A web-based system for managing construction information

The efficient deployment of construction projects depends partly on the effective communication among project participants. This communication, however, is hindered by the large amount and wide variation of the information involved and the spatial dispersion of construction sites. This paper presents a web-based system that facilitates construction information management and communication. Unlike common document-based systems. the present work focuses on demonstrating the potential of data-centric web databases in enhancing the communication process during project execution. Further, this work has aimed to put emphasis on information modelling, i.e., representation of the construction process in data to facilitate exchange and interoperability of information. The proposed system consists of a relational database and a dynamic data-driven web application. The database contains 32 appropriately designed tables. End users access the database through the internet and can perform certain transactions according to their authorisation. The system implementation and testing have shown that it can provide structured and reliable information, quick and remote access, and prompt updating capabilities. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.