Abstract
A C++ class, called Tripod, was created as a tool to assist with the development of rule-base decision support systems. The Tripod class contains data structures for the rule-base and member functions for operating on the data. The rule-base is defined by three ASCII files. These files are translated by a preprocessor into a single file that is located when a rule-base object is instantiated. The Tripod class was tested as part of a proto-type decision support system (DSS) for winter highway maintenance in the Intermountain West. The DSS is composed of two principal modules: the main program, called the wrapper, and a Tripod rule-base object. The wrapper is a procedural module that interfaces with remote sensors and an external meterological database. The rule-base contains the logic for advising an inexperienced user and for assisting with the decision making process.