Engineering Commons^™

The Circuit, Fall 2010, Department Of Electrical And Computer Engineering, Michigan Technological University

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Newsletters

Table of Contents

• Strategic Faculty Hiring Initiatives at Michigan Tech
• Tech Receives $3 Million to Develop EV Education Programs
• ECE Student Brings Laptops to Ghana
• Tech's Online Power Engineering Program Marks 10th Anniversary
• Dave House: Why Research is Key to the Future of Tech and to ECE
• Alumni Gifts Fund New Center for Computer Systems Research
• Faculty and Student News

Opportunistic Cooperation For Multi-Antenna Multi-Relay Networks, Weiliang Zeng, Chengshan Xiao, Youzheng Wang, Jianhua Lu

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A low-complexity, near-optimal transmit antenna selection algorithm is proposed for multi-relay networks where all nodes are equipped with multiple antennas. We first establish a system model and a unified capacity maximization framework for a two-hop opportunistic relaying scheme where the source node (S) transmits signals to multiple relay nodes (R) in the first time slot, and the selected relay antennas and their corresponding relay nodes receive, decode and forward the messages to the destination (D) in the second time slot. based on the system model, we develop a transmit antenna selection algorithm that maximizes the network capacity assuming that the …

Effect Of Plant Uptake Strategy On The Water-Optimal Root Depth, Andrew J. Guswa

Engineering: Faculty Publications

The depth of plant roots depends on a variety of conditions, including soil properties, vegetation type, nutrient availability, and climate. A water-optimal root depth is determined by equating the marginal carbon cost of deeper roots with the benefit of those roots to continued transpiration. This work compares the effect of two bounding strategies of plant uptake, conservative and intensive, on the water-optimal root depth and the response of that depth to changes in precipitation. While there are some differences between the models, both indicate similar responses of root depth to climate. The deepest roots are found in climates for which …

Iphone 3gs Forensics: Logical Analysis Using Apple Itunes Backup Utility, Mona Bader, Ibrahim Baggili

Electrical & Computer Engineering and Computer Science Faculty Publications

The iPhone mobile is used worldwide due to its enhanced computing capabilities, increased storage capacity as well as its attractive touch interface. These characteristics made the iPhone a popular smart phone device. The increased use of the iPhone lead it to become a potential source of digital evidence in criminal investigations. Therefore, iPhone forensics turned into an essential practice for forensic and security practitioners today. This research aimed at investigating and examining the logical backup acquisition of the iPhone 3GS mobile device using the Apple iTunes backup utility. It was found that significant data of forensic value such as e-mail …

Progressive Failure Simulation Of Security Cable Barriers, Christopher Y. Tuan, Ratul D. Sarmah, Alexander Y. Tuan, Ching-Sheng Kao, Q. S. Li

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Perimeter security cable barriers are widely used by various agencies all over the world to defeat threat vehicle penetration. New barrier designs require crash test validation prior to implementation. Full-scale vehicular crash tests are costly, whereas designs via finite element simulations are time consuming and require specialized skills. Based on full-scale crash tests, an innovative and simple algorithm has been developed to model the progressive failure of security cable barriers. A multi-body approach based on the first principles of physics was developed to substantially reduce computer runtime. The solution algorithm uses a large number of small time steps. Nonlinear vehicle …

Efficient Utilization Of Renewable Energy Sources By Gridable Vehicles In Cyber-Physical Energy Systems, Ahmed Yousuf Saber, Ganesh K. Venayagamoorthy

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The main sources of emission today are from the electric power and transportation sectors. One of the main goals of a cyber-physical energy system (CPES) is the integration of renewable energy sources and grid able vehicles (GVs) to maximize emission reduction. GVs can be used as loads, sources and energy storages in CPES. a large CPES is very complex considering all conventional and green distributed energy resources, dynamic data from sensors, and smart operations (e.g., charging/discharging, control, etc.) from/to the grid to reduce both cost and emission. If large number of GVs are connected to the electric grid randomly, peak …

Global Competence: Determination Of Its Importance For Engineers Working In A Global Environment, Gregg M. Warnick

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

We live and work in a world that is even more interconnected and interdependent than ever before. Engineers must now not only develop technical engineering competence, but must also develop additional skills and competencies including global competence to obtain success within a global engineering environment.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether multinational companies considered global competence an important skill in mechanical engineering graduates when making hiring decisions. The study was an exploratory study that utilized an extensive literature review to identify eight global competencies for engineering success within a global environment and also included a survey instrument …

Development Of Advanced Finite Element Material Models For Cable Barrier Wire Rope, John D. Reid, Karla A. Lechtenberg, Cody S. Stolle

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

An improved LS-DYNA model of ¾-in. (19-mm) diameter 3x7 wire rope commonly used in roadside cable guardrail installations has been developed. A Belytschko-Schwer beam element was selected along with material *MAT_166. Numerical noise was reduced using part stiffness damping with a coefficient of 2%, and frequency range damping with a coefficient of 12%. The optimum element length based on timestep, accuracy, and computational cost was determined to be between 0.4 and 0.8 in. (10-20 mm). Dynamic component tests were conducted on wire rope to determine material properties. These tests were simulated and the results compared to the physical tests. The …

A New Methodology For Hydrodynamic Similarity In Bubble Columns, Ashfaq Shaikh, Muthanna H. Al-Dahhan

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Bubble Columns Are Widely Used in Chemical, Petrochemical, and Biochemical Industries for Various Processes Such as Alkylation, Oxidation, Chlorination, Wet Oxidation of Effluents, Etc. a New Hypothesis for Hydrodynamic Similarity that Can Be Subsequently Used for Scale-Up of Bubble Column Reactors Was Proposed. This Hypothesis Was Evaluated using Advanced Diagnostic Techniques. the Conditions of Similarity Where overall Gas Holdup and Radial Gas Holdup Profiles Were the Same, and Mismatch Where overall Gas Holdup Was the Same But Gas Holdup Radial Profiles Were Different, Were Identified. the Condition that Two Systems Must Operate in the Same Flow Regime to Be Hydrodynamically …

Department Of Biological Systems Engineering Newsletter, Volume 6, Number 2, July 2010

BSE Department Magazine

No abstract provided.

Flight Physician - July, 2010, Civil Aviation Medical Association

Browse all Civil Aviation Medical Association Newsletters

A sixteen page newsletter of the Civil Aviation Medical Association. The newsletter provided news about civil aviation medicine and information related to the organization.

Comparing Discrete Simulation And System Dynamics: Modeling An Anti-Insurgency Influence Operation, Wayne Wakeland, Una E. Medina

Complex Systems Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper contrasts the tradeoffs of modeling the same dynamic problem at a micro scale and at a macro scale of analysis: discrete system simulation (DS) versus continuous system simulation or system dynamics (SD). Both are employed to model the influence of entertainment education on terrorist system decay, with implications for field application. Each method optimizes different design, scope/scale, data availability/accuracy, parameter settings, and system sensitivities. Whether the research served by the computer model is applied or theoretical, DS tends to be useful for understand low-level individual unit/step influences on system change over time, whereas SD tends to shine when …

Securing Foreign Oil: A Case For Including Military Operations In The Climate Change Impact Of Fuels, Adam J. Liska, Richard K. Perrin

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Military operations are major industrial activities that use massive amounts of fuel and materials that significantly contribute to climate change. In this article, we assert that military activity to protect international oil trade is a direct production component for importing foreign oil— as necessary for imports as are pipelines and supertankers—and therefore the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from that military activity are relevant to U.S. fuel policies related to climate change. Military security for protection of global maritime petroleum distribution is part of the acquisition process, but in addition, recent Middle Eastern wars may also be related to securing petroleum …

Bs News July/August

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Architectural Considerations For Single Operator Management Of Multiple Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Gabriel T. Bugajski

Theses and Dissertations

Recently, small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) have become ubiquitous in military battlefield operations due to their intelligence collection capabilities. However, these unmanned systems consistently demonstrate limitations and shortfalls with respect to size, weight, range, line of sight and information management. The United States Air Force Unmanned Aircraft Systems Flight Plan 2009-2047 describes an action plan for improved UAS employment which calls out single operator, multi-vehicle mission configurations. This thesis analyzes the information architecture using future concepts of operations, such as biologically-inspired flocking mechanisms. The analysis and empirical results present insight into the engineering of single-operator multiple-vehicle architectures.

Numerical Solutions Of Coastal Morphodynamic Evolution For Complex Topography, Chiang Yun-Chih, Hsiao Sung-Shan, Lin Ming-Chung

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Numerical modeling of coastal morphodynamic evolution is a powerful tool for the planning and design of coastal engineering. The coastal morphological modeling system is based on the sediment conservation law, which couples modules for waves, wave-driven currents, and sediment transport rates. The numerical scheme for the sediment conservation law and nonlinear coupling between these modules can lead to dispersions, diffusions, spurious oscillations and stability problems that are still not well developed. In this paper, the bedslope updating techniques, oscillation removal schemes, and 2-step, 3-time-level temporal discretization are employed to avoid oscillations and improve the stability of the coastal morphological model …

Natural Fibers And Fiberglass: A Technical And Economic Comparison, Justin Andrew Zsiros

Theses and Dissertations

Natural fibers have received attention in recent years because of their minimal environmental impact, reasonably good properties, and low cost. There is a wide variety of natural fibers suitable for composite applications, the most common of which is flax. Flax has advantages in tensile strength, light weight, and low cost over other natural fibers. As with other natural and synthetic fibers, flax is used to reinforce both thermoset and thermoplastic matrices. When flax is used in thermoplastic matrices, polypropylene and polyethylene are the main resins used. Although at first glance flax may seem to be a cheaper alternative to fiberglass, …

Co2 Summit: Complete Conference Program, Frank Zhu

CO2 Summit: Technology and Opportunity

Final Conference Program

Abstracts Of Oral Presentations

CO2 Summit: Technology and Opportunity

Abstracts of Oral Presentations and Keynote Lectures

Bio-Energy Greenhouse Gases Life Cycle Assessment Review, Helena Chum

CO2 Summit: Technology and Opportunity

No abstract provided.

Efficient Combustion: The Chemical Engineer's Quest?, Diane Hildebrandt

CO2 Summit: Technology and Opportunity

No abstract provided.

Energy Production In A Carbon-Constrained World, George Richards

CO2 Summit: Technology and Opportunity

No abstract provided.

Final Conference Program, Barry Buckland, John Aunins, Paula Marques Alves, Kathrin Jansen

Vaccine Technology III

List of talks during the conference.

New Vaccine Technologies: Promising Advances May Save More Lives, John Boslego

Vaccine Technology III

In the past 20 years, immunization has prevented nearly 20 million deaths from vaccine-preventable infections. Despite this success, poorer countries often lack access to newer and more expensive vaccines, and vaccines are not yet available for many illnesses. PATH is working to narrow the immunization gap between developed countries and developing countries by increasing the availability of existing vaccines, reducing the lag time for adoption of recently-licensed vaccines, developing technology in support of vaccines and immunization (e.g. vaccine vial monitor, Uniject, vaccine stabilization platforms) and working with partners to develop new vaccines.

Vaccine development is expensive and manufacturers often focus …

Scale-Up Of An Intensified Process For Rad35 Adenovirus Production Using The Per.C6® Cell Substrate, Alfred Luitjens, Herman Van Herk

Vaccine Technology III

Tuberculosis is the world’s second deadliest infectious disease, with over 9 million new cases diagnosed in 2006. In collaboration with the Aeras Global Tuberculosis Vaccine Foundation, we are developing a recombinant tuberculosis adenovirus based vaccine (rAd35). Currently a series of three Phase I trials are taking place, with the first two studies indicating very promising results, safety and toleration. In November 2008 we started a Phase II study in South Africa. The manufacturing process supporting these clinical studies was developed using the PER.C6® cell substrate. With the productivity of this production process, scale-up to 10,000-liter bioreactor will be required to …

Establishing A Platform For Spray Drying Inhalable Vaccines In South Africa, Willem Germishuizen, L Venter, A Khosa, F Mudau, P.B. Fourie, B Pulliam, M Kabadi, A Schiermeier, D.A . Edwards

Vaccine Technology III

Mycobacterium bovis BCG is the current vaccine for tuberculosis (TB). However, BCG as it is currently administered shows highly variable efficacy in protecting adults against TB. The natural route of infection of TB is via inhalation of bacilli-containing aerosols and it is postulated that immunization by the natural route of infection may lead to a greater immunity given the fact that the lungs are the primary target of infection. By eliciting both local and systemic immune responses, it is anticipated that an inhaled form of BCG will offer greater protection against pulmonary TB.

Current commercial BCG vaccine preparations are filled …

Systems Engineering Analysis And Digital Communication Bus Design For The Cal Poly Super Project, Matt Marcus Camack

Master's Theses

With an expected lifetime of 20 years and an expected cost of $500, the Cal Poly Sustainable Power for Electrical Resources (SuPER) project needed a strong central design. This thesis looks at the work completed by students over the previous 5 years, with an eye on the future, to create the phase 2 design. Part of this new structure focuses on a distributed communication bus for monitoring system health and status. Instead of complex and costly computer or FPGA systems, the new system will run solely with microcontrollers. This reduces costs and will hopefully still be used within 5, 10, …

Me-Em Enewsbrief, June 2010, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.

Air Piston Approach To Wave Power Generation, Arun Ramadass

Theses

Scientists have calculated that, by tapping just 0.2% of the energy produced by the world's oceans we can provide for all the worlds current energy needs. It is generally accepted that a combination of traditional energy production methods, (oil, coal, gas, nuclear) mixed with a combination of renewable energy production approaches is the future in providing for an increasingly energy hungry world. Wind, solar and biomass have moved into the public arena only in the last few years.

The proposed patented device (US Patent No.: 7,468,563) Ocean Wave Energy Converter harnesses the energy of ocean waves by continually raising and …

Past Proceedings: Third International Conference On Case Histories In Geotechnical Engineering (1993), Multiple Authors

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

No abstract provided.