Abstract: Systems and methods for efficiently managing bulk material are provided. The disclosure is directed to a portable support structure used to receive one or more portable containers of bulk material and output bulk material from the containers directly into the blender hopper. The portable support structure may include a frame for receiving and holding the one or more portable bulk material containers in an elevated position proximate the blender hopper, as well as one or more gravity feed outlets for routing the bulk material from the containers directly into the blender hopper. In some embodiments, the portable support structure may be transported to the well site on a trailer, unloaded from the trailer, and positioned proximate the blender unit. In other embodiments, the portable support structure may be a mobile support structure that is integrated into a trailer unit.

Abstract: The present method includes estimating for each kth one of K attack weapons a target threat value, P.sup.k, and for each available counter-weapons a counter-threat value, P.sub.k, against each kth attack weapon. Prospective counter-weapon allocations are tabulated. Each ith allocation has N.sub.i counter-weapons and for each a reduced target threat value: ##EQU1## is computed, x.sub.ki being equal to the integer number of counter-weapons in the ith allocation assigned to a kth one of the attack weapons, assuming one type of counter-weapons. The set of x.sub.ki 's that causes E.sub.Ri to be a minimum is the optimum counter-weapon assignment for the ith allocation. One of the prospective allocations is selected for a first "shoot-look" cycle in which the N.sub.i counter-weapons are assigned according to the optimum x.sub.ki 's. The procedure may be repeated for subsequent "shoot-look" cycles. If there aare more than one type of counter-weapons, E.sub.Ri is obtained by the equation: ##EQU2## wherein x.sub.