Engineering Commons^™

Marine Vehicle Dynamics Using Koopman Operator Theory With Hybrid Observables, Mikhalib A L Green

LSU Master's Theses

Accurate modeling of marine vehicle dynamics remains challenging due to strong nonlinear hydrodynamic effects, environmental disturbances, and sensitivity to configuration changes, particularly for small-scale platforms. Classical physics-based models require extensive parameter identification and often exhibit degraded performance outside narrow operating regimes, while purely data-driven approaches may lack structure or impose high computational cost. This thesis presents a data-driven Koopman operator framework with hybrid observables for modeling the dynamics of unmanned marine vehicles. The proposed approach combines structured monomial observables with a learned neural network embedding to construct a lifted state representation in which the nonlinear vehicle dynamics are approximated by …

Large-Scale File Fragment Classification Via Multi-View Learning, Samuel Hildebrand

LSU Master's Theses

File reassembly is one of the most fundamental tasks in digital forensics, enabling recovery of data from potentially damaged storage media even when file system metadata is unavailable. This thesis reviews more than two decades of work in the realm of file carving, with a particular focus on fragmented file carving, which remains a focus of research, and file fragment classification, a principal component of fragmented file carving. This thesis serves a literature review of both file carving and fragmented file carving, surveys the massive amounts of data needed for the task of fragment classification and the datasets that serve …

Geometry-Driven Controls On Hydrothermal Natural Hydrogen Generation From Magnetite Mineral, Kaveh Moghanirahimi, Lionel Esteban, Valeriya Shulakova, Muhammad Ali, Stefan Iglauer, Alireza Keshavarz

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Despite recent efforts to investigate hydrothermal natural hydrogen production from magnetite, the effects of sample geometry and surface area on hydrogen yields remain inadequately characterized. This study compares hydrogen production from natural magnetite prepared as an intact slab versus fine powder under identical experimental conditions (pH 9, 200 °C, 103.4 bar, 60 days). The results show that magnetite powder yielded 0.052 mmol g−1 rock hydrogen, approximately fivefold higher than the slab. Comprehensive characterization of the magnetite slab revealed increased surface roughness after reaction. Quantitative XRD analysis showed substantial phase conversion from magnetite to hematite, consistent with oxidation of Fe2+ to …

Rigorous Electromagnetic Beamforming Simulations For Realistic Vehicular-To-Infrastructure (V2i) Scenarios In 5g Systems, Mohanad Hussam Aldean Ahmed Almuzian

Theses and Dissertations

Millimeter-wave (mmWave) Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) communication is a key enabling technology for next-generation intelligent transportation systems, offering high data rates and low latency to support safety-critical and autonomous driving applications. However, mmWave communication at 28 GHz suffers from severe path loss, sensitivity to blockage, and strong dependence on antenna directivity and beam alignment, particularly in complex urban environments. As a result, advanced beamforming and multi-antenna techniques are essential to ensure reliable and high-capacity V2I links. This thesis investigates mmWave V2I communication performance using realistic electromagnetic modeling and beamforming techniques. Full-wave antenna simulations and deterministic ray-tracing are employed using Ansys Electronics Desktop, …

Investigation Of Process Parameters To Fabricate Tiwmo Refractory Medium Entropy Alloy Via Laser Powder Bed Fusion, Abdullah Al Masum Jabir, Lindsey A. Salazar, Jianzhi Li

Manufacturing & Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper presents an experimental study on the fabrication of a TiWMo refractory medium-entropy alloy (RMEA) using laser powder bed fusion (PBF-LB/M, commonly known as selective laser melting) from elemental powders as well as successful alloy formation on titanium substrates. The effects of tungsten particle size and process parameters on successful TiWMo RMEA fabrication have been explored using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction, hardness measurement and microstructural analysis. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis revealed that the lowest percentage (0.01%) of unmelted tungsten particles was observed at a laser power of 350 W and scanning speed of 250 mm/s, particularly …

Arid: Agglomerative Regionalization Via Information Divergence, A Novel Clustering Algorithm For Geo-Spatial Data, Joshua David Sills

Dissertations and Theses

Regionalization is a clustering problem that seeks to partition geospatial data into geographically contiguous regions while remaining internally homogeneous in their attributes. It has been successfully applied towards the development of urban planning, natural resource discovery, and ecological analysis. Existing popular approaches optimize homogeneity using Euclidean or variance-based criteria, which ignore distributional differences such as variance shifts, multimodality, and higher-order dependence. This thesis introduces ARID (Agglomerative Regionalization via Information Divergence), a spatially constrained agglomerative clustering framework that replaces distance-based merging with an information-theoretic, Ward-like criterion that utilizes the Kullback-Leibler (KL) divergence. ARID constructs a neighborhood graph from coordinate space and …

What Holds High-Speed Rail Back: Lessons From Global Systems And California’S Experience, Deepak K. Sharma, Rajnish Lekhi, Scott Parr

Mineta Transportation Institute

This report examines benefits and challenges of integrating California High-Speed Rail (CHSR) with other rail systems and reviews California legislation impacting HSR’s contracting and financing alternatives. The research compares CHSR with high-speed rail systems around the world to identify similarities and differences in costs, speeds, ridership, and operating conditions. It also reviews Japan’s Land Readjustment Act as a model for value capture and land assembly and explores international experiences on rail integration, along with U.S. cases from the East Coast and Los Angeles. A review of California’s transportation legislation highlights how laws for highways and bridges differ from those for …

Mechanical, Thermal And Fire Behaviour Of Hemp-Based Composites With Different Binders For Sustainable Building Applications, Anilcan Aygun, Fahri Birinci, Selim Aytac, Ali Kemal Ayan, Hasan Alp Sahin, Ibrahim Isildak

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

This study investigates the physical, mechanical and thermal properties of hemp-based composites produced with traditional binders such as lime, cement, gypsum, clay, and water-based glue. Hemp fractions of different sizes (splinter, shiv, fiber and powder) were combined with these binders to manufacture cube and plate specimens, which were tested for physical, mechanical, thermal, and temperature resistance properties. The study aims to compare the mechanical, physical, thermal, and fire behaviour of these composites to assess their suitability for sustainable construction applications. The hemp-based composites were tested for unit weight, water absorption, compressive strength and thermal conductivity. Most specimens are lightweight (<1000 kg/m3), and exhibit good thermal insulation performance and high compressive deformability, making them suitable for seismic-prone regions. The glue-based composite had the lowest unit weight, measured as 330 kg/m3. Thermal conductivity ranged from 0.051 to 0.243 W/m· K, with several mixtures performing better than natural pumice. While cement-based composites showed the highest compressive strength, ranging from 5.5 to 24.8 kg/cm2, natural hydraulic lime is the lowest. Water absorption was high, and moisture release occurred slowly across all hemp fractions. Combustion tests indicated that hemp-based materials have moderate temperature resistance, with charring temperatures ranging from 238–265°C for raw hemp and 300–385°C when mixed with binders. Overall, hemp-based composites are lightweight, eco-friendly, and suitable for non-load-bearing construction and insulation applications. However, improvements in moisture resistance and long-term durability are necessary to enhance their practical applicability.

Sustainable Cow Dung Bricks: An Innovative Approach To Eco-Friendly Masonry With Enhanced Thermal And Mechanical Performance, Nagesh Sugandhi, Sachin Patil, Satish Reddy, Ashwini G, Santosh Kumar

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

This study explores the development, characterization, and performance of sustainable cow dung bricks using locally sourced organic (cow dung) and mineral (clay, quartz sand, feldspar, lime) constituents for non-load-bearing masonry in India. Three blends with varying cow dung content (70%, 75%, 80%) were mixed, molded, air dried, and cured without kiln firing to reduce environmental impact. The bricks' mechanical properties—compressive strength, water absorption, bulk density, flexural strength, shore hardness, and modulus of elasticity—were systematically evaluated with complete statistical documentation (n = 6 replicates per formulation per test age). Microstructural features were investigated using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-Ray …

Critical Heavy Metal Contamination In The Tigris River, Baghdad: A Comprehensive Assessment Using The Metal Index (Mi), Talib Kamil Abed, Abass J. Kadhem, Muwafaq Hussein Al-Lami

AUIQ Technical Engineering Science

One of the most important rivers in Iraq is the Tigris River, which serves as the primary source of drinking water and irrigation for agricultural purposes. In recent events, researchers have identified growing concerns about heavy metal contamination in the river. To decide the status of the Tigris River, the metal index (MI) was used in this study. To conduct this study, three locations were chosen along the river, and eight likely harmful heavy metals were examined: iron (Fe), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), manganese (Mn), and copper (Cu). The results were worrying. The metal …

Analogy2kg: An Automatic Pipeline For Deriving Knowledge Graphs From Long-Text Analogies, Kara Combs, Lance E. Champagne, Bruce A. Cox, Christine M. Schubert Kabban, Trevor Bihl, Grace Lemming

Faculty Publications

Analogical reasoning is an increasingly popular, lightweight solution to enable large language model (LLM)-level reasoning without computational complexity. Still, it has yet to be adopted due to its reliance on strictly hand-formatted data. Therefore, we propose Analogy2KG (“Analogy to Knowledge Graph”), as an automatic pipeline that transforms text into a KG format via a fine-tuned version of information extraction (IE) algorithms for long-text analogies. The need to verify that the complex underlying analogical structure of the data is maintained was done via paired samples tests in the creation and validation of this pipeline. Graph density was used to evaluate the …

Optimizing Warranty Policies For Remanufactured Products: When Should They Be Longer, Shorter, Or Identical To New Product Warranties?, Kunpeng Li, Jun-Yeon Lee

Faculty Publications

Manufacturers adopt different warranty strategies for remanufactured products, offering shorter, identical, or longer warranty periods compared to new products. However, prior research has only focused on manufacturers offering either shorter or identical warranties. In addition, the existing literature has not captured the diminishing returns of warranties, i.e., as the warranty coverage increases, its incremental benefits begin to decrease but the costs continue to increase. To address these gaps, we develop an optimization model that jointly considers pricing and warranty decisions while accounting for warranty’s diminishing effect on consumer’s willingness to pay for remanufactured products. We show that all three observed …

Equity Evaluation Of Residents’ Transit+Walk Accessibility To Sacramento Healthcare Facilities, Masoud Ghodrat Abadi, Ahoura Zandiatashbar, Aaron Pickett, Stephanie Nemet, Soheil Sharifi

Mineta Transportation Institute

Access to healthcare is a key component of public health equity, yet many U.S. communities remain dependent on private vehicles for medical travel. This study introduces an integrated framework, the Transit+Walk Score (TWS), to evaluate how effectively residents of Sacramento, California, can reach healthcare facilities via public transit and how safely, comfortably, and conveniently they can walk from transit stops to those facilities. The research aims to inform planners, transit agencies, and policy makers in designing equitable and multimodal transportation systems. The research team combined geospatial network modeling and field-based walkability audits to assess 123 healthcare facilities across Sacramento, with …

Sustainable Cement-Blast Furnace Slag Mortar, Richa Jain, Harshit Jain, Ashish Nim

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

New building materials that required and produced less energy are need of today's infrastructure development. The ability of such building materials to promote sustainable development always puts its demand in active mode. With huge consumption of naturally occurring materials in building construction, the problem related to environment degradation is now common for world. Along with this, world is also facing the problem of reuse, recover and scientifically approved disposal of non-biodegradable wastes. Blast furnace slag (BFS) is one of those steel industry wastes that are abundantly available and their disposal arises as prime challenge for industries. This research work makes …

Enhanced Cuckoo Search-Based Optimization For Single Distributed Generation Placement And Sizing In Radial Distribution Systems, Samson Oladayo Ayanlade, Abdulrasaq Jimoh, Richard Oladayo Olarewaju, Ignatius Kema Okakwu, Israel O. Adejumobi, Joseph B. Samson, Oluwadare A. Adebisi, Oluwadare O. Akinrogunde

Al-Bahir

This paper presents an Enhanced Cuckoo Search Algorithm (ECSA) to optimally place and size Distributed Generation (DG) in radial distribution systems to minimize real power loss within operating constraints. The proposed ECSA has exponentially decaying adaptive Lévy flights, constraint-aware solution repair with dynamic penalty coefficients, and diversity-directed stochastic replacement to enhance search robustness and convergence speed. It was tested with 30 independent runs on the IEEE 33-bus, IEEE 69-bus, and a practical Nigerian 32-bus distribution network. The simulations show that the ECSA lowers the active power loss of the IEEE 33-bus system from 201.58 kW to 102.75 kW (49.03%), and …

Voltage-Mode Driver With Sar-Based Termination Calibration, Moustafa M. Elsayed, Abeer T. Khalil, Sameh A. Ibrahim, Mohy Eldin A. Abo-Elsoud

Mansoura Engineering Journal

This paper introduces a DAC-based four-level pulse-amplitude modulation (PAM-4) driver capable of operating at data rates up to 80 Gb/s in 65-nm CMOS technology. A replica-based termination calibration loop is proposed to preserve driver linearity across process, voltage, and temperature (PVT) variations. The proposed driver achieves a relative level mismatch (RLM) of 99.3%. In addition, the transmitter demonstrates a vertical eye opening of 134.8 mV and a horizontal eye opening of 0.44 UI under worst-case conditions.

Information Manager (Bim) Role Profiles, Davitt Lamon, Robert Moore, Stephen Lynam

Reports

This document, Information Manager (BIM) Role Profiles, has been prepared in support of the Irish Government’s Building Information Modelling (BIM) Mandate. It is the result of a collaborative effort between Build Digital, the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (DPER), the Infrastructure Division, and the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI). Its primary purpose is to define the competencies, responsibilities, and experience required for Information Management (BIM) roles to facilitate the successful digital delivery of public works projects. It is important to recognise that under the ISO 19650 series of standards, Information Management is defined as …

Identification Of Thruster Faults In Underwater Vehicles By Using Custom Encodings In Spiking Neural Networks, Donovan Gegg

LSU Master's Theses

Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) are untethered robotic platforms used for tasks such as seafloor mapping, infrastructure inspection, and environmental monitoring. Recent technological advances have produced smaller, more affordable platforms, broadening access to research teams and small companies alike. This miniaturization comes at the cost of them handling drawbacks associated with a more compact machine such as reduced battery capacity as well as limited processing and sensing capabilities. These constraints make small-sized marine vehicle’s reliability critical as they can cause malfunctions, making the loss of a vehicle more likely. Actuator faults are particularly consequential as unintended and unstable control in an …

Multi-Objective Optimization Of Waste Incineration For Minimal Carbon Monoxide And Sulfur Dioxide Emission And Rate Maximization: A Case Study Of Mbezi, Mkuranga-Pwani, Tanzania, Grangay M. Nyanghura, Enock W. Nshama

Tanzania Journal of Science

Incineration is widely employed for hazardous waste disposal, but results in harmful flue gas emissions. This study optimizes a double-chamber incineration process to reduce sulfur dioxide (SO2) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions while maximizing the incineration rate. The effects of waste mass, primary chamber temperature (PT), and secondary chamber temperature (ST) were analyzed using a full factorial design of 27 experiments. ANOVA revealed that mass had the greatest impact on emissions and incineration time, ST had a moderate effect, and PT had little influence. Regression analysis provided models for incineration time, CO, and SO2 emissions. Single-objective optimization using sequential quadratic …

Comparative Study Of Cement-Rice Husk Ash Stabilized Bricks And Fired Clay Bricks, Daniel R. Samson, Emmanuel S. Leo

Tanzania Journal of Science

In some countries, fired clay bricks (FCBs) are widely used for construction, but their production is energy-intensive, relies largely on firewood, and contributes to deforestation and carbon emissions. This study explores unfired clay bricks stabilised with cement and rice husk ash (RHA) as a sustainable alternative, using Dakawa ward in the Morogoro Region, Tanzania, as a case study. The bricks, with a clay of plasticity index 17%, were stabilized with 6%, 10%, and 14% cement by mass, moulded into 40 mm cubes, and cured for 28 days. The compressive strengths achieved were 1.5, 3.6, and 4.1 MPa with water absorption …

Polymer Microstructures For Advanced Biomanufacturing, Tongyao Wu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

With the continued growth of the biopharmaceutical industry, the demand for scalable, robust, and resource-efficient platforms for large-scale mammalian cell culture is amplified. Recent developments in microfluidic technology, such as precise control of the microenvironment, showed the potential to improve the performance of cell culture systems. However, constrained by scalability and operational efficiency, applying such approaches to large-scale cell culture and biopharmaceutical production presents challenges. This dissertation addresses these challenges through three independent but conceptually related technological developments. First, a roll-to-roll (R2R) fabrication process was developed for the scalable production of hollow microcarriers (HMCs). HMCs provide three-dimensional microenvironments suitable for …

Graph-Based And Uncertainty-Aware Machine Learning For Academic Performance Prediction, Anca Olivia Muresan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Early identification of students at risk of academic failure is essential for timely pedagogical interventions and reducing dropout rates. While Artificial Intelligence (AI) has significantly advanced predictive modeling in education, two primary challenges persist: effectively modeling the complex, evolving relationships within heterogeneous educational data, and ensuring the reliability of model outputs for high-stakes decision-making. This dissertation addresses these challenges by proposing a comprehensive framework for early and continuous student performance prediction applied to the Open University Learning Analytics (OULA) dataset. First, we introduce a Heterogeneous Graph Neural Network (HGNN) approach that utilizes metapath structures to capture latent interactions between diverse …

Structural Dynamic Response Assessment Of Clt Wall Structure Systems In Wind-Only And Sequential Seismic–Wind Scenarios, Yunxiang Ma, Qingli Dai, Xiang Zhao

Michigan Tech Publications

Because of concentrated connection damage, the impact of sequential hazards on CLT shear wall systems is much more severe than that on traditional concrete and steel structures considering ductile component behaviors. The present paper evaluated the dynamic response of CLT wall structures in wind-only and sequential seismic–wind scenarios and compared the structural dynamic responses and damage levels of different CLT wall systems. The structural models were established separately based on an SOM benchmark structure, a SOFIE project three-story CLT shear wall structure, and a PT CLT wall platform structure from the NHERI Tall Wood project. The equivalent fluctuating wind load …

A Novel Optuna-Vmd-Ml Framework For Enhanced Settlement Prediction Of Buildings Around Foundation Pits, Jing Zhang, Zhenlin Wang, Shiyu Sheng, Sifan Shen, Chuang He, Huafeng Shan, Haijie He, Li Ai

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

The prediction of building settlement around foundation pit is of vital importance to ensure the safety and stability of urban construction projects. However, current predictions of buildings surrounding foundation pit face numerous challenges. Therefore, this study proposes a framework that integrates Optuna-based hyperparameter optimization, variational mode decomposition (VMD), and machine learning (ML) for accurate and timely settlement prediction in practical engineering scenarios, referred to as the Optuna–VMD–ML framework. Optuna is employed to tune the hyperparameters of both VMD and the ML models; the Optuna-tuned VMD decomposes the settlement time series into mode components, which are then used to train the …

Structural Dynamic Response Assessment Of Clt Wall Structure Systems In Wind-Only And Sequential Seismic–Wind Scenarios, Yunxiang Ma, Qingli Dai, Alexander Zhao

Michigan Tech Publications

Because of concentrated connection damage, the impact of sequential hazards on CLT shear wall systems is much more severe than that on traditional concrete and steel structures considering ductile component behaviors. The present paper evaluated the dynamic response of CLT wall structures in wind-only and sequential seismic–wind scenarios and compared the structural dynamic responses and damage levels of different CLT wall systems. The structural models were established separately based on an SOM benchmark structure, a SOFIE project three-story CLT shear wall structure, and a PT CLT wall platform structure from the NHERI Tall Wood project. The equivalent fluctuating wind load …

The New 11th Edition Of The Indiana Mutcd, Joseph Bruno, David Boruff

Purdue Road School

The updated 11th edition of the Indiana MUTCD released in January of 2026 has many significant changes from the 2011 edition. This presentation provides an overview of the changes from the previous edition and significant variations between the federal MUTCD and the Indiana MUTCD.

Building A Vitalizing Team Culture, Iris Bull, Andrew Cibor

Purdue Road School

Leaders in the public sector face unique challenges in the recruitment and retainage of productive employees. Administrative staff from the City of Bloomington Engineering Department present an analysis of the strategies they employ to shape a high performing team. They examine mutable and designed aspects of their processes for advertising, interviewing, hiring, onboarding, and exit interviewing. Session participants will be provided tested strategies for stimulating professional growth, fostering intradepartmental collaboration, and building resilient culture.

History Of The Interstate System In Indiana, Steven Wuertz

Purdue Road School

A brief history of the Interstate System in Indiana and across the Nation— 1956–2026: 70 years of the Interstate System

Documenting For Success: A Case Study Of A Graduate Writing Retreat, Elliott Rose, Denise Wetzel, Sara C. Kern, Katie O'Hara-Krebs, Laurin Davis, Salah Seoudi, Carmen Cole

Transforming Libraries for Graduate Students

Graduate students often find themselves balancing the demands of research and writing while managing complex academic and personal needs. Writing retreats provide an intentional space for graduate students to focus on their academic goals while supporting community-building, institutional belonging, and a welcoming environment. This proposal outlines a model for academic librarians and staff to plan and implement an effective graduate writing retreat designed to support graduate student academic activities through intentional collaboration and documentation.

Penn State University’s (PSU) Graduate Student Writing Retreat started as an event housed within the University Library’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) department. The retreat …

Iconic Henry Street Bridge In Indianapolis, Marshall Lachecki, Keith Echternach, Mary Appel

Purdue Road School

The iconic new Henry Street bridge over the White River in Indianapolis is a connection to the west side of downtown Indy.  From the challenging hydraulics requirements to the bridge concepts, design, procurement and through construction and archaeology work, the City has worked with many stakeholders and the public to make this new crossing a success.  This presentation will focus on design elements of the bridge while touching upon other project elements.