How to select and use microcomputers for on-site construction work. Table of Contents: What Computer Fits the Job?; Software Applications; Identifying Project Computer Needs; Putting It All to Work; Security Concerns for Field Computers; Protecting Your Computer from Harsh Field Conditions; Glossary. 100 illustrations.

Construction researchers and industry practitioners have begun to explore the possibilities offered by mobile and pervasive computing in architecture, engineering and construction (AEC). It is expected that the construction industry will be keen to apply these technologies as they promise significant benefits in areas such as materials management, project management, distributed collaboration and information management, all leading to improvements in productivity. This book offers a comprehensive reference volume to the use of mobile and pervasive computing in construction. Based on contributions from a mix of leading researchers and experts from academia and industry, it provides up-to-date insights into current research topics in this field as well as the latest technological advancements and practical examples. The chapters introduce the key theoretical concepts in mobile and pervasive computing and highlight the applications and solutions which are available to the construction industry. More specifically, the book focuses on the manner in which these technologies can be applied to improve practices in construction and related industries. This book will be of particular interest to academics, researchers, and graduate students at universities and industrial practitioners seeking to apply mobile and pervasive computing systems to improve construction industry productivity.

Through the material, readers are given the ability to analyze systematically a potential area of need - such as a function in a department - to determine whether a computer application might help to assess the costs and benefits of alternative proposals and to proceed from that analysis to a clear specification for what the proposed solution should accomplish. There is also coverage of how computer professionals evaluate hardware and design the software and systems that will implement a given application. Furthermore, readers will learn how to manage the people, resources, time, and money required in the development process for creating a given application program or for adapting a package application to the needs specified in the design.

This book aims to provide engineers and managers - whether they are currently involved in information technology (IT) or are considering introducing it into their workplace - with an appreciation of the technology currently in use in the construction industry around the world. Authors from the private and public sectors as well as from academic institutions, present examples from established systems ranging from planning and design, through to construction and maintenance management.

For senior-level courses in Construction Project Management, and undergraduate/graduate-level courses in Computer-Aided Construction Management. This text views basic project management concepts from an information technology perspective. It contains comprehensive coverage of quantitative construction management techniques for planning, scheduling, estimating, cost optimization, cash flow analysis, bidding, and project control. All concepts are presented both manually and on computer applications, with a single case study to clearly demonstrate the evolution of concepts in the successive chapters.

This report is based on a conference on the applications of microcomputers in development sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. National Academy of Sciences in collaboration with a host country.

This symposium brings together the research from different disciplines of process control, and discusses the problems encountered in the application of automation systems. The papers in this volume analyze the results of theoretical research and how far applications have been developed, new design methodologies and technologies, to give a comprehensive overview of the state of the art of this fast-developing science.