ABSTRACT
The paper outlines what is believed to be a robust systems framework, suitable for the development of a Body of Knowledge in Civil Engineering Systems (BOK-CES). The proposed framework is structured in six parts, which are amplified and explained in the paper. The framework embodies, or is common to, all people's views on systems, provided terminology is revisited. The six parts are System; System Variables; System Models; Systems Modelling/Investigation; Systems Analysis; and Systems Synthesis. The framework has been tested on multiple pursuits. It applies whether the matter is probabilistic/deterministic, dynamic/static, discrete/continuous and other categorisations. It applies to both qualitative treatments and quantitative treatments. It is extendable beyond engineering. The paper is intended to promote discussion and debate on Civil Engineering Systems.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Notes on contributor
David G. Carmichael is a Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of New South Wales; a Fellow of the Royal Society of New South Wales; a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers, Australia; and a Life Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers. He publishes, teaches, and consults across multiple disciplines, and is respected as a conceptual thinker. Over his career he has contributed significantly to fundamental systems thinking on engineering practices. Much of what Professor Carmichael writes has been described as left-field, controversial, maverick and uncompromising. Commonly, he shows that the status quo is flawed in an attempt to promote healthy discussion for the advancement of the state-of-the-art.