Systems Engineering Commons^™

Understanding Transit System Performance Using Avl-Apc Data: An Analytics Platform With Case Studies For The Pittsburgh Region, Xidong Pi, Mark Egge, Jackson Whitmore, Amy Silbermann, Zhen Sean Qian

Journal of Public Transportation

This paper introduces a novel transit data analytics platform for public transit planning, assessing service quality and revealing service problems in high spatiotemporal resolution for public transit systems based on Automatic Passenger Counting (APC) and Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) technologies. The platform offers a systematic way for users and decision makers to understand system performance from many aspects of service quality, including passenger waiting time, stop-skipping frequency, bus bunching level, bus travel time, on-time performance, and bus fullness. The AVL-APC data from September 2012 to March 2016 were archived in a database to support the development of a user-friendly web …

Systems Engineering Analysis For Optimum Selection Protocol For Thermal Expansion Measurement Of A Carbon Fiber Reinforced Composite Tube, Ronald Uchimiya

LMU Theses and Dissertations

A material’s Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) is a valuable physical property, particularly for structural fiber reinforced composites that are routinely used in satellite/aerospace applications. Satellite space structures are routinely designed with a high degree of dimensional and thermal stability. Designing and verifying for near zero CTE performance is a common design requirement. The CTE is routinely a physical property with known values for common materials. However, the strength, stiffness and CTE properties on a multi-ply graphite fiber reinforced laminate composite can be tailored to specific engineering requirements. Because of this, a method of verification (testing) is routinely performed to …

A Framework And Exploration Of A Cybersecurity Education Escape Room, Justin Charles Snyder

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents a review of educational-escape-room literature followed by a design-oriented framework (the Snyder Escape Room Framework or SERF) and demonstrates the potential efficacy of escape-rooms in cybersecurity education. Several authors have proposed frameworks and guidelines for game and educational design regarding escape rooms. This work coalesces some of those ideas into a more substantial and comprehensive framework (SERF) that designers can use when developing educational escape rooms. The Snyder Escape Room Framework provides heuristics for goals and objectives, players, activities, context, trajectory design, and evaluation. Additionally, this work describes and analyzes the novel prototyped BYU GCC escape room …

Sequence-Based Simulation-Optimization Framework With Application To Port Operations At Multimodal Container Terminals, Mariam Aladdin Kotachi

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

It is evident in previous works that operations research and mathematical algorithms can provide optimal or near-optimal solutions, whereas simulation models can aid in predicting and studying the behavior of systems over time and monitor performance under stochastic and uncertain circumstances. Given the intensive computational effort that simulation optimization methods impose, especially for large and complex systems like container terminals, a favorable approach is to reduce the search space to decrease the amount of computation.

A maritime port can consist of multiple terminals with specific functionalities and specialized equipment. A container terminal is one of several facilities in a port …

A Framework For Executable Systems Modeling, Matthew Amissah

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Systems Modeling Language (SysML), like its parent language, the Unified Modeling Language (UML), consists of a number of independently derived model languages (i.e. state charts, activity models etc.) which have been co-opted into a single modeling framework. This, together with the lack of an overarching meta-model that supports uniform semantics across the various diagram types, has resulted in a large unwieldy and informal language schema. Additionally, SysML does not offer a built in framework for managing time and the scheduling of time based events in a simulation.

In response to these challenges, a number of auxiliary standards have been offered …

A Representation Of Tactical And Strategic Precursors Of Supply Network Resilience Using Simulation Based Experiments, Yaneth C. Correa-Martinez

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Modern supply chains are becoming increasingly complex and are exposed to higher levels of risk. Globalization, market uncertainty, mass customization, technological and innovation forces, among other factors, make supply networks more susceptible to disruptions (both those that are man-made and/or ones associated with natural events) that leave suppliers unavailable, shut-down facilities and entail lost capacity.

Whereas several models for disruption management exist, there is a need for operational representations of concepts such as resilience that expand the practitioners’ understanding of the behavior of their supply chains. These representations must include not only specific characteristics of the firm’s supply network but …

Factors Influencing Household Solar Adoption In Santiago, Chile, Jeffrey P. Walters, Jessica Kaminsky, Claudio Huepe

Faculty Publications - Biomedical, Mechanical, and Civil Engineering

In Santiago, Chile, the market conditions are seemingly excellent for the household adoption of photovoltaic (PV) technology, yet the uptake is negligible. To explore this paradox, the authors conducted a Delphi study to solicit the knowledge of a panel of Chilean PV experts. These efforts yielded 26 factors—both motivations and barriers—impacting the diffusion of PV in Santiago. Of the 26, experts were in consensus on the relative importance of 21. The literature suggests that diffusion of PV technologies is influenced by complex technical, economic, and social factors. Similarly, the experts saw influence from financial, environmental, and energy supply (e.g., electrical …

Applications Of Complex Network Analysis In Electric Power Systems, Mahmoud Saleh, Yusef Esa, Ahmed Mohamed

Publications and Research

This paper provides a review of the research conducted on complex network analysis (CNA) in electric power systems. Moreover, a new approach is presented to find optimal locations for microgrids (MGs) in electric distribution systems (EDS) utilizing complex network analysis. The optimal placement in this paper points to the location that will result in enhanced grid resilience, reduced power losses and line loading, better voltage stability, and a supply to critical loads during a blackout. The criteria used to point out the optimal placement of the MGs were predicated on the centrality analysis selected from the complex network theory, the …

Bridge Inspection: Human Performance, Unmanned Aerial Systems And Automation, Sattar Dorafshan, Marc Maguire

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Unmanned aerial systems (UASs) have become of considerable private and commercial interest for a variety of jobs and entertainment in the past 10 years. This paper is a literature review of the state of practice for the United States bridge inspection programs and outlines how automated and unmanned bridge inspections can be made suitable for present and future needs. At its best, current technology limits UAS use to an assistive tool for the inspector to perform a bridge inspection faster, safer, and without traffic closure. The major challenges for UASs are satisfying restrictive Federal Aviation Administration regulations, control issues in …

The Role Of Criticality Of Gene Regulatory Networks On Emergent Properties Of Biological Systems, Hyobin Kim

Graduate Dissertations and Theses

The relationship between criticality of gene regulatory networks (GRNs) and dynamics of GRNs at a single cell level has been vigorously studied. However, the relationship between the criticality of GRNs and properties of multicellular organisms at a higher level has not been fully explored. Here we aim at revealing potential roles of the criticality of GRNs at a multicellular and hierarchical level, using a random Boolean network as a GRN. We perform three studies. Firstly, we propose a GRN-based morphogenetic model, and delve into the role of the criticality of GRNs in morphogenesis at a multicellular level. Secondly, we include …

Dispensing Medical Countermeasures In Public Health Emergencies Via Home Health Agencies And Points Of Distribution, Anna Hudgeons

Industrial Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

A major concern regarding emergency preparedness on the state government level involves the handling and dispensing of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) of medicinal supplies. Each state is required to update and maintain a plan of action for dispensing SNS materials that would effectively provide care to the state’s population in times of distress. This research evaluates a state’s ability to dispense an adequate amount of medicine to her population in a timely manner, specifically after it has been received by the state government. Although simulation modeling has previously been utilized to replicate the dispensing process at pre-designated points of …

Analysis Of Verification And Validation Techniques For Educational Cubesat Programs, Noah Weitz

Master's Theses

Since their creation, CubeSats have become a valuable educational tool for university science and engineering programs. Unfortunately, while aerospace companies invest resources to develop verification and validation methodologies based on larger-scale aerospace projects, university programs tend to focus resources on spacecraft development. This paper looks at two different types of methodologies in an attempt to improve CubeSat reliability: generating software requirements and utilizing system and software architecture modeling. Both the Consortium Requirements Engineering (CoRE) method for software requirements and the Monterey Phoenix modeling language for architecture modeling were tested for usability in the context of PolySat, Cal Poly's CubeSat research …

Demonstrating Set-Based Design Techniques- A Uav Case Study, Colin Small

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Department of Defense (DoD) and Engineered Resilient Systems (ERS) community seek to improve decision making in the Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) process by incorporating resilience and leveraging the capabilities of model-based engineering (MBE) early in the design process. Traditional tradespace exploration utilizing Point-Based Design (PBD) often converges quickly on a solution with subsequent engineering changes to modify the design. However, this process can lead to a suboptimal solution if an incorrect initial solution is chosen. Enabled by MBE, Set-Based Design (SBD) considers sets of all possible solutions and enables down-selecting possibilities to converge on a final solution. Using a …

Convergent Set-Based Design In Integrated Analysis Of Alternatives: Designing Engineered Resilient Systems, Zephan Wright Wade

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents a comprehensive package for understanding and expanding set-based design quantification through the definition and demonstration of Convergent set-based design (SBD). Convergent SBD is a technique developed for the Engineered Resilient Systems program sponsored by the Department of Defense. Convergent SBD contributes a repeatable methodology with the goal of mathematically eliminating inefficient sets. The study of Convergent SBD led to the development of dominance identification criteria equations using comparison of statistical means. The demonstration of Convergent SBD also illustrates the effect of mission resilience in the tradespace and the impact mission resilience has on preference. Finally, Convergent SBD …

Improvement Of Quality Processes- Asset Condition Assessment Tool And Process For Vanderlande Industries, Mariantonia Hoyos Lopez, Tori Shonk

Senior Design Project For Engineers

Vanderlande Industries is the global market leader in the value added logistic process automation for airports, the parcel market, warehouses, and e-commerce. The company’s extensive portfolio of integrated solutions results in fast, reliable and efficient automation technology. The VI Marietta office supports airport sites that have an operational BHS. These sites hire VI to operate and maintain the site. Preventive, corrective, and emergency maintenance is completed on the equipment to maintain operational success. Usually, the U.S. sites that are supported have BHS systems that are old and worn down. It is important for VI to determine the risk of maintaining …

Class A Average Handle Time Standard, Stephanie Lee

Senior Design Project For Engineers

This report provides an analysis and evaluation on the Average Handle Time performed at Class A. The Universal, Shipping, International, Tracking, InfoNotice, Amazon, Field Support Group, and Preferred Customer Associates call types are evaluated in this study. An Average Handle Time Standard is created, while meeting the appropriate sample size, covering multiple site locations, at various times of the day and days of the week, and meeting corporate quality expectations. Methods of cost analysis, Six Sigma, and optimization are utilized in this study. The V-Process Model is used to verify the system. The implementation and results served as the verification …

Carlex Glass Laminated Side Glass Process Optimization, Jake Massingill, Marshal Turner

Senior Design Project For Engineers

The intent of this project is to determine how many racks of glass should be inserted into the autoclave at a given time in order to maximize productivity of the Laminated Side Glass line. Based on this value, the total number of workers necessary at finishing and the cycle time of the bag furnace were determined. This was achieved by building a model of the line in Arena and analyzing it. The model demonstrated that twelve is the optimal number of racks to insert at a given time, only one team of two workers is necessary per shift, and that …

Atlanta (Kennesaw) Ereturn Project, Shannon Ard, Trisha Donnelly-Nelson, Scott Michael

Senior Design Project For Engineers

The Siemens Energy, Inc. Tool and Instrument Facility is an internal tool rental center that assembles tool kits and ships them to power generation sites. When miscellaneous, broken or extra tools are returned, they are sent to the eReturn area, where tools are processed and reentered into inventory. The current eReturn system is long and complex. The cluttered area causes tools to remain in eReturn for extended periods before being reentered into the inventory. The additional time causes unnecessary ordering and prevents tools from being used in more kits. The team's objective is to determine a solution that will allow …

Atlanta Traffic Optimization Final Design Review, Biram Nicol, Vick Abwavo, Brandon Harris

Senior Design Project For Engineers

To solve the Metro-Atlanta traffic problem, we have embarked in numerous efforts to find feasible goals that had worked in other states with similar situations. In dealing with the traffic problem around the Metro area, we have designed a rail system to counter if our proposed idea of eliminating trucks within the Metro area is realized. This will be a more cost-effective area as the rail system is set to pay for itself after a decade and half of operation.

This idea might be considered radical, but our findings showed that 39.50% of freight is transferred by rail according to …

Grady Health Systems Linen Optimization, Kyleia Hutton, Samira Abdi

Senior Design Project For Engineers

Grady Memorial Hospital, under Grady Health Systems (GHS), is the fifth largest public hospital systems in the United States of America. In the Southeast region, Grady Memorial Hospital is a premier level I trauma institution, that also provides other medical service specialties that accumulate a diverse, and knowledgeable set of medical professionals. Within this report, there are various recommendations that our team has presented based on different scenarios that could be present within the interaction of the linen management department and other departments at Grady Health Systems. These recommendations will aid in determining the best decision that can be made …