Other Operations Research, Systems Engineering and Industrial Engineering Commons^™

Rotorcraft Assisted Aircraft Inspection System: Creation And Component Assessment, Adam J. Warren

Theses and Dissertations

Aircraft require frequent inspections to perform their missions safely. Current visual inspection methods are time-consuming and dangerous for inspection personnel, but they are necessary to spot flaws that could endanger the aircraft during flight. This research explores a set of methods for transforming a set of target inspection criteria into camera specifications that will allow a UAS aircraft inspection system to perform inspections on the top skin of an aircraft. Given the minimum distance for the UAS to fly above the aircraft, minimum flaw size to search for on the aircraft, minimum number of pixels to display that flaw size, …

Assessing Military Parking: A Deep Learning Approach To Evaluating Standards And Impacts, Ryan D. Lalonde

Theses and Dissertations

Current United States Department of Defense (DoD) standards require a minimum amount of parking for each building. This requirement defines how much off-street parking to construct. However, the impact of these requirements remains unclear. This study builds upon the emerging field of overhead imagery analytics by directly tying it to parking on military installations. Specifically, this study leverages a pretrained deep learning car detection model, Car Detection – USA, developed by Esri for use within ArcGIS, and couples it with open-access temporal imagery sourced from Google Earth Pro to assess selected parking lots across Area B, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, …

An Introduction Of Adaptive Training Aid Concepts And Its Application To Accelerated Training For Air Battle Managers, John C. Gillispie

Theses and Dissertations

Over the years, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) to enable autonomous systems has undergone transformative shifts in the Department of Defense (DoD), revolutionizing capabilities and strategic approaches. To further optimize these advancements, varying levels of autonomy have been introduced across critical military applications, spanning intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), air battle management, and offensive/defensive air operations. As the technological landscape expands, so do the opportunities for autonomy to augment operations through human-agent teaming. Within the Air Force, one notably cognitively demanding role that stands to benefit from these strides is that of the Air Battle Manager (ABM). In support of …

An Analysis Of Usaf Policy Implementation For Building Information Modeling, Evan J. Ward

Theses and Dissertations

The development of Building Information Modeling (BIM) has strongly influenced the architecture, engineering, and construction communities as a path towards effective and efficient asset management. Although BIM is a standard practice in the private sector, the United States Air Force (USAF) does not mirror its civilian counterparts when it comes to BIM use. USAF BIM is limited in its use and does not extend beyond the design and construction phases of the construction life cycle. This research used a detailed querying process to analyze foundational policy documents and determine specific USAF building information requirements. After categorizing the list of requirements …

Cloud One Migration Schedule Drivers And Schedule Growth, Ryan J. Jansen

Theses and Dissertations

Cloud One, chartered in 2017 under the guidance of Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) leadership, continues to serve as the USAF’s leading cloud services and hosting platform by providing secure computing environments, application migration assistance, and data management. Prior research has yielded qualitative insights regarding Cloud One’s personnel requirements, application of technical performance, requirements fulfillment, security risks, and various other cost metrics, but schedule improvement recommendations based on the quantitative analysis of migration schedule data has yet to be provided. This research identifies trends within migration sprint schedules and completed schedule data for Cloud One’s completed application migrations. …

3- And 6-Degree-Of-Freedom Investigation Of Aerobraking To Support Cislunar And Planetary Operations, Erica C. Higginbotham

Theses and Dissertations

The first aerobraking experiment occurred in 1991 as part of the Hiten spacecraft’s cislunar survey mission, while the first non-Earth aerobraking experiment occurred in 1993 as part of the Magellan spacecraft’s mission to Venus. Although making only two trans-atmospheric passes to reduce its apogee altitude, the success of Hiten’s experiment led to the implementation of aerobraking by Magellan, reducing its orbit from elliptical to nearly circular over a span of 70 Earth days by leveraging aerodynamic drag to reduce its orbital energy via transiting the upper region of Venus’ atmosphere. The Magellan experiment helped prove the viability of aerobraking for …

A Framework For Dynamic Combat Support Exercises, Sean R. Mccarty

Theses and Dissertations

Future armed conflict will be characterized by the unknown as adversaries innovate and evolve—surprise is inevitable. Current exercises provide inadequate opportunities for combat support forces to develop improvisational skills. This research proposes an extensible framework for human-in-the-loop control of exercises using a graph network for modeling combined with topological analysis and the resource-constrained project scheduling problem. This framework is assessed using the United States Air Force Silver Flag exercise as a case study with promising results.

Environmental Analysis Of Codfish Production And Consumption In Portugal, Ayla Frost, Joana Almeida, Joana Dionisio, Radu Godina, Cátia Magro

Journal of Critical Global Issues

Codfish, a typical dish consumed frequently in Portugal, is fished in the cold Northern Atlantic waters far from the Portuguese coast. Thus, regional tensions and the environmental impacts of Portuguese codfish importation and production are significant current issues. The present study uses a life cycle assessment methodology to evaluate the array of environmental impacts of the production of 1 kg of codfish, following a cradle to gate approach. The life cycle inventory was grouped into catch and preprocessing, transit, and curing stages. The data collection of products and processes in each stage was based on scientific peer reviewed documents, technical …

A Neural Network Model For Monitoring And Forecasting The Process Of Storing Oilseeds, N.A. Kabulov

Chemical Technology, Control and Management

The paper presents the results of research on the control, forecasting and management of the storage process of oilseeds. Vegetable oil production and energy consumption are two important factors of oilseed storage systems. The first ones should meet the needs of the population quantitatively and qualitatively. As a result, in order to properly control these two important aspects, it is necessary to maintain an appropriate microclimatic environment using a computational decision support system (DSS) that is able to adapt to changes in environmental characteristics. The multilayer perceptron neural network (MLP-NN) was developed to simulate the temperature and relative humidity profiles …

Operations Research In Civil And Environmental Engineering, Nicholas Lownes

Open Educational Resource

The purpose of this text is introduce fundamental operations research techniques to the civil and/or environmental engineering student, providing a broad background in linear programming, integer programming and network optimization. The material is presented in such a manner so that the student does not need an extensive background in operations research or or linear algebra. Applications include transportation engineering, project management and general civil and environmental engineering applications.

A Multimodal Physical Fatigue Assessment Method Using A Biomarker And Accelerometer-Embedded Wearable Wristband, Md Hadisur Rahman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Physically demanding tasks pose significant challenges to worker health, safety, and productivity across various industrial sectors in the United States. The construction industry is particularly affected due to the labor-intensive nature of its tasks and harsh environmental conditions. The industry suffers from unsatisfactory occupational health and safety records, with physical fatigue being a major contributor. Physical fatigue not only affects individual well-being and workplace safety but also influences productivity and the United States’ economy. Given the high incidence of injuries and accidents in the construction industry, assessing physical fatigue has become critical for improving worker safety and productivity. To address …

Development Of Dynamic Mass-Energy-Thermodynamics Constrained Hybrid Neural Network Models For Process Systems Applications, Angan Mukherjee

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

First-principles models can provide very good predictions even for cases when there are no data at all, or data are limited in certain range of operating conditions, or for cases where data collection is infeasible. However, the development of accurate first-principles models for complex nonlinear dynamic systems can be time consuming, computationally expensive, and may be infeasible for certain systems due to lack of sufficient knowledge (information). It is also challenging to adapt first-principles models for time-varying systems. Furthermore, it can be difficult, if not impossible, to develop accurate models for some complex phenomena that are poorly understood. On the …

‘I Know It When I See It’– Developing Quality Schedules Considering Subjective Or Unspecified Criteria, Douglas L. Moody

Publications and Research

Most timetabling problems have a given objective function to measure the quality of a solution. However, users may have a “I know it when I see it” recognition of a quality schedule, without specifying the complete basis for their judgment. In this situation, the objective function cannot be exclusively used as a solution quality measurement. This work presents an AI based approach to aid in categorizing the solution’s quality when the users have not explicitly defined all factors used in their criteria.

Efficient Connectivity Management And Path Planning For Iot And Uav Networks, Amirahmad Chapnevis

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores how to better manage resources in mobile networks, especially for enhancing the performance of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV)-supported IoT networks. We explored ways to set up a flexible communication architecture that can handle large IoT deployments by making good use of mobile core network resources like bearers and data paths. We developed strategies that meet the needs of IoT networks and enhance network performance. We also developed and tested a system that combines traffic from several mobile devices that use the same user identity and network resources within the core mobile network. We used everyday smartphones, SIM …

Milk Collection Problem: Integrating The Traveling Salesman And Set Covering Problem - A Case Study In West Virginia, Usa, Md Rabiul Hasan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Route determination for perishable products is complex due to its unique characteristics, such as limited shelf-life regulatory requirements, or possibility of getting damaged. This research investigates a novel problem of collecting raw milk from a rural network of dairy farms. The research problem is grounded in a real scenario of milk collection in West Virginia, USA. The milk in this scenario is produced by small farms incapable of realizing transportation economies of density out in mostly rural areas throughout the state. Maximum coverage area and milk processing overhead costs are used to identify suitable locations for intermediate milk collection centers …

Automation Of Productive Machinery. Bases For An Innovative Business Model, Carlos Guillermo Hernández-Cenzano, Angel Contreras-Cruz, Eduardo Humada-Tello

Engineering and Technology Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Nowadays, some laboratories perform elastic properties tests for concrete or rock cores using equipment manufactured 50 years ago. The original data collection procedure uses analog and manual recordings, which can cause inaccuracies in the measurements taken during these trials The process is tedious and updated since each trial's measurement data is recorded manually. In this context, this study systematizes the process and proposes an automated data acquisition and recording system for this type of equipment, followed by a case study presenting a rock compression test.

An Investigation Into Applications Of Canonical Polyadic Decomposition & Ensemble Learning In Forecasting Thermal Data Streams In Direct Laser Deposition Processes, Jonathan Storey

Theses and Dissertations

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a process of creating objects from 3D model data by adding layers of material. AM technologies present several advantages compared to traditional manufacturing technologies, such as producing less material waste and being capable of producing parts with greater geometric complexity. However, deficiencies in the printing process due to high process uncertainty can affect the microstructural properties of a fabricated part leading to defects. In metal AM, previous studies have linked defects in parts with melt pool temperature fluctuations, with the size of the melt pool and the scan pattern being key factors associated with part defects. …

Imerys: Tube Mill Optimization Project, Ryan Waltman, Dalton Beasley, Dyson Beasley, Tristan Mcmichael

Senior Design Project For Engineers

The Tube Mill Optimization Project is in partnership with Imerys for Tube Mill 81 at their Marble Hill site in Georgia. Tube Mill 81 is a dry ball mill that operates 24/7 and makes an intermediary product for Plant 3. Tube Mill 81 needs quality improvement and a production rate increase to meet demand. Imerys’s quality specification is between a particle size of 12-18 microns and an acceptable production rate of 5 tons per hour. This project focuses on the development and implementation of three solutions: increase the amps on the separator to increase production, replace missing classifier blades in …

Ethical Implications Of Ai-Based Algorithms In Recruiting Processes: A Study Of Civil Rights Violations Under Title Vii And The Americans With Disabilities Act, Vanessa Rodriguez

Cyber Operations and Resilience Program Graduate Projects

This research paper analyzes the ethical implications of utilizing artificial intelligence, specifically AI-based algorithms in business selection and recruiting processes, with a focus on potential violations under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title 1 of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Amazon’s attempt at launching AI recruiting tools is examined. This paper will assess the fairness of AI recruiting practices, considering data collection, potential biases, and accuracy concerns in its implementation process. Additionally, the paper will provide an overview of federal civil rights statutes enforced by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and recent …

An Improved Saliency Map With Trustworthiness For Localizing Abnormalities In Medical Imaging, Nolan C. Skelly

Theses and Dissertations

Saliency maps are a widely used methodology to make deep learning models more interpretable. They provide post-hoc explanations through identification of the most pertinent areas of an input medical image. These techniques have been assessed based on 1) localization utility, 2) sensitivity to model weight randomization, 3) repeatability, and 4) reproducibility. Ten saliency map techniques will be tested, Grad, Smooth Grad, Integrated Gradients, Smooth Integrated Gradients, XRAI, Grad-CAM, Guided Backpropagation, Guided GradCAM, GradCAM++, and ScoreCAM. The neural networks used to predict and read medical information require a reliable solution to provide medical practitioners intelligible results. Using the information of two, …

Ambient Air Emission Profiles Of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Around A Typical University Power House In Nigeria, Oyetunji Okedere

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

The level of electricity generation in Nigeria is presently grossly inadequate. Consequently, the productive sectors of the economy do not presently enjoy an uninterrupted supply of electrical energy from the country’s national grid and the downtime is in most cases too much. Using diesel-fueled electric power generators has become an attractive alternative to meet the shortfall in the energy supply gap. In this study, the levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the vicinity of the diesel-fueled electric power generators operated by Osun State University, Osogbo, Nigeria were investigated with a view to ascertain the priority levels and carcinogenic PAHs. Since …

A Behavioral Epidemic Model: A Simulation And Empirical Analysis, Ann Osi, Navid Ghaffarzadegan

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

Software Maintenance: Planning A Server Upgrade - A Library Perspective, Wilhelmina Randtke, Melissa Jackson

University Libraries: Faculty Presentations

Like many libraries, the Georgia Southern University Libraries (GS Libraries) rely on tools to support library services which are run on in-house servers. The servers are run by main campus Information Technology Services (ITS), and ITS is not familiar with how each piece of software is used and how it is supposed to work. ITS monitors the basic high level server architecture but does not work with the actual applications installed on these servers.

Tools like EZProxy and ILLiad are mission critical and are run in-house. Over the past year, the GS Libraries have formalized an upgrade process for the …

Advances In Quaternion-Valued Neural Networks, Jeremiah P. Bill

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the construction, optimization, and application of quaternion neural networks (QNNs) to Department of Defense (DoD) related problem sets. QNNs are a type of neural network wherein the weights, biases, and input values are all represented as quaternion numbers. This work provides a critical evaluation of the myriad different quaternion backpropagation derivations that exist in the literature, testing the performance of each on a range of regression problem sets. The optimization dynamics of QNNs are explored, presenting visualizations of QNN loss surfaces and a novel method for assessing the “smoothness” of these loss surfaces. Finally, this dissertation presents …

Assessing And Predicting The Students’ Systems Thinking Preference: Multi-Criteria Decision Making And Machine Learning, Siham Tazzit

Theses and Dissertations

The 21st century is marked by a technological revolution that features digital implementation and high interconnectivity between systems across different domains, such as transportation, agriculture, education, and health. Although these technological changes resulted in modern systems capable of easing individuals’ lives, these systems are increasingly complex, and that increased complexity is only expected to continue. The increased system complexity is due to the rapid exchange of information between subsystems, which creates high interconnectivity and interdependence between the subsystems and their elements. Workforce skill sets, as a result, must be modified appropriately to ensure the systems’ success. Systems Thinking is an …

Ai Methods For Identifying Process Defects In Advanced Manufacturing With Rare Labeled Data, Ayantha Umesh Senanayaka Mudiyanselage

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation aims to provide efficient process defect identification methods for advanced manufacturing environments using AI tools/algorithms with limited labeled data availability. Asset and equipment quality become highly sensitive in sustaining virtuous performance and safety in various manufacturing domains. Internally generated process imperfections degrade finished products' optimum performance and mechanical attributes. The evolution of big data and intelligent sensing systems leverage data-driven defect identification in advanced manufacturing environments. Widely adopted data-driven process anomaly detection methods assume that the training (source) and testing (target) data follow the same distribution and that labeled data are available in both source and target domains. …

Variability In Anesthesia And Its Implications For Improving Patient Safety, Joshua Michael Biro

All Dissertations

Improving patient safety in anesthesia has proven to be an arduous and challenging task. Despite the many strategies and interventions to improve patient safety that have been employed, patient harm in anesthesia remains a problem. The struggle to reduce patient harm in anesthesia is both attributable to and representative of the complexity of the anesthesia system. In navigating this complex system, anesthesia providers have different approaches to how they accomplish their work, which results in variability in anesthesia practice. This variability provides an immense challenge to designing and implementing efforts to improve patient safety, as rigid interventions are often met …

The Characteristics Of Successful Military It Projects: A Cross-Country Empirical Study, Helene Berg, Jonathan D. Ritschel

Faculty Publications

In the armed forces, successful digitalization is crucial to ensure effective operations. Much of the existing literature on project factors during the planning and execution phases of public IT projects do not focus specifically on military sector projects. Therefore, the paper aims to provide empirical insights into the characteristics of successful military IT projects. Data from such projects in NATO countries and agencies were collected through interviews and project documents. The findings relating to the main variable of interest, “delivery of client benefit,” supported previous findings on IT project performance. Medium-sized projects performed better than small and large projects, and …

Cost Estimation Trends For Major Defense Acquisition Programs, Sammantha Jones, Edward D. White, Jonathan D. Ritschel, Shawn M. Valentine

Faculty Publications

The authors use both descriptive and inferential techniques to investigate average and standard deviation trends in cost estimates for major defense acquisition programs (MDAPs) grouped into decades from the 1970s to 2010s. For total program-cost-growth factors (CGFs), the 2010s exhibited lower CGFs compared to the 1990s. For the program-acquisition-unit cost (PAUC) CGFs, the 2010s appear lower than the 1990s and borderline lower than the 1970s. A statistically significant decreasing trend in the standard deviations of total program CGFs throughout the decades was identified. This lowering variability trend also appeared for PAUC CGFs from the 1980s onward. This finding appears to …

Resources Based Planning Framework For Infrastructure Maintenance And Rehabilitation Projects, Heba Gad

Theses and Dissertations

Infrastructure maintenance and rehabilitation projects involve activities scattered over a large geographical area (e.g., scattered road segments maintenance, telecom towers maintenance program, etc.). Planning such projects require a resource-based approach that accounts for the implications of resource mobility between activities’ locations in terms of time & cost. Existing scheduling techniques fall short of addressing the unique challenges of the scattered nature of these projects in combination with organization's limited resources availability. To address this need, this research presents a resources-based planning framework for infrastructure maintenance and rehabilitation scattered projects with the objective of enhancing resources utilization achieving time and cost …