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Abstract
The purpose of this research is to extend the relational query language SQL to provide construction industry-specific functions to aid in the retrieval of construction information. The first chapter of this dissertation introduces its organization and purpose. Chapter 2 provides both the history and background of SQL, which serve as the foundations for the construction-specific SQL extensions. To provide a clear understanding of the basic principles and structure of SQL, a review of its primary functions and syntax is presented in Chapter 3. SQL's relational operators, and its keys and keywords provided the basis for further development in Chapter 4. Although previous extensions to SQL have been undertaken, none has addressed the unique needs and vernacular of the construction industry. Chapter 4 focuses on these distinct requirements and discusses the use of object data typing, object attributes, and user-defined functions as they relate to the Construction Industry-SQL (CI-SQL) extensions. In Chapter 5, two primary applications are examined. In the construction materials domain, five extensions are created that directly address the selection of materials during the design and bidding phases of the construction process. In the second domain, construction scheduling, an additional five extensions are developed that are applicable to the retrieval of scheduling information. The provision of a model for the evolution of construction industry-specific SQL extensions in these two domains, has advanced the application of computers for managing construction information. The final chapter, Chapter 6, describes the conclusions of this research and addresses the need for future research in this area.
