Combining case-based and rule-based reasoning for offshore structure design

Abstract

The focus of this paper is on a method for combining case-based and rule-based reasoning in an intelligent system. The method is embodied in IPDOS, a knowledge-embedded database system for the preliminary design of offshore structures. We use IPDOS to illustrate the applicability of the approach to engineering design. The case-based reasoning is made possible by the total compatibility between the implemented knowledge-bases and database environment. Past successful design cases can be represented in data files which can be easily retrieved by matching of the design parameters in the corresponding knowledge-bases. The rule-based reasoning is made possible by an inference mechanism which processed on the encoded production rules used to represent the elicited heuristic and qualitative domain knowledge.