International Conference on Computing in Civil and Building Engineering, ICCCBE, Weimar 10. 2004
Refine
Document Type
- Conference Proceeding (114)
- Article (62)
- Master's Thesis (1)
Institute
Keywords
- Verteiltes System (37)
- Bautechnik (30)
- Bauwerk (27)
- Produktmodell (24)
- Simulation (22)
- Modellierung (20)
- Mehragentensystem (19)
- Architektur (18)
- Ingenieurbau (17)
- Planungsprozess (17)
Efforts to define standards for representing AEC/FM data have been fairly successful. However defining a standard reference process model has not met with the same success. Yet almost every conceptual modelling or software development project starts by defining the business processes to be supported and the related requirements to be satisfied. This paper describes a new process-centred methodology for user requirements capture developed in the ICCI project (IST-2001-33022). Its essence is in recognising user requirements and use cases in the context of the real construction process, identifying the actors and roles for each individual activity and associating these activities with information, communication and standardisation requirements on the basis of a formalised specification, named the Process Matrix. In the paper we outline the history of process matrix development, introduce the basic structure of the matrix and show how it can be further extended and refined. We present also a web-based software implementation of the developed approach, describe how it has been used in ICCI and outline further perspectives.
The process of matching data represented in two different data models is a longstanding issue in the exchange of data between different software systems. While the traditional manual matching approach cannot meet today’s demands on data exchange, research shows that a fully automated generic approach for model matching is not likely, and generic semi-automated approaches are not easy to implement. In this paper, we present an approach that focuses on matching data models in a specific domain. The approach combines a basic model matching approach and a version matching approach to deduce new matching rules to enable data transfer between two evolving data models.
This paper describes an ongoing research on the representation and reasoning about construction specifications, which is part of a bigger research project that aims at developing a formalism for automating the identification of deviations and defects on construction sites. We specifically describe the requirements on product and process models and an approach for representing and reasoning about construction specifications to enable automated detection and assessment of construction deviations and defects. This research builds on the previous research on modeling design specifications and extends and elaborates concept of contexts developed in that domain. The paper provides an overview of how the construction specifications are being modele d in this research and points out future steps that need to be accomplished to develop the envisioned automated deviation and defect detection system.
Current disaster management procedures rely primarily on heuristics which result in their strategies being very cautious and sub-optimum in terms of saving life, minimising damage and returning the building to its normal function. Also effective disaster management demands decentralized, dynamic, flexible, short term and across domain resource sharing, which is not well supported by existing distributing computing infrastructres. The paper proposes a conceptual framework for emergency management in the built environment, using Semantic Grid as an integrating platform for different technologies. The framework supports a distributed network of specialists in built environment, including structural engineers, building technologists, decision analysts etc. It brings together the necessary technology threads, including the Semantic Web (to provide a framework for shared definitions of terms, resources and relationships), Web Services (to provide dynamic discovery and integration) and Grid Computing (for enhanced computational power, high speed access, collaboration and security control) to support rapid formation of virtual teams for disaster management. The proposed framework also make an extensive use of modelling and simulation (both numerical and using visualisations), data mining (to find resources in legacy data sets) and visualisation. It also include a variety of hardware instruments with access to real time data. Furthermore the whole framework is centred on collaborative working by the virtual team. Although focus of this paper is on disaster management, many aspects of the discussed Grid and Visualisation technologies will be useful for any other forms of collaboration. Conclusions are drawn about the possible future impact on the built environment.
The increased implementation of site data capture technologies invariably results in an increase in data warehousing and database technologies to store captured data. However, restricted use of data beyond the initial application could potentially result in a loss of understanding of site processes. This could in turn lead to poor decision making at production, tactical and strategic levels. Concrete usage data have been collected from two piling processes. These data have been analysed and the results highlighted potential improvements that could be made to existing site management and estimating processes. A cost benefit analysis has been used to support decision making at the strategic level where the identified improvements require capital expenditure.
For planning in existing built contexts, the building survey is the starting point for initial planning proposals, for the diagnosis and documentation of building damages, for the creation of objectives catalogues, for the detailed design of renovation and conversion measures and for ensuring fulfilment of building legislation, particularly by change of use and refitting. An examination of currently available IT-tools shows insufficient support for planning within existing contexts, most notably a deficit with regard to information capture and administration. This paper discusses the concept for a modular surveying system (basic concept, separation of geometry from semantic data, and separation into sub-systems) and the prototypical realisation of a system for the complete support of the entire building surveying process for existing buildings. The project aims to contribute to the development of a planning system for existing buildings. ...
Pre-stressed structural elements are widely used in large-span structures. As a rule, they have higher stiffness characteristics. Pre-stressed rods can be applied as girders of different purpose, and as their separate parts, e.g. rods of trusses and frames. Among numerous ways of prestressing the compression of girders, trusses, and frames by tightenings from high-strength materials is under common application.
The design of mobile IT systems, especially the design of wearable computer systems, is a complex task that requires computer science knowledge, such as that related to hardware configuration and software development, in addition to knowledge of the domain in which the system is intended to be used. Particularly in the AEC sector, it is necessary that the support from mobile information technology fit the work situation at hand. Ideally, the domain expert alone can adjust the wearable computer system to achieve this fit without having to consult IT experts. In this paper, we describe a model that helps in transferring existing design knowledge from non-AEC domains to new projects in the construction area. The base for this is a model and a methodology that describes the usage scenarios of said computer systems in an application-neutral and domain-independent way. Thus, the actual design information and experience will be transferable between different applications and domains.
Structural engineering projects are increasingly organized in networked cooperations due to a permanently enlarged competition pressure and a high degree of complexity while performing the concurrent design activities. Software that intends to support such collaborative structural design processes implicates enormous requirements. In the course of our common research work, we analyzed the pros and cons of the application of both the peer-to-peer (University of Bonn) and multiagent architecture style (University of Bochum) within the field of collaborative structural design. In this paper, we join the benefits of both architecture styles in an integrated conceptual approach. We demonstrate the surplus value of the integrated multiagent–peer-to-peer approach by means of an example scenario in which several structural engineers are co-operatively designing the basic structural elements of an arched bridge, applying heterogeneous CAD systems.
Analysis System for Bridge Test (Chinese name abbr.: QLJC) is an application software specially designed for bridge test to analyze the static and dynamic character of bridge structures, calculate efficiency ratio of load test, pick up the results of observation points and so on. In this paper, research content, system design, calculation theory, characteristics and practical application of QLJC is introduced in detail.
Information science researchers and developers have spent many years addressing the problem of retrieving the exact information needed and using it for analysis purposes. In informationseeking dialogues, the user, i.e. construction project manager or supplier, often asks questions about specific aspects of the tasks they want to perform. But most of the time it is difficult for the software systems to unambiguously understand their overall intentions. The existence of information tunnels (Tannenbaum 2002) aggravates this phenomenon. This study includes a detailed case study of the material management process in the construction industry. Based on this case study, the structure of a formal user model for information retrieval in construction management is proposed. This prototype user model will be incorporated into the system design for construction information management and retrieval. This information retrieval system is a user-centered product based on the development of a user configurable visitor mechanism for managing and retrieving project information without worrying too much about the underlying data structure of the database system. An executable UML model combined with OODB is used to reduce the ambiguity in the user's intentions and to achieve user satisfaction.
The planning of projects in building engineering is a complex process which is characterized by a dynamical composition and many modifications during the definition and execution time of processes. For a computer-aided and network-based cooperation a formal description of the planning process is necessary. In the research project “Relational Process Modelling in Cooperative Building Planning” a process model is described by three parts: an organizational structure with participants, a building structure with states and a process structure with activities. This research project is part of the priority program 1103 “Network-Based Cooperative Planning Processes in Structural Engineering” promoted by the German Research Foundation (DFG). Planning processes in civil engineering can be described by workflow graphs. The process structure describes the logical planning process and can be formally defined by a bipartite graph. This structure consists of activities, transitions and relationships between activities and transitions. In order to minimize errors at execution time of a planning process a consistent and structurally correct process model must be guaranteed. This contribution considers the concept and the algorithms for checking the consistency and the correctness of the process structure.
Let the information of a civil engineering application be decomposed into objects of a given set of classes. Then the set of objects forms the data base of the application. The objects contain attributes and methods. Properties of the objects are stored in the attributes. Algorithms which the objects perform are implemented in the methods of the objects. If objects are modified by a user, the consistency of data in the base is destroyed. The data base must be modified in an update to restore its consistency. The sequence of the update operations is not arbitrary, but is governed by dependence between the objects. The situation can be described mathematically with graph theory. The available algorithms for the determination of the update sequence are not suitable when the data base is large. A new update algorithm for large data bases has been developed and is presented in this paper.
In this paper we present a computer aided method supporting co-operation between different project partners, such as architects and engineers, on the basis of strictly three-dimensional models. The center of our software architecture is a product model, described by the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) of the International Alliance for Interoperability (IAI). From this a geometrical model is extracted and automatically transferred to a computational model serving as a basis for various simulation tasks. In this paper the focus is set on the advantage of the fully three-dimensional structural analysis performed by p-version of the finite element analysis. Other simulation methods are discussed in a separate contribution of this Volume (Treeck 2004). The validity of this approach will be shown in a complex example.
Spatial data acquisition, integration, and modeling for real-time project life-cycle applications
(2004)
Current methods for site modeling employs expensive laser range scanners that produce dense point clouds which require hours or days of post-processing to arrive at a finished model. While these methods produce very detailed models of the scanned scene, useful for obtaining as-built drawings of existing structures, the associated computational time burden precludes the methods from being used onsite for real-time decision-making. Moreover, in many project life-cycle applications, detailed models of objects are not needed. Results of earlier research conducted by the authors demonstrated novel, highly economical methods that reduce data acquisition time and the need for computationally intensive processing. These methods enable complete local area modeling in the order of a minute, and with sufficient accuracy for applications such as advanced equipment control, simple as-built site modeling, and real-time safety monitoring for construction equipment. This paper describes a research project that is investigating novel ways of acquiring, integrating, modeling, and analyzing project site spatial data that do not rely on dense, expensive laser scanning technology and that enable scalability and robustness for real-time, field deployment. Algorithms and methods for modeling objects of simple geometric shape (geometric primitives from a limited number of range points, as well as methods provide a foundation for further development required to address more complex site situations, especially if dynamic site information (motion of personnel and equipment). Field experiments are being conducted to establish performance parameters and validation for the proposed methods and models. Initial experimental work has demonstrated the feasibility of this approach.
Site superintendents performing project management tasks on construction sites need to access project documents and need to collect information that they observe while inspecting the site. Often, information that is observed on a construction site needs to be integrated into electronic documents or project control systems. In the future, we expect integrated product and process models to be the medium for storing and handling construction project management information. Even though mobile computing devices today are already capable of storing and handling such integrated product and process data models, the user interaction with such large and complex models is difficult and not adequately addressed in the existing research. In this paper, we introduce a system that supports project management tasks on construction sites effectively and efficiently by making integrated product and process models accessible. In order to effectively and efficiently enter or access information, site superintendents need visual representations of the project data that are flexible with respect to the level of detail, the decomposition structure, and the type of visual representation. Based on this understanding of the information and data collection needs, we developed the navigational model framework and the application Site Data Collection System (SiDaCoS), which implements that framework. The navigational model framework allows site superintendents to create customized representations of information contained in a product and process model that correspond to their data access and data collection needs on site.
Although there are some good reasons to design engineering software as a stand-alone application for a single computer, there are also numerous possibilities for creating distributed engineering applications, in particular using the Internet. This paper presents some typical scenarios how engineering applications can benefit from including network capabilities. Also, some examples of Internet-based engineering applications are discussed to show how the concepts presented can be implemented.
This paper presents an application of dynamic decision making under uncertainty in planning and estimating underground construction. The application of the proposed methodology is illustrated by its application to an actual tunneling project—The Hanging Lake Tunnel Project in Colorado, USA. To encompass the typical risks in underground construction, tunneling decisions are structured as a risk-sensitive Markov decision process that reflects the decision process faced by a contractor in each tunneling round. This decision process consists of five basic components: (1) decision stages (locations), (2) system states (ground classes and tunneling methods), (3) alternatives (tunneling methods), (4) ground class transition probabilities, and (5) tunneling cost structure. The paper also presents concepts related to risk preference that are necessary to model the contractor’s risk attitude, including the lottery concept, utility theory, and the delta property. The optimality equation is formulated, the model components are defined, and the model is solved by stochastic dynamic programming. The main results are the optimal construction plans and risk-adjusted project costs, both of which reflect the dynamics of subsurface construction, the uncertainty about geologic variability as a function of available information, and the contractor’s risk preference.
The management of resources is an essential task in each construction company. Today, ERP systems and e-Business systems are available to assist construction companies to efficiently organise the allocation of their personnel and equipment within the company, but they cannot provide the company with the idle resources for every single task that has to be performed during a construction project. Therefore, companies should have an alternative solution to better exploit expensive resources and compensate their fixed costs, but also have them available at the right time for their own business activities. This paper outlines the approach taken by the EU funded project “e-Sharing” (IST-2001-33325) to support resource management between construction companies. It will describe requirements for the management of construction resources, its core features, and the integration approach. Therefore, we will outline the approach of an integrated resource type model supporting the management and classification of construction equipment, construction tasks and qualification profiles. The development is based on a cross-domain analysis and evaluation of existing models. ...