Engineering Commons^™

First-Year Engineering Students’ Motivation To Participate In Virtual International Collaborative Experiential Program (Vicep): An Expectancy-Value-Cost Approach, Cedrick Kwuimy, So Yoon Yoon

Journal of International Engineering Education

Changes in course delivery mechanisms necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic created an opportunity to develop a Virtual International Collaborative Experiential Program (VICEP) as an alternative to traditional, travel-based study abroad programs. This paper presents the results of an investigation of engineering students’ motivation, perceived challenges, and preferred geographic areas for the VICEP. A sample of 116 first-year engineering students at the University of Cincinnati responded to survey items regarding their perceptions of motivation to participate in the VICEP, including in terms of expectancy, value, and cost, along with open-ended questions. Both male and female students scored the highest on value …

Interacting Action Of Alkali-Silica Reaction And Chloride-Induced Steel Corrosion On The Reinforced Concrete Structures – A Critical Review, Williams Dunu

CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development

The degradation of reinforced concrete (RC) structures amidst the progression of corrosion within alkali-silica reaction (ASR)-affected structures is a complex phenomenon marked by diverse causal factors and repercussions. While the initiation phase of chloride-induced steel corrosion and ASR in RC structures has received extensive scrutiny, insufficient attention has been dedicated to comprehending the propagation phase (tp). Therefore, this study addresses this gap by centering its focus on the propagation phase, driven by the imperative need to formulate efficient and sustainable maintenance, repair, and management strategies for RC structures grappling with the concurrent impacts of degradation mechanisms such as ASR and …

Assessment Of Infrastructure Development Approach In Newly Created Districts In Zambia: Case Study, Chimanga Kabwe, Musonda Innocent, Franco Muleya

CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development

This article evaluates the infrastructure development plans in Zambia's newly established districts, primarily focusing on assessing their effectiveness. Infrastructure development encompasses various strategies, and this study investigates the factors influencing the selection of these strategies for implementing infrastructure projects in Zambia. Through structured interviews and questionnaires distributed to 500 respondents, the research highlights the critical role of community involvement. Communities play a pivotal role in identifying essential amenities, setting priorities for infrastructure construction, incorporating their ideas, and participating in the planning process for executing infrastructure projects. The analysis reveals that community members held varying perspectives on the significance of infrastructure …

Human Gender Classification Using Kinect Sensor: A Review, Hesham Adnan Alabbasi, Florica Moldoveanu, Alin Moldoveanu

BAU Journal - Science and Technology

Human Gender Classification using Kinect sensor aims to classifying people’s gender based on their outward appearance. Application areas of Kinect sensor technology includes security, marketing, healthcare, and gaming. However, because of the changes in pose, attire, and illumination, gender determination with the Kinect sensor is not a trivial task. It is based on a variety of characteristics, including biological, social network, face, and body aspects. In recent years, gender classification that utilizes the Kinect sensor became a popular and essential way for accurate gender classification. A variety of methods and approaches, like machine learning, convolutional neural networks, sport vector machine …

The Role Of Colony Morphology And Substratum Inclination On The Distribution Of Eunicella Verrucosa On Shallow Reefs, Luke Thompson

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Eunicella verrucosa plays an important role in shallow reefs, where they produce a complex 'sheet tree' morphology that supports a variety of benthic-dwelling organisms. E. verrucosa is considered 'vulnerable' by the IUCN Red List, which validates the importance of understanding the biotic and abiotic factors influencing the species morphology and survival. This study analyses how horizontal and vertical slope inclinations influence colony morphology. A population of 115 E. verrucosa colonies were observed at Plymouth's inner breakwater fort at 8–13.8m in depth. The influence of inclination on morphology was investigated by observing colony height, encrusting branch diameter and branch complexity for …

Feminist Pedagogy In Stem: The Intersection Of Stem Pedagogy And Feminist Theory, Lesley-Ann Giddings, Candice R. Price

Feminist Pedagogy

No abstract provided.

Early-Age Strength And Failure Characteristics Of 3d Printable Polymer Concrete: Numerical Modelling And Experimental Testing, Mohammad Amin Dehghani Najvani

Civil Engineering ETDs

The time-dependent rheological and early-age strength parameters of Polymer concrete (PC) were investigated. PC flow decreased, and the static yield stress and thixotropy increased as the specimen aged, while the dynamic yield stress remained unchanged. The study found that the Herschel-Bulkley model can accurately describe the PC’s rheological behavior over time. The change in cohesion strength and internal friction angle over time was observed using uniaxial unconfined compression and direct shear tests of fresh PC. A time-dependent MohrCoulomb failure criterion was established. Temperature analysis was used to determine the gel time and explain the evolution of the time-dependent early-age strength …

Machine Learning With Multi-Source Data To Predict And Explain Marine Pilot Occupational Accidents, Gokhan Camliyurt, Youngsoo Park, Daewon Kim, Won Sik Kang, Sangwon Park

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Marine pilot occupational accidents during transfer to/from ships are the primary concern of the International Marine Pilots’ Association (IMPA) and industry professionals. There are multiple transfer methods for marine pilots, with the most common being the pilot boat. To reach the mother ship bridge, the following stages must be safely completed: car transfer, walking on the pier, pier to pilot boat, pilot transfer by boat, cutter to pilot ladder, mother ship freeboard climbing, and ship deck to the bridge. Each stage has its own risk. Previous accident records and expert opinions are commonly used to conduct a risk analysis and …

Reconstructing Modis Aerosol Optical Depth And Exploring Dynamic And Influential Factors Of Aod Via Random Forest At The Global Scale, Bin Guo, Zheng Wang, Lin Pei, Xiaowei Zhu, Qiuji Chen, Haojie Wu, Wencai Zhang, Dingming Zhang

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Aerosols pose a significant impact on the atmospheric environment and public health. Aerosol optical depth (AOD) is one of the essential parameters for quantifying aerosols. Currently, existing AOD products suffer from severe pixel value missing issue due to clouds and other interferences globally, which severely affects the accuracy of fine particulate matter estimation and related epidemics researches. At the global scale, this study first adopted population as one of the influencing factors of AOD, and fully considered the effects of humidity, surface pressure, cloud cover, and evapotranspiration on AOD. Meanwhile, the spatiotemporal resolution of meteorological data was promoted to improve …

Stochastic Point Process Modeling For Engineering Applications, Samarth Motagi

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Hawkes model or self-exciting point process model is a branching point process model. The model classifies the dataset of discrete events to background and offspring events. It has been used to study interconnected events in many fields, but relatively little work exists in applying these concepts to engineering problems. In our research, we use a self-exciting point process model for two engineering applications: (a) To identify secondary crashes from a given traffic data and (b) To quantify the agglomeration state and size of nanoparticles from computationally generated carbon nanotube microstructure using stochastic percolation model and experimentally generated titanium nanoparticle microstructures. …

Fintech And Entrepreneurship: An Assessment Model To Evaluate Policy Instruments For Fintech Adoption By Small And Medium Enterprises (Smes), Deemah Abdullah Alassaf

Dissertations and Theses

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the engines that drive economic development. They are the backbone of the middle class as they provide social stability, innovation, inclusive growth, and poverty alleviation. SMEs contribute significantly to job creation, employment, tax provision and the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, they face inferior conditions and challenges when it comes to their financing compared to that of large enterprises, as well as having a high expectancy of failing. Because of these limitations, SMEs tend to grow slowly since building up higher credit is difficult for them, and in addition to this, they lack access …

Guidelines For Sustainable Use Of Mobile Instant Messaging Apps In Higher Education: A South African Case Study, Bronwyn C. Swartz, Sweta Patnaik

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objective: The purpose of the study was to propose guidelines to facilitate the sustainable and successful use of mobile instant messaging apps for learning and teaching based on a review of the literature and perceptions of educators. Fraser’s model of redistribution, recognition, and representation served as the theoretical framework. This study provides a mechanism for the development of a socially just and inclusive online classroom environment.

Method: We conducted two focus groups (n = 4 and n = 3) in November 2021 at a university of technology in South Africa to explore the perceptions of educators on using mobile …

Impact Of Irrigation On Vulnerability Of Winter Wheat Under Extreme Climate Change Scenario: A Case Study Of North China Plain, Yulian Gao, Lin Wang, Yaojie Yue

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

An inadequate understanding of the impacts of adaptation countermeasures tends to exaggerate the adverse e􀀀ects of climate change on agricultural systems. Motivated by proposing reasonable climate change adaptation countermeasures, the present study applied the EPIC model to quantify the impacts of climate change and irrigation changes with future socioeconomic development on agricultural production. Winter wheat yield losses using dynamic irrigation parameters in the North China Plain (NCP) from 2010 to 2099 under a scenario coupling climate change and future socioeconomic development (RCP8.5-SSP3), and those under an extreme climate change scenario (RCP8.5), were simulated. Results show that EPIC model demonstrates superior …

Barriers To The Adoption Of Digitalization In The Construction Industry: Perspectives Of Owners, Contractors, And Contractors, Waleed Abu-Khader

Publications

Construction organizations are moving toward adopting digitalization in response to Industry 4.0. However, the slow adoption of digitalization has been observed. This study aimed to assess the level of digitalization adoption and evaluate the barriers to adopting digitalization in the Jordanian construction industry by all project parties in the public and private sectors. The study targets were achieved through a structured questionnaire using SPSS software for analysis through the following statistical tests: Normality test, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis H, and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). Most respondents used software at the design stage, and less than half did not use any software …

Barriers To The Adoption Of Digitalization In The Construction Industry: Perspectives Of Owners, Consultants, And Contractors, Rawan Al-Omari, Ghaleb Sweis, Waleed Abu-Khader, Rateb Sweis

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Construction organizations are moving toward adopting digitalization in response to Industry 4.0. However, the slow adoption of digitalization has been observed. This study aimed to assess the level of digitalization adoption and evaluate the barriers to adopting digitalization in the Jordanian construction industry by all project parties in the public and private sectors. The study targets were achieved through a structured questionnaire using SPSS software for analysis through the following statistical tests: Normality test, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis H, and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). Most respondents used software at the design stage, and less than half did not use any software …

Chronic Kidney Disease Android Application, Paul Le

Computer Science and Engineering Senior Theses

Chronic kidney disease is increasingly recognized as a leading public health problem over the world that affects more than 10 percent of the population worldwide, where electrolytes and wastes can build up in your system. Kidney failure might not be noticeable until more advanced stages where it may then become fatal if not for artificial filtering or a transplant. As a result, it is important to detect kidney disease early on to prevent it from progressing to kidney failure. The current main test of the disease is a blood test that measures the levels of a waste product called creatine …

Analysis And Simulation Of Nuclear Thermal Energy Storage Systems For Increasing Grid Stability, Jaron Wallace

Theses and Dissertations

With the growing capacity of renewable energy production sources, nuclear energy, once a mainstay of power generation, faces challenges due to its limited adaptability to fluctuating energy demands. This inherent rigidity makes it less desirable than the more flexible renewable sources. However, integrating thermal energy storage (TES) systems offers a promising avenue, enabling nuclear power plants (NPPs) to enhance their operational flexibility and remain competitive in an evolving renewable market. A comprehensive ranking methodology has been introduced, delineating the criteria and processes to determine the most synergistic TES/NPP design couplings. This methodology considers the unique characteristics of both current and …

Design Of An Angle Measurement Device Using Ultrasonic Pairs, Shadi Khanpour Doustkar

Electrical Engineering

In this paper, a new concept for ultrasonic indoor positioning built upon instantaneous frequency of ultrasonic signals is presented. Ultrasonic sensors are inexpensive and manageable sensors; they are currently not used to good advantage with their potential for the electronics industry. The current ultrasonic sensors in the market only present a distance value to the nearest object for the user and due to this kind of feedback, it’s not attainable to find the relative position of the object from the sensor in a detection area; examples vary from workpieces and robots to even people. By using an algorithm and multiple …

Co2 Storage Capacity And Injectivity Of Stacked Carbonates Of The Pennsylvanian And Permian In Western Nebraska, Lateef Lawal

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Geological carbon storage (GCS) is a critical aspect of carbon capture and storage (CCS) in which captured CO₂ from power plants and industrial processes is injected and stored securely underground. Potential subsurface rock formations include saline aquifers, depleted oil and gas reservoirs, unmineable coal seams and volcanic rocks. GCS technology has been proven in the United States and many other parts of the world as a net-zero carbon emission strategy to mitigate the current climate crisis of our planet. Unlike other states such as Wyoming, GCS projects are still in the early phases in Nebraska. The goal of this …

Nutritional-Environmental Trade-Offs In Potato Storage And Processing For A Sustainable Healthy Diet, Aubin Payne, Ebenezer M. Kwofie, Prince Agyemang, Jamie Baum

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Over the last decade, poor diets and limited access to nutritious foods have been critical drivers of micronutrient deficiency in human health. However, food fortification at an industrialized scale in developed countries has helped eliminate deficiency-related diseases. In developing countries, fortified foods and biofortified materials have been delivered to nutrient-deficient communities. While these strategies have produced significant and acclaimed results, reports from the Food and Agricultural Organization suggest that over a quarter of the world’s population suffers from micronutrient deficiency. This implies that there are still declines in micronutrients in food products at different nodes along the food value chain …

Assessing The Effectiveness Of Nuclear Security Training And Education In Ghana, Michael Nii Sanka Ansah, Boris Stepanov Pavlovich, Paul Atta Amoah, David Okoh Kpeglo, Simon Adu, Bright Kwame Afornu

International Journal of Nuclear Security

Growing attention is being given to nuclear power across several African countries, including in Ghana. The world is depending on nuclear energy as a reliable and efficient means of energy generation. Ghana as a country is developing nuclear energy; thus, equal attention must be directed toward nuclear safety and security. Ghana is gradually developing interest in and is devoting substantial required resources to educating and training on nuclear security to meet the standards required by international bodies. Institutions such as the Nuclear Safety and Security Centre and the School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission …

Synthesis Of Glucomannan-Xylan Composite Biofilms: Characterization And Applications For Food Packaging, Kholoud Al-Ajlouni

Dissertations

Scientists are most concerned about the need for green alternatives for efficient food packaging polymers to replace petroleum-based packaging products. The waste of corn cobs and the roots of the konjac plant contain hemicellulose, xylan and glucomannan respectively, and can be used to produce biofilms for food packaging.

The aim of these studies is to formulate biofilms from glucomannan-xylan blends that compete with petroleum-based plastic wrap. The biofilms must be strong, smooth, transparent, have a water vapor barrier, have the required mechanical properties and be cheap. Biofilms from glucomannan were stiff, lacked mechanical properties, and absorbed moisture. Therefore, it reacts …

Addressing Mercury Contamination From Artisanal Gold Mining In Colombia: Pollution Exposure, Health Risk, And Educational Efforts In The Communities Of La Toma, Colombia, Kelli Mccourt

All Dissertations

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) has become a primary environmental and public health concern in the region of Colombia known as Alto Cauca. The predominantly Afro-descendent communities of Yolombó and La Toma in Alto Cauca have experienced pollution linked to the use of mercury in the ASGM process. For the past decade, mercury has emerged as a contaminant of increasing concern in the communities due to its toxicity and ability to bioaccumulate and biomagnify. Likewise, mining in the region raises concerns over the leaching of metals into local waters. Given the complexity of risk and pollution in the communities, …

Multivariate Analysis Approach To Factor-Affected Tuberculosis Disease, Zuli Agustina Gultom, Farid Akbar Siregar, Mahardika Abdi Prawira Tanjung, Al-Hamidy Hazidar

Knowledge Engineering and Data Science

Tuberculosis is a disease caused by infection with the mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. Tuberculosis attack organ besides the lung, such as the pleura, lining of the brain, lining of the heart, lymph gland, bones, joint, skin, intestines, kidney, urinary tract, and genital. This disease is found in densely populated settlements with poor sanitation, lack of ventilation and sunlight and lack of rest. Moreover, the factors that will be analyzed in this research are Population Density (X1), Number of HIV/AIDS (X2), number of toddlers who experience nutrition (X3), Number of toddlers who experience BCG immunization (X4), number of toddlers who get exclusive …

Eeg Classification While Listening To Murottal Al-Quran And Classical Music Using Random Forest Method, Heni Sumarti, Fahira Septiani, Agus Sudarmanto, Wahyu Caesarendra, Rizki Edmi Edison

Knowledge Engineering and Data Science

This study is aimed to classify the brain activity of adolescents associated with audio stimuli; murottal Al-Quran and classical music. The raw data were filtered using Independent Component Analisys (ICA) and followed by band-pass filter in Python on the Google Colab Extraction was processed with Power Spectral Density (PSD) and the Random Forest Method in Weka Machine Learning was used for classification. The research results showed the same results between the two types of stimulation, namely the order of brain waves from highest to lowest were delta, alpha, theta and beta. The average brain waves of teenagers when given murottal …

Bureaucratic Politics Run Amok: The United States And Satellite Export Controls, Eligar Sadeh

Space and Defense

The case of export controls of United States (U.S.) commercial satellites is characterized by bureaucratic politics leading to policy outcomes that are not rational, i.e., the desired outcome of national security is not met and commerce in the satellite sector is harmed. The constraints to rational policy making are a result of competition, conflict, and protectionism, the “bureaucratic politics,” among the relevant actors including the U.S. President and Congress, Department of State (State), Department of Commerce (Commerce), and Department of Defense (DOD). It is bureaucratic politics that result in policies for licensing the export of commercial satellites that are far …

The History Of United States Weapons Export Control Policy, Taylor Dinerman

Space and Defense

All nations regulate Arms sales, but the United States (U.S.) has traditionally gone further than most. After World War I, a conspiracy theory made its way into popular culture that blamed the war, and specifically the U.S. intervention in 1917, on the so called “merchants of death.” Ever since, this has been a powerful and enduring theme in politics and culture throughout the world. Yet, nowhere have the effects of this theory been more enduring than in U.S. policy and law.

Asia, Space, And Strategy Workshop, Space And Defense

Space and Defense

In 2006, the Eisenhower Center for Space and Defense Studies held its first Asia, Space, and Strategy workshop. This effort brought together US, Canadian, and European experts and policy makers from the military, civilian government, universities, think-tanks, and the private sectors to discuss the implications of current and future Chinese space policy and investigate areas of possible Sino-U.S. cooperation and competition in space. Beginning in 2007, an invitation was extended to include Chinese academics in the discussions. Chinese participation has increased each year since then, with four attendees from China at the 2009 workshop in Vancouver, Canada.

What Does It Mean To Be “Prepared For Work”? Perceptions Of New Engineers, Jessica R. Deters, Marie C. Paretti, Logan A. Perry, Robin Ott

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Background: Engineering education seeks to prepare students for engineering practice, but the concept of preparedness is often ill-defined. Moreover, findings from studies of different populations or in different contexts vary regarding how well new graduates are prepared. These variations, coupled with the lack of clarity, suggest the need to better understand what it means to be prepared for engineering work.

Purpose: This study contributes to research on workplace preparation by exploring how new graduates describe being prepared for engineering work.

Method: Applying secondary analysis to data from the multi-institution Capstone To Work (C2W) project, we used thematic …

Design, Optimization, And Hardware Deployment Of A Deep Learning Model For Gps Spoofing Detection Using Gnss Satellite Receiver Protocol Data, Clarizza Morales Chacon

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

The contemporary GPS infrastructure plays a vital role in advancing Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) applications across various sectors, including transportation, commerce, finance, and aviation. To provide a robust and authenticated infrastructure for users, it is important to develop a methodology for verifying the authenticity of satellite navigation signals, especially in civilian applications using the C/A code. This thesis explores Machine Learning (ML) techniques, focusing on the analysis of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) protocol messages like UBX and NMEA to detect anomalies in receiver and satellite behavior, indicative of potential spoofing. The research demonstrates the deployment of Machine Learning …