3.1.3 Complex System Classification

Abstract

The use of terms such as “Engineering Systems”, “System of systems” and others have been coming into greater use over the past decade to denote systems of importance but with implied higher complexity than for the term systems alone. This paper searches for a useful taxonomy or classification scheme for complex Systems. There are two aspects to this problem: 1) distinguishing between Engineering Systems (the term we use) and other Systems, and 2) differentiating among Engineering Systems. Engineering Systems are found to be differentiated from other complex systems by being human‐designed and having both significant human complexity as well as significant technical complexity. As far as differentiating among various engineering systems, it is suggested that functional type is the most useful attribute for classification differentiation. Information, energy, value and mass acted upon by various processes are the foundation concepts underlying the technical types.

A model-based approach to associate complexity and robustness in engineering systems

“…The metric of the information content, which is defined as the logarithm of the inverse of the probability of success, is used both as metric for robustness but also complexity (El-Haik & Yang, 1999). Magee and de Weck (2004) describe a complex system as "a system with numerous components and interconnections, interactions or interdependence […]." In accordance with this definition some complexity metrics can be found in the literature that are based on the part and interface count as well as the number of part and interface types (Slagle et al, 2008).…”

Novel Complexity Indicator of Manufacturing Process Chains and Its Relations to Indirect Complexity Indicators

“…We understand complex system as "a system with numerous components and interconnections, interactions or interdependencies that are difficult to describe, understand, predict, manage, design, and/or change" [13]. This definition inherently assumes that complexity of such systems arises not only from the size of the system but also from the interrelationships of the system components and the unpredictable behaviour of its drivers.…”

New protocol supporting collaborative simulation

“…A complex system is a system composed of interacting components that are difficult to describe, to understand and to predict evolving due to the huge of exchanges [23]. These systems are usually qualified as an auto-organization: they produce emergent dynamics we could not predict.…”