6.1. Artificial Neural Networks:
Neural Networks have been
widely used in many areas of engineering mechanics to deal with
problems that
normally challenge conventional methods. There are numerous textbooks
and
publications on neural networks
and their applications.
Books –
In terms of
textbooks, here may
be a good thin book to start with. It was written for readers with or
without
technical background.
An
Introduction to Neural Networks
by Kevin Gurney
288 pages
Univ College of London Press, 1997
ISBN: 1857285034
Two more comprehensive
references can be refereed to in learning neural networks for general
purposes.
In particular, the second book was written by the authors of the Matlab
Neural
Network Toolbox.
Neural
Networks: A Comprehensive Foundation
(2nd Edition)
by Simon Haykin
842 pages
Prentice Hall, 1998
ISBN: 0132733501
Neural
Network Design
by Martin T. Hagan, Howard B. Demuth,
Mark H. Beale
736 pages
Brooks Cole; Book and Disk edition, 1995
ASIN: 0534943322
There are many
other good
textbooks and information resources on the subject as recommended by
the
IEEE
Neural Networks Society. Check out this link.
Software
–
Matlab
Neural Network Toolbox
People –
There are numerous
researchers active on studying and applying neural networks to
engineering
practice.
For the researchers in system identification and civil engineering
applications, here is an incomplete list of
some names and homepages.
Jamshid Ghaboussi
Sami
Masri
Minh Phan
Hoon Sohn, Los
Alamos National Laboratory
Keith Worden
In particular, these
researchers (who may or may not in the field of earthquake engineering
and/or
system identification) have been making the neural network approach
more
“transparent” for engineers
to have a better appreciation and a better control
of this highly adaptive tool which is often considered
as a “black-box”.
Andrew Meade
Jin-Song Pei
Andrew Smyth
Other links –
IEEE Neural Networks Society
International
Neural Network Society