Intelligent decision support for structural design analysis

Many comprehensive composite computer‐aided design systems with special analysis tools have been developed in order to make the product development process more effective. However, these computer‐aided tools still concentrate mainly on the numerical aspects of analysis whilst, in most of cases, they fail to provide any kind of expert advice during the decision‐making process. It is obvious that the existing computer tools in this field need to be extended in order to reach a higher level of performance by adding some intelligent behaviour. This paper discusses a framework for intelligent decision support for structural design analysis using a finite element method. The intelligent environment presented is composed of several knowledge‐based modules in order to address some major bottlenecks within the analysis‐based design improvement process. The prototypes of four intelligent modules are presented within this context. These are: an intelligent module for supporting some initial decisions within the design analysis process, an intelligent module for finite elements’ selection, an intelligent module for finite element mesh design, and an intelligent module for supporting the results’ interpretation process. According to the feedbacks of those experts who participated in the evaluation process, these prototypes could be applied as useful supporting tools for inexperienced designers in design practice, as shown in certain examples presented in this paper.