Expert System Tools for Civil Engineering Applications

Expert system software tools have played a major role in expediting program development. Some problems should not and possibly cannot be solved by current expert system technology. For problems that can be solved with current technology, consideration must be given to the design of the tool and how it relates to the particular problem. Each tool, as with any software, has advantages vs. limitations which must be evaluated before project development begins. This paper emphasizes the advantages and limitations from a civil engineering standpoint.