Integrated Design System for Lattice Domes

In structural design, the preliminary synthesis stage derives judgmental knowledge from engineering heuristic and experience which are usually expressed in symbolic form. On the other hand, detailed design involves extensive numerical processing. An integrated computer-aided design system should be able to handle both symbolic and numerical processings. It must also be able to integrate engineering databases and CAD packages within a single environment. The knowledge-based system approach provides a venue for achieving all these requirements. This paper presents a prototype knowledge-based system for lattice design that can perform several essential tasks including preliminary synthesis, numerical model generation, nonlinear finite element analysis, code compliance checking and member sizing. The system user is guided throughout the design session by interactive graphical user interfaces which facilitate the design process.