Trucks off the Road: A Method for Assessing Economical Reductions of Logistical Requirements at Contingency Base Camps

Abstract

The U.S. Department of Defense has recently shown an interest in incorporating the concepts of energy efficiency and energy security into decision-making processes, including decisions that pertain to military base camp equipment. Logistics—transportation of resources to forward locations in a military context—make up the vast majority of costs associated with base camp resource use, but costs vary widely according to operational factors. Changing costs of resources affects cost-benefit analyses of resource-saving devices, confounding decision-making processes. A method for volumetric accounting is proposed, described, and demonstrated in this article through an example design problem, yielding metrics that engineering managers can use to effectively compare the benefits of resource-saving equipment without requiring quantification of money-saving potential. The metrics and method proposed in this analysis complement existing measures and have the potential to streamline certain decision-making processes, leading to more efficient, effective, and economical military base camps while also taking resource resupply convoys off dangerous roads.

Keywords:

• Contingency Basing
• Cost-Benefit Analysis
• Decision Making
• Logistics
• Military
• Sustainability

EMJ Focus Areas:

• Economics of Engineering
• Operations Management
• Strategic Management
• Technology Management

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nathaniel H. Putnam

Nathaniel H. Putnam is the Lead Systems Engineer for the Virtual Forward Operating Base research program at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Construction Engineering Research Laboratory. He holds a BA in Mathematics and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering and is a SMART Scholarship recipient. His current research focus is on data and software integration to support more resource-efficient and effective civilian and military contingency operations.

Kurt J. Kinnevan

Kurt J. Kinnevan, Technical Director for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Construction Engineering Research Laboratory, is a registered Professional Engineer with a BS in Chemical Engineering and a MS in Environmental Engineering. He has 38 years of engineering experience, the last 14 associated with contingency basing in Eastern Europe, Central America, Africa, and Southwest Asia. He has received the Society of American Military Engineers LTG Wheeler Award for outstanding contributions to military engineering.

Michael E. Webber

Michael E. Webber is Deputy Director of the Energy Institute, Co-Director of the Clean Energy Incubator, and Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, where he trains the next generation of energy leaders and conducts multidisciplinary research on energy and environmental topics. He has authored more than 300 articles, chapters, books, reports, and columns; holds 4 patents; and is on the Advisory Board for Scientific American.

Carolyn C. Seepersad

Carolyn C. Seepersad is an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. Her research interests include design of engineering materials and structures, design for additive manufacturing, simulation-based design, and conceptual design and innovation. She has published more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and earned regional and national awards for her teaching and research. She teaches courses on design methodology, additive manufacturing, and simulation-based design.