The book provides suggestions on how to start using bionic optimization methods, including pseudo-code examples of each of the important approaches and outlines of how to improve them. The most efficient methods for accelerating the studies are discussed. These include the selection of size and generations of a study’s parameters, modification of these driving parameters, switching to gradient methods when approaching local maxima, and the use of parallel working hardware. Bionic Optimization means finding the best solution to a problem using methods found in nature. As Evolutionary Strategies and Particle Swarm Optimization seem to be the most important methods for structural optimization, we primarily focus on them. Other methods such as neural nets or ant colonies are more suited to control or process studies, so their basic ideas are outlined in order to motivate readers to start using them. A set of sample applications shows how Bionic Optimization works in practice. From academic studies on simple frames made of rods to earthquake-resistant buildings, readers follow the lessons learned, difficulties encountered and effective strategies for overcoming them. For the problem of tuned mass dampers, which play an important role in dynamic control, changing the goal and restrictions paves the way for Multi-Objective-Optimization. As most structural designers today use commercial software such as FE-Codes or CAE systems with integrated simulation modules, ways of integrating Bionic Optimization into these software packages are outlined and examples of typical systems and typical optimization approaches are presented. The closing section focuses on an overview and outlook on reliable and robust as well as on Multi-Objective-Optimization, including discussions of current and upcoming research topics in the field concerning a unified theory for handling stochastic design processes.

Civil engineering structures such as buildings, bridges, stadiums, and offshore structures play an import role in our daily life. However, constructing these structures requires lots of budget. Thus, how to cost-efficiently design structures satisfying all required design constraints is an important factor to structural engineers. Traditionally, mathematical gradient-based optimal techniques have been applied to the design of optimal structures. While, many practical engineering optimal problems are very complex and hard to solve by traditional method. In the past few decades, swarm intelligence algorithms, which were inspired by the social behaviour of natural animals such as fish schooling and bird flocking, were developed because they do not require conventional mathematical assumptions and thus possess better global search abilities than the traditional optimization algorithms and have attracted more and more attention. These intelligent based algorithms are very suitable for continuous and discrete design variable problems such as ready-made structural members and have been vigorously applied to various structural design problems and obtained good results. This book gathers the authors’ latest research work related with particle swarm optimizer algorithm and group search optimizer algorithm as well as their application to structural optimal design. The readers can understand the full spectrum of the algorithms and apply the algorithms to their own research problems.

This book comprises selected papers from the 16th International Conference on Intelligent Systems Design and Applications (ISDA’16), which was held in Porto, Portugal from December 1 to16, 2016. ISDA 2016 was jointly organized by the Portugual-based Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto and the US-based Machine Intelligence Research Labs (MIR Labs) to serve as a forum for the dissemination of state-of-the-art research and development of intelligent systems, intelligent technologies, and applications. The papers included address a wide variety of themes ranging from theories to applications of intelligent systems and computational intelligence area and provide a valuable resource for students and researchers in academia and industry alike.

In order to develop innovative products, to reduce development costs and the number of prototypes and to accelerate development processes, numerical simulations become more and more attractive. As such, numerical simulations are instrumental in understanding complicated material properties like chemical ageing, crack propagation or the strain- and temperature-induced crystallisation of rubber. Therefore, experimentally validated and physically meaningful constitutive models are indispensable. Elastomers are used for products like tyres, engine and suspension mounts or seals, to name a few. The interest in modelling the quasi-static stress-strain behaviour was dominant in the past decades, but nowadays the interests also include influences of environmental conditions. The latest developments on the material behaviour of elastomers are collected in the present volume. Constitutive Models for Rubber X is a comprehensive compilation of nearly all oral and poster contributions to the European Conference on Constitutive Models for Rubber (Munich, 28-31 August 2017). The 95 highly topical contributions reflect the state of-the-art in material modelling and testing of elastomers. They cover the fields of material testing and processing, filler reinforcement, electromagnetic sensitive elastomers, dynamic properties, constitutive modelling, micromechanics, finite element implementation, stress softening, chemical ageing, fatigue and durability. In the area of rubbery materials and structures, applied research will play an important role also in the coming decades. Constitutive Models for Rubber X is of interest to developers and researchers involved in the rubber processing and CAE software industries, as well as for academics in nearly all disciplines of engineering and material sciences.

A typical engineering task during the development of any system is, among others, to improve its performance in terms of cost and response. Improvements can be achieved either by simply using design rules based on the experience or in an automated way by using optimization methods that lead to optimum designs. Design Optimization of Active and Passive Structural Control Systems includes Earthquake Engineering and Tuned Mass Damper research topics into a volume taking advantage of the connecting link between them, which is optimization. This is a publication addressing the design optimization of active and passive control systems. This title is perfect for engineers, professionals, professors, and students alike, providing cutting edge research and applications.

A fast paced changing world requires dynamic methods and robust theories to enable designers to deal with the new product development landscape successfully and make a difference in an increasingly interconnected world. Designers continue stretching the boundaries of their discipline, and trail new paths in interdisciplinary domains, constantly moving the frontiers of their practice farther. This book, the successor to "Industrial Design - New Frontiers" (2011), develops the concepts present in the previous book further, as well as reaching new areas of theory and practice in industrial design. "Advances in Industrial Design Engineering" assists readers in leaping forward in their own practice and in preparing new design research that is relevant and aligned with the current challenges of this fascinating field.

This book explores, in a systematic way, both conventional and unconventional material shaping processes with various modes of hybridization in relation to theory, modelling and industrial potential. The demand for high productivity and high accuracy in manufacturing is continuously increasing, based on improvement and optimization strategies. Hybridization of manufacturing processes will play a crucial role and will be of a key importance in achieving environmental and economical sustainability. Structured in three parts, Hybrid Manufacturing Processes summarizes the state-of-the art hybrid manufacturing processes based on available literature sources and production reports. The book begins by providing information on the physical fundamentals of the removal and non-removal processes in macro-, micro and nanoscales. It then follows with an overview of the possible ways of hybridization and the effects on the enhancement of process performance, before concluding with a summary of production outputs related to surface integrity, specifically with respect to difficult-to-machine materials. Considering the applications of different sources of hybridization including mechanical, thermal and chemical interactions or their combinations, this book will be of interest to a range of researchers and practicing engineers within the field of manufacturing.

This volume of the "Journal of Biomimetics, Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering" covers topical issue of biomimetic approach to the development of modern means of a wide range of industrial applications, the new solutions in the field of biomedical engineering and of pharmacological practice and also illuminates the results of the latest solutions in the field of development of biomaterials and their application.

This book systematically introduces the bionic nature of force sensing and control, the biomechanical principle on mechanism of force generation and control of skeletal muscle, and related applications in robotic exoskeleton. The book focuses on three main aspects: muscle force generation principle and biomechanical model, exoskeleton robot technology based on skeletal muscle biomechanical model, and SMA-based bionic skeletal muscle technology. This comprehensive and in-depth book presents the author's research experience and achievements of many years to readers in an effort to promote academic exchanges in this field. About the Author Yuehong Yin received his B.E. , M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, in 1990, 1995 and 1997, respectively, all in mechanical engineering. From December 1997 to December 1999, he was a Postdoctoral Fellow with Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China, where he became an Associate Professor in July 1999. Since December 1999, he has been with the Robotics Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China, where he became a Professor and a Tenure Professor in December 2005 and January 2016, respectively. His research interests include robotics, force control, exoskeleton robot, molecular motor, artificial limb, robotic assembly, reconfigurable assembly system, and augmented reality. Dr. Yin is a fellow of the International Academy of Production Engineering (CIRP).

Master simple to advanced biomaterials and structures with this essential text. Featuring topics ranging from bionanoengineered materials to bio-inspired structures for spacecraft and bio-inspired robots, and covering issues such as motility, sensing, control and morphology, this highly illustrated text walks the reader through key scientific and practical engineering principles, discussing properties, applications and design. Presenting case studies for the design of materials and structures at the nano, micro, meso and macro-scales, and written by some of the leading experts on the subject, this is the ideal introduction to this emerging field for students in engineering and science as well as researchers.