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Simulation of Complex Systems

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Springer Handbook of Model-Based Science

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Abstract

Understanding and managing complex systems has become one of the biggest challenges for research, policy and industry. Modeling and simulation of complex systems promises to enable us to understand how a human nervous system and brain not just maintain the activities of a metabolism, but enable the production of intelligent behavior, how huge ecosystems adapt to changes, or what actually influences climatic changes. Also man-made systems are getting more complex and difficult, or even impossible, to grasp. Therefore we need methods and tools that can help us in, for example, estimating how different infrastructure investments will affect the transport system and understanding the behavior of large Internet-based systems in different situations. This type of system is becoming the focus of research and sustainable management as there are now techniques, tools and the computational resources available. This chapter discusses modeling and simulation of such complex systems. We will start by discussing what characterizes complex systems.

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Abbreviations

2-D:

two-dimensional

ABS:

agent-based simulation

ACT-R:

Adaptive Control of Thought-Rational

BDI:

belief, desire, intention

BOID:

beliefs, obligations, inentions and desires

CORMAS:

common-pool resources and multi-agent systems

DEVS:

Discrete Event System Specification

GIS:

geographical information system

MABS:

multi-agent-based simulation

MASON:

multi-agent simulator of neighborhoods

PSI:

principles of synthetic intelligence

SeSAm:

Shell for Simulated Agent Systems

UML:

unified modeling language

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science, Malmö University, Östra Varvsgata 11A, 20506, Malmö, Sweden

    Paul Davidsson

  2. School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, 70182, Örebro, Sweden

    Franziska Klügl

  3. Department of Computer and Systems Sciences, Stockholm University, Borgarfjordsgatan 8, 164 07, Kista, Sweden

    Harko Verhagen

Authors
  1. Paul Davidsson
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  2. Franziska Klügl
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  3. Harko Verhagen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Paul Davidsson .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Humanities, University of Pavia, Piazza Botta 6, 27100, Pavia, Italy

    Lorenzo Magnani  & Tommaso Bertolotti  & 

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Davidsson, P., Klügl, F., Verhagen, H. (2017). Simulation of Complex Systems. In: Magnani, L., Bertolotti, T. (eds) Springer Handbook of Model-Based Science. Springer Handbooks. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-30526-4_35

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-30526-4_35

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-30525-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-30526-4

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