Base RDT&E investment strategy

Issued as Statement of work, and Reports [nos. 1-5], Project D-48-628 (subproject E-20-616

A simplified software architecture for self-updating Building Information Models (BIM)

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2009.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (p. 61-63).Building Information Modeling (BIM) is an emerging software technology that is revolutionizing the architecture, engineering, and construction (A/E/C) industry. BIM technology employs "object-based 3D models-containing the physical and functional characteristics of a facility-that serve as a repository for lifecycle information in an open, interoperable format" [1]. The major difference between BIM and Computer-Aided Design/Drafting (CADD) is that the former includes geometry and a plethora of building information while the latter includes only geometry. BIM utilization in the AEC industry has increased due to 1) BIM tools increasing productivity in design tasks; 2) the increasing number of private and government agencies that have instituted BIM requirements; 3) the pervasive use of computer analysis and simulations models; 4) the benefits of BIM as lifecycle management tool. Current literature shows trends of a transition from a "passive"-static model-based-approach to an "active"-dynamic model-based-approach. The active approach requires the integration of BIM with sensors to create "self-updating" building models. Previous research introduces the concept of a self-updating building model ([2], [31, [41). These systems involve complex software architecture and may perpetuate the problem of software interoperability. This thesis explores the following question: May a similar system be created to synthesize dynamic sensor data while improving upon previous research and simplifying the software architecture? The author describes a prototype system, called LiveBuild, which integrates commercial BIM software with other off-the-shelf software components to create a self-updating building model. LiveBuild is the first self-updating building model that operates as an extension to existing commercial BIM software. Therefore, the transition from static to active building models is as simple as installing a plug-in. LiveBuild may serve as the basis for future research in self-updating building by providing simplified system that is well integrated with state-of-the art commercial design software. Likewise, the prototype is applicable for professional practice by allowing firms to use their existing BIM software to perform "pilot projects" with self-updating technology. The current prototype supports an interface with single commercial BIM software (Autodesk Revit 2009) product however future prototypes may extend both the functions and interfaces for other BIM software.by Pierre Fuller.S.M

Languages for Engineering Design: Empirical Constructs for Representing Objects and Articulating Processes

Design knowledge incorporates knowledge and information about designed objects and their attributes, as well as about methods and means for undertaking the design process. Such design knowledge is articulated in several different representations or languages. This paper presents a typology of the languages of engineering design, emphasizing the representation of designed objects and the articulation and representation of the cognitive processes of design. Design languages include verbal or textual statements, drawings and graphics, formulas, and numbers. Still other design languages follow from computational styles. The languages of design and their computer-based implementations are empirical in origin, since observation reveals that these languages are derived not from an overarching theory, but from our experience in trying to understand what we do when we: talk about designed objects, articulate design processes, and teach computers how to do these things as well. Next to presenting a typology of the languages of engineering design, and discussing the role of these languages in design activity, the paper also discusses the possibility of automating design activity through the design and manufacture of expert systems for product design. We will be looking at one of the most advanced systems of this sort, the PRIDE system, and use our study of PRIDE to discuss the possibilities and limits of automating design through the use of expert systems

A Curriculum Model: Engineering Design Graphics Course Updates Based on Industrial and Academic Institution Requirements

Engineering design graphics courses taught in colleges or universities should provide and equip students preparing for employment with the basic occupational graphics skill competences required by engineering and technology disciplines.  Academic institutions should introduce and include topics that cover the newer and more efficient graphics techniques and technologies developed through research by academic institutions and professional organizations as well as information obtained from experienced engineering design graphics practitioners.  This paper presents the systematic approach used at the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK), Department of Industrial Technology (ITEC), to update and improve its existing multidiscipline engineering design graphics course.   Twenty five engineering design graphics course syllabi, all from programs accredited by either the Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering (ATMAE) or the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), were reviewed in this study.  A review of the course syllabi identified 20 of the most commonly taught engineering design graphics topics.  The 20 topics were used to develop a survey instrument subsequently sent to the top 10 employers of ITEC students majoring in Construction Management, Industrial Distribution, and Telecommunications Management.  The results obtained from the employer survey were analyzed and used to update the introductory engineering design graphics course at UNK so that engineering design graphics topics taught are consistent with academia and kept current and relevant to the needs of industry

IPAD 2: Advances in Distributed Data Base Management for CAD/CAM

The Integrated Programs for Aerospace-Vehicle Design (IPAD) Project objective is to improve engineering productivity through better use of computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology. The focus is on development of technology and associated software for integrated company-wide management of engineering information. The objectives of this conference are as follows: to provide a greater awareness of the critical need by U.S. industry for advancements in distributed CAD/CAM data management capability; to present industry experiences and current and planned research in distributed data base management; and to summarize IPAD data management contributions and their impact on U.S. industry and computer hardware and software vendors

A comparative study between deep learning algorithm and bayesian network on Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) attack detection

Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) attacks are a major concern for the cybersecurity in digital world due to their advanced nature. Attackers are skilful to cause maximal destruction for targeted cyber environment. These APT attacks are also well funded by governments in many cases. The APT attacker can achieve his hostile goals by obtaining information and gaining financial benefits regarding the infrastructure of a network. It is highly important to study proper countermeasures to detect these attacks as early as possible due to sophisticated methods. It is difficult to detect this type of attack since the network may crash because of high traffic. Hence, in this study, this research is to study the comparison between Multilayer Perceptron and Naïve-Bayes of APT attack detection. Since the APT attack is persistent and permanent presence in the victim system, so minimal false positive rate (FPR) and high accuracy detection is required to detect the APT attack detection. Besides, Multilayer Perceptron algorithm has high true positive rate (TPR) in the detection of APT attack compared to Naïve Bayes algorithm. This means that Multilayer Perceptron algorithm can detect APT attack more accurately. Based on the result, it also can conclude that the lower the false positive rate (FPR), the more accurate to detect APT attack. Lastly, the research would also help to spread the awareness about the APT intrusion where it possibly can cause huge damage to everyone

Computer-Aided Geometry Modeling

Techniques in computer-aided geometry modeling and their application are addressed. Mathematical modeling, solid geometry models, management of geometric data, development of geometry standards, and interactive and graphic procedures are discussed. The applications include aeronautical and aerospace structures design, fluid flow modeling, and gas turbine design

Historic building documentation in the united states, 1933-2000: the historic american buildings survey, a case study

The objective of the study was to gain new insight into archival building documentation in the United States since 1933 focusing on Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) as a case study. It sought to help explain how individuals with different levels of involvement with the HABS program, and throughout its entire history, understood the development, current operational context, and future direction of HABS. Seven general philosophical and practical issues were explored: 1) how HABS documentation standards were understood and applied, 2) the relative values of the process and products of documentation, 3) the understanding and application of the objective and subjective natures of the documentation process, 4) whether the mission of the program had changed with changes in the operation of the program since its inception, 5) the role of technology in the process of HABS documentation and how it shapes the end products, 6) defining broader historical epochs with the goal of adding to existing understandings of the history of the program, and 7) the causes and effects of HABS drawing style changes over time

The HABS Culture of Documentation with an Analysis of Drawing and Technology

The Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) is one of the oldest federal programs in the United States. In 1933, the HABS culture of documentation started with the mission of creating a permanent record of the nation's architectural heritage. Since the inception of the program, the formal documentation methodology has been measured drawings, large-format photographs, and written histories. HABS documentation accentuates the act of drawing as a mediating conversation between the documenter and the historic environment. In a typical HABS project, the documenter is immersed in the historic setting by hand measuring the structure and creating field notes. The documenter's intimate access to the artifact develops his awareness of cultural heritage and helps cultivate an appreciation for the compositional sensibilities of the architectural precedents. However, the HABS culture of documentation has been fine-tuned to incorporate a number of digital technologies into documentation projects. When projects involve issues of logistics, time, and cost, HABS professionals utilize a host of digital methodologies to produce measured drawings. Although HABS prepares deliverables to meet the archival standards of the Library of Congress, the hardware and software necessary to recognize digital files have a limited lifespan that makes them unacceptable for use in the Library. Only measured drawings that use archival ink on stable translucent material, accompanied by negatives on safety film, can be submitted to the Library. Thus, if HABS pursued only digital technologies and deliverables, the effects of this approach on the quality of the documenter's engagement with cultural heritage would pose a significant question. This study addressed the question of how the HABS culture of documentation evolved in regards to drawing and technology, and how this relationship might be transformed in the future. Using HABS as a focus of inquiry is important in order to illuminate similar dynamics in heritage projects that utilize digital technologies. The methodology used in this study included a literature review, participant observations, and an analysis of documentation projects, as well as in-depth interviews with HABS staff, project participants, private practitioners, and academicians. The outcome of the study will be recommendations to heritage professionals for a future that resides in digital means without compromising the qualities that the HABS experience has offered to generation of documenters