Since a substantial portion of the foundation design problem is ill-defined in nature and based on heuristics and previous experience of engineers, expert systems technology is supposed to have the applicability and potentiality to aid in the solution of the problem. In this paper, a foundation design hypothesis has been proposed. The paper begins with a description of the foundation design problem and the reasoning behind why this problem resides within the knowledge of domain of experts. It proceeds with a discussion of a conceptual view of an integrated knowledge-based CAD system, FOUNDCON (FOUNdation Design CONsultant), to aid in solving foundation design problems. The main concern of this paper is to emphasize the primary issues involved in the process of domain formalization, and to discuss an approach for thinking about and organizing domain knowledge that is particularly suited to the tasks in expert consultation in the foundation design problem. A paradigm which seems to capture much of the way that foundation designers think about problems is also outlined, and some issues involved in basing an expert system on such a paradigm are illustrated.

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