A Knowledge-Based Expert System for Innovative Transportation Financing Techniques

Abstract: This paper discusses the development of a medium-sized knowledge-based expert system for selection of appropriate innovative financing technique(s) for transportation projects by several state and local governments. The steps involved in the development of the expert system, namely, problem identification, conceptualization, knowledge acquisition, knowledge representation, implementation, and testing and evaluation, are discussed. The process of organizing the available knowledge of innovative financing techniques, as well as the process leading to the selection of one or more of them for a particular project, is encoded in the knowledge base of the expert system developed for the purpose. The working system was tested and validated by comparing the output of the system against the recommendations made by transportation professionals in counties and cities in various states. The tests indicate favorable results for the system. The operational system can be used as a decision support system as well as a teaching tool for transportation engineers, planners, private developers, and government officials.     

Systems Theory for the civil engineer Experience with knowledge acquisition for an engineering expert system

Issues involved in the knowledge acquisition process for engineering applications of expert systems are discussed, with reference to a project underway in the reservoir management domain. Since there are no well established guidelines for the crucial task of acquiring human problem solving expertise, the individual responsible forthis task must rely on his own judgement and suggestions found in the literature. Based on the experience from this project, success in the area of knowledge acquisition appears to require the incremental development of very problem specific engineering expert systems, which facilitates the knowledge acquisition process. Other important factors described include the domain knowledge of the knowledge engineer (the person responsible for knowledge acquisition), the interaction between the expert and the knowledge engineer, and the expectations for the expert systems.     

Development and performance of an expert system for pavement overlay design

This paper describes recent experience with the development and performance of OVERDRIVE 1.2. a central component of PARADIGM (the Pavement Rehabilitation Analysis and Design Mentor). PARADIGM is a microcomputer-based tool to integrate a set of knowledge-based expert systems (KBES) and algorithmic models for pavement rehabilitation decision-making, particularly at the local level. Because the analysis and design of pavement rehabilitation strategies relies so heavily on experts, and many of the tasks involved are both complex and ill-defined, conventional computer tools are of limited use in this domain. A basic premise of this research is that KBES can play a significant role in addressing these problems. OVERDRIVE is the Overlay Design Heuristic Adviser, and is a research prototype KBES to assist local engineers evaluate the structural adequacy of existing flexible pavement and design the structural thickness of an asphalt concrete overlay. In this paper the general domain, the domain tasks addressed by the current version of OVERDRIVE, knowledge acquisition, knowledge representation and inference, and hardware and software are described. A case-study application is presented using actual data. This application permits an initial assessment to be made of the comparative performance of OVERDRIVE versus alternative overlay design methods.     

Acquisition, Representation, and Validation of Subjective Knowledge

Abstract: This paper concentrates on the three main stages of expert system development: knowledge acquisition, knowledge representation (which includes the treatment of uncertainties), and verification and validation. The findings of a survey of expert system applications in the construction management domain are reported. A model is presented that regulates the process of creating an expert system and that eliminates the shortcomings of existing techniques used with knowledge of subjective nature. This model is based on the Delphi method, a tool used for collecting data and information to solve nonanalytical problems. It is proposed that the use of the Delphi method in the knowledge acquisition, knowledge representation, and validation stages of expert system development will improve user confidence in the final product.     

岩石力学问题专家系统的一种不确定性推理方法

不确定性知识的处理和运用是岩石力学问题专家系统设计中的关键问题之一。针对岩石力学问题具有随机性、模糊性和信息不完全性的特征，本文提出了一种综合考虑这三种不确定性的不确定性推理方法，给出了单一路径推理和多路径推理的不确定性传播算法。应用神经网络学习知识命题的确定性真值和前提命题的权重，实现了这两部分不确定性知识获取的自动化。应用结果表明，本文提出的不确定性推理模型是科学的、有效的。     

Inductive Learning in Civil Engineering: Rough Sets Approach

The paper discusses several potential civil engineering applications of inductive systems based on the theory of rough sets. This theory is discussed briefly. An inductive system is proposed for applications in knowledge acquisition for expert systems, for problem-solving, shallow modeling, learning about different domains, and in learning expert systems.     

THE DEVELOPMENT OF A KNOWLEDGE-BASED EXPERT SYSTEM FOR UTILIZATION OF COAL COMBUSTION BY-PRODUCT IN HIGHWAY EMBANKMENT

The study in this paper introduces the development of a knowledge-based expert system that helps to determine the suitability of FGD by-product in embankment construction. The expert system shell Personal Consultant Plus was used for this purpose. The knowledge base in the Embankment Construction Expert System (ECES) consists of a root frame and four subframes, and accommodates the production rules obtained from laboratory tests as well as an extensive literature review. An external program to calculate the embankment settlement was integrated into the system. A case study is presented to demonstrate the use of ECES. This study provides the embankment designer with a useful tool for making decisions on FGD by-product application as an embankment material.     

Structuring Knowledge and Data Bases in Expert Systems for Integrated Structural Design

The integrated structural design includes preliminary design, structural analysis, and the final detailed design. A knowledge-based expert system for integrated structural design requires both symbolic processing of heuristics and experiential knowledge and numerical processing of algorithmic computations. In addition, such a coupled expert system must use existing data bases as well as a large variety of data created during a consultation with the system. Thus, considering their complex interaction, effective integration of symbolic processing, numerical processing, and data base management becomes a major concern in the development of expert systems for integrated structural design. This paper addresses this integration problem by presenting a prototype system, called FRAMEX, for design of a class of steel structures—regular multistory steel buildings. The basis of steel design is the recently developed Load and Resistance Factor Design Specification.     

THE HIGHWAY SAFETY EXPERT SYSTEM: DIAGNOSING ACCIDENT PRONE LOCATIONS

This paper describes the diagnosis phase of a highway safety expert system. The overall objective of the expert system is to provide highway safety officials with an efficient tool to identify accident prone locations and then quickly and reliably advise on the appropriate countermeasure(s) based on an analysis of the accident and roadway environment data. The system has three basic phases: detection, diagnosis and remedy. In the diagnosis phase a knowledge-based system is developed to identify the causes and the contribution factors of safety problems at accident prone locations and to suggest appropriate countermeasures. It is shown that the knowledge-based approach best-suits the diagnosis process since it involves a great deal of judgment and experience by the safety engineer. The paper describes different steps involved in developing the diagnosis phase including: knowledge acquisition, problem solving strategy, system features, uncertainty handling, and system verification and validation. The output of the diagnosis phase is a set of applicable countermeasures for each accident prone location and the degree of belief in each countermeasure. The knowledge-based system was validated using several case studies which demonstrated satisfactory results.     

A Knowledge-Based System for Synthesis and Design of Transmission Towers Using Blackboard Architecture

Abstract: This paper describes the development of KASTLE—a knowledge-based system for synthesis and design of steel lattice self-supporting transmission towers. Using inputs such as type of tower, geographical location, the voltage the conductor has to carry and the number of circuits the tower has to support, an experienced designer arrives at an overall configuration of tower. An expert designer basically relies on heuristics to choose parameters, such as base width, tophamper width, type of bracings and sub-bracing pattern, for the tower configuration. The final cost of the tower is sensitive to these initial decisions. Geometric modelling of the configuration is prerequisite for tower analysis. This paper reports an attempt to integrate different types of knowledge-based systems using blackboard architecture. The knowledge system for configuration generation uses theorem proving, whereas in other knowledge-based systems, such as modelling and design heuristics, knowledge has been represented using IF-THEN rules. A sample synthesis and design of a 220 kV and 400 kV tangent tower is included. The system has been implemented on an IBM PC AT with MS-DOS. Prolog, Fortran, and C languages were used.     

The development of a speed zoning knowledge-based system

This paper describes how an expert system shell was used to create a knowledge-based system for speed zone determination. Speed zoning must be rational and consistent if it is to contribute to a speed management programme. The development, within a traffic authority, of speed zoning processes and decisions necessarily falls to a small number of experts who are often confronted with conflicting pressures from a range of interest groups. The paper describes the process whereby the knowledge of experts in the speed zoning area was established and developed into a rationale for system rules. The knowledge-based system developed is proving operationally successful, being user-friendly for both the experts for testing and development, and those wishing to use the system for speed zone determination. An outline is then given of the iterative monitoring procedure whereby the system is being ‘tuned’ to match expert decisions.     

An Object-Oriented Diagnostic System for Prestressed Concrete Bridges

Abstract: A prototype knowledge-based diagnostic system for understanding the problems in prestressed concrete bridges is presented. The object-oriented approach is used for the system development. The system is completely interactive, making extensive use of pictures and diagrams along with textual explanation to explain difficult concepts in a multilingual environment. The system compares the new case of damage with the various types of damages that are stored in the knowledge base. It explains to the user the details of design and construction that may lead to this damage and the related repair methods. The system indicates the applicability of textual and pictorial explanations in developing an environment for the diagnosis of problems in prestressed concrete bridges.     

A Plan-Based Framework for Design: Implementation

Abstract: The development of automated design assistants requires a generic framework in which design knowledge can be directly represented and utilized. The framework should be transparent, allowing a user to view and query the system's reasoning and to control its solution processes. Current knowledge-based systems techniques have failed to provide such a framework because their inference procedures do not directly support design transformations. This paper describes the design and implementation of a generic framework for design based on planning. Issues addressed include the representation and use of strategic control knowledge, object-level design knowledge, normative knowledge, and general knowledge within a planning framework. Examples of the functioning of the framework in the design of beams to satisfy lateral torsional buckling requirements are presented. The efficiency and limitations of the implementation are discussed and possible extensions to the system described.     

Knowledge-Based System Development Tools for Processing Design Specifications

Code-compliance checking in any engineering design process is typically a nonsequential activity that requires extensive data managmenkt and decision making. Knowledge-based system methodology can be applied to solve some of the problems in processing code specifications that could not be addressed by traditional procedural programming languages. Many software development tools are currently available to assist in the development of knowledgte-based systems for specific applications. The characteristics of each tool vary with the knowledge representation and inference methodologies, and differ with the user interface and other features for development. An evaluation of seven knowledge-based system development tools is presented in this paper. The suitability of each development enviornment for design assistance by processing code specifications is investigated by means of prototype design applications. A brief descrioption of the features of each development too, implementation details of prototype applications, and a qualitative comparison of the tools on the basis of suitability to process design code spacifications are presented.     

CONCEPTUAL: An Expert System for Conceptual Structural Design

In the conceptual design stage of a building the number of possible building configurations is enormous. The building systems selected in this stage affect the building cost much more than any other decision made in the subsequent design stages. Currently designers base their decisions mostly on experience and intuition. Since this process is not algorithmic, the best possible design is not guaranteed. In this article a model of the process by which a human expert arrives at a conceptual design for a building is presented. Based on this model, CONCEPTUAL, an automated knowledge-based expert system has been developed by the authors to aid in the conceptual design stage of buildings.     

Robot-based construction automation: An application to steel beam assembly (Part I)

The construction industry has not traditionally been a favorable field for the application of robotic technologies. However, various motivations such as the shrinking labor population, the aging of skilled workers, and the safety issue of ironworkers have promoted the development of robotic construction systems. In this research, one of those trials, a project entitled “Robot-based construction automation system for high-rise building” is presented. Among diverse construction works, this project focused on a robotic automation of the steel beam assembly. The project is a cooperative effort between a robot research group and a construction automation group in South Korea. The main objective of this paper is to an introduction for the development of a robotic beam assembly system administered by the robot research group. The robotic beam assembly system consists of a robotic bolting device that performs the main function for the beam assembly work and a robotic transport mechanism that transports the robotic bolting device to target bolting positions around a building under construction. This paper presents the specific functions, structures, and mechanisms of the robotic bolting device and accounts for the application of the visual servo control technique to a bolting control system which is a software component. The robotic transport mechanism part is discussed in a companion paper [14]. The real prototype of the proposed system was manufactured and intensive field tests were conducted in a test bed. Moreover, this system was applied to a section of a real building, the Robot Convergence Building of Korea University, South Korea, which has one story below and seven above the ground, and obtained a feasibility of an application of the robotic beam assembly system to actual construction sites. The suggested system is expected to be a promising alternative to ironworkers in the steel beam assembly in terms of safety and time-efficiency.     

武汉地区深基坑工程支护选型专家知识分析

通过分析武汉地区深基坑开挖支护选型专家知识的特点,本文提出了产生式规则新的形式,并从问题求解的角度,论述了专家知识的描述及组织情况。     

A Computer simulatin Interface

Abstract: Computer simulation can be a powerful analytical tool. Often, however, practitioners who know most about the problem domain may have limited knowledge of the simulation software. Recent research has concentrated on bridging the gap between the practitioner and the simulatin software by designing interfaces to make computer simulation more accessible for the infrequent or inexperienced user. Emerging artificial intelligence techniques sch as knowledge-based expert systems offer some promise for an interface. This paper describes a prototype interface which converts information on a process to be simulated into computer input for an existing computer simulation system. The elements of the interface include a domain knowledge processor using a small knowledge-based system to establish types of activities and resources based on minimal user input, a model logic builder to identify moves between activities and to establish network logic, and a computer code translator to convert the network into CYCLONE computer source code. Recommendations for future research are included.     

A knowledge-based approach to the deflocculation problem: integrating on-line,off-line,and heuristic information

A knowledge-based approach for the supervision of the deflocculation problem in activated sludge processes was considered and successfully applied to a full-scale plant. To do that, a methodology that integrates on-line, off-line and heuristic information has been proposed. This methodology consists of three steps: (i). development of a decision tree (which involves knowledge acquisition and representation); (ii). implementation into a rule-based system; and (iii). validation. The set of symptoms most useful in diagnosing the deflocculation problem has been identified, the different branches to diagnose pin-point floc and dispersed growth have been built (using generic and specific knowledge), and all this knowledge has been codified into an object-oriented shell. The results obtained in the application of this knowledge-based approach to the Granollers WWTP (which treats about 130000 inhabitants-equivalents) showed that the system was able to identify correctly the problem with reasonable accuracy. Our positive experience building this system suggests that this approach is a practical and valuable element to include in an intelligent supervisory system combining numerical and reasoning techniques.     

电网故障诊断中基于粗糙集理论的获取方法

介绍了电网故障诊断专家系统中基于粗糙集理论的知识获取的一种新方法 ,利用分层诊断中由断路器变位信息诊断出故障区域 ,指导决策表中条件属性的选择 ,最大限度剔除多余的条件属性 ,通过对决策表进行属性约简和值约简 ,得出故障诊断需要的诊断知识即诊断规则。说明该方法既能有效获取知识 ,又能为诊断提供一定的容错性