Engineering Commons^™

Effect Of Treated/Untreated Recycled Aggregate Concrete: Structural Behavior Of Rc Beams, Ayman Abdo, Ayman El-Zohairy, Yasser Alashker, Mohamed Abd El-Aziz Badran Mohamed

Faculty Publications

Using recycled concrete aggregates from construction and demolition wastes on structural concrete is a sustainable solution to reduce the consumption of natural resources and the detrimental effects of concrete production on the environment. This paper has collected much data from the literature to study fresh, mechanical properties and durability of concrete made of treated/untreated recycled aggregate (RA). Furthermore, the flexural and shear behavior of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) beams was studied. This study discussed the distinctions and similarities between reinforced RAC beams and reinforced natural aggregate concrete (NAC) beams. The results of this review’s analysis clearly show that reinforced RAC …

The Mechanism By Which Thermal Coupling Leads To An Asymptotic Maldistribution Stability Boundary For Flow Boiling In Parallel Microchannels, Md Emadur Rahman, Justin A. Weibel

CTRC Research Publications

Phase change heat transfer processes are attractive for the efficient thermal management of advanced semiconductor devices, with flow boiling in parallel microchannel heat sinks being one promising solution. However, there are several implementation challenges associated with two-phase flow in parallel microchannels, particularly flow maldistribution, which can adversely affect performance and reliability. Two-phase flow models can be useful in predicting and understanding the instability mechanisms that leads to maldistribution, such that parametric performance trends and safe regions of operation can be identified. Channel-to-channel thermal coupling has been shown to alleviate maldistribution, but it is not yet understood why this effect is …

Design And Analysis Of Passive Correlator Radio-Frequency Identification Tagging, Albert Kilgore

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is a technology used in many industries to locate and track assets. Passive RFID tags are popular because they are inexpensive and flexible, but they have limited accuracy. My thesis aims to improve the accuracy of passive RFID tags by investigating two solutions: (a) Using orthogonal RFID configuration and exploiting phase information available to an RFID reader, in addition to the received signal strength indicator (RSSI) metric; and (b) Designing a novel voltage multiplier-based correlator circuit that can be integrated directly onto the tag. To further reduce power consumption and silicon area, we propose an architecture …

Investigating The Effects Of Suspended Algal Content, Dissolved Oxygen, And Temperature On A High-Frequency Acoustic Attenuation System In A Controlled Laboratory Environment, Noah Watson

Honors Theses

The Single Frequency Acoustic Attenuation System (SFAAS) has been developed at the National Center for Physical Acoustics (NCPA). This system uses acoustic methods to monitor fine suspended sediment concentration in streams. Site-specific calibrations are necessary for this system, and previous research has indicated that algal concentration or dissolved oxygen concentration of water may affect collected data. Temperature, dissolved oxygen concentration, and fluorescence, used as a proxy for algal concentration, were monitored during this system’s use, and calibrations were derived to account for the effect of each of these variables on acoustic measurements. It has been shown that temperature has a …

The Effects Of Additive Manufacturing On Canine Hind Limb Repairment Surgery, Annabel Keers

Honors Theses

The intention of this project is to explore some of the ways that additive manufacturing is affecting veterinary medicine. I will specifically be delving into canine hind limb repairment surgeries, such as cranial cruciate ligament reconstruction. 3D printed prototypes have been utilized in the human medical field for quite a while, and it has inspired such technology to expand into the world of veterinary medicine. Such emerging research is expected to take-off as the pet market grows in size and level of care for the health of our animals.

I took special interest in this field as I will be …

Multi-Physics-Based Modeling Of Cracks In Asphalt Concrete, Md Amanul Hasan

Civil Engineering ETDs

Cracking is the most prevalent distress in an asphalt concrete (AC) pavement, and it leads to structural deterioration and premature failure, thereby costing taxpayers a lot of dollars. Accurately assessing AC's cracking performance is necessary for pavement longevity, yet current methods often fall short. For instance, relying solely on binder creep tests to determine low-temperature grade inadequately predicts the AC pavement's low-temperature cracking problem. Understanding AC's loading rate- and temperature-dependent fracture behavior is crucial for gaining insight into the crack propagation in AC. In the first part of this study, a new physics-based analytical methodology is developed utilizing the bending …

Co-Designing Situated Displays For Family Co-Regulation With Adhd Children, Lucas M. Silva, Franceli L. Cibrian, Clarisse Bonang, Arpita Bhattacharya, Aehong Min, Elissa M. Monteiro, Jesus A. Beltran, Sabrina E. B. Schuck, Kimberley D. Lakes, Gillian R. Hayes, Daniel A. Epstein

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Family informatics often uses shared data dashboards to promote awareness of each other’s health-related behaviors. However, these interfaces often stop short of providing families with needed guidance around how to improve family functioning and health behaviors. We consider the needs of family co-regulation with ADHD children to understand how in-home displays can support family well-being. We conducted three co-design sessions with each of eight families with ADHD children who had used a smartwatch for self-tracking. Results indicate that situated displays could nudge families to jointly use their data for learning and skill-building. Accommodating individual needs and preferences when family members …

An Attention Lstm U-Net Model For Drosophila Melanogaster Heart Tube Segmentation, Xiangping Ouyang

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Machine learning is commonly used in biomedical image analysis, as it allows automated image segmentation and identification that minimizes the need for tedious human involvement. Drosophila melanogaster is often used as a cardiac disease model, where optical coherence microscopy (OCM) is used to image and analyze its beating dynamics. As OCM often generates a large volume of images, automated image segmentation is necessary to quantify the heart beating efficiently. Our most recent heart segmentation model, FlyNet 2.0+, is a fully convolutional LSTM U-Net model. However, the performance of the model diminishes in the presence of artifacts, such as image reflection …

The Santa Clara, 2024-05-10, Santa Clara University

The Santa Clara

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Print Process Parameters On Droplet-Powder Interaction In Binder Jet Additive Manufacturing, Jacob Lawrence

Theses and Dissertations

Binder jet additive manufacturing (BJ) offers unique advantages, including the ability to produce complex geometries and utilize a wide range of materials, but faces challenges related to part quality and defect formation. This thesis investigates the effects of process parameters on droplet-powder interaction, powder relocation, and line formation in BJ printing. A custom BJ test platform was developed to enable precise control over key process parameters and in-situ monitoring. High-speed synchrotron X-ray imaging revealed modes of powder relocation above and below the powder bed surface. Testing revealed that parameters that increase moisture in the powder bed, such as lower droplet …

Imaging Of Structural Timber Based On In Situ Radar And Ultrasonic Wave Measurements: A Review Of The State-Of-The-Art, Narges Pahnabi, Thomas Schumacher, Arijit Sinha

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

With the rapidly growing interest in using structural timber, a need exists to inspect and assess these structures using non-destructive testing (NDT). This review article summarizes NDT methods for wood inspection. After an overview of the most important NDT methods currently used, a detailed review of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and Ultrasonic Testing (UST) is presented. These two techniques can be applied in situ and produce useful visual representations for quantitative assessments and damage detection. With its commercial availability and portability, GPR can help rapidly identify critical features such as moisture, voids, and metal connectors in wood structures. UST, which …

Chloride Binding Mechanism In Seawater-Mixed Uhpc, Wei Zhang, Dawei Ding, Mengmeng Li, Tiao Wang, Hongyan Ma, Binmeng Chen, Hongxing Hu, Jizhou Chen, Xiaomin Liu, Dongshuai Hou

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The rapid development of marine concrete structures and the sharp shortage of freshwater resources contribute to the wide investigation of seawater-mixed ultra-high-performance concrete (swuhpc). However, few studies have investigated the chloride ions (cl-) binding mechanism of swuhpc. Herein, the chloride binding experiments and molecular dynamics (md) simulation were carried out to reveal the physically and chemically bound cl- mechanisms of swuhpc. The results of the experiments clearly demonstrate that the addition of silica fume (sf) led to a significant decrease in the capacity of cl- binding. Conversely, the incorporation of metakaolin (mk) resulted in a marked increase in the content …

Nhrl Competition Combat Robot, Cale Holan

Honors College Theses

The overall objective of this senior design project is for a group of 5 engineers to design and build a National Havoc Robot League (NHRL) qualified combat robot. The design was split into five core systems: chassis, weapon, drivetrain, armor, and electronics. This research will specifically focus on the structural design and fabrication of the robot’s chassis, which is the frame of the robot that houses all systems and internals. The research will also work closely with each branch of the robot to establish the internal bot infrastructure and how each design facet comes together and is secured. Additionally, some …

Latent Auto-Recursive Composition Engine, Yenkai Huang

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

This thesis investigates the shifting boundaries of art in the era of Generative AI, critically examining the essence of art and the legitimacy of AI-generated works. Despite significant advancements in the quality and accessibility of art through generative AI, such creations frequently encounter skepticism regarding their status as authentic art. To address this skepticism, the study explores the role of creative agency in various generative AI workflows and introduces an "artist-in-the-loop" system tailored for image generation models like Stable Diffusion. This system aims to deepen the artist's engagement and understanding of the creative process. Additionally, a novel tool, the Latent …

Development Of A Rapid Bacterial Quantification Method Based On Droplet Microfluidics, Shawn Bliss

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The capacity to identify bacteria quickly and accurately is critical for applications such as medical diagnosis, environmental monitoring, and food safety. For instance, sepsis diagnosis requires blood cultures that take as long as 1-5 days, preventing timely intervention and increasing mortality rate. Here, we propose the joint use of microfluidics and a machine learning algorithm for rapid bacterial cell capture and quantification. The combination of high-throughput droplet microfluidics and a support vector machine (SVM) enables analysis and quantification of bacterial samples within as short as 4 hours. We have performed successful encapsulation of pathogenic bacteria such as E. coli, …

The Design And Optimization Of An Ethylbenzene Production Process, Alexander Koons

Honors Theses

Ethylbenzene is a foundational organic compound used as a reactant in styrene production. The objective of this thesis is to present the optimization of the in-house production process of ethylbenzene, aiming to avoid external procurement for the downstream styrene manufacturing facility. The process underlines a strategic approach to enhance the yield and cost efficiency of the production of ethylbenzene. An economic analysis revealed a promising net present value of approximately $57.6 million. This thesis not only proposes a viable route for internal ethylbenzene generation but also discusses optimizing the chemical production processes for enhanced efficiency and sustainability.

Calcium Analysis Of Intercellular Communications Between Alpha Cells And Delta Cells Across The Pancreatic Islet, Shichao Gao

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

The intricate communication between different cell types within pancreatic islets plays a crucial role in regulating glucose homeostasis. Among these cellular interactions, the interplay between α cells (responsible for glucagon secretion) and δ cells (secreting somatostatin) is particularly intriguing due to the inhibitory effects of somatostatin on glucagon release. Understanding the intercellular interactions between α and δ cells may provide insights into the mechanisms underlying the coordinated regulation of blood glucose levels. In this study, we employed a multi-modal approach combining confocal imaging, image analysis, and correlation network analysis to investigate the spatial relationships and potential functional connections between α …

Generalized Model To Enable Zero-Shot Imitation Learning For Versatile Robots, Yongshuai Wu

Master's Theses

The rapid advancement in Deep Learning (DL), especially in Reinforcement Learning (RL) and Imitation Learning (IL), has positioned it as a promising approach for a multitude of autonomous robotic systems. However, the current methodologies are predominantly constrained to singular setups, necessitating substantial data and extensive training periods. Moreover, these methods have exhibited suboptimal performance in tasks requiring long-horizontal maneuvers, such as Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) inventory, where a robot requires thousands of steps to complete.

In this thesis, we address the aforementioned challenges by presenting the Cross-modal Reasoning Model (CMRM), a novel zero-shot Imitation Learning policy, to tackle long-horizontal robotic …

Valorisation Of Water Hyacinth For Different Engineering Applications, Nessren Farrag, Zeinab Elbhnsawi, Omar Aboelazayem

Chemical Engineering

Nature has many elements that can be beneficial or harmful. One of these elements is water hyacinth (WH) which is an aquatic weed found in water bodies such as rivers and lakes and it has an invasive nature due to its rapid growth rate. On the contrary, water hyacinth, despite its classification as an invasive plant species, possesses a multitude of industrial and engineering applications, demonstrating substantial potential for valorisation into various products. Its versatile attributes and widespread availability render water hyacinth a viable resource for deployment across several sectors, including wastewater treatment, bioenergy generation, bioremediation, and sustainable agriculture. The …

Silver Assisted Pani-Rgo: A Cutting-Edge Approach To Supercapacitor Applications, Iman El-Mahallawi, Ayat Abdelsalam, Ahmed Selim, Mahmoud Tash, Waleed Khalifa

Mechanical Engineering

In this research, highly efficient and low cost synthesis approach was applied to produce three distinct electrode materials: reduced graphene oxide (RGO), silver nanoparticles incorporated with RGO, and polyaniline (PANI) in conjunction with RGO decorated with silver nanostructures (RGO.Ag). These materials were subsequently integrated into a composite electrode material as PANI RGO.Ag, designed specifically for deployment in symmetric supercapacitor applications. A comprehensive characterization process was executed employing a range of material analysis techniques, including X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX).

Acoustofluidic Scanning Fluorescence Nanoscopy With A Large Field Of View, Geonsoo Jin, Neil Upreti, Joseph Rich, Jianping Xia, Chenglong Zhao, Tony Jun Huang

Faculty Publications

Large-field nanoscale fluorescence imaging is invaluable for many applications, such as imaging subcellular structures, visualizing protein interactions, and high-resolution tissue imaging. Unfortunately, conventional fluorescence microscopy requires a trade-off between resolution and field of view due to the nature of the optics used to form the image. To overcome this barrier, we developed an acoustofluidic scanning fluorescence nanoscope that simultaneously achieves superior resolution, a large field of view, and strong fluorescent signals. The acoustofluidic scanning fluorescence nanoscope utilizes the superresolution capabilities of microspheres that are controlled by a programmable acoustofluidic device for rapid fluorescence enhancement and imaging. The acoustofluidic scanning fluorescence …

Analysis Of Modeled 3d Solar Magnetic Field During 30 X/M-Class Solar Flares, Seth H. Garland, Vasyl B. Yurchyshyn, Robert D. Loper, Benjamin F. Akers, Daniel J. Emmons Ii

Faculty Publications

Using non-linear force free field (NLFFF) extrapolation, 3D magnetic fields were modeled from the 12-min cadence Solar Dynamics Observatory Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) photospheric vector magnetograms, spanning a time period of 1 hour before through 1 hour after the start of 18 X-class and 12 M-class solar flares. Several magnetic field parameters were calculated from the modeled fields directly, as well as from the power spectrum of surface maps generated by summing the fields along the vertical axis, for two different regions: areas with photospheric |B_z|≥ 300 G (active region—AR) and areas above the photosphere with the …

Heat Sink Integrating Phase Change Materials For Cooling High Power Electronic Devices, Mohammad Sameer Qasem

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

This research explores the numerical analysis of phase change materials (PCMs) heat sinks, focusing on high heat flux dissipation applications, e.g. electronics cooling. Both 2D and 3D numerical models using gallium and paraffin RT31 as PCMs are considered within a heat sink design framework featuring a rectangular cavity and dual opposing vertical copper walls serving as fins to dissipate heat from the hot sink base that receives heat from the heat source. The inclusion of a Triply Periodic Minimal Surface (TPMS) ‘Primitive’ structure as an in-fill thermal conductivity enhancer (TCE) in the case of the gallium heat sink, and a …

Minimizing Patient Migration: Enhancing Safety And Comfort For Patients And Caregivers In Bedridden Care, Danielle Pasquini

Honors Theses

Biomedical engineering seniors at the University of Mississippi embark on a senior project aimed at addressing an unmet clinical need. Our team, consisting of Kelsie Hand, Christian Miller, and Danielle Pasquini, identified a prevalent issue of bedridden patients slipping down in bed, leading to increased repositioning by caregivers. This not only impacts patient comfort but also poses risks of complications such as pressure ulcers and caregiver injuries. In our efforts to tackle the issue of patient slippage among bedridden individuals, our team introduced a novel solution comprising a non-slip vest for patients and a corresponding non-slip sheet attachment. This integrated …

The Conceptual Design, Analysis And Optimization Of A Hydrogen Combustion And A Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Powered Aircraft, Michael Kiely

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

In the effort to combat climate change worldwide, the aviation industry faces particularly complex design challenges in designing new, emission free vehicles. One potential solution to this problem is the use of hydrogen fuel as a means of propulsion. Hydrogen fuel has many benefits over traditional jet fuel such as a higher gravimetric energy density; however, it requires the aircraft to carry large, pressurized, cryogenic fuel tanks. This thesis examines the design challenges, potential solutions, and the analysis methods for the design of a short to medium range hydrogen powered commercial airliner. To accomplish this goal, a comprehensive conceptual design …

Effect Of Waste Covid-19 Masks On Compaction Characteristics Of Silty-Clay Soil, Sydney K. Lawson

Honors College Theses

The present study aims to explore the effect of adding shredded waste Covid-19 masks to silty-clay soil on the soil’s compaction characteristics for beneficial use in embankment, the subgrade of roadways, or backfill. This was accomplished by using two different types of masks: blue surgical masks and KN95 masks. Both mask types were hand shredded into half-inch sections using safety-scissors. The maximum dry density (MDD) and optimum moisture content (OMC) are the two most important compaction characteristics, and they were determined by the Standard Proctor Compaction Test (ASTM D698 / AASHTO T99). The change of both the MDD and OMC …

A Comprehensive Review Of Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis Processes To Produce Sustainable Diesel And Aviation Fuel, Joseph C. Steinagel

Honors College Theses

The greatest threat known to humankind today is global warming. It affects every nation on the planet and the natural order of all living things. Consequently, this ongoing crisis necessitates action to scientifically revolutionize important areas of society, including researching modern adaptations of the transportation industry. In that regard, it has been determined that an effective short-term answer to eliminating carbon emissions is to produce sustainable fuels that run cooperatively with the well-established machines of today. Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is one such topic of interest, and the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis process is an effective way of producing SAF. To that …

Brain Computer Interface-Based Drone Control Using Gyroscopic Data From Head Movements, Ikaia Cacha Melton

Honors College Theses

This research explores the potential of using gyroscopic data from a person’s head movement to control a DJI Tello quadcopter via a Brain-Computer Interface (BCI). In this study, over 100 gyroscopic recordings capturing the X, Y and Z columns (formally known as GyroX, GyroY, GyroZ) between 4 volunteers with the Emotiv Epoc X headset were collected. The Emotiv Epoc X data captured (left, right, still, and forward) head movements of each participant associated with the DJI Tello quadcopter navigation. The data underwent thorough processing and analysis, revealing distinctive patterns in charts using Microsoft Excel. A Python condition algorithm was then …

Navigating The Relationships Among Food Waste Practices, Environmental Intentions, And Sustainability Knowledge Of Students, Merri Claire Minshew

Honors College Theses

Colleges and university campuses are among the greatest food wasters in the US due to combined over production and plate waste from consumers. While some schools have developed programs aimed at reducing and sustainably managing food waste, much of it ends up in landfills and produces greenhouse gas emissions. The overall goal of the research was to collect a comprehensive data set on university students’ food waste practices and behavior, environmental and sustainability knowledge, and environmental intentions. For probing relationships among these drivers, a structural equation model and student survey was developed. The survey of 37 questions was collected on …

Autonomous Bottling And Packaging System - Mechanical Bottling Portion, Kathryn Gray

Honors College Theses

This report details the complete mechanical design of an autonomous bottling automation system. This system is fully integrated with a bottling and packaging system. The scope of the full project is to successfully bottle and cap twelve small bottles (approximately 68 cm3) in under three minutes and thirty seconds. The bottles shall be filled with an “electrolyte” and water mixture, and the mixture should be fully mixed. To complete this task, two tanks will dispense liquid (one electrolyte, and one water) into the bottles. Each tank shall have a measuring chamber, that will fill with the correct amount of volume …