Bounding Uncertainty in Civil Engineering

Bounding Uncertainty in Civil Engineering

Author: Alberto Bernardini

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2010-03-15

Total Pages: 328

ISBN-13: 3642111904

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Taking an engineering, rather than a mathematical, approach, Bounding uncertainty in Civil Engineering - Theoretical Background deals with the mathematical theories that use convex sets of probability distributions to describe the input data and/or the final response of systems. The particular point of view of the authors is centered on the applications to civil engineering problems, and the theory of random sets has been adopted as a basic and relatively simple model. However, the authors have tried to elucidate its connections to the more general theory of imprecise probabilities, Choquet capacities, fuzzy sets, p-boxes, convex sets of parametric probability distributions, and approximate reasoning both in one dimension and in several dimensions with associated joint spaces. If choosing the theory of random sets may lead to some loss of generality, it has, on the other hand, allowed for a self-contained selection of the topics and a more unified presentation of the theoretical contents and algorithms. With over 80 examples worked out step by step, the book should assist newcomers to the subject (who may otherwise find it difficult to navigate a vast and dispersed literature) in applying the techniques described to their own specific problems.


Analyzing Uncertainty in Civil Engineering

Analyzing Uncertainty in Civil Engineering

Author: Wolfgang Fellin

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2005-12-19

Total Pages: 244

ISBN-13: 3540268472

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This volume addresses the issue of uncertainty in civil engineering from design to construction. Failures do occur in practice. Attributing them to a residual system risk or a faulty execution of the project does not properly cover the range of causes. A closer scrutiny of the adopted design, the engineering model, the data, the soil-construction-interaction and the model assumptions is required. Usually, the uncertainties in initial and boundary conditions are abundant. Current engineering practice often leaves these issues aside, despite the fact that new scientific tools have been developed in the past decades that allow a rational description of uncertainties of all kinds, from model uncertainty to data uncertainty. It is the aim of this volume to have a critical look at current engineering risk concepts in order to raise awareness of uncertainty in numerical computations, shortcomings of a strictly probabilistic safety concept, geotechnical models of failure mechanisms and their implications for construction management, execution, and the juristic question of responsibility. In addition, a number of the new procedures for modelling uncertainty are explained. The book is a result of a collaborate effort of mathematicians, engineers and construction managers who met regularly in a post graduate seminar at the University of Innsbruck during the past years.


Uncertainty Modeling and Analysis in Civil Engineering

Uncertainty Modeling and Analysis in Civil Engineering

Author: Bilal M. Ayyub

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 1997-12-29

Total Pages: 534

ISBN-13: 9780849331084

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With the expansion of new technologies, materials, and the design of complex systems, the expectations of society upon engineers are becoming larger than ever. Engineers make critical decisions with potentially high adverse consequences. The current political, societal, and financial climate requires engineers to formally consider the factors of uncertainty (e.g., floods, earthquakes, winds, environmental risks) in their decisions at all levels. Uncertainty Modeling and Analysis in Civil Engineering provides a thorough report on the immediate state of uncertainty modeling and analytical methods for civil engineering systems, presenting a toolbox for solving problems in real-world situations. Topics include Neural networks Genetic algorithms Numerical modeling Fuzzy sets and operations Reliability and risk analysis Systems control Uncertainty in probability estimates This compendium is a considerable reference for civil engineers as well as for engineers in other disciplines, computer scientists, general scientists, and students.


Nondeterministic Mechanics

Nondeterministic Mechanics

Author: Isaac Elishakoff

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2013-07-30

Total Pages: 357

ISBN-13: 3709113067

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Table of contents: Stochastic methods in nonlinear structural dynamics.- Stochastic models of uncertainties in computational structural dynamics and structural acoustics.- The tale of stochastic linearization techniques: over half a century of progress.- Comprehensive modeling of uncertain systems using fuzzy set theory.- Bounding uncertainty in civil engineering: theoretical background and applications.- Combined methods in nondeterministic mechanics. In this book the current state of the art of nondeterministic mechanics in its various forms is presented. The topics range from stochastic problems to fuzzy sets; from linear to nonlinear problems; from specific methodologies to combinations of various techniques; from theoretical considerations to practical applications. It is specially designed to illuminate the various aspects of the three methodologies (probabilistic or stochastic modelling, fuzzy sets based analysis, antioptimization of structures) to deal with various uncertainties and deepen the discussion of their pros and cons.


Multifaceted Uncertainty Quantification

Multifaceted Uncertainty Quantification

Author: Isaac Elishakoff

Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG

Published: 2024-09-23

Total Pages: 384

ISBN-13: 3111354237

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The book exposes three alternative and competing approaches to uncertainty analysis in engineering. It is composed of some essays on various sub-topics like random vibrations, probabilistic reliability, fuzzy-sets-based analysis, unknown-but-bounded variables, stochastic linearization, possible difficulties with stochastic analysis of structures.


Uncertainty in Engineering

Uncertainty in Engineering

Author: Louis J. M. Aslett

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2022

Total Pages: 148

ISBN-13: 3030836401

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This open access book provides an introduction to uncertainty quantification in engineering. Starting with preliminaries on Bayesian statistics and Monte Carlo methods, followed by material on imprecise probabilities, it then focuses on reliability theory and simulation methods for complex systems. The final two chapters discuss various aspects of aerospace engineering, considering stochastic model updating from an imprecise Bayesian perspective, and uncertainty quantification for aerospace flight modelling. Written by experts in the subject, and based on lectures given at the Second Training School of the European Research and Training Network UTOPIAE (Uncertainty Treatment and Optimization in Aerospace Engineering), which took place at Durham University (United Kingdom) from 2 to 6 July 2018, the book offers an essential resource for students as well as scientists and practitioners.


Managing Uncertainty, Mitigating Risk

Managing Uncertainty, Mitigating Risk

Author: Nick Firoozye

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2016-04-20

Total Pages: 281

ISBN-13: 1137334541

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Managing Uncertainty, Mitigating Risk proposes that financial risk management broaden its approach, maintaining quantification where possible, but incorporating uncertainty. The author shows that by using broad quantification techniques, and using reason as the guiding principle, practitioners can see a more holistic and complete picture.


Fuzzy Randomness

Fuzzy Randomness

Author: Bernd Möller

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2004-02-19

Total Pages: 356

ISBN-13: 9783540402947

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The subject of the book is the comprehensive consideration of uncertainty in the numerical analysis, the safety assessment, and the design of structures. Stochastic as well as non-stochastic uncertainty is treated on the basis of the superordinated uncertainty model fuzzy randomness. This new uncertainty model contains the special cases of real valued random variables and fuzzy variables and permits to take account of both uncertainty characteristics simultaneously. The book introduces to the problem of uncertainty and provides a current survey of relevant uncertainty models and their application in civil engineering. The necessary, special mathematical basics of the fuzzy set theory and the theory of fuzzy random variables are explained in an engineering manner and illustrated by way of examples. Basic ideas and methods for appropriately quantifying uncertain structural parameters are presented and demonstrated by means of characteristic examples. For processing uncertainty in structural analysis, safety assessment, and structural design completely new algorithms are introduced and described in detail as fuzzy structural analysis, fuzzy probabilistic safety assessment, and fuzzy cluster design. The application of the new methods is demonstrated for selected examples from civil engineering, their essential advantages are emphasized. For the first time this represents a coherent, overall concept for considering uncertainty in civil engineering. The book in particular addresses to civil engineers and requires a university degree as well as basic knowledge in stochastics. But also for mechanical engineers, colleagues from applied mathematics, and other people who are interested in uncertainty problems the book represents a suitable introduction to the problem of uncertainty modeling and provides general solutions and algorithms, which may also be applied to problems from other fields beyond engineering.


Hydro-Environmental Analysis

Hydro-Environmental Analysis

Author: James L. Martin

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2013-12-04

Total Pages: 5742

ISBN-13: 1138000868

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Focusing on fundamental principles, Hydro-Environmental Analysis: Freshwater Environments presents in-depth information about freshwater environments and how they are influenced by regulation. It provides a holistic approach, exploring the factors that impact water quality and quantity, and the regulations, policy and management methods that are necessary to maintain this vital resource. It offers a historical viewpoint as well as an overview and foundation of the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics affecting the management of freshwater environments. The book concentrates on broad and general concepts, providing an interdisciplinary foundation. The author covers the methods of measurement and classification; chemical, physical, and biological characteristics; indicators of ecological health; and management and restoration. He also considers common indicators of environmental health; characteristics and operations of regulatory control structures; applicable laws and regulations; and restoration methods. The text delves into rivers and streams in the first half and lakes and reservoirs in the second half. Each section centers on the characteristics of those systems and methods of classification, and then moves on to discuss the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of each. In the section on lakes and reservoirs, it examines the characteristics and operations of regulatory structures, and presents the methods commonly used to assess the environmental health or integrity of these water bodies. It also introduces considerations for restoration, and presents two unique aquatic environments: wetlands and reservoir tailwaters. Written from an engineering perspective, the book is an ideal introduction to the aquatic and limnological sciences for students of environmental science, as well as students of environmental engineering. It also serves as a reference for engineers and scientists involved in the management, regulation, or restoration of freshwater environments.