Master of Science / Department of Industrial & Manufacturing Systems Engineering / Shuting Lei / Malgorzata Rys / The demand of synthetic implants for good quality of life is high and increasing continuously due to limitations of autogenous bone grafting. Development of various synthetic bio materials and their manufacturing methods in the fields of orthopedics and dentistry has been done and still under way. Close physical properties with human bone make sintered hydroxyapatite (HAP) a suitable bioceramic material for hard tissue replacement. Newly developed fully dense nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite (nHAP) bioceramic has better mechanical properties than porous hydroxyapatite and has potential to be used alone, without metallic support in certain applications. When being used as implant devices in the human body, the nHAP bioceramic needs to be machined to the closest possible configuration with minimal surface roughness. This study investigates the machinability of nHAP bioceramic in milling operations. Efforts are focused on the effects of various machining conditions on surface integrity. Surface roughness is measured using a surface profilometer and the machined surface is observed using an optical microscope and a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Chip morphology and tool wear are examined using an optical microscope. Machined surface analysis showed that the surface integrity was good and the required surface roughness value (R[alpha]) of 1 - 1.5 [mu]m was achieved in many experiments. It was found that material removal is caused by brittle fracture without plastic flow. A first order surface roughness model for the end milling of nHAP under dry condition has been described. The mathematical model for surface roughness has been developed based on the cutting parameters: cutting speed, feed and depth of cut. The effects of these parameters on surface roughness have been studied using factorial designs and response surface method. Model analysis showed that all three cutting parameters have significant effect on surface roughness. However the current model has limited statistical power for prediction purposes and it demands a higher order model for accurate prediction of surface roughness value.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Biological & Agricultural Engineering / Donghai Wang / Cellulosic ethanol is a renewable source of energy. Lignocellulosic biomass is a complex material composed mainly of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Biomass pretreatment is a required step to make sugar polymers liable to hydrolysis. Mineral acids are commonly used for biomass pretreatment. Using acid catalysts that can be recovered and reused could make the process economically more attractive. The overall goal of this dissertation is the development of a recyclable nanocatalyst for the hydrolysis of biomass sugars. Cobalt iron oxide nanoparticles (CoFe[superscript]2O[subscript]4) were synthesized to provide a magnetic core that could be separated from reaction using a magnetic field and modified to carry acid functional groups. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the crystal structure was that of cobalt spinel ferrite. CoFe[superscript]2O[superscript]4 were covered with silica which served as linker for the acid functions. Silica-coated nanoparticles were functionalized with three different acid functions: perfluoropropyl-sulfonic acid, carboxylic acid, and propyl-sulfonic acid. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) images were analyzed to obtain particle size distributions of the nanoparticles. Total carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur were quantified using an elemental analyzer. Fourier transform infra-red spectra confirmed the presence of sulfonic and carboxylic acid functions and ion-exchange titrations accounted for the total amount of catalytic acid sites per nanoparticle mass. These nanoparticles were evaluated for their performance to hydrolyze the β-1,4 glycosidic bond of the cellobiose molecule. Propyl-sulfonic (PS) and perfluoropropyl-sulfonic (PFS) acid functionalized nanoparticles catalyzed the hydrolysis of cellobiose significantly better than the control. PS and PFS were also evaluated for their capacity to solubilize wheat straw hemicelluloses and performed better than the control. Although PFS nanoparticles were stronger acid catalysts, the acid functions leached out of the nanoparticle during the catalytic reactions. PS nanoparticles were further evaluated for the pretreatment of corn stover in order to increase digestibility of the biomass. The pretreatment was carried out at three different catalyst load and temperature levels. At 180°C, the total glucose yield was linearly correlated to the catalyst load. A maximum glucose yield of 90% and 58% of the hemicellulose sugars were obtained at this temperature.

Master of Science / Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering / Warren N. White / The objective of this research was to show that controls demonstrations and education can be greatly improved with the use of Web 2.0 tools. First, a user-centered and collaborative website was developed using the freely available Web 2.0 tools. Then procedures for creating animations using control system simulations were developed. Using the Java programming language, interactive graphs were constructed for display to allow the viewer to change the initial conditions of the controls system and plot the results of the simulation as calculated. These animations and interactive graphs used already developed MatLab resources. Using Web 2.0 tools, the collaborative web site can be easily updated by several people simultaneously, only requiring access to the internet. Because of these advantages, collaboration between multiple universities and controls researchers in distant locations is possible, and the new website has the potential of becoming the center of controls research around the world. More importantly, the procedure allows future systems to be demonstrated while requiring minimal additional work, thereby increasing the universities' ability to educate their students, as well as the general public, about controls system research.

Master of Science / Department of Biological & Agricultural Engineering / Stacy Lewis Hutchinson / In 2000, world leaders adopted the United Nations Millennium Declaration in hopes of drastically reducing the amount of people affected by poverty by 2015. One of the goals of the report pledged to “halve the proportion of people who are unable to reach or afford safe drinking water” (Juma, et al., 2001). For developing countries, where the water crisis is most concentrated, the achievement of this goal is nowhere close to being realized. With a world that is becoming increasingly interconnected, the ability to generate change on a global scale and in areas with the most need is attainable. The focus of engineering education today should prepare students to provide sustainable solutions worldwide. Engineering curricula, especially in regions of the world with standardized tests (e.g. United States and Canada) look toward preparing students for licensure. However, a need for more diversified, interdisciplinary education would benefit the future success of engineering designs. Knowledge of appropriate social, economic, and environmental needs must be considered to ensure sustainability and effectiveness of solutions. A case study focused on water quality tests located in Nyeri, Kenya enforces the importance of international pre-professional engineering experience. The study also demonstrates the need for increased efforts needed to achieve the drinking water target outlined by the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. In order for students to be successful, education must be targeted to cover both cultural and technological aspects of designing and especially the externalities associated with international design.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering / Balasubramaniam Natarajan / Dale E. Schinstock / In this dissertation, two applications related to vision-based localization and mapping are considered: (1) improving navigation system based satellite location estimates by using on-board camera images, and (2) deriving position information from video stream and using it to aid an auto-pilot of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). In the first part of this dissertation, a method for analyzing a minimization process called bundle adjustment (BA) used in stereo imagery based 3D terrain reconstruction to refine estimates of camera poses (positions and orientations) is presented. In particular, imagery obtained with pushbroom cameras is of interest. This work proposes a method to identify cases in which BA does not work as intended, i.e., the cases in which the pose estimates returned by the BA are not more accurate than estimates provided by a satellite navigation systems due to the existence of degrees of freedom (DOF) in BA. Use of inaccurate pose estimates causes warping and scaling effects in the reconstructed terrain and prevents the terrain from being used in scientific analysis. Main contributions of this part of work include: 1) formulation of a method for detecting DOF in the BA; and 2) identifying that two camera geometries commonly used to obtain stereo imagery have DOF. Also, this part presents results demonstrating that avoidance of the DOF can give significant accuracy gains in aerial imagery. The second part of this dissertation proposes a vision based system for UAV navigation. This is a monocular vision based simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) system, which measures the position and orientation of the camera and builds a map of the environment using a video-stream from a single camera. This is different from common SLAM solutions that use sensors that measure depth, like LIDAR, stereoscopic cameras or depth cameras. The SLAM solution was built by significantly modifying and extending a recent open-source SLAM solution that is fundamentally different from a traditional approach to solving SLAM problem. The modifications made are those needed to provide the position measurements necessary for the navigation solution on a UAV while simultaneously building the map, all while maintaining control of the UAV. The main contributions of this part include: 1) extension of the map building algorithm to enable it to be used realistically while controlling a UAV and simultaneously building the map; 2) improved performance of the SLAM algorithm for lower camera frame rates; and 3) the first known demonstration of a monocular SLAM algorithm successfully controlling a UAV while simultaneously building the map. This work demonstrates that a fully autonomous UAV that uses monocular vision for navigation is feasible, and can be effective in Global Positioning System denied environments.

Master of Science / Department of Civil Engineering / Kyle Riding / Some limestone coarse aggregate in concrete pavement can break down under repeated freeze-thaw cycles. Application of rock salt may increase the severity of exposure conditions because of trace compounds, such as calcium sulfate, in rock salt. Subsequently, limestone aggregate in concrete was subjected to freeze-thaw cycling in two methods: salt-treating the aggregate before batching concrete, and half-immersing concrete specimens in rock salt solution during freeze-thaw cycling. Concrete and saw-cut limestone specimens were also subjected to wet-dry cycles in varying salt solutions to examine the influence of trace compounds in rock salt. Freeze-thaw test results indicate that the test methods used were not severe enough to determine if a limestone aggregate was durable or not. The wet-dry testing was also not severe enough to determine the effects of trace compounds in salt solution.

Master of Science / Department of Architectural Engineering / Kimberly Waggle Kramer / Main lateral force resisting systems (MLFRS) in timber buildings consist of two components: diaphragms and shear walls. Diaphragms are used to collect the shear induced by the lateral force at each of the levels. The shear is transferred from the diaphragms to the shear walls via plywood sheathing and connections. The shear walls transfer shear to the sill plate via plywood sheathing and then into the foundation via anchors. Two approaches for designing shear wall are: the segmented shear wall approach and the perforated shear wall approach. The segmented shear wall approach uses only full height segments to resist shear; each individual segment must be designed to resist the shear and overturning force induced by the lateral load. The perforated shear wall approach uses both full height segments and segments around openings to resist shear; the wall as a whole is used to resist shear and overturning forces induced by the lateral load. This report examines one-, two-, and three-story timber buildings located in three different wind regions: a) 115 mph, b) 140 mph, and c) 160 mph. This report presents the design process for the MLFRS components and a comparison of the designs for each of the buildings. The purpose of this report is to determine how the design changes depending on the magnitude of the lateral load, the height of the building, and the approach used to design the shear walls.

Master of Science / Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering / Naiqian Zhang / Permittivity, displayed when a dielectric material is exposed to an electric field, is a useful property for measuring impurities in a dielectric medium. These impurities often have a dipole moment different from the pure material, and the dipoles align through polarization and impede electric current. By measuring the resulting impedance in a known geometry, the permittivity can be determined. Four permittivity sensors were utilized to measure contaminants that are associated with biofuels, specifically glycerol, ethanol, and ammonia. These sensors were based around either stainless steel or aluminum plates to ensure durability and reliability. By connecting each of these sensors to a signal generating control box, the gain and phase can be measured at 609 frequencies, from 10 kHz up to 120 MHz. Data from each of the three contaminants were run through a method for detection. Measurements for ambient air and air with the contaminants were compared with a statistical analysis. Glycerol, ethanol, and ammonia each had significantly different measurements in the gain and phase data at a unique set of frequencies. Using a neural network analysis for detection resulted in a 95.8%, 93.9%, and 97.1% success rate for detecting glycerol, ethanol, and ammonia, respectively. For ethanol and ammonia, where multiple concentrations were measured, regression methods were used to relate the frequency response data to the contaminant concentration. Stepwise regression, wavelet transformation followed by stepwise regression, partial least squares regression, and neural network regression were the four methods used to establish these relationships. Several regressions over-fit the data, showing coefficient of determination (R[superscript]2) values of 1.000 for training data, yet very low R[superscript]2 values for validation data. However, the best R[superscript]2 values of all the regressions were 1.000 and 0.996 for the training and validation data, respectively, from measuring ammonia.

Master of Science / Department of Civil Engineering / Hayder A. Rasheed / Fiber reinforced polymer has recently become a popular replacement for steel rebar, used to reinforce concrete. Therefore much research is taking place to help develop and propose methods for best approximating the response of FRP reinforced members, to make them comparable to steel reinforced members. With this popularity comes multiple approaches to FRP deflection calculations. However, this study is significant, because it investigates the cracking moment equation adopted by ACI 318, in conjunction with state of the art deflection calculation methods. Specifically this research compares four deflection calculation methods. The first approach is proposed by Bischoff and implemented by ACI 440 in its latest revision. The second deflection calculation method is proposed by Rasheed et al. The third calculation is also suggested by Bischoff, as it is specific to four point bending. The fourth calculation method is proposed by this specific research and seeks to find a median between both the Bischoff and Rasheed equations. This fourth technique will be referred to as the Rasheed-Jacobs method, proposed to create a more conservative and relevant method for investigating the effect of cracking moment on the deflection calculations. This research was done with the help of Dr. Shawn Gross, and the database he had previously built through his investigation on FRP reinforced beams. Gross’s database shows results for 106 samples tested using the actual experimental cracking moment as well as the ultimate moment capacity values. Of these 106 samples, 56 independent samples were used to investigate three different moment levels of 0.333Mn, 0.400Mn, and 0.467Mn. From this research, Gross’s database was used to calculate the cracking moment of FRP reinforced beams based on ACI 318-08. A program was developed that uses the Gross database samples to calculate the cracking moment and deflection with the Rasheed, Bischoff, and Bischoff2 models as well as the new Rasheed-Jacobs model. This program calculates the Rasheed-Jacobs results, and then graphs the findings against the deflection values from the Rasheed, Bischoff, Bischoff2 models. These graphs showed very similar patterns amongst all four models, with the Rasheed-Jacobs results mainly falling on the more conservative side. However, when looking at the predicted deflection verse the Gross experimental deflection, the best results came from the 0.467Mn moment level, which shows consistent correlation while the lower moment levels are being less predictable using the cracking moment based on the ACI equation. It can reasonably be said that the 0.467Mn shows the best correlation between the four methods and the experimental results, because it is farther away from the actual nominal cracking moment of the FRP reinforced concrete beams.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Industrial & Manufacturing Systems Engineering / Zhijian Pei / Poor machinability of hard-to-machine materials (such as advanced ceramics and titanium) limits their applications in industries. Ultrasonic-vibration-assisted grinding (UVAG), a hybrid machining process combining material-removal mechanisms of diamond grinding and ultrasonic machining, is one cost-effective machining method for these materials. Compared to ultrasonic machining, UVAG has much higher material removal rate while maintaining lower cutting pressure and torque, reduced edge chipping and surface damage, improved accuracy, and lower tool wear rate. However, physics-based models to predict cutting force in UVAG have not been reported to date. Furthermore, edge chipping is one of the technical challenges in UVAG of brittle materials. There is no report related to effects of cutting tool design on edge chipping in UVAG of brittle materials. The goal of this research is to provide new knowledge of machining these hard-to-machine materials with UVAG for further improvements in machining cost and surface quality. First, a thorough literature review is given to show what has been done in this field. Then, a physics-based predictive cutting force model and a mechanistic cutting force model are developed for UVAG of ductile and brittle materials, respectively. Effects of input variables (diamond grain number, diamond grain diameter, vibration amplitude, vibration frequency, spindle speed, and federate) on cutting force are studied based on the developed models. Interaction effects of input variables on cutting force are also studied. In addition, an FEA model is developed to study effects of cutting tool design and input variables on edge chipping. Furthermore, some trends predicted from the developed models are verified through experiments. The results in this dissertation could provide guidance for choosing reasonable process variables and designing diamond tools for UVAG.