François E. Cellier - Böcker

Continuous System Simulation describes in detail how to build mathematical simulations of systems that change continuously over time. It covers: - numerical integration - simulation of stiff systems - simulation of marginally stable systems - simulation of noisy systems - model validation techniques - simulation verification - the inverse problem - dynamic nonlinear programming - simulation software - simulation hardware Intended for advanced undergraduates in electrical, computer, mechanical, and civil engineering, it is a highly computer-oriented text, introducing numerical methods and algorithms along with the applications and conceptual tools. Homework problems, suggestions for research projects, and open-ended questions conclude each chapter.

The initial ideas behind this edited volume started in spring of 1998 - some two years before the sixtieth birthday of Bernard P. Zeigler. The idea was to bring together distinguished researchers, colleagues, and former students of Professor Zeigler to present their latest findings at the AIS' 2000 conference. During the spring of 1999, the initial ideas evolved into creating a volume of articles surrounding seminal concepts pertaining to modeling and simulation as proposed, developed, and advocated by Professor Zeigler throughout his scientific career. Also included would be articles describing progress covering related aspects of software engineering and artificial intelligence. As this volume is emphasizing concepts and ideas spawned by the work of Bernard P. Zeigler, it is most appropriate to offer a biographical sketch of his scientific life, thus putting into a historical perspective the contributions presented in this volume as well as new research directions that may lie ahead! Bernard P. Zeigler was born March 5, 1940, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where he obtained his bachelor's degree in engineering physics in 1962 from McGill University. Two years later, having completed his MS degree in electrical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he spent a year at the National Research Council in Ottawa. Returning to academia, he became a Ph. D. student in computer and communication sciences at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Modeling and Simulation have become endeavors central to all disciplines of science and engineering. They are used in the analysis of physical systems where they help us gain a better understanding of the functioning of our physical world. They are also important to the design of new engineering systems where they enable us to predict the behavior of a system before it is ever actually built. Modeling and simulation are the only techniques available that allow us to analyze arbitrarily non-linear systems accurately and under varying experimental conditions. Continuous System Modeling introduces the student to an important subclass of these techniques. They deal with the analysis of systems described through a set of ordinary or partial differential equations or through a set of difference equations. This volume introduces concepts of modeling physical systems through a set of differential and/or difference equations. The purpose is twofold: it enhances the scientific understanding of our physical world by codifying (organizing) knowledge about this world, and it supports engineering design by allowing us to assess the consequences of a particular design alternative before it is actually built. This text has a flavor of the mathematical discipline of dynamical systems, and is strongly oriented towards Newtonian physical science.

The initial ideas behind this edited volume started in spring of 1998 - some two years before the sixtieth birthday of Bernard P. Zeigler. The idea was to bring together distinguished researchers, colleagues, and former students of Professor Zeigler to present their latest findings at the AIS' 2000 conference. During the spring of 1999, the initial ideas evolved into creating a volume of articles surrounding seminal concepts pertaining to modeling and simulation as proposed, developed, and advocated by Professor Zeigler throughout his scientific career. Also included would be articles describing progress covering related aspects of software engineering and artificial intelligence. As this volume is emphasizing concepts and ideas spawned by the work of Bernard P. Zeigler, it is most appropriate to offer a biographical sketch of his scientific life, thus putting into a historical perspective the contributions presented in this volume as well as new research directions that may lie ahead! Bernard P. Zeigler was born March 5, 1940, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where he obtained his bachelor's degree in engineering physics in 1962 from McGill University. Two years later, having completed his MS degree in electrical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he spent a year at the National Research Council in Ottawa. Returning to academia, he became a Ph. D. student in computer and communication sciences at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Highly computer-oriented text, introducing numerical methods and algorithms along with the applications and conceptual tools. Includes homework problems, suggestions for research projects, and open-ended questions at the end of each chapter. Written by our successful author who also wrote Continuous System Modeling, a best-selling Springer book first published in the 1991 (sold about 1500 copies).