Engineering Commons^™

Streamlined Production, Protection, And Purification Of Enzyme Biocatalysts Using Virus-Like Particles And A Cell-Free Protein Synthesis System, Seung O. Yang, Joseph P. Talley, Gregory H. Nielsen, Kristen M. Wilding, Bradley Charles Bundy

Faculty Publications

Enzymes play an essential role in many different industries; however, their operating conditions are limited due to the loss of enzyme activity in the presence of proteases and at temperatures significantly above physiological conditions. One way to improve the stability of these enzymes against high temperatures and proteases is to encapsulate them in protective shells or virus-like particles. This work presents a streamlined, three-step, cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) procedure that enables rapid in vitro enzyme production, targeted encapsulation in protective virus-like particles (VLPs), and facile purification using a 6× His-tag fused to the VLP coat protein. This process is performed …

Fault Diagnosis And Fault Tolerant Structure For Multilevel Inverters Using Machine Learning Techniques, Sudha V

Theses and Dissertations

A paradigm shift towards electric drives in domestic and industrial sectors has significantly increased the use of multilevel inverters (MLI). MLIs are constructed using more semiconductor devices, which hinders safety and reliability. Literature states 31.2% of failures in MLIs are due to semiconductor devices. Hence, there is a need for fault detection and tolerant mechanisms to ensure the safety and reliability of MLIs.

MLIs like Cascaded H-bridge(CHB) and Packed U cell(PUC) are mostly preferred due to low harmonic distortion, which is considered in this work. The complexity associated with fault diagnosis with more components in MLIs is addressed by machine …

Assessing Post-Fire Damage In Concrete Structures: A Comprehensive Review, Eneye A. Ibrahim, Dale Goff, Ali Keyvanfar, Mohammad Jonaidi

Faculty Articles

Bridge fires present unique challenges due to their potential for catastrophic structural failures, leading to extensive traffic disruptions, economic losses, and, in some cases, loss of life. In the aftermath of a fire incident, assessing the structural integrity and future viability of concrete bridges has become a paramount concern for civil engineers and safety inspectors. The critical decision to rehabilitate or demolish a fire-damaged structure hinges on accurately assessing the extent of damage incurred. Enhancing the fire resilience of concrete structures is a critical endeavor within civil engineering, necessitating accurate evaluation methods to analyze conditions after fire exposure. Focusing on …

Magmatic Volatiles Control The Sub-Plinian Basaltic Eruptions At Ambae Volcano, Vanuatu, Philipson Bani, Alessandro Aiuppa, Diego Coppola, Simon Carn, Dominique Cluzel, Estelle Rose-Koga, Et Al.

Michigan Tech Publications

The 2017–2018 eruption of Ambae volcano provided a rare opportunity to investigate gas emissions during a sub-Plinian basaltic eruption. Here we document the gas emissions during this eruption using satellite observation, alongside gas measurements and geochemical analyses. Our results indicate that the volcano released 3.3 teragrams of sulfur dioxide, 7.7 of carbon dioxide, 134 of water vapour, 0.2 of hydrogen sulfide, and 0,001 of dihydrogen, ranking Ambae among the world’s top volcanic gas emitters. Despite these substantial emissions, the relatively modest volume of 0.47 cubic kilometer of magma that fueled the eruption indicates a volatile-rich magma source. This enrichment is …

Estimating Depth Of Roadway Flooding Using Data From Lidar And Surveillance Cameras, Mahta Zamanizadeh, Mecit Cetin

Graduate Student Government Association Research Conference

In this study, we fuse data from a 3D LIDAR mounted on a vehicle and images from an external traffic surveillance camera to create a 3D representation of a segment of a roadway that experiences frequent flooding. The point cloud data from the LiDAR in this study is collected from a road segment of W 49^th Street in Norfolk, near the ODU campus. The traffic surveillance camera is mounted on a public parking building in the same area. The LiDAR collects continuous point cloud frames as the vehicle traverses the section. Multiple LIDAR frames related to the respective segment …

Rapid Prediction Of Coastal Flooding With Deep Neural Networks, Ali Shahabi, Navid Tahvildari

Graduate Student Government Association Research Conference

With the increasing impact of climate change and relative sea level rise, low-lying coastal communities face growing risks from extreme storm tides and recurrent nuisance flooding. Thus, timely and reliable predictions of coastal water levels are critical to resilience in vulnerable coastal areas. Over the past decade, enormous efforts have been made to utilize machine learning (ML) based data-driven models for the emulation and prediction of storm tides. However, flood advisory systems still rely on running computationally demanding real-time hydrodynamic models. because developing highly reliable ML-based models suitable for real-time forecasting and capable of capturing any surge levels is challenging. …

Optimized Hiv/Aids Resource Allocation In Ohio: A Linear Programming Approach, Godfred Ahenkroa Kesse

Data Science and Data Mining

This study employs a linear and integer programming approach to optimize HIV resource allocation in Ohio, aiming to minimize new infections and enhance the impact of limited resources. With the advances in HIV prevention and treatment, Ohio faces challenges in addressing disparities in access to healthcare, particularly among high-risk populations. The proposed model integrates data on infection rates, transmission patterns, demographic factors, and cost-effectiveness to provide a decision-support framework for policymakers. Using epidemiological data and equity constraints, the model prioritizes high-risk regions and populations while ensuring fair resource distribution. Results indicate that increased funding allocations significantly enhance the potential to …

Performance Assessment Of Fiber-Reinforced Asphalt Mixtures: A Comprehensive Laboratory And Full-Scale Investigation, Ali Raza Raza Khan

Theses and Dissertations

Asphalt concrete is a composite material widely used in the construction of roads; however, fatigue cracking (load associated), thermal cracking (non-load associated), and permanent deformation (or rutting) are the most challenging issues in flexible (or asphalt) pavement structures. These distresses affect ride quality and are considered the most well-known pavement deterioration types. Several modifiers have been used as potential solutions to cracking and rutting of asphalt mixtures (i.e., polymers, geogrids etc.). Among these modifiers, fibers were introduced to improve the resistance of asphalt mixtures to rutting and cracking. Addition of fibers into the asphalt mixture is always challenging because of …

Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles To Facilitate Traffic Incident Management, Adam William Hill

Theses and Dissertations

Incident management teams (IMTs) minimize crash impacts and create a safer highway network for people and communities. Research has shown that optimizing the IMT fleet has strong benefits to the roadway network, but future models indicate that increasing IMT presence may have diminishing returns after excessive roadway saturation. The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) would like to improve situational awareness in areas of poor or limited camera coverage, where situational awareness is typically poor. UDOT is considering the use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to provide live camera coverage of traffic conditions in these instances. This thesis synthesizes practice from …

A Geomatic Appraisal On Restoration Of Tank Cascade Systems In Ambuliyar Watershed, Tamilnadu, Nasir N

Theses and Dissertations

Tanks and earthen embankments used for water harvesting and storage have been a significant part of India's irrigation system since the 2nd and 3rd centuries. In Tamil Nadu, around 39,202 tanks have storage capacities of around 178.94 million cubic feet. However, they have been impacted by natural and anthropogenic threats such as soil erosion, siltation, inadequate rainfall, and drought. This study aims to determine the current storage capacity of tanks, estimate the loss in storage capacity/volume of silt, estimate the rate of siltation and life of tanks, identify soil erosion-prone zones, and map deteriorating parameters along supply channels.

The study …

Generating Real-Time Synthetic Datasets To Improve Aerial Object Detection, Garrett Williams

Theses and Dissertations

The widespread use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) across civilian and military applications has necessitated the advancement of real-time drone detection and tracking capabilities. Machine Learning (ML) addresses these requirements, however, to train a robust and generalizable model requires large and diverse video datasets. Curating these real-world datasets is often time-consuming and cost-prohibitive. Here, we present DyViR, a real-time customizable rendering application capable of automatically generating highly realistic synthetic, multi-modal video of aerial objects, digital environments, and automatic generation and labeling of bounding boxes. Synthetic data, coupled with real-world training sets, augment the ML training process, leading to increased performance …

Biobased Acrylate Composites With Enhanced Strength For Additive Manufacturing, Nicole Wagner, Joseph Mcwherter

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

With the expanding use of polymers in additive manufacturing, sustainable resins for use in vat photopolymerization are required to reduce their environmental impact. One promising approach to achieve this is to incorporate biobased fillers that replace the acrylates in photopolymer resins as ‘green’ alternatives. In this study, photopolymer composites consisting of a methacrylate resin with varying calcium carbonate powder content between 0 and 50 wt.% were investigated. A digital light processing technique was used to fabricate tensile test specimens for mechanical testing. Good printability, dimensional accuracy, and good interlayer adhesion were observed for composite resin formulations that incorporated calcium carbonate …

A Review On Exploring Artificial Intelligence Applications, Advancements, Issues, And Future Challenges, Sajid Naeem, Novman Nabeel, Waseem Beg, Shujaat Ali, Rajiv N. Kanojiya, Satish S. Mandawade, Chetan R. Yewale, Sc Kulkarni, Vt Salunke, Av Patil

Polytechnic Journal

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a transformative technology with diverse applications that is transforming several industries. AI is the use of systems and technology to replicate human intelligence and solve common real-world issues. Machine learning (ML) and deep learning are AI technologies that use algorithms to more accurately predict occurrences without the need for human intervention. Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) refers to AI that can explain decisions or forecasts to human users. XAI seeks to improve AI systems' transparency, trustworthiness, and accountability, particularly when utilized in high-risk applications such as healthcare, finance, or security. This review article provides a thorough overview …

A Comparative Study On Natural Vs. Synthesized Polymers Combined With Silica Nanoparticles To Maximize Secondary Oil Recovery, Attia Attia, Mohamed Sadek Hamedi Al, Waleed Abd-Alsabour Ali Eng., Zeyad Tamer Elshony Eng.

Petroleum Engineering and Gas

Polymer flooding is a well-established technique for enhancing oil recovery from reservoirs. In this study, we investigate the performance of two different polymers, Xanthan Gum, and HPAM for secondary oil recovery in the sand pack. The effects of polymer concentration and high salinity on oil recovery are studied. The polymers are characterized using various measurements and tests, including viscosity, shear rate, and interfacial tension. The sand pack flooding experiments are conducted under various conditions, including varying polymer slugs, and nanosilica (silicon dioxide SiO2) concentration. The results are analyzed to determine the optimal conditions for polymer flooding for enhanced oil recovery. …

Lustr20 Thermal Profiling Repository Data, Paul Van Susante

LuSTR20 Datasets

The PSTDL was a recipient of a 2020 NASA’s Lunar Surface Technology Research grant (LuSTR20) for the development of a lunar prospecting instrument known as the Percussive Hot Cone Penetrometer (PHCP) in combination with Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR). The goal of this project is to produce a science instrument that is capable of probing the lunar surface up to a depth of 1 meter to extract the geotechnical properties of the lunar regolith, identifying the vertical and lateral concentrations of volatiles present.

Selective Leaching Of Rare Earth Elements From Complex Rare Earth Ore Using Deep Eutectic Solvents, Frank Agyemang, Mehran Saddat, Zainab Nasrullah, Richard Ladouceur

Metallurgical & Materials Engineering

Rare earth elements (REEs) are valuable for various modern technological applications, including metallurgy, machine building, radio electronics, instrument engineering, nuclear engineering, and manufacturing. The extraction and separation of rare earth elements (REEs) from their complex ores is challenging due to their distinct physical and chemical properties, contributing to their market scarcity. At present, REE recovery utilizes traditional pyro- or hydrometallurgical processes. The overall process in the recovery and separation of individual elements from complex REE systems suffers from high energy demands and the use of many hazardous chemicals that negatively impact the environment. With the growing trend toward a circular …

Process Intensification By Resonant Vibratory Mixing For The Recyclable Samarium - Cobalt Magnets After Chemical Leaching With Deep Eutectic Solvents, Zainab Nasrullah, Frank Agyemang, Mehran Saddat, Richard Ladouceur

Metallurgical & Materials Engineering

To sustain the circular economy, defense applications, and other renewable technologies, recycling rare earth elements (REEs) and other critical elements from their secondary resources is important. This cause has resulted in rigorous research and development for viable extraction and separation of REEs. Previously, Sm-Co recycling has been done with technologies, which fall under the categories of pyrometallurgy, physical separation, and hydrometallurgy. All these methods have limitations associated with energy, cost, and environment. Reportedly, the chemical leaching technology has successfully recovered and separated Sm-Co. Still, it has limitations associated with slow mass transfer and leaching kinetics, and there is a need …

Nh Stormwater Manual 2025, Unh Stormwater Center, Comprehensive Environmental Inc., Nh Department Of Environmental Services

UNH Stormwater Center

No abstract provided.

Application Of Cementitious Materials And Fiber Reinforcement To Enhance Lime Stabilization For Nebraska Shale Soils, Jongwan Eun, Seunghee Kim, Chung R. Song, Laith Ibdah, Kenaz Owusu

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

Lime stabilization is a widely used technique to improve weak subgrades; however, its effectiveness under freeze-thaw cycles remains a critical challenge. This study investigates the incorporation of cementitious materials and fiber to enhance the mechanical properties and environmental resistance of lime-stabilized soils under such conditions. Two types of soil, gray shale (plasticity index of 37.8) and clay soil (plasticity index of 19.0) from Nebraska, were used. Stabilization mixtures included lime dosages of 0%, 3%, and 6% by weight, combined with either 10% fly ash or 3% and 6% cement by weight, and 0% and 1% fiber. The experimental program comprised …

Construction Of Electrically Heated Pavement Using Recycled Waste Rubber Tires, Islam M. Radwan, Mohamed Abdel-Raheem

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Accumulated snow on roads presents a dual risk of accidents and financial losses. Conventional de-icing methods, which rely on chemicals, salt, and heavy machinery, are unsustainable and detrimental to both the environment and infrastructure. Furthermore, they demand significant labor and pose hazards in densely populated areas. In response, heated pavement systems such as hydronic and electrically conductive concrete (ECON) have gained traction for mitigating snow accumulation on roads. However, the use of carbon fiber and carbon black in ECON raises costs and depletes valuable resources. This research introduces an inventive and sustainable approach to address snow accumulation on rigid pavements …

Building Services Engineering January/February 2025

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Integration Of Artificial Intelligence With A Customized Four-Probe Station For I-V Characteristic Classification And Prediction, Sameh O. Abdellatif, Ahmed Ghanem, Ahmmat Abdel Whahid, Amr Hatem, Belal Ahmed

Electrical Engineering

The incorporation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is pivotal in automating intricate technical tasks, significantly enhancing accuracy and efficiency while alleviating the burdens of repetitive monitoring traditionally borne by technicians. This study focuses on developing a customized four-probe station integrated with sophisticated AI models aimed at classifying current–voltage () characteristics and extracting essential parameters. Our methodology encompasses the fabrication of precision-engineered gold-plated probes, meticulously assembled with a three-dimensional (3D) moving head to ensure optimal contact and measurement fidelity across a variety of electronic and optoelectronic devices. Data acquisition is executed via a source meter unit, followed by rigorous post-processing utilizing advanced …

Current Practices In Rock Scaling, Daryl J. Greer, Kean H. Ashurst Jr

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Rockfalls, which result from the chemical and physical weathering of aging exposed rock cuts, occur frequently along many Kentucky roadways and can endanger travelers. Mitigating rockfalls often requires substantial excavation, procuring additional right of way, and/or hiring specialty contractors. An alternative to these expensive processes is rock scaling, which can be a cost-effective tool for mitigating rockfalls. Rock scaling entails removing loose and unstable rocks from rock cut slopes within the right of way to reduce rockfall risk and is being used with increased frequency by state transportation agencies around the country. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has completed several …

Potential Effects Of Statistical Complexity Measure In Improving The Fault Diagnosis Performance Under Speed Fluctuations, S. Sowmya, M. Saimurugan, N. Kannan, Immanuel A. Edinbarough

Informatics and Engineering Systems Faculty Publications

Many research studies are performed in extracting non-stationary signal properties such as instantaneous frequency (IF) and envelope to diagnose machinery faults under time-varying speed conditions. But accurate IF extraction is difficult from such complex fluctuating signals to identify the faults efficiently. Therefore, this paper proposes the Statistical Complexity Measure (SCM) as a feature that evaluates the randomness and complexity without any additional requirement, providing an outstanding result in multi-component fault detection under speed fluctuations. Primarily, the influence of SCM is proved by ranking the features with the help of the Random Forest (RF) algorithm. The fault classification of individual signal …

Phosphorus Recovery From Synthetic Stormwater Using Iron- And Slag-Amended Green Infrastructure Soils, Colin B. Wilson, Anthony J. Parolari, Brooke Mayer, Kaushik Venkiteshwaran

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

The demand for phosphorus (P), fueled by the need for fertilizers to increase food production due to the ever-increasing population, is increasing P in the environment and diminishing global reserves of this nonrenewable resource. Stormwater runoff transports land-applied P into surrounding waterbodies. Green infrastructure (GI) soils are being engineered to target P removal from stormwater runoff. This research investigates the potential to recover P from engineered GI soils traditionally developed to remove P, contributing to the circular P economy by considering GI as a source of recoverable P. Batch experiments were conducted to determine the P removal performance of iron- …

Characterizing Phosphorus Removal And Recovery Performance Of A 3d Printed Iron-Embedded Polylactic Acid Composite, Colin B. Wilson, Anthony J. Parolari, Andrew Hiestand, Brooke K. Mayer, Allison Murray

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Green infrastructure (GI) has been heralded as a solution for reducing phosphorus (P) pollution through increasing stormwater runoff infiltration and improving water quality. Despite its global implementation, GI struggles to improve the effluent water quality discharged from these systems consistently. This research evaluates the P removal performance and recovery potential of iron-embedded polylactic acid (PLA) composites through a novel application of three-dimensional (3D) printed representative unit cells (RUC) that could be used to improve effluent quality in GI. The RUC required chemical oxidation to convert the embedded iron to hematite (Fe₂⁢O₃) to facilitate P adsorption. Batch …

High Shear Stress Reduces Erg Causing Endothelial-Mesenchymal Transition And Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, Tsutomu Shinohara, Jan-Renier Moonen, Yoon Hong Chun, Yannick C. Lee-Yow, Kenichi Okamura, Jason M. Szafron, Jordan Kaplan, Aiqin Cao, Lingli Wang, Weiguang Yang

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

Background: Computational modeling indicated that pathological high shear stress (HSS; 100 dyn/cm2) is generated in pulmonary arteries (PAs; 100-500 µm) in congenital heart defects causing PA hypertension (PAH) and in idiopathic PAH with occlusive vascular remodeling. Endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) is a feature of PAH. We hypothesize that HSS induces EndMT, contributing to the initiation and progression of PAH.

Methods: We used the Ibidi perfusion system to determine whether HSS applied to human PA endothelial cells (ECs) induces EndMT when compared with physiological laminar shear stress (15 dyn/cm2). The mechanism was investigated and targeted to prevent PAH in a mouse with …

Economic Impact Of Energy Accounting Schemes For Commercial Systems On A Broiler Farm With Power Demand And Generation, Yi Liang, Michael Popp

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the on-farm solar photovoltaic (PV) generation to offset grid electricity consumption on a commercial poultry farm in the US. Hourly electricity production by PV systems was estimated using the System Advisor Model (SAM) of the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) and compared with the estimated electric load demand of a broiler house. We analyzed the economic benefits of installing solar systems of three capacities under net energy metering and net energy billing pricing scenarios. Results suggested that a smaller PV installation of 35 kWp, while substantially short of meeting …

Effect Of Mg–Nb Oxides On Hydrogen Sorption Kinetics Of Ball-Milled Mgh2, Md. Wasikur Rahman, Muhammad Nurunnabi Siddiquee, Mohammad M. Hossain, M. Jasim Uddin

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

Addition of Mg–Nb oxides (e.g. MgNb₂O₆, Mg₄Nb₂O₉, and Mg₃Nb₆O₁₁) ameliorates H₂ absorption/desorption kinetics of MgH₂ as demonstrated in the current article. H₂ desorption and absorption rates of the ball-milled MgH₂ are evidently temperature-dependent, which points out that the prior rate increases with increasing temperature (593–673 K) and vice versa. Among the tested samples, MgH₂ with Mg₃Nb₆O₁₁ nanoparticles showed superior performance. The Johnson–Mehl–Avrami equation was employed to construct H₂ desorption curves as well as …

Nonlinear Self-Synchronizing Current Control For Single-Phase Ac Inverters, Shruti Pandey, Michael Mclntyre

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Grid-connected single-phase inverters require accurate phase detection for synchronization and power control. Traditionally, phase-locked loops (PLLs) are used to estimate grid parameters. This paper proposes a novel approach that determines the grid phase angle using only current feedback, eliminating the need for grid voltage measurements or cascaded control schemes. The proposed method integrates a phase angle observer with a current controller to regulate real and reactive power. Lyapunov stability analysis and hardware experiments validate the effectiveness of the approach.