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Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Rate Setting Analysis: A Statistical Approach To Outlier Analysis In The Rate Setting Process Within The United States Transportation Command, Warren B. Mcgriff Mar 2016

Rate Setting Analysis: A Statistical Approach To Outlier Analysis In The Rate Setting Process Within The United States Transportation Command, Warren B. Mcgriff

Theses and Dissertations

The rate setting process implemented by the USTRANSCOM J8 Program Analysis & Financial Management Directorate (USTC J8 or TCJ8) is of importance, as accurate rates yield proper and equitable recoupment of costs from customers and ensure USTC can achieve an accurate Net Operating Result (NOR) in each given year. This research sought to identify areas in which the current rate setting methodology can be improved. We initially examined the use of six months of historical cost data versus a full year of data to set rates, concluding that there is not a statistically significant difference with respect to their relative …


Using Multiple Objective Decision Analysis To Position Federal Product And Service Codes Within The Kraljic Portfolio Matrix, Robert T. Montgomery Mar 2016

Using Multiple Objective Decision Analysis To Position Federal Product And Service Codes Within The Kraljic Portfolio Matrix, Robert T. Montgomery

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the best efforts of the Federal Government to implement strategic sourcing, recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports highlight major procurement deficiencies and encourage the use of commercial best practices to identify and reap substantial savings. The Kraljic Portfolio Matrix (KPM) is considered the premier tool for purchasing organizations to determine which commercial best practices to utilize for different categories of spend. However, critics of the KPM point to its lack of analytical rigor and the absence of a simplistic quantitative methodology for implementation. The Air Force Installation Contracting Agency (AFICA), the centralized procurement arm for 79 USAF installations worldwide, …


Optimizing Forecasting Methods For Ustranscom Railcar Demands, James M. Park Mar 2016

Optimizing Forecasting Methods For Ustranscom Railcar Demands, James M. Park

Theses and Dissertations

The United States military heavily relies on rail freight operations to meet many of its logistical needs during both peacetime and wartime efforts. As the head organization responsible for managing and overseeing all modes of military transportation, United States Transportation Command depends on timely accurate railcar demand forecasts to drive critical decisions on distribution and placement of railcar assets. However, the intermittent nature of railcar demands based on location and commodity make it a challenging task for forecasters. Furthermore, these “lumpy” demands often come without any obvious trends or seasonality. This study explores the utility of both traditional forecasting methods …


A Model Of Ambient Noise Caused By Wind Flow, Jovan Popovich Mar 2016

A Model Of Ambient Noise Caused By Wind Flow, Jovan Popovich

Theses and Dissertations

The generation of noise caused by wind owing past a human ear is an important yet vastly understudied factor in determining the ambient noise of an environment experienced by a human observer. Sound level measurements were obtained from wind tunnel tests simulating a human experiencing wind ows at various speeds and from various directions. This data set was used in this thesis. This thesis presents a collection of models for predicting wind noise levels across a broad spectrum of frequencies based on wind speed and angle inputs. Graphical approaches are included to characterize the observed data and illustrate the models' …


Sortie Generation Simulation Of A Fighter Squadron, Abdurrahman Sevimli Mar 2016

Sortie Generation Simulation Of A Fighter Squadron, Abdurrahman Sevimli

Theses and Dissertations

The Turkish Air Force utilizes several fighter squadrons to enhance its military capabilities. One of the most critical challenges for these squadrons is generating sorties to meet the currency and demand during both peacetime and wartime. This sortie generation process directly affects the success of both training and operations. In this study, this process is assessed using a discrete event simulation. Air Force decision makers require a simulation tool to conduct “what-if” analysis on how potential changes in the environment affect an F-16 fighter squadron’s sortie generation process. Creating a usable simulation provides decision makers with a flexible tool to …


A Logistic Regression And Markov Chain Model For The Prediction Of Nation-State Violent Conflicts And Transitions, Nicholas Shallcross Mar 2016

A Logistic Regression And Markov Chain Model For The Prediction Of Nation-State Violent Conflicts And Transitions, Nicholas Shallcross

Theses and Dissertations

Using open source data, this research formulates and constructs a suite of statistical models that predict future transitions into and out of violent conflict and forecasts the regional and global incidences of violent conflict over a ten-year time horizon. A total of thirty predictor variables are tested and evaluated for inclusion in twelve conditional logistic regression models, which calculate the probability that a nation will transition from its current conflict state, either In Conflict or Not in Conflict, to a new state in the following year. These probabilities are then used to construct a series of nation-specific Markov chain models …


Determining The Degree Of The Routinization Of Additive Manufacturing In The Air Logistics Complexes, Candis A. Woods Mar 2016

Determining The Degree Of The Routinization Of Additive Manufacturing In The Air Logistics Complexes, Candis A. Woods

Theses and Dissertations

Fiscal constraints have affected the USAF’s spending and sustainment of weapons systems that are being utilized beyond their programmed life cycle; therefore, it is imperative that processes be given the critical eye for improvement, innovative approaches, and/or best practice implementation. The AFSC, part of the AFMC, has embarked on a groundbreaking effort to transform operations and leverage industry best practices, while maintaining focus on warfighter support to create “The AFSC Way.” The AFSC Way is based on a shared leadership model that emphasizes speed, safety, and quality, which gives way to innovative ideas and new technologies in order to achieve …


Increased Capacity Utilizing Aggregation And Consolidation Of Contingency Cargo, Cassidy L. Wilson Mar 2016

Increased Capacity Utilizing Aggregation And Consolidation Of Contingency Cargo, Cassidy L. Wilson

Theses and Dissertations

Maximizing use of limited airlift assets is a common problem during large contingency operations. Requirements often exceed airlift capacity and fiscal constraints driving the need to aggregate conveyance loads both within and across business lines (Unit Line Number (ULN), Special Assignment Airlift Mission (SAAM), and sustainment). Current methods of consolidation are completed by planners at the 618th Air Operations Center. This process is completed by piecing email correspondence and making individual localized decisions which are not always consistent with big picture efficiency. United States Transportation Command requested a study to create standard business rules or a methodology that can benefit …


Application Of Non-Rated Line Officer Attrition Levels And Career Field Stability, Christine L. Zens Mar 2016

Application Of Non-Rated Line Officer Attrition Levels And Career Field Stability, Christine L. Zens

Theses and Dissertations

The Air Force monitors the strength of its active duty officer force and attempts to achieve the difficult challenge of employing a diversity of talent among career specialties and experience levels. This study completes two objectives, predicting future manning levels for 23 career fields, and providing a statistical framework to assess the stability of these fields. The first part of the study applies regression and survival analysis to subpopulations within the active duty Air Force officer corps, and then aggregates them by year to forecast future personnel levels. Four career fields are considered, including Acquisitions (ACQ), Logistics (LOG), Support (SPT), …


Lifecycle Cost Evaluation Of Flexible Facility Designs, Trevor P. Ellis Mar 2016

Lifecycle Cost Evaluation Of Flexible Facility Designs, Trevor P. Ellis

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to ascertain the type of facility design, standard, robust, or flexible, that yields the greatest lower lifecycle costs (LCC) savings to the USAF. To this aim, the researcher constructed a Monte Carlo simulation to determine the LCC for flexible, robust, and standard administrative facility designs for thousands of potential facility lifecycles. The simulation also illustrates the circumstances under which each type of design would result in the lowest LCC. The results of this research will show the USAF the importance of focusing on LCC and designing flexible facilities. Standard and robust designs are the …


Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (Uav) Operators’ Workload Reduction: The Effect Of 3d Audio On Operators’ Workload And Performance During Multi-Aircraft Control, Sungbin Kim Mar 2016

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (Uav) Operators’ Workload Reduction: The Effect Of 3d Audio On Operators’ Workload And Performance During Multi-Aircraft Control, Sungbin Kim

Theses and Dissertations

The importance and number of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) operations are rapidly growing in both military and civilian applications. This growth has produced significant manpower issues, producing a desire that multiple aircraft are controlled by a single operator as opposed to the current model where one aircraft may require multiple operators. A potential issue is the need for an operator to monitor radio traffic for the call signs of multi-aircraft. An investigation of the use of 3D sound was undertaken to investigate whether an automatic parser, which preselected the spatial location of relevant versus irrelevant call signs, could aid UAV …


Application Of System Engineering Leading Indicators To Scrum Agile Projects, Eric M. Shirley Mar 2016

Application Of System Engineering Leading Indicators To Scrum Agile Projects, Eric M. Shirley

Theses and Dissertations

SCRUM Agile metrics and System Engineering Leading Indicators (SE LIs) are measures used to evaluate the effectiveness and performance of a project across its lifecycle. The application of metrics can provide information on both internal resources and external project stakeholder requirements and constraints, showing past changes, trends, and potential future impacts. Both SCRUM Agile and SE LIs are designed to give a systems engineer/project manager insight into development progress allowing for progress to be checked at regular intervals as well as early corrective actions to be taken if necessary. This research applied SE LIs to a SCRUM Agile project to …


Improving System Design Through The Integration Of Human Systems And Systems Engineering Models, Michael E. Watson Mar 2016

Improving System Design Through The Integration Of Human Systems And Systems Engineering Models, Michael E. Watson

Theses and Dissertations

The human is a critical aspect of many systems, but frequently there is a failure to properly account for human capabilities and involvement during system design. This inattention results in systems with higher lifecycle costs, decreased user compatibility, and the potential to produce disastrous consequences. This research presents an approach to integrating the human into system models by using two methods: static and dynamic modeling. The static method uses a user-centered design framework to create system- and human-centered models that deconstruct the system and user into their respective components. These models are integrated to create system models that include relevant …


A Time-Variant Value-Focused Methodology For Supporting Pre-Acquisition, Brian K. Scheller Mar 2016

A Time-Variant Value-Focused Methodology For Supporting Pre-Acquisition, Brian K. Scheller

Theses and Dissertations

Military operations are dynamic in nature, as time-dependent requirements or adversary actions can contribute to differing levels of mission performance among systems. Future military operations commonly use multi-criteria decision analysis techniques that rely on value-focused thinking (VFT) to analyze and ultimately rank alternatives during the Analysis of Alternatives phase of the acquisition process. Traditional VFT approaches are not typically employed with the intention of analyzing time-variant performance of alternatives. In this research, a holistic approach towards integrating fundamental practices such as VFT, systems architecture, and modeling and simulation is used to analyze time-dependent data outputs of an alternative’s performance within …