ECI 153: Deterministic Optimization and Design
Winter 2003
Course Objectives & Overview
Prerequisites
Time & Place
Instructor
Ackowledgments
Policies
Course Syllabus
Assignments
Notes1
Notes2
Notes3
Notes4
Resources
Computing
Thoughts on Optimization
Discussion Group
Course Objectives & Overview
This course introduces students to the "science of design" (Simon
1969), also known as the "theory of problem solving" (Liebman 1989).
Upon completion, students should be able to:
- Describe a civil/environmental engineering design problem in terms
of decisions, objectives, and constraints.
- Simplify the problem, if necessary, and formulate the decisions,
objectives, and constraints in mathematical terms.
- Select an appropriate mathematical programming tool to solve the
problem (most likely using a computer).
- Understand the solution procedure.
- Interpret the solution and perform sensitivity analysis.
- Explain the solution, solution sensitivity, and limitations of the
approach to someone unfamiliar with math programming.
Students will become familiar with optimization techniques such as:
- Linear programming
- Dynamic programming
- Non-linear programming
- Integer programming
- Genetic algorithms
Applications occur in a broad range of civil/environmental engineering
disciplines, including:
- Water resources planning
- Water/wastewater treatment design
- Solid/hazardous waste management
- Transportation planning
- Structural design
- Geotechnical design
- Construction management
Another objective of the course is to help students become comfortable
with the use of computers. Computer-based design projects will
require the use of spreadsheets and math programming software. Students
will also be required to use a programming language (of their choice--FORTRAN,
C, Java, PASCAL, Visual Basic, VBA, etc.) for one or more of the assignments.
The course meets twice a week. Each week, the meeting time
will include lectures, active learning sessions, and Q&A sessions related
to the homework assignments. Additional homework Q&A sessions
may be scheduled as deemed necessary.
Prerequisites
- Mathematics 21C (Calculus III)
- Mathematics 22A (Linear Algebra)
- Engineering 6 (Applications of Computers) or the equivalent
- Applied Science Engineering 115 (Intro. to Numerical Methods) recommended
- Students should be prepared to use computers to solve problems
Time and Place
113 Hoagland Halll M,W 2:10-4:00 PM
Instructors
Jay R. Lund
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
University of California, Davis
Office Hours: M,W 1:00-2:00 PM , also by appointment and usually
when I'm in.
Location:
3109 Engineering III
Electronic
mail: jrlund@ucdavis.edu
Stacy Tanaka
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
University of California, Davis
Office Hours: ? , also by appointment.
Location:
3019 Engineering III
Electronic
mail: sktanaka@ucdavis.edu
Mien Yip
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
University of California, Davis
Office Hours: ? , also by appointment.
Location: 3rd
floor Engineering Unit III
Electronic
mail: mayip@ucdavis.edu
Acknowlegements
Most of this course content was
developed at the University of California, Davis Department of Civil and Environmental
Engineering by Jay R. Lund (1988-present), Ken Kirby (1996), Orit Kalman
(1998), David Watkins (1999), and Andy Draper (2001). David Watkins
founded the course's web pages and Jay Lund has since deranged them.
Civil
& Environmental Engineering Home
UC-Davis Home
Send mail to jrlund@ucdavis.edu with questions or
comments about this web site.
Last modified: January 2, 2003