Engineering Commons^™

The Influence Of Social Media On The Product Life Cycle In Fast Fashion: A Shein Case Study On Environmental And Social Impacts, Clara R. Devine

Industrial Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Fast fashion has transformed global consumer culture through its rapid product cycles, affordability, and accessibility. However, this model has also contributed significantly to environmental degradation, excessive textile waste, and unethical labor practices. Social media platforms have accelerated these patterns by amplifying short-lived trends and influencing consumer purchasing behavior. This study aims to analyze the relationship between social media activity and the fast-fashion life cycle, with a focus on how online engagement drives consumption, production speed, and environmental impact. The research utilized a quantitative and analytical approach, combining correlation analysis and time-series data to evaluate the connection between SHEIN’s growing user …

Performance Comparison Of A Two-Level And A Three-Level 1500v Three-Phase Grid-Tied Solar Inverter, Shawn Sproles

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

With the global switch to renewable energy sources, photovoltaic energy has become an integral source to harvest from. When solar panels convert sunlight into a DC voltage, a grid-tied inverter is needed to transform this DC voltage into an AC voltage to interface with the AC grid. The most widely used topologies for grid-tied solar inverters are two-level three-phase inverters and three-level NPC three-phase inverters. Compared to two-level inverters, three-level NPC inverters have advantages such as lower EMI, lower THD, and lower switching losses. Moreover, three-level NPC inverters are shown to have higher efficiency in low-voltage applications at medium to …

A Full System Co-Simulation Platform For Evaluating Edge Machine Learning Inference Using Compute-In-Memory, Belsen Lee

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (MS) Theses

We present a full-system co-simulation platform for evaluating embedded machine learning (ML) inference using compute-in-memory (CIM). CIM architectures aim to reduce data movement overhead by performing matrix operations in memory, but end-to-end benefits depend on system-level integration costs that are difficult to assess with isolated hardware models alone. To address this gap, we develop an integrated RISC-V QEMU-SystemC co-simulation environment that allows standard embedded Linux to interact with a transaction-level CIM accelerator model via memory-mapped I/O, direct memory access (DMA), and interrupts. To evaluate performance, we benchmark an MNIST image inference workload and a synthetic fully connected neural network, comparing …

Transformation Efficiency And Gfp Expression In E. Coli, Jessica H. Hobbs

Honors Theses

Genetic transformation of bacteria is a foundational technique in molecular biology and biotechnology, enabling the introduction and expression of foreign genes for research, industrial, and educational applications. This thesis investigates the transformation efficiency and green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression in Escherichia coli using the pGLO plasmid system, with the primary objective of supporting the development of a graduate-level laboratory course focused on bioprocess engineering and molecular biotechnology. The pGLO plasmid contains a GFP reporter gene regulated by an arabinose-inducible promoter and an ampicillin resistance gene that allows for selective growth of transformed cells. Competent E. coli HB101 K-12 cells were …

Salt-Dependent Purification Of Green Fluorescent Protein Via Hydrophobic Interaction Chromatography, Katie L. Collins

Honors Theses

Green fluorescent protein, GFP, is a widely used fluorescent reporter, and its purification provides a clear model for studying downstream bioprocessing. This thesis investigates how binding-buffer salt strength affects GFP retention and elution during hydrophobic interaction chromatography, HIC, by comparing three conditions (1.0×, 0.8×, and 0.6×). GFP-expressing E. coli were lysed and clarified, and the lysate was purified on HIC columns; collected fractions were evaluated qualitatively under UV illumination to track fluorescence distribution. Results showed a salt-dependent trend in which higher salt improved retention and shifted fluorescence toward later elution fractions, while reduced salt weakened hydrophobic interactions and increased earlier …

Study On The Effects Of Molecular Layer Deposition Coating And Mechanical Pressure On Lithium Metal Anodes, Cameron Mondl

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Lithium (Li) metal is a highly promising anode material for next-generation energy storage systems due to its outstanding theoretical capacity and low electrochemical potential. However, its commercialization implementation has been hindered due to interfacial instability and uncontrollable dendrite formation, leading to poor cycling efficiency and thermal runaway. Among the most promising stabilization strategies, protective interfacial coatings have emerged as an effective solution to promote more uniform Li deposition and suppress erratic morphological inconsistencies. In particular, molecular layer deposition (MLD) enables uniform film thickness through layer-by-layer deposits, offering a highly versatile approach to protective interfacial layers. In addition to interfacial engineering, …

Capacity Reduction Factors For Steel Beam Ends With Holes, Kevin Saleh Makubuli

Masters Theses

The presence of holes at steel beam ends can decrease the nominal resistance (capacity) of beam ends. Codes such as AASHTO LRFD and AISC include equations for evaluating the nominal resistance of steel beam ends. While these equations are appropriate for as-designed beam ends, they may not apply to deteriorated beam ends, such as those with holes. Thus, this study aims to develop procedures to calculate the capacity of steel beam ends with holes. First, the FEA of an as-designed beam is performed for capacity evaluation (numerical result). The latter is compared with the analytical result (as-designed beam capacity) to …

Transformer Vulnerability To Geomagnetically Induced Currents Using Layered Soil Conductivity Models, Junior A. Sterling

Masters Theses

Geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) pose a significant threat to modern power transformers connected to long high-voltage transmission systems, particularly in regions with low subsurface electrical conductivity. During geomagnetic disturbances (GMDs), time-varying magnetic fields induce surface electric fields that drive quasi-DC currents through grounded transformer neutrals. These currents can bias transformer cores, leading to saturation, waveform distortion, and potential system instability. Despite extensive research, the role of regional Earth conductivity in shaping electric fields and transformer response remains an area requiring deeper investigation.

This study analyzes how contrasting Earth conductivity profiles influence GIC magnitude and transformer saturation risk using two representative …

Transient Mitigation In Dual Active Bridge Converter Using An Auxiliary Converter With High-Frequency Selective Control For Load Step-Down Condition, Sachith Dilshan Wijesooriya

Masters Theses

Dual Active Bridge (DAB) converters are widely utilized in applications such as electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, and solid-state transformers due to their high efficiency, galvanic isolation, and bidirectional power transfer capability. However, during rapid load transitions, DAB converters frequently exhibit significant output voltage overshoot and prolonged settling times, which increase device stress and adversely affect system reliability. This thesis proposes an auxiliary-circuit-based transient mitigation method to address these limitations. The auxiliary circuit, implemented as a bidirectional Buck–Boost stage, operates in Boost mode during load step-down events to absorb excess energy and suppress the resulting voltage overshoot. The design of …

Effect Of Environmental Conditions On Fracture Of Composite Materials And Thin Films, Victor Birman

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Environmental conditions, i.e., temperature and moisture, affect mechanical properties of materials, including composites. In this paper, we concentrate on one of the aspects of the effect of environment on fracture in a composite lamina. The paper demonstrates an analytical approach to account for the effect of the changes in environment on the strain energy release rate of composite materials and thin films. These analytically determined strain energy release rates should be compared to fracture toughness to predict the susceptibility of the material to fracture. Numerical examples are presented for several polymeric and metal matrix composites using available experimental data for …

Validity Of The Schrage Equation In Prediction Of Evaporation Rate Of Liquid N-Dodecane In High-Pressure Nitrogen Gas: A Molecular Dynamics Study, Wazih Tausif, Jordan Hartfield, Md Amin Haque, Zhi Liang

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Evaporation of liquid fuel in a high-pressure air is a process that critically influences fuel–air mixing in advanced propulsion systems. In this work, we use molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to study the validity and accuracy of the Schrage equation in quantifying the evaporation and condensation rates of n-dodecane (a diesel surrogate) in air (approximated as N2 gas) with gas pressure varying from 0 atm to above the critical pressure of n-dodecane. The MD simulation results show that the evaporation coefficient (αe) is higher than the condensation coefficient (αc) at the evaporating n-dodecane surface and is lower than αc at the …

A Federated Learning Framework For Data-Sovereign Predictive Maintenance In Distributed Smart Manufacturing, Md Sazol Ahmmed, Sriram Praneeth Isanaka, Frank Liou

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Featured Application: The proposed federated learning framework can be applied in distributed smart manufacturing environments where multiple factories or production facilities collaboratively develop predictive maintenance models without sharing sensitive operational data. This approach is particularly useful for industrial networks involving geographically distributed plants, contract manufacturing partners, and multi-site production systems where data sovereignty and avoidance of raw data sharing are critical. Predictive maintenance enables early detection of machine failures and reduces unexpected production downtime. However, conventional approaches typically rely on centralized data collection and model training which introduce challenges related to data sovereignty, communication overhead and data ownership. To address …

Machine Vision For In Situ Measurement And Control Of Wire Stickout In Lwded Process, Braden Mclain, Remy Mathenia, Todd Sparks, Frank Liou

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This work presents a machine-vision–based measurement and control framework for laser wire directed energy deposition (LWDED) processes. A visible-light camera system is used to capture meltpool images, from which a novel vision algorithm extracts the wire–meltpool interface location. By utilizing a camera that is rigidly mounted to the deposition head, the vision algorithm provides a relative measurement of the distance between the nozzle tip and the workpiece, also referred to as wire stickout. A proportional-derivative (PD) control strategy is implemented using the measured stickout as feedback to adjust deposition feedrate. Results show that the control system successfully compensates for improper …

Using Machine-Learning-Based Process Map To Guide Evaluation Of Inconel 625 Mechanical Properties In Laser Foil Printing, Yu Hsiang Wang, Sung Heng Wu, Hung Chu Chiang, Pen Ning Yu, Chia Hung Hung, Ming C. Leu

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Inconel 625 is widely studied in powder-based additive manufacturing, but its processing characteristics and mechanical performance in foil-feedstock laser foil printing (LFP) remain largely unexplored. In this study, a gradient boosting regression (GBR)-based process map was developed for LFP of Inconel 625 using 32 single-track experiments. The GBR model achieved R² values of 0.859 and 0.793 and mean absolute errors of 22.25 μm and 19.83 μm for melt-pool depth and width, respectively, outperforming second- and third-order polynomial regressions in capturing nonlinear melt-pool responses and distinguishing lack-of-fusion, conduction, and keyhole regimes. Three conduction-mode conditions with target depth-to-foil thickness ratios (D/T) …

Ai-Assisted Frame Selection For Sports Photography Using Computer Vision And Multi-Modal Image Metrics, Sahana Ganesh

Honors Scholar Theses

This project focuses on the design and development of an AI-assisted frame selection system that automatically analyzes sequences of sports images and ranks frames based on overall photographic and contextual value. Additionally, we will focus on providing insights into the Computer Vision and Artificial Intelligence techniques used to build it.

The application utilizes computer vision and machine learning techniques to evaluate multiple dimensions of image quality and content. These include technical image quality metrics such as sharpness, motion blur, and exposure; compositional metrics such as subject placement and visual balance; and semantic understanding through detection of players, ball location, pose, …

Strong And Ductile Additively Manufactured Ti-6al-4v Through Yttrium Inoculation, Saeid Alipour, Ji Young Kim, Min Seok Kim, Arezoo Emdadi, Ju Li

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The unique microstructural features and thermal cycles in alloys produced by additive manufacturing (AM) techniques have led to the emergence of a new paradigm in the design and development of alloys for performance-critical applications. Despite the inherent microstructural features of AMed parts, optimizing the porosity-microstructure while acquiring desired mechanical performance has been crucial yet challenging. Hence, in many legacy alloys, achieving a strength-ductility synergy in the as-built condition without applying post-heat treatment or hybrid processes is considered an arduous task. In this research, we aimed to tailor the microstructure of the legacy Ti-6Al-4V alloy in the as-built condition by implementing …

Evaluating The Integration Of Bio-Based Waste Into Cement Production: A Pathway To Sustainable Building, Anja Terzić, Suzana Filipović, Adriana Peleš Tadić, Jelena Živojinović, Ivana N. Jelić, Nina Obradović, William G. Fahrenholtz

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Rapid urbanization has increased the demand for building materials, depleting natural resources used in cement production and prompting the use of alternative and waste materials. This research verifies that eggshell powder waste can fully replace limestone in clinker synthesis. Five clinkers were produced using eggshell powder, aluminum sources (bentonite, zeolite, fly ash, and kaolinitic–illitic clay), Fe-slag, and quartz sand, with mechanical preprocessing (10–30 min) before sintering at 1300 °C. Experimental tests assessed the effects of mix design and mechanical activation on clinkerization, phase formation, temperature, and mechanical properties. XRD, FTIR, and SEM/EDS confirmed consistent phase compositions and primary cement minerals. …

2026 Workshop On Bridging The Gaps: Tackling Microplastics And Nanoplastics Challenges In Coastal Ecosystems, Shenghua Wu, Kaushik Venkiteshwaran, Melike Dizbay-Onat, Alexandra Stenson, Jinhui Wang, Tina Miller-Way, Ebenezer Nyadjro, Bhuvnesh Bharti, John Weinstein, Yi Bao, Shihui Shen, Valerie Longa, Shenghua Zha, John Cleary, Marty Lind

Workshops

This report presents the findings from the 2026 Workshop on Tackling Microplastics and Nanoplastics (MNPs) in Coastal Ecosystems, which took place in Mobile, Alabama. More than 140 experts from universities, government, industry, and community organizations gathered to address the increasing issue of MNPs in coastal regions.

Mechatronics Undercling Report, Pierce Mcniven

Mechatronics Final Projects

Design Summary

The device is an undercling walker, designed to traverse a hanging rope with the majority of the body underneath the rope and stop before it reaches the end. The walker uses legs, parts 4 and 5, which rotate to provide locomotion. They are powered by a D/C motor mounted on the L-shaped extension of part 1. That motor drives the gear labeled 2, which in turn spins the shaft identified as 3. The shaft then spins the legs. The motor, pressure sensor, and laser range finder are all interfaced with a PIC 16F88, which is used to determine …

Final Rope Walker Design Report, Gregory Cole, Pascale Easterday, Noelle Poquiz

Mechatronics Final Projects

No abstract provided.

Central Pattern Generator Test Bench Report, Stephanie Wing-Yee Lee, Dustin Wong, Joseph Hernandez

Electrical Engineering

The project presents the design, fabrication, and implementation of a PCB test bench that interfaces with a custom VLSI chip designed to emulate the neural activity of a Central Pattern Generator (CPG). The test bench provides a precise and reliable platform for supporting signal operations and validating neuromorphic functionality. The design integrates both analog and digital circuitry to provide stable biasing, signal routing, and measurement access for chip characterization. The incorporation of op-amp buffers and adjustable potentiometers enables precise voltage tuning, resulting in controlled neuron-like behavior within the custom IC. The two-layer PCB supports modular interfacing with standard laboratory instruments …

Electric Charging Arm Mechanism - Echarm, Jacob A. Lewis, Gabriel A. Greer

Mechanical Engineering Student Research

As demand for electric and hybrid vehicles continues to rise, many EV owners rely on home charging in their garages. Gabriel Greer and I’s Senior Design Project, the Electric Charging Arm Mechanism (ECHARM), addresses this by creating a robotic system that autonomously detects a vehicle’s charging port, connects to it, and returns to a rest position when charging is complete. ECHARM is designed as a six-axis robotic arm with wrist and shoulder joints driven by stepper motors through custom cycloidal drive gearboxes. A closed-loop control system using rotary potentiometers ensures precise motion control. At the end of the arm is …

Developing Warning Signage For Harmful Algal Blooms At Lake Fayetteville, Abigail R. Evans

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

The presence of harmful algal blooms (HABs) poses many risk factors for human health, and once microcystin concentration has reached a certain level, that water source will be closed for the duration of the bloom. Agencies tend to use static signage with limited information to inform the public about the current status of the water, but a sign similar to the one used by the National Fire Danger Rating System can allow for constant updates detailing specific risk levels for the public. Using previously reported data on Lake Fayetteville, thresholds for risk factors that are easily measurable were determined. The …

Computer Vision And Machine Learning Approaches For Defect Detection In 3d-Printed Cementitious Materials: A Systematic Review, Muhammad Ali Musarat, Ruben Paul Borg, Jingjie Wei, Carl James Debono, Kamal Khayat

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

3D printing is evolving at a fast pace in both the manufacturing and construction sectors. These advancements can greatly benefit these industries. However, the 3D printing of concrete structures presents some challenges due to defects in the 3D concrete printed elements. Hence, this study systematically reviews Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven techniques, such as Computer Vision and Machine Learning, to identify surface defects that can occur in 3D-printed cementitious material structures. The adopted methodology was the PRISMA statement with the aim of reporting the systematic review and meta-analysis. Two well-known databases, Web of Science and Scopus, were utilised for data extraction of …

An Investigation Of The Restrained Expansion Behavior Of Bcsa And Sbcsa Concretes And Their Chemical Prestress Potential, Adhish Paudel

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Belitic calcium sulfoaluminate (BCSA) cement, an alternative cement, is increasingly used in the United States for its fast-setting and rapid strength gain characteristics, particularly for rapid pavement construction and repair. In addition, BCSA exhibits some early age expansion when moist cured due to the formation of ettringite. Under restrained conditions, expansive cements can be used to generate chemical prestress in reinforced concrete or to offset prestress losses in prestressed concrete. This study investigates the restrained expansion of concrete made from traditional BCSA and a new BCSA cement formulation intended to provide increased initial expansion behavior. Concrete samples were tested using …

Enhancing Methods For Load Rating Bridge Timber Piles, Aashish Ghimire

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Timber piles are widely used in bridge foundations across the United States due to their low cost and ease of installation. The strength of a timber pile is dependent on many factors including wood species, unbraced length, support conditions, age and cross-sectional properties. Cross-sectional properties are highly impacted by the progression of biological deterioration which often is undetected when using standard DOT inspections methods. Current inspection practices rely primarily on subjective methods that provide limited quantitative information about a pile’s existing load-carrying capacity. Consequently, timber piles are inaccurately assessed and prematurely replaced. In response, this thesis investigates the relationship between …

Assessing Diffusive Gradients In Thin Films Passive Samplers For Pfas Quantitation In Aqueous Systems, Brianna Harris

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Diffusive gradients in thin-films (DGT) passive samplers are an alternative to grab sampling for quantifying time-weighted average (TWA) concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in aqueous systems. DGTs may enable long-term PFAS site characterization in a more time and cost-effective manner compared to grab sampling, but critical information is lacking in PFAS diffusion coefficient (DGel) uncertainty, PFAS quantitation limits, and environmental impacts on DGT performance. This work provides a thorough evaluation of DGT performance for a suite of 32 PFAS through (i) determining gel-layer PFAS diffusion coefficients and their associated error (i.e., 95 % confidence intervals (CIs)), (ii) assessing …

An Evaluation Of Leading Indicators In The Construction Industry And Their Relationship With Incident Rates, Kitti Miller Whalen

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Improving safety programs has been a focus of organizations for decades. Historically, focus has been directed towards lagging indicators such as recordable incident rates and experience modification rate (EMR). While these remain beneficial, they are only one component of the broader framework. In recent years, companies have started to examine what occurs prior to an incident, which are known as leading indicators. The research into leading indicators is promising, however research into the area is limited. The focus of this study is to identify which leading indicators are most strongly associated with improved incident rates in the construction industry specifically. …

A Study Of Visualized Diagnostics In Early Stage Digital Twin Implementation Of An Industrial Control System, Michael R. Kinzel

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Industrial Control Systems (ICS) are used for process control in almost all industries. An ICS combines Operational Technologies (OT) with Information Technologies (IT) to allow human supervision of a process through surveillance of process variables and manipulation of controlling elements such as valves to maintain stable process conditions. ICSs have been in-service for several decades and may remain operational past their technological service life. Organizational personnel interact with the ICS through visual displays that both indicate the process variables and also the controlling elements. The Human Machine Interface (HMI) allows visibility of the process and the ability to manipulate controlling …

Automated Circuit Design Algorithm And Implementation For Asynchronous Reset (Ares) Physically Unclonable Functions, Andrew Michael Felder

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Technology is increasingly interwoven in all aspects of society as it solves new problems, creates new possibilities, and enables new conveniences. With its unceasing evolution, environments handling protected information such as military, finance, and medicine demand ever-evolving threat mitigation. Combating attackers’ abilities to spoof devices, uncover cryptographic keys, and bypass security features is a never-ending task which drives technological advancement to improve existing capabilities and develop entirely new methodologies. In this dissertation work, the hybrid Asynchronous RESet Physically Unclonable Function (ARES PUF) is evaluated at the circuit to determine its merits as a PUF. As part of this evaluation, results …