Semi-automated site equipment selection and configuration through formal knowledge representation and inference

The selection and configuration of site equipment is a fundamental part of construction preparation. Suitable site equipment supports the timely, cost-efficient and qualitative execution of the construction process. The use of planning tools based on formal knowledge management methods can both speed up the process of construction site planning and lead to better results. In this paper, we propose a rule-based knowledge inference system to support site equipment planners in a semi-automated manner using input data from building information models and working schedules. The knowledge-based system is built using the business rule management system Drools. Using a sample construction site, the feasibility of the proposed approach has been proven.