Engineering Commons^™

Airport Security Checkpoint Screener: An Analytical Study Of Job Retention And Attrition Factors, Norman Mark St. Laurent

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The proposed research seeks to identify the factors contributing to job retention and job attrition in terms of why an airport security checkpoint screener would try or want to stay on the job or leave the job. By identifying the causes of employee satisfaction and dissatisfaction, and by understanding the integral components of employee turnover can develop appropriate interventions that curb existing retention problems (exceeding 70% annually in most facilities). Aside from the obvious costs affiliated with recruiting, selecting, and training replacement employees, there is likely to be a detrimental impact on the effectiveness of airline passenger screening when a …

Acuta Enews December 1994, Vol. 23, No. 12

ACUTA Newsletters

In This Issue

Board report

President's message

George Mason University becomes "virtual campus"

Phone fraud at Salve Regina

Campus-wide network at James Madison

From ACUTA Headquarters

Performance Characterization Of A Highly-Offset Diffuser With And Without Blowing Vortex Generator Jets, Michael B. Senseney

Theses and Dissertations

The effect of blowing vortex generator jets (VGJs) on the performance of a highly-offset (s-duct) diffuser was investigated experimentally. VGJs are pitched, skewed jets which generate streamwise vortices as well as injecting high-momentum fluid into the boundary layer. Diffuser performance with and without VGJs was measured for an inlet Mach number of 0.6 (Re/x = 1.27x10⁷ per cm). Pitot static and hot-film instrumentation was used to measure flow properties at the diffuser inlet and exit planes. Without blowing, the flow on the lower surface of the diffuser was massively separated. Blowing at 0.48% mass flow ratio through three lower-surface …

The Design And Analysis Of Integrated Navigation Systems Using Real Ins And Gps Data, Curtis D. Evans

Theses and Dissertations

An extended Kalman filter (EKF) is used to combine the information obtained from a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver and an Inertial Navigation System (INS) to provide a navigation solution. This research compares the results of an actual tightly-coupled GPS-INS integrated system with those obtained in computer simulation. Differences between the simulation and actual hardware results, such as navigation solutions and tuning values, are shown in the research. An analysis of various GPS models was studied to determine the best representation for a system truth model. Measurement updates and their effects upon position accuracies was considered and preliminary research was …

Satellite Surface Material Composition From Synthetic Spectra, Eugene L. Caudill

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this research was to determine if measurements from a Sagnac interferometer could provide reliable estimates of satellite material composition. The Sagnac interferometer yields a spatial interferogram that can sampled by a linear detector array. The interferogram is related to the spectrum of the source through a Fourier transform. Here, spectral reflectivities of nine common satellite materials were used to simulate the spectrum on obtains from an ideal Sagnac interferometer in the beam-train of a ground-based telescope whose mission is to view satellites. The signal-to-noise ratio of the spectrum was varied to simulate the effect of range variation …

Airbus A320/321 Quick Change Market Analysis - A Case Study, Till Christian Mommsen

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate and compare the Boeing B737 QC to the Airbus A320/321 QC aircraft, and to determine their relative market within a sample airline. The technical design of the two Airbus aircraft in a mixed QC operation were considered with respect to the requirements of a particular airline. Direct operating costs and payload range data for all three aircraft were calculated.

To evaluate the competitiveness of the A320/321 QC under actual conditions, a linear programming fleet planning model was developed that considers more than the direct operating costs of a particular aircraft. The cost …

Sorption Of Chlorinated Organic Compounds By Sedimentary Rocks, Paul M. Mcginley, S. Kesaraju, Ronald D. Gruzesky

KWRRI Research Reports

The sorption of dichlorobenzene and trichlorobenzene on carbonate and shale rocks collected in Kentucky demonstrate that rock organic matter content is a good indicator of sorptive reactivity in rock systems. Although this is similar to soil systems, significant differences between sorption in rock and soil systems exist. Sorption isotherms on these rocks are nonlinear and sorption can be an order of magnitude higher than predicted using correlations from soils and their organic matter content. This sorption reaction could lead to significant concentration tailing during contaminant cleanup. Experimental elution of trichloroethylene from rock filled columns verified that cleanup times might be …

Instability In Self-Pulsation In Laser Diodes And Its Effect On All-Optical Synchonization, Jonathan Hyland, Gerald Farrell

Articles

The effect of short- and long-term frequency instability in self pulsation on all-optical synchronization using a twin-section laser diode is experimentally investigated. Short-term frequency instability broadens the unlocked full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the fundamental of the rf spectrum of the self-pulsating laser diode. We show experimentally that the value of the unlocked FWHM, and thus the level of short-term instability, has a direct effect on the optical power required to maintain synchronization. A novel means of reducing the FWHM is presented based on a reflective transmission line stub connected to the absorber of the twin-section self-pulsating laser …

Composting Of Green Waste Under Severe Dry Hot Weather, Magdy Bdel Ghaffar Elbieh

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

An Experimental Study Of Planar Heterogeneous Supersonic Confined Jets, Frederick J. Tanis Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The effects of varying the exit pressure of a supersonic helium jet exhausting coaxially with two parallel supersonic air streams into a constant area duct were investigated. The method used to evaluate the mass entrainment rate was to measure helium molar concentration profiles and mass flux across the duct using a binary gas probe then calculate the mass entrainment into the helium jet. In order to conduct this study a novel binary gas probe was developed which allowed helium concentration and mass flux data to be obtained during continuous traverses across the supersonic flowfield. High exit pressure ratio (EPR) led …

The Effects Of Transverse Vibration On The Performance Of An Axial Groove Wick Heat Pipe, Kenneth A. Carpenter

Theses and Dissertations

An experimental investigation was performed to determine the effects of transverse vibrations on the performance of an ammonia-aluminum axial groove wick heat pipe. Theoretical calculations predicted a performance degradation due to the working fluid being shaken out of the upper capillary grooves. A benchtop shaker was used to apply transverse, sinusoidal vibrations of 30, 35, and 40 Hertz, corresponding to peak acceleration amplitudes of 1.84g, 2.50g, and 3.27g, respectively. Maximum heat throughput, Q sub max, of the vibrating heat pipe was measured. A comparison of these values and static Q sub max values indicated a degradation in heat pipe performance. …

Investigation Of Boundary Layer And Performance Effects Of Transpiration Cooling Through A Porous Plate In A Rocket Nozzle, David N. Keener

Theses and Dissertations

This study used a range of low blowing ratios with air through an area of porous material in a Mach 2.0 nozzle to quantity the change in boundary layer thickness as a function of blowing ratio. Also, exit and wall Mach number profiles at each blowing ratio were collected to characterize performance losses as a result of blowing. Performance in terms of specific impulse was also studied. As expected, the boundary layer thickness increased and nozzle performance in terms of exit Mach number decreased with increasing blowing ratio.

An Investigation Of The Afit 2-Inch Shock Tube As A Flow Source For Supersonic Testing, Kevin M. Vlcek

Theses and Dissertations

An investigation of the AFIT high pressure shock tube was conducted to determine how closely it followed ideal shock tube theory and to determine the available test times for an attached Mach 3 nozzle. The driver section was five feet (1.52 m) long and the driven section was 25 feet (7.62 m) long. The driver gas used for this study was helium while the driven gas was atmospheric air. The pressure rise measured behind the incident shock wave was, on average, 30% lower than predicted by the ideal shock tube relations. Behind the reflected shock, the pressure rise was 65% …

Telepresent Spacecraft Docking With Object-Based Bilateral Control (Obbc), Paul Woznick

Theses and Dissertations

The concept of object-based control is extended to the field of teleoperation, specifically to accomplish the task of spacecraft docking via a bilateral manual controller. An object-based controller with bilateral feedback controls the motion of the grasped object, not the trajectory of the manipulator. For this reason it can be designed with feedback that is intricately linked with the task kinematics. The benefits derived from anthropomorphicity and force feedback are possible without kinematically-geometrically similar master-slave systems, complex calibration and joint mapping schemes, or expensive, high degree-of-freedom force reflection. Object-based control is ideal for low-level telerobotic interfaces. A hand controller and …

Stall Precursor Study Of High Frequency Data For Three High Speed, Swept Compressor Rotors, James F. Anderton

Theses and Dissertations

The frequency spectra of three single stage, high speed compressor rotors were derived and analyzed from experimental data. The compressor rotors included straight, backward-swept, and forward-swept blade designs. Data was acquired from four pressure transducers located on the compressor casing and arranged axially between locations 40% of blade chord upstream of the rotor face to just over the leading edge of the blades. Each rotor was throttled to stall at two constant speeds between 90% and 100% of design speed. Data digitization at 20 kHz revealed multiples of the rotor frequency up to and beyond a dominant blade passing frequency. …

Investigation Into The Behavior Of Geometrically Nonlinear Composite Arches, John C. Bailey

Theses and Dissertations

This research modifies the existing finite element formulation of a potential energy based large deformation and moderate rotation theory. Hermitian shape functions replace the existing linear bending angle interpolations. Negligible differences between the two formulations indicate the underlying kinematics limit the accuracy, not the finite element interpolations. Using the new program, numerous nonlinear arch geometries are modeled to investigate the effects of arc length and thickness variations. Local and global snapping phenomena are captured as well as through the thickness shear driven nonlinearities.

Compressible Turbulence Measurements In A Supersonic Flow With Adverse Pressure Gradient, Jon W. Dotter

Theses and Dissertations

Mean flow and compressible turbulence measurements have been obtained upstream and within a shock boundary interaction and a compression ramp in Mach 3 flow. Compressible turbulence models have met with little success in the accurate prediction of high-speed flows involving complicated shock boundary interactions and adverse pressure gradients because of a crucial lack of experimental data. Data were collected using conventional Pitot and cone static probes, single overheat cross-wire anemometry, multiple overheat cross-wire anemometry, and flow visualization techniques. Direct measurements of the total Reynolds shear stress were obtained using a turbulence transformation. Results indicate that compressibility effects, as evidenced by …

Analysis Of Hypersonic Boundary Layer Second Mode Instability Over A 7° Cone, Richard A. Dennery

Theses and Dissertations

This paper presents the results of the analysis of Mach 8.0 flow over a seven degree half-angle cone. The purpose of this analysis was to develop techniques to examine boundary layer transition at hypersonic velocities. The specific objectives were to look for second mode instability waves characteristic of the transition process and to quantify the percentage of turbulent flow. Two sets of data were used in this analysis. The first set of data was taken at several axial positions at a freestream Reynolds number 4.265 million per meter. This data was used to develop the analysis techniques. The second set …

Experimental Investigation Of The Effects Of Relative Physical Orientation Between Evaporator And Condenser For A Loop Heat Pipe, Brad R. Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

This research examined the effects on performance of varying angular orientation and height differences between evaporator and condenser for a loop heat pipe. Performance was defined as the difference in temperature between evaporator and condenser (DELTA T). The pipe was evaluated at varying input power (Qin) for: varying evaporator and condenser angles, different coolant temperatures, and varying relative height differences. All analysis included only steady state operation. The performance was influenced by condenser angles, with an optimal condenser angle for best performance being +45 degrees from horizontal. Additionally, the evaporator angles were found to influence performance only at low Qin …

A State-Space Model Of A Large, Lightly Damped Space Structure Using The Eigensystem Realization Algorithm, Robert D. Woods

Theses and Dissertations

Large, lightweight space structures of the future will require state-of-the-art vibration suppression systems. To design such a system, it is necessary to have a mathematical model that adequately describes the motion of the system. Coulomb damping compensation was utilized to remove a known nonlinearity from the frequency response functions obtained from the Passive and Active Control of Space Structures (PACOSS) Dynamic Test Article (DTA). Via the Eigensystem Realization algorithm (ERA), the frequency response functions were then used to generate a mathematical representation of the structure's dynamics. Two models were obtained. The first model, without friction compensation, acted as a baseline. …

Fatigue Behavior Of A Cross-Ply Metal Matrix Composite At Elevated Temperature Under Strain Controlled Mode, Leon B. Dennis

Theses and Dissertations

This research extends the existing knowledge of cross-ply metal matrix composites (MMC) to include fatigue behavior under strain-controlled fully reversed loading. This study investigated fatigue life, failure modes and damage mechanisms of the SCS-6-Ti-15-3, [O-9O]_2s, MMC. The laminate was subjected to fully reversed fatigue at elevated temperature (427° C) at various strain levels. Stress, strain and modulus data were analyzed to characterize the macro-mechanical behavior of the composite. Microscopy and fractography were accomplished to identify and characterize the damage mechanisms at the microscopic level. Failure modes varied according to the maximum applied strain level showing either mixed mode …

The Collapse Of Composite Cylindrical Panels With Various Thickness Using Finite Element Analysis, Christopher P. Chaplin

Theses and Dissertations

This study compared numerical collapse results of graphite-epoxy cylindrical panels with free vertical edges undergoing axial compression for three different shell theories. Symmetric quasi-isotropic laminates were investigated using solid panels and panels with five different centralized cutouts with three thicknesses. The theories compared in the study were the Simplified Large displacement moderate Rotation (SLR) theory, the Donnell Cylindrical Shell (Modified Donnell) theory, and the Classical Donnell theory. The purpose of the study was to determine when large rotations and through-the-thickness shear become important in the numerical collapse analysis of cylindrical composite shells. By observing cases where the numerical collapse results …

The Design And Development Of A Low-Speed, Low-Force Wind Tunnel Data Acquisition System With An Application To Bicycle Front Fork Spacing, Alan W. Elledge

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis encompassed the design, development, and application of a low-speed, low-force data acquisition system for the AFIT 5-ft Wind Tunnel. The new data acquisition system was designed and developed to measure approximately 0.045 N (about 0.01 lb_f) at nearly 64.4 km/h (40 mph). Verification of the capability was obtained through testing of a cylindrical model. As part of a technology transition program with Wright Laboratory, this new system was used to investigate bicycle front fork blade spacing in order to determine the optimal spacing for minimum drag. As for the minimum drag of a bicycle with an …

Flight Control Design Using Mixed H2/Μ Optimization, Douglas D. Decker

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the use of the mixed H2-Microns optimal control synthesis method in the design of a flight control system for the lateral-directional axes of the F-16 Variable Stability In-Flight Simulator Test Aircraft (VISTA). The method is designed to minimize the H2 norm (two-norm) for a given value of microns. This should provide adequate noise and disturbance rejection while maintaining robustness against several types of uncertainties in the system. This thesis finds that, for this problem, the two-norm is not an accurate representation of the outputs of interest. When the two-norm is broken up into its constituent parts an …

Viscoplastic Characterization And Fatigue Modeling Of Titanium Based Metal Matrix Composites, Mark A. Foringer

Theses and Dissertations

Viscoplastic characterization and fatigue modeling of titanium-based metal matrix composites was accomplished by combining a unified viscoplastic theory, a nonlinear micromechanics model, and a linear damage accumulation model. First. Ti 15-3 was characterized using the Bodner-Partom viscoplastic theory. A micromechanics model was then employed in a linear damage accumulation fatigue model to predict the fatigue behavior of titanium based composites. The viscoplastic behavior predictions of the micromechanics model were used to eliminate separately defined time dependent terms in the fatigue model. Also, a new linear damage accumulation model was developed from the fatigue behavior of the composite constituents. Finally, it …

Fatigue Behavior Of A Cross-Ply Ceramic Matrix Composite Subjected To Tension-Tension Cycling With Hold Time, Scott A. Grant

Theses and Dissertations

This study was carried out to investigate the elevated temperature behavior of the SiC-MAS5 cross- ply [0-90]_4S ceramic matrix composite manufactured by Corning Inc. to fatigue with loading waveforms that combine the characteristics of stress rupture and high cycle fatigue. The test results were compiled in the form of S-N (cycles to failure), S-T (exposure time versus cycles to failure), S-S (energy exposure versus cycles to failure), normalized modulus degradation, strain progression, and hysteresis loop progression. From the mechanical behavior demonstrated by these curves, relationships between the effect of the environment and loading waveform were developed. In addition, a …

Characterization Of Fatigue Behavior Of 2-D Woven Fabric Reinforced Ceramic Matrix Composite At Elevated Temperature, Daniel J. Groner

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the fatigue behavior and associated damage mechanisms in notched and unnotched enhanced Sic-SiC ceramic matrix composite specimens at 1100°C. Stiffness degradation, strain variation, and hysteresis were evaluated to characterize material behavior. Microscopic examination was performed to characterize damage mechanisms. During high cycle-low stress fatigue tests, far less fiber-matrix interface debond was evident than in low cycle-high stress fatigue tests. Notched specimens exhibited minimal stress concentration during monotonic tensile testing and minimal notch sensitivity during fatigue testing. Damage mechanisms were also similar to unnotched.

An Experimental Investigation Of Sandwich Flat Panels Under Low Velocity Impact, Timberlyn M. Harrington

Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluated the failure modes and mechanisms associated with increasing face sheet thickness of flat sandwich panels under low velocity impact. The sandwich panels were fabricated using 1.27 cm thick, 145 kg-m³ (9 lb-ft³), 3.175 mm (1-8 in.) cell size Nomex honeycomb core, FM 300-2 film adhesive and AS4-3501-6 graphite-epoxy face sheets. The thickness of the core remained 1.27 cm, and the thickness of the adhesive remained 0.25 mm. The thickness of the face sheets varied using the following stacking sequences: [0-90]_s, [0-90]_2s, [0-90]_4s, [0-90]_8s, and [0-90]_{12s …}

A Comparison Of The Neal-Smith And ΩSpΤΘ2, ΣSp, ΤΘ Flying Qualities Criteria, Brian A. Kish

Theses and Dissertations

Aircraft pitch response is a vital element of piloted vehicle flying qualities. There has been controversy over both the form and the substance of the requirements for short-term pitch response. Currently, MIL-STD- 1797A offers six different methods for evaluating short-term pitch response. These six methods often give conflicting results. Two methods are analyzed in this thesis - the Neal-Smith criteria and the ω_spΤ_θ2, ς_sp, τ_θ criteria. Domains from both criteria are mapped into each other identifying regions of conflict and regions of agreement. Parametric studies are performed and evaluated for trends. Further, a …

Investigation Of Tension-Compression Fatigue Behavior Of A Unidirectional Metal Matrix Composite At Elevated Temperature, Darren L. Kraabel

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the fatigue behavior in a unidirectional metal matrix composite under tension-compression loading conditions. Stress-strain responses, modulus and strain trends were monitored to characterize damage. Fractography and microscopy were used to characterize failure modes. Fatigue life curves were plotted base on different parameters such as stress and strain. Tension-compression fatigue life was shorter than the obtained under tension-tension fatigue cycling. Creep, observed in tension-tension. fatigue cycling, and the effects of the compressive load on the plastic zone around the crack tip explain shorter life under tension-compression fatigue loading.