Engineering Commons^™

Characterization And Modeling Of Asphalt Concrete For Dynamic Properties And Performances, A S M A. Rahman

Civil Engineering ETDs

The recently developed mechanistic-empirical pavement design guide (MEPDG, also known as Pavement M-E design method) uses the nationally calibrated, binder viscosity-based dynamic modulus predictive model for the design and analysis of asphalt pavements. In this study, this model is assessed for its appropriateness for asphalt-aggregate mixtures typically used in New Mexico. In essence, this study investigates the predictability issue of complex modulus of New Mexico mixes. A total of 54 Superpave mixes with different aggregate gradations, air voids, and binder grades were collected from the mixing plants and from the pavement construction sites. The loose asphalt mixtures were then compacted, …

Stream Temperature Monitoring And Modeling To Inform Restoration: A Study Of Thermal Variability In The Western Us, Jessica R. Wood

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Water temperature is an important variable for aquatic ecosystems. Salmonid population numbers and distribution are heavily influenced by stream temperature, and there is growing concern about the health of salmonid populations with anticipated climate change. Managers are looking to efficiently evaluate options to maintain stream temperatures needed by salmonids. This study evaluated and compared stream temperature restoration alternatives in two streams with warm temperatures using stream temperature monitoring and modeling.

The first study identified pockets of cold water that are important to native fish species in Nevada’s Walker River. Comparison of monitoring results with existing basin-scale model outputs identified two …

Development Mems Acoustic Emission Sensors, Adrian Enrique Avila Gomez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to develop MEMS based acoustic emission sensors for structural health monitoring. Acoustic emission (AE) is a well-established nondestructive testing technique that is typically used to monitor for fatigue cracks in structures, leaks in pressurized systems, damages in composite materials or impacts. This technology can offer a precise evaluation of structural conditions and allow identification of imminent failures or minor failures that can be addressed by planned maintenances routines. AE causes a burst of ultrasonic energy that is measured as high frequency surface vibrations (30 kHz to 1 MHz) generated by transient elastic waves that …

Ncer Assistance Agreement Annual Progress Report For Grant #83582401 - Assessment Of Stormwater Harvesting Via Manage Aquifer Recharge (Mar) To Develop New Water Supplies In The Arid West: The Salt Lake Valley Example, Ryan Dupont, Joan E. Mclean, Richard C. Peralta, Sarah E. Null, Douglas B. Jackson-Smith

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

The aims of the original proposed project remain the same, that is, to test the hypothesis that Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) for stormwater harvesting is a technically feasible, socially and environmentally acceptable, economically viable, and legally feasible option for developing new water supplies for arid Western urban ecosystems experiencing increasing population, and climate change pressures on existing water resources. The project is being carried out via three distinct but integrated components that include: 1) Monitoring of existing distributed MAR harvesting schemes involving a growing number of demonstration Green Infrastructure (GI) test sites; 2) Integrated stormwater/vadose zone/groundwater/ ecosystem services modeling; and …

Modeling And Simulation Of Microgrid, Ahmad Alzahrani, Mehdi Ferdowsi, Pourya Shamsi, Cihan H. Dagli

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Complex computer systems and electric power grids share many properties of how they behave and how they are structured. A microgrid is a smaller electric grid that contains several homes, energy storage units, and distributed generators. The main idea behind microgrids is the ability to work even if the main grid is not supplying power. That is, the energy storage unit and distributed generation will supply power in that case, and if there is excess in power production from renewable energy sources, it will go to the energy storage unit. Therefore, the electric grid becomes decentralized in terms of control …

All Models Are Wrong; Some Models Are Harmful, David Hunt, Michael P. Johnson Jr.

Michael P. Johnson

Miniaturizing America's Tallest Dam | College Of Engineering, Usu College Of Engineering

College of Engineering News

When heavy winter rains filled Northern California’s Lake Oroville earlier this year, the torrential outflow tore apart the dam’s spillway, sending public safety officials and engineers scrambling for answers.

Diffusion Modeling Of Impurities Through The Molybdenum Back Contact Of Cigs Solar Cells, Chinedum John Akwari

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

CIGS is a major technology in photovoltaics and depends heavily, as any other PV technology, on the capacity to achieve the highest efficiency possible to compete on the market. Alkaline elements, notably sodium and potassium, play a key role in this matter as they enhance the open circuit voltage and the fill factor of the CIGS solar cells. However, this effect exists only for very specific concentration of sodium and potassium. These impurities typically diffuse through the soda-lime glass substrate.

Via modeling of the SIMS data, we try to understand and predict the diffusion mechanisms of these impurities from the …

Modeling Energy Consumption Of High-Performance Applications On Heterogeneous Computing Platforms, Gary D. Lawson Jr.

Computational Modeling & Simulation Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Achieving Exascale computing is one of the current leading challenges in High Performance Computing (HPC). Obtaining this next level of performance will allow more complex simulations to be run on larger datasets and offer researchers better tools for data processing and analysis. In the dawn of Big Data, the need for supercomputers will only increase. However, these systems are costly to maintain because power is expensive. Thus, a better understanding of power and energy consumption is required such that future hardware can benefit.

Available power models accurately capture the relationship to the number of cores and clock-rate, however the relationship …

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Roads, Keith Pierce

News Items

No abstract provided.

Event And Time-Triggered Control Module Layers For Individual Robot Control Architectures Of Unmanned Agricultural Ground Vehicles, Tyler Troyer

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Automation in the agriculture sector has increased to an extent where the accompanying methods for unmanned field management are becoming more economically viable. This manifests in the industry’s recent presentation of conceptual cab-less machines that perform all field operations under the high-level task control of a single remote operator. A dramatic change in the overall workflow for field tasks that historically assumed the presence of a human in the immediate vicinity of the work is predicted. This shift in the entire approach to farm machinery work provides producers increased control and productivity over high-level tasks and less distraction from operating …

Bioprocess Intensification And Optimisation Using Macroscopic Predictive Models Of Cell Culture Processes, Bassem Ben Yahia, Boris Fessler, Gwendal Gränicher, An-Vy Tran, Mareike Harmsen, Elmar Heinzle

Integrated Continuous Biomanufacturing III

Chinese Ovary Hamster (CHO) are an indispensable tool for biotechnological production of biologics which is a multi-million business. Recently, the pharmaceutical industry is increasingly focusing in the use of perfusion mode. Nevertheless, the optimal perfusion rate during biopharmaceutical perfusion production is dependent on cell metabolism which can be characterized by mathematical models. This study provides insights into the predictive capacities of systematic and simple cell modeling approaches of metabolism, growth and production of monoclonal antibodies (mAb) [1] to optimized medium composition and perfusion rate during CHO perfusion culture. We applied the metabolic steady state concept and used a segmented linear …

Bioprocess Intensification And Optimisation Using Macroscopic Predictive Models Of Cell Culture Processes, Bassem Ben Yahia, Mareike Harmsen, An-Vy Tran, Gwendal Gränicher, Boris Fessler, Elmar Heinzle

Integrated Continuous Biomanufacturing III

CHO cells, modeling, perfusion, ATF, segmented linear model

Reducing Equifinality Using Isotopes In A Process-Based Stream Nitrogen Model Highlights The Flux Of Algal Nitrogen From Agricultural Streams, William I. Ford, James F. Fox, Erik Pollock

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The fate of bioavailable nitrogen species transported through agricultural landscapes remains highly uncertain given complexities of measuring fluxes impacting the fluvial N cycle. We present and test a new numerical model named Technology for Removable Annual Nitrogen in Streams For Ecosystem Restoration (TRANSFER), which aims to reduce model uncertainty due to erroneous parameterization, i.e., equifinality, in stream nitrogen cycle assessment and quantify the significance of transient and permanent removal pathways. TRANSFER couples nitrogen elemental and stable isotope mass‐balance equations with existing hydrologic, hydraulic, sediment transport, algal biomass, and sediment organic …

Development Of A Water Quality Status And Trend Detection Tool*, Ruchir Aggarwal, Valeria Mijares, Margaret W. Gitau

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Water Quality Index (WQI) models have been developed since the early 1970s. They present a means by which water quality status and trends can be compared across time and space on the basis of a composite value computed using existing water quality data. There is a need for a tool that can bring the different water quality parameters together and calculate the WQIs so as to facilitate data use in predictive modeling and water quality management. We are developing a software tool that can be used by water quality managers and others with different technical backgrounds to calculate WQI of …

Analysis Of The Flow Behaviors Of Corn Meal During Extrusion, Daniel N. Hauersperger, Martin R. Okos, Troy Tonner

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Food extrusion can be used to make many products we consume today, including pasta, cereals and more. The ability to predict the characteristics of the final product from an extruder using raw material characteristics and operating conditions is vital to the extrusion process. In order to answer this need, the flow behavior of corn meal was measured in a lab viscometer (off-line) and compared to the flow behaviors from an extruder (in-line) at three different moisture contents (32.5%, 35%, 37.5% wet basis). The extruder and product are heated through the friction of the corn meal passing through the barrel not …

Thermoelectric System Modeling And Design, Buddhima Pasindu Gamarachchi

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) convert heat to electricity by way of the Seebeck effect. TEGs have no moving parts and are environmentally friendly and can be implemented with systems to recover waste heat. This work examines complete thermoelectric systems, which include the (TEG) and heat exchangers or heat sinks attached to the hot and cold sides of the TEG to maintain the required temperature difference across the TEG. A 1-D steady state model is developed to predict the performance of a TEG given the required temperatures and device dimensions. The model is first validated using a 3-D model and then is …

Experiment-Based Quantitative Modeling For The Antibacterial Activity Of Silver Nanoparticles, Mohammad Aminul Haque

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Silver (Ag) has been well known for its antimicrobial activity for a long time. Recent research showed the potential of Ag nanoparticles as emerging antimicrobial agents. However, little quantitative analysis has been performed so far to decipher the mechanism of interaction between nanoparticles and bacteria. Here, a detailed analysis based on kinetic growth assay and colony forming unit assay has been carried out to study the antimicrobial effect of Ag nanoparticles against Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria. It was observed that the presence of Ag nanoparticles increased the lag time of bacterial growth while not affecting the maximum growth rate …

An Operationalized Model For Defining Computational Thinking, Tony A. Lowe, Sean B. Brophy

School of Engineering Education Graduate Student Series

The Computational Thinking (CT) conceptual framework is entering its second decade of research yet still lacks a cohesive definition by which the field can coalesce. The lack of clear definition makes assessment tool challenging to formulate, pedagogical efforts difficult to compare, and research difficult to synthesize. This paper looks to operationalize differing definitions of CT enhancing the ability to teach then assess the presence of CT. Expanding upon CT definitions, industry practices and processes, and educational theory, we link existing concepts and propose a new element to model an active definition of CT as a theoretical framework to guide future …

Improved Ballistic Wind Prediction Using Projectile Tracking Data, William Arthur Kenney

Computational Modeling & Simulation Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The United States Air Force AC-130 gunships have been in operation since the Vietnam War and have seen frequent use during recent conflicts. They are able to employ gun weapon systems from above a target in a way that maximizes possible time on target. When firing, the gun operators must deal with miss distances caused by winds acting on the projectile in flight. Operators currently perform a “tweak” to predict a ballistic wind affecting fired rounds which is then used in the fire-control to correct for the real winds and bring shots onto target. This correction, a single-point wind prediction, …

The Effect Of Bone And Ligament Morphology Of Ankle Joint Loading In The Neutral Position, Jinhyuk Kim

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Computational modeling of joints is used to investigate the effect of injuries, to plan surgeries, and to answer questions about joints that cannot be answered experimentally. Existing models of the ankle joint are moving toward being able to model specific patients, however, they do not include all of the anatomy (e.g., bones and/or ligaments) and have restrictive boundary conditions. These simplification in anatomy are made to minimize pre-processing and computation time. Because biomechanical modeling is increasingly focused on the implementation of patient specific cases, the effects of including more anatomical structures and determining how they affect the model results is …

High Performance Digitally Manufactured Microwave And Millimeter-Wave Circuits And Antennas, Eduardo A. Rojas

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The potential of Additive Manufacturing (AM) for microwave and mm-wave applications is increasingly being revealed thanks to recent advancements in research. AM empowers engineers with new capabilities to manufacture complex conformal geometries quicker and at lower costs. It allows, for instance, the embedding of RF front ends into functional structures. In this dissertation, two aspects of AM are explored: (a) The development and characterization of techniques that improve the performance of AM microwave circuits and antennas, and (b) study of complex geometries, such as meshed structures, as an alternative to reduce material usage, cost, and weight of the components.

Micro-dispensing …

Characterizing The Viscoelastic Behavior Of Pdms/Pdps Copolymers, Mark E. Small

Mechanical Engineering ETDs

Viscoelasticity is the property of materials that exhibits both viscous and elastic characteristics when undergoing deformation. In polymeric materials, the mechani- cal behavior is dominated by this viscoelastic phenomenon. Creating computational models for these materials can be quite complicated due to their frequency depen- dent and temperature dependent material properties. The research presented in this paper will use state of the art methods to fully develop a material model for a filled polydimethylsiloxane-polydiphenynlsiloxane (PDMS/PDPS) copolymer foam that has yet to be characterized. Mechanical properties of PDMS/PDPS copoly- mers are currently being studied to assess engineering performance, and to provide accurate …

Miniaturizing America's Tallest Dam | College Of Engineering, Usu College Of Engineering

College of Engineering News

Engineers at Utah State University’s Utah Water Research Laboratory have constructed a 1:50 scale model of the Oroville Dam spillway.

The Soil Moisture Velocity Equation, Fred L. Ogden, Myron B. Allen, Wencong Lai, Jianting Zhu, Mookwon Seo, Craig C. Douglas, Cary A. Talbot

Publications

Numerical solution of the one-dimensional Richards' equation is the recommended method for coupling groundwater to the atmosphere through the vadose zone in hyperresolution Earth system models, but requires fine spatial discretization, is computationally expensive, and may not converge due to mathematical degeneracy or when sharp wetting fronts occur. We transformed the one-dimensional Richards' equation into a new equation that describes the velocity of moisture content values in an unsaturated soil under the actions of capillarity and gravity. We call this new equation the Soil Moisture Velocity Equation (SMVE). The SMVE consists of two terms: an advection-like term that accounts for …

Dynamic Simulation And Analysis Of Gait Modification For Treating Knee Osteoarthritis, Taylor Elyse Schlotman

Doctoral Dissertations

Roughly 47.5 million people in the US have a disability, with 8.6 million reporting arthritis as their main cause of disability, making arthritis the leading cause of physical disability. With decreased mortality rates and a large, aging baby boomer generation, there will be more adults living with chronic musculoskeletal conditions causing disabilities that limit walking. Since walking ability is directly related to an individual’s independence at home and in the community, losing this ability is a major setback for patients with arthritis. Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent form of arthritis affecting approximately 27 million adults and accounts for …

Linear Quadratic Optimal Control For A Cascaded Converters-Based Microgrid, Amlam Niragire

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There is a constant transformation of the electric grid due to an ongoing interest in the deployment of renewable energy resources and electric microgrid formation. This transformation, though advantageous in many ways, poses great challenges for the energy industry and there must be a constant improvement in modeling, simulation, analysis and control techniques in order to characterize and optimize the system design and operation. In this light, the scope of this thesis is focused on developing a linear model, analyzing the stability and designing an optimal linear quadratic regulator (LQR) for a microgrid system. The microgrid system used is inspired …

Ls-Dyna® Modeling Enhancement Support, John D. Reid, Robert W. Bielenberg, Chaz Ginger

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

The Pooled Fund Program member states provided funding for LS-DYNA modeling enhancements in Years 17 thru 22 (2006-2011), with a project period of 2006-2016. This report documents many of the modeling issues addressed throughout the project period. The funding has been effectively utilized to advance the current state-of-the-art for computer simulation and has provided the following benefits for the entire industry: (1) improved roadside safety hardware, (2) reduced development time and cost, (3) improved understanding of the behavior of roadside safety features, especially for impacts outside of normal crash test conditions, (4) improved LS-DYNA modeling techniques and procedures, and (5) …

Using Polymerization, Glass Structure, And Quasicrystalline Theory To Produce High Level Radioactive Borosilicate Glass Remotely: A 20+ Year Legacy, Carol M. Jantzen

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Vitrification is currently the most widely used technology for the treatment of high level radioactive wastes (HLW) throughout the world. Most of the nations that have generated HLW are immobilizing in borosilicate glass. One of the primary reasons that glass has become the most widely used immobilization media is the relative simplicity of the vitrification process, e.g. melt a highly variable waste with some glass forming additives such as SiO₂ and B₂O₃ in the form of a premelted frit and pour the molten mixture into a stainless steel canister. Seal the canister before moisture can enter …

The Influence Of Bmss On The Characterization And Modeling Of Series And Parallel Li-Ion Packs, Sandra Castano-Solis, Daniel Serrano-Jimenez, Lucia Gauchia, Javier Sanz

Michigan Tech Publications

This work analyzes the effects of a BMS (battery management system) on the characterization and modeling of series and parallel connections of Li-ion cell packs. The Li-ion pack studied consists of four series modules connected in parallel. This pack has been characterized by means of charge, discharge and frequency tests. As a result of these tests, series and parallel influence on battery parameters have been determined. A model considering the effects of a BMS is established and compared with a model based on a single-cell approach. Experimental validations show that the single cell based approach gives poor results in comparison …