Development of Control Structure for Micro‐Based Expert System

Abstract

The expert system called Computerized Highway Noise Analyst (CHINA) was originally developed to address a nationwide lack of experience in the acoustic design of highway noise barriers. Since the development of CHINA, emphasis has moved from the need for tools on mainframe computers to the need for tools in the microcomputer environment. Implementation of the CHINA design tool for the personal computer began with the development of a series of routines that could be used to design a noise barrier effectively, test these routines independently of one another, and develop a control structure that would coordinate their activities. An interface was then developed that provided the user with configuration control, parameter control, and data and graphic interfaces. This paper describes both the development of individual modules of the system, as well as the integration of those modules into a single, easy‐to‐use system.