RESTON, VA, July 14, 2005 -- The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has just released Hydraulic Structures: Probabilistic Approaches to Maintenance. This book, written by Walter O. Wunderlich, P.E., is an introduction to the field of probability theory and its applications in engineering. It provides an overview of probabilistic methods at an introductory level including the probability of sets, arithmetic operations with random variables, probabilistic reliability calculations, and risky decision evaluation, as they apply to maintenance of hydraulic structures.
This book conveys the basic knowledge of a collection of probabilistic methods; creating a deep understanding of these materials by leading the reader through numerous derivations of formulas; helping the reader recognize that probabilistic methods are superior to traditional deterministic analysis; and instilling appreciation of these methods by presenting some very powerful probability laws and functions which provide insight into the apparent chaos of the world of random numbers.
This book incorporates probabilistic methods into mainstream engineering, and is a useful tool for hydraulic engineers and those in the hydraulic structures maintenance community.
The author, Walter Wunderlich is a consulting engineer with over 40 years of experience in hydraulic structures design, water quality modeling and prediction for streams and reservoirs, and the application of probabilistic methods to engineering analysis. Dr. Wunderlich worked for the Tennessee Valley Authority for 22 years as a hydraulic engineering specialist and research engineer. He's a graduate of the University of Karlsruhe, Germany, where he earned a master's degree and doctorate in civil engineering. Having written numerous articles, papers and chapters, Dr. Wunderlich is the former director of the ASCE Task Committee on Probabilistic Approaches to Maintenance of Hydraulic Structures, which promoted the use of probabilistic methods in water infrastructure.
Here's what the experts are saying about Hydraulic Structures: Probabilistic Approaches to Maintenance:
-- "An improved approach for timing preventative maintenance and allocating limited maintenance funding is potentially of great benefit to hydraulic engineering practice and an important research topic for universities and government agencies. Probabilistic methods are important and valuable tools for timing preventative maintenance and allocating maintenance funding, and this volume will encourage development and application of new approaches for maintenance decision making."
Charles Melching, Ph. D., P.E.
Associate Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Marquette University
-- "Most of the books on probabilistic approaches to civil engineering infrastructural systems are for design and planning. This book focuses on the maintenance aspects of hydraulic structures, which is a long awaited addition to compliment the existing book. In particular, an enjoyable feature of the book is to show how the probabilistic approaches can be implemented to umpteen practical decision-making issues in civil engineering infrastructural maintenance without complex mathematics."
Yeou-Koung Tung, Ph. D.
Professor, Department of Civil Engineering
Hong Kong University of Science & Technology
ASCE is the world's largest publisher of civil engineering information. The society publishes the monthly magazine Civil Engineering; the monthly newspaper ASCE News; 29 technical and professional journals; the 90,000-entry Civil Engineering Database; and a variety of books including acquired titles published by ASCE Press, conference proceedings, committee reports, manuals of practice, standards, and monographs. For more information contact ASCE at 800-548-2723 or www.pubs.asce.org.
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