Engineering Commons^™

Unsteady-State Contact Angle Hysteresis During Droplet Oscillation In Capillary Pores: Theoretical Model And Vof Simulation -- Supporting Information, Chao Zeng, Wen Deng, Lichun Wang

Research Data

Contact angle hysteresis (CAH) is a critical phenomenon that could significantly affect the fate of immiscible bubbles/droplets in vadose zones, nonaqueous phase liquid contaminated aquifers, and saline aquifers for CO₂ sequestration in terms of infiltration patterns and residual trapping mechanisms. When external physical impacts such as oscillatory excitation or pulse forcing are applied, it could result in pinned oscillation of droplets due to this CAH. Conventional steady-state analysis of contact angle could underestimate CAH. As the first time to take unsteady-state effect into consideration, a hydrodynamic analysis is developed in this study to address the unsteady-state CAH theoretically, and …

Novel Adaptive Sampling Algorithm For Pod-Based Non-Intrusive Reduced Order Model, Jiachen Wang, Xiaosong Du, Joaquim R.R.A. Martins

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) based reduced-order model (ROM) has been an effective tool for flow field prediction in the engineering industry. The sample selection in the design space for POD basis construction affects the ROM performance sensitively. Adaptive sampling can significantly reduce the number of samples to achieve the required model accuracy. In this work, we propose a novel adaptive sampling algorithm, called conjunction sampling strategy, which is based on proven strategies. The conjunction sampling strategy is demonstrated on airfoil flow field prediction within the transonic regime. We demonstrate the performance of the proposed strategy by running 10 trials …

A Convolutional Neural Network Model Based On Multiscale Structural Similarity For The Prediction Of Flow Fields, Yifu An, Xiaosong Du, Joaquim R.R.A. Martins

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

We have seen the emerging applications of deep neural networks for flow field predictions in the past few years. Most of the efforts rely on the increased complexity of the model itself or take advantage of novel network architectures, such as convolutional neural networks (CNN). However, reaching low prediction error cannot guarantee the quality of the predicted flow fields in terms of the perceived visual quality. This work introduces the multi-scale structural similarity (MS-SSIM) index method for flow field prediction. First, we train CNN models using the commonly used root mean squared error (RMSE) loss function as the reference. Then …

A Hydrologic Climate Study For An Arid Region, Ali Alsubeai

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Water is the most precious natural resource in arid regions due to the limitation of water resources, expanding population, and increasing volumes of industrial and domestic waste. The purpose of this research was to evaluate methods to estimate water quantity in an arid region. The research consisted of three separate studies. In the first study, hydrologic models used to estimate water quantity were evaluated for suitability of use in arid regions. Most hydrologic models that have been used in arid regions were originally developed for humid regions. Rainfall events in arid regions can be characterized as short-term, high intense rainstorms …

Effect Of Composition And Print Orientation On Thermal Conductivity Of 3d Printed Composites, Cory Jacques

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies have become widely used for rapid prototyping and are beginning to be used for end-use applications. Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is a type of 3D printing where molten thermoplastic is extruded layer by layer to create parts. There is an increasing need for improvement and diversification of material properties to further extend the use of AM parts. AM parts have not been commonly used in heat transfer applications due to the limited availability of information on thermal conductivity of materials and the effects of printing orientation. A special apparatus was designed and built to experimentally test …

Quality-Of-Service Architecture For Cloud Computing Networking, Ken R. Owens Jr., Steve Eugene Watkins

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Quality-of-service (QoS) performance is an important consideration for real-time and high-priority traffic on internet protocol (IP) networks. Service differentiation can provide a more efficient and customer-oriented internet. The “best-effort” internet models in use today cannot provide guarantees or service differentiation for end-to-end individual and aggregate data flows. Hardware-based models and software-based models do not completely address the total service-enabled solution. We propose a hybrid architecture that combines software and hardware features to handle network traffic with diverse QoS requirements. Since cloud providers leverage IP networks today, the model is based on a systems engineering approach that uses cloud computing technologies. …

Optimal Bidding Strategy For Physical Market Participants With Virtual Bidding Capability In Day-Ahead Electricity Markets, Hossein Mehdipourpicha, Rui Bo

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Virtual bidding provides a mechanism for financial players to participate in wholesale day-ahead (DA) electricity markets. The price difference between DA and real-time (RT) markets creates financial arbitrage opportunities for financial players. Physical market participants (MP), referred to as participants with physical assets, can also take advantage of virtual bidding but in a different way, which is to further amplify the value of their physical assets. Therefore, this work proposes a model for such physical MPs to maximize the profits. This model employs a bi-level optimization approach, where the upper-level subproblem maximizes the total profit from both physical generations and …

Dynamic Pricing In Electric Power Markets Affected By Distributed Energy Generation Using Agent-Based Modeling, Gasser G. Ali, Islam H. El-Adaway

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The power infrastructure in the US is facing many challenges concerning capacity, reliability, and sustainability. Some of those challenges are associated with the integration of distributed energy resources (DER) into the conventional grid system. DER may offer reliable and cost-effective distributed small-scale generation near or at end-consumers. However, it also creates new challenges for utilities and generating companies due to the uncertainties in estimating demands. Accordingly, the goal of this research is to investigate dynamic pricing in electric power markets considering the effect of the increasing penetration of DER. To achieve that goal, a complex system-of-systems model that combines agent-based …

Dales Objects: A Large Scale Benchmark Dataset For Instance Segmentation In Aerial Lidar, Nina M. Singer, Vijayan K. Asari

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

We present DALES Objects, a large-scale instance segmentation benchmark dataset for aerial lidar. DALES Objects contains close to half a billion hand-labeled points, including semantic and instance segmentation labels. DALES Objects is an extension of the DALES (Varney et al., 2020) dataset, adding additional intensity and instance segmentation annotation. This paper provides an overview of the data collection, preprocessing, hand-labeling strategy, and final data format. We propose relevant evaluation metrics and provide insights into potential challenges when evaluating this benchmark dataset. Finally, we provide information about how researchers can access the dataset for their use at go.udayton.edu/dales3d.

Tunable Optical Filter Using Phase Change Materials For Smart Ir Night Vision Applications, Remona Heenkenda, Keigo Hirakawa, Andrew Sarangan

Electro-Optics and Photonics Faculty Publications

In this paper we present a tunable filter using Ge2Sb2Se4Te1 (GSST) phase change material. The design principle of the filter is based on a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) cavity operating in the reflection mode. This is intended for night vision applications that utilize 850nm as the illumination source. The filter allows us to selectively reject the 850nm band in one state. This is illustrated through several daytime and nighttime imaging applications.

Will Carbon Dioxide Injection In Shale Reservoirs Produce From The Shale Matrix, Natural Fractures, Or Hydraulic Fractures?, Sherif Fakher, Youssef Elgahawy, Hesham Abdelaal, Abdulmohsin Imqam

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in shale reservoirs has been recently shown to increase oil recovery significantly from this unconventional oil and gas source. One of the most studied EOR methods in shale reservoirs is gas injection, with a focus on carbon Dioxide (CO₂) mainly due to the ability to both enhance oil recovery and store the CO₂ in the formation. Even though several shale plays have reported an increase in oil recovery using CO₂ injection, in some cases this method failed severely. This research attempts to investigate the ability of the CO₂ to mobilize crude …

Picosecond Pulsed Electric Fields And Promise In Neurodegeneration Research, Martina Zamponi, Ross Petrella, Peter A. Mollica

School of Medical Diagnostics & Translational Sciences Publications

The delivery of pulsed electric fields to biological cells for regenerative research and therapeutic applications is a field that has been widely explored. Picosecond pulsed electric fields have been shown to induce intracellular effects and directly target cell membrane proteins as well as being able to induce cell permeabilization and death by apoptosis. Additionally, ultrashort pulses can be focused and delivered in a noncontact manner for possible targeting of deep and inaccessible tissues. The unique characteristics of picosecond pulses make them a possible approach for treatment of Huntington's and Alzheimer's diseases, both characterized by progressive neuronal degeneration and death, and …

Rheology Of Particulate Suspensions With Non-Newtonian Fluids In Capillaries, Bin Xia, Paul Krueger

Mechanical Engineering Research

This resource contains the processed experimental measurements of the flow consistency index and flow behavior index, along with their trendlines, for the particulate suspensions investigated in "Rheology of Particulate Suspensions with Non-Newtonian Fluids in Capillaries" by Bin Xia and Paul S. Krueger.

Ground Movements And Vibrations Caused By Impact Pile Driving Of Prestressed Concrete Piles In Central Florida, Jorge Enrique Orozco Herrera

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The process of pile driving has been a commonly used method for the installation of deep foundations in Central Florida due to the soil conditions that consist mainly of medium-dense silty sands. Pile driving can generate large vibration levels that might potentially trigger ground deformations in the surrounding soils and cause damage on nearby structures. Currently, design and construction standards provide guidance in terms of ground vibration levels expected during pile driving and establish vibration thresholds to avoid damage on important infrastructure. However, little insight has been given into the amount of ground deformations that soils experience due to pile …

The Mechanics And Multiphysics Of Biomimetic Discrete Exoskeleton Substrates, Hessein Ali

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Biological structures have inspired synthetic materials with unparalleled performances such as ultra-lightweight design, tunable elasticity, camouflaging, and antifouling. Among biological structures, exoskeletal scales that cover the exterior surfaces of fishes, fur, and many reptiles. These exoskeletal scales had appeared in the earliest stages of evolution of complex multicellular life and continued their existence in spite of millions of years of evolutionary pressures. This makes them an attractive candidate for biomimicry to produce high performance multifunctional materials with applications to soft robotics, wearables, energy efficient smart skins, antifouling surfaces and on-demand tunable materials. Canonically speaking, biomimetic samples can be fabricated by …

The Effects Of Critical Micelle Concentration And Environmental Factors On Oil Separation In Simulated Bilgewater Emulsions, Kelsey Rodriguez Doran

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Improved bilgewater treatment is necessary because of technological challenges often faced when meeting existing ocean discharge criteria regulations. Since bilgewater is a waste mixture including hydraulic oils, cleaning agents, and seawater, the success of its management is largely attributed to understanding oil-in-water emulsion characterizations. However, the study of bilgewater emulsions is complex due to the multivariate nature of real-shipboard samples. The objective of this study is to develop the relationship between parameters commonly found in bilgewater and emulsion stability. This work is a continuation of a 3-year research project supported by the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP). Previous …

Modeling Of Crash Risk For Realistic Artificial Data Generation: Application To Naturalistic Driving Study Data, Lauren Hoover

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Most safety performance analysis employs cross-sectional and time-series datasets, posing an important challenge to safety performance and crash modification analysis. The traditional safety model analysis paradigm relying on observed data only allows relative comparisons between analysis methods and is unable to establish how well the methods mimic the true underlying crash generation process. Assumptions are made about the data, but whether the assumptions truly characterize the safety data generation in the real world remains unknown. To address this issue, this thesis proposes the generation of realistic artificial data (RAD). In developing a prototype RAD generator for crash data, we mimic …

Multi-Functional Fluorescence Microscopy Via Psf Engineering For High-Throughput Super-Resolution Imaging, Jinhan Ren

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Image-based single cell analysis is essential to study gene expression levels and subcellular functions with preserving the native spatial locations of biomolecules. However, its low throughput has prevented its wide use to fundamental biology and biomedical applications which require large cellular populations in a rapid and efficient fashion. Here, we report a 2.5D microcopy (2.5DM) that significantly improves the image acquisition rate while maintaining high-resolution and single molecule sensitivity. Unlike serial z-scanning in conventional approaches, volumetric information is simultaneously projected onto a 2D image plane in a single shot by engineering the fluorescence light using a novel phase pattern. The …

Combining Multivariate Statistical And Numerical Modeling For Coastal Hazards Analysis, Victor Malagon Santos

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Increased population density along the world's coastlines is driven by the wide range of services provided by costal systems, such as transportation, fisheries, trade, and tourism. Despite offering fundamental services, coastal systems are exposed to a range of natural hazards such as riverine and/or coastal flooding, and erosion, thus robust risk analyses are needed to protect coastal ecosystems, infrastructure, and people dwelling in proximity to the shoreline. Numerical and multivariate statistical models have become crucial tools in coastal risk management to support robust risk analyses, and their combined use provides many benefits in the analysis of coastal hazards. This dissertation …

Nanoplasmonic Colorimetric Sensors For Detection Of Ammonia From Water And Urine, Zuriel Caribe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Motivated by the need for inexpensive, simple, and portable devices for aqueous chemical analysis, we developed a nanoplasmonic colorimetric sensor capable of direct detection of wide range of chemicals. This novel sensor exploits the plasmonic resonance of metallic nanostructures with natural light to transduce changes in the chemical environment to changes in color, thus offering a simple route for real-time, in-situ, and low-cost analysis of aqueous chemical species. Due to its environmental and medical relevance, we chose aqueous ammonia to analyze and determine the efficacy and limit of detection of this sensing platform. For the metallic nanostructures we selected aluminium …

Investigating The Removal Of Total Trihalomethanes In Tray And Spray Aeration Processes At Two Central Florida Groundwater Treatment Facilities, Zachary Protas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

An investigation has been completed that assessed the efficiency of tray and spray aeration processes on the removal of regulated total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) at two publicly owned potable groundwater treatment facilities located in Polk County, Florida: the Providence and Van Fleet water treatment plants (WTPs). Finished water from each of these facilities was fed to a pilot-plant that could be operated as either a tray, spray, or combined configuration. A series of four pilot aerator configurations were tested at each WTP. Test 1 evaluated the tray aerator operated in a recirculated multiple-pass mode. It was shown that three passes across …

Real-Time Traffic Safety Evaluation In The Context Of Connected Vehicles And Mobile Sensing, Pei Li

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Recently, with the development of connected vehicles and mobile sensing technologies, vehicle-based data become much easier to obtain. However, only few studies have investigated the application of this kind of novel data to real-time traffic safety evaluation. This dissertation aims to conduct a series of real-time traffic safety studies by integrating all kinds of available vehicle-based data sources. First, this dissertation developed a deep learning model for identifying vehicle maneuvers using data from smartphone sensors (i.e., accelerometer and gyroscope). The proposed model was robust and suitable for real-time application as it required less processing of smartphone sensor data compared with …

Development Of Quantitative Intensity-Based Single-Molecule Assays, Benjamin Croop

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Fluorescence microscopy has emerged as a popular and powerful tool within biology research, owing to its exceptional signal contrast, specificity, and the versatility of the various microscope designs. Fluorescence microscopy has been used to study samples across orders of magnitude in physical scale ranging from tissues to cells, down to single-molecules, and as such has led to breakthroughs and new knowledge in a wide variety of research areas. In particular, single-molecule techniques are somewhat unique in their ability to study biomolecules in their native state, which enables the visualization of short-lived interactions and rare events which can be highly relevant …

Ground Movements And Nonlinear-Inelastic Response Of Buildings Induced By Excavations In Glacial Clay Deposits, A. Felipe Uribe-Henao

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The analysis of ground movements and nonlinear response of buildings induced by excavations in glacial clay deposits is conducted using finite element models built in PLAXIS2D and OpenSees. PLAXIS2D was used to simulate the performance of an urban cofferdam excavation braced with a concrete bracing system. Measured ground movements were compared with the computed response, and the influence of the temperature, installation, and curing effects on the concrete bracing is evaluated. Concrete time-dependent effects contributed to 32% of the maximum lateral wall movements. The numerical studies are expanded in a second finite element analysis to characterize the coupled fluid-solid response …

Actin Cytoskeleton Dynamics And Organization Modulated By Macromolecular Crowding, Cation Interaction, And Nanomaterials, Jinho Park

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The assembly of actin, the essential cytoskeleton protein, into filaments and bundles/networks is important in various cellular processes including cell movement and morphogenesis. Actin bundle formation occurs in crowded intracellular environments with the aid of actin-crosslinking proteins. The role of actin-crosslinking proteins such as fascin and a-actinin in bundle formation has been investigated, however, how intracellular environments affect actin crosslinker-induced bundle formation is unknown. In the first two parts of this dissertation, we explore the effects of macromolecular crowding and cation interactions on the organization and mechanics of actin crosslinker-induced bundles. To determine how changing environmental conditions modulate actin bundling, …

Modulation Of Actin Filament Severing And Mechanics By Gelsolin In Varying Ph Conditions, Claire Toland

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Actin is an essential cytoskeletal protein that plays a critical role in cell mechanics, structure and organization with the help of actin binding proteins (ABPs). Gelsolin is a calcium-dependent ABP that severs actin filaments and caps them at their barbed end, regulating cell motility and signaling through dynamic actin cytoskeleton remodeling. A recent study has indicated that low pH stabilizes the active conformations of gelsolin. Additionally, the binding of gelsolin to the barbed end of an actin filament induces a conformational change that propagates along the actin filament. However, it has not been well understood how the complex intracellular environments …

Impact Of Crowder Size On Actin Filament Assembly Kinetics, Bryan Demosthene

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Actin is an abundant and essential cytoskeletal protein that plays a central role in eukaryotic cell structure and motility. The intracellular environment where actin assembly occurs is crowded with various organelles, proteins, and macromolecules that limit the accessible volume for biomolecular reactions. Macromolecular crowding induces excluded volume effects influencing the activity of biological molecules as well as the shape and conformation of proteins. Crowding agents, such as polysaccharides or inert polymeric molecules, are used to mimic the conditions present in intracellular spaces and provide a better understanding of interactions inside the cell. Macromolecular crowding has been shown to affect actin …

Development Of Multi-Scale Characterization Techniques For Stress Corrosion Cracking Of Aerospace Alloys, Nicholas Reed

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Corrosion presents an inherent challenge in the safe and effective use of metallic aerospace structures for extended periods of time. Progress in the fundamental understanding of corrosion initiation and propagation under stress requires a multi-scale approach that leverages experiments to develop predictive models. Although there exists a large amount of research results tracking the corrosive processes of anodic dissolution and hydrogen embrittlement, the amount of available data and modeling of the micro-scale initiation of corrosion is sparse. This work leverages a suite of characterization techniques to systematically analyze an aerospace grade aluminum alloy AA7075-T6, providing important multi-scale data for correlation …

Energy-Aware Real-Time Scheduling On Heterogeneous And Homogeneous Platforms In The Era Of Parallel Computing, Ashik Ahmed Bhuiyan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Multi-core processors increasingly appear as an enabling platform for embedded systems, e.g., mobile phones, tablets, computerized numerical controls, etc. The parallel task model, where a task can execute on multiple cores simultaneously, can efficiently exploit the multi-core platform's computational ability. Many computation-intensive systems (e.g., self-driving cars) that demand stringent timing requirements often evolve in the form of parallel tasks. Several real-time embedded system applications demand predictable timing behavior and satisfy other system constraints, such as energy consumption. Motivated by the facts mentioned above, this thesis studies the approach to integrating the dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) policy with real-time …

Inventions Of Scientists, Engineers And Specialists From Different Countries In The Area Of Nanotechnologies. Part Iii, L. A. Ivanov, L. D. Xu, E. S. Bokova, A. V. Demenev, V. A. Ivanov

Information Technology & Decision Sciences Faculty Publications

Introduction. Advanced technologies impress people’s imagination demonstrating the latest achievements (materials, methods, systems, technologies, devices etc.) that dramatically change the world. This, first of all, concerns nanotechnological inventions designed by scientists, engineers and specialists from different countries.

Main part. The article provides an abstract review of patents. The results of creative activity of scientists, engineers and specialists, including inventions in the field of nanotechnology and nanomaterials, being implemented, allow achieving a significant effect in construction, housing and community services, and related sectors of the economy. For example, the invention «Composite material with oriented carbon nanotubes» refers to the area of …