Derivational Analogy Based Structural Design

The result of research carried out at the University of Strathclyde, Glascow from 1992 to 1995, this tutorial presents aspects of research into the application of artificial intelligence in structural design. The authors, leaders in the development of case-based design techniques applied to structural engineering, provide a detailed insight into their state-of-the-art research on the implementation of novel reasoning techniques in structural design. Case-based design enables computers not only to store, retrieve, and present past designs but also to synthesize design solutions. Topics addressed include representation, indexing, retreival, and adaptation in case-based design; the issues are illustrated by examples in conceptual structural design.

Author Biography: B. Kumar is a senior lecturer in structural engineering at the University of Strathclyde, Scotland. B. Raphael is a senior research associate in the department of civil engineering at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne.