Phd Dissertation
Area of Expertise: Other
Infrastructure-based Sensor Fusion for Tracking Connected and Autonomous Supply Chain Assets in Cyber-Compromised Environments
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The ongoing growth and economic benefits of Americaâs largest container ports are threatened by negative externalities associated with port operations, particularly increasing congestion and harmful emissions caused by drayage truck and rail modes serving the ports and traveling to inland transloading, rail yard, warehouse and distribution center facilities. For example, the San Pedro Bay Ports (SPBP) of Los Angeles and Long Beach in Southern California, the largest container port complex in the US and one of the largest in the world, is critical to the nationâs future intermodal logistics system and vital to our economic growth and standard of living. One proposed solution to these issues is to transition the heavy duty (HD) drayage fleet (as well as long haul fleets) to autonomous vehicles (AVs), in order to increase supply chain capacity, throughput, safety, resilience and sustainability. In this research, we plan to extend our Freight Mobility Living Laboratory (FML2) research of Year 1, which explored the feasibility of LiDAR technology for traffic monitoring in an infrastructure-based, side- fire LiDAR configuration. LiDAR-based microscopic longitudinal and lateral trajectories were obtained for HD vehicles at 0.1 second resolution, enabling site-based detection of anomalies in vehicle behavior. In Year 2, we will develop combined LiDAR and automated license plate reader (ALPR)-based models that will re-identify a potentially cyber-compromised HD AV (based on its anomalous trajectories) over long distances across a complex metropolitan highway network. The LiDAR-based approach to truck tracking is resilient and possesses inherent advantages over other competing technologies: Because LiDAR is an active sensor technology which measures light pulses emitted from the unit itself, it is unaffected by lighting conditions and offers an advantage over traditional cameras where glare, shadows and low-light conditions are known to adversely affect performance. And while automated license plate reader (ALPR) technology has demonstrated high accuracies in plate reads, it cannot be relied upon solely for vehicle reidentification as it performs best when a truck possesses a plate that is present and not obscured, which may not be the case for a cyber-compromised operator that is actively avoiding surveillance. Two existing FML2 study sites spanning over 40-miles across the Los Angeles freeway network â on Interstate I-710 near the SPBP, and on the SR-60 freeway en route to the Inland Empire logistics center, will be used in this study. Data will be collected and processed at both locations to develop a LiDAR point-cloud and ALPR-based long distance tracking and re-identification model to investigate proof-of-concept for corridor and network application of these technologies.
Modeling Platform for Transport Network Vulnerabilities and System Performance Analysis
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Developing a mobility system testing environment (a âLiving Labâ) of large-enough urban area with multiresolution modeling capabilities, and realistic real-world data inputs. A modeled network of intersections for signal-control testing (from the city of Irvine) and the wider area around it known as Autonomicity will be developed with simulation capabilities for security breaches on a variety of sensor, controller and communication components of the network. The activity system models used for realistic system conditions can be from an even larger network of Orange County that can be modeled at a mesoscopic level using models such as DYNAMART and POLARIS. This platform will address the network system-level impacts of security breaches from vulnerabilities in the sensor and control systems for vehicular traffic, both in current conditions and the future scenarios of cooperative driving automation (CDA) that are expected in on-demand passenger delivery systems becoming popular now (ridehailing, shared-ride, mobility-as-a-service), and package delivery systems. This research will build on the Transportation Mobility Living Laboratory (TML2) at UCI. TML2 includes a system of infrastructure-based LiDAR that can track all road users across a network of 25 intersections in the City of Irvine to support safety, efficiency, and energy advances through CDA. Incidents as well as security breaches can result due to inaccuracies of sensor technology. This research will focus on identifying and mitigating the vulnerabilities of the TML2 system to maintain system performance under accidental and nefarious disruptions. System effects of existing traffic sensor and control system breaches: We will develop failure scenarios resulting from potential vulnerabilities and study their system effects (delays, accident probabilities) using simulated microscopic vehicular trajectories in the presence of V2X and CDA applications. The research focus will be on selected case studies such as on 1. automated lane centering security, 2. safety policy enforcement for Autonomous Driving, and 3. sensor redundancy design for recovery of the transportation system, and 4. IOTbased on-demand passenger delivery system vulnerabilities. The simulated system developed in the above tasks will be used for predicting transportation domain-specific system effects and designing sufficient redundancy while facing security breaches and attacks. Dynamic multiple time-period modeling will be used to quantify the lost efficiency in selected Autonomicity network contexts, and this will be used in the design problem: Multi-objective Performance Evaluation:Â The platform will incorporate concepts of evaluating the modeled performance outputs using a variety of performance objectives such as 1. degradation and system resilience on temporal measures of performance in the immediate, medium-term and long-term perspectives, 2. vulnerability exposure of different user-classes in the broader activity system and the associated access to transportation srevices, 3. system degradation and resilience on various energy, and environmental impacts with measures such as fuel consumptions, emissions, and their surrogate measures such as VMT (vehicle miles traveled) and VHT (Vehicle Hours Traveled). Disaggregating the components of output measures (e.g., VMT) for various user and vehicle classes can provide richer insights on the impact of vulnerability and security breaches on each class of users. Keywords and Index Terms: Simulation platform, transport network performance modeling, agent-based models, cyber-security and system vulnerability, disruption impacts
Phd Dissertation
Development of Dielectric Elastomer Nanocomposites as Stretchable and Flexible Actuating Materials
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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CARMEN Project 6: PNT with Signals of Opportunity and Real-World Jammed and Spoofed Environments
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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).research report
CARMEN Project 5: Resilience and Validation of GNSS PNT Solutions
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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
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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.


