Aerospace Engineering Commons^™

Numerical Investigation Of Shock-Induced Deformation Of Bubble-Laden Droplets, Juan Roldan

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Rain impact can be a source of surface erosion on hypersonic vehicles, and the severity of each impact depends on droplet velocity, mass, and final shape, all of which are set by how the droplet breaks up under shock loading. Real droplets are expected to carry entrained non-condensable gas (NCG) nuclei from their formation. This dissertation investigates whether the purely mechanical, pressure-driven response of these nuclei, independent of vaporization, is large enough to measurably alter the internal pressure field and early deformation of a shock-loaded droplet.

The droplet and surrounding gas are modeled with a compressible, diffuse-interface, axisymmetric Eulerian framework …

Advancing Sensing And Structural Health Monitoring Of Non-Conventional Space Structures, Scott Bender

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Future lunar and deep-space missions will require new structural concepts that reduce mass while maintaining reliability. Two technologies that have received significant attention are inflatable habitats and additively manufactured structures; however, challenges remain in their characterization, validation, and long-term monitoring. This dissertation investigates methods to improve the testing and sensing of these non-conventional aerospace structures through the use of advanced photogrammetry and embedded distributed fiber-optic sensors. A color-filtering digital image correlation technique was developed to isolate orthogonal strain directions in woven inflatable structures, providing improved characterization of biaxially loaded softgoods. In addition, methods were developed to embed distributed fiber-optic sensors …

A Systems Analysis Of Autonomous Uav Swarm Spraying For Precision Agriculture, Ryker Davis

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The application of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in civilian sectors, particularly for precision agriculture and targeted aerial spraying, has rapidly evolved from passive monitoring to advanced, autonomous, multi-agent coordination. While deploying UAV swarms offers a promising solution to the payload and battery endurance limitations of single drone operations, realizing field-scale coverage introduces significant logistical and safety challenges. To evaluate the trajectory and viability of swarms, this study synthesizes bibliometric trends, operational simulation, and safety reporting analysis. First, because physical testing of complex swarms poses financial and safety risks, we developed an agent-based and discrete event simulation to evaluate autonomous spraying …

Analysis Of Inhibitor Supply Control Systems To Prevent Hydrate Formation In A Low-Temperature Gas Separation Unit And A Method For Solving The Problem, Shakhzod Nurmuhammadovich Amirov Mr, Erkin Xxx Uljayev

Technical science and innovation

The article examines and analyzs patents, published scientific works, and currently used scientific and practical methods and devices for regulating the parameters of the low-temperature separation process in production. However, the conducted analysis showed that one of the main causes of hydrate formation in the device is the lack of continuous comprehensive control over parameters such as the pressure of the inhibitors supplied to the injectors at each stage and the moisture content of the total gas, i.e., the moisture content of the total gas at the system inlet, the gas temperature at the device outlet, and the pressure and …

A Comparative Evaluation Of Experimentally Validated Finite Element Modeling Strategies To Simulate Compression-After-Impact Behavior Of Multidirectional Cfrp Laminates With Barely Visible Impact Damage, Niildiip Chandraa, Vinh Tung Le, Arief Yudhanto, Abhendra K. Singh, Douglas E. Smith

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Abstract The finite element-based approaches to predict compression-after-impact (CAI) performance of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) subject to a low-velocity impact rely on assumptions about compressive failure mechanisms within the barely visible impact damage (BVID). Comprehensive evaluations of finite element (FE) models concerning accuracy, efficiency, and validity with respect to experimental tests are limited. This study explores several finite element-based approaches developed in ABAQUS Explicit to predict the residual strength and related compressive failure mechanisms of multidirectional CFRP laminates. Drop-weight impact experiments followed by CAI tests employing 3D Digital Image Correlation (DIC) were used to validate our FE models by …

Tailoring Crushing Responses Of Hexagonal Crash Box Filled With Additively Manufactured Lattice Structures By Assessing The Influence Of Material Parameters, L. D. Lumanauw, A. Jusuf, M. H. Jarwadi, L. Gunawan, T. Sebaey, A. Yudhanto

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Hexagonal crash boxes offer superior crashworthiness compared to other cross-sectional geometries, and their performance can be further enhanced by integrating additively manufactured lattice fillers. This study investigates the quasi-static crushing behavior of hexagonal crash boxes filled with hexagonal close-packed (HCP) lattice structures fabricated via stereolithography (SLA). Finite element models developed in ABAQUS/Explicit, validated against quasi-static compression experiments, show discrepancies below 5%, indicating that polymeric lattice fillers provide modest performance gains, achieving a crushing force efficiency (CFE) of 20%–25%. Replacing polymeric lattices with metallic fillers, namely 316L stainless steel and Ti–6Al–4V titanium alloy, substantially increases energy absorption, with Ti–6Al–4V delivering the …

Nascent Titanium-/Silicon-Containing Particle Formation In Corona-Discharge-Assisted Combustion, Chanakya Bagya Ramesh, Frank Daoru Han, Yang Wang

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Adding plasmas to a flame has been shown to introduce high concentrations of charges, ions, and radicals to the said flame. This technique of adding plasma to a flame is called plasma-assisted combustion (PAC), and this addition has been shown to make a flame more stable and efficient. At the same time, PAC has also been shown to alter particle formation during combustion. Here, we investigate the effect of a high-frequency (∼21 kHz) alternating current (AC) corona discharge on particle formation and growth in a premixed flame, especially at the initial stages (with particle sizes below 10 nm). We first …

A Century Of Safer Skies: Statistical Insights Into Aviation Accidents And Death Rates, Abhijeet Regmi

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

The purpose of this study is to determine whether the recent advancements in the technology used for aircraft maintenance and repair have resulted in an increase or decrease in the accident and fatality rates of aviation incidents and accidents. The primary concerns are the extremely low survival rates in aviation accidents and the necessity to determine whether or not the accident and fatality rates are declining in light of recent technological advancements. If the rate is rising, we must prioritize passenger and crew safety more and adhere to tight regulations when performing repairs and maintenance. The data were compared for …

Numerical Method For Strongly Variable-Density Flows At Low Mach Number: Flame-Sheet Regularisation And A Mass-Flux Immersed Boundary Method, Matheus P. Severino, Fernando F. Fachini, Elmer M. Gennaro, Daniel Rodríguez, Leandro F. Souza

Mathematical Modelling and Numerical Simulation with Applications

A low-Mach-number flow, in the laminar regime, has intrinsically two characteristic spatial scales for a given time scale, or two characteristic temporal scales for a given spatial scale, and these dual scales are very different due to the disparity between the flow and acoustic speed. Therefore, low-Mach-number flows impose mathematical and computational challenges in their description. Standard numerical methods for compressible flows, which are typically designed for problems with a single dominant spatial and temporal scale, require alternative approaches, such as preconditioning techniques or solvers tailored for low-Mach-number equations. The present work introduces a simplified fluid dynamics model for flows …

Atomistic Simulations Of Crystallographic Anisotropy And Defects In Shock Loading, Benjamin P. Helman, Andre Archer, Logan Nagy, Samuel C. Wagers, Douglas E. Spearot, Adib J. Samin

Faculty Publications

The impact of crystallographic orientation, select grain boundaries, and vacancies on the shock response of aluminum was investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. Shock loading in the [001], [011], and [111] directions was explored, revealing anisotropic behavior in shock speed, generated dislocation density, and melting. The Hugoniot elastic limit (HEL) in the [100], [110], and [111] directions were calculated as 18.7 GPa, 17.8 GPa, and 22.5 GPa, respectively. These results were found to be an order of magnitude larger than the uniaxial compressive yield strengths computed at high strain rate using an affine loading scheme. Metastable melting in the [011] and …

Nozzle Erosion Reconstruction Model For Data Analysis In Rocket Engines And Correlation With Chamber Pressure, Ryan J. Thibaudeau, Stephen A. Whitmore

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Student Publications and Presentations

Graphite nozzles remain the dominant choice for small hybrid and solid rocket motors operating on laboratory and university budgets, owing to their low cost, ease of machining, and rapid turnaround during iterative design campaigns. These same programs, however, must contend with the fact that graphite erodes through coupled thermochemical and mechanical mechanisms when exposed to the oxidizing species generated by high-energy propellant combustion, and the resulting throat-area growth fundamentally alters the time histories of chamber pressure, thrust, and delivered specific impulse. This paper presents a nozzle-erosion reconstruction model that extracts the time-resolved throat area from coupled thrust and chamber-pressure measurements …

Mae Enewsbrief January-March 2026, Department Of Mechanical And Aerospace Engineering, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.

Boiling Flow Estimation For Aero-Optic Phase Screen Generation, Jeffrey W. Utley, Gregery T. Buzzard, Charles A. Bouman, Matthew R. Kemnetz

Faculty Publications

Aero-optic effects due to turbulence can reduce the effectiveness of transmitting light waves to a distant target. Methods to compensate for turbulence typically rely on realistic turbulence data, which can be generated by i) experiment, ii) high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics (CFD), iii) low-fidelity CFD, and iv) autoregressive methods. However, each of these methods has significant drawbacks, including monetary and/or computational expense, limited quantity, inaccurate statistics, and overall complexity. By contrast, the boiling flow algorithm is a simple, computationally efficient model that can generate atmospheric phase screen data with only a handful of parameters. However, boiling flow has not been widely …

Effect Of Rotating Cylinder On Boundary Layer Behavior And Aerodynamic Performance Of Naca 0015 Airfoil, K. Suresh, Inamul Hasan

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Flow separation over airfoils at moderate and high angles of attack leads to a significant degradation in aerodynamic performance. Active boundary layer control using moving surfaces provides an effective approach to delay separation and enhance lift. In this study, the aerodynamic efficiency of a NACA 0015 airfoil equipped with a rotating leading edge cylinder is numerically investigated using computational fluid dynamics. Simulations are carried out for a range of angles of attack and cylinder surface speed ratios at low Reynolds numbers like Re = 1.2 x105. The rotating cylinder injects momentum into the boundary layer, promoting flow attachment on the …

Robust Real-Time Uav Target Tracking With Onboard Vision-Based Yaw Control, Rylan Malarchick, Jose Castelblanco, Enrique Amaya, Carmen Dimario, Graysen Brinkman, Chirag Kumar, Kiwon Yoon, Sajid Berhane

Beyond: Undergraduate Research Journal

Autonomous tracking of agile unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) presents significant challenges for real-time perception and control systems. This work presents AIRHOUND (Autonomous Intelligent Rotorcraft for Hostile Object Unified Navigation and Detection), a UAV platform implementing vision-based yaw tracking through a modular ROS2 software architecture. The system employs YOLOv8 object detection optimized with NVIDIA TensorRT for embedded deployment on an NVIDIA Jetson Orin companion computer. Detected targets are processed through a geometric tracking module that converts pixel coordinates to angular yaw errors using pinhole camera intrinsics, with a proportional controller generating rate-limited yaw commands. These commands are streamed to a PX4 …

Comparative Analysis Of Leaflet Materials, Stent Materials, And Stent Cell Density For Bileaflet Transcatheter Mitral Valve Design, Joseph Chibuike Nwokeafor, Joshua D. Hofmeister, Breandan B. Yeats, Lakshmi Prasad Dasi, Charanjit S. Rihal, Juan A. Crestanello, Leigh Griffiths, Mohamad A. Alkhouli, Hoda Hatoum

Michigan Tech Publications

Background: The biomechanical performance of bileaflet transcatheter mitral valves (TMVs) depends on complex interactions between leaflet material behavior and stent design. However, the contributions of leaflet materials and constitutive models, stent materials, and stent geometry to valve function and durability remain poorly understood. Methods: A parametric finite element study was conducted using a CAD model of a bileaflet TMV subjected to physiological pressure loading. Five leaflet material models were evaluated: 3 glutaraldehyde-fixed tissues—bovine pericardium (BP; FBP1, FBP2) and porcine pericardium (PP; FPP)—and 2 unfixed tissues—bovine (UBP) and porcine pericardium (UPP). BP was modeled as a linear elastic (FBP1) and Ogden …

A Provable Semi-Infinite Programming Approach For Solving Constrained Dynamic Games, Tyler C. Gardner, Matthew W. Harris, Logan Lancaster

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Student Publications and Presentations

Many engineering problems must account for the non-cooperative decisions and actions of multiple players. These problems can be modeled within a game-theoretic framework. The approach herein is to model such problems as mathematical games, convert them to semi-infinite programs, and utilize a semi-infinite program solver whose output is provably an ϵ-optimal Nash equilibrium. The approach is successfully benchmarked on two low-dimensional problems. Two types of higher-dimensional linear quadratic dynamic games are then investigated: ones where each player’s problem is convex and ones where at least one player’s problem is nonconvex. Within each type, variations based on information structure, control …

Winddensity-Mbir: Model-Based Iterative Reconstruction For Wind Tunnel 3d Density Estimation, Karl J. Weisenburger, Gregery T. Buzzard, Charles A. Bouman, Matthew R. Kemnetz

Faculty Publications

Experimentalists often use wind tunnels to study aerodynamic turbulence, but most wind tunnel imaging techniques are limited in their ability to take non-invasive three-dimensional (3D) density measurements of turbulence. Wavefront tomography is a technique that uses multiple wavefront measurements from various viewing angles to non-invasively measure the 3D density field of a turbulent medium. Existing methods make strong assumptions, such as a spline basis representation, to address the ill-conditioned nature of this problem. We formulate this problem as a Bayesian, sparse-view tomographic reconstruction problem and develop a model-based iterative reconstruction algorithm for measuring the volumetric 3D density field inside a …

Mars Rover Wheels And Drive, Presley S. Sacavitch, Ryan W. Trevena, Dylan A. Mack, Daniel Hudak

Mechanical Engineering

Cal Poly’s Poly1Rover team, advised by Professor Rich Murray, aims to deploy four student-designed mini-Mars rovers, each equipped with a sample-tube retrieval claw, before 2030. However, the wheels of Poly1Rover’s current 6th generation rover are not ready for deployment to Mars, as they do not utilize space-grade materials, are not optimized for manufacturability, and lack sufficient spoke compliance to absorb landing and high-impact loads. This project will be developed by a team of Mechanical Engineering students at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly): Daniel Hudak, Dylan Mack, Presley Sacavitch, and Ryan Trevena. Next Intent is providing funding …

Effects Of Atomic Oxygen Exposure On Stressed Drag Sail Materials For Low Earth Orbit Applications, Nazanin Sadeghian Dezaki

Master's Theses

As low Earth orbit (LEO) has become an increasingly valuable region for satellite operations, it has grown increasingly congested. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) deorbit regulations require satellites to be deorbited within 5 years of launch, and drag sails represent a practical means of meeting this requirement. An important consideration for drag sail design is the effect of atomic oxygen (AO) on sail materials. To address the gap in the literature regarding the behavior of stressed drag sail materials under AO exposure, a new test plate was manufactured for the California Polytechnic State University minimum atmospheric experimentation (MAX) AO chamber. …

A Higher Order Panel Method With Vortex Particle Wake, Luca Flick-Kaiser

Master's Theses

Panel codes were some of the earliest methods for computing the flow around aircraft. Despite the availability of higher fidelity CFD methods, panel methods remain an essential tool for the development of modern aircraft, allowing engineers to quickly iterate during the conceptual design phase.

This work develops and implements a high order panel method using Python. The wake is modeled using vortex particles, resulting in an accurate wake representation with minimal user input. The integration of the higher order singularity distributions has been extended to include the calculation of the velocity gradients necessary for the vortex particle implementation. The use …

Development Of A Free-Floating Space Robotic Simulator, Truman: Terrestrial Robotic Unit For Multibody Analysis And Navigation, Jackson W. Cordova

Master's Theses

This work describes the development of a 3 Degree-of-Freedom (DOF) robotic manipulator for use on a free-floating planar air-bearing vehicle. The system developed aims to serve as a foundation for future space robotics research at the California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly)’s Space Robotics Laboratory. Systems doc- umentation describes conceptual operation and architecture of the proposed system: Terrestrial Robotic Unit for Multibody Analysis and Navigation (TRUMAN). The key operation of TRUMAN is to study a self launch maneuver of a free-floating ve- hicle including 4 distinct phases: launch off a fixed rail, coast, reorientation using manipulator motion, and capture of …

Improving The Reliability And Performance Of A Supersonic Indraft Tube Wind Tunnel, Christian J. Kaml

Master's Theses

Access to supersonic testing is increasing in demand, and wind tunnels remain one of the safest and most cost-effective methods for gathering high-speed flow data. Despite being more economical than alternative options, supersonic wind tunnel facilities often require substantial investment to construct, operate, and maintain.

The novel indraft tube tunnel architecture was conceived as a high-speed flow testbed that incorporates features of both Ludwieg tubes and indraft wind tunnels to maintain costs low enough to be accessible even to small universities. This design was first developed and tested in 2018 at California Polytechnic State University, featuring a cost per test …

Short Arc Angles-Only Initial Orbit Determination For Reliable Reacquisition Of Low Earth Orbit Objects, Isabella Rackemann

Master's Theses

Low Earth orbit (LEO) is becoming increasingly congested, furthering the need for accurate tracking and catalog maintenance. Initial orbit determination (IOD) is the first step in this process, providing a preliminary estimate of an object’s state given observations. When it comes to LEO optical observations, a large portion of them are inherently short in duration. Angles-only IOD methods struggle with this data, often producing highly inaccurate solutions that limit reacquisition capabilities. This study expands on prior short arc IOD research, testing seven classical and assumed circular orbit (ACO)-modified angles-only IOD algorithms on real LEO observational data spanning 0-4 degrees of …

Mass - Modular Acoustic Suppression System, Julia Megargle, Michael A. Milner, Lucas Kaemmererer, Jonathan Corvera, Gabriel Choi, Emmi Cayer

Mechanical Engineering

The Modular Acoustic Suppression System (MASS) is a mass tuned damper that reverberates a membrane atop a cavity to absorb select acoustic frequencies produced by the Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) within NASA's Artemis Human Lander. The height of the reverberation chamber is adjusted to mitigate a range of varying tonal frequencies within the human lander.

Effects Of Atmospheric Drag On Angles-Only Initial Relative Orbit Determination Accuracy In Low Earth Orbit, Sydney Walsh

Master's Theses

Growing congestion in low Earth orbit is increasing the demand for effective space situational awareness, straining ground station capabilities. Space-based relative orbit determination offers an alternative, using line-of-sight angle measurements from a chaser spacecraft to estimate a target spacecraft's orbit. This research focuses on angles-only initial relative orbit determination (IROD), where no prior target state knowledge is assumed. It investigates how IROD solution accuracy is affected by differential atmospheric drag between the chaser and target spacecraft. A nonlinear batch least squares filter is designed to estimate the target's initial state, which is compared against a truth solution. It was found …

Design And Optimization Of A Bluff Body For Energy Harvesting Of Transverse Galloping Induced By Low-Speed Wind Using Bernstein Polynomial Equations, Youssef Wael Abdelmoneim

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, a computational framework is proposed for optimizing the aerodynamic shape of bluff bodies used in galloping-based wind energy harvesters. The system targets low-wind speed environments, where normal wind turbines are not effective, offering a potential alternative to batteries used for powering small electronic devices such as wireless sensors. The design relies on the galloping effect, where airflow around a bluff body induces transverse oscillations that drive an energy conversion mechanism. To generate efficient bluff body geometry, the Class-Shape Transformation (CST) method is used to define a wide range of candidate shapes with minimal design parameters. These shapes …

Hamster: Hybrid-Actuated Mobile Spherical Terrain Exploration Rover, Winnie Gao

Master's Theses

The expansion of space exploration to increasingly challenging planetary environments requires mobility systems capable of extreme traversal capabilities and operational reliability. This thesis presents the design, development, and testing of a low-cost Hybrid-Actuated Mobile Spherical Terrain Exploration Rover (HAMSTER) intended for use on a planetary surface exploration mission. HAMSTER uses a pendulum-based actuation method for steering and an actuated internal shaft to propel the vehicle forward. The internal structure includes a two-tiered central case composed of the navigation control module, accelerometer, motor controller, primary DC motor, battery, voltage regulators, Raspberry Pi, pendulum servo motor, and drive shafts. Additive manufacturing through …

Design And Implementation Of An Embedded Control System For The Cal Poly Spacecraft Attitude Dynamics Simulator, Neil Mahesh Bedagkar

Master's Theses

This thesis presents the development of a cascaded reaction wheel control system for Cal Poly's Spacecraft Attitude Dynamics Simulator. This work considers system architecture, empirical modeling, high-fidelity simulation, embedded firmware, hardware integration, and experimental characterization. In discrete-time simulation, it is shown that nonlinear direct model reference adaptive control (NDMRAC) enables a nonlinear, partially known plant with realistic actuator dynamics to track the response of a canonical second-order transfer function, with settling time within 4.67% and percent overshoot within order of magnitude of the second-order response. In hardware, the feasibility of a cascaded reaction wheel control architecture is experimentally demonstrated, achieving …

Design And Development Of A Resonance Ignition System Using Gaseous Propellants, Benjamin J. Hoefer

Master's Theses

This work presents the development and experimental evaluation of a resonance igniter (RI) operating with premixed gaseous propellants. Resonance ignition is a non-electrical ignition concept in which an underexpanded jet impinges on a closed-end Hartmann–Sprenger tube (HST), generating cyclic compression and expansion waves that rapidly heat gas near the tube endwall. A modular experimental system was designed and built to investigate resonance ignition using methane–air and methane–oxygen mixtures. The system includes a supplemental configuration that may probe for mixture conditions favorable to ignition, informing RI testing. Pressure and temperature measurements were used to characterize pressure control, mixture pressure ratio (MPR), …