Computer Applications in ISE: Reflections & Opportunities

1. Computer Applications Lecture 1: Some reflections on Computer Applications in Infra-structure Engineering ISE Areas Storm water, infrastructure security, asset management, communications, financial management Infrastructure management, construction law, construction estimating, bridge maintenance, Pavement management, GIS, transportation planning and safety, project management What do I (an ISE professional) need to be able to do-understand Need to understand the computer tools available to help me do my job better Need to understand how various tools can be integrated to effect a solution Need to have some basic skills in programming to take advantage of everyday software (excel) And communication devices (e.g., the web)

2. Key Terms Hardware:--Devices that can be programmed to perform a function or a set of functions Software: The Instructions That make the hardware run Could be a set of “English” like statements (a program) that are translated (compiled) into “machine code” to flip switches on and off or it could be “hardwired” into the devise From Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software Computer software (or simply software) is the programs that enable a computer to perform a specific task, as opposed to the physical components of the system (hardware). This includes application software such as a word processor, which enables a user to perform a task, and system software such as an operating system, which enables other software to run properly, by interfacing with hardware and with other software.

3. List Three pieces of Hardware that have had a significant impact on society—with at least ONE Having a significant infrastructure application Do the same for software

4. For examples go to web page http://www.ce.umn.edu/~voller/ise_5113/ise2005/webpage.html

5. How do computer (hardware and software) make out tasks as infrastructure engineers easier? Where are some of the downsides—opportunities—emerging technologies--ISSUES ?

6. Voller has 4 1. Outsourcing http://www.offshorexperts.com/index.cfm/fa/buyer.service/c/1100/s/182 http://www.outsource2india.com/eso/construction/construction.asp Put outsourcing "civil engineering" Into google Are there task that are repetitive-expensive-”mind numbing” ? Tasks that every ISE professional does-- but infrequently? Exercise: look at web pages—talk in groups—think of at least one of your job functions that could be outsourced

7. 2. Automation of Knowledge Ingrained and supervised Fixed The Traditional route to wisdom fact1 When fact1, fact2 and 3 are combined we see Build a better bridge fact2 Wisdom an assimilation and integration of knowledge --like a library – Wisdom knows where to look fact3 Information a connection of facts to Reach a conclusion-- like a sentence Data –like words Knowledge—a collection or ordering of of information—like a book In NEW paradigm Do the web search tools Act as a surrogate for wisdom? Knowledge is much more fluid How well is it supervised fact1 Two questions How do you use web search tools in your ISE Job? fact2 fact3 How do you know if the information is good ?

8. 3. Reliability of data storage What is the best kind of storage medium? what is the reliability of various forms of data storage 1000’s of years 10’s of years years Years-micro-seconds 100’s of years Very slow to instant- aneous Access Time Slow to fast Fast to supper fast Slow ??? How much 1-10MB ???? .1-10 of GB 1-100GB Very Little Think of three ISE task that require data storage Score of a scale of 1-10 the requirements for reliability, speed of access and amount of data that needs to be stored

9. ISE Areas Storm water, infrastructure security, asset management, communications, financial management Infrastructure management, construction law, construction estimating, bridge maintenance, Pavement management, GIS, transportation planning and safety, project management • Identify and list at least three pieces of ISE software • --provide a brief description, find a web page for each piece, • --find an image that can be downloaded. • Do the same for hardware • Put your data-storage information into a table format

10. 4. Distributed Sensor Networks distributed sensor system can be used in a variety of ISE apps

11. finish The Human Window today today we will finish early we will Information early today we will finish early Knowledge What does it mean Context –different for Voller and Smith Is it Important? Data—unconnected bits What are the problems The Human Window—back to the data-information-knowledge –paradigm

12. ISE Areas Storm water, infrastructure security, asset management, communications, financial management Infrastructure management, construction law, construction estimating, bridge maintenance, Pavement management, GIS, transportation planning and safety, project management Main Exercise Look on the WWW examples of “critical computer technologies” in ISE for at least 3 of the following areas 1) implementation of green and sustainable processes (green), 2) applications of advanced graphical information systems (GIS), 2) uses of smart structures (Smart), 4) sensor technologies (Sensor), and 5) deployment of networks of infrastructure systems and built environment (Network) Make a list 1. Area, web sites, examples 2. 3. Choose one example to use in building an html a web page in out next class (9/11) With the objective of informing fellow t ISE professionals of key emerging technologies

13. Google Search Terms “distributed sensors” + “civil infrastructure” ITS “structural health monitoring” "distributed sensors" "storm water" SCADA + “water distribution” Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition SCADA = “----” Some web-sites http://www.wtec.org/seo/ http://www.sensornet.co.uk/ http://radio.weblogs.com/0105910/2004/03/24.html http://www.fig.net/nottingham/proc/ts_06_5_brownjohn_etal.pdf look at the figures http://shm.sagepub.com/ free copy of a journal http://lecs.cs.ucla.edu/~nithya/publications/EPAWhitePaper.pdf http://content.wonderware.com/NR/rdonlyres/83A979AD-A805-41A3-BC4F-D021C692F6D1/591/scada_water_4pg_rev5_final.pdf