Significant reductions in the number of defects in parts
produced by investment casting can be obtained by improving
the flow of the molten metal during pouring. Studies have
been done at Oregon State University with simulated casting
techniques to determine optimal mold configurations.
Better mold layouts have been shown to...
Recent concern over the potential environmental impact of highway construction
and repair materials on surface and ground waters has lead to extensive laboratory
screening and subsequent testing of a set of new materials and waste amended mixes. As
part of Phase II of a three-phase project for the National Cooperative...
This paper presents an empirical approach for measuring and characterizing the responsiveness of a character to changes in goal. Our approach is based on keeping track of the character's progress towards a frequently changing goal. A "distance-to-goal" function is defined to measure the progress. We then calculate an asymptotic proportion...
Downward flow opposing mixed convection conditions have been studied using the FLUENT CFD code. This work was comprised of two primary objectives. The first was to study core channel flow reversal susceptibility in the Gas Reactor Test Section (GRTS) at low flow conditions. The second objective was the development of...
As computational power increases, so does the desire to use fluid-structure interaction (FSI) software to design complex systems and components such as fuel plates. Presently, an effort is underway to support the design and qualification of a new nuclear fuel material which is intended for applications in select, plate-type, research...
Fluid-structure interaction (FSI) is an interesting and challenging interdisciplinary area comprised of fields such as engineering- fluids/structures/solids, computational science, and mathematics. FSI has several practical engineering applications such as the design of coastal infrastructure (such as bridges, levees) subjected to harsh environments from natural forces such as tsunamis, storm surges,...
The gradient of a velocity vector field is an asymmetric tensor field which can provide critical insight into the vector field that is difficult to infer from traditional trajectory-based vector field visualization techniques. We describe the structures in the eigenvalue and eigenvector fields of the gradient tensor and how these...
Mechanical vibrations compromise the integrity of key components of thermal power plants. Without careful design, strong resonances during steady state operation can wear these components to the point of failure, leading to an unsafe situation that may force a plant to shut down. The purpose of this research is to...
Protein-protein interactions underlie all biological processes and are a field of study that has wide implications throughout many other fields including medicine, genetics, biology, and ecology. Proteins are the building blocks and primary actors of life. They work together to accomplish virtually every task within a cell, including, metabolism, signal...