WVU college of Engineering and mineral resources
New Tunnel Safety Plug is Demonstrated Safer underwater tunnels are a step closer to being realized after a recent WVU research demonstration that drew attendees from across the nation. The test incorporated a specially constructed full-scale tunnel section model and an inflatable plug, which could eventually be used to protect underwater rail transit systems from flooding, smoke or fumes. In the first phase of the project, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), a first-generation inflatable test plug was successfully deployed inside the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) system in Washington, DC.
demonstrations,” said Julio Davalos, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) professor and project leader. “In this latest test, we demonstrated the plug’s enhanced conformity, reduced inflation time, and tunnel sealing effectiveness.” DHS Program Manager John Fortune praised the project’s impressive and rapid evolution and noted the cooperation and coordination of the various organizations involved. Representatives of the Transportation Security Administration, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, WMATA, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and industry representatives also attended the demonstration.
“We learned a lot from the data collected during the WMATA test and the small-scale
Researchers Developing New Technologies for Oral Health By Cate Mihelic
Nearly 6,000 miles from home, Ahmed Mahmoud is busy conducting ultrasound technology research in an engineering laboratory at West Virginia University. As part of a team of engineering and health sciences researchers, he is developing new technologies that will aid in the early detection of periodontal (gum) disease, a common cause of tooth loss in older adults and a major problem in West Virginia.
Cairo University, and participated in developing a new technology now under patent. In 2008, he was a regular fellow with NIOSH and the Centers for Disease Control.
Although he originally applied to graduate school at several U.S. universities, Mahmoud said he was leaning toward WVU because he was interested in Mukdadi’s research. A phone call from Mukdadi helped him make the final decision.
“Ahmed was an outstanding student and is an excellent researcher,” said Mukdadi. “He is contributing to projects that will help improve the quality of life in our society, and we are very glad to have him as part of our team.”
“He took his personal time to call me, and that meant a lot,” said Mahmoud.
The group’s research is focused on developing ultrasound technologies that can reconstruct high-resolution, three-dimensional bone surface images for the jawbone, enabling dentists to diagnose periodontal disease earlier than is possible with traditional x-ray images.
Mahmoud has published scientific papers in more than 16 publications in the past three years, is a faculty member in biomedical engineering at
Ahmed Mahmoud
Volume 6 Issue 1
Mahmoud, a native of Egypt, came to WVU in 2006 to pursue his Ph.D. and to work under Sam Mukdadi, an assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and biomedical engineering researcher. After Mahmoud completed his Ph.D. in 2009, Mukdadi hired him to work on the interdisciplinary project as a postdoctoral fellow, with funding from the National Institutes of Health.
Currently, Mahmoud is working with Mukdadi and researchers in WVU’s Health Sciences Center and School of Dentistry on the development of ultrasonic technology to facilitate the early diagnosis of periodontal disease. Dr. Richard Crout and Dr. Peter Ngan have been especially helpful in supporting this research, said Mahmoud.
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