Integrated Information System Supporting Road Design, Evaluation, and Construction

Road design, evaluation (analysis), and construction are closely connected processes in which design and analysis are iterated to converge on the optimal solution. Many errors and delays frequently appear when data are exchanged between particular tasks; intertask connections are therefore of great importance for the quality of the final product. This article describes an integrated information system that is intended to support all important stages of the road life cycle: design, evaluation (through different analysis procedures), and construction. The concept of the system is object oriented. However, existing program packages are included to solve some common tasks. The system includes a conventional relational database as well as a spatial database with all relevant geographic information system (GIS) functionality. Since particular tasks often are executed at different places and by different companies, the interconnections are supported by a special metafile that contains all specific data about the project as it progresses toward the construction phase.