In the last few years the integration of computational systems to aid planning processes in structural engineering has become a significant research area. Particularly, computer aided design (CAD), as a part of computer aided engineering (CAE), requires the integration of specific knowledge of the problem domain. Therefore, providing adequate models for a consistent representation and use of knowledge is a meaningful task, especially for the design verification of structural systems as a chief step in the design process (Garrett et al.).

This paper first points out the fundamental aspects of the design verification process within CAD. Then, an abstract object oriented model for the representation of knowledge to develop computational verification systems (OWM in German "Objektorientiertes Wissensrepräsentations-Modell") is built up. This model focuses on the design process and not on a specific design standard, hence the advantage of an easy transfer to other problem spaces is provided. Afterwards, to prove this approach the specific problem "code verification of steel structures" according to the German design standard (DIN 18800) is modeled with this abstract OWM.

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