Building an expert system for the preliminary design of ships

Abstract

An expert system for the preliminary design of ships developed. The design process is understood as determining design variables and the relationships among design parameters. The relationships among the elements of design knowledge are represented by a network model. The object-oriented knowledge representations are introduced in the computer system to manipulate design variables such as the principle particulars of a ship in the network model. The expert system based on the above concept provides the following functions: (1) flexibility for building a model and easy modification of the model; (2) effective diagnosis of the design process by using rule-based knowledge representations; (3) hybrid function with both symbolic treatment of the design knowledge and numerical computations by coupling the systems programmed in LISP and FORTRAN and (4) a supporting method for determination of the design variables.Finally the system's validity and effectiveness is ascertained by applying it to the preliminary design of a bulk carrier ship.