Engineering Commons^™

Carbon Credits And Energy Subsidies In Economic Decision Making For Confined Animal Feedlot Operation Waste Treatment, Taresh Grover

Masters Theses

"Released waste into the environment has always had a societal cost. Current issues with swine waste suggest that improved treatment is needed as agricultural production has become more industry-like and also as we now globally value the mitigation of global warming. The current need for and the economic support of advanced waste treatment has converged for animal agriculture, and now improved waste treatment is possible with concurrent economic benefit through alternative energy and carbon emissions. Recent changes have resulted in renewal of interest in anaerobic digestion (AD) technology with methane capture and energy production. An economic model was constructed to …

Imaging In Karst Terrain Using Electrical Resistivity Tomography, Iana Muchaidze

Masters Theses

"The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) plans to construct a new intersection between highway 60 and highway 65 to alleviate traffic congestion during peak flow periods. This construction site, which is referred to as the Route 60/65 study site in this thesis, is located on the southeastern side of Springfield, Greene County, Missouri. Bedrock in the study area (Burlington-Keokuk Limestone) is characterized by karstic features such as loosing streams, underground caves, and sinkholes. Prior to the commencement of construction, MoDOT conducted a study of the subsurface conditions in the Route 60/65 study site. The main objective was to identify features, …

Modeling And Measurement Of Thermal Residual Stresses And Isotope Effects On Thermo Physical Properties Of Zrb₂-Sic Ceramics, Michael P. Teague

Masters Theses

"Commercially available finite element modeling software (ABAQUS) was used to investigate the internal residual stresses that develop as a result of cooling from processing temperatures in ZrB₂-SiC ceramics. The size and shape of the SiC particles were varied to evaluate their effect on the residual stresses. Results were compared to experimental data and showed similar trends, where increasing SiC particle size increased tensile stress and also decreased strength. Models were used to analyze benefits of novel shaped SiC inclusions and also better understand the short comings of the composites. An attempt to validate the models using neutron diffraction to measure …

Human Systems Integration: Training And Education Needs Analysis, Hao Zhang

Masters Theses

"Over the past decade, the military (both US and foreign) has developed a wide range of tools, techniques, and technologies for integrating human factors into systems engineering. Human Systems Integration (HSI) came forth as a new multidisciplinary field of study composed of several basic areas including Human Factors Engineering, System Safety, Health Hazards, Personnel Survivability, Manpower, Personnel, Training, and Habitability. An online survey was designed to examine education and training in HSI. 19 HSI experts responded to the survey. The feedback showed that there is a lack of high qualified practitioners in HSI. Many HSI practitioners are lacking of required …

A Coarse-Grain Molecular Dynamics Study Of The Nanotribological Properties Of Nanoparticle Solutions, Ramesh Chembeti

Masters Theses

"In this study, solutions of alkanethiol-capped nanoparticles in alkane are examined using molecular dynamics simulations for their nanotribological potential based on the hypothesis that fluid molecules of very different sizes may interrupt each other's layering tendency to result in less layered or non-layered configurations and provide better lubrication for nanodevices. An effective nanoparticle-nanoparticle pair potential based on previous atomistic approach is used and the temperature and parallel pressure are controlled in place of chemical potential for defining thermodynamic state. When compressed, the confined nanoparticle-containing alkane films generate reduced oscillations in perpendicular forces and smoother expansion in lateral dimensions, indicating lesser …

Recovery Of Materials From Recycling Of Spent Furnace Linings, Phani Krishna Angara Raghavendra

Masters Theses

"The objective of this research study is to evaluate the technical feasibility of liberating metal entrapped in the spent melting furnace linings obtained from a non-ferrous metal producer and develop an economic technique to recycle all of the materials presently landfilled. Five to six million pounds of spent melting furnace linings are landfilled annually from this non-ferrous producer"--Abstract, page iii.

Application Of Statcom For Improved Dynamic Performance Of Wind Farms In A Power Grid, Aditya P. Jayam

Masters Theses

"This thesis investigates the use of a Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) along with wind farms for the purpose of stabilizing the grid voltage after grid-side disturbances such as a three phase short circuit fault, temporary trip of a wind turbine and sudden load changes. The strategy focuses on a fundamental grid operational requirement to maintain proper voltages at the point of common coupling by regulating voltage. The DC voltage at individual wind turbine (WT) inverters is also stabilized to facilitate continuous operation of wind turbines during disturbances"--Abstract, page iii.

Sensitivity Analysis Of Relative Worth In Empirical And Simulation-Based Qfd Matrices, Robins Mathai Kalapurackal

Masters Theses

"Quality Function Deployment (QFD) is one of the most popular design tools used in product development. One of the objectives of QFD is to map customer requirements to product requirements and calculate their relative worth. A product requirement with a large relative worth indicates that it is an important product requirement in satisfying customer requirements. QFD applications use various rating scales in quantifying the degree of mapping from customer requirements to product requirements and various worth calculation methods to calculate the relative worth. The purpose of this paper is to study the sensitivity of relative worth when different rating scales …

Sorting Automated Concept Generator Results Based On Manufacture And Assembly Concerns, Kerry Ryan Poppa

Masters Theses

"Early in the design process, it is desirable to produce a large number of potential solutions. Completely exploring a problem's solution space is an unreasonable expectation for an unaided designer or design team. Computational tools have emerged to help designers more fully explore possible solutions. These automated concept generators use knowledge from existing designs and the desired functionality of the new product to suggest solutions. Existing automated concept generation methods produce many candidate solutions, but produce unmanageably large sets of solutions. Techniques are needed to organize the set of concepts into smaller groups, more easily parsed by the human designer. …

Statistical Estimation Of Crosstalk For Cable Bundles, Meilin Wu

Masters Theses

"Predicting electromagnetic interference problems for cable bundles early in the design stage is of significant value for both automotive and other industries. Effective methods are needed for predicting interference when little design information is known. The random variation in parameters like wire position in the bundle require that statistical variations be taken into account. In the first part of this thesis, a method to analytically predict the "reasonable worst-case crosstalk" within a cable bundle is proposed. The method uses the per-unit-length LC matrices associated with the cross-sectional geometry of the bundle to generate probability a distribution function for mutual inductance …

Parameter Estimation Of Systems With Deadzone And Deadband And Emulation Using Xpc Target, Jeffrey James Lentz

Masters Theses

"The first paper presents a new approach for online parameter estimation using multiple recursive least squares estimations implemented simultaneously to determine system model parameters, as well as a deadzone and/or deadband. the online adaptive estimation scheme was verified in simulation using MATLAB Simulink and verified experimentally for a DC motor driven cart, an electro-hydraulic pilot valve system, and a free cart loosely coupled to a DC motor driven cart by a pin that fits loosely in a slot...The second paper demonstrates the use of the Mathworks xPC Target environment for validation of a control system and emulation of a physical …

Ground Motion Sensitivity Analyses For The Greater St. Louis Metropolitan Area, Ece Karadeniz

Masters Theses

"Local site effects can play an important role in modifying the intensity of ground shaking and earthquake damage. The process of rock motion propagating through the soil column can be approximated using one-dimensional site response analyses. To evaluate the likely site response several input parameters are required. These include: thickness of the unconsolidated soil cap, shear wave velocity, unit density, dynamic soil properties, and acceleration time histories. Considerable uncertainty often exists in regards to these input parameters. In this study, the program Shake2000 was employed for site response analyses and sensitivity analyses were performed to determine how the uncertainties in …

Autothermal Non-Catalytic Reformation Of Jet Fuel In A Supercritical Water Medium, Jason W. Picou

Masters Theses

"The non-catalytic reformation of jet fuel using supercritical water was studied in a specially designed 0.4-L Haynes Alloy 230 tubular reactor. Experiments were performed at a constant pressure of 24.1 MPa, a temperature of 770°C, and at a constant water-to fuel ratio of fifteen-to-one by mass with various space times and oxygen flow rates. The experiments were conducted with and without air flow so as to examine the effects of the concurrent partial oxidation on the overall reformation process. The reactor effluent gas consisted of hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane and ethane. Increasing space time increases the extent …

Aflp Fingerprint Analysis Of Hybrid Salamanders In The Missouri Caverns Section Of Onondaga Cave, Maria Louise Potter

Masters Theses

"Two species and one subspecies of salamander in the genus Eurycea, two species of Plethodon and one species of Typhlotriton (recently considered to be Eurycea) salamander currently reside in an area of Onondaga Cave known as the Missouri Caverns section. Due to the presence of two known interbreeding subspecies of salamanders, Eurycea Longicauda (Long-tailed salamander) and Eurycea longicauda melanopleura (Dark-sided salamander), the possibility may exist for interbreeding of one or all of these taxa. Specifically, it is hypothesized that the two species of Eurycea longicauda may interbreed with Eurycea lucifuga (Cave salamander). through visual assessment and phenotypic analysis, …

Forecasting Using The T-Method, Parthiv Akshay Shah

Masters Theses

"The T-method is a technique developed by Genichi Taguchi to calculate an overall prediction based on the signal-to-noise ratio without the use of Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization. The Taguchi Methods, also known as robust design principles, is used to determine the optimal levels of control factors through planning and conducting experiments, and evaluating their results. The primary goal of Robust Design is to minimize variance in the presence of noise factors to achieve a robust process. T-Method is one of the techniques evolved from Taguchi Methods. This thesis illustrates the use of the T-method and outlines it steps using four forecasting case …

Approaches To Learning In A Classroom Environment: Observational & Experiential, Raj Kanwar Singh

Masters Theses

"Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) has established a set of criteria that requires engineering graduates to be able to effectively communicate, work in teams with ethics and professionalism understanding the contemporary issues. There are different approaches for teaching and learning these skills, two of which are discussed in this thesis. The intention of this research is to understand the impact of observational and experiential learning on team and individual performance"--Abstract, page iv.

Synthesis Of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles In A Counterflow Diffusion Flame Reactor, Hector Enrique Ruiz

Masters Theses

"A Counterflow Diffusion Flame (CDF) reactor was used to produce iron oxide nanoparticles. The experimental work was performed to study synthesis conditions and characterize the iron oxide nanoparticles. The parameters studied are those that control the flame structure, namely, gas flow rates and vacuum; other parameters include the precursor volume flow rate, and the relative location and temperature of the collecting probe inside the flame. Hexagonal nanoparticles were the most commonly observed shape. Hexagonal-shaped nanoparticles are mainly formed under stoichiometric conditions and with a high temperature profile in the flame. Cubic nanoparticles were also observed. The main parameter for the …

Friction Stir Spot Welding Of Aluminum Alloys, Wei Yuan

Masters Theses

"Efforts to reduce vehicle weight and improve safety performance have resulted in increased application of light-weight aluminum alloys and a recent focus on the weldability of these alloys. Friction stir spot welding (FSSW) is a solid state welding technique (derivative from friction stir welding (FSW), which was developed as a novel method for joining aluminum alloys). During FSSW, the frictional heat generated at the tool-workpiece interface softens the surrounding material, and the rotating and moving pin causes material flow. The forging pressure and mixing of the plasticized material result in the formation of a solid bond region. The present work …

Friction Stir Form Welding Of Aluminum Structures, Kamini Ashokkumar Gupta

Masters Theses

"The objective of this work was to demonstrate the applicability of friction stir welding (FSW) technology in the automotive industry. Increasing fuel prices, stringent safety and emission norms are continuously striving automakers to make lightweight, fuel efficient vehicles. Automotive engineers are researching for alternate materials in order to meet weight savings targets. Use of aluminum in place of steel in a car has been increasing for making lightweight vehicles. Conventional welding and spot welding are used as preferred joining methods by the automotive industry. However, if aluminum is used in place of steel alternate joining methods are to be researched. …

A Hybrid Sensor Network For Watershed Monitoring, John R. Koch

Masters Theses

"This thesis discusses the Hydrological Hybrid Communication Sensor Network (HHCSN), which is designed for in situ measurement of various hydrological properties of a watershed. HHCSN is comprised of a network of sensor strings, each of which connects up to 100 sensing nodes on a communication line as long as 100 m. Each node includes sensors that measure soil attributes of interest, as well as a microcontroller with basic communication and processing capabilities. A relay point at the surface compresses data from the nodes and wirelessly transmits it to a base station that serves as a gateway to the outside world. …

Quantifying The Desired Degree Of Supply Chain Flexibility, Poorna Marappa

Masters Theses

"The dynamic nature of today's market drives the need for flexibility in supply chains. The ever-growing need for and importance of flexibility in supply chains has motivated researchers to develop frameworks to achieve supply chain flexibility. Much of the research on supply chain flexibility focuses on drivers of the need for flexibility and classification of supply chain flexibility. Existing frameworks for determining the desired degree of flexibility in supply chains give an overview methodology; however, a comprehensive framework is absent. This research proposes a comprehensive framework to quantify the desired degree of flexibility in supply chains and accordingly determine its …

Removal Of Heavy Metals From Electroplating Wastewater Using Rice Husk And Coconut Coir, Frency Mathew

Masters Theses

"Heavy metal toxicity due to industrial wastewater has been a threat to the environment for the past many decades, especially in the developing countries such as India, China and Thailand where cost effectiveness of the removal process is a major factor. In this research, the effectiveness of two natural adsorbents, rice husk (RH) and coconut coir (CC), which are cheaply available in these countries for the removal of heavy metals from electroplating wastewaters were studied"--Abstract, page iii.

Methodology And Process To Accompany A Virtual Geotechnical Database For The St. Louis Metropolitan Area, Katherine Leigh Onstad

Masters Theses

"The St. Louis metropolitan (STL) area, which spans Missouri and Illinois, currently has no overarching organization of geospatial data (geodata). The two states have their own geodata, using their own individual standards. The development of a virtual geotechnical database (VGDB) encompassing the entire STL area on both sides of the Mississippi River is a solution to the data sharing and standardization problem of this area. The VGDB integrates geodata from disparate sources into a geographic information systems (GIS) database accessible via the internet. The creation of the STL area VGDB consisted of three parts: 1) compiling the geodata; 2) formatting …

Probabilistic Analysis Of Defect Tolerance In Asynchronous Nano Crossbar Architecture, Shikha Chaudhary

Masters Theses

"Among recent advancements in technology, nanotechnology is particularly promising. Most researchers have begun to focus their efforts on developing nano scale circuits. Nano scale devices such as carbon nano tubes (CNT) and silicon nano wires (SiNW) form the primitive building blocks of many nano scale logic devices and recently developed computing architecture. One of the most promising nanotechnologies is crossbar-based architecture, a two-dimensional nanoarray, formed by the intersection of two orthogonal sets of parallel and uniformly-spaced CNTs or SiNWs. Nanowire crossbars offer the potential for ultra-high density, which has never been achieved by photolithography. In an effort to improve these …

Universal Electric And Magnetic Fields Analyzer System, Yong Cheh Ho

Masters Theses

"Near-field probing is often used to measure the electric and magnetic fields above a printed circuit board (PCB) or integrated circuits (IC) chip in order to identify the sources and coupling paths of an electromagnetic interference (EMI) problem.

A wideband universal field analyzer was designed, built and tested in this thesis. The system is able to provide fast field scanning over a wide frequency range in lieu of its capabilities to measure multiple field components using a single probe design. Central to the system operation is the phase-shifting concept that provides wideband and wide- range phase-shifting.

The complete universal field …

An Approach For Human Swarm Interaction, Shishir Bashyal

Masters Theses

"This study shows that appropriate human interaction can benefit a swarm of robots to reach to goal more efficiently. The common belief in swarm robotics that user intervention adversely affects intelligence of the swarm is studied carefully to show that the traditional human-robot interaction approaches are not suitable for human swarm interaction. A set of desirable features for human swarm interaction is identified and an interaction architecture is proposed that has all of the desirable features. A swarm simulation environment is then created that allows simulating a swarm behavior in an indoor environment. Three different applications of the swarm are …

Synthesis Of Nanostructured Conducting Polymers And Their Application As Gas Sensors, Zhe-Fei Li

Masters Theses

"A single-step, bottom-up technique based on a nanostructured conducting polymer has been used to fabricate sensors. Small amounts of aqueous solutions of aniline, a dopant, and an oxidant were placed on an interdigitated electrode array. Ultraviolet (UV)-irradiation of the solutions enhanced polymerization, yielding a highly porous film of polyaniline nanofibers with mean diameters of around 100 nm and lengths on the order of 1 µm. Solutions that were not irradiated formed bulk-like polyaniline films. Nanofibers and bulk polyaniline sensors were exposed to vapors in an argon carrier gas including: chloroform, a weak proton donor; toluene, a vapor that causes polymer …

Thermal Characterization And Vibration Of Solder Alloys, Brandon Lee Brinkmeyer

Masters Theses

"Recent legislation and growing environmental concerns have forced the electronics industry to discontinue the use of tin-lead (SnPb) solder. Although the legislation did not directly affect aerospace and defense industries, future transitions to lead-free (LF) solders are inevitable. Differences exist between these high reliability systems and consumer electronics, first of which is a very small production rate and a long life cycle which often leads to repair or rework procedures which introduce the potential for mixing of SnPb and LF solder. In this study, Sn-3Ag-0.5Cu (SAC305) was mixed with Sn-37Pb solder in amounts of 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 …

Wireless Mote-Based In-Process Diagnostics Using Hand-Held Tools In Network Enabled Manufacturing Environments, Reghu Anguswamy

Masters Theses

"When complex manufacturing systems are considered, post process inspection can be a very time consuming and costly. In addition, no inspection data is typically collected unless a major problem is encountered. Real-time monitoring of the manufacturing processes and verification of its product quality are two important factors to reduce the manufacturing lead time and to ensure safety and quality.

In this thesis, a diagnostics and root-cause analysis scheme with a single channel wireless routing protocol for real-time monitoring of process quality of pull-type fastening operations is first presented. The overall architecture has been implemented on a Huck45 pull-type tool, which …

Application Of Multi-Modal Fusion Techniques For Corrosion Detection And Characterization In Aging Aircraft Components, Soumya De

Masters Theses

"The United States Air Force (USAF) recently estimated that corrosion maintenance costs exceed $800M per year. Given this, it is desirable to reduce the amount of "find it-fix it" corrosion maintenance activities. One method is to introduce a damage tolerance approach for corrosion detection. In order for this to become a reality, a comprehensive snapshot of corrosion present must be generated.

This thesis presents a data fusion process to perform uni- and multi-modal nondestructive testing and evaluation of corrosion under paint and in lap joints for volumetric characterization. The process for analyzing a given structure includes: 1) the acquisition of …