Engineering Commons^™

System Identification Of A Circulation Control Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, Mohammed Agha

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The advancement in automation and sensory systems in recent years has led to an increase the demand of UAV missions. Due to this increase in demand, the research community has gained interest in investigating UAV performance enhancing systems. Circulation Control (CC), which is an active control flow method used to enhance UAV lift, is a performance enhancing system currently studied. In prior research, experimental studies have shown that Circulation Control wings (CCW) implemented on class-I UAVs can reduce take-off distance by 54%. Wind tunnel tests reveal that CC improves aircraft payload capabilities through lift enhancement. Increasing aircraft payload capabilities causes …

Modeling Of Tow Wrinkling In Automated Fiber Placement Based On Geometrical Considerations, Roudy Wehbe

Theses and Dissertations

Automated manufacturing of fiber reinforced composite structures via numerically controlled hardware yields parts with increased accuracy and repeatability as compared to hand-layup parts. Automated fiber placement (AFP) is one such process in which structures or parts are built by adding bands of prescribed number of tows or slit-tape with prescribed width using robotic machine heads over 3D surfaces following prescribed paths. Despite the improved accuracy, different types of defects or manufacturing features arise during fabrication. These defects can be due to geometrical features, materials, and process planning parameters and are detected in the form of wrinkling, tow twist, tow folding, …

Geotechnical Laboratory Testing For 2-D Fem Analysis Of Geomorphic And Planar Sloped Caps And Covers For Sustainable Mine Refuse Deposition, Sun Hee Park

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis reports the findings of the application of Geomorphic Landform Design principles to the Royal Scot abandoned coarse coal refuse (CCR) pile located in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. The Royal Scot facility has many environmental concerns including severe erosion, acid-mine/rock drainage, and sediment transport. A cap and cover system is proposed to be implemented which incorporates the GLD principles. A two-layer cap and cover system will be used to reclaim the site and return it back to a stable state and reduce the production of acid-mine drainage. The system is composed of a hydraulic barrier composed of compacted CCR, …

Statistical Shape Modeling To Quantify Variation In The Proximal Humeral Anatomy, Paul B. Sade Sr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The fit of the humeral prosthesis to the intramedullary canal and the replication of the anatomic humeral head center are important factors in Total Shoulder Arthroplasty (TSA). The objective of this thesis was to develop a Statistical Shape Model (SSM) of the cortical and cancellous bone regions of the proximal humerus, and to assess potential shape differences with gender and ethnicity, with a goal of informing implant design. An SSM was used and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was applied to data that represented both the cancellous and cortical humeral bone of 63 healthy subjects and cadavers. Anatomical measurements and PC …

Specimen-Specific Natural, Pathological, And Implanted Knee Mechanics Using Finite Element Modeling, Azhar Akber Ali

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is an increasing incidence of knee pain and injury among the population, and increasing demand for higher knee function in total knee replacement designs. As a result, clinicians and implant manufacturers are interested in improving patient outcomes, and evaluation of knee mechanics is essential for better diagnosis and repair of knee pathologies. Common knee pathologies include osteoarthritis (degradation of the articulating surfaces), patellofemoral pain, and cruciate ligament injury and/or rupture. The complex behavior of knee motion presents unique challenges in the diagnosis of knee pathology and restoration of healthy knee function. Quantifying knee mechanics is essential for developing successful …

Making Meaning: Shifts In Meaningfulness Across Three Modeling Units, Jeannette Manger

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Recent reform calls for a more comprehensive approach to science education that positions learners as constructors of knowledge via scientific practices (NRC, 2012; Osborne, 2014). This 'practice turn' shifts from passive science learning to incorporating science actions with epistemic thinking (Duschl & Grandy, 2013; Ford & Forman, 2006; Osborne, 2014; Shouse, Schweingruber, & Duschl, 2007). Teachers are often underprepared in understanding the nuances of scientific practices, and frequently struggle with supporting students in meaningful practice engagement (Abd-El-Khalick & Akerson, 2004; Crawford, 1999; Davis, Petish, & Smithey, 2006; Duschl & Gitomer, 1997). Here, I draw upon the Berland et al. Epistemologies …

Emi Measurement And Modeling Techniques For Complex Electronic Circuits And Modules, Satyajeet Shinde

Doctoral Dissertations

"This dissertation consists of four papers. In the first paper, a combined model for predicting the most critical radiated emissions and total radiated power due to the display signals in a TV by incorporating the main processing board using the Huygens Equivalence theorem and the radiation due to the flex cable based on active probe measurements was developed.

In the second paper, a frequency-tunable resonant magnetic field probe was designed in the frequency range 900-2260 MHz for near-field scanning applications for the radio frequency interference studies by using a varactor diode providing the required capacitance and the parasitic inductance of …

Evaluating The Performance Of Passive Chilled Beams With Respect To Energy Efficiency And Thermal Comfort, Janghyun Kim

Open Access Dissertations

Existing modeling approaches for passive chilled beams determined from tests on individual chilled beams in a laboratory are not adequate for assessing overall energy usage and occupant comfort within building simulation programs. In addition, design guidelines for passive chilled beam systems are needed for identifying appropriate applications and optimal configurations. This thesis includes (i) extensive experimental studies for characterizing the performance of passive chilled beams, in both laboratory settings and in field studies, (ii) development of passive chilled beam performance prediction models, (iii) integration of these models into building simulation models/tools and (iv) use of building simulation for overall assessment …

Empirical Models For Structural Effects Of A-Site Point Defects And Ordering In Perovskites, Kevin Ross Tolman

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Composition-structure-property relationships are essential keys to unlocking the strength of predictive crystal chemistry. Awkwardly, the electroceramics industry largely relies on various time-consuming and expensive trial-and-error experiments to address new questions which often could otherwise be interpolated from published data. Indeed, predictive models, which can be derived from empirical evidence, can greatly aid the direction and support of future development in a meaningful, apt, and cost-effective way. Theory suggests that intrinsic properties on the scale of a unit cell may be estimated from the sizes and charges of the chemical constituents alone. Ultimately, researchers could be provided a compositional recipe for …

Coarse-Grained Simulations Of The Self-Assembly Of Dna-Linked Gold Nanoparticle Building Blocks, Charles Wrightsman Armistead

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The self-assembly of nanoparticles (NPs) of varying shape, size, and composition for the purpose of constructing useful nanoassemblies with tailored properties remains challenging. Although progress has been made to design anisotropic building blocks that exhibit the required control for the precise placement of various NPs within a defined arrangement, there still exists obstacles in the technology to maximize the programmability in the self-assembly of NP building blocks. Currently, the self-assembly of nanostructures involves much experimental trial and error. Computational modeling is a possible approach that could be utilized to facilitate the purposeful design of the self-assembly of NP building blocks …

Ncer Assistance Agreement Annual Progress Report For Grant #83582401 - Assessment Of Stormwater Harvesting Via Manage Aquifer Recharge (Mar) To Develop New Water Supplies In The Arid West: The Salt Lake Valley Example, Ryan Dupont, Joan E. Mclean, Richard C. Peralta, Sarah E. Null, Douglas B. Jackson-Smith

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

The aims of the original proposed project remain the same, that is, to test the hypothesis that Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) for stormwater harvesting is a technically feasible, socially and environmentally acceptable, economically viable, and permittable option for developing new water supplies for arid Western urban ecosystems experiencing increasing population, and climate change pressures on existing water resources. The project is being carried out via three distinct but integrated components that include: 1) Monitoring of existing distributed Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) harvesting schemes involving a growing number of demonstration Green Infrastructure (GI) test sites; 2) Integrated stormwater/vadose zone/groundwater/ ecosystem services …

Optimized Sizing And Placing Of Distributed Energy Resources (Ders) In An Island Microgrid Using Der-Cam, Bhuwan B. Bastola

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

The electric grid at La Gomera, an island in the Canary archipelago, has been the subject of interest in optimized integration of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) primarily because of high distribution losses and concerns about complying with emission regulations. Consequently, the utility that operates the island power system wishes to mitigate the problem with installation of renewable and distributed energy sources like PV and battery, which is the focus of this research.

Specifically, the focus of this thesis is to use Distributed Energy Resource - Customer Adoption Model (DER-CAM) to optimize the installation of PV and battery in terms of …

Microstructural Evolution In Electron Beam Additive Manufactured Ti–6al–4v Build Plate: Thermal Modeling And Microstructural Characterization, Jun Cao, Philip Nash

The 8th International Conference on Physical and Numerical Simulation of Materials Processing

No abstract provided.

Computer Modeling Of Graphene Field Effect Transistors, Drew M. Ryan, Robert S. Bean

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Graphene has been the centerpiece of numerous research projects since its discovery in 2004, greatly due to its multitude of unique properties. Its variable conductivity, relative strength, and electron mobility make graphene a prime candidate for applications in the field of radiation detection. While work has been performed in the past on testing radiation detection using graphene using Graphene Field Effect Transistors (GFET), due to its limited size, fabricating GFETs can be tedious and costly. Therefore, a need arose for a way to test potential GFET designs without the cost and limitations of fabricating GFETs for each test iteration. Using …

Modeling And Simulation Of 1700 V 8 A Genesic Superjunction Transistor, Staci E. Brooks

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The first-ever 1.7kV 8A SiC physics-based compact SPICE model is developed for behavior prediction, modeling and simulation of the GeneSiC “Super” Junction Transistor. The model implements Gummel-Poon based equations and adds a quasi-saturation collector series resistance representation from a 1.2 kV, 6 A SiC bipolar junction transistor model developed in Hangzhou, China. The model has been validated with the GA08JT17-247 device data representing both static and dynamic characteristics from GeneSiC. Parameter extraction was performed in IC-CAP and results include plots showing output characteristics, capacitance versus voltage (C-V), and switching characteristics for 25 °C, 125 °C, and 175 °C temperatures.

Flight Control And Hardware Design Of Multi-Rotor Systems, Nathan M. Zimmerman

Master's Theses (2009 -)

This thesis overviews crucial concepts involved in achieving quadcopter flight such as orientation estimation and control system implementation. This thesis also presents researchers with comprehensive hardware and software specifications for a quadcopter system. The primary application for this system would be for research with regards to the implementation of advance control techniques as well as data acquisition. Key constructs of this system include hardware software specifications for a flight controller, the radio system, and the sensorless brushless motor controllers. Firstly, the thesis starts by developing a reference frame and a mathematical model for the quadcotper system. Next, flight orientation estimation …

Modeling And Loss Analysis Of Wide Bandgap Power Semiconductor Devices, Kang Peng

Theses and Dissertations

In recent times, the development of high power density and high efficiency power converters has become critical in power electronics applications like electric vehicles, aircrafts, electric ships and so on. High-switching-frequency and high-temperature operation are required to achieve this target. However, these requirements are exceeding the theoretical material-related limits of silicon (Si) based devices. The emerging wide bandgap power semiconductor technology is a promising solution to meet these requirements. Silicon Carbide (SiC) and Gallium Nitride (GaN) are the most promising among all wide bandgap semiconductor materials. SiC and GaN have almost a three times larger bandgap (about 3eV), compared with …

Modeling Human-Structure Interaction Using A Controller System, Albert Ricardo Ortiz Lasprilla

Theses and Dissertations

The effects of human loads on structures are difficult to predict because they depend on the type of activity people are performing. However, models for typical activities such as standing, sitting and jumping have been proposed in the literature. Traditional models represent the human body as a system of lumped masses, dampers and springs arranged in a system with multiple degrees of freedom. Arguably, these models might not fully represent the human body because lumped masses, dampers and springs cannot add energy to the overall system. Furthermore, people could react differently to different levels of excitation and other environmental conditions. …

Benefit-Cost Analysis Of Commercially Available Activated Carbon Filters For Indoor Ozone Removal In Single-Family Homes, J. R. Aldred, E. Darling, G. Morrison, J. Siegel, R. L. Corsi

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study involved the development of a model for evaluating the potential costs and benefits of ozone control by activated carbon filtration in single-family homes. The modeling effort included the prediction of indoor ozone with and without activated carbon filtration in the HVAC system. As one application, the model was used to predict benefit-to-cost ratios for single-family homes in 12 American cities in five different climate zones. Health benefits were evaluated using disability-adjusted life-years and included city-specific age demographics for each simulation. Costs of commercially available activated carbon filters included capital cost differences when compared to conventional HVAC filters of …

Ncma Groundwater Model Using Usgs Modflow-2005/Pest, Brian Matthew Wallace

Master's Theses

A numerical model for the NCMA aquifer complex is presented. The objective of the study is to develop a numerical groundwater model for the NCMA aquifer system to enhance the understanding of subsurface groundwater flow. Infiltration, streamflow, pumping, and return flows are implemented to characterize the aquifer complex over time. The numerical model is calibrated to municipal and monitoring well data, average monthly water balances, and hydraulic contours. Transient aquifer inflows and outflows are assessed in the results of the study and are compared to balance terms from previous studies. The 2007 Todd Engineers Study subsurface inflows and outflows generate …

Comparison Of Energy Analysis Platforms For Title 24compliance, Holli L. Tripp

Construction Management

The 2013 Building Energy Efficiency Standards for Low-Rise Residential Buildings allow users to demonstrate compliance via two methods: performance or prescriptive. Prescriptive documentation requires analysis to be conducted by-hand while performance compliance utilizes computer modeling software to analyze trade-offs, and demonstrate compliance through alternative building design parameters. Typically computer demonstrated compliance via the performance method is the most popular choice because it allows for complex buildings to be analyzed using their actual metrics which results in a more accurate report of proposed energy consumption (Ross, 2016). This method however requires additional software outside of the tools that architects and designers …

Subsystem Failure Analysis Within The Horizon Simulation Framework, Ian M. Lunsford

Master's Theses

System design is an inherently expensive and time consuming process. Engineers are constantly tasked to investigate new solutions for various programs. Model-based systems engineering (MBSE) is an up and coming successful method used to reduce the time spent during the design process. By utilizing simulations, model-based systems engineering can verify high-level system requirements quickly and at low cost early in the design process. The Horizon Simulation Framework, or HSF, provides the capability of simulating a system and verifying the system performance. This paper outlines an improvement to the Horizon Simulation Framework by providing information to the user regarding schedule failures …

Multi-Omic Modeling Of Translational Efficiency For Synthetic Gene Design, Joseph Longworth, Javier Gonzalez, Paul Dobson, Josselin Noirel, Neil Lawrence

Cell Culture Engineering XV

Controlled expression of recombinant genes in CHO cells for advanced cell engineering will require precise, coordinated control of the synthetic processes that underpin the production of specific recombinant products or the optimal stoichiometry of functional effector proteins for multigene engineering applications. Although control of recombinant gene transcription in CHO host cells is now possible, technologies that enable control of recombinant mRNA translation rate are lacking. This is undesirable as in eukaryotic cells, cellular mRNA concentration itself may only explain a relatively small proportion of the variation in cellular protein abundance; mRNA translation rate is by far the most important contributor …

A Community Genome-Scale Model Of Chinese Hamster Ovary Cell Metabolism Identifies Differences In The Efficiency Of Resource Utilization For Various Bioprocesses, Hooman Hefzi

Cell Culture Engineering XV

Genome-scale models of metabolism have successfully been employed in many microbial and eukaryotic metabolic engineering efforts by guiding pathway engineering and media optimization. They have also been used to explore the genotype-phenotype relationship in mammalian cells. The publication of the genomic sequence for Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells has allowed generation of genome-scale metabolic models (GeMs) for this organism. Here we have developed a high-quality community CHO GeM via careful reconciliation and manual curation of three independently developed CHO GeMs. This metabolic model, consisting of over 4000 metabolites and 6000 reactions, is capable of integrating proteomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic data …

Optimization And Modeling Of An Energy Harvesting Optical Micropropeller For Microfluidic Applications, Jacqueline Elwood

Nanoscale Science & Engineering (discontinued with class year 2014)

The design and materials optimization of a optical micropropeller comprised of silver nanorods on a fused silica substrate was developed. A combination of surface plasmon resonance, thermophoretic and convective forces enable rotation of the micropropeller in an aqueous environment. This work aims to eliminate the dependence of optical micropropellers on the requirement for a light source by relying on a blackbody radiation energy harvesting principle. This energy harvesting principle is able to plasmonically excite noble metal nanorods of a specific aspect ratio at specific wavelengths that correspond to an ambient temperature. By investigating the dependence of the aspect ratio and …

Modeling Secondary Electron Trajectories In Scanning Electron Microscopes, Kevin Mcnamara, Joshua Miller

Nanoscale Science & Engineering (discontinued with class year 2014)

The efficiency of secondary electron collection by a scanning electron microscope detector is not generally known, particularly as the electric field on the detector is varied. It is often assumed that the detector collects almost all of the secondary electrons emitted from the sample. This works seeks to better understand the mechanism of secondary electron collection by the detector in order to optimize collection efficiency. The benefit of collecting more secondary electrons is the enhancement of the signal-to-noise ratio, which means better quality images can be obtained, allowing us to better understand the relationship between secondary electron images and the …

Optimization And Modeling Of An Energy Harvesting Optical Micropropeller For Microfluidic Applications, Jerry Shih

Nanoscale Science & Engineering (discontinued with class year 2014)

Geometry for a plasmonically active micro-propeller is designed in Matlab using a Metallic Nano-Particle Boundary Element Method (MNPBEM) toolbox in order to predict its optical response in long wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation. Electric field maps are plotted to determine the feasibility generating torque using the energy harvesting principle. Results indicate electric field lines that would promote rotation and the scattering cross section would cause nano-rods sitting on the propeller to radiate thermal energy. COMSOL modeling is performed to model the evolution natural convection currents as a result of the nano-rod heating which is then optimized to further promote rotation of …

Modeling Secondary Electron Trajectories In Scanning Electron Microscopes, Joshua Miller, Kevin Mcnamara

Nanoscale Science & Engineering (discontinued with class year 2014)

The efficiency of secondary electron collection by a scanning electron microscope detector is not generally known, particularly as the electric field on the detector is varied. It is often assumed that the detector collects almost all of the secondary electrons emitted from the sample. This works seeks to better understand the mechanism of secondary electron collection by the detector in order to optimize collection efficiency. The benefit of collecting more secondary electrons is the enhancement of the signal-to-noise ratio, which means better quality images can be obtained, allowing us to better understand the relationship between secondary electron images and the …

Application Of Qual2k Model To Macrophyte Rich Silver Bow Creek, Dylan Uecker

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Silver Bow Creek (SBC, Blacktail Creek to Warm Springs Creek) is a small urbanized stream in western Montana (MT) identified as impaired for nitrate, total nitrogen and total phosphorus on the 2014 303(d) list. Enrichment of SBC occurs primarily from a single municipal point source that results in excessive primary production, macrophyte growth, large diel waterquality swings, and nightly hypoxic conditions that likely impair aquatic life uses. The objective of this study is to apply QUAL2K (a surface water-quality model) to a 5.6 km long reach of SBC to predict in-stream dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations under different nutrient loading scenarios. …

Ray-Based Statistical Propagation Modeling For Indoor Corridor Scenarios At 15 Ghz, Qi Wang, Bo Ai, David W. Matolak, Ruisi He, Xin Zhou

Faculty Publications

According to the demands for fifth-generation (5G) communication systems, high frequency bands (above 6 GHz) need to be adopted to provide additional spectrum. This paper investigates the characteristics of indoor corridor channels at 15 GHz. Channel measurements with a vector network analyzer in two corridors were conducted. Based on a ray-optical approach, a deterministic channel model covering both antenna and propagation characteristic is presented. The channel model is evaluated by comparing simulated results of received power and root mean square delay spread with the corresponding measurements. By removing the impact of directional antennas from the transmitter and receiver, a path …