TASKS AND ONTOLOGIES IN ENGINEERING MODELING

Constructing models of physical systems is a recurring activity in eng ineering problem solving. This paper presents a generic knowledge-leve l analysis of the task of engineering modelling. Starting from the pre mise that modelling is a design-like activity, it proposes the Specify -Construct-Assess (SCA) problem-solving method for decomposition of th e modelling task. A second structuring principle is found in the disti nction between and separation of different ontological viewpoints. Her e, we introduce three engineering ontologies that have their own speci fic roles and methods in the modelling task: functional components, ph ysical processes, mathematical constraints. The combination of the pro posed task and ontology decompositions leads to a particular approach to modelling that we call evolutionary modelling. This approach is sup ported by a knowledge-based system called QuBA. The implications of ev olutionary modelling for structuring the modelling process, the conten t of produced models, as well as for the organization of reusable mode l fragment libraries are discussed.