Automated Text Generation for Building Standards
Chris Thewalt, David Moskowitz · Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering · 1990
A methodology for generating English text from a computer‐processible representation of a design standard is proposed. The machine representation of the standard uses a network of decision tables. A computer program illustrating the generation process is described. The program uses a template‐based, or fill‐in‐the‐blank, approach to text generation. An advantage of such an approach is that meaningful sentences can be constructed from the computer representation using little additional distinctly linguistic information. The use of semantic models to describe the meaning of individual provisions is also discussed. Several new models that were found to better describe the provisions occurring in design standards are subsequently proposed. Future research directions are proposed in light of the current findings.