GGSD Program Details for ConFound

ConFound

Category	Educational
Publisher	University of Durham
Platform	Win3x, Win95/98, WinNT
Status	Public domain
Description	ConFound is part of the GeotechniCAL suite of Computer Aided Learning programs and consists of 3 components: database of project specific information; knowledge base of foundation types; help files. Project specific information can be entered into the system by the student under 3 categories: Information about the structure (e.g. loading, tolerance to movement); Information about the site (e.g. past uses, topography); Information about the ground (e.g. soil/rock conditions, test results). The foundation type knowledge base held in the system contains all the information about the various foundation types available to the student. A default set will be provided by the software developer but tutors will have access to add to, modify or delete from the knowledge base. Anything that might influence the suitability of a given foundation type is stored within the knowledge base. This knowledge comprises a rule, a series of comments (and link to a help file) and a value quantifying the suitability. Each foundation type can have any number of rules associated with it. Therefore, depending on the information stored in the project specific database each foundation type will return a value signifying its suitability and a series of comments. The system can then use this information to evaluate the student's decisions. At any stage the user can find more detailed information about any point raised by the KBS by jumping to the corresponding page in the help files.
Cost	Free evaluation version on WWW to UK educational establishments
Data formats supported	None stated
Supplier in United Kingdom	The GeotechniCAL Consortium