Operations Research, Systems Engineering and Industrial Engineering Commons^™

Application Of An Artificial Neural Network To Predict Graduation Success At The United States Military Academy, Gene Lesinski, Steven Corns, Cihan H. Dagli

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper presents a neural network approach to classify student graduation status based upon selected academic, demographic, and other indicators. A multi-layer feedforward network with backpropagation learning is used as the model framework. The model is trained, tested, and validated using 5100 student samples with data compiled from admissions records and institutional research databases. Nine input variables consist of categorical and numeric data elements including: high school rank, high school quality, standardized test scores, high school faculty assessments, extra-curricular activity score, parent's education status, and time since high school graduation. These inputs and the multi-layer neural network model are used …

Combining Max-Min And Max-Max Approaches For Robust Sos Architecting, Hadi Farhangi, Dincer Konur, Cihan H. Dagli

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A System of Systems (SoS) architecting problem requires creating a selection of systems in order to provide a set of capabilities. SoS architecting finds many applications in military/defense projects. In this paper, we study a multi-objective SoS architecting problem, where the cost of the architecture is minimized while its performance is maximized. The cost of the architecture is the summation of the costs of the systems to be included in the SoS. Similarly, the performance of the architecture is defined as the sum of the performance of the capabilities, where the performance of a capability is the sum of the …

Engineering Cyber Physical Systems: Applying Theory To Practice Preface, Cihan H. Dagli

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Entity Resolution Using Convolutional Neural Network, Ram Deepak Gottapu, Cihan H. Dagli, Bharami Ali

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Entity resolution is an important application in field of data cleaning. Standard approaches like deterministic methods and probabilistic methods are generally used for this purpose. Many new approaches using single layer perceptron, crowdsourcing etc. are developed to improve the efficiency and also to reduce the time of entity resolution. The approaches used for this purpose also depend on the type of dataset, labeled or unlabeled. This paper presents a new method for labeled data which uses single layered convolutional neural network to perform entity resolution. It also describes how crowdsourcing can be used with the output of the convolutional neural …

Evaluating Forecasting Methods By Considering Different Accuracy Measures, Nijat Mehdiyev, David Lee Enke, Peter Fettke, Peter Loos

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Choosing the appropriate forecasting technique to employ is a challenging issue and requires a comprehensive analysis of empirical results. Recent research findings reveal that the performance evaluation of forecasting models depends on the accuracy measures adopted. Some methods indicate superior performance when error based metrics are used, while others perform better when precision values are adopted as accuracy measures. As scholars tend to use a smaller subset of accuracy metrics to assess the performance of forecasting models, there is a need for a concept of multiple accuracy dimensions to assure the robustness of evaluation. Therefore, the main purpose of this …

Genetic Algorithm Optimization Of Sos Meta-Architecture Attributes For Fuzzy Rule Based Assessments, Andrew Renault, Cihan H. Dagli

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The analysis of an acknowledged systems of systems (SoS) meta-architecture requires a preliminary method for potential trade space exploration to ensure compliance to evolving capability requirements. It is important to assess the SoS meta-architecture concept to ensure that it satisfies all stakeholder needs and requirements in the early stages of development. There are numerous linguistic terms called key performance attributes (KPAs) that could be used to assess the different aspects of the architectures capabilities, however, too many KPAs could complicate the assessment. The initial population of suitable KPAs is reduced through non-derivative based optimization employed by a genetic algorithm (GA) …

Multiobjective System Of Systems Architecting With Performance Improvement Funds, Hadi Farhangi, Dincer Konur, Cihan H. Dagli

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A System of Systems architecting problem aims to determine a selection of systems, which are capable of providing a set of desired capabilities. A SoS architect usually has multiple objectives in generating efficient architectures such as minimization of the total cost and maximization the overall performance of the SoS. This study formulates a biobjective SoS architecting problem with these two objectives. Here, we consider that, by allocating funds to the systems, the SoS architect can improve the performance of the capabilities the systems can provide. The resulting architecting problem is a biobjective mixed-integer linear programming model. Specifically, the system selection …

Using Neural Networks To Forecast Volatility For An Asset Allocation Strategy Based On The Target Volatility, Youngmin Kim, David Lee Enke

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The objective of this study is to use artificial neural networks for volatility forecasting to enhance the ability of an asset allocation strategy based on the target volatility. The target volatility level is achieved by dynamically allocating between a risky asset and a risk-free cash position. However, a challenge to data-driven approaches is the limited availability of data since periods of high volatility, such as during financial crises, are relatively rare. To resolve this issue, we apply a stability-oriented approach to compare data for the current period to a past set of data for a period of low volatility, providing …

Shape Analysis Of Traffic Flow Curves Using A Hybrid Computational Analysis, Wasim Irshad Kayani, Shikhar P. Acharya, Ivan G. Guardiola, Donald C. Wunsch, B. Schumacher, Isaac Wagner-Muns

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper highlights and validates the use of shape analysis using Mathematical Morphology tools as a means to develop meaningful clustering of historical data. Furthermore, through clustering more appropriate grouping can be accomplished that can result in the better parameterization or estimation of models. This results in more effective prediction model development. Hence, in an effort to highlight this within the research herein, a Back-Propagation Neural Network is used to validate the classification achieved through the employment of MM tools. Specifically, the Granulometric Size Distribution (GSD) is used to achieve clustering of daily traffic flow patterns based solely on their …

Application Of Neural Network In Shop Floor Quality Control In A Make To Order Business, Rajkamal Kesharwani, Cihan H. Dagli, Zeyi Sun

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A make to order business has to produce the products that are customized to the customer's current need. The customization can be realized by assembling different standard parts with various 'configurations'. The oil field service industry is a typical example where most products produced are cylindrical assemblies made up of standard parts customized in their size, material specifications, coating specifications, and threading suited for the particular load rating and environment. As business cycles go up and down, hiring and firing of personnel is the routine of the day. Thus, it is very hard to keep experienced inspectors due to high …

Work Zone Simulator Analysis: Driver Performance And Acceptance Of Alternate Merge Sign Configurations, Suzanna Long, Ruwen Qin, Dincer Konur, Ming-Chuan Leu, S. Moradpour, S. Wu

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Improving work zone road safety is an issue of great interest due to the high number of crashes observed in work zones. Departments of Transportation (DOTs) use a variety of methods to inform drivers of upcoming work zones. One method used by DOTs is work zone signage configuration. It is necessary to evaluate the efficiency of different configurations, by law, before implementation of new signage designs that deviate from national standards. This research presents a driving simulator based study, funded by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) that evaluates a driver’s response to work zone sign configurations. This study has …

Lean Six Sigma Journey In A Uk Higher Education Institute: Challenges, Projects, And Key Lessons Learned, Jiju Antony, Elizabeth A. Cudney

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Lean Six Sigma is a powerful methodology for achieving process efficiency and effectiveness resulting in enhanced customer satisfaction and improved bottom line results. Although a number of manufacturing and service organizations are utilizing the power of this integrated methodology, Higher Education Institutions have been slow to introduce and develop this process excellence methodology. The purpose of the paper is to critically evaluate Lean Six Sigma as a powerful business improvement methodology for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of Higher Education Institutions. The paper will explore the fundamental challenges and critical success factors encountered with the introduction and development of Lean …

Post-Disaster Supply Chain Interdependent Critical Infrastructure System Restoration: A Review Of Data Necessary And Available For Modeling, Varun Ramachandran, Suzanna Long, Tom Shoberg, Steven Corns, Hector J. Carlo

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The majority of restoration strategies in the wake of large-scale disasters have focused on short-term emergency response solutions. Few consider medium- to long-term restoration strategies to reconnect urban areas to national supply chain interdependent critical infrastructure systems (SCICI). These SCICI promote the effective flow of goods, services, and information vital to the economic vitality of an urban environment. To re-establish the connectivity that has been broken during a disaster between the different SCICI, relationships between these systems must be identified, formulated, and added to a common framework to form a system-level restoration plan. To accomplish this goal, a considerable collection …

Applications Of Simulation And Optimization Techniques In Optimizing Room And Pillar Mining Systems, Angelina Konadu Anani

Doctoral Dissertations

"The goal of this research was to apply simulation and optimization techniques in solving mine design and production sequencing problems in room and pillar mines (R&P). The specific objectives were to: (1) apply Discrete Event Simulation (DES) to determine the optimal width of coal R&P panels under specific mining conditions; (2) investigate if the shuttle car fleet size used to mine a particular panel width is optimal in different segments of the panel; (3) test the hypothesis that binary integer linear programming (BILP) can be used to account for mining risk in R&P long range mine production sequencing; and (4) …

A Domain Independent Method To Assess System Of System Meta-Architectures Using Domain Specific Fuzzy Information, Louis Edward Pape Ii

Doctoral Dissertations

"This research proposes a domain independent method to build and assess systems of systems (SoS) architecture models. A simplified meta-architecture containing each component system's participation and a first order, binary, system-to-system interface is proposed. The method describes how to elicit desired SoS attributes from stakeholders. Measures of the attributes depend on systems' participation and interfaces, that is, on the SoS architecture. The goal is to model a realizable SoS configuration, optimized over multiple attributes. Key attribute measures are combined in a fuzzy inference system to assess an overall fitness measure for any SoS in the meta-architecture. A genetic algorithm is …

A Meta-Architecture Analysis For A Coevolved System-Of-Systems, George Anthony Muller Iv

Masters Theses

"Modern engineered systems are becoming increasingly complex. This is driven in part by an increase in the use of systems-of-systems and network-centric concepts to improve system performance. The growth of systems-of-systems allows stakeholders to achieve improved performance, but also presents new challenges due to increased complexity. These challenges include managing the integration of asynchronously developed systems and assessing SoS performance in uncertain environments.

Many modern systems-of-systems must adapt to operating environment changes to maintain or improve performance. Coevolution is the result of the system and the environment adapting to changes in each other to obtain a performance advantage. The complexity …

Data Analysis For Driving Pattern Identification And Driver's Behavior Modeling In A Freeway Work Zone, Hari Narayanan Vijaya Raghavan Nadathur

Masters Theses

"A variety of methods are used by Departments of Transportation (DOT) for informing drivers about upcoming work zones. One such method is work zone signage configuration. Signage plays an important role in work zones to provide guidance to drivers when conditions on the road vary from normal. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of different configurations, by law, before implementation of new signage designs that deviate from the national standards.

The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) is a compilation of national standards for all traffic control devices, including road markings, highway signs, and traffic signals. In …

Analysis Of Va Sacramento Medical Center Capacity Using Discrete Event Simulation, Tatiana Alejandra Cardona

Masters Theses

"The development of simulation models continues to provide effective solutions to a wide range of problems in healthcare systems. In the research presented within this thesis is the development of a representative and validated discrete event simulation model for the purpose of evaluating additional capacity. The study consists of a detailed exploratory analysis, verification and validation tests of the simulation results, and a thorough design of experiments. The exploratory analysis consisted of developing simulation models that provide similar characteristics found in the data. The design of experiments consisted of generating scenarios of various bed additions in the hospital units of …

Approximation For Single-Channel Multi-Server Queues And Queuing Networks With Generally Distributed Inter-Arrival And Service Times, Carlos Roberto Chaves

Doctoral Dissertations

"This dissertation is divided into two papers. The first paper is related to developing a closed-form approximation for single-channel multiple-server queues with generally distributed inter-arrival and service times, which are often found in numerous settings, e.g., airports and manufacturing systems. Unfortunately, exact models for such systems require distributions for the underlying random variables. Further, data for fitting distributions is sometimes not available, and one only has access to means and variances of the underlying input random variables. Under heavy traffic, excellent approximations already exist for this purpose. In the first paper, a new approximation method for medium traffic is presented. …

Multi-Level Evolutionary Algorithms Resource Allocation Utilizing Model-Based Systems Engineering, Bhanuchander Reddy Poreddy

Doctoral Dissertations

"This research presents an innovative approach to solve the resource allocation problems using Multi-level Evolutionary Algorithms. Evolutionary Algorithms are used to solve resource allocation problems in different domains and their results are then incorporated into a higher level system solution using another Evolutionary Algorithm to solve base camp planning problems currently faced by the U.S. Department of Defense.

Two models are introduced to solve two domain specific models: a logistics model and a power model. The logistic model evaluates routes for logistics vehicles on a daily basis with a goal of reducing fuel usage by delivery trucks. The evaluation includes …