Orientation
- Spring 2026 Syllabus
- first lecture slides
- Students with Superpowers
- Academic Integrity
- Policy for Short-Term Illness Notification
Reading for Martin Luther King Day
- The King Center
- The Martin Luther King Jr. Papers Project at Stanford University
- Letter from a Birmingham Jail, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., April 16, 1963
- Acceptance Speech at the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., December 10, 1964 - listen -
Assignments
- 2026-01-14 - Homework 1 - Python
- 2026-01-21 - Homework 2 - Optimization: search methods
- 2026-01-26 - Homework 3 - Optimization: gradient methods
- 2026-02-02 - Homework 4 - Uncertainty: axioms of probability
- 2026-02-09 - Homework 5 - Uncertainty: probability distributions
- 2026-02-16 - Homework 6 - Uncertainty: monte carlo simulation and regression
- 2026-02-23 - Homework 7 - Uncertainty: confidence intervals, quantiles, hypothesis testing
- 2026-03-02 - Homework 8 - Engineering network systems analyses
- 2026-03-19 - Quiz - HW 4 - HW 7
- 2026-04-06 - Project 1.A - Optimize a statically determinate 2D truss for uncertain loads.
- 2026-04-06 - Project 1.B - Optimize power grid energy distribution.
- 2026-04-06 - Project 1.C - Make as much money as possible.
- 2026-04-17 - Project 2.A - Protect a building and its contents from earthquakes.
- 2026-04-17 - Project 2.B - Supply enough clean drinking water.
- 2026-04-17 - Project 2.C - Supply enough clean solar energy.
- 2026-04-20 - Project Presentations - your Project #1 or your Project #2
- 2026-05-01 - Take Home Final
Course Notes
- A Very Brief Introductoin to Numerical Optimization for Constrained Optimization
- An example of running constrained minimization codes
- The Nelder-Mead Simplex Algorithm in Two Dimensions
- Linear Programming and Lagrange Multipliers
- Linear Programming in Two Dimensions
- Quadratic Programming and Lagrange Multipliers
- Review of Matrix Math
- Constrained Linear Least Squares
- Minimum Total Potential Energy - example
- Minimum Total Potential Energy, Quadratic Programming, and Lagrange Multipliers
- Rules of Probability with Examples
- Probability Distributions with Examples
- Fitting Models to Data - Generalized Linear Least Squares and Error Analysis
- Confidence Intervalss and Hypothesis Testing
- Network System Reliability
- Introductory Example of Uncertainty, Design, and Optimization
- Introduction to Water Supply and Treatment Project
- Plastic Design of a Fixed-Fixed Beam-Column, MP.m
- Simple Oscillators: Free and Forced Response
multivarious
a multitude of various .py functions for multivariable things like signal processing, fitting models, ODE's, linear systems, probability distributions, and optimization
git clone https://github.com/hpgavin/multivarious/
Outside Reading
Optimization
- A Sucker Is Optimized Every Minute, Virginia Heffernan, New York Times, March 17, 2015.
- Nonlinear Optimization with Engineering Applications, Michael Bartholomew-Biggs, Springer Optimization and Its Applications, vol 19, 2008.
- An Optimized Step Size Random Search (OSSRS), Sheela, B.V., Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering, 19 (1979): 99-106.
- Adaptive Step Size Random Search, Schumer, M.A. and Steiglitz, K., IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, AC-13, No. 3 (1968): 270-276.
- Evaluation of Adaptive Step Size Random Search, White, L.J. and Day, R.G., IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, AC-16, No. 5 (1971): 475-478.
- Valuation of some Random Search Methods, Ugray, C., Optimization, 10(1) (1979): 57-65
- Introduction to Analyses of Adaptive Stochastic Search Methods for Global Optimization, by Zelda B. Zabinsky, University of Washington
- A General-Purpose Global Optimizer: Implementation and Applications, Pronzato, L., and Walter, E., Mathematics and Computers in Simulation XXVI (1984): 412-422.
Uncertainty Analysis
- For Today's Graduate, Just One Word: Statistics, Steve Lohr, New York Times, August 5, 2009.
- Introduction to Randomness and Random Numbers (random.org)
- A Probability Tutorial, West Texas A and M University.
- Bayes' Theorem for the curious and bewildered; an excruciatingly gentle introduction, Eliezer Yudkowsky, The Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence
- Introduction to Probability and Statistics, John Walker, Fourmilab, Switzerland.
- Uncertainty in Probabilistic Risk Assessment, A.R. Daneshkhah, University of Sheffield, UK (2004).
- Aleatory and Epistemic Uncertainty Quantification for Engineering Applications, L.P. Swiler, A.A. Giunta, Sandia labs.
- Uncertainty Modeling and Analysis in Civil Engineering, Bilal M. Ayyub, CRC Press, 1997.
- Quantitative Analysis of Variability and Uncertainty in Energy and Environmental Systems H.C. Frey, N.C. State University.
- Quantitative Analysis of Variability and Uncertainty in Energy and Environmental Systems H.C. Frey, N.C. State University.
- Engineering Design Reliability, Efstratios Nikolaidis, Dan M. Ghiocel, Suren Singhal, CRC Press, (2004)
- Uncertainty in Structural Engineering, William M. Bulleit, Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction, ASCE, 13(1): 24-30. (2008)
- Dealing with Uncertainty: From Health Risk Assessment to Environmental Decision Making, Louis A. Cox, Jr. and Paolo F. Ricci, Journal of Energy Engineering, ASCE, 118(2): 77-94. (1992)
- Superfund Decision Analysis in the Presence of Uncertainty, Aaron A. Jennings, Neel Mehta, and Sumeet Mohan, Journal of Environmental Engineering, ASCE, 120(5): 1132-1150. (1994)
Solid Mechanics Review, References, and Software
- MecMovies: Review of Solid Mechanics
- MDSolids: Educational Software for Mechanics of Materials from the University of Alberta
- Mechanics of Solids from the University of Sydney
- Examples of Truss Types
- truss_plot.m Plot a truss configuration.
- On-line (Java) Structural Analysis Software from Dr. D.J.Rao
- Beam-bending Java Applet from Virginia-Tech
- On-Line Bridge-Design applet from Johns Hopkins University
- MS-Windows Truss Analysis Software from Method Computing
- Cross section relationships for Wide-Flange Sections
Water Supply and Treatment System
- RDU Airport Rainfall statistics, RDU rainfal data from WRAL
- Big Rain Events in the Southeast, Florida Climate Center, Florida State University.
- Real Time Water Supply Status, City of Durham, NC
- Little River Reservoir and Lake Michie Elevations, City of Durham, NC.
- Water Supply and Treatment, City of Durham, NC.
- Annual Water Quality Reports, City of Durham, NC.
- The Story of Drinking Water, City of Durham, NC.
- Falls Lake Data, USGS
- Falls Lake Data, US Army Corps of Engineers
- Charting Our Water Future, McKinsey&Company;
- Average Daily Water Use in North Carolina Cities, by week, North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
- The Future of Water in North Carolina, Strategies for Sustaining Clean and Abundant Water, Conference Report, August 2007.
- Comparison of Methods Used to Estimate Lake Evaporation for a Water Budget of Lake Sminole, Southwestern Georgia and Northwestern Florida, by Melinda S. Mosner and Brnet T. Aulenbach
- Evaporatoin Rates, by David Cook, Argonne National Labs
- Rain Water Solutions, Inc., Raleigh, NC
Structural Dynamics and Vibration Response
- Vibration Response Plotter from Dr. D.J.Rao
- Structural Dynamic Vibrations Prof. B.J. Stone, University of Western Australia
- Frequency Response Functions from Dr. C.W.deSilva
- Acoustics and Vibrations Animations, Dr. Dan Russel, Kettering University
- Nonlinear SDOF Structural Dynamics: Experimental Data (2008):
16apr08.zip | 17apr08.zip | 18apr08.zip
Miscellaneous
