Systems Engineering Commons^™

Surveillance Planning Against Smart Insurgents In Complex Terrain, Nabil Lehlou

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study is concerned with finding a way to solve a surveillance system allocation problem based on the need to consider intelligent insurgency that takes place in a complex geographical environment. Although this effort can be generalized to other situations, it is particularly geared towards protecting military outposts in foreign lands. The technological assets that are assumed available include stare-devices, such as tower-cameras and aerostats, as well as manned and unmanned aerial systems. Since acquiring these assets depends on the ability to control and monitor them on the target terrain, their operations on the geo-location of interest ought to be …

An Epistemological Inquiry Into The Incorporation Of Emergency Management Concept In The Homeland Security With A Post-Disaster Security Centric Focus, Mehmet Secilmis

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The historical roots of the Emergency Management concept in the U.S. date back to 19th century. As disasters occurred, policies relating to disaster response have been developed, and many statuary provisions, including several Federal Disaster Relief Acts, conceptually established the framework of Emergency Management. In 1979, with the foundation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), disaster relief efforts were finally institutionalized, and the federal government acknowledged that Emergency Management included mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery activities as abbreviated 'MPRR.'

However, after 2000, the U.S. experienced two milestone events - the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001 and Hurricane Katrina …

An Expert Based Multi Attribute Group Decision Making (Magdm) Model For Portfolio Evaluation: Application On Ground Force Units, Metin Gultekin

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This main objective of this dissertation is to propose an expert based multi attribute group decision making model (MAGDM) for portfolio evaluation and demonstrate it by applying it to evaluate brigade types under different military missions. Specifically, currently used Heavy, Mechanized Infantry, Airborne Infantry, and Stryker brigades are evaluated under a set of possible future military missions. The purpose of the study is to provide a model for decision makers, engaged in a force development process.

This study combined MAGDM and simulation by using expert judgments to create distributions rather than aggregating them into point values. Excel and Monte Carlo …

Evaluating The Effect Of Integrated System Health Management On Mission Effectiveness, Sarah E. Storm

Theses and Dissertations

This research used systems architecture to develop a model that determined the effect of Integrated System Health Management (ISHM) on mission success rates for unmanned aerial systems (UAS). To evaluate this effect, a simulation model was developed and used to analyze the difference between mission success rates for a theoretical UAS with and without ISHM. Design of Experiments analysis techniques were used to map a response surface that modeled the difference between mission success rates calculated for current health management technology and ISHM. Using representative data for a UAS, the analysis determined that the failure distribution parameters, sensor quality (which …

The Use Of Multi-Criteria Evaluation And Network Analysis In The Area Development Planning Process, Peeter E. Pleake-Tamm

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to develop improvements to the area development planning process. These plans are used to improve operations within an installation sub-section by altering the physical layout of facilities. One methodology was developed based on apply network analysis concepts to the generation of alternative facility layouts. A second methodology was developed using multi-criteria evaluation to the selection of evaluated alternative facility layouts. The results of this study are two methodological processes that can be executed at base level requiring minimal additional information. The functional network map, based in network analysis, increases the use of socio-economic data …

Calibration And Extension Of A Discrete Event Operations Simulation Modeling Multiple Un-Manned Aerial Vehicles Controlled By A Single Operator, Jonathan W. Welborn

Theses and Dissertations

This research improved a simulation that models a single operator responsible for multiple UAV rovers. The improvement calibrated the model by increasing the realism of its expected time that the target will be within the field of view of a UAV's camera and how much of that will be observed by an operator that has multiple tasks to perform throughout the mission. The calibration was derived from multiple flight tests, by using a Field of View Algorithm in MATLAB and by visually recording times for loiter loops by hand. It was determined that the target will be within the field …

An Evaluation Of The Organizational Structure Of Air Force Emergency Operations Centers Using Social Network Analysis And Design Structure Matrices, John W. Marshall

Theses and Dissertations

The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 demonstrated that the United States' emergency response capability, while robust, was disorganized in that organizations were not prepared or equipped to coordinate response actions across multiple agencies at a national level. This research investigates whether NIMS and the AFIMS structure is optimal for Air Force emergency managers, or whether, while maintaining NIMS compliance, there is a more effective way for the Air Force to organize its emergency management and response forces. Specifically this research focuses on the organization of the EOC and investigates whether shifting from the current structure of the ESFs to …

Identifying System Patterns To Resolve Challenges In The Test And Evaluation Operation, Daniel K. Mutunga

Theses and Dissertations

This research focuses on identification and description of patterns used in Test and Evaluation (T&E) operations. Patterns are defined as named and well-known problem/solution pairs that can be applied in new contexts, with advice on how to apply it in a novel situations and discussion of its trade-offs, implementations, and variations. They have a well established and used in software engineering, but have only recently been considered for systems engineering. In the Department of Defense (DOD), T&E is required for all acquisitions prior to transitioning into operations. As identified and described in this thesis, each of the patterns fits in …

Applying Hyperspectral Imaging To Heart Rate Estimation For Adaptive Automation, Joshua M. Splawn

Theses and Dissertations

Automation use continues to increase in Air Force systems with the goal of improving operator efficiency and effectiveness. Unfortunately, systems are often complex, potentially imposing increased mental task load on the operator, or placing the operator in a supervisory role where they can become dependent on automation. Adaptive automation is a proposed solution, where automation is triggered when an operator is overloaded, and disabled as the operator is underloaded. Changes in physiological measures have shown promise in triggering automation. Unfortunately heart rate measurement can be obtrusive and impractical in day-to-day operations. This research used the Air Force Multi-Attribute Task Battery …

Using Value-Focused Thinking As An Alternative Means Of Opportunity Assessment For Strategic Sourcing Applications, Andrew R. Myers

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, the Federal Government has attempted to utilize strategic sourcing to reduce acquisitions expenses. Currently accepted best practices for strategic sourcing developed in the private sector fail to account for the diverse and unique set of objectives present in public sector acquisitions. Value Focused Thinking was used to develop a hierarchy of values and objectives for the Air Force Civil Engineer Commodity Council (CECC) strategic sourcing program. This hierarchy represents the full range of program objectives, and was used to develop a value function useful for systematically evaluating service and commodity contract areas for strategic sourcing potential.

An Investigation And Analysis Of The Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex In A Vibration Environment, Daniel J. Uribe

Theses and Dissertations

Forty years of innovations have greatly improved Helmet-Mounted Displays (HMDs) and their integration into military systems. However, a significant issue with HMDs is the effect of vibration and the associated Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex (VOR). When a human’s head is subject to low-frequency vibration, the VOR stabilizes the eye with respect to objects in the external environment. However, this response is inappropriate in HMDs as the display moves with the user’s head and the VOR blurs the image as it is projected on the human retina. Current compensation techniques suggest increasing the size of displayed graphics or text to compensate for the …

Modeling The Impact Of The Payload Alert Communications System (Pacs) On The Accuracy Of Conjunction Analysis, Landon B. Bastow

Theses and Dissertations

The Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) are jointly developing a system known as the Payload Alert Communications System (PACS) whose purpose is to decrease the statistical uncertainty in the location of resident space objects (RSOs). PACS is designed to augment the Joint Space Operations Center's (JSpOC) existing space object tracking capabilities which is expected to increase the accuracy of conjunction estimation. In the current PACS design, a small payload would be attached to certain RSOs prior their launch. It is envisioned that this payload would basically consist of a microcontroller, a Global …

Polyparking, Christopher Blackmer, Michael Suttie

Biomedical Engineering

The purpose of this senior project is to analyze the various options for the implementation of a parking lot information system on the California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo campus. This system would involve three main components: physical counting hardware, a database and analysis organization system, and a user interface for disseminating the gathered information. The project investigates and provides commentary on various available and commonplace systems, and the benefits and drawbacks of these systems. During the course of the project, a flexible database and user-interface was developed in Microsoft Access, which will allow counter output to be gathered …

Rfid Technology Selection And Economic Justification For Healthcare Asset Tracking, Tyler Robert Peabody, Tali Freed

Master's Theses

Although Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and Real-Time Location System (RTLS) technologies for inventory tracking have been growing in popularity, the healthcare industry has been reluctant to adopt these technologies. One of the primary reasons for this lack of enthusiasm has been the risk associated with electromagnetic interference between RFID/RTLS systems and medical equipment functionality. The other reason has been the substantial cost and complexity of implementing RFID/RTLS in healthcare organizations. In this study, we show that there are several ways to safely install RFID/RTLS systems to improve the inventory management processes of hospitals and clinics. We then analyze the inventory …

Efficient Space Dedication To Bus Rapid Transit Or Light Rail Systems, Jacob Tsao, A Pratama

Faculty Publications

Dedicating two lanes and passenger platforms to transit typically requires taking the same space away from general use. This may affect public support. This paper proposes efficient geometric configurations for a two-dedicated-lane BRT or light rail system that requires a minimum amount of right-of-way along a busy commute arterial. In many current busy commute corridors, a significant part of the street median is underused or unused for traffic purposes. The efficiency is achieved ainly by using the street median between a left-turn lane and its counterpart located at the intersection on the other end of the same street section and …

Using Architecture Models To Design Adaptive Socio-Technical Systems, Holly A. H. Handley

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

An architecture framework is used to capture the overall design and structure of a complex system. The Human Viewpoint was developed to augment existing architectural frameworks with additional information relevant to the human component in the system. The Human View models collect and organize social parameters in order to understand the way that humans interact with other elements of the system; the Human View models define the socio-technological boundaries of the system. Analyses performed with the architectural data provide information regarding the congruence, or fit of the human and the system. For example, different key thread analyses identify problematic paths …

Accounting For Errors When Using Systems Approaches, Kevin Macg. Adams, Peggy Hester

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

Complex systems problems require the use of a formal philosophical construct and dictate the use of a rigorous systems approach. A systems approach may utilize one of a variety of proven methods, but in each case it involves the imposition of order that ranges from the philosophical to the procedural. Independent of the construct or rigor used to address the complex systems problem is the opportunity to commit a number of errors as part of a systems approach. This paper will discuss six classifications for problem solving errors that may be experienced during the application of a systems approach as …

Orchestrating Systems Engineering Processes And System Architectures Within Dod: A Discussion Of The Potentials Of Dodaf, Taylor Hughes, Andreas Tolk

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

!e Department of Defense (DoD) is responsible for the development, procurement, introduction, integration, maintenance, upgrading, and retirement of all defense and related support systems. To facilitate this task, enterprise-level system architectures are used to describe capability, operational capability requirements and lower level system architectures are used to describe the functionality of system solutions which are necessary to satisfy those operational capability requirements. To ensure the attainment of the required capability solution on time and under budget, systemengineering processes are mandated to ensure consistency and rigor across all participating organizations. However, even though architecting is necessary to insure that all understand …

Simulation Modeling And Analysis Of Complex Port Operations With Multimodal Transportation, Mariam Kotachi, Ghaith Rabadi, Mohammad F. Obeid

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

World trade has been increasing dramatically in the past two decades, and as a result containers exchange has grown significantly. Accordingly, container terminals are expanding to meet this increase and new container ports have opened. Ports with one or more container terminals are considered complex systems in which many resources, entities and transporters interact to achieve the objective of safely moving containers delivered by ships inland as well as loading containers delivered by trucks and rail onto ships. Ports with multimodal transportation systems are in particular complex as they typically operate with ships arriving to one or more terminals, multiple …

A Theory Of Emergence And Entropy In Systems Of Systems, John J. Johnson Iv, Andreas Tolk, Andres Sousa-Poza

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

Systems of Systems (SOS) meet vital needs in our society by providing capabilities that are not possible by their discrete components or subsystems. Some SOS are engineered to produce predictable results, yet they can still display emergent behavior. These behaviors are often considered negative because they are not a function of the design. However, emergent behavior can also be serendipitous and produce unexpected positive results. The authors formalize a theory of emergence based on entropy. The theory has explanatory value for emergence as an ontological and phenomenological concept in systems of systems. © 2013 The Authors.