Complex Infrastructure Systems: From real-world to computational models and beyond

11^th March 2020, 14:00
Dr. Jurgen Hackl
Civil Engineering and Industrial Design

Abstract

Civil infrastructure systems are increasing in demand due to urban growth and densification.
This is compounded by various uncertainties related to rapid urbanization, climate change and resource
limitations. Additionally, the complexity of interdependent systems supporting an increasing global population
and the future well-being of society poses a major challenge. Thereby, cities stand as a paramount example
of how a complex interplay of infrastructures, technologies and human behaviour may lead to outcomes and
patterns very far from the usual cause-effect scheme.

This presentation focuses on complex infrastructure systems (such as transportation and supply chains),
intelligent risk and resilience assessments for climate change, and integrated solutions to future challenges
facing our cities and society. To gain a deeper understanding of such complex systems, new mathematical
approaches and computational models are needed. In order to achieve this, we have to go beyond the
classical boundaries of the individual disciplines and work in an interdisciplinary team. In this sense, research
on smart mobility and smart cities have been developed as new research areas.

The aim of this presentation is to give an overview how complex infrastructure systems are currently modelled;
how novel network analytic methods for spatial-temporal networks can be utilized to gain a better understanding
of our complex urban environment; how advances in data analytics and machine learning provide us new ways
to extract knowledge and support decision-making processes; as well as how cloud-based simulations might
offer a solution for computational risk and resilience assessments of complex infrastructure systems.