Engineering Commons^™

Training Algorithm For Radial Basis Function Classifier, Yilong Hao

Electrical Engineering Theses - Archive

The computational complexity of kernel machines and their poor performance in the multi-label classification case is a major bottleneck in their success. In this thesis we present a systematic two step batch approach for constructing and training a new multiclass kernel machine (MKM). Unlike other kernel learning algorithms, the proposed paradigm prunes the kernels, and uses Newton’s method to improve the kernel parameters. In each iteration, output weights are found using orthogonal least squares. The proposed hybrid training algorithm is compared with those least square support vector machines(LS-SVM) and support vector machines(SVM). Simulations results on many benchmark and real life …

Design Of A Real Time Reconfigurable Bioreactor, Amol Vengurlekar

Electrical Engineering Theses - Archive

In this thesis we present the design of a reconfigurable continuous culture bioreactor that allows researchers to grow microorganisms in a controlled environment for long periods of time, as long as several months. The bioreactor monitors the experiment and measures the growth of microorganisms. A continuous culture bioreactor is an important tool that biologists use for research, most notably to study the response of bacteria towards drugs. This helps in the fight against the evolution of drug resistance in bacteria and other pathogens.The bioreactor acts like an isolated ecosystem. It periodically exposes the microorganisms to drugs that hamper their growth. …

Diffuse Optical Measurements Of Head And Neck Tumor Hemodynamics For Early Prediction Of Chemo-Radiation Therapy Outcomes, Lixin Dong

Theses and Dissertations--Biomedical Engineering

Chemo-radiation therapy is a principal modality for the treatment of head and neck cancers, and its efficacy depends on the interaction of tumor oxygen with free radicals. In this study, we adopted a novel hybrid diffuse optical instrument combining a commercial frequency-domain tissue oximeter (Imagent) and a custom-made diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) flowmeter, which allowed for simultaneous measurements of tumor blood flow and blood oxygenation. Using this hybrid instrument we continually measured tumor hemodynamic responses to chemo-radiation therapy over the treatment period of 7 weeks. We also explored monitoring dynamic tumor hemodynamic changes during radiation delivery. Blood flow data analysis …

Designing A Heat Sink For Lithium-Ion Battery Packs In Electric Vehicles, Evan Foreman, Dylan Irvine, Aaron Jackson, Christopher Brandon Remington, Sam Endrizzi

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This report addresses the concepts and implementation of fluid cooled heat sink designs for an electric or hybrid vehicle battery. To determine the battery’s temperature and heat flux profile, testing was performed by measuring these values at multiple locations on a lithium-ion pouch battery using heat flux sensors and thermocouples during the charge and discharge cycles of the battery. Once the data was collected and analyzed, trendlines were fit to the heat flux data then used to create equations for the heat flux profile during the discharging stage. Each equation represented a specific region on the battery geometry. Four heat …

Icao Aviation System Block Upgrades: A Method For Identifying Training Needs, Rebecca K. Lutte

Aviation Institute Faculty Publications

Since the mid-1970s, air traffic growth has expanded two-fold once every fifteen years (ICAO, 2013). The ICAO Global Air Navigation Plan (GANP) is a roadmap to achieve a “vision of an integrated, harmonized, and globally interoperable air traffic management (ATM) system” (ICAO, 2012, p. 1). A component of the GANP is the Aviation System Block Upgrades (ASBU), a framework for achieving that vision. A collaborative approach led by ICAO between public and private organizations and member states resulted in the development of the ASBU framework. However, obstacles exist for successful implementation. One area of concern is the need for training …

Analysis Of Thin-Walled Cylindrical Composite Shell Structures Subject To Axial And Bending Loads: Concept Development, Analytical Modeling And Experimental Verification, Sthanu Mahadev

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Several studies have focused on the modeling and response characterization of composite structural members, with particular emphasis on thin-walled cylindrical composite shells. This class of shell configurations is explored to determine their mechanical response in primary aerospace structural members. The present work is focused on formulating a modified composite shell theory prognosis methodology for investigating the structural response of thin-walled cylindrical shell type composite configurations under axial and bending loads, respectively. The prime motivation to develop this theory arises from its capability to generate simple yet accurate closed-form analytical results that can efficiently charecterize cylindrical composite shell constructions. This work …

Design Of Next Generation Antenna Mounts In Telecommunication Towers With Low Effective Projected Area, Ruben Gregory Puthota Dominic Savio

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Theses - Archive

Design of new antenna mount with low effective projected area (EPA) and high load carrying capacity for telecommunication towers is the purpose of this thesis. The main aim is to reduce the EPA of the mount against the wind pressure direction at the desired elevation from ground by reducing the mount frame structure parts compared to the previous mount designs used in the market. The model in itself has to withstand its dead weight, operator’s weight along with five antenna-radio units. The new model has been designed with a single horizontal frame and four supporting structure for EPA reduction and …

Characterization Of Flapping Wing Aerodynamics And Flight Dynamics Analysis Using Computational Methods, Alok Ashok Rege

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Insect flight comes with a lot of intricacies that cannot be explained by conventional aerodynamics. Even with their small-size, insects have the ability to generate the required aerodynamic forces using high frequency flapping motion of their wings to perform different maneuvers. The maneuverability obtained by these flyers using flapping motion belies the classical aerodynamics theory and calls for a new approach to study this highly unsteady aerodynamics. Research is on to find new ways to realize the flight capabilities of these insects and engineer a micro-flyer which would have various applications, ranging from autonomous pollination of crop fields and oil …

Comprehensive Design Analysis Of Thick Fr-4 Qfn Assemblies For Enhanced Board Level Reliability, Abhishek Nitin Deshpande

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Theses - Archive

Quad Flat No-lead package (QFN) is one of the most cutting-edge technologies emerged in the market, exhibiting high performance and efficiency with unparalleled cost effectiveness. QFN, a leadless package, is an ideal choice for applications where size, weight thermal and electrical characteristics are critical, particularly in mobile and handheld devices. Applications like automotive, defense and high current circuits require the package to be mounted on thick printed circuit boards (PCB). But using thick PCBs (>3mm) is detrimental to the package reliability. The motivation of this work is to understand the effect of several package parameters affecting reliability and optimize …

Properties Of Microcement Mortar With Nano Particles, Narasimha Reddy Alimeneti

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

Carbon nanotubes (CNT) and Carbon nanofibers (CNF) are one of the toughest and stiffest materials in the world presently with extreme properties yet to be discovered in terms of elastic modulus and tensile strength. Due to the advanced properties of these materials they are being used in almost all fields of science at nanolevel and are being used in construction industry recently for improvement of material properties. Microcement is fine ground cement which as half the particle size of ordinary Portland cement. In this research the behavior of cement mortar of micro cement with the addition of nanoparticles is studied.Due …

Effect Of Preformed Chloramines And Chlorine To Ammonia Ratio On The Formation Of N-Nitrosodimethylamine (Ndma) In Trwd East Texas Raw Water Delivery System, Khidir Hamad

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) pumps untreated raw water from Richland Chambers and Cedar Creek reservoirs in East Texas to provide water to several customer cities including Arlington and Fort Worth. TRWD adds chloramines to the pipeline to combat biofilm growth, that reduces pipeline capacity and increases pumping costs, and to control zebra mussels, that clog intake structure screens and the pump wet wells. However, addition of chloramines leads to the formation of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), a potent carcinogen, by reaction of chloramines with nitrogenous organic precursors possibly present in the raw water. NDMA formation presents a challenge to TRWD because …

Fate Of Bulk Hypochlorite Solutions In Two Water Treatment Facilities, Anna Breytus

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

Measurement of oxyhalides in various strength hypochlorite solutions has been an issue of importance in the last decade, especially in view of the current aim of Homeland Security to reduce the usage of chlorine gas. Hypochlorite solutions have a potential of introducing disinfection by-products when used for water treatment. Previous works have shown the possibility of high levels of chlorate and perchlorate in high strength hypochlorite solutions. Perchlorate is an endocrine disruptor that inhibits iodide intake by the thyroid, thus reducing the production of essential thyroid hormones. Chlorate also has several adverse effects on the blood and thyroid systems. Perchlorate …

Towards Closed-Loop Deep Brain Stimulation: Behavior Recognition From Human Stn, Soroush Niketeghad

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) provides significant therapeutic benefit for movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease (PD). Current DBS devices lack real-time feedback (thus are open loop) and stimulation parameters are adjusted during scheduled visits with a clinician. A closed-loop DBS system may reduce power consumption and side effects by adjusting stimulation parameters based on patient’s behavior. Thus behavior detection is a major step in designing such systems. Various physiological signals can be used to recognize the behaviors. Subthalamic Nucleus (STN) Local field Potential (LFP) is a great candidate signal for the neural feedback, because it can be recorded from the …

The Effect Of Cholesterol On The Osteoblast Responsiveness To Hydrodynamic Pressure Stimulation, Kristen Lough

Theses and Dissertations--Biomedical Engineering

Hypercholesterolemia is a risk factor for osteoporosis but the underlying mechanism is unknown. Previous evidence suggests that osteoporosis results from an impaired regulation of osteoblasts by fluid pressure fluctuations in the bone matrix. Recently, our laboratory showed that enhanced cholesterol in the cell membrane, due to hypercholesterolemia, alters leukocyte mechanosensitivity. We predict a similar link between osteoblasts and hypercholesterolemia leading to osteoporosis. Specifically, we hypothesize that extracellular cholesterol modifies the osteoblast sensitivity to pressure. MC3T3-E1 cells were exposed to hydrodynamic pressures regimes (mean=40mmHg, amplitude=0-20mmHg, frequency=1Hz) for 1-12 hours. To assess the impact of membrane cholesterol enrichment, cells were pre-treated with …

Human Cardiovascular Responses To Simulated Partial Gravity And A Short Hypergravity Exposure, Qingguang Zhang

Theses and Dissertations--Biomedical Engineering

Orthostatic intolerance (OI), i.e., the inability to maintain stable arterial pressure during upright posture, is a major problem for astronauts after spaceflight. Therefore, one important goal of spaceflight-related research is the development of countermeasures to prevent post flight OI. Given the rarity and expense of spaceflight, countermeasure development requires ground-based simulations of partial gravity to induce appropriate orthostatic effects on the human body, and to test the efficacy of potential countermeasures.

To test the efficacy of upright lower body positive pressure (LBPP) as a model for simulating cardiovascular responses to lunar and Martian gravities on Earth, cardiovascular responses to upright …

Long Term Blood Oxygenation Membranes, Joseph V. Alexander

Theses and Dissertations--Biomedical Engineering

Hollow fiber membranes are widely used in blood oxygenators to remove carbon dioxide and add oxygen during cardiopulmonary bypass operations. These devices are now widely used off-label by physicians to perform extracorporeal blood oxygenation for patients with lung failure. Unfortunately, the hollow fiber membranes used in these devices fail prematurely due to blood plasma leakage and gas emboli formation.

This project formed ultrathin (~100nm) polymer coatings on polymer hollow fiber membranes. The coatings were intended to “block” existing pores on the exterior surfaces while permitting high gas fluxes. This coating is synthesized using surface imitated control radical polymerization.

The coating …

Mechanical Behavior Of Grouted Sands, Ryan C. Ortiz

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

Grouting techniques have been in used for many years, but several new grout materials have surfaced in recent decades that have re-defined the boundaries of the limitations of grouting programs. Typically these applications are used for seepage control in earthen impoundments, but strength of these earthen impoundments should be considered where there is potential for movement in the grouted soil mass. This study investigated initial conditions that could affect grout application effectiveness. The initial conditions in question were soil grain size and in situ moisture content. Two grouts were used, ultrafine and acrylate, and variations in pure grout properties were …

Influence Of Calcium Sulfoaluminate Cement On The Pullout Performance Of Reinforcing Fibers: An Evaluation Of The Micro-Mechanical Behavior, Robert B. Jewell

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

The objective of this research was to determine the influence of calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cement on reinforcing fibers by evaluating the fiber pullout behavior, and bonding characteristics, of a single fiber embedded in a cementitious paste matrix. Four types of fibers commonly used in industry were evaluated: 1) Polyvinyl alcohol; 2) Polypropylene; 3) Coated Steel; and 4) Plain Steel.

Upward trends in energy costs and potential greenhouse gas regulations favor an increased use of construction materials that require lower energy and lower CO₂ emissions to fabricate, such as CSA cement, as opposed to the production of ordinary portland cement …

Body Armor Induced Changes In The Trunk Mechancial And Neuromuscular Behavior, Rebecca Leigh Tromp

Theses and Dissertations--Biomedical Engineering

While military body armor is used among warfighters for protection on and off the battlefield, it has been suggested to impede performance and act as a risk factor for the development of musculoskeletal disorders, especially low back pain. Apart from personal suffering, low back pain in soldiers is a great economic burden on the US economy. The objective of this study was to quantify the changes in trunk mechanical and neuromuscular behavior following prolonged exposure to body armor compared to exposure without. A crossover study design was used where 12 sex-balanced participants completed a series of tests before and after …

Deformation-Based Excavation Support System Design Method, Sekyi K. Intsiful

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

Development in urban areas around the world has steadily increased in recent years. This rapid development has not been matched by the ever decreasing open space commonly associated with urban centers. Vertical construction, thus, lends itself a very useful solution to this problem. Deep excavation is often required for urban construction. Unfortunately, the ground movements associated with deep excavation can result in damage to adjacent buildings. Thus, it is critically important to accurately predict the damage potential of nearby deep excavations and designing adequate support systems.

A new design method is proposed, as an attempt, to address the problem. The …

Prediction Of Strength And Shear Modulus Of Compacted Clays Within An Unsaturated Critical State Framework, Corrie Walton-Macaulay

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

The objective of this research study is to determine whether the soil stiffness, from which the small-strain shear modulus is determined, can be used to predict the shearing resistance of compacted clay soil, which are invariably under conditions of partial saturation. The research program developed for this objective included three major soil testing programs of matric suction, shear modulus, and strength.

A method to estimate matric suction of field compacted clay soil was presented and it is based on the quantified effect of change in initial void ratio on the soil water characteristic behaviors. With the use of a non-nuclear …

Inhalable Nanocomposites And Anticancer Agents For Cancer Therapy, Nathanael A. Stocke

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

Cancer is designated as the leading cause of mortality worldwide and lung cancer is responsible for nearly 30% of all cancer related deaths. Over the last few decades mortality rates have only marginally increased and rates of recurrence remain high. These factors, among others, suggest the need for more innovative treatment modalities in lung cancer therapy. Targeted pulmonary delivery is well established for treating pulmonary diseases such as asthma and provides a promising platform for lung cancer therapy. Increasing local deposition of anticancer agents (ACAs) and reducing systemic exposure of these toxic moieties could lead to better therapeutic outcomes and …

Determining Soil Erosion With Varying Corn Stover Cover Factors, Nicole K. Koeninger

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Since the Dust Bowl, conservation agriculture has become a common practice globally. Because of the rising interest in the use of corn biomass as a feedstock for biofuel production, the effects of corn stover removal on soil erosion were explored. It was hypothesized that selective harvesting strategies would impact soil erosion differently across a variety of slopes. Soil erosion boxes were constructed, and a rainfall simulator with an intensity of 30 mm hr^-1 for 46 min was used to create runoff from slopes of 1, 5, and 10% and three cover factor treatments (no removal and two simulated corn …

Evaluation Of Different Sources Of Hydroxyl On Biomass Pretreatment And Hydrolysis, Carla Ines Soares Rodrigues

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Lignocellulosic biomass pretreatment is a fundamental step in the production of renewable fuels and chemicals. It is responsible for the disruption and removal of lignin and hemicellulose from the lignocellulosic matrix, improving the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose. Alkaline pretreatment has been shown to be successful on agricultural residues and dedicated energy crops. The objective of this study was to evaluate the pretreatment of switchgrass, wheat straw, corn stover, and miscanthus using calcium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, and sodium hydroxide at the same hydroxyl concentration, 60% moisture content, and two temperatures for seven days. Enzymatic hydrolysis was also performed and the glucose …

The Effects Of Inoculum Size, Airflow Rate, Bulk Density And Particle Size On The Scale-Up Of Phanerochaete Chrysosporium Pretreatment, Amanda N. Hickman

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

The following full-factorial study compared fungal activity on lignocellulosic biomass that was inoculated with three different amounts of fungus, and grown using three different airflow rates. These treatments were compared to a control which consisted of biomass that was not inoculated but was exposed to the same growth conditions in the environmental chamber. The objectives of the following experiment were to determine the inoculum density and airflow rate required to optimize Phanerochaete chrysosporium lignin degradation. Additionally, this study quantifies the saccharification yield from the pretreated switchgrass.

The impact of substrate bulk density and substrate particle size on fungal growth were …

Development Of A Method For In-Situ Testing Of Oxygen Concentrations In Compost Bedded Pack Barns, John T. Evans Iv

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Compost bedded pack barns are a relatively new type of dairy housing system that is being implemented in Kentucky. Extensive research has been done on the composting of animal manure, however, little has been done on composting animal manure in place. One of the most concerning challenges is aeration. Improper aeration can cause system failure. The ability to quickly and accurately measure the oxygen concentration would allow researchers the ability to determine which methods of tillage/aeration are most effective in compost bedded pack barns. The research in this thesis focused on the development of a method for simultaneously testing oxygen …

Life Cycle Assessment Of Biomass Harvesting For On-Farm Biofuel Production, Michael A. Hagan

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Understanding the energy input and emissions resulting from the development of biofuels is important to quantify the overall benefit of the biofuel. As part of the On-Farm Biomass Processing project, a life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted on the process to harvest and transport agricultural crop residues ready for processing into biofuel. A Microsoft Excel model was developed that inventories the entire life cycle of the process, including incorporation of stochastic analysis within the model. The LCA results of the agricultural equipment manufacture are presented, along with the results of each step of the process, including fertilizer addition, single …

Evaluation Of The Performance Of Flocculation To Enhance Sediment Trap Efficiency, Derek Scott

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Weathered sandstone materials have seen increased use in reclamation due to the wide-spread adoption of the Forest Reclamation Approach (FRA) in Appalachia. Runoff from these newly FRA reclaimed sites has the potential to adversely impact aquatic environments without fine sediment retention. To reduce the size and capital investment of settling ponds, flocculant utilization was investigated. Preliminary jar tests were conducted using composite weathered mine spoil samples acquired from a surface coal mine in eastern Kentucky. Four flocculants from the Magnafloc family of products were investigated during the initial screening-level testing. Experiments were conducted at three initial sediment concentrations (500 mg/L, …

Investigation Of Phanerochaete Chrysosporium And Clostridium Thermocellum For Improved Saccharification Of Lignocellulose Under Nonsterile Conditions, William E. Simon

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Current research efforts are directed at developing competitive processes that can utilize lignocellulose as a feedstock for biorefineries. The purpose of this study was to investigate methods of processing lignocellulosic material so that its monosacharides can be more easily accessed for fermentation, the lack of which is hindering the economics and widescale adoption of lignocellulosic biorefining. The monosaccharides are of interest because they can be used by Clostridium beijerinckii downstream of P. chrysosporium and C. thermocellum in a sequential bioprocess to produce butanol. Butanol is an attractive biofuel because it can be utilized without modifying current transportation infrastructure. Butanol is …

The Influence Of Media Ingredients And Ph On The Growth Of Chloromonas Rosae Var. Psychrophila, Caoli Zheng

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

In order to utilize algae to fix CO2 and reduce Greenhouse gas emissions, large-scale, year-round algae cultivation will be required. This will require alga species that thrive in colder weather with media recipes based on commercially available fertilizers. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of using commercial based media and the effect of pH when growing the cold-temperature algae Chloromonas rosae var. psychrophila. Commercial grade media ingredients urea, potash, triple superphosphate, and Sprint 330® were used to provide nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, and EDTA with iron, respectively. The commercial grade media supported growth similar to the growth …