Engineering Commons^™

Improving Mixed Variable Optimization Of Computational And Model Parameters Using Multiple Surrogate Functions, David Bethea

Theses and Dissertations

This research focuses on reducing computational time in parameter optimization by using multiple surrogates and subprocess CPU times without compromising the quality of the results. This is motivated by applications that have objective functions with expensive computational times at high fidelity solutions. Applying, matching, and tuning optimization techniques at an algorithm level can reduce the time spent on unprofitable computations for parameter optimization. The objective is to recover known parameters of a flow property reference image by comparing to a template image that comes from a computational fluid dynamics simulation, followed by a numerical image registration and comparison process. Mixed …

Selecting The Best Thermal Building Insulation Using A Multi-Attribute Decision Model, Theodore J. Sotoropolis

Theses and Dissertations

Thermal building insulation has traditionally been viewed as a means to reduce thermal conductivity through the building envelope. Builders typically choose the least expensive material which meets the specifications in order to remain competitive. Other factors regarding long term health and environmental consequences are typically dismissed. However, a recent shift toward sustainability requires that architects and engineers take a more responsible approach to building design. This research takes a holistic approach to selecting thermal building insulation through the use of a multi-attribute decision model. Several types of insulating products from a variety of manufacturers were investigated in order to determine …

Micro-Etched Platforms For Thermal Inactivation Of Bacillus Anthracis And Bacillus Thuringiensis Spores, Leslie S. Hawkins

Theses and Dissertations

This research developed and applied microlithography techniques to etch microscope slide platforms in order to measure thermal inactivation of Bacillus thuringiensis and Bacillus anthracis spores, two closely related Bacillus species. B.t. is widely used as a surrogate for B.a. in response studies and in some field studies. This work addressed the previously identified problem of measuring both spore growth and spore thermal kill threshold using the traditional method of spreading a diluted spore solution on a plate. The micro-etched platforms forced spore separation thereby preventing neighbor growth from obscuring germination and initial vegetative growth measurements using a microscope. The technique …

Gene Rearrangement Analysis And Ancestral Order Inference From Chloroplast Genomes With Inverted Repeat, Feng Yue, Liying Cui, Claude W. Depamphilis, Bernard M.E. Moret, Jijun Tang

Faculty Publications

Background
Genome evolution is shaped not only by nucleotide substitutions, but also by structural changes including gene and genome duplications, insertions, deletions and gene order rearrangements. The most popular methods for reconstructing phylogeny from genome rearrangements include GRAPPA and MGR. However these methods are limited to cases where equal gene content or few deletions can be assumed. Since conserved duplicated regions are present in many chloroplast genomes, the inference of inverted repeats is needed in chloroplast phylogeny analysis and ancestral genome reconstruction.

Results
We extend GRAPPA and develop a new method GRAPPA-IR to handle chloroplast genomes. A test of GRAPPA-IR …

Liquefaction Mitigation Using Vertical Composite Drains And Liquefaction Induced Downdrag On Piles: Implications For Deep Foundation Design, Spencer R. Strand

Theses and Dissertations

Deep foundations constructed in liquefiable soils require specialized design. The design engineer of such foundations must consider the effects of liquefaction on the foundation and overlying structure, such as excessive settlement, loss of skin friction at the soil-pile interface, and the development of downdrag on the pile. Controlled blasting was employed to liquefy a loose, saturated sand in order to test the liquefaction prevention capabilities of full-scale, vertical composite earthquake (EQ) drains and to investigate the development of downdrag on full-scale test piles. Blasting produced liquefaction at a test site without EQ drains which eventually resulted in 270 mm of …

Automated Quadrilateral Coarsening By Ring Collapse, Mark William Dewey

Theses and Dissertations

In most finite element analysis, a uniform mesh is not the optimum way to model the problem. Mesh adaptation is the ability to modify a finite element model to include regions of the mesh with higher and lower node density. Mesh adaptation has received extensive study in both computational mechanics and computer graphics to increase the resolution or accuracy of the solution in specific areas. The algorithm developed in this thesis, the Automated Quadrilateral Coarsening by Ring Collapse (AQCRC) algorithm, provides a unique solution to allow conformal coarsening of both structured and unstructured quadrilateral finite element meshes. The algorithm is …

Factors Leading To Effectiveness And Satisfaction In Civil Engineer Information Systems, Donald C. Crabtree

Theses and Dissertations

The Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency (AFCESA) has developed information systems in support of civil engineer operations. Over the last decade, the number of systems has grown to support the breadth of civil engineer functions. At this time, numerous (900+) decentralized systems support civil engineer functions around the world. Due to budget constraints, AFCESA is transforming civil engineer business processes to leverage the workforce in an optimized fashion. In support of this transition, AFCESA is posturing to acquire new information systems in support of civil engineer business processes. To help AFCESA improve upon its suite of information systems development …

Parallel Processing Of Reactive Transport Models Using Openmp, Jared D. Mclaughlin

Theses and Dissertations

Transport codes are beginning to be parallelized in order to allow more complex add-ons, such as geochemical packages, to utilize finer, more accurate grids, and to reduce solution times making stochastic and Monte Carlo simulations more feasible. Most codes parallelized via MPI (message passing interface) offer good results, but require the development of a new parallel code. OpenMP, the shared-memory standard, offers incremental parallelization, allowing sequential codes to remain relatively intact with minimal changes or additions. OpenMP allows speedup to be seen on personal computers with dual processors or greater, unlike some other parallelization approaches that require a supercomputer. An …

Development Of A Quality Improvement Method For International Manufacturing, Andrew J. Strong

Theses and Dissertations

Many companies are entering the international manufacturing arena. The continued expansion of the global market suggests that international manufacturing will grow. Among other concerns, the difficulty of producing high quality in some countries suggests that it is critical that companies using international locations for manufacturing find methods to better monitor and improve quality. The purpose of this research was to develop and test a method for quality improvement in an offshore environment. This method would be specifically applicable to a third-party logistics company (3PL), where the 3PL is a United States company that brokers manufacturing in China, networks to multiple …

Cost-Effective Energy-Efficiency And Florida's Residential Energy Code, Florida Solar Energy Center, Philip W. Fairey

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The 2007 Florida Legislature authorized the Florida Building Commission (FBC) and Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to evaluate cost effectiveness of energy conservation measures including appliance efficiencies that could be implemented through the Florida Energy Code for certain buildings. Additionally, Governor Crist's Executive Order #07-127 requires the Secretary of DCA to "convene the Florida Building Commission for the purposes of revising the Florida Energy Code for Building Construction to increase the energy performance of new construction in Florida by at least 15% from the 2007 Energy Code. The Commission should consider incorporating standards for appliances and standard lighting in the …

Robust Parameterization Schema For Cax Master Models, Courtney L. Berglund

Theses and Dissertations

Today's engineering companies rely heavily on an engineer's ability to use computers to analyze and optimize designs. With this use of computers in the design process, products undergo multiple design iterations between preliminary concept and final form. This in turn results in Computer Aided Design (CAD) models being passed from one discipline to the next. In attempts to keep consistency within the design process, an industry wide shift towards the use of CAD master models is taking place. With this change to master models, manufacturing and engineering development companies are attempting to more fully employ the use of parametrics in …

An Analysis Of Construction Cost And Schedule Performance, Michael J. Beach

Theses and Dissertations

Cost and schedule performance are widely accepted in the literature and in industry as effective measures of the success of the project management effort expended. Earned Value Analysis (EVA) offers many metrics to objectively measure cost and schedule performance of many different types of projects. The author utilized EVA to objectively measure the cost and schedule performance of completed United States Air Force (AF) Military Construction (MILCON projects from 1990 to 2005. The impact of Major Command (MAJCOM), Construction Agent (CA), and facility type (CATCODE) and the combination of these variables on the EVA metrics of Cost Performance Index (CPI), …

Satisficing Theory And Non-Cooperative Games, Matthew S. Nokleby

Theses and Dissertations

Satisficing game theory is an alternative to traditional non-cooperative game theory which offers increased flexibility in modeling players' social interactions. However, satisficing players with conflicting attitudes may implement dysfunctional behaviors, leading to poor performance. In this thesis, we present two attempts to "bridge the gap" between satisficing and non-cooperative game theory. First, we present an evolutionary method by which players adapt their attitudes to increase raw payoff, allowing players to overcome dysfunction. We extend the Nash equilibrium concept to satisficing games, showing that the evolutionary method presented leads the players toward an equilibrium in their attitudes. Second, we introduce the …

Experimental Characterization Of The Impact-Damage Tolerance Of A Cross-Ply Graphite-Fiber/Epoxy Laminate, Xiang-Fa Wu, Goutam Ghoushal, Mikhail Kartashov, Zuleyha Aslan, Joseph A. Turner, Yuris A. Dzenis

Xiang-Fa Wu Publications

In this study, the impact-damage tolerance of a graphite-fiber/epoxy composite laminate is studied by examining the correlation between the impact force and the resulting delamination area in the laminate. The cross-ply [0₂/90₂/0₂]_s composite laminate was made of thermosetting P7051S-20Q-1000 prepregs (Toray Composites America). A Hopkinson pressure bar (HPB) was employed to create the impulsive loading with varying magnitude. Transient impact force, displacement, impact power, and transmitted impact energy were calculated using the transient signals recorded from the strain gage mounted on the HPB. Impulsive loads with controllable magnitude were used to induce delamination …

Poster Session, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• Kentucky Water Awareness Month Packet, Ashley Osborne, UK Cooperative Extension Service, ENRI Task Force
• Recent Enhancements to the Kentucky Groundwater-Quality Data Search Engine, Bart Davidson and R. Stephen Fisher, KGS
• Diatom Colonization Patterns and Carbon Stable Isotopic Ratios in Developing Periphyton at Springs of Differing Geologic Origin in Land-Between-the-Lakes, Courtney Snapp and Susan Hendricks, Water Sciences Program, Murray State University
• Seasonal Changes in Stratification and Oxygen Content of a Eutrophic Lake, Wilgreen Lake, Madison County, Kentucky, Jill Hunter and Walter Borowski, Dept of Geography and Geology, EKU
• Water Pioneers Water Quality Program 2007, Stephanie Jenkins, …

Session 2d: Pathogen Transport, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• Assessment of Nonpoint Source Impacts on Groundwater Quality in South Elkhorn Creek Basin, Central Kentucky, Robert J. Blair and others, Kentucky Division of Water, Frankfort
• Karst Groundwater Infiltration of the Sanitary Sewer within the Beargrass Creek Watershed, Jefferson County, Kentucky, Joseph Ray and others, Kentucky Division of Water
• Illicit Discharge into Town Branch in Lexington, Kentucky, Jim Buckles and others, Tetra Tech, Lexington
• Assessment of Water Quality Trends in the Upper Forks of the Kentucky River Basin: Focus on Pathogen Impairment, Chandramouli Viswanathan, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, UK

Session 2c: Water Quality, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• Determinations of Bioavailable Fractions in the Assessment of Metals in Big and Little Bayou Creeks……, McCracken County, Kentucky, David J. Price, Dept Biology, UK
• Creation of a Catalog of Environmental Mercury Databases in Kentucky, Caroline Chan and others, School of Public Health and Information Sciences, U of L
• Using Nitrogen Isotopes to Trace Nutrient Inputs to a Eutrophic Lake, Wilgreen Lake, Madison County, Kentucky, Walter Borowski and Theresa Aguiar, Dept of Geography and Geology, EKU
• Using Microbial Distribution and Abundance in a Eutrophic Lake as a Tracer for Nutrient Inputs, Wilgreen Lake, Madison County Kentucky, Theresa …

Session 2b: Variety, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• Mud, Horses and Clean Water – A BMP Demonstration Project for Suburban Horse Owners, Steve Higgins and others, Biosystems and Ag Engineering, UK
• A Topological Model of Open Channel Flows, Brian Belcher and Jimmy Fox, Dept of Civil Engineering, UK
• Rain Gardens: Restoring a Waste Water to a Priceless Treasure, H. David Gabbard, LFUCG, Richard Walker, Tetra Tech, and Sandy Camargo, CDP Engineers
• Kentucky Erosion Prevention and Sediment Control (KESPSC) – An Answer to the Question “What is a Qualified Inspector?” Shelby Jett, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Kevin Gibson and John Ricketts, Stantec Consulting Services, Lexington

Session 2a: Groundwater, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• How Close Do We Need to Sample for Appropriate Solute Transport Characterization Through the Vadose Zone? Ole Wendroth and others, Dept of Plant and Soil Sciences, UK
• Efficiently Locating and Repairing Damaged Sewer Lines in a Karst Terrane, Kevin Lyne, LFUCG and Robert Blair, KDOW
• Hydrogeologic Investigations of Pavement Subsidence in the Cumberland Gap Tunnel, Jim Dinger and others, KGS

Session 1d: Land Use, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• Mountaintop Mining and Sustainable Development Opportunities for Appalachia, J. Stephen Gardner, Engineering Consulting Services, Inc., Lexington
• Spatial Characterization of Kentucky’s 2005-2001 Land Cover Change, A Kentucky Landscape Census Product, Demetrio Zourarakis and others, Kentucky Division of Geographic Information
• Feasibility Study of Cover-Collapse Rate in the Western Pennyroyal Karst of Kentucky, James Currens and Randall Paylor, KGS
• Kentucky SPARROW Model and its Applications to Understanding Nutrient Loads, Tanja N. Williamson, USGS Kentucky Water Science Center

Session 1c: Student Research Projects, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• A 3-D Computational Fluid Dynamics Code for Simulation of Pump Stations with Vertical Plunging Jet and Air Bubble Transport, Tien Mun Yee and Scott Yost, Dept of Civil Engineering, UK
• Chemical Evolution of Groundwater in the Wilcox Aquifer of the Mississippi Embayment, Estifanos Haile and Alan Fryar, Dept of Earth and Environmental Sciences, UK
• Sediment Organic Matter Degradation within Storage Zones Deposited In-Stream, Charles Davis and Jimmy Fox, Dept of Civil Engineering, UK
• Effectiveness of Improved Skid Trail Headwater Stream Crossings, Jeffrey Stringer and Christopher Reeves, Dept of Forestry, UK

Session 1b: Education, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• Community Based Science, Water Quality and Nonpoint Source Pollution, Carol Hanley and others, Tracy Farmer Center for the Environment, UK
• A Stormwater Education Program to Assist Kentucky’s MS4 Phase II Communities, Yvonne Meichtry and Julie Gee, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Frankfort
• Water/Wastewater Technician Training Institute: A Holistic Approach to Developing a Professional Water and Wastewater Workforce, Andrew Ernest, Center for Water Resource Studies, WKU
• Geology for Everyone, New Map Products from the Kentucky Geological Survey, Daniel Carey, KGS

Session 1a: Watersheds, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• Cane Run Watershed Assessment and Restoration Project, Steve Higgins and others, Biosystems and Ag Engineering, UK
• Kentucky Institute for Watershed Management Support, Andrew Ernest, Center for Water Resource Studies, WKU
• Watershed Planning Guidebook for Kentucky Communities, Katie Holmes and others, Kentucky Waterways Alliance

Proceedings Of 2008 Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

This conference was planned and conducted as part of the state water resources research annual program with the support and collaboration of the Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey and the University of Kentucky Research Foundation, under Grant Agreement Number 06HQGR0087.

The views and conclusions contained in this document and presented at the symposium are those of the abstract authors and presenters and should not be interpreted as necessarily representing the official policies, either expressed or implied, of the U.S. Government or other symposium organizers and sponsors.

A Mems Light Modulator Based On Diffractive Nanohole Gratings, Jack L. Skinner, A. Alec Talin, David A. Horsley

Mechanical Engineering

We present the design, fabrication, and testing of a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) light modulator based on pixels patterned with periodic nanohole arrays. Flexure-suspended silicon pixels are patterned with a two dimensional array of 150 nm diameter nanoholes using nanoimprint lithography. A top glass plate assembled above the pixel array is used to provide a counter electrode for electrostatic actuation. The nanohole pattern is designed so that normally-incident light is coupled into an in-plane grating resonance, resulting in an optical stop-band at a desired wavelength. When the pixel is switched into contact with the top plate, the pixel becomes highly reflective. …

Real-Time Forward Urban Environment Perception For An Autonomous Ground Vehicle Using Computer Vision And Lidar, Christopher Richard Greco

Theses and Dissertations

The field of autonomous vehicle research is growing rapidly. The Congressional mandate for the military to use unmanned vehicles has, in large part, sparked this growth. In conjunction with this mandate, DARPA sponsored the Urban Challenge, a competition to create fully autonomous vehicles that can operate in urban settings. An extremely important feature of autonomous vehicles, especially in urban locations, is their ability to perceive their environment. The research presented in this thesis is directed toward providing an autonomous vehicle with real-time data that efficiently and compactly represents its forward environment as it navigates an urban area. The information extracted …

The Concept Design Of A Split Flow Liquid Hydrogen Turbopump, Michael A. Arguello

Theses and Dissertations

An initial design of a split flow liquid hydrogen turbopump for the Dual Expander Aerospike Nozzle (DEAN) upper stage engine was completed. The engine nozzle is an annular aerospike. The engine cycle requires a combustion chamber pressure of 1,740 psia. The DEAN is designed to deliver 57,200 lbf of thrust and 472 seconds of Isp. The turbopump design was completed using a meanline software tool. The design consists of a single piece rotor, with a two-stage pump and radial inflow turbine. The turbopump flow rates are 15.1 and 7.55 lbm/s into the first and second stage, respectively. The first and …

An Experimental Technique For Developing Intermediate Strain Rates In Ductile Metals, Hugh E. Gardenier Iv

Theses and Dissertations

Quantifying the strain-rate sensitive dynamic properties of structural materials is an important area of research in the solid mechanics field. Property evaluation is typically accomplished using dynamic tests which involve rapid loading or impact of specimens. In these tests, inertial forces and wave propagation make it difficult to accurately record the material response to a loading condition at an equivalent location. Furthermore, these tests typically generate high strain rates (in excess of 10³ s⁻¹) and an experimental method for generating rates of strain in the intermediate strain rate regime which is relatively simple, low cost, and reliable …

Analysis Of Multi-Layered Materials Under High Velocity Impact Using Cth, Jason K. Lee

Theses and Dissertations

Multi-layer armor containing ceramic and metallic layers has become more common in the past two decades. Typically, ceramics have high compressive strength which combined with their low density make them highly desirable for armor applications. This research effort numerically simulates high velocity impact of cylindrical projectiles on multi-layer metallic and ceramic targets of finite thickness. The impact of the projectile occurs normal to the surface of the target. The projectiles used are made of either S7 tool steel or tungsten. The targets consist of either rolled homogeneous armor, 4340 steel and boron carbide ceramic or rolled homogeneous armor and boron …

On-Board Thermal Management Of Waste Heat From A High-Energy Device, Nathan D. Klatt

Theses and Dissertations

The use of on-board high-energy devices such as megawatt lasers and microwave emitters requires aircraft system integration of thermal devices to either rid waste heat or utilize it in other areas of the aircraft. Non-chemical lasers are among the most challenging applications due to the low cooling temperature requirements (67 °F) and high waste heat generation times of order 20 s. (Microwave devices will be cooled at 157.7 °F.) One plan calls for the rapidly generated waste energy to be stored prior to peripheral utilization, with subsequent removal of the heat over a 5-10 minute span. A method is presented …