The DFI “Digital-Visual-Virtual” Data Revolution THE REASON FOR STARTING THE DFI PROJECT INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS (PIMS) COMMITTEE The successful future of any business is undoubtedly connected to the understanding and use of the continuing evolution of digital and automated procedures and the large amounts of data provided by modern equipment, testing devices and tools. This is particularly important for the geotechnical and deep foundation (i.e., geo-foundation) industry where safety, quality and production are interconnected. The requirement to record and analyze information in increasingly faster time and with greater frequency, will soon, if not already, become the only method to prove a project’s completion and to ensure the quality and durability of the work performed. While frequency and speed of obtaining, analyzing and providing data is important for a project’s schedule, the procedures will be required to prove the data authenticity and to demonstrate the information has not been corrupted. Businesses of all types and sizes will increasingly realize the impossibility of surviving and being competitive without digitally proving the quality and the safety of the work performed. As such, businesses will be indirectly forced to adopt automated procedures and equipment needed to outperform the competition. The challenge is on, especially for small- to medium-sized businesses, which comprise most of the geo-foundation industry. DFI PIMS Committee For the above reasons, the DFI Project Information Management Systems (PIMS) Committee was formed. The main goals of the committee include: • Providing the industry a forum to discuss the requirements and challenges of understanding and adapting to the inevitable changes required in our industry. • Supporting the DFI membership to maximize the benefits obtainable from the correct management of information collected and analyzed. To achieve these goals, the committee is evaluating the development of guidelines on how to adopt and be ready for the “ongoing data recording revolution.” Depending on the project type, location, logistics, environment, technologies used or other specific project requirement, the guidelines should identify the challenges with and the importance of specific data produced to comply with the project specifications requirement and acceptance criteria. While multiple goals and guidelines will be developed, the main objective will continue to be the maximization of safety and quality procedures, which will result in reducing risk and obtaining more durable and sustainable project results, with direct positive impact to our industry. The Ongoing “Revolution” When discussing the incredible changes in our business during the last four decades, I used to say that my life changed in the early 1980s when I received my first pager while working in Singapore. Gianfranco Di Cicco, DFI Trustee, Liaison to the PIMS Committee and 2017-2018 Secretary, GDConsulting LLC Principal Every day, that little box would go crazy and wake me up many nights requesting my attention, sending me “coded” information on what was happening on the projects I was managing. And, yes, my mistake, I always tried to read and answer ASAP because it seemed every message was considered of “high importance.” Since then, it’s been an increasingly faster and faster race of collecting, sending and receiving more and more information, trying to store and remember everything, and using all of the analyzed data on the next project and to solve the next challenge. The intent of the PIMS Committee is to guide the geo-foundation industry in understanding the importance and benefits of connecting and using all the data from various phases and sources. Big Dreams Let’s dream for a moment about how nice it would be to open your computer and review all the informat ion — analyzed, formatted and interconnected, as needed — from your first project. Mine was in 1979, in Italy, learning about drilled shafts, diaphragm walls and grouting technologies. Imagine contract documents, geological/ geotechnical data, maps, drawings estimates, budgets, daily reports, correspondence, technical reports, photos, videos (8 mm, of course), test results, contacts, etc. all accessible in thousands of files interconnected as needed on your computer! Let’s face it, most of us did not have the possibility, intuition, imagination or just the time to collect all the information that, now, we try to remember. Yes, we may have boxes somewhere with some photos or old handwritten reports, or a typewritten document. However, how long will it take us to organize it all and, then, analyze what and how to use it to improve your next “project” — and your life? What if we could travel back in time with a computer program that will give us all the information of the future/past experiences to use whenever needed and for whatever the new project and challenge you are facing? The “application,” will be able not only to improve your experience but also “share specific knowledge” with the other parties involved on your new project, while separating the information needed (and approved to be shared) in a safe protocol, as required. DEEP FOUNDATIONS • SEPT/OCT 2018 • 57
