Numerical modelling – Applications to sustainable developement

Numerical simulation is establishing itself as a global technique, used both by researchers as a tool for understanding and experimenting with complex phenomena, and by engineers to design different systems and objects. In the 21st century, its uses extend far beyond its main field of application: mechanics. Computer simulation techniques were invented to meet the needs of the mechanical engineering industry (civil engineering, power generation, aeronautical, space and naval construction, etc.). In this sector, they help optimize product performance (service life, environmental impact, etc.) and develop new materials and production processes. Beyond its applications in industry, it is a tool that enables us to understand many phenomena (physical, biological, physiological) and to find solutions to ensure that the development of our civilization is sustainable. Its use extends to many fields. In fundamental sciences, such as the Earth and the Universe, it enables virtual experiments to be carried out, for example to understand and predict the signature of certain physical phenomena, and to try to anticipate their detection (for example, simulation contributed to the recent "discovery" of gravitational waves) or their possible consequences (for example, the simulation of volcanic eruptions helps to establish risk maps). Simulations can also be used to address a number of societal issues, including: climate (current predictions on the impact of human activities on the climate and its possible evolutions owe much to ever finer numerical models and increased computing speeds); energy (optimizing current processes, for example in the oil or nuclear sectors, and developing new processes, such as wind power, biofuels, solar power... or nuclear fusion); agriculture (understanding plant growth, studying soil pollution, predicting yields of plots or regions as a function of agricultural practices and available resources); buildings and cities (simulations of urban traffic, noise environments and exposure to electromagnetic waves) and finally biomechanics (integrating "advanced" mechanical models, digital modeling techniques are paving the way for the development of "virtual organs", hearts, lungs, muscles, etc.).). Numerical simulations are based on mathematical models expressed using equations and data, and on ever more powerful computing resources. The aim of this article is to show, through concrete examples from the above-mentioned fields, how this technique is becoming more widespread, and what its uses are, in order to meet not only the needs of design, but also more broadly of decision-support tools, in the service of sustainable development, i.e. one that integrates its environmental and societal issues.

Readers will find these references in the "Further reading" section of this article. An...