Guide to Life-Cycle Data and Information Sharing Workflow for Transportation Assets

Thanks to an array of advanced digital technologies, much of today’s transportation project data are available in digital format. However, due to the fragmented nature of the highway project delivery process, the growing amount of digital data is being archived and managed separately. This makes it difficult for professionals to take full advantage of the efficiencies of digitized data and information. The purpose of this research was to identify current data workflows and areas for improvement for five of the most common types of highway assets—signs, guardrails, culverts, pavements, and bridges—and offer guidance to practitioners on how to better collect, manage, and exchange asset data. The research team conducted focus group discussions and interviews with highway professionals to capture their knowledge and practices about the data workflows. In addition, the team conducted an extensive review of the literature, manuals, project documents, and software applications regarding the exchanged information. For each type of asset, an information delivery manual (IDM) was developed. Each IDM consists of several process maps (PMs) and one exchange requirement (ER) matrix. A total of 15 PMs and 5 ER matrices were developed. A set of limitations in current data workflows was identified and a set of recommendations to overcome those limitations was also determined and documented. The conclusion was that current data workflows were designed mostly for contract administration purposes. Thus, more efficient asset-centric data workflows need to be implemented to truly streamline the data workflows throughout an asset’s life cycle and minimize wasted resources in recreating data in the asset maintenance stage.

Language

  • English

Project

  • Status: Completed
  • Funding: $152500
  • Sponsor Organizations:

    Midwest Transportation Center

    Iowa State University
    2711 S Loop Drive, Suite 4700
    Ames, IA  United States  50010-8664

    Iowa Department of Transportation

    800 Lincoln Way
    Ames, IA  United States  50010

    Iowa Highway Research Board

    Iowa Department of Transportation
    800 Lincoln Way
    Ames, IA  United States  50010

    Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

    University Transportation Centers Program
    Department of Transportation
    Washington, DC  United States  20590
  • Managing Organizations:

    Iowa State University, Ames

    Institute for Transportation
    2711 South Loop Drive, Suite 4700
    Ames, Iowa  United States  50010-8664
  • Performing Organizations:

    Iowa State University, Ames

    Institute for Transportation
    2711 South Loop Drive, Suite 4700
    Ames, Iowa  United States  50010-8664
  • Principal Investigators:

    Jeong, H David

    Jahren, Charles

    Shane, Jennifer

    Cetin, Kristen

  • Start Date: 20160801
  • Expected Completion Date: 20181231
  • Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01618649
  • Record Type: Research project
  • Source Agency: Midwest Transportation Center
  • Files: UTC, RIP
  • Created Date: Dec 2 2016 9:38AM