Potential for expert systems in the assessment and repair of fire damaged buildings in India

This paper outlines the design development and implementation of firex, an expert system developed with a knowledge domain of real fire damaged buildings constructed in reinforced concrete. Assessment of structural damage due to fire in buildings can be a complex process plagued by uncertainty. This complexity, argue the authors, arises from subjective opinion and imprecise numerical data. Expert system technology offers significant potential for a systematic assessment and repair of fire damaged buildings through the use of expert knowledge.