Engineering Commons^™

Design And Implementation Of An Inverted Short Baseline Acoustic Positioning System, Jakob Frabosilio

Master's Theses

This document details the design, implementation, testing, and analysis of an inverted short baseline acoustic positioning system. The system presented here is an above-water, air-based prototype for an underwater acoustic positioning system; it is designed to determine the position of remotely-operated underwater vehicles (ROVs) and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) in the global frame using a method that does not drift over time.

A ground-truth positioning system is constructed using a stacked hexapod platform actuator, which mimics the motion of an AUV and provides the true position of an ultrasonic microphone array. An ultrasonic transmitter sends a pulse of sound towards …

Investigating Hardware-Based Aes Countermeasures In The Sam4l Microcontroller For Side-Channel Attack Mitigation, Turki Mesbel Alamri

Theses and Dissertations

Side-channel attacks (SCAs) represent a sophisticated method by which attackers exploit indirect pathways, such as power leakage and electromagnetic emissions to glean sensitive information from microprocessors. These attacks analyze variation in power consumption during operations like data encryption to infer protected data, potentially compromising the security of the device. For example, observing the power draw differences when a device encrypts known data can also serve defensive purposes. Attacks often overlook emissions and power patterns, while focusing on avoiding network and host-based detection systems. This oversight presents an opportunity for security professionals to use SCAs to enhance system defenses by monitoring …

Improving Military Medical Evacuation System Performance Via Stochastic Optimization, Virbon B. Frial

Theses and Dissertations

This research highlights the importance of improving the performance of military medical evacuation systems to reduce the risk of permanent disability or death among service members in deployed environments. We employ a range of stochastic optimization techniques relating to integer programming, Markov decision process, approximate dynamic programming, and machine learning, as appropriate, to gain insights into factors that contribute to improving system performance.

Toward Adaptive And Modular Joint Multi-Domain Operational Planning, Kyle S. Wilkinson

Theses and Dissertations

This research develops a multiparametric optimization framework for modeling joint multi-domain operational planning under uncertainty. We address the application of our framework to model the doctrine of adaptive planning. We apply set-based design, which is a program management practice of maintaining maximal design options through time as a response to epistemic uncertainty. We couple this with a multiparametric optimization method yielding both sets of solutions and sensitivity profiles. We use the sensitivity profiles to quantify risk associated with changes during adaptive planning. This research also models features of military operational planning via the mathematics of category theory. We formalize intuitive …

Autonomous Experimentation For Accelerated Calibration Of Fused Deposition Modeling 3d Printers, Graig S. Ganitano

Theses and Dissertations

Additive Manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, has emerged as a key component of Industry 4.0, enabling reduced cost, quick production, greater sustainability, and increased design complexity compared to its traditional manufacturing counterpart. Currently, Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) technology dominates the AM market with respect to the number of 3D printers in use. However, the FDM process is sensitive to changes in system configuration, especially the feedstock material. Utilizing a new feedstock requires a time-consuming trial-and-error process to identify optimal settings for a large number of process parameters, acting as a barrier to the technology.

To enable greater accessibility …

Integrating Blockchain Technology Into The Software Development Life Cycle To Satisfy The Software Bill Of Materials Requirement For Government Software Systems, Walter T. Scott Ii

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the integration of Blockchain Technology (BT) into the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) to satisfy the Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) requirement for government software systems. This study begins by synthesizing a standard SDLC definition from various government and industry references, which may provide the foundation for future efforts to standardize software development practices across the government software development community. This study proceeds to define working definitions for the software supply chain (SSC) and software supply chain management (SCM) before introducing and detailing the SBOM requirement as well as providing an overview of prior research regarding SBOMs …

Guidance, Navigation, And Control For Multi-Agent Inspection Of An Unknown Space Object, Mark R. Mercier

Theses and Dissertations

On-orbit inspection is a rapidly growing mission that enables extending the life of aging legacy space systems through refueling, replacing, or upgrading components. For an inspection operation, multiple agents taking observations simultaneously can more quickly map an RSO and assure an inspection is complete regardless of RSO dynamics. A multi-agent guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) scheme must be designed with cooperation in mind to achieve inspection objectives, while leveraging the unique capabilities of a distributed inspection system. This work splits the GNC system into two parts composed of an offline guidance scheme for translational reference trajectory generation and an online …

Optimal Placement Of Artificial Hair-Cell Airflow Sensors For Bioinspired Flight-By-Feel, Alex C. Hollenbeck

Theses and Dissertations

The Sparse Sensor Placement Optimization for Prediction (SSPOP) algorithm reduces highdimensional airflow data to a low-dimensional sparse approximation to identify an optimal placement for any number of sensors on airfoil or wing models of arbitrary shape and size, and outperforms conventional optimization techniques in accuracy and speed. For 2D flow this algorithm found a sensor placement solution (design point, or DP) which predicts AoA to within 0.10 degrees and ranks within the top 1 percent of the design space. On 3D wing models SSPOP found four-sensor DPs ranked well within the top 0.10 percent. Experimental validation with velocity and pressure …

Generation And Implementation Of Mixed Radiation From Laser Interactions On A Liquid Target, Benjamin M. Knight

Theses and Dissertations

The simultaneous generation of different forms of radiation from the same source is highly desirable but technically challenging. We present the generation of D-D fusion neutrons and >MeV-energy x-rays from extreme intensity (∼ 10¹⁹ W/cm² ), high repetition-rate (1 kHz) laser pulses on a thin liquid target. Total neutron fluxes of ∼ 105 neutrons/s and x-ray exposure rates up to ∼ 200 R/hr at 74 cm are measured. Evidence of D-D fusion is verified with a measurement suite including three independent neutron detection systems: an EJ-309 organic scintillator, a ³He proportional counter, and a set of 36 …

Machine Visual Perception For Autonomous Docking Maneuvers, Derek B. Worth

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents a novel approach to autonomous docking using machine learning for visual perception, particularly during probe and drogue aerial refueling. Autonomous vehicles have become pervasive in both civilian and defense sectors, and their ability to interact with their surroundings and each other autonomously is critical for future operations. Traditional methods relying on signals or inertial sensors face significant limitations such as interference, jamming, and drift. This research focuses on developing a computer vision-based solution to overcome these limitations. A novel pipeline, termed relative vectoring, is introduced, which utilizes dual object detection and machine learning to estimate relative positions …

Development Of A Disc Blade Cutting System For Sesame Harvesting: Determination Of Operating Criteria And Energy Requirements, Selcuk Ugurluay, Gamze Genc

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

This study aimed to explore the use of rotary disc blades in cutting, since the mowing units used in sesame harvesting contain many parts, require frequent lubrication, and have vibration problems. An experimental setup with a disc blade working on a cut-mowing system based from harvesting methods of sesame plants was designed and fabricated. The most suitable cutting criteria which are blade edge types (30°-30°, 30°-Flat, 45°-45°, 45°-Flat) and disc blade diameters (150, 180, and 210 mm) were determined for shearing and disc cutting action. The lowest cutting energy was consumed by the disc blade with a 30°-wedge angle at …

A P-Graph Approach For Planning Sustainable Rice Straw Management Networks, Victoria Migo Sumagang Maria, Michael Angelo B. Promentilla

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

The Philippines produces up to 15.2 Mt of rice straw waste annually. Unmanaged rice straw waste disposal can lead to pollution from open field burning. On the other hand, rice straw agricultural waste can be used sustainably to produce valuable products such as mushrooms, fodder, pellets, or bioenergy, in a rice straw management system. Such systems can be optimized using Process Integration tools so that the raw materials are used efficiently at the maximum profit and with a minimal carbon footprint. The P-graph framework is an efficient Process Integration tool that solves Process Network Synthesis problems. A P-graph finds the …

Boar Sperm Performance In Polystyrene Transport Cool Box Under Various Storage Conditions And Holding Times [Rsearch Note], Santiago T. Peña Jr., Bianca Therese P. Ymas, Mark Edd B. Janier, Heherson A. Luza

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

When transporting highly valuable boar semen samples over long distances, it is crucial to ensure that boar semen is stored ideally at approximately 15 – 17°C to minimize the impact of cold shock and oxidative damage on sperm quality. This study evaluated the performance of a commercially available semen and embryo polystyrene transport cool box, BotuFLEX®, in preserving the quality of extended boar semen under different storage conditions and holding times. Boar ejaculates were extended at 1:1 or 1:3 using a commercial mid-term extender, stored in a BotuFLEX® semen cool box, and examined 24 vs. 48 h thereafter (Experiment 1; …

Spot, Zone And Overcoat Painting Of Steel Bridges, Christopher Goff, Sudhir Palle

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Over the past 25 – 30 years, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has replaced lead-based coatings on many bridges, often with zinc-based systems. But many of these coating systems are now degrading and reaching the ends of their service lives. Historically, KYTC has relied entirely on remove-and-replace painting, however, given the programmatic costs associated with remove-and-replace painting and constraints imposed by limited funding, the agency needs to explore more economical options, such as spot, zone, and overcoat painting. This report discusses use cases for spot, zone, and overcoat painting and lays out guidelines staff can use to determine what method …

First-Order Comprehensive Adjoint Sensitivity Analysis Methodology For Neural Ordinary Differential Equations: Mathematical Framework And Illustrative Application To The Nordheim–Fuchs Reactor Safety Model, Dan Gabriel Cacuci

Faculty Publications

This work introduces the mathematical framework of the novel “First-Order Comprehensive Adjoint Sensitivity Analysis Methodology for Neural Ordinary Differential Equations” (1st-CASAM-NODE) which yields exact expressions for the first-order sensitivities of NODE decoder responses to the NODE parameters, including encoder initial conditions, while enabling the most efficient computation of these sensitivities. The application of the 1st-CASAM-NODE is illustrated by using the Nordheim–Fuchs reactor dynamics/safety phenomenological model, which is representative of physical systems that would be modeled by NODE while admitting exact analytical solutions for all quantities of interest (hidden states, decoder outputs, sensitivities with respect to all parameters and initial conditions, …

Electromagnetic Theory And Applications, 2nd Edition, Nicholas Madamopoulos, George Kliros

Open Educational Resources

This book intends to provide both the fundamentals of Electromagnetics but also some practical applications of the concepts covered. Having taught electromagnetics for several years, the authors feel that many times the field of electromagnetics comes as “old” and often times students do not appreciate the concepts and their importance in everyday applications. The authors intend to accompany the EM concepts with life applications. Hence, students may see the direct impact of the knowledge they acquire through the study of the field of electromagnetics and better appreciate the field.

Design And Analysis Of Self-Tanked Stepwise Charging Circuit For Four-Phase Adiabatic Logic, William Morell, Jin Woo Choi

Michigan Tech Publications

Adiabatic logic has been proposed as a method for drastically reducing power consumption in specialized low-power circuits. They often require specialized clock drivers that also function as the main power supply, in contrast to standard CMOS logic, and these power clocks are often a point of difficulty in the design process. A novel, stepwise charging driver circuit for four-phase adiabatic logic is proposed and validated through a simulation study. The proposed circuit consists of two identical driver circuits each driving two opposite adiabatic logic phases. Its performance relative to ideal step-charging and a standard CMOS across mismatched phase loads is …

Surrogate-Based Multidisciplinary Optimization For The Takeoff Trajectory Design Of Electric Drones, Samuel Sisk, Xiaosong Du

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft attract attention due to their unique characteristics of reduced noise, moderate pollutant emission, and lowered operating cost. However, the benefits of electric vehicles, including eVTOL aircraft, are critically challenged by the energy density of batteries, which prohibit long-distance tasks and broader applications. Since the takeoff process of eVTOL aircraft demands excessive energy and couples multiple subsystems (such as aerodynamics and propulsion), multidisciplinary analysis and optimization (MDAO) become essential. Conventional MDAO, however, iteratively evaluates high-fidelity simulation models, making the whole process computationally intensive. Surrogates, in lieu of simulation models, empower efficient MDAO with the …

Automated Concrete Bridge Deck Inspection Using Unmanned Aerial System (Uas)-Collected Data: A Machine Learning (Ml) Approach, Rojal Pokhrel, Reihaneh Samsami, Saida Elmi, Colin Brooks

Michigan Tech Publications

Bridges are crucial components of infrastructure networks that facilitate national connectivity and development. According to the National Bridge Inventory (NBI) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the cost to repair U.S. bridges was recently estimated at approximately USD 164 billion. Traditionally, bridge inspections are performed manually, which poses several challenges in terms of safety, efficiency, and accessibility. To address these issues, this research study introduces a method using Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) to help automate the inspection process. This methodology employs UASs to capture visual images of a concrete bridge deck, which are then analyzed using advanced machine learning techniques …

Forecasting Construction Material Prices Using Macroeconomic Indicators Of Trading Partners, Ahmed Shiha, Islam H. El-Adaway

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Supply chain instabilities and inflated material prices have had a disruptive impact on cost estimating of construction projects. While several research efforts used national macroeconomic indicators to forecast the prices of domestically produced construction materials, none of the existing studies investigated whether the lagged macroeconomic indicators of the main trading partners could enhance the predictability of the prices of cement, steel, and lumber in the US construction sector. This paper fills this knowledge gap. The authors adopted a multi-step methodology that included: (1) collecting data on the target variables and the candidate leading indicators; (2) identifying the structural breaks in …

High-Mast Tower Foundation – Phase Ii, Ammar Al Maabreh, Abdelrahman Awawdeh, Marc Maguire, Jay Puckett, Brandon Kreiling

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

Challenge: High-mast luminaire supports used in the US transportation sector are typically steel poles that are attached to a baseplate via a butt or socket weld. Many have failed primarily due to fatigue cracking at the weld toe. Significant research in the US improved the fatigue performance of these structures; however, failures still occur due to high-cycle cracking at the weld toes, or at other fatigue-prone details. Additionally, poles are failing in moderate winds that create galloping. Galloping is an aerodynamic phenomenon where the wind excitation frequency matches the pole’s natural frequency creating resonance. The top amplitudes are many times …

Influence Of Plastic Coating Temperature On Recycled Concrete Brick Coarse Aggregate, Jamil Ahmed Joy, Chowdhury Zubayer Bin Zahid, S. M. Imdadul Islam

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

The generation of waste from the demolition of old structures poses a significant environmental challenge. Recycling these materials as aggregates in concrete offers a potential alleviation of environmental impact. While recycled aggregates offer promise as a remedy, they are not without drawbacks. However, innovative approaches have been developed to overcome these limitations. Among these, plastic coating stands out as a particularly sustainable solution. This study investigates the influence of plastic coating temperature on recycled concrete brick aggregates (RCBA), which serve as coarse aggregates. The RCBA were coated with locally sourced polyethylene terephthalate (PET) at varying temperatures, such as 250 °C, …

Reducing Attack Opportunities Through Decentralized Event-Triggered Control, Paul Griffioen, Raffaele Romagnoli, Bruce H. Krogh, Bruno Sinopoli

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

Cyber-physical systems are prevalent in many critical infrastructures and are vulnerable to a variety of attacks from the network. Decentralized control systems are particularly vulnerable since they rely heavily on network communication to achieve their goals. To address network vulnerabilities, we present an event-triggered network connection and communication protocol that minimizes the amount of time agents are connected to the network, reducing the window of opportunity for attacks. This mechanism is a function of only local information and ensures stability for the overall system in attack-free scenarios. Our approach distinguishes itself from current decentralized event-triggered control strategies by considering an …

Engineering-Enhanced Theatre: How Engineering Involvement Can Aid Regional Theatres, Albert M. Le

Architectural Engineering

Engineering and theatre are disciplines not often associated with each other within regional and small theatre companies in the United States. The distinction between the two fields of study is not simply from the fundamental differences between how each field is taught and practiced, but also the difficulties encountered within a scope of theatre often constrained with limited budget and time for each production. However, when beginning to explore the intersection between engineering and theatre, it is found that the empirical nature of current theatrical practices can be countered, and scenic design and construction can be re-envisioned with engineering involvement …

Innovations To Increase Plywood Shear Wall Design Capacity And Resiliency, "Mega Walls", Through Ductile Metal Strapping, Trevor Douglas Reichenberg, Tara Suzanne Reich, Katelyn Marie Lowry

Architectural Engineering

The researchers of this project are three undergraduate Architectural Engineering students at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Plywood shear walls are common structural elements in timber structures that resist lateral forces. Since their introduction to the industry in the 1950s, their shear capacities have remained essentially unchanged amongst the innovations of other wooden lateral systems. Prior to this project, Cal Poly undergraduate researchers have taken on the challenge of modernizing the shear wall. The “MeGa Wall” project was born: a system that implements metal gauge strapping which enhances a conventional wall by reducing nail connection failures. Full-scale experimental …

Structural Health Monitoring In A Small-Scale Environment Using Wired And Wireless Communication Device Readings, Gabriela Mcclure

Architectural Engineering

Our goal with this project is to test and develop a structural health monitoring (SHM) device capable of assessing the safety and integrity of building connections and overall structural health. At Cal Poly, a large portion of our structural engineering curriculum focuses on the design of buildings in response to earthquakes and the damage that can be mitigated through proper design. The increasing accessibility of technology in our world allows for the growth and development of systems that can enhance building safety and help us better understand how building practices can evolve to continue prioritizing life safety. Structural health monitoring …

Nasogastric Tube Insertion Aid, Lauren S. Ark, Angela D. Biezins, Zachary B. Crum, Claire E. Nodine, Morgan N. Pope, Natsumi L. Shudo

Biomedical Engineering

The Nasogastric Tube Insertion Aid project, developed under the sponsorship of the BiCEP Program at California Polytechnic State University, aims to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of nasogastric (NG) tube placement. This initiative was inspired by challenges observed during the BiCEP summer program, where difficulties in NG tube insertions led to multiple attempts, increased patient discomfort, and serious medical risks, including lung punctures and brain trauma. The project's goal was to design an insertion aid that improves placement accuracy while being cost-effective and user-friendly for medical professionals. The device features an external tensioning mechanism that allows controlled deflection of the …

Analysis Of The Thermal Aging Kinetics Of Tallow, Chicken Oil, Lard, And Sheep Oil, Yun-Chuan Hsieh, Hao Ouyang, Yulin Zhang, Donyau Chiang, Fuqian Yang, Hsin-Lung Chen, Sanboh Lee

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

Understanding the thermal aging kinetics of animal oils is of vital importance in the storage and applications of animal oils. In this work, we use four different techniques, including UV-Vis spectrometry, viscometry, impedance spectroscopy, and acid–base titration, to study the thermal aging kinetics of tallow, chicken oil, lard, and sheep oil in the temperature range from 120 ◦C to 180 ◦C. The evolutions of the UV-Vis absorbance, dynamic viscosity, electric impedance, and acid titration are discussed with the defect kinetics. The evolutions of the color centers, defects for dynamic viscosity, and electric dipoles follow second-order, first-order, and zero-order kinetics, respectively. …

Development Of Tissue-Engineered Model Of Fibrotic Scarring After Spinal Cord Injury To Study Astrocyte Activation And Neurite Outgrowth In Vitro, Nikolas Ala-Kokko, Inha Baek, Younghye Song

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Traumatic spinal cord injuries (SCI) are debilitating injuries affecting twenty-seven million people worldwide and cause functional impairments. Despite decades of research and medical advancements, current treatment options for SCI remain limited, in part due to the complex pathophysiology of spinal cord lesions including cellular transformation and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. Recent studies have increased focus on fibrotic scarring after SCI, and yet much remains unclear about the impact of fibrotic scarring on SCI lesion progression. Here, using collagen and decellularized spinal cord-based composite hydrogels, a three-dimensional (3D) cell culture model mimicking the fibrous core of spinal cord lesions was implemented …

Antibiotic-Loaded Dendrimer Hydrogels In Periodontal Bone Regeneration: An In Vitro Release Feasibility Study, Nicholas Yesbeck, Da Huang, Caroline Carrico, Parthasarathy Madurantakam, Hu Yang

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The prescription of a course of oral antibiotics following bone grafting procedures is a common practice in clinical periodontics to reduce surgical site infections. The goal of this study is to characterize the release profile of antibiotics via local delivery using dendrimer hydrogels (DH) and to analyze the effect of two different particulate bone allografts on the release of the antibiotics in vitro. DH were synthesized from Poly amidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimer G5 and polyethylene glycol diacrylate, and cefazolin was chosen as the antibiotic. The antibiotic-loaded samples were bathed in PBS and incubated at 37 °C; aliquots were taken (1 h, …