Security and Authentication Solutions in InternetEnabled Laboratory Experiments in Undergraduate Civ

1
Security and Authentication Solutions in
Internet-Enabled Laboratory Experiments in
Undergraduate Civil Engineering Courses
NC STATE
UNIVERSITY

• Mohammed Gabr, Abhinav Gupta, Prakash
  Kripakaran, Tanya Kunberger and Vernon Matzen
• Department of Civil, Construction and
  Environmental Engineering
• 2005 ASEE Annual Conference

Graduate students
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Objective
NC STATE
UNIVERSITY

• Develop a generic computational frameworks to
  enable control, observation, and data retrieval
  of laboratory experiments over the internet.

• Framework features
• Sophisticated hardware for control and data
  acquisition
• Software for computer-based operation of the
  hardware
• Web technologies for internet-enabling the
  experiment
• Novel authentication protocols for scheduling the
  control and observation of the experiment by
  remote users

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Experiments - Mechanics
NC STATE
UNIVERSITY

• Internet-enabled operation of shake table
  experiment that is part of undergraduate
  laboratory course

Shake Table
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Experiments - Mechanics
NC STATE
UNIVERSITY

• Static experiment to determine normal and
  shearing strain distributions in a wide flange
  beam.

Cantilever Beam
5
Estimating the strength and stress-strain
relationship of a soil specimen subjected to
confining stress and sheared in compression
without drainage at a constant rate of axial
deformation (strain controlled).
NC STATE
UNIVERSITY
Experiments Geotechnical Engineering
Triaxial Test
6
Determine the magnitude and rate of consolidation
of a soil specimen restrained laterally and
drained axially while subjected to incrementally
applied controlled stress loadings.
NC STATE
UNIVERSITY
Experiments Geotechnical Engineering
Consolidation Test
7
NC STATE
UNIVERSITY
Shake Table Experiment - Lab Setup
Host PC with high-speed camera
Function Generator
DAQ
RealTime (RT) Board with LabVIEW
Shake Table with specimen
Electromagnetic Shaker
Accelerations

• Refer to our previous ASEE presentations and
  papers.

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Shake Table Experiment - Remote Operation
NC STATE
UNIVERSITY
9
Proxy Server Features
NC STATE
UNIVERSITY

• Runs apache webserver hosting webpages for
  experiment scheduling and user authentication of
  remote users.
• Uses WRAP, a cookie-based authentication protocol
  developed by NC State University.
• Has provision for lab administrator to monitor
  students using the experiment at a given time.
• Uses perl-based CGI scripts to establish
  connection from remote user to LabVIEW host.

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User Authentication Controlling User
NC STATE
UNIVERSITY
Proxy Server
LabVIEW Host
Controller
1. Access webpage
2. Requests login
3. Provides user id password
4. Verifies if user is scheduled
5. Provides http link to user
7. Forwards to host remote panel server
6. Connects to link
8. If time expires, disconnects remote user
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Control by Single User
NC STATE
UNIVERSITY

• Wave generation tool served as a LabVIEW remote
  panel.
• To prevent intentional or unintentional damage,
  the tool sets limits on the allowed frequency and
  amplitude.

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User Authentication Multiple Observers
NC STATE
UNIVERSITY
Typical Observer
Proxy Server
LabVIEW Host
1. Access webpage
2. Requests login
3. Provides user id password
4. Verifies if user is scheduled
5. Requests user to start application
7. Forwards to datasocket server on host
6. Connects to a specific port
8. If time expires, disconnects remote user
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Typical LabVIEW panel for each observer active
observing
NC STATE
UNIVERSITY

• Simultaneously observe accelerometer readings
• Independently adjust various controls without
  affecting the display of other users
• Download the measured data from the experiment.

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High-speed, high-resolution video
NC STATE
UNIVERSITY

• Basler A504k camera can operate at 500 fps with a
  resolution of 1280x1024 using Camera Link and a
  National Instruments PCIexpress bus (600 MB/sec
  transfer rate)
• Higher speeds possible in Area-of-Interest mode
• Video transmission similar to transmitting
  measured data using LabVIEW datasocket protocol.
• Controlling user will have ability to adjust
  properties like aperture, focus and zoom of the
  lens mounted on the camera. (under development)

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Video Playback (normally real time)
NC STATE
UNIVERSITY
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Requirements of Remote User Machine
NC STATE
UNIVERSITY

• Possess high-speed internet connection like a
  broadband or cable connection.
• Have LabVIEW runtime engine installed,.
• Have the IMAQ drivers installed. These drivers
  are needed for viewing the real-time video of the
  experiment,.

Both the runtime engine and IMAQ drivers are
downloadable from the National Instruments
website at no cost. The applications that serve
the real-time video and the accelerometer
readings will be available on the course webpage.
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Experiments - Geotechnical
NC STATE
UNIVERSITY

• Triaxial Test NetMeeting Approach
• Consolidated Undrained Triaxial Compression Test
  for Cohesive Soils (ASTM D4767-95)
• Microsoft NetMeeting in conjunction with
  equipment specific control software
• Consolidation Test LabVIEW Approach
• One-Dimensional Consolidation Properties of Soils
  (ASTM D2435-96)
• LabVIEW Program developed specifically for testing

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Software for Triaxial Testing
NC STATE
UNIVERSITY

• Microsoft NetMeeting?
• Most Windows ? operating systems come with a
  version of Microsoft NetMeeting?.
• The program can also be downloaded for free from
  Microsofts website.
• Enables users to remotely access other
  computers.  

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Software for Triaxial Testing
NC STATE
UNIVERSITY

• Digiflow-GP Equipment specific control software
  that runs the pump that controls and monitors the
  water pressure.  
• Sigma 1-CU Equipment specific control software
  that runs the entire test and records all
  pressure and deformation data. The strain rate
  and reading schedules can be modified to a
  desired resolution.

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NetMeeting Approach
NC STATE
UNIVERSITY

• Benefits
• Commercially available software with easy
  availability, installation and use
• Flexible enough to extend to various geotechnical
  experiments
• Allows for multiple viewers but limits control to
  single user

• Limitations
• In case of unexpected client computer shut
  down, the host computer continues to collect
  data. This may pose a safety hazard if control is
  not re-gained quickly
• Security based on knowledge of IP address and
  open programs on host computer
• Necessity to automatically accept calls to
  function remotely does not allow for selective
  call acceptance

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Software for Consolidation Testing
NC STATE
UNIVERSITY

• National Instruments LabView
• Software allows for development of programs
  designed specifically to adjust and monitor
  various parameters.
• This testing program allowed for the adjustment
  of applied pressure and monitored the applied
  pressure and displacement as a function of time.

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LabVIEW Approach
NC STATE
UNIVERSITY

• Benefits
• Allows for adaptation of existing equipment and
  control of multiple pieces with single program
• Flexible enough to extend to various geotechnical
  experiments
• Programming allows for implementation of safety
  features that prevent potentially damaging
  testing parameters

• Limitations
• Requires extensive programming in initial phase
  to obtain desired results
• Program becomes fairly test specific and may
  require serious modification if the experiment is
  changed

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Summary of Shake Table Work
NC STATE
UNIVERSITY

• Software for the remote operation and data
  acquisition has been developed.
• The proxy server that prevents direct access to
  the LabVIEW host has been setup.
• Webpages that permit scheduling of the experiment
  have been developed on the proxy server.
• One user can control the experiment using the
  remote panel server on the host.
• Multiple observers can view the experiment and
  obtain data through LabVIEWs datasocket
  protocols from the host.

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Future Work
NC STATE
UNIVERSITY

• Shake table experiment
• Work with NC AT to test the experiment over the
  high-speed connectivity between the campuses of
  North Carolina.
• Evaluate the performance with other off-campus
  users.
• Use the remotely operated shake table experiment
  in a workshop later this summer.
• Fully implement the other three experiments.
• Develop project web page to disseminate findings.

25
Acknowledgments
NC STATE
UNIVERSITY

• The authors would like to acknowledge the support
  of the following
• NSF CCLI program (DUE-0310845)
• NCSU DELTA and LITRE programs
• NCSU EngineringOnline Office
• Graduate Students Rakesh Saigal and Jerry Bridges