A Review of: “Introduction to structures” W. R. Spillers Ellis Horwood Limited,Chichester, UK, 1985, 262 pp, £10.00

A generalized systems theory can be used in the identification and analysis of complex engineering problems. In a system formulation, an image or a model of an object which emphasizes certain important and critical properties is defined. System definition is usually the first step in an overall methodology formulated for achieving a set of objectives. This work represents the first step in a study that aims at the development of a real-time control system of construction activities. A hierarchical control system was determined to be the most suitable control scheme for construction activities. In this paper, a system definition of a construction activity is presented. The hierarchical system classification enables the decomposition of the overall construction activity into subsystems that represent the different underlying processes. Each process consists of several tasks. The classification method also allows the decomposition of the overall tasks into subtasks. This step is an important requirement for hierarchical control. The decomposition of tasks and activities allows accurate feedback decisions within the control scheme. The concepts developed in the paper were illustratively applied to define a concrete placement activity.