Other Engineering Commons^™

Visual Management In Engineering Can Improve Resource Utilization And Reduce Administrative Non-Value Added Time, Brian Kirby Trent

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This research has demonstrated how Visual Management (VM) can be used in an engineering environment to improve engineering resource utilization. Furthermore, it reduces the administrative time associated with unclear project scope, schedule, budget, and task alignment amongst engineers and project leadership. The research references a case study in which low engineering utilization was directly impacting overall project success. Inconsistent visibility of scheduled engineering activities, changes in tasking, and project metrics created uncertainty and resulted in greater than appropriate administrative time. The methodology used was to implement visual project management tools and track engineer utilization over two years. Quarterly utilization results …

Cost Functions Of Crabs: Applications Of Hermit Crab Shell Exchange Behavior To Vacancy Chain Modelling, Hannah Miele

Senior Honors Theses

Vacancy chain systems function as a method of resource distribution in domains such as housing and labor markets. Hermit crabs also employ vacancy chains as a method of shell exchange. Application of vacancy chain modelling in engineering has been attempted, but numerous flaws exist in the developed vacancy chain scheduling algorithm. This work addresses the lack of an appropriate vacancy chain cost function by developing a generalizable cost function based on hermit crab shell exchange behavior. The cost function’s purpose is enabling development of realistic engineering experiments and models based on real-world vacancy chain systems.

Study Of Fragility Functions For Assessing Damage To Water Pipe Networks Caused By Earthquake Loading, Dylan Joseph Merlo

Master's Theses

The performance of water lifelines during seismic events is an area of ongoing research. In this study we evaluate eight (8) different seismic events and the impact that ground shaking and ground deformations had on water pipeline systems. The overall goal of this work is to provide municipalities and utility providers with tools for mitigating the consequences of seismic hazards on water lifeline systems by analyzing the accuracy of damage estimation models. Three (3) different repair rate models are evaluated using data collected from the seismic events and compared to observed repair rate data. Results are analyzed to examine the …

Exploiting Pull-In/Pull-Out Hysteresis In Electrostatic Mems Sensor Networks To Realize A Novel Sensing Continuous-Time Recurrent Neural Network, Mohammad H. Hasan, Amin Abbasalipour, Hamed Nikfarjam, Siavash Pourkamali, Muhammad Emad-Un-Din, Roozbeh Jafari, Fadi Alsaleem

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

The goal of this paper is to provide a novel computing approach that can be used to reduce the power consumption, size, and cost of wearable electronics. To achieve this goal, the use of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensors for simultaneous sensing and computing is introduced. Specifically, by enabling sensing and computing locally at the MEMS sensor node and utilizing the usually unwanted pull in/out hysteresis, we may eliminate the need for cloud computing and reduce the use of analog-to-digital converters, sampling circuits, and digital processors. As a proof of concept, we show that a simulation model of a network of …

Optimizing Critical Values And Combining Axes For Multi-Axial Neck Injury Criteria, Ethan J. Gaston

Theses and Dissertations

The Air Force employs ejection seats in its high-performance aircraft. While these systems are intended to ensure aircrew safety, the ejection process subjects the aircrew to potentially injurious forces. System validation includes evaluation of forces against a standard which is linked to the probability of injury. The Muti-Axial Neck Injury Criteria (MANIC) was developed to account for forces in all six degrees of freedom. Unfortunately, the MANIC is applied to each of the three linear input directions separately and applies different criterion values for each direction. These three separate criteria create a lack of clarity regarding acceptable neck loading, leading …

Quasi-Static Nonlinear Seismic Assessment Of A Fourth Century A.D. Roman Aqueduct In Istanbul, Turkey, Semih Gonen, Ece Erdogmus, Engin Karaesmen, Erhan Karaesmen

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

The majority of architectural heritage consists of load-bearing masonry components made up of stone units and relatively weak mortar joints, yielding potential weak planes for masonry structures where tension and shear failures are expected to occur. Advanced nonlinear analyses are required to simulate these phenomena and predict the corresponding nonlinear structural behavior of historic masonry constructions. In this context, this paper presents a model of a stone masonry Roman aqueduct (the Valens Aqueduct), constructed in the fourth century A.D. in Istanbul, Turkey, to explore the seismic capacity and behavior using the discrete element method (DEM). The employed modeling approach comprises …

Exploring How Prize Challenges Complement An Organization's Innovation Efforts, Ademir Vrolijk, Zoe Szajnfarber

CESUN Conference

prize challenge, open innovation, crowdsourcing, NASA, 3D Printed Habitat Challenge, additive manufacturing

Investigating The Performance Of Hydroponic Nutrient Solutions As Potential Draw Solutions For Fertilizer Drawn Forward Osmosis, Mohamed Bassiouny Abu Qersh

Theses and Dissertations

This research project aims at investigating the performance of hydroponic nutrient solutions as draw solutions for desalination using the fertilizer drawn forward osmosis (FDFO) process. Six different lettuce and leafy greens hydroponic nutrient stock solutions were prepared according to the literature and used in this study and tested on a bench-scale forward osmosis unit as draw solutions for the process. The feed solutions for the process was de-ionized water mixed with Sodium Chloride in different concentrations to represent different salinities of brackish groundwater. The draw efficiency of each solution was measured based on water flux, reverse solute flux, water recovery, …

Feasibility Of Lora For Smart Home Indoor Localization, Kyungki Kim, Sining Li, Milad Heydariaan, Nour Smaoui, Omprakash Gnawali, Wonho Suh, Min Jae Suh, Jung In Kim

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

With the advancement of low-power and low-cost wireless technologies in the past few years, the Internet of Things (IoT) has been growing rapidly in numerous areas of Industry 4.0 and smart homes. With the development of many applications for the IoT, indoor localization, i.e., the capability to determine the physical location of people or devices, has become an important component of smart homes. Various wireless technologies have been used for indoor localization includingWiFi, ultra-wideband (UWB), Bluetooth low energy (BLE), radio-frequency identification (RFID), and LoRa. The ability of low-cost long range (LoRa) radios for low-power and long-range communication has made this …

Scaffolding Middle And High School Students’ Engineering Design Experiences: Quality Problem-Scopeing Promoting Successful Solutions, Andrew Hughes, Cameron Denson

Educational Leadership & Technology Faculty Publications

Highly proficient expert engineers begin the iterative process of design by thoroughly investigating the design problem. Engineering students are often distracted by surface details, leading to a faulty conception of the problem and inappropriate solution strategies. Adequate problem-scoping is arguably the most important step in the design process. To address this issue, the researchers developed an instructional framework to help teachers scaffold students’ cognitive and metacognitive processes during the problem-scoping phase of a design challenge. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to investigate the impact that scaffolded instruction related to the SCOPE process had on students’ solution success during …

The North Sky And The Otherworld: Journeys Of The Dead In The Neolithic Considered, Frank Prendergast

Book/Book Chapter

The majority of Irish passage tombs (c. 230) predominantly date to the Middle Neolithic (c. 3600–3000 BC). A small number of summit cairns may also contain passage tombs because of their round form, proximity and intervisibility. The island’s passage tombs and related cairns share distinguishing characteristics – elevated siting, visibility and long-range views of distant horizons in varying directions of the compass. This chapter presents the findings of the first scenic analysis of the horizon and views at these sites recorded at an island scale. The method uses measured orientations of horizon sectors related to observed variation in horizon range. …

Optimisation Of Retrofit Wall Insulation: An Irish Case Study, Rakshit D. Muddu, D M. Gowda, Anthony James Robinson, Aimee Byrne

Articles

Ireland has one of the highest rates of emissions per capita in the world and its residential sector is responsible for approximately 10% of total national CO2 emissions. Therefore, reducing the CO2 emissions in this sector will play a decisive role in achieving EU targets of reducing emissions by 40% by 2030. To better inform decisions regarding retrofit of the existing building stock, this study proposes Optimum Insulation Thicknesses (OIT) for typical walls in 25 regions in Ireland. The calculation of OIT includes annual heat energy expenditure, CO2 emissions, and material payback period. The approach taken is based on Heating …

Gamification Of Icebreaking Activities For Mechanical Engineering Students Embarking On A Problem Based Learning Module, Kevin Delaney, Gerard Nagle, Mingzhu Chen

Conference papers

When they enter the workforce engineering graduates must be able to engage collaboratively with others to find solutions to complex engineering challenges. This involves a great deal more than simply solving technical problems traditionally taught in engineering school. The Mechanical Engineering Discipline in Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin) has helped students develop real-world engineering skills through a team based Problem Based Learning (PBL) module since 2005. This module, involving third year students, can be particularly challenging since participants can join the third year of the program from other programs or universities and many will not have known each other prior …

Momentum Towards Incorporating Global Responsibility In Engineering Education And Accreditation In The Uk, Jonathan Truslove, Emma Crichton, Shannon Chance, Katie Cresswell-Maynard

Conference papers

CONTEXT Engineering is uniquely placed to help address global challenges such as those surrounding the climate crisis, and the sustainable use and management of resources. However, studies have found UK engineering companies that have adopted sustainability strategies do not have enough staff with the skills to achieve them. There is an urgent need to upskill the current workforce and prepare future generations to operate in a responsible and ethical manner in tackling today's challenges. Recent updates to the standard of engineering accreditation in the UK provide notable opportunities to transform university curricula to create globally responsible engineers.

PURPOSE This preliminary …

Women Studying Engineering Abroad: Intersectionality And Student Support, Shannon Chance, Bill Williams, Inês Direito

Conference papers

What is it like to study engineering in Ireland when you are female and you come from somewhere far away, in the Middle East, which has different social customs and norms? What is your lived experience? What aspects of the experience are common to Middle Eastern women across your course? As education researchers, we aim to understand the essence of the experience these foreign women have had studying engineering in Ireland-what life has been like for them and what unique challenges they have faced that may be invisible to us as instructors. This article reports preliminary analysis of 13 interviews …

Continuous Manufacturing Of Pharmaceuticals Using Novel Platforms, Sarah S. Aboelela

Theses and Dissertations

Pharmaceuticals have been synonymously manufactured in a centralized, batch mode with less attention to process and formulation understanding. However, due to rising drug costs, shortages, and robustness issues, in addition to the alarming lack of flexibility and agility, regulatory agencies have pushed towards switching to continuous processes. They believed in continuous manufacturing, providing cleaner, flexible, and more efficient processes. Hence, it was foreseen to reduce development and manufacturing costs, time, and environmental impact and ensured drug product quality. Over the last two decades, continuous manufacturing quality, environmental, and economic advantages have been evident through many case studies and approved products …

Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion In Engineering Education: An Exploration Of European Higher Education Institutions’ Strategic Frameworks, Resources, And Initiatives, I. Direto, Shannon Chance, L. Clemmensen, S. Craps, S.B. Economides, S.R. Isaac, A.M. Jolly, F.R. Truscott, N. Wint

Conference papers

Significant efforts have been made to promote gender equality in higher education (HE) in Europe. Examples include the establishment of the Athena Swan Charter in the UK in 2005 and the 2019 launch of the Irène Curie Fellowship scheme by Eindhoven University of Technology. But which initiatives address broader diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) challenges in HE? And which are specifically focused on engineering education? This exploratory study aims to improve our understanding of the ways in which a set of European HE Institutions engaged in engineering education address DEI at an organisation level, and how this is communicated within …

Mapping The Light Fantastic At Newgrange, Frank Prendergast, Clare Tuffy, John Lalor, Claire Breen, Sinéad Gargan

Articles

THE WORLD HERITAGE PROPERTY of Brú na Bóinne attracts thousands of visitors from Ireland and around the globe, many drawn by the remarkable winter solstice phenomenon, when the rising sun’s rays illuminate the burial chamber. During 2020 it became clear that public health measures to combat the global pandemic were going to preclude visitor access to the chamber of the Great Mound of Newgrange, including during the annual winter solstice celebrations. When the government agencies OPW and NMS discussed how to manage Newgrange and the solstice during the restrictions, Clare Tuffy, Manager of Visitor Services at Brú na Bóinne, suggested …

Best Used-Car Selling Service In Us, Sirisha Pola, Jennifer Wagner, Fenny Jin, Pallavi Gusain, Alfonso Herrero

Engineering and Technology Management Student Projects

During the Covid-19 pandemic, a shift in the way people do things has been seen across many different industries, the automobile industry is not the exception, new car production and distribution has decreased based on the restrictions placed by many countries to ensure the safety of its citizens, this has made it quite difficult on the new car dealerships, in addition, people are seeing that the need for a car has gone down significantly since working from home has become a more and more common. However, there is a sector of the automotive industry that is having a boom, used …

Overcoming Team Boundaries In Agile Software Development, Scarlet Rahy, Julian Bass

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Abstract: The usage of agile software development methods is increasing and so is the need for enhancing the collaboration between the different stakeholders. Thus, we chose to investigate the communication tools and challenges across the different boundaries and consequently deduce implications for practitioners. This research addresses inter-team communication by exploring the practitioners' perception on the different communication tools and the challenges faced at the three different boundaries, inter-team, team and customers, and geographically separated teams. We aim to enhance the productivity of software development through enhancing the communication between the different stakeholders. In this research, we use grounded theory approach …

Productivity Index For Unconventional Gas Wells, Yousef Khajah

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Productivity Index reflects the ability of a well to produce hydrocarbons and is often used to analyze the well's performance. Productivity Index is the ratio of the flow rate to the drawdown pressure under pseudo-steady state flow conditions. The unconventional gas formation such as shale are the main target of the gas exploration and production. The application of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing technologies have been instrumental in development of shale gas resources. The evaluation of the productivity index for unconventional gas wells is however challenging because the production mainly occurs under the transient conditions.

This research aims to evaluate …

Biomechanics Of Head Impacts In An Unhelmeted Sport, Stephen Tiernan

Doctoral

Concussion in sport is very common and often the injury is undetectable using CT and MRI scans. In addition, approximately 50% of concussions areunreported.The project initially investigated the suitability of a skin patch sensor and a head-band sensorfor the measurement of head impacts in unhelmeted sports. It was found that both were unsuitable due to large angular accelerationerrors. Thestudy then collaborated withCAMLab at Stanford University and 25 Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) athletes were fitted CAMLab’s validated instrumented mouthguard. 451 video confirmed impacts were recorded at 19 sparring and 11 competitive MMA events. Five concussions were diagnosed during the competitive events. …

Forecasting The Construction Expenditure Cash Flow For Transportation Design-Build Projects With A Case-Based Reasoning Model, Yunping Liang, Baabak Ashuri, Mingshu Li

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

Accurately forecasting the construction expenditure cash flow of transportation projects is critical for state departments of transportation (state DOTs) to secure sufficient funding to cover their fiscal obligations throughout the project development timeline. However, there is no quantitative model to assist state DOTs in accurately forecasting expenditure cash flows for design-build projects. At the outset of awarding a typical design-build contract, the design has not been finalized to enable exact quantities for a detailed cost estimate. This issue represents a big difference between design-build and design-bid-build projects that makes estimating the project payouts more difficult for design-build projects. This research …

Studies In Additive Manufacturing Techniques For Pulsed Fusion Experiments, Michael Canary

Summer Community of Scholars Posters (RCEU and HCR Combined Programs)

No abstract provided.

Maritime Robotics And Autonomous Systems Operations : Exploring Pathways For Overcoming International Techno-Regulatory Data Barriers, Tafsir Martin Johansson, Dimitrios Dalaklis, Aspasia Pastra

Articles

The current regulatory landscape that applies to maritime service robotics, aptly termed as robotics and autonomous systems (RAS), is quite complex. When it comes to patents, there are multifarious considerations in relation to vessel survey, inspection, and maintenance processes under national and international law. Adherence is challenging, given that the traditional delivery methods are viewed as unsafe, strenuous, and laborious. Service robotics, namely micro aerial vehicles (MAVs) or drones, magnetic-wheeled crawlers (crawlers), and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), function by relying on the architecture of the Internet of Robotic Things. The aforementioned are being introduced as time-saving apparatuses, accompanied by the …

Modeling Gas Migration During A Gas Kick, Ali Zankawi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Gas kick is an undesirable problem in the oil and gas industry, which can potentially interfere with the production process and damage drilling equipment. The primary intent of this study is to highlight gas migration and its effect on gas kick mitigation approaches that would benefit the petroleum industry. The integrated analysis provides valuable insight regarding parameters promoting efficient drilling and production processes, Minimizing the risk of gas kicks. This study aimed to investigate the impact of critical parameters on gas migration during the gas kick in both water- and oil-based mud and promote the understanding of the dynamics of …

Designs And Practical Control Methods For Soft Parallel Robots, Benjamin T. Buzzo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The use of soft robotics is becoming an increasingly researched topic, since they can provide more flexibility in movements and increase safety when working with humans. However, they are more susceptible to modeling and manufacturing errors in the design.

The objective of this thesis is two-fold, the first objective is to determine the benefits and limitations of using calibration tables that rely on the PWM signals instead of modeling as a control method. If calibration tables are not adequate to achieve a high level of precision. The second objective is to determine if using a tethered mobile robot in unison …

The Investigation Of The Underlying Microstructure Associated With Fracture Features In 6061 Cold Sprayed Aluminum, Justin White

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cold gas dynamic spraying commonly known as cold spray is a process currently used for restoration, re-tolerancing, and application of coatings. With additional resources allocated towards the development of a through process model aimed at predicting the properties of bulk material produced via the Cold Spray process, more lab testing and investigation must be done to capture the effects of the varying microstructure in CS materials. The properties of ultra-fine-grained materials are derived from data collected from coarse grained materials and processes that do not accurately capture the effects as elevated strain rates and ultra-fine-grained materials. The lack of property …

Quantifying The Value Of Foam-Based Flexible Floating Solar Photovoltaic Systems, Koami Soulemane Hayibo

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Distributed generation with solar photovoltaic (PV) technology is economically competitive if net metered in the U.S. Yet there is evidence that net metering is misrepresenting the true value of distributed solar generation so that the value of solar (VOS) is becoming the preferred method for evaluating economics of grid-tied PV. VOS calculations are challenging and there is widespread disagreement in the literature on the methods and data needed. To overcome these limitations, this thesis reviews past VOS studies to develop a generalized model that considers realistic future avoided costs and liabilities. The approach used here is bottom-up modeling where the …