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23rd Conference On Senior Engineering Design Projects, College Of Engineering And Applied Sciences

Senior Engineering Design Conference

The 23rd Conference on Senior Engineering Design Projects was held on December 1, 1998 at the College of Engineering and applied Sciences on the Parkview Campus of Western Michigan University. The college sponsors the conference to showcase the work of its graduating seniors, who are required to complete a capstone project that puts into practice what they have learned. Many of the projects are sponsored by business and industry.

Towards Optimal Pain Relief: Acupuncture And Spinal Cord Stimulation, Richard Alo, Kenneth Alo, Obinna Ilochonwu, Vladik Kreinovich, Hoang Phuong Nguyen

Departmental Technical Reports (CS)

One of the important potential areas of application of intelligent virtual environment is to training medical doctors. One of the main problems in designing the corresponding intelligent system is the computational complexity of the corresponding computational problems. This computational complexity is especially high when the corresponding optimization is a discrete optimization problem, e.g., for pain relief methodologies such as acupuncture and spinal cord stimulation. In this paper, we show how to efficiently solve the corresponding discrete optimization problems. As a result, we get, e.g., a theoretical justification for the heuristic method of "guarded cathode".

Effect Of Multiple Range Rings Vs. A Single Range Ring On Pilot Perception Of Vertical Separation On A Cockpit Display Of Traffic Information, Daniel B. Rizzardi

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of both a two and four mile range ring versus a single three mile range ring on pilot's perception of future vertical separation as viewed on a cockpit display of traffic information. The subjects consisted of 30 volunteer pilots from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and the surrounding Daytona Beach, Florida area.

The simulation of a cockpit display of traffic information was generated using SuperCard® Version 1.6 software and a Macintosh IIx® personal computer. Eighty unique scenarios were monitored by the pilots in which they determined, as early as possible, what the …

Multi-Baseline Interferometric Sar For Iterative Height Estimation, Adam E. Robertson

Theses and Dissertations

Multiple SAR interferograms with judiciously selected height sensitivities can be iteratively combined to create a high accuracy digital elevation map. An initial height estimate is refined by iteratively using larger baselines to obtain a height estimation accuracy limited by the spatial decorrelation of the antenna baseline. Spatial filtering is used to reduce the propagation of errors for accurate height estimation. Images containing regions isolated by phase discontinuities, as often found in urban environments, can be resolved by this iterative multi-baseline technique. Computationally demanding and potentially unreliable phase unwrapping is not required to determine scene elevation using SAR inMultiple SAR interferograms …

Classification Of In-Flight Fatigue Cracks In Aircraft Structures Using Acoustic Emission And Neural Networks, Christopher Lee Rovik

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The research encompassed within this paper deals with the analysis and classification of fatigue cracks in aircraft structures. The particular structure that was examined was the vertical tail section of a Cessna T-303 Crusader aircraft. The analysis was performed using the nondestructive evaluation technique known as acoustic emission (AE), as well as the artificial intelligence of neural networks. Data were taken in a controlled laboratory environment as well as in a flying testbed aboard the aircraft.

The first part of the research involved the analysis of a typical aircraft structure in a controlled laboratory environment. This support structure was fabricated …

Acuta Enews December 1998, Vol.27, No. 12

ACUTA Newsletters

In This Issue

Increase in PICC Charges Delayed

Looking for Answers in '99

Overheard on the Listserve

411 Newsletter Salary Survey

Beefing Up User Support on Campus

Board Report

DC at a Glance

Positions Available

Welcome New Members

A Continuous Process For The Conversion Of Vegetable Oils Into Methyl Esters Of Fatty Acids, Hossein Noureddini, D Harkey, V Medikonduru

Papers in Biomaterials

A continuous process for the transesterification of triglycerides to methyl esters was investigated in a pilot plant. The process was equipped with a motionless and a high-shear mixer. The experimental studies explored variations in the mixing intensity, stoichiometry, and catalyst concentration on the overall conversion. The combined as well as individual effect of mixers was examined. The developed process resulted in high conversions of vegetable oils into methyl esters. Conversion of triglycerides to methyl esters in excess of 98% was achieved. Larger excess amounts of alcohol favored higher conversions. The motionless and high-shear mixers each provided adequate mixing for the …

Wright State University College Of Engineering And Computer Science Bits And Pcs Newsletter, Volume 14, Number 9, December 1998, College Of Engineering And Computer Science, Wright State University

BITs and PCs Newsletter

An eight page newsletter created by the Wright State University College of Engineering and Computer Science that addresses the current affairs of the college.

A Recursive Green's Function Method For Boundary Integral Analysis Of Inhomogeneous Domains, Jim D. Freeze, Michael A. Jensen

Faculty Publications

The recursive Green's function method (RGFM) for computation of fields scattered by two-dimensional (2-D) inhomogeneous dielectric bodies is presented. The algorithm efficiently constructs the Green's function for the inhomogeneous region by recursively combining known Green's functions from smaller subdomains. The fields on the scatterer surface are then computed using a boundary integral formulation. Proper implementation of the RGFM results in computational and storage complexities which scale as N1.5 and N, respectively, where N is the total number of discrete cells in a domain. Comparisons of results obtained using the RGFM with those computed from moment method and exact solutions show …

What Can Humor And Advertising Teach Us About Legal Drafting?, Dallin D. Oaks, Jeremy Lewis

Faculty Publications

In his book Legal Drafting in a Nutshell, Haggard includes a useful chapter of nearly 50 pages in which he lists various lexical and structural elements and explains how these can lead to ambiguous writing. The kind of inventory approach that he presents is helpful and reveals that ambiguity doesn't just happen but often results from the careless use of identifiable structures or particular words.

The Evolution Of Probability Functions In An Inelasticly Deforming Two-Phase Medium, Brent L. Adams, H. Garmestani, S. Lin

Faculty Publications

A formulation is introduced here for the evolution of correlation functions in an inelastically deforming two phase medium. Probability functions play a major role in describing the statistical distribution of different phases in a heterogeneous medium in the development of statistical continuum theory. Proper formulation of statistical continuum model for inelastic deformation requires better understanding of the evolution of the corresponding probability functions. A two point probability function representation is used to approximate the statistical correlation functions. The evolution of these functions requires the information from higher order probability functions, in this case, a three point probability function. A decomposition …

Feature Saliency In Artificial Neural Networks With Application To Modeling Workload, Kelly A. Greene

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation research extends the current knowledge of feature saliency in artificial neural networks (ANN). Feature saliency measures allow for the user to rank order the features based upon the saliency, or relative importance, of the features. Selecting a parsimonious set of salient input features is crucial to the success of any ANN model. In this research, several methodologies were developed using the Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) Feature Screening Method and its associated SNR Saliency Measure for selecting a parsimonious set of salient features to classify pilot workload in addition to air traffic controller workload. Candidate features were derived …

Three-Dimensional Calculation Of Contaminant Transport In Groundwater At A Dover Afb Site, Tariq O. Hashim

Theses and Dissertations

Macroscale rate-limited sorption modeling was tested using a production transport code, the GMS/FEMWATER ground-water modeling package. The code (Version 1.1 of FEMWATER. dated 1 August 1995) was applied to a 3D conceptual model developed from a field site at Dover AFB, DE. A simulation was performed of a 200 hour contaminant injection pulse followed by clean water flushing. A moment analysis performed on the resulting breakthrough curve validated code self-consistency. Another injection pulse simulation showed that retardation temporally delays the breakthrough peak. Transport simulations of pulsed clean water pumping of the test cell with a prescribed initial contaminant distribution demonstrated …

Development Of An Operations Research Software Package For Army Divisions, Blane C. Wilson

Theses and Dissertations

There exists great potential for applying operations research techniques to solve specific problems in the areas of operations, installation support, and training at the Army division level. Because of the operational tempo of today's active-duty and reserve component units, command must focus on accomplishing the daily missions. Also, due their limited knowledge of the field, planners may not be aware of how operations research can be used to enhance planning and operations. Time, training funds, resources, safety, personnel, and equipment are all critical factors in this process. Operations research techniques could be used to improve division-level operations by saving time, …

Design Of The Computer Subsystem For The Afit Simulation Satellite (Simsat), Michael P. Hanke

Theses and Dissertations

This document details the systematic development of the computer subsystem for the AFIT Simulation Satellite (SIMSAT) from Concept Exploration to Implementation. This subsystem design effort was conducted as part of a larger four-phase team design effort to implement a fully functional, user-friendly test facility to meet current AFIT teaching and research requirements. Once SIMSAT system integration is complete, control laws will execute on the free-floating "satellite" to reduce communication systems overhead and its impact on control law execution, thereby allowing for more robust control system development and execution. Control law development, simulation, and interactive control of the system will occur …

How To Develop An Interactive Electronic Technical Manual: An Industry Perspective, Ali N. Karabulut, Hilmi Oz

Theses and Dissertations

Improvements in technology, especially in computer science, in the last two decades have made it possible, and preferable to develop digital technical manuals. A digital manual, which is called an Interactive Electronic Technical Manual (IETM), is a package of information required for the diagnosis and maintenance of a weapon systems, optimally arranged and formatted for interactive screen presentation to the end-user. Being the largest organization in the U.S., the Department of Defense has pioneered in the development of IETM concept as well as in the establishment of its standards. There have been many researches done about different IETM applications and …

The Conference Proceedings Of The 1998 Air Transport Research Group (Atrg) Of The Wctr Society, Volume 4 , Tae Hoon Oum, Brent D. Bowen, Uno Aviation Institute

Faculty Books and Monographs

UNOAI Report 98-9

The Conference Proceedings Of The 1998 Air Transport Research Group (Atrg) Of The Wctr Society, Volume 1 , Tae Hoon Oum, Brent D. Bowen, Uno Aviation Institute

Faculty Books and Monographs

UNOAI Report 98-6

Powergraf: An Educational Software Package For Power Systems Analysis And Design, Tian Yane, Max Darwin Anderson

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The purpose of PowerGraf is to present a graphical user interface (GUI) and a convenient tool for building one-line diagrams displaying data. The GUI is open and friendly for power systems design, analysis and control, because a picture provides a better illustration of cause-and-effect relationships than a tabular printout does. Basic elements such as buses, lines and transformers are given such that the power system topology is easily drawn with this tool, and the system parameters are entered on the picture and checked visually. This enables the power system topology and the system data to be shown on one picture …

The Conference Proceedings Of The 1998 Air Transport Research Group (Atrg) Of The Wctr Society, Volume 3 , Tae Hoon Oum, Brent D. Bowen, Uno Aviation Institute

Faculty Books and Monographs

UNOAI Report 98-8

Determination Of The Tensile And Shear Strengths Of Screws And The Effect Of Screw Patterns On Cold-Formed Steel Connections, Marc Allen Sokol, Roger A. Laboube, Wei-Wen Yu

CCFSS Library (1939 - present)

PREFACE This report summarizes two studies related to the design of cold-formed steel connections. The study topics included the creation of a test standard for determining the strength of a screw, and the determination of the strength of a screw connection. A standard test protocol does not exist for determining the strength of a screw. Today, manufacturers use test protocols developed for their products. Thus, there is no consistency in defining the structural performance of a screw. A test standard has been developed. The standard used as its model the American Society of Testing and Material's F 606, Standard Test …

Study On The Estimation And Control Of A Liquid Composite Molding Process, Dennis Sourlas, Susmito Naha, Gary Patterson, Richard Parnas

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

An on-line nonlinear receding horizon control algortithm is employed in order to achieve setpoint tracking targets in the context of liquid composite molding processes. The robustness of this control strategy against process-model deviations is tested. Finally, recursive parameter estimation is employed as a means of actively enhancing the performance of the process control algorithm. © 1998 AACC.

An Analysis Of Texture Resulting From Thermomechanical Processing Of Ti-6al-V, David J. Brock

Masters Theses

An investigation of texture and microstructure formation in Ti-6Al-4V after thermomechanical processing and heat treating was performed. X-ray diffraction was used to measure prismatic and pyramidal pole figures. These pole figures were used to calculate basal pole figures, which showed significant changes in texture from heavy rolling and near or above β-transus heat treatments. Primary texture components were found to be strengthened by near β-transus heat treatments. For heavily rolled material, above β-transus heat treatments were found to reverse the primary texture components order of dominants. Heavy rolling was found to reduce the RD component and strengthen the TD.

Evaluation Of Reference Markers, Jerry G. Pigman

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The objective of this research evaluation was to evaluate the reference markers which were installed on sections of interstates and freeways in the Cincinnati-northern Kentucky area, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County area, the Louisville-southern Indiana area, and the Indianapolis area. The evaluation was conducted to determine if the use of reference markers at spacings of 0.1 or 0.2-mile intervals could improve the effectiveness of the emergency response and incident management processes. Also evaluated were color of the markers and the placement location within the right-of-way. Both "'white on blue" and ''white on green" markers were installed on various projects, with some …

An Image Model Based On Occluding Object Images And Maximum Entropy, John A. Stuller, Rahul Shah

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This Paper Introduces a Statistical Image Model based on Occlusion and Maximum Entropy. the Statistical Model Combines a Fundamental Property of Image Formation, Occlusion, with Both Object-Image Shape and Nonuniform Object-Image Intensity. the Model is a Composition of Individual Object-Images that Have Random Positions, Shapes, and Intensities, and that Occlude Both Background and One Another. We Derive the Autocorrelation and Second-Order Probability Density Functions of This Model and Give Several Examples. © 1998 IEEE.

Registration Violations And The Use Of Optical Character Recognition Technology At Kentucky Weigh Stations, Jennifer R. Walton, Joseph D. Crabtree

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

As a Model Deployment State for CVISN (Commercial Vehicle Information Systems and Networks), Kentucky is valuating and improving its procedures related to commercial vehicle administration and enforcement. As part of this effort, the Kentucky Transportation Center (KTC) was asked to investigate the frequency of registration-related violations at Kentucky weigh stations and the potential effectiveness of a license plate recognition (LPR) system in detecting and deterring such violations. Typical violations considered in the investigation included using an expired license plate, hauling weight in excess of the truck’s registered weight, or traveling in Kentucky without proper authority.

KTC researchers first examined Kentucky’s …

Probabilistic Life Cycle Cost Analysis Fhwa Demonstration Project Dp 115, R. Clark Graves, David L. Allen

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Kentucky has been involved in several projects relating to the development of a Life Cycle Cost (LCC) analysis procedures of pavement structures. Research projects have been conducted by the Kentucky Transportation Center dealing with development of a more robust LCC procedures for pavement analysis. A research project has also been conducted developing network level LCC procedures. These procedures are currently in the evaluation phase and have not been implemented into current Kentucky Transportation Cabinet procedures. Life Cycle Costs analysis is utilized on various projects throughout Kentucky to evaluate various pavement construction and rehabilitation alternatives.

This report will outline the current …

Seismic Evaluation Of The Ohio River Bridge On Us51 At Wickliffe, Kentucky, Issam E. Harik, Chelliah Madasamy, Denglin Chen, Leonong Zhou, Kevin Sutterer, Ron Street, David L. Allen

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report presents the of seismic evaluation of the Ohio river bridge on US51 at Wickliffe, Kentucky. The main bridge is a five-span single-deck cantilever through-truss type. The approach bridge has 21 spans on the Kentucky side and 6 spans on the Illinois side. Although this bridge has not yet been subjected to a moderate or major earthquake, it is situated within the influence of the New Madrid seismic zone.

The seismic evaluation program consists of field testing and seismic response analysis. The modal properties of the main bridge are determined through field testing, and are used to calibrate the …

Evaluation Of 93-Inch Corrugated Metal Culvert On Ky 693 And Us 23, Green-Up County, L. John Fleckenstein, Richard Reitenour, David L. Allen

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

No abstract provided.

Adaptive Channel Equalization Techniques, Saied Razavilar

Masters Theses

Inter Symbol Interference (ISI) is a characteristic of band-limited communication channels that can severely degrade the digital communication system performance if not treated properly. Channel equalization techniques may be used to mitigate the effects of ISI in the system, thereby improving the system capacity and performance. In this thesis, the problem of Inter Symbol Interference caused by the nonlinear characteristics of band limited communication channels and adaptive equalization techniques to combat the effects of ISI are discussed. First, the analysis of ISI in a band limited communication channel using a concrete theoretical framework is presented. Next, various adaptive equalization techniques …