Interoperability for the design and construction industry through semantic web technology

The domain of architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) has experienced significant improvements with the advent of building information modelling (BIM) applications, which allow AEC specialists to model all information concerning a building design into one three-dimensional building model. Much of these improvements are however generated by the mere availability of such an environment, whereas many more improvements were expected by achieving an appropriate interoperability of information. We are investigating why such an interoperability is not reached fully and consider the semantic web as an alternative approach to reach the targeted interoperability. In this paper, an AEC description framework based on semantic web technology is presented and compared to the BIM approach, after which we indicate how it might solve the issue of interoperability more appropriately. Our evaluation of this investigation indicates the semantic web approach as a valid alternative approach, although considerably more research is needed to show it capable of providing the targeted interoperability of information in the AEC domain

d-Methionine protects against cisplatin-induced neurotoxicity in cortical networks

Article discussing D-Methionine protecting against cisplatin-induced neurotoxicity in cortical networks

Building Product Models

Presents the concepts, technology, and methods used to develop a new, digital representation for architecture, civil engineering, and building construction. Eastman (architecture and computing, Georgia Institute of Technology) introduces and explains ISO-STEP and the Industry Foundation Classes, as well as reviewing modelling concepts, supporting technologies, and standards. He uses numerous examples and figures, making this book both accessible as a text for graduate students, and as a reference for professionals in the fields of real estate, building, and software development

Managing Integrity in Design Information Flows

The purpose of this work is to develop automatic methods of semantic integrity maintenance, in support of concurrent engineering. Semantic integrity relations in any final engineering design are built up incrementally, through the use of different computer applications. Here, the structure of these integrity relations are formalized for representation within a database. When changes to a design have to be made, they can invalidate integrity relations in other parts of the design. Formal methods are defined for identifying what data and integrity relations are invalidated by any change. Methods for making changes that minimize re-design are described and formalized. Opportunities for using semantic integrity to assess progress on a design are reviewed

Geometric Modeling: a Survey

Computer programs are being developed to aid the design of physical systems ranging from individual mechanical parts to entire buildings or ships. These efforts highlight the importance of computer models of three dimensional objects. Issues and alternatives in geometric modelling are discussed and illustrated with comparisons of 11 existing modelling systems, in particular coherently-structured models of polyhedral solids where the faces may be either planar or curved. Four categories of representation are distinguished: data representations that store full, explicit shape information, definition languages with which the user can enter description of shapes into the system, and which can constitute procedural representations, special subsets of the information produced by application programs, and conceptual models that define the logical structure of the dada representation and/or definition languag