From: envwpk@epb2.lbl.gov (Werner P. Keilholz)
Newsgroups: comp.ai
Subject: Intelligent Simulation Environments - request
Date: 10 Sep 1992 11:55:48 GMT
Organization: Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Berkeley
Distribution: world
Reply-To: envwpk@epb2.lbl.gov (Werner P. Keilholz)
NNTP-Posting-Host: 128.3.12.39


I have just started a PhD work on 'Intelligent Simulation Environments'.
The purpose of this work is to simplify the use of building performance
evaluation codes (simulators) such as TRNSYS, COMIS or others (in particular,
general purpose solvers such as SPANK/SPARK). To achieve this goal, a generic
graphical environment will be developped. A prototype of such an environment
already exists for TRNSYS.

To bring a certain degree of intelligence into such a system, an expert
system layer will assist the user in describing his simulation problem
to the system and help the user to choose the simulation program(s) best
adapted to this problem.
Another component of the system will allow future users to couple the
simulation tools made available through the ISE, i.e. run the same project
(e.g. the simulation of an existing building) with different simulation codes,
so that the user has to enter data shared by different programs only once.
Furthermore coupled simulation runs should be possible using the ping-pong
coupling method.

In this context, I would be glad to get *any* information about ongoing
or finished projects, articles, books, etc. that might be of interest for
us. In particular, we are looking for:

* expert knowledge (rules, rule bases, examples) about how to assemble TRNSYS
  models to solve a given problem (i.e., to reach a given simulation goal)
* expert rules for making automatic connections of TRNSYS models (once the
  models are connected, the *variables* of the models have to be connected
  as well; we can imagine that this task could be automized to a certain
  degree)
* All of the above for other simulation codes than TRNSYS (COMIS, HVACSIM, ...)
  and general rules applicable to all simulators

* experience in coupling simulation codes and expert rules about
  questions like, 'in what circumstances is ping-pong- coupling sufficient ?'
  'When do convergence problems typically occur ?'

* Ideas about what you, as a possible user of such an environment, would
  like to see implemented in such a system

I'd be happy to get any feedback. In particular, if you are interested in
details about the project, I'd be glad to send you more detailed
information.

Cooperation with building professionals using TRNSYS or COMIS
would be extremely useful and of benefit for both parties involved.


Thanks for your time,

Werner


P.S.: Please reply via email to envwpk@epb2.lbl.gov, since I do not have      !
      access to the INTERNET while in France. Do not reply to this newsgroup, !
      I propably won't be able to read it any more.                           !

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