TY - BOOK
T1 - Computers in the British construction industry
AU - Björk, Bo-Christer
PY - 1985
Y1 - 1985
N2 - The report concentrates on certain aspects of the use of
information technology in the British construction
industry. The main emphasis is on computer-aided
architectural and expert systems. The development of
database services and new cost estimation techniques are
also treated.
User experiences of CAD were studied by visits to
experienced CAD users. The main emphasis was on studying
how the total information management was done in the
firms, since this seems to become a crucial issue in the
successful implementation of computers in the design
process. Typical problems to solve included standards for
layer usage, libraries of standard details, procedures
for back-up storage of drawings, shift work etc.
Different solutions to the choice between a draughting
and mnoelling system are also discussed.
The new hard- and software tools now available for the
development of CAD-systems were also studied. These
include high resolution colour or monochrome raster
screens featuring windows, icons and fonts. Fundamental
research is also done into radically different techniques
for modelling buildings using knowledge-based systems or
using miniature models as input to CAD-systems.
A number of public or commercial databases for designers
and quantity surveyors are already in existence.
Databases for basic maps, standard details for
CAD-systems and construction costs are described in this
report. In addition the potential if interactive video
disk as a medium for databases is discussed.
Expert systems are at present the subject of widespread
interest in the U.K. building research community. A
number of on-going prototype development projects are
described in this report. The difficulties in developing
systems that would do more than just demonstrate the
potential of the technique is discussed.
The last chapter contains a discussion of new techniques
in cost modelling, i.e. probabilitistic cost estimating
and life-cycle costing. Both methods rely heavily on the
use of computers and cost data bases and are still in
their infancy.
AB - The report concentrates on certain aspects of the use of
information technology in the British construction
industry. The main emphasis is on computer-aided
architectural and expert systems. The development of
database services and new cost estimation techniques are
also treated.
User experiences of CAD were studied by visits to
experienced CAD users. The main emphasis was on studying
how the total information management was done in the
firms, since this seems to become a crucial issue in the
successful implementation of computers in the design
process. Typical problems to solve included standards for
layer usage, libraries of standard details, procedures
for back-up storage of drawings, shift work etc.
Different solutions to the choice between a draughting
and mnoelling system are also discussed.
The new hard- and software tools now available for the
development of CAD-systems were also studied. These
include high resolution colour or monochrome raster
screens featuring windows, icons and fonts. Fundamental
research is also done into radically different techniques
for modelling buildings using knowledge-based systems or
using miniature models as input to CAD-systems.
A number of public or commercial databases for designers
and quantity surveyors are already in existence.
Databases for basic maps, standard details for
CAD-systems and construction costs are described in this
report. In addition the potential if interactive video
disk as a medium for databases is discussed.
Expert systems are at present the subject of widespread
interest in the U.K. building research community. A
number of on-going prototype development projects are
described in this report. The difficulties in developing
systems that would do more than just demonstrate the
potential of the technique is discussed.
The last chapter contains a discussion of new techniques
in cost modelling, i.e. probabilitistic cost estimating
and life-cycle costing. Both methods rely heavily on the
use of computers and cost data bases and are still in
their infancy.
KW - computers
KW - computer aided design
KW - construction industry
KW - construction costs
KW - information technology
KW - cost estimates
M3 - Report
SN - 951-38-2271-0
T3 - Valtion teknillinen tutkimuskeskus. Tiedotteita
BT - Computers in the British construction industry
PB - VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
CY - Espoo
ER -