GIS for Asset Management at the United Arab Emirates UniversityData Mapping: Generating the mapping of assets for various criteria using GIS makes everyday querying based on specific criteria quick, easy and understandable for engineers. Basically the model presents information as on the map but it is intelligent map. In this each item is supported and described by other data that a user can access by a simple click of mouse. With maps and data in the system it is easy to view information selectively, for example with different layers switched on and off as needed. Data can also be filtered for example pipes with diameter of 300mm only to be displayed. So pipes with this diameter will be displayed and in particular color. The model output can be overlaid on satellite images or aerial photos of the area and also other details as location of consumers can be shown. Searches can be made of different criteria. Area for search can be defined by boundaries. Prints can be taken out to replicate what is on the screen (Anand and Vairavamoorthy, 2002). GIS has been widely used around the globe for Asset Management, for example:
Developing Engineering Information System In public works organizations the engineering function is responsible for studies and designs necessary to construct and reconstruct facilities. While duties vary, they normally include design, selection of consultants and contractors, construction supervision, maintenance of standards, project management, and record keeping. The engineering department would normally be responsible for numerous records, especially as-built drawings of newly constructed or reconstructed facilities. There is an obvious linkage with the information needs of operations and maintenance, and a common database should be available. Inventory and Condition Assessment The inventory and condition assessment processes are critical to maintenance management. The inventory activity is necessary to know where facilities are, what their initial characteristics were, and when should they receive attention. It is a combination of mapping and data about the facilities as they were installed, along with the maintenance history. The inventory, beginning with a map-based information system is the organizing vehicle to get all information together into one place. Information professionals immediately see the advantages of having all the information coordinated and in one system, and with current hardware and software it has become possible to achieve this goal. The inventory can be done at different levels of accuracy and sophistication. The beginning point is to have files with some maps and basic data so that the managers/engineers have some idea of where facilities are and how many there are (Grigg, 1988). 4.0 Proposed GIS for asset management at UAEU The objective of the proposed GIS system is to design, develop and implement GIS application at UAEU which can be easily accessed by maintenance engineers and staff for Asset Management. In the proposed system data collection will be the priority. This starts with organizing the present AutoCAD drawings both underground and over ground of different campuses in the university. The drawings not available in AutoCAD format can be scanned and digitized. Then, a pilot study can be done by selecting a campus in the university such as Maqam campus (around 10000 students are enrolled in the campus). Maqam campus, have many departments, hostels for students and offices for faculty and the staff. It is having many underground and over ground utilities. Data for different assets of Maqam campus are available with the Campus Development Department in AutoCAD format and some in hardcopy. First, the data will be made available in the GIS by digitizing and scanning. Then attribute details of assets can be added in the GIS system manually by looking the data from the As-Built drawings. Figure 1 shows the Maqam Area of UAEU with some utilities and buildings with their details. Once the data is added in the GIS system then it can be used to integrate with other software to make work order system.  Figure 1: UAE University- Al Maqam Campus Source: http://faculty.uaeu.ac.ae/myagoub The GIS system can be made by using ArcGIS software or other GIS system. The data, both spatial and attribute; can be stored in Oracle with ESRI ArcSDE as the middle ware. The data can be viewed by Campus Development Department staff by using Internet GIS software such as, ArcIMS and integrating it with Datastream 7i software for work order management. ArcIMS can be used for both internet and intranet purpose. This integration of assets with GIS for Campus Development Department can provide a customized browser based view of all the data required for the maintenance. Figure 2 shows the present system and Figure 3 shows the proposed system. The present online work order system at the UAEU (Figure 2) does not integrate spatial and attribute data in the work order system, while the proposed system, does integrate spatial and attribute data with work order system (Figure 3). Figure 2: UAE University’s current asset management system. Source: http://www.uaeu.ac.ae/cdd/maintenance_form.asp Figure 3: Proposed system for UAE University’s asset management. Source: http://www.datastream.net/products/datastream7i.asp 5.0 Methodology To start a GIS work data collection and its organization should be given the priority. Data required for this work will be detailed plans (maps) for the five UAEU campuses. Attribute data (Statistical and descriptive information) about UAEU facilities will be keyed-in and the data available in the excel sheet can be joined to the layer attribute table. Palm computer with Global Positioning System (GPS) will also be used for data collection. All infrastructure drawings in AutoCAD format will be converted to shapefile format of ESRI. If the drawings are not available in AutoCAD then those drawings will be scanned and digitized to make a vector data. Attributes will be added to the features where they are required. This can be done by adding data directly to the attribute table of ArcMap or by integrating with ArcSDE and data to be kept in the server in Oracle. A GIS data will be made in ArcGIS and the same data can be integrated with ArcIMS to make it work online. After completion of GIS data and its Integration with ArcIMS, work order request can also be integrated with the GIS system to take work order online and simultaneously submitting the request to the concerned section of the CDD. This can be done by using software such as Datastream7i. |