bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Simulating the behavior of poorly understood continua using neural networks
Authors: Flood Ian 
Published: March 2010

AbstractThis paper proposes and evaluates an artificial neural network based method of modeling the dynamic behavior of spatially distributed continuous engineering processes. The technique is applicable to situations where the differential equations governing the behavior of a system are nonlinear and poorly understood, such as is the case for frost-heave and thaw-settlement processes in soils. A description is first provided of a means of modeling the unknown component of governing differential equations. A range of levels of understanding of these equations is considered. A method of discretizing the resultant neural models of these equations is then illustrated, and the way in which these can be used to simulate the behavior of a process is described. The performance of the proposed neural network approach is then assessed in a series of experiments simulating the nonlinear thermal behavior of translucent solid materials. The system is proven capable of providing highly accurate simulations of system behavior sustained over many thousands of simulation time steps. The paper concludes with an identification of several ongoing areas of further development and application of the proposed tool.
Adaptive uncertainty management for a class of diagnostic expert systems
Authors: Bogunović Nikola , Mesić Tomislav 
Published: March 2010

AbstractThis paper gives a theoretical foundation and implementation details of data and control structures in a diagnostic expert system with adaptive uncertainty management. The considered problem covers a class of expert systems and the application domain in which the operating personnel actively monitor and control the outcome of an industrial manufacturing process. Based on subjective ranking of the latent fault in the final output product, the operator queries the expert system for a recommended corrective action. Subsequent successful or unsuccessful corrective actions consistently modify confidence measures of all corrective recommendations from the same fault set, according to the embedded analytical model. The described approach is based on the relational data representation and procedural control structures, as opposed to a more traditional declarative, production-based system.
Construction project control using artificial neural networks
Authors: Al-Tabtabai H. , Kartam N. , Flood I. , Alex A.P. 
Published: March 2010

AbstractArtificial neural networks are finding wide application to a variety of problems in civil engineering. This paper describes how artificial neural networks can be applied in the area of construction project control. A project control system capable of predicting and monitoring project performance (e.g., cost variance and schedule variance) based on observations made from the project environment is described. This project control system has five neural network modules that allow a project manager to automatically generate revised project plans at regular intervals during the progress of the project. These five modules are similar in design and implementation. Therefore, this paper will present the main issues involved in the development of one of these five neural network modules, that is, the module for identifying schedule variance. A description of a graphical user interface integrating the neural network modules developed with project management software, and a discussion on the power and limitations of the overall system conclude the paper.
Augmenting design patterns with design rationale
Authors: Peña-Mora Feniosky , Vadhavkar Sanjeev 
Published: March 2010

AbstractPresent-day software applications are increasingly required to be “reuse-conscious” in terms of the operating platforms, topology, and evolutionary requirements. Traditionally, there has been much difficulty in communicating specialized knowledge like design intents, design recommendations, and design justifications in the discipline of software engineering. This paper presents a methodology based on the combination of design rationale and design patterns to design reusable software systems. Design rationale is the representation of the reasoning behind the design of an artifact. Design patterns are descriptions of communicating objects and classes that are customized to solve a general design problem in a particular context. The paper details the use of an explicit software development process to capture and disseminate the specialized knowledge (i.e., intents, recommendations, and justifications) that augments the description of the cases in a library (i.e., design patterns) during the development of software applications by heterogeneous groups. The importance of preserving and using this specialized knowledge has become apparent with the growing trend of combining the software development process with the product (i.e., software code). The importance of codifying corporate memory in this regard is also important considering the changing nature of the workplace, where more people are on contract. The information on how and why a software code was developed becomes essential for efficient and smooth continuity of the present software project as well as for reusing the code in future projects. It has become essential to capture the design rationale to develop and design software systems efficiently and reliably. The software prototype developed using the combined methodology will be used as a part of an integrated design environment for reusable software design. This environment supports collaborative development of software applications by a group of software specialists from a library of building block cases represented by design patterns.
GENCRIT: A tool for knowledge-based critiquing in engineering design
Authors: Shiva Kumar H. , Suresh S. , Krishnamoorthy C. S. , Fenves Steven J. , Rajeev S. 
Published: March 2010

AbstractThis article poses the notion that it is possible and desirable to formalize and apply design critiques in a specialized framework. It describes GENCRIT, (GENeric CRItiquing Tool), one such framework for design critiquing. The article starts by highlighting the role of critics in the design process. It then goes on to bring out the need for a critic building tool, viz. that of aiding in the rapid development of multiple critics. GENCRIT combines knowledge-based techniques and a multifactor decision making model to develop an integrated approach to evaluation that encompasses a wide range of designs. Critics developed using GENCRIT evaluate candidate designs based on the critiquing knowledge provided by experts, give justifications for the evaluation, and suggest improvements. The working of GENCRIT is illustrated with two examples: a constructibility critic for reinforced concrete buildings and a bridge design critic.
A constraint-based approach for qualitative matrix structural analysis
Authors: Schwartz David I. , Chen Stuart S. 
Published: March 2010

AbstractQualitative physics, a subfield of artificial intelligence, adapts intuitive and non-numerical reasoning for descriptive analysis of physical systems. The application of a set-based qualitative algebra to matrix analysis (QMA) allows for the development of a qualitative matrix stiffness methodology for linear elastic structural analysis. The unavoidable introduction of arithmetic ambiguity requires the reinforcement of physical constraints complementary to standard matrix operations. The overall analysis technique incorporates such constraints within the set-based framework with logic programming. Truss, beam, and frame structures demonstrate constraint relationships, which prune spurious solutions resulting from qualitative arithmetic relations. Though QMA is not a panacea for all structural applications, it provides greater insight into new notions of physical analysis.
Concurrent design happens at the interfaces
Authors: Finger Susan , Konda Suresh , Subrahmanian Eswaran 
Published: March 2010

AbstractConcurrent engineering is often viewed either from a technical point of view—that is, as a problem that can be solved by creating and integrating computer-based tools—or from an organizational point of view—that is, as a problem that can be solved by creating and reorganizing teams of designers. In this paper we argue that concurrent engineering requires both technical and organizational solutions, and we call the result concurrent design. We believe that the essence of concurrent design is the myriad of interactions that occur at the interfaces among all of the members of a design team and all their tools. Solving either the technical or organizational problems by assuming away the interactions will not solve the problems of concurrent design.In this paper we present two case studies of concurrent design in practice that have changed our assumptions about design and which have changed our research agenda. We also present the evolution of concurrent design research at the Carnegie Mellon Engineering Design Research Center. In our research, we have designed, manufactured, and used our own tools as well as observed their use by others—where the tools include mobile computers, design analysis programs, and information organization tools. Through this process, we have learned about design education and design practice, and we have uncovered new issues for design research. We see the interactions among design research, practice, and education as essential to understanding concurrent design.
Conflict mitigation system for collaborative engineering
Authors: Peña-Mora Feniosky , Sriram Ram D. , Logcher Robert 
Published: March 2010

AbstractLarge-scale engineering projects typically involve many different types of professionals who must interact and communicate with one another. This interaction produces conflicts that need to be resolved. A framework is presented in which the rationale used in a collaborative design environment for designing an artifact is also used for conflict mitigation. The framework contains mechanisms for checking interactions and prompting hypotheses about the reasons for the interactions. These hypotheses, once verified by the designers, improve conflict resolution by assisting them in coordinating and negotiating conflicts. This, in turn, enhances communication during the design process and consequently increases productivity in the engineering industry.
A computational market model for distributed configuration design
Authors: Wellman Michael P. 
Published: March 2010

AbstractA precise market model for a well-defined class of distributed configuration design problems is presented. Given a design problem, the model defines a computational economy to allocate basic resources to agents participating in the design. The result of running these “design economies” constitutes the market solution to the original problem. After defining the configuration design framework, the mapping to computational economies and the results to date are described. For some simple examples, the system can produce good designs relatively quickly. However, analysis shows that the design economies are not guaranteed to find optimal designs, and some of the major pitfalls are identified and discussed. Despite known shortcomings and limited explorations thus far, the market model offers a useful conceptual viewpoint for analyzing distributed design problems.
A logic-based approach for processing design standards
Authors: Rasdorf William J. , Lakmazaheri Sivand 
Published: March 2010

A logic-based approach for automating the processing of design standards is illustrated. This approach is composed of three steps: conceptualization, formalization and implementation. Conceptualization is referred to as the representation of the knowledge necessary for solving the problem of interest in terms of objects and relations. Formalization is referred to as the representation of the objects and relations of interest as axioms using the language of predicate calculus. And, Implementation is referred to as the representation of the axioms of interest and the strategy for manipulating axioms using the constructs of a programming language.The paper illustrates the logic-based approach to engineering problem-solving automation by considering the portion of the AISC Specification that governs the design of axially loaded members. First, the relations of interest are identified (Conceptualization). Then, predicate calculus is used to formally represent the relations (Formalization) as axioms and to mechanically manipulate them. The checking and designing of structural components via mechanical manipulation of the axioms are illustrated in the paper. Finally, a constraint logic programming language is used to develop a computer program for automatic processing of the specification (Implementation). This program is composed of a set of rules that closely resemble the formulated axioms.
The DOMAIN family of propagation operations for intervals on simultaneous linear equations
Authors: Chen R. , Ward A.C. 
Published: March 2010

AbstractThis paper defines, develops algorithms for, and illustrates the utility in design of a class of mathematical operations. These accept as inputs a system of linear constraint equations, Ax = b, an interval matrix of values for the coefficients, A, and an interval vector of values for either x or b. They return a set of values for the “domain” of the other vector, in the sense that all combinations of the output vector values set and values for A, when inserted into the constraint equation, correspond to values for the input vector that lie within the input interval. These operations have been mostly overlooked by the interval matrix arithmetic community, but are mathematically interesting and useful in the design, for example, of structures.
The SUFFICIENT-POINTS family of propagation operations for intervals on simultaneous linear equations
Authors: Chen R. , Ward A.C. 
Published: March 2010

AbstractThis paper defines, develops algorithms for, and illustrates the design use of a class of mathematical operations. These operations accept as inputs a system of linear constraint equations, Ax = b, an interval matrix of values for the coefficients A, and an interval vector of values for either x or b. They return a set of values for the other variable that is “sufficient” in this sense. Suppose that ◯ is an interval of input vectors, and Â an interval matrix. Then, one Sufficient-Points operation returns a set of vectors ~ such that for each b in ~, the set of x values that can be produced by inserting all the values of Â into Ax = b is a superset of the input vector x. These operations have been partly overlooked by the interval matrix mathematics community, but are mathematically interesting and useful in the design, for example, of circuits.
Searching time-table networks
Authors: Tulp Eduard , Siklóssy Laurent 
Published: March 2010

In this paper we present an application of AI search techniques to a class of problems that arise in transportation systems analysis. Rather than adapting the time-space network formulation typically used in Operations Research, we propose a discrete dynamic network to represent a scheduled service network. In a discrete dynamic network, there are finite, discrete, predetermined possibilities for moving from one vertex to another. Visiting a vertex has a cost (possibly zero), which may depend both on how the vertex was reached and how it will be left.We describe the DYNET search algorithm for finding optimal paths in discrete dynamic networks. DYNET has been implemented in a working system (TRAINS) which searches the entire Dutch railway services network. An optimal path in a discrete dynamic network makes us arrive at our destination as early as possible (given our planned earliest departure time), and given this earliest arrival time (eat), will allow us to leave as late as possible, thereby guaranteeing a shortest path relative to the eat. DYNET first conducts a forward search to find the earliest possible arrival time, then a backward search which uses results of the forward search, to find the latest departure to arrive at that eat. Various AI techniques (symmetries, abstraction spaces, distance estimates, etc.) improve the performance of DYNET.
Conflict management in an interdisciplinary design environment
Authors: Oh Vincent , Sharpe John 
Published: March 2010

AbstractIt is now becoming increasingly common for products to be designed via an interdisciplinary approach, particularly when an engineering enterprise adopts the concurrent engineering approach. Essentially, this implies that several heterogeneous sources of knowledge are simultaneously involved during the design phase of the product. The benefits often cited as a result of such an approach are increased quality and innovation, decreased time-to-market, and lower manufacturing costs. However, the approach also accentuates the problem of how to handle and manage conflicts, which frequently arise due to several factors as discussed in this paper. This paper also describes a system called Schemebuilder, which is an integrated design workbench aimed at supporting the conceptual and embodiment phases of interdisciplinary systems design, and its mechanisms for handling and resolving conflicts.
Using Pareto optimality to coordinate distributed agents
Authors: Petrie Charles J. , Webster Teresa A. , Cutkosky Mark R. 
Published: March 2010

AbstractPareto optimality is a domain-independent property that can be used to coordinate distributed engineering agents. Within a model of design called Redux, some aspects of dependency-directed backtracking can be interpreted as tracking Pareto optimality. These concepts are implemented in a framework, called Next-Link, that coordinates legacy engineering systems. This framework allows existing software tools to communicate with each other and a Redux agent over the Internet. The functionality is illustrated with examples from the domain of electrical cable harness design.
Communication infrastructure for concurrent engineering
Authors: Kuokka Daniel R. , Harada Larry T. 
Published: March 2010

AbstractIntegrating multiple engineering perspectives is critical to designing ever more complex products, but this introduces great potential for miscommunication leading to design conflicts. The SHADE (SHAred Dependency Engineering) project is defining agent infrastructure technology that supports dynamic, knowledge-based communication among heterogeneous engineering tools, collaboration systems, and conflict management systems. Building on technologies for defining a shared formal vocabulary and protocols for exchanging information, SHADE is developing facilitators that assist in locating and disseminating information. The result is a flexible infrastructure that helps existing engineering tools work together more effectively, and that supports a variety of new conflict management approaches. This article outlines the facilitation and application agents created by SHADE, and provides an in-depth example of their application to an engineering task.
Using Single Function Agents to investigate conflict
Authors: Dunskus B.V. , Grecu D.L. , Brown D.C. , Berker I. 
Published: March 2010

AbstractDesign Expert Systems can be built using many small, cooperating, limited function expert systems called Single Function Agents (SiFAs). Using this approach we will be able to investigate and discover primitive problem-solving and interaction patterns, specific for multiagent design systems, and should gain a deeper understanding of the types of knowledge involved. This paper presents some categories of conflicts that have been studied using the SiFA approach, and makes a brief presentation of the SINE implementation of SiFAs.
Mixed quantitative/qualitative method for evaluating compromise solutions to conflicts in collaborative design
Authors: Bahler Dennis , Dupont Catherine , Bowen James 
Published: March 2010

AbstractConflicts are likely to arise among participants in a collaborative design process as the inevitable outgrowth of the differing perspectives and viewpoints involved. The opportunities for conflict are magnified if many perspectives are brought to bear on a common artifact early in the design process, as in concurrent engineering or integrated engineering. Design advice tools can assist in the process of resolving these conflicts by making critiques and suggestions conveniently available to design participants, and by offering a fair means of evaluating and comparing suggested alternatives for compromise solution. In previous work we introduced a protocol based on notions of economic utility by which design advice systems can recognize conflict and mediate negotiation fairly. This protocol allowed design teams to express the desire to maximize or minimize the values of design parameters over totally ordered bounded domains of values, such as real numeric intervals. In this paper we extend this approach by allowing expressed preferences of design teams to be qualitative as well as quantitative, by allowing teams to express interest in parameters before they actually come into existence, and by relaxing many other of the earlier restrictions on the ways teams may express their preferences.
Potential of artificial neural networks for resource scheduling
Authors: Kartam Nabil , Tongthong Tanit 
Published: March 2010

AbstractIn a construction project, resource leveling techniques are necessary as a primary schedule-improvement tool to reduce overall project cost by decreasing day-to-day fluctuation in resource usage and resource idleness. There are, however, some limitations in traditional resource leveling techniques. Conventional heuristic approaches cannot guarantee a near-optimum solution for every construction project; a given heuristic may perform well on one project and poorly on another. The existing optimization approaches, such as linear programming and enumeration methods, are best applicable only to small size problems. Recently, there has been success in the use of Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) for solving some optimization problems. The paper discusses how state-of-the-art ANNs can be a functional alternative to traditional resource leveling techniques. It then investigates the application of different ANN models (such as backpropagation networks, Hopfield networks, Boltzmann machines, and competition ANNs) to resource leveling problems. Because the development of ANNs involves not only science but also experience, the paper presents various intuitive yet effective ways of mapping resource leveling problems on different applicable ANN architectures. To demonstrate the application of ANNs to resource leveling, a simple ANN model is developed using a Hopfield network. The conclusion highlights the usefulness and the limitations of ANNs when applied to resource leveling problems.
Solving regional constraints in components layout design based on geometric gadgets
Authors: Suzuki H. , Ito T. , Ando H. , Kikkawa K. , Kimura F. 
Published: March 2010

AbstractThis paper proposes a new method for dealing with geometrical layout constraints. Geometrical layout constraints are classified into three classes of dimensional, regional, and interference constraints. Dimensional constraints are handled by using an existing methodology. A method is proposed to translate the other two classes of constraints into dimensional constraints. Thus, it is possible to uniformly deal with all of those geometrical layout constraints. The method is twofold. First, it converts regional, interference constraints into a set of simple inequalities. Then each inequality is solved by a geometric gadget, which is a structured set of dimensional constraints. A prototype system is developed and applied to some layout design examples.