Charles Eastman (Chuck)
Professor in the Colleges of Architecture and Computing,

Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta., Georgia, USA
Head, AEC Integration Laboratory
B. Arch.,M. Arch. University of California, Berkeley
 

Previous Positions:

Previously Director of the COA Ph.D. Program Georgia Tech, 2000-2008
Professor of Architecture, Director of the Center for Design and Computation, UCLA, 1987-1995
Professor of Architecture and Computer Science, Carnegie-Mellon University, 1974-1982
Director of the Center for Building Science and of the Computer Graphics Lab, 1978-1982
Started the Ph.D. Program at Carnegie-Mellon, 1969
Founder and first President, Association for Computer-Aided Design in Architecture (ACADIA)
Co-founder and President, Formative Technologies, Inc. Pittsburgh, PA. 1982-1987

Prof. Eastman's teaching and research is in the areas of Building Information Modeling, solids and parametric modeling, engineering databases and product models and interoperability. He is also an active researcher in design cognition and cognitive science.

 

Current Research: 

Building Information Modeling: The development of strong parametric modeling systems for design and fabrication in the construction industry are revolutionizing the methods, tools and practices throughout architecture and construction.

Books:

Eastman, C., Teicholz, P., Sacks, R. and Liston, K. (2008) BIM Handbook: A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers and Contractors, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New Jersey.

 

Papers and Conferences:

Eastman Charles M. and Rafael Sacks. (2008) Relative Productivity in the AEC Industries in the United States for On-Site and Off-Site Activities, Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, Vol. 134, No. 7, July 1, 2008, 517-526.

Eastman, C.M. (2004) Invited Keynote Presentation, New Methods of Architecture and Building, Fabrication: Proceedings ACADIA 2004 Conference, Toronto, CA

 

 

                                
Building Product Models: developing interoperability between various applications with emphasis on various building models, including IFC and CIS/2; developing "next generation" integration and data exchange technology; integration process coordination with data exchange.

Books:

Eastman C., Building Product Models: Computer Environments Supporting Design and Construction, CRC Press, Boca Raton FL, (1999).
 

Papers and Conferences:

 Lee, Ghang, Charles M. Eastman, and Rafael Sacks. (2007) Eliciting Information for Product Modeling using Process Modeling. Data & Knowledge Engineering 62 (2): 292-307.

Lee G, Eastman C, (2007) Twelve Design Patterns for Integrating and Normalizing Product Model Schemas, Comp-Aided Civil and Infrastructure Engr. 22, pp. 153-171.

Yang D, and Eastman C, (2007) A Rule-based Subset Generation Method for Product Data Models”, Comp-Aided Civil and Infrastructure Engr. 22, pp. 133-148.

Eastman C., F. Wang, S-J You, D. Yang (2005) Deployment of An AEC Industry Sector Product Model, Computer-Aided Design 37:11, pp. 1214–1228

Eastman, C., Lee, G., and Sacks, R., (2002) “Deriving a Product Model from Process Models”, Concurrent Engineering 2002, Cranfield U., July 27-29, 2002

Eastman, C.M., T.S. Jeng, [1999], “A database supporting evolutionary product model development for design”, Automation and Construction, 8:3, pp. 305-324.

Augenbroe, G. and C. Eastman [1998] "Product Modeling Strategies for Today and the Future", The Life-Cycle of Construction Innovations: CIB Working Conference, June 3-5, Stockholm Sweden.

R. Stouffs, R. Krishnamurty,and C. Eastman [1996],  "A Formal Structure for Nonequivalent Solid Representations", IFIP Knowledge Intensive CAD Workshop,  Carnegie-Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, September, (1996).

Eastman, C.[1994],"A Data Model for Design Knowledge, in Knowledge-Based Computer-Aided Architectural Design, G. Carrera and Y. Kalay (eds.), Elsevier Press pp. 95-122.

Eastman, C.M. [1993] "Conceptual Modeling in Design", in Fundamental Developments in Computer- Aided Geometric Modeling, L. Piegl (ed.), Academic Press, 185-202.

Eastman, C. S. Chase, and H. Assal, [1993], "System Architecture for Computer Integration of Design and Construction Knowledge", Automation in Construction, 2:2, pp. 95-107..

Eastman, C. M., A. Bond and S. Chase [1991] "A Data Model for Engineering Design Databases", 1st International Conf. on A.I. in Design, Edinburgh, Scotland, June 1991.

 

Product Model Repositories: future architects and engineers will rely on product model repositories as their project database. There is much work to be done to make such repositories easy to use, intuitive and effective. This includes graphical interface development, query methods and transaction schemes, as examples.

Papers and Conferences:

 You S-J, Yang D, and Eastman C, (2004)  Relational DB Implementation of STEP based product model, CIB T6S7 Information technology in construction, CIB International Congress, Toronto, May 5-7, 2004.

Jeng, T.S., and C. Eastman, [1998] "Database Architecture for Design Collaboration", Automation and Construction, 7:6 ,pp. 475-484.

Jacobsen, K. , T.S. Jeng, C. Eastman, [1997], "Information management in Creative Engineering Design and Capabilities of Database Transaction", Automation and Construction, 7:1,pp. 55-69.

 

Next Generation Design Tools: with a new generation of architectural and building industry design tools, especially based on parametric design and rule-based design, there is a need for critical assessment, improved specification, and the development of advanced prototypes.

 

Papers and Conferences:

Sacks R., Eastman C.M. and Lee G. and Orndorff D, (2005) A Target Benchmark of the Impact of Three-Dimensional Parametric Modeling in Precast Construction, PCI Journal, July-August pp. 136-139.

Sacks R., Eastman C.M. and Lee G. (2004) “Parametric 3D Modeling in Building Construction with Examples from Precast Concrete”, Automation in Construction, 13:3 pp. 291-312

Eastman,C.M.  (2004) Invited Keynote Presentations, New Methods of Architecture and Building, Fabrication: ACADIA 2004 Conference, Toronto, CA

 Lee, G., R. Sacks, and Eastman, C., Wessman, R,. (2004) Development of an Intelligent 3D Parametric Modeling System for the North American Precast Concrete Industry: Phase II, 21th International Association for Automation and Robotics in Construction, Sept 23-25, 2002, Jeju Korea, September, 2004.

Eastman, C.M.  R. Sacks and G. Lee, (2004) Functional modeling in parametric CAD systems, in: Generative-CAD Conference, Carnegie Mellon, PA, July 12-14,2004.

 Sacks R., Eastman C.M. and Lee G. [2003] Process Improvements in Precast Concrete Construction Using Top-down Parametric 3-D Computer Modeling, PCI Journal, 48:3, pp. 46-55.

 Sacks R., Eastman C.M. and Lee G. (2004) Parametric 3D Modeling in Building Construction with Examples from Precast Concrete, Automation in Construction, 13 (2004) 291-312

Eastman, C.M., Rafael Sacks , Ghang Lee, (2002) Strategies for Realizing the Benefits of 3D Integrated Modeling of Buildings for the AEC Industry 19th International Association for Automation and Robotics in Construction, Sept 23-25, 2002, Washington D.C.

 

Design Cognition and Collaboration: cognitive models of design that support tool and interface development; studies and technological support for design collaboration.

Books:
C. Eastman, W. Newstetter, M. McCracken eds. Design Knowing and Learning: Cognition in Design Education, Elsevier Science Press, (2000).

Papers and Conferences:

Chun-Heng Ho CH, Eastman CM and Catrambone R, (2006) An investigation of 2D and 3D spatial and mathematical abilities, Design Studies, 27:4, (July) pp. 505-524

Lee, G., C. M. Eastman, and C. Zimring. (2003). Avoiding design errors: a case study of redesigning an architectural studio. Design Studies, 24, 411-435.

Eastman, C. “New Directions in Design Cognition: Studies of Representation and Recall”, in Design Knowing and Learning: Cognition in Design Education, C. Eastman, W. Newstetter, M. McCracken eds. Elsevier Science Press, (2001).

Eastman, C. Keynote address and paper: "Representation of Design Processes", Conference on Design Thinking, MIT April 23-25, (1999).

 

Design Processes: the benefits of product model repositories are that they support new more integrated design processes, integrating deisgn with analysis, fabrication, erection and other downstream influences; processes also are the basis for supporting the definition of product data models.

Eastman, C.M., Rafael Sacks , Ghang Lee, (2004) Strategies for Realizing the Benefits Implementing 3D Parametric Modeling  in Technical Areas of Construction – a Case Study, CIB International Conference, W78, Toronto, CA, May, 2004.

Sacks R., Eastman C.M. and Lee G. [2003] “Process Model Perspectives On Management and Engineering Procedures in the North American Precast/Prestressed Concrete Industry” ASCE Journal of Computing, March/April, 2004 (in press).

Eastman, C. Lee, G  Sacks, R (2003)  Development of a Knowledge-Rich CAD System for the North American Precast Concrete Industry, 2003 ACADIA Conference, Indianapolis, IN.

 Sacks, R., Eastman Building Modeling Enabled Workflow Changes in Precast Concrete and Structural Steel Construction, EIA-9, 9th EuropIA International Conference:  E-Activities and Intelligent Support in Design and the Built Environment, Istanbul, Turkey, August 2003

Eastman, C., Lee, G., and Sacks, R., (2002) “A formal and  analytical approach to modeling engineering project processes” CIB Conference W-78, Arhus Denmark, June 12-14.

Sacks, R., Eastman, C., Lee, G., and (2002) “Process and enterprise modeling, Information management & technologies” Concurrent Engineering in Construction 2002, Berkeley, CA, July 1-2.

Jeng, T.S., and C. Eastman, [1998], "Design Process Management", Computer-aided Civil and Infrastructure Engineering, 14, pp. 53-65.

 

Drawing Recognition: developing a high level language and implementation for robust drawing recognition; drawing recognition algorithms.

Babalola, O. and Eastman, C.  “Semantic Modeling of Architectural Drawings”, Proc. 2Oth ACADIA Conference, Buffalo NY, Nov. (2001).

 

Design Management: Building Model Repositories, new processes, all allow and involve new approaches to the management of deisgn; I am interrsted in such issues as change management, review procedures, and design coordination.

Books:

C.Eastman and Sriram Dasu, editors, Management of Design: Engineering and Management Perspectives, Kluver Academic Pub., Boston, 1994, including the preface and chapter, “Management of Design Information Flows”, with G. Shirley.
 

Papers and Conferences:

Eastman, C.M., D. S. Parker, T.S. Jeng, [1997] "Managing the Integrity of Design Data Generated by Multiple Applications: The Theory and Practice of Patching, Research in Engineering Design, 9, pp. 125-145.

Eastman, C. [1996] "Managing Integrity in Design Information Flows", Computer Aided Design, (May), 28:6/7, pp.551-565.

 

Other Books:
Augenbroe, G. and Eastman, C eds.  Computers in Building: Proceedings of the CAADfutures'99 Conference, Kluver Academic Publishers, New York, (1999)].

Courses Taught:
 
Building Information Modeling

Design Cognition (w/ C. Zimring)

Building Product Models and Interoperability

Research Seminar in Design Computing

Geometric and Solid Modeling Software Development

 Databases for Engineering and Design

 Design of Electronic Design Environments

 

(last updated 9/25/06)


chuck.eastman@arch.gatech.edu