“Computational Civil Engineering - "Intersections" International Journal

“Computational Civil Engineering 2005”, International SymposiumIaşi, România, May 27, 2005Knowledge in construction, from the perspective ofcommunicationFerdinand-Zsongor Gobesz 1 , Dan V. Turda 11 Department of Structural Mechanics, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, 400020,RomaniaSummarySome tendencies towards unified markets, due to the development of the EuropeanUnion, had led inherently to initiatives in the field of construction too, in order toincrease efficiency and cut losses. From this point of view, communication andmodeling has a leading role.There are significant differences between data structures offered by variousInternet portals, also national languages and specific structural concepts areinducing difficulties in this area. Some joint European projects tried to surpassthese obstacles, but their restrained resources let local initiatives to play asignificant role, although not always in a clear context.If at the beginning there were problems regarding the representation of variousinformation items from the domain of construction (images: pictures/drawings/models/animations; text: descriptions/instructions/standards/Q&A; values:quantities/prices/deadlines etc.), later the priorities were shifted over the meaning(semantics) and security of data.Back in 1977, the development and start of a computer-based informational system(“AIC info” – the first of its kind in Romania) was a pioneer task. Nowadays, themaintenance and continuous development of this system is made with respect topresent tendencies regarding efficiency and technological evolution. At this timethe system is functioning with a knowledge-base from which, upon the formulatedqueries, user pages are generated for viewing, based on existing web technologiesusing low-cost instruments with a very high degree of compatibility (in order toavoid as much as possible conflicts between different hardware and softwareplatforms).KEYWORDS: knowledge; modeling, construction; communication.1. INTRODUCTIONComputers and networks are playing an increasing role in the field of AEC(Architecture, Engineering & Construction) and building industry. The number of