Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Engineering

Theses and Dissertations

2003

Articles 151 - 164 of 164

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Use Of Multivariate Techniques To Validate And Improved The Current Usaf Pilot Candidate Selection Model, Ross A. Keener Mar 2003

Use Of Multivariate Techniques To Validate And Improved The Current Usaf Pilot Candidate Selection Model, Ross A. Keener

Theses and Dissertations

The Pilot Candidate Selection Method (PCSM) seeks to ensure the highest possible probability of success at UPT. PCSM applies regression weights to a candidate's Air Force Officer Qualification Test (AFOQT) Pilot composite score, self-reported flying hours, and five Basic Attributes Test (BAT) score composites. PCSM scores range between 0 and 99 and is interpreted as a candidate's probability of passing UPT. The goal of this study is to apply multivariate data analysis techniques to validate PCSM and determine appropriate changes to the model's weights. Performance of the updated weights is compared to the current PCSM model via Receiver Operating Curves …

Go to article

Analysis Of Cooperative Behavior For Autonomous Wide Area Search Munitions, Orhan Gozaydin Mar 2003

Analysis Of Cooperative Behavior For Autonomous Wide Area Search Munitions, Orhan Gozaydin

Theses and Dissertations

This research investigates the effectiveness of autonomous wide area search munitions using cooperative and non-cooperative behavior algorithms under various scenarios. The scenarios involve multiple autonomous munitions searching for an unknown number of targets with different priorities at unknown locations. For the cooperative cases, communications are allowed between the munitions to help locate, identify, and decide to pursue an attack on a target or to continue searching the rest of the battlefield. For non cooperative cases, munitions independently search, detect, identify and decide to attack an identified target or continue to search. Performance of the cooperative munitions depends on numerous parameters …

Go to article

Using Future Value Analysis To Select An Optimal Portfolio Of Force Protection Initiatives, Robert P. Eskridge Mar 2003

Using Future Value Analysis To Select An Optimal Portfolio Of Force Protection Initiatives, Robert P. Eskridge

Theses and Dissertations

With the recent increase in terrorist activity, force protection has become a key issue for the Department of Defense, Leading the research for new ideas and concepts in force protection for the US Air Force is the Air Force Force Protection Battlelab (FPB). The FPB is charged with searching out force protection ideas and selecting those most worthy for future consideration. In 2002, a Value-Focused Thinking (VFT) hierarchy was created to help the FPB select those ideas that provided the most value to the Air Force and its force protection goals. This research effort uses the Future Value Analysis (FVA) …

Go to article

Long Term Implementation Of A 100 Percent Checked Baggage Screening System: A Value Focused Thinking Approach, Quincy Meade Mar 2003

Long Term Implementation Of A 100 Percent Checked Baggage Screening System: A Value Focused Thinking Approach, Quincy Meade

Theses and Dissertations

The terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, carried out via aircraft hijackings, clearly demonstrated the massive destruction potential when vulnerabilities in the aviation system are exploited. Airport security measures have since been strengthened and new measures have been set in place. With the passage of the Aviation Transportation and Security Act (ATSA) of 2001 the checked baggage systems at U.S. Airports are now required to screen all checked bags with explosive detection devices. This is a significant increase from the small percentage of bags that were previously screened. The original 2009 deadline was changed to 31 December 2002 and this …

Go to article

Analysis Of Air Force Civil Engineering Strategic Planning, Francis J. Mondo Jr. Mar 2003

Analysis Of Air Force Civil Engineering Strategic Planning, Francis J. Mondo Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Several organizations within the Department of Defense, including the Air Force Civil Engineer, are actively engaged in strategic planning in an effort to create a roadmap for future capabilities and performance. The objective of this research was to analyze the strategic planning process of the Air Force Civil Engineer (CE) as well as the effectiveness of the Civil Engineer Strategic Plan (CESP). The methodology used to complete this analysis was conducted in two distinct phases: 1) process modeling and evaluation, and 2) performance measure evaluation. The first phase compared the CE strategic planning process to a theoretical planning model developed …

Go to article

Hybrid Control Strategies For Rapid, Large Angle Satellite Slew Maneuvers, David B. French Mar 2003

Hybrid Control Strategies For Rapid, Large Angle Satellite Slew Maneuvers, David B. French

Theses and Dissertations

This research investigated hybrid control strategies for rapid satellite pointing. First, a detailed computer simulation model of AFIT's SIMSAT satellite simulator was constructed. Control strategies were developed to enable the system to perform large-angle, 3-axis slewing maneuvers using a combination of both thrusters and reaction wheels. To handle the non-linear model, a State Dependent Riccati Equation controller was programmed and successfully controlled the computer-modeled satellite for any given slewing maneuver. A simpler PD controller was then programmed and demonstrated on the computer simulation of SIMSAT, using a combination of thruster and reaction wheel control inputs for large-angle single axis maneuvers …

Go to article

A Proposed Military Construction Facility Investment Model, Andre R. Dempsey Mar 2003

A Proposed Military Construction Facility Investment Model, Andre R. Dempsey

Theses and Dissertations

The fiscal year (FY) 1999 and FY2000 National Defense Authorization Acts (NDAA) amended Title 10 USC, Section 17, and directed the secretary of defense to report annually on the capability of installations and facilities to provide support to forces in the conduct of their missions. This has come to be known as the Installations' Readiness Report (IRR). The Air Force's IRR links facility sustainment, restoration, and modernization (SRM) requirements, with the impact on the installation's ability to support the mission associated with the particular facility class. The Air Force's centralized military construction (MILCON) program model used to program major facility …

Go to article

Evaluating The Performance Of Multiple Classifier Systems: A Matrix Algebra Representation Of Boolean Fusion Rules, Justin M. Hill Mar 2003

Evaluating The Performance Of Multiple Classifier Systems: A Matrix Algebra Representation Of Boolean Fusion Rules, Justin M. Hill

Theses and Dissertations

Given a finite collection of classifiers one might wish to combine, or fuse, the classifiers in hopes that the multiple classifier system (MCS) will perform better than the individuals. One method of fusing classifiers is to combine their final decision using Boolean rules (e.g., a logical OR, AND, or a majority vote of the classifiers in the system). An established method for evaluating a classifier is measuring some aspect of its Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve, which graphs the trade-off between the conditional probabilities of detection and false alarm. This work presents a unique method of estimating the performance of …

Go to article

Planning Coverage Of Points Of Interest Via Multiple Imaging Surveillance Assets: A Multi-Model Approach, Sarah E. Jackson Mar 2003

Planning Coverage Of Points Of Interest Via Multiple Imaging Surveillance Assets: A Multi-Model Approach, Sarah E. Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

For the United States to maintain information superiority, it is necessary to have a means of allocating intelligence-gathering assets to collect information on particular points of interest. In today's geopolitical environment, however, the number of points of interest is growing rapidly, whereas the number of available assets is not. To aid in maintaining information superiority, this research explores the use of a Multi-Modal Goal Programming Resource Constrained Project Scheduling approach for allocating imaging surveillance assets (land, air, sea, and space) to a set of points of interest for a given time period. The multiple objectives of this formulation are to …

Go to article

An Analysis Of Multiple Layered Networks, Kevin T. Kennedy Mar 2003

An Analysis Of Multiple Layered Networks, Kevin T. Kennedy

Theses and Dissertations

Current infrastructure network models of single functionality do not typically account for the interdependent nature of infrastructure networks. Infrastructure networks are generally modeled individually, as an isolated network or with minimal recognition of interactions. This research develops a methodology to model the individual infrastructure network types while explicitly modeling their interconnected effects. The result is a formulation built with two sets of variables (the original set to model infrastructure characteristics and an additional set representing cuts of interdependent elements). This formulation is decomposed by variable type using Benders Partitioning and solved to optimality using a Benders Partitioning algorithm. Current infrastructure …

Go to article

A Stochastic Model For Joint Reception, Staging, Onward Movement, And Integration (Jrsoi), Nathan P. Sherman Mar 2003

A Stochastic Model For Joint Reception, Staging, Onward Movement, And Integration (Jrsoi), Nathan P. Sherman

Theses and Dissertations

A stochastic model for the performance evaluation of a key phase in the deployment process, namely Joint Reception, Staging, Onward Movement, and Integration (JRSOI) is presented. The process is modeled as an open, multi-class tandem queueing network wherein personnel and various classes of cargo are modeled as the flow entities and the stages of the process constitute individual queueing stations. Single and multiple-class models at both low and high resolutions are presented. No analytical stochastic model of this process currently exists in the literature or in practice. The model provides a quick look at key aggregate performance measures such as …

Go to article

Satisficing Applied To Simulated Soccer, Jay Packard Feb 2003

Satisficing Applied To Simulated Soccer, Jay Packard

Theses and Dissertations

Satisficing was introduced by the economist Herbert Simon to allow for decisions that are "good enough" when there are insufficient computational resources and knowledge to obtain the optimal outcome. Autonomous multi-agent systems often require such decision making because of the complexity and unknown factors present in such an environment. Satisficing has been extended significantly by Wynn Stirling. Through extended satisficing, he has departed from conventional approaches to autonomous multi-agent systems, based as they usually are on the assumption that each participant is motivated exclusively by its own self interest, and will therefore attempt to maximize its benefit, regardless of the …

Go to article

Time Aliasing Methods Of Spectrum Estimation, Jason F. Dahl Feb 2003

Time Aliasing Methods Of Spectrum Estimation, Jason F. Dahl

Theses and Dissertations

Time aliasing methods of spectrum estimation alter the time representation of a signal for the purpose of improving its frequency domain representation. Time aliasing allows characteristics of longer time window functions to be used with shorter DFT length. Windows designed specifically for use with time aliasing have improved properties compared to conventional windows. Many previous uses of time aliasing, including overlap-and-add methods of digital filtering, have focused on the elimination of time aliasing effects in the frequency domain in order to improve the representation of reconstructed signals in the time domain and have not addressed the issues associated with spectrum …

Go to article

Tools And Metrics For Evaluating Modular Product Concepts Based On Strategic Objectives, Matthew Bailey Strong Jan 2003

Tools And Metrics For Evaluating Modular Product Concepts Based On Strategic Objectives, Matthew Bailey Strong

Theses and Dissertations

The design of modular products has recently become the focus of significant research in the area of design theory and methodology. This focus is the result of increased awareness of the potential power of modularity to achieve certain product objectives. However, there continues to be a gap between the results of academic research and industrial application. The refinement, consolidation, and extension of this academic research would help design teams who are charged with developing modular products to use these academic findings in real world, industrial applications. The research presented in this document focuses on developing design tools, based on past …

Go to article

First Prev