TABLETOP MODELING – A COST-EFFECTIVE RESPONSE EVALUATION AND TRAINING TOOL

Tabletop modeling as a methodology has been used since the days of the Roman Empire when attack plans were first tested on scaled-down versions of the battle theater. U.S. military uses evolved into the use of “sand tables” that could be quickly converted to simulate any potential battle site. With appropriate sets of rules, the method can be extended down to the tactical level of individual personnel. Inexpensive materials can be used to provide a very realistic representation of the area of the engagement, vehicles, or buildings. The method can be used in “full information” or a “limited information” mode for tactical personnel or for command exercises. A simple tabletop methodology has been used for years to evaluate response capabilities at the Department of Energy sites at Oak Ridge; one that has been statistically validated by more expensive models involving digitized terrain “maps” and computer workstations. This simple tabletop modeling tool is now being used to evaluate airport security measures by the National Safe Skies Alliance and in the Russian Federation to evaluate truck convoy configurations and vehicle upgrades. Recently, a team of experts from VNIIEF, Ministry of Atomic Energy (MINATOM), the Ministry of Interior (MVD), and Eleron has converted the Oak Ridge tabletop methodology into a Russian version of the same tool called DOUBLET. This paper will explain the basis of the Oak Ridge tabletop methodology, how tabletop results are statistically validated, some tactical uses for the models, and will provide actual examples of transportation effectiveness analyses.