Cumincad : CUMINCAD Papers : Search Results

CumInCAD is a Cumulative Index about publications in Computer Aided Architectural Design
supported by the sibling associations ACADIA, CAADRIA, eCAADe, SIGraDi, ASCAAD and CAAD futures

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_id	cb42
authors	Coates, Paul and Schmid, Claudia
year	1999
title	Agent Based Modelling
source	Architectural Computing from Turing to 2000 [eCAADe Conference Proceedings / ISBN 0-9523687-5-7] Liverpool (UK) 15-17 September 1999, pp. 652-661
doi	https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.ecaade.1999.652
summary	This paper describes the work of students in Unit 6 of the Diploma school at the UEL during 1998-9. The unit in association with the MSc has been exploring ways of using the computer to explore the idea of emergent form as a way of generating designs, and a way of focussing the pedagogic process on a new and interesting set of determinants of form.
keywords	Agent Based Modelling, Generative Modelling, Emergent Forms
series	eCAADe
email
last changed	2022/06/07 07:56

_id	ddssar0023
id	ddssar0023
authors	Jens Pohl, Art Chapman, and Kym Jason Pohl
year	2000
title	Computer-aided design systems for the 21st century: some design guidelines
source	Timmermans, Harry (Ed.), Fifth Design and Decision Support Systems in Architecture and Urban Planning - Part one: Architecture Proceedings (Nijkerk, the Netherlands)
summary	This paper proposes nine design principles for a new generation of computer-aided design (CAD) systems that actively support the decision making and problem solving activities of environmental design. Foremost among these are: a meaningful internal object-based representation of the artifact being designed within its environmental context; a collaborative problem solving paradigm in which the human designer and the computer form a complementary partnership; and, the notion of decision-support tools rather than predefined solutions. Two prototype computer-aided design systems implemented by the CAD Research Center that embody most of these concepts are described. ICADS (Intelligent Computer-Aided Design System) incorporates multiple expert agents in domains such as natural and artificial lighting, noise control, structural system selection, climatic determinants, and energy conservation. Given a particular building design context, the agents in ICADS draw upon their own expertise and several knowledgebases as they monitor the actions of the human designer and collaborate opportunistically. KOALA (Knowledge-Based Object-Agent Collaboration) builds on the multi-agent concepts embodied in ICADS by the addition of two kinds of agents. Mentor agents represent the interests of selected objects within the ontology of the design environment. In the implemented KOALA system building spaces are represented by agents capable of collaborating with each other, with domain agents for the provision of expert services, and with the human designer. Facilitator agents listen in on the communications among mentor agents to detect conflicts and moderate arguments. While both of these prototype systems are limited in scope by focussing on the earliest design stages and restricted in their understanding of the inherent complexity of a design state, they nevertheless promise a paradigm shift in computer-aided design.
series	DDSS
last changed	2003/08/07 16:36

_id	06e8
authors	Knight, Michael W. and Brown, Andre G.P.
year	2000
title	Interfaces for Virtual Environments; A Review Recent Developments and Potential Ways forward
source	Promise and Reality: State of the Art versus State of Practice in Computing for the Design and Planning Process [18th eCAADe Conference Proceedings / ISBN 0-9523687-6-5] Weimar (Germany) 22-24 June 2000, pp. 215-219
doi	https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.ecaade.2000.215
summary	The physical and visual nature of the interface devices and media that enable the human agent to interact with a virtual world have evolved over the past few years. In this paper we consider the different lines of development that have taken place in the refinement of these interfaces and summarise what has been learned about the appropriate nature of the interface for such interaction. In terms of the physical aspects we report on the kind of devices that have been used to enable the human agent to operate within the computer generated environment. We point out the successes and failures in the systems that have been tried out in recent years. Likewise we consider the kinds of software generated interface that have been used to represent virtual worlds. Again, we review the efficacy of the environments that have been devised; the quality of the Cyberplace. Our aim is to be able to comment on the effectiveness of the systems that have been devised from a number of points of view. We consider the physical and software-based aids for navigation; the nature of the representation of architectural worlds; strengthening “groundedness”; the inclusion of “otherness”; and reinforcement of the idea of “presence”
keywords	Virtual Environments, Games Engines, Collaborative Design, Navigation Metaphors
series	eCAADe
email
more	http://www.uni-weimar.de/ecaade/
last changed	2022/06/07 07:51

_id	3888
authors	Reffat, Rabee M.
year	2000
title	Computational Situated Learning in Designing - Application to Architectural Shape Semantics
source	The University of Sydney, Faculty of Architecture
summary	Learning the situatedness (applicability conditions), of design knowledge recognised from design compositions is the central tenet of the research presented in this thesis. This thesis develops and implements a computational system of situated learning and investigates its utility in designing. Situated learning is based on the concept that "knowledge is contextually situated and is fundamentally influenced by its situation". In this sense learning is tuned to the situations within which "what you do when you do matters". Designing cannot be predicted and the results of designing are not based on actions independent of what is being designed or independent of when, where and how it was designed. Designers' actions are situation dependent (situated), such that designers work actively with the design environment within the specific conditions of the situation where neither the goal state nor the solution space is completely predetermined. In designing, design solutions are fluid and emergent entities generated by dynamic and situated activities instead of fixed design plans. Since it is not possible in advance to know what knowledge to use in relation to any situation we need to learn knowledge in relation to its situation, i.e. learn the applicability conditions of knowledge. This leads towards the notion of the situation as having the potential role of guiding the use of knowledge. Situated Learning in Designing (SLiDe) is developed and implemented within the domain of architectural shape composition (in the form of floor plans), to construct the situatedness of shape semantics. An architectural shape semantic is a set of characteristics with a semantic meaning based on a particular view of a shape such as reflection symmetry, adjacency, rotation and linearity. Each shape semantic has preconditions without which it cannot be recognised. Such preconditions indicate nothing about the situation within which this shape semantic was recognised. The situatedness or the applicability conditions of a shape semantic is viewed as, the interdependent relationships between this shape semantic as the design knowledge in focus, and other shape semantics across the observations of a design composition. While designing, various shape semantics and relationships among them emerge in different representations of a design composition. Multiple representations of a design composition by re-interpretation have been proposed to serve as a platform for SLiDe. Multiple representations provide the opportunity for different shape semantics and relationships among them to be found from a single design composition. This is important if these relationships are to be used later because it is not known in advance which of the possible relationships could be constructed are likely to be useful. Hence, multiple representations provide a platform for different situations to be encountered. A symbolic representation of shape and shape semantics is used in which the infinite maximal lines form the representative primitives of the shape. SLiDe is concerned with learning the applicability conditions (situatedness), of shape semantics locating them in relation to situations within which they were recognised (situation dependent), and updating the situatedness of shape semantics in response to new observations of the design composition. SLiDe consists of three primary modules: Generator, Recogniser and Incremental Situator. The Generator is used by the designer to develop a set of multiple representations of a design composition. This set of representations forms the initial design environment of SLiDe. The Recogniser detects shape semantics in each representation and produces a set of observations, each of which is comprised of a group of shape semantics recognised at each corresponding representation. The Incremental Situator module consists of two sub-modules, Situator and Restructuring Situator, and utilises an unsupervised incremental clustering mechanism not affected by concept drift. The Situator module locates recognised shape semantics in relation to their situations by finding regularities of relationships among them across observations of a design composition and clustering them into situational categories organised in a hierarchical tree structure. Such relationships change over time due to the changes taken place in the design environment whenever further representations are developed using the Generator module and new observations are constructed by the Recogniser module. The Restructuring Situator module updates previously learned situational categories and restructures the hierarchical tree accordingly in response to new observations. Learning the situatedness shape semantics may play a crucial role in designing if designers pursue further some of these shape semantics. This thesis illustrates an approach in which SLiDe can be utilised in designing to explore the shapes in a design composition in various ways; bring designers! attention to potentially hidden features and shape semantics of their designs; and maintain the integrity of the design composition by using the situatedness of shape semantics. The thesis concludes by outlining future directions for this research to learn and update the situatedness of design knowledge within the context of use; considering the role of functional knowledge while learning the situatedness of design knowledge; and developing an autonomous situated agent-based designing system.
series	thesis:PhD
email
last changed	2003/05/06 11:34

_id	a337
authors	Testa, P., O’Reilly, U.-M. and Greenwold, S.
year	2000
title	AGENCY GP: Genetic Programming for Architectural Design
source	Eternity, Infinity and Virtuality in Architecture [Proceedings of the 22nd Annual Conference of the Association for Computer-Aided Design in Architecture / 1-880250-09-8] Washington D.C. 19-22 October 2000, pp. 227-231
doi	https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.acadia.2000.227
summary	AGENCY GP is a prototype for a system using genetic programming (GP) for architectural design exploration. Its software structure is noteworthy for its integration into a high-end three-dimensional modeling environment, its allowance for direct user interruption of evolution and reintegration of phenotypically modified individuals, and its agent-based evaluation of fitness.
series	ACADIA
last changed	2022/06/07 07:58

_id	2190
authors	Yan-chuen, L., Phil, M. and Gilleard, John D.
year	2000
title	Refurbishment of building services engineering systems under a collaborative design environment
source	Automation in Construction 9 (2) (2000) pp. 185-196
summary	In this paper hypermedia is suggested as a suitable paradigm to represent the design processes associated with a shopping center refurbishment project. In addition, by adopting a collaborative design model, the paper makes reference to such factors as synchronous vs. asynchronous and active vs. passive modeling. Concepts in complex problem solving are also explored such as the soft system methodology as well as the application of agent-based decision support systems. Identification of primary information elements and analysis of the relations between these elements indicates that the flow of design information may be readily represented in hypermedia which features nonlinear characteristics in organizing information. The justification of developing a hypermedia tool to cope with changing conditions of a complex design problem instead of providing a solution for a predetermined problem is also argued. The paper illustrates the complex nature of collaborative design process with reference to a case study associated with the building services systems design for a Hong Kong Housing Authority refurbishment project.
series	journal paper
more	http://www.elsevier.com/locate/autcon
last changed	2003/05/15 21:23

_id	ddssar0001
id	ddssar0001
authors	Achten, Henri and Leeuwen, Jos van
year	2000
title	Towards generic representations of designs formalised as features
source	Timmermans, Harry (Ed.), Fifth Design and Decision Support Systems in Architecture and Urban Planning - Part one: Architecture Proceedings (Nijkerk, the Netherlands)
summary	Feature-Based Modelling (FBM) is an information modelling technique that allows the formalisation of design concepts and using these formal definitions in design modelling. The dynamic nature of design and design information calls for a specialised approach to FBM that takes into account flexibility and extensibility of Feature Models of designs. Research work in Eindhoven has led to a FBM framework and implementation that can be used to support design.. Feature models of a design process has demonstrated the feasibility of using this information modelling technique. To develop the work on FBM in design, three tracks are initiated: Feature model descriptions of design processes, automated generic representation recognition in graphic representations, and Feature models of generic representations. The paper shows the status of the work in the first two tracks, and present the results of the research work.
series	DDSS
last changed	2003/11/21 15:15

_id	9b44
authors	Ahmad Rafi, M.E. and Karboulonis, P.
year	2000
title	The Importance of Virtual Environments in the Design of Electronic Games and Their Relevance to Architecture
source	Promise and Reality: State of the Art versus State of Practice in Computing for the Design and Planning Process [18th eCAADe Conference Proceedings / ISBN 0-9523687-6-5] Weimar (Germany) 22-24 June 2000, pp. 181-185
doi	https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.ecaade.2000.181
summary	Ever increasing complexity in architectural design and the need to deliver a cost effective solution requires the employment and adoption of innovative design methods. Although technological changes have entered the field of architecture at a slower pace, the recent adoption of 3D modelling, Virtual Environment and multimedia represent significant changes in architectural design, visualisation and presentation. These now include tools for conceptualisation, design synthesis, design presentation, desktop publishing, animation, Internet and hypermedia authoring. Uddin argues that the major activities involved in the creative and dynamic process of architectural design deal with conceptualisation, visualisation and expression of alternative ideas through two-dimensional and three-dimensional model. This paper highlights the need for the employment of emerging computer based real-time interactive technologies that are expected to enhance the design process through better decision-making, higher quality communication and collaboration, error reduction, spatial awareness, interactive design and real-time visualisation.
keywords	CAD, Game Design, Virtual Reality, Virtual Environments, Virtual Prototyping, Internet Technologies, Architecture
series	eCAADe
email
more	http://www.uni-weimar.de/ecaade/
last changed	2022/06/07 07:54

_id	a136
authors	Blaise, J.Y., Dudek, I. and Drap, P.
year	1998
title	Java collaborative interface for architectural simulations A case study on wooden ceilings of Krakow
source	International Conference On Conservation - Krakow 2000, 23-24 November 1998, Krakow, Poland
summary	Concern for the architectural and urban preservation problems has been considerably increasing in the past decades, and with it the necessity to investigate the consequences and opportunities opened for the conservation discipline by the development of computer-based systems. Architectural interventions on historical edifices or in preserved urban fabric face conservationists and architects with specific problems related to the handling and exchange of a variety of historical documents and representations. The recent development of information technologies offers opportunities to favour a better access to such data, as well as means to represent architectural hypothesis or design. Developing applications for the Internet also introduces a greater capacity to exchange experiences or ideas and to invest on low-cost collaborative working platforms. In the field of the architectural heritage, our research addresses two problems: historical data and documentation of the edifice, methods of representation (knowledge modelling and visualisation) of the edifice. This research is connected with the ARKIW POLONIUM co-operation program that links the MAP-GAMSAU CNRS laboratory (Marseilles, France) and the Institute HAiKZ of Kraków's Faculty of Architecture. The ARKIW programme deals with questions related to the use of information technologies in the recording, protection and studying of the architectural heritage. Case studies are chosen in order to experience and validate a technical platform dedicated to the formalisation and exchange of knowledge related to the architectural heritage (architectural data management, representation and simulation tools, survey methods, ...). A special focus is put on the evolution of the urban fabric and on the simulation of reconstructional hypothesis. Our contribution will introduce current ARKIW internet applications and experiences: The ARPENTEUR architectural survey experiment on Wie¿a Ratuszowa (a photogrammetrical survey based on an architectural model). A Gothic and Renaissance reconstruction of the Ratusz Krakowski using a commercial modelisation and animation software (MAYA). The SOL on line documentation interface for Kraków's Rynek G_ówny. Internet analytical approach in the presentation of morphological informations about Kraków's Kramy Bogate Rynku Krakowskiego. Object-Orientation approach in the modelling of the architectural corpus. The VALIDEUR and HUBLOT Virtual Reality modellers for the simulation and representation of reconstructional hypothesis and corpus analysis.
series	other
last changed	2003/04/23 15:14

_id	792a
authors	Blaschke, Thomas and Tiede, Dirk
year	2003
title	Bridging GIS-based landscape analysis/modelling and 3D-simulation.Is this already 4D?
source	CORP 2003, Vienna University of Technology, 25.2.-28.2.2003 [Proceedings on CD-Rom]
summary	Several studies have used remote sensing to map patterns of e.g. deforestation or to analyse the rates of land use change. Thesestudies have proven useful for interpreting the causes of urbanization, deforestation etc. and the impact of such changes on theregion. Monitoring of change (e.g. deforestation or reforestation) is frequently perceived as one of the most important contributionsof remote sensing technology to the study of global ecological and environmental change (Roughgarden et al. 1991). Manyresearchers believe that the integration of remote sensing techniques within analysis of environmental change is essential if ecologistsare to meet the challenges of the future, specifically issues relating to global change; however, in practice, this integration has so farbeen limited (Griffiths & Mather 2000). Considerable difficulties are encountered in linking, on the one hand, the biologies oforganisms and the ecologies of populations to the fluxes of material and energy quantifiable at the level of ecosystems. In this paper,we concentrate on the methodological aspects of the delineation of landscape objects and touch the ecological application onlysuperficially but we elucidate the potential of the proposed methodology for several ecological applications briefly.
series	other
email
last changed	2003/11/21 15:16

_id	9b63
authors	De Mesa, A., Quilez, J. and Regot, J.
year	1999
title	Sunlight Energy Graphic and Analytic Control in 3D Modelling
source	Architectural Computing from Turing to 2000 [eCAADe Conference Proceedings / ISBN 0-9523687-5-7] Liverpool (UK) 15-17 September 1999, pp. 733-738
doi	https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.ecaade.1999.733
summary	Linking solar positions with architecture is a traditional idea, but the use of graphical tools to control sunlight in urban surroundings or buildings is relatively recent. A three-dimensional working environment like the computer offers a new dimension to verify the relationships between the sun and the architecture. This paper shows a new way to calculate the incidence of solar energy in architectural environments using computer 3D modelling. The addition of virtual space visualisation to the analytic computation brings a new tool that simplifies the technical study of sunlight. We have developed several programs based upon the three-dimensional construction of the solar vault and the obstructing objects for a defined position. The first one draws the solar vault for a defined range of dates according to latitude, that is the basis of the energetic calculation. The second program computes the obstruction, i.e. the solar regions that are obstructed by any object. Finally, the third one, allow us to define an orientation to compute the energy that arrives to the analysed positioning. The last program returns the result of calculation in several ways: it shows the amount of energy through colours and makes a list of solar hours according to its energy.
keywords	Sunlight, Energy, 3D modelling
series	eCAADe
last changed	2022/06/07 07:56

_id	2e77
authors	Ekholm, A. and Fridqvist, S.
year	2000
title	A concept of space for building classification, product modelling, and design
source	Automation in Construction 9 (3) (2000) pp. 315-328
summary	Information about a building's spaces is of interest in every stage of the construction and facility management processes. An organisation1 or enterprise is located in and uses the building's spaces, and many of the building's spatial properties are determined on the basis of the user organisation's requirements. The definition of the concept "space" as applied in information systems for building classification and building product modelling today is unclear. A fundamental problem is to reconcile a material and construction method viewpoint with a space-centred viewpoint. In order to enable communication among actors and computer systems in the construction process, the concepts used in model development and the corresponding terms have to be formally defined and standardised. In this article, we analyse the concept of space and suggest a comprehensive definition for the construction context. The identification of a space in a building is based on a spatial view. We introduce the concept of aspectual unit and show how this concept can be used to integrate different aspect views in a conceptual schema. Additionally, we define the user organisation as a thing, which is separate from the building and has spatial properties of its own, so-called "activity spaces". Finally, we show how space may be represented in a comprehensive conceptual schema.
series	journal paper
more	http://www.elsevier.com/locate/autcon
last changed	2003/05/15 21:22

_id	f78f
authors	Fridqvist, Sverker
year	2000
title	Property-Oriented Information Systems for DesignPrototypes for the BAS•CAAD system
source	Lund Institute of Technology, School of Architecture
summary	Property-oriented systems are a new kind of information systems that are based on concepts of properties instead of concepts of things or classes of things. By focusing on properties, the property-oriented systems become more flexible and more suited to the dynamic early stages of design than the traditional class-oriented systems can be. The theoretical framework for property-oriented systems developed within the BASCAAD project and presented in this thesis has previously been presented in several papers, a selection of which are included here. Some of the basic considerations from the papers are further developed in a separate chapter. Additionally, the thesis covers several questions regarding prerequisites for and implications of property-oriented systems. These questions have not been addressed in earlier BASCAAD publications. The development of research proptotypes based on the theoretical framework is presented, with a discussion of the different versions and the considerations behind them. A study of the history of computer aided building design has revealed that many basic ideas of today were developed the first time at the beginning of electronic computing, in the early sixties. Since the early development seems to be unknown today, a brief account is presented in this thesis, with special focus on issues considered in the BAS*CAAD project. Finally, the experimental architectural design software DASK, developed mainly by the present author in the later 1980s, will get its first presentation in writing in this thesis.
keywords	Information Technology; Design; Construction; Product Modelling
series	thesis:PhD
email
more	http://www.lub.lu.se/cgi-bin/show_diss.pl?db=global&fname=tec_391.html
last changed	2003/02/12 22:37

_id	3936
authors	Geroimenko, Vladimir
year	1999
title	Online Photorealistic VR with Interactive Architectural Objects
source	Architectural Computing from Turing to 2000 [eCAADe Conference Proceedings / ISBN 0-9523687-5-7] Liverpool (UK) 15-17 September 1999, pp. 414-417
doi	https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.ecaade.1999.414
summary	This paper describes how Virtual Reality (VR) technologies can be used for modelling photorealistic environments with interactive and changeable architectural content. This application of VR allows us to create photograph-based panoramic models of real places that include a variety of interactive architectural objects and details. The user is able not only to navigate through a virtual environment (look around, up and down, zoom, jump to another viewpoint or location) but also to change buildings or their architectural details by clicking, moving or rotating. The following types of interactive objects are completely integrated with a virtual environment: 2D image-based objects, 3D image-based objects, 3D VRML-based objects and onscreen world controls. The application can be used effectively for teaching, including distance Internet-based education, project presentations and rapid prototyping. A sample VR environment is presented and some of the key creative and technological issues are discussed.
keywords	Virtual Reality Modelling, Architectural Design, Interactive Contents, Photorealistic Environments
series	eCAADe
email
last changed	2022/06/07 07:51

_id	3940
authors	Hall, Rick
year	1999
title	Realtime 3D visual Analysis of Very Large Models at Low Cost
source	Architectural Computing from Turing to 2000 [eCAADe Conference Proceedings / ISBN 0-9523687-5-7] Liverpool (UK) 15-17 September 1999, pp. 437-441
doi	https://doi.org/10.52842/conf.ecaade.1999.437
summary	Computer based visualisation of 3D models in architecture has been possible for 20 years or more, and the software technology has steadily improved during this time so that now incredibly realistic images can be generated from any viewpoint in a model, and impressive fly through sequences can bring a model to life in ways previously not possible. Virtual reality is with us and multi-media enables us to present a finished design in increasingly seductive ways. However, these forms of output from a 3D model offer much more limited benefits during the design process and particularly on large complex models because they are so computing intensive and it often require many hours to produce just one image. Anything other than a small and relatively simple model cannot be viewed dynamically in real-time on a desktop PC of the type commonly used by architects in a design office. Until now the solution to this problem has meant investing in expensive design review hardware and software with its inherent need for trained, skilled labour. As a result, design review products are often viewed as a luxury or costly necessity.
keywords	Visual Analysis, Low Cost, 3D Modelling
series	eCAADe
last changed	2022/06/07 07:50

_id	2004
authors	Hendricx, A.
year	2000
title	A Core Object Model for Architectural Design
source	Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
summary	A core object model apt to describe architectural objects and their functionality is one of the keystones to an integrated digital design environment for architecture. The object model presented in this thesis is based on a conceptual framework for computer aided architectural design (CAAD) and aims to assist the architect designer right from the early stages in the design process. For its development the object-oriented analysis method MERODE (Model-based Existence-dependency Relationship Object-oriented Development) is used. After a survey on the role of computers in the architectural design process and on particular Product Modelling initiatives, the model is elaborated in two phases: the enterprise-modelling phase and the higher functionality-modelling phase. Actual design cases and test implementations help to establish the conceptual model and illustrate its concepts. The appendices provide a detailed description of both the object model and one of the case studies. The architect’s point of view and the specific nature of the architectural design process are the basic considerations, thus leading to a unique model that hopes to make a valuable contribution to the research area of integrated design environments.
series	thesis:PhD
email
last changed	2003/02/12 22:37

_id	0014
authors	Hsu, W. and Liu, B.
year	2000
title	Conceptual design: issues and challenges
source	Computer-Aided Design, Vol. 32 (14) (2000) pp. 849-850
summary	Decisions made during conceptual design have significant influence on the cost, performance, reliability, safety and environmental impact of a product. It has been estimated that design decisions account for more than 75% of final product costs. It is, therefore, vital that designers have access to the right tools to support such design activities. In the early 1980s, researchers began to realize the impact of design decisions on downstream activities. As a result, different methodologies such as design for assembly, design for manufacturing and concurrent engineering, have been proposed. Software tools that implement these methodologies have also been developed. However, most of these tools are only applicable in the detailed design phase. Yet, even the highest standard of detailed design cannot compensate for a poor design concept formulated at the conceptual design phase. In spite of this, few CAD tools have been developed to support conceptual design activities. This is because knowledge of the design requirements and constraints during this early phase of a product's life cycle is usually imprecise and incomplete, making it difficult to utilize computer-based systems or prototypes. However, recent advances in fields such as fuzzy logic, computational geometry, constraints programming and so on have now made it possible for researchers to tackle some of the challenging issues in dealing with conceptual design activities. In this special issue, we have gathered together discussions on various aspects of conceptual design phase: from the capturing of the designer's intent, to modelling design constraints and solving them in an efficient manner, to verifying the correctness of the design.
series	journal paper
email
last changed	2003/05/15 10:54

_id	avocaad_2001_22
id	avocaad_2001_22
authors	Jos van Leeuwen, Joran Jessurun
year	2001
title	XML for Flexibility an Extensibility of Design Information Models
source	AVOCAAD - ADDED VALUE OF COMPUTER AIDED ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN, Nys Koenraad, Provoost Tom, Verbeke Johan, Verleye Johan (Eds.), (2001) Hogeschool voor Wetenschap en Kunst - Departement Architectuur Sint-Lucas, Campus Brussel, ISBN 80-76101-05-1
summary	The VR-DIS research programme aims at the development of a Virtual Reality – Design Information System. This is a design and decision support system for collaborative design that provides a VR interface for the interaction with both the geometric representation of a design and the non-geometric information concerning the design throughout the design process. The major part of the research programme focuses on early stages of design. The programme is carried out by a large number of researchers from a variety of disciplines in the domain of construction and architecture, including architectural design, building physics, structural design, construction management, etc.Management of design information is at the core of this design and decision support system. Much effort in the development of the system has been and still is dedicated to the underlying theory for information management and its implementation in an Application Programming Interface (API) that the various modules of the system use. The theory is based on a so-called Feature-based modelling approach and is described in the PhD thesis by [first author, 1999] and in [first author et al., 2000a]. This information modelling approach provides three major capabilities: (1) it allows for extensibility of conceptual schemas, which is used to enable a designer to define new typologies to model with; (2) it supports sharing of conceptual schemas, called type-libraries; and (3) it provides a high level of flexibility that offers the designer the opportunity to easily reuse design information and to model information constructs that are not foreseen in any existing typologies. The latter aspect involves the capability to expand information entities in a model with relationships and properties that are not typologically defined but applicable to a particular design situation only; this helps the designer to represent the actual design concepts more accurately.The functional design of the information modelling system is based on a three-layered framework. In the bottom layer, the actual design data is stored in so-called Feature Instances. The middle layer defines the typologies of these instances in so-called Feature Types. The top layer is called the meta-layer because it provides the class definitions for both the Types layer and the Instances layer; both Feature Types and Feature Instances are objects of the classes defined in the top layer. This top layer ensures that types can be defined on the fly and that instances can be created from these types, as well as expanded with non-typological properties and relationships while still conforming to the information structures laid out in the meta-layer.The VR-DIS system consists of a growing number of modules for different kinds of functionality in relation with the design task. These modules access the design information through the API that implements the meta-layer of the framework. This API has previously been implemented using an Object-Oriented Database (OODB), but this implementation had a number of disadvantages. The dependency of the OODB, a commercial software library, was considered the most problematic. Not only are licenses of the OODB library rather expensive, also the fact that this library is not common technology that can easily be shared among a wide range of applications, including existing applications, reduces its suitability for a system with the aforementioned specifications. In addition, the OODB approach required a relatively large effort to implement the desired functionality. It lacked adequate support to generate unique identifications for worldwide information sources that were understandable for human interpretation. This strongly limited the capabilities of the system to share conceptual schemas.The approach that is currently being implemented for the core of the VR-DIS system is based on eXtensible Markup Language (XML). Rather than implementing the meta-layer of the framework into classes of Feature Types and Feature Instances, this level of meta-definitions is provided in a document type definition (DTD). The DTD is complemented with a set of rules that are implemented into a parser API, based on the Document Object Model (DOM). The advantages of the XML approach for the modelling framework are immediate. Type-libraries distributed through Internet are now supported through the mechanisms of namespaces and XLink. The implementation of the API is no longer dependent of a particular database system. This provides much more flexibility in the implementation of the various modules of the VR-DIS system. Being based on the (supposed to become) standard of XML the implementation is much more versatile in its future usage, specifically in a distributed, Internet-based environment.These immediate advantages of the XML approach opened the door to a wide range of applications that are and will be developed on top of the VR-DIS core. Examples of these are the VR-based 3D sketching module [VR-DIS ref., 2000]; the VR-based information-modelling tool that allows the management and manipulation of information models for design in a VR environment [VR-DIS ref., 2000]; and a design-knowledge capturing module that is now under development [first author et al., 2000a and 2000b]. The latter module aims to assist the designer in the recognition and utilisation of existing and new typologies in a design situation. The replacement of the OODB implementation of the API by the XML implementation enables these modules to use distributed Feature databases through Internet, without many changes to their own code, and without the loss of the flexibility and extensibility of conceptual schemas that are implemented as part of the API. Research in the near future will result in Internet-based applications that support designers in the utilisation of distributed libraries of product-information, design-knowledge, case-bases, etc.The paper roughly follows the outline of the abstract, starting with an introduction to the VR-DIS project, its objectives, and the developed theory of the Feature-modelling framework that forms the core of it. It briefly discusses the necessity of schema evolution, flexibility and extensibility of conceptual schemas, and how these capabilities have been addressed in the framework. The major part of the paper describes how the previously mentioned aspects of the framework are implemented in the XML-based approach, providing details on the so-called meta-layer, its definition in the DTD, and the parser rules that complement it. The impact of the XML approach on the functionality of the VR-DIS modules and the system as a whole is demonstrated by a discussion of these modules and scenarios of their usage for design tasks. The paper is concluded with an overview of future work on the sharing of Internet-based design information and design knowledge.
series	AVOCAAD
email
last changed	2005/09/09 10:48

_id	30e3
authors	Karhu, V.
year	2000
title	Proposed New Method for Construction Process Modelling
source	CIDAC, Volume 2 Issue 3 August 2000, pp. 166-182
summary	Numerous modelling methods have been developed for defining aspects of industrial and other processes. Furthermore, such methods have been either used or proposed for modelling construction processes. As part of the international MoPo-project, the requirements of industrial endusers for such tools, as well as the characteristics of available methods, have been studied. In this paper an analysis of six such methods is presented. The concepts and graphical notation of each method are illustrated using a simple example of making the basement of a summerhouse with a sauna. Additionally, the concepts of each method have been modelled using a uniform methodology, the EXPRESS information modelling language. Based on the analysis a new method called GEPM (generic process modelling method) is proposed. The method is defined on the semantic level, as its main purpose would be to enable the storing of process descriptions in a database format, enabling multiple-user views to the same information. A simple prototype application has been developed to demonstrate the functionality of the method.
keywords	Construction Process, Modelling, Generic, Method
series	journal paper
last changed	2003/05/15 21:23

_id	53c6
authors	Mardaljevic, John
year	2000
title	Daylight Simulation: Validation, Sky Models and Daylight Coefficients
source	De Montfort University, Leicester, UK
summary	The application of lighting simulation techniques for daylight illuminance modelling in architectural spaces is described in this thesis. The prediction tool used for all the work described here is the Radiance lighting simulation system. An overview of the features and capabilities of the Radiance system is presented. Daylight simulation using the Radiance system is described in some detail. The relation between physical quantities and the lighting simulation parameters is made clear in a series of progressively more complex examples. Effective use of the inter-reflection calculation is described. The illuminance calculation is validated under real sky conditions for a full-size office space. The simulation model used sky luminance patterns that were based directly on measurements. Internal illuminance predictions are compared with measurements for 754 skies that cover a wide range of naturally occurring conditions. The processing of the sky luminance measurements for the lighting simulation is described. The accuracy of the illuminance predictions is shown to be, in the main, comparable with the accuracy of the model input data. There were a number of predictions with low accuracy. Evidence is presented to show that these result from imprecision in the model specification - such as, uncertainty of the circumsolar luminance - rather than the prediction algorithms themselves. Procedures to visualise and reduce illuminance and lighting-related data are presented. The ability of sky models to reproduce measured sky luminance patterns for the purpose of predicting internal illuminance is investigated. Four sky models and two sky models blends are assessed. Predictions of internal illuminance using sky models/blends are compared against those using measured sky luminance patterns. The sky model blends and the Perez All-weather model are shown to perform comparably well. Illuminance predictions using measured skies however were invariably better than those using sky models/blends. Several formulations of the daylight coefficient approach for predicting time varying illuminances are presented. Radiance is used to predict the daylight coefficients from which internal illuminances are derived. The form and magnitude of the daylight coefficients are related to the scene geometry and the discretisation scheme. Internal illuminances are derived for four daylight coefficient formulations based on the measured luminance patterns for the 754 skies. For the best of the formulations, the accuracy of the daylight coefficient derived illuminances is shown to be comparable to that using the standard Radiance calculation method. The use of the daylight coefficient approach to both accurately and efficiently predict hourly internal daylight illuminance levels for an entire year is described. Daylight coefficients are invariant to building orientation for a fixed building configuration. This property of daylight coefficients is exploited to yield hourly internal illuminances for a full year as a function of building orientation. Visual data analysis techniques are used to display and process the massive number of derived illuminances.
series	thesis:PhD
email
more	http://www.iesd.dmu.ac.uk/~jm/thesis/
last changed	2003/02/12 22:37

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