3 research outputs found
Retrieving relevant parts from large environmental-related documents
When attempting to consider the environment, a large quantity of information is
available. Historically, librarians have provided a facility for both sorting this
information into storage, and guiding users to the material relevant to their
queries. With the steady increase in volume, detail and character of this
information, existing methods of handling cannot cope.
This thesis addresses this problem by developing a novel information system
framework and applying it to the environmental domain. A brief study was made
of information retrieval systems. An information system. framework was
developed through the project. It covers the areas of query augmentation and
search execution. In particular, the framework considers the issues of: using a domain model to help in specifying queries; and assessing and retrieving sub-parts of large documents.
In order to test the novel concepts, a case study, which covers many steps in the
information retrieval process, was designed and carried out with supportive
results
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Feasibility of Representing Selected Elements of The 1985 Building Regulations in Prolog or other Rule-Based Form
This dissertation examines the proposition that there is a consistent and repeatable internal structure within regulations. This is demonstrated to be the case for regulations which make up The Building Regulations 985, which is used to illustrate many of the arguments discussed. The outcome of the research is the representation of a series of example regulations to reveal the nature of their internal structure. The form that the internal structure takes is embodied in a series of linked data structures known as 'frames' using the Prolog computer language. Evidence for the existence of an internal structure is based upon data obtained from analysis of one year's Appeals and Determinations in a report taken from a series published from time to time by the Institute of Building Control.Theories about the nature of prescriptive rules are discussed to introduce the subject of regulations which are described in the light of relevant legal theories about rules in general. To clarify the issues involved a systems model is proposed to provide an overview of the building regulations process. The history of regulatory control of building construction in this country is described as a prelude to considering the nature of disputes and the type of information they can yield to support the thesis. Research into the application of Artificial Intelligence techniques for processing legal statements is reviewed to establish how such experiments relate to the concept of internal structure in regulations. The appraisal identifies a number of representational problems that restrict presentation of the internal structure. The dissertation is supported by worked examples of regulations that have been analysed and by output from a sample analysis session
Risk management of groundwater pollution: a knowledge-based approach
Risk assessment and risk management now underpin environmental protection in the UK. Risk
assessment provides for a structured and systematic analysis of a problem, and is an objective
tool to inform risk management decisions. In particular, risk assessment can assist in the
prioritisation of management activities to direct resources more effectively to significant risks.
However, the application of risk assessment remains ad hoc and often focused on quantified
approaches. The problem of how to integrate the results of a risk assessment into decisionmaking
processes remains. The objective of this research was to assess whether a knowledgebased
approach could be usefully applied to risk management decisions associated with the
protection of groundwater. The use of a knowledge-based system offers considerable potential
to support regulatory decision-making relating to environmental risks. Such systems utilise
expert knowledge to solve specific problems as an expert would but without requiring specialist
or skilled users. This research describes the development of a prototype decision-support
system to assist non-specialist regulatory personnel, in the prioritisation of risks and
management activities relating to groundwater threats from hydrocarbon point-sources. The
research focused on the knowledge acquisition process using semi-structured interviews,
concept sorting and risk rating to identify the type of information required by the expert in their
decision-making processes and also to distinguish any differences of approach between experts
and 'non-experts'. A conceptual model was developed that represented expert decision-making
and problem solving. This model was used to develop the prototype decision-support system
which was subsequently evaluated by experts and users, resulting in system refinements. A
positive response to the usability and utility of the system was received from both expert and
user groups, suggesting a knowledge-based approach can be usefully applied to risk
management decisions associated with the protection of groundwater