Criticality calculations are often performed in MCNP5 using the Shannon entropy as an indicator of source convergence for the given neutron transport problem. The Shannon entropy is a concept that comes from information theory. The Shannon entropy is calculated for each batch in MCNP5, and it has been shown that the Shannon entropy tends to converge to a single value as the source distribution converges. MCNP5 has its own criteria for when the Shannon entropy has converged and recommends a number for how many batches should be skipped; however, this value for how many batches should be skipped is often not very accurate and has room for improvement. This work will investigate an approach for using the Shannon entropy source distribution convergence information obtained in a shorter simulation to predict the required number of generations skipped in the reference case with desired statistical precision. In several test cases, it has been found that running a lesser number of particles per batch produces a similar Shannon entropy graph when compared to running more particles per batch. Then, by appropriate adjustment through a synthetic model, one is able to determine when the Shannon entropy will converge by running fewer particles, finding the point where it converges and then using this value to determine how many batches one should skip for a given problem. This reduces computational time and any "guessing" involved when deciding how many batches to skip. Thus, the purpose of this research is to develop a model showing how one can use this concept and produce a streamlined approach for applying this concept to a criticality problem.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: One of the most difficult and more important decisions taken by a client is the selection of the most appropriate contractor. It requires the assessment of various factors, often conflicting, in order to determine the most appropriate contractor and are therefore classified as a problem that can be resolved by using multiple criteria decision making methods. The act of decision making is never an easy one and requires a sound understanding of the requirement, the alternatives and the model used to assess the alternatives in terms of the requirement in order to instil confidence that the most appropriate alternative is selected. The appropriateness of the methods used in contractor evaluation has a vital impact on the cost of the transaction. The three broad categories, or schools of thought, relating to multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) methods are assessed in terms of their applicability to the contractor selection problem within a quasi-government organisation, namely Armscor. Of the three categories, only the methods of the value measurement category were found to be appropriate within the current legislative framework of the Preferential Procurement Act, which seeks to express the performance of an offer as a unique numerical function. The old contractor selection model of direct point allocation on a qualitative scale is shown to be inappropriate, especially in terms of the additive utility assumption of single dimensional units. The proposed new model makes use of the weighted product model that is not restricted by the additive utility assumption as it results in dimensionless analysis of the criteria. The utility functions associated with the quantitative criteria uses curves which are raised to the power of the confidence variable. The arithmetic mean of these variables represents the group’s confidence level associated with each contractor’s offer in the correctness and/or its ability to maintain the stated level of performance. Furthermore, the analytic hierarchy process is used for the assessment of the qualitative criteria. The new model, although not perfect, is an improvement over the old model with regards to the understanding of the requirement as well as the assessment of contractors’ proposals. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die keuse van ‘n kontrakteur is een van die moeilikste besluite wat ‘n kliënt moet neem, dit is egter ook een van die belangrikste besluite wat geneem word. Ten einde die mees geskikte kontrakteur te kies, moet daar ‘n waarde geheg word aan verskeie faktore, menigmaal teenstrydig, wat kontrakteur seleksie klassifiseer as ‘n probleem wat deur middel van meervoudige-kriteria-besluitnemingsmetodes opgelos kan word. Die handeling van besluitneming is nooit ‘n maklike een en vereis deeglike kennis van die behoefte, die alternatiewe, asook die model wat gebruik word om die alternatiewe in terme van die behoefte te waardeer in orde om vertroue in die gekose alternatief te hê. Vir die doeleindes van hierdie studie is die drie kategorieë van meervoudige-kriteria-besluitnemingsmetodes vergelyk in terme van hul toepaslikheid op die voorafgenoemde probleem binne ‘n Semi-Staatsinstelling, naamlik Krygkor, met die oogmerk om die beste metode te identifiseer. Slegs die metodes vervat in die waarde-meting kategorie is geskik binne die Wet op die Raamwerk vir Voorkeurverkrygingsbeleid wat die evaluasie van ‘n aanbod uitdruk as ‘n unieke numeriese funksie. Uit die studie blyk dit dat die vorige kontrakteur seleksie model van direkte punt allokasie op ‘n kwalitatiewe skaal onvanpas is, veral in terme van die sommerings-nutfunksie aanname van enkel dimensionele eenhede. Die model wat eerder aanbeveel word, maak gebruik van die geweegde-produk-model wat nie beperk word deur die bogenoemde aanname nie, aangesien dit dimensielose analise tot gevolg het. Nutfunksies wat geassosieër word met kwantitatiewe kriteria, word voorgestel deur kurwes wat tot die mag van die vertrouensvlak-veranderlike gehef word. Die rekenkundige gemiddelde van hierdie veranderlike verteenwoordig die groep se vertrouensvlak met betrekking tot elke kontrakteur se akkuraatheid en vermoeë om die gespesifiseerde vlak van werkverrigting te handhaaf. Die kwalitatiewe kriteria word beoordeel deur gebruik te maak van die analitiese hiërargie proses. Die gevolgtrekking wat uiteindelik gemaak word is dat die nuwe model, alhoewel nie foutloos, tog ‘n verbetering is op die vorige model, veral met betrekking tot die insig wat verkry word deur die ontleding van die kontrakteurs se voorstelle in terme van die bepaalde behoefte wat bevredig moet word, ten einde die beste keuse uit te oefen.

Designing a safe and economical mining activity is the main goal of every mine design engineer. With the rise of computer modeling in mine design there is a need for a standardized method to use geologic characterization of rocks in engineering design. In this research, first a review of empirical methods will be conducted and after that a step-by-step method is presented to adequately use FLAC3D, for development pillars, in room and pillar mine in development stage. ARMPS database is used to evaluate the FLAC3D model results. ARMPS database consists of 645 case study in room and pillar mines. 170 of them are mines in development phase. In this research all 170 cases will be analyzed in FLAC3D v4.0 and the results will be compared to actual success and failure from the database. Also, the stability factor found from FLAC3D will be compared to ARMPS. Finally, it is tried to calibrate FLAC3D stability factor so it can be used in room and pillar design.

分析層級程序法在產品刪除決策之應用 / The recent explosion of product management in consumer packaged goods has highlighted the importance of product assortment decisions. In particular, firms are increasingly faced with the decision of which products to delete from distribution. Upon reflection, there are both strategic and tactical dimensions to this decision. Strategic approaches focus on the development of optimal product assortments as the basis for deletion decisions. Tactical approaches address incremental (i.e., item-by- item) decisions whether to delete any product, and if so, which product. This thesis focuses on tactical approaches and proposes using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) as a systematic and analytic tool that helps to quantify the managerial judgments in identifying the candidates for product deletion. Supported by a practical case study, which illustrates how AHP can be beneficial in quantifying both financial and non-financial product performance rankings for managers’ easier understanding and higher transparency of product deletion decision-making.

<p>In the recent decades, therehave been frequent conflicts between groundwater waterresources and environmentally hazardous activities. Newmethodologies for aiding decision-making in groundwater impactassessment and protection areneeded and in which issues ofincreased awareness, better understanding of the groundwaterresources processes, and validation of predictive mathematicalmodels are addressed.</p><p>A framework fordecision–aid, based on predictive simulations that a)predicts the environmental impacts b) provides the totaleconomical value c) visualises the impacts and the groundwaterproperties and d) describes the uncertainties in the results isproposed herein. The framework can be applied in environmentalimpact assessments, strategic environmental assessments andprotection and management of water resources. The results ofthe model are used as feedback for determining new scenarios,depending on the required uncertainties, and if the plannedactivity is sustainable, and/or fulfils the legislative andpolicy measures. This framework is applied to a particular casestudy, Nybroåsen, in the south-eastern part of Sweden,where the highway E22 is constructed through the importantglaciofluvial esker aquifer, passing the protection zone of thewater supply for the Kalmar municipality.</p><p>The impacts from the new highwayand the existing road have been predicted by two-dimensionalphysically based time-variant flow and solute groundwatermodelling. The results, breakthrough curves of contaminantconcentration in wells and maps of concentration distributions,as well as travel times, flow paths, and capture zones forwells determined by particle tracking have been presented.</p><p>The constructed model of theNybroåsen study area was calibrated by comparing observedand simulated groundwater levels for 15 observation wells forten years of measurements. The model has been evaluated bothgraphically and numerically and the calibration target wasfulfilled for 13 of the 15 observation wells. The model workincludes investigations of the catchment information, a waterbalance study, simulation of the groundwater recharge,consideration of the unsaturated zone by a numerical columnsimulation, and sensitivity analysis.</p><p>From the sensitivity analysis ofthe flow and transport parameters, it has been shown that theuncertainties are mainly due to the hydraulic conductivity.Comparison of the derived conductivity from the steady-stateautomatic calibration and the time-variant calibration showedthat there are major differences in the derived parameters,which illustrates the importance of a time dependentcalibration over both wet and dry periods and in more than onepoint in the area of interest of the model predictions.</p><p>In addition, a multi-criteriadecision analysis has been carried out for four roadalternatives (including the new highway E22) and the existingroad in the case study concerned. The multi-criteria decisionaid is applied as an illustration of how it can be used in thestudy area to identify a) interest groups of actors and theirconcerns b) ranking of alternative road scenarios according toactors’preferences and c) coalition groups of actors<i>i.e.</i>groups that have similar views with regard to theroad alternatives.</p><p><b>Keywords:</b>Physically-based groundwater modelling,contamination, flow and solute transport, glaciofluvialdeposits, Nybroåsen, Sweden, and multi-criteriadecision-aid.</p>

<p>The primary purpose of this thesis is to investigate the operation of membership criteria, which are applied against countries that wish to join the European Union (EU). More specifically, the importance of some criteria in comparison to others is considered. To answer this proposal, three questions are posed: What are the EU membership criteria? Are some criteria more important than other criteria? Does the EU treat candidate countries differently in applying the membership criteria? Three countries are used in this analysis, each country representing one recent enlargement round: Poland (2004), Romania (2007), and current candidate country Turkey. Both official documents, such as EU treaties, and unofficial documents such as statements from EU leaders are used to analyze the application of membership criteria. The method that is used in this thesis is idea analysis. The EU has both official criteria, which are found in the foundation treaties, and unofficial criteria, which are the public and political opinions among the candidate countries and current EU member states. It is suggested that none of the criteria are more important than others; a candidate country must fulfill virtually all the official and unofficial criteria in order to gain EU membership. Although all criteria must be met, the application of the criteria is uneven between candidate countries. The EU does not treat countries differently when it comes to the official criteria. However, when it comes to the unofficial criteria, Turkey is treated differently from Romania and Poland. There is greater resistance to Turkey’s future membership, making it much more difficult for Turkey to reach the stage of full EU membership.</p>

Conflict analysis and game theory models are applied to a case study in the upper Rio Grande river basin. The objective is to find which theory best describes past developments in the Rio Grande river basin and the status quo of water use strategies employed by the players (decision makers). By assuming that these past properties will propagate in the future, the preferable change in the equilibrium solution is derived under climate fluctuation, coupled with future population growth scenarios. Past and future Rio Grande resource allocation conflicts are analyzed using (1) multicriterion decision making (MCDM) techniques, such as distance based approach of compromise programming and outranking technique of the ELECTRE family and (2) voting scheme approach of game theory. MCDM and game theory model cases are classified according to the following categories: 1. If decision makers consider each other payoff or if an authority above forces them to consider each other's payoffs, then the conflict analysis problem is a multiactor/ multiobjective problem. 2. If decision makers only care about their own payoff and not what other players payoff are, then the conflict analysis problem is described and solved by game theoretic models. Fifteen decision makers from the Rio Grande water allocation and water management conflict are used as an example to present the different approaches to conflict modeling. From the MCDM techniques used, namely the compromise programming of distance-based approach and the ELECTRE family of outranking relation, the former method stands out as being the most flexible and comprehensive methodology. Though these two methods are conceptually different, for this case study, both methods give approximately the same results. For the game theory analysis, the special voting scheme stands out as being the preferred approach because it better reflects the decision maker's preference and it also is easy to implement and apply. Finally, the climate change scenarios are considered, the 1XCO₂ and the 2XCO₂. Results obtained from these two scenarios indicate the Rio Grande river will face extreme water shortages that will require the development of a different set of water release rules.

Disertacijoje nagrinėjamos statybos projekto valdymas, jame dalyvaujan-čios ir savo tikslus siekiančios įgyvendinti suinteresuotos grupės bei valdymą veikianti išorinė makro- ir mikroaplinka. Norint sukurti ir pasiekti efektyvų statybos projektų valdymą, reikia atlikti kompleksinę jo etapų analizę. Be to, reikia atsižvelgti į projekto, organizacinės ir išorinės aplinkos veiksnių poveikį. Nagrinėjamas statybos projektų valdymo efektyvumo didinimas, panaudojant daugia¬kriterinės analizės sprendimų paramos metodus ir informacines techno-logijas. Darbo tikslas – įvertinti ir pagerinti statybos projektų valdymo efektyvu-mą, naudojant sukurtą Integruoto projektų valdymo modelį. Naudojant šį mo-delį buvo sukurta Daugiakriterinė statybos projektų valdymo sprendimų para-mos sistema, pagrįsta sudėtingų sistemų teorija ir daugiakriterinės analizės bei variantinio projektavimo metodais. Darbą sudaro įvadas, trys skyriai, išvados ir pasiūlymai, literatūros sąrašas. Pirmame skyriuje apžvelgiama esama situacija ir pasiekimai projekto val-dymo srityje, valdymo metodai ir sistemos, vertinimo kriterijai ir valdymo pro-ceso modeliavimo principai. Antrame skyriuje analizuojamos marketingo sistemos, efektyvumo para-metrai ir aprašomas sukurtas Integruoto projektų valdymo modelis. Trečiame skyriuje aprašomi sprendimų paramos sistemos elementai, pla-čiai aprašomi sistemos vertinimo komponentų sukūrimas. Pasiūlytasis metodas iliustruotas aprašant aktualaus praktikoje uždavinio sprendimą... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The dissertation investigates management of construction project, that of the participating and pursuing the aims interested parties and that of external macro-micro environment influencing the process. Aiming for efficient design and construction project management an integrated analysis of the process stages is needed. The contribution of project, organizational and external envi-ronment factors should also be taken into account. The investigated problem is assigned to an increasing the efficiency of construction project management via employing the multiple criteria decision support methods and information technologies. The aim of the dissertation is the evaluation and enhancement of the effec-tiveness of construction project management by employing the created Model for Integrated Project Management. This model is used to develop the Con-struction Project Management Multiple Criteria Decision Support System based on the complex systems theory and methods of multiple criteria analysis and multi alternative design. The thesis consists of an introduction, three chapters, conclusions and sug-gestions, and the list of references. The first Chapter introduces the current situation and achievements in con-struction management, approaches and systems in construction, valuation crite-ria and modeling principles of the process. The second Chapter is assigned to analysis of marketing systems, effi-ciency values and the developed model for integrated project management. The third... [to full text]

Pradinių klasių mokinių pasiekimams vertinti naudojamas formuojamasis, idiografinis, apibendrinamasis, diagnostinis vertinimas. Kadangi nėra išskirta vertinimo tinkamumo kriterijų, vertinimas ne visuomet yra taikomas tinkama forma. Darbe išskirta 10 vertinimo kriterijų, pagal kuriuos nustatyta Kėdainių pradinių klasių mokytojų taikomo vertinimo atitiktis jiems. Atliktas vertinamasis kiekybinis tyrimas, kuriame dalyvavo 40 Kėdainių pradinių klasių mokytojų ir 196 pradinukų tėvai. / In order to assess the achievements of primary pupils formative, idiografic, summative, diagnostic assessments are used. As there are no proper assessment criteria distinguished, the assessment is seldom used in inappropriate form.10 assessment criteria were distinguished and the correspondence of the assessment used by Kedainiai primary techers to these criteria was determined. Assessive quantitative research was performed. 40 primary schools teachers and 196 pupils' parents participated in it.

This research study deals mainly with the educator professionalisation in the post democratic South Africa, paying attention to the role of a professional council in promoting educator professionalism. The status and image of teaching in this country seem to have been viewed From the racial and cultural differences of communities previously. The democratic dispensation brought an end to this unfair racial and cultural discrimination in the education system through the establishment of a non-racial professional council for educators (i.e. SACE). The research aims are to determine: - The characteristics of a professions and those needed for educator professionalism; and - the role of the a professional council in promoting educator professionalisation. In order to attain the above-mentioned research aims, a literature review and an empirical investigation were undertaken. The literature study was used to clarify concepts such as occupation, semi-profession, profession, professionalisation and professional status. Secondly, characteristics or common features associated with traditional models of professions (ie. accounting, law and medicine) were discussed from a theoretical point of view. Lastly, the literature study highlighted the establishment of professional councils for educators in other parts of the world, including South Africa. The different forms of legislation and policy documents applicable in education were discussed. In order to determine the extent to which teaching adheres to or fulfils the characteristics associated with a profession, teaching was tested against these characteristics. The history of the establishment of SACE was briefly discussed and the objectives or role of this organisation in educator professionalisation concluded this chapter. The empirical research was conducted by using the questionnaire as a measuring instrument. The advantages and disadvantages of the questionnaire as measuring instrument were highlighted. The target population comprises of 239 educators from a total population of 2070 educators in Lejweleputswa and Northern Free State Education Districts -Free State Province. The data collected in the investigation was processed through the SAS computer package to establish frequencies and percentages of responses mean scores ranking, t-test procedures and the effect sizes. The results were then presented tables, analysed and interpreted in accordance with the literature study. The literature study revealed that like all other occupations, teaching aspires to attain recognition and status as a profession. It was also revealed that teaching partially satisfy characteristics associated with professions. The empirical study revealed that the employment of un- or under qualified educators is still prevalent in South African schools. In the last chapter, Chapter 5, conclusions from the literature review and empirical investigation were drawn. The recommendations with regard to the role of SACE in educator professionalisation were provided. Finally based on the research, future research studies in SACE and educator professionalism were recommended. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.