Engineering Commons^™

Efficient Energy Management In Networked Microgrids Using Multi-Agent Deep Reinforcement Learning In The Presence Of Uncertainties, Ayodele Benjamin Chukwuyem

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

Microgrid technology is essential in facilitating the transition to smart energy grids in developed countries and mitigating energy poverty in developing countries, particularly in areas where grid extensions are not feasible. Recently, the concept of networked microgrids (NMGs) has garnered tremendous attention due to the plausibility of interactions among interconnected microgrids leading to power networks that are more resilient, reliable, and stable. However, because each microgrid has diverse distributed generation resources (renewables and controllable generators) and each microgrid operator (MO) has different objectives, coordinated energy management is required to satisfy local and system-wide goals under conditions with significant uncertainty. Existing …

The Impact Of People Interests In Evaluating The Open Public Spaces' Quality In The City Centre, Hasan Hadi, Adil Al-Saidi, Haitham Alshamari

HBRC Journal

The quality of open public spaces in city centres significantly affects people's satisfaction and responses to their built environment. The significance of these areas allow people to assess their performance. this paper addresses the issue of People's interests that affect their evaluation of public urban spaces in city centres. The research applied an ontological methodology that is people's experiences determine the spatial quality of the public spaces in city centres. In order to discover and assess the seven value variables, it recommended diagnosing a random sample of users as a group (A) and (B). The urban space in the historic …

Mapping The Void In Electric Vehicle (Ev) Adoption Research: Uncovering Lack Of Socio-Economic Study In The Global South, Satvik Pandey, Rahul Tiwari, Rajat Soni

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Electric Vehicles (EVs) are considered an effective contemporary alternative to Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles. Research in the domain of EV is being conducted globally across a variety of fields; among them, our study explored research on consumer adoption. Going through the bibliometric analysis of the data taken from the Scopus database, what came to our attention is the minimal amount of work that is done on understanding consumers of EVs. From the literature, we found that consumer preferences are shaped through the influence of several parameters related to EVs, and this influence varies according to the consumer’s socio-economic and …

Improving Transfer Portal Decision-Making Through A Microsoft Excel Optimization Model, Peyton Steffes

Honors Projects

The creation of the transfer portal has increased the mobility of collegiate athletes, giving players the autonomy to switch teams throughout their career. As a result, the roster development process has become more complex, as coaches are tasked with the challenge of recruiting from the transfer portal, which involves an extensive decision-making process. Coaches not only have to evaluate a substantial pool of players, but they also must consider the following constraints they are under: scholarship budget, roster spots available, and positional needs. To simplify this decision-making process, this analysis includes the results of a Microsoft Excel data optimization model …

Optimization Of A Point Absorber Wave Energy Converter (Wec), Rutwa Dilipkumar Nagar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the performance and optimization of a point absorber wave energy converter with a partially submerged spherical float. A comprehensive open-source computational framework integrates frequency-domain hydrodynamic analysis with time-domain simulation using Capytaine, BEMIO, and WEC-Sim. Hydrodynamic coefficients such as added mass, radiation damping, and excitation forces are calculated and integrated into the governing equation of motion using the Cummins formulation. A parametric analysis varies the float diameter and geometric configurations across several cases. Hydrodynamic coefficients and response amplitude operators are assessed to analyze system behavior and resonance characteristics. Results indicate consistent trends in normalized added mass, with radiation …

Multicriteria Analysis Of Vehicle Exhausts Emission Using Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy, Sunday Ayoola Oke, Ibraheem Adedotun Abdul, Ismaila Badmus, John Rajan, Swaminathan Jose, Adekunle Adetayo Yekinni, Kabiru Alani Olaiya, Mofoluwaso Kehinde Adeniran, Pandiaraj Benrajesh

Makara Journal of Technology

This study employs the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) to identify the critical factors and their degree of relevance to the vehicle emission process. Its innovation lies in the potential to blend ambiguity and uncertainty with the established AHP. FAHP transforms information into a defuzzification state through signal-to-noise ratios, normalization, and pairwise comparison. The principal parameters considered are revenue, sold packing units, CAGR, packing materials, consumption, and CO2 emissions (A, B, C, D, E, and F, respectively). From the normalized defuzzified weight result, consumption (Parameter E) is the best (normalized weight, 0.8685917), while CO2 emissions (Parameter F) was the worst …

Optimized Bombax Ceiba/Jute Hybrid Epoxy Composites For Enhanced Thermal Insulation Performance, Shadman Ahmed Khan, Naeem Ahmmed, Md Tanvir Hossain, Abdullah Ibn Asheque, Md Ariful Islam, Md Abdul Kader, Md Sohel Rana, Sakib Masud

Michigan Tech Publications

The development of sustainable hybrid natural-fiber composites provides a practical way toward lightweight materials with tailored mechanical and thermal performance. In this study, Bombax ceiba (BC)/jute hybrid epoxy composites were fabricated using a stacked preform followed by compression molding, and the effect of fiber blending ratio on mechanical, thermal, and microstructural properties was systematically investigated. Three compositions-40/60, 50/50, and 60/40 BC/jute by weight-were evaluated. Mechanical testing showed that the J50 composite, with a balanced fiber ratio, exhibited superior flexural strength and impact resistance, indicating effective hybrid synergy and improved stress transfer between fibers and the matrix. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that …

The Pid-Based Three Quadcopter Uavs Formation Control Under External Disturbance, Vo Van An, Trinh Luong Mien

Makara Journal of Technology

This paper presents the design and evaluation of a formation control strategy for three quadcopter UAVs, based on a PID controller in a leader–follower structure, under the influence of external disturbances. Each UAV employs a six-degree of-freedom dynamic model and utilises a cascade PID control architecture, in which the inner control loop stabilises the attitude. In contrast, the outer control loop regulates position and maintains the formation. The PID parameters are tuned using the Ziegler–Nichols method to ensure simple implementation and low computational cost. The performance of the control system is evaluated through simulations in the MATLAB environment for two …

Problems With Small Drinking Water Systems In Developing And Developed Countries: How Do They Compare?, Kurt Kesteloot

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This dissertation compares the factors that drive the long-term functionality of small drinking water systems (serving fewer than 10,000 people) in developing and developed country contexts, with a focus on groundwater supplies. Using regression analysis in SAS and complementary fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) for developing countries, the study integrates two datasets: 23 Engineers Without Borders project surveys (90+ variables across 14 countries) and a multi-year National Park Service inspection dataset (approximately 1,561 systems; 7,460 recorded deficiencies, enriched with U.S. Census ZIP-code aggregates). In developing countries, statistically significant predictors of success include government cash contributions (odds ratio [OR] ≈ 67.6), …

Quantitative Study Of The Predictive Correlational Relationship Between Passenger Knowledge, Attitudes, And Behaviors In Aviation Ground Safety Events, Nikkolas Howard Kraay

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the relationships between passenger cabin safety knowledge, attitude, and behavior using the Knowledge-Attitude-Behavior (KAB) framework as the guiding theoretical model. Although prior aviation safety research has demonstrated a linear progression from knowledge to attitudes to behaviors, these studies were conducted primarily in Asian cultural contexts. The present study investigated whether this linear sequence would hold within a larger cultural passenger population. A predictive correlational design was used, and data was collected through an online survey completed by 194 adult airline passengers. The instrument measured cabin safety knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intent, along with demographic characteristics.

Data was …

Study Of Complex Biological Systems Through Ai-Empowered Metabolomic Analysis And Modeling, Runyu Zhao

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation establishes an integrated framework that leverages artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced metabolomics to overcome the "complexity bottleneck" in microbial engineering, specifically addressing the global crises of plastic waste and carbon emissions. By framing the research within the complex biosystems for effective bioproduction and bioremediation, this work develops novel strategies to engineer and analyze biological systems for a circular bioeconomy. In the "Build" phase (Chapter 2), the study addresses the instability of synthetic microbial consortia. By utilizing calcium-alginate hydrogel compartmentalization, the research successfully decouples the growth of the phototroph Synechococcus elongatus from its heterotrophic partners (P. putida and Y. …

Individualized Models For Perception And Cognition, Dominic Marticorena

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation develops individualized models of perceptual and cognitive behavior, inferring latent capacities from limited data with sufficient efficiency, precision, and generality for person-level prediction. In perception, a nonparametric Bayesian framework for adaptive psychophysics is extended from audition to vision, producing an estimator that recovers dense individualized contrast sensitivity profiles through variational inference, a generalized kernel, and information-guided stimulus selection. A multitask extension enables simultaneous estimation of multiple psychometric fields by exploiting shared latent structure. Transferring this inferential logic to cognition, where relevant dimensions must be supplied by task design rather than physics, requires new measurement infrastructure. A Minecraft-based platform …

Inference-Time Scaling For Robust And Adaptive Computational Imaging, Yuyang Hu

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Computational imaging has transformed fields such as medical imaging, computational photography, and remote sensing by combining physical measurement models with advanced image reconstruction algorithms. Two major paradigms have driven significant progress: model-based deep learning (MBDL), which integrates learned priors with physics-based data consistency, and generative models, especially diffusion models, which capture complex image distributions and enable posterior sampling for uncertainty quantification. Despite their success, most existing methods still operate under static inference: they rely on fixed pretrained priors, predetermined sampling procedures, and a fixed forward model during reconstruction. This rigidity limits their robustness in the presence of distribution shift, complex …

A Low-Noise And High-Gain Integrated Photoplethysmography Sensor For Continuous Vital Signs Monitoring, Neethu Mohan

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

Photoplethysmography (PPG) sensing is an important technology used for measuring health parameters like, heart rate, respiratory rate, blood oxygen saturation, and blood pressure (BP). The PPG sensing is used for individuals who have to periodically monitor their health due to chronic health conditions. The basic requirements of a wearable PPG sensor include non-invasiveness, prolonged battery life, and being user-friendly. These type of sensors have great demand in the healthcare applications and there is a significant rise in the demand of these sensors. The basic objective of these PPG sensors is to make the continuous vital health monitoring easier without the …

Anchorage And Bond Behavior Of Smoothsurfaced Nitinol-Sma Rebars, Mostafa Basha

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

The anchorage and bond behavior of smooth-surfaced Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) is investigated in this thesis, but specifically, the focus will be on Nitinol (Ni-Ti). Nitinol has distinctive properties, including Superelasticity Effect (SE) and Shape Memory Effects (SME). These properties make Nitinol bars suitable for civil and seismic engineering applications that require resilience and durability. However, Nitinol rebars possess a smooth surface, making it difficult to achieve adequate bonding and anchorage, potentially altering their load-carrying abilities. This inadequate anchorage and bonding restrict their use in the field of structural and seismic engineering. The main aim of this study is to …

Project Management Practices In Manufacturing: An Analytical Case Study, Margaret Randle, Robert Reynolds

Honors Capstones

Global industries are undergoing significant transitions in organizational models, technological innovation, and non-economic indicators of product quality, including sustainability and operational efficiency. The current workforce needs to not only develop competency of these technical skills, but also an adaptive, system-oriented approach to problem-solving as well. This case study, which highlights a manufacturing company’s project of increasing production efficiency, presents concepts learned through the textbook Project Management: Achieving Competitive Advantage by Jeffrey K. Pinto. The study thoroughly breaks down the full project lifecycle and the integration of systems of people, data, and initiatives in a framework that can be used to …

Wavetable Modification In Frequency Domain: Fourier Analysis With Matlab Implementation, Caleb Kortens

Senior Honors Theses

One of the challenges in creating computer generated music is producing life-like sounds. Music produced through computer synthesis can often sound thin and synthetic rather than vibrant and energetic. Wavetable synthesis is a method of waveform generation that uses a wavetable, which is a set of single period waves, or frames, that have varying characteristics. This method allows a synthesizer to transition between waveforms to produce a sound with time varying tone and harmonic characteristics. This adds life and movement to computer generated sounds. Wavetable synthesis is often used to imitate actual instruments, but unique wavetables can be created that …

Dynamic Cushioning Performance And Sustainability Implications Of Recycled-Content Expanded Polyethylene Foams, Jay Singh, Pratish Patel, Emily Recinos, Paulina Goncharov

Industrial Technology and Packaging

The transition toward circular materials in protective packaging requires empirical evidence that recycled-content foams can satisfy stringent shock-attenuation requirements. This study evaluates the dynamic cushioning performance of expanded polyethylene (EPE) foams formulated with 0%, 30% and 40% recycled content under controlled impact conditions following ASTM D1596. A total of 1100 drop tests were conducted across combinations of density, thickness, static load and drop height representative of distribution hazards in parcel and freight supply chains. Peak transmitted acceleration (G) was measured as the primary performance response variable.

Across the configurations evaluated, recycled-content EPE foams exhibited cushioning performance comparable to virgin materials. …

Quantifying Evapotranspiration From The Wetlands In The Peripheral Area Between The Most Downstream Stream Gages And The Open Water Body Of The Great Salt Lake, Motasem S. Abualqumboz, David G. Tarboton

Publications

Study region: The eastern peripheral area between the most downstream stream gages and the open water body of the Great Salt Lake (GSL), located in northern Utah within the semiarid western United States (US). 

Study focus: As GSL levels decline, the eastern peripheral area is expanding, exposing former lakebed, much of which has transitioned into natural and managed wetlands. Evapotranspiration (ET) from these wetlands consumes water that would otherwise reach the open-water lake body, yet these losses remain poorly quantified and directly affect the GSL water balance. This study compares a water-balance-based ET estimate for the wetlands in the peripheral …

On Time-Series Analysis By Structured Matrix Decompositions With Applications To Signal Direction-Of-Arrival Estimation, Georgios Ierotheos Orfanidis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Modern autonomous systems operating in highly dynamic, non-stationary environments require reliable inference from short, potentially corrupted time-series measurements, where conventional statistical methods relying on large-sample support and stationarity assumptions become fundamentally inapplicable. This dissertation develops a unified, model-free theoretical framework for time-series analysis, with a particular application to signal Direction-of-Arrival (DoA) estimation, grounded in structured matrix decompositions under both the L2-norm and L1-norm formulations.

We first approach the problem from a conventional viewpoint by carrying out standard matrix analysis directly on Hankel-structured representations of time-series data. In this context, we demonstrate that L1-norm decompositions of Hankel matrices offer strong resistance …

Electrospun Pan-Derived Carbon Nanofibers Embedded With Nicofew-Based High-Entropy Oxides For Electrocatalytic Oxygen Evolution Reaction, Alireza Noroozi, Mahdavi, M. Baris Yagci, Mohammad Mahdi A. Shirazi, Saeed Bazgir, Hadi Jahangiri, Uğur Ünal

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

High-entropy oxides composed of Ni, Co, Fe, W, and a fifth transition element (Mo, Mn, or Cu) were integrated into electrospun polyacrylonitrile nanofibers to form porous nitrogen-doped carbon membranes for the oxygen evolution reaction. Gas-assisted electrospinning enabled uniform dispersion of high-entropy oxide nanoparticles within the polyacrylonitrile matrix, while calcination at 800°C produced conductive carbon frameworks embedding crystalline high-entropy oxides with homogeneous elemental distribution. Structural and surface analyses confirmed the preservation of high-entropy oxide phases, catalytic graphitization of the carbon matrix, and strong interfacial bonding between metal oxides and carbon. Among all compositions, Mo-HEO@NC exhibited the lowest overpotential (≈240 mV at …

Computer Vision And Deep Learning-Based Decision Support System Using Eye Motion Tracking For Nystagmus Detection, Kowshik Balasubramanian

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents the design, implementation, and experimental validation of an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven system for detecting and quantifying nystagmus an involuntary, rhythmic oscillation of the eyes intended as a portable, low-cost complement to conventional Videonystagmography (VNG). The complete pipeline integrates six algorithmic stages: face landmark detection, contrast enhancement, background-aware pixel thresholding, grid-based vertical column filtering, connected-component cluster analysis, and centroid computation, operating in real time on standard smartphone video to extract a sub-pixel normalized iris position time-series without any specialized eye-tracking hardware or infrared illumination. The system supports diagnostic decision-making, highlighting its promise for incorporation into telemedicine settings. The …

Influence Of Web Thickness And Concrete Cover On The Fire Resistance Of Aashto Type Iv Prestressed Concrete Bridge Girders, Fnu Nidhi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bridge fires caused by vehicle accidents, fuel tanker explosions and storage of combustible material beneath highway structures have led to severe structural damage and catastrophic collapse of prestressed concrete bridges. Critical structural collapse due to fire incidents such as I-85 prestressed concrete bridge girder collapse in Atlanta, 2017 and I-95 steel plate girder bridge partial collapse in Philadelphia, 2023 demonstrated the vulnerability of girders when exposed to extreme hydrocarbon fire temperatures exceeding 1000°C within few minutes. These events highlight the urgent need to better understand the thermal and structural behavior of bridge girders and explore design modifications that can enhance …

Molecular Catalysts For Electrochemical Nitrogen Activation Toward Sustainable Ammonia Synthesis, Jin-Xiu Han, Hao Xue, Xian-Biao Fu

Journal of Electrochemistry

Homogeneous electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) provides a powerful framework to interrogate molecular nitrogen-fixation pathways under mild conditions. By tuning the metal center, ligand architecture, and reaction medium, these systems enable capturing key intermediates and delivering mechanistic insight at the molecular-level resolution. Nevertheless, advances remain constrained by highly reduced operating potentials, intense competition from the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), limited durability in turnover, and inadequate long-term stability.

In this review, we take electron delivery to the molecular active site as the guiding principle for organizing homogeneous electrochemical N₂ activation and transformation. We classify reported systems into direct electron transfer …

Water-Driven Solid Electrolyte Interphase Governs Continuous-Flow Ammonia Electrosynthesis, Peng-Bo Liu, Sheng-Liang Zhai, Ji Huang, Zhong-Shuo Zhang, Jie Zeng, Shao-Feng Li

Journal of Electrochemistry

Flow-cell architectures have emerged as a powerful platform for continuous and stable lithium-mediated nitrogen reduction (Li-NRR), enabling ambient-condition electrochemical ammonia synthesis and offering a promising alternative to Haber-Bosch processes. However, Li-NRR is exceptionally sensitive to trace water, and even minor variations in water content can profoundly alter interfacial chemistry. Here, we systematically investigate how initial water concentration affects Li-NRR performance in a continuous-flow cell. Excess water drives the formation of a thick solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer, which may impede nitrogen access to metallic lithium and hinder lithium-ion transport. As a result, the ammonia Faradaic efficiency collapses from ~61% to …

Insertion Of Noble Metal Free Cathodic Catalyst Layer With Fe-N-C Catalyst For Boosted Performance Of Pemfc, Shi Zhou, Muhammad Tariq, Asif Nadeem Tabish, Muhammad Salman, Fan-Di Ning, Muhammad Rayyan Tayyab, Ran-Ran Peng, Meng-Geng Hao, Wen-Mu Li, Xiao-Chun Zhou

Journal of Electrochemistry

Economical Fe-N-C catalysts are considered as promising alternatives to platinum group metal catalysts for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Despite exhibiting robust activity on rotating disk electrodes, their performance within membrane electrode assemblies often experiences limitations, such as decreased O₂ diffusion, high H₂O₂ formation, low proton conduction, and a lower electron transfer number. In this study, key factors, including proton transport, electron conduction, and gas diffusion within air-breathing PEMFCs, have been investigated by adjusting cathode catalyst layer (CCL) compositions. From the experimental results, the optimal peak power density was obtained when the loading of Fe-N-C …

A Comparative Study Of Tin Electrorefining In Molten Licl–Kcl–Cacl₂: Experimental Two-Electrode Current Control And Theoretical Three-Electrode Potential Control, Bryant Johnson, George Ankrah, Ander Fuller, Devin Rappleye

Reviews, Analyses, and Instructional Studies in Electrochemistry (RAISE)

Molten salt electrorefining is a mature technology for metal recovery, yet conventional current‑controlled, two‑electrode operation provides limited electrochemical selectivity and restricted insight into electrode‑specific behavior. In this work, a simplified model is developed to compare current‑controlled two‑electrode electrorefining data with a potential‑controlled three‑electrode electrorefining simulation using tin in molten LiCl–KCl–CaCl₂ as a surrogate for plutonium processing. The model examines anodic and cathodic limitations under fixed‑potential operation and evaluates implications for selectivity, efficiency, and runtime relative to experimentally demonstrated two‑electrode performance. Results indicate that independent potential control enables operation closer to thermodynamic selectivity limits, with the potential to suppress impurity oxidation …

Evaluation Of Quantification Methods Applied To Overlapping Ftir Features, Benjamin P. Diehl

Reviews, Analyses, and Instructional Studies in Electrochemistry (RAISE)

Quantifying overlapping FTIR spectral features is critical for electrochemical analysis but often requires complex deconvolution. This work systematically evaluates several area ratio and proxy-based quantification methods using a controlled synthetic spectral model with varying signal-to-noise ratio, peak spacing, width, background, and data resolution. Constrained peak fitting and fixed-window integration consistently exhibit near-perfect monotonicity (Spearman ≈ 1.000) and linearity (Pearson ≈ 0.999–1.000) across all conditions. In contrast, derivative and moment-based metrics show sensitivity to peak overlap, width, and background. These results demonstrate that physically grounded area-based methods provide the most robust and reliable quantification of overlapping FTIR features.

Critical Arteries: Prioritizing Economic Vitality And Emergency Access In Local Networks, Jeremy Hunter

Local Transportation Asset Management Conference

Standard Asset Management Plans (AMPs) often rely heavily on Pavement Condition Index, Paser ratings, and Bridge Condition Ratings to dictate repair schedules. However, a strictly condition-based approach may neglect the economic and safety criticality of specific routes. This presentation proposes a multi-variable evaluation framework for counties, cities, and towns. I will explore methods for overlaying industrial data—specifically for heavy-haul sectors like logging, masonry, and agriculture—to identify and fortify the "economic lifelines" that sustain local revenue. Furthermore, I will address the necessity of resiliency planning within the AMP. By integrating hydraulic data and flood-prone area mapping, agencies can ensure that routes …

Passenger Autonomy In Airport Systems: Integrating Accessibility, Spatial Design, And Technology To Improve Operational Efficiency, John Michael Schmitz

Honors Projects

Airports are among the most complex operational environments in modern transportation, requiring the coordination of passenger movement, security processes, and infrastructure under significant time constraints. Although there have been many advancements in aviation, most passengers continue to experience high levels of stress and confusion while trying to navigate airport terminals. This paper argues that operational efficiency in airport systems is achieved by increasing  passenger autonomy through the utilization of accessible design, spatial legibility, and new emerging technologies. This paper takes note of some foundational theories that drove urban design and cognitive psychology, including Lynch’s concept of imageability, Passini’s theory of …