IMPLEMENTATION OF AEC CORE REFERENCE MODELS IN STARTPLAN

Computer-integrated construction relies on project information being s hared among various computer applications used by many project partici pants. This information sharing is based on models of architecture, en gineering and construction (AEC) information. While much of the develo pment of such models is currently at a conceptual stage, many of the c entral concepts are sufficiently well developed for testing their impl ementation capabilities in a computer program using realistic examples . This paper introduces a set of AEC core reference models that combin e features of many currently developed AEC information models, such as their basic representation of construction products, processes, resou rces, and controls. it then presents a computer program, StartPlan, th at has been developed based on the AEC core reference models to test t heir implementation capabilities. StartPlan is a program that creates template construction plans based on the information about the project at hand using a knowledge-based system. The paper also describes cons truction project information that has been used as a test in StartPlan . The results from the test reveal specific advantages and disadvantag es of the AEC core reference models and will be useful to the future d evelopment of AEC information models.