Operations Research, Systems Engineering and Industrial Engineering Commons^™

Strategic Planning Tool Development Using Portfolio Decision Analysis, Luis B. Vargas Rojas

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A portfolio decision analysis strategic planning tool was developed for the Facilities Management Office at the University of Arkansas. The tool provides information to support budget allocation decisions based on their Strategic Planning Project List, project attributes (e.g, seat utilization, scheduling preferences, and sustainability rank), and budget constraints. The projects are evaluated using multiobjective decision analysis. We introduce dynamic value functions, which vary the range of the value measures based on the planning horizon, to evaluate the projects). We determine facilities portfolios based on the project values and constraints using Linear Programming. In addition, insightful reports are generated, which provide …

Semi-Automated Glass Mat Splice Operation For Asphalt Shingle Line, Justin Bracci, Harry Zhao, Chad Linafelter

Mechanical Engineering

The following report details the senior project sponsored by GAF Materials Corporation, Shafter, CA in regards to semi-automating a glass-mat splicing table for asphalt roofing shingle production. Herein includes details, research, design, and analysis regarding the semi-automation of the gluing processes for the splicing table. A working prototype was manufactured and tested for the future implementation onto GAF’s production line or further senior project involvement.

Design Of A Mobile Web-Based Dashboard To Improve Work Practices Of Crna Board Runners, Mahesh Sreedharan

All Theses

Traditional artifacts such as whiteboards serve as key tools in helping healthcare professionals keep track of frequently changing information and managing their work schedule. The simplicity of these tools has made them easy to adopt into the work culture and since these artifacts are not usually electronic, they need no external technical support or maintenance. However, these artifacts present unique challenges to their users, the primary one being lack of mobility offered. The whiteboards are usually stationary and the users will have to assemble near them to update or gather information. In a hospital, this adds significant overhead to the …

Characterizing Navigational Tools In A Virtual Search Task, Austin Riggs

All Theses

The goal of this thesis is to characterize and empirically compare navigational tools in the context of a virtual inspection task. The framework considers both directional-cue navigational tools (e.g., GPS navigation arrows) and trail navigational tools (e.g.,footprints) in comparison to a control condition. Characterizing the tools allows for documented relationships between specific navigational tool-performance combinations. It is intended that by characterizing and comparing the tools a more advantageous use of navigational tools will emerge to increase the benefit provided to both the users and implementers of virtual environments. The focus of the metrics in the paper were distance traveled, speed …

Life Cycle Assessment Projection Of Photovoltaic Cells: A Case Study On Energy Demand Of Quantum Wire Based Photovoltaic Technology Research, Shilpi Mukherjee

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With increasing clean-energy demand, photovoltaic (PV) technologies have gained attention as potential long-term alternative to fossil fuel energy. However, PV research and manufacture still utilize fossil fuel-powered grid electricity. With continuous enhancement of solar conversion efficiency, it is imperative to assess whether overall life cycle efficiency is also being enhanced. Many new-material PV technologies are still in their research phase, and life cycle analyses of these technologies have not yet been performed. For best results, grid dependency must be minimized for PV research, and this can be accomplished by an analytical instrument called Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).

LCA is the …

A Strategic Approach To Effectively Manage Supplier Quality Within The Construction Industry, Rufaidah Almaian

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The aim of the research is to determine the best practices for supplier quality management (SQM) in the construction industry that ensure that the supplied materials and equipment for construction projects are within the quality requirements. The research is based on three main objectives. The first objective is to describe and assess the process of assuring supplier quality inside and outside the construction industry. The second objective is to develop a framework for the supplier quality process based on the collection of SQM practices from multiple data sources. The third objective is to assess the SQM practices within the developed …

Security Analysis On Network Systems Based On Some Stochastic Models, Xiaohu Li

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Due to great effort from mathematicians, physicists and computer scientists, network science has attained rapid development during the past decades. However, because of the complexity, most researches in this area are conducted only based upon experiments and simulations, it is critical to do research based on theoretical results so as to gain more insight on how the structure of a network affects the security. This dissertation introduces some stochastic and statistical models on certain networks and uses a k-out-of-n tolerant structure to characterize both logically and physically the behavior of nodes. Based upon these models, we draw several illuminating results …

Methane Production By A Packed-Bed Anaerobic Digester Fed Dairy Barn Flush Water, Sean Richard Thomson

Master's Theses

Packed-bed digesters are an alternative to covered lagoon digesters for methane production and anaerobic treatment of dilute wastewaters such as dairy barn flush water. The physical media of packed-beds retain biofilms, often allowing increased treatment rates. Previous studies have evaluated several types of media for digestion of dilute wastewaters, but cost and media fouling have setback commercial development. A major operational cost has been effluent recirculation pumping.

In the present effort, a novel approach to anaerobic digestion of flush dairy water was developed at pilot-scale: broken walnut shells were used as a low-cost packed-bed medium and effluent recirculation was replaced …

Reliable Design And Operations Of Infrastructure Systems, Yu An

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The reliability issue of the infrastructure systems has become one of the major concerns of the system operators. This dissertation is a collection of four published and working papers that address the specific reliable design and operations problems from three different application settings: transportation/telecommunications network, distribution network, and power plant. In these four projects, key random factors like site disruption and uncertain demand are explicitly considered and proper research tools including stochastic programming, robust optimization, and variants of robust optimization are applied to formulate the problems based on which the important and challenging modelling elements (nonlinear congestion, disruption caused demand …

Comparison Of Individual And Moving Range Chart Combinations To Individual Charts In Terms Of Arl After Designing For A Common “All Ok” Arl, Dewi Rahardja

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

In some process monitoring situations, consecutive measurements are spaced widely apart in time, making monitoring process aim and spread difficult. This study uses three cases to compare the effectiveness of two such monitoring schemes, i.e., the X chart alone (X-only chart) and the Individuals and Moving Range Chart Combination (X/MR chars), in terms of Average Run Length (ARL) after designing for a common “all OK” (in-control) ARL. The study finds that X chart alone is sufficient (and hence, recommended) in detecting changes in all the 3 cases: changes in the process mean, changes in the process standard deviation, and changes …

Vulnerability Assessment And Re-Routing Of Freight Trains Under Disruptions: A Coal Supply Chain Network Application, Ridvan Gedik, Hugh Medal, Chase Rainwater, Edward A. Pohl, Scott J. Mason

Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications

In this paper, we present a two-stage mixed integer programming (MIP) interdiction model in which an interdictor chooses a limited amount of elements to attack first on a given network, and then an operator dispatches trains through the residual network. Our MIP model explicitly incorporates discrete unit flows of trains on the rail network with time-variant capacities. A real coal rail transportation network is used in order to generate scenarios to provide tactical and operational level vulnerability assessment analysis including rerouting decisions, travel and delay costs analysis, and the frequency of interdictions of facilities for the dynamic rail system.

A Decision Support Model For Personalized Cancer Treatment, Florentino Antonio Rico-Fontalvo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This work is motivated by the need of providing patients with a decision support system that facilitates the selection of the most appropriate treatment strategy in cancer treatment. Treatment options are currently subject to predetermined clinical pathways and medical expertise, but generally, do not consider the individual patient characteristics or preferences. Although genomic patient data are available, this information is rarely used in the clinical setting for real-life patient care. In the area of personalized medicine, the advancement in the fundamental understanding of cancer biology and clinical oncology can promote the prevention, detection, and treatment of cancer diseases.

The objectives …

Designing A Sustainable And Transferable Inventory Management System For Small Healthcare Facilities, Shree Frazier

Open Access Theses

Managing the costs of supplies within healthcare facilities has been a task that has plagued the health industry for many years. Many facilities are accustomed to using a par system approach. This involves bringing an inventory item to an amount sufficient for daily operation. This method often requires daily inspection by a healthcare worker, which reduces his/her time spent performing value added tasks. Employees at small healthcare facilities have multiple responsibilities, therefore they cannot afford to spend much time on inventory management. A proposed approach is the Kanban method, which allows for strict monitoring of inventory items without the need …

Wear Characteristics Of Wright State University Total Ankle Replacement Under Shear And Torsion Loads, Tarun Goswami, Dinesh Gundapaneni

Biomedical, Industrial & Human Factors Engineering Faculty Publications

Introduction: Total ankle replacement (TAR) involves replacement of the damaged bone with prosthetic components and is usually performed in patients suffering with arthritis to relieve pain and maintain motion. There are several different factors that contribute to failure of TARs but aseptic loosening is the primary method of failure in total ankle replacements. Because of its superior mechanical properties UHMWPE is used as a liner material in TARs. Wear generated from the liner due to high contact stresses during gait causes osteolysis resulting in early loosening of the prostheses.

Most of the earlier studies have focused on wear due to …

Effect Of Anthropometric Adjustments On Bmd And Bmc Z-Scores In A Population Of Prader-Willi Syndrome Pediatric Patients, Amanda E. Marker, David F. Short, Talia Eldar-Geva, Harry J. Hirsch, Varda Gross-Tsur, Maayan Tiomkin, Ari Zimran, Thomas N. Hangartner

Biomedical, Industrial & Human Factors Engineering Faculty Publications

Two adjustment models were applied to a dataset of bone-mineral density (BMD) and bone-mineral content (BMC) from dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) measurements of pediatric patients with Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS). One model used weight, height and % body fat (WHF) in the calculation of Z-scores in addition to race, sex and age already included in the standard model. As percent body fat is not always available, a second model with only weight and height was also examined (WH).

Application Of Bayesian Networks In Consumer Service Industry, Yuan Gao

Open Access Theses

Gao, Yuan. M.S.I.E., Purdue University. December 2014. Application of Bayesian Networks in Consumer Service Industry. Major professor: Vincent G. Duffy The purpose of the present study is to explore the application of Bayesian networks in the consumer service industry to model causal relationships within complex risk factor structures using aggregate data. An analysis of the Hawaii tourism market was conducted to find out how visitor characteristics affect their behavior and experience as consumers during the trips, and influence the tourism market outcomes represented by measurable factors. Two hypotheses were proposed regarding the use of aggregate data and the influence of …

Designing Sustainable Mentoring Programs: Examining The Role Of Social Community In The Stem College Student Experience, Joi-Lynn Mondisa

Open Access Theses

In order to begin to understand how to design programs that promote community development and produce beneficial outcomes for community members, we must first define the elements and functions of such a community. In this thesis, I define social community as an environment where like-minded individuals engage indynamic, multidirectional interactions that facilitate social support . Using a human-integrated systems approach, I propose a social community model for STEM minority mentoring programs to understand how a community's design plays a role in the learning and enrichment of its members. The social community model is comprised of three main components: program …

Evaluating Intensity As A Controller Function For Nextgen Scenarios With Increased Capacity, Caitlin Anne Surakitbanharn

Open Access Theses

Automated separation assurance is the most mature concept to handle increasing airspace traffic and capacity needs, yet the system lacks a way to pre-emptively identify aircraft separation problems. The intensity control measure looks to find situations where if an aircraft pair makes an unplanned change in heading or altitude at the wrong moment, an unrecoverable situation arises. This research analyzes static, open loop air traffic data in an en-route sector to determine how many high intensity aircraft pairs (HIP) exist per minute, and if the intensity measure is a safely manageable function for air traffic controllers. It is found that …

Dissolution Rate And Mechanism Of Metals In Molten Aluminum Alloy A380, Hengyu Zhu

Open Access Theses

Shot sleeve is a very easily worn out part in a high-pressure die-casting machine due to serious dissolution of the area underneath the pouring hole. It is because during a normal pouring process, the high temperature molten aluminum will impact and dissolve that area of the shot sleeve by complex chemical and physical process. Rotation experiment was carried out to H13 and four kinds of refractory metal samples. SEM and EDS pictures were taken in order to investigate the microstructure and the dissolution mechanism of these materials. This suggests a high strength niobium is an ideal material for that area …

Embodied Interaction With Visualization And Spatial Navigation In Time-Sensitive Scenarios, Yu-Ting Li

Open Access Dissertations

Paraphrasing the theory of embodied cognition, all aspects of our cognition are determined primarily by the contextual information and the means of physical interaction with data and information. In hybrid human-machine systems involving complex decision making, continuously maintaining a high level of attention while employing a deep understanding concerning the task performed as well as its context are essential. Utilizing embodied interaction to interact with machines has the potential to promote thinking and learning according to the theory of embodied cognition proposed by Lakoff. Additionally, the hybrid human-machine system utilizing natural and intuitive communication channels (e.g., gestures, speech, and body …

Acquisition, Retention And Transfer Of Heavy Equipment Operator Skills Through Simulator Training, Chung Yin So

Open Access Dissertations

Initiatives and collaborations among heavy construction equipment manufacturing companies and training technology firms to develop and employ simulators for varied training purposes are becoming commonplace. However, human factors research on simulator training for operators of construction equipment is still sparse. For simulator training to be effective, it is necessary to understand how skills are learned using the simulator, how those skills are transferred to other tasks, devices, and real scenarios, and how well skills are retained after simulator training. ^ This research is on skill development, specifically as it applies to operator training for two specific types of heavy construction …

Emergency Diesel-Electric Generator Set Maintenance And Test Periodicity, Stephen John Fehr

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Manufacturer and industry recommendations vary considerably for maintenance and tests of emergency diesel-electric generator sets supporting critical operations power systems facilities. There is little consistency among sets of similar technology, and manufacturers and their representatives often provide contradictory guidance. As a result, periodicity of emergency diesel-electric generator set maintenance and tests varies considerably in practice. This work proposes and tests a research and analysis framework to develop parametric regression survival models of modern diesel-electric generator sets in emergency standby duty as a function of maintenance periodicity, test periodicity, and other predictors. Within this framework, predictors are developed from common maintenance …

A Control-Chart Based Method For Solder Joint Crack Detection, Jianbiao Pan

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

Many researchers have used different failure criteria in published solder joint reliability studies. Since the reported timeto-failure would be different if different failure criteria were used, it would be difficult to compare the reported reliability life of solder joints from one study to another. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of failure criteria on the reported thermal fatigue life and determine which failure criterion could detect failure sooner. First, the application of the control-chart-based method in a thermal cycling reliability study is described. The reported time-to-failure data were then compared based on four different failure criteria: …

Dynamic Surgical Tool Tracking And Delivery System Using Baxter Robot, Sthitapragyan Parida, Juan Pablo Wachs, Maria Eugenia Cabrera

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Several hospitals face nurse staffing shortages for surgeries. This research focuses on building a system with Baxter robot capable of identifying surgical tools using computer vision and delivering them to the surgeon on demand. This would deal with the issue of nurse unavailability during simple surgical procedures. The key aspects of the project were: testing the accuracies of various Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) in classifying surgical instruments, and programming Baxter to implement a surgical tool delivery system using magnets at the tip of its 7-DOF robotic arms. The methodology consisted of, first, implementing algorithms to enable Baxter to do pick …

Local Buckling Behavior Of Round Steel Tubes Subjected To Compressive Loads, Joseph Moore, Ben Fell

STAR Program Research Presentations

This project will investigate the local buckling induced fracture behavior of round steel tubes subjected to axial compressive loads, representative of observed failures in buried pipelines during seismic events. Nine initial tests will be conducted across three lengths of round steel tube: 8”, 12”, and 20”. Another twelve tests will be conducted on the lengths of 12” and 20” to test varying initial compressive force upon the round steel tubes. Three D/t ratios will be considered for each length of round steel tube: 52.6, 78.9, and 121.2. To verify the material properties of the test specimens an ancillary tensile coupon …

Design Of A Sign-Out Process To Improve Surgical Safety, Sumonthip Chompoodang Gmitro

All Theses

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the surgical safety checklist consists of three parts; sign-in, time-out and sign-out. It has been observed that the sign-out process is the least frequently completed. In this study, because of a concern for the risk of adverse events occurring in the OR, the sign-out process used in a local hospital was redesigned as a web-based application embedded on a desktop computer and on a mobile device. Both web-based platforms were tested along with the current sign-out process on a computer. Eighteen circulating nurses in the operating rooms of Greenville Memorial Hospital used each …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of The Global Nuclear Detection Architecture Using Multiple-Objective Decision Analysis, Holly Hilliard

Industrial Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The National Academy of Sciences has recently completed a study of the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture (GNDA) Metrics for the Department of Homeland Security's Domestic Nuclear Detection Office. This research uses the reports strategic framework and notional metrics (and additional information) to develop one overall measure of GNDA effectiveness. The potential benefit of one effectiveness measure would be ability to assess and communicate progress over time to the diverse group of national and international stakeholders and decision makers. This thesis uses the mathematics of multiple objective decision analysis to develop the effectiveness measure. A notional model was developed and it …

Pharmacists' And Patients' Perceptions Of Role Of Pharmacist In Discharge Process, Ravi Teja Vempati

All Theses

The objective of this study was to identify the perceptions of both patients and pharmacists about the pharmacist's role in the hospital discharge process. In order to do this, observations were conducted with the patients and interviews were conducted with both patients and pharmacists. During the interviews, both the patients and pharmacists were asked about the pharmacist's role in the hospital discharge process. The interviews were qualitatively analyzed using the in vivo technique. Four high-level themes emerged from this study: Current role of a pharmacist in the hospital, Ideal role of a pharmacist in the discharge process, Pharmacists' perceptions of …

Disruption Response Support For Inland Waterway Transportation, Jingjing Tong

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Motivated by the critical role of the inland waterways in the United States' transportation system, this dissertation research focuses on pre- and post- disruption response support when the inland waterway navigation system is disrupted by a natural or manmade event. Following a comprehensive literature review, four research contributions are achieved. The first research contribution formulates and solves a cargo prioritization and terminal allocation problem (CPTAP) that minimizes total value loss of the disrupted barge cargoes on the inland waterway transportation system. It is tailored for maritime transportation stakeholders whose disaster response plans seek to mitigate negative economic and societal impacts. …

Large-Scale Solution Approaches For Healthcare And Supply Chain Scheduling, Ridvan Gedik

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research proposes novel solution techniques for two real world problems. We first consider a patient scheduling problem in a proton therapy facility with deterministic patient arrivals. In order to assess the impacts of several operational constraints, we propose single and multi-criteria linear programming models. In addition, we ensure that the strategic patient mix restrictions predetermined by the decision makers are also enforced within the planning horizon. We study the mathematical structures of the single criteria model with strict patient mix restrictions and derive analytical equations for the optimal solutions under several operational restrictions. These efforts lead to a set …