Engineering Commons^™

Performance Characterization And Reconfiguration Of Wireless Sensor Networks, Parag P. Joshi

All ETDs from UAB

Some attributes of a wireless sensor network (WSN) are its large scale of deployment, possible harsh ambient conditions, and limited resource budgets. Therefore, minimizing the demand placed on resource utilization is vital. WSN applications that require binary or quantized information are of interest owing to the resulting savings in bandwidth and power. Two very important applications of binary WSNs are target localization and target detection. Optimizing a multi-modal surface to estimate a target’s location and power is a highly complex problem. Deterministic and stochastic approaches are computationally intensive and sluggish or converge to local minima, causing large estimation errors. This …

Mesenchymal Stem Cell Interaction With Nanostructured Biomaterials For Orthopaedic Applications, William Charles Clem

All ETDs from UAB

Orthopaedic implants fail when bone loss around the anchoring region of the prosthesis causes the components to loosen. A revision surgery is needed to replace worn components, and bone grafting is often required to fill the void caused by osteolysis. A solution for the problem of osteolysis may be the improvement of wear resistance at the articulating surfaces by substituting materials with greater hardness. This dissertation describes two strategies for increasing the surface hardness of titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) implants, without increasing surface roughness or compromising osseointegration. The first strategy utilizes microwave plasma to induce titanium nitride formation by nitrogen diffusion. …

Strengthening And Rehabilitation Of Steel Bridge Girders Using Cfrp Laminates, Ahmed Sabri Abd-El-Meguid

All ETDs from UAB

hile traditional retrofitting methods for steel bridge girders could be time consuming and uneconomical, an alternative repair method is suggested using Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers (CFRP) laminate strips, providing engineers with a competitive solution that will increase the life-cycle of repaired bridges. This study investigated its feasibility as an option to strengthen and rehabilitate steel bridges. The main advantages of using CFRP laminates are their light weight and durability, which results in ease of handling and maintenance. The dissertation conducted experimental and analytical work to evaluate the effectiveness of strengthening steel beams by the use of novel CFRP laminate strips …

Quasi-Static And Multi-Site High Velocity Impact Response Of Composite Structures, Lawshya J. Deka

All ETDs from UAB

Understanding of low and high velocity transverse impact of laminated fiber reinforced composites is of interest in military, aerospace, marine and civilian structures. Recent advances in the field of numerical simulation provide a means of predicting the performance characteristics of layered materials for impact protection. The overall objective of this work is to investigate the behavior of laminated composites which include both thermoplastic and thermoset systems subjected to quasi-static, low and high velocity impact; both from an experimental and numerical modeling view point. To analyze this problem, a series of quasi-static, low and high velocity impact tests have been performed …

Processing And Characterization Of Long Fiber Thermoplastics, Krishnan Balaji Thattai Parthasarathy

All ETDs from UAB

Thermoplastic composites have found increasing use in transportation, military, and aerospace applications. Specifically, long fiber thermoplastics (LFT) have become well established as medium performance, high volume, and low cost materials due to high level of productivity in processing. The mechanical properties of LFT components are defined by the fiber / matrix system and also, to a large extent, by the process-induced flow orientation and fiber lengths. The orientations and fiber length are influenced significantly by the flow characteristics, processing method, and parameters. This work focuses on the rheological characterization of LFT processed via the extrusion-compression molding technique. The squeeze flow …

Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding In The Repair Of Reinforced Concrete Bridge Structures, Stephen Michael Cauthen

All ETDs from UAB

Composite technology, including the use of Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP), may be the answer to many growing structural engineering concerns. With the growth and development present in the United States, efficient transportation infrastructures must be maintained as to provide linkage between ports of commerce. With forty percent of all bridges either structurally deficient or obsolete, a low cost, quick repair method is needed which can facilitate these arterials remaining open during a rehabilitation process. Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM) can perform under these conditions. It fully exceeds the traditional hand layup method of an FRP application; often times providing …

Assessment Of Managed Lanes Options, Ozge Cavusoglu

All ETDs from UAB

The continuous increase in automobile use is directly related to the increase in congestion and decline in air quality in urban settings. In the past 20 years, the total number of vehicle miles traveled in the United States has increased over 70%, whereas highway capacity grew by only 0.3%. Increased construction costs, right-of-way constraints, and environmental and social issues shifted the interest of transportation agencies from building new roadways to strategies that maximize the operational efficiency of existing facilities. Transportation agencies across the nation employed a number of strategies aiming at reducing traffic demand or spreading it over time and …

The Convergence Envelope For Iterative Estimation In Ss-Parse, Ningzhi Li

All ETDs from UAB

A novel and recently developed fast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique, Single-Shot Parameter Assessment by Retrieval from Signal Encoding (SSPARSE), promises significant improvements in robustness and accuracy of local signal parameter estimates compared to the conventional MRI methods. In using a more accurate signal model, the reconstruction for SS-PARSE differs from the traditional Fourier transform method. An iterative estimation algorithm, progressive length conjugate gradient (PLCG), is currently employed by SS-PARSE to reconstruct independent parameter maps of local magnetization, transverse relaxation rate and frequency. In practice, the large number of degrees of freedom and partial poor conditioning of the problem itself …

Traffic Responsive Signal Systems To Address Rain-Related Congestion, Suman Reddy Surabhi

All ETDs from UAB

Rainy conditions typically have an impact on the behavior of drivers and in turn can affect traffic flow characteristics in transportation networks. As a result, signal timing plans developed for dry conditions may be unsuitable or sub-optimal during periods of rain, and changes in such plans may be desirable to account for changes in environmental conditions. Current technology in the field of traffic signal control and communications make it possible to change the signal controller settings remotely, a capability that offers opportunities for signal timing adjustments during rain conditions. This study explores the feasibility and benefits of implementing alternative signal-timing …

Statistics Of Local Speckle Contrast, Donald D. Duncan, Sean J. Kirkpatrick, Ruikang K. Wang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

In describing the first-order properties of laser speckle under polarized illumination conditions, it is almost an article of faith that the contrast is unity. In many processing schemes, however, the contrast defined as the quotient of the standard deviation and the mean is calculated over a localized spatial region. In such cases, this local contrast displays a distribution of values that can depart substantially from unity. Properties of this distribution depend on details of the data acquisition and on the size of the local neighborhood over which the contrast is calculated. We demonstrate that this local contrast can be characterized …

Can Laser Speckle Flowmetry Be Made A Quantitative Tool?, Donald D. Duncan, Sean J. Kirkpatrick

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The ultimate objective of laser speckle flowmetry (and a host of specific implementations such as laser speckle contrast analysis, LASCA or LSCA; laser speckle spatial contrast analysis, LSSCA; laser speckle temporal contrast analysis, LSTCA; etc.) is to infer flow velocity from the observed speckle contrast. Despite numerous demonstrations over the past 25 years of such a qualitative relationship, no convincing quantitative relationship has been proven. One reason is a persistent mathematical error that has been propagated by a host of workers; another is a misconception about the proper autocorrelation function for ordered flow. Still another hindrance has been uncertainty in …

Monte Carlo Modeling Of Spatial Coherence: Free-Space Diffraction, Donald D. Duncan, David G. Fischer, Scott A. Prahl

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

We present a Monte Carlo method for propagating partially coherent fields through complex deterministic optical systems. A Gaussian copula is used to synthesize a random source with an arbitrary spatial coherence function. Physical optics and Monte Carlo predictions of the first- and second-order statistics of the field are shown for coherent and partially coherent sources for free-space propagation, imaging using a binary Fresnel zone plate, and propagation through a limiting aperture. Excellent agreement between the physical optics and Monte Carlo predictions is demonstrated in all cases. Convergence criteria are presented for judging the quality of the Monte Carlo predictions.

Thermomechanical Interaction Analysis Of Bodies Subjected To Oscillatory Heat Source, Jun Wen

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Surface heating by application of a moving heat source is a common problem in most manufacturing processes as well as in many tribological applications. The existing literature on studies of moving heat source problems primarily concentrates on unidirectional moving heat sources. Yet, a more complete analysis requires understanding of thermal behavior of bodies in relative sliding contacts subjected to oscillatory heat sources and thermomechanical interaction. In this dissertation, two analytical models are developed for rapid evaluation of the transient temperature in solids undergoing oscillatory heat source. In the first model, an analytical technique is presented to treat oscillatory heat source …

Coupling The Hydrodynamic And Water Quality Model Ce-Qual-W2 With A Multi-Trophic Fish Bio-Energetics Model For Lake Roosevelt, Washington, Michael Lee Mckillip

Dissertations and Theses

Grand Coulee Dam created Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake as part of the Columbia Basin Project. Located in northeastern Washington State, the Project provides economically important hydropower (19 billion kilowatt hours per year), irrigation (225,000 ha), flood control, and sport fishing ($5 to 20 million annually). A good system understanding aids in balancing these beneficial uses for the 230 km long reservoir. The reservoir's atypical 45-day mean residence time is much shorter than a typical lake, and much longer than for a riverine dam. The spring freshet requires drawdowns of 15 to 20 m for flood control—the driving characteristic of reservoir …

Final Report For Irrigation Water Quality Monitoring Of The Jordan River, 2008, Richard C. Peralta, Bassel Timani

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

The goal of the Jordan River Water Quality Project is to assess the quality of irrigation water removed from the Jordan River at three diversion locations: Jordan Narrows (JN), Cahoon and Maxfield (CM), and Jordan & Salt Lake Canal (JSLC). During 2008, Salt Lake City Corporation personnel took water samples on 12 dates from April 18 to September 25, 2008. Utah State University Analytical Laboratories (USUAL), an EPAcertified laboratory, performed water analyses on the samples. USUAL is located at Utah State University (USU) in Logan, Utah.

Flexural Comparison Of The Aci 318-08 And Aashto Lrfd Structural Concrete Codes, Nathan Jeffrey Dorsey

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Investigation Of Blast Mitigation Properties Of Carbon And Polyurethane Based Foams, Bradley E. Toon

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Solid foams have been studied for years for their ability to mitigate damage from sudden impact. Small explosive attacks threaten to damage or destroy key structures in some parts of the world. A newly developed material, carbon foam, may offer the ability to mitigate the effects of such blasts. This project investigates the energy absorbing properties of carbon and polyurethane based foams in dynamic compression to illustrate their viability to protect concrete structures from the damaging effects of pressure waves from a small blast. Cellular solid mechanics fundamentals and a survey of the microscopic cellular structure of each type of …

Proportional Feedback Control Of Duty Cycle For Dc Hybrid Active Power Filter, Govind N. Malleichervu

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

This thesis deals with the design and implementation of a feedback control scheme for a DC Hybrid Active Power Filter used to filter harmonics from a Switched Reluctance Motor (SRM) Drive load. Power electronic systems are non-linear & dynamic [1,3,5]. Power electronic systems employ switching circuits to maximize their efficiency at the penalty that switching circuits generate electrical noise called ripple current and voltage or conducted electromagnetic interference (EMI). The ripple current drawn by the power electronic systems needs to be attenuated to an acceptable level. Filters attenuate this to an acceptable level. Traditionally filters with passive inductors and capacitors …

Multiscale Dynamic Monte Carlo / Continuum Modeling Of Drying And Curing In Sol-Gel Silica Films, Xin Li

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Modeling the competition between drying and curing processes in polymerizing films is of great importance to many existing and developing materials synthesis processes. These processes involve multiple length and time scales ranging from molecular to macroscopic, and are challenging to fully model in situations where the polymerization is non-ideal, such as sol-gel silica thin film formation. A comprehensive model of sol-gel silica film formation should link macroscopic flow and drying (controlled by process parameters) to film microstructure (which dictates the properties of the films).

This dissertation describes a multiscale model in which dynamic Monte Carlo (DMC) polymerization simulations are coupled …

A Survey Of Worm Detection And Containment, Pele Li, M. Salour, Xiao Su

Faculty Publications

Self-duplicating, self-propagating malicious codes known as computer worms spread themselves without any human interaction and launch the most destructive attacks against computer networks. At the same time, being fully automated makes their behavior repetitious and predictable. This article presents a survey and comparison of Internet worm detection and containment schemes. We first identify worm characteristics through their behavior, and then classify worm detection algorithms based on the parameters used in the algorithms. Furthermore, we analyze and compare different detection algorithms with reference to the worm characteristics by identifying the type of worms that can and cannot be detected by these …

Optimal In-Situ Bioremediation System Design Using Simulated Annealing, H. J. Shieh, Richard C. Peralta

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

The presented procedure combines continuous simulated annealing (CSA) heuristic optimization with BIOPLUME II simulation for optimizing in-situ bioremediation system design. The design goal is to minimize the total cost of facility installation and operation needed to achieve contaminant plume containment and cleanup. System design elements include pumping rates and well locations. During optimization, pumping rates are treated as continuous variables, differing from previously reported simulated annealing combinatorial optimization for groundwater management. To improve computation efficiency, CSA annealing schedules employing four different temperature update functions (TUF) are contrasted. Each yields somewhat different optimal designs and requires different computation effort. An adaptive …

Table Of Contents

Journal of Digital Forensics, Security and Law

No abstract provided.

Developing A Process Model For The Forensic Extraction Of Information From Desktop Search, Timothy Pavlic, Jill Slay, Benjamin Turnbull

Journal of Digital Forensics, Security and Law

Desktop search applications can contain cached copies of files that were deleted from the file system. Forensic investigators see this as a potential source of evidence, as documents deleted by suspects may still exist in the cache. Whilst there have been attempts at recovering data collected by desktop search applications, there is no methodology governing the process, nor discussion on the most appropriate means to do so. This article seeks to address this issue by developing a process model that can be applied when developing an information extraction application for desktop search applications, discussing preferred methods and the limitations of …

Table Of Contents

Journal of Digital Forensics, Security and Law

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Guide To Computer Forensics And Investigations (3rd Ed.), Keyu Jiang, Ruifeng Xuan

Journal of Digital Forensics, Security and Law

No abstract provided.

An Evaluation Of Windows-Based Computer Forensics Application Software Running On A Macintosh, Gregory H. Carlton

Journal of Digital Forensics, Security and Law

The two most common computer forensics applications perform exclusively on Microsoft Windows Operating Systems, yet contemporary computer forensics examinations frequently encounter one or more of the three most common operating system environments, namely Windows, OS-X, or some form of UNIX or Linux. Additionally, government and private computer forensics laboratories frequently encounter budget constraints that limit their access to computer hardware. Currently, Macintosh computer systems are marketed with the ability to accommodate these three common operating system environments, including Windows XP in native and virtual environments. We performed a series of experiments to measure the functionality and performance of the two …

Byzantium Beneath The Black Sea, Bridget Buxton, Robert Ballard, Michael Brennan, Dwight Coleman, Katy Croff, Christopher Roman, Dan Davis, Dennis Piechota, Sergiy Voronov

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

This poster reports on the August 2007 Black Sea Expedition of the Institute for Archaeological Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island (IAO) and the Institute for Exploration (IFE), in collaboration with the Department of the Underwater Heritage of Ukraine. This year’s work marks a new phase in a multi-year (2000–2012) archaeological and oceanographic survey of the Black Sea. 2007 fieldwork focuses on two Byzantine shipwrecks. The 10th century C.E. shipwreck Chersonesos A (discovered in 2006) lies at 140 m depth in the suboxic zone off the Crimean peninsula. The ship carried a cargo of one-handled jars of a widely …

Identification Of Factors In Road Accidents Through In-Depth Accident Analysis, Mouyid B. Islam, Kunnawee Kanitpong

CUTR Faculty Journal Publications

The rising trend of motorization and improving socio-economic status of Thai people directly influences the aggravating road safety situation with fatalities and permanently disabled injuries of about 130,000 and 500,000 respectively over the past decades. An estimated annual cost from road crashes amounts to about US$2,500 million, 3.4 percent of Gross National Product (GNP), undoubtedly inflicts Thailand with a burning public health concern in the South East Asian region. This paper addresses an in-depth study through crash investigation and reconstruction which has not yet been practised in Thailand to identify the contributory factors in road crashes by the concerned authorities. …

Data Mining Techniques In Fraud Detection, Rekha Bhowmik

Journal of Digital Forensics, Security and Law

The paper presents application of data mining techniques to fraud analysis. We present some classification and prediction data mining techniques which we consider important to handle fraud detection. There exist a number of data mining algorithms and we present statistics-based algorithm, decision treebased algorithm and rule-based algorithm. We present Bayesian classification model to detect fraud in automobile insurance. Naïve Bayesian visualization is selected to analyze and interpret the classifier predictions. We illustrate how ROC curves can be deployed for model assessment in order to provide a more intuitive analysis of the models.

Book Review: Challenges To Digital Forensic Evidence, Gary C. Kessler

Journal of Digital Forensics, Security and Law

This issue presents the fifth Book Review column for the JDFSL. It is an experiment to broaden the services that the journal provides to readers, so we are anxious to get your reaction. Is the column useful and interesting? Should we include more than one review per issue? Should we also review products? Do you have suggested books/products for review and/or do you want to write a review? All of this type of feedback -- and more -- is appreciated. Please feel free to send comments to Gary Kessler ([email protected]) or Glenn S. Dardick ([email protected]).