Application of GIS-Based Construction Engineering: An Electronic Document Management System

This paper describes the implementation of a GIS to provide decision support for successfully monitoring the movements and storage of materials, hence ensuring that finished products travel from the point of origin to the destination construction site through the supply-chain management (SCM) system. This system ensures the efficient operation of suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors by determining the shortest path from the point of origin to the final destination to reduce construction costs, minimize time, and enhance productivity. These systems are essential to the construction industry because they reduce costs and save time, thereby improve productivity and effectiveness. This study describes a typical supplychain model and a geographical information system (GIS)-based SCM that focuses on implementing an electronic document management system, which maps the application framework to integrate geodetic support with the supply-chain system. This process provides guidance for locating the nearest suppliers to fill the information needs of project members in different locations. Moreover, this study illustrates the use of a GIS-based SCM as a collaborative tool in innovative methods for implementing Web mapping services, as well as aspects of their integration by generating an interactive GIS for the construction industry platform. Keywords—Construction, coordinate, engineering, GIS, management, map. I. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: AN INTRODUCTION NGINEERING application concepts have changed dramatically due to the wide spread of technology during the last century. That century was characterized by rapid changes in creative information technologies and has been rightly named “the Information Era”. This development was the natural result of the emergence, evolution, development, and spread of the computer and its applications, which have played a major role in overcoming many obstacles, creating new environments, and facilitating routine tasks. Programmers competed to create easy-to-use programs and now offer complete packages that enable engineers to complete work faster without losing time in systematic tasks. This was advantageous to engineering practice because it enabled engineers to design more complex systems. Because of these savings in computing time, more time could be invested in system optimization to obtain the most economic, efficient, and elegant design—in other words, to reach a very high standard for the construction community. It is well known that information technology (IT) delivers a platform for data manipulation in a cost-effective and timesaving manner. IT applications have been implemented in many areas and have opened new horizons for software M. N. Jadid is with the Northern Border University, Arar, 91431 Saudi Arabia (phone: 966-505873655; e-mail: [email protected]). developers to generate computer programs in various formats [1]. This technology has created opportunities in various fields for the planning, architecture, engineering, science, and medical health disciplines. In the construction industry, Webbased engineering software must be used to explore fully the benefits of IT. A generalized Web-based IT system has been designed to improve collaboration between construction professionals [2] by facilitating Web-based construction project management using tools that are popular in civil engineering. A study was carried out [3] involving a decision support system for materials selection during design or construction projects by consultants and clients, which related important decisions made during construction projects to materials selection. The study revealed that high-quality materials are generally recommended after becoming aware that a high initial cost is often offset by reduced maintenance requirements. A classical method based on a pilot project using groupware and workflow management techniques known as electronic document management systems (EDMS) was used in the civil engineering projects to locate documents graphically [4]. The procedure involved engineering documents including monthly reports, general and specific specification documents, drawings, and bills of quantities. These were considered to be integral parts of the project, and they had to be processed in a professional manner. SCM includes phases that confirm the management of information, materials, and cash flow through a network of interested parties such as suppliers, consumers, manufacturers, and distributors, thereby reducing costs, saving time, and ensuring that business quality satisfies customers. GIS, on the other hand, depend on mapping technology to locate suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors to determine the shortest path to the final destination, and hence GIS is used as a tool to provide decision support within a successful SCM platform. II.SCM AND GIS PLATFORMS The construction engineering industry has recently seen record success and global expansion, causing materials SCM to grow over time, thereby optimizing production and organizing materials management. Well-known companies around the world have emphasized the importance of interacting with their consumers using efficient systems when working in the international arena in a competitive environment. Hence, SCM strategies have been implemented to improve their business performance. Supply chains involve five main participants: suppliers, manufacturers, dealers, Application of GIS-Based Construction Engineering: An Electronic Document Management System