Using meta-level knowledge in the design of offshore structures

Abstract

The design of offshore structures is a complex iterative process involving a very diversified range and depth of knowledge. A major portion of this knowledge is factual and algorithmic in nature. Yet, as in other engineering design, the creativity and success of design is possible only through the extensive experience of the designers, utilizing this factual and algorithmic knowledge. This generally heuristic and non-algorithmic experience forms a relatively small proportion of the knowledge used in design. A usable knowledge-based engineering system for the design of offshore structures must be able to operate quickly enough, without any deterioration in the quality of the solutions. The 'number crunching' involved in the factual and algorithmic knowledge quickly leads to a combinatorial explosion. We need to use the heuristic knowledge to rapidly reduce the many possibilities in design. In this way, a usable system which uses multi-level reasoning about a huge volume of diversified knowledge can be constructed. In this paper, we examine the feasibility of using meta-level knowledge to swiftly narrow the search for quality designs. We describe a system, IPDOJS (Interactive Preliminary Design of Offshore Jacket Structures), to illustrate the use of such metal-level knowledge. © 1989.