Torres Formoso, C (1991) A knowledge-based framework for planning house building projects. PhD thesis, University of Salford, UK.
Abstract
This thesis describes the development of a knowledge based system which encapsulates some of the expertise used by a number of experienced construction planners for planning the construction stage of low rise house building projects in the U. K. The general objective of the research was to investigate the feasibility of using knowledge engineering for developing models of construction planning expertise, which could be employed for tackling some of the existing knowledge bottlenecks in the construction industry. The resulting system can be described as a knowledge based framework designed for supporting the decision making process involved in planning house building at a tactical level. One of the main features of this framework is its ability to cope with incomplete information. The knowledge acquisition process involved both the elicitation of knowledge directly from experts, and the analysis of construction plans from several past housing developments. The model was implemented on an expert system shell called LEONARDO Level 3, which runs in any standard IBM-PC micro-computer or compatibles. The evaluation of the system focused on the validity of the model, i. e. the degree at which the outcomes of the system resembled the outcomes of the human expertise being modelled in the knowledge base. A prescriptive method of validation was devised specifically for this study, involving both experts that had provided expertise for the system, and external experts.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction planning; decision making; expert system; house building |
| Index terms: | construction industry, construction planning, knowledge acquisition, knowledge-based system, decision-making process, validity, decision-making, expert system, construction planner, validation, housing development, knowledge base |
| Subjects: | professional development, student development, information systems, industry analysis, decision analysis, data management, construction planning, artificial intelligence, practitioner, evaluation and assessment methods, construction type |
| Topics: | Education, Risk Management, Digital Applications, Site Management, Information Management, Research Practice, Construction Technology, Roles and Professions |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here