This study indicates how biomass materials can be effectively used as naturally sustainable alternatives to insulation materials. Barley grains and oak leaves, straw, and jute are collected, and crushed into powders/ chopped pieces. The physical characteristics are measured to characterize each powder. The biomass powder reinforced composites are manufactured in varying weight ratios. The density and thermal conductivity of composite materials are measured. The properties of composites compared to those of commercial insulation materials are found to be close to them. Furthermore, genetic algorithms (GA) can be used to achieve multi-objective optimization entailing maximizing insulation (minimizing heat transfer) and simultaneously maximizing sustainability (minimizing carbon footprint) of a designed insulation structure. The two resulting nonlinear competing objective functions will be maximized by means of evolutionary optimization techniques within a defined design space. The multi-objective optimization is achieved by building a Pareto front and determining the points of best compromise between the two objectives.
","abstract_html":"<p>This study indicates how biomass materials can be effectively used as naturally sustainable alternatives to insulation materials. Barley grains and oak leaves, straw, and jute are collected, and crushed into powders/ chopped pieces. The physical characteristics are measured to characterize each powder. The biomass powder reinforced composites are manufactured in varying weight ratios. The density and thermal conductivity of composite materials are measured. The properties of composites compared to those of commercial insulation materials are found to be close to them. Furthermore, genetic algorithms (GA) can be used to achieve multi-objective optimization entailing maximizing insulation (minimizing heat transfer) and simultaneously maximizing sustainability (minimizing carbon footprint) of a designed insulation structure. The two resulting nonlinear competing objective functions will be maximized by means of evolutionary optimization techniques within a defined design space. The multi-objective optimization is achieved by building a Pareto front and determining the points of best compromise between the two objectives.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Saad, Hussein Awad Kurdi"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering","degree_level":"Dissertation - Open Access","degree_discipline":"Mechanical Engineering","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2022,"date_issued":"2022-11-18T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2022-11-18T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-27T19:25:16Z","subjects":["biomass insulation powders","physical properties","composite materials","heat transfer","carbon footprint","Heat Transfer, Combustion","Manufacturing"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.erau.edu/edt/695","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Saad, Hussein Awad Kurdi"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Mechanical Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation - Open Access"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["biomass insulation powders","physical properties","composite materials","heat transfer","carbon footprint","Heat Transfer, Combustion","Manufacturing"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.erau.edu/edt/695"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This study indicates how biomass materials can be effectively used as naturally sustainable alternatives to insulation materials. Barley grains and oak leaves, straw, and jute are collected, and crushed into powders/ chopped pieces. The physical characteristics are measured to characterize each powder. The biomass powder reinforced composites are manufactured in varying weight ratios. The density and thermal conductivity of composite materials are measured. The properties of composites compared to those of commercial insulation materials are found to be close to them. Furthermore, genetic algorithms (GA) can be used to achieve multi-objective optimization entailing maximizing insulation (minimizing heat transfer) and simultaneously maximizing sustainability (minimizing carbon footprint) of a designed insulation structure. The two resulting nonlinear competing objective functions will be maximized by means of evolutionary optimization techniques within a defined design space. The multi-objective optimization is achieved by building a Pareto front and determining the points of best compromise between the two objectives.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Biomass Characterization and Insulation Optimization Studies"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Saad, Hussein Awad Kurdi"],"dc:description.abstract":["This study indicates how biomass materials can be effectively used as naturally sustainable alternatives to insulation materials. Barley grains and oak leaves, straw, and jute are collected, and crushed into powders/ chopped pieces. The physical characteristics are measured to characterize each powder. The biomass powder reinforced composites are manufactured in varying weight ratios. The density and thermal conductivity of composite materials are measured. The properties of composites compared to those of commercial insulation materials are found to be close to them. Furthermore, genetic algorithms (GA) can be used to achieve multi-objective optimization entailing maximizing insulation (minimizing heat transfer) and simultaneously maximizing sustainability (minimizing carbon footprint) of a designed insulation structure. The two resulting nonlinear competing objective functions will be maximized by means of evolutionary optimization techniques within a defined design space. The multi-objective optimization is achieved by building a Pareto front and determining the points of best compromise between the two objectives.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.erau.edu/edt/695"],"dc:subject":["biomass insulation powders","physical properties","composite materials","heat transfer","carbon footprint","Heat Transfer, Combustion","Manufacturing"],"dc:title":["Biomass Characterization and Insulation Optimization Studies"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Mechanical Engineering"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation - Open Access"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-27T19:25:16Z"}