Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
REQUIREMENTS
SPECIFICATION
NATIONAL ROADS AUTHORITY RDM2
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of a
Bachelor of Science degree.
August 2008
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the award of Bachelor of Science
Degree for the students indicated below
1
NRA Road Data Manager (RDM2TM)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 3
1.1 PROBLEMS WITH THE CURRENT SYSTEM ............................................................................................... 4
1.2 THE PROPOSED SYSTEM ........................................................................................................................ 5
1.3 PROBLEM DEFINITION ........................................................................................................................... 5
2. SYSTEM MODELS FOR PROPOSED SYSTEMS.............................................................................. 6
2.1 CONTEXT LEVEL DFD .......................................................................................................................... 6
2.2 OVERVIEW DFD ................................................................................................................................... 7
2.3 LEVEL 2 DFD: AUTHENTICATE PROCESS ............................................................................................. 8
2.4 LEVEL 2 DFD: MANAGE-USER PROCESS .............................................................................................. 9
2.5 LEVEL 2 DFD: MANAGE-BRIDGE-DATA PROCESS ............................................................................. 10
2.6 LEVEL 2 DFD: MANAGE-ROAD-DATA PROCESS ................................................................................ 11
2.7 LEVEL 2 DFD: GENERATE-REPORT PROCESS ..................................................................................... 12
3. DATA DICTIONARY............................................................................................................................ 13
4.0 FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS.................................................................................................... 14
4.1 USER MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................................................... 14
4.2 ROAD DATA MANAGEMENT ................................................................................................................ 15
4.3 REPORT REQUIREMENTS ..................................................................................................................... 16
5.0 NON-FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS ......................................................................................... 17
5.1 HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS............................................................................................................... 17
5.2 EFFICIENCY ........................................................................................................................................ 17
5.3 RELIABILITY ....................................................................................................................................... 17
5.4 USABILITY REQUIREMENTS ................................................................................................................ 17
5.4.1 LEARNABILITY................................................................................................................................. 17
5.4.2 EXCEPTIONAL HANDLING ................................................................................................................ 17
5.4.3 MULTIPLE VIEWS ............................................................................................................................ 18
5.5 SOFTWARE TOOLS .............................................................................................................................. 18
5.6 DELIVERY ........................................................................................................................................... 18
6.0 SYSTEM LIMITATIONS ................................................................................................................... 19
6.1 USER’S COMPUTER LITERACY ............................................................................................................ 19
6.2 APPLICABILITY ................................................................................................................................... 19
6.3 ACCESS ............................................................................................................................................... 19
6.4 HARDWARE ........................................................................................................................................ 19
7.0 SYSTEM EVOLUTION ...................................................................................................................... 20
8.0 INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTIONS..................................................................................................... 20
9.0 APPENDIX ........................................................................................................................................... 21
9.1 GLOSSARY .......................................................................................................................................... 21
9.2 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .................................................................................................................... 23
10. BIBLIOGRAPHY................................................................................................................................. 24
2
NRA Road Data Manager (RDM2TM)
1. INTRODUCTION
The Malawi National Roads Authority (NRA) conducts a series of surveys to collect
information related to the road network. The information includes ordnance, inventory,
surface condition, road roughness, traffic, and pavement layer details. The collected data
is used in assessing the condition of roads and bridges across the country. Such
assessment helps NRA devise proper road development and maintenance strategies and
programs.
The National Roads Authority requires a comprehensive information system to manage
the collected data and provide easy access to it. The system therefore needs to keep, an
updated inventory of its road asset as well as information about the current condition of
that inventory. All this is supposed to be part of a larger system called the Pavement
Management System (PMS). The PMS has two main components: a customized central
database called Road Data Manager (RDM), and the Highway Development and
Management tool, HDM-4, a road investment decision support tool that provides the
means to investigate possible future impacts of alternative road development and
preservation strategies.
This project shall perform an upgrade of the Road Data Manager (RDM) software to
provide networked services. The current RDM system was required to manage the road
network inventory, its condition, traffic levels and construction / maintenance works. The
system was also used for data entry, validation, and processing required enabling
interrogation of the data stored and for producing reports on the data. The other
requirement of the system was to provide the production of road network sections to be
exported to the Highway Development and Management tool, HDM-4. In this light it is
clear that RDM2 will be very useful for the core business of NRA.
The interaction between the system and the two subsystems is illustrated in Figure 1.
3
NRA Road Data Manager (RDM2TM)
Figure 1: PAVEMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
i. Data for road sections surveyed more than once may introduce
inconsistent duplicate databases
4
NRA Road Data Manager (RDM2TM)
iii. Because technicians are effectively working on different databases, it is
sometimes difficult to trace the source of an error
vi. The system is very inefficient as many manual data cleaning tasks have to
be performed on data already in the database
The system under development, RDM2TM shall address these problems by inclusion of a
centralized database housed on a dedicated server machine, in a network environment,
into which users working concurrently on remote client computers shall be able to upload
the data. The resulting application shall produce a hybrid client-server application with
server modules for handling business logic and client modules that allow the rightful
users to easily access, evaluate, and manipulate information for road management and
engineering purposes, according to the rights assigned to them by the supervisor of the
RDM2TM system.
The system under development, RDM2TM, shall provide a client-server application for
handling road network data and making it available via the web.
5
NRA Road Data Manager (RDM2TM)
2. SYSTEM MODELS FOR PROPOSED SYSTEMS
2.1 Context Level DFD
HDM USER-DETAIL
SUPERVISOR
HDM-REPORT
RDM-REPORT
RDM
USER-DETAIL RDM-REPORT
USER-DETAIL
RDM-REPORT
ROAD-DETAIL
KEY
PROCESS
EXTERNAL ENTITY
DATA FLOW
6
NRA Road Data Manager (RDM2TM)
2.2 Overview DFD
RDM2-DATABASE
LIMITED USER
2.
1.
SUPERVISOR MANAGE
AUTHENTICATE
USERS
USER DETAIL USER DETAIL
INVALID USER
VALID-USER
ROAD-DETAIL
4.
BRIDGE-DETAIL MANAGE
ROAD DATA
RDM2-BACKUP-
3. DATABASE
MANAGE
ROAD-DETAIL
BRIDGE DATA
BRIDGE-DETAIL RDM2-
DATABASE
RDM2-
KEY DATABASE
REPORT
PROCESS 5.
GENERATE REPORT
REPORT
EXTERNAL ENTITY
DATA FLOW
DATA STORE
7
NRA Road Data Manager (RDM2TM)
2.3 Level 2 DFD: Authenticate Process
USERNAME
1.1 USERNAME
GET USERNAME
PASSWORD
AND PASSWORD
1.2
VALIDATE
USERNAME AND
PASSWORD PASSWORD
INVALID
USER
RDM2
DATABASE
VALID
USER
SUPERVISOR
KEY
PROCESS
EXTERNAL ENTITY
DATA FLOW
DATA STORE
8
NRA Road Data Manager (RDM2TM)
2.4 Level 2 DFD: Manage-User Process
USER-DETAIL
USER-DETAIL 2.1
ADD NEW USER
2.2
CHANGE USER
LEVEL
RDM2
DATABASE
USER-DETAIL
2.3
DELETE USER
KEY
PROCESS
EXTERNAL ENTITY
DATA FLOW
DATA STORE
9
NRA Road Data Manager (RDM2TM)
2.5 Level 2 DFD: Manage-Bridge-Data Process
BRIDGE-DETAIL
3.2
BRIDGE-DETAIL 3.1 MODIFY-BRIDGE-
ADD-BRIDGE- DETAIL
DETAIL
RDM2
DATABASE
RDM2
DATABASE
BRIDGE-DETAIL 3,3
DELETE-BRIDGE-
DETAIL
KEY
PROCESS
EXTERNAL ENTITY
DATA FLOW
DATA STORE
10
NRA Road Data Manager (RDM2TM)
2.6 Level 2 DFD: Manage-Road-Data Process
ROAD-DETAIL
4.2
ROAD-DETAIL 4.1 MODIFY-ROAD-
ADD ROAD- DETAIL
DETAIL
RDM2-DATABASE
RDM2-DATABASE
ROAD-DETAIL 4,3
DELETE-ROAD-
DETAIL
KEY
PROCESS
EXTERNAL ENTITY
DATA FLOW
DATA STORE
11
NRA Road Data Manager (RDM2TM)
2.7 Level 2 DFD: Generate-Report Process
RATING
PREVIEW
REPORT
5.1
CALCULATE
BRIDGE
CONDITION 5.3
RATING CREATE-PREVIEW-
REPORT
RDM-DATA
RDM-DATA
RDM2
RATING
DATABASE
RATING
RDM-DATA RDM2
DATABASE
RDM-DATA
5.4
CREATE HDM 5.2
REPORT CALCULATE-
OVERALL -ROAD
CONDITION-RATING
RATING
HDM REPORT
KEY
PROCESS
EXTERNAL ENTITY
DATA FLOW
DATA STORE
12
NRA Road Data Manager (RDM2TM)
3. DATA DICTIONARY
BRIDGE − INVENTORY
BRIDGE-DETAIL = BRIDGE − CONDITION − DETAIL
ROAD − INVENTORY
ROAD DETAIL = ROAD − CONDITION − DETAIL
14
NRA Road Data Manager (RDM2TM)
Name UR-4: Change user level
Description The RDM system shall be able to change the user level
of a particular user
Priority High
Rationale User who change job responsibilities need to have new
levels of system access.
Input Username, new user level.
Basic course of events 1. Supervisor indicates that he/she wants to change
the level of a user.
2. The system responds by requesting the inputs
indicated above
3. Supervisor enters the set of input
4. System changes the level of the user.
15
NRA Road Data Manager (RDM2TM)
Name UR-7: Modify road/bridge details
Description The system shall be able to modify the details that are
already in the database.
Priority High.
Rationale Details for a particular road/bridge will have to be
modified after a new road survey comes up with new
details for that road.
Basic course of events 1. User indicates that he/she wants to modify
bridge/road details.
2. The system responds by requesting the inputs
indicated above
3. User enters the set of input
4. System checks that the input is available in the
database and modifies it.
16
NRA Road Data Manager (RDM2TM)
5.0 NON-FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS
The availability of the above hardware requirements will achieve the following non-
functional requirements
5.2 Efficiency
The system will be able to run efficiently on a 32-bit machine with at least 1 GB RAM
The system will allow users to use accelerators such as short cuts and also command line.
5.3 Reliability
One of the two server machines will be used for back up. As such, it will be possible to
maintain important data at all times in case of system crushes.
In the event of power failures as it has become the order of the day in most parts of the
country, the sourced UPS will make the system available at all times.
5.4.1 Learnability
The interface will be designed to help the new users learn how to use the system with
ease. This is to be achieved through a well designed GUI interface.
There will be a user manual accompanying the help facility that is to be provided
The System will be developed with the capability of exception handling in the face of
errors. Instead of the system shutting down when an error occurs, the system will be able
to attempt handling it.
17
NRA Road Data Manager (RDM2TM)
5.4.3 Multiple Views
The system shall also allow for multiple views and Concurrency Control
Concurrency control
5.6 Delivery
The system is expected to be ready for delivery by the end of January 2009.
18
NRA Road Data Manager (RDM2TM)
6.0 SYSTEM LIMITATIONS
This section discusses the limitations the system will have in order for it to operate
properly.
Moderate and expert users will generally use this system. The system demands its users
to have good knowledge of windows applications, Internet browser (internet explorer or
Netscape navigator), and Database applications. System learnability for novice users has
also been put into reasonable consideration.
6.2 Applicability
The system will be designed for Road and Bridge Data management for the Malawi
National Roads Authority. The system therefore holds many technical terms applied in
civil engineering, which are relevant to the users’ field of application. It should be noted
therefore that this is not a generic system and will only include functionalities deemed as
necessary for Road and Bridge Data management by the NRA.
6.3 Access
Access to this system will be limited to authorised members of NRA. The system will be
accessed from any place where the Internet is accessible.
6.4 Hardware
RDM 2 will have the following hardware specifications for proper running of the
program
19
NRA Road Data Manager (RDM2TM)
7.0 SYSTEM EVOLUTION
As more roads and bridges are being constructed through out the country, the database
size of the RDM is most likely to expand. Hardware evolution in terms of Server storage
capacity continues to improve. Future projections for the RDM are that it will hold a
bigger database and will support more other external systems like the HDM.
As more departments at the NRA are getting automated, it is most likely that RDM may
later get integrated with other administrative systems for the organisation to create one
information management system.
20
NRA Road Data Manager (RDM2TM)
9.0 APPENDIX
9.1 Glossary
Adaptability
Capability of system to adopt new concepts
Client
The Purchasers of the System
.
Inventory
Inventory is a collection of information for each sub-link within a link. This
inventory data includes pavement construction and geometry details, details of
road assets such as bridges, culverts and road signs, as well as information about
social and economic activity along the road.
Ordnance
The ordnance survey defines the zone and district in which a link is located and
the road designation number
Project Team
The System Development Group
Road Network
The geographical area of Malawi is divided into Regions, Zones and Districts.
These attributes along with a road designation number define the road network.
The Current network managed by NRA comprises approximately 15,500 km of
road of which 4000 km are paved, primarily surface dressings, and the remaining
21
NRA Road Data Manager (RDM2TM)
11,500 km are unpaved, primarily earth roads. All roads are sub-divided into
links, where a link is a length of road between two significant landmarks, such as
major junctions. The links have been uniquely numbered and are identified by
their start and end point descriptions and GPS coordinates. Whilst roads can span
several districts and zones, the start and end points of links are generally restricted
to be within a single district. Each link has been divided into one or more sub-
links, which are lined sequentially from the start of the link. The last sub-link can
have any length between 1 m and 999 m.
Roughness
The roughness of each sub-link is measured using a vehicle mounted bump
integrator. Measurements are conducted at a constant speed of 30, 50 or 70 km/h
depending on the ride quality of the surface and traffic conditions. The vehicles
that are used to measure roughness are calibrated against the Merlin to enable the
roughness readings from the vehicle mounted bump integrator to be converted
into the standard International Roughness Index (IRI) units.
Surface Condition
Separate road surface condition surveys are carried out for paved and unpaved
roads annually. The condition of each sub-link on each link is recorded. On
paved roads the condition of the surfacing is recorded in terms of rutting,
cracking, ravelling, potholes, patching, bleeding and edge failures. On unpaved
roads the condition is recorded in terms of carriageway shape and gravel
thickness. These condition parameters are recorded as Good, Fair, Poor or Bad.
For both types of road, the condition of the drainage is also recorded in a similar
manner.
Traffic Counts
22
NRA Road Data Manager (RDM2TM)
These are traffic levels counted at different locations in both paved and unpaved
roads
23
NRA Road Data Manager (RDM2TM)
10. BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Elmasri, Ramez and Navathe, Shamkant (1994), Fundamentals of Database
Systems, 2nd Ed., Addison Wesley.
3. Schach, S.R (1993), Software Engineering, 2nd Ed, Aksen Associates Incorporated
Publisher.
5. Greg Morosiuk and Henry Kerali (2001), The Highway Development and
ManagementTool - HDMV-4. IKRAMUs Seminar on Asphalt Pavement
Technology (ISAPT), Kuala Lumpur, October 2001.
www document retrieved on 26 August 2008 from:
http://www.transportlinks.org/transport_links/filearea/publications/1_760
_PA3759_2001.pdf
24
NRA Road Data Manager (RDM2TM)