A. Glass et al., A SYSTEM FOR DESCRIBING DESIGN ARTIFACTS USING THE KNOWLEDGE REPRESENTATION TECHNIQUE OF FRAMES, Engineering with computers, 10(4), 1994, pp. 197-211
Any attempt to utilize computer aids to automate or partially automate
the design process must resolve the problem of representing the desig
n artifact in a manner that is suited both to computer manipulation an
d to engineering analysis, and subsequently to design. Recognizing the
se needs, we have devised a model, referred to as the description syst
em, that is based on the frame technique of description or knowledge r
epresentation. Our goals were to explore the suitability of frames for
modeling design artifacts, evaluate their characteristics, explore th
eir robustness and assess their applicability in the structural engine
ering domain. This paper reports on the development of a computer impl
ementation of a system, referred to as a description system, designed
to achieve these goals. The description system consists of three level
s: the system shell; the knowledge base; and instantiations of descrip
tions. This system implements various facilities which are useful to d
esigners, including the computation of design values, integrity mainte
nance, providing default values, and supporting explanation. This pape
r presents an overview of the three levels of the description system,
briefly discusses its main features and illustrates a civil engineerin
g application involving the design of a two-storey structure.