IMPLEMENTATION OF MULTIMEDIA INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR BRIDGE SAFETY

INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE CONFERENCE, PITTSBURGH, PA

JUNE 1995

Sanjiv Nathwani, Trilon, Inc. (New Brunswick, NJ)

Avanti Shroff, Iffland Kavanagh Waterbury, PLLC (New York, NY)

Albert Leung, Commonwealth of Massachusetts Highway Department (Boston, MA)

INTRODUCTION:

The Bridge Department at the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Highway Department (MHD) has adopted the Integrated Bridge Inspection Information System (IBIIS), a unique, state-of-the-art multimedia information system for electronic data collection, storage, retrieval and distribution of bridge information. The goal is to improve public safety by greatly enhancing access to critical bridge information.

It has long been observed that response to emergency situations can be dramatically improved if the multitude of information required for decision making is more readily available. By moving to electronic data collection, the time lag between information creation at the bridge site and information availability over a computer network can be reduced dramatically. Such information may include not only bridge rating data and commentary, but also audio-visual information such as color photographs and full-motion video. Similarly, by converting various paper-based information such as plans and rating reports to electronic form, the information can be accessed almost instantly from any workstation on the IBIIS network, and allow multiple decision makers at different locations to review the information simultaneously. Finally, by providing access to all electronic files such as word processing documents, spreadsheets and CAD files from a single integrated environment, the need to move between task-specific computer environments can be eliminated.

This paper details MHD's experience with regard to IBIIS system implementation and process re-engineering. It also discusses the phased-implementation strategy used to maintain maximum cost-effectiveness for the project, and to optimally leverage IBIIS's technology. Finally, it examines the current and future impact on MHD's bridge maintenance program as it relates to public safety.

BACKGROUND:

Bridge Management at MHD requires a variety of document types including forms, sketches, handwritten notes, color photographs, full-motion video, and audio. In addition, the department routinely requires access to other bridge information such as engineering drawings, CAD, microfilms, as–built drawings and database information. The department has experienced several difficulties in maintaining such a large and diverse information base: The paper documents take a large amount of space and are prone to accidental loss or damage, deterioration and misfiling.

The documents are often inaccessible despite efforts to maintain duplicate copies. The transportation and interchange of these documents is time consuming and costly. The electronic information is distributed over several computing environments and is difficult to manage. Similarly, video, audio and other non–standard information types are handled uniquely.

Effective management of this information is directly related to the department's ability to respond to emergency situations. The speed with which information on a deficient structure can be accessed and acted upon often determines the speed and confidence with which emergency repairs can be effected, and thus, the length of time a structure is closed to the public.

Perhaps more importantly, the ability to easily assemble and query a comprehensive bridge information base is the key to effective management of structures through periodic maintenance. As we know, it is far more effective to prevent structural deterioration and failure than to repair a structure once it is found to be defective.

Thus public safety is best served by having all bridge information stored centrally in a form that is easily accessed and analyzed. The IBIIS multimedia information system provides just that - a unified electronic database on optical media providing instantaneous and simultaneous access via a computer network.

GOALS:

The following goals were identified for the project:

Goal 1: Create a comprehensive electronic database for all bridge information. The information stored in the IBIIS database must include rating forms, handwritten comments, photographs, full motion video, and computer files for CAD, word processing, spreadsheets, structural analysis, etc. It must also include information produced by electronic field data collection tools that would be used by bridge inspectors.

The system must be capable of converting all types of bridge information to electronic format regardless of its source. Thus the system must provide for the capture of paper documents by black-and-white scanners, color photographs through 24-bit color scanners, full- and still-motion video through video digitizer boards. The system must be expandable to provide capture for other data types as necessary.

All information, regardless of its source, must be handled uniformly and stored on optical disks. Optical disk technology is considered the most cost-effective media for storing the large volume of data that will result from converting paper, photographic and video documentation to electronic format. The storage requirement of the electronic database is projected to exceed 100 gigabytes (GB). Thus, the system must support the use of optical disk jukeboxes.

Since the system will become the authoritative source for all bridge information, it must have security features including the ability to restrict access to the system, version control, and backup. With regard to security, it is also considered important to use Write Once Read Many (WORM) media.

Goal 2: Provide access to all information from desktop workstations via Local Area Networks (LAN) and Wide Area Networks (WAN). All bridge information must be retrievable with near instantaneous response time to any workstation attached to the network. The system must also be capable of allowing information to be accessed simultaneously by multiple users over the network. Access must be provided through a Graphical User Interface (GUI) in a windowing environment. It is considered necessary for the system to have a client-server architecture to meet performance criteria. The system must be capable of outputting information to physical form, i.e. black-and-white documents and electronic files must be printable to high speed laser printers, color photographs must be printable to photorealistic color printers, plans must be printable to large format printers, and videos must be transferable to standard video tapes. Finally, the system must provide for compression and decompression of black-and-white and color images to provide cost efficient storage and good network response time.

Goal 3: Electronic field data collection and retrieval. The system must provide for the electronic capture of color photographs and full-motion video. The system must also allow for the retrieval of historical information including inspection reports, color photographs and videos in the field on portable computers that are disconnected from the network. Eventually the system must allow for the capture of condition rating information using hand-held pen-based computers.

Goal 4: Complete backfiling of historical information and provide for complete electronic information management. All historical bridge information must be converted to electronic format so that it is available over the computer network and transferable to portable computers for detached viewing. This will remove the dependency on physical files.

Procedures must be modified so that all field data is collected electronically and is transferred directly to the optical database without being converted to physical documents. This will close the loop to provide a fully electronic route for information management at MHD.

Goal 5: Integrate with National Bridge Inventory Standards (NBIS) system and Bridge Management System (BMS). To provide a comprehensive bridge management environment, the multimedia information system must be integrated with the NBIS and BMS environments. From a technical standpoint, all three systems must execute simultaneously in the same workstation environment. From a process standpoint, the data collection and processing for all three systems must be merged to a unified set of procedures for maximum efficiency.

IMPLEMENTATION:

As can be evidenced from the stated goals of the project, the complete multimedia information system is a complex undertaking. It was felt that a phased implementation of the IBIIS system would provide several benefits:

• It would reduce downtime while personnel are trained to use the system. Training for each phase could be overlapped with implementation for the next phase, to eliminate extended interruptions.

• It would allow for procedures to be adjusted gradually to accommodate the new system, thus minimizing the impact on productivity.

• System costs are on a downward trend, thus delaying purchasing until the functionality is required can result in significant cost savings.

The key was to define phases with distinct milestones for system functionality and productivity. The following phases were defined for the project:

Phase 1: Complete central functionality. In this phase the MHD central office in Boston would get an essentially complete IBIIS multimedia information system with the following capabilities:

• Optical jukebox storage for up to 75 GB of data.

• Input for up to 11" x 17" black-and-white documents, up to 8.5" x 11" color documents and up to E-sized drawings. The system would also be capable of digitizing still- and full-motion video from a standard video camcorder.

• High speed printing for black-and-white images, photorealistic printing for color images, and up to E-sized printing for large format drawings.

• Querying using a database interface or a map-based interface.

• Executing MHD's NBIS system and the Pontis BMS simultaneously in a windowing environment.

This phase would have the following goals:

• Create a repository capable of holding all bridge related data for MHD. Without this, the backfiling and electronic data collection process would have no place for the collected information to reside.

• Complete the backfiling of approximately 30,000 plans on aperture cards.

• Begin inputting information from the field.

• Acquire expertise in using the system without impacting the district offices.

• Begin to adapt procedures to meet the requirements of the new system.

Phase 2: Convert field inspection teams to electronic data collection.

Field inspection teams would be given two tools for data collection - a video camcorder and a color sub-notebook computer. The video camcorder would be used for both still and full motion video capture, and the sub-notebook computer would be used to enter NBIS rating data into a database application, as well as to enter commentary into a word processor.

The following goals were set for this phase:

• Reduce time from data collection to data review to speed decision making under emergency circumstances.

• Reduce film costs.

• Reduce photo development costs and time.

• Eliminate repeat trips to the field by verifying the photographs as soon as they are taken.

• Capture revealing full-motion video perspectives that would otherwise be lost.

• Eliminate data entry time for typing in handwritten condition rating data and commentary to a computer.

• Evaluate new procedures to accommodate use of electronic tools.

Phase 3: Set up communication with district offices. Each district office would be set up with the ability to view multimedia data from the Boston office network. Field inspection teams would bring the field data to the district offices to be downloaded for Quality Control (QC). Still- and full-motion video would be digitized and stored as computer files, with the audio annotation turned into notes where appropriate. The condition rating data and commentary would simply be transferred from the sub-notebook computer to the district office computer for review. Once the field information has been QCed, the information is downloaded to optical disks for transfer to the Boston office. The Boston office would receive a shipment of disks periodically from the district offices. Eventually, the Boston office would respond to the periodic disk shipments with their own shipments of historical information on optical disks. This historical information would be stored at the district office workstation and used by the field teams to carry to the field on their notebook computers.

The following goals were set for this phase:

• Provide field teams with a local temporary repository for collected information.

• Provide the district offices with a way of electronically reviewing field information for QC purposes.

• Provide a mechanism and procedures for the districts to communicate field information to the Boston office.

• Provide a mechanism and procedures for the Boston office to send out historical information from the optical archive to the district offices.

Phase 4: Complete backfiling. This phase would put all the historical information on-line. It would involve the scanning of all inspection reports, diving inspection reports, rating analyses, design analyses, correspondence and photographs. Only the past four years of data would be stored on-line, while the rest would be stored in an optical disk library. All current data received from the district offices, or generated in the Boston office, would be stored on-line.

The following goals were set for this phase:

• Provide instant on-line review to all bridge information from any networked workstation.

• Provide district offices with periodic updates for historical information to be used with detached workstations and sub-notebook computers.

Phase 5: Put districts on a WAN. This phase will connect all the district workstations to the Boston office network using high speed WAN connections. The following goals were set for this phase:

• Allow district offices to access the optical archive directly over the network, thus removing the need for the periodic optical disk shipments by the Boston office.

• Allow the district offices to input field inspection information directly to the optical archive, thus removing the need for periodic optical disk shipments to the Boston office and for the Boston office to process field information.

• Improve response to emergency situations by allowing field information to be transmitted instantaneously to the Boston office from the districts for decision making.

Phase 6: Integrate with NBIS and BMS systems. This phase will merge procedures for data collection, processing and management of NBIS, BMS and the IBIIS system. The goal is to create a unified environment for bridge management.

The PDA data entry software displays a form for entry of Pontis element condition rating data. All data entry would be done via handwriting recognition with the option to use an on-screen keyboard. The following goals were established for the prototype:

• Test the ability to enter and store information on bridge inspections such as bridge identification number, date of inspection, time of inspection, inspection team number, etc. Each inspection would be uniquely identified by a combination of the bridge identification number, date of inspection and time of inspection.

• Test the ability to associate pre-defined elements with specific bridges to create a bridge profile (see Figure I). Thus, the software would automatically present the correct elements to be rated for the bridge inspection selected.

CURRENT STATUS:

Phase 1 has been completed successfully. The Boston office is now fully operational with IBIIS. The aperture cards have been successfully digitized and are available for review from any networked workstation. Engineers have taken well to IBIIS; several new mobile workstations have been added, and several more workstations are planned.

Phase 2 is also complete. All inspection teams have been trained in the use of video camcorders for still- and full-motion video photography. There were some initial difficulties in obtaining high quality images, but the problems have since been solved. The sub-notebooks have been very successful with the inspection teams, and all teams enter NBIS information as well as commentary directly to the notebook computer.

Phase 3 is mostly complete. Field teams are now able to transfer still and full-motion video information, as well as NBIS data and commentary, to the IBIIS workstation at their district office. The district offices periodically ship optical data with QCed information to the Boston office. However, the district offices are currently not receiving shipments of optical disks with historical information from the Boston office. This will be implemented after the backfiling in phase IV is complete.

Phases 4,5, and 6 are still pending. A Request for Proposal (RFP) is currently being prepared to fulfill a part of phase IV. This RFP will cover the backfiling of inspection and rating reports. Phase V is on hold until the various departments within MHD that will use a WAN resource can combine their efforts to initiate the project. A proposal for phase VI is currently being reviewed.

PUBLIC SAFETY BENEFITS:

Of the many benefits observed, the following directly impact public safety:

• A picture is definitely worth a thousand words, and a video is worth a thousand photographs. The department has already seen instances where a well compiled video clip has saved much discussion and even a site visit to the damaged structure. In one instance, a video clip captured a segment of bridge deck underside flexing independent of the entire deck when heavy trucks passed over the bridge. The video clip so vividly captured the damage, that the decision to repair the deck was made in hours instead of days.

• The improved availability of still- and full-motion video data from field inspections is improving the department's response to emergency situations. Detailed visual information from the field is in essence bringing the field to the office and the office to the field. A significant reduction is starting to be realized in the time necessary for making decisions on a deficient structure.

• The ease with which information can be collected and processed is increasing the quality of information that is available to the engineers for review. This should result in a better understanding of the specific and overall conditions of the structures in MHD's jurisdiction, and improved decision-making both in terms of speed and confidence. This in turn should improve the preventive care of the structures, which has a direct impact on their longevity and public safety.

FUTURE PLANS:

Clearly, the first objective for the future is the successful completion of the remaining phases outlined above. Following are some of the other possible phases in the expansion of the system:

• Use Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) to collect condition rating data in the field. PDAs are a class of hand-held, pen-based computing devices that are distinguished by their relatively small size, low weight, sophisticated GUI and handwriting recognition capabilities. A few of these devices support development environments that can be used to develop data entry applications. They may provide a more attractive alternative to portable computers that are too bulky to operate in the field.

• Implement wireless network communications to connect the field inspection teams with the district and Boston offices. This would allow for virtually instantaneous communication of all information between field teams and office personnel. It would ensure the fastest possible response to emergency situations. However, wireless networking technology is still in its infancy, and needs to mature before it can be used for mission critical applications.

CONCLUSION:

The accelerating deterioration of America's bridges poses one of the greatest threats to public safety and one of the most daunting challenges for the engineering community. Not only must we respond to emergency conditions in a timely manner, but we must articulate a clear strategy to halt and prevent the further deterioration of these structures. The federally-mandated bridge inspection program was created to address just this need. However, the deluge of information from this program threatens to overwhelm rather empower the engineering community. Harnessing this information to make meaningful decisions is the key to a successful bridge management program. Multimedia information systems like IBIIS offer a unique opportunity to make bridge information manageable.

TRILON, INC. 528 Winfield Avenue Upper Darby, PA 19082-2122 (215) 790-6265 voice (215) 790-6231 fax Info@Trilon.com http://www.Trilon.com

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