INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT FOR THE REPAIR OF CONCRETE STRUCTURES

摘要

The use of Information Technology (IT) in design and construction can exploit strategic opportunities for new ways of integration, sharing and facilitating information and knowledge in any field of engineering. The integrating of separate areas of IT such as database management systems (DBMS) and knowledge-based expert systems (KBES) can be used to bring a group of experts and specialists in the field of repair of concrete structures closer together by allowing them to communicate and exchange information and expertise. The research described in this paper is based upon a total management system for repair of concrete structures with sufficient flexibility to allow an experienced user to develop his interest in concrete repair technology whilst at the same time allowing an expert to contribute his experience and knowledge towards improving and evolving problem solving capability in the field of concrete repair. This computerised management system comprising a knowledge expert system and a database management system alongside visualisation technologies is developed to produce an innovative platform which will facilitate and encourage the development of knowledge in educational, evolution, evaluation and diagnostic modes of concrete repair. The described methodology is developed to provide technology transfer of information and expertise from the research community in the repair of concrete structures to other practitioners and vice versa and it provides a common forum for communication and exchange information between them.