Seed Projects for the 2005-2006 Academic Year

An Experiment to Combine POP, Narratives, and decision Dashboard Modeling for Better Process Communication and Integration
*M. Fischer, J. Haymaker, C. Kam
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/05 - 9/30/06
Description:
AEC professionals lack a formal methodology to complement data structures and reasoning applications to effectively communicate and integrate their design processes. We propose to design and implement a methodology that enables AEC professionals to more quickly and accurately communicate and integrate their multidisciplinary design processes and information than in current practice. We propose to do this by leveraging existing building information model (BIM) and CIFE methods and technology. Collaboratively using our proposed methodology, AEC professionals will iteratively define their objectives using the POP (Product, Organization, Process) modeling method. They will propose many design options and analyze these options with respect to their objectives using the Narrative method. They will decide upon options using the Decision Dashboard method. We propose to gather a test case from a current project, implement it retrospectively using our methodology in the CIFE I-Room, and conduct a charette-test to validate the extent to which our methodology enables AEC professionals to better communicate and integrate their multidisciplinary design processes. The practical purpose of this methodology is to enable AEC professionals to improve their multidisciplinary designs. The scientific purpose of this research is to go beyond current discussions about BIM content and better define and manage the interactions among the many disciplines BIMs, and the AEC professionals who use them.

Computational Modeling of Nonadaptive Crowd Behaviors for Egress Analysis
*K. Law, J. Latombe, K. Dauber, X. Pan
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/05 - 9/30/06
Description:
Safe egress is one of the key design issues identified by facility planners, managers and inspectors. Current computational tools for the simulation and design of emergency egress rely heavily on assumptions about human individual and social behaviors, which have been found to be oversimplified, inconsistent and even incorrect. This research aims to develop a framework for modeling human and social behaviors from the perspectives of human decision-making and social interaction and to incorporate such behaviors in a dynamic computational model suitable for emergency egress analysis. For the year-1 project, we have developed a theoretical framework of crowd behavior and a proof-of-concept, multi-agent based crowd simulation model. In the year-2 project, we plan to study the scalability and modularity issues of the simulation framework, to validate the models, and to incorporate engineering analyses, such as performance-based assessment of facilities, design of egress and emergency plans.

Integrated Concurrent Engineering Laboratory for Preconstruction
*R. Levitt, J. Chachere
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/05 - 9/30/06
Description:
For the past nine years, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory has used Integrated Concurrent Engineering (ICE) methods as a distinctive technology, organization, and design process to improve performance of design teams dramatically in comparison with traditional methods. We have developed a theoretical framework that appears to explain the success at JPL and the challenges that organizations face in establishing effective ICE.
Our vision is that AEC companies will soon use the ICE method during preconstruction. If our vision is correct, companies using ICE will have both more proposals and a higher hit rate, while those that lack the ICE advantage will systematically miss out on profitable opportunities while winning more money-losing projects than competitors.
We propose to operationalize, validate and document the use of our theoretical framework for conducting and teaching design, and in so doing to replicate, demonstrate, measure and test the methods, effectiveness, and reliability of ICE for AEC.

Organizing to Exploit Integrated Information Technologies: Exploring Firm Networks in the U.S., Scandinavia & Japan
*R. Levitt, J. Taylor
How is VDC Implemented Globally - Contrasting Case Studies on the Implementation and Benefits of 3D and 4D CAD in the U.S, Europe and China
*M.Fischer, J.Gao
(These two projects are combined.)
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/05 - 9/30/06
Description - Organizing to Exploit Integrated Information Technologies: Exploring Firm Networks in the U.S., Scandinavia & Japan:
We seek funding to investigate models of organizational structure that facilitate the exploitation of integrated information technologies (IT). We plan to investigate and compare A/E/C network structures in the United States, Scandinavia and Japan. We are particularly interested in how networks of firms evolve over time to take advantage of IT. In previous CIFE research, we identified cases where firms developed tighter partnerships (in Scandinavia) and integrating vertically (in the U.S.) to get the most productivity and profitability out of integrated information technologies. Where our previous work focused on outcomes at the macro or industry level, this new CIFE Seed Grant proposal seeks to explore changes at the meso or firm level in response to IT. As an industry, if we are going to achieve CIFE’s breakthrough goals and take full advantage of the promise of IT, we must understand how to best organize to harvest the benefits of IT.
Description - How is VDC Implemented Globally - Contrasting Case Studies on the Implementation and Benefits of 3D and 4D CAD in the U.S, Europe and China:
One potential goal of globalization for CIFE member companies is to stretch their virtual design and construction (VDC) modeling expertise horizontally across borders. This CIFE goal raises interesting questions. Is managing VDC in a global context largely the same as managing it in a domestic context? If it is not, then what aspects are different? How are differences in certain national environments important to the implementation of global VDC? The proposed research, through contrasting case studies on the implementation and benefits of 3D and 4D in the U.S, Europe and China, aims to provide initial answers to the above questions. This proposed research attempts to contribute to the understanding of 3D/4D CAD implementations in the U.S, Europe and China by comparing their differences (in terms of potential benefits, implementation strategies and actions, and realized benefits) as well as by identifying and analyzing the relevant environmental factors that influence these differences. With this understanding of environmental factors in a given place, A/E/C practitioners (or CAD vendors) will be ale to make informed judgments in terms of motivations to use 3D and 4D CAD, what kinds of change processes during the course of implementation are needed, what kinds of problems give rise to the reality gap between the expected benefits and realized benefits in that given environment.

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Seed: 05-06, 04-05, 03-04, 02-03, 01-02, 00-01, 99-00, 98-99, 97-98, 96-97, 95-96, 94-95, 93-94
Sponsored: 00-01, 99-00, 97-98, 96-97, 95-96, 94-95, 93-94

Seed Projects for the 2004-2005 Academic Year

Bridging the Innovation Gap in the AEC Industry
*R. Levitt, J. Taylor
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/04 - 9/30/05
Description:
The AEC industry has been described as a laggard in broadly adopting innovations. Yet researchers have observed a profusion of innovations at the project level. Product and process innovations with potential to improve overall productivity significantly (e.g., supply chain management, ERP, or component prefabrication) often involve systemic, rather than incremental or modular, change. Although they hold the promise of large increases in profitability, these systemic innovations diffuse slowly, if at all, in the project-based AEC industry. In Year-1 of this seed project, we developed and published a new "contingency theory of innovation for project-based industries" to explain the radically different rates of innovation of modular/incremental vs. systemic/radical innovations in project-based industries like AEC. In Year-2, we propose to: validate the theory with additional case studies; and extend the theory to address impacts of national institutional differences on innovation diffusion through collaboration with Scandinavian CIFE members Tekes and Selvaag.
Project Website

Computational Modeling of Nonadaptive Crowd Behaviors for Egress Analysis
*K. Law, K. Dauber, X. Pan
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/04 - 9/30/05
Description:
The objective of this research is to study human individual and social behavior for emergency exit in buildings and facilities. There have been numerous reports regarding overcrowding and crushing incidents during emergency situation. In case of crowd disasters, one observation is that most victims were killed by the so called "nonadaptive" behaviors of the crowd, rather than the actual cause (such as fire).

There has been a wide variety of computational tools for the simulation and design of exits. However, due to the scarcity of behavioral data, these tools rely heavily on the assumptions about human individual and social behaviors. Many of these assumptions have been found inconsistent or incorrect. This proposed study will aim to investigate nonadaptive crowd behaviors from the perspectives of human and social interactions and to incorporate such behavior in a dynamic computational model suitable for emergency exit and egress analysis.
Project Website

Sustainability in Early Stages of Virtual Design and Construction (VDC)
*M. Fischer, M. Toledo
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/04 - 9/30/05
Description:
Sustainable development has attracted much attention in recent years. Therefore, there is an increasing awareness of environmental issues affecting construction projects, which range from energy consumption, heat losses; water consumption to emission of pollutants during construction and after completion.

The aim of this seed research is to explore how VDC methods can help incorporate sustainability considerations - specifically related to energy consumption - in the early stages of a design (when the level of influence is high and before committing large amounts of money). The research focuses on the extension of the VDC approach to include sustainability considerations, with valuable insights even at the coarse level of detail of the models. Today's energy-related analysis tools, however, require a relatively good definition of the project alternatives, which is not the case in the early stages of a project.

Finally, we will explore the potential for generalization of the findings toward other parameters, beyond energy consumption, affecting the "greenness" of projects.
Project Website

Case Studies on the Implementation and Benefits of 3D and 4D CAD
*M. Fischer, J. Gao
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/04 - 9/30/05
Description:
The evaluation and justification of 3D and 4D CAD as well as the utilization and management of 3D and 4D models constitute an important problem in promoting 3D and 4D models at all levels of the industry, including owners, contractor, designers, consultants, and trade contractors. However, we lack a panorama of actual uses of 3D and 4D models on a variety of completed projects, including the reported benefits from the uses of these models, and the documented implications of the benefits on overall project performance. Hence, we cannot learn sufficiently from all the past experience and pass it on to implement 3D and 4D modeling on future projects. Furthermore, we lack well-established metrics that would allow us to articulate the level of utilization of 3D and 4D CAD and the corresponding benefits 3D and 4D models make over existing processes. For this reason, we cannot measure and track the benefits captured by a certain level of utilization of 3D and 4D models. These barriers often frustrate the investment decisions and implementation determination. This proposed research aims to compile a portfolio of 3D and 4D uses on 20-30 construction projects completed in the last five years; to illustrate qualitatively how the actual use of 3D and 4D models leads to desired benefits and how these realized benefits impact the overall project performance; to develop potential metrics to measure the level of utilization for 3D and 4D models and the benefits captured by the use of 3D and 4D models; and to explore the feasibility of quantifying the level of 3D and 4D utilization and the corresponding benefits related to overall project performance.
Project website

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Seed: 05-06, 04-05, 03-04, 02-03, 01-02, 00-01, 99-00, 98-99, 97-98, 96-97, 95-96, 94-95, 93-94
Sponsored: 00-01, 99-00, 97-98, 96-97, 95-96, 94-95, 93-94

Seed Projects for the 2003-2004 Academic Year

Bridging the Innovation Gap in the AEC Industry
*R. Levitt, *H. Björnsson, J. Taylor
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/03 - 9/30/04
Description:
The AEC (Architecture, Engineering and Construction) industry is the largest industry in the world and has been described as a laggard industry in adopting new technologies. According to one CIFE member's web site, "the building industry has been a laggard in the new economy, choosing instead to rely on outmoded delivery systems and costly conflict resolution… it is time for change. " We contend that an AEC industry innovation gap exists and is the result of deficient knowledge flows. Little research to date investigates the reasons why the AEC industry adopts new technologies slowly, nor the mechanisms involved. This CIFE seed research will investigate the structural and behavioral mechanisms behind the AEC industry innovation gap and create a proof-of-concept predictive model of the industry's technology adoption behavior. This research will be a first step toward bridging the innovation gap in the AEC industry.
Project Website, CIFE Technical Report #TR159

Automated Detection and Updating of Construction Activity Progress from Time-Lapse Images
*M. Fischer, R. Akbas
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/03 - 9/30/04
Description:
We propose a low cost progress data collection technique for construction sites using time-lapse video. We will build on our existing research on 4D CAD and geometric, parameter-based 4D models and apply computer vision techniques to webcam images of construction sites to provide frequent, rapid, and automated feedback on the performance of construction crews with respect to the project schedule. The main steps for this research are camera configuration, camera calibration, segmentation of the images and tracking of the crews and progress of work on components or in areas. As a result of this research, automatic, accurate, and more frequent progress data collection and updating of the schedule and 4D model will be possible.
Project Website

Organizational Design Optimization Using Genetic Algorithms/Programming
*R. Levitt, J. Koza, B. KHosraviani
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/03 - 9/30/04
Description:
The research objectives in this project will be:

• Design and implement a post processing optimizer for VDT using evolutionary computational techniques such as Genetic Algorithms and Genetic Programming that can help project managers find near optimal designs for their project organizations.
• Validate the postprocessor by comparing its recommended organization designs to predictions of organizational "contingency" theory.
• Conduct organization design charettes at 2004 Summer Program to validate whether post processor can help project managers design better project organizations.

We expect to complete, calibrate and validate a prototype within one year. If it is reasonably successful, we will submit an external proposal before the end of the grant.
Project Website, CIFE Working Paper #WP085

Modeling the Impact of New Structural Systems and Materials on Construction Practice for Reduced Life-cycle Costs
*S. Billington, M. Fischer, N. Koen, Z. Zhang
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/03 - 9/30/04
Description:
The proposed research aims to develop a Life-cycle Cost Model for determining the economic impact of introducing enhanced structural performance systems and materials into construction practice. New systems and materials offer significant advantages in the life-cycle performance of structures. Construction-time savings, enhanced durability, and reduced site disturbance, particularly in crowded urban areas, difficult-to-access sites, and environmentally sensitive areas are example benefits of many new systems and materials. For the proposed research, a Life-cycle Cost Model will be developed for a case study project to serve as a "proof-of-concept" for this type of modeling. In particular, the model will focus on assessing the effect of introducing an innovative structural system - precast, post-tensioned concrete construction using high performance ductile fiber-reinforced concrete materials -- to the construction practice. The Life-cycle Cost Model will be an extension of the Total Economic Impact analyses currently being performed in CIFE and will also make use of 4D CAD modeling. This research extends current work by the PI (through an NSF Career Award) and up to $25,000 of the CIFE funds can be matched dollar-for-dollar by NSF through the Career Award Program.
Project Website

Temporary Structure Planning Generation Using Feature-based Modeling
*M. Fischer, J. Kim
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/03 - 9/30/04
Description:
Temporary structures are a critical element of the overall construction plan. Planning temporary structures requires planners to consider constraints introduced not only by the building component itself (e.g., concrete wall, roof) but also by the features expressing temporary structure planning rationale (e.g., work face, base surface, and scaffolding) and relationships between the features. Current industry practice lacks a formalized approach and tools to help planners consider these features and their relationships in terms of temporary structure planning. Therefore, we propose to investigate a formal way to represent features pertaining to temporary structure planning and subsequently to leverage the represented features to facilitate the temporary structure planning process. This research will make 4D models more complete by adding temporary structures and their activities to set them and dismantle them.
Project Website

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Seed: 05-06, 04-05, 03-04, 02-03, 01-02, 00-01, 99-00, 98-99, 97-98, 96-97, 95-96, 94-95, 93-94
Sponsored: 00-01, 99-00, 97-98, 96-97, 95-96, 94-95, 93-94

Seed Projects for the 2002-2003 Academic Year

CoMem: Evaluating Interaction Metaphors for Knowledge Re-Use from a Corporate Memory
*H. Krawinkler, T.Winograd, R. Fruchter, P. Demian
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/02 - 9/30/03
Description:
People and knowledge are a corporation’s most important strategic resources. Reusing knowledge from past experiences is a natural process, which, if supported, can lead to improved designs, and more effective management of constructed facilities. This research introduces the notion of knowledge in context from a corporate perspective. We argue that in order for knowledge to be reusable, the user must be able to see the context in which this knowledge was originally created. We call a repository of such knowledge in context the corporate memory (CoMem). The CoMem prototype, we propose, is distinguished from the state-of-practice solutions by its proposed architecture, which is based on the following principles: “overview first, zoom and filter, and then details-on-demand,” “focus and context,” “semantic zooming” and “latent semantic analysis.” In order to accomplish these objectives we propose to explore metaphors such as: corporate map metaphor for corporate memory overview, fisheye lens metaphor for project context exploration, and storyteller metaphor for evolution exploration. This project will focus on the evaluation of the interaction metaphors for knowledge reuse from a corporate memory encapsulated in the CoMem prototype.
CIFE Technical Report #TR158

Supply Chain Visualization through Web Service Integration
*H. Bjornsson, M. Genesreth, J. Min
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/02 - 9/30/03
Description:
This project addresses the real time information sharing in business-to-business relations between a prime contractor and other project participants by leveraging Web services technology. More specifically, it intends to allow an enterprise to get reliable and timely information from subcontractors and suppliers, which facilitates efficient decision-making and agile supply chain. The potential benefit of Web services technology will be explored and a prototype that supports decision-making in construction supply chains will be developed. Our goal is to improve information transparency and to enable practitioners to connect with each other seamlessly, thereby assisting them in managing supply chain more efficiently.
CIFE Technical Report #TR149

Developing iRoom Visualization Technologies to Balance Cross-Disciplinary Decision Factors - A Cost and Risk Analyses Approach to Evaluate Conceptual Alternatives
*M. Fischer, C. Garcia, C. Kam
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/02 - 9/30/03
Description:
During early project phases, decision-makers make major decisions that have life-cycle influences. VIS0201 utilizes the interactive workspace (iRoom) and develops appropriate decision-support views for decision makers to evaluate and assess conceptual alternatives. Based on two retrospective case studies and the CIFE Flagship project, we will generate decision-support views by formalizing the implicit knowledge in uncovering interdisciplinary impacts of an architectural alternative, while quantitatively assessing coordination, rework, and life-cycle impacts. Building owners will benefit from the qualitative and quantitative balance that translates technical decision parameters to more easily understandable costs and risks. Our deliverables include iRoom decision-support views, application scenarios, and a guideline for decision-support applications in the iRoom. We anticipate the interdisciplinary approach in establishing an executive project view will improve the client’s understanding of decision factors, empower the project team’s ability to uncover embedded project risks, and provide researchers a foundation for further work in interdisciplinary decision supports.
Project Website

Predicting and Mitigating Institutional Costs in Global Projects
*R. Levitt, A. Mahallingam
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/02 - 9/30/03
Description:
“Global Projects”—large scale projects developed by owners, contractors and engineers based in two or more different countries—are typically high-profile endeavors that involve a multitude of participating organizations contributing toward their success. The goals, values and cultures of the participating organizations are frequently not completely aligned with one another, nor with the norms and values of the governmental institutions that control and influence the project environment. These conflicts lead to the emergence of ‘Institutional Costs’ on a project caused by misunderstanding, conflict, and generation of bureaucratic logjams. These institutional costs can run high enough to undermine the motivation of some project participants to the point that their work productivity and quality are severely decreased. If this happens for enough participants, the project’s returns (financial, social and other) can decline to a level where key stakeholders begin to abandon the project. This research will study the factors that cause extra ‘Institutional Costs’, and the manner and extent to which they influence the success of global projects. Using the Virtual Design Team simulation system developed at CIFE, this research project will formalize new theory and then computationally model and simulate global projects to predict the magnitude of the institutional costs for a given project, and to identify ways in which these institutional costs can be reduced to aid the success of the project. The deliverables for this project will include:
- a theoretical framework to predict institutional costs for the participants in a given global project;
- extensions to an established computational model to implement this framework;
- papers documenting this research; and
- a proposal to NSF or a private foundation, if the results of the first year’s work seem promising.

We regard this as a high-risk seed project. Identifying the causes of institutional costs on global projects, scaling them, and then quantifying their impacts on specific project participants is an extremely challenging multidisciplinary exercise that may not pan out. Economists have developed qualitative theories about the sources of transaction costs —one of the kinds of institutional costs we plan to model—but have not previously quantified them. However, reviewers should keep in mind that we were in roughly the same position in 1988 when we proposed a seed proposal to CIFE in which we would build a framework and simulation model to quantify Jay Galbraith’s qualitative theory of coordination costs in fast-track projects. We were able to develop and calibrate a quantitative model of coordination costs—VDT—that has been thoroughly validated by students and practitioners to the point that it is now in routine commercial use. We feel that the enormous rewards for society of gaining a better understanding about global projects justify us spending a year attempting to model them in a proof of concept seed project.
Project Website

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Seed: 05-06, 04-05, 03-04, 02-03, 01-02, 00-01, 99-00, 98-99, 97-98, 96-97, 95-96, 94-95, 93-94
Sponsored: 00-01, 99-00, 97-98, 96-97, 95-96, 94-95, 93-94

Seed Projects for the 2001-2002 Academic Year

Modeling Trust in Global Cross-Functional Teams
*P. Hinds, R. Fruchter, R. Zolin
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/01 - 9/30/02
Description:
The objective of this research is to refine, adapt and expand a model of trust development, maintenance and repair in an Architecture, Engineering and Construction (A/E/C) industry setting.

Cross-functional virtual teams provide the construction industry with great advantages in bringing diverse skills to bear on problems and projects that span traditional organizational functions. Although companies are quickly adopting the model of virtual, cross-functional teams, little is known about the new social environment that this creates for team members. A major challenge in virtual cross-functional, teams is the development of trust. Trust is necessary because of task interdependence and difficult because of different disciplinary perspectives and lack of face-to-face interaction available when working at a distance.

We have formalized and tested a model of trust development in virtual cross-functional teams working in a learning environment. We seek funding to refine our trust model in real-life A/E/C industry workgroups.

The deliverables of this research will include a "Handbook of Trust Development" containing guidelines, recommendations and performance measures to better manage global A/E/C teams; conference and journal articles; Internet tools to model trust; insight into differences between learning and working environments that may improve the design of construction education; and a proposal for further research.
CIFE Working Paper #WP078

Feasibility Evaluation of Mems-Based Accelerometers for Facility Health Monitoring and Management
*E. Miranda
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/01 - 9/30/02
Description:
Monitoring of civil engineering structures is essential to improve our understanding on the behavior on structures to external loads. Furthermore, instrumentation of facilities can also be used for health monitoring, damage detection, active control and many other uses. Very recently, low-cost sensors have become available through the use on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS). A MEMS based accelerometer has recently become available commercially, however its use as a sensor for civil engineering structures has not yet been explored. The objectives of the proposed investigation are: (a) to study the characterization of MEMS-based accelerometers currently commercially available; (b) to compare their performance with conventional high cost accelerometers; and (c) to study the feasibility for their use as sensors in structural monitoring applications.
Project Website

Mobile Computing and Active Mediation Technology in a Ubiquitos Computing Environment
*K. Law, G. Wiederhold, D. Liu, K. Liston
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/01 - 9/30/02
Description:
To fully exploit the power of mobile computing technology, personnel should have the ability to dynamically interact with Internet-based services on site. However, the limited computing power and communication bandwidth of handheld devices place challenges to make ubiquitous computing a reality. This proposal seeks to address the issues that will allow the incorporation of handheld mobile computing devices into a distributed engineering services environment and to investigate the technologies that can extend existing software application to support a wide range of accessing clients.
CIFE Technical Report #TR141

Real Options in Material Procurement Contracts
*H. Bjornsson, S. Chiu, F. Ng
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/01 - 9/30/02
Description:
This research proposal defines a project that will examine how real options could be constructed in material procurement contracts in the construction industry. The optimal policy of how (if and when) to exercise the real options can then be turned into supply chain decision support software. Real options can provide buyers with valuable operating flexibility to minimize inventory cost and price volatility. It can also help suppliers diversify their price risks and smooth out production schedule. Therefore, this concept has a large potential in the construction industry to increase profit margin for many parties along the supply chain by minimizing wastes and increasing efficiency. We identify three major problems that would have to be overcome: 1) Identify the types of materials and the types of real options to embed into the procurement contracts of these materials. 2) Reduce the number of dimensions in sequential decision problems to make calculation feasible. 3) Propose incentives for buyers and sellers to change the current way of doing business.
Project Website; CIFE Technical Report #TR142

Evaluating AEC IT Investments - A Case Study of 3D-CAD Technology
*H. Bjornsson, M. Ekstrom
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/01 - 9/30/02
Description:
This research project will study the appraisal of IT investments in the AEC industry. These investments are often difficult to appraise due to characteristics of the AEC industry such as project focus, the involvement multitude of stakeholders, and the presence of substantial risks.

We will develop a framework to quantify their short term as well as long-term costs and benefits, along with an analysis model to calculate the profitability of AEC IT investments. We will use the context of investments in 3D CAD technology to test the developed framework and methodology by comparing the results to those obtained with alternative solutions.

The research project will contribute to the CIFE goal of management of technology by documenting existing investment practice and evaluating how alternative theoretical frameworks such as Discounted Cash Flow Models, Scoring Models, Multiple Attribute Decision Making, and Real Option Theory can be deployed to the analysis of AEC industry investments in new technology.
CIFE Technical Report #TR136

Evaluating Constructibility of Construction Schedules using 4D Production Models
*M. Fischer, J. Kunz, B. Koo
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/01 - 9/30/02
Description:
Assessing the constructibility of construction plans can be critical in ensuring project delivery time and construction costs. Constructibility reasoning requires construction planners to think about the consequences of activity sequences in relation to the changing conditions of the site. This research proposes to investigate the applicability of 4D production models in testing the performance of construction schedules with respect to site conditions. In particular, we focus on cases in which components installed by preceding trades impact following trades' ability to execute their work. Our goal is to enable planners to test alternative installation sequences by 'simulating' the conditions of the site in the 4D production model, thereby assisting them in generating better-planned and more reliable schedules.
CIFE Working Paper #WP075

Automated View Construction using 3D Project Models in the AEC/FM Industry
*M. Fischer, B. Tversky, J. Kunz, J. Haymaker
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/01 - 9/30/02
Description:
This research addresses the automated generation of relationships from 3D product models to support the construction of domain specific views for multi-disciplinary coordination. The proposal discusses the difficulties encountered by practitioners today when constructing domain-specific views, and identifies spatial reasoning between objects as a major issue in constructing these views. The proposal explains why existing research efforts will not adequately address the construction of domain-specific views of project data, and argues for automated spatial reasoning mechanisms, called 'Perspectors', which can create relationships between objects automatically. The research proposes to establish a catalogue of views involving relationships between objects and to analyze these views for generalities in the types of objects, attributes, and reasoning methods required to construct these views. For a proof of concept implementation, the research will construct an IFC-compliant database of the Disney Concert Hall ceiling and implement prototype mechanisms, called 'Perspectors' which automate the inference of the object relationships. The deliverables of the research will be papers documenting the research, an IFC-compliant project model for use on this and other research at CIFE, and a web-enabled prototype enabling semantic queries of project data.
Project Website

The iRoom to go
*M. Fischer, J. Kunz
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/01 - 9/30/02
Description:
The work proposed here will set up and test an iRoom in the CIFE lab. It will also develop and test guidelines to set up an iRoom in other organizations. The guidelines and test will include a mocked up project meeting that shows how the functionality in the iRoom is useful to make project meetings more efficient and that shows how meeting participants can use various information appliances (smartboards, laptops, palm pilots, etc.) in the "iRoom to go." The majority of the funds requested are for a graduate student and for assistance from iRoom experts in Computer Science.
Project Website

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Seed: 05-06, 04-05, 03-04, 02-03, 01-02, 00-01, 99-00, 98-99, 97-98, 96-97, 95-96, 94-95, 93-94
Sponsored: 00-01, 99-00, 97-98, 96-97, 95-96, 94-95, 93-94

Seed Projects for the 2000-2001 Academic Year

A Compilation and Application of Best Practices for XML Data Interchange Standardization
*B. Paulson, W.Behrman
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/00 - 9/30/01
Description:
This research proposal consists of two parts. The first part is to provide a strategic context for electronic business and commerce in the AEC industry and will draw on the expertise of Stanford's Center for Electronic Business and Commerce. We will review and evaluate the case studies and conceptual tools used to understand how industries are being transformed by information technologies, and we will distill that which is most relevant to the AEC industry. The second part is described in the title and will draw on the expertise of The Stanford Networking Research Center. We will compile a set of XML standardization best practices, and we will select a link and assemble a team for their application. The goal is to develop not just a specific standard but a standardization process that, once tested and shown to work, could be used by others to develop other XML standards for applications in the AEC industry.
CIFE Technical Report #TR 131

Rating Mechanisms in AEC e-Commerce
*H. Bjornsson, J. Kunz
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/00 - 9/30/01
Project Date:Description:
The research will investigate how a collaborative reputation mechanism or rating system can be implemented in an e-commerce framework in the construction industry. e-Commerce enables the matching of buyers and sellers that were previously unknown to one another. This is unlikely to take place unless a means of exchanging valid information about the quality of the market participants exists. The research objectives are to use economic theory to develop market rules that promote truthful behavior and to formalize the information sharing in AEC. Interviews, literature review, and a survey of existing online business models will be the basis for framework for a rating system. This framework will be validated through simulation of a market for construction industry services, and web-based surveys of industry participants.
Project Website

Leveraging Mobile Computing Device Technology in a Distributed Engineering Services Environment
*K. Law
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/00 - 9/30/01
Project Date:Description:
Currently, members of a construction team have the technology to bring the most current snapshot of information from Architecture/Engineering/Construction (AEC) Internet-based collaboration applications to the site using handheld mobile computing devices through a mechanism known as "synching." However, to fully exploit the power of this mobile computing technology, personnel should have the ability to dynamically interact with Internet-based collaboration applications on site. This proposal seeks to investigate the issues that will allow the incorporation of handheld mobile computing devices into a distributed engineering services environment.
Project Website

Computer-Aided Design of Member Connections to Integrate the Design & Construction of Steel Structures
*E. Miranda
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/00 - 9/30/01
Project Date:Description:
Selection and design of structural connections can have a large impact on fabrication and erection costs of a steel structure. Furthermore, these elements are vital not only for the performance of the structure itself but also to the performance of nonstructural components, systems and contents of the facility. The goal of the proposed seed project is to develop a prototype computer tool to design connections between structural steel members and to analyze the impact on the decisions being taken. Visualization of the connection as it is being designed and not when it is being fabricated would then allow identifying constructability issues early on in the project. A special emphasis is placed on the integration of existing structural engineering software and steel detailing software through the use of electronic data interchange with the use of the CIS/2 Standard.
Project Website

Model-Based Implementation of Major Construction Methods
*C. Tatum
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/00 - 9/30/01
Description:
Major construction methods, such as prefabricated structural systems or large process modules, can improve project performance in meeting all objectives. However, adopting these methods greatly increases coordination requirements during all project phases. Model-based computer tools offer a promising means of identifying coordination needs and avoiding problems. The purpose of this research is to demonstrate the feasibility of using these tools in implementing major construction methods. It will demonstrate the feasibility of capturing and applying the necessary methods knowledge and component attributes to assist in meeting increased coordination requirements and improving project performance.
Project Website

Geometric Representations for Construction Planning and Scheduling
*M. Fischer, L. Guibas, J. Kunz
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/00 - 9/30/01
Description:
This proposed research will define geometric representations and algorithms to subdivide the 3D component geometry to reflect construction progress. They will provide construction planners and schedulers with better means to consider geometric information in their decisions and enable them to develop better 4D visualizations at multiple levels of detail. They will support more comprehensive understanding and analysis of temporal and spatial issues with 4D models.
Project Website

Designing and Evaluating Construction Information Workspaces
*M. Fischer, T. Winograd, J. Kunz
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/00 - 9/30/01
Description:
The proposed work envisions a new type of construction information technology (CIT), an interactive environment called a construction information workspace (CIW), that visually communicates construction information and their inter-relationships to support group tasks. The proposed research focuses on the design of the 'front-end' or the user interface of CIW. The primary goal of this research is to identify characteristics of CIW visualizations that are useful to project teams and improve the utility of the already existing project information and to measure the value of these visualizations. The proposed work will design and evaluate two types of visualization techniques - highlighting and overlay - in a CIW environment through a set of test trials. For each test trial we will use two sets of metrics: 1) performance-based metrics to measure how the techniques improve task performance and 2) task 'target'-based metrics to measure which techniques best support specific types of targets. This design and evaluation process will enable us to define a 'value-driven' roadmap for future CIW research and provide much needed examples of formal testing processes for evaluating CIT.
Project Website

Seed: 05-06, 04-05, 03-04, 02-03, 01-02, 00-01, 99-00, 98-99, 97-98, 96-97, 95-96, 94-95, 93-94
Sponsored: 00-01, 99-00, 97-98, 96-97, 95-96, 94-95, 93-94

Seed Projects for the 1999-2000 Academic Year

Developing Cost Models for Procurment in Construction Supply Chains
*H. Bjornsson, J. Kunz
The Impact of Internet Commerce on the Subcontractor Selection Process in AEC
*H. Bjornsson, A. Arnold, M. Ekstrom
[These two projects are combined.]
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/99 - 9/39/00
Description -- Supply Chain Management & E-Commerce:
This research will explore how the introduction of Internet commerce can affect the relationship between general contractors and subcontractors. There is generally a belief that business processes will become more cost-efficient through the replacement of media that carry engineering and business content, from heterogeneous paper documents to standardized electronic transaction models. This research will investigate the impact of the introduction of electronic models on AEC-industry transaction costs through business process simulation. Existing bid process between general contractors and subcontractors will be studied in order to estimate current transaction costs. As a reference, we will study the RosettaNet, a web-based supply chain partnership in the IT-industry. Our objective is to identify significant factors that affect supply chains when introducing Internet Commerce and relate them to the AEC industry.
Description -- The Impact of Internet Commerce:
This research investigates the development of cost models for Internet construction procurement. Information required for procurement will be formalized and abstracted. Methods for traditional and centralized procurement will be programmed to compare these models in terms of cost and time. A test case will be completed to validate the traditional procurement cost model. Once validated, a tool will be created that indicates cost and time advantages/disadvantages of centralized vs. traditional procurement, given a production model. Research will also be initiated to provide this tool over the Internet.
CIFE Technical Report #TR128

Agent-Based Project Scheduling and Control
*B. Paulson, K. Kim
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/99 - 9/39/00
Description:
We propose to develop an agent-based project scheduling and control framework which formalizes and automates distributed subcontractors' resource-driven scheduling and control process so that a construction project can be scheduled and controlled with involvement of project participants. The agent-based framework will be developed based upon a distributed coordination methodology including a monetary compensation strategy, which allows autonomous subcontractors to evaluate the impact of their changes and make decisions. An agent-based prototype system will be implemented to test and verify the agent-based project scheduling and control framework, and will provide a foundation for facilitating collaboration among project participants over the Internet.
CIFE Technical Report #TR130

DB KISS: Design and Build Knowledge and Information Slider System
*H. Krawinkler, R. Fruchter, A. Retik
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/99 - 9/39/00
Description:
Computer-based representation, capture, linking, visualization, navigation, and use of the information and knowledge created in a multi-disciplinary project environment during concept development, design, and construction remains a difficult problem. This project proposes to develop methods and an integrated prototype, DB KISS, for knowledge management and navigation of heterogeneous information that constitutes a design-build project memory. DB KISS proposes a product-based, context-based, Web-mediated approach for project, product, and process evolution capture, organization, and navigation. It will formally articulate and link the following four network levels: people network, design informal knowledge network, design and construction formal knowledge network, and construction site knowledge network. DB KISS will enable any of the key stakeholders involved in "building a building" to seamlessly slide among the different network levels to retrieve and re-use knowledge and information to support their decision process.

Virtual Construction Team (VCT): Extending VDT to Model Construction Work Processes & Organizations
*R. Levitt
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/99 - 9/39/00
Description:
The Virtual Design Team (VDT) was conceived to model work processes and organizations in complex but relatively routine AEC facility design. For such projects, activities and organizations can be prespecified, and errors or exceptions that occur can be modeled as simply adding work volume to predefined activities. Construction work is subject to both controllable and uncontrollable risks that make it less routine than design work, so that efforts to date to use VDT to model construction have been less successful. This proposal builds on the OCCAM system that Fridsma developed as a set of extensions to VDT for modeling non-routine health care delivery work processes and organizations. We propose to build a proof of concept system by modest extensions to Fridsma's OCCAM system, and to perform initial validation via case studies. This will equip us to write a well-grounded proposal to NSF for ongoing support of this work. The Virtual Construction Team (VCT) research which models information processing and communication work processes will mesh well with ongoing development of 4D CAD, which provides new ways to model and analyze physical work processes in construction.

4D-Based Time and Cost Control and Financial Management
*M. Fischer, J. Kunz
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/99 - 9/39/00
Description:
The 4D modeling research at Stanford has largely focused on the planning of construction projects at several levels of detail and on testing the constructibility of a proposed design and construction schedule in the computer. Many practitioners have suggest that we should add cost calculations to the 4D model, since the 4D model combines the material costs from the 3D product model and the time-based costs from the construction schedule. We have added this cost estimating functionality tothe CMM (Construction Method Modeler) system developed at CIFE. This proposal uses all the prior 4D research at CIFE as a starting point and proposes research to support time and cost control and financial management of projects with a cost-loaded 4D production model. The main emphasis of the research will be on implementing time and cost control mechanisms for a cost-loaded 4D model and to demonstrate how to use the cost-loaded 4D model for the financial management of a project.
CIFE Technical Reports # TR125, # TR126, # TR127

Internet-Based Computer-Aided Design: Leveraging Product Model, Distributed Object, and World Wide Web Standards
*K. Law, J. Kunz
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/99 - 9/39/00
Description:
Traditional CAD systems are monolithic in that all functions or "services" are bundled in a software package. With the maturation of information and communication technologies, the concept that distributed CAD services are delivered over the Internet, Internet-based Computer-Aided Design (ICAD), is becoming a reality. We have developed a prototype demonstrating building design services in a distributed object environment. In this continuing proposal, we seek to integrate commercial CAD packages and implement several real modular services.
CIFE Technical Report #TR123

CIFE Interaction Workbench
*M. Fischer, P. Hanrahan
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/99 - 9/39/00
Description:
In recent years, a number of CIFE projects have demonstrated high level of Performance on interesting industrial engineering design and anaylsis problems. As a group, these applications offer an opportunity for realistic integration using newly emerging integration technology. We propose to use new object-based web technology to integrate two existing CIFE applications and one new one. With Computer Science Department colleagues, we will display integrated suites of applications on the large new interactive mural. Finally, we propose to develop and document a standard test case for demonstrating and testing both the individual and the integrated systems. Once developed, this integration and display technology will be able to support future CIFE research projects and those commercial applications that provide appropriate systems interfaces to their output data.

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Seed Projects for the 1998-99 Academic Year

Industrial Scale-up of CMM System - Validation and Technology Transfer
*M. Fischer, F. Aalami, J. Kunz
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/98 to 9/30/99
Description:
This proposal seeks funds to conduct two industrial project test cases using 4D production models generated by the Construction Method Modeler (CMM) system. The value of 4D models (a 4D production model can be visualized as a 4D model) ha s become well accepted over the last few years, however, their generation is still a time-comsuming and manual process, so 4D technology is still impractical for widespread implementation. The CMM planning system rapidly generates 4D production models fro m a product model and user-defined construction method model templates. We seek industry collaboration to determine the industrial value of 4D modeling using the CMM system. This proposed research will fulfill one of CIFE's main goals, namely, identify an d develop cutting-edge technology and transfer it to its industry members. The questions this project will address are: Can 4D models generated by CMM have a positive impact on project time and cost? If so, what level of detail is required and during whic h phase of a project are the benefits the greatest? We propose to transfer the lessons learned from the two test cases to CIFE members in a hands-on tutorial session in which members will engage in the rapid generation and evaluation of 4D production mode ls using one of the test cases. We will develop recommendations and extensions to the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) Release 1.5 that will make the IFC classes more suitable for the representation and analysis of 4D production models.

Developing Electronic Models to Support the Bidding Process for A/E/C Commerce on the Internet
*H. Bjornsson, A. Arnold
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/98 to 9/30/99
Description:
This research investigates the requirements for models that describe the content of a bid package so that this information can be formalized, linked with detailed project design and engineering information, and published on the Internet i n an E-commerce system. Computer-interpretable models for bid packages will support the automation of information exchange for the mission-critical activities associated with bid package generation and dissemination, and furnish knowledge-based support fo r activities associated with bid package interpretation and processing for cost estimation. We will perform an information requirement study to understand the modeling requirements for making the activities associated with project bidding part of a virtua l product delivery process. To test our understanding of the representation issues, and to develop familiarity with the emerging Internet technology for active web documents, we will define bid information document models that will be used with a proof-of -concept application to publish a mock-up bid proposal as an active Web document (XML format). This project will provide insight for further research to field prototype electronic bidding services in a AEC E-commerce system.

Internet-Based Computer-Aided Design: Leveraging Product Model, Distributed Object and Web
*K. Law, J. Kunz, C. Han
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/98 to 9/30/99
Description:
Advances in network computing are rapidly changing the way engineering is performed. With the maturation of several technologies, both non-Internet- and Internet-based, concepts that have been proposed for the development Internet-based C omputer-Aided Design (ICAD) may now be realized. An ICAD tool can be envisioned as a web of interconnected software, information and tools which integrate activities across enterprises and throughout the product life cycle. This CIFE seed research proposa l attempts to develop a demonstrable prototype, combining the current development in project product models, distributed object environment and web technologies to illustrate the features and feasibility of an ICAD tool.

CIFE Integration Workbench
*M. Fischer, *P. Hanrahan, *K. Law, J. Kunz
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/98 to 9/30/99
Description:
In recent years, a number of CIFE projects have demonstrated high level of performance on interesting industrial engineering design and analysis problems. Each of these projects has significant remaining research questions and a nu mber of associated questions concerning how to transfer the theory into AEC practice. As a group, these applications suggest an opportunity for serious integration using newly emerging integration technology. We propose to use web technology to integrate several existing CIFE applications. Further, we propose to develop and document a standard test case for demonstrating and testing both the individual and the integrated systems.

4D Annotator: A Visual Decision Support Tool for Construction Planners
*M. Fischer, K. McKinney Liston
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/98 to 9/30/99
Description:
There is a need for an environment in which planners can contextually visualize various types of planning information to better support decision making. Previous 4D-CAD work at CIFE has shown us the benefits and opportunitie s of visualizing construction information in a 4D (time + space) context. Today, 4D models visually describe how construction progresses. The opportunity, though, is to use the 4D-CAD medium to explain planning decisions and impacts of those planning deci sions, making 4D models explanative and predictive. To unlock this potential of 4D models, we need to add "4D annotations" that visually explain to planners potential constructability problems or how a proposed construction sequence affects decision crite ria such as cost, productivity, and safety. This proposal outlines our plans to implement mechanisms to generate 4D annotations and study the value of these annotations to support construction planning decisions.
Project Website: 4D-CAD

Drinking from the Great Fire Hose Called the "Project Memory"
*J. Etchemendy, *H. Krawinkler, R. Fruchter, D. Baker-Plummer
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/98 to 9/30/99
Description:
Computer-based representation, capture, visualization, and use of the information and knowledge created in a multi-disciplinary project environment remains a difficult problem. This project proposes to develop methods and a prototype, DMV, for knowledge management, data mining and visualization of heterogeneous information that constitutes a project memory. DMV will be distinguished from the state-of-the-art file transaction-based project document management systems (PDMs) and propose a product-based, content-based, CACD-Web mediated approach for project, product, and process evolution capture and visualization.

The Sociocultural Context of IT Implementation in A/E/C Firms: An Ethnographic Approach
*R. Levitt, G. Kunda
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/98 to 9/30/99
Description:
The emergence of powerful IT integrative tools has created the potential for revolutionary changes in the management of construction projects. However, user experience and early empirical evaluations suggest that there are formi dable social and cultural barriers to successful implementation. This research proposes a unique collaboration between an organizational anthropologist and a more traditional CIFE IT researcher to study the complex social and cultural framework within which information technology exists and evolves in AEC projects and companies, and its significance for the success or failure of IT implementation efforts. The research will use the tools of ethnography - a rigorous inductive method based on techniques for long-term observation, interviewing, and content analysis of documents - to study the implementation of a set of integration technologies suggested by the participating companies. This is exploratory research. The main deliverable will be a technical repo rt summarizing our findings and new proposals that raise questions and suggest directions to be taken in a more systematic and comparative research process. Longer term, we expect such research to inform the configuration and implementation of AEC integra tion tools, and to guide future case-based research and teaching materials.

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Seed Projects for the 1997-98 Academic Year

Performance-Based Automated Building Code Checking
*K. Law, J. Kunz, C. Han
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/97 to 9/30/98
Description:
The objective of this CIFE seed research project is to develop automated code-checking procedures and to use the WWW to retrieve and display code information. We will establish a framework in which code documents can be stored, classif ied, and accessed with links to design intent of the code. The design intent links are in turn linked to performance-based compliance engines (or methods) to analyze a building model. We will develop performance based methods for two modules of the buildi ng code: accessibility and egress. Finally, we will develop a representation of a building model based on Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) to support checking for code compliance through the performance based code engines.

4D Work Planner
*M. Fischer, J. Kunz, S. Staub
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/97 to 9/30/98
Description:
Managing the spatial relationships between activities is a major task for schedulers and construction managers. Yet current management tools used for project planning and cost control do not explicitly represent the spatial needs for w orkers to complete their tasks efficiently. For example, CPM schedules show the dependencies between activities, but they do not model the time-space relationships that exist between activities. Similarly, cost estimates are based on two-dimensional desig n drawings and unit cost or productivity rate data which do not reflect the impact of time-space conflicts on productivity and costs. As a result, the sequencing of activities often lead to spatial interferences that decrease crew productivity and increas e activity durations and costs. This research will provide a 4D Work Planner that utilizes time, space and crew information to adjust schedules and develop cost estimates which consider the spatial conflicts existing between activities. A 4D simulation wi ll notify the user when a time-space conflict occurs and provide the options to adjust the production rate accordingly or change the sequencing of activities.

MEP Coordination in Building and Industrial Projects
*C. Tatum, T. Korman
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/97 to 9/30/98
Description:
Coordination activities to determine the location of mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and other systems are a major challenge on complex buildings and light-industrial projects. Current methods range from using light tables to compare transparent drawings to partial CAD models. Delay, interferences, and rework often result. Phase one of this research project will develop a horizontal integration tool to coordinate systems designed by multiple consultants or contractors, with input ran ging from sketches on paper to 3D models in specialized CAD systems. Phase two will extend the tool to include partial automation of system coordination and capability for vertical integration to consider facility management in coordination decisions. Thi s research support CIFE's goals by increasing horizontal and vertical integration of a key design activity, improving models for use in 4D visualization, and providing technology for possible transfer to software suppliers.
CIFE Working Paper #WP054

A Model for Software Interoperation for Engineering Enterprise Integration
*K. Law, J. Kunz, C. Howie
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/97 to 9/30/98
Description:
Engineering companies are seeking ways to achieve software interoperability between their internal applications and those of external vendors and customers. The emergence of open data exchange standards such as STEP, as well as the wide variety of possible implementation technologies, has led to our development of a model capable of supporting such software interoperation. Our model is independent of any specific implementation approach, and protects proprietary knowledge within the pa rticipating organizations whose applications are interconnected. It provides great flexibility in the configuration of software services and data exchange standards used. We have completed the formal description of the model and are now preparing to test it both locally at CIFE and with industry participation.

LCA Life-Cycle Assistant: Capturing the Evolution of Design Intent and Team Interactions
*H. Krawinkler, R. Fruchter
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/97 to 9/30/98
Description:
Computer-based representation, capture, visualization, and use of the design evolution in a multi-disciplinary project environment remains a difficult problem. This project proposes to develop a lifecycle assistant, LCA prototype for design evolution capture, visualization, and tracking of team interactions in support of multidisciplinary collaborative teamwork. Based on our research experience, our hypothesis is that one of th key factors in reducing life-cycle cost is improved communication, coordination and cooperation among members in a multidisciplinary team. LCA will accommodate and integrate many perspectives throughout the design-build teamwork and facility management and allow the different actors to 1) augment shared CAD design models with the tam members' design intents, interests, and responsibilities; 2) capture versions at different levels of granularity, such as graphic object feature, discipline perspective, and project level; 3) track team interactions in a shared Web workspace environment; and 4) visualize the design evolution of features, discipline perspectives, and the overall project. LCA will be distinguished from the state-of-the-art file transaction-based project document management systems (PDMs) and proposes a product-based, content-based, CAD-Web mediated approach for project, product, and process evolution capture.

CIFE Seminar for Members
*M. Fischer, J. Kunz
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/97 to 9/30/98
Description:
Since 1991, the investigators have offered CE320, a seminar on integrated facility engineering, to Stanford students. The goal of this project is to share the seminar for interested participants from all CIFE member companies. We propo se to use standard Internet Web technology.

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Seed Projects for the 1996-97 Academic Year

Integrating Computer Model With Field Monitoring Program for Underground Structure Construction
*R. Borja, R. Regueiro, T. Lai
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/96 to 9/30/97
Description:
We propose to use a 3D object-oriented CAD model as a user-interface tool to bring a powerful 3D nonlinear soil-structure interaction finite element code to the forefront of engineering construction and design. Together with a good fie ld monitoring program, this computer model can be utilized to ensure success of underground construction. The FE code has many useful advanced features, including the element birth/death option to model the placement/removal of new/old materials, fluid fl ow option, consolidation with free-surface seepage, nonlinear soil behavior, and geometric nonlinearity options. We will use AutoCAD as a user-interface tool to create an environment whereby a field monitoring program and computer modeling go hand-in-hand to ensure the safety and cost-efficiency of underground construction. This project is envisioned as a start-up for a longer-term project addressing the problem of strain localization in excavations described in a proposal submitted to NSF.

A Model-Based Approach to Software and Data Interoperability for Process Plant Applications
*K. Law, J. Kunz, C. Howie
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/96 to 9/30/97
Description:
p3 is middleware system which facilitates both the real-time sharing of engineering software procedures and provides transparent network access to database models for plant applications based on an open plant model. It is design ed to take full advantage of the emerging STEP model. Plant software procedures are written in a high-level, portable C-like domain language, called the Process Plant Programming language, and are translated by the system compiler into C language code wit h optimized kernel support for common plant computations. The plant model language provides a consistent interface among the plant applications distributed on heterogeneous networks. p3 thus decouples plant knowledge from both proprietary and esote ric application code and the underlying plant model database to provide real-time software interconnection, easy access to distributed resources, and high speed computation capabilities.

4D CAD Building Blocks
*M. Fischer, *T. Winograd, J. Kunz, K. McKinney
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/96 to 9/30/97
Description:
Extant construction scheduling tools (CPM, graphical 4D tools) do not model the work flow through a project and the time-space relationship between activities well. We propose research to extend current 4D CAD tools to allow faster and improved modeling of schedule alternatives. 4D building blocks capture the time-space relationships of activities and assist a scheduler in creating a 4D model that captures and visualizes the work flow and space utilization of activities throughout a pr oject. We plan to test the system on on-going and recently completed projects. An industrial review team will guide this research effort and evaluate the schedules developed based on the 4D building blocks.
Project Website: 4D-CAD

Beyond CPM: Extending VDT to Provide Real-Time Modeling and Analysis of Construction Operations
*R. Levitt, *P. Teicholz, J. Kunz., W. Nasrallah, K. Sears
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/96 to 9/30/97
Description:
The long range goal of the VDT research is to develop new kinds of modeling tools that can analyze the interrelationships between product requirements, work processes and organizational configurations to make predictions about project time, cost and quality performance. The VDT Version 2, resulting from Tore Christiansen's work allows us to do this for deisgn projects. The goal of the "Beyond CPM" project is to identify and quantify sources of administratiove workload and exceptions ar ising from interdependencies in construction work so that VDT can be extended to model construction and design in the same framework, and hence allow organizational analysis of design-build projects. We will also extend VDT's architecture and conceptual b ase to support two new kinds of analysis: (1) interfaces for continuous updating of project and organizational status to support real time project control; and (2) an expert system "post processor" for VDT (akin to those now used in finite element systems ) to begin providing assistance to users in diagnosing the causes of observed or simulated bottlenecks in projects, and suggesting appropriate remedies.

ASPECTS for Multidisciplinary Collaborative Teamwork
*P. Teicholz, R. Fruchter, A. Teng
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/96 to 9/30/97
Description:
Doing business in a global environment is becoming today's reality. Integrated product and process is accomplished by multidisciplinary teams which are geographically distributed. There is a need to define, capture, share, retrieve, and visualize information to understand how things fit together in the context of the greater design systems engineering: different practitioners, tools, and perspectives, however, same project, goal, and deadline. Our hypotheses are that (1) concurrent engineering requires diverse computer support for the different modes of collaboration and communication among team members; (2) metrics and instrumentations are required to assess the usability and effectiveness of collaboration technologies. Collab oration technologies are aimed to address these requirements. We propose to test and evaluate in an education environment a collaboration software ASPECTS, by Technology Frameworks. We will observe, understand, and assess how team members use the software in a real project setting as a medium in which the designer communicates to other team members. Our focus will be to: (1) understand and exercise the software design language of ASPECTS, (2) evaluate, test and assess how ASPECT's software design language can improve the team member's activity, interactions, communication, and cooperation, (3) evaluate ASPECTS as a visual and functional language of communication with the people who use an artifact, (4) explore the use of ASPECTS as a computer environment for design intent capture.

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Seed Projects for the 1995-96 Academic Year

Collaborative 4-D CAD
*M. Fischer, J. Kunz
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/95 to 9/30/96
Description:
Collaborative 4D CAD is a tool that fully supports the four-dimensional nature of engineering and construction, a tool that captures and dynamically manages the interaction between project components and resources over time, visualizes these interactions and supports real-time interaction of users with the 4D model. Such a tool would support the communication, buy-in, and improvement of construction schedules between clients, construction managers, facility users, neighbors, sub- and g eneral contractors.
CIFE Technical Report #TR101 ; Project Website: 4D-CAD

Interpreting P&ID's
*T. Binford, *K. Law, J. Kunz, C. Howie, T. Chen
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/95 to 9/30/96
Description:
The objective of this proposed continuation of CIFE seed research project is to develop automated tools to interpret P&ID's and to demonstrate and test them with both simple and realistic industrial test cases.
CIFE Technical Report #TR112 and Working Paper #WP037 ; Project Website: www.stanford.edu/~kunz/pid.html

Object Oriented Information Model for a Prototype Product Selection & Specification System
*P. Teicholz, A. Arnold
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/95 to 9/30/96
Description:
This research contributes to process plant integration through the implementation of an object oriented component information model and prototype component library for product selection and specification. The prototype implementation w ill demonstrate the exchange of product knowledge information for use in design and engineering applications. Our research will use an intelligent CAD design environment implemented by others at CIFE to investigate how product models that contain decision knowledge can be integrated in to a CAD model and used to support automated product selection.
CIFE Technical Report #TR107

Concurrent Design of Facilities and Delivery Processes and Organizations
*R. Levitt, *M. Fischer, J. Kun, E. Divita
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/95 to 9/30/95
Description:
This research will develop virtual rapid prototyping concepts and tools to support accelerated design, construction, and start-up of facilities. Our long-term objective is to develop concepts, virtual prototyping tools and development methodologies to support concurrent design, construction, and start up of facilities, and design of organizations involved in these processes. Our focus is on the problem of aligning facility design with processes and organizations required to deliver the facility.
CIFE Technical Reports #TR104 and #TR115

Information Management for Regulations and Codes
*M. Genesereth, *K. Law, J. Kunz, G. Wiederhold
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: 10/1/95 to 9/30/96
Description:
The objective of this proposed CIFE seed research project is to engineer an information resource that integrates data on codes and regulations and provides search and analysis tools that help developers to identify the multiple regulat ions that apply to their projects.

Seed Projects for the 1994-95 Academic Year

Interpreting Process and Instrumentation Diagrams
*T. Binford, *K. Law, J. Kunz
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: Oct. 1, 1994 to Sept. 30, 1995
Description:
This project will develop an automated approach to interpret P&IDs based on computer vision technology. This will result in a symbolic model that reflects the connectivity and equipment in the diagram.
CIFE Technical Report #TR112 and Working Paper #WP037; Project Website: www.stanford.edu/~kunz/pid.html

Going Around the Circle (continuation)
*M. Fischer, J. Kunz, M. Clayton
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: Oct. 1, 1994 to Sept. 30, 1995
Description:
This project will build on the efforts of the prior year to extend the application of circle integration to a series of design applications to test its benefits and limitations.
CIFE Technical Report #TR105 ; Project Website: www.stanford.edu/~kunz/circle.html

Model-based Construction Planning - Phase 2 (continuation)
*M. Fischer, F. Aalami
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: Oct. 1, 1994 to Sept. 30, 1995
Description:
This project will build on the efforts of the prior year to develop a cost estimate and construction schedule from an object oriented 3D CAD model of a building during the conceptual design stage.
CIFE Working Papers #WP034 and #WP041

Version and Configuration Model of a 3D CAD Object Model
*K. Law, *J. Widom, K. Krishnamurthy
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: Oct. 1, 1994 to Sept. 30, 1995
Description:
This project will build on NSF sponsored research (CEDB project) to develop a design versioning system that incorporates multiple disciplines and 3D CAD models.
CIFE Technical Report #TR092 and Working Paper #WP031

Modeling the Impact of Collaboration Technology
*R. Levitt, Y. Jin, R. Fruchter, G. Oralkan
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: Oct. 1, 1994 to Sept. 30, 1995
Description:
This project builds on prior Virtual Design Team (VDT) research to develop a method to model the organizational change in response to a new technology and predict its effect on both social and task performance.
CIFE Working Paper #WP036; Project Website: VDT

A Knowledge-based Approach to Construction Experience Transfer Through Case-based Reasoning (continuation)
*B. Paulson, M. Manavazhi
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: Oct. 1, 1994 to Sept. 30, 1995
Description:
This research will develop a Construction Experience Transfer Model (CETM) which will serve as a template to the decomposition of construction experience primarily in the area of how to avoid and solve field related problems. A prototy pe system will be developed to test this approach.
CIFE Technical Report #TR102

CIFE on the World Wide Web (WWW)
*P. Teicholz, R. Fruchter, J. Kunz, M. Tanenbaum
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: Oct. 1, 1994 to Sept. 30, 1995
Description:
This project will create a CIFE home page on the WWW and make its technical reports and other data available to users of Mosaic on the Internet.

Seed Projects for the 1993-94 Academic Year

Going Around the Circle
*M. Fischer, J. Kunz, M. Clayton
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: Oct. 1, 1993 to Sept. 30, 1994
Description:
This research has developed a prototype system that implements and tests the concept of integrating several interpretations (analyses) of a building by passing the results from one analysis to the next.
CIFE Working Paper #WP020; Project Website: www.stanford.edu/~kunz/circle.html

3D Modeling and Schedule Animation Services for the San Mateo Health Facility Project
*M. Fischer, E. Collier
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: Oct. 1, 1993 to Aug. 31, 1994
Description:
Commercial software is used in this project to link a 3D CAD model of a hospital facility to a CPM schedule and animating the results. This provides a powerful method of simulating each step in the construction (and demolition) process.
CIFE Video #VT024

Model-based Construction Process Planning
*M. Fischer, M. Evans
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: Oct. 1, 1993 to Mar. 31, 1994
Description:
This project developed a knowledge-based system that is able to evaluate the constructibility of a project. The project input data includes available resources, client requirements, site conditions. The knowledge base contains applicab le construction methods, productivity rates, labor and material prices. Output consists of the estimated construction cost and time.
CIFE Working Paper #WP034

Agent-Based Framework for Collaborative Engineering
*M. Genesereth, *P. Teicholz, T. Khedro
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: Oct. 1, 1993 to Aug. 31, 1994
Description:
This research has developed a prototype system that links five design applications into a collaborative environment. Each application is converted to an agent and communicates with a central program called a Facilitator.
CIFE Technical Report #TR113; CIFE Video #VT015

A Course on Computer Integrated A/E/C
*H. Krawinkler, *P. Teicholz, R. Levitt, R. Fruchter
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: Oct. 1, 1993 to Aug. 31, 1994
Description:
This research developed a new course that allowed 3 person teams to collaborate on a number of multidisciplinary design problems. The course used prototype collaboration software to test the effectiveness of new approaches.

The Make vs. Buy Decision for Specialty Contracting: Economic Analysis of the Choice of a Long Contracting
*R. Levitt, H. Harasawa
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: Oct. 1, 1993 to Aug. 31, 1994
Description:
Develop a theoretical foundation to model the practice of long-term contracting ("partnering") in order to analyze this approach with an extended economic framework.

Emergent Organization Structures: Using Intelligent Agents to Model how Information Processing Tools Effect Organization Structure
*R. Levitt, Y. Jin, G. Oralkan
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: Oct 1, 1993 to Sept. 30, 1994
Description:
Develop a simulation model that will help predict the impact of information technology on the productivity and quality of design tasks.
CIFE Woring Paper # WP026

A Computer Based Construction Information Storage and Retrieval System (COINSTORE)
*B. Paulson, M. Manavazhi
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: Oct. 1, 1993 to Aug. 31, 1994
Description:
This research will develop a prototype system that can be used to capture, classify and retrieve construction experience.
CIFE Technical Report # TR102

Bridging the Technology Gap: Innovation in the Big Six and Local Japanese Construction Companies
*B. Tatum, J. Wald
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: Dec. 1, 1990 to June 30, 1994
Description:
This research will develop a better understanding of the factors that influence the rate of diffusion of new technology from R&D into field use. Social structure within the organization is an important influence.

Design with Knowledge-Based Macros
*P. Teicholz, S. Workinger
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: Oct. 1, 1993 to Sept. 27, 1994
Description:
Develop a theory and prototype system that allows engineers to capture and modify repetitive CAD operations using macros.

Opportunistic Maintenance Scheduling in Facility Engineering
*P. Teicholz, J. Kunz, S. Lin
Project Sponsor: CIFE
Project Date: Oct. 1, 1993 to Sept. 30, 1994
Description:
The Value Analysis (VA) developed for the IRTMM project has been extended to cover situations where there are multiple repairs and alternative repair options.
CIFE Technical Reports # TR099 and # TR100

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Sponsored Projects which started during the 2000-01 Academic Year

Internet-Enabled Simulation of Earthquake Liquefaction Response on Parallel Computers
*K. Law
Project Sponsor: NSF, CMS Program
Project Date: Sept. 2000 to Feb. 2002
Description:
This project, in collaboration with researchers at University of California San Diego, aims to develop a finite element program for simulating earthquake iquefaction response. The simulation program will be run on state-of-the-art high performance computers and accessible via the internet.

A Wireless Modular Health Monitoring System for Civil Infrastructure
*K. Law
Project Sponsor: NSF, CMS Program
Project Date: Sept. 2000 to Aug. 2003
Description:
This project, in collaboration with researchers in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, is to develop a wireless micro-machined electrical mechanical device for vibration testing and structural health monitoring applications.

REGNET: A Distributed Information Management Framework for Environmental Laws and Regulations
*K. Law
Project Sponsor: NSF, CMS Program
Project Date: Sept. 2000 to Sept. 2003
Description:
This project, in collaboration with researchers in the Computer Science Dept.and Law School, investigates the development of an information management framework for environment regulations.

Sponsored Projects which started during the 1999-2000 Academic Year

Co-Evolution of Knowledge Networks and Twenty-First Century Organizational Forms: Computational Modeling and Empirical Testing
*R. Levitt
Project Sponsor: University of Illinois/NSF
Project Date: Sept. 1999 to Aug. 2000
Description:
In traditional organizations, non-routine situations are resolved by asking more experienced organizational participants for advice. In modern, networked organizations and societies, networks of advice giving and receiving are evolving in cyberspace in the form of voluntary "communities of practice." This grant is a collaboration with USC, The University of Illinois and Carnegie Mellon University to study the individual, organizational and infrastructure variables that effect how such informal networks of knowledge evolve over time, and how the shape and strength of such knowledge networks affects organizational performance.

RECALL Learning Technology in Action
*H. Krawinkler, R. Fruchter
Project Sponsor: Cisco
Project Date: Oct. 1999 to Dec. 2000

Playful on 12
*R. Fruchter
Project Sponsor: ITSS, Stanford Univ.
Project Date: Jan. 2000 to Sept. 2000

Knowledge Trading
*H. Bjornsson
Project Sponsor: Nihon Unisys, Ltd.
Project Date: Jan. 2000 to June 2001
Description:
This project will survey new knowledge management technologies and their use for developing Internet based "knowledge trading" services. A prototype system for "situational learning" will be developed. The project will focus on tools for producing services and on learner interfaces.

Internet-Enabled Framework forCollaborative Development of NonlinearDynamic Analysis Program
*K. Law
Project Sponsor: Pacific EarthquakeEngineering Center
Project Date: May 2000 to April 2001
Description:
This project, in collaboration with researchers at University of California, Berkeley, is to develop an internet-based collaborative framework for the development of structural analysis program. The framework is designed to support collaborative software development by researchers at PEER, a consortium of over 10 universities in the west coast.

Process Specification and Simulation
*K. Law
Project Sponsor: National Institute of Standards and Technology
Project Date: June 2000 to June 2001
Description:
This project investigates the use of PSL (Process Specification Language) as an exchange standard for process specification and SIMQL (Simulation Query Language) for the simulation of workflow processes.

REGBASE: A Distributed Information Infrastructure for Regulation Management and Compliance Checking
*K. Law
Project Sponsor: NSF Digital Government
Project Date: July 2000 to June 2003
Description:
This project, in collaboration with Computer Science Dept., investigates the development of an information management framework for ADA regulations and guidelines.

Sponsored Projects which started during the 1998-99 Academic Year

A Library for Component Information and Engineering Services to Support E-commerce
*Bjornsson, Hans
Project Sponsor: NIST
Project Date: Sept. 1998 to Sept. 2000
Description:
This research proposes the development of a software prototype for a library of component information and engineering services in an E-commerce framework. The repository will reference information models and associated engineering applications that automate the selection and specifications of components for installation in a process plant. It will interoperate with a CAD/CAE system that supports STEP through an intermediate model that facilitates dynamic, bi-directional information exchange between the library and a design model represented in a CAD/CAE system. This research investigates critical representation and interoperation issues associated with the development of distributed systems for sharing knowledge that will enable E-commerce and eventually a virtual product delivery process.

Bridging the Urban, Engineering, and Construction disciplines in the Information Age
*Krawinkler, Helmut; Fruchter, Renate; Fischer, Martin; Sporman, Alfred
Project Sponsor: UPS Foundation
Project Date: Oct. 1998 to Sept. 2003
Description:

Modeling Virtual University Project-Based Learning Space: a Joint Aoyoma-Stanford-Nihon Unisys
*Krawinkler, Helmut; Fruchter, Renate; Tamaki, T.; Martin, Mike; Chinowsky, Paul
Project Sponsor: MITI Sponsored Project with UX Berkeley and Georgia Tech; MITI, Japan
Project Date: Oct. 1998 to Mar. 2000
Description:

Entrepreneuship on the Internet
*Bjornsson, Hans
Project Sponsor: CHAMPS Research Foundation
Project Date: Jan. 1999 to Aug. 2001
Description:
The overall goal is to document management practices in Internet start-ups. We will investigate business models, their associated success factors, along with how management style changes throughout the life of new ventures. A number of case studies will be made for which we will document how some key aspects of the companies have developed from formation to present state.

E-Business in Corporate Real Estate and Facility Management
*Bjornsson, Hans
Project Sponsor: Nihon Unisys
Project Date: Jan. 1999 to Sept. 2001
Description:
This project is investigating the state-of-the art of e-commerce applications in Corporate Real Estate and Facilities Management. It will focus on eBusiness models and how they are faring in the marketplace, identifying key strengths and weaknesses, long-term prospects, market opportunities, and evolutionary scenarios. Framework for identifying e-business opportunities and appropriate model will be developed.

Internet Business Models - A Clearing House for the Japanese Construction Industry
*Bjornsson, Hans
Project Sponsor: Nihon Unisys
Project Date: June 1999 to Mar. 2000
Description:
This contract is to develop a knowledge base for developing Internet based services for the construction and facility management industries. The objectives are to outline possible new business for the construction industry. The study will result in a "white paper" that outlines necessary research and development that are needed to implement Internet based AEC services. The white paper will be presented at a seminar in Tokyo at the end of March next year.

Electronic Education Commerce
*Krawinkler, Helmut; Fruchter, Renate
Project Sponsor: Nihon Unisys
Project Date: June 1999 to Mar. 2000
Description:
This project proposes to introduce and define the concept and business model of Electronic Education Commerce (EEC)TM*. EEC's working definition is a Just-in-Time Learning (JITL) environment for high volume electronic exchange or buying and selling of knowledge between knowledge producers and learners via knowledge and service providers. This project proposes to introduce and define the concept of knowledge bytes that can be packaged and re-used to address the learners' goals in a JIT fashion, based on a point-of-access payment model.

Generating Construction Specific Models from IFC-Based Design Models
*Fischer, Martin
Project Sponsor: US Dept. of Army
Project Date: June 1999 to Dec. 1999
Description:
The proposed research will formalize mechanisms or algorithms that transform a design-focused product model to a construction-focused product model. We will give examples of the representation required for the design product model and for the user-specified transformation constraints and develop a prototype software tool that uses some geometric reasoning techniques and implements sample transformation mechanisms. The research will illustrate the use of IFC to share design information with construction software and demonstrate how to add standardized transformation algorithms to object standards like the IFC.

Demonstration of IFC-Based Time and Cost Control for Construction Projects
*Fischer, Martin
Project Sponsor: US Dept. of Army
Project Date: June 1999 to Dec. 1999
Description:

Simulation Models of Dynamic Work Processes and Organizations
*Levitt, Raymond
Project Sponsor: NSF
Project Date: Aug. 1999 to July 2000
Description:
The current version of VDT (commercialized through Stanford's Office of Technology Licensing as Vité Project) models and simulates work processes and organizations in fast-track design and construction projects (and in a variety of fast-paced product development and IT projects). For such projects, the set of high-level activities and their responsible team members can be defined in advance, so that changes to the project can be modeled as adding work volume to already-defined activities. In contrast, a wide variety of service activities such as plant or building maintenance are less well defined. Problems must be diagnosed before the work process and required team members to execute the repair or other service can be fully defined. This grant supports extensions to VDT to enable modeling of relatively unstructured service and maintenance projects.

Sponsored Projects which started during the 1997-98 Academic Year

Finite Element Analysis of Strain Localization in Excavations
*Borja, Ronaldo
Project Sponsor: NSF
Project Date: Oct. 1997 to Sept. 2000
Description:
The objective of this project is to study the effect of strain localization on the stability and deformation behavior of open and supported excavations. The research will cover drained and undrained behavior using a finite deformation theory based on multiplicative plasticity, and will involve the use of J2 plasticity and modified Cam-Clay plasticity models. There are numerous field cases where strain localizations are known to have formed during the process of sequential excavation, and these will be used to test the accuracy of the proposed analysis methodology.

U.S. German Cooperative Research: Linking Design and Construction with Construction Method Models
*Fischer, Martin
Project Sponsor: NSF
Project Date: Feb. 1998 to Jan. 1999
Description:
This funding supports international travel to enhance Stanford's on-going NSF project on Method Modeling through collaboration with a research team at the Technical University in Munich, Germany. Both groups are conducting research in the application of information technology to construction project management, with the Stanford team focusing on project planning, and the Munich team focusing on project control.

A Distributed Software Paradigm for Nonlinear Dynamic Analysis
*Law, Kincho
Project Sponsor: UC, Berkeley
Project Date: Apr. 1998 to Mar. 1999
Description:
The objective of the project is to develop a new software paradigm for structural analysis program that can be accessed on the internet environment. The nonlinear dynamic analysis program will be implemented in a modular structure using object-oriented design. New element types and specialized solution schemes will be easily and seamlessly integrated without code modification of the analysis kernel. This facility will facilities researchers to focus on their specialized interest, such as developing nonlinear elements for concrete, distributed solution algorithms, etc.. The nonlinear dynamic analysis program will be an internet-based engineering service that engineers and designers can have on-line access.

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Sponsored Projects which started during the 1996-97 Academic Year

CIFE Conference '97: "The Impact of New Information Technology on the Procurement of Design and Construction Services - an Owner's View"
*Teicholz, Paul
Project Sponsor: NSF
Project Date: Apr. 1997 to Sept. 1997
Description:
This grant gave partial support for this conference held at Stanford University on March 23-24, 1997.

Linking Design and Constructions with Construction Method Models
*Fischer, Martin
Project Sponsor: NSF
Project Date: Sept. 1996 to Aug. 1997
Description:
To support the rapid generation of schedules, this research will develop and test strategies that support the generation of schedules based on formalized construction method models, and develop and test a template that captures construction method information necessary to support the schedule generation strategy. The objectives are to enable practitioners to model underlying scheduling assumptions and not just the schedule itself. To help make the schedules generated by automated scheduling systems more realistic, this research focuses on formalizing the representation of construction methods as symbolic, activity-based construction method models. The input to the scheduling process is in the form of a 3D-CAD model. The CAD model is interpreted and linked to a building product model. Via activities, components in the product model can then be linked to construction method models. The construction method models provide the planning software with instructions on the detailed activities and sequence relationships that need to be generated. Once activities and their sequence relationships have been combined into a schedule, it can be visualized as an activity network and displayed as a 4D model. Some anticipated characteristics of the proposed construction method model are the ability to represent construction methods at different levels of abstraction, to relate schedules and design descriptions to each other at different levels of detail, to be generally applicable, yet also easily customizable, and to capture enough information to - at least partially - automate scheduling.

Data Capturing Templates for Life Cycle Management
*Fischer, Martin
Project Sponsor: Santa Clara County
Project Date: Oct. 1996 to June 1997
Description:
The goal of this research is to show how web-based templates provide faster and more consistent access to facility management information so that facility manager can make better informed maintenance decisions more quickly.

Total Process Improvements in Building Energy Efficiency
*Tatum, Clyde B.
Project Sponsor: Lawrence Berkeley Lab.
Project Date: Jan. 1997 to May 1998
Description:
The purpose of this research is to identify the stages of evaluation and adoption of an internet-based technology for remote monitoring and analysis of energy use in buildings. The investigation focuses on third-party property managers for large commercial buildings. The technology includes advanced sensors and software for analysis and visualization of energy use patterns.

Computational Enterprise Modeling: Analysis Tools to enhance Quality in Organizations
*Levitt, Raymond
Project Sponsor: NSF
Project Date: Jan. 1997 to Dec. 1998
Description:
This project applies VDT to modeling enterprises engaged in aerospace and other project-oriented work that have developed excellent process models but do not have simulation capabilities to analyze their current or reengineered work processes in the context of alternative organization structures or communication tool environments.

Sponsored Projects which started during the 1995-96 Academic Year

Virtual Rapid Prototyping of Products, Facilities, Processes and Organizations
*Fischer, Martin; Levitt, Ray; Kunz, John
Project Sponsor: NSF
Project Date: Jan. 1995 to Dec. 1997
Description:
This grant is to fund work with Intel of Santa Clara in modeling the products, facilities, processes and organizations involved in bringing new semiconductor facilities on line much more rapidly and with higher initial yields.

NSF Synthesis Coalition
*Krawinkler, Helmut; *Teicholz, Paul; Levitt, Raymond; Fruchter, Renate - RA
Project Sponsor: NSF
Project Date: Sept. 25, 1995 to Sept. 25, 1996
Description:
This project is aimed to develop, test, implement and disseminate a new interdisciplinary course which engages A/E/C student teams in project-based learning. The course exposes the students to a holistic view of the A/E/C industry, eme rging collaboration technologies and organization modeling computer tool. It is in collaboration with the faculty of UC-Berkeley and Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo.

Integration and Interoperability of Multiple Software Applications
*Teicholz, Paul; Kunz, John
Project Sponsor: Kaman Sciences Corp.
Project Date: Jan. 1, 1996 to June 30, 1996
Description:
This work shall provide a theoretical discussion of interoperability issues, reviewing past R&D approaches (including Rome Laboratory's AAITT and EPRI's EPRIWorks), current commercial approaches and the new and emerging research tchnologies. The separate issues of data exchange and semanitc translation shall both be discussed and related.

Sponsored Projects which started during the 1994-95 Academic Year

Development of On-Line Robot Motion Planning System
*Khatib, Oussama
Project Sponsor: Boeing Co.
Project Date: Apr. 1, 1994 to March 30, 1995
Description:
The goal of this proposal is to extend the elastic band framework of path planning to avoid collisions to multiple manipulators operating in a dynamic 3D environment with obstacles determined by sensor measurements. The new algorithms will be implemented using a system of three PUMA 560 robots operating in a shared environment. A model of the environment will be constructed from a laser light-strip sensor, which will be mounted on one of the PUMA robots.

Robotic Material Handling Assistants
*Khatib, Oussama
Project Sponsor: NSF
Project Date: June 15, 1994 to May 31, 1995
Description:
A major component of material handling in a variety of assembly tasks is what may be called dynamic fixturing; transporting material from source to destination and positioning it for attachment. The objective of the proposed research i s development of an automated mobile ``assistant'' to aid workers in this task. The robotic assistant will be designed to supplement the physical capabilities of a human operator, providing an ``extra pair of hands'' that can move a load in response to fo rces he exerts.

Integration of CAD and Energy Analysis Software for Building Design
*Teicholz, Paul; Papamichael, Kostos (LBL); Clayton, Mark-Ph.D.
Project Sponsor: Calif. Institute for Energy Efficiency (CIEE)
Project Date: Sept. 1, 1994 to Aug. 31, 1995
Description:
Develop an architectural design system that will allow analysis of energy usage, construction cost and life cycle cost during the conceptual design stage.

Modeling of Products in the Process and Power Industry
*Teicholz, Paul; Arnold, Andrew-Ph.D.
Project Sponsor: NIST
Project Date: August 1, 1994 to July 31, 1995
Description:
Study the requirements for data exchage standards over the life cycle of products used in the process industry (pipes, fittings, pumps, etc.) and develop object oriented standards that will support these requirements. Test these standa rds using a prototype design system.
CIFE Technical Report # TR107

An International Perspective in the Creation and Use of Design Criteria
*Paulson, Boyd C.; Karen Lee Hansen - PhD.
Project Sponsor: NSF
Project Date: July 1, 1994 to March 31, 1995
Description:
This project is motivated by the desire to provide clients and builders with improved design methodology. Using a multiple-case study as its foundation, this project links the latest thinking on knowledge-based computer systems (includ ing computer-aided design) and an urgent industry problem. Mistakes in design criteria can lead to higher costs, increased litigation, schedule delays, and lower quality of final constructed products. This project's purpose is to create a dialogue between designers, builders, clients, and educators in pursuit of a better construction delivery process and, ultimately, of higher quality facilities.

Integration Methodology for Problem Solving Using Multiple Expert Systems
*Teicholz, Paul; John Kunz
Project Sponsor: Kaman Sciences Corp.
Project Date: Nov. 1, 1994 to Oct. 31, 1996
Description:
This grant is to fund work to develop a version of IRTMM in which modules are linked by a loosely coupled integration strategy.

Total Process Improvements in Building Energy Efficiency
*Tatum, Clyde B.
Project Sponsor: Univ. of California
Project Date: Nov. 29, 1993 to Feb. 28, 1995
Description:
The purpose of this research is to identify the stages of evaluation and adoption of an internet-based technology for remote monitoring and anaylsis of energy use in buildings. The investigation focuses on third-party property managers for large commercial buildings. The technology includes advanced sensors and software for analysis and visualization of energy use patterns.

Technology Strategies for Project Integration
*Tatum, Clyde B.
Project Sponsor: NSF
Project Date: Aug. 15, 1994 to July 31, 1995
Description:
This research project involves investigarion of project integration in Euorpean design and construction firms and collaboration between the Center for Integrated Planning at the Swiss Technical Institute in Zurich and Stanford's Center for integrated Facility Engineering.
CIFE Technical Report # TR096

NSF Synthesis Coalition
*Krawinkler, Helmut; *Teicholz, Paul; Levitt, Raymond; Fruchter, Renate - RA
Project Sponsor: NSF
Project Date: Oct. 1, 1994 to Sept. 30, 1995
Description:
This project is aimed to develop, test, implement and disseminate a new interdisciplinary course which engages A/E/C student teams in project-based learning. The course exposes the students to a holistic view of the A/E/C industry, eme rging collaboration technologies and organization modeling computer tool.
Related Course Website

Computational Enterprise Modeling: Analysis Tools to Enhance Quality in Organizations
*Levitt, Raymond
Project Sponsor: Boeing Co., Lockheed-Martin
Project Date: Jan. 1, 1995 to Dec. 31, 1997
Description:
This project applies VDT to modeling enterprises engaged in aerospace and other project-oriented work that have developed excellent process models but do not have simulation capabilities to analyze their current or reengineered work pr ocesses in the context of alternative organization structures or communication tool environments.

Product, Process, and Organization Prototyping for Concurrent Engineering
*Fischer, Martin; Levitt, Ray; Saraswat, Krishna
Project Sponsor: NSF
Project Date: March 15, 1995 to Feb. 28, 1998
Description:
This research proposes to develop virtual rapid prototyping concepts and tools to support accelerated design, construction and start-up of semiconductor manufacturing facilities. The long-term objective is to develop concepts, virtual prototyping tools and development methodologies to support total product development engineering, including manufacturing processes, design, construction and start-up of factories; and design of integrated engineering and manufacturing organizations.
CIFE Technical Report #TR104

Sponsored Projects which started during the 1993-94 Academic Year

General Performance Model of Project Performance
*Ashley, David (UCB); *Teicholz, Paul; Fergusson, Kelly-Post Doc; Cipres-Palacin, Helena-Ph.D.
Project Sponsor: NSF
Project Date: April 1, 1994 to March 31, 1996
Description:
Develop a model that will help predict the impact of early project decisions on final project performance (cost, schedule, quality, life cycle profitability).

Research Inititation Award: Model-Based Constructibility Analysis
*Fischer, Martin
Project Sponsor: NSF
Project Date: May 15, 1994 to April 30, 1995
Description:
Develop a prototype system to evaluate a 3D CAD model of a building to analyze its constructibility.
CIFE Working Paper # WP034

Agent-based Integration for Building Design
*Genesereth, Mike; *Teicholz, Paul; Khedro, Taha-RA; Tai, Philip-M.S.
Project Sponsor: CERL
Project Date: April 1, 1994 to March 31, 1995
Description:
Develop an agent-based architecture that will support collaborative design of a building over the Internet. Also participating: MIT, CMU, Univ. of Illinois.
CIFE Working Papers # WP032 and # WP033; CIFE Video # VT015

The Virtual Design Team: A Model of Organizational Performance
*Levitt, Raymond; Jin, Yan - RA; Kunz, John - RA; Oralkan, Gaye - Ph.D.; Kish, Jolin Salazar - Ph.D.
Project Sponsor: NSF
Project Date: May 1, 1992 to April 30, 1995
Description:
Develop a simulation model that models the performance of a design and construction organization using specified tools, communication links, and doing specified tasks.
CIFE Working Papers # WP029 and # WP036 ; Related Website: www.stanford.edu/group/VDT/index.html

An Agent-Oriented Approach to Collaborative Design
*Levitt, Raymond; Jin, Yan - RA
Project Sponsor: Toyota Corp.
Project Date: Jan. 5, 1994 to Jan. 4, 1995
Description:
Develop an agent-oriented structure for collaborative design that is composed of a general intelligent agent structure and a communication protocol for communication among the personal agents.
CIFE Working Paper #WP043

Agent Supported Collaborative Design
*Levitt, Raymond; Jin, Yan - RA
Project Sponsor: Toyota Corp.
Project Date: Apr. 1, 1994 to March 31, 1996
Description:
Develop a process model to describe both design and coordination processes so that the agents can provide coordination support based on design contexts.
CIFE Working Papers #WP027, # WP028, and # WP043

Construction Planning for Value-Added
*Paulson, Boyd; Kunz, John - RA
Project Sponsor: NSF
Project Date: May 15, 1994 to April 30, 1997
Description:
This project will simulate construction field operations to identfy non-value added operations so that these can be reduced as much as possible prior to actual construction.
CIFE Technical Report #TR110; Project Website: www.stanford.edu/~kunz/va.html

Finding Technology Payback Potential
*Tatum, Bob; Mitropoulos, Takis - Ph.D. student
Project Sponsor: Construction Industry Institute (CII)
Project Date: Jan. 1, 1994 to Dec. 31, 1994
Description: Analyze the reasons why new technology either was or was not adopted for design and construction functions.
CIFE Technical Report # TR096

Total Process Improvements in Building Energy Efficiency
*Tatum, Bob; Shockman, Chris - Ph.D.
Project Sponsor: University of California
Project Date: November 29, 1993 to February 28, 1995
Description:
Develop methods to increase the energy efficiency of buildings through improved real-time control systems.

Intelligent Real-Time Condition Monitoring and Maintenance (IRTMM)
*Teicholz, Paul; *Levitt, Raymond; *Hayes-Roth, Barbara; Kunz, John - RA; Jin, Yan - RA
Project Sponsors: Shimizu Corp., EPRI, Pacific Gas & Electric Co., Southern Calif. Edison Co.
Project Date: April 1, 1991 to March 31, 1994
Description:
This project developed a prototype system that is able to use a symbolic model of the P&ID of a power plant to plan "just in time" maintenance actions based on real-time condition monitoring of the key plant components. The plan co nsiders the economic factors and balances the cost of repair against the cost of unplanned failure.
Project Website: www.stanford.edu/~kunz/irtmm.html; CIFE Technical Reports # TR099 and #TR100; CIFE Video # VT016

Retrofit '94: A Conference on Retrofit Construction at Stanford University
*Teicholz, Paul; *Levitt, Raymond
Project Sponsor: NSF
Project Date: April 15, 1994 to July 31, 1994
Description:
This grant gave partial support for a conference held at Stanford on March 24-25, 1994.

Study and Report on Applying Information Technology to Improve Services and Cost Effectiveness of Facilities Dept.
*Teicholz, Paul; Kunz John - RA
Project Sponsor: Santa Clara County Facilities Planning and Development Dept.
Project Date: May 1, 1994 to August 31, 1994
Description:
This project will study the current information technology (IT) requirements of the Facility Development group at the County of Santa Clara and suggest improvements in how IT can be used to improve efficency and quality.

Proposal to Develop a Business Plan for Introducing Intelligent Real-Time Maintenance Management into INTEL
*Teicholz, Paul; Kunz, John - RA
Project Sponsor: Intel Corp.
Project Date: Feb. 1, 1994 to July 31, 1994
Description:
Develop a business plan to evaluate the costs, benefits, risk issues, implementation requirements, etc. required to use the IRTMM technology for new Intel factories.

Integrated Data Exchange and Concurrent Design for Engineered Facilities
*Ullman, Jeffrey; *Law, Kincho; *Howard, Craig; *Teicholz, Paul; Keller, Arthur - RA; Tiwari, Sanjai - Ph. D.; Gupta, Ashish Ph. D.; Krishnamurthy, Karthik - Ph.D.
Project Sponsor: NSF
Project Date: Sept. 15, 1991 to August 31, 1994
Description:
Develop theory and a prototype system to model a building, manage a multidiciplinary design effort by defining versions and configurations of the design, and allow constraints to be expressed and tested in a distributed design environm ent. This system is based on the use of relational databases for the design data and version management.
CIFE Technical Report #TR106 and Workin Paper #WP031

Last Revised: May 5, 2005