Hybrid expert system for qualitative and quantitative analysis of truss structures

The so-called hybrid expert systems for the analysis of physical systems (e .g. mechanical ones) integrate modelling and. simulation methods, including classical numerical(quantitative) methods as well as recently developed qu alitative analysis methods, using the expert-system rule-based techniques. The diagrammatic representation methods also turn out to be important eleme nts of the knowledge representation (especially the qualitative knowledge) and user interface in such systems. In this paper, problems in the construc tion of such systems are discussed, using an example of an experimental hyb rid system for the analysis of planar truss structures (currently in the fi nal stages of implementation). (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.