Case- and constraint-based project planning for apartment construction

Abstract

To effectively generate a fast and consistent apartment construction project network, Hyundai Engineering and Construction and Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology developed a case-and constraint-based project-planning expert system for an apartment domain. The system, FAS-TRAK-APT, is inspired by the use of previous cases by a human expert project planner for planning a new project and the modification of these cases by the project planner using his/her knowledge of domain constraints. This large-scale, case-based, and mixed-initiative planning system, integrated with intensive constraint-based adaptation, utilizes semantic-level metaconstraints and human decisions for compensating incomplete cases imbedding specific planning knowledge. The case- and constraint-based architecture inherently supports cross-checking cases with constraints during system development and maintenance. This system has drastically reduced the time and effort required for initial project planning, improved the quality and completeness of the generated plans, and is expected to give the company the competitive advantage in contract bids for new contracts.