A model of the design process for computer-integrated structural engineerin

The increasing use of computers in structural engineering has naturally lead to a broad view of the future role of computers, termed computer integrated design. Computer integrated design systems will benefit designers by organizing, processing, managing and communicating design information, freeing designers to conceive creative solutions, manage the overall process, and make decisions. The major difficulty in creating such systems is that the design process is not clearly understood. That is (a) the structure of the process, (b) the tasks to be performed, and (c) the information required to carry out these tasks are not well defined. To overcome this difficulty, conceptual tools are needed. These tools include an organizational model for the design process, a set of well defined design tasks, and a set of formalisms for the knowledge required for these tasks. Identifying and describing these tools are the primary aims of this dissertation.;Important objectives of this work are (a) to further develop the idea that computer integrated design requires conceptual tools for modeling the design process; (b) to investigate the design process, identifying important concepts, strategies and operations; (c) to develop a model for the design process; (d) to identify and define design tasks; and (e) to investigate formalisms for the knowledge needed for these tasks. The scope of the investigation is limited to "routine" structural engineering design, in which conventional structures are designed using fairly standard components and clearly defined design procedures. The investigation considers design phases ranging from the selection of a structural concept through the completion of a detailed design.;The dissertation begins by introducing the topic. It then presents a descriptive summary of the engineering design process, with emphasis on structural engineering, including the fundamental concepts and essential tools of the process. This is followed by the development of an organizational model for the structural design process, termed the Multilevel Selection-Development (MSD) model. This model organizes the process as a hierarchy of selection and development subproblems, each of which is divided into a number of design tasks. Mechanisms for managing interactions between subproblems are considered, and a computer-oriented blackboard model for structural design is outlined. The design tasks are then described in detail. This is followed by a review of computer formalisms for representing and processing knowledge, and by a preliminary identification of formalisms appropriate for the overall MSD model and the design tasks. The dissertation concludes with a summary of the work and recommendations for future research.