This collection includes most of the ASU Theses and Dissertations from 2011 to present. ASU Theses and Dissertations are available in downloadable PDF format; however, a small percentage of items are under embargo. Information about the dissertations/theses includes degree information, committee members, an abstract, supporting data or media.

In addition to the electronic theses found in the ASU Digital Repository, ASU Theses and Dissertations can be found in the ASU Library Catalog.

Dissertations and Theses granted by Arizona State University are archived and made available through a joint effort of the ASU Graduate College and the ASU Libraries. For more information or questions about this collection contact or visit the Digital Repository ETD Library Guide or contact the ASU Graduate College at gradformat@asu.edu.

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Description
Nowadays product reliability becomes the top concern of the manufacturers and customers always prefer the products with good performances under long period. In order to estimate the lifetime of the product, accelerated life testing (ALT) is introduced because most of the products can last years even decades. Much research has

Nowadays product reliability becomes the top concern of the manufacturers and customers always prefer the products with good performances under long period. In order to estimate the lifetime of the product, accelerated life testing (ALT) is introduced because most of the products can last years even decades. Much research has been done in the ALT area and optimal design for ALT is a major topic. This dissertation consists of three main studies. First, a methodology of finding optimal design for ALT with right censoring and interval censoring have been developed and it employs the proportional hazard (PH) model and generalized linear model (GLM) to simplify the computational process. A sensitivity study is also given to show the effects brought by parameters to the designs. Second, an extended version of I-optimal design for ALT is discussed and then a dual-objective design criterion is defined and showed with several examples. Also in order to evaluate different candidate designs, several graphical tools are developed. Finally, when there are more than one models available, different model checking designs are discussed.
ContributorsYang, Tao (Author) / Pan, Rong (Thesis advisor) / Montgomery, Douglas C. (Committee member) / Borror, Connie (Committee member) / Rigdon, Steve (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2013
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Description
This thesis presents a meta-analysis of lead-free solder reliability. The qualitative analyses of the failure modes of lead- free solder under different stress tests including drop test, bend test, thermal test and vibration test are discussed. The main cause of failure of lead- free solder is fatigue crack, and the

This thesis presents a meta-analysis of lead-free solder reliability. The qualitative analyses of the failure modes of lead- free solder under different stress tests including drop test, bend test, thermal test and vibration test are discussed. The main cause of failure of lead- free solder is fatigue crack, and the speed of propagation of the initial crack could differ from different test conditions and different solder materials. A quantitative analysis about the fatigue behavior of SAC lead-free solder under thermal preconditioning process is conducted. This thesis presents a method of making prediction of failure life of solder alloy by building a Weibull regression model. The failure life of solder on circuit board is assumed Weibull distributed. Different materials and test conditions could affect the distribution by changing the shape and scale parameters of Weibull distribution. The method is to model the regression of parameters with different test conditions as predictors based on Bayesian inference concepts. In the process of building regression models, prior distributions are generated according to the previous studies, and Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) is used under WinBUGS environment.
ContributorsXu, Xinyue (Author) / Pan, Rong (Thesis advisor) / Montgomery, Douglas C. (Committee member) / Wu, Teresa (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
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Description
The main objective of this research is to develop an approach to PV module lifetime prediction. In doing so, the aim is to move from empirical generalizations to a formal predictive science based on data-driven case studies of the crystalline silicon PV systems. The evaluation of PV systems aged 5

The main objective of this research is to develop an approach to PV module lifetime prediction. In doing so, the aim is to move from empirical generalizations to a formal predictive science based on data-driven case studies of the crystalline silicon PV systems. The evaluation of PV systems aged 5 to 30 years old that results in systematic predictive capability that is absent today. The warranty period provided by the manufacturers typically range from 20 to 25 years for crystalline silicon modules. The end of lifetime (for example, the time-to-degrade by 20% from rated power) of PV modules is usually calculated using a simple linear extrapolation based on the annual field degradation rate (say, 0.8% drop in power output per year). It has been 26 years since systematic studies on solar PV module lifetime prediction were undertaken as part of the 11-year flat-plate solar array (FSA) project of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) funded by DOE. Since then, PV modules have gone through significant changes in construction materials and design; making most of the field data obsolete, though the effect field stressors on the old designs/materials is valuable to be understood. Efforts have been made to adapt some of the techniques developed to the current technologies, but they are too often limited in scope and too reliant on empirical generalizations of previous results. Some systematic approaches have been proposed based on accelerated testing, but no or little experimental studies have followed. Consequently, the industry does not exactly know today how to test modules for a 20 - 30 years lifetime.

This research study focuses on the behavior of crystalline silicon PV module technology in the dry and hot climatic condition of Tempe/Phoenix, Arizona. A three-phase approach was developed: (1) A quantitative failure modes, effects, and criticality analysis (FMECA) was developed for prioritizing failure modes or mechanisms in a given environment; (2) A time-series approach was used to model environmental stress variables involved and prioritize their effect on the power output drop; and (3) A procedure for developing a prediction model was proposed for the climatic specific condition based on accelerated degradation testing
ContributorsKuitche, Joseph Mathurin (Author) / Pan, Rong (Thesis advisor) / Tamizhmani, Govindasamy (Thesis advisor) / Montgomery, Douglas C. (Committee member) / Wu, Teresa (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
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Description
In this era of fast computational machines and new optimization algorithms, there have been great advances in Experimental Designs. We focus our research on design issues in generalized linear models (GLMs) and functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI). The first part of our research is on tackling the challenging problem of constructing

exact

In this era of fast computational machines and new optimization algorithms, there have been great advances in Experimental Designs. We focus our research on design issues in generalized linear models (GLMs) and functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI). The first part of our research is on tackling the challenging problem of constructing

exact designs for GLMs, that are robust against parameter, link and model

uncertainties by improving an existing algorithm and providing a new one, based on using a continuous particle swarm optimization (PSO) and spectral clustering. The proposed algorithm is sufficiently versatile to accomodate most popular design selection criteria, and we concentrate on providing robust designs for GLMs, using the D and A optimality criterion. The second part of our research is on providing an algorithm

that is a faster alternative to a recently proposed genetic algorithm (GA) to construct optimal designs for fMRI studies. Our algorithm is built upon a discrete version of the PSO.
ContributorsTemkit, M'Hamed (Author) / Kao, Jason (Thesis advisor) / Reiser, Mark R. (Committee member) / Barber, Jarrett (Committee member) / Montgomery, Douglas C. (Committee member) / Pan, Rong (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014
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Description
Value-added models (VAMs) are used by many states to assess contributions of individual teachers and schools to students' academic growth. The generalized persistence VAM, one of the most flexible in the literature, estimates the ``value added'' by individual teachers to their students' current and future test scores by employing a

Value-added models (VAMs) are used by many states to assess contributions of individual teachers and schools to students' academic growth. The generalized persistence VAM, one of the most flexible in the literature, estimates the ``value added'' by individual teachers to their students' current and future test scores by employing a mixed model with a longitudinal database of test scores. There is concern, however, that missing values that are common in the longitudinal student scores can bias value-added assessments, especially when the models serve as a basis for personnel decisions -- such as promoting or dismissing teachers -- as they are being used in some states. Certain types of missing data require that the VAM be modeled jointly with the missingness process in order to obtain unbiased parameter estimates. This dissertation studies two problems. First, the flexibility and multimembership random effects structure of the generalized persistence model lead to computational challenges that have limited the model's availability. To this point, no methods have been developed for scalable maximum likelihood estimation of the model. An EM algorithm to compute maximum likelihood estimates efficiently is developed, making use of the sparse structure of the random effects and error covariance matrices. The algorithm is implemented in the package GPvam in R statistical software. Illustrations of the gains in computational efficiency achieved by the estimation procedure are given. Furthermore, to address the presence of potentially nonignorable missing data, a flexible correlated random effects model is developed that extends the generalized persistence model to jointly model the test scores and the missingness process, allowing the process to depend on both students and teachers. The joint model gives the ability to test the sensitivity of the VAM to the presence of nonignorable missing data. Estimation of the model is challenging due to the non-hierarchical dependence structure and the resulting intractable high-dimensional integrals. Maximum likelihood estimation of the model is performed using an EM algorithm with fully exponential Laplace approximations for the E step. The methods are illustrated with data from university calculus classes and with data from standardized test scores from an urban school district.
ContributorsKarl, Andrew (Author) / Lohr, Sharon L (Thesis advisor) / Yang, Yan (Thesis advisor) / Kao, Ming-Hung (Committee member) / Montgomery, Douglas C. (Committee member) / Wilson, Jeffrey R (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2012
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Description
Mostly, manufacturing tolerance charts are used these days for manufacturing tolerance transfer but these have the limitation of being one dimensional only. Some research has been undertaken for the three dimensional geometric tolerances but it is too theoretical and yet to be ready for operator level usage. In this research,

Mostly, manufacturing tolerance charts are used these days for manufacturing tolerance transfer but these have the limitation of being one dimensional only. Some research has been undertaken for the three dimensional geometric tolerances but it is too theoretical and yet to be ready for operator level usage. In this research, a new three dimensional model for tolerance transfer in manufacturing process planning is presented that is user friendly in the sense that it is built upon the Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) readings that are readily available in any decent manufacturing facility. This model can take care of datum reference change between non orthogonal datums (squeezed datums), non-linearly oriented datums (twisted datums) etc. Graph theoretic approach based upon ACIS, C++ and MFC is laid out to facilitate its implementation for automation of the model. A totally new approach to determining dimensions and tolerances for the manufacturing process plan is also presented. Secondly, a new statistical model for the statistical tolerance analysis based upon joint probability distribution of the trivariate normal distributed variables is presented. 4-D probability Maps have been developed in which the probability value of a point in space is represented by the size of the marker and the associated color. Points inside the part map represent the pass percentage for parts manufactured. The effect of refinement with form and orientation tolerance is highlighted by calculating the change in pass percentage with the pass percentage for size tolerance only. Delaunay triangulation and ray tracing algorithms have been used to automate the process of identifying the points inside and outside the part map. Proof of concept software has been implemented to demonstrate this model and to determine pass percentages for various cases. The model is further extended to assemblies by employing convolution algorithms on two trivariate statistical distributions to arrive at the statistical distribution of the assembly. Map generated by using Minkowski Sum techniques on the individual part maps is superimposed on the probability point cloud resulting from convolution. Delaunay triangulation and ray tracing algorithms are employed to determine the assembleability percentages for the assembly.
ContributorsKhan, M Nadeem Shafi (Author) / Phelan, Patrick E (Thesis advisor) / Montgomery, Douglas C. (Committee member) / Farin, Gerald (Committee member) / Roberts, Chell (Committee member) / Henderson, Mark (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
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Description
Functional or dynamic responses are prevalent in experiments in the fields of engineering, medicine, and the sciences, but proposals for optimal designs are still sparse for this type of response. Experiments with dynamic responses result in multiple responses taken over a spectrum variable, so the design matrix for a dynamic

Functional or dynamic responses are prevalent in experiments in the fields of engineering, medicine, and the sciences, but proposals for optimal designs are still sparse for this type of response. Experiments with dynamic responses result in multiple responses taken over a spectrum variable, so the design matrix for a dynamic response have more complicated structures. In the literature, the optimal design problem for some functional responses has been solved using genetic algorithm (GA) and approximate design methods. The goal of this dissertation is to develop fast computer algorithms for calculating exact D-optimal designs.



First, we demonstrated how the traditional exchange methods could be improved to generate a computationally efficient algorithm for finding G-optimal designs. The proposed two-stage algorithm, which is called the cCEA, uses a clustering-based approach to restrict the set of possible candidates for PEA, and then improves the G-efficiency using CEA.



The second major contribution of this dissertation is the development of fast algorithms for constructing D-optimal designs that determine the optimal sequence of stimuli in fMRI studies. The update formula for the determinant of the information matrix was improved by exploiting the sparseness of the information matrix, leading to faster computation times. The proposed algorithm outperforms genetic algorithm with respect to computational efficiency and D-efficiency.



The third contribution is a study of optimal experimental designs for more general functional response models. First, the B-spline system is proposed to be used as the non-parametric smoother of response function and an algorithm is developed to determine D-optimal sampling points of a spectrum variable. Second, we proposed a two-step algorithm for finding the optimal design for both sampling points and experimental settings. In the first step, the matrix of experimental settings is held fixed while the algorithm optimizes the determinant of the information matrix for a mixed effects model to find the optimal sampling times. In the second step, the optimal sampling times obtained from the first step is held fixed while the algorithm iterates on the information matrix to find the optimal experimental settings. The designs constructed by this approach yield superior performance over other designs found in literature.
ContributorsSaleh, Moein (Author) / Pan, Rong (Thesis advisor) / Montgomery, Douglas C. (Committee member) / Runger, George C. (Committee member) / Kao, Ming-Hung (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2015
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Description
This dissertation proposes a new set of analytical methods for high dimensional physiological sensors. The methodologies developed in this work were motivated by problems in learning science, but also apply to numerous disciplines where high dimensional signals are present. In the education field, more data is now available from traditional

This dissertation proposes a new set of analytical methods for high dimensional physiological sensors. The methodologies developed in this work were motivated by problems in learning science, but also apply to numerous disciplines where high dimensional signals are present. In the education field, more data is now available from traditional sources and there is an important need for analytical methods to translate this data into improved learning. Affecting Computing which is the study of new techniques that develop systems to recognize and model human emotions is integrating different physiological signals such as electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyogram (EMG) to detect and model emotions which later can be used to improve these learning systems.

The first contribution proposes an event-crossover (ECO) methodology to analyze performance in learning environments. The methodology is relevant to studies where it is desired to evaluate the relationships between sentinel events in a learning environment and a physiological measurement which is provided in real time.

The second contribution introduces analytical methods to study relationships between multi-dimensional physiological signals and sentinel events in a learning environment. The methodology proposed learns physiological patterns in the form of node activations near time of events using different statistical techniques.

The third contribution addresses the challenge of performance prediction from physiological signals. Features from the sensors which could be computed early in the learning activity were developed for input to a machine learning model. The objective is to predict success or failure of the student in the learning environment early in the activity. EEG was used as the physiological signal to train a pattern recognition algorithm in order to derive meta affective states.

The last contribution introduced a methodology to predict a learner's performance using Bayes Belief Networks (BBNs). Posterior probabilities of latent nodes were used as inputs to a predictive model in real-time as evidence was accumulated in the BBN.

The methodology was applied to data streams from a video game and from a Damage Control Simulator which were used to predict and quantify performance. The proposed methods provide cognitive scientists with new tools to analyze subjects in learning environments.
ContributorsLujan Moreno, Gustavo A. (Author) / Runger, George C. (Thesis advisor) / Atkinson, Robert K (Thesis advisor) / Montgomery, Douglas C. (Committee member) / Villalobos, Rene (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
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Description
In accelerated life tests (ALTs), complete randomization is hardly achievable because of economic and engineering constraints. Typical experimental protocols such as subsampling or random blocks in ALTs result in a grouped structure, which leads to correlated lifetime observations. In this dissertation, generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) approach is proposed to

In accelerated life tests (ALTs), complete randomization is hardly achievable because of economic and engineering constraints. Typical experimental protocols such as subsampling or random blocks in ALTs result in a grouped structure, which leads to correlated lifetime observations. In this dissertation, generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) approach is proposed to analyze ALT data and find the optimal ALT design with the consideration of heterogeneous group effects.

Two types of ALTs are demonstrated for data analysis. First, constant-stress ALT (CSALT) data with Weibull failure time distribution is modeled by GLMM. The marginal likelihood of observations is approximated by the quadrature rule; and the maximum likelihood (ML) estimation method is applied in iterative fashion to estimate unknown parameters including the variance component of random effect. Secondly, step-stress ALT (SSALT) data with random group effects is analyzed in similar manner but with an assumption of exponentially distributed failure time in each stress step. Two parameter estimation methods, from the frequentist’s and Bayesian points of view, are applied; and they are compared with other traditional models through simulation study and real example of the heterogeneous SSALT data. The proposed random effect model shows superiority in terms of reducing bias and variance in the estimation of life-stress relationship.

The GLMM approach is particularly useful for the optimal experimental design of ALT while taking the random group effects into account. In specific, planning ALTs under nested design structure with random test chamber effects are studied. A greedy two-phased approach shows that different test chamber assignments to stress conditions substantially impact on the estimation of unknown parameters. Then, the D-optimal test plan with two test chambers is constructed by applying the quasi-likelihood approach. Lastly, the optimal ALT planning is expanded for the case of multiple sources of random effects so that the crossed design structure is also considered, along with the nested structure.
ContributorsSeo, Kangwon (Author) / Pan, Rong (Thesis advisor) / Montgomery, Douglas C. (Committee member) / Villalobos, J. Rene (Committee member) / Rigdon, Steven E (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
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Description
Public health surveillance is a special case of the general problem where counts (or rates) of events are monitored for changes. Modern data complements event counts with many additional measurements (such as geographic, demographic, and others) that comprise high-dimensional covariates. This leads to an important challenge to detect a change

Public health surveillance is a special case of the general problem where counts (or rates) of events are monitored for changes. Modern data complements event counts with many additional measurements (such as geographic, demographic, and others) that comprise high-dimensional covariates. This leads to an important challenge to detect a change that only occurs within a region, initially unspecified, defined by these covariates. Current methods are typically limited to spatial and/or temporal covariate information and often fail to use all the information available in modern data that can be paramount in unveiling these subtle changes. Additional complexities associated with modern health data that are often not accounted for by traditional methods include: covariates of mixed type, missing values, and high-order interactions among covariates. This work proposes a transform of public health surveillance to supervised learning, so that an appropriate learner can inherently address all the complexities described previously. At the same time, quantitative measures from the learner can be used to define signal criteria to detect changes in rates of events. A Feature Selection (FS) method is used to identify covariates that contribute to a model and to generate a signal. A measure of statistical significance is included to control false alarms. An alternative Percentile method identifies the specific cases that lead to changes using class probability estimates from tree-based ensembles. This second method is intended to be less computationally intensive and significantly simpler to implement. Finally, a third method labeled Rule-Based Feature Value Selection (RBFVS) is proposed for identifying the specific regions in high-dimensional space where the changes are occurring. Results on simulated examples are used to compare the FS method and the Percentile method. Note this work emphasizes the application of the proposed methods on public health surveillance. Nonetheless, these methods can easily be extended to a variety of applications where counts (or rates) of events are monitored for changes. Such problems commonly occur in domains such as manufacturing, economics, environmental systems, engineering, as well as in public health.
ContributorsDavila, Saylisse (Author) / Runger, George C. (Thesis advisor) / Montgomery, Douglas C. (Committee member) / Young, Dennis (Committee member) / Gel, Esma (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2010