VTechWorks
VTechWorks provides global access to Virginia Tech scholarship, including journal articles, books, theses, dissertations, conference papers, slide presentations, technical reports, working papers, administrative documents, videos, images, and more by faculty, students, and staff. Faculty can deposit items to VTechWorks from Elements, including journal articles covered by the University open access policy. Email vtechworks@vt.edu for help.
Open Access Policy
Virginia Tech's open access policy enables researchers to deposit the accepted version of scholarly articles with no embargo.
Theses and Dissertations
Virginia Tech was first in the world to require ETDs in 1997, and continues to add scans of older theses and dissertations.
Open Textbooks
More than 50 freely available and openly licensed textbooks are among our most downloaded items.
Communities in VTechWorks
Select a community to browse its collections.
Recent Submissions
Prognostic Outcomes Between Conservative and Surgical Interventions in Patients with Full-Thickness Rotator Cuff Tears
Little, Jarett (Virginia Tech, 2026-03-18)
Context: Full-thickness rotator cuff tears are one of the most common musculoskeletal conditions affecting a variety of patient populations. This condition, if not treated, leads to increased pain, reduced functional abilities, and reduced efficiency with activities of daily living all culminating into decreasing the patient’s overall quality of life. Surgical repair is generally the standard of care for these patients; however, new evidence suggests that conservative treatment may be just as effective.
Objective: The aim of this systematized review was to describe measurable outcomes (pain, mobility, and strength) and how they compare surgical treatment compared to conservative treatment in full-thickness tear rotator cuff patients.
Design: A systematized review of the current literature from 2015-2025, assessing the prognostic outcomes of both conservative and surgical methods of treatment of full-thickness rotator cuff tears.
Eligibility Criteria: Adults ≥30 years old diagnosed with full-thickness rotator cuff tears confirmed by imaging; full thickness rotator cuff tear (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, subscapularis); Interventions (Surgical repair: Mini open repair, arthroscopic repair, open repair, injections. Conservative (non-surgical): Physical Therapy Protocol and exercise interventions); Outcomes: Constant-Murley Score (CMS), ASES, Quick-DASH, MMT, ROM.
Study Selection: 16 out of 887 initial studies met all the inclusion criteria.
Results: Both interventions demonstrated effective progress in overall condition. Surgical interventions demonstrated faster improvement with significant improvement in functional scores occurring at 6-12 months followed by a plateau where both intervention groups would produce similar functional scores after one year. Tear size and level of symptoms were the most significant indicators for patient success. Tears that were not classified as “large” demonstrated consistent and non-variable progress regardless of method used.
Conclusion: Both methods of interventions provide significant clinical results with surgical groups demonstrating progress at 6-12 months while conservative groups reached the same functional scores in the long term. Overall, conservative treatment was able to produce similar outcomes for tears that were classified as small to medium demonstrating its effectiveness with this patient population. These results suggest a patient centered/stepwise approach would be most effective for patients with small to medium tears. This means incorporating patient factors with an initial conservative approach followed by surgical intervention if the conservative treatment has not improved overall patient condition. Larger tears, however, should directly receive surgical intervention due to its variability in presentation and outcomes.
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine Course Catalog 2025-2026
(Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, 2025)
The course catalog for the School of Medicine contains a complete listing of all classes, electives, clinical rotations, and independent study options and includes credit hours and any necessary prerequisites.
T-Type Labyrinth Seals Dynamic Response Evaluation Using Computational Analysis
Ashraf, Muhammad Mubashar; Untaroiu, Alexandrina (ASME International, 2026-03-06)
Effective sealing in rotating machinery is fundamental to maintaining efficiency and ensuring stable operation. Secondary leakage between high and low-pressure regions not only reduces performance but can also introduce destabilizing aerodynamic forces. Among annular gas seal technologies such as brush, hole-pattern, and honeycomb designs, labyrinth seals remain the most widely used because they are mechanically simple, reliable, and cost-effective. Recently, a modified T-type labyrinth seal has been introduced, demonstrating improved flow control and reduced flow-induced excitations compared to conventional straight-through configurations. The distinguishing feature of the T-type design is its T-shaped tooth geometry, which modifies the internal flow structure and enhances the inward radial forces associated with the Lomakin effect. This change in flow physics directly influences both leakage characteristics and rotordynamic behavior. Seal tip clearance plays a pivotal role. A smaller clearance generally reduces leakage but can alter aerodynamic stiffness and damping, thereby affecting rotor stability. Determining an appropriate clearance, therefore, requires more than a simple comparison at fixed geometry; it demands a structured parametric evaluation that captures the coupled aerodynamic and rotordynamic effects. Previous investigations have demonstrated leakage reductions of 23.6–25.3% for T-type labyrinth seals relative to straight-through designs, with axial length and tip clearance held constant. These findings point to clear performance advantages but leave open the question of optimal geometric tuning. Building on this, the present study conducts a sensitivity analysis using a design of experiments (DOE) framework coupled with steady-state computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The DOE approach enables systematic exploration of the clearance parameter space and quantifies the influence of the clearance parameter on leakage performance. In parallel, equivalent rotordynamic force coefficients are extracted from the CFD solutions to evaluate seal-induced stiffness and damping and to assess stability trends. To further establish practical relevance, the seal performance is examined across a range of pressure ratios and rotational speeds representative of aero-engine operating conditions. The results provide a coherent picture of how tip clearance governs both leakage and rotordynamic response in T-type labyrinth seals. Beyond confirming their leakage advantage, the study offers quantitative guidance for clearance selection and contributes to the broader effort to integrate aerodynamic performance and stability considerations into advanced seal design.
BMES 3984: Perspectives in Neurorehabilitation: Insights from Lived Experience,
Spring 2026
Gurari, Netta; Parcetich, Kevin; Sulzer, James; Pitterson, Nicole; Kalantaryardebily, Nahid (2026-03)
This course offers students an immersive and interdisciplinary exploration of the lived experience of individuals navigating life after a brain injury. Through direct engagement with individuals with a brain injury, their carepartners, and healthcare professionals, students will gain insight into the complex medical, emotional, and societal challenges involved. Students will participate regularly in hands-on learning experiences, including community visits and clinical shadowing opportunities. Guest lectures and classroom interactions with healthcare providers will provide additional context on the neurorehabilitation process. By combining observational, experiential, and reflective learning methods, this course emphasizes the development of empathy, critical thinking, and an understanding of interdisciplinary collaboration in neurorehabilitation. Upon completion, students will have a deeper appreciation of the challenges and resilience associated with a brain injury, and be empowered to pursue careers that integrate technical skills with human-centered design and care.
Virginia Tech Shenandoah Valley Agricultural Research and Extension Center McCormick Farm 2024 Field Day Proceedings
(Virginia Tech, 2024-07-10)
The Shenandoah Valley AREC holds biennial field days to allow agricultural producers the opportunity to learn more about the research being conducted at the center and interact with those conducting the research.