Intelligent agent for designing steel skeleton structures of tall buildings

Abstract

The paper discusses a study on the application of intelligent agents (IAs) to conceptual designing. It provides an overview of the state-of-the-art in the areas of ontologies and IAs. Next, the system Disciple, a learning intelligent agent shell, and the system Inventor 2001, evolutionary design support tool, both developed at George Mason University, are briefly presented. Further, the paper introduces the developed ontology for a class of steel skeleton structures of tall buildings. This ontology was used to build an IA for the selection of initial parent design concepts in evolutionary designing. A description of the developed agent is provided as well. Finally, examples of design concepts proposed by the agent are presented. The paper also contains conclusions and recommendations for further research.