Epidemics in Networks: Modeling, Optimization and Security Games

Epidemic theory has wide range of applications in computer networks, from spreading of malware to the information dissemination algorithms. Our society depends more strongly than ever on such computer networks. Many of these networks rely to a large extent on decentralization and self-organization. While decentralization removes obvious...

Modernization of electricity networks: Exploring the interrelations between institutions and technology

Experiencing Complexity: A gaming approach for understanding infrastructure systems

Innovative contracting practices in the road sector: Cross-national lessons in dealing with opportunistic behaviour

Modelling Risk Control Measures in Railways: Analysing how designers and operators organise safe rail traffic

Safe, high-quality and more frequent rail services are desired by both society and passengers. Since large scale infrastructure extensions to accommodate higher train frequencies are hardly practicable, a more intense network utilisation is considered the way to achieve these aims. As a result, trains will get in each other’s way more frequently...

Architecture-Driven Integration of Modeling Languages for the Design of Software-Intensive Systems

In the research that led to this thesis a multi-disciplinary approach, combining Traffic Engineering and Software Engineering, was used. Traffic engineers come up with new control strategies and algorithms for improving traffic. Once new solutions are defined from a Traffic Engineering point of view, there is the problem of obtaining operational...

Smart Heat and Power: Utilizing the Flexibility of Micro Cogeneration

Distributed generation (DG) contributes to a more sustainable electricity supply. Large-scale adoption of DG will bring radical changes to the traditional model of generation and supply as well as to the business model of the power industry. Furthermore, with innovations in information and communication technology (e.g. smart metering), energy...

Governing mobile service innovation in co-evolving value networks

Mobile service innovation requires a broad set of resources and capabilities that are not controlled by one single actor. Equipment manufacturers, operators, content providers and application developers have to work together in so-called value networks in order to develop and offer services to end-users. There is serious debate as to how the...

Capturing socio-technical systems with agent-based modelling

What is a suitable modelling approach for socio-technical systems? The answer to this question is of great importance to decision makers in large scale interconnected network systems. The behaviour of these systems is determined by many actors, situated in a dynamic, multi-actor, multi-objective and multi-level jungle. Models to support such an...

Competing Public Values: Coping strategies in heavily regulated utility industries

On Stackelberg and Inverse Stackelberg Games & Their Applications in the Optimal Toll Design Problem, the Energy Markets Liberalization Problem, and in the Theory of Incentives

This thesis studies the so-called inverse Stackelberg games, that are new in the world of game theory, their properties, and their applications in the optimal toll design problem, the energy markets liberalization problem, and in the theory of incentives.

Characterization of complex networks: Application to robustness analysis

This thesis focuses on the topological characterization of complex networks. It specifically focuses on those elementary graph measures that are of interest when quantifying topology-related aspects of the robustness of complex networks. This thesis makes the following contributions to the field of complex networks. Firstly, the thesis analyses...