh maps (K-maps), memory elements, and sequential logic design. Students' grades are determined by their performance on homework assignments, quizzes, and in-class examinations. A laboratory course (optional for all but EE and CpE majors) supplements the lecture by providing experiments that include analysis and design using Mentor Graphics and FPGAs. While the laboratory is a very useful supplement to the lecture, almost half the students taking the …

A Solution For Eaf Induced Problems In Bulk Power Systems By Fact/Ess, Li Zhang, Yilu Liu, Mark Baldwin, Michael R. Ingram, Dale T. Bradshaw, Steve Eckroad, Mariesa Crow

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Power Engineering Laboratory Facilities At The University Of Missouri--Rolla, Keith Corzine, Mariesa Crow

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

One of the significant niche areas at UMR is the area of electric power. For this reason UMR has invested in its power program over the years. The extent of this program ranges from power systems, motor drives, high-frequency effects in electric machines, acoustic noise of electric machines, FACTS device for electric utility applications, and naval propulsion power systems. The various laboratory facilities at UMR which supports these activities have been described in detail in this paper.

Facts/Ess Allocation Research For Damping Bulk Power System Low Frequency Oscillation, Li Zhang, Fei Wang, Yilu Liu, Michael R. Ingram, Steve Eckroad, Mariesa Crow

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Prediction Of Shaft Vibration Modes In A Geared Transmission System, Kevin W. Marsh

Masters Theses

During the development process of heavy-duty truck transmissions, specific gear designs (geometries) are created to meet load requirements and ratio coverage. Few tools are available to investigate the noise generating potential of these transmissions early in the design stages. This research describes the development and application of a software program that predicts transmission countershaft vibration modes. From simple gear and shaft geometries, the program calculates gear mesh forces and bearing forces then construct the system of equations to compute the shaft vibration modes. Because of the way the input data was structured, this software tool can also be used to …

Dynamic Matrix Composition In Engineered Cartilage With Stochastic Supplementation Of Growth Factors, Asit K. Saha, J. (Jagannath) Mazumdar, Sean S. Kohles

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Dynamic extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis is explored in a hypothesized engineered cartilage construct. Growth (α) and decay (β) rate parameters are developed from a previous engineered cartilage model. The presented mathematical model was constructed from the parameterized experimental data using a deterministic and stochastic examination of ECM synthesis based on a negative feedback control mechanism. A growth factor supplementation is incorporated in a probabilistic mathematical approach. The growth factor component modified an initial deterministic model through a Gaussian white noise fluctuation. As the primary constituents of ECM, the mathematical tool is intended to characterize the probable steady state distribution of …

Roaded Catchments To Improve Reliability Of Farm Dams, David Stanton

Bulletins 4000 -

Maintaining reliable on-farm water supplies is an on-going challenge for landholders throughout Western Australia. Improving reliability of dams by constructing a roaded catchment is one of the most cost-effective methods of improving the performance and reliability of a farm water supply.

A roaded catchment is a water-harvesting structure designed to increase the amount of run-off from the catchment above a dam. The 'roads' of a roaded catchment are parallel ridges of earth with batters (or side slopes) that cause run-off to be directed into troughs or channels. The surface is lined with clay and compacted to make it smooth and …

Modeling Controlled Switches And Diodes For Electro-Thermal Simulation, Jonathan W. Kimball

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Designers of advanced power converters may choose from a variety of switching device models for simulation. Some situations call for simple idealized models, while others require physics-based models. When evaluating thermal system performance, a behavioral model that includes both conduction and switching losses is desired. A set of models has been developed to include both unidirectional devices, such as IGBTs, BJTs, and diodes, and bidirectional devices, such as MOSFETs. Logic and timing elements are used to insert voltage and current sources into the circuit at appropriate times. All losses affect circuit operation, so simulation can accurately predict losses when the …

Teaching Nanotechnology By Introducing Crossbar-Based Architecture And Quantum-Dot Cellular Automata, Minsu Choi, Nohpill Park

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The end of photolithography as the driver for Moore's law is predicted within seven to twelve years and six different emerging technologies (mostly nanoscale) are expected to replace the current CMOS-based system integration paradigm. As nanotechnology is emerging, (1) there is a strong need for well-educated nanoscale systems engineers by industry, and (2) research and education efforts are also called to overcome numerous nanoscale systems issues. This paper is to propose a way to teach nanotechnology by introducing two emerging technologies: crossbar-based nanoarchitecture and quantum-dot cellular automata.

Increasing Student Commitment To Class Preparation, Susan L. Murray

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Most of us know the rule-of-thumb that students should spend a certain number of hours outside of class studying for every hour in class. Unfortunately, students often develop the view that it is more efficient to come to class and have the instructor cover the material and then only study material that was emphasized or unclear. As faculty members this results in the dilemma of either assuming the students are not prepared and lecturing over basic material or trying to require the students to prepare. Some use readiness quizzes covering the required readings. Some try to intimidate, calling on students …

Penn State University Nsf Gk-12 Project: Using Web-Based Education And Interaction With K-12 And College Freshman To Promote Science And Engineering, Elana M. Chapman, Angela D. Lueking, Robin A. Tallon, Philip H. Henning, William S. Carlsen, Daniel C. Haworth

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Penn State University has hosted an NSF-sponsored GK-12 Outreach project for the past five years, and has just begun the second phase of the project. The Penn State project utilizes the talents of many science and engineering graduate students as teachers, mentors and role models for the K-12 classrooms. The project focuses on developing skills of students in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics through the use of Advanced Transportation Technologies. A new project component was devised and implemented-the interaction of K-12 students with college freshman via a website project. The college freshmen were asked to create a …

Blue-Box Approach To Power Electronics And Machines Educational Laboratories, Robert S. Balog, Zakdy Sorchini, Jonathan W. Kimball, Patrick L. Chapman, Philip T. Krein, Peter W. Sauer

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Our approach to laboratory education in power electronics and electric machines is presented. The approach centers upon "blue-box" laboratory components, that aid the student in rapid experiment assembly without disguising important aspects of the hardware. Several example experiments are presented. Schematics and construction techniques for the hardware are publicly available.

Control Technique For Series Input-Parallel Output Converter Topologies, Jonathan W. Kimball, Joseph T. Mossoba, Philip T. Krein

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A series input-parallel output DC-DC converter topology inherently provides output current sharing among the phases, provided the input voltages are forced to share. With conventional output voltage feedback controls, input voltage sharing is unstable. Recent literature work proposes complicated feedback loops to provide stable voltage sharing, at the expense of dynamic performance. In the current work, a simple controller based on the sensorless current mode approach (SCM) stabilizes voltage sharing without compromising system performance. The SCM controllers reject source disturbances, and allow the output voltage to be tightly regulated by additional feedback control. With SCM control in place, a #super-matched# …

A Novel Hybrid Heat Sink Using Phase Change Materials For Transient Thermal Management Of Electronics, Shankar Krishnan, S V. Garimella, S. S. Kang

CTRC Research Publications

A hybrid heat sink concept which combines passive and active cooling approaches is proposed. The hybrid heat sink is essentially a plate fin heat sink with the tip immersed in a phase change material (PCM). The exposed area of the fins dissipates heat during periods when high convective cooling is available. When the air cooling is reduced, the heat is absorbed by the PCM. The governing conservation equations are solved using a finite-volume method on orthogonal, rectangular grids. An enthalpy method is used for modeling the melting/re-solidification phenomena. Results from the analysis elucidate the thermal performance of these hybrid heat …

Risk Management For The Construction Of Power Plants In Egypt, Amir Ibrahim Abouseif

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Exposed Aggregate Concrete, Tamer Ibrahim Al-Anany

Archived Theses and Dissertations

Concrete is widely used construction material that is known to posses good mechanical properties and is characterized by an overall durable performance. However, the aesthetics of concrete is on the whole non friendly. Hence efforts have been exerted to enhance concrete appearance which can also minimize surface finish costs. Exposed aggregate concrete is a recent technique in which portions of the coarse aggregates are exposed to air by removing small layers of mortar cover. Aggregates exposure techniques include the use of wash-off, water jetting and sandblasting techniques; some of which are accompanied by a surface retarders. However, comparative data on …

Dynamic Lot Sizing With Batch Ordering Using Simulated Annealing, Ahmed Ibrahim Hassan Aly

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Motion Detection Using Randomized Methods, Howaida Mohamed Naguib

Archived Theses and Dissertations

The detection and recogni6on of a moving object in a sequence of time varying images proves to be a very important task in machine intelligence in general and computer vision in particular. Recently, parametric domain techniques have been successfully used with a number of variants. In such melhods, the image is transfonned into some parameter space and the motion detection process is applied in that space. A recent parametric domain is the Randomized Hough Transform (RHT) that uses random sampling mechanism in the image space, score accumulation in the parameter space, and bridge between them using a converging mapping. The …

A Study On The Thermal Degradation Resistance Of Thermoplastic Polyurethane Coatings, Montaser Mohamed Zamzam

Theses

In this work, a comprehensive study of thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) and the influence of the hard block content on their performance was carried out. The study comprises an extensive literature survey of the chemistry, structure and properties, and degradation and stability of TPUs, an experimental section dedicated to the materials, methodologies and instrumentations involved in the execution of the study, and a results and discussion section detailing all the findings and interpretation of the investigation.

TPU elastomers were prepared from 4,4’-diphenyimethane diisocyanate (MDI), monoethylene glycol (MEG), triethylene diamine (Dabco EG), Coim G-211 poly(ester) diol using the ‘one shot’ melt polymerization …

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Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Using Narrated Powerpoint Presentations For Distance Learning, Paul Savory

Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Dr. Savory highlights his use of narrated powerpoint slides for the development of his distance education course. In addition,he highlight the strucutre and assessment approaches used for his course.

Finite Element Analysis Of Covered Microstents, Linxia Gu, Swadeshmukul Santra, Robert A. Mericle, Ashok V. Kumar

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Currently available neuroendovascular devices are inadequate for effective treatment of many wide-necked or fusiform intracranial aneurysms and intracranial carotid-cavernous fistulae (CCF). Placing a covered microstent across the intracranial aneurysm neck and CCF rent could restore normal vessel morphology by preventing blood flow into the aneurysm lumen or CCF rent. To fabricate covered microstents, our research group has developed highly flexible ultra thin (~150 μm) silicone coverings and elastomerically captured them onto commercially available metal stents without stitching. Preliminary in vivo studies were conducted by placing these covered microstents in the common carotid artery of rabbits. The feasibility of using covered …