An interactive knowledge-based formwork selection system for buildings

The selection/design of a formwork system for a project is influenced by the building design, site constraints, the contractor's experience with different systems, and their availability. Typically the selection of a formwork system is made by a senior member of the contractor's organization. The decision is heavily based on that individual's experience. This experience may limit the selection of a system to one that is not the optimum. This thesis presents a tool to assist the formwork selector/designer in making that decision. This tool was developed by systematically capturing the expertise of people involved in all phases of the life of the formwork, from design through erection and concrete placement to its removal. The end result of this research is (1) a conceptual model which models the decision-making process of the expert; (2) a formwork selection knowledge base; (3) a rule-based computer tool that can help the designer in selecting the optimum formwork system; (4) a parametric guideline for formwork selection.