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Hierarchical representation of information for construction methods selection

University of British Columbia

Selection of appropriate construction methods is key to a successful project. However, the multitude of available methods alternatives, and the variety of resources available to execute these methods, make the task of selecting an appropriate method very cumbersome. This is aggravated by the constant introduction of new technologies and the increasingly complex nature of modern facilities. With computing capabilities now becoming widely available, it would be advantageous to automate, at least in part, the task of storing information about conventional as well as new construction methods, and reasoning about their applicability to a particular project. To achieve this goal we need to develop a vocabulary for referring to construction methods and the constructed product, which is rich enough to represent the wide spectrum of available construction methods and projects, at the same time being simple enough for easy manipulation by a computer. In this thesis, we develop a standard vocabulary for referring to construction methods for use in a computerized environment to enable the user to store information on construction methods, reason about their feasibility for use on a particular project and develop a preliminary project schedule for the methods selected. The major focus is on understanding how construction professionals decide on the use of certain methods in particular project situations, and how this can be incorporated in the design of the methods selection system. This system design is discussed in detail, and parts of the system implemented to date are presented using an example for underground utility construction.

Thesis/Dissertation

application/pdf

2009-04-16

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/7262

Civil Engineering

University of British Columbia

UBCV

DSpace