Engineering Commons^™

Life Cycle Costing Of Modular Timber Residential Construction, Logan Micah Hammel

Construction Management

This study examines the economic feasibility of modular residential construction using life-cycle costing (LCC) and life-cycle assessment (LCA) approaches to assess the sustainability and maintenance costs of modular construction. Using the structures and documents from the Gateway Decathlon project as the subject, we applied LCC formulas and programs to assess their economic performance. These calculations were conducted manually in Excel and modeled using the OpenLCA platform to compare traditional and software-based approaches. The study aims to identify cost drivers across building scopes, such as building materials and electrical and mechanical systems, and to evaluate how modular construction performs over its …

A Dataset Of Precipitate-Containing Multi-Principal Element Alloys, Anshu Raj, Xin Wang, Matthew Luebbe, Haiming Wen, Kun Lu, Shuozhi Xu

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

We report a curated dataset that brings together composition, processing conditions, microstructural details, and mechanical properties for 396 combinations of alloy composition and processing condition drawn from 100 peer-reviewed research articles on precipitate-containing multi-principal element alloys (MPEAs). The dataset was created by first utilizing a generative large language model for information extraction, followed by expert review to ensure accurate recovery of materials data. Compositional information was taken directly from tables and text, while processing routes — including homogenization, rolling, recrystallization, and aging — were converted into uniform temperature and time metrics. Microstructural descriptors, including precipitate phases and sizes, were consolidated …

Sustainability In Concrete: Decision-Makers, Dismissal Points, And A Framework For Implementation, Max Dennison

Construction Management

Concrete is essential to modern infrastructure, but is also one of the largest sources of embodied carbon, with cement production alone responsible for a significant share of global CO₂ emissions. Although low-carbon and otherwise “sustainable” concrete technologies are growing, their use in everyday projects remains limited. This research investigates why sustainable concrete options are most often dismissed during the project lifecycle, who drives these decisions, and what conditions are needed to enable broader adoption. Using a combination of literature review and semi-structured interviews with professionals in contracting, life-cycle assessment, sustainability consulting, and materials production, the study maps decision points from …

Enhancing Nasa Sounding Rocket Capabilities Through Composite Material Adoption, Robert Burth

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Sounding rockets are a suborbital research platform employed by NASA for heliophysics, astrophysics, geospace science investigations, and for technology development. They follow semi-parabolic trajectories and are launched using surplus military, and commercial, solid-propellant rocket motors. NASA sounding rocket payloads are comprised of standard, modular subassemblies, designed to perform specific functions critical to achieving specific mission success criteria.

Since the program’s inception, payload length and mass have trended upwards, limiting the capability of the platform to reach exospheric apogees and decreasing the time above critical altitudes to observe solar and celestial targets. To offset this trend, composite materials may be of …

Optimizing Auv Perception For Competitive Underwater Robotics: Analyzing Performance And Simplicity Of Machine Vision Hardware, Joseph King

Honors Theses

Underwater robotics is a growing field with many practical applications, such as pipeline and offshore structure monitoring, deep sea mining, mine reconnaissance/removal, and marine environmental monitoring. USM’s Robotics Club will participate in the international RoboSub competition, where student-led teams build autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) that perform a variety of tasks within a pool requiring camera-based object detection. This project analyzes affordable hardware and software options for providing machine vision to USM’s future RoboSub AUV. The performance of an ESP32-CAM microcontroller, Raspberry Pi 5, and Jetson Orin Nano single-board computers running FOMO and YOLO object detection models was compared. These models …

2026 (Spring) Ensi Informer Magazine, Morehead State University. Engineering Sciences Department

ENSI Informer Magazine Archive

The ENSI Informer Magazine published in the spring of 2026.

Traditional And Machine-Learning Equalization Techniques For Bandwidth-Limited Short-Reach Optical Communication Channels, Abdullah Khawatmi

Theses

This thesis investigates equalization techniques for bandwidth-limited short-reach optical communication systems, with a focus on Visible Light Communication (VLC) and Step-Index Plastic Optical Fiber (SI-POF) links. Commercial light-emitting diodes and photodiode receivers impose severe bandwidth constraints, inter-symbol interference, and noise sensitivity, which fundamentally limit achievable data rates. The work addresses these impairments through systematic evaluation of traditional digital signal processing–based equalizers and modern machine-learning-based post-equalization methods. The primary aim of this thesis is to enhance the achievable data rate and reliability of commercial short-reach optical links while maintaining practical computational complexity. Specifically, the objectives are to (i) design and experimentally …

Modeling And Autonomous Control Systems For A Delivery Drone Application, Dana Helal Alnuaimi

Theses

This thesis focuses on the development of a multi-drone navigation and control system, aiming to enhance payload capacities beyond the limits of single-drone systems. By integrating multiple drones to work collaboratively as a unit, this study addresses the challenges associated with lifting and transporting heavier payloads.

The primary objective is to design and evaluate a multi-drone system capable of working in tandem to transport larger payloads efficiently. The research aims to develop robust control algorithms, supported by system identification for dynamic modeling, and navigation strategies to enable effective coordination between drones.

The study employs a combination of simulation and real-world …

Near-Wall Void Distribution Characterization In Pebble Bed Reactor Using Gamma-Ray Ct And Dem Simulation, Ahmed Jasim, Mauricio Maestri, Abdullah Al Zubaidi, Omar Farid, Muthanna Al-Dahhan

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Accurate characterization of void-fraction distributions in pebble-bed reactors (PBRs) is essential for predicting flow, heat transfer, and neutronic behavior. High-fidelity experimental benchmark data for validating such predictions remain scarce, largely due to the challenges of non-invasive measurements. In this study, gamma-ray computed tomography (CT) was employed to measure radial and cross-sectional porosity in a laboratory-scale pebble bed containing 6cm graphite pebbles. A Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulation was implemented and validated against these measurements, then applied to the full-scale geometry of the Xe-100 high-temperature gas-cooled pebble-bed reactor. Analyses included radial and axial void-fraction profiles in the cylindrical section and conical …

Artificial Intelligence In Human Spaceflight Safety-Critical Systems: A Requirements Framework For Ai-Enabled Computer-Based Control Systems, Liz Bosch

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Currently, there is no governing standard that addresses the safe integration of AI into computer-based control systems (CBCS) in human spaceflight. The computer-based control expectations of those safety-critical systems on the International Space Station (ISS) are captured in SSP 50038, Computer-Based Control System Safety Requirements, with one caveat: the standard was not designed with AI applications in mind. SSP 50038 does not cover the probabilistic behavior, opacity, and training-data dependency of modern AI/ML systems. The objectives of this work is to develop an AI taxonomy relevant to safety characteristics (determinism, transparency, data dependency, failure predictability), systematically map AI characteristics against …

Construction Of A Deffi Sprayer: Using 3d Printer Methodology And Techniques For Cost-Effective Analysis Using Desi Mass Spectrometry Imaging, Ryan Karst, Savvy Stevens, Luke Amos, Logan Koester, Ethan Newbold, Karson Whitaker

Symposium Projects

Using 3D Printer Methodology and Techniques for Cost-Effective Analysis using DESI Mass Spectrometry Imaging

Visual Pattern Mining With Similarity Metrics For Model-Free Trading In The Korean Futures Market, Juhyeon Jang, Jaeyun Kim, David Enke

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The fractal market hypothesis highlights multi-scale dynamics in financial time series and provides a theoretical foundation for pattern-based analysis. This study proposes a model-free visual pattern mining framework that transforms high-frequency market data into image representations to support intelligent decision-making. By converting 1-minute KOSPI200 futures data into candlestick chart and Bollinger band images, the method effectively captures structural patterns and volatility dynamics. The framework applies similarity metrics and Intersection over Union (IoU)-based visual comparison to identify historically similar patterns and generate intelligent trading signals without model training or complex parameter tuning. Experimental results demonstrate that combining visual features of candlestick …

Pegasus: Vfs 2025-2026 Dbvf, A'Zhae Turay, Elisabeth Canjar, Jack Carpenter, Cheng-Ju Wu, Xander Fruin, Sophia Bennett

Mechanical Engineering Senior Theses

Pegasus is an autonomous electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft developed for the Vertical Flight Society Design-Build-Vertical Flight competition and designed around the operational needs of early-stage wildfire response. The system was developed to provide rapid aerial situational awareness, stable hover capability, modular payload deployment, and autonomous mission execution in environments where conventional reconnaissance methods may be limited by terrain, visibility, response time, or personnel risk. The final aircraft uses a hexacopter configuration with six electric propulsion units, a modular aluminum airframe, independent propulsion and avionics power systems, a Cube Orange+ flight controller, adaptive landing gear, and a bottom-mounted payload …

Plasmoid Vortex System Retrofit A Sustainability And Efficiency Study On Internal Combustion Engines, Walker Hall

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The thesis addresses the persistent inefficiency and environmental degradation caused by internal combustion engines in modern vehicles, a major issue as the automotive industry faces increasing pressure to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Internal combustion engines, which power most cars today, convert only about 20-30% of fuel energy into useful work, with the remainder lost as heat and exhaust waste, including carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO₂), hydrocarbons (HC), and nitrogen oxides (NOx). This inefficiency contributes to global carbon emissions, with transportation accounting for approximately 29% of U.S. greenhouse gases in 2021 [1]. As regulatory standards tighten (e.g., …

Antecedents And Consequences Of Consumer Behavior In Circular Fashion: Cognitive, Normative, And Behavioral Pathways Shaping Purchase And Participation Intentions, Mahmudul Hasan Sabuj

Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The increasing environmental impact of the fashion industry has intensified the need for a systemic transition from linear to circular production and consumption models. Despite growing interest in circular fashion, there remains a limited understanding of the underlying behavioral dimensions that drive consumer engagement in sustainable practices. Grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Norm Activation Theory (NAT), this study examines consumer behavior through an integrated framework capturing cognitive, social, and normative influences.

Using data collected from a structured online survey (N = 575), the study employs Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), reliability analysis, and multiple regression techniques to …

Evaluating Human Rod Photoreceptor Function Using Pixelwise Intensity-Based Optoretinography, Gao Yang, Mina Gaffney, Robert F. Cooper

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose: More than 50 inherited retinal diseases are known, with rod photoreceptor functional loss serving as an early indicator in nearly half of them. The “optoretinogram” is a relatively new assay that detects optical changes in cells in response to stimuli. This tool has excellent potential for providing insights into the earliest functional changes of rod photoreceptors, with the potential to assist in the early detection, monitoring, and treatment of retinal diseases.

Methods: In this work, we obtained intensity-based optoretinograms (iORGs) from rod photoreceptors using an adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope. We explore the necessity of both individual rod identification …

Severity And Duration-Dependent Aortic Stiffening In A Rabbit Coarctation Model Identifies Constitutive Material Parameters As Promising Regional Biomarkers For Hypertension Progression, Arash Ghorbannia, Jamasp Azarnoosh, John F. Ladisa Jr.

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Coarctation of the aorta (CoA) alters hemodynamics and drives regional remodeling, yet the influence of severity and duration on constitutive properties is undefined. We quantified mechanical responses from CoA to identify constitutive parameters capturing stiffening across clinical severities and durations. Mild (≤ 12 mmHg), intermediate (13–20 mmHg), and severe (> 20 mmHg) CoA was created in rabbits for short, long, and prolonged durations (~ 1, 3, or 22 weeks, respectively). Stress–stretch curves from proximal and distal regions were fit with multiple constitutive models (Linear Elastic, Neo-Hookean, Yeoh, Ogden, Mooney–Rivlin, Holzapfel). Model performance was evaluated by normalized RMSE and R², with …

Unveiling Value In Plastic Waste: Synthesis Of 1,3-Dioxolan-4-Ones From Polylactic Acid And Polyoxymethylene To Enhance Plastic Biodegradation, Mi-Hyun Lee, Joohyun Park, Hyeongyeong Lee, Woo Yeon Cho, Semin Son, Pyung Cheon Lee, In-Hwan Lee, Hye-Young Jang

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

Catalytic plastic upcycling protocols are essential for resolving the environmental and economic challenges associated with massive plastic production and disposal, as they convert complex waste streams into value-added chemicals. We report an efficient acid-catalyzed upcycling strategy for transforming poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and polyoxymethylene (POM) plastic waste. This innovative process directly yielding dioxolanones (DOXs) can be extended to use POM with various naturally abundant α-hydroxy acids. This work significantly expands the high-value chemical portfolio derivable from common plastic wastes. Incorporation of the synthesized DOXs into the poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) backbone results in materials with enhanced thermal stability and superior biodegradability. Critically, …

Cure Sound Project: Library Loudness, Jordan Cosgrove, Adrian Cruz, Lilliana Cantu, Izabella Grinnell, Idaly Oropeza, Maria Gamez, Regina Losoya, Kayla Martinez, April Martinez, Emiliano Rueda

Posters - 2026

The Louis J. Blume Library has three floors. Each floor has a different purpose and expected sound level. Ideal sound levels can vary based on task. Tasks requiring intense concentration may be negatively impacted by high sound levels1. However, for tasks requiring creativity, higher sound levels may be beneficial2-3. The purpose of this study is to examine noise levels on all floors of the library and determine which floor is most suitable for different tasks and studying types.

Evaluation Of An Affordable Prosthetic Liner In Resource Limited Settings, Samerial Brown

Posters - 2026

The lower limb prosthesis is an important assistive technology for persons with limb amputations and differences. The interface (prosthetic liner) between the rigid prosthetic socket and the residual limb is often made of silicone, urethane or thermoplastic elastomer gel. This material provides cushioning and support as well as suspension for the transtibial (below knee) prosthetic leg. Unfortunately the cost of liners range from $3-$600. This cost precludes its use in resource limited settings such as Sri Lanka. As a result patients are fit with a foam liner which has less cushioning and suspension capabilities than a gel type liner. This …

Agglomeration Of Particles Streaming Down A Zigzag, Juan Llamas

Posters - 2026

Zigzags or “letdown ladders” limit the flow speed of dry grains as they flow downward by gravity when loading silos, ships, barges, railcars, or trucks.

• Reduce cracking and shattering of grains.

• Increase grain shelf life.

• Increase grain resale value. • Increase ability of grain to germinate.

• Reduce generation of grain dust, an explosion and environmental hazard.

How can we design a zigzag that we know will not plug?

Hybrid Deep Learning Model For Accurate Settlement Forecasting Of Metro Tracks Under Canal Diversion Engineering, Haijie He, Zhenlin Wang, Sifan Shen, Shiyu Sheng, Jing Zhang, Chuang He, Huafeng Shan, Qiongfang Zhang, Li Ai

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

The structural stability of metro systems is essential for safe and reliable urban rail operation. Large-scale underground construction may influence existing metro lines, making accurate settlement prediction necessary. Traditional empirical and numerical methods often fail to capture long-term settlement behavior. This study predicts track bed settlement of Hangzhou Metro Line 1 using monitoring data collected during the Grand Canal diversion construction. A hybrid model (CEEMDAN-BWO-BiLSTM-ATT model) integrating Complete Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition with Adaptive Noise, Beluga Whale Optimization, Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory, and an attention mechanism is developed. Results from four monitoring points along the up line show good performance, …

Intelligent Cost-Optimized Mix Design Prediction And Engineered Strength System For Geopolymer Concrete: A Machine Learning-Based Recommender System, Yuvaraj Natarajan, K.R. Sri Preethaa, V. Danushkumar, Syed Muhammad Oan Naqvi, M. Shyamala Devi, Karen Lozano, Bubryur Kim, Jinwoo An

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Geopolymer concrete is a promising low-carbon alternative to ordinary Portland cement concrete, but its practical use is limited by complex mix-design requirements and limited cost-aware decision-support tools. This study developed the Intelligent Cost-Optimized Mix Design Prediction and Engineered Strength System (iCOMPRESS), a machine learning-based recommender system that integrates 28-day compressive strength prediction, cost optimization, and compositionally diverse mixture recommendation. A database of 443 literature-derived mixtures was used to train a hyperparameter-optimized Random Forest model with domain-informed features related to binder chemistry, alkaline activation, water content, aggregates, and curing conditions. The model achieved a five-fold cross-validation mean absolute error (MAE) of …

Effect Of Curing Duration On Bridge Deck Concrete Performance, Zhaniya Omarova

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

This study evaluates the influence of curing duration on the performance of bridge deck concrete and investigates the feasibility of reducing curing periods without compromising structural and durability properties. Two concrete mixtures, a standard Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) bridge deck mix (47BD) and an optimized reduced-cement-content mix (O47BD-R100), were evaluated under multiple curing durations Fresh, early-age, mechanical, durability, and shrinkage properties were assessed to characterize the effect of curing on concrete behavior. Internal relative humidity and temperature were monitored using embedded sensors to investigate moisture diffusion and its role in shrinkage development for lab specimens and full-scale slabs.

Results …

How Do Social Network Models Compare To All-To-All Models For Forecasting Tuberculosis Epidemics? A Mathematical Modeling Study, Masabho Peter Milali, Hae-Young Kim, George Corliss, Anna Bershteyn

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Background. Mathematical models guide tuberculosis (TB) target-setting, yet most assume homogeneous “all-to-all” mixing. We compared projected intervention impacts between an all-to-all compartmental model and a Barabási–Albert (BA) scale‑free social network model under otherwise identical disease assumptions.

Methods. We calibrated transmission parameters so both models produced similar baseline trends, then introduced vaccination (coverage 30–70%; efficacy 80–95%) and treatment (20–50% increases in recovery) after a 400‑day burn‑in. Outcomes were assessed 300 days post‑intervention.

Results. Under 60% coverage, increasing vaccine efficacy from 80% to 95% yielded smaller projected reductions in active TB with the network model than with all‑to‑all mixing. Treatment improvements showed …

An Integrated Bayesian Network-Based Zero Trust Model To Quantify Cyber Risk In Small-Medium Businesses, Ahmed Abdelmagid

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Small-medium businesses (SMBs) play a pivotal role in the worldwide economy as they constitute the most considerable portion of businesses in developed countries like the UK and the US. As such, SMBs are likely targets of cybercrimes by malicious agents because of their vulnerable IT systems. The digital infrastructure of SMBs is more likely to be hit by cyberattacks than large businesses due to many factors that facilitate hackers’ missions. These factors include a limited financial budget devoted to cybersecurity, a lack of knowledge, an underrating of how dangerous cyber threats are, and a shortage of IT expertise. The enormous …

Ultra-High Vacuum Outgassing Characterization Of Thermally Processed Low-Carbon Steel For Advanced Particle Accelerator And Gravitational Wave Detector Applications, Aiman H. Al-Allaq

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation investigated AISI 1020 low-carbon steel as an alternative vacuum chamber material to conventional stainless steel for ultra-high vacuum (UHV) and extreme-high vacuum (XHV) applications. After a 400 °C/48 h bake, AISI 1020 tube chambers achieved a hydrogen outgassing rate of 2.4 × 10⁻¹⁶ Torr·L·s⁻¹·cm⁻², approximately 2,300 times lower than the prebaked 316L stainless-steel comparator, among the lowest hydrogen outgassing rates ever reported for an uncoated metallic vacuum chamber. Bare and magnetite-coated AISI 1020 chambers were then compared using throughput and rate-of-rise methods. The magnetite coating yielded 5× lower water outgassing at room temperature, but this advantage disappeared after …

Development And Acceptability Of A Patient Decision Aid For People With Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: An International Mixed-Methods Study, Andrew R. Gamble, David B. Anderson, Marnee J. Mckay, Benjamin M. Davies, Sophie Macpherson, James Van Gelder, Tammy Hoffmann, Kirsten Mccaffery, Samuel X. Stevens, Carlo Ammendolia, Rohil V. Chauhan, Carl M. Zipser, Timothy F. Boerger, Lindsay A. Tetreault, Michael G. Fehlings, Elanor Dustan, Carolyn Nugent, Helen Holmgren, Andreas K. Demetriades, Justin M. Lantz, Rana Dhillon, Chris G. Maher, Joshua R. Zadro

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Objectives To develop and user-test a patient decision aid for people diagnosed with degenerative cervical myelopathy and who are considering surgery.

Design Mixed-methods study describing the development of a patient decision aid.

Setting A draft decision aid was developed by a multidisciplinary steering group (including study authors with degenerative cervical myelopathy, health professionals and researchers) informed by the best available evidence, authorship consensus and existing patient decision aids.

Participants Patient-participants and health professional-participants who manage people with degenerative cervical myelopathy were recruited through social media and the steering group’s research and practice network. Quantitative questionnaires were used to gather baseline …

X-Ray Tomography Of Damage Dynamics In Advanced Materials Using A Laser Wakefield Accelerator, Vigneshvar Senthilkumaran, Nicholas F. Beier, Sylvain Fourmaux, Peter Kenesei, Sean Dobson, Joël Maltais, Alvaro R. Arce-Borkent, Tait Richards, Michael G. Lipsett, Le Zhou, John A. Moore, Amina E. Hussein

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Additively manufactured (AM) metals offer the potential for customizable, cost-effective components, but qualification and certification are crucial. Key to this process is understanding pore dynamics under stress, typically analyzed using micro-computed tomography. This study introduces laboratory-scale “betatron” x-rays from laser wakefield acceleration as a high-throughput alternative for x-ray tomography of advanced materials, such as AM AlSi10Mg alloys. Coupled with 3D finite element modeling, this method provides detailed insights into stress-porosity interactions. The approach delivers high-resolution scans, revealing that pore shape and local triaxiality significantly influence fracture dynamics, supporting advanced material characterization. This work also demonstrates the potential and versatility of …

Natural Convection Of Cuo-Water Nanofluid Flow Along A Vertical Plate With Variable Thermophysical Properties And Discrete Heat Sources, Nepal Roy, Ioan Pop, Rama Subba Reddy Gorla

Faculty Publications

Effects of discrete heat sources along a vertical plate are of practical importance due their occurrence in electronic devices. For growing demand of electronic appliances and their advancement, cooling processes of them must be improved. As usual fluids have limited heat transfer, nanofluids made by dispersing nanoparticles into them are utilized to enhance thermal performance. However, flow characteristics and heat transfer of a nanofluid for discrete heat sources along a vertical plate need to be explored. For this reason, this study analyzes the natural convective heat transfer and flow behaviors of CuO-water nanofluid induced by discrete heat sources along a …