Engineering Commons^™

Automated Pet Food Dispenser, Kevin M. Shibley

Electrical Engineering

Electronics revolutionize the world and simplify life. The Automated Pet Food Dispenser (APFD) revolutionizes the pet industry and provides unprecedented food capacity and delivery capability, giving pet owners worry-free vacationing. Sensors and timers optimize functionality and reduce waste while improving reliability and usability. User-defined settings and customization gives the device adaptability to meet every customer’s needs.

Lessons From The Green Lanes: Evaluating Protected Bike Lanes In The U.S., Christopher Monsere, Jennifer Dill, Nathan Mcneil, Kelly J. Clifton, Nick Foster, Tara Goddard, Mathew Berkow, Joe Gilpin, Kim Voros, Drusilla Van Hengel, Jamie Parks

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

This report presents finding from research evaluating U.S. protected bicycle lanes (cycle tracks) in terms of their use, perception, benefits, and impacts. This research examines protected bicycle lanes in five cities: Austin, TX; Chicago, IL; Portland, OR; San Francisco, CA; and Washington, D.C., using video, surveys of intercepted bicyclists and nearby residents, and count data. A total of 168 hours were analyzed in this report where 16,393 bicyclists and 19,724 turning and merging vehicles were observed. These data were analyzed to assess actual behavior of bicyclists and motor vehicle drivers to determine how well each user type understands the design …

Design And Implementation Of Pedestrian And Bicycle-Specific Data Collection Methods In Oregon, Miguel Figliozzi, Christopher Monsere, Krista Nordback, Pamela Johnson, Bryan Philip Blanc

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Although there is a growing need to access accurate and reliable pedestrian and bicycle data, there is no statewide system to collect data or plan future data collection efforts in the state of Oregon. To address these issues this research conducted a comprehensive review of pedestrian and bicycle data collection methods and counting technologies. Oregon data sources were also compiled and AADT estimation techniques were reviewed and applied to Oregon data. A pilot study was conducted to test bicycle and pedestrian counting methods at signalized intersections with 2070 controllers. The report also provides a summary of recommendations regarding factoring methods …

Retrofitting Of Shear-Deficient Reinforced Concrete T-Girders With Composite-Based Systems, Alaa Ahmad Ata Maali

Theses

This research examines the viability of using different composite-based systems to upgrade the shear resistance of shear-deficient reinforced concrete T-girders. The research comprised experimental testing and analytical investigation. Test parameters included the retrofitting system; externally-bonded carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (EB-CFRP) laminates with or without a mechanical end anchorage (MA) and embedded through depth glass fiber-reinforced (ETD-GFRP) rebars; amount of internal stirrups; no stirrups, limited amount of stirrups with spacing s₁ = 0.6d, higher amount of stirrups with spacing s₂ = 0.375d; and initial shear damage prior to retrofitting; no damage, pre-cracking, and pre-failure.

The shear …

Placing Videos On A Semantic Hierarchy For Search Result Navigation, Song Tan, Yu-Gang Jiang, Chong-Wah Ngo

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Organizing video search results in a list view is widely adopted by current commercial search engines, which cannot support efficient browsing for complex search topics that have multiple semantic facets. In this article, we propose to organize video search results in a highly structured way. Specifically, videos are placed on a semantic hierarchy that accurately organizes various facets of a given search topic. To pick the most suitable videos for each node of the hierarchy, we define and utilize three important criteria: relevance, uniqueness, and diversity. Extensive evaluations on a large YouTube video dataset demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach.

Sew-Ing A Simple Endorsement Web To Incentivize Trustworthy Participatory Sensing, T. Luo, S. Kanhere, Hwee-Pink Tan

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Two crucial issues to the success of participatory sensing are (a) how to incentivize the large crowd of mobile users to participate and (b) how to ensure the sensing data to be trustworthy. While they are traditionally being studied separately in the literature, this paper proposes a Simple Endorsement Web (SEW) to address both issues in a synergistic manner. The key idea is (a) introducing a social concept called nepotism into participatory sensing, by linking mobile users into a social “web of participants” with endorsement relations, and (b) overlaying this network with investment-like economic implications. The social and economic layers …

Parameter Identification And Robust Control Applied To A Quadrotor, Ismail Sulaiman Al-Ali

Theses

This research intended to design, analyze, and implement a robust controller for a quad rotor system and compare the designed robust controller with a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller. The ArduCopter platform was used as a target system with a 3DR airframe and necessary modifications, a system model, and system identification processes were executed as prerequisite steps to reach the objective.

The work in this thesis includes exploring the existing research on this topic and builds on the results presented in these previous studies to add value to the scope of quad-rotor system control. During this study, system modeling was conducted, where …

Identification And Quantification Of Phthalates In Polyethylene Terephthalate (Pet) Water Bottles Produced In The Uae, Reem Mohamed Ismail Mohamed Ahmed

Theses

This thesis highlights the criticality of phthalate esters (PEs), widely used in plastic molding and possessing carcinogenetic and toxicological effects. The thesis aims to assess the presence and abundance of these compounds in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottled water produced in the UAE.

The thesis tests for 6 types of PEs (dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), butylbenzyl phthalate (BBP) and Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in widely used bottled water brands produced in the UAE. 126 bottled water samples were extracted by liquid-liquid extraction using petroleum ether, followed by analysis of the target compounds using Gas …

Flexural Behavior Of Reinforced Concrete T-Beams Strengthened With Nsm Composite System Under Accelerated Corrosion., Anes Bouchair

Theses

This research work aims at evaluating the effects of corrosion on flexural response of simply supported reinforced concrete (RC) T-Beams strengthened with near-surface-mounted carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (NSM-CFRP) strips. The research comprised experimental testing and analytical modelling. Test parameters included concrete grade, amount of NSM-CFRP strips, presence of U-wraps along the beam span, and time of corrosion exposure. A total of eighteen reinforced concrete beams with a T-shaped cross section were tested. Fourteen beams were strengthened in flexure and four beams were not strengthened to act as benchmarks. The strengthening regime included installation of either two or four NSM-CFRP strips into …

Treatment Of Industrial Wastewater Using Electrocoagulation, Shereen W. Hasan

Theses

The aim of this thesis was to evaluate the potential use of electrocoagulation in the treatment of carbide slurry, which is wastewater generated during the production of acetylene. Several experiments using an electrochemical batch reactor were carried out at different current densities, ranging between 140-290 A/m². Pure air (EA system) and 10% of carbon dioxide in air (CA system) were supplied to ensure good mixing and solution homogeneity. Aluminum plates were used as electrodes, spaced apart and connected to a DC power supply. After 3 hours, samples from treated effluent and waste slurry were collected and analyzed for …

Pbs Quantum Dot-Based Hetrojunction Solar Cells, Sawsan Khader Dagher

Dissertations

This study investigates the influence of nanoparticles (NPs) size on their optical properties, and the effect of combination of lead sulfide (PbS) quantum dots (QDs), with n-type and p-type NPs, on the photogenerated charge carriers transport across the heterojunction solar cell structure. PbS QDs, of a range of sizes, were synthesized using a co-precipitation process. In this study, p-type NPs, which are poly [3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene] –poly [styrenesulfonate] (PEDOT: PSS), copper oxide (CuO) and graphene oxide (GO); and n-type NPs which are zinc oxide (ZnO), titanium dioxide (TiO2), cadmium sulfide (CdS) and bismuth sulfide (Bi2S3), were synthesized and characterized by SEM and …

Development Of A Process For Producing Biodiesel From Microalgae Lipids With Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Extraction And Enzyme-Catalyzed Transesterification, Hanifa Easa Taher Al Belooshi

Theses

Lipids were extracted from microalgae using supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2), and used for enzymatic biodiesel production in SC-CO2. The growth of several fresh water and marine strains was tested under aeration with different CO2 enrichments. The highest growth found was for Chlorella sp. grown at 27 oC, 1 % CO2 enrichment and 460 mM NaCl concentration, at which carbon fixation rate was 1.7 g L-1 d-1. The highest enhancement of lipids content by nitrogen starvation was found with Scenedesmus sp., but with a lower growth rate. Two step cultivation of Scenedesmus sp. was carried out in a 5 L internally-illuminated …

Hydrodynamic Evaluation Of Climate Change And The Effects Of Coastal Effluent On The Long-Term Circulation Ofthe Arabian Gulf And Its Impact On Desalination, Abubaker Awad Elhakeem

Dissertations

The prime objectives of this dissertation are to develop, validate, and use a state of the art 30 Hydrodynamic Model (HD) to evaluate the long-term salinity and seawater temperature variations in the Gulf subject to climate change and coastal effluent; and to develop a Quantification tool that can assess the impact of projected ambient conditions upon the cost of desalination. Both objectives were realized.

Evaluating the long-term variability of seawater salinity and temperature due to climate change and coastal effluent is a growing concern. It may represent an economic and operational limiting factor in the desalination process given the clear …

Impact Of Net Metering On Customers Saving, Abdullah F. Albaker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of net metering on customers engagement. Brief discussions about net metering, its purpose, its challenges and benefits, and the history of net metering in the United States are included within the thesis. The thesis illustrates the net-metering rules, regulations and policies in the United States, and it shows that they are applied in 43 states plus the District of Columbia. Nevertheless, It has clearly seen that they are not similar in all states.

The thesis then identifies the impacts of net metering on utilities and solar power owners in particular. …

Rubidium-Based Atomic Clock, Kate Miles

Physics

In this paper we will explore the process of building an atomic clock from a function generator, go into an in-depth introductory discussion of the Datum LPRO, and examine how rubidium function generators work.

Folding Wheelchair Improvement, Matthew Edison Grace, Kevin Alan Miyamoto, Andrey Lee Oliveira

Mechanical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Freehub Test Machine, Brett Murphy, Mitch Ambrosini, Nick Boldt, Stephen Knaus

Mechanical Engineering

The purpose of this project is to design and build a machine to test a bicycle freehub in a lab environment. The conditions need to imitate the forces experienced by a bike wheel in a repeatable fashion. To do this we designed a machine that can fatigue the freehub in two distinct modes, pedaling and freewheeling. In the pedaling mode the freehub will be repeatable torqued to find how many engagement cycles freehub can endure before failure. The freewheeling test will spin the freehub in its coasting direction to find how the freehub wears during its lifetime. A freehub is …

Friction Test Machine, Kyle Raymon Schless, Lynda Beatriz Tesillo, Mustapha Nadri

Mechanical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Lightweight Uav Launcher, Ben Miller, Christian Valoria, Corinne Warnock, Jake Coutlee

Mechanical Engineering

This report discusses the design, construction, and testing of a lightweight, portable UAV launcher. There is a current need for a small team of soldiers to launch a US Marine Tier II UAV in a remote location without transport. Research was conducted into existing UAV launcher designs and the pros and cons of each were recorded. This research served as a basis for concept generation during the initial design development stage. It was required that the design weigh less than 110 lbs, occupy a smaller volume than 48" x 24" 18" in its collapsed state, be portable by a single …

Rotating Test Apparatus, Brian David Yale, David George Shelton

Mechanical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Final Design Report Bull Outdoor Products Tailgating/Backyard Barbecue, Kyle Van Allen, David Mei, Nicholas James Marquez

Mechanical Engineering

Bull Outdoor Products, Inc. is a specialty company whose main products are high end barbecues for use in outdoor kitchens. They desire a more portable barbecue stand(s) that can be used for tailgating. This is to be achieved by creating a dual-purpose stand/frame that allows for the barbecue head to be used on a trailer hitch or as rolling stand that can be used without a trailer hitch.

Revealing Prior Austenite Grain Boundaries Of 4340 Steel, Ryan Brierly Barrows

Materials Engineering

Grain growth during austenitization has a negative effect on fatigue strength. Several methods have been investigated in order to determine an accurate method of measuring the austenite grain size of 4340 steel. The McQuaid-Ehn method, an industry standard for evaluating austenite grain size, has been recognized to produce inaccurate results due to the coarsening of grains during extended austenitizing. A method utilized for hypoeutectoid steels, outlined by the ASTM-E112 standard, is investigated to potentially obtain more accurate results by reducing the duration of austenitizing. Studies regarding effective etching procedures for revealing austenite grains without austenitizing are also addressed. Samples are …

Design Analysis Of An Air Force Fuel Cell Maintenance Hangar, Andrew Carmean

Fire Protection Engineering: Culminating Experience Project Reports

A Fuel Cell Maintenance Hangar (FCMH) was constructed in 2013 based on a 2012 design; Figure 1.1.1 is a rendering shown below. This report evaluates the design for life safety, and property protection systems. The facility was designed based on Air Force standard prescriptive methods; the resultant design is compared to minimum prescriptive methods and to as-built drawings. In addition, the property protection design criteria were evaluated by simulating the maximum expected design fire in a hangar bay 1 using Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS). Section 1 consists of a general overview of the FCMH including descriptions of the facility and …

Fire Protection And Life Safety Analysis- Dell Medical School Academic Building, David Gramlich

Fire Protection Engineering: Culminating Experience Project Reports

This report is on the Dell Medical School Academic Building located in Austin, Texas. The life safety and prescriptive based code requirements are summarized within this report. It also includes conceptual fire protection and fire alarm system design. This report mentions University of Texas System Owner’s Design Guidelines that exceed the required code requirements. This report was developed when the building was in the Design Development stage. Since, code deficiencies have been addressed, and changes have been made to the building during the remainder of the design process, this report does not reflect the actual construction or protection strategies used …

Construction Warehouse, Ben Johnson

Fire Protection Engineering: Culminating Experience Project Reports

The purpose of this report is to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the fire protection and life safety design of a warehouse building that serves a large construction project. The results and conclusions from this evaluation are documented herein and supported by analysis when necessary. The gross floor area per story of the construction warehouse is 39,000 ft2. This building is used as a warehousing facility in support of a large construction project. Rack storage of Group A plastics is permitted in this facility to a height of 20 ft. beneath a 24 ft. ceiling on the main floor. Shelf …

Fire And Life Safety Analysis- Af Child Development Center, Judy Biddle

Fire Protection Engineering: Culminating Experience Project Reports

The purpose of this fire and life safety report is to determine whether The Air Force (AF) Child Development Center (CDC) Standard Design meets fire safety goals based on an increased child-to staff ratio and provide a prescriptive based analysis of the of the existing codes that the building was constructed under. The primary fire safety goal is to provide building occupants with an environment that is reasonably safe from fire. A prescriptive-based design approach and a performance-based design approach are used to evaluate building safety in regards to occupant protection, structural integrity, and systems effectiveness. The prescriptive-based approach is …

Fully Accessible Raised Garden Beds, Ethan Lockwood

Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies

The Ranch, a local nonprofit that is a community gathering location for recreation and education, providing outdoor employment opportunities for area residents with developmental disabilities and a unique experience for volunteers and visitors., was lacking a farming and gardening environment that was fully accessible for all people including those in wheelchairs. This project provided substantial background research for the mission of The Ranch, demonstrated sustainable design, secured material donations, CAD modeled raised beds, and provided meaningful employment during the construction of the raised beds. The project resulted in three different raised bed designs that are all in use by The …

An Analysis Of Airport Surface Deviations Using The Human Factors Analysis And Classification System (Hfacs), James H. Cistone

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

An analysis of accident and incident data from the Federal Aviation Administration Runway Safety database and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) database was performed to determine causal factors for airport surface deviations over a 12-year period, from January 1, 2001 through December 31, 2012. The Human Factors Analysis and Classification System was used as the framework to analyze the NTSB data for causal factors.

Analysis of the NTSB data produced 289 airport surface deviation cases, which were analyzed for causal evidence, and the results indicated that skill-based errors occurred at least once in the largest frequency of airport surface …

A Comparative Study Of The Low Speed Performance Of Two Fixed Planforms Versus A Variable Geometry Planform For A Supersonic Business Jet, Aaron C. Smelsky

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

A numerical investigation of the effects of high lift devices on the low-speed performance of a generic swept wing and a delta wing was conducted. The two fixed planforms were initially sized to achieve the same high speed performance as the baseline variable geometry wing. Following a review of high lift devices a detailed analysis of their use was conducted with the aid of vortex lattice method and empirical formulations. The slat and Fowler flap combination proved to be the best mechanical solution. In comparison with the initially sized delta planform, the final delta planform required a 26% increase in …

Coherence Extrapolation For Underwater Ambient Noise, Jorge Quijano, Stan E. Dosso, Martin Siderius, Lanfranco Muzi

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper considers extrapolation of the vertical coherence of surface-generated oceanic ambient noise to simulate measurements made on a longer sensor array. The extrapolation method consists of projecting the noise coherence measured with a limited aperture array into the domain spanned by prolate spheroidal wave functions, which are an orthogonal basis defined by array parameters and the noise frequency. Using simulated data corresponding to selected multi-layered seabeds as ground truth, the performance of the extrapolation method is explored. Application of the technique is also demonstrated on experimental data.