This paper presents the design and implementation of a knowledge-based transport modelling system, and critically discusses its advantages and new facilities. A general abstract mathematical formulation of the transport modelling process is given. The frame concept of knowledge-based representation is introduced, where a `frame' is a data structure for representing an object's attributes. The knowledge-based system provides a general formal mechanism to represent different types of knowledge, such as action plans, analysis strategies, statistical and heuristic procedures, and information structures. It is also an integrating structure, which enables the high level construction of an individual of an individual or problem-specific modelling strategy without programming. In a transport knowledge base, the frame system is interfaced with: (1) the statistical database; (2) the transport database; and (3) the model application module. Two important aspects of this implementation of transport modelling are emphasised; the most crucial aspect concerns automatisation of the transport modelling process. A prototype of this modelling system, for a multinomial logic model, was implemented on a personal computer, using the GAUSS mathematical and statistical system.
Samenvatting