Increasingly, segments of the civil infrastructure are considered to be parts of larger systems, which requires a systems approach for a fuller and proper understanding of and solutions to problems. Unfortunately, the subject of a system or a systems approach is barely covered in a standard civil and environmental engineering curriculum. Most, if not all, civil engineering problems involve interdependency, and hence segmented approaches of learning one individual topic at a time make it difficult for students to learn, understand, and apply rational concepts for the design, construction, and maintenance of larger infrastructure components. System Dynamics for Complex Problems in Pavement Engineering presents an introduction to a systems approach to help readers evolve and develop their capabilities of learning, communicating, and researching through system dynamics modeling and experimentation.
Furthermore, it helps students appreciate the need for systems thinking in modeling, analyzing, and proposing solutions for multidisciplinary problems in pavement engineering.