Prioritising Emergency Bridgeworks Assessment under Military Consideration using an Enhanced Fuzzy Weighted Average Approach

Prioritising emergency bridgeworks assessment has been a key to winning battles in combat circumstances because of soldier safety, attack or defence tactics, and logistic supply ability. However, an imprecise or vague satisfaction level of importance of criteria may also affect the prioritising evaluation of bridgeworks under military consideration. In this paper, the fuzzy set theory is employed to treat this aspect. With linguistic variables, fuzzy numbers and an enhanced fuzzy weighted average approach will be used. The proposed approach is used to investigate an example to illustrate its applications in emergency bridgeworks assessment. The approach is shown to be useful and effective. In order to make computing and ranking results easier and to increase recruiting productivity, a computer-based decision support system has been developed, which may help the commander make decisions more efficiently.Defence Science Journal, 2010, 60(4), pp.451-461, DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.60.48

An overview of decision table literature 1982-1995.

This report gives an overview of the literature on decision tables over the past 15 years. As much as possible, for each reference, an author supplied abstract, a number of keywords and a classification are provided. In some cases own comments are added. The purpose of these comments is to show where, how and why decision tables are used. The literature is classified according to application area, theoretical versus practical character, year of publication, country or origin (not necessarily country of publication) and the language of the document. After a description of the scope of the interview, classification results and the classification by topic are presented. The main body of the paper is the ordered list of publications with abstract, classification and comments.

Towards the Development of a Capability Assessment System for Flood Risk Management

Having in place adequate levels of emergency management capabilities (EMCs) underpins a managed civil emergency response, especially during a flooding event(s). Good EMC is either built on having the right internal capabilities or by exploiting existing emergency capabilities from other responders. In some countries, such as Saudi Arabia, there is a noted lack of decision‐making in the Civil Defence (CD) Authority about generating effective mutual‐aid requests. Three core areas of EMC include having the right types and levels of response equipment to hand, ensuring sufficient Human Resources, can be maintained throughout a sustained event, and developing adequate Training capabilities. Other factors impacting on Saudi Arabia include both stress and a lack of work experience. In this chapter, we examine the effectiveness of a prototype IT System in the case of Saudi CD Authority as a tool for addressing the availability and adequacy of mutual‐aid for EMC, Human Resources (HR), and training capabilities against scalable levels of flood risk event(s). The proposed IT System is built using the ‘fuzzy expert system’ approach

Deep Space Network information system architecture study

The purpose of this article is to describe an architecture for the Deep Space Network (DSN) information system in the years 2000-2010 and to provide guidelines for its evolution during the 1990s. The study scope is defined to be from the front-end areas at the antennas to the end users (spacecraft teams, principal investigators, archival storage systems, and non-NASA partners). The architectural vision provides guidance for major DSN implementation efforts during the next decade. A strong motivation for the study is an expected dramatic improvement in information-systems technologies, such as the following: computer processing, automation technology (including knowledge-based systems), networking and data transport, software and hardware engineering, and human-interface technology. The proposed Ground Information System has the following major features: unified architecture from the front-end area to the end user; open-systems standards to achieve interoperability; DSN production of level 0 data; delivery of level 0 data from the Deep Space Communications Complex, if desired; dedicated telemetry processors for each receiver; security against unauthorized access and errors; and highly automated monitor and control

Next generation main battle tank. Part II: Converting old MBTS into unmanned MBTS (UMBT)

Modern MBTs (Main Battle Tank) are extremely expensive. Many outdated MBTs and other armored vehicles, often lacking the required armor protection, are still kept in depots. It is now convenient to upgrade them to optionally unmanned weapons by adding a humanoid driver, and a robotic arm as a loader. Sensors, an optional automatic driving system, a control and communication suite would complete the transformation. The main armament and secondary armament may be also changed or upgraded. The off-the-shelf huge electronic equipment can be installed wireless inside the hull. The old crew compartment may be spoiled of all the human related parts. Only the driver seat may be kept in order to leave the capability to remove the humanoid, robotized driver and reinstate the human one. This upgrade should also include a diagnostic system for the vehicle, the sensors and the additional systems to reduce the maintenance burden. An additional, specialized, lightweight armor suite should be focused to protect the mobilization system, the robots, the control and the communication system. This second part of the paper introduces a few options to convert the Leopard 1 MBT to an optionally piloted UMBT (Unmanned Main Battle Tank). A first, minimal step, is just the automation of the original tank. In a second step, the weight is reduced by installing a smaller 60mm cannon with a lighter, but more numerous ammunition storage. A third step increases the firepower by installing on the main turret an automated turret with a 12.7 or 30mm cannon with an optional additional 7.62 machinegun. It is also highly advisable to add an APU (Auxiliary Power Unit) and a battery to reduce IR (infrared) signature, improve main engine life and reduce maintenance

Development of a decision support system for assessment of mobile bridges

The development of a prototype Decision Support System (DSS) for the condition assessment of the Armored Vehicle Launched Bridge (AVLB) has been demonstrated in the current work. AVLB is a mobile bridge that has been used by the US Army for tank and assault vehicle crossing. It is employed for spanning short gaps of 50 feet or less in the terrain. The condition assessment of such bridges, to ensure safety of personnel and tank, is of strategic importance. The methodology of the prototype DSS is based on a refined visual inspection procedure and a previously established vibration measurement technique.;Conforming to the design requirements, the DSS has been developed as an Internet based, interactive application, and is integrated with an automated vibration measurement system. The web-based DSS, which incorporates an expert system and a database system, can be run from a web-browser. The development of the system, as described in this thesis, involved: identification of important visual and vibration inspection parameters; development of an expert system for bridge condition assessment, based on these parameters; and design of a database for storing important inspection data and other vital bridge records. The prototype system has been validated through limited test runs. Discussion on further verification and validation issues has also been put forth in this work.;The unique feature of this DSS is its accessibility through the Internet, which is practical considering that the AVLB is deployed worldwide. With a central database, this system provides a useful research tool for further study of the AVLB behavior and damage mechanisms, and can be used to establish failure prediction model and remaining life assessment