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We introduce an elastic constitutive model of gravity that enables the interpretation of cosmological observations in terms of established ideas from Solid Mechanics and multiscale modeling. The behavior of physical space is identified with that of a material-like medium called "cosmic fabric," which exhibits constitutive behavior. This cosmic fabric is a solid hyperplate that is broad in the three ordinary spatial dimensions and thin in a fourth hyperspatial dimension. Matter in space is treated as fabric inclusions that prescribe in-plane (three-dimensional) strain causing the transverse bending of the fabric into the fourth hyperspatial dimension. The linearized Einstein-Hilbert action, which governs the dynamics of physical space, is derived from postulating Hooke’s Law for the fabric, and the Schwarzschild metric is recovered from investigating matterabric interactions. At the continuum length scale, the Principle of Relativity is shown to apply for both moving and stationary observers alike, so that the fabric’s rest reference frame remains observationally indistinguishable at such a length scale. Within the Cosmic Fabric paradigm, the structural properties of space at different hierarchical length scales can be investigated using theoretical notions and computational tools from solid mechanics to address outstanding problems in cosmology and fundamental physics. For example, we propose and offer theoretical support for the "Inherent Structure Hypothesis", which states that the gravitational anomalies currently attributed to dark matter may in fact be manifestations of the inherent (undeformed) curvature of space. In addition, we develop a numerical framework wherein one can perform numerical "experiments" to investigate the implications of said hypothesis.

In most application to date reinforced carbon fiber composites have been used in relatively smaller thickness, less than 10mm thick and essentially for carrying in-plane loads. As a result, design and testing procedures were developed which reflected the need to understand the in-plane response of the material. recently, engineers and designers have begun to use reinforced carbon fiber composites in thicker sections, where an understanding of the through-thickness response is of para-mount importance in designing reliable structures, particularly where the through-thickness strength has a controlling influence on the overall structural strength of the component. In this thesis tests will be done on carbon fiber non-crimp fabric (NCF) which will be loaded in compression and shear and elastic moduli and strength will be evaluated. In characterizing the through-thickness mechanical properties of a composite, the objective is to produce a state of stress in the test specimen which is uniform and will repeatedly measure the true properties with accuracy. In this study, specimens were machined from two blocks of thick (~20 mm) laminates of glass/epoxy and NCF carbon fiber infused with vinylester and tested in compression, and shear.

On January 15, 2021, the Federal Aviation Administration published the Unmanned Aircraft System Remote Identification rule with the intention of improving airspace security regarding the use of Unmanned Aircraft. According to the rule, UAs in flight must provide the public with information such as their identification, location, and altitude. After the publication of this rule, the IETF DRIP Working Group has been working on the creation of DRIP, a protocol that meets the requirements stipulated in the rule and that guarantees that all the communication involved in the protocol is made trustworthy.  This document presents a thesis project in which Hyperledger Fabric has been studied and evaluated as an alternative to replace DRIP's DNS-based registry management. A vast research procedure combined with experiments has aided in creating a novel Blockchain-based Drone ID architecture called HL-DRIP. The designed system proposes not only how blockchain could be integrated into DRIP, but also how the rest of the Remote ID protocol could be designed, and how each of the protocol's components and participants should interact with each other to make the protocol compliant with the rule. HL-DRIP is a blockchain-based system designed to replace DRIP registry management leveraging Hyperledger Fabric and IPFS. HL-DRIP leverages x.509 and DRIP-based certificates to manage participant registration and authentication. A private IPFS network is deployed by the system's smart contract to manage participants' personal data and mitigate well-known blockchain storage issues, allowing the system to be GDPR-compliant. HL-DRIP supports i) participant registration by using certificates and HIP-based unique IDs, ii) lookups of participants' personal data, and iii) permission management.  HL-DRIP's main functionality has been prototyped and tested. The results have shown that an average of 783 participants are registered with a throughput of 8.1 transactions per second. Furthermore, an average of 648 IPFS data requests are executed with a throughput of 12.8 transactions per second.

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A stretchable silver ink was screen printed to TPU sheets, then tensile coupons of the TPU, both bare and laminated to cotton, Denim and spandex fabric, were subjected to 1000 cycles of 20% uniaxial strain. In-situ resistance measurements of printed traces were processed to generate datasets of maximum and minimum resistance per cycle. A mechanistic fit model was used to predict the resistance behavior of the ink across TPU/fabric levels. The results show that traces strained on TPU laminated to spandex (polyester) fibers had an average rate of increase in resistance significantly lower than that of traces strained on bare TPU. The variation in predicted resistance was significantly lower in the spandex group than in the TPU group. Trace width was not found to have a significant effect on the resistance behavior across TPU/fabric groups. More testing is required to understand the effect of lamination to high elasticity fabrics on resistance behavior as it relates to the viscoelastic properties of the fibers and weave structure.

The problem of investigating the possibilities of direct design transfer from plant to fabric and paper was divided into two parts. The first part is concerned with the exploration of the mechanics of the transfer. Invloved in this process are the technique of manipulating tools, of selecting suitable fabrics and paper, of determining chemicals that would facilitate the printing process and of experimenting with ways to preserve the finished design. The evaluation of the usability and durability of the finished print was based on a series of color fastness tests. The second part of this problem is concerned with the exploration of the design possibilities of the medium. The plants were tested and rated according to their visual attributes relative to the elements of design. Combinations of the successful plant prints were used to produce variations of pattern and texture. The results of the investigation were evaluated to determine the versatility of the medium as a design tool and the usefulness of the technique as a practical printing method

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Forensic anthropologists rely on forensic evidence to estimate the postmortem interval of a decedent. This may include the study of the degree of deterioration of the human body, the life stage of insects, and the degradation of associated material evidence. Material evidence comes in many forms, and certain taphonomic processes will affect the material and must be considered when making inferences about a PMI. These include variables such as the characteristics of the soil, microorganisms, and the presence of a decaying organic material. Previous research has undertaken studies in how fabric degrades over time; however, there is no standard methodology in use. The purpose of this research project is to establish a comprehensive scoring system and description standard after analyzing the degradation of four different fabric types. This will be useful for future studies in need of a standard methodology. In addition, the methods used in this project can be applied to actual forensic cases. After retrieval, the fabric type with the highest degradation was the cotton with about 1/3 of all cotton fabric swatches demonstrating more than 50% total degradation. For all fabric types, swatches that were positioned flat tended to degrade more than those that were positioned crumpled. Cotton fabric swatches degraded more in Trench 1 and Trench 2 than the Ground Surface, however, all other fabric types demonstrated slightly more degradation on the Ground Surface than the other two Areas. Soil moisture fluctuated the most on the Ground Surface while Trench 1 and Trench 2 were able to retain more water in the soil. Overall, cotton was the only fabric type to degrade significantly enough to show how it degrades over time, while the other fabric types have longer degradation intervals that must be studied further.

Abstract The Historical Influence of Railroads on Urban Development and Future Economic Potential in San Luis Obispo Adrianna L. Jordan Today the sound of a train passing through San Luis Obispo may be intermittent and faint, but persistent nonetheless, a reminder that the railroad (displaced eventually by the automobile and accompanying expansion of highways and road systems, and later by air connectivity) was a significant force in the development of the City of San Luis Obispo. The sound of railroads evokes a sentimental reminder of the past, but the railroad’s continued presence in the city, cutting through its urban fabric, raises intriguing questions as to what constructive role it can play in the evolving city economy. Can the railroad make a contribution to the new economy of the 21st Century? And if so, how? These questions are worth considering beyond nostalgia for a railroad-dominated past as we become more concerned, nationally and especially so in the State of California, about living sustainably. The aspiration to create communities that reduce dependence and expenditure on the automobile and the petroleum based economy that it represents has surfaced as an important goal, one that might enable us to live within our resource base. In this emerging context of heightened concern about integrating sustainability into current development, what role will, and might, the railroad play in shaping future developments and influencing land use? This work explores these questions by tracing the intertwined histories of transportation and land use in the City of San Luis Obispo from the 18th century Spanish mission era to the 19th century railroad era to the present-day automobile and air travel era. Although the heyday of rail as an economic driver in the city has come and gone, San Luis Obispo’s Railroad District, with the award-winning Railroad District Plan for its place-making guide, is poised for continued revitalization. Public and commercial entities such as the Amtrak Station, the Railroad Museum, the Park Hotel building and its restaurants, and the Railroad Square Channel Commercial Building anchor the district and serve as pulse points of activity for locals and tourists alike. In addition, the Railroad District’s excellent pedestrian and bicycle connectivity helps to link it with the rest of the city and channels people to it. Given the present concern over greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from motor vehicles, rising fuel costs, shortages of oil, and the centralized land-use patterns popular in New Urbanism and required by SB 375, it is possible that the railroad, or some other form of fixed rail public transportation might once again become a preferred mode of long-distance transport to the major metropolitan areas south and north of the city and beyond.