Operations Research, Systems Engineering and Industrial Engineering Commons^™

Solving The Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem With Environmental Criteria Based On Real Estimations In Road Transportation: A Case Study, Javier Faulin, Angel Juan, Fernando Lera, Scott Erwin Grasman

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

One of the most important objectives in company logistics is the optimization of goods distribution considering the whole value chain. There are many algorithms to optimize the capacitated vehicle routing problems (CVRP) associated to problems of road transportation. the objective function of those problems usually involves distance, cost, number of vehicles, or profits, among others. in this contribution we also take into account environmental costs. Here, we want to manage environmental costs estimations based on surveys about road transportation crossing rural areas having valuable biological and natural stock. Thus, we develop some variants (AWEC) to traditional heuristic algorithms, such as …

A Collaborative Engineering Manager Training And Certification Program, Benjamin L. Dow, William Daughton

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

As technology has rapidly increased, so has the demand for well-trained engineering managers. the engineering management skills needed to succeed in business and industry continues to evolve and includes both organizing and directing people and projects. the American Society of Engineering Management (ASEM) has developed a training and certification program to help enhance and develop these skills. This paper explores both the ASEM training and certification efforts to date. © 2011 IEEE.

Planned Tournament Selection, Douglas Mccorkle, Daniel Ashlock, Steven Corns, Kenneth Mark Bryden

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Tournament selection is a versatile method of selection and replacement used in evolutionary computation. Normally tournaments are chosen uniformly at random. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of planning tournaments in advance to control information flow within a population being evolved for optimization. Tests are performed on a variety of evolutionary test problems, finding that different planned tournament schemes yield significant differences in performance. the correct type of planned tournament is found to be problem dependent. in addition to a linear-function scheme for planning tournaments, this study also introduces a technique called multi-deme planned tournaments selection which permits simpler cases of …

On The Effects Of Graph Based Evolutionary Algorithms For Training Finite State Classifiers, Steven M. Corns

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This work presents a method for evolving finite state machines for the classification of polymerase chain reaction primers in mice using graph based evolutionary algorithms. using these machine learning tools we can compensate for many lab, organism, and chemical specific factors that can cause these primers to fail. using Finite State Classifiers can help to decrease the number of primers that fail to amplify correctly. for training these classifiers, fifteen different graph based evolutionary algorithms were used in two different experiments to explore the effects of diversity preservation on the development of these classifiers. by controlling the rate at which …

Adaptive Kernel Smoothing Regression Using Vector Quantization, Federico Montesino Pouzols, Amaury Lendasse

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A Method for Performing Kernel Smoothing Regression in an Online Adaptive Manner is Presented. the Approach Proposed is to Apply Kernel Smoothing Regression on an Incremental Estimation of the (Evolving) Probability Distribution of the Incoming Data Stream Rather Than the Sequence of Observations. This is Achieved by Performing Vector Quantization on the Incoming Stream. in Addition, the Kernel Bandwidth is Adapted Online using a Criterion based on the Median Absolute Deviation Estimator Which Can Be Computed Efficiently Online. Thus, Adaptive Kernel Smoothing Regression is Computed on an Evolving Density Estimation. the Method is Fast and Suitable for Modeling Streams of …

Missouri S&T Engineering Management Capstone Senior Design: Lessons Learned And Challenges To Come, Stephen A. Raper

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A more traditional, capstone senior design course was recently added as a requirement for Engineering Management undergraduates in the Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Department at Missouri S&T. The case studies course that had served that purpose was deemed to be insufficient for ABET accreditation purposes by department faculty. The most recent 2008 accreditation visit for the department verified this belief and caused the department to launch the new class earlier than anticipated to prove the class would be taught and that it would meet required standards. Thus, no weaknesses or concerns were noted in this area in the final …

Using Social Networking Game To Teach Operations Research And Management Science Fundamental Concepts, Ivan G. Guardiola, Susan L. Murray, Elizabeth A. Cudney

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper presents our experience using the popular game FarmVille by Zynga® to teach the fundamentals of linear programming and integer programming concepts to undergraduate students in an introductory operations research course. FarmVille is a popular game within the social networking website Facebook®. A month-long contest was introduced amongst the students with the goal to be the best individual farmer by striving to reach high levels of revenue, experience, and aesthetic appeal of their own unique farm. The contest is to demonstrate the concepts of problem formulation, solution methods, multiple and competing objectives, implementation of policy, and reformulation. The students …

Enhancing Undergraduate Engineering Education Of Lean Methods Using Simulation Learning Modules Within A Virtual Environment, Elizabeth A. Cudney, Steven Corns, Jennifer A. Farris, Stephen Gent, Scott Erwin Grasman, Ivan G. Guardiola

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper highlights the use of an integrated user-centered virtual learning environment throughextensible simulation learning modules that is currently being developed to enhance undergraduate curricula to meet the industrial needs for engineers with education in lean. The purpose of the research is to address these expectations by developing learning modules that incorporate lean simulation models into various Engineering Management, Industrial Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering courses at Missouri S&T, Texas Tech, and South Dakota State, respectively. In recent years, increasing global competition, rapidly changing technology, and a deficit of U.S. engineering graduates have intensified the need to produce graduating engineers who …

The Canonical Decomposition Fuzzy Comparative Methodology For Assessing Architectures, Jason P. Dauby, Cihan H. Dagli

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The challenge for system architects is to perform a realistic assessment of an inherently ambiguous system concept. Many existing assessment methods are available, but these are often subjective and unrepeatable. Repeatability, objectivity, and increased fidelity are desired. an architecture assessment methodology capable of achieving these objectives is possible by drawing on the strengths of existing approaches while addressing their collective weaknesses. the proposed methodology is the Canonical Decomposition Fuzzy Comparative approach. the theoretical foundations of this methodology are developed herein and tested through the assessment of three physical architectures for a peer-to-peer wireless network. an extensible modeling framework is established …

Postearthquake Recovery Of A Water Distribution System: Discrete Event Simulation Using Colored Petri Nets, Ronaldo Luna, Nandini Balakrishnan, Cihan H. Dagli

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Planning and preparedness is essential for any resilient infrastructure system. Modeling and simulation give engineers and planners a better understanding of the system and help them make better decisions. the objective of this study is to demonstrate an improved model for the disaster restoration process by using a discrete event simulation approach. the study also aims to help improve the post-earthquake restoration process by simulating restoration curves. in this paper, colored Petri nets are used to model the system and to simulate its behavior. the resource allocation after a rare event such as an earthquake differs from the resource allocation …

Climate-Related Challenges In Long-Term Management Of Säkylän Pyhäjärvi (Sw Finland), Anne Mari Ventelä, Teija Kirkkala, Amaury Lendasse, Marjo Tarvainen, Harri Helminen, Jouko Sarvala

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Säkylän Pyhäjärvi (Sw Finland) is an Example of a Large and Shallow Lake Suffering from Eutrophication. during the Last 20 Years, the Quality and General Usability of Water in Pyhäjärvi Have Shown Considerable Variation Driven by Both a Variety of Human Activities and Climate-Related Factors Such as Wet and Dry Years. the Lake Has Been Thoroughly Studied for Decades and Has Been the Object of Comprehensive Restoration Activities Both in the Catchment and in the Lake Since the 1990s. Large Variety of Water Protection Measures Like Wetlands, Sedimentation Ponds and Filtering Systems Have Been Implemented in the Catchment Area to …

Model Development Of A Virtual Learning Environment To Enhance Lean Education, Akalpit Gadre, Elizabeth Cudney, Steven Corns

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Modern day industry is becoming leaner by the day. This demands engineers with an in-depth understanding of lean philosophies. Current methods for teaching lean include hands-on projects and simulation. However, simulation games available in the market lack simplicity, ability to store the results, and modeling power. the goal of this research is to develop a virtual simulation platform which would enable students to perform various experiments by applying lean concepts. the design addresses these deficiencies through the use of VE-Suite, a virtual engineering software. the design includes user-friendly dialogue boxes, graphical models of machines, performance display gauges, and an editable …

Adaptive Reconfiguration Of Complex System Architecture, Khaled Haris, Cihan H. Dagli

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this paper, an approach for adaptive reconfiguration of architecture of a complex system using computational intelligence techniques is proposed. This paper establishes that the simulated change in the relative importance of rules reflecting the significance of customer's key performance attributes could be used to affect architectural evolution. the proposed approach was demonstrated on a sample system. It was also extended to a general system. the evolving system architecture gave the system an adaptive feature in the sense that it accepted alternative components based on the simulated changes in the environment. Architecture alternatives were generated through genetic algorithms (GA), while …

Sysml Profiling For Handling Army Base Camp Planning, Dustin Nottage, Steven Corns

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Army base camp planning is a complicated process involving many variables and optional facilities. the facilities can also vary in size and resource utilization depending on permanency of the base, local resources, and population on the base. Each level of facility is modeled and placed into a library database. All of these facilities must be distinguishable for planners to come in and export the correct facility based on the mission. the first method involves separating the different levels into packages so just the package could be exported. the issue is not all facilities will fit correctly. the second method is …

Approximate Policy Iteration For Semi-Markov Control Revisited, Abhijit Gosavi

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The semi-Markov decision process can be solved via reinforcement learning without generating its transition model. We briefly review the existing algorithms based on approximate policy iteration (API) for solving this problem for discounted and average reward under the infinite horizon. API techniques have attracted significant interest in the literature recently. We first present and analyze an extension of an existing API algorithm for discounted reward that can handle continuous reward rates. Then, we also consider its average reward counterpart, which requires an updating based on the stochastic shortest path (SSP). We study the convergence properties of the algorithm that does …

Cognition Evolutionary Computation For System-Of-Systems Architecture Development, Feng Yang, Cihan Dagli, Weiping Wang

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The evolving nature of system-of-systems requirements and corresponding architecture, and the complex causal relationship between the architecture of system-of-systems and its emergent behavior make the problem of system-of-systems architecture development a great challenge. as a tentative effort in meeting this special challenge, a new evolutionary computation paradigm- named Cognition Evolutionary Computation(CEC) is proposed, which models the creative cognition process of divergent and convergent thinking, adaptation and innovation, that drives the co-evolution of problem space, knowledge space and solution space. the optimization algorithm for CEC uses causal probabilistic network as the knowledge representation mechanism. a theoretical framework for CEC based system-of-system …

Local Linear Regression For Soft-Sensor Design With Application To An Industrial Deethanizer, Zhanxing Zhu, Francesco Corona, Amaury Lendasse, Roberto Baratti, Jose A. Romagnoli

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Soft-Sensors for Estimating in Real-Time Important Quality Variables Are a Key Technology in Modern Process Industry. the Successful Development of a Soft-Sensor Whose Performance Does Not Deteriorate with Time and Changing Process Characteristics is Troublesome and Only Seldom Achieved in Real-World Setups. the Design of Soft-Sensors based on Local Regression Models is Becoming Popular. Simplicity of Calibration, Ability to Handle Nonlinearities And, Most Importantly, Reduced Maintenance Costs While Retaining the Requested Accuracy Are the Major Assets. in This Paper, We Introduce Several Approaches for Defining an Appropriate Locality Neighborhood and We Propose a Recursive Version of Local Linear Regression for …

Integrated Computational Intelligence And Japanese Candlestick Method For Short-Term Financial Forecasting, Takenori Kamo

Doctoral Dissertations

"This research presents a study of intelligent stock price forecasting systems using interval type-2 fuzzy logic for analyzing Japanese candlestick techniques. Many intelligent financial forecasting models have been developed to predict stock prices, but many of them do not perform well under unstable market conditions. One reason for poor performance is that stock price forecasting is very complex, and many factors are involved in stock price movement. In this environment, two kinds of information exist, including quantitative data, such as actual stock prices, and qualitative data, such as stock traders' opinions and expertise. Japanese candlestick techniques have been proven to …

Architecture Value Mapping: Using Fuzzy Cognitive Maps As A Reasoning Mechanism For Multi-Criteria Conceptual Design Evaluation, Atmika Singh

Doctoral Dissertations

"The conceptual design phase is the most critical phase in the systems engineering life cycle. The design concept chosen during this phase determines the structure and behavior of the system, and consequently, its ability to fulfill its intended function. A good conceptual design is the first step in the development of a successful artifact. However, decision-making during conceptual design is inherently challenging and often unreliable. The conceptual design phase is marked by an ambiguous and imprecise set of requirements, and ill-defined system boundaries. A lack of usable data for design evaluation makes the problem worse. In order to assess a …

Workforce Planning Models For Semiconductor Manufacturing: Assembly-Test Operations, Shrikant Jarugumilli

Doctoral Dissertations

"We present a framework that integrates strategic and operational workforce planning models. Since these models provide decisions for planning horizons with different lengths, the formulation and solution strategy should ensure that the flow of information between these models is both appropriate and consistent.

The single-shift workforce planning problem is formulated as a two-phase goal program. In the first phase, the model allocates the workers to machine groups and identifies the shortage of workers (referred to as gap) followed by the second phase, in which certain constraints are relaxed and the workers are reallocated to the machine groups in order to …

Arguing Security Of Generic Avionic Mission Control Computer System (Mcc) Using Assurance Cases, Bhanuchander Reddy Poreddy, Steven Corns

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

An assurance case is a body of evidence organized into an argument demonstrating that some claim about a system holds, i.e., is assured. Assurance cases are used to comment about system safety, and it serves as a mean to show that the systems acceptably satisfy their safety properties. Assurance cases perform rigorous security analysis on safety-critical complex systems. in this paper, the analysis done is an approach to documenting an assurance case for system security, i.e., a security assurance case. the paper deals with the Assurance cases for Generic Avionic Mission Control Computer system, by constructing tangible claims and investigating …

Design And Analysis Of A Speed-Aware Routing Protocol For Mobile Ad Hoc Networks, Kirthana Akunuri

Masters Theses

"The flexibility of movement for the wireless ad hoc devices, referred to as node mobility, introduces challenges such as dynamic topological changes, increased frequency of route disconnections and high packet loss rate in Mobile Ad hoc Wireless Network (MANET) routing. This research proposes a novel on-demand routing protocol, Speed-Aware Routing Protocol (SARP) to mitigate the effects of high node mobility by reducing the frequency of route disconnections in a MANET. SARP identifies a highly mobile node which forms an unstable link by predicting the link expiration time (LET) for a transmitter and receiver pair. When the nodes have high relative …

Trait Approach To Leadership In Campus Organizations: The Hogan Personality Inventory As A Predictor, Christyn Nicolle Collum

Masters Theses

"The trait approach to leadership has been researched extensively and applied to several fields. This study examined whether or not student leadership in registered student organizations is related to personality traits on the Missouri University of Science and Technology campus from spring semesters 2008, 2009, and 2010. It also explored whether or not traits are related to students joining organizations, during these same semesters. The students' personalities were evaluated using the Hogan Personality Inventory (HPJ), which entering freshmen voluntarily completed. The seven scales of the HPJ are Adjustment, Ambition, Sociability, Interpersonal Sensitivity, Prudence, Inquisitiveness, and Learning Approach. Personality results were …

Risk-Sensitive Preventive Maintenance Policies Using Semivariance, Venkata Manojramam Tirumalasetty

Masters Theses

"Preventive maintenance is an important tool that increases the reliability of the production system by reducing downtime due to failures. In the literature, maintenance and replacement policies for productions systems have been widely studied and modeled. Traditionally preventive maintenance has focused only on minimizing expected costs without considering variability in costs. Cost variability is also commonly known as risk. In a 2003 paper, Chen and Jin used variance of costs as a measure of risk for formulating preventive maintenance policies. The variance criterion that they used ignored the probability of costs exceeding monthly or yearly budgets provided to managers. The …

Managing A Solar Sensor Array Project: Analyzing Insolation & Motivation, Beth A. Yount

Masters Theses

"The renewable power industry is rapidly growing today and is in need of much data to augment the advancement of the field. Photovoltaic technology, while making substantial improvement over the last 60 years, still has some significant hurdles to overcome. When shading, dust, or damaged cells reduce the power output of one panel, the traditional series-parallel configurations make it so every panel in series with that lower current panel, will also have its current lowered; this lowers the overall power output of the array significantly. Advancements in configurations and converters could change this phenomenon and dramatically increase a solar array's …

Quantifying The Carbon Footprint Of Lean Waste, Kristen Donovan Balinski

Masters Theses

"The objective of this paper is to provide a method of quantifying lean wastes in terms of carbon dioxide emissions by using value stream mapping. Lean manufacturing, a process based on waste identification and reduction, is a growing trend in industry and a proven method of lowering costs. The environmental impact of these wastes can be quantified by identifying the metrics associated with them, and using existing reports to convert those metrics into measurements of carbon dioxide. Growing environmental concerns are prompting federal government regulation of greenhouse gas or carbon dioxide emissions, as seen in the American Clean Energy and …

Integration Of Model-Based Systems Engineering And Virtual Engineering Tools For Detailed Design, Akshay Kande

Masters Theses

"Design and development of a system can be viewed as a process of transferring and transforming data using a set of tools that form the system's development environment. Conversion of the systems engineering data into useful information is one of the prime objectives of the tools used in the process. With complex systems, the objective is further augmented with a need to represent the information in an accessible and comprehensible manner. The importance of representation is easily understood in light of the fact that the stakeholder's ability to make prompt and appropriate decisions is directly related to his understanding of …

Creating A Sustainable Transportation Workforce: Identifying Skills, Abilities And Knowledge For Future Transportation Workforce, Sandhya Gopalakrishnan

Masters Theses

"The recruitment and retention of a transportation workforce capable of adapting to the requirements of emerging sustainable technologies is an important concern for engineering managers in transportation. Although there is an increasing demand for transportation professionals to fill positions stemming from retirement or created by innovations in sustainable transportation systems, the supply is decreasing. The objective of this research was to fill the gap between the supply and demand of skilled workforce by presenting a life-cycle framework for recruiting and retaining the transportation workforce as part of succession planning efforts funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Transportation Education Development …

Economic Evaluation Of Sustainable Strategies For The Transportation Sector, Yaqin Lin

Masters Theses

"Sustainable strategies are drawing growing attention as global environmental challenges increase concerns over energy consumption. As one of the most intensive consumers of energy, the transportation sector has a particular need to go green. Implementing alternative energy sources and applying advanced energy efficient technologies are two major approaches to achieve sustainability. Much work thus far used cost-effectiveness as an important criterion for assessing the practicability of sustainable strategies. However, few studies have evaluated such strategies systematically. This thesis has developed a framework of cost-effectiveness analysis to assess sustainability strategies. The framework summarizes the various effects of five representative alternative energy …

Life Expectancy Evaluation And Replacement Schedule Development For Led Traffic Indicators, Casey Robert Noll

Masters Theses

"LED (light-emitting diode) technology is being widely adopted for use in sustainable traffic signal management. However, the useful life and luminosity characteristics have not been sufficiently studied in the field to provide departments of transportation with cost-effective replacement strategies based on the realities for LED indicators. LED indicators fail when their luminous intensity (LI) falls below a pre-specified threshold, posing a danger to traffic. This research details a field study of LED indicators in Missouri and develops a replacement schedule based on key findings. Rates of degradation and subsequently the useful life of each type of LED indicator were calculated …