Computer-integrated information modelling for design of building structures

Computer Aided Design (CAD) has become the standard practice for engineering work, particularly in design of architecture and structural engineering. Many CAD software tools are available in different engineering disciplines to achieve various design objectives. Indeed, the use of CAD tools can improve designers' efficiency, thus raise their productivity. With the rapid advance in IT and Web technologies, there is a stringent demand, from the AEC (Architecture-Engineering-Construction) industry, for more effective coordination in design processes and design collaborations. Such a demand has driven the advances in CAD systems from single to multi-taskings, from fragmentation to system integration, and from a single user to multi-user web-based environments. Information modelling is critical to the development of a new generation of CAD systems to represent knowledge, exchange data, and integrate CAD tools. In this thesis, two information models—process model and building product models for structural engineering applications have been developed. The main challenges in the present development are to specify a process and building product models for design of building structure, and to explore model-based applications. In the process modelling, an initiative process model for structural design is proposed by reengineering the traditional structural design process. In the product modelling, a building product data model, which is primarily a SEC (Structural Engineering Class) object model, is specified by employing use case-driven object-modelling approach. Implementation approaches of the proposed object model are also addressed. To promote the application of the proposed information models, the research in this thesis is extended to explore a new generation of CAD information systems, such as computer-integrated structural design, web-based structural data model server and online checking (e-checking) systems. All the aforementioned systems make use of generic information models as the basis for the further development. Based on the proposed process and product models, TBCAD II is developed as a prototype system for the computer-integrated structural design of tall buildings. In TBCAD II, the proposed process model and SEC-object model, as well as the component technology are utilised to provide a common software platform for integrating structural engineering CAD tools. A practical example is presented to demonstrate the functional capability of TBCAD II for structural design of tall buildings. Furthermore, a web-based structural data model server is developed, which allows for data sharing and model translation via Internet. Finally, the framework of an online code-compliance checking system is proposed to conduct automated check for structural design plans.