Engineering Commons^™

Functional Complementation Of The Ppgcn4 And Ppnhx2 Genes In Arabidopsis Thaliana To Study Salt Tolerance, Amanda Moravek

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

Climate change induces unexpected weather and causes abiotic and biotic stresses in plants. These stresses negatively affect crop growth and production. Additionally, a steady increase in the world population has been leading to higher food demand. Therefore, the development of more stress-resilient crops is essential to combat these problems. One such stress is a salinity that affects crop production. Almond is a salt-sensitive crop, so there is a need to identify salt-tolerant almond rootstocks. AtGCN4 is a novel gene that was identified in Arabidopsis thaliana to play a significant role in host-pathogen interaction and drought tolerance when overexpressed. The preliminary …

Modeling Performance Of Microgrid And Electric Vehicle Technology On The Utah State University Electric Distribution Network, Jackson Morgan

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

To estimate the value of solar power, energy storage, and electric vehicle charging on a small utility's distribution network, power system simulation was performed to compare the load profiles and bills of various levels of deployment. This project used Utah State University's south distribution network and its new parking structure as a testbed for simulation and analysis of new energy technology. The project found that for a rate structure with a fixed capacity reservation and a low energy charge, campus solar power is not currently viable for significantly reducing costs. Conversely, electric vehicle charging could be implemented at a low …

The Earliest Drawings Of Dogs, Myles Bradley

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

The oldest depictions of dogs ever found are over 8,000 years old, found carved into a cliff in the desert of Saudi Arabia. Studies show, however, that dogs are found coexisting with humans as far back as 30,000 years ago. If this is the case, "Why does it take so long for dogs to appear in human artwork?" Dogs have certainly been an integral part of human society for almost as long as they've been around, so what do these early images reveal about the ancient relationship between dogs and man? This paper explores possible answers to both of these …

Hardware Verification Of Lunar Terrain Relative Navigation, Sam Christensen

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

Autonomous delivery to the lunar surface requires proven, cost-effective navigation techniques, especially during the final descent. Terrain Relative Navigation (TRN) is a compelling solution because it has no infrastructure requirements, such as beacons on the lunar surface. However, previous validation of this technique has relied on software simulation of image acquisition and vehicle state estimation. This research leverages the autonomous drone facilities at USU to validate the TRN technique in a hardware system. A hardware demonstration will verify the effectiveness of the TRN technique in a realistic environment simulating the final descent of a lunar lander. This environment will provide …

Static Heat Exchanger For The Wireless Charging Of Electric Vehicles, James Mullen

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

The USU College of Engineering partnered with the Aspire NSF Engineering Research Center to develop wireless charging pads for electric vehicles. These concrete pads, when placed in roadways, charge the batteries of electric vehicles that pass over them. As the pads charge vehicles, they produce excessive thermal energy (heat), which dissipates slowly through the surrounding concrete. This excess heat reduces the efficiency of the charging apparatus and can damage the imbedded electrical components. To manage the pad temperatures, the USU Nanoscale Thermal Energy Lab proposed to submerge the heat-generating elements in a Phase Change Material (PCM). As a solid, a …

Dogs In Ancient Egypt, Ella Olson

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

The Ancient Egyptians are infamous for their love of cats, but what about dogs? It turns out that dogs were equally loved and praised in Egyptian culture. A large part of this comes from the religious significance of dogs- they are connected to the afterlife through Anubis, the god of the dead, and were thought to act as companions and guides to humans in the afterlife. Anubis is an interesting god to look at because he's one of the oldest and most respected gods. In today's terms, we refer to him as having a jackal head, but the Egyptians considered …

The Dog As A Trend In Art, Whitney Stewart

Fall Student Research Symposium 2020

I have always believed that art is one of the biggest forms of communication and signs of cultural assimilation and it has been throughout history. I choose to explore the role that dogs play in this theme. From changes in the symbolism of the dog and the ethics of breeding, art reveals a lot about our furry friends. While I learn much about dogs by themselves, the way we represent them also says a lot about our society. Do we see animals as more than us in some way and less in others? Is a dog painting really about the …

One-Dimensional Turbulence (Odt): Computationally Efficient Modeling And Simulation Of Turbulent Flows, Victoria B. Stephens, David O. Lignell

Faculty Publications

One-dimensional turbulence (ODT) is an accurate and computationally efficient model for simulating turbulent flows. ODT has been applied to a wide range of flow problems including reaction, multiphase, differential diffusion, heat release, buoyancy, and wall flows. Applications include use as a standalone model and as a closure for large-eddy simulation (LES). Its strength lies in the ability to capture a full range of turbulent length and time scales. The ODT model is strongly coupled with its implementation, complicating its formulations. We present a modern, open-source, object-oriented C++ implementation of ODT. The code described here and made available online can be …

Expanding The Concept Of Comprehensive Area Ratio Parameter To The South-Central States Towards Simplifying The Structural Evaluation Of Flexible Pavements At The Network Level, Nitish R. Bastola

Civil Engineering Theses

The surface deflection bowl data collected through Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) has been widely utilized by various Department of Transportation (DOTs) in the South-Central States and other places. The primary purpose of using deflection-based NDTs in network-level assessment is to identify a weak pavement section that requires further analysis at the project level. The falling weight deflectometer (FWD) test is one of the common NDT based tests utilized by highway agencies in assessing the performance of the flexible pavement. However, a robust method to evaluate pavement sections utilizing FWD data from all the sensors are seldom developed. There is always a …

Laboratory Testing And Mechanistic Analysis Of Treated Subgrade Soils, Hari Kumar Reddy Yarrapureddi

Civil Engineering Theses

Calcium-based stabilizing agents such as cement and lime have been extensively used to improve the engineering properties of base and subgrade layers of pavement systems. Recently, polymers and chemical stabilizers have become popular due to cost efficiency, ease of application, and fast curing times. In this study, California Bearing Ratio (CBR) values of polymer and chemical treated soils were compared with the CBR values of soils treated with conventional stabilizers. Parametric sensitivity analyses was carried out on key parameters including the type of subgrade soil, stabilizing agent, stabilizing agent treatment levels, and moisture conditioning. Additionally, numerical analyses was performed to …

Understanding The Role Of Atom Trapping In The Evolution Of Hydrocarbon Transformation Catalyst Morphology, Griffin Alexander Canning

Chemistry and Chemical Biology ETDs

Converting alkanes to other, more chemically and economically valuable molecules requires catalysts that can survive elevated temperatures and highly reducing environments. These environments can cause many metal-nanoparticle based catalysts to sinter rapidly, causing a loss of activity. They must also tolerate the coke formation, as well, since coke can restrict access to active sites by gas phase molecules, thus lowering catalytic activity. While there are routes to improve both the sinter and coke resistance of catalysts, an alternative strategy is to develop a protocol for regenerating the activity of the catalyst in question when coke formation or sintering becomes problematic. …

Framework For Water Management In The Food-Energy-Water (Few) Nexus In Mixed Land-Use Watersheds In Colombia, Camilo Torres, Margaret Gitau, Jaime Lara-Borrero, Diego Paredes-Cuervo

Purdue University Libraries Open Access Publishing Fund

The food-energy-water (FEW) nexus approach has emerged as an alternative for managing these resources more efficiently. Work from studies conducted in the FEW nexus in Latin America is scarce in the scholarly literature. This study aims to develop a framework for water management at the FEW Nexus, with a focus on Colombia. The study focuses on a typical mixed land-use watershed in the Andean region with specific objectives being to: (1) characterize the watershed with respect to land use, climate, water resources, and other factors pertinent to the nexus; (2) explore the relationship between factors in the FEW nexus that …

Frameworks For Part Generation In Multiple Cad Systems And For Cad Simulation With Multiple Users, Jonathan Edwin Sadler

Theses and Dissertations

Companies often require designers to work with and operate between different computer-aided design (CAD) systems. To interoperate between these systems, a neutral design standard for CAD models is needed that allows for generation, customization, and parameterization. Current standards often fail to incorporate file history and design intent. The research proposes a simplified, neutral design format that can be used to generate models in different CAD systems. The format proposes additional functionality not yet found in existing neutral formats or scripts. The system was tested by generating models in both NX and CATIA, then comparing the models for accuracy, flexibility, and …

Policy Changes Impact In Deforestation Of The Brazilian Amazon, Iara Silva Jaques

Master's Projects and Capstones

Since discovered and inhabited, the Brazilian Amazon has been explored and impacted negatively by human activities. The conversion of forest to pastureland and farmland, as well as mining activities, road opening, wood and ore extraction and fire are historically the main causes of environmental damages and forest loss in the region. This project overviewed the latest changes in environmental policy and practices towards environmental protection conducted by the Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, since he took office in 2019, and analyzed the progress of deforestation in the recent years under the new federal administration. Geographic Information System analysis were used to …

Signal Transport And Rf Over Fiber Design For Alpaca, Erich Johannes Nygaard

Theses and Dissertations

The design of the RF over fiber signal transport system for the ALPACA receiver is described, with particular attention to the strict noise requirements as well as dynamic range considerations. Also discussed are analytical tools for analyzing dynamic range in the context of RFI-rich radio astronomy observational settings, including formulas for maximum interference to noise ratios and a simulation framework for predicting distortion levels. Phase and gain stability measurements of the signal transport system are presented, including the effects of the multi-strand armored fiber optic cable. The resulting system meets design requirements, with equivalent noise temperature below 900 K in …

Development Of A Management Guide For Concrete Bridge Decks In Utah, Tenli Waters Emery

Theses and Dissertations

The objectives of this research were to 1) investigate bridge deck condition assessment methods used in the field and laboratory, methods of managing bridge decks, and methods for estimating remaining bridge deck service life using computer models through a comprehensive literature review on these subjects; 2) collect and analyze field data from representative concrete bridge decks in Utah; and 3) develop a decision tree for concrete bridge deck management in Utah. As a result of the literature review performed for objective 1, a synthesis of existing information about condition assessment, bridge deck preservation and rehabilitation, bridge deck reconstruction, and estimating …

Technology Criticism And Data Literacy: The Case For An Augmented Understanding Of Media Literacy, Thomas Knaus

Journal of Media Literacy Education

Reviewing the history of media literacy education might help us to identify how creating media as an approach can contribute to fostering knowledge, understanding technical issues, and to establishing a critical attitude towards technology and data. In a society where digital devices and services are omnipresent and decisions are increasingly based on data, critical analysis must penetrate beyond the “outer shell” of machines – their interfaces – through the technology itself, and the data, and algorithms, which make these devices and services function. Because technology and data constitute the basis of all communication and collaboration, media literate individuals …

Relationships Between In-Situ Tests And Soil Cyclic Strength For Earthquake Hazard Characterization In The Pacific Northwest, Tanner Scott Bryantt

Dissertations and Theses

Strong earthquake shaking is a natural hazard threat in the Pacific Northwest. Soil failure due to strong earthquake shaking -- known as cyclic soil failure or liquefaction -- is expected to cause large ground deformations and damage to roads, bridges, and other civil infrastructure. Cyclic soil strength (CRR) is often characterized with in-situ geotechnical tests including the cone penetration test (CPT). Relationships between CRR and in-situ test data are not well established for soils in the Pacific Northwest. Portland State University, in partnership with New Albion Geotechnical has compiled a database of cyclic lab tests for Pacific Northwest soils to …

Reinforcement Learning Approach For Inspect/Correct Tasks, Hoda Nasereddin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In this research, we focus on the application of reinforcement learning (RL) in automated agent tasks involving considerable target variability (i.e., characterized by stochastic distributions); in particular, learning of inspect/correct tasks. Examples include automated identification & correction of rivet failures in airplane maintenance procedures, and automated cleaning of surgical instruments in a hospital sterilization processing department. The location of defects and the corrective action to be taken for each varies from task episode. What needs to be learned are optimal stochastic strategies rather than optimization of any one single defect type and location. RL has been widely applied in robotics …

News

In The Loop

News briefs: Hollywood Reporter Honor; Studio CDM Documents Remote Initiatives; Animation Jam Goes Virtual; "Tom of Your Life" Film Release; D.E.F. Showcase 2020; Trackmania Soundtrack; Alumnus Commemorates St. Vincent de Paul; Alumni Games at PixelPop; Cybersecurity Champion

Fair Treatment

In The Loop

Initiatives in DePaul's College of Computing and Digital Media are addressing racial inequity in health care. One initiative is looking at Black maternal health. Another is trying to build models and requirements of what should be automated to consider racial inequity first.

Cnn Classification Architecture Study For Turbulent Free-Space And Attenuated Underwater Optical Oam Communications, Patrick L. Neary, Abbie T. Watnik, Kyle Peter Judd, James R. Lindle, Nicholas S. Flann

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

Turbulence and attenuation are signal degrading factors that can severely hinder free-space and underwater OAM optical pattern demultiplexing. A variety of state-of-the-art convolutional neural network architectures are explored to identify which, if any, provide optimal performance under these non-ideal environmental conditions. Hyperparameter searches are performed on the architectures to ensure that near-ideal settings are used for training. Architectures are compared in various scenarios and the best performing, with their settings, are provided. We show that from the current state-of-the-art architectures, DenseNet outperforms all others when memory is not a constraint. When memory footprint is a factor, ShuffleNet is shown to …

Effects Of Conformal Cooling Channels On Additively Manufactured Injection Molding Tooling, Tyler Blaine Whatcott

Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on the cycle-averaged mold temperature of additively manufactured injection molding tooling and how it is affected by conformal cooling channels. This was done by producing a benchmark mold out of Digital ABS produced by Stratasys, an acrylic based photopolymer, which was then used to produce injection molded parts until tool failure. Another, more cost-effective material, High Temp Resin produced by Formlabs, another acrylic based photopolymer, was also tested but yielded very little success. Then the mold design was altered by adding conformal cooling channels and again tested by producing injection molded parts while tracking the mold temperature. …

Paper Recycling Fiber Recapture, Erin Riley

Honors Theses

The goal of the Yoda Chemical Company Paper Recycling Fiber Recapture project and subsequent report was to identify and recommend plant optimization opportunities associated with the potential recovery of five waste streams. Additionally, an analysis of the upgrade’s design was completed in order to determine the economic viability of fiber recapture. Beginning the analysis, the five waste streams were identified and analyzed. The waste streams include the top liner, back liner, and filler liner primary cleaner rejects on the K1 machine, the common rejects from under the K3 paper machine, and the tertiary cleaner rejects from stock preparation.

Two different …

Stem Teacher Database, Veronica Buss

Honors Theses

The College of Engineering and Applied Sciences (CEAS) Recruitment web application provides access to recruitment information for the Manager of Recruitment and Outreach and those who also use the spreadsheet file with their current data. This database is a functional database for the WMU college of engineering and applied sciences’ recruiters to organize their data on STEM teachers from the feeder high schools of WMU. The app provides an interface for its users to filter and search the data they have compiled to create recruitment mailing reports. The main purpose of this app was to facilitate the retrieval and upkeep …

Housing Pre-Fabrication And Resource Optimization, Emma Dubensky

Honors Theses

Enclosure during construction is often time-consuming, expensive, and at the mercy of the weather. By introducing methods for manufacturing prefabricated enclosure components such as wall panels and roof sections, the impact of the three major variables is reduced. Designs for trusses, roof sections, wall sections, and foundations were developed and selected using civil engineering principles; and manufacturing and logistical processes were optimized using engineering and project management skill sets. These multi-disciplinary efforts were combined to create an accessible and versatile set of designs and instructions that can improve the effectiveness of both a skilled and non-skilled volunteer workforce. By creating …

Silicon Oil Drop Experiment, Jacob Lutz

Honors Theses

When designing models for quantum systems, researchers are often limited to computer models to develop a large pool of data. This has always been the case until the discovery was made that bouncing droplets of silicone oil can provide a decent representation of quantum mechanical particles. A system to model this representation was created. It is designed to run continuously for a large number of trials without the need for human interaction, as well as collect motion data from generated oil droplets. The droplet generator system is composed of a fluid reservoir, pump, piezoelectric buzzer, fluid chamber, and a nozzle …

Software Tool For Analyzing The Bending Strength Of Gear Teeth, Tayla Hall

Honors Theses

Current finite element (FE) models for gear analysis are computationally expensive. We will develop a software tool in Excel to efficiently assess the effect of different root geometries on gear tooth bending strength. The tool will assess the change in root stress as the root fillet shape is changed, using a 2-D model of a representative gear tooth using an A to B comparison. This is assumed to correlate to equivalent stress reduction in an actual gear. The tool will be validated by comparing the root stress found using the software to a FE analysis of root stress using ANSYS. …

Design Of Outdoor Residential Lighting Fixture, Jenna Vanmarter

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Studies On Glass Fiber-Reinforced Poly(Ethylene-Grafted-Styrene)-Based Cation Exchange Membrane Composite, Di Huang, Zhichao Chen, Jiann-Yang Hwang

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

To improve interfacial adhesion between glass fiber (GF) and poly(ethylene-grafted-styrene)-based cation exchange membranes (CEM), GF was modified by four coupling agents: [3-(Methacryloxy)propyl] trimethoxy silane (3-MPS), 1,6-bis (trimethoxysilyl) hexane (1,6 bis), Poly(propylene-graft-maleic anhydride) (PP-g-MA) and Triethoxyvinylsilane (TES). The results indicated the addition of modified GF increased tensile strength, tensile modulus, storage modulus and interfacial adhesion of GF/CEM composite but degraded the strains. The composite with 3-MPS modified GF obtained superior mechanical properties and interfacial adhesion, whereas the modified effect of TES was inconspicuous. The addition of unmodified GF even had negative effects on GF/CEM mechanical properties. The field emission scanning electron …