Title: Semantic techniques for discovering architectural patterns in building information models

Authors: Beniamino Di Martino; Mariangela Graziano

Addresses: Engineering Department, University of Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Italy; Computer Science and Information Engineering Department, Asia University, Taiwan ' Engineering Department, University of Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Italy

Abstract: Architectural patterns, a concept devised by the Viennese architect Christopher Alexander, have inspired the world of patterns, especially in software engineering. Two objectives have been addressed in this work: to realise a semantic representation of Alexander's patterns by developing an OWL ontology, and to devise a rule-based system for discovering the patterns into a concrete building model, represented in IFC format, one of the pillars of the BIM - an approach now widely spread in the architectural and civil engineering design world. This paper shows how semantic and logical inference rules have been applied to discover Alexander's pattern on a generic IFC model of a building.

Keywords: semantic technology; architectural patterns; building information modelling; BIM; industry foundation classes; IFC; IFC-OWL.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCSE.2021.115112

International Journal of Computational Science and Engineering, 2021 Vol.24 No.2, pp.200 - 213

Received: 28 Sep 2020
Accepted: 01 Oct 2020
Published online: 18 May 2021 *

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