An Ontological Decision Support System for the Design of Structural Simulation Models

Abstract: Decision support in conceptual design relies on the formalization of knowledge that is often approxi-mate and ill-structured. We present a building information system that provides decision support in the early phases of architectural design, with a focus on the development of a building's load-bearing system. Common methods to represent relevant information in structural engineering are discussed and related to developments in knowledge representation and artificial intelligence. The implementation of various prototypes using an XML-based design ontology is described