Engineering Commons^™

Smart Surge Irrigation Using Microcontroller Based Embedded Systems And Internet Of Things, Prashant Dinkar Borhade

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Surge Irrigation is a type of furrow irrigation and one of many efficient irrigation techniques. It is one of the economical techniques and requires minimum labor for monitoring it. In surge irrigation, water is applied intermittently to a field to achieve uniform distribution of water along the furrows, which is important while irrigating, as it ensures that there is enough water near the root zone of the crop. The uneven distribution can cause a loss in crop productivity.

Surge irrigation uses a surge valve, which is an electro-mechanical device that irrigates a field. The commercial surge valves available on the …

A Scalable, Chunk-Based Slicer For Cooperative 3d Printing, Jace J. Mcpherson

Computer Science and Computer Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Cooperative 3D printing is an emerging technology that aims to increase the 3D printing speed and to overcome the size limit of the printable object by having multiple mobile 3D printers (printhead-carrying mobile robots) work together on a single print job on a factory floor. It differs from traditional layer-by-layer 3D printing due to requiring multiple mobile printers to work simultaneously without interfering with each other. Therefore, a new approach for slicing a digital model and generating commands for the mobile printers is needed, which has not been discussed in literature before. We propose a chunk-by-chunk based slicer that divides …

Aerodynamic Model Of The Piper Warrior Ii Based On Flight Test Data, Nicholas Casciola

Theses and Dissertations

Aerodynamic modeling is an important part of aircraft design and of aircraft testing. Generally, this is done through CFD models and Wind Tunnel tests prior to the aircrafts first flight but building the models using flight test data is also very important. It is used to verify theoretical models generated from the computer and wind tunnel tests. They are also useful for building simulators, particularly those in modeling and analyzing airport traffic patterns. These tests used a Piper Pa-28-161 Warrior II owned by the Florida Tech Flight Test Engineering program. It has a 160hp Lycoming engine. The test pilot was …

Three Dimensional Nonlinear Simulation Of Quench Phenomenon In Superconducting Tapes Using Mesh-Free Monte-Carlo Method, Reza Bahadori

Theses and Dissertations

Performing quench propagation simulations of full size superconducting coils is a challenging problem due to complex coil structures and internal arrangements of superconducting wires. In addition, superconducting wires and cables themselves constitute complex 3D arrangements comprised of superconductor, matrix, stabilizer, insulation and other materials. Modelling quenches in complete coils is therefore a complex multi-scale and multi-physics problem that is difficult to solve with conventional techniques like finite element or finite difference methods. Monte-Carlo methods have been successfully used to simulate various multi-scale and multi-physics problems, but to our knowledge have not been applied to quench propagation simulations. In the first …

Use Of The Wilshire Equations To Correlate And Extrapolate Creep Data Of Inconel 617 And Nimonic 105, Vito Cedro Iii, Christian Garcia, Mark Render

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

Advanced power plant alloys must endure high temperatures and pressures for durations at which creep data are often not available, necessitating the extrapolation of creep life. A recently developed creep life extrapolation method is the Wilshire equations, with which multiple approaches can be used to increase the goodness of fit of available experimental data and improve the confidence level of calculating long-term creep strength at times well beyond the available experimental data. In this article, the Wilshire equation is used to extrapolate the creep life of Inconel 617 and Nimonic 105 to 100,000 h. The use of (a) different methods …

Collaborative Robotic Path Planning For Industrial Spraying Operations On Complex Geometries, Steven Brown

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Implementation of automated robotic solutions for complex tasks currently faces a few major hurdles. For instance, lack of effective sensing and task variability – especially in high-mix/low-volume processes – creates too much uncertainty to reliably hard-code a robotic work cell. Current collaborative frameworks generally focus on integrating the sensing required for a physically collaborative implementation. While this paradigm has proven effective for mitigating uncertainty by mixing human cognitive function and fine motor skills with robotic strength and repeatability, there are many instances where physical interaction is impractical but human reasoning and task knowledge is still needed. The proposed framework consists …

Investigation Of A Gan-Based Power Supply Topology Utilizing Solid State Transformer For Low Power Applications, Akrem Mohamed Elrajoubi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Gallium nitride (GaN) power devices exhibit a much lower gate capacitance for a similar on-resistance than its silicon counterparts, making it highly desirable for high-frequency operation in switching converters, which leads to their significant benefits on power density, cost, and system volume. High-density switching converters are being realized with GaN power devices due to their high switching speeds that reduce the size of energy-storage circuit components. The purpose of this dissertation research is to investigate a new isolated GaN AC/DC switching converter based on solid-state transformer configuration with a totem-pole power factor corrector (PFC) front-end, a half-bridge series-resonant converter (SRC) …

Intelligent Application Of Flexible Ac Transmission System Components In An Evolving Power Grid, Robert Wall

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The world revolves around energy and the energy sector is continually transforming and evolving. The status quo has been set by governing agencies in the United States for completely reliable power. The demand for energy efficiency continually rises for multiple reasons. Technology has improved for all sectors of the power grid, including renewable energy sources, fault protection, and SMART grid technology. The addition of new energy sources has led to the decommissioning of inefficient energy sources. The implementation of new technologies and power load on a large scale, coupled with the removal of grid stabilizers has posed different challenges that …

Classifying Interdependencies In The Food And Agriculture Critical Infrastructure Sector, John Doerpinghaus

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This work classifies examples of infrastructure interdependencies found in the food and agriculture critical infrastructure sector. Interdependencies are identified through an examination of rice and poultry agriculture throughout the state of Arkansas. The subtleties of interdependence examples in the food and agriculture sector are inadequately captured by the well-studied interdependence classification taxonomies. Through 39 interviews, we develop an understanding of the subtle temporal, geographic, and productivity scales of interdependence in over 100 examples and present five new, distinct classifications of interdependence: (1) dynamic physical, (2) dynamic geographic, (3) deadline, (4) delay, and (5) human, economic, and natural resource interdependencies. An …

Comparative Study Of Power Semiconductor Devices In A Multilevel Cascaded H-Bridge Inverter, Kenneth Mordi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis compares the performance of a nine-level transformerless cascaded H-bridge (CHB) inverter with integrated battery energy storage system (BESS) using SiC power MOSFETs and Si IGBTs. Two crucial performance drivers for inverter applications are power loss and efficiency. Both of these are investigated in this thesis. Power devices with similar voltage and current ratings are used in the same inverter topology, and the performance of each device is analyzed with respect to switching frequency and operating temperature. The loss measurements and characteristics within the inverter are discussed. The Saber® simulation software was used for the comparisons. The power MOSFET …

Synthesis And Design Of Metals Sulfide/Carbon Composite-Fibers Anodes For Lithium Ion Batteries, Jorge Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

In this study, Forcespinning is used to produce Titanium sulfide (TiS2)/carbon composite fibers for use as lithium-ion battery anodes. The high surface area to volume ratio of the composite fibers can have a high impact on the ionic and electronic conductivity of the active materials leading to improved electrochemical performance of the battery. TiS2 nanoparticles were chosen as the active materials to produce Metal-Li-alloys/C composite fibers due to their high theoretical capacity and low volume change during charge/discharge cycles. The use of a 2-D layered structure of TiS2 nanoparticles in the carbon fiber matrix can greatly accommodate more Li-ions between …

Analyzing Large Workers’ Compensation Claims Using Generalized Linear Models And Monte Carlo Simulation, Fatemeh Davoudi Kakhki, Steven Freeman, Gretchen Mosher

Faculty Publications

Insurance practitioners rely on statistical models to predict future claims in order to provide financial protection. Proper predictive statistical modeling is more challenging when analyzing claims with lower frequency, but high costs. The paper investigated the use of predictive generalized linear models (GLMs) to address this challenge. Workers’ compensation claims with costs equal to or more than US$100,000 were analyzed in agribusiness industries in the Midwest of the USA from 2008 to 2016. Predictive GLMs were built with gamma, Weibull, and lognormal distributions using the lasso penalization method. Monte Carlo simulation models were developed to check the performance of predictive …

System Engineering Analysis Of Terraforming Mars With An Emphasis On Resource Importation Technology, Brandon Wong

LMU Theses and Dissertations

This project uses System Engineering principles to delve into the viability of different methods for Terraforming Mars, with a comparison between Paraterraforming, Terraforming and Bioforming. It will then examine one subsystem that will be integral to the terraforming process, which is the space infrastructure necessary to import enough gases to recreate Earth’s atmosphere on Mars. It will analyze the viability of Chemical Rockets, Nuclear Rockets, Space Elevators, Skyhooks, Rotovators, Mass Drivers, Launch Loops and Orbital Rings for this subsystem and provide recommendations for an implementation plan.

Design And Testing Of A Sheath Device To Secure Rotator Cuff Anchors In Osteoporotic Bone, Alissa Smith

Masters Theses

A rotator cuff tear is a common injury that affects many elderly people. These tears vary in severity, with moderate to severe tears requiring surgery. In rotator cuff surgery, bone anchors are used to re-attach the supraspinatus tendon to the humerus. This surgery is difficult in many older patients because aging bones become osteoporotic, or soft, and thus inadequate for securing bone anchors. Studies confirm that osteoporotic bone is a contributing factor of implant failure. A finned sheath concept was designed, developed, and tested to ensure securement of the bone anchors during and after rotator cuff repair. The sheath interacts …

Improved Gas Sensing Performance Of Ald Azo 3-D Coated Zno Nanorods, P. Lin, X. Chen, K. Zhang, H. Baumgart

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper reports an enhancement on the sensing performance of ZnO nanorod ethanol sensors with a new approach by utilizing nested coatings of Aluminum doped ZnO (AZO) thin films by Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) technology. ZnO nanorods were grown by the hydrothermal method with the ZnO seed layer synthesized on Silicon wafers by ALD. To enhance the sensing performance of ZnO nanorod ethanol sensors, multiple coated AZO thin film 3-D coatings were deposited on the surface of the intrinsic ZnO nanorods by ALD.To investigate the sensing performance of the ZnO nanorods sensor for the detection of ethanol vapor, a gas …

Study Of The 3Ω Measurement Of The In-Plane And The Cross-Plane Thermal Properties On Anisotropic Thin Film Materials, Daxi Zhang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Due to the size of the nano-scale and micro-scale materials, traditional method for measuring the thermal properties of the bulk materials cannot be applied. The 3 Omega Method was developed by D. G. Cahill in the early 90s. It was used extensively to measure the thermal properties of thin film dielectric materials. Compare with other simulations or experimental methods, the 3 Omega Method has many advantages. Previous research has indicate that the 3 Omega method is capable of measuring the cross-plane thermal conductivity of thin film materials. In extension, an alternative improvement for measurement of the in-plane thermal conductivity and …

Investigating Rapid Concrete Repair Materials And Admixtures, Ivan Quezada

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This dissertation presents a literature review of the state-of-practice for the use of IC in concrete mixtures and how structural engineers and construction engineers can adapt IC to their present and future work. Current high early strength concrete mixtures have natural cracking and shrinkage problems due to the high content of cementitious material or their chemical components. Using IC allows for early strength, enhanced durability, reduced shrinkage and a better curing by providing water that can be absorbed by the cement past after the final set. Rapid hydration and high early strength Portland cement and calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) concretes are …

Thallium Removal From Drinking Water Using Pyrolusite Filter Media, Erin R. Andersen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Thallium (Tl) is a rare heavy metal in drinking water, but its extreme toxicity makes its removal crucial to consumer health. Traditional treatment methods do not work for Tl in sources with high concentrations of ions like calcium (Ca⁺²) and potassium (K⁺), as they are removed preferentially to Tl. A treatment method that specifically targets Tl must be applied. Pilot studies conducted in Park City Utah found that pyrolusite, a manganese oxide ore, will remove Tl to very low concentrations in the presence of competing ions but because this method is not common, further study was …

Demand Disaggregation For Non-Residential Water Users In The City Of Logan, Utah, Usa, Nour Aldin Mahmoud Attaallah

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Non-residential users contribute to a significant portion of the total water delivered by water supplying agencies. However, a very limited number of studies have attempted to investigate the water use behavior of non-residential users. With the emergence of newer “smart” meters, water use now can be measured and recorded at a very high temporal frequency. Smart meters can help determine total water use, timing, and component end uses to better understand water use practices by non-residential users.

Water end use disaggregation is the process of separating the water used by each fixture or process within a facility. This is useful …

Assuring Intellectual Property Through Physical And Functional Comparisons, Adam Kendall Hastings

Theses and Dissertations

Hardware trojans pose a serious threat to trusted computing. However, hardware trojan detection methods are both numerous and onerous, making hardware trojan detection a difficult and time-consuming procedure. This thesis introduces the IP Assurance Framework, which drastically improves the time it takes design teams to test for hardware trojans. The IP Assurance Framework is implemented in two ways: The first method, Physical Assurance, compares instantiated IP blocks to a golden model via physical-level comparisons, while the second method, Functional Assurance, compares IP to a golden model using logical-level comparisons. Both methods are demonstrated to distinguish between tampered and untampered IP …

Analysis Of The Effects Of Inlet Distortion On Stall Cell Formation In A Transonic Compressor Using Create-Av Kestrel, Mikkel Andreas Unrau

Theses and Dissertations

Accurately predicting fan performance, including bounds of operation, is an important function of any Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) package. The presented research uses a CFD code developed as part of the Computational Research and Engineering Acquisition Tools and Environment (CREATE), known as Kestrel, to evaluate a single stage compressor at various operating conditions. Steady-state, single-passage simulations are carried out to validate capabilities recently added to Kestrel. The analysis includes generating speedlines of total pressure ratio and efficiency, as well as radial total temperature and total pressure profiles at two axial locations in the compressor at various operating conditions and fan …

Design And Characterization Of A Triple-Input Microfluidic Droplet Trapping Array Towards Multiplexed And Dynamic Single Cell Analysis, Riad Elkhanoufi

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Swat Online: Development Of A Web-Based Decision Support System For The Soil And Water Assessment Tool, Spencer Dean Mcdonald

Theses and Dissertations

As satellite and climate modelling technology continues to improve and as climatological disasters and issues continue to impact the global community, climate data will increase in size and relevance. With this new influx of information, it is becoming more and more important for scientists to simply and concisely communicate their findings to both decision makers in governments and disaster preparedness organizations and also to the general public. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) is a powerful modelling tool that allows scientists to simulate essentially all of the physical processes involved in the water cycle. The data that SWAT produces …

Building A Smart Nation: Singapore's Digital Journey, Siu Loon Hoe

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Singapore’s smart nation journey began when the drive was officially announced by the country’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in November 2014 (Lee, 2014). The vision is to improve people’s lives and create more opportunities through information and communications technology (ICT). The smart nation drive is an effort by the government to co-create innovative, people-centric solutions with citizens and businesses. The three priority areas, underpinned by cyber security, are elderly, transportation and data. Since then, various digital strategies and policies have been further articulated, and digital programmes and projects implemented in the country.

Budget-Constrained Regression Model Selection Using Mixed Integer Nonlinear Programming, Jingying Zhang

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Regression analysis fits predictive models to data on a response variable and corresponding values for a set of explanatory variables. Often data on the explanatory variables come at a cost from commercial databases, so the available budget may limit which ones are used in the final model.

In this dissertation, two budget-constrained regression models are proposed for continuous and categorical variables respectively using Mixed Integer Nonlinear Programming (MINLP) to choose the explanatory variables to be included in solutions. First, we propose a budget-constrained linear regression model for continuous response variables. Properties such as solvability and global optimality of the proposed …

Growth And Characterization Of Silicon-Germanium-Tin Semiconductors For Future Nanophotonics Devices, Bader Saad Alharthi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The bright future of silicon (Si) photonics has attracted research interest worldwide. The ultimate goal of this growing field is to develop a group IV based Si foundries that integrate Si-photonics with the current complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) on a single chip for mid-infrared optoelectronics and high speed devices. Even though group IV was used in light detection, such as photoconductors, it is still cannot compete with III-V semiconductors for light generation. This is because most of the group IV elements, such as Si and germanium (Ge), are indirect bandgap materials. Nevertheless, Ge and Si attracted industry attention because they are …

Experimentation And Modeling Of The Effects Of Along-Wind Dispersion On Cloud Characteristics Of Finite-Duration Contaminant Releases In The Atmosphere, Jessica M. Morris

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Along-wind dispersion, or stretching of the cloud in the direction of the wind, plays an important role in the concentration and modeling of contaminant releases in the atmosphere. Theoretical and empirical derivations were compared for appropriate parameterization of along-wind dispersion. Available field data were analyzed to evaluate and improve previous parameterizations of the along-wind dispersion coefficient, σ_x. An experimental test program was developed and executed in an ultra-low speed wind tunnel at the Chemical Hazards Research Center to determine the effects of the time distribution coefficient on true finite-duration releases from an original area source. Multiple wind speeds, release durations, …

Measuring Characteristic Shrinkage Variability Due To Metal Loading Effects In Low Temperature Co-Fired Ceramic Using Image Processing, John Ezekiel Zumbro

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) has many benefits when it comes to electronic packaging due to the low dielectric loss, reliability in extreme environments, and high breakdown voltage. Though the ceramic has a lot of benefits it is not widely used due to the high cost and complexities associated with manufacturing. One of these issues with manufacturing is compensating for the shrinkage of the ceramic, this is accomplished by using an expansion factor, creating the “green” or manufactured design. This expansion factor is approximated through knowledge of the ceramic factors such as the metal loading, layers of ceramic tape, firing …

Experimental Investigation Of A Green Hybrid Thruster Using A Moderately Enriched Compressed Air As The Oxidizer, Marc Anthony Bulcher

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A hybrid rocket is a propulsion system that uses propellants in two different phases, typically a solid fuel inside the combustion chamber and a separate gaseous or liquid oxidizer stored in a tank. Hybrid rockets are an area of research interest because of their low explosive risk, inexpensive components, and high degree of reliability. In the Propulsion Research Laboratory at Utah State University, pure oxygen is among the top choice for hybrid rocket oxidizers due to its low cost and ease of storage. When paired with a solid fuel known as ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) plastic, specific impulse values exceed …

Autonomous Trajectory Planning For Satellite Rpo And Safety Of Flight Using Convex Optimization, Nicholas G. Ortolano

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Optimal trajectory planning methods that implement convex optimization techniques are applied to the area of satellite rendezvous and proximity operations. This involves the development of linearized relative orbital motion dynamics and constraints for two satellites, where one maintains a near-circular reference orbit. The result is formulated as a convex optimization problem, where the objective is to minimize the amount of fuel required to transfer from a given initial condition to the desired final conditions. A traditional rendezvous and proximity operations scenario is analyzed, which includes examples of initial approach, inspection, final approach, and docking trajectories. This scenario may include trajectory …