Engineering Commons^™

Longitudinal Changes In Diffusion Tensor Imaging In Hemodialysis Patients, Wesley T. Richerson, Brian D. Schmit, Dawn F. Wolfgram

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Introduction

Hemodialysis patients have increased white matter and gray matter pathology in the brain relative to controls based on MRI. Diffusion tensor imaging is useful in detecting differences between hemodialysis and controls but has not identified the expected longitudinal decline in hemodialysis patients. In this study we implemented specialized post-processing techniques to reduce noise to detect longitudinal changes in diffusion tensor imaging parameters and evaluated for any association with changes in cognition.

Methods

We collected anatomical and diffusion MRIs as well as cognitive testing from in-center hemodialysis patients at baseline and 1 year later. Gray matter thickness, white matter volume, …

A Trustworthy Self-Sovereign Data And Identity Management Framework, Efat Fathalla

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Data is a fundamental building block in the digital world, providing a basis for decision making and growth across numerous applications. In our modern world, we have become accustomed to collecting data on everything, including devices, machines, and people. The increased value of such data has led to aggressive harvesting mechanisms that prioritize data collection, storage, and pervasiveness while often disregarding security, privacy concerns, and compliance with regulations and standards. Such a pervasive attitude towards data has resulted in a loss of control, prompting concerns among individuals and mobilizing the scientific community towards advocating for data self-sovereignty.

Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) …

Stability And Strength Of Glass Frp Beam-Columns With Biaxial Bending And Torsion Including Shear And Warping Deformations, Emad M. Amin

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Presented herein is a study of the stability and strength of pultruded glass fiber reinforced polymer (Glass FRP) beam-columns with an I-shaped cross section subjected to biaxial bending and torsion including shear and warping deformations. Three coupled differential equations of equilibrium including second-order effects and geometric imperfections are formulated and solved using a finite-difference scheme. Laboratory experiments are also conducted on glass FRP members with applied torsion; axial load; combined axial load with biaxial bending; and combined axial load, biaxial bending and torsional moment, respectively, for comparison to the theoretical predictions. The theoretical results agreed well with the experiments for …

Understanding The Impact Of Emergent Conflict On Communication And Team Cognition: A Multilevel Study In Engineering Teams, Francisco Cima

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The development of team cognition is crucial for fostering high-performing teams. In cognitive-intensive fields like engineering, effective communication serves as a primary precursor to team knowledge development, enabling group members to effectively retrieve and utilize each other's expertise. Despite the critical role of communication, there is a lack of empirical research examining how conflict situations, which are critical emerging factors inherent to teamwork, interact with communication processes to constrain team knowledge development and utilization. This study, rooted in information processing theory, investigates how emerging conflict shapes multilevel team knowledge structures by interacting with communication processes in engineering project teams. Prior …

Synchronized Bionic Hand: Harmonizing Robotics With Rhythm, Deven Ayambem , '24

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

This report explores the therapeutic potential of rhythmic movement to music, focusing specifically on the "wave dance" movements of the human hand. Utilizing a mechanical analog, the study models the hand as a system of five interconnected mass-spring-dampers to simulate the dynamic and kinematic responses of the hand's joints to rhythmic stimuli. Through a combined approach of MATLAB simulation and physical modeling with servo motors controlled by Arduino, the project aims to quantify and visualize the effects of rhythmic movements on joint dynamics. The simulation employs the mass-spring-damper system to represent each joint and uses an impulse response approach to …

Cost-Effective Pv Panel Back Mount For Temperature Control And Heat Utilization, Jiuning Ren , '24

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

The efficiency of a PV panel is limited by its temperature, where panel efficiency drops with increasing operating temperature, resulting in low panel efficiency in hot summers. This project aims to design and implement a cheap and efficient cooling system for a PV panel in the form of a panel back mount. For this project, Solar Lab facilities were updated and used as systems for testing the functionalities of the back-panel mount design. These facilities include a Q.PEAK DUO BLK-G8+ 340 Monocrystalline silicon module PV panel, a Prostar PS-15M solar charge controller for power maximization and PV panel power monitoring, …

Myoelectric Robotic Hand To Play Guitar, Oliver Garcia , '24

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

Around 5.6 million people in the US have had an amputation or were born with limb difference. Some of these people find prostheses to be useful devices that allow them to perform desired activities that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to carry out. One form of prosthetic that, as far as I have found, has not been developed, is one for fretting chords on a guitar. Such a prosthetic would require multiple degrees of freedom for each finger, fine motor control, as well as quick actuation and signal interpretation. Most general purpose robotic prostheses today are either far too …

Design & Implementation Of A More Precise Competition Timer In Ware Pool, Ben Freeman , '24, Benjamin Wesley , '24

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

This project represents the culmination of an effort to redesign the timing system for competitive swim meets to record a swimmer’s precise time to the thousandth of a second, eclipsing the current standard competition precision tenfold. This required a redesign of the traditional swimming pool timing system to account for minute variations in the size of the pool and the length of the pool’s lanes. The scope of this project includes designing a system for obtaining precise measurement of the lengths along Swarthmore’s Ware Pool, the use of statistical analysis to determine the conformation of the pool’s lengths to NCAA …

Small Scale Wave Energy Convertor For Remote Applications, Rafael Torres Rodriguez, John Stephenson, Max Mailloux-Beauchemin, Brandon Nguyen, Ryan Chang

Mechanical Engineering Senior Theses

The following thesis showcases the yearlong culmination of a senior design project focused on the development of a small-scale wave energy generator intended to provide consistent and sustainable energy for remote marine environments. This project’s main customers include, but are not limited to, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, and scuba diving sites worldwide. Based on these identified customers and their needs, a target power output of 50 watts was determined. Beyond this power requirement, the generator is required to resist corrosion, withstand rough marine conditions, and be modular as well as requiring low maintenance. …

Autonomous Humanoid Soccer Robot With Ml Applications, Zichen Huang, Wesley Tu

Computer Science and Engineering Senior Theses

As the sports industry increasingly incorporates technological advancements, robotics has found a unique application in the field of soccer, traditionally dominated by human players. This transition has sparked significant interest in examining the performance and dynamics of robots in athletic contexts. In this senior design project, we focus on the development of autonomous movement, ball control, and game strategy algorithms for the NAO humanoid to play soccer. Utilizing an array of sensors and actuators, the robot is designed to perform fundamental soccer skills such as dribbling and shooting. The robot is able to identify both the goal and the ball …

Investigation Of Drying Shrinkage Characteristics In Lightweight Engineered Cementitious Composites, Agnel Mathew, Farhad Aslani

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Lightweight engineered cementitious composites (LW-ECCs) not only offer comparable mechanical strengths compared with conventional concrete, but also increase the tensile strain of the composite and exhibit strain-hardening behavior, and can be utilized in weight-critical structures such as buildings in seismically active areas. Hollow glass microsphere is a type of ultra-lightweight inorganic non-metallic hollow sphere and it has been deemed as one of the potential sustainable fillers of cement composites. This study aims to investigate the drying shrinkage behavior of LW-ECCs mix designs incorporating different types of hollow glass microspheres (HGMs). Eight types of HGMs with different densities (0.2–0.6 g/cm3) and …

Probabilistic Alternate Path Analysis Of Steel Moment-Resisting Frames, Esmaeil M. Dehcheshmeh, Vahid Broujerdian, Farhad Aslani

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This research presents a probabilistic assessment of progressive collapse in intermediate Steel Moment-Resisting Frames (SMRFs) subjected to different levels of column damage. Damage levels were represented by gradual reductions in column stiffness to the extent that tensile forces are created in columns sustaining large deformations, and columns were allowed to enter completely plastic zone. To this aim, low- to mid-rise structures with 4, 8, and 12 stories were examined. The effect of composite slabs on the vertical displacement response of SMRFs was taken as a variable. A number of 11 column damage scenarios were defined with either one or two …

Influence Of Side Dilution Jets On Swirling And Non-Swirling Pulverised Biomass Turbulent Annular Flows, Syed E. Gillani, Yasir M. Al-Abdeli, Zhao F. Tian

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The use of pulverised biomass in non-premixed combustion systems, featuring turbulent annular flows (swirling, non-swirling) with downstream air dilution jets, is of immense practical importance. The overall combustion performance and emissions heavily rely on the underlying flow dynamics, turbulence and dispersion behaviour of the pulverised biomass particles. Despite the practical significance of side dilution jets in aiding complete combustion and controlling pollutants, the fundamental understanding of side dilution jets influence on the biomass particle velocity field, turbulence, and dispersion characteristics is still lacking. However, the presence of a multi-phase (solid-gas) flow field, highly turbulent annular flows, swirl, and cross-wise turbulent …

Enhanced Carbohydrate-Based Plastic Performance By Incorporating Cerium-Based Metal-Organic Framework For Food Packaging Application, Shima Jafarzadeh, Mitra Golgoli, Maryam Azizi-Lalabadi, Javad Farahbakhsh, Mehrdad Forough, Navid Rabiee, Masoumeh Zargar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The development of biodegradable active packaging films with hydrophobic characteristics is vital for extending the shelf life of food and reducing the reliance on petroleum-based plastics. In this study, novel hydrophobic cerium-based metal-organic framework (Ce-MOF) nanoparticles were successfully synthesized. The Ce-MOF nanoparticles were then incorporated into the cassava starch matrix at varying concentrations (0.5 %, 1.5 %, 3 %, and 4 % w/w of total solid) to fabricate cassava-based active packaging films via the solution casting technique. The influence of Ce-MOF on the morphology, thermal attributes, and physicochemical properties of the cassava film was subsequently determined through further analyses. Biomedical …

Pulsed-Power Neutron Production With Deuterated Polymer Accelerator Targets, Anthony O. Hagey, Juan J. Manfredi, Whitman T. Dailey, S. L. Jackson, E. R. Kaiser, J, W. Schumer

Faculty Publications

This document presents an investigation of the effect of deuterated accelerator targets on the neutron fluence from a local mass injection dense plasma focus (LMIDPF) driven by the United States Naval Research Laboratory's (NRL) Hawk pulsed-power generator. Deuterated targets were made using two methods: a well-established thin-film casting technique for flat targets and a more novel additive manufacturing technique that allowed targets to be three-dimensional (3D) printed in both flat and conical geometries. These targets were then tested during neutron-producing experiments conducted using Hawk, and theneutron fluences measured for the various target types were compared. Additive manufacturing was used as …

Adsorbents From Rice Husk And Shrimp Shell For Effective Removal Of Heavy Metals And Reactive Dyes In Water, Md Ibrahim H. Mondal, Shovra C. Chakraborty, Md Saifur Rahman, Shaik M. H. Marjuban, Firoz Ahmed, John L. Zhou, Mohammad B. Ahmed, Masoumeh Zargar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Widespread contamination by heavy metals (HMs) and dyes poses a major health risk to people and ecosystems requiring effective treatment. In this work, rice husk (RH) and shrimp shells were extracted to obtain amorphous silica and chitosan, respectively, which were utilized to produce nano-chitosan-coated silica (NCCS). To ensure the stability of the nanoparticles, silica was freeze-dried after being coated with nano-chitosan. Functional groups (–NH2, –OH, P]O) from chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs) were introduced to the surface of silica during this process. Dyes such as brilliant green (BG), methylene blue (MB) and reactive brown (RB) as well as HMs (Cr6+, Pb2+, Cd2+, …

Experimental Investigation Of Varying Design Parameters On The Production Rate And Temperature Polarisation Of A Dcmd System, Hiras A. Hijaz, Masoumeh Zargar, Abdellah Shafieian, Amir Razmjou, Mehdi Khiadani

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Much of the research in the analysis of Temperature polarisation (TP) and the productivity of a membrane distillation (MD) system tends to concentrate on operational conditions. However, substantial enhancements in permeate flux can be realised through the incorporation of fundamental design modifications. This research showed that TP can be successfully mitigated almost to a level of non-existence, by manipulating the module orientation and flow channel height of an in-house designed direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) system. Notably, at higher flow channel heights, changing the module orientation from the default horizontal position with the feed side on top (FST) to a …

Scalable Fabrication Methods For Energy Devices, Julia Elizabeth Huddy

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Emerging energy technologies have the potential to fill gaps in performance and reliability but currently lack the capabilities to do this at a commercial scale. 3D printing has the ability to fabricate engineered lattice structures with broadly tunable surface area and optimal geometries for maximizing electrochemical performance, and perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have the potential to deliver terawatt-scale power via low-cost manufacturing. However, neither of these technologies has yet to achieve fully scalable manufacture. 3D printed energy storage devices lack an understanding of how 3D lattice type influences the specific capacity when employed in supercapacitors, and PSC fabrication is limited …

Analyzing The Influence Of Design And Operating Conditions On Combustion And Emissions In Premixed Turbulent Flames: A Comprehensive Review, Medhat Elkelawy Prof. Dr. Eng., E. A. El Shenawy Prof. Dr., Hagar Alm-Eldin Bastawissi, Ibrahim Ali Mousa Eng., Mohamed M. Abdel-Raouf Ibrahim Dr. Eng.

Journal of Engineering Research

Recently, premixed combustion has dominated the field of combustion research worldwide. The current work is a review that addresses the effects of design and operating regimes on the combustion and emission characteristics of premixed turbulent flames. The study accounts for recent developments aimed at overcoming combustor operability issues that influence emissions and flame stability. Various experimental setups have been utilized in investigations, with results pertaining to performance and emissions concerning premixed turbulent flames. Thus, the objective of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review of the effects of swirl vane angles and equivalence fuel-air ratios for tests conducted both …

Barriers Implementing Low Energy Buildings In Egypt, Gehad Ahmed Asran, Adel Rdwan, Mouatafa Baghdady

Journal of Engineering Research

One of the most contentious issues that has gained popularity over the past 20 years is energy-saving design. Buildings in hot regions have been the subject of a huge and expanding body of literature because they can conserve energy by utilizing a variety of passive design solutions. This paper gives a brief overview of the current literature on low energy buildings in Egypt during the last ten years. The goal is to identify the implementation barriers, both technological and non-technological, for low-energy buildings in Egypt. Using a five-point Likert scale, a questionnaire tool that asks participants about their awareness of …

A Technical Survey On Using Oxyhydrogen With Biodiesel/Diesel Blend For Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition Engine, Mai H. Aboubakr, Medhat Elkelawy, Hagar Alm-Eldin Bastawissi, Ayman R. El-Tohamy

Journal of Engineering Research

Renewable energy should be used instead of fossil fuels owing to the negative impact of fossil fuels on both humans and the environment, as well as the toxic emissions of carbon dioxide, unburned hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxide. Studies investigated the consideration of using alternative fuel that is renewable, sustainable, and eco-friendly, especially because of the huge demand for energy, the decline, and the environmental initiatives to decrease the usage of petroleum sources. The addition of oxyhydrogen [HHO] to biodiesel and diesel blends can enhance characteristics; however, there is a concern about raising nitrogen oxide levels, which can have negative impacts …

Improved Deep Learning Model Based Real-Time Recognition Of Arabic Sign Language, Nehal F. Attia, Mohamed Talaat Faheem Said Ahmed, Mahmoud A. M. Alshewimy

Journal of Engineering Research

Sign Language (SL) recognition plays a crucial role in facilitating communication and inclusivity for the hearing-impaired community. In this paper, we introduce a novel approach that incorporates two distinct activation functions—Exponential Linear Unit (ELU) and HardSwish-ELU—to enhance recognition using the pre-trained YOLOv5 object recognition model. ELU is integrated into the intermediate layers of the YOLOv5 architecture, addressing the vanishing gradient problem and capturing more expressive features. The HardSwish activation function, known for combining the advantages of ReLU and LeakyReLU, is employed for the final classification layer to enhance discriminative power. Throughout the training process, we use the SGD-based optimizer to …

Experimental Study On Fiber Reinforced Concrete (Frc) Beams With Splices, Mohie Eldin Salah Shoukry, Ahmed Mokhtar Tarabia, Nabil Youssef Nabil

Journal of Engineering Research

This paper presents the results of an experimental study involving nine simply supported beams featuring lap-spliced bars within the constant moment zone. All beams shared identical reinforcement details, including three longitudinal reinforcement bars (12 mm diameter) and two top reinforcement bars (8 mm diameter) for shear stirrup hanging. The lap-spliced specimens were created with a splice length of thirty times the bar diameter (360 mm). The study focused on two key parameters: the fiber content of hooked-end steel fibers used in the concrete mix and the presence of stirrups in the lap-splice region. The hooked-end steel fiber used was with …

Building For Safety: Design Considerations For Refuge Areas In Tall Buildings From Quality Management Perspective, Enass. A. Salama, Heba. M. Gaber, Ahmed. M. Selim

Journal of Engineering Research

New El Alamein City is one of the largest urban projects in Egypt, and the largest project on the north coast. Tall buildings (super high-rise buildings) are considered the prevailing trend by architectural designers to obtain the maximum view of the Mediterranean Sea. The provision of safety evacuation in emergencies for these buildings’ occupants is a crucial challenge from the Quality management point of view. In contrast, there are no sufficient architectural design guidelines for the tall buildings provided by the Egyptian code for protecting buildings from fire, especially the design of the refuge areas. This study aims to investigate …

Performance Augmentation Of Single-Slope Solar Distiller Using An Evacuated Tube Solar Collector: Theoretical Study, Eman Mohammed Abuelezz Eng., Yasser El-Samadony Prof., Khaled Khodary Esmaeil Assoc. Prof., Mohamed Elsheshtawy Zayed Dr.

Journal of Engineering Research

In this research, the performance analysis of a solar-powered desalination system incorporating a single slope-slope solar still and an evacuated tube solar collector is theoretically investigated. The system comprises a solar evacuated tube that absorbs solar radiation, transferring heat to saline water. This water then flows into a solar still, where it absorbs solar energy, boosting the evaporation rate. Two solar distillers, namely the conventional solar distiller (Still-I) and solar still integrated with evacuated tube solar collector (Still-II), are simulated and analyzed under identical outdoor conditions in Tanta, Egypt. A comprehensive theoretical model, developed using FORTAN programming, simulates the performance …

Effect Of Organic Compounds Additives For Biodiesel Fuel Blends On Diesel Engine Vibrations And Noise Characteristics, Medhat Elkelawy Prof. Dr, Eng., Hagar Alm-Eldin Bastawissi Prof. Dr. Eng., E. A. El Shenawy Prof. Dr., Mahmoud Soliman Eng.

Journal of Engineering Research

The extensive consumption of petroleum fuel directly correlates with both hazardous exhaust emissions affecting human health and contributing to global warming. Initially, biodiesel fuels were proposed as a viable alternative to address these issues. This perspective finds support in numerous published studies that highlight how the significant catalytic effect of nanoparticles allows for their integration into biodiesel blends, resulting in improved combustion characteristics, reduced exhaust emissions, and enhanced performance. This study investigates the impact of additives on biodiesel fuel properties and its effects on engine performance metrics such as brake power, brake thermal efficiency, exhaust gas concentration, engine vibration, and …

In-Depth Examination Of Gas Consumption In E-Will Smart Contract: A Case Study, Manal Mansour, May Salama, Hala Helmi, Mona F.M Mursi

Journal of Engineering Research

In recent years, blockchain technology, coupled with smart contracts, has played a pivotal role in the development of distributed applications. Numerous case studies have emerged, showcasing the remarkable potential of this technology across various applications. Despite its widespread adoption in the industry, there exists a significant gap between the practical implementation of blockchain and the analytical and academic studies dedicated to understanding its nuances.

This paper aims to bridge this divide by presenting an empirical case study focused on the e-will contract, with a specific emphasis on gas-related challenges. By closely examining the e-will contract case study, we seek to …

A Comparative Analysis Of Displaced Left-Turn And Four-Leg Signalized Intersections: Operational, Safety, And Environmental Perspectives, Aishah Elsayed Mohamed, Ibrahim Hashim, Ahmed Elsayed Hassan

Journal of Engineering Research

Numerous unconventional intersection designs have been suggested as a creative solution to mitigate traffic congestion at heavily crowded at-grade signalized intersections. A lot of these unconventional configurations have demonstrated superior performance compared to conventional intersections regarding average control delay and overall intersection capacity. This study aims to compare the operational, safety, and environmental effectiveness of one such unconventional intersection design known as Displaced Left-turn (DLT). The assessment considers both balanced and unbalanced scenarios in comparison to a conventional intersection (i.e., four-leg signalized intersection). This analysis employs the microscopic simulation software VISSIM along with the Surrogate Safety Assessment Model (SSAM). Operational …

Innovation In Egyptian Linear Construction Projects: Enablers, Obstacles, And Suggested Improvements, Saeed Ahmed Elshinawy, Mohammed Elsayed Elsharkawy Assis. Prof., Adel Ibrahim Eldosouky Emeritus Professor

Journal of Engineering Research

Abstract- This research aims to investigate the obstacles, enablers, and suggested improvements for innovation in the Egyptian linear construction projects. The study is motivated by the need to understand the dynamics of innovation within these projects and identify practical approaches to overcome obstacles to innovation.

Owners, contractors, and consultants involved in linear construction projects constituted the target population of the study. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from a representative sample of 70 participants.

It is found that time and budget constraints, along with traditional tendering and procurement methods were significant obstacles to innovation, while technological and technical …

Investigation Into The Impact Of Ammonia Hydroxide On Performance And Emissions In Compression Ignition Engines Utilizing Diesel/Biodiesel Blends, Medhat Elkelawy Prof. Dr, Eng., Hagar Alm-Eldin Bastawissi, Mohammed Osama Elsamadony Dr. Eng., Abdallah Salem Abdalhadi

Journal of Engineering Research

In recent times, there has been a surge in scientific endeavors aimed at combating global warming. Various methods have been employed to address this issue, including the substitution of fossil fuels with more environmentally sustainable alternatives and the combination of different fuel types. This can be achieved through the integration of innovative injection systems and the simultaneous combustion of alternative fuels alongside fossil fuels, or by modifying fuel injection systems such as in the PCCI, RCCI, or HCCI systems. In a particular research investigation, a blend of ammonia hydroxide and diesel, with volume percentages of 7.5% and 92.5% respectively, was …