Enhancing Knowledge Representation in Engineering Databases

Recent advances in database management (DBM) technologies pertinent to the support of engineering requirements are reviewed. Engineering databases involve a variety of data types, the ability to express complex relationships between model elements, and knowledge (as well as data) representation. Data models are constructed from object types, operators and integrity rules, yielding formal tools for representing and manipulating information. Current model development efforts are concentrating on enhancing the capabilities for defining logical relationships among data elements, for data abstraction, for describing properties, operations and constraints on each type of object, and to expand to different types of data objects such as images. Knowledge base management relies on extracting meaning from data. Its implementation depends on the further development of rule- or frame-based problem solving within the DBM system. Techniques being pursued to obtain an ideal data mode which balances between naturalness and ease of expression and an adequate range of expression are explored.