An expert system for construction planning

Among other concerns, construction planning involves the choice of construction technology, the definition of work tasks, the estimation of required resources and durations, the estimation of costs, and the preparation of a project schedule. A prototype knowledge intensive expert system to accomplish these tasks, CONSTRUCTION PLANEX, is described in this paper. This system generates project activity networks, cost estimates and schedules, including the definition of activities, specification of precedences, selection of appropriate technologies and estimation of durations and costs. The CONSTRUCTION PLANEX system could be useful as an automated assistant in routine planning, as a laboratory for the analysis and evaluation of planning strategies, and as a component for more extensive construction assistance systems involving design, site layout or project control. The current application for CONSTRUCTION PLANEX is to plan modular high rise buildings, including excavation, foundation and structural construction.