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Deployable ground anchors: Analysis for coastal resilience applications
No full textSubmission published under a 24 month embargo labeled 'U of I Access', the embargo will last until 2027-05-01The student, Elizabeth Capretta, accepted the attached license on 2025-04-29 at 14:46.The student, Elizabeth Capretta, submitted this Thesis for approval on 2025-04-29 at 15:16.This Thesis was approved for publication on 2025-05-05 at 13:56.DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #22093 on 2025-10-19 at 19:16:46Deployable and compliant structures are of growing interest within structural engineering as they are useful in the development of efficient, compact, transportable, and cost-effective designs. While both deployable and compliant systems undergo shape change, deployable structures use joints to expand from a compacted state, and compliant structures change shape through small deformations. Both deployable and compliant structures have been applied to various engineering applications but have yet to be explored in their use underground. The focus of this study, a ground anchor that employs deployable, compliant attachments, referred to as awns, is an innovative design that improves the performance of typical cylindrical piles. Coastal communities bordering the Great Lakes contend with the persistent challenge of coastal recession, which is attributable to fluctuating lake levels and constant wave action. This degradation, being exacerbated by climate change, is a growing concern as it can affect existing and future structures near shorelines. Cylindrical piles have traditionally been employed to stabilize steep slopes and protect coastlines. However, these systems are not designed for advanced mechanics and generally require a large factor of safety. They are installed with impact or vibration hammers, causing damage to nearby existing structures. Deployable ground anchors employ deployable and compliant awns to increase the surface area interacting with the adjacent soil, making them a more compact, efficient design as opposed to cylindrical piles. Additionally, these ground anchors utilize a torque-driven installation process, similar to that of drilled shafts, which mitigates the induced vibrations in the soil and the chance of damaging neighboring structures. The work in this thesis explores the soil-structure interactions that occur during the deployment of the awn attachments to further the understanding of the application of deployable ground anchors for coastal resilience. Small-scale, prototype tests that employ ink-tracking techniques are performed to analyze the shear plane location that results from the deployment of the awns as well as the optimal spacing range for anchors that deploy adjacently. The findings from these studies are used to test the anchors in grid formations. An algorithm is developed to find equivalent bar-and-hinge models for the awns. Dynamic relaxation is used to calculate soil stiffness values and perform a structural analysis to determine the force distribution within the awn attachments during deployment. These experimental and computational studies will serve as a foundation for future work on deployable ground anchors for coastal protection
Future fears: Discrimination, parental worries, and the role of social support from a partner
No full textSubmission published under a 24 month embargo labeled 'U of I Access', the embargo will last until 2027-05-01The student, Alia Alicea, accepted the attached license on 2025-04-30 at 11:14.The student, Alia Alicea, submitted this Thesis for approval on 2025-04-30 at 11:38.This Thesis was approved for publication on 2025-05-05 at 12:39.DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #22111 on 2025-10-19 at 19:16:51Racial discrimination is a pervasive issue that affects multiple domains of life for Black Americans. These experiences not only impact individuals in the present but can also shape how they think about and plan for the future. Guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991), this study explores whether racial discrimination influences reproductive decision-making. Given the importance of relational and individual factors in family planning decisions, this study also considers whether the impact of discrimination differs based on the level of support from one’s romantic partner during stressful experiences or gender. Specifically, it examines: (1) whether racial discrimination is associated with parental racial worries about future children, and (2) whether partner social support and gender moderate this association. This study utilized secondary data from the National Couples’ Health and Time Study (NCHAT). The analytic sample included 166 Black adults aged 45 or younger who were not intending to have a child in the next year. Analyses conducted using the Hayes PROCESS macro in SPSS revealed that higher levels of racial discrimination were significantly associated with increased parental racial worries. However, neither partner support nor participant gender were significant moderators. These findings support research on anticipatory racial stress and highlight the impact of racism on reproductive decision-making
Did I see this ad because of you or me? Exploring the effects of attributional cues and ad-context congruence on advertising effects
No full textSubmission published under a 24 month embargo labeled 'U of I Access', the embargo will last until 2027-05-01The student, Ruiheng Sun, accepted the attached license on 2025-05-06 at 09:22.The student, Ruiheng Sun, submitted this Thesis for approval on 2025-05-06 at 09:37.This Thesis was approved for publication on 2025-05-08 at 16:24.DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #22225 on 2025-10-19 at 19:17:04Social media platforms provide personalized advertising based on users’ online activities and social networks. These advertisements often feature attributional cues such as “suggested for you because …” to enhance personalization and transparency. According to attribution theory, attributional cues could be either internal (e.g., based on users’ own actions) or external (e.g., based on users’ social networks). The effects of these cues, as well as the possible moderating influence of ad-context congruence, remain underexplored. This thesis aimed to test the effects of attributional cues and ad-context congruence on users’ perceived personalization, selective exposure, and attitude towards the ad through an online experiment. Results showed that self-attributional cues elicit a more favorable attitude towards the ad than friend- and no-attributional cues, and perceived personalization mediates this relationship; however, no difference was found regarding ad-context congruence
Halcyon cast: A modular orthopedic cast for self-managed, empathetic healing
No full textSubmission published under a 24 month embargo labeled 'U of I Access', the embargo will last until 2027-05-01The student, Harsh Waichal, accepted the attached license on 2025-05-08 at 09:35.The student, Harsh Waichal, submitted this Thesis for approval on 2025-05-08 at 09:56.This Thesis was approved for publication on 2025-05-08 at 16:20.DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #22266 on 2025-10-19 at 19:17:15Orthopedic casts, despite advancements from traditional plaster to contemporary 3D-printed materials, have remained fundamentally unchanged, static devices solely intended for immobilization. This stagnation disregards compelling medical research indicating that controlled, progressive mobility combined with patient empowerment significantly accelerates healing and enhances overall recovery. The Halcyon Orthopedic Cast addresses this critical gap, transforming the orthopedic cast from a passive immobilizer into an active, user-centric recovery device. In alignment with global shifts toward decentralized, patient-centered healthcare, Halcyon actively involves users in managing their own rehabilitation, fostering autonomy and reducing dependence on frequent clinical interventions. Halcyon's design integrates a dual-layer system featuring a robust yet lightweight PET-G outer shell for structural stability, and a soft, adaptive TPU inner layer that intuitively accommodates swelling through gentle compression. A modified T-slot sliding mechanism secured with user-friendly Velcro allows for quick, intuitive adjustments by the user, significantly enhancing usability and comfort. Progressive mobility modules incorporated into the design systematically encourage incremental movement aligned with the body's natural healing processes, potentially reducing recovery time and preventing muscle deterioration. The strategic choice of materials, PET-G and TPU, combined with additive manufacturing (3D printing), ensures an optimal balance between strength and flexibility, breathability, comfort, and adaptability. Iterative prototyping and testing revealed Halcyon's clear advantage in dynamically accommodating swelling and progressively enabling user mobility, effectively translating medical research into tangible, practical innovation. Although formal clinical validation remains an opportunity for future research, the project's initial findings underscore the pivotal role industrial designers can play in bridging healthcare research and user-centered product innovation. Broadly, Halcyon exemplifies a necessary evolution in design of medical devices, emphasizing intentional human-centered interventions within a field traditionally dominated by clinical functionality alone. By thoughtfully merging empathetic aesthetics and practical innovation, Halcyon not only enhances physical recovery but profoundly addresses emotional and psychological challenges users face during rehabilitation. This thesis advocates for a multidisciplinary approach, positioning industrial designers as essential contributors capable of significantly improving patient experiences and shaping more compassionate healthcare solutions
Advancements in MRI-based quantitative measurement of slow physiological flows: Applications in neurological and vascular disease
No full textSubmission published under a 24 month embargo labeled 'Closed Access', the embargo will last until 2027-05-01The student, Mingxiao Zhang, accepted the attached license on 2025-02-03 at 16:13.The student, Mingxiao Zhang, submitted this Dissertation for approval on 2025-02-03 at 16:18.This Dissertation was approved for publication on 2025-02-11 at 11:43.DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #21629 on 2025-10-19 at 19:52:20This dissertation advances the field of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) by developing and validating innovative techniques for the quantitative measurement of slow fluid kinetics, including flows, which are critical for diagnosing neurological and vascular disorders. Flow is examined in three domains, including: dynamic contrast enhanced MRI for measuring vascular parameters in peripheral muscles, contrast agent dynamics in measuring glymphatic flow in the brain, and the development of a novel acquisition to measure very slow fluid flows in shunts in the brain. For slow flow in shunts, no other non-invasive method exists to enable clinical care teams to evaluate the flow in a suspected shunt failure in a pediatric patient. This results in many invasive surgeries to confirm and replace shunts. Using Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI), the dissertation explores the slow fluid dynamics of the glymphatic system and also assesses blood flow in ischemic conditions under a peripheral arterial disease (PAD) model with advanced parametric mapping. Central to this dissertation is the development and application of a slow flow measurement technique, the Shunt Flow Enhancement of Signal Intensity (shunt-FENSI) technique, meticulously designed to improve cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow diagnostics within ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt systems. This work not only refines the clinical project structure for shunt-FENSI but also integrates novel sequence programming and signal post-processing techniques. By designing signal processing methods such as the "Phase-Sweep" technique to reduce the influence of field inhomogeneity and deploying noise analysis to confirm flow detection limits, this research offers quantitative insights into measurement of slow flow, non-invasively, for pediatric shunt patients. Establishing simulated prediction models of the flow inside VP shunt based on MR physics is essential in developing accurate, nonlinear conversions of MR signals into flow rates. The findings from extensive preclinical and clinical acquisitions from these projects are discussed, providing a comparative analysis of the developed methodologies and their application across different clinical scenarios, thereby making substantial contributions to medical imaging and diagnostics
The digital hand: How digital infrastructures reshape occupational trends, risk, and labor demands among legal commercial sex workers in the U.S.
No full textSubmission published under a 24 month embargo labeled 'Closed Access', the embargo will last until 2027-05-01The student, Elizabeta Shifrin, accepted the attached license on 2025-03-30 at 13:23.The student, Elizabeta Shifrin, submitted this Dissertation for approval on 2025-03-30 at 13:43.This Dissertation was approved for publication on 2025-04-02 at 15:57.DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #21701 on 2025-10-19 at 19:52:34This dissertation is a mixed methods study that examines how legal commercial sex workers from three occupational groups (content creators, cam workers, and strippers) in the U.S. adopt and implement digital platforms within their work, and how that adoption reshapes their labor. Based on 14 months of data collection between 2022 and 2023 that included a survey of 181 workers, in-depth interviews with 27 workers, and observational data that was collected during the pandemic, I contribute to the sociology of work scholarship and platform studies by arguing for the rethinking of the convergence point between labor, technology, and risk, as well as its effects on workers. Firstly, I examine workers’ labor market trends by analyzing utilization patterns of digital platforms according to workers’ occupations and demographic categories. I then explore how the aforementioned utilization patterns introduce new occupational risks for workers, how these risks are distributed among occupations, and how workers choose to manage and mitigate these risks. Lastly, I consider how workers’ engagement with digital platforms reshapes their labor processes by entrenching a rising demand for creative labor. Data analysis reveals that (1) to make a living wage, workers must branch out into several occupations within the industry which often leads to the requirement to engage in career and income “piecemealing” processes through various digital platforms, (2) that the risks brought by the utilization of digital platforms often result in workers that are stuck in a “digital limbo” where their ability to maximize income and exposure is both facilitated and constrained by their utilization of digital platforms, and (3) that the use of digital platforms and their infrastructures required workers to establish “creative routines” that revealed a rising demand to employ creative labor as part of daily work processes. Drawing on these findings I present a two-fold argument; particularly for the study of sex work, I argue for the incorporation of creative labor in the theorization of sex work and sex workers in the age of digitalization. Doing so allows us to uncover new and hidden aspects of work that are sustained by digital infrastructures and are often overlooked by focusing only on physical, emotional, and relational labor. On a broader scale, since the effects of digital infrastructures on workers’ labor requirements, processes, and risks were found to extend beyond the mediation of digital services and products, I argue for the imperativeness of foregrounding the analysis of work, occupations, and labor markets within the framework of digital infrastructures for both digitally and non-digitally mediated occupations
Lattice to continuum: A theoretical framework to calculate elastic fields in lattice scale
No full textSubmission published under a 24 month embargo labeled 'Closed Access', the embargo will last until 2027-05-01The student, Gorkem Gengor, accepted the attached license on 2025-04-10 at 13:49.The student, Gorkem Gengor, submitted this Dissertation for approval on 2025-04-10 at 13:58.This Dissertation was approved for publication on 2025-04-15 at 09:18.DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #21742 on 2025-10-19 at 19:52:49Lattice scale defects dictate the mechanical and functional properties of crystalline materials such as mechanical strength, elastic stiffness, fatigue resistance, and electrical properties. For example, hydrogen interstitials cause embrittlement in metals, while NV centers in 4H-SiC possess promising quantum spin properties for quantum computing applications. Atomistic simulation techniques, such as Density Function Theory (DFT) and Molecular Dynamics (MD), as well as classical field theories, such as continuum elasticity, are utilized extensively to determine the effect of defects on the functional properties. While continuum elasticity solutions provide information about physical fields such as displacement fields at the macroscopic scale, atomistic calculations can only provide such information at discrete points in space, i.e., atomic sites, in the lattice scale. This gap has persisted over the past decades and precluded the seamless integration of continuum and atomistic insights about material properties. This thesis aims to bridge this gap by developing methods to determine continuum elastic descriptions of lattice defects and mechanical properties of materials. We first introduce Regularized Green’s Function Method (RGFM), which uses the combination of the force equilibrium equation and Quantum Mechanical Force Density (QMFD) to determine elastic fields generated by point defects. QMFD describes the force variations in space and is related to the electron wavefunctions and densities obtained by DFT calculations. The force equilibrium equation is then solved by a spherical harmonic expansion in a computationally efficient way to calculate Regularized Green’s Functions. RGFM eliminates the reliance on the point forces that are employed in existing methodologies and generate divergent elastic fields near the defect core. Unlike the existing techniques for elastic modeling of point defects, RGFM provides elastic models that are accurate in long- and short-range regimes. As opposed to point defects, dislocations generate elastic fields that are periodic along the dislocation line, i.e., quasiperiodic. To account for this effect, we propose an extension to RGFM, Regularized Green’s Function Method for Dislocations (RGFMD). This method accounts for quasiperiodicity by taking QMFD as periodic functions that repeat along the dislocation line. The corresponding force equilibrium equations are solved by the spherical harmonic expansion method to determine the Regularized Green’s Functions for the dislocation. RGFMD offers significant improvements upon the classical elasticity solutions of dislocations. Eshelby-Stroh (ES) formalism, a classical anisotropic elasticity solution for dislocations, predicts elastic fields that tend to infinity at the core of the dislocation line due to the implied use of point forces. RGFMD removes this singularity by employing QMFD, which are bounded and finite, as forcing functions. Moreover, ES formalism relies on the assumption of plane strain conditions where the elastic fields do not vary along the dislocation line. This assumption does not hold in the lattice scales since the local atomic configuration along the dislocation line is not equivalent at every point in space. RGFMD does not rely on plane strain conditions; hence, able to predict the variations of elastic fields along the dislocation line. Furthermore, this thesis derives the theoretical formulas for the Quantum Mechanical Moduli Field (QMMF), which represents the local elastic moduli in the lattice scale using principles of quantum mechanics. QMMF provides valuable insights into the interplay between local elastic moduli and lattice defects. We identify three terms contributing to QMMF: kinetic, exchange-correlation, and electrostatic. We provide novel mathematical expressions for these terms with the numerical techniques to evaluate them. This thesis demonstrates the potential uses of QMMF formulation by four insightful examples. Firstly, macroscopic elastic moduli of pure Ni and B2 NiTi are accurately determined as the volumetric average of QMMF. Secondly, the effect of a H interstitial on the elastic properties of Ni crystal is considered. QMMF provides a computationally efficient way of capturing the effect of H concentration on the softening of the Ni crystal. Thirdly, the effect of volumetric strain on the elastic moduli is examined. The predictions of QMMF are shown to agree with experiments. Fourthly, local elastic moduli of Ni crystal with W solute are calculated. The addition of W solutes increases the shear modulus of Ni, which is in agreement with experiments. The increase in the macroscopic shear modulus is thought to be due to the hard spots that form around the W solutes. However, QMMF revealed that the macroscopic increase in the shear modulus is due to the hardening of the Ni matrix rather than W solutes forming hard spots. Such surprising phenomena had been unobservable before the advent of QMMF
Göttingen’s global modernity: Cultures of belonging in a provincial German town, 1775-1815
No full textSubmission published under a 24 month embargo labeled 'Closed Access', the embargo will last until 2027-05-01The student, Rhiannon Hein, accepted the attached license on 2025-04-15 at 18:44.The student, Rhiannon Hein, submitted this Dissertation for approval on 2025-04-18 at 17:55.This Dissertation was approved for publication on 2025-04-21 at 10:03.DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #21784 on 2025-10-19 at 19:53:04This dissertation examines how residents of the small university town of Göttingen imagined their place in an increasingly interconnected world during the Sattelzeit era—the critical period of transformation between the early modern and modern eras in Europe. By tracing the circulation of material cultures between Göttingen and global spaces, it argues that local definitions of belonging were inextricably tied to Enlightenment theories of temporality and modernity. Chapter one examines the local reading economy, showing how the circulation of print fostered cross-class sociability and expanded Göttingen’s intellectual horizons beyond its borders. Chapter two analyzes the Göttinger Taschen Calender, arguing that its blend of sacred and natural temporalities led readers to embrace stadial theories of progress that positioned themselves as modern and others as non-modern. Chapter three explores women’s classicist and Orientalist dress, revealing how women’s fashion materialized European ideals of modernity while encoding gendered and imperial hierarchies. Chapter four traces the journeys of Polynesian artifacts into Göttingen’s Academisches Museum, illustrating how their meanings shifted from culturally disruptive to museum-bound affirmations of Western progress. Finally, chapter five turns to anatomical collections and individuals’ global resistance to being objectified in the name of science. It argues that local communities—from Hanover to Aotearoa—defended alternate understandings of death and humanity, challenging the universalizing impulses of modern science. Together, these chapters show how Göttingen’s residents grappled with various temporal and spatial disruptions of modernity, forging local forms of global belonging through the entangled circuits of reading, fashion, science, and material exchange
Children’s media use in low-income families: Exploring associations between co-viewing television and parent child relationship quality, child well-being, and adolescent functioning
No full textSubmission published under a 24 month embargo labeled 'Closed Access', the embargo will last until 2027-05-01The student, Minal Manisha, accepted the attached license on 2025-04-20 at 16:49.The student, Minal Manisha, submitted this Dissertation for approval on 2025-04-20 at 17:03.This Dissertation was approved for publication on 2025-04-22 at 14:46.DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #21850 on 2025-10-19 at 19:53:22The rapid proliferation of media devices in homes has led to increased media consumption among children and adolescents, with decades of prior research highlighting several negative effects of excessive screen time on children’s well-being. To that end, The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends co-viewing devices with children and stresses that screen time for children shouldn’t always be alone time. Recent scholarship suggests that joint use of media devices can strengthen parent-child relationship quality and may support children’s language development and may help children learn values such as kindness, cooperation, and empathy. However, little empirical evidence exists of its effectiveness particularly among low-income families. This research brings together three studies that investigate the impact of media use on children’s well-being and the importance of parental involvement in scaffolding children’s media consumption. As recent scholarship reports greater media consumption among children from low-income families, all three studies examine media use by children in disadvantaged families and draw attention towards the implications of parent-child joint use of media devices on developmental outcomes during early childhood and adolescence. The three studies advance our understanding about the influence of co-viewing media devices on parent-child relationship quality and on child and adolescent well-being. Further, this research contributes to the existing scholarship on parenting practices by considering the shift in parent-child interactions from traditional settings such as playground or libraries, to joint use of media devices. Lastly, findings from this study broadens the role of social work professionals in clinical and child welfare settings, focusing on promoting healthy family media habits and strengthening existing policy guidelines on media use by children and adolescents, particularly in low-income families
Beyond linear responses: exploring magnetic materials through nonlinear terahertz spectroscopy
No full textSubmission published under a 24 month embargo labeled 'Closed Access', the embargo will last until 2027-05-01The student, Azel Murzabekova, accepted the attached license on 2025-04-24 at 11:12.The student, Azel Murzabekova, submitted this Dissertation for approval on 2025-04-24 at 11:21.This Dissertation was approved for publication on 2025-04-25 at 11:46.DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #21949 on 2025-10-19 at 19:53:54Michael Faraday’s unsuccessful attempts to observe the polarization rotation of light through a transparent insulator under the influence of a strong electric field prompted him to test the same experiment with a magnetic field. Thirty years later, Rev. John Kerr repeated Faraday’s experiments with more sensitive equipment and observed what we now know as the electro-optic effect and magneto-optic Kerr effect. These discoveries opened a new era of research in magnetism, and to this day, the magneto-optic effect is one of the simplest, yet most powerful tools to characterize magnetic materials. The goal of this thesis is to explore linear and nonlinear responses of magnetic materials using static Kerr and terahertz spectroscopies. We carefully analyze different contributions to the polarization rotation of light reflected from magnetic materials and demonstrate how to disentangle them using a custom-built variable-polarization static Kerr spectrometer. Moving beyond conventional linear responses, we demonstrate how nonlinear terahertz spectroscopy serves as a powerful probe of complex electronic states in magnetic systems. Specifically, we investigate the antiferromagnetic metal Fe1/3NbS2, where intense terahertz electric fields cause a nonlinear electro-optical response. This behavior provides evidence for electronic nematicity - a state where electronic properties break rotational symmetry while preserving translational symmetry. Furthermore, we extend our terahertz spectroscopic studies to explore collective excitations in exotic quantum materials, focusing on potential quantum spin liquid candidates Ba4Ir3O10 and CsYbSe2. These materials, characterized by strong quantum fluctuations that prevent conventional magnetic ordering, offer a fascinating platform for studying novel quantum states of matter. Through the combination of these advanced spectroscopic techniques, our research unveils previously hidden phenomena in magnetic materials with complex interactions. The insights gained contribute to both fundamental understanding of quantum materials and potential applications in emerging quantum technologies, from information processing to sensing. This work demonstrates the continuing relevance of magneto-optical techniques, first pioneered by Faraday and Kerr, in modern materials research, while show- casing how their integration with cutting-edge terahertz spectroscopy opens new avenues for investigating quantum materials. Beyond the linear response, we also show how nonlinear terahertz spectroscopy can be used to probe complex electronic states in the antiferromagnetic metal Fe1/3NbS2. Strong terahertz electric fields induce a nonlinear optical response in this material, which was attributed to the presence of nematicity. Finally, we also show how terahertz radiation can be used to probe excitations in unusual magnetic materials, such as quantum spin liquid candidates Ba4Ir3O10 and CsYbSe2. Overall, this research demonstrates how advanced spectroscopic techniques can reveal hidden phenomena in materials with complex magnetic interactions, providing insights into fundamental physics and potential applications in quantum technologies