DEVELOPMENT OF A DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR HAZARDOUS MATERIALS IDENTIFICATION AND MANAGEMENT IN LARGE SCALE SYSTEMS

THE IDENTIFICATION AND MANAGEMENT OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS THROUGHOUT THE ACQUISITION LIFE CYCLE OF LARGE-SCALE SYSTEMS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THE EFFECTIVE CONTROL OF TOTAL LIFE CYCLE COSTS. THE EXPLICIT INCLUSION OF HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS, ALONG WITH OTHER SUPPORTABILITY CONSIDERATIONS, WILL ENHANCE THE SYSTEM PERFORMANCE. THE PROPOSED RESEARCH WILL EXPLORE ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES FOR DEVELOPMENT OF AN INTEGRATED DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM REFERRED TO AS THE SYSTEM DESIGNER'S "ASSOCIATE." IT IS EXPECTED TO BE EXPERT SYSTEM BASED BUT ALSO HAVE CONVENTIONAL SOFTWARE COMPONENTS AS APPROPRIATE. THE MOST FEASIBLE APPROACH WILL BE SELECTED AND DESCRIBED. A CRITICAL MODULE WITHIN THE DESIGNER'S ASSOCIATE IS THE HAZARDOUS MATERIAL'S IDENTIFICATION DATABASE. TECHNIQUES, INCLUDING QUANTITATIVE STRUCTURE ACTIVITY RELATIONSHIPS, WILL BE EVALUATED FOR ESTIMATING MISSING TOXICOLOGICAL PARAMETERS FOR ENTRY INTO THE DATABASE. THE DATABASE ARCHITECTURE WILL BE DRIVEN BY STRONG CONSIDERATION OF THE WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE OF THE SYSTEM IN ORDER TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE DESIGNER IN A SYSTEMS ENGINEERING CONTEXT.