SteelTeam: Creating a collaborative design environment for the steel building industry.

摘要

The primary aim of this research is to recognize the problems that arise in the steel building design process due to fragmentation within the industry and to create a computer-based tool to overcome these problems. The computer tool that is developed, SteelTeam, creates a building data model that allows multiple representations of a steel building and integrates this model inside a CAD environment with a knowledge-based system that represents the involvement of parties that are not yet part of the design process. SteelTeam is developed for use with braced frames, and steps are taken to ensure that buildings differing from this configuration can be accommodated. The SteelTeam system is developed to run inside of AutoCAD on a PC-compatible computer, making it accessible to even small design firms.; Through the building data model, the information that is used by the designer, detailer, fabricator, and constructor is encapsulated in an object-based data model of the steel building. This model mimics the users' abstraction of a steel building and is created using CAD tools that are familiar to the parties to the design process. Knowledge of downstream activities is provided in the knowledge-based system and is made available to the design engineer at the earliest stages of design. Communication between the integrated system and third-party software is accomplished through the use of translators that translate the object-based data model into the format required by the software package (i.e. structural analysis and design). By integrating the software used in the design process, the power of the SteelTeam system increases and the computing resources are drawn together into one collaborative environment. Communication between the parties to the steel building design process takes place electronically through the use of the knowledge-based system and by transmission of the object-based data model.; The development of the SteelTeam system results in several contributions to the steel building industry. These contributions include the creation of the steel building data model, the formalization of the knowledge used by the knowledge-based system, the creation of an integrated system for use in the steel building industry, and the creation of a two-way communication network. Each item improves the performance of the steel building design process. The use of the SteelTeam system results in better communication within the design process that leads to improved project economy. Testing of the SteelTeam system indicates that it is realistic to expect at least a five percent savings on in-place steel frame costs in practice.