Engineering Commons^™

Zno Nanowires For Biosensing Applications, G.M. Mehedi Hossain, Daniel Garza, Emilio Chavez, Ahmed Hasnain Jalal, Fahmida Alam

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Zinc oxide Nanowires (ZnO-NWs) are promising biosensor materials and hold the key to overcoming challenges in the field. This chapter provides an introductory overview of biosensing technology, focusing on the fundamental principles and comparing ZnO-NWs with other nanostructures regarding the surface area, reactivity, electrical properties, charge transport behavior, optical, magnetic, and piezoelectric properties, and mechanical flexibility. Providing the synthesis and characterization methods, ZnO-NWs’ biosensing processes are also elaborated on surface modification for selectivity, integration with microfluidic systems, enhancing signal transduction, and connecting with biological elements like enzymes, antibodies, and DNA. The chapter also discusses the applications of ZnO-NWs-based biosensors in …

Predicting The Indirect Cost Of Construction Projects In Egypt: An Artificial Neural Network Approach, Aya Effat

Theses and Dissertations

Cost estimation is one of the vital processes in construction management that needs to be done early in any project in order to determine the project's budget. The accuracy of the cost estimate is a key factor in the success of construction projects since it enables project managers to successfully control the project’s expenses. Construction costs mainly consist of direct cost and indirect cost. Generally, indirect costs can be categorized into two types: site overheads and general overheads. In a construction project, overheads, particularly site overhead costs, make up a considerable portion of a contractor's budget. Accordingly, accurately estimating the …

Partial Replacement Of Ordinary Portland Cement In Concrete By Limestone Calcined Clay (Lc2), Merna Abdelaziz

Theses and Dissertations

Limestone calcined clay (LC2) technique is a new approach that could address the environmental problem corelated with the construction industry due to its vital reliance on the ordinary Portland cement in its various applications. LC2 technique involves partial replacement of the OPC in concrete by limestone and calcined kaolinite clay with a ratio of 1:2 respectively. The main advantage of this technique is its high applicability due to its direct application on site. This study investigated the applicability of incorporating the LC2 technique in the construction industry. Three replacement percentages of OPC by LC2 in concrete were explored, which are …

Flexural Strengthening Of Reinforced Concrete Beams Using Nsm Gfrp: Assessing Key Parameters, Berlant Arab

Theses and Dissertations

The structural integrity and longevity of Reinforced Concrete (RC) beams are critical to modern construction, influencing safety, usability, and maintenance costs over time. As civil engineering endeavors to meet the challenges posed by aging infrastructure and evolving usage demands, rehabilitating and strengthening RC structures have become essential practices globally. This research focuses on a prevalent yet innovative method of enhancing RC beams: the application of Near Surface Mounted (NSM) Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) bars.

GFRP is increasingly favored in structural engineering due to its superior properties to traditional materials. These include high tensile strength, resistance to corrosion, lightweight nature, …

Determining The Limitations Of Class F Fly Ash Compared To Class G Cement In Hydrocarbon Wells Application, Youssef Helmy

Theses and Dissertations

Cement is a material commonly used in multiple applications in different industries. Among the industries that uses cement is the oil and gas industry. API (American Petroleum Institute) Class G cement that is the most incorporated form of cement used in the cementation of oil and gas wells to provide several forms of protection and stabilization for the casings. However, Class G cement is contested in terms of efficiency, costs, and environmental awareness against Class F fly ash geopolymers by researchers. This research aims to explore the potential limitations that fly ash geopolymer might have for its use in the …

Interfacial Phenomena In Molten Salt Systems And Wetting Transitions In Microcavities, Aaron Essilfie

Theses and Dissertations

Interfacial phenomena are the processes that occur at the interface between two phases of matter: solid-liquid, solid-gas, liquid-liquid, and liquid-gas. Wetting, spreading, adsorption, and capillarity are some features of interfacial phenomena. This research explores two areas of interfacial phenomena: the interfacial tension between a liquid and gas, and wetting transitions in microcavities. Surface tension has been a widely studied topic in surface chemistry. Many techniques have been employed to study the surface tension of liquids in various studies and research areas, but the interfacial tension between a liquid and gas has not been extensively researched. For this reason, part of …

Probing Ion-Blocking Electrode Rigs For Ionic Conductivity In Hybrid Solid Polymer Electrolytes, Kyra Glassey, Gabriela Roman-Martinez, Liliana Delatte, Thomas Burns, Monirosadat Sadati, Paul T. Coman, Ralph E. White

Faculty Publications

Solid electrolytes are critical for structural batteries, combining energy storage with structural strength for applications like electric vehicles and aerospace. However, achieving high ionic conductivity remains challenging, compounded by a lack of standardized testing methodologies. This study examines the impact of experimental setups and data interpretation methods on the measured ionic conductivities of solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs). SPEs were prepared using a polymer-induced phase separation process, resulting in a bi-continuous microstructure for improved ionic transport. Eight experimental rigs were evaluated, including two- and four-electrode setups with materials like stainless steel, copper, and aluminum. Ionic conductivity was assessed using electrochemical impedance …

Toward Quantifying Interpolation Uncertainty In Set-Line Spacing Hydrographic Surveys, Elias Adediran, Christos Kastrisios, Kim Lowell, Glen Rice, Qi Zhang

Faculty Publications

The oceans remain one of Earth’s last great unknowns, with about 74% still unmapped to modern standards. Consequently, interpolation is employed to create seamless digital bathymetric models (DBMs) from incomplete hydrographic datasets, but this introduces unquantified depth uncertainties. This study aims to estimate and characterize uncertainties arising from set-line spacing hydrographic surveys, which are important for nautical charting, navigational safety, and many other applications. By sampling at different line spacings four complete coverage testbeds that vary in slope and roughness, the study interpolates across entire testbed areas using Spline, Inverse Distance Weighting, and Linear interpolation. The resulting interpolation uncertainties are …

Change Detection Analysis Using Remote Sensing And Gis Approaches For Lake Manzala, Egypt, Mohamed Eraki, Rasha Abd El Ghany, Sameh El Kafrawy, Mostafa Rabah

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Manzala Lake, the largest natural freshwater body in Egypt, is situated in the northeastern part of the Nile Delta. It faces major environmental challenges, largely due to pollution from untreated industrial effluents, sewage, and agricultural runoff. As part of Egypt's national initiative to rehabilitate its lakes, a development project was launched in 2017 and concluded in June 2022. The project aimed to purify the lake by eliminating contaminants, clearing invasive vegetation, deepening the canals, the study focuses on assessing land cover changes using remote sensing and GIS, and offers some recommendations for sustainable lake use following the development efforts. The …

02.17.2025 Ored Connect, Liz Williamson

ORED Newsletter

SOP Research Day

Recent Developments In Heterologous Expression Of Cellulases Using The Pichia Pastoris Expression System: A Comprehensive Literature Review, Nazish Muzaffar, Abdur Raziq, Muhammad Waseem Khan, Niaz Muhammad Khan, Bushra Shahid, Anbareen Gul, Hayat Ullah

Biological Engineering Student Research

Cellulosic biomass is considered an important and sustainable source of renewable energy, which needs a complex mixture of different enzymes for its degradation. After amylase, cellulases are the second most important enzymes, gain more importance due to their broad range of applications at the industrial level, and are considered more economical and environmentally friendly; researchers have focused more on the production of cellulase with its higher expression rate and low cost. Pichia pastoris, a methylotrophic yeast strain, has a more effective and well-established system for the production of heterologous proteins, particularly for industrial enzymes. Moreover, its readily achievable high-density …

Performance-Based Full Depth Reclamation Design, Moatasem H. Algburi

Civil Engineering ETDs

The Full-Depth Reclamation (FDR) technique is a cold-mix asphalt (CMA) technology employed in New Mexico to rehabilitate existing pavements. It results in minor disruption to traffic, environmental advantages, and decreased construction period and costs. However, insufficient data on the material properties of FDR mixtures and their characterization limits the use of the mechanical-empirical (M-E) design method of FDR materials. The MEPDG develops performance models using the structural response of pavement layers to predict pavement structure systems based on material properties, climate models, and loading conditions. This study has developed MEPDG models to predict the long-term performance of FDR materials and …

Prediction And Control Of Ground Vibrations Due To Blasting Activities In Aggregate Mines, Iddi Ramadhani Bulushi, Geleta Warkisa Deressa, Bhanwar Singh Choudhary

Journal of Sustainable Mining

Predicting and controlling ground vibrations from blasting is crucial for protecting structures and minimizing environmental impacts. This study investigates how explosive quantity and scaled distances affect peak particle velocity and establishes empirical equations to estimate this velocity at different distances from the blast area. The study found that the maximum charge per delay at a peak particle velocity of 10 mm/s was reduced to 13.46% as the delay timing was increased from 0 to 25 ms and 9.99% from 0 to 50 ms delay timing. The reduction of maximum charge with increasing delay timing leads to the reduction of ground …

Effects Of Die Type On Mechanical Performance And Failure Behaviors Of Self-Piercing Riveting Joints In Aa5052, Lun Zhao, Amr Monier, Ao Zhang, Liya Li, Ahmed Elkaseer, Zeshan Abbas, Kai Ye

Mechanical Engineering

This study investigates the effects of self-piercing riveting (SPR) die type on the joint quality and failure modes of AA5052 SPR joints. Three die types: flat, pip, and ball-shaped were designed and processed for the SPR process, and 30 riveted specimens were prepared. A 2D axisymmetric finite element (FE) simulation model was established using LS-Dyna to evaluate the impact of each die type. The accuracy of the FE model was validated by comparing simulated joint cross-sections with experimental results. Subsequently, the quality and forming mechanisms of the SPR joints fabricated using each die type were analyzed. Mechanical properties were assessed …

Few-Shot Transfer Learning For Individualized Braking Intent Detection On Neuromorphic Hardware, Nathan A. Lutes, V. Sriram Siddhardth Nedendla, K. Krishnamurthy

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This work explores use of a few-shot transfer learning method to train and implement a convolutional spiking neural network (CSNN) on a Brain Chip Akida AKD1000 neuromorphic system-on-chip for developing individual-level, instead of traditionally used group-level, models using electroencephalographic data. The efficacy of the method is studied on an advanced driver assist system related task of predicting braking intention. Approach. Data are collected from participants operating an NVIDIA JetBot on a testbed simulating urban streets for three different scenarios. Participants receive a braking indicator in the form of: (1) an audio countdown in a nominal baseline, stress-free environment; (2) an …

Limitations In Speech Recognition For Young Adults With Down Syndrome, Franceli L. Cibrian, Yingying 'Yuki' Chen, Kayla Anderson, Cecilia Marie Abrahamsson, Vivian Genaro Motti

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Speech recognition has the potential to make technology more accessible to users. However, the accuracy of speech recognition remains limited for users with disabilities, including those with Down Syndrome, and the types and frequencies of recognition errors are poorly understood. This paper characterizes these problems, focusing on errors occurring when recognizing Down Syndrome speech. We analyze the transcripts from six speech recognition algorithms (Google, IBM, Otter.ai, Microsoft, AssemblyAI, OpenAI) using the audio content of 15 individuals with Down Syndrome (331 dialogues; 3428 words). Our analysis shows: (1) significant difference in speech recognition accuracy for people with Down Syndrome compared to …

Treated Wastewater Reuse For Non-Direct Food Consumption Crops In Nebraska: Barriers And Benefits Of Municipal Irrigation Lagoons, Sussan Moussavi, Bruce Dvorak

Journal of Extension

Reusing treated wastewater for agricultural purposes can provide local benefits to small, rural communities. Additionally, irrigation lagoons can be an attractive wastewater treatment technology in areas with high agriculture demands and low water availability. This descriptive study used stakeholder discussions to identify barriers and benefits of irrigation lagoons. Dissemination materials were developed to help Extension professionals distribute information regarding these systems to the communities they work closely with.

Brittleness Indices For Chemically Corroded Rocks Under Unloading Confining Pressure, Hao Li, Leo Pel, Zhenjiang You, David Smeulders

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Rock brittleness constitutes a pivotal mechanical property for geotechnical engineering. In this paper, multi-scale investigations, involving Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), ion chromatography, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), as well as unloading tests, were conducted to examine the brittle behaviors and mechanisms of rocks under chemical-unloading confinement conditions. This paper defines rock brittleness as the capacity to withstand multiscale fracturing based on experimental investigations into multiscale damage mechanisms and macro-mechanical responses. After that, two novel brittleness indices are proposed, utilizing the dissipated energy consumption and energy-drop coefficients proposed in this study. These indices are then validated using experimental data. …

How Electricity Utility Practitioners In The United States Approach Power System Resilience, Shardul Tiwari, Aritra Chakrabarty, Chelsea Schelly, Mostafa Sahraei-Ardakani, Gaby Ou, Jianli Chen

Michigan Tech Publications

This study explores the understanding and practice of resilience among electrical utilities in the United States, focusing on how practitioners in the utility sector conceptualize and apply resilience in their work. As electricity becomes increasingly central to modern life, powering critical infrastructure and essential services, the resilience of power systems has gained prominence in energy policy and planning. However, there is a lack of standardized definitions and approaches to resilience in both academia and practice, particularly from an energy service perspective. The research employs a qualitative approach, utilizing semi-structured interviews with experts (practitioners) from transmission and distribution utilities in the …

Super-Resolution Imaging Reveals Resistance To Mass Transfer In Functionalized Stationary Phases, Ricardo Monge Neria, Muhammad Zeeshan, Aman Kapoor, Tae Kyong John Kim, Nichole Hoven, Jeffrey Pigott, Burcu Gurkan, Christine Duval, Lydia Kisley

Faculty Scholarship

Chemical separations are costly in terms of energy, time, and money. Separation methods are optimized with inefficient trial-and-error approaches that lack insight into the molecular dynamics that lead to the success or failure of a separation and, hence, ways to improve the process. We perform super-resolution imaging of fluorescent analytes in five different commercial liquid chromatography materials. Unexpectedly, we observe that chemical functionalization can block more than 50% of the material’s porous interior, rendering it inaccessible to small-molecule analytes. Only in situ imaging unveils the inaccessibility when compared to the industry-accepted ex situ characterization methods. Selectively removing some of the …

Improved Bidirectional A* Quadratic Path Planning Algorithm For Mobile Robots, Jiongyi Li, Qiang Li, Xinwen Zhang, Myo Htet Zin, Yongbin Cai

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: Aiming at the problems of the traditional A* algorithm, such as the unhoped intersection between the planned path and the obstacles, the planned path has many inflection points and the search time is long, an improved bidirectional A* quadratic path planning algorithm for the indoor environments is proposed. Through the expansion of the map, the intersection between the planned path and the obstacle is solved. By new heuristic functions and bidirectional expansion methods, the search speed and accuracy of the bidirectional A* algorithm are improved. Turning cost function and adaptive weight are introduced to reduce the number of turning …

Research On Task Planning Methods For Space Robot Assisted Operation, Guoqiang Fang, Haitao Chang, Xing Liu, Zhengxiong Liu, Panfeng Huang

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: In view of the difficulties caused by the complicated task process and numerous task constraints during the space robot assisted operation, a task planning method combining fast forward search algorithm and hierarchical network algorithm is proposed, in which the task planning process is divided into task planning and replanning. Based on the fast forward search task planning method of operation cost, the execution sequence of actions with minimum operation cost is obtained. The task adaptive replanning method based on hierarchical network corrects and compensates the problems according to the priority of compensation for the movement, grab and release actions. …

Design And Simulation Analysis Of Guidance Law For Boost Phase Interceptor Missile, Xu Zhang, Peng Zeng, Xu Li, Xuehe Zheng, Jianheng Xue, Chao Wang

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: The intercept time window in the boost phase is very short, which requires the missile to have high speed and high acceleration capability, at the same time, because the target ballistic missile is still accelerating in the boost phase, the guidance scheme of the interceptor missile needs to have the ability to cope with the characteristics of the booster phase interceptor missile. The trajectory simulation model is established, and the guidance law of the boost phase interceptor missile in the initial guidance, midguidance and final guidance stage are designed in detail according to the performance of the guidance mechanism …

Intelligent Service Migration Towards Mec-Based Iov Systems, Sijin Huang, Jia Wen, Zheyi Chen

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: To address the problem of QoS degradation during the vehicle movement, a novel service migration via convex-optimization-enabled deep reinforcement learning (SeMiR) method is proposed. The optimization problem is decomposed into two sub-problems and solved separately. For the service migration sub-problem, an improved deep reinforcement learning based service migration method is designed to explore the optimal migration policy. For the resource allocation sub-problem, a convex optimization based resource allocation method is developed to derive the optimal resource allocation for each MEC server under the given migration decisions, thereby improving the performance of service migration. Experimental results show that the SeMiR …

Intensity-Based Feature Filtering For Lidar-Based Slam, Weigang Li, Shaofeng Zou, Yongqiang Wang, Chuxiang Yu

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: In order to solve the problem that an excessive influx of feature points into the point cloud registration phase can potentially lead to diminished algorithmic accuracy and suboptimal mapping outcomes, a novel laser SLAM algorithm predicated on the filtering of feature points through the utilization of intensity information is proposed. The intensity distribution near the feature points in the local map is calculated based on the point cloud intensity information, and each feature point within the local map is attributed an intensity distribution index. Through the application of an intensity threshold, feature points that exhibit substantial variations in intensity …

A Hybrid Heuristic Algorithm For Solving The Green Vrp With Priority Delivery, Huanhuan Cui, Lihe Guan

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: This paper considers the problem that some customers' goods cannot be mixed in logistics distribution. Based on the traditional green vehicle routing problem with simultaneous pickup and delivery, customers are divided into three types: priority delivery, non-priority only pickup without delivery, and non-priority pickup with delivery. A single objective nonlinear optimization model is established to minimize the total cost. A hybrid heuristic method based on simulated annealing and adaptive large neighborhood search algorithm is designed. An improved saving algorithm is used to construct the initial solution. And 5 kinds of destruction operators and 2 kinds of repair operators are …

Coordinated And Optimal Dispatching For Wind-Photovoltaic-Storage Systems Based On Multi-Strategy Multi-Objective Differential Evolution Algorithm, Xuyang Ren, Xuhui Bu, Yanling Yin, Jinghua Liu

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: The introduction of new energy generation units makes the power system structure more and more complex, and the existing economic dispatching methods face many challenges. A coordinated and optimal dispatching for wind-photovoltaic-storage systems is constructed and a constraint handling method is given, a competitive mechanism-based multi-strategy multi-objective differential evolutionary (CMMODE) algorithm is proposed. The CMMODE algorithm utilizes a competitive mechanism to partition the population and constructs multiple differential variance operators based on the partitioning results, thus generating a multi-strategy scheme, employs an elite self-exploration mechanism to make the population have the ability to jump out of the local optimum …

An Algorithm For Cloud-Based Web Service Combination Optimization Through Plant Growth Simulation, Qiang Li, Huawei Qin, Bingqin Qiao, Ruifang Wu

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: In order to improve the efficiency of cloud-based web services, an improved plant growth simulation algorithm scheduling model. This model first used mathematical methods to describe the relationships between cloud-based web services and the constraints of system resources. Then, a lightinduced plant growth simulation algorithm was established. The performance of the algorithm was compared through several plant types, and the best plant model was selected as the setting for the system. Experimental results show that when the number of test cloud-based web services reaches 2 048, the model being 2.14 times faster than PSO, 2.8 times faster than the …

Research On Rule-Based Energy Management Strategy Of Hybrid Mining Dump Truck, Jiangong Liu, Yuanhui Zhang, Fei Wei, Yiying Wang, Xiaoling Li, Peiqing Liu, Fengmiao Si

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: A distributed hybrid powertrain system structure and a rule-based energy management strategy are proposed to address the problems of insufficient power and poor fuel economy in conventional dieselpowered mining dump trucks. By analyzing the operational characteristics of mining dump trucks, a distributed hybrid powertrain system structure and vehicle driving conditions are established, relevant mode-switching rules are formulated. The results demonstrate that the proposed distributed hybrid powertrain system structure enhances the climbing capability of the vehicle by 27% when using the third gear for uphill driving. In addition, the adoption of the rule-based energy management strategy results in an 19% …

Research On The Target Allocation Method For Air Defense And Anti-Missile Defense Of Naval Ships, Shuaidi Fei, Changlong Cai, Fei Liu, Minghui Chen, Xiaoming Liu

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: To solve the problems of multiple types of state information and correlation of time-series state information encountered in the dynamic weapon target assignment problem, a dynamic weapon target assignment method based on an improved deep reinforcement learning algorithm is proposed. A multiinput assignment model of target missile-interceptor unit, interceptor unit, and defense unit under multiwave target and multi-phase is constructed. A multi-input state space is designed, and a Markov decision process is established in conjunction with the problem model. A feature extraction network combining multi-input information processing and gated recurrent network is designed, which improves the ability to extract …