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Abstract
This thesis describes a novel Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) enabled intelligent autonomous component system, called Architectural General Object System (ARGOS), to facilitate the processing of design information on the desktop computer over the life cycle of the facility. It could be used to implement some of the software requirements of the global design and construction environment. ARGOS is platform independent and can be integrated into the Internet. Extensible Mark-up Language (XML) is used as a design language to facilitate the creation, storage, retrieval and adaptation of design data.
A comprehensive study of various out-of-industry manufacturing techniques, CBR and object technology led to Artificial Intelligence combined with object technology and XML. It is clear that automated design methods are not tractable and it is therefore more worthwhile to pursue the creation of a neutral design language and the establishment of intelligent and flexible design tools to manipulate these design fragments. A solution without the use of CAD is proposed that ensure a generic solution that could add value to many different construction industry actors in many different environments.
XML is a viable alternative for the complex Building Product Models currently proposed whilst at the same time supporting operations in the Internet environment. Persistence and the ability to retrieve design information are now more central than the software applications that originally created it. ARGOS is designed in a parametric way that supports any design process that requires positional, volumetric and spatial relationship analysis in both 2D and 3D. Multiple autonomous copies can be placed in a container environment such as Excel. Any process written in any computer language that supports the use of ActiveX controls can be used to manipulate the ARGOS object instances.
ARGOS is a cost-effective solution that adds value to design systems that could be used by a wide range of users in diverse environments. ARGOS facilitates global design communication. The unique contribution in South Africa and the world is the discovery that after 35 years a unique and different alternative for CAD has been discovered that could assist in the early briefing and design phases but also over the life cycle of the facility.