Construction of mixed-level fractional factorial split-plot designs with combined minimum aberration

Abstract

Running agricultural experiments in split-plot configurations is an efficient way to estimate main-effect contrasts with higher precision. In a fractional factorial split-plot design, the hard-to-vary factors are called whole-plot (WP) treatment factors and the easy-to-vary factors are called subplot treatment factors. Yan and Zhao (2022) proposed the combined minimum aberration criterion of WP (WP-MAc) for mixed-level split-plot designs. This article studies the construction methods of the WP-MAc 2 ( n 1 + n 2 ) − ( k 1 + k 2 ) 4 1 designs with four-level factor in subplot. Some examples are given to illustrate the theories. Finally, the results of 8, 16, 32, 64 runs WP-MAc 2 ( n 1 + n 2 ) − ( k 1 + k 2 ) 4 s 1 designs are tabulated for possible employ by practitioners.