Kriging (Gaussian process, spatial correlation) metamodels approximate the Input/Output (I/O) functions implied by the underlying simulation models; such metamodels serve sensitivity analysis and optimization, especially for computationally expensive simulations. In practice, simulation analysts...

This tutorial explains the basics of linear regression models. especially low-order polynomials. and the corresponding statistical designs. namely, designs of resolution III, IV, V, and Central Composite Designs (CCDs).This tutorial assumes 'white noise', which means that the residuals of the...

This contribution presents an overview of sensitivity analysis of simulation models, including the estimation of gradients. It covers classic designs and their corresponding (meta)models; namely, resolution-III designs including fractional-factorial two-level designs for first-order polynomial...

Managers wish to verify that a particular engineering design meets their requirements. This design's future environment will differ from the environment assumed during the design. Therefore it is crucial to determine which variations in the environment may make this design unacceptable. The...

Sequential bifurcation (or SB) is an efficient and effective factor-screening method; i.e., SB quickly identifies the important factors (inputs) in experiments with simulation models that have very many factors — provided the SB assumptions are valid. The specific SB assumptions are: (i) a...

This chapter surveys two methods for the optimization of real-world systems that are modelled through simulation. These methods use either linear regression metamodels, or Kriging (Gaussian processes). The metamodel type guides the design of the experiment; this design fixes the input...

This tutorial reviews the design and analysis of simulation experiments. These experiments may have various goals: validation, prediction, sensitivity analysis, optimization (possibly robust), and risk or uncertainty analysis. These goals may be realized through metamodels. Two types of...

In this chapter we present Kriging also known as a Gaussian process (GP) model which is a mathematical interpolation method. To select the input combinations to be simulated, we use Latin hypercube sampling (LHS); we allow uniform and non-uniform distributions of the simulation inputs. Besides...

Design Of Experiments (DOE) is needed for experiments with real-life systems, and with either deterministic or random simulation models. This contribution discusses the different types of DOE for these three domains, but focusses on random simulation. DOE may have two goals: sensitivity analysis...

Optimization of simulated systems is tackled by many methods, but most methods assume known environments. This article, however, develops a 'robust' methodology for uncertain environments. This methodology uses Taguchi's view of the uncertain world, but replaces his statistical techniques by...