This dissertation examines the impact of product returns on effective supply chain management. Within this area of research, known as Closed-Loop Supply Chain Management, we consider both strategic and tactical level reverse logistics and inventory management problems from the perspective of a firm which must efficiently process returned items. More...
As technology moves into deep submicron and nanoscale era, undesirable trends such as increasing power density, leakage power, and temperature variation within chips have made thermal effects emerge as a major bottleneck in further technology scaling. Thermal effects are no longer considered as just a reliability issue, but it also...
Next generation of high performance nano-optoelectronic integrated circuits will require an integral combination of highly efficient all-optical nanophotonic devices and electrically-pumped nanophotonic devices, which will enable the chip to process optical information all optically with ultrafast speed and electro-optically to interface with the electronic control plane. The realizations of such...
In composite manufacturing, Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM) is becoming increasingly important as a cost effective manufacturing method of structural composites. In this process the dry preform (reinforcement) is placed on a rigid tool and covered by a flexible film to form an airtight vacuum bag. Liquid resin is...
Autoxidation is a primary route by which lubricants in working conditions undergo degradation. Degraded lubricants, if not replaced periodically, contribute to increased wear and product failure. Experimental studies of lubricant degradation have yielded useful results but have left important questions unanswered. While many computational studies of degradation have been carried...
Substrate-mediated delivery involves the immobilization of DNA, complexed with nonviral vectors, to a biomaterial or surface that supports cell adhesion. Cells cultured on the substrate are exposed to elevated DNA concentrations within the local microenvironment, which enhances transfection. As surface properties are critical to this delivery approach, self-assembled monolayers (SAMs)...
Ceramic matrix composites are known for their low density, high strength and high stiffness, but lower fracture toughness compared to metal matrix composites. The addition of a reinforcing agent within the matrix can increase the toughness of the composite via many strain energy absorption mechanisms such as plastic deformation. This...
The optical and magneto-optical properties of the ferromagnetic semiconductors, InMnAs and its alloy InMnAsP were investigated to determine the band structure and nature of the ferromagnetism in these materials. Alloys were grown by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy. Infrared absorption of InMnAs was investigated to determine the presence and properties of...
The rapid growth of digital imaging technology and the accumulation of large collections of digital images has created the need for efficient and intelligent schemes for content-based image retrieval. Our goal is to organize the contents semantically, according to meaningful categories. We present a new approach for semantic classification that...
The purpose of the dissertation is to develop a framework for equilibration of activity-trip chain demand in an integrated system of activity scheduling and travel choices within a dynamic network equilibrium framework. Activity-based modeling systems generate detailed activity chain schedules for individuals, which have to be assigned to transportation networks....