A Knowledge-Based Expert System for Earthmoving

Knowledge-based systems (expert systems) in construction management ought to support decision making based upon technical, technological, and economical criteria. A major decision for each contractor is the choice of construction method and construction equipment for a given project. This choice has to be made in the bidding phase if pricing is to be sufficiently precise. A major earth work project was selected to demonstrate the structure of a knowledge base, the process of bid preparation, and some rules and facts, together with the final outcome.