Operational Research Commons^™

Bradley Fighting Vehicle Gunnery: An Analysis Of Engagement Strategies For The M242 25-Mm Automatic Gun, James G. Riley

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis studies various engagement strategies for the Bradley Fighting Vehicle's 25-mm automatic gun firing APDS-T ammunition against a BMP- type target. The Army currently provides only the broadest guidance for the structure of the 25-mm point target engagement which results in the employment of an assortment of strategies throughout the Bradley community. The goal of this research was to determine if a best method exists. Bradley gunnery is a complex set commander/gunner interactions which can be difficult to represent with the analytic models commonly found in the literature. A model, based on the simulation methods used by the US …

A Generalized Simulation Model For A Typical Medical Treatment Facility Obstetrical Unit, Annette M. Stephens

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to develop a decision support tool for users at Air Force Medical Treatment Facility obstetrical (OB) units. The immediate needs of the generalized simulation model contained in this research provide obstetrical wards with the capability to identify unit effectiveness as well as the ability to predict future performance. As a result of this model, decision-makers will now have access to information on system performance as well as insight into the effects of changing conditions. This model was formulated with the flexibility to be adapted to OB wards at regional and local hospitals throughout the …

A Modified Chi-Squared Goodness-Of-Fit Test For The Three-Parameter Gamma Distribution With Unknown Parameters, Thomas J. Sterle

Theses and Dissertations

A modified chi-squared goodness-of-fit test was created for the gamma distribution in the case where all three parameters must be estimated from the sample. Critical values are generated using a Monte Carlo simulation procedure with 5000 repetitions each. Random samples of 8 different sizes were drawn from gamma distributions with shape parameters 1, 1.5, 2., and 2.5. The shape, scale, and location parameters were then estimated from each sample, using an iterative technique combining the maximum likelihood and minimum distance methods, enabling, computation of the chi-squared statistics and critical values. The same process is used to generate random samples, parameter …

Modified Goodness-Of-Fit Tests For The Weibull Distribution, Erol Yucel

Theses and Dissertations

This research will produce a new modified Anderson-Darling and W* goodness of fit statistics for the three parameter Weibull Distribution when all parameters unknown and estimated by Maximum Likelihood-Minimum Distance combination. The critical values for each statistic, sample size and a levels 0. 20, 0.15, 0.10, 0.05 and 0.01 are produced. The Monte Carlo Simulation used 5000 repetitions for sample sizes of 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, and 50 with the Weibull shape equals to 3, scale equals to 4 and location equals to 10. The power study is made for the same sizes as above with the hypothesized …

An Analysis Of The Generalized Lambda Distribution, Robert J. Bergevin

Theses and Dissertations

The Generalized Lambda Distribution (GLD) is a four parameter function that is capable of mimicking the behavior of a wide range of probability density functions (pdfs). Unfortunately, the GLD presently cannot model every possible type of pdf. Since the reasons for this limitation are unknown, this thesis examines several potential problems in an attempt to expand the range of distributions the GLD can mimic. We first present a discussion of the behavior of the algorithm that is used to search for the appropriate GLD parameter values. In particular, we examine the effect of using an unconstrained search to find the …

A New Goodness-Of-Fit Test For The Weibull Distribution Based On Spacings, Mark C. Coppa

Theses and Dissertations

The critical values for a new goodness-of-fit test based on spacings are generated for the Weibull distribution when the shape parameter is known. The critical values are used for testing whether a set of observations follow a Weibull distribution when the scale and location parameters are unknown. A Monte Carlo simulation with 10,000 iterations is used to generate the critical values for sample sizes 5(5)35 at shape parameters k equal to 0.5(0.5)1.5 and for sample sizes 5(5)20 at shape parameters k = 2.0(1.0)4.0. A Monte Carlo power study of the Z* test statistic using 5000 iterations is accomplished using nine …

A Fuzzy Logic Optimal Control Law Solution To The Cmmca Tracking Problem, Randy E. Nelson

Theses and Dissertations

The Air Force uses the C-18 Cruise Missile Mission Control Aircraft (CMMCA) to radar track cruise missiles (CM) during test flights. Because of the complexity of the CM flight profiles, maintaining radar coverage at all times is very difficult. This thesis attempted to apply optimal control theory to construct a simulation providing 100% radar coverage. The simulation was divided into ten second intervals, and fuzzy logic was used at the start of each interval to determine the set point, i.e., that point in space where the CMMCA should be in ten seconds. The set point calculation's fuzzy logic balanced CMMCA …

The Integration Of Tanker Aircraft Into Aslar, John S. Stieven

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze the proposed addition of heavy KC-135 tanker aircraft to the United States Air Force Aircraft Surge Launch and Recovery (ASLAR) instrument approach system. The Air Force Communications Command, which oversees ASLAR operations, will use these results to determine if KC-135 aircraft should be permitted to fly ASLAR approaches. A SIMSCRIPT II.5 animated simulation model was developed to simulate the Runway 26 approach at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base under a variety of wind conditions. This model was expanded to show the feasibility of KC-135s flying ASLAR approaches and to determine proper controller …

An Empirical Evaluation Of Five Circular Error Probable Estimation Techniques And A Method For Improving Them, William L. Tongue

Theses and Dissertations

This study compared five CEP estimation techniques under the assumption that the crossrange and downrange miss distances of the sample data follow a bivariate normal distribution. The analysis determined the sensitivities of these models to changes in sample size, bias, correlation, and ellipticity in terms of three measures of effectiveness: Mean relative error (RE), variance of RE, and mean squared error (MSE) of RE. In general, it was found that sample size was the most significant parameter in determining the best CEP method. Mean RE provided a 'strong' distinction between estimators, while variance and MSE provided 'weak' distinctions between estimators. …

Multidimensional Approach To Implementation Of Continuous Process Improvement Utilizing Small Run Analysis In A Shipyard Environment, Paul Ray Hollandsworth

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Nationally, both public and private shipyards are experiencing a high rework rate (over 40%) in the fabrication of plug connectors used for electronic systems onboard Navy vessels. The shipyard's survival depends on acquiring the elements necessary to maintain a major industry in a position of continuous improvement that produces a better product than their competitors, at less cost, in a safe manner, and on schedule.

This research addresses the complex problem of how to introduce quality control methodologies within a job shop environment that assists in identifying variables that influence the rework rate of plug fabrication process over a four …

Introduction To Intellisim 2.0, Paul Savory

Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

IntelliSIM is a prototype for a new generation of knowledge-based simulation tool that has been developed by the Systems Simulation Laboratory at Arizona State University. This tool is a computer environment that allows non-simulation trained modelers to predict the performance of a manufacturing system for which the necessary data is available. The system provides predictive data on such items as throughput time, queue levels, equipment utilization, reactions to machine failures, etc. With IntelliSIM, the benefits of discrete-event simulation can be exploited without requiring the high level of expertise necessary to successfully conduct a sound simulation study. The approach offered with …

Cultural Transposition: Exploring Meanings Of And Strategies For Cross-Cultural Transfer Of Organizational Practices, Yongming Tang

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The research objective is to study the phenomenon of transferring organizational practices which are conceptualized in one culture to another different culture. The purpose of the study is (1) to understand how cultural values and beliefs are manifested in behavior; (2) to explore how the Western organizational practices are interpreted and assimilated into an organization in an Eastern culture; and (3) to explore strategies for the fit between local cultural orientations and imported organizational practices. A qualitative, interpretive, and reflexive research methodology was developed to conduct this study.

The study was conducted in two phases. The first phase was designed …