Engineering Commons^™

Beyond The Meter: Frameworks For Evaluating The Broad Spectrum Of Microgrid Benefits, Elias Henderson

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Community-scale microgrids can create a range of social benefits. These include resilient electricity, cleaner air, decarbonization, and economic development, alongside more qualitative values like energy sovereignty and community self-determination. Many such benefits, however, are illegible to California’s market and regulatory frameworks. This thesis traces this disconnect, with particular attention to grid-edge communities in Northern California.

Microgrid benefits are classified as monetized, modeled, or incommensurable according to their inclusion/exclusion in existing regulatory and revenue mechanisms. To explore each category, a mixed-methods analytic approach is employed, pairing Tribal and stakeholder interviews with the development of a microgrid valuation calculator. This tool is …

Construction Industry Preparedness For Generation Z And Millennials: Aligning Industry Characteristics With Workforce Job Preferences, Ameenullah Amiri, Dhaval R. Gajjar, Jason D. Lucas

The Professional Constructor

The construction industry in the United States suffers from workforce shortages, partly due to younger generations being hired more slowly than baby boomers retire. Generation Z’s (Gen Z) lack of interest in joining the construction industry, coupled with the retirement of older workers, has amplified the problem. This paper investigates existing literature to identify the work and career preferences of Gen Z and Millennials and determine where the industry may focus efforts to attract these two generations. Through a systematic literature review, this study identified overlaps and gaps between the current construction industry workforce’s perceptions of the industry and the …

Anonymized Survey Dataset On Road Safety Assessment During Construction Of Bus Rapid Transit (Brt) Corridors In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, Lorain Salufu

Open Data

This dataset contains anonymized survey responses collected for a study on road safety assessment during construction of the Dar es Salaam Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Phase 3 corridor. The dataset includes responses from 400 participants, together with the survey. The data were collected to assess perceived safety conditions, adequacy of construction-phase safety measures, effectiveness of traffic diversions, and the effects of construction activities on road users and nearby communities. No personally identifiable information is included in the shared files.

Direct Ink Writing Of Shear Exfoliated Two-Dimensional Nanomaterial- Elastomeric Multifunctional Nanocomposite, Md Abdur Rahman Bin Abdus Salam, Asif Hasan Ridoy, A K M Abirul Haque, Muhammad Shahbaz Rafique, Md Arafat Hossain, Md Shahriar Forhad, Matthew G. Boebinger, Farid Ahmed, Karen Lozano, Ali Ashraf

Manufacturing & Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications

Direct ink writing (DIW) of polymer nanocomposites with high loadings of two-dimensional (2D) nanofillers (graphene and hexagonal boron nitride (hBN)) is challenging because of potential clogging, use of hazardous solvents, and agglomeration. Here, in this work, a shear exfoliation and sieving method to prepare DIW ink with high loading of nanofillers produced from low-cost bulk layered materials such as graphite and bulk hBN powder for successful DIW printing without the use of any solvents, binders, or plasticizers. The single-step exfoliation technique resulted in a composite with substantial layer reduction along the c-axis, as confirmed by SEM, TEM, XRD, and Raman …

Structured Laser Vision-Based Measurement Of Gta-Weld Pool, Gang Zhang, Jianbo Wang, Yu Shi, Ding Fan, Yuming Zhang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

The current study of weld pool fluid dynamics in arc welding focuses on the numerical model establishment and simulation, and the x-ray combined with particle trace imaging observations, there is no real-time monitor and quantitatively characterize the weld pool flow behavior in welding process for controlling the weld quality. This study develops an innovative structured laser vision-based sensing system for three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction and quantitative analysis of weld pool surface topographies in gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW). Through characterization of dynamic weld pool morphologies, two novel parameters are proposed: the surface convexity variation rate (R_h) and fluid …

Detecting And Repairing Conflicting Constraints In Co-Trained Physics-Informed Neural Networks For Composite Curing Processes, Cooper J. Evans

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Composite materials have become a critical component of modern manufacturing, especially in the automotive and aerospace industries. The curing process for these composites has been modeled using a variety of partial differential equations representing the heat transfer and composite curing kinetics. Optimizing the applied temperature profile is critical for maximizing the efficiency and capacity of composite part manufacturers. Constraints must be placed on the inputs and outputs of the model, including but not limited to, the applied temperature profile, part temperature, and final degree of cure. Conflicting sets of constraints are easy to unknowingly impose due to the highly coupled …

Torque-Based Detection And Isolation Of Bucket-Specific Load Variations In A Continuous Bucket Ladder Excavator, Mason R. Krause

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Understanding how cutter geometry, material, and operating conditions influence excavation performance is critical for the design of lunar surface systems operating in regolith environments. This work presents a torque-based methodology for detecting and quantifying bucket-specific load variations in a continuous bucket ladder excavator. A nine-bucket excavator was constructed to record drivetrain torque while operating in a regolith simulant over multi-day test periods. Each bucket featured a unique combination of cutting edge material and geometry. A method was developed to separate the continuous torque data into individual excavation events, enabling identification of individual bucket interactions. Analysis of the resulting event-based dataset …

On The Influence Of Faraday Waves On Transport In Resonant Acoustic Mixing, Preston David Silverstein

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Resonant acoustic mixing (RAM) uses low frequency high acceleration oscillatory forcing to combine fluids, particles, and powders. Although progress has been in adjacent RAM fields, there are still gaps in understanding how Faraday surface instabilities affect momentum transport to the bulk fluid and particles therein. This work investigates the energy pathways that an oscillatory mixer has and connects surface deformation to bulk rotational flow and particle forcing. This study is conducted in three phases. In phase 1, a thermodynamic first- and second-law analysis couples the surface features with the scale of subsurface rotational features. Experimental surface measurements showed that for …

The Effects Of Membrane Structure And Filtration Conditions On Virus Filtration, Wenbo Xu, Xianghong Qian, Hironobu Shirataki, Daniel Strauss, Sumith R. Wickramasinghe

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Virus filtration is used for validation of virus clearance in the manufacture of monoclonal antibodies. Requirements for this size exclusion process include 10,000-fold reduction of virus particles and at least 95 % recovery of the monoclonal antibody in the permeate. The size difference between the rejected parvovirus particles, 25 nm, and monoclonal antibody, 10-12 nm, is about two. Membranes are designed with pore sizes around the average size of the parvovirus. Given the polydispersity in membrane pore size and virus particles, filter performance is dependent on membrane properties, feed and operating conditions. Compromised performance usually occurs due to product related …

Machine Learning For Predicting Prosthetic Limb Movements, Jessica Alexandra Cegarra Arraiz

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis develops and evaluates a deep learning-based prediction model capable of identifying intended limb movement from surfaced electromyography (sEMG) signals using sequence learning techniques. sEMG signals change over time due to multiple factors such as muscle fatigue or user variability. Traditional prosthetics control methods rely on static feature extraction, ignoring how signals change over time, thereby limiting their ability to capture the temporal changes of muscle activity. As a result, these approaches often lead to poor accuracy, robustness, and generalization. Limited experimental validation has been conducted on sequence-based machine learning approaches using temporal sEMG data from publicly available datasets …

Revisiting The Life Cycle Of Margalefidinium Polykrikoides Group Iii, Eduardo Pérez-Vega, Kenneth N. Mertens, Pjotr Meyvisch, Margaret R. Mulholland

OES Faculty Publications

Dinoflagellates produce cysts as a strategy to withstand environmental stressors, with nutrient depletion generally considered a key trigger for cyst production. Resting cysts are thick-walled, typically composed of one to several layers, and characterized by a prolonged dormancy period. In contrast, pellicle cysts possess a thin, single wall and exhibit no dormancy or a markedly shorter dormancy than resting cysts of the same species. Margalefidinium polykrikoides produces pellicle and resting cysts, whereas its congener, M. fulvescens, has been shown to produce pumpkin-like structures. Using phase-contrast microscopy, time-lapse microscopy, FlowCam, and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy (ATR μ-FTIR), …

Gradient-Based, Post-Optimality Sensitivity Analysis With Respect To Parameters Of State Equations, Gene Hou, Jonathan Degroff

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Design optimization is a computational tool that can enable a designer to investigate the effectiveness of a design concept in an organized format. However, this design process requires the design variables, constraints, and objective function to be properly defined and expressed in mathematical forms. Post-optimality analysis thus becomes a necessary step to investigate different variations in the problem formulation and parameters to ensure that optimization produces a stable and trustworthy outcome. One efficient way to achieve this aim is to compute the local derivative of the optimized objective function with respect to the optimization problem parameters, such as bounds on …

Uncertainty-Aware Estimation, Planning, And Control For Tracking Multiple Drifting Patches In Flow Fields, Daniel O. Akanji, Krishnanand N. Kaipa, Cong Wei

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

In this study, we present a replay-based framework for uncertainty-aware persistent tracking of multiple advected surface patches using an autonomous marine vehicle operating in spatiotemporal-varying currents. The method combines three components: local flow estimation, covariance-aware patch-boundary propagation with intermittent boundary fusion, and mission-level scheduling over multiple patches. Each patch is represented by a polygonal boundary, whose vertices are propagated through the estimated flow field while carrying per-vertex covariance, thereby quantifying uncertainty growth during advection. A flow-aware gain-scheduled linear quadratic regulator (LQR) was designed to shape the desired surge speed to take advantage of favorable currents. When the vehicle services a …

Influence Of Motion Artifacts On Instantaneous Frequency Based Heart Rate Variability Of Arterial Pulse Signals Measured By A Tactile Sensor: An Analytical Study, Mamun Hasan, Zhili Hao

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Objective: Heart rate variability (HRV), quantified via the instantaneous frequency (IF) of arterial pulse signals, is a key indicator of cardiovascular (CV) regulation. This study presents a theoretical and experimental investigation of how motion artifacts (MA) influence IF-and thus HRVmeasured with a tactile sensor, emphasizing underlying mechanisms rather than population-level validation. Approach: Building on a previously developed single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) model of the tissue-contact-sensor (TCS) stack between the sensor and the artery, MA is represented as low-frequency baseline drift and time-varying system parameters (TVSP) of the TCS stack. Analytical expressions quantify the effect of MA on the IF of each harmonic …

Mechanical-Medical Convergence In Heart Failure: Artificial Intelligence, Finite-Element Modeling, And 3d Printing For Diagnosis And Prognosis, Quazi Noor E. Sabrina, Quazi Md Zobaer Shah, Quazi Noor E. Sohela, Md Mahabub Hasan Mousum, Md. Moyeen Uddin Chisty, Quazi Md. Akbar Shah

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Heart failure remains a leading cause of global morbidity and mortality, yet routine clinical indices often miss the regional biomechanical disturbances that drive progression and shape treatment response. This State-of-the-Art review examines how finite-element (FE) modeling, additive manufacturing, and artificial intelligence (AI) are converging to improve the diagnosis, phenotyping, procedural planning, and prognostic assessment of heart failure (HF). Although these technologies have matured in structural heart disease and transcatheter intervention research, their greatest translational potential may lie in HF, where patient-specific ventricular remodeling, myocardial stress–strain heterogeneity, valve-ventricular coupling, and device-tissue interaction are incompletely captured by conventional clinical indices. We synthesize …

Code-Net++: An Attention-Guided Deep Learning Framework With Grad-Cam-Based Explainability For Covid-19 Detection Using Chest X-Ray Images, Fareesa Amina, Dr Krishnanaik Vankdoth

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Chest radiograph imaging has emerged as a practical and scalable diagnostic modality for respiratory diseases, including COVID-19. However, accurate discrimination of COVID-19 manifestations from other pulmonary abnormalities remains challenging because of low contrast, imaging noise, and overlapping radiographic patterns. This work presents CODE-NET++, an enhanced attention-guided deep learning framework with Grad-CAM-based explainability for reliable COVID-19 detection using chest X-ray images. The proposed framework integrates adaptive trilateral filtering for image enhancement, Reverse Edge Attention Network (RE-Net) for lesion-aware segmentation, and an Enhanced LinkNet architecture with dilated convolutions for multiscale feature extraction and classification. Grad-CAM-based explainable artificial intelligence visualization is incorporated to …

The Effect Of Second-Order Slip In Hydromagnetic Eyring-Powell Flow: A Bvp4c Study, Ch. Maheswari, B. Naga Lakshmi, G. Dharmaiah, R. Mohana Ramana, B. Reddappa

Mansoura Engineering Journal

The steady-state Eyring–Powell boundary layer fluid flow past a moving surface is examined, considering various parameter implications. These include the wall mass transfer parameter (0.5  C   2.0), the magnetic field parameter (5  Mn 20), the velocity ratio parameter (0.1  λ1  0.7), Eyring-Powell fluid parameters (0.5 K 2 & 0.1 E 0.4), as well as the first-order velocity slip (0.1 γ 1.1) and second-order velocity slip (0.1 δ  0.4). By employing appropriate similarity transformations, the PDEs are reduced to a set of non-linear ODEs, which are subsequently solved using the bvp4c numerical technique and, an implication of key factors on shear …

A Hybrid Object Detection And Temporal Attention Framework For Intelligent Video Surveillance, Sudheer Reddy Bandi, Eswari Vanaparthi, Yakshini Edapalli, Roshan Kavuri

Mansoura Engineering Journal

The rapid growth of urban areas has greatly heightened the need for smart video surveillance systems that can automatically process extensive amounts of CCTV footage. Traditional surveillance methods largely depend on human monitoring, which is not only inefficient but also susceptible to human mistakes, especially in intricate and crowded environments. To tackle these issues, this paper introduces a combined object detection and temporal attention for intelligent video surveillance that concurrently analyzes spatial and temporal data from video streams. The proposed system analyzes real-time CCTV footage utilising a multi-pathway frame extraction technique that includes slow, fast, and full-frame sampling to capture …

Radical-Based Oxidative Pretreatment Enhances Biofuel Production From Lignocellulosic Biomass Via Hydrothermal Liquefaction, João Vitor Dos Santos, Louis C. Bondurant, Patrick G. Hatcher

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

The sustainable production of biofuels from lignocellulosic biomass is a central goal in the transition to low-carbon energy systems. However, hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL), a promising thermochemical conversion pathway, is constrained by the high oxygen content and complex aromatic structure of lignin, which lowers bio-oil quality. Here, we used a model system of brown-rot-degraded white oak (Quercus alba) to test whether radical-based oxidative pretreatment could enhance HTL performance by converting lignin into more aliphatic intermediates. Oxidation was performed under simulated Fenton conditions using fixed Fe(II) (60 ppm) and two hydrogen peroxide concentrations (3 and 8 M), resulting in extensive lignin depolymerization …

Extraction And Characterization Of Fresh And Dehydrated Cactus (Opuntia Ficus Indica) Polysaccharide For Hydrogel Preparation, Aye Thwe Thwesoe, May Myat Khine

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

In this research, extraction of polysaccharide compounds from Cactus (Opuntia Ficus Indica) leaves in both fresh and dehydrated condition by solvent precipitation method using three types of water, acid (HCL) and NaOH. Before extraction, the physicochemical properties were examined to determine optimum yield (%) of extracted polysaccharide by optimization of Box-Behnken Design (BBD) of response surface methodology (RSM). The polysaccharide-based acrylamide hydrogel was prepared by free radical polymerization. The functional and structural characterization was done by FTIR, XRD and SEM for examination of extracted polysaccharide as raw polymer backbone in hydrogel preparation and prepared hydrogel as adsorbent for metal removal. …

Beyond The Binary: Navigating Ai’S Role In Palliative Ethics-A Review, Reebu Sara Varghese, Tijo Cherian

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Palliative care is being influenced by artificial intelligence, especially when it comes to data-related aspects. In this context, care can be enhanced in terms of the quality of its results and the level of its efficiency, particularly with the help of technological tools such as artificial intelligence, which is capable of managing different types of information in the field of health care. Such characteristics have the potential to improve the quality of patient care while at the same time reducing the workload of healthcare professionals in palliative care. However, there are considerable ethical issues that need to be addressed with …

Ai-Assisted Hybrid Ga–Pso Channel Allocation Under 3gpp Tr 38.901 Uma For Efficient 5g Radio Resource Management, Sharada Narsingrao Ohatkar

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

The increased traffic and heterogeneity in the 5G/B5G network require efficient radio resource management (RRM). However, the existing methods, such as GA and PSO, have poor convergence speed and require proper initial conditions. Additionally, learning-based methods have high computational complexity. Hence, in this paper, a novel AI-assisted Hybrid Channel Allocation (AI–HCA) framework is proposed by using a support vector regression (SVR)-based predictive initialization method and GA-PSO optimization. Simulation results using the 3GPP UMa channel model show that the proposed method has a 28% reduction in call blocking probability (CBP), a 15-25% enhancement in spectral efficiency (SE), and a 18-25% enhancement …

Virtualized And Distributed Neighborhood Data Centers, Benjamin T. Niccum

Computer Science and Engineering Theses

This thesis evaluates whether PCIe-fabric-based resource pooling can support a decentralized neighborhood micro-data-center model under real implementation constraints. The work combines architecture design, prototype deployment, performance benchmarking, and security assessment. Results show strong prototype-scale feasibility with low-latency and high-throughput behavior, while also identifying deployment-blocking security gaps and operational maturity requirements. The thesis contributes an evidence-traceable path from concept validation to deployment-grade roadmap planning.

The Rise In Height And Curb Weight Of The Top-Selling Vehicles In The United States From 1991 - 2025: Implications For Engineering Design And Vulnerable Road Users, Samuel L. Steinman-Friedman

Civil Engineering Theses

Road fatalities are higher in the United States than in other high-income regions. In 2024, 39,254 people died on roads in the United States compared to 19,940 in the European Union. These two regions have comparable exposure metrics, such as population size, roadway network length, and fatalities per mile traveled. Light trucks dominate the U.S. market, whereas hatchbacks are prevalent in Europe. The trendline of the average height and curb weight of the top-selling vehicles in the United States has increased by 0.24 inches and 23.52 pounds per year since 1991. The average 2025 top-selling U.S. passenger vehicle is 7.5 …

Integrated Thermal, Energy, And Structural Performance Assessment Of A Novel In-Service Shallow Geothermal Bridge Deicing System, Alireza Fakhrabadi

Civil Engineering Dissertations

Understanding the performance of bridge deck deicing systems under winter weather conditions is important for improving transportation safety and reducing long-term deterioration of bridge infrastructure. Bridge decks are more vulnerable to icing than ground-supported pavements because they are exposed to ambient air, wind, and radiation from multiple directions, while they do not receive thermal support from the underlying soil. Conventional deicing methods, especially chloride-based salts, can reduce ice formation in the short term, but repeated application may accelerate reinforcement corrosion, concrete damage, and environmental concerns. Therefore, shallow geothermal energy has been considered as a sustainable alternative for bridge deck deicing …

A Hybrid Geospatial And Remote Sensing Methodology For Drought Vulnerability Assessment In Semi-Arid Ecosystems, Kaifi Fakhir Chomani

Mansoura Engineering Journal

The Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) faced significant drought challenges due to global and environmental changes, necessitating drought assessments. Advanced techniques of remote sensing, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) were combined in this research to perform drought vulnerability zonation for KRI. Average annual rainfall, Average number of rainy days, Average annual temperature, slope, elevation, normalised difference water index (NDWI), normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI), land surface temperature (LST), and temperature condition index (TCI) were selected as contributing parameters for drought vulnerability assessments. The considered parameters were weighted using pairwise comparison, and thematic maps were created to …

Elevated Temperature Flexure Behavior Of Continuous Carbon Fiber Reinforced Zrb2–Zrsi2 Ultrahigh Temperature Ceramic Matrix Composites, Jacob Stacy, Aaron Ginsparg, Jason Lonergan, Jeremy Watts, Gregory Hilmas

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Ultrahigh temperature ceramic matrix composites (UHTCMCs) were fabricated from unidirectional prepreg tapes consisting of a matrix of ZrB₂ with 5, 10, and 15 vol.% ZrSi₂ additions and continuous polyacrylonitrile carbon fibers and were densified at 1600°C in a hot press. The relative matrix densities ranged from 88% to 93% with interlayer spacings of ∼72 µm and fiber volume fractions between 30% and 36%. Phenolic resin additions were utilized to react with ZrSi₂ acting as a transient sintering aid to form ZrC and SiC phases. Elastic moduli of the UHTCMCs decreased with increasing temperature during 4-pt flexure testing. …

Quantitative Grain Structure And Texture Analysis Of Hot-Pressed Zrb2 Via 3d Ebsd, Randi Swanson, Michael Chapman, Yue Zhou, Ashley Hilmas, Lisa Rueschhoff, Michael Uchic, William Fahrenholtz, Scott J. Mccormack

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Understanding and controlling the grain structure of ZrB₂ is critical for optimizing its mechanical and thermal performance in high-temperature applications. Fully dense ZrB₂, densified by hot pressing at 2150˚C and 32 MPa, was analyzed in three dimensions using electron backscattered diffraction, electron and optical microscopy, and mechanical polishing serial sectioning. Grain size followed a gamma distribution, with extreme deviations observed only in the largest 0.1% of grains. Large grains exhibited plate-like morphologies, with the shortest-to-longest axis ratio converging to ∼0.4 as grain volume increased. This work revealed a crystallographically controlled growth mechanism orthogonal to [0001] that is …

The Effects Of Mold Flux Contamination On Oxide Scale Formation And Hydro-Descaling Efficiency During Steel Processing, Tochukwu Princewill Ojiako, Richard Osei, Mario Buchely, Haiming Wen, Simon Lekakh, Ronald O'Malley

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Oxide scale formation during thin-slab continuous casting has a complex structure, which is influenced by mold flux contamination, that modifies interfacial reactions during solidification, subsequent reheating, and descaling. While individual aspects of the oxidation behavior of carbon steel have been previously examined, the synergetic effects of mold flux contamination during continuous casting and subsequent reheating on scale modification and the efficiency of hydraulic descaling remain inadequately studied. This study quantitatively examines the effect of flux composition on oxide scale evolution, adhesion, and hydraulic removal in low-carbon steel under simulated industrial conditions. Slab samples with as-cast, cleaned, and flux-coated surfaces were …

Simulated Lunar Gravity Testing Of A Magnetic And Electrostatic System For Beneficiating Lunar Regolith, Blake A. Coffman, Gabriel Porter, Lindsay Manteufel, Mitchell Cottrell, Jeffrey D. Smith, David J. Bayless, William Shonberg, Frank D. Han, Fateme Rezaei, Kirby Runyon

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

We present the design and testing of a lunar regolith beneficiation device that utilizes magnetic and electrostatic separation methods to concentrate desired minerals by removing unwanted material, such as the mineral anorthite, from bulk lunar regolith. The beneficiated materials would have value for downstream in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) processes such as metal extraction, oxygen extraction, and metal oxide additive manufacturing processes. The apparatus uses a dual-strength magnet system with N52 and N42 neodymium magnets to separate particles by magnetic susceptibility. The electrostatic separation system, which acts like a sieve, sorts the regolith simulant by particle size using a single-phase 50% …