The results from the forecasting model did not verify this assumption. Therefore, the data composed of mixed fleets were used for this model. In order to build an SDR forecasting model, many parameters must be considered. Several different modeling techniques exist. The particular model chosen for this project is a neural network.
Neural networks have many advantages, but also some disadvantages.
A significant advantage of a neural network is that it takes comparatively little time to build a model. A modeling technique such as a regression model could take more time to construct than a neural network. One of the disadvantages of a neural network is that it is essentially a black box, and not a causal model, so it is difficult to understand the exact process that the neural network uses to achieve the output. Although this is quite a disadvantage, the advantages of using a neural network, such as the ability to handle nonlinear data, far outweigh the disadvantages. Once the neural network was chosen as the modeling technique, the next step was to choose the inputs and outputs for the model.