Distributed System for Coastal Infrastructure Modeling and Assessment

The client/server computer architecture of the Internet provides an efficient mechanism for implementing effective civil infrastructure monitoring and assessment applications. Systems functionality that is enabled by this important technology includes remote and real-time data acquisition, distributed model execution and control, multiuser access to and monitoring of decision support systems, and efficient systems expansion and maintenance. With the dramatic increase in available infrastructure data and the continued improvement in the reliability and robustness of these technologies, widespread design, implementation, and use of distributed infrastructure modeling systems will become common. This paper describes the design and development of a prototype infrastructure modeling system incorporating these technologies that has recently been implemented to help decision makers manage the coastal infrastructure of the Great Lakes.