Computer-Aided Engineering and Design Commons^™

Project Chimaera: Development Of A Tessellated Tetrahedral Truss Structure For Adaptive Multi-Regime Morphing Wing Technology, Evan Meyer, Eric Rodarte, Maximo Failla, Joshua Shuster, Jackson G. Schuler

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Project Chimaera: Physical Assembly of tessellated tetrahedral wing for Multi-Regime Flight. Modern Aircrafts lose aerodynamic efficiency because they are primarily made utilizing fixed wings which are designed for a single optimal flight condition. This forces an aircraft’s performance to become compromised across various speed maneuvers and flight regimes. Project Chimaera addresses this limitation through the development of a morphing wing capable of dynamically changing its geometry extensively during flight to allow an aircraft to travel between subsonic, supersonic, and hypersonic speeds. Whereas traditional wings rely on wing flaps and other flight controls; Project Chimaera addresses the limitation of flight controls …

Terramechanics-Based Comparison Of Dem And Crm For Lunar Surface Applications, Nicolas Bonasoro

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Understanding how lunar regolith interacts with robotic systems is important for safe surface operations because uncertain terrain conditions can affect rover traversability and lunar lander stability. This work applies terramechanics to two space robotics applications: in-situ cone penetration testing (CPT) for terrain assessment and lunar lander touchdown analysis for evaluating sinkage, force response, and stability. The study compares the Discrete Element Method (DEM), which resolves particle-scale interactions and captures detailed regolith behavior, with the Continuum Representation Method (CRM), which models soil response more efficiently and supports rigid CAD components such as lander footpads, legs, and body geometries. Current CPT results …

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 …

Aerodynamic Design And Structural Evaluation Of A Global Minimum Torque Inspired Multirotor Propeller, Zeke Bukovansky

Master's Theses

This thesis develops a repeatable design, CAD, aerodynamic postprocessing, structural screening, and manufacturing feasibility workflow for a 22-inch global minimum torque inspired multirotor propeller. Matched MIL and GMT geometries were compared at a 35 N, 4000 rpm static-hover operating condition using BEMT/XFOIL aerodynamic postprocessing, with diameter, blade count, chord distribution, airfoil schedule, and target thrust held constant. The final modeled comparison predicted a modest 1.5% reduction in torque and shaft power for the GMT case while maintaining the same thrust target. CAD construction, MATLAB reduced-order beam model, Abaqus screening, and manufacturing planning were used to identify geometry level structural and …

Sentience, Sheetal Agrawal

Masters Theses

The increasing urgency for sustainable and adaptive systems has driven research toward embedding intelligence directly into materials rather than relying solely on external sensing and control systems. This thesis explores how smart material1 embedded systems can be designed to recognize and respond to environmental signatures, defined as measurable patterns such as temperature fluctuations and mechanical forces. Central to this investigation is the integration of shape memory alloys, particularly Nitinol, with geometry-based actuation mechanisms that amplify material behavior into functional system responses.

The central argument is that designing with smart materials is a design problem, not primarily a materials science problem …

Design Optimization Of Active-Stabilizing Canards For High-Powered Rockets, Simon Babcock

Senior Honors Theses

Rocket canards are a common means of stabilizing a high-powered rocket in flight by producing aerodynamic forces to correct the rocket's trajectory. The size, shape, and position of the canards relative to the rocket body determine their control effectiveness and aerodynamic efficiency – two objectives of canard design with an inverse relationship to each other. By integrating automated iterative rocket trajectory simulation with adaptive surrogate modelling, this research optimized the canard planform geometry for a high-powered rocket to maximize the canards’ control effectiveness and aerodynamic efficiency through multi-variable, multi-objective design optimization. The canard design was first parameterized into four design …

Effect Of Nozzle Pressure Ratio On Thrust And Flow Behavior In A Supersonic De Laval Nozzle, Esha Jain

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Supersonic nozzles operate across a range of flow regimes. While an ideally expanded condition yields optimal thrust, practical propulsion systems rarely operate at this design point due to variations in altitude and engine operating conditions. As a result, nozzles frequently operate in off-design conditions. In overexpanded regime, where the exit pressure is lower than the ambient pressure, shock-induced separation may occur within the divergent section of the nozzle, potentially degrading nozzle performance. Understanding the aerodynamic behavior of nozzles operating under off-design conditions is therefore important for improving propulsion system performance and stability. In particular, direct thrust measurements provide a key …

Automated Soil Resetting System For Extraterrestrial Regolith Simulation, Parker W. Brennan, Anthony C. Daniels

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project focuses on designing an automated soil resetting system for extraterrestrial regolith simulation. The system will prepare a regolith simulant testbed to a desired, repeatable density, enabling reliable wheel–terrain testing for planetary rover research. Manual soil preparation currently exposes testers to hazardous particulates and produces inconsistent results.

The proposed system will integrate mechanical and control elements to reset the soil bed safely and efficiently. A combination of raking and vibrational methods will be explored, with feedback sensors and automation to achieve target density control. The research will proceed through literature review, benchtop experimentation, prototype design, and full-scale testing over …

Modeling And Testing Chain Trencher Excavator And Cone Penetrometer Robotic Prospecting Systems For Lunar In-Situ Resource Utilization, Marcello C. Guadagno

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The Artemis Missions aim to establish a sustained human presence on the Moon, requiring In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) of water-ice deposits in permanently shadowed regions. Two critical capabilities must be developed to enable ISRU at scale: prospecting instruments that can characterize the spatial distribution and geotechnical properties of icy regolith in situ, and excavation systems that can extract hardened icy regolith efficiently. This dissertation addresses both needs through the development and testing of a Percussive Heated Cone Penetrometer (PHCP) for geotechnical prospecting and a chain trencher excavator for icy regolith mining.

The PHCP was developed across eight design iterations and …

Investigation Of The Impact Of The Shape Of The Wings On Formula E Racing Car Performance: Enhancements For Optimal Aerodynamics, Ednie Marthe Adlaikah Jozil

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The aerodynamic performance of a Formula E chassis significantly dictates its overall race efficiency, directly impacting crucial parameters such as battery range and thermal management. This thesis investigates the external aerodynamics of the baseline Gen 2 Formula E car and evaluates the performance gains of two novel aerodynamic packages: a "Fully Modified" configuration and a "Flat Rear Wing" design. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations were conducted to analyze drag coefficients (Cd), downforce generation, and vehicle wake structures at race-relevant free-stream velocities (e.g., 37 m/s and 89 m/s). To ensure numerical robustness, the computational setup was validated using a smooth sphere …

Automation And Habitat Development For A Space Based Marine Life Environment, Logan Trimmer, Alexander Hang

Harrisburg University Other Works

This project was a cross-collaboration between the Environmental Sciences and Advanced Manufacturing and Robotics programs for the company Monolith Space.

The goal of this project was to design an autonomous system to be able to track qualities of water in an aquaculture system designed to be sent to space.

Wind Tunnel Instrumentation And Testing, Nicholas Marek, Abraham Mezera, Laura Jin, Hayden Smith, Curtis Cook

Student Scholar Symposium

The Raymond B. Jones College of Engineering was contacted by an automotive engineering firm seeking to use the college’s wind tunnel for gathering data on the aerodynamic performance of a proprietary prototype automotive door. Specifically, the client requested the quantification of the drag coefficient of the model at extreme wind speeds. The drag coefficient, a dimensionless number that quantifies the resistance of a specific geometric shape to airflow, will be a valuable datapoint for the client’s design iteration. Due to the sensitive nature of their work, the client has wished to remain anonymous. RBJCOE professors tasked a senior design team …

Tradespace Exploration For Multiple Collaborative Vehicles, Mrunal Deshmukh

All Theses

Modern military operations demand systems that adapt to uncertain, rapidly changing missions across diverse terrains. Traditional single-platform vehicle design is insufficient for such complexity. This research introduces a hierarchical tradespace exploration framework for designing and evaluating families of heterogeneous ground vehicles under a System-of-Systems (SoS) architecture. The framework treats vehicle design as a co-optimization problem, where a “parent” vehicle (e.g., a Squad Multipurpose Equipment Transport) coordinates specialized “child” vehicles for reconnaissance, amphibious tasks, terrain traversal, and stealth missions. Unlike conventional approaches that optimize vehicles individually, this study emphasizes collaborative performance, resource sharing, and adaptability at the family level. Central to …

Exploration Of Physics-Informed Grid Generation Technique For Wall-Modeled Les Using Eagle3d, Dominic Schneider

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Wall-Modeled Large Eddy Simulation (WMLES) is an area of interest due to its ability to lower computational costs of LES. Even with the application of wall models, LES still proves to have practicality issues when it comes to use in industry, due to the expertise, time, and computational resources required. A novel technique for generating a lean, physics based WMLES grid is described.

The technique utilizes a RANS solution to extract turbulence information, user-specified values related to resolution of turbulent energy levels, acoustics waves, and shock waves, to generate a point cloud for producing a lean WMLES grid with in-house …

Active Measurement Of A Micron-Order Gap Under High-Speed And High-Temperature Conditions, Andrew Becker

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The hypersonic regime poses numerous challenges that researchers face in the development of hypersonic flight vehicles. Due to their excellent thermomechanical properties, ultra-high-temperature ceramics (UHTCs) have risen as a promising solution to act as a protective barrier between the harsh environment and surface materials of these flight bodies. The mechanical operation of a portable hypersonic simulation device was developed in-house and tested at Argonne National Laboratories (ANL) to gather in-situ material response of prospective UHTC samples when exposed to a hypersonic regime. An edge detection-based algorithm was developed and used in LabVIEW to monitor the health and operation of the …

3d Printed Fixed Wing Aircraft Competition, Sidney E. Long, Mitchell Heise, Jack Bride, Daniel Salinas

Mechanical Engineering

Cal State LA and Arlington University, Texas are hosting the same 3D printed, fixed wing aircraft competition for 2025. Cal Poly requires a competitive plane that can adhere to each rule and be piloted remotely to achieve the longest time in the air. The plane must utilize solely 3D printing technology for the wings, body, and all other structures. The only off-the-shelf components can be the motor and electronics, as well as mechanical devices such as hinges.

Model-Based Design Of Compressed Lithium-Metal Pouch Cell Battery Modules For Evtol Applications, Scott J. Stirling

Master's Theses

Batteries with higher specific energy and power are essential for extending the range and performance of electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOLs). Anode-free lithium-metal pouch cells offer strong potential at the cell-level but require high compressive pressures to enhance cycle life and discharge performance. These pressures necessitate heavier structural components, reducing packaging efficiency at the module level.

To evaluate this tradeoff, a full-factorial enumeration model was developed to explore viable module designs within a constrained packaging volume. The model scales subsystem masses, enforces design rules and material limits, and accounts for large (~20%) cell thickness changes during cycling.

Results …

Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis Of A Turbine Blade, Luis Luna, Fabiha Samiha

Publications and Research

In Aerospace engineering, the use of computer-aided design (CAD) software, such as SolidWorks, is crucial when designing and validating high-performance parts. SolidWorks provides a valuable tool for simulating computational fluid dynamics (CFD), allowing engineers to analyze and visualize how parts behave under real-world aerodynamic conditions.

One such part is a turbine blade, an airfoil-shaped component inside a jet engine that compresses and redirects airflow to generate thrust. This study aims to perform aerodynamic testing of a single turbine blade design while evaluating SolidWorks' ability to simulate external flow conditions. By visualizing velocity profiles, pressure distribution, and vortex formation, the simulation …

Reconfigurable Python Autopilot Software For Rc Aircraft, Kate Doiron

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Experimental And Theoretical Fracture Analysis Of Additively Manufactured Orthotropic V-Notches, Venkata Siva Sainath Bavapuram

Theses and Dissertations

This study presents a comprehensive investigation into the fracture behavior of additively manufactured orthotropic V-notched components made of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) material. The research integrates both theoretical and finite element approaches to evaluate stress intensity factors (SIFs) in Modes-I and II, which are fundamental in characterizing stress field distributions around notches under applied loading conditions. Unlike isotropic materials, where stress fields depend only on geometry of the component, the anisotropic nature of 3D-printed ABS introduces a dependency on material properties that necessitate different approaches to include anisotropy of the material.

Tensile specimens are 3D-printed with specific material orientations to …

40 - Design, Fabrication, And Installation Of Morphing Control Surfaces For Small-Scale Uas, Kyle Purser

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Morphing control surface technology, inspired by organic structures and compliant mechanisms, offers significant potential for enhancing the aerodynamic efficiency and performance of unmanned aerial systems (UAS). Despite these benefits, its adoption has been hindered by complexities in design, manufacturing, and installation, particularly when compared to traditional flap systems. This research explores the design, fabrication, and integration of morphing control surfaces for small-scale UAS using additive manufacturing techniques. To reduce costs and streamline the design process, fused deposition modeling (FDM) additive manufacturing was employed for component fabrication. An off-the-shelf Horizon Sport Cub S2 served as the testing platform, modified with a …

Simulation-To-Hardware Validation Of Mpc For Binary Thruster 2d Cubesat Control, Aevar Amundinusarson Oefjoerd

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Small satellites must execute precise, fuel-limited maneuvers under strict actuation and operational constraints. Model Predictive Control (MPC) is a suitable approach because it optimizes future actions while explicitly enforcing these limits. This work evaluates (1) whether MPC can operate in real time using binary (on/off), asymmetric thrusters, and (2) whether a high-fidelity digital twin can be used to tune and validate the controller prior to hardware testing.

An MPC framework was implemented on a planar satellite prototype that floats on air bearings, operates at 16.7 Hz (60 ms period), and uses eight binary thrusters exhibiting up to 13.2% variation in …

Drag Reduction In Ground Vehicles Using A Model Porous Medium, Abdullah Ikram Nabi

Master’s Theses

This research investigates aerodynamic drag reduction on a 25° Slanted Ahmed Body (SAB) by integrating porous media model rods through combined experimental and computational methods at a Reynolds number of 1.16×10⁴. Two porous media configurations: short rods (6.75% of the model height) and long rods (20.0% of the model height), both featuring cylindrical rods with 80% porosity, were systematically compared against a baseline SAB. In-depth analyses were performed to investigate the wake flow topology, recirculation region characteristics, pressure coefficient distribution, Reynolds stress distributions and drag coefficient. Experimental investigations employed particle image velocimetry for precise flow visualization, while Reynold Averaged Navier-Stokes …

Blade Design And Validation Of Hydrokinetic Turbine To Harvest Water Current Energy, Setare Sadeqi

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The innovative aspect of this research lies in the careful integration of cutting-edge technologies throughout the entire process of designing, fabricating, and testing the carbon fiber propeller for the 3-bladed horizontal axis ocean current turbine (OCT). SolidWorks software played a pivotal role in the initial design phase, enabling a meticulous and precise modeling of the propeller's geometry. The utilization of SolidWorks allowed for a detailed exploration of various design parameters, ensuring that the propeller's structure and form were optimized for performance in ocean current conditions. Moving beyond the realm of virtual design, the choice of carbon fiber as the fabrication …

Towing Tank Trials Of Hydrokinetic Turbine Scale Model To Support Marine Energy System Verification, Shahab Rouhi

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

In response to the escalating demand for sustainable energy solutions and the critical reevaluation of conventional fossil fuels due to environmental concerns, this dissertation embarks on a comprehensive exploration of hydrokinetic energy as a promising alternative. The study delves into the underexplored domain of hydrokinetic energy, leveraging innovative methodologies for effective utilization and harnessing, particularly through the development and investigation of hydrokinetic turbines.

In the realm of hydrokinetic energy conversion, our research has exclusively concentrated on horizontal-axis turbines, distinct from other turbine configurations. Noteworthy is the adaptation of a conventional horizontal-axis wind turbine for water currents, revealing enhanced performance through …

Experimental And Numerical Analysis Of Laminar And Transitional Flow Through Annular Corrugated Pipes, Joseph Russell Sargent

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents studies on pressure loss through annular corrugated pipes to determine a friction factor coefficient using nitrogen. Ten different corrugated pipes’ geometries were evaluated via testing and experimentation. The ratio of corrugation height to inner diameter varied from 0.233 to 0.333 and the ratio of corrugation pitch to inner diameter varied from 0.181 to 0.446. Nitrogen flow rates between 0.25 to 94.4 standard liters per minute were used, resulting in Reynolds numbers, based on the corrugated pipe inner diameter, from 100 to 23,000. The experimental set-up was validated using smooth-pipe pressure loss measurements and the derived friction factor …

Aerodynamic Design And Analysis Of A Modified 2006 Mazda Miata, William N. Recher

Honors College Theses

Aerodynamic forces developed by automobiles have destabilizing effects at high speed. These forces tend to skew toward a vehicle’s rear which can present safety concerns, especially for rear-wheel-drive automobiles like the Mazda Miata. To address oversteer and high-speed instability, a vehicle’s design can be tailored to bring about aerodynamic balance and improve traction. LiDAR was used to bring the physical automobile into the digital space. Then, a splitter and diffuser were added to reduce the magnitude of the destabilizing forces. Next, the size and shape of the rear-wing required to balance the vehicle was calculated using a combination of parameters …

Optimization Of High-Bypass Turbofan High-Pressure Compressor Blade – A Case Study, Adeel Khalid, Vlad Mandzyuk

The Kennesaw Journal of Undergraduate Research

This research determines the relationship between the High-Pressure Compressor (HPC) rotor blade design variables and compressor pressure ratio of a high bypass turbofan engine. Alterations in the HPC blades span, chord, taper, twist, number, and angle of incidence are performed and their effect on the HPC pressure ratio is observed. The objective is to determine key parameters that could maximize the performance of a high-pressure compressor for a given mission. Physics-based modeling, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), and wind-tunnel testing are performed to compare and validate findings. Physics-based modeling is performed to serve as the benchmark for data obtained through other …

Effect Of Post-Cured Through Thickness Reinforcement On Disbonding Behavior In Skin-Stringer Configuration, Jimesh D. Bhagatji, Christopher Morris, Yogaraja Sridhar, Bodhisatwa Bhattacharjee, Krishnanand N. Kaipa, Oleksandr G. Kravchenko

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

An experimental investigation of interlaminar toughness for post-cured through-thickness reinforcement (PTTR) skin-stringer sub-element is presented. The improvement in the crack resistance capability of skin-stringer samples was shown through experimental testing and finite element analysis (FEA) modeling. The performance of PTTR was evaluated on a pristine and initial-disbond of the skin-stringer specimen. A macro-scale pin-spring modeling approach was employed in FEA using a non-linear spring to capture the pin failure under the mixed-mode load. The experimental results showed a 15.5% and 20.9% increase in strength for the pristine-PTTR and initial-disbond PTTR specimens, respectively. The modeling approach accurately represents the overall structural …

Design Of An Experimental Solid Rocket Motor, Johnathan Bettes, Andrew Fuller

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project utilizes mechanical and chemical principles to characterize propellant grains and to manufacture a custom nozzle to create experimental Solid Rocket Motors (SRMs) with a propellant called Angry Listerine. For the propellant grains, one major non-chemical factor that determines its thrust performance is the grain geometry, or the core of the grains for which hot gases flow through the propellant and out of the nozzle to further react with exposed chemical surfaces. The two kinds of grain geometries analyzed and tested in this report are called MoonBurner, an offset circular core, and Finocyl, a gear-shaped core. The nozzle for …