Intelligent Construction Systems; the Convergence of Computing, Communication, and Construction

The components of nearly all civil engineering construction projects may be categorized into five distinct operations; standards, planning, design, construction, and maintenance. A schematic representation of traditional construction practice places each of the operations in a linear orientation with one operation interacting only with the operation next in sequence. The traditional model for the construction process has several shortcomings. Often there is a lack of communication especially between those whom maintain a system and the standard writers and designers of future projects. Also, designers tend to supply prescriptive or simplistic solutions rather than those that might be economically adaptable to local conditions, and there may at times, be adversarial relationships between designers and constructors.