Engineering Commons^™

Orms And Database Design, Kalim Dumas

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This thesis explores the relationship between database design and Object-Relational Mapping (ORM) design, investigating how they have evolved together and influenced each other. It addresses a theoretical discussion, a practical implementation, and some observations regarding integrating an ORM into my Senior Design project. My Senior Design project was originally built without the intention of implementing an ORM.

There are a lot of complicated discrepancies between Relational Databases (RDBs) and Object-Oriented Programming Languages (OOPLs), called the Impedance Mismatch Problem. The fact that they are both foundational pillars in software engineering means that one cannot simply change to match the other. ORMs …

Determining The Impacts Of Corn Silage Mixing Ratios On Hydrogen Production From Beef Cattle Manure, Katya Faber-Quimby

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

With global warming becoming an increasingly serious threat and a growing population requiring additional energy resources, interest in the production of clean energy from the agricultural sector has surged in popularity. Biohydrogen, also known as green hydrogen, is H₂ that has been produced using renewable energy, such as from agricultural byproducts or waste materials. It presents a promising alternative to nonrenewable resources due to its high potential for energy storage and lack of carbon emissions when used. Cattle manure has been explored as a resource for the production of biohydrogen. Selecting for hydrogen-producing microbes in the manure serves the …

Analyzing Diverse Student Experiences: The Intersection Of Equity, Inclusivity, And Biomedical Engineering Education Through A Clinical Observations And Needs Finding Course, Jacquelynn Horsey

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

In the field of biomedical engineering, needs identification and solution development are an important element of the design process. In our undergraduate curriculum, a course was designed to allow clinical observation and provide an opportunity for students to learn about engineering design and engage with clinicians via completing rotations in medical facilities near our campus. While this type of course is not unique, evaluating its efficacy is not simple. Given the broad range of institutional resources available- such as proximity to a medical school, or residency programs- reporting the quality of such courses within the context of such available resources …

The Determination Of Macrophage Localization In Muscle Injuries Using Spatial Transcriptomics, Julliana Renales

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The repair of traumatic muscle injury is often a long process which can in many cases be insufficient and incomplete. In such cases, scar tissue may form, leading to high risk of re-injury and the prevention of muscle regeneration. An important part of decreasing this risk is gaining a better understanding of the cellular complexities of injury repair. More specifically, macrophage cells are an important piece in the regulation of inflammation and repair. In this project, computational analysis spatial transcriptomic data was performed to examine mouse muscle injury and its development over time. This analysis was used to examine the …

The Effect Of Central Screw And Post Vault Containment On Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty (Rsta) Baseplate Stability, Mickaela J. Gunnison

All Theses

Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) is a procedure that aims to fix irreversible rotator cuff damage and degenerative glenohumeral joint diseases that hinder arm abduction. One major complication of RTSA is glenoid baseplate failure resulting from increased movement at the bone-baseplate interface. This study examined 36, 12 PCF composite Sawbones® scapulae. The specimens were split equally into 6 study groups, each having different implant configurations with varying baseplate lateralization and central screws or posts. Each specimen was subjected to cyclic shear loading and failure testing on an Instron to determine implant micromotion and load values.

After testing, ANOVA tests were …

Light-Induced Phase Separation Purification For Monoclonal Antibodies, Xuyang Chen

All Theses

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Investigation Of Early Stage Wound Healing In Volumetric Muscle Loss, Sean Ong

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Volumetric muscle loss (VML) refers to the substantial removal of tissue from skeletal muscle due to surgery or lesions. This condition disrupts the normal regenerative process of injured muscles, leading to significant loss of muscle function. This study examines the progression of VML injury, approximately 20% of the muscle mass being removed, in the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle of a mouse model over a 15-day post-injury period. The injured muscles exhibited discoloration indicative of reduced blood flow and experienced a decrease in muscle mass throughout the study duration. Furthermore, the maximum force output of the injured TA was significantly lower, …

Culvert Design And Roadway Restoration Of Cavett Road At Damon Creek, Kevin Harvey

Honors College Theses

Cavett Road is a small, two lane rural road located in Kirksey, Kentucky. This road faces the issue of flooding during light-to-moderate rain, posing risk to those who use the road, especially those living along Cavett Road. This flooding is also capable of washing away the surface of Cavett Road and the adjacent banks and soil wall of the creek, creating a risk of erosion and soil subsidence. To reduce the risk of flooding and erosion and improve roadway function, this project outlines a potential solution using newly-installed reinforced concrete box culverts and soil fill above them to improve the …

Multifunctional Surfaces By Ultrafast Laser Multiscale Surface Structuring, Kewei Li

All Dissertations

Surface structures are crucial for regulating surface functions, including self-cleaning, surface coloration, and anti-fouling, which are of significance in various applications such as prolonging the lifetime of the solar cells, anti-counterfeiting marking, and enhancing the vessel’s performance. Ultrafast laser technology emerges as a revolutionary approach for surface structuring, distinguished by its exceptional precision, high throughput, versatility across materials, and remarkable processing efficiency. Despite the intensive study in the ultrafast laser surface structuring area, the fundamental mechanisms accounting for the ultrafast laser-induced surface structures are still not well understood. The correlation among laser processing parameters, surface structures, and surface functions remains …

Text-To-Speech Animation: Generating Visuals Based On Phonetic Spelling, Colin Tomcak

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Speech is a complex field, and remarkably difficult to master. There exist many groups who could use more tools to help improve their pronunciation of English words. The goal of this project was to create a text-to-speech animation program as an addition to our group capstone, Pronunciation Pal. Pronunciation Pal is a web-based application meant to assist those who are deaf or hard of hearing in improving their pronunciation, likely as an addition to therapy with a speech pathologist. This application uses tools like diagrams and references to help users better understand how to pronounce a word. The goal of …

Magdm Model Using Single-Valued Neutrosophic Credibility Matrix Energy And Its Decision-Making Application, Jun Ye, Rui Yong, Wanlu Du

Neutrosophic Systems with Applications

This paper aims to develop a MAGDM model using single-valued neutrosophic credibility matrix (SVNCM) energy in a SVNCM scenario. To do it, first, SVNCM energy and its score function are presented as a conceptual extension of existing single-valued neutrosophic matrix (SVNM) energy. Then, a MAGDM model is developed in terms of SVNCM energy and its score function in a SVNCM scenario and also its decision algorithm is provided to solve MAGDM problems with SVNCMs. Finally, the developed MAGDM model is applied in the school site selection problem as an actual example, then the comparative investigation of the decision results in …

Survival After Ditching In Motorized Aircraft, 1989-2022, Douglas D. Boyd, Volker C. Schick, Catherina Hippler, Jochen Hinkelbein

Publications

INTRODUCTION: Although an unintended aircraft landing on water (referred to as ditching) is a rare event, the potential for occupant injury/fatality increases immediately following the event due to adverse conditions. However, to date, few studies have addressed the subject. Herein, ditching events and post-ditching survival were investigated.

METHODS: Ditchings (1982–2022) in the United States were identified from the National Transportation Safety Board database. Occupant injury severity, aircraft type, pilot experience, flight conditions, and number of occupants were extracted. Poisson distribution, the Chi-squared test (2-tailed), Mann-Whitney U test, and Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance were employed.

RESULTS: A total of 96 …

Characterization And Analysis Of Supersonic Flow Through De Laval Nozzles At Varied Design Conditions, Sarah Baird

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

A combined numerical and experimental investigation of supersonic planar nozzles under different design conditions has been conducted. Supersonic planar nozzles are common geometries observed in supersonic wind tunnels and aircraft or rocket engines. For the important role they play in wind tunnel testing and aircraft propulsion, it is important to conduct a thorough numerical and experimental study to characterize their performance at different operating conditions. In this study, a de Laval nozzle was scanned to extract its contours and subsequently modeled to compare analytical and numerical performance expectations under design and off-design conditions. The nozzle was then installed in a …

Blade Design And Validation Of Hydrokinetic Turbine To Harvest Water Current Energy, Setare Sadeqi

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The innovative aspect of this research lies in the careful integration of cutting-edge technologies throughout the entire process of designing, fabricating, and testing the carbon fiber propeller for the 3-bladed horizontal axis ocean current turbine (OCT). SolidWorks software played a pivotal role in the initial design phase, enabling a meticulous and precise modeling of the propeller's geometry. The utilization of SolidWorks allowed for a detailed exploration of various design parameters, ensuring that the propeller's structure and form were optimized for performance in ocean current conditions. Moving beyond the realm of virtual design, the choice of carbon fiber as the fabrication …

Investigation On The Effects Of Biofouling On The Boundary Layer, Adam N. Bacon

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This study is an investigation of the effect of biofouling on the boundary layer of a flat plate and a NACA 4-digit series foil. Three identical hydrofoils made of resin were placed in the Gulf of Mexico at Grand Isle, Louisiana, and observed and analyzed by marine biologists at the University of New Orleans for their species composition. The resulting biofouling that grew was primarily made up of barnacles and bryozoans. The foils were submerged in an open channel flume at zero incidence and subjected to a series of experiments whose arc-length Reynolds numbers ranged from approximately 13000 to 32000. …

Towing Tank Trials Of Hydrokinetic Turbine Scale Model To Support Marine Energy System Verification, Shahab Rouhi

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

In response to the escalating demand for sustainable energy solutions and the critical reevaluation of conventional fossil fuels due to environmental concerns, this dissertation embarks on a comprehensive exploration of hydrokinetic energy as a promising alternative. The study delves into the underexplored domain of hydrokinetic energy, leveraging innovative methodologies for effective utilization and harnessing, particularly through the development and investigation of hydrokinetic turbines.

In the realm of hydrokinetic energy conversion, our research has exclusively concentrated on horizontal-axis turbines, distinct from other turbine configurations. Noteworthy is the adaptation of a conventional horizontal-axis wind turbine for water currents, revealing enhanced performance through …

Heat Transfer Enhancement In Heat Exchangers Using Compound Enhancement, Mouhsine Benmbarek

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This research will try to investigate the enhancement of heat transfer in a heat exchanger that is made of a corrugated tube that has a twisted plate inserted in it, the corrugation, and twisted plate are expected to increase the amount of heat transfer since the plate is acting as a connection between the center of the flow and the edges of the tube. The turbulence will cause an increase in pressure drop along the channel length, so the investigation will try to find the best compromise between the gain in heat transfer and loss of hydraulic energy by using …

Experiment Development And Validation Of A Granular Jamming Robotic Gripper, Jacob R. Dowd

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

A granular jamming gripper (GJG) is widely known as a Universal Gripper because of the wide range of objects that it can grasp and the simplicity of control, design, and manufacturing. Despite multitude of research improving the GJG, here, we focus on the base version of the GJG and attempt to glean the range of objects that it may reliably grasp. Despite the limited range of objects, which were a sphere, rectangular prism, and cylinder, we gleaned geometric properties as it relates to successful and unsuccessful grasping. This was based on the two types of testing: push and pull testing …

Predicting The Response Of An Underactuated, 3d Printed Prosthetic Hand, Lucas Gallup

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The continuing need for hand prostheses has led to incredible developments in this area. However, due to the cost of the most sophisticated models, it is vital to develop simpler, low-cost, underactuated prostheses that can be produced rapidly. 3D printing is an important tool to achieve this goal. In particular, the 3D printed Flexy-Hand 2 has been one of the most common low-cost designs. A key feature of the Flexy-Hand 2 is its use of tendons and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) for joints that are strong and flexible. TPUs, however, lack a thorough understanding of their mechanical behavior, which makes it …

Performance Effects Of Dissociated Hydrogen In Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Engines, Richard Adam Gorrell

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) research considers hydrogen dissociation as negligible to design and analysis of propulsion engines. This study reintroduces chemically reacting flow to NTP engine analysis for investigation of the dissociation effect on engine performance. A first-principles approach observes the basic chemical mechanism and reaction within the high-speed, high-temperature NTP flow to baseline expected atomic hydrogen levels and validate equilibrium. A surface reaction study looks into hydrogen absorption through dissociation and its effect on the boundary layer, and bulk flow. For total performance, the resulting dissociated flow is analyzed through nozzle expansion and performance metrics calculated.

All historic reactor …

Redirection Of Current In A Dense Plasma Focus, Rocky Gonzalez

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Mission Support & Test Services (MSTS) reports that significant amounts of energy needed for generating high energy neutrons is lost within a Dense Plasma Focus between its pinch-end of the anode stalk and at its base near the insulating sleeve. It is their mission and the goal of this research effort to both experimentally and theoretically study current redirection in a DPF during and after pinch dynamics. It is hypothesized that current redirection, due to restrike, behind the dynamic sheath of a dense plasma focus will result in a measurable change in the magnetic field along the longitudinal axis …

Analyses Of Thermal And Spectral Characteristics Of Artificial Turf And Natural Grass In Las Vegas Valley, Tarannum Kalam Khandoker

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This thesis presents a comprehensive analysis of the thermal and spectral characteristics of Las Vegas Valley (LVV). The first objective examines the effects of artificial turf on the urban thermal environment in the LVV by analyzing the impact of Land Surface Temperature (LST) and surface albedo at 26 ROIs that transitioned from natural to artificial turf, alongside another 26 ROIs that remained unchanged between 2018 and 2022 utilizing available Landsat 8 satellite images for the respective years. In the comprehensive comparison of ROIs over the two years in question, it was observed that transitioning to artificial turf correlated with elevated …

Investigative Research On Design Parameters And Criticality Models For Microreactors, Cameron Jensen

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

With increased energy demand and the desire to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, nuclear power will need to play a prominent role in achieving carbon-free energy independence. Large nuclear reactors are necessary to meet this objective. However, they are expensive and take a long time to build. For remote locations (e.g., military bases) and smaller communities, large nuclear reactors would not be feasible or cost effective. Small reactors (microreactors) can fill this necessary gap. These reactors would be factory-built, delivered quickly, and operated with high intrinsic levels of safety. With microreactors still in conceptual and testing states, there is a …

Assessment Of Success Factors And Comparative Analysis Of Public Private Partnership (P3) Project Performances Against Design-Build And Design-Bid-Build Project Delivery, Bandana Shrestha

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Public-private partnerships (P3s) projects have gained widespread popularity in both developed and developing countries due to their ability to access new financing sources and shift specific project risks to the private sector. P3s has been an active area of research with a particular focus on the concept of Critical Success Factors (CSF). The growing interest and the diverse outcomes associated with P3s emphasize the need for a thorough investigation into the factors that contribute to successful P3 projects. This study focused on identifying the CSFs for P3 highway and building projects towards project objectives of achieving cost efficiency and schedule …

Mechanical Properties And Microstructure Of Multi-Materials Fabricated Through A Combination Of Lpbf And Ded Additive Manufacturing Techniques, Christopher J. Bettencourt

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This research explores the use of different metals combined through 3D-printing to enhance the performance of materials, with a focus on making heat exchangers more cost-effective for renewable energy. The goal is to replace a costly high-temperature alloy with a more affordable low-temperature alloy, using metal additive manufacturing for its benefits such as less material waste, faster production, reduced weight, and the ability to print entire assemblies in one go. The study delves into a unique combination of two 3D-printing techniques, Directed Energy Deposition and Laser Powder-Bed Fusion, to create a multi-material composed of stainless steel 316L and a nickel-based …

Tracking Perfluoroalkyl Substances From Wastewater Influent To Its Accumulation In Vegetables And Forage Grass, Simon Kozik

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Per and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of chemicals that are persistent in the environment. PFAS was found in wastewater, which can be used after wastewater treatment for irrigation water, and in the biosolids that can be mixed with soils to provide nutrients and generally improve soil quality. This study found when wastewater was used it increases the level of PFAS in vegetables and forage grass. PFAS concentrations were tracked from the influent of the wastewater treatment plant to the effluent, to the irrigation water, to the soil, and finally into the vegetable and forage grass grown on …

Development And Testing Of An 8-Bit Digitally Throttled Hybrid Rocket Motor, Trevor W. Coombs

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Hybrid rocket motors that use a solid fuel grain and liquid oxidizer are low-cost and safer alternatives to traditional rocket motors. Another benefit of hybrid rocket motors is that during a burn, the amount of oxidizer into the combustion chamber can be changed, this capability is called throttling. To take advantage of the throttling ability of hybrid rocket motors, a throttling valve made up of 8 individually controlled valves is designed, developed, and tested, which is documented in this thesis. The results of the testing campaign show that the 8-bit digital throttling valve technology is an effective throttling technology and …

Exploring The Role Of Near Channel Geospatial Attributes To Predict Suspended Sediment Concentration Patterns Across The Conus Region, Aaron J. Sigman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

High concentrations of suspended sediment (SSC) in a river can represent a critical water quality concern, reduce the storage capacity of reservoirs, and impact aquatic habitat. The total amount of sediment is calculated from a combination of river properties, including the amount of available sediment and the flow of water carrying the sediment. Water flow properties can be found using local information about the channel, however understanding the concentration of sediment in the river requires understanding the supply of sediment from the watershed. To understand where sediment is coming from, we examined over 1000 United States Geological Survey sites with …

Advancing Near Surface Soil Moisture Measurements Using Robotics, Automation, And Remote Sensing, Hemanth Narayan Dakshinamurthy

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Near-surface soil moisture, or the water content within the soil, is important for understanding the interactions between land and the atmosphere, and for monitoring plants in agricultural settings. However, soil moisture can be highly variable within the same field and varies considerably with time. The challenge involved with measuring soil moisture is that traditional techniques that rely on obtaining large samples are labor and time-intensive, especially for large fields. Developments in sensor technologies have allowed users to record the soil moisture regularly at the points where the sensors are installed. However, to understand how soil moisture changes across a field …

Uv-A Light: A Novel Method For Food Dehydration, Mckade S. Roberts

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Dehydration is one of the most prevalent forms of food preservation, with approximately 85% of food is hot air drying due to the simplicity of the process. The high temperatures employed in this method may also induce a loss in nutritional quality, which involves destruction of micronutrients (vitamins), and loss of color.

The aim of this work is to develop a low energy, non-thermal method of food dehydration that results in a high-quality product through the application of Ultraviolet light, within the UV-A range. UV light can be separated into its 3 categories based on the wavelength of light from …