Engineering Commons^™

Publisher’S Corner: Don’T Call It Cyberspace, Roger G. Harrison

Space and Defense

It is said of human beings that we are a pattern discerning species. We tend to search for or invent patterns even where none exist—hence the popularity of power point.1 When we deal with something truly unprecedented, our tendency is nonetheless to find some precedent for it, or, failing that, to fall back on analogy, metaphor or simile, all tools the mind uses to confront the unknown future with the familiar—which is one reason that large organizations faced with unique challenges almost invariably get it wrong.

Space Verification, Eisenhower Center For Space And Defense Studies

Space and Defense

The purpose of this study is twofold: first, to determine to what extent multilateral agreements to limit disruptive actions in space and/or establish norms of behavior are verifiable; second, to consider under what circumstances space verification serves U.S. interests.

Identifying America’S Vital Interests, Adam Lowther, Casey Lucius

Space and Defense

As the Department of Defense (DoD) continues to shift its focus from Europe to the Asia-Pacific while also attempting to meet budgetary challenges, academics and analysts are examining the nation’s difficult financial outlook and contemplating not only the kind of military the United States needs, but the kind it can afford. Such considerations are, however, putting the cart before the horse. A much more basic challenge faces the country. Simply stated, the United States has no clearly defined and broadly accepted set of national interests. Instead, as one report noted, “Many find it difficult to distinguish between America’s national interests …

International Commercial Avenues To Complement Deterrence Actions, Jonty Kasku-Jackson

Space and Defense

The world relies heavily on services provided by satellite assets, but ensuring the safety and security of those assets is extremely difficult. Classic deterrence approaches rely almost exclusively on the threat of force to dissuade one state from acting against the interests of another. Although classic deterrence was arguably successful against a single adversary during the Cold War, it seems insufficient in the current multipolar strategic environment. In addition to state actors, the strategic environment is complicated by a number of non-state players in space. Some scholars present a theory in which a state could dominate earth if it could …

International Space Negotiations, Emerging Space Powers, And U.S. Efforts To Protect The Military Use Of Space, Justin Anderson, Walt Conrad, Sarah Jacobs Gamberini

Space and Defense

In recent years strategists and diplomats from space faring nations have engaged in debates with their foreign counterparts (and in some cases, with each other) on a range of issues related to norms and laws – or the relative lack thereof – applicable to the military use of space. Questions have run the gamut from the very broad (should the slim volume of outer space law relevant to military platforms and operations be expanded?) to the very specific (what new technical tools are available for the verification regime of a notional future space arms control agreement?).

Editor's Note Volume 7 No. 1, Space And Defense

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

Table Of Contents Volume 7 No. 1, Space And Defense

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

Front Matter Volume 7 No. 1, Space And Defense

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

Notes For Contributors, Space And Defense

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

Publishers Corner Manned Space Exploration: America’S Folly, Roger G. Harrison

Space and Defense

Publishers Corner: Essays

If we want to assess the benefits of human space exploration, particularly to Mars, who better to consult than the good folks at MIT, a place presumably bristling with engineering knowledge and human genius. Fortuitously enough, the “Space, Policy and Society Research Group” at MIT has produced a study on “The Future of Human Space Flight” for our edification and enjoyment. It is six years old at this writing, but the facts have not altered appreciably: the humans who would have to be transported to, sustained on, and returned from the red planet are the same frail …

Book Review The Strategist: Brent Scowcroft And The Call Of National Security By Bartholomew Sparrow (Public Affairs, 2015), Schuyler Foerster

Space and Defense

A popular new biography pays overdue tribute to a living legend. Bartholomew Sparrow’s rich and detailed biography of Brent Scowcroft—a still very active and now nonagenarian—has been on bookshelves since early this year. Many, including those who have an intimate familiarity with some of the events and personalities in this book, have already offered thorough reviews of the work.

Terror On High: Deterring Asat, Stephen Shea, Mathew Johnson, Alfredo Zurita

Space and Defense

Student Contribution:

As technology becomes even more pervasive in daily life, valuable and relatively vulnerable space assets will inspire greater desire to attack U.S. power through space.1 As a result, Anti-Satellite (ASAT) deterrence, a fledgling area of study, will need to be developed and addressed in detail. The proceeding essay will attempt to answer the following questions. What motivates space attacks? How will the enemy try to attack our space assets? What can be done to deter future ASAT attacks?

Cyber Deterrence: Is A Deterrence Model Practical In Cyberspace?, Nathaniel Youd

Space and Defense

Student Contribution:

After reconsidering massive retaliation versus escalation dominance concepts from nuclear deterrence, escalation dominance, investing in capability to respond proportionally at each level of cyber attack, may be the most practical and effective military strategy for strengthening cyber deterrence.

Argentina Space: Ready For Launch, Daniel Blinder

Space and Defense

Desire for a comprehensive space program, one that includes an indigenous satellite launch capability, motivated Argentina to strengthen relevant policy institutions and carefully reconsider its approach in foreign affairs. In the process, this space power on the semi-periphery bridged bitter domestic partisan differences on the federal budget and allayed security fears of the international community, fulfilling at least some important national objectives regarding economic development as well as Argentinean access to space.

Cyberwar: Clausewitzian Encounters, Marco Cepik, Diego Rafael Canabarro, Thiago Borne Ferreira

Space and Defense

As Clausewitz’s masterpiece suggests, language matters for how states conceptualize and plan for war. ‘Cyberwar’, now on the lips of nearly every national security policymaker, may turn out to be a misnomer.

Strategic Nuclear Weapons For Planetary Defense, James Howe

Space and Defense

The planet Earth is continually under bombardment. Each day, roughly 100 tons of small meteoroids and space debris – some as large as a meter in diameter, but most smaller than a grain of sand – strike the atmosphere. Moving at speeds in excess of 40,000 kilometers per hour, these meteoroids are often seen as bright streaks in the sky as they burn up from atmospheric friction. Fortunately, because they are consumed high in the atmosphere, meteoroids and space dust pose no threat to humans or other life on Earth.

Editor's Note, Damon Coletta

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

Table Of Contents, Space And Defense

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

Front Matter Volume 8 No. 1, Space And Defense

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

Behavior Of Two-Span Continuous Gfrp-Reinforced Concrete Deep Beams, Mohamed Shokry Abouelsaoud

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

Steel-reinforced concrete deep beams are structural elements characterized by their large depth-tospan ratio. They play a crucial role in supporting heavy loads and transferring them to columns or walls in bridges, high-rise buildings, and marine structures. Corrosion is a major concern in steel-reinforced concrete structures, which can significantly reduce their lifespan and undermine their structural integrity. By replacing steel bars with fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) bars, the corrosion resistance of reinforced concrete (RC) structures can be improved and prolong their longevity. However, FRP bars behave elastically up to failure and have lower modulus of elasticity compared to steel, which affects …

Survey On Wi-Fi And Cellular Communication Technology For Advanced Metering Infrastructure (Ami) In A Developing Economy, Tejumade F. Anthony, Folasade M. Dahunsi

The African Journal of Information Systems

Traditional energy meters have suffered from a lack of automated analysis and inaccuracy in reading energy consumption, which has brought about smart metering systems. Developing economies such as in Africa. still experience a setback in electricity monitoring and load distribution because of existing traditional meter systems in use. Communication technologies play an important role to improve the monitoring of energy consumption and ensure a road map toward a smart grid. This paper reviews communication technologies used for Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) emphasizing Wi-Fi and Cellular technologies. Metrics used to evaluate their performance include cost, energy efficiency, coverage, deployment, latency, payload, …

Machine Learning Enabled Cluster Grouping Of Varistors In Parallel-Structured Dc Circuit Breakers, Shuyan Zhao, Yao Wang, Reza Kheirollahi, Zilon Zheng, Fei Lu, Hua Zhang

Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering Departmental Research

This letter presents the first ever trial of machine learning enabled cluster grouping of varistors for DC circuit breakers (DCCBs). It reveals that the manufacturing discrepancy of varistors is a main challenge in their parallel connection. The proposed cluster grouping concept is introduced to classify varistors according to the interruption characteristic, in which the K-means algorithm is adopted to learn the clamping voltage curves. 70 420 V/50 A V420LA20 varistors are measured in a 120 A transient current interruption platform individually to acquire 70 sets of testing data to train the machine learning engine. Then, 28 new varistors are further …

Modeling Hydration Kinetics Of Sustainable Cementitious Binders Using An Advanced Nucleation And Growth Approach, Taihao Han, Jie Huang, Gaurav Sant, Narayanan Neithalath, Ashutosh Goel, Aditya Kumar

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) are utilized to partially substitute Portland cement (PC) in binders, reducing carbon-footprint and maintaining excellent performance. Nonetheless, predicting the hydration kinetics of [PC + SCM] binders is challenging for current analytical models due to the extensive diversity of chemical compositions and molecular structures present in both SCMs and PC. This study develops an advanced phase boundary nucleation and growth (pBNG) model to yield a priori predictions of hydration kinetics—i.e., time-resolved exothermic heat release profiles—of [PC + SCM] binders. The advanced pBNG model integrates artificial intelligence as an add-on, enabling it to accurately simulate hydration kinetics for …

An Overview Of Elements And Relations: Aspects Of A Scientific Metaphysics, Martin Zwick

Complex Systems Faculty Publications and Presentations

A talk on my book, Elements and Relations: Aspects of a Scientific Metaphysics. Book description:

This book develops the core proposition that systems theory is an attempt to construct an “exact and scientific metaphysics,” a system of general ideas central to science that can be expressed mathematically. Collectively, these ideas would constitute a non-reductionist “theory of everything” unlike what is being sought in physics. Inherently transdisciplinary, systems theory offers ideas and methods that are relevant to all of the sciences and also to professional fields such as systems engineering, public policy, business, and social work. To demonstrate the generality …

Mixed Reality: A Tool For Investigating The Complex Design And Mechanisms Of A Mechanically Actuated Digital Pump, Israa Azzam, Keith Pate, Farid Breidi, Minsoo Choi, Yeling Jiang, Christos Mousas

Purdue University Libraries Open Access Publishing Fund

Digital hydraulics is a discrete technology that integrates advanced dynamic system controls, digital electronics, and machine learning to enhance fluid power systems’ performance, overall efficiency, and controllability. A mechanically actuated inline three-piston variable displacement digital pump was previously proposed and designed. The inline three-piston pump incorporates complex mechanical and hydraulic subsystems and highly coupled mechanisms. The complexity of the utilized subsystems poses challenges when assessing the viability of the conceptual design. Therefore, this work focuses on designing, developing, and implementing a collaborative virtual platform involving a digitized module showcasing the internal mechanical structure of the digital pump utilizing mixed reality …

Transport Barriers Influence The Activation Of Anti-Tumor Immunity: A Systems Biology Analysis, Mohammad R. Nikmaneshi, James W. Baish, Hengbo Zhou, Lance L. Munn

Faculty Journal Articles

Effective anti-cancer immune responses require activation of one or more naïve T cells. If the correct naïve T cell encounters its cognate antigen presented by an antigen presenting cell, then the T cell can activate and proliferate. Here, mathematical modeling is used to explore the possibility that immune activation in lymph nodes is a rate-limiting step in anti-cancer immunity and can affect response rates to immune checkpoint therapy. The model provides a mechanistic framework for optimizing cancer immunotherapy and developing testable solutions to unleash anti-tumor immune responses for more patients with cancer. The results show that antigen production rate and …

A Computational Approach For Mapping Electrochemical Activity Of Multi-Principal Element Alloys, Jodie A. Yuwono, Xinyu Li, Tyler D. Dolezal, Adib J. Samin, Javen Qinfeng Shi, Zhipeng Li, Nick Birbilis

Faculty Publications

Multi principal element alloys (MPEAs) comprise an atypical class of metal alloys. MPEAs have been demonstrated to possess several exceptional properties, including, as most relevant to the present study a high corrosion resistance. In the context of MPEA design, the vast number of potential alloying elements and the staggering number of elemental combinations favours a computational alloy design approach. In order to computationally assess the prospective corrosion performance of MPEA, an approach was developed in this study. A density functional theory (DFT) – based Monte Carlo method was used for the development of MPEA ‘structure’; with the AlCrTiV alloy used …

Syntheses, Photophysics, & Application Of Porphyrinic Metal-Organic Frameworks, Zachary L. Magnuson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Porphyrins are a group of heterocyclic macrocycles that play crucial roles in various biological processes such as electron transfer, catalysis, and sensing. Hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in the blood of mammals, and chlorophyll, which drives photosynthesis in plants and algae, are both porphyrins. The ability of porphyrins to bind metal ions and their unique electronic and photophysical properties make them an excellent platform for designing functional materials for various applications, often drawing inspiration from their function in nature. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of porous materials that have been extensively studied in recent years due to their high surface …

Large Language Model Use Cases For Instruction, Plus A Primer On Prompt Engineering, Roy Haggerty, Justin Cochran

LSU Health New Orleans Symposium Series on Artificial Intelligence

AMA Credit Designation Statement: The Louisiana State University School of Medicine, New Orleans designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

NCPD Credit Designation Statement: Nursing participants may earn 1.0 NCPD contact hours. Each nursing participant must be present for the entire session for which NCPD contact hours are requested and must complete an evaluation of the session to receive credit.

Application Of Text Mining Techniques To Identify Actual Wrong-Way Driving (Wwd) Crashes In Police Reports, Parisa Hosseini, Seyedalireza Khoshsirat, Mohammad Jalayer, Subasish Das

Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering Departmental Research

Wrong-way driving (WWD) has been a long-lasting issue for transportation agencies and law enforcement, since it causes pivotal threats to road users. Notwithstanding being rare, crashes occurring due to WWD are more severe than other types of crashes. In order to analyze WWD crashes, there is a need to obtain WWD incidents or crash data. However, it is time-consuming to identify actual WWD crashes from potential WWD crashes in large crash databases. It often involves large man-hours to review hardcopy of crash narratives in the police reports. Otherwise, it may cause an overestimation or underestimation of WWD crash frequencies. To …