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Articles 1 - 30 of 112
Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Orthogonal Arrays And Legendre Pairs, Kristopher N. Kilpatrick
Orthogonal Arrays And Legendre Pairs, Kristopher N. Kilpatrick
Theses and Dissertations
Well-designed experiments greatly improve test and evaluation. Efficient experiments reduce the cost and time of running tests while improving the quality of the information obtained. Orthogonal Arrays (OAs) and Hadamard matrices are used as designed experiments to glean as much information as possible about a process with limited resources. However, constructing OAs and Hadamard matrices in general is a very difficult problem. Finding Legendre pairs (LPs) results in the construction of Hadamard matrices. This research studies the classification problem of OAs and the existence problem of LPs. In doing so, it makes two contributions to the discipline. First, it improves …
Statistical Inference On Desirability Function Optimal Points To Evaluate Multi-Objective Response Surfaces, Peter A. Calhoun
Statistical Inference On Desirability Function Optimal Points To Evaluate Multi-Objective Response Surfaces, Peter A. Calhoun
Theses and Dissertations
A shortfall of the Derringer and Suich (1980) desirability function is lack of inferential methods to quantify uncertainty. Most articles for addressing uncertainty usually involve robust methods, providing a point estimate that is less affected by variation. Few articles address confidence intervals or bands but not specifically for the Derringer and Suich method. This research provides two valuable contributions to the field of response surface methodology. The first contribution is evaluating the effect of correlation and plane angles on Derringer and Suich optimal solutions. The second contribution proposes and compares 8 inferential methods--both univariate and multivariate--for creating confidence intervals on …
Analytic Case Study Using Unsupervised Event Detection In Multivariate Time Series Data, Jeremy M. Wightman
Analytic Case Study Using Unsupervised Event Detection In Multivariate Time Series Data, Jeremy M. Wightman
Theses and Dissertations
Analysis of cyber-physical systems (CPS) has emerged as a critical domain for providing US Air Force and Space Force leadership decision advantage in air, space, and cyberspace. Legacy methods have been outpaced by evolving battlespaces and global peer-level challengers. Automation provides one way to decrease the time that analysis currently takes. This thesis presents an event detection automation system (EDAS) which utilizes deep learning models, distance metrics, and static thresholding to detect events. The EDAS automation is evaluated with case study of CPS domain experts in two parts. Part 1 uses the current methods for CPS analysis with a qualitative …
Evaluating A Statistical-Based Assessment Tool For Stratifying Risk Among U.S. Air Force Organizations, Tiffany A. Low
Evaluating A Statistical-Based Assessment Tool For Stratifying Risk Among U.S. Air Force Organizations, Tiffany A. Low
Theses and Dissertations
The Air Force Inspection System is a proponent of utilizing a risk-based sampling strategy (RBSS) for conducting inspections from major command levels down to the unit level. The strategy identifies areas deemed most important or risky by commanders and prioritizes them accordingly for an independent assessment by the Inspector General. While Air Force regulation specifies the need to use a RBSS for inspection, the implementation process is delegated to individual commands and, subsequently, wings. The 23rd Wing, the sponsor for this research, directed us to analyze a RBSS tool highlighted as an example from which to adopt for those units …
Experimental Design On High-Speed Sliding Wear, Irene D. Liew
Experimental Design On High-Speed Sliding Wear, Irene D. Liew
Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this research is to develop, conduct, and analyze an experimental design that characterizes wear rates of various materials sliding at high speeds along AISI 4340 steel. This work is in support of Holloman Air Force Base, which is invested in engineering a more wear-resistant rocket slipper for its high-speed test track. This research uses a design of experiments approach to systematically identify and evaluate potential slipper attributes that mitigate wear according to a heat transfer model. Final findings include recommendations of slipper materials that theoretically perform similar to or better than the baseline Vascomax®C300 maraging steel material. …
Predicting Tf33-Pw-100a Engine Failures Due To Oil Issues Using Survival Analyses, Anna M. Davis
Predicting Tf33-Pw-100a Engine Failures Due To Oil Issues Using Survival Analyses, Anna M. Davis
Theses and Dissertations
In 2007, the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment pushed for the need to transition to a Condition Based Maintenance Plus (CBM ) initiative for weapon systems in the U.S. Department of Defense. The CBM initiative can help increase aircraft availability (AA) for the United States Air Force. There are many reasons where AA can be affected but one such issue is engine availability primarily due to oil issues. Within the CBM perspective, this study examines the risk of a jet engine failure due to an oil issue and attempts to predict an engines time until next …
Comparison Of Lightning Warning Radii Distributions, Michael M. Maestas
Comparison Of Lightning Warning Radii Distributions, Michael M. Maestas
Theses and Dissertations
Previous research investigating lightning warning radii about the Cape Canaveral space launch facilities have focused on reducing these radii from either 5 nautical miles (NM) to 4 NM or from 6 NM to 5 NM depending on the structures being protected. Some of these findings have suggested the possibility of both a seasonal difference (warm versus cold) and lightning detection events (cloud-to-ground lightning (CG) or total lightning (TL)) impacting these radii and associated risk levels. Utilizing the 2017-2020 data provided by the 45th Weather Squadron at Patrick Space Force Base via the Mesoscale Eastern Range Lightning Information System (MERLIN), this …
Examining Failures Of Kc-135s Using Survival Analysis, Vanessa I. R. Unseth
Examining Failures Of Kc-135s Using Survival Analysis, Vanessa I. R. Unseth
Theses and Dissertations
The United States Air Force manages an inventory of 396 KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft. With mission capability rates falling and total non-mission capability supply rates increasing, it is necessary to take a deeper look at recurrent failures. The study applies non-parametric and semi-parametric survival models to a dataset retrieved from LIMS-EV to look at the duration(s) until failure for the KC-135. Results of non-parametric models show cumulative failure rates increase as sorties or flight hours increase. In addition, semi-parametric models or Cox proportional hazards models with frailty confirm that locations or air bases are not associated with recurrent failures.
Simulating Autonomous Cruise Missile Swarm Behaviors In An Anti-Access Area Denial (A2ad) Environment, Kyle W. Goggins
Simulating Autonomous Cruise Missile Swarm Behaviors In An Anti-Access Area Denial (A2ad) Environment, Kyle W. Goggins
Theses and Dissertations
The increasingly sophisticated anti-access area denial (A2AD) threat imposed by the modern integrated air defense system (IADS), coupled with the decreasingly potent advantage provided by high-end stealth platforms, has prompted Air Force senior leaders to invest in radically changing the nature of air power for the year 2030 and beyond. A prominent element of this new vision is weapon swarming, which aims to address this challenge by overwhelming the IADS with huge numbers of low-cost, attritable aerial assets emboldened by autonomous capabilities. This research proposes a framework for classifying the different levels of autonomous capability along three independent dimensions—namely ability …
Characterizing Convolutional Neural Network Early-Learning And Accelerating Non-Adaptive, First-Order Methods With Localized Lagrangian Restricted Memory Level Bundling, Benjamin O. Morris
Characterizing Convolutional Neural Network Early-Learning And Accelerating Non-Adaptive, First-Order Methods With Localized Lagrangian Restricted Memory Level Bundling, Benjamin O. Morris
Theses and Dissertations
This dissertation studies the underlying optimization problem encountered during the early-learning stages of convolutional neural networks and introduces a training algorithm competitive with existing state-of-the-art methods. First, a Design of Experiments method is introduced to systematically measure empirical second-order Lipschitz upper bound and region size estimates for local regions of convolutional neural network loss surfaces experienced during the early-learning stages. This method demonstrates that architecture choices can significantly impact the local loss surfaces traversed during training. Next, a Design of Experiments method is used to study the effects convolutional neural network architecture hyperparameters have on different optimization routines' abilities to …
Wavelet Methods For Very-Short Term Forecasting Of Functional Time Series, Jared K. Nystrom
Wavelet Methods For Very-Short Term Forecasting Of Functional Time Series, Jared K. Nystrom
Theses and Dissertations
Space launch operations at Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (KSC/CCSFS) are complicated by unique requirements for near-real time determination of risk from lightning. Lightning forecast weather sensor networks produce data that are noisy, high volume, and high frequency time series for which traditional forecasting methods are often ill-suited. Current approaches result in significant residual uncertainties and consequentially may result in forecasting operational policies that are excessively conservative or inefficient. This work proposes a new methodology of wavelet-enabled semiparametric modeling to develop accurate and timely forecasts robust against chaotic functional data. Wavelets methods are first used to …
Statistically Defensible Wind Tunnel Models, Timothy A. Roche
Statistically Defensible Wind Tunnel Models, Timothy A. Roche
Theses and Dissertations
Wind tunnels are used to test scale-model air frames in order to collect aerodynamic data. The Subsonic Aerodynamic Research Laboratory (SARL) Wind Tunnel is a low speed wind tunnel located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The SARL Wind Tunnel team approached AFIT for assistance in creating statistically defensible models for the conditions inside the wind tunnel. During a wind tunnel test, pressure sensors cannot be placed at the test model. Instead, pressure is measured by a pitot probe permanently mounted in the corner of the test chamber. The pressure at the model location is predicted from the measurements taken by …
The Wargaming Commodity Course Of Action Automated Analysis Method, William T. Deberry
The Wargaming Commodity Course Of Action Automated Analysis Method, William T. Deberry
Theses and Dissertations
This research presents the Wargaming Commodity Course of Action Automated Analysis Method (WCCAAM), a novel approach to assist wargame commanders in developing and analyzing courses of action (COAs) through semi-automation of the Military Decision Making Process (MDMP). MDMP is a seven-step iterative method that commanders and mission partners follow to build an operational course of action to achieve strategic objectives. MDMP requires time, resources, and coordination – all competing items the commander weighs to make the optimal decision. WCCAAM receives the MDMP's Mission Analysis phase as input, converts the wargame into a directed graph, processes a multi-commodity flow algorithm on …
Optimizing Critical Values And Combining Axes For Multi-Axial Neck Injury Criteria, Ethan J. Gaston
Optimizing Critical Values And Combining Axes For Multi-Axial Neck Injury Criteria, Ethan J. Gaston
Theses and Dissertations
The Air Force employs ejection seats in its high-performance aircraft. While these systems are intended to ensure aircrew safety, the ejection process subjects the aircrew to potentially injurious forces. System validation includes evaluation of forces against a standard which is linked to the probability of injury. The Muti-Axial Neck Injury Criteria (MANIC) was developed to account for forces in all six degrees of freedom. Unfortunately, the MANIC is applied to each of the three linear input directions separately and applies different criterion values for each direction. These three separate criteria create a lack of clarity regarding acceptable neck loading, leading …
An Examination Into Retention Behavior Of Air Force Female Officers, Jessica M. Astudillo
An Examination Into Retention Behavior Of Air Force Female Officers, Jessica M. Astudillo
Theses and Dissertations
Female retention rates in the US military have been considerably lower than that of their male counterparts for numerous years. In the Air Force, women represent 14 percent of officer ranks from O-5 level and above. Comparatively, the overall rate of women officers in service is 20 percent. Understanding the negative factors associated with the attrition rate of this group can help the Air Force leverage positive change. It may also influence adjustments that will increase the number of women serving, and improve diversity throughout both the officer and enlisted ranks. In this study, logistic regression and survival analysis are …
Analysis Of Functional Responses In Experimental Design, Matthew E. Scherer
Analysis Of Functional Responses In Experimental Design, Matthew E. Scherer
Theses and Dissertations
The growth of sensor streamed data in recent years increases the demand for an analytical technique to properly address data measured continuously. The design and analysis of experiments (DOE) of U.S. Air Force assets are based off of sensor streamed data. Functional data analysis (FDA) is an approach of analyzing data existing over a continuum. This research aids in filling the intersection of FDA and DOE by examining a case study of an experimental design with a functional response in addition to insight on software capabilities in FDA. The case study considers a functional linear model of a whole-plot from …
An Examination Of Civilian Retention In The United States Air Force, William F. Wilson
An Examination Of Civilian Retention In The United States Air Force, William F. Wilson
Theses and Dissertations
The backbone of the United States Air Force is undoubtedly the large civilian workforce that supplements the great work that is accomplished. Many research studies have been conducted on officer and enlisted personnel to ensure that the career fields are properly developed and managed to meet the ever growing demands of the military's varied missions, but no recent studies have focused on the civilian workforce. Striking a balance between new and experienced employees is paramount to success given the ever-changing economic and political landscapes where we find ourselves. The first part of the research uses logistic regression to determine the …
Behavior Of Lightning In Developing Storms, Erick A. Tello
Behavior Of Lightning In Developing Storms, Erick A. Tello
Theses and Dissertations
Air Force weather squadrons issue a warning when lightning activity is observed within 5 nautical miles (NM) of protected areas. Upon receiving this warning, personnel outdoors are expected to pause work and move inside. Studies sponsored by the 45th Weather Squadron (45 WS) have concluded that the 5 NM warning radius can be safely reduced for well-developed storms. This thesis investigates whether radii for storms in early development can also be reduced. Our research develops algorithms to partition lightning sensor data into storms. Next, storms are filtered to their earliest lightning events, and the study calculates distances between successive early …
Conceptualization And Application Of Deep Learning And Applied Statistics For Flight Plan Recommendation, Nicholas C. Forrest
Conceptualization And Application Of Deep Learning And Applied Statistics For Flight Plan Recommendation, Nicholas C. Forrest
Theses and Dissertations
The Air Forces Pilot Training Next (PTN) program seeks a more efficient pilot training environment emphasizing the use of virtual reality flight simulators alongside periodic real aircraft experience. The PTN program wants to accelerate the training pace and progress in undergraduate pilot training compared to traditional undergraduate pilot training. Currently, instructor pilots spend excessive time planning and scheduling flights. This research focuses on methods to auto-generate the planning of in-flight events using hybrid filtering and deep learning techniques. The resulting approach captures temporal trends of user-specific and program-wide student performance to recommend a feasible set of graded flight events for …
An Analysis Of A Lighting Prediction Threshold For 45th Weather Squadron Electric Field Mill Data, Charles A. Skrovan
An Analysis Of A Lighting Prediction Threshold For 45th Weather Squadron Electric Field Mill Data, Charles A. Skrovan
Theses and Dissertations
The mission of the 45th Weather Squadron (45 WS) is to “exploit the weather to assure safe access to air and space” for Patrick Air Force Base, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), and Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in support of various operations (United States Air Force, n.d.). To support that mission the 45 WS hosts a suite of weather detection instruments that include a lightning warning system that consists of an array of 31 electric field mills (EFM) and a lightning detection and ranging system (Department of the Air Force, 1976). Electric field mills at Cape Canaveral continuously record …
Ground Weather Radar Signal Characterization Through Application Of Convolutional Neural Networks, Stephen M. Lee
Ground Weather Radar Signal Characterization Through Application Of Convolutional Neural Networks, Stephen M. Lee
Theses and Dissertations
The 45th Weather Squadron supports the space launch efforts out of the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station for the Department of Defense, NASA, and commercial customers through weather assessments. Their assessment of the Lightning Launch Commit Criteria (LLCC) for avoidance of natural and rocket triggered lightning to launch vehicles is critical in approving space shuttle and rocket launches. The LLCC includes standards for cloud formations, which requires proper cloud identification and characterization methods. Accurate reflectivity measurements for ground weather radar are important to meet the LLCC for rocket triggered lightning. Current linear interpolation methods for ground …
Next-Generation Air Force Weather Metrics Via Bayes Cost Analysis, Brandon M. Bailey
Next-Generation Air Force Weather Metrics Via Bayes Cost Analysis, Brandon M. Bailey
Theses and Dissertations
This research proposes a new methodology for U.S. Air Force weather forecast metrics. Military weather forecasters are essentially statistical classifiers. They categorize future conditions into an operationally relevant category based on current data, much like an Artificial Neural Net or Logistic Regression model. There is extensive literature on statistically-based metrics for these types of classifiers. Additionally, in the U.S. Air Force, forecast errors (errors in classification) have quantifiable operational costs and benefits associated with incorrect or correct classification decisions. There is a methodology in the literature, Bayes Cost, which provides a structure for creating statistically rigorous metrics for classification decisions …
Analysis And Forecasting Of The 360th Air Force Recruiting Group Goal Distribution, Tyler Spangler
Analysis And Forecasting Of The 360th Air Force Recruiting Group Goal Distribution, Tyler Spangler
Theses and Dissertations
This research utilizes monthly data from 2012-2017 to determine economic or demographic factors that significantly contribute to increased goaling and production potential in areas of the 360th Recruiting Groups. Using regression analysis, a model of recruiting goals and production is built to identify squadrons within the 360 RCGs zone that are capable of producing more or fewer recruits and the factors that contribute to this increased or decreased capability. This research identifies that a zones high school graduation rate, the number of recruiters, and the number of JROTC detachments in a zone are positively correlated with recruiting goals and that …
Characterizing Uncertainty In Correlated Response Variables For Pareto Front Optimization, Peter A. Calhoun
Characterizing Uncertainty In Correlated Response Variables For Pareto Front Optimization, Peter A. Calhoun
Theses and Dissertations
Current research provides a method to incorporate uncertainty into Pareto front optimization by simulating additional response surface model parameters according to a Multivariate Normal Distribution (MVN). This research shows that analogous to the univariate case, the MVN understates uncertainty, leading to overconfident conclusions when variance is not known and there are few observations (less than 25-30 per response). This research builds upon current methods using simulated response surface model parameters that are distributed according to an Multivariate t-Distribution (MVT), which can be shown to produce a more accurate inference when variance is not known. The MVT better addresses uncertainty in …
Analysis With Dynamic Bayesian Networks Compared To Simulation, Aaron J. Salazar
Analysis With Dynamic Bayesian Networks Compared To Simulation, Aaron J. Salazar
Theses and Dissertations
This research compares simulations to Dynamic Bayesian Networks in analyzing situations. The research applies models that have known output mean and variance. Queueing systems have theoretical values of the steady-state mean and variance for the number of entities in the system. Monte Carlo simulation development is broken down into two separate approaches: discrete-event simulation and time-oriented simulation. The discrete-event simulation uses pseudo-random numbers to schedule and trigger future events (i.e. customer arrivals and services) and is based on the generated objects.The time-oriented simulation utilizes fixed-width time intervals and updates the system state according to a stochastic process for the set …
Statistical L-Moment And L-Moment Ratio Estimation And Their Applicability In Network Analysis, Timothy S. Anderson
Statistical L-Moment And L-Moment Ratio Estimation And Their Applicability In Network Analysis, Timothy S. Anderson
Theses and Dissertations
This research centers on finding the statistical moments, network measures, and statistical tests that are most sensitive to various node degradations for the Barabási-Albert, Erdös-Rényi, and Watts-Strogratz network models. Thirty-five different graph structures were simulated for each of the random graph generation algorithms, and sensitivity analysis was undertaken on three different network measures: degree, betweenness, and closeness. In an effort to find the statistical moments that are the most sensitive to degradation within each network, four traditional moments: mean, variance, skewness, and kurtosis as well as three non-traditional moments: L-variance, L-skewness, and L-kurtosis were examined. Each of these moments were …
Sample Size Requirements And Considerations For Models To Assess Human-Machine System Performance, Jennifer S. G. Lopez
Sample Size Requirements And Considerations For Models To Assess Human-Machine System Performance, Jennifer S. G. Lopez
Theses and Dissertations
Hierarchical Linear Models (HLMs), also known as multi-level models, are an extension of multiple regression analysis and can aid in the understanding of human and machine workloads of a system. These models allow for prediction and testing in systems with hierarchies of two or more levels. The complex interrelated variability of these multi-level models exists in operational settings, such as the Air Force Distributed Common Ground System Full Motion Video (AF DCGS FMV) community which is composed of individuals (Level-1), groups (Level-2), units (Level-3), and organizations (Level-4). Through the development of sample size requirements and considerations for multi-level models, this …
Cocyclic Hadamard Matrices: An Efficient Search Based Algorithm, Jonathan S. Turner
Cocyclic Hadamard Matrices: An Efficient Search Based Algorithm, Jonathan S. Turner
Theses and Dissertations
This dissertation serves as the culmination of three papers. “Counting the decimation classes of binary vectors with relatively prime fixed-density" presents the first non-exhaustive decimation class counting algorithm. “A Novel Approach to Relatively Prime Fixed Density Bracelet Generation in Constant Amortized Time" presents a novel lexicon for binary vectors based upon the Discrete Fourier Transform, and develops a bracelet generation method based upon the same. “A Novel Legendre Pair Generation Algorithm" expands upon the bracelet generation algorithm and includes additional constraints imposed by Legendre Pairs. It further presents an efficient sorting and comparison algorithm based upon symmetric functions, as well …
Satellite Communications In The V And W Band: Tropospheric Effects, Bertus A. Shelters
Satellite Communications In The V And W Band: Tropospheric Effects, Bertus A. Shelters
Theses and Dissertations
An investigation into the use of Weather Cubes compiled by the atmospheric characterization package, Laser Environmental Effects Definition and Reference (LEEDR), to develop accurate, long-term attenuation statistics for link-budget analysis is presented. A Weather Cube is a three-dimensional mesh of numerical weather prediction (NWP) data plus LEEDR calculations that allows for the quantification of rain, cloud, aerosol, and molecular effects at any UV to RF wavelength on any path contained within the cube. The development of this methodology is motivated by the potential use of V (40-75 GHz) and W (75-110 GHz) band frequencies for the satellite communication application, as …
The Impact Of Changing Requirements, James C. Ellis
The Impact Of Changing Requirements, James C. Ellis
Theses and Dissertations
The fundamental purpose of an Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) is to change the requirements of a contract. To build in flexibility, the acquisition practice is to estimate a dollar value to hold in reserve after the contract is awarded. There appears to be no empirical-based method for estimating this ECP withhold in the literature. Using the Cost Assessment Data Enterprise (CADE) database, 533 contracts were randomly selected to build two regression models: one to predict the likelihood of a contract experiencing an ECP, and the other to determine the expected median percent increase in baseline contract cost if an ECP …