Engineering Commons^™

2017 Asc Bidding Competition – Heavy Civil, Shandy Holm, Kenneth Hunter, Kendra Jackson, Carlos Martinez, Jacob Nistler, Katherine Schuler

Proceedings of the Annual Montana Tech Electrical and General Engineering Symposium

We represent the 2017 Montana Tech Heavy Civil Team. Our senior design project consisted of competing in the Region 6 ASC (Associated Schools of Construction) Heavy Civil Bidding Competition in Sparks, Nevada. The competition required a full year of preparation. The fall semester was composed of planning, practicing, and gathering resources. The spring semester involved traveling to Sparks, Nevada, and performing in the competition. Preparing for the competition involved practice bids, where the team studied various aspects of heavy civil construction. Time was devoted to developing presentation skills, and different team bonding exercises encouraged unit cohesion. Finally, our preparation culminated …

Engineering At San Jose State University, Spring 2017, San Jose State University, Charles W. Davidson College Of Engineering

Engineering at San Jose State University

No abstract provided.

Making Random - Cryptography And The Generation Of Random Sequences, Samuel Barton

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

The algorithm utilizes the behavior of modern operating systems to generate random bits by putting the process to sleep for 10 microseconds, and then comparing the actual number of microseconds slept to the expected amount. The reason why this works for generating \random" bits is that modern operating systems do not wake processes exactly when they request. This is due to process scheduling. The algorithm uses the randomness in actual sleep time to generate each bit.

The bits are not truly random, as if a person were able to force the algorithm to always execute, then we would not have …

A Poet In Space: Identity Construction Through Hybridity, Jonathan Pessant

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

William Carlos Williams wrote: A poem is a small Machine made of words. Poetry and the STEM fields are no different when each discipline attempts to find meaning in the world, when each creates something beautiful through experimentation. STEM has the scientific method, with inductive and deductive reasoning, and the laws of nature while English has rhetorical style and grammatical structure. With a little imagination, hybridity between these two seemingly different discourses can produce new perspectives within each, and for each. These new perspectives could lead to new questions which would not have been imagined separately. This hybridity may be …

Excel Programming For A Visual Degree Progress Report, Brady Therrien

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

The University of Southern Maine is like many colleges in the fact that its engineering program has a lot of extensive requirements that a student must achieve before receiving a degree. These include but are not limited to the core and department curriculums, GPA, and Residency Requirements. Most of these are easily accessible to the student on MaineStreet to track progress like the example degree progress report in Figure 2. This progress report shows all of the information by what requirement each class satisfies so it can be really time consuming to scroll through them all, for example, to see …

Instructional Learning Aids For Gear Train Analysis In Machine Dynamics, William M. Bartholomew

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

In this project, a few instructional aids to teach gear train analysis to students are designed and manufactured. The system will progressively be more complex in order to help students understand the concepts first, and then the applications which are based on those concepts. The project involves theoretical, simulation and manufacturing (3D printing or CNC) components.

Hand Cranked Generator For Mobile Devices, Kyle Brown, Monique Butoto, Stephen Cain, Steven Corio, Brock Stevenson

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

It’s estimated that over 90% of American adults own cell phones while over 70% of the United States land area belongs to rural counties. It is a challenge to charge mobile devices in these remote and rural areas given the lack of access to power sources. This lack of power in remote destinations limits the general use of mobile devices for outdoor enthusiasts, as well as a survival means for all who need access to a portable power generation device, especially in emergency situations. There are other portable generators currently available on the market, but our project wanted to take …

Engineering News, Spring 2017, School Of Engineering

Engineering News

No abstract provided.

Evolution And Innerworking Of A Car Differential, Aaron Weiss, Caleb Loiselle

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

Create interactive demonstration pieces that display basic concepts of a car differential using visual aids as in the educational video ‘Around the Corner (1937): How differential Steering Works’.

Fabricate a custom stand for an open ended car differential. The final design of the car differential will be run by an on/off switch and a motor.

Contacts, Timothy Leonard, Abby Lisjak, Adam Foster

Sustainability and Connectivity

This a contact sheet of every group that the mentoring group has reached out to. There are no emails or phone numbers provided. If you would like those, please contact Kevin Hallinan.

Laser Microphone, Michael Mckee

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

The laser microphone is a multifaceted project. The main objective of this project is the design and construction of a laser microphone. This device is able to detect sound via variations in light waves. Production of this device being one obvious outcome of the project, observation and experimentation comprise the primary focus of the venture. Experiments reveal exactly how well this device is able to function and if it is able to be used in specific engineering applications. To function appropriately, this device should handle the translation from soundwaves to light waves with little to no alteration. Full signal analysis …

Design Verification Of Mems Resonators With Fem Simulator, Joshua Wiswell

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

The purpose of this project was to use COMSOL, an advanced FEM (finite element modeling) software, to analyze a Coupled Thermal Resonator. This Coupled Thermal Resonator was previously constructed in L-Edit, but when analyzed in COMSOL, it produced undesirable results. This project focused on improving the design and model of the Resonator to improve simulation results and evaluating the actual response of the MEMS device to determine if simulated results were accurate for the actual device. Many different factors may have contributed to producing the double peak seen in the simulation, including the weak coupling between the two resonators. These …

Quality Control Of Quilted Products With A Computer Vision Approach, Richard M. Bigega

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

This ongoing research examines the consistency of fill distribution in down and synthetic quilted comforters manufactured by Cuddledown in Yarmouth. Automated visual inspection uses a digital camera that captures an image of down distribution in a production cell. The captured image is then fed into a computer for processing. The project’s primary goal is to determine the feasibility of augmenting and/or replacing the existing manual quality control process with a computer vision system.

Engine Analysis, Thomas Gaier

The University Honors Program

Engines were invented two hundred years ago but early dynamometers did not benefit from the technological advances until the last hundred years. A John Deere Model E hit-and-miss engine has a nominal power of3hp. The purpose of this project was to analyze this engine, including verifying power.

Outcomes of the analysis of this engine include brake horsepower and thermal efficiency. The first step was to put the engine under a load. This was done with a water pump system. Pressure, water flow, and rotation were measured from tests using the system.This type of system is analogous to a water brake …

Transportation Engineering: Traffic Control Simulator, Sarah V. Hernandez, Karla Diaz-Corro, Taslima Akter, Magdalena Asborno, Fu Durandal

Civil Engineering Teaching and Learning

The purpose of these lesson plans is to introduce students to traffic signalization basics. Students will be lead through a series of mini-lectures on traffic control and signalization including a discussion on the limitations and benefits of traffic signalization. The lesson plans compliment a computer simulation “game” in which students act as manual operators for a single up to four by four gridded intersection. Students attempt to control the progression of signals to understand the relationship between signal timing and user delay. Through experimentation with the simulation, students generate a presentation discussing the benefits and drawbacks of signal timing and …

Department Of Biological Systems Engineering Newsletter, Spring 2017

BSE Department Magazine

No abstract provided.

Santa Clara Magazine, Volume 58 Number 1, Spring 2017, Santa Clara University

Santa Clara Magazine

24 - BIG WIN FOR A TINY HOUSE Turning heads and changing the housing game. By Matt Morgan.

28 - $100 MILLION GIFT TO BUILD John A. ’60 and Susan Sobrato make the largest gift in SCU history. Now see the Sobrato Campus for Discovery and Innovation that will take shape—and redefine the University. Illustration by Tavis Coburn.

36 - CUT & PASTE CONSERVATION We can alter wild species to save them. So should we? By Emma Marris. Illustrations by Jason Holley.

44 - INFO OFFICER IN CHIEF From his office overlooking the White House, Tony Scott J.D. ’92 set …

Water, Sanitation And Hygiene In Rwamwanja Refugee Settlement, Katelyn Bergl

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

No abstract provided.

Investigating Geothermally-Sourced H2s Pollution In The Reykjavík Area: A Case Study Of Early March 2017., Shawnee Traylor

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As geothermal energy becomes more widely implemented globally, it is critical to have an accurate assessment of the costs and benefits this technology may pose in order to plan, prevent, and mitigate pollution. Meteorological data sets from the Icelandic Met Office were analyzed in conjunction with hydrogen sulfide (H2S) levels in the Reykjavík area as a case study in the meteorological conditions leading to elevated H2S levels (>50 μg m-3) on March 1-3, 2017. Primary variables of interest were wind speed and direction, temperature, atmospheric stability, and humidity. Climate change is predicted to weaken the Gulf Stream, influencing all …

Distillation-Resolved Evolution Of Key Combustion Properties, Francis Haas, Jay A. Lefkowitz

Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering Departmental Research

Many studies demonstrate successful emulation of pre-vaporized real fuel combustion through use of fuel surrogates. These surrogates may be described by a multiplicity of non-unique multicomponent formulations, each with pre-vaporized combustion behaviors that are essentially equivalent to the target real fuel and each other. However, many combustion applications employ fuel sprays, leaving some question as to the validity of pre-vaporized assumptions for these conditions. In the present work, a batch distillation model for ideal liquids is developed to predict the evolution of surrogate fuel combustion properties such as autoignition propensity (represented by an effective RON or DCN), hydrogen-carbon-oxygen atomic ratios, …

An Expedited, Regiospecific Para-Bromination Of Activated Aryls, Kathryn E. Dudley

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Electrophilic Aromatic Substitution (EAS) is one of the most frequently used aryl substitution methods. Aside from the fact that most EAS reactions require an acid and an oxidizer to proceed, the reactions involving activated aryls typically produce a mixture of ortho- and para- products as well as an ortho-/para- disubstituted product. Regiospecificity in aromatic substitution is key in the production of many compounds in a variety of disciplines. Since EAS is one of the most often used substitution methods, it is extremely important to develop an efficient method for regiospecific substitutions. Previous research developed a method of ortho-substitution by using …

Comparing Critical Chain Project Managemenet With Critical Path Method: A Case Study, Behzad Montazeri

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Scheduling is a major task in project management. The current scheduling technique, Critical Path Method (CPM), has been widely applied for several decades, but a large number of projects fail to be completed on time and schedule delays occur in many projects. This raises question about the validity of the current project scheduling system. Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM), derived from Theory of Constraints, is a relatively new alternative approach toward scheduling projects. This study compared CCPM and CPM to determine which scheduling method delivers a shorter project duration and has a better usage of resources. A scheduling software called …

Quality Of Water In Relation To Diarrheal Disease Incidence In Obunga, Tianna Herman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Kenyan cities are experiencing a serious dilemma in dealing with the large influx of people from rural parts of the country to the cities. Most people come to the city in pursuit of better opportunities and jobs. Rapid urban growth with little planning and preparation by the national and county governments has led to the development of informal settlements. These informal settlements are characterized by poor environmental conditions that predispose their residents for poor health conditions. Because of their illegal status, most residents of informal settlements in Kenya do not receive government services such as water, drainage, sewerage, and rubbish …

Solid Waste Management In The Developing World: The Role Of Local Government In Kisumu, Kenya, Rachel Schlueter

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As the world becomes more urbanized, more waste is being produced. According to United Nations projections in 2014, 66% of the world’s population will be living in cities by 2050 with the majority of growth occurring in African cities. Managing urban waste in lower-middle income countries, such as Kenya, poses a particular challenge as income levels rise, municipal capacities are stretched, and foreign loans complicate accountability. This project sought to assess the practical role of local government when managing solid waste in the context of long-term development strategies. The objectives of this study are to first establish the current role …

Synthesis, Characterization, And Properties Of Graphene-Based Hybrids With Cobalt Oxides For Electrochemical Energy Storage And Electrocatalytic Glucose Sensing, Sara C. Botero Carrizosa

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

A library of graphene-based hybrid materials was synthesized as novel hybrid electrochemical electrodes for electrochemical energy conversion and storage devices and electrocatalytical sensing namely enzymeless glucose sensing. The materials used were supercapacitive graphene-family nanomaterials (multilayer graphene-MLG; graphene oxide-GO, chemically reduced GO-rGO and electrochemical reduced GOErGO) and pseudocapacitive nanostructured transition metal oxides including cobalt oxide polymorphs (CoO and Co3O4) and cobalt nanoparticles (CoNP). These were combined through physisorption, electrodeposition, and hydrothermal syntheses approaches. This project was carried out to enhance electrochemical performance and to develop electrocatalytic platforms by tailoring structural properties and desired interfaces. Particularly, electrodeposition and hydrothermal synthesis facilitate chemically-bridged …

Environmentally Friendly Synthesis Of Transition Metalorganic Hybrid Nanocomposites, Aubrey N. Penn

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Research on metal nanoparticles (MNPs) synthesis and their applications for optoelectronic devices has been a recent interest in the fields of nanoscience and nanotechnology Photovoltaics are one of such systems in which MNPs have shown to be quite useful, due to unique physical, optical, magnetic, and electronic properties, including the metal nanoparticles synthesized in this research.

Owing to the challenges with the most common physical and chemical methods of preparing MNPs, including the use of high temperatures, toxic reducing agents, and environmentally hazardous organic solvents, there is a critical need for a benign synthesis procedure for MNPs. In this work, …

Wall Panel Optimization For Refugee Shelters In Germany: An Ahp Study, Zhu Jiadong

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The German government is experiencing difficulties housing and assimilating Syrian refugees in its borders. Erecting temporary shelters on location is one way to deal with the current crises. This thesis attempts to use Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to determine the optimum combination of materials and construction methods to be used in the shelter’s walls in order to improve the living conditions of the refugees and to ensure that the cost is acceptable to the German government. This thesis compares six existing wall panel products from China, which have the lowest cost on the worldwide market. The R-value, strength, price, weight, …

5‐Minute Power Ouptut Data For A 1.72kwp Pv System With Weather Variables, Lacour Ayompe, Aidan Duffy, Kevin O'Farrell

Other resources

This dataset contains 5-minute power (AC and DC) power output date from a 1.72kWp PV system located in Dublin in 2009-10 together with input weather variables and system parameters. Details below.

Geographical site: FOCAS Institute building roof top, Dublin Institute of Technology, Kevin Street, Dublin 2, Ireland.

Situation: Latitude 53.4degN Longitude -6degE

Time zone GMT

Installation date: 4th April 2008

PV array orientation: Tilt 53deg Azimuth 0deg

Near shadings: No shadings

Building height: Approximately 12 m

PV array capacity: 1.72 kWp

Collection period: 4^th April 2009 – 3^rd April 2010

The data acquisition system consisted of a Sunny …

Porous Concrete Design, Jonathan Ang, Erik Lihndal

Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering Senior Theses

Porous concrete is a special kind of concrete that has high porosity. The only difference between porous concrete and normal concrete is that a porous concrete mix does not consist of sand or other small particles. The lack of sand and small particles creates voids in the concrete. The voids that area created are the reason why water is able to pass through a porous concrete mix. Porous concrete is used for low traffic areas such as parking lots and pavements. The main purpose of porous concrete is to reduce or even eliminate storm water runoff which has a number …

Vrishabhavathi Valley Wastewater Treatment Plant System Upgrade, Vijay Chellaram, Christian Miller

Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering Senior Theses

Sixteen activated sludge tanks, eight secondary clarifiers, and four return pump stations were designed for the Vrishabhavathi Wastewater Treatment plant in Bangalore India. The design included tank dimensions, mechanical equipment associated with each component, pipe sizes for the piping system, and a cost estimate with a construction schedule. The activate sludge tanks were designed to be made of reinforced concrete with a mechanical air diffuser system installed for oxidation purposes. The secondary clarifiers were designed using reinforced concrete and a mechanical sweeping mechanism to scrape up the sludge as it settles to the bottom of the tank. Return pump stations …