Engineering Commons^™

Radiographic Density Of Selected Materials At Different Thicknesses, Thien Quang Vu-Nguyen, Bernice Mills

STAR Program Research Presentations

X-rays are widely used in medicine and materials science to identify impurities or fractures within the target object. In material science, x-rays can be used to identify the thickness of samples with different material densities. The current method is to collect a radiograph using estimated conditions, evaluate the results, then make changes to the conditions. The residual image can be rescanned making it possible to obtain an image of lower radiographic density. By tabulating or graphing the effects of energy changes and rescans, a more informed choice of conditions is possible.

For this study, six materials were chosen with a …

Designing A Remote Aerial System To Image And Analyze The Health Of Grape Crops At Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Alexander D. Vice, Dylan Benton, Adipratnia Asmady, Andrew Mercier, Andrew Meyer, Eric Belfield, Aaron Drake

STAR Program Research Presentations

In the last decade the prevalence of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has exploded; however, the presence of UAVs in research situations is still a relatively new and untested field. The autonomous flight lab (AFL) at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is a new lab site that is dedicated to using UAVs to benefit research for all backgrounds. Before AFL was able to fly missions we first needed to actually receive our vehicles, create a lab space that would provide all of the necessary resources and equipment necessary to fly, and to be granted permission by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) …

Creation Of Carbon Nanotube Based Biosensors Through Dielectrophoretic Assembly, Nilan S. Mani, Steve Kim, Kaushik Annam, Danielle Bane, Guru Subramanyam

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Due to their excellent electrical, optical, and mechanical properties, nanosized single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) have attracted significant attention as a transducing element in nano-bio sensor research. Controlled assembly, device fabrication, and bio-functionalization of the SWNTs are crucial in creating the sensors. In this study, working biosensor platforms were created using dielectrophoretic assembly of single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) as a bridge between two gold electrodes. SWNTs in a commercial SDS surfactant solution were dispensed in the gap between the two gold electrodes, followed by applying an ac voltage across the two electrodes. The dielectrophoresis aligns the CNTs and forms …

Automatic Registration Of Optical Aerial Imagery To A Lidar Point Cloud For Generation Of City Models, Bernard Olushola Abayowa, Alper Yilmaz, Russell C. Hardie

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper presents a framework for automatic registration of both the optical and 3D structural information extracted from oblique aerial imagery to a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) point cloud without prior knowledge of an initial alignment. The framework employs a coarse to fine strategy in the estimation of the registration parameters. First, a dense 3D point cloud and the associated relative camera parameters are extracted from the optical aerial imagery using a state-of-the-art 3D reconstruction algorithm. Next, a digital surface model (DSM) is generated from both the LiDAR and the optical imagery-derived point clouds. Coarse registration parameters are then …

Strain Distribution And Crack Detection In Concrete Overlays With Pulse Pre-Pump Brillouin Optical Time Domain Analysis, Yi Bao, Genda Chen

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This report is focused on the measurement of strain distributions and crack detection in unbonded and bonded pavement overlays. The main objectives of this study are: (a) to characterize the strain sensing properties of distributed fiber optic sensors with recently developed pulse pre-pump Brillouin optical time domain analysis (PPP-BOTDA), (b) to develop an installation method for real world applications, (c) to document the performance of the PPP-BOTDA technology in unbonded/bonded pavement applications, and (d) to develop a numerical model to facilitate the analysis of mechanical behavior of unbonded pavement overlay under vehicle wheel loads. A thin concrete layer can be …

Stay Awhile And Listen: User Interactions In A Crowdsourced Platform Offering Emotional Support, Derek Doran, Samir P. Yelne, Luisa Massari, Maria-Carla Calzarossa, Latrelle D. Jackson, Glen Moriarty

Computer Science and Engineering Faculty Publications

Internet and online-based social systems are rising as the dominant mode of communication in society. However, the public or semi-private environment under which most online communications operate under do not make them suitable channels for speaking with others about personal or emotional problems. This has led to the emergence of online platforms for emotional support offering free, anonymous, and confidential conversations with live listeners. Yet very little is known about the way these platforms are utilized, and if their features and design foster strong user engagement. This paper explores the utilization and the interaction features of hundreds of thousands of …

A Parallel Algorithm For Compression Of Big Next-Generation Sequencing Datasets, Sandino N. Vargas Perez, Fahad Saeed

Parallel Computing and Data Science Lab Technical Reports

With the advent of high-throughput next-generation sequencing (NGS) techniques, the amount of data being generated represents challenges including storage, analysis and transport of huge datasets. One solution to storage and transmission of data is compression using specialized compression algorithms. However, these specialized algorithms suffer from poor scalability with increasing size of the datasets and best available solutions can take hours to compress gigabytes of data. In this paper we introduce paraDSRC, a parallel implementation of DSRC algorithm using a message passing model that presents reduction of the compression time complexity by a factor of O(1/p ). Our experimental results show …

Effect Of Respiration On Cardiac Filling At Rest And During Exercise In Fontan Patients: A Clinical And Computational Modeling Study, Alexander Van De Bruaene, Guido Claessen, Andre La Gerche, Ethan Kung, Alison Marsden, Pieter De Meester, Sarah Devroe, Jan Bogaert, Piet Claus, Hein Heidbuchel, Werner Budts, Marc Gewillig

Publications

Due to the absence of a sub-pulmonary ventricle, the Fontan circulation is sensitive to respiration-induced changes in intrathoracic pressure. However, the importance of a ‘respiratory pump’ in creating forward flow remains controversial. We aimed at evaluating the effect of respiration on ventricular filling during exercise using clinical data and computational modeling predictions. Ten Fontan patients (6 male, 20 ± 4 years) underwent ungated cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging at rest and during supine bicycle exercise to evaluate systemic ventricular volumes (end-diastolic volume index (EDVi), end-systolic volume index (ESVi) and stroke volume index (SVi)) during normal respiration and a Valsalva maneuver. …

In Need Of A Domain-Specific Language Modeling Notation For Smartphone Applications With Portable Capability, Hamza Ghandorh, Luiz Fernando Capretz Dr., Ali Bou Nassif Dr.

Electrical and Computer Engineering Publications

The rapid growth of the smartphone market and its increasing revenue has motivated developers to target multiple platforms. Market leaders, such as Apple, Google, and Microsoft, develop their smartphone applications complying with their platform specifications. The specification of each platform makes a platform-dedicated application incompatible with other platforms due to the diversity of operating systems, programming languages, and design patterns. Conventional development methodologies are applied to smartphone applications, yet they perform less well. Smartphone applications have unique hardware and software requirements. All previous factors push smartphone developers to build less sophisticated and low-quality products when targeting multiple smartphone platforms. Model-driven …

Electrical And Structural Analysis Of Cnt-Metal Contacts In Via Interconnects, Patrick Wilhite, Anshul A. Vyas, Jason Tan, Cary Y. Yang, Phillip Wang, Jeongwon Park, Hua Ai, Murali Narasimhan

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Vertically aligned carbon nanotubes grown by plasmaenhanced chemical vapor deposition offer a potentially suitable material for via interconnects in next-generation integrated circuits. Key performance-limiting factors include high contact resistance and low carbon nanotube packing density, which fall short of meeting the requirements delineated in the ITRS roadmap for interconnects. For individual carbon nanotube s, contact resistance is a major performance hurdle since it is the dominant component of carbon nanotube interconnect resistance, even in the case of vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays. In this study, we correlate the carbon nanotube-metal interface nanostructure to their electrical properties in order to elucidate …

A Compact Driving Simulator To Support Research And Training Needs - Hardware, Software, And Assessment, Qimin Yao

All Theses

In 2009, there were 10.8 million automotive crashes in the United States. When reviewing these incidents, young drivers were the over-represented group who were involved in these vehicular crashes. One reason that these young drivers have such high crash rates is that they often do not possess extensive driving knowledge and typically lack driving experience. Over the past three decades, researchers have investigated the driver training process which includes the classroom and behind the wheel to help address teaching the deficiencies in the driver education program. To complement the current driver education process, automotive simulators can be utilized to teach …

Wind Tunnel Flow Characterization Utilizing Turbulence Spheres, David Omar Cano

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

When it comes to designing products that will be highly subjected to the aerodynamics of the atmospheric freestream, it’s vital to take into consideration parameters such as geometry and surface smoothness. The optimization of the performance of certain products may be done so with the usage of wind tunnel testing. In order to utilize this tool to its full potential, the flow quality must be pre-determined before running tests. In determining the flow quality there are two main parameters needed to obtain this value. These parameters are referred to as the Turbulence Factor (TF) and Turbulence Intensity (TI). To calculate …

Two Dimensional Inverse Dynamics Model Of Human Knee Dynamics During The Moderate Squat Exercise, Ricardo Gomez Jr.

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The purpose of this research is to investigate the internal forces on the human knee joint during moderate squat exercise. An inverse dynamics, two dimensional, anatomic dynamic knee model is developed. The model describes the motion in the sagittal plane of human leg, and includes tibia, femur, ligamentous knee structures, tendons and muscles. The software package Matlab is used to solve the inverse dynamics model. Numerical simulations are conducted for walking (the stance phase of the gait cycle) in order to validate the model, and for moderate squatting in order to predict ligament, contact and muscle forces during this exercise.

Development Of Metallic And Ceramic Nanotubes Via Magnetron Sputtering, Hillario Cortez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Nanotechnology has been extensively studied throughout the years and has allowed for the development of new structures and technologies. Nanofibers in particular have intrinsically unique properties such as large surface area to volume ratio. Nanofiber structures have a wide range of applications that include: catalysts, sensors, biomedical scaffolds, filtration devices, high performance textiles, energy storage systems, sensitized solar cells, photonics, nanocomposites, membranes, drug delivery systems, and electronics. The objective of this work is to fabricate nanotubular structures by employing the template approach. The template approach consists in the fabrication of circular shaped templates, nanofibers, and then coating the template fibers …

A Scaffolded, Metamorphic Ctf For Reverse Engineering, Wu-Chang Feng

Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Hands-on Capture-the-Flag (CTF) challenges tap into and cultivate the intrinsic motivation within people to solve puzzles, much in the same way Sudoku and crossword puzzles do. While the format has been successful in security competitions, there have been a limited number of attempts to integrate them into a classroom environment. This paper describes MetaCTF, a metamorphic set of CTF challenges for teaching reverse code engineering. MetaCTF is 1) scaffolded in a way that allows students to make incremental progress, 2) integrated with the course material so that students can immediately apply knowledge gained in class, 3) polymorphic and metamorphic so …

Spectrum Sensing Of Ofdm Signals In The Presence Of Carrier Frequency Offset, Weiyang Xu, Wei Xiang, Maged Elkashlan, Hani Mehrpouyan

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper addresses the important issue of detecting orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) signals in the presence of carrier frequency offset (CFO). The proposed algorithm utilizes the characteristics of the covariance matrix of the discrete Fourier transform of the input signal to the detector to determine the presence of the primary user’s signal. This algorithm can be exploited to differentiate OFDM signals from the noise through the proposal of a new decision metric, which measures the off-diagonal elements of the input signal’s covariance matrix. The decision threshold subject to a given probability of false alarm is derived, while performance analysis is …

Simulation Analysis On Alternatives To Accelerate The Passenger Flow In Security Checkpoints, Maria Luisa Janer Rubio

Industrial Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study consists of discrete event simulation analysis of two alternative solutions designed to mitigate the congestion of passengers in the exit roller area of the security checkpoints. We study the particular case of Orlando International Airport, where this problem is prominent due to the high proportion of passengers who travel for leisure purposes. We developed three simulation models to represent the current configuration and the two alternative solutions. We compare the solutions to the current configuration by observing the response of the passenger throughput and passenger system time when performing a sensitivity on the percentage of passengers throughput. We …

Quantification And Normalization Of Noise Variance With Sparsity Regularization To Enhance Diffuse Optical Tomography, Jixing Yao, Fenghua Tian, Yothin Rakvongthai, Soontorn Oraintara, Hanli Liu

Bioengineering Faculty Publications - Archive

Conventional reconstruction of diffuse optical tomography (DOT) is based on the Tikhonov regularization and the white Gaussian noise assumption. Consequently, the reconstructed DOT images usually have a low spatial resolution. In this work, we have derived a novel quantification method for noise variance based on the linear Rytov approximation of the photon diffusion equation. Specifically, we have implemented this quantification of noise variance to normalize the measurement signals from all source-detector channels along with sparsity regularization to provide high-quality DOT images. Multiple experiments from computer simulations and laboratory phantoms were performed to validate and support the newly developed algorithm. The …

Geotechnical Laboratory Characterization Of Sand-Zeolite Mixtures., Hong Shang,

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Zeolite and sand mixture is an ideal reactive filling material for the Permeable Reactive barrier (PRB) due to its higher hydraulic conductivity and sorption capacity. This study applied three ASTM standard tests to examine the geotechnical engineering properties of ASTM 20-30 sand and zeolite (clinoptilolite) mixtures with varying zeolite mass percentages (25%, 50%and 75%). Conducted lab tests including: Proctor compaction, hydraulic conductivity in rigid wall permeameter and one-dimensional consolidation. The goals of this study were to quantify the impact of zeolite content and compactive effort on the density, conduction and compressibility of the sand-zeolite mixtures.

Performance Analysis Of A Copper Ii Sulfate Pentahydrate Based Thermogalvanic Cell., Steffen Krebs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Low grade heat recovery systems are more relevant today due to the rising costs in energy and transition to non-fossil fuel energy sources. Thermogalvanic cells show potential due to low cost and scalability. In this study the performance of a Copper II Sulfate Pentahydrate based electrolyte was evaluated. The effects of electrolyte concentration, electrode separation, and electrode surface area were studied experimentally. Conductive heat transfer within the electrolyte was simulated via SolidWorks. All experimental thermocell testing was conducted to find the maximum power production of a particular cell design. The base cell had a six inch electrode separation with two …

Macro Model For Solid And Perforated Masonry Infill Shear Walls., Farid Nemati

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation the performance of masonry walls enclosed by frame structures is studied and a new finite element model for these systems is presented. As part of this effort, the common modeling approaches i.e. micro-models and macro-models are briefly reviewed and their specifications are compared. Based on the findings in these comparisons, it was shown that macro modeling is the preferred modeling approach and the development of the new model is presented. The proposed model is described in detail and the calibration procedures along with the material models, used in the proposed model, are presented. To account for the …

Mechanics Of Electrode Materials In Lithium Battery Applications., Jubin Chen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

During lithiation and detlithiation, substantial volumetric changes occur within the electrode materials used for rechargeable lithium batteries. The magnitude of these deformations is inherently linked to the electrical capacity of the battery electrical capacity, which tends to degrade with repeated cycling. In this dissertation, the relationship between electrical discharge capacity and mechanical deformation state is examined using in-situ imaging of the working electrode surface within a custom CR2032 coin cell lithium battery. Digital image correlation is used to quantify electrode strains throughout the discharge-charge process. The effect of constraint due to substrate stiffness is investigated for two film materials: traditional …

Performing A Steady-State Seepage Analysis Using Seep/W : A Primer For Engineering Students., Matthew R. Broaddus

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is comprised of five independent modules that were developed to provide a primer to understanding groundwater seepage. These modules serve as the template to conduct steady-state seepage analyses through embankments utilizing SEEP/W, a finite element seepage modeling program. Module 1 and 2 are more theoretical in nature to provide the background knowledge necessary to conduct a steady-state seepage analysis, while Modules 3, 4, and 5 focus more on the application of seepage models and how they can be used to solve various groundwater seepage problems. Supplementary material, including PowerPoint presentations, handouts, and a manual on how to utilize …

Dietary Strategies For Mitigation Of Methane Production By Growing And Finishing Cattle, Anna C. Pesta

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Interest in reducing methane (CH₄) emissions by cattle has increased recently. Loss of feed energy as CH₄ represents both an environmental concern and an energetic loss to the animal. Manipulation of dietary composition has proven to be an effective mitigation strategy. Experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of several dietary characteristics on CH₄ production in growing and finishing cattle, and to develop a novel, non-invasive method for quantifying emissions from animals in a production setting. Short-term gaseous emissions of CH₄ and carbon dioxide (CO₂) were measured and the CH₄:CO_{2 …}

Advanced Remote Field Triage Of Car Crash Victims, James Long, Mark Maguire, Joe Clarke

Conference Papers

No abstract provided.

Non-Intrusive Second Law Performance Evaluation Of A Domestic Freezer, Jim Mcgovern, S. Oladunjoye

Conference Papers

This paper describes non-intrusive performance testing and second law, exergy-based, performance evaluation of a small, contemporary domestic freezer that used R600a refrigerant. The methodology presented is associated with logging of temperatures and the instantaneous power consumption. It gives a ‘second law of thermodynamics’ perspective on operating performance by providing rational efficiency values and by localizing and quantifying the instantaneous exergy destruction rates. This approach is compared to a more conventional ‘first law’ energy analysis. Suggestions are made for the standardization of such an approach in order to enhance the sustainability of domestic freezers. Keywords: Domestic freezer, Performance testing, Performance evaluation, …

The Effect Of High-Pressure Devitrification And Densification On Ballistic-Penetration Resistance Of Fused Silica, Vasudeva Avuthu

All Theses

Despite the clear benefits offered by more advanced transparent materials, (e.g. transparent ceramics offer a very attractive combination of high stiffness and high hardness levels, highly-ductile transparent polymers provide superior fragment-containing capabilities, etc.), ballistic ceramic-glass like fused-silica remains an important constituent material in a majority of transparent impact-resistant structures (e.g. windshields and windows of military vehicles, portholes in ships, ground vehicles and spacecraft) used today. Among the main reasons for the wide-scale use of glass, the following three are most frequently cited: (i) glass-structure fabrication technologies enable the production of curved, large surface-area, transparent structures with thickness approaching several inches; …

Assessing Functional Vasodilation In The Gracilis Collateral Arteriole, Megan T. Chu

Biomedical Engineering

Peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) involves arterial occlusion due to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. It is suggested that intermittent claudication, the most frequent clinical presentation of PAOD, is caused by impaired vasodilation. Current treatments for PAOD are not directed at improving vascular reactivity and are often insufficient. Stimulating arteriogenesis in collateral arterioles has therapeutic potential for PAOD, but because arterioles are the primary site of blood flow resistance, it is important that these treatments do not impair collateral vasodilation. Before this can be evaluated, the effects of arteriogenesis on collateral function must be studied in untreated collaterals. There is …

Examining How Breakdowns In Pilot Monitoring Of The Aircraft Flight Path, Robert Sumwalt, David Cross, Dennis Lessard

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Aircraft accident and incident data reveal that serious safety consequences can arise when flight crewmembers fail to properly monitor the aircraft flight path. This research study reviewed human factors literature to better understand why pilots fail to properly monitor, and analyzed accident and incident data. Recommendations for improving monitoring performance were formulated, which may be useful to air carriers in implementing a new Federal Aviation Administration requirement that calls for specific training in monitoring.

A Comprehensive Assessment Of Cloud Computing For Smart Grid Applications:A Multi-Perspectives Framework, Nina Chaichi, Joao Lavoie, Soheil Zarrin, Rafaa Khalifa, Felix Sue

Engineering and Technology Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

The IT system is one of the key infrastructures in order to add intelligent feature to power grids. Many papers anticipated a rocky road for IT system integration into power system and suggested the cloud computing adoption as a smart grid IT infrastructure to smooth the integration. Though cloud computing could overcome some of these integration challenges, it would bring some of its own. This study intends to give more insight to decision makers or utility companies to make a better decision whether to adopt cloud computing with regards to their needs or not. In the problem statement section is …