Improving Design Coordination for Building Projects. I: Information Model

Detailed design of building projects is a complex multidisciplinary process highly dependent upon effective aggregation of individual designs to produce a coherent set of final design documents. Throughout the detailed design process, changes are frequently introduced and need to be properly managed among the various members of the design team. This paper presents an information model for storing design information, recording design rationale, and managing design changes. The proposed model is built around a central library of generalized building components that can be used to describe a complete building project hierarchy. Each component allows the designer to store desired performance criteria and related design rationale. Each component is also sensitive to its own changes and automatically communicates such changes to affected parties through preset communication paths. The model, as such, provides improved design coordination and control over changes, thus helping to increase the consistency and productivity of the overall design process. Conceptual details of the model are described in this paper, and model implementation into a collaborative design system is presented in a companion paper.     

Reveiw of Helping Couples Change: A Social Learning Approach to Marital Therapy.

Reviews the book, Helping Couples Change: A Social Learning Approach to Marital Therapy by Richard B. Stuart (1980). Helping Couples Change describes in detail a well thought out, structured, systematic, strategic therapy based on social learning theory. Dr. Stuart thoroughly outlines the development of this approach and documents where he has incorporated thoughts from other schools (notably the communication theory of Haley, Watzlawick, et al.). He then goes on to present a concise, scientific, and pragmatic rationale for his approach to marital treatment which includes what to do from the time that the clients first contact your office through to follow-up evaluation. The treatment approach is outlined in enough detail to allow for easy replication by the practitioner, with vignettes used to illustrate all of the methods and techniques discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Trans receptor inhibition of human glioblastoma cells by erbB family ectodomains

Our aim has been to understand the features of erbB receptor homo- and heterodimer assembly to develop approaches to disrupt receptor activation. We have developed a general approach to cause erbB receptor-specific trans inhibition of human neoplasia. The clonal progression of human astrocytomas to a more malignant phenotype often involves the amplification and overexpression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFr) gene. We have selectively targeted the EGFr in human glioblastoma cells with kinase-deficient mutants of the erbB family derived from the ectodomain of the Neu oncogene that are able to form heterodimers with EGFr and inhibit EGFr-dependent phenotypes. In EGFr-positive U87MG human glioblastoma cells, expression of the Neu ectodomain inhibits EGF-, but not platelet-derived growth factor-, induced DNA synthesis; inhibits cell proliferation in the presence of EGF, but not platelet-derived growth factor; inhibits the ability of U87MG to form colonies in soft agar; and inhibits transforming efficiency in athymic mice. These studies establish that EGFr-mediated signal transduction is important in the maintenance of malignant glioma, and that trans receptor inhibition is a novel way to abrogate abnormal growth of these tumors. Neu ectodomains will be useful in determining the manner in which the EGFr contributes to glial tumorigenesis and in the design of pharmaceuticals that disable erbB family oncoproteins. In addition, these studies provide a rationale for the application of the Neu ectodomain in gene therapy approaches to human malignant glioma and, potentially, to other systemic epithelial malignancies expressing erbB family receptors.     

Improving Design Coordination for Building Projects. II: A Collaborative System

The objective of this paper is to utilize recent advances in information technology and computer collaboration tools to improve coordination and increase productivity in the design of building projects. Based on a structured information model, presented in a companion paper, a collaborative design system is developed incorporating (1) a client-server environment for representing building data, recording design rationale, and effectively managing design changes; and (2) Internet-based collaboration tools for sharing documents, reviewing changes, and conferencing among remote design participants. Implementation issues and the perceived changes imposed on the traditional design process are discussed, and an example application is worked to demonstrate the applicability and features of the developed prototype. The developments made in this paper provide guidelines for modeling complex information-dependent processes in the construction domain.     

Measuring and Improving Rationale Clarity in a University Office Building Design Process

This paper measures and improves the clarity of design rationale on an architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) project and observes the effects. The rationale clarity framework (RCF) defines decisions in terms of components of rationale—managers, stakeholders, designers, gatekeepers, objectives (constraints and goals), alternatives, and analyses (impacts and assessment of stakeholder value). RCF defines relations and conditions of clarity for each component—coherent, concrete, connected, consistent, credible, certain, and correct. Using RCF, the rationale clarity of decisions was observed and documented on an industry case project. A decision-assistance methodology that seeks to clarify rationale, called MACDADI, was then implemented and costs and benefits from each team member’s perspective were observed. Future work is identified that can lower costs and increase benefits of clarifying rationale.     

Process-Parameter-Interface Model for Design Management

This paper presents a framework for managing the architecture/engineering/construction design process. The framework, called the process-parameter-interface (PPI) model, tries to address the design management issues of improved design process scheduling and efficient collaboration. The model comprises three main components—a design parameter vocabulary, in the form of a design dictionary; an interface; and an engine—that help to address these issues. In addition, the model promotes flexibility of design work flow, enables proactive collaboration, is implementable over the Internet, and is information-centric. The paper concludes with a case study for the design of a conference room to illustrate the functioning of the PPI model and the role of its components.     

Parsimonious prediction of Wechsler Memory Scale—Revised memory indices.

The Wechsler Memory Scale—Revised (WMS—R; D. Wechsler, 1987) represents a significant improvement over the original WMS (D. Wechsler, 1945). However, its usefulness is diminished by the increased administration time, and the incremental validity of the new subtests is questionable. Using a sample of 308 patients referred for neuropsychological evaluation, two regression equations were developed to predict weighted raw score sums for General Memory (GM) and Delayed Recall (DR), using the WMS—R analogs of 5 subtests from the original WMS. Predicted scores were within +6 points of actual performance for 92% of the sample for GM and for 96% of the sample for DR. Application of these equations to the WMS—R standardization sample subtest means produced estimated GM indices ranging from 96 to 103 and estimated DR indices ranging from 98 to 101 across age groups. These regression equations may prove useful for reducing WMS—R administration time without an appreciable decline in accuracy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Constructibility Issues for Highway Projects

State transportation agencies recognize the need for contract documents that will ensure rational bids and minimize problems during construction of facilities. A significant aspect of developing high-quality contract documents is to incorporate constructibility reviews into project planning and design. Before state transportation agency management can address constructibility implementation, critical issues affecting implementation must be understood. A survey was conducted to capture specific constructibility issues from the perspective of agencies, design firms, and construction contractors. These issues are categorized into those relevant to project execution processes, project planning and technical design documents, and project resources. Analysis and interpretation of the issues within these three categories suggest eleven paradigm shifts that state transportation agency management must address to successfully implement a constructibility program.     

Survey of Sustainable Building Design Practices in North America, Europe, and Asia

Sustainable design should be applied in all phases of the life cycle of a building, including programming, design, building construction, building operation, and finally demolition. This paper compares and contrasts sustainable design programs based on the life cycle of a building in North America, Europe, and Asia. Tables comparing programs from these three regions are provided for each phase in the life cycle of a building. These tables can be used by building design professionals as a reference guide to sustainable design around the world. The tables also highlight specific requirements or concerns that are applicable in a particular region. The similarities between different programs and regions can be taken into consideration during the planning of sustainable design work, regardless of the region of construction. Finally, references to more detailed program documents are provided so that interested readers can determine specific requirements that apply in a region of interest.     

Identification of naturally processed T cell epitopes from glutamic acid decarboxylase presented in the context of HLA-DR alleles by T lymphocytes of recent onset IDDM patients

Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) has been defined as a major target antigen in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). To identify the molecular ligands triggering a T cell response to GAD, a panel of human GAD65-specific T lymphocyte lines was generated from peripheral blood of three recent onset IDDM patients. All lines derived from a patient expressing the high-risk-conferring HLA-DR*0301/ *0401 haplotypes recognized a single epitope localized between amino acid positions 270 and 283 of GAD65, a stretch that is located in close proximity to the homology region shared with Coxsackie virus P2-C protein. All lines with this specificity were restricted to the DRA, B1*0401 product of the DR4 haplotype. Analysis of the GAD-specific T cell response in a second patient homozygous for DR4 haplotypes demonstrated that the same DRA, B1*0401 allele selected T cells specific for a different determinant. The T cell response profile in a third patient showed that DR*1501/ *1601-encoding haplotypes could present at least three different epitopes to GAD65-specific T lymphocytes. One of these epitopes was presented by a DR allele associated with the resistance-conferring DRB1*1501 haplotype. GAD-specific T cell lines could not be isolated from HLA class II-matched normal individuals. Our data reveal that (a) the T cell response to GAD65 is quite heterogenous in recent onset IDDM patients; (b) HLA-DR, not DQ, seems to be the principal restriction element used by T cells present at the onset of the disease; and (c) T cells responding to epitopes containing identical sequences to Coxsackie virus P2-C protein were not detected.     

"Parsimonious prediction of Wechsler Memory Scale—Revised memory indices": Correction.

Reports an error in the original article by J. L. Woodard and B. N. Axelrod ( Psychological Assessment, 1995, Vol 7[4], 445–449). On page 448, lines 16–28, there is an error in the computational example demonstrating the calculation of the weighted sum of raw scores for General Memory. (The following abstract of this article originally appeared in record 1996-10112-001.) The Wechsler Memory Scale—Revised (WMS—R; D. Wechsler, 1987) represents a significant improvement over the original WMS (D. Wechsler, 1945). However, its usefulness is diminished by the increased administration time, and the incremental validity of the new subtests is questionable. Using a sample of 308 patients referred for neuropsychological evaluation, two regression equations were developed to predict weighted raw score sums for General Memory (GM) and Delayed Recall (DR), using the WMS—R analogs of 5 subtests from the original WMS. Predicted scores were within +6 points of actual performance for 92% of the sample for GM and for 96% of the sample for DR. Application of these equations to the WMS—R standardization sample subtests means produced estimated GM indices ranging from 96 to 103 and estimated DR indices ranging from 98 to 101 across age groups.… (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Quality Control “A Necessity Not an Option”

Quality control is a means by which project design engineers may help eliminate some construction-related problems and address the issue of an engineer's obligation to the general public. Ignoring quality control or relying on sporadic inspections are fundamentally inadequate approaches since they do not obtain basic construction data for the engineer, fully monitor the quality of materials and workmanship critical to structural integrity, or ensure that the owner gets what he has paid for. The project engineer has an obligation to treat quality control the same way he treats quality design. Project owners must be made aware of the risks involved and how quality control can address some of these risks. The main ingredient of a soundly engineered approach to quality control during construction is the assurance that the engineer's ``standard of care' will not change after the design phase. A qualified resident inspector—an extension of the design engineer—will determine how effective quality control will be. Not only can expectations of design performance be met, but the construction phase can be become less demanding and the whole project more cost-effective if early attention is given to quality control.     

Digital Imaging in Teaching Structures: A Rigorous Visual Approach

The paper outlines a project to incorporate digital images and the world wide web into the teaching of structural design for buildings, using an approach that is both highly visual and theoretically rigorous. A key objective of the project is to reach students how to understand a structure through visual critical analysis, applying hypotheses based on structural principles to explain phenomena and features visible in photographs of structures that are complete, under construction, or damaged. The project takes advantage of the special characteristics of digital images in conveying structural concepts—including the use of digital enhancement, annotation, and manipulation to clarify phenomena—and conceptually links them to physical and mathematical principles. In addition, the project uses the world wide web to make photographs available outside the classroom, enabling image-based homework assignments. The web is also used to collect and review input from students. The paper finds that, although they can be used independently, the applications of digital imaging and the applications of the web are particularly powerful in combination.     

Evaluating the Screening Version of the Hare Psychopathy Checklist—Revised (PCL:SV): An item response theory analysis.

The Screening Version of the Psychopathy Checklist—Revised (PCL:SV; S. D. Hart, D. N. Cox, & R. D. Hare, 1995) was developed to complement the Psychopathy Checklist—Revised (PCL-R; R. D. Hare. 1991), and for use outside forensic settings. The PCL:SV takes less time to administer and requires less collateral information than the PCL-R. An item response theory approach was adopted to determine similarities in the structural properties of the 2 instruments and whether the PCL:SV could be regarded as a short form of the PCL-R. Eight of the 12 items in the PCL:SV were strongly parallel to their equivalent PCL-R items. Of the 4 items PCL:SV items which differed from their equivalent PCL-R items, all 4 were found to be equal or superior to their equivalent PCL-R item in terms of discrimination. The analyses confirmed previous results that the interpersonal and affective features of psychopathy have higher thresholds than do the impulsive and antisocial behavioral features; individuals have to be at a higher level of the psychopathic trait before the interpersonal and affective features become evident. The PCL:SV is an effective short form of the PCL-R. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Computer Imagery and Visualization in Civil Engineering Education

Higher education institutions in the United Kingdom have invested significantly in the implementation of communication and information technology in teaching, learning, and assessment of civil and building engineering—with mixed results. This paper focuses on the use of digital imagery and visualization materials to improve student understanding. It describes ways in which these materials are being used in the civil and building engineering curriculum, and, in particular, how distributed performance support systems (DPSS) can be applied to make more effective use of digital imagery and visualization material. This paper centers on the extent to which DPSS can be used in a civil and building vocational and continuing professional development context by tutors in the form of an electronic course delivery tool and by students in the form of an open-access student information system. This paper then describes how a DPSS approach to education is being adopted at Loughborough University as part of the CAL-Visual project. After highlighting the main aims and objectives of the project and describing the system, this paper discusses some of the issues encountered during the design and implementation of a DPSS and presents some preliminary results from initial trials.     

Review of Therapeutic experiencing: The process of change.

Reviews the book, Therapeutic experiencing: The process of change by Alvin R. Mahrer (1986). This is the third in a series of books on Mahrer's approach to experiential therapy. In this volume Mahrer describes the four major change processes that occur in his form of experiential therapy. The book is organized around these four processes with a chapter explaining the theoretical principles and rationale for each process followed by a chapter introducing methods for implementing the process. This is a challenging book for any who practice some form of experiential therapy and for those interested in humanistic/existential approaches. More research on the principles of this approach will be needed to convince many of the utility of the proposed change processes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Required Unfactored Strength of Geosynthetic in Reinforced Earth Structures

Current reinforced earth structure designs arbitrarily distinguish between reinforced walls and slopes, that is, the batter of walls is 20° or less while in slopes it is larger than 20°. This has led to disjointed design methodologies where walls employ a lateral earth pressure approach and slopes utilize limit equilibrium analyses. The earth pressure approach used is either simplified (e.g., ignoring facing effects), approximated (e.g., considering facing effects only partially), or purely empirical. It results in selection of a geosynthetic with a long-term strength that is potentially overly conservative or, by virtue of ignoring statics, potentially unconservative. The limit equilibrium approach used in slopes deals explicitly with global equilibrium only; it is ambiguous about the load in individual layers. Presented is a simple limit equilibrium methodology to determine the unfactored global geosynthetic strength required to ensure sufficient internal stability in reinforced earth structures. This approach allows for seamless integration of the design methodologies for reinforced earth walls and slopes. The methodology that is developed accounts for the sliding resistance of the facing. The results are displayed in the form of dimensionless stability charts. Given the slope angle, the design frictional strength of the soil, and the toe resistance, the required global unfactored strength of the reinforcement can be determined using these charts. The global strength is then distributed among individual layers using three different assumed distribution functions. It is observed that, generally, the assumed distribution functions have secondary effects on the trace of the critical slip surface. The impact of the distribution function on the required global strength of reinforcement is minor and exists only when there is no toe resistance, when the slope tends to be vertical, or when the soil has low strength. Conversely, the impact of the distribution function on the maximum unfactored load in individual layers, a value which is typically used to select the geosynthetics, can result in doubling its required long-term strength.     

Parametric Coordinator for Engineering Design

Coordination of design information is essential for the design team to provide accurate technical documents for the actual construction. Design changes are inevitable during any ordinary building project. If the design changes are not properly managed, design conflicts will be created, which will result in more expensive design or even failure in the design-construction process. However, little research has been done to address the issue and thereby provide tools for the management of design changes. This paper presents a novel approach that can facilitate the coordination of design information through managing design changes with the help of a parametric coordinator. Design changes of dimensions between different building components are specially discussed. The proposed parametric coordinator provides each building component with the linking knowledge that is described as a dimensional property and a reference property. A group design method is applied to check the design consistency. Illustrative examples are presented to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed parametric approach for design change management.     

A through-process model of an A356 brake caliper for fatigue life prediction

The demand for low-cost, high strength-to-weight ratio components continues to drive the development of aluminum alloy castings for new applications. The automotive brake caliper, which has traditionally been made from cast iron, is one such component where aluminum alloys are being considered. The fatigue performance of the brake caliper is an important consideration in evaluating new designs. The use of aluminum alloys in cast components under cyclic loading conditions necessitates a design approach that, in addition to in-service loading, incorporates the impact of microstructural features on fatigue life. In this investigation, a through-process modeling approach has been employed to link a series of mathematical models describing the processing steps of (1) casting, (2) heat treatment, (3) machining, and (4) in-service performance for a preliminary design of a brake caliper made of aluminum alloy A356, Step (1) includes microstructural predictions (secondary dendrite arm spacing and maximum pore size), which are tracked through to the final component. The final lifing of the component combines the effects of these microstructural features with the complex stress state arising from the combined service loading and residual stresses. It was found that all three factors have a strong influence upon the component’s fatigue performance.     

Centrifuge Simulations of Large-Scale Shaking Table Tests: Case Studies

This paper documents three case studies that involve dynamic centrifuge tests that simulated large-scale shaking table tests on soil–pile-structure systems. The large-scale shaking table tests were performed using the world’s largest laminar shear box with depth of 6 m and plan dimensions of 11 m and 3.5 m. Life-size steel and prestressed concrete piles were used in these tests. The large-scale tests involved intense shaking that produced strong nonlinear stress–strain effects and degradation of soil stiffness due to liquefaction in the foundation soil models. The dynamic centrifuge tests treated the large-scale models as their prototypes. Only essential information about the large-scale test models and the testing conditions were available to design and perform the dynamic centrifuge tests. The three case studies showed that carefully designed performed centrifuge tests could reproduce the key features of the responses of the large-scale models. However, some differences were also found in the results from these two types of tests.