Engineering Commons^™

Fluidic Compression In A Scramjet Engine, Jeff S. Noall, Dr. Russell L. Daines

Journal of Undergraduate Research

A scramjet (supersonic-combustion ramjet) is a theoretical engine which, like a ramjet, converts the velocity of the inlet air into pressure. This “ram” pressure compresses the fluid stream entering the engine prior to fuel injection and combustion. In a ramjet, the incoming air is slowed to subsonic speeds (speeds less than the speed of sound) before combustion occurs. In a scramjet, the air stream remains supersonic throughout the process. This feature gives the scramjet potential in high-speed applications such as hypersonic aircraft and space-transport systems. One of the main problems facing scramjet development is controlling the behavior of the shock …

Fiber Optic Modulator, Christian A. Fox, Dr. Richard H. Selfridge

Journal of Undergraduate Research

During the past decade, much research has been invested in the optics field to develop high-speed optical modulators. In particular, efforts have been directed toward combining the fast electrical responses of nonlinear optical polymers with the light guiding characteristics of fiber optics.1 At Brigham Young University, recent efforts have been made to develop a low-loss polarimetric modulator integrated onto a standard silicon wafer. This paper will discuss the fabrication process, present experimental results, and suggest further improvements for the fiber optic modulator.

Predicting Gas-Phase Reaction Rates For Elementary Diatomic Substitutions Using Molecular Dynamics Simulations, Karl Fails, Dr. Richard Rowley

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of this study was to examine a new method for predicting elementary gas-phase reaction rates using molecular dynamics simulations. The diatomic substitution reaction:was to be used as a test model for its simplicity. Molecular dynamics simulations were to be used to calculate the motion of the interacting atoms. Any associations, dissociations and substitutions were to be counted and recorded.

Manufacturing And Testing A Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Beam-To- Column Connector, Patrick J. Sedivy, Dr. Fernando S. Fonseca

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Pultruded Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) structures are an attractive alternative to steel which is corrosive and heavy. However, FRP beams and columns cannot be connected using conventional methods such as bolting or welding. Anthony G. Cockbain demonstrated the potential of a monolithic sleeve connector.1 Although Cockbain’s research showed much promise for the sleeve connector, there were still several problems. The manufacturing process was extremely labor intensive and the connector needed to be stronger.

Deep Dynamic Compaction Of Collapsible Soils, Ryan J. Olsen, Dr. Kyle Rollins

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Collapsible soils, in their natural state, are stiff and strong. However, when they become wet these soils lose their strength and settle significantly. This settlement can damage highways and structures built over these collapsible soils. Deep dynamic compaction (DDC) is a method used for improving soil conditions by repeatedly dropping a very large tamper onto the ground from heights typically ranging from 50 to 100 ft. DDC has been shown to significantly increase the strength and stiffness of collapsible soils. However, vibrations caused by dynamic compaction may affect surrounding buildings.

Systemand Method For Controlling Motion Of Spacecrafts, Piyush Grover, Christian Andersson

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

A motion of an object is controlled from a geostationary transit orbit (GTO) of an earth to an orbit of a moon. A first trajectory of the motion of the object is determined from an intermediate orbit of an earth to a neighborhood of a stable manifold of a first Lagrange point (L1). A second trajectory of the motion of the object is determined from the GTO to the intermediate orbit. A third trajectory of the motion of the object is determined from the neighborhood to the stable manifold to an L1 orbit, and a fourth trajectory of the motion …

College Of Engineering News, Georgia Southern University

College of Engineering & Computing: News & Publications (2010-2023)

• 80 Engineering students pass CSWA exam

Anthropomorphic Breast Phantoms With Physiological Water, Lipid, And Hemoglobin Content For Near-Infrared Spectral Tomography, Kelly E. Michaelsen, Venkataramanan Krishnaswamy, Adele Shenoy, Emily Jordan, Brian W. Pogue, Keith D. Paulsen

Dartmouth Scholarship

Breast mimicking tissue optical phantoms with sufficient structural integrity to be deployed as stand-alone imaging targets are developed and successfully constructed with biologically relevant concentrations of water, lipid, and blood. The results show excellent material homogeneity and reproducibility with inter- and intraphantom variability of 3.5 and 3.8%, respectively, for water and lipid concentrations ranging from 15 to 85%. The phantoms were long-lasting and exhibited water and lipid fractions that were consistent to within 5% of their original content when measured 2 weeks after creation. A breast-shaped three-compartment model of adipose, fibroglandular, and malignant tissues was created with water content ranging …

Dynamical Instability And Fermi Surface Topology In Ni2Fega From First Principles, Satyananda Chabungbam, Gowtham S, Munima Sahariah

Data Science Publications

The phonon spectrum of stoichiometric Heusler alloy Ni₂FeGa is calculated for the high-temperature cubic austenite phase by using first-principles density functional perturbation theory. We also compute the elastic constants of the alloy from the initial slopes of the acoustic phonon branch. The TA₂ phonon branch along [110] direction shows softening with a minimum dip at ζ=0.58 which indicates the possibility of modulated phases prior to martensitic transformation. We also map the Fermi surface of this alloy both in 3D and 2D to check the presence of any nesting vectors. The observed nesting parameter is in good agreement …

The Effects Of Combining Ultrasonic Frequency And Antibiotics To Escherichia Coli Biofilms In An In Vivo System, Rachel L. Robison, Dr. William G. Pitt

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Prosthetic devices are commonly used in modern medicine. There are two types of prosthetic devices, implanted and transdermal. Implanted devices such as vascular grafts, heart valves, and prosthetic joints frequently become colonized by bacteria due to improper surgical techniques or post-operative infections.2 Transdermal devices such as catheters or electrical leads often become infected when bacteria from the patient’s skin migrates along the transdermal device and gains entrance into the body.1 If this occurs, microorganisms can cause serious infection at the site of the prosthetic device.

Elucidation Of Emergent Regional Mechanisms Of Heart Muscle Dysfunction In The Mouse Model Of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Ya-Jian Cheng

All Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

Cardiac dysfunction is a primary cause of mortality in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), potentially related to elevated cytosolic calcium. However, the regional versus global functional consequences of cellular calcium mishandling have not been defined in the whole heart. Here, we elucidate, for the first time, loci- and age-dependencies between calcium mishandling and myocardial sheet function as a manifestation of dystrophin-deficient cardiomyopathy. We also map calcium transients to illustrate the regional dependence of ion flux disturbances in the dystrophin-deficient (mdx) mouse heart. Furthermore, we elucidate abnormalities in autophagic processes that can be corrected with nanoparticle therapeutics delivering rapamycin to heart tissues …

The Structure And Properties Of Zinc Aluminophosphate Glasses, Charmayne E. Smith (Lonergan), Richard K. Brow, Lionel Montagne, Bertrand Revel

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The glass forming region of the ZnO-Al₂O₃-P₂O₅ (ZAP) system was determined and the structures and properties of the glasses were characterized. For glasses with a constant O/P ratio, i.e., with similar average phosphate anion distributions, and with increasing alumina content, there is an increase in molar volume and glass transition temperature and a decrease in density and refractive index. The structures of the ZAP glasses were characterized by Raman spectroscopy, ³¹P and ²⁷Al magic angle spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Systematically shorter phosphate …

Ceas E-News 02.14.2014, College Of Engineering And Applied Sciences

College of Engineering and Applied Sciences News

• WMU Students Impress at the 2014 TAPPI Student Summit

• Upcoming CEAS 2014 Summer Camps

• Upcoming CEAS Events

Use Of Graphene As Protection Film In Biological Environments, Weixia Zhang, Sudarat Lee, Kelly L. Mcnear, Ting Fung Chung, Seunghyun Lee, Kyunghoon Lee, Scott A. Crist, Timothy L. Ratliff, Zhaohui Zhong, Yong P. Chen, Chen Yang

Birck and NCN Publications

Corrosion of metal in biomedical devices could cause serious health problems to patients. Currently ceramics coating materials used in metal implants can reduce corrosion to some extent with limitations. Here we proposed graphene as a biocompatible protective film for metal potentially for biomedical application. We confirmed graphene effectively inhibits Cu surface from corrosion in different biological aqueous environments. Results from cell viability tests suggested that graphene greatly eliminates the toxicity of Cu by inhibiting corrosion and reducing the concentration of Cu2+ ions produced. We demonstrated that additional thiol derivatives assembled on graphene coated Cu surface can prominently enhance durability of …

Ontology Driven Model For An Engineered Agile Healthcare System, Balaji Ramadoss

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Healthcare is in urgent need of an effective way to manage the complexity it of its systems and to prepare quickly for immense changes in the economics of healthcare delivery and reimbursement. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) releases policies affecting inpatient and long-term care hospitals policies that directly affect reimbursement and payment rates. One of these policy changes, a quality-reporting program called Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR), will effect approximately 3,400 acute-care and 440 long-term care hospitals. IQR sets guidelines and measures that will contain financial incentives and penalties based on the quality of care provided. CMS, the …

Computer Speech Recognition With Neural Networks, Roger Scott Twede

Journal of Undergraduate Research

While attempts to create speech recognition systems have surfaced over several decades, obstacles limit the capabilities and performance of current systems. Nonetheless, the promise of incredible benefits and myriads of applications drive the technical world to continue the attempts.

Multiple Scattering Events In Human Blood Solutions, Xunhai Xu

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Recently, modem medical technology has enabled surgeons and other medical scientists to perform certain organ transplantation within human beings successfully. However, thromboembolization, the formation of thromboemboli (usually of irregular shapes with sizes approximately 10,000 times bigger than that of red blood cell), is likely to occur with such operations. The cause of the thromboemboli is believed to be the interaction between human blood and the foreign materials. Since thromboemboli is a much larger particles than normal blood cells (such as red blood cell, white blood cell and single platelet), their existence in the blood solution might be detrimental to the …

Multimedia Communications, David Stonely, Lawrence Tolman

Journal of Undergraduate Research

People who work at an office or home could use more efficient telephone systems. A popular device to help people with telephone communications is the answering machine. However, popular answering machines can only provide generic messaging to all callers. It was proposed to program a personal computer to be an Intelligent Answering Machine that would play selected messages to certain callers using Caller ID to determine different callers. Using funds provided by the Office of Research and Creative Work, a Digital Signal Processor computer add-in board, the IBM Mwave, was purchased along with its development software to provide a basis …

Resonant Tunneling Of Gaussian Beams, Travis Elgin Oliphant

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The Interaction of Gaussian beams with multi-layer dielectric structures has been the subject of numerous studies since Goos and Hiinchen first reported their findings [1]. In addition, resonant tunneling has been a source of considerable investigation both as It applies to quantum electronics and with regard to electromagnetic phenomena. Transistor [2] and a waveguide polarizer [3] have been suggested to take advantage of the resonant tunneling effects of a plane-wave impinging on a multilayer dielectric. The purpose of this study is to further examine the possibility of such applications of resonant tunneling phenomena by extending the analysis to finite width …

Analysis Of Enhanced Resolution Ers·1 Scatterometer Imagery Over The Canadian Boreal Forest, Clarence J. Wilson Iii

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The European Remote Sensing satellite, ERS-1, carries a scatterometer radar which measures the radar backscattering coefficient (rr.) over the entire earth. The primary purpose of this measurement is to determine wind speeds and directions over the ocean. Recently, however, scientists have begun considering the use of ERS-1 backscatter measurements over land surfaces (Mougin et a!., 1995; Kennett and Li, 1989a; Kennett and Ll, 1989b). The ERS-1 scatterometer measurement data provides 50 km resolution of these surfaces and repeated coverage every 4-10 days. While this temporal repetivity is very good, the spatial resolution is extremely low and thus limits applications of …

Remote Control And Web-Access Of The Mitutoyo Coordinate Measuring Machine, Cun Ling Linda Chu, Dr. C. Greg Jensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The goal of this project was to devise a way to remotely control a Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) so students could measure an engineering product wherever they have access to a computer. The project began as a semester assignment for Dr. Jensen’s ME 273 course in the fall of 1998. During the semester a group of students and I researched and developed the basic procedure to accomplish the goal.

Torsion Testing Of The Isotruss, Jeff Brimhall, Dr. David W. Jensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The IsoTruss is an innovative structural member made up of a unique geometric configuration and composite material that has tremendous potential for use in civil infrastructure, aerospace and other applications. This unique geometric configuration, which uses minimal material, yet maintains a very high strength. This greatly reduces the weight of the structure and causes the strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratios to skyrocket.

Evaporation Losses In The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Krey H. Price

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge has long been an important haven for migrating waterfowl in North America. During the wet years of 1983-84, however, the refuge was inundated and closed. The refuge has since reopened, but reconstruction of water control structures continues. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has requested an evaporation study as a part of the refuge’s water budget to enable more accurate calibration of inflows to and outflows from the individual ponds in the refuge. This study applied computer modeling to estimate evaporation losses from the refuge’s ponds and marshes.

Fuzzy Logic Control Of An Inverted Pendulum, Sean Lynn Mckell

Journal of Undergraduate Research

A little-known phenomenon recently explored by a few engineers seems, to some, to be a little out of focus. This phenomenon, dubbed “fuzzy logic” by its inventor, Lotfi A. Zadeh, is an oxymoron to mostit connotes something ethereal and misplaced in a field such as engineering which demands precision in order to produce results which work and do something useful. This “fuzzy” thinking, as an engineer might say, should instead be found in the circles of those humanists who often are immersed in endless debates about whether life is real or not.

Facile Synthesis Of High Surface Area Molybdenum Carbide And Nitride: An Application In Support Materials For Oxygen Reduction Reaction, Aaron Roy

Chemical and Biological Engineering ETDs

A method to synthesize high surface area α-MoC(1-x) without the temperature programmed reduction (TPR) of MoO3 is described. This method was then used, in conjunction with a novel in situ method to obtain highly dispersed PtMoz supported on α- MoC(1-x), to explore the suitability of such materials as catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). Mg2(Mo3O8) and Zn2(Mo3O8), alternative tetravalent Mo intermediates to MoO2, were obtained through the thermal decomposition of Mg(MoO4) and Zn(MoO4) in mixtures of CO and H2. A novel sacrificial support method was developed where MgO and ZnO were investigated …

The Santa Clara, 2014-02-13, Santa Clara University

The Santa Clara

No abstract provided.

Comparative Performance Analysis: Hers Index Score Dependencies Related To Home Geometries And Operating Assumptions, Florida Solar Energy Center, Philip W. Fairey

FSEC Energy Research Center®

EnergyGauge USA v.3.1.02 is used examine the impact of geometry and operating conditions on comparative simulation analysis techniques that are used to evaluate home energy performance with respect to a standardized reference case. A cohort of homes is simulated using the HERS Index scoring system in 15 U.S. cities that are representative of the 8 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) climate zones. All of the homes are configured to have the thermal envelope characteristics specified by Table R402.1.1 of the 2012 IECC. All homes are also configured to meet all other mandatory requirements of the 2012 IECC, including 75% high …

Parallel Independent Component Analysis With Reference For Imaging Genetics: A Semi-Blind Multivariate Approach, Jiayu Chen

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

Imaging genetics is an emerging field dedicated to the study of genetic underpinnings of brain structure and function. Over the last decade, brain imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have been increasingly applied to measure morphometry, task-based function and connectivity in living brains. Meanwhile, high-throughput genotyping employing genome-wide techniques has made it feasible to sample the entire genome of a substantial number of individuals. While there is growing interest in image-wide and genome-wide approaches which allow unbiased searches over a large range of variants, one of the most challenging problems is the correction for the huge number of …

Ground-Effect Flight, Troy Schank, Dr. Paul Eastman

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Ground-effect is a well-known phenomenon that occurs as an aircraft approaches the surface of the earth. Flight in ground-effect changes the characteristics of the airflow around the wing causing both positive and negative effects. Though ground-effect is a well-known phenomenon, the details of lift and drag are less understood. I was able to gain an understanding of the details of ground effect from existing studies and learn from my own experiments in this research.

Design And Fabrication Of A Water Tunnel For The Byu Mechanical Engineering Department, Lon M. Stevens, Dr. Daniel R. Maynes

Journal of Undergraduate Research

A water tunnel is essential for visualization, validation, and experimental analysis of the fundamental fluid dynamic behavior of flowing liquids. Water tunnels come in a variety of geometric dimensions, which are dependent upon the type of fluid flows that are of interest. It was proposed for this project that a water tunnel be designed to be used for research and instruction in the Mechanical Engineering Department. The test section of the proposed design will be three feet long, eight inches wide, and eight inches high and manufactured from transparent Plexiglas. Water will flow from one side of the tunnel to …