Integrating Site Conditions in a Web-Based Intelligent Cost Estimator (WICE) System for Highway Construction Projects

This paper presents an integrated Web-based Cost Estimator (iWICE) system. The iWICE incorporates the influence of site conditions into a previous developed Web-based Intelligent Cost Estimator (WICE) system for highway construction projects. A VaFALCON neuro fuzzy system is employed to construct the site condition knowledge-based system that provide modifications for work unit costs from WICE. Moreover, VaFALCON allows user to input partial attribute information as complete attribute values are not available at the moment of estimation. The proposed iWICE system equips original WICE system with a more practical cost estimation system and provides more accurate estimates.