This book is a general presentation of complex systems, examined from the point of view of management. There is no standard formula to govern such systems, nor to effectively understand and respond to them. The interdisciplinary theory of self-organization is teeming with examples of living systems that can reorganize at a higher level of complexity when confronted with an external challenge of a certain magnitude. Modern businesses, considered as complex systems, ideally know how to flexibly and resiliently adapt to their environment, and also how to prepare for change via self-organization. Understanding sources of potential crisis is essential for leaders, though not all crises are necessarily bad news, as creative firms know how to respond to challenges through innovation: new products and markets, organizational learning for collective intelligence, and more.

This book deals with the various aspects of stochastic dynamics, the resolution of large mechanical systems, and inverse problems. It integrates the most recent ideas from research and industry in the field of stochastic dynamics and optimization in structural mechanics over 11 chapters. These chapters provide an update on the various tools for dealing with uncertainties, stochastic dynamics, reliability and optimization of systems. The optimization reliability coupling in structures dynamics is approached in order to take into account the uncertainties in the modeling and the resolution of the problems encountered. Accompanied by detailed examples of uncertainties, optimization, reliability, and model reduction, this book presents the newest design tools. It is intended for students and engineers and is a valuable support for practicing engineers and teacher-researchers.

Optimization is generally a reduction operation of a definite quantity. This process naturally takes place in our environment and through our activities. For example, many natural systems evolve, in order to minimize their potential energy. Modeling these phenomena then largely relies on our capacity to artificially reproduce these processes. In parallel, optimization problems have quickly emerged from human activities, notably from economic concerns. This book includes the most recent ideas coming from research and industry in the field of optimization, reliability and the recognition of accompanying uncertainties. It is made up of eight chapters which look at the reviewing of uncertainty tools, system reliability, optimal design of structures and their optimization (of sizing, form, topology and multi-objectives) - along with their robustness and issues on optimal safety factors. Optimization reliability coupling will also be tackled in order to take into account the uncertainties in the modeling and resolution of the problems encountered. The book is aimed at students, lecturers, engineers, PhD students and researchers.

Contents

1. Uncertainty.2. Reliability in Mechanical Systems.3. Optimal Structural Design.4. Multi-object Optimization with Uncertainty.5. Robust Optimization.6. Reliability Optimization.7. Optimal Security Factors Approach.8. Reliability-based Topology Optimization.

About the Authors

Abdelkhalak El Hami is Professor at the Institut National des Sciences Appliquees, Rouen, France. He is the author of many articles and books on optimization and uncertainty.Bouchaib Radi is Professor in the Faculty of Sciences and Technology at the University of Hassan Premier, Settat, Morocco. His research interests are in such areas as structural optimization, parallel computation, contact problem and metal forming. He is the author of many scientific articles and books.

This book is dedicated to the general study of the dynamics of mechanical structures with consideration of uncertainties. The goal is to get the appropriate forms of a part in minimizing a given criterion. In all fields of structural mechanics, the impact of good design of a room is very important to its strength, its life and its use in service. The development of the engineer's art requires considerable effort to constantly improve structural design techniques.