Engineering Commons^™

Tools For Planning Multi-Axis Vibration Qualification Tests, Marcus Edward Behling

Theses and Dissertations

Vibration qualification testing is necessary to ensure that components will endure vibration-induced damage in flight. Multi-axis tests have shown the potential for improvement over single-axis tests, though they require increased planning. This work focuses on planning three critical aspects of these tests: the amount of operational next assembly to include in the test, the size of shakers to use, and the number of shakers to use. Next assembly selection is studied by varying the amount of next assembly included in the lab test, performing physical tests, and comparing the accuracy of environment reconstruction in each test. In doing so, a …

Zno Based Chemiresistive Sensor For Ammonia Detection, Anna Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

This work aims on the development of nanostructured sensing elements based on ZnO for detecting ammonia, specifically designed for applications in poultry and farm fields. To achieve this objective, we prepared sensing elements, including ZnO, CuO, WO3, NiO, ZnO/CuO, ZnO/WO3, ZnO/NiO, and rGO/ZnO, using the spray pyrolysis technique. Structural, morphological, and compositional analyses were studied using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Microscope (FESEM), and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. The vapour/gas detection studies of fabricated sensing elements were carried out in a home built sensing chamber.

The single oxides, ZnO, CuO, WO3, demonstrated ammonia detection in the range of 5-100 …

Design For Pullout Resistance And Global Stability Of Metallic Reinforcements In Mse Walls With Lightweight Cellular Concrete Backfill, Joshua Curt Peterson

Theses and Dissertations

Lightweight cellular concrete (LCC) is a type of concrete that has reduced density and weight compared to traditional concrete. This is achieved by incorporating a large amount of air- filled cells or voids into the mixture. The resulting material is lighter, yet still possesses considerable strength and durability, making it suitable for a range of construction applications, especially in the case of retaining walls because of its reduced weight. Unlike traditional concrete, which can be extremely heavy and place significant stress on the supporting structure, lightweight cellular concrete reduces the pressure on the retaining wall, helping to prevent deformation and …

Utilization Of Sodium Flame Synthesis For The Formation And Deposition Of Pure Metal Materials For Applications In Additive Manufacturing, Zachariah Wargel

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Advanced material classes, such as high temperature alloys, ceramics, and refractory materials have become a key area of focus for expansion in the realm of additive manufacturing. Factors such as high melting points, material homogeneity, and physical properties such as ductility limit the application of popular additive manufacturing methods to these material classes. By utilizing sodium flame synthesis and deposition (SFD) technology, nanoparticle materials can be synthesized via combustion in a laminar co-flow diffusion burner and impacted such that the deposits can be used to manufacture designed components. By using the applicable precursor materials of metal chlorides and elemental sodium …

The Bioremediation Effect Of Microalgae On Wastewater: A Green Technology Approach, Mohamed Ahmed Reda Hamed Dr, Marwa Abdelfattah Abdallah Dr

Journal of Engineering Research

The present study lays an emphasis on the microalgae-based for simultaneous wastewater bioremediation using Chlorella vulgaris and Micrococcus luteus mixed algal cultures to remove its constituent pollutants, amazing green technology guarantees benefits with the decrease in the formation of dangerous solid sludge. Ten days of fully monitoring laboratory experimental program were performed in batch cultures to investigate the effect of various dominant mixing ratios for attaining wastewater concentrations and different governing temperature ranges on the performance of microalgae treatment. The results revealed that there is a significant impact of both wastewater concentrations and temperature treatment conditions on the capability of …

Unlocking The Potential Of Rooftop Sustainable Systems: Understanding Barriers And Facilitators, Mahmoud Desouki, Taghreed A. El-Haddad

Journal of Engineering Research

Urbanization is reducing green spaces in old cities globally, including Egypt, adversely impacting air quality, climate, and psychological well-being. The rooftop has the potential to offer viable alternatives that provide multiple benefits. They can host sustainable systems, and foster social activities. Despite these advantages, their adoption in cities like Tanta the Egyptian city, one of the world's most densely populated cities with a shrinking per capita green space, remains limited. Most rooftops are often serving as dumping grounds for trash and unused items. This study aims to explore the reasons behind this underutilization to find ways to encourage the use …

Indicators And Evidence Of Environmental Sustainability For Pedestrian In Public Parks (Towards An Approach For Formulating A Guideline Evaluation Model), Nashwa Youssif

Journal of Engineering Research

يتناول البحث أحد المجالات التي فرضت تواجدها في الأونة الأخيرة علي الساحة العلمية والبحثية التي تتعلق بالعلاقة التبادلية التأثير بين الإنسان والفراغ العمراني حيث يتنامي الإهتمام بالخصائص الإنسانيه و مدي توافقها مع هذا الفراغ العمراني.

وتعد مسارات المشاة من أهم الحيزات العمرانية التى تشكل النسيج العمراني وأحد أهم وسائل التواصل الإجتماعي والثقافي والوظيفي نظرآ لإرتباطها بالغالبية العظمي من أفراد المجتمع، ومساعدتها على جذب العديـد من الأنشطة داخل الحدائق العامة. مما يشير إلي ضرورة الإهتمام بتحسين بيئة حركة المشاه كمدخل للتواصل والإستدامة.

ومن هنا تتمثل مشكلة البحث في نقص الدراسات حول تقييم العلاقة بين معايير الاستدامة التصميمية والنظم البيئية لمسارات المشاة …

Effect Of Parametric Design On The Functional Efficiency Of Administrative Buildings Case Study, ِAya Ibrahim, Mohammed Medhat Dorra, Tarek Ibrahim Nasreldin

Journal of Engineering Research

parametric design was the entrance of‏ the designer to inspire from nature to‏ achieve creativity and innovation in the form of the product, It provides a modern tool that‏ enabled the designer to deal with the forms, especially the complex one, and enhancing the designer's‏ ability to creativity and innovation.‏ As a result, a new design style known‏ as parametricism has been emerged. It is a style‏ characterized by characteristics through the complexity and dynamics of its‏ curved lines, for its various components and elements.‏The aim of current study to know that to what extent the use of the parametricism …

A Methodology For Evaluating And Comparing Unmanned Inspection Platforms In Underground And Indoor Environments, Sydney Shockley

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

This report summarizes a research project focused on development of a methodology for evaluating the performance of various unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, commonly referred to as drones) and robotic platforms in GPS-denied environments, highlighting a clear stratification based on technological sophistication and design intent. A series of flight trials were designed and implemented in various environments including indoor spaces with various geometries and obstacles, and an underground mine. These trials examined signal range from the unmanned platform to the controller, the ability to navigate through confined spaces and obstacles, the overall ease-of-use and responsiveness of controls, as well as specialized …

Demand Side Management Through Integrated Water Distribution Systems And Smart Irrigation Controllers, Nathan T. Lunstad

Theses and Dissertations

The innovation of electrical utilities in creating smart electrical grids has superseded that of water utilities in analogous efforts. While many water utilities are now using smart water technologies, they lack the virtual command center that allows for two-way communication for more effective forecasting, load balancing, preventive methods, emergency and master planning, and level of service delivery while ensuring environmental justice and enhancing the responsible use of resources. In this dissertation, I propose the idea of the Integrated Water Distribution System (IWDS) to overcome this challenge. IWDS coordinates management of water supply and demand in a way that benefits both …

Exploring Co-Manipulation Via A New Decomposition Of Interaction Force And An Exploration Of Signal Space In Multi-Agent Motion Primitives, Kody Blaine Shaw

Theses and Dissertations

Co-manipulation is when two or more people work together to move an object. In this work, we consider the physical co-manipulation of objects that are large and heavy enough that they are more easily handled by two or more participants. We currently lack a fundamental understanding of how people perform such tasks together, both the basic signals they use to communicate and how those signals are mapped to actions and behaviors. This work builds upon the existing body of knowledge to improve our understanding of physical co-manipulation. Specifically, interaction forces are often considered a key method for information transfer in …

Mechanochemical Correlations And Spatial Distribution Of Components In Plant Cell Walls And Extracellular Matrices, Huiyong Li

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Plant cell walls and extracellular matrices (ECMs) are important to cellular activities in plant/animal organs. The organization of plant cell wall/ECM components (e.g., local composition, arrangement, and ultrastructure of cell wall/ECM polymers) plays a role in determining their local mechanical properties. As a result, the natural processes of cell and tissue growth, development, and function rely on the control of cell wall/ECM composition, arrangement, and ultrastructure to manipulate local mechanical properties. However, directly correlating cell wall/ECM composition, organization, and mechanics has been challenging. To overcome this barrier, one goal of this thesis is to develop probing methodologies at a sub-cellular …

Designing Behavior-Aware Ai Systems To Influence Human Decision-Making, Guanghui Yu

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Artificial intelligence (AI) demonstrates superiority over humans in many applications, such as image processing, speech recognition, and decision-making. AI systems are more efficient and accurate in information processing and computation, making them invaluable in assisting human decision-making across domains like healthcare, finance, and academia. Despite these strengths, real-world applications often involve complex, context-specific judgments and a deep understanding of human values, which current AI systems might not fully grasp. In domains requiring creativity and critical thinking, AI systems heavily rely on existing human knowledge. Humans, however, possess unique strengths such as intuition, which aids decision-making in uncertain or novel situations, …

Analysis Of Water Usage And Greenhouse Gas Emissions As Transition Fuel From Coal To Natural Gas In San Juan County, New Mexico, Tahereh Kookhaei

Civil Engineering ETDs

Abstract

Coal is a major contributor to various environmental issues, making the transition to alternative energy sources essential for reducing environmental impacts and combating climate change. San Juan County in New Mexico has historically depended on coal-fired power plants for producing electricity. However, due to environmental and economic pressures, there is a move to reassess energy strategies. This study explores the transition from coal to natural gas (NG) in San Juan County, with a focus on assessing changes in water usage and emissions (CO₂, NO_x, and SO₂) at the Four Corners (coal-fired) and Afton …

Layered Naba2m3q3(Q2) (M = Cu Or Ag; Q = S Or Se) Chalcogenides And Local Ordering In Their Mixed-Anion Compositions, Ayat Tassanov, Huiju Lee, Yi Xia, James M. Hodges

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Three new NaBa2M3Q3(Q2) (M = Ag or Cu; Q = S or Se) chalcogenides were prepared by using solid-state methods and structurally characterized by using single-crystal X-ray diffraction. NaBa2Ag3Se3(Se2) and NaBa2Cu3Se3(Se2) crystallize in monoclinic space group C2/m and have a two-dimensional structure composed of edge-sharing MSe4/4 tetrahedra separated by Na+ and Ba2+ cations, along with (Se2)2– dimers at the center of the spacings between [M3Se3]3– slabs. NaBa2Ag3S3(S2) adopts a related structure with space group C2/m but has additional, crystallographically distinct Ag atoms in the [Ag3S3]3– layer that are linearly coordinated. NaBa2Ag3Se3(Se2) and NaBa2Ag3S3(S2) have indirect band gaps measured to be …

Perovskites Informatics: Studying The Impact Of Thicknesses, Doping, And Defects On The Perovskite Solar Cell Efficiency Using A Machine Learning Algorithm, Zahraa Ismail, Eman Sawires, Fathy Amer, Sameh O. Abdellatif

Electrical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Researching Practicality In Carbon Fiber Recycling, Ryan Bond

Student Research Symposium

Setting up the problem

• Roughly 62,000 tons of unutilized end-of-life carbon fiber waste is sent to the landfill each year [1]
• Approximately 30 percent of carbon fiber scraps end up as wastes in landfills[2]
• The aerospace industry produces the most carbon fiber wastes
• Carbon fiber continues to be an expensive material, this limits its ability to reach different markets and people
• Carbon fiber is an energy intensive product to create, and could lead to negative environmental impacts

Breaking The Causality Limit For Broadband Acoustic Absorption Using A Noncausal Active Absorber, Kangkang Wang, Sipei Zhao, Chen Shen, Haishan Zou, Jing Lu, Andrea Alu

Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering Departmental Research

The principle of causality imposes a constraint between the thickness and bandwidth of absorbers. This trade-off applies to any linear, time-invariant, passive system, limiting the development of broadband-absorbing materials that demand a thin profile for sound, light, and radio waves. Here, we demonstrate a strategy to overcome this constraint in acoustics using a noncausal active absorber whose response is controlled over time. A theoretical framework is established, which sets a relation among minimum thickness, bandwidth, and a priori information about the incident signal, representing a relaxed physical bound for noncausal absorbers. We design an absorber based on this principle and …

Tribology Of Mos2 Thin Films Stabilized By A Chromium Underlayer And Max Phase, Nihal Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations

MoS2 is a popular solid lubricant with limited application at room temperature due to its’ sensitivity to atmospheric oxygen and humidity. This thesis focuses on the stabilization of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) coatings on aluminum substrates to enhance their tribological performance at room temperature. MoS2 exhibits exceptional lubricating properties in vacuum conditions, but its reactivity with atmospheric oxygen leads to the formation of abrasive molybdenum trioxide (MoO3), restricting its effectiveness in ambient environments. This thesis investigates the effects of a Chromium underlayer and the incorporation of MAX phase (Ti3SiC2) on the tribological performance and chemical stability of MoS2 solid lubricant. Physical …

Tribological Analysis Of Heat Treatments On Medical Grade Cobalt Chromium Molybdenum Alloys, Samuel Edis Bowden

Theses and Dissertations

Cobalt chromium molybdenum (CoCrMo) has many material properties that make it desirable as a medical hip implant. Due to the range of heat treatments available and the resulting material properties that are present in medical device manufacturing using CoCrMo, many implants are not able to withstand both the chemical and physical wear necessary as a hip replacement. This research looks to examine various heat treatments and their resulting properties to find a desirable heat treatment for CoCrMo in hip implant bearing surfaces. This study was accomplished by using five distinct variations of heat treatment on forged CoCrMo alloy that would …

Synthetic Data Generation For Accurate, Fair, And Private Recommender Systems, Derek B. Lilienthal

Master's Theses

A notorious challenge for recommender systems on online platforms is to accurately and fairly recommend items that align with users’ preferences while retaining user privacy. These systems often rely on historical data that is partially labeled and includes incomplete user information, leading to the over-representation of majority groups and disproportionately favoring popular items. Substituting user data with synthetic data can address these concerns, but accurately replicating real-world datasets has been a challenging problem. Recent advancements in generative AI have demonstrated the impressive capabilities of diffusion models in generating realistic data across several domains. In this work, we introduce two variations …

Reinforcement Learning Based Planning And Control For Robotic Source Seeking Inspired By Fruit Flies, Gauravkumar Koradiya

Master's Theses

In the exploration of mobile sensing agents such as robots equipped with sensors, these agents have the potential to measure unknown scalar fields, ranging from chemical concentrations to temperature fluctuations. One of the primary interests is the robots’ ability to gravitate towards the peaks or troughs of these fields, a phenomenon termed as “source seeking”. This behavior is invaluable in practical scenarios, like detecting chemical leaks or locating survivors after catastrophes. However, the challenge becomes significantly more pronounced when operating in turbulent flow fields, where the erratic nature of odorant plumes makes predictions and simulations highly unreliable. Interestingly, fruit flies …

Controllable Physics-Informed Latent Space For Acoustic Wave Manipulation, Tristan Shah

Master's Theses

Partial Differential Equations (PDEs) are foundational descriptive tools in scientific and engineering disciplines, enabling the exploration of phenomena from material design to climate dynamics and the propagation of pandemics and wildfires. Establishing control of PDEs, especially when the underlying phenomena are only partially observable, holds great potential for fostering technological innovations. This ambition faces considerable obstacles, as a robust sample-based solution remains elusive. Addressing this challenge, this thesis introduces a framework leveraging physics-informed machine learning (ML) to enable control of PDEs. Central to this framework is an agent, equipped with sensors to perceive its environment, that generates a low-dimensional physics-informed …

Extraction, Preparation, And Characterization Of Alginate Biopolymer Films From Natural Seaweed, David Ly

Master's Theses

This study evaluates the use of naturally harvested seaweed from the Monterey Bay to produce a biodegradable film for food packaging applications. Two different film-forming methods were evaluated: solution casting and compression molding. The solution casting method using an alginate biopolymer produced the most consistent results. The seaweed biopolymer was extracted from the seaweed biomass using a modified method, resulting in a yield of 11-25 %. The highest yield was observed when using the lowest biomass concentration of 10 wt. %. The extracted alginate was then cast into films at different levels of glycerol plasticization (15-35 wt.%). The addition of …

An Exploration Of Dimensionality Reduction Of Dynamics On Lie Groups Via Structure-Aware Canonical Correlation Analysis, Wooyoung Chung

Master's Theses

Incorporating prior knowledge into a data-driven modeling problem can drastically improve performance, reliability, and generalization outside of the training sample. The stronger the structural properties, the more effective these improvements become. Manifolds are a powerful nonlinear generalization of Euclidean space for modeling finite dimensions. When additionally assuming that the manifold carries (Lie) group structure, this imposes a drastically stricter global constraint. The range of their applications is very wide and includes the important case of robotic tasks. We apply this idea to Canonical Correlation Analysis (CCA). In traditional CCA one constructs a hierarchical sequence of maximal correlations of up to …

Domain Specific Aspect Extraction For Product Design, Divyam Sobti

Master's Theses

As technology advances, computers become increasingly proficient at interpreting and translating human language into machine-understandable text. With the help of algorithms in natural language processing (NLP), machines can now translate textual data. These algorithms help identify and extract specific text components known as aspects. The aspects represent specific attributes or topics within textual data. For instance, an Amazon review states,“ This phone has good battery life but poor camera quality,” and attributes like ‘battery life’ and ‘camera quality’ represent aspects in the text. Aspect extraction is a pivotal process involving identifying and isolating key features or topics within text. This …

Exploring The Link Between Travel Behavior And Mental Health, Emily Kae Youngs

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the critical link between travel behavior and mental health, focusing on young adults who have expressed suicidal ideation. By analyzing how daily activities and movement patterns impact mental well being, the research aims to explore travel related mental health approaches for individuals. The importance of this work lies in its potential to improve the quality of life for individuals by informing more personalized and effective mental health strategies. Through comprehensive data analysis and statistical modeling, the research aims to uncover insights into how travel behavior influences motivation levels and mental well-being across different neurological and physiological groups. …

From Saving To Budgeting: Unpacking The Impact Of A Culturally Relevant Financial Literacy Summer Program- $Mart Money, Renee S. Gibert, Imani Adams, Sungwoo Kang

Lyles School of Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP) is an educational framework that illustrates how to foster educational excellence through a focus on cultural competence, critical consciousness, and academic success, which aims to empower students by making education more applicable and responsive to their lived experiences (Ladson-Billings, Citation1995). This study elucidates the efficacy of CRP within financial literacy education, as implemented in a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) summer enrichment program. Our objective is to explore the extent to which CRP influences student perceptions of their personal finances through an understanding of financial literacy. Employing a qualitative methods approach, we reviewed transcripts, …

Central Tracking And Billing System For Insurance Bills, Kehinde Alabi

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

In this article, we introduce a new centralized billing platform designed for insurance bills including auto insurance, health insurance, home insurance, life insurance, etc. This system consolidates all bills for individual users eliminating the need for them to manage and pay bills separately. Users stand to benefit from significant time and effort savings each month, reducing the likelihood of missed payments and associated late fees. Insurance billing organizations and banks can also capitalize on timely payments and reduced physical mailings, leading to cost savings and environmental benefits. The proposed system offers users the ability to track and review their historical …

Customized Agile Project Management For Scientific Computing: Addressing Challenges And Developing A Framework, Yashesh Sakharikar

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

This paper presents a novel Agile framework tailored for scientific computing projects. Identifying gaps in existing methodologies, the research emphasizes the need for adaptable solutions in this dynamic field. The proposed framework, characterized by flexibility and stakeholder engagement, addresses specific challenges posed by scientific computing endeavors. Through a comprehensive literature review, the paper highlights the limitations of generic Agile practices and positions the proposed framework as a valuable contribution. The study motivates further exploration into specialized Agile approaches, promising enhanced efficiency and success in scientific computing projects.