Fuzzy modeling of wave-shielding under consideration of cost-effectiveness for an efficient reduction of uncertainty

Abstract

© 2017 Elsevier Ltd The shielding of waves is an appropriate method to protect human beings, livestock, as well as structures and commercial goods from the harmful effects of dynamic loads. Areas of application of the concept of shielding range from ocean and coastal engineering, acoustics, to civil as well as mechanical engineering. Materials that can be effective in constructing shielding structural components and facilities are primarily cementitious composites as well as various categories of non-cementitious composites. However, the planning and production processes behind these low-cost materials is often characterized by uncertain information regarding their mechanical properties and even their dimensions. This leads to uncertainty in the forecasting of their overall performance, as well as their effectiveness in shielding incoming elastic, acoustic and water waves. In this paper, a new approach is presented which allows for improving these performance forecasts. In the proposed interdisciplinary procedure used here, the cost-effectiveness fuzzy analysis is connected to an appropriate mechanical model describing the shielding of elastic waves. This analysis procedure leads to a reduction of epistemic uncertainty. This can be achieved provided additional monetary investment is made, as proposed for the first time here, in order to improve the production quality of these shielding materials.