H2Optimization: An Introduction to Optimization and Operations Research for Infrastructure Professionals - Softcover

Liner, Dr. Barry L.; Maier, Dr. Holger R.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0996580409 ISBN 13: 9780996580403

Publisher: Aldera, 2015

Synopsis

From water supply to wastewater to transportation to energy, our infrastructure is essential to daily life. Infrastructure is also expensive and long lasting. This begs the questions, “are we building the right things and spending our money most efficiently?” The dedicated infrastructure professionals who have focused on designing and building our modern society are being constrained by money, ageing infrastructure, changes in population centers and more. Optimization techniques can help civil engineers, urban planners, and other stakeholders “get the most bang for our buck.” H2Optimization provides insight into how operations research techniques can be applied to infrastructure problems such as those faced by the water sector, including drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and even solid waste and energy. Written by professors from the US and Australia, this book is divided into three parts to provide the most beneficial use for a variety of readers. Part I: Structure of Optimization Problems, delivers an overview of how optimization problems can be set up and provides examples. The goal is to familiarize the reader with the overall process of optimization. Part II: Inside the Black Box, introduces optimization algorithms for those readers looking to understand how the problem solving engines work. The discussion focuses primarily on linear programming and genetic algorithms. The text does not delve into the detailed mathematics behind the algorithms, but rather seeks to provide a comfort level for the reader about the operation of the analytical engines that provide the solutions. Part III: Food for Thought, utilizes research case studies to provide examples of how optimization can be applied to water resources.

About this title

About the Author

Dr. Barry Liner, P.E. is an industrial engineer with over 25 years’ experience in the water resources field. He served as a professor in Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering at George Mason University, where he taught courses in optimization modeling and engineering economics, infrastructure finance, engineering management, and sustainable development. Dr. Liner also served as Director of International Engineering Programs at Mason, leading water, sanitation and hygiene projects in rural Amazonian and Andean Peru. Throughout his career he has worked for organizations such as Black & Veatch, The World Bank, and he served as Director of the Water Science & Engineering Center at The Water Environment Federation. In his work at Applied Engineering Management Corporation and Aldera, he leads business process improvement efforts as a certified CMMI Lead Appraiser. He holds a Ph.D. in sustainable water resources and an M.S. in urban systems engineering from George Mason University, a B.A. in Economics from Virginia Tech, and a graduate certificate in business administration from Georgetown University. Barry resides in Virginia, USA. Dr. Holger Maier is a professor at the University of Adelaide’s School of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering. Dr Maier has won numerous awards for his contributions to modeling and decision analysis in the water resources field. He earned his Ph.D in Environmental/Water Resources Engineering and B.E. in Civil Engineering from The University of Adelaide. Holger resides in Adelaide, South Australia.

Edition details

• Publisher: Aldera
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 0996580409
• ISBN 13: 9780996580403
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 106