To facilitate the design of efficient simulation experiments, Schruben and Margolin (1978) recommend a correlation induction strategy for orthogonally blockable experimental designs. The objective of such experiments is to estimate a general linear regression model on the basis of a quantitative response variable generated by the simulation model. Nozari, Arnold, and Pegden (1987) develop optimal statistical procedures for analyzing simulation experiments performed under the Schruben-Margolin correlation induction strategy. Formulas are given for parameter estimation, hypothesis testing, and confidence interval estimation. The validity of this statistical analysis procedure is contingent upon the presence of a pure error component in the response. The goal of this thesis is to provide an appropriate statistical analysis technique for simulation experiments conducted under the Schruben-Margolin correlation induction strategy in the absence of pure error, and to identify conditions under which the pure error component is absent. Often, in order to construct valid inferences on the responses from a simulation experiment, the technique used to execute the simulation experiment must be properly identified. For purposes of this research, the identification problem takes the form of ensuring that the hypothesized metamodel is appropriate for the number of random number streams used to induce correlations between responses across design points. / Master of Science

Propensity score analysis has been used to minimize the selection bias in observational studies to identify causal relationships. A propensity score is an estimate of an individual's probability of being placed in a treatment group given a set of covariates. Propensity score analysis aims to use the estimate to create balanced groups, akin to a randomized experiment. This study used Monte Carlo methods to examine the appropriateness of using propensity score methods to achieve balance between groups on observed covariates and reproduce treatment effect estimates in multilevel studies. Specifically, this study examined the extent to which four different propensity score estimation models and three different propensity score conditioning methods produced balanced samples and reproduced the treatment effects with clustered data. One single-level logistic model and three multilevel models were investigated. Conditioning methods included: (a) covariance adjustment, (b) matching, and (c) stratification. Design factors investigated included: (a) level-1sample size, (b) level-2 sample size, (c) level-1 covariate relationship to treatment, (d) level-2 covariate relationship to treatment, (e) level-1 covariate relationship to outcome, (f) level-2 covariate relationship to outcome, and (g) population effect size. The results of this study suggest the degree to which propensity score analyses are able to create balanced groups and reproduce treatment effect estimates with clustered data is largely dependent upon the propensity score estimation model and conditioning method selected. Overall, the single-level logistic and random intercepts models fared slightly better than the more complex multilevel models while covariance adjustment and matching methods tended to be more stable in terms of balancing groups than stratification. Additionally, the results indicate propensity score analysis should not be conducted with small samples. Finally, this study did not identify an estimation model or conditioning method that was consistently able to create adequately balanced groups and reproduce treatment effect estimates.

The aim of this thesis is to research the issues involved in creating distributed problem solving environments for scientific computing. As part of our evaluation, we have developed a distributed problem solving environment called DPSolve which combines a very high level language, an interactive X Windows interface and a set of powerful problem solving methods into a single environment. The interface is designed to work on any system running X Windows, whilst the computations are done on a more powerful parallel computer. We implemented the interface on a DEC3100 workstation running ULTRIX, which communicates with procedures running on a Sequent 581 with 10 processors, running DYNIX via RPC. The design decisions and implementation details of our system are discussed at length along with a detailed example of the system at work. We critically evaluate the approach we have taken and show why it can scale to a very large class of scientific problems. We conclude that this distributed environment should be a representative of future scientific problem solving environments. / Master of Science

Das Kolloquium Getriebetechnik findet seit 1995 im zweijährigen Turnus statt. Im aktuellen Tagungsband zum 9. Kolloquium in Chemnitz werden in 22 Fachbeiträgen aktuelle Lehr- und Forschungsschwerpunkte aus den Gebieten der Bewegungs-, Getriebe,- und Antriebstechnik, Berechnung und Simulation bis hin zu internetbasierten Wissensportalen vorgestellt. Besondere Themenschwerpunkte sind einerseits die aktuellen und zukünftigen Ausbildungsstrategien im Themengebiet der ungleichmäßig übersetzenden Getriebe an den Universitäten und Fachhochschulen. Andererseits werden die aktuellen F&E-Aktivitäten der einzelnen Professuren und Institute sowie Applikationen von Firmen präsentiert. Dabei stehen heute neben den mechatronischen Antriebssystemen auch verstärkt werkstofftechnisch bzw. bionisch geprägte Konzeptideen im Focus. Neben neuen und effizienten CAD-Lösungsstrategien zeigen die Beiträge ganzheitliche Lösungsansätze sowie den Einsatz der Mehrkörpersimulation und FEM im Umfeld der Getriebeentwicklung.

Das Kolloquium Getriebetechnik findet seit 1995 im zweijährigen Turnus statt. Im aktuellen Tagungsband zum 9. Kolloquium in Chemnitz werden in 22 Fachbeiträgen aktuelle Lehr- und Forschungsschwerpunkte aus den Gebieten der Bewegungs-, Getriebe,- und Antriebstechnik, Berechnung und Simulation bis hin zu internetbasierten Wissensportalen vorgestellt. Besondere Themenschwerpunkte sind einerseits die aktuellen und zukünftigen Ausbildungsstrategien im Themengebiet der ungleichmäßig übersetzenden Getriebe an den Universitäten und Fachhochschulen. Andererseits werden die aktuellen F&E-Aktivitäten der einzelnen Professuren und Institute sowie Applikationen von Firmen präsentiert. Dabei stehen heute neben den mechatronischen Antriebssystemen auch verstärkt werkstofftechnisch bzw. bionisch geprägte Konzeptideen im Focus. Neben neuen und effizienten CAD-Lösungsstrategien zeigen die Beiträge ganzheitliche Lösungsansätze sowie den Einsatz der Mehrkörpersimulation und FEM im Umfeld der Getriebeentwicklung.