Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A description logic approach for representing engineering design standards

  • Published:
Engineering with Computers Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The benefits of building computable declarative models of the provisions of engineering design standards are now well recognized. Various approaches and representations have been proposed over the past two decades for developing such models. These approaches, however, have exhibited limited success outside the research world. In this paper, we address the difficulties of representing the provisions of design standards and present description logic as a viable representation of design standards. Description logic is a knowledge representation paradigm which uses a ‘description language’ to represent knowledge and data and a ‘description classifier’ to make inferences from these descriptions. In this paper, we present the advantages of using description logic for representing engineering knowledge. We discuss how description logic can be used to represent the knowledge contained in engineering design standards and give example provisions of the LRFD and UBC codes modeled in description logic. These examples demonstrate the power of description logic languages as representational tools for engineering knowledge in general and engineering design standards in particular.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Fenves, S.J. (1966) Tabular decision logic for structural design, Journal of Structural Engineering, 92, 6, 473–490

    Google Scholar 

  2. Fenves, S.J., Wright, R.N.: Stahl, F.I.; Reed, K.A. (1987) Introduction to SASE: standards analysis, synthesis and expression, Technical Report NBSIR 873513, National Bureau of Standards, Washington, D.C.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Garrett, Jr., J.H.; Fenves, S.J. (1987) A knowledge-based standard processor for structural component design, Engineering with Computers, 2, 4, 219–238

    Google Scholar 

  4. Elam, S.L.; Lopez, L.A. (1988) Knowledge-based approach to checking designs for conformance with standards, Technical Report, Civil Engineering Systems Laboratory Research No. 9, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois

    Google Scholar 

  5. Lopez, L.A.; Elam, S.; Reed, K. (1989) Software concept for checking engineering designs for conformance with codes and standards, Engineering with Computers, 5, 63–78

    Google Scholar 

  6. Fenves, S.J.; Rasdorf, W.J. (1985) Treatment of engineering design constraints in a relationship database. Engineering with Computers, 1, 27–37

    Google Scholar 

  7. Jain, D.; Law, K.H.; Krawinkler, H. (1989) On processing standards with predicate calculus, Proceedings of the Sixth Conference on Computing in Civil Engineering, ASCE, Atlanta, Georgia.

  8. Rasdorf, W.J.; Lakmazaheri, S. (1990) Logic-based approach for modeling organization of design standards, Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering, 4, 2, 102–123

    Google Scholar 

  9. Rasdorf, W.J.; Wang, T.E. (1988) Generic design standards processing in an expert system environment, Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering, 2, 1, 68–87

    Google Scholar 

  10. Topping, B.H.V.; Kumar, B. (1989) Knowledge representation and processing for structural design codes, Engineering Applications of AI, 2, 9, 214–227

    Google Scholar 

  11. Dym, C.L.; Henchley, R.P.; Delis, E.A.; Gonick, S. (1988) A knowledge-based system for automated architectural code checking, Computer-Aided Design, 20, 3, 137–145

    Google Scholar 

  12. Cornick, S.M. (1991) HyperCode: the building code as a hyperdocument, Engineering with Computers, 7, 37–46

    Google Scholar 

  13. Cornick, S.M.; Leishman, D.A.; Thomas, J.R. (1991) Integrating building codes into design systems, First International Symposium on Building Systems Automation-Integration, Madison, Wisconsin

  14. Garrett Jr., J.H. (1989) Object-oriented representation of design standards, Expert Systems in Civil Engineering, IABSE Colloquium, Bergamo, Italy

  15. Garrett, Jr., J.H.; Hakim, M.M. (1992) An object-oriented model of engineering design standards, Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering, 6, 3, 323–347

    Google Scholar 

  16. Brill, D. (1992) LOOM Reference Manual, version 1.4, ISX Corporation

  17. MacGregor, R.; Burstein, M.H. (1991) Using a description classifier to enhance knowledge representation, IEEE Expert June, 41–46

  18. MacGregor, R.M. (1991) The evolving technology of classification-based knowledge representation systems, Principles of Semantic Networks: Explorations in the Representation of Knowledge, Sowa, J. (Editor). Morgan Kaufmann, San Mateo, California

    Google Scholar 

  19. Yen, J.; Neches, R.; MacGregor, R. (1991) CLASP: integrating term subsumption systems and production systems, IEEE Transactions on Knowledge and Data Engineering, 3, 1, 25–32

    Google Scholar 

  20. Borgida, A. (1991) Terminological frames as types: inference rules and prospective applications, Technical Report DCS-TR-280, Department of Computer Science, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey

    Google Scholar 

  21. Patel-Schneider, P.F. (1990) Practical, object-based knowledge representation for knowledge-based systems, Information Systems, 15, 1, 9–19

    Google Scholar 

  22. Hakim, M.M.; Garrett Jr., J.H. (1992) Object-oriented techniques for representing engineering knowledge and data: pros and cons, Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Engineering, July 14–17. University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

  23. Nguyen, G.T.; Rieu, D. (1991) Representing design objects, Proceedings of the First International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Design, Edinburgh

  24. Biliris, A. (1989) A data model for engineering design objects, Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Data and Knowledge Systems for Manufacturing and Engineering, IEEE, Gaithersburg, Maryland

  25. MacKellar, B.; Peckham, J. (1991) Representing design objects, in SORAC, Proceedings of the Second Internal Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Design, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  26. International Organization for Standardization (1991) EXPRESS Language Reference Manual. ISO 10303-Part 11, prepared by Document N14, ISO TC 184/SC4/WG5

  27. Smith, B.; Rinaudot, G. (Editors) (1988) Product data exchange specifications first working draft, NISTIR 88-4004, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland

    Google Scholar 

  28. Keirouz, W.T. (1988) Domain modeling of constructed facilities for robolic applications, PhD Dissertation, Department of Civil Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

    Google Scholar 

  29. Mugridge, W.B.; Hamer, J.; Hosking, J.G. (1990) Functional extensions to an object-oriented programming language, Technical Report No. 49, Department of Computer Science, University of Auckland, New Zealand

    Google Scholar 

  30. Konstan, J.A.; Rowe, L.A. (1991) Developing a GUIDE using object-oriented programming, Proceedings of OOPSLA'91, Phoenix, Arizona

  31. Brachman, R.J. (1977) A structural paradigm for representing knowledge, PhD Thesis, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts

    Google Scholar 

  32. Hirst, G. (1989) Ontological assumptions in knowledge representation, Proceedings of the First International Conference on Principles of Knowledge Representation and Reasoning, Brachman, R.J.; Levesque, H.J.; Reiter, R. (Editors), Morgan Kaufmann, San Mateo, California

    Google Scholar 

  33. Woods, W.A. (1991) Understanding subsumption and taxonomy: a framework for progress, Principles of Semantic Networks: Explorations in the Representation of Knowledge, Sowa, J. (Editor), Morgan Kaufmann, San Mateo, California

    Google Scholar 

  34. Vanier, D.J. (1991) A parsimonious classification system to extract project-specific building codes, VTT Symposium 125: Computers and Building Regulations, Espoo, Finland

  35. Hosking, J.; Mugridge, W.; Hamer, J. (1991) An architecture for code of practice conformance systems, VTT Symposium 125: Computers and Building Regulations, Espoo, Finland

  36. Law, K.H.; Yabuki, N. (1992) An integrated system for design standards processing, Proceedings of the 1992 Computer and Building Standards Workshop, May 12–15, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada

  37. Harris, J.R.; Wright, R.N. (1980) Organization of building standards; systematic techniques for scope and arrangement, Technical Report, Building Science Series NBS BSS, 136, National Bureau of Standards, Washington, D.C.

    Google Scholar 

  38. Kumar, B.; Chung, P.W.H.; Rae, R.H.; Topping, B.H.V. (Editor) (1987) A knowledge-based approach to structural design, The Application of Artificial Intelligence Techniques to Civil and Structural Engineering, Civil-Comp Press, Edinburgh, 79–92

    Google Scholar 

  39. Hakim, M.M.; Garrett Jr., J.H. (1992) Issues in modeling and evaluating design standards, Proceedings of the 1992 Computer and Building Standards Workshop, May 12–15, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada

  40. Hakim, M.M.; Garrett Jr., J.H.; Hooyman, G. (1993) An environment for automated design standards usage, to be presented at The NSF Grantees Conference on Design and Manufacturing Systems, Charlotte, North Carolina

  41. Hooyman, G. (1992) Design standard modeler: a computer-aided tool for creating object-oriented representations of engineering design standards, MS Thesis, Department of Civil Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

    Google Scholar 

  42. Sowa, J.C. (1984) Conceptual Structures: Information Processing in Mind and Machine, Addison-Wesley, Reading, Massachusetts

    Google Scholar 

  43. Yokoyama, T. (1990) An object-oriented and constraint-based knowledge representation system for design object modeling, Proceedings of the Sixth Conference on Artificial Intelligence Applications, IEEE, Santa Barbara, California

  44. Murtagh, N.; Shimura, M. (1990) Parametric engineering design using constraint-based reasoning. Proceedings of the Eighth National Conference on Artificial Intelligence, AAAI

  45. Holtz, N.M. (1982) Symbolic manipulation of design constraints—an aid to consistency management, Technical Report DRC-02012-82, Design Research Center, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

    Google Scholar 

  46. Coupal, C.M.; Sorenson, P.G.; Trembley, J.P. (1991) A constraint-driven approach to object-oriented design representation, Proceedings of the First International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Design, Edinburgh

  47. MacKellar, B.K.; Ozel, F. (1991) ArchObjects: design codes as constraints in an object-oriented KBMS, Proceedings of the First International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Design, Edinburgh

  48. Sapossnek, M. (1990) Research on constraint-based design systems, Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on the Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Engineering, Springer-Verlag, Boston, Massachusetts

    Google Scholar 

  49. American Institute of Steel Construction, Inc. (1986) Load and Resistance Factor Design Specification for Structural Steel Buildings, Chicago, Illinois

  50. International Conference of Building Officials (1988) Uniform Building Code, Whittier, California

  51. Woods, W.A.; Schmolze, J.G. (1992) The KL-ONE family, Computers and Mathematics with Applications, Special Issue on Semantic Networks in Artificial Intelligence, 23, 2–5

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Fobes Avenue, PA 15213, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

    M. Maher Hakim &  James H. Garrett Jr.

Authors
  1. M. Maher Hakim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. James H. Garrett Jr.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Maher Hakim, M., Garrett, J.H. A description logic approach for representing engineering design standards. Engineering with Computers 9, 108–124 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01199049

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01199049

Keywords

Search

Navigation