Introduction to Modeling and Simulation

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

‣ Understand concept of simulation Identify mathematical models which explain various

processes;

▸ Solve real life problems using analytic approach;

▸ Simulate solution for real life problems;

▸ Simulate solution for real life problems using MATLAB

What Is A Model?

 A Representation of an object, a system, or an idea in some form other than that of the
entity itself.
 A Model is a simplification of a real syitsel
 Modeling is the process of representing a system with a specific tool to study its behavior

Model (Wikipedia)

▸ A Model is a pattern, plan, representation (especially in miniature), or description designed to

show the main object or workings of an object, system, or concept.

Model may also refer to:

 Abstractions, concepts, and theories

 representations of objects.
 human and animal behavior
 occupations
 history and culture
 lighting
 In geography...

Examples

In general, modeling is used for systems with some sort of uncertainty

 Waiting time in a restaurant/airport

 Time to go from home to the University
 Response time and Throughput of a web server
 The productivity of manufacturing systems
 Design of multi-processor machine
 Designing and operating transportation facilities such as freeways, airports, subways, or
ports Evaluating designs for service organizations such as hospitals, post offices, or fast-food
restaurants
 Analyzing financial or economic systems
Examples: Movement

 Consider a system when a given object move

 This system can be modeled by the equation
S =V^ * t

Where S is the distance run through

 V is the speed of the object

 t is the time that has been observed.
 This is simplification of the reaobserve
 Another model can take into account the direction of movement, or the three dimension
coordinate...
 It is therefore to study the behaviour of the system based on a specific model

Example: Radio Propagation Models

A radio propagation model is an empirical mathematical formulation for the characterization of

radio wave propagation as a function of frequency, distance and other conditions.

Different types of models

 Models for outdoor environments: Ground. wave, Sky wave, Environmental Attenuation,
Point-to-Point propagation models, Terrain models, City Models
 Models for indoor environments
 Free Path Loss Model (Mathematical Model)

Characteristics of a model

▸ A model is never equal to the real system

 because it is always simpler than the reality

>The accuracy of a model is determined by its tendency to approach the real system

> Is that a problem?

 Yes, if the model ignore important parameters of the real system (over simplification)
 No, if the model takes into account the important parameters (ignoring some details is
sometimes not problematic)

Types of Models:

Physical

(Scale models, prototype plants,...)

Mathematical

(Analytical queueing models, linear programs, simulation)

Types of Models

Physical models:
 a scale model of relevant physical properties of the real system

Advantage: tangible, visual

Disadvantages:

 quite specific to individual system types

 difficult and expensive to change once built
 normally representative of static structure, not dynamic behaviors

Types of Models
Mathematical models:

a set of mathematical or logical expressions to express the relationships among the entities in the
system.

All variable relationships, entity interactions and dynamic behavior are specified within the
mathematical formalisms used

Usually formulated as a set of equations-eg set of linear equations, differential equations continuous
in time, difference equations for discrete systems

Types of solutions: analytic solution:derivation of an expression that can be calculated to give the
exact values for the state variables and outputs of interest Most models of dynamic systems are too
complex to solve with current

mathematical techniques. numeric solution:

approximation of the numerical values of the state and output variables for some specific range of
the time variable Numerical techniques are appropriate where there are no known analytical
solutions or where it is impractical to solve the system of equations.

What is Simulation?

simulation model:

a mathematical model implemented on a computer in order to run experiments.The

simulation model is usually implemented as a program in some programming language.

simulation:

the task of running experiments with a mathematical model using numeric techniques to
imitate the behavior of a system over a period of time. An execution of a simulation program
with a given set of parameters is a simulation run.

 The model is amenable to manipulation which would be impossible, too expensive, or too
impractical to perform on the system which it portrays.
 The operation of the model can be studied, and, from this, properties concerning the
behavior of the actual system can be inferred.