Structural design language for coupled knowledge-based systems

A Structal Design Language (SDL) has been developed in INTERLISP environment for building coupled knowledge-based expert systems for integrated design of a class of structures. The integrated design includes the preliminary design, structural analysis, design of members, design of connections, and computer-aided drafting of the final design. The complex body of knowledge needed for detailed design of a structure is fractionated into smaller and more manageable knowledge sources which are organized into a hierarchy of cooperating conceptual specialists. SDL provides a multiwindow graphics interface capable of displaying both the orthographic and isometric views of the frame structure and beam-column connections. A three-dimensional face frame representation sentation is used for the graphic display of the beam-column connections. SDL has been used to develop a prototype knowledge-based system for integrated design of steel building structures consisting of moment-resisting frames.