Recent Advances in Data Exchange in Structural Engineering

Electronic Data Processing in structural engineering is characterised by a high diversity of applications including design, structural analysis, cost analysis, scheduling, facility management, financial transactions and many more. In spite of the availability of numerous sophisticated software packages for most of these tasks, the automated exchange of data between different applications is still rudimentary. The improvement of automated electronic exchange of data in structural engineering will undoubtedly increase the efficiency of this industry. In a time of increasing free trade and competition, such software tools play an important role for competitiveness.