Nuclear Engineering Commons^™

Integrating Gis With Interim Payment Valuation In Road Construction Projects: A Conceptual Framework, Abdulrahman I. Iro, Juma M. Matindana, Julian Ijumulana

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Abstract

Interim Payment Valuation is a critical process in road construction contract administration, yet conventional valuation practices remain heavily dependent on manual measurements, fragmented documentation, spreadsheets, and professional judgement. These limitations can affect measurement accuracy, transparency, traceability, and the timeliness of payment certification. Although Geographic Information Systems have increasingly been applied to construction planning, quantity measurement, progress monitoring, infrastructure management, and decision support, their integration with contractual and financial processes for interim payment valuation remains insufficiently explored. This study therefore develops a conceptual framework for integrating GIS with Interim Payment Valuation in road construction projects. A PRISMA-guided structured literature review …

Voltage-Related Power Quality Issues And Impacts On Distribution Networks With Sensitive Loads - A Review, Godwin Elinazi Mnkeni, Jackson Justo, Aviti Thadei Mushi, Bakari M. M. Mwinyiwiwa

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Voltage disturbances are the most important power quality (PQ) complications that customers and power utilities face in this smart era. The growing adoption of sophisticated electronic equipment and integration of renewable energy sources (RES) into power grids has increased the susceptibility of power distribution networks (PDNs) to voltage sags, swells, interruptions, flicker, and voltage imbalance. These disturbances, mainly caused by upstream faults, switching operations, and RES integration, compromise voltage PQ and system reliability. Consequently, they accelerate equipment degradation, increase electronic waste (e-waste), raise reactive power demand and maintenance costs, increase power losses, and impose substantial economic losses on customers and …

Assessment Of The Radionuclide Concentration Levels Of Water And Sediments Along The Mara River, Gasper Kachenge, Abubakary Salama, Abdalah Kileo, Furaha Chuma

Tanzania Journal of Science

For many years, several factors have impacted the water quality of the Mara River, including population growth, agricultural expansion, livestock keeping, mining, and industrial activities. These factors have intensified water pollution and climate change effects around the river. While previous studies have mainly focused on assessing heavy metal pollution risks on the Mara River, this study evaluates the concentration levels of radionuclides in boreholes, water, and sediments along the river and its tributaries. Naturally occurring radioactive materials, including 226Ra, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K, were evaluated. A high-purity germanium radiation detector (HPGe) with a coaxial detector system coupled with Gamma Vision software …

Validation Of Electromagnetic Shower Development In A Reduced Alice Focal-E Detector Model Using Geant4, Isaac Lara Romo

Physics

This project focuses on the preliminary simulation of a reduced FoCal-E detector model for the ALICE experiment at CERN. Beamline tests were simulated using an electron gun at various incident energies, and the results were compared with those of the FoCal group. The longitudinal charge deposition per sensor layer was compared between the two setups to verify that the reduced model exhibited expected calorimeter behavior. Additionally, the transverse signal across the high-granularity sensor layers was examined to determine whether the reduced model reproduced the expected lateral development of electromagnetic showers. The results obtained from these measurements show that the reduced …

Impact Of Collodion Thickness On Fission Track Generation Within Lexan Employed For Nuclear Forensic Analyses, Ryan K. Chapman, Zachary P. Meisel, Abigail A. Bickley

Faculty Publications

We report results from a computational study of fission track damage within a Lexan substrate caused by ²³⁵U suspended within a collodion film of varied thickness. MCNP6.3 was used to model energy deposition and displacements per atom within a Lexan film coated by a film of collodion, located within the air-filled 6 inch dry tube of a TRIGA reactor. The collodion layer was varied between 20 and 100 μm thickness, resulting in an 8.8% difference in energy deposition and 12% difference in displacements-per-atom within the Lexan substrate. These findings indicate that collodion adhesive thickness has a moderate impact on …

Radiation Protection Factor Research: The Keystone For Conventional-Nuclear Integration (Cni), Andrew W. Decker

Faculty Publications

This article briefly describes Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) vehicle Radiation Protection Factor (RPF) research and explains its critical role in enabling future Operations in a Nuclear Environment (ONE) and Conventional-Nuclear Integration (CNI) on behalf of the US Department of War (DoW).1 As such, the background and practical utility of RPF values is discussed, as well as the justification for renewed Army and DoW investment into RPF research to enhance Joint military planning, survivability, and lethality on tomorrow’s nuclear battlefields. Advances in DTRA RPF research directly strengthen US strategic and extended deterrence efforts and support all Agencies and Departments responsible …

Microstructural Evolution Of Zirconium Diboride Irradiated With 5–10 Mev Au Ions At Room Temperature And 570 °C, Narrie Loftus, José Olivares, Miguel Crespillo, Esther Enríquez Pérez, Jeremy Watts, Eric W. Bohannan, Gregory Hilmas, William Fahrenholtz, Joseph Graham

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Zirconium diboride was irradiated with 5 MeV Au^2 + , 7 MeV Au⁴⁺ and 10 MeV Au³⁺ ions at room temperature and 570 °C to doses from 1 to 8 displacements per atom (dpa). Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) analysis revealed no secondary phase formation. Rietveld analysis of the GIXRD data indicated an accumulation of microstrain at low dpa and room temperature. Dislocations observed in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) cross-sections are likely the main contributor to the microstrain. High dpa and high-temperature samples exhibit lower lattice distortion than lower dpa samples, suggesting the presence of enhanced defect …

Improving Modeling Of Corrosion Products In The Primary Circuit Of Light Water Reactors Through The Experimental Determination Of Crud Characteristics, Sri Saravana Konganapuram Narasimma Bharathi

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

High-temperature water flowing through the coolant circuits in pressurized water reactors (PWRs) creates a harsh environment, deteriorating these materials. This corrosion results in the formation of oxide layer(s) primarily composed of nickel ferrites, iron oxides, nickel oxides, and other nickel-iron-chrome spinel oxides. Being exposed to fluid with high flow rates and pressure, these oxide layers can be eroded, resulting in particulate fouling due to the release of corrosion products (Chalk River Unidentified Deposits, CRUD) into the coolant circuit. When CRUD subsequently deposits on fuel surfaces, it negatively affects the fuel performance (heat transfer and fuel failure); in addition, the particles …

Localized Nuclear Utility For Erau Environmental Improvement, Timothy Schroeder, Jacob Blanton, Christopher Anderson

Sustainability Conference

The reliance of Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) on energy supplied by Florida Power & Light (FPL), which currently draws large amounts of power from fossil fuel sources, is continuously suboptimal both environmentally and financially. This study proposes assessing the feasibility of deploying a campus scale nuclear reactor tailored to ERAU’s power consumption profile. This serves as a path toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions and limiting dependence on external fossil fuel generation. The methods used are primarily literature review(s), and numerical analysis on comparable use cases. The literature reviews focused on design theory and yield of nuclear reactors on a …

Constraining Nuclear Data Uncertainty Requirements For The 19F(A, N)22Na Reaction For Non-Proliferation Applications, Tyler R. M. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the requirements on nuclear data uncertainties needed for the use of the ¹⁹F(α, n)²²Na reaction for nuclear non-proliferation applications. An overview of how neutrons are produced from alpha decays in a UF₆ medium is discussed. Calculation demonstrate the role nuclear data uncertainties effect the neutron yield and energy spectra as a function of enrichment.

The Effects Of Snow Cover On The Dynamic Pressure Of Nuclear Detonation Blast Waves, Adam Card, Andrew W. Decker

Faculty Publications

Blast pressure is the primary military targeting metric for nuclear weapons. Any local conditions that affect blast pressure have the potential for altering nuclear plans, both from defensive and offensive standpoints. Understanding the impact of snow to the blast wave, therefore, provides a benefit both to military planners and to warfighters on the ground, for any operation occurring in arctic environments. No existing data provides a quantitative description of how snow on the ground affects a nuclear detonation blast wave passing over it. Similar blast waves passing over dust have experimentally proven to enhance blast pressure in a localized region.1 …

Machine Learning For Reactor Power Monitoring With Limited Labeled Data, C. L. Stewart, B. L. Goldblum, R. G. Abbott, L. Appleby, Brett J. Borghetti, V. Hollingshead, J. H. Whetzel

Faculty Publications

Real-time reactor power monitoring is critical for a variety of nuclear applications, spanning safety, security, operations, and maintenance. While machine learning methods have shown promise in monitoring reactor power levels, there is limited research on their efficacy in label-starved environments. The goal of this work is to assess the feasibility of classifying nuclear reactor power level using multisource data in scenarios with limited labels. Data were collected using low-resolution multisensors at four nuclear reactor facilities: two large research reactors and two TRIGA reactors. Within each pair, one reactor dataset served as the source and the other as the target in …

Analysis Of Nuclear Security And Safety Integration Using Survey Responses And Pairwise Comparison Methods, Sheila V. Gbormittah, Theodore A. Thomas, Jason Timothy Harris

International Journal of Nuclear Security

Integrating nuclear security and safety is important for implementing and sustaining nuclear technology because it promises improved and effective management. This integration is an ongoing effort to ensure that both work together with minimal conflicts. This research aimed to determine the preferred level at which nuclear security and nuclear safety integrate by using the pairwise comparison methods of decision-making. This methodology used survey responses from women nuclear professionals to identify the most-desired criteria at three levels: strategic, operational, and cultural. The strategic level includes actions that government officials and regulators can take. The operational level encompasses actions that deliver the …

Multiphysics Modeling Of Material Response To High-Intensity X-Ray And Laser Pulses: Heating, Ablation, And Plasma Expansion, Youssef Abouhussien

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents a computational framework to investigate material response under high-intensity X-ray fluxes produced by an exo-atmospheric nuclear detonation and laser-material irradiations, with a focus on heating, ablation, and plasma expansion phenomena relevant to satellite vulnerability and high-energy-density environments. A hybrid Monte Carlo and Two-Temperature Model (MC-TTM) was developed to simulate X-ray and laser energy deposition and thermal relaxation in metals and semiconductors across a range of X-ray and laser pulse durations from femtoseconds to nanoseconds. Results demonstrate distinct thermal behavior between materials, with ablation thresholds and phase transitions captured in good agreement with experimental data.

In parallel, a …

Development Of Group Iii-V Quantum Confinement-Enabled Detectors: Bias-Tunable Quantum Well Infrared Photodetector (Qwip) And Quantum Dot Scintillation Detector (Qdsd), Gyana R. Biswal

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This dissertation discloses the physics, fabrication, characterization, and analysis of two novel types of group III-V semiconductor detectors relying on quantum confinement of carriers, namely voltage-tunable quantum well infrared photodetectors (QWIP) and a high-yield ultrafast quantum dot scintillation detector (QDSD). Both QWIP and QDSD heterostructures presented here were grown on 3” GaAs (001) substrates using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE).

A major part of the dissertation focuses on development of the voltage-tunable QWIPs targeting detection in the mid-wave infrared region (MWIR) (3μm -5μm) and long-wave infrared region (LWIR) (8μm -12μm) with control of sensitivity by the applied bias. The QWIPs utilize …

Removal Capabilities Of Zeolite And Zero Valent Iron With High-Level Waste Tank Radionuclides And Metals: Cesium, Strontium And Chromium, Colette R. Towles

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

High level nuclear waste (HLW) has been disposed for temporary storage in underground steel tanks at the Department of Energy Nuclear sites. For example, at the Hanford Site, WA, and Savannah River Site (SRS), SC, HLW account for eighty-eight million gallons (Mgal) and 450 million Curies (MCi) of radioactivity. In the early nuclear activity at Hanford, the waste was discharged to single-shell steel tanks, and the lack of secondary containment allowed leaks, contaminating soil and groundwater. Despite tremendous efforts to stabilize the liquid waste at nuclear sites, treatment is complex, costly, and time-consuming; therefore, HLW may have to be stored …

The Evaluation Of Machine Learning Techniques For Isotope Identification Contextualized By Training And Testing Spectral Similarity, Aaron P. Fjelsted, Tyler J. Morrow, Clayton D. Scott, Yilun Zhu, Darren E. Holland, Azaree T. Lintereur, Douglas E. Wolfe

Faculty Publications

Precise gamma-ray spectral analysis is crucial in high-stakes applications, such as nuclear security. Research efforts toward implementing machine learning (ML) approaches for accurate analysis are limited by the resemblance of the training data to the testing scenarios. The underlying spectral shape of synthetic data may not perfectly reflect measured configurations, and measurement campaigns may be limited by resource constraints. Consequently, ML algorithms for isotope identification must maintain accurate classification performance under domain shifts between the training and testing data. To this end, four different classifiers (Ridge, Random Forest, Extreme Gradient Boosting, and Multilayer Perceptron) were trained on the same dataset …

Generation And Implementation Of Mixed Radiation From Laser Interactions On A Liquid Target, Benjamin M. Knight

Theses and Dissertations

The simultaneous generation of different forms of radiation from the same source is highly desirable but technically challenging. We present the generation of D-D fusion neutrons and >MeV-energy x-rays from extreme intensity (∼ 10¹⁹ W/cm² ), high repetition-rate (1 kHz) laser pulses on a thin liquid target. Total neutron fluxes of ∼ 105 neutrons/s and x-ray exposure rates up to ∼ 200 R/hr at 74 cm are measured. Evidence of D-D fusion is verified with a measurement suite including three independent neutron detection systems: an EJ-309 organic scintillator, a ³He proportional counter, and a set of 36 …

Extraction Of Neutron-Gamma Irradiated Diffusion Pump Oils, Cooper L. Tillman

All Theses

This work successfully demonstrates solvent extraction methods for separation of oil from the by-products when two commercially available vacuum pump oils were exposed to an intense neutron and gamma-ray radiation environment. Nuclear fusion power at a commercial scale has accelerated the need for radiation resistant vacuum technology, such as oil-based diffusion pumps. Polyphenyl ether and aromatic silicone oils were irradiated at the Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center (RINSC) up to MGy absorbed doses with neutron and gamma-ray radiation. Solvent extractions were performed using hexane and isopropanol to characterize the oil extraction as a function of total absorbed dose. The by-products …

Thermal Hydraulic Analysis For Different Subchannels Of Generic Vver-1200, Mosaddak Ahamed Zahid, Md. Imam Mehedi, Shamsul Arefin Shibly, A. S. Mollah

International Journal of Nuclear Security

The demand for nuclear energy is steadily increasing all over the world. Most nuclear power is used for peaceful applications such as power generation, healthcare, agriculture, food security, industry, and research. One of the primary applications of nuclear energy is the generation of electricity through nuclear power plants based on nuclear reactors. Many developing countries around the world (such as Bangladesh) are moving toward nuclear power plants because they have huge advantages, including low-cost energy, reliable energy sources, zero carbon emissions, and high energy concentration. As a result, the demand for nuclear reactor protection and operational protection of nuclear power …

Pulsed-Power Neutron Production With Deuterated Polymer Accelerator Targets, Anthony O. Hagey, Juan J. Manfredi, Whitman T. Dailey, S. L. Jackson, E. R. Kaiser, J, W. Schumer

Faculty Publications

This document presents an investigation of the effect of deuterated accelerator targets on the neutron fluence from a local mass injection dense plasma focus (LMIDPF) driven by the United States Naval Research Laboratory's (NRL) Hawk pulsed-power generator. Deuterated targets were made using two methods: a well-established thin-film casting technique for flat targets and a more novel additive manufacturing technique that allowed targets to be three-dimensional (3D) printed in both flat and conical geometries. These targets were then tested during neutron-producing experiments conducted using Hawk, and theneutron fluences measured for the various target types were compared. Additive manufacturing was used as …

Neutron Spectrum Unfolding From Activation Foils Irradiated In Gamble Ii Using Deuterated Polyethylene Anodes, Christopher J. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Neutrons can cause irreparable harm to electronics, and experiments are needed to understand their effects fully. This work explores using pulsed power, which is low-cost compared to other sources, to create a useful neutron-rich environment. Deuterated polyethylene was used as anode and catcher material to generate the neutrons from the Deuterium-Deuterium (DD) fusion reaction. A simple, effective, and repeatable method was employed to directly cast deuterated polyethylene onto polyethylene sheets to fabricate the anode and catcher. The DD reactions were made by an ion beam-driven pulsed power generator, Gamble II, with the catcher located in the cathode. Zinc, copper, aluminum, …

Radiation Exposure Calibration Of The Al2o3:C With Radium-226 And Cesium-137 Using The Osl Method, Selma Tepeli Aydin

All Theses

Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dosimetry was utilized to calibrate Al₂O₃:C powder dosimeters, available commercially as the nanoDot® from Landauer Inc., and compare the dosimeter response to radium-226 (²²⁶Ra) and cesium-137 (¹³⁷Cs). The signal from the OSL was quantified using a microSTARii^® OSL reader also produced by Landauer Inc. Dose-response curves were developed for ²²⁶Ra and ¹³⁷Cs experiments (5 dosimeters each) at thirteen absorbed doses. Individual dosimeter response was tracked by serial number. Linear regression analysis was performed to determine if there were significant differences between the intercepts of the …

Corrosion Related To The Nuclear Waste Containers, Ali Ebrahimzadeh Pilehrood

Corrosion Research

The disposal of nuclear waste is a demanding topic, and the existing methods, whether it is temporary storage in spent fuel pools or storage in geological repositories, both face the risk of corrosion-related problems. Any failure in these storage methods can potentially lead to the release of radioactive materials into the environment. To avert such catastrophic scenarios, people in the nuclear industry consistently monitor and maintain these storage facilities endlessly and attempt to improve the plans designed to store nuclear waste. Here, I will examine the nuclear waste management organization (NWMO) plan in Canada. Choosing an appropriate location for the …

Direct Measurement Of The 114cd(N, Gamma)115cd Cross Section In The 1 Ev To 300 Kev Energy Range, Kofi Tutu Addo Assumin-Gyimah

Theses and Dissertations

The large thermal cross section of cadmium makes it ideal for many practical applications where screening of thermal neutrons is desired. For example, in non-destructive assay techniques, or for astrophysical studies of the s-process. All such applications require precise knowledge of the neutron-capture cross section on cadmium. Although there are some data on neutron-capture cross sections particularly at thermal energies and at energies relevant for astrophysics, there is very little data at most other energies. Further, the evaluated cross sections from the ENDF and JENDL databases disagree at high energies. Therefore, there is a critical need for precise knowledge of …

Electrochemical Approaches To Life-Support Resources In Space Missions And Nuclear Technologies: Hydrogen Peroxide And Uranium Films, Armando Manuel Pena-Duarte

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Space race has developed several technological advances that have achieved and continue to achieve the success of space missions in the aerospace timeline. Currently, the number of space technical and scientific innovations is still growing––demanding new materials and developments for extreme performing applications of fuel cells, batteries, supercapacitors, and systems of nuclear energy. Space missions require life-support solutions, auto-sustainable closed-loop living environments, cleaning and sanitizing solutions against pathogens, and safe nuclear-based resources of energy––with fissile materials with well-controlled dimensions within the core fuel elements. Likewise, to guarantee safety conditions, reduce costs, and facilitate operational logistics, space missions must reduce their …

Measuring Radiation Protection: Partners From Across The Nuclear Enterprise Evaluate The Radiation Protection Of Us Army Vehicles, Andrew W. Decker, Robert Prins

Faculty Publications

Recent mounting nuclear threats and postures from adversary nation-states, such as Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran, represent a clear danger to the interests and security of the United States of America and its Allies. To meet these threats, the 2022 Nuclear Posture Review requires the Department of Defense (DoD) to design, develop, and manage a combat-credible U.S. military which, among other prioritizations, is survivable. A survivable force can generate combat power despite adversary attacks. As such, the US Army must prepare today to set the conditions for successful conventional warfare on the nuclear battlefields of tomorrow. Our Army cannot …

Automated Additive Layering Of Vat Polymerized Plastic Organic Scintillators, Chandler J. Moore

Theses and Dissertations

The current technology for fast neutron detection imaging is limited in achieving the required high spatial resolution, strong neutron discrimination, and practical time of manufacturing. Traditional fabrication methods require days of thermal polymerization and hundreds of man-hours to produce average resolution pixelated scintillator arrays. The present work helps to eliminate this limitation by developing an additive manufacturing technique to construct such detectors for use in in dual particle imaging applications. In this work, fast-, light-curing resins are used in a prototype automated assembly machine, capable of layering of individual light-cured resin layers and optical segmentation with a self-bonded specular reflector, …

Simulation Of Neutron Generation From Laser-Driven Fusion In A Liquid D2o Sheet Using Novel Warpx Module, Colton R. Stoner

Theses and Dissertations

Using WarpX’s new nuclear fusion module, this work attempts to model an experimental system at the ELL at the AFIT with WarpX and draw conclusions about fusion products from resulting simulations. Recently, a table-top, high repetition rate, mixed radiation source was demonstrated at the ELL employing a HIL to fuse the deuterium nuclei present in a unique liquid target of heavy water. Analysis of the simulations predicted an isotropic output of neutrons from deuterium-deuterium fusion. These simulated neutrons were created in tens of femtoseconds from dense bodies of deuterons that were perturbed by the laser. However, it was found that …

Pulsed Power Neutron Production With Deuterated Polymer Accelerator Targets, Anthony O. Hagey

Theses and Dissertations

This document presents an investigation of the effect of deuterated polyethylene accelerator targets on the neutron fluence from a local mass injection dense plasma focus driven by the United States Naval Research Laboratory’s Hawk pulsed-power generator. After successful production of thin targets, the acquisition of thicker targets, and testing inside Hawk, it was found that the presence of a deuterated polyethylene target increased the neutron fluence. Results suggested that fluence can significantly increase with the presence of a deuterated target vs a nondeuterated target. Additive manufacturing printing was used as a production method in order to determine if deuterated accelerator …