Phd Dissertation

Development of Dielectric Elastomer Nanocomposites as Stretchable and Flexible Actuating Materials

Publication Date

June 30, 2015

Author(s)

Yu Wang

Areas of Expertise

Other

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Abstract

Dielectric elastomers (DEs) are a new type of smart materials showing promising functionalities as energy harvesting materials as well as actuating materials for potential applications such as artificial muscles, implanted medical devices, robotics, loud speakers, micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), tunable optics, transducers, sensors, and even generators due to their high electromechanical efficiency, stability, lightweight, low cost, and easy processing. Despite the advantages of DEs, technical challenges must be resolved for wider applications. A high electric field of at least 10-30 V/um is required for the actuation of DEs, which limits the practical applications especially in biomedical fields. We tackle this problem by introducing the multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) in DEs to enhance their relative permittivity and to generate their high electromechanical responses with lower applied field level. This work presents the dielectric, mechanical and electromechanical properties of DEs filled with MWNTs. The micromechanics-based finite element models are employed to describe the dielectric, and mechanical behavior of the MWNT-filled DE nanocomposites. A sufficient number of models are computed to reach the acceptable prediction of the dielectric and mechanical responses. In addition, experimental results are analyzed along with simulation results. Finally, laser Doppler vibrometer is utilized to directly detect the enhancement of the actuation strains of DE nanocomposites filled with MWNTs. All the results demonstrate the effective improvement in the electromechanical properties of DE nanocomposites filled with MWNTs under the applied electric fields.

Suggested Citation

Yu Wang (2015) Development of Dielectric Elastomer Nanocomposites as Stretchable and Flexible Actuating Materials. PhD Dissertation. UC Irvine. Available at: https://uci.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01CDL_IRV_INST/1gpb62p/alma991016230969704701.

Phd Dissertation

Diffusion and Management of Disruptive Technology in Cities: The Case of Drones

Publication Date

June 30, 2022

Author(s)

Xiangyu Li

Areas of Expertise

Intelligent Transportation Systems, Emerging Technologies, & Big Data Other

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Abstract

While the industry of civilian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) or drones has seen rapid expansion in the past decade, few studies have systematically examined the dynamics between this disruptive technology and various aspects of cities. Employing quantitative methods, this dissertation explores 1) the diffusion and adoption patterns of civilian drones; 2) how cities manage the challenges of increasing drone activities; and 3) the supply-side opportunities and constraints associated with the deployment of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) in built-out metropolitan areas. The results of the first county level study might suggest (Chapter 2) that the digital divide has magnified the uneven and nonlinear diffusion of drones across time and space. Furthermore, the strength of state-level interventions correlates with the intensity of local drone adoption, even though the regulatory effects are different among drone user groups. People living in neighborhoods with a higher adoption rate of drones are on average younger, more affluent, and Whiter. An extension of the first study at the zip code level (Chapter 3) has retested the key results and provided additional insights into the spatial dependence effects that affect the drone adoption patterns. Furthermore, the results of the second study (Chapter 4) indicate that local drone policy adoption among communities of color trails behind that of other communities. Although drone policy adoption at the local level has been shaped by both motivation and capacity factors, the desire to protect public facilities appears to motivate localities to adopt regulatory measures. In particular, policy adoption is influenced by what nearby cities do, suggesting that strategic interaction is at play among local governments. In the third study (Chapter 5), I evaluate the supply-side opportunities and constraints associated with UAM adoption through a systematic scenario analysis. The results of the third study indicate that current supply-side infrastructure opportunities in Southern California, like helipads and elevated parking structures, are widely available to accommodate the regional deployment of UAM service although current spatial constraints can significantly limit the location choice of UAM landing sites (vertiports) for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Moreover, the low-income and young populations tend to live relatively farther away from the supply-side opportunities compared to the general population. The third study also proposes a network of UAM stations in Southern California based on the joint considerations of available infrastructure and home-workplace commuting flows.

Suggested Citation

XIANGYU LI (2022) Diffusion and Management of Disruptive Technology in Cities: The Case of Drones. PhD Dissertation. UC Irvine. Available at: https://escholarship.org/uc/item/20t4w3kj#main.

Phd Dissertation

Research universities as gateways: The expanding roles of higher education institutions and their contribution to economic development

Publication Date

September 30, 2021

Author(s)

N Osutei

Areas of Expertise

Other

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Abstract

The past 30 years have witnessed a gradual expansion in the missions of many universities, and in the ways in which they contribute to local and regional economic development. While teaching and research continue to serve as the foundational core of most university missions, increased attention has been afforded to how universities, by their presence and functions, influence the spatial geographies of neighborhoods, cities, and regions. This dissertation research explores the changing roles of research universities in small and medium-sized metropolitan areas with an emphasis on their impacts across the different geographical scales by investigating associations between university presence and (1) growth in foreign-born populations; (2) the attraction and retention of highly educated residents; and (3) student-driven neighborhood change dynamics. The findings of this dissertation extend previous studies emphasizing the increasing importance of higher education institutions to economic development activities at various scales. Results from metropolitan area level analyses demonstrate that counties with large research universities were associated with an increase in foreign-born residents following the 1990 Immigration and Naturalization Act, as well as an increase in highly educated residents in the 2000-2014 period. More specifically, while findings revealed that the presence of research universities generate significant spatial spillovers of highly educated residents from university host counties to metropolitan levels, there was little evidence of such spatially-explicit dynamics occurring amongst foreign-born residents. Furthermore, findings from neighborhood-level analyses indicated that proximity to large research university campuses may play an outsized role on the likelihood of neighborhoods undergoing studentification (i.e., student-driven neighborhood change) in the 2000-2014 period. These results may be indicative of a bifurcation of neighborhoods in university-dominant counties into wealthy and highly educated renter populations situated near the university campus, and relatively less wealthy and less educated homeowners residing on the further away from the campus or on the periphery of the county. By exploring university contributions beyond the spheres of research, teaching, and service contributions, this dissertation presents scholars, urban planners, and policymakers with a more comprehensive portrait of the relationship between universities and their host communities. The evidence of this work suggests that the evolving role of higher education institutions, including their role as gateways for new populations, should be reflected in policymaking which seeks to leverage the locational advantages of research universities for city building or revitalization efforts. Further, policymakers and planners should also be cognizant that scale matters when considering how higher education institutions can better serve their surrounding communities. The contributions of research universities should not be thought of as monolithic or uniform, but should rather be seen as presenting different opportunities and challenges at different geographical levels.

Suggested Citation

N Osutei (2021) Research universities as gateways: The expanding roles of higher education institutions and their contribution to economic development. PhD Dissertation. UC Irvine. Available at: https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5x68r902.

research report

Development of New Privacy-preserving Method for Traffic Data Collection and Analysis: The Bathtub Model Approach

Publication Date

February 1, 2026

Associated Project

Development of New Privacy-preserving Method for Traffic Data Collection and Analysis

Author(s)

Wenlong Jin, Joseph H. F. Lo

Areas of Expertise

Other

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Abstract

Traditional data collection approaches present significant drawbacks in computational costs and limited privacy protection. This research evaluates the bathtub traffic flow model as a privacy-preserving alternative to traditional methods that require detailed network layouts and individual trip data. The study assesses the feasibility of the bathtub model through calibration and validation using Bluebikes data from Metro Boston, focusing on three key components: the unified relative space paradigm, conservation equations, and the generalized bathtub model. Results demonstrate that the unified relative space paradigm successfully integrates network trips by considering remaining trip distances, though the trip distance distribution exhibited a log-normal pattern rather than the time-independent negative exponential distribution in Vickrey’s original bathtub model. Conservation equations for total trips and trip-miles traveled showed high accuracy, and the generalized bathtub model yielded accurate results, particularly for space-mean speed. This novel approach preserves privacy by eliminating the need for origin-destination data while still effectively capturing network dynamics.

Related Publications

policy brief | Jan 2025

Using a “Bathtub Model” to Analyze Travel Can Protect Privacy While Providing Valuable Insights

Preprint Journal Article | Sep 2023

Priority Queue Formulation of Agent-Based Bathtub Model for Network Trip Flows in the Relative Space

research report

CARMEN Project 6: PNT with Signals of Opportunity and Real-World Jammed and Spoofed Environments

Publication Date

November 30, 2023

Author(s)

Zak Kassas

Areas of Expertise

Other

View research report

Suggested Citation

Zak Kassas (2023) CARMEN Project 6: PNT with Signals of Opportunity and Real-World Jammed and Spoofed Environments. Final Report. CARMEN UTC. Available at: https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.10256685 (Accessed: October 10, 2025).

Related Publications

Phd Dissertation | Dec 2023

Cellular signals for navigation 4g, 5g, and beyond

Phd Dissertation | Jan 2024

Hardware/software co-design methodologies for efficient ai systems and applications

Phd Dissertation | Sep 2024

Exploring novel security vulnerabilities and their safety implications in sensors and perception for autonomous systems

research report

CARMEN Project 5: Resilience and Validation of GNSS PNT Solutions

Publication Date

November 20, 2023

Associated Project

Resilience and Validation of GNSS PNT Solutions

Author(s)

Todd Humphreys, Qi Alfred Chen, Umit Ozguner, Charles Toth

Areas of Expertise

Other

View research report

Suggested Citation

Todd Humphreys, Qi Alfred Chen, Umit Ozguner and Charles Toth (2023) CARMEN Project 5: Resilience and Validation of GNSS PNT Solutions. Final Report. CARMEN UTC. Available at: https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.10246488 (Accessed: October 10, 2025).

Framework for participatory evaluation of greenery screens in environmental justice communities

Status

In Progress

Project Timeline

January 1, 2026 - December 31, 2026

Principal Investigator

Elisa Borowski

Sponsor, Program & Award Number

Caltrans // PSR UTC Caltrans Match: PSR-23-38

(Subcontract to University of Southern California)

Areas of Expertise

Other Safety, Public Health, & Mobility Justice

Team Departmental Affiliation

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Project Summary

A growing strategy to mitigate environmental harms is the implementation of green infrastructure in high-pollution zones, such as greenery screens, vegetation barriers, and living walls. This study synthesizes the outcomes of existing projects and proposes an evaluation framework that centers community participation. Greenery screens and sound walls are intended to mitigate noise and air pollution, which can reduce health disparities and improve quality of life in surrounding communities. Additional co-benefits may be observed when considering the role of this infrastructure during extreme weather events, such as flooding, extreme heat, and poor air quality from wildfires. Within the sustainability framework known as the triple bottom line, some studies have begun to examine the environmental, social, and financial benefits of green infrastructure, but initial findings on the effectiveness of greenery screens remain inconclusive. Expanding this framework to include the principles of equitable evaluation, methodological advancements are needed to account not only for distributional equity, but structural and procedural equity, as well. For example, integrating the cumulative impact assessments required by the National Environmental Policy Act into the infrastructure evaluation process could be one means of addressing structural equity, and practicing living labs where community members collect and interpret data from sensors tracking environmental determinants of health could be a technique to incorporate procedural equity into the evaluation process. The proposed systematic literature review will result in actionable strategies for working in collaboration with low-income communities of color who have been disproportionally harmed by freeway infrastructure to advance environmental justice. Findings from this study will provide recommendations to policymakers and analysts committed to advancing distributional, structural, and procedural equity.

conference paper

Bridging the Binary Analysis Gap: A Cross-Compiler Dataset and Neural Framework for Industrial Control Systems

Proceedings of the 31st ACM SIGKDD Conference on Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining V.2

Publication Date

August 3, 2025

Author(s)

Yonatan G. Achamyeleh, Shih-Yuan Yu, Gustavo Q. Araya, Mohammad Al Faruque

Areas of Expertise

Other

View conference paper

Abstract

Industrial Control Systems (ICS) rely heavily on Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) to manage critical infrastructure, yet analyzing PLC executables remains challenging due to diverse proprietary compilers and limited access to source code.To bridge this gap, we introduce PLC-BEAD, a comprehensive dataset containing 2431 compiled binaries from 700+ PLC programs across four major industrial compilers (CoDeSys, GEB, OpenPLC-V2, OpenPLC-V3). This novel dataset uniquely pairs each binary with its original Structured Text source code and standardized functionality labels, enabling both binary-level and source-level analysis. We demonstrate the dataset’s utility through PLCEmbed, a transformer-based framework for binary code analysis that achieves 93% accuracy in compiler provenance identification and 42% accuracy in fine-grained functionality classification across 22 industrial control categories. Through comprehensive ablation studies, we analyze how compiler optimization levels, code patterns, and class distributions influence model performance. We provide detailed documentation of the dataset creation process, labeling taxonomy, and benchmark protocols to ensure reproducibility. Both PLC-BEAD and PLCEmbed are released as open-source resources to foster research in PLC security, reverse engineering, and ICS forensics, establishing new baselines for data-driven approaches to industrial cybersecurity.

Suggested Citation

Yonatan G. Achamyeleh, Shih-Yuan Yu, Gustavo Q. Araya and Mohammad A. Al Faruque (2025) “Bridging the Binary Analysis Gap: A Cross-Compiler Dataset and Neural Framework for Industrial Control Systems”, in Proceedings of the 31st ACM SIGKDD Conference on Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining V.2. New York, NY, USA: Association for Computing Machinery (KDD '25), pp. 5260–5269. Available at: 10.1145/3711896.3737373.

policy brief

Using a “Bathtub Model” to Analyze Travel Can Protect Privacy While Providing Valuable Insights

Publication Date

January 1, 2025

Associated Project

Development of New Privacy-preserving Method for Traffic Data Collection and Analysis

Author(s)

Wenlong Jin, Joseph Lo

Policy Brief

UC-ITS-2022-45

Areas of Expertise

Other

View policy brief

Abstract

Transportation agencies increasingly rely on detailed trip data to analyze traffic patterns and plan infrastructure improvements. However, traditional data collection methods require extensive personal information about travelers’ origins, destinations, and routes, raising serious privacy concerns. Current “big data” approaches can track individual movements with alarming precision, often without explicit consent. As privacy regulations tighten and public concerns grow, transportation planners need alternative methods that balance analytical needs with privacy protection. To address this challenge, the research team evaluated the “bathtub model” as a privacy-preserving alternative to traditional traffic data collection methods. This simple, network-level approach treats all trips in a region as part of one system. Instead of tracking each person’s path, a bathtub model represents trips by how much distance they have left to travel. This allows for analyzation of network performance while protecting privacy.

Suggested Citation

Wen-Long Jin and Joseph Lo (2025) Using a “Bathtub Model” to Analyze Travel Can Protect Privacy While Providing Valuable Insights. Policy Brief UC-ITS-2022-45. UC ITS / ITS-Irvine. Available at: https://doi.org/10.7922/G2D798TX (Accessed: November 3, 2025).

Related Publications

research report | Feb 2026

Development of New Privacy-preserving Method for Traffic Data Collection and Analysis: The Bathtub Model Approach

Preprint Journal Article | Sep 2023

Priority Queue Formulation of Agent-Based Bathtub Model for Network Trip Flows in the Relative Space

Preprint Journal Article

Priority Queue Formulation of Agent-Based Bathtub Model for Network Trip Flows in the Relative Space

Publication Date

September 5, 2023

Associated Project

Development of New Privacy-preserving Method for Traffic Data Collection and Analysis

Author(s)

Irene Martinez, Wenlong Jin

Areas of Expertise

Other

View Preprint Journal Article

Abstract

Agent-based models have been extensively used to simulate the behavior of travelers in transportation systems because they allow for realistic and versatile modeling of interactions. However, traditional agent-based models suffer from high computational costs and rely on tracking physical locations, raising privacy concerns. This paper proposes an efficient formulation for the agent-based bathtub model (AB2M) in the relative space, where each agent’s trajectory is represented by a time series of the remaining distance to its destination. The AB2M can be understood as a microscopic model that tracks individual trips’ initiation, progression, and completion and is an exact numerical solution of the bathtub model for generic (time-dependent) trip distance distributions. The model can be solved for a deterministic set of trips with a given demand pattern (defined by the start time of each trip and its distance), or it can be used to run Monte Carlo simulations to capture the average behavior and variation stochastic demand patterns, described by probabilistic distributions of trip distances and departure times. To enhance the computational efficiency, we introduce a priority queue formulation, eliminating the need to update trip positions at each time step and allowing us to run large-scale scenarios with millions of individual trips in seconds. We systematically explore the scaling properties and discuss the introduction of biases and numerical errors. The systematic exploration of scaling properties of the modeling of individual agents in the relative space with the AB2M further enhances its applicability to large-scale transportation systems and opens up opportunities for studying travel time reliability, scheduling, and mode choices.

Suggested Citation

Irene Martinez and Wen-long Jin (2023) “Priority Queue Formulation of Agent-Based Bathtub Model for Network Trip Flows in the Relative Space”. arXiv. Available at: 10.48550/arXiv.2309.01970.

Related Publications

research report | Feb 2026

Development of New Privacy-preserving Method for Traffic Data Collection and Analysis: The Bathtub Model Approach

policy brief | Jan 2025