Engineering Commons^™

Impact Of Aggregate Characteristics On Frictional Performance Of Asphalt-Based High Friction Surface Treatments, Alireza Roshan, Magdy Abdelrahman

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

High Friction Surface Treatments (HFST) are recognized for their effectiveness in enhancing skid resistance and reducing road accidents. While Epoxy-based HFSTs are widely applied, they present limitations such as compatibility issues with existing pavements, high installation and removal costs, and durability concerns tied to substrate quality. As an alternative to traditional Epoxy-based HFSTs, this study investigated the effects of aggregate gradation as designated by agencies on the performance of asphalt-based HFST. Various aggregate types were assessed to evaluate friction performance and the impact of polishing cycles on non-Epoxy HFST. It was found that adjustments in aggregate size and gradation may …

Correlating The Compositional Changes To The Rheological Properties Of Recovered Asphalt Binders From Recycled Asphalt Mixtures: Insights From The Thermogravimetric Measurements, Eslam Deef-Allah, Magdy Abdelrahman

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Assessing the binder performance of thermal characterization is critical for quality control. This is pertinent for recovered binders from mixtures, which may not be in adequate quantities to evaluate their performance, particularly in mixtures containing reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP). The present study deployed a thermogravimetric analyzer to evaluate compositional changes in recovered binders from RAP-containing mixtures, focusing on thermograph and derivative of thermograph (DTG) characteristics and correlating the results to rheological features. Incorporating RAP in mixtures influenced recovered binders' DTG shapes, reducing low-combusted components (%LCC) and increasing residues (%R). The recovered binder from the zero-RAP-containing mixture showed a 4.36% increase …

Understanding The Underlying Trends In Us Construction Labor Wages: A Data-Driven Mixed-Method Computational Approach, Bahaa Chammout, Islam H. El-Adaway

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Precisely forecasting construction costs is crucial for maintaining financial stability for contractors and the broader construction sector. Nonetheless, this task has long been acknowledged as challenging. Recent global events and inflationary pressures have notably driven up construction labor expenses. While existing research examined labor shortages, there remains a gap in understanding the diverse labor wage trends. This paper addresses this research gap following a multistep methodology, which included: (1) gathering construction labor data from 1999 to 2023; (2) conducting trend and statistical analyses to discern the underlying patterns in labor trends; (3) employing clustering analysis to categorize construction occupations based …

How Shearing Affects Air Dissolution In Fresh Cement Pastes Under Pressure, Daniel Galvez-Moreno, Dimitri Feys, Kyle Riding

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The air-void system of concrete is of paramount importance to ensure freeze–thaw durability. Pumping induces detrimental changes in the air-void system of concrete by dissolving the air bubbles in the surrounding water when pressure increases due to the pump action. This research work investigates the influence of shear rate and air-void size distribution on air dissolution with time of cement pastes under pressure. Steady-state shear rheology at different shear rates was applied on samples of different air-void size distributions but similar air contents. Due to the low capillary number of the mixtures, the application of pressure caused a decrease in …

Engineering Pamam Dendrimers For Optimized Drug Delivery, Amin Aleebrahim Dehkordi, Shirin Mollazadeh, Amirreza Talaie, Mostafa Yazdimamaghani

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Dendrimers, first introduced by Fritz Vögtle in 1978, have emerged as promising nanocarriers for drug delivery due to their unique branched architecture, large internal cavities, and numerous surface amine groups. These dendrimers efficiently load various drugs through electrostatic interactions, covalent bonding, or encapsulation, owing to their high density of terminal amine groups. However, the inherent cationic nature of PAMAM dendrimers can lead to cytotoxicity and limited systemic circulation due to interactions with negatively charged biomolecules. To address these limitations, surface modification strategies have been developed to enhance targeting, trigger-controlled drug release, and decrease cytotoxicity. This review critically examines recent advancements …

Deep Learning-Based Gain Estimation For Multi-User Software-Defined Radios In Aircraft Communications, Viraj K. Gajjar, Kurt L. Kosbar

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

It may be helpful to integrate multiple aircraft communication and navigation functions into a single software-defined radio (SDR) platform. To transmit these multiple signals, the SDR would first sum the baseband version of the signals. This outgoing composite signal would be passed through a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) before being up-converted and passed through a radio frequency (RF) amplifier. To prevent non-linear distortion in the RF amplifier, it is important to know the peak voltage of the composite. While this is reasonably straightforward when a single modulation is used, it is more challenging when working with composite signals. This paper describes …

Experimental Study For Improving Oil Recovery Using Organic Alkaline And Nano-Silica For An Egyptian Oil Field, Attia Attia, Mohamed Sadek Hamedi Al, Mayar Abdelrahman Hassan Eng.

Petroleum Engineering and Gas

The oil and gas industry continually seeks innovative methods to enhance hydrocarbon recovery due to the declining productivity of conventional techniques. Current recovery methods, such as water flooding and chemical flooding, often face limitations like high interfacial tension, unfavorable wettability, and reduced mobility of oil, especially under harsh reservoir conditions of high salinity. To address these challenges, this study explores the implementation of nanotechnology in enhanced oil recovery (EOR), focusing on the distinct and unique properties of nanoparticles. Nanoparticles, particularly SiO2, were chosen for their ability to significantly decrease interfacial tension, alter wettability, and improve oil mobility. SiO2 nanoparticles exhibit …

Forecasting Army Recruiting Mission Distribution, Maxwell A. Deihl

Theses and Dissertations

The Army’s recruiting landscape has changed markedly in recent years, raising questions about whether forecasting methods of Army contracts remain robust. This thesis recreates the presented models in Joshua McDonald’s 2015 thesis. It replicates and evaluates the models with updated data (2018–2023) to assess their current validity and compare them to novel alternative approaches, such as simpler regression models or neural networks. While the 2015 model remains a valuable baseline, results suggest that either refining its variables or adopting alternative methods can improve predictive accuracy and interpretability. Ultimately, the United States Army Recruiting Command has many options regarding how it …

Design, Simulation, And Characterization Of A Deuterated Plastic Scintillator For A Portable Neutron Spectrometer, Anders M. Kinney Ii

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the design, simulation, and experimental characterization of a novel deuterated plastic scintillator for portable neutron spectroscopy applications related to homeland security and nuclear non-proliferation. Using Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) simulations and experimental tests with gamma-ray (¹³⁷Cs) and neutron sources (AmBe, ²⁵²Cf), this research shows that deuterium substitution in scintillators significantly enhances pulse shape discrimination (PSD) and neutron energy spectrum unfolding capabilities. Although deuterated scintillators demonstrate reduced overall light output, their higher stopping power and increased ionization quenching lead to superior neutron event differentiation, particularly between (α, n) and spontaneous fission neutrons critical for detecting …

Current Nanocomposite Advances For Biomedical And Environmental Application Diversity, Narsimha Mamidi, Ramiro M. V. Delgadillo, Alan O. Sustaita, Karen Lozano, Murali M. Yallapu

School of Medicine Publications

Nanocomposite materials are emerging as key players in addressing critical challenges in healthcare, energy storage, and environmental remediation. These innovative systems hold great promise in engineering effective solutions for complex problems. Nanocomposites have demonstrated various advantages such as simplicity, versatility, lightweight, and potential cost-effectiveness. By reinforcing synthetic and natural polymers with nanomaterials, a range of nanocomposites have exhibited unique physicochemical properties, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. Current research on nanocomposites has demonstrated promising clinical and translational applications. Over the past decade, the production of nanocomposites has emerged as a critical nano-structuring methodology due to their adaptability and controllable surface structure. This comprehensive …

Development And Validation Of An Artificial Intelligence System For Surgical Case Length Prediction, Adhitya Ramamurthi, Bhabishya Neupane, Priya Deshpande, Ryan Hanson, Kellie R. Brown, Kathleen K. Christians, Douglas B. Evans, Anai N. Kothari

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Background

Accurate case length estimation is a vital part of optimizing operating room use; however, significant inaccuracies exist with current solutions. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate an artificial intelligence system for improved surgical case length prediction by applying natural language processing and machine-learning methods.

Methods

All inpatient elective surgical cases longer than 30 minutes completed between 2017 and 2023 at a single, quaternary care hospital were considered. Data were split into training, test, and hold-out validation for model training and testing. Linear regression, CategoricalBoost, and feed-forward neural network each were trained and used embeddings created …

Industry Applications Society And Conferences [President’S Message], Ayman El-Refaie

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Danzens: A Toolkit For Sensing, Labeling And Visualizing Dance Movements, Yanelly Mego, Concepción Valdez, Hector M. Camarillo-Abad, Franceli L. Cibrian

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Wearable technology offers new opportunities for analyzing complex movements like dance, where precision, coordination, and feedback are key. In this demo, we present DanZens, a novel toolkit for real-time motion analysis in dance, leveraging wearable sensors to provide accessible and actionable feedback. Combining DanceTag to capture and annotate movements with DanceVis to visualize performance differences, DanZens uses Sony Mocopi sensors to analyze motion and generate intuitive heat maps through Dynamic Time Warping (DTW). This system enables precise, cost-effective comparisons between two people doing dance-related movements, offering personalized feedback and eliminating the need for expensive biomechanical labs. Designed to advance pervasive …

Performing Requirements Specification And Analysis Through Open Generative Pre-Trained Transformers, Harvey J. Hurst

Theses and Dissertations

Every acquisition program begins with a requirement, and for those programs to succeed, robust requirements engineering (RE) must be implemented. RE encompasses eliciting, analyzing, specifying, and validating requirements—a critical process throughout a program's lifecycle. Despite its importance, RE faces challenges such as scope creep, ambiguity, redundancy, and inadequate automation support, often exacerbated by reliance on historical data. To address these issues, this thesis leverages advancements in Generative Technology, particularly large language models (LLMs) such as Generative Pre-Trained Transformers (GPTs). This research developed two GPT-based tools: the Single Requirement Analysis Tool and the Set of Requirements Analysis Tool. These tools were …

Radiation Assessment And Distribution In Changing Atmospheric Structures And Turbulence (Radcast), Steven B. Hernandez

Theses and Dissertations

The accessibility of materials and online information has made radiological dispersal devices (RDDs) a more probable threat than conventional nuclear weapons. This study analyzed five datasets from three test periods, using a correlation analysis between optical turbulence, aerosol concentration, and environmental parameters, and geometric mean diameter (GMD) calculations. The correlation analysis failed to yield meaningful insights, prompted a transition to the GMD analysis, which produced clearer results. Findings show GMD ranged from 38–41 nm, increasing at night and during neutral events as reduced vertical motion and boundary layer contraction correlated with optical turbulence. An alternative GMD dataset, calculated by the …

A Survey On Energy Efficient Medium Access Control For Acoustic Wireless Communication Networks In Underwater Environments, Walid K. Hasan, Iftekhar Ahmad, Daryoush Habibi, Quoc Viet Phung, Mohammad Al-Fawa'reh, Kazi Yasin Islam, Ruba Zaheer, Haitham Khaled

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Underwater communication plays a crucial role in monitoring the aquatic environment on Earth. Due to their unique characteristics, underwater acoustic channels present unique challenges including lengthy signal transmission delays, limited data transfer bandwidth, variable signal quality, and fluctuating channel conditions. Furthermore, the reliance on battery power for most Underwater Wireless Acoustic Networks (UWAN) devices, coupled with the challenges associated with battery replacement or recharging, intensifies the challenges. Underwater acoustic communications are heavily constrained by available resources (e.g., very limited bandwidth, and limited energy storage). Consequently, the role of medium access control (MAC) protocol which distributes available resources among nodes is …

Overview Of Porous Magnesium-Based Scaffolds: Development, Properties And Biomedical Applications, Amir Motaharinia, Jaroslaw Drelich, Safian Sharif, Ahmad Fauzi Ismail, Farid Naeimi, Alexandra G. Glover, Mahshid Ebrahiminejad, Hamid Reza Bakhsheshi-Rad

Michigan Tech Publications

Magnesium (Mg) and its alloys are revolutionizing the field of interventional surgeries in the medical industry. Their high biocompatibility, biodegradability, and a similar elastic modulus to natural bone make porous Mg-based structures potential candidates for orthopedic implants and tissue engineering scaffolding. However, fabricating and machining porous Mg-based structures is challenging due to their complexity and difficulties in achieving uniform or gradient porosity. This review aims to thoroughly explore various fabrication procedures used to create metallic scaffolds, with a specific focus on those made from Mg-based alloys. Both traditional manufacturing techniques, including the directional solidification of metal-gas eutectic technique, pattern casting, …

Generating Synthetic Images For Construction Machinery Data Augmentation Utilizing Context-Aware Object Placement, Yujie Lu, Bo Liu, Wei Wei, Bo Xiao, Zhangding Liu, Wensheng Li

Michigan Tech Publications

Dataset is an essential factor influencing the accuracy of computer vision (CV) tasks in construction. Although image synthesis methods can automatically generate substantial annotated construction data compared to manual annotation, existing challenges limited the CV task accuracy, such as geometric inconsistency. To efficiently generate high-quality data, a synthesis method of construction data was proposed utilizing Unreal Engine (UE) and PlaceNet. First, the inpainting algorithm was applied to generate pure backgrounds, followed by multi-angle foreground capture within the UE. Then, the Swin Transformer and improved loss functions were integrated into PlaceNet to enhance the feature extraction of construction backgrounds, facilitating object …

Environmental Life Cycle Assessment Of Class A Biosolids Production Using Conventional And Low-Cost, Low-Tech Processes At Small Water Resource Recovery Facilities, Janna Brown, Robert Handler, Jennifer G. Becker, Eric Seagren

Michigan Tech Publications

Producing Class A biosolids that can be distributed or land-applied without restriction is a beneficial way to reuse wastewater treatment solids. For small water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) in particular, low-cost, low-tech (LCLT) processes may be an appealing alternative to conventional technologies for producing Class A biosolids, such as processes to further reduce pathogens (PFRPs). Conventional Class A biosolids treatment processes tend to be energy-intensive and involve complex equipment and operations. However, a systematic comparison of the overall sustainability of conventional processes and LCLT alternatives for producing Class A biosolids to aid decision makers in selecting treatment processes is not …

Investigation Of Innovative Heat Pipes / Fins System For Diesel Engine Cooling, Mohammad Shafiq Anees

Theses

Engine cooling is considered one of the most important factors that affect their efficiency and therefore their performance, so a new cooling method is proposed using both heat pipes and fins to improve the cooling efficiency of internal combustion engines and shall be examined theoretically and experimentally. A test rig has been designed and built using a specimen material with similar properties to the real engine materials with similar dimensions as the engine cylinder head / liner thickness. The experiment employed a specially designed testing apparatus that included a gas burner for consistent heating, a modifiable support structure, and an …

Sustainable Utilisation Of Mining Waste In Road Construction: A Review, Nuha S. Mashaan, Sammy Kibutu, Chathurika Dassanayake, Ali Ghodrati

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Mining by-products present both an environmental challenge and a resource opportunity. This review investigates their potential application in road pavement construction, focusing on materials such as fly ash, slag, sulphur, red mud, tailings, and silica fume. Drawing from laboratory and field studies, the review examines their roles across pavement layers—subgrade, base, subbase, asphalt mixtures, and rigid pavements—emphasising mechanical properties, durability, moisture resistance, and ageing performance. When properly processed or stabilised, many of these wastes meet or exceed conventional performance standards, contributing to reduced use of virgin materials and greenhouse gas emissions. However, issues such as variability in composition, leaching risks, …

Shear Behavior Of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete Deep Beams Reinforced With Fibers: A State-Of-The-Art Review, Hossein Mirzaaghabeik, Nuha S. Mashaan, Sanjay Kumar Shukla

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) is considered a highly applicable composite material due to its exceptional mechanical properties, such as high compressive strength and ductility. UHPC deep beams are structural elements suitable for short spans, transfer girders, pile caps, offshore platforms, and bridge applications where they are designed to carry heavy loads. Several key factors significantly influence the shear behavior of UHPC deep beams, including the compressive strength of UHPC, the vertical web reinforcement (ρsv), horizontal web reinforcement (ρsh), and longitudinal reinforcement (ρs), as well as the shear span-to-depth ratio (λ), fiber type, fiber content (FC), and geometrical dimensions. In this paper, …

Post-Irradiation Fault Injection For Complex Fpga Designs, Nathan G. Baker

Theses and Dissertations

Fault injection is a common technique for estimating the impact of single-event upsets (SEUs) within the configuration memory (CRAM) of an FPGA design. Fault injection is typically conducted prior to a radiation test to evaluate the effectiveness of SEU mitigation techniques, estimate the FPGA design's behavior at the radiation test, and prepare the radiation test infrastructure. This thesis explores how fault injection can be used after radiation testing to reveal additional insight into an FPGA's behavior during a radiation test. A unique methodology, referred to as post-irradiation fault injection (PIRFI), was developed in which the locations and timestamps of CRAM …

Structure-Property Relations Of Binary Ferrite Melts, C. J. Benmore, C. Shi, O. L.G. Alderman, J. P. Harvey, D. Lipke, J. K.R. Weber

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Molten ferrite systems are used in the smelting and refining processes in steelmaking, to reduce the loss of metals in slags and to accelerate reaction rates. Here, high-energy x-ray diffraction experiments have been performed on aerodynamically levitated molten spheres of 43BaO-57FeOX and 43SrO-57FeOX at 1873 K using laser beam heating. The composition was varied within the range of x = 1-1.5 by changing the oxygen partial pressure of the levitation gas. The corresponding x-ray pair distribution functions have been interpreted using empirical potential structure refinement (EPSR) modeling. In oxygen-rich melts (x = 1.5), our EPSR models indicate very similar structures …

Metal Nitrides As Cathode Hosts For Lithium-Sulfur Batteries, Hai-Ji Xiong, Cheng-Wei Zhu, Ding-Rong Deng, Qi-Hui Wu

Journal of Electrochemistry

Lithium-sulfur batteries are considered as one of the potential solutions as integrating renewable energy systems for large-scale energy storage because of their high theoretical energy density (2600 Wh·kg^–1) and specific capacity (1675 mAh·g^–1). Currently, various strategies have been proposed to overcome the technical barriers, e.g., “shuttle effect”, capacity decay and volumetric change, which impede the successful commercialization of lithium-sulfur batteries. This paper reviews the applications of metal nitrides as the cathode hosts for high-performance lithium-sulfur batteries, summarizes the design strategies of different host materials, and discusses the relationship between the properties of metal nitrides and their …

Methodology Of Automated Control Of Situations In Structurally Complex Systems With Recycled Flows, Khusan Zokirovich Igamberdiev Academician, Madina Mirxalilovma Fozilova

Chemical Technology, Control and Management

This article discusses the methodology of automated management of situations in structurally complex systems with recycled flows. The need to develop a correct model for effectively controlling such systems based on scientific principles of analysis and decision-making is substantiated. Particular attention is paid to modeling, optimizing, and using digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, to improve the accuracy and efficiency of management decisions. The principles of decomposition, multi-criteria optimization, and linguistic models of fuzzy correspondence are described, which can be used in conditions of uncertainty and complexity of industrial facilities.

Joint Estimation Of The State And Parameters Of Dynamic Control Objects Based On The Maine Estimator, Yulduz Abdurakhmanova

Chemical Technology, Control and Management

The issues of constructing an adaptive joint estimation of the state and parameters of dynamic control objects using the Maine estimator are considered. There are various variants of the extended filter, and a variant based on iterations between parameter and state estimates was used in the work. In this version of the extended Kalman filter, the problem of joint parameter and state estimation is solved in such a way that parameter estimation is performed before state estimation. Then, the parameter values are used to assess the state. In this case, further iterations between the state vector estimation and the parameter …

Determination Of Chemical And X-Ray Phase Analysis Of Carbon-Containing Material, Sh.T. Juraev, B.F. Muxiddinov, U.T. Tailakov

Chemical Technology, Control and Management

This paper presents a chemical and X-ray diffraction study of the solid fraction obtained from the thermal-oxidative pyrolysis of waste tires. The study covers the analysis of the composition of rubber products before and after pyrolysis at a temperature of 750-850 °C. A chemical analysis of the gaseous, liquid and solid phases of pyrolysis products was also carried out. The ignition temperatures of gaseous products, their percentage content, as well as the optimal boiling temperatures of the resulting condensates were determined. X-ray analysis showed that the solid carbon residue consists of calcite (7.50%), amorphous carbon (87.24%), ankerite (Ca(Mg, Fe)[CO_{3 …}

Dеvеlоpmеnt Аnd Simulаtiоn Оf Аutоmаtiс Tеmpеrаturе Соntrоl Sуstеms Fоr Sоlаr Drуеrs, Sarvar Rejabov, Botir Shukurillayevich Usmonov, Komil Usmanov

Chemical Technology, Control and Management

Thе utilizаtiоn оf sоlаr еnеrgу in thе drуing оf аgriсulturаl prоduсts is соnsidеrеd signifiсаnt duе tо its еnеrgу еffiсiеnсу аnd еnvirоnmеntаl friеndlinеss. Hоwеvеr, trаditiоnаl drуing mеthоds fасе сhаllеngеs in mаintаining stаblе tеmpеrаturе аnd humiditу lеvеls, whiсh саn lеаd tо rеduсеd prоduсt quаlitу аnd dесrеаsеd prосеss еffiсiеnсу. Tо аddrеss thеsе issuеs, thе implеmеntаtiоn оf аutоmаtiс соntrоl sуstеms is еssеntiаl. In dеvеlоping аn аutоmаtiс tеmpеrаturе соntrоl sуstеm fоr sоlаr drуеrs, thе hеаt аnd mаss trаnsfеr prосеssеs wеrе prесisеlу mоdеlеd. Thе primаrу pаrаmеtеrs оf thе drуing prосеss, suсh аs prоduсt tеmpеrаturе аnd mоisturе соntеnt dуnаmiсs, wеrе еxprеssеd thrоugh mаthеmаtiсаl еquаtiоns. PID аnd Fuzzу …

Investigation Of Dynamic Characteristics Of New Magneto-Elastic Transducers Of Mechanical Quantities, Sulton Amirov, Kamila Jurayeva

Chemical Technology, Control and Management

In the article examines the dynamic characteristics of new magnetically elastic converters of mechanical quantities by the method of parametric structural circuits. It is shown that the developed differential transformer magneto–elastic converters of power parameters in automatic monitoring and control systems act as a real differentiating link without statics, and magneto-elastic converters of motion parameters act as a whole in the form of sequentially connected oscillatory and real differentiating links. It has been established that the duration of the transient process in magnetoelastic converters of power parameters is determined by the parameters (magnetic capacitance and active magnetic resistance) of the …