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Air Force Institute of Technology

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Generic Satellite Monitoring Expert System, Loretta A. Kelemen Dec 1994

Generic Satellite Monitoring Expert System, Loretta A. Kelemen

Theses and Dissertations

Air Force Satellite Operations is undergoing major changes. Operators no longer receive detailed satellite training, instead they are taught basic fundamentals of satellite operations and expected to control multiple multimillion dollar satellites. The need is clear. An efficient and economical automated system is necessary to assist the satellite operator in his daily tasks of maintaining these DOD priority resources. Satellite intelligent controllers been under R&D since the early 1980s to this need. These systems, however, have focused on the control of one constellation of satellites. In a military striving for efficiency and lower costs, developing a unique intelligent controller for …

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Computer-Aided Breast Cancer Diagnosis, Catherine M. Kocur Dec 1994

Computer-Aided Breast Cancer Diagnosis, Catherine M. Kocur

Theses and Dissertations

This research advances computer-aided breast cancer diagnosis. More than 50 million women over the age of 40 are currently at risk from this disease in the United States. Computer-aided diagnosis is offered as a second opinion to radiologists to aid in decreasing the number of false readings of mammograms. This automated tool is designed to enhance detection and classification. New feature extraction methods are presented that provide increased classification power. Angular second moment, a second-order gray-level histogram statistic, provides baseline accuracy. Two novel extraction methods, eigenmass and wavelets, are introduced to the field. Based on the Karhunen-Loeve Transform, eigenmass features …

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Weighting Scheme For The Space Surveillance Network Automated Tasker, Beth L. Petrick Dec 1994

Weighting Scheme For The Space Surveillance Network Automated Tasker, Beth L. Petrick

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to find the best weighting scheme in the SPADOC 4C Sensor Tasking Prototype. This software, known as the Prototype Tasker, assigns a tasking to each sensor of the Space Surveillance Network. A tasking is a list of objects in which the sensor needs to gather positional data, called observations. One of the inputs to the Prototype Tasker is a user-definable weighting scheme. The goal is to find the weighting scheme that produces the most efficient taskings. This problem was solved using a Simulated Annealing algorithm. The values in the weighting scheme were the variables …

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A Methodology To Assess The Utility Of Future Space Systems, Bruce Rayno Dec 1994

A Methodology To Assess The Utility Of Future Space Systems, Bruce Rayno

Theses and Dissertations

This research identifies the assumptions and simplifications in the SPACECAST 2020 value model and assesses modifications. The model determines and prioritizes future space systems' utility toward controlling and exploiting space. This study shows that the assumption of using an additive utility function is valid. This research shows that the mission areas are mutually utility independent allowing the use of the multiplicative utility function. This research also uses the multilinear function, which requires utility independence implied in mutual utility independence. This study makes modifications to the 98 SPACECAST 2020 measure of merit scoring functions. These scoring functions all used the same …

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A Multi-Attribute-Utility-Theory Model That Minimizes Interview-Data Requirements: A Consolidation Of Space Launch Decisions, Raymond W. Staats Dec 1994

A Multi-Attribute-Utility-Theory Model That Minimizes Interview-Data Requirements: A Consolidation Of Space Launch Decisions, Raymond W. Staats

Theses and Dissertations

This research uses multi-attribute utility theory (MAUT) to define a mathematical representation of a decision maker's utility associated with a satellite system. While developing the survey instrument, we focused on making it simpler to administer, primarily by eliminating the use of lottery questions. These simplifications enabled us to shorten our interview with the decision maker to under two hours for a rather complex model.

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The Junction Characteristics And Current Conduction Mechanisms Of Gainp2 N+P Diodes And Solar Cells, Kitt C. Reinhardt Dec 1994

The Junction Characteristics And Current Conduction Mechanisms Of Gainp2 N+P Diodes And Solar Cells, Kitt C. Reinhardt

Theses and Dissertations

This work involves an investigation of GaInP2 n+p diode and solar cell dark current mechanisms, the defect centers that affect these mechanisms, and the response of dark current and solar cell photovoltaic parameters to I MeV electron irradiation and thermal annealing. Dark current due to carrier diffusion, recombination, and tunneling were identified, and recombination current was found to dominate at the maximum power-point voltage of the GaInP2 solar cells. Carrier recombination was found to occur via defect centers at the perimeter and within the bulk of the junction. Two deep majority-hole trap centers were found at E …

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An Exploration Of Technology Transfer Control: A Case Study Of Wright Laboratory, William K. West Dec 1994

An Exploration Of Technology Transfer Control: A Case Study Of Wright Laboratory, William K. West

Theses and Dissertations

Federal laboratories, system product centers, and military logistics centers are being challenged to leverage national investments in technology beyond their traditional customer base--technology transfer. Participation in domestic technology transfer is growing at an astounding rate. Additionally, the federal government has invested and continues to invest billions of dollars into active defense conversion, dual-use technology, and technology transfer. The objective of this research is to explore how one government laboratory controls its technology transfer process, in both the near and long terms. This research examines the motives for participating in technology transfer. The researcher presents several of the processes that are …

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A Comparison Of Error Categorization Schemes For Use In Software System Safety Programs, Richard Escobedo, Jim Thomas Dec 1994

A Comparison Of Error Categorization Schemes For Use In Software System Safety Programs, Richard Escobedo, Jim Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

Software safety is becoming increasingly important in the development of DoD advanced weapon systems. To make software safer, hazard conditions must be avoided along with the errors that accompany them. The first step in identifying errors is classifying error data. The area of software error classification is not as advanced as other software development areas. The technical literature lacks examples of comprehensive taxonomies that can be applied to various computer software domains and applications. The predominant approach is to organize errors into categories particular to the program currently in work. The typical error scheme is made of narrow categories that …

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Life Cycle Costs Of Alternatives For F-16 Printed Circuit Board Diagnosis Equipment, Kent R. Montgomery, Clifford B. Thorstenson Dec 1994

Life Cycle Costs Of Alternatives For F-16 Printed Circuit Board Diagnosis Equipment, Kent R. Montgomery, Clifford B. Thorstenson

Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzes two alternatives for printed circuit board (PCB) diagnosis for the F-16 depot PCB repair shop from a life cycle cost (LCC) perspective. Alternative 1 assumes the use of the current F-16 automatic test equipment (ATE) while Alternative 2 augments the current ATE with infrared imaging test equipment. Infrared imaging is a developed technology that is currently available to the Air Force in a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) form. Using the Cost Analysis and Strategy Assessment (CASA) Life Cycle Cost (LCC) Model and data from the DL41 database on F-16 PCBs this study determined that over the current expected life …

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A Correlational Study Of The Sei's Capability Maturity Model And Software Development Performance In Dod Contracts, Robert M. Flowe, James B. Thordahl Dec 1994

A Correlational Study Of The Sei's Capability Maturity Model And Software Development Performance In Dod Contracts, Robert M. Flowe, James B. Thordahl

Theses and Dissertations

The Software Engineering Institute's (SEl's) Capability Maturity Model (CMM) is to measure an organization's software development process maturity. The Department of Defense (DoD) has model with the belief that a more mature software development process will result in a more successful software subject. Although there is a growing body of anecdotal evidence supporting this presumed correlation, there is empirical evidence. Thus, the goal of our research was to determine the nature of the correlation, if any, :ware process maturity and software project success, where process maturity is based on a CMM rating and success based on the parameters of cost …

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An Analysis Of The Effectiveness Of Records Management, Dale R. Austin, Peter M. Moseley Dec 1994

An Analysis Of The Effectiveness Of Records Management, Dale R. Austin, Peter M. Moseley

Theses and Dissertations

This research was performed for the dual purpose of defining effectiveness as it applies to the field of records management (RM) and studying the impact of Document Librarian (DL) on the productivity of Air Force records managers. The main thrust of the study was to define effectiveness for RM because no standard existed. The definition was generated through a Delphi process with a group of RM experts and took four rounds to achieve acceptable consensus. The Delphi process evaluated major areas which a RM system must perform. DL is a RM software package developed jointly by Air Force Material Command …

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Evaluation Of An Air Force Information Resources Management (Irm) Overview Course, Joseph L. Cox, Brenda R. Forcht Dec 1994

Evaluation Of An Air Force Information Resources Management (Irm) Overview Course, Joseph L. Cox, Brenda R. Forcht

Theses and Dissertations

The federal government has passed laws and issued directives recognizing that information is a valuable national resource. To help assure that Air Force information managers are capable of implementing policy in support of such laws and directives, the Secretary of the Air Force's Directorate of Information Management (SAF-AAI) directed a team from the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) to design and construct an exportable course to provide an overview of information resources management (IRM) concepts and principles. Such an IRM overview course was completed in the Summer of 1994. The authors evaluated this course quantitatively and qualitatively. During a …

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A Model For Merging Information Systems: A Case Study Of The Air Force Material Command Merger, John A. Ellis, Matthew T. Pirko Dec 1994

A Model For Merging Information Systems: A Case Study Of The Air Force Material Command Merger, John A. Ellis, Matthew T. Pirko

Theses and Dissertations

As the Department of Defense continues to shrink, downsizing and rightsizing are terms that often indicate that changes are inevitable to many military units and organizations, some of these changes result in organizational mergers. One of the critical areas for such mergers lies within getting the information systems of the premerger organizations to work together. This thesis presents a model for merging information systems as part of an organizational merger. The proposed model, synthesized from existing technical and non- technical models and guidelines, addresses five key areas for consideration for a successful information systems merger. Those areas are: (1) Organizational …

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Business Process Re-Engineering Applied To The Air Force Institute Of Technology Office Of The Registrar, Records Management, Connie C. Hutchinson, Alison F. Mccoy Dec 1994

Business Process Re-Engineering Applied To The Air Force Institute Of Technology Office Of The Registrar, Records Management, Connie C. Hutchinson, Alison F. Mccoy

Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzed the processes performed by the Officer Academic Education Repository at the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) methodology was used to define tile existing processes. IDEFO (Integrated Computer Aided Manufacturing Definition Language) and Activity Based Costing techniques were used to map the flow of activities and to determine the costs for handling one education record. The cost for processing one education record averaged approximately $69.95. Under BPR, the functional expert team evaluates the existing processes to determine which processes are value-added and which are non-value added and generate …

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Factors In Human-Computer Interface Design (A Pilot Study), Susan Stewart Dec 1994

Factors In Human-Computer Interface Design (A Pilot Study), Susan Stewart

Theses and Dissertations

The DoD has budgeted over $9.8 billion for 1995 for information technology, yet many government office workers let their existing systems sit idle. This thesis explores why these computers are sitting idle. This researcher's initial hypothesis was that certain features of the human-computer interface can positively or negatively affect efficiency, retention, and satisfaction level of workers. Although some research is being done in this area, interfaces continue to be of poor quality, especially in the DoD, where long procurement cycles, forced purchases, and limited budgets result in out-of-date software. Intuitively most programmers know the human-computer interface impacts on a person's …

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The Role Of The Gso Program In The Space Operations Career Field, Gregory J. Beloyne Dec 1994

The Role Of The Gso Program In The Space Operations Career Field, Gregory J. Beloyne

Theses and Dissertations

The number of Air Force officers graduating from the Air Force Institute of Technology's Graduate of Space Operations master's degree program is declining. Furthermore, the number of advanced academic degree jobs these officers fill within the Space Operations career field has been reduced. These events question the role the GSO program has in the Space operations career field. This research surveys the GSO populations to determine how useful their master's degrees have been in providing the skills and knowledge needed to fill the advanced degree positions. This research also addresses the number of officers entering the GSO program each year. …

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Analysis Of Modal Behavior At Frequency Cross-Over, Robert N. Costa Jr. Nov 1994

Analysis Of Modal Behavior At Frequency Cross-Over, Robert N. Costa Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The existence of the mode crossing condition is detected and analyzed in the Active Control of Space Structures Model 4 (ACOSS4). The condition is studied for its contribution to the inability of previous algorithms to successfully optimize the structure and converge to a feasible solution. A new algorithm is developed to detect and correct for mode crossings. The existence of the mode crossing condition is verified in ACOSS4 and found not to have appreciably affected the solution. The structure is then successfully optimized using new analytic methods based on modal expansion. An unrelated error in the optimization algorithm previously used …

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Design And Implementation Of Tools To Increase User Control And Knowledge Elicitation In A Virtual Battlespace, Jim J. Rohrer Nov 1994

Design And Implementation Of Tools To Increase User Control And Knowledge Elicitation In A Virtual Battlespace, Jim J. Rohrer

Theses and Dissertations

AFIT's Synthetic BattleBridge is an immersive command observatory for viewing large-area activity within a virtual environment. Three basic areas for improvement are addressed: (1) an improved, immersive, user interface, (2) direct control of atmospheric effects, and (3) improved knowledge elicitation by means of remote viewers, a new space scope, and an enhanced RADAR scope. These requirements are analyzed and implemented. Some functionality was lost but the results show a general improvement of environmental control and knowledge elicitation.

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Evaluation Of The Pre-Milestone I Acquisition Logistics Process At The Aeronautical Systems Center, Charleen A. Szczepanski Sep 1994

Evaluation Of The Pre-Milestone I Acquisition Logistics Process At The Aeronautical Systems Center, Charleen A. Szczepanski

Theses and Dissertations

Due to changes in the national security environment, the Department of Defense has revised its approach to acquisition. There will be greater emphasis on research, development, and advanced technologies. The Department of Defense will concentrate on upgrading current systems using rollover of new technologies from development programs that have advanced to a certain point but not into production. The people working in acquisition must hold skills in planning and developing new technologies prior to pre-Milestone 1. A major concern is the training, education, and professional development of the defense acquisition work force. The data contained in this study was generated …

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Exposure Of A Food Crop To Trichloroethylene From A Contaminated Aquifer, Richard G. Baringer Sep 1994

Exposure Of A Food Crop To Trichloroethylene From A Contaminated Aquifer, Richard G. Baringer

Theses and Dissertations

This research developed a methodology for assessment of the exposure of a mature corn crop to trichloroethylene from a contaminated aquifer. The methodology was then applied to the case of Hill AFB to determine the ability of the methodology to provide information about a specific exposure. Current procedures sample for food contamination but do not attempt to predict exposure problems. A review of the potential exposure pathways from the aquifer to the crop was conducted. Based on this review, the exposures due to soil gas and irrigation were modeled. Empirical estimated were used to approximate the expected flux of soil …

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Development Of A Comprehensive Base-Level Environmental Training Program For Total Environmental Compliance, William M. Barrett Jr Sep 1994

Development Of A Comprehensive Base-Level Environmental Training Program For Total Environmental Compliance, William M. Barrett Jr

Theses and Dissertations

The leadership of the Air Force has established a goal of total environmental compliance because it is the right and necessary thing to do. Commitment to this goal can be accomplished through strong leadership, however, achieving this goal can only be accomplished through effective training. The lack of consistent guidance for developing and executing comprehensive base- level environmental training programs has forced bases to develop these training programs by whatever means available to them. This has resulted in a broad variation in the thoroughness of base-level training programs throughout the Air Force. This research effort investigates the relationship between the …

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A Comparative Pharmacokinetic Study Of The Role Of Gender And Developmental Differences In Occupational And Environmental Exposure To Benzene, Elizabeth A. Brown Sep 1994

A Comparative Pharmacokinetic Study Of The Role Of Gender And Developmental Differences In Occupational And Environmental Exposure To Benzene, Elizabeth A. Brown

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is two-fold. First, it shows that physiological differences between men and women result in gender-specific exposures with respect to benzene. Second, it assesses the potential for a lactating woman's occupational and personal benzene exposure to impact a nursing infant's exposure, highlighting the possibility of subjecting an infant to the effects of industrial chemicals via breast feeding. This study employs physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling to investigate the influence of physiological parameters and to evaluate the ability of inhaled benzene to transfer from mother to infant through breastmilk. The models are run through scenarios that simulate …

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Development Of An Analysis Method To Identify The Root Causes Of Finding From The Air Force Environmental Compliance Assessment And Management Program (Ecamp), Frederick B. Cade Sep 1994

Development Of An Analysis Method To Identify The Root Causes Of Finding From The Air Force Environmental Compliance Assessment And Management Program (Ecamp), Frederick B. Cade

Theses and Dissertations

The Air Force is committed to being a national leader in achieving environmental compliance. This commitment is exemplified by the Air Force Chief of Staffs goal of no 'notices of violation.' This goal, however, has proven to be elusive. In the early 1990s, the number of Air Force notices of violation (NOVs) increased by 73%, from 103 to 178. One of the reasons may be findings from the Environmental Compliance Assessment and Management Program (ECAMP) are not being utilized effectively. This research developed an analysis method to identify root causes of ECAMP findings. The model emphasized the use of performance …

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Coherence And Usability Of An Environmental Impact Statement, Jill A. Easterly Sep 1994

Coherence And Usability Of An Environmental Impact Statement, Jill A. Easterly

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research effort was to investigate the application of certain principles of effective communication to improve the comprehension, and ultimately the usability, of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Principles from cohesion theory (an area of research describing effective design) were used to manipulate the design of select sections of two sample EISs. Each sample EIS was altered to manipulate the presence and/or absence of visual and linguistic cohesion. Subjects were required to read select versions from each section of the two sample EISs and answer four short answer questions. The dependent variables were accuracy in answering the …

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Development Of Field Guidance For Assessing Feasibility Of Intrinsic Bioremediation To Restore Petroleum-Contaminated Soils, John T. Enyeart Sep 1994

Development Of Field Guidance For Assessing Feasibility Of Intrinsic Bioremediation To Restore Petroleum-Contaminated Soils, John T. Enyeart

Theses and Dissertations

This research evaluated the process of intrinsic bioremediation, also called natural attenuation, and the parameters that affected it. The goal of this study was to use these intrinsic bioremediation parameters to develop a valid prediction of the cleanup duration using this restoration technology. This analysis was limited to a JP-4 release and focused on the remediation of the BTEX constituents to a cleanup level of 10 ppm total BTEX. The review of intrinsic bioremediation found that the BTEX hydrocarbons can aerobically and anaerobically biodegrade. Of the many factors that affect intrinsic bioremediation, those that most influenced its occurrence were the …

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Decision Support Model To Compare Hazardous Waste Site Remediation Process Alternatives, Christopher E. Findall Sep 1994

Decision Support Model To Compare Hazardous Waste Site Remediation Process Alternatives, Christopher E. Findall

Theses and Dissertations

This research focuses on the development of a decision support model to identify the preferred methods of site characterization and treatment technology identification using the principles of decision analysis theory. The model provides an effective decision making tool to evaluate and compare the feasibility of using alternative methods of completing the RIFS process. Given a specific site remediation project, the users of this model can enter site- specific cost, duration and likelihood values to determine the expected value for various alternative processes. This thesis postulates that the alternative having the highest expected value is considered the preferred alternative. In calculating …

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An Analysis Of Alternative Methods Of Measuring Hazardous Waste Reduction Progress At The Air Force Materiel Command's Air Logistic Centers, Edward C. Finke Sep 1994

An Analysis Of Alternative Methods Of Measuring Hazardous Waste Reduction Progress At The Air Force Materiel Command's Air Logistic Centers, Edward C. Finke

Theses and Dissertations

his study investigated the relationship between aircraft related maintenance activity and the amount of hazardous waste (HW) disposed of by Air Force Materiel Command's (AFMC) Air Logistic Centers (ALC). These ALCS, along with the Aircraft Guidance and Meteorology Center, generate approximately 76 percent of the HW generated by the Air Force. The activity indexing and least squares curve fitting methods were used to predict the amount of HW that would have been disposed of based on the relative level of aircraft related maintenance activity had no pollution prevention efforts been implemented. These predictions were then compared to what historically occurred …

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Application Of A Risk Model To Quantify Relative Risk Of Remedial Actions, Timothy L. Fuller Sep 1994

Application Of A Risk Model To Quantify Relative Risk Of Remedial Actions, Timothy L. Fuller

Theses and Dissertations

To properly manage the Installation Restoration Program (IRP) in the future, Air Force remedial project managers (RPMs) need a metric to assist in the selection of remedial alternatives for the safe and effective clean up of waste contamination sites. If the baseline site risk assessment indicates that it is necessary to remediate a waste contamination site, it is important to the RPM that the selection process for remediation alternatives considers the potential human health and ecological risks associated with the proposed remediation process. In some instances, the risks may be significant when compared to the baseline conditions. The Air Force …

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Experiment In Water Dowsing, David I. Gaisford Sep 1994

Experiment In Water Dowsing, David I. Gaisford

Theses and Dissertations

Dowsing is a folklore process used to locate an unknown, such as the best location for a water well, by the use of a hand-held device. The process is commonly know as water witching, divining, dowsing or radiesthesia. The practice continues despite the lack of a proven scientific basis. This research develops an experiment to test the claims of a dowser. Specific procedures are established and statistical theory is applied to determine if one man can identify which of five water lines has flowing water in it better than a chance operator could achieve. The statistical analysis uses Abraham Wald's …

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Development Of An Analytical Hierarchy Process (Ahp) Model For Siting Of Municipal Solid Waste Facilities, Dimasalang F. Junio Sep 1994

Development Of An Analytical Hierarchy Process (Ahp) Model For Siting Of Municipal Solid Waste Facilities, Dimasalang F. Junio

Theses and Dissertations

Deciding on locations for municipal solid waste facilities is a difficult problem where qualitative criteria compete with quantitative economic and engineering criteria, in an environment that is highly political and emotional. State guidelines often describe different methodologies but fall short in offering a solution or a methodology in arriving at a solution. This study develops a decision modeling procedure, based on the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), that can be used by public sector decision makers to locate and site municipal solid waste facilities. The applicability of the procedure is demonstrated at the City of Springfield, Clark County, Ohio. Research efforts …

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