Engineering Commons^™

International Space Station Resupply Trip Minimization, Trent Sahinkaya

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Hydrodynamic And Water Quality Modeling Of The Tigris River System In Iraq Using Ce-Qual-W2, Muhanned Al Murib

Dissertations and Theses

The Tigris River is one of two primary rivers in Iraq and is, along with the Euphrates, the main source for drinking and irrigation water in the country. The Tigris River originates in the Taurus Mountains in Turkey, and is 1850 km long. The majority of the river lies within Iraq. The river passes through, and is the primary drinking water source for major cities such as Mosul, Baeji, Samarra, Baghdad (the capital), and Kut. The Tigris River joins the Euphrates River in Qurna city within Basra province to form the Shatt Al-Arab River which eventually discharges into the Persian …

Spatial Dispersion Of Index Components Required For Building Invisibility Cloak Medium From Photonic Crystals, Saeid Jamilan, George Semouchkin, Navid Gandji, Elena Semouchkina

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

The opportunities to use dielectric photonic crystals (PhCs) as the media of cylindrical invisibility cloaks, designed using transformation optics (TO) concepts, are investigated. It is shown that TO-based prescriptions for radial index dispersion, responsible for turning waves around hidden objects, can be dropped if the PhC media support self-collimation of waves in bent crystals. Otherwise, to provide prescribed anisotropy of index dispersion, it is possible to employ PhCs with rectangular lattices. It is found, however, that at acceptable cloak thicknesses, modifications of crystal parameters do not allow for achieving the prescribed level of index anisotropy. This problem is solved by …

Dynamics Of Singlet Fission And Electron Injection In Self-Assembled Acene Monolayers On Titanium Dioxide, Natalie A. Pace, Dylan H. Arias, Devin B. Granger, Steven Christensen, John E. Anthony, Justin C. Johnson

Chemistry Faculty Publications

We employ a combination of linear spectroscopy, electrochemistry, and transient absorption spectroscopy to characterize the interplay between electron transfer and singlet fission dynamics in polyacene-based dyes attached to nanostructured TiO₂. For triisopropyl silylethynyl (TIPS)-pentacene, we find that the singlet fission time constant increases to 6.5 ps on a nanostructured TiO₂ surface relative to a thin film time constant of 150 fs, and that triplets do not dissociate after they are formed. In contrast, TIPS-tetracene singlets quickly dissociate in 2 ps at the molecule/TiO₂ interface, and this dissociation outcompetes the relatively slow singlet fission process. The addition …

3d Tissue Engineering, An Emerging Technique For Pharmaceutical Research, Gregory Jensen, Christian Morrill, Yu Huang

Biological Engineering Faculty Publications

Tissue engineering and the tissue engineering model have shown promise in improving methods of drug delivery, drug action, and drug discovery in pharmaceutical research for the attenuation of the central nervous system inflammatory response. Such inflammation contributes to the lack of regenerative ability of neural cells, as well as the temporary and permanent loss of function associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and traumatic brain injury. This review is focused specifically on the recent advances in the tissue engineering model made by altering scaffold biophysical and biochemical properties for use in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. …

Mechanical Demands On The Lower Back In Patients With Non-Chronic Low Back Pain During A Symmetric Lowering And Lifting Task, Iman Shojaei, Elizabeth G. Salt, Quenten L. Hooker, Babak Bazrgari

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

There is limited information in the literature related to the lower back loading in patients with LBP, particularly those with non-chronic LBP. Toward addressing such a research gap, a case-control study was conducted to explore the differences in lower back mechanical loads between a group of females (n=19) with non-chronic, non-specific LBP and a group of asymptomatic females (n=19). The differences in lower back mechanical loads were determined when participants completed one symmetric lowering and lifting of a 4.5 kg load at their preferred cadence. The axial, shearing, and moment components of task demand at the time of peak moment …

Design And Testing Of A Linear Compliant Mechanism With Adjustable Force Output, William Niemeier

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents a novel compliant mechanism with adjustable force output. The force comes from the bending of a rectangular cross section beam within the mechanism. By rotating this beam with a stepper motor, the force output of the mechanism changes. A model was made to simulate this mechanism, and a prototype was made based off of this data. A test apparatus was constructed around this mechanism, and a series of tests were performed. These tests adjusted parameters such as beam rotation speed and weight in order to characterize the system. Adjustments were made based on this information and the …

Defect Detection In Additive Manufacturing Utilizing Long Pulse Thermography, James Pierce

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Additive Manufacturing (AM), over the years, has seen a tremendous amount of research for improving the manufacturability of materials into final products. The main advantages of additive manufacturing are the minimizing of waste material as it is an additive process. As well as the ability to create custom low-volume products without the need for creation of expensive tooling or programming before manufacturing begins. Because of these advantages, however, AM is susceptible to unique challenges in the quality side of manufacturing. These challenges include minimizing and detecting defects during the build. The focus of this research looks at the capability of …

Broadband Plasmonic-Enhanced Forward And Backward Multiplex Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering Microscopy, Baoshan Guo, Lan Jiang, Yanhong Hua, Xin Li, Tianhong Cui, Yongfeng Lu

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

Coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy is an attractive technique for label-free biochemical-specific characterization of biological specimens. However, it has very low sensitivity in monitoring and imaging molecules present in extremely low concentrations or at fast speeds. To improve this sensitivity, especially for multiplex CARS, the intensity of the pump beam and broadband Stokes beam should be enhanced simultaneously. Therefore, the gold shell particle and gold surface are demonstrated to enhance the forward and backward CARS, respectively. Results show that a signal enhancement factor of ∼25;000 can be achieved for the gold surface and an even higher enhancement factor can …

Analysis Of Ni And Fe-Based Alloys For Turbine Seal Ring Applications, Dawei She

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Metal sealing rings have been used widely in compressors, turbines and hydraulic devices. Such rings can extend out due to elasticity, and keep close contact with the valve wall, resulting in the formation of a functional seal under pressure. In this project, the failure of metal sealing rings is considered. Sealing component failure due to stress relaxation can threaten the safety of the whole steam turbine. The object of this study was to examine the stress relaxation response and corresponding changes in microstructure of metal sealing rings used in nuclear steam turbine under high temperature and applied stress. The two …

Non-Precious Metal Catalysts For Oxygen Reduction Reaction In Alkaline Solutions, Zhewen Yin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Mesoporous WO3 powders were prepared via sol-gel processing synthesis using nonionic surfactant Pluronic (P-123) as the template. The influences of heating temperature on the pore structure and properties of WO3 powders were investigated. Three kinds of modifications were compared and evaluated after finding out the best heating condition. Different amount of lanthanum was doped into mesoporous WO3 to improve its Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR) activity. Several factors contributing to the increase of catalytic performance were discussed. Vulcan carbon powder was also used as a support to increase the catalysts’ electrical conductivity as well as dispersity. The component, microstructure and specific …

Systems And Methods For Endotoxin Removal From Fluids, Sutapa Barua

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Systems and methods are provided for the removal of endotoxins from fluids. The methods can include the use of polymeric nanoparticles for binding endotoxins present in a fluid. The polymeric nanoparticles can be associated with a support member. The polymeric nanoparticles can have an endotoxin removal capacity of at least 1×10⁹ endotoxin units per gram of polymeric nanoparticle (EU/g) and/or a removal efficacy per unit surface area of the polymeric nanoparticles of at least 1×10⁶ EU/cm².

Development And Assessment Of Interactive Learning Supplement Tools For Engineering Mechanics, Emma Neuweiler

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

The Subject Librarian Newsletter, Engineering And Computer Science, Spring 2018, Buenaventura "Ven" Basco

Libraries' Newsletters

No abstract provided.

Radiotherapy-Induced Cherenkov Luminescence Imaging In A Human Body Phantom, Syed Rakin Ahmed, Mengyu Jia, Petr Bruza, Sergei A. Vinogradov, Shudong Jiang, David J. Gladstone, Lesley A. Jarvis, Brian W. Pogue

Dartmouth Scholarship

Radiation therapy produces Cherenkov optical emission in tissue, and this light can be utilized to activate molecular probes. The feasibility of sensing luminescence from a tissue molecular oxygen sensor from within a human body phantom was examined using the geometry of the axillary lymph node region. Detection of regions down to 30-mm deep was feasible with submillimeter spatial resolution with the total quantity of the phosphorescent sensor PtG4 near 1 nanomole. Radiation sheet scanning in an epi-illumination geometry provided optimal coverage, and maximum intensity projection images provided illustration of the concept. This work provides the preliminary information needed to attempt …

Foreword: Special Section On Electrical Contacts, Ronald A. Coutu Jr., Ravi Mahajan

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Welcome to the Special Topics Section dedicated to the 2016 Holm Conference on Electrical Contacts. This Special Section contains six high-quality papers that comprehensively describe the state of the art and potential future directions for topics of great interest to our readers. The Editor-in-Chief (EIC), in consultation with the other EICs, Associate Editors (AEs), and domain experts, selects the topics for the Special Sections, and a Guest Editor or AE (GE/AE), who is a leading expert in the technical area, and then directs the solicitation and peer review of the papers. In cases where the GE/AE is also an author, …

Modeling Corrosion Damage And Repair To A 3, Joseph R. Scott

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The main purpose of this study was to investigate and implement a repair design for corrosion damaged bridge bents in order to resist lateral loading, such as wind loads or ship impact. Using the results from a one-third scale bridge bent constructed and tested for a previous study, non-linear modeling was used to simulate the same corrosion damage and load response. The principle variable considered was damage, represented as a percent of effective area loss of prestressing steel within a designated damage zone along the length of piles. Other influencing variables included: prestress transfer length, localized loss in prestress due …

Session 2c: Soils And Agriculture, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• Soil Phosphorous in Urban Kentucky: Lawn and Gardening Our Way to Hell in a Vegetable Basket
• Optimizing Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Soybean Production in Kentucky- Experimental and Modeling Approach
• Variations in Soil Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity Across Multiple Land Uses in Fayette County, Kentucky

Session 1c: Hydrology, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• Comparing the Hydrological Function of Natural and Constructed Ridge Top Isolated Wetlands
• Streamflow Gain and Loss, Hydrograph Separation, and Water-Quality of Abandoned Mine Lands in the Daniel Boone National Forest, Eastern Kentucky, 2015-2017
• Hydrology: Old Science, New Applications for the Blanchard River in Ohio

Poster Session 2, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

1. Kentucky Lake Undergoing a “Change of State”: Trend Analyses Indicate Potential Tipping Points are Being Reached for Several Limnological Variables
2. Investigating Preferential Sewer Pathways: Geospatial Screening and Field Sampling to Reduce Inhalation Exposure Risks
3. Fate and Transport of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in a Sewer System: Numerical Model and Field Study
4. Soil Moisture Conditions and Yield Across Fragic Soils Under Irrigated Management in Western Kentucky
5. Nutrient Contamination from an Agricultural Non-Point Source and its Mitigation: A Case Study of EKU Meadowbrook Farm, Madison County, KY
6. Characterization of Groundwater and Surface Water Geochemistry in an Agricultural Setting at EKU Meadowbrook Farm, …

Session 1b: Biology, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• Kentucky Lake Undergoing a “Change of State”: Trend Analyses Indicate potential Tipping Points are being reached for Several Limnological Variables
• Preliminary Environmental Assessment of the Green and Nolin Rivers in Mammoth Cave National Park Following the Removal of Lock and Dam #6
• Water Quality and Primary Productivity in Minor E. Clark Fish Hatchery Ponds

Session 2b: Sediments And Nutrients, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• Water, sediment, and nutrients data streams in a fluviokarst watershed in the Kentucky Bluegrass: insights from elemental, isotopic, and high resolution sensor data
• Effects of Stream Restoration on Pollutant Load Reductions in an Urban Watershed
• Watershed sediment transport modeling using dynamic lateral, longitudinal, and vertical sediment (dis)connectivity

Communication And Biodegradable Packaging Relationship: A Paradigm For Final Disposal, Breno Luiz Ottoni, Rafael Mattos Deus, José Alcides Gobbo Junior, Ângela Maria Grossi De Carvalho, Rosane Aparecida Gomes Battistelle

Journal of Applied Packaging Research

Solid waste generation is estimated to increase from 1.3 billion to 2.2 billion tons by 2025, causing environmental, social, and consequently public health problems. The biggest problem in this regard involves the inadequate disposal of waste, and in emerging countries like Brazil, it is sorted less waste for recycling or composting. In this context, plastic packaging is more complex due to the high polymer composition, as well as low recycling rates. Bioplastics appear as alternatives because they are mostly biodegradable. Given the various functions of packaging and a systematic review of the literature, the aim of this study was to …

Session 1a: Groundwater And Karst, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• Analysis of the Ambient Groundwater Quality Monitoring Network Data
• Improving Karst/Sinkhole Hazard Assessment in Kentucky
• Combination of Wind and Stack Effects on Indoor, Atmospheric, and Subsurface Domains in Vapor Intrusion Studies
• Characterization of Spring Discharge and Karst/Sinkhole Drainage Features at The Homeplace on Green River, Near Campbellsville

Session 2a: Membranes And Pollutant Removal, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• Ozonation, Biofiltration and the Role of Membrane Surface Charge and Hydrophobicity in Removal and Destruction of Algal Toxins at Basic pH Values
• Iron/Palladium Nanoparticles Immobilized Membrane Platforms for Chlorinated Organics Treatment
• Using a bio-derived solvent to cast polysulfone ultrafiltration membranes
• Selenium Removal Using Activated Alumina in a Packed-Bed Reactor

Poster Session 1, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

1. The Ecological Importance of Perched Aquifers and Their Hydrological Connectivity to Ridge Top Ephemeral Wetlands in Daniel Boone National Forest
2. Water Bugs and Bacteria: Creating a Water Quality Monitoring Program for the Wheeling Creek Watershed in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia
3. Use of eDNA to Detect Salamander Species in Central Kentucky Streams
4. Hydrogeological Properties of Natural and Constructed Wetlands in Kentucky’s Daniel Boone National Forest
5. Use of eDNA in Multiple Species Fish Biomass Determinations in Small to Mid-sized Lotic Systems
6. Rainfall Runoff Model Development Using HSPF for a Flood Control Reservoir System to Examine Long Term Benefits
7. Examining the …

Plenary Session, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• Joining Forces to Tackle the Dead Zone
• Water Resources Applications of KyAPED Airborne LiDAR Data: A New Era for Hydroscience in Kentucky
• Temporal performance assessment of wastewater treatment plants by using multivariate statistical analysis

Proceedings Of 2018 Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

This symposium was planned and conducted as a part of the state water resources research institute annual program that is supported by Grant/Cooperative Agreement Number G16AP00055 from the United States Geological Survey. The contents of this proceedings document and the views and conclusions presented at the symposium are solely the responsibility of the individual authors and presenters and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USGS or of the symposium organizers and sponsors. This publication is produced with the understanding that the United States Government is authorized to reproduce and distribute reprints for government purposes. Mention of trade …

Inductive Learning, Ekaterina Koromyslova

ASEE Best Practice Series Presentations

No abstract provided.

Gel-Seq: A Method For Simultaneous Sequencing Library Preparation Of Dna And Rna Using Hydrogel Matrices, Gordon Hoople, Andrew Richards, Yan Wu, Albert P. Pisano, Kun Zhang

School of Engineering: Faculty Scholarship

The ability to amplify and sequence either DNA or RNA from small starting samples has only been achieved in the last five years. Unfortunately, the standard protocols for generating genomic or transcriptomic libraries are incompatible and researchers must choose whether to sequence DNA or RNA for a particular sample. Gel-seq solves this problem by enabling researchers to simultaneously prepare libraries for both DNA and RNA starting with 100 - 1000 cells using a simple hydrogel device. This paper presents a detailed approach for the fabrication of the device as well as the biological protocol to generate paired libraries. We designed …