Representing Strategic Choices in Structural Modeling

Abstract

This paper presents a method for representing structural modeling as a strategic process involving decision making in an environment where the results of any decision may not be known with complete certainty. An existing task‐level architecture developed to manage uncertainty in treating cardiac disease is adapted to embody the strategic knowledge of a structural engineer in formulating and solving structural modeling problems. The system described herein focuses on plates as the structure of interest in its pilot implementation. Since the system is concerned with structural modeling at the strategic level (as opposed to a detailed design, for example), the ideas presented are applicable to modeling other types of structures.