Uses of databases in construction firms

This week, our group was assigned to do the topic ‘Uses of databases in construction firms’. Before reading the references my understanding of data base was data that are organized by fields, records, and files. And by using a single piece of information, people could find the record with complete set of fields; and a file is a collection of records. For example, a telephone book is a big database in my mind.

After reading a few references, I can easily connect the database to Engineering. Every construction project will involve a giant set of information and record. Effectively managing this these information, and keep them available, easy to find is hard. Keeping its accuracy is also an important task. Poor or missing record will affect the project to cause project delays, or even the complete failure of the desired construction. At the same time, too much unorganized data and records will cause confusions and decision delays.

Here is a list of the most important information needed during a construction progress.

• Cash flow
• Analysis results during planning and design,
• Design documents, including drawings and specifications,
• Construction schedules and cost estimates,
• Quality control and assurance records,
• Project correspondence and memorandum,
• Construction field activity and inspection logs,
• Legal contracts and regulatory documents.

Conceptual Data Model, also called conceptual schema is one of the earliest and most important data organization structures. It provides the user with an idea or abstract representation of the data organization. In this conceptual model, a data file for an application system consists of a series of records with pre-defined variables within each record. A record is simply a sequence of variable values, which may be text characters or numerals.

The database administrator is an individual or group charged with the maintenance and design of the database. In large organizations that has a lot of users, the database administrator is very important for the database system. For small projects, the database administrator might be helpful to the project manager.

With better information recorded, the problem could be seen earlier, so the construction firm could change the time of material delivery, also would help to make changes to keep the project on time. Both project design and control will be on track. Contractors and engineers could work more effectively with the easy access to any information they want.

References:

<Project Management for Construction>, Fundamental Concepts for Owners, Engineers, Architects and Builders, Chapter 14, Chris Hendrickson, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Copyright C. Hendrickson 1998

Comments

Micheal Kilgallon

Very good introduction including the history of relational databases, I did not know that the concept of relational databases would go all the way back to 1970s. And I agree that relational database is a great tool to use when controlling large amounts of information. It helps the user to find the relevant data more quickly.

Stephen Bartal

I like how you connect the use of databases to the BIM. Intelligent Buildings is the main topic we are learning and relational database will allow engineers to start looking at the data and determining what information is useful, will help engineers during their design progress.