Engineering Commons^™

An Experimental And Numerical Investigation On The Flexural Behavior Of Two-Way Slabs Reinforced By Hybrid Reinforcement Schemes, Mahmoud A. Zidan, Mohamed H. Makhlouf, A. S. Debaiky, Gamal I. K.

Mansoura Engineering Journal

This study examines the Characteristics of flexural behavior in a two-way slab reinforced with a hybrid combination of Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer. (GFRP) and steel reinforcement. It determines the effectiveness of hybrid reinforcement and fiber addition in enhancing the flexural resistance of two-way reinforced concrete slabs. Researchers tested twelve reinforced concrete slabs and divided them into four groups. There were two control specimens: one steel-reinforced and one glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP)-reinforced, for comparison with the hybrid specimens. The remaining specimens were reinforced using a combination of steel bars and GFRP bars, The study focused on three-parameter categories: reinforcement type (steel …

Solving A Multi-Stage Mine Sequencing Model Encompassing Excavator Allocation Through Constraint Programming In A Bauxite Strip Mining Operation, Jorge Luiz Valença Mariz, Marcel Antonio Arcari Bassani, Rodrigo De Lemos Peroni, Octávio R. A. Guimarães, Flávio H. Tavares

Journal of Sustainable Mining

Sedimentary mineral deposits are generally tabular and sub-horizontal, composed of one or multiple well-defined seams, arranged over large extensions, and when close to the surface, they are mined by surface mining methods. These geometric characteristics make it suitable for the application of the strip mining method as an alternative to the traditional open-pit mining method, which allows the reduction of the truck haulage fleet and the costs associated with waste disposal. Consequently, it reduces the greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprint associated with excavation and transportation processes. This article presents a two-stage mathematical model based on Integer Linear Programming to …

A Gaze-Driven Manufacturing Assembly Assistant System With Integrated Step Recognition, Repetition Analysis, And Real-Time Feedback, Haodong Chen, Niloofar Zendehdel, Ming C. Leu, Zhaozheng Yin

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Modern manufacturing faces significant challenges, including efficiency bottlenecks and high error rates in manual assembly operations. To address these challenges, we implement artificial intelligence (AI) and propose a gaze-driven assembly assistant system that leverages artificial intelligence for human-centered smart manufacturing. Our system processes video inputs of assembly activities using a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) network for assembly step recognition, a Transformer network for repetitive action counting, and a gaze tracker for eye gaze estimation. The application of AI integrates the outputs of these tasks to deliver real-time visual assistance through a software interface that displays …

Neurosymbolic Knowledge-Grounded Planning And Reasoning In Ai Systems, Amit Sheth, Vedant Khandelwal, Kaushik Roy, Vishal Pallagani, Megha Chakraborty

Faculty Publications

To build AI systems capable of decision-support assistance, such as AI-assisted healthcare, it is essential to develop user-centric decision-making processes that are robust, interpretable, and capable of effectively processing and acting on natural language interactions. Instruction-based prompting of large language models has demonstrated considerable success in supporting humans with information assistance tasks, including creative writing and content generation. However, recent studies reveal that language models exhibit limitations in performing complex reasoning and planning tasks, such as constructing compositional or hierarchical plans involving multiple reasoning steps. To address these challenges, we propose a neurosymbolic framework that integrates large language models with …

Exploring The Effect Of The Architecture Morphology On Urban Ventilation At Block Scale Using Cfd-Gis And Random Forest Combined Method, Bin Guo, Miaoyi Chen, Xiaowei Zhu, Zheng Wang, Lu Li, Lin Pei, Hailong Chen, Puhao Chen, Tengyue Guo

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Urban ventilation plays a crucial role in dispersing air pollutants and mitigating the urban heat island effect. As a key factor, urban architectural morphology can significantly impact the wind field and ventilation efficiency. This study combines Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Geographic Information System (GIS), and Random Forest (RF) methods to investigate the influence of architectural morphology on urban ventilation at the block scale. First, Remote Sensing (RS) and GIS were used to extract architectural morphology parameters. Second, CFD simulations, guided by in-situ observations, were conducted to model the wind field, with the Standard k-ɛ model validated as the optimal choice. …

Multi-Model Integration For Dynamic Forecasting (Midf): A Framework For Wind Speed And Direction Prediction, Molaka Maruthi, Bubryur Kim, Sujeen Song, Jinwoo An, Zengshun Chen

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Accurate forecasting of wind speed and direction is critical for the efficient integration of wind power into energy systems, ensuring reliable renewable energy production and grid stability. Traditional methods often struggle with capturing nonlinear interdependencies, quantifying uncertainties, and providing reliable long-term predictions, particularly in complex atmospheric conditions. To address these challenges, this study introduces multi-model Integration for dynamic forecasting (MIDF), an ensemble machine learning framework that combines the strengths of DeepAR and temporal fusion transformer (TFT) models through a two-step meta-learning process. MIDF leverages DeepAR’s probabilistic forecasting capabilities and TFT’s attention mechanisms to enhance accuracy, robustness, and interpretability. Using a …

The Spice (Sustainable, Physics-Inspired Culinary Education) Lab – A Digestible Few-Nexus Educational Platform, Carla Ramsdell

National Collaborative for Research on Food, Energy, and Water Education (NC-FEW)

The SPICE (Sustainable, Physics-Inspired Culinary Education) Lab is a unique educational platform that enables participants from a wide disciplinary background to engage and become literate in the unique connections between food, energy and water. This small but mighty space allows for outreach education in many formats, including formal college courses, university-centered hands-on activities and public outreach.

The work performed in this space fills a unique need in the FEW-Nexus education opportunities because it is adaptable to many learners and learning opportunities and its focus on kitchen science makes these concepts approachable which can later be expanded to understand other critical …

Physical And Biological Effects On Moths’ Navigation Performance, Yiftach Golov, Roi Gurka, Alexander Liberzon, Ally Harari

Physics and Engineering Science

In a chemosensing system, the local olfactory environment experienced by a foraging organism is defined as an odorscape. Using the nocturnal pink bollworm moth (Pectinophora gossypiella), we tested the combined effect of three biophysical aspects in its immediate odorscape to shed light on the coupling effects of biotic and abiotic factors on navigation performances of a nocturnal forager: i) the quality of the pheromone source, ii) the pheromone availability, and iii) the airflow characteristics. The navigation performance of the males was investigated using a wind tunnel assay equipped with 3D infrared high-speed cameras. The navigation performance of the males was …

Distributed Repeaters For Extending The Range Of Harmonic Rf Tags, Trevor Saunders

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Passive harmonic Radio Frequency (RF) tags are highly advantageous compared to theiractive counterparts due to their ability to operate effectively in environments that are cluttered or where access to the tag for battery maintenance is challenging, dangerous and/or time consuming. They are also resistant to the local oscillator (LO) phase noise in radar applications where the doppler frequency from slow moving targets is buried beneath the noise. One of the major constraints of passive harmonic RF tags, however, lies in their operating range and the significant amount of power required to overcome the conversion loss and activate the nonlinear device …

Synthesis, Characterization And Electrical Properties Evaluation Of Zirconium Dioxide Capacitors, Thomas P. Chandy

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis focuses on the fabrication and comprehensive characterization of thin-film capacitors utilizing zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) as the dielectric material, placed between aluminum electrodes. The research primarily aims to examine the impact of varying ZrO2 film thickness and the effects of post-deposition annealing on the structural, morphological, and electrical properties of the capacitors. A controlled sputtering deposition technique was employed to ensure uniform film growth, maintaining consistency in thickness and material quality across all samples.

A comprehensive set of characterization techniques was employed to analyze the capacitors. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to assess surface roughness, revealing fewer defects …

Feature Manifold Transformer For Detection Of Differential Item Functioning: Visual Detection Of Categorical Feature Nonconformity Through Attention-Based Analysis, Derrick A. Cox, Tanvi Banerjee, William L. Romine

Computer Science and Engineering Faculty Publications

Methods for interpreting complex feature interactions in educational assessment data remain a critical challenge, with traditional statistical approaches often creating barriers to accessibility and interpretability. We introduce the Feature Manifold Transformer (FMT), a novel machine learning approach that leverages dimensionality reduction, representation learning, and transformer architectures to visualize and interpret feature relationships in categorical data. Using the Concept Inventory of Natural Selection (CINS) and Concept Assessment of Natural Selection (CANS) datasets as testbeds, we demonstrate the FMT’s ability to capture subtle relationships between student demographics and response patterns. Our methodology enables both global and local pattern analysis, providing interpretable visualizations …

Msbzip55 Regulates Salinity Tolerance By Modulating Melatonin Biosynthesis In Alfalfa, Tingting Wang, Jiaqi Yang, Jiamin Cao, Qi Zhang, Huayue Liu, Peng Li, Yizhi Huang, Wenwu Qian, Xiaojing Bi, Hui Wang, Yunwei Zhang

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Real-Time Defect Detection And Classification In Robotic Assembly Lines: A Machine Learning Framework, Fadi El Kalach, Mojtaba Farahani, Thorsten Wuest, Ramy Harik

Faculty Publications

Manufacturing systems have witnessed a significant transformation with the introduction of Industry 4.0, introducing new capabilities with the emergence of new technologies. One such instance is the proliferation of sensors enabling the generation and acquisition of vast amounts of data, leading to advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) for manufacturing. One field profiting from this is that of Time Series Analytics (TSC) which includes forecasting and classification. TSC can be crucial for fault detection and diagnosis in manufacturing systems. However, there are still challenges in utilizing manufacturing datasets to train and deploy classification algorithms for real time classification. As such this …

Synthesis, Characterization And Delamination Studies Of Metallic Thin Films Prepared Using Sputtering And Ebeam Evaporation Methods, Anoop Joseph

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In many mechanical applications, including the manufacturing, automotive, and cutting tool sectors, metallic thin film coatings are crucial due to their tribological and protective properties. This research focuses on the development of metallic thin films of Aluminum (Al), Chromium (Cr) and Titanium (Ti) using deposition techniques like Sputtering and Electron Beam Evaporation. Metallic thin films were fabricated, with variations in thickness for each material, allowing for an in-depth study of the effects of Sputtering and Ebeam Evaporation deposition method on film characteristics. The thickness of these metallic thin films were evaluated using High-Resolution Scanning Electron Microscopy (HRSEM) and Profilometer while …

Impact Of Crack Location, Crack Initial Length, And Crosshead Speed On Fracture Toughness Of Polypropylene And Glass Fiber-Reinforced Polypropylene Pipes, R. Singer, A. Koriem, A. M. Ollick, M. Elhadary

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Fracture toughness (K_IC) is a critical parameter for evaluating the performance of materials, particularly in engineering applications where structural integrity is crucial. The objective of this study is to investigate the fracture toughness characteristics of polypropylene (PP) and glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene (GFPP) pipes. Specifically, evaluating the influence of crosshead speed, crack location, and initial crack length on the K_IC of these materials under both tensile loading (Mode I fracture) and bending conditions. Tensile tests were conducted on both materials using two specimen configurations and varied notch lengths to simulate Mode I fracture conditions. Additionally, three-point bending tests …

Introducing A Novel Figure Of Merit For Evaluating Stability Of Perovskite Solar Cells: Utilizing Long Short-Term Memory Neural Networks, Zahraa Ismail, Ahmed Alali, Mahmoud Ashraf, Ahmad Muhammad, Sameh O. Abdellatif

Electrical Engineering

This study introduces a novel figure of merit for evaluating the stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) by employing advanced Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) neural networks to investigate degradation mechanisms. By harnessing the power of artificial intelligence and data analytics, we analyzed extensive datasets encompassing PSC parameters, experimental results, and environmental conditions, revealing critical insights into the degradation patterns affecting cell performance over time. Our findings indicate that the LSTM model effectively captures and predicts the complex relationships between key design parameters—efficiency, fill factor, and open-circuit voltage—and degradation-induced changes in PSCs. Specifically, we identified three degradation coefficients associated with the …

A Comparison Of Unconventional Microwave And Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction Methods Used For Flavonoids, Istiqomah Rahmawati, Daffa Hafiziaulhaq Azizi, Jihan Nafila Wibowo, Muhammad Reza, Boy Arief Fachri, Bekti Palupi, Meta Fitri Rizkiana, Helda Wika Amini, Ifan Ramadana, Felix Arie Setiawan

Makara Journal of Science

Cocoa pods (Theobroma cacao L.) are a rich source of flavonoids, which are natural antioxidants known for their health benefits. This study investigated the use of microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and ultrasound-assisted ex-traction (UAE) to extract the maximum flavonoids and antioxidants from cocoa pods. MAE and UAE are efficient and sustainable methods for extracting bioactive compounds like flavonoids and antioxidants from cocoa pods, offer-ing faster extraction, reduced solvent use, and better compound preservation compared to conventional methods. These technologies unlock the untapped potential of cocoa pods for applications in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuti-cals. The effects of extraction time (2–10 min), microwave …

Analytical Electrochemistry Of Nickel, Platinum, And Platinum-Nickel Electrodepositions, Kyle James Troche

Nanoscience and Microsystems ETDs

Nickel and platinum electrodeposits have numerous applications in corrosion and wear-resistant coatings, electronic connectors, heat resistance, metal finishings, and catalysts. The addition of additives can vastly change the morphology of the deposition. Electrokinetic parameters can be calculated by conducting rotating disk electrode (RDE) experiments along with Koutecky-Levich analysis. Significant challenges need to be addressed to deposit uniform films of Pt-Ni alloys from a single co-deposition bath. The main challenge is platinum’s catalytic property to reduce the overpotential for the hydrogen generation reaction. An Investigation into methanol and carbon monoxide’s hydrogen generation reaction suppression was conducted. Electrodeposition of nickel, platinum, and …

Cost-Effective Active Laser Scanning System For Depth-Aware Deep-Learning-Based Instance Segmentation In Poultry Processing, Pouya Sohrabipour, Chaitanya Kumar Reddy Pallerla, Amirreza Davar, Siavash Mahmoudi, Philip Crandall, Wan Shou, Yu She, Dongyi Wang

School of Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications

The poultry industry plays a pivotal role in global agriculture, with poultry serving as a major source of protein and contributing significantly to economic growth. However, the sector faces challenges associated with labor-intensive tasks that are repetitive and physically demanding. Automation has emerged as a critical solution to enhance operational efficiency and improve working conditions. Specifically, robotic manipulation and handling of objects is becoming ubiquitous in factories. However, challenges exist to precisely identify and guide a robot to handle a pile of objects with similar textures and colors. This paper focuses on the development of a vision system for a …

Behavior Of Buried Sliplined Corrugated Metal Pipes Subjected To Footing Loading, S. Mustapha Rahmaninezhad, Saif Jawad, Jie Han, Mahdi Al-Naddaf, Robert L. Parsons

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Buried structures (e.g., culverts and pipes under roadways) installed several decades ago are reaching the end of their service life. Excavation and replacement of these structures will cause disturbances to the transportation network and require significant funding. Trenchless techniques (e.g., sliplining) have been increasingly employed to rehabilitate deteriorated buried structures (e.g., corroded corrugated steel pipes). Sliplining includes inserting a new pipe (liner) into an existing deteriorated pipe and filling the gap between them with grout. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of sliplining on the behavior of buried corrugated steel pipes with different degrees of corrosion …

Challenges In Artisanal Small-Scale Gold Mining: Perspectives And Transformations To Sustainability Along Br-163 In Brazil, Carlos Henrique Xavier Araujo, Irfan Ullah, Giorgio De Tomi

Journal of Sustainable Mining

Artisanal Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) is a sector beset with unique and complex challenges. Recent literature highlights the growing acknowledgment of the critical need for reforms in how the ASGM industry interacts with communities and the environment. Discussions about sustainable transformations go beyond theoretical and conceptual borders, attempting to understand how local transformative events might reflect global developments. Thus, the goal of this article is to give an analysis from the perspective of the actors participating in artisanal gold mining activities. A survey was carried out along BR-163, which runs from Sinop (Mato Grosso) to Santarém (Pará). Fifty-five (55) interviews …

Direct Water Reuse: A Hydraulic Economic Analysis Of Connecting The Wastewater Treatment Effluent To Water Treatment Influent, Brian Barkdoll, Amber G. Strutz

Michigan Tech Publications

Climate change is causing increased flooding and droughts. Droughts can cause drinking water sources to run dry. Therefore, recycling water from the wastewater plant effluent to the water treatment plant influent, also called ‘direct reuse’ is becoming necessary. A connection between a city's wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent and water treatment plant (WTP) influent via pipe was simulated to provide an understanding of the capital costs and feasibility of execution. Hydraulic pipe-flow and pump equations were used to calculate the pipe and pump sizes needed for various flow rate and elevation head values. Various flow rate recycle rates were modeled …

Investigating The Behavior Of Green Covers And Stone Pavers In Historic Urban Spaces During Pandemics: Case Study Beit Al Qadi Square – Historic Cairo - Egypt, Doaa Salaheldin Ismail Elsayed

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Respiratory pandemics are becoming global phenomena demanding post-pandemic re-adaptation practices. In this context, the study questioned if selecting green covers or stone pavers would participate in containing or propagating bioaerosols. The research explored the correlation between pavements and viral aerosols' mass concentration and deposition values. It focused on two design alternatives adopting grass and red stone examined in an open space prone to urban regeneration projects. The study employed both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The former involved literature survey, field investigations and onsite measurements, besides a multi-scalar satellite image analysis. The latter digitally introduced a coronavirus pollutant in the open …

Design And Realization Of Concurrent Cryptosystem For Medical Image Privacy On Reconfigurable Hardware, Vinoth Raj R

Theses and Dissertations

The protection of medical image privacy plays a crucial role in maintaining confidentiality for the secure storage and transmission of patient’s sensitive healthcare data. Medical images are the widely used data type in the e-healthcare sector. Traditional cryptographic algorithms have limitations when applied to large-scale medical image datasets due to their high computational requirements. The primary goal of this research work is to design and implement indigenous algorithms to provide confidentiality for grayscale and color DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) images through an encryption process. The research leverages the benefits of reconfigurable hardware, namely the Field-Programmable Gate Arrays …

Modeling And Simulations Of An Input Coupler For A High-Power Traveling Wave Tube Amplifier As A Preliminary Investigation Into A Multi-Stream Traveling Wave Tube Amplifier, Ethan Wade

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

The University of New Mexico (UNM) is working on developing a multi-stream Traveling Wave Tube (TWT) amplifier. One of the first steps to be taken during the design of a TWT amplifier is to design an input coupler to couple power from a lower power High Power Microwave (HPM) seed source to the slow wave structure (SWS) of the amplifier. In order to aid in the development of a TWT which operates in X-band, multiple options for input couplers have been designed for use in a greater TWT project at UNM. The primary tasks to be addressed with these input …

Flapping Dynamics And Wing Flexibility Enhance Odor Detection In Blue Bottle Flies, Naeem Haider, Zhipeng Lou, Chengyu Li

Faculty Scholarship

One of the most ancient and evolutionarily conserved behaviors in the animal kingdom involves utilizing wind-borne odor plumes to track essential elements such as food, mates, and predators. Insects, particularly flies, demonstrate a remarkable proficiency in this behavior, efficiently processing complex odor information encompassing concentrations, direction, and speed through their olfactory system, thereby facilitating effective odor-guided navigation. Recent years have witnessed substantial research explaining the impact of wing flexibility and kinematics on the aerodynamics and flow field physics governing the flight of insects. However, the relationship between the flow field and olfactory functions remains largely unexplored, presenting an attractive frontier …

Flipping Out: Role Of Arginine In Hydrophobic Interactions And Biological Formulation Design, Jonathan W.P. Zajac, Praveen Muralikrishnan, Idris Tohidian, Xianci Zeng, Caryn L. Heldt, Sarah L. Perry, Et. Al.

Michigan Tech Publications

Arginine has been a mainstay in biological formulation development for decades. To date, the way arginine modulates protein stability has been widely studied and debated. Here, we employed a hydrophobic polymer to decouple hydrophobic effects from other interactions relevant to protein folding. While existing hypotheses for the effects of arginine can generally be categorized as either direct or indirect, our results indicate that direct and indirect mechanisms of arginine co-exist and oppose each other. At low concentrations, arginine was observed to stabilize hydrophobic polymer folding via a sidechain-dominated direct mechanism, while at high concentrations, arginine stabilized polymer folding via a …

Solid Wastes From Geothermal Energy Production And Implications For Direct Lithium Extraction, William T. Stringfellow, Mary K. Camarillo

Pacific Faculty Work

Direct lithium extraction (DLE) of brines after geothermal power production offers opportunities to produce environmentally benign “green” lithium; however, some environmental impact is inevitable. We examined solid waste production at geothermal power plants in southern California that are also locations for planned DLE facilities. Currently, the geothermal plants in this region produce approximately 79,800 metric tons (wet weight) per year of solid waste, which represents about 28 metric tons per GWh of net electricity production or approximately 500 mg solids per kg geothermal brine. Approximately 15% of this waste requires management as hazardous waste. Solids produced during power production represent …

Time-Series Forecasting In Smart Manufacturing Systems: An Experimental Evaluation Of The State-Of-The-Art Algorithms, Mojaba A. Farahani, Fadi El Kalach, Austin Harper, M.R. Mccormick, Ramy Harik, Thorsten Wuest

Faculty Publications

Time-Series Forecasting (TSF) is a growing research area across various domains including manufacturing. Manufacturing can benefit from Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) innovations for TSF tasks. Although numerous TSF algorithms have been developed and proposed over the past decades, the critical validation and experimental evaluation of the algorithms hold substantial value for researchers and practitioners and are missing to date. This study aims to fill this research gap by providing a rigorous experimental evaluation of the state-of-the-art TSF algorithms on thirteen manufacturing-related datasets with a focus on their applicability in smart manufacturing environments. Each algorithm was selected based …

Extraction Of Contact Resistivity For Transition Metal Oxide-Based Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cell, Shanmugam K

Theses and Dissertations

Contact resistivity quantifies the charge transport barrier, which is one of the key parameters for choosing the carrier selective contact for silicon solar cells. Optically transparent and electrically selective contacts such as Transition Metal Oxide (TMO)–based contacts are employed in solar cell applications. Therefore, extracting contact resistivity for such Schottky contacts requires apposite validation.

In this work, the contact resistivity of TiOx/LiFx/Al stack over an n-type c-Si wafer is extracted using two conventional techniques: i) Shockley’s Transfer Length Method (TLM) and ii) Cox and Strack Method (CSM). The extracted contact resistivity is validated by comparing it with the solar cell’s …