Engineering Commons^™

The Impact Of Working Capitalmanagementon Firm Profitability Of Non-Financial Companies Listed On Palestine Security Exchange, Nafieh Assaf

Palestine Technical University Research Journal

This study aims to empirically examine the relationship between Working Capital management and profitability of non-financial listed firms onthe Palestine Security Exchange (PSE). Working capital management focuses on managing the company's short-term assets and liabilities. Motivated by the resource-based view theory, this study developed a conceptual including four variables (Cash Conversion Cycle, Accounts receivable period, accounts payable periodand Inventory holding period). Based on quantitative data (secondary data), the data was collected from 24 non-financial companies listed on PSE during the period 2015-2020, a total of 144 observations. The results show that the cash conversion cycle affects profitability positively. However, the …

تأثير أبعاد جودة النظام على الثقة في تبني التجارة الالكترونية من خلال الهاتف المحمول: وجهة نظر العميل الفلسطيني, Fadi Ahmad Herzallah Dr.

Palestine Technical University Research Journal

Several pieces of evidence evince that system quality is closely and importantly related to the use of the system in previous empirical work and studies chiefly in the mobile commerce (M-Commerce) systems. At present, in light of the marketing needs related to services and products, M-Commerce is regarded as the major method and channel to use in this area. Yet, it is contended that as system quality’s significance is unquestionable, it is a new area that still needs much exploration. Against this, this study aims at examining the system quality dimensions’ impact on customer trust in M-Commerce by adapting the …

Classification And Creation Of Design Tools And Methods For Social Impact Considerations In Engineering For Global Development, Andrew Gary Armstrong

Theses and Dissertations

Every product has economic, environmental, and social impacts whether or not those impacts are explicitly considered. These impacts affect society and are an important part of engineering design. "Triple Bottom Line Sustainability" focuses on economic, environmental, and social sustainability and has become an important goal for those designing products. Economic considerations are an established part of the engineering design process. Environmental considerations are increasingly being considered in design including the development of design standards and widely used methodologies. Social impact considerations, however, lack the standardization and wide inclusion of economic and environmental considerations. This results in reduced and unbalanced consideration …

Western Kentucky University Stormwater Utility Survey 2022, Warren Campbell

SEAS Faculty Publications

The main goal of this survey is to identify as many U.S. Stormwater Utilities (SWUs) as possible. Because many stormwater professionals do not have the time to respond to questionnaires, our primary method of identification was Internet searches. We searched on key terms such as “stormwater utility”, “stormwater fee”, and “drainage fee”. We scoured on-line municipal codes such as Municode, AmLegal, Sterling, LexisNexis, General Code, and others. We searched through many city web sites trying to find utilities. We have also had many people contact me to update fees and identify new utilities. However, the data primarily comes from Internet …

تأثير استخدام أنواع مختلفة من الأسمدة على نمو ونوعية الخس (Lactuca Sativa L.), Basel Natsheh, Nawaf Abukhalaf

Palestine Technical University Research Journal

The experiment was conducted during the period from March to the end of April 2019 to observe the effect of different fertilizer regimes on the growth, quality and yield of lettuce under field conditions. The experiment was consisting of four treatments as well as a control without fertilizer T1, compost T2, compost tea T3 and chemical fertilizer T4, in each treatment 50 replicates were planted. The measurements included wet and dry weight for shoot and root, plant length, and chlorophyll percentage. The study revealed that lettuce's best growth values were obtained with the use of eco-friendly organic fertilizer accompanied by …

Methods For Characterizing Groundwater Resources With Sparse In-Situ Data, Ren Nishimura

Theses and Dissertations

Groundwater water resources must be accurately characterized in order to be managed sustainably. Due to the cost to install monitoring wells and challenges in collecting and managing in-situ data, groundwater data is sparse in space and time especially in developing countries. In this study we analyzed long-term groundwater storage changes with limited times-series data where each well had only one groundwater measurement in time. We developed methods to synthetically create times-series groundwater table elevation (WTE) by clustering wells with uniform grid and k-means-constrained clustering and creating pseudo wells. Pseudo wells with the WTE values from the cluster-member wells were temporally …

Reduced-Scale Experiments And Numerical Simulations Of Informal Settlement Dwelling Fires, Vigneshwaran Narayanan, Antonio Cicicone, Ayden D. Botha, Richard Shaun Walls

Progress in Scale Modeling, an International Journal

Informal settlement dwellings (ISDs) house approximately one billion people in the developing world and this number is expected to double by the year 2030. Contemporary research on ISD fires has focused on understanding the fire dynamics within individual dwellings (micro-scale) and fire spread in settlements consisting of multiple dwellings (macro-scale). This paper aims to do two primary things: investigate if scaling methods that were derived for compartments with thermally thick boundaries can be applied to ISDs (compartments with thermally thin boundaries), and if they can adequately represent the most important phenomena associated with full-scale ISD fires; and demonstrate Fire Dynamics …

Channeling Influence On Noise And Aerodynamic Performance Of Naca 0012 Airfoil As A Possible Solution Of Wind Turbines Noise, Hussein Khudhayer Mohammad

Dissertations

This work numerically and experimentally investigates the effect of using channels inside airfoils on the noise level as a possible resolution for aerodynamic noise generated by wind turbines. The work also investigates aerodynamic performance and turbulence around the employed airfoils. The results reveal that some of the samples show some improvement in reducing the aerodynamic noise. The reduction of the aerodynamic noise is explained as the trailing edge blowing injection that reduces the wake momentum deficit of the blade and reduces the pressure fluctuation which is responsible for noise production. Particularly, the angles of channel inclination with respect to the …

Solid Thermal Storage As An Energy Storage Device In Insulated Solar Electric Cookers: Thermal Modeling And Experiment, Michael Antonio Fernandez

Physics

The use of solid thermal storage (STS) as an energy storage device in insulated solar electric cookers (ISEC) was explored using a thermal simulation before retrofitting an existing cooker without energy storage and testing it under several conditions. STS sizing, material selection, and geometry were examined from both theoretical and practical perspectives and re-examined following experimental results. Characterization of the system’s thermal interfaces and methods to improve their thermal conductivities were investigated resulting in several performance enhancements to the system.

Frugal Leafy Green Shredding & Washing Machines, Seth Brown, Guillermo Escobar, Shane Murphy, Leslie Valenzuela, Ben Voelz

Mechanical Engineering Senior Theses

The goal of this project is to create specialized frugal appliances to assist women in rural Cameroon by reducing the amount of time it takes to prepare food. Specifically, the project focuses on two tasks: slicing eru leaves and washing bitter leaves. After researching the market and collecting information from women in South Cameroon, two appliances were designed: an eru leaf shredder and a bitter leaf washer. The shredder is a manual shredding device that uses a rotating blade and shaft subsystem to slice leaves, reducing labor time by 62% and increasing safety with features such as a hopper and …

Soil Degradation Of A Plastic Blend Of Opuntia Ficusindica Juice, Animal Protein And Beeswax, Isabel A. Gamez, Daniel R. Kava

Materials Engineering

Since the introduction of single use plastics in the early 1900s, their usage has increased exponentially. Unfortunately, due to this exponential increase there are negative environmental implications of their production, which requires further consideration. Currently, there are various waste disposal practices for SUPs, including landfilling, incineration, and recycling. Recent data revealed that only 14 % of plastic waste was recycled, with 40% of plastic waste being landfilled, while the rest of the plastic waste was incinerated or released to the environment at 14 % and 32 %, respectively. A potential solution to the plastic waste issue is developing a polymer …

Look At All Those Big Knobs! Online Audio Technology Discourse And Sexy Gear Fetishes, Eliot Bates, Samantha Bennett

Publications and Research

Despite a predominantly digital, 21st century music production landscape, analogue hardware professional audio technologies persist. In the discoursal throes of the leading online audio technology message forum Gearslutz, such technologies are routinely objectified, sexualized, fetishized and socialized into gear. Situated in a contemporary critical, interdisciplinary framework of fetish, masculinity and sexuality studies, this research interrogates how audio technologies manufactured and intended for music production contexts become sexy. Applying a mixed-mode methodology, including an intensive discourse, image and material-semiotic analysis of an ‘epic’ sexy gear thread, we collated extensive data about technological fetishization. Sexy gear discourse articulates themes of voyeurism, acquisition, …

Static Testing Of Hybrid Rocket Engine Using Biomass Waste, Saleh Mohammed Musaed Badi

Theses

This work investigates experimentally for the first time the performance of two solid biomass wastes as propellants for a Hybrid Rocket Motor based on the combustion and propulsion parameters such as combustion chamber pressure, thrust force, chamber temperature, combustion characteristics, and flame length generated. The main objective of this study is to examine the performance of the proposed biomass fuels (Date stone powder and Jojoba waste powder) in comparison with typical hydrocarbon fuels. To make an accurate comparison, Paraffin Wax-based propellant was used in this study as a reference fuel to compare with biomass performance using the same testing facility …

Journeyman International: The Well Rusororo Project, Maranda F. Maliska

Construction Management

The Well Rusororo Project is based in Kigali, Rwanda on the same property of the Light Church of Kabuga. The non-profit organization, Journeyman International has teamed up with the Africa Mission Alliance in an effort to create a community campus available to the public. This project has been broken up into two stages; the first is a renovation of two existing buildings totaling 500 square meters, and the second is a ground-up construction of a 3,000 square meter multipurpose center. For their project-based senior project, this student volunteered with Journeyman International to assist in the creation of the following deliverables …

Preconstruction Services For Hiinga Hospital Kampala, Uganda, Brett Robert Shank

Construction Management

This project outlines the role of a construction management student in the interdisciplinary development of a hospital in Kampala, Uganda. The Hiinga Organization, an investment fund in Eastern Africa, tasked a team of students to develop a preliminary design and put together construction resources for a new hospital. Hiinga will use these documents, with the preliminary drawings, to gather funding for the actual construction of the building. The interdisciplinary team consisted of an architecture student (Annebel van der Meulen), two architectural engineering students (Abbie Coffing and Lexi Buhr), and two construction management students (Arley Landis and Brett Shank). Van der …

Happiness And Policy Implications: A Sociological View, Sarah M. Kahl

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The World Happiness Report is released every year, ranking each country by who is “happier” and explaining the variables and data they have used. This project attempts to build from that base and create a machine learning algorithm that can predict if a country will be in a “happy” or “could be happier” category. Findings show that taking a broader scope of variables can better help predict happiness. Policy implications are discussed in using both big data and considering social indicators to make better and lasting policies.

Optimizing Speed Profiles For Sustainable Train Operation With Wayside Energy Storage Systems, Leon A. Allen

Dissertations

Large hauling capability and low rolling resistance has put rail transit at the forefront of mass transportation mode sustainability in terms of congestion mitigation and energy conservation. As such, rail vehicles are one of the least energy-intensive modes of transportation and least environmentally polluting. Despite, these positives, improper driving habits and wastage of the braking energy through dissipation in braking resistors result in unnecessary consumption, extra costs to the operator and increased atmospheric greenhouse gas emissions.

This study presents an intelligent method for the optimization of the number and locations of wayside energy storage system (WESS) units that maximize the …

Optimization Of Polyhydroxyalkanoates (Phas) Bioplastic Production From Wastewater Activated Sludge, Bo Deng

Dissertations

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) is a biopolymer which has similar properties as fossil-fuel based plastic but also has capacity to biodegrade completely in the environment condition. This project aims to optimize the process to produce bioplastic PHA using activated sludge from wastewater. Specifically, five major research objectives are explored: (i) develop a quantification method of PHA by using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)F; (ii) improve the PHA production from mixed microbial cultures (MMC) by optimizing MMC; (iii) simulate the PHA production by using wastewater; (iv) evaluate the application of enzyme (alpha-amylase) in PHA production process; (v) market the investigation of wastewater produced PHA. …

Feral Horses And Bison At Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota, United States) Exhibit Shifts In Behaviors During Drone Flights, Javier Lenzi, Christopher J. Felege, Robert Newman, Blake Mccann, Susan N. Ellis-Felege

Biology Faculty Publications

Drone use has been rapidly increasing in protected areas in North America, and potential impacts on terrestrial megafauna have been largely unstudied. We evaluated behavioral responses to drones on two terrestrial charismatic species, feral horse (Equus caballus) and bison (Bison bison), at Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota, United States) in 2018. Using a Trimble UX5 fixed-wing drone, we performed two flights at 120 m above ground level (AGL), one for each species, and recorded video footage of their behaviors prior to, during, and after the flight. Video footage was analyzed in periods of 10 s intervals, and the occurrence …

A Review：Geological Feasibility And Technological Applicability Of Underground Coal Gasification, Jiang Xiuming, Wu Caifang

Coal Geology & Exploration

Underground coal gasification (UCG) is a potential new method of coal utilization, which is of great significance for alleviating China’s energy crisis, ensuring national energy security, and achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals. It has always been valued by countries all over the world. On the suitability of UCG resource conditions, the feasibility of process and technology, and the controllability of environmental impact, this paper summarizes the development status of UCG technology, and clarifies the coal resource reserves suitable for UCG technology, different standards of geological area selection and location selection technology, the development history and applicable conditions of …

Natural Layered Mercury Antimony Sulfosalt Livingstonite With Anisotropic Optical Properties, Ravi P.N. Tripathi, Jie Gao, Xiaodong Yang

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Naturally occurring layered mineral livingstonite is identified as a new type of van der Waals (vdW) heterostructure based 2D material, consisting of two commensurately modulated alternating layers of HgSb2S4 and Sb2S4. The heterostructures of livingstonite crystal are prepared as thin flakes via mechanical exfoliation method. The prepared livingstonite crystals are further investigated in the context of vibrational, linear, and nonlinear optical properties, including anisotropic Raman scattering, wavelength-dependent linear dichroism (LD) transition effect, birefringence, and anisotropic third-harmonic generation (THG). Owing to the monoclinic crystal structure, livingstonite crystals exhibit strong anisotropic vibrational and optical responses. In contrast to conventional vdW heterostructures, the …

Impact Of The Ban On Illegal Mining Activities On Raw Water Quality: A Case-Study Of Konongo Water Treatment Plant, Ashanti Region Of Ghana, Sadique Anyame Bawa, Prince Antwi-Agyei, Martin Kyereh Domfeh

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The Government of Ghana prohibited Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) operations from 2017 to 2018 as part of its strategy to address the socio-environmental issues caused by illegal mining activities, also referred to as “galamsey” operations. This study assessed the trend in the water quality of raw water abstracted at the Konongo Water Treatment Plant (WTP) for treatment before and after implementing the ban on “galamsey” operations. The main source of raw water for the Konongo WTP is the Anuru River. Secondary data on physicochemical water quality from 2006 to 2019 was sourced from the Konongo WTP and the Ashanti …

Improved Methodology For Monitoring The Impact Of Mining Activities On Socio-Economic Conditions Of Local Communities, Binay Prakash Pandey, Devi Prasad Mishra

Journal of Sustainable Mining

Mining activities can cause tangible socio-economic improvements in the surrounding regions. Such potential has not been fully realized, owing to the fact that the socio-economic impact assessment processes exercised in India merely predict the footprint of industrial activity on the surrounding population. Consequently, project proponents are mandated to implement a management plan in cases of foreseeable negative consequences. However, both, the assessment study, as well as the process of implementation of a management plan, are riddled with significant gaps and limitations. Primary data collected for this research makes it apparent that, in comparison to the revenue generated from the mining …

Influence Of Boundary Conditions And Internal Fluid Types On Dynamic Characteristics Of A Deepwater Riser, Lei Guo, Zong-Ming Zhu, Zhong-Jian Pan, Zhi-Ming Guo

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Deepwater Steel Catenary Riser (DSCR) is the key structure of oil and gas production system in the ocean. To design an optimized DSCR system, the dynamic characteristics of the DSCR are analyzed by setting some different boundary condi-tions and internal fluid types. The main vibration mode of the DSCR is found orthogonal to both mass and stiffness according to the normalization condition of the main mode, and then the regular mode function and the jth order principal stiffness Kpj are obtained. Under different initial conditions, the transverse responses of DSCR represented by regular coordinates under arbitrary excitation are obtained. Then, …

Global Opportunities And Challenges For Coal Combustion Products With A Circular Economy, Craig Heidrich, Joachim Feuerborn

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

No abstract provided.

Privacy Assessment Breakthrough: A Design Science Approach To Creating A Unified Methodology, Lisa Mckee

Masters Theses & Doctoral Dissertations

Recent changes have increased the need for and awareness of privacy assessments. Organizations focus primarily on Privacy Impact Assessments (PIA) and Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIA) but rarely take a comprehensive approach to assessments or integrate the results into a privacy risk program. There are numerous industry standards and regulations for privacy assessments, but the industry lacks a simple unified methodology with steps to perform privacy assessments. The objectives of this research project are to create a new privacy assessment methodology model using the design science methodology, update industry standards and present training for conducting privacy assessments that can be …

Dialysis Patient Education On The Prevention Of Kidney Disease Prior To Patients Receiving Dialysis: A Retrospective Descriptive Study, Jamie D. Jones

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

Fifty-two adult patients at an outpatient dialysis center in central Arkansas were surveyed regarding the education that was provided by medical professionals related to kidney disease and dialysis during treatment of hypertension and diabetes. The twenty-question survey inquired about demographic information, medical history, and the timing and perceived comprehension of education received. The researcher discovered that the majority of patients did not receive education that identified hypertension and diabetes as contributing factors of kidney disease until after diagnosis of kidney disease. The vast majority of participants reported that education regarding the life implications of dialysis, including fluid and dietary restrictions, …

Permaculture As An Ecopedagogy Curriculum And Alternative Theory Of Development : An Exploration Of The Ecological Consciousness Of Rural Western Kenyan Farmers Using Photo-Voice With A Farmer Field School During Covid-19, David Yisrael Epstein

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This dissertation explores two main questions of farmers in Western Kenya – how they see farming as a creative process and their role in that – and how change is made possible in their community. I explore stories from farmers themselves, using photographs they have taken and stories they tell about those photographs, which answer these two questions. In doing so, I attempt to understand the degree to which collective action has taken root in a community exposed to a permaculture based curriculum within a farmer field school. It also importantly seeks to understand what happens when such a curriculum …

Lithospheric Structure Underneath The Archean Tanzania Craton And Adjacent Regions From A Joint Inversion Of Receiver Functions And Rayleigh-Wave Phase Velocity Dispersion, Tuo Wang, Stephen S. Gao, Qiuyue Yang, Ling Chen, Kelly H. Liu

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Lithospheric structure beneath the Archean Tanzania craton and adjacent regions, including segments of the East African rift system (EARS) and the Proterozoic-early Paleozoic orogenic belts between the EARS and the craton, is imaged by a joint inversion of receiver functions and Rayleigh wave dispersion measurements derived from ambient seismic noise for shorter periods and teleseismic data for longer periods. Our resulting crustal thickness, crustal VP= VS measurements and 3D shear-wave velocity model for the upper 120 km show a clear spatial correspondence with major surficial geological features. The new results suggest the presence of a mafic layer in the bottom …

Liquid And Solids Phase Backmixing In A Bubble And Slurry Bubble Column Using A Virtual Tracer Response Methodology Based On The Trajectory Data Of The Radioactive Particle Tracking (Rpt) Technique, Lu Han, Premkumar Kamalanathan, Muthanna H. Al-Dahhan

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Virtual tracer response methodology developed based on the trajectory data of the computer aided radioactive particle tracking (CARPT) technique was demonstrated. The demonstrated virtual tracer technique has advantages of non-invasiveness, near perfect injection/sampling, and flexibility in choosing the sampling/injection boundaries in a specific spatial pattern. With the developed virtual tracer technique, liquid and solids back mixing was investigated at the conditions mimicking Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. Experiments were conducted at different pressure, solids loading, and superficial gas velocity. The axial dispersion model (ADM) and recirculation and cross flow dispersion (RCFD) models were used to model the liquid mixing. Transient sedimentation dispersion model …