Russell Nelson, Jack Werner, Rebecca Daniels, Michael G. Kay, Russell E. King, Brandon M. McConnell and Kristin Thoney-Barletta
The purpose of this paper is to improve the air movement operations planning heuristic in the literature to generate better solutions in a shorter time period.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to improve the air movement operations planning heuristic in the literature to generate better solutions in a shorter time period.
Design/methodology/approach
Through a rigorous design of experiments (DOEs), we make significant heuristic improvements by evaluating alternative modular methodologies and tuning heuristic parameters for two scenarios. This includes a new approach to considering refueling operations.
Findings
We find the fine-tuned heuristic averages a 33% objective improvement and 70% reduction in computation time over the heuristic with original parameters for one of the scenarios. Additionally, we analyze the heuristic's quality of solution over time.
Research limitations/implications
Further analysis is required to generalize heuristic settings, which would require significant access to operational data or a portfolio of scenarios of interest.
Practical implications
Tuned heuristic parameters reduce the computation time from hours to minutes. This also makes it practically feasible to adjust parameters in the objective function to generate multiple courses of action (COAs) for a given instance.
Originality/value
This research provides novel vehicle assignment and routing heuristic improvement alternatives and demonstrates a DOEs-based heuristic tuning procedure.
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Russell Nelson, Russell King, Brandon M. McConnell and Kristin Thoney-Barletta
The purpose of this study was to create an air movement operations planning model to rapidly generate air mission request (AMR) assignment and routing courses of action (COA) in…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to create an air movement operations planning model to rapidly generate air mission request (AMR) assignment and routing courses of action (COA) in order to minimize unsupported AMRs, aircraft utilization and routing cost.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, the US Army Aviation air movement operations planning problem is modeled as a mixed integer linear program (MILP) as an extension of the dial-a-ride problem (DARP). The paper also introduces a heuristic as an extension of a single-vehicle DARP demand insertion algorithm to generate feasible solutions in a tactically useful time period.
Findings
The MILP model generates optimal solutions for small problems (low numbers of AMRs and small helicopter fleets). The heuristic generates near-optimal feasible solutions for problems of various sizes (up to 100 AMRs and 10 helicopter team fleet size) in near real time.
Research limitations/implications
Due to the inability of the MILP to produce optimal solutions for mid- and large-sized problems, this research is limited in commenting on the heuristic solution quality beyond the numerical experimentation. Additionally, the authors make several simplifying assumptions to generalize the average performance and capabilities of aircraft throughout a flight.
Originality/value
This research is the first to solve the US Army Aviation air movement operations planning problem via a single formulation that incorporates multiple refuel nodes, minimization of unsupported demand by priority level, demand time windows, aircraft team utilization penalties, aircraft team time windows and maximum duration and passenger ride time limits.
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THE Conservative Government elected on June 18th last has lost no time in putting into practice its avowed principle of reducing direct taxation. Late in July it flew a kite…
Abstract
THE Conservative Government elected on June 18th last has lost no time in putting into practice its avowed principle of reducing direct taxation. Late in July it flew a kite through an inspired leak showing that it intended to save millions on education, one small part of which would be £10 million, purporting to be “saved” by making readers pay for books borrowed through public libraries. First indications of this were in a story included in The Guardian, Daily Telegraph and other papers, and as this story was not denied by the Government, the Library Association thought it proper to issue a press statement immediately, with the message that the Association was totally opposed to the introduction of such charges.
Sigen Song, Fanny Fong Yee Chan, Yongfa Li and Cheng Lu Wang
Placement prominence is a multidimensional concept. Previous studies have defined and operationalized prominence in different ways, and no studies have tried to systematically…
Abstract
Purpose
Placement prominence is a multidimensional concept. Previous studies have defined and operationalized prominence in different ways, and no studies have tried to systematically examine what should and should not be counted as prominence. This study aims to fill this gap.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a content analysis of six short films and a survey study on 129 Chinese young adults, this study systematically examined 13 dimensions of placement prominence on the memory of placed brands.
Findings
Factor analysis has reduced the 13 dimensions into five factors: contextual, narrative, sensory, exposure and spatial prominence. Fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) software was used to conduct a contrarian case analysis and test for predictive validity. This was followed by a QCA to identify the optimal configurations of the five factors that may lead to a high recognition of the placed brands. The optimal configurations were also contrasted across two gender and brand familiarity groups. While the optimal configurations of prominence on brand memory for male and female participants were largely the same, the combinations differed between participants with low and high brand familiarity.
Originality/value
Previous studies in product placement usually operationalize prominence with a few dominant dimensions intuitively though several other dimensions, and their interactions could also affect the prominence level. To the best of authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that used multiple dimensions of prominence configurations to identify paths that may lead to low and high brand memory. The empirical results contribute to the theory and understanding of the effect of prominence on brand memory and provide guidance to brand managers in determining which prominence configuration is the most suitable for achieving their promotional objective.
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This is a very complete review of the research work carried out on the very important subject of E.P. Lubricants. In this work Dr. Davey has himself taken a very prominent part…
Abstract
This is a very complete review of the research work carried out on the very important subject of E.P. Lubricants. In this work Dr. Davey has himself taken a very prominent part. No one is therefore more capable of preparing this very valuable contribution than he.
THE Conference of the Library Association may be described as one without a press. The greatest dailies had the barest references to it, a fact which is surprising and lends us…
Abstract
THE Conference of the Library Association may be described as one without a press. The greatest dailies had the barest references to it, a fact which is surprising and lends us matter for reflection. If an admittedly national service, almost universal in application, can be completely ignored in its annual gatherings, what is to be thought? Is it that libraries are now so normal a part of the social landscape that they may be taken for granted? Are they so insignificant that they do not merit notice? Alternatively, were our proceedings too dull for the dramatic necessities of the reporter? Or, finally, was it because the general publicity of the L.A. is not aggressive, is indeed inert? These questions every librarian and library authority may ask and have a right to the answer.
Ulf Roland, Frank Holzer, Ulf Trommler, Björn Höhlig, Markus Kraus and Christian Hoyer
The aim of this study was to prove that radio-frequency (RF) energy with 13.56 MHz can be used for heating building structures in a controlled manner exploiting the advantage that…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study was to prove that radio-frequency (RF) energy with 13.56 MHz can be used for heating building structures in a controlled manner exploiting the advantage that homogeneous heating with sufficient penetration depths can be achieved.
Design/methodology/approach
Because parallel electrodes on both sides of the heated structure cannot be used in many practical applications, two special electrode designs have been developed by modeling the field distribution and energy absorption and by carrying out test experiments to validate the simulation results.
Findings
One solution is based on a two-dimensional surface capacitor providing certain penetration depths and being especially suitable for treating thin structures such as wooden parquet floor. Such an arrangement can be particularly used for pest control even when sensitive surfaces have to be protected. The other solution uses a capacitive coupling between the grounded shielding and an electrode or an equivalent structure (e.g. moist soil) at the other side of the masonry to establish a sufficiently strong electrical field between a “hot” electrode on the side of the shielding and the coupled rear electrode.
Originality/value
Both solutions significantly enhance the application potential of RF heating.
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Karl Blyth, John Lewis and Ammar Kaka
This paper reports on the development of a framework for a standardized programme of works for construction projects. A sample of 50 buildings, encompassing a total of 11…
Abstract
This paper reports on the development of a framework for a standardized programme of works for construction projects. A sample of 50 buildings, encompassing a total of 11 different project functions, were surveyed and analysed. The sample was then investigated further to assess the existence of similarities and repeated operations in each individual construction project. A minimum of 20 standardized elemental options were identified. From analysis of the data and the application of practitioners’ expertise, a logical sequence of activities, including their respective dependencies, was produced. A set of six new test projects was used to see if the initial methodology was sound. It could be concluded that despite each project being unique, most buildings retain cognate, elemental options that provide the basis for any structure, and these can be standardized and used as a basis for a universal programme of construction works. The standardization of activities would enable the automation of project planning processes and hence would result in reduced administration and management costs. This will encourage contractors and other project team members to undertake planning at earlier stages of the project, hence providing the basis for more accurate cash flow, duration and cost forecasts.
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In 1978 a postal questionnaire was despatched to 300 private shareholders of two public companies to determine their understanding of rights issues. This paper examines their…
Abstract
In 1978 a postal questionnaire was despatched to 300 private shareholders of two public companies to determine their understanding of rights issues. This paper examines their attitudes towards rights issues using as a basis the perfect market model.
EXTREME PRESSURE OR EXTREME TEMPERATURE LUBRICANTS have been developed for two main fields—the lubrication of hypoid gears and as lubricants in metal working and it is of some…
Abstract
EXTREME PRESSURE OR EXTREME TEMPERATURE LUBRICANTS have been developed for two main fields—the lubrication of hypoid gears and as lubricants in metal working and it is of some interest to see how this development has occurred. Musgrave, in a most comprehensive paper on the Development and Lubrication of the Automotive Hypoid Gearf defined a hypoid as “a special form of spiral bevel gear in which the pinion axis is offset from the axis of the ring gear” and he pointed out that such gears had the advantages of quietness in operation, particularly at high speeds, greater tooth strength capacity, greater dependability and were more economic to produce as well as allowing lower body designs than spiral bevel or worm gears.