Engineering Commons^™

Determining The Interest For A Drone Certification Course, Joel Alberto Ventura

Construction Management

The purpose of this study is to explore the interest of the Construction Management students at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo with drone usage and acquiring a drone license. This research paper analyzes students' prior skill sets that were gained from a past internship or class and if that exposure to drones is sufficient enough to apply those skills to the construction industry. Implementing a drone certification course will benefit both the students and companies in the construction industry. Within the construction industry there is a rise in popularity with using technology devices to track and collect data, …

Techniques Against Language Barriers: A Company Case Study, Bryan W. Cruz

Construction Management

The United States construction industry employed approximately 10.8 million people in 2020. Of these 10.8 million, an estimated 3.3 million, or 30%, were Hispanic workers. On construction job sites, workers are exposed to numerous safety risks, including falls, struck-by incidents, and electrocution. Unfortunately, some Hispanics or workers with limited English language skills encounter language barriers which cause additional safety concerns. Language barriers impact their communication and comprehension abilities and, consequently, their safety. For example, workers who do not speak English do not benefit from safety training conducted purely in English; they also cannot read operation manuals for machinery and equipment …

Use Of Gps And Smartgrade Technology In Heavy Civil Construction, Cristian Zarate-Ramirez

Construction Management

Heavy Civil is a sector in the construction industry involving a variety of different heavy machinery and construction practices. Technology has evolved as an important aspect in this sector striving to improve efficiency, productivity, and traditional construction methods. Global Positioning System (GPS) technology is one of the many technological advancements that benefit any size of contractor in the heavy civil industry. With the help of a 3D model, base station, and rover, contractors implement advanced building methods that provide excellent owner satisfaction. Similar to GPS, SmartGrade is a tool integrated into heavy machinery that enhances performance without the need of …

Researching The Demand Of A New App That Reinvents The Way General Contractors And Subcontractors Communicate, Biko Kavalam

Construction Management

This is a research study on the need for a new service that increases efficiency and profit for commercial construction companies. Contractors need an efficient way to hire subcontractors; through detailed and thorough research, we have found a way to make that possible. The research methodology used for the duration of the project is presented. This included contacting general contractors, subcontractors, and owners and discussing in detail the demand for a service like the one proposed. From these discussions, themes like credibility, understanding the market, and finding the right audience were recorded. The results that were obtained reassured us that …

Resistive Switching Characteristics Of Fullerene (C60) In Polymannose Thin Film, Kuan Yew Cheong, Ilias Ait Tayeb, Feng Zhao

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The effects of C60 incorporated in polymannose-based resistive switching memory have been systematically investigated for the first time in bioorganic-based resistive switching memory. C60 with different concentrations (0–7 wt.%) is dispersed in polymannose precursor, drop-casted on ITO/PET substrate, and dried to form a thin film. Electrochemically inert Au–Pd is used as top electrode. The devices with embedded C60 show better endurance and stability. Read memory window decreases and ON/OFF ratio increases as the concentration of C60 increases. Stable retention time up to 10 years is achieved for all of the devices except the one with 7 wt.% C60. Based on …

The Price Of Longevity - Empirical Evidence From Road Pavements, Hanna Kemaw

Lyles School of Civil Engineering Graduate Student Reports

The vast network of county, city and town roads, represent a big part of public assets in most states and often account for a significant share of the public spending on roads. This spending on local road infrastructure help to build, operate, and preserve such infrastructure and therefore provide critical accessibility and mobility to the residents of counties, towns and cities. With the ever-growing volumes of personal and commercial traffic at local roads, the task of maintaining satisfactory levels of service at local roads has become more challenging, and this issue is exacerbated by limited resources, asset aging, and increasing …

Immobilized Algae For Produced Water Treatment And Desalination, Shibin Nadersha, Ashraf Aly Hassan

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Produced water (PW) is the effluent generated during oil mining and extraction. On average, for every barrel of oil, 4-5 barrels of PW are generated worldwide. The presence of various contaminants in PW makes it toxic. Disposal of untreated PW into oceans and water bodies can cause adverse effects on human health and the environment. Taking into account the large volumes of it being generated, and its effects on the environment, proper treatment is required before reuse or disposal. Microalgal treatment is an effective method for the bioremediation and biodesalination of produced water when acclimatized algal biomass is used for …

Establishing The Efficacy Of Non-Cellular Components Of Adipose-Derived Stromal Vascular Fraction In Promoting Angiogenesis., Daniel Benson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Microvascular disease is hallmarked by pathophysiological conditions such as endothelial senescence, intimal thickening which impairs vasodilation, and regression of the capillary beds causing tissue ischemia in the myocardium or in peripheral vascular networks. Adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction (SVF) has previously demonstrated the ability to revascularize tissue. Increasing evidence shows that regenerative cells elicit their therapeutic benefit by paracrine mechanisms, leaving open extracellular vesicles (EVs) as a potential crux of the cell therapy paradigm. To test this idea, three types of gelatin methacrylate hydrogels were employed: SVF gels, EV gels derived from SVF, and blank control gels, which were used in-vitro …

Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling Of Hemodialysis In Patients With An Arteriovenous Fistula, Maximilian Roth

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

With the advent of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) for use in hemodialysis, the anastomosis built for such use has become a central point of the study to understand the flow and wall shear stresses in such a system since very large wall shear stresses can lead to arterial/vein rupture. Considering the commonly used creation site of an anastomosis as connecting the radial artery to the cephalic vein, a model is created to calculate the wall shear stresses across various components of the system. The model depicts a connection of the specified vein and artery bridged together allowing the increase in blood …

Precipitation Trends In North And South Carolina, Usa, Giacomo Moragila, Erika Brattich, Gregory J. Carbone

Faculty Publications

Study region

North and South Carolina, USA.

Study focus

Intense precipitation poses risks to life and property. Its frequency can change in response to global-scale drivers, but its spatial expression can vary seasonally and regionally, and be dependent on how it is measured and what analysis period is used. We investigate forty-four historical stations from the U.S. Historical Climatology Network (USHCN) across North and South Carolina to determine trends in the pluviometric regime defined by the Expert Team on Climate Change Detection and Indices (ETCCDI). New hydrological insights for the region Most of the stations in this area do not …

Exploring The Effect Of Environmental Degradation On The Shape Memory Properties Of Polymers, Jorge Mario Avila

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

A key detriment of the use of polymers by our society is the negative effect this material class has had on the environment. A category of polymers known as shape memory polymers (SMP)s have the ability to return to a programmed original shape form after deformation to a temporary shape by using stimuli such as temperature, electrical pulses and even magnetism. The shape memory effect allows for some polymers to heal if they are damaged. This ability to heal means that components made from these materials can be reused rather than thrown away if they are damaged. The work presented …

Productivity And Quality Evaluation In Assembly Using Collaborative Robots, Carlos F. Manzanares Vega

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In Industry 4.0, various technologies have been applied to achieve automation for traditional manufacturing and practices. For this reason, Smart Manufacturing (SM) environments utilize collaborative robots for process optimization by integrating the Internet of Things (IoT). Cobots are equipped with sensors and/or other devices to be able to transmit data in real-time while performing their tasks. Consequently, such SM implementations improves the decision making and business development, such as supply chain and operations, by sharing real-time data from a plant operational level. The collaborative robots are also designed to safely interact and collaborate with humans to perform tasks and optimize …

Using Ultrasonication For The Improvement Of Grade And Recovery In Molybdenum Sulfide Flotation, Wayne Alexander Campbell

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Experimentation was performed on molybdenite slurry by using ultrasonication to elucidate the effects of ultrasonic-induced bubble cavitation on the grade, recovery, and gangue reduction during small-scale flotation tests and was followed by a topographical analysis of quartz particles using SEM. Ultrasonic waves at 20-80 kHz that propagate through a liquid medium cause microbubbles to form, grow, and implode. The cavitation bubble's implosion causes brief extreme local conditions where temperatures can reach 5,000 K and pressures of 1,000 bar. The resulting microjets create mechanical and chemical changes to the system and were directed at improving flotation dynamics in these experiments. Through …

Natural Resources Management Framework For Agricultural Irrigation Systems Optimization, Juan Valentin Fernandez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Water scarcity has increased substantially in the last decades in many parts of the world, and it is expected to worsen due to the significant increase in global water withdrawals, intensive population growth, and climate change. Water is easily one of the most essential and invaluable global resources due to its many uses, such as drinking, industrial processes, and irrigation. The agriculture sector is one of the most significant water users globally, accounting for nearly 70% of global freshwater withdrawals. Cities and industries compete with the agriculture sector for water sources, producing alarming levels of stress and pollution in the …

Evaluation And Implementation Of Lean Engineering Principles For Improving A University Rocket Team, Alan Garcia

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In the present day, lean is a tool applied to manufacturing industries trying to reduce wasteand non-value-added work to every process during the supply chain. While implementing lean thinking in the industry has been highly effective, it is less common for academic purposes. However, it can also improve performance if the concept is correctly applied. The purpose of this thesis is to show and analyze the application of Lean Engineering thinking and its six principles to the Sun City Summit Rocket Team from the University of Texas at El Paso which competed in the Intercollegiate Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC) Spaceport …

Piper Pa-28-181 Archer Iii Tail #931ec Flight Test Stability, Control And Performance, Steven Allan Sutton

Theses and Dissertations

The following flight test was conducted as part of the culmination requirement for the Master of Science, Flight Test Engineer degree program from Florida Institute of Technology. The flight was conducted to gather data and produce a flight test report on the data gathered. The flight test plan consisted of a series of both Stability and Handling test point as well as basic aircraft performance points. The testing was planned to be accomplished over a single flight, for reasons discussed later in this report. The flight departed on the morning of 26 September, 2022 out of Bob Sikes Airport, KCEW, …

Developmental Evaluation Of The B-1b Aircraft, Jonathon Malycke

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this test was to perform a Developmental Phase IIA evaluation of the B-1B Lancer for the land-based, long-range, all-weather ground attack mission. One two-hour ground evaluation, one simulator and one flight totaling 7.5 hours was conducted under daylight, visual meteorological conditions from Dyess Air Force Base (AFB) in Abilene, Texas (337th Test and Evaluation Squadron). All test objectives were completed except the low altitude flight evaluation, landing pattern operations, and AFCS operations due to weather, maintenance and time constraints. The test aircraft was representative of a production B-1B aircraft and included a Sniper Targeting Pod and a …

Stress-Based Topology Optimization Of Pi Preform-Bonded Composite Laminate Structure, Iwan Broodryk

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this work is to explore the stress-based topology optimization of structure that utilizes laminated composites and 3D woven Pi preform joints. Simple geometry, loading, and boundary conditions are considered. At a finite element level, an aggregate stress ratio is developed for Pi joint and acreage laminate elements. A basic descent method of moving asymptotes (BDMMA) algorithm is created to solve all optimization problems. Topology results for two different stress-based formulations and a compliance minimization problem are compared, followed by an in-depth analysis at a Pi joint and laminate level.

Fabrication Of Solar Absorber Tube With Internal Fin Structure With In718 And Effect Of Boron With In718 For Solar Absorber Tube Using Selective Laser Melting 3d Printing Technology, Naznin Nuria Afrin

Theses and Dissertations

This research aimed to fabricate Solar Absorber Tubes for Solar-Thermal Power Plant with internal fin structures using Selective Laser Melting (SLM) technology. In this study, we investigated the effect of B with IN718 in 3D printing using SLM for solar absorber tubes. The objective was to study the material-process-properties relationship with goal to identify and validate the optimal parameters for the SLM process. Material selected for this study was IN718 with 0.5% and 1% B particle mixed using a V-shape mixing machine. The flowability test was conducted using the Angle of Repose (AOR) method. 3D printed samples …

A Numerical Simulation Of The Powder Bed Additive Manufacturing Process With Molecular Dynamics Simulation, Yeasir Mohammad Akib

Theses and Dissertations

Many manufacturing industries utilize powder bed fusion (PBF) since it can produce microscale precision 3D parts. During PBF, powder particles are selectively fused layer by layer using thermal energy. The build quality in the PBF process relies heavily on powder bed properties and thermal energy deposition. Powder flowability, spreadability, and packing fraction are some of the insightful factors that determine the quality of the powder bed. In this study, a two-dimensional powder bed is developed using the LAMMPS package. A cloud-based pouring of powders with varying volumes and initialization is adopted for the work. A blade-type and circular recoater is …

Ultrafast Laser Direct Writing Of Conductive Patterns On Modified Polyimide Film For Flexible Electronic Applications, Ishrat Jahan Biswas

Theses and Dissertations

Conductive patterns can be printed on a flexible polymer substrate using the direct laser writing (DLW) method. In order to write conductive circuits in such polymer using a laser, polyimide (PI) is a desirable material choice due to its electrical, chemical, and mechanical properties. Electrically non-conductive PI has shown great potential for flexible printed electronics as LDW enables selective carbonization in the bulk of such material leading to the formation of conductive lines. The technique is shown to be a rapid and minimal cost method for printing electrodes to nanoscale devices. However, investigations in this field show several limitations to …

A Study Of The Surface Properties Of Additive Manufactured Inconel 718 After Laser Surface Treatment And Cnc Grinding, Sampson K. Canacoo

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the surface properties of additive manufactured Inconel 718 produced through selective laser melting, and the effects of laser ablation and CNC grinding on the surface finish. The objectives were to investigate the effects of the various parameters of laser ablation and CNC grinding on the Inconel 718 surface. The parameters used for the laser experiments were pulse energy (4, 20, and 30 µJ), scanning speed (5, 10, and 15 mm/s), and hatch distance (10, 30, and 50 µm). For the grinding experiments, the wheel speed was kept constant at 20.3 m/sec, however, two different workpiece speed (8.6 …

Effects Of Fibers In Dense Graded And Gap Graded Asphalt Concrete, Franher Daniel Cantu

Theses and Dissertations

As a part of efforts to understand the interactions between fibers and particles in compliant binder such as asphalt. This investigated the compressive behaviors of fiber reinforced asphalt concrete with different aggregate gradation, such as gap graded and dense graded. There have been multiple studies attempting to understand the impact of fibers on particle reinforced composites, however, only few of those focused on the fiber-particle interactions. A comprehensive literature review on the current state of the art of fiber reinforced asphalt concrete and fiber-particle interactions was conducted. Then a series of compression tests were conducted using various size steel fibers …

Safety-Aware Longitudinal And Lateral Control Of Autonomous Vehicles, Randy Guadalupe Chapa

Theses and Dissertations

Safety is undoubtedly the most critical design requirement regarding autonomous vehicle controllers. This research considers an autonomous vehicle to keep a desired distance from the leader vehicle, as well as stay centered within the lane. To achieve this, the lateral control problem and the combined longitudinal and lateral control problem were studied. Adaptive control laws were proposed with the aid of the backstepping technique and the barrier function technique. Simulation was done to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control laws.

Development Of Vegetable Oil-Based Nano-Lubricants Using Ag, H-Bn And Mgo Nanoparticles As Lubricant Additives, Kollol Sarker Jogesh

Theses and Dissertations

Because of the harmful impact of petroleum-based lubricant on the environment and human body, vegetable oil-based lubricant with eco-friendly nanoparticles has a great potential to be an alternative lubricant if it possesses proper lubricating properties. In this study, thermal conductivity, viscosity and tribological properties (wear scar diameter and coefficient of friction) of vegetable oil-based nanolubricant, developed from soybean oil and sunflower oil, modified with Ag, h-BN and MgO nanoparticles as lubricant additives, were evaluated. For thermal conductivity evaluation, a line heat source method was used with KD2 Pro-Thermal Property Analyzer. For viscosity evaluation, Haake Mars 40-rheometer was used to evaluate …

Investigation Of Process Parameters To Fabricate Refractory Medium-Entropy Alloy By Selective Laser Melting Process, Abdullah Al Masum Jabir

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis proposal investigates the synthesis of TiWMo refractory medium entropy alloy (RMEA) by selective laser melting process from elemental powder. Steel, titanium and tungsten substrates were used to study the impact on the formation of TiWMo RMEA. Different process parameters were applied to investigate the effects on melting, diffusion and formation of RMEA. The microstructure of TiWMo and elemental distribution were observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). SEM analysis revealed that with higher energy density the pores and microcracks were improved. EDS data validated the composition is homogenized and stable after few layers …

Femtosecond Pulse Filamentation In Dielectric Media Toward Photonics Sensor Fabrication, Anitha Narayanan

Theses and Dissertations

Through pulse filamentation, femtosecond laser pulses have been utilized to modify the refractive indices of dielectric materials such as glass, A-plane sapphire crystal, and Cplane sapphire crystal. The 10x Infinity Corrected Lens was used, and the focusing condition was tuned as being the same and fixed to both glass and sapphire crystals. First, 8uJ of laser energy was optimized to produce controlled pulse filamentation voids in the glass. The laser intensity was then optimized to 2-3.5 uJ, 1.5 uJ, & 2.5 uJ, respectively, for the controlled pulse filamentation in A and C plane sapphire crystals. Due to the different crystal …

A Study Of The Constitutive Models Used In Analyzing Dynamic Strain Aging In Austenitic Stainless Steel 304, Mohammad Mohiuddin

Theses and Dissertations

When triggered, dynamic strain aging has a significant impact on the microstructural mechanical behavior of austenitic stainless steel 304 high performance alloy. The dynamic strain aging phenomenon has been shown to cause significant additional hardening in several experimental studies. To effectively predict the behavior of the material, it is required to employ a constitutive model that includes dynamic strain aging. The extra hardness brought on by dynamic strain aging is captured in this study by the proposal of a novel constitutive model (VAS model) for Austenitic Stainless Steel (ASS) 304 high performance alloy. As part of this study, the developed …

Numerical Simulation Of Vibration - Based Piezoelectric Energy Harvester For Shape Comparison, Adriana Rosas

Theses and Dissertations

This work investigates the shape optimization of piezoelectric energy harvesters subjected to mechanical vibration using ABAQUS/Standard software. Three piezoelectric energy harvesters with different dimensions but the same areas were created to identify if model dimensions have an impact on the output voltage. The models were tested at different speeds to create an output voltage. Once the output voltages were obtained, the results were compared with each other to find if shape optimization on piezoelectric energy harvesters has an impact on scavenging energy from mechanical vibrations.

Water Hardness Removal By Electrochemical Precipitation In A Continuous Flow Condition Using Conductive Concrete As Cathode, Tahsin Tareque

Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on the electrochemical precipitation (EP) process to reduce excess water hardness from the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) tap water using electrically conductive concrete as cathode in a continuous flow condition. LRGV tap water is extremely hard with hardness more than 350 mg/L as CaCO3. Humans can pleasantly consume water with hardness less than 150 mg/l as CaCO3 according to World Health Organization (WHO). Hard water is also known to cause mechanical problems to boilers and heat exchangers. In this process, electricity is passed through electrodes submerged in electrolyte, which causes an alkaline environment around the cathode …