Engineering Commons^™

Computationally Modeling The Human-Structure Interaction Response Of An Occupied Cantilevered Structure, Brennan Smith

Honors Theses

There is a limited understanding of the impact that passive human occupants have on a dynamic structural system, referred to as Human-Structure Interaction (HSI). Cantilevers are naturally prone to excessive vibrations due to their long unsupported spans, and cantilevered structures such as those commonly found in the seating area of a stadium facility or concert hall are designed to support a high density of occupancy.

This study determined that HSI in cantilevered structures can be modeled using a simple two-degree-of-freedom system. The results of the model were validated by data that was collected on a small-scale laboratory structure intentionally designed …

Fostering Corporate Resilience: Assessing Risk Management Committee Effectiveness In Malaysia’S Telecommunication And Media Sector Pre- And During The Covid-19, Flicia Rimin, Siti Rahayu Beli, Anastasiah Harbi, Imbarine Bujang, Jamaliah Said

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted organizations, underscoring the critical role of financial factors in determining performance. Maintaining a healthy financial stance during crises necessitates effective risk management, prompting the exploration of a Risk Management Committee (RMC) as a focal point for addressing risk issues and managing internal controls. A study spanning 2017 to 2021 assessed 11 listed companies in the Telecommunication and Media Sector, revealing that a combined RMC did not enhance financial performance, indicating its ineffectiveness during the crisis. The study advocates for a separate risk management committee due to the audit committee’s limitations in performing both functions. …

The Apprenticeship Of Observation In Gifted Education, David Wolff

Open Educational Resources - Teaching and Learning

The ‘Apprenticeship of Observation’ is described as one’s perception of ‘good teaching’ as informed by our own experiences as a student observing teaching for thirteen years in a K-12 school system. Perception of gifted education is susceptible of the ‘apprenticeship of observation’ and often influencing teachers’ actions and beliefs about the needs of gifted learners.

Non-Invasive Monitoring Device For Early Detection Of Breast Cancer Related Lymphedema, Amy Prendergast

Honors Theses and Capstones

Breast Cancer Related Lymphedema (BCRL) is a common co-morbidity in cancer survivors following neoadjuvant therapies such as chemotherapy, radiation, and/or surgery. It is brought about by the disruption in the lymphatic system (think lymph node biopsy) that leads to a buildup of lymphatic fluid in the arm. Current diagnostic strategies for this condition are merely retroactive, and fairly limited in the parameters that are examined to ensure patient well-being long term. We hypothesize that with an approach that mimics bioimpedance spectroscopy analysis, we will be able to provide a clinical support tool that would better determine early stages of lymphedema …

New Record Of Leucistic Blue Catfish, Ictalurus Furcatus (Siluriformes: Ictaluridae) From The Black River, Lawrence County, Arkansas, C.T. Mcallister, H.W. Robison

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The Blue Catfish, Ictalurus furcatus (Lesueur), the largest North American ictalurid, inhabits deep watersheds, impoundments, and main channels and backwaters of medium to large rivers, over mud, sand, and gravelly substrate. Its native range includes the Mississippi River basin from western Pennsylvania to southern South Dakota and southwestern Nebraska south to the Gulf of Mexico and in Alabama, Florida, The Rio Grande drainage of Texas and New Mexico (Page and Burr 2011). In Arkansas, I. furcatus is found throughout the Arkansas, Red, and Mississippi river drainages and has been stocked by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission into reservoirs throughout …

Statistical Analysis For Water Quality Data Using Anova (Case Study- Lake Burullus Influent Drains), Mohamed Hussein Hegazy

Civil Engineering

Lake Burullus is considered one of the most valuable northern lakes in Egypt due to its unique ecological system and special location. Over the past four decades, the lake has suffered from high contamination levels due to expansion in fish farming and increasing of agricultural drainage water entering the southern side of the lake through eight influent drains. This research aims to assess the current situation of the lake’s influent drains. For this purpose, two types of statistical analysis, Mean average method, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used. The water quality conditions for six major drains (Therah (Tira), Nashart, …

Lecturer Assistant, Aya Hassan

Civil Engineering

Lake Burullus is considered one of the most valuable northern lakes in Egypt due to its unique ecological system and special location. Over the past four decades, the lake has suffered from high contamination levels due to expansion in fish farming and increasing of agricultural drainage water entering the southern side of the lake through eight influent drains. This research aims to assess the current situation of the lake’s influent drains. For this purpose, two types of statistical analysis, Mean average method, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used. The water quality conditions for six major drains (Therah (Tira), Nashart, …

Understanding Impact Resistance Of Hollow Core Slabs Using Frp Retrofitting. A Comparative Analysis Of Gfrp And Cfrp, Rana Essam, Mina Maxi, Mariam Ehab

Civil Engineering

No abstract provided.

Advancing Seismic Retrofitting: Unveiling The Impact Of Shape Memory Alloys On Structural Resilience And Beyond, Mariam Ehab, Mina Maxy, Nermin Ahmed

Civil Engineering

Reinforced concrete (RC) buildings face significant risks from natural disasters such as earthquakes and hurricanes, necessitating prompt maintenance and retrofitting. This study explores the application of shape memory alloys (SMAs) as a promising retrofitting technique, leveraging their unique attributes such as super elasticity and shape memory effect. This research focuses on seismic retrofitting with SMAs, aiming to address gaps in understanding their behaviour under extreme loading conditions, such as seismic or impact loading. Employing a comprehensive methodology, combining quantitative and qualitative analyses, the study reviews relevant literature, categorizes key aspects, and conducts a comparative analysis of the selected papers. The …

Implementing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles To Collect Human Gait Data At Distance And Altitude For Identification And Re-Identification, Donn E. Bartram

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Gait patterns are a class of biometric information pertaining to the way a person moves and poses. Gait information is unique to each person and can be used to identify and reidentify people. Historically, this task has been achieved through the use of multiple ground-based imaging sensors. However, as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) advance, they present the opportunity to evolve the process of persons identification and re-identification. Collecting human gait data using UAVs at distances ranging from 20m to 500m and altitudes ranging from 0m to 120m is a challenging task. The current biometric data collection methods, primarily designed for …

Evaluation Of Probable Maximum Precipitation (Pmp) For West Virginia To Predict Current And Future Pmp & Utilizing Acid Mine Drainage (Amd) Sludge In Reclamation, Grace Katherine Kerr

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis includes two main topics: 1) evaluation of probable maximum precipitation (PMP) for West Virginia to predict current and future PMP, and 2) utilizing acid mine drainage (AMD) sludge as a reclamation plan.

Probable maximum precipitation (PMP) is essential for dam design as well as for the inspection, operation, maintenance, and repairs of these facilities. West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection Dam Safety utilizes the 6-hr, 10-mi² (26-km²) PMP established by Hydrometeorological Report (HMR) 51 based on the analysis of extreme rainfall. These PMP are outdated because there have been unaccounted for extreme rainfall events that …

Understanding Learners' Perception Of Virtual Reality-Assisted Learning In Engineering Education, Mohammad Samin Mansur

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Virtual reality (VR)-assisted learning may facilitate an immersive and interactive learning environment and enable learners to explore and interact with learning content at their own pace and interest. However, it is still unknown how well VR is received in engineering learning while empowering autonomy and personalization. The objective of this study is to investigate learners' perceptions of VR-assisted learning in engineering education while allowing learners to learn at their own pace, driven by their personal preference. To this end, experiments were conducted, in which thirty engineering students were recruited and immersed in a VR setting designed to deliver an interactive …

Stormwater Responses To Climatic And Land Cover Changes In Lowly Urbanized Subcoastal Environments, Md Tanvirul Islam

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Stormwater runoff is widely considered a significant factor in coastal inundation and water quality degradation. The main objective of this thesis is to determine the potential impacts on stormwater runoff in lowly urbanized coastal/subcoastal environments under a changing climate and land use/cover. The East Fork San Jacinto River Basin (Area = 2577 of southern Texas, USA was considered a pilot area for this study. Given the sparse availability of high-resolution precipitation data in space and time, this research first evaluated four remotely sensed and/or reconstructed precipitation products (CMORPH-CDR, MERRA, PERSIANN-CDR, and PRISM) by comparing the data with the historical gauge …

Performance Evaluation Of Composite Utility Structures Under Wildfires And Mitigation Methods, Siddhant Sitoula

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composite utility poles and crossarms have been getting wider attention from the utility industries because of their advantages over the traditional wooden, concrete, and steel poles. Wood is vulnerable to fire, rot, and animal damage. Concrete poles are heavier, increasing both transportation and installation costs of the poles, in addition to limited-service life (40-50 years). Similarly, steel poles have durability and safety concerns because of their inherent corrosive nature and conductivity. These disadvantages are significantly reduced by the use of FRP composites in utility structures because of FRP’s strength, specific gravity, flexibility, non-conductivity and durability …

Modification Of Gas Atomized Metal Powders Through Mechanical Chemical Bonding Technique, Philip Thomas Mallory

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Additive Manufacturing (AM) has become popular for commercial applications where high-performance parts can now be created, tested, and modified more efficiently thus expediting the design process. Because of its relatively easy access today a lot of research and improvements are coming out yearly for improved AM machines and the material used. At WVU, a new way of modifying as-receive commercial gas-atomized metal powders used in AM has been developed using Mechanical Chemical Bonding (MCB) methodology which uses high rotational blades to create an environment where it increases the particle-on-particle interaction. During this high energetic process all irregular shaped particles, with …

Engineering Applications Of Artificial Intelligence To Forecast Production Of Shale Wells, Yasir Jassim Alkalby

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examines the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and supervised machine learning techniques to forecast production from unconventional shale wells, utilizing actual field measurement data over a period of two years. Traditional methods, such as decline curve analysis, offer valuable insights but often fail to fully capture the complex nuances affecting productivity and tend to rely excessively on empirical equations.

In this research, the AI-based Shale Analytics approach, introduced by Mohaghegh in 2017, is employed. This method leverages Big Data Analytics to identify unique patterns from actual field observations, enhancing the evaluation and quantification of various productivity factors, facilitating …

Advancing Gfrp Column Design: Strength, Effective Lengths, And Failure Modes, Jack Alan Wykle

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites have become an increasingly popular choice in construction industry due to their higher strength-to-weight ratio, ease of manufacture including lower Embodied Carbon Factor, and better durability in harsh environmental conditions than conventional structural construction materials. Currently, GFRP composite column design lacks well-established design standards due to the material's unique properties such as lower bending and shear stiffness than steel, differing compressive and tensile moduli, which leads to complexities in computing buckling capacities under local effects such as flange or web buckling and even torsional buckling under off-centered compression loading. Therefore, GFRP columns will behave …

Adaptive Neh With Constrained Nearest Neighbor Subtours For The Electric Vehicle Routing Problem With Time Windows, Andrew Struthers

All Master's Theses

The development of electric vehicles is currently considered one of the most innovative areas in manufacturing. Largely driven by the desire to reduce greenhouse emissions, electric vehicles are seen as a viable alternative to internal combustion engine cars. Starting from consumer cars, a dedicated effort is being made to translate this into commercial vehicles for freight and delivery. This research introduces a novel adaptive Nawaz, Enscore, Ham (NEH) algorithm with constrained nearest neighbor subtour (NEH-NN). This algorithm is tested on the standard benchmark problems in literature and used as a seed solution for the Genetic Algorithm (GA). The performance and …

Applying The Normative Design Approach To Civil Engineering, Justin R. Vander Werff

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

In 1986, the book Responsible Technology [1] was published as an important compilation from a number of thoughtful Christians engaged in technology and engineering in that era. In many ways, this book and those involved with it laid the foundation for what has become the Christian Engineering Society. A particularly valuable aspect of this work was that it laid out a biblically normative framework for doing engineering based on Herman Dooyeweerd’s modal aspects [2], fleshing out how the higher aspects such as faith, ethics, and justice should play an integral role in engineering development, even though we often have a …

A Bi-Invariant Approach To Approximate Motion Synthesis Of Planar Four-Bar Linkage, Tianze Xu, David H. Myszka, Andrew P. Murray

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper presents a planar four-bar approximate motion synthesis technique that uses only pole locations. Synthesis for rigid-body guidance determines the linkage dimensions that guide a body in a desired manner. The desired motion is specified with task positions including a location and orientation angle. Approximation motion synthesis is necessary when an exact match to the task positions cannot be obtained. A linkage that achieves the task positions as closely as possible becomes desired. Structural error refers to the deviations between the task positions and the linkage's generated positions. A challenge in approximate motion synthesis is that structural error involves …

Characterization Of Upper Extremity Kinematics Using Virtual Reality Movement Tasks And Wearable Imu Technology, Skyler A. Barclay, Lanna N. Klausing, Tessa M. Hill, Allison L. Kinney, Timothy Reissman, Megan E. Reissman

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Task-specific training has been shown to be an effective neuromotor rehabilitation intervention, however, this repetitive approach is not always very engaging. Virtual reality (VR) systems are becoming increasingly popular in therapy due to their ability to encourage movement through customizable and immersive environments. Additionally, VR can allow for a standardization of tasks that is often lacking in upper extremity research. Here, 16 healthy participants performed upper extremity movement tasks synced to music, using a commercially available VR game known as Beat Saber. VR tasks were customized to characterize participants' joint angles with respect to each task's specified cardinal direction (inward, …

Photogrammetry-Based Method For Measuring Volume Changes Of Soil Specimens During Critical Phases Of Triaxial Testing, Sara Fayek, Xiong Zhang, Pingxin Xia

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Triaxial tests has been routinely used to measure the stress–strain relationship for geomaterials. During triaxial testing, many sources of errors that cannot be completely avoided but are often ignored or approximated using empirical equations. This paper presents a systematic investigation of soil volume change, volume strain nonuniformity, and cross-sectional calculation along the specimen during triaxial testing using a photogrammetry-based method. Consolidated drained triaxial tests were performed in which two parallel measurements were taken: (1) relative volume using the conventional triaxial testing and (2) absolute volume using the photogrammetry-based method. The difference in the observed volume and void ratio measurements between …

Exploring The Root Factors Impacting Work Zone Accidents: A Mixed-Methods Study, Bahaa Chammout, Muaz O. Ahmed, Islam H. El-Adaway

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Work Zones Are Vital For Improving Infrastructural Utilities Yet Pose Significant Dangers For Workers And Drivers Who Are Often Unfamiliar With These Areas. Prior Research Examined Various Aspects Of Work Zone Accident Causation; However, The Interrelationships And Critical Combinations Among The Contributing Factors Have Not Been Fully Analyzed. This Study Aims To Identify The Underlying Factors Contributing To Work Zone Accidents And Evaluate The Different Combinations Among Them. To This Purpose, Accident Factors Were Derived From A Total Of 133 Research Articles Addressing Work Zone Safety. Social Network Analysis (SNA) And Clustering Were Used To Comprehensively Model The Identified Factors. …

Health Impact Assessment From Fine Particulate Matter Pm10 And Pm2.5 In Thailand, Phawichsak Prapassornpitaya

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

The rapid urbanization and industrial sector have caused significant air quality problems. In particular, the concentration of fine particulate matter (PM10,PM2.5) is an assessment of the impact of fine particulate matter. Health The main objective of this study was to compare PM10 and PM2.5 levels and temporal trends from 2015 to 2019, and to develop a model to forecast particulate matter concentrations using multiple linear regression analysis. Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) to assess the association between particulate matter exposure and daily hospital visit for respiratory diseases. (ICD-10: J00-J99) and identify vulnerable populations. In the research, PM10 and PM2.5 air quality …

Molecular Dynamics Investigation Of Fluorine-Free Electrolytes For Sodium-Ion Batteries, Phitchapa Ausamanwet Zijdemans

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries due to the abundance and low cost of sodium. However, conventional SIB electrolytes often rely on fluorine-based salts, contributing to the formation of persistent and environmentally harmful per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs). This study employs molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigates the properties of fluorine-free electrolytes for SIBs, focusing on the solvation structure and dynamics of sodium ions (Na+) in bulk electrolytes and at the inner solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) for SIBs. Sodium perchlorate (NaClO4) at a concentration of 1 M was examined in glyme solvents with varying chain lengths, …

Observability-Aware Path Planning For Autonomous Navigation, Raymond Brink Neistat

Open Access Master's Theses

Terrain-Aided Navigation (TAN) is a popular method of localization for GPS-denied vehicles, particularly in the marine domain. There are many ways to perform TAN in a marine setting, such as Bathymetric SLAM (BSLAM) and Bayesian Filtering with the aid of an a priori map. These techniques have been studied extensively, but show an overall lack of rigorous observability analyses. Without nonlinear observability analyses, TAN practitioners do not have an analytical indicator to know which areas of terrain will provide opportunities for the best localization performance. This thesis reviews current developments in the endeavors of nonlinear observability analyses as well as …

Control Of Flow Instabilities With Acoustic Metamaterials, Jensen E. Mctighe

Open Access Master's Theses

Acoustic metamaterials (AMs) have been proposed for uses in flow control, as they offer a passive control method and can be engineered independently, without needing complex fluid structure interactions simulations. For example, AMs embedded into flat plate surfaces have been demonstrated to delay (or speed up) the onset of laminar-to-turbulent boundary layer transition by attenuating (or strengthening) Tollmein-Schlicting waves through numerical simulation. However, as of present, no experimental research has been conducted to study or demonstrate the behaviors of AMs designed to interact with flow structures. An experiment was performed in which an AM was embedded into a flat plate …

Instantaneous Generation Of Subject-Specific Finite Element Models Of The Hip Capsule, Ahilan Anantha-Krishnan, Casey A. Myers, Clare K. Fitzpatrick, Chadd W. Clary

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Subject-specific hip capsule models could offer insights into impingement and dislocation risk when coupled with computer-aided surgery, but model calibration is time-consuming using traditional techniques. This study developed a framework for instantaneously generating subject-specific finite element (FE) capsule representations from regression models trained with a probabilistic approach. A validated FE model of the implanted hip capsule was evaluated probabilistically to generate a training dataset relating capsule geometry and material properties to hip laxity. Multivariate regression models were trained using 90% of trials to predict capsule properties based on hip laxity and attachment site information. The regression models were validated using …

Highlighting Opportunities For Anaerobic Co-Digestion Of Food Waste From Universities With Pulp And Paper Mill Sludge, Md Nizam Uddin

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The disposal of food waste (FW) in landfills presents significant environmental and economic challenges, including greenhouse gas emissions and loss of potential resources. Concurrently, the pulp and paper industry, a major sector in the United States, generates substantial quantities of recalcitrant organic waste that is high in lignocellulosic content. Anaerobic co-digestion of FW with pulp and paper mill sludge (PPMS) emerges as a potential strategy to address both waste streams simultaneously, potentially enhancing organic matter degradation and biogas yield. However, the efficacy of this co-digestion approach and its broader sustainability implications remain insufficiently characterized. This study employs laboratory-scale experiments to …

Contextualizing Renewable Energy Adoption: An Examination Of The Role Of Community Choice Aggregation, Ankit Agarwal

Doctoral Dissertations

"The rapid expansion of renewable energy generation in the U.S., both through distributed and utility-scale facilities, is largely driven by top-down policy measures and the growing engagement of residential consumers on both individual and community levels. Previous studies on motives behind residential renewable energy adoption have examined procurement options in isolation and within a static context, primarily focused on intrinsic attributes like economic incentives, emission reductions, and peer popularity. This research introduces a novel context, assessing renewable procurement options in the presence of Community Choice Aggregation (CCA), a more prevalent and accessible alternative. This dissertation makes four pivotal contributions, offering …