Gordon Savage

Gordon Savage is a Systems Design Engineering Professor at the University of Waterloo.

He is interested in the application of systems theory to field and continuum problems. Professor Savage’s research aims to produce general models of spatially continuous processes such as heat conduction, diffusion, and elasticity. These models provide conceptual or computational advantages, which unify or categorize existing numerical methods such as finite elements and finite differences.

Professor Savage’s research focuses on the areas of non-linear media modelling, coupled fields, probabilistic boundary conditions and constitutive properties; flexibility and impedance finite elements; and grid optimization methods.

Another area of his research is reliability and quality of design, which is in response to the increasing importance of safety and quality objectives as more complex systems are being designed and environmental standards are becoming stricter. The concepts of reliability and quality have proven to be useful in helping quantify constraints and selective alternative designs.

Professor Savage’s research aims to provide a unified methodology for the design of various physical systems that encompass both quality and safety design criteria. The methodology is applicable to multi-disciplinary systems and incorporates several mathematical theories of probability assessment. The research results should provide a design methodology well suited, but not restricted to, the design of systems with active redundancy and dependent component failures. Additionally, it should provide important measures that can be used for the comparison and improvement of designs.

• Modeling & Simulation
• Reliability And Quality In Design
• Systems Theory & Optimization
• Discrete Continuum Theories
• Mechatronics Design
• Large Systems Modelling Through Subsystems
• Modelling And Optimization Of Systems
• Large Systems Modelling Through Subsystems
• Pattern Analysis
• Machine Intelligence & Robotics

• 1976, Doctorate, PhD, University of Waterloo
• 1970, Master's, MASc, University of Waterloo
• 1968, Bachelor's, BASc, University of Waterloo

• SYDE 283 - Physics 3 (Electricity, Magnetism and Optics)
• SYDE 661 - Model-Based Robust Design
• SYDE 351 - Systems Models 1

• Savage, Gordon J and Zhang, Xufang and Son, Young Kap and Pandey, Mahesh D, Reliability of mechanisms with periodic random modal frequencies using an extreme value-based approach, Reliability Engineering & System Safety, 150, 2016, 65 - 77
• Savage, Gordon J and Son, Young Kap, An Extreme-Value Event Approach for Frequency-Domain Performance Reliability, IEEE Transactions on Reliability, 65(2), 2016, 1058 - 1068
• Wang, Shujuan and Li, Qiuyang and Savage, Gordon J, Reliability-based robust design optimization of structures considering uncertainty in design variables, Mathematical Problems in Engineering, 2015, 2015
• LI, QIUYANG and SAVAGE, GORDON J and SON, YOUNG KAP, Economic, Robust and Quality Design of Engineering Systems using a Hybrid Six Sigma-second Moment Approach., International Journal of Performability Engineering, 11(4), 2015
• Son, Young Kap and Savage, Gordon J, Stability Analysis of Uncertain Systems Using a Singular Value Decomposition-Based Metric, International Journal of Reliability, Quality and Safety Engineering, 22(05), 2015
• Savage, Gordon J and Son, Young Kap, Frequency response design of uncertain systems using performance indices and meta-models, Journal of Sound and Vibration, 332(26), 2013, 6949 - 6967
• Savage, Gordon J and Seecharan, Turuna S and Son, Young Kap, Probability-based prediction of degrading dynamic systems, Journal of Mechanical Design, 135(3), 2013
• Seecharan, Turuna S and Savage, Gordon J, Probability-based design optimization of dynamic systems, International Journal of Reliability, Quality and Safety Engineering, 19(01), 2012
• Savage, Gordon J and Son, Young Kap, The set-theory method for systems reliability of structures with degrading components, Reliability Engineering & System Safety, 96(1), 2011, 108 - 116
• Seecharan, Turuna S and Savage, Gordon J, METAMODEL-BASED PROBABILISTIC DESIGN OPTIMIZATION OF STATIC SYSTEMS WITH AN EXTENSION TO DYNAMIC SYSTEMS, International Journal of Reliability, Quality and Safety Engineering, 18(04), 2011, 305 - 326
• Seecharan, Turuna S and Savage, Gordon J, Performability-Based Design Optimization of Dynamic systems., International Journal of Performability Engineering, 6(2), 2010
• Savage, Gordon J and Son, Young Kap, Dependability-based design optimization of degrading engineering systems, Journal of Mechanical Design, 131(1), 2009
• Son, Young Kap and Savage, Gordon J, A new sample-based approach to predict system performance reliability, IEEE transactions on Reliability, 57(2), 2008, 322 - 330
• Savage, Gordon J, Probability constrained optimization as a tool for functional design for Six Sigma, Quality control and applied statistics, 53(1), 2008, 33 - 34
• Son, Young Kap and Savage, Gordon J, Economic-based design of engineering systems with degrading components, International Journal of Production Economics, 111(2), 2008, 648 - 663
• Savage, Gordon J and Son, Young Kap, Design-for-six-sigma for multiple response systems, International Journal of Product Development, 5(1-2), 2008, 39 - 53
• Son, Young Kap and Savage, Gordon J, Set theoretic formulation of performance reliability of multiple response time-variant systems due to degradations in system components, Quality and Reliability Engineering International, 23(2), 2007, 171 - 188
• Savage, Gordon J, Probability constrained optimization as a tool for functional design for six sigma, Quality Engineering, 19(2), 2007, 101 - 110
• Son, Young Kap and Savage, Gordon J, Optimal probabilistic design of the dynamic performance of a vibration absorber, Journal of sound and vibration, 307(1), 2007, 20 - 37
• Son, Young Kap and Chang, Seog-Weon and Savage, Gordon J, Economic-based design of engineering systems with degrading components using probabilistic loss of quality, Journal of mechanical science and technology, 21(2), 2007, 225 - 234
• Savage, Gordon J and Tong, Dehui and Carr, Stephen M, Optimal Mean and Tolerance Allocation Using Conformance-based Design, Quality and Reliability Engineering International, 22(4), 2006, 445 - 472
• SON, YOUNG KAP and SAVAGE, GORDON J, Quality and performance reliability assessment of multi-response degrading systems, International Journal of Reliability, Quality and Safety Engineering, 13(04), 2006, 289 - 309
• Savage, Gordon J and Seshadri, Ravi, Minimizing cost of multiple response systems by probabilistic robust design, Quality Engineering, 16(1), 2003, 67 - 74
• Savage, Gordon J and Carr, Stephen M, Interrelating quality and reliability in engineering systems, Quality Engineering, 14(1), 2002, 137 - 152
• Seshadri, Ravi and Savage, Gordon J, Integrated robust design using probability of conformance metrics, International Journal of Materials and Product Technology, 17(5-6), 2002, 319 - 337
• Savage, GJ and Swan, DA, Probabilistic robust design with multiple quality characteristics, Quality Engineering, 13(4), 2001, 629 - 640
• Swan, DA and Savage, GJ, Continuous Taguchi-A model-based approach to Taguchi's' quality by design'with arbitrary distributions, QUALITY CONTROL AND APPLIED STATISTICS, 44, 1999, 319 - 322
• Swan, DA and Savage, GJ, Continuous Taguchi: a model-based approach to Taguchi's' quality by design'with arbitrary distributions, Quality and reliability engineering international, 14(1), 1998, 29 - 41
• Savage, GJ, Solution of large nonlinear engineering systems through subsystems, Advances in Engineering Software, 28(4), 1997, 247 - 258
• Carr, SM and Savage, GJ, Comparison of chance-constrained and structural reliability formulations of reliability-based design, Proceedings of the ISSAT International Conference on Reliability and Quality in Design, 1994, 64 - 68
• Maunder, EAW and Savage, GJ, A graph-theoretic model for finite elements with side variables, Civil Engineering Systems, 11(2), 1994, 111 - 141
• Savage, GJ, Automatic formulation of higher-order sensitivity models, Civil Engineering Systems, 10(4), 1993, 335 - 350
• Savage, GJ and Row, AG, Uncertainty Modelling Through Subsystems, MODELING AND SIMULATION, 23, 1993, 333 - 333
• Chandrashekar, M and Roe, PH and Savage, GJ, Graph-theoretic models-a unifying modelling approach, MODELING AND SIMULATION, 23, 1993, 313 - 313
• Carr, Stephen M and Savage, Gordon J, A unified methodology for reliability assessment of systems with active redundancy, Reliability Engineering & System Safety, 34(2), 1991, 181 - 219
• Dickinson, Robert R and Savage, Gordon J, Automated second moment analysis of systems with probabilistic constitutive components, Civil Engineering Systems, 7(2), 1990, 67 - 75
• Dickinson, Robert R and Savage, Gordon J, A systems theoretic approach to second moment modelling of probabilistic engineering systems∗, Civil Engineering Systems, 5(1), 1988, 8 - 16
• Bookman, Murry C and Savage, Gordon J, Element properties by mathematical network methods, Engineering analysis, 4(3), 1987, 135 - 141
• Dickinson, Robert R and Savage, Gordon J, Automated second moment analysis of large structures with random excitations, Computers & structures, 27(5), 1987, 657 - 669
• Dickinson, RR and Savage, GJ and Unny, TE and Prasad, T, Techniques for handling finite-element like models with stochastic boundary conditions, Innovative numerical methods in engineering, 1986, 77 - 82
• Berlin, Miriam and Diaz, Guillermo and Savage, Gordon J, Simulation of ON/OFF controlled systems, Civil Engineering Systems, 2(3), 1985, 155 - 165
• Savage, GJ and Kesavan, HK, Variational principle for potential fields from the graph-theoretic field model, Journal of the Franklin Institute, 314(1), 1982, 41 - 54
• Piccioni, M and Savage, GJ and Kesavan, HK and Lee, TN, ISSN 0016-0032 JFINAV 313 (1) 1-60 (1982) 334 PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN AT ARC HIBAI D & JOHNSONS LTD.. HUl L, Journal of the Franklin Institute, 313, 1982
• Savage, GJ and Kesavan, HK, Discrete analogues of Green's identities through the graph—theoretic field model, Journal of the Franklin Institute, 313(1), 1982, 17 - 39
• Savage, GJ and Kesavan, HK, Quasi-power functionals for potential fields from the Graph-Theoretic Field Model, Journal of the Franklin Institute, 314(4), 1982, 219 - 229
• Savage, GJ and Roe, PH and Reedel, G, Optimization of configurations of field problem grids using network models, Journal of the Franklin Institute, 312(1), 1981, 61 - 80
• Savage, GJ and Kesavan, HK, The graph-theoretic field model—II. Application of multi-terminal representations to field problems, Journal of the Franklin Institute, 309(4), 1980, 241 - 266
• Savage, G and Madan, V and Kesavan, H, The magnetic field problem: A graph-theoretic model, IEEE transactions on magnetics, 16(4), 1980, 579 - 585
• Madan, V and Savage, G and Kesavan, H, Applications of multiterminal representations to magnetic fields, IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, 15(3), 1979, 1096 - 1102
• Savage, GJ and Kesavan, HK, The graph-theoretic field model—I. Modelling and formulations, Journal of the Franklin Institute, 307(2), 1979, 107 - 147
• Savage, GJ and Officer, JM and McDougall, G, Computer graphics simulation of body movement language, Proceedings 6th Man-Computer Communications Conference, 1979, 209 - 217
• Savage, GJ and Officer, JM, CHOREO: an interactive computer model for dance, International Journal of Man-Machine Studies, 10(3), 1978, 233 - 250
• Savage, GJ and Officer, JM, Interactive computer graphic methods for choreography, Thzrd Int Conf Computing, n the Humanzt, es, 1977
• Savage, GJ and Officer, JM, Choreo: An interactive computer model for choreography, Proc. 5th Man-Machine Communication Conf, Calgary, Alberta, 1977
• Kesavan, HK and Savage, GJ, Finite element method and multi-terminal representations, Proc. 19th Midwest Symp. on Circuit and Systems Theory, 1976, 28 - 33
• Savage, GJ and Andrews, GC, DYNIS: a dynamic interactive simulation program for three-dimensional mechanical systems, Proceedings of the Third Man-Computer Communications Seminar, NRC, Ottawa, Canada, 1973
• Savage, Gordon J and Andrews, Gordon C, Visual simulation of dynamic three dimensional systems using the vector network, Simulation, 19(6), 1972, 187 - 191
• Breedveld, PC and Savage, GJ and Kesavan, HK and Mertzios, BG and Paraskevopoulos, PN, PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN AT ARCHIBALD & JOHNSONS LTD. HULL, Journal of the Franklin Institute, 314
• Ghasemi, H and Cañizares, C and Savage, G, Closed-form solution to calculate generator contributions to loads and line flows in an open access market, Power Engineering Society General Meeting, 2003, IEEE, January 2003
• Cooper, PL and Savage, GJ, Subsystem modelling using neural networks with application to manufacturing systems, Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, 1998. 1998 IEEE International Conference on, January 1998, 3055 - 3060
• Swan, DA and Savage, GJ and Cooper, PL and Carr, SM, Defining quality and reliability: a linear graph model perspective, Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, 1997. Computational Cybernetics and Simulation., 1997 IEEE International Conference on, January 1997, 902 - 907
• Carr, SM and Savage, GJ, Reliability-based optimization on a graph-theoretic modelling foundation, Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, 1996., IEEE International Conference on, January 1996, 3072 - 3076
• Savage, GJ and Kesavan, HK, A unifying discrete model of field problems, Large engineering systems: proceedings of the International Symposium held at the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, August 9-12, 1976, January 1977
• Son, Young Kap and Savage, Gordon J, Present Worth Design of Engineering Systems with Degrading Components, Recent Advances in Reliability and Quality in Design, , 374 manuscript pages
• COOPER, PATRICIA L and SAVAGE, GORDON J, Manufacturing systems estimation using neural network models, Recent Advances In Reliability And Quality Engineering, , 309 manuscript pages
• Carr, Stephen and Savage, Gordon J, Sensitivity analysis of nonlinear physical systems using Maple, Mathematical Computation with Maple V: Ideas and Applications, , 127 manuscript pages
• Yadav, Om Prakash and Singh, Nanua and Osteras, T and Rausand, M and Murthy, DNP and Savage, Gordon J and Son, Young Kap and Wehrwein, Daniel and Mourelatos, Zissimos P and Liang, Jinghong and others, Special Issue: Building Reliability Into Products During Product Development Process,
• Chandrashekar, M and Savage, GJ, Engineering Systems: Analysis, Design and Control,
• Savage, Gordon James and Roe, Peter H, Large Engineering Systems 2: Proceedings of the Second International Symposium on Large Engineering Systems Held at the University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, May 15, 16, 1978,
• Savage, Gordon J and Toida, S, Spectra of graphs: theory and application: DM Cvetkovic, Michael Doob, and Horst Sachs. 368 pages, diagrams, 6x9in. New York, Academic Press Inc., 1980. Price, $45.00., January
• Savage, Gordon J, The graph-theoretic field model: a systems approach with applications to potential field problems, January