Engineering Commons^™

Energy In Agriculture: The Use Of Ethanol As An Unmixed Fuel For Lnternal Combustion Engines, Joseph L. Taraba, George M. Turner, Robert Razor

Agricultural Engineering Energy Series

The use of ethanol (ethyl alcohol) as a fuel for spark ignited (Sl) internal combustion engines has been evaluated and considered satisfactory since the early1 900s. Today due to the increasing cost of petroleum and the current world oil uncertainty, which may greatly affect the future availability of petroleum, some alternative fuels for internal combustion engines are needed. Ethanol is one of the fuels that has shown promise as a petroleum substitute. Today the country of Brazil has chosen a path of less dependence on petroleum by developing an ethanol fuel technology. In the spring of 1980, cars designed to …

Identification, Analysis, And Correction Of High-Accident Locations In Kentucky, Charles V. Zegeer, Kenneth R. Agent, Ronalds L. Rizenbergs

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The first step in the highway safety improvement process involves reporting and summarizing accidents by location. Once the high-accident locations are identified, field investigations and analysis follow. Locations are ranked on the basis of potential for accident reduction. Safety improvements are then scheduled and implemented. Finally, improvements are evaluated in terms of accident reduction.

This report compiles, in detail, the process involved in arriving at safety improvements in the high-accident spot-improvement program. References are made to information and methodologies developed in earlier reports by the Division of Research of the Kentucky Department of Transportation. Most of the background information and …

Design Guide For Bituminous Concrete Pavement Structures, James H. Havens, Robert C. Deen, Herbert F. Southgate

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

To determine pavement thicknesses from design charts and tables, it is necessary to know only the EAL's (equivalent axle loads), the CBR of the subgrade soil, and the modulus of elasticity of the bituminous concrete. Charts permit selection of pavement structures employing alternative proportions of bituminous concrete and crushed stone base. Total thickness varies according to the proportions chosen. It is implicitly intended that the selection of alternative structures be based on engineering considerations, such as 1. estimates of comparative construction costs, 2. compatibility with cross section template and shoulder designs, 3. uniformity or standardization of design practices, 4. highway …

Analysis Of Time-Deflection Consolidation Data, E. Gregory Mcnulty

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

A computerized statistical curve-fitting algorithm has been developed for determining the time-dependent properties of conventional (load-incremental) consolidation test data. Analytical models of the graphical methods developed by Taylor and Casagrande and of the Naylor-Doran method of successive approximations determtne values for the coefficients of consolidation, permeability, and the values of deflection corresponding to the begimltng and endtng of primary consolidation. The coefficients of volume change and secondary compression are also calculated. A modified statistical definition is used to select the linear portions of the data curves and is applicable to other data-fitting problems. After the Naylor-Doran method has been used, …

Structural Capacity Of In-Place Asphaltic Concrete Pavements From Dynamic Deflections, Herbert F. Southgate, Gary W. Sharpe, Robert C. Deen, James H. Havens

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The proper design of asphaltic overlay thicknesses involves four major factors; the in-place modulus of the subgrade, an estimate of the structural capacity of the existing pavement, estimates of the future traffic expressed as equivalent axleloads and required or desired design levels, and a thickness design procedure. This paper deals with estimating the in-place subgrade modulus and the remaining load-carrying capacity of the existing pavement. The method presented herein is valid for any Road Rater or other dynamic tester such as the Dynaflect. This procedure was based upon a 600-pound (272.4-kg) peak-to-peak dynamic load applied at a rate of 25 …

Identification Of Kentucky Shales, Tommy C. Hopkins, Brian C. Gilpin

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Results obtained from a series of engineering tests performed on 40 different types of shales are summarized and discussed. Both hard and soft shales, as well as shales having well-documented histories of involvement in highway embankment failures and shales having little known involvement, were tested. A major portion of the report examines the suitability of the slake-durability tests, originally devised by Franklin-Chandra of England, as a means of broadly characterizing the engineering properties of Kentucky shales. Results obtained from ten different slake-durability testing procedures, which include procedures proposed by Franklin and Chandra and others as well as procedures devised during …

H & V News

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Electromagnetic Modes Of An Inhomogeneous Sphere, Lee W. Casperson

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

In many cases the electromagnetic modes of a sphere can be obtained exactly. Special simplifications occur when the conductivity, complex permittivity, and complex permeability vary only in the radial direction, and static and time dependent examples are discussed. With quadratic or Coulomblike permittivity variations, the wave functions resemble the quantum mechanical harmonic oscillator or hydrogen atom wave functions, and similar angular momentum operators are obtained.

Analysis Of Structural Dynamic Characteristics Of An Explosion Driven Hydrodynamic Conical Shock Tube, Walter R. Sanders

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Previous tests of an explosion driven hydrodynamic shock tube revealed peak pressure data significantly lower than values predicted from the semiempirical scaling laws. It was hypothesized that part of the deviation was due to error in determining shock wave parameters and part might be due to measurement error caused by mechanical vibration of the tube. This investigation was conducted in two parts. In the first part, shock wave parameters were determined using a digital computer and curve fitting techniques to analyze digitized shock wave data. The second part involved determining the frequency components of the shock wave data noise content …

An Inventory Of Public Water Supply Wells Owned And Operated By Orange County, Florida, Michael J. Henry

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Orange County, Florida, through its Sewer and Water Department, own fifty active and ten inactive water treatment plants. These treatment plants have a total of ninety-four supply wells, sixty-four of which are actually in service. Most of these wells were obtained through purchase from private or investor owned utility companies. A file search was undertaken from records of the Orange County Sewer and Water Department, U.S. Geological Survey, former water system owners, and well drillers in order to compile all available information on these wells. Information was gathered on location, original drilling of the well, static water level and pumping …

Evaluation Of Rumble Strip Design And Usage, Jerry G. Pigman, Michael M. Barclay

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The objective of this study was to investigate the following aspects of rumble strips: the optimum height and width of elements in a rumble strip pattern, spacing between them, the effect of grouping elements into sets, the effects of speed on design criteria, and driver reaction to the audible and physical stimuli produced by rumble strips. A survey of design and usage in other states was conducted; and the results show that even though 35 of the 44 responding states have installed rumble strips, only five have warrants for usage.

Two types of rumble strip design were evaluated -- one …

Evaluation Of Watertight Bridge Expansion Joints, Wm. Vernon Azevedo

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Engineers have long recognized the importance of bridge expansion joints. The inadequacy in design of such joints has also been realized. Proprietary products are now available which may eliminate well-documented problems associated with bridge expansion.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the field performance of such products.

Vehicle Noise Emission Levels In Kentucky, Kenneth R. Agent

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The objectives of this study were to update individual vehicle noise data taken in previous years in Kentucky and to determine reference mean energy emission levels for Kentucky vehicles for use in the SNAP 1 noise prediction procedure.

Comparison of Kentucky and nationwide emission levels showed a close agreement for medium and heavy trucks; however, automobile noise levels in Kentucky were higher than nationwide levels. An analysis of emission levels of the various vehicle types showed that a fourth category, light trucks, may need to be added. The Kentucky emission levels were input into SNAP 1 in place of the …

Designing Six Variable Combination Logic Circuits With The Ti-59, Brian M. Ashford

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

A program has been written for the Texas Instrument's TI-59 hand-held calculator implementing the Quine-McCluskey minimization method for logic circuit design. This program is contained on multiple magnetic cards and provides the user with the capability for combinational logic minimization of circuit design problems containing up to six variables.

Identification And Rehabilitation Of High-Risk Drivers, Kenneth R. Agent

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report deals with the identification and rehabilitation of high-risk drivers. Methods used to identify negligent drivers were examined. Kentucky's point system was compared to those tn other states. The consequences of drivers attending driverimprovement clinics were studied by analyzing driving records.

The analysis showed that accident involvement was directly related to the accumulation of penalty points and number of violations. Definite relationships were found between several specific types of violations and accidents.

A very significant improvement in driving records was noted for those drivers who completed a driver-improvement clinic; however, a similar improvement occurred for drivers eligible for the …

Synthesis Of Gaussian Beam Optical Systems, Lee W. Casperson

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Systematic procedures are presented for determining the the optical components needed to obtain an arbitrary transformation of a propagating light ray or Gaussian beam.

Photoelastic Investigation Of Load Transfer In Eccentrically Loaded Single Lap Joints, Stephen Antrim Hann

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Photoelastic models of three eccentrically loaded single lap joints were analyzed. The adherends of each joint were identical and the bondlines differed in thickness and material properties. The adherends were analyzed for both cylindrical plate behavior and geometrical nonlinearity and the load transfer efficiency was examined. For all three models it was found that over 98% of the shank behaves as a cylindrical plate and that a geometrically nonlinear analysis yields bending stresses substantially lower than a linear analysis and that a relatively thick, low modulus bondline can increase load transfer efficiency.

H & V News

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of Oscillations In Nonlinear Systems Using Multiple Input Describing Functions, Frederic Lee Swern

Dissertations

Sufficient conditions for oscillation as well as absence of oscillations are presented for a class of systems containing one lumped linear element and a differentiable nonlinearity. The results are obtained by estimating the error inherent in using a describing function analysis. Contraction type arguments are used to show common topological properties of the describing function solution and the balance of first harmonic terms of the system.

After discussing the describing function method, two theorems are presented regarding existence or nonexistence of oscillations from homotopic considerations. A graphical method for examining systems with power law nonlinearities is given using a parameter …

Bulletin - June, 1981, Civil Aviation Medical Association

Browse all Civil Aviation Medical Association Newsletters

An eight page newsletter of the Civil Aviation Medical Association. The newsletter provided news about civil aviation medicine and information related to the organization.

The Impact Of A Computerized Conferencing System On Scientific Research Communities, Computerized Conferencing & Communications Center, Starr Roxanne Hiltz

Computerized Conferencing and Communications Center Reports

The author is indebted to Murray Turoff for coauthoring the sections describing the EIES system and for his suppport and encouragement for this study at all stages. Mary Anne Solimine served as a research assistant, supervising the distribution, coding and tabulations of questionnaire responses. Without her diligent efforts, the study would not have been possible. Ann Marie Rabke, Joanne Garofalo, Diane Price, Duchess Brooks, Margaret Wnorowski, Christine Naegle, Sonia Khalil, and Marion Whitescarver provided valuable assistance with coding and data entry and editing tasks. Larry Landwebber was most cooperative in providing access to the Theory Net group. Alan Leurck, Thomas …

Ohio River Suspension Bridges: An Inspection Report, Theodore Hopwood Ii

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

For many years, suspension bridges have been employed to economic advantage where long uninterrupted spans were required. While they have been supplanted for most common applications by cantilever and arch bridges in the United States, suspension bridges are a valid design type. Two American suspension bridges have been in service for over 100 years. A new form of suspension bridge, the cable-stayed bridge, is widely used in Europe and is expected to be as popular in the United States.

The key to the success of suspension bridges lies in the use of high-strength wires that are consolidated into the main …

Traffic Accidents In Kentucky (1978), Kenneth R. Agent

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Highway locations having an abnormal history of accidents should be identifiable in some way. Average and critical accident numbers and rates must be known for similar locations. Averages have been determined previously for rural highways, but it is necessary to update those numbers and to determine rates for urban areas. A detailed picture of traffic accidents in Kentucky in 1978 is presented.

Average rates in terms of accidents per 100 million vehicle-miles (160 million vehicle-kilometers) were calculated for various classifications of rural and urban highways. Also, average rates in terms of accidents per million vehicles were determined for 0.3-mile (0.48-km) …

Evaluation Of Raised Pavement Markers In Kentucky: Statewide Installations; 1975-1979, Jerry G. Pigman, Kenneth R. Agent, Rolands L. Rizenbergs

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Raised markers have become commonplace in delineation on highways in states where snowfall is minimal and snowplows are not needed. They have proven to be especially effective for wet, nighttime, and other poor visibility conditions when paint stripes are least effective. In Kentucky, over one million raised markers have been installed and damage from snowplowing has been significant during some of the more severe winters. As a result of costs associated with replacing damaged markers and requirements of the Pavement Marking Demonstration Program, an evaluation of all installations was undertaken.

Between 1975 and 1979, a total of 1,082,250 markers were …

Strain-Rate Selection In The Constant-Rate-Of-Strain Consolidation Test, C. Thomas Gorman

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Constant-rate-of-strain (CRS) consolidation tests were performed on remolded kaolinite specimens. The effect of strain rate on CRS test data is shown. A relation between soil parameters and strain rate was developed and used to formulate a strain-rate selection procedure. The fmal selectlon procedure is based on liquid limit and initial degree of saturation of the specimen and is presented in graphical form. The procedure is applicable to all types of soils.

H & V News

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Mound Sewage Waste Treatment Systems, Elbert C. Dickey, Phillip W. Harlan, Cheryl Kisling-Crouch

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Several areas in Nebraska are not appropriate for onsite home sewage treatment using conventional septic tank absorption field systems. Site factors that limit the use of conventional absorption fields include slowly permeable soils, shallow or gravelly soils and high water tables. The septic tank-mound system, which consists of a septic tank for primary sewage treatment and a constructed mound for final waste treatment was developed to overcome these site limitations (Figure 1).

Although mound systems differ only slightly in principle from conventional sewage systems, they allow the user to select suitable materials to build an absorption field that relies …

Deposition Of Particles In Vertical Conduits Due To Electrostatic Charge, Diffusion, And Gravity, Melvin Wilbur Gelber

Dissertations

This investigation was made to determine the effect on the deposition of fine particles in a vertical channel and in a vertical tube due to the influences of electrostatic charge, diffusion, and gravity acting in the direction of flow. The flow considered was laminar, incompressible and steady.

The governing equations for the fluid phase were derived from the Navier-Stokes equation and the continuity equation while the equations for the particle phase were derived from Poisson's potential equation and the continuity equation. Since the governing equations are non-linear partial differential equations the solutions were developed using numerical methods.

The flow patterns …

Mathematical Modeling And Analytical Solutions Of Dissolved Oxygen And Biochemical Oxygen Demand Profiles Under Three-Dimensional, Unsteady-State Conditions, Uing Woong Kim

Dissertations

Mathematical models describing the temporal and spatial distribution of Dissolved Oxygen (DO) and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) for both pervious and impervious channel conditions in 3-dimensions have been constructed, and their analytical solutions were obtained. The solutions were implemented through the application of a digital computer, and their results are presented.

It has been found that there are significant differences in terms of DO and BOD distribution with respect to time and space in relatively deep and wide channels, thus necessitating the use of a 3-D, unsteady-state model.

Investigations Of Gate Turn-Off Structures, Hans Werner Becke

Dissertations

Research and Development was done on gate turn-off devices. The aim was i) to improve turn-off capability without compromise of turn-on, on-state, and useful temperature range, ii) to implement "safe" turn-off.

A) The dependence of the electrical device characteristics on cathode width for an optimized vertical structure was determined. Fall times of 100 to 200 nsec and risetimes of <400 nsec were simultaneously obtained for average current densities of 53 A/cm² @ T_j = 125°C. From spreading resistance analysis the fast t_r and t_f response is shown to be a consequence of proper Au-distribution in the active device volume.

From transient analysis it is concluded that for safe …