Engineering Commons^™

Increasing Probability Of Mass-Mortality During Indian Heatwaves, Mojtaba Sadegh

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Rising global temperatures are causing increases in the frequency and severity of extreme climatic events such as floods, droughts, and heatwaves. Here, we analyze changes in summer temperatures, the frequency, severity and duration of heatwaves, and heat-related mortality in India between 1960 and 2009, using data from the India Meteorological Department. Mean temperatures across India have risen by more than 0.5 °C over this period, with statistically significant increases in heatwaves. Using a novel probabilistic model, we further show that the increase in summer mean temperatures in India over this period corresponds to a 146% increase in the probability of …

Smart Grid Technology In The Developing World, Jacob R. Young

Honors Projects

A smart grid is the integration of communication and information technologies with contemporary power infrastructure to enhance load service and to incorporate continually evolving end-use applications. It is the latest advancement in the areas of power generation, transmission and distribution. It has advanced beyond the traditional grid structure at every stage; a smart grid is capable of incorporating distributed generation (DG) renewable sources and has improved transmission capabilities through implementation of technologies such as Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS). Through the addition of control technology in the distribution network a smart grid is able to implement “self-healing” and other methods …

Garbage Beam, Paula Back, Mariela Murillo

Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering Senior Theses

Located in a hot desert climate area prone to strong winds, Egypt is made up of many homes with little to no roofing leaving civilians exposed to the harsh elements. The overarching goal of this project is to provide these homes with efficient and affordable roofing using concrete with common garbage materials as reinforcement. Through preliminary testing and tensile testing it was possible to narrow the focus down to two reinforcement materials: fish netting and plastic grocery bags. From there final beam testing and pull out testing successfully demonstrated the promise of these materials. With this, however, it is still …

A Fuzzy Ahp Approach To Compare Transit System Performance In Us Urbanized Areas, Xin Li, Yingling Fan, John W. Shaw, Yunlei Qi

Journal of Public Transportation

Public transit systems in the United States often face multiple policy objectives. Typically, stakeholders desire frequent service on an extensive network, but funding and other resources are constrained, creating complicated relationships between service effectiveness goals and business efficiency goals. Using data from the National Transit Map (NTM), this study evaluated the general performance of transit systems across 294 Urbanized Areas (UZAs) in the US, which were stratified into six peer groups based on population. Transit efficiency and effectiveness were compared by developing a composite business efficiency index score and a composite service effectiveness index score for each urbanized area. The …

Assessment Methods From Around The World Potentially Useful For Public Transport Projects, Eric Bruun, Marianne Vanderschuren

Journal of Public Transportation

The financial crisis in 2008/2009 has made many countries aware that public funds need to be managed better. A logical step is to identify methods that thoroughly assess the impacts of infrastructure and service investment. The authors argue that assessments should both identify and use performance indicators related to the ‘triple bottom line’, i.e. economic, social and environmental impacts.

This paper provides an overview of assessment methods used to evaluate public transport investments. Positive and negative aspects of various assessment tools are identified and discussed. Some developing world examples appear to be more elaborate and appropriate, than developed world examples, …

Multivariate Copula Analysis Toolbox (Mvcat): Describing Dependence And Underlying Uncertainty Using A Bayesian Framework, Mojtaba Sadegh, Elisa Ragno, Amir Aghakouchak

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

We present a newly developed Multivariate Copula Analysis Toolbox (MvCAT) which includes a wide range of copula families with different levels of complexity. MvCAT employs a Bayesian framework with a residual-based Gaussian likelihood function for inferring copula parameters and estimating the underlying uncertainties. The contribution of this paper is threefold: (a) providing a Bayesian framework to approximate the predictive uncertainties of fitted copulas, (b) introducing a hybrid-evolution Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) approach designed for numerical estimation of the posterior distribution of copula parameters, and (c) enabling the community to explore a wide range of copulas and evaluate them relative …

Digital Disrupters: Decisiveness As An Attribute Driving Business Relations By Using Digital Technologies, T R Ramakrishnan Dr.

Manipal Journal of Science and Technology

Strategic decisiveness is one attribute that drives growth. This study examines the effects of using information and communication technology (ICT) as digital disrupters by organizations to small retail businesses in Bangalore. There is a body of research, which highlights on factors causing digital divide and strategies used to bridge the gap. This study is limited to Bangalore as the city is known for its people being tech savvy, which gives a unique opportunity to carry out research into the small retail businesses. The research seeks to identify the differences and similarities among the kinds of retail businesses on using ICTs …

Design For Waste Reduction And Efficiency Improvement For The Construction Usage Of The Tower Crane, George Merida, Roman Richard

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

Webcor Concrete Group’s on-site tower crane is currently experiencing unknown forms of inefficiency. The project team used the DMAIC methodology to implement Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control in order to guide and structure the project. After the project team formulated a problem statement, observations were collected of tower crane deliveries resulting in 470 individual data points. The data was then analyzed using basic statistics, histograms, and lean manufacturing tools in order to identify wastes and inefficiencies. Once the wastes and inefficiencies were identified, root cause analysis was performed. The identified root causes were then used as the basis for …

Adaptive Light Dimmer, Jonathan Sato, William Xiong

Electrical Engineering

This project, the Adaptive Light Dimmer for the DC House, senses a room's light content and adjusts a lamp's light intensity accordingly, thus regulating the room's light content. The device is designed to work with renewable energy sources such as wind and solar energy. This would be useful in less developed countries where AC electricity is not well spread and renewable DC, such as solar, can be better utilized. It functions by using the TSL2561 light sensor to sense light, ATTiny85 microcontroller to output PWM to the LED driver, LT3795 LED driver to output current to an LED and LT3014 …

Pedal-Powered Drivetrain System, Geremy J. Patterson, Callaghan Fenerty, Bradley Welch

Mechanical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Maize Mill Senior Project, Jose Ignacio Delgado, Wesley C. Curtis, Charles Steese

Mechanical Engineering

Engineers Without Borders (EWB) has worked on several projects to help developing communities around the world build the infrastructure necessary for modern life. One of their projects is the creation of an inexpensive and easily manufactured maize mill that communities in Africa (mainly Malawi) can use to grind corn and make their main food source, Nsima. Geoffery Wheeler, an accomplished engineer and former mentor to EWB’s Malawi team, wants an inexpensive, easily manufacturable and effective maize mill that can be fabricated and sustained in Africa.

This report describes the process in which the Maize Mill Senior Project team created the …

Scitech News Volume 71, No. 2 (2017)

Sci-Tech News

Columns and Reports

• From the Editor 3

Division News

• Science-Technology Division 5
• Chemistry Division 8
• Engineering Division 9
• Aerospace Section of the Engineering Division 12
• Architecture, Building Engineering, Construction and Design Section of the Engineering Division 14

Reviews

• Sci-Tech Book News Reviews 16

Advertisements

• IEEE 4

Measuring The Robustness Of Forensic Tools' Ability To Detect Data Hiding Techniques, Samuel Isaiah Moses

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this research is to create a methodology that measures the robustness and effectiveness of forensic tools' ability to detect data hiding. First, an extensive search for any existing guidelines testing against data hiding was performed. After finding none, existing guidelines and frameworks in cybersecurity and cyber forensics were reviewed. Next, I created the methodology in this thesis. This methodology includes a set of steps that a user should take to evaluate a forensic tool. The methodology has been designed to be flexible and scalable so as new anti-forensic data hiding methods are discovered and developed, they can …

Improving Student Engagement In Engineering Using Brain-Based Learning Principles As Instructional Delivery Protocols, John Solomon, Vimal Viswanathan, Eric Hamilton, Chitra Nayak

Faculty Publications, Mechanical Engineering

This paper presents a study on the academic engagement issues of the upper level engineering students in an HBCU (name of the university will be added later) and strategies implemented to overcome these issues using brain based learning principles as instructional delivery protocols. Although student engagement issues inside engineering classrooms have several components, we focus our attention in this paper mainly on two issues: the dis-engagement arising due to the lack of understanding of pre-requisites and insufficient mathematical skills of students reaching junior and senior engineering classes. A previous pilot study confirmed that a large fraction of students who reach …

Women’S Aquaculture Cooperative Program: A Humanitarian Project Through Journeyman International, Dalton Crump

Construction Management

The Women's Aquaculture Cooperative Program (WACP) is a partnership between the humanitarian platform Journeyman International (JI) and the African energy company Afritech Energy, who aims to provide sustainable, affordable energy to the most remote regions of Africa. The WACP is in the Bihongora region of Rwanda, which currently has no electricity or infrastructure. Afritech plans to build the 5,000 kW Bihongora Hydroelectric Power Plant and create Lake Bihongora in order to power and operate the aquaculture. The project will provide women in the region with the education needed to fully run, operate, and profit from the aquaculture "micro-business." The project …

A Time-Series Forecasting Model For Windhoek Rainfall, Namibia, Godfrey T. Pazvakawambwa

Andrews Research Conference

The objective of the study was to use time series forecasting techniques to model Windhoek rainfall based on secondary monthly data from 1891 to 2011. Descriptive summary statistics in the form of measures of centrality and dispersion, time series plots, and autocorrelation functions were generated using R time series statistical software. The Box Jenkin’s ARIMA modelling procedure (model identification, model estimation, model validation) was used to determine the best models for the data. Model diagnostics based on residual analysis were performed to assess the adequacy of the identified models. The final model was then used to forecast monthly rainfall for …

Speculations On A City For Mars, Edouard Terzis

School of Architecture - Theses

This thesis proposes the reinterpretation of architectural forms as the index of the constitution of the idea of the city. “Speculations on a City on Mars” is paradoxical in a sense as it superposes both the managerial representation of a city, that is Zoning, along with the speculative aspect of an extra-terrestrial city.

Design Baseline Document: Mini Baja Frame, Michael Luke Scoggins

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Our objective as the Mini Baja Frame team is to design and implement a prototype vehicle frame that is both cost-effective and competitive in an all-terrain racing environment. This vehicle must be able to endure the trials of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Mini Baja competition. An effective frame will contribute to the complete Utah State University Mini Baja Team objectives by efficiently integrating the components produced by the drivetrain and the suspension engineers. In addition, this competition is a means for us as students to gain valuable, tangible experience in the engineering design process.

Pairing Of Anaerobic And Aerobic Treatment Of Petroleum Wastewater, Zachary Fica

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The objective of this project was to treat petroleum refinery wastewater using a combination of anaerobic and aerobic processes, namely an Up-flow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) reactor paired with a Rotation Algae Biofilm Reactor (RABR), respectively, to produce a treated effluent. The treatment method developed needed to produce a cost-effective and efficient way to decrease nitrogen, phosphorous, total suspended solids (TSS), and COD concentrations to below State of Utah limitations. It was demonstrated that RABR treatment was capable of reducing effluent concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, and TSS to State of Utah limitations. RABR treatment did not significantly reduce COD from …

Cost And Fuel Usage Optimization Of Activating Solution Based Silica Fume Geopolymer Concrete, Lateef Najeh Assi

Theses and Dissertations

Development of sustainable construction materials has been the focus of research efforts worldwide in recent years. Concrete is a major construction material; hence, finding alternatives to ordinary Portland cement is of extreme importance due to high levels of carbon dioxide emissions associated with its manufacturing process. Geopolymer concrete is a potential solution; however, concerns about the high cost and the low real fuel energy efficiency are obstacles against its increase in the market share.

In this thesis, the current cost and fuel (thermal energy) usage are calculated. In addition, the cost and fuel usage were optimized based on previous experimental …

Preface, Chad Laux, Jiju Antony, Elizabeth Cudney

International Conference on Lean Six Sigma

Preface for the Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Lean Six Sigma for Higher Education.

Life Cycle Assessment Of Sweet Sorghum As Feedstock For Second-Generation Biofuel Production, Karla Morrissey

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

There exist few life cycle assessments (LCAs) in the literature that focus on the second-generation biofuel production from sweet sorghum, a non-food-source feedstock that offers several advantages in terms of farming requirements compared to corn or sugarcane. The objective of this LCA study was to evaluate biofuels produced from sweet sorghum to determine the potential environmental benefits of producing sweet sorghum biofuel compared to conventional fossil fuels. The biofuel production process used for this study differed from other LCAs in that, in parallel to stalk juice extraction and fermentation, residual bagasse and vinasse was pyrolyzed and upgraded to a diesel …

A Multi-Period Facility Location Model For Service Organizations Operating In A Competitive Environment., Sven W. Brose

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis develops a multi-period, mathematical programming location model for facilities operating in a competitive environment. The objective is to maximize the profit in a variable demand environment. The solution of the problem can either be done in a robust or in a dynamic manner. A robust solution methodology forecasts the demand for all the periods in the planning horizon and provides a robust solution that may be suboptimal for any given period, but optimal when all the periods are taken into consideration. A problem with this approach is that it requires accurate forecast of demand for multiple periods into …

Impacts Of Ozone Dose And Empty Bed Contact Time On Bulk Organic Removal And Disinfection Byproduct Mitigation In Ozone-Biofiltration Systems, Mayara Aquino

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In areas where water shortages have compromised water supplies, potable reuse is a promising solution. However, additional research is needed to identify and/or optimize cost-effective treatment technologies to demonstrate compliance with potable reuse regulations. Treatment trains employing reverse osmosis (RO) and advanced oxidation, a combination known as ‘full advanced treatment’ (FAT), are required by the California Division of Drinking Water (CDDW) for surface water augmentation and direct injection of recycled water into local aquifers. A maximum concentration of 0.5 mg/L of wastewater-derived total organic carbon (TOC) is also required by CDDW in all groundwater recharge applications. This appears to be …

Designing The Technological World Through Biomimicry, Emily Yoshikawa, Greg J. Strimel, Scott R. Bartholomew

Faculty Publications

Scientific discoveries are a driver for advancing our technological world (ITEA/ITEEA; 2000/2002/2007). As more knowledge is acquired through scientific inquiry, people can better design and develop technological inventions and innovations (Knowles, Kelley, & Hurd, 2016). In turn, these novel technologies can aid in making new scientific discoveries, thus driving an ongoing cycle of technological advancement. However, in the process of designing and advancing our technological world, people can turn to the study of life and its phenomena to inspire and inform their designs. Nature is functional as well as beautiful. As we study the phenomena or functions of living organisms …

Wright State University's Celebration Of Research, Scholarship And Creative Activities Book Of Abstracts From Friday, April 21, 2017, Wright State University

Celebration of Undergraduate & Graduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities Materials

The student abstract booklet is a compilation of abstracts from students' oral and poster presentations at Wright State University's Annual Celebration of Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities on April 21, 2017.

Activity Of Pgm-Free Electrocatalysts For Oxygen Reduction Reaction: Ph And Co-Catalysis Effects, Mario Santiago Rojas Carbonell 8148369

Chemical and Biological Engineering ETDs

Fuel cells offer a source to the current and always increasing demand for electric power. But as any new technology, there are challenges that need to be addressed to render it feasible for the market place. One of this challenges is finding the appropriate materials to catalyze the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) that occurs in the cathode. Oxygen is used as an oxidant in a significant portion of the fuel cells due to its readily availability and high reduction potential. Now, one the bottlenecks that stops the large-scale adoption is the expensive and rare metals that have been used as …

The Sustainability Of Ion Exchange Water Treatment Technology, Adib Amini

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research investigated using a life cycle environmental and economic approach to evaluate IX technology for small potable water systems, allowing for the identification and development of process and design improvements that reduce environmental impacts and costs. The main goals were to evaluate conventional IX in terms of life cycle environmental and economic sustainability, develop a method for improving designs of IX systems from a environmental and economic sustainability standpoint, evaluate potential design improvements, and make the research findings accessible to water professionals through user-friendly tools and frameworks that take into account their feedback. This research provides an understanding, from …

Engineering News, Spring 2017, School Of Engineering

Engineering News

No abstract provided.

Department Of Biological Systems Engineering Newsletter, Spring 2017

BSE Department Magazine

No abstract provided.