Engineering Commons^™

Detection Of Hypoxia Via Rgb Imaging, Nathania Nischal

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Colorectal cancer is a common form of cancer, and is heavily researched in murine models. Colonoscopies are often performed in clinical settings to assess the health of the colon, as well as locate and assess the severity of tumors in a non-invasive way. As the quality of the images is dependent on the colonic environment and the light available, it is important to ensure the accuracy of the images via a normalization algorithm. The RGB images procured from these colonoscopies have great potential as a diagnostic tool for physicians, as varying scales of discoloration is common in hypoxic tissue. While …

Dorsal Root Ganglia Neurite Outgrowth Following Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury Repair: A Review, Adrienne Vaughan

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI) can cause partial sensorimotor deficiency or total dysfunction, rendering patients unable to perform necessary tasks and dramatically decreasing their quality of life. tSCI is a very prevalent issue. In the United States alone, there are approximately 54 new cases of SCI per one million people each year, or 18,000 new cases annually. tSCI creates a lesion gap filled with axon-inhibiting fibrotic scar tissue. Comprehensive functional recovery following traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI) requires axonal regeneration across wound site lesions. Dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurite outgrowth is often evaluated in PNI therapeutic research since it can …

Implementation Of Explainable Ai For Bearing Fault Classification, Mohammad Mundiwala

Honors Scholar Theses

It is difficult to overstate the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) over the past decade. The rapid expansion of machine learning has stimulated a race to deploy AI in all facets of life, one such domain being machine health monitoring. There is no doubt that machine learning excels in prediction accuracy, but oftentimes, these models are cryptic and fail to provide valuable insight into their decisions. This paper presents an overview of a neural network and what it means to learn. Next, two distinct Explainable AI (XAI) techniques will be presented: Gradient Class Activation Mapping and SimplEx . Finally, these …

Primary Consolidation Settlement Of South Louisiana Clay Deposits In Marsh Environment, Alice E. Stark

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Accurate estimation of primary consolidation of in-situ marsh soils is inherently difficult in south Louisiana due to the soft, settlement prone soils and variable alluvial material. To investigate the accuracy of settlement analysis methods commonly utilized in local practice, estimates from numerical models were compared to the results of a settlement monitoring program at a project site during construction. Sensitivity analyses were then performed using several parameters that were used in the settlement analysis, and the results were compared to the field observations.

The disagreement of observed settlement data and settlement estimates produced with a model that did not include …

Innovative Rate Design As A Free Market Solution To Climate, Resiliency, And Economic Challenges, Brendan J. Moore

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

A century-old problem of electricity rate design is cost-shifting between ratepayers (Wellinghoff, J. & Tong, J., 2015). A much newer cost-shifting example of great and increasing importance happens whenever ratepayer generated “renewable energy” is sold to the grid—all too often, this is accused of being unfairly rewarded (Ritchie, 2016). ProRate resolves both these concerns and ProRate can actually be derived simply from the premise of avoiding “all” cost shifts between ratepayers (Katz, CLEPm Rewards to Arrest Demand Cost-Shifting, 2019; Katz, CLEP5 Rewards to Arrest Energy Cost-Shifting, 2019). Another major problem with the Old Utility Model is the lack of price …

Quasi-Static And Dynamic Deformation Of Aluminum Matrix Composites Reinforced By Core-Shell Al35ti15cu10mn20cr20 High-Entropy Alloy Particulates, Dezhi Zhu, Tingting Chen, Xiaoqiang Jin, Haiming Wen, Zhiqiang Fu, Shengguan Qu

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Core-Shell Structured Particles Are Potential Reinforcement Agents For Metal Matrix Composites. In This Work, Aluminum Matrix Composites Reinforced With Core-Shell Structured Al35Ti15Cu10Mn20Cr20 High-Entropy Alloy (HEA) Particles Were Fabricated By Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) And High-Temperature Diffusion Post-Treatment. Dynamic Compression Behavior And Adiabatic Shear Failure Mechanism In The Composites Were Investigated By Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB), Scanning Electron Microscopy And Transmission Electron Microscopy. Results Showed That The Shell Thickness Of The Core-Shell Particles Ranged From 0.4 To 1.6 Μm, Which Were Formed By Thermal Diffusion Between HEA Core And Aluminum Alloy. The 30 Vol% (Al35Ti15Cu10Mn20Cr20)p/2024Al Composite Showed A High Compressive …

Computational Predictions Of Heart Failure Drug Effects On Cardiac Fibrosis, Aaron Gardner

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The extracellular matrix is a complex system surrounding cells that is crucial to all of the cardiovascular system’s functions. Fibrosis is an excessive accumulation (scarring) of the extracellular matrix. Fibrosis is typically a negative event, and the scarring must be reduced in the heart in order to maintain its functionality. Due to this, simulations are run using the software “Netflux” in order to determine the effects of different heart failure drugs on cardiac fibrosis. The drugs that were simulated were an ACE Inhibitor, BAR Beta Blocker, ARB Blocker, and Entresto. These drugs were simulated over 50 hours at three different …

Optimization Of Collagen And Cell Concentrations For Engineered Tissues, Avery Fiser

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Improvements regarding the drug discovery process are necessary due to less than 1% of drugs making it from the initial discovery phase to patient treatment in clinics. One method of enhancing this process involves improving the relevance and dependability of in vitro testbeds utilized during pre-clinical testing. Improvement along these factors can provide a more relevant view for eventual drug behavior in patients. This additional relevance can allow for a reduced timeline in drug development for improving patient care. A consistent and morphologically sound baseline engineered tissue is vital to the creation of successful experimental models. Parameters such as cell …

Simulating And Training Autonomous Rover Navigation In Unity Engine Using Local Sensor Data, Christopher Pace

Senior Honors Theses

Autonomous navigation is essential to remotely operating mobile vehicles on Mars, as communication takes up to 20 minutes to travel between the Earth and Mars. Several autonomous navigation methods have been implemented in Mars rovers and other mobile robots, such as odometry or simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) until the past few years when deep reinforcement learning (DRL) emerged as a viable alternative. In this thesis, a simulation model for end-to-end DRL Mars rover autonomous navigation training was created using Unity Engine, using local inputs such as GNSS, LiDAR, and gyro. This model was then trained in navigation in a …

Fin Design Topology Optimization For Direct Liquid Cooling Of Multichip Power Modules, Aniket Ajay Ladd, Eric Roman, Yue Zhao, William P. King, Nenad Miljkovic

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

This article demonstrates the use of topology optimization (TO) to generate optimal fin designs capable of high heat flux removal without increasing the pumping power. We use pseudo-3-D modeling validated against 3-D simulations for thermal-hydraulic performance, which reduces the computational intensity and allows for a wider range of designs to be considered. The accuracy of the pseudo-3-D modeling is aided by allowing the heat transfer coefficient to vary locally with the flow conditions, in contrast to other studies that often assume constant heat transfer coefficient independent of surface shape. We generated TO designs with density fields representing six different conventional …

Modeling Vibration Stiffness: An Analytical Extension Of Hertzian Theory For Angular Contact Bearings With A Thin Viscoelastic Coating, Davis R. Burton

Honors Theses

This thesis considers the novel angular contact rolling-element bearings proposed by NASA’s Glenn Research Center, which are coated with a thin solid lubricant that exhibits viscoelastic behavior. Current analytical models for the dynamic stiffness matrix of angular contact bearings, critical for vibration analysis, lack the ability to model the effects of a solid coating, as well as the time dependencies inherent in viscoelastic theory. The author first presents an overview of the stiffness matrix derivation, followed by a treatment of the underlying Hertzian contact theory. An analytical extension of this theory is proposed which accounts for a thin elastic layer …

Rapid Response Satellite Launcher, Nathan Jones, Joey Cosentino, Jayson Layton, Afek Adar

Senior Design Project For Engineers

Air launch to orbit is a new style or spacecraft where rockets are attached to a large aircraft and released at cruising altitude to then ignite and launch into space. Companies such as Virgin Orbit are using it as a cheap and efficient way to move satellite payloads into lower or upper Earth orbit. These styles of launchers can be designed to be much smaller than ground-launched spacecraft, reducing cost and weight of the launcher in comparison. With many private companies coming into the space and satellite industry, the design and manufacturing of these launchers have become a focus within …

Encapsulated 2d Materials And The Potential For 1d Electrical Contacts, Sarah Wittenburg

Physics Undergraduate Honors Theses

The utilization of two-dimensional materials and heterostructures, particularly graphene and hexagonal boron nitride, have garnered significant attention in the realm of nanoelectronics due to their unique properties and versatile functionalities. This study focuses on the synthesis and fabrication processes of monolayer graphene encapsulated between layers of hBN, aiming to explore the potential of these heterostructures for various electronic applications. The encapsulation of graphene within hBN layers not only enhances device performance but also shields graphene from environmental contaminants, ensuring long-term stability. Experimental techniques, including mechanical exfoliation and stamp-assisted transfer, are employed to construct three-layer stacks comprising hBN-graphene-hBN. The fabrication process …

Balancing Environmental Clearances With Construction Work Zone Needs, Chris Van Dyke, Steve Waddle, Ying Li

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

On small, single-span bridge projects (< 100 feet), the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) during project development works to establish an environmentally clear area (ECA) large enough to accommodate contractor operations. An adequately sized ECA gives contractors sufficient room to have materials delivered, park vehicles, store materials, and maneuver equipment around the project site (e.g., cranes, drill rig). If a contractor finds an ECA is too small to support their operations, they are responsible for obtaining additional environmental clearances. Clearing additional areas following the project award can slow down project delivery. To reduce the likelihood of contractors needing to enlarge an ECA, this report includes four documents KYTC can implement immediately to streamline and clarify the environmental clearances process. They include a checklist that project managers can use to coordinate the work of project team members and verify environmental clearances are on track, a combined environmental clearances workflow and best practices document for use by environmental subject-matter experts (SMEs), proposed language that can be inserted into project proposals that describes the environmental clearance process and specifies materials the Cabinet will hand off to contractors showing the location of the ECA, and a one-page explainer for contractors describing the environmental clearances process. Taken together, these deliverables emphasize the importance of early and ongoing coordination among project team members, clearing as much area as practical in and around bridges, and being transparent with contractors about their responsibilities.

Comprehensive Current Flow Modeling And Circuit Parameter Analysis For A Brushed Dc Motor Regenerative Braking System, Caleb Nathaniel Bondy

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The literature surrounding regenerative braking systems deals heavily with control system analysis and less to do with the electrical analysis of the circuitry itself. This thesis develops a step-by-step current flow model for a single-phase brushed DC motor regenerative braking system using the RL unit step-response equation as a starting point. This model and the equations derived from it will be analyzed to see what limitations arise from the circuitry on the overall performance of the system, such as non-ideal resistances, switching delays, and affects from current draw of accessory circuitry. The efficiency will be calculated in the context of …

Neural Network Based Digital Twin For A Half-Bridge Llc Resonant Converter, Nicholas Green

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This paper introduces a Neural Network based approach for creating a Digital Twin of a Half-Bridge LLC Resonant Converter. By using a set of measured inputs, the Digital Twin system can characterize the component values, and hard to measure switch characteristics such as the Junction Temperature or Gate-Source Capacitance. This capability is useful for reliability or health applications, and may also be useful for adaptive control. A case study is done for the LLC Resonant converter designed around an operating point. Data sweeps around that operating point are simulated to form a dataset. An introduction to Neural Networks is given …

Multi-Task Learning For Hybrid Communication Waveforms: Exploring Model Enhancement Techniques And Establishing Task Relationships, Saksham Dewan

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Wireless communications have become ubiquitous, enabling seamless connectivity and driv- ing innovations across various domains. As we look to the future, visible light communication (VLC) is a promising technology that offers the potential to revolutionize how we transmit and receive data. It seamlessly integrates multiple functionalities, including localization, control/sensing, and high-speed data transmission.This thesis proposes a multi-task learning deep convolutional neural network approach to optimize a hybrid waveform for VLC-enabled networks. By integrating Beacon Posi- tion Modulation (BPM), Beacon Phase Shift Keying (BPSK), and OFDM symbols within a virtual Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) envelope, this waveform supports localization, control/sensing, and …

Radio Frequency Interference (Rfi) Detection In Microwave Radiometry Using Multi-Dimensional Data Mining Techniques, Fathima Imara Mohamed Nazar

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Measurements of natural electromagnetic radiation from Earth using microwave radiometers provide deep insight into our planet and its environmental conditions. These insights are essential for quantifying, understanding, and predicting various geophysical processes, such as climate patterns, water cycles, carbon cycles, and more. These passive measurements are diverse and cover a wide range of frequencies, depending on the sensitivity of microwave radiation to changes in important geophysical parameters. However, it is important to note that the microwave spectrum is also utilized by active services, such as wireless communication networks and radars. As a result, Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) in the measurements …

Optimization And Fabrication Of Semiconductor Power Devices On 4h-Sic, Justin M. Lynch

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The work presented in this document focuses on the design, optimization, and fabrication of power devices on 4H-Silicon Carbide (SiC) substrates. Power devices convert or control electric power flow and are the main components of electronic power systems worldwide. Power electronic systems are used in both low-power and high power settings, including prevalent applications such as fast charging set-ups for personal electronic devices, electric vehicle motor drives, and renewable energy storage and grid connections. With a wide spread of applications and the further electrification of our society on the horizon, it is crucial to minimize the power loss of power …

Toward The Advancement Of High-Efficiency P-Type Doping In Iii-Nitrides: Novel Beryllium Doping Techniques, Benjamin Arthur Mcewen

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The III-nitride material system is well-suited to a broad range of applications in light emitting diodes and laser diodes, photodetectors, power management, and telecommunications. Much of III-nitrides’ utility derives from their direct, wide, and tunable bandgap, but it is their ability to be doped n- and p-type that makes them especially useful and attractive. However, despite the decades of academic interest and commercial success, p-type doping in III-nitrides is infamously difficult and inefficient. Magnesium, the only currently viable p-type dopant in III-nitrides, is not a shallow acceptor, and as a result, the activation efficiency of Mg in GaN is only …

Design And Fabrication Of Injectable Alginate Hydrogel Microstrands For Mesenchymal Stem Cell Delivery In Salivary Gland Tissue Regeneration, Sujith Chander Reddy Kollampally

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Fibrosis is a pathological wound healing process, driven by excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) following tissue remodeling. Fibrosis occurs in diseased or damaged salivary glands caused by several conditions, such as Sjogren’s syndrome or radiation for head and neck cancers. Having better insight into the cellular and molecular progression of fibrosis will allow us to model new therapeutic approaches as fibrosis prevents salivary gland tissue regeneration and function. Pharmacological, tissue engineering and cell-based regeneration strategies have been widely explored to restore lost salivary gland function. Among cell-based therapies, exploitation of mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSC) for salivary gland regeneration has …

Flow Characterization With Acoustic Emission Sensing, Jackson Marsh

Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Acoustic emissions (AE) allow for non-intrusive sensing into many types of systems. In systems where there is flow of some type, AE is very useful as these types of systems can be characterized in many ways from the collisions or creation of the flow. Correctly setting up the AE system is extremely important. Failure to do so results in imprecision and inaccurate data being collected. Because of this synchronization techniques, sensor configurations, and data acquisition systems must all align. This can be done with off-the-shelf, commercial systems, but this does not allow for customization and the ability to tailor the …

Suppressing Reactive Oxygen Species Via Application Of Antioxidant Supramolecular Polymers, Zacchaeus Wallace

Honors Theses

Cardiovascular diseases along with various other disease conditions are characterized by an upregulation in reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can overwhelm homeostatic processes in the body, resulting in cellular apoptosis and severe oxidative damage. The lack of clinically approved treatments to regulate or alleviate this elevated ROS presence underscores the need for novel therapeutic strategies. While antioxidants promote cell rescue through ROS scavenging, their clinical translation is impeded by insufficient bioavailable concentrations at the source of injury. The opportunity to apply antioxidant supramolecular polymers of peptide amphiphiles (PAs) is an exciting prospect of research to combat corresponding issues. For this …

Characterization Of Platinum On Carbon Nanoparticles Selectively Coated With Titanium Nitride (Tin), Matthew Maramo

Honors Scholar Theses

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells are a promising low-carbon technology that still face problems including low durability during their normal operation cycles. At the cathode, the carbon supports of the catalysts may corrode. Atomic layer deposition of titanium nitride is performed on prepared catalyst layer samples. The purpose of the deposition is to create a thin film over the carbon supports to reduce carbon support corrosion and improve the lifespan of the fuel cell. Sheet resistances and contact angles are measured for the samples before and after the deposition, although some samples did not receive the deposition and post-deposition characterization …

Investigation Of Pra For Rapid Part Replacement, John Lazenby

Honors Theses

As the electronics industry transitions to using commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) devices of increasingly smaller technologies, radiation effects analysis becomes more significant in mission planning. In this work a probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) program, RadSTATS, is used in the analysis of various COTS memories in a radiation environment. The probabilities that the bits in memory will be flipped due to single event upset (SEU) rates are calculated for each memory, volatile and non-volatile. The unavailability of bits was discovered to increase with increasing storage capacity. Methods of error detection and correction (EDAC) between the same manufacturer were seen to decrease at unavailability …

Design Of Small-Scale Milk Processing Facility, Luke Bond, Robert Stenzel, Ry Steffen, John Van Nieuwenhuyse, Rossana Villa-Rojas, Terry Howell Jr., Tami M. Brown-Brandl, Forrest Kievit

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Masters Project Reports

This project was intended to investigate the feasibility of a proposed modular dairy processing facility collocated with a small dairy on the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Innovation Campus. Priority was placed upon cost savings for equipment to be used in processing. Process flow diagrams, floor plans, production schedules, risk assessments, and plans for wastewater treatment were all developed to address the needs of the plant should it be built. A Monte Carlo simulation was conducted to evaluate the timeline for breaking even financially, resulting in the potential for a payback period of 4.5 years. The 4.5-year payback period was based on …

Detection Of Deficiencies And Data Analysis Of Bridge Members With Deep Convolutional Neural Networks, Bennett Jackson

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Concrete cracks and structural steel corrosion are two of the most common defects in bridges. Quantifying and classifying these defects provide bridge inspectors and engineers with valuable data for assessing deterioration levels. However, the bridge inspection process is typically a subjective, time intensive, and tedious task, as defects can be overlooked or in locations not easily accessible. Previous studies have investigated deep learning-based inspection methods, implementing popular models such as Mask R-CNN and U-Net. The architectures of these models offer certain advantages depending on the required task. This thesis aims to evaluate and compare Mask R-CNN and U-Net regarding their …

Dynamic Impact Testing And Numerical Analysis Of Non-Proprietary Astm F2656-20 M50 Anti-Ram Barrier Components, Weston Kelley

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In a post-9/11 world, hostile actors are using vehicles as weapons to inflict civilian casualties. Pedestrians, vulnerable road users, military personnel, and police may be targeted using a vehicle as a weapon. The United States Department of Defense (DoD) also utilizes Entry Control Facilities (ECFs) which are carefully designed transportation corridors to manage how threat vehicles are able to access military facilities. In 2004, DoD started to upgrade all ECFs using both passive and active barriers. Many anti-ram vehicle barriers were evaluated according to the criteria established in ASTM F2656, but to date few options are available which are (1) …

Improved Test Fixture For Collecting Microcontact Performance And Reliability Data, Turja Nandy, Ronald A. Coutu Jr., Rafee Mahbub

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) ohmic contact switches are considered to be a promising candidate for wireless communication applications. The longevity of MEMS switches is directly related to the reliability and performance of microcontacts. In this work, an improved microcontact test fixture with high actuation rates (KHz) and highly precise position control (nm) and force (nN) control was developed. Here, we collected microcontact performance data from initial contact tests (ICT) and microcontact reliability data from cold switched tests (CST). To perform these tests with our test fixture, we fabricated MEMS microcontact test structures with relatively high Young’s modulus electroplated Nickel (Ni)-based, fixed–fixed …

Critical Risk Assessment, Diagnosis, And Survival Analysis Of Breast Cancer, Shamiha Binta Manir, Priya Deshpande

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Breast cancer is the most prevalent type of cancer in women. Risk factor assessment can aid in directing counseling regarding risk reduction and breast cancer surveillance. This research aims to (1) investigate the relationship between various risk factors and breast cancer incidence using the BCSC (Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium) Risk Factor Dataset and create a prediction model for assessing the risk of developing breast cancer; (2) diagnose breast cancer using the Breast Cancer Wisconsin diagnostic dataset; and (3) analyze breast cancer survivability using the SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results) Breast Cancer Dataset. Applying resampling techniques on the training dataset …