INTEGRATING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION PROCESSES USING STANDARDS – EXPERIENCE FROM ROADROBOT AND SUMMIT INITIATIVES

The reengineering of construction business processes requires that current applications and research and development efforts on electronic exchange of information go beyond the exchange of technical design information, particularly CAD exchange amongst designers and these with contractors. Business data like purchase orders, invoices, remittance advice, etc., between contractors and builders merchants and suppliers should be also integrated. Through the description of two European projects in this area, RoadRobot and SUMMIT, the paper will describe the experience regarding the development of standard-based architectures for the exchange of planning and control information, particularly at the EDIFACT, STEP and IAI levels. RoadRobot – Operator Assisted Mobile Road Robot for Heavy Duty Civil Engineering Applications, was a project devoted to implement a general standard-based architecture to support the information management for road construction environments, covering from the road design to road construction, embracing the site, cell, machine and tool levels. SUMMIT – Supply Chain Management In Construction Industry, is an end-user driven project which envisages to create, implement, test and evaluate an EDI, STEP and IAI/IFC based communication infrastructure on a specific project of building prefabricated houses, connecting project manager, contractor and suppliers.