Engineering Commons^™

Membrane Transfer Of Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells, Venkata Kesari Nandan Vempati

Electrical Engineering Theses - Archive

Silicon has been dominating the solar industry for many years and has been touted as the gold standard of the photovoltaic world. The factors for its dominance: government subsidies and ease of processing. Silicon holds close to 90% of the market share in the material being used for solar cell production. Of which 14% belongs to single-crystalline Silicon. Although 24% efficient bulk crystalline solar cells have been reported, the industry has been looking for thin film alternatives to reduce the cost of production. Moreover with the new avenues like flexible consumer electronics opening up, there is a need to introduce …

Reducing The Complexity Of Inter-Prediction Mode Decision For High Efficiency Video Codec, Kushal Shah

Electrical Engineering Theses - Archive

High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) standard is the latest joint video project of the ITU-T Video Coding Experts Group (VCEG) and the ISO/IEC Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) standardization organizations, working together in a partnership known as the Joint Collaborative Team on Video Coding (JCT-VC). While the HEVC is based on the same architecture of the widely used H.264/AVC standard [8], it includes many new coding tools and almost all the encoder blocks are optimized with respect to their counterparts in the H.264/AVC. This allows the new standard to achieve up to 50% bitrate reduction compared to its predecessor at …

Parallel Optimization Of Intra Mode Selection In Hevc Using Open Mp, Pratik Devendrakumar Mehta

Electrical Engineering Theses - Archive

HEVC aims at providing an efficient video coding algorithm which not only provides high performance, but also improves coding efficiency. It also provides high compression efficiency as compared to its counter parts, but at the cost of an increase in complexity. The increased number of intra prediction modes in HEVC allows better compression and more flexible block representation. The purpose of the thesis is to optimize the mode decision process using Open MP to reduce the encoding time without further increase in complexity. This includes implementing a parallel computing method that will calculate 35 distinct intra prediction modes in parallel …

Shear Strength Of Chemically Based Self-Consolidating Concrete Beams: Fracture Mechanics Approach Versus Modified Compression Field Theory, Mahdi Arezoumandi, Jeffery S. Volz

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

An experimental investigation was conducted to study the shear strength of full-scale beams constructed with both chemically based self-consolidating concrete (SCC) and conventional concrete (CC). This experimental program consisted of 12 beams without stirrups with three different longitudinal reinforcement ratios. The beams were tested under a simply supported four-point loading condition. The experimental shear strengths of the beams were compared with the shear provisions of both U.S. and international design codes. Furthermore, the shear strengths of the beams were evaluated based on fracture mechanics approaches, modified compression field theory (MCFT), and a shear database of CC specimens. Results of this …

Safety Effect Of Missouri's Strategic Highway Safety Plan: Missouri's Blueprint For Safer Roadways, Mojtaba A. Mohammadi, V. A. Samaranayake, Ghulam H. Bham

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study systematically evaluated the changes in motor vehicle crashes that occurred on the Missouri Interstate highway system following the implementation of the Missouri Strategic Highway Safety Plan (MSHSP) between 2004 and 2007. The MSHSP implemented crash injury reduction strategies in enforcement, education, engineering, and public policy. Empirical Bayesian methods were commonly used to evaluate the effects of any change in safety as a result of countermeasures. This paper presents a simple new approach to evaluating the effects of Missouri's safety plans on roadway crashes. For crash data associated with traffic and roadway characteristics, negative binomial regression models were developed …

What Role Does Mathematical Preparedness Play For Engineering Students Who Transfer From And Ordinary Degree Into An Honours Degree?, Michael Carr, Marisa Llorens, Susan O'Shaughnessy, Anne Marie Mccarrick, Domhnall Sheridan

Conference papers

Students who have not achieved a high level of mathematics at secondary school but have a pass in ordinary level mathematics have the option of entering onto a 3-year Ordinary degree (Level 7). Upon successful completion of this award students may apply to progress to the third year of the Honours degree. Up until relatively recently an upper merit (60%) was the minimum required to make this transition. In recent years this requirement has been reduced with many students with lower marks being offered the possibility of transferring.

Relatively little work has been done on the transition from an Ordinary …

Research Week 2014, Linda Gardiner

Office of Research Institutional Research and Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Alternative Funding Mechanisms For State Transportation Systems In Predominantly Rural States, John E. Anderson, Eric Thompson

Bureau of Business Research Publications

The Transportation Research Board of the National Academies has identified a number of research needs related to alternative transportation finance systems. Alternatives are needed because motor fuels taxes are proving to be insufficient to fund operation and maintenance costs of the transportation system. The long-term trend is likely to be continuing use of motor fuel taxes, supplemented by, or transitioning to, use-based fees. Current research in progress in this area is focused on designing variable fees that will internalize congestion externalities in urban areas. These approaches are particularly well suited to highly urbanized areas, but other approaches may be required …

Eastern Michigan University Graduate Catalog, 2014-2015, Office Of The Registrar

Graduate Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Mobile Device Vulnerabilities & Securities, Luke Rondeau

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

An investigation on current mobile vulnerabilities and research into security. Also, a proof of concept to show the ease of injecting an Android phone with a virus.

Model-Based Energy Analysis Of An Integrated Midrex-Based Iron/Steel Plant, Abdelhamid M. Ajbar, Khalid I. Alhumaizi, Moustafa A. Soliman, Emadadeen Ali

Chemical Engineering

This article presents modeling and simulations of an integrated plant for the production of steel using the direct reduced iron (DRI)=electric arc furnace (EAF) route. In a previous work (Alhumaizi et al., 2012), a comprehensive mathematical model of an iron plant based on MIDREX technology was developed, validated, and simulated. In this article, the model is extended to account for an empirical model of an EAF plant. Numerical simulations were carried out for the effect of different operating parameters of the integrated plant. Useful profiles as well as a summary table were compiled to illustrate the results of the sensitivity …

Active Current Injection Method For Limiting Ground Fault Current Harmonics In Underground Coal Mines, Yigong Zhang

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

Current practice in U.S. underground coal mine high-voltage distribution systems is to attempt to limit ground fault current to 25 Amperes and de-energize the circuit at 10 Amperes. However, the significant amount of system capacitance due to the use of shielded cables can cause ground fault current to be two or three times the intended ground fault limit. Consequently, this practice can cause several issues such as ground fault currents significantly exceeding the neutral grounding resistor current limit, loss of relay selectivity in the distribution system, and transient overvoltages in certain ground fault situations. These issues are solved to some …

Development Of Nickel Oxide And Manganese Oxide Nanostructured Binary Modified Anodes For Methanol Electro-Oxidation, Ghada El-Nowihy

Chemical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Sparse Nonlinear Optimization For Signal Processing And Communications, Zengli Yang

Doctoral Dissertations

"This dissertation proposes three classes of new sparse nonlinear optimization algorithms for network echo cancellation (NEC), 3-D synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image reconstruction, and adaptive turbo equalization in multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) underwater acoustic (UWA) communications, respectively.

For NEC, the proposed two proportionate affine projection sign algorithms (APSAs) utilize the sparse nature of the network impulse response (NIR). Benefiting from the characteristics of l₁-norm optimization, affine projection, and proportionate matrix, the new algorithms are more robust to impulsive interferences and colored input than the conventional adaptive algorithms.

For 3-D SAR image reconstruction, the proposed two compressed sensing (CS) approaches exploit the …

Far-Field Prediction Using Only Magnetic Near-Field Scanning And Modeling Delay Variations In Cmos Digital Logic Circuits Due To Electrical Disturbances In The Power Supply, Xu Gao

Doctoral Dissertations

"The first topic of this dissertation is far-field prediction using only magnetic near-field scanning. Near-field scanning has been used extensively for the far-field estimation of antennas. Applied to electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) problems, near-field scanning has been used to estimate emissions from both integrated circuits (ICs) and printed circuit boards (PCBs). Interest in applying far-field predictions using near-field to EMI/EMC problems has recently grown. To predict the far-field emissions from a PCB in the top half space, the near-field data on a planar surface above PCB usually is sufficient. However, near-field measurement on only one planar surface may not be enough …

Energy Deposition Into Heavy Gas Plasma Via Pulsed Inductive Theta-Pinch, Ryan Alan Pahl

Doctoral Dissertations

"The objective of this research is to study the formation processes of a pulsed inductive plasma using heavy gases, specifically the coupling of stored capacitive energy into plasma via formation in a theta pinch coil. To aid in this research, the Missouri Plasmoid Experiment Mk. I (and later Mk. II) was created.

In the first paper, the construction of differential magnetic field probes are discussed. The effects of calibration setup on B-dot probes is studied using a Helmholtz coil driven by a vector network analyzer and a pulsed-power system. Calibration in a pulsed-power environment yielded calibration factors at least 9.7% …

Bioactive Glass/Polymer Composites For Bone And Nerve Repair And Regeneration, Ali Mohammadkhah

Doctoral Dissertations

"Bioactive glasses have several attractive properties in hard and soft tissue repair but their brittleness limited their use, as scaffolding materials, for applications in load- bearing hard tissue repair. At the same time, because of their bioactive properties, they are being studied more often for soft tissue repair. In the present work, a new glass/polymer composite scaffold was developed for the repair of load-bearing bones with high flexural strength and without brittle behavior. The new composites have 2.5 times higher flexural strength and ~100 times higher work of fracture (without catastrophic failure) compared to a similar bare glass scaffold.

Also …

Full-Scale Field Testing Of Micropiles In Stiff Clay Subjected To Combined Axial And Lateral Loads, Kyle A. Kershaw, Ronaldo Luna

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A series of full-scale micro piles was installed at a site in mid-Missouri for a load-test program to study the effect of combined loading. The micro piles were installed with a 178-mm (7-in.) outer diameter steel casing to a depth of 4.6 m (15 ft) and a bond zone length of 3.0 m (10 ft). The surficial soils at the site consisted of stiff-to-hard clay underlain by weathered silty/sandy shale where the bond zone of the micro piles was located. The load-test program included axial, lateral, and combined-load tests. The ultimate axial and lateral capacity of the piles was initially …

Thermophysical And Mechanical Properties Of Hardened Cement Paste With Microencapsulated Phase Change Materials For Energy Storage, Hongzhi Cui, Wenyu Liao, Shazim Ali Memon, Biqin Dong, Waiching Tang

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this research, structural-functional integrated cement-based materials were prepared by employing cement paste and a microencapsulated phase change material (MPCM) manufactured using urea-formaldehyde resin as the shell and paraffin as the core material. The encapsulation ratio of the MPCM could reach up to 91.21 wt%. Thermal energy storage cement pastes (TESCPs) incorporated with different MPCM contents (5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 25% by weight of cement) were developed, and their thermal and mechanical properties were studied. The results showed that the total energy storage capacity of the hardened cement specimens with MPCM increased by up to 3.9-times compared with that …

Role Of Solids Retention Time On Complete Nitrification: Mechanistic Understanding And Modeling, Guoqiang Liu, Jianmin Wang

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Effects of solids retention time (SRT) on both steps of the nitrification process (e.g., ammonia oxidation and nitrite oxidation) and the nitrifier community in a complete-mix activated sludge process were studied. At a SRT less than or equal to 20 days, the effluent ammonia concentration was lower than the effluent nitrite concentration. At the 40-day SRT, however, the effluent nitrite concentration became equal to or less than the effluent ammonia concentration. Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (QPCR) assays indicated that increasing SRT significantly increased nitrite-oxidizing bacteria/ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (NOB/AOB) ratio. Further investigation indicated that Nitrosomonas europaea/eutropha were the dominant AOB for ammonia …

Simulation Of Electron Hop Funnels Using Version 9.2 Of Lorentz-2e, Tyler Rowe, Marcus Pearlman, Jim Browning

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Electron hop funnels have been simulated using the new version of the particle trajectory simulation software, Lorentz-2E. Simulations were conducted to determine the validity of the version 9.2 results and the consistency of the results to a previous version of the software, version 8.0. In addition, a new method of injecting a uniform current with all rays of equal charge is discussed, and the results of the method are presented. Version 9.2 of the software was successfully implemented and a new emission model tested. The transition of the software version will allow for faster simulation times of the electron hop …

The Hydraulic Conductivity Structure Of Gravel-Dominated Vadose Zones Within Alluvial Floodplains, Ronald B. Miller, Derek M. Heeren, Garey A. Fox, Todd Halihan, Daniel E. Storm, Aaron R. Mittelstet

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

The floodplains of many gravel-bed streams have a general stratigraphy that consists of a layer of topsoil covering gravel-dominated subsoil. Previous research has demonstrated that this stratigraphy can facilitate preferential groundwater flow through focused linear features, such as paleochannels, or gravelly regions within the vadose zone. These areas within the floodplain vadose zone may provide a route for interactions between the floodplain surface and alluvial groundwater, effectively extending the hyporheic zone across the floodplain during high stream stage. The objective of this research was to assess the structure and scale of texture heterogeneity within the vadose zone within the gravel …

Tacot V3.0, Jean Lachaud, Tom Van Eekelen, Daniele Bianchi, Alexandre Martin

Ablation Workshop: Code Comparison

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Body Armor On Lower Back And Knee Biomechanics During Basic And Military Inspired Tasks, Megan P. Phillips

Theses and Dissertations--Biomedical Engineering

With increased military personal protection equipment, body armor, comes the addition of carried load. Such person protection in recent history has been instrumental in combating the imminent threats (e.g., improvised explosive devices) of hostile environments, preventing otherwise lethal injuries. However, body armor has been suggested to degrade warfighters’ performance and compound the risk of musculoskeletal injuries. Both performance and risk of injury are intensely related to joint biomechanics. Therefore the objective of this project was set to determine the immediate and prolonged effects of wearing body armor on biomechanics of the lower back and knee. A randomized cross-over study design, …

Fly Ash As A Potential Scrubber Of Acidic Wastes From The Phosphate Industries In Israel, Roy Nir Lieberman, Eli Lederman, Ithamar Pelly, Haim Cohen

Coal Combustion and Gasification Products Journal Archive

Fly ash (FA) is produced in Israeli utilities via bituminous coal combustion. It is used as a cement additive or in concrete production, and its economic value is low. The FA produced in Israel is very basic (defined as class F) owing to ambient air quality standards that impose low sulfur content in the imported coals. Because the lime content is high (in the South African coal, ,10 wt%), it is a good potential chemical scrubber to acidic wastes. The phosphate industry in Israel produces mainly phosphate fertilizers and water-treatment products as well as phosphoric acid. The production methods rely …

Geochemistry And Mineralogy Of Coal-Fired Circulating Fluidized Bed Combustion Fly Ashes, Luis F.O. Silva, Marcos L.S. Oliveira, Rubens M. Kautzmann, Claudete G. Ramos, Maria Izquierdo, Shifeng Dai, Jennifer Wilcox, Jeremy Hoffman, James C. Hower

Coal Combustion and Gasification Products Journal Archive

The fuel, bed ash, and fly ash were sampled from a circulating fluidized bed combustion (CFBC) unit at two times. The first sampling was a high-sulfur (S) coal-only run, and the second sampling coincided with an experimental burn of up to 10% switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) pressed pellets mixed with a high-S coal. The latter blend had a higher moisture content and a lower heating value than the coal-only fuel. Given the time between the samplings and the special needs for the experimental run, unavoidable changes in the coal and limestone complicate comparisons of the bed ash and fly ash chemistry …

Interpolation-Based Super-Resolution Reconstruction: Effects Of Slice Thickness, Amir Pasha Mahmoudzadeh, Nasser H. Kashou

Biomedical, Industrial & Human Factors Engineering Faculty Publications

Standard clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is acquired in two-dimensions where the in-plane resolution is higher than the slice select direction. These acquisitions include axial, coronal, and sagittal planes. To date, there have been few attempts to combine the information of these three orthogonal orientations. This paper aims to take advantage of the different in-plane resolution acquired from each plane orientation and combine them into one volume in order to attain a higher resolution image. This combination of MRI data will allow the detection of smaller areas that would otherwise be missed using only one slice orientation. A comparison of …

Web Ontology Language (Owl), Kunal Sengupta, Pascal Hitzler

Computer Science and Engineering Faculty Publications

Web Ontology Language (OWL) is a core world wide web consortium [W3C] standard Knowledge representation language for the Semantic Web.

Biom 4110/6110: The Science Of Medicine (Syllabus), Bradford D. Pendley

Biomedical Engineering Syllabi Archive

Course Description: Integration of fundamental principles from physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics, and applications of these principles to solve problems in medicine.

Design And Construction Of Five Gallon Anaerobic Digesters, Daniel John Schricker

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

This project discusses the design, construction, and testing of a laboratory scale anaerobic digestion reactors. It included four digesters and two gas measurement devices. The outside dimensions of the digester were 22 inch tall with a 10.5 inch diameter. They were constructed from schedule 40 PVC pipe, with a wall thickness of 0.5 inches. They were designed to be filled with 20 liters of digester feed stock, at a height of 16 inches from the bottom, leaving 5 inches of head space above the digester feed for biogas accumulation. Two of the reactors were heated with Hydrofarm seedling heating pads …