Engineering Commons^™

Path Planning Development Framework For Mobile Robots, Lauren-Ann Elizabeth Graham

Theses and Dissertations

Planetary exploration relies on methods of path planning to achieve autonomous navigation in hazardous environments. Simulating harsh terrain, real-time varying physics, and robotics applications is vital for testing control algorithms here on Earth. Robotics Operating System (ROS) is a set of software libraries and tools that allow you to build and simulate robotic applications. Utilizing ROS, Gazebo, and Blender, a rough terrain simulation framework is created to explore and compare path planning algorithms using various desired robots and maps. ROS supports multiple path planning algorithms given its open-source abilities. This research focuses on path planning implementation of Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) control …

Assessing The Thermodynamic Potential Of Deep Eutectic Solvents In The Absorption Of Greenhouse Gases Through Computational Methods., Thomas Michael Quaid

Theses and Dissertations

Greenhouse gas (GHG) capture is a fundamental technology in the fight against climate change. Some species of devastating GHGs like fluorinated compounds are released directly to the air from industrial processes. Some GHGs are co-produced in sustainably derived biofuels which require absorptive upgrading. The development of more efficient, cost effective, and environmentally friendly methods of capturing GHG’s from pollutant sources and industrial streams is of utmost importance in the fight against climate change. Deep eutectic solvents have entered the separations stage as potential disruptors to conventional solvent choices for a variety of applications. Deep eutectic solvents (DES) are compounds of …

Rabrs For Use In Biologically Enhanced Precipitation Of Struvite In Anaerobic Digester Effluent (Municipal Wastewater), Parker R. Goldsberry

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Rotating Algae Biofilm Reactor (RABR) technology has been researched in studies over the past decade directed at nutrient management for water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs). This study investigated the growth of slow-release fertilizer crystals, referred to as struvite, in the algae biofilms of Rotating Algae Biofilm Reactors (RABRs) at the Central Valley Water Reclamation Facility, the largest water resource recovery facility in the State of Utah. RABRs used anaerobic digester (AD) filtrate as their nutrient source. AD effluent is high in nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus. The levels of both phosphorus and nitrogen (in the form of ammonia) are regulated …

Student Reliance On Simulations: The Extent That Engineering Students Rely On The Outcomes Of Their Simulations, Jonathan Anderson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The purpose of this research was to investigate the factors that contributed to engineering education students’ reliance on technology while learning new concepts. The researcher hypothesized that students would give reliance to their technology, even in the face of evidence that the technology was not working as intended. This research used a mixed-methods approach to answer the research questions. Three questions guided the research: (1) How are the participant’s level of automation complacency and the correctness of the simulation that participant is using related?; (2) How is automation bias related to a participant’s ability to recognize errors in a simulation?; …

Understanding Support For Student Veterans And Servicemembers In Public Undergraduate Engineering Programs, Hannah Wilkinson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Current efforts to increase research in diversity, equity, and inclusion in engineering education have included research with military students pursuing undergraduate degrees in engineering at civilian, public academic institutions. In this thesis research, military students are defined as undergraduate students who a) have completed their service in the U.S. Armed Forces and are considered military veterans, and/or b) are current enlisted service members, such as in the U.S. Reserves or National Guard. An emerging topic of interest within the military student literature in engineering education has sought to explore the influence of “institutional agents” within military students’ experiences. The …

Impacts Of Area-Wide Air Pollution On Multimodal Traffic: Comparing Pedestrian, Motor Vehicle, And Transit Volumes In Utah, Prachanda Tiwari

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The impact of area-wide air pollution on multimodal traffic volumes has been underexplored. Thus, this research investigates the effect of area-wide air pollution on pedestrian volumes, motor volumes, and transit ridership across two urban areas in Utah for two years (2018 and 2019). The research employed multilevel modeling to study this effect. The model results showed an overall decrease in pedestrian volumes in both study areas, while driving volumes saw both increases and decreases in different locations. Transit ridership saw an increase during days with moderate air quality in one particular study area. Median income, vehicle ownership, and higher street …

Gps-Denied Navigation Using Synthetic Aperture Radar, Tucker Hathaway

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

In most modern navigation systems, GPS is used to determine the precise location of the vehicle; however, GPS signals can easily be blocked, jammed, or spoofed. These signals can be blocked by canyons or tall buildings. Additionally, adversaries can transmit signals that either make GPS signals difficult to interpret or that imitate real GPS signals and cause a navigation system to think it is somewhere other than its true location. GPS-denied (GPS-D) navigation is the process of navigating in the absence of GPS.

Many methods of performing GPS-D navigation have been proposed and explored. One such method is to use …

Development, Implementation, And Optimization Of A Modern, Subsonic/Supersonic Panel Method, Cory D. Goates

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

In the early stages of aircraft design, engineers consider many different design concepts, examining the trade-offs between different component arrangements and sizes, thrust and power requirements, etc. Because so many different designs are considered, it is best in the early stages of design to use simulation tools that are fast; accuracy is secondary. A common simulation tool for early design and analysis is the panel method. Panel methods were first developed in the 1950s and 1960s with the advent of modern computers. Despite being reasonably accurate and very fast, their development was abandoned in the late 1980s in favor of …

Development Of A Potassium Permanganate Catalyst-Infused Fuel Grain For Hydrogen Peroxide Hybrid Thruster Ignition Enhancement, Ryan J. Thibaudeau

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This thesis describes and addresses the need for reliable ignition in small satellite hybrid propulsion systems using hydrogen peroxide. It describes process of creating custom 3D printed ABS plastic fuel grains with small amounts of catalysts. These catalysts lead to a more reliable and energy-efficient ignition of a hybrid rocked propulsion system using catalyst-infused ABS and high-test hydrogen peroxide (HTP). Hydrogen peroxide is a high-density oxidizer and therefore more volumetrically efficient for a small satellite using hybrid rocket technology when compared to gaseous oxygen (GOX). The traditional ignition methods of hybrid rocket propulsion systems using HTP are compared to and …

Estimated Aerodynamic Forces And Moments And Optimal Orientation Of The V-Bat Airframe During Vertical Landing In Gusty Conditions, Parker C. Carter

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Ship based Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) are an important tool used by the United States Navy for situational awareness and short-range operations. Naval UAS are used to provide real-time intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and target-acquisition while being low cost, mission flexible, and safe. Unfortunately UAS suffer disadvantages with respect to adverse environmental conditions caused by the air being displaced by the ship. The accumulation of one or more adverse conditions is known as airwake. To counteract the effects of airwake, the objectives of this work are to first evaluate the effect of forces and moments during the vertical landing phase of …

In-Situ Optical Measurements Of High Temperature Combustion Plumes, Cara Frischkorn

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Rocket motors are critical to the human exploration of space and to the United States missile defense systems. The design and manufacturing of these motors requires extensive simulation and testing to assure the motors will perform as intended and to minimize safety risks. Taking data from inside the rocket motors during tests is extremely difficult due to the intense temperatures inside the motor as it burns; most instrumentation cannot survive in this environment. The research discussed in this thesis aims to develop an instrumentation system composed of a fiberoptic cable which conducts light from the interior of a rocket motor …

Cost Minimizing Energy Management Control Scheme For Microgrids Considering Dynamic Electricity Prices, Levi T. Miller

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

As countries develop and technology improves, the world is using more energy than ever before. This fact along with several other political, social, and economic factors has resulted in simultaneous energy and climate crises. A partial solution to both problems is bringing clean energy sources of electricity closer to the customers who use that energy. A microgrid is a smaller version of the national electric grid where smaller electricity generators are networked with local consumers and controlled independently of the main grid. Because control of electricity sources and loads are transferred to local controllers, the flexibility with which they can …

Virtual Structures Based Autonomous Formation Flying Control For Small Satellites, Tyson K. Smith

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Many space organizations have a growing need to fly several small satellites close together in order to collect and correlate data from different satellite sensors. To do this requires teams of engineers monitoring the satellites orbits and planning maneuvers for the satellites every time the satellite leaves its desired trajectory or formation. This task of maintaining the satellites orbits quickly becomes an arduous and expensive feat for satellite operations centers. This research develops and analyzes algorithms that allow satellites to autonomously control their orbit and formation without human intervention. This goal is accomplished by developing and evaluating a decentralized, optimization-based …

Surface Water Hydrology Within The Great Salt Lake Basin, Madeline F. Merck

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The Great Salt Lake (GSL) and its tributaries are ecologically and economically important resources for Utah. It is a highly saline lake, with salinity that is several times saltier than the ocean. Lake uses are heavily influenced by its salinity and lake level and, similarly, river uses by its streamflow quantity. Currently, the GSL Basin is experiencing changes that affect tributary inflows, lake level, and salinity. For my dissertation and in support of better lake management, I addressed important gaps in our understanding of the lake and the changes it is undergoing.

Chapter 2 is an examination of the distribution …

Effects Of Indole Derivative Idc16 On Cell Proliferation, Transfection, And Alternative Splicing In Production Of Lentiviral Vectors By Transient Co-Transfection, Nataly Mier

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Viruses can efficiently introduce genetic material into a variety of cells through cell infection. Therefore, viral vectors, defined as virus-based gene delivery systems, effectively transfer functional gene constructs to target cells. Among different viral vectors, lentiviral vectors are of interest due to the advantages offered to research and therapeutic applications. Low productivity of lentiviral vectors in mammalian producer cells and high production cost, however, remain barriers to the vectors’ routinary use, particularly in clinical settings.

Since most lentiviral vectors are derived from human immunodeficiency virus type I, their genome has been engineered to increase safety. Nevertheless, modifications of the lentiviral …

Subjective Wellbeing Of Undergraduate Engineering Students: A Mixed Methods Study, Muhammad Asghar

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

In higher education, the prevalence of mental health issues among students has raised concerns regarding their overall success and wellbeing. While existing research often focuses on identifying and addressing mental health problems, there is a lack of emphasis on understanding the positive contributors to students' mental health. In this study, I expand the concept of mental health beyond the absence of negative mental health states to include the presence of positive mental health aspects through the concept of Subjective Wellbeing (SWB) (feeling that your life is going well, not badly), of engineering undergraduate participants. Both qualitative and quantitative data were …

Comparing Scaling Approaches To Estimate Unimpaired Streamflow Timeseries And Seasonal Flow Metrics At Ungauged Streams, Karl Christensen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

River ecosystems are controlled in part by natural variation in the flow regime and streamflow alterations that impair these natural variations often have negative impacts for aquatic species. Flow metrics describing attributes of the natural flow regime can inform environmental water management goals to maintain and restore river ecosystems by mirroring critical aspects of the natural flow regime. However, unimpaired daily streamflow data needed to calculate these flow metrics is not always readily available. Statistical scaling approaches present an opportunity to estimate unimpaired flow metrics at ungauged locations to better address environmental water management objectives. This study evaluates a suite …

Understanding The Effects Of A Mobile Flow Visualization Learning Tool On Engineering Undergraduate Interest In Fluid Mechanics, Lori M. Openshaw

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Fluid mechanics is a difficult engineering course that tends to act as a weed-out course for undergraduate students. Despite this, fluid mechanics is critical, with related careers in disciplines such as Mechanical, Aerospace, Civil, Environmental, Biological, Ocean, and Naval engineering. Within these fields, there is a lack of graduates with sufficient fluid mechanics knowledge to fill the available positions. One solution to this career pipeline is to increase student interest and understanding of fluid mechanics.

Efforts to make fluid mechanics more interesting and easily understood include curricular changes such as emphasizing historical aspects of fluids, computer simulations that model complex …

Evaluating Differences In Optical Properties Of Indolent And Aggressive Murine Breast Tumors Using Quantitative Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy, Joel Rodriguez Troncoso, Umme Marium Mim, Jesse D. Ivers, Santosh K. Paidi, Mason G. Harper, Khue G. Nguyen, Sruthi Ravindranathan, Lisa Rebello, David E. Lee, David A. Zaharoff, Ishan Barman, Narasimhan Rajaram

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

We used diffuse reflectance spectroscopy to quantify tissue absorption and scattering-based parameters in similarly sized tumors derived from a panel of four isogenic murine breast cancer cell lines (4T1, 4T07, 168FARN, 67NR) that are each capable of accomplishing different steps of the invasion-metastasis cascade. We found lower tissue scattering, increased hemoglobin concentration, and lower vascular oxygenation in indolent 67NR tumors incapable of metastasis compared with aggressive 4T1 tumors capable of metastasis. Supervised learning statistical approaches were able to accurately differentiate between tumor groups and classify tumors according to their ability to accomplish each step of the invasion-metastasis cascade. We investigated …

Additive Manufacturing Of Microelectronic Devices For Extreme Environments, Nicholas Mckibben

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This work encompasses a comprehensive exploration of advanced manufacturing techniques for fabricating microelectronic devices compatible with extreme environments. The research integrates the fields of chemistry, nanomaterials, and additive manufacturing to achieve remarkable progress in sensor development, with a particular emphasis on aerosol jet printing (AJP), surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices, patterned graphene growth, and surface functionalization. The investigation begins with the AJP process development of a commercial silver nanoparticle ink, culminating in the fabrication of a piezoelectric SAW transducer that was prototyped as a high-temperature thermometer, showing excellent linearity when validated to 200°C. Next, the investigation continued with the development …

A New Approach To Predicting Vertical Permeability For Carbonate Rocks In The Southern Mesopotamian Basin, Emad A. Al-Khdheeawi, Raed H. Allawi, Wisam I. Al-Rubaye, Stefan Iglauer

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Reservoir performance depends on many factors, and the most important one is permeability anisotropy. In addition, with high heterogeneity, it is essential to find unique relationships to predict permeability. Therefore, this study aims to predict vertical permeability based on horizontal permeability and porosity and to find new equations for carbonate reservoirs. This work relied on the 398 measured points of cores data collected from several wells in carbonate reservoirs. A new correlation for predicting vertical permeability for the whole data (369 samples) as a function of horizontal permeability and porosity has been developed. The results indicate that this new correlation …

Time Reduction For Slm Ofdm Papr Based On Adaptive Genetic Algorithm In 5g Iot Networks, Esam A. A. Hagras, Sameh F. Desouky, Saad Aldosary, Haitham Khaled, Tarek M. Hassan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In this paper, a new peak average power and time reduction (PAPTR) based on the adaptive genetic algorithm (AGA) strategy is used in order to improve both the time reduction and PAPR value reduction for the SLM OFDM and the conventional genetic algorithm (GA) SLM-OFDM. The simulation results demonstrate that the recommended AGA technique reduces PAPR by about 3.87 dB in comparison to SLM-OFDM. Comparing the suggested AGA SLM-OFDM to the traditional GA SLM-OFDM using the same settings, a significant learning time reduction of roughly 95.56% is achieved. The PAPR of the proposed AGA SLM-OFDM is enhanced by around 3.87 …

Capillary-Sealing Efficiency Of Mica-Proxy Caprock For Co2/H2 Geologic Storage In The Presence Of Organic Acids And Nanofluids, Amer Alanazi, Muhammad Ali, Mahmoud Mowafi, Saleh Bawazeer, Ziyad K K. Kaidar, Hussein Hoteit

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Toward a diversified low-carbon future, the geological storage of carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen (H2) is regarded as a key enabler for an industrial-scale implementation. However, many geological formations, such as depleted oil and gas reservoirs, can contain inherent traces of organic molecules that dramatically affect their storage capacities and caprock sealing efficiency. Hence, using the right analysis to accurately determine the caprock sealing efficiency and storage capacity in the presence of organics is crucial for a secure and safe storage process. This study analyzed the sealing potential of a proxy caprock (mica) by calculating the capillary entry pressure and …

On The Effect Of Emotion Identification From Limited Translated Text Samples Using Computational Intelligence, Madiha Tahir, Zahid Halim, Muhmmad Waqas, Shanshan Tu

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Emotion identification from text data has recently gained focus of the research community. This has multiple utilities in an assortment of domains. Many times, the original text is written in a different language and the end-user translates it to her native language using online utilities. Therefore, this paper presents a framework to detect emotions on translated text data in four different languages. The source language is English, whereas the four target languages include Chinese, French, German, and Spanish. Computational intelligence (CI) techniques are applied to extract features, dimensionality reduction, and classification of data into five basic classes of emotions. Results …

Extremum Seeking Control Algorithms For Extremely High Frequency Antenna System Pointing, Scott Shore

Mechanical Engineering ETDs

The research examines the application of extremum seeking control (ESC) algorithms to ground station antenna pointing for extremely high frequency (EHF) communication systems. ESC algorithms search for local maxima or minima by locating where an objective function gradient goes to zero. With wireless communication expanding into higher frequencies, the ground station pointing requirement is increasing. ESC presents a method which utilizes available equipment and information to perform ground station pointing. Additionally, ESC algorithms do not rely on assumptions or approximations needed for other techniques. The dissertation demonstrates ESC algorithm feasibility for the ground station pointing problem, benchmarks the ESC algorithms …

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 …

Representativeness Evaluation Of Delta-Flux Eddy Covariance Towers For Assessing Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Rice Fields In The Mid-South Region, Katherine Skiles

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Rice grown in 5 states across the Mid-South (AR, LA, MS, TX, and MO) account for nearly 80% of all domestic U.S. rice production. Methane emissions produced during rice farming and the large seasonal water demand to maintain flooded fields have created a need for alternative irrigation research that can reduce methane emissions and conserve water. Structures called eddy covariance towers (ECTs) can observe methane and other flux responses to changing irrigation styles, and their data is shared across flux tower networks such as Delta-Flux in the Mid-South. The Delta-Flux network is relatively new, and its data-sharing capacity is not …

Examining The Benefits Of Using Rainfall To Supplement Alternate Wetting And Drying Irrigation In Zero-Grade Rice Fields In Central Arkansas, Leo Black

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Arkansas farmers account for more than 50% of United States production of rice, a crop that requires 3 to 5 times as much water as other regional crops. Methods of reducing water use and increasing its efficiency are being explored throughout the rice production industry, including irrigation management, better land grading, and precipitation capture. This project investigates the combination of these methods. The objectives of this project were to assess field-level water inputs, identify relationships between rice growth and water input, and analyze weather patterns in zero-grade fields in central Arkansas. Subsequent results were used to determine if there is …

Data-Driven Multiscale Modeling Of Dye Aggregates In Dna For Excitonic Applications, Austin Biaggne

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, a data-driven, multi-scale approach was implemented to study the structural, electronic, and dynamical behavior of dye monomers and aggregates for excitonic applications. The excitonic behavior of dye aggregates depends on both the constituent monomer properties as well as the relative dye orientations that make up the aggregate. Dye monomer properties can be augmented with substituents, but with a wide range of substituent types, ideal dye derivatives should be identified. To control the aggregation of dyes, DNA can be used as a scaffold, however, the ways in which dyes interact with each other and with DNA is not …

Investigating Combined Extreme Weather Effects On Solar Module Through Hardware And Simulink Performance Evaluation, Amir Botros

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Worldwide adoption of photovoltaic (PV) cells, which use the photovoltaic effect to convert solar energy into electricity, has led to their emergence as a significant source of electricity production. As the number of PV installations continues to grow, understanding the impact of environmental factors on solar module performance becomes paramount.

Factors such as intermittency, cloud cover, shading, and nighttime unavailability significantly affect the efficiency and longevity of solar modules. However, there is a shortage of research connecting extreme weather conditions to overall module performance, hindering informed implementation decisions.

This study addresses the need for continuous monitoring of solar systems under …